hotels articles

Asia-Pacific’s luxury hotel group, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, opened its first hotel in India, the Traders Hotel, Chennai, in association with J-Hotels on April 22. DMK president M Karunanidhi declared it open.

DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan, Jagatrakshagan of J-Hotels, and a number of political personalities were present.

The hotel is located on G N Chetty Road in T Nagar, Chennai.

The Shangri-La group is developing more properties in India, including Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, which will open mid-2005, and three new properties in Bangalore which will open between August 2007 to December 2008. In all, 8-10 hotels would be up by the group in India in the next four to five years.

“The opening of Traders Hotel, Chennai, is a significant milestone marking the first entry into India for the Shangri-La group and particularly the Traders brand,” said Giovanni Angelini, chief executive officer and managing director of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. “We are excited to be represented in Chennai with its key position in India and strong links to South-East Asia. This is an important progression of our expansion plan for the region.”

Chennai is well known as “the jewellery and silk capital of south India”, said Symon Bridle, vice-president, Shangri-La.

Chennai is a major destination in the world now due to the IT boom, he added.

The Traders Hotel, Chennai, is conveniently situated in the heart of the city, close to the shopping hub of T Nagar. All 162 guestrooms, with a minimum size of 30 square metres, have data ports and broadband Internet connectivity. Amenities and services include 24-hour room service, same day laundry and valet, and satellite TV. Located on the 10th to 12th floor of the hotel, the Traders Club offers exclusive privileges and services such as express check-in and check-out, free use of meeting room, and a club lounge for daily breakfast and evening cocktails, said Andrea Mastellone, general manager, Chennai.

Dining and entertainment facilities include Seasons Cafe, Indiana, a contemporary Indian restaurant; Zodiac, the hotel bar; and a roof-top restaurant which will open in a second phase. Meeting and banquet facilities feature a 516-square-metre grand ballroom which can be divided into two rooms, as well as other banquet halls with a total space of 450 square metres. Facilities such as business centre, health club, massage rooms and swimming pool are also available.

“We are very excited to see the opening of Traders Hotel, Chennai. We are certain the hotel will become an attractive choice for business and leisure travellers to this region,” commented Dr J Sri Nisha, co-owner of J-Hotels Ltd, the developer and owner of Traders Hotel, Chennai.

“We selected Shangri-La to manage the hotel due to the strength of this award-winning brand and its long-standing reputation for delivering service excellence,” said J Sandeep Annand, director of the J-Hotels Ltd.

“These excellent new additions of Shangri-La will reinforce our presence in India and will complement the Traders Hotel, Chennai, and the Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, which will open in the second and third quarter of 2005 respectively,” said Giovanni Angelini, Shangri-La’s chief executive officer and managing director.

Chennai will play host to the 41st national convention of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) in October 2005. The convention, titled The Road Ahead, will focus on infrastructure development for tourism growth. The 3-day convention will be held between October 15-17 at the Chennai Convention Centre, Nandambakkam.ÂÂ

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will inaugurate the convention where over 2,000 delegates are expected to participate, said M P Purushothaman, president of FHRAI & SIHRA. “The theme of the convention has been carefully chosen keeping in mind the rapid developments taking place in the country. The IT and ITES sector has propelled India to the top of the world stage wherein many MNCs have set up shop or are opening new facilities all over India. This involves many foreigners coming into India for business development. Together with this segment and the tourist arrivals, the demand for quality hotel rooms is only bound to go up. The government needs to be more practical in its viewing of the hotel industry and extend all support to this important industry, which is the second largest foreign exchange earner for India,” he pointed out.

Purushothaman further said, “There will be a demand of over 90,000 guest rooms in all categories in the next five years. It is envisaged that an amount in excess of Rs. 11,000 crore will be required for infrastructure development for promoting tourism and creating these new capacities and upgrading the older ones. The government should, therefore, be more pragmatic and provide a level playing field for the hotel industry on a par with other industries, so that the momentum gained on the tourism/hotel front is not lost because of poor infrastructure and lack of foresight on behalf of the planners and decision makers.”

