OK so let’s start today’s post with a conundrum are you stuck for a gift idea for your loved one ? And/or stick for something to do this weekend. Well, if the answer is YES to either or both of these questions, start packages a bag for yourself and your better half and prepare to recieve a lifetime of brownie points as we bestowe you with the contents to a fantastically, festive, fun filled weekend ahead. We’ve selected three destinations, all within the British Isles that will offer you a jaunt away, which will encapsulate the essence of Christmas and be sure to get you into the Christmassy mood, if you aren’t already.

Britain is a wonderful and full of amazing, one off characters and today’s short film showcases one of theses wonderful people, be sure to check it out.

BATH

A stone’s throw from Bath Train Station, in the heart of the city, you will discover one of the oldest and award winning Christmas Markets – one of the largest festive events in the UK, with over 170 stalls and certainly has to be in the running for the most beautiful. Perfectly located in the centre of Bath’s main shopping area and entwined with well-loved high street brands, of course House of Fraser, you can’t fail to be impressed and surely you’ll find everything you are looking for. Give yourself a treat this festive season and get your Christmas shopping ‘wrapped up’ in one magical day at Bath Christmas Market.

Eat – The Pump rooms – Trust us this really is an experience, like stepping back in time, nestled within the world heritage site of the ancient Roman Baths. The Pump Room Restaurant is one of the city’s most elegant places to enjoy stylish, modern-British cuisine. It is open daily for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. All the while the Pump Room Trio or pianist serenades you to add to your enjoyment.

Drink – The Bar at the Royal Crescent – The iconic Royal Crescent Hotel is situated in one of the most famous crescents in the world. Designed by the architect John Wood the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774, it’s among the greatest examples of Georgian architecture to be found in the World. Escape the hustle and bustle and take a breather away from the Christmas Markets and maybe even partake in a mince pie and Mulled wine in the Library.

Sleep – The Halcyon – The Halcyon Boutique Hotel has created a relexed, casual but sumptuous kind of luxury. So you’ll get a stunning Grade I listed Georgian townhouse in a to-die-for Bath city centre location, tip-top technology, organic breakfasts, a sleep enducing bed. But you won’t find a wallet lightening price tag to match. The hotel offers 21 serviced luxury hotel rooms, all ensuite, all doubles. But ! If you’d prefer you can have your cake and eat it at the Halcyon Appartments, seven spacious, modern but in keeping with the Georgian feel of Bath, Appartments. Blending the space and privacy of your own city centre pad with the kind of hotel services you wish you had at home.

MANCHESTER

The Manchester Christmas Markets are now the largest in the the country and attracts shoppers from, literally, all over the UK and beyond, the market has put Manchester firmly on the Christmas map – the Christmas Market has become not only a great place to shop but also a hugely popular social destination in its own right. No Mancunian winter is complete without a wander through the chalet-lined streets of the markets. This year it will feature nearly 350 stalls spanning 10 distinctive market sites, each with its own distinct character and atmosphere, transforming the city centre in to a festive wonderland.

Eat – Hawksmoor – Part of the highly successful Hawksmoor group and currently the only outpost outside of London. This eatery is conveniently located in the former Victorian Courthouse on the city’s Deansgate area. The restaurant offers relaxed dining in a suitably ole world surroundings with some of the reclaimed features coming from diverse homes as glazed bricks from a public lavatory and the parquet flooring coming from another former courthouse. Not just a meat eaters paradise, OK vegetarians might have to stick to the Sides menu, but it also offers a selection of great quality seafood.
Drink – Kosmonaught – Maybe not the easiest to find but well worth the search and inspired by the bars in New York’s meatpacking district. Kosmonaught is housed in Manchester’s stylish and Uber trendy Northern Quarter and has a laid back and welcoming atmosphere, offering you everything from artisan beers to excellent coffee, formally a cotton warehouse the cafe bar has taken full advantage of its originally features.

