Leisure Travel Dream Hotels

Cruising my way to Norway !

2015-08-02T06:32:00.003-07:00

I could not be more excited my upcoming trip to Norway with Celebrity Cruises in May ! I have never been to this part of the Europe and never been on a cruise either so it will be a double new experience.

The Celebrity Eclipse

We will be departing from Southampton at 4.30pm on Friday 3rd May 2013. The city has been operating luxury cruises since 1840 and therefore bursting with history so we will take a look around before “coming on board”. Our boat, the Celebrity Eclipse promises modern luxury, a wide variety of restaurants, bars and activities !

The cruise will take place over 8 days with days at sea and days with stops inland. We will be visiting :

Molde, the City of Roses
Alesund, one of the most important fishing harbour in Norway
Flam, the Father of Fjords
Bergen, a charming and historical city
Stavanger, the fourth largest city in Norway

Norwegian Fjords Cruise

Have you been to any of this cities in Norway ?
Do you have any advise or recommendation for me ?

Concierge class :
Spacious accommodations complete with special privileges like priority check-in, personalized Concierge service, priority preferred seating in the main dining room and specialty restaurants, evening hors d’oeurves, plush Frette® bathrobes, and veranda with lounge seating.

I will tell you all about it on my way back to London and keep you updated during my trip of course !

Discover Norway with Visit Norway or connect via twitter @VisitNorway .

Can’t wait to experience Norway and its amazing landscape !

Although I hope to learn more words, here is some useful Norwegian words that I will happily practice during my time in land !!

Saying goodbye to the Summer Holidays

2015-08-02T06:31:00.005-07:00

I don’t know about you but this summer has gone like a blink of an eye ! I have been to France and to Austria and now back in London and ready to tackle the long Autumn / Winter ahead of us.

I had some incredible memories of my holidays this year… Let’s check out some of my favourite moments :

Going to the Ile de Bendor is always a special moment, but this year even more… I met with Emily my wonderful wedding planner http://www.myplandetable.com at my wedding venue… do you like the view ?

I discovered the old town of Toulon one sunny morning with my Mum… time seems to have stopped and the architecture reflects the past of the city wonderfully.

Having a glass of Champagne in front of St Paul could not have been surrealist ! Yes, London, you still surprises me after all those years !

The beauty of Velden, the Monte Carlo of Austria in Carinzia is a little gem…

A little boat trip on a sunny day on the lake Faaker See in Austria. The colour of the water of this lake is just mind blowing !!

Fiji, where happiness finds you…

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Blessed with 333 beautiful tropical islands, and over 110 inhabited ones, Fiji is the destination to head to for a romantic holiday, honeymoon, wedding, weekend breakers visiting Australia and New Zealand, volunteer travellers, or sport junkies,… there is indeed, plenty of space and activities to fit all travellers needs and requirements.

The climate in Fiji is amazing from temperatures in the summer on average at 31C and 29C in winter…not really winter to me !

Fiji has its fair share of history which reflects in a very rich and interesting culture, food, traditions. Fijians are such warm and adorable people, seating around the kava, I listened to beautiful love songs and stories from the past… I watched with great interest the warrior dances and I emerged myself into the “Fiji Time” helped by the properties of Kava !!

The Fijian cuisine has been influenced by all the diverse community living on the islands : Fijians, Polynesians Indians, Europeans,… I was amazed to taste the best chicken curry of my life, Fijian style ! Coconut is of course being used a lot in the cooking and can be find in cakes, but curry and fresh sea food salad as well.

Check out the video that was filmed at the event I attended hosted by the High Commissioner of Fiji, the Tourism Fiji… Click on the link to access the video !

How to get there :

Air Pacific (soon to be Fiji Airways) is Fiji’s international carrier that has direct flights from Auckland, Christchurch, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. So if you’re travelling from the UK you will need to change over at one of these cities on the way.

To discover more about the Islands of Fiji, visit www.fijime.com and for your chance to win a fantastic trip to Fiji worth over £10,000 visit Tourism Fiji’s facebook page and take the happiness test to find out what kind of happy you are: http://bit.ly/Fiji_Happiness_Test_EU1

A big thank you to the High Commission of Fiji for organising the event… Next time, see you in Fiji !

My first cruise on board of the Celebrity Cruise

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Holidaying in a huge ship wasn’t exactly my idea of a vacation but when my other half said we were off to Norway on board of the Celebrity Cruise, I said why not, after all, it will be a holiday !

So here we were in Southampton on a sunny Friday afternoon queuing to check in to board this amazing Eclipse ship. The check in process was a very well organised and rather fast operation, held by friendly staff members.

Pretty impressive isn’t it ?

Now I know what you are doing… I counted them all as well !!

Arriving in our room, we were delighted with the size of it and the apparent comfort. The room included a large king size bed, storage, a wardrobe, large plasma screen TV, mini bar (refiled daily), a seating area. The bathroom compromised a sink, sufficient storage, toiletries (no branding) a walk in shower, bathrobes and lots of fluffy towels.

The balcony was large enough to incorporate two chairs and a table. If only the weather had been a bit warmer in Norway, we would have use it more. I could only imagine how lovely it must have been when touring the Mediterranean Sea.

Soon after getting familiar with our stateroom, we met our room Attendant Jimmy who introduce himself and made sure everything was in order for us. Jimmy has proved to be an amazing attendant and really cater to all our needs with discretion and attention to details.