Elaborating on the various issues which were hurting the hotel industry and impinging on its growth, Purushothaman said, “They should be given the same benefits available to the IT and ITES sectors like in electricity tariffs, sales-tax rationalisation, reduction in taxes and duties on liquor and special concession on stamp duty.”

He felt that luxury tax applied in India should be done away with to give value to the consumers. Further, since land is scarce and demand outstrips supply, the government should relax the FSI rules after analysing the situation correctly depending on the city and the hotel/s concerned. The government should also make available to hoteliers, the government land available in the central business district (CBD) in cities across India to promote quality hotels, he added.

“Today, while the government is also interested in promoting tourism and offering various incentives to different sectors, the hotel industry alone has not been given the real impetus for growth. For example, in air-conditioning, which is an absolute necessity for a hot country like India, the government should extend the benefit of lower electricity tariff, which they extend to other industries like manufacturing,” he added.ÂÂ

Shankar Menon, vice president and chairman, Convention Organising Committee, said, “Tourism and business travel are completely dependent on hotels and the enormous revenue that can be generated via tourism and travel can only be realised if
hotel resources are adequate and meet international standards.”

Menon added, “We believe that accelerated growth in the hotel industry has become a necessity in the current economic scenario, with more and more hotel rooms needed in the business and budget hotel segments. This cannot be achieved without a proactive, fully informed and enlightened policy towards the hotel industry followed at both the Central and state levels.”

The 3-day convention will discuss and highlight the progress and problems faced by the industry and what needs to be done to sustain the growth in future and take advantage of India becoming the IT capital of the world and also among the top 20 tourism destinations in the world, said T Natarajan (CEO, GRT Hotels and Resorts) and R Rangachari, secretary-general, South Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA).

Empee Hotels Ltd, part of the Empee Group, has signed an agreement with hospitality major Hilton International to manage and operate their luxury hotel development, in Chennai. The property, promoted by Empee Hotels with an investment of Rs 184 crore, will come up at Ekkattuthangal, near Guindy, in December 2007, its chairman M P Purushothaman said in Chennai on October 5, shortly after signing the MoU.

The 253-room Hilton Chennai will boast of several fine dining restaurants, a destination bar, a swimming pool, a health club and a spa. Located 15 minutes from the Chennai airport, Hilton Chennai would also include four conference rooms, a ballroom and a business centre.

Wimberley Allison Tong & Goo (WATG), one of the leading global design teams behind some of the world’s most iconic hotels, has designed this landmark property. The hotel design will be a blend of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture with new generation state-of-the-art facilities, said Purushothaman.

He said, “Hilton is a fresh face in India, but in the last 18 months its presence nationally and regionally has grown quickly making it a priority partner for our group.”

Nisha Purushothaman, managing director, Empee Hotels Ltd, said, “With this tie-up we will take our hotel business to the next level and work with a global hotel chain that has a modern array of upscale properties. With the development of the new property, the Hilton brand will have a strong presence in Chennai and will be a preferred choice for judicious travelers to this region.”ÂÂ

The president for Hilton International Middle East and Asia Pacific, Koos Klein, said, “Chennai’s hotel industry is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic in India, with occupancy levels at the top end of the market posting very strong gains.”

The equity for this hotel will come from the Empee Group while Hilton will take care of the management.

The Hilton Group is looking at five hotels in India as it considers the country to be a major market along with China in the years to come. India, in fact, has a brighter future than China, Koos felt. “As the powerhouse behind India’s automotive industry and with its growing IT sector, the outlook for this market is very positive. We are delighted to partner the Empee Group, a company that has a comprehensive knowledge of the hotel industry gained through first-hand experience in operating hotels and with M P Purushothaman’s active role with the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India.”ÂÂ

“This is a strong addition to our eight properties already established in India and the three other properties now under development,” he added.

