In A Nutshell

Highland Apartments by Mansley is a collection of 16 self-catering luxury apartments located in the heart of Inverness and set on the eastern bank of the River Ness across from Inverness Castle and steps away from most of the city’s best restaurants, bars, pubs, shops and other amenities.

What Makes It Special?

For a “best of both worlds” getaway, Highland Apartments fit our bill perfectly offering an urban base for rural pursuits. Hardly a raging metropolis, Inverness nonetheless has a compact city centre with a surprising abundance of excellent restaurants, bars and pubs. Our apartment was within a short stroll of most – as well as a quick and easy walk from the train station. But our main reason for visiting the largest city – and cultural capital – of the Scottish Highlands was to access the surrounding countryside. From Fortrose on the Moray Firth to Loch an Eilein in the heart of the Cairngorms, the range of beauty spots within an hour or so drive from Highland Apartments is vast. And of course, achingly scenic Loch Ness is only minutes away. Cruising around the lochs, bens and glen to muck about in the wilderness and then returning home to our city digs (and a hot bath and cup of tea) was a delightful experience.

Our Stay

We stayed three nights in mid October in a ginormous one bed, two bath apartment with an almost equally ginormous balcony overlooking the River Ness and with a view of Inverness Castle. Bed and furniture were plush and attractive. The contemporary, top-line open kitchen with large dining table was more than suitable for a self-catering holiday. For a few nights in town with daily excursions to the countryside, our apartment’s location (not to mention its secure and reserved garage parking) couldn’t be beat!

We Loved

Comfort and convenience were the key elements that made our accommodation such a lovely place to spend a few days. We would have loved to stay longer, see a little more of the city and a lot more of the Highlands.

We’re Not So Sure About…

Getting from one room to another proved to be a bit of a logistical challenge sometimes with respect to figuring out which light switches were for what and not having to backtrack in the dark to turn the lights out.

In The Neighbourhood

We really enjoyed being able to step out in the evening to walk along the river to the Ness Islands. A picture perfect set of two wooded isles in the midst of the River Ness and just south of the city centre, Ness Islands form a lovely little park connected to each other and the mainline by two Victorian suspension bridges.

From there we might have grabbed a bite or a pint or purchased some provisions for later before wandering back and calling it a night. Across the bridge from the apartment was Rocpool, an extra yummy option for seafood. Stumbling distance from our building’s entrance, Gellions Bar was and ace pub for chatting with locals and catching some live music. Tesco Extra, M&S, Co-op Food, a local market and local more retail were nearby.

Inverness Castle is essentially across the street from the apartment building.

The Guests

Guests included empty nesters on a shopping spree, millennial couples on a weekend retreat, business travellers and families.

It’s Perfect For

Highland Apartments by Mansley would be a smart choice for anyone looking for roomy and well kempt accommodations in the heart of Inverness. Even if self-catering’s not your thing, you’ll have no problem getting whatever you need just beyond the building’s doorstep.

More Details

www.bymansley.com/location/highland-apartments

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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In A Nutshell

Castle Hotel Daniel is a boutique hotel set in a renovated 17^th century Transylvanian castle. It’s around four hours’ drive from Bucharest.

What Makes It Special?

The magic of staying in a centuries-old castle is magnified by the creativity of the hosts. Each room is individually styled, with subtle and spectacular touches, to tell a different story about the noble Daniel family and the history of the building. Features such as a genuine coat-of-arms, king size baldaquin beds, wooden bath tubs and 17^th century wall paintings give the hotel a wow factor. In addition to the cosy castle setting, the playful gastronomic experience really warms the heart. On our first evening we enjoyed venison goulash that had been stewed in a cauldron over a log fire in the garden. While on our second night we were serenaded by a choir of local singers, before being served three delicious reinterpretations of traditional Transylvanian recipes – matched with local Romanian wines of course.

Our Stay

We stayed two nights in ‘The Countess’ Boudoir,’ a stylish room with sensual artwork and sturdy timber features. If you can afford it though, we’d recommend the spectacular ‘Constantinople Room,’ with original 17^th century wall paintings and lavish velvet curtains, it really stood out as the most interesting room in the castle.

We Loved

The attention to detail in each room, the storytelling, the delicious food, the warm atmosphere at the dinner table each evening, the humble hosts and the local wine.

We’re Not So Sure About…

Whether you could stay in the neighbourhood for a longer trip, even though there are plenty of things to do during a shorter stay…

In the Neighbourhood

For a tiny village, where many locals still get around by horse and kart, there are a surprising number of things to do around Talisoara. We visited a local blacksmith’s workshop, drank palinka shots beside a roaring fire with the local Count, explored The Museum of Transylvanian Life in Count Kalnoky’s Castle, snooped around the Prince of Wales’ guesthouse (yes, Prince Charles regularly stays in the region) and ventured into the Varghis Caves, which have links to the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

The Guests

80% Romanian residents, mostly couples, looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a slice of traditional Transylvanian hospitality.

It’s Perfect For

Imagining yourself as nobility for a few days either side of a wild city break in Bucharest.

A Final Word of Advice

Download the Visit Covasna app for more information on the region and activities mentioned in this post.

More Details

www.danielcastle.ro

Josh was invited on a press trip to Covasna county organised by Visit Covasna. His (stress-free) flights between London Luton and Bucharest were kindly provided by Romanian airline Blue Air. His full report on the region is coming soon.

