EVA Air Business Class: LHR–BKK–LHR
Emirates still has the better seat. EVA has the better crew — by enough to win the route in business.
Out of /10
The travel scorecard nobody paid for.
Cabu by the Sea, Dymchurch: A Diamond in the Rough on the Kent Coast
Cabu by the Sea, Dymchurch reviewed out of ten: designer beach cabins, a superb communal kitchen, sauna and honest bar prices — with heat and ants to fix.
Almar Giardino Di Costanza, Sicily: Real Five-Star Value in the Olive Groves
An 8.5/10 Sicilian resort — exceptional value, genuine five-star service and a big quiet pool, best suited to couples wanting heat and total R&R.
La Signora Hotel, Kefalonia: Boutique Charm on the Lourdas Hill, Undone by a Greek Night Chicken
La Signora Hotel, Kefalonia reviewed out of ten: a charming, fairly-priced boutique on the Lourdas hill with a gorgeous garden and a huge room — undone once by a Sunday Greek Night chicken.
Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa: Paradise Above Water, a Sauna at Dinner
Emerald Maldives reviewed out of ten: a world-class house reef, superb diving and a private-feeling beach villa, undone by dining rooms with no air conditioning.
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi: Faultless, Classy, and Priced Like It
Fourteen nights half board on Saadiyat Island. Faultless five-star execution, brilliant adjoining rooms for families, and a £19k bill that never quite wows.
Intercontinental Ras Al Khaimah: Close, But No Waldorf
A five-star with real potential on Ras Al Khaimah's coast, undone by beach and toilet basics.
Cocoon Ocean Villa, Peyia: The Self-Catering Week That Works
A private Paphos-side villa near Coral Bay that nails self-catering — immaculate, spacious, no hesitation to return.
One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai: The Reputation Outruns the Reality
Grounds and welcome are genuinely five-star, but a strict dress code and sunbed chaos mean we wouldn't return.
The Pause Is Over
Travel resumes after the long pause — here's what's coming next on Out of Ten.
Emirates Economy, LHR-DXB: The Whole Package, Bar the Seat
Emirates economy on the A380 nails entertainment, service, and value. The seat is the only weak link — book the daytime flight and it barely matters.
British Airways Premium Economy: LHR to DXB
British Airways Premium Economy on the Dubai route, weighed against Emirates and against paying with Avios.
We paid, in full, every time. No comps. No gifts. No affiliate money from anyone mentioned here.
— Out of Ten