Tag: sundowners

Girly Getaway; Alcudia Mallorca

August 14, 2023

Last week, me and my two best girlfriends jetted off to the stunning Spanish island of Mallorca for five days in the town of Alcudia. We’ve been besties since we were in infant school, so we get on like sisters and couldn’t wait to be going on a proper girls vacay together this summer.

Arriving at a busy Gatwick Airport on Friday 4th August, we treated ourselves to the lounge for bottomless pre-flight bubbles and a bite to eat at leisure, before our plane departed that afternoon. Holiday mode was on!

We didn’t stop nattering the entire journey and before we knew it, we had arrived at our hotel later that evening following a smooth flight and transfer with easyJet. The next morning we awoke fresh and ready for a day of sunbathing at our hotel.

We stayed at Sol de Alcudia Apartments where we shared a room complete with a kitchenette and balcony. Whilst this is a family resort, it wasn’t too busy and the staff were friendly and helpful too.

I was very happy with the gym which was just down the corridor from our room and almost always empty, so I had the space to myself for my morning workouts.

We spent most mornings getting in our sunbathing time whilst reading our books, cooling off in the pool and chatting away of course.

The hotel was a five minute walk from the main beach of Alcudia, so we took a stroll there on the first day to see that golden white sand and dip our feet in the ocean.

After a refreshing glass of Sangria for me and Spanish beers for the girls, we found a nearby Lidl to stock up on essential holiday snacks and food for lunches.

This is what holiday lunches are all about; a mezze of picky bits including crisps, crackers, hummus, olives, cold meats, cheese, grapes, bread and of course, the iconic tub of Aioli. Sat out on our balcony soaking up the Spanish sun and chatting with my girlies with a wine in hand, now that’s an ideal holiday scene right there!

If you’re a regular here you’ll know I’m a salad lover and when I’m holiday, it’s all about a Greek Salad, so I suggested we do this for our balcony lunch one day. We just went to the local grocery store where we managed to get some tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta. Usually I would put oregano and lashings of olive oil on my Greek Salad, but seasoning wise we could only find salt in the shop, so instead my friend came up with the idea of mashing the feta with the juice of a lemon and some of the salty olive brine. This was a delicious twist on a classic and definitely something I’ll try again at home too.

It was so fun getting glammed up for warm summer evenings out with the girls. My friend did my hair a few times with her Dyson Air Wrap and I’m obsessed, I might have to get one for myself now.

On the Sunday night we decided to book a nice dinner out at Ca’an Matevet just over in Port d’Alcudia. As usual I did my research on Instagram to find the trendiest looking place and this restaurant was our kinda vibe.

I love being a bit more experimental and playful with my holiday outfits, so for this occasion I wore my leopard print swimsuit as a body paired with my Stradivarius wrap skort, chunky pearl sliders, a pair of oversized gold shell drop earrings and my Dune woven white handbag. My girlfriends are so effortlessly cool and always look very trendy in all black and neutral tones. How cute that my friend’s pearl hair clips matched my pearl sliders. ❤

We were seated at our table outside overlooking the port as the sunset and a live band played, setting the perfect evening dinner mood at golden hour.

Being in Spain we couldn’t resist ordering a number of incredible tapas to share. We all agreed potatoes bravos were a must as well as the fresh scallops. The toasted bread with cured Mahón cheese, sobrasada from the island and honey, was simply divine.

This goat’s cheese salad with walnuts, hazelnuts, capers and homemade fig jam was a highlight for me. We also got the garlic prawns, olives and some bread with Aioli to accompany our meal. Service was great, I couldn’t fault anything and don’t be fooled, we ate every last bit – us girls like our food!

We finished up with a round of cocktails instead of dessert as we were full from our feast. I had a Paloma whilst the girls had a Mojito and a Tommy’s Margarita which we enjoyed as the sun went down and the live band continued their second set. The staff were so friendly and attentive, the food was amazing and the ambience on point; I’d highly recommend visiting C’an Matevet if you’re in the area –https://canmatevet.com. 

