A JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF BUCHAREST

INTERCONTINENTAL BUCHAREST

The Intercontinental Bucharest is one of those hotels that just hits you with the WOW! factor immediately you enter the lobby. A luxurious twenty storey five star hotel situated in the heart of Romania's capital city. There is nothing to dislike about this hotel, and everything to love.

 

 

This was not my first visit to the Intercontinental Bucharest, I had enjoyed a wonderful three night stay here in November 2016. So taken was I with the sheer splendour of the hotel, and the fantastic service offered by its staff, I just had to make a return visit.

Built in 1971, the Intercontinental was the first five star hotel in Bucharest, and remains one of the finest, as well as tallest hotels in the city. The hotel boasts a total of 257 rooms, ranging in style and price to suit all budgets. There are two restaurants within the hotel, as well as a casino on the ground floor, and a wonderful health club on the twenty second floor offering fantastic panoramic views over the city. There is also a business centre featuring two computers for guests to use, a gift shop, and Avis car rental centre.



With ample car parking available including valet parking, accessibility is no problem. Once safely parked, there is little reason for using your car within the city as the hotel is so well positioned for visiting the old town, the Palace of the Parliament, Herastrau Park, and all the wonderful museums and historic places that Bucharest, once known as 'Little Paris' due to its magnificent Boulevards, has to offer.

On this trip, again a three night weekend stay, I arrived mid afternoon, following a Ryanair flight from Stansted airport. Flight time from the UK is approximately three to four hours and Romania is two hours ahead of Greenwich Meantime. As I walked through the revolving doors and entered the ornate lobby, I felt like I was coming home. Very few hotels have ever given me that feeling, most have simply been a place to lay my head, but the Intercontinental Bucharest is one that I feel a particular connection to. Check-in went very smoothly, professionally carried out by the reception staff, and I was soon making my way to my deluxe room on the eight floor.

All rooms feature a balcony with views of the city. I spent some very enjoyable moments on my last visit just gazing out onto the busy city streets below, and taking advantage of the fantastic photo opportunities. All guest rooms have a private bathroom, featuring a bath with shower over and complimentary toiletries. My deluxe room also featured complimentary slippers and bathrobe, complimentary fruit and water, and a most welcome coffee machine. The room was comfortably furnished with a large, very comfortable bed, coffee table with two easy chairs, dressing table, wardrobe, and bedside cabinets. There was also an iron and ironing board which came in very useful.

Breakfast is served in the Corso restaurant, which is situated on the ground floor, from 06:30am to 09:30am Monday to Friday, and 07:00am to 10am at weekends. This is also the restaurant where a very sumptuous brunch is served on Sundays. Dinner is served from 6pm to 9:30pm Monday to Saturday, and 6pm to 9pm on Sundays. Breakfast was a delicious, ample selection of hot and cold dishes, including cereals, fruit, yogurts, meats, fish, cheeses etc. There was also a section where a tempting selection of egg dishes, including a wide variety of omelettes, could be ordered, and another manned section where all manner of coffees where on offer. Tastefully decorated and with seating for 95 guests, Corso Brasserie is also the perfect place to enjoy a superb lunch.

The second restaurant within the hotel is the Italian styled Modigliani Restaurant. This very nice restaurant can be found on the ground floor, adjacent to the welcoming and very relaxed bar area. Open for dinner only from 6pm to 11.30pm, this restaurant serves a comprehensive selection of Italian dishes, at a very reasonable price. It was very quiet on the evening my companion and I dined here, however, the service we received and the quality of the food, presented so enticingly on our plates, was second to none. The room was elegantly furnished with a large glass chandelier dominating the centre of the ceiling, and some unique portrait paintings featured on one wall. A grand piano sat proudly at one end of the room just waiting to be played, but unfortunately, on this occasion it wasn't. However, we did benefit from some most enjoyable, soothing background music whilst we dined. I opted for an exceptionally tasty Seafood Chowder to start, whilst my dining companion chose a Mushroom and Black Truffle soup. It was the wonderfully tasty Mediterranean Salmon that caught my eye for the main course, and my companion went for the equally delicious Tuna dish. We had just enough room to savour the delights of the dessert tray, a Mint and Chocolate dessert and a luscious Lemon Tart. Finishing the meal with the last drops of our Romanian Chardonnay, my companion and I retired to the comfort of our hotel room prior to yet another most comfortable nights sleep.

