Flying economy on short haul flights is alright, if the plane is fairly empty. When it is busy then it gets really unpleasant, as it is impossible not to feel people are in your space and if the person in front puts their seat back then you can certainly not work with a laptop and you have the seat in your face. British Airways are making noises about not having as business class on short haul flights of one or two hours, and I have to say having…
…like they are working through and updating the hotel public areas. We had booked a good deal on the Club rooms. They are very large rooms with large and comfortable bed, large desk that faces out towards the window. The bathroom is fairly standard and dated but fine. There was a huge choice of channels in many languages on the TV. We had access to the Club lounge and went up there in the evening before going out for a drink (wine) and a few snack…
Cadbury House is near Bristol, set up on a hill with a great view across the countryside towards Wales. There is what looks to be the old house and then a modern (and very functional looking) building that houses the bedrooms, restaurant and bar. While we were staying there we noticed that many “Doubletree by Hilton” signage started to appear around the hotel, and so assume that this hotel has become part of that group. Overall we enjoyed our sta…
…o see some more ocean based and mega funded aquariums over the years on my travels where they have more “trophy” catches for the marginally sea life interested patron like me. There is a wide range of fish and tanks which are structured and show the type of fish life through the various oceans and areas of the world. For me, the most impressive was the tank with the sharks in (but that is maybe the adult in me). The children were as happy, if not…
…dly, not pushy but helpful when it comes to asking about tours, restaurant bookings and the like. We were in Room 10 upstairs. This was a small suite with sitting room with desk and fireplace decorated in rich browns. There was a good sized white bathroom with 2 person Jacuzzi style bath and cosy bedroom with comfortable king bed and massive flat screen TV with large choice of channels. The only downsides was the lounge was hot as no air con, wate…
This is what the new BA Club seats look like, as taken upstairs on a BA 747 upstairs (the best place to be if flying Club): British Airways BA New Club Seat Upstairs on a 747 (2), originally uploaded by garybembridge. British Airways BA New Club Seat Upstairs on a 747 (2009), originally uploaded by garybembridge. This is what the old style seats and cabin looked like: British Airways Club World Upstairs on 747 (old style seats), originally upload…
…Chilworth Manor Hotel and stayed on a Saturday and Sunday night. Based on reviews we had read, we arrived with mixed expectations, knowing that the hotel very clearly was a conference / meeting venue in the week and a weddings one on a Saturday. Having stayed at such places before, we were worried we would be treated as “filler fodder”. But we were very pleasantly surprised. The hotel is on very beautiful grounds, with a lot of it still wild, wit…
The Radisson Zurich Airport is located between a Renault car dealership and the railway line in a drab and sprawling industrial park. This uninspiring hotel is unattractive to look at and has dated early 1980s style decor with lots of glass panelled walls, beige marble type floors and heavy rich colours. On the positive side it is a 4 Swiss francs ride on a tram that takes about 10 minutes. Though annoying you have to have cash to buy a ticket an…
…QM2 Q4 Penthouse Suite 10092 (6), originally uploaded by garybembridge. We travelled in Penthouse suite 10092 on the Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton in April 2009. And what a suite it is! Originally we had booked in a Q6 suite, which is a Queen Grill level cabin, and been upgraded into a Q4 Penthouse Suite. On Cunard, like on many airlines, there are broadly 3 different classes that are linked to the restaurant that you eat in: Britannia…
…all in an hour or so. I am pleased to have seen it and heard the story. But as the story of diamonds and wealth and early examples of the white / black divide that came to dominate South Africa is quite sanitised through the experience I did feel that I had not got the full story. But will buy books to find out more, so not a bad outcome I guess! In the vault at the end of the tour you see replica of the diamond that started it all, and other diam…
…the Tokyo hotels. This hotel is so typical of what I find depressing when travelling on business. It is a large, very dated and beige hotel situated out of the main buzzing centre of town in a suburb full of uninspiring office blocks. It gets a busy and regular trade from people like me staying near the office and from busloads of tourists on economic packages. The hotel is very large and the 4 days I was staying there were hoards of tourist grou…
