Destination: Prague

Happy New Year, Prague!

That's what I said when I arrived on the 3rd of January this year! I was pleased to escape the wind and rain of England for the crisp coolness of Prague and take in all it had to offer, Christmas markets included!

I was lucky enough to stay at the decadent Four Seasons Hotel Prague and enjoyed its central location and exquisite rooms. The staff, of course, were friendly and welcoming and we were quickly ushered up to our room upon arrival so that we were able to make the most out of our early arrival to the city.

Our room was beautiful, with views of the river from our bathroom window and some delicious Czech Spa Water wafer biscuits waiting for us when we arrived. The L'Occitane toiletries smelled as good as ever and the swimming pool sized bath was just waiting to be jumped into.

We only had two nights in the Czech Republic so we were keen to make the most of each of them. With our woolly hats on and scarves tightly wrapped around our necks we headed straight out into the city to explore, heading straight for the main square at the recommendation of one helpful Concierge.

Our love of Christmas still hadn't diminished, which was lucky as there were still plenty of Christmas markets and festive cheer around the city. We loved tasting the traditional Czech dishes served fresh from the market stalls and took advantage of the fact that it seemed perfectly normal to warm up with a cup of mulled wine before midday!

We walked and walked and walked, all the way up to the Castle right back down to the dancing building and back again. Our feet had that tired feeling that only the hardcore tourists can appreciate and it was a comfort knowing that we could relax and unwind with a Czech beer as soon as we got back to the Hotel. The Hotel's bar and restaurant is perfect for this. CottoCrudo - their raw/cooked restaurant and bar concept is both sophisticated and relaxed, enabling us to feel comfortable simply stepping in from the cold or heading down in the evening for a more dressed up cocktail. One night we did just that and the bartender willingly created cocktail after cocktail enabling us to sample a full range of Czech spirits and concoctions! The food is also delicious and perfect for its setting - one night's cold cuts with cheese went down just as well as another night's seafood pasta and we were left satisfied and with that warm glow that only the most memorable evenings give you.

It was sad leaving Prague, not just because we would have to leave the wonderful world of Four Seasons, but also because we would miss the buzz of the city and the smell of all that delicious food. I hope to return again, perhaps when the Charles Bridge is covered in snow as I bet that this gives Prague's beautiful landscape its cherry on top!

Odiham Christmas Extravaganza

I went to the 'Odiham Christmas Extravaganza' this week and began tickling my excitement for this year's Christmas Festivities!

It really was a lovely thing - locals everywhere saying hello, catching up and desperately trying to find the place that sold mulled wine! For some reason this alcoholic Christmas delight seemed nowhere to be found along the highstreet - we were ushered into side streets and pubs to consume this apparently banned beverage!

But there was Christmas cheer all around and enough hog roast for everyone, which of course is the main thing. The local military wives choir was out in full swing, as were the local schools and their angelic voices. All shops were open until late and many were serving up a tasty 'hot fruit punch' and mince pies. There was even a little petting zoo complete with ducks, pigs, goats and donkeys!

Odiham's delightful offering has got me well and truly warmed up for Christmas and reminded me once more of the benefits of shopping local. The beauty of a hand-made craft item really does shine through and adds a whole other level to the 'thought' that counts!

Odiham is a small village in Hampshire, not far from Basingstoke. 

Review: Vintage Afternoon Tea at Reform Social & Grill, London

Free Flowing Champagne!

Probably not the wisest choice at 2.30 in the afternoon, but it was a Saturday and who ever says no to free flowing bubbles?

Once we were seated in our little booth we started off the afternoon with a peach belini before being shown the menu. The waiter informed us that we could choose from either a Vintage Afternoon Tea or a Gentleman's Afternoon Tea which both included the same set of 'fancies', but had very different sandwich options.

We opted for the Vintage version which included the usual egg, salmon, cucumber and ham. The fillings were tasty, but there could have been a lot more of them and in bread a little less dry.

Onto the second level - the scones. In this case it was just the one scone each, but it was nice and came with clotted cream and a little pot of Tiptree raspberry jam. I would have expected another scone each, but perhaps that's just being greedy!

