Hotel Reviews 
Fasano Rio de Janeiro
May 2012
Generally considered to be the best hotel in Rio, the Fasano sits proudly in the heart of Ipanema, right behind the fashionable Praia 8 beach, overlooking the entire bay. I arrived at the entrance of the Fasano Hotel straight from a long overnight flight into Rio de Janeiro, very early in the morning; I am not sure if it was the moist warm air of the sea front, the light of dawn flooding the atrium, the fragrance of exotic flowers or just the jetlag, but I recognise love at first sight when it happens! The Fasano family moved to Brazil over a century ago from Italy, taking with them the style and love for Italian food; after several successful ventures in the restaurant business, they moved onto hotels in 2003, first in Sao Paulo, then in Rio in 2007, and now they are expanding elsewhere in Brazil and South America. The uniqueness of their success lies in understanding the different local needs and styles of each of their hotel locations, diversifying the Fasano Hotels greatly ... Read More
Taj Boston
March 2012
What’s better than curling up with a loved one in front of a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night? Especially when the fire in question has been laid and lit for you by your very own Fireplace Butler! My fiancé and I checked into Boston’s luxurious Taj ... Read More
Hyatt Regency Chicago
March 2012
The Hyatt Regency Chicago’s web site lists it has having 2019 guest rooms and as someone who normally prefers small hotels to large ones I was slightly apprehensive about my forthcoming stay. I shouldn’t have worried. Let’s start with the location. The Hyatt ... Read More
Adobe Chester
March 2012
What could be better at the end of a long week than unwinding on a train, the green landscape rolling by like a diorama, the sun shining, and my first visit to Chester ahead of me? Shocking eh? Me, a student of Roman history, setting foot for the first time in one of Roman ... Read More
Ritz Carlton Toronto
February 2012
In Canada’s most dynamic city, GARETH DAVIS finds a well-known brand that’s still cutting edge... RITZ CARLTON, TORONTO, CANADA Instead of the usual tale of gorgeous building destroyed to make way for car park, this is a case of car park ... Read More
Old Swan and Minster Mill
December 2011
After a full-on summer of non-stop work my husband and I were looking forward to a much needed weekend break, away from our blackberries and never ending list of domestic chores. Our chosen retreat was the beautiful Old Swan and Minster Mill in the picturesque village of Minster ... Read More
Corinthia Hotel, London
November 2011
The image of the metropolitan luxury hotel that has infused into popular culture, the haunt of dignitaries, diplomats and glittering denizens is “the Grand Hotel”. This late Nineteenth/early Twentieth century European creation of neo-classic splendour and ... Read More
Hesperia, Lanzarote
October 2011
Boasting five star facilities at sensible prices, beautiful weather 365 days a year and a convenient location just a stone’s throw away from Lanzarote’s chic Puerto Calero marina, Hesperia Hotel certainly promises a great deal. Easily reached from most major ... Read More
Shangri La, Kathmandu
September 2011
I last visited Nepal in 1989 as back packer on a long 6 month journey back from Hong Kong to the UK. Funds were tight and armed with my trusted Lonely Planet guide and I checked into one of their recommended cheaper guest houses. It was nothing to write home about ... Read More
Conrad Chicago
August 2011
The Conrad Chicago is very conveniently located just off Michigan Ave, more often referred to as the Magnificent Mile. As first impressions go the Conrad didn’t exactly fill me with the wow factor. We turned off Michigan and drove down into what felt like a basement level ... Read More
Summer Hotel Special: Forest of Dean Cabins
August 2011
It’s August and with the kids out of school, Matt Westrup went searching for luxury in the woods... Driving along the M4 towards the Forest of Dean, the boot of my car was virtually empty. Normally, for the outdoor experience, it would be rammed full of all that it takes ... Read More
Sail Lofts, St Ives
June 2011
There’s no denying the sheer prettiness of St Ives, though I have tried for the past eleven years. Blame it on a bout of food poisoning that left me doubled up in pain; not the kind of experience that gets you coming back for more. So it was with some trepidation that I ... Read More
Grand Hotel Cocumella
April 2011
Arriving at a rather chaotic Naples airport on a hot and sticky Autumnal afternoon doesn’t exactly inspire you with Le Dolce Vita. But around an hours drive away, north of the Gulf of Naples lies the Sorrentine Peninsula and its main town Sorrento. It’s here that ... Read More
Abode, Manchester
March 2011
