tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84105635067298547462023-11-16T03:06:18.758-08:00The Principal Hayley Challenge BlogPrincipal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-53195855951239629952013-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:002014-01-20T02:33:30.453-08:00Having a break but we are still planning!It has been a crazy time, new jobs, weddings to attend, friends having babies, engagements, eye laser surgery! So we haven’t made it to a Principal Hayley hotel in a while. But we are back to planning. Next year is a big one – we both turn 30! Where do you think we should go to celebrate? Let us know which Principal Hayley hotel you love… The Hayleys xxx Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-52285457861612209832013-02-09T10:49:00.000-08:002013-02-09T10:49:51.057-08:00Stop 13. Wotton House<br />
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Stop 13 brings us to the delightful Wotton House which is set in 13 acres of beautiful listed gardens in the Surrey Countryside, just outside Dorking.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">The stunning driveway leads to the 17th century property with its </span><span style="color: black;">Italian gardens, the first to be built</span><span style="color: black;"> in England.</span><br />
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We were lucky enough to be staying in a double superior room where we had the luxury of White company toiletries, slipper and robes. The room was spacious with 2 armchairs, an en suite and a huge flat screen TV. We also had a lovely view over the gardens to one of the temples in the Italian gardens.</div>
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The room had just finished a makeover and was clean and fresh.</div>
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The rest of the hotel has also had a recent refurbishment and looks amazing. The public areas are warm and inviting and the rooms are comfortable and well equipped. We spent our first evening in the Tempus restaurant and were pleased to try some new additions to the menu. The mini toad in the hole was delicious!</div>
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After our meal we decided to explore the hotel. We came across the breathtaking Old Library which is used for events and weddings. The vaulted ceiling and huge fireplace makes this room a truly grand place for any celebration. The Orangery bar is also a great place to relax with its airy feel and views over the garden. </div>
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We were very impressed with the breakfast served at Wotton house with the addition of smoothies and porridge to the regular breakfast buffet menu. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PiHf49v2r9Zx2jjiWQEgusI7p324mh6yIhzGU5ubsRIt5DDGKIoUKXYOdoM3hV-oWwlcI_YMn8hlcmOcVQjyITtv1HaKbPVJNXHLYFdOzqEHw_YGb074vPSg8YJFawbwRXDYF5WPAbyd/s1600/viva.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PiHf49v2r9Zx2jjiWQEgusI7p324mh6yIhzGU5ubsRIt5DDGKIoUKXYOdoM3hV-oWwlcI_YMn8hlcmOcVQjyITtv1HaKbPVJNXHLYFdOzqEHw_YGb074vPSg8YJFawbwRXDYF5WPAbyd/s200/viva.JPG" width="200" /></a>After breakfast we headed to the nearby Denbies Wine Estate where we had a very informative tour and were able to try 3 of the sparkling wines produced on the estate. We would definitely recommend visiting here whilst staying at Wotton. There is also a brewery next door and during the summer months you are able to take a land train to see where the vines are grown.</div>
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For our evening meal we decided to head into Dorking, 5 minutes from the hotel. We ate in a little Italian called Viva which was warm and friendly. The food was delicious and reasonably priced.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gardens</td></tr>
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Although we didn't use the facilities, the hotel also has a leisure club with a swimming pool with spa, sauna and a steam room. There is also a hard surface tennis court </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-2TJOAbWu0Hi6YAFnQky_qfqfEqjtKSDrIqxXWvm2QMo6s2LtQhDtJx3lQz097Yvn4P_t-w2E3Y7UhiuIpGQQs7-5-46sFoqTsOpmCc-xX3ttu3DcEOOC1-50ge0OzTqWohBKYc7Dria/s1600/wotton+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-2TJOAbWu0Hi6YAFnQky_qfqfEqjtKSDrIqxXWvm2QMo6s2LtQhDtJx3lQz097Yvn4P_t-w2E3Y7UhiuIpGQQs7-5-46sFoqTsOpmCc-xX3ttu3DcEOOC1-50ge0OzTqWohBKYc7Dria/s320/wotton+1.jpeg" width="320" /></a>On our way home we took advantage of the last day of ice skating at Hampton Court Palace which is about 30 mins from the hotel. Overall we had a great stay at the hotel and would reccomend it as a good base for exploring Surrey and the west of London.</div>
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Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-36994766293412122412013-02-09T09:06:00.002-08:002013-02-09T09:07:32.239-08:00<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Stop 12: Christmas time at the Russell...</div>
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The hotel was in full Christmas spirit with a beautiful Christmas tree in the hallway and decorations trailing the stairs. The reception staff, as always were happy and helpful and as we arrived early were more than happy to store our luggage for us while we headed into town. The hotel is an ideal base for the West End and we decided to spend our afternoon at the theatre. After a matinee of the musical "Loserville", we enjoyed some retail therapy in Oxford street, snapping up some new Christmas jumpers!</div>
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Returning to the hotel we checked into our room. We chose a standard double and had plenty of room with a flat screen television and an en suite bathroom. The room was finished to a high standard and the bed was very comfortable!</div>
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We spent the evening at Winter wonderland which was just a short tube ride away. It was a cold night and we were glad to get back to the warmth of our room! Our stay ended with a delicious Principal Hayley breakfast. </div>
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The Hotel Russell is a delightful hotel full of charm and character and a great London base for shopping and going to the theatre.</div>
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Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-66427778873786281452012-10-08T11:23:00.001-07:002012-10-08T11:24:32.842-07:00Birthday afternoon tea with Russell!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">This week we visited the Hotel Russell, London for afternoon tea to celebrate Daddy Avery’s birthday. We were very impressed by the grandeur of the hotel and were seated in the Tempus restaurant <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with its marble pillars and high ceilings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abhinav and his team were very attentive and offered us plenty of steaming tea throughout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were presented with freshly made sandwiches and were very impressed with the effort made to meet our dietary requirements. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also enjoyed a delicious selection of pastries and scones. We enjoyed our visit so much we are hoping to make stop number 13 a Christmas stay at the Russell!</span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"></span></u></strong>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-40900790445547790962012-10-08T11:05:00.000-07:002012-10-15T11:26:48.953-07:00Stop 11, The Derbyshire<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After breakfast we took a stroll to the nearby East Midlands outlet village where there are many shops to browse and bargains to be found . The Peak District is close by but ideally a car is needed to explore the area as public transport is limited.