Is social media, which we have all been told we should be enthusiastically embracing, on the way out?

Certainly the continued posting of racial hatred material and the worrying abuse of confidential customer data hasn’t helped the social media cause. And the recent blaming of the culture for causing a mental health crisis amongst young people desperate to maintain a perfect profile, said to be a factor in seven student suicides at Bristol University, the suing of Facebook for running scam ads that defraud and the fact that the down-to-earth businssman, Tim Martin of pub chain Wetherspoons has just closed all his company’s Facebook and Twitter accounts and expects his business to improve as a result have to be three more damaging nails in the social media coffin. Continue reading →

Another Liverpool couple have been caught out trying to defraud a travel company with false claims of holiday food poisoning, and this time the doctor and solicitor who supported and brought the claim are also being investigated.

Chelsea Devine, 21, and Jamie Melling, 22, were ordered by Liverpool County Court to pay operator Tui £15,000 after finding them “fundamentally dishonest” for trying to claim £2,500 each for their fictional sickness. In this case Tui also discovered that the pair’s doctor who gave evidence supporting their claim, Zuber Bux is married to Sebana Bux, who is a partner in AMS Solicitors of Preston, who brought the case to court.

Accordingly Tui have reported the doctor to the General Medical Council and the solicitor to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and await their responses.

Another case of visitors to Venice being grossly overcharged for food in restaurants around St Marks Square has emerged.

Four Japanese students were charged a total of £970 for three steak suppers, some mineral water and a plate of fried fish, excluding alcoholic drinks, at the Osteria da Luca. The mayor of Venice is said to be “outraged” and “investigating” this latest of a string of similar cases in the city. For some it might be more constructive if he oversaw the publication of a blacklist of places to avoid, and released it to the international tourist media.

Or would that be a dog biting the hand that feeds it?

An event supplier specialised in providing cocktail and bartending expertise was robbed late last month.

Two thieves broke into the Kensal Green, London offices of Home Hire Bartender and stole bottles of champagne, cameras and business equipment before trashing the place. CEO and founder Lucio Marino is hopeful the pair can be caught as one of them walked past a CCTV camera without wearing his mask.

Liverpool will be able to handle the huge floating blocks of flats that these days pass for modern super liners with a new £50 million cruise terminal bring built on its waterfront from October this year (The Business Desk).

Last year the City welcomed 120,000 passengers and crew from 60 vessels to its current terminal, which generated £7 million for its local economy.

A sleeper mini-coach that can carry 12 passengers lying down has been launched for those travelling 300 miles or more.

The berths on the coach come equipped with draw curtains, night lights, charger sockets magazine racks and morning facial wipes, and the concept is said to be ideal for groups attending events 300+ miles away since the combined travel and accommodation package could save on train or plane costs, and hotel nights.

Web travelbyknight.co.uk

Building of the new Marriott International Moxy Hotel will start at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in June this year and should be open for business by June next year.

The eight-storey structure will incorporate 224 bedrooms. Moxy is a Marriott lifestyle brand and there are currently 20 Moxy properties worldwide, the latest just open at Heathrow Airport and the largest with 437 bedrooms. Other Moxy hotels opening this year are in Southampton, York Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Joining a familiarisation trip to Poland as a guest of Marriott Hotels the writer enjoyed five-star accommodation at hotels in Warsaw, and Krakow (next month’s issue).

On arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport from our BA flight we were quickly transferred to the 40-storey + glass skyscraper in the Manhattan-like business district where the five-star Marriott Warsaw occupies the top 20 floors, and is said to have more amenities than any other hotel in Poland. We could believe it as there are 523 bedrooms here and all have luxurious facilities and fabulous views over the city, as does the hotel’s unique 40th floor Panoramic Sky-Bar. Our large bathroom had no curtains or blinds up at the huge picture window, and this worried us a bit on behalf of female delegates, until we were told the glass was only one-way, ie we could see out but no one could see in, so that was all right. For those looking to hold meetings and events there are 28,000 square feet (2,600 square metres) of venue space, which includes 26 event rooms and a Grand Ballroom with seating for 700 delegates, all this complemented by an indoor pool, spa, fitness centre and five dining options. Continue reading →

There can’t be many airport hotels with a large and attractive outside area for al fresco barbecues and other eating in the warm months but the four-star Hilton London Heathrow Airport, which we experienced recently and which won the World’s Leading Airport Hotel award last year is one of a very few. Also much-appreciated by arriving guests, especially those arriving in inclement weather is the covered walkway connecting the Hilton to Terminal Four, an eight minute walk away and a fifteen minute ride on the Heathrow Express to Central London. Continue reading →