Guides

by Rosie Benson, travel writer Living so close to the continent and spoilt for choice with budget airlines, it’s easy to forget that we have our very own island getaways right here on our shores. There are more than 6,000 islands across British and Irish waters, and even more when including British Overseas Territories. We’ve put together a selection of some of the best. Jersey The largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey is a time-honoured favourite of holidaymakers - not...

There are few places that are as alluring in the cold wintery months as they are in the summer, but the scenic area of the Cotswolds is one. With the thoughts of roaring fires, hearty meals and brisk walks too much to resist, myself and BFF Laila took a trip to check out two of its many hotels, and here’s our verdict. The area A short journey from the nearest town of Lechlade (or slightly longer car/bus/taxi ride from Swindon),...

As part of a weekend in the Costwolds, my pal Laila and I spent a night at The Plough Inn, a charming pub, restaurant and B&B in the small village of Kelmscott (population: 198). Our expectation was high as en route from Swindon train station, our taxi driver told us that Kate Moss was recently in, bringing none other than Liv Tyler with her. But do they give every patron the VIP treatment? We find out... The area Kelmscott is...

The only problem with a more accessible world is that our bucket list just keeps getting longer and longer. As tempting as it would be to slot in a holiday for every week of next year, but wary of budget etc, here are just some of the highlights on next year's calendar. Booking fingers at the ready? January: Aurora Borealis - Lapland You've probably seen pictures - where green, blue and purple hues dance across a pitch black sky - but trust us...

Hilton's newest London offering is in SE1, an area regenerating thanks to the culture draw of the South Bank. Drawing on influences from its history and surroundings, the hotel contains 292 rooms plus a swimming pool, gym, corporate facilities, a ballroom holding up to 700 guests, a rustic bar and an impressive restaurant. We spent an overnighter to see how it stands up to the Hilton brand, and also to eat a day’s worth of calories for breakfast. The area While...

by Rosie Benson We all know how it goes: turkey is in the oven, potatoes are roasting, relatives are bickering and soon enough war is declared over the TV remote. Or perhaps your Christmas day is nothing like that (mine). We all have our own various weird and wonderful ways of celebrating at this time of year. The problem is they never seem to change. Our Christmas days tick along regular as clockwork from start to finish. So with that...

With Christmas approaching,  holidaymakers can look forward to a wintery wonderland across Europe and beyond. Better still, some of the best holiday deals can be found during the winter period so there's plenty left to spend on Christmas shopping. We've put together some of our fave places for Europe's famous Christmas markets - all easily accessible from London of course - plus their lastminute.com prices. Prague from £110pp This traditional and beautiful Christmas market on Prague's Old Town Square is set...

by Theresa Oesterreich of couporando.co.uk Packing for an African safari holiday is a time when travelling light isn’t an option - it’s a necessity. It’s about cramming a holdall or backpack weighing less than 30lb into a small aircraft’s luggage space while travelling from lodge to lodge. Try these ten tips to help get all those necessities into that one small bag. 1. Leave the suitcase in the cupboard Rigid wheeled suitcases don’t work well being dragged along dusty paths or up wooden...

With Londoners spending a third of their lives travelling underground (well that's what it feels like), holidays by rail is a welcome break from the norm. More than being booted off a plane that's in the vicinity of an airport, rail journeys give a sense of a destination - and in many cases their snapshot is pretty immense. Here, Railbookers have put together some of Europe's most scenic routes - because travel is about the journey as much as the...