Staycation tips and ideas

YOU’ll soon be able to enjoy a tipple in one of the capital’s grandest landmarks that was once home to Winston Churchill and is thought to have sparked the creation of 007.

Admiralty Arch will soon be home to a huge new bar called The Admiral’s Mess.

And what makes it even more exciting is that it will be an ‘immersive’ bar.

While few details have been revealed, the bar is from the team behind Mr Fogg’s and Bunga90, which are both known for their fun interiors and entertainment including arcade games.

The bar will open at The Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch hotel, which is set to launch in autumn of this year.

It will be the first hotel inside the Grade I-listed Arch.

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The Admiral’s Mess will span 223sqm and have a 60-seat capacity.

All that has been revealed about the bar so far is that guests will be able to “discover something distinctive and unexpected”, according to the Inception Group (the team behind the new bar).

If other Inception Group venues are anything to go by, visitors can expect a bar that is more than a place for drinks.

For example, Inception Group has Cahoots in Soho which is themed around the London Underground.

At Bunga90, another of the company’s destinations, guests travel back to the 1990s through a fridge, where they can play on old arcade games, sing karaoke and order cocktails in cups that are the heads of famous 90s stars including Britney.

Meanwhile, inside The Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch hotel, there will be restaurant Coreus by Michelin-star chef Clare Smyth.

And another Michelin-star chef, Daniel Boulud, will open Cafe Boulud.

Of course, there will be an expansive rooftop terrace as well, with views across the capital.

As for bars, there will be the signature hotel cocktail bar as well as Whisky & Seaweed by Clare Smyth.

As for the bedrooms, each will honour the heritage of the building with sleek interiors.

Guests will also be able to head to the Waldorf Astoria Spa with a sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy pool.

And it wouldn’t be a lavish London hotel without a ballroom, which guests will be able to reach via a Grade I-listed oval staircase.

The ballroom will feature a huge chandelier and enough room for 500 guests.

Admiralty Arch was commissioned by King Edward VII as a memorial to his mother, Queen Victoria and was completed back in 1912.

It has previously been used as offices and residences for the British Royal Navy and at one point, Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten had offices or lived within the building.

The building is also said to have inspired Ian Fleming’s James Bond stories.

The UK government left the offices in the building back in 2011 and since then it has been left empty.

Works for the hotel then started at the site back in 2014.

CHEAP all inclusives aren’t just for Brits lucky enough to afford foreign holidays – there are some great value breaks with free food and drink in the UK too, if you delve deep enough.

Pay one price upfront and all your food, drinks, snacks and entertainment is provided on tap, meaning you can leave your wallet and your worries in your room – the issue is, most people have no idea they even exist.

All across the UK, secret staycation packages have started popping up with food and drink offers included in your booking.

The Sun’s Travel team have found some fab deals to book now, including autumn half term holidays and frugal festive breaks:

All prices are per person per night.

Butlin’s, Bognor Regis, £28pp a night

Famous for its family-friendly facilities, Redcoat entertainment and huge indoor waterpark, Butlin’s is now offering even more value for money with their new all-inclusive food and drinks bundles.

Available in Bognor Regis and Skegness, savvy guests can choose from a variety of packages starting with the budget-friendly Food Court deal, which includes both a buffet-style breakfast and dinner served in a sit-down restaurant.

Expect full English breakfast, an omelette bar, plus cereals and pastries and tea, coffee and juices.

Dinner options include a nightly roast option and dishes like piri-piri chicken and lasagne, as well as a salad and dessert bars – and it’s eat-all-you-want.

These cost £25.95 per day for adults (age 15 up), £15.50 for 6-14 year olds and £7.50 for 2-5 year olds, under 2’s go free.

You can also upgrade to slightly fancier options like Off-Peak Premium Dining, a time-restricted package in The Deck, The Yacht Club and Coast restaurants.

These cost £33.95 per day for adults (age 15 up), £19.50 for 6-14 year olds and £9.50 for 2-5 year olds, under 2’s go free.

All offer buffet-style dining, but with additional grill, pasta and wok stations.

Or there’s the premium DineAround package that lets you pick whichever resort restaurant you’d like to dine in, instead of being given a designated place to eat.

This includes family favourite, The Firehouse Grill – which serves burgers, nachos and chicken platters.

The DineAround package costs £36.95 per day for adults (age 15 up), £22 for 6-14 year olds and £10.50 for 2-5 year olds, under 2’s go free.

As part of the Showtime Bundle, all-inclusive drinks can also be included on all-dining packages, with alcohol served from 11am (only sold on certain holiday dates). 

Enjoy Madri lager, Bacardi Rum and Gordon’s Gin at Bognor’s all-inclusive bars like the Beachcomber Inn and Hotshots, as well in restaurants and show venues like Centre Stage and Studio 36.

The food and drink bundles on Showtime Breaks start from £28 per person, per night for a family of four.

This includes mid-week festive breaks. Butlins.com

Parkdean Pendine Sands, Carmarthen, £26pp a night

One of the best things about an all-inclusive holiday is not having to cook, and Parkdean Resorts have just launched an add-on dining package in several of their parks.

At various locations, including Pendine Sands in South Wales, you can now go all-inclusive with your stay.

Packages start from from £80 per adult and £30 per child (under 12) per break (Monday to Friday only).

The deal includes breakfast, lunch and dinner in the on-site restaurant, a dedicated kids’ menu, and unlimited hot and cold drinks all day (although, sorry folks, booze is extra).

Unlike Butlin’s, the all-inclusive deal at Parkdean includes three meals a day and is usually a sit-down meal rather than a buffet.

You can expect dishes like Churrasco steak and fries, katsu curry, pizzas, salad bowls, as well as milkshakes, soft drinks and Costa coffees.

The downside is it’s only available Monday to Friday and the very few dishes – chicken and rib combo, for example – that are priced over £19.99 will add a £5 surcharge.

While booze is extra, you can get a pint of Carling for £5.95 or Madri for £6.55, while a glass of Pinot Grigio is £4.30.

However, as all holiday-parkers know, you can still bring your own drinks or buy some in the resort supermarket to drink on the deck of your caravan once the kids go to bed.

Warner Hotels, Norton Grange Coastal Village, Isle of Wight, £114.50pp a night (adults only)

With hotels, holiday villages and resorts dotted across the UK, Warner Hotels specialises in adults-only holidays.

Several properties in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight now offer all-inclusive deals that include alcohol, which is brilliant for couples and friends wanting a stress-free stay.

With Christmas coming up, you can also get the deal on Warner Hotels’ themed breaks, such as the Turkey and Tinsel weekend.

These can sometimes be cheaper than standard breaks like Weekend Live with Motown and Soul, where you pay more for specialist entertainment.

However, all breaks include some kind of evening entertainment, such as live tribute acts to Tina Turner, Celine Dion and George Michael.

All three-and-four night breaks include half-board accommodation, all entertainment, and a variety of alcoholic drinks from 6pm until midnight.

At Norton Grange, meals are served in the Market Kitchen restaurant, where you have buffet breakfasts with hot food bars and omelette stations.

For dinner, guests can enjoy three-courses with chef specials like rump steak and king prawns, as well as salad bars, carvery stations, wok show kitchens.

If you get peckish in the afternoon, you can also add a classic afternoon tea for £22.50 per person, served in the lounge.

Be aware that drinks are only included from 6pm to midnight, but include brands Carling lager, Doom Bar Cask Ale, Bell’s and Gordons.

