The Happy Jetlagger

Tag: Hotels

Hotel Review: Cook’s Club Calvià Beach in Mallorca

When it comes to testing new hotels on Mallorca, I’m only too happy to take part. Cook’s Club Calvià Beach* in the southwest of the island recently opened and I spent a long weekend there!

Attention: Rebranding!
Since May 2026, the two Cook’s Club hotels in Mallorca have been called Caramelo Calvià Beach and Caramelo Palma Beach

Cook’s Club: The Brand

The Cook’s Club hotel brand is pursuing a new, innovative concept for vacation hotels: here, a well-deserved break in the sun is celebrated in a casual yet stylish way, without compromising on a certain standard. All Cook’s Club hotels are designed in aesthetic minimalism and are pretty much the complete opposite of the usual accomodations at popular destinations.

Cook’s Club Calvià Beach in Mallorca

Cook’s Club Calvià Beach in Torrenova

One of the latest new locations in the Cook’s Club portfolio is Cook’s Club Calvià Beach* in Torrenova, located on a hill right between Playa de Magaluf and Playa Son Matias in Palmanova.

Located on a hill, the Cook’s Club Calvià Beach provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding bays, especially from the higher floors. From my room on the seventh floor, I was able to enjoy beautiful sunrises over the bay of Palmanova every morning.

Rooms at Cook’s Club Calvià Beach

Not your average vacation hotel is what they want to be, Cook’s Club themselves say – and judging by the rooms, they’ve stuck to their guns. The original building of Cook’s Club Calvià Beach, which just last year housed one of these aforementioned vacation hotels, has been transformed so that not much of the vibe of an interchangeable tourist hotel remains.

The rooms are spacious, have a large balcony and everything you need for a summer vacation is there. I was particularly pleased with the clean lines and cool tile floor; too many bells and whistles in a hotel room just isn’t my thing. And the view of the sea from your own balcony is ultimately the icing on the cake.

Adults Only: Only for adults

I’m always ambivalent when I hear the term “Adults Only” in reference to hotels because it sounds so exclusionary. However, it also helps to find the right hotel for your vacation!

Cook’s Club Calvià Beach, for example, is completely geared to the needs of a younger crowd traveling without children: Pool afternoons are often accompanied by chill-out house music, the cocktail bar offers delicious daiquiris as you like, and breakfast starts rather late at 8am only. Latecomers are served a hangover breakfast until midday – and by then it’s clear that this corner of Mallorca is less suitable for families with children.

Chilling & Parties: The new Magaluf

Magaluf is right next door and enjoys a similar reputation among Brits as Playa de Palma does among Germans. A lot has changed here in recent years: The days of excessive partying are over. People still party, but in a much more civilized and pleasant way.

The pedestrian zone in Magaluf has also been extensively renovated, so you’ll find the most important stores here – there’s even a well-stocked Mango if you’ve forgotten an item or two at home and don’t want to resort to the typical tourist boutiques. During the day, it’s quiet and you can chill out on the beach to your heart’s content or treat yourself to an ice cream at one of Mallorca’s best ice cream parlors, Rivareno.

Do you need any more tips for the island?
Then be sure to check out my Mallorca blog!

Anyway, Magaluf is my tip for you if you want to spend a party vacation on Mallorca, but don’t really feel like the beating atmosphere around Ballermann. (Or simply do not want to meet acquaintances from Germany 😉 ) Because I find that it is always a lot of fun to party with Brits, I know that from several stays in the UK. Despite the high alcohol levels, the atmosphere is often very friendly and cheerful. Magaluf is also home to BCM, Mallorca’s biggest club with house and electronic music, for which even locals travel all the way from Palma to the southwest.

Palmanova: Even more beach clubs & beach restaurants

On the other side of Cook’s Club Calvià Beach is Son Matias beach, which belongs to Palmanova. It’s a little more dignified and family-friendly here, and that’s what makes the Cook’s Club location so special: you have the choice between two very different vacation resorts with correspondingly different vibes.

However, what is very successful on both beaches are the many beach clubs and beach restaurants, which also provide entertainment during the day if simply lying around on the beach is too boring for you.

