Hotel

The details: In 1946, when jackrabbits and homesteading World War II veterans dominated the dry, remote open spaces of the Morongo Basin, the Mesquite Motel went up along the main highway in Twentynine Palms. By 1962, it was called La Hacienda and had a tall, yellow, utterly utilitarian sign (and a little, rectangular pool). Later it became the Motel 29 Palms, the Sunset Motel and the Mojave Trails Inn. In 2019, owner Ashton Ramsey said, he bought it for $350,000 and dubbed it Ramsey 29.

The old yellow sign hangs out front. But Ramsey turned L.A.-based Kristen Schultz and her firm K/L DESIGN loose to take these 10 rooms in a desert-eclectic direction.

Furniture is hand-built, brick walls are whitewashed and coat hangers carry their own clever slogans. Headboards are upcycled from Italian military stretchers, canvas armchairs bear the words “soiled clothes large” and the new tiles on the bathroom floor say “29,” as do custom blankets and other items. The floors are concrete. Room 9, closest to the highway, now has triple-paned windows. Six rooms opened in 2020, the remaining four in 2024. Guests check themselves in digitally.

Ramsey plans changes around the pool next, including more palm trees. But he’s not shying away from the word “motel.”

“I’ve leaned into that,” Ramsey said. “You’ve got to be proud of what you are.” In fact, he said, “We didn’t just renovate a motel. We’re trying to renovate a town. If we don’t brag on 29, nobody else will.”

Spring rates typically start at $185 a night on weekends (plus taxes), $95 on weekdays. Free parking. Pets OK for a fee. (The hotel website routes bookings through Airbnb.)

SET in the grounds of the Chatsworth Estate is a new hotel with cosy rooms and restaurant.

Not only is there the hotel to explore there’s also the Chatsworth stately home, garden, farmyard and woodland play area – plus, rooms are under £100 per night.

Chatsworth Escapes has opened a new hotel in the Peak District called The Hide.

It’s on the very edge of the Chatsworth Estate and is described as a place to “relax, reconnect and take advantage of the Peak District”.

The 25 rooms range from Cosy, to Comfortable, Spacious, Bunk and Accessible Rooms – and the rates start from £99 per night.

The cosy rooms come with a double or king size bed, power shower and free Wi-Fi, meanwhile the spacious or bunk rooms are more suited towards families.

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As for eating, The Hide serves up food throughout the day at The Hide Grill and Pizzeria from buffet breakfast to a Full English in the morning.

There’s also mains from fish and chips to beef and ale pie, burgers and steak which comes with skin-on fries and house pickles.

On Sundays, you can enjoy a roast at £18pp from Chatsworth Farm beef to rotisserie chicken, lamb and butternut squash wellington – each comes with roast potatoes, veggies and Yorkshire puddings.

In the summer months, the hotel opens up its outdoor pizza oven, BBQ and even has a fire pit for making s’mores.

Guests can enjoy direct access to the estate’s park moorland as well as entry to Chatsworth House, garden, farmyard and adventure playground.

As part of their stay, those staying at The Hide can add exclusive perks including multi-entry tickets to Chatsworth and private tours of the house when it is closed to the public.

The hotel is set on the grounds of Chatsworth House, it was built in the 1600s and is well-known for featuring as Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

It’s also appeared on the screen in The Duchess, The Wolfman, Peaky Blinders and Death Comes to Pemberley.

Also on the grounds is Chatsworth’s farmyard where families can meet the animals from pigs to horses, goats and guinea pigs.

There’s also the woodland adventure playground which has ladders, a climbing wall, tower and turrets.

It has a huge woodpecker model for playing on too with a zip wire, swings, and a giant sand play area.

The Hide is managed by Chatsworth Escapes who also run award-winning The Cavendish Hotel.

Earlier this year, The Cavendish Hotel bagged the number one spot for ‘Hotel of the Year’ from The Times.

And it won “best and brightest in British hospitality” in the AA Hospitality Awards.

In comparison to The Hide, The Cavendish Hotel has 28 rooms, two restaurants and incredible views of the Peak District.

Room rates start at £195 for a cosy double, to add on breakfast and dining experiences comes at an extra cost.

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For more stately home stays, here’s one with its own campsite right by the beach – and even Prince William and Kate Middleton are fans.

And check out the inside little-known historic property starring in huge Netflix movie with code-breaking playground and turtle skulls.

After having travelled across the UK for some weeks, American woman Amber Kacherian has shared four things about British hotel rooms that she found confusing or mind blowing

An American has shared the four things she found strange in her hotel room during her recent visit to the UK, but Brits soon came to explain the reasoning behind it all.

A woman named Amber Kacherian has taken to TikTok, where she has over one million followers, to share her experiences as she’s been travelling across the UK with some of her friends. While her viewers have loved watching her experiences, Brits have often taken to the comment sections of her videos after they were left confused by different things that differed to the way they do things in the USA.

In a recent video, Amber went on to share four things that she had found weird in one of the hotels she’d stayed in, but Brits soon came to explain the differences usually were for the better.

“Things in my British hotel that are weird to Americans,” she said at the start of her video, where she was seen standing in what appeared to be a standard hotel room.

No plug sockets in bathrooms

The first thing on her list was not having any sockets inside the bathroom.

“So the only outlet in this bathroom is just a small one for an electric shaver,” she explained.

Amber went on to say that she in particular had found this frustrating due to not being able to use the hair blow dryer or a curling or straighten iron when in the bathroom, as the closest plug was in the middle of the hotel room.

“Which begs the question, where do you plug in your hair styling tools?” she asked her viewers. “How do you do your hair with no mirror?”

Two flush buttons on the toilet

“Number two, no pun intended, two different buttons to flush the toilet,” Amber revealed as she showed the two flush buttons on the wall above the toilet.

She went on to explain that over every toilet, there are two buttons – a big one and a smaller one. She went on to explain that she’d assumed they are different depending on what you’re flushing.

