free hotel upgrades!!!

And a very Merry Christmas to you all! We hope you ate all that turkey, drank to your heart's content and maybe even got to throw a snowball or two. We had such a good time we are now looking forward to 2010 and what it will bring.

To celebrate the new year, HotelConnect have some great new offers! Have you ever fancied getting a free upgrade? Perhaps you'd like to enjoy a junior suite or a sea view for the price of a standard room? From Barcelona to Paris, Monte Carlo to San Francisco - we have so many you'll be spoilt for choice! Check them all out here and book yourself a holiday where you'll really be treated - and for free!!! We all need a bit of that.

More £10 hotels: berlin, istanbul, malta, cyprus, algarve

So our Algarve hotel sale sold out pretty quickly and in celebration of this we have ANOTHER £10 sale next friday (4th december) at 10am. This time we'll be offering £10 and £15 hotel rooms in Berlin, Cyprus, Malta, Istanbul and more in the Algarve!

There's the Aquasol Holiday Village in Cyprus with a selection of great pools (one indoor and heated - great for the winter!) and the hotel has fantastic sea views - particularly from the restaurant. I'm planning a post-Christmas recovery there - think I will be in need of a bit of chill-out time after the family gathering my great auntie has planned.

I'm also quite tempted by the Istanbul Erboy - somewhere I've not been recently. It's a simple hotel but within walking distance to the main attractions of the city and I fancy a bit of sightseeing followed by a turkish bath. All in the name of a post-Christmas/new year detox!

Check out all the hotels here: http://www.hotelconnect.co.uk/deals-on-hotels/?twhoc=blog

latest x factor house news!

Today we managed to bump into a few of the X factor stars (by bump into we mean they were leaving their house and we just happened to be passing). They live just up the road from us so it is rather convenient and we are seeing them quite a lot around Golders Green.
Today we saw Olly and Lloyd joining the others to go for their day of choreography in preparation for saturday's show.
It's been fairly quiet recently as they've all been back to their families and home towns but now they're back! They needed their day or two off as they've been working 7 days a week for the past few weeks - can see they could do with a rest! Unfortunately there's a whole water works going on outside their house and it makes peering over the gates a little more tricky (we're going to wear our wellies tomorrow) - hope they're not disturbing the stars from getting their beauty sleep. We're still hoping they'll call upon us to put them up in one of our hotels - nice fluffy pillows, power showers and we'd keep them oh so quiet from the paparazzi and teenage girls that hang around outside the house.
We're off to decide who to vote for this week...we've got too many favourites at the moment.

£10 algarve hotels on sale tues 17th nov 10am!

£10 hotels going on sale tues (17th nov!) at 10am in the algarve!!!
There are 10 hotels that will be available - they range from 3 star to 4 star. There are over 6,000 hotel room nights up for grabs - what a bargain!
Check out the exquisite Vila Gale Albacora or the impressive Vila Gale Tavira. The Garbe, built right on the sea front is also a great hotel.
Check them all out here: http://www.hotelconnect.co.uk/deals-on-hotels/?twhoc=blog - more details will be revealed shortly!

more x factor

We've been spotting more x factor stars out and about - with Joe out for a jog in the park and Jamie & Danyl taking a break from it all in Starbucks. They've also been getting special treatment in the local Sainsburys and have been seen sneaking out of the back when the crowds of fans get too much!

What with all the controversy going on at the moment around the program, we wonder how they manage to get on with their day to day activities - they just seem to be so busy all the time! Maybe we'll get them to go and try out a few hotels for us so they can disappear for a while or perhaps we'll treat them to a spa treatment in one of our spa hotels. I'm sure they'd appreciate that.

x factor house shenanigans

We've been taking a peek or two into the x - factor house. It's just round the corner from our offices you see and I got a little bit over-excited the first time I found out where it was. It's so close I can just wander there on my lunchbreak.

Today I met the lovely Andy, the security guard who likes a cup of coffee in his HotelConnect mug. He gave me a bit of insider info. Like the fact that Jedward were followed around yesterday in a taxi ALL day by a girl dressed as superwoman. Or the fact that there are 6 bedrooms which are now a little less squashed now there's only 1 group left and there's less fighting over who gets the bunkbeds.

