When I transitted through JFK in November 2020, through the foggy haze of covid, face masks, and far too many layovers, I had a positive experience at JFK’s TWA Hotel. Having now done the same for the airport hotel in Cairo, every part of my being appreciates how easy my experience at the TWA Hotel was. How simple it was, despite having been on a plane for 14 hours.

1. Deplaning in JFK during COVID-19

I landed at JFK from Dubai on an Emirates flight, when New York State had a mandatory 14-day quarantine. I was disappointed in the New Yorkers on my flight, as they rarely wore masks and had zero concept of social distancing. But, I digress.

From no social distancing on the plane to no social distancing at baggage claim. This led me to straight into the arms of National Guardsmen, as I exited customs with my luggage.

Most people were being required to fill out their quarantine form. I told him I was going to the transit hotel in Terminal 5.

“Inside the terminal?” He asked.
“Yes.” (Actually, no. A semi-truth.)

The real truth is, the hotel is actually outside the terminal. As in, you breathe fresh air in order to get to the hotel.

But I really wasn’t going anywhere except for the hotel. And then the following day, straight onto a plane again.

So he released me and I went on my merry way. Next stop, AirTrain.

2. How to get to the TWA Hotel from AirTrain

Ok, next, next, next, next stop. From where I landed in Terminal 4, I needed to go all the way around the AirTrain loop to the next to last stop – Terminal 5.

When you exit the AirTrain, go downstairs to street level. From here, you can see the hotel in the distance. Go into the parking lot and turn left and you’ll see the walkway.

Be careful if it’s a windy winter day – you may get a little fountain spray. Gross, but you’re already showering anyway.

From there, I arrived to my retro destination – the TWA Hotel, a nod to the old Trans World Airlines housed in the old TWA Flight Center. The TWA Flight Center was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen.

Check in took a mere seconds before I was going up the red carpet stairs and down the tubular hallway to my room. In non-covid times, I would’ve been sure to make a reservation for drinks on Connie (the vintage Lockheed Constellation L-1649A). But given the pandemic, not this time.

3. The Room at JFK Airport Hotel

I paid $135 USD (now $252 USD) for a Standard Double Queen room without a view and it was simply that. A room. Without. A view. Well, in technicality, this is New York City. I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m looking out at a construction site and a dump truck. Shades down.

I loved the retro design of the room. Plus, gotta love the vintage travel posters and old rotary phone, which are faves of mine! The room felt cute and fun, but not super kitch. The bar area was nicely designed and finished, but it’s not like there was a bar cart, room service, or a mini-bar to utilize.

The one downside is that there was no kettle or water. And of course, buying water downstairs – it’s New York City plus airport prices. so imagine how much that costs.

But, expert tip:

Tap water in New York City is not only drinkable, it’s actually high quality tap water and is delicious. New York’s Finest, they call it.

4. Elsewhere in the TWA Hotel

Outside of the room, there’s Connie (cocktail lounge) as we mentioned. But also, the Sunken Lounge (with views of Connie), a food hall (where you can get 24 hour coffee and a bagel for breakfast), a Twister room (a room where you play Twister, obvioulsy), the Paris Cafe for food, a photo booth, and all sorts of fun things in a non-pandemic world. For guests looking for the gym, the TWA Hotel’s fitness center is actually the world’s largest hotel gym! Aviation and history buffs can also enjoy the museum inside, expertly curated by the New York Historical Society.

There’s also a rooftop infinity pool, with a view of the JFK runways. Being November, I couldn’t be bothered with a rooftop pool.

I woke up early the next morning, and on my way to the food hall for coffee, did I think that the best thing at 5 am would be a photo booth? Obviously. The best decisions are made on a whim.

Check out was super simple. Everything is pre-paid. Even coffee that you buy at the food court you pay for separately. So, nothing is charged to the room.

Head to the hotel lobby, drop the key in the box and off you go.

5. From the TWA Hotel onward to JFK Airport

There is no free shuttle or other airport shuttle service. However, if you’re flying JetBlue, you don’t even leave the inside of the hotel. You can take the elevator straight to the bridge to Terminal 5.

Roll out of bed and into the airport. It’s super easy.

This is what you want out of an airport hotel.

For me, because I was an international traveler coming in, because my ticket was connected, I should have re-checked my bag as soon as I took it through customs on my way in. But I figured, what was the difference between that, and taking it out for the night and checking it back in in the morning? NONE.

I got to throw all my random Dubai shopping into my luggage and be light as a bird on the flight the following day. Perfection.

6. Parting thoughts on my stay at the JFK Airport Hotel

Airport hotels are meant to be functional and convenient. But with the TWA Hotel, they’ve added a bit of fun to your average airport hotel.

My room, which $135 USD per night, was fine for a New York City hotel price. Although there wasn’t a view, who really needed it? (The 2023 updated cost of $252 USD per night is also cheaper than your average New York City hotel price…)

The point was, I was exhausted from traveling, and the TWA Hotel gave me a fun airport hotel experience, that was simple and easy going. And it comes highly recommended for any overnight layovers you may have through JFK!

But, just remember that it is New York City. I found the room to be a reasonable rate, considering. But take into consideration, everything is NYC prices – from the coffee, to your morning bagel, to the late night snack that you want.

If you’re not flying, what about taking a safe COVID-19 road trip?

Looking for ideas for your foodie adventures in New York City?

• Become a bagel expert on your New York Bagel Tour of Bryant Park;
• Explore the food and immigrant histories of Hell’s Kitchen on a walking tour;
• Take a walking food tour through Greenwich Village / Little Italy;
• Love sandwiches? Join a sandwich tour of the East Village;
• Join a home chef at home in Brooklyn for a seasonal Japanese inspired seafood tasting menu;
• Stave off the summer heat with the East Village ice cream crawl;
• Marvel at all the brownstones in Brooklyn on this Neighborhood Eats tour.

7. Information on your stay at the JFK Airport Hotel

TWA Hotel
One Idlewild Drive
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Queens, NY 11430-1962

Average Price for rooms: approximately $250 USD at the time of posting. Check their website for current rates.

The TWA Hotel also offers rooms for the day – from 6 AM to 8 PM EST, with a 4 hour minimum stay. The same Standard Queen Room for 4 hours, at 2023 prices, is $149 USD. Depending on the time of day, this day rate may also include access to the rooftop pool.

While the TWA Hotel is the only airport hotel on the airport premises, other JFK airport hotels are available, which require a shuttle or taxi to reach:

• Hilton New York JFK Airport
• Hampton Inn
• Crown Plaza
• Holiday Inn JFK / Holiday Inn Express Jamaica

I cannot recommend or suggest any of these, as I haven’t stayed there. But, maybe they’re more your jam, so far be it for me to deny you. Until next time, everyone stay healthy and safe!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

{For those who want to pronounce it properly like I always do, break it up into 4 syllables and say: GLEN-egg-uh-DALE. House. Glenegedale House. Got it?}

1. The lure of Glenegedale House

I first became acquainted with Glenegedale House through social media. In early 2020, Glenegedale House won Visit Scotland’s Most Hospitable B&B Award. The award definitely caught my attention. Although I was not looking for the best luxury accommodation on Islay, when I found it, need I look further?

When I travel, amazing hospitality is just one of those things that I specifically look for. And for a place to win an award specific to its hospitality, well, let’s just say I put a little mental note in my brain to visit and stay at Glenegedale House sometime in the near future!

Several hours of internet lurking and months of obsessing over their Instagram, I discovered that they were famous for their baking. Fresh, warm pastries at breakfast, coffee and cakes for afternoon tea. Over covid lockdown, they also sold tray bakes and other baked goods out of an honesty box on their grounds.

2. My Islay bed and breakfast decision

I consulted with one of my friends, who works for a drinks company with a distillery on Islay. She solidified the choice of Islay as a holiday, but also Glenegedale House as the place to stay while on Islay. She visited a few years back and stayed for one night. Any guesses where that one night was?

Glenegedale House.

She told me that if I was looking for a low key Scottish island, with hiking opportunities and interesting things to see, Islay was the place for me. And if I were looking to be well fed with baked goods and taken care of by the best proprietress, Glenegedale House was the luxury accommodation on Islay that I had to choose.

Let’s have a bit of a recap: When you go stay at Glenegedale House, you get the full experience of hospitality, including someone making you fresh baked goods 24-7. I think you can all get on board with that.

Now that I’ve introduced its baked goods, let me properly introduce you to this luxury accommodation on Islay – Glenegedale House.

3. How to get to Glenegedale House

The bed and breakfast is located in the south of the Island, just across the street from the Islay airport. It is less than a 10 minute drive from Port Ellen, which has one of the island’s main ferry ports.

• From Port Ellen, take the A846 northwest leaving town. After a weird left and a right to stay on A846, you’ll go straight on A846. When you see the airport on your left, Glenegedale House is on your right.

• From Port Askaig (the other ferry terminal on Islay), you can either follow A846 south all the way to Glenegedale House (approx 25 – 30 minutes). You’ll pass through Bowmore on the way.

Or you can take the funner way from Port Askaig, which is heading south on A846 and then after Bridgend (8.5 miles), turn left onto B8016. After 6 miles of straight, uninterrupted road, you’ll see a sign for Glenegedale and you’ll turn right. This also takes approximately 25-30 minutes, but trust me – it’s much funner drive this way.

4. Arriving to my luxury accommodation on Islay

I arrived to Islay from the ferry port in Port Askaig. The ferry was supposed to arrive around 2:30 PM, but was slightly delayed in leaving the Scottish mainland. The day before, Emma from Glenegedale emailed asking what time I would check in. Even though it only takes 30 minutes to get from Port Askaig to Glenegedale, I told her I’d arrive at 4 PM.

Why 4 PM? I always want to add in extra time to get lost, find my way, or stop for refreshments. Without getting lost and beaming of the pride of punctuality, I arrived at 3:57 PM.

Unbeknownst to me, I was Glenegedale’s first guest after Scotland’s first lockdown ended in July 2020.

4.1 Glenegedale House’s COVID-19 Preparedness

Speaking of the large, ugly pandemic in the room, I should firstly say that the standard of everything at Glenegedale House is so high that you should not worry about covid preparedness.

But in case you’d like to know specifically, here are the measures Glenegedale House has taken to ensure their guests are safe!

1. Certified as “We’re Good to Go!” by Visit Scotland;
2. Hand sanitizing stations at doors and located inside;
3. Masks on during welcoming a guest;
4. Some kind of anti-virus sanitization spray for the furniture and rooms, after a guest uses the area.

During my stay, I never once felt that things were not sanitized properly. It is very clear that those in the tourism and hospitality industries take COVID-19 precautionary measures extremely seriously. So try to relax and let the hospitality of a luxury accommodation on Islay envelop you.

4.2 A welcome with Baked Goods

When I first arrived, I was brought into their sitting room some rest and an Islay chat with Emma, my hostess. We are just chit chatting along about Islay and whiskies and my love of Scotland when all of a sudden, out comes this gorgeous tray of fine china and silver with my coffee.

Followed in very close succession by another tray with something to pair with the coffee, of course:

Coffee and Hazelnut Cake
&
Hamlyn Oats and Blueberry Flapjacks, with a Kilchoman Saligo Bay Whisky Drizzle

Are you just sitting there and salivating right now? That would make two of us! Both were made fresh that day, by Emma, our hostess with the mostest. And, in case you needed to me to specifically say, it was absolutely delicious!!

5. My Room at Glenegedale House

I stayed in Room 2 at Glenegedale – a Double Room with ensuite facilities (i.e. a private bathroom and shower). The cost of 198 GBP a night (or approximately $275 USD) includes both bed and breakfast. And, as you’ll see shortly, THE BREAKFAST IS PHENOMENAL.

Back to the room!

Imagine laying in bed with warm wool and tweed all around you, maybe it’s a sunny day outside or maybe it’s a little dreich… watching the sea from the window, while snuggling in bed.

I loved the soft grey and heather colors of the tweed and wool. The thick, native Scottish fabrics made the room sooooo warm and inviting. Considering that it was quite chilly and brisk in July, you’ll want that extra warmth!

But not only that, I absolutely loved the gorgeous wallpaper from Timorous Beasties. Fun fact, I already knew about Timorous Beasties and lusted after that thistle wallpaper even before I visited! Does that mean me and Glenegedale House are a match made in interior decorating heaven? ABSOLUTELY.

Glenegedale House carries toiletries from ARRAN Sense of Scotland, from neighboring Isle of Arran. The chosen scent, “After the Rain,” is a warm and refreshing mix of lime, rose and sandalwood. Their products are cruelty free and environmentally friendly!

My washroom had a shower and not a bathtub. The pressure was high and the water was hot. No complaints here!

5.1 Amenities in my Room

Maybe this is a little known fact about me – I bring coffee with me everywhere I go. That means, I’m alway looking coffee making facilities in the room.

Fear not, the room comes with all of the following:

• armoire and chest of drawers for your clothes,
• kettle and mugs (with coffee, tea, and all the trimmings),
• a TV (but I never watched),
• and a full length mirror which was glorious.

In case I didn’t mention it before, free WiFi and free parking is also included!

6. The Food and Drinks at Glenegedale House

Ok, I know I teased you with the coffee cake and blueberry flapjacks. You all must know that if I’m foreshadowing some epic food, it should live up to expectations.

For Emma, food is her way of sharing her passion for Islay and Scotland. You can taste the warmth and hospitality in each bite. When creating recipes, she tries to use local Islay ingredients and products. If local products from Islay are not available, she selects ingredients from local producers in Argyll and Bute, and then Scotland, and then finally broad UK-British brands and products. And you’ll see this in the food I highlight below. If she can support local businesses, she will.

Breakfast is obviously provided, and beginning in 2021, Glenegedale House also began offering dinner options. Do note that there are no lunch options. However, they can prepare a picnic basket if you’re looking to do that!

6.1 Breakfast offers at Glenegedale House

Pre-pandemic breakfast at Glenegedale House was a vast and lush buffet that people regularly rave about online. The buffet is no longer. But, if you think that removing a buffet means less food, you are absolutely wrong!

Breakfast is served between 7 – 8 am, also known as the absolute perfect time for breakfast. Retreating back into bed with a full belly is not only a good idea, it may even be recommended.

First up, baked goods. Each morning there are warm, straight-out-of-the-oven baked delights in a variety of shapes and flavors. During time my there, Emma delighted me every morning with my cup of coffee and the following baked goods:

1. Apricot and almond muffins;
2. Banana bread;
3. Fig and walnut bread.

Amazing tip for solo travelers – you still get 2 muffins and 2 pieces of fresh bread in the morning, same as the couple next to you. Basically, the one time known to mankind where being a solo traveler gives you some kind of a benefit! (ok, I digress…)

From then, you can take a gander at the breakfast menu for their mains:

1. Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs – Argyll Salmon smoked in Campbeltown with some of our own Glenegedale hen eggs scrambled with creme fraiche and a little salt and pepper and a slice of homemade brown bread;
2. Full Hebridean Breakfast – Smoked Ayrshire bacon, Glenegedale hen eggs (fried poached or scrambled), pork and herb sausage made by our local butcher in Bowmore, ove roasted tomato, Ramsay’s of Carluke Haggis, mushroom and a wee dish of Heinz baked beans;
3. Cheese Platter – A selection of cheese, served with a little fruit, homemade oatcakes, and a wee dish of chutney;
4. Eggs and Soldiers – 1 or 2 boiled eggs done as you like, with some freshly toasted bread to tip.

Or if a simple porridge and cream is your thing (or oatmeal for us Americans!), they also have Scotts Porridge Oats made slowly with water, served with cream and whisky (Laphroaig 10) on the side!

For a full Islay bed and breakfast experience, I would recommend the Full Hebridean Breakfast, paired with a side of porridge and whisky. For those who don’t know what Hebridean breakfast is, it’s your tried and true Scottish breakfast, but with ingredients from the Hebrides.

They also make their own poached fruits that go deliciously with the porridge. For me, it was plums with vanilla and cinnamon, rhubarb with root ginger, and pears with ginger and cloves. Sound too good to be true? Absolutely!

See how glorious Glenegedale House breakfasts are??

6.2 Dinners

Nowadays, dinner can be booked at Glenegedale House 6 nights a week. You can also do a meat and cheese board separate from their dinners.

At least once a week, there will be a seafood platter night. I would highly recommend ordering the seafood platter, as it is absolutely stunning! We’ll get to the seafood platter in a bit. For me, did I have both charcuterie and seafood platters (on different nights)? Obviously I did.

Have I also sampled dinners at Glenegedale House on my staycation stay there? Of course I did. I’ll give you a wee look into the dinners I’ve had at Glenegedale House.

6.2.1 Dinner at Glenegedale House

So far, I’ve had three delightful dinners with Emma and Graeme, two during my staycation and one as a guest of a guest a few weeks later. The quality of food is absolutely phenomenal and I genuinely enjoyed dining there!! Some things that you’ll see in the photos below:

• hand dived Islay scallop mornay (with melted, Isle of Mull cheddar);
• Dunlossit venison steak, with junipery Lussa Gin and Cairnmore Bay jus;
• Argyll smoked salmon tartare, with Lagavulin wild garlic pesto. The smoked salmon (smoked by Argyll smokery) has been smoked over Islay whisky barrel shavings, specifically for Glenegedale House!
• creme brulee with fresh raspberries and mint.

Some items not shown include Scottish cornfed chicken breast stuffed with cheese and herbs, along with sticky toffee pudding (my absolute favorite Scottish desert)!

6.2.2 The Meat and Cheese Board

The amazing thing about this charcuterie board are the deliciously local ingredients. We had meat and cheeses from Islay, the Isle of Mull, the Isle of Gigha, and New Lanark (on the mainland). Scottish food at its finest!

Also, the delicious oatcakes are Emma’s own recipe made from the peaty grist from Laphroaig! See how whisky pairs with basically everything?

For the baking savvy wanting to try to make Emma’s Hamlyn Oats and Laphroaig oatcakes, give it a try! For extra fun, she did a cooking demonstration recently on Facebook Live and walks you through the easy recipe!

6.2.3 The Seafood Board

Emma knew that I wanted to have a seafood dinner during one of my evenings. She suggested that I eat it on S & B’s last night (the other guests staying at Glenegedale), so that we could all enjoy our seafood dinners together. Having been to Kilchoman’s beach whisky tasting with S&B (and had delightful conversation over breakfasts and in passing), I thought that was a wonderful suggestion and happily agreed.

Before I get to the actual seafood dinner, I should give a brief intro into my excitement level leading up to this meal. Even though I was born in a landlocked state, I’m pretty confident that island life is for me. Everything about living on an island speaks to me – the water, the sand, the sun, the landscape. The food. But, specifically, the fresh seafood. My love of seafood is only outweighed by my ignorance at preparing it myself. I’ll need to work on this…

Back to this seafood dinner. So, island gal at heart, eyes sparkling, when this arrives:

If you’re confused at this, don’t be – this is 1 person’s portion. Even now, months later, I’m still rendered speechless at the sight of this.

(Internal dialogue – get it together and say something!)

Suffice it to really say, we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. The dinner had lots of laughter, so much warmth, and (at least for me) periods of standing up to make room for dessert.

Although I regularly boast about how much I can eat, I simply could not eat everything on this platter. Plus, there was still dessert! A delectable chocolate and Lagavulin mousse.

Emma suggested I make a sandwich for tomorrow’s lunch. Crab salad sandwich with all the fixings, here I come! Not to worry folks. If not for the crab sandwich, the chickens get the leftovers. So nothing goes to waste!

7. Glenegedale House – the farm

Since I spent so much time at Glenegedale House, the family thought it would be fun for me to go on a walk with their son, Cameron, as he feeds the animals. Cameron, a newly joined and super excited vet student, took me to see their baby chickens and sheep.

For those of us city slickers who don’t realize, raising animals can include submitting them into competitions (which may or may not include photo shoots with hair dryers and floofing), selling fertilized eggs online during the pandemic (so people can hatch chicks), sheering the wool off of sheep (which cost more than the wool itself), and putting trays and trays of fresh eggs in the honesty box out front.

All of this is new to me, and as Cameron unveils this secret world, I put together the pieces of the chicken photo shoot puzzle.

The day before, Emma told a story that she just got off a Zoom call when she sees her kids walk out back with a hair dryer and a brush. She doesna wanna know. And now, Cameron, talking about primping a chicken for a competition.

In fairness, it is a beautiful chicken.

When I refer to “the farm”, I mean that in actuality. In addition to chickens, roosters, and sheep, Glenegedale House also has a pair of horses. You’ll always cross paths with Millie, their daughter, with her shy smile on her horse.

All of these are delightful sights and experiences for someone who spends most of their time in cities (or conflict zones!). Not to mention, who doesn’t want to hold baby chicks while on holiday???

8. Things to do near Glenegedale House

Islay is a small island, sizewise. The below list is just showing what is within the vicinity of Glenegedale House. For other places on the island, which are easily accessible by car or bus from Glenegedale, I have written about them in other posts, here and here. Feel free to check it out!

8.1 Port Ellen

Port Ellen (actually pronounced POR-tellen) is one of the bustling towns on Islay – the other being Bowmore. You can find everything you need in Port Ellen – the post office, grocery stores, a gas station, and some delightful small businesses. In fact, Port Ellen may even be your first stop on Islay from the CalMac ferry.

I’m only listing my favorite businesses in Port Ellen below – there will be more soon, but I didn’t manage to visit during covid times!

8.1.1 Sea Salt Bistro

One of your meals on Islay has to be at Sea Salt Bistro. And I absolutely insist on this. Gorgeously fresh seafood, amazing service, and unforgettable food!

Do I still think of this seafood linguini every single day? Obviously, yes.

8.1.2 The Blue Letterbox

The Blue Letterbox is combination post office and gift shop, and is a must-visit for gifts from your stay in Port Ellen. The shop proudly showcases items from local producers from Islay, as well as nearby Colonsay and Jura.

For me, a couple of tea towels and some sea glass jewelry.

But not only that, there was a snafu when I visited – the Blue Letterbox also does currency exchange from USD to GBP when there are issues with the bank or ATM!

8.2 Distilleries near Glenegedale House

Islay currently has 9 distilleries, with three of them within walking distance of Port Ellen town! Not only are these the closest distilleries to Glenegedale House, but they’re also the three that comprise the Three Distilleries Walk. During that walk, you come by the southern Islay distilleries:

• Laphroaig – the super peated favorite of Outlander star, Sam Heughan,
• Lagavulin – a peated favorite of Parks and Rec star, Nick Offerman,
• Ardbeg – a distillery and whisky that is new to me! I have an unopened bottle of Ardbeg, An Oa, waiting for me.

You can also visit all of the distilleries individually, and by car. Don’t worry – if you’re the designated driver (or going solo like I do!) you can attend the tour and enjoy the tasting (more the smells, and perhaps a little sip). Your whiskies will come in a nifty to-go bottle so you can enjoy it later.

If you’re not a drinker, don’t worry – the walk is a delight in itself! But for me, I’m looking forward to visiting all three of these and learning more about their rich Islay and scotch history!

You also don’t need to walk there and back – take the bus! or call for a taxi! The walk is good to work off your whisky tastings and food you’ve eaten at one of the distilleries delicious restaurants!

Even though this is not a full distillery, it will be very soon! The old Port Ellen Distillery was first established as a malt mill in 1825 (with a stint in the middle distilling whisky). It was recently announced by Diageo that they would re-open Port Ellen as a whisky distillery. I think COVID has pushed back those plans, but keep your eyes open! Spirits coming soon.

8.3 The Big Strand Beach

Ok, everyone wants to stay at a place with a view, but what about a beach within walking distance?

I give you – the Big Strand Beach. Within walking distance of Glenegedale House. The best start to your morning, the best idea during your day, the best way to wind down for your evening.

8.4 Hike around the American Monument and the Mull of Oa

The Mull of Oa (pronounced “oh” haha) is a peninsula in the southwest of Islay. Located in between Glenegedale House and Port Ellen, it’s a nice afternoon hike out to the cliffs and the American Monument. You can even glimpse some highland coos up on the way to the monument. 

The American Monument, built in 1920 on the Mull of Oa, commemorates the loss of two American troop ships in 1918, bound for WWI. It sits on the edge of some cliffs on the southern part of Islay.

It’s a really nice walk up to the American Monument. Part of the way includes wooden planks, because of the (surely) wet and boggy lands.

8.5 Historical Sites near Glenegedale House

8.5.1 Dunyvaig Castle

Located on the shores of Lagavulin Bay is the ruins of Dunyvaig Castle. The castle was once the naval base of the Lord of the Isles. It was held by the chiefs of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, a branch of Clan Donald.

Though it’s possible to get to the castle itself (I didn’t), I understand that it’s a little precarious, due to some rocks. You can, but be careful!

8.5.2 Kildalton Cross

The Kildalton Cross is monolithic high cross in the form of a cross, located in the churchyard of a former parish church of Kildalton (pronounced Kil-DAL-ton). Let’s break down that description a bit,

• monolithic means it was formed by a singular, large block of stone;
• the term high cross describes a free-standing Christian cross, which is often highly decorated;
• a Celtic cross describes a Christian cross, with a ring, which was popularized in the early Middle Ages.

What makes the Kildalton Cross so special is that it was carved in the early 8th century AD, and (according to Wikipedia) is considered the finest surviving Celtic cross in Scotland, and “one of the most perfect monuments of its date to survive on Western Europe.”

Gorgeous deer with stnning eyelashes on my way to Kildaton Cross. Same deer, different lens.

8.6 Other notables on Islay (and neighboring Jura!)

As I said earlier, Islay is not a big island. While the above is just a list of things to do near Glenegedale House, everything on the island is easily accessible, anywhere you stay. The below list of places stood out to me, as places I would definitely visit again next time on Islay, and places I’d love to visit once they’ve re-opened for COVID times.

8.6.1 Bowmore

• Spirited Soaps! A locally owned soap shop, which includes Islay and Jura spirits in their soaps and personal care products.
• Peatzeria – need I say more from the name?
• Bowmore Distillery – the named after Bowmore, the capital of Islay. Can you think of a more classic whisky than a delicious Bowmore?

8.6.2 Rhinns of Islay and the Western side of the island

• Port Charlotte Hotel – an amazing bed and breakfast, with a famous whisky pub and live music!
• Bruichladdich Distillery – with their famous light blue bottling and Octomore, heavily peated brand,
• Kilchoman Distillery – Islay’s farm distillery – they grow most of their own barley and have a traditional malting floor!
• Portnahaven – fishing village, with views of the lighthouse and the place for seal sighting!

8.6.3 The Northern part of the island

• Caol Ila Distillery – the main spirit inside Johnnie Walker’s Black Label! Whisky lovers, did you know that?? Currently closed for renovations;
• Bunnahabhain Distillery – another whisky that I know very little about, and am excited to learn more! If you happen to visit the distillery, I hear there is a shipwreck on the beach nearby!
• Ardnahoe Distillery – Islay’s newest distillery! Their whiskies are in the process of maturing right now, but the distillery and shop have a delicious cafe, with a gorgeous view out to Jura.

8.6.4 Nearby Jura

• Lussa Gin – continue your hunt for great spirits (with great stories) on the neighboring island of Jura!
• Jura Distillery – visit the distillery, whose whisky was a source of comfort through first lockdown! Jura, the Sound, was the last bottle I picked up at duty free on my way to lockdown.
• The Jura Hotel – I didn’t get to visit during my time on Jura, but I hear their venison burgers are the highlight! Definitely coming back next time!
• Visit Barnhill – where George Orwell isolated himself and wrote 1984. It’s located off of a private drive (and involves a hike if you want to see the house ).

8.6.5 Map for your Islay holiday

9. Parting Thoughts on Glenegedale House

I was so happy to stay at Glenegedale House during my first trip to Islay, and again when I needed a little staycation. There are so many things that I loved! From Graeme and Emma’s kind and warm hospitality, to the constant flow of fresh baked goods, hot coffees, and rich whiskies. They were the kind of hosts that make you feel like family, rather than a visiting guest!

Emma’s smile and laughs are extremely contagious and can fill any room. They were always quick to help (i.e. my bank snafu) or get another whisky (“in 2 shakes”, as Emma always says). And they give the best itinerary suggestions if you haven’t fully researched your trip yet!

There is a reason Glenegedale House won Scotland’s Most Hospitable B&B Award. It is truly a wonderful place to stay, and the best luxury accommodation on Islay!

10. Important details for your stay at Glenegedale House

Glenegedale House
Isle of Islay
Argyll, PA42 7AS

Contact:
Email: info@glenegedalehouse.co.uk
Tel: +44 01496 300 400
Mob: +44 07554 669 664

Due to covid, Glenegedale House has flexible booking terms. Send them a note if you have questions! And follow them on Social Media below!

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• Link
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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

But before I begin, I know we Americans want to pronounce Charlotte like SHAR-lett (in the same vein of Charlotte McDougal York from Sex and the City).  But I’m here to tell you that that on Islay, it’s pronounced more phonetically – CHAR-lett.  Say it out loud.  Port CHAR-lett.  Now you’ve got it. And now, onto my stay at the Port Charlotte Hotel.

did you say it right?

1. Where is Port Charlotte, Islay?

Port Charlotte is a village located on the western side of Islay, on the Rhinns of Islay (a peninsula that juts out from the rest of the island).  Now, Islay is not a big island, and you can probably drive the whole length of the island in about an hour.  But believe me – it’s a different feel on the other side of the island! 

1.1 How to reach Port Charlotte by Ferry / Car

If your ferry disembarks from Port Askaig, it will take you about 25 minutes to reach Port Charlotte. From the ferry port, head south on A846 for 7.8 miles, and then turn right at Bridgend onto A847 and continue west for 7.7 miles.

If you’re coming from Port Ellen, it will take you about 30 minutes to Port Charlotte. Since Port Ellen is at the southern tip of the island, you’ll drive north on B8016 (the funnest straight road to drive in Islay) for about 9 miles. You’ll reach the end of B8016, and take a slight right onto A846 for 0.7 miles. As you reach Bridgend, you’ll turn left on A847 and continue west for 7.7 miles.

1.2 How to reach Port Charlotte from the Islay Airport

When you exit the airport, turn left onto A846. After about 5 miles, you’ll begin to enter into the town of Bowmore. Turn left onto Main Street in Bowmore (at the round church).