For a warm summer evening with very good food, I can recommend Siso Beach; here you get Mediterranean-Asian fusion cuisine served in an upscale ambience with a view of the bay of Palmanova.

Cantina & Cocktails at Cook’s Club Calvià Beach

But you’ll also be well taken care of when it comes to food right here at Cook’s Club. Like all the other clubs, this one follows the“Cantina” concept, which reminded me a bit of Vapiano. Breakfast is plentiful and served buffet-style; fried eggs, waffles, and pancakes are made fresh at the respective stations.

Meals for the lunch and dinner menu are also prepared at the open kitchen counter. The Cook’s Club offers a good selection for every taste, from crisp salads and varied poke bowls to pasta and fresh pizzas. Orders are placed casually at the counter, and payment is made with the credit on the in-house chip, which also serves as a room card.

The prices are remarkably reasonable, and the cantina is open until 10 p.m., so you can also snack on a salad by the pool in the afternoon – I thought that was brilliant!

In general, very much attention is paid to quality: Again and again I ended up at the cocktail bar because the drinks there were really good! I’m particularly picky when it comes to cocktails, because although I love cocktails, I don’t like wild mixtures of cheap booze and thin juices.

Music & Nightlife

The musical entertainment in the club was also pleasant: in the afternoon there were mostly chill-out tracks being played by the pool, in the evening there was a DJ or even a saxophonist (and hey, saxophone music plus sunset plus palm trees plus sea view – what more could you want?). As the club has only just opened and is not yet fully established, there is still a lot to do.

Similar to its sister hotel Cook’s Club Palma Beach* in Playa de Palma, the aim is to attract guests from outside the city with chill-out parties by the pool and after-work events. I then took a look at Cook’s Club Palma Beach – and it really is a chilled out event location that is also popular with locals.

Check rates & availability for Cook’s Club Palma Beach*

The sister hotel in Playa de Palma is known for its events

Pool area at Cook’s Club Palma Beach

At Cook’s Club Palma Beach, you’ll also find plenty of chill-out areas.

What else to do around Calvià

From Torrenova to Palma

Located in the southwest of Mallorca, Cook’s Club Calvià Beach is a very good starting point for a wide variety of excursions: you can be in the center of Palma in just 20-25 minutes by car or rental car and can explore the beautiful old town.

If you don’t have a rental car or don’t want to search for a parking space, you can also take a public bus within walking distance, which will take you to the center of Palma in 40 minutes. The bus stops at Plaza España, from where you can also hop on the famous Tren de Sóller or take the train to the Jardines de Alfabia or the markets of Santa Maria or Sineu.

Continue to the southeast of Mallorca

You can also explore the south-east of the island from Torrenova: In a hire car, you can quickly reach charming places such as Sant Elm or the exclusive marina of Puerto Portals.

How to get there

Cook’s Club Calvià Beach is just a 30-minute drive from Palma Airport. You can take a cab there directly, or try Uber. Uber is in fact starting to operate gradually on the island! If you are taking a rental car directly from the airport, it is best to ask the hotel in advance whether parking spaces are available, as capacity is limited.

Book your stay at the Cook’s Club Calvià Beach*

Transparency: Cook’s Club Calvià Beach invited me for this stay.

09/06/2023
Hotel Review: The Westin Hamburg

To be honest, I’m still debating whether I should really recommend The Westin Hamburg as a hotel for a trip to Hamburg. It’s just too tempting that you make yourself really comfortable in one of the great rooms with panoramic view and forget all about sightseeing in one of the most exciting cities in Germany! 🙂

More tips for Hamburg:
Hamburg Food Guide: restaurants, bars and cafés
Must-do: harbor cruise in Hamburg

The Westin Hamburg: Location & Arrival

Located at the tip of the Speicherstadt, The Westin Hamburg is the perfect starting point for a city trip to Hamburg. From here you are quickly in the city center, but also in St. Pauli, the Landungsbrücken and the Schanzenviertel. There is a subway and bus stop within walking distance, and with a Hamburg Card* you can use public transport in Hamburg free of charge. If you arrive by car, you can conveniently park it in the hotel’s underground parking garage for an additional fee.

This is what a stay at The Westin Hamburg costs*

Tip: The Elbphilharmonie

Getting lost on the way to The Westin Hamburg is nearly impossible: the hotel is located in Hamburg’s newest landmark, the Elbphilharmonie building, which you can spot from afar.

