Mini Travel Guides

I stayed for one night at the Premier Inn Elgin, on the third night of my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour, on a complimentary basis.  It’s located a couple of miles from the town centre, just off the main road from Inverness.   There’s a restaurant attached to the Premier Inn but apart from a McDonalds close by, you’d have to drive into Elgin for a choice of restaurants.  You should try to go into Elgin to see Elgin Cathedral and the Biblical Gardens.

Premier Inn Elgin exterior

I was allocated a room facing the car park at the back of the hotel,  a good distance from the road, so didn’t hear any exterior noise. I thought my room was looking a bit tired and the chairs had seen better days, one had a stain on the cushion and both were worn and grubby around the ends of the armrests.  The bathroom was showing some signs of wear too around the sink and bath plug holes. In my opinion, Premier Inn really can’t claim they are a superior budget brand on the basis of a room like this.

There are only two sachets of regular coffee, two teabags and four small pots of milk (no biscuits) in a Premier Inn room, which seems a bit skimpy. You’re told at reception that you can ask for more supplies but once you’re settled in your room, you don’t really feel like trailing down to reception again.  The bed was very comfy so I did have a good sleep.

My room at Premier Inn Elgin

Breakfast at the Premier Inn Elgin was not an enjoyable affair.  Serving hours are 7 – 9am on weekdays and 8 – 10am at weekends, which I don’t think is late enough for leisure travellers. I reckon breakfast should be served until 10am on weekdays and 11am at weekends.  Anyway, I turned up at 8.20 and had to wait for about 10 minutes to be shown to a table.  I ordered my cooked breakfast and had some cereal and yoghurt from the buffet.  Every time I went to the buffet table something was missing e.g. no hot water, no cups or no milk. I didn’t see croissants or fresh fruit salad on any of my visits to the buffet table.  I went to the buffet table at 9.15 to get some more toast and tea and everything but everything had been cleared away.  I spoke to some other guests who were also a bit bemused by the fact that their breakfast had come to an abrupt end.

Premier Inn quote room only rates, a full breakfast costs £7.75 and a continental breakfast is £5.25, kids under 16 eat free with accompanying adults.  I asked if the restaurant had wifi and was informed it didn’t.  Fortunately I have an 02 mobile broadband subscription which costs £15 a month for up to 3GB, as Premier Inn charge guests a hefty £5 for an hour or £12 for 24 hours for internet access.

If you need a bed for the night in the Elgin area and can find a cheap room at Premier Inn (rooms start from £29 a night), fair enough, the rooms aren’t that bad, but certainly not really premier.  Just make sure that you go for breakfast early.

Review of Premier Inn Elgin

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I stayed at the Premier Inn Aberdeen Central West for one night in August 2010 on a complimentary basis. It was the second night of my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour.  The hotel lies just off Anderson Drive, on the Aberdeen ring road. However the hotel is set back from the road so I didn’t hear any external traffic noise during my stay. The hotel is a couple of miles from the city centre and has a large free car park.

I was allocated a room on the 4th (top) floor, which had a small window set in a sloping ceiling. I found the room to be a bit dark but spacious and well maintained.  The bed was large and very comfortable.  The bathroom was pristine.

There was plenty of space to work at the desk. However wifi access at Premier Inns is priced at £5 an hour or £12 for 24 hours which I think it too expensive. I used my 02 mobile broadband which costs me £15 a month for up to 3GB.  However there is free wifi, with a good signal, in the restaurant right next to the Premier Inn, where breakfast is served.

My room at Premier Inn Aberdeen Central West

Everything for breakfast at the Premier Inn Aberdeen Central West was laid out as a buffet (unlike other Premier Inns at which I stayed, where the cooked breakfast was freshly prepared to order). While this was a good thing as you could get your cooked breakfast at the time that best suited you, some of the items weren’t hot enough. There was a good selection of cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit salad, fruit juices, croissants and muffins.  You could make your own toast in one of these conveyor belt machines, which never seems to do a good job. Hot water for tea and coffee were on the buffet table in flasks. I didn’t find this arrangement worked well, as the drinks were lukewarm as opposed to hot. Breakfast isn’t included in the room rate, most Premier Inns offer a choice of either a continental breakfast for £5.25 or a  cooked breakfast for £7.75.

