On a world map, Mauritius is a tiny speck in the vast Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar (map). Famous for its stunning beaches and luxurious resorts, Mauritius is a popular honeymoon destination. However, there are many more things to do in Mauritius besides lazing on a beach. With its spectacular lagoons, blinding white […]
My stay at Hotel Pacai in Vilnius
Hotel Pacai is a five-star hotel in Vilnius (map), the capital of Lithuania. Opened in 2018 after five years of restoration work, this hotel is located in a 17th century Baroque palace in the Old Town of Vilnius. Built as the home of the influential Pacai nobles in 1677, the palace played an important role […]
An afternoon at La Motte
La Motte is one of the finest wine estates in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. Situated in the Franschhoek Valley, near the town of Franschhoek (map), against the imposing backdrop of the Wemmershoek mountains, the La Motte wine estate can trace its roots back to the 17th century. These days, La Motte is famous […]
Safari at the Gondwana Game Reserve
The light was fading quickly but we were determined to find them. Our guide expertly manoeuvered the jeep around a tight bend and stopped. Silence reigned as the dust settled. I surveyed the surrounding bushes before turning my gaze to the mountains, bathed in a soft pink light, in the far distance. We sat in […]
Memories of Bora Bora
It was ten years ago but I still remember it like it was yesterday. When I sat down to plan my round-the-world trip in 2008, a trip which quite literally changed my life, I took out a world map and circled the places I wanted to visit. One place I certainly didn’t want to miss […]
A luxury weekend in Amsterdam
If you’ve been reading my blog or following me on social media, you probably know that I live in Amsterdam and that I absolutely LOVE my city! One of the best things about Amsterdam is that there’s always something new to see or do, an event or concert to attend, or a new hotel or […]
Feeling like a rock star in Monaco
I vividly remember the stories my Mum told me of her trip to Monaco in the eighties: the lavish accommodations and restaurants, the beautiful people and her evening in the Monte Carlo Casino where she rubbed shoulders with the world’s rich and famous. Since then, I’d always wanted to visit this little principality in the […]
Help design the perfect boutique hotel
Have you ever wondered – if you had the opportunity to help design the perfect boutique hotel – what it would look like? What services, facilities, activities and amenities would you add to it? When these questions were posed to me a while back by my friends Kristin and Marcus, I sat back, sipped on […]
A home by the sea in Langkawi
Langkawi is an archipelago consisting of 99 islands situated in northern Malaysia near the border with Thailand. Also known as the islands of legends, Malaysian children are all brought up with stories of Langkawi legends such as Mahsuri and the fields of burnt rice. Langkawi is a beautiful destination in itself, with mountains which look […]
A culinary getaway from Amsterdam
Vreeland (map) is a small village about a 20-minute drive southeast of Amsterdam. Situated on both banks of the Vecht River (a branch of the Rhine River), the village is picture-perfect, quintessential Dutch, with a scattering of grand manors and rows of quaint houses with their typical Dutch gables. The Vecht River is, in my […]
About Keith Jenkins
I'm Keith Jenkins. In July 2008, I left my ten-year banking career to travel around the world. I've not looked back since.
Connect
Follow Velvet Escape on:
-
Ten things to do in Mauritius
-
Sunset cocktails at Vertigo
-
An evening stroll in medieval Erfurt
-
Why I prefer to travel with hand luggage only
-
Exploring the food scene in Vancouver
-
Plane views: Lisbon
-
Discovering the origins of Bauhaus in Germany
-
My birthday weekend in Amsterdam
-
Where to go in 2019
-
Travel highlights of 2018
-
Ten things to do in Mauritius
-
Where to go in 2019
-
Travel highlights of 2018
-
Why I prefer to travel with hand luggage only
-
My stay at Hotel Pacai in Vilnius
-
An evening stroll in medieval Erfurt
-
The art of wellness in Birštonas
-
Discovering the origins of Bauhaus in Germany
-
Exploring the food scene in Vancouver
-
Sitges: more than just a beach town
Velvet Escape has appeared in
