The world´s best Garden Restaurants

Sometimes when you visit a city it is nice to find these Garden Restaurants. They are the hiddens gems where you can relax and enjoy the feeling of beeing in a secret garden in the middle of a buzzing city.



  

1. France, Paris: A lunch in the garden of restaurant Laurent is marvellous. Check out the the beautiful pictures on their website. Oui!
2. Italy, Rome. Hotel 47 has a trendy internal courtyard. Let your feet and wallet rest, relax here after a day of shopping and sightseeing.
3. Austria, Vienna: If you prefer a luxury lunch in a garden. Have a lunch in the garden of Steirereck im Stadtpark (in the city park). It is a Relais & Chateaux Restaurant . The “Steirereck” in Vienna is located in the heart of the central "city park", close to the famous Johann Strauss statue
4. UK, London. The Roof Gardens, restaurant Babylon has a fantastic view. It is located on the top floor of a building on Kensington High Street, in the middle of London. There is actually a garden here with real ducks.
5. South Africa, Franschhoek. This is one of my favourite areas in South Africa. There are so many super nice hotels and restaurants here. The wineyards of Vrede en Lust, Graham Beck, La Motte and Rupert & Rothschild, do I need to say more?  Have a lunch in the garden of the awardwinning Monneaux Restaurant resturant.
6. Sweden, Stockholm. Millesgården. I was totally stunned when I saw all the beautiful huge statues by Carl Milles. (visit only when the weather is nice).
7. South Africa, The Irene lodge is located in the middle of Johannesburg and Pretoria. It is really nice and have great jazz lunches in the weekends.
8. Spain, Costa Brava. It is quite expensive, but outside in a garden, with great food and off the tourist streets is restaurant Toc de Sol in Castell d’Aro very close to Platja d’Aro.
9. Thailand, Bangkok. The garden restaurant by the Chao Phraya River of the hotel Mandarin Oriental is marvellous. Go here in the evening and enjoy the atomosphere. I just love it! After dinner you should visit the Baboo bar for some jazz music.

Do you know any more cosy or luxury garden restaurants? Please leave a comment here so I can add it to my list.

My best pictures from Mumbai, India

India has a special place in my heart. I had an amazing trip to Mumbai in India. I stayed at the luxurious Taj Palace hotel, tried traditional Indian clothes and felt like princess. Check out my pictures from the trip below.

Washing clothes

Amazing traffic...

Lux living at Taj Palace Hotel

The view from the Taj Palace hotel in Mumbai

The Gate of India





Sunset in Mumbai

What are your favourites in Mumbai? Please leave a comment here to share it with other Mumbai travellers.

The best roof top bars in the world



Bab-al-shams in the Dubai desert



The best roof top bars in the world... are problably the best place to get a fab view and drink in a new city. Amazing views...



Here is a list of some of my favourites that I have visited and can recommend to you.

• The Ramses Hilton by the Nile in Cairo, Egypt. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Nile and the Pyramids from the 36th-floor.
• I just love the view of the desert! And if you get thirsty visit the lovely roof top lounge at Bab-al-shams in the Dubai desert.
• The bar Heaven 23 at Gothia Towers is famous for its shrimp sandwhiches and the gorgeous view over Gothenburg, Sweden.

Some other fabulous places:

• ShanghaiTerrace at The Peninsula Chicago, US. An Asian inspired menu in one of Chicagos best hotels.
• M Bar at MO Hong Kong. Wow, what a view!
• ToTTs at The Excelsior, Hong Kong. Enjoy a lobster burger & drink on the 34th floor with view of the Harbour and the city skyline.
• The Megaron 5th Bar Restaurant GDM
• Megaron Luxury Hotel, Heraklion Greece. Crete island is one of my absolute favorite Greek island.
• China Moon roof terrace at MO Munich, Germany, with at fab 360 degree panorama of the city.
  

  

  Ramses Hilton by the Nile in Cairo, Egypt

  
• There is a very cool rooftop bar at Naumi with great views over Singapore.
• The Sky Bar in Toronto has stunning panoramic view of the Toronto skyline and harbor. Nice!
• St James’s Hotel & Club in London, UK, has a rooftop bar overlooking St James’s and Westminster.
• Drai´s in Hollywood. It has a roof top bar with a pool and restaurant. Check out the picture of this place!

 Have I missed any amazing top roof bar in the list? Please leave a comment here and let me know so I can add it. Cheers!

Prague in 24 hours

Do you only have one day to spend in Prague? Don´t worry. This is your guide to an amazing 24 hours in romantic Prague. Enjoy!

08.00 Breakfast at the Four Seasons Prague

09.00 Take a slow walk over the 15th century Charles bridge with its 30 Baroque statues. Bring your camera. The view is so beautiful and romantic.

10.00 Enjoy the atmosphere in the beautiful old town of Prague. The power tower, the astronomical clock and the old town square is defintely worth a visit. And there is lots of nice shops around here.