But the rule is single measures only and only two drinks per guest, per round.

Get the deal: Warner Hotels, Lakeside Coastal Village, Hampshire, £259 per person for a two-night break. warnerhotels.co.uk

Potter’s Resorts, Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk, £209pp

Often voted the best holiday park in the UK, Potter’s offers a slightly elevated experience, which is refelected in the price.

Family-run Potter’s was the first UK’s all-inclusive holiday and is hugely popular with Brits.

Potters Resorts have two locations – Five Lakes in Essex and Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk, famous as the home of World Indoor Bowls Championships.

Both resorts offer three or four night breaks, including four meals a day, all soft and alcoholic drinks and a daily activity programme.

Five Lakes has a golf course – and both locations have a West End-style show each night.

While most breaks in both parks are adults only, there are some family-friendly dates offered at Hopton-on-Sea. 

With four meals on offer every day, there’s little chance of going hungry.

At Hopton-on-Sea, all meals are served in the elegant The Garden restaurant, with its domed ceiling, or the Gallery, which is a little more intimate.

In both resorts you can expect a full cooked breakfast buffet, a three-course lunch, with dishes like scampi and fries, chicken tikka masala, and salads and cold meats.

For dinner, you can order dishes such as deep fried filo prawns and steamed fillet of cod, as well as a nightly carvery.

Then, if you’re still hungry after all that, the chefs offer a late-night dish every night from sausage rolls to bowls of chilli.

All-inclusive drinks are available from 3pm on arrival day to 10.30am on departure day and you can expect brand-name spirits like Jameson’s whisky and Bacardi Rum, as well as draught and bottled beers, wines and plenty of no-alcohol options too.

Plus, when it’s too early for a tipple, try one of the barista-style coffees with your favourite syrup.

Get the deal: £629 per adult, £479 for 10-17 year olds, £379 for 3-9 year olds and £30 for under 3’s for a three-night break this October half term. pottersresorts.com

Z Hotel Gloucester Place, London, £55pp

Fancy an all-inclusive city break? Look no further.

Spread across a row of restored Georgian townhouses in the heart of Marylebone, Z Hotel Gloucester Place is within easy reach of Regent’s Park, Madame Tussauds and the Wallace Collection, while Oxford Street is a short bus ride away.

Standard rooms are smart and comfortable, however, it’s well worth upgrading your stay to the Z Club experience.

Few people know this, but if you book a Z Club Junior Suite, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, an all-day snack menu, afternoon cakes, a cheese buffet each evening, plus unlimited wine, fizz, cold beers and soft drinks.

Snacks like ham and cheese toasties, chicken and avocado sandwiches, a cheese board are available from the moment you check in at 3pm until late into the night.

Packets of crisps and nuts are also complimentary. There’s also a nice terrace garden to enjoy a sundowner or two, including a good selection of wines like Malbec, a pale pink rosé and two different white wines.

Cans of pop and cold bottled beers and ciders, including Punk IPA and Peroni are also on offer.

Get the deal: Rooms are priced from £110 per room, per night thezhotels.com

Ennerdale Country House Hotel, Cleator, £79pp a night (adults only)

After a hike around the hills and fells of the Lake District, this classic country house hotel near Ennerdale Water is a real treat.

Great Little Breaks offer two-night stays throughout the year at Ennerdale Country House Hotel, a Grade II listed house with five acres of landscaped gardens and Italian fountains.

It includes bed and breakfast, lunch and dinner on both days, unlimited tea and coffee, plus free-flowing house wine, draught beer and soft drinks between 6pm and 10pm each night.

Meals are served in the Fountain Room restaurant, which overlooks the hotel’s beautiful gardens.

Breakfast includes a full English and a simple buffet with pastries and cereals, lunch is soup and a sandwich, while a two-course dinner from the ever-changing table d’hote menu often includes dishes like fish and chips, and herb chicken.

However, if you fancy something like steak off the a la carte menu, you’ll be charged a supplement.

Get the deal: From £159 per person for a two-night stay based on two adults sharing. (Over 25s-only). greatlittlebreaks.com

Lavender Hotels Collection, £32.25pp

The Lavender Hotels Collection is a trio of properties across Lancashire, each offering value all-inclusive packages.

Higher Trapp is a country house with panoramic views across the Pendle Valley, the Old Mill has a similar vibe but with a leisure club and a pool, while Everglades in Widnes is a little more contemporary.

An overnight stay includes a £25pp dinner allowance, drinks including unlimited house wine, draught beers and branded spirits from 6pm until 11pm, plus a full English breakfast in the morning.

If you are visiting with kids, the £25 dinner voucher isn’t extended to them, but kids meals start from £8.

All inclusive drinks include SRS lager, Magner’s cider, house red and white wines, and some branded spirits like Gordon’s Gin and Bells whiskey.

Drinks are only served in the Resident’s Bar between 6pm and 11pm –one glass per person, single measures only.

Guests can book the AI Ultra package for another £12.50 and get upgraded draught beers like Stella Artois and Guinness, flavoured Whitley Neill gins and Fever Tree mixers, as well as more premium wines like Baco de Seta Prosecco and Berri Estates Merlot.

At Higher Trapp, dinner is served in Fitzy’s Restaurant, a cosy space with beautiful views over the Ribble Valley. The £25 meal allowance will get you a 8oz steak and chips, but note that sauces like béarnaise, or brandy and pepper will cost you an extra £4.

Other meals come in around £16 to £19 mark, which allows a little wiggle room for extras. At the Old Mill, you’ll dine in the Sir Robert Peel restaurant on the first floor, which has lovely high-beamed ceilings.

The meal voucher here includes a starter and a main, but some dishes like curried mussels and lamb shank do attract an additional charge.

Get the deal: From £129 per room, per night (currently offering 25% off all autumn breaks) lavenderhotels.co.uk

TWO picturesque UK train routes will close for a number of weeks as part of a £22million upgrade.

The first route to close will be the West Highland railway line, which is well-known for being used in the Harry Potter films, from November 9 to 17.

The picturesque train journey which links Glasgow to Oban and Mallaig and crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, will undergo a £13million upgrade.

Work will be carried out between Helensburgh, Fort William and Mallaig and includes repairing parts of the track.

There will be replacement buses during the closure period.

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “The West Highland Line is one that people really depend on, whether they’re travelling to work, visiting family or exploring some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery.

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“This work is about making sure the route continues to provide a dependable service for the communities and visitors who use it every day.”

And it isn’t the only route in Scotland that will close for an upgrade.

The scenic Kyle Line between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh will close for three weeks starting at the end of November.

No trains will run between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh from November 28 to December 18.

Work will be carried out on the Carron Viaduct, as well as Inverness Station.

The £9million project is expected to take a few weeks with four miles of track being renewed.

McQuade said: “The Kyle line is one of Scotland’s most scenic and important routes, connecting communities across the Highlands.

“This £9m investment will allow us to carry out a significant amount of work in a short period of time, helping us keep the railway safe, reliable and resilient for the future.”

MY childhood summer holidays began and ended with me squashed into a hatchback car with tents, campbeds and pool floats, as my family travelled to Europe for a week’s camping.

The only luxuries were a wine and cheese evening (for my parents), the morning croissant run to the bakery on site (my sister and I) and our mains-powered coolbox (my dad).

Oh, how the world of camping has changed since then.

This summer, a school-mum pal and I took our kids to one of the top-rated sites of camping specialist Eurocamp — and 5* Les Prairies de la Mer, on the French Riviera, just 15 minutes from St Tropez, could not have been more different from those breaks of my early years.

