Our stay in Chelton Hotel, Brussels, Belgium

February 10, 2017February 11, 2017Leave a comment

Last week, I travelled with my husband to celebrate his birthday in Belgium. We stayed in 2 hotels during our 4 days’ break. To start with we booked Chelton Hotel.

Location:
Chelton Hotel is very conveniently located in the centre of the European Quarter, just minutes away from the European Commission and a short 5-minutes’ walk from Schuman metro station.

Atmosphere:

The hotel has a very informal atmosphere. The staff was friendly and ready to help with their suggestions of places worth visiting whilst in Brussels.

Facilities:

Chelton Hotel has a 24-hours reception, baggage storage room, bar and restaurant and a rooftop terrace. My husband really enjoyed going to the top floor for a cigarette as the terrace had a great panoramic view of Brussels. There were lots of small tables and modern chairs all around it so it is a perfect place to hang-out during the summer for a drink with some friends.

Our breakfast was served at the restaurant downstairs and consisted of a great selection of continental meat and cheese.

I loved the vast selection of the freshly squeezed juices and homemade marmalades-you should definitely try the strawberry one with some pancakes as it was mouth-watering. There was also a selection of cereals and some pastries to satisfy any hungry travellers.

Room:

Our room was large and had a simple, modern décor. Our king-size bed was comfortable and after a long day of sightseeing it was always great to rest in it while watching TV and snacking on some Belgian Chocolate. The room had a large work-table so would be perfect for anyone travelling too Brussels on business if they had to work a bit during the evenings. The bathroom was again very simple but had everything you need-a shower, bath, washbasin, hairdryer etc.

Overall:

Chelton Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of European Quarter so would be perfect for anyone travelling there on business or for pleasure as it is just a short walk away from Brussel’s main attractions. I would recommend you to visit if you wish to stay in the comfortable, spacious room and you don’t want to break your bank as the rooms are reasonably priced.

All my readers can get 10% discount on their reservations with Chelton Hotel. The code to use for further reservations is « FIRSTCLASSLOUNGE ».

I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Pauline

Holiday destinations: Paris during the winter, France

February 8, 2017September 16, 20213 Comments

A few weeks ago I travelled to Paris with one of my best friends – Natasha.

Paris is a capital city of France and it has a population of 12 million (2014) which covers 18 percent of the residents of France. In 2015 Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

Travel:

We decided to go to Paris by Eurostar as it is the easiest way to travel to Paris from London. It takes under 2.5 hours and trains depart from King’s Cross Station in central London every hour. Prices vary from £29 for a standard single ticket booked in advance to £249 for a business premiere ticket including an access to the Executive Lounge and some complementary drinks and a meal on-board.

Attractions:

Paris is wonderful and it doesn’t matter whether you travel there during the winter or during the summer.

The Central area of Paris along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and includes many notable monuments. In addition, Paris is the home of many important museums and cultural institutions. There are many places worth seeing however if you are in Paris for a limited time (we were there for 3 days) then you should definitely visit:

The Eiffel Tower – an iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars that was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.

The Louvre – the most visited and the largest art museum in the world.

Arc de Triomphe – is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.

Notre Dame Cathedral – is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité built in the 12th century.

Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that you either take a walk down the river or alternatively you can take one of many mini-cruises especially if the weather is nice.

In addition, if you love live-shows and cabaret then you should definitely visit Moulin Rouge but be prepared-tickets for a show and dinner are quite expensive and start at 190 Euros per person thus we decided to skip it this time.

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Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

Pauline

Dinner at Le Petit Pointoise in Paris, France

February 5, 2017February 14, 2017Leave a comment

A few weeks ago I was in Paris with one of my best friends and I decided to return to a lovely, small traditional French restaurant – Le Petit Pointoise.

Location:

Le Petit Pontoise is located on a quiet street just a few minutes’ walk from Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris.

Address:

9, rue de Pontoise, 75 005 PARIS

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:30 p.m. When we arrived the restaurant was almost full and buzzing with tourists and some regular dinners. We were greeted by a friendly waitress-Boom that I met a while ago when I was in Paris with my husband last year. She took us to our table in the corner of restaurant and made us feel welcomed. She attended our table and looked after us well throughout the evening.