It’s a Grade II listed building in Manchester’s Piccadilly and looks like an Edwardian hospital, all red brick and turrets, but it’s one of the city’s most stylish hotels, a fusion of vision from hotelier Andrew Brownsword and magical Michelin chef ... Read More
Auberge Saint Antoine
February 2011
The city of Quebec, high above the St Lawrence River, always strikes me as a place of possibilities. Historic in appearance, its location makes me feel as if the world is opening up before me, the New World that is. I think it’s a feeling I must share with those early ... Read More
La Mamounia, Marrakech
January 2011
You know you have arrived at no ordinary hotel when a small army of staff wearing sumptuous Moroccan robes opens the doors for you and welcome you into the lobby. No, La Mamounia is definitely not an ordinary place! Located in the heart of Marrakech, within the ancient walls of ... Read More
Blythswood Square Hotel
October 2010
Class and warmth under one roof as GARETH DAVIS discovers in Glasgow... Gazing out over the sward of Blythswood Square, the old automobile club with its high ceilinged spaces and marble foyer has been transformed into a contemporary spot of luxury. Colour combinations ... Read More
CastaDiva Resort
September 2010
Being a born and bred Italian, I have always regretted not visiting the beautiful lakes in the northern regions of my country. Finally, some years since my departure from Bel Paese, I was offered the opportunity to visit a new resort opening on Lake Como: CastaDiva Resort! Lake ... Read More
Me Madrid Reina Victoria
August 2010
Me Madrid Reina Victoria, formally the legendary Hotel Reina Victoria, opened its doors in October 2006 and was the first ‘Me’ branded hotel to be opened by Melia, the upmarket Spanish hotel chain. Described as ‘experience based personality ... Read More
The Arch London
July 2010
I first visited the Arch Hotel at its opening party on a cold and rainy evening in January 2010. Back then, I remember the friendliness of the staff showing me around the rooms, the remarkable artworks, the glorious canapés and the flowing champagne; six months later I ... Read More
Latest Video Guides & Articles
Restaurant Reviews
Laurie Raphaël Montreal
In Montreal GARETH DAVIS checks out a Quebecois star... Four years ago I experienced one of those rare Damascene...Read more
5 Pollen St
Having opened only a month beforehand, I wasn’t surprised that the smell of fresh decorating still lingered in...Read more
Bloomsbury Street Hotel
Ideally located on Great Russell Street, near the British Museum, Oxford Street and the West End, the Bloomsbury...Read more
Montparnasse, Southsea
Pub food embraces a myriad of sins but GARETH DAVIS discovers a local that scores a bull’s eye...Where...
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Les Deux Salons
Where better to escape a dank, drainy Thursday night, a spit from Charring Cross, than the buzzing atmosphere of a...Read more
The Portman, London W1
Pub food embraces a myriad of sins but GARETH DAVIS discovers a local that scores a bull’s eye... The Portman,...Read more
The Grill Room at the Square
On a cold night in late January GARETH DAVIS is drawn by the smell of cooking meat up a Glasgow stairwell... 29...Read more
Roux at Parliament Square
Tucked next to the RICS just off Parliament Square, this new foray for Michel Roux Jnr of Le Gavroche and hey,...Read more
Corrigan’s Mayfair
Gareth Davis discovers creativity and quality share the number one spot at Vanilla …Holm House
Cardiff acquires a new star eatery as Gareth Davis discovers…HOLM HOUSE, PENARTH -...
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Ockenden Manor
During a recent weekend in Brighton (more on that next month) I was lucky enough to visit West Sussex’s only...Read more
Gospel Brunch at Chicago's House of Blues
Petra Shepherd samples a Chicago institution that’s as much about the experience as the food…AUBERGINE, KALKAN TURKEY
Nearly 10 years on and 3 times lucky, I returned to my favourite Turkish resort. Back in ‘99 when I first...Read more
Laurie Raphaël Quebec City
Gareth Davis sets out with few expectations and experiences a rare moment of epiphany in Quebec City. On a recent trip...Read more
L’Eglise, Hove & Hotel Du Vin
Gareth Davis experiences a double dose of Francophilia in southern England’s favourite seaside city,...Read more
The Scent of Fleurs
Gareth Davis senses subtlety in Las Vegas… A revolution has taken place in Las Vegas in the past 10 years....Read more
Eating 915
Gareth Davis visits Key West and samples a stylish bistro with an Old Town feel… I’ll be honest. The Key...Read more
Bedford et Strand
Gareth Davis finds a slice of France under a London bookie’s which turns out to be very definitely Restaurant of...Read more
Laguna Kitchen & Bar
Gareth Davis revisits a stylish eatery at Cardiff’s Park Plaza Hotel… This was the second time round for...Read more
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