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Hotels, Madrid

A Great Stay at Only YOU Hotel Atocha Madrid

April 18, 2017 by cheriecity

Only YOU Hotel Atocha is one of Madrid’s coolest new hotel openings and I was thrilled to stay there on my first trip to the city last month. Following the boutique hospitality group’s first opening in Chueca, this hotel is conveniently located near Atocha Station and is within walking distance of Retiro Park, Paseo del Prado and the Reina Sofia Museum.

Design

Designed by Catalan designer Lázaro Rosa Violan, Only YOU Hotel Atocha has a hip sports club theme with boxing and athletics-inspired posters, locker room-style furnishings, red striped walls and appropriately a 24-hour gym. It also takes inspiration from New York and has already hosted residencies from Manhattan’s Dead Rabbit, Betony and Blue Note since its launch in December.

The hotel really feels like an urban resort with everything you need for a great stay right there. The open-plan lobby, with its circular bookshelves and luxurious leather banquettes, was buzzing yet chilled throughout our stay and attracted a fun crowd of both hotel guests and locals.

Trotamundos

The hotel’s stylish Trotamundos restaurant serves inventive dishes inspired by Latin America, Asia and Spain, created by Chef Javi Mora in collaboration with the team behind Spoonik in Barcelona. Also in the lobby is a barber shop (modelled on Frank’s Chop Shop in New York), a bright yellow NYC taxi cab and jars of childhood sweets like red & blacks, marshmallows and red liquorice laces that you can graze on.

Mama Framboise

As if that wasn’t enough for those of us with a sweet, there’s also an outlet of the chic Madrid bakery Mama Frambroise, offering exquisite cakes, pastries and much-needed caffeine all day. We made sure we were back at the hotel for an afternoon treat of the most heavenly Chocolate raspberry tart and Carrot cake with pots of tea. A hotel with its own bakery is definitely the key to my heart!

The Room

Our loft-style Deluxe Room was an absolute dream with exposed brick walls, polished wood floors and a number of quirky design features to discover. It featured a stylish designer chair, writing desk, large fitted wardrobes, an illuminated dressing room vanity mirror, large wall-mounted smart TV, free wifi, minibar with healthy snacks and juices, plus tea and coffee facilities with very Instagrammable stainless steel mugs.

The king-size bed was extremely comfortable and was covered in high quality linen and a statement tartan wool blanket. In fact, if you don’t want to leave your fabulous bed, you can order room service from Trotamundos restaurant or indulge in a movie night package with posh nachos, chocolate and ice cream.

The Bathroom

The white and black tiled bathroom was spacious and pristine with a powerful walk-in rainfall shower, fluffy towels, cosy bathrobes (one in a funky zebra print pattern) and slippers, a proper hair dryer and even hair straighteners! I was also impressed with the full set of bathroom products by Calming Park, a gorgeous music and fragrance brand with organic scented candles made in Grasse.

Breakfast

We were really excited for breakfast in the morning and it didn’t disappoint. The enormous dining room on the seventh floor was flooded with sunlight and served up great views over the city with breakfast.

There was a good selection of hot dishes and a live cooking station where you could order freshly-made egg dishes and even steamed gyoza. We also enjoyed freshly-baked pastries, cakes, doughnuts and smoothies but best of all was the copious stack of delicious Jamon Iberico, which I couldn’t resist.

Only YOU Hotel Atocha is a fabulous design hotel and everything has been well-considered, from the eye-catching design to the great amenities and perfect branding. There were a few guest procedures that could have been slicker, but the hotel is still in its launch period and the staff were all courteous and welcoming.

All photos by Chérie City

Hotels

Revisited: The Gallivant Hotel in Camber

February 10, 2016 by cheriecity

When I fist visited The Gallivant back in 2013, I was amazed to find such a dreamy beach destination just over an hour’s train ride from London.

My first stay was for the Rye Scallop Festival and I was delighted to head back there for a more romantic getaway and check out the hotel’s brand new look.

Nestled in the seaside village of Camber, The Gallivant is inspired by the coastal motels you might find in California, but with a very British feel. This tranquil 20-room retreat has become a popular bolthole for weekending Londoners and with Camber Sands on the doorstep, there are plenty of pooches in residence.

We arrived on a cold and wet Saturday (not like the photos above suggest) after exploring the nearby town of Rye and were shown to our gorgeous Garden Room. These newly-renovated rooms outside of the main building are super-deluxe with design features that you might not expect in a beach hotel.

Our spacious wood-panelled room was designed in Maine-style colours with accents of teal, soft grey, marble and gold. It felt so homely with travel-inspired ornaments and interesting books adorning the shelves, free streaming wifi, a Nespresso machine and a kettle with a selection of Luponde teas and fresh milk.

