Nogotok

26/09/2022

14/09/2022

14/09/2022

14/09/2022

Armando Al Pantheon is Rome’s most famous restaurant for the traditional Roman dish, Carbonara! You need to book in advance (I booked two weeks in advance), otherwise you’ll have to join the huge queue outside, and when we were there everyone who hadn’t booked was turned away as they just didn’t have room. The restaurant is very small, but the food is exceptionally good and I absolutely loved my Carbonara! It’s also reasonably priced and not too pricey considering how in-demand it is.

Famous Carbonara at Armando Al Pantheon in Rome

Hostaria da Pietro
Hostaria da Pietro is a small local Italian restaurant near the Spanish Steps. It was recommended to us by a local, and we’re so glad it was recommended to us as the food was delicious! It’s very much no-frills, no-fuss, but absolutely chock full of local Romans enjoying meals with their families and friends. A truly local Roman foodie experience and somewhere I can’t wait to return to someday.

Antica Trattoria della Pace
At Antica Trattoria della Pace we enjoyed the most delicious clam and truffle tagliatelle lunch. The restaurant is located just behind the Piazza Navona, and it came highly recommended to us. It was one of my favourite meals the whole time we were in Rome, and it definitely needs to be at the top of your list for when you visit the ancient city.

Clam and truffle tagliatelle at Antica Trattoria della Pace in Rome

Emma
Emma is one of Rome’s most celebrated pizzerias, and I can see why! We dined here very late at night and it was exactly what we were after – exceptionally good pizza with a buzzing atmosphere and full of locals enjoying a late dinner in this tucked away spot near the main sights.

Zanzara
Zanzara is reasonably close to Vatican City, and was where we ate a late lunch enroute to St Peter’s Basilica. We loved the cocktails and Carbonara here (yes, we did basically only eat pasta and pizza the entire trip – When in Rome!), and they had the most moreish fresh bread and salted butter! The restaurant has a very trendy East London/New York vibe to it, and although the interiors were beautiful we chose to sit outside which was the best decision. The weather was glorious and it’s the ideal people watching spot!

Carbonara at Zanzara Rome

Vineria il Chianti
Vineria il Chianti was another restaurant that came highly recommended from our local contact, and once again we had a fabulous meal that didn’t disappoint. We sat outside in the courtyard right by the Trevi Fountain, the scent of Jasmine filling the air, and devoured one last Roman pizza! It wasn’t as good as Emma, and the staff were a little unfriendly (although they were incredibly busy), but it was still worthy of a mention here. Plus the location was fantastic!

La Buvette
I’d spotted La Buvette when we first arrived in Rome, and was desperate to eat there as it just looked incredible. We finally went on our last day in the city and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Once again we enjoyed a huge moreish dish of pasta! We chose the fresh truffle fettuccine and it was absolutely magical and a favourite memory of our time in Rome.

Fresh truffle fettuccine at La Buvette Rome

Ginger Sapori e Salute
Ginger is very different to the other restaurants on this list! Ginger is more of a breakfast/lunch place, with a huge focus on health and wellness foods, so very ideal if you’ve eaten your body weight in pizza, pasta, and gelato, and need a healthy meal. It offers delicious salads and açai bowls made with superfoods and organic ingredients, and is a very chic and beautiful cafe.

14/09/2022

My Favourite Luxury All-Inclusive Resorts.
I’ve stayed at so many luxury hotels over the years, and while the all-inclusive resort often gets a bad reputation, I’m here to tell you why I love them, which ones are my absolute favourites, and why you should consider one for a vacay! They really are the best way to have a vacation and stick to a budget, while not skimping on the luxuries of being away from home. So, let’s get started…

