No Ball Games

Something’s going on this June. Oh yeah, that over-talked about World Cup thing.

Not all places are embracing the game because, believe it or not, it’s not everyone’s be all and end all. Life and travel does carry on around World Cup time for those who let it.

Want to escape it? Here’s how.

We’re offering you retreats and hideaways so you don’t have to put up with the bad behaviour, the tantrums, the tears, the injuries or the opinions.  Get on the ball and go and do something else, somewhere else.

The Greulich Hotel is setting the tone with their No-Goal dinners, while these other hotel gems have told us their places will be football free:

Aenea, Worthersee, Austria
Krafft Basel, Basel
Lesic Dimitri, Korcula, Croatia
Inis Meain, Arran Islands, Ireland
Hotel des Academies, Paris
Ca’pisani, Venice
Hotel J, Stockholm
Hotel Skeppsholmen, Stockholm
Town Hall Hotel & Apartments, London

The Greenwich, New York
New Majestic, Singapore
The Retreat, Tanzania

Go somewhere where football fever isn’t being forced fed to you.

Be rational, there is no California road trip.

Are you the brightest of all your friends? Were you the one who came up with the idea to do something about getting away like you’ve all been talking about for months?

Be rational – you’re not going to do the road trip to California together so how about getting involved with Germany? The New Yorker in Cologne, East Hotel in Hamburg or Lux 11 in Berlin are superb for nightlife and not in the horrible resort way, but in the cosmopolitan way that means in the day you feel equally as good and not like you’ve been up all night drinking anti-freeze.

Your group piggy bank with “Barbados” tippexed on it is rather un-weighty? Polarise your plans with Hotel Skeppsholmen, found on one of Stockholm’s many islands, only a 10 minute walk (yes, walk, it’s a beautiful one too) to some of Sweden’s most luxurious bars and clubs and come home again to your own little haven. Or maybe, all your stressful lives just need a little mending. Get to know each other again with a relaxing chilled, insiders choice at Hollmann Beletage in Vienna or Greulich Hotel in Zurich. Perhaps an intimate and highly personalised trip to the Lesic Dimitri Palace in Korcula, Croatia, complete with private yachts and island exploration?

Europe this Easter time is actually doable – Think how easy it would be.

Categories: Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Korcula – Croatia, Stockholm, Vienna, Zurich, EASTER

Cabin Fever? Free yourselves this Easter.

Cabin fever finally driven you mad? You’ve been moaning, they’ve been moaning, You’re both lashing out at each other because you’ve not gone anywhere apart from Ikea and the supermarket and there’s stuff that needs doing round the house. It’s not their fault, their perfect. It’s not what you’ve wanted to achieve in 2010, you wanted to travel more and live life “to the full”. Take an Easter break before you kill each other.

The hotel room you choose is so important. So, which hotel we think you should stay in is a matter of what kind of couple you are.

If you’re a couple of media-lovers then Hotel Omm in Barcelona will be right up your modern street. Both equally as fashionable as you are well-travelled? Then the Lanchid 19 in Budapest will tick all your dapper boxes. Or, as we don’t all have our own summerhouses, try the warm and cosy lakeside Hotel J on Nacka Strand, Stockholm.

Diverse and hopelessly romantic? Then Krafft in Basel or the Hotel des Academies in Paris. However, what if you’re a new couple and you’re trying to avoid the obvious romance? Ca’Pisani Hotel in Venice might be appropriately placed for love but is so subtly seductive that it will put you completely at ease.

Enough of work, home, sleep, work.  Easter 2-5 April.

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Categories: Barcelona, Basel, Budapest, Nacka Strand – Stockholm, Paris, Venice, Destinations, SPECIALS – Easter

What is the deal with bunnies?

If like us you’ve survived the freakish winter, the new decade slog at work, the tedious post New Year chats, you’re probably starting to feel a bit like robots. Yes? Then, do something about it. We might not be able to offer you hot hot hot, but we can offer you a change of scenery. We know how sometimes you can’t pinpoint what you want so it blurts out as “sun, oh god the sun, I miss the sun”. It’s maybe not just the sun. We need a bit of variation as going to a different supermarket or taking a different route home is a start but it really isn’t as environment changing as we’d like.

We’re looking out for your needs, for your welfare and happiness. Think of us as something between a shoulder to cry on and fun fascists.

Go away for Easter – you have no idea how happy it will make you.

Check out these tips for couples and with friends.

Valentines day offer in Nacka Strand, Stockholm

Still looking for that extra touch of romance to celebrate the annual day of love? Treat your loved one to an outstanding experience instead of just a rose.

The Hotel J in Nacka Strand, Stockholm has a couple of options for you, a romantic dinner, or a romantic dinner followed by a romantic stay at Hotel J.

First up, dinner at Restaurant J on the waters edge.

Valentine’s Menu, all prices in Swedish Krone

Chèvre chaud with walnut salad and honey 140:-
Toast Skagen, prawns in mayonnaise on toast, topped with whitebait roe from Kalix 145:-
Lightly grilled pollack with roasted Jerusalem artichoke and dill & leek sauce 265:-
Roastbeef of veal with sauted salsify, fried mushroom, Madeira gravy and potato cake 255:-
Crème brûlée flavoured with white peach 99:-
Raspberry & blackberry bavaroise with chocolate müsli 99:-

The menu is served from 17.00, reservations are recommended via +46 8 601 30 25 or nackastrand@restaurantj.com

Dinner not enough…surprise your loved one with a romantic stay
Stay the night in Nacka Strand.  For Valentines night (February 14) Hotel J offers a double room including breakfast in front of the fire from 800 SEK. Combine that with their luxurious VIP package, 495 SEK (champagne, fruits & chocolate, bath robes and a special gift in the room) and your  partner will be positively delighted with you.

Book your stay directly with them via the Hotel J website.