25 July 2017

I was lucky enough to be invited by Amadeus River cruises to join them to sample a 3 night Rhine Cruise from Basel to Rudesheim, Germany; although this Cruise does sail on to Amsterdam. River cruising is a great way to see a lot of different places. We visited the city of Basel where the cruise started. It has a nice old city centre. We sailed overnight and when we arrived the next day the ship had arrived in Strasbourg. As a group we did an excursion to Strasbourg this is a beautiful city with many Tudor style buildings, they organised a boat trip around the city, saw the European parliament buildings. The rest of the day was free. The weather was beautiful, and we enjoyed sitting on deck. Every lunch and evening we had a fantastic 3 course dinner which was different every day. The food quality was outstanding. Breakfast was buffet style. Our Cabins were very comfortable and contemporary decorated. There 3 different categories of cabins, cabins on the lowest deck with a small window, cabins with a French window and balcony cabins. The 2nd day we arrived in Speyer - this is a beautiful small town on the Rhine. In the afternoon there was an option to take a trip to Heildelberg. Overall this was a great experience and a very relaxing was to take a holiday.

05 December 2016

I was very lucky to be sent to Barbados with another 25 Travel Counsellors courtesy of British Airways and Elegant Hotels. We flew with BA direct to Barbados. This journey takes about eight hours from London Gatwick. I was upgraded to Club World which was a great experience. We had great service from BA in Business Class with flat beds, great food and fantastic service. On arrival in Barbados we were greeted by the Barbadian Tourist Board and taken to our first hotel. This was Turtles Beach which is on the south coast of Barbados and we stayed here for two nights. This is one of the Elegant Hotels. This is a 4* all-inclusive hotel. It has two pools and three restaurants with a buffet style options and two a la carte restaurants. This hotel is great for families as it has a lot of entertainment with a lot of non-motorised sports which were all included. The rooms are beautifully well-appointed with everything you need. The first full day in Barbados was taken up with sightseeing. We visited Harrisons Caves which is in the middle of Barbados. Harrisons Cave is an amazing gallery of stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave, and stalagmites that emerge from the ground. We were driven around in electric operated trams. After this we were taken to St Nicolas Abbey and Cherry Tree Hill, a 17th century plantation house. Here they make delicious Rum and we had a great lunch on the beautiful terrace. That evening we had a hosted dinner at the Sea Breeze Hotel. The next day I was lucky enough to go and visit Sandy Lane. This is one of the most exclusive hotels in the Caribbean and really beautiful. It sits on a beautiful beach and the rooms are very well equipped. After Sandy Lane we were taken to the Fairmont Hotel. The rooms are all ocean view and it lies on a fantastic beach. We had lunch there in the restaurant overlooking the ocean. This hotel is very close to Holetown which is one of the nicest towns in Barbados. If you are into shopping and eating it has the best shops and restaurants on the island. We had a short journey to our next hotel were we stayed for the last three nights. This was a hotel by Elegant Hotels called the Waves. This hotel has recently been refurbished and the main hotel on the beach has got very nice contemporary rooms. The hotel has two parts, the beachfront and the annexe which is an adults-only section which has the spa treatment rooms. We all were given a spa treatment which was great. The annexe is across the road from the main building of the hotel. The hotel is all-inclusive and focusses on mind and wellness. There are some good restaurants and one of those was an Asian restaurant where we had dinner. This was my favourite restaurant in the hotel. If you are staying in one the Elegant Hotels you will have the possibility of dining in other Elegant Hotels. Most of these hotels are linked by boat. You have the possibility to dine in 15 different restaurants. The next day we started the day with a visit to Crystal Cove which is a great family hotel. Again it is all-inclusive with great pools and kids and water sports facilities. After the hotel visit they drove us to Bridgetown (the capital) for a sunset catamaran cruise. We swam with giant turtles and snorkelled to a shipwreck with lots of tropical fish. We sailed along the beautiful Barbados shoreline to anchor in front of the Sandy Lane hotel and had a great BBQ with fantastic reggae music. It was a great party! On our last full day in paradise was a trip on the Atlantis submarine. We went 140ft down to the bottom of the ocean to see shipwrecks, amazing sea life and coral. It may not be for everyone as it is pretty claustrophobic. That afternoon, we had a visit to the Mount Gay Visitors Centre with a very interesting 45 minute distillery tour, learning about the history of the world’s oldest rum and tasting the different brands available. We finished off the day by visiting more of the Elegant Hotels, The Colony Club, Tamarind and The House - all stunning hotels. The House is an adults-only hotel and really relaxed and laidback, one of my favourite hotels. Before we had to go back to the airport we had some time to relax at the poolside. I was not sure what to expect of Barbados but I have been pleasantly impressed with the island. The people are great, the island is very safe and I would definitely recommend it for a holiday. If you need any information just contact me anytime.