The rooms at Premier Inn Aberdeen Central are very well presented.  The location is good if you don’t want to be staying in a potentially noisy city centre Aberdeen hotel.  All the staff I spoke with were very friendly and helpful. You’d probably need a car to stay here, so it would be handy as a base for day trips from Aberdeen. The quality of breakfast items is very good but I think preparing the breakfasts to order and bringing freshly brewed tea and coffee to guests tables would ensure a hotter, fresher breakfast.  I think that Premier Inn should reduce or abolish their wifi charges.

Review of Premier Inn Aberdeen West Central

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I hate generic hotels. Hate them. Unless they’re very swish indeed, I don’t want to stay somewhere that looks like a car park. I want somewhere with a story, with a bit of history, or something different about it. It’s so important to me, that often the hotel is decided on before the destination.

That was certainly the case with the Merchant’s House Hotel in Tallinn on my recent trip to Estonia. In fact, the hotel was picked even before the country.

I get excited about unique hotels. This Tallinn hotel, in an old merchant’s house (surprisingly) was rather lovely indeed. It’s perfectly positioned on Dunkiri, just off the town square in Old Town. Perfect for exploring. The welcome is warm, the reception is pretty and you’re made to feel at home as soon as you arrive. So homely I want to stay a really really, really long time. Little cubby holes, exposed brickwork, wooden beams, smiling (English speaking) staff. All of those things make for a good mini break.

The Merchant’s House Hotel bedrooms look over a small courtyard, and our room also had a communal balcony, perfect for book reading. Our room wasn’t anything overly special, but it was a good size and the bathroom was lovely. The maids were excellent. They weren’t those annoying ones who ignore the ‘do not disturb’ signs so we had peaceful afternoon naps. And we got to watch old episodes of Poirot on the TV – a lot of the channels were English, or had subtitles.

The service was always really fantastic. Breakfast was included in the price of the room, and it’s a continental and fried buffet. My travelling companion got excited about salmon and scrambled eggs and of course, we ignored all of the fruit in favour of pastries. The breakfast room is underground, and I imagine would be much cosier in winter. It’s a shame there’s no way to serve breakfast in the courtyard during summer. But, as long as I have unlimited bacon, I’ll sit anywhere.

There’s a (tiny) bar, which is worth a look in. They serve shots in ice glasses, which sounds great, but as the rest of the bar is room temperature they melt too quickly and you get Vana Tallinn all over your nice new dress so stick to normal glasses. There’s also a spa, which was a tad too pricey for us. €46 for a pedicure is very expensive, and especially so when you consider what good value Estonia is. We didn’t try the restaurant in the evening, but they have outside seating should you want to.

Anything that wasn’t great about the Merchant’s House Hotel? Wi-fi didn’t work in the room. I didn’t want to spend all weekend on my laptop, but I had lugged it with me ‘just in case’ and there was no need. I know it’s a problem with old buildings, but I don’t think it should be advertised as standard if this isn’t the case. And the rooms were so hot that sleeping wasn’t easy. Even with two fans it was sweltering. I guess old buildings and air-con don’t work together either. And room service was very pricey – our room didn’t have a kettle and we paid nearly 4 quid for a cup of tea. Ouch. Good tea though.

That wouldn’t stop me coming back though.  I reckon it’s one of the best Tallinn hotels. At €250 for three nights, it’s a bargain. I’d recommend the Merchant’s House Hotel. You should go there immediately. Really, stop working and hop on a plane. Merchant’s House is a beautiful, good value base to explore Tallinn and I’d go back tomorrow if I could.

Review of Merchant’s House Hotel, Tallinn, Estonia

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I stayed at the Premier Inn Dundee Centre for one night in August 2010, on a complimentary basis.  It was the first night of my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour. The hotel is in a great location right on the Tay Estuary, just across from Dundee railway station.  This is an ideal hotel for a Dundee short break with Dundee attractions such as Discovery Point and Sensation Science Centre, as well as a selection of shops, bars, cafes and restaurants, within a  5 minute walk from the hotel.  Guests can park free of charge, with parking pass available at reception, in the pay and display car park at the front of the hotel.

