Month: November 2017

Pulitzer Barcelona

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Hotelchain: Pulitzer
Location: Barcelona – Spain
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: hotelpulitzer.es

Pulitzer Barcelona is a great four star hotel in the center of Barcelona. You can’t beat the location, you are in the middle of it all. The famous Ramblas is only a few minutes away! This is a very convenient location to explore all the major attractions Barcelona has to offer!

They kept the façade of the old historic building which is exactly what they needed to do because it is just stunning and gives the hotel a ‘grand’ feeling! Once inside, i was surprised that the hotel is modern and totally up to date. It looks like a new hotel and you wouldn’t expect that from the outside. The reception staff was friendly and Everything we needed to know about the hotel and its facilities were explained in a very kind way.

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I love the large bar at Pulitzer Barcelona right next to the check in area. Several cozy sitting areas can be found here with plush sofas and amazing drinks at affordable prices! This is the perfect spot to chat with friends and have a great time! It was great to find out that a lot of local people were enjoying themselves in the hotel as well. It is the place where local people and guests merge!

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The rooms at Pulitzer hotel are of a four star level and although not too large, they do offer all the comfort you’d need for an upmost comfortable stay. I loved the ‘blue themed’ bathroom with bath tub. It was so nice to relax and unwind after a day of exploring this beautiful city! Bathrobes and slippers as well as complimentary water can be found in every room. I must highlight the small balcony which added even more comfort. Always nice to be able to sit outside and watch the everyday life!

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Their restaurant, the Greenhouse, offers delightful dishes with a lot of healthy options. Decoration is wonderful, they used a lot of wooden furniture and there are plants all over the place.

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At night, we thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful dinner here. The chef definitely knows how to combine ingredients, flavors were amazing! As a starter, the micro vegetables with green peas and Pestle bread with maple syrup and butter were delicious. The duck as a main course was outstanding! And we always have some room for dessert, the churros was one of the best I have had in my life! I must mention that each plate was beautifully presented! Service was easy going yet professional – Top!

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The Greenhouse is also the place where they serve breakfast. The Mediterranean buffet consists of several cheeses and meat such as chorizo. Most of you know I love eggs and they do know how to prepare the eggs just the way I prefer! Thumbs up! Each morning guests can enjoy homemade quiches with spinage, definitely a must-try!

As mentioned before, the large bar downstairs is the perfect place to relax and hang out. If the weather is great, a rooftop bar is great option. They have the best cocktails there, be sure to check out the Vermut, I’m sure you will love it as much as I did!

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Pulitzer Barcelona is a perfect hotel to visit Barcelona! Each time I entered the hotel, I felt like coming home which is quite unique! Can’t wait to return to this beautiful place with the most convenient location and accommodating staff.

Hyatt Regency Amsterdam

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Hotelchain: Hyatt
Location: Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: amsterdam.regency.hyatt.com/…n/hotel/home

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Hyatt Regency recently opened a hotel in Amsterdam. Of course, after staying at the Andaz Prinsengracht, I needed to explore this brand new Hyatt hotel as well and it didn’t disappoint!

This five star hotel is located near the city center of Amsterdam, it is just a 15 minute walk to all the major attractions beautiful Amsterdam has to offer! Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is located near the beautiful Plantage district. The Tropenmuseum – a ethnographic museum – is only a short walk. The historic canal area is just 15 minutes away by foot.

Entering this hotel is entering a contemporary styled luxury hotel with all the comfort one could wish for. The lobby area is spacious and their ‘living’ green wall definitely is an eye catcher. Check-in staff was very helpful and accommodating and after some useful information, they handed us the keys for our room.

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They integrated the whole ‘green’ theme throughout the entire hotel, the wallpaper in the rooms has botanical illustrations on it, even in the hallways. Very nice!

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All rooms at Hyatt Regency Amsterdam are luxuriously appointed and have decent sizes compared to other hotels in Amsterdam. I love the design and lay-out of the rooms particularly the oversized desk and (ultra comfortable!) cozy couch.