24 October 2016

I have visited the Island of Crete on an educational trip with work. It is a beautiful island with many unspoilt places. The flight from London Gatwick to Heraklion (the main airport, there is another airport called Chania) took around three hours. Heraklion is almost in the middle of Crete and very accessible to many resorts on the Island. When we arrived we had fantastic lunch in Cretan Restaurant Peskesi in Heraklion with delicious food. After that we walked around Heraklion which has beautiful old town. The first couple of night we stayed at Sentido Aegean hotel in Rethymnon in a good location around 2km from the old town of Rethymnon. This is a 4* hotel. It is across the road from its own private beach. It is a good 4* hotel with three outdoor pools. We visited a further three small boutique hotels in Rethymnon the Swell Boutique hotel, Antica Dimora Suites located right in the old town of Rethymnon and the Rimondi Boutique hotel. Rethymnon is a great base to spend your holiday in Crete. The next day we moved to the east side of Crete and to Daios Cove where we stayed for two nights. On route we had Hotel Visits to Ikaros Beach and Radisson Blu and stopped for lunch at a taverna by the port of Agios Nikolaos which I enjoyed. Agios Nikolas is a very nice town. It will be a busy resort in the summer time. Ikaros Beach a very nice 5* property right by a lovely sandy beach and a 15 minute walk from the cosmopolitan seaside towns of Stalis and Malia; built in a typical Cretan style. This is a family friendly resort hotel which offers attentive service, a high standard of accommodation and excellent facilities'. The buffet restaurant serves a variety of local and international dishes; a la carte Ayeri specialises in Mediterranean cuisine and the Quzeri offers local delights throughout the day. Radisson Blu is ideal for both families and couples with its range of facilities and spacious accommodation with fabulous waterfront views. A choice of four outdoor swimming pools include an adult only pool and an exciting water park with waterslides set in the extensive lush grounds, although they were not open on the day we visited. I think you would need a car if you wanted to get out and about as it is quite remote. That evening we had a hotel visit and a wonderful dinner at Elounda Beach Hotel and Villas which I loved. It enjoys a fabulous waterfront location. Numerous luxury bungalows and suites are dotted amidst the vast grounds which are also home to an art gallery, chapel and Kafenion in a traditional Cretan village setting. This hotel is very top end where celebrities stay. Superb dining and fine wines are high on the list of priorities and guests may choose from a variety of restaurants, including traditional and international delicacies, Polynesian, Sushi, Greek, Italian and Mediterranean. It is family run and a truly prestigious hotel and one of The Leading Hotels of the World. On our last day before returning home, we looked at Elounda Gulf Villas; a luxurious product overlooking the breathtaking Mirabello Bay. Each Villa is uniquely designed with its own pool with Jacuzzi with stunning sea views. There is a children's club and crèche and a new private beach club 10 minutes’ drive away by the hotel’s free shuttle service. This hotel is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the world and winner of Greece's Leading Villa Award and World Luxury Hotel Award. We visited the Island of Spinalonga. The island is small and can be walked around in less than an hour. The ferry to the island is very short and takes minutes from Plaka which in itself is a beautiful little harbour village. Blue Palace was our next hotel visit. It is set on a wonderful hillside location overlooking Spinalonga Island and the sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Blue Palace offers luxuriously furnished and spacious accommodation in bungalows dotted around the gardens and overlooking the sea. Bungalows with private infinity pools, suites and villas are also available. A beautiful private beach can be accessed by a panoramic lift. Younger guests can enjoy the children's separate pool, playground and club. We had a site visit of Daios Cove on the morning before returning home. It has fantastic sea views from a hillside location 7km from Agios Nikolaos. This hotel is a 5* luxury property and three funiculars link all hotel areas and down to the cove, where the hotel's private sandy beach has a beach bar plus access to water sports and the dive centre. We had some free time to enjoy the facilities before returning to the Airport. Daios Cove is approximately one hour from the airport and ideal for couples and families.