The Elbphilharmonie is the new concert hall in Hamburg, opened in 2017 and is one of the most modern of its kind. The acoustics here are said to be unparalleled. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten around to attending a concert here yet, but it’s definitely still on my wish list. If you’re not so keen on classical music, that’s no problem either: there’s often more modern music for your ears!

The rooms at The Westin Hamburg

The Westin Hamburg* is a five-star hotel that can easily be described as luxurious. So it is not surprising that the rooms are really perfectly equipped. Here you’ll find everything you need: mineral water for free, a small Nespresso machine for coffee in between, a good steam iron to freshen up your crumpled clothes (the flight attendant in me comes through again) and many other nice little things. But above all, well, an absolutely perfect bed that you could snuggle up in for hours.

The highlight is the panoramic view from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Elbe and the gigantic Hamburg harbor, if you have a room facing outward (the extra charge is worth it!). My room also had a large bathroom with a shower and bathtub – also with a view. And that was really spectacular.

The Westin Hamburg offers various room categories; I stayed in the“Studio”category. But you should also have a similar view from the Premium rooms labeled“Water View.”I recommend paying the extra charge for a higher room category, because the view is truly breathtaking—and the higher up you stay, the better it gets.

In the larger rooms, you also have the chance to enjoy a not insignificant gimmick! In modern hotel buildings, it often happens that you can’t open the windows and everything is air-conditioned. At The Westin Hamburg, however, some rooms have a small porthole that is cleverly built into the mirrored window frames. Very unusual, but so you can still sniff fresh air even on the 18th floor!

Check rates & availability at The Westin Hamburg*

Food Drinks

There are certainly one or two options close to the hotel, but I only saw uninspired tourist traps as far as cafés and restaurants were concerned. The Speicherstadt is rather touristy and not very lively in terms of everyday life. But you are well taken care of at The Westin Hamburg itself!

The breakfast buffet is plentiful and really good, and there’s even a completely separate section with vegan options. The breakfast area is located on the lower level of the building, and I think it’s due to the building’s architectural history as a former warehouse that, unfortunately, you won’t find a panoramic view with huge floor-to-ceiling windows here. However, there is a small outdoor terrace with a view, so it’s best to come during the least popular breakfast times so you can snag a spot there.

By the way: Breakfast is available here until 11 am, on weekends even until 12 noon. If you still can’t make it out of your comfy bed, you can order your personal breakfast selection to your room via room service; it’s sinfully expensive, but you can enjoy your great room view even longer and avoid the hustle and bustle in the breakfast area when the hotel is busier.

For a drink or coffee, check out the Blick Bar in the hotel lobby. Here, you’ll be on the same level as the Elbphilharmonie’s observation deck, which you can visit even if you’re not a hotel guest (though you may have to wait in line). I highly recommend the house cocktail, the Elphi Spritz, as well as the Signature Duo —a glass of champagne paired with a fish brioche.

For the big appetite in the elegant ambience there is still the restaurant Fang und Feld.

Spa & Wellness

As you’d expect from a Westin, there’s a fairly large wellness area here in Hamburg, located on the lower level of the building. Equipped with a pool, sauna area, and a small gym, you can relax to your heart’s content. I haven’t tried the spa area myself, but I did take a quick peek inside and found it very inviting.

Service

Because of my line of work, I’m always on the lookout for the little things that make for great service. And of course, given the scale of a hotel like this, there’s nothing to complain about—the service runs like clockwork in every area. Still, there are a few small details that leave a positive impression, such as the customary turndown service in the evening with chocolate hearts on the bed or the attentive staff at the Blick Bar.

All in all, The Westin Hamburg is a perfect choice if you are looking for comfortable accommodation with high standards and want to impress someone else (or yourself) with a spectacular view of Hamburg!

Book The Westin Hamburg here*

Transparency: The Westin Hamburg invited me to this stay.

20/05/2023
Wellness in South Tyrol: Seehof Nature Retreat

Simply unwind, escape the stress of everyday life and recharge your batteries: who wouldn’t want that in stressful times? In any case, at Seehof Nature Retreat in South Tyrol, I enjoyed the ultimate form of total relaxation and pure nature.

