Tag Archives: #travel

Heavenly stay at the Holiday Inn Brno

July 20, 2017 OurWorldinReview 2 Comments

So you have some holiday’s coming up and are looking for options that are historically interesting, have a night life and hopefully won’t break the bank. Then have you considered the Czech Republic? It has an impressive history. I’m sure you have heard about King Wenceslas. He is the King mentioned in a popular Christmas Carol. The capital, Prague is a usual stop for many tourists, but I also encourage you stay in the beautiful city of Brno.

Holiday Inn Brno — The beautiful city of Brno with the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul

Brno, is a vibrant university city about three hours from Prague with some quirky stories and hidden intrigues. After a few hours exploring the sights, you will soon become invested in this lovely city. Brno is mainly known for its conferences, festivals and being the current home of the Czech MotoGP race. Each week there is usually something going on in this happening city. For our four days stay here we are at the impressive Holiday Inn Brno.

Located outside of the old town the Holiday Inn Brno is situated alongside the largest convention centre in the Czech Republic. Although approximately 2.5 km’s from the city centre the city has a good public transport system. Hourly tickets are available from reception for Kč25czk each. Therefore, this proximity to transport easily alleviates the distance from the city centre.

A courtesy bus to and from the old town is provided on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between the times of 7 p.m -11 p.m. This is handy as you can have dinner in the city and then have the bus transport you back to the hotel. As we don’t mind a walk, it was only 20 minutes to and from the centre. This allowed us time to casually enjoy the walk and discover the surrounding areas. Don’t worry if you’d prefer a car. Europcar have an office onsite so you can book a vehicle prior to your arrival at the hotel and have it waiting for you in the car park.

The Holiday Inn Brno is a part of the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG), and offers quality four-star service and accommodation to its guests. When arriving at the Holiday Inn Brno you are immediately impressed by the outdoor eating area attached to the superb Prominent Restaurant and a lawn area used for general relaxation and yoga. Entry through the automated turnstile brings you into the hotels immaculate lobby.

The hotel lobby is quite large area. Comfortable chairs and tables and a business area are available to meet people and catch up on work. The reception desk is manned 24 hours with the friendly staff always there to assist. Other areas accessible from the lobby are the Restaurant Brasserie, the incredible Prominent Restaurant with its remarkable food and the Lobby Bar for enjoying a drink and a game of billiards.

The Holiday Inn Brno offers three core types of accommodation, a standard room, an executive room and an executive suite. All option are available from their website or through Booking.com.

The Holiday Inn Brno, prides itself in taking care of its guests and the rooms are no exception. Each room is elegantly decorated with one of the most comfortable beds I’ve been in. They either have a single, queen or king bed depending on your booking with a well stocked mini bar. Each room also has a safe, coffee facilities, ironing board and SMART television. The SMART television controls the rooms Wi-Fi, multiple television stations in various languages and the hotels guest directory.

What's in the mini bar at a hotel — A well stocked mini bar…. Hmm. I wonder what I’ll have?

Each room has a good-sized bathroom which is stocked with various toiletries and accessories. The rooms are serviced daily, so as expected the bathrooms are clean with excellent water pressure.

Being so close to the exhibition centre the hotel offers visiting business groups excellent accommodation option. Meeting rooms are also available daily, for workshops, functions and business meetings. Additionally, if you are considering organising an event, then the 400-person Congress Hall with reception area and bar would be the ideal place.

For the health and fitness conscientious the hotel has a small but modern gym on the sixth floor open from 06:30hrs. The health spa called the Relax Zone is open from 17:30hrs with free access to the sauna. Massages, and the whirlpool spa are available via bookings at reception. Access to the gym is via the stairs from the fifth floor.

The Brasserie Restaurant caters for breakfast daily. If you desire, fruit, cereal, toast, cold meats, salads or a hot breakfast the Holiday Inn Brno will not let you go hungry.

For your evening meal, I encourage you to eat in at the Prominent Restaurant. Everything about this restaurant is impressive, from dining areas, service and especially the food. It is so good, I cannot do it justice with a brief description here. So, to give it the exposure it deserves, we have opted to give the Prominent Restaurant its own separate review. So, stay tuned!

Overall the Holiday Inn Brno is an excellent option to stay at when visiting Brno. The hotel staff are professional and if you need any help they will go out of their way to ensure you enjoy your stay. The rooms are extremely comfortable, the breakfast is abundant, and the health and fitness areas are welcome encouragement to keep fit. The lobby bar is a good place to chill out and have a drink and if you appreciate decent food then the Prominent Restaurant is a must.

