// OUTFIT //

JACKET - PRETTY LITTLE THING // JEANS - TOPSHOP // TRAINERS - FOOT ASYLUM // TOP - ZARA // SUNGLASSES - H&M // BELT - TOPSHOP //

Laura x

// WIN //

Fancy getting your hands on all of these Benefit products?

I know, I know, I've gone totally wild with this giveaway but I know you all love when I do a Benefit giveaway and I need you all to help me reach my next Insta milestone which is 20k.

So all you have to do is head to my Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/girltalkwithlaura/?hl=en and follow the instructions on this post here

GOOD LUCK GUYS!

Laura x

Manchester, a place that is like my second home. But a place I don’t get to explore as much as I like to. 

Selfridges, a place where dreams start, a place where dreams happen.

So I got invited to visit Manchester with an overnight stay in the best hotel in Manchester, dine at the best restaurant in Manchester, and spend the day in the best shop in Manchester.

LUCKY ME HUH?! 

If you don’t know already then my bf lives in Manchester so I went down to stay at his before heading to the city centre which I much prefer than Newcastle! I love the accent, how polite people are compared to in Newcastle and obvs the shops.

We started off in Selfridges on the bottom floor where we found ourselves dining in the Gran Cafe which is located next to the Louboutin beauty counter - HANDY.

The cafe is the most instagrammable cafe I’ve probably ever been to. Marble everywhere, the best photographic drinks and its so bright - natural light - THANK THE LORD. I love natural light for my images and its normally so hard when you go to restaurants to get this. 

Its actually the same kind of restaurant as the cafe upstairs on the second or third floor but its just a bit more casual downstairs. Its so busy but you understand why when you go. They do the best food as well! I recommend the chicken caeser salad with an aeperol spritz and to finish a fererro rocher desert. 

After we stuffed our faces we went and had a tour of the shop - its so bloody big. I would have liked to have seen the personal shopping area as thats like my dream job, shopping and spending other peoples money. But yes we spent a good several hours wandering around the shoe and bag department which I have a wish list as long as my arm. 

Then I was lucky enough to grab a spot at the Christian Louboutin beauty counter (which you can all do too for free!) to find out more about their beauty range and to try some bits out as I have never actually tried any. Because they don’t do the full range of makeup they don’t charge for appointments and you get a glass of fizz. So the lovely girl on the counter took my eye makeup and brows off so she could start fresh. Passed me a glass of chocolates, my glass of fizz and sprayed me with the most AMAZING perfume ever. Theres no question that I need it in my life, its a must. 

The packaging on every single item is amazing and so fabulous you actually don’t mind paying the extra dollar to have makeup as posh as that. Plus its not just for show, like the products are actually good too. My fav being the mascara, their lip liner and their lipstick. I felt so glam walking out of their with my makeup all fresh and smelling Devine! So I went and found my wandering bf and headed to out hotel.

Walking into the hotel at The King Street Townhouse you wouldn’t think it was the best hotel in Manchester. It was just normal. 

THEN you went to your room - we had a Junior Luxe suite and it was out of this world. The best room we’ve ever had and I mean we stay in some gorgeous hotels. There was a massive bed with the most comfiest bedding, when we got into bed no matter where you head was, it was comfy. We did not wanna get out of bed the next morning to check out I will tell you that now.

But yeah it had a massive bed, the BIGGEST bath we’ve ever had, the best bathroom we’ve ever had, with a sitting room, bookshelves, a radio with the biggest mirror AND the best robes we’ve ever had. There’s a lot of ‘ever had’s ‘ in there! That shows just how good the room was. But that wasn’t the best bit about the hotel.

Now, you guys know I love a spa. My middle name might as well be SPA. Laura Spa Cranston. 

The King Street Townhouse’s spa IS THE BEST POOL I’VE EVER BEEN TO. Their spa was up on the 7th (or 6th) floor with the pool overlooking Manchester. Its the views that make it. Theres also a room next to the pool with beds there to lounge about, drink water and look out at Manchester some more. Theres also a steam room but as a spa it is quite small but the pool just beats it. We didn’t even go in the steam room because we spend all our time in the pool.

THEN, a massage. Now I say this every time I get one but she literally got every single knot out. And I had a lot. Its been a long time since I last got a massage and I have a very hands on job ( I’m a visual merchandiser) so I like to get them quite often because of all the heavy lifting I do But yeah she was amazing, so thorough. 

Okay I’m rabbiting on and I’ve totally skipped our meal the night before and the amazing breakfast. 

The meal was at Neighbourhood which you can dine at but you can also head there on a night out which I found so bizarre because I felt we were eating and everyone else was just getting pissed but once we started eating it seemed everyone came in for food. It was lush and the cocktails were amazing. For desert we got one of those melting chocolate balls with ice cream and caramel mmmmm. 

Its in the perfect location for heading out after too but because I’m old I went back for a cuppa in bed. 