“So, in America, there’s just one switch that flushes everything, We do not have two different flushes based on how much you just deposited into the toilet,” she explained. “Just one switch takes care of it all.”

Ground floor is not the same as first floor

For her third point, Amber went out of their hotel room to the lifts, where she showed the sign which had all the different floors of the building.

“The ground floor here is called zero instead of one. In America, we would call the ground floor the first floor,” she told her viewers. “And the floor above that would be the second floor.”

She went on to explain that when they had gotten their room number, which was on the first floor, they had found it confusing that they’d had to go up to the first floor, which is what they had considered the second floor, in order to find their rooms.

Light switches outside the bathroom

Next up, Amber expressed her confusion after finding that the light switches for the bathroom was located outside the bathroom door instead of inside the bathroom.

“Why do they put the light switch outside the bathroom?” she asked in confusion. “Because that means you could turn off the light on someone who’s in the bathroom while they’re in there.”

This sparked inspiration, as she was then seen running over to her friend’s room in order to turn the light to the bathroom off while he was in there.

While the American friend group had been left confused by these things, Brits soon took to the comment section to explain the reasoning behind some of these ‘weird‘ things.

“Yeah it’s against the law to have sockets in bathrooms because you know safety,” one person explained. Another person added: “Anything electrical that needs a 3 way British plug aren’t used where there is water and steam. Too dangerous…”

Someone else went on to say: “To be fair I’m not sure most of us understand the flushes. We just press something and hope for the best.”

Teoscar Hernández doesn’t believe in ghosts.

But just the same, the Dodgers outfielder declined to stay with the team at the historic — and allegedly haunted — Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee during the first two games of the National League Championship Series against the Brewers this week.

Hernández told reporters before Game 2 on Tuesday that his wife, Jennifer, was the one who insisted on finding somewhere to stay other than the 137-year-old hotel that has been the source of spooky tales from MLB players for decades.

“I don’t believe in ghosts. I have stayed there before. I never see anything or hear anything,” Hernández said. “But my wife is on this trip, and she says she doesn’t want to stay in there. So we have to find another hotel.”

Hernández added, however, that his wife told him that she has heard from other players and their wives that there had been “something happening” over at the team hotel.

Asked to elaborate, Hernández said he had been told that in “some of the rooms, the lights, goes off and on, and the doors — there are noises, footsteps. … I’m not the guy that I’m gonna be here saying, ‘Oh yeah, I experienced that before,’ because I’m not, and I don’t think I’m gonna experience that.’”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked during his pregame media availability Tuesday if he had any ghost stories to share from the team’s stay at the Pfister.

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“I don’t,” Roberts said. “Those stories went away when I was about 10 years old. So, no, not anymore. I’m OK to go to bed now.”

Over the years, not everyone has been as at ease about staying at the creepy old digs. In 2005, then-Dodgers closer Eric Gagne told The Times’ Steve Henson that the place freaked him out.

“It’s old, weird and scary,” Gagne said. “It’s very creepy. I don’t sleep well there.”

Henson also noted at the time that former Dodgers third baseman Adrián Beltré had “reported a ghostly presence turning on lights and tickling his toes” during a 2001 stay at the Pfister. Fellow Times staff writer Kevin Baxter reported in 2007 that Beltre Beltronce insisted on sleeping with a bat for protection after he had a brush with a ghost” at the hotel.

One-time Dodgers infielder Michael Young told ESPN that he once heard loud stomping noises in his room while he was trying to sleep.

“So I yelled out, ‘Hey! Make yourself at home. Hang out, have a seat, but do not wake me up, OK?’” Young said. “After that, I didn’t hear a thing for the rest of the night.”

Current Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts decided a couple of years ago he doesn’t want to take any chances at the spooky spot.

“I don’t know if they’re real or not, nor do I care,” Betts said of the hotel’s alleged ghosts after a 2023 game against the Brewers in Milwaukee. “My boys are here, so we just got an Airbnb. That’s really it.”

Betts admitted to the Orange County Register that the Airbnb rental was “just in case” the scary stories were true and “it was a good excuse” not to stay at the creepy old building.

Last, during another series in Milwaukee, Betts appeared to confirm that he will continue to find alternative lodging for road games against the Brewers.

“You don’t want to mess with them,” Betts said of the Pfister’s alleged ghosts. “I’m staying at an Airbnb again. That part is not gonna change.”

The Dodgers more than survived their two games in Milwaukee this week, riding dominant performances by starting pitchers Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to take a 2-0 National League Championship Series lead over the Brewers.

The Dodgers who checked in to the Pfister Hotel also appear to have survived another stay in downtown Milwaukee. And with the next three games (if that many are necessary) taking place at Dodger Stadium, they have the chance to make sure they avoid returning to the (allegedly) haunted haunt this postseason.

Bold claim, I know. But the Clown Motel is special. Owner Vijay Mehar has taken an old motel and filled it with clowns. Paintings, murals, dools, ceramic figures. Many of them frowning or shrieking.

What guests love, Mehar has learned, is fear, loathing, painted faces, circus vibes and hints of paranormal activity. To be afraid, basically.

“America’s Scariest Motel,” say the brochures by the register. “Let fear run down your spine.”

The 31 guest rooms teem with enough clown imagery to eclipse a Ringling Brothers reunion. The gift shop is vast and troubling. (Clown knife, anyone?)

And then there are the neighbors. The motel stands next to the Old Tonopah Cemetery, most of whose residents perished between 1900 and 1911, often in mining accidents.

Some guests sign up for ghost hunt tours or explore the cemetery after dark. Others settle in with a horror movie, perhaps one of the several made on site, along with countless Youtube videos.

When I visited in late 2024, Mehar said hundreds of people stop by the motel on busy days, mostly focusing on the gift shop and the crowded, dusty shelves of the lobby-adjacent clown museum.

“When we came here, there were 800 or 850 clowns,” Mehar said. “Right now, we have close to 6,000.”

