This week for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge the theme is Old and New.
Over the years we have stayed in a variety of establishments – from two star to five star. It’s not always the five star hotels that are the best, I prefer ones that are a bit quirky and a view is even better.
OLD
Hotel Monterey, Nagasaki
Named after an American town and in the style of a Portuguese villa but located in Japan! This was a very cute hotel complete with an iron gated elevator. There is also the famous Chapel Bussola with its magnificent spiral staircase and stained glass windows. A sensational place to hold a wedding.
The Hotel Saigon Morin is not located in Saigon but in Hue which is around a three hour drive from Da Nang. Established in 1901 by a French businessman Mr. Morin and built in a French colonial style with a wonderful courtyard inside the hotel. Over the years many famous people stayed here, one was Charlie Chaplin. In the evening they have clips of his old films showing on the wall.
George Vl, Biarritz, France
Plantation Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Both of the above hotels are small boutique hotels. The Plantation Hotel had a fantastic swimming pool in the middle of the buildings surrounded by palm trees and our room opened up onto it.
The Belle Rive Hotel in Luang Prabang overlooking the Nam Khan River. We had the bottom left room, complete with our own front door. We loved this hotel and walked over the road in the morning to have breakfast by the river.
NEW
The Stones, Bali
We enjoyed our stay at The Stones in Bali, such an opulent hotel. The bath was on the balcony, we never did use it! As you can see there is also a helicopter landing pad on top of the hotel. We stayed here for a week a few years ago when there was an extremely well priced trip from Perth in the local paper.
Taj Krishna, Banjarra Hills, Hyderabad
The Taj Krishna was definitely a five star hotel, complete with excellent service. We stayed here for a week with our two travelling companions, Laurence and Maddy a few years ago and had the best time. The staff here could not do enough to make our stay memorable.
The Stamford, Glenelg, South Australia
Staying here was part of our road trip across five states. We had a wonderful room overlooking the ocean.
After leaving Eaglehawk Neck we drove onto Richmond for the night, staying at Hatcher’s Manor. It sounds very glorious and also looked fabulous from the photos. The outside didn’t disappoint, but the rooms and restaurant could have done with a bit of renovation!
Arriving around 6.30 pm we had booked to have dinner in the restaurant there, so poor hubby didn’t have to drive anymore. A limited menu and wine list greeted us. I was invited to the kitchen to see what cold whites were on offer, sadly nothing Tasmanian, too expensive I was told.
Hatcher’s ManorOur room for the night
Hubby choosing his after dinner drink behind the bar
Intriguing pieces around the property
The owner kept three horses on the property that he told us were just left there! He used to let them out of their field and have a wander around the property. Chomping and chewing their way around the flower beds.
The man of the manor and his horses
Leaving Hatcher’s after breakfast we made our way into Richmond for a quick wander and a coffee. We had a long drive ahead of us to reach Stanley that night, almost five hours not counting the stops.
This is the route we were taking today.
Richmond
This town has a population of just over 800 and is situated in the Coal River Region. It’s most famous structure is the Richmond Bridge which was built in 1823. It is the oldest stone span bridge in Australia.
A waving hubby
Walking into Richmond itself we took a turn around the Gaol and had another history lesson. Richmond Gaol is Australia’s oldest colonial gaol, and has a great self guided tour on offer. It dates back to 1825. When you enter the different rooms the narrative starts. Sometimes it’s a bit startling hearing the screams, cries and pleas of the women prisoners. This was a mixed jail, where sleeping quarters were always overcrowded. There were also solitary cells for repeat offenders. Women were often repeat offenders attempting to escape harsh masters and preferred to live out their sentence inside a jail.
Door to a cell
Womens’ toilet
From the Jailer’s residence
Fireplace in one of the guard’s rooms
The local gingerbread house
Oatlands
I researched the drive over to Stanley to see where we could stop and what towns would be the most interesting. Oatlands was one such place and we had a quick stop here to see the windmill.
Callington Mill, a Georgian Mill built in 1837 and restored in 2010. This is still a working mill and produces quality flour.
A traditional stone wall cottage, I pretty much blend in!
We stopped at Ross for lunch, this was another very pretty historical town, but sadly not enough time to have a good look around. Next up was Sheffield, a town of murals. I took plenty of photos here, but that will be for another post!
Vientiane is the capital of Laos and the largest city, it is located on the banks of the Mekong River very close to the border with Thailand.
We visited here a few years ago for three nights before heading off to Luang Prabang. There is still a French influence around, especially the architecture. The Laotian cuisine is very delicate using herbs such as lemongrass, coriander and basil. Some of the dishes you might eat are sticky rice (Khao Niaw) sticky rice is a staple throughout the country. Minced Meat Salad (Larb) Green Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Hoong) Steamed Fish (Mok Pa) Baguette Paté (Khao Jii Paté) Wet Noodles (Khao Piak Sen) Lao Sausages (Sai Uah, Sai Gok) Noodle Soup (Phor).
The hotel we stayed at was called Green Park Hotel, a small boutique hotel set in beautiful gardens. After we had checked in we arranged with the concierge to hire a driver and car for the next two days. The next day after breakfast overlooking the gardens, our driver met us to start our first day. We were lucky with our driver, a happy chappy called Mr Vong and delighted to be our tour guide.
Green Park Hotel
The Lobby
Our bedroom
View from breakfast
The tranquil pool to relax in after a hard day’s tour
Nam Ngum River
Our first stop today was the Nam Ngum River where we would be taking a river boat cruise including lunch. We had a couple of mini breaks on the way to take in the scenery.
Typical street sceneWill be a heavy burden once filled!
Trying some local delicacies
A beer stop before lunch, across the Mekong River is Thailand
Deep fried chicken feet
We stopped off at a small concrete pontoon in the middle of the lake, and up some stairs there was a lady selling all types of woven goods, local dried fish and gooseberries. The baskets and pots were made by the inmates of a nearby prison. We couldn’t leave without purchasing something. I hoped somebody remembered to pick her up at the end of the day!
A relaxing few hours was spent aboard our boat, eating lunch and drinking beer just watching the world go by. Not too sure about the chicken’s feet, but a favourite of my hubby, there’s no accounting for taste.
Soon we were back in the car off to our next stop which was the COPE museum.
COPE Museum Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise
During the Vietnam War American bombers dropped over two million tons of cluster bombs on Laos, even though this was a neutral country. To read more about this terrible event in history click on history.com.
I must say I was shocked to read about the horrific suffering that the Laotians had suffered, visiting this museum was a real eye opener.
How the designs have evolved over the years
Feeling very sombre, we drove into the centre to have a quick stop at the Nam Phou Fountain.
Nam Phou Fountain in front of the Patuxai Victory Monument.
Day two was a drive to the Buddha Park, home to weird and wacky sculptures depicting different humans, animals, gods and demons.
There is one sculpture shaped like a pumpkin with the tree of life on the top. It has three stories representing hell, heaven and earth. Entrance is through an opening which is a mouth of a 3-metre-tall demon head and climb staircases to the top. Each story contains sculptures depicting the level.
Going up through the middle
At the top and starting to get panicky
It was quite claustrophobic climbing up a very narrow staircase from the inside. Coming down was even worse, with no handrail and a panic attack on the way, I froze to the spot. Mr Vong had to hold my arm and hubby my ankle I manoeuvred inch by inch towards the edge! There were six Japanese men in suits no less, waiting patiently under the midday sun to come down after me. I wondered at one point if I would have to be rescued by a helicopter – a drama queen to the last!
A very interesting morning!
Completely exhausted after this, we drove back to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon at the pool. All in all a very successful two days in Vientiane.
Extra info: To enter Laos from other countries you have to fly into Vientiane, Wattay International Airport so it’s worth a stop for a few nights. Visas can be obtained on arrival, a copy of your passport photo is okay to use. It takes around 20 minutes to drive into the city. We flew from Singapore to Vientiane using Lao Airlines and were very happy with the service and flight. The currency is the Kip but US dollars are widely accepted, so it’s useful to have both currencies.
Have a wonderful time if you ever do visit. Thanks again for stopping by and reading!
The second part of our trip to Laos was to the incredibly beautiful Luang Prabang. This tiny town is encircled by mountains and sits on the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khan River. We flew Lao Airlines from Vientiane and had arranged for a driver to take us to our hotel. We stayed at…
Another trip to Melbourne! This time I decided to try a hotel (The Ink Hotel) instead of an apartment and as usual was visiting Laurence and Maddy. My nephew Tom was over from the UK and came with me. The main reason I chose a hotel over an apartment was because the price was the same and also for the Air bnb apartments they wanted a hefty deposit up front, to be refunded a week after your departure. I liked the fact that there is a proper reception for any issues that may come up.
After picking up our luggage from the Virgin terminal, in my wisdom I thought we would take the Skybus into the City. The board saying “20 minutes into the City” seemed too good to be true. Well it was. Approximately 90 minutes later we arrived at The Ink.
Tip: Do not take Skybus on a late Friday afternoon over a long weekend!
First Impressions
The check in was quick and easy and the staff are friendly and helpful. The check in desk is located on the ground floor along with the bar/sitting/eating area. I loved all the artwork on the walls and looked forward to having a drink at the bar later. It had a great casual vibe.
The Ink is the building in the middle
Very bohemian!
“A drop of ink may make a million think”
As we had rooms on the 12th floor I thought we might get a bit of a view! Not much in my case and none at all for Tom. Still the room was very cosy and everything you wanted was there. We had “pocket rooms”, but there are other rooms that are bigger.
The Room
Huge comfy bed and pillows. Good lighting and USB ports either side of the bed. There was also a safe next to the bed. In the wardrobe there was an iron and ironing board and hair dryer. Dressing gowns for your comfort. A snug desk with lamp plus more USB ports with a fridge underneath.
Not completely without a view!
The Bathroom
Lovely toiletries placed right at your fingertips. The toilet is to the side of the shower.
The Ink is very conveniently located and close to the South Bank and Casino, both within walking distance.
We had breakfast here most mornings and although the menu is limited, the coffee is free and there will be something to suit everyone. Eggs how you like or a healthy bowl of muesli.
Lastly Tom and I enjoying our free welcome drink in the lounge
I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone going to Melbourne for a few days. It’s a great “no hassle” hotel with the availability a full time reception and just a short walk to either the tram or bus stop.
This is the second time we have stayed in this hotel but first time for a review by me! It was in December so there was a great Christmassy feel to the hotel.
Hyatt Centric is located in North Point on Hong Kong Island. North Point is becoming more popular as a place to stay. We like it here because it’s not as busy as Central or Kowloon. Everywhere is easily accessible from here, the MTR and a ferry terminal are within five minutes walking distance. There is also a tram line nearby.
The hotel is split into two towers, East and West. The west tower has the restaurants situated in it, the Cruise Bar on 23rd floor, The Farmhouse cafe on the 2nd floor and a coffee shop. In the east tower there are the rooftop infinity pool and fitness centre. There is an open air area on the 23rd floor for drinks and nibbles with fantastic views of the Hong Kong skyline. I would say this hotel is a good four star hotel, if you consider the Marriot, Grand Hyatt and The Icon are five stars.
The rooms are fairly spacious for Hong Kong hotels and all have floor to ceiling windows with views across the harbour.
The lobby is airy and spacious and checking in and out is a breeze with friendly and helpful staff.
The first three floors are taken up with shops. Designer shoes and jewellery and all the high end cosmetics.
There is a lovely waterfront promenade just outside the hotel where you can see the local people doing their exercises and tai chi.
North Point is the hub for many Chinese and Asian restaurants.
The views from the room across the harbour
The bathroom is on the small side but everything is well appointed and they have thought of everything! Even a great make-up mirror.
The amenities drawer
The lobby and surrounding areas of the hotel
The Farmhouse Cafe
We had a buffet breakfast here every day. There is a fantastic hot food section where eggs are cooked as you like. Also fresh fruit, cereals, all kinds of bread, cold meats and cheeses are served.
Magnificent Ginger Bread House in the Coffee shop
Up on the 23rd floor there is a roof top bar with open seating area, plus Cruise restaurant which has a diverse Asian menu. It’s a great place to start your evening, overlooking the harbour with a cocktail.
Some of the dishes on offer at Cruise Restaurant
Sweet and sour Pork and
Snapper in Banana Leaves
The rooftop infinity pool
It’s always nice to stay in a hotel with a pool especially in the summer in Hong Kong. There aren’t that many hotels with decent outside pools, so this is a bonus! Well, unless you can afford the high end five star hotels of course.
We will definitely be using this hotel again during our travels to Hong Kong
It’s been a year since we were last in Da Nang and the beaches are still as beautiful. More hotels have been built and still more are in the process of being built. The roads are busier, almost as busy as Hanoi or Saigon. Da Nang is a busy bustling city but has one of the best coastlines in Asia – in my opinion!
This time we stayed at the amazing Melia Beach Resort, around 15 minutes from the airport. I had booked a deluxe room and it turned out that it was in the main building and luckily we did have a sea view. There is a more upmarket part also more expensive called The Level, these are small apartments with their own private pool. But we were happy, a short walk to the beach and just a few floors down to the main restaurant where we had breakfast everyday. I had planned on doing a few tours but when we saw the beach I put those on hold for another year. I did drag Anthony to Ba’Na Hills though as I really wanted a photo on the Golden Hands Bridge, which I managed! We had a fantastic relaxing week here, and I even got to have a few sessions in the YHI Spa.
Beach photos
Non Nuoc Beach
At the front of the Melia – there was a small call bell on the side table to order drinks!
For your afternoon snooze
Volley Ball court – too energetic for me
contemplating how to bring his boat ashore
View from our balcony
When I checked the weather the week before it said it would be thunderstorms and rain everyday! This wasn’t the case at all, we had some rain and it was cloudy on some days but for the majority of the days it was sunny. The cloudy day we had we went to Ba’Na Hills which was the perfect weather for it.
Hotel Photos
Cocktails by the pool – Mango Daquiri
Cape Nao
Pool Bar
Cape Nao Restaurant
Infinity Pool
We didn’t eat at the hotel every night but ventured into Da Nang and Hoi An. There is a shuttle bus into Hoi An but we took a taxi. Hoi An is now a Unesco World Heritage Site. We’ve been before but this time the crowds were even bigger than ever. There are so many restaurants in Hoi An but most seemed empty. Most of the tourists who visit just take photos of the river and boats and lanterns. Every few feet you are stopped by vendors offering anything from candles to boat rides. We love the restaurant called Morning Glory and we saw at least four of them. You can sit upstairs overlooking the river or the street. The food here is delicious and original and customers often ask each other what they are eating or advising on what is really tasty. It’s a great place to strike up a conversation with other travellers.
Hoi An Photos
No cars allowed, only bikes
One of the many art galleries
Colourful lanterns hang outside most of the shops and restaurants
By the river
This lady had just cycled with a heavy load balancing on her shoulders
Da Nang
Da Nang is also good for different types of restaurants, especially Asian fusion. One night we at a a place called Fat Fish which is just a few minutes away from the Dragon Bridge. They don’t seem to have a website. It is owned and managed by an English man and his Vietnamese wife. The service is impeccable. She has trained all the staff so well. That night there was a firework competition between Russia and Vietnam, I managed to see a bit from the street.
My favourite cocktail a Mojito
Fireworks through the trees
Pulled Pork salad
Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with basil pesto
Bikes
Vietnam is known for the thousands of motor bikes everywhere, even in Da Nang. It amazes me how many people they can fit onto one bike. It’s just a way of life for them but everyday they take their life in their hands. There seems to be designated seats for each member of the family and it’s often the youngest who is almost on the handlebars. I also noticed that the parents wear helmets whilst the children often do not. Sadly we did see one accident when we were there, a man was lying on the road underneath his bike with people trying to help him up, I’m not sure that was really the right thing to do.
