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https://petticoatjunktion.com - A tour of Graceland Mansion and photos from a tourist.

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - Bhopal, also known as the city of lakes, has stunning scenery and several places worth visiting. The historic areas coexist seamlessly with the well-planned urban developments. The two main lakes- the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake - form the city's nucleus. Its greenery, sprawling parks, open spaces, and laid-back charm fascinate the visitors. The three exotic stays that you must try in Bhopal are:JEHAN NUMA PALACE, BHOPALJehan Numa means 'View of the World'.The Jehan Numa Palace in Bhopal is a 19th-century royal residence. The Royal Palace dates back to the era of the Begums of Bhopal. In 1983, Nadir and Yawar Rashid, the grandsons of General Obaidullah Khan, the current owner of the Palace, decided to share this legacy with the world. Jehan Numa Palace is a stunning white structure set up on the slope of Shamla Hill in Bhopal. About The BegumsThe Nawab begums of Bhopal who ruled between 1819 and 1926 were dynamic women. Their personalities, vision, preferences, beliefs, and actions highlighted Bhopali tradition with a combination of Muslim and Maratha heritage. Qudsia Begum was the first woman ruler who ruled from 1819 to 1837. Her daughter, Sikander Begum's husband, succeeded her and ruled till 1844. Their daughter Shahjehan Begum from whom the Palace gets its name ruled the longest from 1845 till 1901. The last ruler Sultan Jahan ruled from 1901 to 1926. Shahjehan Begum (1845-1901)About the PalaceThe history talks to you as you walk around the Palace that combines British Colonial, Italian Renaissance, and Classical Greek Architecture. The colorful bougainvillea, the champa, the palm, and flowering creepers beautifully drape the building, and the open spaces under the vast sky create an enchanting visual treat. Arched walkways, colonnaded verandahs, and verdant lawns in intimate courtyards take you to a bygone epoch. Jehan Numa Palace opened its doors to visitors in September 1983. The Palace got the status of Heritage Hotel in the year 2000. Royal living that was once the sole preserve of Nawabs is offered to guests generously and with courtesy.RoomsThe Palace has 99 rooms, including six suites that open into green courtyards overlooking lush green trees, a swimming pool, and the riding track. Colonial furniture, local stone, traditional and ethnic furnishings, and indigenous tribal artwork adorn the rooms. At the same time, you can find all luxurious and modern amenities in the rooms like air conditioners, well-stocked minibars, LCD televisions with premium cable channels, coffee/tea makers, room safes, and wifi. Ensuite bathrooms have deep soaking tubs and exclusive toiletries. Room Service and Housekeeping Services are on-call round the clock. The different types of rooms are:Patio RoomsThese rooms have an intimate courtyard enclosed by a thick Bougainvillea hedge.Regal RoomsThe design of the rooms makes the guests comfortable. Champa lawns surround these rooms.View of Regal RoomPalace RoomsThe Palace rooms are in the heritage wing. These rooms have high ceilings and offer a view of the central courtyard. Imperial RoomsImperial rooms are spacious and comfortable. The rooms enjoy spectacular views of the swimming pool and horse-riding track from the elegantly furnished balconies and large picture windows.View of Imperial RoomSuitesLocated in the old wing, four suites provide stylish space for a relaxing stay.The Bourbon SuiteThe Bourbon Suite gets its name from the Bourbons, a French aristocratic family who settled in Bhopal in 1783.View of Bourbon SuiteThe Goddard SuiteThe Goddard Suite gets its name from General Thomas Goddard, who arrived in Bhopal in 1778, with his indomitable regiment, on his epic march across India. The suite has all extravagant amenities in addition to the historic feel.Dining Fine dining is essential for the authentic Jehan Numa experience. Here, guests can enjoy good food and gourmet cuisine with home-cooked flavors and farm-fresh ingredients.Four restaurants and two bars provide a prosperous and broad range to choose from.ShahnamaIt is a multi-cuisine restaurant with a buffet and a la carte service. Shahnama RestaurantLa KuchinaThis restaurant is inspired by Italian and the Mediterranean flavors.Under the Mango TreeThe Barbeque restaurant is located under an ancient mango tree.The Ancient Mango TreeCafechinoIt is a trendy and friendly coffee shop and patisserie.The CafechinoTattenham Corner and Shergar BarThey are famous watering holes that speak eloquently of the royal obsession with horses and racing. The Shergar Bar gets its name from the outstanding racehorse owned by the Aga Khan.Meeting and EventsVarious customized venues can accommodate 400 guests to intimate closed meetings for 12 persons. A pick of venues-both indoor and outdoor -outstanding food and beverage offerings and highly customized themes, decors, and music make