Hotels

Our Phuket Villa At Renaissance + Luxury Hotels In Phuket

September 5, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

Thailand has been on my bucket list for long time and the fact that this trip was going to be around the time of my birthday I wanted a little special treat by way of a private villa in Phuket. We had a whirlwind trip passing through Budapest, Beijing. By the way, if you want to find out how to take advantage of the 72-hour visa-free entry to China then read my posts on China.

We also passed through Cambodia for yet more bucket list adventures checking out the Angkorian temples. So by the end of December, we checked into Renaissance Phuket for a much needed RnR session. What better way than having a private villa with a pool all to yourself! The private pool villa, Phuket offered was just what the doctor ordered.

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Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket Villa Rental

Our villa is within a resort with private beaches and lots of options for activities and spas. Renaissance, a beautiful and contemporary hotel boasts 150 colourful and modern guest rooms, 30 private pool villas some of which are 1-3 beds(perfect for groups or families), on-site spa and gym, 3 restaurants, bar, and cafe. With all that, the service is impeccable.

You ask for nothing and you get absolutely everything. I hadn’t mentioned my birthday but when I went down for breakfast I was surprised with a birthday cake with my name on it. If you are in absolute paradise then look no further than Renaissance. We had our own private pool villa Phuket had outdone itself in terms or its hospitality.

Even better was having the beach only a few steps away. I spent a few mornings witnessing magical sunrise and sunsets on the beautiful beach that stretched for miles(pictures to follow).

I have mentioned my love for Marriott hotels and have stayed in quite a few around the world. From the UK to Germany to Hong Kong. Renaissance falls into the group hotels managed by Marriott, and no this post is not sponsored. Stay there and you will understand why I keep going back! My private pool villa Phuket was a birthday treat to myself from my boyfriend.

For more on my other stays in Thailand and the many tours and activities please check out my posts on Phuket. There is a variety of luxury hotels in Phuket that you will be spoiled for choice. We booked our stay via booking.com. To sample a bit of luxury during your stay on the island here arePhuket’s Luxury Hotels.

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Luxury Hotels In Phuket

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket Villa Rental | Luxury Hotels In Phuket

Luxury hotels Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools

Luxury hotels in Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools

Luxury hotels in Phuket - Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket Villa Rental | Our Phuket Villa At Renaissance + Luxury Hotels In Phuket

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools | Thailand luxury hotels in Phuket

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools | best places to stay in Phuket

Luxury Private Pool Villa Phuket | Phuket resorts with private pools | Luxury hotels

Renting a Phuket Villa during a vacation in Thailand’s beautiful island is a must experience. Have you had any experience with private pool villa Phuket rental?

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Marriott Courtyard Hotel Review & Where to Stay In New Delhi

August 30, 2016 by admin 6 Comments

Marriott Courtyard Hotel | Where to Stay In New Delhi

New Delhi is the capital of India and comes with world-class restaurants, luxury hotels popping up and a burgeoning creative scene, it’s definitely worth a few days of your time. Here I share where I stayed in India with tips on where to stay in New Delhi, covering all budgets.

I shared a couple of posts on my trip to see the Taj Mahal in Agra and shared tips on the 13 places to see in New Delhi in addition to many a few posts dedicated to each individual place visited, you can find all of them under India on the blog. If you have read those posts you will no doubt by now know that New Delhi is not a city to just skip through on the way to Agra, Varanasi or many of India city gems. New Delhi is definitely worth a few days visit a week, even, considering the how much time you will spend in traffic.

I had a few days of exploring New Delhi so I thought I would share details of my stay and tips on where to stay in New Delhi. It’s no surprise that I am a big fan of Marriott hotels. Having stayed at many of their hotels. From the USA to Germany, from Thailand to England, and From Hong Kong to Poland.

I use them a lot when I travel for work but now also look at their properties when traveling for leisure as well. When my boyfriend was going to work in India for two months, I knew it was only going to be one place I was going to be looking at. His office was Gurgaon, which is just on the border with New Delhi. Perfect for my exploring of New Delhi’s tourist sights and perfect for his morning commute to the office.