Brno is a fantastic university city, full of culture and history. In my opinion, you’d be doing yourself an injustice if you didn’t visit whilst in the Czech Republic. So, book your holiday today and stay at the Holiday Inn Brno and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Holiday Inn Brno

Křížkovského 20, 603 00 Brno-střed, Czechia
Ph: +420 543 122 111
Website: www.hibrno.cz

Book your stay at the Holiday Inn Brno now with Booking.com

Prices of accommodation per night at the Holiday Inn Brno:

Ranging from Kč 3744 czk (AUD$211) Kč 5472 czk (AUD$309)

The Brasserie Restaurant caters for breakfast daily

from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on weekdays
from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at weekends and on holidays

Prominent Restaurant opening times:

Opening hours 12:00 – 23:00
Reservations by phone at: +420 543 122 002/4

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Hotels and Accommodation

Remarkable value at the Red Trees Apartment Budapest

July 11, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

Budapest is a city that I feel at home in right away. I don’t know why, but everything seems easy. After an overnight train from Krakow and a solid night’s sleep, I awake refreshed looking forward to this remarkable city. There’s something about train rides that puts me at ease. They seem to rock me to sleep like a baby. Of course, without the screaming and hollering in the middle of the night.

Red Trees Apartment, Budapest — The overnight train from Krakow to Budapest.

For our four days, we are booked into the Red Trees Apartment. The apartment complex is a little hard to locate at first but it runs off the main tourist strip of Váci utca (street). Transport to the apartment building is easy from the Budapest train station. Public transport tickets are easily purchased from ticket machines at the train stations and bus stops. Ferenciek Tere is the closest metro train to the Red Trees Apartment with the exit concourse within metres of Kígyó utca. Due to an early arrival into Budapest the agent Attila, is happy to meet us so we can store our luggage in the apartment whilst it is being cleaned.

Historically, Budapest is two cities Buda and Pest separated by the mighty Danube and today there is still a friendly rivalry between the two sides. The main reasoning behind booking the Red Trees Apartment was its incredible location. Right on the tourist strip and so close to transport and attractions the Red Tree Apartments was perfect.

The apartment itself is big. It consists of two large sleeping areas, a bathroom, toilet and kitchen. Coffee and sugar were supplied on our stay and the small shop next door is handy for everyday items. If you’d like a larger shop for groceries an Aldi, Spar and Tesco are close by.

The main bedroom has three large windows each with a roller shutter to stop the morning sun waking you up too early. The large double bed is comfortable with a sofa and desk. The second living area, separated from the main room by double doors, has a double bed, and dining table.

Compared to the two main living areas the bathroom is small. It has a small bath tub with a shower head. With no ability to hang the shower head on the wall bathing is better sitting down, unless you appreciate water everywhere. The bathroom also has a good working washing machine but you will have to supply your own laundry powder. With four of us staying in the apartment, hot water was no problem.

The apartments kitchen would not be considered as modern, but it is functional. With a gas stove, fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle we could make it a little like home. The kitchen has sufficient utensils, cutlery and plates. The only issue we discovered was that there was no igniter to light the gas stove. Thankfully the shop next door stocked lighters.

As mentioned above the bathroom was small, but possibly the surprise of the large apartment is the toilet is tiny. Now, I wouldn’t consider myself a large person. I’m about 176cm tall and weigh about 85kgs. However, I struggled to fit in the toilet. If you happen to be a bigger person, good luck shutting the toilet door.

Overall, the Red Trees apartment was comfortable. The location is perfect, you have access to restaurants, shopping, attractions, bars and clubs. The area is safe, and the people are friendly. The apartment is located on the second floor but there is a lift so you don’t have to lug baggage up any stairs. We did notice their apartment has no television, but the Wi-Fi had good connectivity. The beds were comfortable and with the roller shutters closed, you could silence any outside noise. So, book your stay at the Red Trees Apartment today, and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Red Trees Apartment

Kígyó utca 4-6, Budapest, Hungary
Website: www.red-trees-apartment.go-budapest-hotels.com

Check-in:from 16:00 hours

Check-out:until 12:00 hours

Book your stay at the Red Trees Apartment now.

Prices of accommodation:

Approximate Cost per night €70 (AUD$107)

Available tours in Budapest by Urban Adventures

Red Trees Apartment Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Location = 10
Comfort= 8
Cleanliness = 8
Price = 8
Facilities = 7

Overall = 8

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Tours & Attractions

Never Forgetting Auschwitz and Birkenau, Oswiecim Poland

July 5, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

Poland is a wonderful country, full of history and tragedy. From the outset of this 55 week journey, Poland was probably one of the first countries listed as a must go place. The main reason behind this was so we could remember the tragedies that befell the country during World War II. This beautiful countryside just out of Krakow in the town of Oswiecim was a major area for Nazi Germany’s horrible agenda of genocide and ethnic cleansing. What we know throughout history as the Holocaust!

Since our current worlds in turmoil, we toured Auschwitz and Birkenau with local tour company Krakville to remember the innocent lives affected by this inhuman treatment. Hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself once again.

