We regret to inform you that XcapeWithUs.com has ceased trading as of 30 April 2009.

If you have a confirmed booking and we have your email address you will receive an email shortly explaining what steps you can take.

If your arrival date is 30 April 2009 or 1 May 2009 please email: customersupport@xcapewithus.com with full contact details including your reference number.

I was shocked and appalled. Let me explain why… Xcapewithus owes sletoh.com money in commission payments. Worse still, on behalf of diytravel.co.uk I paid Xcape £5400 this month for future bookings. Since I had formed a seemingly good relationship with their team (Wayne Purdham, Joe Cale and Carrie) I did not question paying by debit card and bank transfer. When I received a reminder to pay up on April 7th for a £3791 booking with arrival in June I saw no problem.

When I look back at the pricing offered by Xcapewithus over the past 3 months they have been undercutting market leaders like Alpharooms and GTAhotels significantly. The undercut prices were not in a destination here and a hotel there but instead across all countries and hotels. To do this it takes either:

• A very powerful brand with deep pockets and big buying power;
• The directors to decide to get as much cash into the company bank accounts as quickly as possible to meet some big bills.

I believe that second is the most likely. Xcape introduced bank transfer payments in March – this is the best way for a company to get money into their accounts instantly and without it going into any credit card processing company holding accounts. This is the type of move a company might make when needing cash quickly. I don’t know of any other company that accepts payment this way.

I have sent emails, Skype messages and telephoned the Xcapewithus team all day but to no avail.

Sadly there are now approx 10,000 customers and numerous business partners affected by the collapse of Xcapewithus. I hope there are not too many like us who have (1) lost their commissions or (2) did not pay by credit card.

I know from first hand experience the hardships involved when a company faces financial difficulties. As Managing Director you have to face and make hard decisions including cutting your own salary, selling off assets, laying off staff and re-thinking the entire business model. I hope that Xcapewithus Managing Director Andrew Miles did his best for the company and acted in its best interests at all times. It is too easy for UK company directors to mis-manage company affairs, liquidate a company and slither away to set up a new company in a different name.

I hope that Xcapewithus managing director Andrew Miles, my Xcape contact Wayne Purdham and accountants A C Photi & Co  respond to this post.

Ben Jackson

The 96 room house just got one hell of a makeover that includes the opening of a brand new wing called the Colquhoun House. Colquhoun just recently opened, on May 1 to be exact, with six suites and 30 more bedrooms. They’ve also made the leap into today’s technology by adding flat screen televisions, free internet access, and direct dial phones to each room.
Renovation aside, the home has had a fascinating life thus far. The site dates back to the 1400s, when a much smaller Cameron was built here. By the 1800s the shipbuilding and merchant Smollet family had moved up in the world and right into the Cameron House. They lavished the grounds and even introduced bison and bears to the landscape for hunting purposes.

Though you won’t be caught in a bison stampede today, the resort has followed in the Smollet family luxurious footsteps with a new Carrick golf club, contemporary spa, and rooftop whirlpool overlooking the spectacular loch view.

To celebrate AA’s 100th year of service, the B&B Awards will be all ‘champagne wishes and caviar dreams’ so to speak in the new Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, a hotel that is sure to see an award in its near future.

This year, top honors go to the following three establishments, who are also the shortlist for B&B of the Year:

The New Linden in Notting Hill
San Domenico House in Chelsea
The St. George in Langham Place

Favorite category, AA Funkiest B&B of the Year, has also announced its shortlist which includes:

Bangors Organic in Bude, Cornwall
Enchanted Manor in Niton, Isle of Wight
Moss Grove Organic in Grasmere, Cumbria

Stay tuned to see who is the funkiest hotel of them all!

If you travel to Germany in the next few years, you may be hardpressed to find a hotel room. This isn’t for a bad reason. It’s simply because two out of every ten hotels in Germany plan on refurbishing to the highest, most modernized standards that they can muster. So that’s a good thing.

Where did this renovation whirlwind stem from? For starters, hotels have been paying close attention to guests’ wishes, which included clean and well designed rooms. Not to mention, that decline since the smoking ban in restaurants.

In response, many German hotels are upping their ante by providing their guests will the best rooms money can buy and restaurants with mouth watering menus that will attract even the most avid of smokers.

So if planning a trip to Germany, our advice to you is: Try to stay out of the old and go in with the new.

Some of our favorite German hotels that are going on the hammer include:

Hotel Monopol in Frankfurt
Hilton Hotel in Berlin
The Westin Grand Berlin in Berlin

Nearly £220m has been spent on the place in the last decade. The fruits of labor have recently been blossoming. Another addition golf course, the Royal Birkdale set to open this year, brings the “Golf Coast” total to seven. Sea lovers will be delighted at the new water sports building and twin totems. Kiddies will be screaming their joys atop thrill rides at the £45m Eden Project, an indoor-outdoor theme park. Lord Street has been overflowed with luxuries like the handsome The Vincent, which was transformed from a cinema to a boutique hotel. It’s been house will cost a cool £2,500 a night, which speaks volumes about the hopes that rest on 2008’s tourism.