Hillside beach club all-inclusive resort Turkey

Why you should consider an all-inclusive vacation
We’ve all had a tough time with the pandemic, we’re all burnt out, exhausted, traumatised, and in desperate need of some R&R and time-out away from our homes. All-inclusive vacations take almost all of the stress out of planning a trip away, they make it so much simpler to plan and budget for the vacation, and allow you to truly relax. Rather than having to plan and book indivdual flights, tranfers, hotels, and meals, you just pay one fee and that’s it! Naturally there will always be extras, like excursions or sometimes a fancier meal in the most high-end restaurant, but for the most part the fee you book is the fee you pay.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I love an adventurous holiday, or a cultural weekend away exploring a new city. But every so often all I want to do is lay on a beach or by a swimming pool, cocktail in hand, sunshine blaring down onto my wet skin, and the ability to wander a few meters to grab food without having to worry about carrying currency on me or how much something is going to cost. This is where all-inclusives come in.

My top 4 luxury all-inclusive resorts
I’ve been to many all-inclusives over the years, but these four are the absolute best of the best. The ones that really stood out and blew my mind.

Palm Island, The Grenadines
Palm Island in The Grenadines is the ultimate honeymooners paradise, although I actually visited Palm Island with my best friend and we had the best time! Palm is actually a tiny private island in The Grenadines, so the island is purely for you and the other guests staying there. It’s barefoot luxury at its absolute finest, and not only are the staff incredible, but the food and drink is exceptional and the boating excursions are truly unique (Pirates of the Caribbean ‘rum island’ anyone?! Or perhaps you’d like to swim with turtles at the nearby Tobago Cays Marine Park?)

Book a stay at Palm Island

Palm Island Resort The Grenadines

Royal Davui Island Resort, Fiji
Royal Davui Island Resort was one of my favourite resorts I have ever stayed at, ever ever. Ideal for anyone based in Australia or New Zealand, but also doable if you’re based anywhere else in the world (just with a very long flight!), Royal Davui is pure magic. The staff sing a welcome song when you arrive, before you’re handed a cocktail and shown to your villa (or ‘Vale’). The resort is fully eco-friendly, and each villa comes with an ocean-view and a plunge pool, allowing you to sip champagne or eat the homemade banana bread with the most beautiful view before you. Royal Davui have plenty of hidden beaches on the island, but they also have their own private sand cay, which a small speed boat took us to and we enjoyed a private picnic there and spent hours lounging around in the shallows.

Book a stay at Royal Davui

Royal Davui Island Fiji, luxury all-inclusive resort in the South Pacific

Galley Bay, Antigua
Galley Bay in Antigua is the sister resort of Palm Island, so you’re guaranteed the same incredible service, exceptional food offering, and barefoot luxury. Galley Bay is a bit more accessible than Palm, as it’s easier to get to with regular daily flights to and from Antigua from both the US and UK. Antigua also has a lot more to offer if you need entertaining and love a bit of adventure, so is great for those who like to have a few days lazing on the beach, but then need some excitement. When I stayed here I adored roadtripping the island of Antigua, sailing around the island, visiting Nelson’s Historic Dockyard, and exploring an abandoned fort.

Book a stay at Galley Bay

Galley Bay Antigua all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean

Hillside Beach Club, Turkey
Hillside Beach Club in Turkey is actually the only all-inclusive I’ve ever stayed at in Europe as we usually stay in hotels or villas when we visit Europe, but it really blew me away. It was stunning. I’d heard very mixed things before I visited so was a little worried, but I needn’t have been. The food exceeded all expectations – I loved the dessert buffet at dinner and the fresh breakfast at Pasha – and I was also really impressed with the three different beaches, including two adult-only ones, and floating decks that were super relaxing to sunbathe on! They also have two spas, an indoor and outdoor, and I tested them both out and my goodness…they were insane, I experienced some of the best treatments I have ever had and they were unbelievably cheap.

Book a stay at Hillside Beach Club

Hillside Beach Club, Turkey all-inclusive resort

So there you have it, my top luxury all-inclusive resorts around the world! Tell me, where do you want to go next?