Hotel Blogs - Let's talk about hotels

Hotel Review - Norfolk Royale Hotel, Bournemouth, UK

Early December, I have picked up one of these great offers from the weekly UK Travelzoo newsletter. They were offering 2 nights with breakfast and dinner at the famous Norfolk Royale Hotel in Bournemouth for £199. On the top of that, we would be upgraded to a the newly renovated club room.

So here we are in mid January where everybody is cold and grumpy, we take a weekend off in Bournemouth. After a 2 hours train journey, we arrive at the hotel on Friday late in the evening. The reception acknowledges us with our booking and give us instructions about what to find in the hotel. Our room feels fresh and contemporary. The club room seems to be a mile better than the standard room. Decent size, comfy king size bed, large wardrobe, flat screen on the wall and a decent bathroom with Molton Brown amenities. Breakfast was ok with everything you expect for a British breakfast. It just lacks some yogurts. For the dinner, we had to choose from a set menu with 4 starters, main courses and desserts + drinks. The dinner was simple but good quality. The dinner (breakfast) room is quite a big room with enough space between dinners to feel some privacy.

Things we didn't like were the shabby fitness room with this old indoor  swimming pool looking at the outside and also the fact we couldn't get the WIFI working in the room for free.

Definitely a good hotel to recommend if you happen to visit beautiful Bournemouth.

Hotel Review - Kayana Villas, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

Kayana Villas are only 1 year ½ old and located about 15 mins from the beach. I found this hotel while browsing different options on TripAdvisor for the last days of our stay in Bali.

I have to say this property does care about their guests.
 

We were welcome at 2pm and were given some tea and coffee while they were giving the final touch to our villa. One the reception advised us that we have a dedicated butler who will show our villa. We had a private double room villa with swimming pool. The villa was absolutely beautiful with modern design setting and the swimming pool outside was just a dream for us. The villa has a separate shower room and a separate bathroom with 2 sinks with plenty of wardrobe space. You could easily stock clothes for 2 weeks in there. The room itself is gorgeous with different light setting and the 4 poster bed with mosquito net. On the bed table you have the Bose speaker where you can plug your iPod and enjoy your music all throughout the villa (including the swimming pool if you open the doors). 

The service is 10/10. In the morning, we ordered our breakfast at our villa by the swimming pool. We really felt we were spoiled and didn’t want to leave this place.

In the evening, we were puzzled what to do. The hotel took us for 2 hours tour of the area and drove us to the beach to enjoy a nice dinner with fresh fish and prawns. A taxi was waiting to take us back to the hotel. This service was complementary. Also, the hotel took us back to the airport for free as well. The driver was very nice and took us in different places we wanted to see.

We had the chance to talk briefly to the manager: a very nice guy who knows how to look after his guests. The guest book at the reception is full of positive feedback.

This place is one of my favourite top 5 hotels I have experienced.

I will be back for sure. I am glad I made this little film. I can’t get enough of watching it.

Kayana Villas Bali Seminyak
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Hotel Review - Alila Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Ubud has a lot of choices when it comes to Hotels and therefore we decided to play safe to book the Alila hotel which sits outside the busy city centre. On our arrival with 15 minutes drive from Ubud, we were stunned by the wildness of the location where this hotel has been constructed. Closed to rice fields and a beaufiful temple, the Alila is really a peaceful hotel in the jungle where you can even see from time to time monkeys inviting themselves nearby the amazing swimming pool with the most incredible view I have ever seen.

When we arrived at the reception in the afternoon, we were welcomed by one of the front desk people asking us to fill some information about what we wanted to do during our stay. This is to understand what sort of activities you would be interested in. There were plenty of activities to choose from at the hotel (trekking, tour, massage, cooking lessons and so on). 

Our hotel room was a deluxe and we benefited from an upgrade, meaning we were on the ground floor with a private terrace and shower outside with a little closed garden. The room is very nice and simple. You can retrieve some elements of the Chedi hotel chain to which this property belonged to in the past (the hotel became Alila in XXX)

Now, what about service? Having stayed in a couple of Chedi properties before, I was expecting the same kind of service at the Alila even though it changed ownership.

