I have just returned from five weeks of working remotely in Barcelona, Spain. Although I opted for an Airbnb for most of our trip, on our last night, I wanted my daughter and I to have an extra special experience. After exploring Barcelona’s fantastic beaches, my favourite was Platja de Llevant beach. I saw The Hilton Diagonal Mar from a distance on a visit to the beach and decided to book for our last night – 5th November 2022.

The Location

The Hilton Diagonal Mar is a little out of Barcelona City Centre, right on the outskirts of the city overlooking Llevant Beach, the last beach in Barcelona before you reach the Badalona area.

The hotel is strategically located at the Barcelona International Convention centre, in one of the best areas in Barcelona. There’s a huge shopping centre just opposite too!

There are very good transport connections to the city centre. A 5-minute walk will get you to a tram line stop, where you can board the Metro line for connections anywhere in Barcelona. There are also many bus links. The biggest Taxi rank I saw in Barcelona was just across the road from the hotel.

The Hilton is also just an 18-minute drive away from Barcelona-El Prat Airport, where you can fly to many airports across Europe, North and South America, Asia and North Africa.

Booking

This time, I already knew where I wanted to stay, so instead of browsing hotel booking platforms first, I headed straight to the Hilton website and booked direct. As a new Hilton Honours member, this was the first time I’ve earnt Hilton points.

I paid £130.30 for the cheapest twin room option available. I was pleased to find a Hilton at this rate. I think it was because it was low season, and the Puro Beach Club had just shut.

Check-In

We had a fantastic check-in experience. Due to our long stay in Barcelona, I had lots of luggage, which the hotel allowed me to drop off the day before. On arrival, we were welcomed by the friendly reception team. My daughter was given a lovely soft toy, and the porter met us in our room with the luggage.

To my surprise, we’d been nominated as guests of the day! This means we got a room upgrade to an executive twin with a view across Barcelona from the 22nd floor, free access to the executive lounge and free breakfast.

The Room

On arrival at the room, we were greeted with a fantastic view of Barcelona’s coastline. The room was a twin room, just what I’d expect from a Hilton Hotel. There were many little extras in the bathroom, such as a dressing gown, slippers, and moisturiser.

The Executive Lounge

The executive lounge was one of the best parts of our upgrade. The lounge is on the 15th floor, and you can access it with your room key from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm. Tea, coffee, cold water, fruit and nuts are served throughout the day. Between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, a hot canopy buffet and a range of soft drinks, spirits, wines and champagnes are available. 

The lounge has a stunning view. The atmosphere was more informal and quite empty throughout the day. There’s a more formal vibe when the hot food comes out. Lots of people spend the day working on the lounge’s own balcony.

The executive lounge is available to people with Hilton Honours Diamond Elite status and with particular room upgrades. With gold status, you’ll be able to use the lounge if you get an available space upgrade.

Other Hotel Facilities and Services

The Hilton Diagonal Mar is home to the Puro Beach club, one of the best beach clubs in Europe. Although we had a fantastic view of it from our room, the Beach Club had just closed for the winter. The hotel also features a fitness centre.

For business travellers, there’s a range of meeting rooms and boardrooms available for hire.

Food and Drink

The hotel has 4 restaurants and bars:

Aürt: Run by chef Michelin-starred Catalan chef Artur Martinez’s, this restaurant focuses on tapas dishes with the aim of providing an amazing gastronomic experience.

Ma’i Snacks and Drinks: A place to get tapas, snacks and drinks throughout the day.

PuroBeach: Only open during the summer months, this is the place to go for a relaxing meal a cocktail and a varied menu of snacks and main dishes

There’s also a good selection of room service options, including a breakfast room service menu.

The Indigo Restaurant – Breakfast

We had a fantastic breakfast at the Indigo restaurant. There was a huge array of smoothies, good-tasting coffee and a range of breakfast options from around the world. My daughter loved her orange juice being topped up by the waiters as well as many other extra touches.

Check Out

We had a fantastic checkout experience. I phoned the porter from our room, who collected our luggage, waited for us to check out and even loaded it into the taxi. The only thing I would say is it took quite a while to refund the deposit and queue, in opposition to some European hotels with a fast check out system.

Would I Stay Again?

I would definitely stay at the Hilton Diagonal Mar again. I’m hoping to return to Barcelona sometime in the summer, and I’ll definitely be rebooking for our last night. Whether you’re staying in Barcelona before a cruise, as a very long layover, on a business trip or on holiday, the Hilton Diagonal Mar suits all traveller types.

You can find out more information and book here. 

The post Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona Review appeared first on Turning left for less.

Today’s article, The Gantry, is written by Callum and Gus. Rather than publish two articles, I thought I would represent both writers’ views of the hotel together.

Location

Callum: Located in the regenerated area near the Stratford International station, The Gantry is a new addition to Hilton’s Curio Collection portfolio, having opened in November 2021. The property is impressive and modern, with all the amenities you would expect. 

Getting there

Callum:

Visible from the eastern exit of Stratford International, it takes around five minutes’ walk to get to The Gantry. The hotel is extremely convenient with easy access to the DLR, the Jubilee and Central lines, Greater Anglia services as well as Elizabeth Line trains. The latter will soon become even more effective and make access to Central and West London easier as the outer parts of the line connect to the inner core. This could make Stratford a more feasible place to base yourself when visiting London.

Gus: The hotel is about a 12-minute walk from Stratford tube, on the Central and Jubilee line, and right opposite Stratford International station, on the DLR line.

First impressions

Callum: The Gantry occupies the entire building and features a wavy design that sets it apart from the others in the same area. While it may not be universally popular, the combination of the glass and brass-coloured metal looks beautiful.

Callum: The entrance continues the same look with an equally contrasting sign for the hotel.

Callum: Despite the beautiful exterior, inside it, all gets a little bit more eclectic. While there’s nothing wrong with this design, on reflection, I don’t get who thought the combination of random chairs would work. It’s all a little busy, but perhaps that randomness makes it more welcoming.

Gus: From the outside, it looks very attractive and fits in well with the other new developments in the area. Stratford remains a funny mix of shiny new signature buildings (Westfield, Olympic Park etc.), and some of the slightly less appealing bits between them, though common to it all, is an energy and a buzz that only seems to be growing over time.

Check-in

Callum: On the positive, the staff were very responsive and helpful with my check-in. They asked if I wished to add breakfast which I declined.

Gus: I checked in a little early, and while there was no recognition of my (Gold) status, the room was ready. I’d booked a King Deluxe Room for £220, which is the grade below the Suites (which sadly were all booked by the time I arrived, so no upgrade either), though entry-level rooms seem to be available from £170. The check-in clerk was friendly enough and explained everything about the hotel, and very swiftly, I was on my way.

Food and drink

Callum: The ground floor is also host to a Hermanos Coffee Shop – which serves decent Colombian coffee but disappointing pastries.

Gus: The Gantry also has a Hermanos coffee bar on the ground floor, which seemed to be full of both guests and passers-by, which gave the hotel a bit more of a buzz than it might otherwise have had. 

Gus: I had lunch in the hotel’s first-floor restaurant, Union Social, which was a really nice space with a range of tables spread across the windows. It included an extensive and impressive bar and also had an outdoor terrace area, which would have been great on a less blustery and cool day.

The Rooms

Callum: Corridors in the hotel were well-lit and decorated, making it feel homely and comfortable. The Curio Collection does allow for far more flexibility in its brand design rules than other Hilton brands, which makes for a far more interesting stay. 

Callum: On this visit, I stayed in room 515 – a regular King Size bedroom. Anybody else feel like the fives on the door numbers are just the number two upside down?

Callum: The bed features a comfortable mattress with soft bedding and pillows which are not too soft providing enough support while in bed. A reading light and bedside table alongside plug, USB sockets and wired telephone features only on one side.

Callum: The brass metallic look continues from the outside into the room using similar coloured materials representing a careful attention to detail by the property’s designers.

Callum: The lack of bedside table and reading lamp on one side is mitigated by the larger table that is in close vicinity of the bed. All the lighting in the bedroom is warm and creates a cosy ambience while relaxing.

Callum: The chaise longue next to the window provides another place to relax; however, the lack of back support makes it slightly inadequate to be comfortable at. It is more for show than really being of use to guests. From this vantage point, the view is unremarkable, looking into other buildings as well as a gym. On the other side of the building, the views may be slightly better looking over the station and Westfield Stratford.

