Babymoon trip in London

View across the River Thames towards the Houses of Parliament,
on a summertime evening in London
visitlondonimages/britainonview

The Mandeville Hotel has created a babymoon experience which is especially for indulging the new mother-to-be. Prepare for the new arrival with a beautifully gift wrapped jewel calf leather Deluxe Baby Book from Aspinal. After a hard day being pampered at the Aveda Lifestyle Salon and wandering around Marylebone’s beautiful boutiques, you can relax with a romantic dinner for two in the deVille restaurant before enjoying an undisturbed sleep in luxurious surroundings. A very special gift from Neal’s Yard Remedies awaits you in your beautiful bedroom. Finally, make the most of a long lie in with a full English breakfast delivered to your door.

LOCATION : Mandeville Place (district : Marylebone)
The Mandeville Hotel is located in the fashionable Marylebone Village, within a few minutes walk of some of London’s most exciting shops, art galleries and the antique shops of Mayfair.
Learn more about Marylebone Village at the Marylebone Village website

   The London Eye and County Hall lit up at night
visitlondonimages/ britainonview/ Pawel Libera

Baglioni Hotel London is offering a 2 night Babymoon experience in a Deluxe Double Room, In-Room check-in, Daily Buffet Breakfast or in-room service at your choice, 10% discount in the restaurant, 10% discount at La Perla boutique, Welcome fruity virgin drinks, special gift for mother-to-be, one hour mother-to-be massage in the Spa, Special Session with the Chefs, meeting the Chefs and receive recipes and suggestions for baby meals.

The Rejuvenation Spa at Hotel Baglioni is the first Ayurvedic medical spa.

When you are looking for relaxing hours at the nearby Kensington Park, The Baglioni can arrange a home-made picnic which can be delivered to the Park.

LOCATION : 60 Hyde Park Gate (district : Kensington)
In the heart of Kensington, facing Hyde Park and a short distance from the Royal Albert Hall, this hotel situated in a Victorian building combines the elegance of Italian style along with sophisticated design : a new vision of contemporary luxury. The hotel is known for its impeccable butler service, the Spa and innovative Brunello Lounge & Restaurant area which is open until late at night.

Maternity and Baby fashion in London

Interior Blossom Mother & Child

Blossom Mother & Child (near The Mandeville Hotel)
69 Marylebone High Street
Blossom Mother & Child offers a total experience, bringing the very best luxury maternity and non-maternity clothing and products together under one roof. Combining high fashion designs suited to pregnancy with quality maternity clothing hand-picked for comfort and style. Blossom features such celebrated designers as See by Chloe, Missoni, Alice Temperley, Sonia Rykiel, Juicy Couture and 7 for all mankind. In addition, they offer the very best in baby designs, maternity accessories and other unique gifts.

Blooming Marvellous
725 Fulham Road
Maternity fashion, Maternity Lingerie, Nursery, Baby clothing and toys and gifts.

Pretty Pregnant
13-15 Chilten Street
186 King’s Road
Fashionable Maternity wear :  offering maternity brands like Noppies, Bellybutton, Citizens of Humanity and Pas de Deux.

Push 9 Theberton Street (Islington)
For stylish and sexy designer labels for the fashion-conscious mother to be

Seraphine
28 Kensington Church Street and 58-62 Heath Street
You can book a personal shopping assistant for an exclusive shopping experience to ensure the most relaxing shopping time. Available between 6 pm and 7 pm from Monday till Wednesday.
Read more about the Seraphine brand : A Parisian Chic Maternity Look

Shopping for your Baby at world famous department stores

Hamleys
188 – 196 Regent Street
Hamley’s is one of the largest and most famous toy shops in the world. Six huge floors packed full of toys and games, is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions, welcoming in excess of five million visitors each year.

Harrods
87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge
One of the largest department stores in the world.
Offering inspiring baby products, from exclusive Harrods branded pluche bears, Christian Dior baby shoes to the newest Balmoral Pram.

