Tag: #holidaydestinations

Holiday destinations: Helsinki, Finland

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At the beginning of March I was on a business trip in Helsinki in Finland. It was my third trip to that city and honestly speaking it is not one of my favorite destinations.

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Helsinki is the capital city of Finland. It is located in southern Finland and has a population an urban population of over 1.2 million. Helsinki is located some 80 km north of Estonia, 400 km east of Sweden and 388 km west of Russia.
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Here is a short list of my suggestions of places worth visiting while in this city:
  1. Esplanade Park;
  2. Helsinki Cathedral;
  3. Helsinki Zoo;
  4. Market Square;
  5. Old Market Hall.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Milan, Italy

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A couple of weeks ago, I traveled with my husband to Milan in Northern Italy. I’ve been in Milan a few times before as I love the cosmopolitan vibe offered by this global city which is perfect for anyone who loves the art, design, entertainment and fashion.

Milan has been recognised as one of the worlds fashion capitals and the famous Milan Fashion Week takes place here on a yearly basis. It is also one of the key European financial capitals and Italian stock exchange is based here.

Over 8 million visitors are attracted by Milan every year as the city has lots of heritage with some great museums and art galleries featuring some of the most famous collections in the world including works by Leonardo da Vinci.

If you like sightseeing then there is a lot to see and the city will appeal to a wide range of different visitors.

Here is a short list of my suggestions of places worth visiting:

  • Duomo di Milano – one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world which completion took almost 600 years. Located on a Piazza del Duomo with many lively cafes and the elegant fashion shops.
  • Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – one of the most beautiful and oldest shopping malls in the world featuring many designer boutiques based in a four-storey arcade opposite of Duomo di Milano in central Milan.
  • Sforzesco Castle – a castle built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza who was a Duke of Milan.

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  • Sempione Park – a large park leading to Sforzesco Castle which was established in 1888.
  • Teatro alla Scala – a well-known opera house which was established in 1778.

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How to get there?

If you live in the UK then you can easily get to Milan from most of major cities. We’ve flown from London Heathrow and it took us slightly over 2 hours.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

The Windsor Hotel in Nice, France

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As some of you know, a few weeks ago I flown to the French Riviera to spend some quality time with my mum. We stayed at the trendy Windsor Hotel in Nice for 3 days.

Atmosphere:

As soon as we entered this trendy hotel we felt welcomed and the front desk receptionist made us feel welcomed. The hotel is has an informal atmosphere and is addressed to a modern, urban audience that seeks not only a great place to stay during their travels but also the originality of their surroundings.

Location:

The Windsor Hotel is superbly situated in the centre of Nice’s downtown area. The sea is only 10 minutes away by foot and there are lots of restaurants and cafes nearby. The central train station is only 10 minutes away. The main square is only around 15 minutes walk from the hotel and the shopping district is around 10 min walk from the hotel. All key attractions are within walking distance making it a perfect place to stay whilst in Nice.

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Facilities:

The Winsor Hotel has only rooms spread over 6 floors. The hotel’s design is meant to make you ‘feel like home’.

This artistic theme is visible everywhere, starting from the reception, moving to the bar and breakfast area and ending in the rooms which open a window onto the contemporary art world: the use of the volume, the game of shapes and materials, humour. Each room is different and has an original creation. Some rooms with frescoes are more traditional and romantic.

The hotel  guests can also enjoy the oasis of the tropical garden whilst sitting among the bamboos, fruit trees or enjoying a swim in a small pool. In addition, the hotel also have its our Wi Zen space which offers body and face treatments at the competitive prices. For anyone who wants to stay fit whilst away, there is a small gym area.

Daily breakfast service is available from 7:00a.m.-10:30a.m.

Room:

We stayed in a premium room located on the forth floor . Our room was equipped with a private bathroom, interactive TV,  mini bar with a selection of soft drinks and wine, safe, air conditioning. There was a free Wi-Fi available throughout the property. Our bed was comfortable and the room had a simple, modern design. There was a walk in wardrobe as well as study desk with 2 chairs.

Our bathroom had a contemporary, open-plan design with glass-panelled toilet and shower cubicles. Some basic toiletries were provided.

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Overall experience:

Although, we were in Nice for only 3 nights, we had a great stay at the Windsor Hotel. The hotel has a perfect location, staff was extremely friendly and our room was comfortable and  modern. I would definitely recommend it to any travellers who enjoy chic looking surroundings and like to feel like home whilst away.