Around the Seehof Nature Retreat: Valle Isarco in South Tyrol

South Tyrol: Apples, fresh air and many, many mountains

I arrive in South Tyrol just in time for the apple blossom. Did you know that most of the Italian apples on our supermarket shelves come from South Tyrol? Apple growing has a long tradition here. Originally intended for their own supply only, South Tyrolean farmers started to export their apples right across Europe from the end of the 19th century. Apples were seen as an absolute luxury good at that time.

Apple blossom in the Eisack Valley

Today, many areas at my destination, the Valle Isarco, are full of bright pink blossoming apple trees in spring. And as luck would have it, the nearest apple grower is just a stone’s throw from the Seehof Nature Retreat in Natz near Brixen! So beautiful!

Hiking the apple trail: South Tyrol is famous for apple growing

Cocooning at the Seehof Nature Retreat

After a comfortable arrival, I move into a junior suite. The bathroom has an open design: Usually not my cup of tea, but here it’s perfectly integrated and just fits the cocooning style of the rest of the room. The Junior Suite has a balcony and a window front with two double doors across the entire width. Like in a movie, I get up in the morning and enjoy the fine rays of sunlight, open both double doors and admire the unobstructed view over the mountains and the hotel’s own lake.

Check prices and availability here
Seehof Nature Retreat

Rooms & Suites at the Seehof Nature Retreat

In line with the wellness concept, there are small details in the room that make the stay even more enjoyable. For example, if you’re a stressed-out city dweller who forgot your spa gear in the rush to get going (hellooo me!), you’ll find everything you need in the room: A fluffy bathrobe, a pair of flip-flops and a sauna towel are waiting for you in a large bath bag. Another nice gimmick: a backpack is provided in the spacious closet for hiking trips.

Celtic druids know how to relax

Relaxing at the touch of a button might be difficult to some people. At Seehof, everyone relaxes in their own pace and way, and although there so much offered in terms of quality and service, the atmosphere is unpretentious and welcoming. For the more active, there is a small sports and hiking program, sometimes with unusual offers such as Wyda, the yoga of the Celtic druids, which combines static poses with quite a bit of primal screaming and chanting. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? It definitely is. At first you might feel like an ecstatic Icelandic soccer fan on the way to the next European soccer championship, but in the end you’ll feel strangely liberated after all the collective screaming in the group. Worth to try!

Hiking trails around Natz & the Valle Isarco

If you want to enjoy even more nature, all you have to do at Seehof Nature Retreat is step outside the door. The hiking trails in the Eisack Valley are well signposted. If you prefer to hike in company and with someone who knows the area, simply join a group. The hotel has its own hiking guides who offer tours to sights in the area such as the Neustift monastery or walks through the idyllic old town of Brixen.

More Dolce Vita?
Here you can find more articles about Italy!

Wellness at the Seehof Nature Retreat

A retreat would not be a retreat without a classic wellness program. If the nature around it wasn’t so beautiful, I could have easily spent a whole day in the spa area of the Seehof Nature Retreat. There you will find everything your heart desires! In addition to a steam bath, the Seehof has no less than two saunas, one of which is a mild bio-sauna and the other a Finnish sauna with a spectacular view of the mountains and the hotel’s own lake. If you can’t stand hot sauna temperatures for long, you really have to watch out here: Staring at the mountain panorama through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you might forget the time!

Are you looking for special accommodations?
Check out my hotel reviews!

In between sauna sessions, you can swim a few laps in the heated infinity pool or even in the lake, and then get busy deciding where you’d like to chill out most. Whether on the green roof in the sun, on one of the fluffy lounge chairs on the lakeside or indoors in the oriental-inspired séparée with relaxing trance sounds – you can indulge in sweet idleness everywhere on the premises without squatting too much on each other. Because space is also a luxury, of which enough has been planned at the Seehof.

The wellness area is located in the annex, but due to its special architecture it almost seems to merge with the green surroundings. You don’t even notice from the outside how much space there is to relax in the Seehof! In the basement of the hotel are the premises for massages and treatments, from there you’ll get to the sauna and pool area.

