Four Seasons Mexico City
I arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City at midnight on my birthday, after long flights that had left me feeling jet-lagged and exhausted. But as soon as I stepped into the hotel, I felt a sense of calm wash over me.
The Four Seasons is located in a beautiful section of Mexico City, on Paseo de la Reforma, one of the city’s main boulevards. The hotel is an oasis of tranquility in the midst of the bustling city.
My room was compact but comfortable, with a king-size bed, a small balcony overlooking the courtyard, and a marble bathroom. The courtyard was beautifully landscaped with trees, flowers, and a fountain. It was the perfect place to relax and unwind after a long day of travel.
The next morning, I woke up early and headed down to Zanaya, the hotel’s restaurant. I had a delicious breakfast of eggs, fruit, and pastries, all of which were made with fresh, local ingredients.
After breakfast, I spent some time exploring the hotel. I loved the sitting rooms in the lobby, which were perfect for relaxing or meeting with friends.
The hotel offers a variety of dining options, including Zanaya, a fine-dining restaurant; Bellini, an Italian restaurant; and Fifty Mils, a cocktail bar.
The Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City is a great place to stay if you’re looking for a luxurious and relaxing experience in the heart of the city. The hotel’s location is perfect, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the rooms are comfortable and stylish. I highly recommend it!
Warner Brothers’ World – Abu Dhabi
If there’s a theme park… I must go and so off we went to Warner Bros World to spend a day of fun!
What first struck me was the magnificent panorama. Warner Bros World was fully air conditioned and was under a spherical panorama of the night sky!
The park is divided into 5 lands- Bedrock, Dynamic Gulch, Metropolis, Gotham city and Cartoon Junction!
Ofcourse I wanted to try all the Thrill Rides before it got too crowded and so off we went to the roller coasters. Fast and Furry-ous and the Batman Knight Flight were fabulous and fun! But my favourite was the Riddler Revolution which we did twice! The Scarecrow Scare ride made people rethink breakfast so that was a one and done ride for us!
Like they have in Disney, Warner Bros has interactive , lovely shows as well! Villains were fought, Batman appeared and our favourite characters sang songs, danced and made sure they got the children in the crowd involved and clapping !
We then met Scooby Doo on a fun interactive ride, helped Superman out and then tried to shop a bit!
This park takes about 4-6 hours to go through. It’s advisable to come at opening time as we did because then you have access to every land first. Finish one land and then move to the next.
This is an absolutely fabulous experience for kids and the kid in you! Definitely a day well spent!
W, Yas Island
Aditya and I have always enjoyed W Hotels. Whether it’s been Koi Samui or Barcelona, there’s something that relaxes you at a W. As you enter it’s almost a sigh of relief or a feeling equivalent into diving into a swimming pool. And so when the offsite was in Abu Dhabi it seemed like W was the obvious choice. The W hotel is a beautiful structure and the one and only hotel on top of the F1 racetrack.
As you enter the lobby the whiff of coffee from the coffee bar in the lobby accosts you. The vibe is fun and the music loud.
Once you’ve checked in and reached your room, you’ll realise the rooms with their gorgeous view of the track are large; the suites even larger. The W at Yas Island also has longer stay and residence rooms. These rooms are at the far end of the hotel; but here the suites are incredibly large. With huge drawing rooms, 1.5 bathrooms and a large living area; the Residences allow you to really live in the room. The wrap around balcony with the view of the track makes the rooms even more special.
The Bazaar is their main restaurant which boasts of food from across the world, so you’re never really short of options.
Did I think this was the most luxurious hotel… well no! The Six Senses and Kudadoo they are far superior… but definitely the best option at Yas Island.
Best times to Travel-:November to March else the heat is just searing!
Yas Island- Basic Overview
Yas Island was an exciting new adventure. We stayed at the W – more on that later. Yas Island is 25km sq of entertainment.
Yas Island holds the Yas Marina Circuit, which has hosted the Formula OneAbu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009. It is also home to Ferrari World park, which contains Formula Rossa, the fastest rollercoaster in the world.