In order to work off some of the excesses of my stay at the Intercontinental Bucharest, I spent sometime in the well equipped Spa. Situated on the 22^nd floor, the Spa affords fantastic views over the city, guests have access out to a terrace where they can gaze down onto the busy, bustling street life below. Along with a very good sized swimming pool, there is also a hot tub, steam room and two saunas. Opposite the gym area is a drinks bar where guests can receive complimentary cold drinks, there are also a number of loungers for guests to relax on. Male and Female changing rooms feature lockers to stow away your clothes and valuables, and there are showers available, towels are also provided.

With a number of very spacious conference and meeting rooms, the Intercontinental Bucharest is ideal for business meetings, weddings, or private functions. There is a club lounge on the 21^st floor where club members can relax and indulge in complimentary food and drink, breakfast can also be taken here. Spacious and comfortably furnished, and with its own business centre, the Club Lounge also offers some impressive views of the city.

 

 

With some spectacular panoramic city views captured on my camera, now safely stowed away in my luggage, it was time to leave for the airport. Check out was as efficient, friendly and professional as check in had been 3 days earlier, and as I passed through the beautiful foyer with its cascading water feature and stunning, beautifully scented fresh floral displays, I was sure that it would not be long before I would once again return to this rather special hotel, the Intercontinental is certainly a jewel in the crown of Bucharest!

The full hotel address is: 4 Bulevardul Nicolae Balcescu 010051 Bucharest

For further details please visit: www.ihg.com

IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN

RADISSON BLU STANSTED

I have stayed at Radisson Blu Stansted on many occasions and have always found this airport hotel to be in a class of its own. There is of course the obvious attraction of its location, a mere two minutes walk to the terminal, guaranteeing you couldn't possibly spend the night any closer to check-in, other than sleeping on the terminal floor! But, believe me there is far more to this hotel than the convenience of the close proximity to the airport that has me returning time and time again.

Aside from its convenient location, this hotel also scores highly on many other points. With 500 extremely comfortable and well equipped guest rooms and suites, there is no shortage of choice for the discerning guest, from standard Executive Rooms to Business Class, through to spacious Junior and full Suites. Standard rooms are very comfortable and have everything the traveller could possibly need for their stay, including free high speed Wi Fi, Television with in-house movie channels, and tea and coffee making facilities. Business Class also includes the use of bathrobes and complimentary slippers, and breakfast is included in the room price. Junior and full Suites have everything that Business Class has to offer, plus the added luxury of being more generously proportioned, with some offering two bathrooms. There are also a number of interconnecting family rooms, as well as accessible rooms. The hotel also provides a 24 hour room service.





Guests need not go hungry during their stay at Radisson Blu Stansted, with two excellent restaurants and a superb bar area there is a wide and tempting culinary choice to excite the taste buds, making for a memorable and enjoyable dinning experience. Both restaurants have recently undergone a major refurbishment, resulting in both looking very appealing with their new décor and furnishings, and excellent menus. With seating for 60 guests, Station 169 is the place to go if you're a big meat eater and enjoy your steaks. Collage, on the other hand, with its unique décor creating an intimate and cosy setting that seats 110 guests, is a more traditional British Brasserie dinning experience. The restaurants are open for dinner from 6pm to 10:30 pm daily, with breakfast being served in Collage restaurant from 4am. The bar is open daily from 7am to 1am, with food being served from 10:30am to 11pm.



For a lighter more informal meal, guests can choose from the comprehensive bar menu whilst relaxing and enjoying a drink, perhaps fetched by the famous Wine Angels! The impressive wine tower, which looms large in the centre of the hotel, can accommodate 4,000 bottles of wine, these are selected from the tower by Wine Angels whilst performing aerobatics, suspended from wires within the tower, it's worth ordering a bottle of wine just to experience the show!



