Dreamhouse Apartments https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/ Mon, 17 Aug 2020 16:19:06 +0000 en hourly 1 Ready for the darker nights? We’ve put out the welcome mat for films with haunted houses at their heart. https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/ready-darker-nights-weve-put-welcome-mat-films-haunted-houses-heart/ Wed, 25 Oct 2017 12:30:40 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2587 With the leaves falling fast, and a subtle chill in the air, the perfect time of year to unsettle down with a scary film is here.

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With the leaves falling fast, and a subtle chill in the air, the perfect time of year to unsettle down with a scary film is here.

So to mark Halloween – and the darkening evenings beyond – we’re creaking open the doors of six fear-filled films, each one with a haunted house at its heart.

Our fictional frights are just the thing for a spot of escapism. But how about we throw in some haunts alleged to be the real thing? You’ll discover a handful of true-life haunted homes if you’re brave enough to check out the basement at the bottom of this blog.

But whatever you do: don’t forget to leave a light on.

Poltergeist (1982)

They’re here

Tobe Hooper’s hugely successful chiller located the frights squarely inside the familiar middle-class North American home. No malevolent mansions or crumbling castles here. And maybe it was this ordinary  setting that rung a bell with audiences. By bewitching everyday objects – a TV set, a doll, a backyard tree – the scares were, literally, brought closer to home and, arguably, closer to our imagination.

Much of the action in Poltergeist is plain silly and way overcooked, but that deliberately commonplace location gives it every right to occupy any haunted-house film list. Educational too, the overarching lesson Poltergeist teaches us is this: don’t build housing developments on cemeteries and then try and cover it all up later.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

The Shining (1980)

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…

Stanley Kubrick directing a Stephen King story and Jack Nicholson going ape. It couldn’t fail. And it didn’t.

Set not in a house this time, but in rural Colorado’s empty-for-the-winter Overlook Hotel. There, Nicholson’s would-be writer, Jack Torrance, accepts an out-of-season caretaking job – around which he hopes to complete a novel.

With his wife Wendy in tow, and their young song Danny – possessed of ‘the shining’ (revealed as the name given to the boy’s telepathic ability) – the stage is set for the apparitions, outbursts and time-slips that will characterise Jack’s gradual descent into madness: a shift connected with the hotel’s past.

Although it’s known that King is largely unimpressed with Kubrick’s interpretation (he felt the supernatural elements of his novel had been downplayed), for the rest of us here is a genuinely terrifying and intelligent film whose horror exploits its location: elevator doors, long, mind-bending corridors, the cursed room 273.

The Shining’s scares are terrifically realised and amid the more famous axe scenes, or those haemophilic elevators, the most disturbing thing in the entire film may well be – and here is your spoiler alert – the late reveal that Jack, rather than writing his novel, has actually been typing, thousands of times, the phrase ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. Brrrrr…

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Paranormal Activity (2009)

What happens when you sleep?

A milestone in the ‘found footage’ genre, Paranormal Activity reveals the increasingly disturbing haunting experienced by Katie and Micah, a young San Diego couple.

Bedroom cameras, set up by the couple themselves, capture both the subtle (flickering lights, vibrations) and, later in the film, the sensational (an animating, combusting Ouija board).

Shot in a week, and on a shoestring, Paranormal Activity’s shocks rely largely on suggestion, not special effects. A scene in which Katie simply stands silently over the sleeping Micah – shown in super-fast-forward to reveal the act’s two-hour duration – is spookier than anything a big SFX budget could conjure up.

And speaking of budgets, garnering a frightening $193m from a timid $15,000 spend, profitable activity was the order of the day: the film is mooted as the most money-spinning ever made.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

The Woman in Black (2012)

Fear her curse

This Edwardian-set tale, from Susan Hill’s popular novel, is crammed with old-fashioned shocks and a tangibly menacing atmosphere throughout.

The dark star of the show is Eel Marsh House – a built-to-be-haunted estate accessible only via a causeway that crosses the deadly surrounding marshes.

Into this already-promising situation enters, unwisely, Daniel Radcliffe’s Arthur Kipps. He’s a recently widowed young lawyer, and here he is tasked with preparing the sale of the empty mansion.

Cue all manner of scares, including old reliables like self-rocking chairs and self-winding clockwork toys.

As Kipps learns the backstory of the vengeful titular phantom, he goes about laying her spirit to rest. But in a film jam-packed with chilling imagery, it’s the silent, sullen Eel Marsh House that will remain in the memory.

During afternoon tea,
There’s a shift in the air
A bone-trembling chill
That tells us she’s there.
There are those who believe
the whole town is cursed
But the house on the marsh
Is by far the worst.
What she wants is unknown
But she always comes back
The spectre of darkness:
The Woman in Black.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

The Others (2001)

Sooner or later, they will find you

Set in a mansion on the Channel Islands (geographical isolation seems to be a theme with these films), The Others is an elegant psychological horror.

Fearing her WW2 soldier husband has been killed in action, Nicole Kidman’s tense, buttoned-up Grace spends her days home-schooling her photosensitive son and daughter. Across the film she obsessively ensures they stay out of what little light the remote, gloomy location affords them.

Watching, “The Others”… #theothers #nicolekidman #horror #horrorfan #theothersmovie

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When a peculiar trio of work-seeking servants present themselves at the house, strangeness occurs: with no one near it, a piano plays. In an empty room filled with sheet-covered mannequins, footsteps are heard. And when a Victorian book of the dead – essentially a family album with the novel twist that each subject is photographed post-mortem – is unearthed, it does nothing to lessen the overall feeling that something odd is afoot.

Are the servants responsible? Is Grace imagining it all? And what of this husband?

For a Halloween double-bill, Pedro Almodovar’s The Others is an ideal companion to The Woman in Black.

Just don’t plan for a sound post-credit sleep.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Beetlejuice (1988)

In this house… if you’ve seen one ghost… you haven’t seen them all

We end our viewing appointments with a bit of light relief. Or relief as light as Tim Burton will allow.

Swerving on the road, newly-weds Barbara and Adam quickly wind up as newly-deads. But they don’t know that until, on returning to their Connecticut home, they discover the Handbook For The Recently Deceased has been left for their attention.

Now aware of their fun new circumstances they must endure the Deetz family moving into their dream home – and transforming it into a pastel-hued nightmare.

After failing to scare the ghastly Deetz clan from the property, Michael Keaton’s Beetlegeuse – a freelance bio-exorcist – is summoned, and with the help of the Deetz’s willing daughter, Lydia (an ace Winona Ryder), the horrific laughs begin.

Beetlejuice is great fun, rammed with effects that are eye-popping even today, and presents a bureaucratic vision of the afterlife that’s a hoot too.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

 

Want to see something really scary? Here’s a terrifying trio of (allegedly) real-life haunted houses.

Borley Rectory, Essex

Marianne, please help me get out…

The sensational ‘most haunted house in England’ was built in 1862, and sited in Borley, a village on the Essex/Suffolk border.

The rectory certainly looked the part, and tales of a ghostly nun, of footsteps and of a scrawled message – Marianne, please help me get out – literally ghost-written on a wall, and directed at a resident, were lapped up by newspaper readers.

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The alleged phenomena persisted into the 1930s, attracting the attention of celebrated ghost hunter Harry Price. His investigations, begun in 1937, reignited public interest in the case, although his assertion that the rectory was indeed haunted has been largely discredited.

Today, ghost enthusiasts continue visiting Borley, despite the fact the rectory, almost inevitably, was destroyed in a mysterious fire in 1939.

‘The Amityville House’, Amityville, NY

The original 28 days later…

This is the-house-of-the-movie-of-the-book-of-the-haunting.

In December 1975 the Lutz family relocated to Amityville, a coastal village in Suffolk County, New York state. After just 28 days they ran from the foreboding Dutch-Colonial style mansion – and straight into the welcoming arms of the media.

Were the Lutz’s tales of strange sounds and smells, of unseasonal fly infestations and a demonic creature just a lucrative publicity stunt? The debate will not die – a bit like the current roll-call of 13 (thirteen) sequels to the famous 1979 film The Amityville Horror (and even that was remade in 2005).

