Author Archives: nottinghillyummymummy

Family Life, Top 10, Travel

Best Hotels, Villas and Agroturismos in Ibiza, Spain

If like me, you have had a dreadful January, you are not alone: everyone I have spoken to has had a pretty miserable January. The last few weeks have been dreary and depressing: it’s been dark, cold, and very, very wet but beyond that, we’ve recently witnessed two mass shootings (a friend’s son was stuck at Brown University during the shooting and other friends were on Bondi beach right before the shooting), then the fire in the nightclub in Crans Montana was shocking, with friends of friends who lost their child, but also because my kids are the age where they could have been there (and then the fire at the Roof Gardens a few nights ago, but thank god no one was hurt). The two shootings in the US left me horrified and speechless: people in the US are scared and do not feel safe. And let’s not mention Greenland. It all feels way too close to home, and right now it feels like we live in a twilight zone. So when I write my travel posts, it’s not because I ignore what’s going on in the world, but it is a way of using memories to dream of happier times. First up, Ibiza.

All Photos Copyright NHYM 2026

A few months ago, someone asked me to write a post about where to stay in Ibiza, particularly agroturismos, after I had been to a 50th birthday party and stayed at Atzaro. He had never heard of it- and agroturismos – before last year. What a lot of people don’t necessarily know about Ibiza is that it is multi-faceted; there is the trashy San Antonio crowd, the party drug-fuelled crowd, overlapped with the club people and the hippy crowd that came in the 70s. Then, finally, there are the inbetweeners, who love the clear waters of Formentera, the laid back vibe of the island, with a stop at Pacha once in a while, like me and my friends. I have been going to Ibiza for 30 years, the first time when I was 18 yo going to foam parties at Amnesia and going to the VIP section of Pacha to listen to David Guetta. I remember those days going to sleep at 10pm and waking up at 3am to go to clubs when they opened. Then, I discovered Formentera and Juan y Andrea in my 20s, when a friend of a friend literally bought a Sunseeker overnight and we spent endless days on the boat, mostly spending our time in Formentera. Then came the kids, and we rented gorgeous villas around the island with other friends with kids. Needless to say, I have wonderful memories of the island through the decades.

NHYM 2026

So, when a good friend invited me to her 50th birthday party last May, there was no way I was going to miss it. I had always wanted to stay at Atzaro, but somehow it never happened. Atzaro is one of the original luxury Agroturismos, in a part of the island that is still mostly undeveloped, which is Ibiza before Ibiza became Ibiza. Agroturismos are working farms that offer accommodation and dining to visitors and the spectrum runs from rural farms to very nice luxury hotels, which Atzaro is a prime example. They are very popular in Spain and Italy, especially in Ibiza, and shows an authentic side of Ibiza.

Atzaro is a thirteen hectare estate with beautiful bougainvillea covered buildings and terraces, ponds, gardens, restaurants, pavillions, orange groves and a vegetable garden. It was born from a 300 year old finca, and has been turned into one of the best hotels in Ibiza.

The interiors are typical finca style with terracotta tiles, littered with white fresh cotton sofas, wood materials, and low wood ceilings to keep the interiors cool in summer.

The pavillions are covered with climbing flowers and plants and inside are stylish rooms with teak four poster beds, and outside are private terraces and pools. The style of the hotel is understated yet luxurious, and has all the mod cons you can think of and every detail is thought of. Even their hotel shop has original Ibizan pieces that I couldn’t resist.

The outdoor restaurant is situated under grape vines and for breakfast is as magical as it could be.

Bougainvillea overflowing on the terraces.

The 43 meter freshwater Pool in the Spa.

There are day memberships available for guests staying outside the hotel, so my preference was the hotel pool, which is exclusive to hotel guests and has more privacy.

Spa with Balinese architecture surrounded by ponds, filled with singing frogs.

The gardens are wonderful for a wander and to get back to nature.

The event space is beautiful and if I were a die-hard Ibiza fan, this is where I would find any excuse to throw a party: wedding, anniversary, or a 30/40/50th birthday party. Or maybe I can renew my wedding vows like Brooklyn and Nicola.

My friend’s 50th birthday party was equally beautiful at another Agroturismo, Can Curreu, where the speeches were tear inducing, both from their sentimentality as well as from laughter. It was a wonderful weekend surrounded by old friends and new friends, and we danced and partied like we were 18 years old. More wonderful memories to add to my Ibiza Memory Box.

There are now so many accommodation options in Ibiza that it’s hard to know what to choose from, but here are my and my friends’ favourite places to stay in Ibiza:

  1. Six Senses: The Six Senses landed in Ibiza a few years ago, and it is in a beautiful spot with gorgeous views and an amazing spa. Here it’s all about wellness, healthy living, Mediterranean food, and a superb spa. Perfect for a wellness break. The service can be hit or miss, but I would happily go with a few girlfriends for a weekend away.
  2. Nobu Hotel : For a more modern hotel, Nobu Ibiza is the one to go for. Clean white lines and sea views make this one an easy pick.
  3. Villas: Mi Casa Su Casa: I love all their villas, rustic chic and luxurious, but the one we rented was one of the most beautiful villas in Ibiza with an Olympic sized pool (well, almost) and a breathtaking sea view.
  4. Petunia Ibiza: A Beaumier property and sister hotel to Les Roches Rouges in France, it’s a beautiful boutique hotel near Es Vedra.
  5. Es Cucons: This rural, rustic chic hotel is inland and away from the crazy Ibiza nightlife. So if you want peace and quiet and nature, this one is great. I stayed years ago, and it’s still as good as it was 20 years ago.
  6. Can Curreu: This is where the 50th birthday was, so although I have never stayed there, my friends loved it enough to host a party there and most of their guests stayed here. And it comes with very reasonable prices.
  7. Can Jaume: Another lovely Agroturismo rural hotel, with orange groves and farmlands, it’s still close to Ibiza town, but with a slower paced Ibiza life.
  8. Dynamic Lives Villas: Friends of friends who go to Ibiza every summer rent villas from this villa rental company. It specialises in villas in Mallorca, Ibiza and Mykonos and they highly recommend it.
  9. Les Terrasses Agroturismo: Another Agroturismo, which like it names says, is full of terraces, and is a family friendly, intimate hotel that friends return to year after year. They have a lovely restaurant in their garden, and you’d never guess you were in Ibiza.
  10. Soho Farmhouse and Mondrian Ibiza are new openings in Ibiza. I haven’t been yet, so let me know what they’re like!

xx

NHYM

http://www.nottinghillyummymummy.com

Standard
Family Life, Food & Dining, Travel

Hotel Review: The Regent Hotel, Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Regent Hotel Entrance Lobby Area

Regent Hotel

******

Ultra – Luxe Hotel in Vietnam

It’s the second Monday of January, and let’s face it, we are all feeling the Winter Blues. The excitement of Christmas, New Year’s, holidays and holiday parties are all over and it’s been cold, wet and dark. We are in the deep, depths of winter, without sun or fun in sight. Travel agencies even coined the term ‘Blue Monday’ to encourage people to start booking holidays to get out of their post-holiday slump and to dream about some faraway sunny spot for their next holiday. Blue Monday is actually next Monday, but my Blue Monday started early this year! So to cheer myself up, instead of future holidays, I’m reviewing past holidays and a fantastic hotel we found over Christmas, that I thought was a hidden gem, until we ran into TWO people we knew there.

