Restaurant Review: Al Nafoorah Al Qasr, Dubai

Dan and I really love, love, love Lebanese cuisine. We have been to some great Lebanese restaurants (including this incredible one in Amman, JordanFakhreldine), and we always try to eat at Lebanese restaurants when in the Middle East. We had one proper dinner evening in Dubai last year on our way to the Maldives. We made a dinner reservation at Al Nafoorah Al Qasr.

Dan at Al Nafoorah Al Qasr.

Al Nafoorah Al Qasr is located inside the Jumeirah Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah hotel – only about a 10 minute Uber drive from our hotel on the Palm Jumeirah. And like the Jumeriah Al Qasr, Al Nafoorah Al Qasr is a gorgeous restaurant. Having both indoor and outdoor seating, the interior of the restaurant is centered around an olive tree and is immaculately decorated. The outdoor seating is along a man-made waterway, complete with tourist sightseeing boats, with views of the Burj Al Arab. We sat outside and had a perfect table overlooking the Burj Al Arab, as seen above.

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Airport Lounge Review: Marhaba Lounge, Dubai International, Terminal 3, Concourse B

Dan and I spent a little over two hours in the Marhaba Lounge in Dubai International (DXB) Terminal 3, Concourse B in December 2024, after spending a week in the Maldives and a few days in Dubai. While we were sad to leave, the Marhaba Lounge provided a decent send off. We arrived in the Marharba Lounge before 6:00 AM (we had an 8:30 flight) and had a pleasant, albeit crowded, experience. We would certainly return.

Dubai.

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Restaurant Review: Mandhoo Restaurant, Conrad Maldives

Dan and I visited the Conrad Rangali Island Maldives for the third time in November 2024. We had visited each of the Conrad’s 11 restaurants on prior visits except Mandhoo. As such, Mandhoo was a must visit for me on this visit. Honestly, we had been avoiding Mandhoo because it had always been billed, at least in our opinion, as the resort’s health food restaurant, and we just felt like that was not the vibe we were going for on vacation. While Mandhoo may have one or two healthier dishes than some other places, Mandhoo is just a normal restaurant with something for everyone. We will definitely return.

Mandhoo from afar.

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Airport Lounge Review: Casa del Ron, Guatemala La Aurora International

When flying out of Guatemala City in July 2024, we visited on of the best Priority Pass airport lounges that we have visited in a while – Casa del Ron! This post reviews our, albeit brief, experience at Casa del Ron.

Casa del Ron at Guatemala La Auror International Airport. I’m certain its sponsored by Zacapa rum.

Casa del Ron

Casa del Ron is a store/bar chain in Guatemala specializing in Guatemalan liquors, particularly rum. In fact, Casa del Ron is a great place to buy hard-to-find bottles of Zacapa rum (possibly Guatemala’s best rum) and other Guatemalan specialities. Dan and I visited the Casa del Ron in Antigua for drinks and they were high quality. Unknown to us on our visit to Casa del Ron in Antigua, there is also an outpost at the Guatemala La Aurora International airport (i.e., the Guatemala City airport), and its on Priority Pass. We obviously visited.

A delicious cocktail at Casa del Ron in Antigua.

The Cases del Ron Lounge & Checkin

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A Quick 24 Hours in Milan Hitting The Highlights!

Our big Italian vacation with Dan’s Uncle and Aunt ended with a fast 24 hours in Milan. We ended in Milan solely because we flew out of Milan on Emirates’ MXP – JFK evening flight. This post explains what we did in those quick 24 hours!

ARRIVAL TO MILAN VIA TRAIN

We trained from Florence to Rome on Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa train in Business Class mid-morning. The train ride was less than 2 hours – much faster than driving. The Business Class seats were spacious and super comfortable, and we received complimentary wifi (that actually worked), as well as a snack box and a non-alcoholic beverage of our choice. Needless to say, we loved the train. It’s the best and quickest way to get between Florence and Milan.

Dan’s Uncle & Aunt in Business Class on the Frecciarossa.

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