Andy also gets to take the stars out and about - we've spotted them in Sainsburys and Starbucks and even in the local charity shop!

Check out my facebook page where I'll keep updating my findings. Who do we reckon will be out this week? My favourites are Jedward because I like to think they style themselves a little on me. Good taste boys!

luxury hotels in london...

While still on the topic of luxury hotels (I've been having a great few weeks looking at some of the most fantastic hotels on offer...), I've been pottering around London with Rachel. We've been hiding away in the Hempel, a minimalist haven for celebrities - it looks just like a row of terraced Georgian houses from the outside but inside......it's just so minimalist you can barely find the doors, each room has its own unique style with some fantastic features such as sunken baths, and there's a great bar which I managed to persuade to have just one weeny cocktail in (she didn't want to; it was only lunchtime and she was ever so professsional dragging me on to the next appointment we had) but I argued that it was important for us to experience the hotel as our customers would so that we can report back the full experience. (you'd like it, trust me).

After the Hempel and an M&S sandwich stop, we headed off to St Martins Lane. So... what I hadn't realised was this hotel is just above Bungalow 8 that I often read of in Hello magazine (not that I read it but some of my colleagues often leave it in the kitchen in the office and it just sits there waiting to be read and I feel sorry for it). Immediately I felt on-edge, waiting for a prince or two to just pop up round every corner but unfortunately they weren't around (I think it was a bit early for them). As Philippe Starck says of this hotel that he created, "When someone arrives here and goes through the door, it's an experience." and yes, I agree with him. As soon as you enter through the luminous yellow revolving doors, you feel you've come somewhere a bit special. The rooms have crisp white linen, the largest looking beds and with floor-to-ceiling windows you get great views of the city buzzing below.

I was a little in awe at this stage and Rachel had to politely take my hand and lead me out of the doors or I don't think I would have ever left.

Our final destination for the day was the Westbury in Mayfair. Now this hotel is actually on Bond Street so if I know my friends who like shopping, they'd be in heaven here. They even give a 10% discount on a selection of shops nearby!! With elegant decor, this was the first American hotel in London - opening in 1955. It was founded by the polo playing Phipps family and still retains a little of its polo theme with the Polo Bar and takes part in several Polo events such as the Cartier 25th International Day.

At this point I was so stunned by the loveliness of these hotels that I felt I had to go home and have a lie down. I waved goodbye to Rachel and went back to reality and my little north London flat. However sometimes it's good to enter this world of wonderful hotels and feel like a King for a day. I can't wait to see some more!

I need to treat myself!

Mister blue sky please tell us why you had to hide away for so long (so long)... This song has been going through my head all morning, probably because the sky is remarkable flat and grey today! I think it's falling! Yes, I really need a break! Luckily for me the lovely contractors have put together a selection of the very finest hotels that HotelConnect have on offer... ahhhhhhhhhhh I feel better already. I am going to recline my office chair a little, hug my cup of coffee and lose myself in our luxury and spa hotels.

Imagine sinking into this bed after spending the day sauntering around Monte Carlo, wow the Metropole Hotel in the heart of Monaco really earns it's 5 star rating. I reckon I'll spend the evening getting lucky in the casino then stay all week!

If I close my eyes I'm drifting in the pool at the Hivernage Hotel and Spa, soaking up the late summer sun and the luxurious character of this fantastic boutique hotel. Surrounded by lush gardens this hotel is truly an Oasis in the heart of Marrakech the perfect escape.

Well, all this relaxing has made me rather hungry. I think a spot of posh nosh will lift my mood, nothing like some pure indulgence to chase away the grey skies. We have a fabulous collection of gourmet hotels, I rather fancy some great British grub so I'm off to the The Goring Hotel in London, they have an award winning restaurant serving the very best in British cuisine. Unfortunately I haven't booked so it looks like it's a sandwich from the local supermarket will have to suffice!

Ok I admit this may not have been my most productive morning but I feel much happier... while I munch on my sandwich I'm going to look for flights to Marrakech, that spa is calling me.

christmas market hotels - the best way to buy gifts this year!

