Luxury Holiday Guide Blog
Destinations that are a cut above the restArchive for Travel & Holiday Blogs
Venezuela’s Bicentenial
This year the celebration takes place for 200 years of self rule for Venezuela [full independence wasn't declared until 1811 but the Spanish were deposed in 1810], the Government led by Hugo Chávez has announced recently.
If you have an adventurous spirit this could be the chance of a lifetime. Don’t believe everything that you here in certain quarters of the press about how this and that is like this and that. Everybody has a political axe to grind in the media. There is disparity in wealth in Venezuela as much as there is in the UK. Some are poor, others are well off. But there is no such thing as the Angel Falls in the UK.
One thing to be aware of is that although the state run hospitals are free to all, they perhaps do not come up to the standard of those we enjoy in the UK. So it is avery good idea to try get some international medical insurance, over and above your travel insurance, as there are very good private clinics and clinicians in and around Caracas. The first port of call for anyone needing to find out more on this front is of course the British Embassy in Venezuela. In any case don’t let politics interfere with a chance to meet a fascinating people in a fascinating country on one of their greatest celebrations.
Shopping Holidays in Edinburgh
Edinburgh, the Capital City of Scotland, is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, because of both its architecture and its greenery. In between the city’s two main streets, Princes Street and the Royal Mile, lies the resplendant Princes Street Gardens, all lying under the gaze of the magnificence of Edinburgh Castle.
Within this area is everything you could want from a shopping trip to Edinburgh. There are a number of shops on Princes Street solely dedicated to help the customer find the relevant high quality tartan goods, all of which are made locally.
If you are a connoisseur of Fine Whisky why not try one of the specialist Whisky retailers in either the Royal Mile or Princes Street. Though there are many other places to sample their wares throughout the City.
And of course for that one off shopping experience everybody who visits Edinburgh has to shop at Jenners. This great old department store is as famous for its shopping experience as it is for its architecture.
But if you are to spend the maximum time enjoying yourself you’ll want to stay in the centre of it all. Why not on Princes Street itself, the accommodation in Edinburgh comes with a view of the Gardens and of the Scott Monument included.
Don’t forget Edinburgh welcomes international visitors for twelve months a year, so arrange a visit soon!
What you could find in Cheshire
The hidden gem of North West England has to be the city of Chester. The City was established by the Romans more than two thousand years ago. Believe it or not, this ancient old city was called Deva for hundreds of years. The name was established after the Romans embarked up the river Dee.
Alton Towers in Cheshire
Nowadays Chester and the surrounding countryside area are the perfect getaway destination among countryside loving Brits and is often regarded as the gateway to North Wales and the lovely countryside it’s blessed with. Tourists and weekend drivers also love the stunning scenery on offer when traveling around the city countryside that leads you through Cheshire and Wirrel.
Chester City is surrounded by midlevel walls built by the Romans in bygone times. These are now popular walkways around the city and stretch for more than two miles, only interrupted by the huge ancient gates, imposing stone arches and stunning historic towers.
As ancient as this area might be – it has still got a cosmopolitan feel to it with all the stunning Chester Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs and Clubs. Other modern day attractions in the area include Alton Towers, if you have not heard of Alton Towers, you are not from the United Kingdom. For those of you who are not originally from here then you have to go, especially if you have kids. If you would like to find out more about the attraction in the area then pleas follow this link >>>>>>>
Burton on Trent Ramada Jarvis
Ramada Jarvis in Burton on Trent
Looking for a getaway in the Staffordshire area of England? Well you won’t get much better than the Ramada Jarvis Newton Park Hotel in Burton on Trent. Burton on Trent itself is a beautiful town with tones of history, some dating back the 7th century when the first Christian settlers arrived. A lot of the buildings are splendor 18th century Gothic Town halls and churches. Activities in the area are plentiful; there are two sports centers, three major shopping centre’s, Old breweries that run brilliant daily excursions exploring the old techniques used back in the day of horses pulling the machines. But if you are looking for Burton on Trent Hotels that offer classic luxury breaks then it has to the Ramada Jarvis Newton Park Hotel.
The grade 2 listed 18th century building in Burton on Trent used to be the home of William Worthington, Staffordshire Brewer. The surrounding landscape and gardens are just breathtaking no matter what season you are visiting. The Ramada Jarvis Burton on Trent conference facilities allow up to 120 guests to attend conferences or exhibitions. Other fabulous facilities include wedding and meeting suites.
If your are coming for a get away with the family then Alton Towers is just a short drive away from Burton on Trent.
