A special stay at the Sandman Signature in Aberdeen

Aberdeen is somewhere I go often. Ever since I graduated from the University of Aberdeen many years ago (more than I care to remember!), I've found myself drawn back to the city for weekend trips!

Those trips have been even more frequent in the past four years while my daughter attended Gray's School of Art at Robert Gordon's Uni. Normally when I visit her, I've stayed at Jury's Inn because it's so conveniently located in the mall, just yards from the train station. However, for her graduation earlier this month and for my last visit to Aberdeen for a while, I thought I'd stay somewhere different. As it's located in a historic building formerly part of the RGU campus, it seemed apt to try out the Sandman Signature hotel in Aberdeen. Located near the theatre and the beautiful Union Terrace Gardens, it's positioned very centrally for everything Aberdeen has to offer.

On arrival, you can't help but be struck by the bright, high-ceilinged lobby and reception area.

The colourful umbrellas and 'raindrops' hanging from the ceiling are a warm and fun touch. This installation, accompanied by the yellow sofa areas and unique chairs, and even a 'library', with tables that feature wireless charging spots,combine to create a lobby that enourages you to take time out and relax. Not to mention, it's the perfect place to grab a shot or two for Instagram!

I'd booked quite far ahead of time and so managed to get a great deal on a suite. Furnished with a lounge area, a full kitchen as well as the usual bedroom and bathroom, this made the ideal 'base camp' for the weekend.

I was really impressed with the suite when I walked in, straight into the kitchen, which was well equipped with a full-size fridge and freezer compartment, hob, microwave, kettle, toaster, and all the cutlery and crockery you'd need. So, if you're in town for a while, or just don't want to eat out all the time, you can stock up from one of the nearby supermarkets, and sit at the four seat breakfast bar to enjoy a meal or snack (or a nicely chilled bottle of prosecco)!

The kitchen leads straight into the spacious lounge area, with a huge sofa to sprawl out on and watch the large tv. I also particularly liked the colourful cushions! It's also a sofabed, which would be useful for families. There is a great desk area here if you need to work on your laptop, with plenty of power sockets and USB charging options. A small part of the desk also lifts up to reveal a vanity with huge mirror and a hairdryer.

My only specific niggle with the lounge area is the lighting. It's very chic in an industrial sort of way, but it hits very awwardly making watching tv sometimes difficult as well as catching in my eyeline as I tried to work at the desk. The ceilings are so high that I couldn't attempt to reposition it, if it's even movable. Other than the main lighting track, there is only one lamp in the room, which isn't enough to light the room on its own. Some more mood lighting would definitely be a boost.

Again, the bedroom is very spacious. The bed was HUGE and very comfortable. There is a handy ottoman and a built in closet with lots of room, as well as another TV. The bathroom can be accessed both from the bedroom and from the main living area, which is very convenient. Again, no cramped bathroom here - lots of room to get ready, with a beautiful free standing bath and a luxuriously spacious shower cubicle.

One of the things I particularly appreciated about the room was the amount of storage - the kitchen cupboards, the ottoman drawers, the built in closet, and the recess coat closet near the kitchen.

The room servicing is a bit haphazard - despite putting the appropriate light on, my room was skipped on one day, but on ringing housekeeping, the team happily and quickly brought up clean towels - but no toiletries or biscuits ets. Just a small niggle, and I'm sure if I'd rung again, they would have brought extra toiletries. I just didn't want to put them out by calling again.

This was a great place to hang out for the weekend - stylish, spacious and with a touch of luxury, it made it a very special stay. Every staff member we spoke to was very friendly, especially the colleague who checked me in on arrival. The only drawback to this hotel was the heat! Due to the fact this is an historic building, there is no air con, and the rooms can get very stuffy, even with the windows open. However, the hotel does provide a fan, which helps a little. And of course, you can always get that chilled prosecco from the fridge to help cool down!

On the whole, I really enjoyed my stay here, and I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Shows, sweet treats, and spiders - a London tale!

So if you know me or you've read my bio, you'll know that I am obsessed with the musical Hamilton. It arrived in my life at a time when I needed light and life, and not a day has gone past since when I haven't at least hummed one of the songs. I first saw it on Broadway (and I'm not proud of how much I paid for one of those tickets) and have now also seen it in London more than once.  So, it was no surprise in January when my daughter bought me tickets for a May show for my birthday present.