Chennai accounts for 40 per cent of India’s automotive industry with companies such as Hyundai, Ford, Mitsubishi, Ashok Leyland and Royal Enfield having manufacturing facilities within the region. In August, BMW announced its intention to open a manufacturing plant in the city in late 2006. Most recently, the city has transformed into a commercial centre hosting a large number of IT companies and outsourcing businesses seeking alternative hubs to Hyderabad and Bangalore.

The conference, conventions and events market would rise. The city is well positioned to capitalise on an influx of business tourism, with the international airport serving more than 15 international carriers, said Purushothaman.

The Empee Group is a well-diversified business conglomerate with interests in business related to hotels, liquor, sugar, power, packaging, transport, construction and exports. The group came into existence 40 years ago and is today one of the leading business houses in south India.

Empee Hotels, part of the Empee Group, would promote its first five star hotel in Chennai. The group owns two other hotels at prime locations in Chennai. Purushothaman, currently the president of Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India (FHRAI), is a pioneer in the hospitality industry and has been elected twice as the president of FHRAI.

In April 2004, Hilton International signed a strategic alliance with EIH Ltd, giving the company instant presence in eight locations across India; seven under the Trident Hilton name and one under the Hilton Towers, Mumbai banner. EIH Ltd manages all hotels while Hilton is responsible for international marketing, promotion and reservations through the Hilton global network. The hotels include Trident-Hiltons Gurgaon, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Cochin and Hilton Towers in Mumbai. Trident Hilton Mumbai, a 500-room new property in north Mumbai is scheduled to be built in 2007.

In addition, to date Hilton has signed management contracts for three new properties - a 300-room new generation Hilton hotel and a 250-room Hilton residences in Bangalore, also a l00-villa holistic lifestyle retreat in Shillim, located in the Western Ghats.

Hotels in India have an infinite variety that you can hardly fathom. Much like the diversity of its national culture, the hospitality industry in India too has different ways of treating different guests coming from different parts of India as well as from all over the world. Hotels in India have understood that the only way to survive in the rat-race is by providing anything and everything that a customer asks for. The hospitality industry has taken up the arduous task of providing guests with an unprecedented level of comfort. Be it hotels in Mumbai or hotels in Delhi, the wish of the guest is their order. People stay in hotels for various reasons and the hotels are trying to identify the exact requirement of the guest in order to provide customized service.

The economic growth of India has had an impact on the hospitality industry too. Traveling is now no more limited to leisure tourism only. People travel extensively for the sake of business and the hotels are cashing in on it. Today, the utility of a hotel is not just limited to being a place for relaxation, it is also used as a place of meeting. No wonder, hotels across India are furnishing themselves with meeting facilities. Hotels in Pune and Mumbai, the economic nerve center of India, are making sure that the guests on business tours get the best of facilities and are not troubled by petty matters. To help them focus on the business, the hotels are going all out to make them as comfortable as possible. Food too is not a problem. Whatever your food-habits are, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, hotels throughout India will serve you according to your choice of food.

Making hotel reservation in India is not at all a difficult proposition or a cause of concern. Most hotels now-a-days have the facility of online hotel booking. With the click of a mouse you can reserve a room in luxury hotels across India. If you are on a tour and are on the look out for unadulterated luxury, there are many hotels in India from which you can pick and choose.

Cricket in India is religion personified. The zeal and passionate frenzy with which the game is played, followed and analyzed is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Cricket is to India as Soccer is to Brazil. Sports have always been harbinger of friendship and peace. Indian cricket calendar is never empty and there is either one series or another just round the corner. While cricket teams move along from one part of the country to another, ardent followers of the game and fanatical supporters of the teams also move along. Thousands of international tourists pour in every year from different parts of the world to support the team while they take on India. Now it has almost become a regularity that all the hotels in the host city run full for a couple of days to a few days before and after the rubber.