Callum: Floor-to-ceiling blackout curtains cover the windows providing full and excellent elimination of external light through the windows, aiding a comfortable sleep. To the right of the window is a tall wardrobe with plenty of hangers for a short stay, as well as ironing facilities. 

Callum: Opposite the bed is the typical wall-mounted television, which is forty-two inches or so Samsung 4K model. Easily accessible plugs, as well as HDMI ports, can be found directly below to television to connect a device to the screen.

Callum: More interesting is what is found below – a large storage chest. The lid does open, but the chest is located too close to the wall to open easily. It does feel like the sofa, this is more decorative than anything else, but it could be used for additional storage. Just don’t forget you’ve put items in there when you leave. 

Callum: A large wall-height mirror can be found close to the television.

Callum: Near to the bathroom entrance, a small area for drinks can be found. A selection of complimentary Clipper instant coffee and tea as well as tasty shortbread, can be found. Glasses suitable for making alcoholic beverages are provided in the room although the fridge was not stocked with a minibar.

Callum: In this same area, a pull-out safe can be found, which is large enough to store a laptop. 

Callum: The bathroom is a modern affair with the usual neutral colours utilised alongside a brighter feature wall. A large circular but unheated mirror is found above a wide washbasin. Despite the small footprint of the room, the use of the large mirror makes the space feel bigger than it is.

Callum: A shower can also be found, but no bath. An overhead rainfall shower and handheld wash head are provided, although I found the former to be located off-centre, which feels a bit weird and too close to one of the rooms.

Callum: The Gantry use ‘Grown Alchemist’ branded soap, shampoo, conditioner and moisturiser, which are premium and have an excellent scent across all the items. A limited range of amenities are provided, such as cotton pads and buds, but not toothbrush and paste.

Hotel amenities

Callum: Hotels like The Gantry don’t really need to put too much effort into their amenities offering, considering how much can be found in the immediate area. Despite this, they have still put effort into creating an excellent offering for guests. 

The first being a small but well-equipped gym with a variety of free weights, several cardio machines as well as a cable machine. This selection makes most workouts feasible without needing to step foot outside of the property, which is convenient for those wanting to catch a workout while travelling on business.

Callum: Two social spaces are also located within the property. The first is Union Social dubbed an ‘inclusive, relaxed space to spend your down time’. I headed here for a quick coffee after arrival as the sun was setting and found it to be a comfortable space where guests could sit back with a drink or opt for food instead. 

Callum: Although it wasn’t warm enough to sit outside on my visit, there is also a terrace which could be a good place to meet others in summer.

Image source: The Gantry

Callum: Although not open yet, The Gantry will also introduce a ‘Sky Bar and Terraces’ on the rooftop. Clearly not the most creative name for a rooftop bar, but I suspect it will have some relaxing views looking across Stratford and into the city. No photos are provided, but if it is of a similar quality as Union Social, it should be a half-decent bar. 

Conclusion

Callum: The Gantry is an attractive hotel that offers great rooms with excellent amenities at a competitive price with effective transport links. As noted in my introduction, the addition of the Elizabeth Line alongside the pre-existing links to areas across London, including Canary Wharf, makes this a great option for visitors and business travellers. Prices seem to bottom out at around GBP 170 per night and are on average, GBP 200 per night. For that price, you are getting a lot of hotel for your money particularly when Central London properties are getting excessively expensive in recent months. 

Gus: The Gantry is a solid bet for anyone needing to be in Stratford, and you can see how it will become even more of a destination address itself as more and more opens in and around the site too.

You can find more information and prices or book on the official website here.

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Due to the Queen’s passing meaning we did not publish a normal article yesterday, I will be publishing the final competition reader reviews until Sunday to give them all an equal chance rather than cram them all on one day together.

Today’s reader review for our competition is from James. If you enjoyed it, let us know in the comments below. We do not encourage criticism of reader reviews. They are not professional writers, and every writer has a different style that won’t suit everyone’s taste.

I find the main Hilton ‘H’ brand hotels to have a huge variation in quality, décor and service. I’ve stayed in several a stones throw of each other in West London with such a variation between them it’s often like being in totally different hotel chains, and of course, none of this is reflected in the pricing.

I appreciate much of this is due to how Hilton acquired properties, and for a long time in the UK the generic ‘H’ covered a broad range of properties which is now starting to see re-fascia under their sub brands. It’s for this reason that when travelling for leisure I tend to avoid main brand Hilton and go for a Waldorf Astoria, a Conrad or a Curio collection which are generally reliable and consistently good. I broke that rule when a booked two nights in the Hilton Berlin, and I was pleased I did!

Location

The hotel is located opposite the Deutscher Dom (originally a cathedral and now the Bundestag museum) in Gendarmenmarkt Square in the Mitte district of the city. The square itself is very attractive and sitting in a bierkeller on the square made for a very pleasant final dining before collecting the left luggage and heading to the airport.

The hotel is a short walk to Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island and the Brandenburg Gate. It’s also minutes to both Stadtmitte and Hausvogteilplatz U-Bahn stations. It took me about 50 minutes using the Deutsche Bahn and U-Bahn from Brandenburg airport to reach the hotel, and for the mere sum of 9 Euros you can buy a monthly pass providing unlimited travel across all German trains and public transport throughout June, July and August.

Most of the guided city tour buses stop at some point around the square so these are only a short walk away and the hop-on, hop-off nature helps with getting around tourist sites. I used the Big Bus Tour (which I’m familiar with in London), but there’s several companies with different routes operating in the city.   

The Room

I had booked a King Guest Room but as a Diamond member I was upgraded at check-in to a King Guest Room with Dome View. From the PR pictures I can’t see any difference in the rooms save for the view, but I do admit the view was impressive and I was pleased to have it. (As an aside I am yet to find myself upgraded to a suite in any Hilton family property anywhere in the world and yet from what I read on various blogs some people seem to get one all the time!).

The room was spacious with ample space to work if you were staying on business- though personally, I’d have switched the desk chair around to face out the window. The desk even had a 3-pin plug socket which I haven’t seen previously on the Continent and only really noticed as I was about to check out.

Toiletries were the usual Crabtree and Evelyn Verbena and Lavender scented small bottles. I’m personally not a fan of them (and I’ve used enough of the stuff), but I do wish Hilton would at least switch to the large refill bottles that I’ve seen in some properties like the Double Tree’s at Tower Hill and Manchester Piccadilly (both of which are the ex-Mint hotels and have the same owners I think). Hilton must be unnecessarily throwing away so much barely used soap bars and mini bottles each year!

One feature worth mentioning was the mini-bar. This was exceptionally well stocked and I think the first such well stocked bar I’ve seen since before Covid. There were mini spirits, small bottles of wine, beer and sparkling wine, bottled water, confectionary and soft drinks with a small area kept free to put your own items.

I was however a bit late spotting the warning sticker that the fridge is fitted with sensors so that anything removed (and even if replaced) is immediately charged to the room. I was intrigued by the piece of Berlin Wall that I picked up from the fridge door, but a quick visit to the front desk had the charge taken off. Apologies as I only have a picture of the fridge door contents for some reason!

I was offered the opportunity to pay circa 29 Euros instead of 49 Euros for the entire contents of the mini bar fridge as part of the discounted upgrade offer emails Hilton send out pre-check in now. Having seen the contents, I would recommend that guests who don’t have lounge access seriously consider this if they get a similar offer, as there is definite value to be had.

There were also two 750ml bottles of Acqua Panna water on the counter-top with a little notice advising two bottles per stay were free to Silver, Gold and Diamond members. Everyone else would be billed 6.99 Euros a bottle which again was enforced by a sensor pad to register the charge. This hair-trigger minibar charging may be more common practice than I’m aware being new to mattress hopping but it was a new one on me in some 100 or so hotel nights over the last year and seemed a bit OTT.

Disappointingly there was no Nespresso machine, so I stuck with the Executive Lounge for drinks and didn’t bother with the in-room kettle. There were good quality robes provided (a spa robe and also a towelling robe) and slippers which I was impressed to see in an entry-level room category.

Executive Lounge

The lounge is open from early for breakfast through to 11pm. Evening drinks and snacks were served between 6pm-8:30pm. Drinks and snacks downplay what was on offer as this was really a 2.5hr dinner buffet with self-serve wine, beers, spirits and sparkling wine. The buffet provided a fresh soup and hot dish each night.

