Bush Hotel, Farnham | Review

There's nothing I love more than a little weekend away, and my wife & I recently visited Farnham in Surrey to celebrate our first wedding anniversary - side note, that year has flown by! We really enjoyed our time in Farnham, and we stayed at the gorgeous Farnham Bush Hotel. You can find all of our thoughts below...

I was invited to the Farnham Bush in exchange for an honest review.

Farnham Bush - location

We travelled to Farnham by train, as we don't drive; the hotel is around a 10 minute walk from the train station, which was really straightforward, and it's very centrally located in terms of the town itself. There's a Sainsbury's opposite, in case you've forgotten anything, and various pubs, restaurants, cafés and shops nearby. It's around a 10-15 minute walk from Farnham Castle too! So in terms of location, I don't think you could ask for more. There is also plenty of parking if you are driving in, and you just need to log your reg number on the tablet at reception.

Farnham Bush - our room

We were in a Vintage Double room with a garden view; these are some of the oldest rooms in the hotel, which by the way dates back to the 1600s, but the room itself was very fresh, warm and modern. We had a comfortable bed, a TV, space to get ready, room to relax, a gorgeous bathroom with walk-in shower that came with body wash, shampoo AND conditioner. There was an iron, hairdryer, air con/heating, WiFi and of course, the promised garden view. We both slept really well, and couldn't complain at all about the room. It was decorated really beautifully, and I particularly appreciated the full length mirror to check my outfit before dinner...

Farnham Bush - the grounds

One of our favourite parts of the Bush Hotel, Farnham was the gorgeous garden/grounds; it was cool but sunny when we visited, and it was really nice to sit out here with a drink both on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Despite the proximity to the town centre, it's a really quiet, tranquil space with so much gorgeous greenery and plenty of seating. I can imagine this is the place to be during hot summer days in Farnham!

Food at Farnham Bush

We had dinner at the on-site restaurant, and it was delicious. For my starter I had a stunning crispy duck and hoisin salad, while my wife opted for the prawns. And for our mains, she had the steak and I had the Bush Burger. It was all perfectly cooked, really tasty and piping hot, with great portion sizes too. We also shared a pudding, the chocolate and passionfruit tart - it was a lovely and refreshing finishing touch. My wife had the house red to drink, which she enjoyed, and I had a glass of Sea Change Sparkling which is a nosecco, not something offered on a lot of menus so I was chuffed to see it as a non-drinker!

Our booking included breakfast, which was lovely - there was a hot & cold buffet, a great free-from section, and you could also order off the menu too. I had a lovely sausage sandwich and a croissant, as well as a smoothie; my wife had a bacon and sausage sandwich with a cappuccino. Again, the food was hot and tasted great, and there was a really good variety to choose from.

If you're planning a trip to Farnham, I'd definitely recommend The Bush Hotel - it's a really peaceful, centrally located hotel with comfortable rooms, really attentive staff and great food!

Hotel Indigo, Coventry | review

I was recently invited to the Hotel Indigo in Coventry, so myself and my wife hopped on a train to enjoy a gorgeous overnight stay and explore what Coventry has to offer! Below you'll find all of our thoughts on the hotel itself, and spoiler... we loved it.

Hotel Indigo, Coventry - location

The hotel is really well situated, directly opposite Coventry train station (literally a 2 minute walk) and then around 15 minutes into the city centre on foot. This made it super convenient for us! There's a small Sainsbury's and a retail park also within a few minutes walk, and you'll find Elle's Coventry across the road too - this is a social dining space with multiple independent kitchens, bars and coffee shops inside.

Hotel Indigo, Coventry - our room

We stayed in one of the suites at Hotel Indigo Coventry - ours was room 316, and it was absolutely huge. There was an open wardrobe space for us to hang our clothes, a long table space for getting ready, a super king bed, fridge/coffee machine/snack station, massive bathroom with bath, shower & double sink, and a generous seating area with a big TV. There was also WiFi, and the bathroom was stocked with gorgeous products.

