Christmas Afternoon Tea at The Connaught Hotel

There is a special magic that falls over London at this time of year, a shimmer that only appears between late autumn twilights and inky early winter evenings. I’ve had a touch of the Grinch about me this year, but spending the afternoon enjoying the festive afternoon tea at the Connaught Hotel cast the Christmas spell over me, with a twinkle of fairy lights dancing between champagne bubbles. Disclaimer: We were invited guests of The… View Post

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The Ultimate New Zealand Roadtrip: The North Island …

The Ultimate New Zealand Roadtrip: The North Island Edition

Aoteoroa, Land of the Long White Cloud, God’s Own. New Zealand is known by many names, including ‘home’ for me. At least once in your life, you must do a North Island road trip. With gorgeous waterfalls, geothermic oddities, amazing beaches, snoozing volcanoes – the North Island is gorgeous, but it often plays second fiddle to the glory of the South Island.  What qualifies me as an insider? I’m a born and bred North Island… View Post

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Evoluzione Restaurant, Hotel Xenia Autograph Collection

Evoluzione Restaurant, Hotel Xenia Autograph Collection

It was one of those grey, wintery days. The rain was drizzling in that particularly damp London-ish manner, but it didn’t matter. Inside Evoluzione at Hotel Xenia in Kensington, Shikha and I had a tabletop full of Italian sunshine. Disclaimer: We were invited guests of Hotel Xenia (An Autograph Collection Hotel), but my thoughts and terrible puns are all very much my own. Behind the traditional Kensington facade lined with meticulously trimmed, fairy light-filled box hedging,… View Post

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5* Fine Dining at Coworth Park Ascot | Dorchester Collection

5* Fine Dining at Coworth Park Ascot | Dorchester Collection

We tumbled out of our cab like thirsty gazelles, doe-eyed and excited to be leaving London for the day. We were having lunch at Coworth Park with one of our favourite people in the world – that fabulous Sophia, accompanied by her Mum, Polly, the English rose who has transplanted herself to the desert sands of Doha. We get to see them whenever we sneak over to their corner of the Middle East, or more often… View Post

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Glenskirlie House and Castle Hotel – Snoozing in a …

Glenskirlie House and Castle Hotel – Snoozing in a Scottish Castle

Weddings are magical – and even more so when they are held in a castle that’s nestled in the peaceful Scottish countryside. Glenskirlie House and Castle was the venue for a good friend’s wedding recently – and we celebrated the joining of their two families in an age-old handfasting that went on into the wee hours. (In total honesty I didn’t last all the way into the wee hours when the shots were broken out,… View Post