We decided to make a mini theatre trip out out of it, and decided to take in another performance of Six the musical too. We first saw this on tour in Glasgow, and loved it, so were very excited about the prospect of seeing it in its homeground of the Arts Theatre in London.

And of course, that still left plenty of time for touristy trips round London town! We were very lucky with the weather - it was sunny and bright but not ridiculously warm, which meant even just wandering round was fun!

So, here are the highlights, in no particular order....

1. The shows - Hamilton and Six

Both shows absolutely lived up to expectations. In Hamilton, we sat in our favourite location, the Royal Box B, which gives a great view, so you can really see the emotion on the performers' faces, and also offers lots of room with its free standing chairs which you can move. Yet again, I discovered new things in the show, and there was so much energy and commitment in each of the performances. I tried so hard not to cry, but didn't quite make it! We also stage doored and I met some of the cast and chatted to them. I floated home to the hotel that night!

Six was just as much fun as the first time we saw it. The premise, lyrics and tunes in this show are brilliant, and the leads, ladies in waiting musicians, and alternates all truly live their parts. There is a true joy about the Queendom that you can't help but get caught up in! The Arts Theatre is a small intimate little theatre, and there is a cafe/bar attached where you can enjoy drinks before the performance. We opted for Queen themed cocktails, which were absolutely delicious - not to mention quite strong!

2. The hotel
We opted for our usual London chain of choice - Hub by Premier Inn. These offer compact rooms, which are small in size, but big on technology features, with a panel which allows you to change the temperature, the lighting, the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, etc! The TV offers a great selection of TV and free movies, and also allows you to link to your mobile device to watch on the big screen. There is also a lot of underbed storage and a small hanging space, as well as hooks, so there is plenty of space to stow your belongings if you're there for a short stay. Again, the bathroom is small, but well equipped.

On this particular occasion, we stayed at the Goodge Street location. This is ideally placed just off Tottenham Court Road, so easy to walk to from Euston where we'd arrived, plenty of places to eat or drink with a good selection of shops close by, and a short wander to get to many places such as Covent Garden, Leceister Square, Soho, Holborn, and Regent's Park. The tube is also handy with both Goodge Street and Warren Street stations very close, and Tottenham Court Road just a ten minute walk. We found it perfectly located for our needs, so we'd definitely stay there again.

3. The food
Last time we visited London, we checked out the cafes - Peggy Porschen, Dominique Ansel , Elan and my NYC fave By Chloe, so this time we switched that out for ice cream! We visited some Insta hot spots we'd heard about. Both Milk Train and Yaki Yaki offer sweet treats (some vegan friendly) in the Convent Garden area. Not only is the ice cream delicious, but you can see why people queue to get photos for the gram - they're so aesthetically pleasing!

But girls cannot live on ice cream alone. So we visited an old favourite on Tottenham Court Road - D/F Tacos. This offers a great selection of Mexican food suitable for even the fussiest of eaters (ie me) and my daughter loves it too!

When researching somewhere to eat close to the Arts Theatre, we were surprised to discover that there was a PF Changs just two doors down from the theatre - we hadn't realised there was any in the UK. Lovely little place, with a cute floral 'tree' decor, I enjoyed Chilli Aubergine and rice after a starter of steamed edamame. Portions were generous, and the prices were reasonable. My only complaint would be the background music was too loud, and at times I struggled to hear what the waiting staff were saying. Other than this, I would definitely recommend a visit.

4. Regent's Park and the Zoo
I've skirted the edge of Regent's Park on previous visits to London, but never really gone in. And as our hotel was only 15 minutes' walk away, it seemed like a great way to get away from the touristy crowds on a sunny day.

It turned out to be a great idea - the park was quiet with beautiful scenery, even though we only covered a very small corner of it, stopping off at one of the cafes for a cool drink and a snack, before we got distracted by the zoo. I'd definitely like to go back and see other areas of the park.

The zoo is in the Park, and is much bigger than I expected. There is so much to see, and we both really enjoyed it. My favourite was the open monkey enclosure where baby monkeys had been born just a few weeks before - we saw one nestled on its mum's back as they jumped around the trees. So cute. I also enjoyed the spider section, and of course I can't forget the penguin enclosure with all the cute penguins who splashed around in the pool and seemed almost happy to pose for photos!

