Based in Clitheroe

Jayne Nuttall

It's Nice To Meet You

Hi, my name is Jayne. I am based in Clitheroe, Lancashire and have clients based in all parts of the UK.
I am fortunate enough to be part of a network of independent, highly experienced travel agents. I am available to you 24/7 whilst you are away on holiday, should you need any help or guidance.

As an expert with over 40 years in the travel industry, I have lots of contacts giving me the ability to put together some superb, bespoke itineraries just for you.
When researching for your perfect trip, I always look as though it is for my own holiday, so you can rest assured that you will only get the very best flights, hotels and holiday experiences and also keeping my eye on the costs too.

My customers believe in one to one service, they love the fact that Travel Counsellors recently conducted a survey which showed that 100% of my customers would return to me and would recommend me to their family and friends. I am very grateful to have so many loyal clients, many who I have taken care of since the 1980's!

I love the Caribbean. I have visited numerous islands over the years including St. Lucia, Grand Cayman, Grenada and Tobago. I was also fortunate enough to be invited on a day trip to Mustique, we flew over on an eight seater aircraft and had a super day. I would love to visit all of the islands!

One of my favourite trips ever, was a multi-centre trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. It was truly amazing! First stop was the almost biblical Saigon, it really was a journey back in time! Then on to Nha Trang with a stay at the beautiful Evason Hideaway. Siem Reap was next where we were lucky enough to experience an early morning VIP visit by 'tuk tuk' (rickshaw) to the awesome Angkor Wat temples, it was 'out of this world' an experience that will stay with me forever! We then went on to the ultra modern Hanoi, such a variety of amazing experiences, you just have to see it all to believe it!

I have a variety of travel awards including the Caribbean Tourism Award and the Australian Specialist Certificate which was enhanced by a fabulous family holiday to Australia and New Zealand.

If I could holiday anywhere in the world I would take a trip to America to include Las Vegas, San Francisco followed by a cruise around Hawaii.

I can help you arrange any part of your travel arrangements including travel insurance, VIP lounge passes, theme park tickets, airport car parking and car hire.

My specialist areas are honeymoons and tailor made, multi-centre, round-the-world itineraries.

I have many clients with limited abilities who need airport assistance and special care whilst on holiday, I can offer expert assistance where needed during your trip whether it be medical or dietary so please do ask me.

I can also help to arrange business trips - I love a challenge!

I can also arrange those special little extras such as fruit and flowers, champagne and will contact hotels directly with your special room requests.

My business is based purely on providing my customers with the highest possible levels of personal service and I would be delighted to assist you with your holiday plans.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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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.

Christmas in Malta

04 February 2023

It’s been a while (20 years) since my last trip to Malta. As you can imagine there were lots of changes. First and foremost the weather, what a surprise! We had sunshine every day with temperatures between 19 and 23 degrees, granted it was nippy in the evening but we coped ?? We were based in Sliema, a short five minute ferry trip away from the stunning capital Valletta, what a beautiful place, for history buffs it’s a dream! As one of the smallest capital cities in Southern Europe, Valletta, a walled city, was established in the 1500s by the knights of St.John. Valletta is packed with historical sites and buildings and was officially listed as a world UNESCO heritage site in 1980. Going back to Sliema, if you like sea fishing it’s the perfect place with plenty of fishing spots to choose from and if you like a good shopping centre it’s also the perfect place with the huge ‘The Point’ shopping centre (I was the shopper!) With a great selection of restaurants and bars we ate out every night trying to fit in as many cocktails along the way. ‘Hammetts Gastro Bar’ with their first floor seafront balcony is well worth a visit for their nightly cocktail happy hour. Our favourite place was ‘IL Galeone’ on Tigne seafront in Sliema, ‘a family run restaurant serving genuine food for three decades’ the food here was superb, the steak and the wine delicious! This place is definitely in my top ten. All in all, a great city break holiday, not too far away and with a spot of winter sunshine too, it definitely recharged our batteries. ‘Happy New Year’

