26 September 2019

I wanted to take Paul and the kids away for a city break so we opted for Barcelona. I managed to find really good flights travelling in April with Easyjet, and we opted for the 4* Aramunt Apartments in the Eixample district for 3 nights. Our flights departed on time and we were in Barcelona within 3 hours. I hadn't pre-booked an airport transfer as it seemed quite pricey, so I was a bit concerned when we arrived that it would cost a fortune. I needn't have worried as its very well organised outside the airport and our transfer took approx 30 mins and cost €25. From the outside the apartments didn't look that impressive however check in staff were really friendly and although our room wasn't ready they were more than happy to store our luggage so we could go and get our first glimpse of the city. Our apartment was located approx 10 mins from the Plaza Cataluyna and Las Ramblas so it was in a fabulous location. We opted to grab some lunch and was advised to steer clear of the main tourist areas as you will pay a premium for food. We just opted for some sandwiches and drinks and this wasn't expensive at all. After lunch we wandered back to the apartment as we were able to check in. I was really impressed with the standard of accommodation, everything was really modern and had everything you need and more for a short break. Our room overlooked the main street but wasn't noisy at all. These apartments would work really well for families as they do give slightly more room than your average hotel room and I would definitely recommend them. After checking in, we continued exploring just to get our bearings and we stumbled across the fabulous food market of La Boqueria, this place is definitely worth a look around as it is just full of fresh produce, food stalls and flowers, its really busy and has a great atmosphere. Las Ramblas is lovely and a hive of activity with loads of shops, market stalls and street performers. One thing that everyone says about Barcelona is that the pick pockets are rife, I have to say I never witnessed anything of the sort, although I've since learned its more of a problem on the underground system, so just keep your wits about you, and you'll be fine. We did eat on Las Ramblas the first night and whilst the food was reasonably priced, the drinks are really expensive our meal cost 116€ for the 4 of us and this was literally for pizzas and drinks! The next day we had pre-booked an open top bus tour, as we thought this would be the best way to see the City and to get our bearings. We were lucky as there was a bus stop very close to our apartments which was an advantage to us as most people opted for the main bus stop in Plaza Cataluyna to board so we managed to get our pick of the seats. There are 3 routes you can take and we opted for the longest which took us over to the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and the Nou Camp. With the tickets you can obviously hop on/hop off as you please but we just decided to do the whole route. It was actually quite chilly so being on the top desk wasn't so much fun, but we laughed about it. Once the route was finished we went back as we had tickets for the Sagrada Familia, the beautiful unfinished church of Gaudi. This wouldn't normally be something we would do, but its quite iconic so we felt we really should see it. We opted for tickets including the audio guide, which started off really well but we soon managed to lose our bearings so we were listening to information and it was obvious we were in the wrong area of the church! The church is absolutely stunning from the outside and once you're inside the sun shines through the stained glass windows and its just beautiful, you really should visit. Our tour cost £108 for the 4 of us. One thing we did find was although there are loads of restaurants to chose from, the food did seem to be exactly the same in all restaurants, so it was really a case of finding who offered the best prices. On average an evening meal cost 100€ for 4 but again this only ever included 1 course. The next day Paul and George had tickets for the Nou Camp so they went off on the bus, whilst Emily and I went for a wander around the Gothic Quarter. I should say we bought the 2 day hop on/hop off bus tickets as we felt it was better value at approx £112 however the other reason was so Paul and George could get to the Nou Camp. The only annoying thing with this, was the fact they had to do the entire tour again so a journey that would've taken approx 20 mins on the underground took 90 mins on the bus. If we ever went back I actually wouldn't do the bus tour as it did seem a bit of a waste, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. The nice thing about Barcelona is you can wander and just stumble across pretty little streets and lovely old buildings. The shopping is also really good both the major high street stores and the quaint little boutiques. I love just wandering and stumbling across little nooks and crannies. The boys had a really good time at the Nou Camp and said it was well worth a visit. That afternoon we took the other bus route which took us over to the Olympic stadium and the cable cars of Montjuic, this route was much shorter and gave us a chance to look at the other parts of the city. We also watched the dancing fountains which was lovely and attracts quite a crowd, make sure you check the times of the displays as it does vary from season to season. We spent 3 nights in Barcelona and it was lovely, I would highly recommend it, there's no right or wrong place to stay as everything is easily accessible, I stumbled across a fair few properties I'd initially dismissed as I thought the location was wrong, but anything within half an hour of Las Ramblas is totally fine. Barcelona is an expensive City so bear that in mind when deciding on how much spending money you may need. The weather wasn't great when we were there but in the summer you have the added bonus of a beach so you can spend a few days exploring, then a couple of days chilling out on the beach. Accommodation varies greatly in price and I personally thought the apartments we stayed in were fab, and would work well for bigger families as well. You don't have to spend a fortune to stay here either, just bear in mind that all hotels will charge a city tax which is anything from 2-5€ per room per night and will be collected when you check in. Our break cost approx £900 for the 4 of us including flights and accommodation.