This huge beachfront site even has its own spa, that bakery on site, which also features seven kinds of fresh bread, a seriously glam pool and a supermarket stocking about 30 different types of rosé wine.

Oh, and some of those wines were just 4.50 euros a bottle — and perfectly drinkable.

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There are also further delights — a petting zoo, small fairground, two beachfront bars and restaurants, a hair salon and an inland bar that plays really decent live music every night.

If you can hack the heat, there are plenty of sporting activities, too, from sailing and archery to tennis and football.

I could lie and say I did all of the sports — but I didn’t.

In 35C heat in May, with three seven-year-old boys in tow, most days we pinballed between pool and beach, fairground and playground.

The huge, lagoon-shaped beachside pool, with its own palm tree, is a joy in itself — and only more so for its stylish bar, serving enormous pitchers of rosé for six euros, and French fries.

But it would be criminal to visit the French Riviera and not explore.

Les Prairies de la Mer is next to Port Grimaud, a car-free seaside town with waterfront Provencal-style houses that each have their own mooring for a boat.

You can see why the place is nicknamed the Venice of Provence.

We had a great time wandering the streets and visiting the Sunday market, which sells everything from local olives to honey and flowers.

The campsite also lays on a land train (€10 adults and €6 kids) to the medieval hillside village of Grimaud where you will find cobblestone streets, a 12th-century church and an even older ruined castle, all with great views over the surrounding countryside.

We also made it down to glamorous St Tropez, famed for its annual film festival.

The place is worth a visit just to ogle the huge yachts in the marina, wander the old town and eyeball the rich tourists who head to upscale shopping street Rue Francois Sibilli for high-end stores such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Hermes.

But my favourite day was when we rented a speedboat — through SamBoat, an app that bills itself as “the AirBnb of boats”.

It allows you to search locations, near where you are holidaying, for more than 50,000 chartered boats and yachts, that come with or without a captain.

We opted for a large speedboat that could take up to 12 people, as it could pick us up from the neighbouring marina — and it was super-easy to book.

The speedboat hire was 380 euros without a skipper, otherwise 630 euros.

We opted for the latter and, if there are 12 of you, this works out at just over 50 euros a head — not bad for a day on the water.

We bought cheese, wine, cakes and other goodies beforehand, at the marina supermarket, then toured the beautiful coastline before mooring in one of the many bays, where we swam, played on lilos and generally had the best time.

On the way home, we stopped off in the St Tropez marina to check out again the beautiful people and yachts.

This fabled French town is also the setting for the upcoming fourth series of TV hit The White Lotus, expected to air next year — and this corner of France is a serious magnet for celebrities.

Indeed, on our flight alone there were THREE famous faces.

Glamour girl Kelly Brook was in Business Class with actor husband Jeremy Parisi, while Pixie Geldof and sister Tiger Lily Hutchence-Geldof roughed it with us in Economy.

They were all (like us) taking advantage of British Airways’ newest route from London City Airport to Toulon-Hyeres in the South of France, which operates twice-weekly during the summer months.

The seaside city of Toulon is a taxi ride away from St Tropez and other A-lister holiday destinations such as Grimaud and Sainte Maxime.

Or if you don’t have deep pockets like the celebrities, there is a coach to St Tropez that leaves twice daily from the airport and costs 2.50 euros per person.

It also stops at a number of other holiday destinations en route.

It took us nearly all the way to our Eurocamp site, from where it was just a ten-euro cab ride.

So, plenty of spare cash for the lashings of rosé.

HOPPING from place to place in a motorhome may not sound a particularly relaxing way to spend a week, compared to lying on a sun lounger at a resort.

But there’s a sense of excitement with a road trip that no fly-and-flop holiday could ever match.

The sheer adventure, access to off-grid locations and freedom to move wherever the wind takes you are something money can’t buy.

That’s why I dragged my wife and two kids (aged six and three) away from the beach for our first ever campervan voyage, through the West Midlands, rural Shropshire and the North Welsh countryside.

And it beat all of our beach holidays, hands down.

We were in a Swift Trekker 584, a beast of a motorhome that’s nicer than my house, with sleeping space for four people, a roomy bathroom and mini kitchen complete with oven and hob.

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From day one my boy fully embraced #vanlife, becoming a key helper in the not-so-glam, but necessary, daily tasks as we moved between driving, eating and sleeping — hooking up the electricity and water, ensuring things were properly stowed away and always making sure the toilet hatch was closed.

We cheated a little by switching out motorhome staples like spag bol or soup for the occasional restaurant but, by the end, we’d fully mastered road-trip life.

Our first base was Llanberis, a stunning village at the foot of Snowdon offering brilliant hiking in the surrounding mountains and watersports at two lakes on its doorstep.

Ahead of arrival, we’d booked a pitch with Morris Leisure, a highly rated camping operator specialising in motorhomes and caravans, with parks across North Wales, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Its Llanberis Touring Park is ideally located, with direct footpaths to Snowdonia and a five-minute walk to the village centre.

Some pitches have electricity and wifi while others have fresh water, plus there’s a shower block and a laundry area.

And the best thing is, if you are motorhome novices like us, there’s an on-site shop crammed with anything you may have forgotten, plus caravan accessories and essentials.

After Wales, we made our way to the market town of Oswestry and Park Hall Farm (make sure to watch one of the hilarious pig races), then it was on to the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury.

Its high street is frequently named one of the best in the UK, so we had high hopes.

It didn’t disappoint. Rather than being overrun with vape shops, bookies and barbers, the main stretch was littered with Tudor architecture and chock-full of independent shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants, ­museums and galleries.

The place is buzzing and a pleasure to walk around.

Kids will love the Quarry Park for the splash zone, while budding young artists may prefer to get stuck into one of the workshops at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery.

Or you can ditch the road for the water and book a trip along the river Severn with Sabrina Boat.

Prefer to travel by train? The ­Severn Valley Railway is a delightful experience and offers day trips through the rolling countryside, as well as special themed events.

Those visiting during October half-term will be able to book ­Halloween-inspired journeys from Kidderminster station, with scare trains for little ones as well as those aged 18 and over.

Our only regret was missing out on a film at Old Market Hall cinema, an independent screen sitting in a beautiful building dating from 1596.

It’s not just the destinations themselves that make a motorhome trip so magical, though.

Journeying along the A4086 and the A5 offered gorgeous scenery and rolling hills that kept us entertained for hours.

When we eventually dropped off the van, our home for the week, it was with a very heavy heart.

No motorhome trip will ever be stress-free and it does require a level of planning and organisation beyond your average resort holiday.

But the freedom can’t be matched.

And the memories from our motorhome will long outlive those from a Spanish sun lounger.

THE UK’s best theme parks have been announced and coming out on top is a little-known seaside spot.

Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft, Suffolk has been named the best theme park in the UK for under one million visitors by the UK Theme Park Awards 2026.

More than 260,000 members of the public voted on the awards that included 36 theme parks.

Pleasurewood Hills is a 59-acre coastal theme park that originally opened back in 1983 and today has more than 35 rides and attractions.

The biggest ride at the park is Wipeout, which stretches nearly 40 metres into the air and has six inversions.

There are also other rides such as Cannonball Express, Marble Madness wild mouse coaster and the Jolly Rodger drop tower.

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The park introduced some new rides for this year, which include a Big Wheel, Starflyer and a spinning coaster.

