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Sonesta Nouba Aswan

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Nile Nurtures Nubian Nights: Aswan’s Oasis – Sonesta Style!

On our two week trip to Egypt, we hopped around various cities to explore the various temples and archaeological sites. One of the cities that was on our itinerary was Aswan. It was our first stop after Giza and what a world of a difference it was when we reached Aswan. Giza was chaotic but Aswan was peaceful and serene.

Aswan has a few key places to visit which can be done during the day time. We stayed in Aswan for three days and spent the mornings doing day tours but the evenings and nights were to relax and wind down. We found the perfect hotel, Sonesta Nouba  that would meet all of our needs. 

Sonesta Aswan

LOCATION

While choosing our hotel, location was key. Sonesta is nestled on the banks of the legendary Nile River a short 5 minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Aswan downtown and markets. It was a short 30 minute drive from the airport. Sonesta met all of  our requirements and gave us convenient and easy access to all the archaeological sites in Aswan.

OUR ROOM

The hotel architecture is vibrant and very authentic to provide you with a Nubian experience right in the heart of Aswan. Our room was spacious and beautifully laid out with Nubian decor, immersing us in the rich heritage of the region. What truly stole our hearts was the private terrace attached to our room with breathtaking views of the Nile River. Our day would start by sipping our morning coffee and end with watching the sunset over the Nile.  

AMENITIES

After the end of our day trips we would definitely look forward to our relaxing time at the hotel. Our routine was set ….shower post trip…..have a good afternoon siesta to recharge and then head on over to the pool and enjoy the sunset over the Nile with some fresh mango juice. After sunset we would head on into the city for some shopping and local dining. We would then go for a stroll on the jogging track by the Nile at the hotel before heading to bed. 

For those seeking wellness, the hotel offers a gym and a steam room. There’s also a jogging track, a Crocodile Pond, and a bazaar where you can browse Egyptian handicrafts.

HAPPY BELLY

The restaurant served both traditional Nubian, Egyptian and international cuisine. The dining room is also decorated beautifully with Nubian-style domes and arches. We enjoyed our breakfast each day by the Nile and a beautiful outdoor dining experience with well curated traditional Nubian dishes for dinner on one of the nights. 

OUR VERDICT

Our stay at the Sonesta Nubian-Style Hotel in Aswan was a magical journey through time and culture. With its unparalleled location, cozy accommodations, delectable dining, and an array of amenities, it offered us a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. If you’re looking for an authentic Nubian experience on the banks of the Nile, the Sonesta Nubian-Style Hotel is undoubtedly the place to be. It’s a haven for those seeking to explore ancient wonders while enjoying the comforts of modern luxury.

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Prince Edward County

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THE WARING HOUSE

2020 has been something!! The pandemic has affected everyone in very different ways … for us it meant to scrap our existing travel plans for the rest of the year and explore Ontario as a part of our travel plans.
This year we completed our five-year wedding anniversary and we wanted to visit someplace new even for a short few days just to get away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. We were looking for some place that we both had not been to and is a short drive from the city.

After doing some research we came across Prince Edward County and we fell in love with what it had to offer. PEC is known as the second wine country of Ontario and has amazing spots for hikes and a large sandy beach with crystal clear waters. It also has several boutique style motels/ inns which has a lot to offer. WINE + BEACH + HIKES = Perfect equation for an ideal getaway for us.

We had the opportunity to stay at The Waring House Inn for the duration of our weekend trip.
Besides offering various packages for both couples and families, The Waring House Inn has a cute country style charm which adds a lot of character to the property. Here is our review on our stay and places we think are an absolute must to visit in PEC.

LOCATION

The Waring House Inn is located in Picton, Ontario and is located a short ten to fifteen minute driving distance to all the major wineries in the area. The Sandbanks Provincial park is also located 15 minutes away which makes it the perfect place to stay for people wanting to either or both during their stay.

CHECK-IN

With 49 rooms housed in five buildings, The Waring House is one of the larger hotels in the County so chances are you’ll find accommodations here when all the boutique inns and B&Bs are full. The Waring House offers traditional rooms with a bed + bath and some suites which also have a small living space with a pull-out bed. They also have a few cottages on the property to rent which come with a private outdoor sauna. Unfortunately, these were all booked up and we decided to stay in one of their suites.

Our room was quite large and we had our own private balcony with a large green space. The room was furnished with a very comfortable pillow-top bed, Egyptian cotton sheets and down comforters. Additionally, the rooms include complimentary wifi, an iron/ironing board and blackout curtains. Due to COVID, housekeeping was not offered daily, but we were able to request additional amenities through the front desk at any time of the day. The best part about coming back to our room was just winding down in bed and watching TV with a glass of wine.

The Waring House Inn also was able to provide us with a Sandbanks Pass which included beach towels and a parking pass for the day.

HAPPY BELLY

The Waring House Inn has two restaurants on-site. However, due to COVID, the Amelia’s Garden was the only restaurant that was operational. In our opinion, the staff at the restaurant did an amazing job with their service given the circumstances and restrictions. They made sure social distancing rules were followed at all times.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner on our first night. The pickled fried chicken is something we had never had before and it was absolutely crispy and flavorful. They also have a wide selection of their local wines, beers and ciders on the menu. The breakfast at the café was slightly disappointing due to their limited menu. However, we did like their French toast and greek- yogurt.

THINGS TO DO: TOUR THE WINE COUNTRY

Some of the wineries that we absolutely recommend in the area are Norman Hardie Winery, Huff Estate, Karlo Estate, Casadea Winery, Closson Chase Winery, Waupoos Estates Winery and The County Cider Company.

