Category: Bed & Breakfasts

10 reasons why Occitanie may be the new Provence

10 reasons why Occitanie may be the new Provence

By on Nov 24, 2017 in Accommodation, Attractions, Bed & Breakfasts, Europe, Food and Drink, France, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

Looking out from Toulouse the map looks invitingly blank. For Occitanie is the “other South of France”, intensely French, a sun-warmed countryside where livestock outnumber people. Occitanie? It’s the administrative replacement for Languedoc-Rousillion and Midi-Pyrenees bureaucratically butchered at midnight on 31st January 2015. As Provence’s country sister, Occitanie does decadence in its own bucolic way – enjoying […]

Hotels in Belgium with Michelin star restaurants

Hotels in Belgium with Michelin star restaurants

By on Sep 18, 2017 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, Belgium, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

For those with a passion for travel and gastronomy, what better formula than Michelin star restaurants combined with hotel rooms. After a sumptuous dinner paired with wines,  you don’t have to drive home! Simply walk yourself back to your room! There is a decent list of starred restaurants in Belgium with annexed bedrooms. Here is […]

5 reasons to stay in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn)

5 reasons to stay in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn)

By on Jul 18, 2017 in Accommodation, Asia, Bed & Breakfasts, Food and Drink, Hotels, Japan, Regions, Travel Miscellany

What is a ryokan? Perhaps you’ve heard the term ryokan bandied around when planning a trip to Japan, but what exactly are they? In ancient times ryokans provided lodging for passing travellers, so the closest comparison would be an old fashioned inn. These days they provide so much more than a bed for the night […]

Short stay: The Angel Inn, Corbridge, Northumberland, UK

Short stay: The Angel Inn, Corbridge, Northumberland, UK

By on Jun 20, 2017 in Accommodation, Bars, Bed & Breakfasts, Europe, Featured, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Our latest weekend getaway was for a sailing event at Derwent Reservoir in Northumberland for which we chose to stay at The Angel Inn in Corbridge, a pretty town just a 20 minute drive away from the venue and 16 miles west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. We opted to park on the street rather than in the […]

5 of the most romantic hotels in Bruges

5 of the most romantic hotels in Bruges

By on Jun 14, 2017 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, Belgium, Europe, Hotels, Regions, Western Europe

Bruges is out there with Venice, Paris, Florence or Prague to be elected as one of the most romantic cities in the world. With its canals, cobblestone alleyways, quaint medieval townhouses and windmills, Bruges will sweep you away into a fairy tale. For a romantic getaway, choose among these luxurious abodes. Hotel Pand A boutique […]

Amara-Mountain-Lodge-Burma

6 of Asia’s best secret gems

By on Jul 15, 2016 in Accommodation, Asia, Bed & Breakfasts, China, Hotels, India, Japan, Myanmar, Regions, Sri Lanka

Secret gems are little-known, slightly different boltholes, which provide a truly lovely off-the-radar experience for travellers. From quirky estates in Southern India to English country cottages in Burma, we’ve rounded up six of our favourite hideaways which will be sure to offer something a little special for your next holiday… Secrets are for sharing after […]

3 of the UK's remotest places to dine and drink

3 of the UK’s remotest places to dine and drink

By on May 30, 2016 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Got screen fatigue? Tired of being constantly connected? Fancy a digital detox? If you’ve answered ‘yes’, ‘yes’ and ‘oh yes’ to these questions, then perhaps it’s time to head ‘off grid’ for a bit? Here’s three out-of-the-way spots where you can taste the remoteness in the air (also known as ‘fresh air’ to city folk) and where your phone will […]

Short stay: Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, UK

Short stay: Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, UK

By on Apr 18, 2016 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, Europe, Featured, Hotels, Regions, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Situated between Harrogate and York, Goldsborough Hall is a historic, 400-year-old stately home and Grade II Listed building, and former residence (and first marital home) to one of the present Queen’s aunts: HRH Princess Mary (1897-1965). After an extensive restoration, it has established itself as one of Yorkshire’s finest wedding venues but has also enjoyed a growing trade […]

Perfect Winter road tripping through Western Montana's Glacier Country

Perfect Winter road tripping through Western Montana’s Glacier Country

By on Feb 12, 2016 in Accommodation, Attractions, Bars, Bed & Breakfasts, Food and Drink, Going Out, Montana, North America, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, USA