The décor and the design on the boat was reflecting luxury, over 15 floors, the ship offered many restaurants & bars, disco, lounges, cafes, indoor & outdoor pools – obviously we did not try that one!! The gym was equipped with modern machines and had the most amazing view which made my daily run so much more enjoyable !

Inside pool & Jacuzzi

Our evening dinner on the main dining restaurant was every day delicious and immaculately presented. Each night the Head Chef offered us a different menu with a wide selection of starters, Main including fish & meat and desserts. The service provided by the restaurant team was excellent – the best we ever had.

Dinner with a view !

Martini any one ?

We tried the Spa which uses Elemis products and the experience was was truly amazing. The only down side was the service charge added later on to the bill. It is not something we are used to in the UK and Europe so we ended up paying much more than we anticipated.

Many activities were organised during our week on the Eclipse but being a “tiny bit” younger than the crowd Celebrity Cruise normally cater for, we did not participate to any of them. However, we attended to one of the evening show in the theatre which was fantastic, we felt like in a theatre in London. To add a touch of glamour we played a bit of $$ in the casino !!

Theatre were shows and presentations were organised daily.

Vegas time !!

Relaxation is taken to another level with the on-board…I think we have never been so relaxed in all our life ! Coming back to busy London was really tough ! The level of service offered by each team member is outstanding and could not recommend it enough.

Is this island available for rent ?

Open sea view…

The only negative points towards Celebrity Cruise was not to have paid enough attention when scheduling the cruise to Norway. The week organised fell during a bank holiday which meant most of the shops, restaurants, museums were closed and the streets empty when we were in land. For most of the older guests it was not a problem as they only went as far as the souvenir shops! but for those like us who wanted to discover the culture and the people of Norway, Celebrity Cruise really failed us.

The target audience. Don’t take me wrong, I have nothing against the older generation but being on a huge ship for a week with an average age of passenger closer to 90 years old was tough for a newly engaged couple.

After a week on the cruise, with its up and down, my sea sickness, the fight at the buffet (let me not get into details!!) would I come back… the answer is YES but…not before another good 30 years :-)

Exclusive travel by Haute Compass

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To all Iphone fans and fellow travellers, there is a new travel app that you do not want to miss ! Haute Compass has now launched its new application and is available – for free – on the app store.

The Exclusive Travel by Haute Compass app can be found on the App store.

The work on the Exclusive travel app, as Haute Compass founder Malin Lundberg Müller explained to me started about a year ago. She is now completely satisfied with the final product and believes it will help out over travellers like her. Here is the interview I made with Malin…

When did the idea came to you to create this application ?

The idea has been growing slowly for about 1 year and a half, and no, I am no technical freak, my background is legal so you can imagine how much I have learned through the process !

How this application is different to the other travel application ?

One difference is the quantity. Over 1,000 personal recommendations in London, Berlin, Milan, Hong Kong, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Dubai and the French Riviera are reviewed in the app and by using the same design users get the immediate “touch and feel” of my website Haute Compass.

The app also has a “near me” function which allows you to search for the recommended exclusive places that are close to your current position. But the biggest difference to other apps is that all recommended places can use the app as a channel for their news and promos with their own login which enables the user to get the latest directly from the source.

How can travellers use the application to help their travels ?

The traveller needs less planning since the app is always with you and up to date, you can for example be strolling around in a new city with a quick consultation of the app get invaluable knowledge about your surroundings. Is there maybe a trendy roof bar across the street, or a popular concept store?

By using the app Exclusive Travel by Haute Compass you get very much local knowledge and there is no need to carry around all those articles you previously have pulled out from in-flight magazines, FT weekend, and well all those great sources on exclusive travelling.

Introducing the new Preferred Hotels & Resorts

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This week has been rather exciting watching Preferred Hotel Group introducing the brand new Preferred Hotels & Resorts on social media ! If you have missed it, look out for the #ThePreferredLife hashtag on twitter & instagram, so many hotels part of the chain have been participating to the launch, it was really great fun to discover the new and improve PHG. This rebrand represents the company’s commitment to help travelers better identify the hotel that will provide them with a luxury experience in a fashion that meets their life and style preferences for each occasion. Travelers can now browse and book stays at any of the 650 hotels, resorts, and luxury residences represented within the Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio via a new brand website, www.PreferredHotels.com. Understanding that travelers have different objectives for each individual trip, each property within the new brand portfolio has been aligned with one of five collections — Legend, LVX, Lifestyle, Connect, and Preferred Residences. The exciting part now is for me to guess which categories my preferred (no joke) Preferred Hotels & Resorts are now branded under!

My experience with Thai Airways

2015-08-02T06:23:00.002-07:00

Going to Thailand on holiday only meant we had to book with Thai Airways to experience the airline famous service. Of course, I could have booked with BA and get extra points or Qatar Airways but it made more sense to book the country pride and joy !

Our journey was London heathrow T2 to Bangkok, Bangkok to Phuket / and return. The checkin online was relatively easy to do and confirmation were sent within seconds to my inbox. We had the opportunity to check in 2 luggages of 30 kg each in economy so if you love bringing back souvenirs it will be ideal.

Arriving on board : we were nicely welcomed by the team and pointed out to our seats. Sadly, the flights were almost full when we booked our last minute trip so we ended up at the back of the aircraft…not ideal when you have to catch the connection to Phuket in less than 45min !