I remembered from my first stay at The Gallivant how heavenly the bed was and this Hypnos king-size bed covered in 300-count linen sheets didn’t disappoint.

One of the best thing about the Garden Rooms are the open-plan bathroom with a fabulous roll-top bath, marble sink, walk-in rainfall shower, luxurious towels, bathrobes and a set of full-size Noble Isle bathroom products to use during your stay. It was a treat to watch TV and listen to music on the blue-tooth speaker from the comfort of an enormous bathtub.

In the evening we dined in The Restaurant – a stylish dining room with a Scandinavian/New England feel, overseen by Oliver Joyce and Kevin Bennett (previously at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Chapter One and Buckingham Palace). The tempting menu features ingredients locally sourced within 10 miles of the hotel, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy fresh seafood and Romney Marsh lamb.

I started with Scallops, cauliflower purée & beignets, cumin and coriander, which were perfectly cooked with complementary flavours. Steven tried Confit chicken terrine with pickled mushrooms, a satisfying dish with rich notes of prunes.

I followed with Venison loin, glazed chestnuts, brussels sprouts and quince purée. The medium-cooked venison was tender and juicy with a meaty jus and I loved the wintry accompaniments of sweet chestnuts, colourful sprout petals and crispy silvers of parsnip.

Steven also enjoyed his Braised Romney Marsh lamb rump and braised shoulder, rarebit, cauliflower cheese and beets. The succulent local lamb was served in a creative way with many different textures at play – the crispy croquettes were particularly tasty.

Both dishes were very accomplished and a joy to eat, but with petite portion sizes, you’ll want to add a side dish or two. We shared a side of yummy Butternut squash and sage mash and it went very well with both dishes.

Because the starter and main courses were quite light, I had some room left to indulge in the Dark chocolate fondant, honeycomb and malt ice cream. The fondant arrived freshly from the oven and it was simply divine – warm cake on the outside with a molten, oozing centre. I loved the velvety malt ice cream and the honeycomb and chocolate pebbles added a delicious flourish.

Steven finished with the Banana and caramel parfait, lime curd, coconut cream and rum jelly. It was a lovely, exotic dessert that added a bit of sunshine to a rainy evening. We accompanied our desserts with a glass of sticky, honeyed Moscato d’Ochoa (Spain) and had the luxury of rolling back to our room.

Breakfast at The Gallivant is a leisurely affair, so leave plenty of time to graze on all of the morning delights. The high quality breakfast buffet is full of sweet bites including home-made granola bars, natural yoghurt with fruit compote, sticky cinnamon buns, home-baked madeleines and even blueberry panna cotta.

If you’re in the mood for something heart before a day at the beach, there is a good selection of cooked dishes such as Eggs Benedict, The Full Gallivant and waffles.

A trip to The Gallivant wouldn’t be complete without a wander around the nearby historic town of Rye. Stroll around its cobbled streets, shop for unique pieces at its independent boutiques or refuel over lunch at The George or a gourmet hot chocolate at Knoops.

I’d been raving to Steven about the beautiful Camber Sands beach, but unfortunately the continually wet weather kept us away from the dunes. However, that cloud has a silver lining, as it means another excuse to revisit The Gallivant on a guaranteed warm day in the summer!

For more information and booking, visit: www.thegallivant.co.uk

Chérie City was a guest of The Gallivant

Photos by Chérie City and The Gallivant

Greece, Hotels

Where to Eat Out at Costa Navarino Greece

October 25, 2015 by cheriecity

Food is a real highlight of a stay at the five star eco destination resort Costa Navarino in the southwest Peloponnese. Whether you’re in the mood for authentic Greek mezze, a big juicy steak or the freshest sushi, it’s sure to be a memorable meal.

Since it was my first visit to Greece, I was excited to explore the country through its mouthwatering cuisine. Every meal we had was a winner and I discovered some new dishes, as we as trying the famous souvlaki.

Souvlaki at Kafenio & Deli

Our first lunch at Costa Navarino was a long, leisurely Greek affair with plenty of grilled meat on the terrace of Kafenio & Deli, a casual cafe in the centre of the resort. Our host Maria ordered a selection of signature starters for the table – my favourite grilled talagani cheese (similar to Cypriot halloumi), fried bread topped with fresh sun-kissed tomatoes and crumbled feta, fluffy pita bread and of course the staple Greek salad.

We all followed with souvlaki, served either on a stick with all of the trimmings as a wrap with everything jam packed inside (even the fries). My juicy, herby chicken thigh souvlaki was absolutely delightful and I couldn’t get enough of the yummy pita bread with minted Greek yoghurt.

