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Black Tap Review: Burgers & Cocktails – The new Champagne and Caviar
Read full review: Black Tap Review: Burgers & Cocktails – The new Champagne and CaviarOpulence, once the reserve of caviar and Champagne, now seems more accurately embodied by a burger stacked so high it could double as a skyscraper. At least, that’s how I felt standing in front of Black Tap in Abu Dhabi, considering the mounting tower of melted cheese, crispy onions, and whatever “award-winning” accolade they’ve slapped…
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Raclette Abu Dhabi: Melting Expectations, Not Hearts
Read full review: Raclette Abu Dhabi: Melting Expectations, Not HeartsRaclette in Abu Dhabi: a place that promises so much on paper—great location, a fun concept (melted cheese! Who doesn’t love that?), yet somehow manages to feel like the restaurant version of a failed soufflé: collapsed and baffling. The service? Blisteringly fast, but not in a Michelin-starred way. More like they’re trying to push you…
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Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi: A Beloved Retreat with Room to Revive
Read full review: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi: A Beloved Retreat with Room to ReviveIt’s a bit like popping on “The Godfather” for the tenth time—still brilliant, still a masterpiece—but suddenly, you catch sight of the wobbling sets, the lines that don’t quite land, the ageing veneer. That’s how it felt returning to The Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi this time. My wife and I have spent more nights here…
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Australasia review: One of those special places
Read full review: Australasia review: One of those special placesManchester is one of those cities that you walk into and feel, not just see. It has a pulse, a buzz, a kind of gritty glamour that most cities only wish they could fake. It has an energy, an identity that makes it thrilling just to be there, like you’ve stepped into a world that’s…
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Moxy Hotel Manchester: I’m not cool
Read full review: Moxy Hotel Manchester: I’m not coolRemember when hotels had reception desks? A little counter where a stiff-faced concierge handed you your key card, and you might awkwardly ask them where the lift was, even though it’s clearly signposted? Well, that’s history now. First, it was trendy for hotels to ditch the front desk entirely, replacing it with a vibe where…
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KIBOU Review: Refreshingly elegant
Read full review: KIBOU Review: Refreshingly elegantStepping into KIBOU Japanese restaurant in Clifton is like stepping into a vivid daydream conjured by the most inspired of culinary minds. It is, quite simply, now firmly my favourite place in Bristol. The food is very, very good. No, scratch that. The food is so delectable it borders on divine. Start with the soft…
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Up, Up, and Away: The Magic of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
Read full review: Up, Up, and Away: The Magic of the Bristol International Balloon FiestaIn a world where events often feel like they’re churned out on a conveyor belt of mediocrity—each one more predictable than the last—the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is the glorious exception. Held every August at the sprawling Ashton Court Estate, this isn’t just another date on the city’s calendar. It’s a spectacle, a piece of…
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Jin Bo Law Review
Read full review: Jin Bo Law ReviewNow, I’m not typically one for ultra-stylish bars. I prefer a place with a bit more grit, a bit more history embedded in the walls. But let me tell you, Jin Bo Law in Aldgate has completely won me over. First, let’s talk about the view. Bars perched atop buildings are a new phenomenon for…
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Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi: A Polished Gem in the Capital’s Crown
Read full review: Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi: A Polished Gem in the Capital’s CrownHaving spent many a languorous afternoon lounging in the lavish embrace of the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, we approached the Grand Hyatt with a sense of guarded optimism. Surely, we mused, it couldn’t quite match the almost celestial heights of its sibling? Yet, while the Grand Hyatt may not occupy the same stratosphere, it shares…
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Paradise Interrupted: When Luxury Falls Short in Bali
Read full review: Paradise Interrupted: When Luxury Falls Short in BaliEquilibria Hotel in Seminyak, Bali—a name that conjures images of serene luxury and modern indulgence. And indeed, on the face of it, this villa-centric hotel seems to tick all the right boxes. Nestled in a prime location for those who crave the vibrant nightlife of Seminyak, it offers a spa, a main pool, and a…
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Fabulous food, stunning stays, honestly reviewed.
Paul Southgate is The Travel Critic—the kind of traveller who claims to love adventure, as long as it includes 24-hour room service and a spa.
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Paul Southgate: a patchwork of Hughs stitched together with fraying thread. The poor man’s Hugh Grant, all charm on a budget. The thinking woman’s Hugh Laurie, though thinking too hard might ruin the illusion. He’s got Hugh Jackman’s kindness, but not the abs, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s enthusiasm for food, minus the ability to turn nettles into Michelin-starred soup. A wannabe Hugh Hefner—pipe dreams in a velvet dressing gown—but in reality, closer to Hugh Bonneville, bumbling through life with a comforting sort of dignity. A man of many Hughs, and yet…none of them.
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