PRE FLIGHT HOTEL STAY

DOWN HALL COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL
 

 

 

 

Ironically, being as how they are supposed to be enjoyable, restful, and relaxing, holidays can be very stressful! It's not the holiday itself that causes the stress, rather, the organizing, packing, and, above all, the getting there. Airports, these days, are not happy places, they are fraught with complications, hassle, panic, and all manner of emotional stress that can leave a traveller bewildered, frustrated and anxious, before the holiday has even begun. Add to this an early morning flight, preceded by a long car journey to get to the airport, and, potentially, you have a recipe for disaster. However, all is not lost!

I was recently faced with a 6.25am flight out of London Stansted airport. That meant arriving at the airport around 4.30am, with a 90 minute drive from home to the airport. Therefore, leaving home at 3am, which meant getting up around 1am. 'Hang on a minute!, is there any point in going to bed?' The answer came in the form of Down Hall Country House Hotel.

 

 

Located on the Essex/Hertfordshire border in Hatfield Heath, just 9 miles from Stansted airport, Down Hall is a well established country house set in 110 acres of woodland, parkland and gardens. Just 45 minutes from central London, Down Hall is situated within easy travelling distance to Stansted airport, which makes it the ideal pre or post flight hotel. The property has a fascinating history dating back to 1322, when Robert Taper gave the house to Hatfield Broad Oak Abbey. Since then, the house has had a number of owners and many uses, including a convalescent home for wounded soldiers, a school, an antiques business and conference centre, and now, today, a beautiful country house hotel.

 

 

Purchased in 1986 by the Veladail Group, the hotel is presently going through a major refurbishment, on-going during my visit, but with very little disruption to the everyday running of the hotel, and the guests enjoyment. Many of the 99 bedrooms have already been refurbished, with the remaining rooms being refurbished over the coming months. Soon to open, will be a brand new spa and treatment area, which will be available for public membership as well as hotel guests. Initial outlay for the refurbishment is in the region of £2.5 million, but total cost is estimated to be close to £7 million.

There is certainly no need to go hungry at Down Hall, as dining options are excellent. The Grill Room Restaurant is a fine restaurant, serving modern English cooking, including fresh ingredients sourced from their own vegetable garden. Here, dinner is served from 7pm. There is also a comfortable and intimate bar area, and afternoon tea can be taken in either the lounge area or Ibbetsons Tearoom. In the summer, picnic hampers can be arranged for a picnic in the grounds. To keep the guests entertained during their stay, facilities include a steam room, sauna, gym, 2 tennis courts, croquet, and a giant chess set. The existing spa facilities are for hotel guests only, these will remain after completion of the new spa, giving hotel guests the option of using either spa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I arrived early afternoon, in good time to make the most of the facilities, and get myself into the holiday mood. I had stayed at Down Hall on one previous occasion, a 'Murder Mystery' weekend, but even so, I still found the sight of the mansion, as I drove up the drive towards the entrance, most impressive. It really is a grand looking building, set in a beautiful location. I parked my car and made my way to reception, carrying only a small overnight bag, having left my main holiday luggage in the car. Check in was quick and efficient, and the reception staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I took the opportunity to arrange a table for dinner at 7pm, I needed an early night! I also arranged for an early morning wake up call.

 

 

 

My room, one of the refurbished rooms in the west wing, was very tastefully decorated. Situated on the ground floor, with patio doors leading on to the grounds, it was perfect for relaxing in after a long journey. It was a very good sized room with high ceilings and a beautiful chandelier, there was everything I could wish for to ensure a most comfortable stay. Amenities included a seating area, with table and chairs, tea and coffee making facilities which was very welcome after a long drive, and a very spacious bathroom with bath/shower, toilet, bidet, twin sinks and complimentary toiletries. But, most important of all, a generously proportioned and exceptionally comfortable king sized bed. There were also bathrobes which came in very useful for the spa. 



