Leisure | Travel gems by Miss Sophie

Tag: Leisure
- Boen Gård – a gem in the South of Norway
  
  Posted at 12:39 pm by mylifemyworldrg, on June 7, 2020
  You get this warm feeling in your heart, like falling in love, when you discover something wonderful perfect, that really extend your expectations. You want everyone else to go there and have the same experience too, because it is truly wonderful. This is how I feel after staying a perfect night at Boen Gård nearby Kristiansand in Norway. I will try to express this in this blog with some pictures, but you have to go visit to get the true feeling and experience.
  
  Boen Gård is a small hotel, with only 18 rooms in different buildings. Boen Gård is from year 1520 and has an interesting history. When the buildings have been renovated over the last couple of years, they have managed to preserve some of the original materials and keep the touch of their history. Boen Gård has previously been a place for salmon fishers. Located just by the river, it is just a few steps before you are ready to start fishing. The surroundings are beautiful, and when the sun is shining and you have a walk by the river, you discover many beautiful scenery. Norway is a beautiful country
  The river view from the hotel
  
  Welcome to Boen Gård
  
  The Bar
  
  The room we had was in the main building, and was very comfortable. You had the view to the river from your window. On the walls there was pictures related to the history and fishing. You also had some old books about salmon fishing, if you spend several days and have time for reading.. I loved that there were a lot historical items in the room, and also some related to the salmon fishing. The ambience was kept very well with the history and the property.
  
  Bedroom in main building
  In the main building you also find the restaurant. Smaller rooms making the atmosphere very good. Wonderful rooms, well kept and in harmony. Flowers from the garden on the tables. Candle lights in the evening making it even more cosy.
  The dinner was perfect. 5 course dinner, with some small additions, ending up with 8 courses. All dishes very tasteful and very nice presented. The wine package made the total experience even more perfect. They are using only local products, and some of them are also made on the farm.
  
  When the setting, ambience and total experience exceed your expectations, then you have to grab the opportunity to make it even more magical.. So I had a glass of a Madeira from 1834. A wonderful ending of a perfect dinner.
  The breakfast was just as good as the dinner. Fresh products, nice presented. First we got a plate with some cheese, sausages, salmon and fresh salad. Together with a wonderful warm and freshly baked sourdough bread. Some nutella (homemade I assume). The butter “Søren så godt” was from Hodne Gård in Evje, Setesdalen. And it was “damn good”..
  
  Next plate consisted of yogurt with honey from the farm, waffles, fresh fruit and strawberries and some more homemade honey and jam.
  
  In addition you could have some warm dishes, different eggs, baked tomato, sausages, bacon..
  After breakfast we had a walk along the river and different paths on the property. The sun was shining and the scenery was beautiful.
  From around the farm
  The most recently renovated building
  It is hard to convey how great this stay was. I recommend you to go visit and explore yourself. I think you get a very good value for money. If you enjoy smaller hotels, with a lot of history, charm and ambience, you appreciate the attention to details, fresh and local products, and a staff team who do the most for you to relax, enjoy and explore their wonderful hotel.. Then go visit Boen Gård! A member of De Historiske
  
  Some videos to the end
  
  From the tour we had together with the Maître d’hôtel
  Posted in hospitality, Hotels, nature, norway, travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged #agder, #boengård, #dehistoriske, #dehistoriskehoteller, #heritage, #Kristiansand, #salmonfishing, #travelinspiration, #travelnorway, Dining, food, gem, history, holidays, hotel, Hotels, Leisure, nature, norway, travel, travelling, wine
- The unique Dalen Hotel in beautiful Telemark, Norway
  
  Posted at 11:19 am by mylifemyworldrg, on May 31, 2020
  
  The good thing about this summer, is that I have to travel and experience my own wonderful country. You are always looking for the unique and beautiful experiences in other countries, and forget to have a look at your own. This weekend I visited Telemark County, and stayed at the unique Dalen Hotel. The weather was excellent making the experience even more fantastic. Dalen Hotel, a member of the Historical Hotels of Norway Historical Hotels of Norway, have managed to preserve the original building and ambience from 1894. I love the architecture and the location.
  