20 October 2015

Spending a short break in Ibiza I was not too sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. We stayed in Ibiza Town which has a beautiful old town, surrounded by an ancient great wall. It has many bar bars and great restaurants. The evenings in Ibiza town are very lively with plenty nightclubs & bars with the most famous nightclub called Pacha. We stayed in the Royal Plaza hotel in Ibiza town. A good 4* hotel in a good location around 10 minutes walk from the old town. The hotel has got a fantastic rooftop pool. Did travel around the Island. If you don't want to hire a car that is no problem as the Bus network is really good and buses run frequently between the main towns on Ibiza. We also visited Santa Eulalia which has a very nice beach with lots of hotels. This is a quieter resort. Had a look around San Antonio too. Very much the clubbing "capital" of Ibiza. This is a great resort if you are in your early twenties and want to have a really good time with lots of nightlife. All in all a great break.

06 July 2015

Gran Canaria Educational: 20 June -24 June I was very lucky to travel to Gran Canaria with 11 other Travel Counsellors on an educational trip. We flew from London Gatwick with Norwegian which is a low cost airline. They were excellent and you even get free WiFi in the air! We stayed for the four nights in the Seaside Palm Beach, in Maspalomas. The service and the food is fantastic. The views from the hotel are great overlooking the Maspalomas Dunes on the south side of the Island, where the best weather is. Gran Canaria is an all year round destination. On the first day we were taken around the Island I was more than pleasantly surprised how beautiful the island is. There are very high volcanic mountains in the south and it is very green in the north. We visited a fantastic Finca (traditional Gran Canarian farmhouse), tasting their homemade food and delicious wine. We also had a visit to the Capital, Las Palmas, which was very interesting with a lot of history. It is also situated on a beautiful beach. We did a cookery course and made some traditional specialities of Gran Canaria. On the last day we enjoyed a boat trip along the south coast of Gran Canaria and visited the resort of Meloneras and Puerto de Mogan ( the 'Little Venice' of Gran Canaria) these two resorts are more upmarket with beautiful beaches and a great selection of hotels and restaurants. Overall Gran Canaria is a beautiful island and there is something for everybody.

04 December 2014

Me and my husband travelled to Mauritius in November 2014. The flights were with Emirates. They are a great airline, fantastic service, very good inflight entertainment. The journey from the UK to Mauritius takes approx. 12 hours if you fly via Dubai. Direct flights take around 10 hours. We stayed in the Outriggers Resort in the Bel Ombre area of Mauritius which is the South of the Island. It is a very nice newly upgraded hotel. The staff are very friendly and helpful the location of the hotel is stunning directly on the beach. A couple of days we hired a driver to take us around the island. Mauritius is a beautiful Island and it has a lot more to offer than the beaches. We visited the Black River Gorges National Park with its fantastic wildlife and birds. We went to the biggest Hindu temple on the Island with the Holy Lake. They took us a to a wildlife reserve on an island just of the coast of Mauritius. Saw giant tortoises in their natural habitat and rare breeds of birds. Spend an afternoon in the capital Port Louis. It has a very interesting local market where they do sell everything. It was nice to see how the locals live. We had great weather - only one rainshower. The average temperature was around 28C. If you like beaches, culture, history, scenery and wildlife then Mauritius is the place to visit.

