Recession Busting Rates

Strattons Hotel in Swaffham Norfolk has some fantastic recession busting rates for 2012, just check out Strattons Offers . Not only that but Strattons Self Catering Print rooms are being sold at dicounted rates until the end of March to give everyone a chance to sample. Strattons Hotel and CoCoes Deli also have some great deals festured on their Facebook page and Twitter and also use Subscribe to our newsletter.so there is no reason to miss out.

Strattons Hotel January deal £38.75 b&b

£38.75 room sale details

2 Rooms per day will be available throughout January for single night bookings Sunday to Friday for just £38.75 b&b inclusive of VAT.

Additional nights can be added to your reservation at our January rates. Please note that there are no child or pet friendly rooms available on this special offer. If you require a family or per friendly room please book another package and ensure the room is suitable. If additional nights are booked using the £38.75 rate we reserve the right to cancel these. We recommend booking dinner at the time of making your reservation (in the notes section of the booking form) or in advance of your stay to avoid disappointment. For special rates we cannot specify specific rooms and reserve the right to move rooms if required.

Bookings MUST be made via our online booking system found at Strattons Hotel click the link "book now". A non refundable deposit of £38.75 is payable on booking. Each week this special offer will be applied to 2 different rooms, pick your date and check the drop downs for each room to find the rooms available. If you can't find this special offer it means its already sold out so you'll need to pick another date.



Click here for full terms and conditions.

Strattons Hotel New Year packages

New Year 2011/12 rates Inclusive of dinner, bed & breakfast with afternoon tea daily and a Special New Years Eve menu & champagne reception, arriving from Thursday 29th December. 3 Nights 2 Nights Doubles £891 £640CoCoes 1 £966 £690Edie & Boudiour £1041 £740Opium & Stalls £1086 £770Red Room £1116 £790Print Rooms £1206 £850Additional nights can be added to these packages from £215 dinner bed and breakfast. Available from Thursday 29th December to Monday 2nd January 2012 inclusive. Rates are based on 2 adults sharing; additional food; drinks; wine; child & pet supplements are in addition to these prices. Subject to our normal terms and conditions. A £250 deposit is required for all room bookings with the remainder to be paid on 30th November 2011; cancellations after 30th November will be liable for 80% of the package if we are unable to resell.New Years Eve Dinner spaces are also available for non residents £99 per person inclusive of our special New Years Eve menu and champagne reception on arrival. Spaces available from 6.45pm onwards, requiring a £50 deposit per person to secure the booking. To book call Michaela or Sarah-Lou on 01760 723845

Strattons Hotel and deli Facebook move

Strattons Hotel and Deli has moved to a new and improved facebook fan page, linked directly to the twitter pages. daily posts, deals, and pictures are always updating.

Strattons Hotel

Strattons Hotel and CoCoes deli really have mastered social media with their facebook, twitter and blogger profiles, updating daily keeping their fans baited for more. I have just been on the Strattons web site to find their new Special offers page, what a fantastic idea, winter sales, 2 for 1's, New year information, special gift package ideas. Its left you with no choice but to book and get a great deal, discounted or not, and then get that package last minute for the other half as you had forgotten, http://www.strattonshotel.com/special_offers.php

CoCoes and coffee

CoCoes is born, online www.cocoes.co.uk and bricks and mortar. It even has a twitter page www.twitter.com/cocoes . So that adds to www.twitter.com/strattonshotel and www.twitter.com/djsh . The cafe deli is doing well and so are the new rooms cocoes 1 and 2, and the old print workshops 1 and 2. As a statement Vanessa has written the following blurb
at Strattons and built up strong relationships with local suppliers and growers. They always sourced cheeses from the UK until the likes of Jane Murray, Ellie Betts and the awesome Mrs Temples put Norfolk firmly on the map with their delicious varieties. The Deli offers cheeses from Norfolk and Suffolk, not wrapped in plastic and kept and sold at perfect maturation. British cheese has gone through a Renaissance following its demise during the Second World War when all milk was processed into ‘Mousetrap’ at the behest of the Ministry of Agriculture. As old recipes and dairies have been reinstated, new cheese makers have been inspired to produce that most fundamental and fabulous of artisan products. Enjoy a plate of it with some of our crackers, breads, damson paste or roasted nuts or take some away for supper with a bottle of one of our organic or bio-dynamic wines.
In embracing local produce we are sometimes dealing with very small suppliers. These micro industries may only specialise in one or two different products or supply in extremely small quantities. To work with a supplier and the regionality of our foods, the kitchen has invested in and is constantly researching where we can source produce from and how we can use it on the menu. This leads to a greater respect and appreciation for the achievements of our farmers, dairies, fishermen and microbreweries.
CoCoes is situated in the cottage and print workshop complex previously owned and run by the Coe family; Strattons Hotel was formerly owned by the farmer Bertie Stratton and the building was designated as an emergency feeding station in the event of invasion during the last world war.