About Josh Ferry Woodard

Josh Ferry Woodard is a freelance travel writer based in London. You can find his work on sites such as Reader's Digest, Huffington Post, Roads & Kingdoms, Slate, Paste, Spotted By Locals & many more.

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In A Nutshell

This stylish 16-room lodging is operated by the same team that run The Bar With No Name, L’Gueuleton Restaurant and Hogan’s Pub, all on the same block, and with its shabby chic decor and party vibe Kellys does in fact look and feel more like a hip bar than a hotel. Favoured by a young and hedonistic crowd if your life motto is “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” you may have just found your ideal Dublin digs.

What Makes It Special?

There are plenty of design hotels around the world, but whereas most of them are pitched at monied oldies, Kellys feels quite unique in its brash and youthful appeal. Being directly above one of Dublin’s hippest nightspots (The Bar With No Name is awesome!), boasting it’s own resident bar – The Candle Bar – and being located right in the centre of town means you could hardly find a more party-orientated place to stay. Huge potted plants in the corridor, stained glass features, and white minimalist rooms are all classy elements of a well-worked aesthetic.

Our Stay

We stayed two nights in early April in a standard double room overlooking South Great George Street street. The room was not much bigger than the incredibly comfy double bed, with shower ensuite and small wardrobe and desk.

We Loved…

Pretending to be younger and cooler than we really are, stopping off for a last cheeky drink at action-packed The Bar With No Name before bed, and getting an amazing night’s sleep… once the music stopped. Which brings us to…

We’re Not So Sure About…

…the fact that this hotel really is very noisy indeed, right up until 2:30am which is when The Bar With No Name stops pounding out Fleetwood Mac and The Eurhythmics and it’s finally beddie-byes time. The bass comes up through the floor and no earplugs will help, so basically if you want to relax or sleep before 02:30 at weekends look for another hotel. (I should note the hotel does warn you about this before you book!).

A second more minor irritation is that check in is not until 3pm, but that doesn’t stop reception calling you at 12pm sharp for check out!

In The Neighbourhood

As far as orientation is concerned you’re sorted. You’re on the same street as the beautiful Victorian-era George Street Arcade (as recommended in our Dublin weekend guide), the castle is less than 5 minutes away and Temple Bar and the river not much further than that. You’re also within walking distance of The Guinness Storehouse.

The Guests

Our fellow guests seemed mostly trendy couples in their late 20s, giving the place a social hostel vibe.

It’s Perfect For

Young couples looking for an action-packed weekend away. And when I say action, I mean drinking.

More Details

www.kellysdublin.com

If you’re on your way to sunny (ahem) Ireland be sure to check out our other Dublin-related travel advice.

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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In A Nutshell

Balneari Prats is a historic spa hotel in Caldes de Malavella, the home of millennia old Roman baths and just over an hour away from Barcelona by train (and 15 minutes from Girona).

What Makes It Special?

Housed in a century old building, along with a modern annex, the resort’s key feature is its thermal swimming pool that allows guests to bathe in mineral-rich 34 celsius degrees waters throughout the year. On top of that the wide range of intriguing spa treatments at reasonable prices, the best of which (that we experienced at least) was the Gerunda Fuga, which was as much a flight of fantasy as a massage. A sonorous voice sets a mythical tone by recalling the legend of a Catalan shepherd and his love story with a sea-dwelling siren, before mellifluous music lulls us deeper into legend. Meanwhile the scents of local flora are wafted in front of our noses, our feet are doused in cleansing warm water, and nutrient rich creams are massaged into our grateful skin with firm hands that proceed to soothe our bodies into a deep state of relaxation. Pure bliss.

Our Stay

We stayed two days in the “Suite Prats” during a sunny November weekend, and I’d highly recommend splashing out for the same room if you can. Split over two floors, you get your own private sun deck with outdoor jacuzzi, upstairs bedroom with ensuite, and downstairs luxury lounge with a second much larger bathroom (including hydromassage bath). The spiral staircase is very narrow however so possibly hazardous for older guests and/or alcoholics.

We Loved

Our suite, the Gerunda Fuga massage, the pool, the restaurant, free bike rental, being treated like royalty by all the staff… and of course the resident parrot. Although he wasn’t so talkative.

We’re Not So Sure About…

The rooms where we received our water therapy treatments had a subtle aura of Soviet interrogation chamber, which made trying to relax whilst water was mechanically pumped at various parts of your body kind of tricky.

In The Neighbourhood

The local town Caldes de Malavella doesn’t hold too much in the way of entertainment, but is good for a stroll. The Roman baths are of course the highlight, whilst there are some nice private villas from the town’s history as a bourgeois spa resort, and you can also hike/bike through the pleasant wooded hills to several nearby points of interest, such as a small castle and hermitage.

The Guests

Mostly well-to-do Catalan oldies, with a few younger couples including the occasional avant garde foreign adventurers who somehow found out about the hotel in a guidebook somewhere.

It’s Perfect For

A two day detox after overdoing it in Barcelona. If you were visiting the area over two weekends, this could be the perfect way to relax on your way out so you don’t get back to work more tired than when you left. Proximity to Girona means you could possibly hop on a cheap Ryanair flight back to the UK.

A Final Word of Advice

Look out for package offers on their website that include accommodation and treatments together… there are some great weekend deals.

More Details

www.balneariprats.com

If you’re combining a visit to Balneari Prats with a visit to Barcelona then be sure to check out our weekend break guide to the Catalan capital, as well as this two day itinerary.

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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