Marriott Hotels are some of the most comfortable hotels I have ever stayed in. Service is impeccable whatever the time of day and the locations of the hotels are usually in the best spots in the city. Clean, comfortable and affordable luxury! Why wouldn’t I want to stay there? This is one is part of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotels. In addition to a spacious room and comfortable bed, food is great and even better breakfast selection to set up for the day.

The hotel also has a rooftop pool, perfect for watching the sunset while lounging by the pool – the makings of a great stay. My stay was super short but my boyfriend stayed on for 2 months with no problems. The hotel is also on hand to help with arranging tours to many other places around India.

Marriott Courtyard Hotel | Where to Stay In New Delhi | Hotels in New Delhi

They were also on hand to help book and arrange for a car and driver from New Delhi to Agra so that we could visit The Taj Mahalbefore I left to come back to London.

I am keen to revisit India again soon. To book your stay in India’s capital check out booking.com’s list of hotels in New Delhi or Agoda’s hotels in New Delhi and compare deals. Also make sure you check out my post for Top 13 Place You Should Visit In New New Delhi.

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Best Place To Stay In Phuket + Gold Diggers Resort Review

August 23, 2016 by admin 2 Comments

Having spent some time in Bangkok, I was looking forward to leaving the city life and exploring Thailand’s beautiful islands. I had already search high and low for the best places to stay in Phuket when I stumbled on a curiously named hotel. A name so cool that I of course booked! My mind had conjured up so many things when I first spotted the name of the hotel and at $40 a night I thought to myself it can’t really be that bad, can it? To my relief, it was bad at all. In addition to the name, I chose it because it was a short distance from the airport as we were flying from Bangkok in the late afternoon. Arriving in Phuket in the evening and straight on to an early start for a day tour to Phang Nga Bay. I shared a post on 9 experiences you need to have in Phang Nga Bay. We were going to be doing the Phang Nga Bay or James Bond Island tour which takes of from the piers near in the Northern part of Phuket. Hence why were wanted to base ourselves this side of the island. When looking at places to stay in Phuket, while the tour pick up will pick you up from anywhere you are staying on the island, just bear in mind that the where you stay might also mean you are adding at least an hour and a half to your journey before you get to the pier where the tour starts and possible being collected 2 hours before everyone at 6 or 7am. Fortunately, Gold Digger’s Resort was only a short ride to where the pier was so we were one of the last people to be picked up which meant more time in bed.

Golddiggers Resort was surprisingly welcoming, the place is set in a quiet location, rooms are clean and spacious for what you pay for. All come with ceiling fan, fridge and safe. There is also a communal pool right outside the rooms, surrounded by beautiful palm trees creating a relaxed environment to chill out. The beach and shops are only a short walk away from the resort, together with a few restaurants. The reception and resort staff were really friends and helpful with tours and details of surrounding amenities. Our stay in Phuket also included a stay at Ikon Hotel and The Renaissance Beach Resort, which you can read about here on the blog. During our stay in Phuket, we sampled a variety of hotels both luxury and budget and both inland and right on the beach. To find the best place to stay in Phuket and sample the stunning beaches Phuket has to off here is a likes a list of hotels in Phuket.

Booking.com

The Welcome Drink – Clitoria Ternatea – Don’t laugh! Clitoria Ternatea plant is said to be an aphrodisiac among other things!

The Rooms – Slightly dated but spacious, clean and comfortable.

Booking.com

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Sydney Apartments That will Bring Out The Naomi Campbell Out of You!

August 20, 2016 by admin 10 Comments

Lately, when I travel I prefer a little bit of “home from home comfort” so I tend to opt for apartments when traveling for leisure these days. Sure you might want everything taken care of by the hotel and that’s great when I am staying in hotels while on a work project. For my trip to Australia this March, I wanted to be right in the city but still feel comfortable in the space I was staying and much less foot traffic compared to a hotel. I definitely found in Meriton Apartments. They have some of the tallest residential properties in Sydney.

