James Dunford Wood

Nov 8, 2024 | thehotelguru.com | James Dunford Wood

Marrakech and its riads have it all: gorgeous gardens, exciting shopping, exotic interiors. And our Gurus have gone though around 1500 of them, to pick out the 20 best riads in Marrakech. Riad (which can also be spelt Riyad or Ryad) is the Arabic word for a traditional house or palace with an interior garden, designed to provide both cool shade from the heat outside, as well as privacy for the family.

Mar 6, 2023 | thehotelguru.com | James Dunford Wood

Planning a romantic weekend out of London? Want to surprise your partner with a cosy but stylish night or two away that won't cost the earth?

Feb 28, 2023 | thehotelguru.com | James Dunford Wood

If you live in "the big smoke" — aka London — you will know the feeling of needing to escape for the weekend. A few may be lucky enough to have a weekend bolthole, but for the rest of us, we are endlessly on the lookout for that special place to go for a quick weekend break — whether romantic or otherwise.

Feb 3, 2023 | thehotelguru.com | James Dunford Wood

Patagonia is one of those bucket list destinations that anyone with even a small desire for adventure or love of the great outdoors should visit at least once in their lives. It covers vast, varied and dramatic landscapes, from fjords, lakes and glaciers to rainforests, deserts and grasslands.

Feb 1, 2023 | thehotelguru.com | James Dunford Wood

They say there is a novel in all of us. So whether you are writing a novel, or reading one, our Gurus have done the research for you and unearthed some of the best places to do both. The criteria they used are simple. First, you need access to decent sustenance. Second, you are going to need peace and quiet. It’s not going to work to wind up at a place where screaming kids or rocking nightlife trample on your creativity.