Saturday 14 September 2019

The Nottingham & Beeston Canal, Nottingham


Two-and-a-half miles long, the Nottingham & Beeston Canal was built in the late eighteenth century to bypass a difficult-to-navigate section of the River Trent. Running through the heart of the city of Nottingham, the canal is now lined with bars and cafes that can be packed on a sunny Saturday evening.

Wednesday 11 September 2019

Hotel Metropole, Place De Brouckère, Brussels


Still sporting its extraordinary late nineteenth century interior, Hotel Metropole is a throwback to La Belle Époque when Europe literally ruled the world. The grandeur of the reception area, with echoes of the bank that originally occupied this handsome building, will leave you open mouthed, while the creaky cast iron lift will leave you waiting patiently on the ground floor. As you would expect, the bedrooms are decorated in period fashion, complete with chandeliers, fussy wallpaper and velvet-roped curtains. By comparison, the breakfast buffet is a bit prosaic. But the still-magnificent Hotel Metropole is a very memorable place to stay. 8/10