Holiday Inn Express – On A Short Layover

This month, I had the opportunity to stay at the Holiday Inn Express New Delhi International Airport T3, for a quick layover before my next flight. This was my first stay at an airport hotel as I was traveling with my adorable (I know all babies are adorable but mine really is! #ProudMommy) 9 month old baby girl but without my husband, so leaving the airport to check into a hotel was a ‘travel don’t’ for me, especially since I had to catch another flight the next day.Conveniently located inside the New Delhi Terminal 3, the hotel is just a short walk to the departure gates for boarding.

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This Holiday Inn Express was recommended, and it did not disappoint. By making our reservation in advance, check-in was a breeze, and we were in our room in no time. The room was clean and bright, even though I did have to take away a star for the room size. After having a cot included in our room there was hardly any room left in the room. The night and morning shift duty manager, Akshat and Abhishek, respectively, were very accommodating. Their service exceeded my expectations as I only booked this hotel for convenience. The hotel boasts of modern design and comfortable facilities. I enjoyed complimentary breakfast and free Wi-Fi.

The breakfast also had typical buffet type food and was well presented with fresh fruit, juices, cereals, pastries and baked goods. One can not only enjoy breakfast or dinner with a view of runway but also at the the comfort of their room.

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I definitely would stay here again the next time I am in Delhi for a pre-flight freshen up or a short stopover.

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Hotel Facilities:

Free Express Start Breakfast
Free Wifi
Aqua Pods
24-hour fitness center
Therapeutic Treatments Spa
On-site restaurant
Total Number of Rooms: 93

Terms and conditions to access the airport hotel:

Guest must have a departure flight from Terminal-3 only. Please note that as the hotel is located within the airport terminal building, only a maximum of one night stay is permitted due to government regulations. Once the guest checks-in to the hotel, they are not allowed to leave the hotel premises. Passengers Arriving on an IntL flight and further taking an intL flight can access the international wing. Passengers arriving from an international flight and taking an onward domestic flight or by road in Delhi and taking an International flight can check into the domestic wing.

More Details:

Direction: Level 5, Terminal 3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi 110037, India

Price: Starts at 8,330.00 INR

Check In: 2:00 PM

Check Out: 12:00 PM

Check-in Age: 18

Tel: 91 11 45252000/18001033066

email: reservation@hiexdelhiairport.com

Facebook: Holiday Inn Express

Instagram: @holidayinnexpress

Twitter: Holiday Inn Express

Photo Gallery:

La Fontaine – Europe hidden in Bahrain

Travel and Food

Early morning meeting & some interesting reads 📖 at La Fontaine – Centre of Contemporary Art. It isn’t that early (11:30am) but anytime in the morning is early when your night baby mixes up your night & day!! 👶🏻 Thanks to my morning latte for being the silent hero of the morning ☕️

This is an excellent hidden place in Manama with a great architectural value. Visited here with my manager and was really surprised. What a fabulous setting… Great little art gallery and fabulous restaurant in a very romantic setting.

Wind your way through enclosed courtyards and tiny corridors and find La Fontaine’s intimate European restaurant, which is hidden in this renovated traditional Bahraini home. It has often been awarded with Best Romantic Restaurant accolade in the past. The atmosphere is tranquil with soft background music to enhance the vibe, in the dining areas both inside and out. The food focuses on specialties from Italy and the Mediterranean, but you’ll find influences from all over.

The only one of its kind throughout the Middle East, la fontaine centre of contemporary art is an historical monument dating back to a hundred and fifty years, located in the heart of Manama close to the old “Suq”. It features a number of contemporary art galleries, an open-air amphitheatre, an exquisite fine dining restaurant, an exclusive spa, and a state-of-the-art Pilates & Dance Studio, the first of its kind in the Gulf region.

CONTACT
La Fontaine centre of contemporary art

92 Hoora Avenue
Manama 306
26243 Bahrain

Telephone: 0973 17 230 123
Telefax: 0973 17 240 123

info@lafontaineartcentre.net
Facebook – lafontainebahrain
Instagram – lafontainebh

The Best Recipe From Mom

Travel and Food

Made my first ”khichdi” while away from home. On the auspicious occasion of “Ganesh Chaturthi” each family has their own traditional and favorite dish that they prepare. Mine is a moong dal khichdi recipe – rice and green gram lentils cooked to porridge consistency.