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The menu:

The menu at this gourmet bistro offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional French recipes. The Head Chef-François Récapet works at Le Petit Pontoise for 14 years and provides his dinners with a high quality, traditional French cuisine with a twist. Before we ordered our starters, I ordered some house white wine that was really fruity and sweet.

Starters:

To start with I decided to have some signature ‘Petit Pontoise’ roasted shrimps. They were divine! I loved how juicy they were.

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My friend Natasha had some amazing Parmesan Dauphine Ravioles that were cooked to perfection and very cheesy.

Mains:

There was a nice choice of mains but as I love fish I decided to have a fillet of sea bass roasted with vanilla sauce. It was absolutely perfect. Wow! Wow! Wow! It was the best fish I had in a while. I loved the sweet sauce and veggies that accommodated the fish.

My friend had a Rack of lamb with some garlic crust that was accompanied by some vegetables and gravy. It was delectable and she cleared the plate which is always a good size.

Desserts:

As I have a bad sweet tooth, I was looking forward to the last part of our meal. Last time when I was in Le Petit Pontoise I had some amazing Tiramisu ‘Veronese’. This time, i decided to have some gramdms’s secret Tart Tatin. I really enjoyed my little treat that was served with some vanilla ice-cream! Yummy!

Natasha had some Chocolat Amadeus. With a liquid chocolate in the middle and vanilla ice-cream on top, this cake was divine.

Overall experience:

We both had a great time at this traditional French gourmet bistro. You should definitely go there if you wish to discover and enjoy some great home-made French cuisine. All dishes were of good size and presented nicely so if you wish to have a good-quality meal in a typical Parisian atmosphere then look no further. I will definitely visit again during my next trip to this magical city.

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Hotel Gustave in Paris, France

February 3, 2017February 5, 2017Leave a comment

A few weeks ago, I travelled to Paris with one of my best friends, Natasha for a girl’s weekend away to celebrate her birthday. As she hasn’t been to Paris for a while we decided to book Hotel Gustave that is overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

Location:
Hotel Gustave is perfectly located on a quiet street just around a corner from the Dupleix metro station. It is served by public transport and located and a short 15 minutes’ walk from the Eiffel Tower. The whole of Paris is within quick and easy reach if you are staying here.

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Atmosphere:

As soon as we entered Hotel Gustave, we were welcomed by a friendly receptionist. He was extremely helpful and assisted us with designing of our ‘sightseeing itinerary’. The reception had a beautiful, modern décor and as soon as we entered we could fully immerse ourselves in our luxurious surroundings. In front of reception, there was a large relaxation area, a bar and terrace.

Rooms and Facilities:

Hotel Gustave has a 24-hours reception. During the afternoons, hotel’s in-house bar opens for a ‘honestly bar’ with a vast selection of alcoholic beverages if you fancy a drink or a bit of socialising in the evening. Other services include:

a dry-cleaning service
a laundry service,
room service.

This beautiful boutique hotel has only 32 rooms and 6 of these rooms offer spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower. Our room had a modern and chic design. As Hotel Gustave is located closely to the Eiffel Tower the room décor displayed a wonderful picture of that monument that starts above the beds and ends at the ceiling.

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The room was of a reasonable size and featured a typical Parisian French window offering an exceptional view of the legendary Iron Lady.

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Our king-size bed was extremely comfortable and equipped with an LED flat-screen television, free Wi-Fi, direct telephone line, mini-bar, safe and a bathroom with a shower or bath.

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The bathroom had a modern, white décor. It was spacious, clean and bright.

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Overall:

If you like staying at boutique hotels then you should consider hotel Gustave. It would be perfect for your weekend breaks, business trips or holidays in Paris. It is in the heart of the city, has lovely, modern rooms and all facilities you need while away from home.

