Clarendon Hotel - Gravesend Kent

Well, it needs work

Isn’t it funny when sometimes you hear of the name of a town and just assume that it would be a dump?

Well, I have recently spent 24 hours in Gravesend Kent and were not impressed by the town centre nor the public transports…

It takes one thing in one such town to make you want to visit again. I spent the night at the Clarendon Royal hotel.

The Clarendon is situated on very small hilly road at the edge of Gravesend. The hotel which sits by the Thames has a little terrace right by the water where the guests can leisurely sip their beers while enjoying the view of the sun playing on the water ripples.

The Clarendon was apparently built for a Duke of York and as guests wonder in the hotel, the vestiges of the Duke’s time can still be seen in some details in particular on the door frames, the stairs case and the built-in photo frames and light in the various corridors.

A lot of work need doing in this building and the details need to be revived. The stair case needs its runner and could do with a lick of paint.

The hotel, despite having lost a lot of its richness is still very comfortable and its location will always sell it to me.

The restaurant is too dark and too modern to fit in with the rest of the building.

Generally the staff was great and very accommodating.

First thing to do, feel the carpet - Soft!

I guess I was just impressed or relived because, given the gloomy name of the town and the uninspiring town centre, I was just too glad to find a good and comfortable place to lay my head after a long day.

My single bed room

I could definitely go back there just to take in that great view of the Thames knowing that I am not going home after the sun has gone down…

See you next week.

Copthorne Hotel - Birmingham UK

Few years ago, when I heard of Copthorne Hotels, my imagination when in to over drive. I imaged that these hotels had the most up to date decorations with external smoky reflective mirrors.

Last week I stayed in one of them in central Birmingham. When I was booking, I asked the receptionist if there was a restaurant in the hotel and she told me that yes, there was a Chinese restaurant. Now, I have never eaten in a hotel based Chinese restaurant and I imagined that the food would be outstandingly good and well-presented... proper oriental experience… or even a buffet.

My room at the Copthorne

When I arrived at the hotel, it did have those external smoky mirrored walls. I was not impresses with the parking but, still I wasn’t spending the night in the parking was I?

The receptionist was excellent and very accommodating. The reception area seem to have had better days, but was still very welcoming.

It all changed when I took the lift to my floor. The corridors which looked like school ones where old, all beige and light brown. The wall paper seem to have been painted on and was peeling off the walls.

View of the square

One great thing about my bedroom is that it was massive, on the third floor with a side view of a small square from which the shiny Hyatt hotel and the new Birmingham library could be seen.

Having smacked my lips all day at the prospect of seating down for some kind of a la carte or high class Chinese dinner, I was disappointed to discover that my colleague and I were going to be the only people having dinner at the time we went to the restaurant (8.30pm). The menu presented to us wasn’t impressive and looked like the one I’d have if I went to my local. 

The selection of drinks had nothing oriental and I was only able to order an orange juice… nothing exotic about that… Do check your restaurant recipe before you leave…

Copthorne toiletry 

Two year ago, I was introduced to Pork ribs, and it “changed my life”. Since that was the only thing that seem attractive on the menu presented to me, I ordered the ribs with some basic stir-fry vegetables… without cashews or event sesames seeds, which didn't give me anything to write home about.

My dinner wasn't impressive, my room was functional, the bathroom light were too dim, but had own branded toiletries. Still. I was just too glad and reassured to only have to spend one night at the Copthorne… don’t be fooled by the photos on the website.

I will not recommend it, but if you are looking for a hotel in city centre Birmingham with its own parking, go for it. The hotel is quiet central, so, it won’t be too difficult to find a good restaurant for dinner. 

Then again, this was my experience, yours might be different.

See you next week.

Ciao.

Email me at beenthere.reviews@gmail.com

Further info about the Copthorne Birmingham here.

Flemings - Mayfair - London

This is in the ladies at Flemings

A friend and I recently celebrated a milestone by having an afternoon tea at Flemings Mayfair, London.

I had seen an offer in Emerald Street and had decided to check out their recommendation. Having checked my friend avails, I booked a table for 2.30pm a Saturday 3 weeks in advance. Given the location of Flemings, it seem to be a very busy place to go for an afternoon tea.

Sandrine and I work in a homeless day centre once a month and that day was our turn. We had decided to make it a lazy day and hang out in Mayfair after the shift, then, have the afternoon tea. After our shift we changed into our day frocks, flat smart shoes on with our heels in the bag just in case the portier at Flemings was sniffy and uptight.

Having walked the length of Piccadilly and stopped from time to time to check out some small galleries and shopping arcades along the way, we arrived at a semi-derelict street… double checking and surprised that such a street was located in Mayfair… Looked a bit like a part of Croydon or Tooting to me if you asked. But, yes we were in the right street, Half Moon Street… To my right, we had Flemings to my left we had a Hilton hotel this street from afar looks like a cul-de-sac closed by a beautiful church edifice which was built between 1908 and 1911… This church is in fact on Curzon street…Must go have a tour of that church the inside must be as fascinating at the outside.

Arriving at the Flemings, the portier was very welcoming and our flat shoes were suitable and elegant enough to fit right in. The entrance on Half-moon Street is also the entrance to the hotel…and there were few arriving and departing guests in this reception area which, although well decorated was starved of the beautiful daylight that we had been enjoying so far. There wasn’t enough artificial light either to show off the dramatic details of the decoration.

Upon reporting to the reception, we were send downstairs to the tea rooms just below this beautiful Pendant ceiling chandelier from which, yellow lights reflected on the golden rimmed mirrors gave an added impression of luxury to this hidden side of the reception.

The tea room was the same décor as the reception area, dramatic in some sides and way too busy on other sides, the abundance of mirrors in this room lacking of daylight helped to reflect the few points of light darted in this room full of contrary lines.

The Maître D was very welcoming, accommodating and sat us despite the fact that we arrived earlier than our booking. We were served within 10 minutes, the sandwiches and mini cake came another 10 minutes after that…

I am not a sweet tooth person so, I very much liked the sandwich selection and especially the rye sandwich… The scones were too dry almost biscuitty, I hate cupcakes and was not impressed with the macaroons. To sum it, the only thing I enjoyed in terms of food was the sandwich selection and the Rooibos tea. My companion on the other hand had a field day, but did not like the scones either.

The offer on Emerald Street was “afternoon tea for 2 for £25”.  I would have paid more for the ambiance which, is very favorable for friends relaxing during a lazy afternoon. Flemings is a good venue to chill. The staff is welcoming and visible at all time. I’d definitely recommend it, more for the atmosphere and proximity rather than the munching in my opinion. The best afternoon tea I ever had was at Harvey Nichols at £40 per person and I have not found a match yet.

I did check out the ladies at Flemings. The deco was different and did not reflect the restaurant at all… the only quirk was the statue which made me smile.

I hope that you will hop into Flemings for a drink or an afternoon tea. I will mark it 7/10 but, don’t take my word for it, try it yourself.

As we continued our aimless wanderings, we found a little gem of a bookshop on Curzon Street, Heywood Hill were we spent more than an hour… book lovers MUST check it out. Then we said hello to the statue of Churchy below!

I love London!

Ciao!