The house, on Ocean Avenue, was on the market recently, (and viewable on the estate agent’s website). Across the years subsequent owners, however, have reported zero bumps in the night. Spoilsports.

50 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London

“Don’t let it touch me!”

In existence are several stories about how ‘the most haunted house in London’ came to hold that title.

Take your pick: is it the spirit of Adeline, a young woman who leapt from an upstairs window to flee her wicked uncle? Or is it the ghost of an insane young man, imprisoned in the attic and fed through a hole in the wall by his brother? Could it be the restless soul of a young girl, murdered – in that attic again – by a servant?

Whatever the origin, from the early 1800s, reports of weird goings-on began circulating around the capital: a brown mist; a strange white figure; doors slamming; foul odours.

Across the century an eclectic list of unfortunates occupied the address. From Prime Minister George Canning to nobleman Lord Lyttelton, from shore-leave sailors to the townhouse’s maid (who could only repeat the phrase Don’t let it touch me! on the way to the asylum) – all had their own run-ins with whatever resided at that well-to-do location. Resided? Or resides? Long-term occupiers, the antiquarian book dealers Maggs Bros, left the property in 2015. And since then, reports of new phenomena have arisen…

Today, an ancient police notice forbidding the upper floors to be used for any purpose whatsoever remains on the wall.

And its command remains in force.

Helpful advice for the avoidance/handling of haunted houses:

  1. Resist the temptation to move into a Victorian mansion, particularly of the long-abandoned variety, or those surrounded by barely-traversable marshes.
  2. Be wary of everything, but particularly rocking chairs and twin children – in fact, be suspicious of children in general.
  3. Keep a close eye on toys, especially of the clockwork type, and dolls – of clowns – or those made of porcelain. These should be removed from the vicinity.
  4. If a local looks at you strangely and says anything like “You don’t want to be going over there – not after what happened” or “Even if you hear it calling you – don’t go anywhere near the attic” or, even worse, “That’s the house where the puppets went mad” change your plans.
  5. If you find an incomplete jigsaw, just leave it alone or it will reveal something awful.

Quite enough nightmares for one blog? Relax – and choose Dreamhouse for your next home-from-home.

Sleep easy in a fully serviced Dreamhouse apartment.

Complete with everything you need to work and play, and with a focus on comfort and location, our properties are just the thing for your next business or leisure trip.

Discover our range of fantastic apartments in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester- and check availability and rates – all on our website

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Positive workplace culture – what it is, why it matters and how to get one https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/positive-workplace-culture-matters-get-one/ Mon, 16 Oct 2017 08:02:09 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2519 Against a backdrop of deadlines and schedules, and in an arena where there are never enough hours in the day, who has time and resources to worry about instilling a positive workplace culture? What, even, is it?

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Against a backdrop of deadlines and schedules, and in an arena where there are never enough hours in the day, who has time and resources to worry about instilling a positive workplace culture? What, even, is it?

If you’re thinking that the term itself sounds like an output from some idea-swapping weekend in the Cotswolds, or the result of a W1A-type pow-wow, you could be forgiven.

The truth is surprising. Changing the workplace culture for the better, far from being a fluffy concept-in-the-sky is actually a hard-nosed, pragmatic business decision. It’s one that’s loaded with benefits too – from higher retention to lower costs, from increased brand awareness to fewer sick days.

Happy to find out more? Let’s get ready for a bit of culture.

First of all – what it’s not…

Before getting into the realities of a positive workplace culture, let’s begin with a negative: let’s begin by dispensing with a few myths

Improving company culture isn’t about everyone being nice all the time. It’s not about setting aside Tuesday mornings for cake or, more seriously, creating a kind of 9-to-5 utopia in which there’s no such thing as mistakes.

There are such things as mistakes.

How they are addressed is one area that contributes to a company’s culture. Nobody, for example, should expect a medal for missing a deadline. Equally, they shouldn’t be worried sick about a public dressing-down either.

…and what it is

So, a positive culture isn’t a culture of cuddles. Instead, it’s a culture of common sense. Its influence is felt across practical, everyday areas like rewards and discipline, feedback and recruitment. On a wider scale, positivity contributes to how your organisation is viewed from the outside, so it helps build brand and reputation.

When applied to these nuts and bolts of the workplace, suddenly that abstract concept we started with begins, perhaps, to make more sense.

Still sceptical? One thing’s for sure, every organisation has a culture of its own. Left unchecked, it will develop just fine without your influence – but often with negative consequences. Those organisations who take the lead, therefore, are the ones who’ll more likely reap the benefits.

Of course, no two organisations are the same. What is practical, possible and appropriate for one entity is unlikely to apply 100% to another. But there are general characteristics. So here are seven ways a workplace can ensure positivity sits proudly at its core:

Publicise your policies

Across most successful organisations you’ll see transparent policies about factors like promotion, conduct, training and management. Keeping employees – including new-starts – in the know about these important areas makes for a slick operation and a workplace that’s primed for progress.

Policies like these rarely stand still though, with legal or internal advances necessitating updates. Positive organisations ensure their people are kept up to date with any significant changes.

Define clear goals

Clarifying a task from the outset goes a long way to helping colleagues successfully achieve it. That’s because anything unclear can be queried early. That clarity is dynamite for improving focus, saving time and boosting motivation.

And as we’re talking about goals…

Recognise a job well done

Remember when we told you that a positive workplace culture isn’t about being nice to people? Well, we lied. But only a little. Because one characteristic of a positive workplace culture is its reward system.

This is all about acknowledging effort, and can require little more than telling someone they’ve done a great job. Of course, this is one area where the envelope can be pushed as far as you like. By all means hand over bottles of plonk or bonuses, but a sincere word of thanks is a strong and simple gesture that goes a long way.

Celebrate successes

Business wins, service milestones, birthdays, babies. All good reasons for a celebration. Marking occasions, even in a small way, acknowledges events in and out of the workplace and does wonders for team-building and cohesion.

Never underestimate the value of loyalty.

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Invite comment

An open-door policy that welcomes comments and feedback is a win-win across your organisation.

Encouraging responses and ideas demonstrates that people are valued and respected. And the fresh thinking garnered from those at the sharp end of things can lead to valuable change.

Open-door policies give employees an authentic stake in your business. So in addition to capturing all that great thinking and perspective, loyalty and performance can be given a boost too.

Start the week off on the right foot #positiveworkplace #leadership #happystaffhappylife #professionaldevelopment #highperformancetraining

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Hire and hire

Adding to your team? A clear commitment to positivity attracts positively-minded candidates. And at interview, pitching a conflict scenario will give you a terrific idea of how your potential new-start will plug into your policies.

So don’t be shy: across websites, social media and especially on job ads, shout about the positive culture recruits can expect. A statement of core values is a good start – but something more active, like an online film or animation, opens up loads of creative ways to define your culture.

Take the lead

If you’re top of the tree in your organisation, you’ll be used to your people taking their cue from you.

The creation – and evolution – of a positive workplace culture is likely to begin with you and your senior colleagues. But you won’t be alone for long. A company’s positive culture thrives when everyone’s on board. So set the right example and you’ll be well on the way.

Five good reasons for embracing a positive company culture

  • You’ll make people whistle while they work Your colleagues will actually enjoy coming to work. Imagine that. And if people enjoy the working day, there’s a fair chance they’ll do a better job.
  • You’ll build your brand If your people love their workplace they’ll tell others. Your brand benefits from these plaudits via social media, and from good old-fashioned word-of-mouth too.
  • You’ll attract the brightest Positive people are attracted to positive workplaces. Present your organisation as a terrific place to make a difference and terrific people will want to work with you.
  • You’ll ramp-up retention It’s a simple equation: people who feel valued, enjoy their job and are less likely to move. That strengthens teams, retains experience and reduces the costs – including admin, advertising and training – associated with high turnover.
  • You’ll contribute to the greater good Stress and pressure is often felt way beyond the workplace and long after hometime. That impacts on family life, creating a vicious circle that does your business no good at all. A setting that’s fair, progressive and sympathetic reduces anxiety, can deliver fewer sick-days and is key to a positive work/life balance.

Spending time away from the office? Make a positive move with Dreamhouse.

