Hotel focus: Oitavos, Portugal November 3, 2013 TRAVEL writing tradition dictates that a property sitting amid mountains, forestry or, in this case, the windswept dunes of Portugal’s Atlantic coast, should be described as “nestled” among its surroundings. Not the Oitavos Hotel though. The five-star hotel near Lisbon looks like it has crash landed in the sand and grasses – a tower of [...]
Welcome to Miami, the US party capital October 27, 2013 Miami is a hedonist’s paradise. Steve Dinneen discovers the nocturnal delights Florida’s clubbing hotspot has to offer A FRIEND of mine became a YouTube sensation on the eve of President Obama’s 2008 election victory. He drunkenly – and, with the benefit of hindsight, ill-advisedly – resigned from his job live on Dutch TV, complete with [...]
And a little closer to home… October 27, 2013 IF MIAMI sounds a little too far away, you can get a slice of the W party atmosphere without the jet lag at the Leicester Square hotel. It recently launched three screening suites, which, at the touch of a button, transform your room into a private cinema. The bedroom is pretty swish to start with, [...]
England fans prepare for the pilgrimage to football’s real home October 20, 2013 There is only one place to holiday next summer. Jemima Sissons checks out Brazil’s top tourist spots on the road to the World Cup SO WE got there. England will be travelling to the World Cup, meaning thousands of us will be off to South America’s biggest country to watch our nation crash out in [...]
10 things every football fan needs to know about… BRAZIL October 20, 2013 Now we know the England team are going to be there in 2014, Emily Dicicco presents her top travel tips 1. Tickets – how and when shall I book?Tickets are available on FIFA.com and will be sold in three phases. The first two phases consist of both a random draw period and a first-come-first-served (FCFS) [...]
Glamp it up October 13, 2013 Away from the hustle and bustle of Cowes Week, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are the perfect destinations for a family break – or something a little wilder SO AFTER a summer of festivals, beach holidays, muddy British weekends and garden play dens, chances are your tent has seen better days. The last thing [...]
Blown away by Dorset October 13, 2013 Head to a hotel on the south coast for wholesome activites, fresh salty air and inexpensive fine dining OF ALL the pastimes that governments enjoy, most involve splashing our cash around, telling us what to do, and chucking in a dose of mild nationalism to make it seem a bit more palatable. Little surprise, then, [...]
Entertaining troublesome toddlers in the New Forest October 13, 2013 A three-year-old and a one-year-old and one of the UK’s top country-house hotels nestled on the edge of the New Forest. What could possibly go wrong? Chewton Glen – just a 20 minute drive from Bournemouth – is highly recommended for a luxury break with children. In fact, boutique travel guide Mr & Mrs Smith [...]
You don’t need snow to have fun in Haute Savoie October 6, 2013 Savoie Mont Blanc in France is famous for its winter sports but it’s worth checking out all year FOR winter skiing in Haute Savoie, it always pays to put in a little training. Off-season trips, it turns out, require some preparation too: increase wine consumption in the weeks preceding; swap to elasticated trousers to allow [...]
Elephant trekking, luxury and great Thai food September 29, 2013 This luxury beach resort was devastated by the 2005 tsunami. Now it’s back and better than ever THE PERFECT way to end an unforgettable afternoon spent trekking through the jungle trails of Khao Sok National Park in Phuket, Thailand is to give a leathery, old elephant a sunset bath. With Bauthong (lotus flower) repeatedly submerging [...]