Europe and Middle East

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in Europe and Middle East. independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

No 11 Pimlico Road 2 lr

No.11 Pimlico Road, London

When a much-loved gin palace-cum-gastropub is converted into an all-day eatery, it can be a cause for celebration    The new incarnation of the eponymous No.11 Pimlico Road certainly offers fans of what was the louche and lavish Ebury(now relocated up the road) a chance to breakfast and snack as well as dine, not to mention […]

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gallery jerpoint abbey from rear

Kilkenny. Friendliest city in the world?

Kilkenny, only 90 minutes south of Dublin has been voted one of the friendliest cities in the world. It was also Ireland’s tidiest town in 2014. No wonder. Locals talked to us nonstop about nothing and everything and I never saw a stray ice cream wrapper or a crumpled greasy chip bag during my stay in this beautiful medieval masterpiece along the ‘Ancient East’ route.

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tllon offer club buffet 1680 945

The Langham Club

Eduardo is a bit quick off the mark at the Langham Club private check in. As soon as I cross the threshold of the third floor foyer there’s a cool drink in my hand, a towel at my side and a beaming smile in front of me.

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join the colony cocktail

Artesian at The Langham London

“Your room or mine?” Carla asks me straight out, in the middle of the Langham London’s Artesian. I make a mental note to test her other preferences as soon as humanly possible before succumbing to her proposal

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CAM Rooms Grand Deluxe Room

The Chedi Andermatt

It’s an early breakfast at The Chedi Andermatt, but this doesn’t faze my waiter as he gives my latte the full treatment. A mug of hot milk proudly held aloft as he pours in the coffee separating the white from the black. Pure theatre and I love it. And another surprise; the coffee mug is insulated, so no burning fingers as I take my first caffeine hit of the day.

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Solange Berchemen reviews The Gallivant Hotel in East Sussex, a hotel that puts sustainability front and centre.

The Gallivant Hotel. Sustainable has never looked so good.

It was 5.00pm and I was interviewing Mark O’Reilly, manager of The Gallivant Hotel when he stopped in mid sentence to point enthusiastically at a white van pulling up in the car-park. “This is the fish for tonight, it was caught this morning”, he said.

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