07 June 2019

I was fortunate enough to win a 4-night break to the 4* Drago Park, Costa Calma at our annual conference so decided me and my sister would leave our husbands and kids at home and take advantage of some R&R. Having visited Fuerteventura before I was looking forward to seeing a different resort. We opted to travel at the end of March and managed to pick up bargain flights with EasyJet for only £65pp and decided to stay the night at the Sofitel Gatwick as we had an early check in of 0550. The flight ran on time and arrived into Fuerteventura about 1130. Although car hire was exceptionally reasonable at only £45 for 5 days, I didn't feel overly confident in driving a left-hand drive, added to that my sister's appalling navigation skills so we opted for a Speedy shuttle which took 90 minutes. I must confess there wasn't an awful look to see en route as the island itself is quite barren and even when we arrived at Costa Calma it was very clear this was not a large resort. Upon arrival at the hotel I was quite impressed with the bright airy reception area and modern décor. Our room was ready and so we were able to check in straight away. We were allocated a twin room overlooking the pool and the room itself was extremely spacious although if I'm honest the décor was not as modern as in the public areas. There was plenty of wardrobe space and ample storage, although we did struggle to find plug sockets and had to move a fair bit of furniture before we found any! The bathroom was also very large and featured a hairdryer which is one less thing to pack. The balcony was spacious although the view of the pool was somewhat obstructed by various foliage, but I guess there's not a lot you can do about that. Once we'd unpacked, we had a wander around the hotel to get our bearings. Obviously travelling at the end of March meant the hotel was very quiet so the area around the pool looked extremely large with plenty of sunbeds to go around, however come July/August I could see it being extremely busy. The pools were spacious and heated which was even better as the weather was changeable whilst we were there. There was a large pool bar which served snacks throughout the day and obviously drinks. One thing that I did find a little confusing was if you ordered a specific alcoholic drink, they didn't automatically provide you with the local equivalent which meant on the first occasion we were charged. I personally felt this was naughty as they could've quite easily advised that we could either have the branded spirit for a fee or the local equivalent for nothing, I have never been anywhere whereby they have operated this way. When I queried this with the bar staff, they produced a menu which states which drinks are free and which are not. The fact they operate only on all-inclusive made me think this needed more clarity. After that I made sure I ordered stating my need for the local spirits! All meals were served in the main restaurant the times of meals were as follows: Breakfast 7-10 Lunch 1-3 Dinner 7- 9 Breakfast was really nice with everything on offer and all food was served piping hot. Lunch tended to be salads and cold meats with a few hot dishes on offer. At dinner food was generally very good, although sometimes there were some odd combinations but normally a couple of meat dishes, a fish dish and a pasta dish so plenty of choice. They had wine and beer on tap, and you could help yourself and to tea and coffee. Waiters were very attentive, and plates were cleared away very quickly, although again I believe come the height of the season it could become quite manic. During the evening we went to the bar although it was very quiet and there wasn't any evening entertainment. I think this was purely down to the time of year, as I was informed they offer a full entertainment programme during the summer months, along with a kids club. There was one main bar with a nice area out on the terrace and a disco bar, which wasn't open when we were there. The hotel is located about 30 minutes from the beach, but they do offer a complimentary beach shuttle which runs a regular service both there and back. What we didn't know until we arrived was that this was actually a nudist beach! This didn't actually bother me at all; however, I do feel they should mention this as possibly families with young children may not be happy going there. Once you're at the beach there's nowhere to buy drinks or snacks from so definitely bear that in mind if you plan on going for the day. The only facilities on offer were toilets! We decided to walk back from the beach to see what the resort offers. I have to say Costa Calma is your typical small fishing village type resort with not much on offer at all. We found a few restaurants where we did stop for some lunch and it was good value at 24 Euros for 2 pizzas, 2 large beers and 2 large wines, however I think if you actually opted for self-catering you would really struggle to eat out as there didn't seem to be much choice. I'm not too sure if maybe the resort comes to life more in the summer months but if you did opt to stay here during the winter, I'd recommend all-inclusive. We also found a small shopping centre which featured a few clothes shops, a supermarket and the token gift shops. Generally speaking, the resort is very quiet. Every Sunday and Wednesday there is a local market which if I'm honest does sell a few local arts and crafts but did tend to favour the fake handbags and trainers more than anything else and it was quite good bartering. To sum up I enjoyed our stay, the hotel was nice although far too quiet for my liking. I much prefer a resort which offers more shops and restaurants. Also, although I'm not a massive beach lover,o it would've been nice to have been closer. I think if you visited in the Summer months the hotel would probably offer a lot more activities and evening entertainment meaning you wouldn't need to look elsewhere for this. I would go back to Fuerteventura although I would definitely opt for a much livelier resort as Costa Calma was just too quiet for me.