Romantic Night in London
Electric Cinema
191 Portobello Road (Notting Hill) (short distance from Baglioni Hotel)
In general, more space for a more comfortable cinema experience with leather seating, footstools and tables for food and drink. In addition, two 2-seater sofas are also available at the rear of the theater, perfect for a romantic night out.

City of London waterfront and skyline, with the iconic domed roof of St. Pauls Cathedral illuminated at night
visitlondonimages/ britainonview

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LONDON
The official visitor organisation for London
http://www.visitlondon.com/

Babymoon trip in Florence

 

Florence (in Italian : Firenze) is the capital city of the Tuscany region and lies on the river Arno. In Florence, three of the finest and luxurious hotels are offering a special Babymoon for you and your partner. A truly memorable Babymoon in Florence is waiting for you with exciting must see activities like the Leather School, Ferragamo Shoe Museum and famous Florentine baby stores.

BABYMOONING IN STYLE

Lungarno Hotels (owned by the Ferragamo Group)
Celebrate your special time together in one of the four luxury, design and boutique
hotels of your choice : Hotel Lungarno, Continentale, Gallery Hotel Art and Lungarno Suites.
The Babymoon includes a two nights stay including buffet breakfast, one three course dinner for two at Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant (excluding beverages), a Crave of Mum to Be : a nice box of parfumed bath salts and a chocolate box, a three hours Personal Baby Shopper and return transfer for two with private car from/to Florence Airport

Borgo San Jacopo restaurant is directly facing the Ponte Vecchio and is one of the most special places in Florence.

 Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant, overlooking the River Arno

For couples with a passion for shoes, a visit to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum should not be missed. Opening hours from 10 a.m. To 6 p.m. Every day except Tuesday. Piazza Santa Trinita 5r
Ticket: euro 5 (Ticket proceeds will fund annual scholarships for young footwear designers)

Opened in 1995 by Wanda Ferragamo and her family, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum was designed to show the public the history of the brand’s founder and his creations – footwear viewed by museums and experts worldwide as no less than works of art. Eleven years on from its inauguration in 1995, the Museum is being enlarged and moved down to the pillared, cross-vaulted basement, in parts of the building that still show its mediaeval origin.

Hotel Bernini Palace

Hotel Bernini Palace, Piazza San Firenze, 29
A 15th century palazzo in the heart of Florence. This Baglioni property is situated just behind the famous Piazza della Signoria and a few minutes walk from the Uffizi gallery.
The Babymoon includes two nights in a deluxe double room, In room check in, Daily Buffet Breakfast (in-room service at your choice), 10% discount in the restaurant, 10% discount at La Perla boutique, Welcome fruity virgin drinks, Special gift for Mother-to-be, 1 hour in room Mother-to-be massage and a Special session with the Chefs (meet the Chefs and receive recipes and suggestions for baby meals)

This Babymoon Package is also available at all Baglioni properties in Italy : Rome, Milan, Venice, Verona and Bologna.

 Villa San Michele

 Villa San Michele, Via Doccia 4, Fiesole (near Florence)
A former monsatery, nestled on a hilltop surrounded by trees and terraced gardens, overlooks the city of Florence below. Relaxing at the Villa San Michele comes naturally with the unmatched views from the panoramic pool, whilst a small gymnasium allows guests to expend some energy without missing the beautiful views. Cooking Courses are available at the on site Cookery School where you can have a cooking experience alongside the Chefs.

Local golf clubs offer championship quality courses, whilst horse riding through the Tuscan countryside and tennis are all on hand nearby.

The Babymoon includes two nights in a double room, with upgrade on arrival subject to availability, Full American Breakfast daily, Two a-la-carte dinners in the hotel’s restaurant, A pre-maman massage in your room specially designed to relax the mother-to-be, A copy of the amusing book “Baby Owner’s Maintenance Log”(humour and advice with the maintenance manual and the survival guide…), A special present for the baby, A bottle of Italian Spumante, fruit and flowers in your room on arrival and Transfer to and from Florence Airport or station.