They have many apartment buildings in Sydney and some with penthouse. I chose to stay at Meriton Serviced Apartments in Pitt Street. Right in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Westfield Shopping Centre is just a street or 2 streets away. It is perfectly located in that you also have the world famous Queen Victoria Building with designer boutique stores, cafes and restaurants just a few steps away. Just as well, as being close to many a restaurant meant I had enough time to evoke the Naomi Campbell alter ego before venturing off to dinner with travel friends I met in the city.

I also love the fact that it was in walking distance to Sydney’s Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Darlington Harbour and Hyde Park. The apartment was a one bed-room apartment with plenty of room and views around the city. I was fairly unlucky that while I was in the city it poured down like the heavens had opened! I simply stocked up on grab and took to watching the city from my balcony until the weather came back to its senses, then again my visit in Sydney was right at the end of their Summer. The left is fully kitted out with all the essentials so I stocked up and cooked my own food when I wanted and just chilled out as if I was at home.

When the weather brightened up I was off exploring Bondi Beach and surrounding coastline and the rest of the city so look out for pictures from my solo explorations of Sydney. For tips on solo travel, I recently posted about travel tips for first time solo travellers, not to mention that I rented the apartments on my own, the area was central and I felt perfectly safe walking around here. Another plus was that the city tour bus stopped a few meters from the apartment entrance.

If apartment rentals are not your style but still want to stay fairly central, there are plenty of hotels in Sydney from luxury hotels to budget style accommodation in the city. You can also check out my top 10 things to do in Sydney.

Bag: Celine | Shoes: Miss Selfridges | Jumpsuit: Boohoo | Earrings: H&M

Where To Stay In Warsaw | Warsaw Poland Hotels

July 1, 2016 by admin 3 Comments

Warsaw Poland Hotels | Where To Stay In Warsaw

I recently shared a post on things to do in Warsaw., in this installment on Poland I am sharing details on where to stay in Warsaw including our stay at the Marriot. Whenever I plan a short getaway, to get the most out of a quick visit to a city I try and plan where I stay carefully.

This way you can kind of plan what to see and do and just how easy it is to get to from where you are staying. Also, as it’s a getaway break from normal daily living I also want it easy and rather effortless. I had a few options on where to stay in Warsaw, in the end, we decided on Marriott Hotel. It’s has a great location in the heart of Warsaw.

You are literally a few meters from Warsaw’s biggest mall; Zlote Tarasy. It’s also across the road from the Palace of Culture which offers amazing views of Warsaw. The shot below of the Marriott Hotel building from taken from the Palace of Culture building.

You also have many other shops, cafes, and restaurants a short walk from the hotel. For other hotels in the city, check out Booking.com’s list of hotels in Warsaw.

Booking.com

Breakfast comes with street views of the city and Warsaw’s famous building; Palace of Culture.

Another beautiful morning in Warsaw…Wish I could take the weather back to London with me ?

A video posted by Bianca (Bee ?) (@itsallbee) on May 30, 2016 at 1:05am PDT

After dark, Marriott’s Panorama Sky Bar is the place to be for evening sessions with a cocktail.

Near Marriott Hotel, you can find the Palace of Culture with theatre and viewing deck as well as Zlote Tarasy shopping mall.

Booking.com

My Weekend In Warsaw | Top Things To Do In Warsaw

June 26, 2016 by admin 7 Comments

My Weekend In Warsaw | Top Things To See In Warsaw

Poland like many countries in its region of Europe has many beautiful and colourful cities and towns waiting to be explored. When we visited Warsaw at the end of May, I was expecting it to be cold like the weather we were running away from in London, but it was beautifully sunny and warm. The perfect start to a getaway weekend we were looking for. The city is friendly and easy to get around, which makes it easier to jump right into exploring almost as soon as you arrive.

The city was also preparing to host the NATO summit 2016 in July, where all the bigwigs from around the world will be coming. From Obama, Cameron to Merkel and Hollande, all will be coming to talk politics and all sorts right in the heart of Warsaw. Certainly, glad were getting in before they were because otherwise there would be no hotels in Warsaw, let along a tent to sleep in.