Though this is far from all the changes that have been made, you may want to enjoy Southport soon before the tides change and an influx of extra tourists wash up on shore.

Try:

• 2 Star: Balmoral Lodge Hotel
• 3 Star: Edendale House Hotel
• 4 Star: Bay Tree House Bed and Breakfast
• 5 Star: Cambridge House Hotel

Yo! Company brand has recently introduced two hotels in both Heathrow and Gatwick airports that were inspired by Japanese capsule hotels. These mini rooms have all that you need including a bed, Wifi connection and flat screen televisions at a low cost of £25 per hour.

These are also an excellent resource if you are the victim of a cancelled flight or if you simply have a few hours to spare.

London’s prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art is currently celebrating its 75th year. Located in the Somerset House, the gallery is one of the richest in the city, holding some odd 600 years of art history within its walls.

Courtauld is offering a one of a kind experience that most art history students would only dream of. From July 14 through August 8, 2008, they are hosting one week short courses that cover medieval through contemporary art. The best part is that after learning about a Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Rodin, Degas, Rubens, Rembrandt or Michelangelo, you can simply walk down the halls of the Somerset House and see them with your own eyes. Talk about a once in a lifetime opportunity!

After your educational pursuits are done, you can walk out the door of Courtauld right into the center of London.

For more information on classes please see http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/index.html

There are also some wonderful hotels in the heart of the city, close enough to stroll to your daily classes at Courtauld.

5 Star
Draycott Hotel
The Montcalm
Blakes Hotel

4 Star
The Montague on the Gardens
The Egerton House
The Rubens at the Palace

3 Star
Corus hotel Hyde Park
Barkston Gardens Hotel
Commodore Hotel

2 Star
The Piccolino
Alhambra Hotel
Kensington Gardens Hotel

Photos of modern day London and Monet’s London courtesy of Wikimedia.org

Swiss farmers have seemingly become privy to the fact that their country is known for lofty prices so they have begun offering their unused barns as a cozy alternative in the phenom known as “Sleep in Straw” (Schlaf im Stroh) program. The program is backed by the accredited Swiss Farmers Association so it’s legit and can cut back the cost of a real Swiss vacation in a significant way.

The program is very straightforward. Swiss farmers often send their cattle to alpine pastures for the entire summer season. Once the steed is herded out of the barns, they are cleaned up and used as a country hostel for nature loving travelers. Depending on the barn you choose, they vary from a the most basic straw filled stalls to an oasis of rural luxury complete with heat, recreation rooms, picnic areas and separate horse stalls for each camper. Some even cater to guests with additional amenities like birthday parties, baggage transportation and private catered luncheons.

The best part? Most “Sleep in Straw” barns cost as little as 10 to 20 francs, including a breakfast of coffee, milk and bread.

Not really into roughing it? That’s fine. We have a few cow free favorites to choose from.

The adorable 2 star Hotel Beausite is a classic chalet charmer. Taking inspiration from the surrounding countryside, each room has an “Alp flower” design theme. There are also sundrenched terraces, beautiful Alpine gardens and hiking trails close by. A soak in the sauna will do just the trick after a long day of hiking and playing.

The Lugano Dante Center Swiss Quality Hotel is perfect for any city slicker who still wants to be caught up in the hustleand bustle of things in a new land. The Lugano is in the ideal location, a moment from the rail station, 200 meters from the lake, a stones throw from the pedestrian shoping area and smack in the middle of the historic old town sector.

Swiss Kiss photo courtesy of Lumise. Lugano Hotel courtesy of sletoh.com.

Set to open in May 2008, the hostel will be located inside of a converted Boeing 747. It will be nestled close by the Arlanda Airport in Uppsala along 273. Dios has been given the go ahead by airport owner LFV and the Swedish National Roads Administration to operate the hostel in this unique setting for as long as he wishes.

The Boeing 747 hostel sticks with the strange spirit that seems to follow Stockholm’s hotel scene. Other eccentric places to stay in Stockholm is the fully operational ship af Chapman and the old intact prison Langholmen.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org

Six hotels have already been opened including: Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre, Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya, Holiday Inn Moscow Sokolniki, Holiday Inn Moscow Suschevsky, Holiday Inn Moscow Vinogradovo and Holiday Inn Samara.

Next up: The brand new Holiday Inn Moscow Ryazanskiy is expected to open its doors in mid 2010.

The reason behind this boom is a push from travelers for more and more hotels in Russia’s expanding tourism market. If you have ever wanted to visit Russia, there has never been a better time than now.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org