You can find out some more details on the hotel’s official website:

https://www.hotelgustave.com/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Village Hotel Albert Court, Singapore

January 13, 2017January 15, 2017Leave a comment

So… our honeymoon is over and it’s time to go back to work. I was away on the trip of my lifetime to Asia for 3 weeks and the first place I visited with my husband was Singapore. As it was the first stop on our itinerary and we knew how tired we will be after travelling for almost 22 hours (door-to-door) from London, we decided to stay in the 4-star boutique hotel Village Hotel Albert Court.

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Location:

Village Hotel Albert Court in Singapore is conveniently situated in the Little India quarter within easy reach of the MRT station and buses. The sightseeing bus stop is just around a corner from the hotel so you can start your adventure almost as soon as you arrive in there.

This boutique hotel is a complex of charming cabins housing comfortable and elegantly decorated suites equipped with spacious living rooms, fashionable furnishings and internet access.

Village Hotel Albert Court features a gift shop, Jacuzzi, fitness center, two gourmet restaurants, complimentary parking and a tours and ticket desk.

Service:

The reception desk is open 24 hours. As soon as we entered the hotel, we were welcomed by concierge who took us to the check in desk.

Rooms:

Village Hotel Albert Court has a range of different rooms and suites on offer. WE stayed at the Club Suite room which was comfortable and elegantly decorated. Our room was spacious, bright and had fashionable furnishing. It was perfectly equipped with Air Conditioning, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, minibar, hospitality tray with coffee and tea making facilities and safe and we also got internet access.

Our bathroom was simple and had a classic white décor.

Facilities:

Village Hotel Albert Court Singapore offers its guests a good quality and provides them with a place to unwind and relax after a full day of sightseeing. You can sip some great cocktails at The Lobby Bar, relax at the Jacuzzi or go to the gym to enjoy your stay even more.

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Breakfast is offered for a surcharge at the main restaurant that is based above the reception from 8 until 11 a.m. and provides a selection of cold and warm dishes to choose from. I wasn’t impressed with our breakfast and I honestly think that it needs to improve and decrease in price…

Overall experience:

Village Hotel Albert Court is a great, conveniently located boutique hotel in Singapore. Our room was very spacious g and the facilities were good so I would definitely recommend it. Don’t add on the breakfast though.

Website:

For more information and to book visit:

http://villagehotel-albert-court.h-rez.com/

Address:

180 Albert Street, Singapore, 189971, Singapore

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Holiday destinations: Lisbon, Portugal

December 30, 2016September 16, 20211 Comment

I’ve recently visited Lisbon-the capital and the largest city of Portugal for a short 3-days break with my husband. Lonely Planet’s features which boast Portugal in both its top 10 Cities and Regions to visit in 2017 lists prove that Portugal is not a place to be missed. You should experience it before it becomes a tourist hub so if you are currently planning your travel adventures for 2017 then put Portugal on your ‘to-go’ list.

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Lisbon has a population of around 2.7 million people, being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest in Western Europe, predating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by centuries.

Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate. We were there during December and it was quite warm. The city has the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe, with average temperatures 15 °C during the day and 8 °C at night from December to February.

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There’s lots to see in this city and here is a short list of my suggestions:

Lisbon Oceanarium
Jeronimos Monastery
Belem Tower
St George’s Castle
Parque Des Nacoes
Design and Fashion Museum

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As I was there for only 3 days my mini-break, it felt quite rushed and I would love to go there again for a few days more. I am sure that I could have benefited from taking the slower route and really immersing myself in many beautiful surroundings that Portugal has to offer. On my return from Portugal I have discovered the ‘Slow holidays’ company Inntravel that is specialising in organising walking holidays. They have recenly added a new La Palma Volcanic Trail walking holiday. Everyone needs some time to think and if you enjoy discovering new places, eating delicious food and walking then that would be the perfect break for you. I would love to go on this 7 days walking holidays that consist of:

self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking;
walking through beautiful, unspoiled scenery from coast to coast;
staying at the unique blend of traditional and modern accommodation (one guesthouse, one 3-star hotel, one village cottage; one rural hotel).

