Hotel review: Yotel, Gatwick Airport, United Kingdom

As London airports go, Gatwick is probably the furthest away from our house so when we booked a 6am flight to NYC it made sense to stay overnight to avoid the panic of making sure we arrived on time. Enter Yotel*.

Located in the South Terminal by the arrivals area and a two minute walk away from check-in desks, Yotel is the perfect crash pad if you have to catch a flight. You can even use it if you have a long layover or delayed flights as you rent a room by the hour so you can have it for as long as you need it. If you're flying from the North Terminal, then the hotel is just a short shuttle bus ride away.

Offering three different types of compact cabins (standard, premium and premium twin), the rooms are compact yet have everything you need. You'll be able to relax whilst watching telly, take advantage of the free WIFI and help yourself to the complimentary hot drinks from reception. We treated ourselves to a meal at Giraffe opposite but there is also the option of buying snacks, pizzas, paninis and breakfast. The bed transfers from a sofa to a vertical bed in the coolest way - you'll just have to try it out for yourself! So cool!

I'd heard it could be noisy but we didn't have that problem. In fact we had a great night's sleep but then we was at the furthest end of the hotel which could have played a part. We stayed over on a Thursday night and booked the room from 7pm to 3am. The room was pretty small but it did the job and we really didn't need much more space. We stored our suitcases under the bed to maximise the room and the bed in the premium cabin was plenty big enough for two hoggers to share. If I had an early morning flight from Gatwick again then I'd definitely book myself in. It really couldn't be more convenient and helped to keep our stress levels down as knew we didn't have far at all to go to our check-in desk.

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Hotel review: Brody House, Budapest, Hungary

I'm usually one to do holidays on a budget. Cheap flights and cheap apartments so I can have more than one holiday a year. But for this trip I wanted luxury and boutique hotels. So during my weekly browse on Mr and Mrs Smith to see how the other half lives, I stumbled across Brody House. The slightly dilapidated interiors, quirky little features and perfect location had me hook, line and sinker. When I realised the price worked out about £60 a room, per night, I knew I wasn't going to stay anywhere else. Just keep in mind that you will get charged a city tax and VAT upon checkout so you don't have a nasty little shock like we did. But despite this, I still think it offers great value for money and we all deserve a little treat once in a while don't we?

Offering just 11 rooms, the boutique hotel has a similar vibe to the Soho House chain. Each room is named after the artist whose work hangs on the wall, meaning every one is unique. We opted for the Ludo room and boy did we pick well. With a huge soft king size bed and luxurious free-standing roll top bath, it made coming home every night a joy. The room was huge and more than enough space for two people sharing. I loved the waterfall shower tucked behind a rickety wooden screen and the quirky little interiors that made it feel like home. The daily maid service was great and they topped up our towels every day.

After oohing and ahhing at the room, we decided to explore the hotel. And stumbled across the honesty bar. Situated near reception, there are two room with comfy sofas, board games and mix matched wooden tables. Each one boasts an honesty bar filled with every kind of drink you can imagine, nibbles, cocktail book and ice cream in the freezer. The game is to help yourself whenever you fancy but you have to write down what you have so it can be charged to your room at the end of your stay. I loved this idea and we spent a few evenings treating ourselves to a gin before we went out for dinner. The courtyard was a great place to hang out on a warm summer's evening, putting the world to rights.

The hotel also offers a continental breakfast or an al la carte breakfast. Keen to put it to the test, we had it the first morning. It was nice but it not very big and a bit overpriced for what it was so opt for breakfast in the city. The wifi was a little hit and miss which is great if you want to complete switch off. But I had a few work emails I wanted to check and it was a bit annoying.

There is a private members club about a seven minute drive away. We never made it here but I've heard it offers good food, fun entertainment and as a guest of the hotel, you get to visit for free.

This was honestly my favourite place I have ever stayed - EVER! It was homely, quirky and in a great location. It really did feel like a home away from home and I'd recommend it in a heartbeat. It's such a cool concept and one that works so well in a city keen to become hip and happening. I'm tempted to visit Budapest again just so I can have a few nights here!

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Review: Tap On The Line, Kew

Nothing quite beats a cosy pub dinner right? Located next door to Kew Gardens tube station is thepub Tap On The Line. Looking a little bit like an old aunt's eccentric house, the pub is a mix match of interiors which only encourages to make it more charming. I love a pub that you can spend hours in and feel at home. Tap on The Line is one of those pubs.

We had just finished viewing the amazing Christmas at Kew and wanted somewhere quick for a bite to eat before starting our 90 minute journey home. So we only picked a main course. The location made this pub fantastic. The service wasn't the greatest - I think it took nearly 40 minutes for our food to arrive. But luckily the dinner made up for the slow service!

I opted for the goats cheese and roasted walnut tagliatelle. The goats cheese was little sparse but overall the pasta was delicious. The walnuts added much needed crunch and generous garlic sauce gave it something special. It wasn't too heavy but totally hit the spot.