It's that time of year again already when those of us who love Christmas start getting all festive and thinking of who we're going to buy what. For me personally I also like to think about what to get who from WHERE. Yes I like to incorporate my festive shopping with a little trip somewhere and with the amazing Christmas markets going on in cities all over Europe I have yet to decide on my favourite one.

There's Berlin's market with beautiful decorations and fairy lights overlooking the Opera House or Bruges with the open air ice rink circling the market. Berlin's Hecker's hotel has a 3 nights for the price of 2 offer on from £152pp and also has a stylish bar. The 5 star De Tuilerieen in Bruges has beautifully furnished rooms with beams, wooden floors and slanted ceilings and also has a special offer of 3 nights for 2 from £146pp.

Brussels has a fantastic market with the central plaza decked out with a living nativity scene with real sheep! They have over 240 wooden chalet stalls offering wares from many European countries. Stay at the Silken Berlanymont - a 4 star which is slick and smart. It has a great coffee boutique on the ground level, a great restaurant and relaxing spa.

Copenhagen celebrates with a magical winter wonderland in the Tivoli gardens and ballet performances in Tivoli's concert hall. The Wakeup hotel, a short walk from the gardens, is a brand new hotel and has a special offer of 3 nights for the price of 2 from £98pp!

If you'd rather stay closer to home then don't miss London's own markets - the winter wonderland in Hyde Park or Tower Bridge market and stay at the City Inn in Westminster - a contemporary hotel located next to the Tate Britain. Alternatively head to Birmingham - the world's largest German christmas market (outside of Germany or Austria!). It even has a helter skelter which has sold it for me. The Paragon 3 star from £30pp in Birmingham housed in a grade 2 listed building is where I plan to have a drink and rest my head after all that shopping!

August bank holiday - rome hotels

Dare I say it but is summer here finally??? I mean it's about time isn't it??! I am seriously loving the sun and am just keeping everything crossed that it's going to stay like this in the UK.

This warmer climate has brought me to thinking of my August bank holiday and deciding where and what I'm going to do with it.

I am considering taking off to visit my aunt - Mama Isabella in Rome. I'm tempted by the warm sunshine, the multitude of parks to relax in, and of course a visit to the Colosseum which has been on my must-see list for quite a while. Without detracting from all those things one of the main draws for me is Mama Isabella's cooking. It's pasta, pizza, rich, cheesy, gooey, olive oily, mediterranean vegetable -licious. Why does everything out there taste so good. I've been on a diet you see - over the past few weeks I noticed my suit was a little too snug and that I'd perhaps been overdoing it so I've been on a strictly lettuce, soup and special K diet. It's been a bit dull to tell you the truth and I'm not that great at sticking to it although I have been trying out the new gym round the corner from my house. I say new it's been there for approximately 9 and a half years but I've been meaning to join since it opened. I've actually lost a few pounds so I am thinking I will reward myself with a trip to visit Isabella and a few Italian treats.

I'm planning on staying at the Villa Patrizi in Rome. This is a beautiful 4 star - relatively new with 25 rooms. It is a boutique hotel - once a family home and is very centrally located - Via Veneto is only a 15 min walk away. From £36pp this is a great price for such a lovely hotel.

There's also a fantastic deal on at Roma Park, 4 star with a special offer of 3 nights for the price of 2 if stay includes sun, mon & tues - from £80pp! What a deal!

Best get booking - it's not long now til the August bank holiday! Just a quick tip - there are some fantastic bank holiday deals in the UK too here if you're looking for something closer to home - now the sun's out - take advantage! Check out our UK bank holiday deals here>

tennis tastic and summer freebies!

I'm going tennis-tastic this week - with Murray reaching the semi-finals I am just on the edge of my seat every time he plays. Plus I am quite enjoying celebrity spotting - they're all there in the crowds - Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet - all loving a bit of Andy, willing him on. I'm thinking I might head over to Wimbledon tomorrow night to watch it on the big screen on Murray mount I think they're calling it now. With the brand new roof on centre court we could be in for a long night again.... On Monday night I had to go for a drink in the bar at the City Inn Westminster as I just couldn't watch it any more - it was so tense. The bar there is actually pretty cool - I tried a couple of their cocktails and then had a whisky and then felt a whole lot better and relieved when I discovered Murray had won.