InterContinental listed on Ebay

InterContinental have been listed on Ebay by octopus-travel-shop, (0) feed back so far but its early days. From the listings it looks like you are bidding on a stay at the specific hotel as quoted below but your bid is to charity. Very nice. The offer:
1 x two night stay in the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta Presidential Suite for two guests only.
By bidding on this auction you adhere to the below terms and conditions.
Terms and Conditions
BIDDING:
1.Pre-approval bidding. Due to the exclusive and unique nature of this auction, pre-approval to bid is required. Any expressions of interest to bid will be processed as promptly as possible. In most circumstances this will be within the hour of Octopus Travel receiving a pre-approval bidding request.
2.Eligibility.All InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Charity auctions are only open to registered eBay Users over the age of 18 years. Employees and their family members of GTA by Travelport, Octopus Travel and InterContinental Hotel Group are not eligible for bidding on this auction. Such bids will be deemed to be invalid if placed throughout the bidding process.
3.Verification. All winning bids are final, so please verify your bid amount before placing it, as the winning bidder will be held liable for nonpayment as per eBay Terms of Service.
4.Booking conditions. Successful bids for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts are subject to usual booking conditions (see www.ichotelsgroup.com for details).
Could this be a point of sale that Strattons luxury boutique hotel www.strattionshotel.co.uk could sell rooms to the highest bidder?

Online networks and blogs

This is getting beyond a joke, I have luxury boutique web sits www.strattonshotel.co.uk, www.norfolkboutiques.co.uk , online networks and groups www.thesmenetwork.com , http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=13416140074&ref=ts , http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=84540988964&ref=ts , http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/dom-hughes/12/760/74 , and there is the blogs including this one and http://doah2k.wordpress.com/ , and then 2 twitter pages http://twitter.com/djsh, and http://twitter.com/Strattonshotel . and I bet there are more. Get me off the thread mill

Is boutique dead?

Is boutique dead?, After the country house craze came the Boutique accommodation market propelled by the Mr and Mrs Smith guide books, giving the Boutique Hotel Directory and more recently adding Luxury Hotels to the tag line. I guess its like most fashions or buzz words, its passed. So whats next? In fact I see it a bit like fashion. Lets think about it, the toff/ country fashion has hardly changed over the decades, checked stripe shirt, cords, shoes, tweed blazer and or a barber, hey why not throw in a rugby shirt for that casual look. Done! its like a gok make over. I see the hotel equivalent as the luxury hotel market, its always been there, always will be and says what it is on the can. Its safe but we know it wont offend like the boutique. I remember an article a few years ago giving the same commentary of the gastropub market now I think its just a standard that all pubs serve or try to good modern food, almost restaurant standard.

The word boutique refers to being small and individual, like those classy wine bars that we hope no one else will find out about. This definition has been stretch with big chains spanning hundreds of rooms having jumped aboard with the tag line boutique. I don't think the recession has help either, we don't want the risk. When I book a room I'm now looking for luxury for my Penny's not risky boutique, which could be any ones interpretation of applying damask to the walls, curtains, carpet, lamp shades and even bed linen.

This blog has made no steps to decide or evaluate whether the boutique market has finished only explored the questions in a 5 minute break. Enjoy. What I propose is a new buzz word "Lux"

Happy New Year

Every blog needs a 2010 posting so here is my start. Happy new year to all that land on this page. 2010 will be the year for me to actually realise the dream and make my first Million, yes £1,000,000 or more! Now comes the hard bit, where and how am I going to make all of this money.

Strattons Hotel New Year rates and online booking

New Year rates are available, with just a few rooms left. The 3 night New Year package for the moment we are only taking bookings via telephone 01760 723845. Lucky gaps around the new year date, i.e Monday and Tuesday 29th December are being sold on line, D, B&B plus afternoon tea prices quoted below and bookable via the ONLINE BOOKING system. http://www.welcome-online.net/welcome_frame.asp?id=132&booking_selection=0

Spend New Year 09/10 with Strattons..........

A three night package to include New Years Eve

*Arrive 29th or 30th December*

Check in from 2.30pm and enjoy luscious afternoon tea in the lounges by the fire or the comfort of your room, served between 2pm & 5pm.

3 course Dinner is served from 6.45pm on 29th & 30th; book your table in advance.

Enjoy our fabulous locally sourced and fleshly prepared breakfast between 8.30am and 10am (a little later on New Year's Day!) each morning before spending the rest of the day at your leisure.

Afternoon tea will be served daily between 2pm and 5pm at Strattons.

*New Years Eve 31st December*

Evening celebrations start with canapés and a Strattons Kir Royale each in the lounges before moving down to the restaurant for a special eight course meal, using locally sourced ingredients, organic wherever possible.

*Depart 1st or 2nd January*

After a night celebrating, relax and indulge in our scrummy breakfast between 9am and 10.30am, then pack up and head home. Check out by 11.30am.

Cost per couple for the three night package:

All Doubles £975, Suites (Edie & Boudoir) £1175, (Opium & Stalls) £1250, (Red) £1275

(Package includes breakfast each morning, a 3 course dinner on 2 nights, an 8 course dinner on New Year’s Eve and afternoon tea daily at Strattons.)

