21 March 2019

This was my first visit to the Italian Lakes, and it won't be the last. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this destination. We flew into Milan and hired a car from the airport taking about an hour and a half to reach our home for the weekend. We stayed in the quaint village of Maltrasio with stunning views over Lake Como and great boat trips/connections to the other many villages around the lake. On our first day we took a boat taking just under two hours to the popular village of Bellagio, stopping along the way at the many villages around the lake (you can hop on/off at your leisure should you choose to). Bellagio, one of the most popular spots to visit, didn't disappoint. Little side cobbled streets leading to little shops, bars and restaurants and stunning views across the lake. We had a tasty lunch in a little traditional Italian and then onto a modern bar for cocktails, there really is something for everyone. The next day we took a boat into Como town. It was busy and commercialised but still beautiful, with cobbled streets off the main area leading to quaint restaurants. Como has a great choice of hotel options, but if you'd prefer a quieter option, each village has one or two hotels options. Boats run around the lake until around 8pm, starting from 8am each morning. If you haven't already visited the Italian Lakes add it to your list, you will not be disappointed.

21 March 2019

TThis grand coastal 4* spa retreat is the perfect haven for relaxation to escape to, perfect for a couple’s romantic break, or a get together with friends. I visited this hotel in October with a group of friends and I'm due to return this October with the same group. The location of this stunning hotel is outstanding. The long lane down from Raithwaite leads you to Sands End and the options for coastal walks are endless. Or you could walk or take a local bus into Whitby for award winning fish and chips, highly recommended. The restaurant at Raithwaite was fabulous and we enjoyed two scrumptious evening meals, breakfast was also very delicious. We used the spa on several occasions, and this was very relaxing and we also all had a spa treatment each, rave reviews all round. Our rooms were located in the keep which is also dog friendly and most of these rooms have a woodland backdrop. They also have regular golf carts to take you to the main hotel. I would highly recommend this hotel for a short break and I'm certainly looking forward to visiting again this year.

28 September 2017

We booked our family summer holiday late this year and ended up in Playa Blanca in Lanzarote and we had a fabulous holiday. We prefer to stay bed & breakfast or self catering in Europe but the Hotel Mirador Papagayo was half board; the food was nice but we just prefer to eat out. Playa Blanca is a great resort and our hotel was in a prime location 10-15 minutes walk to the stunning Rubicon Marina. You are spoilt for choice for restaurants and bars and they also have a market at the marina every Wednesday and Saturday. We had a few meals out on the marina and also in the main town of Playa Blanca. Here restaurants and shops overlook the beach so it's a great setting to enjoy a meal and a few drinks. The Mirador Papagayo is a 4* hotel and I would certainly recommend it, every single member of staff so happy and welcoming from every area of the hotel. There are two pools, the main large pool which has a smaller children's pool attached and you could take part in the aqua aerobics class everyday at this pool. Then the smaller pool which once a week had inflatables in the pool which our children loved and then at the end of the day a foam party which went down a treat with the children. The entertainment staff work very hard in the hotel and our children loved the nightly disco which was then followed by a great show. The hotel overlooks the sea but has no beach, however there is a platform where you can get into the sea and snorkel and we did this nearly every day great marine life to see. All in all I would highly recommend this hotel and the resort of Playa Blanca.

26 September 2017

I travelled to Zurich with my dad and sister to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday. We stayed at the Crown Plaza Hotel which I would highly recommend, it was a 10-minute tram ride from the city centre and then a 5-minute walk to the Crown Plaza. Zurich is such a beautiful city and very easy to travel around. We purchased a 3-day tram pass and got great use out of it, even using it to get to and from the airport which took approx. 20 minutes. The city itself has plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. Food and drink isn't the cheapest but I expected slightly higher prices in Switzerland. We crossed the bridge from the city over to the old town and spent a few hours wandering around the old town, stopping off at one of the many waterfront bars along the way. We booked tickets to go and see Katie Melua in a mountain location called ‘live at sunset’, again we travelled using the tram. We spent a full morning cruising around Lake Zurich which was stunning. The boat stopped at several locations and if you wished you could hop on/off. We chose to relax, sipping champagne whilst taking in the views. I would highly recommend a trip around the lake and would even consider staying around the lake area if we went again.