Premier Inn Dundee Centre by the Tay Estuary

I was fortunate to have a room at the back of the hotel with an estuary view and the Tay road and rail bridges.  There’s s walkway along the estuary but I didn’t hear any noise from there after midnight.  The rooms at the front of the hotel face the car park and a fairly busy road.

View from my room at the Premier Inn Dundee Centre toward Tay Road Bridge

My room was a good size with a comfy bed.  Some of the room fittings were a little bit old fashioned,  I didn’t like the plastic wood effect on the sink and toilet casing.

The staff are all very pleasant and helpful. I arrived at the car park just after  11.00am, check in time is from 2pm but I was given a free pass for the car park from the receptionist which I was told would be valid for the whole of the next day too.

Breakfast was mainly an all-you can-eat buffet but the cooked breakfast was freshly cooked to order.  I managed to get a table with an estuary view. It was a bit chaotic at the buffet table, due to the number of guests.  There was a fresh fruit salad, various cereals, fruit juice, yoghurts, toast from a toasting belt machine (which only seemed to do one side), croissants and muffins.  Hot water and coffee were available in flasks but were just about lukewarm.   I think that it’s be much better for staff to serve fresh tea and coffee to guests’ tables, so that the hot drinks would actually be hot and the buffet table wouldn’t get so crowded.  Breakfast isn’t included in the room rate, most Premier Inns offer a choice of either a continental breakfast for £5.25 or a  cooked breakfast for £7.75.

Wifi access is priced at £5 an hour or £12 for 24 hours, which I think it too expensive. I used my 02 mobile broadband which costs £15 a month for up to £GB.  In my opinion, Premier Inn should offer guests free wifi, or at least reduce the price.

I’d recommend the Premier Inn Dundee Centre for a city break or as a base for various day trips, for example to Fife, Perthshire and Angus.   It’s a good Dundee budget hotel option with rooms starting at £29 a night, kids under 16 stay free in family rooms.  For every adult who orders a cooked breakfast, two under 16s can eat free of charge.  I’ve included the Premier Inn Dundee Centre in my top 5 Dundee hotels.

Review of Premier Inn Dundee Centre

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On a day trip from Heraklion to the traditional mountain village of Achlada, located approx. 25 km west, I discovered how luxury and the protection of the environment can go beautifully hand in hand by a visit to the Mourtzanakis Residence.

Eco tourism has come a long way from being rather basic and more associated with pitching your tent in the wilderness and picking berries in the forest (without littering of course) than with soft beds, rain showers and every imaginable creature comfort you could wish for.

Villa of the Mourtzanakis Residence

The hotel which consists of a main building and four individual villas nestles cosily wedged among steep mountains dotted with thousands of olive trees and affords stunning views of the sea below.

It was actually the view and more explicitly the sunset which, according to Marcos, the owner’s , story inspired the creation of this resort. ‘I sat there one night,’ he said, ‘and saw the sun go down and I thought: this is the place to create a  refuge for stressed-out  people, to contemplate Crete’s wonderful nature, to get in touch with the local flora and fauna, to experience Greek hospitality and sample its rich and unspoilt cuisine and, last but not least, to help protect the island and its eco system.’

Sunset over Achlada

And he set to work. The villas are all built from local stone and designed like traditional houses with a fire place and an upper gallery, called oda. The surrounding  walls and pavements are equally made from hand hewn stone making use of local craftsmen and the work is not yet finished.

The rooms are furnished in a minimalist yet comfortable style, but the main attraction is the library with its huge collection of history, art and entertainment books, the lounge with its fireplace where the multi national guests meet for a ‘raki’ to exchange their live stories and talk about the excursions, trips and adventures of the day.

Guest lounge and fire place

Greek breakfast at it’s finest, including only local products like cheese and honey, is served at a communal table and prepared by Marcos’ wife Esmeralda (as she has a multi national background too, her name varies). She is a remarkable lady who didn’t have a clue about cooking, but fully supporting her husband’s idea of this eco haven, engaged the help of local women and learned all the details from them in no time at all.

