Having worked as a holiday rep, one of the most frustrating things on airport days, was the waiting around for the last person to exit the airport and board the coach so you could set off. There was usually at least one person who had left something on the plane, not had their luggage arrive, or worst of all, got in a taxi and not told anyone, therefore leaving a coach full of people sitting and waiting for them. The frustration I felt however, was nothing to the first people that had exited and had been sitting patiently for their transfer to their hotel and this holiday to begin, and this i ..read more

Last year I checked out the Spa at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House as part of a stay that you can read more about here. Well now holidaymakers heading to the Lake District this summer can now enjoy a slice of the finer side of life as Gilpin Hotel & Lake House opens its spa doors to non-resident guests, having devised a number of new spa experiences with some delicious food combos.  Spa & Spice Experience Enjoy a relaxing 50-minute ESPA or Pure Lakes couple’s spa treatment before hopping into the hot tub with a glass of Champagne to soak up the spectacular views of the surrounding fe ..read more

New Century Hall to become Tiki paradise with 50 rums, cocktails and calypso vibes Joining the incredible line up of summer events in the city, Manchester Rum Festival is bringing its special brand of celebration to New Century Hall on World Rum Day – 13th July – with its biggest ever line up of rums. Around 50 incredible brands from every corner of the world will be showing off their best creations at the festival, and – with more rums than ever before available to taste (which are all included in the great value ticket price) – the 2024 event is shaping up to be a real celebration ..read more

I haven’t written a proper gin review for quite some time, and there are a number of reasons for that. Firstly, I was on a bit of a health kick, having seen my weight start to rise in lockdown, I finally decided that I needed to reverse all that addition, and cut back on a number of treats, whilst also getting back into the gym. Not that I stopped drinking, I just wasn’t drinking as much, plus going to the gym took up a lot more of my time, but with 22kg lost, it was worth it. The above however, was not the main reason for not posting any gin reviews though, the truth is that I have struggled ..read more

Electrik – renowned for its suburban edge, craft beers, and vibrant art scene – is thrilled to announce their latest kitchen takeover with Tisch Un Teller, launching this Thursday. Taking inspiration from the food halls and street food of Berlin, Tisch Un Teller will be bringing a menu of Bavarian faves with a Mancunian twist – think snacks to share, burgers, wursts and more… Plus did we mention they make an absolutely incredible Sunday Roast? This element particularly was what sealed the deal for owners The Unabombers, as we know they take their roasts seriously from previous successes ..read more

Last year I checked out the Spa at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House as part of a stay that you can read more about here. Well now Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is opening its spa doors to non-residents inviting them to enjoy a luxurious new experience. The combination “Spa & SOURCE” package includes an afternoon in the property’s recently opened Spa Space followed by dinner at SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel – the property’s fine dining restaurant, which recently retained its Michelin star for the second year running.   The Spa & SOURCE Experience at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is one o ..read more

Since I first read that Fenix was going to be opening in Manchester, I was excited. The ‘Modern Greek’ style restaurant cost millions to fit out and is from those behind Tattu, another highly successful restaurant in the city. However I also had real reservations about this place. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a massive fan of Greek food, having lived on the Greek Island of Kefalonia for a number of years previously. On opening, the reviews were not fantastic and I had lots of people mentioning that its not what you might expect of Greek food, this was more a take on it, but that it wa ..read more

When I think of African food, I immediately think of dishes that I ate on a regular basis during my time living and working in The Gambia. This includes dishes such as Akara or Domoda (Peanut Stew), washed down with a Wonjo Juice (a sweetened chilled hibiscus drink served up an many hotels as a welcome drink), or a mint tea, unfortunately, when I went to check out Manchesters new ‘African themed’ restaurant, none of these were present. Afrikana is located on Manchesters famous ‘Curry Mile’, but rather that being a restaurant of African dishes, it is more an ‘African Inspired’ establishment. Th ..read more

One of the great things about living in Manchester, is that not only do we have some amazing bars and restaurants in and around the city, but we also have some beautiful towns and villages to explore just around an hours drive away. One such village, is Sedbergh, situated just south of Tebay. Exiting the M6 and turning right, takes you into the Yorkshire Dales, although Sedbergh is within the administrative area of Cumbria. Known for its private school, which has numerous stunning buildings dotted around the village, it is also home to a culinary shining star, in the name of The Black Bull. Ow ..read more

One of the UK’s top boutique hotels is in the North of England according to the list of the Top 50 Boutique Hotels in the country, released this week and it’s only a two-hour drive from Manchester, The UK’s Top 50 Boutique Hotels list has named Gilpin Hotel & Lake House near Windermere in Cumbria as third in the list of luxurious, five-star properties; the only property from the north of the UK in the top three and joined only by Grantley Hall in Ripon in the top 10.  The much-anticipated list is curated and voted by leading industry experts, hoteliers, travel writers and influencers ..read more