02 July 2013

I had the amazing opportunity of visiting Norway in earlier this year with a number of fellow travel agents. We commenced our journey by flying to Tromso via Oslo with Norwegian Air who I found to be a very good airline. They were the first to offer free wi-fi in the sky! On arrival into Tromso we were taken to the Rica Hotel which is situated in the centre of this lovely, pretty town. It was covered in very deep powdery snow which had recently fallen. I would very much recommend this hotel for its location, bar and modern rooms. We then taken by mini-bus to our adventure which was dog sledging followed by a hot meal served in a Lavvo (tent). We were supplied with snow suits and all the outer clothing for a minus 20 experience! We then returned to the Rica Hotel to wait for the MS Trollfjord, to arrive. We boarded around midnight. The following morning, we left the ship early at Harstad for a half day excursion to explore the lovely 'taste of Vesteralen'. We then re-joined the vessel in Sortland for some late lunch followed by the next stop which was Stokmarknes. We visited the Hurtigruten museum which was really interesting. Our journey continued through the fjords via Stokmarknes, where we visited the most amazing ice gallery and sipped a taste of Norway served in handmade ice glasses. The ship that we sailed on through the Fjords is one of many within the Hurtigruten fleet and was of a very good standard. The food was superb along with the staff and the whole ambience. On two of the nights on-board we were summoned to the deck during dinner as unbelievably the Northern Lights came to find us. We all ran to get our coats, rushed to the top deck and left our dinner. Everyone was very passionate about this experience and indeed one to tick off your lifetime bucket list. The dancing formation of the lights was stunning and better experienced through a good camera so you can properly capture the dramatic colours.. On our way through the Arctic Circle we encountered the view of the seven Sisters Mountains that loom over the Helgeland coast. We eventually arrived at Trondheim where we were taken to the airport and flew home. I would recommend this short trip to anyone as the scenery is something everyone should get the opportunity to experience. If you want to hear more about this amazing trip then please just give me a call as I’d love to share my tips and insights.

12 June 2013

I recently visited the Amalfi Coast with five of my closest friends to celebrate our 50th birthdays! We started our journey in the VIP lounge at Gatwick which is definitely a must for that glass of bubbly to start your trip. On arrival at Naples I had arranged a private transfer to take us to the Hotel Villa Franca in Positano which was approximately 1hr 20 minutes’ drive. This is one of the highest hotels in this area so the views were absolutely stunning especially from the roof top pool terrace, a beautiful 4* hotel that I would highly recommend. The following day I had organised a trip to Amalfi by boat which was a 25 minute journey which was delightful and once there we looked around the Cathedral, the shops of course and admired this lovely resort. We then proceeded to catch the open top bus to Ravello, another village further up into the countryside which was a must. It’s a gorgeous and very upmarket area with the most amazing views over the whole bay, along with lovely bars, restaurants, gift shops and awesome botanical gardens. We then returned to Positano by bus and boat again in time for a pre-dinner cocktail in our hotel. For the second day I had again booked a private driver to take us all to Pompeii for the morning and then onto Sorrento for the afternoon. Pompeii was fantastic and the secret there is to book a guide, if not you would be totally lost! Sorrento was buzzing and had a lovely feel to it, after walking a fair bit we ended up in a hotel I sell a lot; the Antiche Mura for refreshment which was delightful, we then met our driver who took us back to our hotel. We ate all three nights in Positano, up in the hills and down on the beach and all experiences were lovely. Finally on our last morning we were able to chill by our pool and soak in the sunshine as we had very aching legs as these resorts are hilly and a test on your fitness! We finally were picked up from our Hotel and taken to the airport for our flight home to sunny Gatwick! We all had such a lovely time with a bespoke itinerary made to suit us in an area I would highly recommend for couples and groups along with weddings without travelling very far at all.

12 June 2013

I recently visited the Island of Gran Canaria with nine of my fellow colleagues on a trip to see this island and experience all it has to offer. We started our journey by meeting in the new lounge at London Gatwick North Terminal, which is well worth recommending to start any trip! On arrival at Las Palmas Airport we were met by a private mini bus and taken to our hotel, the Seaside Palm Beach, which is located in the most southern part of the Island near to the sand dunes of Mas Palomas and the beautiful sandy beach of Meloneras. The hotel was lovely and had been renovated to a contemporary style with large bedrooms and very good size balconies. All rooms are tastefully decorated with everything you will need. After having stayed at this hotel for four nights, I would thoroughly recommend it, especially for the service and the standard of food along with the spa and its location. The following day, we were taken to the centre of the island, to the Bandama Crater, which was our first taste of the amazing views and different terrain that the island has to offer. We followed this by a trip to the centre of the old town of Las Palmas which was delightful and so full of history! We had the chance to enjoy some delicious tapas in a local authentic family restaurant, where I also participated in some wine tasting…it would be rude not to! We saw various hotels on our trip, the Sheraton Salobre which is especially suited to the golfers among us. It’s a little cut off and I would recommend a car whilst staying here, but it’s a beautiful modern hotel. We also visited the Gloria Palace Royal and the Gloria Palace Amadores, both overlooking the sea, in two lovely locations at the south of the island and ideal for families and couples alike. Lopespan Maobab, one of my favourite hotels, has an African theme and is large but not over-crowded. It’s very modern with lots of space and I would recommend it to younger families and couples alike. My favourite hotel was the Grand Hotel Residencia, a small hotel of a high standard. It was very tasteful with beautiful gastronomy and in a perfect location. We visited the area of Puerto Mogan, a port that hosts a number of lovely yachts, with lovely areas to visit. It is known as ‘Little Venice’ of Gran Canaria with an array of attractive bars and restaurants to watch the world go by! We were lucky enough to sample one of the excursions and went sailing in the area of Anfi. It was an amazing experience and certainly one I would recommend. The sea is so calm and very idyllic and it’s perfect for water activities and sports. The next day of our trip took us to the heart of Gran Canaria, to the top of the mountain area Tejeda, which had some of the most amazing scenery that I have ever seen (and a few hair pin bends!) in the Canary Islands. We had lunch at a lovely “parador” (a luxury hotel) which overlooked the awesome countryside and was well worth a visit. In my opinion, a couple of nights spent in this area combined with a week or longer at the beach would be perfect. I would also suggest a three centre incorporating the old town of Las Palmas, as this is not to be missed. We had a fantastic time and in four days saw so much of what the island of Gran Canaria has to offer. I would definitely recommend it to so many of my clients throughout the year as the climate is perfect for the sunshine that we miss in the UK, without having too far to travel.