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Destinations you may want to consider flying to while you're in Dubai. Brilliant short break destinations with comfortable flight durations and itineraries you can COPY. So the hard research has been done for you.

December 14, 2019 by monica Leave a Comment

TAJ PALACE HOTEL DELHI

TRAVELLING

TAJ PALACE HOTEL NEW DELHI STAY

THE TAJ PALACE HOTEL DELHI

A legacy hotel that’s been established for over 35 years, the Taj Palace hotel Delhi suits business and leisure travellers alike. My overall Top Tip is to go there hungry, as the food is incredibly good.

Where is the Taj Palace hotel Delhi

The Taj Palace hotel Delhi is located in Chanakya Puri, a leafy, diplomatic enclave about 20 minutes drive away from the Indira Ghandi international airport. Importantly the hotel is also about 20 minutes drive away from some of the best independent shopping Delhi has to offer. Think Connaught Place, Shahpur Jat, Khan Market and the cool Santushti complex.

The Big Breakfast

Plenty of delicious dining experiences to be had at the Taj Palace hotel Delhi. It depends what cuisine you’re in the mood for. But the best meal of the day and one of the highlights of our trip had to be breakfast in the Capital Kitchen, the hotel coffee shop.

Allergic to dairy? No problem, you’ll find almond, soya and lactose free alternatives, but that would mean you’d miss out on the gorgeous, fresh hung yoghurt, obligatory with a hot, stuffed parantha (Indian layerd bread definitely not gluten free) or some succulent, freshly cut fruit.

There are plenty of gluten free options though, the Western kind so granola, muesli and porridge from Bobs Red Mill but also the natural, original Eastern kind. Dosas, Idlis and moong daal chillas are all also gluten free and made fresh to order.

Chole are also gluten free, but maybe skip the deep fried bhatura, if you can!

More Food and Drink

We liked the fact the Taj takes seasonality into account as well; it was winter in Delhi when we visited so we got fresh methi and pea paranthas as fresh methi (fenugreek leaves) have a short winter season.

We also tried the Spicy Duck Chinese restaurant and would highly recommend it. I stayed in the area many years ago as a child and this restaurant used to be called Tea House of the August Moon!

Try the duck, but let them know if you’d like to assemble your own duck pancakes! Their chilli oil isn’t the same as in London, but there is wide variety of sauces to accompany your meal.

If it’s authentic Northern Indian cuisine you’re after, and why not, you are in Delhi, then head straight to Masala Art, also on the ground floor of the Taj Palace hotel. Expect high quality, well prepared, traditional North Indian food. We loved our Seekh kebabs, tadka daal and the onion kulchas are a must try.

We were treated to a taste of something called Sabz Ka Halwa, literally a soft, desserty type halwa made with vegetables. It was totally delicious blend of sweetness and a bit too easy to eat!

There is another award winning restaurant serving French/English cuisine, The Orient Express but we didn’t have time to try it on this visit. It did look quite formal though.

Do make some time to have a drink or cocktail at the Blue Bar one evening though, great views and cool vibes in this small, but atmospheric bar adjacent to the Spicy Duck restaurant.

Shops open l a t e in the morning in Delhi, between 10 and 11 am, so take your time getting up, use the spa or have a swim and then tuck in to a long, hearty breakfast and skip lunch.

The Suite Life

We experienced a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite with a large sitting room and dining area, a small study and outdoor garden accessed directly from the sitting room. This was the Garden Presidential Suite located on the first floor of the hotel. It’s luxurious and spacious for sure but you couldn’t say that this could be any suite arrangement in any city in the world as the décor and artefacts completely reflect the legacy and heritage elements of the hotel.

The arrangement would be perfect for families or a group of friends who’d also like to maybe invite some family or more friends for an informal private gathering, the terrace just adds to the appeal. So try it for a special occasion, I would definitely go back with my family or a group of friends.

The Club Lounge

Certain rooms allow access to the Club facilities on the 7^th floor of the hotel. Light refreshments are available 24 hours, but you could have your breakfast here, not as elaborate as downstairs, but still comprehensive. They also have a high tea service offering Indian tea time savouries and sandwiches. This is followed soon after by an evening drinks and snacks service.

