Ile de Ré, a gorgeous place on France’s Atlantic coast, is one of my favourite close to home destinations. It’s perfect for either a short break for a couple or a longer family trip, ticking all the boxes for a great holiday: Short flight (1½ hours from Manchester to La Rochelle); no jet lag; delicious food and wine; no driving; and lots of time spent outdoors.
Read More
Oman's ruggedly scenic beach retreat
I love travel. It is one of my real passions. But sometimes being on the road, living out of a suitcase and endless hotel inspections takes its toll. Sometimes I need to hole up in one place, unpack once and get some R&R for a few days.
Read More
A Far-Flung Family Adventure
With your children getting older, is it time to start thinking of a more adventurous family holiday? Or after a long career is a sabbatical on the cards? Or maybe you would like to take advantage of the longer school summer holidays to do an extended family trip?
These were all considerations for one of my long standing clients who asked me to organise a four week trip last summer for him, his wife and three teenage sons. But what were the main ingredients? The family wanted guaranteed warm weather, a chance to relax on a beach or two, a mix of activities to keep mum, dad and kids entertained, amazing hotels and limited rain, which isn’t easy to find if you’re looking for an adventure in an exotic location in our summer months.
Read More
It's great in the Cape
Known as the Mother City, mother-nature certainly excelled herself when she created Cape Town. With the dramatic Table Mountain as its backdrop and bordering the rugged Atlantic Coast, Cape Town is certainly a stunner. But, it’s not just its in your face beauty that appeals. Cape Town offers South African charm in spades, successfully balanced with a cool and upbeat side; outstandingly good restaurants; hip boutique hotels; and a vibrant cultural scene. And it doesn’t stop there. What makes Cape Town so special is that within an hour’s drive of the famous Victoria and Albert Waterfront, you have access to shell strewn beaches, wildlife, adrenalin sports and the stunningly beautiful Winelands.
The only problem I find with Cape Town is that there’s so much to see and do, people often really don’t give the place enough time and leave wishing they’d stayed longer. Trust me, you’ll go to Cape Town once and will immediately start planning a return trip even before you’ve left.
Here are some of my suggestions of things to do and the best spots to explore:
Read More