One evening this was meatballs and on another, it was schnitzel. There was a selection of accoutrements from couscous and salad to stuffed vine leaves and sundried tomatoes. There was also a proper cheese board and fresh warm bread. The kitchen staff replenished this throughout and gave fair notice before the drink service ended.

If you wanted to work from the lounge in the evening or catch up on emails you certainly could have had a substantial meal from what was provided. Outside breakfast and drinks there were self-service soft drinks, coffee and teas and a selection of nuts/ nibbles through to closing. The lounge was expansive with a lot of dining table style seating with power points in addition to sofas and armchairs.

Personally, I thought this was the best executive lounge I’ve seen in a Hilton, and it would probably also beat the Conrad St James although it was not quite as good as the Conrad Dubai if I was making comparisons to other recent stays. Post- Covid, when many hotels are not reopening their lounges or offering providing only a watered-down service it was really good to see the hotel putting effort in here.

Breakfast

Diamonds could take breakfast in either the executive lounge or from the buffet restaurant which is just used for breakfast. When provided with an option I tend to go for the restaurant over the lounge principally because the choice tends to be better and you’re guaranteed to have a table and chair to eat it from rather than being perched in an armchair in a sometimes crowded lounge.

Like almost everything else at this hotel, the breakfast was impressive compared to other Hilton properties and was served overlooking the Dome. There was a great range of cereals, yoghurts and fruits alongside fresh bread and pastries, charcuterie, cheese and the usual hot items to make an English breakfast. There was no a la carte option, but you could get an omelette made to order as I did.

A personal highlight was sparkling wine was also available on the breakfast buffet which I acquired a taste for at the Castillo Hotel Son Vida, although alas, the German offering didn’t match up to their Cava.

Food and drink

The Listo restaurant and bar in the hotel atrium, which serves lunch and dinner and was offering 25% off for hotel guests/ HHonors Members. I didn’t eat in the restaurant, but I did have some panko prawns in the bar one evening which I thought were pretty good as far as bar snacks go.

Other facilities

The hotel also has a spa and indoor pool. I didn’t use either of these through from the PR pictures they look impressive. There was also a relatively well stocked hotel gym.

Conclusions   

This was the best Hilton I have stayed at for some time. I had toyed with staying at the Ritz-Carlton to utilise the Amex’s Marriott cashback offer that had been running, but for well over twice the price I paid for the Hilton, I really don’t think I would have had a much-enhanced experience and certainly wouldn’t have got anywhere near the value.

You can find more information and book here. 

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Today’s reader review is about the Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus hotel from my friend Steven, a Hilton fan and frequent traveller. 

I fell in love with Istanbul back in 2018 when I visited for the first time, and since then I’ve been eager to return, so when I spotted a great Club Europe deal on BA, I was there.  Having stayed at the Conrad London St James a few times, I was immediately drawn to the Conrad Bosphorus, it was well-reviewed and at a great price for a luxury hotel.  

After speaking to my favourite travel agent, I booked 3 nights in an Executive Park room view on Hilton’s Luxury travel agency programme, Impresario, which gave me $100 USD equivalent food and beverage credit, double Hilton points, breakfast included, an upgrade if available, and late checkout.  I paid €147 a night, with the expectation that as a Diamond Hilton Honors member and booking Impresario I’d get a good upgrade, especially as TripAdvisor is full of people reporting suite upgrades.

My Arrival at Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus hotel

Front entrance

After a very long taxi journey through Istanbul’s notoriously manic roads, I was so excited to arrive at the hotel. 

Hotel Entrance Security

As is common in Istanbul there is an airport-style luggage scanning at the door, metal detectors, and a requirement to scan the Turkish passenger locator form QR every time you entered the hotel.  This did tend to clog the entry to the hotel, but in the name of safety and security, I’m not going to complain.

Hotel Lobby

There was a short queue and I was welcomed at check-in, sadly the man behind the desk informed me no upgrades were available, unless I wanted their ambassadorial suite for an extra €1000 a night! A very good deal he informed me.  As I was travelling solo , this was not attractive as beautiful as I’m sure the suite would be. I had to press him continuously and to his credit, he called his manager and got me an upgrade to a family suite, which was very nice, but I had hoped for a suite with a view which this really didn’t have.   It was good that they were proactive at trying to resolve the lack of upgrade, but really poor that other guests had been upgraded and somehow my booked had been excluded.

Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus hotel Room 

The suite was a very nice place to relax and despite an unfortunate view of the rear of the hotel yard, I really couldn’t fault the very pleasant sitting room, which was designed to double as an extra bedroom with a sofa bed, large second bathroom, Nespresso machine, with non branded pods, but to be fair these were delicious and nicer than many of the Nespresso branded ones in my view.

The master bedroom was really lovely with an imposing king-size bed, and TV which extended and retracted into the end of the bed, designed so in a suite with a view I could gaze out of the window. There was also a wireless charger with built-in cables by the bed with all the connections you need, a great touch as I have forgotten chargers in the past, and for me, as a bit of a gadget guy, a miss that so many luxury hotels over look ease of charging phones and tablets.

The master bathroom was equally lovely with a wet room off the left of the toilet, and large sink area with a nice tub, rain shower, and waterfall shower with marble seat.  The products were Aromatherapy Associates branded, but my understanding is they normally have Shanghai Tang products in line with other Conrads, however global supply issues forced a substitution.  These products were nice, but not especially remarkable. 

COVID security was taken very seriously, and even the towels and bath mats were sealed in plastic, which I had mixed thoughts about, single-use plastic bags are a scourge, and I’m really not sure if anyone has ever caught COVID from freshly laundered towels left unwrapped. 

At check-in I was promised a Diamond member amenity, and told this would be immediately moved from the room they had me booked into my upgraded suite.  This didn’t happen, and after several hours I asked the front desk and a fruit platter was swiftly delivered, just a shame I had to chase it up.

Conrad bear

Food and drink at Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus hotel

Keen to make use of my credit, I wandered up to the rooftop bar and restaurant, as it was cool evening, the open area was covered over with an awning style surround, with the windows blocked out, which was a bit of a shame, however, on the second night these were open so at least there were some lovely rooftop views.  

Being Istanbul the prices were very keen with cocktails priced at 105 TL, around £7.50.  These were nice but not knock your socks off impressive.

My first cocktail of the evening, Tahona (Spiced Rum, mescal, golden pear purée, citrus blend, lime juice and plum bitters) was very nice and reminded me slightly of a negroni in flavour, but it was presented with coloured sugar sprinkles on top! A finishing touch that did little to give it a sophisticated look, I’m just glad it tasted much better than it looked! 

There is also a sushi bar in this restaurant and on the second night had some very respectable sushi rolls. 

I ordered the Grilled Nordic Salmon for dinner, again this was a case of something tasting much nicer than it looked, it was really moist and flavourful, a great choice, and again excellent value at 118 TL.

Executive Lounge

After dinner I decided to pop into the Executive Lounge, I had missed cocktail hour which ran from 17:30 to 19:30 every day.

However when I said I had just checked in today the staff member in the lounge insisted on making me a gin and tonic outside of normal hours, very nice touch, and really illustrates how eager the staff are to be helpful. 

Lounge Terrace

Lounge buffet

The lounge was large and had a fantastic open-air terrace over the entranceway to the hotel with pleasant views of the park opposite.  They serve breakfast here for HHonors elites, as well as daily cocktails and an impressive complimentary buffet each evening. Outside of these times, tea, coffee, and soft drinks can be enjoyed.  It was a nice place to relax.

Lobby bar

I also made use of the beautiful lobby bar with its classic range of cocktails and a really delicious dirty gin martini.  

Breakfast

Breakfast the following morning was extremely impressive, this was included in my Impresario rate, and was a massive step up from the lounge offering which while perfectly fine, isn’t really wow. 

Breakfast room

There was so much to choose from all very high quality and delicious.  It was buffet-style but served with lots of friendly English-speaking staff on hand to help. Top tip they have some wonderful smoked salmon on request from the hot food station, it’s not advertised, but I spotted someone else with a plate and didn’t regret ordering it.  

This is right up there with the very best breakfasts I’ve ever had in terms of quality and choice.  Their COVID precautions in the hotel dictate that everything is wrapped, and cutlery comes in a sealed paper bag, great touch but it felt a little wasteful to clear this away and give me a fresh one whenever I popped up to grab something from the buffet.

Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus hotel Conclusion 

All in all, I had a wonderful stay at the Conrad Bosphorus, and would stay again, my major issue about missing out on an automatic upgrade was just bad luck.  The food was of a very high standard, the cocktails weren’t up to the same standard you would get in London or New York, but were nonetheless tasty and very keenly priced.  My $100 credit covered two meals and 6 cocktails, now that is Turning Left For Less!

You can find more information and prices on the hotel here.

The post READER REVIEW: Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus hotel appeared first on Turning left for less.

This review of Mango House LXR Hotel is part 2 in the series of reviews from regular reader contributor Ben. You can read details of his bargain flight to the Seychelles in Qatar’s business class here.

Given the miserable weather and the fact that on Valentine’s Day you may be contemplating a romantic getaway, this seemed the perfect time to post this tropical paradise review which has romance written all over it as well as being family-friendly. 

Location

If you are looking for a shorter break or less travel time, then Mango House is a good option as it’s on the same island as the Seychelles International Airport on Mahe. There is also more to do on the main island if you like to visit local restaurants or drive around. 

It’s around a 30-minute transfer from the airport which after a long journey is perfect. The hotel opened in July 2021. 

Arrival

The hotel had contacted me in advance to check on my flight details, remind me about a few Covid policies and share details on the property.
Despite arriving at the hotel about 08:30, my room was ready for me and I was provided early check-in. 

I was upgraded to a Premium Ocean View Room. They also gave me a late check-out of 17:30 as well which is the time they recommended given my departure time. This is pretty generous compared to Hilton’s usual 2pm late check-out which as a Hilton Diamond I can request if it’s available. 

I was picked up from check-in and then taken on a buggy to my room. The person driving offered to wait whilst I showered for breakfast so they could run me back which was excellent service. However, I said I’d be fine given a short walk back!

There was also a welcome gift in my room of some chilled white wine, biscuits and cakes and a flower garland. Their own brand of bottled water was also provided in the room.

The room

The property has 41 rooms and was originally built as a family house by well-known Italian photographer Gian Paolo Barbieri. It definitely retains that “house” boutique feel. It was not fully booked when I was there, which created an even more calm experience.

All rooms have unobstructed views of Anse Aux Poules Bleues as well as balconies, so the entry-level room would be good enough for most people.

However, if you are travelling with family or a group they also have the amazing three-bedroom Bay House with Plunge Pool.

The Premier King ocean view room is 45 sq. m, so a reasonable size with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony with ocean views. The bed is a four-poster with netting which can be pulled down at night to enclose the bed. This was done at turndown along with water being out by the bedside.  

There was also nice touches like a beach bag and straw hat to use and colourful lightweight bathrobes. 

There’s only a walk-in shower in this category of rooms but that didn’t bother me. Some other categories do have a bath. The toiletries are from the local brand Belliche which only uses natural products from the Seychelles and are used in the spa. 

Food and drink

Breakfast was included which was down to my status and it really was exceptional – I don’t normally eat breakfast, but I did at this property. The staff were proud to be working at the property and about the service and products they delivered. The menu had interesting takes on many breakfast classics with a local flavour.

The staff would actively recommend additional breakfast items they personally liked which meant I had a feast every day! 

When you sit down at breakfast you get served a choice of bread and pastries as well as some fruit. Then you can peruse the menu and order something more substantial.

There’s also a great cocktail bar and three restaurants, all with fantastic food.

The Kokoye Bar specialises in infused gin and rum. I tried a few of the cocktails and there were all great. I loved the presentation too. 

I also tried the Japanese restaurant Azido for some great fresh sushi and robatayaki.

Moutya is a Creole grill restaurant with a BBQ over coconut shell charcoal for a casual beach restaurant. 

Muse is the Creole and Italian restaurant where I sampled the delicious pasta. The poolside pizza were also authentic and tasty. 

There’s also 24-hour room service.

The resort is beautiful at night after some great sunset views.

Everything closed at around 23:00, which was fine for my timings on a trip like this and could have been linked to island curfew.

Facilities

There are three pools on-site, all equally great but different.

At the main pool water, cold towels were provided and topped up as needed. You received a cool bag which had cold towels and water.

For snacks and drinks, there is poolside service or the casual Soley Snack bar.

There are also two beaches with sea access and some beautiful views. It sits on Anse Aux Poules Bleues – the Aquarium of Wonders so there’s plenty of marine life to explore.

There’s a small beach mainly used for beach activities such as the non-motorised water sport activities, including kayaking and snorkelling that are available. Then there’s also a picture postcard and palm-fringed bay. 

If you are taking children’s there’s a kids club and a local artist who comes along three times a week for arranging group or private activities like painting or storytelling sessions.

A lot of excursions and activities are on offer but given my status gave me access to the courtesy car for one day, I drove around the island for the morning. The car was free other than insurance excess (150 Seychelles rupees, fair in my opinion) and electric –  also good in my opinion!

As well as the spa previously mentioned, there is also a well-equipped gym.

Leaving

I booked a hotel car back to the airport for ease and left at 18:00 for a 20:00 flight (at the hotel’s recommendation). Arrived at the airport about 18:30, so no issues. The staff had noticed that I wear colourful shirts and made these cookies as a leaving gift which I thought was a lovely personalised thing to do.

Offers and booking

If you were to pay cash, prices start at around £500. On points, rooms start from 95,000 points, so it’s a good value redemption and one that could be worth purchasing points for at expensive times.

You can find more details and search for Hilton points redemptions here. 

If you book through our luxury agents, GTC, then you would also get either the Virtuoso perks:

• Upgrade to next available room category on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily A la Carte Breakfast for two guests per bedroom
• $100 USD equivalent Resort or Hotel credit, to be utilized during stay. Applicable towards our Food & Beverage outlets and towards Spa treatments. (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
• Complimentary one-way private transfer, either on arrival or departure
• A bottle of champagne upon arrival with the compliments of the management & an arrival Food & Beverage amenity of delights
• Early Check-In / Late Check out

Or if you have Hilton status you may want to use the Hilton Impressario rate through GTC:

• Complimentary Breakfast for 2 people
• $100 USD hotel credit per stay, or local currency equivalent
• Next category upgrade, subject to availability
• Double Hilton Honors points

You can request a quote from GTC for the Mango House hotel here.

Conclusion

The hotel really was exceptional in all angles. I would go back and it has made me want to explore other LXR properties. Newly opened, it felt fresh and staff were super friendly, everywhere. There was a great choice of different types of restaurants and the bar had some interesting cocktails as well as the classics. I also liked the relaxed atmosphere. 

The post Mango House LXR Hotel by Hilton Seychelles review – just another day in paradise? appeared first on Turning left for less.

This is my review of the Conrad & Hilton hotels at Resorts World Las Vegas on the strip from my stay in December 2021. 

Finally, Vegas has a decent selection of upscale Hilton’s in good locations to choose from. A new development called Resorts World opened last summer and contains three Hilton properties – Conrad, Hilton and LXR (Crockfords). I stayed at the Conrad and Crockfords but in this review I will also cover Hilton since all the facilities are shared and I saw a few of the Hilton rooms for comparison. 

Location and transport

The location of Resorts World is not ideal if you plan to go out and about a lot. It’s near Circus Circus at the northern end of the strip. There’s the legendary Peppermill opposite which is an old-school diner and cocktail lounge. It’s around 15-20 minutes walk to Encore, Wynn and the Fashion Show Mall.

Now generally this wouldn’t be an issue as there’s plenty on-site. However, the Uber situation is a pain in the backside. It’s fine when you get dropped off, as they drop you off at reception right near the guest elevators. But when you order an Uber it’s quite a trek. You have to walk through the entire casino, go outside and walk a bit further to a deserted parking lot. I was there in winter and it wasn’t much fun standing in the cold in a dimly parking lot on my own at night. Most other hotels have somewhere with patio heaters close to the entrance or in a garage. It’s worth bearing in mind that Crockfords does allow pick-ups from reception but it’s not an option in Uber so you have to message your driver. This is only for those staying at Crockfords. 

Check-in

Conrad does have digitals keys so if you can get away with this I’d recommend it. There was consistently a line at reception at all times of day, even though I was staying at the quietest time of the year. I have Hilton Diamond status and even in the priority queue I was waiting at least 15 minutes to speak to someone.

When I finally checked in the agent explained about the Hilton Diamond and Hilton Impressario (see below) perks which included free breakfast (up to $25pp for Hilton and $30pp for Impressario) and $100 hotel credit. The Hilton credit can be spent at any time of day but given that it was restricted to two restaurants that closed by the afternoon, it was a choice of breakfast or lunch.