Call it Khichdi/Kicdi/Hotchpotch, this is one of the grandma-mother-inspired dishes for me. This is a dish we grew up eating during the Indian festivals and hence holds a lot of sentimental value. Khichdi an Indian dish consisting chiefly of rice and split pulses. Rissoto is very much similar to khichdi the only difference is, Rissoto is from Italy. It is a dish from the South Asia made from rice and lentils (dal). Khichdi was the inspiration for the Anglo-Indian dish kedgeree, and is also commonly considered to be the inspiration for the popular Egyptian dish, kushari.

Place of origin‎: ‎Indian Subcontinent

Main ingredients‎: ‎Rice‎, ‎lentils‎, ‎spices (Bengali mixed spices also called Panch phoron, bay leaf, grated ginger, dry red chilli, turmeric powder, salt to taste) and clarified butter (ghee).

La Vinoteca Barcelona – Spanish Brunch Like No Other!

Events & Experiences, Travel and Food

Saturday Brunch at one of the island’s only upscale Spanish restaurants, La Vinoteca Barcelona! What can I say…Delicious! The food was gorgeous and plentiful and the drinks kept flowing. The idea of eating squid and calamari for the first time was fascinating (even though in the beginning I was slightly fearful).

La Vinoteca Barcelona / Café Amsterdam outdoor garden

Vibrant Restaurant and Lounge Interior

Great place for spending a Saturday afternoon with your friends over the world’s most admired wine (Torres wines)

The happy hostesses Daisy and Mary – they made me feel like family

The very charming Dragi at the smoking lounge upstairs

Love the wood work, and all the little details

My 10th brunch experience on the island, I went there on a recommendation from my friend Ryan, who also happens to be the restaurant manager there. La Vinoteca Barcelona has been making quite a stir on the Bahrain fine-dining scene since it opened its doors in early 2015, thanks to its unique culinary and oenological experience. The menu offers sublime Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on contemporary Spanish and Catalonian dishes.

Love the look of my table – it has been set up with Torres La Oscuridad Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Vinegar and El Silencio de Torres Picual, extra virgin olive oil

Chef Zablon cooking my lunch. I was pampered to death by this wonderful team

Here’s my first attempt at this hearty paella

Virgin Sangria

My tasting party began with Virgin Sangria (that’s a non-alcoholic sangria) – made with three different juices, apple, pineapple, and grape garnished with banana slice, cinnamon stick, orange and lemon slice.

Stand-out dishes at this outing were Fried Calamari, Patata Brava, Lucky Pepper and Octopus Croquettes (starter dish).

Lucky Pepper

Patata Brava

The verdict: A classic tapas dish – just like you’d find in Spain. What I (absolutely) loved tasting in this dish is the patata brava. This stuff is gooood. If you’re not aware, patatas bravas is basically crispy potatoes served in a spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli…which kind of sounds a bit boring. But trust me, it’s amazing. This is a must for your Tapas table at La Vinoteca Barcelona, Bahrain.

The perfect classic crème brulee

What followed next was a surprise! My main dish for the day was a proper paella dish. Like I previously stated this was my first time eating calamari, squid and octopus, I immediately asked “What’s in this!?”

Traditional Spanish Paella

After careful consideration and much thought, I decided to dive in.

The verdict: If you’re looking to try the most authentic Spanish paella on the island, look no further. The Spanish rice made with freshly caught seafood including white fish, calamari, cuttlefish, mussels & shrimps will leave you drooling. What a meal! (Only if you are a Seafood fan)

Lemon pie passion fruit gelee, cardamom ice cream

My favorite – Cappuccino

A true Spanish experience – my tasting ended with a Lemon Pie (Homemade) topped with passion fruit gelee, served with cardamom ice cream and a signature cappuccino!

Final review: Good food, fantastic ambience and service (slightly pricey) but very effective overall de-stresser, and you get what you pay for.