  I booked a package at Dalen ” Hike – In the footprints of the Rui girls”. It included both Afternoon Tea, 3-courses dinner and breakfast. When you arrive at Dalen Hotel, you sense that your are heading back in time. The hotel offers you quiet and a time to relax and recharge. And the surroundings both inside and outside the hotel encourage you to just take a deep breath, clear your mind, relax and enjoy. This is not a place to go if you are looking for a party..
  
  Since the building is from 1894 some of the rooms are without bathroom, you have a common on in the hall. The rooms are well equipped with nice amenities. Bathrobe and slippers, sparkling water, antibac.. No TV, but you don’t have the time to miss it.
  
  We arrived early, and started the stay with the afternoon tea as lunch. Since the weather was so nice, it was served on the terrace in front of the hotel. After the lunch we had a walk to Rui Gård, in the footprints of the Rui girls. The hike is mainly 700 hundred something sherpa made stairs. Some nice viewpoints on the way up. It took us about 25 minutes in “normal” speed. Very nice view from Rui Gård, and a very nice place to rest with a cup of coffee.
  
  You can either walk or drive to Vest-Telemark Museum, to have a look at Eidsborg Stave Church and the outdoor museum. The indoor museum was closed due to Corona Virus.
  
  My recommendation is to not plan to much, but spend the time enjoying the wonderful Dalen Hotel and the scenery. The ambience, architecture and decor of the hotel. Learn about the history.
  
  In the evening, the three courses dinner was served in the Bandak Restaurant. The staff team was very nice and the courses well presented. Personally the dinner did not meet my expectations in regards of taste and preparations.
  
  In the bar there was live piano music after dinner
  
  Breakfast next morning was a served on the table with some a la carte choices, as omelette and eggs in different options, due to corona. It was nice presented. You could also have a glass of champagne. The cup of tea outside afterwards was very nice, the bright sun and looking at MS Henrik Ibsen leaving.
  
  A canal cruise I recommend as well, a very nice experience and a perfect way to explore Telemarkskanalen. This time I could not book tickets, but I have explored it once before.
  
  Dalen Hotel, a wonderful place to stay, a step back in time, as a fairytale. And the nature in Telemark is very nice, especially when the weather is a nice as it was these two days in May. Here are some last images… The Stave Church is in Heddal, 1,5 hours drive from Dalen
  
  Posted in hospitality, Hotels, nature, norway, travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged #dalen, #dalenhotel, #heritage, #telemark, architecture, beauty, food, history, hotel, Hotels, inspiration, Leisure, nature, norway, travel
- Gems to visit in Norway when we can start travel again
  
  Posted at 11:17 am by mylifemyworldrg, on March 22, 2020
  
  It is extraordinary times, we are all trying to stay safe for the Covid-19 virus and staying at home. Boarders are closed and countries locked down. We have to respect this and contribute to prevent the infection to grow. One of the effects are that hospitality business is almost totally closed down, hotels are empty and employees have no longer work.
  
  When society begins to open up again, we will see a change from before. This year I am sure there will still be limited travelling across boarders. This gives us an opportunity to explore our own countries, and support the travel and hospitality business in our own country to get the wheels turning and start to grow again, and it is super important. These days we are taking responsibility to prevent infection of Covid-19 to grow, in a few weeks or months we have to take responsibility to get the economy moving again, we have to stay at hotels, eat at restaurants, start to use and support all the different businesses in our own countries so people can get back to work and the economy to grow.
  