Krakville tour company located in the Old Town offers a range of small and large group tours to various attractions around Krakow. We arrive at the Krakville office early the next morning to meet our tour group and are given Krakville identification stickers. After checking in we are escorted to the tour bus and driven to Auschwitz first, then Birkenau.

The drive through the countryside to Oswiecim takes about an hour and the first thing that catches your eye is how green and beautiful the landscape is.

On arrival to Auschwitz you instantly realise why they use identification stickers, because it is packed with tour buses and other tour groups. We are escorted to a staging area and enter through a security checkpoint to our awaiting English-speaking guide. Each participant is given an audio receiver so you can hear the guides presentation clearly whilst the information is given.

Auschwitz’s brick buildings still stand as they did back then in WWII. The internal structures have been restored to give the visitor of the conditions prisoners were kept in. The barbed wire fences, guard towers all remain to provide an eerie feeling. Yet the lush green grass hides the tormented past.

Auschwitz concentration camp — A guard-house and barbed wire fences surrounded by lush green lawns

As you enter the main camp the words “Arbeit macht frei, Work sets you free” are positioned above the main gate. Unfortunately, unknown to the prisoners, the only way they would be free from Auschwitz was to work themselves to death or be killed.

The knowledgeable guide expertly explains the use of the buildings, the conditions the prisoners were exposed to and the devilish treatment and things the Nazi’s did to break the spirits of the people.

One building has framed pictures of the prisoners who died on the walls, including name, occupation, religion, date of arrival to Auschwitz and date of death. The photos stretch along a corridor leading to glass rooms full of personal items, from suitcases, shoes, and hauntingly a room full of hair.

Visitors then proceed to the underground solitary confinement cells, the firing squad wall and the original experimental gas chamber and crematorium.

Our guide delivers all of the information with as little emotion as possible which creates a sense of loss and awkwardness. We then head back to the bus and head to Auschwitz II, Birkenau.

Auschwitz II known as Birkenau is approximately a ten minute drive from the Auschwitz main camp. Compared to the first camp, Birkenau concentration camp is enormous. Although many of the wooden buildings have perished due to reclaiming of timber after the war and destruction of the camp on the last days before liberation. It is amazing to see the old chimneys dotting a large field where prison housing existed.

The infamous rail gate, where the train enters Birkenau still stands and the selection area and officers building remains. Our guide explains the selection process and the long march to the gas chambers and crematorium.

Not much stands of the gas chambers and crematorium as the Nazi’s tried to destroy the evidence of their crimes just before liberation.

Overall, Krakville’s tour to Auschwitz and Birkenau was an eye opener. Personally, I believe it’s a must do so you can pay your respects to the victims of Auschwitz. So, book your tour today and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Seeing human tragedy is uncomfortable, but we should never forget what happened at Auschwitz and Birkenau — Pin Me!

Additional Information for Krakville Tours Auschwitz and Birkenau Tour

ul. Mikolajska 8, Krakow
Ph: +48 607 750 901
Website: www.krakville.com

Cost 99PLN (AUD$35)

Trading Hours

Daily from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Price includes:• transport by bus to and from Auschwitz and Birkenau
• tour attendant
• guide in Auschwitz – Birkenau
• admission fees
• duration: 6 h

Available accommodation in Krakow

Other tours available through Urban Adventures

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Restaurants

Dining at La Grande Mamma, Krakow

June 23, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

The old town in Krakow is always alive with tourists buzzing around taking in the history and sights. Krakow offers visitors many ways to discover this city, from Segway tours to horse and cart rides. Street stalls and boutique stores are happily selling their merchandise to happy shoppers. With the many restaurants offering a wide range of local and international cuisines.

Food vendors are everywhere throughout the city. You can try some traditional Polish cuisine, or visit a food stall in the main square barbecuing massive amounts of meat. There’s fast food franchises, if that takes your fancy, or the many fine dining choices supplying foods from around the world. With so many choices we select the Italian inspired La Grande Mamma.

With so many food options in Krakow. Try La Grande Mamma in the old town's main square — La Grande Mamma’s Al fresco seating, taken from the main square

Located on one of the corners of the main square, La Grande Mamma is an Italian inspired fine dining restaurant that offers decent quality food. Upon entry into this old building you immediately enter the heart of the restaurant where all the action occurs. Here, there is a central preparation bench with one of the kitchen staff preparing assorted menu items.

Once greeted by the waiting staff, we are directed into one of the quieter side rooms and seated at a lovely table overlooking the square.

The restaurant has a decent range of wines available by the glass or bottle and their food menu is full of modern and traditional Italian cuisine. On this occasion, we selected a basic Margherita pizza, a Calzone farcito and their Filetto di maiale for our main meals. And followed that up with Creme brulee and a Meringa con mascarpone for dessert.

