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It's Chriiiiiistmas and the End of Another Great Year!

23/12/2016

As you might have read I'm a HUGE fan of Nottingham Playhouse. I love sponsoring the arts and supporting the theatre, and we often have actors staying in our apartments (here's one of our most popular blog posts ever – an interview with actor Amy Trigg).

Every year the Nook & Cranny crew go to the panto (oh yes we do!) and this year was no different. So, two weeks ago a group of us went along to Cast for a delicious dinner followed by a hilarious night watching Aladdin. Nothing gets you into the Chrismtas mood more than a panto and singing along with hundreds of other people to X factor tunes!

I recently wrote about my relationships with local busiensses, how we all work together and help each other, and part of the reason we go to the panto is so that I can say thanks to them. I loved hosting a group of the dedicated people who support Nook & Cranny behind the scenes all year to a fun evening out, including my accountant, my property manager and my Google expert!

I'd like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has helped us have the best 12 months we've ever had. These are exciting times for Nook & Cranny, we're going from strength to strength (I'll show you our gorgeous new apartments in the new year!) and exceeded all our expectations this year. Whether you're a guest, someone we work with, a friend, or you just read our blog once in a while, a really big thank you for your support.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you and your families from all of us at Nook & Cranny!

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Shaken not Stirred! The Best Cocktails in West Bridgford & Nottingham for a Pre-Christmas Night Out

15/12/2016

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Cocktails are a constant source of fun and celebration for us, and with Christmas just around the corner you don't even need an excuse to pop out and treat yourself to a few! We ask you, of course, to drink responsibly, however once you get stuck into this guide that might not be such an easy task!

In recent times, West Bridgford and Nottingham have become cocktail havens with an eclectic mix of affordable and imaginative creations. Here are some of our favourite places to meet friends and indulge in a festive drink or two...

The Parlour, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford

Set in the heart of West Bridgford on Bridgford Road, The Parlour harks back to the good old days of drinking, it's open throughout the day and caters for all manner of gatherings and events. Recently they have started doing a very good line in vegan and vegetarian food, which is worth trying while you're there. They offer a range of Parlour, Classic and Prosecco cocktails so why not get in touch and book a table, you can even enjoy cocktails for £5 a piece during Happy Hour if you can get out of work early! And it's only a five-minute walk back to our apartments at the end of the evening!

Photo courtesy of The Parlour

Copper, Central Avenue, West Bridgford

Just down the road from the Parlour, Copper is arguably one of the main social hubs of West Bridgford and it's easy to see why – basically, it's got it all. You could spend the day there enjoying breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything in between. The staff are friendly and it has a great atmosphere in the evening, as well as a fantastic house cocktail list, making it the perfect place for a chilled catch-up. You can now find Copper in three locations – West Bridgford, Mapperley Top and in the city – but ours was the first (and best!). If you're looking for company you'll often see members of the Nook & Cranny collective enjoying the atmosphere, and we definitely won't say no to any offers of a drink!

Mud Crab Pacifico, Central Avenue, West Bridgford

Probably our favourite bar in Bridgford is Mudcrab. Like its competitors it offers great food and an excellent vibe but the cocktail menu is simply stunning. Be sure to try the Motox, a cocktail so good that it almost single handedly emptied my bank account in one evening! Paul, the manager, and his team are fabulous and cannot do enough for you to make you feel like you're their favourite customer. Check them out on Twitter @mudcrab_wb where they often share quirky discount deals. More than one of our American guests have said that the burgers at Mudcrab are the most like they are back home in the U S of A too.

The Orange Tree, Shakespeare Street, Nottingham

As we head into Nottingham city centre the first port of call should almost certainly be the Orange Tree, or The Tree to the locals. It's a friendly, open and relaxing bar full of antique furniture and quirky lighting, and boasts Nottingham's biggest range of cocktails. The 2-for-1 Happy Hour means you can enjoy a whole range without breaking the bank. Try the Very Berry Mojito or the French Martini and you'll never look back.
Apparently there's a great Quiz Night on Sundays too where the Question Master is our very own guest blogger Alex Noble of "local band, soon to be international" April Towers fame.

Photo courtesy of The Orange Tree

Tilt, Pelham Street, Nottingham

Tilt is perhaps the most scenic of all the cocktail joints in the area, a highly unusual layout across a number of floors takes you outside the urban confines of the city centre into another era. Regular blues and jazz nights coupled with expertly made and imaginative cocktails will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Be wary of coming in large groups though as the tiny building may well collapse (not really!). But do arrive early as it gets really busy.

Revolucion de Cuba, Market Street, Nottingham

Part of the well known Revolution brand, the beautiful decor of Revolucion de Cuba will transport you to the hustle and bustle of Havana. They serve cocktails in all shapes and sizes, including my favourite, one that arrives in a plastic elephant! The Passion Fruit Caiprinia is absolutely sensational and be sure to check out the upstairs area if not to simply admire the grand staircase that makes the Titanic look like a budget ferry!