Throughout the motel’s corridors, walls and no-frills guest rooms (rated at 3.5 stars by Yelp and Trip Advisor), the clowns continue against a color scheme of purple, yellow and red, augmented by polka dots of blue and green. Rates start at $99.

If you book Room 222, which highlights Clownvis (Elvis as a clown, basically), the motel warns that you may be awakened in the wee hours by a mysterious “malevolent entity.”

The hotel also advises all guests that, despite monthly pest-control visits, they may encounter “UFI’s (Unwanted Flying Insects),” because rooms open to the outdoors. (This part of Nevada is known for its many Mormon crickets.)

The top travel trends of 2026 have been revealed including “Fan Voyage”, “Hotel Hop” and “Salvaged Stays” according to a new report.

The Unpack ‘26 report, released by Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, polled 24,000 respondents across 18 countries and found a growing number of people booking trips specifically to see local immersive experiences.

“Fan Voyage” journeys see travel combined with unique, regional sporting activities, according to Expedia, including Sumo Wrestling in Japan or curling in Canada.

While people on a “Salvaged Stay” aim to mix historical architecture with modern amenities, checking into upcycled retreats such as former schoolhouses, train stations, and banks.

As a result, Hotels.com has seen an increase in searches for these types of stay – for example, Bodmin Jail Hotel, in Cornwall, is up by 110 per cent.

And this part of the group also found 59 per cent of British millennial travellers are making every trip count by booking multiple hotels within a single destination.

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This emerging trend – dubbed Hotel Hop – is driven by travellers’ desire to explore different neighbourhoods (58 per cent) and keep trips varied (52 per cent).

Expedia also released its 2026 Destinations of the Year list powered by real-time data from millions of daily visitors to its site and app.

Six of these hotspots also meet the criteria for the brand’s new Smart Travel Health Check, a first-in-travel framework, inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

It recognises destinations that offer meaningful travel experiences and proactively manage tourism in a sustainable way, helping to ease the strain on the world’s most overvisited cities.

And the top spots included Big Sky in Montana, USA, Okinawa in Japan, Hobart in Australia and Savoie in France, which has seen a 51 per cent search increase.

Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, said: “Some of my most unforgettable travel moments come from immersing myself in local cultures, supporting local economies, and exploring less-travelled destinations.

“We have a responsibility to shape the future of travel: one that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go.”

Christopher Imbsen, vice president policy at WTTC, added: “Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check is an innovative initiative that reflects the urgent need to embrace responsible growth models that safeguard communities, protect cultural and natural heritage, and ensure the long-term resilience of destinations.”

Research conducted on behalf of the Vrbo arm of the company found trips in 2026 are fuelled by 91 per cent who are seeking getaways focused on reading, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones.

As #BookTok continues to dominate social media, interest in literary-themed travels, ‘Readaways’ is also surging with Pinterest searches for “book club retreat ideas” up 265 per cent.

And reading-related terms in the holiday let company’s guest reviews have nearly tripled.

The slow travel movement is gaining ground, with 84 per cent of travellers expressing interest in staying on or near a farm.

They are searching for starlit skies over busy city lights in 2026.

Set-Jetting is back – and bigger than ever – with interest in travelling to destinations inspired by TV shows and movies accelerating.

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And 53 per cent of global travellers say their desire to take a set-jetting trip has increased in the past year.

With The White Lotus’s next location in France still to be officially confirmed, the 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast reveals the next wave of cinematic escapes – including Tuscany, Italy inspired by Jay Kelly and Yorkshire, inspired by Wuthering Heights and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

A massive, seven storey ship that was once used as a luxury hotel in a Thai resort was deserted after reports of a curse and the apparent death of one of its workers

It was supposed to be a luxurious and unique destination in one of Thailand’s most beautiful areas, but a catalogue of disasters led to the downfall of an infamous hotel that locals believed was cursed.

The Galaxy looked like a huge cruise liner that had come aground on the unspoilt banks of the shore, but it was actually a seven storey structure its owner hoped would attract thousands of tourists.

Following its demise, it became a hotspot for urban explorers desperate to get inside the eerie ship – to discover what remained of the once glamorous interior for themselves.

One of these was US social media influencer Joshua T Yozura. He visited the site which lies seven hours south of Bangkok on Thailand’s third largest island, Koh Chang.

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The blogger shared his findings with his followers on his YouTube series, Exploring with Josh, where he explained the dark and mysterious history behind the abandoned ship.

It started out as a US Navy vessel before it was converted to a traditional Thai ship. A resident billionaire then bought the boat because his dream was to own a floating hotel. It was originally supposed to be located in Phnom Pen, Cambodia, but after that didn’t work out it was placed on Koh Chang instead.

The resort, which is now abandoned, sits deep in the jungle on a beautiful lagoon known as Koh Chang Lagoona. Back in 1998 it was popular with tourists who could stay in the impressive bungalows dotted about or on the ship which dominated the area.

The hotel sat on land next to a long untouched beach and swimming pools in the area were designed to look like a ship’s deck.

Originally the seven storey hotel and its 70 guest rooms were said to be the height of luxury with plush carpets, chandeliers and highly trained staff. When Josh visited the site, he witnessed a dilapidated wreck, with the once gleaming white exterior marked with streaks of brown rust.

The structure remained in the original plot, surrounded by palm trees and lush vegetation but there was a spooky silence in the deserted area. He and his crew had hoped to get inside the hotel to see what remained of the accommodation but they were followed by a man who told them to leave.

He explained that a variety of factors led to the failure of the impressive hotel. Its bad luck began when a Banyan tree was knocked down so the ship could sit in its location in the lagoon. This angered the highly religious and spiritual locals who believed the tree was sacred to the land, as were the elephants who could no longer roam freely. This was the moment that the hotel’s reputation of being cursed was born.

Josh revealed that apparently when the hotel was active a lot of workers and guests became sick, had falls and even died. “There’s a lot of legends and rumours that say people used to jump from the top of the ship to the bottom,” he said. “I can’t prove that online, it’s always up in the air with stuff like this. There was an article I read that a Russian guy actually got hurt and fell and died on the ship – it’s hard to say [if it’s true].”