We also spend a day at the Sandbanks beach. The water is crystal clear and the beach is sandy with by fat the softest sand I have seen in Ontario. The beach is also extremely clean, kid friendly and perfect for a nice picnic.

OUR VERDICT

The Waring House Inn was located ideally and offers the perfect country experience we were looking for. Wait no more!!! Pack your beach towels and wine glasses and go explore what PEC has to offer.

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Sandals Royal Bahamian 

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KICK OFF YOUR SANDALS IN THE BAHAMAS

Crystal blue waters along a white sand beach is what comes to mind when one thinks of a Caribbean vacation. So when it was time to select a destination for Darshan’s birthday and our 12 year dating anniversary, we decided to head on over to Nassau, Bahamas. We had no doubt in mind we wanted to do an all-inclusive to avoid the hassle of planning. There are many resorts in Caribbean that offer all-inclusive stays, however our previous stay at Sandals Montego Bay was nothing short of perfect. So we decided to stick to the Sandals brand and booked our stay with Sandals Royal Bahamian. 

Besides offering an all-inclusive couples only vacation package with free flowing drinks, food and water activities, Sandals is well known for their top notch customer service. Here is our review on the hotel and why we would highly recommend booking your next stay with Sandals when visiting Bahamas.

LOCATION

Sandals Royal Bahamian is located a short fifteen minute drive from the airport and is set on its very own private beach. It is also located close to some nice local markets, a casino and shopping areas if you want to explore town and the local Bahamian culture. 

CHECK IN

Our all inclusive butler package included private hotel transfers to and from the airport.  Little did we know our private car would be none other than a Rolls Royce Phantom. We felt like royalty driving around in this car and our driver was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. 


Our club room gave us priority check-in which meant that we were immediately greeted by our very own private butler and were checked in and escorted to our room immediately upon arrival. 

SUITES

Our room was an ocean view room with a large living/dining space along with a small kitchenette and bar area fully stocked with juices, water and beer.  The room was spacious with a king-sized bed, a large dresser, flat screen TV and a walk out balcony with breathtaking views of the ocean. The bathroom was enormous with a huge soaker tub, double sinks and some of the most amazing toiletries we have been provided in our hotel stays. We also had 24 hour in-room dining services which was perfect for the times we wanted to have breakfast in bed. 

POOLS

Sandals Royal Bahamian has two pools, a party and a quiet pool on either side of the resort with four whirlpools. We spent most of our time at the party pool which had some really fun activities organized by the entertainment staff. The other two days, we spent at the private island which was a 10 minute boat ride from Royal Bahamian.  Yes we said that right…a private island….more about the island in a later section…..

PERFECT BEACH

Sandals Royal Bahamian is located right on its own private beach which is nothing but a long stretch of beautiful white sand that is nice and flat with warm blue Caribbean water.  They also have various cabanas that can be reserved the night before with your butler right on the beach. 

The service on the beach was excellent for both food and drinks. There were a lot of activities that were included on the beach. One thing we were pleasantly surprised was that all the water activities like kayaking, sailing, tubing, water skiing, paddle boarding were all included with our stay at no extra charge. Scuba diving was also included for guests who were certified. If not, beginner’s scuba courses are also offered for a small fee for guests interested in getting themselves certified.

PERFECT GETAWAY: PRIVATE OFF-SHORE ISLAND

Our stay at the Sandals Royal Bahamian included access to the private off-shore island which was located a quick 10 minutes boat ride, all part of our all inclusive package. The beach on either side of the island is clean and beautiful. The back side of the island also has a reef which is perfect for snorkeling. We were able to spot one sea turtle and some beautiful fishes on one of the days we went out. 

The off-shore island also has its own pool with a swim-up bar and a restaurant. You can even book your Red Lane spa treatments to be on the off-shore island. 

The offshore island has amazing private cabanas, swings, hammocks and beach chairs to lounge on and relax. It was the perfect place for some really nice photo ops as well. 

HAPPY BELLY 

The food was our favorite part of Sandals after the beach. From all the all-inclusive resorts we have been to, our dinning experience has been one of the best at Sandals. They have a variety of ten different restaurants, one of them is a buffet for breakfast and lunch. Apart from that there is a French restaurant, Italian restaurant, Caribbean restaurant, Asian restaurant, Mediterranean restaurant, a pizzeria, a seafood restaurant located right on the pier, a pub and a bar bar and grill.

All of our meals were delicious at each of the on-site restaurants and included the very famous Robert Mondavi wines. For lunch we opted for the cafe and the pizzeria. The guys serving at the pizzeria were absolutely amazing and were able to custom make our pizzas to accommodate our food restrictions. 

For dinner, we tried the French, Mediterranian, Italian and Seafood restaurant. The seafood restaurant was perfect for a nice romantic dinner right on the pier and the setting was just perfect. 

One thing that pleasantly surprised us was the amount of plant based/vegan options that were available at each of the restaurants. These dishes were also very yummy and we especially loved the plant based veggie burger. 

RED LANE SPA

On our Anniversary, we decided to indulge in a couples massage at the Red Lane Spa located right on Sandals property. The spa was clean and customer service was excellent. This was the perfect way to end our special day. The spa also has his and her steam saunas, a jacuzzi which we were able to use even if we decided not to avail any of their services. Our massages were amazing and were the perfect way to end our trip.

OUR VERDICT

We had nothing but high expectations from the Sandals Resorts as this was our second trip with the brand and we were not disappointed. We had the BEST EXPERIENCE in each aspect of our stay and would highly recommend Sandals Royal Bahamnian for couples who are looking for a romantic and hassle free relaxing getaway. 

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Luxury of Maldives

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MÖVENPICK RESORT KUREDHIVARU MALDIVES

Each one of us has a dream destination, that one place – on your bucket list. For Darshan and I, it was the Maldives. Since the time we had been married, we both had Maldives as our one place we dreamt of going. However, living in Canada, it seemed extremely far fetched due to long layover and travel times.

So, when we planned our trip to the Middle East, we absolutely had to plan a short trip to our dream destination in our itinerary. Maldives is only short 4 hours away from Dubai. However, as we were on a budget, we decided to break up our flights and flew via Kochi, India to Male.

We arrived at the Male International Airport and from there we took a 45 minutes seaplane with Trans Maldivian Airways to our beautiful resort, Movenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives.

This was our first time ever on a seaplane and we were both excited and nervous at the same time. Our flight was slightly delayed coming in from Kochi and we were worried about missing our scheduled seaplane. However, the customer service at Trans Maldianvairways was impeccable and took care of everything as soon as we arrived into Male. The whole process of check- in our luggage to boarding the plane was absolutely worry free. During our 45 minutes of flight time, all we could do was take in the views of the turquoise water and gorgeous resorts that came along.

THE RESORT

Movenpick Kuredhivaru is an upscale brand within the AccorHotels Group and is located on its own private island called the Kuredhivaru Island in the Noonu Atoll. The resort features 105 villas and suites comprising of 72 overwater pool villas, 30 beach pool suites and three beach spa pool residences, each with their own private plunge pool – perfect for both families and honeymooners looking for a romantic getaway.

CHECK IN

As soon as the seaplane docked at Movenpick, we were welcomed by a group of friendly hotel crew and were introduced to our private Butler. After being provided with some refreshing face towels, we were escorted to reception on our very own buggie and given some very yummy welcome drinks. As soon as the formalities were completed we were escorted by our butler to our beautiful overwater sunrise lagoon pool villa.

OVERWATER VILLA

As with many of our firsts, this was our very first time staying in a overwater villa. The villa is built completely overwater and has been styled to encapsulate luxury with a coastal twist. At the entrance of the villa was a large glass floor which gives you views of the marine life below.

To the right we had a large walk-in closet and bedroom with king bed and living space. The left side of the villa was a large bathroom with standalone bathtub, dressing area, his and her sinks. The best part of the bathroom was that the toilet and standing shower areas overlooked the ocean below and you could hear the ocean and enjoy the breeze.

Both the bathroom and bedroom opened up to the outdoor space which had our very own private pool, a deck with sun beds to relax and direct access to the ocean. The overwater villa was an experience of a lifetime as it was an amazing feeling waking up to the sound of the ocean. We were surrounded by the gentle waters of the lagoon and had uninterrupted views out across the ocean.

ACTIVITIES

Movenpick Kuredhivaru is home to some of the most beautiful diving spots as it is located in the Noonu Atoll house reef. Movenpick offers guests a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the vibrant and unspoiled marine life. The property has an an onsite diving centre that arranges snorkeling, diving excursions, house reef explorations and cruises. For those who like to explore on their own, Movenpick also provides you with snorkeling equipment, kayaks of your own for the duration of your stay at no extra charge.

For families with little ones, Mӧvenpick has a Little Birds Club which offers a range of signature activities as well as babysitting services.

SPA

The treatment rooms are overwater villas and when in Maldives, it is an absolute must to indulge in a spa treatment while watching the Indian Ocean flow beneath you. It is the most exotic and relaxing feeling to get a massage while watching and listening to the sound of the ocean and smelling the essentials oils all at the same time.

YUMMY IN MY TUMMY

The Movenpick brand is renowned for its culinary expertise, which is why we were super excited about all the food the resort had to offer. The resort has three on site restaurants which serves a wide variety of restaurants.

Onu Marché is the resort’s main restaurant which is located right on the beach and serves international buffet with themed nights for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast and dinner, they have live cooking action stations with refreshing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. On the third night, we enjoyed an amazing Maldivian themed dinner. The food was extremely flavorful and we absolutely fell in love with Maldivian cuisine.

Latitude restaurant was the trendy pool-side restaurant which offered a la carte options for lunch and dinner while enjoying breathtaking views of the ocean. Bodumas Seafood Restaurant was the perfect spot to enjoy a beautiful sunset and enjoy fresh and local seafood. Mӧvenpick also had a chocolate hour which offered complimentary hand made chocolates to satisfy my sweet tooth.

With our half-board package a daily breakfast was included and we could choose either a 3-course meal at Latitude or opt for the dinner buffet at Onu Marche. We were extremely impressed by the quality and service during our meals.

OUR VERDICT

Other elite Maldivian resorts might be just as nice, but we’ll always remember our stay as the nicest resort we have ever stayed in our lives. Rather than being a commercial for the resort, we wanted to attempt to describe the ethos of being in such a place.

Our experience in the Maldives really lived up to our expectations. The brochures do not lie!!! Living over the water villas with endless views of the tiffany blue ocean water is an experience we will never forget.

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St Regis Abu Dhabi

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St Regis ABU DHABI

This was my first ever vacation back to the Middle East after I had moved from U.A.E to Toronto. I was born in Abu Dhabi and have had some of my most amazing childhood memories there. So when we planned our vacation to Dubai for seven days, I was certain that I wanted to spend a couple nights in Abu Dhabi to re-visit some of my favourite places as a child. We booked our stay at the famous St. Regis Hotel located in the heart of Abu Dhabi overlook the beautiful corniche area.

LOCATION

The corniche area was always special to me as a child as we would go on long evening walks post dinner during the cool summer nights and have amazing beach days during the hot summer days. So the location was absolutely perfect for us as it was close to all the major tourist attractions like the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Presidential Palace and markets.
 

CHECK-IN

On our arrival, we were greeted by hotel staff and escorted to a very cozy reception area which looked almost like a living space with comfy couches and a fireplace… first of many reception areas I had seen. The lobby area on arrival is very impressive with grand ceilings, two curved staircases leading to an upstairs seating area, Moroccan style chandeliers and of course, a pianist. We were offered fresh dates and Arabic coffee on our arrival, which were absolutely delicious. The check – in process was smooth and in no time we were taken to our room.

ROOM

We were booked for a grand deluxe suite. This suite was approx. 700sq ft, i.e. extremely spacious for two adults. The room also came with butler service, who you could call at any time of the day. The entrance was a long hallway lined with closets and that lead into the main area of the suite. The suite was split into two semi-private rooms; a large bedroom with a comfy king size bed, large screen TV and the other room was a living space with two comfy couches, a office desk and another large screen TV. The room was encircled with large floor to ceiling window which allowed for us to admire the most of the view of the ocean and city beyond. Along with the basic necessities, the room was also equipped with curtains that opened up electronically with the touch of a button.
We thought the room was gorgeous, until we walked into the ensuite. It is by the most beautiful hotel bathroom with the bathtub being the centre piece overlook stunning views of the Persian Gulf. I’ll leave it to the pictures below talk for them self.

CATCHING THE SUN – POOL & THE BEACH

Apart from the hotel poot, St. Regis also offers gusts access to the The Nation Riviera Beach Club which was located on the beach  accessible via a marble tunnel directly from the hotel. It offered the guests a variety of recreational activities from the temperature controlled swimming pool with a separate Jacuzzi area. We even had access to a private beach area fully equipped with comfy beach beds, covered cabanas along with beach boys offering complimentary waters and popsicles. There was even a Treasure Island Children’s Club for the little guests with organized activities to keep them entertained.

YUMMY IN MY TUMMY

We had breakfast included with our stay. The hotel also has three on-site restaurants that offer a la carte lunch and dinner options. For breakfast, there was extensive and impressive spread of cold cuts, baked good, live station for eggs, waffles and pancakes. At night, we had dinner at the outdoor restaurant, The Terrace Restaurant by the pool while enjoying some shisha. The food was absolutely delicious and the ambience was even better. We were both fully satisfied with all our meals.

OUR VERDICT

Our experience at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Hotel was nothing short of glorious! The gorgeous views from our hotel room, easy access to the beach, private butler service are few of the many reasons we would absolutely go back for in a hear beat.

*DISCLAIMER: The property pictures are from St Regis Website.  Credit & Rights belong to Marriott International, Inc. All rights reserved. Marriott Proprietary Information

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Smart Home Foundation

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FEW THINGS TO MAKE YOUR HOME SMART

It has been about approximately 6 months since we have moved into our new home. As a millennial couple, we decided to look into making our home “smart”. At first we did not know what that truly meant, but after doing some research we found that a smart home necessarily did not mean convenience at your fingertips but also meant saving money and being greener.

A smart home means you come to a perfectly heated home after a long work day on a cold winter night. After having your dinner, you can relax on the couch and using your smartphone you can dim the lights and turn on your TV to your fav Netflix show for the night.

A smart home makes all these small daily routines easily accessible to your fingertips as they are either automated or controlled with your phone. So anyone who wants to start their “Smart Home” journey here are few things you should look into to get you started on the right foot.  Smart Home and home automation can quickly spiral out of control from both from complexity and budgeting point of view. Here are a few things we decided to get installed in our home to save money add a little extra luxury to our everyday lives.

LIFX SMART BULBS

A lot of homeowners have either switched out or are starting to switch their regular light bulbs to smart bulbs. If you aren’t familiar with these, they’re also called ‘clever or smart lights’ that can easily be controlled via an app through your smartphone, tablet or home automation devices such as google or apple home.

Although you pay a pretty penny up front, in our opinion they are much more versatile.  We have scattered them across our home. Places where they are most beneficial are outside of your main door, entrance, hallway, our bedroom night stand and our fav spot hanging lights over our the kitchen island.

What’s good about the LIFX bulbs is that it can drop your energy consumption, as they are LED bulbs and can last longer than 15 years under regular usage. What we love above the LIFX bulbs is that you can control each bulb individually even if they are connected to the same light socket.  The app also allows you to control the choice of colors with each bulb.

The best thing about LIFX bulbs is that they do not require a hub, as they all have integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi for control and you can install them into any fitting, even desktop lamps. The set  up is not tricky and does not require any technical skills. You just have to download the app and connect the bulbs you have installed by following the simple instructions.

There are mini and regular version of the LIFx bulbs to suit your lighting needs. For example we have installed the mini version for the bedside light, but have opted for the regular LIFX for the kitchen island lights. You can buy your LIFX bulbs on their website and the best thing is they ship for free within US and Canada.

LUTRON SMART DIMMERS

We decided to install pot lights throughout the main floor where we tend to entertain most to save our electricity bills. But after we installed our pot lights, we realized we did not always require them to be at their max capacity.  We wanted a dimmer system with which we could control the lights for different times of the day.

After some research we decided to go for the Lutron Smart Dimmers as they were reviewed to be the most reliable and smart replacement to provide us with remote on-off, dimming and scheduling options for our pot-lights. It also supported platforms such as HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home. The one thing we loved about this dimmer was that it was the only model with a multi-button keypad, and the only wireless switch that did not require a neutral wire.  

SCHLAGE SMART LOCK / KEYLESS ENTRY

Both Darshan and I love going on long walks with our dog in the neighborhood. What we hate is carrying a big bunch of keys with us in our pockets while on our walk. We also go away a lot and have our parents or siblings check up on the house to water our plants and such. You make things convenient for them and us we decided to instal a keyless entry on our main door which would grant easy access to us and our siblings when checking on the house.

We opted for the Schlage Touchscreen Deadbolt as it gave us the option to keep the modern look of our door and just change the lock to a keypad system. It also has a Z-wave technology that enables you to connect to your home automation system and lets you lock or unlock your door remotely via the web or smartphone.

DELTA TOUCH2O FAUCET

Modern technology and smart appliances has found its way into the kitchen faucet industry. Of all kitchen fixtures, one of the most used in any given household is the kitchen sink and kitchen faucet. We all know that things can get a little hectic and/or messy in a kitchen, which makes a touch kitchen faucet a convenient feature for any kitchen.

We decided to go with the Delta Touch2O faucet in the matte black to match our black under-mount sink and monochrome decor. The installation was really easy and Darshan was able to install it in less than half hour. We went with this particular brand and make because of the modern sleek look of the faucet and the fact that you could turn it on and off with a simple touch.  

The touch sensitivity is good and not overly sensitive. The faucet and water handle are smart to detect the difference between a grasp—when you’re moving the thing around—and a tap—when you’re turning it on and off. This was incredibly beneficial for the both of us because now I could easily turn the faucet off with the touch of my elbow without getting raw ingredients all over it. There is also an automatic shut-off after 4 min which helps prevent water waste.  

NEST SMART THERMOSTAT

One of the major things Darshan and I would have issues with was switching the heating or cooling off when we would leave for work. We would argue about what temperature to leave the thermostat on so we could come to a perfect cozy temperature in the house.

The Nest Thermostat E learns our heating and cooling preferences and intelligently creates a schedule, adjusting our home’s temperature so we don’t have to fiddle with it over and over again. It is also easy to instal and the clean white design blends nicely with our walls.

The best feature of the nest is the auto-away feature.When you shut the front door to leave for work Nest senses you are gone and adjusts the temperature accordingly, to the away temperature that you decide upon initial setup. It also works with a wide variety of smart-home platforms, including Alexa and Google Assistant.

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Ja’maizing Sandals

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Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica

 

It was our three year wedding anniversary and because we had been so busy with work and setting up our new home, Darshan and I had barely gotten any quality time with each other. So when it came to celebrating our special day, all we wanted to do was spend some time away from home and be with each other without an itinerary in mind.

Darshan had previously been to Jamaica and since then he had boasted nothing but amazing things about the food, culture and beaches there. So we decided, to do a short getaway to Jamaica as it seemed like a perfect spot for us. When it came to booking a resort, our main criteria was booking an adults only resort. There are a few resorts in Jamaica that offer a adults only option, one of them being Sandals Resorts.

We have all seen the massive roadside billboards and TV ads for Sandals Resorts boasting beautiful white sand beaches and luxurious amenities. Sandals Resorts also advertises all-inclusive couples packages with free flowing drinks, food and water activities. Based on all what Sandals had to offer, we decided to pick Sandals as the resort for our trip.

Because we were doing a short four day trip, we wanted to be close to the airport to cut travel time. Sandals Montego Bay was the perfect choice for us as is located minutes from the airport and has recently gone through major renovations.

LOCATION

Sandals Montego Bay is located a short ten minute drive from the Sangster International Airport and is set on its on stretch of private beach. It is also located a fifteen minute drive from the hip strip which is known for its local food joints and nightlife.

CHECK IN

Montego Bay is a short four hour direct flight from Toronto. After we had passed immigration and picked up our luggage, we were greeted by an airport employee who escorted us to the  beautiful Sandals Airport Lounge. At the Lounge we were greeted by a Sandals employee who took our luggages and handed us our champagne to start our vacation. She also took our information and told us to sit back and relax until they were ready to transfer us to the hotel.

The private lounge at the airport was also stocked with beer on tap, coffee, tea and a variety of juices. Since we were booked in a club level suite, we received a private airport transfer in a luxurious BMW 7 series.  In less than 10 minutes we were in front of our hotel beautiful Sandals lobby.

Our club room also gave us priority check-in in a private Club Sandals lounge which meant that we were immediately greeted by a concierge with a yummy tropical mixed drink. Our check-in was quick and we were shown to our Club Sandals swim up room. 

ROOMS & SUITES

Our first two nights we stayed in a swim-up Club Sandals room as we wanted to enjoy some nightly swims in our own semi-private pool. Our room was located in the Almond building of the resort. The room was spacious with a king-sized bed, a large dresser, flat screen TV, living space with a large couch and a walk out balcony. The walk out came with its own sitting area, beach chairs, floaters and the famous tranquility tub. The bathroom was enormous with a huge walk-in shower, large sinks and some of the most amazing toiletries we have been provided in our hotel stays. We also had a fully stocked bar in our room that was all included as well.

The last two nights we upgraded our room to a Romeo and Juliet Suite for our Anniversary and boy….. was it an upgrade. The room was located with the ocean steps away from us, gorgeous views from our own private balcony with its tranquility tub and seating space. The room also had a large bathroom….almost the size of our bedroom and living space combined. The bathroom had a beautiful stand alone round soaker tub with lots of natural light coming in through a huge sunroof ovetop. The standing shower in the room was by far the biggest we have seen in all of our stays at a resort. It was large with not one ..not two…but FOUR separate shower heads. We definitely felt like royalty in this room. If you are celebrating a special occasion, we highly recommend the upgraded room.

Both the rooms offered room service for food, top of the line premium alcohol including double black label whiskey and bacardi. We also had a butler during our stay who was readily available for any of our requests.

 

POOLS

Sandals Montego Bay has four pools, four whirlpools and one swim up pool. During our first two nights, we decided to enjoy our own semi private walk out pool to get more privacy and quiet time. The walk out pool was large and gave us the privacy we wanted to spend time with each other as a couple. It also allowed us to interact with the neighbouring guests as the pools were all connected. The pool came with our own personal floaties and lounge chairs. The ambiance at night was absolutely perfect for people who fancy night time swims.

The other two days, we spent at the main pool. At first, we were disappointed that the main pool did not have a swim up bar, but the service for drinks was prompt and we quickly forgot the lack of a bar around us. The main pool also has amble day beds that are shaded which were on a first come first serve basis. We never had a problem getting a spot even when we arrived late during the day to relax by the pool.

BEACH

Sandals Montego Bay is located right on its own private beach which is nothing but a long stretch of beautiful white sand that is nice and flat with warm blue caribbean water. Sandals has a special closed off area where we could swim without worrying about stepping on sea urchins as there are workers who clean the bottom of the beach every morning to ensure safety of all guests.

Sandals beach also had some very comfortable round shaded chairs on the beach where you could relax. In the water, Sandals also provided you with large round floaties with lounging chairs over top. This is perfect for the sun bathers who wanted to lie in the sun and float around in the water. For couples looking for privacy, we could also reserve some over water huts, which were shaded and equipmed with comfy beds.

The beach also has two restaurants, a bar and some amazing activities. There is an area with two pool tables, a foosball table, a basketball court, lawn chess, shuffleboard, volleyball and football. This would give us an excuse to get up and be active as we indulged in some of these games with other guests and entertainment crew.

One thing we were pleasantly surprised was that all the water activities like kayaking, sailing, tubing, water skiing, paddle boarding were all included with our stay at no extra charge.For guests who are scuba divers, that’s also included as long as you’re a certified diver.  If not, you can easily take a resort-certification scuba diving course (at a small extra fee) and enjoy scuba for the rest of your trip.

The resort also has an onsite company called Island Routes that offers daily local tours and other activities. We chose to do the Reggae Catamaran Cruise during the day time to enjoy a good mix of party and adventure. The cruise was for approx 4 hours and it included a stop over for snorkeling and Margaritaville. The cruise is all inclusive as in you have unlimited drinks and food on-board alone with some of the best entertainment crew to keep the party going. We had an amazing time and we had a lot of fun getting to know people on our resort.

HAPPY BELLY

The food was our favorite part of Sandals after the beach. Sandals had some of the best dining we have ever had at an all-inclusive resort. They have a variety of nine different restaurants, one of them is a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Apart from that there is a French restaurant, Italian restaurant, Jamaican restaurant, Asian Restaurant, a pizzeria, a seaside bar, a pub and a cafe.

We loved all of our dishes at each of these on-site restaurants. For lunch we opted for the beach restaurants, that were the seaside grill and pizzeria. You have to try their curly fries….they were perfectly seasoned and made for a good mid- day or late night snack. The food from both these restaurants was fresh and perfect to order on the beach as it did not require us to leave our spots on the lounge chairs.

For dinner, we decided we would check out the more fancier restaurants that had a dress code. At the French restaurant we loved the Lamb Shank. At the Jamaican restaurant we loved the crab cakes and lamb chops. We had a late night meal at the Asian restaurant and it was perfect as we were able to get our food made right in front of our eyes using ingredients we wanted.

Last but not the least is the cafe which is located by the main pool. This cafe was heaven for someone like me who has a sweet tooth.  They had a variety of flavors of ice creams, specialty baked goods, cold coffee, frappuccinos, cakes and pastries. They also would make crepes on demand. This used to be our last stop before we would go back to bed or late night beach walks.

RED LANE SPA

On our Anniversary, we decided to indulge in a couples massage at the Red Lane Spa located right on Sandals property. The spa was clean and customer service was excellent. This was the perfect way to end our special day. The spa also has his and her steam saunas, a jacuzzi which we were able to use even if we decided not to avail any of their services. Our massages were amazing and were the perfect way to end our trip.

 

OUR VERDICT

Sandals Resorts markets itself as a five-star luxury all-inclusive resort, and they certainly walk the talk upon arrival. We cannot get over how perfect our four day getaway was. We would highly recommend Sandals Montego Bay for couples who are looking for a romantic and relaxing getaway.

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Size Matters

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Dyson V10 Review – Cut the Cord & Experience the Freedom

If you guys follow us on our social media accounts, you must be aware that we recently moved into our very first home. Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibilities…..the biggest one being, the daily house chores like cleaning.

