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Archive for the Category "Holiday Guides"

Free Travel Essential Beauty Products Jun 03

essential_sun_protectionThere is a fantastic deal currently available from the Beauty Room. If you spend over £50 you get £85 worth of top quality, branded beauty products for free.

If you are currently planning to head off on your holidays this could be a really useful saving. You could get yourself £135 worth of great products while spending only £50.

What’s more, you might like to take a look at sun care essentials that the Beauty Room have in their store. Even if you are not headed off to a tropical paradise you will need to protect your skin from the Sun’s harmful rays this summer. Lets hope we see plenty of sunshine!

3 Great Canadian Cities Nov 12

Canada is known for its natural beauty, and wilderness where grizzly bears roam but Canada also has some fantastic metropolitan cities. Here are our top 3:

Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful city on the west coast of Canada in British Columbia. The city features a bustling centre, dominated by skyscrapers with some beautiful natural scenery on the outskirts.

Vancouver is the busiest seaport in Canada and has been ranked one of the three most liveable cities in the world.

The inner cities offers fantastic shopping opportunities with numerous restaurants. The views of the city itself are best seen away from places like Stanley Park – a 400 hectare urban park which borders the city.

Quebec City
The capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec, French-Canadian Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America

The ramparts which surround the city are the only remaining fortified city walls in North America and have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Popular attractions include the Château Frontenac grand hotel which opened in 1893 and is sister hotel to the equally impressive Banff Springs in Alberta.

Situated on the Saint Lawrence River, Quebec City is split in two by steep banks to Upper Town and Lower Town. The walled Upper Town is home to the Citadelle of Quebec, a French military installation on top of Cap Diamant and the Plains of Abraham – a historic plateau situated within The Battlefields Park.

Montreal
The largest city in Quebec, Montreal is a French speaking city in north eastern Canada, the city is rich in history and oozes French charm. The city is renowned for its diverse range of festivals including the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Montreal Francofolies.

Montreal is also known for its great culinary culture, with influences from all over the world combining to make the city a centre for gastronomic delights, recognised in March 2006’s issue of Gourmet Magazine.

Visitors to the city can also enjoy a range of sports including ice hockey, formula 1 racing and baseball.

Canadian Sky offer holidays a fantastic range of Canadian holidays, including escorted tours, rail tours and coach holidays.

Hotel Video – Almond Resorts Nov 07

The following video features the Almond Resorts Caribbean hotel chain, who offer all-inclusive holidays in Barbados and St Lucia.

The video demonstrates the fantastic range of facilities on offer:

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ckG2neAps[/youtube]

The Almond Resorts chain offer a great range of local and international dishes, with different daily themes, an array of sports on beach and land and local drinks and cocktails – all included in the price of the holiday.

To find out more about Almond’s all-inclusive holidays, visit their website or call 0870 907 9601.

10 Ways to Shave Hundreds off a Family Holiday Oct 31

With money tight at the moment and all the financial problems brought on by the credit crunch, this article aims to help you enjoy that tropical holiday, make savings, but still indulge yourself this year.

1. Book Early
By booking early you can take advantage of savings on both flights and hotel accommodation. The advantages of this is that you can be more specific about the location and hotel or resort you

2. Book Late
To get the cheapest accommodation you have two options, depending on how flexible your holiday dates are. If you book at the very last minute, you can take advantage of some fantastic bargains – but the downside is you don’t have as much choice regarding where you stay, and you must be ready to fly at the drop of a hat.

3. Ask for a discount
Travel agents earn money on commission, and many will be willing to drop their commission amount to secure a sale. It is worth asking, don’t be shy and stand your ground, it really works in many cases and you have nothing to lose by asking.

4. Airline bag costs
To encourage people to pack lighter to reduce fuel usage, certain airlines have varying luggage charges. By checking out these limits and charges, you can make savings by sharing bags or opting not to take hand luggage on board.

5. Sun cream, insect repellent and the like
Necessities like sun cream and insect repellent is something you cannot do without. However, the high price you pay in the UK is not likely to be mirrored abroad, and purchasing these locally when on holiday for your family could leave you quids in.