Emerald River Cruise

29 October 2022

We’ve always talked about taking a river cruise ‘when we retire’ (in about 4/5 years’ time) but the Covid situation made us think again, so we booked for July this year instead! We booked the ‘Rhine Cruise’ visiting Cologne the Black Forest and ending in Basel, Switzerland on board the fabulous Emerald Luna built in April 2021. River cruises are very good value for money – the prices include breakfast, lunch and dinner (the standards are really high!) wine, beer and soda at lunch and dinner, tea coffee and bottled water throughout and transfers from the airport to the ship (and back) You also have the option of paying a supplement for the 'premium drinks package' meaning that all drinks, branded also, are available to you all week - well worth it! Also included are gratuities, all excursions and bicycle hire. Wellness classes such as yoga and at least one shore excursion in every port are also included. Our 'Panorama Balcony Suite' was SO comfortable, a sumptuous bed (never slept as well!) wall to ceiling window with state of the art half opening which creates your very own balcony where you can sit and watch the world go by! Unfortunately due to the drought and the very low water levels at the time, it was considered unsafe to sail the Rhine, so we were offered a last minute change of itinerary and chose to go with it. There are no guarantees that the river cruise would operate later in the year or even next year. The weather affects more than we realise – too much water and the vessels can’t get under the bridges! We flew from Manchester to Amsterdam, flights on time, no problems, no queues (mind you, we did booked the 6am flight!) We enjoyed a stroll around Amsterdam on arrival, we’ve never seen so many bicycles! Amsterdam, Netherlands capital city, is known for its elaborate canal system, narrow houses and artistic heritage including the Van Gogh museum. The next day we joined one of the included excursions, we saw windmills and visited a clog making factory - we also visited the ‘Floriade Park’ exhibition ‘filled with beautiful gardens, attractions, art and culture with the aim of inspiring green cities of the future’ Well worth a visit. On day two we visited Rotterdam, well what a surprise! Such a lot to do in one of Europes largest sea ports, it’s not just a tough port city, it has lots of interesting attractions. Go to the ‘Euromast’ one of the highest towers in Holland at 185 meters where on a clear day you can see Antwerp! Visit Delfshaven, one of the most pleasant districts in Rotterdam, one of the few places spared during the WW11 bombings. And a visit to one of Hollands most famous bridges, ‘Erasmus Bridge’ is a ‘must-see’ attraction. We also visited the pretty town of Veere, the city of Antwerp and Arnhem where we learned about the battle of Arnhem in 1944. We visited the Airborne Museum in Osterbeck and also the Arnhem Osterbeck war cemetery. It was a different kind of holiday, perfect for exploring new destinations with some of the stops being almost in the city centre. Great food and drinks (the cocktails were exceptional! We enjoyed our cruise with Australian, American and Canadian passengers, we all got along just fine. Everything went to plan, no hiccups and we returned home relaxed, well-fed and we had a learned a thing or two! As we checked out, the only thing we had to do was hand over the keys, there were no extras to pay, nothing! And yes, we would try another cruise, maybe the Danube next time.

Parga

07 December 2021

I’ve always fancied a trip to Parga (Greece) but it’s just never happened, until this year that is! A client called me in August during the lifting of the travel restrictions, he was desperate for a nice weeks’ holiday for himself and his wife, wasn’t sure where but could I send him some lovely ideas. I always search for my clients’ holidays as though they are for me, the number of times I have thought to myself ‘that’s perfect for us!’ After asking a few more questions away I go – I found three lovely ideas and sent them over to him. He chose the one I really liked myself and had an amazing week, they loved it! So I just had to show hubby, who immediately said ‘book it!’ (we chose a later date in September) At last, we’re off to Parga on the mainland of Greece, situated across from the Ionian islands of Corfu and Paxos and next door to Albania. After the initial worry of ‘have I completed the PL forms correctly’ and ‘will we be negative for our return trip’ we made it and arrived safe and sound without any hiccups at all and the return went well too. We stayed in a lovely little studio complex situated on the outskirts of Parga Town (up quite a steep little hill) with amazing views of the Parga Town and bay, beautiful. The clientele of Parga Town was mainly couples, with some groups of friends, all very civilised. We had a lovely week, we met some lovely people, the weather was perfect – we swam in the sea! After all this time in lockdown I can’t tell you what that felt like! And hardly a mask in sight which also felt wonderful. We ate out every night in different restaurants and tavernas, so many to choose from, we hardly scratched the surface so yes, we HAVE to go back to visit again next year.

