Seaham, County Durham – Byron, the Beach, a Spa and Sea Glass. Arrive at Seaham Hall at dusk to a stunning classic mansion fronted by a striking contemporary water feature. First impressions count – mine was one of fascination. I’m used to the juxtaposition of old and new, but the water feature at the approach to […]
A Year of Chocolate – Boutique Hotels and More
Exploring the World’s Best Chocolate and Cacao. While I’d love to claim that I’ve spent the last year climbing mountains, diving for hidden treasure or zip-lining across the jungle, 2018 for me has definitely been a year in which I’ve indulged one of my greatest passions – chocolate. Not intentionally, you understand. It’s just happened […]
Bombay Sapphire package at De Vere Wokefield Estate
Bombay Sapphire Distillery and the De Vere Wokefield: I finished my WSET Spirits Level 1 course (passed with 100% – sorry, just had to brag!) just 2 weeks before Deborah and I were due to visit the DeVere Wokefield Estate for a night away and a trip to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Lavenham. I was […]
Hotels and restaurants in Winchester, Hampshire UK
Where to stay and eat in Winchester, Hampshire The historic city of Winchester in Hampshire is just an hour from London by train; a great place to visit it’s right in the heart of the English Countryside. While it has the usual chain restaurants found in most city centres these days, there are also plenty […]
Essex Escape in Dedham and Colchester
Alternative Essex – short break at The Sun Inn exploring Constable Country: Dedham, Essex: Anyone visiting Essex for the first time expecting scenes from the well-known reality TV show ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ is in for a wonderful surprise… Dedham is a complete contrast; a beautiful, picture-book village, steeped in history and charm. You […]
Luxury Cocoa Spa Treatments at Le Kalon Spa, The Bentley Hotel, London
The Bentley Hotel, London – Luxurious Cocoa Spa Treatments One of my favourite indulgences is chocolate and I love a spa treatment so offered the chance to visit Le Kalon Spa at the Bentley Hotel, South Kensington for luxury cocoa spa treatments I was more than happy to accept and combine the two. The spa […]
Hotel New York, Rotterdam
A Hotel with History in Rotterdam – Hotel New York: Introduction and History of the Hotel New York, Rotterdam: Hotel New York sits like a grand dame overlooking the Nieuwe Maas, the waterway that links Rotterdam to the North Sea. The three-storied hotel is situated at the end of a finger of land, the Wilhelminakade, […]
Chapel House – Boutique Hotel Penzance West Cornwall
Review of Chapel House, Penzance, West Cornwall I grew up in Cornwall and fondly remember visiting Penzance as a child, as well as taking my girls there for day trips when they were younger. But I hadn’t ventured to West Cornwall for a few years so welcomed an invitation to check out the charming Chapel […]
Wine Tours in the Alentejo – a new wine tourism
Wine Tours in the Alentejo and more: If the start of my trip to Alentejo took me through the ancient villages to the historic palace in Estramoz where I first fell in love with Portugal, the second part of our trip was focused on the changing landscape of this rural region which accounts for a […]
Brook Green Hotel, Hammersmith, London
West London Boutique Hotel Staycation When I was a teenager in the 1970s the Shepherds Bush Road meant one thing – the Hammersmith Palais. It was a fantastic old dance hall that doubled up as a venue both for the old-school Mecca dance bands, and as a rock’n roll venue immortalised in the title of The […]