We had a couple days of blissful walking around the old and new town of Warsaw; from hunting out its unique viewpoints to checking local eats and shopping spots. What better way to entice you to consider this cute city than to not only show you but give you a weekend guide to visiting Warsaw. Even better, I also made a video below taking you along for a little sightseeing in Warsaw. For more tour options in the city also check out Warsaw city tours that range from walking tours to cooking classes. If you have additional time in Poland there are plenty of places to visit in Poland.

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A Weekend In Warsaw

Grab a Bite in Warsaw’s Colourful Old Town

Okay, there are plenty of places to eat, but for a little ambience head to the old town where you have traditional and modern cafes all serving up Poland’s best cuisine as well as international, of course. Considering the heat in the city you will also notice hundreds of Gelato shops almost every few meters. While visit the country that there are so many foods to try in Poland.

Take in a Little Sightseeing in Warsaw

I have never seen a city with as many churches as Warsaw. All beautiful and unique, and there is a lot of them. The star of the show for me was the Russian Orthodox Church, Cathedral of St Mary Magdalene. It’s easy to get to as the station is right next to it.

Get a Bird’s Eye View of Warsaw at The Old Town’s Clock Tower and Palace of Culture

Having walked through the streets of the old town, you will be led to the Castle Square where most people will be walking towards. Here you will find the clock tower. Brave the spiral steps and you will be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of Warsaw’s lined and colourful buildings.

For an even better view of the city with a 360-degree panorama view, head to Palace of Culture. You may have seen me post about this on my Instagram hereand here. It’s an old building rich in history topped with amazing views for about 30 Polish Zloty.

My Weekend In Warsaw | Top Things To do In Warsaw

Explore The Old Town Square and Meet The Famous Mermaid

Locals and tourists alike will spend their days sipping wine and people watching in the Old Square. So the tip is to do as the locals do and find yourself a table down at that is the Old Town Square. When you have taken in enough wine, the Palace, and its gardens are only a few meters away and waiting to be explored.

Walk The Backstreets of Warsaw and Take in the Views

There are plenty of cute backstreets waiting to be instagrammed and the cool thing about it is that not a lot of tourist venture out to the backstreet so you will have the views all to yourself. For the quick and easy access start from the Old Town Square and head to the back streets.

Shop Til You Drop in Warsaw Zlote Tarasy Mall

If you like a bit of shopping on your getaway then head to Zlote Tarasy Mall. It’s not a place you can miss as the building itself is unique in architecture. It’s filled with hundreds of stores, restaurants, and cafes so there is definitely something for everyone.

I think there is also a cinema, spa and gym in there too for those in the city slight longer and want a little more. Another plus is that it’s actually linked to a train station, both intercity train and city underground for those that may be visiting on a day trip from other cities in Poland.

Check out Cool Cafes In Warsaw

We also stopped by this cute little cafe by the name of How U Doing. Surprisingly with camera in hand, I still did take a snap of it, so you will have to make do with my snap of cheesecake and latte on our other stop at Nero. It seems they are big fans of the show Friends or more so Matt LeBlanc’s character; Joey.

Grab a latte and have a bit of a chin wag. It’s hidden behind the street in Centrum. If you manage to find Marks and Spencers in the city center, its right across from M&S.

Hunt Out Warsaw’s Unique Views

Warsaw is a city that seems too big for its population and is small enough to see most of it a weekend but also big enough that you will stumble upon some cool gems. Below is a residential apartment block that I hunted out to take in this awesome courtyard view.

Grab A Cocktail and a Bite After Dark

When darkness comes the best spot in town to grab a cocktail is Marriott’s Sky Bar. You can take in the night views and sip cocktails in the heart of the city. You don’t even have to make a booking. If you want more entertainment in the city, Poland seems to advertise their strip clubs even on tourist guides.

I guess they must not be shy about it. There are also a few casinos which seem to draw in quite a few tourists. I didn’t manage to check out either so can’t vouch for them.

Getting Around in Warsaw(And from Airport)

Getting around Warsaw is super easy as is doing a day trip to Krakow. We tried and tested the underground system. Once you get to grips with which direction you want to head in, its a breeze. You can buy 24hr tickets or weekend underground tickets. The weekend ticket was 48 Zloty for both of us.