You can read more about this walking holiday on Inntravel website:

https://www.inntravel.co.uk/holidays/walking-holidays/Portugal/Algarve-coast-to-coast?pg=sk

I hope you enjoyed reading this review. It was written in collaboration with Inntravel.

Pauline

Top Land-Based Casinos In The United Kingdom

December 2, 2016December 2, 2016Leave a comment

Have you ever wanted to learn about the casinos? As some of you might know, I got married recently. I am not much of a gambler however my husband could be a pro as he knows so much about the casinos and the games that you can play in them.

I decided to investigate this topic further as the wife of a pro gamer and gambler. He’s told me on many occasions that if you know the rules of the games you want to play you might have a fun and entertaining time when you visit a casino. In addition, I was informed that many casinos regularly host live entertainment events, such as stand-up comedy, concerts, and sporting events. Many of them are also offering dining experiences combined with a bit of gambling which could appeal to anyone who feels a bit adventurous. To start with, if you are willing to learn more on that topic, I would recommend you check out this informative catalogue about all the casinos located in the UK, it is very comprehensive and covers a wide variety of places. I came across this website and I liked its layout as it provided a summary of all casinos located in specific cities in UK. History: Casinos have been called by many names: gaming houses, saloons (in USA), betting house etc. According to Wikipedia: ‘In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities.’ The history of gambling is mysterious. Many believe that in some form or another many of societies had entertainment based on games of chance. The first known European gambling house, was the Ridotto, established in Venice, Italy in 1638 by the Great Council of Venice to provide controlled gambling during the carnival season. Where to go? There are hundreds of casinos in UK, many of them located in central tourist areas of hotels. As I live in London, I would recommend you to visit one of these 5 best casinos based here:

1. The Empire Casino in Leicester Square

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2. The Hippodrome Casino

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3. The Grosvenor Casino

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4. Maxims

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5. The Sportsman

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Pauline

Our lunch at Peix Vermell restaurant

November 25, 2016November 29, 2016Leave a comment

On the third day of our mini-moon in Palma, after sightseeing the most beautiful sights the city has to offer, we decided to have a lunch at the traditional fish and seafood restaurant – Peix Vermell.

Location:

Peix Vermell is conveniently located in the Old Town on one of the most symbolic streets in Palma, just around the corner from the famous boutiques and Louis Vuitton store.

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Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1:30 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Mihail. He took us to our table and introduced us to our waiter who was friendly and attentive.

I was impressed by the restaurant lively, colorful decor and I loved some of the amazing modern paintings that are displayed on its walls.

The menu:

Before we started our meal we had a glass of champagne to celebrate our mini-moon in Palma. While we were sipping our chilled sparkly goodness we looked at the great selection of fish and seafood dishes available to order.

To start with we had a selection of recommended starters including:

Shrimps with garlic oil;
Small green peppers of Padrón;
A mixed salad.

Our starters were really tasty and gave us an opportunity to try some local delicatessen.

Mains:

For our mains we decided to have some seafood paella and some baked sea bass with garnish. Our waiter brought both dishes to our table and divided them equally for me and my husband.

When we have first seen the amount of food we ordered, we were wondering how we could potentially finish it all however as both dishes were full of flavor and delectable, we cleared our plates clean.

When it comes to our seafood paella it was definitely the best paella I’ve ever eaten! It was full of flavor and seafood, absolutely perfect!

Desserts:

After our massive meal I was unsure if I want a dessert however as soon as I’ve heard about the homemade Tiramisu, I changed my mind and ordered some. It was lovely….

My husband went for some crema catalana which he really enjoyed.

Overall experience:

If you like seafood than you should definitely visit Peix Vermell. The restaurant offers a wide variety of competitively priced fish and seafood dishes in addition to a vast selection of wines. Their seafood paella was absolutely amazing so you should definitely try it next time you are in Palma.

We both really liked the food, service was spot on and surroundings were modern. I am definitely not surprised that TripAdvisor awarded the restaurant the Certificate of Excellence 2016 as they definitely deserve it.

Address:

1 Montenegro str or entrance from 7 Sant Feliu str., 07012 Palma de Mallorca

For more information and to book visit:

http://peixvermell.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our lunch at Aromata restaurant, Palma De Mallorca

November 23, 2016November 21, 2016Leave a comment

On our second day of our mini-moon in Palma, we decided to have a lunch at one of the traditional Mallorcan restaurants Aromata.

Location:

The restaurant is located in an old, renovated building in the city centre of Palma. It is positioned just a minute away from a busy shopping street in the Old Town so it is perfect to take a break and relax, no matter whether you are there for shopping or sightseeing.

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Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Patricia. She took us to our table and introduced us to our waiter who made us feel welcomed and comfortable. The restaurant has a modern decor and beautiful setting.

The menu:

Aromata’s menus are created by a famous Michelin star chef Andreu Genestra and change on a weekly basis. There are 2 lunch menus to choose from: Aromata Migdia and Gourmet menu. I decided to try the dishes from the Aromata Gourmet menu and my husband went for a cheaper option from the Migdia menu.

Starter:

For a starter my husband had some cream of parsnip with fried vegetables and air cilantro and I ordered some marinated grilled tuna with mashed cauliflower and air nail.

Both dishes were very tasty and cooked to perfection. I tried some soup and I wished I could prepare a similar parsnip soup at home-I definitely need some cooking classes first though 😉

Mains:

For my main I decided to have a fried snapper fillet with some fennel, garlic and pepper. James had some braised beef with mashed potato and leek crispy. Both dishes were full of flavour and simply delectable.

Desserts:

James decided to have a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream.

I loved his brownie so I had half of it and in return gave him some of my dessert that consisted of assorted cheeses with trim and chutney.

Overall experience:

If you would like to try some traditional, creative, gourmet, tasty Mallorcan cuisine then Aromata is a place to go to. We both really enjoyed our lunch there-food was excellent, service was great and the restaurant is very reasonably priced.

With menus starting from 15.5 Euros it is a great destination for everyone who wants to enjoy an inexpensive, quality meal. In addition, restaurant supports Mallorcan wine merchants so don’t forget to try some faboluous local wine if you visit!

Address:

Carrer de la Concepció, 12, 07012 Palma

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.aromatarestaurant.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our dinner at el Neo Gastrobar in Palma De Mallorca

November 20, 2016November 21, 2016Leave a comment

After a day of sightseeing, on the first day of our mini-moon in Palma De Mallorca we booked a table for a dinner at el Neo Gastrobar. I read so many positive reviews about this restaurant so I was curious to discover how good it really is!

I wore one of my summery cocktail dresses from Lipsy with some Carvella hills and accessorized it with some silver jewellery and my Versace handbag that I took with me for our trip.

Location:

El Neo Gastrobar is situated just a few minutes away from the Cathedral. It has a perfect location in the Old Town center of Palma and is just around a corner from Palma’s marina.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 8 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly Italian waiter from Sardigna-Ivanno. He took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable. We felt relaxed and comfortable from the firts minute we arrived to el Neo Gastrobar. There was a soft music playing at the background and the atmosphere was romantic.

Service:

We were mainly served by Ivanno whose however there were also a few different staff members who attended our table. They were all friendly and looked after us well. On our arrival we received a glass of champagne to start our evening with.

The menu:

The menu at this gourmet gastrobar serves inventive, Asian-inspired selection of tapas so we decided to degustate some of them. All dishes were beautifully presented and tasted heavenly. They were definitely the best tapas we had whilst in Palma!

Below you can find some pictures of the dishes we tried:

The favorite dish I tried was prawns breaded in panko with mango chutney.

For my dessert I had some white chocolate with red fruits and it was simply amazing. As some of you might know I have a very bad sweet tooth so I was looking forward to it:

Overall experience:

We both had an amazing time at el Neo Gastrobar.

The service was excellent, food was delicious and the atmosphere was great! If you would like to try some tapas with an Asian twist then you should definitely give it a go. We were lucky enough to also meet extremely friendly owner of el Neo-Carolina who told us about her background and inspiration: