No matter what your reason for renting luxury serviced apartments in Liverpool, you’re sure to start whistling the famous song the moment you see your first ferry crossing the Mersey. It’s an iconic image that hasn’t changed since the 1960s, when Gerry Marsden first penned those famous words.

There have been ferries crossing the Mersey since Mediaeval times – they were recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the 14th century, Birkenhead Priory ran the service to the tiny village of Liverpool. Following the dissolution of the monasteries, the ferries were run as privately owned, fully rigged sailing ships. Not a good idea, on a foggy river with little wind!

Literally hundreds of ferries have come and gone over the years – including fully rigged sailing ships. Not a good idea in a narrow shipping channel with heavy fogs and little wind!  In 1914, the SS Iris and Daffodil served as troop ships, resulting in the word “Royal” being added to their names. The Royal naming tradition continued until 1960, when a new generation of “super modern” diesel ferries were launched. Their grand titles – Woodchurch, Mountwood and Overchurch – were names of post-war housing developments! Given a total refit in the 1990s, they were renamed Snowdrop, Royal Daffodil and Royal Iris  – the latest generation of “Royal Flowers” on the Mersey.

We at Serviced City Pads have a number of serviced apartments in Liverpool’s waterfront district, where you can watch these historic vessels chugging away to your heart’s content. To learn more, book accommodation in Liverpool and head for the fascinating maritime museum.

Many people book accommodation in Liverpool to explore the water. It does have rather more than its fair share, with both the Mersey river and the Manchester Ship Canal to choose from. Both offer cruises and excursions – a fascinating way to explore the Wirral’s industrial and natural heritage.

Even if you aren’t a fan of the water, you can’t book into serviced apartments in Liverpool without taking a Ferry across the Mersey. No other river crossing has attracted so much attention – it even had a song written about it. As well as regular crossings to and from the Wirral Peninsula, the Mersey Ferry company (operating under Mersey Travel) offers the Big Mersey Adventure, River Explorer cruises, Manchester Ship Canal cruises and Special Cruises with live bands. If you regularly book luxury serviced apartments in Liverpool for business purposes, check out Mersey Ferry boat chartering – a much more original venue for a corporate function than the usual tired conference room.

The Mersey has been running a ferry service since the 12th century or earlier, and over the years has seen hundreds of vessels come and go. The current fleet dates from the 1960s, and it’s thrilling to think you can stand on the same hallowed decks the Beatles used. Most cities would have scrapped their fleet long before, replacing it with modern vessels.

Whether you are renting serviced apartments in Liverpool for business or pleasure, we at Serviced City Pads guarantee you’ll be crossing the Mersey again and again.

Whether you are in Edinburgh for pleasure or business, we at Serviced City Pads recommend some gentle rambles along the river Leith as the perfect accompaniment to a stay in one of our Edinburgh serviced apartments.

The Water of Leith runs through the centre of Edinburgh. Easily accessible by both road and rail, those booking accommodation in Edinburgh can cycle the whole route in one day, as the entire river is only 24 miles long. Walkers and cyclists can tackle it in a series of stages. This is the best way, as each mile is crammed with things to see.

Dean Bridge, a dramatic construction across a deep gorge, was built by Thomas Telford in the 1830s. The area here was once lined with numerous mills. There are still numerous remnants of Edinburgh’s industrial past to be found, and anyone booking serviced apartments in Edinburgh’s New Town will find it an easy stroll to discover some of them and there are lots of other places and points of interest to be seen in Edinburgh, even if you are here on business.

It’s a downhill ramble past Stockbridge, Inverleith and Cannonmills – as the name suggests, this is where the great cannons used at the castle were forged. There are many more things to see between here and Port Leith, including gardens, museums and stately homes. Book luxury apartments in Edinburgh, and we at Serviced City Pads guarantee the “silver ribbon” of the river Leith will enchant you as it has so many others.

History lovers staying at luxury serviced apartments in Manchester’s city centre may feel they’ve booked into a cultural desert, but this is not so. There is a wealth of civic and industrial landmarks to visit – many of which were well established long before the Industrial Revolution even arrived. Chief among these has to be Chetham’s Library. The oldest free public reference library in Great Britain and the oldest English language library in Europe, it’s a “must see” for anyone renting serviced apartments in Manchester city centre.

