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.
Author
Out of Ten
The travel scorecard nobody paid for. Anonymous.
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.