Try the Sula Tropicale Brut sparkling wine. I liked this version of Indian rosé prosecco. This is a great place for a quiet chat or informal, small meeting.

Meet me at the Taj Palace Delhi

Get a feel of the vibe of this place.

Staying Fit

If you have time to fit in some fitness then do so! You can eat more. Try the heated pool, spa and the gym, all accessible via the mezzanine floor in all the lifts. Your author didn’t try the facilities on this trip.

TOP TIPS for visiting Delhi

Shops open late in the morning in Delhi, we’re talking between 10 and 11 am, so take your time getting up, use the spa or have a swim and then tuck in to a long, hearty breakfast and skip lunch.

Wear walking shoes or trainers for shopping about as pavements can be uneven and you may have to go up some narrow staircases to access some places, especially in Shahpur Jat and Khan Market.

Employ a reliable driver and car to stay with you throughout your trip, it’ll make your life so much easier.

Buy a local phone chip from the airport with a data package, talk time is way cheaper than Dubai.

Diet before you arrive as you’ll be eating way more than at home! Eat like a King at the Taj Palace hotel in Delhi.

NEXT POST COMING SOON ON THE BLOG

Shopping in Delhi

This review was written in conjuction with the Taj Palace hotel Delhi, but our stay wasn't free. The views are also all my own.

Monica Kapila

Founder of DoinDubai

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August 25, 2019 by monica 1 Comment

COOKING LESSONS in LONDON SAUCE by the Langham

Immerse yourself in some cooking lessons in London Sauce by the Langham.

A classy, interactive, fun, cooking workshop where you’ll hone your culinary skills regardless of the level you’re currently at.

Building Blocks of Good Cooking

The cooking school is called Sauce and the lessons are all about the building blocks of good cooking. I tried their Stocks and Sauces course one Saturday in July.

The workshop includes lunch with wine, a tour of the Roux at the Landau kitchen, all your instruction, ingredients to replicate everything you’ve watched being made and you get to take home your creations too.

Coffee and gorgeous snacks are also included to help you get through the day.

What do you learn in your cooking lessons in London Sauce by the Langham

We learnt how to make chicken stock, chicken jus, a sauce Antiboise, Hollandaise sauce and variations on that as well as a superb Crème Anglaise sweet sauce.

How do they teach you

We watched a very informative, practical demonstration by the Kitchen Manager Millie Simpson for each dish and then returned to our fully equipped cooking stations to replicate what we had seen but under some expert guidance. We didn’t have to clear anything away or wash up. You do need to keep your station tidy though.

Do you need to know how to cook

No, you don’t need to know how you cook, but you must have a keen interest in cooking and you probably do cook a bit yourself at home. Millie showed us classical, but accessible French methods to make our stocks and sauces. There aren’t really any short cuts. You do have to be quite energetic, not be afraid of sharp knives and quite quick at your workstation. There is a fair amount of cooking involved in the workshop so you get great value for money.

I learned how to:

expertly cut onions (banana shallots, always hold at the root)

concasse tomatoes (blanche with a slit, peel, petal and dice)

make a good crème anglaise from scratch (and I know how to rescue if needed)

make a chicken jus

make a sauce Antiboise

we were shown MUCH MORE than the above, but I am confident at trying all I have listed having done the lessons with Millie!

What was the most impressive dish

The brown chicken jus:
I would never have believed such a tasty, classy chicken jus could be made by simply starting to roast chicken wings in their own fat in the oven, lot’s more to do after that of course, but that’s how you start.

The crème anglaise:
Even the one I made (that needed rescuing in a water bath) was a good French restaurant quality custard. Creamy, not too sweet, milky and infused with vanilla pods, I served mine cold the next day with warm rhubarb crumble dessert.

I have also learnt that there is a logical order involved in sauce making:

It’s Alcohol followed by Stock followed by Fat

REMEMBER

ALCOHOL THEN STOCK THEN FAT

Course details

The class started at 9.15am with a light breakfast. It finished with lunch and wine at about 2.15pm.

Cost £150.00 per person.

It’s a great, group activity. Go with some mates and combine with a cocktail at the award winning Artesian bar on the ground floor before you leave.

Sauce is located on the first floor of the Langham hotel in London.

