Travel Places Guide

Archive for November, 2009

A 24-hour bus strike begins in east London, halting two routes and causing disruption to two others.

Passengers and rail operators are to discuss proposed changes in services which the county council says would leave East Sussex a “forgotten county”

A “Sopranos” bus tour of New Jersey features sites like Holsten’s Confectionery, the Pizzaland shack and the auto-body shop run by Sal Bonpensiero.

Valerie France, our have-a-go girl in the Northeast, enjoyed being pampered at the Verbena Spa in Helmsley so much that she awarded the place 5 stars!

I guess she liked it…On the other hand, maybe it was that naked Pierce Brosnan look-alike.

Have you tried the Verbena Spa? Agree or disagree with Valerie’s review? You can add your own two-cents (or tuppence as the case may be) by making use of our “Rate and Review” feature. Just scroll down to the bottom of any review with a star rating on About.com: United Kingdom Travel. That includes restaurants, hotels, attractions, books and, of course, spas. Click the “Write a Review” button and let ‘er rip.

To get you started, here are a few reviews just waiting for your point of view:

• English Country House Chic at Verbena Spa

• The AA Bed and Breakfast Guide
• Brown’s Cafe – Cheap Eats in Oxford Covered Market
• Kids Review Longleat Safari Park
• Simpsons – Fine Dining in Birmingham
• Ardanaiseig Hotel on Loch Awe in Scotland

_{Courtesy of the Verbena Spa | UK Travel Blog | share on facebook | Twit This}

Review Our Reviewers and Have Your Say originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 01:24:27.

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If you live in the UK or you are planning a visit to the Lake District soon, you may have heard about the heavy rainfall and severe flooding that has been going on there.

But before you rush out and cancel plans, take a look at this report from our correspondent in the North, Valerie France.

“…the weather/flooding/doom and gloom in the Lake District – bad as it is – is localised. We stayed with family in Kendal over the weekend – even though it was much featured on flood reports.

“Although it was wet and gloomy (Lake District in November, what do you expect?) there was no evidence of flooding or traffic disruption.

Yet when we went out to supper on Saturday evening, the restaurant-with-rooms had received several cancellations…”

Let’s face it, if you were thinking of a Lake District getaway this time of year, you weren’t thinking of warm, dry, sunny weather. If you were, it’s time to consult a new guidebook – or read my pages more closely.

But the Lake District has many pleasures at this time of year, including:

• Cosy inns with gourmet food

• Dramatic scenery
• Literary connections from Beatrix Potter and Rathur Ransome to William Wordsworth

The recent flooding has only had an impact on a small part of the region and there is probably no reason to change or cancel your plans. Just make sure you get local information about routes and road conditions before you go.

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The Lake District is Still Open for Business originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 16:25:58.

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Barbados [Photo by rgtmum/Flickr]

·Old-fashioned charm on Barbados’ west coast [Telegraph]
·Orson Welles to ice skating: goings on around LA [LAist]
·Travel books perfect for holiday gifting [USAToday]
·A gastronomical tour of Paris that dates back a century [NYT]
·The world’s best business hotels [MSNBC]

Staying above ground may not get you there fast. But remember, it’s more about the journey than the destination. So hop aboard: A visual parade of wonders awaits.