win a stay in a 5 star hotel in Dubai!

HotelConnect are giving away yes GIVING away a 2 night stay at the luxurious 5 star Habtoor Grand Hotel in Dubai! This hotel is set on the stunning sands of Jumeirah Beach, it has a fantastic spa, tennis courts, gym and swimming pools.

There is also a great selection of different restaurants to choose from with a choice of international dishes, to italian, or even lebanese. Win yourself a stay here by entering our very simple competition here!

http://www.hotelconnect.co.uk/destination/dubai/hotels?twhoc=blog

New York New York!

We've just been visiting some of the Kimpton hotels in New York and wow do we love them! The first one we stayed at was the Muse - right in the heart of Times Square. You are welcomed at reception by Ginger - the 4 legged friend of one of the staff who has apparently been there for years welcoming guests! This hotel is a little pet mad - they have yappy hour dedicated to all pets who are all welcome to stay in the hotel (there are certain rooms set aside which are used for those with pets). This is a contemporary and chic property.

The next Kimpton hotel we visited was 70 Park Avenue. This introverted sanctuary is a relaxing space where you can really escape the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. The lobby has a comfortable seating area with a welcoming fireplace. All the rooms are particularly spacious (especially for New York) and you can even get a great view of the Empire State Building.

We also love the fact that many of the Kimpton hotels offer a free guppy to keep you company in your room! These hotels are so special - many have restaurants with celebrity chefs who also run the room service dishes. Wine hour takes place pretty much every afternoon and as you can imagine is very popular with guests! Another little touch is the fact that if you forget anything whilst staying at a Kimpton hotel, you most likely can borrow whatever it is - they cleverly have a list of the top 20 things you are most likely to forget - and they have them just waiting for you! Ingenious. Each property is unique and as they say - they're less of a chain and more a charm bracelet.

bangkok and hong kong!

From the moment we arrived in Bangkok, we realised quite how friendly and helpful everyone is - no wonder they call it the land of smiles!

We stayed at the Bel Aire Princess hotel , which has fantastically large rooms and they are lovely and cool which was much appreciated when the temperature outside was 35 degrees! The rooftop pool is a great added extra and superb for chilling out in after a day of sightseeing and shopping. A lovely hotel in a unique destination.

On the same trip, we managed to get some time in Hong-Kong too - what an adventure! One of the highlights was visiting Lantau Island - witnessing the world's largest seated Buddha! The cable car ride down the mountain offered beautiful panoramic views of the sea and south China countryside. In the evenings we headed out to Lan Kwai Fong - there is a huge choice of wine bars and restaurants here with almost every cuisine from around the world on offer!

We stayed at the Harbour Grand Kowloon, situated right on the waterfront.

The staff were incredibly friendly, and the breakfast options were never-ending! Try the Southern Chinese breakfast - the spices will be sure to wake you up!

It also currently has a great offer of a free upgrade from courtyard room to harbour view room when you book 2 nights or more (just book before 31 May).

Sardinia - relax and enjoy the jazz!

One of the hotels we love visiting the most is the La Playa Hotel in Sardinia. We just turn up and feel totally relaxed - mainly because of the warm welcome from the staff at this family run hotel. You can sit in the restaurant and be lulled by the jazz music (the owner Salvatore is a huge fan!), sitting by the softly lit pool and gazing out to the sunset. Sounds good doesn't it?!

We all need a bit of a chill sometimes and this is the perfect place to get it!

This hotel also has some great discounts on depending how many nights you want to book. One of the best is a 7 nights for the price of 6 deal from £249pp. Highly recommended!

UK weekend breaks

Would you rather...

• Go trout fishing in Glasgow?
• A night on the tiles in Manchester?
• Or a picnic in Jersey?

Whichever you fancy, we have the perfect hotel for your weekend break!

Why not enjoy a tranquil break in the Lake District or take a short stay in Stratford-upon-Avon where you can relax in the old world charm and be inspired by a performance from the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Enjoy a relaxing spa break at the sumptuous Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh or a luxurious stay at the Goring in London. HotelConnect has handpicked hotels in all the top UK destinations and some great ideas on how to relax and unwind on your UK break.

Budapest!

Forget your soul-less stainless steel and pinewood “Superior” hotels! The Astoria Hotel in Budapest is a seriously “Grand” hotel whichever way you look at it. From the moment that you step out of its Metro station (how many hotels have a station named after them?) until you finally roll down the shutters and retire to your king sized bed you will be glad you chose this hotel.
Situated at a major crossroads with the historic centre of Budapest just a short walk away and with trams to all parts right outside (if you don’t care to use the Metro) this is an ideal location for a city-break hotel.
The Empire style reception and profusion of Art-work may have olden days charm and romantic associations but, make no mistake, the appointments of your air-conditioned Bedroom will not disappoint you. All the recently refurbished Deluxe Rooms have been finished with the most meticulous attention to detail with superbly fitted bathrooms and large beds with individual duvets.

Buffet breakfast is served in the Mirror Restaurant and provides an interesting and unusually diverse selection of hot and cold treats to fortify you for your day exploring the amazing contrasts of old and new that Budapest (and indeed this hotel itself) provides. The Mirror Coffee shop (on the street) and the Mirror Restaurant (tucked away to the rear) both individually make the “top-ten in Budapest” in the guide book. Don’t be surprised that they are so popular with the denizens of Budapest as well as visitors – just look at the cake stand on the way out, they constantly change the selections so you will want to go back into the café and start again!
The General Manager of the hotel Gabor Maraczi and his staff will do their utmost to make sure you have a wonderful and memorable stay. As they say, their motto is “Tradition and style…” which is exactly what you will find if you are lucky enough to stay here.

15% off hotels this Easter!

We have handpicked some great hotels, for the perfect easter break. Take full advantage of the lovely long weekend off over Easter (2nd-5th April) and treat yourself.

Weather you fancy a bargain city break hotel or a relaxing spa hotel, we have something to tickle your fancy and with 15% off you'll have some money to spare for sightseeing or treats.