It is an entertainment hub that is like Las Vegas but instead of gambling you have rides and experiences like none other.
There are stadiums which host the best entertainers in the world and the Marina Circuit hosts the best the world has to offer in terms of racing.
You can also try the autonomous taxis and buses which will be the future of transport and enjoy a self operated ride.
Basically this is a playground for children and adults who want to experience incredible highs and unique experiences.
More on the hotels and experiences in detail later.
Cost of a night at W-: $400- $1000
Yas Marina Circuit Express 3000 Driving Experience
So this is a once in a life time experience. Aditya thought it would be fun to drive in a Formula 3000 car. Sure, why not?! I have never been one to shy away from a challenge…. till you see or rather hear the challenge!
So off we were to the Yas Marina Circuit.
To try , you must have a valid driver’s licence. Well that was fine- Check!
Then you get to the circuit. The car racing and skidding noise as the cars turn is shattering. How was I ever going to do this?Add to that we had a briefing which scares the living daylights out of you.
- You may not drive.
- You may not learn to even start this car
- If you do the above- you may still skid / slide if you drive badly.
- That will cause a crash
- If you crash, that could cause major damage including the car on fire.
Ok. Now I was quite petrified.
We dressed in the jumpsuits and then were led to the car. The car is almost at ground level and the pedals are all the way in front. You must know how to operate a clutch for this, as the car initially starts with the clutch.
Maybe I wasn’t going to be able to do this.
Aditya sensed my fear and told me, if I wasn’t sure ; I could do the trial round and then just quit.
The instructor because I was scared gave me my very own driving instructor to guide me who’d drive in front of me and show me the route.
Helmet on. I started.
What a rush. The instructor drove the first round carefully for me to follow and then left me to my own devices post round 1. Though the main instructor came to check on me there was no way I was stopping now!
Best experience ever. Must Do.
Cost per head-: $ 600 but you must add a video capturing your experience at another $60.
Six Senses Paro
And so after a leisurely breakfast we were off to Paro. The two resorts are at approximately the same height but the Paro resort is minutes away from the airport; so it was definitely a good idea to come here.
On the way to the hotel we stopped at the National Museum. The museum looked has a round , winding structure. The grounds were large and has in its possession over 3,000 works of Bhutanese art, covering more than 1,500 years of Bhutan’s cultural heritage. What was really interesting were the winding staircases that took us down to each floor.
The route was wonderful. Hanging bridges, colourful flags and numerous prayer wheels were at the side of the road as we traveled to this beautiful resort. The cold weather had already made us hungry and we enjoyed the wonderful and warm Bhutanese food as we arrived at the hotel.
Post lunch we went to the room. The room was spacious and large. Unfortunately the altitude was an issue for me now and I started having a little difficulty breathing. The guide was ever prepared and immediately brought out a small oxygen tank which helped me tons. The town of Paro is very quaint with a few shops selling marked up artefacts. It also is dotted with numerous coffee shops.
Six Senses across the world are known for their spas so sure enough in the evening I decided to get a massage. The spa is under ground and a short walk from the main building. The one hour treatment left me feeling relaxed and a lot better than my breathless afternoon.
After a delicious dinner in the room we slept, relaxed post the wonderful massage.
The next morning we left post breakfast to Tiger’s Nest. Now if you plan to trek up to Tiger’s Nest , Paro Taktsang, also known as the Taktsang Palphug Monastery and the Tiger’s Nest is a sacred Vajrayana Himalayan Buddhist site located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley it is advised to leave early if you wish to climb to the top. It is said that this climb can take 4 hours or more. At the half way mark there is a cafe and rest stops. A donkey can carry you up to the half way mark but post that you have to climb yourself.There are about 700 steps down and then 250 steps up at the end. But the steps are a very small part of the journey which consists of a trekking route. Returning, of course, there are about 250 steps down and then 700 steps up. The hike is approximately 6 km.
With me finding it hard to breathe, we didn’t do the trek. We took a few pictures and then drove back to Kyichu Lhakhang.