Lunch ended with a typically Greek dessert platter of baklava and spoon sweets – whole candied fruits drenched in sticky syrup. It was the perfect start to a foodie trip and kept us full for the rest of the day.

Steak at Flame restaurant

Dinner that evening was at Flame restaurant, a high end steak house and terrace overlooking the golf course over at The Westin. The restaurant has a rustic California feel and the cuisine focuses on prime cut grilled meats including American Black Angus and Wagyu.

We shared a selection of starters and my favourite was the roasted pumpkin salad with prosciutto, goat curd sorbet and carob dressing. For the main course, I enjoyed a juicy, lean tenderloin steak cooked perfectly medium, accompanied by some tangy Béarnaise sauce and the most heavenly mashed potato (a firm favourite among our group).

Be sure to leave room for dessert, as there are some real show-stoppers at Flame. I loved Le Petit Antoine – an indulgent and sophisticated French dessert made of praline croustillant with gianduja chocolate cremeux, milk chocolate Chantilly and toffee caramel. The signature Flame dessert for two is quite an event – a giant wedge of smooth caramel ice cream was dressed with warm salted caramel, chocolate and macademia by our waiter at the table.

Seafood at Barbouni

It’s hard to pick a favourite restaurant at Costa Navarino, but I really enjoyed our leisurely late lunch at Barbouni, a chic open-air seafood restaurant on The Dunes Beach. It has a chilled out beach club vibe and winds down at 5.30pm, so as not to disturb the protected caretta caretta turtles.

We sipped on iced tea cocktails and exotic smoothies and grazed on mouthwatering calamari, grilled octopus, shrimp salad, grilled talagani cheese (seriously, you can never have too much of this), fava bean puree and taramasalata with pita bread.

The signature main dish is a basket of deep-fried barbouni (whole red mullet), but I was tempted by the Grilled king prawns garnished simply with fresh salad leaves and lemon sauce. I was admittedly sceptical when our waiter recommended ordering just one or two prawns, but when they arrived my jaw nearly hit the floor. They were the most enormous prawns I’ve ever seen – veritable beasts of the sea – and happily they tasted just as impressive as they looked.

To end the meal on a sweet note, we shared the most delicious Croustillant – an uplifting dessert with a smooth chocolate cremeux, crunchy praline base and strawberry sorbet. I highly recommend scheduling a lazy day at the beach with a long lunch at Barbouni. It’s so dreamy that you won’t want to leave, unless it’s to hop over the sand to a beach chair to soak up some rays.

A Greek Cookery Class

We only had a few hours between our final mouthful of dessert at Barbouni and a cookery class learning to make authentic Greek dishes. Luckily our philosophy walk through the olive groves, contemplating the philosophical relationship between a sound body and mind, helped reawaken our appetites.

The Costa Navarino cookery school is set in a traditional Greek home, perched on a cliffside overlooking the sea. We arrived in time to take in the magical sunset views and our hosts Lulu and Hannah set us to work kneading, rolling and chopping dough to make fresh Greek pasta.

To reward our (not so) hard work, we were treated to a beautiful feast of slow-cooked chicken with preserved lemons and olives, our very own fresh pasta seasoned with cinnamon and crumbled feta, Greek salad, fresh olives and copious amounts of wine.

For dessert, we were served traditional Greek Halva – a moist, sticky semolina pudding that’s quite different to the Persian and Turkish halva that I know. It gave us a much-needed sugar boost for the final part of the evening – Greek dancing! The ladies cranked up the stereo and we twirled and hopped around the courtyard while they taught us the steps – a perfect last night in Greece.

Breakfast at Pero Restaurant

Of course, breakfast is as important a meal as any and a morning spent at Pero Restaurant really is a special occasion. Let the morning sunshine wake you up on the sleek terrace or enjoy the cosmopolitan café culture feel under the arches – it’s your choice.

The breakfast buffet is truly bountiful with comforting hot dishes, made-to-order omelettes, mini pastries, pancakes, crepes, waffles, meats and cheeses, cereal, yoghurt, fresh juices and even Champagne for that extra bit of decadence.

Each morning, I started with orange-flavoured Greek yoghurt topped with lots of seeds and dried fruits, pancakes with maple syrup and my favourite banana, custard and chocolate mini pastries. On our final leisurely morning, I couldn’t resist adding scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns into the mix, making that holiday feeling last a little longer.

Room Service

Also worth a mention is the excellent room service at The Romanos. We arrived late in the evening after a long day of travel and were ready to just chill out and unpack. I personally love ordering room service, as it feels so indulgent eating restaurant quality food in the comfort of your own room. My enormous Chicken Caesar salad and half roast chicken served with fries were just so tasty and the ideal hotel room treat.

