My Favourite Travel Accessory!

Hey guys! 

I am finally back to the blogging world! I had a little break unintentionally as I was dedicating time to filming YouTube videos but I actually missed my first love, a.k.a. my blog. 

Today, I am sharing with you my must-have travel accessory - whether that be for a holiday or a work trip. As you may have noticed by now, I am a lover of all things girlie, sparkly, and OTT. Ahead of a trip to New York, I was kindly gifted the new American Tourister Wavebreaker in Silver and I was absolutely obsessed. Having always been a fan of American Tourister, I knew I would love the case but honestly, it is literally the most ideal suitcase for any form of travel. It is hand luggage size and actually adheres to all airline size restrictions so it's perfect regardless of what company you're travelling with. 

I've noticed as I've grown up that I actually appear to have a million more items to pack than ever before so I certainly make use of taking a suitcase as my hand luggage whenever I travel now! The suitcase retails at £119 and is available here, I can guarantee it is worth every penny! 

It will certainly be accompanying me on a few trips this year!

Thanks for reading,

Lauren - Faye x

A Girlie London break: K West Hotel & Spa

Hi ladies! 

Today, I'm sharing with you a little feature on a hotel in London that I would recommend checking out!

Not so long ago, myself and my fellow blogger babe Charlotte visited the K West Hotel & Spa in Shepherds Bush, London. We were on the lookout for a relaxing, girlie break after a busy few weeks and this is exactly what we were provided with! From the minute we arrived the staff were extremely helpful; we were shown around the spa and all relevant information was explained to us (breakfast, dinner plans, check out etc). 

The hotel itself is extremely 'instagrammable' and actually holds a really interesting history - it used to be a BBC recording studio in the 70s! Located a few minutes walk from Westfield, it really is the perfect place to stay if you are looking to book a shopping break - especially with Christmas creeping up on us. Yes, I did just say that!

After checking into our room, we were greeted with a platter of mini desserts to welcome us which was a lovely touch! One of my favourite things about the bedroom was the miniature White Company goodies that were placed in the bathroom. It really added a luxurious touch!

We decided that we were going to spend the day in the spa and although it isn't huge, it was perfect for our needs. We made use of the pool and had a lovely girlie catchup whilst sipping on lemon infused water that is readily available for all to enjoy. We were lucky enough to be the only ones in there at one point and so we could fully relax and enjoy the experience. Unfortunately, the 'Snow Paradise' feature was broken but I'd absolutely love to experience this next time!

We decided to book a table in the hotel restaurant for dinner to experience the hotel properly. I have to say, we were both very impressed! We hadn't managed to have lunch so we decided to go all out and order a main and dessert each, standard for me usually anyway! We were pleasantly surprised at how quickly it arrived and I don't think I've ever eaten so fast in my life; it was lovely! 

There was a real selection on the menu and in all honesty, I found it very difficult to pick as there were a few favourites of mine on the menu! 

We were so full after dinner that we decided to go back to our room and watch Love Island - the addiction was real haha! We had twin beds which were actually super comfortable - we first thought about pushing them together to make a double but we ended up being so comfortable we couldn't be bothered to move! That and the fact that we were feeling a little lazy after our spa day!  Charlotte ordered room service (hot chocolate, obvs) and I ended up regretting not getting one as it looked dreamy! 

 We ended up ordering our breakfast to our room, which you can do for an extra £20. It was an absolute treat to wake up and not have to move for breakfast! I have to say, the quality of the hotel really is excellent. The finishing touches in the room, the service and the whole experience really do make for a perfect stay. There was absolutely no noise and it was actually very peaceful throughout the hotel which is great if you are looking for a relaxing break. 

Rooms start at £129 and you can find more information here.

Thanks for reading!

Lauren - Faye x

Disclaimer: Our hotel visit was free but all comments are 100% honest and reflect my true opinion. I'd also like to say a huge thank you to K West Hotel & Spa!

24 Hours of Bliss... Brooklands Hotel & Spa Review.

Hey everyone!

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to visit Brooklands Hotel & Spa in Weybridge*, Surrey. Boasting a fantastic location, set opposite the Mercedes Benz World racetrack, it really is a special venue. 

I must admit, I have been lucky enough to visit a range of luxurious hotels in the past and it is safe to say this was absolutely no exception. From the moment we arrived, nothing was too much trouble, we were greeted by the reception staff who kindly came with me to my car to collect my luggage. Believe me, there was a lot - even for one night! 

Our room was on the 4th floor and was called the Percy Lambert Suite, which I would highly recommend if you are celebrating a special occasion. Complete with a lounge, dining room, dressing room and office - it really is the suite of dreams. OH and did I mention it had a track-facing view of the racetrack?! Zack was in his absolute element!

As you can see it is huge! Complete with all the gadgets, (Tablet, iPhone dock, bathroom speakers) myself and Zack really made ourselves at home. In actual fact, I could have stayed in that suite forever (no, really I could!)

1907 Award-Winning Bar & Grill: 

We booked a dinner reservation in the award-winning restaurant, 1907, and absolutely loved the ambient atmosphere. I would highly recommend the A La Carte menu due to its vast choice and excellent value. I opted for a Butternut Squash Risotto to start and Zack went for a pasta dish - both fantastic choices in our opinion.

The food was incredible and after three courses and a bottle of wine we were satisfied to say the least!  The restaurant staff simply couldn't do enough for us and they really took the time to go through specific dishes and recommend their favourites.

BSpa / BGym Facilities: 

Needless to say I didn't hit the gym during our visit. I think I'm secretly still in Christmas mode and in denial that I need to get myself back to the gym! However, on my way to the spa I popped into the gym to have a look (look being the operative word) and found it to be extremely well-equipped and more importantly, spacious.