Address:

11 Rue Dalpozzo,

06000 Nice,

France

Website:

https://www.hotelwindsornice.com/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

The Adagio Nice Promenade Des Anglais Hotel in Nice, France

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Two weeks ago, I joined my mum for a girly mini break in French Rivera for 4 days. I was looking forward to spending some quality time with my mother and enjoying the sun, beach and French food. During the first night of our stay, we checked into the Adagio Nice Promenade des Anglais hotel.

Atmosphere:

As soon as we entered the hotel we were welcomed by the front desk receptionist who was very friendly and helpful. As we both had a very early morning flight – my mum was flying from Warsaw whilst I travelled from London- when we arrived at the hotel at 10a.m., we dropped our bags and we were ready to start exploring Nice.

Location:

The Adagio Nice Promenade des Anglais is situated in front of the famous Promenade des Anglais.  opposite the beaches of the Bay of Angels and 15 minutes’ walk from the market in old Nice.

Nice Airport airport is around 15 min drive from the hotel and the taxi costs around 30 Euros. You can also take an airport bus which stops around 50metres from the hotel.

Facilities:

The Adagio Nice Promenade des Anglais offers 73 studios and 2-room apartments, all of which are fully-furnished and have a kitchen and free WIFI. Some apartments have a private terrace with sea views.

Next to reception, there is a relaxation area where daily breakfast service is available from 7:00a.m.-10a.m. daily.

Room:

We stayed in a 2-room apartment overlooking the sea located on the fifth floor. Our apartment was spacious with a fully-equipped kitchen, separate lounge, free WIFI, telephone, air conditioning, bathroom with bathtub and separate toilet.

Our bed was comfortable and the room had a simple, modern design.

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My favourite place in the apartment though was a sunny terrace where I enjoyed having my coffee whilst taking in the beautiful views of the promenade. I also took quite a few photos there as the views were breath-taking.

Overall experience:

Although, we stayed at the Adagio Aparthotel for only 1 night, we had an enjoyable stay. The hotel has a perfect location, staff wasfriendly and our apartment was very spacious and modern. I would definitely recommend it to any travellers who like to stay within the short proximity to the sea, beach and everything else that Nice has to offer.

Address:

179 Promenade Des Anglais

06200 NICE

Website:

https://wwwbeta.adagio-city.com/gb/hotel-9138-aparthotel-adagio-nice-promenade-des-anglais/index.shtml

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: New York, USA

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I have recently traveled to the USA with my husband for our autumn / winter holidays. Our first stop was New York City.  It is the most densely populated city in the USA and it has a population of 8.5 million. New York City is one of the most famous cities worldwide and it has been described as the cultural, financial and media capital of the world. New York City consists of five boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island. I have recently read that there 800 languages are spoken in New York, which makes it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.

Many districts and landmarks in New York City are well known and 61 million tourists visited the city in 2016. There are many places worth visiting in New York. Please find a quick summary listed below:

  • Empire State Building – a perfect way to see the city’s major highlights from the highest building in New York.
  • Statue of Liberty – a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City.
  • Grand Central Terminal – beautiful train station with a wide range of shops and eateries to relax in.
  • Fifth Avenue – a famous shopping street with a range of boutique and high-street brands where you can shop until you drop.
  • Times Square – exciting and colorful square that just cannot be missed. Sometimes referred to as the Crossroads of the World.

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  • Rockefeller Center (Top of The Rock experience) – an observatory on top of Rockefeller Center, with great city views.
  • National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey – amazing entertainment experience in the heart of Times Square which uses ground-breaking technology that takes its attendees on a journey into the ocean. It is super interactive with escaping sea creatures and underwater maze. A perfect destination for a day out with a family especially if you have kids as everyone can experience being face-to-face with whales and sharks, squids or sea lions.
  • Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – an American military and maritime history museum. I especially enjoyed learning more about the Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ – the first space shuttle, a Cold War-era submarine Growler and British Airways Concorde, the world’s fastest commercial jet that can take passengers from London to New York in under 3 hours.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Cambridge, UK

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A few weeks ago, I was on a business trip in Cambridge.

Cambridge is a city in the county town of Cambridgeshire in England.  It is located around 80 km north of London and in 2011 its population was slightly over 123,000 including almost 25 thousands of students.

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Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology industries including software and bio-science and many start-up companies spun out of the university.

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More than 40% of the workforce has a higher education qualification, more than twice the national average. 

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There’s lots to see in this beautiful city-here is a short list of my suggestions:
  1. King’s College Chapel;
  2. Fitzwilliam Museum;
  3. Mathematical Bridge;
  4. Cambridge University Botanic Garden;
  5. University of Cambridge.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Vilnius, Lithuania

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I have recently visited Vilnius and stayed there for 3 days with my husband.

