There are so many different types of accommodation available now for when you book your weekend break or sunny week in a hot country. But how do you know just what kind of accommodation you want? Most people will go for your standard hotel, but here are a few different holiday accommodating places, with a little more class and flare.

Cruise Holidays:

I think just about everyone would love to go on a cruise ship for a week! They look glamorous, have outstanding facilities and it’s all including in one big package. Cruise ships now have a vast amount to offer people of all ages now, even despite the common myth they are for pensioners! There is such a wide range of different types of cruises available varying in the places you wish to visit, the amount of time you spend on the cruise, prices and even the type of boat itself, therefore for those people who are slightly more adventurous can find themselves on a party boat! Who’d a thought? You might even find a wild pensioner there! This is a fast growing industry and more and more ships are being designed to set sail in the cruise style. P&O Cruises are one of the most well known cruise companies around, and offer a range of deals and packages that will suit all your needs AND they are available all year round. So maybe you don’t have to wait to next year or for 6 months to have your dream holiday, you can go at any sailing time throughout the year!

Luxury Hotel Holidays:

Who hasn’t wanted the luxury hotel experience? This holiday may require that little extra cash but the service available from a 5* hotel will certainly be worth it. It’s good to treat yourself once in a while, or maybe even your partner and I can’t think of anything more blissful than lying back with your feet up having everything brought to you. I find this kind of holiday is ideal for couples or best friends who require a time out from their stressful daily lives, making it a very lazy holiday indeed. You can check out Luxury Hotel Holidays which offer lots of different locations to choose from, I personally would choose somewhere hot and close to a beach! There is nothing more luxurious than rolling out of bed, getting a cocktail, and lounging by the poolside or by the sea. This accommodation will certainly have a positive effect on you helping you feel refreshed and well rested!

Villa Holidays:

Villa holidays are a great way to get a group of friends or family together in one place, that isn’t home! It is remarkable at the range of villas available in holiday destination now from small to the largest you can think of. Villas usually come in hot countries and are absolutely perfect if you want your holiday to be more personal between you and those who are joining you. You may still be surrounded by other villas, but the one that you have is yours for the duration and yours only! Freelance Holidays cover favourite holiday destinations with a variation of villas available and most of them have a pool included! Your own personal pool for a week! Villa holidays are also family friendly if you have little ones joining you! This is a huge positive as if you are in a popular holiday destination this will avoid you having to deal with the noisy teenagers in the hotel!

Short Stay City Breaks:

One of the best and most satisfying breaks away you can utilise. The most important factor to consider is the location. There is a reason why it’s usually repeated three times! Consider the travel time, the food and beverages the local area will offer, the weather depending on the season and most importantly where you’re going to lay your head to sleep. City breaks tend to be quite intense as they are short and you usually want to see and experience as much as possible. At Crouchers Hotel you will experience one of the best beds to sleep in right next to one of the best cities for a short stay in the UK. Plan ahead and get a good nights sleep!

Spa Holidays:

Spa holidays are great if you want to go out somewhere foreign as there is a vast range of spa locations available, but also if you just fancy a weekend break at home in the UK. The great thing about spa holidays is there is so much to choose from, so you can decide on the type of spa you wish to go to all depending on the different treatments it has to offer. No matter where you choose your destination, its one thing for sure, you will return home feeling very, very relaxed! Some examples of spa holidays available are activity spas to get fit, pampering and relaxation spas, yoga spas and many more! I find this luxurious holiday is essential for the hard worker or for the hen/stag party with a twist. You can have a good time and be pampered too! Sanctuary Spa Holidays have further information on the types of spa holiday you can chooses from but also offer spa holidays all over the world, from the UK to China and many more. Everyone should experience a spa holiday or weekend at least once in their life, and benefit from the services included in these holidays.

These are only few examples of the glamorous accommodation you could be experiencing! So many different places to stay will offer you something unique and different like the types of holiday listed above. You want to have a holiday to remember not to resent! You can find an article on the Daily Mail that listed and explored all the different holiday categories available today for some further reading.