The city of Edinburgh
A review on Edinburgh Restaurants
Continuing of our UK city guide, today we are going to have a look at restaurants in the city of Edinburgh in Scotland; there really is something for all tastes in this great city, I don’t think there will be a cuisine that has not got a dedicated restaurant in its honor.
There is an abundance of restaurants that serve stylish Scottish cuisine that is cooked with fresh local produce, one thing you will notice in Edinburgh is that the competition is so completive that the chefs and restaurants not only cook good food but they also cook and serve with flair.
This list is just some of the more popular dishes that get dished up in one of Edinburgh’s impressive list of restaurants, with a choice of French restaurants, Italian cooking, Spanish tapas, Scottish cuisine, spicy Indian dishes and Cantonese you won’t be disappointed when visiting Scotland’s capital.
Brighton Holiday Season
Brighton has been a great holiday destination for over 100 years now, in the last couple of decades the holiday population has declined as the price of traveling abroad got cheaper and cheaper, now with the credit crunch it looks like the fortunes of Brighton could be on the up again as more and more Brits are staying at home, not only has the credit crunch put people out of jobs it has also let the Euro catch up in value, for that reason it is now a lot cheaper to travel to the likes of Brighton & Blackpool respectfully. If the British weather is good to us then there is no reason to grumble either with their being plenty to do and hundreds of good quality hotels brighton for families and party goers.
Glasgow Links – The best hotels, food, drink and attractions!
Glasgow is a very much underestimated city. The city has a proud industrial past that it retains strong links to – however, the city is now emerging as a stylish and vibrant alternative to Edinburgh. The city is now second only to London in terms of retail, has a world renowned reputation for a vibrant and diverse nightlife and has a wide range of accomodation types to suit a wide variety of needs.
These are some of our favourite Glasgow links:
Hotels and Accomodation
- If you’re looking for a quality hotel in Glasgow City Centre then the Ramada is a great option. Situated in the heart of the city, this elegant hotel is a great option for a short stay in Glasgow.
- Those looking for a little luxury should seriously consider the Hotel du Vin in the stylish West End of the city. This multi-award winning hotel has been home to a wide range of A-List guests throughout the years.
- Malmaison Glasgow
Food and Drink
- Rogano, Glasgow – One of Glasgow’s most famous and oldest restaurants the Rogano has a worldwide reputation for excellent seafood.
- The Scottish Food Guide has an excellent page devoted to some of the best eateries in Glasgow.
- Glasgow Guide – Pubs – A wide and varied list of pubs in Glasgow.
- Cafe Andaluz
The Rogano, Glasgow
Events and Attractions
- Kelvingrove Art Gallery
- Glasgow Transport Museum
- The Glasgow Science Centre
- The SECC – Concerts and Events
- Glasgow University
These are just a few of our top links for Glasgow, if there are any that you fell should be added, don’t hesitate to let us know!
Where are the best restaurants in London?
We are lucky enough to be on our way to short stay in London next month, flying into Heathrow – we are going to stay at one of the heathrow airport hotels. As we haven’t been to London for a long time we thought that we would treat ourselves to a slap up meal at a quality restaurant. After doing a little internet research, we have uncovered a number of possibilities – any of the London Eating Guide’s top recommendations sound very appealing:
1. Clos Maggiore (French)
2. Awana (Malaysian)
3. Stef’s (Italian)
4. Terra (Mediterranean)
5. The Gun (Modern British)
6. Christopher’s -The American Grill (American)
7. Mango Tree (Thai)
8. The Ivy (British)
9. Hakkasan (Chinese)
Has anyone out there been lucky enough to eat in one of these establishments? – let us know where you recommend!
Travel and Leisure names top 10 Best New Hotels
Somehow, we managed to miss this interesting list from Travel and Leisure at the tail end of last year, where they have named their top 10 best new hotels of 2008. There are some extremely exciting looking locations on this list, has anyone managed to stay in any of these hotels yet? – let us know what you thought! The full list is as follows, click the link for the slideshow.
- Habita Monterrey, Mexico
- Mondrian, Miami
- Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, Turkey
- Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai
- Xudum Delta Lodge, Botswana
- St. Regis Bali Resort, Indonesia
- Mandarin Oriental, Boston
- Mama Shelter, Paris
- Valle Perdido Wine Resort, Argentina
- W, Hong Kong
Our personal choices would be the Mondrian in Miami and a trip to the Xudum lodge in Botswana – that would certainly be a unique experience.
