Oct
03
2011
1

Shades for winter

Yours to enjoy

I spent the first week of 2011 in Vietnam. Actually I spent the second one there as well. But about the first one I want to talk now and a nice little hotel by the sea in Mui Ne.

It’s called Shades and it’s run by a friendly family of kiwis. I didn’t stay there but I spent a great deal of time chilling by their pool and having countless happy hour drinks at their bar.

Great rooms, clean and modern

Their story is an interesting one. While on holiday in Mui Ne, Sharon and Vaughan happened to meet the owner of Shades who was looking for someone to take over the management of the little hotel. As the conditions were great they didn’t hesitate and took the offer on the spot and now, almost two years later, they transformed the place in one of the most successful business in the resort. Their philosophy is simple: keep the place clean and talk to the tourists. And it works. When not busy sorting the administrative stuff in the office you can find them at the bar, preparing drinks, chatting to the clients and sharing travel stories. And as they are very well travelled they are the best company you could ever wish for.

The swimming pool for the times when the sea gets too rough

The sea is soothing

And the bar is always open

Have a look at their website. They say it’s people that make a place but in this case it’s a great combination of wonderful setting, excellent hotel facilities and the coolest hosts. You’ll like it. I did.

 

Everything you could wish for

PS Count on Sharon and Vaughan for restaurant tips, excursions and stories about life in Vietnam. And if you are looking to take over a place in Mui Ne (hotel, motel, bar, restaurant) they can give you invaluable advice and keep you up to date on the latest gossip from the village. Ah, and Vietnamese coffee number 5 – best ever, served with condensed milk and lots of ice.

Shades Resort Apartments
BongMat
98A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, HamTien, Mui ne,
Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan, VietNam
84 (0) 623 743 237
84 (0) 623 743 236
[email protected]

Sep
19
2011
0

A little place in Bangkok

Praya Palazzo from the river

You can find pockets of silence even in the chaos of Bangkok. I swear. My personal pocket of silence is Praya Palazzo. A boutique hotel where personal service and a familiar sense of home prevails. It’s isolated from the craziness by the river – in fact you can only get to it by boat, and its small size means just one thing – no package tourists.

Towards the river

It’s got luxurious yet simple rooms, a great swimming pool complete with a cozy pool bar, an excellent restaurant and, above all, the friendliest owners ever – well travelled and well versed in dealing with tourists. CNN Go filmed there and so did I last year when filming for “Muson” in Bangkok.

Why should you stay there? Because it offers that quintessential non-Bangkok experience in the middle of, well, Bangkok. Avoid it if – it’s your first time in Bangkok and want to go crazy on Khao San. Praya Palazzo is the place to savor Bangkok not to gulp it.

Time to relax

and get some sleep

The hotel as a building and as a concept has a story that is better found out when you visit the place. It’s bitter, sweet and spicy like the dishes on the menu of its restaurant where it is written on huge posters framed and hanged on the walls.

The hall towards the main restaurant

 

Praya Palazzo

757/1  Somdej Prapinklao Soi 2  Bangyeekan,  Bangkok  10700,  Thailand
Telephone: +662-883-2998  or  +6681-402-8118
Fax: +662-883-1855
Email: [email protected]

www.prayapalazzo.com

May
26
2009
11

Romania minunata

Piata Unirii ar fi frumoasa daca pe margini nu ar inflori tarabe cu sosete ieftine

Piata Unirii ar fi frumoasa daca pe margini nu ar inflori tarabe cu sosete ieftine

Lume multa din toate colturile tarii citeste acest blog. Si cativa romani din strainatate. Dar nu cu ei vreau sa vorbesc acum. Eu nu prea cunosc Romania. Cel putin nu Romania turistica. Drumurile mele prin tara se rezuma la Bucuresti-Cluj pe Valea Oltului sau prin Brasov. Alternativ. Pe la mare n-am mai fost de vreo 9 ani iar la munte am admirat frumusetile patriei acum patru ani cand am botezat-o pe Anais la Targu Neamt. Deci sunt paralel. Neinformat. Nepriceput. Intrebati-ma de atractii, hoteluri, chilipiruri sau trasee aviatice in America de Sud, Asia sau Europa. No problem. Dar cand vine vorba de un hotel la mare unde angajatii chiar iti zambesc si sunt bucurosi de oaspeti, de un club unde muzica e buna si fitele sunt la minim, de o pensiune tinuta de niste oameni care pun mai presus de profit clientul sau care stiu cum sa faca profit fara sa jecmaneasca turistii, cel putin nu pe fata, de un monument care nu e inecat de gunoaie, de niste mestesugari autentici care nu inchid taraba si incaleca jeep-ul, de locuri unde se manaca bine fara ca ingredientele a fie proaspat cumparate de la Metro, de piete unde legumele nu sunt din Turcia si unde branza e telemea adevarata nu surogat de feta… de locuri frumoase si dragi din Romania – nu stiu sa raspund. Nu e un capat de tara. (more…)

Written by in: Travel and places | Tags: , ,
Apr
26
2009
19

Despre un concurs de Miss in Antalya si cele mai frumoase camere de hotel.

In Antalya sunt 25 de grade, statiunea inca este destul de goala dar pregatirile pentru noul sezon sunt in toi. Sper ca ati trecut cu bine de sperietura de aseara.

Concursul a avut loc acum o saptamana si eu am fost in juriu alaturi de hotelieri, directori de agentii si personalitati din Romania. (more…)

Written by in: Altele | Tags: ,

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