Big, big, big mistake.!

 
On the first evening, we decided to go to the hotel restaurant where we were given a table closed to the kitchen. We were told because we didn’t make any reservation, that was the only table left. Actually, the problem was the nice tables outside looking over the fantastic scenery were actually booked for a reception / party. We also found one of the waiters quite lunatic and felt she did not really pay attention to us. 

Another big surprise was that the hotel has groups during our entire stay. Call me snobbish but I don’t think hotels should mix honeymooners, couples with groups. Especially when you spend £100 a night.

Every morning was a disaster in terms of getting your breakfast. There is no buffet, probably because of the heat outside. So you have to order your breakfast every morning when you arrive at your table. One morning when were going for an early excursion, we waited 30 min to get 2 orange juice and some hot plate. I was basically fuming inside my head. All the attention was given towards this group of 20 or so people. Individual were simply left out. We didn’t even see the hotel manager. God knows if he was there during the 3 days we were staying at the Alila.

My advice is to avoid the hotel if you are not part of a group and opt in for hotels that care about service and give you attention.
 

Alila Ubud Hotel, Indonedia, October 08
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Hotel Review - Oberoi Lombok, Indonesia

This was our 2^nd visit in an Oberoi property and this hotel in Lombok was loyal to the standards of the hotel chain.

We arrived in the evening and were greeted by the front desk outside with the general manager. After the welcoming drink and a short visit of the public areas, one of the receptionists took us to our room – an individual pavilion facing the ocean. The room is absolutely huge with high ceiling with everything you need during your stay. The bed is at least a king size if not more. I could sleep vertically in it without touching each edge of the bed. In the morning, you can open the private balcony from your room with sliding doors and enjoy the sunrise with a cup of coffee. I would have liked to get a better TV that the one they have in the room. Having said that, the TV comes with a DVD player with a huge selection of DVDs to choose from the library (nearby the reception). You can also listen to music with a personal hi-fi stereo that you can plug with your ipod (don’t forget your cable though). Finally, there is a lounge area with a sofa and a table where we enjoyed one night a private dinner. The bathroom is absolutely a dream with a separate shower and a sunken bath overlooking a private garden patio: very nice after a day in the sun. The bathroom is all made of marble. You also have 2 huge cupboards where you can easily store your clothes for at least 2 weeks if you dare to stay in the resort for that long. Because this hotel is really outside of nowhere, you are limited to the restaurants of the hotel. Besides being very expensive, the restaurant delivers some very nice meals with a European/Asian flavours. Every day comes a new theme like dinner at the beach with almost feet in the water or Indonesian dinner. You can also have privacy by booking a table under one of the 4 pergolas on the swimming pool or ask for even more privacy by booking an intimate dinner alone on the beach or by the cliff underneath a big tree looking at the ocean and the Gili Islands. For dinner, expect to pay 30/40 £ per person depending of the wine you choose (which tend to be overpriced unless you try the Balinese wines).

Private dinner in the room is always a nice option for not much premium in terms of price. We did thid once and we loved it. The hotel can also organize tours with their 4 wheel drive cars and they work with a scuba / snorkelling company who can take you to the Gili Islands for half a day by the jetty on the left side of the resort. This will cost you about $35 per person with the equipment. The swimming pool is very nice overlooking the ocean with fantastic colours when the sunset happens around 6pm. You can relax by the beach on the grass or enjoy one of the 4 pergolas in the shade by the pool. Breakfast is not a buffet but a la carte. Because we had American breakfast included in the package, we could take whatever we wanted. I would advise to book the room with this option. In the morning, you don’t want to bother looking at prices when ordering breakfast.

In public facilities, you have the library with 2 computers with free Internet access and an impressive collection of DVDs and books. You can also enjoy the superb facilities of the Spa where we took 3 massages treatments and sauna+Jacuzzi: nothing better to end the day with 2 hours in the Spa.

