For some reason, Lisbon has never been on my 'top places to visit' list, but when it was time to choose my first solo travel destination, it got recommended to me right, left and centre, and so the decision has been made - Sandra is going to Lisbon! Why I hadn't thought about paying it a visit sooner is beyond me, because it's honestly one of the best (and most affordable) European weekend getaways, combining old Mediterranean charm and what I describe as San Francisco vibes. Long story short, I loved it! You can expect lots of tips and guides coming your way in the following few months, but today let me introduce you to the hotel I stayed at on my last night in the city.

Lizbona nikoli ni bilo eno izmed mest, ki sem si jih pod nujno želela obiskati. Pravzaprav niti ne vem zakaj... Mogoče, ker se o Portugalski prestolnici ne govori toliko kot na primer o oblegani sosedi Barceloni, ki jo ima že vsak na svojem 'to-see' seznamu? No, kakorkoli. Vesela sem, da sem na koncu prav Lizbono izbrala za moje prvo uradno solo potovanje - navdušila me je z nizki cenami, pridihom starega Mediterana in podobnostjo s San Franciscom, ampak več o tem v prihajajočih objavah. Danes je na sporedu ocena hotela, v katerem sem prespala zadnjo noč. 

Hotel Lisboa Plaza, a charming boutique hotel run by the same family since the 1950's, had me at hello with its location, before I even set foot inside. It's an ideal starting point to explore the city, right around the corner from the nearest metro station, just off the famous designer shopping avenue Avenida da Liberdade, and a stone throw away from all major sights. Having everything on the doorstep was such a nice change after my 20-minute uphill battles to get from the nearest metro station to the hotel I previously stayed at, haha! But it's not just the central location that impressed me. The double room in a traditional style with modern touches was incredibly spacious, had the comfiest bed, a proper sofa and a beautiful tiled study desk I fell head over heels with the moment I spotted it - I love unique little details like this!

Hotel Lisboa Plaza je malo večji družinski hotel, ki me je v prvi vrsti prepričal z lokacijo v samem centru mesta. Nahaja se ob znani nakupovalni aveniji Avenida da Liberdade, blizu vseh glavnih znamenitosti in metro postajo dobesedno za ovinkom - pravi balzam za noge po štirih dneh 20-minutnih nočnih maratonov navhrib od najbližje postaje mojega prejšnjega hotela. Navdušila me je tudi prostornost sob (v moji sem imela celo kavč), ter preplet tradicionalne in moderne notranje opreme. Pisalna miza s keramičnim pultom me je osvojila v prvi sekundi! 

Another thing I need to mention are the communal areas. I'm not the one to rave about reception lobbies, but the lounge area at Hotel Lisboa Plaza is on another level. I wouldn't mind waiting there all day for my check-in. There's a TV, a library section, refreshments (tea and coffee), and even an internet point with computers and a printer for guests to use when they please. Not what you normally see in a four-star hotel! Speaking of the internet, you'll be happy to hear the wi-fi is free of charge, fast, and available throughout the hotel.

Recepciji oziroma skupnim prostorom hotela se res nikoli ne posvečam, ampak vse je enkrat prvič. Tale 'javna dnevna soba' si zasluži omembo. V njej se lahko zlekneš na kavč, gledaš televizijo, prebereš kakšno knjigo iz hotelske mini knjižnice, ter se vmes še osvežiš z brezplačno kavo ali čajem. Aja, pa tudi hotelska pisarna z računalnikom in tiskalnikom ti je na voljo 24/7, brez dodatnega plačila. Popolnoma nepričakovano v hotelu s štimiri zvezdicami, ampak zelo dobrodošlo, še posebej če se nimaš kam dati, medtem ko čakaš na check-in. Mimogrede, brezplačen wifi je na voljo po vsem hotelu, pa še hiter je! Zame vedno zelo pomembna informacija... 

The roof terrace with loungers and a bar section is a nice addition as well! It was a bit too chilly for me back in March to take advantage of it, but in the summertime I bet it's an amazing spot to rest your feet and enjoy a drink after a long day of sightseeing. I did a quick tour of it here in my vlog, where you can also see how my room looked like in detail.

Terasa z ležalniki in mini barom v petem nadstropju hotela je prav tako prijeten dodatek. Za sončenje je bilo marca na žalost še malce premrzlo, si pa kar mislim kakšo luštno vzdušje mora biti tam poleti - za noge v luft in koktelj v roke po napornem dnevu pohajkovanja. Za lažjo predstavo, en hiter ogled terase (in svoje sobe) sem ovekovečila tudi tule v mojem zadnjem vlogu iz Lizbone. 




Last but not least, let's have a word about the hotel breakfast. I'm not too picky when it comes to it - a slice of bread with some cheese and tomatoes or a jam croissant normally does it for me - but I was seriously impressed with the extensive buffet selection. There was everything from pastries, jams, eggs and yoghurts to fruits, cheese, salami and even desserts for those with a morning sweet tooth - chocolate fountain included. Yes, really, there was an actual chocolate fountain. Good thing you also get access to the gym!

Jaz pa seveda ne bi bila jaz, če se za konec ne bi dotaknila še hrane - v mojo nočitev je bil namreč vključen tudi samopostrežni zajtrk. Sama sem po pravici povedano zadovoljna že s kosom kruha in sirom ali pa kakšnim rogljičkom in od hotelskega zajtrka že v štartu nikoli veliko ne pričakujem, ampak tokrat sem bila prijetno presenečena. Izbor hrane je res ogromen, za vsakega se nekaj najde. Od peciv, marmelad, jajc in jogurta do svežega sadja, narezkov in celo konkretnih sladic, takšnih za po kosilu. In ja, tudi čokoladna fontana se je znašla med njimi (na sliki spodaj). Še dobro, da v kompletu z nočitvijo pride tudi dostop do fitnesa! 

Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better night's stay, and if I visit Lisbon again (or should I say when, because I'm definitely coming back for more sightseeing and octopus), Hotel Lisboa Plaza or another one of the charming Lisbon Heritage Hotels will be my number one choice for my home away from home.

Po vsem prebranem že lahko sklepate, da sem bila nad hotelom več kot očitno navdušena. Če se vrnem v Lizbono (oziroma ko se vrnem, saj sem si za naslednjič pustila še nekaj dnevnih izletov pa tudi hobotnica me vabi), se zagotovo vrnem na isto lokacijo ali pa preverim še kakšen drug Lisbon Heritage hotel - po prvotnem vtisu pričakujem le najboljše.

The Zala Villa Bali was my home for two weeks back in August 2014, when I was visiting Bali with my family and friends. It was the first luxury accomodation I stayed at, and what can I say, it set the bar very high.

Located away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak, in the middle of rice fields in Canggu, it's the perfect place to relax without being too secluded. Echo beach - my favourite - is just a 10 minute drive away, while a trip to the 'tourist central' will take you about half an hour.

The owner Andrej, a fellow Slovenian, built the property up from scratch, and I don't think he could have done a better job. There are four villas in total, each offering complete privacy, having their own entrances and living areas. They're all decorated in a modern style with traditional Balinese touches and have a private pool, two bedrooms, two semi-outdoor bathrooms, and a spacious open living space with a lounge, a kitchen and a dining area.

The place was kept spotless throughout our stay, and we always had the most delicious fresh juices waiting for us in the fridge. I still can't get them out of my head! The meals were great too. We usually started our day with breakfast and then planned the rest of our meals around activities on the actual day, which was very handy.

Andrej and his wife Ida are definitely not your average hotel owners. They made sure we experienced the best of what Bali has on offer and made us feel like we were staying with old friends. Andrej was our personal driver (along with Andi) and a tour guide with the best tips and local secrets. He organized all activities for us, so that we didn't have to worry about a single thing, and tweaked the itinerary for us on the go, based on our preferences. 

I would recommend the place to families, couples and friends alike. I really don't have a single complaint. The only thing I was missing was a fully functioning wi-fi, but that's Bali and I've seen worse to be honest. Most of you probably don't depend on the internet as much as I do, so you're good. If you're a fellow YouTuber, though, make sure you have those videos scheduled and uploaded before you land on the island, haha.

Bali was one of the best places I've ever visited and I would love to explore more of Indonesia in the future. After having such an amazing experience at The Zala Villa Bali in particular, one of the first places on my to-visit list is definitely Andrej's new venture, Coconut Garden Beach Resort in Flores. Who's coming with me?!