As well as the spiritual ‘curse’, the hotel was doomed by its tropical location. The area, which was surrounded by water, was infested with mosquitoes. This led to Dengue fever and malaria and meant guests were fearful of staying there. It was also extremely humid and the ship was difficult to keep cool, which made for a very uncomfortable holiday.

When it eventually closed to staying guests in 2012 it was possible for a time to buy tickets to explore the ‘haunted’ relic with its many decks. However after the pandemic, the resort itself closed down because of lack of finances and tourism.

Then in December 2024 the ship mysteriously caught fire and was destroyed. It was left to smoulder before workers set about dismantling the top sections and removing materials for scrap. All that remains of the bizarre, ‘supernatural’ hotel is the charred hull and a wealth of folklore and legends.

The Celebrity Traitors made its way to our screens after months of speculation and hype and, among the 6.5 million viewers to tune in this week, was Prince William

Guards had to stop The Celebrity Traitors stars sneaking between bedrooms at the hotel at which they stayed, it has emerged.

The security staff had to make sure there was no conferring when the TV cameras were switched off during the production of the series. Television’s most devious contest made its way to our screens this week after months of speculation and hype, and saw the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway and Celia Imrie face devilish tasks.

But the personalities did not get the VIP treatment. During filming, the stars had to stay at a £80-per-night Courtyard by Marriott hotel near an airport, which remained open to the public. The celebrities, which also included Alan Carr and Clare Balding, were only allowed out at certain times for cigarette breaks and short walks, it has emerged.

The guards kept close eyes on the contestants at the hotel, the same one used in the non-celebrity version of the BBC programme, and they weren’t even allowed to go, alone, to visit other stars in their rooms.

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The titular “Traitors” must work together to eliminate the other contestants to win a grand prize, while the remaining contestants become “Faithful” and are tasked to discover and banish the “Traitors” by voting them out to win the prize. Knowledge gathered only be succeeding in tasks during the show will help the teams achieve these goals.

And the production team ensured they maintained the same tough rules for the household names as they had done for the non-famous counterparts in the original show, much to the “shock” of some stars.

“They must have had a shock, some of them would never have stayed anywhere that s*** before, it was hardly salubrious,” one source told the Daily Mail today, days after the first episode of the series aired.

The series was filmed over three weeks in May and, while tasks were often held in the famous castle, none of the contestants got to stay in the building – and had to make do with the hotel near Inverness Airport. Celebs were put on one floor and a lockdown-style curfew was imposed. Mobiles were confiscated and a “production phone” was issued for emergencies, it is reported today. The same source continued: “There was to be no social media, just old-fashioned phone calls.”

It is thought the BBC ensured transmission of the programme was quick – less than five months after filming – to avoid any leaks. The VIPs have been paid the same flat rate for their time – unlike the civilian version, for which contestants get a small stipend to subsidise time away from work.

Some friendships have already become strained. It has now emerged Alan Carr, for instance, “murdered” his good friend Paloma Faith in episode two by rubbing poison lily on her face. Faith said: “If the shoe was on the other foot, I would not have touched Alan’s face.”

The next episode of The Celebrity Traitors is on Wednesday on BBC One at 9pm.

A TOP Tory minister has said she fears her hotel room was bugged on a fact-finding trip to Taiwan.

It comes after a case against an accused Chinese spy, Chris Cash, collapsed last month when the Government refused to class Beijing as a threat to national security.

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Chris Cash, 30, and his friend Christopher Berry, 33, were both accused and denied spying for China.

Cash, a parliamentary researcher, received high level briefings from former MI6 spooks, ambassadors and ministers before he was dramatically arrested.

The former teacher, who had lived and worked in China, was accused of passing secrets to Beijing.

The Crown Prosecution Service case against the two alleged spies collapsed with ministers blamed for failing to provide key evidence that China was a national security threat at the time.

Starmer has since claimed that there was nothing he could do about the issue and blamed the former government for not designating China a threat when the offences took place.

The Daily Mail has now revealed that at the same time the Government was refusing to designate Beijing a threat, then foreign secretary David Lammy was doing just that.

He branded China an enemy of Britain during a debate in the commons in an effort to defend Labour’s surrender of the Chagos Islands.

The Shadow National Security Minister, Alicia Kearns, 37, has now revealed that she was a target during the alleged spy operation.

In what is thought to be a spy dossier, details of her hotel room in Taiwan were found.

When the senior Tory minister was on a fact finding trip to the country as chairman of the foreign affairs committee, she fears she was bugged by Beijing.

She told the Daily Mail: “They could have got in that room at any time.

“You can’t be sure that the room hasn’t got a bug or a camera somewhere.

“There could be photos of you walking around your hotel room naked.”

China had threatened that the mother-of-three’s trip would result in “repercussions.”

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She worked alongside Mr Cash for a year and raised concern that others he met through work may have been exposed.

Chinese dissidents, victims of transnational repression and people intimidated in secret Chinese police stations in the UK may have all been laid bare to Mr Cash.

The Shadow National Security Minister continued, saying Mr Cash worked at the heart of government policy on China.

He gained insight from the Foreign Office, Home Office, Treasury and Department for Business and Trade according to Ms Kearns.

Mr Cash worked on key government policy around China including the TikTok ban on government devices and exposing covert Chinese police stations in the UK.

The alleged spy managed to speak to every top China expert in the UK, finding himself in a position to glean information as “valuable as gold dust” to Beijing Ms Kearns believes.

The revelations could raise more questions about why the case against the accused spooks was dropped.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper admitted: “We know China poses threats to the UK national security.”

“I am deeply frustrated about this case, because I, of course, wanted to see it prosecuted.”

Ex-diplomat Charles Parton previously told The Sun that the Government’s refusal to brand Beijing a threat clearly showed “a desire not to offend China.”

Mr Parton, who was due to testify for the prosecution, slammed the CPS for failing to find new witnesses after the Government pulled its national security official at the last minute.

