A Room With A View – Florence. E.M. Forster’s A Room With A View opens with a very proper English young lady, Miss Lucy Honeychurch, and her priggish cousin and chaperone, Miss Charlotte Bartlett making a trip to Florence. On arrival at their pensione they discover that their room doesn’t have a view of the […]
The Townhouse Hotel – Manchester
A fine Townhouse hotel in a central Manchester location. With my daughter studying in Manchester, there’s a perfect excuse to explore this exciting northern city. I was delighted by a recent opportunity to go to Manchester with a friend, visit our respective children and stay at The Townhouse Hotel for a couple of nights. Perfectly […]
Stargazy Inn Review Cornwall
Stargazy Inn – picturesque Port Isaac Cornwall. Port Isaac, a historic, Cornish, fishing port close to where I grew up in North Cornwall is a favourite spot for me. Arriving on a perfect sunny day, the weather couldn’t have been better. The Stargazy Inn is easy to find, at the top of the village on […]
The Howard Arms, Ilmington – Review
A country break in a very English idyll Nestling at the foot of the Ilmington Downs, amongst the gentling rolling Cotswold Hills is the village of Ilmington – the highest in Warwickshire, just 3.5 miles north-west of Shipston on Stour and 8 miles south of Stratford. This picture postcard village embodies a very English idyll, […]
The Hand at Llanarmon – a small hotel with a big reputation
Excellent food and accommodation in Wales’ idyllic Ceiriog Valley. ‘’A little bit of heaven on Earth’’ was Lloyd George’s description of the Ceiriog Valley and it’s easy to see why – its steep hills, pastured and white-dotted with sheep, have been the inspiration for poets. And on this crowded island, it still remains relatively undiscovered […]
The Bower House Shipston – Hotel review
Boutique Hotel and Dining Experience at The Bower House, Shipston. The Bower House Restaurant with Rooms is located in the heart of Shipston-On-Stour, a charming market town just 11 miles north of Stratford-Upon-Avon and 10 miles south of Chipping Norton. A great base for exploring the beautiful rolling hills of the Cotswolds, there are many […]
Le Pavillon des Lettres – a Literary Hotel in Paris:
Boutique Hotel in the 8ième Arrondissement Paris – Le Pavillon des Lettres. Any regular visitor to Paris will have their favourite Arrondissement. Mine has always been the 6ième – Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Latin Quarter and the Luxembourg Gardens- an area full of cafés with history, old churches and heritage. I seldom stray – this time, tempted […]
Bingham Riverhouse Hotel – Review
Bingham Riverhouse Hotel, Richmond – Staycation and Dinner: (invited press review) For sheer self-indulgence, you can’t beat a staycation, so of course I jumped at the chance when I was invited to visit Bingham Riverhouse Hotel to check out the new refurbishment. Bingham Riverhouse Hotel was originally built in 1740 as two Georgian houses. From […]
Nilaya Hermitage, Goa, India
Nilaya – an idyllic hotel retreat in the hills of Arpora: This year was my third visit to India. I have slowly fallen in love with this beautiful country (and who wouldn’t?) with its stunning beaches, bustling towns and cities bursting with activity and colour, not to mention the wonderfully hospitable and friendly people. Prior […]
Vintry & Mercer – DND and Mercer Roof Terrace reviews
Vintry & Mercer Boutique Hotel, City of London: (invited press review) Vintry & Mercer is a brand new boutique hotel on Garlick Hill in the City of London from the same group who own South Kensington’s The Ampersand Hotel (which I reviewed recently). I’ve now been invited to their cocktail bar DND (Do Not Disturb) […]