As winter winds begin to whip Britain, now’s a good time to think about escaping to sunnier climes. Egypt has firmly established itself as one of the UK’s favourite destinations for year-round sunshine. The Red Sea coast is packed with an overwhelming choice of 4 and 5 star complexes, making it difficult to choose the [...]
11.12.10 | Hidden Gems, Uncategorized | Emily
Can you recommend a central Manhattan boutique hotel that doesn’t cost a fortune? I want to buy my wife a New York city break for us both for Christmas. We can go any time in January, for three nights and my budget is £1000 absolute maximum for us both, including Manchester flights. I keep finding [...]
09.27.10 | Hidden Gems, Travel Challenge | Emily
Lucky number seven: a contemporary, boutique hotel in a pretty setting that’s unbelievably affordable… Portimao is the charming alternative to the tourist resorts that line Portugal’s Algarve coast and a great place to head for an off-season getaway. Winter temperatures in the region peak in the late teens, but the Atlantic chill means it isn’t [...]
09.21.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily
Here’s a beautiful country house B & B that combines style and location with a friendly welcome and one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever tasted (as well as an exclusive discount for Be Travel Savvy readers!) Welton Manor Farmhouse is tucked between the Mendip hills in the tiny Somerset town of Midsomer Norton, which [...]
09.2.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily
We throw the spotlight on a cool, modern hotel in an ancient city… When you’re choosing a city break hotel, it’s natural to want to be in the thick of it. Who wants to spend hours of a short getaway trekking to and from the centre of town? With a bit of research, however, checking [...]
08.12.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily
Today, we feature an apartment complex with a first-class reputation, but the resort it stands in is a hidden gem in itself. Forget the tack and racket of Playa de las Americas and head north to Tenerife’s original holiday resort… The Casablanca Apartments is a large, three star, six-storey complex – hardly an exclusive boutique [...]
07.15.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily
We would like to take our children, aged 2 and 7, on a city break this summer. We need to go within the peak holiday season and are working to a tight budget of £800 for the four of us. We like the idea of combining a bit of culture with some relaxation: Barcelona would [...]
07.8.10 | Hidden Gems, Travel Challenge | Emily
Accommodation in Dubai seems to be all about extravagance and holiday brochures love to shout about it. The world’s first six star hotel, the hotel with its own private dolphin bay, the hotel that lets you arrive by helicopter… It’s a wonder anyone ever notices the Al Manzil. Those who do notice this four star [...]
06.8.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily
We launched our series of Hidden Gems with the St Joseph in Luxor. Today, we continue with a look at yet another saintly-named Egyptian Hotel…. When it comes to accommodation, Sharm el Sheikh is packed with the all-inclusive beachfront giants that British holidaymakers love. Most of them have a four or five star rating and [...]
05.26.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily
When you’re looking for a holiday, do you always insist on accommodation with at least a three or even a four star rating? We understand why it’s tempting to err on the side of caution and demand a higher rating, especially with all those horror stories about varying levels of standards internationally. We also know [...]
05.6.10 | Hidden Gems | Emily