A LUXURY STAY AT THE KINGS HEAD HOTEL IN THE COTSWOLDS

A few weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of being invited to spend a night at the newly reopened luxury Kings Head Hotel, proudly situated in the beautiful market town of Cirencester and snuggled in the heart of the Cotswold's, this beautifully restored and elegant hotel offers sanctuary from the daily bustle and a space to escape and clear your mind, replenishing both body and soul. 

On arrival we were shown through the elegant reception and up to our suite 101 on the first floor. I love staying in hotels and never tire of the excitement of stepping into a beautifully designed room and the Kings Head certainly didn't disappoint, with each of the 45 rooms being uniquely created by Calico Interiors. Not only was the room spacious and light with the perfect addition of gin & tonic to welcome us, but the attention to detail surpassed my expectations. From the four poster bed, large circular mirrors, wardrobe area, grey subway tiled bathroom, stand alone bathtub and industrial wooden side table, the room was a beautiful mix of old meets new and the bed was dreamy to sink into.

After getting changed into fluffy white robes and slippers we headed downstairs to the Subterranean Spa to indulge in a Lubatti Pure Luxury Indulgence treatment which includes 80 minutes of pure relaxation focusing on the key areas of the body. The Pure Luxury Indulgence started with an eye and lip treatment, including Lubatti’s signature cleansing and toning facial routine, which uses only the finest ingredients. The décolleté and hands are exfoliated with Lubatti’s Caramel Body Polish followed by a stress relieving back massage, I didn't realise how much tension I carry in my shoulders but afterwards I felt completely replenished and my skin was glowing, and after a short time in the relaxation room it was time to get ready for dinner and cocktails. 

The bar and restaurant were equally well designed with flagstone floors, dark interior walls punctuated with copper and gallery walls. There was a huge log fire ready to be lit on colder months and the menu introduced us to a new style of Robatayaki dining, which uses the Japanese technique of grilling food over hot coals to seal in the flavour. Each dish is presented as a small bite so you can order a few plates from each section of the menu allowing you to get a full range of the flavours on offer. The dishes were beautifully presented, delicious and the colours were leapt off the plate. 

We rounded of dinner with a few mystery cocktails created by the barman, this orange creation had Iron Brew as its secret ingredient and was super tasty, oh and this flaming Mojito was fab! I love the atmosphere at night, a mix of hotel guests and locals all coming together to enjoy a drink in the beautifully designed bar which stay open until midnight.

After the most restful sleep with no small person to wake us at the crack of dawn, we took our time getting dressed using the Nespresso machine to give us our caffeine kick before heading down for breakfast. There was a huge selection of continental meats, cheeses and cereals as well as a cooked menu, I wolfed down the Eggs Florentine and Paul was pleased with the Gluten free option and the service was impeccable.

After a tour around the rest of the tardis like hotel, which houses a huge selection of rooms available for hire from private dining in the wine cellar, beautiful ballroom hall for weddings and the underground vaulted room – fab for private parties – I returned to the room to pack and take a sneak peek at the bridal suite with free standing copper bath *swoon* and take a mental note of the afternoon tea's – my excuse to return soon!



The Kings Head has been lovingly restored and is the perfect getaway from life and enjoy luxury design in the Cotswold's, and I would recommend anyone to book a night as a treat. Room prices range from £120 to £450 for an evening although prices change depending on season and the hotel often runs supper clubs and events for those not wanting to stay but experience a touch of luxury.

*We received a complimentary stay, treatment and meals as part of this review. All words and opinions are 100% my own. 

A STAY IN THE CHARMING BOUTIQUE HOTEL PALAU SA FONT IN PALMA

Think blue skies, green palms, gentle waves by the shore and you'll be conjuring visions of our recent island getaway to Mallorca, where we had the pleasure of staying at the charming boutique Hotel Palau Sa Font, tucked away in the rustic narrow streets of Palma's Medieval quarter. 



Travelling as a family we always look for unique stays with thoughtful design features and staff that go out of their way to create a wonderful experience, and Palau Sa Font ticks all those boxes. This modest former 16th century palace has been transformed into a unique blend of clean lines and candy colour, adorned with eclectic art. Perfectly located a few minutes from both the waters edge and Passeig del Born, we wandered down the crumbling back streets, vibrant with small cafes spilling onto the streets and locals whiling away the hours, until the walls become so narrow that the buildings lean inwards like long lost lovers and washing lines stretch between the ancient wooden balconies perched above.

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A STAY AT THE LUXURIOUS PORTIXOL HOTEL IN PALMA

A few weeks back we woke bleary eyed in Bristol and rolled out of bed at 3am to catch a flight to the sunny island of Mallorca nestled in the Mediterranean sea and check into the luxurious Portixol Hotel, with i-escape with Kids. As a child I used to holiday on the north-western coats of this Balearic Isle, and have fond memories exploring cobbled stone pathways shaded with beautiful palms with my parents so I was excited to return. 

Apart from the mad last minute dash for the gate I was quite impressed at how smooth it all went and how good F was during the flight considering how early it was. We arrived at Palma Airport and immediately felt our shoulders relax as the balmy 28 degrees washed over us and we managed to grab a taxi outside the airport – most of which have child booster seats in the boot – and made our way to the beautiful Portixol Hotel.

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DESIGN HOTEL IN AMSTERDAM // PART THREE

Time flies when you're having fun and making exciting travel plans, and I've realised I haven't shared the final stint of our fab Amsterdam design hotel trip with i-escape with you. I love looking back over our adventures and remembering all the fun finds and exciting eats, you can read our first day and second day here.After a very relaxing sleep in our design bolt holes, Hotel V Nepslein situated in the theatre quarter of Amsterdam, I was very excited to head down for breakfast and sample its delights after seeing how popular the restaurant was the night before, but nothing could have prepared me for the surprise I got as we made our way to our table!

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DESIGN HOTEL IN AMSTERDAM // PART TWO WITH I-ESCAPE

It's been a few weeks since we returned from our city break in Amsterdam with i-escape – you find part one here – and there is still so much to share with you. Not only do I love the design hotels, culture and coffee,  but I also love the food and shops too.

On waking from our gorgeous loft suite at the Hotel V Fredericksplein, we packed our bags ready to make our way over to our next bolthole, its luxury sister Hotel V Nepslein, just a short tram ride away. As we headed into the centre and wandered down a small cobbled lane filled with colour we found a discreet sign alerting us to our destination, as we stepped through the door a stunning tiered floor to ceiling chandelier greeted us and immediately I knew we were in for a treat.

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DESIGN HOTEL IN AMSTERDAM // PART ONE WITH I-ESCAPE

I'm very excited to announce that this year Wild & Grizzly will be collaborating with the fab online travel company i-escape and last weekend we got to sample a brilliant design hotel in Amsterdam for a Valentines weekend break. I'm so excited to share our top things to do in Amsterdam and showcase our two beautiful city pads.With direct flights from Bristol to Amsterdam taking less than an hour, it's the perfect destination for a weekend city break. This is the first trip we've taken abroad without F – who stayed at my folks for a few days – and to be honest  I felt a bit guilty but the thought of being out after 6.30pm was enough to make me giddy, and as Amsterdam is so kid friendly I can't wait to return with F.

We touched down as the light started to fade and took the €5 train ride to the heart of the city, and even though the trams are super easy to use we jumped in a taxi eager to find our first hotel. Proving the Dutch do design hotels well, we were welcomed by a stunning circular copper fireplace and curved leather sofa as we entered  Hotel V Fredericksplein and shown to our beautifully designed loft suite.

After a quick change of clothes we headed out onto Utrechtsestraat, a stones throw from the hotel, a street buzzing with cafes, bars and design boutiques and spent the evening at the newly opened Guts N Glory before exploring the city's canals at night.

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