Paul Johnson, Author at A Luxury Travel Blog : A Luxury Travel Blog

Short stay: Stoke Park Country Club, Spa and Hotel, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, UK

By Paul Johnson on Aug 15, 2018 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Going Out, Hotels, Leisure Travel, Regions, Restaurants, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Famed for its appearances in numerous films – Bridget Jones’s Diary, Goldfinger, Tomorrow Never Dies, Layer Cake and more – Stoke Park is clearly a firm favourite with Pinewood Studios (just 5 miles away) and the British film industry. But if appearances in major movies wasn’t enough to convince you, Britain’s first country club’s many […]

Special feature: The Hayloft, Cumrew, Eden Valley, Cumbria, UK

By Paul Johnson on Jul 29, 2018 in Accommodation, Attractions, Europe, Family Travel, Featured, Going Out, Leisure Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

Our latest trip was to the Eden Valley on the eastern side of Cumbria. Whilst many visitors to the county head for the Lake District, areas that are peripheral to the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site are often overlooked. Those who venture further afield than the confines of the National Park are rewarded with […]

The Greek gods’ answer to luxury accommodation in Thessaloniki

By Paul Johnson on Jul 27, 2018 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Greece, Hotels, Regions, Western Europe

Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki, is impossible not to fall in love with. Even the ancient Greek gods could watch over it tenderly from their home on Mount Olympus. Thessaloniki is the Balkans’ answer to Istanbul; a beautiful melting pot of different cultures, architectural genres, where ancient wonders blend seamlessly with outstanding modern architecture. Thessaloniki […]

Luxury travel treats: Lumie Zest light, Bugaboo Fox pushchair and more

By Paul Johnson on Jul 25, 2018 in Accessories, Featured, Gadgets, Regions, Travel Equipment

The focus for this week’s round-up is on products that make travel a little easier, whether it be a gadget to combat jet lag, a travel pushchair system that makes trips with little ones more bearable, portable skin care products or even iPhone wires that last. We hope you find something here that enables you […]

How to plan for a retirement filled with luxury travel

By Paul Johnson on Jul 20, 2018 in Featured, Travel Miscellany

Ever wondered how some people seemingly manage to enjoy a life of perpetual luxury travel? Do you look at those Facebook posts from your friends that show they’re living the life of Riley and wonder ‘how?’, or get Instagram envy whenever you see yet another beautiful photograph from some far-flung destination? I talked about some […]

Luxury travel treats: COSMIQ+ dive computer, Go Dash Dot infinity bag and more

By Paul Johnson on Jul 18, 2018 in Accessories, Featured, Gadgets, Travel Equipment

Are you enjoying Summer as much as we are?! Many parts of the world are enjoying record temperatures as we find ourselves in an unusually prolonged and broad heatwave, affecting much of Europe, Africa and North America. Even northern Russia saw exceptionally warm weather whilst hosting the World Cup. To make the hottest La Niña […]

Russian dining at Moscow’s Matryoshka restaurant

By Paul Johnson on Jul 11, 2018 in Eastern Europe, Europe, Featured, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Russia, Travel Miscellany

In the shadow of Moscow’s landmark Radisson Royal Hotel, and right in the heart of historic and business district of the city, lies the two-storey Matryoshka restaurant by Maison Dellos. It opened its doors in February 2017 under the supervision of Vlad Piskunov – an author of various cookbooks and presenter of a number of […]

Luxury travel treats: Summer essentials

By Paul Johnson on Jul 11, 2018 in Accessories, Clothing, Featured, Gadgets, Travel Equipment

Have you been enjoying the sunshine lately, or are you heading for sunnier climes? With Summer in full flow in many parts of the world right now, we’ve decided a round-up of luxury travel treats that has a focus on ‘Summer essentials’ would be rather fitting. With these ideas, you can have fun, stay cool […]

VDNH: a celebration of Soviet Russia

By Paul Johnson on Jul 06, 2018 in Attractions, Eastern Europe, Europe, Featured, Going Out, Regions, Russia

Located in the Ostankinsky District of Moscow, to the north of the city centre, VDNH lies less than a kilometre from Ostankino Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in Europe. Originally opened in August of 1939, and with a major impetus to revive the area since 2014, this ‘Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy’ is […]

Moscow’s Ukrainian restaurant… complete with resident cow!

By Paul Johnson on Jul 02, 2018 in Eastern Europe, Europe, Featured, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Russia, Travel Miscellany, Ukraine

If you’re looking for a dinner with a difference, head to Shinok Restaurant (Ресторан Шинок) on Moscow’s Year 1905 Street. This Ukrainian restaurant first opened its doors in 1997 and, despite its modest red brick appearance, is one of the most iconic places to dine in the Russian capital. On entering, you make your way […]

Inside the luxury hotel where Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un will meet

By Paul Johnson on Jun 06, 2018 in Accommodation, Asia, Bars, Celebrities, Events, Featured, Going Out, Hotels, Leisure Travel, Regions, Resorts, Restaurants, Singapore, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany

It has been announced that the historic meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un scheduled for later this month will take place at the five-star Capella Hotel Singaporean island of Sentosa. It will be the first time that a North Korean leader has met with a sitting US president. Sentosa is one of 63 islands […]

TSUM: Moscow’s most fashionable department store

By Paul Johnson on May 16, 2018 in Attractions, Eastern Europe, Europe, Featured, Food and Drink, Going Out, Leisure Travel, Regions, Restaurants, Russia, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany

During my recent trip to Moscow with ‘Moscow Seasons‘ (see posts here and here), I called at TSUM (ЦУМ), Moscow’s most fashionable department store. Located in the Tverskoy District just next to The Bolshoi Theatre, TSUM is managed by the Mercury Group – Russia’s largest luxury goods distributor, with more than 20-years’ experience in fashion […]

Moscow’s a cappella festival gala concert – part of Moscow Seasons

By Paul Johnson on May 15, 2018 in Eastern Europe, Europe, Events, Featured, Regions, Russia, Travel Miscellany

As you may have already read, I was in Moscow recently for the second ‘Moscow Spring A Cappella‘ festival, an event put on by the Government of Moscow as ‘Moscow Seasons‘ to celebrate some of the best a cappella singers from around the world. And the grand finale for this 12-day singing extravaganza was a […]

Moscow’s open air a cappella festival – part of Moscow Seasons

By Paul Johnson on May 14, 2018 in Attractions, Eastern Europe, Europe, Events, Featured, Going Out, Leisure Travel, Regions, Russia, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Moscow for the first time to attend the second ‘Moscow Spring A Cappella‘ festival, one of the largest a cappella events in the world, and part of a series of seasonal street events across the Russian capital known as ‘Moscow Seasons‘. Moscow Seasons is a comparatively new initiative […]

13 of the best national parks to visit in May

By Paul Johnson on May 01, 2018 in Adventure Travel, Africa, Argentina, Asia, Europe, Featured, Florida, India, Israel, Leisure Travel, Middle East, Minnesota, Namibia, North America, Regions, South Africa, South America, Spain, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, USA, Virginia, Washington, Western Europe, Zambia

May is a wonderful time of year to get out and explore the countryside. The weather is getting sunnier (for much of the northern hemisphere, at least) and yet most places are not yet overrun by tourism. With many families staying at home (whilst school and university examinations are in full swing), it’s a great […]

Short stay: Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, Westminster, London, UK

By Paul Johnson on May 01, 2018 in Accommodation, Business Travel, Europe, Featured, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Tucked away towards the rear of St. James’ Court, a Taj hotel, and only a short distance from Buckingham Palace, is the exclusive, five-star Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences. This luxurious, all-suite hotel was built at the turn of the 20th century and today consists of 86 luxury suites, ranging from one to […]

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