Hotel reservation in India reaches a crescendo during the peak cricket season or at the time of a tour by a foreign team. Though tourists come with the primary objective to see a game of quality cricket and enjoy the carnival like atmosphere, there are enough attractions in India they can visit. Important cricket venues like Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, Nagpur, Indore and Bangalore are not only famous for wonderful cricket infrastructure but also as some of the finest tourist destinations. Since the itinerary is prepared early enough, tourists who plan to visit India with the cricket team have enough time to make the necessary hotel bookings in those particular fixtures. Last minute reservation in these cities on the days of the fixture can be pretty troublesome.

Hotels in India have now geared up for this new business prospect. Online hotel reservation in India has enabled hotels in India to make the most of cricket tourism. People who wish to travel to India can now book hotels well in advance through a travelsite that focuses exclusively on India. Making hotel reservation through www.desiya.com has a number of advantages. It is among a few travelsites of its kind that facilitates real time hotel booking. Tourists can therefore plan their tour better. Desiya.com can book over 390 Indian hotels spread across more than 150 Indian cities. Huge inventory ensures that there is always a room available for a tourist anytime and anywhere in India. Tourists also have the luxury to choose from different categories of hotels. As a complete travelsite, Desiya.com also enables tourists to book cars, flight tickets and train tickets. This facility removes any communication hassle that a tourist might suffer while in India.

This week I want to give you some valuable advice about taking single women to motels/hotels.

At some point in your pursuit of romance you will have opportunities to take women on out of town trips or just to a local motel for some lovemaking.

I want you to be aware that it’s very critical to a woman what the motel looks like and more importantly what the room looks like. A lot us men could care less if a motel looks like a dive. However, it’s very important to the ladies.

The most important advice I can give you is to never pay for a room without looking at it first because the room may be a real turn-off for the woman you are with and I’ll tell you why:

* It may smell musty and trust me, women have very strong sense of smell.

* Have see-through curtains which will make her feel uncomfortable thinking that someone could see what is going on in the room.

* A hard or lumpy mattress.

* Stains on the carpet.

* Walls that need painting.

* A room that’s old and outdated and needs to be remodeled.

* Mold or leak stains on the ceiling tiles.

* Cracks in the walls.

* Ugly bedspreads, etc.

I’m sure you get the picture. With the reputable motel and hotel chains you usually don’t run into these problems. In my experience, motels that are run by individuals and not chains can really be dumps on the inside. Also those motels that have discount coupons in travel publications can be very disappointing. They use discount coupons to lure you to their motels. In this case there’s a lot of truth to old saying, “You get what you pay for.” To make the best impression on the woman you take to motels or hotels, take them to a reputable motel or hotel chain. They have a reputation to uphold and want to give you a nice room and amenities so you will come back. Go ahead and spend the extra bucks for a quality place to stay because it will be worth it.

Here’s some more tips on selecting a place to impress the ladies:

* Offers Continental Breakfast.

* Hair dryers in the room so she can dry her hair after taking a shower.

* Coffee maker in the room.

* Nice swimming pool and jacuzzi.

Also, don’t let them give you a room next to an elevator. People make noise when waiting for the elevator or when coming out. Also, some elevators make a beeping noise when they stop at your floor (This can awaken you when you are trying to sleep). Even worse, don’t let them give you a room next to a ice-maker. The machines can be noisy and people are always going back and forth at all hours and this can make a lot of noise that can interfere with you getting a good night’s sleep.

There you have it. Some rules to follow when selecting a motel or hotel to impress the lady you are with. You certainly want them to be happy with your selection to keep them in a romantic mood. If they are disgusted and turned off by their environment this can make her uncomfortable and spoil your chances for romance.

I realize it could be expensive to just rent a room for a day, in hope of meeting women. However, it could pay off in big dividends. What you can do to cut down on expenses is to share the room with a couple of your buddies and all three of you go woman-hunting.

Hotels and motels are great places to approach the world’s easiest target for a casual affair (the woman on a business trip or vacation). She’s more relaxed and casual and she’s away from the prying eyes of family, friends, and neighbors. She will let her hair down and she doesn’t have to worry about her reputation or what people think, being that she’s away from home.