The bathroom had one of the best walk-in showers I have experienced so far. I should definitely highlight the pharmacopeia toiletries. They smell amazing!

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We had access to the Regency Club Lounge – a very nice and relaxing area! I was pretty impressed with this lounge, the décor is – again – contemporary and I loved the fact that they have some beautiful artwork here. The Regency Club Lounge offers some pastries in the morning and all day complimentary soft and hot beverages. In the evening, a very large selection of small bites are offered as well as several types of wine and spirits. A must try are the home-made apple crumble with vanilla sauce. Very yummie!

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After exploring the room and Regency Club Lounge, I went down for a work out. The onsite fitness center is excellent and pretty large for a hotel. Working out while watching television is the perfect combination.

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After burning calories, it was time to enjoy wonderful meal. Mama Makan is their fine dining restaurant, located on the ground floor next to the lobby area. This Indonesian styled restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy an Indonesian meal prepared by the Indonesian lady chef Rosmina Napitupulu. The restaurant is beautifully designed and staff was super friendly and knowledgeable about each dish and drink.

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We ordered the chef’s Rosima’s rijsttafel (rice table). This definitely is their signature choice! The rice table consists of an exciting variety of dishes – or let’s call them tapas – from all over Indonesia. The food truly was outstanding. I particularly liked the Sate Ayam Daging Dan Lilit as a starter, the Tongseng Kambing and Terung Sambal Balado as main course. The dessert, a selection of home-made ice cream and sorbet along with fresh fruit, was a treat! We loved the rice table, the small portions were excellent and each bite was divine!

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Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is a brand new top notch five star hotel near the center of Amsterdam. I felt great here and can recommend this hotel for your next trip to Amsterdam! Be sure to check out Mama Makan too when you’re there, you won’t be disappointed! J

Hilton Paris Opéra

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Hotelchain: Hilton
Location: Paris – France
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: www3.hilton.com/…/hilton-paris-opera-PAROPHI

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Hilton Paris Opéra is one of the best four star hotels I have stayed at in the city of lights. This upscale hotel has a prime location in Paris and offers the most comfortable rooms one could wish for. I was surprised with this hotel, let me tell you why…

Although, Hilton Paris Opéra is located within a historic building, when I entered this hotel I was blown away by how they managed to combine a contemporary style without eliminating the historic touches. The grand lobby area is gorgeous with large chandeliers and comfortable couches. Again, the well-designed bar is an eye-catcher and definitely a must-visit! Their cocktails are delicious – check it out yourself 🙂

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Check-in went smoothly and in just seconds, we were ready to explore our room. Every room at Hilton Paris Opéra is luxuriously appointed and the fact that almost every room has a different shape does add some charm to this place. No ordinary, boring rooms here … all rooms are decorated in a very stylish way. Although I was in the middle of Paris, the room had a descent size. I had plenty of room to work, relax and sleep. Perfect!

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Bathrooms are impressive and again, large. Each bathroom is equipped with a walk-in shower and marble sinks.

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As every Hilton, this hotel also has an executive lounge. For an additional charge, guests are able to relax, work, eat and drink in a private lounge located on the first floor. Some lounges at hotels are pretty boring, but the one at Hilton Paris Opéra is definitely worth the upgrade. From candies to afternoon treats, they have it all here. Guests can enjoy complimentary soft and hot drinks throughout the day. During the evening hours (6pm-8pm), complimentary wine and spirits are offered as well as light bites. Breakfast is served here as well and is included when you have access to the executive lounge so once again, definitely worth the price!

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Each morning, a large breakfast buffet is available next to the executive lounge. The food was outstanding with several hot à la carte items which are included in the rate.

Hilton Paris Opéra is a top notch four star hotel in the center of Paris. The grand boutique feeling is noticeable throughout the entire hotel! Loved it!

