Best Hotels

Villa Monticello, Ghana’s premier luxury boutique hotel was crowned Ghana’s Leading Hotel at the World Travel Awards (WTA) red carpet African Gala ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda on 10th October, 2017. Villa Monticello was also recognized at the ceremony as Ghana’s Leading Boutique Hotel and Ghana’s Leading Hotel Suite for its Kwame Nkrumah Presidential Suite. Since its inception in 2011, the Accra based hotel has won a total of six coveted World Travel Awards. The World Travel Awards acknowledges, rewards and celebrates excellence across all sectors of the global tourism industry.

The magnet of the prospect of exciting food in a delightful hotel will draw us out of our crowded corner of the South East; a 200 miles’ round trip was well worth the agonies of the Dartford Crossing and the M25.  
 

One of the great benefits of Lavenham  is that it is not really on the way to anywhere for most people.   This village has grown to be a small town but the centre still has the feeling of a village community.  This is possibly because so many of the houses in the centre are of the same Tudor period as there are over 350 Listed buildings from the very grand Guildhall to former bothies.  They must share the same endless problems of living in delightful but high maintenance houses.  If Lavenham had been in the Home Counties, property developers would be salivating at the numerous sites that th

So International Excellence Magazine was in Greenwich for an event with Hunton Yachts, introducing this awesome British brand to ultra high net worth at the Delamar Hotel in Connecticut
The Delamar is of course set overlooking Greenwich Harbor so ideal for a yacht party, especially as Hunton were taking the VIPs out around Rocky Neck Point so they could really experience the comfort, speed and unbelievable stability of the boat. The New York yachting fraternity was extremely impressed and the evening was a great success.

Norfolk was quite a surprise, whilst certain aspects took our minds back even as far as the 1950’s, there was a pleasant buzz about so many refreshing facets of life outside the Home Counties.   People have time to be polite, the roads were generally uncongested; we found some real treasures.  Some were unspoilt villages, wide open spaces of countryside seemingly largely unpressured by too much development.  There are several very grand houses including two very different National Trust properties; Blickling Hall for its exterior – even better than the photographs - and the modern planting

Whistler sets a standard that many other ski resorts have to match; right up there with Aspen and the best resorts in Europe but for very different reasons. The main concern for many is the flight; eleven hours but you do not lose skiing time as it is overnight and you are chasing the sun outbound.  Passing through Vancouver airport is quick and the transfer is less than two hours to Whistler, the roads are good and it’s worth keeping awake for the stunning scenery.  

The ancient city of Bath is well positioned from so many aspects from an historical point of view through beautiful countryside to its arguably un-equalled Georgian architecture.  Whilst the city is fairly sophisticated, it has not lost its lust for life with its vibrant atmosphere.  It does cross your mind that this could offer the alternate lifestyle away from the pressures of London.  There is a combination of individual shops as well as the usual big high street brands, plus a few good restaurants and less formal eateries.   
 

Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
One of the most highly regarded countryside hotels in this country is the charming Manoir.  Set in beautiful gardens in the picturesque Cotswolds noted for its honey coloured stone houses it is everybody’s idea of England at its best.  Charming and an homage to Raymond Blanc with its two acres of gardens including the renowned Kitchen Garden set out for everyone who visits to admire. Although, I have to admit my favourite garden ‘room’ was Chris Beardshaw’s ethereal Wild Flower  Meadow which was truly romantic and fragrant.

If when taken blindfold to the middle of the village square in medieval Piran; when you open your eyes you would fully expect to be in the centre of a film set.  Not a jarring building to behold, looking one way you will see a Venetian church tower on the hill overlooking everything, on the square itself is another church.

Linking the world renowned city of Dubrovnik with the virtually unknown tiny historic centre of the inland town of Kranj in Slovenia is more than unusual, but there are elements that they share in addition to just bringing much pleasure and beauty into the equation.