6. All inclusive
All inclusive deals might look expensive when booking, but there are loads of good deals in some surprisingly luxury hotels and you can make a big saving by ensuring your holiday is fully catered.

7. Money Abroad
Check your bank charges for use of ATMs abroad – at the time of writing, Nationwide Building Society do not charge for using ATMs abroad, and by doing this, not only is your money safer, you won’t be stung with any comission charges. Be careful not to draw out more than you need however, as comission does apply when changing foreign currency back to pound sterling.

8. gosimply Airport Services
gosimply.com is an airport services comparison website who compare prices on airport parking, car hire, airport lounges and hotels.
Get up-to-date prices and read reviews, good and bad, to find the best services at the airport you are flying from.

9. Travel Insurance
When booking the above services with Go Simply, you can shave 10% off the price of your single or multi-trip travel insurance.

10. Shop around
Finally, simply shop around and compare prices across all major travel agents to hunt out the best bargains. There are plenty of comparison websites such as the one mentioned above, and other resources such as the Motley Fool and Money Saving Expert who are on hand to offer you plenty of tips.

Good luck and bon voyage!

A mini-guide to Cuba Oct 20

Cuba

Cuba is a charming country, a country rich in culture and history. Cuba offers year round sunshine, with the busy dry season falling between the months of November to April.

City Charm
Havana, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a must see – full of old charm, Havana is billed as Latin America’s best preserved colonial city, with Old Havana containing five centuries of architectural heritage, full of museums and galleries that are perfect to get a taste of the real Cuba.

Coastal Resorts
Varadero is known for its clear waters and beautiful resorts. Two hours east of Havana, Varadero is the place for sun worshippers. Great for diving, swimming or just lazing around in the sun, Varadero’s coastline is lined with fantastic all-inclusive resorts.

Activities and History
Cuba offers visitors a great many activities, from cycling, horse riding and hiking to golf and fishing, and there is some stunning countryside to enjoy. The Sierra Maestra mountain region affords some stunning scenery, great for walking and photo opportunities, the area also has some interesting history, being the location Fidel Castro hid on his return from exile in Mexico.

Wildlife
Cuba is described on the National Geographic website as “an island nation so rich with endemic species that biologists can hardly keep count.”
Explore and search for frogs, birds, iguanas and even crocodiles, Cuba has a fantastic array of wildlife, providing great opportunities for budding wildlife photographers or just lovers of nature in general.

If this has wet your apetite, why not have a look at the following hotels and resorts for a holiday in Cuba?

Havana
Melia Cohiba Hotel – A stunning five star property in the Vedado area which overlooks the seafront Malecon boardwalk.

Varadero
Breezes Varadero – A beautiful 26 acre resort for couples and adults over 14 years.

Enjoy Devon from Torquay Jul 31

Fancy a fun packed holiday with great attractions, views and hotels?

Devon is an amazing place to go on holiday, with attractions like the Model Village in Torquay and the Eden

Eden Project

Eden Project

Project in Cornwall, there is always something to do when your in Devon.

Because of this, Devon is a great place to go on holiday to, but your thinking, Devon is a big place, where is the best place to stay? Well, one of the best places to stay in Devon is in Torquay, there’s a wide range of Torquay hotels, I personally think that the TLH Leisure Resort offer some of the best hotels in Torquay, mainly because of the bargain prices and the activities that they have on offer.

Even if you don’t feel like going out to see the sites of Devon, you can enjoy the great entertainment that the Leisure Resort has to offer, ranging from, swimming pools to arcade games, all for a range of ages.

Keep an eye on the TLH Leisure Resort website because they have some fantastic offers available for you and your family this summer.

Holiday Cottage Flexibility Apr 14

Renting a holiday cottage in Wales provides so much flexibility on a holiday. If you are travelling with a large family, you can have a beautiful property to yourselves in many different stunning regions, allowing you to cater for yourselves.

Travelling with a large group of friends and a holiday cottage gives you a place whereby you can all mingle and socialise, late into the night in relaxed surroundings.

