Tiana Templeman

As someone who feels out of place in a 4, let alone a 5 star (and never quite felt I lived up to living in Central London) (although I have also only stayed in a backpackers' hostel once), I could identify with this couple's feelings as they embark upon their journey around the best hotels in the world, won by entering a competition in a magazine that they got from the library.

But I've also come to realise that it's the middle-rank, aspiring places (and people) who are unsure of their rank and place that are the snobby ones - really posh establishments (and people) are often a lot more laid-back and accepting. And so it seems in these hotels, from the Paris Ritz to a hotel in Brazil - and if only Tiana and Trevor can realise that, they might have a better time.

I enjoyed this book immensely - Tiana and Trevor come across as likeable and honest and, like SKingLIst, I enjoyed the acceptance in the book that travel can be exhausting and induce home- and friend-sickness. The part in London was particularly poignant, as we have dear friends made in London and now many miles away, with not many opportunities to see them. I also liked that they stuck to their careful habits in the main, staying at cheap places in between, arriving at posh hotels on the bus, but that they learned to treat themselves when it was worth it - which is valuable knowledge to arrive at.… (altro)

In Backpackers & butlers doet Tiana Templeman met veel humor verslag van de droomreis die ze maakt met haar man: van het Ritz in Parijs naar het Dorchester in Londen, van het Peninsula in Hongkong naar de Huka Lodge in Nieuw-Zeeland. Ze reist ook nu weer met haar rugzak, waarin voor deze ene keer een zwart jurkje zit om 's avonds niet al te veel op te vallen. Toch kent deze reis zijn eigen problemen, want wat doe je met fooien als je nog niet eens geld hebt voor een flesje water uit de minibar? En wat moet je in hemelsnaam met een privébutler?… (altro)

I finished this somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on either the 23rd or 24th, since I'm not sure which side of the date line I was on, between Brisbane and Los Angeles, California.

I absolutely loved this book, some of what resonated with me was stemming from my recent stay at the Westin Melbourne (more coming in my blog on that stay!), which may not be a member of the Leading Hotels of the World but remained far above my normal standard.

"We aren't cultural Neanderthals, but I start to wonder how we'll cope in accommodation where everything is geared to those with champagne tastes, not a beer budget."

Yep, that's definitely what I felt at the Westin. $8.50 for a bottle of water? About the same for an hour of internet access? I guess it's different if you have a significant amount of disposable income but those prices seemed exorbitant to me. I'd much rather spend that on a day's food or something. At times though I wished my budget did extend to upmarket places because the Westin was amazing! Like the author did at first, I struggle with the idea that a hotel can be a destination, but I'm learning it can be.

I loved the range of properties they stayed in, and how they came to realize each property really is an individual. I also liked how the author acknowledged that travel isn't always roses and different kinds of travel elicit different reactions. The feeling of not quite homesickness but something along those lines hit in Prague and it surprised me because four weeks is nothing compared to some of my trips. However it was a very different kind of trip, much the same as how Tiana was hit in this trip.

The mention of Big Apple Greeter was wonderful. Love that Jo took them to Grey's Papaya and that different situations resulted in different reasons for admitting where they were staying and why. Ultimately I liked that the revelations were because they wanted to and not out of a sense that they had to tell.

Website for the book, which comes with some great photos that complement the stories well.… (altro)