The best places to approach women are at the pool, club, or restaurant.

In conclusion, I might add that if you don’t want to rent a room, you can still meet single women at hotels and motels. The clubs are open to the public, so it’s free game in there and it’s a good place to hang out and meet out-of- towners. Also, you can drive to a hotel or motel in your bathing suit and hang around the pool and strike up a conversation with all those women. Be sure and bring a change of clothes with you in case you want to go somewhere afterwards.

himal writes “Many visitors to India like travelling to Nepal, while they’re in the region, for the excellent trekking and other adventure activities in the Himalayas.

Trekking:
Nepal is a mecca for trekkers, with the world’s 12 highest peaks and unparalleled combination of natural beauty attracting them. While trekking on these paths, you will come across many people and places and get to see their way of life and live a part of their culture.

Trekking Seasons:
Although it is possible to trek at any time of the year in Nepal, the main season begins in Autumn (October and November), when there’s minimal rainfall and crystal-clear, mountain views.

During the Winter (December to Febuary), it’s freezing above 4,000 metres and the high passes may be snowbound. Winter is an ideal season for a lower trek.

March to May marks the beginning of the Spring trekking season, which peaks around mid-April.

River Rafting:
Nepal is also one of the best destinations in the world for white water rafting. Nepal’s thundering waters, coming from the glaciers of the Himalayas, provide unmatched thrills for rafting and immersing oneself in the landscape.

Rivers are graded on a scale of one to six, with one being a swimming pool and six a being very strenuous and dangerous.

Heli Trekking:
While the whole point of trekking is using your feet, not everyone can climb the heights to appreciate wonderful, panoranic views of the Himalayas.

For those who are restricted by time (or other constraints) from going trekking, helicopters fly swiftly into the core of any trekking zone.

Ballooning:
Ballooning is quite a popular sport in Nepal and a good enough reason to view nature at its best, from a height of 1,200 to 1,500 metres.

From this altitude, the entire Himalayan range will be in sight, with 360 degrees of visibility and fantastic downward views of the Kathmandu valley itself.

Bungi Jumping:
The new adventure sport introduced in Nepal is bungi jumping. The jump takes place in the gorge of Bhote Koshi river, from a bridge over a 160 metre, tropical gorge - with the Bhote Koshi, one of the world’s wildest rivers, raging below.

Mountain Flights:
Experience one of the most fascinating flights in the world.

If you came overland from India, this is your chance to see what you missed. These flights offer a panoramic view of the Himalaya, in just one hour.

Mount EverestDuring the flight you will see the mightiest Himalayas including Shisha Pngma (8,013m.), Dorje Lakpa (6,966m.), Phurbi-Ghyachu, Choba- Bhamre (5,933m.), GauriShankar (7,134m.), Melungtse (7,023 m), Chugimago 6,297 m), Numbur (6956 m), Karyolung (6511m), Cho-Oyu (8,201m.), Gyachungkang (7,952 m), Pumori (7,161m), Nuptse (7,855m), Mt.Everest (8,848+2m) - the highest peak in the world (also known as Sagarmatha in the Nepali Language) and many more, including a glimpse of Kanchanjunga.

Jungle Safari:
The southern lowland, known as the Terai, is covered with dense tropical jungles - teeming with diverse wildlife and exotic birds.

Here one will find some of the most exciting safari destinations in the world. Elephant-back safari or four-wheel drive vehicle is provided, to view wild animals in their natural habitat.

Other thrills are canoe rides on the jungle rivers, nature walks, bird watching excursions, and village tours.

Among the 14 National Parks and wildlife reserves in the Kingdom of Nepal, the Royal Chitwan National Park (932 sq km) is the most popular safari destination.

More than 43 species of animals are found in Chitwan: the endangered one-horned rhino, Royal Bengal tiger, Gharial crocodile, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, and the Gangetic dolphin among them.

