UK STAYCATION DOPPELGANGERS

In the bustling square of Alexanderplatz, you can stand in the shadow of a monument to the German capital’s complicated Cold War past. The Berliner Fernsehturm, or Berlin TV Tower was completed in 1969 as a symbol of the communist influence from Eastern side of the Berlin Wall. That same year, the Radio City Tower (originally called St John’s Beacon) opened its doors in Liverpool. While the Berlin TV Tower has a 230m height advantage, both have housed revolving restaurants, observation decks and have been vital in sending out music broadcasts across their respective cities.

Speaking of music, Berlin might lay claim to world-beating techno and once being the home to Lou Reed, David Bowie and Iggy Pop, but let’s not forget that Liverpool is the city of The Beatles, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Elvis Costello! So trade the Teirgarten for Sefton Park and have a Liverpudlian adventure instead!

Where to stay: Village Hotel Liverpool

This comparison here barely functions as a substitute for one over the other. As many international tourists come to experience gothic old town of Edinburgh as they do in Prague – both are equally beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both have tram systems, and both are home to their country’s respective parliament buildings. Edinburgh has the advantage as you don’t need to get on a plane to get there. While Prague has its famous Astronomical Clock on its Old Town Hall, Edinburgh has the Camera Obscura and a variety of places to enjoy a deep-fried Mars Bar!

There is tonnes to discover and enjoy on a weekend getaway to Edinburgh. Many crowds flock here in August to enjoy the famous Edinburgh Festival, but there is still plenty to explore and enjoy throughout the Spring and early Summer. Losing yourself in the narrow-cobbled streets will help you feel like you’ve visited a different time as well as a different place!

Where to stay: Village Hotel Edinburgh

In the late 1960’s, San Francisco was arguably the cultural centre of the world. Hippies and flower children alike descended upon the likes of Haight-Ashbury to celebrate free love, peace, and all-round groovy times, man. At the time, it seemed nowhere could possibly snatch the crown of cultural importance bestowed upon the
Golden City.

But, in 2017, a shift occurred, and with the award of European City of Culture, Hull briefly became the centre of the cultural universe. Thanks to a city attitude geared towards free-thinking and radicalism, Hull makes San Francisco look relatively tame. The main landmark that makes Hull a dead ringer for its American counterpart is the Humber Bridge. Opened in 1981, the suspension bridge links Hull to Barton on the opposite shore, which is home to and Lidl AND a Spar. You won’t find either of those in Marin County - check mate San Francisco!

Where to stay: Village Hotel Hull

The ornate Doge’s Palace in the centre of Venice has delighted tourists and aristocrats alike for centuries. While Glasgow might not initially seem like the first place you’d trade this Northern Italian icon for, you might be surprised! In Glasgow Green, you’llfind the UK’s first public monument to Lord Horatio Nelson (take that, Trafalgar Square!), but nearby, you’ll think you’ll have stumbled into the centre of Venice itself upon the sight of the stunning Templeton Carpet Factory. Built in the late 19th Century, Architect William Leiper took the aforementioned Doge’s Palace as his inspiration for a factory design the city council couldn’t possibly say no to, and a Venetian icon was born in the centre of the Dear Green Place.

If you decide to trade Venice for Glasgow, you’ll be disappointed to hear that gondola rides down the Clyde aren’t currently available (as far as we know), but you can enjoy a pint in the West Brewery that now occupies a section of the converted Templeton Carpet Factory. The dive-bombing pigeons of nearby George Square are a suitable substitute for the Italian equivalent you’ll find in St Mark’s Square!

Where to stay: Village Hotel Glasgow

“Fabulous” Las Vegas may lay claim to being the home to glitz and glamour, but why would you want to trek to the centre of a desert in Nevada when there’s our very own Sin City right on the banks of the Irish Sea? Blackpool has far more experience as a holiday town than Vegas, bringing tourists to town since the Victorian era. While the Las Vegas Strip might have more casinos and taller buildings, the Blackpool Illuminations win, outright. For starters, you can walk from one end of the street to the other without suffering desert-induced dehydration while being handed flyers for Adele’s residency at Caesar’s Palace from every direction.

No matter what you can throw from Las Vegas, Blackpool has an answer; The Eiffel Tower Restaurant? Blackpool Tower! The Luxor Pyramid Resort? The Blackpool Pyramid Centre! The Bellagio Water Feature? The Pleasure Beach Fountains! Who needs a stretch limo on the strip when you can take a donkey ride on the beach front instead?

Where to stay: Village Hotel Blackpool