12.00 Lunch-time... Have something light to eat at the Mandarin Oriental, wow, this hotel has a fantastic view & food!

13.30 Visit the magnificient Prague castle, which is supposed to be the largest ancient castle in the world. Here you also find some original manuscripts of Mozart is on dispaly.

15.00 Visit the Museum of communism and learn about a part of the country´s history.

16.00 Shopping time! Go to the Wenceslas Square for some serious shopping. If you prefer luxury labels such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Hermes go to the Parizska street. Don´t miss to buy the Czech glass and art glass, it is famous and when you see it you will understand why.

19.00 Beer tasting? Go into the nearest pub and try the local beers. Czech republic is famous for its beers.
FS Prague recommended me the breweries: Kolkovna, Bredovsky Dvur, Olympia, Celnice, U Fleku, Pivovarsky dum, but I haven´t had the time to try them all... yet.

20.00 Enjoy an Italian/Mediterranean dinner at the Allegro, only Michelin-starred restaurant in Czech Republic.

Do you have any suggestions on more fab things to add to the schedule? Please leave a comment here.

Top lux hotels in Prague

• The Prague Mandarin Oriental is built on the site of a former 14th century monastery. The hotel has a fantastic location and a fab view of the city.
• Kempinski Hybernska Hotel is a luxury hotel which is built in a very impressive building, a baroque Palace „U Věžníků“.
• Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa is a lux hotel in another magnificent Baroque landmark, "Dům u Ježíška" dating from the 16th century.
• The Hotel Savoy is a charming and modern 5 star boutique hotel in the diplomatic quarter of Prague.
• Four Seasons Prague . Lux at it best!

Top restaurants in Prague
A friend of mine who visits Prague a lot also recommended me these nice restaurants: A really very good restaurant is Kampala Park, another good restaurant is in the Rocco Forte hotel and finally Cihelna a slightly more informal but good food restaurant.


PS. 24 hours in Prague is not so much. There are 12 UNESCO sites in Czech Republic, be aware that you will want to go back as soon as you left.

PS2. In winter time. Do not miss the cosy Christmas Market.

Paris in 24 hours

Only one day in Paris? Don´t get stressed. This is your guide to a fab 24 hours in Paris. Enjoy!

08.00 Breakfast at Coco Chanel´s favorite hotel, the Ritz Paris hotel. Coco lived here for many years and it is one if the most luxurious hotels in Paris.

09.00 Walk on the famous street Champs-Élysées, see the beautiful monument the Arc de Triomphe and take some pictures. It stands on the Place Charles de Gaulle and is the second largest triumphal arch in the world.

10.00 When in Paris, it is a must to see the MonaLisa painting at the Louvre museum.

11.30 Time for some shopping. An hour of intensive shopping at the Lafayette department store.

13.00 Rest your shoes (and wallet) and have a relaxed lunch in the lovely green garden of lux restaurant Laurent

15.00 Take a taxi to Montmarte, and ask the taxi driver to pass the Eifel tower on the way...
Visit Montmarte, this is a lovely part of Paris, which is an old art district.
Buy some art in the street and enjoy the atmosphere. Many famous painters worked here, such as Dalí, Monet, Picasso and van Gogh. You should also visit the beautiful church Basilica of the Sacré Cœur. It is definitely worth the walk up the hill.

17.00 Enough of exercise. Time for a class of wine tasting at the wine museum, Musee du vin.
The Wine Museum is housed in what used to be crude limestone quarries that were mined between the 13th and the 18th centuries to provide the dressed stoneused to build Paris.

19.30 A late dinner & cruise on the Seine River. You can book it through a tour operator.

23.00 Fab drinks and music at the Budda Bar. The bar looks out over the dining area where a gigantic Buddha sits on its throne. Don´t forget to buy the Buddha Bar cd before you leave so you can bring the feeling to your home.

Do you have any suggestions on more fab things to add to the schedule? Please leave a comment here.

The best top roof pools in the world

Where could be a better place to relax after a day of work, shopping or sighsteeing?
These are my favourites which I consider to be the most amazing pools.

Have I forgotten any cool pool on the list? Please help me to complete the list by leaving a comment here and let me know of more fab pools with extraordinary views.

1. For the tough girls & boys who are not afraid of heights...
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
OMG. I am not sure I would dare this one. Swimming in the roof top poool on the 55th floor. The pool seems to end by the edge of the building...
It is supposed to be the largest outdoor pool in the world at that height.

2. For music-lovers, With underwater music!
Hotel Gansevoort, NYC, USA
A heated rooftop pool with underwater music, a bar and great view of NYC. Life is good! Swim and enjoy a 360 degree panorama of the city.

2. Cool pool
Radisson, DubaiThere are so many excellent places in Dubai. I just love the desert!
Dubai is labelled the "shopping capital of the Middle East".
After the hot desert & hot shopping it is nice to cool down poolside. Why not at the Radisson Blu in Dubai. I stayed here last year and it was so nice.
The view of the city is fab.

3. Look down on the street below through the pool floor
Avalon, Gothenburg, Sweden
Wow what a place! Stay at the hotel Avalon in Gothenbrug. Swim in the pool on the roof and look down on the street, 50 meters down, through the glass floor in the pool. Scary or lovely? It is up to you... We had a nice lunch in the restaurant, the food and service were good.

