If you follow along with me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed that I recently excitedly posted about winning a prize from Booking.com. I NEVER win ANYTHING so, needless to say, this news was just a little bit exciting!
I had been participating in a Twitter chat hosted by @bookingcom about accommodation and food. I love taking part in twitter chats and jump online most weeks to do so. It’s so much fun chatting to like-minded people and sharing travel stories. When I initially joined the chat, I wasn’t even aware that there was a giveaway of a €500 Booking.com accommodation voucher awarded to the best tweeter in the chat. I almost fell off my couch when I received the message that it was me!
Here are the tweets that I shared during the chat:
I honestly have no idea why it was determined that I was the winner, but I’m certainly not going to argue! There was nothing amazing about my tweets that made warranted my win. It’s just a testament to the fact that you’ve got to be in it to win it!
So where am I heading courtesy of Booking.com?
It was a tough decision but after much toing and froing, I settled on a place I’ve never been before but am DYING to visit:
FLORENCE!
Last year I jetsetted to Rome for a quick weekend getaway, but didn’t make it anywhere else. Florence has been pretty high up on my (ever-growing) travel list and when I noticed how cheap flights were looking — I’m talking less than 40 Euros each way from Berlin — I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to get over there!
Which hotel did I book?
When I booked the hotel using my €500 accommodation voucher, I was unsure how flexible Ben and I could be with our time due to his work commitments, so we settled on a two-night stay. For such a short getaway, that meant we could go all out on booking a swish hotel! After much deliberation, albeit the best kind possible, we went with the Palazzo Alfieri Residenza D’Epoca. It’s located right in the heart of Florence near the Ponte Vecchio. Pretty nice, hey? 
I can’t wait to check in! A huge thanks to Booking.com for selecting me as the winner. Make sure you come along with me on my trip via Instagram, Twitter or Facebook!
Have you ever won an exciting prize?
11 Comments
Ah, congratulations - that’s so exciting! I’ve heard only great things about Florence, so I’m sure you’ll have lovely time. I need to start participating in these Twitter chats apparently!
Thanks Ashley! Me too! I can’t believe I’ve been living in Europe for two years and still haven’t been! And yes, get onto those Twitter chats 😉 x
Oh, wow! What a surprise! So I’ve never really done a twitter chat before but it does seem like it’d be fun… prize or no prize! I love that y’all went all out for probably the best hotel in Italy, that looks sooo luxurious! Enjoy!
They’re heaps of fun, Margo. You should take part! How could I not book that hotel — AMAZING right? x
Also as someone who never seems to win anything, I can only imagine how exciting it is to finally get something! And this prize is just plain awesome! I haven’t ever done a twitter chat either - I deleted my account a few months back simply because I never used it - but this does seem cool. The hotel looks lovely and swanky too, can’t wait to see when you’re there! xx
It just blew me away Shernae! And what a great prize to win too! You should definitely reactivate your account and take part in some Twitter chats. They’re lots of fun and a great way to connect with like-minded people. I will definitely be posting lots of photos on Instagram when I’m there! x
Congrats !! Florence is such a beautiful city - you will love it! I lived there for a little over four months and never grew old of the charm and pure beauty that is Florence as well as all of Tuscany! Be sure to check out the view of the city from Fiesole as well as Piazzale Michelangelo! For the absolute best and hidden gelato, cross the Ponte Vecchio and walk down the street until Via dello Sprone. You’ll come to a teeny piazza and on your right is a small gelato shop that is affordable and better than the tourist ones! Enjoy Firenze!
Thanks so much Liz, I’m sure I will love it! Living there sounds just like a dream <3 Thank you so much for those tips -- I definitely have to check out that gelato shop -- sounds divine! x
Hi there! I just stumbled upon your blog from seeing a comment on @pinthemapproject on Instagram with you tagged in it:-) Love your blog and congrats on winning a Florence getaway!! How exciting! You are going to love it, Florence is my favorite place in Italy so far:-) My favorite souvenir ever was purchased there…a pair of handmade Italian leather sandals! I actually got to meet the cobbler and everything:-) Anyway, have the best time!!
Hi Andele, nice to have you here! Thanks so much — I am just so excited about my little getaway! Those handmade Italian leather sandals just sound divine — I must look for them for a pair myself! x
That is sooo awesome! Congratulations! Florence is so beautiful, I spent a week in February and I am looking forward to going back. The hotel you stayed at is BEAUTIFUL, so luxurious.