 

Sofitel Frankfurt Opera

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Hotelchain: Sofitel
Location: Frankfurt – Germany
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: sofitel.com/…-frankfurt-opera/index.shtml

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Do you know the feeling when you walk into a hotel and immediately feel at home? I had this feeling at Sofitel Frankfurt Opera! This top notch five star hotel only opened one year ago and definitely is one of my favorite hotels in Frankfurt! The hotel is located on one of the prime locations in the city, on the iconic Opernplatz. I explored the neighborhood and noticed the fancy luxury shops around the hotel. All major things you should visit in Frankfurt are within walking distance. The friendly concierge gave me a map and some helpful tips on things I needed to see.

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As mentioned before, I was impressed with this hotel right from the beginning. The intimate lobby area is impressive with all its art work. Sofitel worked together with several interior designers such as the Parisian designer Nicholas Adnet and Berlin designer Frank Stüve. Everything is translated in the feel of 17th and 18th century Parisian hotels. Trust me, this is not just an ordinary hotel, behind every corner, a new surprise is waiting for you! Let me share some pictures of the beautiful art work I noticed at the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera.

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The Junior Suite I stayed in was very large and luxuriously appointed. All the amenities I would expect from a five star luxury hotel were there such as coffee making facilities, mirror television and (of course!) Sofitel’s MyBed… Still one of my favorite beds! The suite also had a nice sitting area with the most comfortable couches and a nice working desk with designer touches such as the fancy designer phone (it is ALL about details!).

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Bathroom was very large featuring a bathtub, a large walk-in (rain)shower and fancy Hermes toiletries. Some highlights of the bathroom were the Skinjay shower capsules and the Japanese toilet with electrical control elements. Skinjay capsules revolutionize the shower experience, delivering nutrients straight to your skin. It is a true in-room spa experience! They have different capsules for you to experience. I tried several and recommend the ‘Pschhht’ capsule with a Cola (!) smell. Truly surprising! I need to point out that only suites have the capsules and electronic toilet (request for an upgrade upon arrival, if they have any suites available they might upgrade you for a small surcharge).

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Sofitel Frankfurt Opera has on site spa facilities. The hotel has a partnership with the neighboring Fitness First and guests of the hotel can use the (large) indoor pool and sauna/hammam facilities at no additional charge. Do note that the hotel has its own (small) gym.

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The hotel offers several beauty treatments. I thoroughly enjoyed the Skin-Body-Mind treatment by Decleor. A treatment that incorporates the body and face through the products used by Decleor. The therapist was a true professional! She first showed me around the spa facilities. I was pleasantly surprised by the size and facilities. The place is just beautiful and peacefully decorated. This is the perfect place to unwind. She explained what she was going to do and I do appreciate that as some people just start a treatment without any explanation. The 90’ that followed were true relaxing. The pressure was perfect as requested. I must highlight the Decleor product which are high quality products. Highly recommend to book a treatment here! You won’t be disappointed!

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Another highlight at the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera is the Schönemann restaurant and Lili’s wine bar. Both are named after the first great love of famed German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was born in Frankfurt in 1749. Dinner at the Schönemann restaurant was delicious! I started with the freshly sliced yellow fin tuna tartar with wasabi cream and coriander, one of the best I’ve ever had! The dry aged rib-eye from butcher Ludwig as a main course was to die for and prepared just the way I asked for. I always have some space for dessert, the crème brûlée cake of Bourbon vanilla was fantastic! Yes, it was a cake with some fresh fruit and some crème brûlée on the top.

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This is also the place where they serve breakfast. Breakfast at Sofitel Frankfurt Opera is something to look forward to! It consists of an extensive buffet and several à la carte options. A bonus is the complimentary sparkling wine! A must try is the apple crumble pie… Loved it!

I can’t say enough good things about the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera. This well designed hotel is one of the most luxurious hotels in Frankfurt with an intimate yet stylish design. This is not a hotel just for business travelers, also leisure travelers will appreciate the unique prime location and facilities. Can’t wait to return to this jewel!