Julia, Author at Gastroconnoisseur

Emirates

What is Like Flying Emirates First Class A380?

November 8, 2022 No Comments

There is no denial that flying with Emirates (@emirates) is flying in a very comfortable plane, and flying First Class on Emirates A380 is an absolute exquisite and luxurious experience.

The Lounge

Emirates First Class Lounge differs quite a lot from the Business Class Lounge— at least in Dubai. If you’ve ever been to the business class lounge, you would find yourself in the middle of a traveller jungle. There are people and noise everywhere—I’ve found people sleeping in the floor in the middle of the caffeteria— queuing for the shower is a must and it feels much more worn than the First Class Lounge.

First Class Lounge is better mantained and feels quieter and less bussier than Business Lounge. Still, for being a First Class Lounge it doesn’t have this extremely luxurious feeling, a bit outdated in terms of decoration and furnish. There are different First Class Lounges in Dubai’s airport depending on where your door is located at.

One of the main differences between First and Business Lounges is the restaurant where you can order your meals a la carte and the waiters bring it to your table. There’s also a more informal setting where you can get some snacks and drinks if you don’t fancy a restaurant style service.

Aboard Emirates First Class A380

The A380 is the biggest plane in Emirate’s fleet. It is the famous two-floored plane, Economy and Premium Economy are in the first floor while First and Business are in the top floor. First Class in the A380 have only 14 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Seats are bigger and more spacious than the ones in Business Class. Also, the windows seats are slightly bigger and have more room than those in the middle. I often switch preferences to where I sit, but my favourite seat is by the window.

Once you’re in your seat they handle you an amenity kit. This includes toilettries by Bvlgari, eye -mask, slippers and a super comfy and soft pijama. There are more toilettries in a small compartiment with a luxurious mirror in your seat, a notebook and pen, drinks and some snacks. You have more compartiments to put your personal belongings, a small wardrobe to hang your clothes and the best is that you don’t have to put your carry-onbag in the top, there is room enough in your seat to leave it without causing trouble.

Once you’re settled, the hostess will offer you something to drink like water, juice or champagne—just be aware that Dom Perignon isn’t served until you’re up in the sky. They also offer some dates and arabic coffee and then handle your food and drinks menu. You can order food whenever you want during the entire flight.

Emirate’s food is good enough in almost every flight, but what I really enjoy is eating caviar and having a sip of Dom Perignon.

During the flight you can ask for some snacks such as… popcorn! A perfect treat to endulge while watching a film in the big screen.

Flying in First Class means lots of privacy. You have your little suite with close doors and that makes such a difference if you compare it to t Busisness Class. It means that hostesses won’t disturb you when they’re in the aisle and no one can sneak peak and stare at you. It’s like being in your own little bubble.

One of the greatest things that you can do when flying with Emirates A380 in First Class is that you get to shower up in the sky. The bathroom is nothing like you’ve ever seen, a really big bathroom with shower, hairdryer, towels to dry your hands and lots of amenities and they clean it after a passenger uses the bathroom.

You can’t shower whenever you want, instead you have to choose a time during the flight. I always shower just before landing so I can refresh myself. Once you finish showering, a fruit plate will await for you in your seat.

At the end of the top floor, just after Business seats there is a bar lounge. You can hang there and have a change of scenery if you can’t sleep or feel bored. Honestly, I never go there when I’m in First. Nothing beats having a glass of Dom Pergnon in the comfort of my seat.

Chauffeur-drive Service

When you arrive and depart to your destination, a complementary Chauffeur-car service is available for you. They will take you from and to the airport. The car they use is a Mercedes-Benz S450. This is something I love about Emirates, arriving and departing is so easy and relaxed. You don’t need to book any transport, especially for long haul flights and you’re tired.

Is Emirates First Class A380 worth it?

Flying Emirates First Class aboard an A380 is such a treat. I love the tranquility inside the cabin, the ameneties and food, especially the caviar. When flying in First everything is smooth and convinient and the sevice from the hostesses is always on point. If you can get an upgrade from Business to First the experience will be even better. And you save some cash! But the car that takes you from and to the airport won’t be upgraded the First Class car models. Of course, you can perfectly fly with Business and have a great experience. But if you have the chance and want a finer experience on board, you won’t go wrong with Emirates First Class.

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Travel Guide

Northern Lights in Tromso- Everything you need to know

November 8, 2022 No Comments

Travelling and watching the Northern Lights is in almost everyone’s bucket list. Here I’ll tell to you everything you need to know before adventuring to one of the coolest things mother nature gifts.

Destination Tromso

There are many places where you can see the Northern Lights. In the end, we choose Tromso, located in the northern part of Norway. This town is right in the middle and under the polar belt. This means that chances to watch the Northern Lights where amongst the highest. It’s a small town, however you can do some other activities such as museums, cruise, fjords, restaurants or visit the artic cathedral.

When is the best time to go?

The season starts from late September-October till March-April during the winter time in the Artic. Polar Nights in Tromso starts around the end of November and lasts till the middle of January. This means that the sun doesn’t rise at all—barely a twilight— and it is the peak of the season. We went in February and the sunset at 4 pm max. We managed to catch some sunny days and snowstorm days with lots of wind. Weather is a bit unpredictable. The town is covered in a layer of ice, yo need to be careful and wear proper shoes to avoid falling.

