SUITE LIFE AT THE BONHAM HOTEL

I'm back, once again with another hotel review. I feel like travel has been a huge focus this year in Scotland's blogging industry and I ain't complaining.

This time, I was headed to the Capital to stay at a charming 4 star hotel situated in the West End. The Bonham Hotel has recently undergone a huge refurb which has seen the bedroom interiors given a modern update which still reflects its original design. The hotel feels traditional Edinburgh but with wood panelled walls and original fire places but with a young, fresh twist mixed with plush turquoise velvet sofas and glitzy chandeliers.

Myself and some of my favourite Glasgow bloggers were kindly invited to the hotel to indulge in,what sounded like, the most festive night ever. After checking-in, Suzy and I headed to our room - a newly refurbed twin room that was going to be the perfect spot to rest of our heads. Eager to see the Executive Suite, we quickly hurried along to where Victoria was sleeping as this was where the main activities would take place. A large spacious room complete with not one, but two, bay windows, a fire place, two sofas, a tv cabinet, lovely white bathroom with both shower and tub, a big kingsize bed and a dinner table and Christmas tree set-up for later. I was so excited for the night ahead...

Not before long, we were sipping on champagne before the first activity commenced - cookie decorating. If there was ever a therapeutic Christmas activity to indulge in, this was it. We laughed at realising our serious concentration levels and successful and failing icing designs.  I went for a wreath, holly and (slightly dodgy) looking fairy light design.

Next up: cocktail making in their intimate bar area. We shaked up espresso martinis by the fire place and took the opportunity to capture a few pictures.

Two activities ticked off the list, we headed back to our suite to find gifts left for each of us at the table. This was one of the sweetest things ever and I was kindly gifted a hair set by Ouai - perfect! The rest of the evening saw us enjoy a deliscious three course meal in the suite while listening to Christmas music, followed by silly games, lots more prosecco and girly chat until 3am.

After a leisurely morning we enjoyed breakfast in the restaurant together before checking out. Myself, Rachel and Victoria took a quick jaunt to the Christmas markets before catching the train back home - both of which were handily in walking distance from the hotel. Heading back West, I couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky to experience things like this. A huge thank you to The Bonham Hotel and Beattie Communications!

The Bonham Hotel is still undergoing a phased refurb and early 2019 will see exciting new looks for the bar, restaurant, lounge and reception. I can't wait to see what the do with the place! It's already gorgeous and can only get better.

If you have an upcoming trip to Edinburgh and looking for a convenient hotel in the city centre definitely check out The Bonham Hotel.

XoXo

Cosy couples getaway

Every once and a while, city life can get a bit much and if, you're anything like me, you’ll crave some fresh, countryside air. Living in Glasgow, it’s easy to forget just how fortunate we are in terms of geography (yes, geography). The capital and one of the best cities in the world is just 50 miles away.  One of the most romantic places in the UK, the Lake District, can be reached in under two hours.  And one of the world’s most beautiful Loch’s (and my happy place) can be discovered in just an hour’s drive. It’s time to make the most of having access to so many fabulous destinations so to kick it off, last month, Liam and I took up the offer to visit a quaint hotel perched on the edge of Loch Lomond, in the charming little town of St Fillan’s.

A BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN DAY

On route to St Fillan’s it was clear we’d struck the weather jackpot. The sun was splitting in the sky and the temperatures had reached above 15 degrees – it was perfect. On arrival to The Four Seasons, we were greeted with a warm welcome, but what I was most impressed with was just how welcome our little pug, Indie. We’ve taken Indie to a few hotels in the past but I can say without doubt that the staff at The Four Seasons took doggy welcomes to the next level. We were informed that our little baby could even join us for dinner AND breakfast. If you’ve got a dog of your own, you’ll appreciate how rare this is!

A PERFECT SUNSET

All checked in, we decided to head straight out and explore St Fillan’s while the sun was still shining bright.  We never actually made it into the little town but instead stuck to the loch edge, exploring forest walks, stumbling across tree swings and stopping to take pictures. Lots of pictures!

With the sun beginning to dip, we headed back to our hotel to get ready for dinner. Putting my makeup on in front of our HUGE window that looked directly onto the loch, I noticed the sun setting behind the hills quicker than I expected. I grabbed Liam, Indie and the camera and we headed down to the little dock and captured some of my favourite pictures of recent. You honestly can’t beat a sunset picture!

TASTING THE GRUB

Dinner time now and we were suitably starving and ready to stuff our faces! We’d read a little about the Tarken Bar & Bistro on Tripadvisor before we headed up so knew were in for some good food. For starters, we shared the Chicken and Haggis Croquettes. I’m not one to choose haggis but these were actually super tast. For mains, we chowed down the Traditional Burger in a Brioche Bun with double (or was it triple) cooked chips. TAST-Y. With little room left to spare but just enough, we ordered some desert and by desert, I mean cheese and crackers for me (LOL) and cheesecake for Liam. Full to the brim and a little tipsy from prosecco, we called it a night and headed back to our room.

Unfortunately, we had plans the next afternoon so couldn’t stay around to enjoy more of the area but we did have time to enjoy breakfast (yes, more food) before we departed and a brisk walk in the foggy weather. Again, breakfast was super tasty and set us up for the day ahead.

One thing I truly loved about St Fillan’s was how laid back the community was. Walking Indie down the road at 9am felt more like 6am with not a soul in sight and just the occasional car passing by. The Four Seasons echoes just that feeling with cosy fireplaces and the cutest library nook that would be the ideal spot to get lost in a book.

If you’re looking for a cosy, welcoming and homely place to stay with unbeatable views of Loch Lomond, The Four Seasons is just the place. I could only imagine how beautiful this place would be in the winter and would make a great Christmas getaway.

Thanks again to the staff at The Four Seasons for inviting us to stay and experience the beautiful St Fillan’s. We hope to be back one day soon.

xoxo

My Guide to Getting in the Festive Spirit

Temperatures have dropped, I'm layering my clothes like Joey when he wears all of Chandlers clothes at once and I'm reaching for teas and coffees more than I ever have done. I think we can officially say farewell to Autumn and hello to Winter!

Although come January I'll be cursing the Scottish weather and a life of living in constant darkness, I'm always pretty happy with the change of season at this side of the year. I mean, who doesn't want to have a day slobbing on the couch, eating chocolate and cheese without feeling guilty. And those twinkly lights that are starting to appear around the city just wouldn't be as magical if weren't for the dark nights. So, in a long winded way I'm basically trying to say that I'm happy to see winter roll in (for the time being!).

The lead up to Christmas is absolutely one of my most favourite times of the year but each year I regret the things I never got to do. It's a busy few weeks and before you know it you're packing away the Christmas decos for another year. This year I pledge to make my plans happen. And one way of putting the pressure on myself is by writing it out here in a blog post for all to see. So, I present to you, my personal guide to getting into the festive spirit. May it bring some inspiration to you at this festive time of the year or at the very least give me the drive to get my own list checked off.

Watch the Christmas lights switch on
If you're not feeling in the Christmas spirit you better believe that attending one of the light switch on events will get you ready for December 25th. I LOVE the Glasgow Christmas light switch on at George Square but the tickets are in high demand and unfortunately this year I've missed out. BUT I'm not going to let that stop me. If like me you never got your hands on tickets you can still enjoy the switch on / fireworks and general atmosphere from the side lines. I admit, it's not quite as thrilling standing at the edge of the square but it's worth it to experience the switch on. You could also head to one of the surrounding restaurant / bars and enjoy the switch on from indoors with a drink in hand. The switch on is from 5pm on Sunday 19th November.

Princes Square also put on a pretty spectacular switch on and this year they have enchanting live music accompanying various performances including magic and glass orb juggling (ooh!). The switch on is from 5:30pm on Thursday 16th November. 

Host a girls night with mulled wine and cheese 
There's nothing better than inviting your girl friends round for a few festive drinks. I have so many ideas when it comes to hosting party's (thank you Pinterest!) and love the planning and preparation for something like this. From making your own festive snacks and drinks to planning festive games and creating the perfect Christmas playlist. You can create a theme or dress code - Strictly Sparkles if you're wanting to go fancy or Christmas jumpers / PJs if you're planning a chilled night. You can also introduce a Secret Santa gifting into the night or why not create your own party favors for your guests - something simple like one of the ideas here.

Christmas shopping roadtrip
The shops are full of Christmas buzz at this time of the year and are an assured way of getting you chanting 'Santa Claus is coming to town....'. Why not make a real experience of your Christmas shopping trip this year. Grab your girlfriends, jump in the car and head to somewhere completely new to find gifts for your loved ones. That's exactly what I'll be doing this weekend with Victoria and Rachel as we head to Gretna Gateway!

Christmas movie marathon 
Needs no explanation. Get a fresh pair of PJs on, line up your favourite Christmas movies, light a festive candle and pour yourself a spiced tea. Don't forget to buy in your supply of snacks to ensure you don't need to leave the couch all day! Well, apart from making yourself a batch of fresh cookies! Days like these are also the perfect time to write out your Christmas cards. Or if you're brave .... make your own!

Get in the mood at the markets
At the heart of every great city is a Christmas market come December. Glaswegians are spoiled for choice with two Christmas markets to choose from. Wrap up warm and have a wander around the stalls sampling the delicious food and drink.

Christmas wreath making
I attended one of Lorraine Wood's wreath making workshops last year and had the best time! It's certainly no easy task but Lorraine is a brilliant teacher who can show even the clumsiest of hands how to create a masterpiece for their font door. This is the perfect activity to spend some quality time with your mum or gran!

I hope the above gives you some inspiration and ideas of ways to get into the festive spirit. I'm always on the look out for unique ideas and things to do so if you know of anything I must try, please let me know!

xoxo