Good food good mood

Foodies are spoiled by the way with 4 meals a day with South Tyrolean delicacies. Breakfast, a light lunch, a snack or coffee and cake in the afternoon and a brilliant 5-course menu in the evening are served. For the main course, there are always 3 dishes to choose from (fish, meat or vegetarian) and I would have loved to try them all because it tasted so fantastic.

The evening can be concluded with a good drink in the cozy bar with a surprisingly well-stocked library.

The bar and restaurant, along with the wellness area, are the heart of the hotel: from morning to night, you can be pampered here on the sun terrace with drinks and small snacks; the service is always unobtrusive, but in the best of moods, and somehow always there if you have a wish. “Prego, signorina,” and in front of me I’ll find the perfectly chilled Coke in a crystal tumbler with ice and lemon, along with a small bowl of small aperitivi, potato chips and homemade savory cookies, just like that, and I enjoy the sun and the view of the postcard-perfect landscape spread out before me.

For whom is the Seehof Nature Retreat suited?

The Seehof Nature Retreat is an adults only hotel. Guests must therefore be at least 14 years old. Whether it’s a romantic weekend for two, traveling alone, or a girls’ getaway where everyone can relax and chat, the Seehof Nature Retreat appeals to a wide range of guests. Except for the restriction for children, all age groups were represented during my stay, from young to old.

Nature lovers and relaxation seekers with a penchant for aesthetics and a sense for small and fine details will feel especially at home here.

Seehof Nature Retreat
Flötscher 2
39040 Natz near Brixen
South Tyrol
Italy

More info: www.seehof.it

How to get to South Tyrol

Although Seehof Nature Retreat is so nestled in nature, it can be easily reached. Even if you’re traveling from further away, like I did from Berlin, there are very good travel options.

The Seehof Nature Retreat is located in Natz-Schabs in the Eisack Valley in South Tyrol, between Innsbruck and Bolzano.

By car

From Munich: approx. 3 hours drive (via the Brenner Pass)
From Innsbruck: approx. 1 1/2 hours drive

By plane

The nearest airports are Bolzano and Innsbruck, but there are only a few connections. From Berlin, for example, there is a direct connection a few times a week with Skyalps, a small South Tyrolean airline based in Bolzano.

The nearest airports are Verona and Munich, but you will need to hire a car or travel by train from both.

➜ Rent a car at Munich Airport here*

By train

My personal tip! I traveled from Berlin by train. It takes time (about 9 hours), but with only one perfectly coordinated change in Munich, it was the most stress-free option for me. The Seehof Nature Retreat offers a free hotel shuttle to the nearest train station in Franzensfeste (just call, travel time 10 minutes). Franzensfeste is located exactly on the train route Munich-Innsbruck-Venice and is therefore perfectly accessible by train.

If you book in time, you can make a real bargain here with a journey by train and save stressful car trips!

➜ Check timetable & fares to South Tyrol/Italy*

Other destinations in Italy

Transparency: I was invited by Seehof Nature Retreat.

18/05/2022
Review: Hotel Stein in Salzburg, Austria
Actually, I could have guessed it. When I answered the usually not at the mouth fallen cab driver at the airport Salzburg to his question, where it goes now: “Once to the hotel Stein Salzburg, please!”, his eyebrows suddenly shot up and it escaped him only one “Oooooh!

The oldest hotel in Salzburg

“Good evening, have a seat, how was your journey?” I have to say, I do love hotels anyway where you have to sit down to check in. Not because I’m that exhausted from a trip – but because it already reveals a lot about the atmosphere of a hotel. Here, there is no anonymous online check-in, extra-fast and efficient, without frills and always the same.

At Hotel Stein you sit down, take a breath, arrive, relax.

I let myself fall into the armchair. On the other side of the reception desk, a young man, friendly, attentive and in the best of moods. His chair seems to be just as comfortable. Or it’s just the ambience in general. I’ve never really been into Feng Shui, but somehow I do believe that there are places where energy flows differently. I wonder if someone here has explicitly dealt with Feng Shui when planning the interior?