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We spent our afternoon using the leisure facilities back at the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hotel has a heated indoor pool, sauna and steam room and also offers beauty treatments. After a relaxing massage and facial we spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool with a good book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You have the choice of eating in the Tempus restaurant or in the bar, both offering a varied menu to suit all tastes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sampled some dishes including the Tempus pate with onion marmalade and the lemon tart, both of which were delicious. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiDn_okdPe0I-kI-leE96arkl-60RKvCzodSGmrCq05uai_0l06pnwnGnMLlg54-3MjNB1bTwsXH-ASzKAUuYyaIlAHyBRy9-RIoXXCnNzzEkGvFxxlbAAbq9JCgvYdvEl4HxKP2BUguc/s1600/alpaca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiDn_okdPe0I-kI-leE96arkl-60RKvCzodSGmrCq05uai_0l06pnwnGnMLlg54-3MjNB1bTwsXH-ASzKAUuYyaIlAHyBRy9-RIoXXCnNzzEkGvFxxlbAAbq9JCgvYdvEl4HxKP2BUguc/s320/alpaca.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sunday took us into Derby city centre . We visited its stunning cathedral which was hosting an animal thanksgiving service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very strange to see alpacas and tortoises’ walking down the aisle!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">November brings our next stay and we look forward to stop number 12 at Northampton’s Sedgebrook hall. </span></div>
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Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-24825990299250216492012-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:002012-06-10T10:48:39.579-07:00Stop 10: Beaumont Estate<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Anniversary and Birthday Trip!</span></strong> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A year had passed and it was time to take the Principal Hayley challenge back to where it all started and celebrate Hayley A’s birthday.</span></div>
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<a href="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/536477_310894105651967_128799344_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="240" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/536477_310894105651967_128799344_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beaumont</span><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;">Estate</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">was the destination for stop 10 and we were excited to celebrate a year of the Principal Hayley challenge back in Windsor. On arrival the reception was bustling with guests for a wedding. Although there were lots of people checking in the reception staff checked people in quickly and efficiently and we did not have to wait long.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After receiving our room key from Brian we headed to find our room. Beaumont estate is the largest Principal Hayley property with 414 rooms set within 40 acres of landscaped grounds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our room, a standard room, was spacious,modern and spotlessly clean. We were over the moon with the treats left for us by the marketing team to celebrate our anniversary and Hayley A’s birthday. Thanks guys!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">After exploring our room, we donned our principal Hayley coats and headed off to explore the grounds. The estate, which dates back to the 17th century was previously a school and has beautiful outside spaces to walk in close to the River Thames. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were blown away by the Beaumont Chapel which is an ideal place to celebrate a wedding. The chapel has been beautifully restored by Principal Hayley and would give a feeling of grandeur to any occasion. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-themecolor: text1;">We took a look round the White House, a magnificent executive wing of Beaumont Estate, the home of conference rooms and suites as well as guest bedrooms. Just the name itself makes it feel special and the decor inside did not disappoint!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">There is plenty to do and the hotel boasts a</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;"> leisure Club</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">with </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;">indoor swimming pool, tennis courts as well as plenty of things for children including a play room, giant Connect Four and giant Jenga. The hotel and conference centre also plays host to businesses for team building days, they certainly have the space and tranquility to be perfect for this.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;">Beaumont is in a great location and is the perfect base for visiting </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-themecolor: text1;">Windsor Castle, Legoland and Thorpe Park. We were due to have a flutter at the Windsor race course but due to the delightful English weather we were rained off.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;">Our evening was spent in Tempus, where we had our first PH buffet experience. There was a good range of delicious dishes for both meat eaters and vegetarians and as always the deserts were AMAZING! </span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;">The staff <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were very attentive and made sure we were topped up with drinks and finished plates were taken away. We then headed to the bar for a celebratory drink.</span><br />
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<br />Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-45697350400040466412012-05-06T08:56:00.000-07:002012-05-08T08:57:10.751-07:00Anniversary message!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY PRINCIPAL HAYLEY CHALLENGE!!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A year ago, afternoon tea at Oakley Court and a random idea turned into </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Principal Hayley Challenge</span>. We never dreamt that we would have such an amazing year. We have stayed in beautiful locations, met wonderful people and have never laughed so much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We love to share the 'Principal Hayley way' and hope that they too will experience and love the hotels the way we do (not just beacuse of the brilliant name!). Principal Hayley have provided so many happy memories for us and we look forward to another 12 stops and many more memories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We would like to thank everyone that we have met on our challenge so far, who have looked after us so well and made us feel so welcome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We look forward to more adventures, meeting new Principal Hayley faces and even more laughter in the coming year. Keep following us!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Hayley A and Hayley C</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">x </span></div>
<br />Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-34759075968943413922012-04-13T18:00:00.000-07:002012-05-05T04:21:42.139-07:00Stop 9 Horwood House<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Stop 9, Horwood House</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On arrival at Horwood House it’s hard
not to feel like royalty as you travel down the ¼ of a mile tree lined driveway.
