Tuesday, June 19, 2012

A’jia Hotel will make you feel like a real Sultan

Located directly at the Asian-side shores of the Bosphorus, the A’Jia Hotel is definitely a unique building, with a remarkable history. It has been built at the end of the 19th century by an unknown architect. At one time it was burnt down and then rebuilt in 1898. Immediately after that it was sold to the Istanbul Municipality by Ahmet Rasim’s family( Ahmet Rasim Paşa : 1826-1897). At one time it functioned as the 36th elementary school of the new Turkish Republic. In 2002 began the restoration process meant to turn the building into a hotel and the process was completed in 2005.


But it’s not just the history of this place that lures people all over the world to come and spend their vacations here. In fact, this is an insignificant detail. What makes people choose this particular hotel is the incredible architecture and the quality of the services provided here. The hotel has a relatively simple design, with elegant decorations and tasteful architectural details. The materials used are simple: stone for the floors, walls and staircases and a type of warm wood for the rest.









The hotel offers massage treatments and a jacuzzi, fishing and boating trips, a private port and a sundeck area as well as a well-stocked wine cellar, restaurant, bar and lounge. It’s also a great place for hosting events like wedding ceremonies or birthdays. An important detail that should be mentioned here is that the wedding ceremonies are realized according to the guest’s specific requirements. Overall, the A’Jia Hotel is an incredible place, located in a very beautiful area, which provides amazing views and quality services

Cathar Castles in Languedoc France | The Unsolved Mysteries




Driving will take you to the place and you can find a small museum where you can access it for free. The construction of the castle started as early as the 12th century. Additionally, you can get a good view of the countryside. A castle on the hill is Chateau de Puivert.


Château de Puivert

It has four levels that you can explore.  The most interesting part with this structure is the stone carvings on the walls. There is a village within the area where you can shop for local souvenirs. You can also find other Cathar Castles that are best but could be challenging to visit


Ruins of Chateau De Puivert

If you are planning to see only one Cathar Castle, then go for the Chateau de Peyrepertuse a Duilhac. The whole area is surrounded with limestone outcrops where you can walk or drive into; apart from some changes in the elevation.


Chateau de Peyrepertusea Duilhac

If you are already in the area, you might want to check out the nearby castles of Chateau de Queribus and Chateau de Puilaurens. The drive between the Chateaus is nice and you can find several restaurants along the way. Majority of Cathar Castles are advertised to be romantic. Most of them are built after the crusade and to protect Aragon from invaders.


Chateau de Queribus

Most of the castles are left to decays and rots. There are only a few that are considered as genuine Cathar Castles. You can also find that some castles are built by French near the authentic ones. Be careful as you can find some castles with no connections to Cathar.


Chateau de Puilaurens

You can also find structures that link to the period of Cathars but were not necessarily erected during the period. It is ideal to join tours so that you can have an idea of the history of the castles that you visit. Definitely this is another adventure to try if you are visiting France.

Gaggia Accademia espresso machine

The Gaggia Accademia is a new coffee vending machine.  This contraption allows you to make coffees like espresso, Café latte, cappuccino (3 different strengths), espresso macchiato, latte macchiato, café ristretto, hot milk and tea as well.  Other than these, the machine is able to deliver ground coffee of 8 finesse grades.

The machine is equipped with two stainless boilers – one for the espresso and the other for water and steam. Gaggia Accademia consumes less than 1 watt of energy in the stand-by mode and is rated ‘A’ for energy consumption.  Other integrated features include a coffee bean container, an auto cappuccino system, the coffee grounds tray etc.

Since the cleaning and decaling is automatic, maintenance is bare minimum. One should not forget the 1.6 liter water tank (removable), 15 bar pressure pump and the 350 gm bean container.  One does not anything more to become a barista, as the results of this machine is just perfect and quick as well.

Relaxing Summer House Fairy Tale Design

After a long year of work everybody dreams of a vacation. You are tired of all the noisy atmosphere of the town, the crowds of people, the annoying traffic and your curious neighbors. You think of a special place, in the middle of nature where everything is peaceful and full of magic, a place where you can relax and forget about all your worries.


This summer house that has a fairy tale design is a wonderful place for a magic summer holiday. It is a fairy tale house, made of natural materials and which reminds you of the old and wonderful fairy tales from your childhood.

The rustic appearance of the summer house makes you think of your grandparents’ house from the country side. It reminds of the wonderful summer holidays that you spent there where you enjoyed the great, natural food, the fresh air and the funny moments. It is  time that you come back to those relaxing and happy moments and choose such a wonderful summer house!



Contemporary two story residence in Bali

This is the Lovelli Residence. It’s a beautiful home located on the west coast of Bali. The house was designed by Studio Word of Mouth. The main objective of this project was to design a space suitable for both living and entertainment. The owner wanted a multifunctional residence that would allow him to use both as a cozy home and a place to spend the holidays and to have fun with friends and family.


In order to respond to the owner’s requirements, Studio Word of Mouth designed a house where spaces with different functions interact and overlap. It’s an enjoyable space with an original internal structure. Most of the rooms have a double function. For example, the dining area can also be used as a lounge. The living room also extends to the pool area. Moreover, each bedroom has the capacity of becoming a living room.




