Category: Travel

Hilton Garden Inn, London Heathrow

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2 weeks ago, I was traveling with my husband for Easter to visit my parents. As we had a very morning flight, we decided to stay at Hilton Garden Hotel near Heathrow airport.

Location:

Hilton Garden Inn Hotel is located on Eastern Perimeter Road, 5 minutes walk from Hatton Cross station (Piccadily line).

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Facilities:

Hilton Garden Inn Hotel has a 24-hours reception and Business Centre, complimentary fitness center, guest laundry, baggage storage, a full-service restaurant and a room service. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property at no extra charge. You can also use Foreign Currency Exchange and 24 hr Pavilion Pantry Market.

When we arrived to check in at 9 p.m. there was a long queue of guests waiting to be checked-in so it seemed to me like the hotel management was facing some staffing issues…

Room:

The room had a simple décor and there were some pictures of famous London monuments displayed in various places around it. We had a flat-screen TV, safe, mini-fridge and blackout curtains and coffee & tea making facilities. Our double bed was comfortable and there was also a small coffee table and chair to sit down or relax after a busy day.

The bathroom also had a minimalist, white décor and some toiletries were provided.

Overall:

Hilton Garden Inn Hotel has a good location for anyone catching an early flight or arriving late at the Heathrow airport. It is located around 40-minutes drive from the central London so it is not ideal if you wish to do a bit of sightseeing though. 

Address:

Eastern Perimeter Rd,

Hatton Cross,

London, TW6 2SQ

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Hotel Felix, Cambridge, UK

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A few weeks ago, I was in Cambridge on a business trip. I stayed in a nice, boutique Hotel Felix for 3 nights.

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Location:

Hotel Felix is located around 10 minutes taxi drive from the center of Cambridge in a quiet, residential area on a Whitehouse Lane.

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Facilities:

This Victorian Mashion boutique hotel has an in-house art collection, an award winning restaurant ‘Graffitti’ and some cosy spaces to relax.

Room:
My room was spacious and had a contemporary décor. I loved my king bed which was comfortable. My room was equipped with:

  • Egyptian cotton sheets and duck down pillows and duvets;
  • Air conditioning;
  • Mini bar with a complimentary bottle of milk;
  • Tea and coffee making facilities;
  • Complimentary Wi-fi;
  • Smart TV with freeview channels;
  • Personal safe and hair dryer;
  • Direct dial telephone system with voicemail.

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The bathroom was large and had a simple décor and some fluffy towels and bathrobes were provided. Some basic toiletries from White Company were provided.

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Overall:

Hotel Felix would be suitable for anyone who wishes to stay away of a busy hustle and bustle of Cambridge city.

My room was comfortable and the surroundings were peaceful so it was nice to relax at the end of a busy day. On the other hand, I was a bit disappointed that hotel didn’t have a gym and the service during the breakfast was extremely slow and I ended up waiting for my coffee for over 15 minutes… Next time, I would probably stay closer to the city center as Hotel Felix is in the middle of nowhere and you need to take a taxi or walk for over 30min if you wish to get to the center of Cambridge.

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Address:

 

Whitehouse Ln, Huntingdon Rd, Girton, Cambridge CB3 0LX

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Excelsior Hotel Ernst in Cologne, Germany

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Last week, I went for a romantic weekend break to Cologne in Germany with my husband. We decided that it would be nice to treat ourselves and stay at the 5* Excelsior Hotel Ernst. The hotel is the only member of “The Leading Hotels of the World” in Cologne.

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Location:

Excelsior Hotel Ernst is situated in the historic Old Town center of Cologne. It has an ideal location as it is literally in front of the Cathedral which is the main tourist attraction. Excelsior Hotel Ernst is a perfect destination for any luxury seeking travelers, no matter whether you are going to Cologne as I did for a mini-break or for business. This Grand 5 star Hotel has been family-owned since 1863 and it combines valuable traditions with important innovations in a stylish manner.

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Service:

The reception desk is open 24 hours. As soon as we entered the hotel, we were welcomed by extremely helpful and smiley receptionist. As we arrived way to early, she offered to call us when our room is available. We dropped our bags at the hotel and went for a lunch. When we arrived back, our room was ready and we were taken to it by another friendly receptionist-Marc.

Rooms:

Excelsior Hotel Ernst has 137 rooms and suites some of them with view of the cathedral as well as 12 meeting rooms. We stayed at the Grand Deluxe room on the second floor.

When we arrived we had a welcome letter and some snacks waiting for us in our room which was a great personal touch that made our experience even more special. As you can see from the pictures below, I loved my brownie.

Our room was elegant, spacious, bright and stylish. It was furnished with soft carpets, spacious desk, modern armchairs and a very comfortable bed.