Montana really does winter right. Marvel over the expansive rugged terrain, crystalline lakes, majestic snow-covered mountains shimmering in the abundant sunshine, legendary Glacier National Park, and small-town charms ( such as real cowboys!) as you explore Western Montana’s Glacier Country. Winter play choices are seemingly endless with unparalleled downhill skiing (think 300+ inches of powdery […]

Discover Carmel-by-the-Sea’s hidden gems with a walkabout

Discover Carmel-by-the-Sea’s hidden gems with a walkabout

By on Oct 14, 2015 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, California, Food and Drink, Hotels, Leisure Travel, North America, Regions, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, USA

Living proof that “smaller is better”, Carmel-by-the-Sea consists of one square mile, fabulously jam-packed with 45 cozy to elegant inns, 60 scrumptious eateries, about 80 unique art galleries and even a doggie therapist! For geographically challenged tourists like myself, it’s a dream come true since once you make the scenic 120 mile drive down from […]

Rooms with a view: 6 of the best in Canada

Rooms with a view: 6 of the best in Canada

By on Sep 30, 2015 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, Canada, Hotels, North America, Regions

If, like me, you love water, you will always choose a hotel near a lake, river or the ocean. But that is only the beginning. Then you have to choose the right room. You need to get a room overlooking the water. Yes, it costs a few pounds more than looking over the city or, […]

5 of the most beautiful ryokan in Japan

5 of the most beautiful ryokan in Japan

By on Sep 16, 2015 in Accommodation, Asia, Bed & Breakfasts, Hotels, Japan, Regions

Ryokan, or Japanese-style inns, epitomise Japan’s traditional minimalist aesthetic. Japanese architecture and interior design is intimately connected with Zen principles, eschewing unnecessary features in favour of exquisite simplicity. Flashy is not a word in the Japanese vocabulary. Given this, it should not be surprising that the set of criteria by which a ryokan’s quality is […]

3 variations on Cape Cod's luxury B&Bs

3 variations on Cape Cod’s luxury B&Bs

By on May 07, 2015 in Accommodation, Bed & Breakfasts, Massachusetts, North America, Regions, USA

If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air Quaint little villages here and there You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod The singer Patti Page had not yet visited Massachusetts’s seaside haven when she made this ode to the Cape a hit in the 1950s. Today the island’s sand dunes remain […]

3 stunning boutique hotels for an Asian honeymoon

3 stunning boutique hotels for an Asian honeymoon

By on Feb 17, 2015 in Accommodation, Asia, Bed & Breakfasts, Bhutan, Honeymoons, Hotels, Japan, Leisure Travel, Resorts, Speciality Travel, Sri Lanka

Asia is a vast and beautiful continent, one which is veiled with hidden gems to entice the curious traveller. And for the adventurous honeymooning couple, Asia is full of romance and surprise. But to get the best out of your honeymoon, skip the executive suite in your favourite luxury hotel chain – and opt for […]

3 luxury retreats in South Africa's rugged North West

3 luxury retreats in South Africa’s rugged North West

By on Feb 12, 2015 in Accommodation, Africa, Bed & Breakfasts, Hotels, Regions, South Africa

Flanked by the Kalahari Desert and Magaliesberg mountain range, South Africa’s North West province is famous for its rugged hills and vast plains of untamed African bushveld. This malaria-free region is within easy reach of Johannesburg and makes a convenient escape from the city. And with its sophisticated collection of luxury accommodation, there is no […]

Interview with Tim Bewer, Founder and Director of Isan Explorer

Interview with Tim Bewer, Founder and Director of Isan Explorer

By on Feb 12, 2015 in Accommodation, Africa, Asia, Bed & Breakfasts, Celebrities, Central African Republic, Cruises & Boat Travel, Food and Drink, Interviews, Middle East, Rail Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, Syria, Thailand, Travel Miscellany

Originally from Wisconsin in the USA, Tim has lived full-time in Khon Kaen, Thailand since 2007. After a short stint as a legislative assistant, he gave up the 9-5 to become a travel writer-photographer and has since written or co-written over two dozen guidebooks for Lonely Planet and other publishers covering destinations as diverse as […]