— 15 Comments

Living it Up at Sofitel St. James

A review of London's Sofitel St. James via www.dtravelsround.com
Editor’s Note: I was a guest of Sofitel St. James. For more, please read my disclosure policy.

We arrive into the grand entry at Sofitel St. James. It’s been a long day, and it has only just begun. Around us, business people and families are spread throughout the posh lobby, readying themselves to take in the rainy London afternoon.

The two of us standout, surrounded by hotel guests who are dressed far nicer than us, but it doesn’t matter to the staff.

Smiles greet us as we check-in and head up to our room. The past few days, we’ve experienced everything from a converted townhouse to a 70s disco room, to the mod Sex Pistol’s room we shared in Brighton, and now we have entered the heart of luxury.

And, I mean luxury.

Hotel Reviews
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Where mod meets pop culture: Brighton’s Hotel Pelirocco

Hotel Pelirocco

Editor’s Note: I was a guest of Hotel Pelirocco in Brighton, England. If you have questions regarding this, please read my disclosure policy.

Tucked into the posh Regent Square in the famous seashore of Brighton, England, is Hotel Pelirocco.

This pink-halled 19-room hotel, dubbed “England’s most rock ‘n’ roll hotel” isn’t just a place to sleep. The edgy property, in its 15 years of life, has morphed into a cultural hotspot for Brightonians and travelers, treating them to a hedonistic (if they want) place to unwind and tuck into the town.

Brighton, an easy escape for Londoners looking to hit the shore, is also known as London-by-the-Sea. In its recent history, the seaside town has become the place to have “dirty weekends,” something Pelirocco caters to.

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History and charm: Riomaggiore’s Alla Marina

riomaggiore_alla_marina
We stand outside the cafe, a gorgeous stone terrace with little tables, overlooking the tranquil blue water of the Ligurian Sea (a far cry from the tumultuous experience the day before when attempting to take Cinque Terre’s water ferry). Mom and I stand waiting, our suitcases at our sides, when the owner of Alla Marina comes up to us. We’re renting an apartment in Riomaggiore for our last night in the gorgeous region of Italy, and moved from our Flipkey rental in Vernazza to the most southern of the five towns to enjoy a the remaining moments of our mother-daughter Italian vacation.

“Hello, hello,” Sandro Pasini greets us. He’s one of the two brothers who run the Alla Marina, a small cluster of rooms and apartments in the village. Sandro is tall, his English perfect, and his willingness to help us is apparent immediately.

Blog Europe Hotel Italy Reviews
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The world of vacation rentals

Flipkey vacation rentals
My mom and I arrive to Cinque Terre hours after we were supposed to, thanks to the Italian train strikes taking place on the day we hike it from photogenic Venice to Milan to La Spezia to Vernazza (whew).

Exhausted, moderately grumpy and ready to take in the beauty of the Ligurian region, we exit the train station and begin our search for our Flipkey vacation rental and the woman who owns it.

We wander past the rock archway leading to the beach and down the car-free lane lined with tiny shops and restaurants, craning our necks to find our host.

Reviews Travel
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Gifts that give back: The feel good gift guide for travelers

Gift Guide for Travelers
‘Tis the season! This year, I did some research and dug up some of my favorite picks for the traveler in your life (or you!) with this handy gift guide. What makes this one different? This is a travel guide featuring sustainable gifts and ones that give back to local communities and foundations, perfect for the traveler or travel lover in your life. Every gift in this guide has sustainability and giving back in mind, so you can shop and know your money is going to a good cause. From jewelry to accessories, to home goods to travel necessities, this is your feel-good gift guide. Even better, you have a chance to either save money on items in this guide or win a gift for yourself!

Looking to give that perfect gift to a travel-lover and do good at the same time? Here. You. Go.

Reviews Reviews Featured
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Things to do in Venice: Alone in St. Marks Basilica Tour

Alone in St Marks
The thick doors of St. Mark’s Basilica close behind us, shutting us off to the whir and clamor of the throngs of people in Venice and we step into the entryway of the historical and iconic St. Mark’s. Located in Piazzo San Marco and connected to the Doge’s Palace, in the most recognizable city in the world (according to moi), tonight our visit to Venice’s St. Mark’s is blessedly quiet. Being one of the most popular things to do in Venice, the tourists which flock to this well-known attraction by the thousands during the day, are not standing here with us tonight. In fact, it is only a handful of us in this building, which dates back to the 800s. I’m really not one for visiting churches, but this opportunity is different; this is a Walks of Italy guided tour with an art historian through this massive, guide-book-recommended must in Venice … at night.

Destinations Europe Italy Reviews Reviews Featured
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Group tours: are they worth it?

Are group tours worth it?

I’ve been on a few group tours in my day. During this most recent little jaunt from Thailand to Europe I went on three of these outings.

The first was with Abraham Tours in Israel where we experienced Hebron and learned about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The second and third were with Roundabout Tours in Slovenia where, on two separate tours, we explored the Karst region (including the magnificent Škocjan Cave) and Piran on the Adriatic, and then the other a tiny slice of the Alpine region which included the beautiful Vintgar Gorge and stops at Lakes Bled and Bohinj.

Here’s my thing about group tours: I love them. And I don’t. At the same time.

Reviews Reviews Featured
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In Earth’s belly: the Škocjan Cave

Škocjan cave in Slovenia

The droplets of water plunk down from the damp ceiling, ploink. Ploink. It sounds like a dripping faucet in a vacuum of silence as we all stand, meters below the surface of the earth, eyes adjusting to the nearly black surroundings.

Ploink. Ploink. Ploink.

It’s cold down here. Far colder than the day I envisioned when I quickly threw on a dress and flips for my day exploring the Karst region and Slovenian coastline that morning when I was picked up from Hostel Celica in Ljubljana.

Down here, the dampness, the dark only magnify my senses. They swirl around me, reminding me where I am …

Blog Europe Reviews Slovenia Tours
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Behind bars in Ljubljana: Hostel Celica review

Ljubljana Hostel Celica

You’d think sleeping inside a former military prison would be creepy. I even ask the manager of the property as she guides me down the dark, damp stairs to where solitary confinement used to be, a stone cave-like basement, if it is haunted. She chuckles and responds with a simple “no.”

In fact, other than the darkness of that solitary confinement area, Hostel Celica, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, is anything but creepy. It is perhaps the most vibrant and energetic hostel I’ve ever rested my head.

Seriously.

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