22 September 2017

This was my third visit to Santorini and I will certainly be back again very soon I hope. We stayed in the resort of Kamari at the Tamarix del Mar suites. As it was a 40th birthday treat we upgraded to a suite with a rooftop Jacuzzi with beautiful views over Kamari - I felt very spoilt. Kamari is only a short drive from the airport and not far from Thira, the old capital. Thira is one of my favourite spots on the island especially as in my opinion it offers the best view of the sun setting over the Caldera. There are lots of bars and restaurants offering a prime location built into the cliff side. It really is a perfect setting. Oia is also very popular for watching the sun set. We decided to take the cable car down to the small harbour in Thira and rather than opting for a donkey ride back up we took the steps. Not for the faint hearted as it was steep and there are a lot of steps but got some great pictures on the walk back up. We got married 9 years ago in Santorini at the Santo winery and it was great to go back to our wedding venue and sample the amazing wine on offer. A visit to the Santo Winery is a must! We have previously hired a car whilst in Santorini and it’s an easy island to drive around, but the local bus service is also very good. You will fall in love with Santorini, so put it on your must visit list!

07 July 2017

We decided to take our first family long-haul holiday over Christmas, I have previously travelled to Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's pacific coast so I knew we would have a fabulous time and we certainly did! We stayed at the Canto Del Sol hotel, a smaller option against some of the much bigger vast hotels but knowing the area this hotel was a winner for us as it was very close to the fabulous malecon downtown area which is walkable from the Canto Del Sol, but we also opted for the bus on a few occasion's which cost pennies. The hotel also had a prime beachfront location & the sunsets in Puerto Vallarta are spectacular. We were on an all inclusive basis and the food and drink options at the hotel was of a very high standard international branded drinks included and very good food. We took a few days trips out on our own again using the local bus to visit Bucerias beach and their famous beach markets. We also booked a full day trip to Las Caletas beach which I would highly recommend. This day started early with a great boat trip over to Las Caletas, where we realized we stepped off the boat onto a paradise island! We had the most amazing fun filled day, our children zip-wired through the rainforest we did a kayak trip and we also had a cooking and cocktail making lesson, lunch on the island was also Included and it was great with plenty to choose from. We also went to a Sea Turtle conservation farm and got to hold baby sea turtles and we really wanted to bring them home. We have amazing memories from Puerto Vallarta and I can highly recommend it.

17 March 2017

I was very lucky to spend Christmas 2014 in Lapland with my family. Flying on Christmas Eve the magic started as soon as we boarded the plane, our children received Christmas hats and we spent the flight singing along to Christmas songs. Once we landed at Kittila airport we were greeted by Santa's Elves and taken to collect out thermal suits and boots; these were included in our Lapland package. We then took the very scenic drive to our hotel in the stunning national park of Yllas, with snow covered trees everywhere it was just how we had imagined. As soon as we arrived at our accommodation, the Akass Hotel, I knew we were in for a treat - a cross country ski route passing through just stunning! We wasted no time after checking into our Superior one bedroom apartment, complete with our own sauna and under floor heating - perfect and toasty to come back to after fun in the snow. Akass Hotel also have a handful of log cabins and the board basis varies too; we chose to stay on a full board basis including breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food was all home cooked and very delicious, while locally main meals ranged from around £10 each. After checking in we got straight into our thermal gear and headed out sledging. Sledges were dotted about the resort for everyone to use, and we also took the short walk into the village that has several souvenir shops and restaurants. Our Lapland package also included taster sessions for us to sample the snowmobiles, huskies and reindeer sleighs. This is set out in an itinerary for you when you arrive, but longer trips for each of the tasters can be booked at an extra cost. Our itinerary had us picked up Christmas morning in search of Santa. We were all very excited, arriving to a candlelit woodland complete with a campfire with endless hot berry juice to keep us warm and the most amazing private meeting with the Big Man himself, truly priceless! We were more than happy with the tasters offered, but did opt to visit the nearby ice hotel and snow village only 20 minutes from Yllas. It's hand carved every year as soon as it's cold enough, with different themed bedrooms and in the center a frozen castle with a slide, which our children had lots of fun on. We also had drinks and snacks in the ice bar and restaurant. We spent four nights in Lapland and we could have stayed longer, I've never had such an amazing magical time with my family and our memories will last a lifetime! And to top it all off we were very lucky to witness the Northern Lights on two occasions! Add it to your list and give me a call to plan your perfect trip on 01482 534220.