How to get to Tromso?

We first spent 3 days in Oslo and then took a 2 hours plane to Tromso. We flew with Norwegian. Once we landed in Tromso, we already had transport arranged to take us to the the hotel—Chasing Lights (@chasinglights) was the company that arranged transport as we did the tours with them.

Where to stay in Tromso?

There were many hotels in Tromso but none five star hotels. Airbnb’s are also available, so you just have to choose whatever accomodation suites you and your budget.

We stayed at The Edge by Clarion (@nordicchoice), this was the best hotel in the town and had a good location.

Do I watch the Northern Lights by myself or with a tour company?

Options

You can rent a car and go by yourself or book a company and go chasing. Although I wouldn’t recommend renting a car as you don’t know where the best skies are. Driving in ice is tricky if you don’t have experience and you’ll be tired at the end of the night to drive all the way back. There are many companies in Tromso for booking a Northern Lights tour, we ended up doing it with Chasing Lights and closed all the activities from home.

Going to the Norther Lights with a company

When going to the Auroras with a company, you can do it in a big bus with 50+ people, you can do it in a minibus with 12 people or you can do a private tour. We wanted to experience a bit of freedom at so we booked a private tour for one night and then two nights in a mini bus.

We don’t like overcrowded tours, the experience is not the same and you just have to accomodate to a lot of people. Going privately means that the guide is there for you at all times, tailoring the night to your needs. Totally worth it.

How many days are needed to watch the Northern Lights?

Per recommendation of Chasing Lights and in order to avoid disappointment, they told us ideal time is at least 1 week and go chasing for 3 nights. The reason is that mother nature is unpredictable and they are trained and give their best they can’t control the weather, the intensity of the Northern Lights or any other random thing that may happen.

There are some people that only travel for one night with high expectations of watching the lights, some get lucky and see it and other don’t. If you travel this far, I wouldn’t risk it all to one day and at least stay minimum 4 nights.

Keep in mind that during the day you’ll be doing other activities and Northern Lights nights are long and quite tiring. It’s up to you how you want to experience. We prefer a relaxed pace and don’t rush.

What to wear and carry to the Northern Lights tour?

The first and most important thing to consider is what you wear. As I said, Northern Lights chases are long nights from 6pm till it is enough or the Northern Lights makes an appearence and it can be till 1 am, 3 am or 7 am.

You’ll be outdoors at all times, with weather changes and inclemeancies like wind. Yes, they’ll make a fire to warm you up but still it’s very important you’re well equipped to bear the extremely cold weather. Tours may provide you with neccessary equipment, Chasing Lights did but we preferred having our own.

Layers

Layers are a must and the better this layers are, the less cold you’ll feel. I’d recommend investing in merino wool thermal clothing, they keep you warmer and you won’t feel bulky. Be sure it’s suitable for extreme conditions weather as there are many different thickness for different types of outdoor activities. Merino socks would be also a good investment, your feet will get cold.

Outwear

Good outwear that bears extreme weather conditions. Make sure it is waterproof, windproof and have a hoodie too. Waterproof trousers are a must. It may sound silly, but I really saw people with jeans. A good cashemere beanie and a merino wool scarf, one that isn’t too bulky but protects you from the cold—I recommend the loop ones, they are more comfortable during the Aurora as it doesn’t fall down.

Gloves

A good pair of gloves will save your hands from freezing. As you’ll want to take pictures during the night, I’d suggest layering two gloves. A thin glove, so you can manage your camera without being bare hands and a thicker one on top to keep them warm.

Warmers

In case you don’t want to buy merino wool socks, wear two gloves or simply want to compliment and feel even warmer, hand and feet warmers are a life saviour. They come in little packages, you shake them up and then put it in your pocket or attached to your feets. You can buy them in Norway at XXL Stores (web) as they were hard to find. I didn’t wear two gloves so when my hand was freezing I put it on my pocket and they would warm up quickly.

Boots

Tall snow boots are obligatory. You’ll walk through high snow, so the taller the better. Chasing Lights provided us with snow boots, they didn’t fit that good but made the job. Maybe it’s better if you wear your own.

Waterproof backpack

Very handy to protect the things you carry so they don’t get wet.

Snacks

They will feed you in the tour, nothing fancy, mountain survival food. But it is always useful to pack some high calories food as protein bars or beef jerky just in case you need a lift me up. Also water as the cold dehydrates you too.

Tripods

Thankfully, Chasing Lights provided us with a tripod for our camera and helped us with our camera setting to take the best photos. If you want to carry your own, make sure it’s sturdy and big tripod.

Spare batteries and phone charger

The cold makes your batteries drain faster. Don’t be like me and put some spare batteries for your camera too. Mine died and when I thought I was going home happened the most spectacular thing and could capture it with a proper camera.

Did I saw the Northern Lights?

Seeing the Northern Lights isn’t guaranteed, but if skies are clear and weather is good chances are really high. The intensity of the auroras may vary, some days will be stronger than other and that’s another reason why people do several chasings.

