Spanish Property has worried Prime Minister Zapatero

An issue for those considering overseas property insurance: you may be covered against the essentials and for every aspect of the building’s maintenance whether you’re there or not, but are you sure that the construction of your house was permissible in the first place? It’s a nightmare scenario, and one which certain Spanish expatriates found themselves facing, without warning, bringing to light some of the more harrowing aspects of home ownership in a foreign land.

The homes, mainly in the south of the country, were granted planning permission within the last decade, but had been retroactively declared illegal by regional planning chiefs amid allegations of town hall corruption. Some government figures estimate that as many as 100,000 homes were built in Spain’s coastal provinces in 2000 to 2010. The disputed homes in Axarquia have even been removed from the local power grids and water mains, with the spectre of compulsory demolition looming over owners, expatriate and otherwise.

The decision will apparently now be reversed (thankfully). But the victory will be bittersweet: many UK buyers, despite having paid out for house insurance Spain and every other legally essential supplement to home ownership have already had to fight the demolition order in the courts. The move comes as the Spanish property market continues to appear in rather ill-health. Property was effectively at the root of Spain’s part in the global financial crisis: the market is now flooded with cheaply available property because the banks are selling off ‘toxic’ assets. This is great news for new buyers looking in, but for existing property owners, there’s a general wish that one could take out holiday let insurance and be at the other end of the equation. Effectively denying the very existence of 11,025 homes would not be a diplomatically intelligent thing to do in Spain at the moment. But there are still 859 homes awaiting demolition within the same province. Whilst Spain remains are very attractive, very affordable option, do make sure that there are no potential disputes before you buy.

The Archaeological Scientific Institute of America has revealed to today that they have reason to believe that there could in fact be pirate treasure buried on one of the Caribbean islands!

Earlier this morning, John Grantham, the head of the A.S.I.A, declared that the island of St Lucia used to be home to a group of Pirates of the sea called the “Rafters”.  It was thought that they used to be Spanish Soldiers, many years ago when the Caribbean Islands were first discovered.  The Archaeologists believe that the soldiers mutinied when they got lost in the seas and took control of the Ship, which was thought to be called the Galatea.

After they had assumed control of the ship, they located St Lucia and set up a small encampment.  Letters and diaries from the Crew depict a grim tale.  They became obsessed with the sheer beauty of the island and began patrolling the seas attacking any ships that came within sight of the St Lucian shore line.

John Grantham said that:

“The exciting information we recovered from caves in St Lucia gave us reason to believe that the Rafters (The Pirates) stored jewels and gold from ships they had sunk and pillaged here near the island”.

The Institute has released this information because they have drawn a blank on whereabouts the treasure could be hidden on this small but still complex island.  If anyone finds more evidence to support the Archaeological Scientific Institute of America’s theory, then they will offer a handsome reward.

A Bit like the Pirates of the Caribbean:

Caribbean holidays could be seeing a rise in tourism interest in the next few days!  I say try, Dominican Republic holidays.

If you are planning a trip anytime soon you will definitely want to take advantage of the fantastic offer currently available from thebeautyroom.co.uk. They are giving away an £85 travel collection of beauty products for free if you spend £50.

They describe this collection of products as a ‘skin revitalising travel collection’. It contains everything you need to keep your skin looking and feeling great while you are travelling. We’ve all experienced that uncomfortable tight dry skin you get when you fly and this can then turn into dry, flaky skin when subjected to a little sunshine. This great collection of skincare essentials is just what your skin needs. And it’s free.

But you will need to act quickly because I have it on good authority that this offer is enormously popular and simply won’t last. So why not go and spend £50 and get yourself another £85 worth of products absolutely free.

I just read that TV sport presenter Steve Ryder’s been kicking up a stink to stop the riff raff moving in near his luxury holiday cottage in Devon. Basically a philanthropic property owner in the area is trying to build waterfront houses and sell them for £70k to local residents who have been priced out of the increasingly gentrified area. Ryder has submitted an official objectionto the council about the social housing plan. Talk about snobbery. I don’t think the locals will be too pleased about his actions. Let’s just hope he’s got decent holiday home insurance on his villa eh…

More info in the Daily Mail’s story.

Jamaica is such a wonderful country, full of colour and charm. What better way to relax than to the sound of steel pans and reggae music whilst tasting some of the finest rum as the sun sets.

To help you make the most out of a holiday in Jamaica, we have put together a list of 5 things you shouldn’t miss out on.

Blue Mountains
No visit to Jamaica is complete without witnessing the majesty of the Blue Mountains. Shrouded in mists that give the peaks their blue colour, the region is famous for its much sought after Blue Mountain Coffee which is cultivated on the lower slopes of the mountains.

Dunn’s River Falls
One of Jamaica’s top tourist attractions, Dunn’s River Falls is a famous natural waterfall near the resort of Ochoc Rios and is one of few in the world that falls directly into the sea.

The staggered waterfalls mean that visitors can actually walk up the length of the falls and often do so by creating a long human chain.

Famous scenes from the James Bond film Dr No were filmed at Dunn’s river falls, including the iconic scene of Ursula Andress walking in the sea.

Strawberry Hill
A stay at Strawberry Hill, a beautiful property in the magnificent Blue Mountains is a fantastic treat which affords stunning views out across Jamaica.

Previously an 18th century coffee plantation, the boutique property now features stunning studios and cottages that offer visitors a completely new view of Jamaica.

Blue Lagoon
The location for several films, the Blue Lagoon is a 200ft deep blue hole that featured in the 1980 film of the same name starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins.

