Box River Travel Boutique

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Burj Khalifa and around the Mall area. Towering at an incredible height, its stands as the tallest structure in the world. Redefining Dubai’s skyline, it represents a marvel of modern engineering and architectural brilliance. The experience we booked was At The Top - Level 124 & 125. We took the world’s fastest elevator to Level 124 where we then stepped out onto the outside observation deck. The views were stunning! At this level you are 452 metres above ground level. You can experience an even higher observation deck at Level 148, you can enjoy refreshments in the Sky Lounge and have a guided tour by a Guest Ambassador - it’s quite pricey though. The Burj Khalifa is open from 7am - 11pm seven days a week. Interesting 🤔 facts about the Burj Khalifa It has 163 floors 17 million visitors a year visit 828 metres high Lifts 🛗 reach speeds of 10 metres per second More 12,000 people worked on its construction It’s takes 3 months to clean the windows The spire is made from over 4,000 tons of steel A World War II airplane engine was used to test the wind resistance Once down, we met up with my old college tutor from 25 years ago for drinks and dinner at Karma Cafe which overlooked the fountains. It’s a beautiful area at night. Due to it being Ramadan the fountains do not start until 7.30pm, they are then every half an hour. #burjkalifa #visitdubai #fountains #friendsreunion #worldstallestbuilding

My room for the week - Superior Studio on floor 4. The 32 metre squared Superior Studio features a king size bed, fully equipped kitchen and a balcony with views the over Marina. The room has everything you need - flat screen TV 📺 , coffee machine, bottled water, safe and plenty of hanging space along with hangers and a hairdryer. No need to bring any body wash, or shampoo and condition, Elemis products are provided along with a mini bottle of mouthwash. It’s a very spacious room with lots of shelving and drawers - so there is not excuse to be in today! #dukesthepalm #superiorroom

We have arrived in Dubai 🥳 it’s 7am and 22 degrees. Can’t wait to get exploring #visitdubai #uae #emiratesairlines✈️

More new wonderful clients gained, four lovely ladies off on a city break to Krakow, Poland 🇵🇱 in November. They are staying at the 3⭐️ Hotel Polonia 🏨, which is where I stayed in November 2023. It’s one of the oldest hotels in Krakow, operating under this name since 1917. It’s in a great position, just 5 minutes walk from the train station 🚉 - it’s so easy picking up the train from the airport and so much cheaper than a taxi transfer! It’s also just a 7-10 minute walk to the main square where there are plenty of restaurants, bars and shops. The breakfast is very good here, sets you up for a full day of sightseeing! Whilst they are in Krakow they will be hoping to visit the Salt Mine and Auschwitz. November is the coldest autumn 🍂 month in Poland so they best wrap up warm 🧣🧤🧦. The local vodka will also help 😁 #krakow #poland #girlstrip #citybreak #hotelpoloniakrakow

Another successful coach trip - Carols at The Albert Hall. 27 of the 47 people on the coach joined me for lunch at 190 Queensgate which is located inside The Gore Hotel, Kensington (just a 3-min walk from Albert Hall). We were given a private dining space called The Tapestry Room which was lovely and the food was super tasty. The Carols at The Albert Hall were just amazing, such a stunning venue and what a wonderful atmosphere there was yesterday. I think/hope everyone enjoyed it and a BIG THANK YOU to all that joined me and to Elite Travel for getting us there and back safely. #rahchristmas #royalalberthall #thegorehotellondon

I cannot praise our hotel enough, The Valentia is in a fantastic position just a couple of steps off the Plaza de La Reina, which is a lovely square with plenty of tapas and drinking bars. You can also walk anywhere from here to all the major sites within the old part of the city. I have never stayed anywhere where the staff are so friendly, from reception, housekeeping and the bar, all were so helpful and always had a smile whatever time of day. The breakfast was great, a nice change when away not to have a buffet, as soon as we sat down freshly squeezed orange 🍊 juice was placed in front of us, a basket 🧺 with pastries 🥐 and breads and the question of tea 🫖 or coffee ☕️. A choice was then given of omelettes, toast with cream cheese and avocados 🥑 or tomato 🍅 and jamon, tortilla, pancakes 🥞- all was freshly cooked to order. The room has everything you need in it, a coffee machine as well as a kettle for tea lovers, bottled water replaced daily, hairdryer, hair and body wash and a handy pack containing a comb, dental kit, shaving set, tissues, shower cap and vanity set. I definitely have no qualms recommending this hotel at all. #thevalentiacabillers #visitvalencia #citybreak #fantastichotel