Chetham’s is easy to overlook, hidden as it is just off Millennium Square and next to the stunningly futuristic Urbis Centre. In 2009 the centre had a “Hidden Manchester” exhibition. A truly surreal experience was to wander the flatiron contours of this award-winning masterpiece; all glass, steel and digital technology – and then head for its Hidden Manchurian neighbour, where the books are chained to the wall as they were in the 17th century. The building itself is one of the oldest in Manchester, part of the 15th century Chetham’s Music School.

Although you can’t borrow the books (the oldest public lending library in the UK is at St Mary’s Church, in Surrey) you can still use them for reference. Once inside, you can take Manchester’s staunch tradition of Socialism to heart, and sit at the same window seat Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx sat, while Engels was composing his masterpiece, “The Condition of the Working Classes in England.”

Whatever your political beliefs, we at Serviced City Pads recommend a visit to Chetham’s for any “culture vulture” booking accommodation in Manchester.

We at Serviced City Pads try to make life as easy as possible for our clients, which means ensuring their accommodation in London is near to major transport hubs. We have several apartments in London’s Charing Cross district – near famous landmarks like Trafalgar Square, the Monument and, of course, Charing Cross Station. Whether you’ve booked serviced apartments in London for business or pleasure, here are a few unusual facts about the Charing Cross area.

For example, did you know Trafalgar Square is available for company bookings? Rallies and marches are free of charge, while filming, photo shoots and performance-based activities cost £500 – £1000 per hour, with a flat rate of £500 – £10,000 per day thereafter. You could book an awful lot of nights in one of our London serviced apartments for that, although it isn’t really that much, when you consider that in return you get private use of one of London’s most iconic landmarks. A more affordable option is to book Parliament Square Garden instead. This is still public, and yours for just £200 per hour.

Charing Cross station is unusual as it connects directly to two other London railway termini – Waterloo and London Bridge. It was built on the Hungerford Market site in 1864. The Charing Cross Hotel, built in the French Renaissance style, was finished a year later.

With excellent rail, tube and bus links across London and the UK, our serviced apartments in London Charing Cross are always in demand.

Rent serviced apartments in Birmingham and you’re within easy distance of the NEC – the National Exhibition Centre. Famous for its trade shows and public exhibitions, it is also the home of the world’s biggest dog show – Crufts. Whether you’re a dog lover, exhibitor or just plain curious, we at Serviced City Pads can’t imagine any better reason to book Birmingham serviced apartments than to view this yearly event.

March 2010 marks the 109th Crufts dog Show. Originally housed at London’s Kensington Olympia, Crufts switched venues in 1991, its centenary year. It has remained at the NEC ever since, and with so much accommodation in Birmingham so nearby, its no wonder that this event is so popular.  A magnet for tradespersons, exhibitors and the public alike, Crufts has faced controversy in the past, owing to some of the extreme breeding practices that used to be in practice by exhibitors. The modern approach is markedly different, with the emphasis on healthy, happy dogs and the role dogs play in society.

This year, DFS will be celebrating the relationships that exist between dogs and their owners. The most popular judging event is the Best of Show award, but the show-ring hosts a number of “doggy” events besides the winning classes. Popular attractions include rescue service demonstrations, the World Agility Championships and the Friends for Life competition, which features tales of bravery and friendship in adversity.

Crufts is amazingly good value for such a big event, and you can stretch the budget even further by ignoring the NEC chain hotels, and renting luxury serviced apartments in Birmingham from us at Serviced City Pads instead. Not only are they better value, they are far more central to Birmingham’s other attractions.

One of Birmingham’s busiest venues is the National Exhibition Centre. We at Serviced City Pads guarantee you can book accommodation in Birmingham any week of the year, and there will be some trade show or public convention going on there. The NEC attracts capacity crowds every time the doors open.

If you want luxury serviced apartments in Birmingham’s NEC area, be warned that you will be near the airport and not much else, although the NEC has excellent rail and bus links.

If you are here on business, you will no doubt know the NEC well. Companies booking Birmingham serviced apartments for NEC conferences include those from the fashion, photographic, brewery, printing, food and wine industries – to name just a few.

Annual trade expos in Spring 2010 include: the 21st International PROMOTA Show (organised by the Promotional Merchandise Trade Association), the Food & Drink Expo (the UK’s largest food and drink trade exhibition), and the Off Licence Show – the only one of its kind in the UK.  Public events include the National Wedding Show, the Hobbycrafts exhibition, the International Dolls’ House Modelling Show, the Times Holiday and Travel Show and the National Outdoor Show.

