Author: House & Hotel Magazine

Foodie trip to Seoul. Destination South-Korea contributed by Ben Harris. A breathtaking experience was Seoul. The city is the seat of government and it’s as crowded and competitive, if more homogeneous, as any other developed megacity. The metropolis of the Republic of Korea and second largest metropolitan area world-wide goes back more than two thousand years. It was one of the “Three Kingdoms of Korea” and for me an amazing e Skycapers dwarf shanty towns, throngs of delivery men on motorcycles jockey with expensive cars…Continue Reading “36+1 hours in Seoul / South- Korea” →

Breeze by Lebua – Frankfurt. My Pan-Asia experience in Frankfurt a.M. / Germany. You will find the “Breeze by lebua” bar and restaurant at the 5-star Frankfurter Hof (by Steigenberger Hotels). Located on the ground floor of the elegant Grand Hotel in Frankurt-city at Kaisersplatz. It is the first “Lebua” restaurant and bar in Europe and it offers a sensory experience par excellence. I love it, its trendy and stylish, designed by Eight Inc (the agency already designed the Apple Flagshipstore in NY) a pure…Continue Reading “Breeze by lebua – Frankfurt / Germany” →

Paradise has a name – Six Senses Douro Valley. Contributed by Francois Jobard. Last time we enjoyed the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam, it was a completely different world. This time the Six Senses Douro Valley offered a special style. We landed at Porto International Airport enjoyed the city and took the train following the River Douro, with its steep vineyard-terraced river banks and sleepy rural hamlets. Picture book panorama; the Six Senses in the Douro Valley is a superbly renovated 19th-century manor…Continue Reading “Seventh heaven by Six Senses – Douro Valley / Portugal” →

Pillow talk by Jens Hoffmann. Arriving at Dubai International Airport. The airport is bordered by desert. Huge facilities make the airport an amazingly big air-cargo hub. The year was one of my “hottest” years and it is ending in the most fitting manner possible; with warm days. Thats the way I like it. Yes, Dubai is a special destination that enthrals its guests. The hours can be whiled away, marvelling at views up in the sky. We checked in at the 5 star Mövenpick Hotel…Continue Reading “Lovely retreat in Dubai – Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach” →

Londong calling. Hotel Savoy. By Jens Hoffmann International Airport Heathrow 5, my number one hub after Changi / Singapore. Closer to home, Heathrow Terminal 5 did always well for its guests. Indeed. London calling, we went to the Hotel Savoy. The gold-leaf opulence of the Beaufort champagne bar. The Savoy is back on top. For me one of the most iconic hotels, which had huge restoration and nowadays back on the track. Feeling a bit like in formers times when I entered the lobby. The…Continue Reading “30+1 days in Europe – Simply elegant Hotel Savoy” →

Destination Thailand. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. Foodtrip to Thailand. Thats my style. I used to live three years in Bangkok (206-2009) and I am addicted to thai food. I am still in love with the City of Angels and the food trip was joyful. Silver curtain rain down, lovely stay. The famous luxury hotel Swissôtel Nai Lert Park offers a unique city stay in BKK, Thailand’s bustling capital with great restaurants and a beautiful lush tropical garden not far away from Lumpini Parc and a…Continue Reading “Foodtrip to Bangkok – Swissôtel Nai Lert” →

Destination Russia by editorial contributor F.Jobard. Crime & Punishment” by Dostoevsky. A cultural blend of western and eastern styles and memories is Hotel Sonya in St. Petersburg. Y ou all know that me and the House & Hotel editorial team loves storyhotels. The Hotel Sonya design is based on the novel “Crime & Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Do you know the story? The matryoshka doll holding up the massive reception table is a reference to Sonya, the girl who helps the main character Raskolnikov, to…Continue Reading “Remember Russia – Hotel Sonya – Petersburg” →

Happy birthday Michelin star, happy 90! The brothers André and Édouard Michelin established the biggest tyre manufacturer in the world. Known everywhere as the company behind the “big boy with white rolls”, today Michelin is one of the world’s biggest brands. Naturally, achieving this success comes down to excellence in the company’s product range. However, there was another strategy: the Michelin Guide, with its food stars ranking system. My 3-star Aqua by Sven Everfeld experience in Wolfsburg. The Michelin founders were convinced that cars would…Continue Reading “90 birthday Michelin star” →

An ideal spring time destination – Euboea. Contributed by feature reporter Jens Hoffmann. I have a new secret hide away, and it has me. Arrival in Greece (Athens). Kalimera, sunny and lovely 20 degrees in March. I love it to be in Greece. The name of my hideaway is Euboea, island of Euboea. Just a 60 min drive away from Athens. The island has a big history and opened in former times new trade routes to Asia and the western world (Macedonia, Corfu e.g.) I…Continue Reading “My secret hideaway – Euboea / Greece” →

Destination Bordeaux. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann This is slightly a different hotel story, one without any wellness agenda and any restaurant tests. We checked in at Château Montlabert. The subject is love with wine & the history of the family Castel. Lets call it a Bordeaux “Saga Vinifera”, started in 1949, nine brothers and sisters create the Group Castel, based on a trade and distribution activity. A diversity and a complementarity which ensured a perfect knowledge of the vineyard and wines in the various regions…Continue Reading “The charms of Bordeaux – Château Montlabert – France” →

Living the high life London’s The Shard (310 metres) – Shangri-La Hotel – London. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann I enjoyed a fantastic hot spot for accomodation and food in London, visited “The Shard”. Whats this, just another new big “house” in London? No, rising a mighty 310 metros into the sky and towering above many London’s landmarks, The Shard makes an impression on the captlas skyline. “The Shard” is a architectural highlight. Furthermore one of the tallest buildings in Western Europe. The viwes are breathtaking…Continue Reading “Living the high life – London’s The Shard (310 metres) – Shangri-La Hotel – London.” →

Destination Barcelona. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. Barcelona, me gusta. I am travelling since years to Barcelone and I still love the city and this wonderful hotel. As club culture gives way to hipster, bar culture and startups take root, the inhabitants take a new pride in their city as one of the most unique place in the world, a truly vibrant, hot, open and tolerant oasis in southern Europe. Today Barcelona is coming into its own as serious and funky tourist hotspot. We checked at…Continue Reading “3days+1 in Barcelona” →