hellobeautifulcreatures

I expected to live my entire life without price-shopping for truck-stop showers. Then I spent the night in Breezewood. The adventure began last August when my main squeeze James and I drove to Colorado. We passed through Breezewood, Pennsylvania, as do many drivers heading to the Rust Belt and beyond. "What do you think about vacationing here for a week," James asked. I laughed loudly and dismissed the idea. If you've been there, you understand why. Breezewood has been a travel hub for centuries. It was a stagecoach stop in the late 1700s and then became a stop on the Lincoln Highway, America's first cross-country road. The Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940, and thousands of World War II veterans exited at Breezewood, stopping at what now is the Gateway Travel Plaza to trade their unit patches for meals. Today, Motorists driving between I-70 and the turnpike are forced off the highway and onto a congested half-mile stretch of expensive gas s...

It's a cliché but when you're married with kids it can be hard enough finding the time to go to the bathroom on your own, let alone spending time with your partner. So a relaxing massage and an overnight stay for the hubby and I at Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa sounded like a much needed break from arguing with our threenager (that's what comes after the terrible twos) about which colour socks she wants to wear. Set in almost 200 acres of parkland, Formby Hall has four- star facilities including a spa and health club and is currently undergoing a £2.4m refurbishment. The resort is also home to two golf courses including the 72 par 18-hole championship Old Course and PGA Golf Academy which brings visitors from all over Europe. The newly refurbished luxury spa , including a dedicated bistro, is housed in the building opposite the hotel on the first floor. © Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc After hitting traffic on the short trip there, we arrived a little late for our s...

By Jill Reilly Published: 10:03 BST, 14 February 2013 | Updated: 11:30 BST, 21 July 2014 e-mail View comments As the shops flood with red chocolate hearts and over-sized cards, trying to put a different twist on Valentine's Day can be tricky. Couples spa breaks are always a romantic option but because my boyfriend James had a preconception that they were for 'girls' I wasn't too sure if he would embrace the experience as much as me. But then I stumbled across the perfect present – a luxury spa stay in a treehouse. Retreat in the trees: The 12 treehouses - in the grounds of Chewton Glen - were completed in 2012 It's every boy's childhood fantasy to live in a treehouse – and this was just a five-star adult version, swapping creaky floorboards for underfloor heating. The 12 treehouses - in the grounds of hotel Chewton Glen - were completed in 2012 and are the only luxury suites of their kind in the UK. The 18th century house is just off the M27 in Hamps...

For the best views in London you need to visit The Shard.  Stay at the Shangri-La Hotel for the ultimate room with a view. There is something extra indulgent about a night in a luxury hotel in your own city.  All too often I rush from meeting to meeting and never appreciate my own home town. So the option of being a tourist for the day in London always gives me a new perspective on my city and makes me fall in love with it all over again. The ultimate for me is a view – whenever I go somewhere I try and get as much as a bird’s eye view as I can – my love of high vantage points is possibly why I am currently coveting a drone! The London skyline is constantly evolving and currently some of the best views are from the Shard – and of course the Shangri-La Hotel that occupies the 34 – 52 floors of the building. We visited for their Summer in the City offer to; belatedly, celebrate Ed’s birthday, and enjoyed a night in City View room , with a room service champagne afternoon tea followed b...

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel and/or flight review. Last April & May, I enjoyed a great holiday in Vietnam, where some resorts far exceeded my sky-high expectations (and rank among the best hotels I have ever stayed at). You can read my trip reports here: Today (August 23, 2017): Review of Vietnam’s most exclusive hotel, Amanoi.  Location: Google Maps Address: Road to Ba Dien beach, Vĩnh Hải, Ninh Hải, Ninh Thuận, Vietnam Hotel website: Amanoi Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso In 2013, Aman brought the brand’s signature sleekness to its debut resort in Vietnam, a contemporary beachside resort alongside a full-service Aman Spa overlooking spectacular Vinh Hy Bay in Nui Chua National Park , northeast of Ho Chi Minh City . The luxury hotel’s polished, slate pagodas peek out from a lush green landscape ; its infinity pool segues into the sea; and its spa rests by a lotus-blossom-dotted lake. Amanoi offers total privacy in beautifully designed a...