We got really lucky on our first and only night, we saw them only an hour drive from Tromso. The skies were very clear and weather was good, cold a bit windy at times but no snowstorm or rain. We were by a fjiord, a beautiful landscape with a marvellous starry sky night. We could se the stars and different constellations so bright and so clear that it felt unreal.

After being there for an hour, setting our tripods and cameras the majestic Northern Lights appeared shyly in the sky, but as time passed out it intesified its green colour and some violet too. Seeing it as bright as in the photo with the naked eyes is impossible, unless the Northern Light is strong enough. But you definitely see the light green colour sky moving and changing.

After a couple of hours, at 12 am we decided that it was enough. The Northern Lights weren’t as intense we were cold, tired but super happy. Again, that’s the best thing on private excursions, you get to choose when to leave.

Just when we were packing and sitting in the car the most wonderful thing happened. The sky started dancing with such intensity and doing forms that we were simply amazed. A crown form—as they call it—took place in the sky with violets and green colours dancing and creating movements. The next thing we now, an hour has gone by. Pictures below taken by Meda from Chasing Lights.

After a magical night, when we arrived at the hotel around 3-4 am, we watch the sunrise from our bed. We were tired but so grateful of what we’ve witnessed that day. Definitely, I’ll always cherish this memories.

Travelling with chilren to watch the Northern Lights

Sorry to disappoint you but as wonderful Northern Lights are, I don’t think children are suitable for this experience. You’ll spend hours outdoors in cold and the child can get bored of waiting. Hours in -15ºC, -20ºC, -30ºC cold is tough for any adult. I can’t imagine children under such conditions. And if you have to drive 3 or 4 hours to a place, things get even more complicated. Althoug, I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s your decision.

Chasing Lights: Do I recommend them?

Yes, I‘m glad we did the tours with them. To be honest, we didn’t know what to expect until we met them, but it all went smoothly and well.

They organized every activity we wanted to do such as dog sledding, the auroras and the fjiords tours. Also, they arrange a pick up from the airport to the hotel and viceversa. And they managed our hotel booking as well.

Comunication was great and very easy. We loved our Northern Lights tour guide Meda. She was awesome, super passionate, friendly and took amazing pictures and videos from that night.

They were a perfect fit for us and I recommend them.

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Travel Guide

Tromso- Small Town in the Artic, Northern Lights and Dog Sledding

November 8, 2022 1 Comment

One of the things that we wanted to cross-off our list was seeing the Northern Lights. I think it’s in almost anyone’s bucket list. I’ve never been to Norway so we saw this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. So we decided to watch the Northern Lights in Tromso.

What is Tromso like?

Tromso is a very small city but full of life inspite of the harsh climate conditions. At the end of the day, it is a university town, so you’ll encounter lots of young people. The town is divided into two ares: the city centre and beyond the bridge. The city centre is full of restaurants, hotels, shops, museums, library, supermarkets and all the essentials that you might think of. The other side of the bridge I found it to be more residential and it’s where the artic church and the city’s viewpoint are located. I know some airbnb’s are located in this area too. Staying at the city centre is very convienient as you get to walk to most places.

The Weather in Tromso

If you are used to extreme cold weather maybe Tromso weather is nothing for you, but for me this was quite an experience. I’ve never been to a city with such quantieties of snow and ice. To me it looked like the authentic winter wonderland. Even when there wasn’t much snow, ice was the king of street. Walking was an adventure and trying not to fall a conquer. Thermal layers are a must and so is waterproof clothing. I went in February for one week and climate was cold but very uncertain. There were sunny days, rainy days, windy days and snowy days. The best advice I have is to be well prepared for any adversity. From mid November to mid January they have polar night.

Where to stay in Tromso?

Overall, Norway doesn’t have extremely luxurious accomodations or high-end and well-known hotel brands. Five star hotels are quite minimal and very much scandic style in terms of interior design. Tromso offers different accommodation options. There are several hotels around the city centre and in other areas. Airbnb’s are also available if you prefer staying in an apartment. Keep in my that as people travel here in high season, securing a hotel room could be tricky. I’d suggest you do it as soon as you know you’ll going to Tromso.

We stayed at Clarion The Edge Hotel, just in the city centre. Location was amazing, food was good and our room was nice and cosy.

What to wear in Tromso?

Extreme weather conditions and often weather changes makes dressing a challenge, but once you know what to wear it’ll make your life easier. There is no room for pretty clothes, only functional and convinient pieces of clothing that’ll keep you warm. Especially if you go to se the Northern Lights in Tromso.

Layers

The smartest thing to do is wear layers, thin thermal layers with a high ability to keep you warm. The best material for this is Merino wool, as it’s very thin, regulates your body temperature and keeps you warm. I bought upper boddy and lower body thermals from Devold, a Norwegian brand. Merino wool socks were a smart thing to buy too because your feet will suffer from the cold. I ended buying a loop infinity merino scarf too. Merino wool is expensive but worth every cent in my honest opinion. And if treated with care, it’ll last you for ever.

Waterproof outwear

I know you want to look your best but in Tromso this won’t be the case. Waterproof trousers and waterproof jacket will be your outfits. Yes, I saw people in jeans walking through the snow with half of their legs wet. And it didn’t look good.

