Aboard the Southampton Harbour Hotel
Reasonably curious as to what a hotel that looks like a ship would be like, James Clark books himself into the Southampton Harbour Hotel and Spa, which opened three years…
Close Encounter at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall Suffolk
Despite abhorring the word, Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise go on a Suffolk staycation at Kesgrave Hall hotel to discover a most relaxing place full of history and a close…
Crown and Garter: Gardens, Gin and a Gourmet Delight
Mark Bibby Jackson discovers Britain’s largest pear tree, the home of Bombay Sapphire and a feast worthy of Queen Victoria on a UK staycation at the Crown and Garter Inkpen,…
Crathorne Hall Hotel: an Edwardian Delight
Mark Bibby Jackson ventures to Yorkshire to stay at Crathorne Hall hotel, an Edwardian stately home, with incredible views and a rich history, ideal for a UK staycation. Checking into…
The Stafford: a London West End Delight
The Stafford London hotel in St James’s reopened its doors on 3 August 2020 after the COVID-19 lockdown. Eileen Wise and Roger Hermiston made their last pre-coronavirus London break staying…
David Hockney Drawing from Life
DUE TO CORONOVIRUS COVID-19, THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOICE. Prepping for his trip around Hockney Country in the Yorkshire Wolds, Mark Bibby Jackson takes a shorter…
Steven Edwards at Bingham Riverhouse
Great food, finest champagne and an amazing view on the river Thames. You can have all this at the new restaurant Steven Edwards at Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond. Opened on 5…
Aubrey Beardsley at Tate Britain, London
Aubrey Beardsley, a major new exhibition of over 200 works celebrating the artist’s brief but astonishing career opens 4 March at Tate Britain London. This will be the first exhibition…
In the Potting Shed at The Eastbury Hotel Sherborne
Spending a night in the potting shed may not sound like the ideal getaway. The Garden Potting Shed suites however, set within the beautiful gardens at The Eastbury hotel Sherborne,…
A Plastic Free Angkor Future?
Mark Bibby Jackson returns to the country where he lived for the best part of a decade to discover the once deserted streets congested, and plastic everywhere. He makes the…
London Underground : The Story of the Tube
Coral Glennie reviews Oliver Green’s loving account of the story of the London Underground, or Tube as it is referred to by Londoners. You don’t have to be a railway…
Eilean Shona: the Enchanted Isle
After their trip to the Lake District, Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise visit the remote and relaxing Scottish island of Eilean Shona stopping at a great couple of places on…
A Lake District Holiday in Wordsworth’s Country
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise swap the land of Constable for that of Wordsworth and embark on a voyage of gastronomic delights on their Lake District Holiday. It was at…
Shama Lakeview Asoke Bangkok
Taking a few days in Bangkok to catch up with friends and colleagues, Mark Bibby Jackson checks into the Shama Lakeview Asoke Bangkok to discover what an expat lifestyle feels…
Troy: Myth and Reality at the British Museum
A new exhibition at The British Museum Troy: Myth and Reality is the first major Troy exhibition in the UK. Irene Caswell reviews it. The Trojan War lasted for 10…
Exploring the Phnom Penh Pacific Hotel
A frequent visitor to the Cambodian capital where he lived for several years, on his latest trip Mark Bibby Jackson stays at the Pacific Hotel Phnom Penh and finds it…
Tewkesbury Park Hotel and Golf Club, the Cotswolds
Irene Caswell visits the medieval market town of Tewkesbury, at the confluence of the rivers Severn and Avon, to stay at the Tewkesbury Park hotel and soak in the atmosphere….
A Day at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap
Forgoing the wonders of Angkor, Mark Bibby Jackson spends a day relaxing at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap glorying in this modern day marvel. I have always had a soft…
Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh
In the lead up to the 100th anniversary of the discovery the tomb of the boy king a new exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh…
Royal Horseguards Hotel – A Political Journey
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise stay at the Royal Horseguards Hotel London in the heat of the capital’s political turmoil and discover it a most appropriate venue. It was a…
Fotografiska Stockholm : A Quest for Humanity?
On his most recent visit to the Swedish capital, Mark Bibby Jackson visits Fotografiska Stockholm, and emerges from the wonderful photographic museum with more questions than answers. I have a…
Climate Change and Tourism: Plane, Car, Train or Boat?
Travel Begins at 40 looks at the relationship between climate change and tourism by comparing various modes of travelling to your next destination. Asking yourself what’s the greenest way to…
Hawkstone Hall and Gardens : The Shropshire Hills
Mark Bibby Jackson spends a night at Hawkstone Hall and Gardens, a manor house steeped in history, thankful that he has arrived before the crowds. Spectacular. The one word describes…
Little Kolkata : Indian Tapas in London
Mark Bibby Jackson ventures to Little Kolkata in London’s Covent Garden to sample Indian tapas and emerges after a quite religious experience. Having spent many a year in Southeast Asia…
