#BoHoLover: Meet Jayne Gorman of Girl Tweets World @jayneytravels

We have asked travel blogger Jayne Gorman of Girl Tweets World, to share her thoughts with us about her love for hotels, and Amberlair, of course. And before you ask, a #BohoLover is a Boutique Hotel lover… just like us!

How do you choose a hotel when you travel?

I’m very picky about the design of a hotel. I like the decor to represent the hotel’s location and heritage as well as offer something unique to the property. Then I look at things like reviews (across review sites and social media) and consider the location and how we will access the main sites we want to see from the hotel. Price is probably one of the last considerations to be honest; I think a good hotel stay is worth paying for.

If you had to choose 3, which were the most special hotels you have ever stayed at?

Good question! Hotel Icon in Hong Kong, St Pancras Renaissance in London and Nam Hai in Vietnam are the first 3 that come to mind.

The Nam Hai in Vietnam. Photo by Hotel.

What made them so special?

All 3 hotels combine unique design and luxury amenities with impeccable service. Hotel Icon is partnered with a management training school so they trial state of the art technology and pride themselves on knowing what the guest wants. The hotel also has incredible views over Hong Kong harbour and a complimentary afternoon tea for guests in Club Rooms. Similarly the St Pancras has a hidden lounge for guests in suites where you can enjoy drinks and treats and a traditional shave for the men at the barber’s. I also think the renovation of the St Pancras Renaissance strikes the perfect balance between preserving history and pure luxury. Finally, the Nam Hai is one of Vietnam’s most incredible resorts. The private villas make you feel immediately relaxed with the ambient music and soothing scent that wafts through the room. I’d love to be in their infinity pool right now!

If you had your own boutique hotel, what 3 things would you make sure existed?

• I’d make sure all rooms had plunge baths with aromatherapy salts as we are often too busy to indulge in baths in our normal lives so should be encouraged to do so during a luxury break.
• I’d also make sure all rooms had proper tea and coffee making facilities – with full size mugs and herbal tea bags.
• I’d also add little touches like complimentary afternoon tea or fruit for all guests. I think these small extras make such a big difference to your overall satisfaction during a stay.

Name 3 things you loved in hotels you stayed in before…

I ‘ve always been impressed when hotels that don’t have restaurants offer a complimentary breakfast to go. This has happened a few times during business trips in Australia and I think it’s a great idea. Being offered a fresh cup of coffee, pastry or fruit in the hotel lobby is a great way to start a guest’s day.

A complimentary minibar always makes me smile but in particular a free bottle of water in destinations where you can’t drink from a tap also makes a big difference to your stay. When you’ve travelled far it’s the small addition of having cool water to drink in the room that makes all the difference.

I also like it when hotels have clearly thought about the placement of plug sockets. Too often I find there is no plug near a mirror to straighten your hair or nowhere to charge your phone near the bed and this is terribly annoying. Some foresight goes a long way!

A unique room at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London. Photo by hotel.

Name 3 things you wouldn’t want to experience in a hotel ever again.

Having to pay ludicrous high prices for Wi-Fi, being charged for a drink when you accidentally remove it from the minibar and being asked to check out before 11am (anything earlier seems poor value for money).

How do you feel about the Amberlair concept?

I love the idea of crowdsourcing the perfect hotel. I think no one knows better than the travel community what would work best in a hotel and I’m excited to see what is created when we combine our efforts and ideas.

Where are you off to next?

I’m in Sydney at the moment and am planning to explore more of Australia – especially the Outback and West Coast.

Jayne Gorman is a British travel blogger and social media manager who is currently enjoying the expat lifestyle down under. Find her blogging about luxury travel, sweet treats, street art and Sydney-living on her blog Girl Tweets World. You can also find her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.