Breakfast, because I am obsessed with breakfast. I wanted it in the room because I like to order a lot because I eat a lot and I feel no pressure when I’m in bed eating it all plus it makes for some good images for the gram life. 

On the food theme, we also had afternoon tea there too which was lovely but so random. Its in the back room to the cavern and the table are so low that my 6 ft 2 bf struggled to fit his knees under haha! 

But nothing like another glass of fizz whilst eating scones. 

Time to leave Manchester, boooo! But I will be back. Infact I’m already here again now as I write this post because I’m dying to go back to Selfridges and eat in their amazing cafe and drool over the Chloe bags. 

Have you visited the Selfridges in Manchester?

Laura x

// BLUSH + BLOW LONDON //

Since I was down London I thought I would pop into the most instagrammable hair salon for a blow dry! Why not ey?! You guys know me, high maintenance, diva and anything to get those Insta pics.

I've seen pics of this salon and honestly, its so me! 

I headed to Blush + Blow London which is just off the tube (totally forgotten which tube station you need to get off at) but it was so easy to find, plus there is a lovely coffee shop just outside the tub station for on your way there or on your way back.

As I headed in I seen there was the most gorgeous dog wandering around the salon and it was so cute to see the dog at home not being a bother at all! Its only small but its interior is amazing. 

The back room is the best which is where the big neon sign is but also the most amazing (how many times do I wanna say amazing) pedicure chairs. When I go back here I NEED to get a pedi just to sit on the chairs. 

Back in my chair after a relaxing wash, she gets me a coffee and some mags and lets me know they cater for bloggers as they have a charger already plugged in ready to use and their wifi code on the wall infant of you. Finally, people get us! 

Chatting to the lovely girl that done my blow dry and she says that Tanya Burr was just in the day before. If its good enough for her then its defo good enough for me.

The blow dry was amazing and I loved being in this place. If I lived in London this would defo be my happy place where i'd come every weekend for a pick me up! It's no secret I love a good pamper. 

PLUS, finally a salon which has the perfect backdrop for pictures of your hair! 

Have you been here before?

Laura x

// THOMSON HOLIDAYS  // INSULA ALBA // CRETE //

I know I know, its taken me so long to write this review!

So, if you seen on my Instagram then you would know I went to Crete last month and my hotel was the most photogenic hotel ever and I got loads of messages about it so I thought I need to write a review incase any of you are looking to book. And holidays are expensive so you need to know what to expect or if its worth your money.

But this we booked through Thomson as a package holiday so with flights and hotel which was half board, We would have loved to have been all inclusive but unfortunately thats not an option. Thats the only thing I would say is missing from this hotel is the lunch and free cocktails. If it was all inclusive then we would have had cocktails on tap and the service. So because we didn't get drinks included then we took our own and bought things to make cocktails with which I highly reccomend as it breaks your day up and you're not just drinking the same drink. We made mojitos, pimms (which we took) , champagne, wine and gin cocktails. You only had a little mini bar fridge in your room tho which was a struggle fitting it all in.

Anyway the hotel, reception is a dream, a white dream. Its all white which is totally Grecian with their gold features. The hotel has amazing interior and I couldn't fault it on that side. Everything was so clean and crisp.

Our hotel room was THE BEST EVER. Its very simplistic but the views and our sun bed area is the best i've ever had. And you guys know I like to holiday a lot! You had your own private double sun bed on the pool where you can lie on your sun bed and dip your feet in the pool. All the rooms around our pool (our pool wasn't the main pool) had their own sunbeds so everyone wasn't fighting for beds. You're guaranteed a sun bed which is perfect and good so you don't have to wake up early and go to nab them.
The room that we stayed in is the Double room with pool view, shared pool and terrace.

'These stylish double rooms will have lots of natural light from the patio doors - plus you'll have access to a shared swim-up pool with views of the pool from your terrace. Inside you'll find air-conditioning, a double bed and a sofa-bed or armchair bed in the bedroom. There's also Wi-Fi so you can stay connected and a minibar, bathrobes and slippers.'

So our pool was private and only we could use it which was great for us because we like to be more private from the main pool. The main pool was still nice with double four poster beds and bean bags around the pool with a bar.
The restaurant is so cool and the decor is spot on! The food - is a bit random. One night I seen Brussel sprouts. Thats the main factor I would change because I felt it was the same food every night so one night we actually went out to the beach restaurant just outside our hotel which was so lovely to have pizza on the beach watching the sunset. But after that night the food was really nice so its not a massive deal because it is nice, I just like to change it everynight.

The service is amazing and I couldn't fault it whatsoever. They do anything for you, they even help you break into your suitcase when you accidentally get locked out of it!

The area that the hotel is in is so cute and dainty, you've got the typical Grecian streets which are lovely to wander in. The beach isn't anything special but its very photogenic. The coach trip from the airport to the hotel is about 45mins which isn't too bad.

If you wanna see more of my snaps the search the hashtag #gtwltravels on Instagram - @girltalkwithlaura

Hope you enjoyed this review & let me know if you guys book because of my recommendation!

Laura x