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Hotel Review: 25 Hours Hotel, Vienna, Austria

Currently writing up my #review from my time at @25hourshotels in #Vienna last week and can't wait to share it with you all! 🏨

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Just over a week ago, as part of my mini European adventure with Lucy, the two of us were invited to stay at one of the quirkiest hotels in Vienna: 25 Hours Hotel at Museumsquartier. We stayed on a bed and breakfast basis for two nights and had the most amazing stay. Part of a chain, with other properties in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Berlin and Zurich, this hotel is a tourist attraction in it’s own right and boasts it’s own rooftop bar, restaurant, garden, gift shop and an actual, real life mermaid’s cave. Yep, you heard me right, this is what dreams are made of! If you’re looking for an edgy, quirky, extraordinary place to stay on your next trip to the Austrian capital, the 25 Hours Hotel is an absolute must…

The Location

The edgy, quirky district of #Museumsquartier made the perfect base to explore #Vienna 😍 @viennatouristboard

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The hotel is in the perfect location for exploring all of Vienna’s famous landmarks and is situated in the 7th district, Museumsquartier, one of the largest cultural neighbourhoods in the world. Home to an abundance of shops, restaurants, bars and, yep, you guessed it, museums, this place was seriously cool and you could easily spend a whole day here wandering around the parks and checking out all the fantastic buildings! Positioned between metro stops, tram stops and bus lines, the location of this hotel enables you to see everything that you could wish to see in the Austrian capital. We mainly used the metro to get around, and hopped on and off the trams whenever we got the chance, but with the nearest metro stop (Volkstheater) just 300m from the front door of the hotel, it was super easy to whizz around the city using this method of transport.

The Room

Oh my goodness I don’t even know where to begin! This room is hands down the coolest, funkiest, most frikkin’ freakiest room I have ever stayed in and I absolutely LOVED IT! I am used to staying in really lovely hotels whenever I travel, and I generally go for 3-4* mid range properties with a touch of luxury, but this place was something else altogether! I wouldn’t say it was because it was particularly luxurious, there were no silk linen duvets or duck feather pillows, but it was luxurious in that it was big, bright, modern, spacious and extraordinary and, for me, all of those things add up to something even better than luxury.

With a grand total of 217 rooms laid out over 7 floors, the 25 Hours Hotel is made up of M, M+, L, XL, Suites and Panorama Suites which are the equivalent of Economy, Standard, Luxury, Extra Luxury etc etc, you get the idea. We were staying in the M room, so the most basic of them all, and even that was a real treat and unlike anywhere I’ve ever been before. With a colourful headboard, Bluetooth sound speakers, LCD flatscreen TV, workspace, wardrobe, mini bar and safe, the room was fitted with everything we could ever need and more.

I miss my super cosy room @25hourshotels #vienna – can I just be back there already pleaseeee?! 🏨🏨

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The smart bathroom, with incredible power shower, complimentary toiletries, hairdryer and little look-through window (cheeky) was just right for us in every way and was deceptively spacious. Lucy and I shared a double bed and it was so big that we didn’t have to worry about who was nicking the covers (or snoring in each others ears) and the pillows and duvet set were super comfy. We were also greeted with lovely goody bags from The Vienna Tourist Board and from 25 Hours Hotels themselves – thanks for making us feel so welcome!

The Breakfast

Breakfast each morning was served in the 1500foodmakers restaurant just next to the reception area on the ground floor. We were seated promptly and could then go back and forth to the buffet as many times as we fancied. With a whole host of yoghurts, fruits, cereals, breads, cakes and hot and continental items on offer, as well as juices, water and hot drinks, the breakfast was plentiful and set us up really well both days. I’ve gotta be honest though, as I always am with all of my blog posts, I don’t think I would have paid for this breakfast if it wasn’t included as the price is pretty steep. Although the food was great, the cost would set you back £16pp per day and, for me, it just really isn’t worth the money. Maybe it’s because I’m not a big breakfast eater, even at home I barely manage a slice of toast, so when I go away I usually just stay room-only and opt to get something small from the nearest café or shop when I start feeling hungry. Having said that, it made a really nice change to have breakfast included, so if you like your continental then GO FOR IT!

The Facilities

When looking for accommodation I always make sure there are facilities onsite to maximise your hotel experience, and the ones at 25 Hours Hotels certainly don’t disappoint! The property in Vienna was home to a super cool reception area complete with Apple macs, pinball game station, swing bench, photobooth and a gift shop/kiosk selling a range of quirky items. At the very top of the hotel you’ll find Der Dachboden, their rooftop bar, with views across the entire city that seemed to stretch for miles. The rooftop bar was incredibly busy during our stay, probably because the weather was so good, but also because its super popular with residents and locals alike, so get there during the early part of the afternoon if you want to reserve a seat! Outside and to the left of the hotel you’ll find their very own garden area complete with Burger de Ville, it’s very own burger van serving fast food to eat onsite or to take away with you, perfect if you want to grab something and go! As partners of Mini, 25 Hours Hotels also offer complimentary bicycle and Mini car hire to all of their guests, such a cool idea and it would have come in so handy, but sadly Lucy and I didn’t get chance to take these out for a spin during out visit!

The Mermaids Cave

Ok so this thing deserves its OWN PARAGRAPH and I don’t even care if it makes this post too long I just have to write about it and share it with you all! The mermaids cave, aka the sauna, steam room, gym, relaxation area, whatever you wanna call it, was single handedly the BEST thing about this entire hotel. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it ALL, but this place was just extra special. Located in the basement, the mermaids cave is kitted out with showers, a sauna, steam room, gym, workout area, relaxation hideaway and giant swings where you can be a child and put your hands in the air (and wave them around like you just don’t care – literally, I did this).

You can also soak your feet in large wooden tubs if you need to chill out for a while, and you can help yourself to hot drinks, bottled water and fresh fruit too. There’s toilets and washrooms for your convenience,  as well as lockers for your valuables which will save you going back and forth to your room. Both times Lucy and I visited the cave (around 8pm-10pm) it was completely empty and it we had it to ourselves which really made us relax and totally zen out for the duration of our time there. It really was the most magical place and, for me, it was the total highlight of the entire hotel – if you’re thinking of going anytime soon you HAVE to check this place out!

The Verdict

Room 309 – our little home during our time in #Vienna 🏨🏨 @25hourshotels

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Overall we had a fantastic stay at the 25 Hours Hotel and I would highly recommend staying here on a mid-week or weekend visit for a really cool and quirky stay in the heart of the Museumsquartier. Every aspect from the brilliant location to the buffet breakfast, amazing facilities and colourful bedroom made our stay such a pleasant one; the staff made us feel so welcome throughout the whole of our stay, from the minute we arrived at check in, to the second we checked out, nothing was too much trouble. They were super helpful when we were asking about public transport, and about how far away all the major sites were, and they even helped us sort out our train back to Bratislava upon check out – thank you SO much for really going above and beyond, you guys were amazing!

So there we have it, my full review of the wonderful 25 Hours Hotel. I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough for those looking for a stylish and comfortable stay in the heart of the Museumsquartier district – thank you to the lovely staff for making our stay so wonderful, we will most definitely be back! For more information or to book a room please visit their website directly.

NB. I was a guest of 25 Hours Hotel for the purpose of this review, but all opinions are of course my own.

Don’t forget, we are all mad here…

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A Day in Malmo, Sweden

#tbt to when me and the sis were a little windswept overlooking #Malmö city centre 🇸🇪 #Sweden #throwbackthursday

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So last month, as part of our little winter escape to Copenhagen, my sister and I decided to take a spontaneous day trip to Malmo, Sweden to tick another city, and another country, off our ever expanding bucket lists. From Copenhagen airport we took the train, crossed over the spectacular Oresund Bridge and, within less than half an hour, we had arrived safely in the Swedish city. With only a day to explore we got straight to it and made the most of our short time in Malmo; here’s my guide of what to see and do during your time there too…

 

Arrive by train

 

 

Day returns either from CPH Central Station or CPH Airport Train Station run pretty much every hour to and from Malmo, and we paid around £15pp for a return ticket which we thought was really good value! The journey across the Oresund Bridge was incredibly scenic with some brilliant views of the Flinte Channel below. Snap your photos quick though, as the bridge blocks a lot of the daylight out, and you’ll be in a tunnel for part of your journey too.

Explore Little Square

This place was super cute and it was as if we had found a little slice of home right in the middle of Sweden. Lilla Torg, or Little Square as it’s known as, had a mixture of trendy bars and restaurants and it’s cobbled streets and colourful buildings really made for the perfect escape tucked away from the bustling high street.

Spot the Turning Torso

Can you see it? Can you see it? If you look really closely at this picture you’ll find the Turning Torso, the most famous landmark in Malmo, hiding just behind the tall grey curved building on the right hand side. Granted, the weather was horrendous while we were there and the fog was so thick you could barely see a thing, but I promise it was there! I wish we’d have seen the tower on a clearer day though as I’ve been told it really is a sight to behold.

Discover Malmo Castle

#Malmo castle… Probably the most unconventional castle I've ever seen! Have you been? #Sweden #city #citybreak #europe #visitsweden

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Sadly we didn’t have time to go inside the actual castle, but we wandered around the grounds and saw it from the outside so we got a feel for the place and what it would have been like all those years ago. Unlike most castles we have across Europe, this one felt really traditional as it was in the middle of a moat so I could imagine the draw bridge being let down and the horses trampling over it during it’s busy times! I’d highly recommend a trip to the castle during your time in Malmo.

Wander round the parks

 

Because windmills look prettier when they're in #Sweden 😍 #Malmo #city #europe #flashbackfriday @visitsweden

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The weather wasn’t great when we visited, it was pretty cold and super foggy but I imagine you could spend a whole day wandering through plenty of Malmo’s pretty parks when the sun is shining and the climate is a little warmer! You’ll find green spaces, lakes, ponds and lots of wildlife to chase as you’re wandering through the parks and whiling away the hours.

Take a stroll down by the harbour

Another day, another country! Oh hey #Malmö 🇸🇪🇸🇪 #Sweden #city #happymonday

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The harbour was probably my favourite place in the whole of Malmo, I really loved the mix of the cobbled streets and funky buildings that complemented each other perfectly. The boats were moored and the water was totally calm, making it a really peaceful place for an afternoon stroll, a world away from the typical working harbours that are so often found throughout Europe and the UK.

 

So there we have it, my guide to exploring the little Swedish city of Malmo in just a day. Obviously, if you have more time to spare you could fit more in, but Malmo is fairly small anyway so you can do most of it in a day. If you’re looking to venture a little further afield, why not head over to the nearby cities of Lund and Helsinborg to discover more of this Scandinavian gem? I loved my little taste of Sweden during my time in Malmo and am planning to head back there and make my way over to Stockholm as soon as possible!

Love Jess x

 

 

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It's almost time for my next trip!

 Hey everyone!

So this is just a super quick blog post to say that I’m off on my next trip tomorrow and I am SO FRIKKIN EXCITED!! This is the first time I’ll be doing a city break without my sister, and will be travelling with my wonderful friend and fellow travel blogger Lucy instead! Lucy and I have known each other for just over a year now, we first met at Traverse 16 and then attended UK Blog Awards together, and have become firm friends and stayed in constant touch since then. I’m sure you’re already following her fab blog, but if you aren’t, head over to Faraway Lucy now to SUBSCRIBE!

 

 

Tomorrow Lucy and I will be meeting at Birmingham airport before jumping on a flight to Bratislava for two nights – we have no idea what to expect from this little known city (everyone I’ve spoke to has asked me where it is?! ITS SLOVAKIA PEOPLE!) but we’re looking forward to exploring as soon as we get there. We’ve heard the castle, old town square and the cute little churches are particular highlights, but send us your recommendations so we can plan!

 

Beautiful view of St. Martin's Cathedral |📷 @nastyadreamer | #thisisbratislava #visitbratislava #bratislava #slovakia

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On Thursday we’ll be saying goodbye to Bratislava and catching a train to the Austrian capital of Vienna where we’ll stay for a further two nights. The two of us have ALWAYS wanted to go to Vienna and are sooo excited to be hitting up the sights when we get there.  We’re really looking forward to checking out the opera houses, one of the many beautiful palaces, and we’ll also try and sneak in a cheeky visit to Prater Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world!

 

Beautiful photography by @v.for.vertigo #vienna_austria #austria #vienna

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We’ll also be working with the Vienna and Bratislava tourist boards during our trip, so watch out for special social media and blog posts coming soon! As always, you can follow my adventures on my social channels, which I’ll be updating wherever possible, so keep an eye out on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages over the next few days! So again, if you have any blog posts, inspo ideas or recommendations for either Bratislava or Vienna PLEASE send them over to me and Lucy, we can’t wait to plan our trips! See you on the other side!

Love Jess x

You voted, I'm going! It's almost time to fly to Copenhagen…

 

And we have a winner! See you soon Copenhagen 🌎✈️ #travel #twitterpoll #citybreak #nextdestination

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So the time has come for my first overseas adventure of 2017, and I’m so excited! If you follow me on social media you might remember that I recently ran a poll asking YOU to choose my next city break as I literally couldn’t decide where I wanted to go! The four shortlisted options, Copenhagen, Riga, Tallinn and Vienna, were all amazing places offering so much to see and do, but in the end the Danish Capital of Copenhagen came out on top and won the poll taking 33% of the votes! I’ll be travelling with my sister and staying for 3 nights at the stunning 4* Copenhagen Admiral hotel. I’ve read sooo many amazing reviews about this hotel, with it’s own spa and brilliant waterfront location, so I’m hoping to enjoy a little bit of luxury whilst exploring this Scandinavian gem.

Our EasyJet flight leaves London Luton Airport tomorrow morning at 11.30 so we haven’t got a horrendously early start, and I’m super excited to be reviewing the Aspire Lounge at the airport in conjunction with Executive Lounges. I think we’re going to be treated to lots of yummy food and drink and comfy areas to chill/nap in ahead of our flight and I’m sooo excited about the prospect of being treated like a VIP for a few hours. I’ll be writing a full review and blog post on this in a few weeks time so I’ll give you my verdict when I get back!

 

 

 

Upon arrival in Copenhagen we’ll have a few hours of daylight left to explore the city on our first day, and it’ll give us chance to get our bearings before heading out later on that night too. Sadly, the famous Tivoli Gardens is closed for the winter break so we won’t get a chance to explore there during our visit, but we’re planning on checking out the Round Tower, Nyhavn harbour, Christiansborg Palace and of course the Little Mermaid statue during our time there. We’re still looking for recommendations on other things to see and do in the city, so please do send them over or leave a message in the comments below!

 

 

We’re also considering heading over the Oresund bridge to the Swedish city of Malmo and spending a day there exploring. The train journey is just half an hour and fares are super cheap so we thought we’d try and take a little day trip if we get the chance – time will tell though! Again, please send over any recommendations you have for Malmo as I would love to see what there is on offer there – I’ve heard it’s a wonderful place!

I’m off now to finish off my packing and to check that all my documents are in place ahead of the big day tomorrow – don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter and to like my Facebook page for updates on my Scandinavian adventure – see you on the other side!

Love Jess x

NB. Thank you to Visit Copenhagen for the wanderlust inducing Instagram images – I can’t wait to recreate my own shots when I get there!

December Newsletter: Happy Christmas!

So yesterday was #christmasjumperday and I finallyyyyy started to feel #festive for the first time this December! 🎅🌲🌟

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Happy Christmas Eve-Eve!!

Ahhhh just two more sleeps – I can’t believe it! I know I say this all the time but it genuinely only feels like a couple of days have passed since I wrote my November newsletter, not a whole month! Because of the Christmas break, this newsletter is being brought to you a little early this month, and I have an End of Year Review coming just before the New Year, so watch out for that too, but first here’s how my December went…

I launched my first giveaway

 

It's HERE! My big #Christmas surprise! Go find out what it is over on the #blog- link in bio!! #Wordpress #newpost #blog

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So I’ve never done a giveaway before, but I see a lot of other bloggers doing them and it always seems to work out nicely; I get a few new followers and you get something in return, and it’s Christmas after all 😉 My giveaway is super simple- just go ahead and ‘like’ my Facebook page, if you haven’t already, and the person who is my 500th like will WIN a prize – it couldn’t be simpler! GOOD LUCK!

