“Oh, I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting! Now you’ll probably give me a 1-star review…” said the owner of a lovely wine bar in Vienna with a serious and sad look on her face. I had to reassure her that I’m not THAT type of tourist. The type who doesn’t understand that, especially postContinue reading “Why a Thacks Award is better than 100 Five Star Reviews”
Author Archives: Thacks Panelists
2021 Top 5 Winner: DE GUSTIBUS, Alba, Italy
Forget Tuscany! Its underrated Italian sibling in the north-western corner of the country offers many quality treats and surprises which exceeded our expectations compared to Tuscany. So much so that two of the Thacks Awards panelists have been back to the area twice in four months, during the covid pandemic, to investigate the truffle hype and discoverContinue reading “2021 Top 5 Winner: DE GUSTIBUS, Alba, Italy”
Thailand Reopened to Tourism: November 2021
How did Thailand reopen to tourism? The world has been a strange place since the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to many international journeys since early in 2020. The tourism industry in Thailand is a massive contributor to the country’s economy. In the first quarter of 2020, tourism was estimated to directly contribute 5.65% toContinue reading “Thailand Reopened to Tourism: November 2021”
2021 Top 5 Winner: BORONIA KITCHEN, Gladesville, Sydney, Australia
We all have our favourites. Our go-to cuisine, our feel-good wine region, our pick-me-up coffee style and even down to perhaps the stemware we drink our favourite wine varietal out of. Seldom do all these elements combine together in ONE place; well other than our own homes… but then there’s the dishes! This humble panelistContinue reading “2021 Top 5 Winner: BORONIA KITCHEN, Gladesville, Sydney, Australia”
Training the Most Luxurious
Rovos Rail’s website claims that they operate ‘the most luxurious train in the world’ and the Thacks Award panel agree that they have a near-perfect product. Sadly, the perfection which alludes them seems to be largely out of their control. So being totally objective, we have decided not to award them with one of theContinue reading “Training the Most Luxurious”
Visiting Vienna including Wine
Austria ranks highly as a city break destination with friends. Vienna is a city I’ve been to more than once and it always seems to deliver new treasures. Our previous outing was in the summer where beach bars with sand along the riverbank were a cool highlight along with vineyard visits on the outskirts ofContinue reading “Visiting Vienna including Wine”
Wine Not
Are you looking for an introduction to the exciting wine tasting world? We all have differing tastes and we all have differing experiences in the wine tasting world. I had a quick look at my camera roll for the past year and was surprised at how many happy and travel moment pictures involved wine. IContinue reading “Wine Not”
Alicante Amigos
A quick two day road-trip to the northern part of the Alicante province delivered some unexpected treats; from posh Denia, to buzzing Calpe where cliff-high mountains drop into the ocean and then on to quaint Altea with its Mykonos-style streets in the old town. The drive from Valencia took around 90-minutes. Although October is somewhatContinue reading “Alicante Amigos”
Paella Surprise
Blau Mar is a little gem in Calpe. The vibe from sitting next to the kitchen where the largely young and energetic team are buzzing in and out from a lively front-of-house is contagious. We were walking down the promenade and commented that it’s probably just tourist traps on the beachfront, BUT this was anContinue reading “Paella Surprise”
Global Best Nominations
How many of these have you seen or experienced? What did you think of them? We are sure you’d agree that they’re worth a visit if you haven’t experienced it yet. Top Two Category Mentions for 2021/2 (regardless of some operating hours/destinations affected by the Covid19 pandemic): The world has a lot to offer andContinue reading “Global Best Nominations”
Thacks Awards 