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Incredible seaside hotel shaped like Noah’s Ark – with themed rooms including a British suite filled with teddies
A HOTEL that looks like Noah’s Ark, recognised as the first full-scale replica, is one of Hong Kong’s most quirky and unusual places to stay.
Noah’s Ark Hotel and Resort can be found on the island of Ma Wan, next to the world-famous Tsing Ma Bridge.
The hotel appears as a vessel washed up on shore, extending onto the golden sands and shimmering waters of Tung Wan Beach.
Inside, guests can expect a choice of spacious deluxe double, twin or themed family rooms with amenities such as a separate shower and bathroom and queen size beds.
There are seven themed rooms, one of which is British themed – expect a union jack bedspread and rug, a model of a Royal Mail letterbox, and a room full of cuddly teddy bears.
Other themes include ‘Mushroom Forest’, with mushroom toys and a toadstool tent.
Its two newest themed rooms are ‘Interstellar Voyage’, with rockets, planets and astronauts, and ‘Flying Adventure’, with planes and suitcases.
During their stay, guests can marvel at the resort’s Ark Expo and 4D theatre, where they can experience the flood of the ancient ark firsthand and discover the largest meteorite display in Hong Kong.
They’ll also be surrounded by the thrill of the resort’s theme park, as well as panoramic views of the Tsing Ma Bridge from the zip line, and Adventureland Park.
There are three dining options at the hotel – the Harvest Restaurant, Harvest Beachside, and Noah’s Kitchen.
Harvest Restaurant offers international cuisine alongside views of Park Island Beach, Tsing Ma Bridge and Ting Kau Bridge.
Harvest Beachside is a new alfresco seaside restaurant equipped with leisurely style tables and seats.
And Noah’s Kitchen is an elegant, semi-open restaurant where guests can admire a vertical garden nature wall while they dine.
Ma Wan, despite being an island, is easy to get to. The best way to get there is to take the ferry from Central Pier or take the circular bus from Tseun Wan Bus Terminus.
Other things to do in Ma Wan include chilling out at Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, located between the Park Island ferry pier and Noah’s Ark theme park.
There are also lots of family-friendly walking and hiking trails around, including the old fishing village on the water.
At the southern end of the island is the 69-meter-tall Tai Leng Tau Hill.
If you make it to the end of the 20-min hike, you can find one of the best viewpoints of Tang Lung Chau Island, Ma Wan Channel, and Tsing Ma Bridge.
Noah’s Ark & Hotel Resort is also a 12 minute drive to Hong Kong Disney Land Resort.
Deluxe double bed rooms at Noah’s Ark start from £74 per night based on two adults sharing, including breakfast.
Some of the worlds quirkiest hotels
Icehotel – the hotel in northern Sweden is rebuilt each year with snow and ice. It was the world’s first ice hotel, opening in 1990.
Hotel Costa Verde – located in Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica, the hotel has several airplane-themed accommodations, including a Boeing 727 fuselage suite, a Cockpit Cottage, and a railroad car-turned-restaurant.
Giraffe Manor – it’s a small hotel in the Lang’ata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya which, together with its associated Giraffe Centre, serves as a home to a number of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes.
Dog Bark park Inn – the hotel, located along Highway 95 in Cottonwood, Idaho, is built in the shape of a beagle, making it a famous landmark in the state. It is colloquially known as ‘Sweet Willy’ by local residents.
The best hotels in the world were recently revealed, and a Hong Kong hotel was named one of them.
The Peninsula, which came in fourth on The Telegraph’s list, is the oldest hotel in Hong Kong having opened in 1928.
Boots Beauty Advent Calendar review — not the prettiest out there, but its contents speak for themselves
WHAT is Boots doing?
Once the destination for last-minute sunscreen and forgotten toothpaste, Boots has transformed into a Prada-stocking, concept store-owning beauty giant in the past year.
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
The retailer has upped its game and become unquestionably cool in 2024 — now it’s launched a luxury Advent calendar.
I get very excited about Christmas (potentially induced by all the ‘Christmas in July’ meetings I attend) so I have never relied on an Advent calendar to chivvy on the countdown.
