Advantages: Easy access to all major routes in and out of London
Disadvantages: Directly under Heathrow Airport flight path

...I recently had to travel to London for a training course and chose to drive up from Christchurch to the outskirts of London from where I could catch the tube in to my training centre each day. I had previously stayed in Best Western hotels at various locations in Europe so I felt confident in choosing this hotel to stay in. I also ascertained that the nearest tube station (Osterley, Picadilly line) was only a short 10-15 minute walk away and the journey time into Holborn (the station nearest to my training centre) was only 50 minutes and cost £6 for a day return. I found the hotel very easily, having travelled up the M3 and then onto the M25 I took the exit for the M4 towards London leaving the M4 at junction 3 from where it was only 10 minutes along the A312/A4 to the hotel. The hotel itself was pleasantly presented... Read review

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Advantages: Independently Owned & operated Good Quality
Disadvantages: Very Few

...Best Western Hotels are among the world’s largest hotel brands but is actually somewhat unusual. This international hotel chain is made-up of individually owned and operated hotels and inns around the globe. However, reputedly it is not easy to qualify for membership of Best Western – prospective members must meet some very exacting standards and each hotel in UK is independently inspected on an annual basis by the AA. Globally there are around 4,000 hotels in the group whilst there are several hundred in the UK. Some are bustling city centres hotels, others are nicely converted Elizabethan lodges and some are plush Georgian style country manor houses. Among Best Western hotels in London are the Delmere Hotel, Hyde Park, the John Howard Hotel, Kensington, the Mornington Hotel, Lancester Gate, Raglan Hall... Read review

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Advantages: Nice design
Disadvantages: Late, completely packed

...I guess most reviews come from the fact that people either have something really great they want to tell people about, or really bad that they want to moan about. To be honest I would love this to be a big rant about Great Western, but I'm going to keep my comments fair, because although they do a lot of things wrong, there are also some things that I do actually like about the way they run their service. I started getting First Great Western trains from Reading a couple of months ago. I generally get the rush hour trains in and back, but I do also have experience of using their trains during off-peak hours as I used to travel a lot on them at the weekends last year. Generally I am travelling between Reading and London Paddington, but I have also taken trains to other stops around the area such as Oxford. ~~An average day... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: great comfort, smart and sleek decor, extremely close to the eiffel tower!
Disadvantages: relatively small

...I spent my time in Paris at the Best Western Au Trocadero and I just wanted to take some time to recommend them to anyone else interested in staying in Paris. The hotel itself is rather small but the modern decor decieves you into thinking it is substantially more spacious. The tiled floors and mirrored walls of the lobby give a pristine, clean look about the place, giving the aesthetics of an expensive yet comfortable place to stay. The staff on reception never failed to be welcoming and plesant, making you feel at home in a foreign country. However, unfortunately I must admit the cleaning staff were't as welcoming, and at a push could even come across as rude. Despite this they did a good job and the room always managed to be accessible and enjoyable to stay in. For breakfast there is an array of food on offer and enough time... Read review

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Advantages: Detailed, helpful, indispensable, describes everything you could possibly want!
Disadvantages: Don't know! Only covers WA?!

...People from other parts of Australia often think of WA (Western Australia) as Wait Awhile! But this easy-going, laid-back lifestyle and group of people is just one of its big attractions. And the Lonely Planet guide to WA explains every one in detail, from costs, where to go, where to stay, where to eat, where to shop, what to see, suggested itineraries, suggested timeframes if you want to really explore the state, what not to do etc etc to name but a few! Perth is nearer to Singapore than Sydney and the most isolated city. WA covers almost half of Australia and yet only about 1.5million people permananently reside there, meaning there is a huge expanse of nothingness but this is also one of its major attractions. It never fails to amaze me how you can drive on an open stretch of road for 5 hours, only see a few cars and then look... Read review

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Advantages: Stress free travelling, comprehensive, clear instructions, cheap
Disadvantages: Some very minor glitches in confusing bends with turns

...I recently reviewed the TomTom one, which we bought with the Western Europe maps, and I have been waiting to put Jane (our name, after the voice) through her paces in rural France. As with all TomTom maps, easy to see, easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to update. Absolutely fantastic, I have no idea how we ever coped without her/it. From getting off the ferry, the map/navigation was spot on, good clear instructions, in plenty of time, and the first time I have ever got through Paris without a hitch. To give you an idea of how good, we bought a local map of where we were going on the Limousin/Perigord borders, that did not have the town we were staying in (I call it a town loosely) as it was so small, no problem for TomTom, straight there, which was welcome after 7 hours of driving. We spent two weeks in the area... Read review

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Advantages: Reasonably frequent services.
Disadvantages: Trains slow by modern standards. Not good value for money.

...painted! I travel First Class due to overcrowding of Standard. First Class of itself is otherwise not worth the extra money, £108 Plymouth to London for an Open Single. You do get free refreshments after a fashion. Not alcohol, limited snacks..you get to pay extortionate prices for crisps etc., the tea/coffee is in paper cups. Hardly inspring for the money. Buffet prices are a rip off FGW like the captive market!! Staff are helpful. Why is it that long distance trains always arrive at the furthest platform from the exit at Plymout so that you have to take luggage downstairs then thru subway and upstairs again. What about trolley ramps etc? Parking at Plymouth is extortionate. All in all it is a bit of a cheek to call this Great Western. First Western maybe, First Mediocre Western is more like it.... Read review

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Advantages: Tranquil, peaceful, great scenery
Disadvantages: far away from perth

...In western Australia, there is such variety in a state that is bigger that Britain and Ireland. Whether you want rolling countryside, barron desert, excellent surf or city life, its all here. I was lucky enough to visit western Australia for Christmas and the Millenium and I will be returning there very soon. I lived in Perth for 4 weeks, went to a seaside resort called Dunsborough which boasts caverns, A huge variety of Vineyards offering the best in Autralian wine, and Yallingup (thats how its pronounced anyway!) which offers brilliant surf. Dunsborough offers secluded bays, and a relaxing by the sea break, as well as a shopping complex. This is another lovely relatively "undiscovered" place in Western Australia.... Read review

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Advantages: A classic that deserves to be read, though perhaps not to be a classic.
Disadvantages: Seems hurriedly and sometimes carelessly written.

...One of the most famous books by one of the most famous philosophers of the past 100 years, but something of a pot-boiler, in my opinon: if Russell had had time to do a thorough revision it would be much better than it is, though it's still very good in parts. Russell's anti-religious and in particular his anti-Christian bias is evident throughout, but I don't argue with that and his discussion of why Thomas Aquinas is not the great philosopher Catholics of the period regarded him as – the book was published in 1945 – would now be accepted by most Catholics. So what does the book do? It surveys Western philosophy from its first recorded appearance in ancient Greece to the American and British schools of the 1930s and 1940s. There are a lot of interesting – and mind-bending – ideas on the way, but his treatment... Read review

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Advantages: if your lucky you can get a seat
Disadvantages: slow, unreliable, expensive, rude, Very Very Late

...I HATE First Great Western trains. you may think that is a little harsh but let me explain just how shocking their service is and then you'll think i've been very reserved with my judgement. Firstly i'll give you some general information. FGW run trains between London Padington and the South West and generally anywhere else in the south west area, this includes Reading, Portsmouth, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and down into Cornwall. Their trains are generally pretty old, they do have a few new ones but you'll be lucky to get one of those, they never have enough carriages, and although they say they are the most reliable train company in the UK i find it hard to believe. So why am i so negative, i'll give you a few examples of the shocking service. In July i got FGW trains from Portsmouth to Plymouth... Read review

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