I went to The Clothes Show

 

Loved meeting @fernemccann today @clothesshow – what a babe! @ambamarie19 #clothesshow #birmingham #sundayfunday

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This was a last minute decision me and my friend made, and I am SO glad we did! We found cheap 2-4-1 tickets online and headed to Birmingham’s NEC Arena on a frosty Sunday morning in December ready for a full day of shopping! I’ve been to The Clothes Show before and loved it, and this was the final year it was going to be held in Birmingham, so it really was the end of an era! We had a lovely day of shopping, grabbing goody bags and celeb spotting too. The show is relocating to Liverpool next year so hopefully I’ll get the chance to attend when I’m up visiting the family!

I took a trip to the Birmingham Christmas Markets

 

I just love #Christmas markets 🎅🌲🎁🎡 #Birmingham #GermanMarkets #SundayFunday

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I went to the Frankfurt Christmas Market Birmingham the same day I was at The Clothes Show, just because we finished early and had time to spare before we had to be home that night! It was super easy to get to the city centre from the NEC – we left the car there, hopped on a train to New Street and arrived within a matter of minutes. The train was cheap, totally stress free and sooo much easier than driving into the centre, faffing with finding a space and paying for parking! The Markets themselves were lovely and super festive, selling everything from handmade chocolates and sweets to little fluffy hats and children’s toys. The Birmingham Markets are the biggest German Markets in the UK, and I would 100% recommend taking a trip there if you get the chance!

It was the public vote for #UKBA17

 

 

As most of you will know, this year I was SHORTLISTED for an award at UK Blog Awards 2016 and the whole experience was fantastic from start to finish. When I found out that the awards were running again in 2017 I knew I just HAD to take part for a second year running and entered my blog in the travel category again. The public vote went live two weeks ago and closed this Monday. During this time I promoted my blog, and my entry, and tried to get as many votes as I possibly could! Good luck to all the other wonderful bloggers too, I know there was some tough competition in my category alone! The shortlist will be announced on 2nd Jan 2017 and I am PRAYING that I make it there again as it would kick off my 2017 in the best way possible – I will of course let you know the outcome and am keeping my fingers crossed!

I discovered Christmas at Blenheim Palace

 

Oh baby it's cold outside ❄️☃ #sundayfunday #blenheimpalace #decemberdays #cotswolds #oxfordshire

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As an annual pass holder I get to visit Blenheim Palace ALL the time, and I totally love it! I go during spring, summer and autumn, but my favourite time to visit is in December, when winter is in full force and the Palace looks even more beautiful than it usually does. This year they’re hosting a special event called ‘Christmas at Blenheim’ which, sadly, I haven’t been to yet, but I have been on the normal days and it’s special anyway so that will do for me! I love exploring the inside of the Palace, gazing up at the artwork on the grand ceilings and wandering around the acres of grounds outside too. Blenheim is particularly pretty during winter so go if you get the chance, spring will be here before we know it!

I started planning my travel adventures for 2017

 

Planning for my 2017 #travel adventures… It suddenly all seems a little bit real! 🌎✈️🚂 #jessdoeseurope

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So this is kind of exciting, but I have been in full on planning mode for the past couple of weeks and already have my first two trips of 2017 sorted! I’m off to Copenhagen for a few days in February (bring on The Little Mermaid!!) and have booked a cheeky week away in Tenerife at the end of May (thanks Jet2 – those free flights came in handy!) – it’s been three years since I had a beach holiday or done any kind of relaxation on a trip so I am really looking forward to it! I’m also in the early stages of planning my European Adventure – details will be revealed in the new year but what I can say is that I’m gonna be doing a 10-week-14-country stint across the continent at some point during 2017. Watch this space… I am so excited! #JessDoesEurope

Well that’s it from me – I’ll be publishing my End of Year Review next week, but until then I hope you have a wonderful Christmas – eat, drink, be merry and ENJOY IT! Happy Christmas everyone, and thank you as always for reading my blog, you have no idea how much it means to me that it’s still going strong after 2 and a half years!

Love Jess x

It's friyayyy 🎅🌲🎉🌟 #fridaynight #christmas #drinkssss

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