Hotel Splendido, Portofino, Italy

Travel

Portofino, Italy

Hotel Splendido

I have been blessed to stay at this stunning hotel twice now, both visit's were in June. This is a bucket list destination, a hotel with views that only Il San Pierto could compete! With charm in abundance it exudes old hollywood glamour around every corner, a truly magical hotel in all it's glory. Wherever you are in this hotel, there is a view to die for at every angle, an agricultual masterpiece. If I only had two words to describe this hotel, they would be REMARKABLY SPECIAL. 

The spa at the hotel is equally special. Most treatments can be given outside amongst the scenery to intensify and really pack that relaxation punch! Heaven.  

Food here is outstanding, for lunch the menu is mostly fish, pasta's and salads, with different specials daily. 

Dinner here is a very special experience, gentlemen don their jackets and open neck shirts, while the women saunter to their tables accompanied by Hermes or Chanel hanging proudly from their arms, Van Cleef diamonds dazzle from the candlelit tables and all effortlessly draped in the finest Dolce or Pucci of the season. 

At your table you sip a Bellini and watch in the distance, as the sunlight falls into the glistening waters below, you see lights start to twinkle on the ocean from the huge yachts that sail in daily to the port. Then dinner is served, every mouthful is heavenly but however hard you try to concentrate on your meal, the view in the distance pulls your eyes towards it, as if by a magical power which you must succumb.

 The restaurant.

 The Port in Portofino

 Amazing desserts from the evening menu.

The Infinity pool.

Pool staff wait on your every need here. Throughout the day, cocktails are brought to your sun lounger with a smile and individual sachets of wipes are offered for smeared sunglasses. Countless miniature bottles of Evian mist are given to cool you down, in fact, the only thing to interrupt your lounging here, is sunscreen application, but then, if you take a husband, you won't even have to do that! 

 Soaking up the riviera!

I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough, it really is a magical experience.......for all your senses!

Hotel Il San Pietro, Amalfi Coast Italy

TRAVEL

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Hotel Il San Pietro - Positano

This is where my (new) husband and I stayed on our honeymoon.  The only word that springs to mind for this place is WOW!

This hotel is beautiful, the building is carved from rocks situated on the edge of this sensational coastline. 

The standard of service was excellent and the restaurant was one of the most romantic I've ever been. The pool is exquisite and totally takes you breath away!  As you step out of the lift and walk towards the pool, you are stunned by the most beautiful views of the Amalfi Coast and the colourful houses set in the cliffs edge of Positano. 

I cannot recommend this hotel enough, it's a must see! 
Even if you don't decided to stay here, please visit this hotel and take a walk around, perhaps have dinner, or enjoy the sensational views with drinks on the terrace. As night desends on Positano, the magical view changes from all shades of turquoise battling with each other to be the brightest, to a glittering array of lights on the yachts and houses against a shimmering black backdrop. The Bellini's here are arguably THE best Bellini's I have drank (I have consumed so many now, I would like to think of myself as a Bellini expert!) 

Also I MUST tell you, in the restaurant as we were seated, one of the attentive waiting staff brought over a little silk covered stool and told me, and I quote, "your bag needs to sit too" ooooh how divine! With that I placed my Prada clutch gently on her new little seat! Its doesn't get much better than that, right?! They really do think of everything here, even your accessories get the super star treatment and so they should.

The Hotel Sirenuse is Il San Pietro's only competition in Positano, we ate here on a couple of evening's and although very good, really didn't compare to our hotel.  The restaurant at the Sirenuse wasn't nearly as romantic in setting, the Bellini's were made of peach cordial NOT fresh white peach juice (as they should be) and although the food was very good, it just wasn't exceptional but its definitely worth visiting as it is, none the less, a beautiful hotel, set much closer to the village of Positano, therefore the views are not as distant, but in my opinion ANY view of the Amalfi coast for me is stunning!

The view from the bar terrace at Sirenuse

We hired our own yacht for a day to take us to Capri, which the hotel arranged for us.  If you have the time, this is a MUST. You can decide the times you would like to be taken and collected and is a gloriours way to see more of the coastline. The Captain will even stop off at the caves of Capri for you to take a quick plunge into the sparkling azure blue waters surrounding the island.  Capri itself is super chic as you would expect.  I will have a full report on Capri in June, after I return from my vacation there, as one day wasn't enough!

 Our yacht

The caves of Capri

Positano itself is a very pretty village, as you walk down towards the beach there are stores including Pucci & Missoni, unique little jewellery boutiques etc. and restaurants all boasting delicious Italian cuisine. This is a very laid back part of the country - it's certainly not a place you would go to party like a rockstar but to relax, let the breathtaking views wrap around you like warm cashmere and embrace the chic Italian rivera lifestyle.

 The hotel terrace

 The hotel facilities, including private beach

 The View from the pool

The beautiful coloured houses of Positano 

 The view from our room terrace

Positano's public beach

Hotel Mykonos Grand

Travel

Mykonos, Greece

Hotel Mykonos Grand

Our vacation on the sun drenched island of Mykonos was a memorable one.  

The Island is exactly what you would expect of Greece, beautiful white painted houses, cobblestoned pavements, picturesque tree's and flowers, all surrounded by the deep blue crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean.

You can have any type of holiday you wish on this island. It's known for its Ibiza esq. nightlife where locals and tourist alike can party till dawn, in vast contrast it to, can be as relaxing as a week at a Spa!

Relaxing by the pool, wearing Myla bikini and Emilio Pucci Visor.

We stayed for two weeks in July at the Mykonos Grand hotel.  Set on the coastline boasting panoramic views of the ocean this hotel was a perfect choice.

The pool was never too busy and the food here was always of high standard.  Staff were extremely friendly and attentive.

Known as the windy island, the winds can pick up quite a lot in July and August, which personaly I thought was a god send as temperatures at this time can reach a balmy 30 degree's and above!  My only advice.... girls leave your lip glosses at home in the evening if you're wearing your hair down, sport a matt lip as hair sticking to your lipgloss isn't a good look..........in any country!

Ready for dinner.  Wearing Traffic People dress, Matthew Williamson belt, Jimmy Choo Wedges and a Wilbur & Gussie Clutch.

 The hotel lobby

 The hotel bar

The bar staff will make you any Martini you wish, Apple and watermelon were our particular favourites! 

Psarou Beach is an exclusive beach on the island. We spent a morning there, but found service to be non existent, sound loungers were bumper to bumper, (not my kind of sunbathing) and there were no parasols at all and with the sun at burning temperatures this was like torture for l'il blonde me! So while it's worth seeing, as the water is beautiful and they have a great little boutique on the entrance to the beach (with the added glamourous bonus of silk covered Cavalli cushions on the sofa outside), it's not somewhere you would stay for long (if you're like me and like your service to be prompt inc. a smile!) Going back to the boutique, the lines they carry are the amazing St. Barth's products, Missoni, Pucci and Christian Louboutin to name but a few, so remember to take the plastic!

Psarou Beach - do you see how you could end up with a strangers foot next to your ear! No thanks! but a beautiful beach.

Beach blonde! Wearing DVF, Chanel flip flops and Fendi beach bag.