If you’re out on the road, it’s good to know that a fully serviced Dreamhouse apartment awaits you.

Our properties are the perfect fit for stress-free business travel. Central locations, tip-top amenities and the space and privacy to work – then relax – make Dreamhouse your natural choice.

Discover our city apartments – and check availability and rates – all on our website

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Have you fallen for any of these traveller trip-ups? Here are eight mistakes to steer clear of. https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/fallen-traveller-trip-ups-eight-mistakes-steer-clear/ Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:52:01 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2401 Whether you’re a tentative traveller or a seasoned globetrotter, it can be easy to make a few missteps on a trip. Some you can write-off and smile about later. Others can put a serious crimp in your time away. But with a bit of forward-planning you’ll be in great shape to body-swerve the blunders. Working...

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Whether you’re a tentative traveller or a seasoned globetrotter, it can be easy to make a few missteps on a trip. Some you can write-off and smile about later. Others can put a serious crimp in your time away. But with a bit of forward-planning you’ll be in great shape to body-swerve the blunders.

Working on the theory that forewarned is forearmed, here are eight common clangers travellers might make when on the road. This blog’s not all telling-off and finger-wagging though. To lighten the mood, here you’ll also find five sweet travel apps that will pop genuinely useful on-the-go tools in your pocket.

First up: those eight goofs that can trip any traveller…

1. Making advances

Whilst it makes loads of sense to plan ahead when you’re on the move, there’s also a lot to be said for building flexibility into your itinerary, particularly if you’re on a multi-location jaunt.

Sure, if you’re heading to an oversubscribed spot like Venice, or if you’re off to an event that zings accommodation prices skyward, booking is a must. But for touring breaks, where you’re hopping from one location to the next, it can pay off when you let freedom and spontaneity chart your course.

Nobody’s saying you have to don a blindfold, pin a map and head off to where it lands, but equally, you’re on holiday so move away from the spreadsheet.

2. Roaming in Rome. Or Paris. Or Madrid…

Thanks to the EU’s new rules on roaming charges, the days of returning from many European jaunts to a letterbox-busting mobile bill are over.

So where’s the mistake? Right here: the law applies only to your regular data allowance. So be careful not to exceed it or, just like at home, charges will kick in. And because you’re abroad they’ll likely be hiked up.

Also, be aware that the change covers European Union countries only (so unless your provider states otherwise, it’s not for your city break in, say, Istanbul).

Travelling beyond the EU? Check your operator’s rates – and any deals it offers. Alternatively, you might also want to buy a local SIM card on arrival.

Will roaming rates be rising post-Brexit? The truth is that right now nobody knows for sure.

3. Winging your connections

We’ve all been there. The first of your two connecting flights is delayed. Landing your seat on the next plane was already a challenge – but it was do-able, all being well. But all isn’t well. And now, sat on that sluggish first flight, a minute feels like an hour and every single thing is stressing you out.

So the best advice is this: assume a delay and leave a decent gap between flights when you can. This is an especially good tip if you’re connecting in a huge airport where multiple terminals and extra security checks are the norm. Some carriers will be obliged to sort your onward plans – but vouchers or even a free hotel room aren’t much of a consolation when you could be on the beach.

4. Ignoring insurance

You’ve taken countless insured trips – and nothing has ever gone wrong. You’ve bought the policies and it’s beginning to feel like you’ve been cheated out of a lost suitcase, accident or robbery.

So it might be tempting to pooh-pooh travel insurance. Especially on shorter trips closer to home. But misfortune doesn’t discriminate. Build insurance into your going-away budget. Regular traveller? You’ll almost certainly save with an annual policy.

Find a comprehensive list of travel insurance need-to-knows at the trusted MoneySavingExpert website

5. Losing focus

The days of the post-trip trek to Boots’ photo-developing counter are over. Who killed it? It was Steve Jobs, in the Apple research lab with the iPhone. The result is that most of us are now armed with a camera 24/7.

But snapping too many shots creates the tedious chore of dumping the 16 identical portraits of that temple/deer/sunset. Instead, why not take just a couple of photos and spend the rest of the time experiencing the subject in, y’know, real life?

Polaroid’s new retro-style OneStep 2 camera, launching in October, leads the quality-not-quantity revolution. It offers the instantly printed photos the company is famous for – but they work out at almost £2 a pop. That certainly helps focus shot-selection.

6. Feeling the finance freeze

Even if you’re on your way to chillier climes, this kind of freezing has nothing to do with the temperature. Instead, this arctic blast might overwhelm you if you’re using your credit card abroad.

Card issuers keep an eye on overseas transactions and if they spy something that doesn’t add up – like you legitimately using your card overseas – they might put a pause on your plastic.

So it’s a good idea to let your provider know you’re on your travels. Also – keep an eye on those foreign transaction fees before you jet off.

7. Going by the book

Specifically, the guidebook. Guides are a good buy for grabbing broad tips about a location. But they’re not called guidebooks for nothing.

By all means check out a book’s recommendations (and you should always take a read of up-to-date safety and cultural tips). But bear in mind that holidays aren’t sold with instruction manuals. Don’t be afraid to take the tourist path less-travelled and discover your own must-sees.

8. Sight-snacking

Enjoying un bel gelato in the shadow of the Colosseum is a fine notion. But as a general rule, you should be cautious about where you stop for refreshments.

If, from your pavement chair, you can behold a sight that looks awfully like a postcard, expect to pay for the privilege. Overcautious? In 2013 four ice creams cost four Brit tourists a stone-cold €64. A pricey view of Rome’s Spanish Steps.

Or how about the wallet-busting €101.80 a group of seven Romans (hello Karma) was charged for liquor espressos in Venice? Here, the culprit wasn’t only the location (although electing to sit down in Piazza San Marco never helps). In cahoots was a surcharge – to the tune of €42. And all for the pleasure of listening to the café’s string band. Extreme examples of course, but you get the general idea.

As an aside: tourist menus are sometimes best left alone too. Study them against the regular menu because often the tourist version is priced for… tourists (i.e. over-the-odds) and limited in scope.

Ready for a hitch-free hop? Pack these apps for an even slicker trip.

Accuweather

Should you take that brolly? Are those clouds shifting any time soon? I thought we were here to ski… So much of our precious holiday time is directed by the climate. Enter Accuweather.

Wherever you are in the world, this hugely popular app will put up-to-the-minute forecasts at your fingertips, meaning you get to plan accordingly. Apple users go here, Android here.

 

Duolingo

The best-in-class language-learner is an ideal before-trip tool.

Guiding you throughout your learning journey, Duolingo covers all of the languages you’d expect – and a few you wouldn’t. Best of all, a user- friendly design makes this app enjoyable and a snap to use. Download it free for Apple or Android

Hopper

A flight-booking app with a difference, Hopper’s twin mission is to give you freedom to book a flight from your device – but at the best possible price.

Intuitively, this app will advise you to book on the spot – or wait for a fare drop. And the moment the price plummets, Hopper will let you know. Free for both Apple and Android

Rome2rio

Transport heaven rockets through the heart of Rome2rio. This app connects you with almost 5,000 global operators to make route planning a breeze.

From flights to ferries, Rome2rio clues you in on routes, times and fares and, for those behind the wheel, covers driving options too. Head here for Apple and here for Android.

Quik

We finish with a bit of fun. Quik gives you the tools to create on-the-hoof videos with just a couple of taps.

Loaded with transitions, effects and music, this app effortlessly stitches together your footage and photos. The result is professional-looking clips all set for sharing. So, a slide carousel of you in a sombrero it ain’t. Zoom to the Apple version here, or Android here

For the moments to remember #replayapp

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The serviced apartment you’re looking for. And no mistake about it.

Of course a successful trip depends also on choosing accommodation that’s perfect for your needs.

At Dreamhouse, our fully serviced city apartments are ideal for both business and leisure travellers. Heading to any of our five cities? We’d love to welcome you. Browse our smart apartments, check availability and book – all on our website

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Read on, then decide: will these five innovations feature in your future? https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/read-decide-will-five-innovations-feature-future/ Wed, 06 Sep 2017 11:04:06 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2362 Predicting the future take-up of existing technology is one sure-fire route to ridicule. Blogs like this one might be happened upon in a thousand years’ time. Driverless cars? To those teleporting citizens they’ll be the stuff of museums. We, however, are reading this in the good old-fashioned ‘now’: an era that’s just about managed self-lacing...