This was beautiful.The Jowo Temple of Kyichu is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, originally built in the 7th century by the Tibetan Emperor Songtsen Gampo. We walked around the peaceful lawns and prayed and spun the prayer wheels before heading back home.
The evening was an exciting one. We had booked a special temple blessing and post that a wonderful dinner at the ruins of the hotel.
The blessing was glorious. We lit beautiful diyas and then sat in from on monks while they chanted and prayed. It was truly a sublime experience. Post the beautiful blessing we were taken to the ruins which had been lit up just for us. The chef had also made some Indian food in case we were craving that. The meal was in multiple courses but what made the night so special is that they had special local performances. Dances dressed in fabulous costumes and danced traditional celebratory dances for us. The costumes were wonderful. From their traditional Kira to dressing like a dragon; we were treated to a multitude of costumes. The performers danced and sang while food was served. The 2 bonfires and the beautiful lighting served a perfect backdrop to a truly special evening.
Evening done, we slept happy and woke up and checked out at a comfortable time since we were barely minutes from the airport.
Six Senses Thimpu
Six Senses Thimpu is a beautiful hotel. With rooms facing the Great Buddha Dordenma; to wake up in the morning looking at this exquisite sight is truly unbelievable. We arrived in Thimpu about 75- 90 minutes from the Paro Airport. Since our flight had been at an awfully difficult time; we chose to use the day to rest, spa and relax. The Six Senses across the world , are known for their phenomenal spas so it made sense to massage the exhaustion out of us. It also made sense to get used to the altitude. If you do have high blood pressure or do tend to get breathless; this may be something you speak to your doctor about so they can help make the trip a lot easier.
Six Senses curates itineraries for you and I was very happy with the 4 night 5 day itinerary that they had curated for us in Bhutan.
So the next morning we went to see the Great Buddha Dordenma. This is is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world, at 169 feet (52 m). It is important to note that in places of worship; it is important to dress conservatively and wear no cap/ hat. Also within the Buddha there can be no photographs taken.Walking around the Buddha you are able to marvel at the sight of the valleys below and the gorgeous peace radiating from this very holy space. Inside the Buddha you’ll see monks praying and some looking thru Facebook! You’ll also see many altars you can pray from. The space us filled with calm and light.
We then went to the Simply Bhutan Museum which shared with us how locals live, their style of dressing and even the foods that they eat. The museum is tiny but they have a pre arranged tour where you are moved from space to space ; hence it does take approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Post this we were taken to a beautiful park for a picnic lunch. After a quick stop to see the national animal the takin- which is a mixture between a yak, a horse and a bull; we then headed back to the hotel to rest for the evening.
The evening was wonderful. A dance program had been arranged for the lodge with wine and hors d’oeuvres and a series of dances were performed with the tales surrounding these dances. This was absolutely lovely. On a crisp spring evening ; covered in blankets and shawls dancing with locals and watching locals dance was definitely a highlight of our trip.
The next day post a leisurely breakfast it was off to Paro!
Cost-:$1100 per night+Service fee and Tourism fee which varies basis the country you come from
Best times to Travel-:March/ April and May when the weather is pleasant and it’s spring time.
Wild Coast Tented Lodge
Adjacent to the Yala National Park is the spectacular beachfront safari lodge- Wild Coast Tented Lodge. Part of Relaix and Chateau group and another member of Resplendent Ceylon. The lodge is exquisite , tasteful perfect rooms, a gorgeous lobby and a caring and thoughtful staff. Metres away from the Yala National Park, when you stay at the lodge; you can book game drives to see the animals at the park.
To get to the park , you can take a private flight to an airstrip from the airport.
The rooms are lovely. The Cocoon suite with a plunge pool was what we chose and the room was lovely. The room colours worked with the environment and the room was luxury and quirky both. The pool was just a plunge pool but with the warm weather outside was good for a quick dip!
We did an all inclusive trip which involved 3 Game drives and a nature walk with a ranger where we spotted paw marks , saw a variety of birds and even spotted a huge herd of elephants as they came to the watering hole for a drink of water. The Game drives were lots of fun. We saw plenty of elephants and lots of animals easily and the guide was knowledgeable. The guided walk also turned out very fun as walking through the jungle comes with it’s own challenges.