The “new” Hotel Stein

It’s quite possible—who knows? After all, the Hotel Stein was recently renovated from top to bottom. The entire renovation took a full two years, during which the city’s oldest hotel was completely closed. You can sense just how much attention to detail went into it in every corner of the building. It probably would have been quicker to just tear down the entire building and rebuild it from scratch. Instead, both the small and large details reveal the rich history the Hotel Stein holds—while skillfully bridging the gap to a modern design.

A hotel – and a Salzburg institution

Some details clearly bear the charm of the 1950s, from the preserved neon sign on the facade to the old “telephone” sign in a corner of the lobby that was meant to indicate the telephone booth for guests. How long ago was it that hotels had phone booths in the lobby instead of in-room phones?

Rates & availability at the Hotel Stein in Salzburg

The friendly receptionist wishes me a nice stay, and I am quite confident that his wish will come true. “Wait a minute, I have something else for you.” He ceremoniously slides a gift box across the table for each guest to receive. Contents: a greeting card and two Detox Good Night Smoothies in two versions. One light, one smoothie extra strong. I don’t know, I have the feeling that I definitely won’t need any help falling asleep here in this relaxed hotel, but I still have to smile: I guess they really want to make sure that no one goes home unrelaxed here.

I’m still happy about the smoothies, which are made from purely natural ingredients without additives! However, it should turn out that great importance is attached to high-quality products here, even when it comes to food.

The roof terrace at Hotel Stein: The best view over Salzburg

I spent three nights at the Stein Hotel, and I got out of bed early every day despite a full schedule, just to fully enjoy the pleasant ambience at the breakfast at Seven Senses, the hotel’s own restaurant with a famous rooftop terrace. That means something as I’m not the early bird!

By the way: On my Salzburg blog, you’ll find lots more great tips for a trip to Salzburg.

Homemade & high quality: The breakfast

Breakfast at Seven Senses is a pleasant change from overcrowded hotel buffets that lack charm. The buffet here is small, uncluttered and fits on two or three bar tables at the entrance. Some may find the breakfast meager for this price range – but after two decades of experience with hotel breakfast buffets, I can say: less is more. And more high quality. What good is the most enormous hotel buffet if the scrambled eggs, which have been laid out for hours, aren’t even freshly made? It’s the little things that make a hotel special, and it’s very pleasing to see that here, at breakfast, more emphasis is placed on class than on numbers.

From fresh, homemade banana bread to vegan energy balls, Hotel Stein also caters to every dining preference. Egg dishes as desired (of course in fresh and à la minute!) and a small breakfast platter is available fresh individually at the table. If I hadn’t already been convinced – the selection of Kusmi teas at the latest would have done it. Or the daily changing selection of homemade cakes, cookies and desserts.

Cocktails & Specialties

In the afternoon (or in the morning for those who like to have an early pint), Airone is served here, an Italian bitter similar to Aperol, which is only available in Salzburg at Seven Senses. Tastes good, like Italy and more. But this may also be due to the best hotel terrace view in Salzburg: From here you have the perfect postcard view with the old town, the fortress Hohensalzberg and the Mönchsberg together.

Speaking of Italy: This also plays a major role at Hotel Stein. The motto “Salzburg meets Venice” runs discreetly but consistently through the entire house. Lots of blue, lots of Venetian glassblowing art, lots of Italian design (hello Artemide bedside lamps!) and lots of Mediterranean lightness paired with Salzburg tradition.

Tip: The Seven Senses is of course also open for non-hotel guests. If you’re not staying at a hotel – I would definitely recommend a drink here for a visit to Salzburg. The location is really unique!

Staying at Hotel Stein in Salzburg

I really can’t think of anything that speaks against the Hotel Stein. And I’m really, really critical because of my job. But location, ambience and service really play on a high level here. My stay was very pleasant and therefore also recommendable for those who might feel rather intimidated by so much comfort.

Who will feel at home here:
- Couples on a romantic Salzburg trip on the weekend
- Design aficionados
- Art lovers (in the hotel lobby there is a sculpture by Sir Anish Kapoor hanging in the corner)
- Relaxation seekers
- Quality conscious foodies
Book your stay at the Hotel Stein in Salzburg here
13/04/2019
Fabrika Tbilisi: Hostel, Coworking Space & Creative Hotspot

Somehow it’s no wonder that Tbilisi and Georgia end up more and more often on travel wish lists: Things are happening in Tbilisi. While tourists can still somehow come to terms with overcrowded and hyped city destinations like Berlin or Barcelona by going there out of season, the whole thing looks different for the ever-growing number of nomadic freelancers and artists. Berlin and Barcelona have always been prototypes for energetic, international cities where it was possible to live and work spontaneously and at low cost. But just: That was once.