Visit Chester and discover a delightful cultural mix that evolves when a 21st century city has been shaped by 2,000 years of history. Within the city walls Chester combines five star luxuries, exclusive stores, excellent dining and a vibrant nightlife with attractions such as a Roman Amphitheatre and Gothic Cathedral.
Places of interest:
Chester boasts a complete circuit of historic walls, sections of which date back to Roman times, Chester’s most unique feature is the 13th century ‘Rows’ - two tiers of enticing shops, running through the main streets. Other attractions include the beautiful River Dee, the recently restored Grosvenor and Cheshire Military Museums, a Roman Amphitheatre, the Grosvenor Park and the city’s famous Roodee Racecourse.
The Roman Amphitheatre, the largest arena ever uncovered in Britain. The famous Chester Rows are unique, being two-tiered galleries built in the traditional black and white ‘magpie’ style. They offer a wide range of shops selling goods from antiques to high fashion. Grosvenor Museum offers visitors the chance to explore 2000 years of Chester history. This includes Roman life, Chester wildlife - past and present, art galleries, and a unique Chester timeline. Entrance is free. You can take a light hearted journey through the Roman heritage of Chester. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and can be provided, on request, at any time of the year. Chester Zoo is one of Europe’s leading conservation zoos, with over 7,000 animals living in spacious and natural enclosures. The zoofari overhead railway and waterbus cater for your transportation needs. There is also a Children’s Farm complete with Marmot Mania, brass rubbings and face-painting. Chester Market, having been established in Chester since Roman times, is one of the oldest functions of the council.
Things to do:
There are many ways of seeing the attractions and surrounding areas of Chester. Tours by Foot, Bus, Rail and Waterway are all available. If you enjoy the festival atmosphere you can relax at the Chester races, the annual international film festival or food and drinks festival. All tastes are catered to in historic Chester.
Chester Racecourse holds meetings throughout the summer months including the May Festival, a Family fun day and a Roman day. There has been racing on the Roodee at Chester for over 450 years and the thrill of watching a race at Chester unfolding before you from the sophisticated surroundings of the course’s enclosures or the vantage point of the City walls is an unforgettable experience. Bus tours operate from the Chester Visitor Centre that allows you to discover Chester from the comfort of a coach. Commentary is provided along the way by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. The tours take in such sites as the Amphitheatre, the River Dee and its bridges, the Old Port, and the Racecourse. The Annual Food and Drink Festival celebrate the success of local producers where they exhibit their fayre to over 6,000 food and drink lovers. The International Film Festival is run by the Chester Film Society. This popular annual event showcases fringe cinema from all over the world. The festival runs for a week, generally during early spring. A Cruise along the Waterways of Cheshire is not only relaxing but offers a chance to enjoy the attractive sites of historic interest, heritage and culture of the area. There are more miles of canals here than in any other English county. A Town Crier is a regular feature in the summer months You can enjoy this midday flamboyant spectacle at the Cross in the heart of the City, from Tuesday to Saturday from May to September.
Food & Drink:
There is plenty of opportunity to pause and take refreshment during your strolls around Chester in one of the many cafes, restaurants and wine bars. Contained within this vibrant city is an eating scene of diverse proportions. The styles of foods available include Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian and some of the best bars, night clubs and coffee houses you can imagine.
Samsi Japanese Yakitori Bar. Instead of the menu being divided the traditional manner of starters and main course you will find that most dishes are available in appetiser and main course portions. For people unaccustomed to Japanese food assistance is available. Vito’s Trattoria Pizzeria. This is a traditional pizzeria where the waiters pace about with enormous pepper mills and straw-wrapped Chianti bottles hold candles over gingham tablecloths. All the old favourite dishes appear on the long menu. Chez Jules Restaurant. Located in a former fire station this is a bistro style restaurant where the reasonably priced menu is changed daily. There are usually about six starters and the same number of mains on offer. It is a firm favourite with the locals. Mongolian Barbeque. An award-winning restaurant that offers customers the chance to choose their own combination of meat, fish and vegetables and then watch as they are stir fried on a huge Mongolian style griddle. The Boot Inn, Chester’s oldest public house dates back to 1643, its façade was rebuilt and restored in the late 19th century and again in 1988. This very attractive 17th Century inn is accessible from the street level by narrow stony staircase. This leads into a large hall, which is divided into two main sections. Features include a fireplace, a large bar counter, low ceilings and exposed beams.
Hotels & Accommodation:
The city of Chester has a wide range of hotels and quality assured guest houses suitable for the business traveller and tourist alike. Elsewhere in Cheshire your options include luxurious country house hotels, excellent farmhouse B&B’s and self catering.
Macdonald Blossoms Hotel Higher Huxley Hall Non-Smoking Alton Lodge Best Western Queen Hotel Quality Hotel Chester Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel Eaton Hotel Non Smoking Dene Hotel Chester The Chester Grosvenor and Spa Comfort Inn Chester Ramada Chester Brookside Hotel Llyndir Hall Hotel Chester Moat House De Vere Carden Park Hotel Golf Resort Spa Broxton Hall Country House Hotel St. David’s Park Hotel Mollington Banastre Hotel Best Western Westminster Hotel Thornton Hall Classic Hotel Hoole Hall Hotel Express by Holiday Inn Chester Racecourse Crabwall Manor Gateway To Wales Hotel
Entertainment
Telford’s Warehouse is an independent family run bar/restaurant and an internationally renowned music and arts venue. Upstairs is a popular restaurant and contemporary art gallery. The lower area and bar are reserved for the many popular live music nights which having played host too many famous names that have helped to establish ‘Telford’s’ as one of the most important venues in the country.
The Miniature Theatre of Chester is based at the Chester Town Hall, performing works that include both world premieres and plays by local talent.
Chester Theatre Club, based at the little theatre, was founded in 1944 and stages 6 plays per year. The auditorium seats 126 and there is a licensed bar
Alexander’s Jazz Theatre is the leading North West venue for jazz, blues and rock artists. It hosts Chester Jazz and Blues Festival. Alexander’s is also a famous for the alternative comedy nights every Saturday.

