the countryside in the middle of edinburgh
Edinburgh is probably not the first weekend getaway destination that comes to mind as Londoners usually prefer the cosy Cotswolds over the Scottish capital. However, with just over four hours by train, Edinburgh is a great place to escape to for the weekend. Here’s how I spent mine, opting for a combination of city and countryside experience.
the london discoveries – pt. 3: paxton & whitfield
Central London’s Jermyn Street in the heart of Westminster is probably most well known for its range of exclusive gentlemen’s outfitters, so finding a specialty cheese shop amidst all of this was quite a serendipity: welcome to Paxton & Whitfield.
an afternoon in the medina
Mastering the Medina in Marrakech is an art form. The secret is panta rhei, let yourself go, swim with the flow instead against the stream, immerse yourself and let the river of people wash you through the maze.
fantastic five: mauritian hotel breakfasts
This series is about my favourite five hotels by category.
In what I call my travelling years, the three years I spent reviewing luxury hotels across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for Kiwi Collection – at the time the world’s largest independent luxury hotel reviewer – I was constantly looking for the “perfect” hotel. But even after several hundred hotels a year (about 400-500 annually) my search never revealed that one hotel, that perfect place. Actually, I don’t believe there really is such a hotel… However, there are a few runners up which came pretty close to perfection, who turned my stay into a memorable, lasting, and thus unforgettable experience.
the london discoveries – part 2: t&f slack
Walking through Notting Hill last weekend – and I don’t mean the tourist hell hole that is Portobello Road – I made another unique discovery, a shop combining classic British design with a colourful twist: welcome to T&F Slack Shoemakers.
london’s hotel scene prepares for the olympics
London is a city of all sorts of fabulous events all year round, however, the big event everyone is talking about this year are the 2012 Summer Olympic Games from 27 July to 12 August 2012.
a road trip through andalusia
I can’t say I knew much about Andalusia; at best I would answer ‘flamenco’ and ‘horses’ if asked what the region was known for. Sparked by a recent conversation I was curious what it really had to offer and so I embarked on a road trip through what is officially known as the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.