Footwear

As you’ll mostly walk on ice, I’d suggest boots that have good soles suitable for this kind of weather. I used some Salomon hiking boots that were waterproof and fit for the weather. They’re not the most beautiful shoe, but the were extremely comfy and did the job.

Gloves

Please make sure you have a nice and warm pair of gloves. I’ve seen people with the typical knitted gloves and their hands were suffering to the point they did’t want to go outside in the middle of an excursion. You’ll spend a lot of time outdoors, so don’t take keeping yourself warm for granted.

Hand and feet warmers

You can buy this for an additional warmth. They’re little sockets that you shake and generate heat. You can put it in your pocket or stick it to your feet. I used them a lot, very convinient.

What to see in Tromso apart from Northen Lights?

Storgata Street

This is the main artery of the city centre where all the main shops, tour shops and restaurants are located. A nice place to have a walk and buy something you forgot.

Roald Amundsen monument

he was a norwegian explorer of the polar sites. He conducted the expedition to the Antartic and was the first one to reach the South Pole. We couldn’t see de monument very close as there was too much snow.

Tromso Cathedral

One of the two cathedrals in Norway made of wood and built in 1861.

Tromso Townhall

A modern building in Tromso that have a square with good views of Tromso port.

Prelature of Tromso

Catholic church and the northest catholic church in the world.

Tromso Port

An enjoyable walk through wooden houses and small fish boats.

Tromso Bridge

Inaugurated in 1960, it’s the largest bridge in Northern Europe. It has a small sidewalk if you want to cross it by foot. We didn’t as weather was windy and cold. I think it was enough doing it by car, up to you.

Artic Cathedral

Lutheran Church built in 1965 with a very unique design. However, it was closed when we went to visit it. The exterior was just fine for us.

Fjellheisen cable car

it reaches 421 metres above sea level. At the top there is a viewpoint from where you can see the whole city, the surrounding mountains and fjiords. Before going up it’s very important you check the weather. Otherwise it could be a waste of time and money.

Polar Museum

Museum about polar expeditions and hunting in the Artic. It is located in the old customs house next to the pier. So we went here on our final day as it was raining, it was interesting but I know not everyone’s cup of tea. I just enjoy the cultural part of travelling.

Smallest bar in the world

cute little bar in the middle of the street. You can eat food and drink hot chocolate. I didn’t do it, maybe you would like to try it.

Must do activities

Northern Lights in Tromso

Northern Lights in Tromso is pure magic and it should be in your top things to do. The pictures below were taken by tour guide Meda

Dog Sledding

Really fun and amazing experience. Don’t worry, it’s easy to learn. And you get to learn a bit of Sami culture.

Whale Cruise

I din’t do this as sadly it wasn’t the season for watching whales anymore. But if you go earlier in the winter it should be ok.

Fjiords excursion

A very cool way to see all the fjiords and key places surrounding Tromso. I enjoyed very much. The first few hours weather was awful, but once the sun shined, it was beautiful and worth it. I got to see for the first time a snowy beach and surfers bathing!

Where to eat in Tromso?

Smak
Fiskekompaniet (check mi review here)
Bardus Bistro
Mathallen
Graffitti
Arctandria
There are also fast food restaurants like pizza, burger king and a delivery app if you want to order some food.

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Hotels

Four Seasons Madrid- Premier Terrace Room Review

November 7, 2022 No Comments

There is no deny that Madrid have been improving their luxury hotels offer. Until recently, the city was lacking a handful of options for high demand clientele. Luckily things are changing and since Four Seasons Madrid (@fsmadrid) opened their doors in Spain, other luxury branches are slowly coming in to the scene.

Four Seasons Madrid is located in the Canalejas Gallery, a completely renovated building in the inside but keeping the magnificent facade. Canalejas Gallery is a food hall and have somo designer shops such as Cartier and Hermès. The property has 200 rooms and suites in total and also private residences.

Location

Four Seasons Madrid is perfectly situated as you are near the city centre and in 15 minute walk you could reach the city’s most exclusive shopping street Serrano. If you don’t fancy walking, a Porsche can get you to Serrano without any cost, something convenient, but sometimes waiting is neccessary. A taxi stop is just in front of the hotel and also uber works fairly well.

The Hotel

The hotel interiors are finely curated with an elegance and minimal touch. Hotel lobby have a coffee and snack bar, but the most amazing thing is the glass window on the ceiling, very beautiful. A charming staircase will lead you to the hotel bar, a place to have some drinks during the night. The hotel gym is amazing and fully eqquiped with muscle machines, weights and cardio machines. The Spa is a great place to chill, with a big interior pool and a little terrace with sunbeds.

The Room: Premier Terrace Room

I’ve stayed in different rooms at Four Seasons Madrid but I’ll review my stay at the Premier Terrace Room facing Alcalá street and in the 6th floor. Sadly, I have mixed feelings about this room. The room is fantastic, very luminous and spacious, the champagne and beige colours with a touch of yellow and some wood furnitures makes the room very cosy and luxurious. This room had a big terrace furnished with some outdoor chairs and a mini table. The bathrooom have two sinks—which I always love— a shower and a bath.