Read More…

When a Sardinian resident passes the age of 100, they receive a birthday cake from their town’s mayor and a personal write-up in the local media.

Despite the respectful celebrations, reaching the century milestone isn’t really a noteworthy feat on this island – in the past decade, five residents of the small town of Orroli, alone, have reached triple figures. This is an incredible statistic when you consider the fact that this town is populated by only 2,700 people.

Set centrally in the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia is equidistantly positioned between the nations of Italy, France and Tunisia. It is famous for its rugged, sun-baked terrain and also as the home of sardines and sardonic humour.

Indeed, many Sardinians believe that laughter is the key to releasing stress. The island folk frequently gather in large, familial groups to partake in a few glasses of sweet red wine. This community spirit facilitates care for relatives, both young and old. There has always been a deep respect for the elders of the community, across the island. Sardinians also believe that deeper families produce more well-adjusted children. It is also common for holiday companies to promote Sardinia on the basis that it is a safe place to take youngsters, as you can see from the testimonial section of this web-page. Crime rates are low and island life is relaxed. Perhaps this is part of the reason why people live so long.

It is fair to say, that many in the region will credit the fresh sea air or the purity of the local water, as the source of their longevity. Homegrown foodstuffs could also hold the secret to the age puzzle. Sardinia is world-renowned for the production of vegetables, pecorino goats cheese and fresh milk. Recently a group of nine Sardinian siblings, from the mountainous region of Ogliastra, cited minestrone soup as the secret behind their world record combined age of 818.

Many believe that the ultra-active lifestyle of the island’s men could also be a key factor. Many of these men are shepherds. These people work, daily, on their feet. Sardinians are nothing if not a race of walkers. They will cover significant distances, for recreational and vocational purposes, even into their later years.

However,there are those that discredit all of the above assumptions. To this end, around the turn of the Millenium, molecular biologist Luca Deiana launched an extensive study of the genetic material of every 100+ person, from across the island.

This study concluded that Sardinia has the highest percentage of people who have passed the century mark, of any global geographic area. Of 1.6m current residents there are upwards of 220 that have safely reached 100-years-of-age.

Indeed, five of the world’s top 40 oldest people live on the island and it is not uncommon for a Sardinian to take up the number one slot, at any given time.

Deiana is convinced that genetics play a significant role in life longevity. He believes that, if humans are able to identify the genes responsible for deciding life expectancy, one day we may be able to manipulate this material and extend the lives of people worldwide.

It is fair to say that Deiana has a true emotional investment in his work. As a part of the ambitious project, his team are attempting to confirm reports that a man, who died early in the last century, lived to a world record age of 124.

His name?

Voche Deiana.

Read More…

Whenever I tell people where I’ve been backpacking, they burst out laughing.  And yet, why is the idea of backpacking around England so funny? Yes, I am British, but with 7 in 10 Brits failing our own citizenship test, I decided what country would be better to get to know than my own?

I’ve just left a place I couldn’t even point out on a map when I began this adventure and now I’m writing a blog about it. I’m talking about Shropshire. I arrived in Shropshire with no idea what to expect, but I had a good feeling as soon as I arrived at The Baron at Bucknell, where I stayed for the duration of my Shropshire visit. So far I’ve relied heavily on the Trip Advisor website when choosing accommodation. In the case of my accommodation in Shropshire I am glad as the Baron at Bucknell’s own website simply doesn’t do it justice, in my opinion.

Walking up to the Inn was like going back in time. It’s set back up a meandering slip road sided by trees and hedges so at night all you hear is the odd sheep and the first morning I woke to rabbits playing outside my window. I don’t drink (at all) so I can’t say much about the Baron’s choice of ales, but I was impressed by their food. The Baron at Bucknell offer a modest menu, but their produce is locally sourced, seasonal and fresh. Everywhere I go I make it a priority to taste the local produce and I’m doubly pleased whenever I find accommodation that offers locally sourced meats and the likes. My first night at the Baron’ I nestled down beside the 18^th century cider press that occupies their oak beamed dining room and tucked in to a juicy 8oz sirloin before heading up to bed.