There is no excuse for not keeping up with your usual fitness regime at Radisson Blu Stansted. Pace is a well equipped health club with a gym, swimming pool, sauna and steam room. Regular exercise classes are held daily, including spinning, yoga, and aqua aerobics, something for all levels of fitness. Swimming lessons are also available, as are massages and beauty treatments.

Besides catering for the weary traveller, Radisson Blu can also cater for business meetings, weddings and private functions. With a total of 26 meeting and function rooms, the largest being The Essex Suite which can hold 400 delegates, there is sure to be a package to suit your needs. Radisson Blu Stansted also offer affordable Park, Dream & Fly packages, whereby guests can leave their car at the hotel during their time away and collect it on their return, these packages cover either 4, 8 or 15 day duration.

The reason for my visit on this occasion was a pre-flight stay, I was flying out of Stansted on an early morning flight to Bucharest. Although the journey from my home to the airport is only an hour or so, I prefer to eliminate the stress of an early morning drive, particularly on a cold, dark winter morning, and instead have the luxury of a hotel stay the night before my flight. Arriving at Radisson Blu Stansted mid afternoon meant that I had time to indulge in a bit of relaxation in the spa, making use of my complimentary slippers and dressing gown. I enjoyed a swim followed by sessions in both the steam room and sauna, lockers and towels are provided. Following a very relaxing time in the spa, I was ready for a drink in the bar before dinner. I had reserved a table for 6pm in the newly refurbished Collage restaurant.

I was very impressed with the new design and décor of the restaurant, there have been many changes since my last visit here. There are now a number of intimate seating areas, all allowing a certain degree of privacy. The walls are adorned with an array of interesting, thought provoking photographs and artwork, and the entire restaurant is bathed in an atmospheric low lighting, which, along with the relaxing background music, adds perfectly to the intimacy of the setting. I opted for the Parsnip soup to start, a very good choice, followed by a delicious Seafood Linguine. I barely had room for a dessert, so plumped for a simple but refreshing Mint Chocolate Ice cream, all washed down with an excellent Chardonnay. 



Retiring to my newly refurbished Business Class room, I felt relaxed and very pleased that I had made the decision to book this hotel for my pre-flight stay. The new décor is very sophisticated, with an attractive cream and grey colour scheme, and just a hint of silver in the curtain fabric. A large wall to wall mirror adorns the wall above the bed, and there is a second attractive feature mirror on the opposite wall. There is a large shower cubicle in the bathroom, and a good selection of complimentary toiletries.



 



Breakfast the next morning was served from 4am in Collage Restaurant and was a sumptuous affair, a delicious choice of hot and cold food and beverages, a meal second to none and fit for a king! The perfect way to start the day.

 



Obviously, this hotel is ideal for travellers flying in or out of Stansted airport. However, it is also a very good choice of hotel for anyone wishing to spend time in this part of Essex, or indeed in neighbouring Hertfordshire. Stansted train station and bus station are a few minutes walk from the hotel, giving quick and easy access to the city of London and beyond. Mountfichet Castle and Hatfield Forest are both just a short drive away, and Freeport factory shopping outlet at Braintree is approximately a twenty minute drive. Whatever your reason for visiting Radisson Blu Stansted, I am sure you will not be disappointed.

The full postal address for directions is: Waltham Close, Stansted Airport, CM24 1PP

For further information please visit: www.radissonblu.com

A REAL COUNTRY RETREAT

West Lodge Park Hotel

 

 

I can't remember the last time I drove down such a magnificent drive, certainly never one that has led me to a hotel. Approaching West Lodge Park Hotel, down the long and winding tree lined drive, is like arriving at a large stately home. The hotel sits majestically amid thirty five acres of stunning grounds and gardens, nestled in the heart of Hertfordshire, just a short drive from London.

 

 

Built in 1838, this wonderful four star hotel has been successfully run by three generations of the same family since 1945. The hotel boasts the highest AA quality rating of any four star hotel in the North London area. It is also the only hotel in Hertfordshire with an Arboretum, which alone attracts over 10,000 visitors a year, all eager to view the glorious assortment of 800 varieties of tree.



