Luxury Hotels We Recommend

Berkeley River Lodge: A wilderness resort in the Kimberleys, Western Australia


The Berkeley River
There are few places left on the planet where you can visit an untouched wilderness. Berkeley River, on the far northwest coast of Western Australia is one. Beyond the outback, the landscape stretches from one horizon to the other without a single sign of human habitation save Berkeley River Lodge - and perhaps a lone sailor sheltering for the night in the safety of the river mouth.  Access is by light plane from Darwin or Kununurra and supplies arrive by barge. There are no roads in or out.



Fraser Suites, Perth - a review.

Fraser Suites Perth
Check out the kangaroos in the foreground!
David says I am an easy wife to please - 'give me a five-star hotel and I am happy anywhere!' Personally, I think that's a bit harsh, although I do confess to being partial to a comfortable bed, crisp sheets, fluffy towels, and a nice, modern bathroom - add in a flat screen TV, complimentary wifi (I am a blogger after all) and a separate living room, and I am in seventh heaven. At Fraser Suites Perth, we had all that and then some. Our particular suite had the ultimate of all active traveller extravagances - a washing machine and dryer!


Q Station Manly: A unique place in Sydney's history.

On Thursday 18 May 1882, 25 year old Thomas Frost, his wife Evelina, 23 and their three children Clara 5, Florence 3 and Christina 1, set sail on the ship Orontes from Plymouth in England en route to Sydney, Australia.

Clara was my great grandmother.

Two months later, on 19 July the Orontes arrived in Sydney Harbour. It was a migrant ship and my forbears and their fellow passengers came to Australia to begin a new life. However before they were allowed to disembark, the Orontes like all other migrant ships arriving in Sydney had to be declared free of contagious diseases.

The Hilton Miraflores, Lima Peru

  • Location - Avenida La Paz 1099, Lima, Peru
  • Quality - Excellent
  • Service - Great. Almost all the staff spoke English
  • Highlight - The excellent lunches in the Executive Floor Lounge
  • Bedding and bathrooms - Fantastic 
  • Would I recommend this hotel - Absolutely! We stayed in a suite but the rooms looked pretty good too.
  • My tip - Stay in a suite or on the Executive Floor so you get access to the Executive Lounge with its stunning (free) breakfasts, lunches, afternoon teas and light suppers. Not a place to stay if you are watching your waistline.

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The House of Jasmines, Salta, Argentina

  • Location - Twenty minutes by car south-west of Salta.
  • Quality - Clean and comfortable - Given the cost the room could have been better. There was a lack of natural light which gave it a slightly dingy feeling.
  • Service - Very friendly and helpful - almost everyone spoke English. 
  • Highlight - The beautiful grounds and the very friendly staff.
  • Bedding and bathrooms - The sheets were crisp and clean and while nothing to get excited about the bathroom was perfectly acceptable.
  • Would I recommend this hotel - Yes. 

The Zero Hotel, Valparaiso Chile