getting into the stream after a long time

Monte Carlo - Hotel Hermitage

This post is for people planning to holiday in Monte Carlo. Enjoy!

Hotel Hermitage is set in center Monaco and offers a combination of elegance, comfort and panache. Perhaps this is why it has been home to a Bond movie shoot. Spacious and gracefully positioned, the rooms are decked with every possible amenity mankind would ever need. The décor subtly mixes classical and modern design and in room entertainment is available in a dozen languages. A huge renovation which lasted five years added two floors to the hotel. The topmost floor comes with an outside Jacuzzi and a spectacular panorama.
Your room key also grants you access to the Casino, the Monte Carlo Beach Club and the Country Club. Les Thermes Marin offers a plethora of massages, wraps and treatments galore. Le Vistamar chef Joel Garault’s fish dishes are a highlight of this hotel. The Terrasse Midi also offers a golf area to unwind. The building itself is a delight. The Limun Bar’s flooring is so perfect that it sparkles. The belle époque ballroom is another classic not to mention the dome over the Winter Garden designed by Gustave Eiffel himself. The Casino Square is five minute stroll away and offers opera, ballet, jazz etc depending on the season.

Budapest - The Four Season Gresham Palace

Hope you found our Athens special informative and fun. Moving out of Athens, we make a stop at Budapest. The Four Seasons Gresham Palace got our attention.

This hotel is located so very strategically and in a charming fashion that you would think the Chain Bridge over the Danube was constructed to lead up to its door. Built in 1904, it was taken over by the Four Seasons group, renovated and reopened in 2003. The hotel is adorned with decorative tiling, stained glass and wrought iron gates. By preserving the historical details, the hotel has managed to retain its Hungarian character. The Superior rooms and the Danube Superiors come in the same size at 335 square feet. The Tower Suites are available for those looking for more space.
Hungary doesn’t exactly shine when it comes to customer service. But the Four Seasons staff make sure you never complain about anything. Everyone from the doorman to the desk person make you feel welcome and cherished. The triangular top floor is home to the gym and pool. After a rigorous workout, settle in for a fine Italian dinner with great views of the city and the Danube.

Athens - King George Palace

This is the second hotel we’ll be looking at in the Athens series.
True to its name, King George Palace has hosted Prince Ranier, King George II, Frank Sinatra and others royalties, celebrities and travelers seeking a grand escape. King George Palace is located in Athens’ Constitution Square near Stadiou Avenue. The Acropolis and the Old City are a short walk from the hotel. The hotel was originally constructed as an urban palais. So the theme of the furnishing is ancient French.
The rooms are designed in Old World style and start with 300 sq ft. They are outfitted with lavish couches, hardwood floors and marble bathrooms. The King George suites are a monstrous 1055 sq ft. Beating them all are the 3767 sq ft Presidential Suites. It spans the entire ninth floor and has a private swimming pool and a terrace offering breathtaking views of Athens. The multilingual staff cater to every need with equal importance be it a standard room customer or a presidential suite occupant. The rooms are stocked with chocolate, cheese and fruits by the housekeeping which does its rounds twice a day.
The seventh floor Geco-French Tudor Hall restaurant is a feast for the eyes as well decked with glittering chandeliers, white linen tablecloths and exotic floral arrangements. The T-Palace lounge is the hotel’s premiere watering hole. Relaxing massages are on the menu at the Palace Spa. Enjoy your stay in style that would make the Ancient Greeks go green with envy!

Athens - the Grand Bretagne

We will be taking a look at hotels around the globe in this blog. So you will have access to some uber cool info about hotels and holidays. Athens is the first on our list. Read On!!

The Grand Bretagne is Athens’ answer to the Ritz. Built in 1842, it first served as a private residence and was converted into a hotel three decades later. The hotel underwent a 100$ million renovation for the 2004 Olympic games. The room numbers were downsized and the public spaces were expanded. The Grand Bretagne is the numero uno choice for visiting monarchs and celebrities. The location of the hotel is its unique selling point. Located in Syntagma Square, its close to everything, including the Acropolis, the National Museum and the Old Town.
Though the renovation has reduced the number of rooms, It has made the remaining rooms more spacious. The rooms in the lower level face the charming Constitution Square. But it’s the upper floor rooms which over a panoramic view of the city right up to the Acropolis. Heavy drapes, gilt edged furniture and creamy marble baths add elegance to the rooms.
Service is what the Grand Bretagne is built upon. It has a well trained array of staff ranging from uniformed guards to bellhops, delivery boys and waiters. And it’s all done in Old European style. The Grand Bretagne is Athens’ true grand dame in a delightful blend of ancient and modern. And the extensive Mediterranean menu is a delight to the palate.

From UG to PG

Four years of hard work have finally paid off. Just got my results today and I am now officially an engineer. I’ve majored in information technology. It’s a challenging field. But it is very sensitive to market fluctuations. I have graduated bang in the middle of the recession period and hence jobs are very hard to come by. Hence my decision to pursue my Masters abroad. Applying to an university in the US is a complicated and lengthy affair. It starts with taking the dreaded aptitude exams. Based on your scores and preferences you have to shortlist the universities. Next, log on to the universities’ websites and find out their application requirements.
Now starts the process of preparing the application packet. This involves considerable time and effort not to mention money. The wait for decisions from the universities begins after the application packets have been sent. After the I20 (Visa forms) arrive, book a slot for the visa interview. Get all the documents necessary for the visa application and prepare well. Go through a list of expected questions so that you’ll get an idea of what is in store. Once you’re done with your visa you can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Now comes the fun part. Yes, there is actually a fun factor involved in the whole thing and that is shopping for your trip. Find out the essentials from your college seniors and buy them well in advance. Also booking of plane tickets should be done at the earliest possible. Bid adieu to your folks and friends and begin your next phase of life!

Info on Chewton Glen - Hampshire county

CHEWTON GLEN
Chewton Glen is a Luxury country house hotel and Spa set on 130 acres of Hampshire country side on the edge of the New Forest National Park.
Only two hours from central London in between Bournemouth and Southampton on the South Coast.Chewton Glen is Located in Hampshire on the edge of the ancient New Forest National Park and just a short walk from the sea.This unique combination of countryside and coast makes for the ideal location for exploring.
The Bedrooms succeed in being at once chintzy and chic.There are 35 of them,plus 23 suites,mostly done in tasteful clarets,olives and creams and mostly vast.The shower was as big as two bathtubs,with a robe so heavy it could ground you for days.There's a Bang & Olufsen CD player that slides open by magic when you get within three paces and the in-room music library eschews David Gray and Dido in favour of johnny cash and Bubble Bee Slim.
The Marryat Restaurant offers a variety of dishes from a selection of menus and has held three AA rosettes continuously since 1993.A vegetarian menu is always available.There is a choice of over 600 mines to acompany your food.Voted amongst the best 25 restaurants in the UK by Egon Ronay.
Within the 130 acres of ground there is a 9-hole pair 3 golf courses,a practice range,two indoor and outdoor tennis courts,an outdoor swimming pool,a croquet lawn and a putting green.Mountain bikes are available for guest usage to explore the local area and a array of country pursuits can be arranged for guests within the grounds.