For all you Uber fans, you will be glad to know that Uber operates in Warsaw and we had great Uber experiences with it as we used it a couple of times after walking for miles around the little streets and got too tired to walk back to the hotel.

We booked Uber from the airport as we landed in Modlin, having flown with RyanAir. The airport is about 30-40 minutes drive and with Uber was about £15.You can also rent bikes in Warsaw and explore the beautiful parks and riverside.

There are a bikes which you can pick up and drop in and around the city. Much like the Boris bikes in London or the Citi bikes in New York City.

Where to Stay in Warsaw

Originally I was going to stay close to the old town but in the end opted for the center of town. We stayed at the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw.

Great location as you have the Zloty Tarasy Mall right across the road, the Palace of Culture is also across the road, I showed you a little video while having breakfast at the hotel. The station is also a few meters away, as well as the trams. This makes exploring nice and easy from your doorstep.

If you want to explore on foot, the hotel is about 20-30 minutes walk from the Old Town and there are plenty of spots to stop by on the way. For a full list of hotels in Warsaw to find something in your budget and location in the city.

Booking.com

Warsaw Sightseeing in Motion!

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Mandarin Oriental Hotel KLCC | Where To Stay In Kuala Lumpur

April 27, 2016 by admin 7 Comments

Petronas Twin Towers are Kuala Lumpur’s most famous landmarks in Malaysia, if not the whole of Southeast Asia. When I was planning our visit to Kuala Lumpur I was also on the hunt for hotels in Kuala Lumpur city center as almost everything that I planned was close if not within the main part of the city center.

We checked into Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur, which not only sits pretty with views of Malaysia’s business district but comes with a bonus of being right next to Petronas Towers and the ridiculously HUGE Suria KLCC shopping mall. The location makes it some much easier to get started on the list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur as KLCC and Petronas Tower Bridge Tour Experience are right at your door!

The luxury hotel boasts 10 restaurants serving up Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Spanish and other international cuisines. Gastronomy to the max! Kuala Lumpur is already a multi-cultural city but I love that the hotel is already offering you a piece of the world in all its international flavours without even having to leave the premises.

With all the city’s tourist sights we had on the cards, first on the list was a bit of R&R on the rooftop’s infinity pool. Considering we had just spent a few days temple running through Cambodia’s Angkorian Temples, it was time to relax by the pool with a cocktail before exploring began. A few days ago I also shared some pictures from our culinary tour through Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown.

She's A Fan! - Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur

Budget – Wise

Obviously, Mandarin Oriental is in the luxury category so expect to pay a premium for that, but it was well worth every penny or dollar that we paid. We had a room that was looking out to Petronas Towers, again those rooms charge a bit more. Others not facing the towers are slightly less. I will be posting more on the hotel. It was a birthday treat so totally justified, I guess. For a list of hotels in Kuala Lumpur head over to this list of hotels in KL.

Location Location Location

Location of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur doesn’t get any better! You are bang in the middle of it all. If you are after a hotel near KLCC then this is the place for you! Firstly you have the 10 restaurants inside the hotel, then the major Suria Mall within Petronas Towers next door. You have stores from luxury to sensibly priced stores. So from your Gucci, Fendi, Chanel to H&M and all the gadgets shops like the Microsoft, Samsung and Apple stores. I couldn’t resist, I managed to come back to London with a gold and shiny Samsung A8. Exclusive to Asia, so I feel pretty chuffed that only a few people in the UK might have it. The hotel is perfectly located with plenty of sights are your finger tips. Also, perfect for anyone short on time but wanting to get the most out of your stay. You won’t have to go very far to see the sights.

Things to see and do in Kuala Lumpur

I posted a couple of things to see and do in Kuala Lumpur to inspire your itinerary in Kuala Lumpur. Also, make sure you check out the Batu Caves and definitely don’t miss out on the nightlife in China town and grab drinks at the city’s helipad pad.

Yes, the helipad turns into a bar at night and you and in full 360-degree views of Kuala Lumpur and the beautiful Petronas Towers that are right next to Mandarin Hotel. For tours check out Get Your Guide on additional things to see and do in Kuala Lumpur and beyond.

