Stay : Upcoming Hotels

Stay : Hotels I've currently booked

I've spent the last weekend booking lots of trips, stays and holidays. I've realized I have a lot of hotel design treats to look forward to.

The Town Hall Hotel, Hackney, London. England

Boutique hotel featuring Edwardian grandeur, Art Deco simplicity and contemporary loft chic...

Website: The Town Hall Hotel

Hotel Wilson Opera, Paris. France

Traditional and simple Parisian hotel with balconies affording great views over the city... 

Website: Hotel Wilson Opera

Berns Hotel, Stockholm. Sweden

Opulent public spaces, the ornate bar is large enough to hold a double decker bus, and Stockholm's most secret bar; located on the hotel's roof & strictly for guests.

Website: Berns

The Jalousie Plantation, St. Lucia. Caribbean

(to be know as 'Viceroy, Sugar Beach')

Located in-between St.Lucia's infamous Pitons are colonial style, luxurious whitewashed villas. Nestled in a lush 100 acre rainforest, privacy is key. Private pools and butler service await...

Website: The Jalousie Plantation

Full photos, reviews and more coming soon...

Tea Tuesday : Dilmah tea

Dilmah Tea & Kilner Jars

 I purchased some new Kilner Jars, these are great, British produced glass jars original invented in the 1840's. The traditional design of the Kilner Jar may have changed over the years but the principle of the family business has stayed the same right through to modern day.

 The airtight glass jars are ideal for storing tea. I had some new Dilmah tea bags to store, so the large jar was ideal. I first discovered Dilmah tea whilst staying at The Baros, Maldives.

 Dilmah tea is still true to it's Sri Lanka family business routes, and is the antidote to mult-origin blends now the norm in the UK. Dilmah remain faithful to Ceylon tea produced in the traditional way, perfected over centuries.

 I love the simplicity of the Dilmah tea packaging and their colourful wrappers, they complement the Kilner jars perfectly, making them look ultra modern.

 I also love the pairing of two family run businesses that have grown massively whilst still retaining their original values.

Website : Dilmah Tea

Website : Kilner Jars

Private Blend : Tom Ford 'Jardin Noir'

Tom Ford Private Blend Perfume : Jardin Noir

 The latest perfume releases from Tom Ford are the 'Jardin Noir' collection. A new 4 piece range that fits into the existing Private Blend catalogue.

 The four perfumes are; Cafe Rose, Lys Fume, Jonquille de Nuit, and Ombre de Hyacinth

 Revealing the hidden dark side of four classic blooms; rose, lily, narcissus and hyacinth - the perfumes subvert the savor of these classic scents with the expected Tom Ford style and flair.

 According to Tom: “When you showcase their darker and less innocent aspects, flowers can become so thrilling and beautiful, they could almost ruin you. That was the sensation I was after.”

 The range is released at Selfridges London on 4th September 2012

 Website: Tom Ford 
 Stockists: Selfridges

Stay : Hotel Reviews

New review : Cotswolds88, Painswick.

A great Bank Holiday hotel situated in the picturesque village of Painswick in The Cotswolds. This boutique design hotel is unique: opulent yet relaxing and British with Italian flair.

 For full review and pictures go to the 'Stay : Hotel Reviews' button on the right hand side.
 Or, click here for 'Stay : Hotel Reviews - Cotswolds88, Painswick.'

Stay : Hotel Reviews

New photos added to 'pod - Camps Bay'

 

Newly added photos to the hotel reviews section : 'pod - Camps Bay'

 

 To see the full review and all the photos - go to the 'Stay : Hotel Reviews' button on the right hand side.

 Or, click here for 'Stay : Hotel Reviews - pod, Camps Bay'

Japanese Garden : Afternoon Tea at Blakes, South Kensington

Afternoon Tea : Blakes Hotel, South Kensington

  Blakes hotel has a much quoted USP: that it is 'The World's First Luxury Boutique Hotel',

 Created in 1978 by the renowned designer Anouska Hempel and occupying a group of Victorian house, Blakes is hidden behind an imposing, painted black facade, on the corner of Roland Gardens in London's South Kensington.

 The lobby throws light on the design principles of the hotel : a seductive journey through distant lands, with inspiration taken from India, China, Indonesia, Egypt and London.

 Afternoon tea is served in the Chinese Room or in the calm, outdoor Japanese Garden.

 Finger sandwiches, homemade scones with strawberries & cream and indulgent cakes are served alongside a selection of teas and a glass of champagne.

 A very modern and stylish cocktail list is shown in the Chinese Room's bar. A dark, opulent base for a modern take on a classic cocktail: 'Chinese Mojito', 'Shiso Cosmopolitan' and 'Gimlet Royale' to name a few...

 (Sadly, as the cocktail list was newly prepared, the cocktails weren't up to scratch to photograph. However, this has given me a new task of recreating these cocktails on this blog - coming soon)

 Blakes Hotel
 33 Roland Gardens, London, SW7 3PF
 Web: Blakes Hotel

20 Degres Sud : Mauritius Boutique Hotel

A boutique hotel in Mauritius : 20 Degrees Sud, Grande Baie

 Concealed behind an imposing solid oak wood carriage door, this Mauritius boutique hotel is a hidden find.
 I originally stayed here for my honeymoon in 2010. When a work trip to Mauritius was planned, this immediately was the hotel I opted for. (not in the honeymoon suite this time though!)

 Set out around an old coconut grove, on the waters edge - this definately is one of Mauritius best kept secrets - many of the different companies we were visiting hadn't been there.
 A full review will follow in the 'Stay - Hotel Reviews' section of this blog shortly...

 Interiors are by the Belgian interior designers 'Flamant Home Interiors' as well as a splattering of antiques and art, this is a unique hotel in Mauritius.

20 Degres Sud
Coastal Road, Pointe Malartic, Grande Baie - Mauritius
Website: 20degressud.com

Chase Vodka : Coconut Martini

Coconut Martini : Made using English 'Chase' Vodka, and Coconut Water

 Chase Vodka is a British distilled vodka, made in Hertfordshire using potatoes. It was awarded the rather prestigious title of 'Best In The World' in 2010.
 

 My friend Shelley (of 'Trakehners Can Jump' fame) gave me a stunning gift boxed bottle of Chase Vodka, and I've been waiting to find a suitable cocktail to try it in.

 I picked up some 'Jax Coco' water (The chicest Coconut water on the market - with the bottle designed by Stella McCartney's husband Alasdhair Willis) and set about making a 'Coconut Martini'

 The simplicity of this cocktail is genius:
 Pour 125ml 'Jax Coco' 100% pure coconut water, over ice in a cocktail shaker, add 50ml of 'Chase Vodka' and a splash of lemon juice. Shake, and strain to serve into a chilled martini glass.
 The result is a fresh, smooth, light and delicious Martini.

Chase Vodka - The World's Best Potato Vodka
Jax Coco - 100% Pure Coconut Water
Harvey Nichols Food & Wine - Stockists

Veuve Clicquot Sardine

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Champagne has been renamed and rebranded in this special edition gift set:
'Veuve Clicquot Ponsardine'

 Packaged in witty Veuve Clicquot Sardine tins, complete with ring pull opening.

 The name is a clever play on the Champagne house's history: The champagne gained popularity when Barbe Nicole Ponsardin, the widow of Francois Clicquot, took over the champagne house. Ponsardin's father liked the association with his family name and the fish so much, that he included a sardine jumping over a bridge in his coat of arms...

 This display of bottles and tins are in another giant Sardine tin.
 Seen in Harvey Nichols 5th Floor wine shop.

 Harvey Nichols 5th Floor Wine Shop - Stockists

Stay : Hotel Reviews

A newly published part on my blog- 'Stay'

Clicking on the 'Stay' logo leads you to a selection of hotels around the world that I have stayed in, photographed and reviewed.
From The UAE and India to South Africa, this section gets updated regularly.

Newly added is 'The Leela Kempinski', Gurgoan, New Delhi, India.

Click here for 'Stay : Hotel Reviews'