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JULIA’S JOURNAL
DAISH’S – "UK’S MOST FRIENDLY HOTEL GROUP"
We were delighted to be nominated as finalists in the “Most Friendly Hotel Group or Chain” category in the annual GTO magazine awards in London in June. And we were absolutely amazed when our name was called as category winners. For once even I was totally speechless! It is doubly exciting for us, as we were up against a host of large, well known chains – and of course, because the awards depend on the votes cast by you, the group organiser. It shows, I suppose, that you don’t have to be big to be friendly. So may I thank all of you on behalf of Daish’s, who voted for us.
GROUP LEISURE AWARDS FINALIST TOO!
I am also delighted that Daish’s Holidays was voted a finalist in the Best Accommodation for Groups (4 or less properties) category in this year’s Group Leisure Awards, by readers of Group Leisure magazine. We didn’t win this time, but were still absolutely delighted to be nominated.
Our groups business continues to grow and grow – we’re just about full for Tinsel and Turkey, have several groups booked in for Christmas and New Year, our early 2013 bookings are going really well, and we have lots of enquiries for 2014. So we look forward to welcoming our regulars back before long. We also hope that these awards will persuade those who haven’t yet tried us that we are not only offer great value, year round holidays for groups – but that we are also, officially, FRIENDLY!
Daish’s Torquay GTO Weekend April 12th-15th 2013
Our next GTO Weekend, from April 12th -15th in our Devonshire Hotel in Torquay is now open for booking. This will be a three-night “group organiser only” package, including a full day and a half day excursion, presentations from Daish’s colleagues and other partners. The price for this weekend is £75 per person in single, double or twin room, for 3 nights half board accommodation, entertainment and excursions as listed. This will be refunded in full if you make a new group booking with us! And, for the first time, we will be running two coaches*, one from the Midlands and one from the South East, to get you here!
Friday, April 12th. Make your way to our Torquay Devonshire Hotel. Devon Cream Tea on arrival. Welcome drinks, dinner and live entertainment.
Saturday, April 13th. Choice of 2 full day excursions (provisional)
Dinner and entertainment in the hotel.
Sunday April 14th. 2 Half day excursions; Cathedral City Exeter or Agatha Christie’s Greenway.
Afternoon presentation from Daish’s Groups team, hotel managers and associate companies. Gala evening, with Bucks Fizz reception, dinner and entertainment.
Coach 1: Nottingham, Leicester, Hopwood Services, Dudley, Gloucester
Coach 2: Ipswich, Maidstone, Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Dorchester
Please call or email me for further details, or for a tailor-made, no-obligation quote for your group. We have also changed our phone number – and have gone back to a Torquay number for all calls
Of the 250 or so groups that travel with Daish’s each year, many are repeat visitors, of course. But there are also several first timers. Here are two brief reports from the organiser of one of each, following their recent visits
GROUP REPORT – DAISH’S REGULAR, Marjorie Attwater, SHORNARA, Kent
After our 1st holiday to Bournemouth last year, the group wanted to try another
Daish’s experience, and chose Torquay. Julia helped us find some really interesting themed excursions; we did “Historic East Devon” on one day, including the Duke of Devon’s home at Powderham (pictured). Then we did Elizabethan Totnes, followed by a cruise down the Dart, past Agatha Christie’s Greenway to the Naval town of Dartmouth. We don’t normally enjoy guided tours as a group, but these were both informative and entertaining. And the hotel was every bit as good as Bournemouth
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GROUP REPORT – DAISH’S FIRST TIMER - Eric Odle, Fulham Church Social Club
I had my first taste of Daish’s on the Newquay GTO weekend in April. I could see straight away that it would be perfect for my group – friendly staff, good food, good standard rooms, sensible prices- and lots to see and do. Julia offered me a relatively short-term date, the June “Decades” special, and was able to find enough singles to keep my lot happy. The tour quickly sold out, and we came with a full coach. It seems such a long way from home, but we there by mid-afternoon after a comfortable trip with friendly, courteous and helpful driver Wayne. Having seen the magnificent Trebah gardens in March, I just had to take the group there – it was an absolute riot of colour, and well worth a visit. Padstow was another excursion; everyone had heard about it and wanted to sample the food! The Decade entertainment was fun too, though some of the group were just as happy to wander around town in the evenings – the hotel is next to Tolcarne beach, with magnificent views across the waves. On the GTO weekend we had cloudless skies all weekend. The sun did come out occasionally in June, but a great time was had by all, whatever the weather. Julia Pearce, Groups Supervisor
Call 01803 201432 or Email
Julia@daishs.com
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