Inspiring Travel Writing from Vanessa Kaoukji
Vanessa grew up in Jordan and Dubai and has travelled widely throughout the Middle East. She speaks Jordanian Arabic. Vanessa was a staff member of Travel Intelligence from 2003-5, seeking out hotels of character throughout the world. She is now back in Jordan, working to protect Petra.
Articles by Vanessa Kaoukji
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Dusit Dubai
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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United Arab Emirates
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Dubai
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Dubai City
The Dusit is one of a number of tall mirrored buildings that line the main Dubai - Abu Dhabi road. The building itself may be vast, but the hotel consists of only 178 rooms and manages to retain an intimate feeling. The rest of the building is taken...
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Locanda Leon Bianco
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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Italy
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Veneto Region
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Venice
Just around the corner from the Rialto Bridge this charming little B...
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Ca d’Oro
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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Italy
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Veneto Region
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Venice
Situated in a quiet corner of the Cannaregio district the Ca d’Oro is a charming 4 storey B...
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Pensione La Calcina
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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Italy
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Veneto Region
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Venice
Until about a year ago this small but perfectly formed boutique hotel was relatively unknown. But, as was bound to happen, word got around and now you have to be prepared to book 3 months in advance to secure yourself a room during high season. The...
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Sari Konak
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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Turkey
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Marmara
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Istanbul
A lot of thought has been put into this simple family-fun b...
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Jumeirah Beach Club
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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United Arab Emirates
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Dubai
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Dubai City
Closer to the centre of town that other properties in the Jumeriah International Group, the Jumeriah Beach Club offers the best of many worlds: it has a beautiful stretch of beach; lush tropical gardens; a spa; extensive sports centre as well as...
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Royal Mirage, Residence & Spa
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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United Arab Emirates
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Dubai
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Dubai City
The most remarkable thing about the Residence is that the there is no fountain - at least not in the reception area - and immediately you notice what a noise water makes when echoing against marble walls. There is no grand reception are here, just a...
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Sanderson
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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United Kingdom
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Greater London
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London
Walking into the Sanderson feels like walking onto the set of a stage, and almost every aspect of this hotel - from the rooms, to the restaurant, to the spa - is about theatre. It’s also about being seen and the designer Phillippe Starck has a dig...
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The Rookery
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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United Kingdom
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Greater London
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London
Sister hotel to Hazlitt’s and only open as a hotel for five years, The Rookery embodies the same atmosphere as its counterpart but in the city, very close to Smithfields market and St Pauls, where guests will never be far from a historical place of...
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Hotel Villa Flori
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Vanessa Kaoukji
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Italy
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Italian Lakes
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Lake Como
The Hotel Villa Flori is the sister hotel to the Albergo Terminus in Como and although it is owned and run by the same family, it is much more luxurious than its counterpart and in a far better location. The original single storey villa was built...