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Rob’s travel highlights (and lowlights) of 2022

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Yesterday Rhys gave a comprehensive run-down of top recommendations from his very extensive travels in 2022, virtually all of which we documented on the site.

My end of year review is different. Ever since HfP started a decade ago, I have rarely written about my personal travel. This is mainly because I have had children ever since the site started, and travelling with kids impacts so many elements of what you book and do that any review becomes irrelevant if you don’t have kids the same age. Frankly, it is also a relief not to spend my holiday taking pictures of every meal ….

This means that much of what I talk about below hasn’t already been discussed on the site. If you have any questions about any of the resorts mentioned, please drop them into the comments.

Al Maha, Dubai Max Burgess
Al Maha Desert Resort, Dubai

Around May 2022 I had a mini crisis of confidence in my ability to review hotels. I’d done a number of stays in a row which I had found underwhelming, despite having suites in all cases.

It was niggling me. Had I become a grumpy old man who was unable to find any pleasure in totally acceptable luxury hotels? Or had I simply had a run of bad luck, exacerbated by covid staffing issues?

The year had started well …..

2022 started well with a couple of impressive airport hotel reviews. I found both Moxy London Heathrow Airport and Courtyard London Heathrow Airport to be high quality and good value hotels, belying their star ratings. There really is no need to pay more, however fussy you are. Both can be booked with Marriott Bonvoy points.

(I should also give an honourable mention to Ellmauhof, our regular February half-term ski hotel in Austria, which remains a great independent family ski property in a village which is pretty much given over to kids ski lessons. Summer photo below. This can’t be booked on points.)

Ellmauhof ski resort Austria

The rot set in during April:

  • at Le Meridien Hamburg, reviewed here, I was given their top suite via a Marriott Suite Night Award which didn’t do it for me (too big, a bit dark, delays at check-in) despite being theoretically amazing – my review is more positive because I was trying to be objective
  • at St Regis Venice, opened at ludicrous expense, I thought the entire hotel was having a laugh. I was upgraded into a tiny suite with no view, the hotel only opened its canal side bar for half the week (not the half I was there) and on my last day it ‘sold’ all of its outdoor space for a wedding. Why would you pay a four figure nightly sum when you’re not even allowed onto the canal terrace due to a function? Uncollected room service items hanging around and being ignored for 20 minutes at breakfast didn’t help.
  • at Sheraton Frankfurt Airport, also refurbished at great expense, I found a hotel where the lobby bar and business centre were shut, the rooms lacked coffee machines or functioning wi-fi and it had one of the worst club lounges I have ever visited

I did these three stays within the space of six weeks and all had underwhelmed me. Was I losing my touch? Or were they just rubbish?

One Only Le Saint Geran
One&Only Le Saint Geran

Top picks #1: One&Only Le Saint Geran, Mauritius

Recovery started in Mauritius in May.

I had managed to get four Club World seats to Mauritius over May half term which was a result. We stayed at One&Only Le Saint Geran which had been through a top to bottom refurbishment and extension just before the pandemic. (Quick plug for our luxury hotel booking partner Emyr Thomas who sorted this for us and got some extra benefits thrown in.)

Ignore anything you may read about this place from pre-2019. The quality of the rooms is now exceptionally high. I can honestly remember walking around and thinking ‘yes, this is good, I still know it when I see it’.

Two room photos are above and below. I wasn’t won over by Mauritius but that is partly because we underestimated how big it is which meant we couldn’t see everything. If we returned we would stay elsewhere but only to be nearer to what we missed.

You can’t book One&Only hotels on points, unfortunately. It doesn’t even have its own loyalty scheme although you can earn miles in Emirates Skywards from your stays.

One Only Le Saint Geran
View from room at One&Only Le Saint Geran

Top picks #2: Park Hyatt New York

Park Hyatt New York turned out to be another joy. Based in one of the new ‘super skinny’ towers overlooking Central Park, my review says ‘Park Hyatt New York is a supremely classy hotel which oozes wealth from every pore.’

On paper there are things which are wrong about this hotel – lack of public space, lack of park views – but it has style in adundance. I was at St Regis New York two months later in a full suite and would have traded it for a standard room at the Park Hyatt. (The photo below is, amazingly, of their most basic room.) The same goes for the studio suite I had at Thompson Central Park New York a few weeks ago.

Whilst cash rooms here are extortionate, you can buy World of Hyatt points in their current promo and save well over 50% on peak dates.

Park Hyatt New York

Top pick #3: The University Arms, Cambridge

My third favourite is perhaps surprising …. The University Arms in Cambridge, part of Marriott Bonvoy.

I stayed there in 2020, my son and I got a bad room (my wife and daughter got a better one) and we failed to get a restaurant table. I could tell, however, that if done properly this could be a great place to stay.