04 September 2018

Every year I am always my worst client, trying to find the perfect holiday for my family, I always want 5* for 3* prices! We normally have a camping holiday in stunning Cornwall with friends, and then an all-inclusive holiday somewhere in the Med. Last year our camping trip was a bit of a washout thanks to the unpredictable British summer, so this year we decided to try something completely different and opted for a mobile home in the South of France. After a few weeks of deliberating where to go, we all eventually opted for the Les Mediterranees Charlemagne, in Marseillan Plage, and chose the Rossini two bed as our home for the week. Initially we decided we would self-drive, but after looking into this further we decided that a 12-hour drive over two days wasn't so appealing, so we managed to find bargain flights with EasyJet into Montpellier and hired a car from the airport. This meant total journey time was reduced to just 2.5 hours. Upon arrival at the Charlemagne we had to check in at the main reception, where we were issued with our wristbands and security gate codes for the duration. From here we had to proceed to the Al Fresco check in where we were met by an English couple who showed us to our mobile homes. We were pleased to see that we had been issued homes opposite each other, which meant the kids were happy. Our home was extremely clean and spacious and offered us everything we needed for a week’s self-catering. We paid a little extra to have the linen and towel packs included as this meant we didn't have to bring our own. Al Fresco have a selection of mobile homes towards the back of the resort which was lovely as it was very quiet. The resort itself if made up of three sites: Charlemagne, Nouvelle Floride and Beach Gardens. You can access all three resorts which gives you a bit of variety during your stay. All have their own pools and waterslides and both the Beach Gardens & Nouvelle Floride have direct beach access. All pool areas were spotlessly clean, and the nice thing was the pools didn't open until 10am, the water slides at 11am so there wasn't the need to rush to reserve a sunbed, something that does annoy me in other Med resorts! Despite us travelling in August there were always plenty of sunbeds available for the eight of us. Lifeguards were on hand the entire time and it’s worth noting that boys/men are required to wear lycra swim shorts. During the day there is a bit of entertainment for the kids in the form of the animation team around the pool dancing with the kids, or aqua aerobics. This only lasted about half an hour a day so wasn't annoying at all. The beach is beautiful with crystal clear water and sand that stretches for miles. Unlike the Med beaches there are no sunbeds available to hire, so it may be worth investing in some cheap beach mats as we did find the sand got everywhere! The resort of Marseillan Plage is very lively, however I should stress not with bars and clubs, so it’s very nice for families. There is an abundance of restaurants catering for all tastes. We ate out every night and on average we were paying between €60-70 per family which included drinks and wine. We found different restaurants every night so there's something for everyone. There are also many shops in the resort selling everything from souvenirs to local produce. The resort was exceptionally clean and literally a 10-minute walk from the Charlemagne bought you right into the heart of everything. There are supermarkets onsite that cater for all your requirements and weren't too expensive. However, there is a wider choice at the Hyper U about 10 minutes’ drive away. Within the site there was a patisserie so most mornings breakfast consisted of freshly baked croissants and baguettes. The nice thing about this resort is you don't need a car to get around. The neighbouring towns of Agde and Cap D'Adge can be reached by train or taxi so the whole area is quite accessible. I would recommend anyone opting to fly that you take a cab from the airport to the site as prices are approx. €100 return so very reasonable. If we returned, we would consider this. The other option you could consider is the train from London down to Marseillan Plage. Unfortunately, our flight home was cancelled due to adverse weather at Montpellier airport so the only way we could get back was the train. Despite us all being somewhat sleep deprived due to the delay, the journey was actually really easy, and I have to say I would definitely consider this an option. We went up to Lille on the TGV and then the Eurostar back to St Pancras, despite it being a 10-hour journey, it’s definitely the easier option to driving. We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay here, so much so we are already looking at booking for next year to another one of their resorts. Our holiday cost approx. £1600 for a week and included flights, car hire and mobile home for two adults and two children staying on a 5* site. I was worried that after having all-inclusive holidays for the past few years that everything would seem quite pricey, but we were pleasantly surprised and we all enjoyed going out to eat every evening. I would highly recommend this resort to families with children of all ages as it really was excellent value for money, adding to the fact we had wall to wall sunshine for the 7 days with temperatures averaging 32 degrees. This area surpassed my expectations and I will be recommending this to future clients.