There is something of interest around every corner of Down Hall, beautiful, sweeping staircases, adorned with fine works of art, large, tastefully decorated rooms which are available for private functions, along with cosy and comfortable public areas. The grounds are a delight to walk around, although, unfortunately, limited for time, I did not get to see all the grounds on this occasion.

 

 

 

 

I decided to spend some time chilling out in the spa area. The gym was well laid out with a good choice of exercise equipment, however, I chose not to work out on this visit, preferring instead to just relax in the sauna and steam rooms. There are lockers, towels, and toiletries available in the spa area, and drinking water is available in the gym area. Following my chill out time in the spa, I showered and made my way back to my room to rest before dinner.

 

 

 

Dinner was served in The Grill Room by very friendly and attentive staff who had, clearly, been trained to a very high standard. The food, too, was of a very high standard, and the overall ambiance of the restaurant was very relaxing and welcoming. I chose Prawn and White fish Ravioli for starters, and Salmon in Beetroot with Pea Risotto for my main course, delicious! As I needed to be up by 3am, I, reluctantly, declined the offer of desert or coffee, and headed back to my room around 9pm, ready for an early night. 

 

 

I awoke to my wake up call at 3am as arranged. I had also arranged for a light breakfast to be brought to my room for 3.30am. It arrived promptly, and I enjoyed a breakfast of fruit and yoghurt, and a pot of tea. Just enough to keep me going until brunch. I checked out of the hotel at 4am. The drive to the airport took a mere 20 minutes, and the journey was made even more enjoyable when I was rewarded by the sight of 2 deer, 3 foxes, 1 owl, and several rabbits, a wonderful way to start the day! I arrived at the airport in plenty of time for my flight, relaxed, refreshed, and a lot less stressed than had I driven from home that morning. Without doubt, a far more enjoyable way to start a holiday.

I would definitely consider Down Hall again for a pre/post flight stay, but I would also highly recommend the hotel for a longer stay as it is such a wonderful, comfortable, relaxing hotel, set in an area where there is so much to see and do. Down Hall is also the perfect location for a wedding, and with 161 weddings taking place every year, I am clearly not alone in my opinion. Down Hall is also a fantastic location for business meetings, with 18 well equipped conference and meeting rooms and its close proximity to London.

 

 

 

 

Places to visit during any stay at Down Hall include: Mountfitchit Castle, the House on the hill toy museum, Audley End House, Hatfield House, Hatfield forest, Bishop's Stortford, Cambridge, Colchester, Imperial War Museum Duxford, and, of course, London. All these destinations, and many more are within easy travelling distance of Down Hall. For further information visit Down Hall Country House Hotel's website at:  www.downhall.co.uk  

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

IWM DUXFORD

 

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) at Duxford is conveniently located just off junction 10 of the M11, south of Cambridge. Its location makes it easily accessible by car, and there is ample on-site parking. The museum is open daily (excluding 24^{th -} 26^th December) from 10am to 6pm (4pm in winter), with last admission being 5pm summertime and 3pm in winter.

The IWM was founded in 1917 and now consists of five museums, London, Duxford, Manchester, HMS Belfast, and The Churchill Rooms. IWM Duxford was opened in 1976 and has grown substantially over the years to its present day size, incorporating many impressive indoor exhibits, as well as outdoor displays, leisure areas and restaurants.

Among the many attractions, visitors can also experience:

AIRSPACE:

Here, visitors can view many historic planes, including the Lancaster, Spitfire, and Vulcan. Iconic Concord is also housed here, and visitors are invited to board for a truly close up, nostalgic experience. 

 

 

 

HISTORICAL DUXFORD:

This exhibit chronicles Duxford's time as an RAF airbase from 1918 to 1961.

LAND WARFARE:

A large collection of tanks and many other wartime land vehicles.

 

 

FLYING AIRCRAFT:

Housed in two old RAF hangers, visitors can browse through a variety of privately owned planes, many of them in flying condition. This is where these beautiful machines are restored and maintained.

