HOTEL CHECKOUT
THE LATEST NEWS AND DEALS FROM THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
GET READY TO DILLY DALLY
London’s newest independent fivestar hotel is setting its sights on a May 17 opening with a new name, The Dilly, pinpointing its perfect Piccadilly Circus location.
Formerly Le Meridien Piccadilly, the grand Edwardian property dates back to 1908 when it was known as The Piccadilly Hotel.
Many of the freshly redesigned 255 bedrooms and 25 suites have views over Piccadilly or Regent Street and the rooftops of London’s West End.
The magnificent Grade II-listed Oak Room will initially feature Indian restaurant Madhu’s Mayfair as a pop-up restaurant and bar, offering Punjabi cuisine with a Kenyan twist.
On the airy The Terrace, a Peter Rabbit-inspired afternoon tea will be served. And the new Health Club at The Dilly will boast one of the capital’s largest indoor pools.
Rates start at £219 a night. See thedillylondon.com
FANGTASTIC BEAST DEBUT
A truly jawdropping new attraction will take a bow at Chessington World of Adventures theme park this spring.
Multi-millionpound Croc Drop is the first new ride at the Surrey site since 2013.
And daring visitors will plunge 82ft into the giant gaping mouth of Sobek, an Ancient Egyptian crocodile god who has been possessed by evil spirits.
Riders must take part in a ceremony to free Sobek’s soul and restore the River Nile to health.
See chessington.com
GREAT YARMOUTH’S WHEEL DEAL
A 164ft Ferris wheel will open on the Golden Mile in Great Yarmouth this summer.
The Norfolk resort’s new landmark attraction will be in the Sea Life Centre Gardens and will offer views of up to 10 miles from the 36 capsules, which each hold up to six people. Visit great-yarmouth.co.uk