La Vinoteca Barcelona Events:

Business Lunch: Mondays thru Thursdays from 12 noon till 3 pm get choice of 2 tapas + choice of main course + dessert for BD 9+

Afterwork at the wine bar: Every day except Sunday from 4 pm till 8 pm enjoy 30% discount on tapasand wine + Draft on Mondays from 4 to 12 midnight

Saturdays: Brunch from 12 to 5 pm

Location:

La Vinoteca Barcelona

19 Yousif Ahmed Al-Shirawi Avenue
Block 338, Adliya
Kingdom of Bahrain

Tel: +973 17 007 808

Cuisine: Spanish

Price Range: BHD40+

Website: http://www.vinotecabcn.com/

Facebook: VinotecaBH

Instagram: lavinotecabarcelona

Some more pictures and notes from my review below (Click on the pictures to read the stories)

Range of Torres wines

Stairway to the Smoking Lounge of the restaurant

The Gang for Dasha’s Birthday

Range of Torres wines

Vibrant restaurant interior

La Vinoteca outdoor garden

My Brunch today – cooking segment

Chef Zablon on the go

Micro Herbs

Don’t forget to register your feedback and LOVE here

35 of the finest Torres wines from Spain, America & Chile

The Birthday Gang

The very beautiful birthday girl

Happiness is seeing your Birthday plate entering the party hall

Bring on the Cake Mary

Happiness is seeing your Birthday plate entering the party hall

Awards and Recognition for La Vinoteca Barcelona

Stairway to Nature

My favorite girls Daisy and Mary

Sometimes big trends come on small plates..Birthday brownie with chocolate mousse

We could finally manage to get one right

A look upstairs at the smoking lounge

Love the view from here

Manuka Bahrain – Making life a little leafier and a little sweeter

Events & Experiences, Travel and Food

My 7th visit to a bakery store, (and a Botanical Salad Bar this time around) at Manuka Bahrain and it is better than ever. In fact, I ate one of my best sweet treats in 2017 so far. Manuka’s head chef Dilli and his merry band have put the bakery and salad bar in a great spot and I think this team are flying right now. The execution is 100% on-point, fully realising the wholesome, hearty, belly-thumping treats of Manuka.

The Entrance to the Botanical Salad Bar & Bakery

I was in there for Friday evening coffee with my friends Pieter and Sandra and were greeted by Hassan, one of the owners of Manuka. I was welcomed with their signature and all time favorite ”The Pistasha” (Pistachio and rose cookie). Things I absolutely loved (at first sight) about the place was it’s engraved rose wall interior that adds a unique character and elegance to the place and the meld of plants, wood, jute and bamboo that connects a natural aesthetic appeal to the place.

Gorgeous Manuka designed Coffee takeaway cups will perk you up immediately

As for eats, they had some amazing bakes in their menu, some of the must try items in their menu are the pistachio and rose cookie, nutella donut, chocolate cornflake crunch, honeycomb chocolate crunchy bars, and calling all coffee lovers..you’ve got to try their Cappuccino and Americano. (Loved the gorgeous Manuka designed coffee takeaway cups, adds some fun!)

Just look, and try to take in the beauty of this hypnotising river of smooth, lustrously luscious pink creamy frosting..sorry it’s half eaten!

Moist, chocolaty perfection. This is the chocolate cake you’ve been dreaming of!

Great selection of Cookie Jars sweeten their countertop

Move over cupcakes, there’s a new trend in town! Mini cakes are making a big statement on today’s dessert tables

Some more treats – Chocolate covered Honeycomb crunchie bars

Espresso Cookies – Looks like all you coffee lovers out there might want to give this one a try

Hello donut lovers!! Nutella Donuts with Nutella Glaze

Chocolate Cornflake Crunch – Our childhood favourite, with a grown-up, healthier twist. Surprising things you can do with cereal

My companion this week..this classic red velvet beauty

The engraved rose wall interior adds a unique character and elegance to the place

Just look at these lovely little take away boxes

Get to know your options!!

Amazing salad joint! Fresh, healthy, friendly, bright

A fundamental offering on the salad bar is the black rice aka the forbidden rice, a rarity in the food world. You might be wondering what black rice is and where you can find it. Here is your place!

What makes this place even more special is the Botanical Salad Bar where you can build your own salad. The salad bar looked ample and appetizing, but we definitely had no room for anything beyond the sweet snacks and coffee. So I decided to take a quick look at the options (for my review). Some of the exciting choices which make Manuka’s salad bar unique are the forbidden rice (aka black rice), wrapped vine leaves, green papaya and water-chestnuts. Next time I Visit Manuka, I will make sure to leave some space in my tummy to stuff in those greens.

So if you are looking for a fresh, healthy, friendly, bright location then this could be the place for you! For this much quality and beauty on the plate, it will be worth every penny.

Pure Baking, Pure Class. Take me back to Manuka!

