Canadian World Traveller Winter 2019-20 Issue

50
Luxury Hotels...Grand Resorts...Charming B&B...Opulent Villas...Quaint C
Sweet Dreams Around the World
Stay & Play Section
25hours Hotel, The Royal Bavarian, Munich
by Michael Morcos
Funky is a good way of describing this hotel, so is cool, hip or even psychedelic! The
25 Hours Hotel is anything but a cookie cutter property, far from it. The designers
and decorators of this hotel took every opportunity of making things abnormal. Even
the hotel name throws you for a loop.
Our hotel adventure started upon arrival where we climbed to the first-floor reception
and found a red, antique, tissue covered couch in the elevator. On arriving to
the welcome desk our senses were again attacked as we would feel like we were in
a Sargent Pepper album cover. The scenario continued past the check-in through the
blue coloured hallway to our dazzling room. It was wonder at first sight! Just about
every detail in our room was a conscientious work of art. Like books that fill in for
bed legs. An all-black toilet - tiles, walls and bowl. How about the new washroom
sink, faucet and counter that resemble something from a century ago. It was all very
puzzling and yet it worked.
As for location, Munich was practically at our doorstep. Located directly in front of
the train station, getting to and from any European destination was easy. At the corner
of the street was a metro station and Munich’s major attractions were just a short
walk away.
Breakfasts at the hotel were delightful. Served buffet style, the choices were varied
and plentiful, starting with wonderful fresh and hearty German breads, fine cheeses
and delicious cold cuts to eggs prepared in any style. The atmosphere in the breakfast
room echoed the hotel. Weird, wild and just about right, as were the mostly
young to middle aged clients.
Travelling is all about the new and different. A stay at the 25 Hours Hotel was
refreshing and certainly memorable. After a stay like this, it sure did make me think
about how boring some hotels really are and with properties across Europe; the
experience can carry on and on.
www.25hours-hotels.com
Steve Herud
Steve Herud
Steve Herud
NH Collection Madrid Suecia
by Michael Morcos
When in Spain stay with the Spanish, and
hotel chains do not come any more Spanish
than the NH hotel group. Now operating
more than 350 hotels in 28 markets, this
Madrid-based hotel group knows how to do
hospitality right as I would attest to on this, my
fourth stay with this chain.
Our recent trip to Madrid would bring us to a
NH Collection property, on the upper end of
the hotel offerings is the NH Collection Suecia
hotel, which is perfectly located on a quiet
side street close to most of the major sites. A
half block away was the intersections of the
busy and well-appointed boulevards of Calle
de Alcalá and Gran Via. A short distance from
here is the world famous Prado museum, the
majestic Plaza Mayor and the centre of Spain
– the Puerta del Sol.
To add to this great location, the hotel is
handsomely decorated with a Scandinavia
look and feel. Upon arriving you could feel a
buzz in the air. The restaurant and bar situated
on the ground floor were filled with clients
and visitors enjoying the great atmosphere.
The staff was extremely helpful and took every
opportunity of assisting us through our checkin.
My room was just about perfect, clean and
comfortable with all the modern amenities
one would expect from a high-end hotel. Not
wanting to miss out on visiting the sites I
would break away for a few hours to see the
best this beautiful city had to offer only to
return to the tranquillity of my home away
from home.
Unfortunately, I did not visit the rooftop bar. I
was told it had a panoramic view of the whole
of Madrid. Kind of felt good about it as now I
will have to return.
www.nh-hotels.com
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