One thing I will always say about Indigo Hotels is that the beds are ridiculously comfortable, and this was no exception. It was genuinely sensational, and we both slept SO well! They also do local decor really tastefully, and our room had a little 'peeping Tom' on top of the wardrobe - linked to the Lady Godiva legend, so that was really fun. There was also a ton of artwork throughout the hotel which linked beautifully to the city and its history, as well as murals by local artist Katie O.

Hotel Indigo, Coventry - food and drink

There is a bar and restaurant area in the downstairs of the hotel called Cogs; we had a couple of drinks here after checking in, and I have to say the Ribbon Fizz mocktail was sensational. They have a great selection of wine, beer, cider, cocktails, mocktails, soft drinks and snacks. We were able to charge the drinks to our room and pay for them when we checked out, which was super easy.

We ate at Cogs in the evening, and it was lovely - really quiet and peaceful, and we were sat right by the open kitchen which I always love. We both opted for pâté to start, which came with onion chutney and a lovely chargrilled bread; for our mains, my wife had the steak (which was huge) with chips & peppercorn sauce, while I opted for the delicious burrata and truffle pizza. I absolutely love truffle so this was just 10/10 for me. We ummed & ahhed over getting dessert and decided to just go for it - I had the dark chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream which was lush, and the waitress recommended their very own biscoff tiramisu which my wife chose. All of the food was tasty, filling and the perfect temperature. It also didn't take long to come out, which is always a winner!

The following morning we had our breakfast at Cogs too - there's a hot and cold buffet, and you can also order separate dishes off the menu. My wife had a full English from the buffet, and she really enjoyed it; the food was nice & hot which was definitely a plus, as hotel buffets sometimes fall short here. I had yoghurt, fruit & granola as well as a delicious bit of cake, so we were well set up for our day of exploring.

Hotel Indigo, Coventry - final thoughts

Overall we were really pleased with our stay at the Hotel Indigo in Coventry. The location makes it ideal if you're visiting Coventry by train, and the hotel itself is really well thought out and beautifully designed. I cannot overstate just how comfy the bed was, and the suite was just incredibly spacious. The service was also just brilliant, as ever! Would highly recommend the Indigo if you're looking for a really nice hotel in Coventry.

B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe | Review

Earlier this month I went to Paris for two nights, combining a Disneyland Paris visit with a day exploring the city itself. We booked through easyJet Holidays and stayed at B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe - so how was it?

B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe: location

The hotel is located in Serris, and it's in quite an empty area which really just has other hotels, apartments and housing. It is, however, well connected when it comes to access Marne-la-Vallée, the Val d'Europe shopping mall, and of course Disneyland Paris itself. The drive from CDG airport took around 40 mins, and it didn't take long to get to Disney either. On our non-Disney day we got an Uber up to Montmartre, which would have taken ages on public transport but was just under an hour by car.

Getting from B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe to Disneyland Paris

We decided to get the bus to Disneyland; it was about a 4-5 minute walk from the hotel to the bus stop, and we got the 2231 bus which took around 15 minutes. The bus tickets cost €2.10 per person and we used the RATP app, where I could buy both of our tickets using one device. It stops a couple of times along the way, and mostly seemed to be picking up Disneyland Paris cast members!

We'd planned to get the bus back at the end of the day too, but by this point we were absolutely dead on our feet and ended up falling into the first taxi we saw as we left the park. This cost €20 and took around 10 minutes door to door.

Amenities at B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe

We'd booked a double room without breakfast; we checked in and were given a code for our door rather than a key, which was interesting but worked without a hitch. The room had a double bed, TV, USB plugs as well as normal sockets, free WiFi, a desk, full length mirror, and space to hang clothes. There was also a bathroom with toilet, sink and a decent shower. Our room also had air con (something which was definitely necessary given the Paris heatwaves this summer...) and a hair dryer; reception is available 24h a day and there is secure private parking on site too. B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe is pet friendly, too.

Downstairs there's vending machines with soft drinks, coffee and snacks - and breakfast, if you book it, is an unlimited buffet. Breakfast is €13.90 per adult, FYI!