The weather was perfect during our stay reaching highs of 30 degrees, so a classic orange ice pop was the ideal poolside refreshment.

Another night, another bar, and on this evening we actually stumbled across this fun hotel bar just around the corner with another live band playing. They were called Von Bros and played reggae style covers, we were loving it!

Once again my besties were looking super stylish in chic black outfits, whilst I was in a baby blue mini dress bringing a splash of colour to the group. 

On our final day we got up early to visit the markets in the Old Town of Alcudia.

There was so much to explore, from beautiful fresh produce to lots of gorgeous clothes and jewellery from local sellers. 

My friend bagged herself a lovely cream crochet top and I got a white crochet cutout Grecian style dress.

I just wish I had a local market back home selling fresh fruit and veg as marvellous as this!

And not to mention the variety of olives to choose from, I was in my element.

The streets of Old Town Alcudia are so picturesque lined with ancient buildings, blooming bright flowers climbing the walls and exotic plants in terracotta pots.

We stopped for a morning coffee at a cute cafe where two coffees and a water was less than 4 Euros!

It was scorching hot so we took it in turns with my friend’s ‘World’s biggest diva’ hand fan. 😀

I’m also loving this headscarf on my friend giving market girl vibes paired with her gingham playsuit, so cute. ❤

We then explored more of the town and took a walk up on the ancient walls which boarder the Old Town of Alcudia.

I saw an old open air theatre and decided to put my gymnastics practice to good use with a handstand balance centre stage.

For lunch we found a quieter restaurant with a courtyard off the beaten track.

I had this simple but super tasty green salad and a refreshing Coke Zero.

Our final afternoon we spent back by our hotel pool soaking up the final few hours of Spanish sun.

I also brought this floppy hat on our way out of the markets which is exactly what I was looking for, I can’t wait to wear it on my next holiday.

We had a chilled dinner at our hotel before packing that night, as our transfer back to Palma Airport the next morning was at 7am.

We had a fantastic time in Mallorca together with plenty of chats, giggles, sunbathing, good food and drinks, pool time, reading, relaxing and just having lots of fun. Thank you girlies for such a wonderful trip, lets get planning girls vacay 2024! ❤ ❤ ❤

Barcode Festival 2023

July 9, 2023

Another week, another festival! Last Thursday I attended Barcode Festival with colleagues from work for our summer social. Barcode is hosted by GroceryAid taking place every year at Magazine in Greenwich London and is an industry charity event for those who work in the grocery sector.

This really is an event like no other featuring celebrity chefs and A-list headline acts, this year being Sam Ryder, Sugababes and my favourite, Fatboy Slim!

All drinks and food are included with your ticket, so your spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing which drink to have next. Quite often we’d end up with a drink in each hand…

I was excited to find Moth Cocktails had a stand serving their fabulous canned cocktails on ice, perfect for a sunny day, I’m obsessed.

There’s so much to explore at Barcode; we even found this secret rooftop to enjoy our drinks overlooking the festival with amazing views of the Greenwich skyline at golden hour.

I was giving Barbiecore vibes wearing my pink flared Stradivarius jeans, an open back white vest, a pair of white Reebok trainers and my big cat eye Kenzo sunnies.

Me and the girls were loving the 3D camera complete with fun inflatables and quirky accessories.

Later on the music started on the main stage kicking off with Sam Ryder, then major throwback vibes with Sugababes and finally the one and only Fatboy Slim to close the night. What an awesome team day just having fun and being silly with my colleagues; until next year Barcode ❤

Turkish Tales; Balmy Nights

June 26, 2023

Whilst Balmy Beach Resort is a tropical paradise by day, it also comes alive at night with live music every evening and cocktails served until the early hours.