 On the first floor the main area is the master bedroom. This space is surrounded on three sides by green terraces that maximize the amount of natural light while also providing serene views. Overall, this residence was designed exactly how the owner wanted. It’s a great family home but it can also be turned into a great entertainment space. The overall design is simple and the architecture features many Mediterranean elements. The delimitation between the internal spaces is clear but not final and the terraces are a great addition







Japanese Courtyard House Design by Sage Architecture

The Japanese Courtyard is C shaped House and is located on the Amador county California wich was designed by Sage Architecture . If you stay in this house you can feel the living pattern of a Japanese House.  The architect of this house combined the style of conventional Japanese homes, and the style of Californian craftsmanship to build a simple sophisticated home encircled by the pine trees.


The house is situated at an altitude of 3,000 foot of the Sierras in Amador County. The house was built on 1800 sq ft area. The construction is uncomplicated and has sharply inclined pitched roofs giving an appearance of older conventional Japanese houses and thought of folded planes.


A natural stuff palette of tainted concrete floors, soft colors helps to provide the comfortable feeling to the inhabitants. Many varieties of woods were used for making cabinets. The external part of this house is uncomplicated in its appearance which gives a few indication of the craftsmanship inside.  One can not understand the feeling of its richness until one resides in the home. To maintain the Japanese belief, the house was built in such a way so that it becomes peaceful retreat to the residents.

Japanese Garden Furniture

As the Japanese culture is continuously developing among people all over the world, it is no wonder that people are looking forward to decorating their homes in a classic Japanese style. Whether we are talking about Japanese beds or Japanese gardens, we are talking about the same process that is developing in all over the world.

First of all, in order to get the Japanese garden you have always wanted, you must talk with a specialized designer. Or, if you consider that you might do it yourself, then you must learn something about the Japanese garden furniture.


irst of all, the Japanese garden furniture is characterized by the bamboo furniture. Every garden that is decorated in this style should have a table and some chairs made of bamboo. Usually, the price for such a set – a bamboo table with 4 bamboo chairs – is somewhere near $250, VAT included. Does it worth? We say that it surely does, as it is mandatory for every Japanese stylized garden to have such a set of bamboo table and chairs. A nice accessory for such a set is a bamboo umbrella. With a special design, this umbrella can reach even 3 meters if it is opened at its maximum wideness.

Another accessory that is definitely a must have for every Japanese garden it is represented by the stone sculpted statues. Figures like Buddha or Japanese fighters will suit every garden, as long as they are properly placed. The disadvantage of such a statue is the relatively high price: a stone sculpted statue of Buddha may reach even $600 or even more.


The Edo benches are also known to represent the Japanese garden furniture. These benches are known for the fact that their back has an arched form, exactly like a rainbow. Also, they are known for their length, as one such an Edo bench can reach up to 3 meters long. There available in 2 versions: in wood and in granite. The granite version is a little bit more expensive, but it looks damn good. Such an Edo bench, in the granite version can reach even $6000, while the wooden version is only $1800.

And of course, there are many more representative elements for a Japanese garden. Though, the above ones are mandatory and can not miss from any garden that wants to be known as a Japanese garden

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

Plan for a holiday,with your families or your friends, Seychelles is your destination and the Four Seasons Resort, Seychelles should be your place to rest.There are 67 villas and suites. They are grounded in traditional Creole design featuring natural timber and brick. The views are sensational with either the Indian Ocean or the island’s landscape. And the best part is that the villas and suites open up to outdoor spaces.Their nightly rates start from $1000. Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is definitely a place to go to.


The first thing you notice when arriving in Seychelles, in this paradise on Earth is the scenery. Its natural beauty is spectacular and the is why the local people have developed a real prosperous industry from tourism. They build comfortable villas and rent them for quite good money, but make sure the architecture of the buildings fits the surrounding wild life perfectly.

The building material of choice is timber and most villas are made of it because it is natural and easy to use, eco and fitting the woods area around. Besides, it is perfect for the climate of the place. But, even if the villas and all the buildings in the resort are made of timber and stone, they have all the comfort you might dream of and also all the modern technology you might want to use. This is a perfect world in my view.



Maia, Luxury hotel in Seychelles


The best time to spend holidays in Seychelles is pleasant 365 days, so there is no”best time ” for a vacation.You will be well impressed to find not cheap but definitely more affordable rates if you’re on a budget.Maia is a luxury hotel in Seychelles with a design that you should see.


Maia, Luxury hotel in Seychelles is constructed near the sea side. The whole idea of living in an amazing hotel between the mountains and sea creates magic. The design of the hotel is quiet extra ordinary. The hotel is inspired from the old bamboo roofs that were seen in the past but has been created using the latest technology and architecture. The beautiful scene of water falling down through the stairs from the first floor and amazingly built lounge rooms are worth appreciating












The spa area is remarkable. It is designed aptly using soothing colors and scented candles.  The place is decorated with fine furniture to let you enjoy your holidays completely