Biddulph Grange Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent

20 March 2022

A day out at the amazing Biddulph Grange Gardens on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent is a 'must do' a perfect day out for the whole family. We visited Bank holiday weekend and were first through the door at 10am. On arrival, parking was easy and once through the gates and past the 'garden shop' the sight of the building was upon you, and what an impressive building it is! The gardens were created by James Bateman with plants and trees being brought in from all over the world. The gardens feature a collection of rhododendrons and dahlias as well as the worlds oldest Golden larch in Great Britain which was brought in from China in the 1850s! Described as a 'master piece of Victorian garden design, a quirky playful paradise' these gardens will not fail to delight! Around every bend and corner, along narrow gravel paths, through tunnels and caves you can discover plants from around the world featuring Italy, China, the pyramids of Egypt and a re creation of a Himalayan glen. Visit the UKs oldest stumpery and the 'Pinetum' where you'll find hollies yews and oaks. Browse around the lovely shop with lots of interesting items and at very reasonable prices. Biddulph Grange remains one of Britains most important historic gardens and is Grade one listed, a grading given only to sites of the highest significance. These not so well known gardens are a definite credit to the National trust, we can't wait to visit again!

Madeira 2016

22 December 2016

Madeira Facts 35 miles long and 16 miles wide, located off the North African coast, just above the Canary Islands Sub-tropical climate with pleasant sea water temperatures all year round Numerous lidos and wonderful hotel pools overlooking the ocean Stunning views Famous cuisine Easy to explore by car, taxi or local bus Worthy a visit any time of year Wine festival first week in September Activities and attractions to consider - a visit to Madeira Wine Lodge, Cable Car trip to Monte followed by Monte Toboggan, Botanical Gardens, Levada Walking Tours. After a comfortable three hours 40 minute flight from Manchester we arrived into Funchal airport Madeira, soon to be re-named 'the Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo airport' Our journey from the airport was a wonderful experience at this time of year with it being the festive season. Christmas lights and nativity scenes in abundance welcomed us to this beautiful island. Our first port of call was our host hotel for the duration, the lovely hotel Porto Mare located a 30 minute walk from the main resort area of Funchal. It is adjacent to its sister hotel, the popular 'Eden Mare' along with 'The Residence' (timeshare) all forming the Vila Porto mare resort. A courtesy bus operates regular trips to and from the town centre. The Porto Mare has a wide range of facilities including its own spa, health club and gym as well as heated indoor pools and a super outdoor pool area set within 13000 square metres of stunning gardens offering over 500 varieties of plants. With 198 bedrooms and suites all with bathtub and with varying views this hotel is a popular choice for family groups, couples and singles alike. With Madeira’s only two star Michelin restaurant, the Cliff Bay is in a super cliff top position close to the Porto Mare hotel and the ocean front promenade. This hotel is also a member of the Porto Bay hotel group and prides itself on its many repeat guests. With ten different room types and a super pool area with glorious views this hotel is sure to please. Quinta Casa Branca is located in a quiet residential area twenty minutes’ walk from Funchal. Formerly the private residence of the hotel owners, the Manor House now features elegant and luxurious suites. Set in beautiful grounds with a large heated pool and a wide range of treatments available at the hotels own spa. The comfortable three star Hotel Madeira has a high repeat clientele. Set in an envious position right in town with 52 bedrooms and suites this homely property features a roof terrace with pool as well as a cafe for light snacks and drinks. ‘Quintinha de Sao Joao’ is a super 5* property dating back to the 18th century. Only a short 15 minute walk into Funchal this family run property has 42 bedrooms and suites. With terrace bar and comfortable lounges, this is a very welcoming property where you would easily feel quickly at home – the guest relations lady here ‘Rosie’ really is a real asset. Also available is a spa with three treatment rooms along with indoor and outdoor pools. The Pestana Grand Ocean Resort Hotel is part of the largest hotel chain in Madeira. The family owned ‘Pestana’ chain consists of nine hotels in Madeira and three on Porto Santo. This property offers very spacious bedrooms with wonderful ocean views (side ocean and land view rooms also available) and two large suites with full ocean views. There are a good variety of restaurant choices including a Moroccan option. From the hotel you can take a 5km promenade walk into Funchal. This hotel offers the largest outdoor pool in Madeira. Also on offer is complimentary spa entry for guests, complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary in-room safety deposit box, car parking and complimentary shuttle bus into Funchal. Ocean swimming is available from the lido. Our next stop was a visit to the super ‘Casa Velha do Palheiro’ which dates back over 200 years. It’s a 20 minute drive into Funchal. With 24 hour reception and a golf course on site (€77 per round), you can play from the 10th hole from outside the hotel. This property is a member of Relais & Chateaux with rooms offering sitting areas, cable TV, minibar and safes. There are rooms with garden views (some golf course views too) and a very modern spa in comparison to the hotel style. Complimentary transport to Funchal and the golf course is available as is complimentary daily access to the wonderful Palheiro Gardens. These gardens are over 200 years old with an amazing variety of plants, flowers and trees – stunning! We were also extremely fortunate to attend a hosted afternoon tea at Belmond Reid’s Palace Funchal. This superb property is set in subtropical gardens overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and is the ultimate place to stretch out in the sun and relax. Over the years this luxury hideaway has gained its reputation as one of the best hotels in Funchal. Activities are available to suit all including a fitness room and tennis court on offer on the hotel’s estate. Enjoy stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean from one of the three luxurious swimming pools, two contain seawater, one of which is heated, and the other is heated with freshwater. The hotel has its own exclusive pool terrace or you can wander down to the sea level platform and jump straight into the ocean. This family friendly hotel features a children's pool, indoor play space and thatched playhouse and tennis courts supervised by Reid's Angels childminders. Child menus are available. A soundproofed technology room complete with Wii consoles, PlayStations, Macs and internet access is available for older children and teens. In my opinion Madeira is suitable for all the family with a good climate all year round. There is a wide range of properties, from individual villas with private pools to the beautiful ‘Casa’ properties along with good standard three, four and five star luxury hotels.

Amazing Iceland

03 December 2016

In October this year I was lucky enough to be chosen to experience a flying visit to Iceland. After a super Iceland Air flight from Manchester we hit the ground running with an immediate visit the Blue Lagoon located in a lava field in Grindavik surrounded by nature. After donning our swimsuits we went from the icy cold outdoors into the beautiful hot spring waters. Marketed as being in the top 25 wonders of the world this really is a ‘must do’ excursion. Another amazing trip was the glacier snowmobiling. I have to say I was extremely nervous about this trip, it seemed to take an age to get to the glacier and then to get to the snow but once there, what a fantastic experience! I was lucky enough to hitch a ride with the guide who sped at 88kms an hour; it felt as though we were flying! We also tried out the horse riding lava trail. The Icelandic horses are shorter and wider than European horses and are very laid back making a great experience for first time riders. Another trip, the Golden Circle excursion took in Gullfoss waterfalls, hot springs/geysers and a visit to Thigellir National Park where we saw the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates actually moving! We stayed at the lovely Icelandair Reykjavik Hotel Marina which is in a superb spot just a few steps away from the buzzing centre of Reykjavik. We checked out the brand new and amazing Canopy Hotel right in the centre of Reykjavik. Part of the Hilton chain, this charming and cosy hotel has a lovely restaurant serving super food. They also have a coffee shop and bar with complimentary Wi-Fi. The scenery in Iceland is superb, if you’re into flora and fauna and nature in general then this is the place for you! There are many other excursions for you to try such as whale watching, snorkelling, caving and of course you have the chance to experience the world famous Northern Lights. Iceland air now have connecting flights on from Iceland to Canada and the USA giving you the opportunity to incorporate a side-trip to Iceland on your way to visit Canada and or America – for further information please contact me on 01200 438630 or e-mail jayne.nuttall@travelcounsellors.com

Majorca

25 January 2016

It's been years since I holidayed in Majorca so thought it was about time to check it out again. We chose to stay at the Biomar Gran Hotel in Sa Coma, a lovely little resort on the East coast of Majorca with a great beach. After a short flight of two and a half hours we had a lovely week of almost perfect weather with just one day of rain. After a few days relaxing by the 'adult only' pool we decided to venture out. We took the beach front walk down to sleepy S'illot and wondered around the streets of this traditional fishing village. We hired a car and visited Cala D'Or further down the East coast where we discovered lots of small sandy coves, a marina, lovely shops and abundance of al fresco eating places - we will book to stay here next time, we loved it! We headed over to Pollensa another beautiful picturesque part of Majorca and took the scary coastal drive to Cap Formentor on the very tip of the North Coast for seriously beautiful views. The only down side to this trip was the airport experience at Palma. I'm sure the issues are now sorted but this airport is very large, the walking distances are huge and need to be factored in. Make sure to allow extra time for your private transfers (at least 30/40 minutes) and again, when checking in for your return flight, please allow extra time to get yourselves from the check in desks to your departure gate. This is most important if you are travelling with elderly or disabled passengers or a larger family group. All in all a relaxing week away, close to home with only a short flight, great food and good weather what more can you ask!

New cruise ship, Britannia

19 March 2015

I loved ‘Britannia’! As a Travel Counsellor I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend one night on board the brand new ship ‘Britannia’, two days before The Queen formally christened it. We were allocated an outside balcony cabin complete with bath - unusual on cruise ships. In the evening we were served a ‘Marco Pierre White’ dinner which was superb! Britannia is a ‘huge’ ship but lovely too, she’s the largest P&O cruise ship, based in Southampton sailing in the Mediterranean in the summer and the Caribbean in the winter months. Britannia has 15 decks, 13 restaurants and bars, 4 pools with one dedicated to teenagers, childrens’ clubs, a super choice for families with children of all ages. The Cookery Club is a major attraction headed by James Martin, leading TV chef from Yorkshire, who we met on board. Marco Pierre White, Mary Berry and others will join him too! ‘Britannia’ is the fastest selling P & O cruise ship, the first three cruises are sold out already! Also this summer they have a ‘Strictly’ cruise with two of the shows’ star dancers headlining the themed cruise. I would say Britannia is a star in her own right already! Please call me for reservations on 01200 438630.

New York

10 September 2014

This was my second visit to New York and was better than I remembered! Possibly due to the fact that the sun shone every day for us, the weather was just perfect. The American Airlines flight was comfortable with enough legroom for two tall ones! There were long queues on arrival but they got us through quickly. Straight to the yellow cab queue and it was 55 dollars to the hotel. 50 minutes later we arrived at the Sanctuary hotel, just off Times Square. A little gem with a roof top bar and restaurant. We were allocated a super room with lovely walk-in shower and complimentary breakfast. We had already pre booked seats for a Broadway show and hop on hop off bus tickets which saved time and hassle! We had also pre booked an urban walking tour around the Lower East side. What a great personal guide we had, very knowledgeable, covering the immigrant groups that have characterised New York's colourful history. We were taken to four traditional out-of-the-way delis where we sampled proper Chinese (pork dumplings), Italian (fresh mozzarella was amazing), Jewish (fantastic spiced potato cakes) and German (the best pretzels in NY). What a fantastic way to spend a morning. We tried out the free Staten Island ferry. It’s very well organised, I recommend you try that. We sampled cocktails at a nearby bar that had been refurnished in old world 'speak easy' style, what a super place! We had dinner one evening at a fabulous steal restaurant 'Quality Meats' probably one of the best meals I've ever had, the wine was wonderful too! Of course we did lots of shopping and lots of walking. We found many bars too; Belgian, German and of course Irish! We had a super meal at a typical Italian restaurant, what a lovely atmosphere! We visited Grand Central Station which was, as they say, 'awesome'. I felt as though I was on a film set! You have to be there. During our stay there was the annual food festival in the Hell's Kitchen area, what an experience and so many people! We left New York with some fabulous memories but still with a list of things we want to do (music on Bleaker St, Greenwich Village, walk the high line, finish touring Hell's Kitchen, go to more speakeasy's, do more urban tours etc) now, when can we book again!

Belek,Turkey

01 September 2014

My recent visit to Belek was the second time I’ve been to Turkey. This was a totally different holiday experience. With only a short 20 minute transfer from Antalya airport we arrived at the luxurious 'Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa'. This luxury five star all-inclusive resort is in an envious position right on the beach, with seven swimming pools, one with water-slides. There’s a good choice of room types with inter-connecting family rooms so everyone is catered for. As there is a comprehensive programme of daytime and evening entertainment it’s almost hard to find a reason to leave the complex. The nine a la carte restaurants all carry a 10 Euro per person cover charge which is well worth paying as the food was outstanding, everything we tried was first class. The main buffet restaurant was amazing. The choice has to be seen to be believed! My partner took the opportunity to play at the hotel’s own Nick Faldo designed golf course. He hired excellent clubs and was paired with some friendly Norwegians. At the same time I visited the hotel’s fantastic spa and opted for the Balinese full body massage which was fabulous. Children are well catered for with their own clubs for ages 4 - 12 and for teenagers aged 13 - 17 years. With more than enough sun loungers and a choice of sun-bathing locations we were spoilt for choice. There’s the hotel's own private jetty, the beach front or one of the impressive pool areas. Help-yourself drinks cabinets are conveniently located within the grounds which are great, especially for children. In general I could not fault this hotel. It was by far one of the very best all-inclusive hotels I've had the pleasure of visiting. For further information please get in touch - I'm on 0845 058 7252.

Ambleside, Lake District

24 April 2013

A weekend in Ambleside was just what was needed and the centrally situated Best Western Ambleside Salutation Hotel was the perfect choice for us. With an indoor pool and Jacuzzi and an outdoor Canadian style hot-tub this hotel certainly fit the bill. We booked a superior room which had a lounge area and was located on a quiet corner of the hotel. With a huge comfortable bed and a super bathroom it was ideal. The breakfast was something else, they had thought of everything! Amazingly we got two perfect days for walking! Our first walk took in Elterwater through to Loughrigg Tarn via Skelwith Bridge. Our second walk included Grasmere and Rydalwater both with stunning scenery and breath-taking views. We were lucky enough to grab a table for dinner at 'Dodds', an Italian restaurant just across the road. I can honestly say it was one of the best meals I've ever had, the service was spot on too. Another amazing place for you to try is the 'Log House' an original Norwegian log cabin on the main road into Ambleside, the steak was superb and the cloudy bay was the icing on the cake!

Cape Verde Islands

24 April 2013

A week of winter sunshine in the Cape Verde isles went down a treat. After a six and a half hour flight and a short airport to hotel transfer of 20 minutes we arrived to beautiful sunshine and temperatures of around 30 degrees almost every day - and not a mosquito in sight (in February)! Marketed as the European West Indies, there are ten islands; I have visited both ‘Boa Vista’ and ‘Sal’, Sal being the larger of the two. The Cape Verde Isles are situated off the west coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean – the islands are quite windy but with the most fantastic beaches I’ve ever seen. I’m told the beach in Boa Vista would take five hours if you attempted to walk it! The sea can be quite rough, we saw waves of up to 20 feet on some days, what a sight to behold – the hotel staff kept a quiet vigil and cleared the beach when necessary! In fact I would say that a holiday here may not be for you if you enjoy swimming in the sea, the red flag was displayed for five out of the seven days meaning it was unsafe for swimmers. On the other hand if you are a keen wind or kite surfer then this is an ideal destination for you! One of the beaches on Sal has been named ‘Kite Beach’. During our stay there were literally hundreds of kite suffers there, an amazing sight. You will notice signs of development on both islands but nothing high rise – of course when you’re on the beach you don’t see it. They have one main ‘town’ on both of the islands; we found shops selling locally made goods with a few cafes and a supermarket or two. Apart from total relaxation, quad biking, bird watching, fishing and an island tour taking in a visit to the ‘Salt Lake’ and the 'Blue Eye' were on offer.

Kas Peninsular, Turkey

18 October 2012

A holiday in Turkey has never really appealed to me, but the fact that I sell lots of holidays there spurred me on to try it. I decided on the Deniz Feneri Lighthouse, a beautiful boutique hotel on the Kas Peninsular. This fabulous 28-bedroom, waterfront hotel has sweeping coastal views and the sunsets were amazing! There are lovely natural stone buildings with paths leading from the reception area through a series of pretty terraces, an infinity pool, garden terraces and an extensive private waterfront, which runs for 150 metres, complete with day-beds and steps leading to the sea, perfect for relaxing in the sun! A beach bar and waterside restaurant are set in the rocks and they serve drinks and snacks throughout the day, with service to your sun bed if required. Or, if you can stir yourself from this paradise, there are a variety of complimentary non-motorised water sports available. As well as this, a complimentary 'lazy day at sea' on board a traditional Gulet (sailing boat) as well as a complimentary 'Hamam' (Turkish bath) are included in the cost of holiday. The food was nothing other than delicious with a good variety of themed evenings including a traditional Turkish Ottoman night, a fish supper evening by the water-front (where fresh fish was on display for us to choose from), a barbeque night and a la carte evenings. We loved the food so much, we ate in the hotel five out of the seven nights we were there! On the remaining two nights we visited the town of Kas by way of the complimentary mini-bus from the hotel (leaving at 6pm or 8pm and returning at 11pm). Kas is a beautiful little harbour town with an excellent choice of shops and restaurants. The hotel staff recommended Ickbal and the Blue House and both were superb. At Ickbal we were greeted by the owner, who went through the menu with us; all for around £20 each including wine. The Blue House, a small and intimate restaurant with old fashioned pots and pans and embroidered table linen, was also beautiful and had superb views over the bay. Perfect for a romantic meal for two! All in all, this was a superb holiday which I would honestly and whole-heartedly recommend. All the staff at the hotel were attentive and nothing was too much trouble. This area is perfect for people looking for a small piece of paradise and I can't wait to return!

The Azores

24 August 2015

I have just returned from a fabulous educational trip to the Azores with Sunvil Holidays. The whole trip was excellent from start to finish, what an experience! The nine islands of Azores are in the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Portugal. The islands belong to Portugal and are part of Europe. The first two nights we spent on the small island of Flores which reminded me of the Yorkshire moors and yes, it was misty and raining too – the drizzle that soaks you through! We took a boat rip over to the tiny Corvo Island which measures a minuscule 8 x 4 square miles and has only 470 inhabitants! We toured this island in a mere 20 minutes, enjoyed the most spectacular views from the hill-tops and left with a feeling of peace and tranquility, marvellous. Faial, the Blue Island (named because of the vast quantities of blue Hydrangeas found on the island!) is my favourite (so far! I have four more of the islands to visit yet before I make up my mind!) We stayed at the elegant ‘Pousada Santa Cruz’ which was just lovely! It offers very high standards, an outdoor pool and is perfectly situated on Horta’s harbour front. I just have to mention our visit to the family owned ‘Quinto do Vale’ situated three kms from Horta. It is a superb, a completely renovated manor house with just four bedrooms. It operates on a bed and breakfast basis but the owners will provide an evening meal, you can choose to dine with the family if you like! They have a recently completed pool table/TV and bar area. One of our meals in Faial was at the ‘Canto da Doca’ where we cooked our own food on hot volcanic rocks, different! We enjoyed a morning (dinghy!!) excursion where we were surrounded by dolphins, we were soaked to the skin but it was more than worth it! Sao Miguel (the main island) was our final destination. We stayed at the Royal Garden but my favourites were the tiny four bedroomed ‘Quinta do Mar’ owned by TV producer Nick Heathcote. It has its own infinity pool, breakfast pavilion and honesty bar with fabulous view. It is slightly out of town but a ten minute, 15 Euro taxi ride gets you there. My other choice would be the elegantly styled ‘Talisman’ which enjoys a perfect location (with most rooms overlooking gardens) in Ponta Del Gada. It has a pool, good rooms and a lovely breakfast! If you love the outdoors, flora and fauna, bird-watching (the Azores have their very own ‘Bullfinch’ which is a major attraction for bird-watchers I’m told!) exploring, walking and anything to do with the Ocean then the Azores is for you – give it a try!