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The walls were decorated with a were a few aesthetic photographs of famous landmarks in Cologne and mirrors.

In the corridor we had a large wardrobe and safe.

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Our Grand Deluxe room was also equipped with Air Conditioning and central heating which could be individually regulated, light control panel which was located at both bedside tables, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, all-inclusive minibar. In addition, the room was equipped with the best equipment available:

  • SuitePad;
  • Wi-Fi connection to Internet;
  • Direct telephone line.

Our king-size bed was extremely comfortable and after a day of sightseeing we fell asleep almost immediately.

Bathroom:

Our marble bathroom had a classic décor, a bathtub and a shower. There was a selection of natural bath toiletries from ASPIRE London collection.

It also had a make-up mirror and heated towel rail. In addition to soft towels we were also provided with some slippers and soft bath gowns which were perfect for lounging in and for our visits to the relaxation area.

Facilities:

Excelsior Hotel Ernst features some magnificent ceilings, doors and luxurious furniture that will satisfy even the most demanding guests who appreciate intimate and personalized spaces making their stay an unforgettable experience created to dream.

Breakfast is offered for a surcharge and provides a selection of cold and warm dishes to choose from. As my husband doesn’t normally eat breakfasts, we decided to skip it as it was 32 EUR per person per night.

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All guests have access o the relaxation area located on the fifth floor so if you fancy a steam bath or sauna then you should definitely check it out.

There is also a gym available at no extra charge.

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Excelsior Hotel Ernst is a destination for food lovers and drink connoisseurs alike and it offers something to suit all tastes:

  • Restaurant Hanse Stube – Innovative French cuisine with regional influence;
  • Restaurant taku – The house of East Asian hospitality, awarded with one Michelin star;
  • Piano Bar – Premium bar offering a large variety of cigars and live piano music;
  • Excelsior Hotel Ernst Afternoon Tea inspired by Pierre Hermé.

Overall experience:

Excelsior Hotel Ernst represents the charm which fusions the past and present of Cologne. It was definitely one of the most exclusive and elegant hotels I have stayed in recently. The location was perfect and service was faultless so I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who plans to travel to Cologne. I would love to stay in this magnificent hotel again one day!

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Website:

For more information and to book visit:

https://www.excelsiorhotelernst.com/

Address:

Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Domplatz/Trankgasse 1–5
50667 Cologne, Germany

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

L’Escalier Restaurant in Cologne, Germany

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Last week, we traveled to Cologne in Germany. Cologne’s range of eating establishments is extremely diverse and tourists have over 3,000 restaurants to choose from including a handful of top restaurants that have been awarded one or even two Michelin stars. During the first day of our stay we decided to have our lunch at L’Escalier restaurant by Maximilian Lorenz that have been awarded with 1 Michelin Star and 16 Gault & Millau points.

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Location:

L’Escalier restaurant is based on a quiet Brüsseler street so it is perfect if you wish to escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Atmosphere:

At first glance, L’Escalier restaurant looks like many other eateries however if you go inside you’ll discover that the restaurant has very modern and intimidate surroundings. Restaurant can host up to 32 diners at once and in the summer it also has 16 additional sits outside. Private dining or events are available upon request.

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We booked our table for 12:30 p.m. When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly waitress -Michelle who took us to our table. Once we were seated, she recommended us a glass of champagne-it was divine.

The decor of L’Escalier restaurant is exclusive, modern and sophisticated.

Throughout our meal there was soft, romantic music playing in the background.

IMG_2967Menu:

Guests dining at this fine-dining Michelin star restaurant have an opportunity to select from the A La Carte Menu as well as a few selected tasting menus. If you are looking for a great food which is out of the ordinary and completely different then you should try it. We decided to order the 7-course tasting menu ‘Innovation’.

The first dish we had was small incitement. It was made using crustacean espuma, North sea crab, amaranth, watercress, herring, red onion, topinambour, comté, pine nuts, citrus dressing, wels catfish, cabbage and black cumin.

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For second dish we had was German ‘Vitello Tonato’ made with pork loin, trout, cucumber and yellow dandelion.

For third course was Breton Mackarel made with some tomato, apple dressing and leeks.

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Next we had some wild broccoli with chicken giblets, hazelnut and chicorée.

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Following from that we had one of the signature dishes-Norwegian Scalop on a marrow bones with some young garlic and lovage.

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To clean our palate we received some refreshing Green Apple tonic water with celery.

For our main course we had some calf’s head that was served with a side of peas,  snow pea pods and asparagus.

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For my dessert we had some mouth-watering rhubarb cake with some bourbon vanilla and buckwheat.

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The meal ended with a selection of petit fours.