Everything in the room is well thought: they provide you with USB ports in the night table, curtains are motorized and the tablet service is one of the most genius things that I think more hotels should implement. How many times have you ordered something by the phone and did’t come exactly what you oredered? Also, being able to contact the hotel from their app at any time and any place is such a blessing. There is a nice work table, a big tv, a BOSE loudspeaker where you can connect your phone and listen to music. Don’t worry as the room is soundproof. Coffee machine with Lavazza capsules and different kinds of teas are also complementary.

Four Seasons Madrid Premier Terrace Room

The Bad of Premier Terrace Room

Now, what I didn’t like about this room?

The first thing me was that there wasn’t a proper dinning table in the room. The table outside is not big enough to fit your food and since you don’t have a dinning table inside, eating in your room is a headache.

The second thing is that you have no privacy in the terrace. There are no plants trying to preserve your own space. If you have a neighbour and both are in the terrace, you won’t feel comfortable. The third thing is that terrace lacks some kind of sunshade or rainproof roof. So forget about having lunch outside if its sunny and when it rains, it is also useless.

Lastly, the noise. You won’t hear your neighbour but you are under the rooftop restaurant. You’ll hear from 7 am till they close footsteps and waiters running around.

Food at Four Seasons Madrid

Food at Four Seasons is fantastic. High-quality products and exquisite presentation. Dani’s restaurant (you can check my review here) at the rooftop is quite good and is where you’ll have breakfast at morning if you don’t whant to order in-room. They have improved breakfast and recently made available a buffet too.

Do I recommend this room?

While the hotel is amazing and I recommend it, the price of the Premier Terrace Room isn’t worth it. I’m happy staying at other category rooms that don’t have the perks that I stated above.

I think this room is not up to its full potential. I was a bit dissappointed, specially when they offered this room with such enthusiasm. The other rooms aren’t this big but they are spacious too, and I don’t think I’d miss anything this room offers other than the two sinks in the bathroom.

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Dubai Hotels

Al Maha- a luxury desert resort in Dubai

November 7, 2022 No Comments

One of the perks of being in Dubai is that you get to enjoy city life, beach life and desert life. Visitors want to see first hand how the desert is and I was one of them. There are a few luxury hotels in Dubai’s desert but we chose Al Maha Luxury Desert Resort by Marriott (@almaha_resort).

Al Maha is located in Dubai’s Desert Conservation Reserve, surrounded by beautiful sand dunes, desert flora and wildlife—and talking about wildlife deserts gazelles will be roaming around the property and your villa. The property has 42 villas with private pool overlooking the desert, it has full board and two activities per day are included.

Arriving to Al Maha Dubai Desert Resort

It takes about 1 hour drive to arrive from Dubai’s DIFC to the Al Maha desert resort. We booked an uber driver to get into the the resort and it was very convenient. Arriving to the hotel is a bit confusing, directions of where the main entrance for guests isn’t clearly stated. For that reason, our driver ended up in the hotel staff entrance road. Luckily, a girl who worked there as a guide offered to drive us to the hotel as our driver seemed lost and our car wouldn’t be able to drive through a very bumpy road. If you want to rent a car and drive to the resort, I would recommend a 4×4 type of car.

Check-in

Once we arrived to the property, we were greeted by hotel staff. They took us to a stunning private room next to the lobby, offered some drinks, did all the check-in formalities and explained to us everything we needed to know during your stay. We also checked all the activities we were going to do in the next few days. We stayed for 3 days and 2 nights and it was more than enough.

The Room

We stayed at the entry level room which is a one-bedroom, king-size bed—one of the most comfortable beds if slept in—a small living area and a terrace with a private pool. The villa felt spacious and loved that the roof was like a tent. It has the best of both worlds, the comfort of a proper villa and the ambiance of being in a bedouin tent. The interiors were nice, with wooden furniture and bedouin style decor. The bathroom was roomy and convinient as it had two sinks, a big bathtube and a shower. If Marriott refurbish this property and update it a little bit it would be the most perfect and wonderful place.

The terrace with the private pool was very practical, you can chill there when you don’t have any activities during the day and the pool was large enough to swim and cool from the heat. You have a dining area in your terrace too, perfect for morning breakfast. Since morning activities where early, I always had breakfast on the room so I could prepare myself for the day.

Sharing space with Gazelles

The magical thing about Al Maha Dubai desert resort is having the desert gazelles roaming around. They come to your villa to chill and stare. If you are afraid of this cute little animals, don’t be! They are a bit silly, easily scared and always keep a safe distance from humans. They’ll stare at you and at your food—if you leave food on the terrace, the minute you stand up they’ll try to eat the remains. Two gazelles even fought each other as they wanted the food, it was very funny.

Always keep your room closed, sometimes they got confident enough to stand near your door and you don’t want a desert gazelle snooping around your things. Other than that, you’re safe. Occassionally, you would spot some Onyx in the desert, but when I went they where all in care as they are in danger of extinction.

Food

Food in the resort was good but nothing exceptional. But keeping in mind that it was full board, it was good enough to enjoy it. Drinks are payed apart.

Activities at Al Maha Dubai Desert Resort

Two activities per day are included in your stay but you can pay for extra activities.