  I am living in the beautiful country of Norway. I am working in the hospitality business and I have visited a lot of beautiful places. I can’t wait to start exploring more of my own country, I get surprised time after time for all the wonderful gems I discover when I am travelling in Norway. And we have the most wonderful and beautiful nature. People are different, some prefer to stay at larger properties with more options, some at small properties with more soul, charm and ambience. Some prefers cities with shopping and culture, some prefers nature, silence and smaller towns. In Norway we have everything. When doing a road trip in Norway you can experience a little bit of everything. There are so many gems in Norway, and I just want to introduce some of the options for you.
  
  At first, when you are road-tripping in Norway, do some research in advance to get to know your unique options. We have some smaller chains and hotel groups that you maybe don’t know so much about, and they are offering some unique experiences and some of them unique locations as well.., as De Historiske , Classic Norway, Fjordtind Hotels and many more.. in additions to many independent hotels. And then we have the larger chains as Nordic Choice Hotels located all over the country and mainly in the cities. Everyone have staff teams waiting for you, and want to give you the best experience.
  
  I also recommend to visit the site to Up Norway who can assist you and suggest some unique experiences, not only for accommodation, but activities as well. I guess they are the ones knowing most about Norway and every small supplier of experiences. Visit their site, and get in contact with them to make your travel and holiday in Norway even more unique.
  
  I have some wonderful hotels I want to share with you, but this is just a few of hundreds of wonderful, unique hotels in this country. We are so lucky, and this year is the perfect time to travel in Norway for Norwegians, and next year we are ready to welcome from all over the world again. (Hopefully, and maybe already this year.., but first stay safe)
  
  Amerikalinjen is my new favourite in our capital Oslo. Perfectly located, in a building with history and ambience, a lovely staff team and great Bar and Restaurant. Everything you need for a city break. Please go stay and enjoy.. These days they even offer a very good discount if your book before end of April and stay before end of August. This is a great opportunity, just book for summer and go visit!
  
  Why not visit The Well and give yourself a unique spa experience? Treat yourself with a day visit and try to explore as many as possible of the different rituals, and your mind will be completely changed and you will want to go again and again. You have to be prepared to have a bit open mind (at least Norwegians) because there will a bit more nudity than usual, just try to relax and enjoy the relaxing feeling and the experience of the rituals and then enjoy a good lunch or dinner in the restaurant. It is worth it..
  
  Britannia in Trondheim.. member of Leading Hotels of the World, beautiful refurbished, plenty of choices for food and beverage. Even if it might be a bit more expensive than others, it is very good value of money. Just go visit! This is a must visit hotel..
  
  rhdr
  
  hdrpl
  
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  fznor
  
  Brakanes Hotel – is perfectly located by the fjord in Ulvik, Hardanger. My dream is to explore this hotel on a sunny day in summer. Enjoy the views, lower my shoulders, zip on a glass of white wine and breath the fresh air.. Fjordtind Hotels have two more hotels in Hardanger located by the fjords with great views. You should not miss out on one of these..
  
  At Strand Hotel Fevik – you can get the feeling of being in the south of Europe on a warm and sunny summer day. The sand beach, the garden, the sea view. Eating lunch at the terrace. The hotel is situated in Fevik, between the towns of Arendal and Grimstad. Dyreparken just a 30 minutes drive away. Perfect for families. Stay for a couple of days.. one night is not enough.
  
  ptr
  
  rhdr
  
  ptr
  
  nfd
  
  Støtvig Hotel is beautiful situated at the seaside at Larkollen, another wonderful hotel to visit at summertime (or any time of the year..) Nice view from the Restaurant and terrace. Breakfast buffet is very good (if buffet will be an option in restaurants this summer..) Anyway a very nice place to visit.
  
  Quality Hotel Sogndal – I have to add this hotel as well, if you are driving one west coast of Norway, Sogndal could be an option to stop for a night. At Quality Hotel Sogndal, which is a bit lager property, you can choose between to good restaurants, and you find a good fitness room as well 🙂 You have to keep fit as well…
  
  Røros is worth mentioning, I only have pictures from the wintertime, but this charming town with so much history and ambience should be visited as well..
  
  hdr
  
  hdr
  
  Once again this is just a very few of hundreds of beautiful hotels all over Norway, I will try to introduce some more later.
  