The City Inn Westminster is a modern, stylish hotel, by the river and next to Tate Britain. The hotel has a cool spiral staircase which leads to the bar - and there's a great restaurant - the City Cafe where you can dine alfresco on the terrace. Every room has an iMac entertainment system! This hotel also has a great rating from our customers who have stayed there with 4.18 out of 5.

HotelConnect (my employers) also still have some brilliant free stuff they're giving away with hotel stays - there's free bike hire in barcelona , free wine and fruit in prague and loads of free room upgrades - in venice , paris and nice to name a few.
There are some fab deals to be had - you've got to be quick to grab them!

summer of free stuff!

It is hot hot hot here in North London! We are loving the summer feeling and in celebration my employers seem to be going summer-tastic and are giving away loads of free stuff!!!

There are hundreds of free nights on offer - my favourite being 2 nights for the price of 1 in Athens for just £38! The Four Seasons has a sandy beach just opposite, and is just a short walk to designer shops!! I feel a bit of a spending spree coming along! The area it is in, Glyfada, is a great place to relax and unwind but is close enough to Athens city centre to catch the metro for a night out! I am definitely going to be heading over there!

There are also free night offers in loads of other destinations - Amsterdam, Paris, London, Barcelona, Nice, Prague and even the Caribbean! Some hotels are also giving away free upgrades and free entry to their spa for example - there's some great free stuff coming your way!

As well as these free night offers, each week they're giving away something FREE with every booking! This week it's a Conde Nast Traveller subscription....ah I love browsing through this magazine - always gets me in the mood to get away somewhere!

Might take a copy to the park and make the most of this British sunshine! See you later!

blackpool hotels!

So I've just watched this fantastic you tube video on Blackpool and although it did make me chuckle quite a lot (my friend Barry lives in Blackpool and many a time we've sat in cafes and I don't remember le 'otpot being on offer) it's brought back memories and made me want to go and visit him again.

We've been told it's going to be a hot summer this year, so I'm taking my bucket and spade and heading up there - Pleasure Beach here I come - it has the longest indoor rollercoaster waterslide in the world - wwwwwwwaaaaaaaahoooooo (I do seem to scream rather loudly on rollercoasters - I must start acting my age).

I'm off to stay in the Barcelo Imperial Hotel - a 4 star from £67pppn. It's located right on the north promenade and the rooms have views over the sea!

In case our weather men get it wrong there's a health and leisure club within the hotel with this great looking pool! Excellent for getting me in shape for the summer - I may still be carrying a little holiday weight from Easter... so speedos at the ready!

I'm wondering if there will be a lot of french people there after this video. Must get out those french tapes and practice so I can communicate correctly....a bientot a Blackpool!

http://www.blackpoolcitizen.co.uk/news/4369169.Ooh_la_la__Blackpool_woos_tourists_with_French_video/?ref=mr

£10 hotels on sale 10am thurs 7 may

Hot off the press - my employers HotelConnect have hotel rooms going on sale at 10am thursday morning (7th may) for just £10 per room!

These will be in the Santa Catarina in the algarve, Crown Hotel and Windsor Hotel in malta, Am Haus Zoo in dusseldorf, Inn & Art Gallery in madeira, Greenville in sofia, Athens Centre Square in athens and Bologna in pisa.

Check out the page giving all the dates here.

There are over 2,000 hotel rooms going on sale - you'll have to be quick to grab one!

GOOD LUCK!!!

spring? more like summer!!

If like me you've spent the past few days out in the park, white skin bared to the public, you'll also be feeling like summer has hit. Summer and a good dose of UV Rays. Ouch!!

I apologise to those people who i may have blinded with my super pale skin, and have promised my sniggering colleagues that I will

a) use sunscreen

b) not bare SO much in public

c) not use a piece of turf as an excuse for a 'mobile park' and sunbathe a little further away from the office next time

d) not distribute any more images of animals sunbathing (okay, after this cat picture)

One bank holiday down, 3 more to go!

Bristol was wonderful. Friendly people, an awesome hotel - the City Inn was beautiful and perfect for my stay.

Next up - May bank holiday!

I've been checking out the bargain bank holiday breaks here... It's now whether I go for the seaside - I've been thinking about Bournemouth - you can stay at the 3 star Britannia Bournemouth for £45pppn.