Our first full day has been pretty relaxing, we haven’t rushed but we seem to have managed to get around a few key historical sites, such as: Cathedral of Valencia The Holy Chalice is kept here, documentation and archaeological studies suggest that the Holy Grail of Valencia is the one used by Jesus in the Last Supper. On a Sunday it is open from 14:00 - 17:00, OAP’s are 6€ and adults 9€. Church ⛪️ of San Nicola’s de Bari Often referred to as the Valencian Sistine Chapel. Every Monday the church receives hundreds of visitors who make the ‘walks of Saint Nicola’s’ or devotion to San Judas Tadeo ‘Patron of Impossible Causes’ On a Sunday it is open from 13:00 - 19:00, OAP’s are 8€ and adults 11€. Serranos Towers They were designed to be defensive structures at one of the busiest gates and are one of the few remaining bits of Valencia’s medieval city walls. #visitvalencia

The Valentia Cabillers, a 4⭐️ hotel 🏨 set in the old town of Valencia 🇪🇸, just off Plaza de la Reina and it’s going to be our home for the next 4 nights. The hotel has 21 rooms, we had booked superior doubles but upon arrival we were told that we had been upgraded to a classic suite on the the 3rd floor(side by side) and I must say I’m pretty impressed by my room and the whole hotel so far. All of the rooms feature a rain shower, kitchenette, ceramic hob, oven, microwave and fridge, safe - but we will not be using the cooking facilities as there are far too many nice tapas bars/restaurants to try! On the top floor (4) there is a gorgeous little rooftop bar with views of the dome of the cathedral and Miguelete Tower, we have already had a cheeky beverage up here - a special called Agua de Valencia which apparently is the in thing and what you will find everywhere in the city, it is made up of cava, orange 🍊 juice, cointreau ,vodka and sugar and was pretty scrummy 😋 , I shall be having a few more of those over the next 4 days! Breakfast is also served up here, which I look forward to trying tomorrow. There is even a private terrace with a small outdoor swimming pool on floor 4, towels are provided for guests. Free wifi 🛜 is also a plus and there are facilities to leave your luggage 🧳 The reception staff and bar staff are all exceptionally friendly and helpful, checking in was a breeze. I can’t wait to explore Valencia! #valencia #citybreak #oldtownvalencia

British Virgin Islands 🇻🇬 Anyone?……… The British Virgin Islands are a collection of 60 islands that lie in the north east region of the Caribbean. Surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters, soft white sands and some of the world’s best snorkelling 🤿, diving and sailing can be enjoyed here. Friendly locals love to welcome visitors all year round, plentiful sunshine ☀️ and temperatures that hover around the high 20s see to this but probably the best times to visit are in the fall, from mid September through to November, after the threat of hurricanes has past and before the crowds arrive for their winter sunshine in January and February. #britishvirginislands #sunshine

I am always blown away and so grateful for the wonderful reviews my lovely clients leave. It’s always a great pleasure and privilege being asked to organise your holidays. Fabulous seeing the Box River Travel Boutique bag being used, handy for all your holiday essentials #independenttravelagent #fabulousreview #thankyou

There’s only a week and a half left to book your tickets for Mrs Doubtfire The Musical Don’t miss out Dearies……. Price: £90.00 per person Date: 13 February 2025 Departs: Outside The White Hart, Boxford Time: 09:00 Pick up and drop offs available from Magdalen Road, Hadleigh. Price includes: Return Coach Travel 🚌 and Theatre Ticket 🎭🎟️ 📧 [email protected] ☎️⁨07747 608509⁩ #coachtrip #mrsdoubtfiremusical

Today we went on a tour of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane - the tour was one and a quarter hours long and was just brilliant. We were met in the foyer by our guide Alan and the fun and information began. It was so interesting, we were taken into the royal quarters, the dress circle and then down into the depths of the theatre 🎭 into the tunnels that are haunted and then into the war room which houses the bomb that crashed through the theatre in WW2 but luckily didn’t explode and a chair that Adolf Hitler sat in. The tour ended back in the foyer but prior to that we had a quick stop in the Victorian dressing room. We learnt so much. We then had time for a quick cocktail 🍸 in the Cecil Beaton bar (Mumma Parr had an Eliza Dolittle) before making our way back upstairs for our champagne 🥂 afternoon tea 🫖 in the Grand Saloon. Theatre Royal underwent a two year refurbishment after Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber bought it, it closed in 2019, and 60 million pounds later reopened in 2021 having been restored to its former 1812 glory. I am considering offering this as a potential coach 🚌 trip, so would be great to hear your thoughts as to whether you would fancy this. #theatreroyaldrurylane #theatretour #afternoontea