  Take care, stay safe and stay at home until further notice… And when we can start travel again, support the hospitality business and help them get the wheels turning again..
  
  Posted in hospitality, Hotels, nature, norway, travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged gems, history, holidays, hospitality, Hotels, inspiration, Leisure, life, nature, norway, travel, travelling
- Istanbul – vibrant and loads of history
  
  Posted at 2:12 pm by mylifemyworldrg, on October 17, 2019
  
  Istanbul is a “must visit”. I didn’t know before I actually did visit.. and I had to come back again and again..
  
  View to Hagia Sofia from Seven Hills Restaurant
  
  This wonderful, vibrant city, with all its history, and being part of both Europe and Asia making it even more interesting. It is a colorful city with a lot of charm. The city have several districts being quite different from each other. You cannot be bored in Istanbul. There are so much to see, experience and learn about. There are a lot of wonderful places in the world, but if you just have to chose one – chose Istanbul and you get a taste and experience of “everything”.
  
  Sultanahmet is the Old Town of Istanbul were the famous Hagia Sofia (Ayasofya) and Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Sultanahmet Camii) is situated. Sultanahmet is the district in Istanbul with most tourist, and can be very crowded. But still a very nice, colorful and vibrant place, with different bazars, a lot of restaurants and some shops. And of course a lot of hotels and other accommodation. It is a very nice place to stay, and easy to use the tram to move around in Istanbul. If you are staying for a longer stay or more than one visit, the Istanbul Card is recommendable.
  
  When starting to write on this blog, I realized it is to much to write about for just one post, but I will try to..
  
  View to Hagia Sofia from Seven Hills Restaurant
  
  Hagia Sofia
  
  Hagia Sofia is a former cathedral, which became a mosque, but is now a museum. The history, and the beautiful inside of Hagia Sofia is worth a visit. The architecture is wonderful and so many unique Mosaics.
  
  Gülhane Park is situated in connection to Sultanahmet , a nice park were you can have a short walk in relaxing surrandings, if you want to get away from the crowd.
  
  Nearby you also find Yerebatan Sarnici or Basilica Cistern, with the Medusas. An interesting story, and this attraction is both cheap and do not have this long queues as many of the others.
  
  On the other side of Bosphorus you find Karaköy with Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) and the Taksim shopping street. A visit on the top of Galata Tower gives you the best view of Istanbul, but here again – there is a lot of people and you have to stand in line for a while to get the opportunity to explore this view..
  
  In Taksim shopping street you find all kinds of shops, expensive to cheap, and Istanbul is a good place to shop. You can find very cheap alternatives to whatever you would like to shop.
  
  In Taksim you also find nice cafés and bars, as you find all over Istanbul. You can always find some good food here, their food is inspired from both continents, and every country and culture around Turkey, and “added” their own traditions. The food is tasty and with flavors and colors 🙂 .
  
  A very good option to dine is one of the restaurants situated by the Bosphorus
  
  Mado Café
  
  Desserts and sweets
  
  Turkish tea
  
  Mado is of Turkish origin and their ice creams are made of goat milk. It is very tasty, and the goatmilk taste is not strong. Mado have a history of more than 100 years. And you can choose between plenty of tasty desserts and ice cream flavors.
  
  A daytrip to Price Island (or Kızıl Adalar in Turkish) is absolute to recommend. The ferry takes about an hour, and there are different island to choose between. The largest island Büyükada, is a really nice and charming island. I recommend to rent some bicycles and bike around the island to get to know ot and see all the charming Ottoman Mansions and beautiful views, a wonderful experience.
  
  Beautiful scenery with Istanbul and the beginning of the sunset in behind, when the ferry is bringing you back from Adalar / Prince Islands.
  