Birthday party for a guest from France

A swimming pool invites to a dip and the vast terrace is the place to chill out in the evening.

Herbs and plants abandon in the surrounding gardens and no meal is served without making ample and skilful use of them.

Marcos or his son who is an absolute expert, will take you on a walk to the village of Achlada with its Venetian past and many, many tiny alleys and half decaying stone houses which however are now on the brink of restoration.

Things to in the area around the Achlada Mourtzanakis Residence

Only a few miles on is the small town of Agia Pelagia with four beaches or you can make your way to Fodele and visit the birth house of the great painter El Greco and stop at a tiny Byzantine chapel which is not much to look at from the outside but takes your breath away as soon as you enter. The entire chapel was covered with paintings and images of the saints, the holy family and other Christian motives and so much has been preserved and the colours seem so incredibly fresh that you  think they might be no older than say 100 years.

Birth House of El Greco

Byzantine Chapel near Fogele

Photography is not allowed inside but you can buy postcards.

Round off the day with a stroll through the ‘town center’ of Fodele with its massive, century old olive trees, have a coffee at one of the tiny cafes and simply enjoy.

Beach at Agia Pelagia

The Achalda Mourtzanakis Residence is very highly rated by guests on TripAdvisor, so it sounds like one of the best places to stay on Crete.

Staying at the Mourtzanakis Residence in Achlada on the Greek island of Crete

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I’ve stayed at Edinburgh First at Pollock Halls University of Edinburgh student residences quite a few times over the years but not since 2008.  I thought that the rooms were a good budget option especially for single travellers.  I stayed here again for one night over the weekend of 24-25 July 2010 and to attend the Taste of Spain event and the Edinburgh Travel Tweet Up . However on this occasion I stayed in the John Burnett house, a new hall of residence on the campus.  That’s because at £32.50 per night, including breakfast, it was £5 cheaper than a room with shared bathroom facilities in the other halls.  I wasn’t too keen on the idea of the communal female shower and toilet room,  preferring the four individual toilet/shower rooms per floor in the older buildings, as it offers more privacy. But as it was only for one night and I liked the sound of top floor room with a balcony in the John Burnett rooms (and paying £5 less), I booked up there.  Ensuite and double/twin rooms are available if you’re prepared to pay a higher price.

Pollock Halls at Edinburgh 1st with Arthur’s Seat in background

I was very happy with my room.  John Burnett House opened in 2009, so all the furniture and fittings were in good condition.  The room was a good size with a sink behind a partition.   The single bed was very comfy.  My room even had a TV which I’d never had in my stays in the other halls. It was bit noisy at night and in the morning from all the banging bedroom doors, bathroom facilities doors and corridor fire doors.

It was very light in my room as there was glass along the exterior with a patio door out to the balcony. The views from the balcony were great down towards the Pentland Hills. However I think the views over Arthur’s Seat from rooms at the other side of the building are probably even better.

View from 4th floor room at John Burnett House

The communal bathroom facilities were very clean.  As access to the facilities requires your keycard, it’d be easy to get locked out of your room if you forgot to take your keycard with you. Then you’d be stuck in the corridor, unable to get back into your room or into the bathroom facilities.

Each floor had a pantry with a large fridge, a microwave oven, a toaster, an iron and ironing board.  However there was no crockery or cutlery.

Pantry at John Burnett House

The campus restaurant has been renovated recently and is more like a cafe now than the previous dining hall layout.  You can go for breakfast any time between 7-10am.  The food is as good as ever and it’s all self service. I had a vegetarian breakfast with haggis, sausage, egg, tomato and mushrooms. There’s a good selection of cereals, croissants, pancakes, rolls and fresh fruit.

Overall I’d rate Edinburgh 1st very highly; I love the location, free parking, the very good breakfast with long serving hours and the clean, comfy rooms.   I’m not a great fan of shared bathroom facilities but wasn’t prepared to pay more for an ensuite bathroom. There’s a charge for internet access, I’m not sure how much, as I was using my mobile internet dongle.

