Category: United Kingdom

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 […]

5 ways to celebrate whisky in Edinburgh

5 ways to celebrate whisky in Edinburgh

By on May 13, 2016 in Europe, Food and Drink, Regions, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

With Whisky Month well under way, people across Scotland – and the world – are rejoicing in a celebration of the ‘water of life.’ This makes it the perfect time for whisky novices to jump on the bandwagon and discover whisky’s charms. Edinburgh is full of places to enjoy a dram or two and experience […]

Short stay: Sedgebrook Hall, Chapel Brampton, Northamptonshire, UK

Short stay: Sedgebrook Hall, Chapel Brampton, Northamptonshire, UK

By on May 12, 2016 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Hotels, Regions, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Set in Northamptonshire countryside and just 5 miles from Northampton, Sedgebrook Hall is a Victorian country house, set in 13 acres of grounds, that has been extended into a conference hotel (and part of the Principal Hayley group), catering largely for conferences, events and weddings. The welcome We arrived quite late after a long journey […]

3 luxury boutique hotels for a casual chic weekend in London

3 luxury boutique hotels for a casual chic weekend in London

By on May 11, 2016 in Accommodation, Europe, Hotels, Regions, Spas & Pampering, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, Western Europe

London is one of the most exciting, diverse and eclectic cities in the world. As many people say, if you can’t find something that suits your particular preferences or tastes in the eclectic British capital, it probably doesn’t even exist! It might sound like a silly old proverb, but there is much truth in the […]

10 of the best places to stay in Europe this Spring

10 of the best places to stay in Europe this Spring

By on May 01, 2016 in Accommodation, Croatia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Featured, France, Greece, Hotels, Italy, Leisure Travel, Norway, Portugal, Regions, Resorts, Spain, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

Why wait until Summer to get away this year? The Spring can be the perfect time to get away – often that little bit quieter outside of the main season, but sometimes more enjoyable for exactly that reason. Go on… treat yourself with a stay at one of our top 10 places to stay in […]

5 luxurious places to stay in Edinburgh with historic links

5 luxurious places to stay in Edinburgh with historic links

By on Apr 21, 2016 in Accommodation, Europe, Hotels, Regions, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Edinburgh is a city packed full of history and heritage. With buildings dating back to the 12th century, Old Town charm and Georgian splendour, you do not have to walk far to spot an architectural gem. Edinburgh is also a city which takes its luxury seriously and there is a wide choice of superb accommodation. […]

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 […]

This Summer's top 3 countryside festivals in the UK

This Summer’s top 3 countryside festivals in the UK

By on Apr 14, 2016 in Attractions, Europe, Events, Featured, Going Out, Leisure Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

This summer, we’ll be looking for any excuse to escape the city and revel in the sun-kissed British countryside. With this year’s calendar brimming with festivals celebrating everything from food and music to history and literature, we’re just a bit spoilt for choice. Still, we’ve somehow managed to whittle the list down to our top […]

The 10 Best Bars in Edinburgh

The 10 Best Bars in Edinburgh

By on Mar 22, 2016 in Bars, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Whether it’s a cool café come wine bar, an underground speakeasy, or a luxury hotel with Prosecco on tap, Edinburgh is full of incredible places to enjoy a drink or two. With an offering to challenge cities such as London and Paris, you don’t need to go far to come across some of the best […]

Cacao craze: 5 of the best British bean-to-bar chocolate choices

Cacao craze: 5 of the best British bean-to-bar chocolate choices

By on Mar 15, 2016 in Europe, Food and Drink, Regions, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Coffee is no longer the trendiest bean in town. From chocolate ‘clubs’ to raw devotees, the homemade to the ethically produced, Britain it seems has become a nation of cacao purists with chocolatiers and makers getting seriously obsessed about the single-origin bean. So this Easter, join us in waving cheerio to Cadbury and bye-bye to […]

The secret gardens of Edinburgh

The secret gardens of Edinburgh

By on Mar 15, 2016 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Regions, United Kingdom, Western Europe

With its elegant Georgian streets and the ancient closes of the Old Town, many people are surprised to learn that Edinburgh is not just famous for its large spaces such as Princes Street Gardens or the Meadows, we are also a city of secret and private gardens. Dr Neil’s Garden Hidden behind the church in […]

Top 5 ultimate London sleepover experiences for children

Top 5 ultimate London sleepover experiences for children

By on Feb 29, 2016 in Attractions, Europe, Family Travel, Going Out, Regions, Speciality Travel, United Kingdom, Western Europe

The chance to take a trip to London is, for many children, a dream come true. By day, blustery rides on red open-top buses, the chance to see guards stood like tin soldiers outside Buckingham Palace and hearing Big Ben chime are all part of the mythical appeal of the city. But unknown to most, […]

4K photography - so easy that even a child can do it!

4K photography – so easy that even a child can do it!

By on Feb 18, 2016 in Attractions, Europe, Featured, Gadgets, Going Out, Photography, Travel Equipment, United Kingdom, Western Europe

If you’re a regular reader you’ll have seen me posting about 4K photography a few times over the last few months. If you’re new here, here’s a very quick summary – 4K photography is when you shoot in HD video, and the quality is such that you can pick out a single frame and yet […]

My latest challenge: running at least 10K every day throughout 2016

My latest challenge: running at least 10K every day throughout 2016

By on Feb 18, 2016 in A Luxury Travel Blog, Europe, Featured, Middle East, Regions, Travel Miscellany, Turkey, United Kingdom, Western Europe

I have never been a particularly good runner but it’s something I enjoy doing and I’ve run a handful of marathons over the years (nothing particularly fast so don’t be too impressed!). This year, though, is a little different. I have set myself a running challenge that will really test me: to run at least […]

4K photography with the National Trust

4K photography with the National Trust

By on Feb 18, 2016 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Photography, Regions, Travel Equipment, United Kingdom, Western Europe

At the weekend I visited our local National Trust property, Sizergh Castle, to seek out some 4K photography opportunities with my trusty Panasonic LUMIX GX8 camera. (If you want to win one of these cameras for yourself, incidentally – worth over £1,000 – make sure you head over to this post.) Sizergh Castle lies out the outskirts […]

What's it like to fly the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced drone?

What’s it like to fly the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced drone?

By on Feb 17, 2016 in Accessories, Attractions, Europe, Featured, Gadgets, Going Out, Photography, Regions, Travel Equipment, United Kingdom, Western Europe

A drone has to be one of the ultimate gadgets nowadays so you can imagine my delight when I got to trial the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced drone recently. DJI, if you haven’t heard of them already, are comfortably the market leaders when it comes to drones, controlling around 70% of the global market, and […]