Destination: Glastonbury, Somerset, England – Food

Built in the 1400’s, the George and Pilgrim Hotel is centrally located on Glastonbury High Street. It is definitely a building with character as it has maintained it’s old, historic ambiance despite recent refurbishments.

The hotel lobby, bar and restaurant areas feature some magnificent wall paintings by local artist Yuri Leitch, in keeping with Glastonbury’s reputation for magic and mystery. The antique decor makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time and the building itself is said to be haunted.

While I did not stay in the Hotel itself, I did frquent the bar for a few drinks (the mead was DIVINE) and an absolutely delicious meal. The restaurant has an A La Carte menu serving freshly prepared home cooked food. I tried the fish and chip platter and it was probably one of the best I’ve had with its massive wedge chips, juicy fish and incredibly tasty tartar sauce. The chocolate tart was rich and absolutely exquisite, a perfect way to end an incredible meal.

The service was fabulous as the staff were very friendly and smiley. This place is supposed to be great for events and special occasions and is more of a family and quiet-evening sort of place rather than loud and rowdy.

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The George & Pilgrim Hotel
1 High Street, Glastonbury, Somerset
Glastonbury, United Kingdom
01458 831146

www.thegeorgeandpilgrim.co.uk/

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• Originally written by Kelly Woo as a TravBuddy review

Destination: Dublin, Ireland – Accommodation

Only a few doors down from Dublin’s famous Temple Bar, Barnacles Temple Bar House is a great hostel for those who want to be smack in the middle of all the action. All major Dublin sights are within walking distance and the friendly and helpful staff can easily help you plan your day with city attraction suggestions, directions and transportation information. Pick up pamphlets for exciting day trips in the lobby and be sure to grab a free Dublin map on the way out.

At night, the hostel’s prime location in the middle of energetic Temple Bar district means you can party all night without having to worry about cab fares, getting lost, or coming in too late for Barnacles is open 24 hours. There’s even a kebab shop around the corner for your late night munchies.

As a female solo traveler, my main concerns when choosing a hostel were location, security, and cleanliness. Hostel guests are buzzed into the lobby and must flash their ID and use a keycard to get to the rooms. Visitors are not allowed beyond the lobby. Keycards get you in to your assigned room and upon check-in, you are assigned a bed as well, so there’s no fight for a place to sleep. Metal baskets under bunks provide a relatively safe space for you to keep your belongings. If you don’t bring your own lock, you can rent some at the front desk. There are also safety deposit boxes available but I never needed one. I felt quite safe and never felt my safety threatened at any point during my stay. All other guests were friendly, wanting to be there just as much as me.

Guests were of all ages and ranged from solo travelers, couples, groups and even families. I stayed in a 10-bed room in a top bunk and despite it being a slightly squeaky metallic frame, I slept like a baby. I recommend bringing EAR PLUGS because the windows were left open all night, overlooking noisy Temple Lane and you can’t really escape other snoring guests. I brought ear plugs, didn’t hear A THING, and slept through the night.

Overall, the room was clean and the bed comfortable. The ensuite bathroom was always clean, the shower hot and water pressure great. There was a computer with internet access in the Common Room where you will find many guests gathering to watch football games and what-not.

I had a great experience and would definitely recommend this hostel for those wanting to be as close to the sights, live music, and fun company as possible.

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Barnacles Temple Bar House
19 Temple Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Dublin, Ireland
01 6716277

www.barnacles.ie

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• Originally written by Kelly Woo as a TravBuddy review

Destination: Edinburgh, Scotland – Food

As I crossed the Meadows and eyed the golf course along the way, I thought we were just headed to some random pub for a good Scottish fry-up after a fun night of drinking. Little did I know, that breakfast place was actually a famous Edinburgh pub devoted to the rich history of Scottish golf.

Established in 1456, the Golf Tavern is a charming mixture of old and new. Situated in a lovely building across the Meadows and only a short walk from busy Princes Street, this place houses a great collection of golf memorabilia and offers everything one would look for in a modern sports bar: great modern decor, big screen TVs, delicious pub food and traditional Scottish meals. This is a popular hang out for sports enthusiasts, golf enthusiasts, students, and even the traveler looking for a hearty Scottish breakfast, haggis included.

After a night on the town, the Golf Tavern’s traditional Scottish breakfast hit the spot, complete with eggs, haggis, black pudding, potato scones, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms and tomato. I consider myself somewhat adventurous when it comes to food so the haggis and black pudding were my challenge. Unsure at first, these two ended up surprising me and were quite delicious. I nearly finished my entire plate.

All in all, a place with a nice atmosphere, delicious food and good service. If I had an enjoyable breakfast, I can’t imagine how fun it must be during game time.

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The Golf Tavern
30-31 Wright’s Houses, Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
0131 221 5 221

www.golftavern.co.uk/

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• Originally written by Kelly Woo as a TravBuddy review