The Regent is an ultra luxury, five star hotel in Phu Quoc, a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Cambodia, which belongs to Vietnam. It’s a 45 minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City airport in South Vietnam. We had been eyeing this hotel for a while, which received rave reviews since it’s opening in 2022. Here I thought that I had found somewhere original to travel to, yet by day 2 I had already run into a friend from my 20s, and by day 5, run into another family who lives in West London. I was impressed that they both had found this off-the-radar hotel. I had already visited Phu Quoc 18 years ago when it was completely deserted and barely had any luxury hotels, so this hotel is a welcome addition.

The Regent Beach

The hotel’s beach, as you can see, is incredibly spacious – unlike the sardine-sunbeds of the South of France – and full of fine, soft sand and picturesque palm trees. Don’t expect translucent waters like in the Indian Ocean or the Andaman sea here, but it is a wonderful spot, with ultimate privacy. The water is warm, but not as clear as other places you can travel to, so if it’s clear water you’re after, you are better off going somewhere else.

Ocean Club Pool at Sunset

The sunsets from the hotel are just about as perfect as they can be, both from the Ocean Club/pool area (above) as well as the Rooftop pool, or from your room. These are postcard-worthy sunsets that competes with the best of the sunsets. I mean, even the palm trees are perfectly situated in my photo.

Main Pool

There are many beautiful pools around the resort: the main family friendly one, the Ocean Club pool, the rooftop pool and the adults only pool, so if you’re a pool lover there are plenty of options. There are also private pools with some of the rooms, but we didn’t really need one since we were always at the Ocean pool or beach, or rooftop pool for the sunsets. Every few hours, you are treated to coconut or strawberry ice cream by the pool attendants. Can I say this is heaven?

There are multiple restaurants around the resort: The main Rice Market which has breakfast and buffets, the sushi Oku which was really delicious, the beach one, which is really relaxed with Fire Shows, and the Ocean Club which we preferred for lunch. Because we were there during the Festive Season, there wasn’t much a la carte, so I would suggest trying some of the restaurants on the island like Camia restaurant because we got tired of set menus every night.

Main Pool with Rice Market at the back – where breakfast is served

The hotel really delivers in service, style and luxury. It is owned by a very rich Vietnamese property developer and I was impressed by the details, the architecture, and the style which can sometimes go wrong in some hotels. It is quite modern/contemporary but yet still imbues warmth and character, which some minimalist hotels can lack. It is run by Regent Hotels, a brand that kind of disappeared but is now being revived by the IHG Group as their ultra-luxe brand, and I have to say that I was impressed. I pretty much liked everything about the hotel.

Sunset from Room which comes with a large living room/terrace

The rooms were all beautiful, huge and well – appointed, with tons of amenities, and all with wonderful sea views. The sunsets were gorgeous from our room and my mother found her happiness at sunset. There are also large villas dotted around which we didn’t try this time but definitely want to try next time. Their sunsets though won’t be as spectacular as ours. There are two bedroom beach villas that I would love to try one day, which literally look like full apartments. The rooms come with everything you could ask for, including free mini bar and snacks, which were obvious winners for the kids: crisps, Haribo, dried fruit, almonds, juices and more were replenished every day. We had interconnected rooms so perfect for a family.

Bedrooms are all luxurious and stylish with nice textures and warm, natural colours

Even though there was no hotel shop, one of the few negatives, you could literally Whatsapp the hotel at any time and ask for anything you want and it would appear: Forget nail clippers? Check! Forgotten tooth brush: check! Glasses cloth? Check! And the best challenge I gave them: I wanted a small Christmas tree for our Xmas celebration. Guess what, they actually brought me a little Xmas plant! This service was some of the best I’ve ever seen. With the room comes 3 items of laundry per person, per day. Another huge plus for Mr. X!

Good Morning Vietnam! Fruit and Coffee by the pool…

There was also an activity schedule for adults that my daughters loved. They have sadly grown out of the kids club – which by the way is amazing – so it was great that they could partake in the adult activities: Kite making, candle making, canvas painting, Vovinam martial arts, etc…Ok, so my kids were the only ones to take advantage of the activities, but it was great to have them on offer. Mr. X also had enough to do with Pilates, Yoga and Boxing, all complimentary. There was a coastal bike ride that we couldn’t do sadly because it was full so book that in advance! In addition, there was beach volleyball, basketball, beach tennis, paddle all available on the beach. (Just don’t bother with the pearl farm visit which essentially was a pearl shop!)

Island hopping to the An Thoi Archipelago

Phu Quoc island has been slowly developed in the past 20 years. When I first went, only 1 luxury hotel existed. Now, there are quite a few, but the Regent is by far the best one. Unfortunately, island developments, as we all know, can be hit or miss. On Phu Quoc, there are some great developments like the Regent, just as there are some not-so-nice ones. There are many what they call ‘ghost towns’ which are unfinished towns all around the island. Our tour guide explained that it was Vietnamese mafia parking their money and never finishing the developments. Other funny developments are ‘the Venice’ of Phu Quoc which is a village designed like Venice, or the tower of Pisa. For Europeans, it really is quite a funny sight to come all the way to Asia to get replicas, but I guess it’s a bit like Las Vegas. One of the families we ran into didn’t love the island, but they went scuba diving, which I wouldn’t have recommended, unfortunately there’s not much to see.

We did enjoy snorkelling around the islands at the south tip of Phu Quoc. The water there was really clear, and it definitely felt like we were castaways. There is a hotel catamaran you can take, which I would recommend to avoid the crowded tourist boats (although there were some with slides which we were dying to try). We took a small semi-private boat to a semi-deserted island (picture above) which was gorgeous where we had a beach picnic with a very entertaining tour guide who kept calling Mr. X Tom Cruise.

Feeding Capybaras at the Phu Quoc Safari & Zoo

What my kids loved the most though, was the Phu Quoc Safari, so if you have young children or animal-loving kids (like mine), you have to go. It’s really rather impressive, with large grounds for animals to roam around in. There is a safari park that you go through in a bus where you can see tons of white rhinos, which are going extinct, so it is impressive they have 44 white rhinos. A good sign of health and that they are happy is that they are making babies. There are also Bengal tigers, Asiatic bears, zebras, baby zebras, Antelopes and many giraffes.

I was most excited by the Giraffe restaurant, where you can feed giraffes while you have lunch. I no longer need to go to the Giraffe hotel in Nairobi to pet and feed giraffes! I’ve already done it in Phu Quoc! My kids also loved feeding the Capybaras, which are a really popular animal at the moment. Feeding parakeets and holding macaws was also fun, so there’s lots of interactivity with the animals which is great. For younger kids, there is the option of Zoo Keeper for the day, which we sadly couldn’t do because my kids are too old now.

My friend, the friendly giraffe

We got to pet everything from giraffes to elephants to parrots to capybaras and tapirs. The giraffes were so friendly, I was literally hugging a giraffe! There were also wild monkeys running around the zoo, but we were explicitly told not to pet or feed them, as they can get quite aggressive and steal your hat or phone!

Elephants saying hello

We were three generations travelling together, so as you can imagine, it wasn’t always smooth sailing coordinating tweens to seventy year olds, but what an amazing trip for both my kids and my mother. The hotel was fantastic and everyone enjoyed the activities we did. There was even an inflatable water park next door that the kids loved.

It wasn’t my first time to Vietnam, and Phu Quoc wouldn’t necessarily be the first place I would choose to go to, because there isn’t much culture (go to Hoi An/Halong/Saigon/Hanoi first), but if you’re on your fifth trip in, this hotel is incredibly affordable, especially away from the high season. You get so much for your money, it’s a third of any hotel in the Caribbean or Thailand or the Indian Ocean at the same luxury level at the same time of year, so I would definitely go back for that reason. So for those looking for ultimate luxury for reasonable prices, just go and try it out.

Sunset from the Rooftop Pool

The sunsets, the hotel, the food, the service, were all impeccable so for the hotel alone, I would go back in a heartbeat. The staff also made it so worth it, everyone was just so friendly and nice, you can’t even drop anything without someone running to catch it for you. It is far to go just for a stand-alone trip, but if you combine it with a sight-seeing trip beforehand, it’s a perfect place to wind down, feel pampered and just relax… One of my kids asked if we could extend our trip for a few more days. Or just not come back home at all. I get what she means.

xx

NHYM

Standard
Family Life, Top 10, Travel

The Top 5 (or 8) Best Ultra-Luxury Hotels in Paris

View from the Cheval Blanc Rooftop with the Tour Eiffel. NHYM 2025.

Last Christmas, I found the perfect Christmas gift for Mr. X: a romantic weekend away to Paris. It ticked all the boxes: what he loves (Paris), what I love (travel), something memorable (I often give him memories and experiences instead of material goods), and gave us a perfect excuse to spend time together (sans kids!) So, I asked my most glamourous Parisiennes friends where to stay. Both answered with the same exact response: Le Cheval Blanc, Paris. ‘It’s best hotel we’ve ever stayed in! Six stars!’ ‘Cheval Blanc just opened in La Samaritaine. It’s the new place to go.’ It’s already in the World’s 50 Top Hotels of the world, coming in at number 20, and received a global recognition award, so after oohing and ahhing about going (the price is a drawback), I decided to surprise Mr. X.

Cheval Blanc at Dusk. NHYM 2025

1. Hotel Review: Cheval Blanc Hotel, Paris

Best for the Best of the Best

Rating: 10/10

What to like: Everything.

Biggest downside: You just won’t want to leave it. Well, that and the price tag.

We arrived late afternoon and went straight to their fabulous rooftop for a hot chocolate (me) and Champagne and patisseries (him). The view cannot really get better than this: on the left is Notre Dame (which had just been renovated and unveiled) and on the right is the Eiffel Tower, both with expansive views of Paris and the Seine. This view really is unbeatable.

Rooms: The rooms are all you can ask for with views of the Seine or Paris streets, but my favourite part was all the goodies they give you. I know, it’s really childlike, but I didn’t even need to go shopping after that! I was so excited to open all my goodie bags: there were Cheval Blanc keyrings, pens, toiletry bags, and Dior everything in the bathroom (eye cream, serums and more). We were literally fighting over all of the goodies that came with the room.

Food: The food selection is really excellent: La Langosteria upstairs on the roof with night-time views of the Eiffel Tower is delicious and very sexy. On the first floor, 3 star Michelin restaurant Plenitude made it to 13th best restaurant in the world in the World Restaurant Awards 2025. Need I say more? And the breakfast is really divine, their pastries incredible, which made it hell for me, given I am allergic to gluten and dairy, although I gave in to temptation and still ate their croissant. It was so good, it was worth the stomachache.

NHYM 2025

Spa: Dior. Lovely.

Crowd: We came right before Fashion Week, and everyone was oh so fashionably cool. The Asians, the fashionistas and the super rich. So just for three days, we actually thought we were one of them. Pharell Williams was staying at the same time as us, and we saw him in full head-to-toe Louis Vuitton gear. Of course. He was just appointed Men’s Creative Director line for Louis Vuitton. Is there anything this guy can’t do?

LVMH has really hit a homerun here (with Lauren Sanchez staying here for her Bachelorette party). I loved it and so did Mr. X. It showcased Paris in its most beautiful light, from its rooftop to its restaurants. The only problem, was that each time we stepped out of the hotel, we just wanted to go back ‘home.’ Yes, it felt like it was our home for a few days, and the biggest problem, is we never wanted to leave.

Book your hotel in Paris

View from the Cheval Blanc. NHYM 2025

2. Raffles Royal Monceau

Best for Luxury meets Cool

Rating: 9/10

The Royal Monceau is definitely my kind of hotel, designed by Philippe Stark and is equally as cool as luxurious. The rooms are very stylish yet came with every luxury you could ask for, and the food always good: there’s a Matsuhisa which we loved, even though we were given a seat at the bar. For breakfast, we sat next to Sting and Trudy, which confirmed its coolness factor.

Book the Royal Monceau here

3. The Peninsula

Best for Ultimate Luxury

Rating: 9/10

For ultimate luxury, the Peninsula can’t be beat. It’s well known to offer the ultimate luxurious experience, with everything including Japanese style toilets. Every details is top of the range and expensive. The top floor restaurant is very elegant and grown up, with beautiful views, so this one is for those looking for modern luxury. Olivia Palermo was also staying there during Fashion Week, riding the elevator with us.

Book The Peninsula Paris here

Notre Dame, Newly renovated, NHYM 2025

4. Four Seasons George V

Best for Perfect Service

Rating: 8.5/10

I was once invited – years ago – to Paris before the Lehman meltdown and the Credit Crunch, when banks and private equity shops and hedge funds were splashing their cash to impress clients. Well, somehow I was part of the clientele, and stayed at the George V, Four Seasons. As with all Four Seasons, it was a great, know-what-to-expect stay. At the time, it hadn’t been renovated so I found the rooms a bit on the heavily-draped side, but as expected, the service was top notch.

Book the Four Seasons Hotel George V here

5. Hotel Costes

Best for the Cool, Trendy Crowd

Rating: 8/10

Of course I could continue with a list of other ultra luxury hotels like the Plaza Athenee and The Ritz and the Crillon, but these are a little old school for me. They are beautiful – don’t get me wrong – and the ice rink at the Plaza Athenee looks so cute at Christmas (it just opened Nov 27th), but I feel like I am visiting my grandmother when I go there. So, if you like the old Paris, don’t hesitate to go! But for those wanting something a little cooler, Hotel Costes is an old stalwart for the cool crowd. The bar and restaurant and its playlist reminds me of the 90s and summers in Paris, and its location is conveniently located next to the Louvre and Le Fumoir, one of my favourite places in Paris. It is dark and broody, so don’t expect light and brightness, but it does add mystery to the whole place and is apparently known for being a ‘den of opulence’ on Wikipedia.

Book Plaza Athenee here

Book Le Crillon here

La Fondation Louis Vuitton, Parc d’Acclimation, NHYM 2025

Standard
Family Life, Travel

Top 10 Best Luxury Ski Resorts in Europe

BOOK YOUR SKI HOLIDAY WITH BOOKING.COM

Ski Season is upon us! The temperatures have dropped overnight and London had its first snow of the year this morning, so it is making me think of Ski Holidays! Years ago, an American friend who just moved to London asked me about where to go skiing in Europe and I realised that there are so many great places, depending on what you’re looking for. What she really wanted was to understand every European ski resort’s own distinct personality and reasons to go: ski area, snow quality, apres-ski and party scene, restaurants, luxury hotels, non-ski activities, the charm of the village etc… so here are my Top 10 Best Luxury Ski Resorts in a Snapshot:

  1. Chamonix: Best for the hard-core skiers and snowboarders looking for a challenge, glacier and off piste skiing. The highlight is to ski down the infamous, La Vallee Blanche, right off the Mont Blanc Massif, with a 2700m vertical descent, which can take you all day to ski down. Just walking off the ski lift to the top of the Vallee Blanche is already a challenge: there is a tiny path with ropes literally keeping you for slipping down a vertical drop. The glacier skiing with a private guide is spectacular, taking you places with no other skiers have been before and exploring gorgeous ice formations. Even I can do it, so it’s not only for the super advanced heli-skiers. Here, it’s all about the skiing, so if you’re not too bothered about five star luxury, Chamonix will definite offer plenty on the slopes. Where to Stay: Hotel Mont Blanc Chamonix, Heliopic Hotel & Spa.
  2. Courchevel: Best for glitz, glamour and ultimate luxury, and the most ultra-luxury five star hotels in the Alps, Courchevel is the place to go. I learned to ski in Courchevel and I am filled with nostalgia when I go there. It was my father’s favourite ski resort and it is Mr. X’s favourite ski resort too. It really has the best-of-the-best of everything: hotels, restaurants, skiing, shopping and nightlife. From the Les Caves night club, to Cap Horn, there is plenty of partying to be had. It is used to be a high end luxury resort catered to the French, but I have witnessed it change over the years, first attracting the Russian billionaires, and now the Chinese, Middle Eastern and Indian billionaires too. There is plenty to do as non-skiers too: shopping, cafes, restaurants and dog sledding. The biggest downside now is how expensive it has gotten: friends tell me that a coffee is now 25 euros on the slopes, so this is best for those not looking at prices. Even though it is the victim of its own success, the slopes are still great, and the restaurants too, if you don’t mind paying for it. Where to Stay: With unlimited funds, there are so many high end, ultra luxury options from K2 Palace or L’Apogee, to Hotel Barriere Les Neiges, Six Senses. The Rosewood is landing in 2026. For more reasonable hotels: La Sivoliere or Les Sherpas.
  3. Gstaad: Best for old school charm and a royal favourite. Friends with titles and royal affiliations love this resort. They come at any time of year, winter and summer, and some even settled down here permanently to stay out of the public’s eye so their kids can attend Le Rosey, one of the most exclusive international schools in the world, fit-for-royals. Celebrities and jet-setters have been going here for years, from Roger Moore (who used to live there), to Madonna, to Anne Hathaway to Brigitte Bardot. You don’t really go there to ski, it’s more for those uber wealthy but who want privacy. You just need to look up @thegstaadguy on Instagram to get the gist. Where to stay: Gstaad Palace, The Alpina.
  4. Kitzbuhel: Best for its very cute pedestrian town centre, it’s great for good skiers and non-skiers. There’s plenty to like in Kitzbuhel, a cute pedestrian town centre with pastel coloured houses, shopping, and a great ski area for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers. They now have a Zuma, so you know it is firmly on the modern ski map. It is very easy to get to: Munich is 2 hours away and Salzburg only 1.5 hours away. The only downside is its low altitude so there is a chance of little snow at times and for the die hard skiiers, the skiing might not be challenging enough. Where to Stay: Kitzhof for a modern hotel, Weisses Rossl to be in town. Stanglwirt Hotel is ridiculously cool for kids, I haven’t stayed, but many of my friends have, with its own children’s farm and children’s water world.
  5. Lech: Best for a world-class skiing area, luxury accommodation, and an understated, sophisticated family friendly vibe. Many of my friends go to Lech, which scores a lot of points; excellent skiing, excellent food, family friendly, and plenty of luxury hotels but is discrete and sophisticated. Princess Di brought the boys here if that describes it in a sentence. It doesn’t have a big party scene, so skip it and go to Verbier if that’s what you’re looking for. It has very good snow throughout the year, so that’s another positive point for it. Where to stay: Hotel Aurelio and Hotel Arlberg.
  6. Megeve: Best for foodies and its picture-perfect historical village centre, with horse drawn carriage and cobblestone streets. Mevege’s village centre is absolutely gorgeous: it is a traffic free medieval area with cobbled streets and is full of fairytale charm. In addition, it has so many excellent restaurants, including many Michelin starred restaurants like Flocons de Sel, and the mountain restaurants are all fun, proper, sit down restaurants than fast food canteens like L’ideal 1850, Super Megeve, Le Refuge etc… It is easily accessible from Geneva so a quick-hop from the airport. The downside is that it often lacks snow, given its low altitude and there is very little ski-in, ski-out accomodation. Where to Stay: Four Seasons Megeve, Les Fermes de Marie, L’Alpaga.
  7. St Mortiz: Best for old world class and timeless elegance. St. Moritz is glamourous, but old school glamourous, (unlike the newer Courchevel), where heavy draped ski hotels are still par excellence. Its life revolves around the Hotel Kulm, the first five star hotel in St. Moritz and whose Kulm Country Club re-opened, and Badrutt’s Palace, both Grande Dame hotels of St Moritz. I was once invited by Lehman Brothers for a ‘Closing Weekend in St Moritz’ when I was 27 years old (possibly why Lehman went bankrupt), when I stayed at the Hotel Kulm and where history reverberates in every room of this hotel. I had an amazing weekend of skiing, paragliding, and partying at the Dracula Club. Of course, St Moritz is where the Snow Polo World Cup is and remnants of the Winter Olympics can be found on the ice skating rink and bobsleigh track. For the real jet-setters, there is a private jet airport right there, and taking off from it is really a one in a lifetime experience, otherwise, you can fly into Milan and drive from there. Where to Stay: Badrutt’s Palace, Hotel Kulm.
  8. Val D’Isere: Best for a combination of high altitude skiing, affordable and luxury hotels, and partying at the original Folie Douce. Val D’Isere is where the French have spilled over to since they were priced out of Courchevel, and new hotels have followed. Val D’Isere is well known for its party scene, with the first Folie Douce created in 1974. The village still fulfills the ‘cute Alpine village’ feel with traditional chalets and charming streets. There’s great high altitude and off piste skiing, and a variety of hotel options, ranging from luxury (Les Airelles), to affordably cool (Experimental Chalet) to lots of more affordable boutique hotels (Hotel Mont Blanc, Hotel Yule). This one is good for people looking for all price ranges, snow-sure conditions and a party vibe. There is also the highest hotel in the Alps, Le Refuge de Solaise, for a completely unique experience: you can only access it via gondola, so you don’t want to miss the last one! Where to stay: Les Airelles for luxury, Le Blizzard for mid luxury, a friend recommends Maison de Famille Les Cinq Freres for a more reasonable bill (but needs to be booked a year in advance) and the Experimental Chalet for a stylish stay.
  9. Verbier: Best for Sloaney-ponies looking for English style apres-ski and advanced ski slopes. It’s been called ‘Sloane Square on Slopes’ and ‘London in the Alps.’ Oh the Brits love Verbier in Switzerland and it is really like a London ski outpost. It has everything a Brit could love: great skiing (not for beginners), plenty of Brit loving apres ski, close to Geneva, and the Farm Club, the quintissential iconic club, which really hasn’t changed much since the 70s and, yes, it is where Prince Andrew used to go to. James Blunt lives there and even has a chair lift named after him. The Farinet apres ski is still as popular as ever, and there are plenty of nice mountain restaurants but it is not the ‘fur-wearing’ set or too chi-chi crowd, which appeals to the Brits. Where to Stay: The W hotel if you want the ultimate modern hotel experience, which is often named best ski hotel in the world, although I prefer La Cordee des Alpes, which is a boutique, chalet-style hotel with yummy restaurants. For private luxury chalets and apartments, contact The Luxury Chalet Company, who has access to top chalets and rental apartments, as well as great local knowledge.
  10. Zermatt: Best for serious skiers looking for snow-sure conditions and for its car-free village and picturesque train ride. It’s also known for the Matterhorn mountain and the highest gondola in the world (3883m). Someone told me it’s not for beginner skiers but caters to intermediates very ell, and for serious skiers who want absolute snow-certainty. The village is cute and there are plenty of nice restaurants on the slopes, as well as plenty of apres-ski for the partiers. We know people who go there every year who like the combo of beauty, year round skiing, and challenging off piste, without all the chi-chi of some of the other resorts. Its biggest draw-back is the limited ski-in, ski-out options, which for me, is not an option but a necessity. Where to stay: Omnia, Mont Cervin Palace Hotel, BeauSite hotel.

BOOK YOUR NEXT SKI TRIP WITH BOOKING.COM

Standard
Family Life, Travel

5 Best Luxury Hotels in Rome With Kids: Where to Stay & What to Do

All Photos Courtesy of NHYM 2024

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL TO ROME WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

Recommended age: 8 years and upwards

When the kids were younger, I dreaded taking them on city trips for 3 reasons: 1) Tantrums and museums do not mix 2) Their attention spans and boredom just didn’t make it worth it 3) They were going to forget it all anyway and leave me traumatised. So, now that they are older and can actually appreciate the joys of city trips, I have been taking them (dragging them) to all the major cities I once avoided. Last year, my kids were learning about the Roman empire in school, so this was an opportune time for them to visit Rome in the fall, when the crowds weren’t as dense and the summer heat had gone.

I had last been in Rome when I was 20 backpacking across Europe with my uni friends. I know, you’ll say, ‘You? Backpacking? I can’t imagine that!’ Well, it was even mentioned in my bridesmaids wedding speech, so yes you should believe it. In any case, all I remember from Rome was a blur of stracciatella gelato, being turned away from the Vatican for our skirts being too short, and getting pink-eye from a cockroach falling onto my pillow from our not-so-luxury hotel. This may be why I am now obsessed with luxury hotels!

So my memories of Rome were – literally – blinded and blurry so, this time around, I asked a friend from Rome for tips for a perfect Roman Holiday.

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL WITH BOOKING.COM

Where to Stay:

1. Splurge: Hotel de Russie

    If you have endless zeros in your bank account and want this to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Hotel de Russie really would be my number one choice: right in the middle of all the attractions, shopping nearby, and that gorgeous courtyard and terrace, there’s no other hotel in Rome quite like it.

    Book Hotel de Russie with expedia.co.uk

    2. Family Friendly near the Vatican: Villa Aggripina, The Leading Hotels of the World

    We chose to stay at the Villa Aggripina, which combined historical elements of a former palazzo, as well as a swimming pool when the kids were bored of sight-seeing. It is an oasis just a 15 minute walk across the river to all the sights, but offers a swimming pool, and tons of outdoor gardens and space for the kids, this one is perfect during the sweltering summer.

    BOOK VILLA AGGRIPINA WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    Villa Aggripina Swimming Pool NHYM 2024

    My friend also recommended these hotels:

    3. Boutique hotel:Hotel Locarno for its location and rooftop terrace.

    BOOK HOTEL LOCARNO WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    4. Hip: Soho House Rome. Other friends who were in Rome at the same time as us stayed at the Soho House, for a stylish yet reasonably priced hotel stay.

    5. Palazzo Luxury: Anantara Palazzo Naiadi made it in the Conde Nast Reader’s Choice Awards 2025 Rome list, so you can be sure it’s going to be good. It’s big, bold, beautiful and has all the five star trappings you could ask for without spending a whole month’s salary on it. BOOK HERE FOR ANANTARA PALAZZO NAIADI, A LEADING HOTEL OF THE WORLD

    The Trevi Fountain NHYM 2024

    BOOK YOUR TRAVEL WITH BOOKING.COM

    What to Do:

    Explore Top Attractions with an exclusive Golf Cart Tour: Our friend’s suggestion and our favourite activity of our Roman adventure had to be the Golf Cart Tour. The golf cart agilely weaved its way around the city and monuments where cars couldn’t pass and gave us a whirlwind tour of all of the most important sights in Rome. It’s perfect when you don’t have a lot of time in Rome and can be adjusted to fit your itinerary, spending time at sights you want to see, and whizzing by those with too many tourists. We hit all the major sights: the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Colloseum, Spanish Steps etc…

    BOOK YOUR GOLF CART TOUR HERE

    Sunset at the Colosseum: During the day, the crowds abound at the Colosseum, so my recommendation is to do this sunset tour, when the crowds have gone back to their hotels and you can see it in its sunset splendour.

    BOOK A SUNSET COLOSSEUM TOUR

    The Pantheon NHYM 2024

    Gladiator school: This one is unbeatable for the boys, 2 hours of gladiator schools to get rid of all their energy and frustrations. BOOK GLADIATOR SCHOOL HERE

    Percy Jackson Tour for Kids at the Capitoline Museum: Of course, for the Percy Jackson fans, this tour has been made specifically for them in mind. Friends did it and loved it, my Roman friend told me.

    Colosseum Walking Tour: Skip the lines with this guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. BOOK YOUR COLOSSEUM WALKING TOUR HERE

    BOOK GLADIATOR SCHOOL HERE↗

    Breakfast tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel: Go to the Vatican early in the morning to avoid the crowds and make sure to book their breakfast there. It can book up months in advance so make sure to book ahead of time. BOOK YOUR BREAKFAST, TOUR THE VATICAN AND SISTINE CHAPEL HERE

    The Spanish Steps NHYM 2024

    Shopping: Our golf cart tour ended at the Spanish steps, which was a perfect place to go shopping at all my kids’ favourite Italian stores: Subdued, Brandy Melville etc… This was the perfect end to a morning of sight-seeing.

    BOOK YOUR TRAVEL HERE WITH BOOKING.COM

    Where to Eat:

    Truffle Pasta at Hotel de Russie Terrace NHYM 2024

    Of course a trip to Rome wouldn’t be a trip to Rome without eating out. Here’s a few recommendations:

    Il Marchese Restaurant: I loved Il Marchese, which serves typical Roman cuisine, it is cozy and local for a true Roman experience.