Sundowners

The first activity we did was sundowners— a vehicle drive through the desert to watch the sunset. You can do this by camel but since we have been in a camel before we weren’t in the mood. We shared the little car ride with another couple as they need to fill the spots in the car.

Once you get to the sunset spots, drinks are offered to you. I expected some champagne but they offered italian sparkling wine, water was my choice then. You stay for half an hour until the sun sets with other hotel guests, but you can easily find your spot away from people and enjoy the views. I recommend going with sandals so you can walk bare foot in the dunes as it is windy and your shoes will be covered with sand. It is also easier to walk through the sand with no shoes.

Falconry

The next activity we did was the Falconry. You need to wake up early, it starts at 7 am so desert hotness don’t boil you and the animals up. They teach you everything about traditional Arabic falconry.

It was very interesting and special, you witness how this animals are trained, how Bedouin use them for and how they hunt and eat their pray—they don’t use a living animal. I enjoyed watching this beautiful animals, quite impressive.

Desert Dunes Ride

The last activity we did was a paid activity, the desert 4×4 dunes ride. No, you don’t drive the car and if you are only a couple, chances of sharing the car are high, like we did. If you get car sick I would skip this activity or try sitting in the front seat if you really want to do it as it is very extreme. I would recommend skipping breakfast too, unless you want to throw up everything you ate. This activity lasts roughly 2 hours and most of it is done off road, over the dunes.

After a bumpy ride through the dunes you reach the top of the biggest dune that was 250 m tall. At the top, you get off the car and contemplate the breathtaking views of the desert. Kilometres of no ending sand dunes. We spotted some locals with their desert cars having fun in the dunes, so be cautious.

To get back to the hotel you’ll need to drive undo all the way and drive through the dunes again. We didn’t think twice when we booked it, it sounded cool and I enjoyed the experience but one in a lifetime is okay for me. Maybe if you get to drive the car is better.

Do I recommend it?

Absolutely, I would recommend staying at Al Maha in Dubai desert. I think it’s a very nice experience with the gazelles roaming around, learning about falconry and overlook the desert every morning when you wake up. Chilling by the pool was fantastic, after all the activities it’s nice to relax a bit.

Hotel staff and service was excellent, very caring and helpful at all times. I think 3 days are more than enough enjoy it all. We went in November, it was hot but not super hot, perfect weather.

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Hotels

Amanruya- a luxury beach resort in Bodrum

November 7, 2022 No Comments

Finally caved in (influenced by my travel agent @theluxurytraveller) and decided to try my first Aman- famous for being the ultimate luxury hotel. I stayed at Amanruya (@amanruya), in beautiful Bodrum, Turkey.

The resort was beautifully designed, combining Mediterranean and Turkish aesthetic and surrounded by olive and pine trees. Everywhere you looked felt so serene, as if time stopped.

Amanruya Villa

I liked the minimalist but luxury design of Amanruya Pavilions. The inside of the villa was spacious and luminous with plenty of sunlight during the day thanks to all the windows and the skylights in the ceilings. Wood and marble were the noble materials used to decorate the villa. Every detailed seemed finely curated and very pleasing to the eye.

But my favourite part was the terrace—so pristine and well-made that it was difficult to get out of the pavilion. First, there was plenty of privacy making it a perfect place to unwind. Second, The pool was surprisingly big, bigger than what it seemed in pictures. The terrace has a Balinese bed, two individual sunbeds as well as a dining table—perfect for having your morning coffee. I had garden views with marvellous olive and pine trees just in front of my terrace and from my Balinese bed I could see the sea afar.

Main Pool

If you wish to take a break from the villa—which I highly doubt— there is a main pool by the main restaurant. A library and other resting areas with amazing views are also available. They have a gym but sadly I didn’t make time to go. Oh well, next time!

Amanruya Beach Club

Amanruya in Bodrum have an amazing beach club. The beach club was a peaceful Eden by de Aegean Sea. To access the beach club you’ll need the buggy service unless you feel walking a very long distance in the heat through an unpaved road—wouldn’t advise it. The beach have plenty comfortable sunbeds and enough space between them that gave you some sort of privacy. The beach is pebbled but they’ve made some wooden piers with stairs directly into the sea. You have a restaurant which happened to be a nice spot to have lunch by the sea and also a bar.

Service and Food

Service was impressive, every time you go out of your villa it was all magically cleaned and gathered up. Yes, that means new towels, new bathrobe, new everything. I think that is one of the things that sets Aman apart from other luxury properties.

In-room dining always arrived quickly, but the menu was quite small. After a few days eating in the villa food became repetitive. Overall, food was good but not remarkable. A buggy service is available to get you to the main restaurant or the beach club which is very convenient as the pebbled pathway can be a little difficult to walk in some shoes.

Final Thoughts

So, what I valued the most during my stay was the sense of serenity. The resort didn’t feel crowded. It seemed like you were the only guest in the hotel but the hotel was almost full.

Amanruya in Bodrum left a good impression on me. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to rest and doesn’t want to be bothered at all. It’s the perfect place to truly disconnect.

I hope to stay in other Aman properties in the future to compare them.