Appleton Rum Estate
Explore and discover the Appleton Rum estate on the Appleton Rum Tour and sample some of the finest rum Jamaica has to offer.

The tour includes transfers from your hotel, a talk on the history of the estate and demonstration of processes involved. A chance to visit the distillery and finally tasting of the liquor in the Appleton Lounge and a complementary bottle of rum to take away.

Couples Resorts offer adults only couples holidays. To find out more about Jamaica holidays with Coupleas, visit www.couplesresorts.co.uk.

Normally, if you wanted to escape the cold Winter weather and have a Caribbean holiday during Christmas, you would have to be rather wealthy and book atleast 6 months in advance, but all that is changing.

Due to the current financial crisis, even the regular Winter travellers are finding it difficult to commit to their usual Winter breaks, so the amount of bookings for these luxury Winter breaks is going down, and the amount of cancellations is on the increase. Because of all of this, the hotels are panicking, and because they are panicking, they are reducing prices and allowing people to stay shorter lengths of time.

So, what this means for everyone out there is that there are some great last minute deals to pick up, with some careful planning, you can get yourself a great holiday deal in some of the best hotels in the Caribbean.

Travellers who enjoy holidays for couples only will no longer be able to visit the Ocho Rios Resort in Jamaica, well they will, just when the resort reopens after refurbishment, it will be named Couples Tower Isle.

The resort is currently undergoing renovation thought to cost in the region of $25m (around £14m) and will open in spring 2009.

The name change is on account of the resort’s private island status and ‘Hollywood hangout’ in the 1950s and 60s.

Among the additional facilities constructed during the renovations are four new ocean-view suites and 16 rooms, improved in-room amenities including flat-screen TVs and zero edge walk in showers.

The pool is also undergoing treatment, with the depth level becoming a constant 5 feet and adopting a new water feature and swim-up bar.

For holidaymakers that love to pamper themselves, the new 10-treatment room spa will come as a welcome surprise.

Lee Issa, Chairman of Couples Resorts said of the refurbishment: “With an investment of over $25 million in upgrades, enhancements and renovations, the time has come for a new era for the original all-inclusive resort for couples only. To reinforce the storied history and old-world charm and emphasize our focus on the future, we feel the unveiling of our Grand Lady deserves a fresh start to carry on the legacy that is – Couples Resorts.”

Couples Resorts offer holidays in Jamaica at couples only, adult resorts. For more information, visit www.couplesresorts.co.uk or call 0870 850 4855.

Getting married today can be very expensive and in the current financial climate, the knock on effect could leave you reeling with debt for years to come.

One option to consider is to get married abroad and combine the honeymoon with the wedding, something that could save you a considerable amount.

There are some great tropical wedding packages which can cater perfectly for weddings and honeymoons at a relatively inexpensive price. We have come up with some great options for weddings abroad:

Weddings in St Lucia and Barbados
Almond Resorts offer fantastic weddings in St Lucia and Barbados at their all-inclusive Caribbean resorts, providing the perfect setting to exchange vows and celebrate with close friends and family.
Couples can then enjoy their honeymoon in the Caribbean immediately after the ceremony, and Almond Resorts will ensure you are taken care of throughout your entire stay.

Weddings in the USA
Get married in the Empire State Building or tie the knot in the bright lights big city of Las Vegas at the Bellagio hotel – American Sky offer a fantastic range of weddings abroad.

Get married in India
Get married in exotic India and be enchanted by the vibrant colours and charmed by the friendly locals – Wedding Planners Goa offers some great options for weddings in India.

The Caribbean has long been a luxury and exclusive destination, a hang out for the rich and famous and visitors to the region will not be surprised why.

With a fantastic range of beautiful and unique countries, the Caribbean has much to offer the long haul traveller, from calm sandy bays to rugged mountainous jungle interiors, teeming with wildlife.

Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach holiday or a lively fun filled break, an all-inclusive holiday in the Caribbean can provide the perfect setting.

Almond Resorts have a great range of all-inclusive properties across Barbados and St Lucia that will ensure you never want to leave, and with many great family options, the kids are sure to have a fantastic time too!

When it comes to food, Almond have an option for all tastes, from freshly caught seafood and western classics to sumptuous local dishes to make your mouth water.

For the active minded, there are a great range of activities available on land and at sea from snorkelling and kayaking to golf and banana boat rides.

For more information on all inclusive Caribbean holidays, visit Almond Resorts or call 0870 907 9601.

Barbados is a beautiful Island, full of wonderful sights and with fantastic people. To celebrate this fact, we have put together our top five photographs from Flickr that we feel sum up the mood of Barbados perfectly.

Green Back Turtle, West Coast Barbados

The above photograph is was taken by TarikB in West Coast Barbados.

In stark contrast with the calm western shores of Barbados we have the wild eastern coast and our next photo:

POWER

Taken by Just Jax on east coast Barbados, POWER demonstrates how ferocious the ocean can be and just why the east coast is great for watersports.

B’dos beach volley

What Barbados beach would be complete without the beach volleyball net swaying in the breeze? This photograph was taken by jendayee.

A Moment Alone

This photograph illustrates the true beauty of the Caribbean, and this rugged coastline shot was captured by Jeff Clow.

Portrait of a Ghost Crab

This scary little fellow was taken by Massamiliano Peana, as is the next photo:

Almond Resorts offer all-inclusive Barbados holidays at three luxury properties: Almond Beach Club & Spa, Almond Beach Village and Almond Casuarina Beach.