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A gem in the old city of Istanbul (a romantic place in itself), the Serkeci Konak is a boutique hotel that will leave you relaxed and loved up. A totally romantic hotel which we would go back to in a second!
The rooms are beautiful, comfortable and perfect for snuggling. An impressive breakfast spread is served until 10.30am, allowing for plenty of laying in, before either heading off into the Old City (which you can't help but fall in love in), or enjoy the delights the hotel has to offer: lounge in the pool and spa area (which offers a range of amazing massages including Turkish baths); enjoy drinks on the love seats on the roof terrace overlooking the Bosphorous; have (free) afternoon tea in the comfortable and private lounge area, and enjoy dinner in one of the two restaurants (one is a delicious sea food restaurant on the roof terrace looking out over the Bosphorous). We started every evening with cocktails on the roof while the sun set, before heading into town.
On arrival we were given free drinks and an introduction from one of the guest managers, all of whom are friendly knowledgeable, and looked out for us the whole time we were there without being imposing.
If you're not relaxed and loved up before you visit Serkeci Konak, you will be by the time you leave!
www.serkecikonak.com
Taya Hatun Sokak No:5 34120 Sirkeci
+90 212 528 43 44 pbx
Google map: tinyurl.com/ye35p3j
An unusual hotel near Wookey Hole. It is small, romantic and feels like going to stay in an old friend's country house. This hotel is full on quirky antiques, has a full sized snooker table, an honesty bar and an minima (a small cinema ... complete with an extensive DVD collection).
I would recommend it for couples who simply want to escape from everything for a couple of days.
www.glencothouse.co.uk
Glencot Lane, Wookey Hole, Wells, BA5 1BH
01749 677 160
Google map: tinyurl.com/y8md9sl
A four star hotel, but it feels like a five star one. A really beautiful place - quiet and exclusive, but still in walking distance from all the major sights and shopping. I loved the historic feel of the hotel.
www.kongarthur.dk
Nørre Søgade 11
DK-1370 København K.
Tlf.: +45 33 11 12 12
Google map: tinyurl.com/ye3u6aq
Friendly staff. A hotel with lots of atmosphere and reasonably priced for Denmark/Copenhagen. Great breakfast and nice rooms. Wonderfully located. Try the tapas-bar next door!
Vendersgade 23, 1363 Copenhagen K, www.ibsenshotel.dk
Google map: tinyurl.com/yevsvd4
I read the Sally Shalam article at the weekend on this place and I have seen the plans they have for it. It's a beautiful Georgian town house in the city centre and set for a contemporary make over by a great interior designer - but prices seem reasonable at £99.
The place is set to open in February but from what I have seen, it's definitely worth a visit - will give you the low down after i have stayed there!
South Parade - 200 yards from Bath Spa train station.
www.thehalcyon.com/
If you want a good value three-star hotel near the station in Florence and a couple of minutes from Il Duomo, I can highly recommend Hotel San Giorgio. It costs about €30 ppp night, the breakfast was excellent and the staff and manager Piero are mines of information on good value local bars and trattorias.
www.hotelsangiorgioflorence.com
Via San Antonino 3, Florence, 50123
Tel. 055/284344
Google map: tinyurl.com/ydtujew
The basics are executed very well here, from clean and bright rooms to the excellent location of all three of the Madame Cuc hotels in Pham Ngu Lao. The real bonuses are the use of free internet and wifi, breakfast, refreshing drinks and a simple dinner which are all included in the room rates. Madame Cuc's also appears to house the friendliest staff I have encountered to date, readily fussing over a hint of tiredness or lethargy with a Grandmother's care and attention.
Last month I visited Bruges. A rather small yet romantic city in the Flemish region of Belgium. While the restaurant we visited turned out to be a disappointment (microwaved food, rude people, unreasonable prices) I really enjoyed the place where we stayed.
In Bruges we stayed in a small cosy hotel called Prinsenhof, it’s actually an example of old 13th century Flemish housing. It had a clean, comfy luxurious room, a welcoming atmosphere, and the breakfast (while not really cheap) proved to be unforgettable!
Make sure you park your car in the city as the hotel charges for parking.
Ontvangersstraat 9, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
www.prinsenhof.co.uk
0032 50 342 690
Google map: tinyurl.com/yazxdlj
A beautiful sandy beach - amazingly quiet considering! A perfect antidote to the built up areas of White Sands further up the coast, and better for swimming than Bang Bao in the South. Elephant trekking tours also start very near by. Stay at the Blue Lagoon (and eat there) and drink at Nid's Reggae Bar
www.bluelagoonhotel.com/main.html
99 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
Suratthani 84320, Thailand
Tel: +66 7742 2037 - 40
Google map: tinyurl.com/y9bryyx
Nestled at the foot of the Sani Pass in the Drakensberg Mountains at an altitude of 4,570 ft. It offers a fantastic range of sporting facilities- tennis, squash, bowls, badminton, swimming pools and a golf course as well as trail riding horses.
The Wellness Centre has a range of massage and health therapies which come in useful after a day's trip by 4X4 up the tortuous mountain pass to Lesotho where you can visit a Basuto mountain village as well as the highest pub in South Africa where a glass of hot gluwein is served in front of a log fire.
The scenery (wild flowers and animals along the way)is breathtaking.