My experience of Shropshire itself was equally pleasing. I’ve compiled the top three places I visited while in Shropshire. I think these places best celebrate and show how astounding Shropshire’s landscape is too.

Snailbeach Mine

With a name like ‘Snailbeach Mine’ I didn’t know what to expect. Nothing I could have dreamt up could’ve prepared me though. Snailbeach Mine was Shropshire’s largest lead mine. It supposedly yielded more lead per acre than any mine in Europe, but maybe they tell all tourists that? True or not, the Mine is astounding. Visitors can choose from one of two ‘underground trips’ into the mine which you can find out about at the official Snailbeach website. I think ‘The Short Day Level Trip’ is more for kids and families, but I might be wrong. I opted for the ‘Roberts Level Trip’ which involves donning your wellies, a good ten to twenty minute walk over some rough terrain and then a tour of the mines. Unless you’ve a genuine fear of small spaces or the dark, it is an experience you will not forget – for all the right reasons.

Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

When I first arrive I was struck by the shape and architecture of the building. Inside, I bought a coffee and headed straight over to the Visitor Information Centre. The staff were all lovely (as I’m sure I would be if I worked where they do!) and seemed to know their stuff better than many of the leaflets I collected. They recommended The Secret Hills exhibition and The Gallery, and now I’m recommending them.

The Secret Hills exhibition told the story of the Shropshire hills through a mix of history and folklore. It was like an adult’s fairy-tale and after having explore the mines within the hills, to then visit the hills and learn about them was amazing. Wandering through the Gallery was like seeing stories instead of hearing them; it was filled with artcreated by local artists and craftspeople over the ages and their interpretations of the Shropshire Hills.

Would be visitors can find out about visiting the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre via the Shropshire.gov website.

Ironbridge

For anyone who doesn’t know (like I didn’t a week ago!), Shropshire is home of the world’s very first iron structure and what is one of the world’s most important bridges. It was built 100 feet above the river Severn which runs below it and its 378 tonnes of iron connect the Shropshire towns of Coalbrookdale and Broseley. These days it stands as a monument of human ingenuity and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. When I heard about this place, I had to see it for myself. The most amazing part though is that as a monument I didn’t realise that it is actually open and free for the public to use. I stood upon it on my last day in Shropshire and stared out over the Severn Gorge which was created during the ice age and simply thought, ‘this is England…’

For information about the Iron Bridge, visit the Ironbridge Museum Trust website –don’t worry it isn’t just a website dedicated to the bridge itself; founded in 1967, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum is like a whole other world. It features 10 museums, a Victorian themed village and aims to educate visitors about the Industrial Revolution. If you visit Shropshire for no other reason –this place makes the journey worth it.

Read More…

With Winter well on its way out, why not usher in Spring and Summer by getting out of the house and into the great outdoors to sample all that beautiful Britain has to offer.

The Perfect Day
A quick day trip can stay with you for a lifetime. Whether you’re zooming around on a rollercoaster, finding out about where we came from, or simply enjoying a picnic in a park there’s so much that the UK has to offer. Up and down the length of the country there’s something for everyone, from history at Hadrian’s Wall just north of Newcastle to captivating coastal days out in Somerset.  Day out South West offer excellent insight into the Somerset area, you can read more by visiting their Somerset page at: http://www.dayoutsouthwest.co.uk/somerset/somerset.php. So treat the kids to a grand day out, or whisk yourselves away for a little rural (re)treat, and let the UK do the hard work while you enjoy yourself.