The Margherita pizza was just a plain tomato puree on a thin base with cheese. It was approximately 30 cm in circumference, so quite large for one person, but I feel it was missing that fresh basil that garnishes most Margherita pizzas.

Our Calzone farcito contained tomato puree, mozzarella cheese, ham, salami and champignon mushrooms, encased in a folded and sealed pizza base. When cracked open the heat and fragrances were wonderful. A well cooked dish, but rather plain-looking with a sprinkling of dry herbs.

The next plate was the Filetto di maiale, which is pistachio covered pork loin. It is served on a bed of potato puree, zucchini and red wine sauce. Beautifully cooked, the Filetto di maiale would be my pick of the dishes. Superbly balanced flavours but once again the presentation of the dish could be improved.

After the main meals were completed the efficient and friendly waiting staff cleared our plates and prepared the table for our upcoming desserts. The first dish to arrive was the Creme Brulee. Now, Creme Brulee’s would possibly be MacKenzie’s and my most favourite dessert, as we do tend to compare them against each other. When La Grande Mamma’s Creme Brulee arrived, we were quite excited to see how it stacked up against the ones we’ve had elsewhere.

Although small in size the presentation of the Creme Brulee was better to that of the main meals. That was due to the contrasting colours used in the dish. The hard caramel cover was well done, but the actual custard base was a little grainy in texture, not that smooth consistence that is required. The flavour was okay, but not a show stopper.

Our next dessert was the Meringa con mascarpone and from when the waitress placed the plate on our table, we knew we had a winner. The meringue, covered with mascarpone cream and fresh fruit was an instantaneous success. Nicely presented and delicious, it was hard not going back for more!

There are many places to eat in Krakow’s old town and the catchy named La Grande Mamma is situated in a part of the square that isn’t overrun by other tourists and street sellers. The interior is decorated well and the Italian cuisine has good flavour, but lacks the presentation. I do believe that we get the best out of a meal when they satisfy all our senses. La Grande Mamma, ticks most of those boxes, but the main meal presentation could use a little flair.

Overall, La Grande Mamma was a comfortable restaurant to attend, with a good honest food. The price is a little inflated, but all the restaurants are the same in the main tourist area of Old Town Krakow. Make sure you tip the waiting staff. Service charges are not included in the prices and it is expected if they’ve provided good service. Ten percent of the final cheque is the going rate, so if you are on a budget make sure you account for this extra expense. If you are in Krakow, visit La Grande Mamma tonight and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Looking for a place to eat in old town Krakow? Then try La Grande Mamma in the main square for decent Italian food. — Pin Me!

Additional Information for La Grande Mamma

Rynek Główny 26, 33-332 Kraków, Poland
Ph: +48 12 430 64 58
Website: www.lagrandemamma.pl

Breakfast Prices Range 19.00 PLN – 68.00 PLN (AUD$6.60 – $23)

Trading Hours

Daily: 12 pm – 11 pm

Book accommodation in Krakow with Booking.com

Book a tour in Krakow through Urban Adventures

La Grande Mamma rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Decor =8
Atmosphere =8
Service =9
Price = 7
Food =8

Overall = 8

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Tours & Attractions

Animals and Aquariums – The Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

June 16, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

If you have had the pleasure of travelling with children, you would know that sometimes it’s hard to keep them happy. In their minds, Museums and Art Galleries can be boring. That’s because most young children don’t appreciate looking at the ancient pottery from Pompeii or the subject and detail of Rembrandt’s The Nights Watch. Basically, unless there are dinosaurs or places with amazing interactive fun, children become disinterested quickly. They want to go to places like Disneyland, Sea World or the other major amusement parks. But, at times we all become those little kids and desire that entertainment. Feeling in a fun and happy mood we head off for a day at the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium.

After a lovely breakfast at Cafe Clave, we decide to walk the 1.1 km from our Scandic hotel to the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium.

Now, if this is your first trip to Berlin, you may want to think about purchasing the Berlin Welcome Card. This transport tourist card lasts up to 6 days and covers all your public transport options. It also comes with a booklet containing discounts to many of the major attractions, including the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium. Additionally, it comes with that all important city map, so you can see the various tourist sites and construct your touring itinerary accordingly.

The Berlin Welcome Card covers transport and discounts to many major attractions, including the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium. — The Berlin Welcome Card Booklet

If you are short on time, you can do the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium separately. We opted to combine the two at a discounted price (See below). Since the zoo is the larger of the two complexes we do the zoo first.

As mentioned the zoo is large, exhibiting a wide range of animals from around the world. Our recommendation is to examine the zoo’s map provided and work out a plan of attack. That way you won’t be backtracking and possibly missing some of the animals. Of course, the information is in German so have your translating app available if you can’t read German.

