Brendon Mallon, who recently joined luxury hotel group Sani/Ikos as Sales Manager Scotland and Ireland, tells us about his favourite places to stay, eat and sleep, his love of Liverpool FC – and his go-to snack.
Born and brought up in… Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.
I never travel without… Spotify. I tend to stick to something a little bit heavy: AC/DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Alter Bridge, but I also love a bit of Blues, so the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore. Basically, (almost) anything with some decent guitar. I’m also starting to listen to the odd podcast for something a bit more cultured and kinder to the ears.
My go-to destination is… Majorca. I’ve always loved the north of the island for family beach holidays. Pollensa, Alcudia and C’an Picafort are particular favourites. Amazing beaches, blue seas and some great restaurant choices. I also enjoy Palma. Fantastic for a city break, and it also has a lovely resort feel to it too.
My favourite hotel for a weekend away is…the Slieve Donard in Newcastle, County Down. The Slieve Donard has a beautiful location at the foot of the Mourne Mountains and along the County Down coast. The views from the spa make it a really special place to chill before enjoying the rest of the hotel and the surrounding area.
The next place I’ll visit is… Ikos Andalusia, which will be a work trip for the new team to meet up for the first time.
My weakness is…crisps. I tend to like crisps with a strong flavour that will invoke a facial reaction of some sort – pickled onion, Worcester sauce and salt & vinegar are hard to beat.
My hero is… Kenny Dalglish. I’m a huge Liverpool fan and, in particular, of Kenny Dalglish. He was the star player when I was growing up, and since then he has been a real ambassador for the club and a true advocate for the fans.
The most famous person I’ve met is…Kevin Keegan, at a Liverpool Supporters Club dinner at a local golf club. A really interesting man with an amazing story to tell.
The three things I’d take to a desert island are… my guitar, a decent mattress and mosquito repellent.
The restaurant I’d choose for a perfect date is… Rudjer in Dubrovnik. My wife and I took a trip to Dubrovnik (without kids) a couple of years ago and did a bit of research before we went. Rudjer came up as a popular choice of restaurant so we booked it for one evening during our stay and fell in love with the place. Great location, amazing vibe, fantastic food and service. Would love to go back.
My biggest fear is…snakes. I’ve had a fear of snakes from a very young age, which started after a visit to the reptile enclosure at Dublin Zoo. A cobra decided to lunge at the glass in front of me and since then snakes and I have not been friends. I owe St Patrick a great debt of gratitude for driving them out of Ireland for me.
