Arriving at the Lough Eske Hotel is like being propelled into your very own fairytale where everything is designed for your ease and comfort. Someone will park your car while you check in with a glass of mulled cider before being dropped off to your suite in a golden carriage (ok a golf buggy – but still).
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'I've never actually stayed in a hotel in London,' my friend Alice said to me as we opened the door to our suite at the Conrad London St James Hotel, which recently marked its two year anniversary. Attending a school reunion dinner at the historic East India Club in Mayfair that night, we were ideally situated at the Conrad. We'd barely been in the room for long when a slip arrived under our door informing us that drinks and canapés were going to start in 15 minutes at 5:30pm. All of the suites at the Conrad come with access to the 'executive lounge', located on the first floor of the...
Read more →If China were to have its own New York or London, it would be Shanghai. It’s always been the city where the young of China and foreigners alike go to seek fame and fortune and has been developing at breakneck speed – it’s also one of the few places you’ll be see (/almost be run over by) a Lamborghini heading down the same street as an elderly man on an impossibly over-laden push bike. And the bike is probably making better time.
Read more →Eastway Brasserie at five-star boutique hotel, the Andaz, London Liverpool Street offers diners a relaxed but vibrant experience throughout the day with terraced seating on the buzzing East London streets. Design is at the heart of the hotel, effortlessly combining the building’s rich heritage from the late nineteenth century when The Great Eastern Hotel occupied the site, with today’s modern aesthetic. We popped along one evening for a delicious three course extravaganza starting with a some very interesting but delicious starters of ham hock and English asparagus terrine (pressed ham hock...
Read more →San Francisco is a beautifully vibrant and diverse city that has it's own rules and sets its own standards. It's known mostly for it's boutique hotels and we found that luxury hotels seemed to be scarce - fortunately there is The Clift. Designed by Philippe Starck and Ian Schrader, it's immediately alluring with an artsy furniture collection in the lobby; a giant chair which is predictably popular with guests (us included), a wonderful fireplace (quite possibly our personal favourite and the centrepiece standing high at thirty-five-foot with a Bronze chimney sculpture by Gerard Garouste) and a...
Read more →London is bursting with foodie experiences and sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between the mediocre and the truly exceptional ones. Pop-ups and supperclubs have swept through the city and talented cooks are setting up temporary homes in all corners of London offering menus and experiences that can’t be found in the bricks and mortar of a permanent restaurant. I recently experienced one which feels uniquely London but at the same time, resonates with the relaxed vibes of country living. The innovative magazine and events company, Toast have launched SLOWmotion, a slow living concept which...
Read more →There is so much more to Ibiza than just a party island! Set amongst an orange tree orchid in the heart of Ibiza's countryside, Atzaró is a stunning family run, luxury boutique hotel with a beach restaurant and health spa. Atzaró is the perfect retreat to energise and relax. It's already well known for being home to the islands’ only open-air spa and offers guests far more than a standard gym with regular specialist training programmes taking place in beautiful landscaped gardens for the fit and health conscious amongst us.
Read more →Dartmoor National Park covers over 954 square kilometres of land and is an area renowned for it’s outstanding natural beauty. It is perfect for getting away from it all, taking long country walks and detoxing from a hectic city lifestyle. Driving the windy roads up to the Ilsington Country House Hotel, the feeling of escaping from civilization crept up on us and as we pulled into beautiful grounds of the hotel, we knew immediately that this would be the perfect spot to unwind in for a few days.
Read more →Nestled in the depths of Cumbria, the Lake District is an area of natural beauty. Mountainous and vast, with breathtaking panoramic views, one could easily mistake it for New Zealand or Switzerland. Deep pools of water lay in the valleys between tall hills and mountains and lone sheep roam around the scruffy foliage, unperturbed by the occasional rambler. Picture perfect scenery keeps local and foreign tourists coming back to the destination year on year, especially in the summer months.
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