This Babymoon Package is also available at the three other properties of Orient Express in Portofino, Venice and Ravello.

 

SHOPPING IN FLORENCE
Should you plan your Babymoon at one of the four Lungarno Hotels, a three hour Personal Shopper is included. An English/Italian & French speaking professional shopper will assist you in your tailore made pre-birth shopping spree, based on the needs of mum to be and baby.

Should your Babymoon be celebrated at Bernini Palace, a 10% discount is included at La Perla Boutique,  Via della Vigna Nuova, 17/19 (Woman Boutique)

For top-of-the-range products the place to start is Via Tornabuoni, once the city’s refined salotto buono, where you can find all the big designer names and top-class jewellers. The famous shoe shops like Tod’s and Hogan also sell adorable baby shoes. Chic purchases can also be made in nearby Via della Vigna Nuova. Florence has a wide range of high end designer boutiques, to name a few : Gucci, Miu Miu, Armani, Ferragamo, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana.

The famous Florentine brand Patrizia Pepe (baby girls clothes) has its historical and prestigious store in Piazza San Giovanni, in front of the Baptistry and a few steps from the Duomo.

The exclusive Italian baby and children brand Il Gufo can be found at the stores Gesbim (Via S.Pacinotti, 8 R) and Baroni (Via Porta Rossa, 57 and Via Tornabuoni, 9/R)

Mom to Be Italian branded clothes can be found at the Sarà store at Via della Spada, 42.

Bartolucci is a famous interesting store for handcraft wood toys. There are two Bartolucci stores in the city centre of Florence : Via Condotta 12/R and Borgo dei Greci, 11 A/R

Many traditional Florentine shops of historic status can still be found in the city centre. These range from antiques’ shops packed with riches, especially in Via dei Fossi, Via Maggio and the surrounding streets, to the characteristic goldsmiths’ and jewellery shops on Ponte Vecchio.

 

A visit to the Leather School (Scuola del Cuoio) inside the Santa Croce Church will give you a unique experience.
The craftsman will show you how they work the leather and Mom to Be can buy beautiful handmade bags and accessories.

Villa San Michele designed a map navigator of Florence, for visitors keen to explore beyong the major art galleries and churches.

 

 

GETTING THERE
Amerigo Vespucci Airport (airport code = FLR) is situated just 7 kilometres from the city centre. It is a 15 to 20 minute journey into the centre. Private transfer is included in the Babymoon Packages of Lungarno Hotels and Villa San Michele.

Vespucci Airport is connected to some of Europe’s major airports : Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Bucharest, Frankfurt, Geneva, London Gatwick, Madrid, Munich, Paris C. de Gaulle and Vienna.
There are also flights to and from the following Italian cities: Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Milan Malpensa, Olbia, Palermo, Rome Fiumicino, Turin and Verona.

Pisa’s Galilei Airport is about 80 kilometres from Florence. There are direct flights from the most important European and Italian airports. The airport is linked to Florence by rail and road: a direct train service runs from the airport to Florence central railway station (Firenze S.M.N.), and there is also a TerraVision bus service. The journey time is approximately 1 hour, 20 minutes.

TOURISM FLORENCE WEBSITES

www.firenzeturismo.it
Official Tourism Board of Florence

www.visitflorence.com

A Babymoon trip in Vienna

©WienTourismus / F 3  

Vienna, the capital and largest city of Austria, makes an excellent year-round babymoon destination. Vienna has a generally mild and continental climat.

The premier destination for an indulging ‘last hurrah’ break in Vienna, is The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel. The perfect treat to absolute luxury and time together before the life changing arrival of your baby. With the ‘Luxury before Birth’ package, couples will be delighted to receive hospitality at the highest level,  hospitality that caters to every need and wish. 