 

 

 

BATTLE OF BRITAIN:

An exhibition of The Battle of Britain and air defence during the first world war and the cold war.

 

 

 

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM:

A memorial to the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from UK airbases during world war two, as well as more recent conflicts. Visitor should note that this part of the museum will be closed from 2015 to spring 2016 for re-development.

 

AIR AND SEA:

This exhibit shows the changes in defence methods from the first world war to modern day warfare.

1940 OPERATIONS ROOM:

A fascinating exhibit, showing the actual operations room, furnished as it was during the second world war.

 

 

 

PLEASURE FLIGHTS:

Visitors can also take advantage of a pleasure flight over Duxford, Cambridge or London in a number of aircraft, including a Spitfire, Tiger Moth, or a Dragon Rapide. These flights are provided by Classic Wings and can be booked either in advance or on the day (see my review 'Flight over Cambridge in a Dragon Rapide').

 

 

 

 

 

Besides these impressive exhibits, and the vast array of flying craft on display, IWM Duxford also holds regular, spectacular air shows.

 

For more information please visit the IWM website at: www.iwm.org.uk

CLASSIC WINGS

FLIGHT OVER CAMBRIDGE

IN A DRAGON RAPIDE

 

It had been an early start, leaving home at 8 am to arrive at the Imperial War Museum Duxford for 10am. The weather was looking favourable although, on arrival at Duxford, the wind became very gusty and the skies turned an ominous shade of grey. As my wife and I entered the museum, we were doubtful that our 10.45am flight would go ahead!

We were booked on a pleasure flight over Duxford, in a 8 seater De Havilland Dragon Rapide. The Dragon Rapide is a short haul twin engined bi plane, first built in 1934. There were a total of 731 of these planes produced, but, sadly, today there are, reportedly, only 17 airworthy examples still remaining.

My wife and I made our way to the Classic Wings booking office, situated adjacent to the runway. Classic Wings are a family run business who have been operating out of Duxford for the past 25 years, providing pleasure flights to the public. They restore and maintain their own aircraft and offer flights in a Tiger Moth and spitfire, as well as the Dragon Rapide. Pleasure flights range from short flights around Duxford, to flights over Cambridge and London. Flights operate on Weekends and Wednesdays throughout the Summer, weather permitting.

 

 

 

We approached the booking desk and handed in our booking form. The polite and helpful staff informed us that our flight had been cancelled, however, we were being rebooked on a flight at 12.30pm. We were then asked to step on some scales to be weighed, before being registered and asked to return at 12.15pm.

This gave us approximately 2 hours to look at some of the wonderful exhibits that Duxford has to offer, as well as having an early lunch in one of the museum's two restaurants. When we returned to the booking office at 12.15am, the Dragon Rapide was out on a flight, which gave us the opportunity to view it land before our safety briefing. The safety briefing was similar to that which you would get on any aircraft, only, on this occasion, we were informed where the first aid box and fire extinguishers were, as well as being informed about the escape hatches in the roof of the plane.

The wings and body of the Dragon Rapide are covered in a fabric, this means that the escape hatch is formed by pulling a ripcord in the fabric of the roof of the plane, which then allows access through the opening created. Next, all 7 passengers were instructed, for safety reasons, to gather at the rear of the plane prior to boarding, in case the propellers should start up. We were also informed we were only to step on the small, solid, black area on the wing when boarding, reminding passengers that the wings are covered in fabric!

After some posing for photographs, we were boarded. The crew member, mindful of weight distribution, started boarding the passengers (all male, bar my good lady), loading the plane from the rear to the front. My wife and I, being the lightest passengers on this trip, were boarded last and were asked to sit in the front seats. The door to enter the plane is, both, very narrow and low in height, so passengers have to be careful when boarding. The 8 passenger seats on-board are in two single rows with a extremely narrow gangway between the seats. Every seat is a window seat, so affording excellent views for everyone.