My favourite hideaway however, was the spa - the perfect spot for rest and rejuvenation. I spent the majority of my evening in the jacuzzi, located outside on the third floor! It was an odd sensation to sit outside in warm water with a freezing cold breeze in the air, but, I felt so content! A day pass is available for £35, which I think is very reasonable. I didn't have time to have any treatments but next time I am in need of a little pampering I know where to go! 

The Local Area

Weybridge is actually one of my favourite locations and right on my doorstop, I think it is a lovely area! Aside from the obvious attractions (Mercedes Benz World), Weybridge has a range of lovely little boutique shops on offer for you keen shoppers like myself! There are also classic coffee shops and restaurants to keep you occupied if you fancy leaving the hotel for a few hours.

If you are looking for a valentines break, I would strongly recommend this hotel! A spa day for us girls and a driving experience for the men - sounds perfect to me.

If you have any more questions surrounding my stay please do not hesitate to ask me! If any of you visit, let me know your thoughts!!

Thanks for reading,

Lauren-Faye x

The travel essential...

Hi everyone! 

Although I don't travel half as much as I would like to, I do quite often go on overnight stays and weekends away. So you can imagine how excited I was to receive a suitcase from American Tourister! 

They have a range of fabulous colours and as a result, I chose the Airforce 1 cabin luggage spinner in gradient pink with its eye catching ombre look. With the added bonus that the boyfriend is very unlikely to want to borrow it, ha!

Anyway! I took it for its first outing to my friends for an overnight stay at the seaside. As always, it was impossible for me to travel 'light' with one outfit or one washbag - instead I pack almost everything I can think of. As you can see from the amount of items I packed, there is an amazing amount of space! I really found that the added features of the mesh divider, and zipped compartment to stop everything flying around on route really did make travelling that little bit easier. If you're like me and constantly travelling with lots of little bits and bobs the zip pockets are super handy alongside the elastic cross ribbons to secure your stuff. I'm not sure about you guys but having a case with four wheels is SO much easier to transport especially if you are walking around a lot - it makes it very easy to dash in and out of an airport / train station / bus! Gone are the days of dragging around a suitcase on two wheels! 

The handle easily slides in and out and with two adjustable heights for added comfort you can wave goodbye to sore arms and shoulders! And for those of you who travel abroad frequently I've got you covered with the practical stuff....It comes with a built-in TSA combination lock and meets the IATA recommendations to be taken on board an aircraft. In terms of sizing, it is 50x40x20cm and weighs 2.60kg / 5.73lbs and comes with a 3 year warranty. Very precise I know!

Honestly though, I cannot wait for my next trip away so I can make the most of this little beauty! I would strongly recommend you checking them out, they are worth the small investment! 

Also, I want to mention my gorgeous black Chloe style bag from Joy! It is absolutely perfect for everyday use and super stylish at the same time, I love the tassel detail!

Anyway, enough of me rambling! Thanks so much for reading!

Lauren - Faye x

A little stay in Brighton!

Recently, my boyfriend and I visited Brighton for a short break away. Upon deciding we wanted to visit I began trawling the internet for hotels and found that I was incredibly spoilt for choice. 

One of our requirements was a hotel with a car park, located onsite as we didn't want to pay extortionate amounts for parking and have to walk miles (ok, slight exaggeration) but still! It was also essential at the time that the car was near, should we need to travel home quickly. I was toying between two hotels based on the car park requirement and the availability for our required dates, but, I eventually decided on The Holiday Inn, Brighton Seafront. 

After searching various reviews online, the Holiday Inn really stood out as a central, friendly place to stay with great reviews. The hotel had recently undergone a full refurbishment and it looked great. It may not be the first hotel that pops into your head when you are looking for a hotel but I can highly recommend it. It was the perfect base for a place to stay whilst exploring the city. 

Upon arrival, we were met at reception by a very friendly man named Victor who informed us that our room wasn't ready yet but we were welcome to leave our bags if we wanted to leave the hotel and come back later. We decided to pop into the Starbucks within the hotel and warm up with a hot chocolate, and again we were met by another fantastic member of staff who couldn't do enough for us. I found during my time at the hotel the staff just couldn't do enough to help, they were always on hand for assistance. This is something that I find to be extremely important, I have stayed in 5* hotels before and found the service to be atrocious. 

Room:

We had an executive room with a large balcony and a gorgeous sea view! The room itself was extremely spacious, perfect for a messy girl like me! It was complete with a lounge area, desk space, large bathroom and of course a king-sized bed. I think additional touches really make hotel visits extra special and our room had added extras that we loved. 

Facilities: 

Although there wasn't a swimming pool or a gym, there were other facilities that we made use of. We had a dinner reservation for 6pm at the newly opened, cocktail and burger bar, Stock Burger Co. located within the hotel. We overindulged, as expected, with the biggest portion of nachos to start! Followed by burgers and cocktails, the perfect combination if I'm honest! The prices were reasonable for the food and service provided. My boyfriend and I, thoroughly enjoyed our meal and certainly would return in the future. So if burgers and beer are your thing then you have found the right place! I would also advise booking a table as it was rather busy during our stay! 

Breakfast was buffet style, something that I am not always the biggest fan of! The hotel offered a wide variety though and there was plenty of food to fill us up for the day ahead! The standard full English breakfast was on offer - something my boyfriend took full advantage of! Alongside an array of yogurt, fruit and continental style breakfast items - including pastries and preserves. 

You really do get great value for money based on the price you pay. I do have to say that the Brighton Seafront is definitely one of the best Holiday Inn's I have visited, and I couldn't actually fault anything based on my visit. I hope this has been useful if you are considering visiting Brighton! 

Thanks for reading,

Lauren-Faye x 

* Please note, this is not in any way a sponsored post.