  The Ortaköy area of Istanbul is also very nice. More quiet, but still very vibrant. A very good option to were to stay, and very nice view as well. The Ortaköy Mosque is the “landmark” of this area.
  
  There are also many different cruises to join at Bosphorus, both daytime and night. If you choose to go, I recommend you to do good research to find one that will suit you. There are different dining options, music and entertainment. The pricerange and the quality varies a lot. For me, I don’t think it was value for money. Even if you have nice views, the total experience was not worth the money, but then I probably should have choose another cruise supplier.
  
  Views of Istanbul..
  
  Since I have been in Istanbul a couple of times I have tried different hotels as well. My favorite is Kempinski Ciragan Palace, but Swissotel The Bosphorus was a very pleasant surprise. Both are in Besiktas area, with some distance from Sultanahmet. In Sultanahmet area I can recommend Hotel Yasmak Sultan. It is located just a few minutes walk from Hagia Sofia, and only 2 minutes from the Tram Station. The restaurant is situated on the top and have very nice views on both sides of the city. The room and bathroom was delicate and fresh. And they have both pool and gym.
  
  Another option is Celine Hotel situated on the other side of Hagia Sofia. This is a Ottoman Mansion with only 14 rooms, so breakfast and facilities are limited. Nice, but don’t think I will stay there again.
  
  On the Galata Tower side, Karaköy, you find 10 Karaköy Istanbul a sbe hotel. Not a favorite either if you are looking for value for money. The rooms are small, and breakfast average. But interior are nice and delicate.
  
  Then we have Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul, i really liked this one, it was large but not too large. It was vibrant and modern. The room had a very nice view to the Bosphorus, and had plenty of amenities.
  
  And I loved of course the rooftop bar and the view..
  
  Kempinski has another price range, but it is my favourite, and I have stayed there three times, so it have to have it’s own blog post..
  
  I will have different recommendations for different people, because Istanbul have everything, and it depends on what you want to experience and prefer of accommodation and surroundings. Please let me know if you have some questions, I will be happy to assist!
  
  Posted in travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Adalar, architecture, Bosphorus, city, Colors, Dining, Galata Tower, Hagia Sofia, historical, history, holidays, Hotels, inspiration, Istanbul, Karaköy, Leisure, life, Museum, Ortaköy, Ottoman, Prince Islands, shopping, Sultanahmet, Taksim, travel, travelling, Turkey, View
- Athens – heritage, architecture and charm
  
  Posted at 10:06 am by mylifemyworldrg, on July 25, 2019
  
  It is time to start to post some of my travels the past year. It has been a busy year, and time flies. When it slows down in the summertime, you get the time to reflect on what has passed and everything you have explored. And Athens is one of the beautiful cities I have had the pleasure to explore.
  
  Athens has the beauty and charm of the heritage sites and buildings around the city, together with charming streets and wonderful views. All this makes it a wonderful city to visit. And for me that loves history and architecture – perfect. The city center is not that big, and can be crowded as it is a popular city for tourists. I visited in August, and according to the locals it is not so crowded this month because the locals are out of town on vacations.
  
  Since I am not to happy in standing in line for the tourist attractions, I have found my own “way” of exploring the most without. The first day on my trips I usually get on one of the Hop On Hop Off busses to get to know the city and “identify what to explore more in detail”.
  
  Acropolis
  
  In Athens I loved to stroll around in the charming streets, were you still feel the heritage ambiance.
  
  And then I am always looking for a nice place to dine.. preferably with a view and some charm and great food, wine and quality..
  
  Luckily I discovered this place in Athens on my first day, and came back again and again.. A warm recommendation to visit Tudor Hall at King Georges perfectly situated on the Syntagma square. Here you get everything, the wonderful view, ambiance, attention, food and drinks.
  
  And in the evening I am hunting for the sunset. I enjoy to sit and relax and watch the beauty of the sunsets. I found the perfect setting for this at Hilton Athens..
  