I love getting dressed up for evening dinners on holiday and having fun with cute outfits I wouldn’t get a chance to wear out at home.

With our first proper evening at the resort being a Friday night, weekend vibes were in the air from noon and by dusk the live DJ was getting the atmosphere buzzing at the beach bar.

I wore this Stradivarius skort paired with my favourite floral wrap frill blouse, these ASOS woven sliders and my new Dune white crochet handbag with gold chain which I brought in duty free at the airport.

When we were at the airport on our journey over to Turkey, I also decided to really splash out and treat myself to these magnificent MuiMui sunglasses.

I wanted to debut them for our special romantic dinner for two on Saturday evening at the Balmy a la carte restaurant.

First up though, it was sundowners at the beach bar where I enjoyed a glass of bubbly in this beautiful champagne flute looking so elegant next to by cute new bag.

Having got a golden glow from the first few days of sun, I decided to wear this white body con middy dress I got in Australia years ago paired with my pear detail sliders, a pair of oversized white shell earrings and my By Alona gold chain pearl necklace which I wore almost every night, the perfect holiday jewellery piece.

I was feeling very St Tropez in all white complete with those killer sunnies and sipping my champagne at that beautiful boho beach bar.

There’s nothing like dining al fresco on holiday with that salty sea air and mellow pink and blue sky as the sunsets and dusk draws in.

We had a wonderful evening together enjoying delicious food and being looked after so well by our lovely waiter; can you tell he was making me laugh here 😉

Sunday night I wore this tropical print maxi dress which is completely backless and features a flattering thigh split. Very little accessories needed with this number, the dress does all the talking.

That evening the live music was over at the garden bar, where we sat in the charming surroundings of the courtyard and could gaze up at the stars in the night sky.

Monday night I went a little more casual with these black crochet Zara shorts, my boho print bardot style croptop, those timeless ASOS plaited sliders and my usual gold jewellery to complete the look.

And once again we found ourselves down at the buzzing beach bar for post dinner drinks and another live band session.

For the final night we got dressed up and ready for dinner in time for golden hour down by the pool and beach bar.

I had to get out my favourite summer minidress from Abercrombie & Fitch, paired with this pastel pink shell detail ASOS clutch for a pop of colour, and of course my new MuiMui babies.

That golden hour glow was giving me all the fuzzy feels and I just wanted to bottle that magical moment forever.

Once the sun hid behind the mountains and the pastel pink sky set in, we went for pre-dinner cocktails at the beach bar.

We couldn’t have wished for a more exquisite setting for our final dinner at Balmy Beach.

Later in the evening the crescent moon came out to sit just above the mountains at dusk; how peaceful and spiritual this moment felt.

And so that marked the end of our stay at Balmy Beach Resort and we couldn’t be more grateful to the staff who were so kind and friendly in making our time there an absolute joy and pleasure.

Sunset views and moonlit hues; goodnight Balmy Beach ❤

Summer Holiday Countdown

June 11, 2023

We’re almost halfway through the year and I’ve only taken one day of annual leave off work, so a holiday is well overdue and needed at this point. With that in mind, last week me and my boyfriend booked a summer holiday to Turkey which we’ll be jetting off to on Thursday and I can’t wait!

We usually like to get a holiday in earlier in the year to escape the long winter here in England, but with my work schedule having been very busy, we haven’t had the opportunity to get away properly until now.

We’ve booked an all inclusive stay at Balmy Beach Resort Kemar, located right on the Turkish coastline of the Mediterranean sea with the mountains just behind.

This is a brand new hotel having only opened this summer, so I’ve got high hopes for this adult only luxury resort.

The interiors and decor of the resort are giving Bali/Greek vibes and I’m obsessed. I can see myself spending a lot of time relaxing in those hammocks reading my book before cooling off in the pool, absolute bliss.