If you don’t mind getting a little wet, head on the Water Fun Factory log flume as well.

Little kids aren’t left out either as there is a double-decker carousel, miniature railway and a classic theatre.

Tickets cost from £16 per person when bought online in advance and kids under 90cm go free – though it is worth noting that the park closes at the end of October for the season.

One person who visited the park this week, said in a review: “Park has had a massive regeneration, new rides and a general tidy up.

“Place has improved loads and the staff were all super cheerful and polite.”

Another visitor simply said: “Great value for the money.”

Freddy Stokes, Director at Pleasurewood Hills, said: “To have all the hard work that’s gone into Pleasurewood Hills over such a short period of time recognised by people from across our own industry is a massive achievement for the park and the whole team.

“We’ve always believed in what Pleasurewood Hills can be, but to receive an award like this in our first season really shows what can be achieved and, more importantly, where we can take the park from here.”

Paultons Park was named the country’s best theme park for more than one million visitors, on the other hand.

It is the second year in a row the much-loved family theme park has won the award.

And it also scooped up awards for the best new attraction, best large theme park for families, best theme park for toddlers, best Christmas event and best customer service.

Lawrence Mancey, Marketing & Technology Director at Paultons Park and winner of Theme Park Personality of the Year said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded 11 awards at the UK Theme Park Awards, and honoured to have been crowned Theme Park of the Year once again.

“These trophies are a reflection of the hard work of the whole Paultons Park team.

“We couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve achieved over the past year; from the teams who brought Drakon and Valgard to life, to everyone across the park who works so hard to give families and toddlers unforgettable days out in Peppa Pig World and across the park.”

THE UK’s most famous observatory will soon close for two years for a massive renovation project.

Royal Greenwich Observatory in London dates back 350 years and will close for two years on November 2 to undergo a £77million upgrade.

The project, dubbed ‘First Light’, “will bring the story of this historic site to life”, according to the Observatory, as well as “give everyone the chance to experience the wonders of space and time for themselves”.

The Observatory will be home to new galleries, refreshed displays, innovative architecture, as well as improved access for visitors.

As part of the project, there will be a new visitor centre which will be “the jewel in the crown of Greenwich’s UNESCO World Heritage Site”.

Inside the pavilion, there will be a gateway to the rest of the site, which will also have improved access overall, including full accessibility to the Great Equatorial Telescope for the first time.

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There will be new galleries too, in which visitors can explore observation and scientific work that took place at the Observatory.

And there will be new, interactive astronomer galleries, ideal for kids who want to become scientists themselves.

They will explore the fundamentals of astronomy: Light, Matter and Motion.

Many of the existing displays at the attraction will get a refresh including John Harrison’s timekeepers and instruments used for the Prime Meridian line itself.

Visitors can meet astronomers and scientists as well, in the ‘Astronomers’ Court’, with events including live science shows.

Outside the Observatory, Greenwich Park will get new landscaping as well as plants.

The First Light project already began in autumn last year and it is set to be complete by spring 2028

The Royal Observatory will close on November 2, 2026 but parts of the attraction such as the Meridian Courtyard, are expected to reopen in summer 2027.

THE FINAL tickets for one of the country’s biggest Christmas events will drop TODAY.

LaplandUK will release its final batch of tickets today at midday.

These will be the final tickets available for the 2026 events and there will also be tickets to the Golden Experience available.

Tickets will be available for both Lapland Ascot and Lapland Manchester – which has more availability of the two.

Fans can also nab tickets to The Golden Experience – a VIP experience with a personal guide, private check in, a meal in Pumpernickel’s secret pantry in the Eleven Village, priority seating and access, honorary elf hats, Golden Explorers pin badge, onsite currency, a signed Lapland storybook and a 2026 bauble.

Each experience will have its own online queue.

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Those who are signed up to LaplandUK’s newsletter will receive an email before midday with links to all the queues.

Then at midday, all people in the virtual queues will be randomly assigned a place in line for tickets.

Once you reach the front of that line, you will be able to make your booking.

LaplandUK states: “We recommend joining ahead of midday to give you the best chance of securing your preferred visit.”

The experience is often dubbed the ‘Glastonbury of Christmas’ due to tickets selling out fast each year.

And earlier this year when tickets were released in March, they sold out within a few hours.

This year will mark the second edition of LaplandUK Manchester at Capesthorne Hall.

At both experiences, guests can enjoy immersive sets and live performances.

Tickets include a four-and-a-half hour journey through the Enchanted Forest and into the Eleven World.

Children get to help the elves make toys and Mother Christmas to decorate gingerbread.

And of course, after all that, guests will get to meet Father Christmas himself.

Both UK experiences will be open from November 7 to December 24.

And ticket prices range from £60 to £155 per person, depending on the day you visit.

Golden Experience tickets range from £299 to £599 per person.

ONE of the most iconic buildings in the capital’s skyline is set to become a 400-room hotel.

The Grade-II BT Tower in London is being transformed into a hotel, with rooms in the tower itself.

Levels seven to 23 of the Tower will all have accommodation, with each floor featuring four curved rooms around the central structure.

As for the lower floors, a new building will be developed at the bottom of the Tower, with a rooftop pool on level six, outdoor seating areas and wildflower roof gardens.

The lower ground floor will then feature events spaces and restaurants, and the ground floor will have a wine bar as well as other Class E businesses which could include a gym, shops and cafes.

Hotel rooms will then start on the first floor as well as another events space with the same for levels two to six, with some outdoor terraces, too.

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At the top of the Tower (level 34) – which used to be home to a revolving restaurant and viewing platform – there will be a 360-degree visitor attraction including a ‘revolving floor’, with suggestions it could be a restaurant again.

There will then be another events space on level 35 with an outdoor terrace and level 36 will have two more events spaces and two lobbies.

Levels 31 to 33 will also have events spaces.

Levels 24 to 28 and 37 to 40 will all be used for storage and building maintenance.

Outside the base of the Tower, a new public square will be constructed too.

The park will feature curved timber benches, large pebble seating areas and bronze metal artwork.

Construction is expected to start in 2029 and the hotel is then due to open in 2033.

The BT Tower first opened in 1964 as the Post Office Tower and was the capital’s tallest building until the NatWest Tower opened in 1980.

The Tower then closed to the public in 1981 – though, there will be some private events.

The hotel was then purchased by MCR, an American hotel chain, in 2024 for £270million.

FINDING a brilliant UK hotel that is stylish, comfortable and in a top location for under £100 can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Luckily, we’ve scoured Tripadvisor‘s UK hotel data to find incredible Brit hotels that are top-rated and budget-friendly.

All of these UK hotels are winners of the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award, which puts them in the top 10 per cent of listings on the site based on real guests’ rankings and reviews.

Plus they all have a 4.5/5 rating or over, as well as an average nightly rate of below £100.

We found everything from forest hotels with roaming wild ponies to secret Scottish ‘gaming rooms’ with video-game cheat codes etched into the furniture.

From retro American-style motels to seaside escapes with cabaret entertainment, here are ten of Tripadvisor’s top-rated and affordable UK hotels.

Mollie’s Motel, Bristol

If you’re into all-American style diners and neon-lit motels, you’ll love a stay at Mollie’s.

Just off the M5 at Cribbs Causeway, this retro hotel is hard to miss, with its glowing red sign and zig-zag shaped exterior.

Inside you’ll find a classic diner, with shiny tiled floors, booth seating and a swanky bar, with plenty of stools to sit and sink back a bottled beer.