The zoo has set times for feeding and information on the animals (again in German), but it was still interesting seeing them being fed. From wolves, elephants, gorillas, rhinos, lions, zebras and giraffes it was amazing to see the children’s young faces light up in awe of these magnificent creatures.

Finding food is not an issue at the zoo as they have a large cafe, a restaurant and many food carts scattered around the park.

Exciting times are ahead for the Berlin Zoo as they are finishing their new Panda enclosure as they are expecting them to arrive in June 2017.

Once you’ve finished in the Berlin Zoo make your way to the Aquarium. Here you will find an arrangement of diverse types of fish, amphibians, reptiles and creepy crawly insects.

This three-story building holds a vast quantity of fish species of assorted sizes and incredible colours.

There is a warm, humid, central forest area that has some crocodiles, which was inviting on a cooler Berlin day. Like the zoo the aquarium has a cafe, in case you want a snack or coffee.

Overall, both the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium are wonderful places to visit in Berlin. By using the Berlin Welcome Card, we had a 25% discount on the combined price, so great value for money. There is enough fun and intrigue for children to enjoy the day. The zoo also has a large playground area, so your children can burn off some extra energy if required. Visit the zoo and aquarium today and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Berlin Zoo

Hardenbergplatz 8, 10787 Berlin
Ph. +49 30 254010
Website: www.zoo-berlin.de

Opening Times

	ZOO	CASH POINT
1. January – 26. February	9:00 am – 4:30 pm	9:00 am – 3:30 pm
27. February – 26. March	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 5:00 pm
27. March – 24. September	9:00 am – 6:30 pm	9:00 am – 5:00 pm
25. September – 29. October	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 5:00 pm
30. October – 31. December	9:00 am – 4:30 pm	9:00 am – 3:30 pm

*Note:

The Zoo closes at 2 p.m. on 24 December.

Please note that the ticket offices close approx. one hour before the zoo closes. The animal houses close 30 minutes before the zoo itself closes.

Aquarium Berlin

Budapester Straße 32, 10787 Berlin
Ph. +49 30 254010
Website: www.aquarium-berlin.de

Opening Times

	AQUARIUM
1 January–31 December	9 a.m.–6 p.m.

TICKETS – Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

	Aquarium & Zoo – Separate	ZOO & AQUARIUM Combination
Adults	14,50 €	20,00 €
Children 4 up to 15 years	7,50 €	10,00 €
Small Families (1 adult and his or her children up to 15 years)	25,00 €	33,00 €
Large Families (2 adults and his or their children up to 15 years)	39,00 €	50,00 €
Concession* students, apprentices, ALG I+II recipients, the severely disabled and their accompaniment, accompaniment if explicitly required on the disabled visitor’s ID	10,00 €	15,00 €

Welcome to Berlin Card

For more information on the Welcome to Berlin Card , click here

Book accommodation in Berlin via Booking.com

Book UrbanAdventures guided tours in Berlin

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Hotels and Accommodation

Lovely Lucca and the Terrace of Perfumes

June 11, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

Since the girls left we have been travelling around Italy with no real plan. I know it sounds a bit unusual, living and organising accommodation on the fly. We always knew we were going to wing it and see where the tide takes us. This way we are not tied down. If we meet someone on the road who says “You have to go to this…. place”, then we could book it the next day and we’re on our way. The beautiful town of Lucca was just one of these places. A good friend said since you’re in Italy, you must visit Lucca. So, we did. In doing so we had to organise a place to stay and luckily for us we stayed at the Terrace of Perfumes.

The Terrace of Perfumes is an agent run apartment available through Booking.com and AirBNB. Located just outside the old city the Terrace of Perfumes is close to supermarkets and local restaurants. Being an apartment they do prefer stays 3 days or longer.

We were met at the apartment on check in by the apartments owners Mauricio and Valeria and their apartments agent Alessandro. The apartment is situated on the first floor and upon entry you notice how clean and beautiful the apartment is.

This one bedroom apartment consists of a large bedroom which overlooks the street, a lounge area, a fully functional kitchen, bathroom and a balcony area which has that all important washing machine and clothes line. They have thought about everything to make your stay as carefree, relaxing and enjoyable as possible.

Mauricio and Valeria are exceptional hosts and ensure we are settled and welcomed with a basket filled with some produce and a bottle of delicious Chianti. They have a compendium about the apartment and helpful information about Lucca and its must see places and things to do.

We really enjoyed our time in Lucca, walking the thin cobbled streets surrounded by hundreds of year old buildings. Visiting the home of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini and indulging in some of that Italian cuisine. International tour hosts, Urban Adventures offers four incredible tours around Lucca for you to try. So, take a trip to Lucca, experience a tour and book the Terrace of Perfumes. Don’t forget to tell them Simon from Ourworldineview sent you!

Looking for accommodation in Lucca? The Terrace of Perfumes is the ideal place to stay. — Pin Me!

Additional Information for the Terrace of Perfumes

Via Borgo Giannotti 389, 55100 Lucca, Italy
Website: Nil Available

Check in: 15:00 hrs
Check out: 10:00 hrs

Book your stay at the Terrace of Perfumes now with Booking.com

Prices of accommodation:

Ranging from AUD$90 – AUD$110 per night

Terrace of Perfumes Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Location = 8
Comfort=10
Cleanliness = 10
Price = 10
Facilities =10

Overall = 9.5

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Restaurants

Breaking our fast at Cafe Clave – Berlin

June 5, 2017 OurWorldinReview 2 Comments

Berlin has been full of surprises, from the landmarks, the people, the history and the cost. It has surpassed all of our expectations. Staying at the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm hotel has been a pleasure and with a good restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, it would be easy to stay in and eat there every day. But being a little more adventurous we opted to do some investigating around the neighbourhood to see what other places are close by to have breakfast. You know, sometimes you just want to go somewhere else to eat! After a leisurely stroll along Augsburger strasse we came across this lovely little place called Cafe Clave.

Clave Cafe — A chalkboard with a selection of menu items available at the Cafe Clave.

Look before you pop in. Cafe Clave accepts cash only as they don’t have EFTPOS facilities available. But don’t let that sway your choice to dine there or not, the prices are fair and the food is scrumptious.

Cafe Clave is a relatively small cafe with a few tables inside the shop with some outdoor seating also available. We took up residence at a table close to the windows. The tables are your normal everyday cafe tables with leather seats inside and wicker seats outside. They also have a window bench seat complete with cushions. A fact that decided where we were going to sit.

The menu on offer is small with enough choices available to elicit a considered decision. We choose the Bacon and Eggs, a croissant with jam and a Pain au Chocolat. We also ordered a fruit smoothie, cafe latte and a flat white coffee to wash it all down.

The food arrived quickly and was consumed just as quick. The Bacon and Eggs were a little small for my liking, a larger amount of bacon would have been perfect. It was cooked well, with a little crunch and the eggs were fluffy with a smooth consistent texture.

The freshly supplied croissant was served with a choice of condiments from honey and various jams. The pastry was flaky and warm, easy to separate.

Finally, the supplied Pain au Chocolate was filled with delicious chocolate and good to the last bite.

Cafe Clave is open for all three meals and has a broad selection of wines on their shelves. They also have a selection of cakes available, so have a look in their display to see what they have for you today.

Overall, Cafe Clave was a pleasant change from a breakfast in a hotel. The waitress servicing us was lovely and looked after all her many customers with equal aplomb. With food available all day at a reasonable price, I could easily see myself going back when next in Berlin. The only things I would change would be to add a little more bacon with the eggs and to install EFTPOS as not everyone carries cash with them these days. You don’t want to miss out on additional customers because they don’t have any cash on them.

So, if you are near Kurfürstendamm or Augsburger strasse, head to Cafe Clave. Have a meal, or just some coffee and cake and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Breakfast in Berlin, try Cafe Clave on Augsburger Strasse — Pin Me!

Additional Information for Cafe Clave

Augsburger strasse 25, Berlin, Germany 10789
Ph: +49 176 32569887
Facebook: Cafe Clave

Breakfast Prices Range €1.30 – €6.90

Trading Hours

Mon-Sat: 8 am – 10 pm
Sun : 9 am – 5 pm

Looking for a place to stay in Berlin. Book here

Cafe Clave rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Decor =7
Atmosphere =8
Service =8
Price = 9
Food =9

Overall = 8

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Restaurants

Plenty of Food at Peter Pane – Berlin

June 2, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

On our first day in Berlin, we had already organised the Urban Adventure tour – Storyline of Berlin. And after 5 hours of listening to Sara explain everything we needed to know about the history of Berlin we were feeling hungry. Sara pointed us in the direction to get cheaper food, so we headed off to discover a bit more of Berlin. During our travels, the girls spied a hamburger place called Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar that looked popular. And always being a bit partial to a hamburger we decided to give it a go.

On entry into the large establishment we could see that it was extremely busy, with most of the tables already buzzing with people chatting over their lunches. We were greeted by one of the wait staff and escorted to a comfortable table for four.

The interior of the restaurant is quite modern. The walls are a sky blue colour, with timber plant boxes with small plants extending to the woven wooden ceiling. There are birdcage light fixtures and the whole combination gives the restaurant a Neverland feel. Tables at various levels throughout the restaurant add to the setting. Each table has comfortable stool or bench seating.

As Peter Pane is a hamburger place the menu has a good selection of available burgers. We couldn’t go past the €9.50 lunch special. The special consisted of a burger served with fries or salad. But that’s not all the deal also came with a cold drink to have with the meal and a hot drink to have after. What awesome value!