The grounds of the resort look stunning and they have everything to offer from a fully equipped gym, a beautiful spa, water sports on the beach and evening entertainment. I’m keen to try out paddle boarding on this holiday as it would be the perfect sunset activity.

The food on offer at the resort looks incredible with six different outlets to choose from including an a la carte restaurant, the barmy beach bar and a chef’s table fine dining experience which we might have to try for ourselves.

Of course I have my eye on the fabulous selection of cocktails too which I’ll have served poolside or by the beach bar at sundown.

I’m very much looking forward to a break at this gorgeous luxury resort soaking up the sunshine, relaxing with my boyfriend, eating delicious food and experiencing life the Turkish way. Balmy Beach Resort awaits… ❤

Cocktails and Besties Q&A

May 21, 2023

Happy Sunday! The sun is finally shining here in Hampshire, so yesterday afternoon I invited my best friend over for drinks in the garden and we decided to film a besties Q&A for my YouTube channel.

We had such a laugh and it was a lot of fun reminiscing on memories together. We also did some quick fire ‘This or That’ and ‘Would you rather’ which we found inspo for on Pinterest.

Later that evening we ordered Dominos pizzas with our boyfriends and enjoyed a cute double date night in our dining room. A picture perfect afternoon and evening together.

What a wholesome evening with my bestie and our boyfriends and I’m looking forward to editing the Q&A which will be out on my YouTube channel (@Dani Aneka) next week, so stay tuned!

Heckfield Place; Dinner at Marle

April 30, 2023

Heckfield Place really is a local gem for us being a world famous five star hotel nestled in the Hampshire countryside right on our doorstep! Having visited a number of times for drinks and to go to their super plush cinema, we were yet to dine in their highly acclaimed green Michelin star restaurant.

With it being the long bank holiday weekend and springtime finally in the air, it was the ideal Saturday evening date night destination. Arriving at 6pm, golden hour was upon us showering the majestic manner house at Heckfield with that gorgeous golden glow, highlighting its vivid orange hues.

I got a little glammed up for the occasion wearing these brand new Stradivarius straight leg jeans which are the perfect fit, paired with my Abercrombie & Fitch one sleeve khaki asymmetric top, matching khaki knotted mules and my favourite oversized vintage Jaegar blazer.

The grounds at Heckfield Place are truly magnificent and even more beautiful now in bloom with all the colourful tulips.

We sat out on the terrace where we enjoyed a few cocktails to start whilst taking in the picturesque view.

My cocktail of choice was a superbly sweet and salty lemon Margareta, whilst my boyfriend had this apple and blackberry concoction served in a highball glass garnished with a rosemary twist. These wonderfully vibrant cocktails were the perfect aperitif whilst we soaked up sunset on the terrace.

We were then shown inside to our table for dinner in the Marle restaurant. With their Culinary Director Skye Gyngell, also food editor at Vogue and known for her Michelin Star at Petersham Nurseries, I had high expectations for the food.

The Marle restaurant creates an immaculate ambience with tasteful interiors and beautiful foliage as you overlook the gorgeous green expanse of the grounds. This truly reflects their ethos of serving local produce straight from the earth.

As we browsed the menu we grazed on the complimentary homemade bread basket with homemade butter too. When the basics are done so well, there’s no doubt the meal is going to be one to remember.

Having devoured the moorish bread basket, we went straight in for mains. My boyfriend had the lamb kalettes served with lentils, asparagus and creme fraiche, whilst I had the roasted seabass served with peppers, cherry tomatoes, black olives and flowering rocket.

To accompany our mains we had the farm greens and these incredible crispy potatoes with black garlic vinaigrette, sour cream and herbs.

Every dish is seasonally sourced from the local land complete with lashings of olive oil, a key ingredient which Skye passionately uses in all of her cooking. Simple, pared back cooking using the freshest ingredients allows the true beauty of an ingredient to be revealed.