B&B HOTEL Marne-la-Vallée Val d'Europe - our thoughts

All in all, I was really happy with our choice of Disneyland Paris hotel - we stayed two nights here, the night before and the night after our day in the parks. The rooms were clean, fresh and spacious with comfortable beds and everything we needed for somewhere to literally lay our heads in between activities. The location is handy for a Disney trip, though I wouldn't stay here if I wasn't visiting Disneyland as it is of course quite out of the way of Paris city centre. Of course, there is no Disney theming like you'd get with Disney's own hotels but for us this really didn't matter at all.

If you want to know the full cost breakdown for our one day Disneyland Paris trip, I've shared it here!

Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites | Hotel Review, June 2025

When we were booking our accommodation in Verona for my 30th birthday trip, I really didn't know where to start - it's not a city I'd been to before, so I of course took to booking.com to try and scope out where we should stay. We ended up at the Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites - full review below but spoiler alert, we loved it.

Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites

We used Booking.com to book our hotel in Verona - meaning we could reserve the room and pay nearer the time, which was ideal for the way we like to save for our holidays and trips. The booking process was smooth, and the hotel messaged to ask if I'd like to choose which of the three suites we wanted. I had a quick look on the Truly Verona website and opted for the Toscana Suite, and I was over the moon with this choice when we arrived.

Communication with the hotel

Truly Verona sent us a couple of Whatsapp messages in the lead up to our trip, asking if there was anything specific we wanted or needed, as well as letting us know how to get to the accommodation itself. This was really handy considering we'd never been to Verona before, and it meant we could easily get a taxi to the suite and show the driver the address; a lot of Verona is quite pedestrianised, so we couldn't get dropped off at the door but it was only around a 20 second walk from where we were dropped off, so it wasn't a problem at all.

Petra, who I'd been messaging, met us there and checked us in; she also sent me the link to pay the tourist tax, and sent over recommendations for things to do, bars, restaurants and more. She was always on hand to answer any questions we had and offer further recommendations, and we really appreciated it.

Location of the Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites

Honestly, the suites could not be better located - our view was of Piazza Delle Erbe itself, the 'main square' in Verona which is lined with restaurants and is home to the daily market as well as the Lomberti Tower. It was just gorgeous to sit in the window and people watch when it was too hot, and generally just enjoy being so close to the hustle & bustle of the city. It also meant we were within walking distance of essentially everything we wanted to do or see; Juliet's balcony was less than a 5 minute walk away, and it only took us a minute or so to get to a nice restaurant/cafe for breakfast each morning. 

The hotel is around a 30 minute walk from the train/bus station, but there are buses that go here from around a 10 minute walk away so for day trips from Verona you're not in a bad location either!

The suite itself

There are three Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites at this location, and as mentioned I chose the Toscana Suite - definitely go for this one, for the view if nothing else! All three suites are on the third floor of the building; there are a few steps you need to go up inside and then a lift the rest of the way which takes you to the 'lobby' area for Truly Verona. Both the building door and the door to this lobby space (which has a bookcase, maps and so on) lock, as do the suites themselves, so it all felt very safe.

I won't harp on about the view much longer but honestly, it was incredible. As we overlooked the main square, we were worried it might be too noisy to sleep at times but with the windows shut we could barely hear anything outside! There is plenty of wardrobe space, a bathroom with toilet/sink/shower, a bed, TV, free WiFi, good air con, a coffee machine, fridge, table and chairs - and of course the view. Did I mention the view?

The bed was comfortable, the towels were actual human-sized pillows and not made for borrowers, and the coffee pods were replaced regularly - we got fresh towels as often as we needed them, the bed made each day if we wanted and so on. The room is traditionally decorated which is really lovely, it felt so peaceful and classic without being dated.

Would I recommend Truly Verona Delle Erbe Suites?

I think you know what I'm going to say - 100% yes! We paid just over £900 for 7 nights here in June, which is more than I would usually pay for self catered accommodation but it was summer, it was my 30th, and the location was so perfect. We really loved our time in Italy, and this beautiful central accommodation in Verona was the perfect base for us.