From the taxi we were in
Taken from the taxi
Ba’Na Hills
On the one cloudy day we had I finally persuaded my husband to come to Ba’Na Hills with me. I decided against the official tour but just hired a driver from the hotel so we could arrive and leave whenever we liked. I’m glad we went around 12pm as most of the tours had arrived by then.
Bà Nà Hill Station is a hill station and resort located in the Trường Sơn Mountains west of the city of Da Nang, in central Vietnam. It was founded in 1919 by French colonists. The colonists had built a resort to be used as a leisure destination for French tourists. Being located above 1500 metres above sea level, it has a view of the East Sea and the surrounding mountains. Source: Wikipedia.
The cable car alone is worth the visit, it’s just amazing you just keep going up and up, sometimes you can’t even see the top as it’s covered in mist and it is eerily quiet. It is the longest non-stop single track cable car at 5,801 metres (19,032 ft) in length.
There is so much to see here that it’s impossible to see everything in the four hours we had planned. But we did our best! The main attractions would be the French village, Le Jardin d’Amour Flower Garden, Debay Wine Cellar, the Golden Bridge and the Fantasy Park. We didn’t bother with the Fantasy Park but just wandered around the gardens, temples and the village. You can also stay here as there is a resort called Mercure Danang French Village. The views overlooking Da Nang are amazing. The weather is very much cooler up here and can be quite cold.
One hand of the Golden Bridge appearing through the mist
Up and Up we go
There are five cable stations in all
Overlooking Da Nang
Inside Debay Wine Cellar
When you need a helping hand
Or a leg to stand on
Debay Wine Cellar
Golden Hands Bridge
Minutes before the heavens opened
The French Village
The Temples and Tea House
My husband and I were divided on our opinion of Ba’Na Hills, I really enjoyed it but he said it was just a tourist attraction.
Da Nang is the third largest city in Vietnam and most people visit here for the amazing beaches. Its close to Hoi An and Hue. It has a great laid back atmosphere and also offers a range of accommodation from luxury to budget.
We drove from Hue with Hue Private Tours again and this time went through the tunnel. Arriving at our hotel – Belle Maison – too early to check in, we looked for a place for lunch. Strangely the manager would not recommend any seafood restaurants around the hotel as he said the fish might not be too fresh! So we headed away from the beach across the river to the Waterfront restaurant. A great find and we had a gourmet lunch.
Burrato cheese and tomato salad with mango
fresh rice paper rolls
Crab cakes with chilli and mango salsa
Back to the hotel for check in and found we had been upgraded to a family size room with ocean front views!
Great view but so many people!
Heading down to the beach to check out the water we found there was not much room to move! There were a crazy amount of people in the sea, most could not swim as they were all in rubber rings, there was a small mountain of them on the beach for hire. This part of the shoreline is extremely popular with local families. Also hardly any wear swim suits! Just swim in their clothes.
Later we went up to the 21st floor to have cocktails at the Sky Lounge. Stunning views!
Passionfruit Mojito
Sky 21 Lounge
For the next couple of days it was just going to be relaxation – no more trips. So the next day we tried further down the beach where it seemed less crowded and found some nicer sunbeds in front of the Holiday Beach resort. Great service from the staff on the beach there.
Da Nang has the most amazing coast line and it goes on for miles. The sea is lovely and warm and not rough at all – just the way I like it!
More cocktails that night and then dinner at Madam Lan’s with a couple of fellow Australians who we had met at the hotel. After reading good reviews about this restaurant must say we were all a bit disappointed with the blandness of the food.
The next day we headed off to the Novotel for breakfast, as breakfast at the Belle Maison was so busy, a table was an hour long wait! Took some snaps on the top of the hotel there.
So after breakfast we thought we would have a look at another beach much further along the coast. The Centara Sandy Beach Resort offered day tickets for a reasonable price where we got to spend the day around the pool and their beach front. Had an incredible afternoon here and I think it will be our next holiday destination.
Finally finished off our three days here with dinner at the Waterfront restaurant.
To sum up Da Nang will definitely be on my list again and I can honestly say that Vietnam is now my favourite country in Asia.
