All entries by this author

La Matelote – the hotel and restaurant – Boulogne, France

Aug 5th, 2011 | By
Staying at Le Matelote in Boulogne, France

Boulogne sur mer. Once a popular holiday resort and a somewhat interesting town, and once gateway port on the channel crossing to the UK. Calais just 20 minutes along the coast now boasts huge port facilities and parking areas for hundreds of cars waiting their place on a ferry travelling to Dover in England.  Some
[continue reading...]




CappuccinoIndex by Roger Ellman

Jul 29th, 2011 | By
The Cappuccino Index by Roger Ellman

This is the candidate to replace the 25 year old Economist Big Mac index This is the new index! A combined measure of a (single/short/small size) cappuccino served both IN and for Take-Out/Take-away in each country. The IN and Take Out combination serves to reduce factors such as VAT for IN service, increased charges especially
[continue reading...]




Whatley Manor – Near Malmesbury – Wiltshire – UK

Jul 25th, 2011 | By
whatley_manor

Country Inns and hotels sometimes please and occasionally disappoint. I am not going to waste your time with a lengthy tome on sadness or lack, but offer a note about a place I will stay one day, in fact I would have to cancel other plans, happily, to stay at Whatley Manor. On occasion an
[continue reading...]




As ever UK versus USA

Jun 15th, 2011 | By

Strange that England is a country that spurns success and yet condemns failure. You can’t learn through failure in England, yet you can in America. You must succeed in America but if you fail you will learn a lot and be the better for it.




In reply to Travelodge (UK) guest survey 24 April 2011

Apr 24th, 2011 | By

In reply to Travelodge guest survey 24 April 2011 Very impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff at the Wymondley Travelodge…all of them. Dismayed at the submission to the fascist Health and Safety regime in the UK that means (or is your excuse perhaps??!!!) for not allowing access to the balconies at the
[continue reading...]




The 6 Spring Rules of Great and Astounding Customer Service

Apr 1st, 2011 | By

Customer service on the 1st day of April The 6 Spring Rules of Great and Astounding Customer Service 1). RETAIL: Always ask the customer if he or she has any money or credit cards immediately they walk into a store. The same on all websites. After all it’s the money that counts! 2). WEBSITES: On
[continue reading...]




British television has the flu but lacks fever

Dec 27th, 2010 | By

UK TV has exhumed  zombies from the media grave and brought them upstairs and then downstairs after an episode of Lewis a program which is More with Morse left out…well thus , Lewis. It is a choice of boredom and brain destruction such as The Apprentice or the mood and setting of Poirot,  then the
[continue reading...]




Calais – Dover: Why wait for the ferry it can feel like it will wait for you

Dec 15th, 2010 | By

Travelling from France (Europe) to the UK is often a matter of making the timing work – if you seek a pleasurbale entry, a favorable arrival in that little old England. The perfect solution I’ve found is a stay at La Matelotte – a four star hotel facing the sea at the mouth of the
[continue reading...]




X-Hotels™ launch – from the founders of 5 Star Raft Hotels™

Apr 2nd, 2010 | By
X-Hotels

Re-printed from CreteTravel.com blog (April Fools 2010) An astonishingly timely hotel concept launches today with the opening of the first 7 hotels in the newborn X-Hotels™ chain. This infant in the worldwide hospitality scene is expected to grow fast – there will be 30 X-Hotels open within 6 months and brand-linked cafes and restaurants under the X-Presso™
[continue reading...]




The New 5 Star Raft Hotels group launches

Apr 1st, 2009 | By

Re-printed from CreteTravel.com blog The New 5 Star Raft Hotels group launches We are delighted to announce the first of our new hotel brand – “5 Star Raft Elafonisi Crete”. 5 Star Raft will build and float super-luxury wood raft floating hotels. The first is the 5 Star Raft Elafonisi Crete. The new hotel phenomenon
[continue reading...]