Sleep – Hotel Gotham – One of the newest additions to Manchester’s increasingly interesting, independent, Luxury, design led hotel network is the Hotel Gotham. It accommodates 60 individually designed guestrooms all working to a soothing monochrome and neutral colour palette. The Hotel was formally a imposing branch of the Midland Bank, designed in a Art Deco style and stands at 100 Kings Street amongst examples of both Grecian and Baroque architecture. The hotel offers a sense of theatre and adventure with its brand of Luxury is based around the golden age of travel.

London

We are concentrating on what we consider to be one, if not the best Christmas Markets in the capital, the Winter Markets wooden chalets clustered along the South bank of the River Thamas, traditionally the venue for Olde London Town’s Wintermas Festival when the Thamas would freeze over. Stretching from practically Borough Market, well worth a visit in its own rights, so killing two birds with one stone, right the way down past the London Eye. The walk along the stalls of the Southbank takes in many of the Capital’s sites and famous attractions including, the aforementioned Borough Market, the Golden Hind, the Millenium Bridge, Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament.

Eat – Edwins – Above the Trinity pub, so call in for a pint beforehand, sits the hidden gem that is Edwins an award winning restaurant and former Curiosity shop of the Borough market area, who’s proprietor was Mr Edwin Brady. Offering its take of Modern European cuisine including Scallops in filo, harissa mayo and braised short ribs with leek and potato gratin and roasted root vegetables. Plus just a short walk from the South Bank festivities.

Drink – The Roebuck – Nestled away on Great Dover Street but brilliantly located at no more than a 10 minute walk from either Borough, Elephant & Castle or London Bridge Underground Stations is the impressive Victorian building that is the Roebuck. Perfect for a mulled wine or offers a broad selection of beers and ales from around the world. Take the weight off your feet and escape the madding crowd in this large, airy pub which boasts a great upstairs function room, packed with period fixtures and an indeterminate charm.
Sleep – Shangri-La Hotel – Push the boat out and spoil yourselves with a stay at the Shrangri-La Hotel located at the feat of architecture that is The Shard. The 34th to 52nd floors of Renzo Piano’s iconic building is the Shangri-La’s first property in the UK. Floor to ceiling windows in the 185 finely appointed guestrooms and 17 spectacular suites showcase breathtaking views of vibrant London, which enable you to watch the life of the city unfold along the River Thames. Culinary wise you are spoilt for choice, not only are you offered 24-hour in-room dining but TĪNG the Signature restaurant and lounge on level 35 Or GŎNG  a real destination bar in every sense of the word on level 52 and LÁNG an artisan deli and cake shop on the ground floor. Along with all the trappings you’d expect with a 5* hotel of this standing take full advantage and treat yourself to a dip in the hotel’s indoor infinity pool on level 52 with its outstanding views of London.

For those of you not aware of the Mondrian Group of Hotels, they sit in the crown of the Morgan Hotel Group which boasts such internationally renowned establishments as The Sanderson and St Martin’s Lane in London, The Delano in Las Vegas and the Hudson in New York, to literally name but a few. No, we’re not talking a Travel Lodge Chain of Hotels here, that would kinda be like comparing a beautiful piece of Filet Mignon lovingly prepared for you with some dirty Donner Kebab you pick up from some dodgy den of iniquity in the wee small hours of Sunday Morning.

The Mondrian hotel are a selection of fine hotels in key locations, Mondrian London is the first of its kind outside the good ole US of A. It was designed by Design Research Studio under the creative direction of visionary Tom Dixon, yes he of the amazing lamps and shades, the iconic building boasts 359 guestrooms and suites, truly stunning riverside views, two contemporary and engaging bars, an expansive restaurant with private dining rooms, a maritime inspired 56-seat cinema and what is promised as an exciting new spa concept.