Disclaimer: This post was written in conjunction with the Langham but the views are all my own. Would I do a class here again? I would definitely do the pasta making cooking lessons for sure. Some of the participants in our class had already done it and highly recommended it.

Monica

Editor

July 10, 2019 by monica Leave a Comment

SHORT BREAK IN BUDAPEST

Why consider a short break in Budapest

A short break in Budapest is an easy 5-hour flight away on Emirates. English is widely spoken there and your money goes a long way in this historic city with gorgeous architecture. It’s a very walk able city and nowhere near as crowded as nearby Prague. No visa requirements for British passport holders unlike St Petersburg which was our first choice.

Where to stay when on a short break in Budapest

We stayed at the Marriott Budapest hotel as it was reasonably priced and well located. A rate of roughly 812 Euros for 2 people for 3 nights is what we got in June 2019. We booked directly over the phone.

Our rate included breakfast and taxes. The Marriott is also a brand we’re familiar with. It’s on the Pest side of the city, definitely the side you want to stay on. It’s more lively and easy to get to most of the city from Pest.

The hotel is on the river Danube and close to the Intercontinental and the Four Seasons. Just in the same line. You have good views of the river from your room and there are also clubrooms that offer you a beautiful terrace with stunning views.

The outside of the hotel is quite boxy though and not very attractive, but you’re only sleeping there. Breakfast is very good and the whole hotel has quite a contemporary feel. There are 3 Marriott hotels in Budapest, this is the Marriott Budapest that is located on the Danube. Tell that to your taxi driver.

Getting into town from the airport

Take a taxi from the official stand at the airport and clearly tell them your hotel, also ask how roughly how much it will the cost to get there. It should be around 9000 Hungarian Forints or 27 to 30 Euros.

WARNING A note on taking taxis on your short break in Budapest

We generally had good experiences taking taxis from hotels and we always asked roughly how much the fare would be to our destination. We were unaware that simply hailing a taxi on the street could result in much higher fares as these are run by sometimes unscrupulous companies, try to avoid this, go to a hotel and order from there or walk back!

Which currency to use in Budapest

The local currency is the Hungarian forint and everything is priced in local currency. So change money early on and try to pay in forints. You’ll pay a better rate for anything you buy. Credit cards are widely accepted. There is a little exchange near the Marriott Budapest hotel that gave us 310 forints for a euro and didn’t charge commission. That’s pretty good.

Ideas for a 3 day itinerary for your short break in Budapest

The Castle Complex in Buda, allow at least 3 hours for that trip. But do see our note below on best way to do this outing

A walk down Vaci street and surrounding roads, allow at least 2 to 3 hours

The main synagogue and walk in the Jewish quarter, allow about 2 hours. See our notes below on where to eat around here

A drink at the High Note Skybar at the Aria hotel, allow about 2 hours for this but you MUST BOOK

A drink and a pre dinner snack at the Parisi Udvar hotel, allow about 1.5 hours. This is a gorgeous building and has a great history

Dinner at Aszu restuarant, ideally on the pavement; we spent about 2 hours here. Great food and good wines

A trip to the Ludvig museum, it has some Picassos and lot’s of contemporary art. Walk back along Rada street

Factor in time for resting at your hotel and enjoying the steam, jacuzzi, sauna and possible pool dip. You’ll be doing lots of walking so you do need to rest a bit too. Also factor in time for taking loads of stop and stare photos, popping into churches, drinking glasses of chilled, cherry beer and hot cappuccinos.

This is how best to do the castle trip

Walk across the Chain bridge to the Buda side of the city and you’ll be met by the official Castle shuttle buggy bus service (blue and white) that offers you a circuit of 4 stops where you can get on and off as you please. Take this shuttle, it’s worth it and very convenient as there is a lot of walking involved.

When you get to the St Mathias church, the tower and Fisherman’s Bastion (stop 2), buy the combined ticket that allows you in to all the attractions. It’s only worth it IF you are going to go up the Mathias tower, beware though; it’s a very steep staircase with 200 steps. Coming down was more challenging for me than going up.

Pay in FORINTS as we have said already; if you are accompanied by school or college aged kids ask for a STUDENT PRICE for them, they rarely asked for student cards as proof. Note you do have to pay to use the toilet, in forints of course.

