David Ellams has recently been promoted to the role of head chef at Stapleford Park, where he serves a modern British menu in its fine-dining restaurant, the Grinling Gibbons room. Olivia Greenway reports
The biggest nuisance with flying is getting to and from the airport, especially for an early flight. I therefore tend to try to stay at airport hotels to avoid the dreaded shuttle bus nightmare. It probably isn’t a nightmare at all, but in my head and at some ungodly hour in the morning, my brain
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You’d be a real dunce not to consider this former school, now a boutique hotel, if you want somewhere comfortable and different in which to stay in central Manchester. Fashioned from a Victorian school building, it has only 30 rooms, the temptation to cram in as many as possible being resisted. Artfully retaining some of
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Rough Guides – Make the Most of Your Time in Britain – 500 Great British Experiences Put in your thumb and pull out a plum UK Price: £16.99 . Pros: Fresh, interesting, imaginative Cons: Some of the entries are a bit text heavy and could do with sub-headings Verdict: Ideal for
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Sofitel is linked to the north terminal at Gatwick airport by a covered walkway; two minutes on foot will get you to the terminal. There isn’t a more convenient place to stay. Arranged around a central atrium, many of the 500-odd rooms look over the runway. It’s an airport hotel, so a slightly corporate
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The Lake of Menteith hotel in Perthshire has welcomed new head chef Graham Campbell to the fold, whose simple, quality-driven menu is already wowing the locals. Olivia Greenway reports.
Think Apartments Tower Bridge are about a 15 minute walk from London Bridge tube. Finding somewhere to stay in London that’s clean, doesn’t bankrupt you and allows some room to swing that proverbial is hard. Am I asking too much to want free Wi-Fi too and a place where I can work? Well if I
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Nothing mars a long-haul journey more than having to get up in the middle of the night to catch an early flight. If you are flying from Terminal 4 at Heathrow, then the Hilton could be your answer. Practically next to the terminal, it’s an easy two-minute walk under cover to the check-in desks.
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A £12.5 million pound refurbishment has successfully married the old with the new: on paper it shouldn’t work at all – but it does and remarkably well as Olivia Greenway finds out.
The Marriott V and A is a four star hotel converted from former warehouses and backs onto the River Irwell. It has been a hotel in previous lives but this one seems to be working. The entrance and lobby have high ceilings affording a feeling of space. There is a half galleried wooden mezzanine
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The stunning Grade 1 listed neo-classical Victorian building that houses the museum and art gallery was built from a bequest by the lawyer Edmund Harris, who wanted a free library, museum and art gallery to be built in memory of his father, who was the vicar of St George’s church in Preston for most of
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Early flights are a necessary evil. Firstly they enable one to get to business meetings in Europe on time. Secondly, if you’re a holiday maker, an early flight is just part of the process of getting a cheaper flight. If you are flying from Stansted, the early-morning agony can be relieved somewhat by staying overnight
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