Details

Manuka Bahrain, Botanical Salad Bar & Bakery

Open everyday

Jamal Al Deen Afghani Ave, Muharraq, Bahrain

(+973) 32111191-17003232

Timings: Sunday-Thursday : 4 pm – 10 pm Friday- Saturday: 12 pm – 10 pm

Instagram @manuka.bh

Some more pictures and notes from my review below.

My welcome Cookie…such a treat to feel welcomed

Perfect for any celebration, it’s moist and fudgy and will keep well for 4-5 days. Let me tell you I’m drooling right now!

Another central ingredient on the salad bar are these little bites of heaven! A great vegetarian appetizer made from tender vine leaves wrapped into little rolls and stuffed with rice and fresh herbs

Pistachio and rose cookies

Their signature and all time favorite ”The Pistasha”

Outside the entrance to the Botanical Salad Bar & Bakery

Nutella Donuts with Nutella Glaze

These healthy Oatmeal Cookies will feed your sweet tooth without sending you overboard into sugar land

Lovely break time treats

Get to know your options!!

The best of the best and an all time favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Made with Love Cookies

Mixed Salad Greens

The Salad Galore

Some more colors and nutrition for your Salad

Beautiful from wall to ceiling – the bakery gets a gorgeous makeover with a sweeping bamboo canopy that feels cozy and private without being closed off.

I love this room divider.

The very courteous and camera-shy staff, Jackie.

Mini black forest cake and mini chocolate mousse cake – I absolutely LOVE everything miniature and was so happy to receive all the information about this new trend

The glass shelves of the bakery are always filled with miniature desserts ready to be picked up by visitors

Don’t just hand your cards and tips out – DROP THEM!

Here’s a peek at what we’re making!

Manuka’s adorable, and organised kitchen

The must-have Baking essentials

A peek into a baker’s kitchen

Gastronorm racks aka Bakery Trolley

We cut open a baker’s refrigerator to learn what it looks like inside!

The ever smiling Chef Dilli from Nepal preparing his honeycomb

Café Amsterdam – Enjoying the Summer Sunshine in Bahrain

Décor, Events & Experiences, Travel and Food

Located in Adliya alongside its sister restaurant La Vinoteca Barcelona, Café Amsterdam is based in a cozy and cute Dutch canal-style building reminiscent of the back streets of Amsterdam. The european architecture shouldn’t mislead you, this restaurant is located in the bohemian neighborhood in Manama, Bahrain.

In the heart of Bahrain’s fine dining neighbourhood, Café Amsterdam’s menu is built on modern European and New American cuisine. The menu includes innovative gastronomic creations, decadent desserts and original beverages. The award-winning Café Amsterdam offers a dining and nightlife experience under one roof with a sleek, state-of-the-art lounge, a bright and spacious glass conservatory and a lovely garden for al fresco dining.

Begin the day with breakfast in the light filled conservatory, lunch in the lofty dining room, after work in the snug and dinner on the expansive balcony overlooking the garden. Plus, catch all your favorite games in the sleek sports lounge!

I had my 9^th brunch at Café Amsterdam, whose kitchen is now purring along at a consistently high standard. Stand-out dishes at this outing were dazzling Barley Salad, Risotto al Pesto with cream pesto sauce, parmesan cheese and charcoal grilled chicken and their Passionfruit Cheesecake. A technically demanding (for heat in the summer) pineapple, coconut cream and kiwi mocktail ”Prince of the Middle East” was superb.

Buzzing at nighttime with regular live music events in their garden area, this is the perfect venue to enjoy a fantastic atmosphere and unwind with friends. So whenever you feel a craving for a true Dutch experience, you know your place in Bahrain.

The entrance from inside the restaurant

Wanderlusting: contemporary restaurant design, so bright & pretty

With its wooden panelling and beautiful orange bricks, this interior gives a very welcoming image of the place.

Restaurant or Gallery? Art is served up

The European Landmarks

The Mesmerising Fireplace

My favorite click – Loving the wall mirror

Up the stairs to the bar

The live music section in the restaurant by the railing for best views

Enjoying my healthy Barley Salad with pearl barley mango salsa and thai dressing and my Prince of the Middle East (Mocktail) by Bartender Tanmay

My main course – Risotto al Pesto with cream pesto sauce, parmesan cheese and charcoal grilled chicken by Chef Rahul

My Dessert – Passion fruit cheesecake by Pastry Chef Ajith

Full of modern elegance, Café Amsterdam’s design and decor is a tasteful combination of cozy-chic art-deco reminiscent of the late 1920s period.

Family-friendly Friday Brunch at Cafe Amsterdam

Checking the chicken for my risotto. This was my first attempt with charcoal. The flavor was exactly what I had imagined: smoky

It was another hugely successful day with brilliant, tasty & professional looking food. When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.

The Entrance

Citi Fact Dining Awards for Best International Restaurant in Bahrain

The pretty reception area, beautiful combo of color and elegance

The fashionable interior

The restaurant has a seperate smoking area

Looking for a full bar service rather than just a bartender? Samson left, Laxman right

People

Cheerful Laxman pouring beer for a client

Taking really great food photos can be tougher than it looks

My main course – Risotto al Pesto with cream pesto sauce, parmesan cheese and charcoal grilled chicken

My Salad – Barley Prawn Salad with pearl barley mango salsa and thai dressing

My Mocktail – Prince of the Middle East made with pineapple, coconut cream, coconut syrup, mint leaves, kiwi and pomegranate seeds

Some extra shots

The very energetic kitchen & serving crew

Making crumble with Chef Suraj

Learning the method for how to fire grill chicken breasts.

Chef Rahul taught me how to make this grilled chicken for rissoto

Got some ideas from Ryan (Restaurant Manager, Cafe Amsterdam)

The DJ section of the restaurant

Restaurant view from the bar upstairs

The railings had the most beautiful floral arrangements of colors.

Great spot. If you want a drink and some privacy, try the comfy couches across from the bar upstairs.

The railings had the most beautiful floral arrangements of colors.

Up the stairs to the bar

Wanderlusting: contemporary restaurant design, so bright & pretty

Full of modern elegance, Café Amsterdam’s design and decor is a tasteful combination of cozy-chic art-deco reminiscent of the late 1920s period.

Restaurant or Gallery? Art is served up

The European Landmarks

The Mesmerising Fireplace

Bold, vibrant colors are stunningly applied in the restaurant

Restaurant Info

Serves Alcohol
Good for: Brunch and Dinner
Separate Smoking Available
Outdoor Garden Seating
Good for Groups and Business Meeting
Good for Bloggers and Writers
Private space for Reading
Live Music

For booking & info: Call 0097317007404

Website: http://www.cafeamst.com/

Instagram: @cafeamsterdam

Facebook: CafeAmsterdamBH

Hashtag: #cafeamsterdambh

Restaurant Hours

Sunday: 12pm-2am

Monday: 12pm-2am

Tuesday: 12pm-2am

Wednesday: 12pm-2am

Thursday: 12pm-2am

Friday: 8am-2am

Saturday: 8am-2am

Restaurant Menu

Radisson Blu – Aarvi’s Five Star Half-Birthday Staycation!

Events & Experiences, Hotel, Travel and Food

We have just returned home after celebrating our baby, Aarvi’s Half Birthday and a 3-day vacation at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa. The 5-star Radisson Blu is located in Manama’s prestigious diplomatic area, just 5 minutes’ drive from Bahrain International Airport.

It was one week after Eid and the celebration planned was the kind that comes out of nowhere. We reached the hotel on the afternoon of Thursday and the celebration was planned for the same evening. Upon check in we were graciously greeted by the bellman who retrieved our luggage and initiated our awesome vacation. Preethi at the front desk was very helpful upon checking in to the hotel. We thought we would be unable to check into our rooms because we had arrived before time but check in was very easy, on arrival before the time stated for the room we were given a warm welcome and shown immediately to our room with minimum administration. What more could you ask for?!

The room was very comfortable and spacious, we had a quiet and picturesque view with pool and the sea. The room was beautifully maintained and housekeeping was excellent and exactly what you expect from a 5-star hotel.

Early morning picturesque view of one of the pools from 9th-floor room (this was taken the next day)

Another view from the room, just so special!

After our check in, I checked with the front desk about a blog tour of the hotel. I had then the pleasure of being introduced to Maryam, the Marketing Manager and the Assistant Food and Beverage Director, Sudeesh, who both graciously guided me on how I could make the birthday memorable. They had the celebration arranged in the hotel’s Al Fanar restaurant, the only rooftop venue on the island with a superb view of Manama’s iconic skyline and city lights.

Not just that, Maryam also personally gave me a tour of the hotel spa, pool, pool bar, fitness studio and the hotel restaurant, where I was introduced to the Restaurant Manager, Narendra, who gave me a comprehensive tour of the restaurant. One of the most eye-widening aspects of that tour was the restaurant kitchen and the huge range of great food, awesome desserts and confectioneries, bread and cakes and some of the most popular types of Dilmah Tea from Sri Lanka.

Getting a Kitchen and Food Tour with the very friendly Restaurant Manager, Narendra

Different kinds of SALADS

The never ending main course

A little discussion with the very decent Assistant Food and Beverage Director, Sudeesh

Most popular types of Dilmah Tea from Sri Lanka

The Cooking Station, Asian Cuisine

The very talented Chef Sutar, Chef de Partie

Later we wandered around the rest of the hotel, then went back to our room to relax. We had ordered a half cake for my daughter from Cakes and Bakes, my friend Lamia and Chef Prasad had arranged to drop it off at the hotel for us later in the evening.

We reached the restaurant around 9 pm, where, a very cute looking arrangement of candles, balloons, flowers, adorable tiny toy gift boxes and birthday cracker candles awaited us. We received a very warm welcome by the restaurant staff. The management struck exactly the right balance between offering warm hospitality whilst maintaining an element of privacy for guests.

She was so happy, she almost clapped.

While we sang Happy Birthday, we held LO in our arms near the cake, DH (dear husband) blew the candles out for her, then put her in her stroller & let her smoosh a portion of her cake-which she hated by the way LOL

CONGRATULATIONS to us! We survived the first six months without any complain 🙂

And then after the cake cutting and dinner, we didn’t want Aarvi to get too cranky and overtired, so we returned to our room once again to relax. We had a wonderful sleep in the very comfy beds with very comfy linens. The toiletries in the bathroom (lotion, bubble bath/gel, shampoo and conditioner) were lovely.

Range of Toiletries

Aarvi seems to be enjoying her TRU BLU moment

Next day, after a cup of delicious hot coffee and some snuggle time with my baby girl, it was time to get out of bed and head towards the pool. We were allocated a room on the ninth floor and the biggest challenge we faced was to take the elevator as my 6-month-old daughter is terrified of elevators.

At around 9 am we reached the pool. When we reached the pool, it was partially crowded while some people occupied the pool bar. Diplomat Radisson offers 4 elegant swimming pools.

Gaurav’s leisurely swim

Kontiki, the pool bar

The pools were very nicely designed and the scenery was quite tropical. Women can also enjoy their own indoor pool at the luxurious spa and wellness center. There is a large gym, spa and treatment rooms for men next to the pool. I didn’t get time to use the gym; however, my husband did. After a workout in the fully equipped fitness center, he managed to get the requested photos for me.

After swimming, it was time for the husband to babysit, while I went to get a tour of the spa and wellness center of the hotel facility.

Women’s locker room/sauna

Indoor jacuzzi room… I absolutely love the modern style of this. I wish the one in my apartment was the same

Many different types of Spas

The hotel’s Zen-style spa is an Asian-inspired retreat that includes separate men’s and women’s facilities along with 15 treatment rooms for massages, facials and aroma baths. At the spa, attention has been applied to every detail. For example, the massage benches in the treatment rooms have a bowl of flowers placed underneath the head hole so that you face these rather than just the floor during your treatment.

Getting to know the face and body product selection

The spa offers an extensive menu of facial and body treatments performed with the highest-quality products, including PHYTOMER.

Naturally Flavored Detox Water, not only do these fruit-infused waters taste great, but they’re also fantastic for health!

After spending quality time at the spa, I headed over for the Friday brunch at Al Fanar. For those who do not know, the ‘Friday Brunch’ is very popular with ex-pats working in the Middle East and most good hotels and restaurants have one. This was my first visit to this brunch.

Guests could enjoy a wide selection of international buffets and cooking stations and choose from the many specialty corners, including Italian fare, seafood, Asian cuisine, grills, a carving station, a dessert corner, drinks and a Mojito station.

At Brunch, Restaurant Manager, Narendra had arranged for me to take a tour of the kitchen and meet the top team of chefs behind all the fantastic and creative 5-Star dishes. Meeting the exceptional chefs was one of the most overwhelming experiences that made my stay a positive and pleasant experience.

The exceptional Chefs

Top team of chefs behind all the fantastic and creative 5-Star dishes

The brunch started at 12.00 and finished spot on 15.00hrs.

