The grand-ish Strand

Advantages: location, location, location!
Disadvantages: Work in progress

...When Lee Mead won BBC's 'Any Dream Will Do' my mum was ecstatic. She had probably spent half her wages voting for him, so tickets to see him play Joseph were an obvious choice for her birthday in November last year. Thinking it was a brilliant idea, she then invited my nan and aunt, and just for good measure, I decided to drag my husband along as I'd never experienced a show in Londons famous theatre land. We soon realised it was a fair way to travel and we had might as well make the most of our adventure and booked a show and stay theatre trip. After reading up on the choice of hotels, we opted for the 3 star Strand Palace as it a) looked pretty swanky from the photo, b) was only 5 minutes from the Adelphi where Joseph was playing c) was cheaper than some of the others AND included breakfast! Bargain. Our cab driver was...

watkins11 02.05.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London

My Strand Experience

Advantages: Fantastic Location, A Breakfast to Set you Up for the Day, Very Reasonable Rates
Disadvantages: Small Room in Need of a Refurb (but don't let that put you off!)

...I was only staying overnight in London for one night in early June, as I was attending a wedding being held in the vaults of the Royal Society of Arts, which is also just off Strand. The Strand Palace Hotel is about 3 minutes stroll from the RSA so it was an absolutely perfect location for me. I booked via Hotel Pronto (via QuidCo!) way back in March so getting a single room was fine and the room rate of £79 included breakfast, which, if you pay for it separately is £14...so you could say the room only cost £65 if you want to break it down. Upon arrival at the hotel, which is just minutes walking from Charring Cross tube station, I was quite impressed with the entrance but not agog or feeling out of my league in casual KIT trousers and a summer top! It's a spacious entrance with gleaming lift frontage, a concierge desk...

RSH123 12.06.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London

Stranded in London!

Advantages: Excellent central location; good bars and restaurants
Disadvantages: Rooms a bit old fashioned; a little pricey

...Two nights at the Strand Palace and a visit to see the new Dirty Dancing stage show - bought for my wife's birthday. I even paid the extra £20 pppn for a superior "club" room. We were really looking forward to it. Total price was around £240 for the two of us for two nights (no breakfast). We arrived at Covent Garden tube station (the nearest one to the hotel), and after a little finger-in-the-air direction finding, got to the hotel on foot in under 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. Check-in was a little busy when we got there at 2:30 - we waited in the queue for around 20 minutes, but it was fairly quick when we were seen to. We were checked-in to a room on the 7th floor (there are 9 in the hotel), but we were *so* disappointed when we walked in. The room was tiny - smaller than our bedroom at home. It also overlooked the "well...

tall_andy 12.11.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London

The Strand Palace Hotel

Advantages: Central location, clean
Disadvantages: Food, rooms

......

kate44 03.05.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London

"Help! l'm Stranded!" ~ Actually l'm resting!

Advantages: I'm planning to be stranded, so l WILL be prepared!
Disadvantages: You cannot plan for every eventuality, and you can only have 5 items.

...~©~ ~©~ ~©~ ~©~ ~©~ There is something rather odd about this subject, "If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?" After all, once you are stranded, it is too late. Perhaps the question ought rather to be asking what 5 items would you hope to have with you if you became stranded through some quirk of circumstance? People don't choose to be stranded, do they? And if it was NOT by choice, what hope would ANY of us have, to actually HAPPEN to have had stranded with us, the 5 items we would CHOOSE? All would also prefer an island with some vegetation and pure water supply rather than an arid desert as well, I expect. Do desert islands have caves? Those caveats aside, let us consider what I would hope to have with me . . . I think I would have to plan my "Stranding" carefully in advance...

jesi 29.10.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?

STRANDED ON AN ISLAND - MY FIVE ITEMS

Advantages: lovely peaceful time
Disadvantages: too many things to choose from

...Stranded on a desert island sounds like a good idea at the moment. I am trying to sell my house and buy another one and it is very stressful as the person whose house I want to buy has changed their mind and might not sell it!! i could scream!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, off I go to my stress-free desert island. Assuming that there is no electric on this island then there is not much point in taking my mobile phone or my laptop? I am also assuming that I am not allowed to take a person, or else I would choose my husband. So short list of what I would take if these things were allowed: 1. Husband - because I miss him when he's not there 2. Laptop - so that I can still do Ciao 3. Mobile phone - just because its nice to text people 4. A pile of books (counts as one item!) - because I love to read 5. Book of soduku puzzles - to...

kismet 24.03.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?

Stranded - if I survive the journey!

Advantages: I am on my own with gadgets
Disadvantages: Gadgets would defy me!

...OOOOH! BLISS!!! Stranded on a desert island with me and me for company! Anyway, I bet the people closest to me would probably miss me, and this has influenced a choice in the items I would have with me. I would like to state the obvious choice of item but have not included this as a choice because, I think, it defeats the object. If anyone says that one of their items would be a mobile phone, do they really want to be stranded? Hope you don't get a decent signal! So here we go, what Littleswamp would like with him on a desert island. 1. - Solar/clockwork Radio ------------------------------------ This would help to maintain a contact with the outside world and relieve the boredom that would inevitably result in being stranded. It would also be a form of exercise at night with cranking the handle. OF THE RADIO! (Stop those...

Littleswamp1 06.01.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?

Sun, sand, but unfortunately I'm stranded!!!!

Advantages: Plenty of time on my hands
Disadvantages: Plenty of time on my hands, I'm stranded

...I was trawling through the Ciao cafe looking for something to write in when I saw this category - interesting I thought, but what exactly do they mean by stranded?? I assume that it means 'on your own' with no living thing with you and with no opportunities for help, which kind of cleared a few points up in my mind:- Firstly, anything to aid games that I may want to play with Dido or Ruth England (although if she wanted to do a Wish You Were Here feature on my desert island she would be most welcome!!) would be out of the question - not much point taking useless items with me. Secondly, in the absence of any friendly crab (as in the Carling ad) who may be happy to generate electricity for me, any electrically powered items would again be of no use whatsoever. Thirdly, there seems little point actually taking items such as...

m.lyon 27.04.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?

Stranded? HA!

Advantages: Obvious answers!
Disadvantages: Not sure!

...Okay okay, so the question goes something like "What five items would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?" . okay straight forward enough.. what would i take.. well, being remotely clever item one would be - A Boat Oh yeah, like im going to stay on a desert island on my todd! which makes way fr item number two, a must have really! - A Large outboard motor Score, okay so i'm going home in a motor propelled boat, what else could i possibly need? - Yogi Bears picnic basket Just incase i get a bit peckish on the trip home! which leads me to my fourth item, which i think is a bit of fun really! - Captain birdseye style stick on beard, eye-patch and hat Ideal for when coming into a random port or other populated island for ultimate comedy effect! Which brings me to my final item - A Sign...

b2uk 11.11.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?

So you are stranded?...Tough cookies

Advantages: I am playing with my own rules
Disadvantages: Not very practical

...I love when people ask you what you would take if you were stranded on a desert island. How on earth could you pick just five items? I always end up sulking when I discuss what I can or can't take. So, since there is no-one here to dictate what classes as an 'item', I am going to take whatever I want. The first item I would have to take is a Kingsize bed (including mattress and all bedding). I couldn't possibly sleep on the ground in the cold. Or even in the warm. I am not the 'camping' type. Sorry to those who like to sleep under the stars, but even if I was stranded I would have to have my luxeries. My next item is a little more practical. I would need a years supply of chocolate. Its not the most nutritious of foods but I wouldn't be able to live myself during times of PMT without at least 5 bars of chocolate a day...

kerrith 09.08.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you take?