We ordered the Klasik, a Kase Speck, a Rotbackhen and the Feenflugel burgers. The Klasik is your normal everyday burger containing a succulent beef patty, lettuce and tomato. My Kase Speck is the Klasik burger with Bernstein Cheese and Bacon. Our Rotbackhen is a vegetarian burger with a grilled tomato and olive cutlet, topped with mozzarella, rocket and sun-dried tomato. Finally, the last burger called the Feenfugel has a piece of grilled chicken, topped with avocado, young spinach and mango-chilli chutney. All four burgers were beautifully prepared and well presented. We consumed them eagerly and washed it down with a local German cola brand called Fritz-Kola, which was quite nice.

Overall, Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar is a good place to stop in relax and have a meal. Their burgers are beautifully made and terrific value incorporated with their €9.50 meal deal. Peter Pane has approximately 17 stores across Germany, so visit their website below for additional locations. The menu prices don’t include a service fee. Therefore, make sure you leave a 10% tip if your dining experience is worthwhile. Try Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar the next time you want a delicious burger and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar

Friedrichstraße 101, 10117 Berlin
Ph: +49 30 20679063
Website: www.peterpane.de

Burger Prices Range €6.40 – €11.90

Trading Hours

Mon-Sun from 11 am until late

Looking for a place to stay in Berlin. Book here

Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Decor =10
Atmosphere =9
Service =9
Price =10
Food =9

Overall = 9.5

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Tours & Attractions

Do you want to go to Disneyland Paris?

May 31, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

As a family, we have had some wonderful adventures. We have been lucky enough to take our girls to many overseas destinations. So, why not let them choose some of the things we do! In 2015, we did a trip to Hong Kong and the girls selected to go to Disneyland. We spent two full days there and they were hooked. Therefore, when they first heard we’d be visiting France on this journey they were definite that they wanted to visit Disneyland Paris and do it all again.

After looking at our schedule we decided that this time we would only spend a day at Disneyland. With the theme park only opening at 10 am we could take our time getting there. From our accommodation at the B&B Hotel Paris Porte de la Villette we jump onto the Metro to Chaussee d’Antin La Fayette. From there we take the 5-minute walk to the Auber RER station and purchase our train tickets for Disneyland Paris. Disneyland is about 45 minutes out of the city in Gare de Marne la Vallee Chessy. The cost of the train ticket from Auber to Disneyland is €15.20 one way per person.

Once arriving at Disneyland Paris, if you haven’t purchased your tickets, then head over to the ticket office. Just so you are prepared the Parks offer various entry options. Now, you would have just heard me mention “parks”, because Disneyland Paris contains two parks; Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. You have the option of visiting one or both parks. We of course decided to visit both.

Excitedly we entered Walt Disney Studios and had a look around. Our first stop in the park was to visit the animation theatre. Here we discovered how the Walt Disney studio created their animation and creature effects. Only lasting about 10 minutes is gives us some valuable information about animated production and set design.

Much of the Walt Disney Studio’s areas are based on a certain theme. Be it Ratatouille, Toy Story, Lilo and Stitch or Armageddon, the sections have rides and theatre shows based around these popular Disney Studio titles.

We found that it was quite easy to fly through Walt Disney Studios and quickly moved to the Disneyland Park.

Like the Studio, the Park is separated into defined areas. There’s Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland. These lands are separated by a central plaza and main street containing the various Disney retail and food outlets. Also scattered throughout the park are food stalls and restaurants.

A family could easily spend a day or two exploring these two sites. We spent most of our stay in Disneyland Park and whilst there probably tried out every ride and feature available. Unfortunately, some of the park is still under construction, with a Pirates of the Caribbean area still being developed. Saying this though doesn’t take away from the intrigue of the park.

Now for the important detail, which will determine if you elect to stay or go to Disneyland Paris. The cost… It can be expensive, we were there for a twelve-hour day and spent close to €600 for a family of four. So, I would consider that an expensive day out.

Disneyland Paris also has accommodation available in their hotel, with room packages including access to the Disneyland Parks. So, it may be a better option to book your accommodation at the hotel and access the parks that way. This way you don’t have to worry about transport to the parks and accommodation in Paris. Likewise, you could find some cheap accommodation in Marne-la-Vallée and just worry about tickets into the park.

Although expensive, we had an awesome time at Disneyland Paris. Disneyland holds some fascination and wonder to people of all ages. It is an extremely fun day, although sometimes you may need to line up to access the more popular rides. They offer a “Fast Track” ride option which costs a little extra, where you are given a time to go on a particular ride. This way you can have fun elsewhere in the park and when your time gets closer you just go to the fast track lane and hop onto the ride.

