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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!
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.
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.
Soneva Kiri
Going to Soneva had been a huge huge wish of mine and so when on one trip we could stay a few extra days that’s where we decided we’d go!
At the Bangkok airport , there’s a separate small counter for Soneva Kiri. Here they check you in and you’re escorted to a lounge. On this particular morning, there was no-one at the counter and it was rather stressful but the next time we took the same trip; they had someone waiting, so I’ll count the first one as an anomaly.
You then board a flight which is about an hour long and you reach a small strip of land converted into an airstrip. From there it’s a boat and you reach the fabulous Soneva Kiri.
The first time Aditya and I went to Soneva Kiri I have to admit it was glorious. The barefoot luxury was at its best and our Ms. Friday (our butler) was incredible. The room is huge and spacious; outside of which there is a glorious pool.You can wander further down into a little beach or you can take your own buggy (with your names) and wander towards the spa, the restaurant or even to just get ice cream.
The first time we traveled to Soneva was in 2018 and the 2nd was in 2022. In 2018 , to go to their private beach you’d take a long tailed boat and in a few minutes you’d e at this most gorgeous strip of land! Now in 2022 , they’ve created a small beach like area on the island itself which you can drive to. Personally I preferred 2018- both the beach and the experience. On both our trips we chose the all inclusive package. This allowed us to enjoy each of the different experiences offered without worrying about the additional cost.
The View is one of their most beautiful spaces. It has fine dining and incredible views. Eating there at sunset is truly memorable.
Cinema Paradiso is also exceptional. to watch films across a strip of water on a large screen is wonderful especially if you love films like Aditya and I do.
We paid only extra for the Treepod dining. The Treepod dining is a wonderful little table on the top of a tree The view is gorgeous, but the service is slow as the staff is quite literally swinging down. This makes the meal longer than necessary and once you tire of the view ; well all you have left is to wait.
Our Ms. Friday was always less than a phone call away and was unobtrusive and yet always available. This was very different on our 2022 trip though. This time our butler was loud, spent time complaining about himself and was an absolute nuisance. In fact if we wanted to do anything, we tried and avoided him as much as possible. And likewise , he avoided picking up our calls as well.
The resort has not aged well in the 4 years and the staff like our Mr. Friday are not doing anything to make the experience memorable. In fact, he has ensured I will never go back again. The rooms is 2022 are still gorgeous, but in 2 of the rooms we tried this time the air conditioning wasn’t working at all. Despite the staff ‘fixing’ the air conditioning in our final room (we had moved 3 rooms thus far), it barely worked and it didn’t help that this was summer.
The one experience however that we truly loved was the trip to Chef Benz for Thai food. This is an exceptional experience. You are taken by long tailed boat to the restaurant and fed till your hearts content. The food is fresh and delicious and thought we had the same experience twice; it was still exceptional!
Would I go back?
No. The butler this time was awful. He wouldn’t pick up calls, was uninterested and rude and had his own drama happening. Service in a hotel of this calibre is paramount and the service had just dropped. You are only as good as your last visit. And so despite the incredible views and the perfect location, the service just was such a let down. A shame, especially since I’d brought my parents to Soneva to show off what I had seen and experienced- ‘a little slice of heaven.’ Sad, that it takes just a lax attitude to destroy even paradise.
Cost-:$1300 upwards for Bed and Breakfast. All inclusive is additional.
Best times to Travel-October to February when the weather is cool
Emirates A380 First Class
There is a reason Emirates First Class is such a cut above the rest.
The cosy suites have large seats which convert into comfortable beds. Every seat has multiple charging points and are equipped with a fabulous treat tray and a small wet bar which holds cokes, sprites and waters. As you comfortably sit you are offered dates and coffee.
The vanity case is full of a luxury Byredo set, featuring a skincare collection made exclusively for flights. This allergy‑free collection hydrates and soothes your skin . And there’s lovely notebook and pen should you want to doodle about your journey or write something down.
As the plane takes off I loved putting a DND outside my cosy First class suite as I shut my door. Service in First class is as you would expect- polished, perfect and respectful. Items on the menu can be eaten at any time and at your convenience. I enjoyed a tub of pop corn while watching my iPad and topped it off with some ice cream!