The former Sea Containers House, takes full advantage of the hotel’s unique location, on London’s South Bank overlooking the River Thames and the backdrop to many of the iconic examples of fine architecture which make this city’s vistas the envy of the world. Many of the design-led 359 bedrooms and suites offer river and city views. With the golden age of transatlantic ocean fairing travel as a departure point and ocean liner cabins as the point of inspiration, Dixon has created fitted and well-thought-out rooms, incorporating metallic and brass throughout. In addition, each room features bespoke furniture from him and unique, some might say marmite like, piece of art which adorns the wall. The mini bars in each room also offer bespoke pre-packaged Dandelyan cocktails, mixed by the mixologist supremo himself, Mr Lyan.

The restaurant, named Sea Containers, in homage to its prior existence is headed up by New York’s award winning, Seamus Mullen, known for his modern take on Spanish Cuisine and like the Mondrian itself, is his first venture outside the US. Working alongside him is Executive Chef Luke Rayment at Sea Containers and what they try to achieve with the restaurant is bringing Seamus’s talent and passion for cooking fresh, seasonally considered cuisine that is sustainable and carefully sourced.

One of the most interesting elements of this set up is the 56-seat screening room, available to book for events during the week, if you so please and at weekends, it sees the inimitable and endangered Curzon cinema take over the space and take charge of programming, showing their choice of the latest leading arthouse hits for both guests and the public to enjoy.

Plus Point – Apart from the sensational views the amazing Customer Service from the reception desk to the concierge, the restaurant to the bar staff. A level of Service that you only really receive in old school luxury hotels of a bygone era or that great and unfortunately increasingly slipping standard of American Service where nothing is too much trouble and you utterly at rest and spoilt.

Minus Point – The area in which the hotel is homed is under some what of an extensive redevelopment at the moment. So issuing a hi-visability vest and hard hat to each guest as they are about to leave the hotel wouldn’t be a bad idea as you do feel as though you are part of a construction team at times.

A boutique Hotel isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Tulse Hill in South East London, in fact it probably doesn’t even register on maybe the first ten things you could think of. But sure enough it’s the destination for London’s latest ‘it’ boutique hotel. is in fact within the SE24 postcode.

The newly launched Tulse Hill Hotel isn’t the only thing that would tempt you to this part of the Capital. In the last six months we’ve seen the launch of a number of Gastro pubs, notably the ‘Great North Wood’ in neighbouring West Norwood, the re-launching of the White Hart just near Tulse Hill Station and the community await with baited breath for the long anticipated ‘Knowles of Norwood’.

So why should you be tempted to check out The Tulse Hill Hotel ? Well, the hotel boasts nine distinctive and well appointed bedrooms as well as a restaurant, private dining room seating up to 14 people, chef’s table which will host up to five guests, a bar and lounge area. Housed within a  historic 19th century public house which has been fully restored and developed into a hotel using many period fixtures, fittings and original architectural detail.

Another plus to this establishment is its home to Head Chef Daniel Stevens (formerily River Cottage, L’atelier des Chefs) at its helm. The kitchen boasts an open design, featuring robata grill and rotisserie. Daniel’s menu promises to focus on seasonal British ingredients and will include dishes such as the LA Grand Central Market burger (inspired by Daniel’s recent travels); sea bass, pork belly and celeriac and lemon tart. In all honesty I do find the menu a little adventurous for my unrefined palette, Cecina & Pedro Ximenez and Sirloin chop, oxtail pie and Marrow bone is lost on me, but it did leave Mrs Mc salivating with anticipation.

The bedrooms are designed in monochrome and accompanied by an accent of brightly coloured fabrics, all very tastefully done including contemporary coffee machines for all the mocha frapuccino lovers out there and discrete TV’s that don’t overpower or demand your attention. The literature in the rooms indicate the hotel is hoping for a more discerning clientele, which it deserves. Amongst the nine rooms, there is one single room and three standard doubles. There are two feature rooms, which include a sofa bed, making them suitable for families and three superior double rooms, which can also be converted into twin rooms.

Plus point – One of the most relaxing and home from home hotels I’ve had the pleasure of.

Downside – I’d rather the view from my window not to be of a Frank Butcher-esque car lot.