If you want a little stop on Main Street Bowmore, check out Spirited Soaps, for some homemade soaps with your favorite Islay and Jura whiskies and gins as a base!

Once you hit the end of Main Street, A846 turns right and you continue on for less than 3 miles when you reach Bridgend, and turn left onto A847 for the last 7.7 miles of your journey onto Port Charlotte.

2. Port Charlotte Hotel Islay

When doing my research, the Port Charlotte Hotel Islay consistently came up as having amazing food, and a lively, award-winning whisky bar. Since its housed inside the village of Port Charlotte itself, it’s a really social place to stay in Islay. Delightful hotel, amazing food, and a village-watering-hole feel?  Yes, yes – that’s kind of exactly what I’m looking for.

When I arrived in Port Charlotte, I immediately fell in love with the village.  With gorgeous white-washed houses, and stunning views of the bay, it was almost like a Scottish version of Santorini.  Of course, with different weather.  Normally, the Port Charlotte Hotel has both outdoor dining and a dining conservatory with views of the bay. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the village of Bowmore across the sea. 

Now that you have a feel of the place, onward to my stay!

3. My Stay at the Port Charlotte Hotel Islay

I stayed at the Port Charlotte Hotel Islay for two nights in August 2020, for £180 per night in the high season.  This included an amazing breakfast, which I’ll get to as well.  To skip everything and jump down to the costs, click here.

As a result of COVID-19, check in took place from behind a plexiglass window, with hand sanitizers around.  I was given my key and check in papers in a sealed envelope.  This is the world of hospitality now. 

The envelope included information about their COVID-19 safety measures, as well as a dinner menu.  I made dinner reservations in advance, as was suggested by the hotel a few days prior.  If you know me, you know I love making reservations in advance, even if it’s not required.  I like to know where my next meal comes from.

After arriving in Room 1 and taking a luxurious soak in the bath tub, I was ready to relax in my room and take in the stunning views.  By that time, the weather changed, and it became a rainy and extremely stormy rest of the afternoon.  From the bed, I could look out to the Islay lighthouse, and watch the ebbs and flows of the stormy sea.  So relaxing. 

And the next thing you know, it’s time for dinner. 

4. Dining at the Port Charlotte Hotel, Islay

Even before I stayed at the Port Charlotte Hotel, I already heard about its legendary meals. Chef Chris Martin is the brainchild behind the hearty and delicious traditional Scottish fare at the Port Charlotte Hotel.

Below is a collage of my meals during my stay.

Since I don’t know if you’re viewing this on your phone or a laptop, i’ll just share what you may find in these photos:

• two full Scottish breakfasts – why two? because they were both AMAZINGLY delicious and I obviously had to share;
• the interior of the restaurant in the Port Charlotte Hotel Islay;
• Dinner consisting of:
  • hand dived scallops with black pudding bonbon,
  • chocolate lava cake for dessert,
  • a rob roy chicken (don’t know what that is? I wrote about it before, here);
• Another dinner consisting of: seafood chowder (smoked haddock, salmon, prawns), and traditional fish & chips (Islay ale battered haddock).

Do you see what I mean about the delicious food on offer at Port Charlotte Hotel Islay?? Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, the restaurant is an institution on Islay and you just absolutely have to eat there!

The menu changes per season and dinner mains range from 14 GBP to 30 GBP ($19 USD to $40 USD),

For those on Islay now, they’re currently open for takeaway!

5. The Port Charlotte Bar

If you wanna experience village life, there is no better place than the bar at the Port Charlotte Hotel. Don’t let the photos lead you astray. It was empty in the below photos only momentarialy, and then locals and tourists alike began to meander in. Warmed by the roaring fire and smokey, peaty whiskies, this was the perfect place to spend an afternoon while the rain and wind kept most of us inside.

I was in the mood for a peaty whisky to warm me up. It’d been a driech few months of rain and wind, and that day in Islay was no different. Gary, the bartender, recommended the Ardbeg 10. He served it alongside some pleasant conversation. Gary is a former police officer (not from Islay), who walked into the bar five or six years ago, and as the story goes, he never left.

Back to the Ardbeg 10. Vanilla and heavily peated, with a finish that’s been described as,

“Long and glorious; sea salted caramel and beach bonfire smoke.”

Master of Malt

Perfect for a cold and windy Islay day.

6. Distilleries and brewery near Port Charlotte Islay

If you’re staying on Islay, of course whiskies or other adult beverages have to be on your itinerary. Here’s a list of all the whisky and gin distilleries, and one craft beer brewery, on this side of Islay. Easily to reach from your comfy, cozy room at the Port Charlotte Hotel.

6.1 Kilchoman – Islay’s Farm Distillery

I had the pleasure of touring Kilchoman when I visited Islay in July 2020. Known as Islay’s farm distillery, Kilchoman is proud to grow most of their own barley on their farmlands. I bet you didn’t realize that most of distilleries buy their barley! Not only that, Kilchoman is one of the only distilleries that still has a traditional malting floor, to malt their own barley.

Not only did I tour the distillery, but I also did a tasting on the beach at Machir Bay with them. It was an absolute joy and highly recommended when the weather warms up! Loved trying their Machir Bay single malt in Machir Bay!

6.2 Bruichladdich Distillery

I first became familiar with Bruichladdich, when a friend brought their famous blue “The Classic Laddie” bottle back from a duty free shop in the airport. The distillery produces three different brands of whiskies, which ranges from unpeated to super heavily peated whiskies:

• Bruichladdich (pronounced BROOK-laddie) – an unpeated, single malt Scotch;
• Port Charlotte – the heavily peated, single malt;
• and Octomore – the super heavily peated, single malt.

Currently, the distillery is closed to visitors (due to pre-planned construction in 2020). But is anticipated to reopen in 2021!

The Botanist Gin from Bruichladdich

One of the things I really wanted to do on Islay (but no, coronavirus had other plans) was to go on a foraging walk with the people who make The Botanist Gin. Made with 22 types of botanicals by the people at Bruichladdich Distillery, The Botanist is one of two Islay gins.

To me, gin is more of a spring and summer drink. Can’t wait for some warm sunshine to go with a refreshing G&T!

6.3 Nerabus Islay Gin

The other gin produced on Islay is from Nerabus. Their shop and visitor center is located in Bridgend. Not really on the Rhinns peninsula, but pretty darn close!

I’ve never tried Nerabus Gin, but it is the only dedicated gin production on Islay! Made in small batches with luscious spring water on Islay, Nerabus gin is infused with wild Islay heather.

6.4 Islay Ales

Well, if Nerabus Islay Gin is not technically on the Rhinns peninsula, then neither is its neighbor – Islay Ales. But, in the spirit of spirits on “this side” the island, Islay Ales is the only brewery on Islay.

Their beers, like whisky, comes from barley. The barley in Islay Ales – yep, you guessed it – comes straight from the island.

You can fine Islay Ales across the island and enjoy a tasting flight at the brewery itself. Here’s me, cheersing the island, with their Big Strand Craft Lager.

7. Other things to do near Port Charlotte Islay

1. Take a stroll on the beach! Machir Bay and Saligo Bay are nearby. White sands and clear blue waters sound more like the Caribbean than in Scotland. Don’t let the moody backdrop of the sky fool you – it’s gorgeous in any weather.
2. Go back in time with a vist to the Museum of Islay Life, right in Port Charlotte.
3. Go way further back in time, at the Kilnave Chapel and Cross. The chapel dates to the late 14th century, whereas the cross was built between the 5th – 8th century.
4. See some seals lounging around in and around Portnahaven and its neighboring village, Port Wemyss. Stroll along the coast to see views of the Rhinns of Islay lighthouse.
5. Spend the day observing some wildlife at Loch Gruinart nature reserve.

It’s easy to venture beyond Port Charlotte and the Rhinns to the rest of Islay. To help plan your trip, check out my Ultimate Guide to Islay.

8. Parting thoughts on my stay at Port Charlotte Hotel Islay

If I could sum up my stay at the Port Charlotte Hotel Islay, I’d have to say it was:

cozy

homey

warm

delicious

If this is what you’re looking for, with a side of a lively village bar, the Port Charlotte Hotel Islay is absolutely your place!

9. Important details for your stay at Port Charlotte Hotel Islay

Port Charlotte Hotel
Port Charlotte,
Isle of Islay,
PA48 7TU.

Contact:
Email: info@portcharlottehotel.co.uk
Tele : +44 01496 850360

Cost:

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Given the current situation in Myanmar, I cannot recommend making any travel plans to this country. Please refer to your government’s travel safety guidelines ahead of making any travel plans.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

The Hotel G Yangon

1. Rooms and Costs info for Hotel G Yangon

There are four types of rooms at the Hotel G, which range from $75 – 135 USD. This is generally more expensive than your regular hotels or guesthouses in Myanmar. The four rooms are classified as:

• The Good Room
• The Great Room
• The Greater Room
• The Greatest Room

I stayed in the “Good Room” for 3 nights. It was $86 USD a night, which included breakfast (for a total of $259 USD).

I requested an airport transfer to the hotel, which the hotel arranged for $25 USD (for 2 people). If your flight arrives to Yangon in the middle of the night, there is an extra $5 surcharge. Personally, I like to be picked up at the airport, so I don’t have to haggle with taxi drivers after a long flight. I will warn you, however. $25 USD represents a great premium in Myanmar. In comparison, when I took a taxi back to the airport from the hotel taxi stand, it only cost 10,000 ks or $6.60 USD.

Behold – a tour of the Good Room at Hotel G Yangon.

Watch this video on YouTube.

As you can see, the room was small but quaint. The rain shower had great pressure and the water was super hot. I also had no issues with their wifi.

There was only one bad experience. I pulled down the shades in the evening, and noticed a bunch of these tiny little gnats or bugs outside the window. Like TONS. Some had come through cracks and were all over the desk area. I was on my way out to do some sunset photography, so the hotel said they would take care of it while I was gone. I think that’s some kind of euphemism for “spray the area”. And sure enough, they took care of it. And there were no more occurrences the rest of my trip, except the occasional one or two.

2. Babbet Restaurant

In the lobby of the Hotel G Yangon, is Babett Restaurant and Bar – a great combination of Burmese and western foods. I give a short introduction to Babett in my Yangon Foodie Guide. Breakfast was included in my nightly, and consists of one hot dish (either eggs, pancakes, some Burmese dishes, etc) and then a buffet of fruits, salad and different pastries and breads.

After hotel breakfast service is finished, Babett opens for brunch, popular with locals and expats alike. Having stayed at the hotel, I only ate their free breakfast, but will definitely try the brunch the next time I go back to Yangon! I also ate lunch there on the first day, and of course ate things that I can’t get in Kabul, and that I haven’t had in a long, long, long, long, long time. Roasted asparagus, and spaghetti carbonara. Amazing, and everything that I needed. At night, Babett is also a great place for a wine and a dessert after a day of sightseeing.

3. The Gym at Hotel G Yangon

The room wasn’t big enough for me to do yoga, however fear not! There is a gym on the 1st floor, which is free for hotel guests, and open 24 hours. I mostly only do yoga, so I have zero qualms about wearing flip flops to the gym, knowing that I’m going to do yoga barefoot. I think the attendants were very concerned about me potentially working out in flip flops, and kind of freaked out. After far too much explaining, they let me go to the yoga/pilates studio in my flip flops.

The other downside: the gym blasted the loudest heavy metal music, even though I was the only person there. I could hear it through my earphones, even with the door to the yoga studio closed. Absolutely unnecessary.

My apologies for not including any reviews or descriptions of gym equipment. The gym is actually a membership-fee based gym for people not staying at the hotel. It looked like there was a lot of equipment. But both times that I went to the gym, there wasn’t anyone else in there, so I can’t really comment on how good the equipment was.

Parting Thoughts on my stay at Hotel G Yangon

Yes, there were some mildly annoying parts of my stay. Those annoyances are more of a “Southeast Asia” thing, rather than actual fault of the hotel (or gym). Having lived in Southeast Asia for many years myself, these small things are kind of unavoidable sometimes. At least it was sorted out in the end.

The hotel itself was very stylish and modern, with nice amenities, which is exactly what I was looking for. The staff were very nice and extremely helpful. The location can’t be beat – within walking distance of some Yangon favorites, like Xi Yang Yang, and a quick $2 USD taxi ride to others, like Rangoon Tea House. In case you’re in the mood to stay in, Babbet is a great option on par with other Yangon favorites.

Although it’s more expensive than local guesthouses, it’s a great boutique hotel. I’d definitely stay here again! If you’d like to too, click here to make a booking!

Disclosure: Please note that the above booking link in this post is an affiliate link and if you go through them to make a booking, I will earn a commission. I share these links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Looking for food recommendations for Yangon? Look no further than my Yangon Foodie Guide!

Thinking about staying at the Hotel G Yangon?

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

My guide, Aslay, was from Dhaandhoo.  He explained that Dhandhoo was the third largest island in the Maldives, with 2,500 people.  I couldn’t verify that information anywhere online, and I don’t know if he was talking about third largest in terms of population or size.  But, that’s what he said and for the sake of this post, let’s say it’s true.

Even though Dhaandhoo is one of the largest, you can walk across it relatively easily within 20 minutes.  There are motorbikes on the island, but no cars.  The streets are actually crushed coral and sand. Most of the people on the island are fisherman, as that was the only industry available to them.  There are some shops on the island and one guesthouse.  Aslay is probably related to everyone on the island, and we visited his mothers house and his house.  Everywhere we stopped, someone was there to give us something to eat.

You’ll see many lounging chairs made of metal and netting. Aslay explained that mostly, in the afternoon, you’ll find women lounging in these chairs, watching the world go by. I never did see a woman lounging, but I did see a lot of lounge chairs.

The 2004 tsunami destroyed many of the houses in Dhaandhoo. Foreign aid and donors rebuilt most of the houses with aid money, which Aslay calls “tsunami houses”.  

Photo Journal

This is my photo journal of my trip to Dhaandhoo.  What life is like in the Maldives, outside the resorts.  

Share what the Real Maldives is like and pin it!

To see what life is like on the other side, in the resorts, see my post about Park Hyatt Hadahaa.

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

As a solo traveler, I am usually the only single person wherever I go.  Saying that I need a “table for 1” does not bring me much discomfort. Not as much as the person on the receiving end of that statement.  There’s usually this “Oh” look.  Being the only solo traveler at the Park Hyatt Maldives, a luxurious five-star resort, just put a spotlight on my singleness and being self-partnered.  

My sister reminded me that I tend to choose honeymoon destinations to vacation in… Fiji, the Cook Islands, Hawaii?  Hmm.. she wasn’t wrong…  maybe it was me.  This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy myself, I definitely did.  It was everything that I wanted.  So without further ado, here is everything on my trip, from costs to food to activities. Enjoy!

1. Costs

1.1 Flight to Male

The Park Hyatt Maldives was a reward to myself for completing my first year contract in a conflict zone.  It was luxurious, extravagant, and everything that I wanted my reward trip to be.  I remember buying my plane tickets to Male (the capital of the Maldives).  During the first bad week I had in Afghanistan, there was a flight sale from Abu Dhabi to Male.  I jumped on it. For $625 USD on Etihad, I had a flight for one day after my contract ended.  November 2.  

1.2 Park Hyatt Maldives

A few months later, Hyatt announced it was reevaluating their points. I hurried up and booked the Park Villa at the Park Hyatt Maldives at 25,000 points a night.  It is now 30,000 points a night for a Category 7 hotel.  Since I had points from both my Chase Sapphire card (which has a 1-to-1 transfer to World of Hyatt points) and my Hyatt card, it was easy for me to book 5 nights with points only.   I promised to always be transparent about my costs. So, here is what I spent on six nights in the Park Villa and two nights in the Overwater Sunset Villa.

• Park Villa – 125,000 points (5 nights @ 25,000 points per night)
• Park Villa – $760 USD (1 night)
• Overwater Sunset Villa – $2,945 (2 nights @ $1,472.50 USD per night)
• plus taxes.

1.3 Domestic Flight

On top of these costs is $520 USD transfer fee, per person.  This includes a domestic flight on Maldivian Airlines from Male to Koodhoo, and a speedboat transfer from Koodhoo to the resort on Hadahaa.  

1.4 Conclusion on Costs

Yes, this is extremely extravagant.  I’m fully aware, but my first year in a conflict zone was something worth celebrating.  I doubt my second year anniversary trip will be nearly as extravagant, and significantly less to celebrate.

Just a final thought on the costs – when you receive the bill at the end, it will be a surprise (22% service and taxes is a shock), as it was to the American couple I shared the trip back with.  But know that you’ve committed to spending money on this holiday and don’t be crass and sit there with a calculator and the bill, adding up everything one by one.  Mistakes can be made, but also remember, with service and tax, that’s already adds 22% to everything.  If you’ve committed to this holiday, then embrace it. There’s nothing worse than ending a holiday on a sour note.

2. Arrival to Male

The day of travel, I left Abu Dhabi in the morning and arrived in Male around 2 pm.  It was easy enough getting through immigration and customs.  Because the Maldives is a Muslim country, there is a prohibition of alcohol, which makes it only accessible on the resort islands.  As a traveler, you cannot even bring alcohol into the country.  (And thank goodness I didn’t buy that duty free whisky I was eyeing to save on drink costs…)

An attendant from Park Hyatt met me at the Male airport, and immediately identified me and waved to me as I walked out of customs.  “How did you know who I was?” I asked.  He said I was the only single woman deplaning and it had to have been me.  That was blunt.  But also, likely accurate.  

He escorted me to the Maldivian Airlines counter, where I dropped off my luggage and received my boarding pass in return.  He then brought me up to the lounge, which was comfortable, but not particularly exciting.  The buffet began serving food at 3 pm, which consisted of simple sandwiches and little cakes.  I promptly ate about 5 tuna sandwiches, knowing that I would arrive at the hotel very late.

3. Welcome to the Park Hyatt Maldives

Fast forward a domestic flight (with one stop in the middle), and a speedboat ride entirely in darkness, we arrived at the Park Hyatt Maldives around 9 pm.  Yes.  I had been traveling all day by then.  

Something to note – the time zone on the resort islands is one hour ahead of Male (the capital).  They said it had something to do with more sunlight during the day.  This, by the way, made it extremely confusing.  For some reason, I found it difficult to adjust my apple products.  When you turn off the “set automatically” time setting, it asks you for a time zone.  I couldn’t find a time zone that aligned with one hour ahead of Male.  (Further east, you have India and Sri Lanka, who have an extra 1/2 hour, just like Kabul).  Anyway, it’s possible, but in the end, my watch and iPad were at the correct time, but I could never get my phone right.  

Sunny, my host for the week, greeted me and whisked me away in a golf cart directly to my villa.  She explained everything on the island and gave me a quick overview of the resort.  She was absolutely wonderful and would help me with everything all week long.  I regret not taking a photo with her in the end.  Whichever host you end up with, you’ll be in great hands!  That, I am entirely sure of.  

4. My typical day at the Park Hyatt Maldives

4.1 Breakfast

For those staying in the Overwater Villa (or for Globalists in the World of Hyatt program, which I am not), breakfast is included.  Breakfast comprises of two hot plates for order and anything in the buffet, which had breads, croissants, a variety of tropical fruits and yogurts, and meats and cheeses.  For those who have to pay for breakfast, you can either order ala cart or the breakfast buffet (described previously) at $38 USD.  Hyatt adds service (10%) and tax (12%) on top of that, so breakfast usually runs $46 USD.  After a few days, they knew my usual, which was a coconut quinoa porridge, and some egg dish, with a side of pork bacon and French baguette.  I would drink a soy latte with my meal and a double espresso after my meal.  The servers were always great.  

Usually at breakfast, Sunny would come over to say hi.  So would Stavros, the new General Manager, who just arrived the day before me.  Stavros always checked in on me regularly, which I appreciated.  

After breakfast, I would go for a swim in the pool (there were two pools – one next to the Dining Room, where we had breakfast, and one next to the Spa.  I’d typically choose the spa, being a little further away from people.). I’d take breaks from swimming and go back to reading.  

One day, I had an amazing massage at the spa.  (I received an email before I arrived saying if I pre-booked my spa appointment, I would get 10% off.  I did, but I don’t think the systems are connected. The Spa never actually received my appointment.  They gave me the 10% off regardless.). Sometimes, I would be at the cabana reading, depending on the location of the sun.  By afternoon, when the cabana no longer offered any shade, I would retreat to my villa.  The sun in the Maldives is no joke, considering how close it is to the equator.  

I typically only had two meals a day while there, either breakfast and lunch or breakfast and dinner.  This was because breakfast was already enormous, with two entrees.  And generally, I didn’t do much besides find a spot, lay there, and read.  

4.2 Activities

There are a variety of things to do during the day at the Park Hyatt Maldives… if you are in a couple.  Most of the activities on the island require a minimum of 2 persons to do.  The full list of activities is here.  This is obviously understandable. However, I stuck to mostly the solo activities, being unwilling to pay double or be the third wheel on a honeymoon.  There is a sunrise and sunset yoga offered on different days.  

You can borrow snorkeling gear at any time and keep it through the duration of your trip.  And the snorkeling in the area is amazing!  I wish my underwater camera worked so I could show you guys…(there was an error message with the SIM card).  But the schools of fish in neon blue and yellow were everywhere and would just swim around you, feeding on the coral below.  I didn’t know, but the Park Hyatt had just hired a marine biologist at the resort to help with coral conservation.  Apparently all the resorts are doing that nowadays, which is pretty great to hear.  Much of the Maldives is expected to be underwater by 2100…

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I had gone to register interest in visiting a local island, knowing that I would have to be a third wheel on someone else’s trip.  The next day, Stavros came to visit me at breakfast and said he had arranged for them to take me on my own.  That was exceedingly kind, especially knowing that the cost of the speedboat to take us to the local island, as well as the 4 staff on the boat itself and the guide himself… all of that must have added up.  But for $200 (plus service and tax), they were willing to take me.  (To see my photo journal of a local, Maldivian island, click here!)

Before dinner, I would always go out and shoot the sunset, which almost every night was a different color and absolutely stunning.  The two jetties on the island provided a good subject for my photos and therefore almost every sunset photo has the jetties in it.  

4.3 Dinner

For dinner at the Park Hyatt Maldives, you can either choose the Dining Room or the Island Grill.  There are also themed dinners, either at the Island Grill or out on the beach.  I attended the Maldivian local feast night, where I filled my plate to the brim with tuna, dosa, and random curries.  The Island Grill is built on sand itself, which was unfortunate as this was the only meal I wore shoes to. 

The majority of my dinners were at the Dining Room.  Toward the end, I discovered you could have really delicious ice cream for dessert at $4 a scoop.  Their coconut ice cream was absolutely amazing!

On my last night there, there was a cocktail reception on the beach.  They have these once a week, where they serve cocktails and small bites.  There are Maldivian drummers and dancers there to perform as the sun sets.  

5. Parting Thoughts

And that was how I spent 7 days in paradise at the Park Hyatt Maldives.  It wasn’t as isolated as I thought it would feel, for being near the edge of the known world.  Every where you go on the island, you are always connected to WiFi.  I was never out of contact with my friends and family in different parts of the world and different time zones.  Someone was always awake.  Secondly, the staff are very friendly and are always there for a nice chat.  

And the people watching was also something to look forward to on a daily basis.  

• There was a famous Croatian singer and her husband/partner, who did elaborate photo shoots that I found on Instagram.  
• There was a Korean woman and her husband/partner, who were in full gear, black body suits and head covers so that no sun would touch their bare skin, save for their feet.  They looked like they were going scuba diving, but actually were not.  They wore these into the pool, as well as the ocean.  
• There was the American family and their teenage daughter, who played a strange card game at dinner, and despite their best efforts, never got the gist of the game.  The night before, they couldn’t finish their soup, and asked the staff to save it for later. They couldn’t finish it because it had too much “spice”, specifically ginger.  When the server said they tossed it at lunch, they lamented over what a shame that was, and it was a perfectly good soup, if only there were less ginger.  Surprise, surprise, they got a free soup, with less ginger.  (I never knew that you could ask hotels to save something for later.  I always assumed it was a “eat it now or it will be lost” scenario.  And I think between the two of us, I am perhaps right.)

The Park Hyatt Maldives gives all guests a free voucher for a photo shoot and one free, printed 5×7. Knowing that the shots will be gorgeous, people obviously buy them.  So yes.  I did a photo shoot, and the shots were absolutely gorgeous.  And yes.  Of course, I bought some, in addition to my printed 5×7.  I rarely have photos taken of myself, so this was a great way to commemorate this trip.  

All in all, I had a wonderful time at the Park Hyatt Maldives, and for me, I knew what I was getting myself into, in terms of a) an expensive, but luxurious trip, and b) and isolated solo, yet kinda wonderful experience.  

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

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1. Arriving at the Hyatt Regency Cologne

The Hyatt Regency Cologne is located on the banks of the Rhine River, on the other end of the Hohenzollernbrucke (Hohenzollern Bridge).  In theory, it’s possible to walk from the Köln Hauptbahnof (main train station) to the Hyatt Regency.  You just need to walk about 20 minutes from the train station, across the bridge, which will take you directly to the Hyatt’s front door.  Me, I was carrying a ton of stuff for school and travel after.  The option I took was a quick taxi ride.

Lately, I’ve been trying to boost my Hyatt Points, having recently earned one anniversary night for free (and getting close to earning another night free).  So for 160 EUR a night, and a great proximity to the cathedral, the Hyatt Regency Cologne was the one for me.

Watch this video on YouTube.

2. Slight sign of trouble

When I first arrived in my room, I noticed that there were some spots on the bathroom floor.  I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but then I noticed more…

Suspicious right???  I called and asked to change rooms, and they were very apologetic about it and agreed to change to the room next door.  When we arrived next door, I inspected the floor and it was the same!  I was livid!  They called the head of housekeeping down and she explained that these dark spots were embedded in the stone – it wasn’t on top of it.  She even took out a cleaning cloth and tried rubbing one away … and it’s true.  The dark stains are not on the surface. 

BUT LOOK AT THE PHOTOS.  IT LOOKS SO REAL…

3. Kind gesture after a misunderstanding

I ended up staying in the second room – what was I to do?  Continue arguing?  no no…  A few hours later when I returned to the room, they had given me a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with a nice note.  Thank you!  That was kind… 

4. Room Service

It went great with my room service dinner, which was this amazing burrata, heirloom tomato salad and grilled salmon on wild rice.

I didn’t eat the rice … or the delicious looking garlic bread it came with.  Yes, I am trying to be a keto-friendly while traveling, which is not easy and not without effort. 

Right now, I’m currently drinking an iced tea with lemon sorbet in it.  Why?  Because I thought I had ordered a regular ice tea.  Some things get lost in translation, I suppose..

5. Keto friendly breakfast

But back to a side tangent of being keto friendly on the road… the Hyatt Regency makes it easy for me to eat keto friendly.  I had two breakfasts there – one where I ordered eggs and bacon, with a side of avocado, and one where I ate the breakfast buffet.  Both were delicious and exactly what I needed at that moment in time.  Remember though, it is the Hyatt Regency – so expect to pay upwards of 20 EUR for breakfast.

6. Sunset photos!

But back to the original reason for staying at the Hyatt Regency – amazing, super easy access to the riverfront area for sunset and sunrise photos!  There is a great riverfront area less than 2 minutes walking from the front door, with places for people to sit along the river.  The sun sets dierctly across the river and is busy around sunset.

And voila!  Sunset!

Parting Thoughts

All in all, it was a very comfortable stay at the Hyatt Regency Cologne. I’d stay there again!  It was touching that they gave a bottle of champagne for a misunderstanding.  And maybe, maybe I can see how those were the patterns in the stone.  But not all patterns in stone are obvious and look like patterns!  Some… just look like dirty spots…  But if they try to clean it in front of you and it still stays, maybe they’re telling the truth.  Thank you, Hyatt Regency Cologne for being so professional about this and not taking offense!  

Hotel Information:

Hyatt Regency Cologne
Kennedy-Ufer 2A, Cologne, Germany, 50679
Phone: +49 221 828 1234
Average King Room nightly rates: 149 EUR | $170 USD
World of Hyatt points: 15,000 per night
Category 4 Hotel

Sign up for a World of Hyatt Credit Card and receive up to 50,000 bonus points

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

The story begins with Italian developers in the late 1980s.  The Sheraton Resort was to be the crown jewel of the Cook Islands tourism industry and the island’s first 5-star resort.  With the resort almost 80% complete, construction stopped abruptly following allegations of mafia involvement and money laundering in Italy.  The Cook Islands government was left with $120 million in debt and almost bankrupted.  From talking to local Cook Islanders, this large debt would shape the trend of Cook Islanders immigrating to New Zealand that continues to this day.

From then, other people and companies tried developing and completing the property.  However, something always prevented the completion.  According to the rumor mill, old tribal rivalries led to the land being cursed and recently, re-cursed.  In this day and age, who knows whether curses are really true or not?

Today, the structure stands on a large, open property.  Instead of hotel guests, you’ll find company in a group of cows and goats roaming freely across the land.  Some locals do actually live on the property.  We understand that they struck a deal with the local government to stay there for free, in return for maintaining the lawn and the property.

I went with my tour friends, E and J. When we pulled up in E’s car, a woman greeted us and said it was 5 NZD to visit.  E and J were all about to prepare 5 NZD each, when I stuck out my arm to stop them. I didn’t say a word and handed the woman 5 NZD.  She took the money and then pointed where we could park the car.

E and J were a little stunned, but I later explained that this was not a sanctioned tourist site. It’s not like we are paying an advertised, public admission fee, which taxes on the fees would later be paid back to the Cook Islands government.  No no.  This was a woman, living in an abandoned property, and as part of her agreement to maintain the property, she can charge admission fees for whatever she wants.  I may be simplifying the scenario, but that was how I read it.  So remember, don’t always be so quick to take out your money!

In addition to the abandoned buildings, there is also what looks like a well-groomed BMX track.

Depending on how much you like poking through old, abandoned things, you could probably stay 20-30 minutes here, but probably not more than an hour.  If you’re in the area, and want to see something truly unique to the South Pacific, the Sheraton Cook Islands is for you.  (Incidentally, if you do the cross-island hike from N to S, you should cross through this toward the end…) 

However, if you want your image of Rarotonga to be an untainted, gorgeous paradise, then take a pass on this one.

Background information provided by:  The Guardian Newspaper

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/