My daughter did a Summer school in Cambridge this year so we ended up spending two weekends there. On the first my wife and daughter got a ‘turret suite’ on the roof (the bathroom is in a turret – see below) with a huge terrace which was great. My son and I had a first floor suite which was impressive but had some noise from the park.

On our return stay, I got the Stephen Hawking Suite, the biggest in the hotel. Very impressive, although I preferred the turrets and terrace we had previously! These were all via Marriott Suite Night Awards. I would put this hotel in my ‘top 5’ of ‘hotels outside the M25’.

University Arms Cambridge bathroom
University Arms rooftop suite bathroom

Top pick #4: Villa Dubrovnik

We did 10 days across Dubrovnik and Montenegro in late August. The opening of two luxury hotels in Boka Bay – IHG’s Regent Montenegro and One&Only Portonovi – means that you can now spend 7-10 days in the area. Dubrovnik is good for three days but you need something more, and these two hotels – just down the road – offer it. Hyatt is also opening in the area next year.

Villa Dubrovnik is a stunning property which, again, is greater than the sum of its parts. I just realised that I have no room pictures. Here is the ‘James Bond villain lair’ entrance from the road – all you have is a lift, which takes you down into the hotel which is built into the cliff face. It is a beautiful place, although it has no beach, just rocks into the water.

Villa Dubrovnik can be booked on IHG One Rewards points via their partnership with Mr & Mrs Smith.

Villa Dubrovnik
Villa Dubrovnik entrance

We moved on to One&Only Portonovi. This was built at ludicrous cost – it must be the most expensive resort ever built in Europe – for rich Russians, frankly. Whilst the Russians aren’t coming these days, you can’t avoid the ludicrous room decor which screams ‘plutocrat’. This is room decor you expect in New York, not a beach resort:

One Only Portonovi
One&Only Portonovi

That apart, it is a stunning hotel covering 60 acres. It looks and feels like a Dubai luxury resort and I mean that as a compliment.

I strongly recommend Montenegro. One option if you don’t want to see Dubrovnik again is to fly to Tivat, which is literally just a few minutes drive to IHG’s Regent Montenegro. You can hire boats from there, or join group trips, to take you around the bay to Kotor which is basically a mini Dubrovnik. One&Only is across the bay from Tivat and would require a boat transfer or a disproportionately long drive.

Boka Bay Montenegro
Boka Bay, Montenegro

Top pick #5: The Thief, Oslo

I’d had one disappointing day in Oslo about 25 years ago. I went back this year for one night on a glorious August day, staying in the waterside boutique hotel The Thief – review here.

I booked this at a substantial discount (71% off) by buying Choice Privileges points.

Spending an evening around the redeveloped harbour area in the sun was delightful. The weather may have impacted my thoughts about the hotel – I can easily imagine how I could have felt differently had it poured it down for the short time I was there – but The Thief is a classy piece of work however you look at it.

Thief oslo view
View from my room at The Thief

Top pick #6: Andaz Prague

I won’t say anthing about Andaz Prague because a full review is coming up. You can book it with World of Hyatt points. It is a stunning property, and you can’t dislike a hotel where your suite comes with its own conservatory:

Andaz Prague Wintergarden suite
Andaz Prague Wintergarden Suite

One downer …. Al Maha Desert Resort, Dubai

We need to talk about the Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai, which is part of Marriott Bonvoy.

I had planned to review this again – we ran a comprehensive two-part review of Al Maha from our PR guru Caroline back in 2019 – but I couldn’t find a fair way of doing it justice.

My problem was that I didn’t like it. My kids didn’t like it either. The snag – in terms of the review – was that we didn’t like it because this was my 4th ‘tented camp’ trip and their third. Al Maha doesn’t compare, at all, with The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert resort in Ras Al Khaimah, 60 minutes down the road. I reviewed Al Wadi Desert here.

If you’ve never been to a tented camp resort, I’m sure you would be stunned by Al Maha. Once you’ve done a few, though, you ignore the gazelle that walks past your table during dinner (true story) or wanders by your private pool whilst you’re swimming. You start to focus on the cracked sinks, knackered coffee machines, bizarre pricing (it’s all-inclusive, except when it’s not) etc.

Al Maha private pool
Private tent pool at Al Maha, Dubai

I’ve run a couple of photos here. It looks cool, I admit. The camel ride is fun. If you’ve got Marriott Bonvoy points, stay here. If you’re thinking of paying over £1,000 per night in cash, have a look at the Ras alternative. I should stress that Ras is more of a full resort in the desert. If you want to be more in touch with nature – although this is obviously relative when you have a huge private tent with your own pool – then Al Maha is better.