My wife and I made our way to our seats, which meant an uphill climb, and a chuckle, due to the inclination of the plane, we then settled into our surprisingly comfortable seats directly behind the cockpit. As we were fastening ourselves into our seats, the pilot boarded the plane and took up his seat directly in front of me. Other than the pilot, my wife and I had the best seats on-board, we could not only see from our own side windows, but also through the cockpit, straight ahead, and through the glass roof above the pilot, it appears there are advantages to being small!

 

 

In no time at all, we were airborne. The weather had decided to be kind to us, the wind had dropped and the sun was now shining. The views, as we took to the sky and headed towards Cambridge, were absolutely wonderful. On reaching the beautiful city of Cambridge  the pilot flew a couple of circuits over the city, banking one way and then the other, ensuring that all passengers on-board got a good view of the city below. Being a small aircraft, you could feel every slight turbulence and hear the propeller engines working away, this really did feel like flying as it should be.

 

 

 

All too soon, our time was up and the pilot headed back to Duxford. After a very smooth landing, we were back on solid ground. Unloading of the aircraft was done in reverse order, so my wife and I were first off the plane, this time grinning as we tackled the decent towards the exit. This had been a wonderful, once in a lifetime experience, one that will remain in our memory forever. Thank you to all the staff at Classic Wings for making this experience possible.

Flights with Classic wings can be purchased on the day at Duxford, depending on availability. However, if you book your flight in advance online, you also get free entry to the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. Following our flight, my wife and I spent the next few hours looking around the extensive museum, we left Duxford having had an absolutely fantastic day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on Classic Wings, and to book flights, please visit their website at: http://www.classic-wings.co.uk You won't be disappointed!

A WINTERS BREAK IN CROATIA

ZAGREB, CROATIA

I had started my short break to the Croatian capital Zagreb at the Europa Hotel, Gatwick airport. I had booked a one night, pre-flight stay at the hotel. The one night stay included car parking for the 5 days that I was to be away, it made for a far more leisurely, relaxing start to the holiday.

My flight from London Gatwick to Zagreb was due to leave at 07:50am, this meant a very early start. I checked out of the hotel at around 04:45am, then drove to the APH off site car park. After checking in my car I was transported to the airport by coach, the journey took about ten minutes.

I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Check-in was very quick and efficient, and once in the departure lounge, I had time to relax and have something to eat and drink before finally catching my flight. Flight time was just two and a half hours, and uneventful. I was flying with Easyjet, so no frills. But, all in all it was a good flight.

 

This was a late winter break, and snow covered the ground on arrival at Zagreb airport. I had only ever been to Croatia once before, to Split, on the Dalmatian coast. It was August, and was sweltering hot on that occasion, quite a contrast to this trip. However, although there was snow on the ground, it was relatively mild, bright and sunny, and the weather would be kind to me throughout my stay.

I took the airport bus to the bus station in Zagreb, from there it was a short taxi ride to the Four Points by Sheraton, my hotel for the next four nights. One of the first things I tend to do, when arriving at a destination for the first time, is to pick up a local map from the tourist information office. This I did, at the bus station before getting my taxi to the hotel. Now armed with my map, and having enjoyed a substantial lunch in the hotel's restaurant, I ventured out to explore Zagreb.

With less than 800,000 inhabitants, Zagreb is not a large city. Indeed, the entire population of Croatia is only around 4.29 million, far less than the population of the city of London. Although my hotel was not situated within the city centre, it was within a reasonable walking distance if one felt so inclined. However, the easiest way to get around is to use the extensive and cheap tram system. Tourism accounts for around 20% of Croatian GDP, so it is very important to the Croatian economy.

As I had such an early start to the day, I decided not to venture too far on my first day, and soon returned to my hotel. I took advantage of the free internet access in the business centre, had supper in the hotel bar, then retired for the night in my comfortable room.

The following morning, after breakfast and catching up on my emails, I headed into the city centre for a proper exploration. I walked into the city, taking in the sights along the way. There were numerous museums and art galleries to explore, but as today was a beautiful sunny day, I decided to leave those for another time.

