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I know! It's me again, the traveling girl. This time it's UK. I am going out there from 24th to 29th of June. I looked for a piano and found a piano in Best Western. But the hotel room was sold out. It happens to us all the time because the meeting dates are set at the last minute. I am going in to ask if I can play the piano even though I'm not their guest. Does anyone have experience playing there? I'm staying at Old Ship Hotel. I usually book the Grand but it was all booked. Hilton Metropole was also booked as well. Any advise for a piano I can play in Brighton is appreciated. Thank you.

Hi Farm Girl, have you googled? Brighton has a thriving music scene. Here are a couple of links that might be able to point you in the right direction. Hope you find one and if this is your first visit to Brighton don't overlook the lanes! Lovely place

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/leisure-and-libraries/arts-and-culture/live-music

http://www.bimm.co.uk/

Sundew, thank you for the information. I am slightly optimistic about having a piano in Brighton. As you can imagine, I have been googling about piano for hire, practice piano, piano for use, etc., in Brighton. Best Western has it but it was full. So I talked with the hotel. Not only I was able to book a room 4 nights out of 6 nights I needed but also to obtain verbal permission to play the piano there. I will see. I probably need to bring a set of repartore and plan to insert practice parts in between. It is very encouraging. For the remaining nights, I opted to stay in London. There is a performance in Wigmore (spelling not sure) Hall by Mark Andre Hamlin. I will spend the last night in London with my friend who recently moved into a flat in Belgravia! Hope she didn't rob a bank to amass her wealth(lol). I will check it out anyway.

Fortunately I have been given many oportunities tIo visit UK in the last 10 years. Mainly Brighton and London but I also went to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Swindon. The last one is a bit strange. I was chewed up by my company's admin for taking a taxi from Heathrow to Swindon. Don't ask me how many hours and how much it cost me. It was my first time to UK. I enjoy my visit to UK. Love the people and history there. Thanks for your help.

A little secret. Hotel's always have rooms available. They save them for special customers, just in case.
You can become a special customer by slipping the person at the desk a picture of Benjamin Franklin. The will do all kinds of extra things for you.

In the UK, Ron, we prefer piccies of the Queen's head

I wasn't sure if it was your first visit Farmgirl, and I thought afterwards asking if you'd googled was a bit daft ... sorry about that but I knew of the Bimm and thought perhaps, if push came to shove, they might have a rehearsal room spare. Delighted to hear you have everything so well organised and I shudder to think of that Taxi fare! I've never been to Swindon, driven by it though....

Sundew- no problem. I appreciate your help. I appreciate BIMM as a valuable alternative. Thank you for the link. It's just I need to work long hours when I travel. After an all day meeting, I only have a couple of hours of free time (5 to 7 PM) from Monday upto Thursday. So it is best to have a piano in the hotel I stay. The rest of my evenings would be spent by calls with US and taking my team and contractors out for dinner. About a taxi ride to Swindon, I was lucky that I did not get fired for this. Now I research before I fly. It's also a bit different now with iPhones and laptop.

Ron - great suggestion. But I won't be doing that. Within me I still hold my old fashioned upbringing. I cannot bring myself to that. Using money seems to be a bit improper. I'm not a very goods strong business woman and do not do anything I'm comfortable with. Perhaps this is my limitation. I am fine with it.

As I always do, I told the hotel that I enjoy music and asked if I may play the piano. If they allowed me to play the piano as they did in this case, I would be pleased. If they did not, I would not be as happy as I am now. But I can live with it. After all it's their piano not mine.
Ps - I read it above and thinking i might be too harsh. Ron, I want you to know I appreciate your kindness

I just received this from the hotel. Needless to say I am very happy. What a great hotel. What a great country! I cannot wait to go out there.

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Good afternoon (FarmGirl),
 
Thank you for your email.
 
I have been advised by the BEST WESTERN Brighton Hotel that guests are more than welcome to play the hotel's piano. The hotel just ask that you don't play after midnight!
 
I hope this meets with your approval. If I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me via return e-mail.

Farmgirl, you`ve been to the UK several times and not visited Lancaster! We even had a bomber named after us . . . .mind you, so did Halifax . . .

might have to take your tuning equipment with you. Goodness knows whether anyone would upkeep a piano in a hotel environment. Hopefully it will overlook the sea, how cool would that be.

In the 27 years I lived there, I managed to safely avoid Lancaster and Halifax

Ok guys it could be a cranker, but here's the pic from their website. I'm trying not to expect too much.

It depends how much it costs to get there by taxi from the airport. I'm kidding I don't want to relive my Swindon episode. Boy was I having cold sweat after the car ride exceeded two hours! I would love to visit Lancaster some day. Maybe your piano party? Jokes aside my husband loves England history!