This Flyertalk thread on Al Maha has some griping from me dated late October / November (screen name ‘Raffles’) with a lot of feedback from others who love the place – start from post 1585. I know some people go there for multiple weeks every year. I won’t be joining them.

I should add, in fairness, that our trip was also messed up by my wife having to dash to Germany the day before we arrived due to a family emergency. This obviously impacted the stay and is another reason why I hesitated to write a full review.

Al Maha view from pool
View from villa pool at Al Maha

Other mentions

I don’t know if you trust a one line hotel review, but if it helps you with your own plans in 2023 here are some quick thoughts:

  • Kimpton St Honore Paris is running a lot better than it did during my 2021 stay. A one nighter in 2022 was impressive, albeit helped by a decent upgrade to a suite with a balcony. Book with IHG One Rewards points. I am still having issues with InterContinental Paris Le Grand, directly across the road, since the amazing club lounge was moved and downgraded although the food offering recovered a little this year.
Kimpton Paris hotel balcony
Kimpton Paris balcony
  • Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai continues to be, unquestionably, the best leisure resort developed anywhere in the world this century. I think we’ve now done over 100 nights here.
  • I had two stays at InterContinental Amstel in Amsterdam. I love this place because it is quiet and classy but I admit the rooms are a bit odd. A full refurbishment is about to start – whether it remains an InterContinental remains to be seen. It is nothing like any other InterContinental. Book with IHG One Rewards points, and join InterContinental Ambassador to get a ‘2 for 1’ weekend voucher.
  • Two weeks ago I had my final stay at Park Hyatt Hamburg, which was (it is now closed) probably my wife’s favourite hotel of the world. The recent news that it will eventually reopen as a Conrad was some end-of-year consolation.
A Rosa Travamuende
  • Finally, for somewhere really obscure, I was back at A-Rosa Travemuende (above) in April with my in-laws after a 7-8 year gap. Few people know that Germany has a lot of 5-star beach hotels and this one sits on the Baltic coast in a little seaside town – a little seaside town with not one but two 5-star resorts. There is no logical reason to ever go there BUT if you are in Hamburg for business, and it’s Summer, I would stay on for the weekend and pop over. Even better, everyone in Travemuende speaks English because the nearby ferry terminal handles tourist traffic from Scandinavia. You can’t book this hotel with points.

Conclusion

Despite a wobbly start, I ended the year with my faith in the power of hotels to deliver a fantastic experience restored. I’m talking about an experience which goes far beyond just providing a bed for the night, but which brings some extra joy – either through design, food, pool, spa or amenities – into your life.

In terms of 2023 …. I have a (rebooked due to the delayed opening) Kimpton Mallorca stay at some point. I still need to try Fairmont Windsor Park which is bizarrely under the radar – no-one I know has ever admitted to staying there. I am facing three weeks in Crans-Montana in Switzerland in August whilst my daughter does a Summer camp, which will be interesting. There is also a 10-day family trip to Boston and New York pencilled in for Easter which may or may not happen …. the flexibility of miles bookings is invaluable.

Comments (109)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • janedoy says:

    I wish I could afford to stay at any one of them!

    • Froggee says:

      Hampton York £67 for next Tuesday. Hampton Stansted £95 if York isn’t convenient.

      Go on – treat yourself!

  • Iain says:

    Quite an interesting variety. Any plans to do a bit of Asia in 2023 or maybe South America?

    And a question about Madinat Dubai which you rate so highly. What F&B plan do you stay on – I find the restaurants and drinks extortionate.

    • Manya says:

      Would also like to know the best way to get a ‘deal’ at any of the madinat properties. We booked DAM via fhr for around £350 a night in 2019 (pre-covid). Same rooms are now over £1k.

      • Rob says:

        No deals at retail. You might find booking a package holiday works out cheaper, not that we ever do.

    • Rob says:

      I get breakfast free via status. We pay as we go for the rest – the inclusive plans don’t seem to offer much value and you lose the flexibility to go outside.

      The trashed $ FX rate means it is madly expensive now though.

      • Andy says:

        For those visiting Dubai, consider purchasing an Entertainer subscription. Think of it as a bit of a 2-4-1 on main meals club so, depending in duration of visit and numbers visiting, it can pay back very quickly in some cases.

  • josh says:

    Rob
    I enjoy your hotel comments BUT I think you need to add comments on VALUE/Quality ratio for each hotel.
    Many of the hotels you review are VERY expensive for most of us who really want to justify the price paid versus what we get for it.

    • Rob says:

      These reviews are written ‘price blind’ with no real adjustment for cost. The starting point is that you are happy to pay the price IF it is any good.

  • Scottpat78 says:

    Very honest reviews and as someone with 2 teenage kids, some of the insights are valuable. Thanks!

  • riku says:

    Travemuende: >>There is no logical reason to ever go there.