  And yes, we returned to enjoy it with our dinner several nights
  
  As a Leading Hotels of the World traveler I stayed at the Divani Caravel Hotel in the beginning of my stay in Athens. I was upgraded to a suite with a very nice view to the Acropolis. The swimmingpool on the rooftop had also a nice view.
  
  One morning I had a perfect room service breakfast in my room
  
  After some days here, we moved to Syntagma Square area and stayed at NJV Athens Plaza.
  
  Here we enjoyed most the location and were happy of having King George and Grand Bretagne as “neighbours”, with more wonderful views and great dining.
  
  The last night I explored the beaches of Athens, staying at Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso. A wonderful gem, and I got this room with a great balcony and view..
  
  Enjoying life 🙂
  
  Sunset and evening ambiance by the pool area
  
  Breakfast on the balcony with a perfect view in a quiet morning
  
  So, do I want to go back and visit Athens again? Yes, I do!
  
  You know my blogspots are not so into details, so feel free to contact me if any questions on how, what, why’s.. 🙂
  
  Posted in Hotels, travel | 1 Comment | Tagged ancient, architecture, Athens, beauty, city, Colors, Dining, Greece, historical, history, Hotels, inspiration, Leisure, life, nature, restaurant, travel, travelling, View, World heritage
- Giraffe Manor
  
  Posted at 6:48 am by mylifemyworldrg, on March 30, 2018
  
  A perfect day, this is what we experienced when we stayed at the Giraffe Manor. If you have the opportunity to travel and visit this wonderful hotel with the beautiful and gentile giraffes – do it!
  
  We arrived at 11.00 am after being picked up at our hotel location in Nairobi. It was so quiet and beautiful to sit down outside the manor and just listen to the singing birds and surroundings. The welcome was very attentive and warm, and the staff team was very caring. We got served refreshments while filling out all formalities. It was no rush, and for me that was wonderful, just sit quietly and enjoy the surroundings.
  
  Giraffe Manor from the parking entrance
  
  We stayed in the beautiful room “Daisy”. The room was not so large, but had light and bright colors, and very charming bathroom and a wonderful terrace. I loved it.
  
  A personal welcome note and fresh roses
  
  From our terrace;
  
  My recommendation is to arrive early so you have the chance to enjoy the property before the Afternoon Tea at 17.00 when we have the first interaction with the giraffes and get to feed them and get photos.
  
  We got served this wonderful lunsj on the patio, the food was so tasteful and the ambiance perfect.
  
  The manor have some beautiful common areas, I really loved the Living Room with the grammofon playing evocative music, so you kind of felt going back in time.
  
  Dining room in the Manor
  
  At 17.00 the giraffes came for Afternoon Tea, and we got to feed them with pellets and got a lot of pictures and videos. A lot of fun
  
  Later we had dinner together with some of the other guests at the Manor in the Main Dining Room, it was a candle light dinner.
  
  Early the next morning at 6.00 am the first giraffe came to get fed by the guestroom windows and terrace. And later we eat breakfast together. It was a wonderful and fun experience.
  
  And some videos at the end..
  
  Posted in Hotels, travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged africa, architecture, beautiful places, beautifulhotels, beauty, bucketlist, Charming, decor, exploring, gem, giraffe manor, giraffes, holidays, hotel, Hotels, inspiration, kenya, Leisure, life, luxury, luxuryhotel, luxurytravel, nairobi, nature, travel, travelling, View
- Nairobi Serena Hotel
  
  Posted at 6:45 am by mylifemyworldrg, on March 26, 2018
  
  Wow – due to constructions and renovation work, your first impression is not the best. BUT, when checked in and you experience the hospitality and the afrikan ambiance of this hotel, you discover this is a gem!
  
  As a leading hotels of the world traveler, we were upgraded to a small suite, perfect for us. The room had a lot of amenities from Elemis (spa products) and other small details as a fresh red rose on the toilet and a big bouquet of roses at the working desk.
  