A holiday cottage doesn’t tie you in to set meals, and you are free to experience some of the great restaurants in Wales, or you can attempt some of the Welsh classics yourselves such as Welsh rarebit and bara brith.

Below are three fantastic regions in Wales for renting a holliday cottage:

Pembrokeshire
Rugged coastline providing great coastal walks
Great for surfers, wildlife lovers and photographers, lovers of the great outdoors, beach bums

Snowdonia
A national park, home to the highest mountain in Wales at 1085 metres, Snowdonia is great for hikers, explorers and climbers

Wye Valley
Beautiful Wye Valley with picturesque rolling hills and more heritage than you can shake a stick at!
Great for castle lovers and history buffs, hikers, walkers, explorers

Wherever you go, renting a holiday cottage provides the versatility which far exceeds hotel accommodation.

Couples Only Romantic Holidays Apr 10

Couples looking to get away together in the sun for a fortnight are often dismayed when their tropical resort is crowded with noisy youngsters.

For those looking to experience two weeks of bliss in tropical climes, there are resorts which cater specifically to adult couples only.

Jamaica is home to a fantastic adults only holiday chain of resorts called Couples Resorts.

Couples Ocho Rios
A beautiful resort set on the north coast of Jamaica, the adults only, all-inclusive Couples Ocho Rios caters fantastically for couples looking to spend a romantic holiday together.

He resort is set on a beautiful sandy beach with clear waters lapping the shores. Guests to the resort can sip cocktails under the hot sun, and enjoy fine dining at its best in the resort’s restaurants, each offering a variety of great cuisine from around the world.

Couples Negril
The Couples Negril resort is another spectacular resort for couples, offering the chance to unwind and be pampered in sheer bliss. Those looking to spoil themselves might like to upgrade their room to a suite, which feature their very own private Jacuzzis.

Couples Swept Away
Set in Negril on the west coast of Jamaicam, the all-inclusive Couples Swept Away offers you the chance to enjoy acres of tropical beach and lush tropical gardenes.

The resort is the most private of all of the Couples chain, with the chance to enjoy a variety of activities from yoga to some of the finest spa treatments.

Couples Sans Souci
Couples San Souci resort, situated in Ocho Rios, was added to the Gold List of Conde Nast Traveller Magazine’s best places to stay in 2005.

Set among two private coves, the Sans Souci is a superb option for couples looking for a private and intimate resort.

One BIG Reason Not To Go To Torquay Feb 27

Torquay is generally speaking a very nice place to visit, with a fine selection of Torquay hotels, and great surfing (or so I’ve heard) There is however, one big drawback.

It seem that Busted-cast-offs McFly have made Torquay their second home and frequent the town on occasion to the woops and cheers of many a 12 year old girl. What ensues ofcourse, is a night wridden with underage drinking, sex, and drugs, and teenage debauchery. I’m sure that does wonders for the torquay tourist board, not to mention how many hotels in torquay then probably trash!

I mean in all seriousness, look at this Torquay McFly gig footage, just listen to the shrill ear-piercing screams of the hundreds of girls who have yet to even catch sight of a training bra.

The idea of being stuck in a relatively small city with that many drunk young girls, while I’m sure appealing to many, is my idea of absolute hell! The few times I’ve visited torquay previously have been very calm and relaxing, that’s why I went there in the first place, not to be bombarded by small girls throwing bras at boys who have just barely reached puberty.

Like I said. One very very good reason to steer clear.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hAKfVEdgg8]

Fantastic Caribbean Diving Locations Feb 06
Caribbean holidays offer some truly fantastic diving spots, and these must see places are havens for underwater enthusiasts.

Stingray City is located on the Grand Cayman Island and is home to scores of magnificent sting ray. Snorkellers can swim alongside dozens of sting rays, who are found in the shallow waters looking for food. 
Whilst in the Grand Cayman, the Northwest Point Drop-Off is another must see, a spectacular location for spotting turtles.

Another superb destination is Bonaire, with absolutely pristine waters and reefs; the location in the south Caribbean is perfect for divers. The area is a designated marine park and because of this, the protected coastline has an abundance of beautiful marine life, with outstanding coral reefs – perfect for divers.