The beautiful Elizabethan style house, built in 1911 for Frederick
Arthur Denny (who had made his fortune in pork and bacon) stands at the end of
the driveway and would be our home for the next two nights. The</span></span><span style="font-family: "Univers","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> hotel, in Little Horwood, Buckinghamshire, is set in 38 acres of
landscaped grounds and is easily accessible from the M1 and M40.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Univers","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hotel houses 182 standard and executive rooms,
and offers an impressive </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;">indoor swimming pool,</span><span style="font-family: ZapfDingbatsITC; mso-bidi-font-family: ZapfDingbatsITC;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spa, sauna and gym.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "Univers","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At
reception we received a warm welcome from the staff and were allocated room
number 202. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hotel is quite large and although we had a bit of a walk to our
room with our luggage, things were made easier by the use of ramps and lifts. The
room was of the usual excellent Principal Hayley standard. Clean and fresh with
modern facilities including a very large flat screen TV on the wall. We were
very impressed with our welcome gift of wine and chocolate orange biscuits. Our
favourite!</span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a long day we decided to have dinner in
Tempus. Some old favourites were on the menu and we enjoyed our beloved
beetroot and feta salad and Chicken Kiev. We also tucked into our all time
favourite Tempus dessert Chocolate Orange Torte!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dinner took us to the hotel’s Tempus
restaurant again on our second night but his time we were feeling a bit more
adventurous and veered away from our familiar favourites on the menu. Hayley C
opted for the sea bream and Hayley A for the beef, bacon and mushroom pie, both
of which were delicious and very filling. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hotel was bustling with two weddings and a
40th birthday party. Everyone looked like they were having a great time and the
staff were certainly looking after everyone. We left the parties behind and
after a long day we were looking forward to a restful night sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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and about<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
next morning, after filling up at the buffet breakfast we headed to nearby
Milton Keynes to try out the Sno!zone. There are a variety of activities
available here including, skiing, snowboarding and even an indoor sky dive
centre. A hilarious half hour was spent riding doughnuts own the real snow
slope. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arguably the funniest photo I have ever seen - <em>Hayley C</em></td></tr>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
need of warming up, we headed to the MK centre. If you like shopping this is
definitely the place for you! With lots of shops and restaurants we were spoilt
for choice on where to have lunch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a stop at Jamie’s Italian we
went in search of the famous Milton Keynes concrete cows. The cows are an
iconic work of sculpture</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, created in 1978 by Canadian</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-born artist, Liz Leyh and have been re-homed
from a public park to the MK centre. We also managed to squeeze in a cheeky
massage at the local Bannatyne gym, which was a relaxing end to the day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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dawned bright and we were looking forward to our trip to Waddesdon Manor an </span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">astonishing Renaissance-style château, designed by French
architect Destailleur in 1874 for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild. The château, about
25 mins drive from Horwood, has beautiful gardens and each room inside the
house is filled with stunning pieces of art work. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="st1"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">They were also hosting a
Mustang event on the day which gave us even more to see. The house is
definitely worth a visit!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Univers-Light","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Univers-Light; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Horwood house and were very impressed
with the attentiveness of the staff and the care that they took to make sure
guests were enjoying their stay.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Bye for now from the Hayleys!!</span></div>
<br />Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1Milton Keynes, UK52.038601 -0.75707252.019066 -0.796554 52.058136 -0.71759tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-89523865436134291682012-02-14T20:30:00.000-08:002012-03-12T15:26:17.457-07:00Birthday Roadtrip Part 2!<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Stop 8 : Kenwood Hall, Sheffield</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So the Hayley's left stop 7 happy, relaxed
and ready for the next part of the roadtrip, onto Sheffield and Stop 8 -
Kenwood Hall</span> <o:p></o:p><br />
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</v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype></span>This Principal Hayley hotel is located one mile from the city centre, in
what feels like a quiet and upmarket residential district. The hotel itself has
12 acres of land around and the walk into the centre was easy and gave us the
opportunity to see suburban Sheffield!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kenwood Hall has free on-site parking and a well-equipped leisure club,
including an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, spa bath and gym.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More Birthday Surprises........<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the drive up from Solihull, Hayley C was treated to her second birthday
surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Owl House is a brand new Boutique Day Spa located in the idyllic grounds
of Langley Priory. We felt so welcomed by the lovely staff, in particular,
Lizzie who made sure we had everything we needed. </span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started off our spa
experience with a gorgeous picnic basket lunch, where Hayley A completed the
cheesecake challenge and ate her entire lemon cheesecake with no problems!
After lunch we sunk into the outdoor hot tub. It was great to be in the warmth
of the tub, but hear the rain pattering on the canopy above. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Next we headed to be “Pigs In Mud”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a fun, invigorating and detoxifying
treatment that takes place in a Herbal Steam Chamber. The thought of covering
ourselves with mud seemed a bit strange but </span></strong>we embraced it and
sat back under the twinkling stars of the Rasul chamber to let the mud do its
work. We were left with baby soft skin and are definitely mud converts! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> a relaxing massage,
Hayley C rounded off the day with a Bare Minerals make up tutorial and Hayley A
had a moisturising hair treatment</span></strong></span></div>
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</span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, a fabulous place to go to be
thoroughly pampered and looked after. We were definitely happy little owls when
we left!<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
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</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rooms glorious rooms.....<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were lucky enough to be able to experience two different types of room
during this stay!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1st night we spent in an executive suite complete with a four poster
bed! The room was in the oldest part of the hotel which dates back to 1845. It
felt like we were in a private west wing! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hints of this era can be seen in the decor of
the conference rooms and library in this wing of the hotel.</span><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This room overlooked the hotel green, which
was lovely. We took a walk <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>around the
grounds and watched the ducks battle with the frozen sections of the pond!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second night we moved into an executive twin room with a Juliette balcony which gave us a beautiful view over the lake. We had a double bed each and they were the comfiest beds EVER! It was a fight to get up in the morning! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The room was lovely and spacious and Hayley A particularly enjoyed the spinning chair......</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Birthday dinner, Kenwood style...<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The staff were really sweet and friendly - decorating our table for our
evening meal in celebration of Hayley C's birthday. We felt very special to
have a table cloth, runner, sprinkles and complimentary birthday Prosecco, a
happy birthday indeed!</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The restaurant was different to the other tempus we have
been to, offering a completely alternative menu which made a great change to us
Tempus regulars! The choice was smaller but didn’t detract from the quality.
The birthday girl had a chicken casserole and rice followed by apple pie and
ice cream. Hayley A had delicious pasta with mushroom sauce and field
mushrooms. It was a lovely way to spend our first night at Kenwood.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Out and about in Sheffield....<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423021_10151296070580367_647930366_22990113_1818076596_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="960" src="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423021_10151296070580367_647930366_22990113_1818076596_n.jpg" style="height: 524px; width: 296px;" width="541" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is plenty to do in Sheffield, whether you like to go shopping or visit
a museum. We took the tram to Medowhall which has every shop you could possibly
imagine and an excellent variety of eateries in the food court. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We visited
Sheffield cathedral and stepped into the Winter Garden which is home to more
than 2,000 plants from around the world. It was also lovely to take a walk
along the canal and with a glimpse of the sun we even got a chance to sit
outside and enjoy a bit of winter warmth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Birthday treat number 3 was afternoon champagne
tea where we met Hayley A's lovely friends Helen and Adrian and cutie Evan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opportunity to catch up with friends and indulge
in amazing cakes – perfect afternoon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our last night was spent in local tapas bar
Cubana. A vibrant atmosphere complimented by delicious food and cocktails.