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All dishes were delicious and presented beautifully. I could even describe them as rather Instagram-friendly. After our dessert and petit fours Maximilian Lorenz came over to ask us if we enjoyed our food and we talked for a couple of minutes about his background, inspiration behind the dishes and the ingredients he sources for his dishes.

Overall experience:

We had an amazing dinning experience at L’Escalier restaurant. All of the dishes we tried were delicious, creative and featured regional products. If you are looking for a fine-dining experience based on the best quality, locally sourced ingredients then you should look no further. The service was great and the food was delectable so we will definitely be returning there next time we are in Cologne.

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Address:

Brüsseler Straße 11
50674 Köln

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.lescalier-restaurant.de/?lang=en

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Riga, Latvia

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I have recently visited Riga for 3 days with my husband. It is the capital and the largest city of Latvia and by means of 696,593 inhabitants (2015), Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states and home to one third of Latvia’s population. The city lies at the mouth of the Daugava and is frequently described as the pearl of the Baltics.

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We really enjoyed our romantic walks around Riga’s historical centre which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were also a plenty of local bars to visit and some traditional restaurants that served some tasty, local dishes.

It is definitely worth visiting if you decide to travel to Eastern Europe. Flight from London is just over 2 hours so it is a great destination for a short (& cheap) weekend break.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

The Aspire Lounge at Luton Airport

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A few weeks ago, I was travelling from Luton for a weekend break to visit my parents. I was at work most of the day and as my flight was not departing until the evening, I decided to book myself and my husband to the Aspire Lounge so I could respond to all my work emails prior to our departure.

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Location:

The Aspire Lounge is located at Luton Airport just the security control.

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Facilities:

Whether you wish to work or relax before you depart, the Aspire lounge at Luton Airport, provides a perfect environment and stress-free services:
– Free WiFi;
– Charging facilities;
– Flight Information Screens;
– Spa Facilities (Bliss Spa-additional fees apply);
– Newspapers & Magazines;
– Shower Facilities and SnoozePods-great if you have a stopover and need to recharge prior to your next flight.
– Complimentary Hot Food snacks and treats;

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– Premium Menu – Complimentary Beers, Wines and Spirits and soft drinks;
– Work Zones;

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Mission:
The Aspire Lounge at Luton Airport’s mission is to provide their customers with the perfect start to their journey and free them from the stressful hustle and bustle of the airport.
The Aspire Lounges are open to all customers irrespective of the class and airline they travel with at the additional fee.

Overall experience:

After I checked-in, dropped my bag and went through the security control, I only had around 40 min to enjoy the facilities. It was enough time though to grab a quick drink, snack and to catch up on some last minute work emails. I loved the look of  SnoozePods and would definitely use them if I had more time.

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The Aspire Lounge at Luton Airport is a great place to visit if you wish to relax in piece and grab a pre-flight refreshments.

Website:

You can pre-book your access to the Aspire lounge directly through the website:

executivelounges.com

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

 

Hilton Helsinki Strand Hotel, Helsinki, Finland

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A couple of weeks ago, I was in Finland on a business trip. I decided to stay at Hilton Hotel in Helsinki Airport for a night and then I moved to Hilton Helsinki Strand.

Location:

Hilton Helsinki Strand hotel is located on the waterfront and around 15 minutes from the Helsinki Train station.

Atmosphere and Facilities:

Hilton Helsinki Strand hotel has an informal atmosphere and some great facilities:

  • 24-hours reception,
  • gym, swimming pool and sauna on top floor,
  • rooftop terrace,
  • baggage storage room,
  • restaurant, cocktail bar and a room service’
  • Business center & Executive Lounge.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the property for an extra charge.

Room:

My room was very spacious and had a modern décor. I loved my king bed which was extremely comfortable.

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It was great to come back to my room after the whole day of meetings and relax in it watching some TV.

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In addition, my room was equipped with a safe, mini-bar and blackout curtains, iron & ironing board and coffee & tea making facilities. I also had a great view of Helsinki waterfront, which was covered in snow during my stay.

The bathroom was large and had a sophisticated décor.

As in all Hilton hotels some basic toiletries were provided.

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Overall:

Hilton Helsinki Strand hotel would be great for anyone who wishes to explore Helsinki’s top attractions or travels to Helsinki on business. It has comfortable rooms and great facilities where you can unwind at the end of each day. The staff was really friendly and location was convenient so I would definitely stay there again. 

Address:

John Stenbergin ranta 4,

00530 Helsinki,

Finland

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

COME PRIMA RESTAURANT, Bansko, Bulgaria

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A few weeks ago, I traveled to Bansko in Bulgaria for my winter skiing break. I had some lovely food and lots of mulled wine whilst in there and today I would like to tell you about a great Italian restaurant – Come Prima.