08 September 2017

This was our first visit to Zante and we weren't disappointed. Our home for seven nights was the Smartline Margarita in Laganas. I had done a lot of research prior to booking and had previously sent some friends here, who came home with very positive feedback. We were allocated our room for the week, and initial impressions were good! Our view was out over the front of the hotel with fields and mountains in the distance. The hotel is much smaller than we have stayed in previously, but this seemed to add to the friendliness of the place. It's a family run hotel and both owners are on site daily along with other family members. We had a brief walk around the hotel which has two swimming pools, one for families and one for adults only, both were of a good size with plenty of sunbeds, despite us traveling in August. Food at the hotel was excellent, and they actually have their own allotment where they grow vegetables, fruits and herbs, so all of this is used when preparing the meals. Every night there was a different selection of meals, and they were always hot and very tasty while accompanying the hot food was a nice selection of salads and puddings. The hotel employs two entertainers and I have to say they work their socks off to entertain the kids during the days and the adults in the evening. We had a quick wander around the resort, and to be honest, Laganas is definitely a resort tailored to the 18-30 market, with the main strip designated with countless bars and clubs, so if you're after peace and quiet, this is not the resort for you! Having said that the Smartline Margarita is located approximately 15-20 mins walk from here, so no noise is heard. We wandered down to the main beach and its lovely golden sand and crystal clear warm waters. Sunbeds here were around 3 Euros to hire, so not expensive at all. The beach is also home to the turtles, and we were fortunate enough one evening to see a baby turtle making its way down to the sea. They are very protective of these creatures and the beach is closed after a certain time to enable their safe journey to the sea. No trip to Zante is complete without a trip to the famous "Ship Wreck" beach known locally as Novagio Beach, often featuring in the 'Top 10 beaches to visit in Europe' lists. The beach is quite small but stunningly beautiful, unfortunately, it does get very busy with boats arriving every few minutes to drop visitors off and the beach itself is not very big, but it's definitely worth a visit. The boat trip we opted for also took us to the Blue Caves where we were able to have a swim and Xygia Beach. The water here contains large amounts of sulphur so it's very good for the skin leaving it very soft, we were also able to swim here. Our trip cost us 80€ for the 4 of us. Most excursions can be bought from the vast array of outlets along the strip or from the reps locally. It is worth shopping around, as most do seem to be selling the same trips. Our rep locally advised us to book through her as it had insurance included, however, the same trip through her was 148 Euros so it's quite hard to justify the difference in cost. We also visited Zante Town which is beautiful, with its quaint harbor, Orthodox churches, buzzing streets and local cafes, there's definitely something for everyone and it is well worth a visit Eating out if you opted for self-catering would never be a problem, as there are restaurants in abundance and most seem to be offering a vast array of food ranging from local Greek cuisine to Indian, Italian & British, so plenty on offer and prices seemed very reasonable. We had an evening meal out with drinks and main courses and the bill was a little over 70 euros but we received massive portions so it didn't feel overly expensive. We fell in love with Zante and despite Laganas being a very busy resort, I would most definitely return. The Smartline Margarita is a lovely hotel and the warm welcome you receive throughout your stay is a sure fire way of enticing clients back year after year.