Finally, the staff dedication is absolutely superb and high class. I have never been that impressed with the level of individual attention brought to us. Every day, we had a personalised letter from the management informing us of a special menu or an invitation to a cocktail party with the General Manager. Staff was really looking after us from the restaurant, breakfast, swimming pool or reception and were calling us by our last name after only 2 days. You just can’t go wrong with Oberoi, they just impress you all the way. But this comes at a price, no doubt about that

Oberoi Lombok, Indonesia, October 08
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Hotel review - Scarlet Hotel, Singapore

Singapore being a big city, it’s always a challenge to trust and and pick an independent hotel without some advice. Our travel agent advised us to stay in this beautiful small chic hotel. And they were spot on.

The hotel is nicely located in the Chinatown district, minutes away from a beautiful Buddhist temple. Scarlet receptionists were very welcoming and acknowledged our reservation quickly. From the lobby, you can already feel the style of the hotel with a lot of red and curtains around. The décor is very nice and reminded us of a big “boudoir”. Our room was of decent size with everything we needed for our one night stay stop over. Free broadband Internet, international channels on the TV, DVD player with possibility to listen CDs available at the reception, very nice amenities with Lavender aroma available in the bathroom, a decent cupboard for your clothes with a safe. The bathroom was very convenient with a big showerhead. We had a bit of a problem to have a power shower in the morning though. In the morning, we had a nice breakfast with a croque madame served with fruits and salad. The buffet is a bit limited but you have a wider choice of food a la carte.

A good hotel to stay for one night or two during your next trip to Singapore.

Scarlet Hotel - Singapore - October 08
envoyé par HotelBlogs

Hotel Review: Malmaison Oxford

After my horrible experience to book this hotel...

It's been a while I have stayed in a Malmaison hotel. Oxford was a quick destination of choice for going away from London during the weekend. Malmaison again didn't fail me with the quality of their bedrooms, lounge, restaurant and originality. Even though I have struggled to make an online booking on their website, I have managed to get a god deal with a double room from the centre of the converted prison priced at £109 per night and also a twin spacious room priced at £139. Rooms are very well decorated with good taste and they kept some features from the old  prison like the door of the room. You could spot that our room was in fact 3 cells in the past. The shower room with powerful shower was very nice coming up with fantastic amenities. Also each room is with a lcd screen and a dvd player playing divx (if you bored with tv channels). The restaurant is typical of other restaurants I have tried from the Malmaison brand. A mix of French / Italian / English food with good quality ingredients. I was a bit disappointed by the breakfast buffet. I didn't found it exceptional and was lacking of croissants and pains au chocolat. £15 for a breakfast, you expect a lot usually.  Finally don't forget to pay a visit to the "Visitors Room" in the evening. The room is gigantic all painted in black from top to bottom.

Definitely a hotel to recommend for your next Oxford weekend breakaway with friends or with your partner.

Malmaison Oxford, UK
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Hotel Review: Grand Hotel Mercure Sophia Country Club

Another night in Sophia Antipolis allowed me to stay in another hotel, the Grand Hotel Mercure Sophia Country Club. The late check-in was absolutely faultless. I got assigned a double bedroom facing the park (which you should ask, otherwise you might end up on the rooms facing the car park). Bed was very comfy and I could watch some TV in a large LCD screen in my room. Bathroom is a little bit dated. Breakfast was ok but scrambled eggs didn't look very fresh and tasted average. So far, a good hotel in the pinewoods in the heart of Sophia Antipolis.

Grand Hotel Mercure Sophia Country Club
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Hotel Review: Novotel Madrid Puente La Paz

15 minutes from the Airport in the North of Madrid, the Novotel Madrid Puente de la Paz is not located in the most glamourous part of Madrid. This is a business hotel close to the Arcelor office and many other corporations. The check-in was very quick efficient. I have the chance to stay in the new room of Novotel which I must say is well improved from the old room style of the brand. Gone the grey / blue colour, welcome white and orange cushions. The size of the room is very good and the desk is very convenient to eat your room service or work with your laptop. The WIFI is not free and charges at €12 for 24hours. Like other brands of Accor I have tried recently, the room comes with a good LCD screen. The change with the room is also there with the bathroom with a much bigger shower room with a big bassin. Room Service was good value the 1st time. You can order a 3 courses menu with some Spanish Cured Ham (Jamon Iberico, Jabugo) for 22€. But be careful, I have ordered the next day just a plate of Jabugo on its own, and the hotel charged me €24 for it. Quite a rip off for the same portion of the night before... All in all, this Novotel is of good quality and gets all you need from a business hotel. The room price was around €100 per night without breakfast.