As you get tired the crew will make up your bed so you can sleep. The mattress is comfortable and I was able to take a quick snooze before I decided on food. The entrees are plated perfectly and the choice is wonderful. Of course you can always order your own meal in advance if you prefer.
The shower and bathroom are glorious. Large and spacious with lots of mirrors and light. The crew set up the bath and shower for you and you can opt for when you wish to shower and someone will set you up. The Bvlgari amenities are perfect.
Sujan Sher Bagh
I’d followed the Sujan brand for a while and I liked the quiet luxury and the few rooms they had , hence for #ParentTrap we decided on Sujan Sher Bagh.
Sujan Sher Bagh is part of Relaix and Chateau. Sujan is about 2.5 -3 hrs from the nearest airport which is Jaipur. We drove there on 4 x 4’s and the car and the ride was comfortable. The team and the butler had been made aware of the madness of #ParentTrap and they were there to greet us as we entered.
The Jungle Suite was very comfortable and beautifully decorated. The jungle theme and tiger accents are all over the room. The luxury tent is comfortable, warm and cosy. Aditya and I chose the Royal Sher Suite which a similar room but had a beautiful , heated plunge pool which was perfect to jump in to in the cold weather of Ranthambore.
Your room costs include all your meals , so as we arrived and checked in, we went straight to lunch. There was a nice mix of continental and Indian foods on the menu, but they were happy to create off menu dishes as well just to make sure we were happy!
In the afternoon we were off for a game drive. The drive was comfortable in the Sujan jeep and we had each were given blankets, binoculars and water to make sure we were very comfortable. We were not very lucky with the tiger, but we saw several other animals and enjoyed the drive and the sunset. We returned for a nice cup of coffee and a wash to get ready for dinner.
The trip was all about the game drives and I interspersed it with spa treatments for all so that they could properly relax. The property is lovely and we enjoyed touring the property and seeing their organic garden and spotting animal tracks and checking camera views of the animals who traversed the property at night.
Post the walk, a beautiful bath had been arranged in the outdoor gold tub and I relaxed and enjoyed the bath getting ready for dinner.
A special dinner was arranged for the family and the table was gloriously decorated with candles. Though they were at full occupancy, our butler never made us feel there was anyone else except for us. The dinner was a perfect Indian meal, that I’d asked for and the cold of Ranthambore was warmed by the heat of the delicious Indian food we were served!
The next morning we were off on a drive again with a warm brandy in some coffee to warm us up and we searched the forest for the elusive tiger. We didn’t see the tiger at all on this trip. It did happen and we did get to see a tiger quite literally at arm’s length ;however, more on that later.
Watching the sun rise in the forest and the birds wake the world up is a glorious feeling. As we returned and post lunch, we enjoyed a visit to the local Dastkaar and a nice dip in the pool before cocktails and dinner in front of a glorious fire, where we caught up with other guests, shared forest stories, laughed and relaxed.
Sujan was a truly special experience. The hotel is designed with personality and thought. The only lapse is that their guide was not very good and we were not advised of game drives and sections of the park so unfortunately we missed the tiger. Had they told us and guided us on what drives to do and for how long, we’d have definitely spotted the tiger at least once. The service however was impeccable and our butler went through my idea of #Parent Trap and ensured he made every moment with our parents a special one.
I’m looking forward to visiting the Sujan in Jaisalmer too !
Cost-:Approximately $1200- $2000 approximately per night for a package which is inclusive of meals but not of game drives.
Best times to Travel-:April to June just before the rains…but then it is very, very warm so be prepared. Personally I enjoyed the winter but animals were few and far between and with our guide often nowhere to be found 🙂 .
Zighy Bay
It was a surprise for the parents and we decided to go to our first (now of many) Six Senses resorts- Zighy Bay. Zighy bay is a 2 Hr drive from Dubai Airport and the resort sends comfortable 4×4’s to pick you up. You could also do a 15-minute speedboat trip from a nearby port or enjoy the ultimate thrill strapped to a professional paraglider. Since we had the parents and since these new arrival weren’t available to us (else I would have paraglided!) we went to the resort by 4 x4.
