Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa Review

View from our suite at the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa

 
Are you planning a trip to Bangkok and looking to find an oasis away from the bright lights and hustle and bustle of the city? Then the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa is the ideal place for you.

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi, as soon as you enter the resort you instantly forget you are in the heart of one of the largest and biggest cities in the world.

With 408 rooms at the Anantara, we stayed in the Riverfront Suite for three nights in mid June. This had a spacious living area, separate dining room and a wide balcony that had some of the most enchanting views of the river. I loved sitting out on the balcony taking in the stunning views of the beautiful resort gardens and using up endless opportunities to watch the sunset over the banks of the Grand Chao Phraya River. 

 

Our bedroom had a very comfortable king size bed with large windows revealing the beautiful views of the river. The largge ensuite bathroom was equally impressive, with dual vanity basins including both a rain shower and large bath tub. One of the best features of the room was with a free smart phone device that could be used both in the hotel room and also sightseeing around Bangkok too. I couldn’t believe that guests were allowed to make unlimited local and international calls and use the internet all for free! This was just one of many great services Anantara provides guests when they choose to stay at the resort.
  

 

Guests are really spoiled for choice for food and drinks with 10 restaurants and bars on the resort. I didn't get a chance to visit them all but a few of my favourites were Trader's Vic that serves delicious Mai Tai Sunday Brunch's in a relaxed atmosphere where guests can dine in the private tropical garden or the Polynesian inspired dining room with live music. Another favourite is Benihana, a japanese restaurant, where talented chefs create sumptuous Teppanyaki dishes with theatrical cooking displays for customers. On our first night we ate at the stunning Riverside Terrace, a restaurant overlooking the riverbank. We were treated to a delicious thai buffet and watched classical Thai dancers perform on a flame lit stage against the backdrop of the Chao Phraya River.
 

The Anantara offers guests the ideal combination of luxury and tranquillity. The resort is the perfect base to explore the 11 acres of beautiful gardens or if like me, you prefer to relax in the spa and experience the best in thai massage, scrubs and rice rituals! After a long flight from London, on our first day at the resort we had a couples treatment and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The resort also provides a complimentary private shuttle boat into the bustling heart of Bangkok. The boats leave every half-hour so you can leave the sanctuary of the resort and be in the heart of Bangkok’s shopping or nightlife very easily. I loved travelling by riverboat, it's a great benefit that the resort offers to its guests. We went to Asiatique a night market on the other side of the river which has numerous restaurants and lots of shops and boutiques. 


We also used the river boat to travel into the city and had cocktails at 200m-high roof top Sky Bar at LeBua, an amazing experience that is worth visiting so I would highly recommend!

The Anantara feels like a hideaway from the city itself and is the ideal way to experience Bangkok. You are only a shuttle boat ride away from the bustling heart of Bangkok so close enough to feel the energy of the city around you but still located in the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere of the resort.  The resort is beautiful, by day you can explore the 11 acres of gardens and by night the open-air corridors are lit by torches in the evening. I would encourage guests to take time to explore the natural beauty of the resort and stroll the grounds to see the beautiful flowers and tropical trees.

The hotel is certainly 5 star and the prices are to match but staying at Anantara is worth it and you certainly won’t be disappointed.  The service from staff is fantastic, absolutely faultless. From the moment we arrived we were welcomed by friendly staff and all throughout our stay, the staff really went above and beyond to make our experience in Bangkok a memorable one.

If you’re looking for a luxury hotel to stay in Bangkok chilled enough to relax by the pool but close enough to the city, then this is the one for you. I certainly look forward to visiting Bangkok again and staying at the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa!

Outfit of the day - Royal Ascot 2015

A few of my accessories for Royal Ascot 2015

This weekend I attended Royal Ascot, the most stylish sporting event, along with thousands of other spectators.

Royal Ascot is a major fashion event in it's own right, you must dress to impress so there were countless of hats, frocks and fascinators to be seen!

Dress - Long Tall Sally

Shoes - M&S

Fascinator - Amazon

I wore a sleeveless floral dress from Long Tall Sally. I love the tiered design on this dress it's the perfect figure flattering cut and the dress was the ideal length for my height too. I teamed with M&S nude stiletto caged sandals and caged sandals and matching colour fascinator from Amazon.

It was such a lovely day and a great reason to dress up, see all the weird and wonderful hats and dresses and enjoy all the horse races; a day out at Ascot is a lot of fun. I'm already looking forward to planning another fab outfit for next year!

The Beaufort Hotel Review

The Beaufort Hotel 

Trying to find a boutique hotel in Central London offering a personal experience is hard to come so now I’ve found one, it’s only right I share with my readers!