 

 

 

 

The hotel has a total of fifty nine high standard, luxury bedrooms, ranging from Classic singles through to Executive doubles, and culminating in the 71 square metre Hadley suite, with its two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Guests can select their preferred bedroom when completing their booking online. Standards are high at this hotel, which can clearly be seen in the décor and furnishings, and in the impeccable service guests receive from the hotel's dedicated staff.

My wife and I arrived mid afternoon for our one night stay, this meant we had plenty of time to settle into our room and acquaint ourselves with our 'home' for the next twenty hours or so. On our arrival at West Lodge Park, so taken were we with the beautiful grounds, that even before checking in, we felt tempted to explore further whilst the sun was still shinning on this lovely November afternoon. The gardens looked spectacular, the trees starting to carpet the ground with their colourful Autumn foliage were splendid in the fading light of day. Wildlife was also in abundance with various birds, including a pheasant, and several playful squirrels accompanying and entertaining us on our walk.

 

 



Soon the lure of dinner, and the evening chill, tempted us inside. On approaching the entrance we were pleasantly surprised to find the door being opened for us by a smartly dressed gentleman who then showed us the way to reception, and kindly offered to carry our bags for us. At reception, a very polite young lady checked us in and gave us directions to our room.



 

 

Guest rooms have names as well as being numbered, our room was number 63 and named Firebrace after a previous owner of the house. Overlooking the terrace and grounds, our room afforded us some beautiful views, which we enjoyed from the comfort of our quaint and characterful cushioned window seat. The room was very tastefully decorated, including a display of very interesting wall-mounted photographs. The Bedroom and bathroom are separated by a small hallway with separate doors to both rooms, and another door leading to a good sized walk-in wardrobe which also housed the mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, fridge with complimentary water, safe, iron and ironing board. The bathroom included a bathtub with overhead shower, and complimentary toiletries. Furniture within the bedroom included a large, very comfortable double bed, bedside cabinets, coffee table, two easy chairs, and a dressing table and chair. Complimentary slippers and dressings gowns are also included for guest use during their stay.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner that evening was served in the Mary Beale Restaurant, a delightful dinning area, tastefully decorated and with a very friendly, welcoming ambiance. We chose our three courses from the Table d' hote menu, both tempted by the delicious hake for our main course, which was cooked to perfection and melted in the mouth, simply divine and bursting with flavour. The Food and service was faultless. Near to the entrance of the restaurant is a very well stocked bar and comfortable lounge area, refreshments can be taken here as well as al fresco on the terrace. Breakfast the next morning was also served in the Mary Beale Restaurant and included a combination of self service and served food and beverages, a mouth-watering and ample array of both hot and cold food and drinks were available to enjoy.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many fine paintings on display around the hotel, most notably in the beautiful function rooms and around the magnificent main staircase. This wonderful collection of art, mainly from the late seventeenth century, feature many paintings by Mary Beale (1633-1699). Mary Beale was Britain's first professional female painter. With the impressive collection of artwork and the ornate décor throughout West Lodge Park, one could easily forget that this is a hotel, it has much more the feel of a private home about it, making it so easy to feel relaxed and enjoy the experience.



 



 

With several function and meeting rooms, the hotel also caters for conferences, weddings and private functions. The hotel currently accommodates around 50 weddings a year, proving that this wonderful hotel is a perfect choice for that very special day.

 

 



 



To occupy guests during their stay there is a putting green and croquet, and of course the stunning Arboretum and gardens. Guests staying at West Lodge Park also receive free membership to a top local gym and leisure club, as well as 15% discount off treatments at Champneys in Enfield and Go Ape in Trent Park. Horse riding is available locally, and those wishing to play a round of golf need look no further than the Trent Park Golf Club.

With central London only 12 miles away and easily accessible by train or road, West Lodge Park is a perfect alternative to an inner city hotel, close enough to the city for convenience of accessibility, but far enough away to feel like a real country retreat. My wife and I had a wonderful stay, we were only sorry that we could not stay longer to fully enjoy all that this truly lovely hotel has to offer. Maybe next time!



Full postal address: West Lodge Park Hotel, Cockfosters Road, Hadley Wood, EN40 0PY

For more information, please visit: www.bealeshotels.co.uk