11 November 2014

I just had a fantastic trip to Toronto courtesy of Air Canada & Shangri-La hotels. We flew from London Heathrow, had a visit to the Air Canada lounge this is very nice and also very near for the flight departures to Canada. I flew Economy class to Toronto and business class back. I can highly recommend both economy (good leg room) and of course business class with flat beds. We stayed at the 5* Shangri-la in Toronto, This hotel is amazing very nice rooms with all the amenities you can think off and a fantastic service. The hotel is very near the entertainment area of Toronto. On the first day we visited the CN tower & the new Toronto Aquarium which is next door to the CN tower both well worth a visit. The CN tower has got a revolving restaurant almost at the top of the tower. We also made a visit to the Niagara waterfalls very impressive, it is shame that opposite the waterfalls you have the town of Niagara with far too many amusement arcades and casinos it does spoil it a little. If you would like to visit I would recommend to stay in Niagara on the Lake this is a beautiful town and around 30 minutes from the falls. This town is full of very impressive old buildings (old for Canada). You can do the falls from Toronto in one day. It takes around 2 hours to get to the falls from Toronto. Ontario has a wine industry. We visited one of the wineries and did some tasting they make very good wines. They also make the famous ice wine. All in all a great trip and I would recommend a break in Toronto.

07 October 2013

I have just been on a fantastic educational trip to the Dominican Republic organised by the tourist board in conjunction with British Airways. On arrival at London Gatwick airport we were told that the whole group would be travelling in business class which was fantastic. I had a short stay in the Club World Lounge of BA and the flight to Punta Cana took 10 hours. We were met at Punta Cana airport by Amstar, a destination management company. They took us to our first hotel; The Hard Rock hotel. This private transfer took around 40 minutes. The Hard Rock hotel is an all-inclusive resort with 1700 rooms, 13 swimming pools and 9 restaurants. The rooms are fantastic and very spacious: even the lowest category rooms. We stayed there for the next three nights. The first couple of days were taken up by around 10 different hotel visits which included some fantastic smaller boutique hotels such as the Sivory & Zoetry. On the second day we visited the Paradisus Real Palm Reserve which is a fantastic 5* hotel if you are travelling with a family with young children. After all these hotel visits we were taken on a catamaran to Isla Saona which is a government protected nature reserve that has fantastic beaches. The location of this island is on the southeast corner of the Dominican Republic. The next hotel we stayed in was the Dreams La Romana which had some really good restaurants. From the Dreams la Romana we drove to the Capital Santo Domingo which takes around three hours. Santo Domingo is a very interesting city with a lot of history. The hotel we stayed in was called the Hostal Nicholas Ovando, a boutique style hotel. The hotel is in a very old building with a lot of character and it is located in the old part of Santo Domingo. On our return back to Punta Cana we visited the largest resort 5* in the Dominican Republic called Casa de Campo which is a hotel for golf lovers. The last couple of nights we spent in the Now Larimar resort with around 700 rooms. We also had the opportunity the see the real Dominican lifestyle. They took us to a few farming villages which was most interesting and we saw how they grow coffee and cocoa. I would say the Dominican Republic is a country that has much more to offer than just all-inclusive hotels. The prices are very reasonable. This destination will suit honeymooners, people that wish to get married, golfers, family and also independent travellers. This could be great alternative to other islands in the Caribbean.

03 June 2013

I was lucky enough to be chosen to go to visit parts of Australia. We flew out with Qantas Airlines from London to Sydney and then up to Cairns. The flight had a short stop in Dubai. I had the opportunity to experience the Airbus A380 which is fantastic. The first part of my trip was a big conference with nearly all the suppliers that had something to offer in Australia. It was very interesting and very useful. I have learned a lot. This conference was held in Cairns Northern Queensland. From Cairns we made a short visit to the Great Barrier Reef and visited Green Island; a very small island with one hotel. The next day they took us to Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation. It was a very beautiful journey along the coast. In the Rainforest we were lucky enough to do a jungle safari! This is with ropes through the Daintree rainforest a fantastic experience. We also went to an open wildlife park with plenty, koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, crocodiles, snakes, emus and other creatures. We got to hold a Koala which was a great experience. After our visit to the Cairns area we flew down to Adelaide. From Adelaide we were taken to Kangaroo Island, a journey of around two hours to Cape Jarvis from where you take the boat to Kangaroo Island; a journey of 45 minutes. Kangaroo Island is the third largest island off the coast of Australia. From east to west it is 155 km. Kangaroo Island is filled with a lot of wildlife. It is obviously famous for Kangaroos and we did see plenty, mainly at dusk. Apart from kangaroos there are a lot of koala's, wallabies, snakes (very poisonous snakes live on kangaroo island), Echidna (this is a type of hedgehog), plenty varieties of birds and sea lions which you can visit on the beach but you will have to do this with a guide. The sea lions can be unpredictable. I also saw plenty of seals. If you are a wildlife lover I definitely would recommend Kangaroo Island. There was a wide variety of accommodation from campsites to 5* accommodation. This is the southern ocean lodge which is beautiful and we had a tour around the hotel. The town of Kingscote is the main town on Kangaroo Island (around 4000 inhabitants). There isn’t much there but the pelican parade which is held every day at 5pm is worth a visit. You can also see penguins but unfortunately we did not see any. From Kangaroo Island we flew back to the Mainland Adelaide. From there we went to the Barossa wine region where most of the Australian wine comes from. We did a lot of wine tasting and learned a lot about the different grape varieties. We tasted some really great wines. Also the food in Southern Australia was fantastic. If you like food and wine I would recommend that area of Australia. All in all it was a fantastic trip.