Or I might head up north to Chester - beautiful city, great restaurants, and I love the Chester Zoo!!

There's a lush looking 4 star called the Crabwall Manor - a bit of a splurge after my last holiday but for this gorgeous hotel it's just £60pppn. They have a swimming pool, spa and gorgeous restaurant.

Decisions, decisions!

Right, off to find a shady patch of grass to relax in (fully clothed, no fear).

Laters

Secret Agent

£300 giveaway!

I'm all set and packed for my trip to Bristol - hoping the weather will improve a little - although I am quite pleased with my choice of hotel with the CD and DVD player in each room! I may be staying in the hotel a bit more than expected! Am sure I shall brave the West Country weather and head out for a walk and a look at the suspension bridge.

I was also hoping to hop in a hot air balloon to get an incredible view of Bristol - fingers crossed the sun comes out for that! If not, the fact I have given up chocolate for 40 days means that I will be quite content as long as I have my easter eggs with me.

There is also a bit of news from my employers at HotelConnect - rumour had it that they were giving away £300 EVERY WEEK for 3 weeks. And sure enough, the rumour turned out to be true although I couldn't quite believe it myself. Check it out here..... www.hotelconnect.co.uk. All you need to do is make a booking to be entered - and you could get £300 cash! 2 weeks left to go..... seems like a good idea to me. Perhaps for the next bank holiday I shall be going somewhere a little further afield than Bristol....

HAPPY EASTER everyone!

Looking for the Easter bunny....

Unless you've been under your duvet for the past 3 months (and if so - lucky you!), the place to travel this year is.... NOWHERE!

Well, that's not strictly true - but there's no need to venture far as there are amazing deals being offered in the UK that are too good to give up.

As you probably know by now, I'm a real follower of fashion (currently I'm wearing fluorescent socks and oversized jumpers - I usually look at this link for inspiration) so I've decided to keep with the trend and hit the hilly heights of the UK this Easter.

It's a great time of year, April and May. 4 bank holidays in total.

Luckily, there are a lot of great places to go in the UK for your bank holiday breaks.

For Easter I've chosen Bristol. 4 nights in a 4 star for £135 at the City Inn! That is an amazing deal.

It's a stylish hotel, located right in the heart of Bristol. What I really love about it is that it's a pure chill out hotel.

Every room has a CD and DVD player and the hotel has a library of CDs and DVDs to borrow.

Bliss!

Enjoy your Easter... I'll be putting out my special Easter bunny nest hoping for lots of chocolates in the morning!

Laters,

Secret Agent

cheap hotels

I'm still reeling a little from the excitement that was last thursday. The office was all hyped up and as the clock struck 10, we all were silent for a second before the onslaught of customers came to the website and phones - everyone desperate to get their hands on one of our £1 prague hotels. We were inundated with calls and traffic to the site and despite the site running a little slowly (I was a little afraid it may stop completely) - all the £1 rooms had gone within 2 hours!!!! Cousin Hamish is still gutted he missed out on one and keeps phoning me to see if there's any way I can blag him one - but rules are rules and I have told him he'll just have to wait until the next one. That got him all excited and now he keeps on pestering me for insider info on where the next one may be....... I may have to change my phone number.

While we're on the topic of some serious good cheap hotels - not quite as good as the £1 price tag, but some are not far off - HotelConnect have put together a page of their really cheap as chips, bargain basement, super dooper price smashing hotels.

A night in the 4 star Quinta do Mar da Luz in the Algarve costs just £10pp!
Or £10 can also get you a night in the Capri apartments in Gran Canaria. The Alfonso hotel in Malta is a snip at £9pp and if you're still on the hunt for bargains in prague - the Fortuna Rhea is also just £9pp. There are cheap hotels in Paris, cheap hotels in Belfast and cheap Dublin hotels - all at some amazing prices. I'm now on the hunt for some cheap cheap flights to match these.... let me know if you find any good ones!

going.... going......

...they'll be gone quickly, and FINALLY I can reveal that from 10am on Thursday you can snap up a night in Prague for just £1.

Yes, that's not a typo, my zeros DO work on my keyboard.