Food at the Lodge was wonderful and they tried to cater to our tastes as best as they could.
They also organised a special candle light dinner for us which had grilled and barbecue food and was delicious. They even organised a fun breakfast in the bush post a game drive!
Though the lodge is bordered by a beach and opens out to the sea; the sand is rocky and the sea rough; so it’s not recommended to swim in.
If you’re looking for a luxury safari lodge near Yala National Park, Wild Coast Tented Lodge is the perfect choice. With its stunning location, exquisite rooms, and attentive staff, this lodge is sure to make your stay unforgettable.
Cost-:US$ 4,712 for four nights on Fully Inclusive Basis- definitely worth it.
Best Times to Travel-:February to June during the dry season. With less water in the ponds, it’s easier to spot animals coming out to drink. The peak season for leopards is February and March. We missed the leopards and just saw a leopard tail as it was asleep on a tree… but maybe you’ll be luckier!
Druk Air
Druk Air- Royal Bhutan Airlines is one of the only flights allowed to land in the extremely difficult Paro Airport. These flights currently in India leave from Delhi and Kolkata but they plan to extend to Mumbai in the near future. This is Bhutan’s national carrier.
There are 2 classes – Business and Economy. The Business class has a sufficient amount of leg room. The seats however do not recline. The seats are comfortable but basic and on a 4 am flight; I really needed to sleep. The welcome drink is a mocktail or cocktail ( a signature recipe).
The crew is polite and unobtrusive. The food service is quick and silent and the coffee is strong!
I really wanted to sleep but I’m glad I was kept awake because the landing in Paro is spectacular. In fact the visibility was so bad we had to take a second round just to land. When you land on the strip bordered with the most gorgeous mountain ranges; you forget about the seats and the mush that masqueraded as food and you marvel at the pilot brave enough to land.
All in all Druk Air is an airline that has a wonderful crew. The airline passes muster. As a national carrier, it rates as above average.
Six Senses Con Dao
It was #ParentTrap again and this time we decided to try the beautiful Six Senses Con Dao. Getting to Vietnam from India does involve multiple flights but Vietnam Airlines has a lovely business class and in a few hours with a couple of change overs we were in Vietnam.
A good note is to organise the Visa from India itself. the additional amount that you pay in India to fast-track your immigration process is well worth it.
Entering in to Con Dao is almost like entering your own private paradise. We’d booked Ocean Front duplex Villas so the beach in front of our Villa was almost exclusively ours. The sea was gorgeous and warm and all the exhaustion from the trip just melted away.
Downstairs we had a fabulous bathtub overlooking the sea and upstairs was a lovely bedroom.
What I loved about Six Senses Con Dao, was that it was effortless for us to plan things to do together. There were so many activities they could plan with you , that spending time with our parents doing fun, interesting things was truly a blast!
So off we were to of a cookery class together- not realising that we were quite literally making our lunch and then eating it as well. There was the uproariously funny water aerobics we took part in and of course the exceptional Chef’s Table Dinner where they introduced us to their fabulous selection of wine.
But the piece d’ resistance was the sundowner and dinner they laid out for us on the last night on the beach- lighting it up with just candles.
The food in Vietnam is light and tasty and the chefs were wonderful working to try and capture all our tastes and likes.
Con Dao should definitely be on your list and you should only stay at Six Senses!
Cost-: $2500 /- approx for an Island Getaway which includes a daily buffet breakfast, round-trip airport transfers ,complimentary homemade ice-cream from 11:30 to 16:30 hrs, a bottle of champagne ,assorted macarons and chocolate dipped fruits, and a plate of savory amenity. ,complimentary minibar: daily replenished, local soft drinks & beers ,one Complimentary experience (once during the stay)
Best times to Travel-:From April to October, turtles nest on the beaches around the Islands.During February to July, the waters around Con Dao are at their clearest for diving, with visibility averaging around 70 to 100 feet. But I loved November to February where the weather is cool and comfortable.
Travel with Divya 