My mum and nan opted for the sausage and mash with caramelised onion gravy and root vegetable crisps. The mash was out of this world! So rich and creamy, I may or may not have finished my nan's leftovers... The root vegetable crisps were a great extra and helped to add something a little bit different to a classic dish.

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Review: Cafe Pistou, Exmouth Market

I have a friend Hannah. Hannah is the queen of eating out in London. There's not a tasty joint she doesn't know about. When she suggested we all eat at Cafe Pistou, I trekked all the way to Farringdon without giving it a second though. Turns out, Hannah choose a gem. Again.

Cafe Pistou is a quaint French brassiere in Exmouth Market. This stretch of road is a foodie heaven. I honestly can't believe just how many places there are to eat in such a small road. At lunchtime a delicious market lines the street leaving you with even more choice.

Back back to this mint green fronted restaurant. We opted for a selection of small plates so we could get stuck in and sample more. Us blogger folk are a greedy lot. That way we could also fit a dessert in. I'd already earmarked the fruity almond and fig tart.

What did we order? First up we scoffed the salt cod croquettes. The crispy delights had a tasty, creamy filling which melted in your mouth. Paired with a light sweet pepper and tomato mayonnaise dip - the perfect accompaniment for a salty dish. We immediately ordered the creamy, soft burrata cheese with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Deciding to go a little more French, we asked for the feta ratatouille. Huge chunks of juicy vegetables were smothered in a tomato sauce. The firm cheese was perfect to soak up the juices. The delicate, crispy prawn and basil parcels felt light and flavoursome. The tomato and basil butter dip complimented the fish to a tee.

Dessert. Dessert is what makes the world go round. Like I mentioned above, I went for the scrummy fig and almond tart with ice cream. Sarah plumped for the Caramel and Chocolate Mousse. What a choice that was - just look it! I can confirm it tasted delicious as she soon gobbled it up!

It's certainly not a cheap place to eat at but for a treat? I don't mind splashing the pennies. 

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Review: Blossoming Flowers

There's not many better things then receiving a beautiful flower delivery in the post. They'll brighten up anyone's day! When Blossoming Flowers got in touch to see if I wanted to be treated to a bunch of blooms, I decided to opt for the Lily & Delphinium bouquet.

Quite often if you opt for cheap flowers, the quality is reflected in the price. But not these flowers by post! The flowers were gorgeous - not a half dead one in sight! The bouquet last well over a week and looked so pretty on my chest of drawers, adding a little glamour to my bedroom. It was such a shame when I had to reluctantly cast them aside. 

Luckily every single one of you can experience a stunning bouquet of flowers too! Blossoming Flowers have very kindly supplied a 33% discount code for you. Simply enter BGIFT33 at the checkout. Only the flowers by post range is exempt. Gone on, treat yourself! 

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Review: Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of An Icon

A few weeks ago now I was very kindly given complimetary tickets to pop along to the Audrey Hepburn photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I've always been a massive fan of Audrey, in fact she's my go to when I need some inspiration for a dressing up party. Or in everyday life! To be given a sneak peak into over 70 images - some from her son's private collection - was fascinating. It was so interesting to read all about this wonderful woman's life. She really was such an icon. Sadly I wasn't allowed to take any pictures inside Portraits of An Icon but take it from me, the photos were stunning. I especially loved the collection of her magazine front covers and seeing the actress change over the years. To see where she came from and to what she eventually ended up being was awe-inspiring. I didn't realise she did so much work for charity.

It's running until 18th October 2015. Although tickets are sold out online, there's a limited number of tickets released at the gallery at 10am every morning. It's well worth getting up early for!

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Review: J-Dog, Shoreditch

When an email popped into my inbox from J-Dog inviting me to lunch, I was intriuged. Based at Pump street market - a cool old petrol station in shoreditch - the Asian-infused hot dog company are offering something unique to the market. In fact, they're the only ones offering Japanese dogs on the market. Pretty cool huh?

  

First up to try was the Kimchi J-Dog. A premium Japanese Kurobuta pork sausage was piled high with crispy seaweed, thick tangy Teriyaki sauce and spicy Kimchi. Delicious! The flavours went absolutely perfect together. The juicy sausage was the star of the hotdog.

Then we tried the Okonomi J-Dog. Once again I opted for the Kurobuta sausage. There was just something about the intense flavouring and tender meat. So unlike any other pork sausage I'd had before. This time it was topped with dried bonito flakes - fermented tuna -, okonomi sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. The Bonito flakes were definately an acquired taste!

The stall has recently started introducing seafood to the mix too. With a mixture of spring rolls, crispy calamari and juicy tempura prawns. Usually I find fried seafood a little hit and miss. The grease can be overpowering and ruin the fish. But this was amazing. The batter was lovely and thin and made sure the seafood was the star of the show. It sounds simple but it's very hard to master given the amount of terrible versions I've eaten.

The street market is open from 11am-11pm so it's a great place to stop on the way home after the pub to the station. If you like your food with a kick, you can't go wrong with the Kimchi special. You won't regret a visit!

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