    I can think of many reasons to have a holiday in a nice hotel in a German seaside town, but see no logical reason to go to Dubai on holiday, especially to a resort in the middle of the desert.

    • Susan says:

      +1

    • RussellH says:

      > see no logical reason to go to Dubai on holiday

      Many years ago I thought that it might be quite nice, but the more I read about the place…
      However, were I to have family living there (like Rob), I imagine that I would visit occasionally.

      However, there are always any number of reasons to go to Germany for a holiday, but then 90% of my market used to be selling holidays to Germany, so perhaps I am biased in that direction.
      🙂

    • Rob says:

      Why would you not want to have a holiday in the middle of a desert for 2-3 days (the normal stay length at Al Maha)?

      Huge tent, private pool, all meals included, all activities included (free nature drives, free camel rides), total peace and quiet, up close with the animals etc ….

      • AJA says:

        The thing is, even with your description that still doesn’t appeal to me. I’d much rather go to South Africa and do a trip to a lodge in the Kruger National Park. Or if you can’t quite stretch to that expense you could do worse than going to Sun City (a couple of hours by road from Johannesburg) and do a supervised game drive around the park attached to it. Viewing the big 5 is far more interesting (to me). But it may not appeal at all to you.

        The point is not everyone wants to do the same things. Travel is a personal choice. I have no desire to go to Qatar or the UAE or Oman or Saudi Arabia. I may be missing out on something fabulous but I just don’t want to go for many reasons, not least of which is that i don’t want to go to a city built in the desert.

        But I do appreciate your reviews (and Sinead’s and Rhys’s too) of these places. Occasionally you review somewhere i am really interested in visiting (Mauritius is a case in point) Which is why I read HfP on a daily basis.

        • Bob Bilby says:

          Don’t lump Oman in with that list… it’s a fantastic country with, overwhelmingly, lovely people. It’s an under-developed switzerland with a lovely climate.

          • Londonsteve says:

            +1 Oman appeals for multiple reasons, the more temperate climate, the mountains with lovely roads, Salalah too looks attractive thanks to being so green. But I’d much rather spend a week in a 4* gasthof in Garmisch Partenkirchen than absolutely anywhere in Dubai, and it would cost a fraction of the price. For Britons, Germany is probably the most underrated tourist destination in the world – on their doorstep, endless things to see and do, top quality and excellent value. The country has more Michelin stars than France. The weather in central Europe is also underrated; southern Germany has long and hot mediterranean summers with the occasional short, cooling shower.

          • DaveJ says:

            Yes. Oman is for more adventurous and cultured people

          • AJA says:

            Still not convinced me to try Oman. As I said, travel is a personal thing, and it may well be a wonderful place, but I just don’t want to go. But my choice should not stop you, Dave, Steve or Mark from going. But if HfP does go and do a review (they have, I believe), then I will read it. I am not uninterested in reading a review of the place but it won’t persuade me to visit. I acknowledge that’s my loss.

    • mark2 says:

      +2

      • Will says:

        Recommend Oman, stunning place.

        If you want ace food for small money Muscat is incredible.

        One issue with Muscat is that the oil refinery absolutely stinks when the wind is in the “wrong” direction, I can’t imagine the fumes are at all good for the residents.

  • Paul says:

    First thanks for all the reviews
    All interesting and some very useful
    I am commenting now from Centara Grand Beach hotel Hua Hin our usual Xmas haunt apart from last 2 Covid years
    Thailand is always great but the hotels seem to have all sorts of staffing issues
    We stayed in June 2 nights at the Fairmont Windsor for a wedding party
    From what we recall we found it very nice , good breakfast and indoor pool area good
    Set in nice grounds in a lovely part of the world
    Service ok not super considering how much we paid but what we found was it was too big and impersonal
    Long corridors and difficult to navigate your way around
    Would I stay there again? No but unlikely I ever would need to and if I needed that then a stay directly on the river would be a better way to spend my time
    In August we stayed at the Great House in Sonning which is of course not a brand hotel but thoroughly enjoyable and shows no need to dole out the big bucks for the sake of a name!
    Thanks again and seasonal greetings and HNY to all

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    Re One&Only Portonov – what sort of hotel puts a bench blocking the access to the bed like that? It’s just inviting broken limbs in the middle of the night!

  • Paul says:

    Rob, does a points stay at the The Thief include Nordic breakfast. Buying points can save about a £100 a night for my dates but a cash rate included breakfast

    • Rob says:

      I got breakfast – I think all rooms get it.

    • John says:

      Many / most hotels in Scandinavia give breakfast to everyone – seems to me that mainly the international chains don’t in order to provide the elite “benefit” e.g. Hilton Stockholm, CP Copenhagen (which I think are the only hotels of those two chains)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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