Did you know that I’m ‘Winglish’? OK, it’s not a real thing but it should be because there are lots of people who feel a little bit Welsh and a little bit English. Therefore we’re Winglish. I was born in England but I moved to Wales when I was five. I learned Welsh in school, …
Weekenders
“Oooh a country house. That sounds fancy.” My mum and I were searching through the trivago App looking for somewhere to stay for the following night. We were half way through our trivago App Family Challenge whereby trivago had challenged us to use their new app to find family-friendly hotels. We were in North …
I’ve been taking the concept of a ‘staycation’ to a whole new level recently as I’ve been taking holidays close to home. REALLY close to home. A few weeks ago I even went on holiday just half an hour from home when I visited Llangollen. Yes, I packed a suitcase, filled up the car and …
In today’s post, Claire takes us on a trip around Oxford to visit the locations that inspired Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland. I lift my hand to my eyes, shielding them from the thick June glare, whilst the sun slowly and evenly toasts my neck. Before me, rise the honeyed buildings of Oxford’s most famous …
The problem with luxury hotels is that old-fashioned, stuffy air they often have. They can be formal and uncomfortable with outdated routines and overly complicated menus. The décor might be fancy but it looks a hundred years old and I feel like I can’t relax. Why can’t luxury hotels be young and stylish? Why …
I love glamping. You get to enjoy the great outdoors and feel closer to nature but without the nasty side of camping. You know, the bit with cold, leaky tents and deflated airbeds. I love bell tents and teepees, pods and treehouses and now I have a new type of glamping to add to …
I’m suffering from the post- Isles of Scilly holiday blues today. It’s a real thing; I checked and other people are suffering too. I’m missing that fresh, salty smell of the sea and icy blue waters where bright boats bob about. I’m missing the flamboyant flowers that line the wonky roads and decorate the windows …
I’m delighted to welcome Rachel Kershaw to the blog today. Rachel is the blogger behind Life in Geordieland, an awesome blog about Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in the UK. She’s bringing us an Insider’s Guide to Newcastle, which is the UK’s favourite city. Keep reading to find out why…. Photo credit: Mick_Gallagher_1959 1. Can you …
My third day in Paris began with a gloriously lazy morning and leisurely breakfast at Citadines Louvre Paris before setting out towards Notre Dame. La Conciergerie: A Fairytale Palace Along the way I stopped at La Conciergerie, a former royal palace on an island in the middle of the River Seine. With its grand façade …
“Lille? For three days?” The Parisians would ponder this for a few seconds after I’d told them that, yes, my next stop was Lille, for three whole days. “Hmm, it’s very different to Paris but you will like it,’ they’d tell me. “It’s very pretty.” And this is my first impression from Lille. It is …
Ahhh Wales, a country of rolling hills and fresh streams, forests and mountains and lakes and outdoor adventures. And rain. Yes, don’t forget the rain and the general unpredictability of Welsh weather. I grew up in North Wales and now live on the English/Welsh border so I feel like I’m pretty well adapted to these …
Scotland is one of those places where, with the right weather, it’s jaw-droppingly beautiful. You can’t believe you’re just a few hours from home (if you live in the UK that is) and I had the overwhelming feeling the whole of Scotland has been keeping this incredible secret from me. Why did they not tell …
New York is one of the most famous cities in the world and was a place I’d been desperate to visit for years before I finally went in December. It’s a city that is familiar to all of us; one that everybody seems to know and love before even setting foot on its streets. Despite …
Why is it that as soon as you’re anywhere near London you instantly turn into a manically stressed idiot? Everyone is in a hurry, there’s so much to see, so much to do and we’re all so incredibly important that we have to be there first. We rush around like 5-year-olds on the playground but …
Taking a Sea Safari with Orca Sea Safaris I bet you thought that I’d finished my ranting about how beautifully, awesomely, wonderful Falmouth is hadn’t you. Oh no, I have one more little gem for you that won’t come as much of a surprise if you managed to read the title. Yes, that’s right, I …
There is a level of tranquillity in a hotel that you can never achieve in your own home. At home there is always washing to be done, projects to work on, food to be cooked, a dog to be walked and rooms to be cleaned. But in a hotel you have none of that. Hotels …
It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of all kinds of planes, trains and automobiles. I love the speed, the excitement of going somewhere new and the chance to sit back, relax and stare idly out the window and watch the world pass me by. I was more than a little excited to catch …
The Hotel Du Vin is one of those places where you instantly feel at home…and seriously wish it was your home. According to Wikipedia (aka, the font of all knowledge), ‘This is where the stars stay when in Brighton’, so it has an understandable air of subtle exclusivity without being too flashy. It’s grand, elegant …
Monica’s Mini Guide to Packing for a Weekend Away (and what I’d never leave home without) I’ve made more than my fair share of mistakes while I’ve been travelling but I’m pleased to say that there is one thing that I do pretty well and that thing is packing (except that time I forgot my …