05 October 2012

I recently visited the fascinating country of Cuba, travelling with Virgin Atlantic directly from London Gatwick to Havana. For the first 3 nights we stayed in the Parc Central Hotelin Havana, which is part of the Iberostar group. It was a very good hotel with a fantastic breakfast and a in a great location for exploring the city. While in Havana, we went on a walking tour taking in the rum museum, featuring a bar serving “the best Mojitos in Havana” and also visited the Vinales area outside the city, which had spectacular scenery. We also saw a traditional Cuban dance show which was a great cultural experience. The highlight of Havana for me, however, was a trip in an old classic American car, an experience I would definitely recommend. From Havana we travelled to Trinidad which took 5 hours on the scary Cuban motorways! Trinidad is a beautiful well preserved world heritage city and again, we stayed in the Iberostar hotel, a beautiful hotel with excellent facilities. We had the privilege of enjoying dinner in a traditional ‘casa’ where local Cubans open up their homes for tourists and serve fabulous local food. After Trinidad we travelled to Cienfuegos, with its fantastic square and beautiful clean city. I would recommend La Union Hotel for its excellent location in the city. From there we drove to Santa Clara and visited Che Guevara’s museum and mausoleum; a very interesting experience. The final stop was at the all-inclusive resort of Melia Buenavista, a beautiful, adult-only resort serving excellent food. The resort has two large swimming pools and is located right on a beautiful white sandy beach, perfect for a spot of sunbathing and swimming in the beautiful sea. Cuba is a beautiful country with amazing history and culture. For those who prefer to experience local traditions, there is plenty to see and do, while I would recommend an all-inclusive resort for those who prefer sun, sea and sand. Cuba offers it all!

14 August 2012

Our family with a group of friend went on a skiing holiday to Andorra in February 2012.. We stayed in the resort of Soldeu which is right in the middle of Andorra. Which means you have access to a huge ski area around 190km with around 110 runs for all abilities. We flew into Barcelona it takes around 3 hours to get to Andorra on very good roads. We hired a car to get there. There are also transfer possibilities. If you travel with a larger group I would recommend to hire a car as this is better value. In Soldeu we stayed in an apartment right in the tenseness next to the Gondola that takes you directly into the ski area. It is great skiing and very relaxed. There are plenty of big spacious slopes. Overall you get more value for money than France & Switzerland. Eating out is very reasonable to. There is plenty of accommodation possibilities from 5* to basic apartments. Soldeu also offers great spa’s and lovely swimming pools which are open to the public. Andorra is tax free. The lift passes are similar prices to other ski destinations. Also it has a wide variety of ski schools. The weather has been great on the 3 times we have been there blue skies with plenty snow.