He neglected to mention that you had to spend the $100 all in one go which then meant I ended up wasting some of it. Plus if you are on your own $100 is quite a lot to spend in one go. This is not a requirement I have seen before. I was told I had an upgrade but in fact, I hadn’t it was the standard room. I was there at a weekend so I’m guessing it was busy. Friends that arrived for a shorter stay on the Sunday were upgraded to the one-bedroom suite. 

I found the Bell Desk staff quite rude. As I was only swapping from another hotel in the complex I got the Crockfords to transfer the luggage but when I went to the bell desk to say I’ve got my room number now, I was frowned at. I was told I must go to my room and then call them to get the luggage even though it wouldn’t take more than two minutes to get there!  This is obviously a ploy to get tips so you are in the room to give them money! Of course, I did that and then no one answered the phone….However, the porters themselves I encountered were all friendly and helpful. 

The hotel is full of quirky artwork and Vegas momentoes like Liberace’s famous piano.

The rooms

I’ll review a few different rooms since I went back and asked to be upgraded for my last night having heard about how great the suites were from my friends. Plus I’ll take a look at the Hilton rooms. The good news is that the lifts for the hotel rooms are right by reception which is not the case in my hotels that make you walk for miles. 

Conrad – Strip View Premium One Bed

All the rooms are resorts world are very similar with slightly different decor and features. The Conrad rooms feel very modern but rather masculine for my taste with the red and grey. The room was definitely a generous size but like many Vegas hotels did not have a coffee machine. This is because they want you out spending money. Instead, there was a minibar, and water was provided due to my status. One thing I liked which is unusual for Vegas was that the fridge had a smaller half-section as well as the minibar so you could store your own items. 

I liked that there was a full-size table for eating although it was the only space to work and a bit of a stretch to the power sockets. 

The bed was as comfortable as the Crockfords one and there was both USB, USB-C and a normal socket by the bedside. The clock radio as had a wireless charging point on top which was clever.  

There’s plenty of storage with a big closet, massive chest of drawers, and an area to put your case rather than use the annoying racks that can’t accommodate a two-sided case (the hotel industry needs to catch up with the fact that most larger cases are two-sided. 

The bathroom felt luxurious with marble finishes although I did miss having a bath to soak my Vegas weary body in. Up until a few years ago most hotels had baths in the rooms but now they seem to be switching to shower only which is annoying. I liked the twin sink area which was well lit with a magnifying mirror as well. Strangely Conrad has a rain shower head but Crockfords which is more expensive doesn’t. There was also a seat area in the shower should you be so exhausted by Vegas you need to sit down!! It’s also handy for shaving your legs!

The toiletries in all three hotels are the same which is great for the Hilton in terms of quality. They were in large containers that could not be removed. I actually have no issue with this although it’s a bit annoying not to be able to have the body lotion by the bed, where I normally put it on my hands before I go to sleep! I did like having a large bottle of handwash by the sink though as I much prefer it to soap. 

The toiletries are by Byredo, a luxury Swedish perfume company with toiletries starting at around £40. They are used in Emirates first class too. The Mojave Ghost fragrance is used in all the hotels to reflect the nearby Mojave Desert. There is a rare “ghost” flower in the Mojave desert that can develop with almost no water that the fragrance is named after. It is a slightly musky scent which I wasn’t particularly keen on but the products were great quality. 

Conrad – one-bedroom suite

As I mentioned I managed to finally get my upgrade (I was entitled to one on both the Hilton Diamond and Impressario rates.) One tip is that if you stay for more than one night or at a busy time, then you probably won’t get an upgrade. However, if it is then quieter there’s nothing to stop you asking again if you don’t mind switching rooms.

Now, this room was something special and if I was to stay again I’d only stay at the Conrad if I could get one of these at a decent price. It was worlds apart from the standard room. For a start it had a Nespresso coffee machine. It also had electronic curtains.

You enter into the sitting area which is enormous and had great views of the strip. 

The bedroom was very similar to the previous room and both the sitting area and bedroom had huge TVs.

However, there were a few more surprises in store. There was a walk-in closet with a dressing table area which I loved and was perfect for getting glammed up for a Vegas night out! The light mirror was handy too. 

And finally, in my bathroom I got a wonderful bath! There were also twin sinks in this bathroom and a separate shower and toilet. It was lovely that you got a little rubber duck soap for the bath an a loofah. 

Hilton standard queen room

I have to say I was impressed by the Hilton rooms which are only slightly smaller than the Conrad ones. Although, I’m not convinced by that carpet but it can probably hide a multitude of stains. 

The bathroom was also particularly luxurious for a Hilton, in fact if anything I preferred the decor to the Conrad bathroom. The only real difference was the lack of a shaving mirror. 

The Hilton also has some great suites which may be a little cheaper than the Conrad. Here’s the Hilton Two Bedroom Entertainment Suite. 

Food and drink

Overall there’s a lot of choice with some good options but breakfast really lets it down. Room service is also annoying. Breakfast can only be taken at Sun’s Out Bun’s Out or The Kitchen. Sun’s out, Bun’s out is similar to the popular Egg Slut with egg buns of various descriptions plus burgers and avocado toast with eggs. However, upmarket it is not. The other option of The Kitchen has a small buffet plus a la carte options but struggles to cope with the numbers of people leading to lengthy queues.

While Resorts World has numerous fantastic food options, it lacks an upscale breakfast cafe such as Bouchon, Veranda, or Tableau. Every morning I was there I had a choice of stand in a queue for twenty to thirty minutes or pay a huge mark up for delivery to my room with a limited menu.

I tried Sun’s Out Bun’s Out for lunch instead one day and it was OK but nothing special and not really what I’d expect from a Conrad breakfast. You also have to pick up your orders from two different places if you order a drink. You could skip the queue if you could make do with a coffee and a donut for breakfast.

I never actually managed to last the 30 minutes to get into the Kitchen but I have not heard good reports from those that did. The main issue is that the hotel has over 3000 rooms and the capacity of the two restaurants is not nearly big enough. I estimate there are around 30 tables in The Kitchen which is just ridiculous for that many rooms. There are two Starbucks but only one was open and had huge queues. 

Room service was also not great. Basically there is no traditional room service. You have to download an app that’s like Deliveroo and then order from there with a $8.50 delivery charge. You can order from anywhere in the hotel which is good but the menus are limited. For example here are the breakfast options for the Kitchen:

And as you can see from the drinks you can’t get any sort of juice or tea with your breakfast either.

I couldn’t face the whole queue situation after having headed down to check whether it would be any quieter on a Monday (not really, gave up after 10 minutes of not moving in the queue) so I went for room service. One advantage is that they are quicker than other hotels with around 20-30 minutes being the average. Another thing to be wary of is that you have to tick a box to get cutlery which is not obvious and then if you forget there is no way to contact the courier. Which led to me having to try and eat noodles with my hands later on. Yuck!

As you can see it’s not the normally sort of room service presentation I’d expect from a Conrad. It was tasty enough though but then it should be at $37.88 in total! It was a breakfast burrito in case you are not sure what it was!

I also tried Wallys which is an upscale wine and truffle focussed restaurant overlooking the Sphere attraction. Wally’s also serves breakfast but only seemed to have the all day menu available when I was there. Now it opens at 7am and does offer breakfast. 

I started with the Truffle Caesar salad which looked great but was a little underwhelming due to the lack of dressing and tricky to eat.

I then went for the steak tartare with caviar which I really enjoyed and felt very indulgent.

They also have a separate cheese and charcuterie menu so I would head back for that and to try some more of the wine selection since they have a great wine list with 8,000 labels of wine. 

There’s also Famous Foods which could loosely be described as a luxury world food court. Here high-quality stalls serve a wide variety of dishes, from hand-pulled dan-dan noodles to Italian sandwiches. You can also have this delivered to your room via the Grubhub app. I tried some great Dan Dan noodles from one of the stalls.  There’s also a hidden entrance to the Speakeasy bar amongst the stalls and the so-called “disco” bathroom.

I didn’t have time to sample any more restaurants but there are a plethora of choices including Italian, Japanese Chin

ese or steak. 

