Hotel Reviews

The five-star Bankside Autograph Collection hotel doesn’t disappoint. Minutes from Blackfriars station, it’s nestled in the heart of authentic London. You’ll be greeted by friendly staff seated in an open desk area. This in itself created a warm, open welcome and eliminated the distance often created by standard hotel receptions. Staff go over and beyond, ready to assist at every opportunity and proud to talk about the hotel, art and local area. The hotel is surrounded by culture, art and...

Boasting over 120 distilleries Scotland is home a veritable tapestry of whiskies that stretch from the border to the tips of the Outer Hebrides. Every malt and blend holds unique characteristics largely derived from their provenance, but few people get to visit them all. To get a flavour you need to head to a gateway to Scotch whisky and kick off your experience in the hands of the Glasshouse Hotel and a man who has, Ken Hanley. Based in the...

It's unlikely you have heard of Petit St Vincent, but you ought to have. This exclusive James-Bond-style private island - think Daz-white beaches, paisley turquoise and blue seas and a scattering of hand-crafted bungalows - is part of the southern Caribbean’s Grenadine island chain. Accessible only by a tiny propeller plane, then a speed boat, even the journey there makes you feel like you’re on a secret mission. But once you’ve arrived, your assignment is all but done. From there...

That The Merrion Hotel houses Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Ireland’s only two-star Michelin restaurant, says plenty about its character and reputation. Forget gimmicky quirks and trending changes, this place is known for being as traditional as 18th century townhouses get, and super fancy with it. Following the likes of Barack and Michelle Obama, Bruce Springsteen and Cameron Diaz among many others, we decided to spend a night at this city centre institution, to find out whether it lives up to its...

2018 was a great year for travel for my partner and I – we were lucky enough to spend time in Thailand, Corsica and Mykonos. This year we’re going to be more time-poor, so we have set ourselves the challenge of finding the best London escapes in under an hour. January’s choice was The Grove, a 215-room country mansion set in a 300-acre estate in Hertfordshire; my other half, who works in films, already knew of it as it is...

Like a moth to a flame, it’s too easy to land in Cancun and head straight to the Hotel Zone: the island-strip of man-made beach for identikit all-inclusive hotels that promise beach, sun and booze. It is, literally, where the party’s at. But that’s a disservice to everything else along the Yucatan peninsula. Instead, my base for most of the stay is TRS Coral, an impressive new five-star hotel just north of Cancun. It’s found in the Costa Mujeres region,...

If Mauritius conjures up images of bathwater blue seas, clear skies and balmy, palm tree-filled days…well, you’d be right. The better news is that it’s no longer viewed as a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon destination. Early on in my visit, not realising this, I made the mistake of asking a chatty couple if they were on honeymoon, only to get a wall of awkwardness in return. So to repeat, Mauritius’s beautiful weather, luscious green interiors and beautiful beaches are open to all....

What timing, that as Dublin’s accommodation shortage rolls on and keeps hotel prices in the city centre high, the leafy neighbourhood of Ranelagh has found its own centre of gravity. It has a vibe similar to Notting Hill, with some of Dublin’s better restaurants and bars and a young, slightly-posh local crowd frequenting them – and now it has a hotel. It’s surprising that The Devlin is the first one in the area, but it’s worth the wait. Fitting in...

Bath is an always-popular spot for a weekend break or an extended staycation, but we’ve just experienced another reason to visit the spa town: the Gainsborough. It’s the only hotel in the UK to use local mineral waters in its hotel spa, its five-star service is up there with the UK’s highest, and it’s a well-located sanctuary for exploring the town. For couples and groups who can’t quite agree on what to do with a night or two away, the...