There's 400+ hotel rooms on offer for just £1 in Prague available in selected 2 to 4 star hotels - including the delicious

Plaza Alta (I'd go for that one if I wasn't an employee and not allowed to take up this bargain offer!!).

The sale starts at 10am...

my special SecretAgent advice?

Have your flights ready to select so that when you've snapped up your bargain room you make sure you've got a bargain flight to match.

I'm going to hide under my table on Thursday morning... I'm not one for stampedes!

Best of Czech luck!!!

Laters

Secret Agent

Hotels for just £1? It's true!

You may have read about it on moneysavingexpert (Hi Martin!!), flyertalk, hotukdeals, or one of the many recession buster/great deals/oh my goodness I want to save 1p on a bar of chocolate websites that are around at the moment.

I'd like to set the story straight.

It's true. HotelConnect will be selling hotel rooms for just £1 from 10am, Thursday 26th of February.

I was really excited for myself (until I read in the T&C's that employees were not eligible). BUT, it IS exciting for anyone else who is looking for a bargain getaway.

More details will be revealed on Tuesday... you can register for more information here, or just visit this page on Tuesday, and get ready to book on Thursday.

Nope, no more information from me. I can't tell you whether you'll need to pack big coats, bikinis, skis, safari suits or ANY KIND OF DETAILS like that.

Better go, I'm terrible at secrets!!

Laters

Secret Agent

My snowman is bigger than your snowman...

I know, I know, it's very common to brag - but if you build an awesome snowman, why not tell all your friends about it?

Okay, busted, I didn't really build this one, but hey - I wish I did. 

The one thing I can say 

though is that I did build a snowman IN LONDON.

Normally to fulfill my 'one snowman a year' policy, I have to travel. Scandinavia is usually my destination of choice, but nope, this year I was in Russell Square gardens building it.

Bit of a strange choice for location I agree, but a friend was over for the internet dating conference and was staying at the Hotel Russell in London.

I thought it was all pretty funny actually. They were snowed in, but it didn't really matter, right? As it's internet dating? I was just imagining them all sitting in their hotel rooms having their conference via their laptops.

I digress.

I walked (which included 5 spectacular slides and 1 award winning run-backwards-on-the-spot-then-fall-heavily-on-one's-behind slip) to meet up with Junior and we built a lovely, lovely snowman. 

I met him in his room which was, to be frank :  Spectacular. What a beautiful and glamourous hotel! Check out the picture.

We went and built our snowman, who was fine, and neat and dignified. 

Then Junior and I went to the bar in the hotel (also, very classy I might add). 

Junior suggested that we needed a 'warmer'. Then a 'cooler'. Then a 'juuuuust right'.

Then, well.. our poor snowman. Let's just say that there was some carrot rearrangement going on. That Junior, he's a bad influence on me. He does though, have excellent taste in hotels. 

The Hotel Russell did not disappoint in sheltering him very classily from the snow, and in providing a great bar to er... satisfy one's thirst.

Laters, with a very exciting announcement.

Secret Agent.

funny complaints

We're still giggling from the complaint letter written by a Virgin customer about the food served on a Virgin Atlantic flight. The author has been revealed as advertising exec Oliver Beale and he's apparently received a call from Sir Richard Branson offering him a job selecting food and wine for Virgin Atlantic flights! We have yet to hear whether he's taken Sir Richard up on the offer.

If you haven't already read it - have a look here:

"Dear Mr Branson,
REF: Mumbai to Heathrow 7th December 2008

I love the Virgin brand, I really do which is why I continue to use it despite a series of unfortunate incidents over the last few years. This latest incident takes the biscuit.

Ironically, by the end of the flight I would have gladly paid over a thousand rupees for a single biscuit following the culinary journey of hell I was subjected to at the hands of your corporation.

Look at this Richard. Just look at it:

I imagine the same questions are racing through your brilliant mind as were racing through mine on that fateful day. What is this? Why have I been given it? What have I done to deserve this? And, which one is the starter, which one is the dessert?

You don’t get to a position like yours Richard with anything less than a generous sprinkling of observational power so I KNOW you will have spotted the tomato next to the two yellow shafts of sponge on the left. Yes, it’s next to the sponge shaft without the green paste. That’s got to be the clue hasn’t it. No sane person would serve a dessert with a tomato would they."