AD | Novotel Poznan Malta review

Poznan is my favourite city in Poland and, I think, just my favourite city. It's colourful and gorgeous and so much fun, and so friendly, and not too big. We recently spent a week there, and we stayed at the Novotel Poznan Malta. So, what did we think?

Novotel Poznan Malta | location

First of all, the location of the Novotel Poznan Malta - it's near Lake Malta, as the name suggests, around a 5-10 minute walk from the water. This places it around a 15-20 minute tram ride from the old town, and around a half an hour drive from the airport. We got an uber to/from the airport, which was only around £7, and we each got a weekly tram ticket using the Jakdojade app. This cost us around £10 per person and was absolutely perfect, as we got the tram pretty much everywhere! The hotel has a large car park, if you're driving, and the tram stop is about a 3 minute walk from the hotel doors.

The location means it's out of the way of the city, more in nature, and has a real 'holiday' feel as opposed to 'city break' feel, if you know what I mean... there is a park, thermal baths, aqua park and more within walking distance, and you can hire bikes to get around if you want to.

The food & amenities

We had breakfast included in our stay, and every morning there was a large array of hot and cold buffet food from croissants to scrambled eggs to pasta salad to smoothies. Bread, cheese, cold cuts, coffee, cereal, juice, sausages, cheesecake, the whole shebang. We also ordered lunch and dinner a fair few times, especially when it was too hot to be going out anywhere, and we never had a bad meal at the Novotel Poznan Malta! Highlights included the Caesar salad, cheese burgers, pizza, and chocolate fondant dessert.

The bar was really well priced, given that it's a hotel, with pints of lager coming in at around £3.50 - bargain. The hotel has plenty of outdoor seating, and some indoor bar seating too, as well as sun loungers and hammocks around the small (but big enough and well supervised) swimming pool. I was SO glad to have a pool, as it got to around 33 degrees some days - jumping in was the perfect way to cool off. There is a volleyball court on site, too!

Novotel Poznan Malta is hot on sustainability; you can request no housekeeping in exchange for Accor rewards, and there is a cold filtered water machine on every floor so there's no need to buy bottled water. There's information about food waste to encourage you to only pick up what you'll actually eat from the buffet, and the hotel has their own veg/herb garden too! We were so impressed with this aspect, and definitely made the most of that cold water...

From the foosball table to the Xbox to the indoor & outdoor kids' play areas, there is plenty for little ones too. There weren't many kids there at the same time as us, but I can see it being a great place for a nice family holiday.

Our room at the Novotel Poznan Malta

We had a superior room, which was really spacious with a comfortable bed, separate toilet & bathroom, desk space, a TV, a wardrobe, a sofa and big windows. The one thing we missed was a mirror in the bedroom area, but it didn't matter too much. There was a coffee machine, plugs next to the bed, various lamps and lighting, and air con. It was a brilliantly sized, clean room with everything we needed for a chill week away in Poznan!

I'd definitely recommend a stay at the Novotel Poznan Malta if you're planning a summer trip to gorgeous Poznan - the staff can't do enough, the location is spot on, the food is incredible and the amenities are brilliant. 10/10 from us :)

Pod 39, New York City | Hotel Review

When it comes to hotels in New York, space is a premium - the bigger the room, the pricier it is to stay there and believe me, the prices shoot up quickly. We booked our NYC trip through LoveHolidays and I really wanted a fairly central location, especially one that would be easy to get to from the airport! After looking at a few different options and areas, we settled on Pod 39 Hotel New York, and I'll talk you through our thoughts today...

Where is Pod 39, New York?

Pod 39 is located on East 39th street, around a 5-7 minute walk from Grand Central Station New York. This is in Midtown Manhattan, and within easy-ish walking distance of Fifth Ave and Times Square, and all of the iconic landmarks/places within those areas. We genuinely couldn't have been happier with the location of the hotel, especially for the price.

