05 April 2019

I've recently returned from a city break to New York with family and friends. What fun we had! New York was everything we had hoped for and more. We spent an exciting and extremely exhausting four nights in this fantastic city in February. It was cold but with the exception of the last day where we experienced snowfall, the skies were blue and bright and wrapped up warm we could not have wished for better weather. We flew on a mid-afternoon flight from Heathrow with Virgin Airlines who provided great service on board for our eight hour flight. Transferring to our hotel could not have been easier, we booked a shared transfer and only had to wait 20 minutes or so at the company’s reception desk. On arrival to our hotel we were checked in efficiently and even given warm cookies which turned out to be a daily offering (absolutely delicious). We stayed in the Doubletree by Hilton Times Square West which had an enviable position just a few minutes’ walk from Times Square itself. The highlight of this hotel is the roof top bar where you have beautiful views of the New York skyline including the Empire State building, it definitely had the wow factor. We had a family room which had 2 double beds, compact but common for the city and had everything you needed for your stay. Before we travelled, we pre-booked the Hop on Hop off bus and bought a five attraction New York city pass. These were easy to use; the bus pass was valid from the first time we stepped on the bus and you can purchase 24, 48 or 72 hour passes. This is a great way to see the city and get from attractions, but my main advice is to go early, they fill up fast throughout the day and you really want to be on the top of the bus to see all of the landmarks. A visit to the Empire state is a must and we were lucky to have a completely clear day. We also visited the Rockefeller centre or top of the Rock as it’s known but at night, so we got to see the city from the sky at two different points of the day. The highline is an unused raised railway track that the locals have turned into a beautiful walkway through the buildings of Manhattan with lots of sculptures and gardens along the way. As we visited in the winter it was too early to see the gardens in full bloom, but the sculptures were really interesting, and it was a great alternative way to see part of the city. I imagine in a few months’ time this will be stunning. Also on our stay, we visited the 9/11 memorial. Allow half a day to visit this respectful and tasteful memorial to those who lost their lives. You can pay for a guided tour or there is an app you can download on your phone that guides you through. Queues do build up so try and visit first thing. A trip on an hour and a half boat cruise around the harbour past the Statue of Liberty was a great experience and perfect for photo opportunities. Brooklyn Bridge was definitely a highlight and easy to access at one of the hop off points on the bus and easy to stroll across. We had breakfast at a lovely café just over the bridge and it was lovely to have a wander around. Walking back across to Manhattan you can get great photos of the skyline. I think my favourite experience whilst in the Big Apple was a visit to Madison Square Gardens to watch a Basketball game. The Nicks had already played that week, so we watched New York’s home team play against a team from Pennsylvania. It was super exciting with Cheerleaders, a brass band, dancers and thousands of fans cheering on their team. I would definitely recommend trying to catch a game, it was a real event and although I had no idea of the rules, I got completely caught up in all of the excitement of the game. The venue is definitely a sight to see if nothing else and you can have escorted tours in the day if you didn't fancy a sports event. They also hold concerts here. There is so much to see and do in New York and it really does have something to offer for everyone. We visited Grand Central Station, Central Park and the list goes on. It’s amazing how much you can fit into a few days. Be prepared to walk lots as this is the best way to see lots of the city. Tipping is expected so it’s good to have dollar bills handy. Plan what you are going to see as much as you can and pre book tours/entrance tickets to save your precious time whilst there. I loved New York and I would absolutely return again.

13 November 2017

When looking for a holiday to suit 16 of you it's hard to find a destination that offers something for everyone. Well Riviera in Mexico, just hour and 40 minutes south of Cancun, did just that! We travelled to the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya in the middle of August this year. We had been looking at the Med and were surprised to see how affordable Mexico is in comparison. Excited about our long haul adventure the experience started as soon as we boarded the Britannia Dreamliner form Birmingham. These aircraft are fantastic and definitely the way to travel if flying economy long-haul. Comfortable and spacious and offering great service and entertainment on-board. Our Hotel We were impressed as soon as we entered the grounds. The hotel offers 5 star facilities whilst remaining relaxed and friendly. On arrival we were taken to our room by golf buggy due to the vastness of the resort. The Sirenis is more of a holiday village set right in amongst the jungle and you certainly feel like you are having the jungle experience. The rooms are found in blocks no higher than three stories and each one has its own concierge who cannot do enough for you. Rooms are spacious, our family of 4 had plenty of room and we were lucky to have a sea view which was a bonus. The public areas offer something for everyone. Lively pool areas with day time entertainment, quieter pools to escape the noise steps away from a long sandy beach exclusive to the hotel. Weekly events such as Hawaiian Beach parties, pool parties are a fun experience but no pressure to get involved. The Food The food at the Grand Sirenis was fantastic and even the fussiest of eaters would find something. Numerous places to eat in the day including a fab barbecue shack on the beach. For evening meals the main restaurant offered themed nights such as Italian, and Mexican of course. My big tip is to experience the A La Carte Restaurants, 3 per week are included in your holiday and these really enhanced our holiday. Ranging from Italian, Thai to a Teppanyaki Japanese restaurant where the chef cooks in front of you, this really is an experience all of our party enjoyed. Trips Whilst in Mexico we ventured away from the hotel a number of times and took in a few excursions. Catamaran to Isla Mujeres - This was a great full day trip. Travelling by road to Cancun then onto a beautiful catamaran you have the opportunity to snorkel above an underwater museum and get the chance to see an abundance of sealife. You then travel to the beautiful island of Mujeres where you have a delicious lunch and then free time to explore and even sunbathe. We took this trip on a Sunday and it was great to see all the locals out enjoying the beach and the local markets. Swimming with Dolphins - Although the hotel offers swimming with dolphins after research into the welfare of these beautiful creatures we ventured half an hour outside of the resort. This is a half day trip and best to do first thing. I loved this trip and was quite overwhelmed by these gentle and fantastically clever mammals. I'm so pleased I got to experience this. Extreme Jungle Adventure - This was an adrenalin fuelled day trip not for the faint hearted. Setting off early our first hour was spent driving All Terrain Vehicles (not going to lie I was quite scared) through the jungle! Then off to our next stop where we abseiled into caves and swam through the freshwater, then zip wired over the top of the jungle, into caves and more. Our last activity was snorkelling through the famous Cenotes by torchlight. The day was rounded off by a delicious lunch. Playa Del Carmen - We ventured to Playa Del Carmen ourselves just simply by taking the bus. This is a vibrant lively town, offering many souvenir shops, restaurants and the beach is good too. We did this trip on a day that the weather was a bit showery. Definitely worth a visit and cost just £4 per person each way! Would I go back ? Yes absolutely! We had the most amazing time in Riviera Maya and will certainly return in a heartbeat, and although we had a few showery days due to the time of year this did not take anything away from our enjoyment, it was quite nice to have a break from the intense Caribbean Sunshine! Families, couples, friends this resort has something for everyone and certainly gets my seal of approval. Thank you Mexico for our Holiday of a lifetime