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Poprad is so much more than a 'nondescript town in south-west Slovakia' as called in a recent Guardian travel piece. This is both incorrect geographically and unkind.
For a start, Poprad is in the north-east of the country, nestling at the foot of the mighty Tatra mountains making it an ideal base for family skiing, hiking, spa holidays. The town has an industrial past and some blocks from the sixties that are not too pretty but the town centre square has been pedestrianised and painted and is lined with excellent bars, pubs and restaurants.
There are several good museums and the Tatra mountain resorts are 20 minutes ride away on the wonderful elektricka electric train. There is also a 'suburb' of Poprad, the beautiful medieval town of Spisska Sobota which contains some of the best restaurants and pensions in Slovakia.
All in all, Poprad has everything and SkyEurope flies from the UK several times a week.
There is also the fabulous AquaCity, one of the most environmentally friendly spa lido hotel complexes in the world. The Slovak people are really welcoming and the food and accommodation are world-class. The Slovak beer, wine and slivovica must be tried!
Poprad
Northeast Slovakia
Train from Bratislava (mainline to Kosice www.busy.sk)
Bargain flights from the UK www.skyeurope.com
Aquacity www.aquacity.sk
I have just returned from Whitley Bay this weekend, and I would just like to let anyone who is thinking about staying in Whitley Bay that I found the best B&B I have ever stayed in!
I have stayed in many B&Bs during my travels, most are a little tacky and chintzy. Most have their own little quirky attributes, like a shoulder against the door to assist opening it or a little gentle tap on the remote to get the TV working, that's if there is a remote. I know if you have stayed in B&Bs that you'll be familiar with these added features.
The Chedburgh in Whitley Bay is, however, a world apart! Flat screen TVs, DVD players, Sky Sports 1, 2 & 3 in the room plus other stations.
Great decor, neutral browns and creams with modern furniture and very clean! Everything in the room worked! Breakfast was fantastic and the owners young, friendly, really helpful and social people. Well done to these people for exceeding my exectations of the B&B industry in this country.
No complaints about this place at all, I wish I could find a Chedburgh everywhere I travelled!
Check out their website, really informative and what you see there is what you see at the B&B!
www.chedburgh-hotel.co.uk
This hotel has a good restaurant and bar and is centrally located. The hotel is spotless and the service excellent. We used to stay at Hotel Catedral, but it was often booked up. This is a better alternative, same price, better deal and better situated.
It is a couple of blocks from Parque Alameda, Bellas Artes, Paseo Reforma and all that area contains in Centro Historico. $40 to $60 for a suite! Recommended. Free internet.
Guerrero No. 12, and Puente Alvarado, opposite a small park. Tel. 55668333
www.hotel-monaco.com.mx
A small, friendly and quiet guesthouse, in a very convenient and safe part of Cape Town, two blocks up from the ocean and shops, nearest to Clifton Beaches, Seapoint around the corner.
The owner really knows what service and friendliness means, laundry service and ADSL internet was free (including calls to landlines in the UK) and we really felt at home away from home, delightful interior for a fantastic price.
They even give you a SA cell number when you book, so you can tell friends which number to get hold of you, while exploring the country.
Only ten pounds per person sharing per night!
Complimentary coffee, tea and use of fully equiped kitchen. Safe private parking too.
The best we found in our SA Holiday. Quality really does not need to cost the world.
This is a great hostel, and the location is superb. Even if it's in the middle of Prague, we didn't hear a single car or other disturbing noises. It's a perfect spot if you want a (cheap) place to stay, it's open 24 hours and you get your own key to the front door - which is always locked.
We stayed there in February (a very cold month) but in our room the central heating was on all the time, and the water is warm and good.
There was even a colour TV with many channels (not that we had time to watch). When we returned in the evenings, the bed was made and the garbage was emptied.
Highly recommended.
Jecna 12
www.hostel-citycenter.cz
Metro Station "Line B - Karlovo namesti"
We were really warmly welcomed to La Barde by the owners, Steve and Bronwen, who looked after us really well during our stay.
Steve has lots of good tips about the important places to see and also how best to fit them in to sensible days of visits.
The bedroom we stayed in was spotless and with great character. The views of the Chateau from our room and the gardens made this a very special location for a trip to the wonderful area.
Breakfast was a treat and chatting to guests over a coffee and croissant was a real introduction to B&B French style.