I was meant to take pictures of the meals…sorry about that but I did not have the time to do so ! We really liked the food served on board…i can’t believe i am saying this but my husband only wants to fly Thai because of the food now ;-)

We flew Economy and there, i must say, it was difficult….12h is a long flight for a claustrophobic like me. The Width of the seat was a bit small for me…i know i am large from the bottom but when you spend that amount of hours next to a stranger it was hell. However, on the return flight the legroom was a fantastic surprise compared than the way in – when i had a panic attack when seating down due to the lack of space.

When arriving in Bangkok we had to go through immigration and security again which was really not practical as it was busy and we had the connection to Phuket waiting. Sadly, no one from Thai Airways was at the arrival to guide us so it was a bit of a struggle. The same happened on the way back…we arrived in Bangkok at C8 and our next flight was C6 but the airline made us go back all the way down to domestic arrival for us to walk back to international departure. Very stressful ! So remember to allow yourself a bit of extra time if you are connecting….

The crew was extremely charming and elegant – i loved the uniforms. They kept the aircraft extremely clean – i was impressed to see them filling up on tissues, toilet paper and perfume during the flight ! We were offered drinks on a regular basis which i never experienced with British Airways… I really felt that the crew cared about the Economy Class well being.

Arriving in Phuket Airport around 7pm, we were pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make our way around and find the exit. The buzz, heat and humidity was a bit overwhelming after spending all that time on the aircrafts but loved Thailand from the moment we arrived…

Welcome to Phuket Airport !

So would I fly again with Thai Airways ? without a doubt yes… but i will try to book earlier if Economy Class to pick the 2 seats in the back – don’t like sharing with strangers on rows of 3 or 5 ! But of course, i will try to convince my husband to book Royal Silk Class ;-)

Wondering which category to book with Thai Airways ? The ailine offers 3 options :

* Economy :

Between 32 and 36″ seat pitch depending on the aircraft type, some of the most generous legroom amongst all airlines worldwide.

* Royal Silk Class – Business Class :

Angled shell design seats have 58-62″ of pitch and a width of 20-21.5″. Seats have lumbar massage and are equipped with 10 to 15″ AVOD screens. For flights four hours or more, a travel kit is presented, containing a selection of toiletries and cosmetic products, together with an eye shade, comfort socks and toothbrush set. On flights to Japan and Korea, slippers are offered as a substitute to socks. The exclusive Royal Silk Class toilets are generously equipped with leading brands of toiletries, such as eau de Cologne, eau de toilette, and moisturizing hand cream.

* Royal First Class – First Class :

Spacious semi-private suites nearly 8 feet long, seat width is a generous 23 inches on the new-model Boeing 747s and expansive 27 inches on the Airbus A380s. In-flight entertainment systems boast 23-inch flat screens with approximately 130 films, 300 television programmes, 500 music CDs and a huge variety of games and special features. Champagne on arrival, gourmet catering and lavishing caviar serving.

Pictures by Luxury Chic Travel and Thai Airways.

The College Hotel – Amsterdam

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I stayed at The College Hotel in Amsterdam last week during a trip to Netherlands. The hotel is located in the fashionable area, right in the city’s Fashion & Museum district. The building used to be a secondary school which gives the outside and the inside of the hotel an extra character and particular atmosphere.

My room was comfortable, cozy and extremely quiet.I found the colour scheme of beige and browns relaxing which was fantastic after a long day running around the city for appointments. The bed was large with soft pillows… The room compromised very large windows to create an impression of space and great light. WIFI was complimentary so I could work from my room although to be honest, it was a tiny bit dark in the evening…

My bathroom was stunning with a powerful rain shower and Aroma Therapy products. Naturally, housekeeping provided me with a bathrobe and sleepers. I learnt later though that not all bathrooms are as spacious as the one I had. For reference : it was room 120 !!

What I loved the most about the hotel is the really well thought design and attention to details from lamps to chairs, to tables, wallpapers, flowers…. The breakfast was flawless with abundance of pastries, croissants (some of the best I ate in hotels…outside France!), cold meats, cheeses…

Amsterdam is only 45min away from London using British Airways from London City Airport, the fares are affordable so I will definitely plan a romantic get away in the near future….and The College Hotel will be on top of my list !

Recharge your batteries at the Luxury Tivoli Marina Vilamoura in the Algarve, Portugal

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With the famous Marina on one side and its own concessioned beach, Tivoli Marina Vilamoura is a reference for luxury tourism in the Algarve.

A stage for large events, important meetings and the launch of new products, the congress centre of this 5-star Vilamoura hotel has a capacity for 1200 people. The lively social and nightlife of Vilamoura attracts many local celebrities from different areas who come to enjoy the holidays and weekends of complete relaxation, where there is plenty to do such as shopping, a visit to the casino and golf. In the gardens of this resort in the Algarve, guests can pamper themselves at the Angsana Spa choosing from a vast range of invigorating treatments in the best oriental tradition and enjoy delicious delicacies in the hotel’s restaurants and bars.

Reenergize your body with an unforgettable experience where tranquillity merges with physical and mental well-being.

Puro Beach, restaurant & lounge bar

In a cool and relaxed setting, the Menta restaurant, in Vilamoura, has the perfect atmosphere for a buffet or à la carte lunch.

Pepper’s Steakhouse is a not-to-be-missed dining experience in Vilamoura where you can enjoy the best meat dishes available, cooked to perfection and accompanied by a variety of excellent sauces and dressings.