He told The Sun: “They are both to blame. The Government for withdrawing.

“But the CPS should have got some evidence from experts to say, ‘Is China a threat?’

“Then the jury could have said, ‘Yes, national security threat,’ and now we’re going ahead and trying this case.

“That smacks either of interference by the Government or just sheer incompetence.”

Chris Cash and Christopher Berry both deny all charges brought against them under the official secrets act.

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Sharina Butler, from the Bahamas, was staying at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas when she was landed with a hefty, unexpected bill, she has claimed in a TikTok video

A visitor to Las Vegas has issued a warning after she claiming was charged $200 (£150) for using a plug socket.

Sharina Butler, from the Bahamas, was staying at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas when she received a surprise bill for $224 (£168), she alleges.

According to the mum, she was landed with the hefty payment request due to her son unplugging a tray used for mini-bar snacks and drinks. Sharina claimed the policy was written on a small card that was placed in front of the tray.

The card warned that there would be a $56 (£42) charge for every day the tray remained unplugged. In a TikTok video recalling the incident, Sharina claimed she said to an employee, “You’ve got to be kidding me. The tray isn’t attached to any electricity, the tray isn’t attached to anything, it’s just a plug.”

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Sharina said that they had unplugged the tray to charge their phones while sitting at the small desk inside the room. She hadn’t read the note on the minibar because she knew she wasn’t going to touch any of the overpriced items.

“Why am I reading a tray when I’m not touching it… The only thing it should be saying is that if you move something off the minibar, you will be charged, right? But that wasn’t the case.”

According to Sharina, the employee then showed her an enlarged version of the note, which indicated the $56-per-night charge if the plug is removed.

Butler told her 1,200 fans that she “blocked that charge” after being slapped with the fee. In the comments beneath the video, some called Marci claimed they had a similar problem at the hotel.

“I wanted them to remove the whole damn tray from the room, and they told me it would cost me $50 to have it removed, so I argued them into having someone come up to move it off of the desk (because I needed to use the desk to work), so it sat on the floor the whole time,” she wrote.

Paris Hotel Las Vegas has been contacted for comment.

The tourist industry in Las Vegas has been going through a difficult time of late, with resorts and convention centers reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad, and some officials are blaming the Trump administration’s tariffs and immigration policies for the decline.

The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11% drop compared to the same month in 2024. There were 13% fewer international travelers, and hotel occupancy fell by about 15%, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Mayor Shelley Berkley said tourism from Canada — Nevada’s largest international market — has dried up from a torrent “to a drip.” Same with Mexico.

“We have a number of very high rollers that come in from Mexico that aren’t so keen on coming in right now. And that seems to be the prevailing attitude internationally,” Berkley told reporters this month.

Ted Pappageorge, head of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, called it the “Trump slump.” He said visits from Southern California, home to a large Latino population, were also drying up because people are afraid of the administration’s immigration crackdown. If you tell the rest of the world they’re not welcome, then they won’t come.”

The Vegas dip mirrors a national trend. The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics, which in December 2024 anticipated the US, would have nearly 9% more international arrivals this year, revised its annual outlook to predict a 9.4% drop. Some of the steepest declines could be from Canada, the company said. Canada was the largest source of visitors to the US in 2024, with more than 20.2 million, according to US government data.

Kaylum now faces a medical bill of £35,000 after needing emergency surgery

A man is facing a huge medical bill after severing an artery in his leg when a shower door shattered while he was on holiday. Kaylum Jones had to have surgery after cutting his leg while on holiday in Egypt, and now has a bill of £35,000.

Kaylum, 28, had travelled to Egypt with his partner and on the second day of his trip, a shower door shattered, severing an artery in his leg. Sister Chantele said: “It was so bad he thought he was going to die.”

When Kaylum got to hospital for major surgery, he was told that the travel insurance he had taken out would not cover the costs of the healthcare he needed. Kaylum had forgotten to take out insurance while in the UK, and did so upon arriving at the airport in Egypt.

“He had lost a lot of blood. His partner was in the other room sorting out all the insurance details while he was rushed into emergency surgery,” Chantele said. “He was actually awake while the surgery was happening. We were relying on his partner to communicate back to us with what was happening. It was a very long day waiting for the news.”

Chantele and her family have now set up a GoFundMe page in the hopes of raising funds towards the bill they have been left to pay in order for her brother to come home. “We have taken out a few loans, but they obviously have their repercussions,” Chantele said.

A total of £4,000 has been raised online so far. Now recovering from the major surgery to repair the artery, Kaylum is preparing to travel back to his home in Milton Keynes. Chantele is warning others to make sure they take out travel insurance before leaving the UK to go abroad.

“It does say in the small print that it needs to be taken out in the UK, but nobody ever reads that bit,” she said. Chantele said it is expected that her brother will need additional skin graft surgery once he is back in the UK.

She added that despite the language barriers, Kaylum has been treated “really well” while recovering from his accident in Egypt.

IN the middle of London is a new hotel that claims to be the largest of it’s kind in the world – and rooms are the cheapest in the capital.

Zedwell is one of the city’s newest hotels to open, right in the middle of Piccadilly Circus.

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Being so central, you can normally expect hotels to have high prices – the nearby Ritz and the W Hotel can command nightly rates of £500 or more.

Not Zedwell – the new hotel claims to be the world’s biggest capsule hotel, and with that, comes the small price of just £30 a night.

That definitely makes it the cheapest hotel room in the city (unless you want to bunk up in an 18-bed dorm).

Having opened last month, it sits directly above Piccadilly Circus Underground Station, so tourists would walk by without knowing this ultra trendy hotel was there. 

With the door currently hidden under scaffolding, I almost missed it too. 

But what is it really like to stay there?

Inside, decked out with a modern concrete and timber design, there are nearly 1,000 individual sleep capsules over five floors. 

Guests use an iPad to self-check in, before being directed to one of the correct floor and room.

Each dorm needs a key card to access, too, so you can only enter the dorm you are assigned, which definitely makes it feel secure. 