    Pier Luigi Restaurant: More gastronomic, this one serves delicious seafood to everyone from Bezos to Leonardo di Caprio. The tables outside are prime spots for watching life go by in Rome.

    Roscioli: Amazing bakery, where you can get delicious pizza on the go, or book a table for lunch.

    Hotel de Russie Terrace & Courtyard for Aperitivo: Even if you aren’t staying at Hotel de Russie, you can always enjoy its terrace for Aperitivo or its gardens for lunch. One of my favourite meals in Rome.

    Pier Luigi Rome. NHYM 2024

    This trip to Rome completely exceeded my expectations and I loved everything about it: the hotel, the food, the shopping and the sightseeing. Everywhere you turn, there are ruins and remnants of Roman history which continues to fascinate us today. I can’t wait to go back!

    xx

    NHYM

    BOOK YOUR TRIP TO ROME WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    Standard
    Family Life, Travel

    Hotel/Estate Review: The Newt in Somerset & Its Dragon Bonfire & Apple Day

    BOOK YOUR TRAVEL WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    All photos courtesy of NHYM 2022

    A few years ago, our family had to go to Somerset for some reason or other during the October break, and of course Babington House was fully booked, so that’s how I discovered The Newt in Somerset. How had I not known about the Newt before?! The Newt is the creative brainchild of South African Billionaire Koos Bekker and Karen Roos, who developed Hadspen house, an 18th Century Georgian Manor house, and its 800 acre estate into a luxury hotel and extensive gardens, restaurants, cider orchards, beezantium, and much, much more. It opened in 2019 and is so much more than a hotel and that’s what keeps it being awarded the UK’s best hotel in the Conde Nast Readers Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.

    Bonfire Night NHYM 2022

    We were there right around Bonfire night and we saw the biggest and most sculpturally complex bonfire we had ever seen: it was in the shape of a dragon and you can compare the gardener for size comparison in the photo. It was huge! And how did they manage to create this? Cranes? Drones? Ladders? It was so captivating that I was just sad they were going to burn it and it would disappear after bonfire night: with all the effort put into it, I wanted it to be kept as a permanent fixture.

    NHYM 2022

    In the front fields of the Manor house were sheep munching on grass and on the far side of the Manor house, landscaped gardens a la francaise were for walking around and enjoying their beauty. Beyond the gardens and grounds right around the main house, you can take buggies to explore the rest of the vast estate, which I can assure you, was one of my kids’ highlights and are free to be driven around to see the apple orchards, vegetable and fruit gardens, the Farmyard and more. Luckily enough, I didn’t crash it (unlike a friend visiting Fisher island who famously crashed a golf buggy while slightly intoxicated, you know who you are!!)

    NYHM 2022

    The beauty of the manicured gardens against the rolling hills of Somerset really are aesthetically perfect in my eyes; both elegant and wild, they include fountains, paths and mazes.

    The Garden Cafe at the Newt & the Apple Festival Fountain NHYM 2022

    There are multiple restaurants that use the estate’s produce and put it at the forefront of each of their dishes. The staff tell us that they are aiming to be fully estate-to-plate in the future, for now everything is locally sourced, with all the produce grown on the estate. They hope to turn the estate into a fully sustainable endeavour in the future and the waiters know exactly the origins of everything on the plates served: the vegetables were from the vegetable patch, the beef from some of their cows in the pastures across the road, and the pork from the pigs at a farm next door. The enthusiasm of the staff was a testament to what kind of estate it is trying to be: sustainable, local and community oriented.

    The Newt Spa 2022

    The Spa was serene and had an inside/outside pool which my children loved. For once, kids were allowed in the spa, so that scored big points for them. The hotel rooms were nice, my favourite being the family two bedrooms in the main house, and although there were a few service glitches around slow breakfasts and appliances that didn’t work, it didn’t take away from the whole experience. All the staff were locals, who were very excited to be part of this vision and very eager to please.

    BOOK YOUR TRAVEL WITH BOOKING.COM

    APPLE DAY!

    Apple Festival at The Newt 2022

    NHYM 2022

    But one of the most exciting parts of our trip was that we were there – coincidentally – for their annual Apple Festival. It really made our trip go from a nice country weekend away in a luxury hotel, to a unique, fun, engaging, and unforgettable festival getaway. On display, there were every kind of apple grown on the estate. Who knew there were so many kinds of apples?

    NHYM 2022

    The best part of the festival was that we were able to make our own apple juice: one of the fountains was filled with hundreds of apples that you could fill a bucket with and then turn into apple juice with a hand press. After collecting the apples, we did a lot of squishing, turning and pressing, making our own apple juice, which we funneled into glass bottles and were given to take home with us. It was so fun and it felt so productive and satisfying making our own juice. The juice was so fresh and without any additives; it was as natural as it could be. Who knew I would be so happy to become an apple farmer for the day?

    NHYM 2022

    NHYM 2022

    Not only did they have apple pressing, but every kind of possible apple games galore you can imagine: apple toss, apple skittles, apple bowling, and toffee apples and roasted pork & apples to taste. We were amazingly lucky with the weather, and the whole experience was unbeatable (friends who went when it was pouring rain another time, did say they were disappointed with their Newt stay, so check the weather ahead of time to make the most out of your trip).

    NHYM 2022 Apple Skittles

    We loved the whole experience. My children were at the right age to fully engage and enjoy all the games, food and estate exploration. There are also multitudes of events throughout the year for members: woodland tours, garden tours, Christmas trails, a Beezantium, cider tastings, Bee safaris, Roman Villa tours etc etc etc. Need I say more? We didn’t even get a chance to see the whole estate in one weekend and even if you don’t stay at the Newt, you can always book tickets to explore this magical estate and the annual memberships are really reasonably priced, especially to support what they are trying to create.

    This is a really special place indeed, created and conceived to glorify all things gardening, apples, cider, woodlands, farmlands with sustainability in mind. Finally, what I loved the most, was that behind all this ‘Billionaire fantasy estate’ talk, was a place that was giving back to its community: the events sell out quickly and you can see how much it is not just about creating a luxury hotel that only a few can enjoy, but creating a place that welcomes the whole community, providing jobs, food and special events for the whole community throughout the year, that is loved by all.

    xx

    NHYM

    BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH BOOKING.COM

    Hanging squash NHYM 2022

    Standard
    Travel

    October Travel: Best Luxury Hotels in Marrakech & the Mandarin Oriental Hotel

    Photograph courtesy of NHYM 2024

    BOOK YOUR TRIP TO MARRAKECH WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    One of the greatest things about living in London, is the international and diverse people you meet. My friends hail from all over the world, from Nigeria to Russia, Egypt to Australia, Canada to India – and lets not forget all the Europeans – which makes it the most dynamic and interesting city to live in, and why I will always love it. This past year I was invited to six 50th birthday parties literally all over the world: Venice, Marrakech, Jamaica, Ibiza and of course, London (with twists of Russia and Sweden). While the people in London are great, sometimes the weather isn’t really considered the best, and for those searching October sun, Marrakech is a great option, so I was more than happy to jump on a flight to Marrakech last October for a romantic weekend without kids with Mr. X to celebrate a friend’s 50th.

    1. Hotel Review: Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech

    Hotel Rating: 9/10

    One of my friends spends all her October half terms in Morocco in search of sun and knows it a lot better than me. She also knows what I like and what I don’t like and suggested I try out the Mandarin Oriental in Marrakech because I have already stayed in Riads a few times and wanted something quieter than staying in the Medina. Well, it was a great decision and it was recently voted Top Hotel in Northern Africa in the 2025 Conde Nast Readers Choice Awards, beating out La Mamounia and the Royal Mansour, and I would have to agree (for once!).

    Photograph courtesy of NHYM 2024

    Another great thing about London, is what a great travel hub it is and what’s amazing about Marrakech is that it’s only a 3.5 hour flight away from London, but the change of scenery couldn’t be more pronounced. It was 30 degrees Celsius when we were there and the style, colours and sounds couldn’t be more different: swap greys for sand colours, churchbells for mosques, suits for djellabas, and yes, rain for sunshine.

    Photograph courtesy of NHYM 2024

    BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH BOOKING.COM

    The Mandarin Oriental more than lived up to its expectation. Unlike the over-the-top, bling-tastic Mamounia, the pared back Moroccan style was completely up my alley. La Mamounia and the Royal Mansour, even though worth seeing for those looking for ultimate luxury and royal Marroccan style, they can be quite overwhelming with vivid colours, marbles, heavy chandeliers and mirrors everywhere, but it was not exactly the relaxing Feng Shui experience I was looking for.

    At the Mandarin, the rooms were not rooms, they were gigantic villas each with an outdoor pool, multiple outdoor living spaces and nooks and crannies. It was one of the biggest hotel ‘rooms’ I’ve stayed in and it was absolutely stunning.

    Photograph courtesy of NHYM 2024

    The food was also a highlight, with an enormous breakfast buffet selection and great dinners at Ling Ling by Hakkasan, a trendy Chinese restaurant. While I was there, a trendy group of fashionista New Yorkers were also there for a party. This was definitely the place-to-be.

    The spa is of course divine given it’s a Mandarin Oriental spa, and worth coming for it alone: it was named Best Spa in the World 2024 at the World Spa Awards.

    Photograph courtesy of NHYM 2024

    The birthday party was held at Jnane Tamsna, which is a very popular place to throw a birthday party. So popular that it’s the second party I’ve been invited to there, and even Naomi Watts had her 50th birthday party there. It has a spectacular set up and long, never ending table under candles and trees, which was quite unforgettable. It was a magical night, full of laughter, meaningful speeches, dancing and music, the birthday boy happily surrounded by friends and family. So, if you get a chance, don’t think twice and jump on that plane to get a little October sun.

    Photograph courtesy of NHYM 2024

    Marrakech Where to Stay:

    1. Best Overall: Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Marrakech.

    2. Ultra Luxury Over the Top: La Mamounia, Royal Mansour

    3. Family Friendly: For those with kids, my friends recommends the Fairmont Marrakech and the Four Seasons, you can’t go wrong with those. The Fairmont is better value, so that’s one to try out.

    4. Boutique Hotels: For a boutique hotel experience outside the Medina, Jnane Tamsna is great, but save it for a birthday if you can, it is just magical, or try the Villa des Orangers, closer to the Medina.

    5. Riyads: Riyad El Cadi, Riad El Fenn

    xx

    NHYM

    http://www.nottinghillyummymummy.com

    BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH BOOKING.COM

    Standard
    food, Food & Dining, Food & Dining, Reviews

    Top 10 New Notting Hill Restaurants

    BOOK YOUR TRAVEL TO NOTTING HILL WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    I was thrilled to see that not one, but four Notting Hill restaurants made the Top 50 Restaurants in the UK at the National Restaurants Awards 2025:

    Number 3: The Ledbury

    Number 10: Dorian

    Number 27: Canteen

    Number 38: Core by Clare Smyth

    Since Covid, the Notting Hill restaurant scene has been booming. So many great restaurants have opened in the neighborhood, that there is really no reason to leave anymore.

    BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH BOOKING.COM

    In no particular order, Top 10 new Notting Hill Restaurants:

    1. Dorian: Excellent, except if you’re vegetarian, it won its first Michelin star after one year.
    2. Gold: Not so new anymore, but really a Notting Hill institution, with plenty for the vegetarians.
    3. Zephyr: Dressed up Greek restaurant, it is as elegant as any Mayfair restaurant with Greek salad, raw fish and meat offerings.
    4. Straker’s: Opened by an internet chef sensation, it is actually very good.
    5. SUMI: Simple, yet, good quality sushi. It’s a favourite of Julianne Moore when she’s staying in London.
    6. The Barbary: The second Barbary, after the one in Neal’s Yard, it is a sleek and cool North African restaurant serving sharing plates. Sadly one of their best dishes, the artichokes, has come off their menu. But rest assured, the food is still good.
    7. Los Mochis: Mexican food? Japanese food? Both? What’s not to love? The salmon crispy rice and cauliflower tacos are worth going to on their own (or on Deliveroo).
    8. Chez Lui: New concept from the Bagatelle group, the food is actually good: the cauliflower and the veal escalopes are both great.
    9. Nela: Coming straight from Amsterdam, the open fire concept is a roaring hit in the new Whiteley building.
    10. Canteen: Opened by the guys behind the Pelican, it surprised all of us by its arrival on the National Restaurants Awards. Just shame there is a no-reservations policy.

    There are plenty more, like Julie’s, which has had a great revamp, Fan for sushi, ACRE across Straker’s, and all the new pizza places (Alley Cats and Slayer’s). Notting Hill is really becoming a foodie destination.

    Enjoy!

    xx

    NHYM

    BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH BOOKING.COM

    Standard
    Health & Wellness, Travel

    Review: Mayrlife Medical Health Resort, Austria

    BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS TO AUSTRIA WITH EXPEDIA.CO.UK

    Mayrlife Medical Health Resort, Altaussee. All photos in this post by NHYM 2024.

    I first heard about Mayrlife – then called Vivamayr – about ten years ago when my youngest was still at nursery and a Billionaire-Royalty mum was hailing its benefits with another socialite mum and I have been wanting to go ever since. But let’s be real, it’s a minimum 1 week stay, and I couldn’t imagine leaving my two young children for a week. Fast forward 10 years and covid, long covid and a chronic illness later, I desperately needed this break when the stars aligned and I had one week free: one child was going to camp in North America and the other to a high performance sports camp in Spain.

    I jumped (leaped) at the chance to go with one of my dearest and oldest friend who happened to be free and regularly goes on detox trips (this is NOT something to do with husbands or new friends – let’s just say you are in for a complete top-to-bottom cleanout!).

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    My first impression was that the setting was breath-taking with majestic mountains jutting behind a beautiful lake. It’s not only about the health and medical clinic aspect here, this place is so beautiful you could just go for the location, but I was here primarily for the promises that I would feel transformed by the time I left. Mayr is all about the gut and the microbiome and I was here to reset my gut and hopefully my health (oh and it is famous for forty chews per bite at every meal).