The very beautiful Karina with her band The “High Times” Drums – Tim, Bass – Max, Guitar – Alex (Doing an interview with them soon)

The youngest fans from Netherlands

Guests enjoying their afternoon time with their loved ones accompanied by delicious food and drinks

Arrived back in the room for a short rest and then that evening we decided to have an early dinner, that permitted a leisurely evening by the pool and Kontiki Pool Bar.

Pool view from Kontiki Pool Bar

The restaurant has a killer vibe and some of the most stylish pan-Asian cuisine in town, it’s the food that really makes this restaurant a standout. The crab cakes and soups are very good and highly recommended.

The very creative Edward adding finishing touches to my drink

After a wonderful evening and the perfect tropical dinner, we decided to call it a night. We had breakfast the next morning and checked out around 11:30 am.

I have stayed at the Radisson Blu chain in India and Dubai, UAE, and have never been disappointed. The service, food and accommodations are well worth the price and the properties are beautifully maintained. For people wishing to visit Bahrain, I would highly recommend a stay at Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa in Manama and believe you too will enjoy their magnanimous hospitality.

Special thanks to Maryam, Karen, Sudeesh, Narendra & Edward for making our stay a memorable one, right from the check-in to the check-out it was just no hassles!!! Appreciate all the help. Awesome staff only enhanced our stay.

Love love love!

Sanchali

Note: Some important details about The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa.

Check-in: from 3:00 PM

Check-out: until 12:00 PM

Most Popular Facilities

Family Rooms

Free WiFi

Outdoor Pool/Indoor Pool

Spa

Free Parking

Airport Shuttle

4 Restaurants On Site

Contact

P.O. Box 5243 Manama
Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +973 17 531666
Fax: +973 17 530843
Email: info.diplomat@radissonblu.com

RESERVATIONS

Tel: +973 17 525251
Fax: +973 17 533870
Email: reservations.bahrain@radissonblu.com

SALES AND MARKETING

Tel: +973 17 525267
Fax: +973 17 531633
Email: sales.diplomat@radissonblu.com

Website: https://www.radissonblu.com/en/diplomathotel-bahrain

Blog http://blog.radissonblu.com/

Facebook The.Diplomat.Radisson.Blu

Instagram diplomatradissonblu

Taking a Dip

Events & Experiences, Travel and Food

☀☀ During summers, pool parties are the only best way to beat the heat whilst party hard!

As summer season has hit most of the countries, you would be flooded with pool party invitations. Pool parties have always tempted and mesmerised party animals! It is fun and relaxing to hang out with friends inside the pool with a bottle of beer. However, pool water has chlorine that can damage your skin and hair. So, before heading for a water based party, you need to take some preventive measures to look perfect for the party. Party freaks need to know some smart tips to maintain themselves while partying like a rockstar!

Wax ——- Before hitting any pool party, you must wax your body so that the exposed skin doesn’t look ugly!

Sunscreen ——- If you have a pool party in the daytime, the scorching rays of the sun can tan you and make you look dull and dark. So do not forget to apply a sunscreen before going to the party. No matter what skin tone you have, always apply sunscreen and apply it often. Sunscreen is your most valuable investment and you can’t go wrong with multiple applications throughout the day. The sunscreen application is easier than ever when you use the spray sunscreen. And for those of you who want to tan, it is a total myth that you can’t tan while wearing sunscreen. You will not only tan through sunscreen, but you will keep your skin healthy! (Priorities, people!)

Know how to swim ——- Better yet, know how to dive! This will come in handy when the rude kids dare you to jump off a high dive.

No hairstyle ——- If you try some tricky hairstyle for the pool party, all the hard effort will go in vain once you jump into the pool. So, do not bother about your hairstyle.

Clean nails ——- This is one of the most important tips to remember before going to a pool party. Cut your nails to avoid hurting yourself, look clean and also maintain hygiene.

Sunglasses ——- Grab a sexy pair of sunglasses and you can enjoy the party to the fullest. Use plastic ‘glasses’ for drinks as broken glass is not what you want to have to deal with. You really should make sure your sunglasses protect your eyes from both UVA and UVB rays. The UVA rays penetrate deep into your skin, hitting the dermis, while UVB rays usually burn the first layer of skin. By any means, your eyes also fall victim to the sun’s strong rays and deserve the same kind of protection that your skin does.

Extra clothes/swimsuits ——- Before jumping into the pool, you need to keep a stock of fresh clothes. You cannot roam all around or return in wet clothes. So, carry extra clothes with you. You really don’t want to forget this! Be sure you take along an easy change of clothes, and a swimsuit cover up, so you can be comfortable before, during and after the pool day.

Slippers over heels ——- At pool parties, wear something that makes you feel comfortable. Wear slippers as they are waterproof and won’t even damage easily.

Wear a swimsuit you are comfortable with ——- There are tons of styles out there. The most practical of them all is probably a sweet heart neckline or straight neckline tankini swimsuit. A tankini is like a bikini except it has a full tank style top instead of a undergarment style top. Wear your swimsuit to the party, underneath your clothes or cover up.

Pack a tote with essentials ——- Carry along with you a strong roomy tote bag containing some stuff. Here are the basics:

2 towels- one to dry yourself and one in case your towel is wet and you jumped back in the water
A water bottle. You have to stay hydrated to keep your fuel up. Try to get the reusable ones. Be eco!
A hairbrush or comb, to brush out the wet ratty hair.
A spare change of clothes in case your other gets wet.
Personal items

Jewellery ——- Prefer minimal jewellery as your expensive assets can fall off while you are busy enjoying the pool party. Take it off before throwing yourself into any games.

First Aid kit ——- Your first aid kit should be specific to these pool days, and you can take it around with you from pool party to pool party. The contents of the first aid kit should contain:

Petroleum jelly for cracked skin relief
Aloe for sunburns
Waterproof bandages
Insect repellant
Anti-itch cream
Ear drops and eye drops

Now if you have all of these items ready you have passed the poolside preparedness test! You are completely ready for fun in the sun – be sure to work on that cannonball form, too! What are your favorite items to take to the pool? What are your summer plans? Share in the comments!

XoXo

Sanchali

Courtesy: ticketbox

Home of Motorsport in the Middle East

Events & Experiences, Travel and Food

I went to the Bahrain International Circuit on December 16. It was my first race circuit experience and a fantastic one altogether. Bahrain itself is an incredible country, experiencing that furious development the gulf has recently become famous for. The circuit is 30 km from Manama (from where i stay) and it takes around 35 minutes to get there by car. As it was the 44th National Day of Bahrain, it took us about 3 hours to reach there due to the celebrations and heavy traffic.

Apologies for the quality of the photo people, they were clicked with my mobile phone and the camera modes somehow just weren’t working right that evening, but it gives a flavor of the celebrations.

The drive to the circuit is quite incredible.. scenic dessert landscape the whole way, then suddenly the massive entrance to the complex and the huge round princes tower suddenly pops into view. Its literally in the middle of the dessert. The organisation and facilities were of world class standard. We were dropped off at the entrance right in front of our grandstand.

The distinctive Al-Sakhir Tower of the Formula One Racetrack rises above the surrounding desert like a beacon. If you are visiting Bahrain out of season and are curious to see what a state-of-the-art race track looks like, then you can join a 40-minute tour of the grounds, including the media centre and race control room, and even take a lap around the circuit.

There are also opportunities to see drag racing at the circuit and to experience four-wheel driving (BD12 for 25-minute ride; BD65 for self-drive). Go-carting (BD10 for 15-minute drive) is available daily.

Thank y’all for stopping by my blog! I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I enjoy writing them, and if you have any questions make sure you leave a comment! Save and share the places you love in your city ❤ Until my next post

Xoxo

~Sanchali

Bluefield Burger – A Quick Bite

Events & Experiences, Travel and Food

Good Evening from Manama!! 🙂

Bluefield Burger Evening Snack

This place has a very light atmosphere with bright colors, and when I see a bit of turquoise somewhere, my heart always skips a beat. My husband and I joined a friend here for a quick snack as we were picking up some groceries, the service team are very friendly and the food is well priced, fresh and tasty. The drinks are presented well and again are tasty and freshly made. Try the Homemade Greek Ice tea. They are quick and convenient, a good option for a quick bite and potentially a more substantial meal.

I love Bluefield’s menu. I believe they serve the best hot-dog in the whole Bahrain. My favorites are Chicken Quesadilla, Salmon Fillet and Aegean Cheese Rolls. The breakfast menu is also very good and the Coffee is great! I will become a loyal customer for sure 🙂 A lovely place to be I’ll certainly recommend it to family and friends.

Save and share the places you love in your city in the comments below! ❤

Xoxo

~Sanchali