4. Pool with 5 star chic lux & pop stars
Berkeley, London, United Kingdom
If you want a five star chic luxury alternative choose The Berkely in Knightsbridge. It has a roof top pool and the Blue bar turns into a chich nightspot in the evening. (book a table in advance). The hotel claims on their website that the Blue Bar is Madonnas favourite but I did not see her there when I stayed there.

5. Members only... sorry
Soho House, New York
A place with a heated pool & bar with views over the West Village and the Hudson River. Only for the members, situated in Manhattan's Meatpacking District.

6. A pool cabriolet - with a rectractable roof
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo, Japan, at Chinzan-so

A spa in a garden setting featuring traditional Japanese cedar baths indoors, and a heated swimming pool, with a retractable roof.

7. A Swedish sign of StockholmClarion, Stockholm, Sweden
Another hotel with a roof pool in Sweden is the Clarion sign in Stockholm.
The hotel has a spa on the 8th floor with a outside pool on the roof. What a view!

8. Nice in Nice!

Radisson Blu hotel, Nice, FranceIsn´t this nice? Ok, sorry, that was a bad joke. But the place looks nice... The colour of the blue sea is truly amazing.

9. Take my breath away, Berlin, Germany
Hyatt, Berlin, Germany
Enjoy the spa, thai chi and yoga before you jump into the the spa & Fitness club heated swimming pool. Relax with breathtaking views over Berlin.

10. Swim in the night during the light show
Thompson Toronto, USA
Guests can swim during night and and watch the light show. The hotel has a heated pool and it serves sushi. yummie!

11. After shopping
Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. Swim in the cool pool by the waterfront overlooking Victoria Harbour and the financial district in Hong Kong.

12. W Scottsdales pool area with a large pool and underwater music in the US. Nice!

The World´s Top Roof Restaurants

Where could be a better place to get to know a new city better than from a nice top class restaurant with a magnificent view?



These are my favourites which I consider to be the best of the world´s top roof restaurants which I have visited.

Have I forgotten any restaurant on the list? Please help me to complete the list by leaving a comment here and let me know of more fab restaurants with delicious food and amazing views.
1. Thailand. If you are not afraid of heights. You should try the Sirocco Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. I got a bit sea sick when I felt the building moving, but the view was marvellous! I liked the Vertigo Restaurant, Banyan Tree Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand even better. It is a top roof restuarant as well but I did not get sea sick and the view and the food was great. Check out the photos of the restaurant.
2. Italy. The Imágo restaurant is situated by the Spanish steps in Rome, Italy. The restaurant is on the 6th floor of the Hassler hotel. It has a amazing panoramic view of Rome. The restaurant in the Grand hotel de la Minerva, Rome, Italy is build in an old 1600 mansion. Their fabolous roof garden restaurant offers a grand meal while enjoying the sunset over Rome.
3. Sweden. The restaurant Gondolen is situated 33 m up in the air in the city centre of Stockholm. Fab food. If you want to get even higher up. Go to Kaknästornet. The best view over Stockholm. But the food isnt as good as in Gondolen. Bring your camera to the 155 meter high tv-tower.
4. United Kingdom. Dine at the Oxo Tower. This is the place to have a romantic dinner with a view over London and the Thames.
5. Egypt. Have lunch or dinner at restaurant Ramses Hilton by the Nile in Cairo. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Nile and the Pyramids from the 36th-floor. Another option is the Cairo Tower. It has a restaurant on the top and the view is supposed to be great. I didn’t have the time to visit when I was in Cairo but it seems nice. Bring your camera and take pictures of the panorama views.
6. South Africa. The luxury West Cliff hotel and restaurant, marvellous food and a great view from the hill. Dont miss it when visiting Johannesburg.
7. Denmark. Enjoy the Arne Jacobsen design hotel Radisson SAS Royal Hotel. Turned on the ipod and sat in the coolest chairs ever in the lobby. Drinks on the top of the house... at Alberto K restaurant at the 20th floor with a fantastic view of Copenhagen at the Radisson hotel.
8. Estonia. Have some drinks & a light meal in the stunning roof top Lounge 24 in Tallin. It is 90 m high up in the air and I can recommend their moijito...
9. Austria. A dinner is nice at the fine-dining DO & CO restaurant with a great view of the Stephansdome in Vienna.
10. And last but not least. France. The perfect ending of a day in Paris is a dinner at the Eifel Tower with a magnificient view over Paris and the Seine river.

Have I forgotten any restaurant on the list? Please help me to complete the list by leaving a comment here and let me know of more fab restaurants with delicious food and amazing views.

I also got tips of these top roof restaurants.... Nice aren´t they?

• Grand Hotel Parker’s, Naples, Italy The hotel’s restaurant, George's Mediterranean, has stunning views over Capri from the rooftop terrace.
• Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy.
  The Michelin-starred restaurant at a beach resort, ‘Piccolo Principe’ is outside on the bright sea veranda.
• Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Wow, check out the view!