Category: All posts

Destination Monaco. Contributed by feature reporter Jens Hoffmann Monaco is considered a place of bourgeoisie, the rich and famous enjoy it here, the sun shines 300 days a year, the helicopters hover over the city-state and fly every minute between Nice and Monaco. Once a year the Grand Prix of Extravaganza takes place here. Formula 1 is not without reason station in Monte Carlo. No race is like the classic in Monte Carlo. Ferraris everywhere, cheap lifestyle does not exist, diamonds and pearls, luxury shopping,…Continue Reading “Unsurpassed luxury : Visiting the “PokerStars” event in Monte Carlo” →

Destination Sylt. By feature reporter Jens Hoffmann I was on Sylt, the island is a unique spot with natural beauty and singular culture. The 5* Superior Hotel Landhaus Stricker is located in Tinnum, between Westerland and Kampen. The Landhaus Stricker is since years one of the Relais & Chateaux hotels. Holger Bodendorf started a traditional restaurant in 2001 with his wife and extended it later on with a small five-star hotel. Holger Bodendorf serves a cuisine with Southern French accents in a Mediterranean setting. His…Continue Reading “Rest in style – Landhaus Stricker on Sylt” →

Review Hyatt House Hotel in Dusseldorf. Contributed by feature reporter Jens Hoffmann. A higlight in every sense of the word. The traditional location looks back on a colourful history. Yes, it was fun. The first hotel of the Hyatt House brand opened in Dusseldorf’s Andreas Quartier. The location of the luxury hotel is more than extraordinary, it is located in the former district court house. Easily accessible from the main train station and the airport. The location has a special flair and gets through the…Continue Reading “Pillow talk – Hyatt House in Dusseldorf” →

My “AquaX” food experience Contributed by feature reporter Jens Hoffmann. I had a lovely 4-Hands Dinner by two three Michelin star cooks. Sven Elverfeld & Rasmus Kofoed at the “Aqua” in Wolfsburg. 4-Hands Dinner with Rasmus Kofoed from restaurant Geranium in Copenhagen, Denmark as a guest chef at restaurant Aqua. On the occasion of holding three MICHELIN stars for ten years in a row, Rasmus Kofoed and Sven Elverfeld prepared a unique eight-course menu. Amazing. Since its opening the luxury hotel has been enchanting me…Continue Reading “4-Hands Dinner by Sven Elverfeld & Rasmus Kofoed in the restaurant Aqua in Wolfsburg” →

Hotel Mira Moon Hong Kong, China Contributed by Ben Harris. Great to be here, a stylish and functional airport and a great place to check-in. A fairytale design themes, secret garden lounge, and an amazing in-room cocktail treasure chests, the latest player in the rapid revitalization of Wan Chai is a whimsical newcomer to this former red-light district. The 91-room hotel is the first project by nascent hotelier Martin Lee, and with it he entrusted creative reign to international design team Wanders & Yoo, who…Continue Reading “48h in Hong Kong – Hotel Mira Moon Hong Kong, China” →

Destination London Contributed by feature reporter Jens Hoffmann. We had a lovely father & son week-end in London. My son wrote a great editorial about the “Tower of London” and I invited him to spend a week-end in the British capital. Built by William the Conqueror in 1066, this uncompromising slab of a building has been many things—including the site where Henry VIII ordered the execution of two of his wives. Now the Tower is most famous as the home of the Crown Jewels. A…Continue Reading ““Father & Son” getaways to bond over – The Trafalgar St. James London, Curio Collection by Hilton.” →

Avantgarde-Style in Berlin. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. Berlin is ready for great food and an appropriate domicile. A highlight in every sense is the “White Truffle Menu by „Paco Pérez 5-Cinco“ and the stylish 5-star Softel So (Located in the “Tiergarten”). The restaurant by Catalonian Chef Paco Pérez is his first outside of Spain. ‘Cinco’, means five in Spanish, tickles all five senses, from eyes to tongue, and also represents the five fingers of the hand, symbolizing the handcrafted flavours of Pérez’s culinary art. Paco…Continue Reading “Berlin, Berlin – the Sofitel “So”” →

Readers Choice Awards by House & Hotel The Mandarin Oriental define the destination. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann A lovely (culinary) experience in BKK. Mr. Sauthier was delighted to share his culinary passion with us. For sure he takes Le Normandie’s diners to new heights of fine dining excellence and delights and introduces a new generation of culinary explorers to the sophistication of his native haute cuisine. I used to live and worked in the “city of angels” for three years, I love it. Of course…Continue Reading ““Readers Choice Awards” by House & Hotel: The Mandarin Oriental” →

I am a fan tour. My 48 hours in Barcelona. Contributed by Jens Hoffmann. Barcelona, me gusta. I am travelling since years to Barcelone and I still love the city. As club culture gives way to easy cafe & bar culture and more 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 a…Continue Reading “48 hours in Barcelona – Check-in @Mandarin Oriental” →

Douoc ao day Vietnam. Contributed by Britt Freyberg Hanoi is Vietnams small capital city, serving as the entry point for visitors drawn to the country’s mountainous north and the craggy islands of Halong Bay. With a French accent and a old heart, largely spared from American bombings it is for me more attractive than sprawling Ho-Chi-Minh City / Saigon in the south. The focal point is Hoan Kiem lake, a green oasis with an island pagoda, steeped in legend and caressed by the fronds of…Continue Reading “Sweet Hanoi – Hotel Sofitel Metropole Hanoi” →

Hotel and restaurant stories by Jens Hoffmann. Restaurant Beat by José Manuel Miguel Melia & Cookbook Hotel Calpe. If you speak in the hotel industry of a hideaway, it is mostly a romantic hotel in an idyllic location. The Meliá Villaitana Hotel is located in Benidorm near Alicante, based on a mountain, truly a seafront hideaway. The “Beat” is a gourmet restaurant, which is not (yet) decorated with a star, but the Chef de Cuisine José is an experienced 2-star cook on the stove. Lovely…Continue Reading “Hotels we like: Meliá and Cookbook Hotel” →

Contributed by Jens Hoffmann I am in love with romatic Lisbon, unfortunately, this time I spent only one night, because the object of my desire was Sal on Cabo Verde. The Tejo, Lisbon’s river, was bathed in a colorful sea of colors. The “Cais the Colunas” has turned into a promenade with many beautiful cafes. From here Marques de Pombal rebuilt the city in 1755 after the strong earthquake. For me a fascinating city, there is a touch of nostalgia. The city is gracefully framed…Continue Reading “Stop-over in Lisbon – The Hilton Double Tree Hotel” →