You know that feeling when you stay in a great hotel and wake up the next morning thinking “why can’t my bed at home feel as amazing as this?” Fluffy pillows, a marshmallowy bed and the softest sheets – these are all things that I’ve come to look forward to when booking in to a luxury hotel. I love that after a jam-packed day exploring a city, I can always look forward to returning to a picture-perfect room. The all-inviting bed is a big part of that experience, but I also love the statement furniture, feature art and luxurious fabrics that create a seamless transition to peace and tranquility. As such, here are my 10 favourite things that really help to recreate that luxury hotel room experience at home. Draper London is the new diffusion range from Josephine Home, a luxury provider of bed linens stocked in Harrods and used in hotels including Soho House and The Mandarin Oriental. The new, entirely digital Draper London stocks some of the top sellers from Josephine Home, at a more accessible price.
I love the Draper Home Indulgent Bundle with its percale sheets in 300 thread count Egyptian cotton, cool and airy to the touch. The set allows you to recreate a fully immersive hotel experience with 4 pillow cases, a fitted sheet, and a duvet cover. There’s also a useful 30 day trial period when you can test out the linen at home! The John Lewis Soft Touch mattress topper transforms an existing mattress into its marshmallowy hotel counterpart – so that you don’t necessarily have to splurge on a brand new mattress. It’s soft, squidgy and oh-so-comfortable, and on a cold night it really helps to keep you warm. Proper pillow support is indispensable when it comes to a good nights sleep, and a focal part of recreating that luxe hotel experience. I love the 4-pillow look on a bed, which is both smart and inviting. As such I now have 4 different pillows, and my favourite is the Boutique Silk Pillow from The Fine Bedding Company. These premium silk-filled pillows are blended with advanced Smartfil® fibres, so that you can still have that little bit of natural indulgence, whilst also having a hypoallergenic pillow.
The silk is also great at regulating temperature, and remains cool throughout the night #pillowofdreams After the pillow, I had to try out the Boutique Silk duvet from The Fine Bedding Company, and I’m glad I did. Soft, bouncy and light as a cloud, this duvet makes all the difference for a great nights sleep. Finish off your bedscape with a pair of cushions. My perfect configuration is 4 pillows with 2 feature cushions, and I’m loving the monochrome palm print on these ones from Graham and Green. The ‘Perfect Pair’ range from Desenio takes the hard work out of finding the best combinations of framed posters for your space. They also have lots of inspiration when it comes to gallery walls. Take a look at all of the gorgeous posters onlinefrom Desenio and pick your favourites :) Oversized canvas prints make for spectacular feature elements in a room, and are also sturdy enough to double up as alternatives to headboards. We love the ‘Jazzberry Blue’ Rome Map from Poster Lounge which ties in our love for travel with our love for mustard colour schemes.
Speaking of mustard, how about this stunning cocktail chair. The Fitz is one of Swoon Edition’s best selling items. Upholstered in deep velvet and with tapered oak legs, we can see why. One of the easiest ways to transform a room has to be to paint it. Grey is such a contemporary colour, and I love the drama that you can instantly create. Scree by Little Greene is especially beautiful, and comes in a matt finish that can also be wiped clean. Instead of cluttering up a space with small pieces, invest in larger items like this Icelandic sheepskin rug to add some luxurious texture and dimension to your bedroom. Throw it over a chair or the foot of your bed for some come-hither appeal. Do you have any tips on recreating a luxury hotel look at home? In the interest of full disclosure please be aware that some items in this post were sent to us to try out. We only recommend items that we really love, and we really love all of the above!Get the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card fee free
15 Jul 2016, 2:55 Save £125 on the annual fee for the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card and get access to some great rewards.American Express is currently waiving the £125 annual fee on its Preferred Rewards Gold Card. So what do you get with this charge card? Well, for a start you can get 20,000 Membership Reward points as a Welcome Bonus when you spend £2,000 in the first three months. That's enough points to get two return flights to European destinations such as Paris or Amsterdam with British Airways. This bonus works out as ten points for every pound spent in the introductory period. You earn one point per £1 spent once it's over. You'll also get two complimentary VIP airport lounge passes every year, allowing you to travel in style. But points can also convert into hotel stays, shopping vouchers, luxury items like an iPad and even fun experiences. You earn double points on travel spending (like plane and rail fares) and nearly everything you spend abroad.
Plus you get double points on petrol and major supermarket purchases for 12 months. In addition, you get a whole load of card protection, preferential treatment at restaurants and gigs plus travel inconvenience insurance for things like flight cancellations when tickets are bought on the card. To apply you need to have an income of at least £20,000 and have a clear credit history. Also, to be eligible for the Welcome Bonus of 20,000 points, you must not have held any other American Express Charge Card in the last six months. This seems like a great deal but make sure you don't get caught out. While Amex is currently waiving the £125 annual membership fee, this is only for one year. If you keep the card after this period the fee will be charged. You should also note that as this is a charge card, not a credit card, you are required to pay off your balance in full each month. So although there is no spending limit and no interest charges, you need to make sure you can afford what you buy every month.
Is Amex only for big spenders? If you have a lot of money to burn on a monthly basis, this card can be hugely rewarding. 100,000 points can get you a five-night stay at a Starwood hotel resort. But what about those who are on a tight budget? The great thing is you don't need to alter your spending habits or be super-rich to benefit. Just putting the food shop and your travel costs on the card could reap great rewards. I spend £400 a month on food and £112 a month on travel. By using the charge card instead of cash, in the first three months I could earn 15,360 points. After the Welcome Bonus offer ends I will be able to rack up another 9,216 points (the points are doubled because of the type of spending). This would leave me with over 20,000 points, which I could use on one return flight to Istanbul (I just pay the taxes and fees), a £100 gift card for a spa or Bose headphones. Even if you are happier spending less and racking up just 5,000 points, you can still get a £25 gift card for shops like Amazon, £25 voucher for a range of restaurants or one night's stay in a top hotel.
An Amex card isn't just for the super-rich, especially now its fee free. Just applying your normal spending habits can give you access to luxury rewards too. Here are a few other cards that reward you for spending.Santander 123 Cashback Credit Card If cashback is more up your street try the 123 card. Earn 1% at supermarkets, 2% at Department Stores and 3% on travel costs. Cashback is credited monthly but you will need to pay an annual fee unless you are a 123 Current Account holder. For more on cashback rewards take a look at The best cashback credit cards.AA Members Rewards Visa Get one point for every £1 spent or two for every £1 spent on fuel, motoring or AA products. Your points can get you shopping vouchers and money off motoring products. The card also offers 0% on purchases for ten months and 0% on balance transfers for 12 months.Tesco Clubcard Credit Card for purchases Earn one Clubcard point for every £4 spent. The card doubles as a standard Clubcard so you'll be able to collect points on your Tesco purchases too.