How to find a good hotel
...when you have no recommendations to go on. The sites to bookmark for future travels. Plus mimosas galore on the Côte d'Azur plus free-to-read articles from The Times.
After what has felt like a very long winter, the spring seems to be finally making an appearance now. The daffodils are out and the sun has been shining, though we did have snow in Cheltenham one morning this week. I was lucky enough to get a head start on spring, and I dashed off to the Cote d’Azur in February for a bit of colour therapy. This came in the form of a road trip along the Corniche d’Or (video below) and the Route du Mimosa in a side car with Daniel from La Grande Vadrouille. You can read the story here, which was in The Times yesterday, and I really enjoyed writing it.
I am usually wary of sharing too many links to The Times because there’s a paywall and not everyone subscribes, but this weekend, it’s all free to read. As I’ve been writing for them since 2008, so the stories listed under my name are quite a good resource for recommendations and guides to various places throughout France. This story about the World War I sites even won an award.
Finding a good hotel
Last month, my article on 25 of the best places to stay in France was published in The Guardian and brought together several years’ worth checking in and checking out of various hotels, chateaux and B&Bs. These articles (another one here) are always popular with readers, as accommodation is such an important part of a trip. Who wants to stay in a room with noisy traffic outside, an uncomfortable bed or a grumpy host? I can usually recommend a place to stay in most areas of the country, from the westernmost tip of mainland France, to the most south-easterly but, from time to time, someone will ask me for a tip in a place I have only passed through or not visited. How, then, can I help someone find a good bed for the night? Here are the ways I can help you find somewhere decent, especially when you’re on a budget.