  In the evening we got complimentary Nederburg sparkling wine from South-Africa, together with some fruit. When we checked in there were a big basket with Out of Africa products as coffee, tea, nuts and chocolate. It felt as a lot, and again – from my opinion to be a member of leading hotels of the world is adding a lot of value to your stay (not any add, just a fact)
  
  The ambiance by the Pool Side Bar and Restaurant was very nice, the staff team very attentive and kind, and the food very good. We tried the Kenyan speciality from the menu.
  
  The Breakfast buffe was large and with a lot of fruit and juices.
  
  A very good start at our fist visit in Kenya and Africa. Today we are going to stay at the Giraffe Manor, and we are very much looking forward to it. And then we will revisit Nairobi Serena Hotel tomorrow, and it will be the perfect end on our short Nairobi Vacation.
  
  Posted in Hotels, travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged africa, Dining, gem, holidays, hospitality, inspiration, kenya, Leisure, life, nairobi, restaurant, travelling
- Exploring Beverly Hills & Hollywood
  
  Posted at 2:14 pm by mylifemyworldrg, on January 1, 2018
  
  This year we decided to visit and explore Los Angeles and California during the holidays. It was a good decision, we had a wonderful time.
  
  We stayed 4 nights in Beverly Hills, at Mr. C which is a member of The Leading Hotel of the World. The hotel was situated quite good in Beverwil Drive, not to far from Rodeo Drive.
  
  Rodeo Drive was dressed up for the holiday season, and I loved this area of the city. So clean and beautiful decorated. It felt safe to walk around alone, both in the shopping street of Rodeo Drive, and also the whole street while I one day walked all the way from Beverly Hills Hotel in Sunset Boulevard down to Wilshire Hotel.
  
  Sunset at Rodeo Drive
  
  Christmastree at Rodeo Drive
  
  Beautiful signs
  
  Rodeo Drive
  
  The visit in LA was very good, but not everything was as expected. For me Beverly Hills has been a very positive surprise, while Hollywood for me was a turn down. I had expected that Hollywood was more glamorous, but appeared to be a “tourist trap” with very little charm – from my perspective. I understand that people would like to see the Hollywood sign and the Stars on Walk of Fame, but there is nothing else to see or experience. The area appeared dirty and with a lot of people trying to force you to buy everything from a sightseeing trip to a CD. For me it was quite fussy.
  
  Luckily we had this Best of Hollywood Food Tour the second day, were we had a private tour guide telling us a lot about the history of Hollywood. That added some value.
  
  Trisha, our private guide, had picked out some very nice places for us to visit and dine. First, she guided us around the Hollywood Boulevard area and taught us a lot about the history of Hollywood and the history of the different theaters.
  After a good hour, we started to drive to different restaurants. interesting places we would not have found or chosen by ourself. We had the best pizza ever from the Pizza Mozza 2go – try it if you are in the neighbourhood.
  
  At Mr. C we enjoyed the accommodation and the balcony. One morning we had breakfast on the balcony after view the sunrise.
  
  Bellini welcomedrink
  
  The Bar
  
  Christmastree
  
  Breakfast with a view
  
  Sunset
  
  Mr. C – Hall
  
  Lemons in the garden
  
  Continental Breakfast
  
  Restaurant
  
  Sunrise – Looking at Los Angeles Downtown
  
  Breakfast on the balcony
  
  Sunrise
  
  View Los Angeles Downtown
  
  One of the days I strolled around in Beverly Hills, and visited some of the beautiful hotels. Had tea at wonderful Peninsula Beverly Hills and had a very good lunch at Beverly Hills Hotel (Dorchester Collection).
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Wilshire Hotel – Four Season
  
  Wilshire Hotel – Four Season
  
  Wilshire Hotel – Four Season
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Peninsula Beverly Hills
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Teatime at Peninsula
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Christmastree at Peninsula
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
  
  Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection