Based in Uckfield

Claire Coleman

It's Nice To Meet You

I'm Claire, I live in Uckfield, East Sussex with my husband Paul and our two children Emily and George. I have been in travel for 30 years and have a real passion for the industry. I would love to be able to use my experience and expertise to help you find your perfect holiday, whether that's a weekend break or that long awaited round the world trip of a lifetime - I'm here to help and advise.

As a Travel Counsellor my business relies on the service I provide and I will go that extra mile to ensure I exceed your expectations. Working from home allows me to be available at a time that suits you, often the 9-5.30 high street hours doesn't suit everyone, therefore I feel being available 24-7 is the perfect solution.

During my 30 years I've travelled to many places including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Kenya, Mombasa, Jordan, Thailand, USA including New York, Boston, California, Las Vegas, New England, Jamaica, Canary Islands, mainland Spain, Balearics, Cyprus, Greece, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Amsterdam, Sweden and Marrakech.

Please feel free to call me at a time that suits you, I will be more than happy to help!

Thanks
Claire

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Whatever your holiday needs I'm here to help you, so simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact details on and I can get things started for you:

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My Blog

I absolutely live and breathe travel and I love to write about my experiences! Please take a look through my posts - you might find your own holiday inspiration.

Drago Park Hotel - Costa Calma

07 June 2019

I was fortunate enough to win a 4-night break to the 4* Drago Park, Costa Calma at our annual conference so decided me and my sister would leave our husbands and kids at home and take advantage of some R&R. Having visited Fuerteventura before I was looking forward to seeing a different resort. We opted to travel at the end of March and managed to pick up bargain flights with EasyJet for only £65pp and decided to stay the night at the Sofitel Gatwick as we had an early check in of 0550. The flight ran on time and arrived into Fuerteventura about 1130. Although car hire was exceptionally reasonable at only £45 for 5 days, I didn't feel overly confident in driving a left-hand drive, added to that my sister's appalling navigation skills so we opted for a Speedy shuttle which took 90 minutes. I must confess there wasn't an awful look to see en route as the island itself is quite barren and even when we arrived at Costa Calma it was very clear this was not a large resort. Upon arrival at the hotel I was quite impressed with the bright airy reception area and modern décor. Our room was ready and so we were able to check in straight away. We were allocated a twin room overlooking the pool and the room itself was extremely spacious although if I'm honest the décor was not as modern as in the public areas. There was plenty of wardrobe space and ample storage, although we did struggle to find plug sockets and had to move a fair bit of furniture before we found any! The bathroom was also very large and featured a hairdryer which is one less thing to pack. The balcony was spacious although the view of the pool was somewhat obstructed by various foliage, but I guess there's not a lot you can do about that. Once we'd unpacked, we had a wander around the hotel to get our bearings. Obviously travelling at the end of March meant the hotel was very quiet so the area around the pool looked extremely large with plenty of sunbeds to go around, however come July/August I could see it being extremely busy. The pools were spacious and heated which was even better as the weather was changeable whilst we were there. There was a large pool bar which served snacks throughout the day and obviously drinks. One thing that I did find a little confusing was if you ordered a specific alcoholic drink, they didn't automatically provide you with the local equivalent which meant on the first occasion we were charged. I personally felt this was naughty as they could've quite easily advised that we could either have the branded spirit for a fee or the local equivalent for nothing, I have never been anywhere whereby they have operated this way. When I queried this with the bar staff, they produced a menu which states which drinks are free and which are not. The fact they operate only on all-inclusive made me think this needed more clarity. After that I made sure I ordered stating my need for the local spirits! All meals were served in the main restaurant the times of meals were as follows: Breakfast 7-10 Lunch 1-3 Dinner 7- 9 Breakfast was really nice with everything on offer and all food was served piping hot. Lunch tended to be salads and cold meats with a few hot dishes on offer. At dinner food was generally very good, although sometimes there were some odd combinations but normally a couple of meat dishes, a fish dish and a pasta dish so plenty of choice. They had wine and beer on tap, and you could help yourself and to tea and coffee. Waiters were very attentive, and plates were cleared away very quickly, although again I believe come the height of the season it could become quite manic. During the evening we went to the bar although it was very quiet and there wasn't any evening entertainment. I think this was purely down to the time of year, as I was informed they offer a full entertainment programme during the summer months, along with a kids club. There was one main bar with a nice area out on the terrace and a disco bar, which wasn't open when we were there. The hotel is located about 30 minutes from the beach, but they do offer a complimentary beach shuttle which runs a regular service both there and back. What we didn't know until we arrived was that this was actually a nudist beach! This didn't actually bother me at all; however, I do feel they should mention this as possibly families with young children may not be happy going there. Once you're at the beach there's nowhere to buy drinks or snacks from so definitely bear that in mind if you plan on going for the day. The only facilities on offer were toilets! We decided to walk back from the beach to see what the resort offers. I have to say Costa Calma is your typical small fishing village type resort with not much on offer at all. We found a few restaurants where we did stop for some lunch and it was good value at 24 Euros for 2 pizzas, 2 large beers and 2 large wines, however I think if you actually opted for self-catering you would really struggle to eat out as there didn't seem to be much choice. I'm not too sure if maybe the resort comes to life more in the summer months but if you did opt to stay here during the winter, I'd recommend all-inclusive. We also found a small shopping centre which featured a few clothes shops, a supermarket and the token gift shops. Generally speaking, the resort is very quiet. Every Sunday and Wednesday there is a local market which if I'm honest does sell a few local arts and crafts but did tend to favour the fake handbags and trainers more than anything else and it was quite good bartering. To sum up I enjoyed our stay, the hotel was nice although far too quiet for my liking. I much prefer a resort which offers more shops and restaurants. Also, although I'm not a massive beach lover,o it would've been nice to have been closer. I think if you visited in the Summer months the hotel would probably offer a lot more activities and evening entertainment meaning you wouldn't need to look elsewhere for this. I would go back to Fuerteventura although I would definitely opt for a much livelier resort as Costa Calma was just too quiet for me.

Barcelona City Break

26 September 2019

I wanted to take Paul and the kids away for a city break so we opted for Barcelona. I managed to find really good flights travelling in April with Easyjet, and we opted for the 4* Aramunt Apartments in the Eixample district for 3 nights. Our flights departed on time and we were in Barcelona within 3 hours. I hadn't pre-booked an airport transfer as it seemed quite pricey, so I was a bit concerned when we arrived that it would cost a fortune. I needn't have worried as its very well organised outside the airport and our transfer took approx 30 mins and cost €25. From the outside the apartments didn't look that impressive however check in staff were really friendly and although our room wasn't ready they were more than happy to store our luggage so we could go and get our first glimpse of the city. Our apartment was located approx 10 mins from the Plaza Cataluyna and Las Ramblas so it was in a fabulous location. We opted to grab some lunch and was advised to steer clear of the main tourist areas as you will pay a premium for food. We just opted for some sandwiches and drinks and this wasn't expensive at all. After lunch we wandered back to the apartment as we were able to check in. I was really impressed with the standard of accommodation, everything was really modern and had everything you need and more for a short break. Our room overlooked the main street but wasn't noisy at all. These apartments would work really well for families as they do give slightly more room than your average hotel room and I would definitely recommend them. After checking in, we continued exploring just to get our bearings and we stumbled across the fabulous food market of La Boqueria, this place is definitely worth a look around as it is just full of fresh produce, food stalls and flowers, its really busy and has a great atmosphere. Las Ramblas is lovely and a hive of activity with loads of shops, market stalls and street performers. One thing that everyone says about Barcelona is that the pick pockets are rife, I have to say I never witnessed anything of the sort, although I've since learned its more of a problem on the underground system, so just keep your wits about you, and you'll be fine. We did eat on Las Ramblas the first night and whilst the food was reasonably priced, the drinks are really expensive our meal cost 116€ for the 4 of us and this was literally for pizzas and drinks! The next day we had pre-booked an open top bus tour, as we thought this would be the best way to see the City and to get our bearings. We were lucky as there was a bus stop very close to our apartments which was an advantage to us as most people opted for the main bus stop in Plaza Cataluyna to board so we managed to get our pick of the seats. There are 3 routes you can take and we opted for the longest which took us over to the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and the Nou Camp. With the tickets you can obviously hop on/hop off as you please but we just decided to do the whole route. It was actually quite chilly so being on the top desk wasn't so much fun, but we laughed about it. Once the route was finished we went back as we had tickets for the Sagrada Familia, the beautiful unfinished church of Gaudi. This wouldn't normally be something we would do, but its quite iconic so we felt we really should see it. We opted for tickets including the audio guide, which started off really well but we soon managed to lose our bearings so we were listening to information and it was obvious we were in the wrong area of the church! The church is absolutely stunning from the outside and once you're inside the sun shines through the stained glass windows and its just beautiful, you really should visit. Our tour cost £108 for the 4 of us. One thing we did find was although there are loads of restaurants to chose from, the food did seem to be exactly the same in all restaurants, so it was really a case of finding who offered the best prices. On average an evening meal cost 100€ for 4 but again this only ever included 1 course. The next day Paul and George had tickets for the Nou Camp so they went off on the bus, whilst Emily and I went for a wander around the Gothic Quarter. I should say we bought the 2 day hop on/hop off bus tickets as we felt it was better value at approx £112 however the other reason was so Paul and George could get to the Nou Camp. The only annoying thing with this, was the fact they had to do the entire tour again so a journey that would've taken approx 20 mins on the underground took 90 mins on the bus. If we ever went back I actually wouldn't do the bus tour as it did seem a bit of a waste, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. The nice thing about Barcelona is you can wander and just stumble across pretty little streets and lovely old buildings. The shopping is also really good both the major high street stores and the quaint little boutiques. I love just wandering and stumbling across little nooks and crannies. The boys had a really good time at the Nou Camp and said it was well worth a visit. That afternoon we took the other bus route which took us over to the Olympic stadium and the cable cars of Montjuic, this route was much shorter and gave us a chance to look at the other parts of the city. We also watched the dancing fountains which was lovely and attracts quite a crowd, make sure you check the times of the displays as it does vary from season to season. We spent 3 nights in Barcelona and it was lovely, I would highly recommend it, there's no right or wrong place to stay as everything is easily accessible, I stumbled across a fair few properties I'd initially dismissed as I thought the location was wrong, but anything within half an hour of Las Ramblas is totally fine. Barcelona is an expensive City so bear that in mind when deciding on how much spending money you may need. The weather wasn't great when we were there but in the summer you have the added bonus of a beach so you can spend a few days exploring, then a couple of days chilling out on the beach. Accommodation varies greatly in price and I personally thought the apartments we stayed in were fab, and would work well for bigger families as well. You don't have to spend a fortune to stay here either, just bear in mind that all hotels will charge a city tax which is anything from 2-5€ per room per night and will be collected when you check in. Our break cost approx £900 for the 4 of us including flights and accommodation.

Al Fresco Holiday

04 September 2018

Every year I am always my worst client, trying to find the perfect holiday for my family, I always want 5* for 3* prices! We normally have a camping holiday in stunning Cornwall with friends, and then an all-inclusive holiday somewhere in the Med. Last year our camping trip was a bit of a washout thanks to the unpredictable British summer, so this year we decided to try something completely different and opted for a mobile home in the South of France. After a few weeks of deliberating where to go, we all eventually opted for the Les Mediterranees Charlemagne, in Marseillan Plage, and chose the Rossini two bed as our home for the week. Initially we decided we would self-drive, but after looking into this further we decided that a 12-hour drive over two days wasn't so appealing, so we managed to find bargain flights with EasyJet into Montpellier and hired a car from the airport. This meant total journey time was reduced to just 2.5 hours. Upon arrival at the Charlemagne we had to check in at the main reception, where we were issued with our wristbands and security gate codes for the duration. From here we had to proceed to the Al Fresco check in where we were met by an English couple who showed us to our mobile homes. We were pleased to see that we had been issued homes opposite each other, which meant the kids were happy. Our home was extremely clean and spacious and offered us everything we needed for a week’s self-catering. We paid a little extra to have the linen and towel packs included as this meant we didn't have to bring our own. Al Fresco have a selection of mobile homes towards the back of the resort which was lovely as it was very quiet. The resort itself if made up of three sites: Charlemagne, Nouvelle Floride and Beach Gardens. You can access all three resorts which gives you a bit of variety during your stay. All have their own pools and waterslides and both the Beach Gardens & Nouvelle Floride have direct beach access. All pool areas were spotlessly clean, and the nice thing was the pools didn't open until 10am, the water slides at 11am so there wasn't the need to rush to reserve a sunbed, something that does annoy me in other Med resorts! Despite us travelling in August there were always plenty of sunbeds available for the eight of us. Lifeguards were on hand the entire time and it’s worth noting that boys/men are required to wear lycra swim shorts. During the day there is a bit of entertainment for the kids in the form of the animation team around the pool dancing with the kids, or aqua aerobics. This only lasted about half an hour a day so wasn't annoying at all. The beach is beautiful with crystal clear water and sand that stretches for miles. Unlike the Med beaches there are no sunbeds available to hire, so it may be worth investing in some cheap beach mats as we did find the sand got everywhere! The resort of Marseillan Plage is very lively, however I should stress not with bars and clubs, so it’s very nice for families. There is an abundance of restaurants catering for all tastes. We ate out every night and on average we were paying between €60-70 per family which included drinks and wine. We found different restaurants every night so there's something for everyone. There are also many shops in the resort selling everything from souvenirs to local produce. The resort was exceptionally clean and literally a 10-minute walk from the Charlemagne bought you right into the heart of everything. There are supermarkets onsite that cater for all your requirements and weren't too expensive. However, there is a wider choice at the Hyper U about 10 minutes’ drive away. Within the site there was a patisserie so most mornings breakfast consisted of freshly baked croissants and baguettes. The nice thing about this resort is you don't need a car to get around. The neighbouring towns of Agde and Cap D'Adge can be reached by train or taxi so the whole area is quite accessible. I would recommend anyone opting to fly that you take a cab from the airport to the site as prices are approx. €100 return so very reasonable. If we returned, we would consider this. The other option you could consider is the train from London down to Marseillan Plage. Unfortunately, our flight home was cancelled due to adverse weather at Montpellier airport so the only way we could get back was the train. Despite us all being somewhat sleep deprived due to the delay, the journey was actually really easy, and I have to say I would definitely consider this an option. We went up to Lille on the TGV and then the Eurostar back to St Pancras, despite it being a 10-hour journey, it’s definitely the easier option to driving. We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay here, so much so we are already looking at booking for next year to another one of their resorts. Our holiday cost approx. £1600 for a week and included flights, car hire and mobile home for two adults and two children staying on a 5* site. I was worried that after having all-inclusive holidays for the past few years that everything would seem quite pricey, but we were pleasantly surprised and we all enjoyed going out to eat every evening. I would highly recommend this resort to families with children of all ages as it really was excellent value for money, adding to the fact we had wall to wall sunshine for the 7 days with temperatures averaging 32 degrees. This area surpassed my expectations and I will be recommending this to future clients.

Family Holiday to Zante

08 September 2017

This was our first visit to Zante and we weren't disappointed. Our home for seven nights was the Smartline Margarita in Laganas. I had done a lot of research prior to booking and had previously sent some friends here, who came home with very positive feedback. We were allocated our room for the week, and initial impressions were good! Our view was out over the front of the hotel with fields and mountains in the distance. The hotel is much smaller than we have stayed in previously, but this seemed to add to the friendliness of the place. It's a family run hotel and both owners are on site daily along with other family members. We had a brief walk around the hotel which has two swimming pools, one for families and one for adults only, both were of a good size with plenty of sunbeds, despite us traveling in August. Food at the hotel was excellent, and they actually have their own allotment where they grow vegetables, fruits and herbs, so all of this is used when preparing the meals. Every night there was a different selection of meals, and they were always hot and very tasty while accompanying the hot food was a nice selection of salads and puddings. The hotel employs two entertainers and I have to say they work their socks off to entertain the kids during the days and the adults in the evening. We had a quick wander around the resort, and to be honest, Laganas is definitely a resort tailored to the 18-30 market, with the main strip designated with countless bars and clubs, so if you're after peace and quiet, this is not the resort for you! Having said that the Smartline Margarita is located approximately 15-20 mins walk from here, so no noise is heard. We wandered down to the main beach and its lovely golden sand and crystal clear warm waters. Sunbeds here were around 3 Euros to hire, so not expensive at all. The beach is also home to the turtles, and we were fortunate enough one evening to see a baby turtle making its way down to the sea. They are very protective of these creatures and the beach is closed after a certain time to enable their safe journey to the sea. No trip to Zante is complete without a trip to the famous "Ship Wreck" beach known locally as Novagio Beach, often featuring in the 'Top 10 beaches to visit in Europe' lists. The beach is quite small but stunningly beautiful, unfortunately, it does get very busy with boats arriving every few minutes to drop visitors off and the beach itself is not very big, but it's definitely worth a visit. The boat trip we opted for also took us to the Blue Caves where we were able to have a swim and Xygia Beach. The water here contains large amounts of sulphur so it's very good for the skin leaving it very soft, we were also able to swim here. Our trip cost us 80€ for the 4 of us. Most excursions can be bought from the vast array of outlets along the strip or from the reps locally. It is worth shopping around, as most do seem to be selling the same trips. Our rep locally advised us to book through her as it had insurance included, however, the same trip through her was 148 Euros so it's quite hard to justify the difference in cost. We also visited Zante Town which is beautiful, with its quaint harbor, Orthodox churches, buzzing streets and local cafes, there's definitely something for everyone and it is well worth a visit Eating out if you opted for self-catering would never be a problem, as there are restaurants in abundance and most seem to be offering a vast array of food ranging from local Greek cuisine to Indian, Italian & British, so plenty on offer and prices seemed very reasonable. We had an evening meal out with drinks and main courses and the bill was a little over 70 euros but we received massive portions so it didn't feel overly expensive. We fell in love with Zante and despite Laganas being a very busy resort, I would most definitely return. The Smartline Margarita is a lovely hotel and the warm welcome you receive throughout your stay is a sure fire way of enticing clients back year after year.

Marrakesh & Essaouira

17 May 2017

I was really excited to be on the Trip to Marrakesh and Essaouira with 40 fellow Travel Counsellors. It was always somewhere I wanted to explore but never got round to it. My journey started on the 22nd March with the early flight out of Gatwick to Marrakesh. Upon arrival we were greeted by our hosts for the next few days and taken straight to the Movenpick Hotel Mansour Eddhabi, our home for the next 3 nights. First impressions of the hotel was that it was on a large scale and very grand. My room was very comfortable overlooking the swimming pool to the rear of the property. After a very quick lunch we were separated into groups and taken to the Medina to stroll through the famous souks (Market). I was really looking forward to this and I was not disappointed. It was vast in size and I would strongly recommend doing want we did, and hiring a guide, not only do they know the area like the back of their hands, it also allows you to wander round admiring all the goods on offer without being pounced on every 5 seconds. One word of warning, the streets are very narrow and its not unusual for mopeds to go hurtling by, stopping for no one so keep your wits about you, and savor the smells, sights and sounds, it's truly amazing! After the souks we found ourselves in the famous Jamaa El Fnaa square, the whole area is buzzing with street traders, food stalls and even the odd Sheep! I truly enjoyed this and wish we had more time. Next stop a Mint Tea overlooking the whole square from a roof terrace, and then dinner at the Salama, a Moroccan feast followed, complete with belly dancing! The next morning saw the first hotel visit of our trip, the 5* Luxurious Royal Palm. This hotel is situated about 20 minutes from the center of Marrakesh and is simply stunning. With a 18 hole golf course on site and beautiful manicured grounds this is the perfect getaway for some winter sunshine. The hotel features 134 suites and villas and offers an exceptional level of service. Next stop the 5* Royal Mansour. This hotel offers all "Riad" accommodation, which means Private residences. This would definitely appeal to larger families who usually take villa holidays, the property only offer 54 Riads, so a small property but with an exceptional level of service. After the hotel visits the group split in 2. One group went to a Moroccan Cookery class and I went to sample Go Karting, which I really enjoyed but I was rubbish at it! Dinner this evening was at Le Palace, Marrakech's Premier club restaurant. The food was delicious and we danced the night away into the early hours. Great fun was had by all. Next morning saw us leaving the hustle and bustle of Marrakech and heading out into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains to visit the L'Amandier a brand new Boutique hotel, which didn't disappoint. Approx 2 hours from Marrakesh this would be the perfect twin Centre option to relax after a few nights in Marrakesh. Recently opened we were shown around by the owner who clearly has a passion for the property. I must admit the hotel was stunning and has the most gorgeous views of the Atlas Mountains. Dinner this evening was at the Restaurant Jad Mahal. After our 3 nights in Marrakesh it was time to head out to the coast and our next stop Essaouira, situated approx. 3 hours from Marrakesh by road. On route we stopped at the Argan Oil factory and watched how the product is painstakingly made by hand, each process on display for us to watch, all the products can be bought in the shop after. We also managed to see the famous "Goats in trees" which is quite the tourist attraction. Be warned though if you stop to take photos the locals do expect some form of payment for this! We visited the Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa hotel which is a lovely hotel set on its own golf course and a few minutes drive from the Beach. Our home for the evening was the Atlas Hotel & Spa. After checking in we were taken to the Medina in Essaouira and had free time to wander around. The souk here is of a much smaller scale and doesn't quite have the same ambience as the one in Marrakech. Our final evening saw us dining at the L'Heure Bleu restaurant offering an infusion of Moroccan and French Cuisine. My time had come to an end and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Morocco. The weather didn't perform for us which was a shame, as normally temperatures in March are 25 degrees, whilst we were there it was quite chilly with very similar weather to what we had back home. Summing up I would strongly recommend Marrakesh to anyone, I never once felt unsafe and I was amazed just how clean the City was. There is accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets and there is so much to suit everyone. So if you're looking for somewhere different give Marrakesh a go, you won't be disappointed!

My Swedish Lapland Adventure

07 September 2017

I was given the opportunity to sample the delights of Swedish Lapland courtesy of Simply Sweden and to say I was excited was an understatement. Most people hear the word Lapland and will almost certainly think of Father Christmas. Swedish Lapland is completely different and you will not see the big man himself here! Our home for the next 3 nights was the 3* Hotel Akerlund located in Jokkmok, a 2 hour drive from the airport in Lulea. This hotel is hopefully going to be featured in the Simply Sweden programme for the winter 2017/18 season. The hotel is very small with only 26 rooms although the hotel is quite basic it more that serves the purpose for holidays in this area. After breakfast which was excellent we were issued with our warm clothing, this is excellent as like me prior to leaving the UK I had no idea what you needed for a trip to Sweden. I was given my thermal coat, trousers and shoes and they were mine for the duration of the trip, the only other clothing required is suitable layers and most importantly wool base layers, an absolute must!! A walk around Jokkmok followed and then a visit to the Sami museum which is a fascinating insight in to the Sami Culture followed by a lovely lunch. That afternoon we went to visit a Sami Reindeer herder. I was so looking forward to this trip as we were able to get up close and personal with the reindeer which was amazing and then a traditional evening meal followed cook and prepared by Anna our Sami herder and was eaten by a roaring fire in a teepee. After this experience we then embarked on searching for the Northern Lights. We all knew that this would take time and after nearly an hour of driving around the area we were not disappointed and we were given our thrilling show!! For anyone who has not experienced the Northern Lights it's really quite hard to put into words. The sky was full of colour and various shapes danced across the sky. One tip though, don't be fooled into thinking your smart phones will capture any images, you will most definitely need a good camera and where possible a tripod. The next day and we were off Husking Sledging this was such a great experience. We got to meet the dogs prior to the ride and they clearly absolutely love their jobs. We were taken across frozen lakes and through stunning countryside, stopping every 5 minutes to give the dogs a rest, although most were anxious to get going again. Another lunch under canvas and was very hands on, literally cooking your own food over the fire. These excursions are widely available in this area. We ate this evening at the Hotel Jokkmok which is much larger than the Akerlund, we feasted on reindeer, which is the staple diet for this area. After dinner we attended a cultural activity which was 1hr 30 min Taste & flavour experience learning about all the various foods this area has to offer. We were leaving Jokkmok today and on route back to the airport we went to visit the Tree Hotel. This place is amazing and I would highly recommend a visit. The property has 7 rooms all with their own unique design and theme, all rooms are suspended above ground and are nestled in the trees giving amazing views of the surrounding countryside. The rooms offer a unique experience and make the perfect twin centre option with Jokkmok itself. This has been my first visit to Sweden and I have to admit I fell in love with the place. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I will say I would love to return with my family and experience everything again. I wouldn't say it's a cheap place to go but if you're looking for something different and want to experience the Northern Lights, Huskies & Reindeers I can't think of a better place to suggest. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and cant wait to return.

My customer stories

Sent by Lee Bonnett

Always goes above and beyond and nothing is too much trouble. Excellent service!

Sent by Steve Charman

Claire was brilliant from start to finish. She was fast to reply and even helped us on a weekend. She was great and couldn't recommend her enough

Sent by Fiona Hillman

Claire is an amazing travel agent and I recommend her to so many people. Even my Mum goes to Claire for her holidays now!

Sent by Sarah Jone

Always helpful, finds holidays on budget every time. Claire is brilliant and I wouldn’t book with anyone else, but her. Fab all round

Sent by Joanne Hoadley

Claire was just amazing helping me find the perfect week away for my 50th birthday. I was very indecisive but she just kept helping find the right holiday . We had an amazing hotel and Claire is always there if you need her

Sent by Susan Crawford

Always excellent advice and support from Claire, she is our first choice for any overseas travel we undertake..

Sent by Caley Pillans

Claire has been amazing! With such short notice she has managed to make something that seemed impossible- possible. She has been great and offers amazing support! What a lovely lady!

Sent by Marilyn Daw

Such a great service, you feel totally looked after! In this world of digitised algorithms, it is so lovely working with a real, friendly, knowledgeable human being with such a passion for their job. Nothing is too much trouble and no request or problem insurmountable. A brilliant service.

Sent by Nicola Van Damme

Claire has been extremely helpful, efficient and thorough in all aspects of enabling us to book our dream holiday. Thank you Claire

Sent by Karen Bonnett

Our experience with Claire is and always has been amazing!!! Nothing is ever too much for her. Absolutely amazing and would never have anyone else book a holiday for us. Over and above any service you would get anywhere else !!

Sent by Denise Orde

Claire always delivers the perfect holiday in a very timely manner …. Nothing is too much trouble, thank you

Sent by Tracey Ellis

Lovely lady, listens to everything you need and she does her very best to try and find it!! Also Claire sends you different choices and a range of prices!!!

Sent by Rosalin Miller

As always fantastic customer service and support. Claire always goes above and beyond.

Sent by Sandra Bearman

A wonderful personal service from Claire

Sent by Peter Cooke

Claire always looks after our holiday bookings with great results. We like slightly tailored trips and she always comes up with something for us. Would never go anywhere else

Sent by Lisa Stapley

Claire sorted our holiday perfectly. Friendly , efficient, helpful and knowledgeable x

Sent by Julia Harlow

Always excellent service from Claire Coleman!!!

Sent by Kerry Tutt

I would highly recommend the service Claire provides, she is always on hand if you need her and makes you feel reassured if there are any issues whilst away.

Sent by Annette Turner

Claire went above and beyond to help me book a last minute holiday. She phoned to hotel to confirm questions about children’s ages and room sizes. I’m looking forward to our much needed break away and look forward to booking with her again.

Sent by Jo Charman

As always Claire has been super helpful in helping my husband and I find our perfect holiday. My husband and I had very specific requirements due to my husband being unwell but Claire met the challenge and found us a holiday suited to our needs. Thank you Claire.

Sent by Jennie Bradley

I recommend Claire to everyone!!

Sent by Natasha Brooks

Claire could not have been anymore helpful. Will most definitely be using her again. Have also recommended her to family and work colleagues. Thank you again Claire

Sent by Geoff Marshall

I have worked with Claire over many years and have always been satisfied with her service.

Sent by Dawn Wakeford

Claire was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. She listened to my requests and came up with good flights and hotel for The Maldives. I would definitely recommend Claire

Sent by Karen Avis

Claire is very friendly and easy to talk to we would always book with Claire and always recommend her.

Sent by Geraldine O'Brien

Perfect Travel Counsellor!

Sent by Richard Perry

Claire has been very patient with us answering all sorts of strange questions etc. An excellent service.

Sent by Katy Turner-Radford

I could not recommend highly enough, Claire has dealt with At least six holidays for me and every one has been brilliant and I could not fault anything

Sent by Robert Mcilvenny

Fantastic service, from such a professional X

Sent by Ian Goldsmith

Claire is fantastic and always goes above and beyond to ensure we have great vacations.

Sent by Debbie Hill

Claire is so helpful and her advice provided is outstanding - I have used Claire for my past few holidays and will continue to do so., and recommend her to friends and colleagues. Thank you again.

Sent by Louise Chesson

I can’t recommend Claire highly enough! If you have an idea of where you want to go and what you want to do, Claire will then do all the hard work putting a package together and will come back to you with a variety of options to suit every budget. On the flip side, if you have no idea what you are looking for, Claire has so much experience and inspiration to help you find something amazing! In addition, Claire has also provided excellent support from the initial contact and even after we have returned home! The support and kindness Claire has shown us when booking a number of holidays with her has been outstanding and above and beyond. Nothing is too much trouble and I have no hesitation in recommending her!

Sent by Michael Harlow

Fantastic holiday to Vietnam We contacted Claire to ask her ideas for a two week holiday for November 2019, to include several days sightseeing and touring, with a few days at the end , to relax at a good beach resort! As usual Claire went off, did lots of research and came up with various itineraries. After lots of questions and various alterations to suit our needs, we settled on a 15 day package, taking in three cities, a 24 hour boat cruise and 5 nights at a luxurious hotel on the island of Phu Quoc! All flights,transfers and many taxis throughout the trip went like clockwork! All the guides were friendly, knowledgeable and very considerate and helpful! The hotels chosen were of an excellent standard, the Halong Bay trip was not to be missed and the beach resort in Phu Quoc was amazing! Claire’s assistance in arranging our Vietnamese experience , ensured we enjoyed yet another wonderful holiday, with her continued excellent customer service!

Sent by John Standing

From start to finish we found that Claire from travel counsellors listened to our family holiday requirements found us an amazing hotel and a great deal including access to the water park. When we had any questions or enquires Claire was always there immediately to answer them. Would definitely use her services again. Thankyou.

Sent by Paula Brooks

Our trip to Italy was one of the best holidays we have had. It was very complex as we stayed in so many different places. Claire was so helpful and professional throughout and found the best accommodation for us. Everything went so smoothly and this was down to Claire. Will definitely be using her again for future holidays. Thanks so much for a truly perfect holiday

Sent by Ian Goldsmith

Claire works very hard to ensure you get an excellent service and exactly the ideal holiday for your requirements. I would highly recommend her and Travel Counsellors to anyone looking for a great holiday.

Sent by Jo Charman

Massive thank you to Claire Coleman for helping us plan a wonderful holiday. We had a rough idea of what we wanted - we knew where we wanted to go and how long for. Claire came up with different combinations of flights, stopovers and hotels until will had the perfect trip ( Gatwick - Dubai (change planes), Singapore (3 night stopover) - Perth. Then Perth - Singapore ( change planes) - Dubai ( 3 night stopover) - Gatwick. The hotels she found for us were perfect and in great locations for sightseeing and getting around. It was so reassuring knowing that Claire was at the end of the phone rather than a faceless person in a call centre should we have and problems (which we didn't). We received text confirmation before each airport / hotel / airport transfer confirming the arrangements. The whole experience was seamless. I can not recommend Claire Coleman at Travel Counsellors enough, she helped us plan an amazing holiday that was within our budget. Thank you Claire.

Sent by Lucy Clayton

Claire has been AMAZING in very little time she managed to find us a last minute holiday and everything has been smooth sailing.

Sent by Rebecca Martin

Claire was extremely helpful and knowledgeable when it came to helping us with our booking. She was patient and helped us tailor our cruise package to exactly what we wanted. She stayed in contact throughout and couldn’t have been more helpful.

Sent by Harpreet Bahra

Claire has been amazing in helping me find the best deal that’s appropriate to my family needs. I cannot wait to go on this holiday and will definitely come back to Claire to book my next trip.

Sent by Jane Wooderson

I have already recommended Claire to a number of people, who have all been very pleased with how she dealt with them! Highly recommended, I would not go to anyone else.

Sent by Jennie Bradley

Already have recommended Claire! Super lovely lady who is very efficient and helpful

Sent by Leon Mellett

Claire was extremely helpful and made our honeymoon as hassle free as possible. Without her we wouldn’t have known where to start particularly as neither of us had been to two of our destinations. We would definitely be more than happy to recommend Claire and use her services again for ourselves in the future. Thank you once again.

Sent by Naomi Gunn

From start to finish the quality of service Claire provides is fantastic! I highly recommend her.

Sent by Kerry Davies

Claire was very friendly and welcoming, she went above and beyond to find me the right accommodation and travel. I would definitely return for future holidays and recommend her to my friends.

Sent by Karen Sparks

Claire always provides an informative, helpful, quality and personable service. Nothing is ever too much trouble. I always recommend her to friends and colleagues for all travel requirements and is the first place I go to for holiday info and advice. Just brilliant!

Sent by Clare Brown

I was recommended to try Claire and she didn't disappoint. My requests were quite awkward, she not only met our requirements, she exceeded them and even added extra knowledge for our travel plans.

Sent by Wendy Barker

We would definitely recommend Travel Counsellor Claire Coleman. Claire totally took all the stress out of the search for our holiday. Even when we seemed to constantly change our wants and needs, Claire was always patient and available at the end of the phone with her expert advice and knowledge to find us our perfect holiday. Thank you so much!

Sent by Julia Harlow

Always ready to find us the best holiday to fit our requirements, no request too much trouble! Have already enjoyed two trips in the last six months and looking forward to a third in July!

Sent by Lee Bonnett

Claire is always very keen to help and always offers lots of options for you to assist in making your decision. She has great knowledge of all the destinations I've ever looked at which has been very helpful in making my decisions .

Sent by Nigel Jeffery

We have been using Claire for a few years now and I would always recommend her.We once had an insident while we were away and all I can say is Claire sorted this quickly so we could enjoy the rest of the holiday.It is times like that when things go wrong when you realise the value of working with somebody personally.

Sent by Mark Edwards

We have been planning our wedding and honeymoon for the past 2 years and Claire couldn’t have been more helpful. We have our budget and within days we had page after page of all different honeymoons we could go on. We’re now 1 week away from our dream holiday to Cuba and disaster hits our family with a bereavement. We contacted Claire as we needed to postpone our trip and this is where having a travel counsellor made the grieving process so much easier. Claire escalated our booking and we were lucky enough that our honeymoon could be postponed for a few days. Heaven knows the stress we would have had having to sort it out our selves. If you haven’t booked yet we would thoroughly recommend as when you book, you are made to feel like a client rather than an order number.

Sent by Michelle Rogers

Claire has been very patient with us and has been brilliant finding us the perfect holiday. Lots of emails backwards and forwards and we finally got there.

Sent by Fay Matthews

Claire was amazing. She took all of our priorities into consideration and found us a lovely holiday we are all really looking forward to. Thank you!!

Sent by Laura Brown

Claire was very helpful working out our holiday. Claire was also very flexible communicating with me by both email and phone as I wasn't always available at the same time to go through things and often missed her calls. Thanks for being patient with me Claire!

Sent by Donna French

Claire arranged our flights to New Zealand in December. She took away any worry and stress, organising exit seats with extra legroom for us. We couldn’t have a got a better price if we’d searched ourselves. Even the luggage labels were already written out when she dropped the tickets off! She proved to be a godsend when I had an accident a few days before returning home. She liaised with my insurance company and between them they arranged an upgrade so I flew home in comfort, even with my leg in a splint. I would thoroughly recommend booking your next holiday or flight through Claire.

Sent by Maxine Read

Claire has spent her snow days and sick days searching high and low for a summer holiday for us. I had such a long list of requirements - somewhere we hadn’t been, proper beds for everyone, not too busy but enough to do, beautiful beaches, decent flight times, from Gatwick etc. She even knows I need the decor to be modern and unfussy! Even when it looked like I’d have to accept some chintz in the villa she refused to give up! And the best bit - it doesn’t cost me a penny more on my holiday. Claire even takes care of advising the airline of George and Alice’s nut allergies. You don’t have to be local to use her services. We did it all through email and Messenger. Kefalonia here we come!

Sent by Lynne Ireland

We have just had the most amazing time at Santa’s Lapland in Finland, all thanks to Claire and her recommendation for the holiday. We were looked after from start to finish and packed everything into the holiday that we wanted to do. Thanks Claire, top job.

Sent by Alan Midson

Claire is a breath of fresh air. Travel agents are all too often unable to think creatively, but rather prefer to be guided by the client as to their preferred destination. Claire asked some pertinent questions about our lifestyle, likes and dislikes and produced some creative options that we would never have thought of. She's a true consultant and a pleasure to deal with and we will definitely be using her from now on.

Sent by Daphne Mitchell

Our Travel Counsellor Claire is very efficient and has made such a difference to booking a holiday. We just gave her the details of what we were looking for and she did all the hard work. Thank you again Claire.

Sent by Mark Edwards

This is our second experience and found it as good if not better than our first. Everything we wanted and more was provided. Can't wait for our holiday.

Sent by Leann Spratling

Claire was great so helpful and she found me a fab deal. Will be recommending Claire to friends who are booking holidays.

Sent by Jean Hart

Very pleased with Claire's help, especially as we kept asking her for more information over a number of weeks and she was very patient answering all our questions.

Sent by Ann Softley

Claire is always very helpful and finds us what we want and also at the right price.

Sent by Michael Simmonds

Just like dealing with an old friend!

Sent by Julia Roberts

Claire is so knowledgeable about different destinations and comes up trumps with our wish list every time and nothing is too much trouble for her at any time of day (or night) .

Sent by Susan Newell

Great service and really understood what an emotional booking this was for us. Claire took a weight off our shoulders organising our trip, thank you from the Newells

Sent by Karen Avis

We will always use Claire she's so helpful and goes out of her way to help, have already recommended her to friends and family.

Sent by Emma Cecil

Would highly recommend Claire she is very helpful and friendly, takes all the pressure off you to book a fantastic holiday stress free. . Always there to answer any questions or queries

Sent by Lauren Page

Claire has been a dream, she is so quick at replying and answering all your questions.

Sent by Richard Taylor

What a great service, I spent four hours trying to find a holiday with no success, quick call into Claire and i had 6 options in my inbox the next morning. Won't ever use a travel agent again.

Sent by Rebecca Newman

Claire came to see me immediately and knew straight away what I wanted, was very patient with managing my expectations and constant changing of the brief. I didn't feel like I was being a pain even though I probably was.

Sent by Kim Brice

Trying to get our holiday to Florida sorted was a daunting prospect as there was too much choice. Claire made it so much easier and understood our requirements, shopped around when we requested it and was very competitive with her pricing. A lovely friendly lady who I've already started to discuss my next holiday with!

Sent by John Wood

I have used Claire for many years both in her existing role and her previous roles with Uckfield and Baldwins travel. I have always found Claire to be very helpful and patient despite me changing my mind several times when booking a holiday. I have recommended Claire to friends who have used her. Claire is absolutely fantastic and I couldn't see myself using anyone else unless it was hugely cheaper.

Sent by Louise Beard

Faultless service, Claire knows her stuff! Very quick in finding the perfect holiday. Takes away a lot of time and stress. Will always use Claire for every holiday

Sent by David Turvey

Claire has worked very hard to get us the holiday we were after even though our requirements weren't exactly 'standard'!She has always got back to me very quickly and has offered us alternatives and options as well as sorting out the extras such as insurance.

Sent by Justine Aldridge

Claire has been so helpful and patient when helping us book all our holidays especially this one which is our honeymoon! We know everything is in hand with Claire she is just wonderful.

Sent by Derek Cross

I have never used a service like this before but will from now on, excellent service and price

Sent by Kirsty Stitt

Claire is a great Travel counsellor , she nows her business and is efficient and cares about helping her customers getting the holiday of their dreams .,It was so easy to use Claire especially when everyone's lives are so busy .. Thanks again

Sent by Richard Hodgson

Thanks to Claire for sorting us an excellent deal out for a trip to Florida next year. One of our party of 4 is in a wheelchair and Claire certainly went the extra mile to ensure all her needs were covered. She was really patient with me while I changed the goal posts a few times but still found us an awesome holiday at an awesome price. Totally recommend her services to all!

Sent by Justine Dusmore

Thank you so much Claire for helping us find our wonderful holiday in July, so helpful and took all the stress away that normally comes with booking a holiday!

Sent by Emma Luck

Booked my first ever beach holiday through Claire! And we went to Crete all inclusive. Now I was very specific and extremely fussy with my requirements and she delivered on every single one of them with professionalism and a smile! Recommend her for all your travel needs

Sent by Cassie Foster

Thank you Claire for finding our holiday for us. You found the holiday we wanted with all the boxes ticked. We cannot wait to get on that plane!

Sent by Alan Lester

We approached Claire with a vague list of preferences for a family summer holiday. She responded quickly with a range of options that suited our budget and helped us narrow down what we really wanted. She’s arranged everything for us, relieving us of stress and releasing our time. I’d recommend her in the strongest terms.