Whilst we ate we were treated to one of the weekly Kizomba dance classes,
although we weren’t brave enough to join in!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Valentine’s day dawned and it was time for us to head home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a filling
breakfast in the dining room, we packed our bags and
waved goodbye to Kenwood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-size: large;">A fun filled
birthday road trip in two great hotels. Now to decide where Principal Hayley
will take us next......<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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</span></div>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK53.381129 -1.47008553.3053575 -1.6280135 53.4569005 -1.3121565000000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-73414239191786741132012-02-12T03:27:00.000-08:002012-03-12T15:26:48.066-07:00Birthday Roadtrip Part 1<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stop 7 : ST JOHN'S, SOLIHULL</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let the birthday roadtrip commence!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right in the centre of Solihull St John's provided a great two night stay, great location close to restaurants and the main city amenities and also to the wonderful Birmingham. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Modern, bright and welcoming the hotel was bustling with guests there for various conferences taking place, but service was still speedy and staff attentive and friendly. Lovely receptionist Laura-Jane greeted us and made us feel welcome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Our room was
an executive double so plenty of room for two people, as we had a king sized
bed, and lounge area with chair and two seater sofa. The room was homely, and
cosy especially with our complimentary robes and slippers. The complimentary
bottles of water were also really handy and a nice touch</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bathroom was a treat, with bath and a separate shower and heated towel rail. Gotta love a hot towel! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Tempus restaurant : buffet breakfast was great with a good selection of hot and cold items although we did find that on the second morning (after one of the conferences) the restaurant was a lot busier. However, food was continuously replenished and was always boiling hot.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The evening menu offered a
varied choice to other Tempus' we have visited, and service and food both great.
Notable was the offering of a great vegetarian option of thai butternut squash
curry (not seen on any other menu). We both opted for the orange chocloate
mousse for desert, which was divine. We would definitely recommend the
restaurant to future guests. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms make up the health and fitness centre. Unfortunately the jacuzzi was out of action during our time but we made the most of the rest and had a good relax.</span><br />
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<a href="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424715_10151296046835367_647930366_22989971_1830015183_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="150" src="http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424715_10151296046835367_647930366_22989971_1830015183_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hotel also offers a bar, conference rooms, garden space which looks great for warmer visits and parking is available.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Surprise no 1!</strong> Hayley A organised little treats for us, and stop 1 was a Fish pedicure at Junjou Spa in the famous Merry Hill Westfield , followed by a walk along the Dudley Canal and Marina area for lunch. Even more special (and cold!) as the canal had frozen over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Viva Birmingham!</strong> We had a visit to the Genting Club Casino at Star City, the closest we could get to Vegas! And we had a good go at the roulette table. No big wins but plenty of fun!</span><br />
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<a href="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420299_256268911114487_128755393865840_570134_2045687669_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="320" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420299_256268911114487_128755393865840_570134_2045687669_n.jpg" width="179" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Top Tip!</strong> The Castle in Dudley looked beautiful and handily located next to the zoo but be advised it closes at 3pm...as we found out at 3.30pm when we wondered why we couldn't get in!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>A lovely relaxed stay at Solihull, great start to our roadtrip and brilliantly located for the first adventures....next stop Kenwood Hall, Sheffield!!</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Blog to follow :) </span></strong>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-10909337701576353972012-02-10T14:30:00.000-08:002012-03-12T15:27:11.759-07:00Stop 7 & 8 - intro!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402525_10151296071800367_647930366_22990119_1293942062_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="112" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402525_10151296071800367_647930366_22990119_1293942062_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hayley C</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hayley A</td></tr>
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<strong style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></strong><strong style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Stop 7 & 8: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Birthday Roadtrip</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With Hayley C hoping to forget the big 28 we loaded up the car and headed off on a road trip to Solihull and Sheffield. Each day bought Hayley C a birthday surprise from other Hayley and so began our adventures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>4 nights....2 hotels....2 Hayleys...and lots of food</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blogs to follow for:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stop 7 : St John's, Solihull</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stop 8 : Kenwood Hall, Sheffield</span></li>
</ul>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-74283666334343375032012-01-12T13:31:00.000-08:002012-02-06T12:09:58.729-08:00Stop 6 : The George Edinburgh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><b>We have a new love of our life and his name is George!</b></span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Stop Six</span></b> </span></span></span></span><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">took us to Edinburgh and on arrival to George Street a row of flags outside the hotel waved us to our home for the weekend. <b>The George</b>.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We were booked into a deluxe twin room and were lucky to have a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">view across George Street to the Hard Rock Café and the stunning Dome restaurant still adorned with twinkly lights and Christmas decorations. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The perfect view through the large picture windows, like excited children we squealed when we saw we had a double bed each and both couldn’t peel ourselves from the comfy beds each morning! </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The room easily houses these and two chairs, a small table and dressing table and still has acres of room. This is enhanced by amazing high ceilings. We did need to put the heating on when we arrived as the room felt chilly but soon was warm and cosy. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The room package includes use of robes and slippers which we quickly utilised while chilling out with the TV. Films, TV channels and radio stations available. </span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The George is classy and impressive on first view but they back it up with quality of service. It’s quality recognised and proudly displayed are numerous awards won by the hotel. Including Best Hotel in Edinburgh at the Scottish Hotel Awards 2011. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We stumbled upon a wedding fair whilst there and so took a look at the fabulous domed ‘Kings Room’ available for hire. On Saturday it played host to Katy and Peter’s wedding, and though we were disappointed to learn it was not the reuniting of Jordan and Peter Andre, the room was presented beautifully, worthy of any VIP wedding.