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Predicting the future take-up of existing technology is one sure-fire route to ridicule.

Blogs like this one might be happened upon in a thousand years’ time. Driverless cars? To those teleporting citizens they’ll be the stuff of museums.

We, however, are reading this in the good old-fashioned ‘now’: an era that’s just about managed self-lacing trainers, but still no proper hoverboards.

Even so, some pretty radical advances are emerging. So here are five consumer-tech innovations to look out for. And, for a bit of fun, a trio of old-school counterparts either back from the dead or stubbornly hanging around.

Ready? OK, let’s get see if we can get this blog up to 88 miles-per-hour.

VR entertainment

Virtual Reality’s applications are numerous, offering advances in areas as diverse as architecture and marketing, psychology and healthcare.

But it’s only recently that VR has begun imposing itself on the consumer market – most visibly in the world of gaming. And that’s pulling VR kit into the home.

Well this was fun! #vr #ps4 #virtualreality

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The usual roll-call of huge players – the likes of Disney, Facebook and Microsoft – (as well as smaller trailblazers) are devoting serious R&D resources to VR. So it’s not too bold to suggest we’ll be seeing it more and more across the leisure sector: think cinema and TV, sports events and pop concerts as well as museums and theatre productions. Gives added substance to the celebrated pantomime call-out “He’s behind you!”

Will it happen? It is. And it’ll continue advancing.

Driverless cars

Perhaps the most discussed out-there innovation of the moment. When chat of ‘autonomous vehicles’ (it sounds kinder) began emanating from the government, and not just the pens of science-fiction screenwriters, the notion quickly gained credence.

Studying, again, where the big players’ (Fiat, Tesla, Volvo, Apple, Google) R&D cash is being spent, is a blunt-but-reliable guide to where this tech journey is heading. Couple those investments with well-documented trials (and errors) and it seems this advance is hot to trot.

As an aside, with new petrol and diesel vehicles halting by 2040 (big news that just kind of presented itself, like a cricket result, one morning in August) – driverless or not, the electric car is also zooming towards us (albeit currently between charging stops).

It’s tempting, also, to predict the emergence of a successful Sinclair C5-type vehicle. Something low-cost, energy-efficient and designed for one person. Others argue it exists already, of course, and is called a bicycle.

Will it happen? Sure. But don’t expect it any time soon.

The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) sounds like a slacker phrase. It’s the internet of, like, stuff, dude.

But the Things component does do a good job of gathering the growing list of the world’s internet-connected devices – they now outnumber people – entering the market.

Very broadly, IoT is the catch-all term for the surge in these items and their applications. For real-life examples think Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple’s Siri or Alexa: Amazon’s voice-recognising personal assistant. She’ll order you a takeaway, play you a tune and turn your heating on. More? How about smart meters? Or those TV recording boxes your always-one-step-ahead friend controls, from miles away, with a smart watch (itself another IoT gadget).

[Интересное] Apple может гордиться Siri. Apple Inc. наряду с Comcast, Universal Electronics (UEI) и Nuance Dragon TV стала одной из IT-компаний, удостоенных в этом году 69-й премии «Эмми». Члены жюри американской национальной телевизионной академии, высоко оценив удобство и функциональность голосового ассистента Siri на Apple TV, присудили Apple награду за достижения в области «контекстуальной голосовой навигации и взаимодействия с ТВ-контентом». Голосовой ассистент Siri, дебютировавший в 2011 году, пришел на Apple TV только с релизом четвертой версии. Фирменная разработка Apple повысила удобство пользователей при взаимодействии с большинством функций телевизионной приставки. Siri позволяет осуществлять поиск по фильмам, распознавая даже косвенные запросы, умеет останавливать воспроизведение, перематывать по команде «Что он(а) только что сказал(а)?» и многое другое. Добиться таких высот на этом поприще Apple удалось во многом благодаря искусственному интеллекту, занимающемуся обучением Siri. Одним из основных достижений лабораторного разума в Купертино считают голос ассистента, который продолжает совершенствоваться с каждым обновлением ПО. По словам представителей компании, они больше не используют людей для записи слов и выражений, делегировав эти обязанности компьютеру. @apple_4g.ru #apple_4g #apple #siri #купитьайфон #купитьiphone #купитьipad #купитьiwatch

A post shared by Магазин Apple Новости Apple (@apple_4g.ru) on

Beyond wrist-based taping of Coronation Street, though, the Internet of Things is aiming high. Forget smart watches. IoT is building entire smart cities.

With clever use of capturable data – in areas like energy, water and transport usage – savings are made and the quality of residents’ lives improved. Already, in cities including Amsterdam and Barcelona, efficiencies are transforming urban concerns like irrigation, street lighting, e-services and even the routes emergency vehicles should be taking.

IoT, then, looks like an increasingly natural step forward for the internet. So it’s one advance, dear blog-reader of the future, we’re insisting is a nailed-on certainty to grow bigger.

Will it happen? Yes. In fact it already is.

3D printing

Using a computer and layers of material to create a three-dimensional object – 3D printing -has arrived. The kit is on the high street. The internet is enthused. People’s aunts have kind of heard of it.

The big question, though: will it catch fire with consumers?

It’s difficult to envisage. It just seems a bit too… industrial… a leap to really take a universal hold. Perhaps what might occur instead is a market for 3D printing services.

Applications? Sure, you can make ornaments and action figures. But imagine a pricey household gadget that’s missing an essential component: a cog, or a little nub of plastic that’s snapped off or worn out. Rather than dancing with manufacturers who’d rather sell you a new whatever, could we instead witness consumers – busted tech or tools or toys in hand – queuing round the block at Jim’s 3D Printing Service Shop?

As our throwaway culture is increasingly self-scrutinised, perhaps this kind of business would attract newer, greener generations.

Even putting eco credentials to one side, 3D printing might become one of those innovations that’s ideal for the distress-purchase market. It might also repurpose the role of tech-attuned, gadget-gobbling friends. You know the guy you take your broken laptop to right now? That guy might soon be morphing into your 3D-printer guy.

Will it happen? Yes. But just not for the average household.

Drone delivery

Here, we’re getting closer to how the future was supposed to be. Because the future isn’t the future without something being airborne that usually isn’t.

In our case, that something was two Domino’s pizzas. And they were delivered by drone, in November 2016, to an address is Whangaparaoa, New Zealand.

The pizzas in question? Peri-Peri Chicken, and Chicken and Cranberry. It’s not known if the irony of a largely flightless bird’s involvement in this historic event was noted. Nor is it known if the drone forgot the little tubs of dipping sauce.

Drone delivery has been on the radar – literally if you work for any air traffic control agency – for a good few years now. Amazon is probably the company most synonymous with the idea, and tentative trials have flown out under its Prime Air system. But will drone delivery ever become an everyday reality?

Amazon and pals may have a solution, but at first glance it’s tricky to see it working in crowded urban settings (where it would be most useful). Perhaps it’s typical British cynicism: but won’t somebody just steal your box set? And the drone it flew in on too? Less flippantly, there are serious regulatory hurdles to do with privacy and, of course, safety in the sky.

One truth though: online shopping is only heading in one direction. If drone deliveries – excuse the unintended pun – fail to take off, perhaps secure urban storage spots, like, in fact, Amazon’s own Locker service, might rise instead.

Will it happen? It’s difficult to see this idea soaring above the practical barriers.

Back from the past

Tired after all that tech talk? Relax into retro. Here’s three olde-worlde hangers-on.

Vinyl records

Back with a bang – and a satisfying crackle. This is more than just a hipster hobby. Evidence? It’s arguably easier to buy a budget record deck than a budget CD player right now. Just ask the under-25s snapping up original and reissue LPs (the latter at Tesco of all places).

Even cassettes – vinyl’s old sparring partners – are popping up now and again, although mainly as promotional devices/collectors’ fare.

Old-school video games

A combination of nostalgia and playability is keeping Mario, Sonic and Pac-Man front and centre. Proof? Nintendo literally can’t make its repo consoles fast enough.

