We love nothing more than hearing from our guests about their time at Strathmore House Apartments. Whether they are leisure guests, travelling to Plymouth on business or simply visiting family and friends, we love to hear their thoughts on their stay.

We sat down and took five minutes to hear from John and Wendy about why they had returned to Plymouth and Strathmore House Apartments this August for the 5^th year in a row…

It was lovely to welcome you back, how did you find your time in Plymouth this year?

We adore Plymouth; it holds a lot of great memories for us. When our children were young we used to come in our caravan and we had many a happy summer holiday. Then as they got older, we started to do foreign trips and now we have come full cycle and are back making more memories, this year with our grandchildren.

Why do you like Strathmore House Apartments?

It’s convenient and we like the privacy that it offers.  John plays golf and so when he is out in the car, I can still be out and about as everything can be done on foot. It’s such a great location. I also like cooking, we don’t really enjoy eating out so having the kitchen with everything I need works for us.

Has it been a different holiday this year with the Grandchildren?

Yes, and we are glad of the comfy bed at the end of the day more than ever! It’s been lovely to see the other apartments too. John and I have only stayed in a one bedroom apartment in the past, so to have a four bedroom apartment with the upstairs and downstairs has been lovely. The one bedroom apartments are really roomy and great for just us, but this has felt like a real treat – and the grandchildren have really appreciated the space and the big TV!

Did you get to see a different side to Plymouth this year?

Yes, it was nice to take them to The Hoe and on the Gus Honeybun train – we have a picture of our daughter on it when she was young and now one of our granddaughter  with the same expression and a bag of candy floss! We also went to the Aquarium which John and I haven’t done before.

Will you be back next year?

We have actually booked to come back in December, just John and I. We haven’t been to Plymouth at that time of the year and would like to see the Christmas Market.

Is there anything you and John would change, or improve at Strathmore House Apartments?

No. It’s just perfect for us; we really enjoy everything about it. We are now talking to our friends who want to join us next year. They live in France and so we thought Plymouth would be a good city to meet as they always come back on the ferry, and normally drive up to us in Cambridge.

If you want to find out more about how you can make your holiday memories happy ones in Plymouth – we would love to hear from you.

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Paths Are Made By Walking; And Memories Are Made Here…

Plymouth is one of the most spectacular cities in the world. Cushioned between the sensational city centre shopping district and the beautiful sea; there are an abundance of shops, culture and the finest dining in the world.

Holidaying in Plymouth is breath taking, and what’s more, it lends itself to being on foot!

Walking holidays, through our cobbled streets and with our sea views, having time for cultural exploration, really is a holiday like no other. No rushing or frantic parking escapades; just calm and tranquil down time in Plymouth. Our public transport makes being connected super easy. With buses, ferries and plenty of taxi ranks; you can really enjoy your adventures in and around Britain’s Ocean City.

If you are visiting Plymouth with a comfy pair of flats and the intention of walking from beauty spot to beauty spot, with maybe a fuel stop in between, you will be combining fantastic vistas with mind-blowing historic landmarks – and great shopping!

The contrast of sleek and chic mixed with history and heritage is what Plymouth does so well. Discovery and relaxation (and many other sides to our city destination) leaves you wanting to come back again and again, year after year.

If you have the travel bug and are torn between walking holidays, mindfulness retreats and experiencing fine food…look no further!

You can tailor make the perfect balance of activity and adventure with downtime tranquillity for your perfect holiday. Unearth the many secret wonders and hidden gems Plymouth has to offer, all you need to do is pack the right shoes and book your stay with us..!

Plymouth Gin and Strathmore House Apartments; your holiday tonic!

Three parts gin, one part tonic and a whole dollop of holiday fun!  Strathmore House Apartments will leave you tempted and taken by Plymouth’s many offerings…

Just a short stroll from the beautiful Plymouth Barbican and those sensational botanicals, offered by legendary Plymouth Gin. Strathmore House Apartments are at the very epicentre of sensational holidaying.

British Gin is in vogue, why you ask, let’s see..!

Gin has quite the history! And although glamorous and plentiful in the roaring Twenties, it hasn’t always been the case!  In the Sixties Gin lost its privileged position in Britain’s cocktail cabinets, like many things, fashion predicts what’s hot and what’s not!

New World Wines took centre stage for the postwar generation, along with Rum and Vodka, putting Gin on the back shelf. In the 60,s, 70’s and 80’s those who were held in high regard amongst the dining and drinking scene considered gin & tonic drinkers to be out of touch with what’s ‘in! Those drinkers labelled with also enjoying prawn cocktails, Melba toast, Black Forest gateau and aperitifs! Dated!

It wasn’t until the end of the 90’s that Gin took a step back into the ‘lime’ light! Hendrick’s and Martin Miller’s slowly but surely led the gin phenomenon, reversing the image problem that had been created in the previous decades.

Now, in 2018, Gin has never been so popular! On the doorstep of Strathmore House Apartments, you can find one of the oldest working distilleries in Europe. Plymouth Gin has been making its gin according to the original recipe since 1793 and is knows across the globe as one of the finest examples of Gin. With a plethora of history, sensational tastes and a fabulous tour – Plymouth Gin is certainly a drink and destination not to be missed!

 

Are You READY…

In this blog, we pull down the sheets and reveal ALL the secrets that could save you POUNDS!