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EUR3MtP_gWYt9b51n-F6CDlPmJXbyom_e2PFFBcU5r7vHVrFEVQ8l-dTDyFp_LnD01a09F_TLQWqtn7ablKDt5oBfjGr-fFPpAVn1VXZcPnxpUvE_nYouFXRzFEyzVsVm_eyYbHUYbqw/s1600/food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EUR3MtP_gWYt9b51n-F6CDlPmJXbyom_e2PFFBcU5r7vHVrFEVQ8l-dTDyFp_LnD01a09F_TLQWqtn7ablKDt5oBfjGr-fFPpAVn1VXZcPnxpUvE_nYouFXRzFEyzVsVm_eyYbHUYbqw/s320/food.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The George’s restaurant Tempus is well worthy of mention and lives up to the quality of the hotel itself. As part of our package we got dinner on the first night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was the first Tempus restaurant and so maintains its originality by offering a much wider choice than other locations. We ordered a mini platter each made up of mini chicken satay mini burger mini fish and chips. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just heavenly, little </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">bits of what you fancy does you really good! On the second night we had main meals,fillet steak and chicken ballotine so we saw just how versatile the restaurant is, catering for all. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast is also served in the Tempus and offers a selection of cooked foods from a kitchen bar, cereals, fresh fruit, danishes and bread. The waiters can also take orders for other hot foods. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mention must go to Jay our waiter on both nights who was a real star, helpful and friendly, he made us feel welcome right away. All the staff we met were fantastic and so friendly eager to help make our stay fantastic. The staff sparkle as much as the many chandeliers!</span><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Location:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The appeal of the George is furthered by it’s amazing city location. Edinburgh is simply stunning offering a whole range of things to do even on our second visit to the city. All main attractions are easily accessible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We took the airlink bus from the airport. Only £6 return to Waverley Bridge it was less than a 10minute walk to the George from there. And we were handily one street away from all the shops of Princes Street…and one huge Primark!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;">A visit to Edinburgh castle. Sightseeing bus tour gave us a great overview of the main attractions of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Dungeons fun for all the family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Feeling brave?</b> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbieIcOChqgxTFNTmYmMuneRf5X76oTIR4-EWckZMLc3880Ho5sHpjyAn5iS0MD-H3rFOFjavcTB-RYfqUEl5iRnJACD-3er5z4p761YffW2fjCs4ybXovRKVoZMJFdW0vicrcpajAY0qt/s1600/ave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbieIcOChqgxTFNTmYmMuneRf5X76oTIR4-EWckZMLc3880Ho5sHpjyAn5iS0MD-H3rFOFjavcTB-RYfqUEl5iRnJACD-3er5z4p761YffW2fjCs4ybXovRKVoZMJFdW0vicrcpajAY0qt/s400/ave.jpg" width="221" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mercat tours took us to the vaults under the south bridge late on Saturday night. Our tour guide Ella was captivating with her tales of the dark and ghostly happenings in Edinburgh. Offering a different look at the history of the city it is a brilliant way to spend a few hours, if you can handle it!</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Something different?</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">JoJo’s Bakery offered a cupcake decorating courses so we booked in for a 2 hour special. Handily located just off the Royal Mile, we headed along to learn from the wonderful JoJo how to create cute but scrummy cakes with icing, buttercream and handmade roses.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <b>It was a perfect weekend, a mix of sightseeing, activities, city and green, new and old, with a great hotel to look forward to at the end of an energetic day. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>February brings us to stops at St Johns and Kenwood Hall. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>After The George captured our hearts they have a lot of impressing to do...</b></span></div>
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</div>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-47423992886975014082011-11-13T13:11:00.000-08:002012-02-06T13:13:21.322-08:00Stop 5: Grand Central Glasgow<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Stop 5 : THE GRAND CENTRAL</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #073763;">Glasgow</span>.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Ok so lets dispel some rumours. Glasgow doesn't always get a great press, and we were warned about not going out at night etc etc. ITS ALL RUBBISH!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Glasgow is amazing. We found the people friendly, welcoming, funny, and the city is clean, well looked after and jam packed with things to do. Museums, art galleries (we'd recommend the GOMA), markets, churches, a Cathedral, Shopping.the list is endless and offers something for everyone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The city is a lot more historical and cultural than we ever imagined. We needed much longer than two nights to cover everything.</span> </div>
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<a href="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/376836_201623486579030_128755393865840_439664_1246837310_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowboxCaption" border="0" class="spotlight" height="177" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/376836_201623486579030_128755393865840_439664_1246837310_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The first day we were up early and so decided to try out room service. The breakfast was delivered at 7.15am, and does incur an additional cost but great quality food and still warm upon delivery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We booked a day tour with Timberbrush out to the Scottish Highlands seeing among others, Loch Dormand, Loch Oich and of course the infamous Loch Ness where we had a half an hour cruise and visited the ruins of castle Urquhart. Would well recommend the tour, with Colin our knowledgeable and amiable tour guide/driver we saw so much more to the country than we ever would on our own steam. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Highlight too was meeting new great people on the tour - especially Kara the brilliant mining engineer from Australia who promised to take the challenge of trying haggis... and irn bru</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After the long day's tour we were overjoyed to go back to the hotel and really get to explore our accommodation before heading to The Tempus Restaurant for dinner. We were upgraded to a twin executive room, with our beds draped in crisp white sheets and dark throws and matching pillows. The room was modern, but with high ceilings and pictures of trains and rails gave the room character, and reminded us that the hotel is part of the Central station built in the late 1800s.This quirky location and stunning exterior gives the hotel a unique selling point. </span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The beds were really comfortable and very generous with pillows. Although the hotel is located so close to the station we were not effected by any noise and had a pleasant nights sleep. The bathroom needs mentioning - we had a bath, separate shower, large mirror and so much space we could have got a bed in there. Luxury! Our room also had TV with free view, tea tray(including biscuits this time!), lots of cupboard space, ironing board and hairdryer...and bath robes and slippers. To be honest it was tempting to just stay in the room and chill out in our towelling robes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ok so perhaps not such little details but spectacular extras. The reception also offers a touch screen information point offering ideas of places to visit, bars, attractions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also noticed how popular the hotel was for events. Charity functions and weddings both took place during our stay and everyone seemed to be having a grand time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The recent refurb is evident - the hotel is faultless - clean, almost sparkling! with little details that make the hotel feel special - a large drop chandelier down the staircase, a selection of old travelling trunks on the window sill, a grand piano, rail themed long canvas prints down to oversized hourglass shaped plant pots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Down in the Tempus restaurant the staff were attentive, chatty and made the whole evening really pleasant. Hayley C had the sea bream as advertised in the menu 'winning dish for Scottish chef of the year' and Hayley A felt adventurous and tried the Venison en croute. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Absolutely beautifully cooked and presented and a great portion size. The food is reasonably priced and great selection that we hadn't seen in other Tempus branches. The restaurant itself is inviting and warm, we sat by the fire and was the perfect relaxing end to a busy day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We finished the evening by staying in the hotel in the Champagne Bar...for quite a few hours! Overlooking the station concourse, Champagne central offers a great chic setting for all, the mirrored bar and the beautiful art deco chandelier are the vocal points of the bar. The menu is varied with cocktails, soft drinks and an extensive range of champagnes and wines suited to all tastes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast, as you may already have realised is our favourite mealtime and so the Grand won us over with its offer of fresh pancakes! Notably impressive too was the presence of chefs cooking and topping up breakfast offerings. Really gave a sense that we were having fresh quality food.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were spoilt for choice. The restaurant itself is a little small especially on the Sunday morning we arrived at the same time as a wedding party so tables were limited but they use the space they have well, using the adjoining Deli for overspill of guests and offering juice and pastries to those who did have to wait. It's a great example of quality customer service, and everyone left happy...and stomachs satisfied! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The hotel is perfectly located - aside from being part of a main train station it is around a 20 minute drive from the airport (airport buses are cheap at £7 for an open return) and surrounded by bus stops which take you all around the city, and of course being in the centre of Glasgow we could get to most places on foot. We wandered to the shopping streets on the Sunday, stopping at the famous Willow Tea Rooms on Buchanan Street. Not the high tea experience we were expecting but still delicious cakes and well needed hot chocolate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also took the City Sightseeing tour bus around the city taking in all the best sights, The Tall Ship, the amazing Cathedral and People's Palace - more than you can ever see in just one day, but great way to get an overview of the city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We feel like parents admitting they have a favourite child, you know it's wrong BUT.... We have to admit that this is our favourite Principal Hayley hotel (so far.?!) The Grand Central is right up there on top. It is a great all rounder in a fantastic location and they really have an eye for customer service and quality. We would recommend the hotel to all, and will definitely be booking up again. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Challenge is just getting better and better...</span></strong></div>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0Glasgow, UK55.864237 -4.25180655.792955000000006 -4.4097345 55.935519 -4.0938775000000005tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-5860871713459869452011-10-31T13:09:00.000-07:002012-02-27T13:11:54.294-08:00Stop 4 : Palace, Manchester<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Hello Manchester!</span> </span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-size: large;">Upon stepping out from Manchester Oxford Road Train station the tower of the Palace was in full view. Big red letters illuminated the city’s skyline and we raced across the road to see what lie in store for us. Outside were a group of men all tuxed up and immediately made me feel as if we was under dressed! But they were attendees at an event taking place in one of the Palace’s many conference suites. And we needn’t worry, though palatial and grand the hotel is still welcoming and friendly not pretentious. The reception has the wow factor with high rounded dome ceiling and beautiful intricate tiling. </span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-size: large;">On exploring the hotel we were surprised at just how big it was and provided lots of surprise rooms and suites down winding staircases and hidden corridors, it’s like a secret world. Even with the number of rooms the corridors feel quiet and felt like we were transported back in time, into a regal time of the Victorians! There is a room named ‘The Grand Room’ and this actually sums up all the general areas of the hotel. The detail of the building really make this hotel exceptional, tiles, arches, mixture of old and new pictures, artwork and photography, lead light windows, and high ceilings. The Victorian design is still breathtaking and translates well into the 21st century. </span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> The tempus bar and restaurant continues this and with dim lighting creates a relaxed and trendy ambiance, the room lined with full length luxurious curtains framing the seating area. The food beautifully presented like at a 5* restaurant, and tasted just as good, with a wide selection of meals available. The staff here at both breakfast and dinner sittings were exceptionally friendly, and made us feel really well looked after. Breakfast served until 11am on weekends which was great for us, and still enough food left at the buffet at that time. We must mention Nasr who made us laugh both mornings with his brilliant Essex impersonations!!</span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> We were in a double exec room at the front of the hotel. The room was AMAZING! The most comfy bed I have ever slept in, we actually looked forward to going back to sink in that mattress! The room was immaculate, beautiful clean sheets, plump pillows. Real luxury and beyond spacious for two of us. The dark wood windows were nearly floor to ceiling and were a real feature of the room, accentuated by the thick curtains draped across. The bathroom was clean and modern with an amazing shower which left us feeling very refreshed! We had strawberries and a box of chocolates awaiting us on arrival – the most perfect welcome! There was noise from the road outside and late night revellers but not enough to stop any sleep, and is what you would expect from a metropolitan hotel.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-size: large;">Brilliantly located, we walked everywhere and had the Oxford Road Train station opposite. Having never been to Manchester before, we headed out early Saturday and went exploring. The city centre itself is great, we went on the wheel (and saw the couple next to us get engaged ) and stumbled upon the funeral of Betty Driver (Corrie) and all the cast arriving. </span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Manchester offers plenty to do, with lots of galleries and libraries and LOTS of shops! We took full advantage of this and even jumped on a tram and headed over to the developing Salford quays where we had a look around the outlet village.</span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> On returning to the hotel we got ourselves ready for our Tempus experience. The staff were great and we looked after very well. The food was delicious ,particularly the Jaffa tart! After our gorgeous dinner we headed out to explore the Manchester nightlife. Canal Street is just down the road with lots of gay bars and clubs playing cheesy pop. We also headed over to China town, which as you would expect, offers a variety of oriental cuisine.</span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> We ended up in Tiger Tiger in the Printworks, in the centre of the city and after a good dance were very happy to fall into our comfy beds!<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-size: large;">In the morning, after another delicious breakfast, our checkout was swift and easy. Martin Hall in the reception area helped us to print off our boarding passes for our flight home and also stored our luggage until the evening; we were all done in less than 5 minutes!