HOTEL REVIEWS
London Hilton on Park Lane
On a whirlwind weekend trip to the capital, I needed a hotel that put me in the heart of things, and the Hilton fitted the bill. A walk through Mayfair gave me a sense of being in the midst of wealth, and the hotel’s plush, bustling lobby only heightened this feeling. A complementary glass of fizz got things off to a promising
start, while our room was further good news. The hotel is justly proud of its suites, and ours, a Mayfair Suite, featured a well-appointed lounge area, huge walk-in coat cupboard and a bathroom with an adjustable partition over the bath, enabling bathers to enjoy the natural light from the bedroom window. A big part of the hotel’s appeal is the views over many London
landmarks, not least Buckingham Palace and The Mall. The view was even better from the top-floor, Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows restaurant, and its lively accompanying cocktail bar. On such a short visit, I hadn’t time to enjoy the spa, or to drink
a Mai Tai in Trader Vic’s. I did, however, get to enjoy a decent breakfast in the ground floor restaurant. My only criticism was its disjointed customer service, but it was the perfect base for an exciting weekend. Glen Mutel
ESSENTIALS
Location: 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE.
Price: Suites from £639. Contact:
parklanehilton.com
Borgo Egnazia, Italy
In the beautiful Puglia countryside, the Borgo Egnazia is designed in the style of a typical Puglian village and they’ve done a pretty good job of making it look authentic and not like the theme park we’d envisaged. Our three-bedroom villa was large, airy and impeccably
designed, with lots of marble, cream and white furnishings, and a definite Italian feel. It had its own kitchen, meaning we could prepare meals for the children when we wanted, plus a swimming pool and gardens full of fragrant plants, olive trees and a few cats. Breakfast was a treat, with a wonderful buffet and charming
staff, who didn’t seem to mind our two kids running amok and trhowing endless bits of food thrown on the floor. Other highlights include pools, a great kids’ club and the Vair Spa,
which had a highly original menu of treatments created to ‘change your life’. I’d gone in expecting traditional massages and facials, when what I got was consultations with experts charged with unburdening me of emotional and physical issues I never knew I had. It was truly an experience! Katie Reich-Storer
ESSENTIALS
Location: Savelletri di Fasano, 72015 Fasano, Brindisi. Price: Five nights with Classic
Collection Holidays from £1,170. Contact:
borgoegnazia.com classic-collection.co.uk
42 ABTA Magazine February 2015
countrybycountry.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52