But the castle complex is gorgeous and well worth the trip. St Mathias church was converted to a mosque for 145 years then back to a church!

TAKE NOTE: There is a posh looking café called Felix at the end of Stop 4 of the buggy tour, we were desperate for a coffee and snack so we popped in.

It’s beautiful and food was very good and not too expensive but it was clear that they would rather we had not stopped at their establishment, at all.

Not sure why this was the case, we weren’t shabbily dressed, just a little hot from the 35 degrees walking around. Maybe you will be more warmly received!

More ideas for outings

What we didn’t do but you could try

A trip to Margaret Island

Swimming in any of the pools and spas

A trip out to a vineyard in the countryside

A visit to Parliament Building and Heroes Square

Taking a tram ride

Riding the funicular up to the Castle

If you'd like to eat and drink well in Budapest read on

For a quick, good quality, casual vegetarian meal or snack while shopping, try Fruccola just off Vaci street. Vegan options here too. Ice cream cones on the go are about 1 Euro from most stalls around here, but they don’t fill to the top, just one small scoop.

For an idling in-between meal snack break on a pretty square, try Gerloczy and order cherry beer or a lemonade with some pickles. Probably good for breakfast if your room rate doesn’t include it. Pop in to the flower shop on the corner and buy some beautiful Meraki candles and lavender to take home.

For a great cup of coffee and a cake in the Jewish quarter go to Magveto café. But wait till 12ish for the fresh cakes! Dreamy, warm, home made cherry pie with perfect pastry, very cool bookish café.

For a good lunch in the Jewish quarter with a nice vibe, try Mazel Tov, a large contemporary terrace type café/restaurant serving Middle Eastern food. Book if you can, but we just walked in.

For superlative pastries on the go and a take away coffee try the Nordic style Norma coffee shop, smells divine and Budapest’s answer to Ole and Steen! Try the cardamom and or cinnamon buns.

For a very good dinner, not expensive by Dubai standards try Aszu restaurant. You must book before hand though; I loved my trout fillet and rhubarb dessert. Try the Hungarian wine as well. Service was very good. I would go again.

For pre dinner drinks and a snack try the bruschetta at the Parisi Udvar hotel, fabulous customer service too! And they had a very helpful and knowledgeable concierge. This is a heritage hotel that is part the Hyatt Unbound collection.

GOOD TO KNOW
We wanted to go to Dobrumba restaurant for dinner but it was totally booked out, interestingly our hotel concierge had never heard of the place!

Do have a pre dinner drink at the High Note Sky bar roof top at the Aria hotel, we loved this. But you MUST BOOK before hand.

Remember it’s absolutely fine to order tap water for free at any restaurant or café in Hungary so that’s a good saving.

Less than happy f & b experiences on our short break in Budapest

Late morning coffee at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace.

Coffee and lemonade late morning at the Four Seasons should have been a relaxing, cool experience in a heritage building. But we received a why are you coming in here at all if you’re not staying here attitude and generally unfriendly and cold vibes. Amazingly good prices though! Less than Euros 3 for a good cup of coffee, but spoilt by the snotty, bad service. It wasn’t busy either.

Snack lunch at the Felix restaurant in Buda.

We’re not sure what we did to upset them, but they clearly weren’t happy for us to be at their very empty restaurant! Our food and drink was very good though, but the service and attitude left a bad taste in our mouths.

Drinks and snacks at the bar in the Marriott Budapest hotel.

We were made to feel rather silly for asking if there were crisps or peanuts at the bar that we could have along with our wine at about 5.00pm in the evening.

We moved to the next bar just a few steps along taking our drinks with us and ordered some crispy squid. Rubbery, chewy squid fried in processed breadcrumbs for almost 8 euros and very slow service. This was a shame as the views are so nice from this hotel. Do not even try to order anything off menu such as some Hungarian pickled vegetables; great with drinks, as the staff will be completely flummoxed!

Parting Shot

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our short break to Budapest and would highly recommend it. But don’t go there if historic buildings are not your thing and you’re not keen on walking around. Good food is available as is lovely service but don’t expect it as routine in what is a city that is geared to tourists.