In terms of bars, there’s the Crystal bar right in the center of the casino as well as Gatsby cocktail lounge and my favourite the Allē Lounge on 66 on the rooftop which has stunning 360-degree views of Vegas, chilled live music and feels very upmarket. I’d say it’s one of the nicest bars I have been to in Vegas. They also serve small plate food.

The pools

The pools are one of Resorts World’s main attractions, with the Vegas strip’s only infinity pool plus the largest pool complex on the Strip with seven pools in total.  There’s also the family pool, the Bimini game pool with submerged loungers and hot tub, the main pool, and a cabana pool. This is another reason I’d consider coming back.

I swam in the Bimini pool in December and it was well heated. There’s also a lovely infinity pool but you do have to rent a cabana to sit by it.

Other facilities and entertainment 

I didn’t get a chance to visit the spa but it looked great and you can get a day pass for $100 if you don’t want a treatment. AWANA has six different vitality pools, heated Crystal laconium room, tepidarium chairs, vapor-filled steam rooms, cool mist showers and the experiential Rain Walk. As well as the thermal pools there is also a unique “Event sauna” where you get aromatherapy, choreographed with music, lighting and dancing towels for an extra $40. 

In terms of entertainment, they have a large theatre with big headliners doing residencies such as Katy Perry and Michael Bublé. There’s also a nightclub and a day club pool party. 

Booking

I originally booked on points since I am swimming in them and had already made Diamond that year. That was when the price was around $250 a night. Then nearer the time, the price plummeted to around $89 a night so it was stupid not to pay cash. However, although prices are cheap you need to factor in the $45 resort fee per night and taxes. Prices start from 35,000 points for the Conrad or 32,000 for the Hilton. Cash prices start from around $140 for the Hilton and $160 for the Conrad mid-week. 

You can search prices and book here for the Conrad. The Hilton Las Vegas website is here. 

I mentioned that I had booked through Hilton Impressario. This is a service offered by luxury travel agents such as our partners GTC.

With Impressario you get added benefits and all your status perks and points. (Available on Waldorf Astoria, LXR and Conrad brands). 

• Complimentary Breakfast for 2 people
• $100 USD hotel credit per stay, or local currency equivalent
• Next category upgrade, subject to availability
• Double Hilton Honors points 

The rates are higher than the cheapest advance rate but you can change up to one day before which you can’t on an advance rate. 

Conclusion

I found the Conrad a mixed bag. It was definitely not up to the standard of other Conrads particularly in terms of the front desk and breakfast options. Given the low prices it was great value for money and I like some of the design features of the hotel which means that you don’t need to walk through the casino to get to reception/your room or the pools. The rooms were spacious and well equipped apart from the lack of coffee. Unless you are going to go for a suite, I don’t really see the point of paying much more for the Conrad since all the facilities are the same and the rooms are only slightly smaller. Obviously, you can get the Hilton Impressario deal on the Conrad which may tip the balance. 

I will also be writing a short review of Crockfords as it is quite different to the Conrad and Hilton. That would probably be my first choice if I returned or one of the Conrad Suites. 

You can find more information here for the Conrad. The Hilton Las Vegas website is here. 

Like this article? You can read more Hilton Hotel reviews here. 

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Today’s article, Hilton Deansgate, is by Reader Gus. If you want to send in a reader review please contact admin@turningleftforless.com

First impressions

The Hilton Deansgate occupies the 1^st to 23^rd floors of the iconic and imposing Beetham Tower in central Manchester. It is a fairly distinctive building, thanks to both its size (it has 279 rooms), and its top floor executive lounge which sits within an ‘overhang’ towards the top of the building, and enjoys sweeping views of the Mancunian cityscape, and surrounding countryside.

Booking – and a moment of hindsight

This was reason enough to choose the hotel on a recent trip to Manchester, for which I paid £175 per night for a two-night stay in a King Executive room. I booked directly with the hotel, and in hindsight as a Hilton Honors Gold member I should probably have splurged slightly more to book an Executive Plus room, to try and nab an automatic upgrade to one of their small number of Suites, as this would have been the next room category up. In the end, I was upgraded to the Executive Plus room, which didn’t seem too different to the standard Executive room.

Hilton Deansgate Check in 

The entrance is airy and grand, and at check-in my Gold status was recognised and the upgrade confirmed, which was appreciated. However, the interaction was a little impersonal and clinical, though perhaps what you may expect for a hotel of this size. As is now the norm, I was asked whether I wanted housekeeping on the second day, and was advised that if I did indeed require the service, it may not come until as late as 6pm!

Hilton Deansgate room

The room was decent in size and furnished comfortably – including with Hansgrohe and Villeroy & Boch fittings, plus an embedded TV in the bathroom – although perhaps a little tired and worn in a few places. The room enjoyed all the usual Hilton exec level benefits, such as coffee machine, armchair and desk area, and of course had one wall of floor-to-ceiling views. However, it wasn’t particularly reassuring to see that the CleanStay sticker on the outside door was actually already broken before I went in, and that one of the towels was messily arranged on the hanging rail.

Floating on top of the city: the lounge

These (fairly minimal) concerns evaporated quickly, however, when arriving in the Executive Lounge which wraps around the outside of the tower to maximise the view ‘wow’ factor. A series of seat pairs runs the length on one side, with comfortable sofa-style seating allowing you to gaze in to the distance on the other. Staff were attentive and chatty, and while the food and drink offerings were very simple (to say the least) from it’s opening time of 3pm, between the hours of 6pm and 8pm alcohol and some additional snacks were served, which were well enjoyed. Due to COVID these were delivered to your seat in the form of a platter, which actually made for an even more pleasant experience.

The lounge is right next to the ‘Cloud 23’ bar that is also open to the public, and both are in a part of the tower which ‘hangs over’ the side, meaning you can walk across and look through some thick glass parts of the floor. This is fun, but perhaps not for those who have a touch of vertigo!

The pool on the second floor also had this feature, albeit from a much lower level – which is quite cool when you are actually swimming, and if someone walks along the corridor beneath you.

Facilities

The pool is part of the LivingWell Health Club and due to limited capacity, slots of a maximum of 45 mins have to be pre-booked. The pool was a decent size, and there was also an inviting jacuzzi, and very toasty sauna and steam rooms. The changing rooms were also well fitted-out, but guests are clearly welcome to rock up in their robes and slippers too.

Hilton Deansgate Breakfast

Breakfast both mornings was a fairly standard serviced buffet in the Podium Restaurant on the ground floor, but was tasty enough to set anyone up for the day. The servers were swift to get people seated at busy times, and the usual hot drinks came quickly too, which is obviously helpful for those there on business and not leisure.

Conclusion

Overall, visitors to the hotel can enjoy being in a great central location, with loads of bars, restaurants, and shops nearby. But it did all feel a little impersonal, and the service in particular lacks some ‘sparkle’. However, those high-up views are pretty hard to match, especially from the lounge. If in doubt, you can always do a trial run by booking in at Cloud23!

You can find more information and rates for the Hilton Deansgate here.

Like our Hilton Deansgate Manchester hotel review? You can read more hotel reviews here. 

The post READER REVIEW: Hilton Deansgate, Manchester Hotel Review appeared first on Turning left for less.

I had seen photos of the new Hilton property in Cambridge, The Fellows House, Curio Collection by Hilton, and thought it looked great. I have never been to Cambridge, so I decided to have an early Autumn break there. Hilton hosted one night, and I paid for the second night.

Location

The The Fellows House Cambridge Hotel is situated just outside the city centre in a residential location near Jesus Green around 20 minutes walk from the centre. There is also a bus stop by the hotel if you don’t want to walk or drive into the centre. A taxi costs around £9. The hotel was in the process of getting some bikes for guests to use when I was there, which will be perfect for touring around the beautiful university city of Cambridge. The city also has electric scooters for hire. 

There is an underground car park with a lift going up to reception and the other floors.

The Fellows House Cambridge hotel

The hotel first opened in August 2021 and is themed around the well-known people who have attended Cambridge University. I must admit I hadn’t realised how many famous people had studied there until this visit. So the rooms are all named after them.

The feature I liked the most was the amount of outdoor space at the hotel, to which they are still looking to add more features. The hotel is arranged around a central courtyard that has places to sit and enjoy the sun and is also an extension of the restaurant and bar.

I loved the “open-air sitting room” with its fireplace and TV screen. When there’s nothing on the screen, it would be great for a cosy fireside drink after dinner.

The space is based on the garden quads found in many of the city’s universities. It also features sculptures dedicated to great astronomer William Hershel and planting inspired by his wife, Mary.