The Perfect Getaway
If you’ve a little more time on your hands then why not steal an overnight stay somewhere, or maybe even a weekend break. Mini-breaks have become increasingly popular, either as holiday alternatives or an interesting way to spend a weekend. Personally, I can’t recommend Edinburgh highly enough, having been three times myself and loved every minute of it! Or anywhere north of the border, if you live in England want to escape. Visit Scotland (http://www.visitscotland.com) is a great place to start looking for Scottish mini-break idea. What more, in this hyper-competitive market, you’re almost guaranteed to grab an absolute bargain, so that little bit of fun shouldn’t break the bank.

The Perfect Catch
Niche breaks cater for those with specific tastes who are looking to get away from it all. Track days are perfect for petrolheads, spa breaks for those who like to be pampered, and fishing breaks for those who love the great outdoors. There’s so much available, and at places like Docklow Pools in Herefordshire there’s more than just fishing on the menu, with tennis courts and snooker rooms to keep you entertained during the day, and a 17^th century farmhouse with its own log fire to warm your toes at night.

The Lake District

This goes without saying that the Lake District in the North of England is one of the most stunning places of outstanding natural beauty that England has to offer! If its outdoors activities or a lazy weekend you wish to have, the Lake District will provide for all. If you are struggling to choose somewhere to stay check out Grange Hotel which is situated in the heart of Cumbria (click here for directions on how to get there) and gives you full access to the Lake District either by foot, car or train.  The Lake District is a must see whether you are from Britain or if you are here on holiday. Eveyone will agree that the Lake District is renowned for being a fantastic family holiday, the perfect couples getaway, or the friendship hiking, bag packing and camping holiday. There is something for everyone, activities for everyone and things to see for everyone. You cant get much better than that.

The Perfect Round
If the weather holds then there’s no excuse not to get a swift round in! The UK is the perfect location for golf breaks, with hundreds of courses up and down the country. What’s more, with many of them teamed with luxurious hotels, including the famous names of St. Andrews and Celtic Manor, you can really indulge yourself and, even if only for a day, feel like a true pro!

There are literally thousands of things to see and do in Britain, all on your doorstep just waiting to be discovered. So take off that hat and scarf and spring into Spring at any number of these fantastic destinations. For example, featuring in the top ten by the well regarded guys at www.top100golfcourses.co.uk, is the West Cornwall Golf Club. This seaside course, while not as famous as St Andrew’s in Scotland and the likes, may prove a better destination this summer for two pretty big reasons: the beach and the weather.

If you intend to get your own way and go on that golfing holiday, convincing a partner and kids may be a lot easier if you are all heading to some of Britain’s most beautiful beaches, coastlines and during the peak summer months.  The West Cornwall Golf Club, St. Ives, is a testing seaside coast which has been challenging even seasoned pros since it was established in 1889, making this course also the oldest in Cornwall.

Being the stunning place it is, Cornwall offers the perfect alternative to anyone ‘put off’ braving Edinburgh due to its sometimes extreme and weather and low temperatures. So, if you don’t fancy Edinburgh, but don’t want to miss out on some superb golfing, escape the north and head south; while the landscapes differ, both much of Scotland and Cornwall benefit from superb and varied countryside.

Self catering holidays provide the perfect way to escape, not just the city, but the hustle and bustle of the hotel culture too; experience the quiet and peace of a  true Cornish cottage instead of booking into a hotel. You will  instantly reduce the cost of your holiday too which means taking more ‘spends’ along to keep the kids happy.

Quite simply, there’s nothing more authentic than staying in a Cornish Cottage. And with folk like Duchy Holidays (http://www.duchyholidays.co.uk/)  providing self catering Cornish cottage rentals all year round, you needn’t worry about arriving to a mess, trawling the web for those advertising their homes who’s occuring the rooms either side of yours or getting stuck with fellow hollidayers with kids when you just want to relax and enjoy some family time.

Simply, book it, pack it and turn up…and then sneak out to the golf courses while the rest of the family enjoy the beach!

Read More…