Sightseeing
Set and done . The Luxury before Birth Package at The Ring includes a guided city tour through Vienna with a limousine. No long walks, just relaxing and be amazed by the beautiful, cultural and vibrating city of Vienna.

Pampering
Set and done. The Luxury before Birth Package at The Ring includes a Pre-Natal Massage for the Mum-to-Be and a Beauty Treatment for the Dad-to-Be.

The Pre-Natal Massage is carefully designed for pregnant women bringing deep relaxation and wonderful tonicity of the total body during this special time, and leaves you totally rested and relaxed.

What else :  Shopping
Although, gifts will come your way with you babymoon stay at The Ring.
Expecting couples receive a personal booklet and gift from ‘Belly Button’, a famous company based in Hamburg, Germany, specialised in offering high quality clothes and cosmetics for mums-to-be and babies.

© WienTourismus / Bryan Duffy 

After all the pampering and the guided tour with limousine, you hopefully have a little time to spare as Vienna is also your destination for some pre-birth shopping. For designer babyclothes Le Petit Chou Baby is a must-visit store. Offering Baby Dior, Il Gufo, Burberry, Baby Graziella and Polo Ralph Lauren for 0 -3 years old, the Rauhensteingasse 12 is your spot. 

Dohnal, a paradise for items for baby and children, stretched over four floors, with a terrific selection of collections and brands, from baby necessities to exclusive designer fashions. Kärntner Strasse 12

The beautiful, timeless, hand-sewn Herzilein collection is “dreamt up and made in Vienna” – and is also available exclusively in Vienna! Wollzeile 17 and Westbahnstrasse 4

With 50 stores and 400 brands on 9 stories high, Kaufhaus Steffl is definetely a must-see.
For pre-birth shopping Kaufhaus Steffl has 3 stores for baby clothes : Dohnal, Jenning Kids and Petit Bateau, all on the 4th floor. Kärntner Strasse 19

A perfect ending of your pre-birth shopping spree would be SKY cafe at the top of Kaufhaus Steffl. Relax with a cup of tea and enjoy the panoramic view over the city.

Kaufhaus Steffl

ADDITIONAL CITY INFO :
The Ring ‘Best of Vienna’ interactive city guide
The Ring Hotel created the online guide ‘Best of Vienna’ with 100 insider tips on Vienna.
You can simply click on the grafic and choose the category you are interested in and find their recommendations with information, picture and contact details.

Tourist Office of Vienna www.wien.info

GETTING THERE
Transfer
Set and done. The limousine transfer will be waiting for you at the airport to bring you to The Ring Hotel where your true babymoon romance starts. For a relaxed homeward journey, a return limousine transfer to the airport is provided as well.

Flights
Tickets can be found at www.aua.com, the website of Austrian Airlines.
Austrian Airlines is the leading Austrian airline group and a member of the global Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance in the world. Austrian flies to 130 destinations in 66 countries on all five continents.

airport code Vienna = VIE

Vienna is centrally located and easy to reach with short direct flights from all major European cities.

Short flightdurations :

London to Vienna   approx. 2 ½ hours
Moscow to Vienna  approx. 3 hour
Rome to Vienna  approx. 2 hours
Copenhagen to Vienna approx. 2 hours

Taiwan welcomes Hello Kitty Maternity Hospital

The 30-bed Hau Sheng Hospital in Yuanlin in central Taiwan is reportedly the world’s first Hello Kitty themed medical center. From blankets and birth certificates to bed linen and uniforms worn by staff, every aspect of the Hello Kitty hospital is emblazoned with the feline motif. Patients are welcomed by a statue of Hello Kitty dressed in a doctor’s uniform, before traveling in a Hello Kitty elevator to a pink examination room with Hello Kitty posters on the wall. The hospital’s director Tsai Tsung-chi opened the T$100 million ($3 million)  hospital in his hometown after obtaining authorization from the fictitious cat’s Japanese parent company Sanrio Co Ltd.