I chose a crisp white wine to compliment by fish dish, savouring every last mouthful as we soaked up those divine Saturday night vibes of the Marle restaurant overlooking the land as sunset.

Bill paid and bellies full of delicious food and wine, we decided to go for a moonlit stroll by the fountain at dusk.

The quintessential end to the most magical evening at Heckfield Place. We’ll be back again soon for more of those splendid cocktails and the most gloriously crispy potatoes. Thanks to the team at Marle for making our experience so wonderful. ❤

Winter Staycay; Two Days in Beautiful Brighton

November 20, 2022

After four holidays abroad this year, my boyfriend and I opted for a fun little staycation in Brighton this November. We spent two days exploring the wonders of this glorious city down by the coast of England.

Arriving at midday on Thursday last week, we got settled in our room at the Square Townhouse hotel located on New Steine Street in the heart of Brighton. We loved our little room the ‘Bubble Snug’ and we couldn’t have been looked after better by the staff at this gorgeous boutique hotel complete with chic, art deco inspired interiors.

That afternoon we ventured out to explore the centre of town and the famous Lanes which were all right on our doorstep. We stopped by a cute coffee shop which happened to be next door to the Ivy Asia, so being somewhere we’ve been wanting to try, we made a reservation for that evening’s dinner.

After coffee it was nearing sunset time already, so we headed to the beach for a sundown stroll along the shore. Stunning scenes but it sure was very blustery, I almost lost my hat numerous times!

A walk along the pier is a must when coming to Brighton too. Back in the day I would visit my sister who went to university in Sussex and we would always take a trip to the pier, it’s a kids dream!

Now as adults the novelty has worn off and the precarious, rickety looking rides don’t seem as appealing. So soon enough we headed back to our hotel for some downtime in our super cosy room and an aperitif from the bar, before getting ready for dinner.

I wore my new White Fox Boutique chocolate colour playsuit, over the knee boots, gingham blazer, long trench coat and a beret to complete the look. Feeling tres chic for our dinner at the Ivy Asia!

With reservations at 8:30pm, we arrived a bit earlier to enjoy a drink at the bar first. The place was buzzing and the opulent interiors were just exquisite. Everything about The Ivy restaurants is always such a magnificent experience, from the amazing decor and detailed place settings, to the attentive service and killer cocktails.

The dinner spread we chose was on point and everything so tasty, it was all divine. We had chicken satay style skewers, tender stem broccolini in a tahini sauce, hot and sour plum flavoured chicken, sticky jasmine rice and a platter of sushi of course.

The look of love for my tuna maki roll, I was in heaven! A truly wonderful and memorable experience at the Ivy Asia, highly recommend for a special date night or evening with the girls.

The next day we woke feeling fresh and ready for another day strolling around Brighton. I wore my new Zara aviator jacket with flared jeans, Grenson Boots and my beret ready for the chilly, windy weather.

I love exploring cities on foot and Brighton really is perfect for strolling around and getting lost in the Lanes. Every corner you turn there’s another street to explore lined with historic buildings and wall murals. Brighton is the place to be for artists and creatives alike.

Following lots of shopping and walking around town, we headed back to the coastline for sunset and enjoyed a coffee at Brighton Beach Club during golden hour; simply sublime.

As dusk drew in and the lights of Brighton Pier lit up, we made our way back along the seafront to our hotel before dinner.

We had 8pm reservations at Burnt Orange, a grown-up, late-night hangout with a menu centred around seasonal ingredients cooked predominantly over fire and designed for sharing.

From the brilliant reviews and tapas style dining which I love, I had high hopes for our evening here.

Seated at the counter-top overlooking the kitchen and bar, we had the best seats in the house. What a fantastic atmosphere seeing the kitchen at work and the head chef plating the dishes in front of us, we could even do some window shopping to decide on our dinner choices.

To start we had the wood fired flatbread and my absolute obsession when it comes to tapas, padron peppers. Smokey, salty and sweet, absolutely delicious!