However, since becoming a beauty journalist, I’ve discovered that a calendar stuffed with beauty products can make December even more exciting.
Boots has nailed it this year, creating one of the most beautifully curated calendars I’ve reviewed (and boy, there have been many).
Here are my honest thoughts and hundreds of spoilers…
Pros
- One of the most affordable beauty calendars on the market
- Compact design
- Good balance of make-up, skin, hair, and body care products
Cons
- Half of its contents are travel or sample-size
- Some travel-size products are small and will only last a few applications
- Basic, unfestive design
- Inner boxes are flimsy and tricky to remove
Rating: 3.5/5
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
Boots Beauty Advent Calendar review: how we tested
Recently, a friend asked me how work was going, and all I could talk about was Advent calendars.
I’d hazard a guess that this is due to spending so much time reviewing, photographing, and unwrapping calendars this year.
As The Sun’s Beauty Writer, it’s my job to spill the beans on the crème de la crème of the beauty industry.
So, I’ve spent hours tracking down the best beauty Advent calendars to grace the shelves in 2024, leaving no stone unturned or door unopened.
My search to find beauty’s best calendar has now brought me to Boots, where I’ve taken the 24 Days of Beauty Calendar for a spin.
When I’m reviewing an Advent calendar, I have a few criteria in mind: affordability, durability, quality of contents, value for money, and — of course — Christmas pizazz.
Let’s see if the Boots calendar ticks these boxes…
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
Boots Beauty Advent Calendar review: quick summary
If you thought that the Boots Advent calendar would be filled with cough medicine, nappies and paracetamol, I wouldn’t blame you.
Despite being clued up on all the new brands that Boots has introduced this year, even I was surprised by the wealth of coveted beauty names inside this calendar
Packed with the likes of Sol de Janeiro, Fenty and Laura Mercier, its contents list reads like a “what went viral in 2024?” yearbook.
Starring 24 beauty goodies — with 13 full-sized — this calendar boasts a 73% saving compared to buying each product individually.
Humble in size and design, the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar isn’t the flashiest calendar on the market, nor the most festive, but it will fit snugly under your tree — overall, a winner.
Boots Beauty Advent Calendar review: full review
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
First impressions
At first glance, the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar looks like a shoebox. A very nice shoebox, admittedly, but sadly this calendar fails the festive-aesthetic test.
That said, I’m impressed with its compact, foldout design and lightweight packaging, which will make fitting it onto your mantlepiece a very simple task.
It doesn’t have the glitter, foils or frilly bits that other beauty Advent calendars have, but its product lineup speaks for itself.
Inside, you’ll find 24 removable boxes arranged in a Jenga-style stack, containing one beauty product each.
Usually, calendars of this style feature pulleys or handles, however, this calendar has neither, so I had to prise the boxes out of the calendar.
This means that long nails are required — fortunately, you’ve got eight weeks to get growing.
Traditional Advent calendars end on Day 24, but the 2024 Cult Beauty, Space NK and LookFantastic calendars have all spoilt me with a Day 25 door.
So, I’m ashamed to admit this, but I’m disappointed that the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar ends on Day 24; this year’s calendar stakes are that high.
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
What’s inside the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar?
Opening this calendar feels more like perusing the shelves of John Lewis than Boots.
Starring a cult perfume, sculpting moisturiser, and (arguably) the world’s most-wanted body cream, the products inside the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar are posher than you’d expect.
There are 12 smaller-sized products inside this calendar and most of them resemble the travel miniatures we know and love from airport shopping.
However, others look like the freebie samples that get thrust into your bag at the till, which feels a little disappointing.
That said, there are plenty of exciting, full-sized products concealed inside this Advent calendar (spoilers ahead!).
On Day One, you’ll unbox a full-sized Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow, typically £26, but you’ll have to wait until Day Six before you find another full-sized gift.
Day 18 contains a full-size Bubble Water Slide Moisturiser, typically £18, which is from one of the brands I’m most regularly quizzed on by colleagues.