We will be back!
La Barde, Montfort, 24200 Vitrac Sarlat, FRANCE.
Tel: 00 33 (0)5 53 28 24 34
Mob: 00 33 (0)6 21 96 51 90
E-mail: steve.houghton@wanadoo.fr
www.perigord-dordogne-sarlat.com
I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Vienna Marriott while on a short business trip. Excellent front desk/check-in service, but what really begs a mention are the fantastic beds at this hotel. My colleagues and I all agreed that the beds were by far the most comfortable ones we've experienced at a hotel in a long time. Sleepy soft with heaps of pillows! Would not hesitate to recommend this hotel for quality, location and, above all, comfort!
marriott.com/hotels/travel/vieat-vienna-marriott-hotel/
Parkring 12a
Vienna, 1010 Austria
Phone: 43 1 515180
Google map: tinyurl.com/lljzvy
Very nice place, good English speaking staff. Very helpful people. Perfect location on the beach. I suggest this for all kiters (for lessons as well) and non-kiters for massages and food.
We went as a group staying in a brilliant apartment, Vista Real, on the fifth floor, with a veranda on two levels on the roof overlooking Plaza Real.
You could see the whole city and sit up there at night. It was really well designed and had an old Victorian bath.
We found the place at www.way2stay.com who were great.
It's always busy in the square - with good rock club Sidecar and hip-hop bar 13 and Jamboree, also it's just beside Las Ramblas and completely in the central area.
We went on a good bar/club crawl on Carrer Escudeller as well, which has more locals and less tourists. Barcelona rules!
Both times we’ve visited Santa Rosa, in the Sonoma Valley, California, we’ve stayed at the Hotel La Rose. It is situated in the old Railroad Square, surrounded by bars, restaurants and cafes and only five minutes away from the town centre. It’s also within easy reach of Hwy101 from SF.
The current building dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Its interior has been designed and decorated to show a sense of cosiness and tradition that soon make you feel at home. The rooms are clean, spacious and have got comfortable beds with pillows of all sizes, both to sleep on and as decoration.
Of special note are some of the rooms on the fourth floor in the main building as they have a slanted roof and windows.
The service at the Hotel La Rose is professional and friendly. Unlike most hotels in the area they offer continental breakfast, the best buffet breakfast we’ve ever had. This consists of fresh fruit, a variety of cereals, different kinds of bread and pastries, smoked salmon, smoked ham, cheese, and the usual drinks: orange juice, coffee, tea, hot chocolate etc.
The hotel has an adjacent car park for guests.
If it's comfort and good, affordable prices you're looking for after your wine tasting trips in the valley, this is the perfect place to book.
www.hotellarose.com/
Hotel La Rose, 308 Wilson St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Tel: 800 527 6738 (LaRose-8)
Fax: 707-579-3247
It is a 3 star hotel right in the city centre. If you are planning a trip to Dublin it is worth basing yourself there. It is 3 star so you get what you pay for (we only paid €70 for the room) but the location is great. We were able to do our shopping head back and drop off the bags and head out again. The staff were always friendly. Thumbs up.
When visiting the wine country in California we like to find accommodation in small and quiet towns. This took us to the Metro Hotel in Petaluma. It’s a big old house that’s been recently restored and turned into a hotel.
It’s very clean and comfortable and upon entering the premises you get the feeling of being in France. Old French paraphernalia have been brought in and used as decoration for both the common areas as well as the rooms: posters imitating the style of the 1930s, original road signs, a metro map of Paris, quaint chalk blackboards with messages written in French, garden gnomes like the one in Amélie… The only modern artefacts are plasma TVs in the rooms and in the reception area.
The furniture is simple and comfortable and it imitates the old country house style of southern France. Beds, wardrobes and bedside tables vary in each room giving them a sense of uniqueness. This, and their white kitten playing around the reception area, made us feel like we were staying at a friend’s house rather than at a hotel, something we appreciated.
When we stayed at the Metro Hotel they didn’t serve breakfast, yet they had two thermoses with coffee and a jug of milk for the guests. It looked like they were doing some more work in the house and we were told they’ll open a cafe soon.
The service at the Metro Hotel was efficient and almost invisible. The reception is only open certain hours a day and if arriving late (or leaving early) the receptionist leaves you instructions upon reservation of how to check yourself in.