Extra nights or where available one or two night breaks:

Inclusive of a 3 course dinner, bed and breakfast and afternoon tea per couple per night (excludes 31/12/09):

All Doubles £265, Suites (Edie & Boudoir) £320, (Opium & Stalls) £336.50, (Red) £347.50

Extras

Children are welcome in suitable rooms and charged at our usual rate of £15 - £30 per night when sharing a room with 2 adults. The children's menu is not available after 6.30pm. Dogs are welcome at £6.50 per day per dog; please arrange this in advance to ensure your room choice is pet friendly.

Nitty Gritty

We require a valid card to secure your booking and a £200 deposit payable on booking. The full amount of the package should be paid by November 30th 09. Any cancellations after the 30th November 09 will be liable for up to 80% of the package if we are unable to re-sell

Strattons Hotel is a changing landscape

Hey, have you visited Strattons Hotel recently, the garden has completely been re-landscaped and it looks amazing. For a preview http://www.strattonshotel.co.uk . And the changes don't stop there, as their new development of 2 Eco suites, 2 doubles, a deli, Trade show/ meeting space, and a further 2 rooms are all to come later in the year. http://www.norfolkboutiques.co.uk has been given the task of seamlessly joining these without any lines. I have to also mention Hannah Scotts Caterer Acorn Award for 2009. Amazing award presented to an amazing girl, well done!

The trick to twitter

I am so fed up with people who twitter too much. My whole window is full of their tweets. Its a bit like real life, trying to drift away from the twitterers before they notice your not listening. Whats worse about these tweeters is that they don't even twitter about anything, its just, "I'm on the beach", "look at this story, look at that". If you want an inconsistent, real twitterer follow me www.twitter.com/djsh and if you don't bore me I might follow you back.

Google map on my blog.

I had to see if it worked! Google map on my blog, where can I put it next and what else could I get it to do. It was so easy, I think!?


View Larger Map

Searching for the meaning of the Web

Over the past few months I have been having a bloody good go at electronic socialising, search engine optimization and generally trying to get connected. As you know my original site is www.norfolkboutiquehotels.co.uk and www.norfolkboutiques.co.uk , which has taken the majority of my focus. This site was developed with the knowledge gained from a business link internet optimization course and picking the brains of any techie I come across. Since then it’s been about getting links back to my island (the internet site) so that lots of people know about it and can get there as well as Mr Google taking note that it exists. This began with http://www.uklinkexchange.co.uk/display_search.asp?search=norfolk+boutiques&GO=Search uk Link exchange, putting sites in contact with each other to trade links. I have also emails a good list of local businesses to trade links.
And then comes the social networking sites of which I have twitter, so please follow me and keep me up to date with what you have been up to http://twitter.com/djsh . Join my facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=84540988964 . I even have a linked in account, although I only have one friend http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dom-hughes/12/760/74 so I’m open for offers.

Million dollar homepage

I have just remembered the origins of my love for the internet, http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/ . And whats great is that the site still exists even though by the owners own omissions, it has not been updated since 2006 if not long before. This was an inivative basic idea that worked. While others where busy building sites to power the work this guy just set up a page of pictures with hyperlinks and sold them at 1$ a pixel. Mind you, those who brought into it I image got their money worth from a one off fee. Look Ebay is on there bottom left, But it doesny work like many of the adds the companies have stopped operating. Oh well maybe the net isnt forever for everyone

Can I keep up with all the twitter

Twitter has exploded! Over the past 2 weeks alone I have read 5 or more articles about how small businesses are utilising its massive world wide web reach. Both Strattons hotel www.twitter.com/Strattonshotel and Norfolk boutiques www.twitter.com/djsh have a place. But there is one thing to be said, its hard to keep up. Look at my frequency on the old blogging thing. I manage about a blog a month at max and that's pushing it! Now I'm checking my twitter account 2, 3, 4 or more times a day to keep up with what Stephen fry has been up to on his world tour. The line with twitter is to mix business messages with day to day chatter. Maybe I should document a life in the day of mittens or one of the chickens to keep the messages flowing. Mittens could have a fan club! Well now that I only use to typing 160 characters I have lost my momentum. so over and out for now

www.twitter.com

Strattons Hotel is twittering http://twitter.com/Strattonshotel and so am I http://twitter.com/djsh . It is so addictive though. With blogging you have to try to compose at least a paragraph which takes for ever and then I only do it about once in a blue moon. Tweeting is like facebook but without the distractions of pictures and games

Norfolk boutiques and the city

Norfolk boutiques will soon be adding a page to its site for Norwich city, to show Norfolks capital city norwich boutique hotels, norwich boutique shops, norwich boutique restaurants.

Thank you for your support

This is just a quick thank you for those who have supported www.norfolkboutiques.co.uk in it development. www.strattonshotel.co.uk www.cliffbarns.com www.titchwellmanor.com www.thelavenderhouse.co.uk www.wedding-worldltd.co.uk www.elveden.com