501 Places

I’m currently arranging a new mobile phone contract. In common with most people I have very low expectations of the customer service I’m likely to receive. This is borne out of years of bitter experience. While the staff often appear incapable of connecting my phone to a functioning network at the price I signed up [...]

Ask a friend or work colleague about their holiday and the chances are that the description will fall somewhere between amazing, awesome and brilliant. In most cases we don’t need to ask; the bronzed storyteller will proudly share every highlight of their holiday with anyone who can’t get away in time. And yet, go to [...]

You’re checking out after a pleasant stay at a hotel. You enjoyed the comfortable bed, found the room clean and spacious, and safely negotiated the quirks of the bathroom. Even the wi-fi was free (Hallelujah!). As you’re settling your account with the receptionist, she hands you a little slip of paper with a pleading smile. [...]

Are you promoting a part of the world that has nothing particularly special going for it? Perhaps your city or region has a few nice waterfalls, a row of 100 year old buildings and a few hills. You need to create an impression that you live in a place that’s truly special. Fear not. It’s [...]

Hotels take a lot of effort into impressing guests with additional touches, whether it be chocolates on pillows, branded writing pads or disposable slippers. When it comes down to analysing the bare essentials however, a stay in a hotel for me is about two main factors: the bed and the shower. Why is it so [...]

A couple of weeks ago I drove from Salzburg to Innsbruck. It took a little under two hours, and along the way I drove into Germany and then back out into Austria again. Did I need a visa? Of course not. Did I show my passport? There was no-one to show it to. In fact [...]

In a damning article in the Independent over the weekend Simon Calder told of his torment in passing through the hell that is otherwise known as the Stansted security procedure. That he was at Stansted and flying Ryanair probably didn’t help his experience. The same procedures apply across UK airports and, barring small local variations, [...]