Between Darshan and I, Darshan is a big clean freak and is a perfectionist when it comes to cleaning the house. Living in a new construction zone, we quickly realized that a vacuum is something we would need to get sooner rather than later due to the amount of dust that we were getting into our home.  Since we live in a three floor townhouse, I had a few requirements that the vacuum we select had to meet:

  • Light and compact…so we could carry it up and down the stairs
  • Good suction power….to catch our pets hair from the corners
  • Cordless with good battery life…..so we are not waiting between cleaning each floor
  • Compatible with hardwood….so the bristles do not scratch the hardwood floors

After some extensive and through research we decided to go with the new cordless vacuum released by Dyson…The Dyson V10 Absolute. The reason we chose Dyson was because it has made a name for itself in the lightweight cordless vacuum category and we read amazing reviews about the ease of use, suction power and long-lasting battery life. Here is what we thought about this cord free vacuum.

We have a combination of white tile, white carpets, white shutters and light grey hardwood floors…so dust is not an easy one to miss here. The day we got our Dyson V10, we rolled up our sleeves and cleaned our California shutters with the amazing mini soft dusting tool. We thought this would be a tedious process but with combination of the mini motorized head and soft dusting tool, our blinds were done in no time.

The next thing we wanted to clean was our living room couch which is usually covered with our yellow labrador thick hair. We used the mini-motorized brush included in our package and were able to get all the hair out without rolling the head back and forth preventing damage to the couch fabric.

As previously mentioned, we have a three story townhouse and our biggest selling point for the vacuum was how easy it was to carry it up and down the stairs and the long lasting battery life. We have used the Dyson in a combination of medium and maximum power, with no issues of it running out of battery.

What we loved the most about our Dyson, is how easy it is to clean. All the parts come apart, including the brush heads for easy maintenance. The hygienic bin is able to eject the dirt in one action and practically cleans itself of leftover debris.

DYSON V10 – FREQUENTLY ASKED Q&A

  1. Is it easy to use: Yes…all the parts click right in and the on and off is with your index finger.
  2. Is it heavy? Not at all. One of the lightest vacuums I have used.
  3. Does it do a good job cleaning? For our regular cleaning we usually use the medium and low power setting and it does a really good job.
  4. Is it worth the price? Absolutely, we have used some other comparable brands in the market and Dyson is absolutely worth it when you factor in the cost of replacing filters and other parts periodically.
  5. How often do you empty out the bin? The waste bin on the V10 Absolute is 40% larger than previous models. After a full house cleaning, we still have enough space in our container.
  6. Does the battery last the full 60 minutes? The day we cleaned our blinds and the floors, we used the Dyson on medium setting and the battery did last us for close to an hour. There is also a battery indicator which tells you how much more battery life you have left.
  7. How is it for hardwood and tile? Dyson V10 comes with a special Soft roller cleaner head, which is specifically made for hardwood floors. The roller bristles have a soft microfibre texture which will not scratch the floors and still pick up dust and debris.
  8. How long does it take to recharge? The manual says 3.5 hours but we really have not timed it.

OUR VERDICT 

Bulky, unwieldy vacuums are a thing of the past. If you’re in the market for a compact cordless vacuum, then this is IT.  The Dyson V10 is amazingly the smallest and the most powerful in handheld vacuum category with the power you’d expect to see in a much bigger package. So much so that ITS LITERALLY THE FUTURE OF DYSON & your next all-in-one home cleanliness appliance.

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SoHo T.O.

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SoHo T.O

The Soho Metropolitan Hotel has always been on our bucket list of hotels to stay at in downtown Toronto.  So when Toronto finally had a nice hot weekend, we decided to head on into the city to spend a night at the Soho Metropolitan for our weekend get away from all our adult responsibilities.

Despite the hotel being over ten years old, The Soho is a luxury boutique hotel which is extremely chic and modern. It is a four story, 92 room room luxury hotel which also has a condominium complex located right above it. Here is a quick review of our short stay at the Soho Metropolitan Toronto.

LOCATION

The Soho is located right around the corner of Wellington and Blue Jays Way. It is conveniently located close to all the attractions in the city. If you are a local and are here for a staycation to enjoy what Toronto has to offer, Soho is right in the middle of Toronto’s “entertainment district.” It is close to city’s best clubs, restaurants and lounges. It is located walking distance to Queen Street West where we explored some of the trending shops and snacking spots.

ROOMS

We stayed in one of their large executive suites which included a cozy living space. The room offered us some pretty amazing luxuries such as a comfy king size bed, oversized his and her closets, electronically-operated silk drapes covering wall-to-wall windows and above all heated bathroom floors with a seperate standing shower and large soaker tub.

One feature we found absolutely useful was the automated “Do not disturb” switch inside of our room. This replaced the conventional door sign which you find at most hotels and indicated to the staff not to enter the room when on.

Soho Metropolitan is also the only hotel we found that provided a turn-down service. They not only made our beds, but also re-cleaned our whole room and provided us with some fresh towels and filled our ice bucket in case we decided to enjoy some late night drinks.

Other basic amenities such as safety deposit box, ironing board, robes and room slippers were also included to make our stay comfortable and worry free.

POOL & GYM

On the second floor of the hotel, they have a fitness centre equipped with all the necessary gym equipment one would require. Connected to the gym is an indoor pool with a hot tub and steam room. Along with this, there is also a terrace patio with outdoor seating space which is open during the warm summer months.