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Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania. It contains one of the largest surviving medieval quarters in Europe.

It is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Old Town contains almost two thousand medieval, gothic, renaissance, and baroque buildings.

Top 5 ‘must-see’ places to visit are:

  • Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania – the former political, diplomatic, cultural centre of the State.
  • Gediminas’ Tower of the Upper Castle – An observation deck on the top of the tower is the best place from which to appreciate a magnificent panorama of Vilnius.
  • Cathedral Basilica – The Cathedral of St. Stanislav and St. Vladislav is the most important place of worship for Lithuania’s Catholics, and the venue for the country’s main Christian, for, and national festivities.
  • Gates of Dawn – The Gates of Dawn is one of the most visited shrines in Vilnius that is famous not only in Lithuania but also abroad, worshipped by the representatives of other creeds too. This is the only surviving gate of the first original five gates in the city wall that was built between 1503 and 1522.
  • Church of St Anne – The church of St Anne is a masterpiece of the late Gothic period.

We really enjoyed our stay in Vilnius. It is definitely worth visiting if you decide to travel to Eastern Europe.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

 

Holiday destinations: Reading, UK

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I travel to Reading regularly on business so today I would like to tell you a bit more about this town.

Reading is a large town on the Thames and Kennet rivers located just 25 min away by fast train from London Paddington. It’s known for the annual Reading Festival and it’s shopping district at the town centre. There are also a few monuments and museums in there including the Reading Museum which contains exhibits on the town’s history and displays a Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry.

Here is a short list of my suggestions of places worth visiting:

  1. Reading Museum:

reading museum     2. Basildon Park:

basildon-park-front-of     3. Reading Abbey:

Reading Abbey   4. Museum of Berkshire Aviation:

mus_new   5. Riverside Museum at Blake’s lock:

riverside museum

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

The House Ribeira Hotel in Porto, Portugal

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Last week, I was with my husband in Portugal for 4 days. This time we visited a picturesque city of Porto and stayed at the trendy House Ribeira Hotel which was transformed into a modern hotel from an abandoned ballet school and theatre.

Atmosphere:

As soon as we entered this trendy, boutique hotel we felt welcomed and the front desk staff were extremely accommodating. As we had a very early morning flight and arrived at the hotel at 10a.m., we dropped our bags and took some advice from the receptionist who recommended for us to take one of the bus tours. When we came back to hotel, around 5p.m. on that day we were welcomed with a glass of Port wine whilst filling in the paperwork-a really nice touch that made us feel appreciated and welcomed.

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The hotel is addressed to a modern, urban audience that seeks not only a great place to stay during their travels but also the authenticity of this marvellous city.

Location:

The House Ribeira Hotel is superbly situated in the centre of Porto’s downtown area. The river is only a minute away by foot and there are lots of restaurants and cafes nearby. The nearest station (Sao Bento) is only 700m away. The main square is only around 15 minutes walk from the hotel and the shopping district and the famous Rue Santa Caterina street is around 10 min walk from the hotel.  Most other key attractions (i.e. Alfandega do Porto, Luis I Bridge, Port Wine Cellars, Palacio da Bosa) are within walking distance making it a perfect place to stay whilst in Porto.

The Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport airport is around 20-30 min from the hotel and the taxi costs around 30-40 Euros.

Facilities:

The House Ribeira Hotel has only 56 rooms spread over 6 floors. The hotel’s design is meant to make you ‘feel like home’.

This theme is visible everywhere, starting from the reception, moving to the bar and breakfast area and ending in the rooms. If you like a modern, funky look then you will love the sitting in one of the multifunctional areas located at the opposite sides of the reception.

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They are furnished with a mix of bench seating, with some interesting cushions and colourful stools, which create a modern, vibrant and colourful look.

Next to reception, there is an open refrigerator stocking a selection of 24/7 ‘grab and go’ packaged sandwiches, snacks and fruit juices. Nice when you just need to get a quick snack on the go.

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Daily breakfast service is available from 7:30a.m.-11a.m. and the cafeteria is open from 1p.m. -11p.m.

Room:

We stayed in a premium room located on the forth floor . Our room was equipped with a private bathroom, interactive TV,  mini bar with a selection of soft drinks and wine, safe, air conditioning. There was a free Wi-Fi available throughout the property. Our bed was comfortable and the room had a simple, modern design. There was a walk in wardrobe as well as study desk with 2 chairs.