St. Lucia

24 June 2016

On arrival at Manchester our Virgin seats were upgraded to UPPER CLASS - IT WAS FABULOUS – WOW, what a way to travel! The cabin felt ‘open’, very spacious and the seats/beds were AMAZING! At the touch of a button the seat flips over into the longest fully flat bed in any airlines business class. As for food, (which was fabulous) the freedom menu is a great idea, as the name suggests you eat what and when you want! Wonderful! Cotton Bay Village is an exclusive village containing different styles of properties ranging from villas, suites, town houses and one bedroom apartments. We were allocated a three-bedroomed villa and a three-story town-house. Both were amazing with exceptionally high standards. The resort is perfect for families with children’s clubs and many exciting activities including a selection of water-sports, beach volleyball, beach horse-back riding, tai-chi and yoga. Royal - a Rex resort on Reduit beach, handy for Rodney bay with it’s many shops, bars and water-side restaurants including ‘The Edge’ where we enjoyed a fabulous meal. The Royal is known for its award-winning service and a good choice of fine dining options. There are various room types to choose from including beach-front suites and inter-connecting rooms suitable for families are also available. Discovery at Marigot Bay is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Discovery at Marigot Bay offers 57 suites with half of them having outdoor Jacuzzis and fantastic views over the marina. This hotel offers the world-class ‘Lapi’ spa, along with diving, snorkelling and windsurfing. Walk straight out of the hotel after dinner for a pleasant stroll along the marina where you can enjoy drinks at a variety of water-front bars or take the electric ferry over to JJ’s for a dance! Other properties visited during this trip included the Mediterranean style Windjammer Landing which we found very hilly, all accommodation was built into the hillside meaning a shuttle-bus down to the beach and back. Eastwinds Inn is in a good location with over 30 acres of immaculate woodland including spice and herb gardens – another 4 acres have been purchased around the property which will keep it safe from other property developers. It is well managed by Gareth Leach who has been in charge for over 16 years. It has a huge repeat clientele. They have French chefs who use local produce - complementary champagne in your room between 7 and 9pm, separate intimate seating areas in the restaurant. They are in the process of building a spa with yoga pavilion. The Body Holiday at Le Sport is in an excellent location right on the beach. It has a welcoming friendly atmosphere where you feel immediately at ease. It has a separate spa situated up a series of steps away from the main building on the beach. No single room supplement is a big selling point for this property as is the free 50 minute treatment per person per day! You get your own specialised timetable (which can be altered if needed). Cap Maison is in the process of being built and is in a prime spot with fabulous views, steps down to the beach. They are aiming for a Spanish influence with rustic furnishings. It will be a very compact resort on only one and half acres. They will have a small gym and spa. Jade Mountain is an exclusive resort situated high up with fabulous views of the Pitons. There are amazing views from the roof-top restaurant. Rooms with only three walls with the remaining section open to the fantastic views. Infinity pool rooms, each individually designed complete this fascinating property. Anse Chastanet located in the same area and with the same beach as Jade Mountain. 49 individually designed rooms seem more intimate and appealing to me (over Jade Mountain) two very different experiences. Some of the best diving in the Caribbean is to be had from this beach which attracts visitors from other parts of the island which may not suit everyone. Sandals Halcyon and Sandals Grande St. Lucian are two very different properties. The Halcyon is small, more intimate with an excellent beach front position but very much in need of up-grading. The Grande St. Lucian is on a larger scale, again directly on the beach but with much better accommodation on offer including super rondovals with private plunge pool and fabulous sea-views. I loved every minute of this luxurious holiday and would love to return in the future for a relaxing break.

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I would like to thank Jayne for sourcing out our holiday The resort was fabulous with a sheltered cove for swimming which was accessible for one of our disabled party The hotel was exceptional and the staff couldn't have been more helpful and the food was superb with loads of options A truly great holiday and I would recommend Jayne to everybody I know Thanks David Salisbury

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