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    The day after we checked in, I met with my very lovely doctor Ingrid who basically made me cry when she told me I really needed 3 weeks here to feel healthy again (which of course would be impossible, I have kids!), but she assured me that she would do everything to start sorting me out. After ordering about a million tests and starting me on a million pills and giving me an intense treatment schedule, I was off to start my treatments.

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    I came specifically for their Long Covid Programme and a rare genetic condition I was diagnosed with 12 years ago, which leaves me exhausted, breathless and in pain. I love that they have very specialised programmes depending on your health needs (some other medical resorts have much more generalised programmes like weight loss, detox or longevity). My friend came for a detox and others come to lose weight (Rebel Wilson is pretty much a brand ambassador), but others were here for cancer recovery and we also saw an amputation patient down by the lake. My friend had fewer, gentler treatments than me, but enjoyed the hiking, the classes and socialising. My intense schedule was non-stop and included 3 x ozone therapy, 3 x hypoxic therapy for my breathlessness and fatigue and a bunch of other lighter treatments like massages, wraps and foot baths, to feel good, detox and calm down my parasympathetic nervous system.

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    When we weren’t busy with our treatment schedules, we went to the pool/sauna, sat by the lake with a book or went for hikes around the lake, which was really out of a fairy tale. It was unbeatable in terms of natural surroundings. While swimming in the lake one day, we met a Rock/Film Star who was there with her son and she was just as magnetic and beautiful in real life as she is on screen and down to earth too (unlike Rebel, she prefers to stay anonymous). This is what’s special here, it doesn’t matter who you are, there is an intimacy and connection that is instantly formed with every guest/patient: it felt like we were all here to be part of this special, enlightened club.

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    The week we were there, Rebel Wilson was there for three weeks with her wife and baby and she was just as hilarious in real life as she is in her movies: ‘sorry I don’t remember you, I’m too busy starving’. Fergie was also there, still recovering from breast cancer, along with another English aristo chatting to some LA/ Hollywood girls who clearly go every year.

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    Unlike my friend who was very social and literally met everyone there by then end of the week, I was there for a medical MOT: the ozone therapy literally drained me of my blood and washed it with ozone to get rid of any viral remnants and ‘clean and oxygenate’ my blood. The hypoxic treatment simulated climbing at altitude to encourage my body to create more blood cells to help with my breathlessness. This was intense work but was finally helping me: I could breathe and my mind felt clearer than it had for months.

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    The food, I would say, was the one thing I struggled with the most: I was here for exhaustion, not starvation! My blood tests showed that I am allergic to dairy and gluten, pomegrenates and pine nuts and intolerant to a whole bunch of other things. So, the first four days I was only served mushroom tea, coconut yoghurt, crackers, boiled chicken and about a million pills to take because of my newfound allergies. But after four days salivating over my neighbours’ food, I begged my doctor to put me back on regular food and she felt so sorry for me, she did, see below photo, and that sent me straight to heaven. Talking to other guests, it turns out some of them cheated and went to the nearby village for real food or snuck in chocolate bars, just like teenagers sneak in alcohol at school parties.

    Photo: NHYM 2024

    My doctor was excellent, knowledgeable and very empathetic. Despite some of the diagnostics and treatments being a bit outside my comfort zone like the colonics which I said a hard no to, despite everyone trying to convince me otherwise (‘My favourite part!’ said one guest) but that’s where I drew the line, so don’t worry about saying no. I was willing to try *almost* about anything – nothing had worked so far after all – but not everything.

    What I loved the most about the week was that I spent an entire week completely prioritising my health without having to think of/or do my children’s meals, activities, pick ups, exams, pick ups and drop offs and looking after who’s happy and who’s sad. And that’s just my children, not to mention my husband’s needs. This was transformative in itself.

    But by the end of the week, my stomach pains went away, my belly finally looked like I wasn’t 9 months pregnant and my brain felt so clear, I felt like I had woken up from a fuzzy dream. I can’t wait to go back (this time with hidden snacks) although it might take another 10 years for the stars to align again. It is by no means a ‘pampering’ holiday, it is hard, you have to be disciplined, but anyone with any kind of health problem or needing a detox will really come away with a whole new way of eating and of life. It really is that transformative.

    xx

    NHYM

    Standard
    Health & Wellness

    Review: LYMA LASER

    LYMA Laser Honest Reviews: Is It A Good Option For Your Skin? - Doctor Mier

    https://lyma.life/

    Some of you may not know, but I am a medically trained doctor and used to run a Skin and Wellbeing Clinic before my days as a Notting Hill Yummy Mummy. I have decided to go back to my roots and start writing about Health and Wellbeing. Skin health seems to be the ‘topic-du-jour’ at all the mummy dinners (that and our kids’ digital addictions) and I want to focus on non-invasive, natural ways of keeping and maintaining the health of our skin. This means: no Botox, no fillers, no facelifts. Only light-weight, healthy ways of keeping our skin youthful and natural. Think Joan Collins, who I just saw at Annabels last week, and looks so fabulous for 92 yo! So, for my first post, I’d like to review the LYMA at home laser. Let’s be clear, at home treatments are not going to give you instant effects of doctor’s office lasers, but that also means no downtime, but can give real results over time.

    Science in a Snapshot: This is a 500mW cold, near infrared laser which penetrates through all layers of the skin to improve skin regeneration, encouraging cell growth and renewal. It is backed by science, so for me, it’s a go. More info on the science behind it is on their website. It penetrates deeper than an LED Mask: think LED for surface changes, LYMA for deep penetration.

    Cost: £2,000

    How To Use: It’s simple to use, but the LYMA needs at least 15 minutes every day or 3 minutes on a target area for the first three months. Then, it’s 2-3 times a week. No downtime, no side effects. I use it while watching TV, it makes me feel like I am being productive while watching the latest White Lotus! You will need to use it realistically a minimum of 3 months to see any results.

    Best for: Everything. Jowls, fine wrinkles, marionette lines, hooded eyes, 11s, crow’s feet, scars. I was particularly unhappy with my jowls and my deepening marionette lines, so this is what I was targeting.

    Overall Verdict: Downsides are that it is expensive and needs proper time and commitment every day, but for real at-home results, this is one of the best investments on the market (if you have money and time, if you don’t, look at other options). The results are very subtle and the changes very slow, but if you keep doing it, one day you’ll wake up with a refreshed face. I tried using it with an LED mask on the same day and I found that the effects were synergistic and multiplied its effects, to the point when I actually felt my skin was firming up.

    BEFORE AND AFTER

    Smile lines:

    January 2025

    June 2025:

    My marionette lines (smile lines) were becoming very deep, so they were one of my major concerns and no creams or facials were ever going to treat those. I think the photo says it all: the changes were subtle, but visible and my skin also was more clarified and bright.

    Jowls:

    Jan 2025:

    June 2026:

    My jowls were another area of concern; I felt like my once high cheekbones had turned into golf balls sagging from my jawline. Now, my jawline seems more taut and defined. Again, the changes are subtle, but I feel my cheeks are tighter, less heavy and droopy so even if I am the only one who feels the changes, it makes me happy!

    Next time, I will give you a 1 year update!

    xx

    NHYM

    http://www.nottinghillyummymummy.com

    Standard