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Image of drink at High Note Sky Bar hotel short break in Budapest

Monica Kapila as seen in Budapest

July 8, 2019 by monica 1 Comment

MSAMBWENI BEACH HOUSE

Msambweni Beach House is a stylish, private villa type resort with all the amenities and service of a well-run hotel.

Located on Kenya’s southern coast. Perfect for a group get together.

Where is Msambweni Beach House

Msambweni Beach house is located in the Kwale province on the Southern coast of Kenya. As it’s name suggests it’s right on the beach.

How do you get to Msambweni Beach House

Fly to Ukunda airport from Nairobi and expect a 45-minute or so drive to reach the beach house from the airport. The last part of the drive is along a dirt track that we hear is going to be built into a tarmac road by September 2019.

We flew out on Silvertone Air and back via Jambo Jet, ideally arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon to maximize your time there. Note that Silvertone Air doesn’t have any seat allocation.. so be prepared to sit wherever you get a seat.

When you arrive at the airport, stop off at Diani shopping centre or Foodplus (both about 5 minutes away) to pick up some food or drink you might fancy for your journey or while you’re at the beach house, we bought some wine and mixers for our drinks.

Room choices at Msambweni Beach House

Each villa sleeps up to 4 people, 2 up and 2 down, but the upstairs bedroom is much more basic than the downstairs and is reached via a fairly steep set of steps.

Stay in a private villa or in the main house. I recommend Villa 1 or Villa 2. The Ocean Suite is great for glamping types though! Both Villa 1 and Villa 2 have their own private pools and terraces, so these are perfect for groups.

The Beach at Msambweni

The property is located on the beach itself at a slight elevation, so you do have to go down some steps to get the beach. It’s a great beach to walk along and soak up the sun, but we didn’t swim in the sea while we visited. You can see the beach and sea from the moment you enter the property.

Food and Drink at Msambweni Beach House

All meals are included at Msambweni Beach House and most meals do have some choice. But do let them know if you don’t eat particular foods or have any food allergies.

Do expect a lot of fresh seafood on the menu. We had one dinner that was crab themed and was delicious.

You need to order your breakfast after dinner on the previous night.

We all loved the fresh passion fruit juice at breakfast and our favourite meal for lunch was the stone baked pizza buffet on our last day. They tend to sensibly make use of whatever’s in season on the menu.

Expect avocados, pineapples, passion fruits and of course fish making an appearance on your plates.

Things to Do

Relax, kick back and soak up the vibe, I loved the atmosphere at Msambweni Beach House, and really appreciated the fact the area wasn’t at all built up.

So expect peace and quiet, take your favourite books to read.

Swim in the main pool and stare at the ocean or swim in your private villa pools if you’re in villa 1 or villa 2.

Go down and have a drink by the beach bonfire and stare at the little crabs that come out on the beach.

You can walk along the beach with a local guide, the hotel will organize for you. Just tip the guide and ideally buy some coconut water on the beach on the way back.

The Big Trip

The big trip is definitely the excursion to the mangroves. It’s about a 35 minute drive to get the village where you take the boat. We were a party of 7 and we were on one flat, long canoe type boat, with one skipper.

This trip takes in all the mangroves and little houses on the riverside, but the highlight was definitely stopping and having some drinks and a walk on the magnificent sand bar! Tides coming in from 3 directions, a makeshift shade and not a soul in sight other than us. This is the stuff that memories are made of!

REMEMBER Wear a good hat, ideally that ties under your chin as it might fly away! Take binoculars if you have them but good cameras for sure. Don’t wear fancy footwear at all as you will be wading through some muddy water.

What to PACK

A good sun hat, sun protection, loose clothing, beach footwear and a good book. Also take some mosquito repellent although there are nets around the beds. Don’t bother taking anything designer in terms of clothing, jewellery, bags or footwear. No one is there to notice it anyway!

Room for improvement at Msambweni Beach House

The linen could be upgraded for sure and there also could have been a little more choice on the menu for some meals but the settings were all superb.

Access will be easier when the dirt track approach road is tarmacked.

But service overall is warm, friendly and above and beyond what we expected, and that makes all the difference.

How to Book

This is the hotel website, you could get better rates and help with internal transfers and flights by going through Merlin Safaris who also organise other excursions in Kenya email is [email protected]

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BOOKING SECTION OF MUSAMBWENI BEACH HOUSE.

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