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Hotels

Anantara Kihavah- Luxury stay in the Maldives

November 2, 2022 No Comments

Following the recommendations @theluxurytraveller made based on our preferences, we ended at Anantara Kihavah (@anantarakihavah) in the Maldives.

The Hydroplane

Once you arrive to Male airport, we were greeted by hotel staff and then guided to the lounge and wait for the hydroplane. Luckily we didn’t have to wait much to board on the plane. The hydroplane was one-of-a-kind experience. It isn’t that comfortable so be prepared to be hot and feel squeezed. The flight duration was around 45 minutes. You may find it overwhelming, but it was worth it. Althoug I think for the next time I’ll consider a boat transfer hotel.

The Property

At the property, we were greeted by the hotel general manager and were presented to our lovely host Maria, who took care of us very well during our stay.

Overwater Villa

We could only stay at an overwater villa, sadly. Ideally we would have loved to spend half of our stay in a beach villa, but it was fully booked.

The Room

The villa was quite spacious and bigger than what it seemed on pictures. It was decorated with wooden furniture, making the room very cosy and homely. The bathroom was quite roomy and very luminous. Some parts of the bathroom had crystal floors and windows for you to see wildlife and the beautiful ocean views at any moment. You can access to the pool from the bathroom which was very convenient as you will spend most of the day outside. But my favourite area was the outdoor shower that we used every day after our long swims.

The Terrace

The terrace was pretty big and equiped with with sunbeds, a dining table and a rocking bench— the perfect spot to relax and unwind during the day. The pool was nice but the stairs to the sea felt like heaven on earth. To be honest, I think I only used the pool twice because being able to swim in the ocean and enjoy the beautiful coral life at any time is priceless. And talking about the coral reef, in Anantara Kihava Maldives is slowly but surely blooming. You just need to swim for 5 minutes and to find yourself around plenty marine life. Equipment for swiming is available in the dive center. All you have to do is ask for it and then return it before leaving.

Moving Around

Moving around the island is easy. You have your own bikes, you can do it by buggy or you can walk. I must say that we walked everywhere around the island as it felt so good and relaxed—and it only took 5 minutes at most. The main pool was located by the Italian restaurant and overlooking one of the beaches. Honestly, we never used this pool as we loved staying at the villa. The gym was well equipped with weights and some cardio machines. I love when hotels have good gyms so your routine don’t go downhill over the holidays. The hotel provides different activities for your stay such as swimming with the turtles, the mantas or a sunset cruise among others. You won’t get bored for sure.

Food at Anantara Kihavah

The resort had a great variety of restaurants: a buffet style, an Italian, a local food, a Japanese and the underwater restaurant. Food in the restaurants were good but not outstanding. We enjoyed the one that served local food and SEA—the underwater restaurant which happened to be our favourite. The menu and the vibes changes during lunch and dinner so I would recommend trying it at least to times. Everyones that ate at SEA were always welcomed with a nice glass of Louis Roderer Cristal—what a treat, right?.

The restaurant is small and have only a few tables making it very intamate. Also, there is something magical about eating underwater while watching sharks and other wildlife. We also enjoyed lobster night which was booked with our package. It was a lovely and romantic dinner on the beach while eating lobster, drinking a bottle of champagne and listening to ocean. It wasn’t private as there was more tables but I totally recommend this experience.

Sunsets in the Maldives were out of this world. Almost everyday a flaming beautiful sky would be shining above us. I still can’t get over how beautiful it was.

Observation Deck

On our final night in Anantara Kihavah, we got to experience the observation deck and it was a unique experience. All I could think of was how privilege I was to observe the stars, constellations, galaxies and the moon through a telescope in an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

We went in November and the weather was perfect during our stay except for one day that it rained a little.

I would recommend Anantara Kihavah Maldives if you want a little bit of everything such as food options, great beaches, coral reef and a big room and swimming pool.

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Four Seasons Tented Camp

Four Seasons Tented Camp- Luxurious glamping style hotel in the Golden Triangle

November 2, 2022 No Comments

Four Seasons Tented Camp is located in northern Thailand, on the border with Laos and Myanmar. The property stands for serenity, nature, starry skies and an unrivalled experienced with rescued elephants.

Arriving to Four Seasons Tented Camp

After arriving to Chiang Rai airport, hotel staff will greet you and take you by car to the pier. This small car ride takes about 1 hour. Hotel arrival is done by a traditional boat while crossing Mekong river. A small ride that takes around 10 minutes where you get to see the borders between three different countries. You’ll need to cross over international waters. So arriving before 4pm is obligatary if you want to have the boat experience.

The Property

A charming and exclusive property by the river and in the middle a jungle that accomadates few guests. Only 15 tented camps decorated as 19th century safari tent, where camping and luxury meets. Moving around the hotel can be done by foot through bamboo promenades or by one of the antiques Range Rover. But even if you use the Range Rover service, you’ll have to walk a bit to get into your tent. The path is full of stairs and they can’t access to the front door. You are surrounded by nature and that means tiny insects everywhere—especially butterflies, ants, lizards or some frogs.

But don’t panic! You won’t feel attacked by them and they won’t get in your tent as long as the net is down. The only insect I worried about was mosquitoes. I suggest wearing long linen clothing. That way you’ll prevent their bites, won’t need much repellent and will avoid feeling extremely hot.