The Presidential Suite has separate living and sleeping areas and a balcony with a view of the marina. The sophisticated and elegant decoration combines perfectly with comfortable furnishings, including a King Size T/Bed and 2 bathrooms.

46m2 suites accommodating up to four people. The living area is separated from the bedroom by a sliding door and the suites have a fabulous view of the sea. The bedrooms are equipped with the latest technology, ensuring that you have the facilities and comfort of home.

Located on the first, second and seventh floors, these spacious rooms cover an area of 34m2 and have either sea or marina views. They have a private balcony, twin or double beds and can accommodate up to three people

Top spot for those looking for a refreshing, innovative and relaxing experience with the finishing touch of a superb panoramic view of Vilamoura Marina.

Insólito Boutique Hotel in Búzios, Brazil

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Insólito Boutique Hotel was born from the idea to create a new concept of Boutique Hotels in Brazil. Located in the famous beach retreat of Búzios, only two hours by car from Rio de Janeiro, Insólito is built on a rock outcrop over the most beautiful beach in Búzios, the Ferradura Beach, in the middle of luxuriant nature, offering its guests an exclusive, breathtaking and privileged view.

Insólito Boutique Hotel : When nature meet luxury…

Insólito Boutique Hotel : A model of Integration with the luxurious nature of Brazil.

The Insólito Boutique Hotel has ample social areas, with two pools, one with fresh water and the other with sea water, located on the seafront with a depth of four meters, where it is possible to carry out diving baptisms. There are also saunas and Turkish baths, ofuro, jacuzzi, gym, bicycles and lounge decorated with designer objects.

Each of the 3 pools Insólito offers a stunning view of Ferradura beach.

The well-being Centre offers several types of massage, such as relaxing, ayurvedic, lymphatic drainage, shiatsu, reiki, modelling drainage and clay therapy. Yoga classes are also available at the hotel !

The restaurant, A Galeria offers a delicious culinary trip and the opportunity to explore the flavours of a Franco-Brazilian fusion. A highly qualified service team ensures that the recipes created and executed by the young talent Chef Teresa Brasil and Chef Patissier Bertrant Materne will be delivered to the customers in a personalized and friendly manner.

Insólito offers 6 propositions of design for his hosts, comfortable accommodations with exclusive decoration. The Terra Brasil, Negro Culture, Music, Literature and Photography and the Modernism’s Houses are the best translation for the history’s and Brazilian design’s concepts of the hotel.

Each rooms compromise the following amenities : sealy mattresses, Towels Karsten Zero Twist, Bathrobe Trussardi, Split air-conditioning, Safe, Frigo bar, Hairdryer, Amenities Granado, LCD screen, DVD reader, cable tv, Wi-fi.

Thanks to the charm and refinement, Insólito Boutique Hotel was elected as one of the best hotels in Latin America by the renowned guide Condé Nast Johansens 2009; one of the Top 10 remarkable hotels of the world 2011 by Casa Vogue Brasil and Most Excellent Beach Hotel 2012 in South America by Condé Nast Johansens, the international luxury travel guides.

Transportation to and in Brazil !

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Never in my life I have been more excited to travel to one country than I have been to travel to Brazil. It was, in a way a dream of a life time ! I can honestly say that I felt in love with Brazil, its people, weather, food, traffic, from the moment I touched foot at Sao Paulo airport.

Bom Dia Sao Paulo !

The journey to Sao Paulo started from Paddington with the Heathrow Express, a 18min journey which takes you straight to Heathrow T5 !

I booked my flight to Sao Paulo about 2 weeks before departure… A bit last minute but sometimes you have to take opportunities when it comes ! I spent ages looking at all the fares and different airlines and set my heart on British Airways – with tickets fares, twice the price of the others, I assumed BA was offering the best service otherwise why charging that fare !?

Sadly, the first leg of my trip was a disaster, 11h40 of torture !!! The economy seats were no bigger than in a Ryanair plane (which I don’t mind for 1 or 2hours) – but how can anybody think it is acceptable to give such seats for long flights ?!?!?

What ? Did you say 12h flight ???!!!! WINE PLEASE !!!

Thankfully, the return was much better, the crew was adorable and at everybody’s services. My crew was so attentive, they made us all feel like in first class; I am now praying for flying again with them. The in flight entertainment was better too.
Great added benefit, this seat allowed me to charge my Iphone and Ipad during the flight so I arrived in London 100% charged.

I tried to upgrade at Rio de Janeiro airport but was told the flight was fully booked unfortunately. With not much happening at Rio de Janeiro international airport, most probably due to the time of my flight 10.55pm, I decided to be brave and go to the VIP lounge. I asked if in exchange of a fee, I could stay in, unfortunately, BA gave strict instruction not to accept any travellers in its lounge (even those like me who were ready to pay) No need to tell you that I am not impressed with this experience. Fortunately, Rio de Janeirro offers complimentary WIFI so time passed a little bit faster.

Hello !!! Is there anybody at Rio de Janeiro airport ;-)

As you could have seen from my social media update, I landed in Sao Paulo, flew to Belo Horizonte for 2 days and then off to Rio de Janeiro.
I booked my domestic flights with GOL Linhas Aéreas and I was incredibly surprise by the quality of the plane, the timing and the kindness of the crew.

Breath taking, the landing at Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont airport.

To go to my appointments, I travelled by taxi or with a chauffeur booked for the day. I highly recommend you to book a car transfer from each airport to avoid queuing for hours…no joking!