I’ve discovered a real gem located in the heart of Knightsbridge, The Beaufort Hotel, a perfect example of a luxurious yet unique hotel in London offering a more personal boutique hotel experience.

The Beaufort Hotel is a beautiful white fronted townhouse, quietly hidden on a residential street overlooking a pretty leafy square.  Ideally located in the fashionably chic area of Knightsbridge, you’ll find world famous exclusive shopping destinations like Harrods and Harvey Nichols and the History museum and V&A only moments away. The boutique hotel offers 29 bedrooms and suites all elegantly furnished in relaxing neutral tones and modern décor. All the rooms are air-conditioned and feature marble bathrooms with tub & shower, complimentary internet WiFi, satellite TV and direct dial telephone. My favourite room was the suite that featured an outdoor balcony with stunning views across London.

Bedroom Suite

Beautiful views from the bedroom suite

The Beaufort Hotel is the perfect choice for a short stay in the capital. Whether it’s for business or pleasure it is ideal as if offers a range of complimentary benefits that go far beyond the norms of most luxury London hotels. There’s the complimentary bar from late afternoon until late evening (subject to a fair-use policy), plus a complimentary cream tea with homemade scones served for guests everyday from 3-5pm. The scones are baked fresh every day and were served with delicious strawberry jam and clotted cream from a dairy especially commissioned to deliver to the hotel.  

Delicious cream tea and scones

It is family owned hotel which explains the personal boutique hotel experience the Beaufort offers. The location is ideal, the hotel is beautiful but really impressed me was the service. Without fault, the all the team were polite and accommodating. The staff care and it shows and that’s why I’ll be planning another visit back to The Beaufort Hotel very soon!

*Disclaimer: I was invited to The Beaufort Hotel however but all words and opinions are my own*

Outfit of the Day - Red Blazer

 Blazer - River Island

Blouse - River Island

Jeans - Dorothy Perkins

Bag - Zara

Shoes - New Look

It's been a while since I did an outfit of the day, so what better way to bring back this blog post with a Summer special!

Now the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, it's the perfect time to bring out the bold and bright colours like this pillar box red blazer from River Island. Every woman should own a classic red blazer, a staple piece for your wardrobe. I teamed with a drape blouse, also from River Island, and denim skinny jeans from Dorothy Perkins. 

I didn't realise Dorothy Perkins did a collection for tall women and I am so impressed! The jeans fit right and are a great length too, thumbs up to DP!

Decorate Your Garden with a Wooden Garden Arch

 My new garden arch

I'm always on the hunt for ideas and unique ways to make my garden look more beautiful. Among all the decorations that are used in a garden, the one that could make the most difference is a garden arch.

Archways are great decorations for your garden and when I came across this fab wooden garden arch from NotOnThe HighStreet.com, I knew it was the ideal item to help make my garden look more attractive. 

The Wooden Elegance Garden Arch, sold by Garden Selections, is an elegant arch and strong enough to support climbing plants.

Arches look lovely used as the entry to an outdoor garden but can look really good nestled within a garden too. Because garden arches are created in a wide range of heights, we chose this one that best fits our garden space. 

 Choosing the right spot for my garden arch

I've placed the arch in the middle of my garden against the garden wall  to define the different areas of our garden, for a showstopping focal point.

The arch has trellis sides topped by a smoothly curved arch and four sturdy feet that we sunk into the earth. It came flat packed and was easy to assemble and light weight so not heavy at all, but thankfully strong enough to stay put!

I love the way the arch has created a stunning focal point in the garden. Once we grow our flowering vines and train our climbing wall plant to grow intertwined to the arch, it will add color and texture to the space creating a beautiful effect. 

 

 Looking forward to growing plants around my garden arch!

My next task is to work out what colour roses to grow around my garden arch. :-)

 

*Disclaimer: The product featured was gifted to me for review however all words and opinions are my own*

Debenhams Autumn/Winter Press Day 2015

 Debenhams A/W 2015

We might have had some of the warmest days in London this year recently but it's never too early to start looking ahead to the next big trends for Autumn and Winter!

Recently, Debenhams held their Autumn/Winter press day, showcasing next season's biggest style trends in womenswear, accessories, menswear and homeware and I was lucky enough to be invited. Here's a sneak peek of some of my favourites from the event:

These were just a few key pieces displayed at the press event, amongst others. My personal favourites were the evening gowns a choice of black, navy and also pastel colours mint and pink, the dresses were embellished with beads or lace perfect for any special occasion. 

Another favourite were the fab accessories, ranging from bags, shoes and hats - fringing, fur, leather and leopard print accessories were the top choice of fabrics to wear next season!   