Novotel Madrid Puente de la Paz
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Hotel Review: Warwick Barsey Hotel, Brussels, Belgium

Forgot to post that review I made during my stay in February 08 in this excellent boutique hotel on Avenue Louise - the "chic" district in Brussels.

Another visit in Brussels over the weekend needed a decent hotel considering how good value for money is the hotel market in the Belgium capital. Even luxury hotels are affordable.

Warwick Barsey Hotel is quite a unique hotel, formerly known as Hyatt Barsey, and presents some nice decoration features. The same guy behind Hotel Costes in Paris - Jacques Garcia - decorated the hotel.

We arrived on a late Friday evening where we were invited to join a dinner table at the “Boudoir” night organized every Friday in the restaurant of the hotel. From midnight, the restaurant turned to be a nightclub with very chic people coming in.

Our room was absolutely fantastic. We had one of these suites on the top floor with a living room, a bedroom and a huge bathroom with Jacuzzi, fantastic shower and all amenities from Eau de Thé Vert from Bulgari. The hotel has a very welcoming staff from the reception to the bar & restaurant.

This hotel is what you need if you need a weekend breakaway in a centre of Brussels and want to impress. The weekend rate is around €120 per night if you book a bit in advance.

Check out as well the interview I have conducted with the General Manager, Stéphane Vohl.

Warwick Barsey Hotel, Brussels, Belgium
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Hotel Review: Grosvenor House, Dubai, UAE

Forgot to post that review I made during my stay in September 07 in this excellent hotel in Dubai.

Our first trip in Dubai led us to stay in this Starwood property Grosvenor House thanks to great advice we had from Trailfinders. We stayed there 4 nights from Sunday the 9th until 13th September.

The check-in was very quick and one of the receptionist came with us to show us our room. In fact it wasn't a room. We were upgraded to have an apartment on the 8th floor instead. We were so lucky.

The hotel is split between hotel rooms and apartments. Elevators lead to rooms, others to apartments only. Both products have a separate reception and concierge as well.

The apartment we had was very functional with a fully equipped kitchen with complementary tea and coffee. A living - dining room with the latest technology available on a plasma screen (video on demand, music on demand, international channels, Internet, ...). We have a huge bathroom with a separate shower with toilets. Another toilet room was near the living room as well. Our bedroom was also equipped with this plasma screen with same technology. Both bedroom and living room were giving you a view of the street side with all the building in construction and the one finished. Windows must have been soundproofed as we were never disturbed by the noise. We were very delighted by the comfort of the king size bed. Matrice, duvet and pillows were so comfy that we need to ask the hotel where they found those to equip our house in London.

Every day we had complimentary fruits and petits fours + water bottles. In the bathroom, all amenities were provided by Molton Brown. I have heard that in the hotel, amenities are from Bulgari with their superb fragrance Thé Blanc.

The hotel has plenty of restaurants to choose from. We tried the best buffet I ever come across at Sloanes where you eat oysters, sushis, lobster on the grill, ribeye steak and so many dishes. The dessert buffet is also very impressive with a chocolate fondue. Breakfast is also served at Sloanes and is very good and full of choices. On the last night, we tried the Indian restaurant Indego which is probably one the best Indian restaurant I have ever eaten. Don't expect the usual Korma or Madras but more original and innovative dishes from a clever and talented chef.

There is so much to say about this hotel. One more thing, the hotel is not on the beachfront. But you can take a bus provided by the hotel who will take you to the sister hotel Le Méridien Beach & Resort and then take the facility of the hotel (it's just a 3 mins drive). At the hotel, they will provide you a towel and you have full access to both swimming pools and the beach.

Finally, the hotel has also outside the Budha Bar recreated which quite impressive and very busy at night.

If you are looking for a modern hotel with comfortable rooms in Dubai, Grosvenor House is for you whether you are Leisure or Business.

Grosvenor House - Dubai
envoyé par HotelBlogs