15 January 2017

Lanzarote is one of the most popular requests I get and a place I had never been. So in November 2016 my wife and I decided to take a short break there. After landing in Arrecife we were glad we had opted to try out the Travel Counsellors Meet & Greet transfer service as we were soon out of the airport passing a number of people wandering around trying to locate their coaches. It was an easy 30-minute drive where we stayed at the Dreams Gran Castillo (now renamed Gran Castillo Tagoro) The hotel had considerable building work underway around one of the main pools which were a little annoying but I am sure when it is finished will be spectacular. On the plus side, we were upgraded to a Suite which was huge and had a Jacuzzi on the balcony. The hotel is officially 5 Star but if I was being totally honest is probably a solid 4 Star. There are pools and terraces that are Adult Only areas but the hotel is very much geared up to families and would be ideal if you were traveling with young children with its own Castle themed play area and lots of excellent Kids Clubs. Also, the main restaurant which is buffet style caters superbly for the little ones. The hotel is quite far from Playa Blanca, it's a pleasant 20 minutes walk to the Rubicon Marina with its designer shops and excellent restaurants and bars. Another 20 minutes walk brings you into Playa Blanca itself, where you will find a wide range of shops and bars in a lovely setting. The Canary Islands have long been popular for year-round sun & sea and Playa Blanca is right up there amongst the best resorts

10 October 2011

After completing the training to become a Canada Specialist I was lucky to be able to join a Fam Trip to Canada in September 2011. We were split into groups of six people each of which went to a different area of Canada and I was allocated to Montreal and Quebec. We flew out of Heathrow and had an extremely comfortable flight with Air Canada into Montreal. Our first night on Canadian soil was spent at the luxurious five Star Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel. The next day was spent getting to know the city and we found a great way to do this - by bike! Too soon we had to leave Montreal, and we headed for the great outdoors. The next night was spent at Auberge de la Montagne Coupee. This Country Inn has a reputation for great food, which I can vouch for and has an incredibly peaceful location. Suitably refreshed we continued next day into the neighbouring Maurice region. Stopping en route to visit a Bison Farm and enjoy lunch at a micro-brewery, we arrived at the stunning Auberge du Lac a L'eau Claire. Set on 15 lakes amidst forest this luxury property has so much to offer. We took All Terrain Vehicles for a spin around the lake and went out to spot bear and beavers. The next day we were on the move again to historic Quebec. This picture postcard walled city is full of history. We visited the impressive Montmorency Falls and had a fascinating visit to a hotel and community of the First Nation people before sampling the Quebec nightlife. Our final day in the French speaking Quebec region saw us touring the city with a local guide before catching a flight down to Toronto. All the various groups met up at the Holiday Inn Downtown. We all went down to Niagara Falls where we took the famous Maid of the Mist Cruise before the real highlight - a helicopter ride over the Falls. We then went on to one of the many vineyards at Niagara on the Lake for lunch and a little bit of sampling. The day was rounded off by a meal at the Revolving restaurant at the top of the CN Tower. For our final day each group gave a Presentation to the others outlining the attractions they had seen. It was obvious everyone was agreed that Canada was a fabulous place to visit. I had never been to the French speaking Eastern Canada but I can honestly say – it’s Magnifique!!