- They are super environmentally aware, they encourage people to not use straws but the straws which they do have are biodegradable. They also advise people on the impact of washing their bed linen and towels daily and encourage not to do this.
- Every single restaurant has a full vegan menu!
- All of their toiletries and cruelty free and have the leaping bunny logo
- When you order room service for 2 during normal hours (i.e not late night dining) they bring your food up on a table which you can sit at! There’s also the option to have breakfast in your room and the same goes for this so you can eat on the balcony! I saw load of photos of people eating on their balcony on instagram and we had a junior suite so I thought we should have all bells and whistles and this is what I was seeing!
- I read quite a few posts enquiring on whether to tip in pesos or USD and we asked our butler, they 100% do not mind what you tip in, we had both, anyway point 5- there is no pressure or obligation to tip in this hotel the staff will still give you amazing service either way! They are so incredible we wanted to tip but don’t feel pressure!
- If you aren’t one to read through things there is a pillow menu, however the pillow on the bed is amazing either way!
- The gym provides earphones if you forget yours, there is yoga daily in the morning, a super mini spin studio in the gym and the equipment in there is pretty up to date!
- The hotel is only 6 years old so everything is quite brand spanking new as far as the lifespan of a hotel goes.
- All of the a la carte restaurants are first come first serve so no need to worry about booking, they have a beeper system if you have to wait. You can eat at them all as many times as you want! The sushi is absolutely incredible and I had 3 fillet steaks that week at the grill! Tacos daily on the lunch buffet and the guac is NOT extra and it comes by the barrel! The food is incredible here!
- There is USB connections in the rooms for charging so do not fret if you forget you plug adapters!
Tips on how to book a great trip with Love Holidays
I always get asked how I find such good deals for things and how it always looks like I’m going lovely places and if there is something which I want to do I will find a way of making it happen in the best way possible, it just takes patience and persistence. Apart from my most recent holiday to Mexico which was booked through British Airways I have always gone through Love Holidays. For me and my personal financial situation their low deposit and installment option works best for me and I find it the most affordable way to book something several months in advance and not have to pay the full balance up front or put anything on a credit card. I’ve booked many different trips with Love Holidays now and I have come up with a bit of a system that I wanted to share.
First up if possible I would really recommend doing this on a computer instead of a phone if possible it makes it a lot easier.
So go in to the site and set where it is that you want to go. When looking for a beach holiday I normally put anywhere in and then filter it down by minimum temperature and take it from there, if you know where you want to go then you can put in your specific location or you can also put in multiple locations too so its really flexible.
The next most important thing for me is to filter by star and filter by trip advisor rating, star rating of the hotel is something that will be different for person to person, I generally go 4* or above as in many countries the star rating standards are never as good as in the UK but that is of course each to their own, however Trip Advisor rating for me I find non negotiable, so filter it to 4 or above. 4 out of 5 really is the lowest I would go, 4.5 or higher and you know you’re playing it safe that its going to be pretty good.
There’s lots of different things that you can filter out for your requirements- that you do or don’t want on your holiday and once you have set the parameters sort by ‘Trip Advisor rating high to low’
This is a good way of those hidden gems coming to the top of the list instead of the most popular statistically, the cheapest or the biggest saving. I would do this first and then filter by price after if you wish and then you can cross reference against the ones which you saw high up the TA rating list.
Then in a separate window pull up trip advisor and have a little look through recent reviews, maybe read some of the bad ones to see if it’s people with way too high expectations or if they’re being ultra picky or just generally if their issue is something that wouldn’t bother you or the bad reviews genuine red flags about this hotel or resort. Have a look through the traveler photos too to give you a bit of an idea of what to expect.
Then lastly for good measure because I’m ridiculously anal and hate being disappointed when holiday time is so precious I go and see if they have an Instagram and have a nosy at what’s on there, have a look at people who have tagged them and also shots which are tagged at that location.
By this time you should know if you want to go to this place or not so if you do go through to the payment screen and select which deposit option you want to do as there is a few and you are good to go! Make sure when you select the room you pick the option with deposit option otherwise when you go to pay it won’t be there.
You can log in and pay more at anytime outside of the scheduled options and can pay off early too if you wish to, just got to ‘manage my booking’
Just a note to be aware of with flights-
Ryanair’s current baggage policy literally includes a small handbag- like the kind you would use day to day for phone, keys, makeup etc. If you want to take a hand luggage case as well the cheapest way to do this is add priority boarding, this adds a standard size hand luggage case per person.
With Easyjet it includes a standard hand luggage case with no weight restriction, however, if you have a handbag on you with you purse/passport in etc it must fit into your case before you board as to have 2 bags you must be an Easyjet plus passenger and this is a yearly membership.
For further info please check the airlines websites!
Love Holidays have a really good January sale too and other sales throughout the year so keep your eyes peeled for booster deals!
I hope this helps and you find some amazing deals!
Safe and happy travels!
Hx
Top Tips for Travelling from Gatwick Airport- South Terminal
Going to the airport can feel like a real chore sometimes, get up at an ungodly hour, sit in the car for ages and then spend a few hours in a crowded airport feeling restless to reach your destination! I hear you! That’s how I usually feel too but this time round I made sure that was not the case and my unwinding and relaxing started the second we arrived on the airport tarmac and I want to share my top tips with you guys too!
Before your trip download yourself the Gatwick airport app, it’s free to download and has so many handy features from where to eat and shop, live flight updates and reminders like on the day when its time to head to the gate so you don’t have to keep checking the boards, it has exclusive offers to take advantage of in and before the airport and links to book other airport services too!
I’m a bit of an obsessive planner as I hate stress and things not going right so I’m always one for being super organized when going away. I booked my parking way in advance and even got a discount code too. There’s often codes in the Gatwick app for parking discounts, allowing you to get the best parking for the best price! Of course we went for valet parking so all you have to do is drive in, drop off your car and jobs a good ‘un! It literally could not have been any more simple! Leaving the car for valet parking for 8 days and an add on of premium security only cost £62 with our discount code which I think was amazing value, so, top tip one- book in advance and look for discounts before booking anything- do your research! Ease and luxury does not need to break the bank when you’ve already shelled out for a holiday and if you are like me will be watching the pennies!
As I previously mentioned we added premium security as an add on in advance, for £5 per person we do this every time we travel anywhere, you can book this beforehand or do it on the day at the airport though if you just are not sure, you get more private and separate fast track lanes with little to no queue, it is much more swift and slick than normal security! An absolute must for the impatient and easily restless! There is also the option to do this for fast track passport control on the way home too so you can make an efficient airport experience go full circle. This too can be booked on the app and often has an offer active!
So once you’re through security what’s next? For some people its grabbing those Duty Free bargains, this airport has some lovely shops and shopping options with all the usual airport classics, Boots, Dune, Superdry and even a mini Harrods, but more me it’s getting a bite to eat and something to drink! There’s some kind of time/space continuum in the airport when you feel like you have no boundaries and anything goes regardless of time, all those travelers from over the world, it’s deffo 5 o’clock on someones watch! 6am, glass of wine? Totally acceptable.
You have your choice of eateries and watering holes here in the South Terminal, I had to narrow it down to a top 3 out of Nandos (they do a brekkie in the Airport alternate universe and it sounds awesome), Caviar House and Prunier (oysters and champagne are always a good idea) but I opted for pic number 1 – Grain Store. They have a really big and varied breakfast menu with so many options which spoke to my nutritionally conscious, gym bunny soul that I’m leaving on British soil so we decided to give it a go! NB- For all those ‘Spoons fans, the Wetherspoons app for table service works in the airport too so no queuing!
The service was amazing and the decor is lovely! It doesn’t feel like you’re in an airport with the rustic decor and low lighting! Add 2 Bloody Mary’s to the mix and we were feeling positively relaxed! (Just to add this was 44 minutes after pulling in to the car park! That’s how speedy a morning it was)
To eat I went for mushrooms on toast with poached eggs and J had the full english with added chorizo, the food came out really, really fast and was nicely presented and very tasty! I would recommend for a great spot to eat!
With all of our express services in tow and a 3 hour check in requirement we had quite a lot of time to kill so it was my good girlfriend to find my travel buddy and trusty chauffeur a good spot to rest his eyes so I went a did a little exploring or the airport lounges. I’d not used them before as I’m not usually traveling long haul but there are several different lounge options available for a charge and they a like a little piece of cosmopolitan luxury behind the scenes of the airport hustle and bustle. We looked at the No1 lounge and Clubrooms which has a couple of different options of £40 and £50 (less in advance online) and you get drinks, a beautiful setting, food and more, as we had already eaten this seemed like a waste on this occasion but the decor was extremely tasteful like boutique hotel bar and the Clubrooms brunch sounded lovely so this will be on our to do list for next time. Check out more info here
Instead we went to the My Lounge which was in a different area and had a little of a more relaxed vibe, with its scans-hygge style, it was cheaper which mades sense as we were using mainly for relaxing as we had full tummies and had a big empty squishy sofa with Jamie’s name on it. This one was £30 and you get to help yourself to a lovely breakfast buffet and bar, full equipped with the necessaries for Bloody Marys and Aperol Spritz’ in addition to all the classics from wine by the glass, draught beer and premium spirits to serve yourself with. I settled in with a cocktail and browsed the complimentary copy of Grazia and waited for my Gatwick app to tell me when it’s time to head to the gate!
Overall this was the most stress free airport experience I have ever had, easy parking, amazingly efficient service from the baggage check in with BA, speedy and security with a smile, a delicious meal, a morning washed in vodka and finished in the luxury of a premium lounge. If you have a holiday booked and you are traveling from Gatwick I hope some of these top tips help make you special experience start earlier and even more memorable.
Thanks for reading, safe travels and happy holidays, H x
Oat Flour Pancakes Recipe
Since this years Shrove Tuesday I am a complete pancake convert so I have teamed up with Buy Whole Foods Online and am going to make some delicious pancakes using Organic Wholegrain Oat Flour!
For this recipe you will need….
- 3/4 of a cup of Organic Wholegrain Oat Flour
- 2 table spoons of sugar
- A dash of salt
- 2 Teaspoons of baking powder (as oat flower does not contain gluten this helps them rise)
- 1 Cup of oat milk (any milk of choice will work)
- 2 Teaspoons of ACV or white vinegar (apparently activates the baking powder), I prefer white, tried both.
- 2 eggs
- A dash of olive oil
- Any flavorings you want to add to the mix… vanilla extract, cinnamon etc etc, I did mine plain
When I say a cup, I literally mean a bog standard mug! I’ve always thought how ambiguous ‘cup’ sounds in recipes!
Directions for the mix
Add ingredients 1 – 4 to a mixing bowl, that’s the Buy Whole Foods Online organic oat flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, mix together.
Add ingredients 5-8 to a mixing jug, whisk up until smooth and then gradually add the wet mix into the dry mix in the bowl, mixing as you go.
If you are flavouring stir in number 9 once your mix is made.
Let your mix rest for around 10 minutes, this helps the ingredients activate and thicken
Ladle onto a hot non stick griddle or pan, if using a pan spritz with fry light. You do not need much.
TIPS
- I found this batter still quite runny compared to traditional pancake mix and kept over pouring, you only need a tiny little bit of batter as it spreads and then the baking powder works it’s magic and they puff up, so if you want them round, less is more.
- Wait until the top starts to bubble before you attempt to flip
Flip them onto a plate, stack ‘em high, top with some extravagant toppings, DEVOUR.
For mine I went for greek yoghurt, berries, lemon curd and Buy Whole Foods Online edible dried red rose petals! For Jamie’s obviously all the sugar, syrup, lemon, berries and marshmallows!
Another of my favourites is banana, peanut butter, syrup and dark chocolate!
I did some research online as I’ve never used oat flour before and never made pancakes in general and took some top tips from other great bakers online (who I will credit in links at the end) to make the recipe and took some of my own shortcuts too!
Pancake options are so endless, once you have your fluffy little cakes what you top them with is totally open to experiment!
What other recipes do you guys love to make with oat flour? What’s your favourite topping?
Thanks for reading! Tag me on instagram in your creations @misshollyp
H x
For my research and inspiration a huge thanks to https://julieharringtonrd.com/oat-flour-pancakes/
https://www.thedishonhealthy.com/2018/02/07/oat-flour-chocolate-chip-pancakes/
Low Fat Beetroot Hummus Recipe
Everyone loves a good hummus and with the addition of buy whole foods online beetroot powder it adds the fabulous bright pink shade you only get from beetroot! Using the powder is a quick, easy and clean way of adding its superfood benefits to any dish! Hummus is a super cheap, quick and easy thing to make and perfect for starters, snacking, picnics and entertaining! This recipe is vegan too so suits all dietary needs! So why not follow my simple recipe and delight your tastebuds! The best bit… no ACTUAL cooking required!
Serves 3+
Prep Time- 5 Mins
Cook Time- 2 Mins
Ingredients-
- 1 Clove of garlic
- 1 Tin of chickpeas
- 2 Tablespoons of tahini paste
- Olive oil spray
- 1 tablespoon of buywholefoodsonline.co.uk Beetroot Powder
- A generous dash of almond milk
The preparation really could not be easier! Grab your food processor, open you chick peas, toss them in the blender, add the garlic clove, buywholefoodsonline.co.uk beetroot powder, olive oil spray, tahini paste and almond milk. I also season with salt and pepper. Then BLITZ! After blending check your texture and if it’s too thick add a little more almond milk. The reason I use almond milk is to give it that nice creamy texture without the added fat and calories of the usual olive oil- hence making it lower in fat and calories 🙂
I chose to serve mine up with crudités and homemade tortilla chips but hummus is one of the most versatile things out there! Add to sandwiches, wrap and salads for extra colour and flavour!
How easy was that? Are you trying out this recipe? What other types of hummus have you tried or want to see?
I’ve linked to buywholefoodsonline.co.uk so you can grab your beetroot powder and browse all their other amazing ingredients too!
Thanks for reading,
H x
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