Overall, Disneyland Paris is an amazing place. My recommendation is that if you are planning on going, make sure you have saved your pennies. But sometimes, spending quality time and enjoying a fun-filled day is more valuable than the cost. Because I know, these memories will last forever. Therefore, when you are in France, pencil in Disneyland Paris for a day or two, enjoy an incredible experience and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for Disneyland Paris

77777 Marne-la-Vallée, France
Ph. +33 1 60 30 60 53
Website: www.disneylandparis.com

Price

Prices range from € 42.00 – € 223.00 for Passport ticket entry
Full ticketing information available here

Opening hours

Disneyland® Park	10:00 to 23:00	Extra Magic Hours 8:00 to 10:00

Walt Disney Studios® Park	10:00 to 18:00	—

Book accommodation near Disneyland Park, Marne-la-Vallée.

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Hotels and Accommodation

Staying at the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm

May 28, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

After a busy schedule in France the girls were so excited to be heading to Berlin. A city that has had to rebuild most of their buildings due to the devastation of World War II. So, although a city rich in history, good and bad, it is still a new. It is intriguing how Berlin has rebuilt many buildings to match the elegance of their past. For our time, here we are staying at the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm hotel.

Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm Hotel — Someone was very happy to be in Berlin.

The Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm is a lovely 4-star hotel near the shopping district of Kurfürstendamm, and quite close to many popular attractions.

Upon arrival to the hotel we enter through the automatic turnstile and are met by a friendly reception desk. To the right of us is a lounge with a business area. And to the left is the stairway down to the Scandic restaurant and an alcove with a Foosball table. Additionally, past the reception desk is a small self-serve shop, stocked with essentials and hotel souvenirs.

The desk clerk allocates us two rooms and we ride the elevator up to our floor. Bright clean white corridors decorated with well placed commissioned street art, this hotel exudes a modern elegance.

The rooms are a nicely decorated spacious area with a king sized bed, a comfortable lounge seat, a desk, fridge, cupboard, safe and television. Each room also has a separate bathroom.

Our bathroom is also a well maintained clean. It is a large room with a large shower cubicle for that well deserved relaxing hot shower.

Now, if you talk to my family, I have no patience when travelling, I like to keep moving. So, a relaxing evening lounging around a hotel doesn’t really suit me. Luckily, the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm has a gym on the sixth floor. Therefore, I didn’t pace around twiddling my thumbs, because I could always go to the gym for a couple of hours and burn off some excess energy.

With treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and rowing machines, I could burn up that extra energy. Additionally, the gym also has some free weights and a multi-faceted nautilus machine. After the workout, you can take a shower and use the sauna to sweat out those toxins.

The hotel is mainly focused on the conference market and has meeting rooms available on the seventh floor. Please ask the reception for more information. Breakfast is also available in the restaurant for €12 per person, per day.

The restaurant is open for dinner and has a descent sized Scandinavian inspired menu. It has a satisfactory range of quality wines from around Europe. So why not be bold and try something you’ve never experienced before. We had the pleasure of dining in the main dining area for a night. They also have a winter garden and courtyard area for those nice days.

We ordered their Weiner Schnitzel, a vegetarian Caesar Salad with roasted pumpkin and their aptly named Scandic burger. All the meals were well cooked and quite large servings.

Overall the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm Hotel is an excellent choice for your stay in Berlin. Perfectly located with easy access to Berlin’s sensational public transport system, and major shopping outlets. The hotel can look after all your needs, with luggage storage available before your check-in and after check-out. If you decide not to eat breakfast at the hotel we found the Clave Cafe on Augsburger Straße towards Kurfürstendamm an excellent option. So, book your next stay below, and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm

Augsburger Straße 5 Berlin, Germany
Ph: +49 30 212 42 0
Website: www.scandichotel.de

To get there catch the Metro to Augsburger Straße

Book your stay at the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm now with Booking.com

Prices of accommodation:

Ranging from €98 – €164 per night

Breakfast is served daily for €12.00 per person

Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm Restaurant opening times

Breakfast: Mon-Sun 06: 30-12: 00
Dinner: Mon-Sun 17: 00-01: 00

Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Service = 9
Comfort=10
Cleanliness = 10
Price = 9
Facilities =10

Overall = 9

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Additional Information for the Holiday Inn Brno

Prices of accommodation per night at the Holiday Inn Brno:

Additional Information for the Red Trees Apartment

Prices of accommodation:

Red Trees Apartment Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for Krakville Tours Auschwitz and Birkenau Tour

Trading Hours

Additional Information for La Grande Mamma

Trading Hours

La Grande Mamma rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Berlin Zoo

Opening Times

Aquarium Berlin

Opening Times

TICKETS – Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Welcome to Berlin Card

Additional Information for the Terrace of Perfumes

Prices of accommodation:

Terrace of Perfumes Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for Cafe Clave

Trading Hours

Cafe Clave rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar

Trading Hours

Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for Disneyland Paris

Price

Opening hours

Additional Information for the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm

Prices of accommodation:

Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Our world is an amazing place, so go out there and enjoy it!