Our recent visit to Bangkok was full of unexpected surprises, not least of which was the brand new and boldly beautiful Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 4, a green, serene oasis secreted amidst Bangkok’s towers of concrete, right in the heart of the bustling business and entertainment district. The sleek, modern hotel is a brilliant choice for […] Read more…
Hailed as the “Venice of the East”, Thailand’s boisterous Bangkok offers visiting families a chaotic but cool combination of fast-paced city life and ancient culture. It is a city for all the senses with dazzling lights, the fragrant scent of street food, sprawling shrines to consumerism, and the cacophonous honking and tooting of tricked-up tuk-tuks. […] Read more…
Flying from Changi is always a treat, but it has quite been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of doing so with Qantas. And even longer since enjoying it in Business Class style. And what a treat it is. Seamless service, superior comfort and sublime food on the Qantas A330-200 business class service sets […] Read more…
Written by Raffles – Aged 10 I love travel more than just about anything, even eating. Ok, so maybe not more than, but at least equal to. But, luckily food and travel go hand in hand. Unfortunately, so do travel and airports. I mean, I love flying, unlike my scaredy-cat mum, but there’s literally nothing […] Read more…
Given Singapore’s national sports appear to be eating and drinking, it’s hardly surprising that, as a card-carrying glutton, it is a destination that has wormed its way into my heart, via my fickle stomach. Without doubt one of the best food cities on earth, traders and settlers from Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Europe have […] Read more…
Tokyo is one of the world’s great culinary cities, so be prepared to eat. A lot. And often. Seriously, you need to forget Lost in Translation, because in this city, you’re far more likely to be lost in digestion. Street food is delicious and cheap, while at the other end of the dining spectrum there […] Read more…
From Sanrio’s sassy Hello Kitty to ancient Edo cat literature and cat art, cat cafés, cat islands and even an unofficial cat holiday – Nyan Nyan Nyan Day – held each year on February 22, you could be forgiven for thinking that Japan is utterly smitten with kittens. So, it turns out, are Raffles […] Read more…
A kids’ club and a cuddly toy at registration are not what makes a family-friendly hotel. I mean sure, they’re nice, and much appreciated, but if you ask Raffles and Sugarpuff what makes a hotel kid friendly, it is friendliness … to kids. Pretty simple really, but also sadly infrequent. But the new Pullman Tokyo […] Read more…
Take one rumbling volcano, a sparkling blue harbour filled with galleons and gondolas, and seven enchanting ports filled with thrills, whimsy, creativity and adventure. Then add state-of-the-art special effects, a side of sushi, and you’ve got the incredible Tokyo DisneySea, a one-of-a kind Disney Park that I think might just be the most beautiful in […] Read more…
Written by Raffles – Aged 10 The true test of whether a holiday resort is kid friendly is to ask a kid. Here, our very own ten-year old junior correspondent and international man of mystery, Raffles, is sharing his thoughts on why Novotel Phuket Surin Beach Resort is cool for kids. 1. THE WELCOME […] Read more…
Travel is an itch that the kids and I can’t help scratching. Instead of “are we there yet?”, my intrepid travellers, desperate to explore more of the world are more “where to next?” kids, and generally start nagging me for answers before we’ve even boarded our flight home from wherever we are. But sometimes even […] Read more…
What could be worse than more than 9 hours crammed into a tiny space with two farting and belching children, especially when they’re your own? I don’t know because somehow, we’ve won the airplane lottery and scored four seats between the three of us on our Thai Airways economy flight from Sydney to Bangkok. CHECK […] Read more…