It’s a twist on the traditional ‘dorm style’ hostel set up as each guest gets privacy and security of being tucked up in your capsule, with the ability to lock it from the inside. 

Choosing a female-only room (there are also male-only and mixed), each of the square pods were stacked with a top and bottom pod.

On first glance, the dorm rooms, which are minimalist and dimly-lit looked a bit like a car park or a storage locker.

It’s nothing like you’d expect a hotel room to look, so it takes some getting used to.

I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to sleep in a multi-story car park.

However, inside, I was surprised to find a cute little space, with mood lighting and welcoming interiors.

Each capsule is made from oak and come with a single Hypnos mattress, Egyptian cotton bedding, individual mini aircon or heat, smart climate control, noise reduction, and ambient lighting.

There is also a plug socket inside, two USB plugs and a mirror. 

However, being a private pod ‘room’ means there isn’t much storage space – there are no room for suitcases inside.

I felt like a Sylvanian Family creature shutting themselves in my room

You have to leave them outside your capsule, so be sure to put your valuables in the pod when you lock it or take them with you.

If you want to leave your case at the hotel after you checkout, the hotel charges £15 to store them securely with them.

Make sure to bring your own padlock too, so you can lock your pod if you plan on going out (although reception let you buy them on-site as well).

There are clean common areas too, which felt more adult then teen-backpacker, which includes a lounge and co-working space.

I was impressed with how clean the communal bathroom and toilet area as well, with light jazz music playing overhead.

But the big question – how did I sleep?

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More used to a double bed than being boxed in by four walls, pulling the door down behind me feeling a little bit like a Sylvanian Family creature shutting themselves in a mini garage. 

Surprisingly, it didn’t feel as claustrophobic as I thought it would – as a 5″5 woman, I was able to sit up and easily stretch my legs.

Even more surprisingly, I had a great night sleep, with no rowdy drunken people or loud talkers disturbing the peace.

I did get woken up once by someone opening up their dorm door at 4am.

With each pod door made from plastic and metal, it means they don’t open and close too quietly.

Aside from that, I couldn’t fault my stay. In fact, it was so quiet and dark, I actually slept in an hour later than I usually wake up. 

The hotel itself felt very safe too, with a security guard on the door and someone in reception 24-hours a day, as well as CCTV on each floor.

And even outside, the central location means everything you need is on your doorstep, from the London’s West End to Chinatown.

It’s great for friendship groups or solo travellers or if you have a big night out in Soho planned and don’t want to get the tube home. 

Halima Aziz, Head of Hotels at Criterion Hospitality said, “We are taking the capsule hotel concept to the next level, one that combines an exceptional location with a focus on simplicity, thoughtful design that balances accessibility with privacy and quality rest, right in the centre of the city.”

I hope the capsule concept takes off in London.

The city is crying out for affordable places to stay and for £30? It can’t be beaten.

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The UK’s most comfortable hotel chains have been ranked on factors including their beds and customer reviews, and you won’t need to break the bank to stay

There’s nothing worse than getting to your hotel room and getting ready for a good night’s sleep, only to discover that the mattress is lumpy or the pillow is too firm for your liking.

However, Brits planning their next UK holidays are in luck because some snooze experts have done some very important research and uncovered the comfiest hotel chains where you’re most likely to get a decent night’s sleep thanks to the room and bedding.

The best part? You won’t need to splash out on a five-star hotel that ruins your budget for the year. In fact, the winning brand was Travelodge, which came out top on factors including customer reviews.

The sleep experts at Bed Store conducted the study after finding that when it comes to hotel guest reviews, mattress comfort and pillow quality often top other factors such as a hotel’s amenities. To determine the rankings, reviewers looked at factors including guest mentions of comfort, overall hotel scores, and a final reviewer rating.

Travelodge source mattresses from Sleepeezee, who hold a royal warrant and use pocket spring systems, where individual springs respond independently to body movements, to make up their comfortable bedding.

Room affordability also played a role, and it’s no surprise that Travelodge scored well in this area; when we looked at the brand’s price finder tool, we found rooms from £35 a night in October.

In fact, the hotel chain currently has a flash sale with one million rooms available for £35 and less, for stays on eligible dates through to the 24th September 2026 (it’s worth noting that this excludes the brand’s London hotels where rooms start from £49 a night).

Meanwhile, they have a guide on their website to finding cheap rooms year-round, whether that’s booking direct, opting for midweek stays or using their price finder tool if you can be flexible with your booking dates.

Another budget-friendly chain to feature in the top five rankings included Premier Inn, which already boasts a cult following for their comfortable beds; so much in fact that they even sell their pillows and bedding after having received the request from guests so often.

Looking for more inspiration for your next staycation? According to the research, the top five ‘comfiest’ hotel chains in the UK were:

1. Travelodge
2. (Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG)
3. Premier Inn
4. Best Western
5. Marriott

Adrian Brown, owner of Bed Store, revealed that it can be quite easy to recreate those levels of comfort at home too. Commenting on the study he explained: “The research shows that comfort is king, not luxury branding, when it comes to a good night’s sleep. Hotels might be spending millions on their menu or decor, but the review data shows that a good night’s sleep is the single most important factor.

“Many of the mattresses used in the leading hotels are from well-known UK suppliers such as Sleepeezee, Sealy, and Silentnight — meaning people can recreate that hotel-quality comfort at home.”

Do you have a story to tell us? Email us at [email protected].

We have a fantastic trip up for grabs, with breakfast and dinner included and a visit to the Game of Thrones Studio

We have teamed up with Aer Lingus and Titanic Hotel Belfast to give you the chance to win an unforgettable two-night stay in Belfast.

The prize for two includes return flights to Belfast City Airport from any UK airport on the Aer Lingus Regional network. You’ll stay at the multi award winning Titanic Hotel Belfast, a landmark destination in the city’s iconic Titanic Quarter with breakfast each morning, plus an unforgettable evening of fine dining with a three-course dinner at the hotel’s renowned Wolff Grill. Blending timeless heritage with contemporary luxury, this is the ultimate way to discover Belfast’s maritime legacy.