07 September 2017

I was given the opportunity to sample the delights of Swedish Lapland courtesy of Simply Sweden and to say I was excited was an understatement. Most people hear the word Lapland and will almost certainly think of Father Christmas. Swedish Lapland is completely different and you will not see the big man himself here! Our home for the next 3 nights was the 3* Hotel Akerlund located in Jokkmok, a 2 hour drive from the airport in Lulea. This hotel is hopefully going to be featured in the Simply Sweden programme for the winter 2017/18 season. The hotel is very small with only 26 rooms although the hotel is quite basic it more that serves the purpose for holidays in this area. After breakfast which was excellent we were issued with our warm clothing, this is excellent as like me prior to leaving the UK I had no idea what you needed for a trip to Sweden. I was given my thermal coat, trousers and shoes and they were mine for the duration of the trip, the only other clothing required is suitable layers and most importantly wool base layers, an absolute must!! A walk around Jokkmok followed and then a visit to the Sami museum which is a fascinating insight in to the Sami Culture followed by a lovely lunch. That afternoon we went to visit a Sami Reindeer herder. I was so looking forward to this trip as we were able to get up close and personal with the reindeer which was amazing and then a traditional evening meal followed cook and prepared by Anna our Sami herder and was eaten by a roaring fire in a teepee. After this experience we then embarked on searching for the Northern Lights. We all knew that this would take time and after nearly an hour of driving around the area we were not disappointed and we were given our thrilling show!! For anyone who has not experienced the Northern Lights it's really quite hard to put into words. The sky was full of colour and various shapes danced across the sky. One tip though, don't be fooled into thinking your smart phones will capture any images, you will most definitely need a good camera and where possible a tripod. The next day and we were off Husking Sledging this was such a great experience. We got to meet the dogs prior to the ride and they clearly absolutely love their jobs. We were taken across frozen lakes and through stunning countryside, stopping every 5 minutes to give the dogs a rest, although most were anxious to get going again. Another lunch under canvas and was very hands on, literally cooking your own food over the fire. These excursions are widely available in this area. We ate this evening at the Hotel Jokkmok which is much larger than the Akerlund, we feasted on reindeer, which is the staple diet for this area. After dinner we attended a cultural activity which was 1hr 30 min Taste & flavour experience learning about all the various foods this area has to offer. We were leaving Jokkmok today and on route back to the airport we went to visit the Tree Hotel. This place is amazing and I would highly recommend a visit. The property has 7 rooms all with their own unique design and theme, all rooms are suspended above ground and are nestled in the trees giving amazing views of the surrounding countryside. The rooms offer a unique experience and make the perfect twin centre option with Jokkmok itself. This has been my first visit to Sweden and I have to admit I fell in love with the place. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I will say I would love to return with my family and experience everything again. I wouldn't say it's a cheap place to go but if you're looking for something different and want to experience the Northern Lights, Huskies & Reindeers I can't think of a better place to suggest. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and cant wait to return.