For our mains it was a superb fillet of flamed sea bream with basil yoghurt and a mango dressing for me, and the BBQ chicken thigh with watermelon hot sauce and kohl rabi slaw for my boyfriend.

To accompany our dishes, we shared the indulgent skillet-baked potatoes drizzled with herb cream and sheep’s cheese. Wow, I need to recreate these at home.

And not forgetting our favourite vegetable side, broccolini, and this pimped up version charred and finished with a lemon tahini dressing was a winner.

We both agreed this was some of the most flavourful food we’ve ever had and a fabulous dining experience we won’t forget. Burnt Orange gets a 10/10 on all counts from me given the outstanding service, bustling ambience, great drinks and exceptional food!

So that was our whistle stop two days down in Brighton exploring the best of what this eclectic, fun and friendly city has to offer; thanks for having us Brighton ❤

48 Hours in P A R I S

May 23, 2022

Paris; A beautiful city full of charm, elegance, history, art, architecture, fashion, food, nightlife and of course, LOVE. This weekend me and my boyfriend spent two days exploring this magnificent European city for ourselves. With only 48 hours in town, we didn’t waste a minute and managed to cover most of the most famous hotspots whilst sampling the best of French cuisine and soaking up the glorious early summer sunshine.

Taking the Eurostar from St Pancras on Friday evening, we found ourselves in the centre of Paris within a matter of a few hours. Having booked through the Eurostar with hotel combo deal, we checked into our lovely 4* boutique Hotel Mademoiselle, only a 5 minute walk from Gare du Norde train station.

Waking up fresh from a good nights sleep following our journey, Saturday morning we strolled the streets of the local area and grabbed a quick breakfast at a cute corner cafe.

We then headed straight for the Eiffel Tower where we found this famous side street Rue de l’Universite for that picture perfect photo.

A quick whip around the supermarche and we had ourselves a throw together French style picnic by the river overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

From there, we walked to the Champs-Elysees for an afternoon browsing the shops before we reached the Arc de Triomphe.

Following the madness of the tourist spots on a Saturday afternoon, we stopped by Cafe De Paris for an early evening drink in the sunshine and much needed rest from our feet.

A quick stop back at the hotel to freshen up and we were ready for a night out in Paris. Destination Moulin Rouge, an iconic landmark I had to visit during our stay and only a 10 minute Uber from our hotel.

This area was buzzing on a Saturday night, so we found a local brasserie where we could sit out on the street with our dinner and soak up the those Parisian nightlife vibes. Our night continued into the early hours with cocktails and a traditional Nutella crepe for desert at 2am!

Sunday late morning, we made our way over to Le Recrutement Cafe for brunch with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

We then decided to spend the afternoon on a hop-on and hop-off bus tour around the city, a super easy way to navigate all of the tourist spots in one day.

The Louvre was a highlight with its stunning modern architecture juxtapose to the grandeur of the surrounding historic buildings.

Back at our hotel that evening, we enjoyed sundown drinks with an exquisite charcuterie board amongst the gorgeous French aesthetic of their courtyard at Hotel Mademoiselle.

We had to see the Eiffel Tower by night, so for dinner we went back to the river for a delicious Italian at Firmine.

The light show is on the hour every hour until midnight, so we had cocktails at the nearby Frame Brasserie from where we had views of the Eiffel Tower.

For the final light display at midnight, we had front row seats in the park for undisrupted views of this incredible spectacle. It felt like a dream seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle by night, showering the city in golden hues; simply divine and tres romantique.

Before we new it, Monday morning rolled around and it was time to hop back on the Eurostar to London. This was a whistle stop tour but we certainly made the most of our time here and emersed ourselves within the Parisian culture. I have fallen in love with the vibe of this exciting city with its chic style and vibrant charm; we will be seeing you again soon Paris, merci beaucoup ❤

Dubai Diaries; My Hotspot Hitlist

January 23, 2022

With our feet safely back on UK soil last Tuesday, I’ve been spending this week catching up with myself following our dreamy whirlwind of an adventure in Dubai. We certainly made the most of our 10 day holiday and experienced so many of the wonderful things this vibrant and exciting futuristic city has to offer.

