A room with a view

Breathtaking view from Hacienda Na Xamena in Ibiza

Like many students, I did some traveling around Europe before university, I was particularly excited about going to Florence, partly because of the film, A room with a view. I imagined a romantic and historical city... I wasn't so wrong except that I didn't expect the city to be jam-packed with tourists from all over the world! I didn't stay in a particularly charming B & B and there wasn't much of a view either, it was quite disappointing and I have never been back to Florence since.

As I got older and traveled more, I became more concerned with the view from my hotel room. Sometimes I would even pay a bit extra just to get a nicer/ higher view. Perhaps it's the anticipation when I enter a room, it would be the first thing I check and the impact can make a difference. I love observing people, while some people might hate the noise, I quite like having a room facing the streets provided it is not super noisy of course. A balcony with a view is even better, because it's nice to just sit and chat outside with a partner/ friend and sipping wine under the stars and moon... it can be such a pleasurable/ romantic experience.

Sometimes our brains can work in a very selective way, we pick out certain scene or people or sound or smell or form or name etc and we forget the rest... I tend to forget names of hotels, but the views (if memorable) usually stay in my mind. And with the help of camera, we can all recall views and memories that we have long forgotten...



Gondolas and a mini statue of liberty at The Bauer Il Palazzo, Venice


Picturesque view at Maca Kizi, Bodrum, Turkey


So soothing and meditative, Hoeiso Ryokan, Hakone, Japan


Stunning view of the skyline from Bishop Lei in Hong Kong


The charming village of Sirince from Sirince Evleri, Selcuk, Turkey


A view of the Temple of Philae from the River Nile cruise


A view of the quiet neighbourhood from Claska, Tokyo


Truly spectacular view at The Bellagio in Las Vegas


River view from Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok


A view fit for a king... an Italian one! Grande Real Villa Italia, Cascais, Portugal


So Blade Runner! Prince Hotel, Akasaka, Tokyo


A view of the Atlantic Ocean from Wentworth By the Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire


Charming inner Courtyard at the Intercontinental, Rome


Little Tokyo in Downtown L.A.


Neighbouring tents at the Pansea Ksar Ghilane, Douz, Tunisia


Street view from a small B & B in Lisbon


Auntumn colours from Monterey hotel in Akasaka, Tokyo


Amazing view of the Bosphorus from Sumahan on the water, Istanbul


Pousada de Mong-Há, Macau


Taken from a cabin somewhere up in the mountains, Norway


Hotel Arts, Barcelona


Night view from Aoyama Premier (Tokyu stay), Tokyo


Lake Garda, Italy



Views from the Orient Express, passing through Switzerland


View of Furano from a small B & B, Hokkaido


Shades of pink at the Grand Hyatt in Muscat, Oman