After one more sleep, you’ll be treated to a full-sized Bare Minerals PrimeTimt Primer, typically £30, which sent socials into a frenzy thanks to its smoothing, pore-minimising powers.
Things round off nicely on Day 24, where you’ll find a Fenty Beauty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick in shade RiRi, typically £25, which is a gorgeous, dusty-rose shade that’ll be perfect for wearing on the 25th.
Here’s everything else you’ll be treated to…
What's inside the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar 2024?
Here's everything you'll find inside the Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar...
- Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream 25ml
- Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence Leave-In Conditioner 60ml
- Patchology Serve Chilled Rosé Eye Gel Single FULL SIZE
- Fenty Beauty Icon Velvet Lipstick 5.5g FULL SIZE
- Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray 15ml
- No7 Matte Powder Blusher 3g FULL SIZE
- First Aid Beauty Bump Eraser Body Scrub 28.3g
- Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow Matte 1.64F FULL SIZE
- Iconic London Sheer Blush 12.5ml FULL SIZE
- bareMinerals Pore-Minimizing Primer 30g FULL SIZE
- Shiseido Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Advanced Cream 15ml
- Drunk Elephant Beste Jelly Cleanser 60ml – FULL SIZE
- FUL Repair Hair Shampoo 250ml FULL SIZE
- Rituals The Ritual of Ayurveda Recovery Hand Balm 20ml
- Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Serum 8ml FULL SIZE
- Hello Sunday Eye Cream SPF50 15ml FULL SIZE
- Bubble Water Slide Hydration Boosting Serum 30ml FULL SIZE
- Huda Beauty Lip Blush Creamy Lip Stain 6ml FULL SIZE
- REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Overnight Balm 15ml
- Grown Alchemist Hand Cream 65ml FULL SIZE
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Styling Wax Mini 2.5g
- Sol De Janeiro Cheirosa ’76 30ml
- Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream 50ml
- NARS Bronzing Powder – Laguna 2 1.5g
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
How much is the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar?
Coming in at *just* under £100, the Boots Advent Calendar is one of the most affordable beauty Advent Calendars on the market, at £99.
Its contents pile up to a hefty total value of £365.87, saving you a whopping £266.87 or 73%.
This saving beats the likes of Revolution and Charlotte Tilbury, where you’ll save 52% and 58%, respectively.
However the Boots calendar can’t compete with the LookFantastic Calendar (£100) which boasts a saving of 82% and features a stunning drawer design, yet only costs a quid more.
It’s worth noting that many of the sample-sized products inside this calendar can’t be bought separately, so Boots has calculated their value based on the price per ml of their respective full-size product.
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
Where to buy the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar
Top tip: don’t try looking for this calendar in-store, because you won’t find it.
While Boots is one of the few physical beauty retailers, you can’t pick up the Boots Beauty Advent calendar at your local Boots branch.
Instead, you’ll need to head to the Boots website to make your order, where you’ll find free standard delivery on orders over £25.
Order by 10 PM, and you’ll qualify for next-day delivery meaning your calendar will whizz its way over to you for just £4.95.
You can Click and Collect in-store, too, which is free on orders over £15.
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
The verdict: is the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar worth it?
While the Boots Advent Calendar isn’t the prettiest calendar on the shelves or the best value for money, it’s still a bloomin’ good deal.
Encased inside its (fairly bland) walls are some of 2024’s most-desired beauty products, and this calendar strikes a good balance between make-up, haircare and skincare offerings.
I’m a little disappointed by its large proportion of miniature-sized products — some of which would only last you one or two applications — but they do come in handy when travelling.
I’ve previously espoused that I’m not a fan of calendars that contain boxes rather than drawers because they tend to be flimsier and tricky to reuse.
However, the Boots calendar earns back a gold star because its cardboard packaging could be flattened and tossed into the recycling bin after the festivities.
While I wouldn’t recommend the Boots Beauty Advent Calendar to a beauty fanatic (you’ll probably own the contents of this calendar already), it’s a great option for any beauty toe-dipper who’s looking to vary their stash.
