The staff here are very helpful. We went in on a sunday, this was due to shut at 4pm, but we were…read morelooking at holidays until 4.45! They were really nice and also gave their own opinion on places, which was nice as we needed some proper opinions! Good value for money, although it was a late deal. We had a problem with the accomodation and called them, straight away they got us to change. Brilliant.

My lord, i love crafty shops. This is like a mecca for…read morecrafty people! I've shopped around for various craft supplies and hobbycraft isn't as expensive as i thought it would be, it has the added bonus of being all under one roof. I don't agree with previous comments that it's a shop for lazy people, if you are short on time then it's the best place. Smaller more personable hobby shops which are lovely will inevitably be more expensive and smaller in size including options for stock so it depends what you are after. i used to buy online from independent sellers but you do get less for your money and if you are intending to sell your items you create like i do, every penny makes a difference. Another good place to check out is local garden Centres, would be surprised the things i've found! They sell an abundance of Christmas crafts, ribbon, buttons, pendants, beads, modelling craft, decoupage, flower arranging, kids crafts and art work, cake decorating icing/ materials and that's just down stairs! It does get very bust on weekends, deducting a star for the times i've had to wait in the que for half and hour or more. They do seem to lack the correct number of staff in my opinion but the staff they do have are helpful as can be. If you are just starting off looking for a new hobby or unsure where to go with some craft ideas, just go for a visit, your not obligated to buy anything. You'll get 1001 ideas and inspirations :)

Hobby Craft is basically a craft shop for lazy people, who don't really take craftwork that…read moreseriously. For if they did they would almost certainly shop around and get things cheaper, better and more specialized. For what it is though (craft shop for lazy people) it is pretty good as they have a wide selection of materials and pretty much everything you need under one roof. I have to admit using this one in particular as it is nice and big and I know they will have the specific item I'm looking for. If only the prices were that little bit cheaper. Sorry, scrap that, if only the prices were a lot cheaper, it would be a pretty good chained store. As it stands at the moment it is quite frankly a rip off.

Room212 is Bristol's smallest art gallery, but that's not to underestimate its importance. This…read moregallery ceaselessly provides homespun talent with an opportunity to be seen for a fraction of the price that they would have to pay elsewhere. Exhibitions change weekly and can be joint ventures or individual shows. The space can be booked from as little as £15 for the week and a 5% commission is chargeable on sales. And no, this isn't a typo! I didn't forget to add the zero! All enquiries to Henk: henk.mullen@gmail.com after checking out the lowdown on the website: http://www.room212.co.uk/ Artists man their own shows and are at liberty to open for as little or as long as they like. The savvy ones will post their opening times in the window and on the website. But even if it's not open when you happen to walk past, you can still view all of the pieces being exhibited from the window. It really is that small. If you do have the good fortune to chance upon it when the door is open I recommend that you step inside. You can hope to buy a piece of original art for as little as £10, and gain an intimate knowledge of the pieces on show from the artists themselves. The owner deserves a Knighthood!

Room 212 is the sort of place one can't write a lot about. Not because it lacks any particular…read morestyle or character. In fact it has great deals of both. Rather, because it is dynamic. It is an art space constantly changing. A collective of sorts, each week different artists can use the shop to display their art works. Some will use just the window and open for an hour a day. Others may open all day every day with their doors wide open to the public. And being different artists all the time they all have different contact details too. The one thing I can say is that every time I have walked past this original little number I have walked in. Something about the creativity or the freshness just pulls me in. So if local and independent artists doing their thing is what you like - see if you can walk by without stopping.

She's brilliant! Really quick, excellent work, chatty and incredibly good value. Lovely woman.read more

Molton Brown has got to be one of my all time favourite brands. This shop has been here for a bit…read morelonger than the new one at Cabot Circus in the centre of Bristol, but the products are really worth trying if you have never tried them before. DOn't be put off by the prices, yes they are more expensive than your normal high street brand but you get what you pay for. The staff are really helpful aswell and will always give some ideas to any men that want to treat the lady in his life!

The Royal West of England Academy is one of Bristol's most acclaimed art galleries and the grand…read morebuilding certainly alludes to an old, traditional atmosphere. While it is certainly true that the building is grand and steeped in history, the Academy recognises the importance of contemporary art and it regularly hosts exhibitions that would appeal to more than just art buffs. Entrance to the permanent exhibitions is free but you do have to pay to access all other shows (unless you try and sneak in to a private view, which is usually the night before the show opens to the public). Past exhibitions include Crimes of Passion, where the gallery was taken over by prominent local graffiti artists, and several modern drawing exhibits. The gallery also holds regular open exhibitions where artists of various levels and disciplines can submit work and there is definitely a focus on the importance of local art and student artists. A visit to the RWA is worth it and if you're not sure what's going on then check out the website for up-to-date information of past, present and future exhibitions.

Apparently this is Bristol's finest and most boasted about Art Gallery, but I have to say, until…read moretoday I had never heard of it! Not that I'm a massive Art Gallery fan or anything but if it were that much of a big deal I would have expected to have known about it! They have mixture of exhibitions on show, some that stay for longer than others, and the gallery rooms are quite breathtaking. Reasonably priced at £4.00 for an adult, £2.50 concessions, I probably wouldn't go back but it's nice to say I've been.

As far as wedding venues go, Rookery Manor is certainly one of the prettiest ones I've ever had the…read morepleasure of visiting. I attended a family wedding at the weekend, with both the ceremony and the reception taking place there. Clearly, a lot of thought has gone into the exterior. Classy fairylights (yes, they exist) decorated the trees, wooden walkways and external seating areas. The well-cared for pond, seating area and grounds are bathed in mood lighting, and romantic music is played late into the night. Perfect for a spot of dancing away from the crowds. The staff were excellent, and the reception took place in a beautiful room with a ceiling covered in twinkly lights. The food was nice and fairly fast. The only downside was the smaller bar and the short supply of bread rolls. For a smaller wedding (Under 150 guests) this is the perfect, intimate venue. Plus you can hit up W-S-M pier the next day. Which, obviously, is the best way to get rid of a hangover.

So I give 4 stars for how beautiful this place is. You literally get to stay in a manor with views…read moreof the gorgeous ground. Perfect for weddings. And the manager Nigel was super helpful & professional. As well as Sasa who works the restaurant. He really made our trip special. So most of the people that work there are super nice. But the place is not run very well at all. It very difficult to book a spa treatment. We called days before & no one got back to us. When we did finally get a treatment they over charged for a treatment that wasn't given. Our room wasn't serviced as house keeping was under staffed. The bedside lamp didnt have a bulb in it. There weren't enough towels for 2 people...etc. Just very under staffed. Also the restaurant menu was very limited & not the best food. So we had a pleasant stay but with more attention to detail, it could be a lot better. For those reasons I give 4 stars instead of 5.

If your buying a gift and there's a possibility you might need to return the item then go somewhere…read moreelse. Warren James have a no refund policy. They like to take your money and run. A bit odd when the business they're in is predominantly selling gifts that may not be wanted. They don't tell you this when purchasing either. They also charged me for a gift bag which I didn't get. After contacting customer services I found that they were as helpful as a hole in a parachute. I will definitely avoid them in future. Someones going to get a bargain on ebay.

Warren James is a lovely Jewellery store situated in Kingsway Shopping Centre. You can notice it by…read morethe glass display, and plenty of shimmering gold and silver to glisten in your eyes as you walk past. You can't help but want to go have a look at their organised and very sophisticated display of such beautiful jewellery ranging from rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants etc. It's not a very big store, but it is big enough and staff are very helpful and also offer to put your jewellery in a giftbox and bag, if it is meant for a gift. Obviously you have to pay for this too.