5. Regent's Canal into Camden 
After the zoo, we decided to walk along Regent's Canal into Camden. Again some beautiful scenery, easy to forget you're in the middle of the city. We came out of the short walk into the heart of Camden Lock with its food market. It was too hot and too busy for little miss, so we then walked the short distance to the tube station and grabbed a train back to the hotel.

However, next time, I'd like to wander round all the food stalls, and sit down near the canal with some food and a drink or two to while away some time!

6. London in Bloom
We were in town just before the Chelsea Flower Show, but the whole of London seemed covered in beautiful floral displays. Covent Garden in particular had some gorgeous displays, but we also managed to find blooms in other corners!

All in all, we managed to pack a lot in to our few days in London, and discovered some new favourites. Can't wait till the next time!

Train Life: Chapter 10

In which we look at some experiences in my daily commute over the past few months. I'd say highlights but we all know were far from that!

The Return of the Space Invaders
I hadn't seen some of these for a while, so I thought this species had returned to their home planet. No, they must just have been on a mission, but sadly have now returned to take up their previous occupation,

Both of these were taken on trains where people were standing, of course. Invader no 1 made decision that he couldn't possibly only take up one seat, he needed two. Another guy tried to sit down beside him, and Invader looked at him indignantly and didn't move his leg or bags. Sitting guy gave him a look but Invader ignored him and went back to his phone, and sitting guy was forced into sitting sideways on edge of chair. I was so tempted to switch seats and make him move, but it was a homeward journey and I didn't have the energy for the argument. But I'm keeping an eye out for you, Invader no 1 - the day of our encounter will come. Prepare yourself!

Meanwhile Invader 2 only sat on one seat, but on the outside with his bag on inside seat. The table was clear, so he could easily have placed his bag there, but keeping his bag safe wasn't his goal, it was to prevent anyone sitting beside him. A woman did walk up, look over, saw his face like fizz and decided against trying to get him to move the bag. So on a peaktime journey in rush hour into town, with several people crushed standing in the gap behind my seat and lots more at the doorway, Invader 2 enjoyed a luxurious journey. To top it off, he then tutted when he had to wait in a queue to get out the train door onto the platform. Silly me, forgetting Space Invaders are a superior species who have no obligation to follow our human rules!!

Selfish Smokers
There is a sign before you enter the grounds of our train station that says smoking is not permitted on area of the station at all, including open platforms. There is another sign on the station shelter, though it's much smaller than I think it should be to ensure everyone sees it.

Yet, routinely, every morning, there is a guy who stands smoking very close to the shelter, or in the shelter doorway if it's raining (so you get to battle the rain and the reek). There is another guy who stands in the other corner behind the shelter and chain smokes two of the stinkiest cigarettes ever, and then gets straight onto the train with that oh so pungent fragrance of Eau de Fag.

But this Selfish Smoker is the worst.

Every morning, she lights up as soon as she is on station property and then walks down the platform, holding the cigarette out facing towards all of us standing on the platform.A lovely invigorating scent to wake us all up in the morning, further supported by her flicking her ash without looking or caring where it's going. This has on at least one occasion landed on me. She's also usually carrying on a very loud conversation on her mobile. Maybe I shouldn't call this one Selfish because she is all about sharing - sharing her conversation (with complimentary swearing and ned accent), sharing the Eau de Fag and the burning ash. You can imagine how delightful this is of a morning.

Those are the most recent winners of the 'You Have Got to be Kidding Me' awards, but highly commended mentions go to:

• woman (old enough to know better watching) Love Island on catch up on her mobile, without headphones or earbuds, and when asked to turn it off or use earphones, said nothing, and then when asked a second time, said, 'right, it's almost finished'. Did I retort, "As will you be, if you don't switch the volume off or put in earbuds right now"? You tell me!
• the hi-vis-wearing guy with the eccentric culinary taste - Prawn Cocktail crisps scrunched on top of a scrambled egg in a roll. He obviously felt everyone looked hungry that morning as he decided to share not only via the subtle scent of egg and prawn, but also with the crumbs flying from his open mouth as he crunched. 

Oh it's been a wonderful few months in train life - this is why I just love commuting. That reminds me, I must start playing the lottery....