The top layer held the 'fancies'. This was indeed a vintage selection of a rather tasty rhubarb and custard pot although no spoon was provided so I had to use the one that sat with my tea cup. Whilst on the note of tea, I had a rather nice jasmine blend, with my friend opting for a green tea. This actually was forgotten when taking our order, but the waiter covered it up well, topping us up with champagne as he subtly asked what tea we would prefer.

Other 'fancies' included a flourless chocolate and orange cake (nice, but a little burnt), a pistachio macaroon, a slice of battenburg cake and a cherry bakewell cupcake. These were all perfectly adequate, but perhaps a little uninspiring. Still, the free flowing champagne was indeed free flowing and keeping us from feeling too hard done by!

So after we had gobbled up our afternoon teas we were surprised that rather than offering us a top up of sandwiches, our tea stand was hastily cleared away. When we asked about maybe trying the Gentleman's sandwich choice we were informed that this would come at an additional cost, as would a top up of finger sandwiches, scones or fancies. We decided to pay the extra however, and were presented with a tasty looking slate of Gentleman's savouries.

We shared a slice of sausage roll, a mini Welsh wagyu burger and a Hanger steak and Herefordshire snail open sandwich. They were nice, warm and tasty, but again few and far between.

All in all the afternoon was a pleasant experience. You couldn't fault the staff or service and our glasses were kept well topped up throughout the sitting. Although the tea was nice, it was clear that they had made a decision to provide either champagne or food and opted for the champagne option. Maybe a compromise could be reached with simply an extra scone or sightly fuller sandwiches? Or maybe even just some less burnt chocolate cake...!

Review: Meadow Afternoon Tea at Coworth Park Hotel

Well let's just say that it was not what I was expecting...

It was SO much better!

Seriously. For some reason I was expecting stuffy and highly traditional as Coworth Park is part of the Dorchester Collection. In my mind that meant that it would be akin to the totally traditional Dorchester itself, but thankfully I was proved wrong.

We arrived an hour early for our afternoon tea, planning to have a nice walk around the grounds and see that iconic sight of the hotel set behind the meadow. The drive through the grounds to the main building showcased the vast space in all of its beauty with wild flowers growing as far as the eye could see, and the grand and imposing building of the hotel itself. 

Upon entering the building I was surprised. From the outside the hotel appeared a lot smaller than I'd imagined it would be, yet as I stepped inside I was greeted by vast amounts of space with a light, open feel. The friendly doorman went to sort out our table for us so that we could go off for our walk, but actually they had our table ready and waiting an hour early. Could they read our minds?!

So in we went. The drawing room is tastefully decorated in a fresh, yet traditional style. Stuffiness is non-existent with the daylight flooding in through the adjoining conservatory, the powder blue walls and the delightfully comfortable chairs. There is also a harpist, but you will be thoroughly disappointed if you were expecting him to churn out Beethoven. Peter Andre is more up his street.

We weren't sat down for long before our first waiter introduced himself and offered us a glass of Champagne. Unfortunately for me I was driving, as Coworth Park serves Veuve Cliquot as their bubbly of choice with afternoon tea. Not to fear though, as our waiter had the bright idea of serving us a delicious mango non-alcoholic cocktail which went down a treat. 

Next we had a second waiter - a lovely little Irish chap - who timed our afternoon perfectly, waiting until we'd nearly finished our mocktails before presenting the tea itself. We'd also chosen a delicious Elderflower tea to accompany our treats, which was delightful.

As I was expecting a truly traditional afternoon tea, I was once again delightfully surprised. Whenever I have afternoon tea I always try to save the best until last, so naturally I began with the cucumber sandwiches and ended with the delicious ham and mustard, although none of the four varieties were exactly displeasing!

Next up to the scones, both plain and fruit, snugly wrapped up in their napkin to keep warm. These were perfectly sized and wonderfully soft, accompanied by homemade jam and some kind of compote. I must admit that I didn't take too well to the compote, but many others seemed to enjoy it so I shan't complain!