17 March 2017

I have cruised on a few occasions and this was our second family cruise. This time we chose the Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. This is one of the fleet's flagship ships with the famous Royal Promenade We love cruising for lots of reasons - including the food, entertainment and getting dressed up! You don't have to go all out on getting dressed up though on a week's cruise. They have two formal evenings and if it's not your thing you can opt to eat in the Windjammer dining room. Reservations aren't needed so you can just turn up and sit where you like at any time and enjoy the buffet. Sapphire is the main dining room, where you will need a particular table booked at a specific time. It is a formal dining room, but on the non-formal evenings a smart casual dress code applies. This is our favourite restaurant on an evening and also during sea days when the Windjammer can get quite busy. We switch between both these dining options at breakfast depending on time, but have also opted for room service which is included. On this occasion we booked a Panoramic Family suite which features floor to ceiling windows. It was very spacious for the four of us - I would definitely stay in this room again. We watched most of the evening shows on offer - they were all very professional and a good mixture for everyone. Our favourite was the Ice Show - you cannot believe you're sailing on a ship. We also got involved in the family disco, which wasn't just a case of just sitting watching your children - it was a full family participation! Daytime activities range from the two pools and jacuzzis which on occasions we struggled to get our children out of! They also loved the mini-golf and rock climbing which are all included in the price; we ran out of time on this occasion to go ice skating! We also took part in the ballroom lesson run by the professional ballroom duo on-board the ship. Ports of Call; Gijon, Vigo, Bilbao & Le Havre We got off at every port and found Gijon, Vigo and Bilbao to be stunning, rugged parts of Spain and very typically Spanish. We sampled the famous cider in Gijon and tapas in Vigo, and we found stunning beaches just a short taxi ride away here too - I would highly recommend this itinerary. We sailed from Southampton which is a very smooth and hassle free check in process, we were on the ship by 12.30 and had lunch and our children were straight in the pool. Checking out and getting off the ship is again a very smooth and very well organised process. I have also sailed on Anthem of the Seas, Adventure and Freedom of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas, so please get in touch if you have any cruise questions.

13 April 2016

I have just returned from another fabulous holiday staying at the Sheraton Fuerteventura Beach, Golf & Spa resort hotel. The 5* Sheraton is perfectly located on the beach and is just a short walk from the centre of Costa Calleta along the promenade. There are two big pools and a smaller children’s pool this and 1 of the bigger pools are heated in the winter months & are really warm pools. The hotel has a wide range of facilities to suit everyone the adults can take part in fitness classes on the hour every hour (between 10am-5pm) I took park in 3 yoga classes which were held on the beach and the relaxation at the end listening to the sound of the waves was complete bliss. The children are entertained by Geni and Alex who have ran the kids club for the last 6 years getting children involved in a range of activities. My children’s favourite activity was the children’s daily aqua disco in the pool followed closely by the children’s disco every evening and then a movie with popcorn provided! Teenagers up to the age of 16 are also well looked after with their own activity programme. We chose to stay on a bed and breakfast basis and ate out in lots of the local restaurants (15 been our favourite) however I chatted to lots of guests staying on a half board basis who spoke highly of the evening meals offering a different buffet theme every eve, you can chose to eat in the a la carte La Faro (Mediterranean) or Zen (Asian) at a supplement. On an evening the place to be is the lobby bar, you’ll be entertained my singers/musicians while enjoying your favourite tipple! The hotel has 266 rooms and suites, we stayed in a deluxe family (room 429) which had a beautiful sea view and furnished in elegant Canarian style with 1 double and 2 twin beds for my children with a large balcony. The Hesperides Thalassa Spa offers a range of facilities as well as a well-equipped gym (payable locally) Sheraton guests also have preferential access to the golf course and various golf/hotel packages can be pre-booked. We hired a car for the day and explored the north of the island stopping off at the stunning sand dunes my children particularly enjoyed rolling down them! We then went onto visit the bigger resort of Corralejo stopping for lunch before heading to a small fishing village of El Cortilla a fabulous day was had by all. We love this island and especially the Sheraton and I’m sure we will be back for 3rd stay! Thank you for reading my travel journal and please get in touch for more details.