We may all be aware of the four seasons (even if the good old British weather doesn’t always comply!) but what about the three hospitality ones!?

Perhaps not all of us are so aware of the cost saving travel we could unearth if we got to know the habits of hospitality!

There’s a lot to be said for UK travel – we live in the most amazing country in the entire world. Ok, we may not get all the vitamin D we need from sun exposure, but even on grey days, the UK is still pretty amazing.

Here at Strathmore House Apartmentsl, we may be biased; but Devon, in particular Plymouth, is truly breathtaking and to ensure as many people, regardless of their budget, get to experience a little sea, city and moor in their life, we are sharing our Industry Secrets!

Seasons Explained:

Seasons in hospitality are depicted in three terms; Peak, Shoulder and Off.

Peak Season (or High Season) is basically when the destination that you have chosen is at its most popular – it boils down to simple supply and demand! However, this can sometimes change! You see Peak Season can be set by many factors; weather, events, activities and more. More often than not it’s also set by the school term-times too. As an independent business we NEVER set our prices by school holidays; by graduation, Firework Championships and Ocean City Sounds yes, but school holidays, no!

Here in Plymouth, Strathmore House Apartments Peak Season is predominantly May – September.

TOP TIP #1 | If you are choosing Plymouth as your holiday destination, a really great place to start your planning is on the Visit Plymouth website. Look at the events that are scheduled; they do advance scheduling so all the way to a big year for Plymouth which is 2020.  Make sure you also like destination pages on social media, that way you get instant updates and news without sharing your data and receiving too many unwanted emails!

Shoulder Season (or Mid Season) is the time between the Peak and Low Seasons. Prices here are literally an average between Peak and Low. Normally this season is when you can negotiate great rates by contacting the accommodation provider or hotels directly or via their own PMS (the hotel/accommodations own reservation system – property management system on their websites)

Here in Plymouth, the Strathmore House Apartments Shoulder months are predominantly March (depending on Easter), April and October.

TOP TIP #2 | By booking directly, an accommodation provider will not pay any commission, so you will often find a direct booking the cheapest place to book. Hotels and Apartments may not be able to discount the rate given, but they can add value. Accommodation currency is a great place to start, most hotels especially like to give you this as it means that your spend will stay in their hotel. Hotel currency is often a voucher to spend in their restaurant or bar or on treatments if they have a spa.

Like us here at Strathmore House Apartments, many serviced apartment providers are linked with a hotel; ours is the New Continental Hotel which has a leisure complex (FREE for our guests) and a in-house restaurant.  

Upgrades in the Shoulder months are also more tangible as occupancy is lower, so they have more flexibility with their availability. Perhaps an upgrade to a Superior Room or apartment from a standard or Parking included in your rate (our parking already is!). Bare in mind that places tend to only do this for longer stays, over four or five nights, but well worth a conversation!

Off Season (or Low Season) is when the prices are the very lowest you will find. It’s when hotels are predominantly running at a low occupancy, so have less staff working which is reflected in the pricing structure.  This is when you can really grab yourself a bargain!

Here in Plymouth, Strathmore House Apartments Off Season is predominantly November – February.

Top Tip #3 | Besides paying less, visitors who come to a tourist spot like Plymouth during the off-season will enjoy less crowding, and a more laid-back atmosphere. But there are things you need to keep in mind and plan around. Whilst off-season travel is great for the purse-strings, it’s really important to remember that this could mean a change in opening hours, menus and transport links such as ferry’s. If there is a certain attraction or museum that you want to visit, call them first before booking your accommodation and check when (or if) they are open.

Also be mindful that heavily populated tourist areas, like Plymouth, use the off-season months for renovations, so could be closed or planning to change their opening hours to accommodate any facelifts or nip and tucks!

NOTES:

During the off-seasons, you will find the most amazing bargains; three nights for two, free breakfasts and overall just crazy low prices. Not so much for apartments, but hotels that are in holiday destinations will be running on fewer staff, so it’s important to know that by not paying for bells and whistles, you may find an extra few minutes wait for a Porter to carry your bags or less waiting staff at Breakfast. Hotels sometimes will only offer their non-refundable rates during this time too, these can save you around £10-£15 per night, but it does mean that there is no chance of a refund should you not be able to make your booking.

RECAP:

• Off Season discounts on beds, food and more WILL save you pounds!
• No matter what the season, booking your accommodation directly will give you the best rate.
• Destinations in the UK are not so much governed by the weather, so most UK breaks will have plenty to do and see even if the heavens open! But planning is essential so you don’t get disappointed during your stay with a change in opening times.
• Travelling in the shoulder and off seasons means that you do not have to have everything booked in advance. There are always apartments and rooms available almost anywhere in the country. So if you just fell in love with a place or meet awesome like-minded travellers, you can go with the flow and your plans can be flexible. Or if you simply choose to stay an extra night – all that’s stopping you is you!
• Travelling in the off season months gives you a real chance of getting tickets or reservations that might otherwise prove impossible during peak season without pre-booking months in advance.
• Plymouth celebrates its winter seasons with a bunch of pretty awesome small festivals and events and community markets – and there is a lot going on in spring and autumn as well. So if the “lack of major Plymouth events” was a bother to you, be reassured, you won’t get bored in the shoulder and off season months in Plymouth!

If you are looking at staying in Britain’s Ocean City at any time, call us, we would love to welcome you to our beautiful city.