Navarino Icons

As if top notch hotel food wasn’t enough, Costa Navarino also has its own food and local ceramics brand, Navarino Icons. The gourmet food products include artisanal extra virgin olive oil, marmalades, pasteli sesame seed bars, pure honey and those delectable spoon sweets. Happily, they are available in the UK at Harrods, so you can get a taste of Costa Navarino before visiting.

Costa Navarino is a fabulous resort for foodies and with the picturesque tavernas of Pylos and Gialova just a short drive away, there’s plenty of choice in the Greek region to keep your palate inspired.

Rates at the two hotels at Navarino Dunes start from: The Westin Resort Costa Navarino: from €220, and The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort from €390. To book and for further information visit www.costanavarino.com

For further information on Anazoe Spa and the signature treatments available please visit www.anazoespa.com

Aegean Airlines offers daily flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Athens. For more information please visit www.aegeanair.com

Chérie City was a guest of The Romanos at Costa Navarino

Photos by Chérie City and Costa Navarino

Hotels, New York

Library Hotel, Madison Avenue – New York

October 9, 2012 by cheriecity

The Library Hotel is one of New York’s most charming hotels, taking inspiration from the nearby New York Public Library and its academic neighbourhood. What could be better than a library offering a wine and cheese evening, a buzzing rooftop cocktail bar and a comfy bed to rest your head while reading a classic?

Located on Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, the Library Hotel is ideally placed for exploring the city and is close to Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, Times Square and of course, just one block away from the New York Public Library.

The Lobby is ever so inviting with rows of mahogany bookshelves, cosy seating areas and warm, welcoming staff. Before getting settled into our room, we visited the Reading Room on the second floor, where hotel guests can help themselves to complimentary teas, freshly-brewed coffee, cookies and fresh fruit at any time, day or night. There are over 1000 books to inspire you, daily newspapers and delicious roasted hazelnut coffee to make you feel at home.

On the rooftop is the Writer’s Den with a roaring open fire, a tranquil greenhouse and the Poetry Garden, offering great views over the city. Madison & Vine, the hotel’s ground floor restaurant, serves American bistro classics and weekend brunch, with a focus on good wines.

The Library Hotel cleverly references the Dewey Decimal System and each of the ten guest room floors reflect one of the ten categories. We stayed on the Social Sciences third floor in a Deluxe room – Money 300.005. Designed in a light palette of cream and beige with dark mahogany highlights, our room was cosy and reasonably sized.

The room is individually finished with its own unique collection of books and art, based on the theme of money. Room features include free wifi, an iHome radio alarm clock with mp3 player, a flat screen Cable TV and a DVD player with access to the DVD Library of the American Film Institute’s top 100 films of the 20th century.

The bathroom was a modest size and included a low bathtub with shower, plenty of large towels and face cloths, full bathroom amenities by Gilchrist & Soames, bathrobes and slippers.

At evening turndown, we were brought complimentary bottles of mineral water, next day’s weather cards and cute chocolates. The queen-size bed was so comfortable that after our afternoon on the Sex and the City Hotspots Bus Tour (conveniently finishing close to the hotel), we couldn’t resist taking a long post-Cosmopolitan and cupcakes nap.

Evenings at the Library Hotel are a social affair with a complimentary Wine and Cheese evening for hotel guests in the Reading Room, serving Prosecco, wines and American and French cheeses with crackers and crudités. The Writer’s Den and Poetry Garden are transformed into the stylish, lively Bookmarks Lounge. Stepping out of the elevator doors, we were amazed at how busy and popular the rooftop lounge was, filled with a well-heeled, after-work crowd sipping literary themed cocktails.

In the morning, we enjoyed an excellent complimentary Continental breakfast, served in the Reading Room. There was a generous, high quality buffet including boiled eggs, bagels, pastries, muffins, hot oatmeal, cereals, yogurt, juices, tea, freshly-brewed coffee, espresso and cappuccino. It provided a perfect start to the day and the breakfast staff were so friendly, attentive and chirpy.

While there isn’t a fitness room or spa, the Library Hotel even has your well-being taken care of with complimentary access to New York Sports Clubs throughout Manhattan. Although, surely walking the length of Manhattan during the day is enough exercise to burn off those delicious breakfast muffins!

The Library Hotel is one of the most homely, welcoming hotels I’ve visited, where I’ve wanted to spend as much time in the public areas as my room. The complimentary breakfast, wine and cheese and 24-hour hot drinks are an excellent touch and really make the stay more comfortable and affordable. Visiting a library has never been so much fun!

Rooms start from $200 (£129 approx.) per night, including breakfast. For more information and booking, visit: www.libraryhotel.com

Photos by Chérie City and Library Hotel

Chérie City was a guest of Library Hotel