A good place if you want a quaint and relaxed stay in the wine country.
www.metrolodging.com/
Metro Hotel & Cafe
508 Petaluma Blvd.
Petaluma CA 94952
Tel: (707) 773 4900
Almost a day out in itself! My favourite part is the ice cream parlour with its long list of flavours, plus frozen yoghurt. I also recommend the restaurant and the farm-made juices, pickles, mustards etc. There's plenty for children to see, with wildlife watching, ponds and milking. Self catering on site, and the whole place is organic!
Tregellast Barton, St. Keverne, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6NX
Tel. 01326 280479
www.roskillys.co.uk
Excellent two-star hostel on Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Surpisngly quiet for one so central. Beware that it gets incredibly booked up which is probably a reflection of the value it offers.
Plaza del Ayuntamiento
Entrance by Calle En Llop, 5)
46002 VALENCIA
tel 0034 96 352 42 67
www.hotelvenecia.com
Dubrovnik, it's a unique city in the whole world. I traveled there in September 2006. I think Croatia is a great country, it has the whole package; history; cultural richness; beautiful places to visit, and great weather.
Pile Bay-Old Town is very romantic. We stayed there at apartments near Fort Lovrijenac. The price was OK and location perfect (only 70 m from magnificent Placa-Stradun). Nevertheless, the location was quiet.
The staff were obliging and rooms clean. Another hot tip is the wonderful fish restaurant Orhan near apartments at small idilic Pile harbour.
I recommend visiting Dubrovnik a thousand times!
od tabakarije 19,fon:+385(0)917397545
www.apartments-lovrijenac.com
Just returned from a weekend in Positano and couldn't have been happier with our hotel choice. I wish now we had planned on staying longer!
The hotel is centrally located - a three minute walk to everywhere you would want to go. The rooms were spacious, clean, and mine had a lovely balcony and sea view.
It's a small family hotel and staff were friendly and helpful and recommended some great restaurants and also provided us with directions when needed.
Positano is very expensive but this hotel is excellent value for money. I highly recommend hotel Bougainville when you are visiting Positano.
This hotel, formerly knew as Nevsky 22, is comfortable, if you desire to spend your stay in the city centre of Petersburg.
In fact, it takes just a few minutes to get to the Hermitage (what a museum!). What is more, Nevsky Prospect is amazing: this boulevard was built in the 18th century and it is full of Italian and French influence: Saint Petersburg is really the union of two different cultures!
10 Bolshaya Konyushennaya St, 191186 St. Petersburg.
Tel: +7 812 3123131
Fax: +7 812 7033861
Website: www.nevskygrandhotel.com
A Japanese Taxi? yes! Here in Melbourne in the 'Transport' hotel in the centre of the city is a Japanese restaurant, a very good restaurant mixing modern day Oz with Japanese to produce inspired dining.
The food and service is fantastic and the interior and exterior design ...amazing
'Taxi' dining room is at Transport Hotel, Federation Square, Flinders St
Melbourne VIC
(just across from Flinders St
railway station)
Tel: 9654 8808
www.transporthotel.com.au/
afinetour, a travel company in Miami set an amazing trip up for me and my wife to Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro.
I spent 4 nights in Bue, 2 nights in Igr and 4 nights in Rio. The hotels they suggested were affordable and amazingly located.
In Buenos Aires we stayed at Art Hotel with great rooms and unique location in Recoleta. In Iguazu we stayed at Esturion hotel, that provided a great room in their second floor and they are located just 10 minutes from the falls and in Rio we stayed at Praia Ipanema hotel, right in front of the ocean. The tour guides were really helpful and friendly. I recommend their services since I had no problem and everything was handled very professionally.
I had problems with Aerolineas Argentinas though and was delayed like 5 hours.
This is the most gorgeous romantic bolthole. It has stunning views, is on Gold Hill which was used in the famous Hovis advert and is a real tardis! It has 4 bedrooms for 6 people which all come with White Company bedlinen and smart little bottles of White Company shampoo, etc. The top bedroom is a cool space - really inviting low built-in bed, flat screen TV, etc and ensuite shower. They even provide choccies in a sort of swirly marble run! Downstairs there is a separate music room with baby grand piano, wet room and log burning stove. The basket of yummy goodies was very useful.
Just the place for a lazy getaway with a special person!
www.updowncottage.co.uk
Updown Cottage
12 Gold Hill
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8HB
Tel: 07710 307202
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