Swimsuit is by Figleaves(blow), Hat and yellow cover-up(now sold out) by ASOS

Search For Hotels Near KLCC

Booking.com

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My Paris Apartment | Using Airbnb In Paris

February 11, 2016 by admin 8 Comments

When it comes to Parisian apartments there is an amazing selection to choose from. Whether you want an Airbnb apartment with the view of the Effiel Tower, Arc d Triomphe or Monmatre to just having a view of Parisian neighborhoods from your own little Parisian balcony. So, is Airbnb safe in Paris? I haven’t had any issues with my books but it still helps to be vigilant. I have share Airbnb tips for both guests and hosts here.

There is plenty to choose from. I tend to book both on Booking.com and on Airbnb. So for those that haven’t used Airbnb, I thought I would give you a few reasons to consider using it especially if you haven’t found anything within your price range on Booking.com.

Using Airbnb When I Travel

When I travel, accommodation is an important part of planning my trip. That also involves consideration of the cost, location, amenities nearby as well as what’s included in that too. So looking at apartment rentals has become a natural aspect of booking my trips, whether flying solo or exploring with friends and lovers! I am kidding, there is only one man in my life.

Originally I was going to just put 5 reasons to use Airbnb, but it now appears I have to add a 6th; because Beyonce is using Airbnb as well! Haven’t you heard? During her stay in the city when she did the Super Bow performance of her latest Single Formation, she rented out an Airbnb mansion. Granted this place was $10K a night, I am not saying that’s what you should all be booking, well unless you can afford it. In which case I may just be asking you to invite me to tag along, but I digress.

My Paris Apartment | 5 Great Reasons To Use Airbnb When You Travel

Top Floor Views. View of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine all from the Airbnb apartment rental.

My Paris Apartment | View of Eiffel Tower | Parisian Balcony

Beautiful Parisian balconies all around the building.

Inside the Paris Studio Apartment.

So why should you use Airbnb when you travel?

Check out my tips and reasons on why you should use Airbnb. Just so we get this out of the way, this is not a sponsored post nor am I getting paid by Airbnb to post this. If you do want to start hosting your apartment on Airbnb or if you want to book your first Airbnb stay you can get $35/£25 off your first booking with my Airbnb link.

I have used Airbnb for other stays some of which I have written about like when I was visiting Copenhagen. I also had a beautiful rental/hotel in Spain and recently in Bangkok.

We were also going to rent another during our stay in Kuala Lumpur but ended up staying at a hotel in the end. They certainly don’t compare to Beyonce’s Airbnb stay, but it’s certainly a great way to explore a city in style, whatever your budget is there are always little gems waiting for you. Below is a link that gives you $35/£25 credit for your Airbnb stay(there is also the option of also letting your home when you are not using it.)

My Paris Apartment | View of Eiffel Tower | Paris Spiral Stairs

My Airbnb In Paris

Pictures of my Paris apartment rental are below. If you want to use Airbnb you can also get a £14 discount off on your first stay with my Airbnb link here. You can also use the same link if you want to rent out your place on Airbnb too. Most of the hotels were costing about £200 for a decent room overnight.

My stay was only £114 a night, with even better views and access to transport and tourist sights than most were offering for the price they were charging. I also managed to book this place for New Year’s Eve but I missed my fight from Cambodia. No problem though because I am back in Paris in 2 weeks! Stay tuned on Instagram if you are not already following.

Wearing: Black Knit Turtleneck Dress and boots:Very // Gold Ball Necklace, Ring and Earrings: Swarovski // Coat: Marks and Spencers // Watch: Vivienne Westwood at Watch Shop

My Paris Apartment | View of Eiffel Tower | Paris balconies

My Paris Apartment | View of Eiffel Tower | Pont de Passy

My Paris Apartment | View of Eiffel Tower | Paris Spiral Stairs | Paris fashion

On the right is the Trocadéro (5 minutes away from the apartment) and on the left is the view of the city from the Paris apartment balcony.

View of Line 6 from the Parisian balcony passing Pont de Bir Hakeim. The Pont de Bir-Hakeim, formerly the Pont de Passy, is a bridge that crosses the Seine River in Paris, France. It connects the city’s 15th and 16th arrondissements If you are in Paris make sure to get on the 6 for a unique view of Eiffel Tower as the train crosses the bridge.

