A favourite poem.

Tell Me a Story

Long ago, in Kentucky, I, a boy, stood
By a dirt road, in first dark, and heard
The great geese hoot northward.

I could not see them, there being no moon
And the stars sparse.I heard them.

I did not know what was happening in my heart.

It was the season before the elderberry blooms,
Therefore they were going north.

The sound was passing northward.

Robert Penn Warren

Review of Hotel Cannero on Lake Maggiore

What a welcome! We stepped off the boat from Stresa, and the ever-attentive Deborah from reception was on the stairs of the hotel to take our bags and show us to our rooms. At reception Samuele told us 'we love it when people arrive by boat' so we felt like elegant 19th century travelers. Very beautiful room with parquet floors and balcony with dreamy views of lake and mountains. Our bedroom door opened out not into a cramped hallway, but on to an atmospheric high-ceiling space painted like all of the hotel, in soft pastel colours.

The swimming pool is great, when doing the backstroke, you can look up at the mountains!
Both the restaurant and the cafe with dining tables overlooking Lake Maggiore, are excellent. If you are not staying half-board, I can strongly recommend Trattoria Gino and Gaby up above in the town of Cannero.



Every evening from 5-6 you can visit the atmospheric Cantina and Giuliana will help you choose a wine to match and complement your evening meal. If the wine you are interested in is not 'on tasting' she is quite likely to grab a bottle and open it so that you can have a taste.
Finally, the breakfast is lovely, and the buffet selection is kept fresh right up until ten o'clock. How can you improve on near-perfection? (Freshly squeezed orange juice would do the trick.)
I would recommend a day-trip to nearby Cannobio further up the lake. It is also an attractive lake town with good shopping and a wonderful promenade where you can sit and have a refreshing drink while waiting for your ferry to take you back to Cannero. Incidentally, it is possible to have a great and varied lake holiday without the use of a car.

In summary, Hotel Cannero is an idyllic place to relax in stunningly beautiful surroundings, with attentive and friendly staff looking after your needs. We have stayed in many wonderful Italian hotels over the years, and this one truly is as good as it gets.

Hotel Adler: Good hotel

Were it not for the rudest, most agressive waiter we have ever come across, I would give the Adler five stars. This man did his best to ruin our anniversary celebration in the otherwise very good fondue restaurant of the Adler. A box of sweets from the staff after we complained, has not really wiped out the bad memory. The only other thing I was not crazy about would be the rather perverse see-through glass of the bathroom doors mentioned in earlier reviews. Finally, goose-stepping inconsiderate neighbours above us often spoilt our sleep, but for this we cannot really blame the hotel. That said, we enjoyed our stay at the Adler. Our room which was upgraded without our asking, looked out on the lovely square outside, and some fabulous Christmas decorations.

The breakfast buffet was fine although it failed the freshly squeezed orange juice test.
As previously reported, the hotel is in an excellent location and is spotlessly clean. All staff, with the one notable exception, were courteous and helpful. When we were leaving they gave us a free pass for the tram, which was a very kind and helpful gesture.

If your time in Zurich allows, go for the 72 hour pass when you arrive at the airport. It includes free travel on the great tram system, entrance to the brilliant museums, and even a fun boat ride on the Zurichsee. The city of Zurich itself is surprisingly beautiful with the church-lined river, and the magestic Alps in the distance, and it lends itself ideally to a short few days break. Don't miss the Marc Chagall stained glass windows in the Fraumunster, an experience that stays with you after your journey is over.

BrookLodge & Wells Spa: Relaxing stay at the BrookLodge

I don't trust reviews that say a place was perfect. I don't believe there is such a place, so I will get my gripes out of the way. The bed in our River Mews room was a bit on the small side. Also, I think that at the moment, there would be no harm in warning guests that there is a big construction job going on right besides the River Mews rooms.

We were told this is going to be a new Functions area. As it turned out, it didn't bother us all that much, but it doesn't do much for your arrival when you are greeted with the sight of a huge crane overhanging your destination!

That out of the way, I have to say that the service at BrookLodge was first class. Every person we dealt with was friendly and efficient.

We were not happy with our table in the Strawberry Tree, so they offered us a number of alternatives with a minimum of fuss. The food was lovely, although I would prefer to have the option of a la carte as opposed to the set five course dinner.

The breakfast was exceptionally good. I asked for something that was not on the menu and my request did not raise an eyebrow. The fresh treakle bread was so good we enquired about it and the manageress of the restaurant came up with a loaf for us to take away!

All in all, the folks in BrookLodge are doing a great job in providing a real getaway in the countryside only an hours drive from Dublin. They deserve to be commended for this.

Albergo Del Duca: A great little hotel

We are just back from a short stay in Como where we celebrated our Coral Anniversary. We spotted the great reviews of the Albergo Del Duca on Tripadvisor and decided to go for it. No regrets. A charming little hotel, lovely room overlooking the quiet and atmospheric piazza, great restaurant downstairs with pizzas which are exceptionally good and a very good wine list. The staff were all helpful and very welcoming.

Como is a great small city with a beautiful Duomo and intriguing medieval streets to explore, and lots of classy shops. From the hotel it is a short walk to the lakeside where we got the boat for a day trip to Bellagio, one of Italy's most beautiful towns.

Highly recommended.