After chowing down on your burger, hot dog or steak (best washed down with a milkshake, of course) head upstairs to a modern room with scandi-style wooden decor, warm lights and crisp, white linen.

Each room comes with fancy rainfall showers, high-end Cowshed toiletries, fluffy towels, and Dyson hairdryers. You can even borrow some GHD straighteners from reception.

The hotel is rated 4.6/5 on Tripadvisor, with many praising how comfortable it is to stay in.

One reviewer even remarked: “If I could take the bed home with me, I’d be tempted!”

You can book a stay from £68 on Booking.com.

Hotel Indigo Dundee by IHG

This swanky Scottish hotel is set inside a former 19th-century mill, but has been decorated with a modern twist.

Industrial touches like brick walls and iron columns still remain, but inside you’ll find modern, quirky themed rooms.

The Dundee Cake room is decorated with marmalade in mind, while the Comic Room has decorations inspired by “Black Bob” – a comic about a Scottish Border Collie.

Perhaps the coolest part is the Gaming Room, where there are books about Dundee’s rich video game history.

There are even secret GTA codes are hidden within its walls, a nod to the fact that popular game Grand Theft Auto was invented in the city.

You can book a stay from £56 on Booking.com.

EasyHotel Oxford

If you want to explore Oxford without entirely draining your bank account, easyHotel Oxford is a wallet-friendly budget, no-frills pick.

You won’t find fancy hotel bars or luxurious extras here. Instead, it offers exactly what it says on the tin: a clean, practical, and easy place to crash after a day of sightseeing.

The hotel offers clean and comfortable double and twin rooms, but if you want the absolute cheapest rate possible, you can opt for a windowless room.

That way you can secure a room from as little as £26 a night during off-peak times.

When you’re ready to explore Oxford, there’s a bus stop right outside the hotel that will whisk you straight into the city centre and the university colleges in around 10 minutes.

You can currently book a room from £31.50 per night on the easyHotel website.

The Telegraph Hotel, Coventry

The Telegraph Hotel is the #1 ranked hotel in Coventry on Tripadvisor, with a score of 4.5/5 stars.

Once the home of the Coventry Evening Telegraph paper, this building now serves as a stylish hotel, with plenty of nods to its journalistic past.

Inside you’ll find a glamorous, marble-floored lobby with emerald green plush sofas and warm golden chandeliers.

You may spot typewriters, old newspapers, pigeonholes, photos of the original 1960’s newsroom dotted around inside.

Rooms are spacious and on-theme with black and white artwork and those same emerald-coloured chairs.

Rooms start from £65 per night on Trip.com.

The Melbreak Hotel, The Lake District

Named after the Lake District’s Melbreak fell which you can see from the property, this family-run hotel offers a friendly base right on the border of the rugged Western Lake District and Cumbrian coast.

Rooms come with big comfy beds, traditional wooden furnishings, and plenty of space to unpack after a long day of hiking.

They come with all the essentials like free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and en-suite bathrooms. Many of the executive rooms offer gorgeous, sweeping views over the surrounding countryside.

After spending the day exploring the nearby peaks, head to the hotel‘s conservatory restaurant for generous portions of hearty pub classics.

For a relaxed drink, the cosy lounge bar is the perfect spot to sink into a leather chair with a pint of local Cumbrian ale.

Plus stunning spots like Ennerdale Water, Bassenthwaite Lake, and the market town of Cockermouth are all less than a 20-minute drive away.

Rooms are available from £79 on Booking.com.

The Templestowe Hotel, Torquay

The Templestowe Hotel in Torquay delivers big on old school seaside town charm – plus it has a whopping 4.7/5 stars on Tripadvisor.

The excellent evening entertainment includes a massive ballroom and dance floor, plus a stage where you’ll find nightly acts such as cabaret, singers, dancers and comedians.

When it comes to food and drink, forget tiny tasting menus – this hotel is all about generous portions of classic British meals.

You can expect hearty multi-course dinners featuring roast meats, pies, and comforting puddings – plus a traditional cooked breakfast each morning to set you up for the day.

One Tripadvisor reviewer commented: “The entertainment was very good every night”, and that there is “a free bar from 19.00 – 23.00” where “there was never a long queue & you just had to return your empty glasses to get another drink & show your room card”.

Another said: “Great atmosphere. Entertainment was at a very high standard. Great content. A great hotel for the more mature people.”

You can book a stay from £93 per night on Booking.com.

Woodlands Lodge Hotel

This country house hotel is tucked into Hampshire’s New Forest, where you’ll find endless pretty woodland walks and might even bump into a few of the forest’s 5,000 free-roaming wild ponies.

Originally built as a royal hunting lodge in the 1750s, this woodland retreat makes for the ideal countryside escape to return to to take off your muddy boots and laze back by the log fire.

There are 17 bedrooms here, including options with grand four-poster beds and dog-friendly options.

For food and drink you can tuck into some tender lamb or a juicy steak, or sit down to a delicious, homemade afternoon tea with a view of the hotel gardens.

With an impressive 4.5/5 star rating on Tripadvisor, one guest commented “it was a pleasant surprise to find such an idyllic little country house tucked away within the cattle grids and Forest”.

Another said “Our room was lovely. A walk across the back lawn through a gate takes you into the forest where we experienced several horses galloping together, into the shade of the trees.”

You can book a room from £80 per night on Booking.com.

The Crown Hotel Boroughbridge

Once a historic 16th-century coaching inn, The Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge is full of historic charm.

This cosy Yorkshire hotel has low oak beams, roaring fires and comfy rooms with tartan furnishings.

But the best thing about this hotel is the on-site leisure club, where you’ll find a heated indoor pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna and gym to unwind in.

Once you’re suitably relaxed, head to the hotel’s traditional bar and restaurant where you can tuck into pub classics like fish and chips, washed down with a pint of local Black Sheep ale.

The hotel sits on the doorstep of the spectacular North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales. Plus you’re also just a 20-minute drive from Harrogate, the cathedral city of Ripon, and the family-friendly rides at Lightwater Valley.

Rooms start from £74 per night on Hotels.com.

Super 8 by Wyndham Chester East

If you’re looking for a cheap and convenient pitstop that feels significantly cooler than your average roadside hotel, the Super 8 by Wyndham is a top pick.

This is an American budget brand’s first foray into the UK, which arrived at the Chester motorway services in 2023.

But forget the dingy US motel stereotype – this place feels slick, modern and boasts fancy rooms that punch high above their price tag.

Rooms have sleek wooden finishes, mustard yellow details and cityscape artwork that reflects the brand’s American roots.

You also get brilliant tech upgrades that you wouldn’t typically expect from a motorway stay, including large smart TVs, ultra-fast free Wi-Fi, and plenty of USB ports.

The en-suite bathrooms are spotless and feature large walk-in power showers to wake you up before you hit the road again.

But this hotel isn’t just a pit-stop for road-trippers. It’s a 10-minute drive from shopping at Cheshire Oaks, plus Chester Zoo and Chester city are easily accessible from here for a day out.

Rooms are available from £38 per night on Expedia.

Cedar Court Huddersfield Hotel

This hotel in the village of Ainley Top in Huddersfield is in the prime position for exploring the Peaks (only 20 minutes’ drive), plus you can easily nip into Halifax to visit the Piece Hall or the interactive Eureka! children’s museum.

The hotel has a bright, modern and airy feel, thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows which let the sunlight pour through and look out to well-manicured gardens.

There are 113 rooms here, which have recently been refurbished with sapphire blue, brick and wood decor.

When you’ve spent the day stomping across the Peak District, you won’t want fussy fine dining. Thankfully, here you’ll find familiar favourites like pizzas, chicken and chips plus that all-important buffet breakfast.

And for when you need to unwind, there’s an underground health club complete with a fully equipped gym, sauna, and steam room.

You can book a stay from £45 on Hotels.com.

THERE’S a travel club you can join today for £1 that will unlock a whole load of secret UK holidays for cheap.

Once you’re a member, you can bag exclusive deals for trips all across the UK, starting from as little as £89 for a two-night break for two people!

There’s some seriously massive savings to be had here – we’ve even found a stunning rural retreat in Wales where you can save £217 off full-price.

To unlock the deals, simply sign up to become a Travelzoo member.

Usually, membership costs £30 for one year (which is already a bargain).

But Sun readers can bag a 30 day trial for just £1 by clicking here – giving you instant access to book in a bargain break.

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Not only will you unlock amazing holiday deals in the UK, Europe and beyond, but there’s plenty more benefits such as free airport lounge access whenever your flights get delayed if you’re travelling abroad.

Here’s our pick of the best UK deals we found on Travelzoo, where you can save up to hundreds of pounds on an incredible countryside staycay.

Mount Snowdon two-night adventure – £110 (£217 off)

Sitting between two lakes at the base of Mount Snowdon, the grand Royal Victoria Hotel in Eryri is a sight to behold.

The location “cannot be beaten” according to one Travelzoo member.

You can enjoy with lake views from the hotel restaurant and 13th century castle ruins within the hotel grounds themselves.

Whether you’re tackling the mountain on a hiking holiday or simply want to soak up the views of Snowdonia from the hotel with a warm drink in hand, this £55 per night deal is a bargain way to do so.

Claim your £1 Travelzoo trial & book a two-night stay with daily buffet breakfast included from £110

London superyacht stay – £200 (save £141)

The Sunborn London Yacht Hotel is a one-of-a-kind stay.

Sitting on London‘s Royal Victoria Dock, the 420-foot superyacht hotel offers prime views of the Thames, plus easy access via cable car to Greenwich or the Elizabeth Line into Central London.

Included in this deal you get an overnight stay in a riverview room for two, buffet breakfast, an Afternoon Tea experience (with a cocktail!) and bottomless hot drinks.

Not only that, but you’ll get a complimentary bottle of Prosecco on arrival and some delicious chocolates in your room.

Claim your £1 Travelzoo trial & book an overnight superyacht stay for two with Afternoon Tea, breakfast and bottomless hot drinks for £200

Northumberland National Park two-night break – £89

You can bag a two-night stay at the Riverdale Hall Hotel in Northumberland for an insanely cheap £89, which works out to £22.25pp per night.

The hotel sits at the edge of the Northumberland National Park in Bellingham, a pretty market town perched along the Pennine Way.

Nearby you can look out over Hadrian’s Wall at the National Landscape Discovery Centre.

Or even visit the forest where the movie 28 Years Later was filmed.

Claim your £1 Travelzoo trial & book a two-night Northumberland stay from £89

Woodland lodge three-night retreat – £299 (£109 off)

Fancy staying in a former royal hunting lodge once used by King Charles II?

The Speech House is a former royal lodge turned countryside hotel.

Built in 1669, the lodge still has many of its original features, including decor in the hotel restaurant that was originally a small courtroom.

The hotel is based beside the Wye Valley National Landscape. You can catch some spectacular views from Symonds Yat Rock, which is only 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel.

Claim your £1 Travelzoo trial & book a three-night stay with breakfast included from £299

Pembroke Castle two-night break – £159 (save £77)

Stay in the medieval walled town of Pembroke with this affordable two-night break at the friendly Coach House Hotel.

It even includes a bottle of Prosecco on arrival.

The town is home to the incredible Pembroke Castle, where King Henry VIII was born.

After enjoying a full Welsh breakfast each morning, you can set off to explore more local attractions like the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the seaside town of Tenby.

Claim your £1 Travelzoo trial & book a two-night Pembroke stay from £159

Lake District escape with dinner & Prosecco – £129

Book a staycation in the stunning Lakes with a cosy stay at the four-star Damson Dene Hotel with this deal.

The hotel is just 10 minutes’ drive from Lake Windermere, the largest lake in England, where you’ll also find The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction.

Your stay includes an overnight stay plus dinner for two, Prosecco on arrival, and even a pair of free tickets to the enchanting Lakeland Model Village.

Claim your £1 Travelzoo trial & book an overnight stay with dinner & Prosecco in the Lake District from £129

Prices correct at the time of publication.

THINK Travelodge stays are just for a quick pitstop? Think again.

Britain’s popular budget hotel chain actually has many hotels in some of the most spectacular corners of the UK, putting amazing adventures right at your doorstep.

From waking up at the foot of Ben Nevis to sleeping a stone’s throw from the oldest occupied castle in the world, we’ve hunted down 10 of the most breathtaking Travelodge stays across the country.

With rooms starting from just £25 a night, here are the epic mountain, island, and seaside getaways that prove you don’t need to fork out for a fantastic UK getaway.

Travelodge Fort William

Imagine waking up at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, without paying a penny of premium for the privilege.

This Travelodge is in the proper Highlands, with Glen Nevis on your doorstep and Loch Linnhe glimmering nearby.

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Plus the Glenfinnan Viaduct (yes, the Harry Potter one that the Hogwarts Express chugs over) is just up the road.

Did you know that Fort William is the Outdoor Capital of the UK?

This means you’re steps from world-class walking, climbing and mountain biking with a stay at this budget base.

Most hotels wouldn’t dream of charging this little for views like this, but that’s where the reliable Travelodge steps in.

Book a room at Travelodge Fort William from £27 per night.

Travelodge Burford Cotswolds

Burford is one of the UK’s most idyllic villages, with its honey-coloured stone cottages and pretty high street that tumbles down to the River Windrush.

You’d expect to pay boutique B&B prices for a base this pretty, but here you’re staying in the heart of the Cotswolds for less than a train ticket.

With rolling countryside, beautiful churches and chocolate box charm surrounding you on every side, it’s the kind of setting people would pay a fortune to photograph.

With a stay at this Travelodge, you simply walk out the front door straight into it.

Book a room at Travelodge Burford Cotswolds from £39 per night.

Travelodge Windsor Central

Staying here puts you three minutes’ walk from Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. You can even see it from some of the rooms.

Here you’re a genuine stone’s throw from royal history, plus Windsor & Eton Central station is right next door for an easy hop into London.

Staying this close to a royal residence for under £30 a night is most certainly a bargain.

In fact, even the ticket to the castle costs more than your hotel (£32 for adults when booked online). But if you want to keep it free, the town’s cobbled streets and riverside walks are all on your doorstep.

Book a room at Travelodge Windsor Central from £26.99 per night.

Travelodge Kendal

Kendal is your gateway into the Lake District, England‘s largest national park packed with dramatic landscapes. Here, fells, lakes and stone walls can be seen within minutes of checking in.

History lovers can wander over to Sizergh Castle or Kendal Castle, both a short walk away.

This is a national park that pulls in visitors from across the globe, yet you can base yourself here for less than the cost of a meal out.

It’s an unbeatable base for anyone wanting a slice of that classic Lakes scenery.

Book a room at Travelodge Kendal from £37 per night

Travelodge Porthmadog

This stay drops you right at the edge of Snowdonia National Park, with Mount Snowdon itself and the pretty village of Portmeirion both within easy reach.

Porthmadog is also home to a historic narrow-gauge steam railway, a proper slice of Welsh heritage.

Castles, coastline and mountains all sit within a short drive, making it one of the most scenically-stacked locations on this list.

Few budget stays put you this deep inside a national park. At £25 a night, it’s one of the best-value bases in Wales.

Book a room at Travelodge Porthmadog from £25 per night

Travelodge Stratford-upon-Avon

Sleeping in Shakespeare’s hometown is an amazing experience, whether you’re in a fancy hotel or budget – so you might as well save the money and go for the affordable option.

Stratford-upon-Avon’s thatched cottages, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the famous playwright’s birthplace are all within walking distance of this hotel.

Warwick Castle, one of England’s most spectacular medieval fortresses, is only a short drive away too.

And with stays from £29 a night, history buffs and theatre fans are getting some serious bang for their buck here.

Book a room at Travelodge Stratford-upon-Avon from £29 per night

Travelodge Blackpool South Shore

This hotel looks straight out over Blackpool’s famous seafront, with views of the Tower and all three piers from the promenade.

Soak up the British seaside holiday nostalgia with visits to the beach, arcades, fairground, and by tucking into a chippy tea for dinner.

From the action-packed tower to the rides at Pleasure Beach, you’ve got a ton of entertainment within walking distance.

Plus you get jaw-dropping views of Blackpool‘s famous skyline, which has been newly-transformed by Aviktas, the theme park’s massive new gyro swing ride.

Book a room at Travelodge Blackpool South Shore from £40.99 per night

Travelodge Ryde, Isle of Wight

With a stay at this seaside Travelodge, you’ve got a long sandy beach, Victorian pier and scenic seafront all within easy reach.

There’s even hovercraft and ferry terminals in Ryde to make it super easy to get there from Portsmouth or Southsea.

The Isle of Wight has a totally different pace to the mainland, with secret sandy coves and sleepy, postcard-perfect villages. And Ryde makes for the ideal budget-friendly base.

For £25 a night, an island staycation suddenly feels a lot more accessible.

Book a room at Travelodge Ryde from £25 per night

Travelodge Hayle, Cornwall

Hayle sits right on Cornwall’s dramatic north coast, with the golden sands of Hayle Towans and the wider St Ives Bay just minutes away.

This stretch of coastline looks less like your typical British beach and more like somewhere abroad, with its turquoise water and wild dunes.

St Ives itself, with its museums and galleries, pretty harbour and historic lighthouse, is only a short hop down the road.

Cornish staycations usually come with a hefty price tag, but this is a rare budget way in.

Book a room at Travelodge Hayle from £40 per night

Travelodge Llandudno

Llandudno combines Victorian seaside charm with a breathtaking mountain backdrop – and there’s an impressive historical site on your doorstep here, too.

Days here are best spent strolling the elegant pier, or riding the cable car up the Great Orme headland for spectacular views over Snowdonia’s peaks.

This hotel is only 13 minutes’ drive from Conwy Castle, one of the UK’s best-preserved medieval castles built in the 13th century.

It’s rare to stay somewhere with such impressive landscapes and historical sites sandwiched together, but its even more rare when you can stay there for as little as £35 a night!

Book a room at Travelodge Llandudno from £35 per night

BUTLIN’S has announced that eight new shows will launch at all three parks in 2027.

The new shows include Britain’s Got Talent and DreamWorks’ Madagascar musical.

Britain’s Got Talent will headline every school holiday break in 2027 with the talent show brought to life in Studio 36 across the Minehead, Bognor Regis and Skegness resorts.

Each show will be hosted by a mystery celebrity presenter and feature a line-up of faces seen on the TV show.

Guests can even show off their own talents as well.

Every break from February Half Term will then also featureDreamWorks’ Madagascar musical with Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo.

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The much-loved film will be transformed into a musical, following the friends as they escape New York to head to Madagascar.

On selected Showtime Midweek breaks, families with kids under the age of five can join children’s TV star Andy Day with Andy’s Dino- Rap.

Other shows include K-Pop Forever on every school holiday break and a new Animal Guyz show from February Half Term.

There will also be three new West End-style productions including A Billion Streams, which will feature some of the world’s biggest songs and Playtime Party with Billy and Bonnie Bear.

What makes it even better is that you could head to one of the resorts during February Half Term for just £54 – which is £13.50 per person or just £3.50 per person, per night.

Mike Godolphin, Entertainment Director at Butlin’s, said: “As the Home of Entertainment, live shows are at the heart of what we do, and our 2027 line-up is one of our most exciting yet.

“We’re taking things to another level by bringing Britain’s Got Talent to our resorts for the first time, with celebrity presenters and performers that families will recognise from the show.

“From Madagascar and K-pop to dinosaurs and some of the biggest songs in the world, we’ve created a line-up with something for every age.

“Best of all, it’s all part of the Butlin’s experience, so families can enjoy brilliant live entertainment throughout their break at no extra cost.”

YOU don’t need to go abroad to lock in a hassle-free, all-inclusive holiday.

A growing number of UK holiday parks and seaside resorts are introducing all inclusive options, packaging a place to stay, meals, drinks, and entertainment into one price.

And let’s be honest, holidays are a lot more enjoyable when you don’t have to ask, “Whose round is this?” or scan the menu for the cheapest option at dinner.

From five-star adults-only retreats with four meals a day, to action-packed family parks with unlimited Costa Coffee and amazing activities, here’s our pick of the top UK resorts where you can go all inclusive – from only £25pp a day.

Butlin’s

Family breaks to Butlin’s really do pack a lot in – West End-style entertainment, loads of activities, plus a free fairground and waterpark on-site to make use of.

In the last year, Butlin’s has added the option to go all inclusive to their stays too.

Butlin’s all inclusive bundles include accommodation, breakfast, dinner, drinks, as well as the usual access to the fairground, activities and shows.

It’s worth it for the drinks package alone, which includes alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and unlimited Costa Coffee.

The all inclusive offer is only available during Showtime Term-Time Midweek breaks, so they are ideal for families with little ones or older kids who are outside of school age.

Butlin’s offer all-inclusive breaks for £28pp per night, based on two adults and two children on a Showtime Term-time four night break.

However, you can also bolt on the all-inclusive drinks package and the all-inclusive food package to regular family breaks across school holidays.

Potters Resort

Fancy a truly all-inclusive holiday without having to leave the country?

Potters have five-star resorts in both the Norfolk and Essex countryside, directly on the east coast.

Accommodation at these resorts ranges from spacious bungalows to swanky hotel suites, all of which come with complimentary toiletries and towels.

Spend your days getting stuck into activities like archery, air rifles, pickleball and bingo and your evenings watching all-singing, all-dancing shows with talent who have appeared on the West End.

You can tuck into four meals a day here, as late night dishes are included, where you can help yourself to snacks like bacon rolls or a hot cooked dinner late into the evening.

As for drinks, you can enjoy all the branded spirits like Bacardi, Malibu and Jameson’s, plus fun cocktails, smoothies and milkshakes.

The resorts remain adults-only for most of the year, perfect for enjoying some peace and quiet away on a couples’ retreat.

However the Norfolk resort opens up to families during selected school holiday periods.

The five-star, all inclusive breaks start from £175pp per night for a four night break. Make sure to check your specific dates on their website.