It borders the World Heritage site, the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park an area singled out for its unique natural and cultural beauty.
The website is
www.sanipasshotel.co.za
Tel +27 33 702-1320
Google map: tinyurl.com/yeb2eog
Good quality locally owned three-star hotel in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City. Very close to Ben Tranh market.
We stayed there in November 09 and paid around £40 per night.
208 - 210 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1
lavenderhotel.com.vn
Google map: tinyurl.com/y9xjf8u
After staying in bog standard, even fortress like hotels, with formal at best and surly at worst staff, The Cape Heritage Hotel was a drop into a blissful haven. The Cape Heritage is a boutique style, luxurious yet homely hotel housed in Heritage Square where you can find a host of restaurants just minutes away, in the historic centre of Cape Town. The staff come friendly, helpful and with a touch of dry wit. We were upgraded to a suite which was completely unexpected and the staff humorously didn’t tell us – I went down to tell them that I think we’ve got the wrong room (I was concerned my bank balance wouldn’t cope), and they said we’ve treated you! They even lent us some money so we didn’t have to go to the cashpoint the night we arrived.
The bed was gorgeous – so comfy you didn’t want to leave and you could practically float in the bath it was so deep (not so good for water conservation, but there is a shower).
Breakfast is served in a homely country/modern style kitchen where the girls transfer from reception mode to chef / comedian mode – eggs and beans to order (although they were a little taken by surprise that we wanted our beans hot!)
This hotel truly made our stay in South Africa memorable, comfortable and unique with a personal touch often lacking in many hotels.
Cape Heritage is in my top three hotels to stay in the world – stay anywhere else and you’re missing a treat!
Cape Heritage Hotel
90 Bree Street, Cape Town, South Africa
021 424 4646
www.capeheritage.co.za/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yah7wwf
It's a lovely home not too far from the international airport at San Jose - from where Steve will meet your plane. You will be taken to their beuatiful home overlooking a deep canyon full of butterflies and lush tropical plants that will amaze you. Steve and Rita will welcome you to their little patch of paradise and feed and wine you and if you want, even have someone come in and massage you or give you a pedicure to relax after that long journey. As wecloming a hostelry as you'll find anywhere. And if you need to get to places further afield in Costa Rica, their good friend Luis will be your private driver and guide!
www.casabellarita.com/
asa Bella Rita, Brasil de Santa Ana, San Jose, Costa Rica
For one thing this close to the Duomo, it's just in the perfect spot and I was so glad to be here. Walking is important to us, and the next thing I like is that they accepted dogs because many places we tried to book did not. And of course he got to walk with us! The staff were friendly and the hotel itself is just absolutely beautiful; we couldn't have asked for better.
Via Dei Servi, 2 - 50122 Firenze
www.niccolinidomepalace.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yhgw4ac
This is the hotel we stayed in while we were in Siem Reap.
Very central with a nice pool. Staff were friendly.
In addition an hour long reflexology session in the hotel only cost $10.
Suggest using one of hotel booking websites to get best deal.
www.royalbayinnangkor.com/
Oum Khun Str, Module 1, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap District, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
(855-63) 760 500
Google map: tinyurl.com/ykc3yl2
This mid-range hotel set right in the historic centre of Lviv is excellent value for money (about 40 euros for a double room). There's free wifi throughout the hotel and you can indulge in a hearty breakfast in Cafe Wien downstairs, which includes delicious Austrian desserts. Yes - for breakfast!
12, Svoboda Avenue
Lviv, 79008, Ukraine
tel/fax: + 38 (032) 244-43-14
www.wienhotel.lviv.ua/index_en.htm
Google map: tinyurl.com/yf5nzjb
I'd recommend the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, Cape Town any day.
I was blown away by the beautiful setting. The hotel has large garden with exotic plants in front of the mountain and it's very close to vineyards and the sea. The local people came for a stroll on the beach on Sunday afternoon without any shoes on! It was fantastic to do the same too. Nobody seemed to care.
The food was great and the most of them all, biscuits and cakes were wonderful. They looked the same as ours but tasted so different. I had to buy the SA cookery book on baking!
I'm dreaming of visiting there again...
www.nh-hotels.co.za/lordcharles/index.php
Corner Faure & Stellenbosch Roads
Somerset West, 7130, Cape Town, South Africa
Tel No: (021) 855 1040
Friends from London were visiting and wanted to get away from it all so we all booked in at Two Bridges Hotel right smack bang in the middle of The National Park Dartmoor. It is an old coaching inn recently refurbished and stunning! All the old world charm you want but up-to-date facilities that we all want these days. Food better than any three-star place I have been to, obviously keen on local produce and using Dartmoor Farmers Beef. We upgraded to a room with four poster bed and spa bath which was great after a days walking. The log fires and own brewed Jail Ale was a great way to relax with friends. The friendly receptionist did offer us a tour of their brewery but we did not have the time perhaps another day. We will certainly be back.
www.twobridges.co.uk
Two Bridges, Dartmoor, Devon, PL20 6SW
01822 890581
Train Station Plymouth or Exeter so easy trip from London.
Google map: tinyurl.com/yg7anul
Hotel Chain Toyoko Inns provides over 200 budget hotels throughout Japan. They're cleaned daily, include en-suite, breakfast, cost around £50.00 for a twin/double room per night.
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