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Every spot personally visited and approved by Ivan. Not Michelin. Not an algorithm. Just honest picks from someone who actually shows up.

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The man behind the guide

I'm Ivan.
Not Michelin.

I travel, I eat, I stay β€” and I tell you exactly what I found. No PR packages, no comped meals, no reasons to lie. If a place is rubbish, I say so.

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Why I built this guide

I followed Michelin. I followed the apps. I kept ending up somewhere average, overpriced, and forgettable. So I stopped trusting other people's lists and started my own. Every spot on here I visited myself β€” food, hotels, everything. This is the guide I wish existed.

How a place makes the cut

I go. I pay. I'd go back β€” or I'd send a friend without hesitation. That's the only filter. Venue partnerships exist but are always clearly labelled. My personal picks are always organic and always earned.

Hotels on the guide

I added hotels because finding a genuinely good place to stay is just as hard as finding good food. Every hotel I've either stayed in or inspected personally. I cover the real stuff β€” is the bed actually comfortable, is it worth the price, is the location convenient.

Find me on YouTube

The Sanctioned Ivan channel is where you can watch me go to these places in real time.

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