Our bathroom had a contemporary, open-plan design with glass-panelled toilet and shower cubicles. Some basic toiletries were provided.

Overall experience:

Although, we were in Porto for only 3 nights, we had a great stay at the House Ribeira Hotel. The hotel has a perfect location, staff was extremely friendly and our room was comfortable and  modern. I would definitely recommend it to any travellers who enjoy chic looking surroundings and like to feel like home whilst away.

If you consider visiting Porto then you can book your stay at The House Ribeira hotel through Booking.com. In addition, if you book your accommodation via this referral link, you’ll get £20 in cash.

Address:

Rua do Infante D. Henrique 26,

4050-492 Porto,

Portugal

Website:

http://www.shotels.pt/thehouse/home

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Bank Holiday stay at Fishmore Hall Hotel in Ludlow, UK

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2 weeks ago, we decided to travel to Shropshire for an extended Bank Holiday weekend.  We left London during the early afternoon and after a few hours drive we arrived at Fishmore Hall hotel in Ludlow.

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Atmosphere:

Fishmore Hall has a very informal atmosphere and from the moment we stepped in to check-in until the moment we checked-out we felt welcomed. All the staff were friendly and professional.

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Location:

Fishmore Hall is situated in Shropshire, around a 3 hour drive from London on the outskirts of Ludlow. The town is well-known for its food festival, interesting shops and historic castle. It is a great holiday destination with many walking trails and sightseeing opportunities to meet the demands of even the most demanding travellers.

 

The beautiful view of Brown Clee Hill and Titterstone Clee Hill can be enjoyed from some of the hotel’s bedrooms or its garden. We spent a romantic afternoon overlooking the fields and rolling hills whilst having a few drinks in the hotels relaxation area located in its gardens.

Dining in an elegant atmosphere may be enjoyed in the restaurant at Fishmore Hall, with views across the beautiful countryside through the large French windows. Afternoon Tea upon arrival may be arranged.
Within close proximity to the hotel are activities ranging from golf to fishing and horse riding. Fishmore Hall is just 1 miles from Ludlow, famous for its food festival, restaurants, shops and historic castle.

Facilities:

Fishmore Hall Hotel has been awarded 3 red star status by the AA. Red Star hotels represent the most outstanding examples in each star category and signify the best in the British Isles.

Forelles Fine Dinning restaurant offers classically based modern British cuisine and welcomes both residents and non-residents who can choose from 2 A La Carte Menus. We decided to have our dinners in there and we weren’t disappointed – both menus were delicious. For guests looking for a more relaxed dining experience, light meals and snacks are available in the elegant setting of the Brasserie. In addition, guests can enjoy a Classic Afternoon Tea which was recommended as one of the best afternoon teas in Shropshire.

 

All visitors can also relax at the guest lounge with and have a drink at the bar which offers a nice selection of drinks and cocktails.

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If, like me, you enjoy having a moment to yourself and a bit of pampering then you will love that the Fishmore Hall Hotel has a luxurious spa – SPA SHELL- overlooking the Shropshire hills.

 

The SPA SHELL features a sauna, steam room, and an outdoor whirlpool. A range of prestigious Elemis treatments and massages are available.

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I decided to have Elemis Garden of England Rose Massage whilst my husband had a classic Full Body Massage. We both really enjoyed the spa facilities and our massages.

 

Room:

Fishmore Hall Hotel is a privately-owned boutique hotel that offers a plenty of rooms to choose from. We stayed in the Executive room (no. 5) which was deeply comfortable, elegant and sexy.

It had a flat screen TV and a very comfortable king-size bed. In addition, there was a desk, table and chairs, and a complimentary Wi-Fi. Our mini bar was stocked up with some local goodies and some complimentary milk and water were given.

 

Our bathroom was spacious and walk in shower as well as a separate bath. Some soft towels, bath robes and slippers were provided. The bathroom was equipped with a selection of exclusive Elemis toiletries.

 

Overall experience:

Although, we stayed only for 2 nights, we had a very relaxing time at Fishmore Hall Hotel. It is a place where you could be assured of being personally pampered in beautiful rural surroundings in a modern SPA, in addition to being able to unwind in peace and quiet whilst admiring the surrounding nature. What’s more, if you are a bit of a foodie then the hotel’s restaurant will definitely meet your expectations as it offers excellent locally-sourced food.

 

If you consider visiting Ludlow then you can book your stay at Fishmore Hall through Booking.com. In addition, if you book your accommodation via this referral link, you’ll get £20 in cash.

Address:

Fishmore Road
Ludlow
Shropshire
SY8 3DP

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline