Travel Inspired Living SA

Inspired Living SA Travel Blog brings you great travel adventures from South Africa, as well as International destinations. You will find out more about the fantastic travel opportunities within the Western Cape and the greater South Africa. Read articles featuring the amazing places I have travelled, as well as what is on my Travel Bucket List.

Africa, Cape Town Hotels, Local, Travel

Protea Hotel Fire & Ice

Earlier this month saw the re-launch of a fresh, new-look Protea Hotel Fire & Ice in Cape Town! My hubby and I were invited to spend a night at the hotel and experience “More Fire More Ice” for ourselves. [Read more…]

Cape Town Hotels, Local, Romantic Getaways, Travel

Steenberg Hotel ~ 5 Star Luxury

Steenberg Hotel is situated on one of the oldest farms in the Cape and has a rich and fascinating history. The farm’s original owner, the feisty Catharina Ustings Ras, was the first female landowner in Southern Africa. Catharina’s life story tells a fascinating tale! One steeped in lore and myth, filled with daring escapes, tumultuous loves and untimely deaths. [Read more…]

Exploring the Cape, Local, Travel, Wine Farms

City Escapes with City Lodge

As you know I love travel, both locally and international but time and budget constraints, usually only allow international travel once a year. We also like to venture along the coast or into the country, for weekend breaks but lately we have been doing more City Escapes. Staying closer to home and exploring more of what Cape Town has to offer! [Read more…]

Child Friendly Travel, Competitions, International, Romantic Getaways, Travel, Travel Wishlist

Atlantis The Palm Dubai Win a Trip for Two

Atlantis The Palm

On Monday I was invited to Vida e Caffe in Cape Town, to a media morning, to find out about the exciting Atlantis, The Palm resort, in Dubai! Dubai is definitely on my Travel Wishlist, so I was excited to find out more about it.

After all the guests had placed their coffee orders, a very necessary caffeine fix for a Monday morning, the formalities got underway. We were welcomed and bought up to speed on Atlantis, The Palm and all the stunning resort has to offer.Then came the rather exciting announcement! Atlantis, The Palm, in partnership with Vida e Caffè and Dubai Tourism has just launched a very exciting competition! You stand a chance to win a luxurious five night stay at the stunning resort!

Got you excited yet? The exciting prize includes return economy air tickets on Emirates for two people, sponsored by Dubai Tourism. You will enjoy a five-night stay for two in a Deluxe Room at Atlantis The Palm, inclusive of breakfast and dinner for 2 people. You will also have unlimited access to Aquaventure Waterpark and the mythical Lost Chambers Aquarium. The winners are sure to be entertained and treated like royalty.

Please click here to enter and win this amazing holiday! All I know, is that I would love to win a holiday to Atlantis, it looks and sounds amazing.

Atlantis really is the perfect destination, whether it is a romantic trip for two or a family holiday, they have it all! From beautiful accommodation, who would not want to experience an under-water suite, to top restaurants and great activities for the whole family, you really could not ask for more.

More about Atlantis:

Atlantis, the flagship resort on The Palm, was the first resort to open its doors on Dubai’s revolutionary island. Created by Kerzner International Holdings Limited, a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts. The stunning resort welcomed its first guests on 24 September 2008.

With its enviable location atop the crescent of The Palm, the opening of Atlantis was a landmark event. It redefined tourism in Dubai, as the first truly integrated entertainment destination resort.

The resort encompasses a 46 hectare site, with 17 hectares of water themed amusement at Aquaventure Waterpark. There are extensive fresh and salt-water pools and lagoon exhibits, an open-aired marine habitat second only to Mother Nature and a seemingly endless stretch of beach.

You will also find luxury boutiques, numerous dining choices, which include three world-renowned chefs restaurants.The resort also offers exciting nightlife, award-winning ShuiQi Spa & Fitness and 5,600 square metres of meeting and function space.

Dubai is the perfect destination for South African holidaymakers, from families to couples to friends. Not only does it provide endless options for sport and leisure activities, shopping and dining but is easily accessible with daily flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg too.

“Once people experience our city, our home, they inevitably fall in love with it and want to come back,” ~ Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

To find out more about this amazing resort and book a trip visit the Atlantis, The Palm website.

Disclosure Ranking:1

Eating Out, Food, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic Getaways, Taste, Travel

Twelve Apostles Hotel Dinner and a Movie

Twelve Apostles Hotel

As busy parents, one of the things we seldom get to do, is watch a movie at the cinema together. Mostly due to the fact, that if we do get the chance to go out, we both prefer a romantic restaurant, over a busy movie theater! Well imagine if you could combine the two experiences…

The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa has turned the ever popular ‘Dinner and a Movie’ evening into a special occasion! They have combined a select three-course menu in Azure Restaurant, with the comfort of watching a movie in the five-star hotel’s very own private cinema. So whether it is a romantic evening with your partner, a girly get-together or family night out, ‘Dinner and a Movie’ is the perfect experience! At only R395 per person it is also great value for money and sets the scene for a memorable night, shared with the stars of the silver screen!

Much to my delight, Grant and I were recently invited to experience Dinner and a Movie, at the Twelve Apostles Hotel for ourselves! What a fun way to spend a mid-week evening!

Upon arrival we were treated to a welcome glass of bubbly, while we acquainted ourselves with the special three-course movie menu. The scenic Azure Restaurant is pure elegance, with an amazing seafront view. We were even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a beautiful Cape Town sunset.

Executive Chef Christo Pretorius’ mouth-watering offering includes Duck Terrine – liver parfait, port gel, pistachio crumble and blackberry jam; Blesbok with orange sweet potato, bulgar wheat salad, forest mushroom, roasted beetroot, cashew sour cream, juniper berry crumble and gooseberry; and a fresh Catch of the Day, served with split pea salad, cauliflower puree, asparagus, baby marrow, coconut gel and oyster cream.

I opted for the Prawn Dhal for starters, while Grant decided to try the Chicken Noodle Soup. Both dishes were delicious but I would have to be biased here and say my dish was the best! The restaurant sommelier paired each of our dishes, with the perfect wine to compliment our meal.

Between courses we were presented with a visually spectacular Palate Cleanser – Raspberry sorbet on a bed of dry ice. So very Heston Blumenthal!

For mains I decided to try the Blesbok with orange sweet potato, bulgar wheat salad, forest mushroom, roasted beetroot, cashew sour cream, juniper berry crumble and gooseberry – quite a mouthful! It was utterly divine! Grant went for the Catch of the Day, served with split pea salad, cauliflower puree, asparagus, baby marrow, coconut gel and oyster cream. Both dishes were amazing, with perfectly matched taste combinations!

There are also Vegetarian dishes on the menu, such as Roasted Butternut Agnolotti with butternut gremolata, homemade labneh, toasted walnuts and sage butter; or an authentic Cape Malay Vegetable Curry – the slightly sweet and spicy curry with star-aniseed basmati rice, sambals, warm butter roti and a poppadum is a favourite of Red Carnation Hotel Collection Founder and President Bea Tollman.

For dessert both Grant and I decided on a traditional Vanilla Crème Brûlée, which was the biggest Crème Brûlée, I have ever seen! You have the option of enjoying your dessert in either the Azure Restaurant or the Cinema.

Our milkshake orders were then taken and we made our way to the The Twelve Apostles’ private 16-seat cinema. In true cinema style, along with our milkshakes, there was also complimentary popcorn, ice cream, hot chocolate and sweets, on offer! We then settled in to watch Water for Elephants, which is so sad but a wonderful movie!

What a lovely evening, with lovely people, in a stunning setting – thank you Twelve Apostles Hotel and the amazing staff at Azure Restaurant, for spoiling us! Next time we will definitely make a whole night of it and stay over! There is no need to leave the comforts of The Twelve Apostles Hotel after your movie, thanks to their ‘Dinner, Movie…and Stay Overnight’ package. Priced from R1345 per person sharing per night, the package includes an overnight stay, in one of the hotel’s plush guest rooms, three-course dinner, movie, snacks and full English breakfast the following morning.

The monthly movie schedule includes three dinner screenings daily, at 17:30, 20:30 and 22:30. To book, contact restaurant reservations on +27 (0) 21 437 9029 or email [email protected]

Disclosure Ranking:2