At the penthouse we found four tasty treats. A pink grapefruit and pistachio tulip (I had this first, but should have had it nearer to last!), a pretty looking lemon tart with poppy, a slice of raspberry rose battenburg and finally a blood orange and geranium jaffa cake.

Needless to say, we were completely stuffed to the brim! However our delightful little Irishman offered to pop some extras in a little box for us to take home. In hindsight I shouldn't have declined such a kind offer, but at the time I was blinded by overindulgence!

Eventually we made it out of our chairs, said goodbye to the harpist and headed off for our walk. I shan't drag on with words, but instead let you see the photos for yourself. Although I will just stop to mention how truly amazing the bathrooms were in this place!! Vanity stations in every cubicle and all of the hand cream you could ever want!! Top marks to Coworth Park!!

Some busy bees working away on the lavender!

Destination: From Budapest with love

"When one goes away, 

one simply must stay in a palace"

And so that is what I did.

Four Seasons Hotel Budapest, Gresham Palace

The infamous chandelier!

Beautiful mosaic flooring in the lobby

Three nights in Budapest would be fabulous wherever you stayed, but 3 nights in Four Seasons Budapest, Gresham Palace was something else altogether.

From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I was blown away by just how beautiful this hotel was. The art-deco features and decor work so incredibly well in this place that they alone could make the entire experience memorable, before you add the Four Seasons experience into the mix.

My room was superb. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was fabulous, and the windows gave the room that extra special touch. My room was on the fifth floor, right next to the spa, which was perfect for an early morning swim and a 'relax' before breakfast!

Deluxe King room with gorgeous windows

The swimming pool is a little unusual in that it stands alone in the middle of the room, raised up out of the floor rather than going down into it. It is a simple, long structure perfect for doing a few lengths before hopping into the bubbling hot tub and soothing sauna. Of course, the staff in the spa were always ready and waiting to offer assistance and were not in the slightest bit phased at us wandering in and out in our super comfy bath robes!

We ate in the hotel's Gresham restaurant on our first evening in Budapest, choosing to dine al fresco after enjoying a cocktail or two in the hotel's bar.

Lobster and scallops at the Gresham restaurant

Traditional, and tasty, Hungarian love cake!

Subsequently, my mum's new favourite drink is a Bellini. Clearly I need to take her out with me a lot more in future, as this was the first time she'd ever had one! (Shock horror!) Whilst on the subject, the bar at Gresham Palace insists on providing the most delicious (albeit filling) snacks to accompany your cocktails. We needn't have gone out for dinner most evenings, as we were more than happy picking away at the various canapés and nibbles provided for us here!

Mother mine enjoying her Bellini!

Budapest itself is buzzing with bars and restaurants as well as having some of the most beautiful buildings and monuments I've ever seen. Head down to the city park and there's even more to look at, including the baths there which are completely stunning.

St Stephen's Basilica

Before I went to Budapest everyone told me to make use of public transport, but to be honest we didn't find that we needed to. We walked to everywhere we wanted to get to, and found that this was a really great way to see the city as you are able to go at your own pace and stop off wherever you want to.

There are so many photos attached to this post, but I think that you need them to truly appreciate the beauty and diversity of this city. There are so many different types of restaurants and places to visit, all snuggled up beside ancient buildings and a beautiful landscape. There's not many cities in which these two diversities can live with each other so closely and in such great harmony, but Budapest certainly makes it work.

Destination: Trekking Through Chiang Mai's Northern Hilltribes and Villages

On the second half of my Thailand adventure I embarked upon a three day long trek through northern Chiang Mai's hilltribes and villages, expertly guided by G Adventures.

The trip began in Bangkok where I met the rest of the group that I would be travelling with on this week long adventure. We started with all of the basics, running through our trip itinerary and getting together all our paper work before we went off for dinner with our native tour guide, Tom Tom. Here we learnt our first lesson - always let the Thai person choose your Thai food! Full of food and enthusiasm we then headed off to the infamous Kao San Road for some local beer and team building.

The morning after the night before we awoke not quite so fresh faced, but nonetheless ready for action! A quick tuk-tuk ride around Bangkok soon woke us up and soon we found ourselves packed up once more and ready to board the overnight train to Chiang Mai.