Pod 39, New York: first impressions

We arrived at the hotel at around 7.30pm after travelling all day, and checked in at the desk where we had to pay around $100 in fees/security deposit. We were told we would get some of this back as it was just a deposit, and as yet we haven't received it so I have chased the hotel on this. I wish I'd paid more attention to the breakdown of what was a resort fee and what was the deposit, but alas I was knackered. 

The foyer area was bright and modern with plenty of leaflets and info re: things to do in New York, sofas to sit on, a concierge desk, and iPads on the wall which were free to use. We could also see that there was a bar/lounge space with a pool table, but more on that later...

We were on the 5th floor, so we got in the lift and headed on up. I'd booked us a 'full room' and I was aware that it would be small... and boy, was it small. Inside there was a small desk along the wall with plug sockets, and opposite this was around 4 hooks for clothes/coats. There was a double bed, which did have drawer space underneath it, and a shelf next to the bed with a lamp on it. The bathroom was around 1ft away from the bed, with a frosted glass wall, and the bathroom itself was spacious enough with toilet, sink and shower as well as a long ledge to store cosmetics etc on. 

Now, when I say the room is basic it's BASIC - and on first impressions, I was a bit worried that we might have to book somewhere else as it just looked too tired and a bit grim. The door is made of a grey metal, which gives it a prison vibe and is notoriously hard to clean so it was covered in weird marks. The walls were a bit scruffy, too, and the heating (much needed) was SO loud. 

Pod 39 NYC: what did we really think?

So our first impressions of the room itself weren't the best. But we woke up feeling okay - the bed wasn't the comfiest and the window was right above our heads with a draught coming through; our room was right next to the lifts, so it was fairly noisy too. However, we then went out for the day and only came back to rest our feet for an hour then back again to sleep, and do it all over again. So we just weren't in the room that much, and that's the key thing about budget hotels in New York: you're only in the hotel to sleep as there is so much to see and do in the city.

Now, the good stuff: we had daily housekeeping, which is a rarity post-Covid, with the bed always made perfectly and fresh towels every day. The shower was really powerful and hot, and there was always enough loo roll - the bathroom had soap, shower gel and shampoo too. Storage might have seemed lacking at first but we had enough space to store our bags, so we just lived out of these for the 4 days.

There was heating and a TV in the room, and it felt perfectly safe. It wasn't overly dirty, just a bit tired and scruffy as many of the hotels in the city are. Yes it's small, but it was everything we needed for a busy American city break. In the warmer months you can take advantage of the rooftop bar, but it was closed because of the weather while we were there - understandably! We did go up and peek through the windows, and the view looks like it'd be great.

We did, however, get to experience the Allerton Club downstairs. In the morning, the lounge area has FREE tea, coffee, and iced water; you can purchase bagels, pastries, muffins and more. There are tables, chairs, comfy sofas, giant screens, and it is warm. This space also has the pool table, a foosball table, and other games. It also leads into the bar, which serves cocktails and beer and some really delicious food - we had the smash burgers, and they were lush; you get 25% off your bill here when you're staying at Pod 39 Manhattan, so we were thrilled with that.

All in all: the location is spot on, the rooms are basic but have everything you need, and at the end of the day we only paid £324 between the two of us for 4 nights. That's £40pppn, which is a bargain for anywhere let alone New York! So would we recommend it? Yes, I think we would, you just have to know that the rooms are not glamorous.

PS, apologies for the lack of photos of the room - with it being so small it just looked constantly messy. The below photo (stolen from Yelp) is the room we stayed in, and gives you an idea of the size...

Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon | Review

I was invited here as a PR stay, but all words & opinions are my own.

If there's one thing you should know about me it's that I absolutely love a weekend away or a little hotel stay, and we recently visited Stratford-upon-Avon for a whirlwind (and jam-packed) trip. We stayed in the Hotel Indigo, right in the centre of town and super close to a lot of the Shakespeare-related things to see. So how was it?

Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon

We arrived and walked from the station, which took around 15 minutes, and checked in quickly; at check-in we were able to book our breakfast slot for the next two days, and then we headed up to our room. The hotel has both Tudor rooms and contemporary rooms; we were in a gorgeous contemporary room, and it did not disappoint. We had a large Hypnos bed (super comfy) as well as plenty of Shakespeare-themed decor... but it was subtle and stylish enough not to feel like overkill, which I think is no mean feat. 

The room had the bed, as mentioned, with a bedside table on each side, a desk & chair, another comfy chair with a little table (the perfect reading nook...) and a wardrobe complete with hanging space on one side and a world of excitement on the other. This side had a fridge, stocked with water/soft drinks/milk as well as a coffee machine with everything you'd need for tea and coffee. There was a hairdryer and ironing board too, should you need them. The bathroom was huge, with a sink, mirror, toilet and spacious shower. I loved the pattern of the tiles in the shower, and I loved it even more that the sticker on the toilet roll perfectly matched the tiles! It's the little things...

There is also a TV with plenty of channels, and some really roomy drawers should you have a lot of clothes with you. There's two mirrors in the room, too, great for getting ready! So that's the room, which I was so impressed with. The staff were generally really friendly, too, and there's a lovely garden area as well as various nooks to sit in and relax. They use Bramley toiletries which all smell AMAZING and feel lovely on the skin/hair. I'll definitely be buying myself some as a treat in the future... There is parking on site too, if you need it.

Breakfast was amazing, I have to say; you get a continental breakfast included and can then pay extra for hot dishes. The standard breakfast included toast and pastries, juices, smoothies, coffee/tea, cereal, cheeses and other bits & bobs. The hot menu included French toast, a full English and so on - my fiancée had the full English while I asked for sausage and hash brown on a brioche bun, which was just gorgeous. The breakfast manager on duty was SO friendly and couldn't do enough for us.

Hotel Indigo: the location

As mentioned, the hotel is smack bang in the centre of town - many of the Tudor rooms have views of Shakespeare's New Place, which shows you how central it is. It's within walking distance of everything, pretty much; Shakespeare's School is around the corner, and Sheep Street is super close which is full of restaurants, bars and so on. The river and RSC theatre are around a 5-10 minute walk away, if that, and the station is around 15 minutes away on foot. So, honestly, you couldn't get better in terms of the location of the Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon.

I should also mention there is a gym and a lovely lounge within the hotel, so you don't even need to leave if you don't want to... but there really is so much to do in this beautiful part of the UK!

The Woodsman at the Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon

Attached to the hotel is a stunning restaurant called The Woodsman, owned by restaurateur Mike Robinson. And let me tell you, the food is spectacular. I knew it would be, as he owns the restaurant at the Chester location which we visited earlier in the year, but WOW. We were blown away! I had a Shakespeare Distillery gin with lemonade and my other half opted for a glass of red wine, then it was time to order the food... We ordered the Raviolo of wild Rabbit & Berkswell cheese with butternut squash, pickled mushroom, brown butter and garden sage to share. Let me tell you, I wish we'd ordered one each. It was absolutely sensational, everything about it, and I could have eaten a whole bowl of them!

For our main, we opted for the £60 sharing platter; this was a lamb shoulder with crispy garlic potatoes, hispi cabbage with a yoghurt dressing, and woodfired aubergine. The lamb was so tender, just falling right off the bone, and full of flavour. The potatoes were 10/10 and the aubergine was so tasty too; I liked the cabbage, although I wasn't so keen on the dressing, but all in all this platter was unreal. There was probably enough food for three!

The staff within the restaurant were SO knowledgeable about the food and drinks; the table next to us had the tasting menu with wine pairings, and everyone seemed to know everything about each dish and beverage which is a testament to how well the restaurant is run. There is even a private dining area (photo below) which would be *perfect* for special family events. Sooo rustic and charming. Even if you're not staying at the Indigo, I'd highly recommend a visit to the Woodsman in Stratford-upon-Avon!

All in all, the Hotel Indigo in Stratford-upon-Avon is definitely on my list if you're looking for Stratford accommodation. We're hoping to head back next year, and I already can't wait...