Accommodations Worldwide

May 2008 issue

London's The Celtic Hotel

For those who were saddened by the closure of St. Margaret’s Hotel in Bloomsbury, London, in the spring of 2007, be of good cheer. The Marazzi family, who owned St. Margaret’s for almost 60 years (for those who haven’t heard, the property was sold and is being converted to an “upscale boutique hotel”), owns another London property.

The Celtic Hotel (62 Guilford St., Russell Square, London WC1 N10, U.K.; phone [0] 20-7837-9258 or 6737 or e-mail reservations@st margaretshotel.co.uk) is also in Bloomsbury, and the Marazzis once again are attracting travelers who prefer to spend their...

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September 2008 issue

Hotel Waldhaus am See, St. Moritz, Switzerland

St. Moritz, SWITZERLAND, is not the sort of place where you expect to spend a budget holiday. That said, an off-season visit allows you to enjoy its glorious setting, soak up its posh ambience and relax at a reasonable cost.

In May ’08 my wife, Paula, and I spent two nights in the 3-star Hotel Waldhaus am See (Via Dim Lej 6, 7500 St. Moritz, Switzerland; phone +41 [0] 81 836 60 00, fax 60 60 or visit [in German only] www.waldhaus-am-see.ch).

Situated on a hill, this hotel offers unobstructed views of the town, its eponymous lake and the surrounding snowcapped mountains and...

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January 2007 issue

St. Margaret’s Hotel in London

For decades, I have been staying now and then at the delightful St. Margaret’s Hotel (26, Bedford Place, London WC1B 5JL, ENGLAND; phone +44 [0] 20 7636 4277, fax 7323 3006 or visit www. stmargaretshotel.co.uk), most recently in July ’06. Mrs. Rosanne Merazzi, the delightful owner, is still about and greeting visitors.

On a quiet street off Russell Square, St. Margaret’s is one block from the British Museum. The back of the hotel faces a garden.

The price was £55 ($104) a day, and a more pleasant experience is not possible, in my book (or at that price, in any event). Nice...

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May 2007 issue

Winchester Mansions and Garden Route Game Lodge

While visiting Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA, my husband, Joe, and I decided to stay in the residential neighborhood of Sea Point. We chose Winchester Mansions (221 Beach Rd., Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa; phone +27 21 434 2351, fax 434 0215 or visit www.winchester.co.za) for our September ’06 stay because of their sea-facing rooms.

Even though this Dutch Cape-style hotel is on a busy road, each room has double-paned windows which completely cut out any traffic noise. Across the street is a beautiful walkway which locals use for jogging and walking their dogs. Behind the concrete...

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September 2007 issue

B&Bs in Italy: BedinArt, Bonapace Porta Nolana, Residenza del Doge

My friend Kathy, a computer whiz, went online and checked locations and ratings from the past guests for bed-and-breakfasts in ITALY. For our March ’07 trip we stayed in Rome, Naples and Venice, and all three B&Bs were great and affordable.

• BedinArt (Via In Selci, 63, 00184, Roma, Italy; phone +39 06 4885598 or 339-3232975 or visit www.bedinart.it) is located one stop from the Termi on the B Line of the metro in Rome. It’s a one-block walk from the Cavorn metro stop, and the Colosseum was one stop away. There were buses and restaurants all over, yet on this side street it was...

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May 2008 issue

Venice's Hotel Cá Doge

We’ve been to Venice six times, and the perfect hotel if you’re arriving by car or departing on a cruise is Hotel Cá Doge (Piazzale Roma, Sest. Santa Croce 467/e, 30135 Venice, ITALY; phone +39 041 5286 975, fax 041 2410 865, www.cadoge.it).

Its location, Piazzale Roma, is where all vehicle traffic coming into Venice must stop. You can drive to the hotel’s front door, and the hotel is adjacent to all the parking ramps. You have the shortest-possible taxi ride to the cruise ship terminal, and you only have to walk 50 yards from the hotel to catch a taxi to the airport. Also, a walk...

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September 2008 issue

Hotel Victoria, Budapest

In Budapest, we stayed in the excellent Hotel Victoria (Bem rkp 11, 1011 Budapest, Hungary; phone +36 1 457 8080, fax 457 8088, www.victoria.hu). It’s on the Buda side of the Danube, right on the waterfront.

During our stay in March ’08, a single room with facilities en suite cost €91 ($141) and a double, €96 ($149), breakfast included. Credit cards accepted. English spoken.

The views were terrific. The hotel is in an excellent location for catching a Danube river cruise boat. For example, the Uniworld dock was a 5-minute, 10-dollar taxi ride from the hotel.

• Budapest...

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January 2007 issue

Hôtel Arvor and Ferme Savigny in France

On our trip to western FRANCE in May ’06, we stayed in two places that were especially noteworthy.

• Located in a quiet part of medieval Dinan in Bretagne is Hôtel Arvor (5 rue A. Pavie, Dinan 22100, France; phone 33 [0] 2 96 39 21 22, fax 83 09 or visit www.hotel-arvor-dinan.com). The hotel is within walking distance of the town’s primary attractions, and there is free parking.

The staff was very friendly and helpful. Room rates were very reasonable: €50-€70 ($64-$90) per person including breakfast. We stayed in the very large room No. 31 on the top floor, which is serviced...

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