#PlayingWithPower

A post shared by Nintendo of America (@nintendo) on

And just take a look at YouTube. An hour or so of instruction will show you how to turn the Raspberry Pi – a bare-bones computer, nobly created to teach computer science – into a bursting-at-the-seams retro games machine for under £50.

VHS (and Betamax)

There will never be a mainstream resurgence of the now-huge-looking tapes that once lined megastore walls. But a healthy collecting community – particularly in the ‘video nasty’ genre – keeps at least a modest number of titles, and a mountain of plastic, from the landfill graveyard.

One thing you can be sure of: a terrific city stay

If a business or leisure trip is looming large in your future, why not choose a fully serviced Dreamhouse apartment?

Across five cities – Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester – we have the home-from-home that’s perfect for you.

Find out more, check availability and book – all on our website

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Good for Business – don’t miss out on the win-win of corporate social responsibility https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/good-for-business-dont-miss-out-on-the-win-win-of-corporate-social-responsibility/ Wed, 23 Aug 2017 14:53:19 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2323 It’s nice to be nice: giving up a seat for someone on a train, pointing a tourist in the right direction, that sort of thing. For businesses, though, it’s not only nice to be nice; it’s a quality that greatly influences how your company is viewed, the talent it attracts and the cost-savings it can...

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It’s nice to be nice: giving up a seat for someone on a train, pointing a tourist in the right direction, that sort of thing.

For businesses, though, it’s not only nice to be nice; it’s a quality that greatly influences how your company is viewed, the talent it attracts and the cost-savings it can make.

If that sounds cynical, it shouldn’t. The truth is corporate social responsibility (CSR) – an admittedly clinical, sinister-sounding banner in itself – is a win-win, and it’s a pursuit that enterprises of all sizes and sectors should take seriously.

Here, we look at ways businesses can do their bit for communities, the environment and the wider world. We also see how these socially responsible enterprises can benefit from their efforts.

Ready? OK. Let’s do some good.

The value of volunteering

Every workplace is rammed to the rafters with skilled people. Encouraging colleagues to take on volunteer work rewards their skills and your business. It’s something the world’s largest companies swear by.

For smaller outfits in particular, time is a challenge – everyone knows that – but even a few paid hours across the monthly rota quickly add up.

Remember… #Volunteering #Volunteers #VolunteerScotland #VolunteersHaveHeart #volunteerquote

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For bosses, a volunteering drive is also a great way of unearthing skills and talents you didn’t know your team could offer. That can lead to promotions and new responsibilities: fantastic for morale – and for CVs. Visit the volunteering page at gov.uk for links to specialist organisations and portals.

Donating skills…

A twist on volunteering is to offer workplace skills to the local community. Lots of specialist knowledge and experience can significantly help out a local charity or welfare organisation.

Examples of expertise businesses typically offer include:

·         Basic accounting services

·         Website-building/training

·         Article-writing

·         Interview skills training

·         Business analysis

·         Legal help

…and passing on knowledge

Of course, empowering people to go on and do their own books, or create their own websites, is an even better idea. One way to do this is to offer workshop sessions. Not always practical of course, so another option is to create online lessons via YouTube. Businesses large and small offer tips and tuition this way, and it earns them great appreciation. That can quickly translate into great loyalty. Here’s an example of  a tutorial from a big player – PC World.

Timing is everything

If you’re looking at going down the face-to-face route though, do guard against being overwhelmed.

It’s important to set limits from the get-go. A couple of hours a week might be fine, but you don’t want your good deeds to compromise your regular role. Managing expectations like this also ensures everyone knows what they can expect from the project.

A word about sponsoring

A proven way to stir up publicity and help great causes, sponsorship is one output of CSR that can place your organisation at the heart of its community.

When sponsoring, have a think about what your sponsorship will say about your brand.

Sporty? Local youth teams are always looking for backing, and this kind of sponsorship is highly visible.

Prefer something more academic? Why not sponsor a college or university student at home or overseas? Sponsoring facilities – a playpark, say, or a school lab – is an option too.

Sponsorship is powerful, and the good news is that it’s scalable too: you don’t need – and you shouldn’t – overreach. Smaller businesses can sponsor, for example, one person on a fun-run and still make a significant splash.

Can-do

Public-facing business? Sometimes the oldest, simplest ideas are the best.

Even in the world of online and text donating, a trusty collecting can on a counter, or by the till, remains one easy way to support a good cause. Both local and national charities will happily supply an official can, and they’ll arrange for its collection too.

Practice makes perfect

Changing working practices can be as much a part of your CSR drive as any of the methods we’ve touched on above. One area where businesses can show responsibility is via their use of resources.

In the office, this might mean using recycled paper products as much as possible – or cutting down on paper via better use of email and electronic documents/filing.

At the very least, recycling – of paper, cartridges, packaging, batteries, cans and bottles – is something businesses of all sizes should be doing. Find practical tips and advice here.

We do a lot for charity – but we don’t like to talk about it…

This exclusively British reserve really needs to be reversed. For your business’ sake, and for the sake of the organisations you’re supporting.

If you’re doing good in the community: remove your light from beneath the bushel, allow it to shine, and…

…let people know. 

Not only does it give your business some well-deserved props, it might encourage your customers, suppliers and stakeholders to ramp up their CSR efforts too.

So blog about it, get it out there on social media, mention it at meetings and shout about it internally too – in emails, newsletters and on noticeboards. If you’ve kitted out your entire office/shop/factory/warehouse with energy-efficient lightbulbs, let’s hear all about it.

A secret: nice, thoughtful people like doing business with other nice, thoughtful people. And being less bashful also leads to even more publicity and support for the charity or cause in question.

Volunteers are nice & important! 👍🏼💚 #volunteers #volunteering #important #nice #volunteerscotland

A post shared by Volunteer Scotland (@volunteerscotland) on

Take a drive

Why not help a local charity shop stock up by organising a workplace drive for unwanted items?

A roundup of some benefits CSR can bring your business

Cost-savings

On the environmental front using less ‘stuff’ – reams of paper, ink, lightbulbs – saves cash at the suppliers. There’s also less for your business to fork out when it comes to disposal.

An enhanced reputation

By publicising your CSR activities you can attract more customers and suppliers. Why? Because doing business with a responsible company reflects well also on those engaging with you.

A finger on the pulse

Issues like responsible sourcing of materials, eco-friendly disposal and giving back to the community are increasingly on customers’ agendas – both on the high street and out in the B2B arena.

Regulatory compliance

Local authorities love responsible businesses. If you’re making the effort to reduce your environmental impact there’s a great chance you’ll also be meeting rules and regulations.

Instant attraction

Just like customers and suppliers love dealing with socially aware enterprises, the talent that’s out there loves working with them. Be the business that’s known for being a great bunch of people. You’ll find a great bunch of people will be keen to do a job for you.

Making a difference

Businesses find themselves in a powerful position in their communities It might sound gushy, but when all’s said and done, using that power to make a difference should be the endgame for your CSR efforts.

Now be good to yourself too

Business taking you on the road? Reward yourself with the best base possible: a fully serviced Dreamhouse apartment.

Our city-centre havens give you everything you need to get the most from your trip. Check out the latest Dreamhouse rates here.

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Words of Wisdom – inspiring quotes from the world’s greatest go-getters https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/words-of-wisdom-inspiring-quotes-from-the-worlds-greatest-go-getters/ Thu, 10 Aug 2017 08:43:55 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2286 To put it mildly, the world of business is one that attracts a varied bunch. It's here where the idealist and the dreamer is as prevalent as the pragmatist and the planner.

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“The upside of painful knowledge is so much greater than the downside of blissful ignorance.”

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, author and activist

To put it mildly, the world of business is one that attracts a varied bunch. It’s here where the idealist and the dreamer is as prevalent as the pragmatist and the planner. What unites these characters – and unites also those occupying the space in between – is belief, drive and an indomitable appetite to achieve.

Along the way most, if not all, successful businesspeople, leaders and entrepreneurs, have had something to say about their journey.

 

“To do more for the world than the world does for you – that is success.”

Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, industrialist, pioneer

Often their words are powerful. Sometimes humorous. Occasionally disarming. Whatever the tone, whatever the topic, for the aspiring businessperson – or for those who love a good quote – there is real value in reading the compelling thoughts offered by the likes of Bill Gates and Anita Roddick, Richard Branson and Arianna Huffington.

Here, then, is a pick of pronouncements from the determined-to-succeed and, perhaps surprisingly, the unafraid-to-fail.

On… taking risks…

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder

 

“The best way of learning about anything is by doing.”

Richard Branson, serial entrepreneur

 

#mondaymotivation

A post shared by Richard Branson (@richardbranson) on

 

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”

John D. Rockefeller, legendary US oil magnate and philanthropist

 

On… success… (and failure…)

“If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.”

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple

 

“I never dreamed about success, I worked for it”.

Estée Lauder, founder of eponymous cosmetics company

 

“Accept that some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue.”

Scott Adams, Dilbert comic strip creator, author

 

#selfmotivations

A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos_official_) on

 

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”

Conrad Hilton, hotelier

 

“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.”

Victor Kiam, entrepreneur

 

In 1931 October 18 Edison died in a town of West Orange New Jersey

A post shared by Thomas Edison (@thomas_edison__) on

 

“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”

Arianna Huffington, businessperson and writer

 

On…motivation…

“Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.”

Farrah Gray, businessman, author, investor and motivational speaker

 

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Wayne Gretzky, former ice hockey player, businessman

 

“Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.”

Charles F. Kettering, inventor, businessman, engineer

 

“If you see a bandwagon, it’s too late.”

James Goldsmith, business magnate, politician, campaigner

 

“Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion.”

Tony Hsieh, internet entrepreneur

 

“Because, you know, resilience – if you think of it in terms of the Gold Rush, then you’d be pretty depressed right now because the last nugget of gold would be gone. But the good thing is, with innovation, there isn’t a last nugget. Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities.”

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, investor, philanthropist

 

Said with a smile…

“Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.”

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, philanthropist

 

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.”

Anita Roddick, Body Shop founder, activist, campaigner

 

“I could buy companies, tart up their products and put my name on them, but I don’t want to do that. That’s what our competitors do.”

James Dyson, inventor and designer

 

 

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

Vidal Sassoon, hairstylist, businessperson and philanthropist

 

Anonymous advice…

Online philosophers vary hugely in quality of thought – I’m not here to be average. I’m here to be awesome. – for example, is unlikely to be carved in stone anytime soon.

But voyage far enough into the vast reaches of cyberspace and you can find some funny and thoughtful gems of anonymously authored insight.

“Compete until your haters brag they know you.”

“Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch.”

“Don’t let a win get to your head – or a loss to your heart.”

“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, just wait until you hire an amateur.”

Feeling inspired? Take a look at these sites.

Staying online, but moving from inspiring quotations to inspiring content, worth-your-time business news and advice are easily found. Here’s a few sites to consider:

BBC Business

Business news and topical features – including blogs from the BBC’s business experts. Find it here

Entrepreneur.com

Unearth a ton of advice and useful content on this popular resource for all things entrepreneurial. Check out entrepreneur.com here

Forbes.com

A world-famous name, Forbes hardly needs an introduction. The go-to site for business leaders – established and aspiring – is found here

 

What’s the best advice you have received? #forbesat100

A post shared by Forbes (@forbes) on

 

ukbusinessforums

This vibrant community of business owners and entrepreneurs keeps users up to date with business news – and can lead to invaluable insight, information-sharing and useful contacts. Visit the forums here

Women in Business Network

Advice, tips, articles and blogs abound on this online space for businesswomen looking to make new contacts and advance their career. Find it all here

One more unmissable business quote

For inspiring quotes of a different kind, check out the latest Dreamhouse rates here

Ideal for business trips, each one of our fully serviced apartments enjoys a terrific city location and everything you need to work, rest, and relax.

 

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Get festive this summer at the 70th Edinburgh Fringe https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/get-festive-summer-70th-edinburgh-fringe/ Mon, 24 Jul 2017 10:16:07 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2267 The world's biggest celebration of arts and culture, this August - like every August - the Edinburgh Festival Fringe takes over Scotland's capital.

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The world’s biggest celebration of arts and culture, this August – like every August – the Edinburgh Festival Fringe takes over Scotland’s capital. This year, the festival begins on August 4th and runs until the 28th.

Born of defiance – founded by eight performance groups considered too edgy for the Edinburgh International Festival – this year the Fringe is celebrating 70 years of no-limits creative freedom. And that’s as good a reason as any to make the trip.

Prepare for cabaret and musicals, theatre and dance, opera, comedy, and everything in between. Raring to go? Here are some must-read tips to guarantee a fabulous Fringe.

The 70th anniversary #edfringe programme is here! Check the link in our bio to find out how to get your copy! 🌟

A post shared by Edinburgh Festival Fringe (@edfringe) on

Make the most of the Mile

The Royal Mile – located in the heart of Edinburgh – is also the heart and soul of the Fringe.

It’s here where hundreds of performers and cast members will be punting their shows. Expect on-the-spot snapshots of their plays, performances and routines as actors, dancers and comics pull out all the stops to grab your attention. A riot of costume, colour and characters, a wander along the super-busy Royal Mile is as good a one-stop summary of the Fringe as you’ll find.

Blue skying the norm. #edfringe #defythenorm

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Get with the Programme

Inside the weighty Fringe programme you’ll find pretty much everything you need to know about the festival.

As well as show times, venue information and box office details, several detailed maps will keep you on the right road. And a frighteningly comprehensive index makes navigating this monster a snap.

Theatres and venues across the city – and throughout the UK – carry this free essential, and you can also download a PDF copy here

Fringe for free

Or if not actually free, pretty close to it.

In addition to watching the spontaneous performances on the Royal Mile, it’s easy to find free or reduced-price shows online. Just head to the Fringe site’s comprehensive search facility.

Here, via the Special Pricing filter, you can fine-tune your search to bring forth events that either aren’t charging, or are offering deals like 2-for-1, group discounts and the ever-popular previews. You can also hone in on dates and times, performance types and accessibility information.

Begin your search here hitting Find Shows followed by Advanced Search.

Venues to visit

With thousands of shows happening across hundreds of venues – from monuments to theatres, churches to business schools – it’s almost unfair to highlight just a handful of locations.

It is, after all, part of the Fringe experience to stumble upon hotspots, be they tiny or cavernous, well-established, new on the block or the mirage-like pop-ups. Even so, here’s a few starters, selected for atmosphere:

The Pleasance – Venue 33

A Fringe staple for more than 30 years, each August The Pleasance devotes its 17 venue spaces – and a huge cobbled courtyard – to the festival. Here, the focus is on high-quality performances and those who brave the steep, winding road are rewarded with the giant beer garden that sprouts up across the cobbles.

Find it at 60 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ

The Stand – Venue 5

Sure, The Stand might be a little off the main Fringe drag, but it’s well worth the walk. Renowned for the quality of its stand-ups, this basement venue will once again be leading the laughter. And, because The Stand’s a proper all-year-round comedy club, you can visit any time you’re in the city and in search of a smile.

Find it at 5 York Place, EH1 3EB – and check the Fringe programme for Stand shows in other locations close by.

Summerhall – Venue 26

Ex-veterinary school, now a magnificent arts venue that will be offering dance, music, theatre and visual art. Summerhall boasts also a courtyard  that’s perfect for a drink (what is it with Edinburgh and drink-attuned courtyards?). Well, this place did start life as a brewery in the early 1700s…

Find it at 1 Summerhall, EH9 1PL

Underbelly Cowgate – Venue 61

If you’re in the market for a venue that’s shaped like a massive, purple, upside-down cow, Underbelly is the place for you. This late-nite marquee spot is celebrating its 17th Fringe year and will be hosting an eclectic programme including theatre, magic shows and bags of comedy.

Find it at 66 Cowgate, EH1 1JX

it’s a party atmosphere over at the underbelly at George square.

A post shared by SP (@spoonerie) on

Timing is everything

The majority of Fringe shows last around an hour, so there’s plenty of scope to catch three, four or more in just one day. As a rule of thumb – advance-book anything you consider unmissable, particularly if the festival has actually begun, or is about to.