Milton Keynes is a city of contrasts. It combines the fun and enjoyment of city life with plenty of scope for leisure and relaxation. Busy and prosperous, its prime location promises business success and offers the sophistication and innovation to rival any other city. Milton Keynes is famous as a new city, so visitors could be forgiven for assuming that it has no history - nothing is further from the truth. When building the new town in the South East of England there was a unique opportunity to study and record the archaeology and landscape history of over 20,000 acres of countryside.

Places of interest:

Milton Keynes has a vast array of intriguing modern art. Enjoy a fascinating stroll around one of the largest collections of outdoor public art in England.

Most of this art is based in the City Centre, or in Campbell Park.

Milton Keynes Gallery is free to enter. It is the city’s most successful and imposing gallery and presents between 6 and 8 exhibitions a year. These are of contemporary and modern art.

Gullivers Land provides great family entertainment and is a great day out for the younger family. It is aimed at children between the ages of 3 - 13 years and is great value for money.

Xscape is the ultimate entertainment destination in Milton Keynes. It combines a large indoor ‘real snow’ ski slope, an indoor rock climbing wall, a multiplex cinema, a family entertainment centre which includes ten pin bowling, health and fitness centre, bars, restaurants, cafes and lifestyle and fashion retail outlets - all under one roof.

Willen Lakeside Park is the place to go to for a picnic, take part in water sports, jog, attend events or simply sit and watch the world pass by.

The City Discovery Centre was set up in 1987 and adopted the heritage site of Bradwell Abbey as its permanent base in 1992. Bradwell Abbey is the site of a 12th century Benedictine Priory.

