I’ve never seen anything quite like A House for Essex, a collaboration between Living Architecture, an organisation which creates architecturally astounding buildings which plebs like you and I can stay in, FAT Architecture and artist Grayson Perry. It’s simply magical. We reach the padlocked gated entrance by driving down a tiny country lane in the middle of Wrabness village, Essex. The house is plonked in … Continue reading A House for Essex, Wrabness
Soho House don’t do things by halves. Whether it’s a 100 acre farmhouse in Oxfordshire or a rooftop swimming pool in New York, there’s no denying they provide some of the best hospitality out there. And if you’re one of those who moans about Soho House, you’ve probably never been. Their latest UK opening is in White City and it’s the largest Soho House to … Continue reading White City House
The Ned is one of those whopping, fun-house hotels where there’s so much to do you can stay for a few nights and have absolutely zero reason to leave the front door. And we don’t. If you’re unfamiliar with the Ned, it’s the joint venture from Soho House and Sydell Group, who own NoMad hotel in New York. A lot of millions has been spent … Continue reading The Ned, City of London
The Artist Residence currently has 3 hotels in the UK; London, Penzance, Brighton, with the latter once appearing on channel 5’s The Hotel Inspector. Our visit on this occasion being there one in Cornwall. It’s come a long way since those days. Originally a different local artist would design each room, resulting in an eclectic and rather odd place to stay. You wouldn’t know of … Continue reading The Artist Residence, Penzance
I’ve been a fan of Soho Farmhouse since it opened in 2015. It’s Soho House’s biggest venture to date, spanning 100 acres of Oxfordshire countryside, and the best thing about it: you don’t have to be a member to stay there. The experience starts from the get go; you leave your car at the front gate and a farmhand takes you into the heart of … Continue reading Soho Farmhouse
The vibe at Chapel House makes you feel relaxed as soon as you walk in the door. We were first greeted by Susan who owns this converted Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse, now a six bedroom boutique hotel in the heart of Penzance, and I’m not sure we’ve ever received a warmer welcome elsewhere. She gives us a tour of the living room areas, all fabulously … Continue reading Chapel House, Penzance
It doesn’t get more secluded than The Whitebrook in Monmouth, Wales – well I’m sure it does but you really do feel in the middle of nowhere. There’s no wifi (they say they have it but good luck getting a connection) and there’s certainly no phone signal. With a view from our room of the Wye Valley opposite, a night at this Michelin starred restaurant … Continue reading The Whitebrook, Wales
The Ludlow hotel is perfectly situated (on Ludlow itself, Lower East Side, New York); it’s a trendy area with the right amount of grime and graffiti, with good restaurants and fun bars nearby. It’s also opposite Katz’s Deli, which is where that orgasm scene was filmed in ‘When Harry Met Sally’. If you like a reuben sandwich then it’s a must. Our room was a … Continue reading The Ludlow, New York
During our Sunday night stay at The Berkeley, sections of the hotel were under renovation; the front under scaffolding, the Blue Bar closed and the entrance relocated to the side of the building. It was impressive however that once inside we had no idea of said works – it felt every bit as glamorous as you might hope. FYI – the work is now complete and … Continue reading The Berkeley, Knightsbridge
Rojanos in the Square and Michelin starred No 6, restaurants both by Paul Ainsworth, have been mega hits in the harbour town of Padstow In Cornwall. It was good news then to hear Paul had opened Padstow Townhouse, which offers 6 luxurious suites just a short walk away. The walk may be short, but the hill is steep and if it’s raining, your fringe won’t … Continue reading Padstow Townhouse, Cornwall
We arrived in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall after an arduous six hour drive from London, although you could fly to nearby Newquay airport. The location was pretty impressive; The Scarlet has clifftop views out into the sea. There’s no reception desk once you’re in, just friendly staff milling around waiting to check you in and give you a tour of the place. Our room, number 31, … Continue reading The Scarlet, Cornwall
It’s easy to fall in love with Cumbria – with the dramatic rolling countryside it’s one of those places where you can actually convince people that holidaying in England is a good thing. And it doesn’t get more idyllic than the setting for The Forest Side, a new “fairytale gothic mansion” in Grasmere. With its own private drive and landscaped surrounds, the entrance feels pretty … Continue reading The Forest Side, Cumbria
The Epic is Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest ship, holding 4,100 passengers – not to mention around 1,708 staff. It weighs 160,000 tonnes, it’s 1,000 metres long, there are 18 bars and fourteen restaurants. But after a 7 night cruise leaving Marseille and sailing round the Med, I can safely say there’s quite a lot I didn’t like about it. My room (11511) was a studio … Continue reading The Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line