</span></span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Overall, a fabulous hotel set in a magnificent building with fantastic staff, who show that they care about their guests. We will definitely return to The Palace and can recommend this as the perfect place to stay for a trip to Manchester.</span></span>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-63318963150060403442011-07-30T13:01:00.000-07:002012-02-27T13:02:36.329-08:00Stop 3 : Ettington Chase<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Ettington Chase, Stratford Upon Avon was the next stop for the two Hayleys on our Principal Hayley Challenge.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We stayed at the newly refurbished hotel 22nd July – 24 July. Our first 2 night stay! Out of the 130 rooms in the hotel we were in one of the deluxe rooms which consisted of a double bed and a single. The room was still spacious and the beds were so comfy, it was hard to get out of them in the morning! We were on the 2nd floor overlooking a row of trees and green fields, all part of the relaxing weekend that lie ahead for us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On arrival at the hotel we both remarked about how all the Principal Hayley venues so far all have really impressive drive ways and this was no exception. The stay got off to a great start. The welcome we received from the reception was warm and friendly, and even better when we were told we had complimentary dinner the following night! Also waiting for us in the room was a chilled bottle of champagne, a box of chocolates and a signed card from the hotel manager. This is a hotel that really knows how to look after it’s guests (and Challengers!). Very impressed and the chocolates were exquisite!! Our room also had a flat screen TV with a good selection of channels, hairdyer, iron, safe – all items you would expect from a hotel of this quality. The bathroom was a good size, clean and white, with a shower so strong it was like having a massage! Amazing way to wake up in the morning, refreshing if a little vigorous!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a long journey on the Friday after work we took the opportunity to chill out in the hotel bar, a modern space with comfy booths and high tables. Drinks were of average price for a hotel and the bar had a good ambience. It was a great spot to hang out in and after a well needed drink we headed back to the room, put on our bathrobes and watched a bit of Friday night tv in bed!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After a great night’s sleep we headed to the Tempus restaurant for the buffet breakfast. Notable customer service from a young waitress called Jade who was so helpful and welcoming on our 1st morning. The selection is not huge but enough to choose from, cooked foods, cereals, toast, yoghurt and juices. We both had the cooked breakfast and a cheeky croissant and jam! The 2nd morning we were slightly later so missed the pastries, so would suggest anyone with a craving for a croissant should set their alarm! The waiting staff serve you with hot drinks on request too. The restaurant itself looks great, dark modern décor with chic black surfaces and silverware. Classy but still inviting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After filling up on breakfast on day 1 we headed into nearby Stratford-upon-Avon for a wander around the historic streets, stopping at Shakespeare’s house and then on to the Big Dig. Along the way we marveled in the amount of amazing tea shops on offer! First stop was a quaint and retro 1940s tea shop called FourTeas (genius right?!) for a hot chocolate, complete with white chocolate stars and marshmallows. Yum. Stratford maintains a real sense of Englishness with history still so evident in the buildings, and the constant reminders of Shakespeare on pub signs and even the street performer! You can feel a real sense of pride in the place and can imagine that a great deal of effort goes into maintaining this English gem of a place as beautiful as it is. We also played mini golf (Hayley C won....not that she would show off about that…!!), took a wander around the Royal Shakespeare Company, wandered along the river by the canal boats, and then jumped on the ferry to take us over the river for just 50p! Less than 2 minutes on the chain ferry a definite must!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In keeping with the Englishness of Stratford-upon-Avon we couldn’t not go for a bit of afternoon tea. Hobsons was our destination and they have so much to choose from it was not an easy task! Scones, lemon cake, orange cake, chocolate orange cake, berry slice, apple tart, crumble, cheesecake, it was every girl’s dream! Being absolutely rubbish at decisions I picked two things. Definite eyes bigger than belly moment but everyone needs a bit of indulgence!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Back to the hotel we went along for a quick swim in the pool, on site. A great pool with woggles on hand if you prefer just to float around! The pool was quiet as we got in there so a great way to unwind after a day of walking. We also had a look around the gym but after the amount of cake we had eaten was not quite ready to actually work out! Good gym though with range of equipment for guests.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday night saw us have our first 3 course Principal Hayley dinner! I selected the grilled mackerel on ciabatta (unusual choice but great!) and then onto the specials for mains – I had my second course of fish, selecting the fried cod crispy potatoes and red lentils. Hayley A took the beef bourginon. Both gorgeous meals though we did have to wait a good hour before we were served our main, we most definitely enjoyed the food once it was served. I think my plate was wiped clean! Onto dessert I tried to hot dessert from the Chef’s daily special menu - cinnamon baked apple and cranberry with ice cream. Good light refreshing dessert to finish off the meal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We finished the evening by taking a cab into the centre for a few drinks. Again the staff at reception are happy to help here. The cabs are pretty expensive though the centre is only about 15 minutes away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, bright and sunny we left the hotel after breakfast and headed off to Bourton-on-Water, another great place nearby. A picturesque village with pretty bridges over the river and on such a beautiful day the place was busy with visitors making the most of the cold water by dipping their feet in and enjoying the view. Bourton is only 30 minutes from Stratford and again really offers up the best of British, quaint gift shops, home made ice cream, teashops, motor museum, fish and chips, traditional pubs, we even stayed to watch a brass band play on the riverside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We finished our trip by passing through Burford to visit the renowned Huffkins for a last piece of cake, billed as the best teashop in the Cotswolds. We certainly wouldn’t dispute that claim! It was a weekend of indulgence, relaxation and beautiful sights, it may seem like it all revolved around food, and well actually it probably did! But with so many great things on offer both in and around the hotel it is hard to not take advantage and enjoy it all!</span>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-22099422427134071942011-07-13T12:50:00.000-07:002012-02-27T13:38:43.300-08:00Stop 2 : Selsdon Park<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Stop two on the Principal Hayley Challenge saw us stay for one night at the Selsdon Park Hotel & Golf Club.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perfectly located for a one night-er being just thirteen miles from London. So great way to spend a weekend! What did surprise us was how green the area around was, it really felt peaceful and Selsdon Park itself has it’s own 18-hole golf course. On our arrival the grey skies and drops of rain hadn’t stopped play and we took a wander to see keen golfers doing the rounds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set in 205 acres of land we had a great walk around, saw a deer and investigated the outdoor pool (though a bit cold for a dip!). The building itself is what can only be described as grand, and interestingly we found pictures of how the building was originally and showed the parts that have been extended. But the whole building has a great feel to it and all in-keeping with the original designs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before checking in we went to nearby Hever Castle. Where heavens opened and we got drenched!! Ideally would have liked a nicer day but still was able to enjoy the exhibitions and the gardens. And best of all was the water maze, which has a few shocks for people trying to beat it! Be prepared and wear your rain mac! Really good fun and great for all ages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we came in check in we had a lovely welcome from Juliette on reception who actually knew who we were. So news of the Principal Hayley Challenge has spread, we are famous!