each event unique and memorable.LeisureThe 25m open-air swimming pool is a delight and lies adjacent to a modern fitness center. There is an in-house Chakra Spa that offers an array of luxurious massages, salon services, body treatments, and skin therapies. The Open Air Swimming PoolJehan Numa Palace Hotel is 1 Km from the Manav Sangrahalaya, Van Vihar National Park, and 1.5 Km from Vallabh Bhawan. The Nadra Bus Station is 4.6 Km, the Bhopal Junction Railway Station is 6 Km, and Raja Bhoj Domestic Airport is 13 Km away.Noor Us Subah PalaceNoor Us Subah means "The Light of Dawn"Located on Bhopal's V.I.P. Road, Noor Us Subah Palace is ideal for newlyweds and couples looking for a pleasant break. The Palace, spread over 18 acres, is located on a hilltop above the Bada Talab and has world-class facilities for visitors. The rooms and suites have fantastic decor its hospitality services are impeccable. As the name suggests -Noor Us Subah, the first light of dawn hits the Bada Talab making the view from lake-facing balconies magical. H. H. Nawab Hamid Ullah Khan constructed the Palace during the 1920s for Begum Abida Sultan, his eldest daughter. Walking through the hallways and corridors of the Palace, you can easily imagine the life of the city's former ruling begums. The lobby shimmers with marble floors, high ceilings, grand chandeliers, and weapons displayed on the walls. Noor Us Subah PalaceRoomsThe Palace is now a heritage hotel. 57 rooms of the hotel classified as Standard Rooms -11Royal Club Rooms -30Premium Club Junior Suites-6Crown Club Suites-9Presidential Suite-1The Presidential SuiteAll the rooms and suites are a world of luxury placed in refined settings to suit the liking of discerning guests. The regal interiors of the rooms with warm wood accents and plush furnishings give a fantastic feeling. From the rooms, one can Savour the view of the lake. All bathrooms have sunken bathtubs.The Swimming PoolRestaurantsThere are four restaurants.Za-aiqaServing finger-licking delicacies of Mughlai and Peshawari cuisines, Za-aiqa gives you the experience of royal dining. Guest can enjoy the restaurant's decor and see their meals getting prepared through a see-through live display kitchen. The recipes used in cooking are straight from the royal kitchen.DynastyIt is an Oriental restaurant offering authentic Shanghai, Hunan, Cantonese, Szechwan, Mandarin, and Peking fares. The decor is impressive.Marble ArchAn open-air restaurant, the Marble Arch lets you enjoy your meal peacefully while treating your eyes to the beautiful views of the lake and the city.Sunset Bar-be-que restaurantIt is yet another open-air restaurant at Noor us Sabah hotel that offers lip-smacking delicacies along with live music performances.As night falls, the Palace's gardens poolside look resplendent illuminated by lamplights. Noor Us Subah hotel is 6.7 km from Bhopal Junction Railway Station, 7.5 km from Raja Bhoj Domestic Airport.Reni Pani Jungle Lodge135 km away from Bhopal and 11 Kms from the Satpura National Park, Reni Pani Lodge is an exquisitely planned conservation and wildlife-focused lodge. The forest gets its name from Satpura Hills that run horizontally across Central India. Satpura meaning seven peaks is the largest tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.To reach the lodge, you drive through the enchanting beauty of the untouched forest accompanied by an active silence or bird call. On getting to the lodge, the Lodge team greets you warmly.Cottages & TentsThere are 12 cozy cottages and some tents amidst the lush green trees that birds and animals frequently visit. The cottages decked with modern amenities like air conditioners, wardrobes, etc., are worth the rent. The tents are the epitome of contemporary glamping. The tents offer a high-quality lodging facility with well-maintained and beautifully designed rooms and lovely outside showers.The team and you become family as you dine under the stars by the jungle pool, barbeque by lamplight, or gather by the fireplace at the Ghol Ghar. To give you an indescribable experience, they plan your early morning trip to the Park.The expertly knowledgeable team at Reni Pani knows their forest, so they take you on a beautiful trip to the forest. They share stories and anecdotes, information, and suggestions so that your travel becomes adventurous. Game DrivesThe game drives in Satpura afford a great deal of exclusivity. With only 12 jeeps allowed in the tourism area at any given time, it gives you a private game viewing experience. You can also view Central India's most iconic mammals like Sloth Bear, Leopard, Wild Dog, Indian Giant Squirrel, Deer and Antelope, and even Tiger in the safaris.Walking SafarisSatpura park allows its guests to explore new tiger country on foot. Reni Pani's world-class guides bring alive the forest when they describe the lesser-known wonders of the woods. Elephant SafarisThe more adventurous way of experiencing the Park is riding the beautiful and intelligent animal-the elephant. The elephants take you through those thick jun