HAPPY BELLY

After snacking throughout the day, we decided we wanted to relax at the hotel and dine at their  in-house Luckee restaurant as we had heard some raving reviews about their dim sum. Darshan and I are not big on Asian Cuisine, but after dining here, we have changed our perspectives. We ordered some of the chef specialities as suggested by our server and we could not get enough. We especially loved the Chicken Cheung Fun which was a completely different take on sushi…. It is a must try on their menu. For the desert, we got their lava chocolate cake, waffle and guava creme brulee. We loved them all but our favourite was the creme brulee as it was a completely unique touch to our favorite dessert.  

The next morning, we decided to sleep in and grab a quick bite at the on site Sen5es Cafe before we headed back home to our daily routine life. We got their classic breakfast, eggs benedict along with a cappuccino and a hot chocolate. The breakfast was excellent and it was really nice to just slide downstairs and enjoy a lovely breakfast in their bright dining room.


OUR VERDICT

The SoHo Hotel Metropolitan is the perfect luxury boutique hotel for all kinds of travelers. It’s convenient location makes it easily accessible for both business and leisure. We truly enjoyed our stay here and would highly recommend this hotel for people who want to stay in a nice central location in Toronto to enjoy the city.

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Playa Resorts – Mexico

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PLAYA RESORTS
Panama Jack in Playa del Carmen and Cancun

Playa del Carmen and Cancun in Mexico has always been our go to place for a quick getaway away from the dreaded Canadian Winter. We have been to other Caribbean islands but somehow always find ourselves back in sunny Mexico. This time around we decided that we wanted to visit both these spots and broke up our trip into three days in Playa and three days in Cancun.

We decided to stay at the Panama Jack resorts which have locations both in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The service is top notch and our stay was far above what one would expect. Here is our review for The Panama Jack resorts.

CHECK IN

On arrival, you are greeted with a welcome drink, moist towels and even a fresh ice cream bar. The lobby for both the resorts is newly renovated and looks extremely chic and modern. Check-in process was smooth and our rooms were ready even though we had arrived well before check in time.

LOCATION

Both the Panama Jack properties are located right on the beach in the very center of town with access some of the best beaches and walking distance to the shopping in town. For the party animal in you, the resorts are located walking distances to all the major clubs like Coco Bongo, Mandala and Palazzo.

Car parking is also not a issue as both properties have their own designated spots for guest parking. So if you are driving around and are worried about this, be assured you car will be safe.

ROOMS

Rooms in both the properties are similarly laid out with almost identical decor and furnishing. The beds are extremely comfortable and the views from our ocean front rooms were perfect. The rooms also are spacious and come with a private balcony with hammocks for you to relax in while enjoying the ocean view.

The room also came with a fully stocked mini bar which included beer, water, pop and juices. Other amenities include a large flat screen TV, iron and safety box. Our favorite part was hands down the room service. The menu was extensive, the food was delish, and best of all, it came within minutes of being ordered.

Above all the housekeeper always added a personal touch that we looked forward to seeing at the end of the day!!

 

POOLS

Both the properties has two large pools. One one the pools is an activity pool where all the daily activities such as water aerobics, water polo and volleyball took place. The other pool is a family friendly pool which was more geared to families with younger kids.

One aspect of Panama Jack Cancun that made it family and kid friendly is the kids play zone with splash pads and two long water slides. Yes…we did go on them as well…. And are not ashmaed to say that we also had a ton of fun….We got our chance to be kids again!!

Both the properties also have a foam party on one day of the week. They hire a DJ and close off an area where people of all age groups can boogie to some tunes in the sun and lots of foam.

The pool and beach areas are equipped with ample amount of beach beds and cabanas for you to relax on. Even with the hotel being at 80% capacity, we did not have any trouble securing a spot in a cabana. You are also able to reserve a cabana for a small fee if you did not want to get up early to hold a spot.

The only thing both the properties lack, is a swim up bar for drinks.  However, the service provided by the waiters at the pool and the beach side is phenomenal and you quickly forget the lack of it.

BEACH

Both the properties are located right on the beach which is nothing but a long stretch of beautiful white sand that is nice and flat with warm caribbean water.  The beach at Cancun is however much more cleaner and free of seaweed when compared to Playa del Carmen.

There were lots of workers working really hard to clean the seaweed but it was far too much for them to handle. The beach at Playa del Carmen here was also rocky, so if you decide to choose the Playa Del Carmen location, we would highly recommend water shoes.

The service on the beach was exceptional at both resorts and the waiters were constantly taking orders and replenishing our drinks.

FOOD

Like any other all-inclusive resort, food is always something Darshan and I look forward to. We were not disappointed in either of the properties. The resort boasts an Italian, Mexican and steakhouse restaurant. The menus at both locations for the restaurants are very similar and the food was delicious.

The buffet during breakfast, lunch and dinner had a variety of choices and we found the food to always be fresh and tasty. During lunch, they also had a grill going by the pool for you to grab a quick bite to eat.

The highlight for us was the Panama Jack Coffee Co. It was open from morning to night serving  anything from espressos to fancy lattes and cappuccinos along with freshly baked goods and sandwiches. All in all, the choices for food were plenty and we were never bored of the food.

AURA SPA

Panama Jack also has an onsite spa, which is fully renovated on both properties and is extremely beautiful. The all inclusive stay gives people access to the hydrotherapy area. The only downside is that it is not a co-ed spa and if you wanted to enjoy you hydrotherapy as a couple, you would have to make a special request to check if this could be accommodated.

OUR VERDICT

Panama Jack resorts are picture-perfect escape for couples, families and youngsters in need of some serious fun in the sun. If you are looking for the perfect combination of beach and tourist attractions, Panama Jack Resorts are the place to be in Mexico.

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