Author: House & Hotel Magazine

Sri Lanka 2015. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. We landed at Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo International Airport ). It is named after the former Prime Minister Bandaranaike and is one of the busiest hub airports in South Asia. The airport began as a Royal Air Force airfield in 1944 during the Second World War and is located in Negombo (which was in former times a top tourist spot). We took a train to Galle to the lovely Fortress Resort & Spa. It really looks like an…Continue Reading “Lovely Fortress Resort & Spa, Galle, Sri Lanka” →

Zur Bleiche Resort & Spa, Spreewald. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. We stayed over Christmas at home why fly out to Thailand, Maldives, Bali, the good is so close. Lets take a look at the german amazonas, why not travel to the “Venice of the East”? Meet and greet the Sorbs. The sorbs are Germany’s most enduring ethnic minority, they’ve lived in a crescent of land in modern Brandenburg since the sixth century. Just here you will find the delightful wellness resort & spa “Zur Bleiche”….Continue Reading “The legendary “Zur Bleiche Resort & Spa / Spreewald / Germany” →

La Thuile is only a short stroll away from France, sharing the Espace San Bernardo ski area (160km of slopes) with the French resort of La Rosière. It enjoyed a good time in the 1980s, when Italy’s glitterati flocked to the then cutting-edge Planibel hotel at the base of its slopes, but families and budget travellers soon replaced the VIPs, who migrated to neighbouring Courmayeur. Lets say another beautiful five-star hotel in “little Siberia”, it was a sleepy mining town in a remote area. But…Continue Reading “Luxury stay @ Nira Hotels & Resorts in Nira Montana / Italy” →

Konnichi wa! I love it to be in Tokyo, it seems that Tokyo have a fresh verve. Tokyo by Thorsten Wellmann. Tokyo is always great. Starting at Akihabara district (northeast of the city). The area is no place for those who do not like neon, noise and special things. It makes the Japanese capital to the place to the home of sensory overload. Book and comic stores are packed with bespectacled teens browsing new and vintage manga and anime. Loudes of all are the area’s…Continue Reading “Konnichi wa – Tokyo!” →

Baur au Lac, Zurich. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann We checked in at the Baur au Lac. It has the discerning tastes of its guests to thank for the leading position it has maintained for all the years in the international luxury hotel industry. The Baur is one of my favourites. The Baur au Lac. Set in its own park, the hotel enjoys a unique location overlooking the lake and the Alps – and yet is still but a few minutes’ walk from the Paradeplatz financial…Continue Reading “Suisse deluxe – Baur au Lac / Zurich / Switzerland” →

Francois Jobard, Tokyo. Konnichi wa! I love it to be in Tokyo, it seems that Tokyo have a fresh verve. Tokyo’s Akihabara district (northeast of the city) is no place for those who do not like neon and noise. It makes the Japanese capital to the place to the home of sensory overload. Book and comic stores are packed with bespectacled teens browsing new and vintage manga and anime. Loudes of all are the area’s string of parlours specialising in pachinko, Japans vertical version of…Continue Reading “Luxury Shangri-La Hotel – Foodie trip to Tsukiji / Tokyo / Japan” →

Wintertime at Spreewald. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. The year break 2013/2014 is different, we stayed over Christmas at home and enjoyed some quality family time. Why fly out to Thailand, Maldives, Cancun, the good is so close. Why not travel to the “Venice of the East”? Let´s go, lets meet the Sorbs, Germany’s most enduring ethnic minority, they’ve lived in a crescent of land in modern Brandenburg since the sixth century. The Spreewald is a watery mosaic of channels, meadows, fields and forests fed by…Continue Reading “Relaxing time at Strandhaus Spreewald Lubben /Germany” →

Presstrip with Vienna International to Opatija, Croatia. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. It was a cosy highlight for me to stay in the charming old Hotel Bristol in Opatija. Entering the walkway to the hotel, the sophisticated sea domicile reveal its elegant, old-school ambience. The destination is a special location, conceived by the Hapsburgs for vacationing emperors. This part of coastal Croatia curls up under the Istria peninsula, and is washed by an Adriatic so clear that you see no seam between sea and air. Just…Continue Reading “Sophisticated old school style – Hotel Bristol – Opatija / Croatia” →

Coimbra, Porto and the Douro Valley by Jens Hoffmann. You should go to Coimbra, the city is not so crowded like in Lisbon -which is also fantastic – just the perfect destination, I enjoyed it very much, especially lovely narrow streets. We stayed in a lovely hotel. On the site of a famous but tragic fourteenth-century love story between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro, Quinta das Lágrimas Palace holds the secrets of this fateful affair. It is a beautiful old hotel with a modern…Continue Reading “Beautiful Quinta das Lagrimas Palace / Coimbra / Portugal” →

Check in at Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Rome. Located on Bebelplatz (Unter den Linden) in Berlin-City. It is a conversion of an existing building constructed in 1889 by architect Ludwig Heim who was the appointed master builder of the government, which housed the head office of Dresdner Bank until 1945. This is a unique luxury hotel in Berlin which you will find in an original building making use of its full architectural splendour and thereby offering guests an authentic Berlin experience. The ornate and classical…Continue Reading “A stylish place to be – Hotel de Rome – in Berlin” →

Presstrip with “DER TOURISTIK KÖLN” to Crete. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. Start in Knossos. The charms of Crete are lengendary. It is a magical island that enthrals its visitors. So much beauty calls for an adequate residence, the selecet Hotel lti Meli Palace is like a minoischer palace and draws its guests under its spell. The Meli Hotel has a nice outdoor pool. Its located in Sissi with a dreamy location right by the sea overlooking a small, island opposite. The cretan hospitality is renowned…Continue Reading “A magical place – Hotel lti Meli Palace, Crete, Greece” →

We made a nice presstrip to Neuruppin and checked in @ the Hotel Mark Brandenburg Resort. It is easy to see why people love to come to this lovely region and hotel to enjoy the silence and the spa “Fontane Therme”. With its softly bubbling salty indoor and outdoor pools and tranquil massage rooms, it sits right on the shore of Lake Neuruppin, in the idyllic small town of Neuruppin, just 70 minutes drive north from Berlin. The hotel Mark Brandenburg Resort is a 4star…Continue Reading “Lovely relaxing time – Mark Brandenburg Resort / Neuruppin / Germany” →