Tivoli Sao Paulo – Mofarrej

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In the centre of the buzzing Sao Paulo lie the Tivolo Mofarrej hotel, a stunning 5* hotel member of Leading Hotels of the World. The arrival at the hotel is rather grand with the vegetations, the beautiful lobby and the attentive staff.

I stayed 3 nights in one of the Collection Room on the 15th floor giving me an amazing view over Sao Paulo ! The room measured around 30 sqm and compromised a king size bed, desk, windows from floor to ceiling, a seating area, Nespresso machine, WIFI (which is not complimentary), … and …. flip flops at turndown – how fab and so Brazilian :-)

I had enough storage for my stay and the bathroom was equipped with a rain shower – bathrobes and plenty of towels, the toiletries were very pleasant which was an added value.

Breakfast at the Tivoli Sao Paulo is a real treat ! The range of pastries, fresh fruits, hot dishes were amazing, to a point I could not wait for the morning to get back to the restaurant to have breakfast all over again !

The team was really helpful and accommodating during my stay. I slept really well in my huge bed, the room was really quiet for such a big building. The only little problem was the time it took to get a lift…with so many floors it was understandable though !

To recover from the difficult journey via BA i had, I decided to book myself in the evening of my arrival at the Elements Spa by Banyan Tree. There are not enough words for me to explain how amazing the experience was. The spa is open until 10pm so I was able to book a late appointment at 8pm which I thought was brilliant for business travelers like me.
The hotel has a small pool as well – not quiet ideal for leisure so I will not recommend for a long leisurely stay but for a couple of hours in the afternoon on arrival, it was perfect !

Promenade BH Platinum

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While visiting Brazil, I stayed a couple of nights in Belo Horizonte, one of the host city of the 2014 World Cup. Belo Horizonte means “Beautiful Horizon” in Portuguese and the city is the capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The feel is very corporate in the city due to the industries and the businesses around; completely different to Sao Paulo or Rio.

I stayed at the Promenade BH Platinum a 4* luxury hotel…
Well, I do not know where they get the luxury from but I can assure you it is not a luxury hotel ! In BH it is one of the best hotel as I have been told.

The service was rather shaky for not saying the less…the worse experience I had during my time in Brazil that I would happily forget. However, my room was spacious, clean with enough storage and a working AC unit.

My deluxe room measured 25 square meters so rather large and was suppose to over look the city – mine overlooked the tennis court and the Diamond Mall !

WIFI was complimentary and easy to access. Tech items : a 32-inch LCD TV, CD player and an Ipod dock station.

Practical bathroom with a shower and double sink, lots of toiletries although not enough large towels.

The breakfast is complimentary – which means included in your rate (between you and me ;-) ) a hot and cold buffet that was nicely presented and refilled constantly.

The hotel offers many facilities to its guests such as a gym, swimming pool, sauna and Jacuzzi. However, I did not try any of those facilities as I was busy going out for dinners !

Make sure you book via the website and it is extremely difficult to speak to anybody from reservation or even get a reply via email.

The hotel still has a lot of improvement to do before the arrivals of international guests for the Football World Cup especially in the staff.

Overall, it is a practical hotel that offer spacious rooms, WIFI and many facilities, a big mall is around the corner which I went to…obviously ! Ideal for visitors who are busy during the day and want to stay in for dinner too.

I paid about £190 for 2 nights.

Reflexology therapy massage

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Spa by Car has just launched the Reflexology therapy massage !

This massage will treat the whole person through your feet – getting rid of unwanted toxins, and will revitalize supplying a new flow of energy through the whole body.
Carried out by the highly qualified massage specialist Zoja, this is a balancing treatment that relieves any tension, anxiety and stress!
It works by getting the body back ‘in tune’ with itself by releasing any oxygen blockages to ensure a healthy flow of blood, and increases circulation.
Enjoy a 60minute reflexology and relax… View more about the treatment here !
To book, call 020 7209 2396.
Full Price: £55
Offer Price: £38.50
Valid Until: end of April
Terms and Conditions: Available Monday – Thursdays. Two promotions cannot be used together. Min spend still applies.

Gstaad Palace Hotel

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Gstaad Palace with its unrivalled reputation for refined hospitality is a favourite address for international travellers. Located in the charming chalet village of Saanenland in the Bernese Alps, the glamorous and historic resort has been a significant presence since opening in 1913.

One of the last family-owned Palaces in Switzerland, is comprised 104 guest rooms with 26 suites including two Tower Suites and a Penthouse Suite. All of our rooms and suites feature up scale finishes and are equipped with the latest standards including wireless high-speed Internet access. The beautiful décor is characterised by a harmonious composition of alpine elegance and luxurious understatement blending perfectly into the sophisticated environment.

The Deluxe Rooms feature a southern view. They are large and have a comfortable seating area. Featuring an elegant style, they have all been recently renovated.

The 3 Junior Suites Tower offer 59 m² of ample seating area.

The amazing Junior Suites bathrooms have their bathtubs located in a bay window.

The hotel also offers access to its rustic and charming Walig Hut, one of the few extant dating from the late 1700s, with a beautiful mountainside location and breathtaking views of the village below. You cannot get any more romantic than your very own hideaway in the mountains !

Five restaurants provide Swiss and Italian specialities and international gourmet cuisine, with white glove service, charmed casual settings, and the energetic retro-vibe of the illustrious nightclub GreenGo.

