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:

After a dinner I would definitely recommend you to check their bar as their cocktails are definitely a must-have whilst visiting el Neo Gastrobar.

For more information and to book visit:

http://el-neo.com/

Address:

Carrer de la Boteria, 8, 07012 Palma de Mallorca

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Our stay at Palacio Ca Sa Galesa in Palma De Mallorca

November 18, 2016April 3, 2017Leave a comment

As some of you remember my honeymoon is planned for December and I will be going for the trip of my lifetime to Asia in less than 3 weeks from today. Together with my husband, we decided to go for a couple of mini-moons before so this week I would like to tell you about the hotel we selected for our second mini-moon.

Have you ever dreamt about staying in a Palace or castle? I think that they are extremely romantic and as a grown up Princess I decided that it would be perfect to stay at the 5* boutique hotel – Palacio Ca Sa Galesa with my Prince Charming.

Location:

Hotel Palacio Ca Sa Galesa is situated in the historic Old Town center of Palma de Mallorca. It has an ideal location and its roof terrace provides any guests with some great Cathedral views. Palacio Ca SA Galesa is a perfect destination for any luxury seeking travelers all year-round, no matter whether you are going to Palma for a mini-break, shopping or for business. This 5 star boutique hotel is set in a 16th-century building in Palma’s Gothic Quarter. It opened as a hotel slightly over 20 years ago, introducing the idea of city-centre, exclusive hotels based within historic buildings.

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Service:

The reception desk is open 24 hours. As soon as we entered the hotel, we were welcomed by extremely helpful and smiley Azucena. While she was checking us in, she offered for us to sit down in a small area and offered us some champagne or juice. She was very friendly, smiley and professional. As we arrived way to early, we dropped our bags and went shopping. When we arrived back, our room was ready and we were taken for a tour around the hotel.

Rooms:

Palacio Ca Sa Galesa has only 12 rooms (7 suites and 5 doubles) that are unique and named after a famous musician. We stayed at the Junior Suite named after Brahms.

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When we arrived we had a bottle of chamapgne waiting for us in our room which was a great personal touch that made our experience even more special.

Our room was spacious, bright and stylish. It was perfectly equipped with Air Conditioning and central heating which could be individually regulated from the room and bathroom, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, minibar, hospitality tray with coffee and tea making facilities and safe. The room was equipped with the best equipment available:

Multimedia station;
Wi-Fi connection to Internet;
Alarm call service and alarm clock;
Direct telephone line.

Our king-size bed was extremely comfortable and after a day of sightseeing we fell asleep almost immediately. For our additional sleeping comfort we were provided with a pillow menu to help us select our preferable pillow and relax even more…

Bathroom:

Our bathroom had a classic décor and a private in-bathtub jacuzzi and shower. There was a selection of natural bath toiletries and salts available to choose from.

It also had a make-up mirror and heated towel rail. In addition to soft towels we were also provided with some slippers and soft bath gowns which were perfect for lounging in before and after our sightseeing.

Facilities:

Hotel features some original state rooms-the great hall, dinning room, library, sitting room and patio with a pretty fountain.

You can book to have a private dinner in the beautiful, exclusive dinning room.

You can fulfill yourself by admiring its magnificent ceilings and its magnificent wooden doors and luxury furniture that will satisfy even the most demanding guests who appreciate intimate and personalized spaces making their stay an unforgettable experience created to dream.

Breakfast is offered for a surcharge at the Cafe Ricks from 8 until 11 a.m. and provides a selection of cold and warm dishes to choose from. You can have your breakfast in your own room, on patio or terrace if you wish to.

Every day from 4 until 6p.m. you can enjoy some complimentary Afternoon Tea with the selection of the best teas from Harrods in the yellow Monet Kitchen.

In addition hotel Palacio Ca Sa Galesa has the spa which includes a heated indoor pool, sauna and Roman baths, as well as a hot tub and gym.

You can also pre-book some beauty treatments such as facials or massages at the additional charge.

Another place which you should definitely check if you decide to stay at Palacio Ca Sa Galesa is the terrace.