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When Hotels Are Beautiful But Service Sucks!

January 27, 2016 by admin 10 Comments

In keeping with my 2016 resolutions about being vocal about things that displease me…well lets see how this goes. I try hard to keep my blog positive and thought long about whether to post this about my stay in Athens. I planned a trip to Greece last summer with my sisters. I booked pretty much all the hotels, flights and researched most of the activities me and the girls were going to be doing during our trip. With this in mind, for our stay in Athens I wanted to be fairly central without blowing out the 3 different budgets I was catering for. But I also wanted the views and comfort too.

Having booked several other places I then made the final cut down to Radison Blu in Athens. The hotel was greatly located. Not too far from places to eat and station and the rooftop pool with views of The Acropolis had me sold. The room was great for three people, we were well received at reception and staff were helpful on the ground level. It seemed that’s were the great service starts and stops.

So where did it all go wrong?

It all started the following morning when we when up for breakfast. We sat down to a beautiful table with views of the Acropolis while we waited to have our orders for breakfast taken. Granted it was a buffet breakfast but hotel drinks and made to order foods like eggs had to be ordered. We watched table after table get served within a minute of people sitting down but we were yet to see anyone approach our table. We called the waitress over and ordered coffees and proceeded to pick up some food from the buffet. We shrugged this off to the waitress being preoccupied. BUT when this happens 3 days in a roll during your stay and you watch tables with people who were there before you and those that came after you all get offered tea and coffee and orders for food are table and the only table with 3 black people is ignored you start to question things.

We were far to busy enjoying each other’s company to bother having to go down the road of creating a fuss when we had full days of exploring ahead of us but then the weird behaviour during ours stay doesn’t end there. One of the days we decided to make use of the roof top pool and chill there in the early afternoon. We got there and ordered drinks, which as soon as they arrived, the waitress proceeded to ask for immediate payment because she would due to finish her shift in 10 minutes. We pay for the drinks and go back to enjoying the Greek sunshine. Thirty minutes pass, 1 hour passes and the same waitress is still around and still serving around the pool. Oh guess what no immediate payment is requested for the other guests.

Considering the experience we had at breakfast during our 4-day stay and watching how the only table with 3 black girls was ignored 3 days in a roll. With that, I couldn’t put the behaviour of our waitress by the pool down to just coincidence.

Would I Come Back?

So would I stay at Radisson Blu hotels again, yes – I am actually staying at Radisson Blue when In Paris next month. Would I stay at this particular Radisson Blu hotel in Athens? That’s a big question. The room wasn’t free, nor was it cheap, like any hotel you stay at, you still expect a certain level of service. Although I stated that the room, the views, and facilities in the hotel were great, including that of the staff in reception. Watching our table be ignored 3 days in a roll while every other table was served almost as immediately as people sat down at the table was definitely questionable. Had there been other tables with people of other races other than white, I would be more inclined to believe the reason we were ignored was just a figment of my imagination. It appears thats wasn’t the case so with that I probably wouldn’t stay there again. And no, this didnt ruin my holiday. I went on to have an amazing time in Santorini which you can also read about on the blog.

Obviously not phased by the service!

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Victoria Falls Views | Royal Livingstone Hotel On The Zambezi

August 3, 2015 by admin 5 Comments

Royal Livingstone Hotel Victoria Falls Zambia

Summer is here, although that might be a little hard to believe if you are in London. I don’t know about you but the months of July and August usually conjure up thoughts of breezy beach fronts surrounded by picturesque sunsets as you chill and just let the sound of the water nearby sooth your soul.

Perhaps a glass of wine around, an open wood burning fire and grill. Star gazing in the outdoors with a touch of rustic charm as you melt in pure luxe and relaxation or maybe an exotic vacation with a promise of sun-soaked adventures; The very remnants of my jaunt at Royal Livingstone Hotel. Architecture that speaks of its colonial past, wildlife roaming the grounds and large verandas with a good spread of relaxation areas.

