Since The Borrowdale Hotel was bought in March by Lake District Hotels, some of the bedrooms have already been refurbished. Now a more noticeable transformation is about to take place under the watchful eye of Stephen Wilcock who moves from The Lodore Falls Hotel to take up his first role as General Manager.
Stephen Wilcock was Deputy General Manager at the Lodore Falls Hotel during the last four years and was instrumental in minimising disturbance for hotel guests during the £2 million pound Lodore Falls refurbishment. His move to the Borrowdale Hotel coincides with imminent plans to update the lounge, dining areas and remaining bedrooms at the hotel. Work has already started in some of the bedrooms and regular guests have given very enthusiastic praise for the work so far. The lounge will be refurbished during November - in plenty of time for Christmas and there are exciting new plans for the dining room which are due to start in the New Year.
Saadani Game Reserve was gazetted in 1964, covering an area of some 250 sq km from the Wami River in the south to the Mligaji River in the north, with the Moshi railway line as the western boundary.
In 2003 Saadani was upgraded to become Tanzania’s latest National Park under the direction of TANAPA (Tanzania National Park Authority). Boundaries have been expanded to include land north of the Mligaji, which is an important area containing the only permanent elephant population in the area as well as sable antelope. The total protected area now covers over 1000 sq km and the TANAPA headquarters are based at Mkwaja ranch.
Saadani is geographically the closest reserve to Dar es Salaam (130km) and, even considering the present situation of no coast road, it is still a similar distance in terms of time to Mikumi National Park, the next closest wildlife destination. Construction of the coast road from Dar es Salaam is underway and once completed, this will reduce driving time to around two hours from Dar making Saadani the closest wildlife destination to Dar offering an irresistible combination of beach and wildlife viewing.
Saadani sits directly opposite Zanzibar’s Stone Town, which is located approximately 42 kilometres away. Regular flights are available from Zanzibar to Saadani and these only take about fifteen minutes. Visitors to Zanzibar will find an excellent choice of Zanzibar hotels and most other types of Zanzibar accommodation, including villas and lodges. Read the rest of this entry »
Christmas in the Lake District has been a popular choice for couples and families for some years now. Escaping from all the expense and stress of organising presents and the Christmas lunch. The beautiful scenery is so enticing in the winter months and the festive season. Now the Lake District is being a hot spot for company Christmas parties. Many Lake District hotels have spiced up their 2008 Christmas Party programme by providing alternative party themes as well as their traditional Christmas party nights enjoyed by many. With a choice of themes to suit a range of pockets, many Lake District hotels are introducing theme nights such as Elvis Tribute Nights, Las Vegas Casino Nights as well as a Fajitas and Margaritas Party food themes.
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Combining a spa treatment with a holiday or weekend away is becoming more and more popular. With the stresses of work and family life, the ability for total relaxation and making the most out of a much deserved weekend break is a must. Spa’s located within Lake District hotels are the most convenient and give the most relaxation as the guest can simply come down from their room and within a matter of seconds be in having a spa treatment, no need to get in a car or walk for miles.
One such example if The Lodore Falls Hotel situated on the edge of one of the most beautiful lakes in the English Lake District, Derwentwater. It is a very popular area with lovers of all activities and it is one of the few pieces of water in the Lake District that has retained its peaceful atmosphere despite being right in the heart of the most popular area for walking. Lake District spa treatments can be anything from a variety of massages to facials, tanning, waxing, manicures, pedicures, anti-ageing, eye treatments, facials, sunbed and bridal treatments. With the popularity of getting married in the Lake District, a Lake District spa offers ultimate pampering for the bride.
Elemis is a high rated brand of facial, massage and body therapy treatments. The Lodore Falls Hotel offer Elemis Spa Therapy which is developed by a specialised team, with extensive clinical & scientific studies. Elemis professional spa-therapies are world renowned for their powerful massage sequences combined with the most dynamic activities, available in the world today. Lake District pamper days are also available in some of the Lake District spas. Locals can then use these facilities or guests who just want a full day of relaxing.
Windermere in the English Lake District is the longest natural lake in England. Set in the middle of some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, Windermere and its surrounding areas have been a favoured holiday destination since 1847. Windermere the lake is 10.5 miles long and ranges from a quarter of a mile to one mile wide. The northern end is Waterhead, a mile from Ambleside town centre, the middle being Bowness-On-Windermere and the southerly end bringing you to Newby Bridge.
The town of Windermere is located on the east bank of the lake and is in actual fact one and a quarter miles from the lake. With a population of approximately 2,295, Windermere is one of the larger towns in the South Lakes. Many businesses have offices and shops in the town due to its location to the many smaller villages in the area. It has a supermarket, many local independent shops and the flagship Lakeland Limited store right next to the train station.
Surrounding the town and all the way down to the lake are a plethora of hotels in the Lake District and Lake District hotels. The choice really is endless. Boutique and niche hotels have begun to pop up making Windermere a quality destination suitable for young and old.
The lake offers many activities from Windermere lake cruises to fishing and water sports. Of course, if being on the water is not for you, the walking along the shore taking in the scenery and landscapes is equally as enthralling. The town of Bowness-On-Windermere sits right by the lake too. Again, a very busy town but a greater focus on tourism.
The name “Ullswater” is believed to have come from an early Viking settler but due to a stone circle called The Cockpit at Barton Fell, some say it could have been earlier. The valley has many farms which is now the main economy of the area along with tourism. Some of the farms which are still working today, date back to as early as the sixteenth century.
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Lake District at a length of 8 miles. The lake is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the area and is a very popular place to stay for walkers wanting to tackle Helvellyn, Highstreet and Fairfield. The Coast to Coast walk goes through Patterdale with the Patterdale YHA situated on the route. For less adventurous walkers, there are many lower level, less strenuous walks such as the lovely Hallin Fell walk. It is approximately 3 miles long and of the same distance, the Aira Force Walk. Aira Force is the most spectacular waterfall in the Lake District and the beautiful walk through a leafy glen is wonderful.
Heads In Beds is your one stop accommodation resource from Gary Lowthian. Recommendations on great value accommodation across the north and east of England.
Having worked with many tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses to help improve their profitability, I thought it was high time that I pulled together a website highlighting the ones I really enjoyed working with. The result is www.headsinbeds.co.uk.
The site is far from an exhaustive list, neither is it only a list of the ‘finest quality’, as Gary believes that ‘value’ is something important to everyone whether staying at a bunkhouse or penthouse. Value is simply the relationship between what we pay and the type of experience we have and Gary feels all of the businesses listed on www.headsinbeds.co.uk site offer good value to their customers.
Why not consider using this site when looking for a short break or holiday in the North and East of England, where the majority of Gary’s work has taken place. The areas covered include Northumberland, Yorkshire including the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire, East Anglia including Norfolk and Suffolk, Lancashire including Forest of Bowland, Blackpool and Cumbria - The Lake District.
The site includes different types of accommodation including hotels, bed and breakfasts, guest houses, inns, farm b&bs, cottages, self catering agencies, caravan sites, camp sites and hostels, as well as a few restaurants and places to visit.