All posts tagged: tried and tested

Tried & enjoyed: The Hoxton Hotel in London Shoreditch

Published by Kate Stockman

Last week I needed to be in London for a trend seminar. So looking for an inspiring spot to stay, I bumped into The Hoxton Hotel-an award winning a boutique hotelsituated in the heart of Shoreditch. The Hoxton Manor theme room The Hoxton Hotel bar and lobby was packed with young Shoreditch hipsters, lobby-working locals and relaxed visitors from all over Europe. The very helpful and most friendly staff (all mixed nationalities, nice!) surprised me with an unexpected ‘upgrade’ to one of the “very demanded, but o so sold-out” theme rooms.   We got the ‘Hoxton Manor’, a quite small but very fun room on the top floor. The theme of this one tries to catch the unique feel of the Shoreditch area: the use of traditional, honest materials, such as brick, timber and ceramic are wittily blended with classic English eccentricity and an arty styling. Do not take this room seriously, see it as a step into the past, with 80 ties inspired street art and wall stickers, a super-sized bed with heavenly soft pillows, …

Tried & enjoyed: Hotel New York: our favorite spot in Rotterdam for years

Published by Kate Stockman

Every now and then we head off to Rotterdam, just to be there, just to feel the changes in the city architecture and, without any exception, to have lunch at Hotel New York. A sleep over is even better but not on our agenda.(Never had a disappointing room, always a stunning view and surprising furniture and space!) This time we went to Dordrecht for an exhibition (Dortyart-see previous posts), but after our visit, Rotterdam was only 20 km away…Hotel New York was so close, we couldn’t resist. Voila! About the visit we can be short. It’s always nice. In summer you can strech out on one of the hundred beach chairs gathered on the grass field in front of the hotel: best view ever! And in more winter times, sky is normally clear, sometimes sunny and always windy. Great!   First try to get a table as much towards the windows as possible. beware, this is NOT a quiet place for intimate diners. Always crowd, always fun but also noisy family or friends reunions, a …

Tried & enjoyed: Wasbar Antwerp open!

Published by Kate Stockman

No need to explain the concept. (See post on the very first WASBAR in my home town Ghent, October 14 th 2012.)  Check out http://thesquidstories.com/?p=566   Wasbar in short: a huge success story about washing your laundry in a hip bar slash hairdresser salon slash meeting spot, great press, enthousiastic fans and a waiting line for the Sunday Brunches (“Yuri and Dries, please get me a table next week: we come with 7…”)   It was a question of time that a second venue opened to serve other cities for their dirty laundry and need for a drink. Antwerp was the obvious choice and a fantastic spot was found in a much bigger building.  Never change a winning team: owners Yuri and Dries, design agency Pinkeye http://www.pinkeye.be, PR lady Saskia from The Wicked PR http://www.thewicked.be and sponsors Ecover, Electrolux and yes,… the sexiest underwear brand in Belgium Eskimo http://www.originaleskimo.com, all present!   Brand new extra’s? The tasty food concept ‘WASBAR TOAST’ by Ghent’s famous Wim Ballieu from ‘Balls & Glory’ http://www.ballsnglory.be. How does it work? Take two bread slices and fill them with minced meat, …

Tried & enjoyed: Hotel V Amsterdam

Published by Kate Stockman

Looking for a cheap but stylish stay in Amsterdam? Than maybe Hotel V can be at your service. Do not expect high luxury standards, you’ll be disappointed. Luxury is space, and this a ‘small’ problem at Hotel V. Standard rooms are really small, so please do take that small ‘upgrade’ of 20 euro’s a night for a bigger one. It’s worth every penny. The nice part of this hotel? First of all the very welcoming fire place in the lobby. Arriving late after a city diner or party, it’s cosy to jump into the huge sofa with other guests for a night cap. Bedlinnen is fresh, soft and crispy black (Black sheets). Always a plus.  Breakfast is ok. Good coffee. Also a plus. And, there is definitely a great rock n’roll vibe, hanging in the hotel. The light bulb ‘V’ is ‘kitch’, and my means very rock n’roll. We like. http://www.hotelv.nl Hotel V Weteringschans 136   1017 XV Amsterdam Netherlands+31 20 662 3233 Starts from 69-139 euro/a room, but do take the bigger ones  in the back building-the …