Business travellers and recreational visitors alike are waking up to the fact that you can enjoy the NEC better from a distance. Trade and public exhibitions, while enjoyable, are hot, crowded and tiring. That’s why so many people jump in their cars and head for luxury serviced apartments in Birmingham’s chic city areas afterwards, in preference to overpriced local hotels.

People renting accommodation in Edinburgh know about its famous landmarks – Edinburgh Castle, the royal Mile, Mary King’s Close and more. Alongside the city’s arts program, they ensure the city is buzzing with visitors all year round. But did you know that, for a short time each year, the Doors Open Days program allows visitors access to places of interest not normally open to the public?

Similar to the Heritage Days program that operates south of the border, Doors Open allows visitors the opportunity to “explore some of Edinburgh’s most architecturally, culturally and socially significant buildings,” entirely for free (charity donations welcome). Visitors have the opportunity to walk around stately homes, gardens, observatories, private collections and other attractions that are either not open to the public, or only accessible for a fee. We at Serviced City Pads provide serviced apartments across Edinburgh that are located within some of the main attractions’ areas.

Edinburgh is one of a number of cities across Scotland and Europe with a Doors Open Day program. Jointly organised by the Cockburn Association (the city’s civic trust) and Edinburgh Trams, properties in 2009 included heritage landmarks, civic sites, castles, museums, gardens and follies.  Participating venues included St Andrew’s House (home of the Scottish government), 19th century Drumsheugh Baths (home of the oldest swimming club in Edinburgh), Lauriston Castle and the Nelson monument. All venues had behind the scenes tours, exhibitions, talks and activities – many of them aimed at children.

A stay in one of our luxury serviced apartments in Edinburgh is a must for families. For the ultimate cultural experience, we at Serviced City Pads strongly recommend you download the Doors Open brochure (due out in August) and book one of our Edinburgh serviced apartments this autumn.

Taking a trip to Birmingham, whether for necessity or leisure, in all circumstances ignites curiosity, partiuclarly  regarding what atttractions the city has to offer its tourists. If your visit entails that you need to stay in accommodation in Birmingham, it becomes much easier to visit one of the city’s main assets: Cadbury World.

The news that Cadbury’s has been bought by US food giant Kraft was greeted with groans of dismay – not just in Birmingham, but across the world, as Cadbury’s was seen as a truly British institution.

One of the biggest concerns, particularly among those booking accommodation in Birmingham for tourism, has been what will happen to Cadbury World?

A chocolate-lover and sightseers’ paradise, this famous tourist attraction doesn’t intend to alter too much. Cadbury World does, after all, encompass the most American of traditions with its theme park, so there’s a packed program of events for 2010.

One of Birmingham’s largest attractions, Cadbury World has half a million visitors a year. A one-way tour takes in 14 zones, exploring the fascinating history of the company as well as the chocolate confectionery trade. Then it’s off to the shop or cafe, to imbibe some calories. Cadbury World is as useful for corporate outings as family visits, and group bookings are available.

The site is near Selly Oak station with good transport links into town, so no matter where you book apartments in Birmingham, the site is easy to get to. We at Serviced City Pads recommend you visit Cadbury World at least once during your stay, as it truly is one of Birmingham’s main features. With events going on every week throughout the year, it is no wonder people choose to rent apartments in Birmingham to visit this top attraction.

Wherever you rent serviced apartments in Edinburgh, you are within easy reach of the dramatic Water of Leith. Focus is usually on the cultural and architectural attractions of the town – the castle, museums and university. But there is another part of Edinburgh that those renting accommodation in Edinburgh’s city centre rarely see – the beautiful green spaces and woodlands of its river landscape.

Practically every ancient city in Europe has a river at its heart, and Edinburgh is no different. As well as being sited on the Firth of Forth, it has its own river, flowing through the centre of the city. What is more, you can book apartments in Edinburgh with us at Serviced City Pads, and travel the entire length in just one short stay. By bicycle or on foot, the Water of Leith is just 24 miles from stem to stern. The entire route is accessible by car, and it has good bus and rail links.

The river begins its journey at the picturesque Colzium Springs in the Pentland Hills. From here, it passes beautiful Cairns Castle, Balerno (where it picks up the Water of Leith Walkway), Juniper Green, Dean Village, near Edinburgh city centre and more. It passes numerous historical and natural points of interest, before ending at the port of Leith.

We at Serviced City Pads can think of nothing better than a ramble along this beautiful river walkway, followed by a warm soak in the bathroom of one of our luxury serviced apartments in Edinburgh.