To read the rest check it out here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4383938/Virgin-complaint-letters-author-revealed-as-Oliver-Beale.html

So that got me remembering a few of our own complaints. Not that we get many - we're very proud of the fact we get so few complaints and on the rare occasion we do receive a gripe or grumble, our fanastic team Leila, Barry & Paula all sort them out quick smart.

However some of them do make us giggle - just a little. Here are our some of our favourites:

1. We had one lady who wanted to bring her animals to a hotel - the hotel were not best pleased when she turned up with an assortment of animals - the most extreme being a vulture!

2. On the subject of pets - one gentleman asked for room service for his poodle and was rather put out when they refused.

3. The British Embassy received a call from one customer who called them to say she didn't like her room.

4. Another customer asked the hotel for compensation for head injuries, having arrived back at his hotel drunk as a skunk, falling off the bed and jamming his head between the bed and wardrobe.....

5. My personal favourite - a lady who phoned up extremely angry because she had to wait for the traffic to stop before she could walk across the road to the beach.....

I'd quite like to meet some of these people! Maybe I'll bump into them on my travels....

it's time to save the pennies...

...or what's the saying? Watch your pennies and the pounds will look after themselves?

I'm not sure, but what I do know is that I'm going for the best value holiday I can get. I've been a little bit crazy with my travelling lately, and even though my taxpaying funds are apparently propping up the banks, the banks aren't really saying thank you.

My bank is more kinda saying - HELLO! who do you think you are? Donald Trump? Pur-leeease!

So, I've checked out HotelConnect's top 10 Money Saving tips... and this led me to the Early Booking Discounts.

I've found myself a discount of 20% at a 4 star in Tenerife. All I need to do is book before May and travel between May and October. Bargain. And check it out...

It's the Golf Plaza Resort in Tenerife.

It is located in the midst of extensive manicured gardens... and looks very relaxing indeed. And this works well for me as one of my new year's resolutions is to learn how to play golf properly this year.

Last year's efforts were kind of embarrassing, starting from my outfit, to bopping people on the head with golf balls, to getting my foot stuck 'in the hole' at round 8.

So, this hotel is perfect as it is close to 2 of the islands best golf courses, Golf del Sur and Amarilla Golf.

If the golfing proves too challenging I can always relax at the spa, or of course lounge by the pool. Sounds pretty perfect for me... especially with a 20% discount!

So now, I guess all I need to do is sit back and watch my pennies roll in, and the pounds will thud in by themselves.... right?

I'll keep you posted!

Laters,

Secret Agent.

Happy New Year!

So what a brilliant Christmas I had - all the family came over to my house - great auntie Beryl bought me a new teapot so that she doesn't need to bring her own every time she comes and stays and cousin Hamish bought me a sporran - I am still deciding what to keep in it. And then Harriet and I headed off to Barcelona where we walked and walked and strolled a bit slower after a few tapas and some sangria. Harriet got to see all the Gaudi architecture that she had wanted to so she was extremely happy and me - well I was quite happy just taking it all in, watching the street performers in las ramblas and generally eating and drinking too much! And the H10 Universitat really was a winner - I particularly enjoyed the complimentary glass of cava on arrival - got our holiday off to a perfect start!

I am now back in freeeeeeeeeeeeezing Blighty and am getting very excited by all this talk of free upgrades! It's fantastic. This is a january sale to beat all january blues by the looks of things. We all had a bit of a sit around and then chatted to our hotels about how we could cheer everyone up in this january and thought how's about free upgrades - that little bit of special treatment for no extra cost that everyone deserves at the moment. So the results of this are that HotelConnect are offering 100 free upgrades available in hotels worldwide. I personally have my eye on a free upgrade to a luxury apartment when you book a standard room at the Hotel Elysee in Prague - I might even head out there for Valentines day - what a way to impress a lady! Plus it's only £28pppn! (I won't be telling her that).

There are also offers such as free entry to the spa or free canapes and champagne - just check out the site here.

My next plan is to find somewhere to go that is HOT. Not minus 10 degrees or whatever it is in the UK at the moment. I am pondering on Cancun, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Sydney ....what do you reckon???