You might think from our blog that we like going out... and you'd be right! West Bridgford and Nottingham just get better and better for places to drink and eat. In case you missed it here's our guide to the best eateries in Nottingham and if you fancy visiting some of our brilliant boozers we've done a bit of homework to explain what some of the quirkier local pub names mean. Let us know if we've missed your favourites and we'll include them next time we put a guide together (after doing some research in person of course!).

Have a brilliant week before Christmas. We'll be back soon with a write-up of our trip to the panto at the Playhouse (oh yes we will!!). If you want to get in touch in the meantime and tell us about any great venues or to ask about staying in one of our luxury properties feel free to get in touch.

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It's Been Another Great Year! And the Secret of Our Success..?

5/12/2016

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Now we're well into December (we've got our Christmas Party at Nottingham Playhouse this week – a blog will follow!) we're beginning to look back and reflect on the last 12 months. And it's been another fantastic year!

As a business, of course the financial side of things is important and there is clearly a BIG (and increasing) demand for high quality short-term lets outside Nottingham city centre – our turnover has grown this year, as has our profit, and occupancy is at an all-time high. By May 2016 we had 21 properties, now we have 28 so it's fair to say that business is booming. We haven't felt any ill effects from the Brexit vote and, as we have such strong ties with businesses and Universities throughout Europe and the rest of the world, leaving the EU (if it ever happens!) shouldn't affect us too badly.

But even more importantly than our growth on paper is the feedback we get. We never let any of our success go to our heads and it feeds our desire to provide the best luxury short-term accommodation in the area – with a difference!

Nook and Cranny get the job done in an extremely professional manner with a bespoke service making you feel like you're their only client. 5/5 stars
- Paul Eaton, Titanium Project, Nottingham

And that difference is the extra effort we put in.

I live in West Bridgford and I personally make sure that every property is perfect and ready before our guests arrive. Last year, I talked about my aim of providing a service that's the complete opposite of the dehumaising experience many people experience when they relocate or travel for business. We want our visitors to feel part of the community they're staying in the moment they arrive, so we make sure they do by finding out exactly what they need during their stay (whether that's a gym, a cot, information about local schools or any other help with relocating).

Lovely little house in West Bridgford with all the necessary amenities. Katie was an excellent host - very welcoming and nothing was too much trouble during our stay.
– Matt Barnes, Melbourne, Australia (January 2016)

Earlier this year one of our visitors wanted to send her luggage to us before she arrived. Now, if you stay in a hotel they'll usually let you leave your suitcase there for a few hours before you fly. But three days before you arrive?? Probably not! That's the sort of thing we can do for our clients. When it happened the property was occupied before the guest was due to arrive so I took her luggage in and looked after it until she arrived.

Wow. This truly is a 5-star experience. My family of 4 and I have been to several hotels and Airbnb's throughout the UK and we've never felt as comfortable and spoilt as we did at Katie's! Every detail was spot on. The house is fully furnished and renovated with new and modern styles, including the kitchen and all bathrooms.
– Ameen (September 2016)

It's not just the customer care that makes us different, we do lots of things differently! For years I've believed in supporting the local economy, so we work with local suppliers who take care of several aspects of the business as varied as the plumbing, decorating, accounting, blogging, cleaning and Google! We're helping small local businesses but it helps us too. As our partners become friends we all help each other out. And with nearly 30 properties to look after it's worth being friends with everyone just in case you need to call them on a Sunday evening (it has happened!) – because you're friends you get a response straight away!

Things seem to go wrong at weekends so I've had to call out an electrician on a Sunday morning – who else gets that kind of service? – and when a freezer in one of our properties broke (one Saturday night) I was more than happy to move our guest to another flat while the problem was fixed (which I managed to do. Amazing given my limited electrical knowledge but luckily it was only a blown fuse!).

We pay our invoices and bills before they're even sent to us and I'm sure that's one reason why we get such amazing service. We all enjoy working together, which is better for business but also better for our visitors as we always provide an amazing service. And that's what it's all about.

Katie's flat was exactly as described and more! It was absolutely stunning and completely spotless when we arrived! Prior to arriving, Katie responded to emails/questions immediately which of course put me at ease having booked a flat abroad. The location was perfect for us being in West Bridgford and just a short walk to the shops, restaurants, and cafes. As my husband and I travel frequently to the UK staying in a hotel with parking fees is quite pricey so I must say that we really enjoyed the secure, assigned parking space.
– Erin, Philadelphia (January 2016)

We've had a fantastic year and we hope you have too. We intend to keep growing on our success and carry on providing the best short-term accommodation around! If you'd like to check out our luxury apartments and experience our customer service for yourself please get in touch. And don't forget to come back soon and read about our Christmas Party!

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It's Chriiiiiistmas and the End of Another Great Year!

Shaken not Stirred! The Best Cocktails in West Bridgford & Nottingham for a Pre-Christmas Night Out

The Parlour, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford

Copper, Central Avenue, West Bridgford

Mud Crab Pacifico, Central Avenue, West Bridgford

The Orange Tree, Shakespeare Street, Nottingham

Tilt, Pelham Street, Nottingham

Revolucion de Cuba, Market Street, Nottingham

It's Been Another Great Year! And the Secret of Our Success..?

Katie

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