The city centre is split into the lower and the upper town. After first exploring the lower town, with its modern shops and restaurants, I climbed the steps to the upper town, visiting the farmers market and the Cathedral along the way. I stopped for lunch at a traditional Croatian restaurant, Ivica I Marcia. This excellent restaurant is situated on Tkalciceva 70, and is one of Zagreb's leading health food restaurants, serving food free from preservatives, artificial colouring or GMO ingredients. The meal was delicious and the environment very welcoming, with the restaurant traditionally furnished, and the waiting staff looking resplendent in their pristine national costumes featuring three hearts, a Croatian national symbol. Next door to the restaurant, can be found their sister restaurant Hansel and Gretel, a wonderful, magical place to eat with children, with the restaurant attractively furnished in a fairytale theme.

 

 

After lunch I had my first experience of a Zagreb tram. Tickets for the tram can be purchased at ticket booths on the side of the street. You can purchase either single tickets, or a day ticket which allows unlimited travel within a 24 hour period. On this occasion I purchased a single ticket to get me back to my hotel.

My second full day in Zagreb. Today, I purchased a day ticket for the trams, allowing me to get around easily and experience more of the city. Besides revisiting some of the sites that I had seen the previous day, I also rode the Funicular from the lower town to the upper town. The ride only took a mere one and a half minutes, but it saved walking up an awful lot of steps! Once at the top, I viewed the rooftops of Zagreb, it was a beautiful sunny, warm day, and you could forget it was still winter, easily mistaking it for a summers day.

 

To make use of my tram ticket, I decided to ride the tram to its furthest point, Savisce, in order to view more of the city and surrounding area. My round trip took me about one and a half hours. On returning to the city centre, I went for dinner at Tratoria Al Pittor, an Italian restaurant serving great food, in very relaxing and interestingly furnished surroundings. 

 

 

On my last day in Zagreb, I decided to travel further afield. I had made enquiries at a tourist office regarding possible coach tours. Unfortunately, as it was out of season, there were no organised trips available. However, the helpful staff did suggest a couple of places, within a short distance of Zagreb, that were worth visiting. I had settled on Samobor, close to the border with Slovenia.

I caught the tram to the main train station and made enquiries. Unfortunately, there were no trains going to Samobor. I then made my way to the main bus station, here I managed to book a place on a bus to Samobor. The journey took approximately 40 minutes and cost around £10 return. On arrival at Samobor bus station, I made my way to the town centre, a 15 minute walk.

 

There was much more snow to be found here than there was in Zagreb, but it was still sunny and warm. The walk into Samobor was most enjoyable, as I was rewarded by an incredibly beautiful town. The town was extremely busy, with locals and tourists out enjoying the sunshine. I went to the tourist information office to pick up a map of the area. The young girl who served me also informed me there was a special re-enactment taking place that afternoon. The re-enactment was of a medieval battle that had taken place over the ownership of Samobor. The mock battle would be in full armour and take place below the ruined castle, the site of the original battle.

On my way to the site of the battle, I visited a museum which portrayed Croatian life in times past. The walk to the battle site took me alongside a long and winding river, through fairly deep, bright and powdery snow. I was not alone on my walk, it appeared that the entire population of Samobor were also going to the battle!

The re-enactment was an impressive display of archery and swordsmanship, great entertainment and very atmospheric with the ruined castle looming over us, and the smoke from the burning fires adding to the authenticity of it all.

 

After the battle, I went to a local restaurant and enjoyed my penultimate meal in Croatia. Once again, I was not disappointed, fantastic food at an unbelievable price. I returned to Zagreb by bus and, once back at my hotel, had a drink in the bar and savoured my last few hours in this delightful city.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast in the hotel, I booked a taxi to take me to the airport for my flight home to the UK. This had been only a short break, but I felt that I had filled every minute, and had seen a good deal of Zagreb and the surrounding area. Would I return to Zagreb? Most probably, would I return to Croatia? Definitely, without hesitation!