The lucky winner will also have the opportunity to step into the heart of filmmaking with a visit to the Game of Thrones Studio where the world of Westeros was created. Explore the groundbreaking craftsmanship and technical artistry that brought one of television’s most celebrated series to life.

Simply fill in the form below for the chance to win this complete package! The competition closes on 31st October. If you can’t see the form click here.

Aer Lingus Regional flights to/from Belfast City Airport include:

Birmingham | Up to 6 flights daily

Cardiff | Daily flights

Edinburgh | Up to 3 flights daily

East Midlands | Daily flights

Glasgow | Daily flights

Leeds Bradford | Up to 4 flights daily

Manchester | Up to 4 flights daily

Exeter | 2 flights weekly

Southampton | Up to 3 flights daily

Aer Lingus Regional is exclusively operated by Emerald Airlines. Emerald Airlines was named the most punctual airline in the UK, 2024.* Based on data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Trends Report for 2024.

South African Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa was found dead outside of a high-rise hotel in Paris. Police are investigating the cause of his death.

It costs from £30 a night, is right in the heart of London, but there’s a catch – you can only just about sit up in bed

The largest “capsule” hotel in the world has opened – just not for claustrophobics.

Slap bang in the heart of London, it is packed with nearly 1,000 pods. While it boasts about being the biggest of its kind anywhere, its rates are anything but – a snip at just £30 upwards. Compare that to the swanky Ritz Hotel, a short walk away, where rooms can set you back £1,100.

The Mirror spent the night to find out just what it is like sleeping in what, as it turned out, felt little bigger than an over-sized box – with absolutely no daylight.

Capsules hotels are nothing new: the first opened in Japan in 1979 in the city of Osaka. Other pint-sized versions have opened in the UK, but none on this scale.

READ MORE: I got a first look at the new Lego Masters Academy and it’s changed the way I parent

The Zedwell Capsule Hotel is just moments from London’s bustling Piccadilly Circus – if you can find it. Arriving in the early evening, there was no obvious sign of the entrance. Nearby is Zedwell’s sister hotel – with bigger rooms – but it was soon clear I wasn’t the only one willing to give the capsule experience a go, with the concierge pointing a small group of all us in the right dirtection. And not backpackers willing to slum it – all were business folk.

Having eventually found the small door beneath some scaffolding and checked-in, it was up to my capsule.

If staying in a cramped capsule wasn’t off putting enough, the designers have decided to paint virtually everything else dark grey. Even the windows outside the lift were painted grey, and didn’t open. It added to the dystopian feel – like something out of movie Bladerunner.

READ MORE: ‘Enchanting’ woodland seen in Star Wars is ‘like stepping into a fantasy’

Guests sleep in dormitories – it reminded me of a storage unit corridor – ranging in size from eight to 100 capsules, with female only options available. The capsules are stacked two high. Mine was up a few stairs, with four others, all facing each other. No doors here. Instead, getting in means rolling up an office cabinet-like shutter.

Inside there is a mattress…and not much space for anything else. Each capsule is 220cm long, just 100cm wide, and a disconcertingly low 100cm in height – just enough to sit up in. That said, it had a socket, light, mirror, and an overhead fan – described as a “smart climate control” system but which appeared to be a simple fan that failed to keep things cool.

No en-suite facilities here: you wander down the corridor to a shared toilet and showers, which are good and plentiful. I made the schoolboy error of not taking my room card – twice – which proved a tad awkward.

And so to bed. I’ve never had a big issue with small spaces but, pulling the shutter down, and switching off the light, brought on the collywobbles. If you are in anyway claustrophobic, think twice.

I have to confess opening the shutter a little to see some corridor light, even if that did mean facing my neighbour’s entrance, right there. Talking of neighbours, who you are staying cheek by jowl with, there is real risk you find out knowing a little too much about their sleeping habits, just a few centimetres away. The capsules are said to have “noise reduction” and, while I could hear whoever was next door moving around, it was worked well in the main.

They also boast Hypnos mattresses and Egyptian cotton bedding, which more than did the job, and helped make for a good night’s sleep. But waking up in the morning, in pitch darkness despite the time, I was overcome with the urge to break out of my box and see the daylight. Emerging into the sunshine made me appreciate it a whole lot more.

Judging by how busy it was, the super-sized capsule concept may well capture the imagination. And for the price, it is a bargain. But staying in what must surely be among the smallest hotel rooms in Britain definitely won’t be to everyone’s taste.

One Married At First Sight couple was forced to get creative after a class 3 cyclone hit the area they were staying at for their honeymoon

Married At First Sight UK newlyweds Bailey and Rebecca were forced to get creative after a class 3 cyclone left them stuck in their hotel rooms during their honeymoon. When Rebecca walked down the aisle, she was initially unimpressed with Bailey as she revealed she was looking for an ‘alpha male’.

“I’m not sure if he’s alpha or not. He’s not my type,” the 32-year-old said in a confessional. However, Bailey has seemingly won her over with his romantic gestures during their honeymoon trip after he organised a sweet date when the hotel restaurants shut down due to a cyclone.

In a first look clip shared with The Mirror, Bailey is seen throwing rose petals onto the bed while Rebecca finished getting ready in the bathroom.

READ MORE: Married At First Sight star looks unrecognisable with new look after tense honeymoonREAD MORE: Molly-Mae Hague reacts to Paris Fury’s daughter Venezuela, 16, getting engaged

“Because of the cyclone, the restaurants are all closed in the hotel tonight so Bailey has told me to get dressed up and he’s going to sort it,” Rebecca said in a voiceover.

Bailey placed a plate of food in the middle of the bed, lit a few candles and poured them two glasses of rosé wine. When she emerged from the bathroom, an impressed Rebecca told him: “Wow, this is so nice.”

“It’s so nice to see him being really romantic and gentle and go to loads of effort for the date,” she told the cameras.