Boots 24 Days of Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar, £99 (Worth £365.87)
Want to find more savings on your online shopping? Then head to Sun Vouchers where you can get discounts and voucher codes from hundreds of top retailers including B&Q, Boots, Iceland, Lookfantastic, Dunelm, Adidas, Marks & Spencer and more.
UFC 307 Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr: Full card, UK & US start time, TV channel and live stream for Utah show
THE UFC returns to pay-per-view action this weekend with a stacked card featuring TWO title fights.
Mixed martial arts‘ top promotion makes its now annual visit to Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday night for UFC 307.
And a championship double-header will top the bill of a tasty autumn card.
The main event of the evening will see dominant light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira defend his title against surging contender Khalil Rountree Jr.
And in the co-main event of the evening, women’s bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington will bid to make her first title defence against former 135lbs queen Julianna Pena.
The UFC’s eleventh pay-per-view offering offer is jam-packed with entertaining fights.
And SunSport is on hand with everything you need to know about the upcoming card.
When is UFC 307?
UFC 307 will take place on Saturday, October 5.
The Delta Center in Salt Lake City will play host to the melee of fights.
What time does the UFC 307 card start in the UK and US?
The Fight Pass prelims are set to begin at 11.00pm in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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The card will get underway at 7:00pm ET / 3:00pm PT in the United States.
The UFC 307 main card will commence at 3am BST in the United Kingdom.
The pay-per-view portion of the card will commence at 10pm and 7pm on the east and west coasts of America respectively.
What time will Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr start in the UK and US?
The octagon walks for the main event are expected to take place at approximately 5am BST/12am ET/9am PT.
UFC 307: Pereria vs Rountree Jr fight card
Main card
- Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
- Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
- Jose Aldo vs. Mario Bautista
- Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison
- Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland
Prelims
- Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley
- Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo
- Cesar Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria
- Austin Hubbard vs. Alexander Hernandez
Fight Pass Prelims
- Ryan Spann vs. Ovince Saint Preux
- Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington
- Court McGee vs. Tim Means
Tragedy as woman, 38, found ‘mummified and skeletal’ after lying dead in flat for more than three years
A VULNERABLE woman was found “mummified and skeletal” after lying dead in her flat for more than three years, an inquest heard.
Laura Winham, 38, was discovered by her brother when he visited the home in Woking, Surrey, to tell her their dad had passed away.
He was about to leave but went back for “one last look” through the letter box when he noticed what resembled a foot underneath a blanket.
Police broke down the door to find Laura, who was 41 when she was found, in a “mummified” state, an inquest heard.
Her devastated family believe she was “abandoned and left to die” by social and mental health services.
Surrey Coroner’s Court was told Laura had schizophrenia and believed her loved ones were trying to harm her.
They believe she died in November 2017 – three-and-a-half years before her body was found.
Her sister had contacted New Visions Homes two months before the discovery as they were concerned for Laura’s welfare.
An official went to the social housing flat but there was no answer, the inquest was told.
A statement from a former employee at New Vision Homes, which was the landlord contractor for WBC from 2015 to April 2022, said: “Ms Winham’s sister reached out on 31 March 2021 to ask if New Vision Homes had been in contact with her.
“Her family said a lot of post had gathered and they were concerned about her welfare.
“Woking Borough Council completed a door knock which received no answer. It was at the end of May that New Vision Homes were told she had been found dead.”
The statement added that it was “clear she was vulnerable” and that “she should have been flagged as vulnerable as this would have alerted New Vision Homes and WBC to her vulnerability”.
Laura’s gas had been turned off in January 2019 due to a contractor not being able to gain access to complete an annual check.
They had made several attempts to get in touch with Laura by phone and post regarding the scheduled December 2018 check-up with no response.
The court heard Laura been served an eviction notice in April 2014 after falling into rent arrears of £1,579.
A council housing officer intervened and helped Laura make a new housing benefit claim and encouraged her to see her GP.
Her rent arrears were subsequently paid by a third party and the eviction did not happen.
The inquest continues.
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I don’t have much time left on the pitch – Ronaldo
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