Coventry Hotels - Smooth Hound Hotel Directory

Coventry is situated in the West Midlands and is today a popular tourist destination. During World War II, Coventry was heavily bombed and as a result many of the older buildings have since been replaced. The medieval Gothic cathedral was just one of the buildings that were almost completely destroyed. Remaining portions of the old cathedral now forms a memorial garden. A new cathedral was constructed after the war. The ruins of an old Roman fort are still in existence and can be toured for a small admission fee. There are also several museums and other sights to see as well.

Coventry is the second largest city in the West Midlands, with over 300,000 inhabitants. One of its many claims to fame is that it is further inland than any other British city.

Coventry cathedral suffered major damage during the Second World War. The cathedral was completely rebuilt after the devastation that was caused and the previous cathedral has been left as a ruined shell as a garden of remembrance. The old and new co-exist together and form a unique part of the centre of the city of Coventry.

Lady Godiva is perhaps the city's most famous resident and is most famous for her ride through the streets of the city. The Godiva Festival is an annual music festival that is named after her. The festival stretches over three days in July and attracts a wide range of bands that perform in the various arenas at the event. At other times of the year, the Ricoh Arena is host to both Coventry City Football Club and also a number of major rock concerts.

Elsewhere in the city is the SkyDome Arena, which is a three thousand seat arena that was purpose built to hold different events, including the regular ice hockey matches of the Coventry Blaze team as well as public ice skating sessions and also a number of concerts.

Despite its proximity to Birmingham, Coventry shoppers are well catered for, including the Cathedral Lanes shopping centre, a number of pedestrianised shopping precincts and the West Orchards shopping centre. There are also a multitude of specialist shops with an emphasis on designer fashion.

There are two universities in the city which ensures a wide variety of pubs, bars and restaurants for you to sample. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, including several in the medieval timber framed buildings that can be found on Spon Street.