On that note, it can be easy to book or earmark show after show, but do bear in mind the time you’ll need between leaving one venue and searching out another. Even the best time-managers can come a cropper on Edinburgh’s quaint wynds and narrow alleyways. Enchanting? Yes. But pretty much impossible to negotiate quickly at festival time.

#fringe #edi #hurryhurry #blackandwhite #throwbackthursday #gooutofmyway #royalmile #fringe2016

A post shared by Adrian Kuhn (@adikuhn91) on

Take a risk

A big part of the Fringe is taking a chance and either loving the show you took a punt on, or laughing about how bad a gamble it all was.

It would be a pretty strange Fringe-goer who adored absolutely everything. So dive in and see where your curiosity takes you. Besides, how awful can an hour of nose-flautists really be?

Take a brolly

Yes, it’s August. But yes, it’s Scotland. Whether you’ll find the space to actually use an umbrella is a different matter of course. And to handle all that walking, pack comfortable shoes too.

Enjoy the year-round festival city with Dreamhouse

The Fringe is just one of seven summer festivals that Edinburgh hosts – contributing to an annual total of 11.

Upcoming are the Edinburgh Art Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival and, of course, the event that unwittingly spawned the Fringe: the Edinburgh International Festival itself. Discover more at edinburghfestivalcity.com

Whatever time you’re visiting this beautiful, buzzing city, why not stay in comfort – and do things at your own pace – in one of Dreamhouse’s serviced apartments?

All of our city properties are superbly located, so you’ll always be close to the action. Discover more about our Edinburgh apartments here

 

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Movies on the move – how business travellers can bring their blockbusters along for the ride https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/movies-on-the-move-how-business-travellers-can-bring-their-blockbusters-along-for-the-ride/ Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:14:03 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2251 Curling up with your favourite film or TV show is a fantastic way to wind down. And with the rise of streaming services, any phone, tablet or laptop is now transformed into a portable cinema.

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Curling up with your favourite film or TV show is a fantastic way to wind down. And with the rise of streaming services, any phone, tablet or laptop is now transformed into a portable cinema. Great news for those of us who spend lots of time on the road.

Here, we round up an ensemble of the best suppliers you can rely on for both live and on-demand entertainment.

Netflix

So prevalent is this giant that it barely needs an introduction. Netflix’s catalogue, while not in the premier league for the very latest releases, does include a good selection of new and new-ish titles though.

Where it scores big points – and where the company is increasingly concentrating – is in producing its own content. Seen Stranger Things? Orange is the New Black? The US version of House of Cards? Then you’ve seen a Netflix Original. And you can expect much more in the future.

Behind the scenes, Netflix is intelligent: based on what you watch, it gets to know your tastes and will offer scarily accurate recommendations.

Check out Netflix here

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Amazon Prime Instant Video

As you’d expect, an impressive selection of films and programmes are watchable across your devices. Selected content can also be downloaded and viewed offline. For the business traveller, that’s very handy when negotiating those WI-FI-free zones.

Offered via a regular monthly subscription deal, the service is also included with Amazon’s flagship Prime bundle – an annually-subscribed jumble of benefits including next-day Amazon delivery, music streaming, photo storage and access to e-books, magazines and comics.

Another big player that’s offering original content, Amazon is responsible for bringing you shows like American Gods, Sneaky Pete and The Man in the High Castle. The giant even persuaded Woody Allen to write, direct and appear in the six-part series Crisis in Six Scenes. “I’ve regretted every second since I said OK” commented Woody Allen, in a very Woody Allen way.

See what’s on offer here

NOW TV

Sky without a subscription, NOW TV’s users buy into a selection of monthly passes.

For films, you can expect the kind of extensive range Sky has made its name with. A separate Entertainment pass handles TV and box sets, although separating out movies and programmes – requiring two pass purchases for both offerings – will grate with some.

In keeping with rival services, NOW’s catalogue works across all of the popular devices. Sports fans are also well served with a pass for Sky’s extensive channels.

Discover more about NOW TV here

Free-as-a-bird options

Well, sort of. TV Licence-payers can of course access the BBC’s excellent iPlayer.

As well as enabling catch-up of BBC’s TV and radio shows, films recently shown on its channels are also accessible.

iPlayer keeps evolving, and although offerings like BBC Store – through which shows could be purchased and kept – is being shelved, you can expect iPlayer to continue innovating. Right now, with the need for users to sign-in being rolled out, a more personalised experience – tuned into your likes and interests – is on the horizon.

Visit iPlayer here

For Sky subscribers, you’re served by Sky GO. From this service, both live and on-demand content can be watched.

Check out Sky Go here

For fans of…

Complementing the household names, a host of smaller players continue emerging.

Often these services specialise in genres. Shudder, for example, is the place for horror fans, whilst PictureBox offers a shifting range of films and shows handpicked by film and TV critics.

For classic, cult, arthouse and foreign-language fans, you should bring your popcorn along to MUBI.

Occasional traveller? Or maybe you just don’t want to be tied into a subscription. Remember iTunes, Amazon and Google all offer one-off hires.

Shudder

Mubi

Picture Box Films

Settle down and relax

Whatever you’re watching, watch it in your Dreamhouse apartment. Every one of our properties is designed to be a super-comfortable home-away-from-home.

Find your perfect setting here

 

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This Manchester. This Summer. https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/this-manchester-this-summer/ Mon, 26 Jun 2017 12:16:42 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2226 A sprawling festival, cracking cocktail bars and a full mile of curry houses. Manchester, an authentic social and cultural powerhouse, demands a visit.

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A sprawling festival, cracking cocktail bars and a full mile of curry houses. Manchester, an authentic social and cultural powerhouse, demands a visit.

Manchester International Festival 2017

Descending on the city every two years, the Manchester International Festival (MIF), opens on June 29 for 18 breathless days.

Focused predominantly on original new work, ‘eclectic’ is one small word you could use to describe the event’s big mix of comedy, dance, film, food, music, theatre and more.

Just as varied are the venues staging over 60 events. Across Manchester, as well as the galleries, theatres and halls you’d expect to be visiting, MIF will urge you to concerts and dance performances, plays and talks in railway depots, churches – even car parks. It all adds up to a festival with pride, people – and the entire city – firmly at its heart.

When MIF kicks off, it will spark into life via an epic buzzing opening party. It’s located, appropriately, bang in the centre of Festival Square (Albert Square’s festival-time alter-ego). Ticketholders can expect DJs, dancers, and a catwalk dance-off. Not one for the shy and retiring, then.

The square will remain the place to be throughout the festival. Acting as the event’s official HQ, head here for food and drink – courtesy of pop-up bars and eateries – live music and DJing.

The BBC will be based here too, broadcasting highlights across the country. And it’s all happening against a backdrop created by students of Manchester Metropolitan University’s School of Art. Led by two of the UK’s hottest young designers, Paloma Gormley and Nicolas Henninger, bar frontages, furniture, floor designs – even light fittings – have all been specially designed for MIF 2017.

One must-see? Music-wise, New Order are playing a series of intimate shows at the old Granada television studios. It’s the very place where Joy Division – whose surviving members went on to form New Order – received their first TV exposure. The Manchester band will be joined by a synthesiser ensemble, and will be performing on a set created by visual artist Liam Gillick.

Find out more about Manchester International Festival here

It’s summer. It’s cocktail season.

Manchester’s making quite a name for itself on the cocktail circuit. Whether you’re in the city for the festival or not, here’s five spots to get all shaken and stirred about.

Mr Cooper’s House & Garden, Midland Hotel, Peter Street

Located inside the magnificent Midland Hotel, Mr Cooper’s – named after a wealthy 19th-century coach-maker – prides itself on its use of exotic ingredients – including lemon dust and toasted oats – and equally exotic equipment. This includes a Rotary Evaporator. Don’t worry about what it’s for, but if you want to sound hip refer to it, casually, as a ‘rotovap’.

Liquorice, 50 Pall Mall

Concentrating on quality and creativity, you won’t find many of the cocktails on Liquorice’s menu being served up anywhere else. Traditionalists can, of course, ask for the conventional – a Manhattan, maybe, or a Cosmopolitan – but it’d be a shame not to take a chance on the House Concoctions like the Cantaloupy or Watermelon Cooler.