What about a delicious truffles champagne cheese fondue or typically Swiss raclette?

The Palace Spa features eight treatment rooms, a unique Hammam experience, indoor and outdoor pool, fitness centre and more.

The Gstaad Palace has been renowned for its authenticity, elegance and unique ambiance. Thus when designing the spa, the main focus was to create an outstanding wellness oasis which blends perfectly into the overall hotel concept.

The resort also offers four clay tennis courts and can arrange for guests to experience the myriad seasonal activities nearby.

Architecture, Beautiful Modern Beach House

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Hello everyone! Before anything I want to apologize for being so late with my post today. To be very honest, I almost didn’t have time to prepare it, but I didn’t want to to make you wait until tomorrow for a new post. Today was a busy day to say at the least, plus my baby has a bad cold and I didn’t have any time to write this post before he went to bed. But I’m finally here and I can’t wait to share this beach house with you.

Designed by Richard Bubnowski Design LLC, this beach house is a dream even before you step in. With a sandy beach as backyard, this place is the kind of home that you feel you’re at a vacation year around. The interiors are designed with a coastal vibe in mind and all the rooms are casual yet tailored.

Completed for the summer of 2010, this award winner beach house, located in Silver Beach, New Jersey, has 3800 sqft and it was built to a family from Georgia that uses it primarily as a vacation home.

Photos: Sam Oberter Photography LLC, Interiors: Elizabeth b. Gillin, General Contractor: Brian M. Furey/Falcon Industries.

Beach House

The aesthetic of this beach house is an eclectic mix of various styles that have been reinterpreted for contemporary living.

Kitchen

What’s not to love? This white kitchen feels warm and inviting.

Island

The island countertop is carrara marble, the sconces are “Yoke pendant with large shade” by Circa Lighting, the stools are from Ficks Reed.

Island dimensions: 9′ long x 48″ wide at the apex of the curve.

Dining Room

Perfectly designed with a perfect view. Also, notice the the sunroom in the back.

The French doors are Marvin Ultimate Clad French Door unit, with a custom grille pattern. SDL, Simulated Divided Light with aluminum spacer. Baldwin hardware in oil rubbed bronze.

The chairs are from Ficks Reed and the paint is by Benjamin Moore, but the color was a custom mix.

To the Sand

A place to hear the waves and relax with your favorite magazine.

From the Foyer to the Living Room

The floors are white oak, hand-scraped and stained.

Living Room

Isn’t it a fantastic living room? I love the coastal decor and the relaxed feel you get with the comfy furniture.

White & Blue

Beautiful inside and out! Paint color is Benjamin Moore “Simply White” in pearl finish.

Coastal Decor

The wall on the right has 12″ tongue and groove plank boards. They add some characteristic to the space.

Bedroom

This is the kind of master bedroom I love! The colors are soft and calming and you can go sleep and wake up hearing the weaves. Heavenly!

The bed and armoire are from Point Beach Interiors in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.

Beach

Just in case you have too many margaritas and feel a bit lost!

Architecture

The utilitarian functions of the plan such as mechanical, laundry, and storage have been stacked along the north wall, leaving the south and eastward facing walls open with glass.

Steps Away

Remember that nice feeling of walking on the beach? I can’t wait for summer!!!

Sunset

This dreamy beach house is located on a sandy oceanfront site along one of New Jersey’s barrier islands.

Oaka, a unique Pan Asian Hotel & handcraft real Ale restaurant

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Oaka is a unique combination of Pan Asian cuisine with hand crafted real ales by acclaimed Peterborough-based Brewery Oakham Ales. Beers go amazingly well with Pan Asian cuisine and really emphasis the flavours. We started our dinner by a “little” beer tasting. Feel free to speak to the Bar Manager who will give you some great tips and beer/dish combinations!

We ordered some dishes from the “GAP GLAM” menu. GAP GLAM can be translated as ‘beer food’, like Tapas or Mezze if you want. Ideal to share with friends as it comes in small plates are really open ups appetites !

The plate that came rather rapidly to our table was colourful and so beautiful to watch…a food painting ! We were surprised with the strong flavour of the heavenly Beef £6.90 which is fried slices of air-dried beef marinated in palm sugar and coriander, amazed by the light vegetarian tempura £5.60, amused by the soft-shell crab £6.90 and spiced up with the dragon scallops £6.90.

A selection of GAP GLAM starters

Thai-style spicy prawn crackers with sweet chilli sauce
£3.50

Mieng kum : platter of small parcels made from piper sarmentosum leaves, filled with roasted coconut, shallots, lime, chilli, shrimp, ginger, peanuts and topped with palm sugared sauce

The atmosphere at Oaka restaurant was fantastic, and the service so friendly and attentive. The main courses did not disappoint us and were equally delicious. We ordered the marinated raw tuna with a blend of shoyu, wasabi and green onion £9.80 which was so fresh ! Congrats to the Chef for coming up with the perfect combination of wasabi and soy sauce.

The “piece the resistance” was the Tenderised pork belly slow-cooked with soy sauce and sake £12.80 accompanied with a steamed Thai jasmine rice £2.90. The pork was so tender, so delicious and the sticky sauce was to die for !

Same can be said for the chicken Kua noodles, Ribbons of rice noodles fried with chicken, egg, spring onions and light soy sauce £7.80. This dish was so comforting with so many great flavour combinations… We were completely addicted to it !