I stayed at the Edinburgh Cameron Toll Travelodge, a recent addition to Travelodge’s Edinburgh hotels, for one night in July 2010. I booked a double room at the Saver rate of £19 in April 2010.   The hotel is located opposite the Cameron Toll shopping centre, next to a busy junction.  I took the photo below late on a Sunday evening, that’s why there are no cars.  There’s a fair sized car park at the rear but I reckon it could fill up on a busy night but there are side streets nearby where you can park free of charge.  The hotel is in a bit of a no man’s land location wise.  It’s a bit far out to walk to the city centre, although there are frequent buses, and the surrounding area is mainly residential.

Edinburgh Cameron Toll Travelodge exterior

We were allocated room 08 which although it was on the ground floor, felt a bit like a basement with small window which faced a wall.   Although we were at the roadside of the building the double glazing cut out most of the exterior noise.  The room was a reasonable size, although I always try to book a family room for the extra space and the sofa bed to sit on rather than having to sit on the bed.   The bathroom only had a shower with a shower curtain which did create quite a lot of drips on the floor unless you were ultra careful.  The wash basin was  small, with a large mixer tap in the centre, meaning it was virtually impossible to wash your face or even fill the small kettle.  This type of sink is only suitable for hand washing in a small cloakroom.

The main issue I had with the room was the plastic mattress cover which felt so uncomfortable and sticky.  Travelodge are publicising their comfortable beds but that’s not the case once that protective cover is on.

Overall I wouldn’t choose to stay at the Edinburgh Cameron Toll Travelodge again despite the fact that it’s excellent value for money, if you can find a cheap Saver rate.  This is due to its location next to busy roads, the fact that, apart from shopping, there’s not much going on in the area, its distance (2 miles) from the city centre and the uncomfortable mattress covers.  My Europe travel tip is to stay at Edinburgh Travelodge West End in a quiet location just opposite the Dean Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art, next to the Water of Leith walkway, with free parking and a 20 minute walk to Princes Street

I stayed at the 4 star Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel for 2 nights in June 2010 on a complimentary basis arranged by lastminute.com.  The hotel opened recently and is located a few hundred metres from the Battersea side of Chelsea Bridge, opposite Battersea Park.  It takes around 20 minutes to walk to the hotel from Sloane Square tube station and 25 minutes from Victoria rail and tube station.  You can catch buses from Sloane Square and Victoria to the hotel.

My room at the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel

I loved the room in which I stayed, it was very trendy, spacious, bright and welcoming with a white leather modern chaise longue and a beautiful bathroom.  The bed was really comfortable.

My room had a view over towards Battersea Park.  The rooms at the other side of the hotel are close to a railway line with views over to Battersea Power Station.

View from my room towards Battersea Park

Breakfast wasn’t great for a 4 star hotel, some of the cooked items such as fried eggs had overstayed their time on the hotplate and the cheese on the adjacent cold selection had begun to curl up at the edges.  There was good selection of rolls and Danish pasties.

Free wifi was available to guests in the public areas after obtaining a user name and password at reception.   However you had to pay £15 per 24 hours if you wanted to get wifi in your bedroom. I found the signal in the lobby to be unstable and kept getting disconnected.  Yet I was able to get excellent free wifi in the Victoria Food Court at Victoria Station.  I can’t understand why a hotel can’t get decent wifi in the lobby when a food court in a shopping centre, covering a larger area, can manage this.

I met up with a business contact in the bar one evening, we ordered a tea and a lager.  The tea was brought in the form of a separate teabag and a teapot with hot water, as opposed to the teabag being in the teapot and served without milk and the lager was flat.

Overall the hotel has beautiful rooms but the location is not for everyone.  It’s great to be near a park but there’s nothing else on offer close to the hotel.  I didn’t mind the walk to Sloane Square or Victoria but it was dry weather during my visit.  Some breakfast items could be fresher, the bar service and quality of beverages needs attention and the wifi should be improved and made free of charge in the bedrooms.

You can see all my Pestana Chelsea Bridge photos on Flickr.

