Hilton Tower Bridge, London

I arrived at this brand new Hilton near Tower Bridge on a Friday afternoon around 3pm. Took the Heathrow Express to Paddington, then underground to Waterloo, and finally a taxi. This was a bit of a roundabout route, but I wanted to check how long the taxi ride would take due to another train ride later ....

Actually, the Tower Bridge Underground station is only about 3 mins walk from the hotel, so that would be the best option to get there, without lots of luggage.

In any case, I was checked-in by an efficient, if slightly hassled, agent who told me that "everyone is checking in at the same time" !! He then grabbed me a corner room on the 9th floor, making sure that I know that he had given me a special room !

The room indeed was nice - much larger than the typical London hotel room, and everything was new (and working perfectly!). Flat panel TV, but with only 7-8 channels; WiFi, and modern furniture & decorations.

Staff were very pleasant, and concierge helpful. Executive Lounge was well-appointed with just enough room for the number of people that wanted to use it.... I was allowed access as a Hilton Diamond member, even though there has been some variability recently in access to the lounge for those not on paid Executive Floor rates. In any case, this wasn't an issue for me :-).

Two internet-enabled PCs in the lounge also made my visit productive, even if the speed of the connection was less than what one would expect from DSL.

All in all, a very good stay at this property. I would certainly return if I needed to be in the area again. Rates were a reasonable (for London!) £100 ish including VAT.

Radisson SAS Style Hotel, Vienna

Only because my usual Hilton / Starwood properties were all priced well over €200 per night did I look at the Radisson SAS Style – and I am glad I did!

Centrally located in Herrengasse, within walking distance of many good restaurants, wine bars, and the obligatory Irish pubs, “The Style” certainly lived up to its name….

Right from my arrival in a very “mod” lobby, this hotel exudes a modern, relaxed atmosphere. The staff is bilingual English / German, and friendly, and the rooms (of which there are only 70 or so) are a good size, and well-appointed. Free WiFi and a free (small) Mini-bar complete the package at this hotel.

I did not use the Fitness room in the basement, although I visited it on my arrival, and intended to do so the following morning – the extra 30 mins sleep won hands down though! The basement contained about 6 or 7 pieces of new-ish equipment and the sauna area was also attached to the gym.

About a €10 and 10 min taxi-ride from the CAT (City-Air-Train) station, this hotel comes highly recommended from me, for a business or a leisure stay in Vienna!

http://www.radissonsas.com/

Tyler Brule, Financial Times Weekender

A little “off the wall”, but this guy really brightens up my weekend – people either love him or hate him, and I am one of the former …..

What does Tyler do? Well, he writes a column in the Weekend Travel section of the Financial Times on a Saturday. Not just any old column though – he pontificates about the global travel experience, high-end brands and consumerism, Sweden, and Japan!

His love for all things Swedish, Japanese or generally high-end and “minimalist” is well-documented, and he gives his weekly sermon from the “pulpit” of his FT column. I look forward to it every week, as I am generally transported to a faraway place through his musings – check him out on www.ft.com/brule

Veselka Ukranian Diner, New York

It's quite a while since I have eaten at one of my favourite little gems in the East Village, but on my recent trip to NYC, I walked right by Veselka, so let me tell you about it ...

Zagat, Time Out and New York Magazine all rate this 24 hour cafe very highly - "Borscht, whether hot or cold, is hot these days, as a culinary glasnost, heralded by Pravda and promises of the revamped Russian Tea Room, has overtaken the city. But the best borscht happens to be found at an old standby, the 24-hour Ukrainian cafe where chef Malgorzata Sibilska gets the balance of sweet and sour just right. For 43 years, owner Tom Birchard insists, Veselka’s three renditions of the electric-magenta fare have been made from scratch, even when the going rate for good beets skyrockets and others use bottled ones. A hot, “Ukrainian borscht,” Eastern Europe’s answer to minestrone is a menu staple. Traditional Eastern European “Christmas borscht,” with mushroom dumplings, and a cold vegetarian version that “looks tike paint,” with cucumber, sour cream, and optional sliced egg, are served seasonally."

I personally love a weekend lunchtime at Veselka - the atmosphere is "buzzy" and I love the Pierogi - Ukranian dumplings stuffed with meat and/or vegetables and then boiled or fried, are just scrumtious ! Desserts aren't half bad too ! Be ready to wait when things are busy, but believe me, it's worth it !