Things to do:

For the visitor whose ideal break includes sporting pursuits Milton Keynes has facilities available throughout the city and surrounding areas. For those whose idea of a good time is shopping there is one of the largest covered shopping complexes in Europe.

The cycling in Milton Keynes is top quality; we have a huge network of cycle paths. These pass through beautiful scenery and guarantee an enjoyable bike ride.

Milton Keynes has over 70 Community Buildings in and around the city. These buildings include Community Centres, Meeting Places, Sports Grounds, a Windmill, Golf Courses and Swimming Pools.

Shopping in the city centre is dominated by the centre: It is a glass construction about a half mile in length and is one of the longest under-cover shopping areas in Europe, incorporating over 230 shops from large national stores to smaller specialist shops. It attracts nearly 30 million visitors a year. Within the shopping building there are a number of specialist barrows selling a wide variety of distinctive goods and four days a week there is an open market alongside the building. Being built on ground level with automatically-opening doors and with ample parking around the building, it is also very popular with visitors with disabilities.

Food & Drink:

Milton Keynes is well known for the varying different styles of restaurant. There are American, Chinese, English, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Thai Restaurants, and many more in and around the Theatre District. There are many different places to go out for a drink, either for a night out with the lads, or a quiet evening drink.

Eastern Paradise is in the Wolverton area of Milton Keynes. The contemporary surroundings are pleasant and spacious. You are immediately captured by the bright colours and the art work which has a very east meets west feel, and this is reflected on the menu.

The Swan Inn is in the picturesque village of Cranfield, a few minutes from Milton Keynes centre. The striking interior gives off an atmosphere of a contemporary minimalism. A small but simple Italian menu means that the food is freshly prepared every day. Vegetarian alternatives are available.

La Tasca, the Spanish restaurant is situated in the heart of the Xscape complex. On entering the restaurant you are immediately met by a traditional Spanish setting. Every detail is Spanish, the wooden Spanish tables, the flowers, beautiful pottery adorns the walls, the colour is rustic and to top the atmosphere lovely Spanish music plays in the background and with subtle lighting in the background. The menu comprises all the traditional Spanish dishes that seem so familiar.

Hotels & Accommodation:

Milton Keynes offers the usual variety of accommodation for the visitor in the guise of Hotels, Guest Houses and Bed and Breakfast accommodation. What makes it different from most cities is the amount of accommodation to let on a short term basis, usually a minimum of one week. Some of these fully furnished apartments also offer home office facilities for the business traveller.

Campanile Hotel- Milton Keynes Comfort Inn- Milton Keynes, Formerly The Shires Mo Best Western Moore Place Hotel The Cock Parkside Hotel Broughton Hotel Quality Hotel Milton Keynes Express by Holiday Inn Milton Keynes Novotel Milton Keynes Harben House

Entertainment

There is nowhere like Milton Keynes in England. You’ll find great entertainment and unlike other cities not all of it is situated in the centre.

Milton Keynes theatre building uses the most technically advanced equipment available. It is able to accommodate a vast range of productions, from large-scale West End musicals, to smaller, more intimate drama. In addition to bringing a variety of performances to the city, Milton Keynes Theatre provides a focus for the city’s already thriving cultural life.

The National Bowl is UK’s premier open-air concert venue with no permanent seating. It consists of a grass amphitheatre, crescent shaped and gently sloping down to a large flat area in front of the stage allowing excellent viewing of the performance from all parts of the arena.

There are a couple of cinemas in Milton Keynes, which means you always have a choice of venue depending on mood, and there is always something on to see.

Hailed as “Comedy’s Unofficial National Theatre”, The Comedy Store will present “The Best In Stand Up” from around the globe, showcasing the brightest names in comedy talent. The Comedy Store is showcased at Bistro L!VE The location of Milton Keynes makes it accessible by all forms of transport. With the M1 motorway on its doorstep, and the London to Birmingham train line running through it, Milton Keynes is ideal for the local traveller wanting an enjoyable day out. For the international traveller a regular coach service runs to the centre of the city from Luton Airport.