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We stayed in an executive twin room overlooking the green of the golf course, framed and emphasized beautifully by the huge window which made the room bright and inviting. We had robes and slippers waiting for us, which went on straight away – felt right at home! The room was a great size with two single beds comfortably fitting and still room for chairs, bed side cabinets and adequate sized wardrobe. The room was not modern in décor but was clean, well looked after, warm and inviting. The dining hall is also worth mentioning as the room itself is tunning with high ceilings and beautiful coving detail. Fitting then that the hotel seems popular for events and weddings. During our stay the hotel was heaving with guests for a college dance, a conference and a wedding. We were lucky enough to be sitting in reception to see the wedding party come out of the ceremony and trail past us to their drinks reception. It was like being part of the wedding, without having to buy a posh frock!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of our relaxing weekend we went on down to the spa on the hotel grounds, in our robes and slippers! The pool is great and would be really inviting to kids too. There are steps leading to a platform almost like an island where you can chill out on a lounger. Or there are tables along the edge for guests to sit at. Armed with magazines we spent a good hour just chilling out and watching the families enjoying the pool. Deciding to enjoy the spa facilities we headed up to the steam room and sauna. We would say that the hotel could improve the standards of the spa facilities to bring them in line with the high standard of the rest of the hotel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back to the room we got ready and then headed out to The Cock Inn at Headley for a great meal. Car would be needed in this area to get around the Surrey Hills but it seemed there were plenty of things around to see and do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, unfortunately I woke up early Sunday morning with a fever and so we had to cut our trip short…but not before indulging in the complimentary breakfast. Buffet style served up in the large dining hall mentioned above, there is a great choice of fresh and cooked foods to choose from. The staff were attentive and gave us top ups of coffee as and when we needed it. We were sat at a table overlooking the golf green and luckily the sun was shining making the view even more appealing. Our plan had been to head to Thorpe Park – just a short drive away from the hotel. So, we didn’t quite manage that but definitely would stay here again and use it as a base from which to head out on day trips.</span></span>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410563506729854746.post-66476033116344092822011-05-09T12:40:00.000-07:002012-02-27T12:46:21.936-08:00Stop 1 : Oakley Court<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">STOP 1!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>SO The Principal Hayley Challenge has begun!!! </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>What started as one birthday treat somehow jokingly became a challenge, but we got off to a brilliant start.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Destination number one for the Principal Hayley Challenge was Oakley Court in Windsor. I picked it as a treat to Hayley A for her birthday as Windsor is not far from us in Essex but far enough for a night away and chance to explore. When we pulled up in the car the manor house exterior was actually breath taking. The detail in the architecture is stunning and this continues inside throughout the décor. From the moment we stepped inside the staff were welcoming and friendly. We had a quick wander around to look at the 37 acres of land. Located right on the river Thames the hotel has amazing views and as town folk we really enjoyed the amount of greenery around. You wre also able to hire boats(much to Hayley A’s delight!) and we saw a few groups go along to hire the boats for the afternoon after a lunch at the hotel. Not great for those of us who suffer from sea sickness but great opportunity for all others!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We started the day with a back massage at the body firm spa which is based on the hotel grounds. The staff were lovely and the massages great. We emerged pretty relaxed and ready for a sleep! I also managed to fit in a quick swim and Jacuzzi session before the day was out. Really great facilities, The pool area was incredibly hot though so didn’t feel the need for an additional sauna session!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant team were great and fitted us in early for our afternoon tea booking so the day seemed to flow really well . They were young and friendly and made us feel right at home. We sat on the outside terrace and with the sun shining it was hard to believe that it was early May! There are also several lounge areas where you can sit inside – all beautiful and grand without feeling too over the top. We had a selection of sandwiches (special selection for vegetarians!) and cute lil scones then a selection of three cakes each – the highlight being a chocolate caramel slice. I’ll even admit that I was tempted to eat the ones left by the next table….!!! Tramp-ish maybe but they were goooood cakes!! We had a constant top up of tea and checked on to see that we were enjoying it, attentive and caring without being overbearing. It was the setting that really made it, looking out at the hotel and then across to the green and fountain. We felt like royalty! Very apt for the royal wedding weekend!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The room was amazing – I booked a deluxe twin room so we had a single bed each but there was so much space. We were in the East wing with a great view back over the river and the terrace where we had eaten afternoon tea. The hotel feels big and with different wings and adjoining annexes there are a myriad of staircases that run throughout. But each of those still have a real sense of history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On one staircase we found the knight’s suit then at the top of one staircase we found the William Avery suite (Hayley A to track whether he is a relative!!). Even the corridors had a real attention to detail with pictures, antique wooden tables and information points. Great night sleep – the hotel was quiet and beds comfy. No freeview on the TV though, but who goes away to sit and watch hundreds of channels??</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My favourite room though would be the library, which has the wow factor – full of regal looking armchairs and surrounded by a wealth of books but also a collection of board games, including a wooden turn table version of scrabble. Yes fellow scrabble fans, it was impressive!!! The kind of room you could just sit in for hours and still find things to look at – inside and out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast = favourite meal of the day so I did actually look forward to this! We got the £59 room deal with breakfast included. I would say that the choice probably would have been greater if we had risen a bit earlier but there was still a good selection. Cooked bits, cereals, danishes, fruit on offer, with toast and other speciality cooked items available on request. Great start to the day. Oh and Tiptree jam always makes me smile – a lil bit of Essex to make us feel at home! Good choice guys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On checking out of the hotel we went to the nearby Windsor races for a flutter on the horses, and also went for a wander around Windsor town centre. The Oakley Court was brilliantly located for this – although you did need a car or cab to get around it didn’t take long to do it. A cab into Windsor on Saturday night cost us about £10 each way though would advise that the area is not suited for those looking for a big night out but there are some lovely restaurants to go to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Was sad to leave the hotel – would definitely go back for more nights next time…</span>Principal Hayley Challengehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12958001457894407028noreply@blogger.com0