THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN THE NEW SERIES! Are you looking for an opportunity to transform your business? We're currently looking for people and properties to take part in the next series of At Your Service, starring 5 star hotel experts Francis and John Brennan. If you own or run a hotel, [...]
Laughing Yoga in India at 5.30am is no Laughing Matter! You should try it sometime. Though I was smiling all day even in the heat , so it must have worked!
We all need a little bit of colour in our lives. Colour sets the mood and the tone of the home – some colours are vivacious and energetic while others are much more calming and relaxing by nature. Whether you want a pop or burst here and there, or you want to pack a colourful punch, [...]
I travel an awful lot, and I can honestly say I’ve experienced most of the world’s travel systems, so I like to think I’m a bit of an expert. I’ve taken taxis in New York, where it’s practically an Olympic event, and flown on most major airlines, and I also have to drive a lot [...]
Here’s a nice recipe from the Park Hotel Kenmare for a quick scone mix, if you have time. Park Hotel Kenmare scones (makes twelve) Combine flour, baking powder and salt, and sift into a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or rub it in using your fingers until mixture resembles coarse [...]
1. Put the kettle on to boil. 2. When it has almost boiled, splash some of the hot water into the teapot and swish it around to warm the pot. You can use a china pot or a stainless-steel one. I prefer china, because it looks so nice and I think the flavour’s better. 3. [...]
Never are manners so important as when you’re travelling on an aircraft. Modern air travel has us all packed in like sardines, and that’s after having had to remove what feels like every stitch of clothing in security. It’s vital that we remember our manners, both before and during the flight. This can be difficult [...]
If you have to complain… do it nicely ! Begin quietly. If you’re in a café and the waiter forgets your cappuccino order, don’t click your fingers and yell: catch their eye and gently remind them. If your soup is cold, quietly ask if it could be replaced. Your goal is to get hot soup, [...]
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast provides you with the energy and nutrients that lead to increased concentration. Studies show that breakfast is important in maintaining a healthy body. Roll your eyes if you like, but the old bromide about breakfast being the most important meal of the day is true [...]
The goal is simple: to visit your destination without a suitcase so stuffed that you emit strange animal sounds trying to heave it into the overhead compartment -- and with plenty of clean socks and underwear. But if only it were that easy! If you've struggled over which clothes to bring or how many gadgets [...]