Brits lacking the Diamond Jubilee spirit

TripAdvisor reveals that the majority of Brits are not yet embracing the Diamond Jubilee festivities. A poll of nearly 7,000 respondents on TripAdvisor.co.uk, asking Brits how they plan to spend the long Diamond Jubilee bank weekend, showed only 11% plan to attend a celebratory Jubilee event.

With two consecutive bank holidays (4th and 5th June) allotted to mark the occasion, many Brits plan to take advantage of the four-day weekend and go away – 19% intend to travel abroad while 10% are planning a break within the UK.  By far the most popular option is to simply relax and enjoy the time at home, with 44% planning to do so. The remaining 15% have yet to decide their plans.

“With less than three months to go, it seems Diamond Jubilee fever is yet to grip Britain,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “As the weather gets better and the days longer, Brits may well start planning celebrations, but for all others, it seems the extra days holiday are welcomed as an opportunity to get away or simply enjoy a well-deserved rest at home.”

*Poll carried out on 6,695 respondents on TripAdvisor.co.uk in February 2012

SeatGuru launches its first iPhone app

SeatGuru, has released its first mobile app for the iPhone. The free app, available for download worldwide in the Apple App store, features SeatGuru’s extensive collection of colour-coded airplane seat maps — over 700 with detailed seat recommendations covering nearly 100 airlines – helping travellers find the best possible seat on their flight.

The app also provides users with helpful travel tools by integrating the TripAdvisor flight search engine, allowing travellers to book a flight on the go, and the ability to get real-time flight status updates. 

“We’re excited to put the power of SeatGuru’s flier-backed seat maps and recommendations in the hands of iPhone users,” said Jami Counter, senior director of SeatGuru. “Our free app gives travellers the peace of mind that they’ve found the best airplane seat at the lowest price, in an easy-to-navigate display to help make the air travel experience less stressful.”

More details on the app:

·       Colour-Coded Seat Maps – Backed by more than 45,000 flier reviews, SeatGuru offers more than 700 colour-coded airplane seat maps across nearly 100 different airlines. Each seat map includes indicators for good seats (green), seats with some cautionary attributes (yellow), and seats to avoid (red), as well as detailed hover-over comments summarised from fellow travellers.

·       Flight Meta-Search Engine – Powered by TripAdvisor Flights, the app’s flight shopping engine searches for the lowest airfares across online travel agencies, discount airfare consolidators, major airlines, and low cost carriers

·         Real-Time Flight Alerts – The app offers real-time flight status updates, supplied by FlightAware, to alert travellers if their flight is delayed or cancelled. Travellers can also have notifications sent to family and friends, so they can be kept updated on flight arrival times and other relevant travel information.

For more information, please visit www.seatguru.com. SeatGuru is a subsidiary of TripAdvisor.

The heads-up on where to lay down for National Bed Month

Arbroath’s Brucefield Boutique B&B and Blackpool’s Edenfield Guest House are the best places to sleep according to TripAdvisor travellers

The UK’s Sleep Council has declared March ‘National Bed Month’ and in its honour, TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, reveals the UK hotels where you’re likely to have the best night’s sleep.  These properties received the highest praise from travellers in the ‘sleep quality’ category on TripAdvisor in the last year*.

According to TripAdvisor travellers, The Edenfield Guest House in Blackpool  and the Brucefield Boutique B&B in Arbroath offer the best sleep quality of any UK properties, both boasting a perfect sleep quality rating of five out of five from travellers.

“A good night’s sleep can make all the difference to your wellbeing, as well as your holiday and overall impression of a hotel. The guest feedback on TripAdvisor speaks for itself - these properties have all been tried and tested, and pass the all-important sleep test with flying colours,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson.

The UK’s top ten hotels for sleep-quality are:

1.    The Edenfield Guest House, Blackpool, England.  Situated in quiet corner of Blackpool, a number of popular sites are easily accessible from this cosy property.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “It was excellent on all counts. Cleanliness, rooms, service etc.”

1.    Brucefield Boutique B&B, Arbroath, Scotland. This four bedroom B&B is situated in the historical fishing town of Arbroath on Scotland's east coast, offering stylish accommodation in a manor house dating back to the 1920s.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “You are made to feel at home, and the place is warm and welcoming. Everything in this B&B is first class.”

3.    The Redstone, Blackpool, England.  The Redstone is well positioned near to both the beach and some of Blackpool’s highlights.  This adult-only property offers five-star, luxury accommodation.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The guesthouse is decorated to an extremely high specification, and the fabulous Ursula is a perfect hostess. The beds were extremely comfortable.”

4.    Stoneleigh Guest House, Llandudno, Wales. Centrally located in a lovely seaside town, Stoneleigh Guest House is situated on one of the quietest roads in what is known as the ‘Garden Area’ of Llandudno.   As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Thank you Anna for such a warm welcome and comfortable stay. We stayed for just one night, the bed was so incredibly comfortable and the room warm and very clean.”

5.    The Spoons, Isle of Skye, Scotland.  This modern property boasts a stunning location in tranquil Isle of Skye and three luxurious guestrooms.   As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The room was just luxurious and so lovely with a beautiful view (even in the rain!).”

6.    Manderley Bed & Breakfast, Chester, England. Manderley is a quiet and relaxing B&B in an enviable location, close to the River Dee and the meadows, yet just a few minutes from the city centre.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The room was extremely comfortable and spotless, the bed was very comfortable with nice crisp white sheets.”

7.    Elmdene Hotel, Torquay, England.  The Elmdene is well situated to explore the English Riviera and its surroundings. Just 300m from Torquay beach and just a short walk from Torquay town centre, theatre and harbour, the Elmdene is nevertheless set in a quiet and peaceful location. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “We have been holidaying in Torquay for many years but never have we stayed in such a brilliant place that is the Elmdene. Our room was spotlessly clean, modern, spacious, comfortable, etc.”

8.    All Seasons Guest House, Filey, England.  The recently refurbished, family-run B&B enjoys a peaceful location just a stone’s throw from the sea.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The rooms were very comfortable, well decorated and no attention to detail had been spared.”

9.    Byfield House, Painswick, England.  This grade II listed property is located in the scenic Cotswolds village of Painswick and has features dating back the 16^th Century. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Croissants and a newspaper in the most comfortable bed in the world.....a bank of down pillows, a down quilt, a down covered mattress, and a six foot wide bed, what's not to like?!”

10. The Manor Coach House, Worcester, England.  Surrounded by attractive gardens, the apartments at Manor Coach House are newly converted.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Ideal location and so peaceful. The rooms are lovely and spacious, spotlessly clean and have everything you could want, even fresh flowers.”

10.  Enchanted Manor, Isle of Wight, England.  This unique B&B specializes in romantic breaks to the Isle of Wight. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The welcome, breakfast, accommodation and hosts are first class, tucked out of the way but in easy access of costal walks and local pubs.”

Organised by The Sleep Council, the month aims to reinforce the importance of  sound sleep for good health. For more information on these hotels, visit www.Tripadvisor.co.uk

*The list indicates the ten hotels in the UK which have received the highest score in the ‘sleep quality’ category on the TripAdvisor hotel review form from 1 January-31 December 2011