The Food

Food, soft drinks and some alcoholic beverages are included in the price. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menu are different. You have the option to choose between western style or thai style food. Burma Bar is always a good plan. After a long day it is a pleasure to unwind here, have a few drinks and snacks and watch the sunset. They have a wine cellar where you can do tasting experience with wine and cheese. To be honest, the wines weren’t good. They should put more effort in what they offer, but the cheese was amazing.

Elephants at the resort

Having breakfast with the elephants and feeding them every morning is something magical. But walking by this giant creatures and their mahouts, watching them bathing in the river and learning about asian elephants is something out of this world.

Four Seasons Tented Camp is a unique luxury experience that you will cherish forever. Thanks to my travel agent @theluxurytraveller for arranging our stay with additional benefits (this is not an ad or paid collaboration).

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Oslo Restaurants

Statholderens Mat & Vinkjeller- Modern Bistro with Norwegian food in Oslo

November 2, 2022 No Comments

If you want to eat good Norwegian food with the coolest ambiance, you need to check Starholderens Mat & Vinkjeller (@statholderens_matogvin) in your next trip to Oslo.

Statholderens Mat & Vinkjeller is one of the two restaurants by Chef Bent Stiansen. Both are located in the same building, the one at the top has a a Michelin Star and this one lies just below. I think it’s a good starting point and to get to know what kind of food this chef offers.

The Restaurant

Statholderens Mat & Vinkjeller is a modern bistro. The setting here is very casual and realxed with all the benefits from a Michelin Star restaurant without being one. One of the most peculiar things is that the restaurant is located in a 17th century vaulted cellar—such a unique place to have a meal. In 2021, the restaurant was honoured by Wine Spectator for an exceptional wine list. We were seated beside the cellar, which was cool spying all the wines and champagnes. Also, they had this clown drawing inside the cellar which felt a bit creepy. If you’re afraid of clowns, this isn’t your seat.

Wine Cellar

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The Food

Their specialty is a 10-course menu that changes every seven weeks. And that’s what we ordered so we could have a small taste of everything. High quality food arrived to our table. They use local ingredients and create new flavour combinations. I found the menu quite fulfilling as I almost couldn’t finish it. But the food was really tasty and well-elaborated, I really enjoyed so much that it’s one of my favourite restaurants so far in Oslo. The only downside I can think of is that some dishes took their time to arrive. Desserts were up to the expectations and felt like a neccessary refreshment after all the good food.

Sourdough bred and homemade butter

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Service

Service was amazing and very friendly, they always explained to us the origin of the dishes. They always tried to accomodate us and for Norway, I think is one of the best services in restaurants.

Totally recommend trying Statholderens Mat & Vinkjeller for Norwegian food in Oslo when visting this city.

7,5/10

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Bangkok Restaurants

Umi-Omakase in Bangkok

November 1, 2022 2 Comments

It’s no secret that Bangkok is one of my favourite cities in the world not only for their culture, but also for their incredible culinary offer. In this chaotic city, you can find many different restaurants from all over the world like michelin star or hidden gems. And in the middle of this lovely chaos of Bangkok in Sukhumvit 49 exists Umi (@umi_bkk), an omakase restaurant.

A little hard to find restaurant but thanks to a nearby business owner who showed us the way. It’s inside a building and there was no visible signs of the restaurant—at least we didn’t see any

What is like to eat in an Omakase?

If you aren’t familiar with omakase restaurants, the first thing and most important that you need to know is that you won’t choose what you eat. They ask you for allergies but nothing more. It’s a bit of an exciting adventure, every dish becomes an intriguing thing. Be prepared and open minded, you could eat anything or something you won’t like. But that is the magic of omakase, trust. Umi is the typical japanese omakase restaurant. There is a counter with few seats available—I think we were 6— and you are in front of your chef almost silently and with much focus watching how your food is made. A very chill ambient for sure.

The Food

Umi offered high-quality and fresh ingredients. I’m not going to lie, the first few dishes where a bit hit and miss for me, new flavours and textures that made me enjoyed some more than others. My favourite dish from the non-sushi part of the meal was the tiny calamaris with rice. The other entrees were good but not my cup of tea. Nigiris were nicely done and tasty. Ideal rice quantity and well-seasoned, but sometimes the rice was a bit too warm. Nonetheless, I enjoyed them.

Uni o sea urchin sushi was a bit disappointing. I think it could’ve been fresher, that way the sea urchin would have more of an intense and delicious flavour. Miso soup was excellent, I really loved it and was a good refreshment to clean your mouth from all the flavours before moving to desserts. But before desserts, we had tamago, super spongy and delicious.

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Umi Bangkok

Dessert consisted of black sesame sorbet. I really really liked this d

essert. It was so light with a strong sesame flavour, perfect for finishing the meal.

Would I recommend it?

I enjoyed Umi omakase in Bangkok experience but still have mixed feelings about it. I think some dishes were a bit too extravagant for my taste and even though I’m not a picky eater it was hard for me. I’d say go for it if you want to try new things that you aren’t normally served in other omakase restaurants and see for yourself if you like it or not. At the end of the day it’s a matter of taste.

7/10

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