  

I also loved the homeware department, all the displays were well decorated and i've taken so much inspirational especially from the designers Jasper Conran and John Rocha.  I loved how their displays were fuss free and styled with neutral colour palettes. This clean, crisp and laid back decor is a great way to decorate your home and both designers showcased this look so well!

What were your favourite looks?

The Wedding Book of Everyone Review

The Book of Everyone - Wedding Edition

If you’re attending the wedding of a loved one, it’s so hard to find the perfect wedding gift, especially if the couple have opted not to have a traditional wedding list. It’s especially hard when you are trying to impress someone with a gift that has the right elements of being both special and unique for them to treasure forever.

Which is why the people at the Book of Everyone have created the ideal wedding present, the Wedding Book of Everyone, as it allows you to create a memorable yet unique gift for the couple.

So what is The Book of Everyone? It’s a personalised book that you create online featuring some of the world’s best copywriters, designers and illustrators full of facts, trivia and wonderful illustrations.

The Wedding Book of Everyone celebrates the bride and grooms two lives coming together as one. Half the book is dedicated to the Bride and the other to the Groom. You simply enter the couples name, their wedding date and date of birth and then watch as the online generator smartly creates each page of the book.

You can personalise further with your own photos and comments and make other amendments like changing the images or colours to each page. Once the book has been generated, you’re given the option to choose on delivery date, make the payment and wait until the book has been delivered.  I didn’t have to wait long for the book to be delivered. It was dispatched a few days after I placed my order and I received a couple of days later. Considering the book is printed to order, delivery was quick, so I was impressed.

The Book of Everyone Wedding Edition offers two luxury options, in either a boxed hardback £44.50 or a boxed deluxe £64.50.  The book is fantastic quality and looks very smart – it is presented in a gorgeous soft-touch laminated box and available in hardback or deluxe finishes.

Personalised gifts are always a good choice for someone who is tricky to buy for. And the Book of Everyone Wedding Edition is the ideal present, so unique yet personal, it’s a gift for couples to enjoy for years to come. Check out the website and have a gander for yourself!

*Disclaimer: The product featured was gifted to me for review however all words and opinions are my own*

Royal Ascot Style Guide 2015

Fast horses and fancy hats, it’s that time of year again for guests to wear their best glamorous and elegant outfits to the most stylish sporting event - Royal Ascot!

What to expect from this year's Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot has become as famous for its dress code and ladies day as the racing itself! Known for it’s strict dress code, this year, Royal Ascot organisers have released a new style guide for 2015.

As always, both guests have a strict style guide to follow for Ascot

First things first – understand that there are several different areas at the event, so the rules differ according to the type of ticket you buy. So if you’ve purchased a Grandstand Enclosure or Silver Ring ticket, fascinators are allowed. Bought a ticket to the Royal Enclosure? Then you’ll be required to wear a headpiece with a base of 10cm (4 inches) or more.

Grandstand Admission Dress Code:

Dresses and skirts should be of modest length
If there is one golden rule you must follow then it’s the length of your dress or skirt. Keep it just above the knee or a bit longer to save yourself embarrassment and avoid a fashion faux pas.

A hat, headpiece or fascinator should be worn at all times in the Grandstand
That’s right, all times, so make sure you choose you one find comfortable because it needs to stay on!

Strapless, off the shoulder, halter neck and spaghetti straps are not permitted
Any top or dress you wear must have straps and it needs to be more than an inch thick. Got a strapless dress you’re desperate to wear? Then keep your jacket throughout the day so that your shoulders are not on show.

Trouser suits are welcome. They should be of full length and of matching material and colour
Royal Ascot is the perfect occasion to wear a dress, but if trousers are more your thing then go a matching colour set - try LK Bennett or John Lewis they have a selection of good ones.

Midriffs must be covered
Does this really need further explanation?!
 

Shorts are not permitted

Anyone who thinks shorts are acceptable would be better placed heading to a festival instead.

The dress code for the Silver Ring ticket holders are less restricted but there are still rules to follow:

Silver ring ticket holders are encouraged to wear smart clothes, “No formal dress code applies in the Silver Ring except that replica sports shirts are not permitted...fancy dress, novelty and branded promotional clothing are not allowed on site.”

So follow these simple rules to avoid a fashion faux pas and you’ll be well on your way to being the best dressed person at Royal Ascot this year. Want more dress code tips? Then watch this:
 

This year's Royal Ascot will be held from the 16th - 20th June 2015 and tickets start from £19 - £78. Fine Dining starts from £250 per person + VAT.

For more information and to book tickets visit the Royal Ascot website here or call 0844 346 3000.