“Is this what you do for all your first dates?” she asked her new husband after they took a sip of wine. He cheekily answered: “No, only for you.”

Before their wedding ceremony, Rebecca discussed her ideal partner, stating: “I’m attracted to the alpha male. I’m attracted to the big man that can lead me by the hand.”

She added: “My standards are very high, I like to be in order and I like things to look nice. I won’t settle for anything less than perfection in my life and I feel the same about my relationships.”

Rebecca explained: “I’m attracted to the alpha male. Somebody tall, confident and who’s sure of themselves,” before adding she hoped an “alpha male” would be waiting for her at the altar.

“I’m picturing a man who’s got stature about him, I want him to be a dominant figure. I’ve walked away from something before because I didn’t want to settle. If they don’t tick enough boxes for me straight away, I will say how I feel,” she said.

However, when she finally met her new husband, the contestant admitted: “Alarm bells are going off in my head. He’s not my type.”

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: ‘I updated my Dyson fan to the new model and it has stopped me switching my heating on’READ MORE: Parents hail natural eczema cream ‘miracle in a bottle’ after clearing flare-ups in days

STACEY Solomon and her family are such big fans of the Regnum Carya hotel in Turkey, she’s gone as far to call it her ‘second home’.

And this year the star visited the Regnum The Crown – its sister hotel which opened its doors back in July.

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The hotel is in the Turkish seaside city of Antalya and it has got some very impressive facilities.

Beating the heat in Turkey can be solved by splashing about in the pool, and this resort has eight.

The resort has your regular outdoor pools as well as a salt-water pool, kids pools, and indoor ones too.

For kids, there’s a waterpark called Regnum Aquatlantis with flumes, slides, attractions like tipping buckets, a lazy river and wave pool.

For even more entertainment, there’s a cinema and playroom, and for the teens, there’s a tech lounge with gaming pods.

The hotel is ideally not that far from The Land of Legends theme park also known as “the Turkish Disneyland” either, in fact, it’s an 8 minute drive away.

There, visitors will find thrilling rollercoasters, a watercoaster and entertainment shows.

Back at the hotel, there’s a luxurious private Blue Flag beach with incredibly clear waters.

Along the white stretch of sand are four beach clubs, each scattered with sun umbrellas and loungers.

As for activities on the beach, guests can play volleyball, take part in yoga sessions, mini football and even sound healing.

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The fussiest of eaters won’t have a problem at the hotel either because there are plenty of dining options from the classic buffet to tapas.

There’s also Pan-Asian, Arabic, and Slavic restaurants too, and lots of snacks and meals at the beach clubs.

There’s an on-site spa too where guests can book massages, and relax in the sauna, steam room and even an ice fountain.

Another place for adults to relax is the rooftop which has an infinity pool, restaurant, bar, fitness club and private dining.

When it comes to rooms, there are plenty of options from spacious suites to family-rooms and even private villas – some of which even have personal butler service.

And while summer in the UK might be coming to a close, there is still plenty of time to lap up the sun in Turkey.

During October, there are highs of 26C, and even in December temperatures average out at around 16C.

In October, Brits can fly to Antalya from cities like Liverpool, Glasgow, Belfast, Manchester and London with one-way flights starting from £17.

For more celebrity spots, here are five very normal UK holiday parks that celebrities love to visit – with stays from £3pp a night.

And take a look inside the farm shop that’s the ‘Harrods of the North’ and is loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.

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UNION J singer Jaymi Hensley has paid tribute to his beloved fiancé Olly who tragically died last year – marking their anniversary.

Former X Factor star Jaymi Hensley, 35, who rose to fame as a member of boyband Union J, marked the sad occasion with heartfelt words.

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The singer’s world was turned upside down following the death of his partner, hairstylist Olly Marmon, 33, who fell more than 30ft from their hotel suite in Northamptonshire in August 2024.

The happy couple had been in a relationship since 2009 and got engaged in 2014.

The grieving star penned a tear-jerking post on Instagram and wrote: “For 14 years this was the happiest day of my year, every year without fail!

“Our anniversary! The day you made me the man I am today by saying yes to being my boyfriend!

“To say this day, for the past two has been pretty much unbearable would be an understatement! (sic).

“Today was supposed to be our 1st wedding anniversary, our 16th anniversary together and today it just feels like the year mark from the day I laid you, my beautiful boy, to rest!

“I don’t know how I’ve survived without you! You were without a shed of doubt the best thing that has and will ever happen to me!

“The glue that held us all together. I want you to know on this day that it will always be our anniversary, I will always be yours!

“In all of our years together I only have one regret – I’m not sure many people can say they only have one in a relationship as long as ours!

“It’s that I couldn’t fulfil yours and my dream of making it down the aisle!“

He continued: “The day you officially became mine. I always laugh at me swearing at all our friends taking the p** making smooching sounds lol.

“The best day of my entire life and always will be! I love you Oliver more than anyone has ever loved another person!

“Until I’m in your arms again I will never be complete or whole, but I will for you live as much as I can!

“I’m trying not to get too upset writing this because it’s taken more of me than I thought I had this past year to even survive but I can’t help it.

“I miss you, I miss me, I miss us, our life. I miss the life we were robbed of!

“I know you were only loaned to me for 15 incredible years but I wanted and still want more!

“One thing I had never felt since the day you walked into my life was lonely, but now it me all I feel (sic).

“There are so many wonderful people around me, but I said it before, the 8 billion people on this planet couldn’t patch the hole you’ve left in my heart, even a fraction!“

He concluded: “I love you my beautiful boy! Ever thine, even mine, ever ours. 24 XXIV. Happy anniversary.”

Jaymi was one of the founding members of Union J in 2012 – formerly known as Triple J. 

The singer starred in the ninth series of The X Factor alongside contestants George Shelley, JJ Hamblett and Josh Cuthbert.

The foursome came fifth in the competition, which was eventually won by solo singer James Arthur – beating Rylan into fifth, in the same series as Ella Henderson.

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