Temple Tree Resort

On our recent trip to the beautiful Malaysian island of Langkawi, we spent two nights at the special and very unique Temple Tree Resort. The resort is unique because it consists of eight antique houses of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian origin, all ranging from 70 to 110 years old. Narelle, the owner of Temple Tree spent many years scouring Malaysia in search of these buildings, each of which are original. The houses were then dismantled and transported from their location of origin piece-by-piece and rebuilt. Some were derelict, but each house was lovingly restored to its former glory, keeping true to its original layout. Each house was then decorated in a style that reflected the period in which they were once lived in. Temple Tree Resort is like an antique treasure trove, with each building having it’s own special story to tell.

Temple Tree Resort

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JUMEIRAH AT ETIHAD TOWERS, ABU DHABI

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers

On my recent visit to Abu Dhabi I stayed at the iconic 5-star Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, a 280m tall luxury hotel located on the West Corniche in the exclusive Ras Al Akhdar area of Abu Dhabi overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The hotel is close to the central business district and adjacent to the famous Emirates Palace Hotel. Jumeirah at Etihad Towers is one of a group of five towers that includes a prestigious office tower and three towers housing apartments, premium boutiques and contemporary restaurants. The Etihad Towers are an integral part of the Abu Dhabi skyline and most famously featured in the blockbuster movie Fast & Furious 7.

The construction of the Etihad Towers was overseen by Australian architects DBI and began in 2006. The Towers are particularly dramatic for their staggering modernity and are beautiful on the eye. Inside, the hotel is no less beautiful, oozing with a cosmopolitan ‘city’ chic that is sublimely sophisticated. The lobby is wide, tall and deep, shining with natural light during the day, and dazzling from the glow of the handmade chandeliers at night. Much care has gone into the selection of the finishing touches which were awe-inspiring and which features a unique use of rare marbles, semi-precious stones and crystals.

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers – The lobby

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The Swan Hotel & Spa is set in the heart of Lavenham, Suffolk, a beautiful 15th century medieval village steeped in centuries of history. Lavenham built up great wealth due to its woollen cloth industry in the 15th and 16th centuries, and with this came a sprawling set of period buildings catering to the wealthy of the time. As such Lavenham is known as one of England’s finest medieval towns. Not far from the hotel’s doorstep is the stunning timber framed Guildhall, a National Trust property, and the splendid St Peter and St Paul churches. Lavenham is also well placed for the surrounding countryside, with its scenic walking routes. It is also within driving access to the other wool towns of Hadleigh, Sudbury and Long Melford, the latter being famous for Melford Hall (a National trust property) and Kentwell Hall.

The Swan at Lavenham

The Swan Hotel is in itself an excellent example of the architecture from that time. The hotel’s exterior is a picture-perfect half-timbered structure that incorporates several notable buildings including an Elizabethan house and Lane Ham’s former Wool Hall. Inside there are beautiful oak beamed interiors, open fireplaces and cosy lounge seats. The rooms have been decorated by blending classical period touches with a contemporary style so that guests can enjoy a sense of history, yet still be able to relax in comfort. I stayed in The Heritage Room which was lovely. With its original features and uneven floors that stayed true to the structure of the original building, the room offered an old world charm and character.

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During my recent visit to Manchester I stayed at the Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel which is located in the heart of Manchester City. The hotel’s location is superb and is in easy walking distance to some of Manchester’s finest bars and shops including Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, and entertainment venues such as Manchester Arena.

The hotel holds a 4 star rating and has spacious and comfortable rooms with city centre views. There is complimentary WIFI access in the reception area and the hotel also offers complimentary access to the Virgin Health Club.

Renaissance Manchester City – Superior Room

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Lobby

Pera Palace Hotel in the Tepebaşı district of Pera, İstanbul, right near Taksim Square, is a luxury boutique hotel which is steeped in history. It opened in 1895 and was a groundbreaking hotel for many reasons. Other than the Ottoman Palaces, it was the first building in Istanbul to be powered by electricity. It was also the only address in the city to provide hot running water for its guests and it is also home to the first electric, and thus the oldest electric elevator in Istanbul.

Pera Palace Hotel was borne out of a gap in the market for luxury hotels in Istanbul at the time. When the wealthy passengers aboard the Orient Express arrived in Istanbul, they similarly desired a hotel of equal stature to rest their heads. Thus the Pera Palace Hotel came to be. Designed by the French-Turkish architect Alexander Vallaury, the hotel is a beautiful blend of neo-classical, art nouveau and oriental styles.

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The Rose Lounge Sofitel St James

Mum was in town visiting and so I decided to take her to afternoon tea at the Rose Lounge, Sofitel Hotel St James. I love taking visitors for afternoon tea as I can’t think of anything more quintessentially English for a Sunday afternoon treat. The Sofitel Hotel is a gorgeous hotel and epitomises the height of elegance. We only walked through the lobby and The Rose Lounge, but you can tell this is one classy hotel.

The Rose Lounge is where the afternoon tea is held and it is as pretty as pretty can be. The space is cozy and quaint, although the tables are probably a little bit too small. But we loved the décor and thought it was perfectly decorated for an afternoon tea experience. The room was feminine and charming with the glorious sound of a harpist playing in the corner of the lounge to really set the mood.

The Rose Lounge Sofitel St James

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Next stop Austin. The capital of Texas is a hip, happening city and prides itself on being called the ‘Weird City’. But it’s not so much weird as extremely liberal, with a thriving live music scene and a reputation as the live music capital of the world. It is also emerging as a new destination of choice for tech startups and consistently ranks number one for jobs in the US on the Forbes’ annual list. It also scores highly on other demographic rankings as well and openly embraces alternative life styles. In short, Austin is a cracking city.

I loved Austin and there is much for the tourist to enjoy. Rather than me listing all the things that you can do in Austin, check out this website. I followed many of the tips on here and enjoyed every place I visited (including Franklin Barbecue, but more on that in a later post). In fact I loved every minute I spent in Austin and I hope if you visit this fabulous city that you will too.

Lone Star Court Hotel

While in Austin I stayed at the Lone Star Court Hotel. The hotel is located in an area of Austin called The Domain, Austin’s newest commercial and residential district, which is about a 15 minute drive from downtown. It’s not the most centrally located hotel, but in Texas EVERYONE drives. A boutique hotel, Lone Star Court Hotel is every bit as quirky as Austin itself. Visiting the hotel is like a trip back to a bygone era, with the hotel being designed in the vein of a ‘retro-ranch’.

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Hotel ICON – The lobby

The award winning Hotel ICON Houston was formerly the Union National Bank, a statuesque landmark building erected in 1911 which was converted to a hotel in 2004 and is now part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. Erected with a limestone and brick façade, it’s a palatial building that reflects the grand neoclassical architectural style of the time. Today Hotel Icon continues to maintain many of its original touches such as the Corinthian columns and decorative features of Roman Gods. And now this sense of history has also been intertwined with a modern urban Texan décor to produce a result that is the ultimate in comfort and style.

Hotel Icon is located in the business downtown area and offers fabulous access to the city’s attractions including the theatre district (the second-highest concentration of theatre seats in the country), galleries and museums, Market Square, Houston Pavilions, Discovery Green and Houston’s sports districts. It also operates a handy free shuttle service to any location within the downtown area and is the only downtown hotel on the 7.5 mile, state-of-the-art Houston METROrail light rail line

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