If you still have space for some sweets than go for the rice pudding and fresh mango or the chocolate ice cream…teamed up with a dark beer of course !

I can honestly say we had a wonderful evening and it was all down to the great food and service. The restaurant is only a minute walk from Kennington tube station so easy to get to. I can easily predict Oaka will soon become a destination restaurant in itself !

Best London rooftop terrace Bars

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The Trafalgar: 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, London SW1A 2TS

Caxton Terrace at the St Ermins, a small terrace on the first floor, the view is not amazing but the service is warm and professional. After your drink, I strongly recommend you to dine at the Caxton Grill – delicious grill !

St. Ermin’s Hotel, 2 Caxton St, London, SW1H 0QW 020 7222 7888

Radio Rooftop Bar at the newly opened ME London is definitely THE place to be this summer. Located on the 10th floor, the view is impressive, overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames. The atmosphere rather trendy with a Sex & The City feel that you won’t be able to miss so Ladies, get your high heels out !

ME London, 336-337 The Strand,London WC2R 1HA

The SkyLounge at the Double Tre by Hilton Hotel, Tower of London, impressive views across the London City skyline with The Shard, the historic Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral,… The place is busy with City Boys & Girls, trendy but relax atmosphere. They do not take reservations so first come first serve !

Saying goodbye to the Summer Holidays

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Having a glass of Champagne in front of St Paul could not have been surrealist ! Yes, London, you still surprises me after all those years ! I discovered the old town of Toulon one sunny morning with my Mum… time seems to have stopped and the architecture reflects the past of the city wonderfully.

The beauty of Velden, the Monte Carlo of Austria in Carinzia is a little gem…

A little boat trip on a sunny day on the lake Faaker See in Austria. The colour of the water of this lake is just mind blowing !!

I don’t know about you but this summer has gone like a blink of an eye ! I have been to France and to Austria and now back in London and ready to tackle the long Autumn / Winter ahead of us.
I had some incredible memories of my holidays this year… Let’s check out some of my favourite moments :

Going to the Ile de Bendor is always a special moment, but this year even more… I met with Emily my wonderful wedding planner at my wedding venue… do you like the view ?

Luxury Mandarin Bar Hotels

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The bar is offering a list of Champagnes and wines but most excitingly a long list of classic and contemporary cocktails. I found the Mandarin Bar perfect for pre-dinner drink or post-dinner drinks, meeting up with friends or why not for a date ! It can get extremely busy though but Marco, the Assistant Bar Manager is always there to assist me when I need a seat !! The Mandarin Bar at the Mandarin Oriental London in Knightsbridge is one of those high profile bar where is it good to be seen and see. However, the service is excellent, warm and professional. The interior is chic, contemporary and the catwalk bar design will make you feel like a celebrity.

I tried the classic Mayfair Martini with a touch of sage and a Negroni ! Which one is your favourite cocktails ?

A Shade of Grey at The Brown’s Hotel

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A Shade of Grey Cocktail

The Shade of Grey cocktail is an exotic mixture of Chade Vodka, Akashi plum sake infused with chilli, fresh passion fruit and lemon juice served with a Lady Grey macaroon. The Donovan Bar at The Brown’s Hotel introduced a new cocktail to their already extensive list…”A Shade of Grey” cocktail in reference to the bestselling Fifty Shades trilogy by E L James. This glamourous bar is recreating the passion shared by the now world famous fictional couple. This stylish and contemporary furnished bar offers the perfect setting for guests to relax and indulge….

The Donovan Bar is now more than ever the place to bring your other half for a trendy yet romantic drink. Best seating in the Bar you would ask me ? “the naughty corner” of course, a banquet seating area surrounded by some of Terence Donovan’s most risque photographs !

The best kept secret in South Kensington…Aubrey Bar & Restaurant

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I won’t lie, I absolutely loved the Aubrey Bar for pre-dinner drinks ! The place is discreet and incredibly glamorious, perfect for a romantic evening or a date… Due to the location the crowd is trendy and young (well…from mid-thirty!).

Ask Alexandro, to prepare some cocktails, he won many competitions and he is passionate about mixology. Alternatively, the Bar has a selection of Champagne to choose from : Veuve Cliquot, Dom Perignon, Ruinart…

The Aubrey Restaurant compromises memorable surrounding for parties and romantic dinners. Leather seating, parquet floors, chandeliers and velvet fabrics bring a very quintessentially British touch to the restaurant.

The Michelin-starred Head Chef Russell Ford created an exciting menu featuring fresh and top ingredients with a modern British twist.

We started dinner with the hot cherry tree smoked salmon, a quenelle of salmon tartare, pickled cucumber to balance the creaminess of the tartare, Avocado Puree & Rye Toast £12.00. The intense smoked flavour coming from the cloche enhanced the taste of the salmon…absolute perfection !

The seared Scottish West Coast hand dived Scallops, apple julienne & toasted hazelnuts £13.50, were incredibly delicate and the caramelised celeriac complemented the dish impeccably.

During the entire dinner, our waiter was attentive to all our needs and made sure to recommend wines with each of our dishes. At that stage, I was already in heaven with all those smells, colours and flavours !

For the main course, we decided to go for the Beef Wellington £34.00 and the Chateau Briand (for 2people) £68.00 as the beef used by the Chef is dry aged for 28 days, from Yorkshire, a rate breed of Longhorn. The meat was astonishing : tender and so flavoursome. The best meat I ever ate in my life ! The puree was creamy and the presentation of the dish in those little casseroles fantastic.

