Browsing Archives of - 2014 October
Holiday Inn Express (London Chingford)
NOT ALWAYS CHEAP OR CHEERFUL
"With chains like this and Premier Inn for example, it's easy to criticise and bemoan the lack of this and that, but they do what they do quite well. It's a no frills experience, much like that of a low-cost airline, but especially for just one or two nights perhaps, they have to be considered a serious option." ... Read More »
Premier Inn, Walsall (M6 / J10)
WIFI FRAUD - AVOID IF YOU CAN
"I decided not to stay the second night I had booked, as I simply can't operate without WiFi! Leaving is one of the best ways to force the issue of bad service and another is to inform others that paying for something you don't receive is unjust." ... Read More »
Packing List
SOME LESS OBVIOUS TRAVEL ESSENTIALS...
"Details of some of the kit I lug around the country are listed here".
From HDMI cables to Screwdrivers, the weird and the wonderful. I might not need everything on every trip, but I find I almost need something on every trip! ... Read More »
Royal Chace, Enfield
FOUR STARS YES - FOUR POSTERS NO!
"Not only was the four-poster bed from the 16th century, but I'm guessing the mattress was the original one fitted back then too, as it had clearly seen many centuries of action and no longer offered a comfortable resting place for a slightly overweight business traveller." ... Read More »
WiFi Rant
NO WIFI? I'LL EITHER NOT STAY OR NOT PAY
"Cheated on a scale similar only to the Blue Peter dog (and cat) naming scandals, realising that you've booked a 3 night stay in a hotel without functioning WiFi, is akin to spending 3 nights at Her Majesty's pleasure! So, you might not get "more than you bargained for in the shower", but to get less than you bargained for in the bedroom makes my blood boil." ... Read More »
WiFi Measurement
DATA TRICKLE OR FIBRE FAST?
"To provide a comparison between the WiFi service on offer in hotels, I measure the speed available during my stay and report this for your information.
With any comparison, it's important to compare like-with-like, to provide data as accurately as possible. The method I use to do this, is as follows:" ... Read More »
Glen Mhor, Inverness
LACKING IN A NUMBER OF KEY AREAS
"After 4 nights in the bed in apartment 3, I felt like I'd had back surgery, performed by a sadistic witch doctor. Not only was the double bed actually 2 singles pushed together, but the mattress (on both sides), was well past its best and no longer fit for purpose." ... Read More »
Urquharts, Inverness
NOT BAD, SHAME ABOUT THE SETTING
"Access to the restaurant is via a staircase, from a door immediately off the street. It doesn't have the best curb appeal, and once upstairs, it's a little like eating in a small function room - a spacious restaurant, with views of the city it is not." ... Read More »
