The Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh is not just about thrilling competitive gaming; it’s an all-encompassing festival of fun, excitement, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re a die-hard gamer, a casual player, or just looking for some family-friendly entertainment, there’s something exciting for every age and skill level.
Check out these top activities at the Esports World Cup that you won’t want to miss, perfect for filling the time between matches or jumping in to play yourself:

When we visited the iconic Hilton Park Lane in May 2024, the hotel was upgrading its offering. We were reviewing their new Park Corner Brasserie and had a pre-dinner drink at the Revery Bar. A few months on and the Hilton Park Lane is rapidly going through a renaissance, bringing back its exciting, vibrant energy and introducing new and imaginative offerings.

On this visit, it was all about the Revery bar, located off the lobby, to sample its first afternoon tea experience: “Tea, Cakes & Cocktails”.

The Revery is an intimate space slightly frivolous with muted pink décor and somewhat decadent with dimmed lighting and plush furnishings from comfy red upholstered armchairs and stools propping up the incredible curved backlit marble cocktail bar.

Peter Avis Fih, the Business Development Manager, has pitched Revery to perfection and his infectious energy, enthusiasm and vision for the hotel are reflected all around.

We arrived in time for afternoon Tea, Cakes & Cocktails priced at £65 per head – which seems a tad expensive for afternoon tea, but this is no ordinary tea. Deliciously crisp bubbles are followed by tea, cakes and cocktails with a difference. 

The tableside service is informed, subtle and entirely suitable. Kruthi, Rayan and Eugene strut their stuff effortlessly and we knew we had been guided to choose well from black, herbal, floral and green teas.

This British Afternoon Tea proffers a selection of perfectly paired and meticulously crafted cocktails, ranging from an Earl Grey Sour to my favourite the Pistachio Bliss – a blend of pistachio liqueur, amaretto, and cream. Non-alcoholic options include the Blooming Blossom, featuring elderflower syrup and fresh strawberries, and the Moroccan Souk – an exotic blend of orange juice, ginger, cinnamon, and mint.

The cakes are a work of art including carrot cheesecake, triple chocolate and a strawberry and citrus frothy delight. Traditional plain or fruit scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream were on offer too

Canapes and finger foods complete this unusual blend of cuisine with beetroot cheesecake alongside black truffle macaroon with chicken liver pate, surprisingly matched to perfection.

This is followed by the “Finger Feast” course featuring deconstructed classic chicken Caesar and Asparagus panna cotta, egg yolk and sourdough soldiers, mini poached lobster roll with Marie Rose sauce and Devon handpicked crab on sourdough toast with citrus bisque jelly. 

It could have ended there, but we went on to enjoy the selection of Revery’s pic ’n’ mix, including apple jelly, vanilla fudge, and dark chocolate truffle.

VERDICT: We left the mixology of Revery lost and refound in reverie, our senses surprised, tantalised and deliciously sated. ‘Tea, Cakes & Cocktails’ is no traditional afternoon tea, prepare to be wowed!

 

Revery Bar, 22 Park Lane, London W1
Revery’s “Tea, Cakes & Cocktails” costs £65 per person and is available to book Thursdays – Sundays from 12pm – 6pm.Bookings can be made here: www.reverybarparklane.com

The post Reverie Bar review, Hilton Park Lane, London appeared first on The Travel Magazine.

Venice has introduced a cap on tourists groups to 25. This is the newest measure to be put in place to combat overtourism and overcrowding.

After banning cruise ships from docking in its historic quarter in 2021, the iconic city of Venice, became the first European city to trail a system where daytrippers to Venice must pay a fee of  €5 (£4) to visit.

This Italian city with its atmospheric canals, its colourful romantic squares and gorgeous winding streets attracts around 30 million a year with 21 million only visiting for the day.

At peak tourism times the sheer numbers of people can be oppressive. And the locals are not happy. They find themselves having to navigate crowds of visitors, who are attracted by the romantic fantasy of gondalas and classical music, and end up blocking streets, and holding up footfall with incessant selfie-taking. Popular sights such as St. Mark’s Basilica have excessively long queues.

In 2023 Venice narrowly escaped being placed on UNESCO’s danger list because of the damage from overtourism on its delicate ecosystem. 

Though the day tripper levy trial has come to an end the city raised 2 million euros in tourist taxes. Now the city has introduced a new measure to combat overtourism by limiting the size of tourist groups to 25 people per group.

The idea is to make the flow of pedestrians easier especially through the narrow canal side streets. Another caveat is that no blaring music will be tolerated and tour guides are being told that they cannot use loud devices to address their groups since Venetians complain that they destroy the peace.

The restrictions apply to the city centre, and the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. Anyone breaking the rules will be fined 25 to 500 euros though children aged 2 and under or those travelling for education purposes, such as a school field trip are exempt.

 

 

 

The post Venice tightens rules on group visits appeared first on The Travel Magazine.

But be quick – the paint brand’s renter-friendly initiative is running only throughout the month of August!