17 May 2017

I was really excited to be on the Trip to Marrakesh and Essaouira with 40 fellow Travel Counsellors. It was always somewhere I wanted to explore but never got round to it. My journey started on the 22nd March with the early flight out of Gatwick to Marrakesh. Upon arrival we were greeted by our hosts for the next few days and taken straight to the Movenpick Hotel Mansour Eddhabi, our home for the next 3 nights. First impressions of the hotel was that it was on a large scale and very grand. My room was very comfortable overlooking the swimming pool to the rear of the property. After a very quick lunch we were separated into groups and taken to the Medina to stroll through the famous souks (Market). I was really looking forward to this and I was not disappointed. It was vast in size and I would strongly recommend doing want we did, and hiring a guide, not only do they know the area like the back of their hands, it also allows you to wander round admiring all the goods on offer without being pounced on every 5 seconds. One word of warning, the streets are very narrow and its not unusual for mopeds to go hurtling by, stopping for no one so keep your wits about you, and savor the smells, sights and sounds, it's truly amazing! After the souks we found ourselves in the famous Jamaa El Fnaa square, the whole area is buzzing with street traders, food stalls and even the odd Sheep! I truly enjoyed this and wish we had more time. Next stop a Mint Tea overlooking the whole square from a roof terrace, and then dinner at the Salama, a Moroccan feast followed, complete with belly dancing! The next morning saw the first hotel visit of our trip, the 5* Luxurious Royal Palm. This hotel is situated about 20 minutes from the center of Marrakesh and is simply stunning. With a 18 hole golf course on site and beautiful manicured grounds this is the perfect getaway for some winter sunshine. The hotel features 134 suites and villas and offers an exceptional level of service. Next stop the 5* Royal Mansour. This hotel offers all "Riad" accommodation, which means Private residences. This would definitely appeal to larger families who usually take villa holidays, the property only offer 54 Riads, so a small property but with an exceptional level of service. After the hotel visits the group split in 2. One group went to a Moroccan Cookery class and I went to sample Go Karting, which I really enjoyed but I was rubbish at it! Dinner this evening was at Le Palace, Marrakech's Premier club restaurant. The food was delicious and we danced the night away into the early hours. Great fun was had by all. Next morning saw us leaving the hustle and bustle of Marrakech and heading out into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains to visit the L'Amandier a brand new Boutique hotel, which didn't disappoint. Approx 2 hours from Marrakesh this would be the perfect twin Centre option to relax after a few nights in Marrakesh. Recently opened we were shown around by the owner who clearly has a passion for the property. I must admit the hotel was stunning and has the most gorgeous views of the Atlas Mountains. Dinner this evening was at the Restaurant Jad Mahal. After our 3 nights in Marrakesh it was time to head out to the coast and our next stop Essaouira, situated approx. 3 hours from Marrakesh by road. On route we stopped at the Argan Oil factory and watched how the product is painstakingly made by hand, each process on display for us to watch, all the products can be bought in the shop after. We also managed to see the famous "Goats in trees" which is quite the tourist attraction. Be warned though if you stop to take photos the locals do expect some form of payment for this! We visited the Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa hotel which is a lovely hotel set on its own golf course and a few minutes drive from the Beach. Our home for the evening was the Atlas Hotel & Spa. After checking in we were taken to the Medina in Essaouira and had free time to wander around. The souk here is of a much smaller scale and doesn't quite have the same ambience as the one in Marrakech. Our final evening saw us dining at the L'Heure Bleu restaurant offering an infusion of Moroccan and French Cuisine. My time had come to an end and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Morocco. The weather didn't perform for us which was a shame, as normally temperatures in March are 25 degrees, whilst we were there it was quite chilly with very similar weather to what we had back home. Summing up I would strongly recommend Marrakesh to anyone, I never once felt unsafe and I was amazed just how clean the City was. There is accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets and there is so much to suit everyone. So if you're looking for somewhere different give Marrakesh a go, you won't be disappointed!