It was definitely my husband’s favourite place in the hotel. We spent a quite a few romantic hours on the terrace looking out on Mallorca Cathedral and Palma Bay while sipping the champagne and having some small bites to eat.

It was a perfect place to watch a sun-set from.

Overall experience:

Palacio Ca Sa Galesa represents the charm which fusions the past and present of Palma. There are places which let you escape time, letting you live through unforgetable moments where the best pleasure is to choose and enjoy your favorite things. Palacio Ca Sa Galesa is definitely one of these places and we both really enjoyed our stay at the beautiful and luxurious boutique hotel. It was definitely one of the most unique hotels I have ever stayed in. The location was perfect and service was faultless so I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who plans to travel to Palma. I would love to stay in this magnificent hotel again one day!

Website:

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.palaciocasagalesa.com/en

Address:

Carrer Miramar, 8, 07001 Palma de Mallorca

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Holiday destinations: Palma, Majorca

November 16, 2016September 16, 20212 Comments

I have just came back home from a great second mini-moon in Palma de Mallorca so I would like to tell you about this destination today.

Palma is situated on the south coast of Majorca. Almost half of the total population of Majorca live in Palma and the entire urban area of Palma in 2009 was 621,000.

With beautiful weather, stunning scenery, and delicious cuisine, Palma is a very popular destination for holidays. Its airport, serves over 22 million passengers each year.

Palma’s multicultural history is reflected in the wonderful variety of architecture visible throughout the city. If you are in Palma only for a few days then you should definitely:

Walk through the gorgeous fairly narrow, quiet streets of the Old Town surrounded by a diverse range of interesting buildings. The architecture of which is comparable to cities such as Florence.

Visit Palma La Seu Cathedral. It is Gothic cathedral which rises out of the city walls which once marked the edge of the sea.

Go to Placa d’ESpania -the transport hub of Palma.
Walk or cycle around the beach. There is a cycle path and promenade lie directly behind the beach. If you like running then it is also a perfect place for a morning run!

Visit the Almudaina Palace. It is a 13th century palace with charming gardens located just next to the cathedral.

Visit the Bellver Castle a Gothic style castle located on a hill 3 km to the west of the center of Palma. You will be able to admire the panorama of Palma from there.

I will post some suggestions of where to stay and which restaurants are worth visiting over the next few days.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

Pauline

Holiday destinations: Dubrovnik, Croatia

October 14, 2016September 16, 2021Leave a comment

I visited Dubrovnik recently and it was simply breath-taking.

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Dubrovnik is one of the best known Croatian cities on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, referred to often as ‘the pearl of the Adriatic’. It was also recently featured in the popular ‘Game of Thrones’ series so it’s a must-see for any fan who wishes to discover the settings of this fantasy series.

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As I was there with my fiancée only for a day, we decided to take one of the guided walking tours on top of the walls. In spite of the heat, humidity and heavy crowds, this was undeniably one of the most spectacular walks in the cities we’ve ever seen. Our guide was very knowledgeable and it was very interesting to listen to the tales she told us about the city.

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We loved it and would love to visit the city again. Next time we will definitely stay for longer to see all the beautiful sides.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

Pauline

Holiday destinations: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

October 5, 2016September 16, 20212 Comments

A while ago I decided to pursue my career and as a result I moved to Amsterdam. I ended up living there for almost 2 years before I was certain that I want to move back to London. I always feel quite sentimental when I think about this unique city. Despite the obvious presence of thousands of visitors, its life remained authentic. The city old Centre is formed from canal rings, which give you the feeling of space and freedom.

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Cycling is key to the city’s character and there are 400km of cycle paths so try to rent a bike and cycle a bit when you visit.

Location:

Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses. Amsterdam has a population of 840,486 and is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country.

Amsterdam’s name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city’s origin as a dam of the river Amstel.

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Attractions:

There’s lots to see in the city. Here is a short list of my suggestions:

Visit the Museum District houses works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and modern art at the Stedelijk.
Visit Anne Frank House.
Visit Dam square.
Have a drink or something to eat around Rembrandtplein or Leidseplein squares.
Have a picnic at Vondelpark.
Take a canal cruise.