Oh, Oh ! I can already hear the vegetarians…but do not worry, the Chef created a special vegetarian menu to cater for your requirements…. Check out the menu online !

The Pastry Chef made me the most happiest girl in the world when a selection of deserts arrived to our table… Lemon drizzle cake with crème fraiche, Blueberry Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Sorbet and Warm Chocolate Fondant, Vanilla Ice Cream £6.50. The deserts looked appetizing and were yummy ! I can confirm…everything was gone within minutes. I must book an Afternoon Tea shortly to try more of his marvellous cakes !

If you are not too much in a hurry, head back to the Bar for some digestives after your dinner…

Aubrey Restaurant offers top cuisine to its dinners from A la Carte to Pre-Theatre Menu with 2course at £19.50 and 3course at £22.50.

An unexpected posh bar at the Holiday Inn Villach

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The first time I travelled to Austria and my boyfriend told me “Tonight, we are going to the Holiday Inn for a drink” I was a bit…perplexed, not exactly the place I had in mind for a romantic evening. I could not have been more surprised, the Divino’s Bar at the Holiday Inn is a very chic bar offering a wide selection of cognacs, wine and cigars. The décor is rather masculine with mainly dark woods and leather seats but very intimate with a soft lighting.

The view over the Drau River is beautiful especially during summer when the terrace is open. After a long day visiting Villach and the Carinthia region, Divino’s Bar is a fantastic place to relax.

A magical afternoon at The Milestone Hotel

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We were quickly seated in the Park Lounge, a very traditional English tea room, only featuring around 6 tables. Crisp white napkins, table cloths, sliver teapots and delicate china setted the theme of our afternoon tea : traditional and classic.

We opted for The Milestone Champagne Afternoon Tea featuring a generous glass of Champagne, a fantastic selection of finger sandwiches such as smoked Scottish salmon and cream cheese, free-range egg mayonnaise and Hampshire watercress, roast ham and English mustard, mull of Kintyre cheddar and tomato and cucumber. Very classic selection but perfectly in line with the traditional setting. My favourite was definitely the rounded shaped chicken mayonnaise with chopped almonds!

Two delicious plate of pastries were served with sweets including a wonderful chocolate brownie ! Seasonal pastries such as minced pies (not a fan but my guest definitely loved them), a Festive Cupcake and a Christmas cake with a gorgeous fushia marzipan were prepared for the occasion. Not forgetting the joyful mini tartelette of fruits, the éclair and the classic sponge cake which completed the sweet plates.

When we thought we were finishing our plates, our waiter bring us some freshly baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream and preserves. The scones were just coming out of the oven so still warm, delicious! What could we have asked for ? More Champagne ? Tea ? “No problem Mam’”. They obviously didn’t want us to leave too quickly so we obliged…

From the sandwiches, pastries and scones, everything was delicious and perfect. Coming to The Milestone Hotel for afternoon tea is truly an experience that you won’t regret trying !

Afternoon Tea booking from 3.00pm to 6.00pm, to book call +44 (0)20 7917 1000.

The staff is lovely, so be cheeky and ask them if they have a moment to show you around. You will be blown away by the hotel’s luxurious bedrooms.

Lunch at Refuel Restaurant @ Soho Hotel

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We booked the set menu 2 courses with a glass of wine £14.95 but ended up taking the 3 courses £17.95 (Includes Vat, excludes service). I have to be honest, it was without great expectation as the deal sounded way too good to provide same food and service as the A la Carte.

Well, let me tell you something, I could not have been more wrong : we had a delicious lunch, each dishes were prepared and cooked perfectly, the bread was home-made and warm when it reached our table. It is obvious that the team at Refuel understand the word : hospitality. The service was attentive, professional yet friendly.

Gravedlax, toated rye bread & tartare sauce.

Pork and red cabbage

Smoked haddock, poached egg

Refuel Restaurant definitely lives up to its reputation in terms of cakes…they are fantastic! You must try the Banana cake, never eaten one so moist and delicious.

Bakerwell tart

Banana cake

Leisure Travel Dream Hotels

Cruising my way to Norway !

Have you been to any of this cities in Norway ? Do you have any advise or recommendation for me ?

Saying goodbye to the Summer Holidays

Fiji, where happiness finds you…

My first cruise on board of the Celebrity Cruise

Exclusive travel by Haute Compass

Introducing the new Preferred Hotels & Resorts

My experience with Thai Airways

The College Hotel – Amsterdam

Recharge your batteries at the Luxury Tivoli Marina Vilamoura in the Algarve, Portugal

Insólito Boutique Hotel in Búzios, Brazil

Transportation to and in Brazil !

Tivoli Sao Paulo – Mofarrej

Promenade BH Platinum

Reflexology therapy massage

Gstaad Palace Hotel

Architecture, Beautiful Modern Beach House

Oaka, a unique Pan Asian Hotel & handcraft real Ale restaurant

Best London rooftop terrace Bars

Saying goodbye to the Summer Holidays

Luxury Mandarin Bar Hotels

A Shade of Grey at The Brown’s Hotel

The best kept secret in South Kensington…Aubrey Bar & Restaurant

An unexpected posh bar at the Holiday Inn Villach

A magical afternoon at The Milestone Hotel

Lunch at Refuel Restaurant @ Soho Hotel

Have you been to any of this cities in Norway ?
Do you have any advise or recommendation for me ?