I stayed at the 5 star Langham Hotel for one night in June 2010, on a complimentary basis arranged by the hotel recommendation engine site Gekko.  The hotel is located a 10 minute walk from Oxford Circus and a 15 minute walk from Regents Park.  The Langham was the first grand hotel to be built in Europe, opening in 1865.  The hotel has recently undergone a £80 million refurbishment.  The public areas are really beautiful.

Entrance foyer of the Langham London

I stayed in a grand junior suite which I found to be both sumptuous yet comfortable and homely.  The attention to detail was amazing, for example a clothes brush, wooden shoe trees, European and American electrical sockets by the desk and fresh flowers.

There are usually two breakfast options for guests, a cooked breakfast in the Landau restaurant or a continental breakfast buffet in the Palm Court Restaurant.  I ate in the Landau as the Palm Court had been set aside for a group breakfast.  The breakfast is cooked to order to ensure that it’s fresh.  Temptation comes in the form of a dish of mini Danish pastries.

Cooked breakfast in the Landau Restaurant at the Langham London

However I did manage to take a video of the Palm Court’s breakfast spread just after the group had departed.  The Palm Court is renowned for its Afternoon Teas.

In summary the Langham London offers guests a truly luxurious experience in a traditional style with excellent staff.  My only criticism is the £20 additional charge per 24 hours for internet access.  In my opinion,  a hotel of this standard should not be charging extra for this service.  The in-room tea and coffee facilities could be improved with a better selection of beverages such as sachets of cappuccino and drinking chocolate.  At present there’s just Nescafe standard and decaffeinated coffee and various teabags.

You can see all my Langham Hotel photos on Flickr.

I stayed at the Umi Hotel London for 2 nights in June 2010, on a complimentary basis arranged by Gekko, the hotel recommendation engine which helps you find your ideal hotel.  The hotel is located in Bayswater in an attractive square opposite a garden.  It takes around 10 minutes to walk to the hotel from Bayswater tube station or 12 minutes from Queensway tube station (which is opposite Hyde Park). The exterior of the hotel is very smart, recently painted with plenty of flower boxes.

Umi Hotel London Bayswater exterior

The public areas of the hotel are welcoming with a pleasant lounge area with leather sofas and a selection of newspapers and magazines.  There are several computers for guests to use.  Wifi available in the public areas and bedroom is pretty pricey at £1 for 20 minutes. When I checked in  the receptionist was really friendly, helpful and chatty.

Umi Hotel London Bayswater lounge

However as soon as I opened the door to my bedroom an unpleasant odour hit me.    I reckoned that the smell was probably coming either from the sink in the bedroom or the tiny shower room.  The bedroom windows were shut and it was a pretty warm afternoon.  Fortunately two windows did open but wouldn’t stay open without being wedged in position.  The hotel describes itself as “fresh and fun” which may be true for the public areas but my room was  “smelly and shabby”.  The odour did dissipate after a good airing of the room.

The self coloured dark beige carpet had many stains and was grey in colour close to the skirting boards.  There were a lot of chips on the paintwork.  It looked as though the shower room tiles had been given a coat of paint and the paint had already started to peel in some spots.

On the positive side my room was a good size for a single. The view over the garden square was lovely. However, facing the front of the hotel did mean there was quite a bit of noise from passing pedestrians and smokers congregating by the hotel entrance.

View from my room

The inclusive continental breakfast only allows you to select four items from the menu.  On my first morning I had cereal, a cappuccino, a glass of orange juice and two croissants.  The next day I had a cup of tea (literally, no teapot just a cup with teabag floating therein), fruit salad,  orange juice and two slices of toast. You could order additional items costing around £2 each and a cooked breakfast cost £10.  The cafe wasn’t large enough for the number of guests and on my first morning several guests were turned away due to lack of free tables.

Continental breakfast at the Umi Hotel London

In summary, the Umi London is a hotel of two halves, the public area and some of the bedrooms (of which I’ve seen photos) are of a good standard.  However my room was in urgent need of attention and a refit.  It’s all very well to have trendy public areas but most guests spend more time in their rooms.  In my opinion, it’s unacceptable for a three star hotel to be offering any rooms of this poor standard to guests.

You can see all my Umi Hotel London photos on Flickr.