There is a fundamental difference between a need and a want. Circa 2005, I instantly needed to go to Dungeness, after a million-mile stare at my TV over acres of shingle and carcasses of boats and Victorian railway carriages – how enchanting… In context – things I don’t voluntarily mention in the pub include my […]
Enjoy UK Hotels
As we emerge from a lockdown it seems only right to start at the top as we get back on the review trail, first stop the Chewton Glen with an invitation to sample the Kitchen’s seafood platter or the Plateau de Fruits de Mer… that’s another storey, literally, a three-storey platter, but first things first. […]
I write from a very different position today as so much has changed since I visited the Westminster Park Plaza by Raddison and its Japanese eat-in dining proposition that is ICHI at the end of February 2020… So grab a glass of wine (we enjoyed a Chablis on the day – so if you have […]
It’s a great day, a very great day when you get the call from Claridges! “Come and sample the delights that are internationally anticipated this November” in the historical and eminently hip hotel’s new dining proposition… A taste of New York’s finest is making its way over the pond to our city and ‘Davies and […]
This landmark hotel opposite the docks in Southampton, literally on the water and adjacent to the ramparts of the old city, has been revitalised! The legends that are Leonardo Hotels have swooped in, buffed, detailed, improved dining with celebrity chef Marco Pierre White and are updating the fabulous family leisure facility as we speak! The […]
The Punch Room in the chic London Edition Hotel is an experience in itself – a recreation of a 19th-century private club, late night drinking and a selection of over 30 punches to choose from… so many punches – so little time! Try the newly established ‘Five III’ inspired by the five classical elements: Earth, […]
More Like Holiday Gin! It’s always a welcome we love – the Holiday Inn on the M4 – the first step of a great trip, domestic or international out of London Heathrow. The landmark hotel that sits proudly on junction 4 has become more Holiday Gin than Holiday Inn by opening the new ‘Gin Parlour […]
Tales of the Rover Bank… Just off the A34 and close to the Kassam Stadium – it is hard to believe that one is just minutes away from a 30-acre oasis on the banks of the River Thames. This is where medieval meets modern and it starts with check-in. An open-plan area of lounge, reception […]
THE PIG group is a personal collection of small lifestyle restaurants with rooms, where the focus is on authenticity and informality of design, food and service There are currently five PIG hotels; THE PIG, THE PIG-near Bath, THE PIG-on the beach; THE PIG-at Combe and THE PIG-in the wall. With an obsessive commitment to home-grown […]
This piece was written before our dear friend Gerard passed away, I will be spending time with Nina and our extended family at Spot in the Woods this Spring… meanwhile I would like you to read this in the spirit of the last time I met with Gerard in 2018… Working with people, food, photos […]
This landmark hotel has been impressing guests for over 50 years! After an elaborate refurbishment that commenced in 2015 and was completed in 2017, and in its 50th-anniversary year, the Royal Lancaster now stands proud over Hyde Park with uber-cool suites, dining propositions and attention to detail that only a privately owned estate can boast! […]