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Posts tagged 'hotel'

AUSTRALIA pt 2: MY ‘SYDNEY TOP 10’

22/01/2018

Across the world, countless bloggers have majored on Australia as a destination; there’s also a ceaseless stream of toned and fashionable Australians who dominate a casual perusal of the Instagram ‘Explore’ screen as if the algorithm is calibrated to go overweight Aussie beauty! My experiences, however, are just that; my own, not ‘new’, but just from me. That said, I sure as hell did my research before arriving in Sydney, systematically surveying every single Australian I know, then distilling their collective output into a one-week, extensive plan of attack! Indeed, having done-and-dusted with my experience in the Great Barrier Reef, pursued my full Sydney scheme precisely as it was sketched out, it gives me great joy to recount and depict the choicest of experiences here to you dear reader, whether you’re just curious or are planning an adventurous ‘Active Escape’ of your own! This post makes up Part 2 of the Australia series – and I sense there will be countless more parts to follow upon my future return to that magnificent country! I discovered an outdoor-dwelling society, predisposed to health and fitness, blessed with supreme weather and a fresh fish-based diet, in a culturally diverse and well-invested city where inhabitants genuinely smile. In fact it’s so good, this could conceivably be ‘home’ one day! Click MORE to discover my Top 10 experiences in Sydney…

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THE BIG ACTIVE ESCAPE: AUSTRALIA

02/01/2018

Happy New Year dear reader; I shall kick off 2018 with some travel-related food for thought… Australia has long been at the top of my bucket list, kept on that list thanks to the mammoth pilgrimage required to reach the complete opposite point on the planet. For many travellers in the Western hemisphere, it’s a trip you might only ever make once (if perhaps at all); for others, a single visit and they decide to undertake the permanent move East. It is an enchanting and diverse land, but there’s too much to cover in a single post, so I’ll break it into two digestible bits; this is Part 1, and recounts a sublime week at Qualia on Hamilton Island, part of the Whitsundays, blessed with turquoise crystal waters, dusted with powdered white sands, and fringed by lush tropical forest. Totally repaired since a dreadful tropical cyclone wrought devastation upon the islands some 7 months earlier, The Whitsundays are Australasia’s answer to The Maldives, but with one unbeatable competitive advantage: the Great Barrier Reef. Click MORE to see what exotic treasures I found there…

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WELLNESS ESCAPE: GRAND HOTEL DU CAP FERRAT

02/10/2017

France has built many exquisite ‘Palace hotels’ over the past hundred years, but this article concerns the grande dame of them all; occupying the entire tip of the St-Jean Cap Ferrat peninsula, the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat (henceforth GHCF) was amongst the first of its kind, and is *the* destination to experience French health and vitality along this gleaming stretch of the coast. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, it stands peerless as an enduring icon of quiet French sophistication, unchanged by the passage of time and yet overflowing with contemporary relevance; the very expression of both heritage and modernity. Inside its pristine white walls can be found the standards by which world-class hospitality should be measured, with the Four Seasons group who now operate this treasure having sympathetically continued its traditions with their unique brand of attention to detail. GHCF is also the most glamorous, most beautiful, and most immersive venue for a wellness escape on this rarefied stretch of the Côte D’Azur – and I don’t bestow that title lightly, as they’re up against competition that’s been bringing their A-game to the Riviera for decades. I’ve visited here for the past 5 years, and never do I leave this sanctuary feeling anything less than supremely recharged, emotionally contented and totally compelled to return. I booked in this year with the express intention of unveiling the wellbeing treasures of this timeless institution on FitnessOnToast.com. Click MORE to discover them all…

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WORLD SLEEP DAY WITH WESTIN!

24/03/2017

As part of the festivities for last Friday’s World Sleep Day (it’s March 17th – perhaps mark it in your calendar for 2018 and maybe grab a belated extra hour snooze tonight?!) I had the superb opportunity to hop on board a plane with a friend and voyage to the peaceful climes of Westin La Quinta, Marbella. I’ve written extensively about the importance of sleep – it’s a critical component of the wellbeing formula, rather than some sort of hedonistic luxury. To quote sleep legend, Professor Adrian Williams, we’re taling about ‘survival of the most rested‘. In line with this, I was thrilled to trial Westin’s brand new Bedtime Routine and to have had the chance to gift two lucky people their very own wellbeing break to the beautiful Westin La Quinta, Marbella! I spent a few nights in one of their deliciously compelling ‘Heavenly’ beds, so-called for good reason, and left feeling better than when I arrived, which is a sort of wellbeing nirvana, to my mind! Click MORE below to see the full behind-the-scenes of the routine and a little glimpse into the trip… (more…)

A WELLNESS RETREAT AT CORINTHIA LONDON…

14/02/2017

London is arguably one of the world’s greatest cities, but living and working here, Londoners can become blind to its rare brilliance. Precious gems like Trafalgar Square, Parliament, The London Eye, The Mall (etc), are casually tarred with the ‘tourist’ brush, and avoided for fear of disrupting ‘the daily mission’. It’s a superfast-paced city in which to work and live… but it doesn’t have to be that way! In what is the first ever staycation Active Escape review to feature on FitnessOnToast.com, I recently spent 3 cosy days inside the walls of the palatial Corinthia Hotel London investigating something genuinely innovative; the Brain Power Experience. It’s been designed in conjunction with the hotel’s Neuroscientist in Residence, and was totally transformative for me! It worked, and conclusively proved the hypothesis that you can enjoy an exceptional and differentiated wellness break whilst at home in this frenetic city, emerging revived and fired up! Click more to see what your own restorative well-being program could involve… (more…)

CRUISE CONTROL – ACTIVE!

20/01/2017

Last year, almost 23 million people on this planet boarded a cruise liner for their holiday, and every year, another 1.6 million more people will catch on. It’s twice as popular in the US as it is in Europe, so much so that a whopping 5% of their population casts off every single year! Aside from the Poseidon Adventure, I’d never seen the inside of a vessel this large, so when I was invited aboard by Cunard, my interest had been piqued to see what this experience is all about. Specifically, I wanted to know whether one could live a healthy holiday on the ocean. I was lucky enough to spend an entire activity-filled day on board one of the world’s most famous ocean liners (together with the lovely Emily from FashionFoieGras), The Queen Elizabeth, Cunard, to experience some unique fitness activities – a mini active escape if you wish! Click MORE to see what we got up to…
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‘WESTIN MAURITIUS’ WINNER!

01/05/2016

A quick post today, firstly to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered the competition hosted by Westin Hotels & Resorts to win a trip to Mauritius and well done to those who battled the unseasonably freezing rain with me for our Olympic Park run. But more seriously, this post is to announce the winner of the most awesome competition I’ve ever run! There were hundreds of fabulous fitness devotees who entered, and regardless of whether you came to the run or not, you were in the running (no pun intended) to win the Active Escape to The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius. Click MORE to see who the winner was, and to check out the shots from our 5k around the scene of one of the greatest ever sporting spectacles! (more…)

ACTIVE WEEKEND BREAK WITH WESTIN!

31/03/2016

A couple of weeks ago, I went on an exceptional Active Weekend Break with Westin Hotels & Resorts, for whom I’m a Wellbeing Movement ambassador. The trip’s destinations were the Italian cities of Milan & Florence and amongst runs, workouts, walks and sightseeing, I savoured some truly epic national cuisine. I’m no stranger to Italy and its awesome interpretation of the mediterranean diet (see my previous visits HERE), but this trip really brought home the love of exceptional food that Italians have. Yes, for me, it’s about eating healthy much of the time, but I understand that brings an associated stress that can taint the joy that comes from ‘the delicious’! This post is a little insight into what I think a great ‘Active Weekend’ break can look like, as well as some thoughts about enjoying your food, as the Italians seem to do best! (more…)

WIN A TRIP TO WESTIN MAURITIUS!

30/03/2016

“Happy New Year” is perhaps starting to wear thin now that the first working week’s taken its toll, normality has bitten, and delicious mince pies are but a distant memory. Luckily, FitnessOnToast is here to help by offering some ‘on-the-horizon’ inspo! As part of my ongoing partnership with Westin Hotels & Resorts, I’m going to be giving one lucky UK-based reader (+ partner) the chance to savour his/her very own exquisite Active Escape to The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius, where everything is designed to help you feel your best! I’ll have even custom-crafted you a bespoke healthy program too! To enter, just do a little Instagramming, then come meet me for run & workout around London this January! Click MORE to see exactly what you can expect, and precisely how to register yourself for this awesome prize!

IMPORTANT UPDATE (Weds 30th Mar):

The ‘group run’ is an upgraded and larger wellbeing experience, and it’ll be taking place in the Olympic Park in London! To anyone who had already registered for the run and had entered into the Instagram competition to win a trip to The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius, don’t worry – you’ve been automatically entered in the competition, and a winner will be drawn at random from our new event. I’m so looking forward to meeting you all in person, and to our even-better event where we can all re-energize together with Westin 🙂 Faya x

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WIN A TRIP TO WESTIN MAURITIUS!

10/01/2016

IMPORTANT UPDATE (Thurs 21st Jan):

Due to overwhelming sign-up for the run originally planned for 14:00 Sunday 24th Jan, we have had to RE-SCHEDULE in order to obtain the required bigger-group permit. That means that I’m super disappointed to say that we will no longer host the run this weekend but will soon update you on the new event date – bigger and better! It’ll be an upgraded and larger wellbeing experience, and it’ll be in the near future! To anyone who had already registered for the run and had entered into the Instagram competition to win a trip to The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius, don’t worry – you’ve been automatically entered in the competition, and a winner will be drawn at random from our new event. I’m so looking forward to meeting you all in person, and putting on an even better event and re-energizing together with Westin! The new details will follow on my Instagram, Twitter & Blog as soon as possible 🙂 Faya x

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