TRAVEL | 5 FAVORITE HOTELS IN 2016

hotel review travel 2016

The new year just begun and I'm already scheduling the first travels and new exciting opportunities for editorial travels. 2016 was a great year for me and a great travel year too. In today's article I will share my 5 top favorite hotels in 2016, including photos and personal memories..

welcome letter arabic

La Verda Dubai

It was around one year ago, beginning of February in Dubai, when I discovered the La Verda Dubai Hotel, which just recently opened that time. The hotel features villas and suites only. Everything about this hotel is focused on the good life and a perfect holiday. Also for families this hotel is simply perfect, as one has a complete fat, with a kitchen, washing machine and multiple bath - and bedrooms.

dubai hotel view

What impressed me most about the La Verda Dubai was the great service and the excellent location. The La Verda Dubai is located in the center of Dubai, close to a big shopping mall and the port.

A true highlight is a rooftop pool and a huge gym, with a personal trainer, located in the house. It was the last hotel I visited in Dubai and it was a perfect closing.

la verda hotel


dubai uae ritz

Ritz Carlton Dubai financial district

Another one from Dubai which truly wanted me to stay forever was the Ritz Carlton Dubai in financial district. It was the first hotel I visited during my stay in Dubai. I had the pleasure to stay in a suite with my best friend and photographer Esra, who joined me for this editorial travel. Probably it was also convincing for both of us, that the huge breakfast of the hotel included dragon fruits, which is well known to be my favorite fruit.

breakfast sweet dessert

Dubai was a lot about food but there was even more. The hotel itself had a huge terrace, which featured its own park to walk around. Also the hotel features to gyms, various swimming pools and separated spa areas.

ritz carlton dubao rooftop pool

There's definitely much to feature about the Ritz Carlton, with a bakery, bar and many more exclusive hotspots inside the house but definitely one has to stay in the Ritz Carlton Dubai financial district for an unforgettable stay.


mandarin oriental las vegas

Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas

A little party never killed nobody. Las Vegas is a crazy city with a special vibe and somehow out of the universe. It's clearly no surprise that a Mandarin Oriental hotel is located in the sin city of Nevada, USA. The Mandarin Oriental hotels have always been a place for great hospitality, exclusivity and the little sparkle of magic that will provide fully satisfaction.

bento box las vegas brunch

I visited the hotel in summer '16 for a very short stay. I just came in from New York, while I had to leave back to New York after 5 days. It was a tough run from A to B and east to west and back.

My magical moments in the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas were the brunch and the spa area. After arriving from a night flight and 12 hours of travel I made it to the Mandarin Oriental to enjoy their brunch. Different from an all you can eat menu it is a multiple course menu.

spa wellness the strip

I was very surprised, as the Mandarin Oriental also featured a vegan and gluten free menu. As it always was a wish of mine to be served with a bento box, you wouldn't believe how happy and surprised I have been when I was served with one of the boxes.

Also the spa area has been a superb dream to come true. I was still training for my marathon this time and the heat this week was fatal. It was more than 45C and after running through the desert of Las Vegas it was just the sweetest thing on earth to calm down at the pool of rest at the spa area with an overlook of the strip.


sky scrapers panama city

Grace Panama

A far destination and a new input into my cultural inputs has been my travel to Panama in October. My first stop of a two week travel was the Grace Panama. It was my first time in South America and a true lesson I learned.

spa rooftop party

While it is still hard for vegans to eat out in Panama there is a bunch of beautiful hotels in Panama City. One of these hotels is definitely the Grace Panama, which is also very centered from everything in Panama and around. There's not such a long distance to the airport and sightseeing, so as the Panama Canal out from the hotel.

egg omlett

The hotel definitely features a great restaurant with a few delicious dishes that are also possible to be prepared for vegans. Also the rooftop with gym, spa and pool is epic, as one is extremely near the clouds.



hilton hotel logo

Florida is my favorite state in the USA. I love the heat and beside Miami I also adore Orlando. I've been twice to Orlando, which most of you guys maybe know as the home of amusement parks, like Universal Studios or the one and only Disney World. However, the Hilton hotel Orlando is sized as an own park and offers as much things to discover.

tennis gold

I have never visited a hotel before to offer that much of entertainment as the Hilton Hotel Orlando does. Not only it has an own tennis and gold park, it also features a pool oasis and many more pool spots. From above I would say the hotel looks like a water park, while it has a very elegant and luxury look from inside.

pool orlando hilton


I can't wait to discover more hotels this year and keep travelling around. Thank you everyone for your support in 2016. I hope you will also enjoy my travels in 2017.