Having researched extensively through blogs, vlogs and influencers prior to our visit, we knew all the things we wanted to pack into our time there and everyday was another thrilling experience.

Given the extensive amount of things there are to do in Dubai, I thought I’d share my favourite hotspots and activities which are in my opinion an absolute must do when visiting the city.

Starting with one of the most popular areas of Dubai for tourists and expats, Dubai Marina offers a fabulous array of beach bars, restaurants, shops and residences.

After a walk along the beach, we stopped for lunch at a great little English inspired bar The Scene by Dubai Mall overlooking the Marina. Here we had our new fave cocktails which we discovered on our trip, passionfruit Mojitos!

From the beach you are looking across the bay at Dubai Eye located over on Blue Island. Later that evening we then met an old friend of mine nearby at the popular beach club Bla Bla and enjoyed the nightly drone show and fireworks.

He recommended we go to his favourite restaurant for dinner over on Blue Island called Alici. So after drinks we walked over the footbridge to our dinner spot as we admired Dubai Marina skyline lit up at night.

Arriving at Alici for our 8:30pm reservation in the name of my friend, we were greeted with a glass of champagne each upon arrival.

Overlooking the Dubai cityscape, it was the most fantastic dinner spot along with the most attentive and friendly of service. With mediterranean inspired cuisine, we were also treated to complimentary starters of burrata and beef carpaccio which was just exquisite.

For mains we both went for pasta, I had a tuna dish whilst my boyfriend had the lamb ragu. Another delicious course finished with the second drone show and firework display of the evening over the marina!

I would have to say this was up there as one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Beautiful setting, 5* service and delectable food. To finish we were even spoilt with another complimentary course of homemade truffles and freshly made pistachio cream cannolis.

I was so very grateful for my friends goodwill and kind gesture to ensure we were well looked after for our meal at Alici – a must visit for a romantic dinner date setting in Dubai.

Next up on my hitlist is making sure you spend a day at a rooftop pool in Dubai. With many throughout the city to choose from, I thought the views from our hotel rooftop pool at The Gevora amongst those towering buildings was pretty insane.

The Gevora hotel where we stayed is in fact the tallest hotel in the world and located in the trendy and lively financial district. We went for dinner at the Highest View Lounge up on The Gevora rooftop for our final night, a perfect location to soak up that glorious Dubai cityscape by night for one last time.

With a minimum spend of only £30 each, this restaurant is very reasonable for such breathtaking views. I had a delightful fillet of seabass with truffle mash potato and stir fried veggies – a much needed healthy meal after all the food we’d consumed on this trip!

Just across the highway from our hotel was another great rooftop cocktail bar Level 43 Lounge. Again for only £30 minimum spend you are treated to one of the best views of Dubai by night accompanied with live music and fabulous cocktails too of course.

It was an absolute must that we visited old Dubai and the souk markets during our stay. Once we found the less touristy part of the spice souk, it was so peaceful strolling around the stunning streets with their ancient architecture and magnificent mosques.

The spice souk sold traditional homewares including gorgeous lamps and pots as well as spices too. I couldn’t resist grabbing a pair of garishly decorated handmade leather pointy toe slipper shoes. I was having a Carrie from the Sex and the City movie moment when she’s in Abu Dhabi and buys the shoes for ten dollars at the souk.

If we’d had more time this day we would’ve liked to have taken a water taxi over Dubai Creek to the gold souk. Otherwise, I would say a leisurely stroll around the spice souk one morning or afternoon is the best way to take in the local culture.

We had to get back to our hotel as that evening we had sundown drinks booked at Jetty Lounge over on Jumeriah Beach.

