You know how you sometimes wander around – or drive around – a city, searching for the hotel you’ve booked, increasingly wanting to put a curse on the annoying SatNav lady for leading you astray yet again? Well, that won’t happen with The Principal Manchester. You simply can’t miss this impressive Baroque building with a […]
Grandhotel Cosmopolis: a concrete utopia
In Augsburg’s old town, Grandhotel Cosmopolis is perhaps the most curious hotel in all of Germany; certainly the most unusual I have seen. This particular Grand hotel, you see, functions not only as a hotel, but also as home for asylum seekers, as artists’ studios, open work-spaces, a venue for concerts, exhibitions and other artistic […]
Qube hotel Heidelberg – a review
On a recent visit in Heidelberg, I stayed at the cool, contemporary Qube Hotel. This award-winning boutique hotel is privately owned and has a particular focus on the environment as well as allergy sufferers. Walls are painted with a special ecofriendly (and allergy-friendly) paint. Natural plaster rather than wallpaper, wooden- and stone floors rather than […]
The Four Seasons Hotel in Baku: Graceful and luxurious
I arrive at the Four Seasons Baku on a scorching day in early July. It is so hot, entering the Beaux-Arts lobby is a relief in itself. Not only is it deliciously cool. It’s also beautiful, with marble floors, glittering chandeliers and a sweeping, grandiose staircase with wrought-iron railings. Comfortable chairs and sofas are scattered […]
The Waterhead: A Boutique Hotel in the English Lake District
Do you keep up with World Heritage? If so, you will have noticed that the English Lake District was just added to the list this month. And deservedly so, in my not-so-humble opinion. We arrive in Ambleside on a lovely April day. I simply plugged Waterhead into the GPS, and after leaving Manchester airport behind, we […]
#Emiratesairline Business Class Review
On a cold February day, I boarded an Emirates flight from Oslo to Dubai, to swap snow for sand for a few days. The 6.5-hour flight is served by a Boeing 777-300ER, on a route that has only been in operation for a few months. I was here as a guest of the airline to […]
Where to sleep, eat and dance in Dubai
Wondering where to stay in Dubai? Where to eat and hang-out at night? Well, wonder no more. Here are my faves in all three categories: Eat Sass Café. In 2014, this sassy (pun intended) Monaco-restaurant opened up in Dubai’s financial district to rave reviews. I loved the red, plush interior, mellow piano music, divine food (the burrata is […]
Welcome! I'm Sophie - writer, dreamer, negotiator, wanderer, mum - in search of the world's curious places. Mostly with my daughters, sometimes solo. The girls share their take on it, too.
- The charms of England’s Lake District
- Things to do in Manchester if you’re not into football
- Chasing shadows in Czechia
- A Tale of Two Villas
- Whimsical Giethoorn – a photo essay
- Gori: birthplace of the world’s most infamous dictator
- 11 things you’ll love about Baku
- Gobustan: rock art and mud volcanoes
- World at a Glance: Temple of Heaven, Beijing tranquility
- City of Luxembourg: more than money
-
Anne-Sophie Redisch: Love unusual finds like this plantation. Thanks fo...
-
Jeanette Brunet: I was in Edinburgh in August of 2015 for 9 days. W...
-
-
-
Kathleen Hill: Hello! Beautiful pics! I am an art teacher in Fl...