Sitting on the edge of the Victoria Falls is a truly amazing experience to have and having a view of that same river that feeds that Victoria Falls is another experience one should add to that experience. All that and more are just some of the adventures up on offer when staying at Royal Livingstone Hotel(For a full list of places to stay in Livingstone have a look at this list of hotels).

I have always found vacations set near the waterside to have a sort of spiritual renewal effect on me, very calming. The views from the patios of Royal Livingstone hotel are just pure delight. You can actually see the mist created from the falls without leaving the sun lounger. The same mist that can be seen some 30 miles away from the falls, in high season. That should give you some idea of the sheer volume of water falling over the 100 metercravis of Victoria Falls.

What To Pack For Your Stay

So what does one pack for a vacation to such an exotic location? Well, easy, breezy, beautiful as Cover Girl says. It can get really hot in Zambia so you want to take with you cool, simple and stylish separates then add a touch of glamour with accessories for evening looks at dinner time. This is a lot easier to achieve if you update your wardrobe with key pieces that allow you to take wardrobe basics into instant summer style with accessories. This way you also won’t need to do many shopping trips before you go on vacation.

Skincare and Beauty

As it gets so hot, so you will want to keep your skincare routine as simple as possible. For me this means a good moisturiser, mascara, and a few shades of lippy. A natural and maybe something bold. In addition to having moisturisers that have an SPF of at least 15-20.

Only A Few Meters From The Edge Of Victoria Falls

Think Rivera Chic For Pool Side

Strapless swimsuits or bikinis are the way to go. You can check out my favourite summer swimsuits on my previous post. Add red lip for a little extra glam. Big hat, cool cover-ups and some sunglasses and you are set.

Depending on your type of swimwear you can also add a skirt and light cover up and take your swimwear into day wear outfit in a few easy steps. Having versatile pieces also means you pack less.

Day to Night Style

Silk or cotton fabrics are my go-to when it comes to vacation style. They are easier to pack, perfect for cool or warm evenings as they are light and can be combined with other layered pieces like a cardigan or pashmina. Plus, of course, some major bling; being a sucker for big, bold statement jewellery as that shown in the picture,.

Some pictures take whiling away my the sunset hours at Royal Livingstone hotel, and of course, more pictures of my time spent on the edge of Victoria Falls can be found here too.

Can you see Victoria Falls mist, passed the umbrellas?

Standing On The Edge Of Victoria Falls

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The Welcome Drink – Clitoria Ternatea – Don’t laugh! Clitoria Ternatea plant is said to be an aphrodisiac among other things!

The Rooms – Slightly dated but spacious, clean and comfortable.

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Breakfast comes with street views of the city and Warsaw’s famous building; Palace of Culture.

After dark, Marriott’s Panorama Sky Bar is the place to be for evening sessions with a cocktail.

Near Marriott Hotel, you can find the Palace of Culture with theatre and viewing deck as well as Zlote Tarasy shopping mall.

A Weekend In Warsaw

Grab a Bite in Warsaw’s Colourful Old Town

Take in a Little Sightseeing in Warsaw

Get a Bird’s Eye View of Warsaw at The Old Town’s Clock Tower and Palace of Culture

Explore The Old Town Square and Meet The Famous Mermaid

Walk The Backstreets of Warsaw and Take in the Views

Shop Til You Drop in Warsaw Zlote Tarasy Mall

Check out Cool Cafes In Warsaw

Hunt Out Warsaw’s Unique Views

Grab A Cocktail and a Bite After Dark

Getting Around in Warsaw(And from Airport)

Warsaw Sightseeing in Motion!

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Budget – Wise

Location Location Location

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Using Airbnb When I Travel

Top Floor Views. View of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine all from the Airbnb apartment rental.

Beautiful Parisian balconies all around the building.

Inside the Paris Studio Apartment.

So why should you use Airbnb when you travel?

My Airbnb In Paris

On the right is the Trocadéro (5 minutes away from the apartment) and on the left is the view of the city from the Paris apartment balcony.

So where did it all go wrong?

Would I Come Back?

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What To Pack For Your Stay

Skincare and Beauty

Think Rivera Chic For Pool Side

Day to Night Style

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