This was an adventure in itself! The sleeper train was clean and cosy, and the staff as friendly as ever in the Land of Smiles. We played cards, chowed down on some more yummy Thai food and fell asleep to the dulcet tones of the staff selling 'Oren juuuuuis!'. If anyone overcame their excitement for the journey ahead and actually slept, they almost certainly dreamt of what was awaiting them at the next stop.

When the day of the trek arrived, everyone was as excited as ever. The prospect of a quick dip in a waterfall en route was almost too much for us to bear! The heat was getting to us all, and the waterfall was a blissful oasis in the glaring sunshine.

Once we had dragged ourselves away from the waterfall and back into the rear of the pick-up truck, we ascended as far as we could into the hills before we had to get out and begin our trek. It was hot and humid, but the beautiful surroundings soon made us forget it. Walking through the jungle we all stopped chatting to take in as much as we could, only stopping to fully appreciate where we were and to point excitedly when we spotted a wild banana or mango.

Our guide was great. Sammy was an expert of the jungle and had the answers to all of our questions. He even got out his catapult to grab us a fresh mango from a tree and was our personal lychee picker! We trekked for two days, stopping at a village each evening to soak up the village life and eat some yummy home cooked food. The second day's trekking was definitely more challenging than the first, but we were rewarded at the end by elephants and by reaching paradise.

As if we hadn't already had the time of our lives, we were in for even more of an adventure! Our third day's mode of transport was a bamboo raft which was lovingly made for us by men from the village we stayed in the night before. We embarked upon the six hour journey in high spirits and arrived at our destination with sun burn, hunger and fantastic memories.

That evening we all slept extremely well and awoke still with the excitement of the previous days, but also with a sense of sadness that the majority of our trip was over. Nonetheless, we continued on our adventure with another day in Chiang Mai, another trip on the sleeper train and then our last day together in Bangkok. Somehow, 15 strangers from across the globe managed to become great friends in the space of a couple of days and share an experience of a lifetime, all thanks to G Adventures!

Review: Blue Lagoon Bungalows, Koh Chang, Thailand

I think I may have found paradise, and luckily enough it came cheap.

As you may or may not know, I whisked myself off to Thailand for a two week adventure which began on the beautiful island of Koh Chang. It was only fitting then, that I found accommodation that was similarly beautiful and certainly I knew my research had paid off when I stumbled across this gem.

Judging by its rave reviews on TripAdvisor I already had a pretty good idea of what to expect from this place - basic, but cute. It was low season when I was staying here, so the place was really quiet which was great. Located in the Klong Phrao beach area of the island, the Blue Lagoon resort is a collection of bungalows with varying rates and facilities. The sun shone strong and bright on mine, and my own private patio provided a tranquil, shady spot to while away the hours. I went for a lagoon-side bungalow with air-conditioning which was well worth the extra 200Bhat per night! These bungalows come with an en-suite wetroom, private patio and  hammock, and are tastefully decorated with hand-painted designs on the walls and lovely curtains over the glass doors. These curtains were never actually closed in my bungalow however, as I wanted to make the most of that view every morning!

As a lone traveller this bungalow was great, but I can imagine that it would also be the perfect place for a couple to while away a week or so. The location is totally romantic, and is only a short walk away from one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. It's a fun journey over the lagoon via a home made raft bridge that takes you over to the seafront where there are plenty of beach bars and restaurants with friendly locals who run them. The greatest bit about the beach though is the complete lack of noisy nightlife and backpacking tourists. It seems like Klong Phrao beach is one of the last untouched spots in Thailand!

There is also a cooking school and restaurant here which is supposed to be one of the very best on the island. I ate in there on one of my nights and I have to say the food was delicious, but I was put off by the lack of people eating there throughout my stay. I'm sure during peak seasons the place is packed, but during the low season people tend to flock to the beach to enjoy the tranquility of dining beside the waves.

I could recommend this place highly enough and at only 800Bhat per night during low season for a deluxe, air-conditioned lagoon view bungalow you can't go far wrong!

Find more information at www.bluelagoon-kohchang.com and enjoy!