Location:

Come Prima restaurant is based in KEMPINSKI HOTEL, just a minute away from the Gondola lifts.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:30 p.m. When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly Bulgarian waiter-Ivo who took us to our table. Once we were seated, we asked him for a Bulgarian wine recommendation and he suggested a bottle of Castra Rubra. It was divine.

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The decor of Come Prima restaurant is sophisticated and welcoming. There was a fireplace and lots of interesting antiques around us. In addition, throughout our meal there was soft, romantic music playing in the background.

Guests dining at this fine-dining Mediterranean restaurant have an opportunity to watch some live cooking in the open kitchen which creates an amazing experience for every visitor.

Starters:

We decided to order from a ‘Weekly Special Menu’. For my starter I had some spiced calamari salad. It was really tasty and full of flavor.

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My husband had a duet of foie grass and braised duck leg which he enjoyed.

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Mains:

For my main I had some pan seared sea bass with broccoli mousseline. I love fish and it was simply delectable.

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My husband ordered some grilled chicken breast with parsnip puree and red wine juice. It absolutely gorgeous and cooked to perfection.

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Dessert:

My regular blog readers would know that I have a very bad sweet-tooth and a dessert is my favourite part of any meal. I decided to have some mango and passion fruit mousse with caramelized banana. Wow! Wow! Wow! It was delicious! Definitely the best dessert I have had so far this year.

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My husband, decided to have a forest fruit tart with yogurt ice cream. It was mouth-watering.

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After our desserts, a head chef came over to ask us if we enjoyed our food and we talked for a couple of minutes about his background, inspiration behind the dishes and the ingredients he sources for Come Prima.

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Overall experience:

We had an amazing evening at Come Prima restaurant. If you are looking for a fine-dining experience based on some good-quality, tasty food and locally sourced ingredients then you should look no further. The service was great, restaurant had a romantic atmosphere and the food was delectable so I will definitely visit again soon!

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Address:

“Pirin” Str. 96, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria

For more information and to book visit:

https://www.kempinski.com/en/bansko/hotel-grand-arena/dining/restaurants/prima-restaurant/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Hilton Helsinki Airport Hotel, Finland

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Last week, I flown to Finland for a business trip and as I arrived late during the evening, I decided to stay at Hilton Hotel in Helsinki Airport.

Location:

Hilton Helsinki Airport hotel is located in Helsinki airport and it is only 5 minutes from Terminal 2 so it’s perfect if you have an early flight or if you arrive late and you are too tired to travel to Helsinki city.

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Atmosphere and Facilities:

Hilton Helsinki Hotel has a 24-hours reception, gym, swimming pool, baggage storage room, restaurant and a room service. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property for an extra charge.

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The hotel has a restaurant serving breakfast but it is quite expensive as it costs 32euros per person per day so unless you eat a lot it’s not worth it.

In addition, you can use a gym which is free of charge and open 24/7.

Room:

My room had a simple, modern décor and my bed was comfortable. My room was also equipped with a flat-screen TV, safe, mini-bar and blackout curtains and coffee & tea making facilities.

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The bathroom also had a simple décor and some basic toiletries were provided.

Overall:

Hilton Helsinki Airport Hotel would be suitable for anyone travelling from or arriving at Helsinki airport. It has simple, modern facilities and comfortable rooms so I would definitely stay there again. 

Address:

Lentäjänkuja 1, 01530 Vantaa, Finland

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, London Heathrow

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A couple of weeks ago, I was on a business trip and came back to London during late evening.  As I was flying for my skiing break in less than 8 hours from arriving back, I decided to stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Heathrow.

Location:

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Heathrow is located on a Bath Road in Hounslow. It is only 10 minutes taxi drive from London Heathrow Terminal 3 and around 15 min drive from terminal 5.

Atmosphere and Facilities:

The hotel has an informal atmosphere.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Heathrow has a 24-hours reception, baggage storage room, restaurant and a room service. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property for an extra charge.

The room-service offering is quite limited. There wasn’t much to choose from so I ordered a burger. It was £16 pounds and honestly speaking I would never order it again. If you stay at this hotel then it might be worth checking their restaurant offering. Alternatively, you could walk to one of many restaurants available on the road.

Room:

The room had a simple, modern décor. The double bed was comfortable and spacious. My room also had a flat-screen TV, safe, mini-bar and blackout curtains and coffee & tea making facilities.

The bathroom also had a modern décor and some Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries were provided.

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Overall:

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Heathrow for anyone travelling from the Heathrow airport. It is located around 45-minutes drive from the central London so if you wish to do a bit of sightseeing then I would probably recommend you to stay somewhere more central.

Address:

745 Bath Rd,

Hounslow

TW5 9QE, UK

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline