20 December 2021

In November 2021, we were very lucky to spend 7 nights at Atmosphere Kanifushi in the Maldives as the second part of our honeymoon. It certainly didn’t disappoint, and our only regret is that we didn’t book to stay for longer! We took the 35 minute seaplane from Malé which was such an amazing experience! For anyone who has a fear of flying, I would probably recommend somewhere reachable by speedboat instead as the seaplanes are very tiny so not great for claustrophobia and although we were lucky with weather I can imagine they may sometimes be a bit bumpy. Although I was surprised how smooth the landings were! But if you’re all good with flying, then definitely go on a sea plane as the views are fantastic. The welcome we received upon our arrival at Kanifushi was just so incredible. You step off the seaplane onto the jetty and there’s so many staff ready to welcome you to the island and then you walk down the jetty to reception with 2 guys walking ahead of you playing bongo drums. They make such a fuss! And it made me a tad emotional if I’m honest. It certainly set the bar for what we could expect for the rest of our stay. We had a quick glass of fizz in reception before being shown to our villa. En route, we were given a quick tour of the island and all the facilities and restaurants. We stayed in a Beach Villa with Private Pool which are located on the very northern tip of the island which is very secluded. It’s very private up there which is great but just bear in mind that you are around a 25 min walk from the main buffet restaurant. You can also get a bicycle for the duration of your stay which we did and so it was a 10 minute cycle which we didn’t mind. Alternatively, there are small shuttle buggy's which run up and down every 15 mins or so and they give you an app which you can track them on so you know when to come out of your villa to jump on! The villa itself was absolutely beautiful! They are huge at 192m2 and come with a 30m2 outdoor private pool at the front which then leads onto the beach. The outdoor bathroom was also stunning! With a freestanding whirlpool bathtub right in the centre, and a huge waterfall shower. There were full size Elemis toiletries too so I wouldn’t bother taking shampoo or shower gel next time as they were lush! These rooms also come with some extra perks, including 2 x 1 litre bottles of spirits of your choice from their Kanifushi Plan menu and also the option to have a la carte breakfast each day at the Sunset Bar which is only 5 mins walk from the villa. Also with this room category we had our own concierge, Sandy, who took care of all our restaurant and excursion reservations and was just there for us throughout our stay if we needed anything. We had her Whatsapp number so we could just ping her a quick message and she’d reply super quickly! She was amazing. All of the staff were super friendly. I know this is easy to say, but seriously even when you were walking or cycling past staff who were sweeping the island or cleaning rooms, every single person said ‘’Hello’’ or ‘’Good morning’’. It was so lovely. Another thing I noticed in regards to staff was that a few times after we’d finished evening meals, the chef would come round and ask what the food had been like. This happened about 4/5 times and was a nice touch. Talking of food…WOW! The food and drinks here are incredible. First of all, the drinks menu is huge and has everything you’d want from wines, beers, cocktails, smoothies and even liqueur coffees! On our first evening we ate at the buffet and I had fresh tuna steak which was cooked on a griddle pan in front of me, with some vegetables and potatoes and it was so tasty! All of the a la carte restaurants were also beautiful and we wish we had more time to eat at them again. We decided to also go to the Teppanyaki, which isn’t included on the all inclusive plan, but it was brilliant. I love going to a Teppanyaki as they put on a great show and the food was delicious! On the Wednesday evening, there was the ‘Indian Ocean Festival’ dinner at the buffet which was fab! All the buffet was brought outdoors and you received a welcome drink and there was live music on. The atmosphere was amazing. As it was our honeymoon we were also treated to a special honeymoon dinner on the beach at the Sunset restaurant which was so lovely. And during our afternoon turndown, they made us a special ‘’Happy Honeymoon’’ arrangement on the bed and ran us a beautiful rose petal bath. Such a lovely touch! Each night after dinner we headed to The Liquid bar which had some great DJ’s on and great music was a great atmosphere to end the day. We even got up a few times for a boogie! Also included as part of the all inclusive plan are the twice a day snorkelling trips. We only went on 1 in the end but wish we had time to go on more. We did also go on the sunset cruise where we were lucky enough to see dolphins swimming alongside the boat which was such an incredible experience! And also the sunset fishing cruise where we saw some sharks! Both were included in the stay and I’d highly recommend doing them. The day after our arrival, Sandy messaged us an itinerary she had put together for us to ensure we got the chance to eat at all the restaurants and do the cruises. This is totally changeable of course but it means you get to experience everything and she made all the reservations for us. I thought this was a brilliant service. Whether you’re looking to just chill out for the whole stay, or fill your time with lots of activities, the Maldives and Kanifushi in particular can definitely fulfil your needs! I’ve not even mentioned the tennis courts, pool table, table tennis and gym that are available that we barely had time for! We cannot wait to return one day, it’s certainly only a matter of time! For anymore information on the Maldives or Atmosphere Kanifushi, if you’re planning on a special visit, please do get in touch as I’d love to help!

13 December 2021

I’ve recently just returned from Dubai which was the first of 2 stops on our honeymoon! We were super lucky to be travelling Business Class with Emirates which was an absolutely amazing experience! Firstly we were chauffeured from home to the airport which feels so special. We flew out on the Airbus A380 and were handed champagne when we sat down, followed by a hot towel and then a Bvlgari toiletry bag as it was an overnight flight. But there was no chance I was going to sleep! I was so excited! If I did want to catch some zzz’s though, there is a fully flat bed and the crew will give you a mattress and blanket. Shortly after take off we headed to the bar for a cocktail which was incredible! Also, the lounge in Dubai airport is HUGE and they have several food outlets and bars and decent showers should you need to freshen up if connecting during a long journey. Definitely worth treating yourself to if you can! We stayed 6 nights at Le Royal Meridien in the Jumeriah Beach area. The hotel is simply stunning and the staff are so friendly and attentive. We arrived on a Friday and decided to go to the special Brunch they serve on this day each week from 1.30pm-4.30pm which is basically an all you can eat and drink buffet. The food was incredible and we had everything from beef wellington to fresh lobster from the BBQ! And they have live music and DJ’s on and the atmosphere is electric. I would highly recommend. We decided to opt for a Club Room at Le Royal Meridien which comes with some added benefits which I really think are worth the extra cost. The first benefit is that you get to have breakfast in the Club Lounge rather than going to the main buffet restaurant, which just has a nicer feel. They also do afternoon tea daily from 3pm-5pm which consists of a selection of sandwiches, toasties and sweet treats and of course hot or soft drinks. It's nice even if you just fancy getting out of the sun a bit and grabbing a coffee. And then the best part - Pre dinner Cocktails & Canapes in the evening! 6pm-8pm daily you can go to the Club Lounge and there's a wide selection of snacks, whether you fancy just grazing on some nuts or nachos or fancy some sliders and fries! And you can have any drinks you wish from cocktails to still or sparkling wines or beers. Drinks in the hotel were approximately £10 per drink so to have this included for 2 hours was brilliant. We will definitely be staying in a Club Room when we visit again. We also spent a day at Aquaventure waterpark located at the Atlantis hotel on the Palm which was such a great day! The world’s largest waterpark, with over 100 slides, attractions and experiences. My husband, being more daring than me, braved the Leap of Faith slide with it’s 60 foot vertical drop which takes you through a lagoon of sharks! Top tip – if you stay until the parks closing time like we did, the taxi queue was huge with not many taxis arriving. We decided to get the monorail from the Atlantis to the Palm gateway which saved us so much time. You can then get a taxi from there to your hotel or connect onto the tram like we did. We travelled during the Expo 2020 too so was lucky to spend a day here which was a great experience. It was absolutely huge! I think we managed to get around approximately 10 pavilions in the 5 hours we were there. Some really impressive displays of creativity and culture. We took the tram to and from the Expo which was super easy and a much more efficient way to travel around Dubai than taxis which are not only more expensive but more time consuming with the heavy constant traffic. Lastly, but certainly not least, probably my favourite experience of our time in Dubai was the ‘High Tea’ (afternoon tea) at the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Accessed through the Armani hotel, take the high speed lift to the 122nd floor where you’ll reach the At.Mosphere Grill & Lounge. Start off with a selection of the chefs finest finger sandwiches which not only tasted incredible but had the most impeccable details! Followed then by the main course of either chicken ballotine or seabass which were also delicious. To finish, a selection of fine pastries and scones which were beautiful! Also included is a bottle of sparkling wine (you can upgrade to champagne if you wish) and a wide selection of unlimited hot and cold drinks. I highly recommend the Mochaccino which was so tasty! The violinist there really set the mood perfectly and you can take your time while you take in the amazing views and enjoy the divine feast! I highly recommend the Jumeriah Beach area to stay and here are a few reasons why. Staying on the Palm Jumeirah is fine if you’re only wanting to go to Dubai and chill in your hotel’s facilities. But if you’re wanting to explore quite a lot, it can be quite far in a taxi or on the monorail to get off the Palm. Downtown Dubai is another good area, especially if on a budget, and although you are close to the Dubai Mall there which is handy if you’re staying Bed & Breakfast as there’s tonnes of food outlets, I really liked being near the beach and also right outside our hotel was The Walk. This is a popular promenade full of shops, bars and restaurants. So another great place to be if you love to stay Bed & Breakfast in your hotel and eat out on an evening. It didn’t take me long after arriving in Dubai before I decided I would definitely be going back in the future! And we’re even looking at going again in March 2022 so just 4 months after this trip. A great year round sun destination with something for everyone. If you’re thinking of Dubai for your next holiday, I’d love to give you even more of my top tips and recommendations so please get in touch. Next up - Part 2 of our honeymoon - The Maldives!

11 December 2020

Santorini had been on my ‘’list’’ for a while when we finally decided to take the plunge and visit the beautiful Greek island in 2018 and my goodness, it did not disappoint! We decided to stay in Imerovigli which is located on the North West of the island and boasts the best views of the sunset and the caldera as well as having that iconic Santorini feel with the whitewashed buildings with blue domes and narrow crisscrossing walking paths. The views were absolutely breath-taking! It never got boring sitting out on the balcony on a morning to have breakfast overlooking the caldera or watching the sunset from the hot tub on our balcony. During our stay we decided to hire a quad bike for 2 days which was a brilliant idea because we managed to go and tour the whole island! It’s super easy to get about on and you can just park them up anywhere while you go and explore. I’d highly recommend this to anyone and it cost around 80 euros to hire. First we visited Oia which is to the North of the island and has a really luxurious feel to it. There’s lots of small boutique shops and restaurants and cafes all with amazing views. Then the next day we headed to the south of the island to Kamari. Personally I didn’t like Kamari as much as the other resorts because for me it didn’t have that Santorini feel but there were some beautiful hotels there and lovely restaurants and café’s and also a nice beach. Kamari would be perfect for anyone with mobility issues as it is all flat and the resorts on the caldera side of the island have a LOT of steps. Me and my partner are young and healthy and sometimes I’d struggle with all the steps from our hotel room to get to the reception & street. So just something to bare in mind. One day we decided to walk to the capital Fira which is about a 30 minute walk. It was very busy on the day we went as there was a cruise ship that has just docked. We visited the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral which was beautiful and had a lovely lunch at Zafora. Not far from where we were staying was Skaros Rock which is a large rock formed by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago but it offers stunning wide views if you can climb to the top! We decided to brave it and wow, it was worth it! You’ll need practical clothes and shoes to tackle it but I promise you won’t regret it! Greek food is by far my favourite and the meals we had in Santorini did not disappoint! The prices of food did vary depending where you went with some places being on a par with the UK at 15-25 euros for a main course and some places that offer the amazing views were a bit more pricey. We ate twice at Avocado which was only a couple of minutes walk from our hotel. The homemade moussaka there was to die for! I’d also really recommend Mezzo which is set over 3 levels offering stunning views and the most delicious baklava dessert! Another recommendation is the gyros and baklava at Why not! Souvlaki, this is more like a café restaurant where you can either sit in or takeaway and we had food from here a few times. For just a coffee and dessert then head to Confetti Dessert Boutique which is a patisserie offering an amazing range of sweet treats. And I can’t forget to mention that every single evening we headed to Bar To Navagio to have a few drinks while watching the sunset. The views here were spectacular! I’ve got so many more recommendations for this stunning island so if you’re thinking of visiting Santorini or would like more information on my time there then I’d love to help you so please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

25 November 2020

It’s almost one year ago since I last went to New York. Visiting New York at Christmas time is magical and definitely a bucket list trip and I’ve been lucky enough to do it twice now. From the extravagant displays in shop windows to the aroma of offerings from the street food vendors you feel like you’ve been picked up and placed right in the middle of a Christmas movie! Both times I’ve visited I chose to stay at the Millennium Broadway Hotel located in Times Square. It’s a great location which is central to anywhere you want to go and makes most attractions within walking distance. Last year we decided to get a limousine transfer to the hotel from the airport as we were travelling for a special occasion and because there was 4 of us it wasn’t much more expensive than getting a taxi so definitely worth it! You get much more space and we also got a bottle of fizz! The first time I visited which was in 2012, we arrived on the day of the Rockefeller light switch on. The streets were jam packed and a one way system was put in place so you couldn’t easily walk where you wanted to go but I must admit seeing Mariah Carey sing ‘All I Want for Christmas’ live there was a dream come true! My second visit which was last year was the first week of December so the tree was already lit and we headed there soon after our arrival to see all 77ft of it in it’s glory. On both my trips I paid a visit to the top of the Empire State building. It’s a great journey up there as you walk through a museum like experience and learn all about the construction and history of the building. I’d definitely recommend pre purchasing tickets as the queues can be extremely long during busy periods, especially near Christmas. It was super cold at the top so be sure to wrap up warm, but the amazing views of the city were worth it. You can see the Statue of Liberty in the distance which is great if you’re not planning on visiting separately. I have heard from family and friends that the view from the top of the Rockefeller centre is better so this is something to consider if you have more time in the city and on my to do list for my next visit. We decided to pay our respects to the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks and visited Ground Zero which was a very moving experience. Sitting on the original site of the Twin Towers are twin reflecting pools with all the victims names inscribed on the surrounding bronze panels and large waterfalls cascading down the sides. The memorial site is open to the public with no admission charge but there is also a Memorial Museum which you do need a ticket for. The queues were huge when we were there so again, I would recommend pre purchasing. We decided not to go into the museum this time but I have heard that it is very good (albeit upsetting). I would highly recommend a visit to lower Manhattan and Greenwich Village which is great to do after visiting Ground Zero as it’s not too far away. You really get a feel for genuine New York life down there with some great boutique shops and cafes. My personal favourite was Grounded Coffee House which was a quirky little café serving a massive selection of flavoured hot drinks and sweet treats. Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to New York (especially at Christmas) without some shopping! My advise when it comes to shopping would be not to buy things you wouldn’t have bought anyway as it can be more expensive than in the UK! But it’s great for picking up some things you can’t get in the UK and there are some great deals to be had. When we went there were sales on so I managed to pick up some great bargains in Macy’s on clothing and beauty items. We had an amazing breakfast at Juniors before we left which was very close to our hotel. The dishes ranged from around $13-$20 but the portions were huge! Hot drinks were $4-$6. The food is more expensive in New York than at home but the portions definitely reflect this in most places! So we found we were having a big breakfast which saw us through until dinner with maybe a small snack during the day. I’d budget around $100 per couple per day for food. There’s far too much to tell you about New York in one blog post! If you are planning a trip soon, please do get in touch. I’d love to help you plan your adventure and book a memorable trip of a lifetime.