Check-in at The Fellows House Cambridge

There was a short wait for check-in while the person in front dithered about what to book for room service breakfast! Why she couldn’t have just gone away and come back when she had decided, I don’t know!

The staff were very welcoming and went through all the details I needed about the hotel. I also was given a letter from the General Manager welcoming me to the hotel as a Diamond member with more information for my stay. Later on I had issues with my charger. Reception were on hand with a wireless charger to save the day!

The rooms in the hotel consist of some standard hotel rooms and then several different types of suite/apartment, including a duplex. We got upgraded from the basic room to a one bedroom apartment on the first floor. 

The Fellows House Cambridge room

If you wanted to have an extended break in Cambridge, this would be the perfect place in one of their suites. The room consisted of a kitchen area, lounge with TV, and then a separate bedroom with an ensuite shower room. The style was modern. 

The kitchen was very well equipped with a dishwasher, fridge, toaster, microwave, and hob. 

There were straightforward, easy to find instructions on how to use the appliances:

Tea and coffee were supplied with both a kettle and a coffee machine.

I found the bed extremely comfortable, although I only realised afterward that there were two types of pillow – firm and soft – as I struggled to get the right height between 1 – 2 pillows. The room overlooked the road that the hotel is situated on but it was well soundproofed and most of the time you could not hear anything, apart from the distant noise of a bus occasionally. 

There were bathrobes and slippers in the wardrobe as well as the usual iron and ironing board.

The only things I would change about the room were that this did not have a desk area, just the kitchen table, unlike some of the other rooms. Many others do have a desk, so make sure you ask for one. There was also not really a convenient place for drying your hair next to a mirror and power point. 

The Fellows House Cambridge Bathroom

The bathroom was luxurious and modern in appearance. There was plenty of room by the large vanity to store your own toiletries. 

The walk-in shower had plenty of room, and I liked the recessed storage for toiletries – I hate hotels that have those wire shelves where things won’t stand upright! It was a little low on pressure, but this seems to be an everyday thing for new hotels, undoubtedly related to the environment. 

I have never tried the White Company “Noir” range before, but I absolutely loved the fragrance of the amber and sandalwood blend. There were two sets of them, and they were also decent size bottles. I may have to buy myself some for home now! 

Other room types

While I was there, I had a look at a couple of other rooms types. Each room is individual, so if you want something special like a desk or bath, it’s best to ask when you book. 

The Duplex suite 

This has a large kitchen with dining area and living room on the lower floor. Up some pretty steep steps is the large bedroom and bathroom.

The Kipling king room

This is the entry level room and still has the same sort of bathroom and coffee machine as the suites. It also has a large desk area.

If you are travelling with family or friends you can either get a suite with a sofa bed or they also have the ability to add an extra bedroom onto some of the suites. 

The Fellows House Cambridge Food and drink

The Folio Bar and Kitchen 

Due to traffic, it had been a very long drive, so we decided to eat in the hotel that night. The Folio Bar and Kitchen is on the ground floor by reception. It has an open plan layout giving a feeling of space, but each area has an individual feel. I really liked the feel of the whole ground floor with its classy but slightly quirky decor.

The Folio Kitchen menu is very modern, focusing on plant-based food, so if you are vegan or vegetarian, you will find you have lots of choices. There was a wide choice on the menu, from light snacks to more sophisticated dishes – perfect for a hotel. 

I loved the way the menu was finished with a seal!

Here is the menu:

We started with a cocktail from the bar each. The cocktails are a specialty at the Folio bar with expert mixologists, and recipes are inspired ed the scientific pioneers and the past and present Fellows of The University of Cambridge. Both were modern, innovative, and well-balanced. 

The menu consists of a snack list, then the usual starters, mains, and desserts. The bar also does some tapas-type dishes, which are similar to the snack menu.

Nothing tickled my fancy from the starters, so we went with the heirloom tomato with toast and cheese as a starter. It would be easy to miss this list as it was on the back of the menu. There was a great mix of lovely fresh tomatoes, and the topping on the bread was a little like a Boursin. I thought the tomatoes could do with some sort of dressing like balsamic to make it a more complete dish. I was glad we shared, as it was a large portion. 

Next, I went for the complete opposite of vegan with a Ribeye steak. Steak is a simple dish, but it is often not properly cooked, so this is a good test of the kitchen. The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare with a sweet seared shallot and a hassle back potato. Some peppery fresh watercress salad added some welcome freshness to the dish. 

I accompanied my steak with a delicious glass of French Malbec. Sometimes hotel wines by the glass can be poor, but I enjoyed this so much I had to have another!

We also shared a side dish of roasted carrots with harissa that I loved. There was just the right balance of the fiery harissa to offset the sweet carrots. Definitely one I will be trying to replicate at home!

We were very full, so we just went for some ice cream to finish with. It was luscious and packed full of flavour. 

The service was initially a little slow, but they were definitely friendly and keen to help. Then we got a great waiter who was very attentive and friendly. We did ask for a few off-menu items such as bread, and it was no problem for the hotel to supply them. 

After dinner, we headed to the bar for a drink, which I really enjoyed with the lovely friendly bartender.  The bar has lots of cosy sitting areas if you want to just chill out, and there are plenty of games and books if you want some entertainment. There is even a pool table.

Breakfast in The Folio Kitchen

Breakfast is served buffet style in the Folio restaurant. Everything is self service including the tea/coffee but you can order eggs and waffles from the chef. I would have rather had proper coffee than from a machine personally as it’s never as good out of a machine even with ones that grind the beans. 

Again there was a lot of focus on those with dietary needs such as a selection of several vegan types of milk. Freshly squeezed orange juice was on offer which is the sign of a quality hotel, as well as a smoothie of the day. 

The selection isn’t huge at the buffet but it would be more than enough for most people on a short break. I liked that everything was well labelled in case you had an allergy. 

The pastries were freshly baked and huge, so definitely worth a try. There was also a toaster with a selection of bread. 

As well as those the cold section had a small meat and cheese selection, luxury yogurts, fruit and cereals. Everything out was high quality. 

The small cooked section had everything you need for a full English and roasted potatoes as well. In really enjoyed the cooked breakfast. Scrambled eggs are always a tricky area for a buffet but there were very tasty and not at all congealed. 

The Sage of Cambridge

Facilties

The other highlight for me was the pool and spa area. We went late at night as it was open until 10 pm, so we had the place to ourselves most of the time.

The pool is really gorgeous, and there is a separate lift that takes you straight there so you can go down in your robe and slippers. They ask you to call reception before going to make sure it doesn’t get too busy, but you don’t need to book.

As well as the pool, there was a steam room and sauna with plenty of loungers to relax on. Of course, there were stacks of towels and also water to help yourself too.

I often find hotel pools too cold, which is fine if you want to do some heavy-duty swimming, but not great if you want to relax. This was the perfect temperature for swimming or lounging around. If you just wanted to chill out, the pool had jets along the side with a seat that ran the length of the pool. 

For something more energetic, there is a good-sized well-equipped gym.

If you wanted to host an away day or meeting, the hotel is also well equipped with high tec stylish boardrooms plus you can even rent the outdoor living area for something different!

The Fellows House Cambridge Price

At the moment prices are pretty reasonable. A Kipling king room starts at around £155 and a suite apartment from £209. You could of course pay with points which starts from around 57,000 points.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed my stay at the Fellows House. It felt luxurious with plenty on offer in the hotel as well as the delights of Cambridge close by. I enjoyed relaxing with a drink or two in the bar, playing the games provided. Having the pool and spa was a lovely way to relax after a busy day of sightseeing. Most importantly the bed was super comfy and the staff were all friendly and helpful. 

The prices seem pretty reasonable at the moment given the standard of the hotel and the amount of space that you get. It would seem that other travellers agree with my assessment as the hotel gets a well-deserved 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor which is not easy with a new hotel. 

You can check prices and find more details here. 

Like our The Fellows House Cambridge review? You can read more hotel reviews here. 

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Hilton have come out of the Covid crisis having given their members plenty of support to keep status such as rolling over nights and extending status. I have already requalified for Diamond before this announcement due to rolling over nights from last year.

Today Hilton have announced that they will extend status until 31 March 23, the first of the major chains to do this. Hopefully this will encourage the other chains to do something. I am particularly wanting Hyatt to extend status this year as I have struggled to get many nights with the US being out of bounds.

Hilton also announced several other ways to help members until travel returns to normal.

These include:

• Pausing Points expiration until Dec. 31, 2022, so members have more time to use their Points towards free nights at more than 6,600 Hilton hotels, exclusive Hilton Honors Experiences, live events, charitable donations, and more. 
• Relaxing 2022 qualifications around earning Status, Milestone Bonuses, and Status Gifting from 2019 requirements to make these benefits easier to achieve.

Status Tier Requirements for 2022

• Silver status at seven nights, three stays or 17,500 Base Points.
• Gold status at 28 nights, 14 stays or 52,500 Base Points.
• Diamond status at 42 nights, 21 stays or 84,000 Base Points.

Milestone Bonuses

• 10,000 Bonus Points at 30 nights.
• 10,000 Bonus Points for every 10 additional nights (after 30 nights).
• One-time 30,000 Bonus Points at 60 nights.

Elite Status Gifting

• A one-time gift of Gold status for a friend or family member at 40 nights, which can be upgraded to Diamond status at 70 nights.

You can find the Latest Hilton status updates here.

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I was heading to Geneva so I decided to check out the new Hilton Hotel & Conference Centre in Geneva. It’s not brand new in the sense of a new building as it was taken over by Hilton from another hotel, but it is a modern hotel. 

Hilton offered me a free stay and dinner for me to review the hotel. All other expenses were paid for by me. 

Location

The hotel is situated less than 10 minutes from the airport and around 15 minutes to the centre of Geneva. There is a free shuttle to the airport.

Once you are there it is easy to get into the centre of Geneva in several ways. You can get a taxi or Uber which takes around 15 minutes, get the shuttle to the airport and hop on the train which takes 10 minutes to the central Geneva station. Finally, there is a bus stop around 5 minutes walk down a pleasant country lane. The bus takes you directly to the heart of Geneva on the old town side. It takes around 20 minutes and is free because the hotel gives you a complimentary public transport card. The card can also be used for the train into Geneva and trams.

Check-in

The first thing you notice when you walk into reception is the super cute steps for children so they can go up to the check-in desk!

The staff at reception are all very helpful and speak excellent English. I was told where everything was including the gym, the pool and the restaurant. They checked if I needed dinner since it was quite late and explained how to find the room service menu. Finally, I was asked if I was happy for housekeeping to enter the room every day to service it. 

There is no minibar at the moment, but you have a fridge in the room. You can buy drinks from reception to stock your fridge which is very handy.

There is also a seating area with the flight departures board so you can keep an eye on your flight. The lobby has a Nespresso machine where you can buy a coffee and also a rather strange phone charging point where you can generate the power sitting on a bike and pedaling!

If you need to use a computer, there is also a workstation with a Mac in the lobby.

And to keep kids or big kids amused there is a table football game too.

Room

The hotel is split into two halves in effect. I was in the part nearest the Executive lounge. There are several types of rooms including some lovely-looking suites with a balcony.  I had a deluxe king which was a very decent size and well equipped. This is the largest in the standard rooms but actually, unless you want a large room, the lower categories are more modern in appearance.

The hotel overlooks the airport to the side with the mountains in the distance but I didn’t hear any noise from it. So if you are a secret spotter, make sure to ask for a room overlooking the runway. Right in front of the hotel is a large field, so it feels more like you are in the countryside. I enjoyed sitting on the window seat watching the aircraft come and go with a mug of tea in the morning. 

Everything in the hotel was spotlessly clean, which sadly even now is not a given. The room was also well equipped whether you were working or relaxing. There was a large workspace, interactive TV, plenty of sockets dotted around the room including by the bed, tea and coffee, and a fridge with two large glass bottles of water.

Large, good-quality robes and slippers were provided, handy for heading down to the spa and pool in! I also liked the Crabtree and Evelyn alcohol wipes which were provided in individual packets. I actually always take these with me as they are great for a quick refresh on the go!

Instead of curtains, the room had electronic black-out blinds which made for a good night’s sleep with a good level of room darkness. The bed was a little on the firm side for me, though I like really soft beds, but the pillows were super soft and squishy. I also thought the bedding felt high quality being particularly soft. There was climate control although it was slightly unusual with + or – numbers instead of temperatures but it worked at keeping the room cool during the 26c weather. 

In the spacious bathroom, there was a decent-sized bath for a soak as well as a shower with a good pressure head. 

The vanity area was spacious and even had a magnifying mirror which is fairly unusual in standard Hiltons. 

Toiletries were the usual Hilton Crabtree & Evelyn Verbena and Lavender. 

Other room categories

There are a number of other categories such the double, queen and king guest rooms with slightly more modern decor. The bathrooms look a little like a Conrad bathroom to me!

Food and drink

Breakfast

Breakfast was served in the Terra Cafe until 10am each morning. It was served buffet style with a one-way system and plenty of hand sanitiser stations. Coffee or tea was brought to your table by the friendly staff. You could have specialty coffee such as cappuccino or just the regular kind. I asked for Cafe au lait which normally comes with hot milk, but this one came with cold, so make sure to specify if you want hot milk!

The buffet had a wide selection of hot and cold items including, meats and cheese, plenty of different fruit and fruit salad, yogurt, cereal, and a full cooked breakfast. There was a chef on hand to cook omelettes or eggs to order. 

The highlight for me was the croissants. I normally don’t bother as I always find hotel croissants a bit flabby usually. These were some of the best croissants I have ever had. There were small in size  (so you can justify having two) and still warm from the oven. The gorgeous flaky buttery pastry just melted in the mouth!

There was even a special section just for children.

Restaurants and bars

In normal times there would be a choice of two restaurants – the Italian L’Olivo, and the C Bar and lounge. Currently, only the terrace of L’Olivo is open.

However, I certainly wasn’t complaining about sitting outside on a warm summer night surrounded by plants and twinkling fairy lights!

The menu was asked by QR code and had a good selection of classic local dishes as well as more modern dishes. The latest addition to the menu is the Geneva Discovery bowl which is inspired by local produce and a healthy Buddha bowl type dish.

It consists of a rainbow of different elements such as carrot hummus, regular hummus, pesto, burratina, pea puree, raw beetroot, carrots and tomatoes served with plenty of nutty bread for dipping. The highlight of the dish was the yummy satay dressing which is mixed tableside in a cute little cocktail shaker and then poured over the dish. It will leave you feeling virtuous, but it’s also delicious!

I also tried the opposite extreme with some very traditional French/Swiss cuisine, a steak tartare.

This was executed perfectly with well-balanced additions to the finely chopped beef. The best part was actually the chips. I am not normally really into chips as I find them a bit dull, but these chunky chips were amazing! Perfectly crisp on the outside with a fluffy interior and great flavour, they were very moreish!

The Executive Lounge

The hotel’s Executive Lounge is back open but only serves evening drinks and canapes. This is available between 5-7pm. It’s all self-service and you just access the lounge with your key card. There was a nice selection of fresh canapes rather than just pre-packed stuff which was replenished regularly.

As well as a fridge of soft drinks, there was red, white, and rosé wine, beer, Gordons Gin, Smirnoff Vodka, Ballentine’s whisky, and Havana Club rum.

Facilities

The gym is very large and well equipped. If relaxing is more your style, the hotel has Geneva’s largest indoor pool as well as a jacuzzi and spa. The pool was a pleasant temperature and it was lovely relaxing on the light-filled poolside on a sunny day after a swim. It’s open until 8pm, so it was good to relax by the pool after a day of sightseeing. 

You can also rent a classic or electric bike from the hotel, perfect for exploring the nearby countryside and vineyards. 

Conclusion and pricing

The hotel is an absolute steal by Geneva standards where 4* city centre hotels can start at over £300. Room rates at the Hilton currently start at £135. If you wanted to pay on points, it costs from around 45,000 a night which is also reasonable. 

While the hotel is not right in the centre, it is a very comfortable and well-equipped hotel at an incredible price for Geneva. For me it was perfect as I was travelling on to Montreux afterwards and being close to the airport train station was very handy. It was simple to get in and out of Geneva either by Uber, taxi or bus. Having the free transport card for Geneva was also very useful as not only does it save money, it saves trying to work out how to use the bus system! The hotel explained where to catch the bus and what stop to get off at which was also well signalled on the bus. 

You can find more information and pricing here or follow the Hilton Geneva on Instagram or Facebook to see more information and pictures. 

Like our Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Centre review? You can read more hotel reviews here. 

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