November 8, 2008 at 2:36 pm (Bath, Luxury Hotels, Urban Hotels, Wedding Destination)
Tags: City hotel
For a spot of relaxation in Bath’s Royal Crescent experience a night or two of English elegance in this Georgian hotel, a mid-terrace honey-coloured quartet of houses full of style and character.
This 45 room hotel, has 14 suites and full use of The Bath House Spa with pool, gym and exercise studio, right in the heart of the historic quarter. Shop, relax and dine in splendour.
Mess about on the water with the hotel’s 1920s river launch, take a hot-air balloon ride or just spend an afternoon playing croquet in the acre of private grounds.
Complete with chauffeur and butler service it’s an ideal location for a wedding party.
Bath House, Royal Crescent
The Royal Crescent Hotels award-winning Dower House Restaurant serves Modern British cuisine.
This is one of the many fabulous hotels in the Mr & Mrs Smith collection.
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October 30, 2008 at 9:12 am (Accessories, Luggage, Luxury Gifts)
Tags: Chic travel accessories, Luxury Luggage
Don’t be caught short with your luggage this Autumn, see the new 5-piece luggage set from CoutureLab Uk
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October 17, 2008 at 11:07 am (Accommodation, Good Gastronomy, Lists)
The editor of the Mr & Mrs Smith guides, Rufus Purdy has picked ten British hotels that offer great gastronomy.
The Peacock at Rowsley, Peak District, England
Pool House, Wester Ross, Scotland
Tuddenham Mill, Suffolk, England
Whatley Manor, Cotswolds, England
The Wheatsheaf, Northeast Somerset, England
Gidleigh Park, Devon, England
Hipping Hall, Lake District, England
Hurst House on the Marsh, Carmarthen Bay, Wales
The Miller of Mansfield, Berkshire, England
Chewton Glen, Hampshire, England
For more information on these hotels, to book or to see other hotels in the collection see the Mr & Mrs Smith website.
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October 10, 2008 at 9:19 am (Lists, Luxury Hotels)
A Tripadvisor list created from public votes has chosen two of the top ten Best Service hotels as being from the UK
Top 10 Best Service Hotels – Europe
1. Hotel Le Palais, Prague, Czech Republic
2. Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris, Paris, France
3. Riverside Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic
4. Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort, Mykonos, Greece
5. Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Dorchester, England
6. The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel, London, England
7. Quinta da Casa Branca, Funchal, Portugal
8. Relais La Suvera, Pievescola, Italy
9. Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
10. The Westin Excelsior Florence, Florence, Italy
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October 3, 2008 at 9:31 am (Devon, Good Gastronomy, Michelin Star Restaurants, Romantic Hotels, Rural Hotel, Wedding Destination)
Last month I stayed at Combe House, winner of – The Small Hotel of the Year 2008 – South West Tourism Award, AA Inspectors Choice Hotel, Michelin Rising Star – 2007 & 2008 and there’s more….
What can I add to all those accolades except that they are definately deserved.
Combe House is in a gorgeous location just 2 miles from Honiton on the edge of the Saxon village of Gittisham – an unspoilt time-warped hamlet of thatch and cob cottages, Norman church and a gurgling stream approached by a dark tunnel of ancient gnarled beech trees.
Take the long and winding drive from the village, across the estate lawns, you’ll have your first glimpse of the charming Elizabethan Manor that anticipates your arrival. Step into the Great Hall with a crackling log fire and dark wooden panelling and you’ll feel as if you’re visiting friends. A welcome exists that is more than people. The house itself welcomes you into the past with ancestral portraits, into the present with home comforts and into the future because you will want to return.
Visit Combe House for a night, a week or for afternoon tea, lunch or dinner and you won’t be disappointed. The two master chefs of Great Britain source everything locally and produce their own preserves, bread and use the produce of Combe House vegetable garden in their contemporary British cuisine.
Combe House is licensed for civil marriage ceremonies and may be reserved exclusively for weddings and house parties. There is also a private thatched-cottage for two that could be a wedding night, honeymoon destination or just a peaceful, relaxing and romantic getaway.
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September 29, 2008 at 11:06 am (Accessories, Gifts for Men, Luxury Gifts)
I’ve just come across these breathable glasses and popped them in my trolley. Do they work? Who knows but it’ll be fun testing them out.
After years of testing work on breathable glass it’s now been perfected and so is ours to enjoy a glass of wine immediately after opening a bottle?!
- a pack of 2, 20.5 x 7 x 7cm glasses are available at £24.99 from Iwantoneofthose.com
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September 29, 2008 at 9:44 am (Berkshire, Good Gastronomy, Michelin Star Restaurants)
Tags: Michelin Star Restaurants, Michlin 3 star Restaurant UK
The Fat Duck has had a good year as far as awards go, the list so far for 2008 is:
- Good Food Guide accreditation 10/10. Best Restaurant in the UK Good Food Guide 2008
- Second Best Restaurant In The World awarded by the Restaurant Magazines International Academy
- 50 Best Restaurants in the World Awards 2008
- BAFTA nomination in the Features category “Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection” British Academy Television Awards 2008
And of course it has kept its 3 Michelin stars rating.
Heston Blumenthal received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in 2006 by The University of Reading for his dedicated research and commitment to the exploration of culinary science.
The Fat Duck, Bray
The unpretentious outside of the restaurant is repeated inside with a fairly innocuous unnotable decor in the two down-stairs rooms of this terrace cottage.
But the food…. I had the (many many courses) tasting menu and it was incredible. A taste sensation and visual theatre performance.
I’ll give you just a taster from my Sept 2008 menu:
- Jelly of Quail, Langoustine Cream,Parfait of Foie Gras
- Snail Porridge, Jabugo Ham, Shaved Fennel
- Salmon Poached in Liquorice Gel, Artichoke, Vanilla Mayonnaise and “Manni” Olive Oil
- Mango and Douglas Fir Puree, Bavarois of Lychee and Mango, Blackcurrant Sorbet
- Nitro-scrambled Egg and Bacon Ice Cream
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September 27, 2008 at 5:28 pm (Blog Ratings)
I’m not really sure where to put this so I’ve given it a special posting – welcome Blog Top Sites – may I see that number falling!
Blog Catalog Blog Directory
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September 4, 2008 at 11:11 am (Luxury Hotels, Romantic Hotels, Rural Hotel, Scotland, Wedding Destination)
Inverlochy Castle sits amongst the glens and lochs of the West Highlands, it nestles under Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain in some of the most stunning scenery in Scotland.
Queen Victoria wrote in her diary ‘I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot’, that was in 1873 when Inverlochy was a private residence.
In 1969 the castle was converted into one of Scotland’s finest country hotels, it has since won numerous awards:
- Scottish Tourism Board 5 Stars
- AA 5 Red Stars
- AA Top 200 Hotels -Great Britain and Ireland
- AA 3 Red Rosettes
It boasts:
- Tennis
- Fishing on the loch
- A walled garden
- Clay pigeon shooting
- Falconry display
- Full sized snooker table
Inverlochy was built in 1863 by the first Lord Abinger, near the site of the original 13th century fortress.
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August 28, 2008 at 9:08 am (Lists)
Tags: Theme Parks
According to yet another list from Trip advisor the top Theme Parks in Europe are:
- Disneyland Park Paris – Marne-la-Vallee, France
- Tivoli Gardens – Copenhagen, Denmark
- Gardaland – Garda, Italy
- PortAventura Theme Park – Salou, Spain
- Alton Towers – Staffordshire, England
- Efteling – Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands
- Europa Park – Rust, Germany
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