14 August 2012

I visited Qatar in October 2011. It is very much an up and coming tourist destination. Not a lot tourism just yet but I can see this changing in the next 10 years. There is a lot building work going on. This will also be for the forthcoming world cup football in the 2022. The capital city Doha has got some interesting places to visit for example the Museum of Islamic art which is a very interesting building. It has been built in the shape of an Arabic woman in a Burka well worth a visit. The other interesting area is the old souk its called souk waqif the majority of shops sell spices. There is also a gold souk. Lots of café’s and restaurants too with a fantastic choice of food. There is no alcohol served in any of the restaurants and café’s anywhere in Doha. The big hotels will serve alcohol. We stayed in the Ritz Calton sharks bay a very nice low-rise 5* hotel. The hotel is situated just outside Doha very near the Airport. It has a fantastic spa area and 3 swimming pools it is directly located on the beach. Qatar is very hot in the summer. The best time to visit is from November until March. I think it will become a good alternative to Dubai and Abu Dhabi as a stopover destination for people using Qatar airways.

15 November 2011

By train to Kefalonia in Greece. This summer I travelled with my family to Kefalonia. You can find this Island between Corfu and Zante. You may know this Island from the film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. We travelled overland to Kefalonia by train and boat. We bought an Interrail pass travelling five days in a ten day period this was great value for money much cheaper than individual tickets. The train travel started in the Netherlands. Our first journey was from Utrecht to Munich this train journey took approximately seven hours, where we stopped for two nights. Munich is a great city with plenty to see and to do. You have a whole range of museums a fantastic park called the English Garten (this is focal point for the Munich beer festival held at the end of September) and plenty of places to go shopping. After Munich we travelled to Venice - this train journey was really beautiful; it travels right across the Alps and Dolomite region of Austria and Northern Italy. In Venice we also stayed two nights in this fantastic and very special city. We bought a bus/boat 48 hour pass for the whole of Venice region which was great value of money. We stayed on Venice Island, which I would recommend. We visited the Island of Murano, which is also called the Glass Island and the Island of Burano, which is famous for Lase. These two Islands are quieter than the main Venice Island were all the action takes place! We took the train from Venice to Brindisi in south of Italy this journey took about eight hours with change of trains in Rome. From Brindisi we took the boat to Kefalonia this is a direct service we departed at 1800 and arrive the next day 0800am. This ferry operates nearly every day in the summer. Kefalonia is a beautiful island and not as touristy as Corfu or Zante. It has the most beautiful beach in Greece called Myrtos Beach. Kefalonia was struck by an earthquake in 1953 a lot of the buildings are pretty new. The village of Fiskardo in the North of the Island has escaped the earthquake; there are lot of nice of old buildings. The accommodation that we stayed in was called Residence Poseidon, which is in the south of the island near the small village of Sparta. I would recommend hiring a car. Eating out in Kefalonia is relatively cheap but going to supermarkets is pretty expensive. After all that travelling we decided to fly back all in all a fantastic holiday.

05 May 2011

I was lucky to travel to Kalkan with a group of other Travel Counsellors to see what this Turkish holiday destination has to offer. We stayed at the lovely Oasis hotel, which is within walking distance of the harbour and boasts fantastic service with glorious food. During our stay we visited several hotels in Kalkan to see what the resort has to offer for our customers. Our first visit was to the Yali hotel which has its own beach club and is a perfect retreat for couples. Next we went to the Asfiya hotel with its lovely pool, luxurious spa and spacious rooms with beautiful views over Kalkan. Our last hotel visit was to the Lykia Residence & Spa which boasts a heated indoor pool. The location of both the Asfiya & Lykia residences is about 15 minute’s walk from the bars and restaurants of Kalkan, but the food is very good at both hotels. We also enjoyed the opportunity to see some villas in the area. Most of them had 4 to 5 bedrooms, my favourites being the Villa Doruk and Sena, which are furnished in a contemporary style. These two villas are in a great location and only 2 minute’s walk from the harbour area. That evening we were lucky to be treated to a fantastic meal at a very nice restaurant called The Aubergine, which offers great service and a variety of cuisine for anyone staying in Kalkan. The next day we visited a hotel in Kas called the Kas Penisula Gardens, which has a fantastic location with great sea views and is perfect for honeymooners. What’s more, nearly every room has its own plunge pool! Kas itself is a lovely place with real Turkish character. In the afternoon we were taken to some cottages inland from Fethiye, Kaya Valley. This will appeal to anybody who wants to have complete peace and quiet in traditional Turkish houses. Overall Kalkan is a great destination for couples or families with older children. Turkey is a great country with very friendly people and I would thoroughly recommend it. Why not call me for more details?