The Fabrika in Tbilisi was once a – surprise – factory.

You can also find lots of helpful information in my
travel tips for Georgia

Fabrika Tbilisi: Hostel & Sanctuary for Creatives and Digital Nomads

Coworking spaces are no longer these small-scale organized office communities that you can book into spontaneously – they have now become a real industry in which big players are happy to play. At the appropriate price. It is also not getting any easier for artists to find suitable studio space.

And somehow, at least in Berlin, this is reflected in the mood of the city. Everything has become a little less creative, less spontaneous, less innovative. As a tourist, you may not care about that at first, but a creative, vibrant environment influences the atmosphere of a city. And this spontaneous, exciting – isn’t that what interests us about such cities? Fabrika Tbilisi is not only a coworking space, but also a pretty cool hostel! (By the way, there are also private rooms).

Stay overnight in the hotspot of Tbilisi:
Book Fabrika Tbilisi

An old Volkswagen van serves as a photo booth at Fabrika Tbilisi.

Fabrika Tbilisi – the urban hotspot of Tbilisi

Fabrika in Tbilisi is such an exciting place. Formerly a large textile factory, here is a kind of cultural center of the city. The centerpiece is the large building on the side of the street: where sewing machines once rattled in Soviet times, hipsters from all over the world now sleep in the Fabrika Hostel. The lobby: an old hall with meter-high mullioned windows, furnished with comfortable sofas and pinball machines.

Next door is the adjoining restaurant with good cuisine, you can feel the will to create innovative dishes! So delicious!

However, there are other bars and restaurants on the premises, plus artist studios and a large coworking space. And all kinds of little gimmicks: the most beautiful murals, a converted VW van as a photo booth and an old Lada as a photo spot.

➜ You can book your room at Fabrika here

Street Art at its best: Huge Mural at the Fabrika Tbilisi

This research trip by Sandra from Tracks and the City and mewassupported by the Tourism Development Department of Tbilisi City Hall .

05/01/2019
Hotel Review: The Memory at On On Hotel in Phuket

I’m not a big fan of hotel chains. Sure, the amenities are usually pretty nice—but somehow it reminds me too much of work, because we usually stay at larger hotels with the crew. And when I have time off, I tend to look for more unusual places to stay, like The Memory at On On Hotel in Phuket.

I landed in Phuket at noon and was actually just passing through on my way to Koh Phi Phi. Half a day should be enough to get from the airport to the boat dock. But somehow it all went wrong, I found myself in a totally overpriced cab to Phuket town – and way too late to catch the ferry from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi.

In the middle of Phuket Old Town: The Memory at On On Hotel

So a hotel was needed, preferably in Phuket City – and The Memory at On On Hotel was just right. The location turned out to be absolutely perfect: there was a great night market just around the corner in the evening!

The location of the Memory at On On Hotel

The location is perfect, right in the heart of Phuket City’s Old Town. Although Phuket was never really a colony like Macau, the Portuguese used to have very close trade ties with Phuket. In addition, many Chinese immigrants arrived and also left traces of their culture, so in Phuket, Thailand, you’ll now find an old town full of Sino-Portuguese colonial architecture. It’s a truly unique blend.

An unique ambience in Sino-Portuguese colonial style

The Memory at On On Hotel is designed entirely in the colonial architectural style and is located near all the attractions in Phuket Old Town. For example, there’s a great street food market just around the corner on Sundays.

The rooms are simply but comfortably furnished. The real charm, however, lies in the atmosphere of the hotel itself. The Memory at On On Hotel is simply a sight to behold. I later learned that the Memory at On On even served as the backdrop for the movie “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio!

Rates & Availability
. Book your room at Memory at On On in Phuket Town here

Breakfast is served downstairs in the beautifully decorated lobby; as is customary in Thailand, it isn’t lavish, but it is served beautifully, in keeping with the style of The Memory at On On Hotel.

17/08/2017

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