Located within the One & Only hotel complex, we arrived via a little buggy to our sunset cocktail reservation at 5:30pm.

Every sundowner in Dubai is a breathtaking spectacle and the Jetty Lounge is definitely the best spot in town to take in this magical moment whilst sipping a cocktail or two.

Delicious cocktails and picture perfect views of the Dubai skyline twinkling at dusk, it felt like we were in our own private oasis as we admired the deep pastel hues of sundown.

Following cocktails on the jetty, we made our way over to Dukes Hotel on the Palm where we had 8pm dinner reservations for Ula.

With its casual chic ambience and live DJ playing chilled tunes, we had another beautiful dinner at Ula with yet more views of Dubai skyline by night.

Simple yet super tasty food, I had a greek salad with rosemary frites and my boyfriend had a classic margarita pizza – the best he’s ever had he said!

The moment we stepped foot in Ula I knew I had to visit this place by day. So, on our final day in Dubai we went to Ula beach club to soak up the sun in style one more time.

With it being our final day, we went all out and had a boat trip over to the Burj Al Arab at noon.

From here we hired a jet ski and went for an hour long ride around the Palm and over towards the city centre of Dubai.

I rode on the back of my boyfriend’s jet ski and it was such a great way to explore the Palm. Having seen it from the air too in the helicopter, this allowed us to get closer to the main attractions including the Burj Al Arab and famous Atlantis Hotel.

After our exhilarating time on the jet ski, we had a golden hour boat ride back to the beach club. It was the ultimate way to end our adventures in Dubai.

So those are my top recommendations for anyone visiting Dubai. Of course there was also the desert safari, helicopter ride and beach clubs which were all highlights too, there’s just so much to do! It was a long awaited trip we had planned and it didn’t disappoint; I’ll never forget the many magical moments and memories we made together…until next time Dubai ❤

Dubai Diaries; Desert Dayz

January 12, 2022

You can’t visit Dubai and not take a trip into the desert, it truly is a unique experience worlds away from the cosmopolitan city life. Before our trip I did my research and booked with Rayna Tours Dubai for a desert safari including all the best activities out in the sands and it didn’t disappoint.

With pickup arranged from our hotel at 3pm, it was an hour drive into the desert where we began the tour with dune bashing… not for the faint hearted, it’s not far off being in a bumper car!

We then stopped off for some photos in the heart of the desert where we got classic fun jumping pics together. Our guide then showed us around the desert camp where we setup base at our table ready for the evening of entertainment ahead.

We decided to kick off our activities with the quad biking where we had so much fun tearing up the sand and racing each other around – quads really are sick!

Following our adrenaline rush, we had a right laugh riding the camels. They were making some peculiar mooing noises but were very friendly and mild creatures despite my reservations.

Soon enough the sun was going down and golden hour was upon us. Every sunset in Dubai is a breathtaking moment.

With my photographer boyfriend, we couldn’t resist going up on the hill away from the camp to get some epic sundown shots.

As the evening chill came in, I layered my desert safari look with a long blouse perfect for those scenic snaps with the breeze. I felt very Arabian nights with my camel flared pants, kaki toned outfit and tied headband.

The dark drew in and it was time to head back to camp and take our seats for the evenings entertainment. We even had 2 hours of unlimited alcohol included in our package and we had certainly worked up a thirst after all the fun of the afternoon.

The performances were very impressive, from fire breathing to belly dancing and traditional Arabian dancing, it was quite a show!

Between the entertainment a buffet BBQ was served. The extensive spread of traditional local cuisine including curries, salads, hummus and freshly made bread was delicious, I even went back for seconds.

Before we knew it, the evening had come to an end and it was time to head back to the city. What a fabulous experience with Rayna Tours Dubai, I would highly recommend this package for getting a taste of all the best the beautiful desert has to offer – I’m still in a desert daze ❤