The mountain entrance was spectacular and dramatic and we were welcomed with a welcoming drink and wet towel to Zighy Bay!
All the rooms are Pool suites and we had taken a Beach front Pool suite, so ours became the hang out spot for the family! The rooms were large, cool and comfortable. Considering the sweltering heat outside, the cool stone floors of the room made for a welcome change from the hot sun outside!
For the first evening, we had a wonderful meal at Sense on the Edge to celebrate our first meal of what we now call #ParentTrap together. The food was contemporary, fresh and modern and was light and beautifully plated.
The first night was hard for me as I had the most incredible migraine. The heat in summer is unforgiving and this is something one must think about. The next morning though, I felt a lot better and was happy to jump in to the sea. The sea is incredible… The water was warm and inviting. The sea was almost like a gigantic swimming pool and the family and I spent the next few days blissfully swimming in the glorious sea!
Through Zighy Bay we also decided to do a snorkelling session. They took us by boat and at a few reefs we were told we could snorkel and swim around. The reefs were lovely and colourful. The reefs in the Maldives are a lot nice though, I felt however I am told the diving is quite spectacular around Oman. We swam a bit but this was exhausting as the currents were quite strong. The water was refreshing, the fish colourful and the outing was nice as we got to see the rock formations at Zighy Bay.
What I loved most about this trip , was the sense of privacy we felt. It was like the whole resort just had our family. Though we knew there were other guests and families, the space that this resort has is beautiful and the distance between the villas allows for a completely secluded area for you and your family.
For breakfast we were given the option to eat in the room or at the Spice market. And where my Dad loved wandering around and eating at the restaurant, Aditya and I lazed in bed and sat out near our pool and ate there and soon after rushed to the sea.
Zighy Bay is an oasis of calm. It is a spectacular hotel to escape to to just escape. For those who love sun, sand and picturesque views this is it. There is this gorgeous line with the white sand, the blue ocean and the brown rugged mountains that is absolutely postcard perfect.
Cost-:Approximately $2400 per night in season for a beachfront pool villa.
Best times to Travel-: October to April when it’s not to hot!
Capers at Cape Weligama
Cape Weligama was where we chose to spend our anniversary!Now for those who know me, they know these are important celebrations. I love celebrating love and since Aditya loves Sri Lanka, we decided we should try out a hotel we’d always wanted to visit.
It takes about 2 hours to get to the resort from the airport. We arrived way too early in the morning, but were immediately taken to breakfast and allowed to relax at the pool while the room was made ready for us. The swimming pool was gorgeous. An infinity pool that was truly breathtaking , but it was not the only pool at the hotel. Our room had its own pool and our view was the sea. Waking up and just dipping into the pool was by far the best way to wake up!
Our room was a Pool Villa and was more than comfortable. It was large and bordered with a beautiful plunge pool.
We took an all inclusive plan and also made note that our anniversary was during our stay; so planned on a private romantic dinner as well.
Walking the grounds was incredibly relaxing and therapeutic. The staff was incredible and was always predicting our needs even before we had asked for something.
Walking down towards the beach was an adventure. The hotel has a small strip of private beach and when you get there it’s quite literally like you’re all alone on a strip of sand!
What I loved was that a 3-4 minute drive/ 10 minute walk got you to a slightly larger beach where they would do whale tours and where you may get a chance to see gorgeous whales in the ocean. We tried our luck. We didn’t see just one- we saw six huge whales arms length away from our small dinghy all in the span of an hour or so.
Cape Weligama decided to celebrate our anniversary with a special dinner in the middle of one of their many swimming pools. Wading through the pool we enjoyed the playfulness of the table setting and relaxed under the stars with a perfect three course meal!
Cape Weligama is the perfect place to reconnect and to spend time as a couple. It allowed us to explore, to have fun and to engage in all that nature has to offer. The fact that the resort was so expansive and the service so customised and discreet allowed us to feel like we were the only guests the hotel had.
Cost-:$1500- $2500 per night for the pool and duplex pool villa all inclusive.$604 for the Junior suite with breakfast only.
Best times to Travel-: December to March – this is when the nights are cool and the days not too hot!Also it’s whale watching season.
Travel with Divya 