https://www.laveenadiaries.com -  During the summer vacation(2018), we decided to take a break from the maddening crowd of cities and indulge in the bliss of hills. While visiting my parents, who live in Kalka, a small town situated at the foothills of Himalayas, I, in company with my spouse and my two sons stopped at Nalagarh Fort.Nalagarh FortNalagarh is a scenic gateway to Himachal Pradesh in North India. It is 300 km north of Delhi, 40 km from Chandigarh, 20 km from Ropar, and 40 km from Kalka. The fort is located on a hillock at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas affording a panoramic view of the Shivalik Hills beyond Sirsa river. It is centrally located and is easily accessible from Manali, Dharamshala, and other hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. Being close to NH21, it is an ideal haven for a weekend geta

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - Scenic beauty of LandourLandour at nightDear friends, today let me take you to a beautiful tourist place in Uttrakhand - Landour. It is a small cantonment of the British Era. It is 2 Km from Mussoorie and 35 km from Dehradun. The place is also famous because Ruskin Bond, the eminent English author, resides here. While moving from Mussoorie to Landour, the road became very steep. As we drove uphill, our anxiety level increased and our stomachs started churning. We saw many cars taking a u-turn but my hubby is very good at steering wheel so could easily make it to Landour. I expect the steep slope and small road as the reason behind Landour receiving fewer tourists.We checked about the availability of rooms from various hotels. The options available wereRokeby Manor- It is a heritage prope

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - In April 2017, I along with my family visited Indore. My husband was on a business trip for 3 days. We never wanted to miss the chance of visiting the beautiful city so we decided to accompany him. So we extended  the trip for three more days.Before I narrate our travel tale to Indore, let me bring in quick information about the city.Indreshwar Temple, IndoreIndore is a beautiful city in Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India. The city is a perfect blend of history, culture and modernity. It is also the educational hub of the state. The city got its name from Indreshwar Temple where Lord Indra is the presiding deity. Indore is the cleanest city of India in Swachh Sarvekshan Surveys.The city is also known for its seven-storey Rajwada Palace and the Lal Bagh Palace. Both date back to the 1

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - Hi friends. My today's blog is a little different. By virtue of my job and also my passion for travelling and exploring new places, I get an opportunity to stay in different hotels (including 3-star to 5-star). Today I chose to write about a hotel, the stay in which was so delightful that its memories will last for a long time to come.In October 2019 we planned a ten days vacation and decided to take a journey to Indore by road. We made a route plan. Our first destination was Agra. We started our journey from Beas on 1st Oct. A little short of Delhi; we took Yamuna Expressway. We reached Agra in eight hours. We had already booked rooms in the Hotel- Holiday Inn.Facade of Hotel Holiday InnHotel Holiday InnHoliday Inn is a British-owned American brand of hotels and a subsidiary of Intercont

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - Hello friends, let's continue with our journey (To read my previous blog Click here). After exploring the city of Taj Mahal for two days, we started for our next destination-Gwalior. Gwalior is famous for its palaces and temples.Before sharing my experience in the city, I must narrate my adventurous journey on the North-South Corridor of National Express Highway. The highway connects Agra with Mumbai, but it seems that the government neglects it. The traffic on the road was mainly of the trucks carrying heavy loads, and we hardly saw any car on the highway. There were numerous potholes on the road, and their depth could not be imagined from the driving seat. My hubby had to get down of the car repeatedly to find a little shallow pit so that he could cross it without any damage. We had to

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - From Gwalior, we headed towards Indore. We enjoyed ourselves at Indore for two days (to know more about our Indore Trip CLICK HERE).On 8 October, we took our return journey to Beas via Jaipur. When it comes to tourist offerings, Jaipur has no match. I clearly remember when I first visited Jaipur in 2002 as a school trip in charge, we had to extend our trip by one more day because we had so much to see. Jaipur is a culturally and historically rich city. Seeing pink buildings all around one can easily make out why Jaipur is called Pink City or Pink Pearl. On reaching Jaipur, we checked in Hotel Souvenir Premier. After quickly inspecting our rooms we took a big fat lunch in the restaurant and planned for our activities in the two days we had in hand.Hotel Souvenir PremierHawa

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - I wonder if it is natural to be nostalgic! Or is it due to the mental and emotional exhaustion invoked in us due to Covid -19 and its consequences?Do you also feel nostalgic at times! If yes, kindly share your moments of nostalgia in the comment box.One such nostalgic moment evoked by Ruskin Bond's book 'The Great Train journey' inspired me to write this blog. You must be wondering how!To explain this, let me take you to my childhood memories. I was born and brought up in the same small town Kalka which Ruskin Bond has beautifully mentioned in his book. Not only this, he also talked about the Toy Train, which happened to be the first train that I also ever saw. Still confused!Let me explain further. It was nostalgic because I also saw the train for the first time on the narrow g

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - When it comes to travelling, we travel for two reasons. One is to learn about our glorious history, to understand the culture and diversity in the world. Second is to breathe new life into ourselves by interacting with nature. All my previous blogs were about my travel to the historical cities which I visited for the first reason. But today, I thought of writing about a place that I chose for the second reason.Kandbari, a new and unexplored hill station is 11 Km from Palampur. There is little to do here except for enjoying the bounties of nature. After successfully ending a session in school and beginning the new one, I thought of taking a short break to revitalize myself. On 19 April 2019, we set out for a short break at Kandbari. Route till Palampur was well known as we h

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - Hello friends, today I am writing about a beautiful institution near Dharamshala- Norbulingka. Situated in foothills of Dhauladhar range, Norbulingka not only gives you knowledge about Tibetan culture but the architecture of the institution, its greenery, water flowing in the middle of the garden and prayer flags fluttering above your heads are treat to eyes. The brightly colored ambience of the institution is perfect for photography. I chose to write about Norbulingka because I think not many people who visit Dharamshala or Mcleodganj know about this institution.Norbulingka means 'Jeweled Park'. In 1755, Norbulingka was built in Lhasa, Tibet. It was the traditional summer residence of Dalai Lamas from 1780s onwards until the 14th Dalai Lama came to India on exile in 1959. It served as an

https://www.laveenadiaries.com - Hi Friend, I know you are waiting for my blog on places worth visiting near Norbulingka. But since all the states have unlocked their borders for visitors after COVID 19, I thought of writing on travel safety tips, so that I can help those who have apprehensions in travelling.Travelling to new places expands our horizon and adds fond memories, but if we are not careful, they can turn into harrowing memories. Few prospective risks while travelling are:Health Risks - Sometimes the change in terrain, weather and even water leads to health problems like upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhoea etc. And in present scenario catching COVID virus can be the biggest risk.Theft - Theft of documents like passport, money and valuables can be distressing.Scamming - Scam in places where the language and cult

https://theprofessionaltraveller.com - Looking to visit Duncansby Stacks? If so check out my photos and videos of a visit in June 2021 plus all the practical information you need in relation to your visit. Getting to Duncansby Stacks Duncansby Stacks are located to the East of John O’Groats. To reach them take a right turn off the A99… Read More »Duncasby Stacks – Fab Cliffside Walk With Stunning Views & Teeming with Birds

https://theprofessionaltraveller.com - Thinking About a Wick Hotel? Looking to stay in Wick? Thinking about a Wick hotel? Why not consider this great 2 double bedroomed apartment with free parking, fully equipped kitchen, all linen and towels, great lounge with Neflix and Freeview on the TV within a 10 minute walk of Wick High Street? It’s also right… Read More »Wick Hotel Alternative with Great Facilities and Right Beside NC500 Route – Sweet!