Cloud 23, Beetham Tower, 303 Deansgate

What a view. Sitting pretty on the 23rd floor of the ultra-central Beetham Tower, style is front and centre at Cloud 23. Here you can watch the metropolis buzz through floor-to-ceiling windows as you sip on Champagne or enjoy a signature cocktail. These include city-celebrators like Bittersweet Symphony or the Coronation Street-inspired Ena Sparkles.

It’s summer. It’s curry season too.

If you’re fortunate, your trip to Manchester will be bathed in golden sunshine. But even if the summer turns out to be of the British variety, you can still catch some heat on Manchester’s legendary Curry Mile.

The city has had a love affair with the hot stuff since the 1950s. That’s when curry houses began springing up to serve, initially, the large number of mill workers beginning new lives in Manchester. As we know, the cuisine – in all its regional guises – soon caught on big time with everyone else too.

Located a couple of miles south of the city centre, on Wilmslow Road, the Curry Mile is well worth your short commute. And summer’s one of the best times to visit. Why? Because on evenings when the sun’s beginning to sink, you can’t beat a pre-dinner stroll alongside the more than 70 restaurants – and 30 or so takeaways – before finally choosing one to pop into.

If you can, plan a late-evening visit. Here, you see, neon is the order of the night. And photo opportunities abound. Those bright lights, European-style late opening hours and the pungent, spicy aroma of a thousand dishes all combine to make this a unique destination – and a triumphant end to the day.

after a long and hard 21 years, we decided we needed a face-lift!

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To find out what people are saying about Manchester’s Curry Mile restaurants, why not check out reviews on Zomato here

Come home

Has MIF 2017 made Manchester unmissable for you? Or maybe you’re looking to visit one of the UK’s most genuinely vibrant cities outwith the festival.

Whatever your reason – be it business or pleasure – rely on a Dreamhouse apartment for a home-away-from-home.

Our Manchester apartments are offered at two convenient city-centre locations. Check them out here

 

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Where to start when visiting Glasgow’s West End https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/start-visiting-glasgows-west-end/ Thu, 08 Jun 2017 12:53:10 +0000 https://www.dreamhouseapartments.com/?p=2196 Google Glasgow's West End and you'll frequently happen upon descriptions like 'bohemian' and 'arty', 'eccentric' and 'free-spirited'.

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Google Glasgow’s West End and you’ll frequently happen upon descriptions like ‘bohemian’ and ‘arty’, ‘eccentric’ and ‘free-spirited’.

Those are the kinder words, because this buzzing corner of the mean city, although popular and attractive, does pay the price for its often quirky ways. Usually this ribbing is delivered via jokes and wry observations. The most cutting – and certainly the funniest of these – surely comes from the Facebook page Overheard in the Westend.

In a case of doing-what-it-says-on-the-tin, the page sweeps up and highlights the catalogue of clangers dropped by blissfully unaware westenders:

“Mummy, can I have more croissant for the ducks?”

“You can`t fully comprehend an oil spillage until you’ve witnessed it on a high-definition TV.”

“Is there a hashtag for this wedding?”

The page itself is kind of cluttered, so the quotes get a bit lost. Instead, head to Buzzfeed to get a good idea – and good laugh.

So, the area, and its inhabitants, are ripe for a bit of good-natured fun-poking. It is, after all, a locality characterised by a huge student population – and the formidable shadow of the University of Glasgow.

But if you find yourself visiting the city, it’s a great spot to do a bit of exploring. Here are some highlights.

Byres Road

Anything goes on Byres Road. This old adage still applies to the main artery that cuts across the neighbourhood.

Although probably less edgy than its legend would have you believe (for the non-corporates and smaller, independent shops and bars head to the cobbled lanes and side streets), Byres Road retains a certain allure. This is a lengthy thoroughfare, and from top to bottom it offers a decent share of old pubs and cafes, as well as eager new enterprises bravely facing down the area’s lofty business rates.

So, good for food, a tipple and, when all’s said, the best bet for the first-time visitor to grab a quick handle on the district. Byres Road is easily reached on the city’s Subway system too – just get out at Hillhead and you’re bang in the centre (or exit at Kelvinhall and walk up from this quieter end).

West End Festival

If you’re visiting the city in the first half of June, the West End Festival – Glasgow’s largest community celebration – will be on hand with more than 400 events across 75 venues.

Now in its 22nd year, the festival offers an eclectic programme. Dive in and you’ll discover music, theatre, dance, exhibitions, talks and guided walks – all jam-packed into 25 hectic days. As you’d expect, the area’s pubs, clubs and restaurants are in on the act. But so too are local parks, libraries, bookshops and museums.

Vinicombe Street rocking the #glasgow #sun! #WEF2016 #community #westendfestival #westisbest #streetparty

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Find out more about the festival here

Botanic Gardens & Kelvingrove Park

Crowning the summit of Byres Road, the Botanic Gardens is the number-one spot to escape the crowds and catch your breath.

Dominating the park’s upper level you’ll find the Kibble Palace, a beautiful Victorian glasshouse. Inside, you’ll be treated to a circular stroll flanked by thoughtfully curated tropical plants and a fine collection of marble statues. And on chillier days it’s a great place for a heat too. Elsewhere, the Botanics sprawls along, offering a tea room, floral displays and a row of more modest glasshouses.

I think Kibble Palace is my favourite place in Glasgow, so pretty 🌿

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The River Kelvin flows through the Botanics’ lower level. Following it will lead you to Kelvingrove Park. Less pretty, perhaps, than its neighbour, Kelvingrove remains well worth a visit and is beloved of dog-walkers and joggers, cyclists and skateboarders.

If you’re lucky, the magnificent Stewart Memorial Fountain will be in action. Even if the water isn’t gushing, it’s still a beautiful sight.

Sunny day😎🌞#glasgow#kelvingrovepark

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Nearby, a fine bandstand – built in 1925, but neglected for years – has been sympathetically restored and hosts regular big-name concerts. Now a well-loved addition to the West End Festival, this year the venue hosts a number of choirs.

Finnieston

Locating yourself at Kelvingrove also zeros you in on the district of Finnieston. This is an area that’s enjoying an authentic rebirth and is now stuffed with bars, restaurants and cafes, as well as charismatic shops and galleries. Branded, in 2016, as ‘the hippest place to live in the UK’ by The Times, Finnieston continues fizzing.

You’re close also, of course, to the famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

Three bars. And one café.

Easily conquered in an afternoon, here’s a stroll that begins and ends on Byres Road, but includes a couple of off-piste gems too.

Òran Mór

Located in a huge former church, to call Òran Mór a bar would be doing it a disservice. This arts and entertainment hub, located opposite the Botanics, offers a theatre, music venue, restaurant and, in the stunning auditorium, a mural ceiling created specially by local artist and writer Alasdair Gray. Underfoot, beautiful mosaics dominate the entryway.

The big melody!! #oranmor #mainbar #whiskyparadise #whisky #scotland #glasgowwestend #johnmuirrestaurant

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Cottiers

Another former church, inside this roomy venue you’ll find, just like in Òran Mór, a theatre, bar and restaurant. Built in 1865, and named after Daniel Cottier, the artist and designer who decorated the interiors, Cottiers is a real West End institution. In the area on a sunny day? Head to the beer garden and enjoy a drink in a truly captivating setting.

The Sparkle Horse

No theatre here – but plenty of drama on Monday evenings when the Sparkle Horse quiz gallops into view. This is a simple, unpretentious bar – and all the better for it. Depend on the Sparkle Horse for a drink, a bite, a chat (the sheer joy of good music kept to conversation-friendly levels) – and the sunniest staff in Glasgow.

Well, of course…

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The University Café

Rounding off this mini tour: a café that will celebrate its centenary in 2018. You’ll find the period interior fascinating (balance your plate upon the super-narrow tables), the honest fare comforting and the famous ice cream delicious.

Ready for a visit?

Our fully serviced Glasgow apartments are superbly placed for a West End break. Whether you choose one of our three city-centre locations or our property in the heart of the West End itself, you’ll have everything you need for a memorable stay. Browse our selection and check availability here

 

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