Reem and Nataly

Vacationing at a resort is sometimes all that you need, especially when it’s got enough space for multiple pools, restaurants, beaches and situated on the Aegean coast of Turkey. We would spend the mornings enjoying a huge breakfast, heading to the adult only beach for a few hours, taking a break from the amazing weather (you get the best tan in Turkey) for lunch, followed by a change of scenery by the infinity pool with the most insane view of the ocean. Each evening, our family would meet up for a drink at the bar before choosing one of the many delicious restaurants to eat at and we’d just take full advantage of vacation mode. Reem and I both used this trip to mainly re-charge, connect with our hilarious and very fun parents, catch up on sleep and eat clean.

I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed, when the Jo Malone London team told me we’d be off to LA in May back in January, it seemed like it was so far away. Jo Malone London has always been the number one brand for lifestyle and fragrance for me, but besides its bath oils, I’ve always longed for something bath related, and now, not only does it finally boast one, but the bottle is 500ml, so unless you become a serious bath addict, you won’t be running out any time soon. I was in LA for around 10 days, the first 3 being with Jo Malone London, and true to style, we had the most memorable experience, including morning misty hikes in the Hollywood Hills, a Queen of Pop launch-lunch in West Hollywood, followed by a mini-tour of the city in our very own ‘Queen of Pop’ Jeeps, a penthouse private dinner at the iconic Chateau Marmont and finally, we ended our epic trip with a sunset dinner in Malibu at Nobu. I’ve put together a few memorable moments from LA, it’s making me miss the city so much, and I can’t thank my amazing friends at Jo Malone London for such a great time.

My next stop in India was Hyderabad, and standing proud above the city is another one of Taj Hotels beautifully converted palaces, Falaknuma Palace, which literally translated, means ‘ Falaknuma Palace is like a relaxing retreat from what is otherwise a buzzing, vibrant city full of all of the typical colours, aromas and treasures that you’d expect to find in traditional India. We spent time by the pool, which on a scorching hot day felt like being in an oasis, enjoyed a relaxing massage in the spa and practised yoga at dawn on the lawn in one of the palace’s many gardens. I wish I could have spent more time in India to properly explore, but I guess it’s always a reason to head back and discover more of this beautiful, energetic city.

I arrived quite late to the hotel and after a speedy check-in, my bags were sent to my beautiful room before I quickly changed to meet the rest of the crew for dinner in one of the most magnificent dining rooms. Rambagh Palace is a converted palace dating back to 1835 and was the royal abode of the Maharaja of Jaipur all those years ago. During one of our days spent free exploring the hotel, I couldn’t help but dress up and pose in competition with the peacocks with one the hotels’ vintage cars. I also adored doing a sunset tour of the grounds and discovering the hidden gems and everything the hotel has to offer against the romantic backdrop of the palace in the distance.