Parkdean Cherry Tree

Tucked between the Norfolk Broads and the sandy shores of Gorleston Beach, Parkdean Resorts Cherry Tree is a pretty and quiet coastal park.

Go swimming whatever the weather thanks to both indoor and outdoor heated pools, and if you bring little ones with you, there’s a toddler splash zone, too.

As for activities, there’s pirate-themed crazy golf, an adventure playground, a multi-sports court, and a buzzing amusement arcade.

You can go all inclusive here from £25 per day, which includes three meals a day served in the park’s main restaurant, plus unlimited soft drinks and Costa Coffee.

You can go all inclusive at Parkdean resorts for four-night breaks with Monday arrivals during school term time – so if you’re visiting as a couple or a group of friends, it can be the ideal time to visit. Check the park’s website for specific dates.

Lower Hyde

You really get your money’s worth with a stay at Lower Hyde holiday park.

Just minutes from the pretty seaside town of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, this holiday park has plenty of free attractions nearby like Shanklin Beach and the beautiful Quarr Abbey.

And if you book your stay in a luxurious glamping safari tent, you’ll wake up to a view that feels more like being abroad than in the UK.

On-site you can battle it out on the sports courts, go for a swim in the heated outdoor pool, and settle down to Parkdean‘s signature entertainment.

But the best part is that a stay here essentially gives you access to two holiday parks for the price of one, as you also get free access to all the facilities at the neighbouring Landguard holiday park.

Nearby Landguard has a stunning woodland setting that is ideal for outdoors-y types, with plenty of walking trails plus an outdoor adventure playground for any little ones.

Going all inclusive here starts from £25 per day – check their website for a range of dates.

Carmarthen Bay

Overlooking the Gwendraeth Estuary in South Wales, Carmarthen Bay is a very picturesque holiday park.

Nearby you can explore the huge, 520-acre Pembrey Country Park, or head out on a wildlife safari at WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre.

Plus Carmarthenshire is home to one of the best-preserved Normal fortresses in Wales, Kidwelly Castle, which is just five minutes away. You might even recognise it from Monty Python.

The park itself has plenty to do, too. Here you can challenge the crew to crazy golf, plus toddlers can burn off energy in the soft-play arena.

End your evenings with a meal at The Boathouse Bar & Restaurant before catching live stage shows late into the night.

You can go all inclusive at Carmarthen Bay from £25 per day.

Whitley Bay

Perched on the cliffs with views of St Mary’s Lighthouse, Parkdean Whitley Bay trades chaotic holiday park energy for crisp coastal air and rugged North East landscapes.

Days here revolve around morning swims in the heated indoor pool, nature trail walks, and letting the kids loose on the outdoor play areas and sports court.

The beach and famous white dome of Spanish City sit just down the road, making it easy to enjoy an evening of coastal cocktails or fish and chips with sea views.

Make sure to be back in time for bingo at the Showbar, where there’s big cash prizes to be won.

Book an all inclusive break at Whitley Bay from £25 per day.

Newquay Holiday Park

Gone are the days of sitting around a packed swimming pool on holiday – Parkdean Newquay has three to pick from, plus a 200ft waterslide for good measure.

Set in Britain’s surf capital, this park provides perfect beach holiday energy.

You’ve got seven famous beaches on your doorstep, including Fistral Beach, as well as cool Cornish towns like Padstow and Rock nearby, too.

If you like an active holiday, you’ve got high-ropes courses, a climbing wall and kayaking available here.

There’s an entire Tots program if you’re bringing any along, which includes messy play and miniature bike sessions.

Equally, the park offers ‘Grown up getaways’ with 60’s tribute acts, adult-only swim sessions, karaoke parties and events like Country night and the chilled out Brunch Club.

Go all-inclusive at Parkdean Newquay from £25 per day.

I THINK it’s fair to say it seems like summer is on the way out and autumn is on the way in.

But there is no need to stress as one UK county ideal for staycations is home to an abundance of spots that are great even in the rain.

Having grown up in Devon, I know the county really well and yes, while there are a load of sandy beaches and picturesque coastal walks, there are also loads of towns and attractions that make the ideal day when the weather isn’t great.

So with autumn looming and the return of threatening dark skies, here are my top towns in Devon that are perfect for exploring in the rain:

Totnes

One spot you need to explore in Devon is Totnes – often dubbed the hippie capital of the UK.

Once upon a time it even used to have its own pound note.

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You won’t see any big branded chains here and that’s the best thing – instead the high street is full of independent boutiques with locally crafted gifts, antique and vintage shops, treasure trove charity shops and cosy coffee spots.

Yes – to get to each you’ll need to walk outside, but even in the wind and the rain the high street remains sheltered.

At the top of the town make sure to dive into Hairy Barista and grab a cuppa and something to eat – everything here is handmade and delicious.

If the rain isn’t giving up, then head to Totnes Museum to discover local history – it costs just £2.50 per person.

Or cosy up in Totnes Cinema, which is less commercial and more intimate than your local Vue with classic films, exposed brick walls and vintage seating.

If the weather isn’t too bad and you happen to be in the town on a Friday or Saturday, make sure to head to the market where you will find an abundance of antique gems and tasty food stalls.

Exeter

While technically not a town, the city of Exeter is a great spot for exploring in poor weather.

Right by Exeter Central Train Station, you can head to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) for free.

Inside, you’ll find extensive displays of exotic animals including birds and insects as well as artefacts dating back 2,000 years.

For more historical exploration, visit Exeter Cathedral.

This impressive Gothic Cathedral dates back to 1050 AD and has the longest uninterrupted stone-vaulted ceiling in the world.

Having visited several times, I can easily say it is one of the most impressive buildings I’ve seen – even compared to more famous churches in Europe.

Tickets to the Cathedral cost £12.50 per adult and is free for those under 18-years-old visiting with family (you can also get half price entry on Sundays throughout September).

If you prefer to shop, head off the high street to Princess Hay Shopping Centre, which is conveniently covered.

Here you’ll find brand names including Apple, Superdry, Oliver Bonas, Hollister and HMV.

If you want something a little more active, head just outside the city to Exeter Quay where you will find The Quay Climbing Centre for indoor climbing and bouldering.

Dartmouth

Despite being a coastal town, there is still loads to do in Dartmouth when the weather turns bad.

The best activity is heading on the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

The journey heads between Paignton and Kingswear, where you’ll then hop off onto a ferry across to Dartmouth and you can either go one way or go on a return trip.

You could even do the Round Robin experience which begins by hopping on a bus from Paignton to Totnes, where you’ll then get on a 90-minute cruise to Dartmouth, then grab the ferry to Kingswear, where you will then board the steam train back to Paignton.

Ticket prices vary depending on the experience you choose.

When in Kingswear, make sure to visit Greenway Mansion – Agatha Christie’s holiday home.

Managed by the National Trust, the Georgian House has 1950s interiors with first editions of Christie’s novels as well as objects that inspired some of her stories – tickets cost from £18 per adult and £9 per child.

And in Dartmouth itself, there are plenty of cosy cafes and shops to explore, as well as the town’s museum.

Bovey Tracey

Not too far from Dartmoor National Park, Bovey Tracey is a small yet pretty town.

It acts as the gateway to the House of Marbles – a unique attraction where you can explore glass-blowing studios, interactive marble runs and historic games.

There are even giant marble runs that head along the walls – including Snooki 2000, which is one of the largest marble runs in the UK.

Visitors can press different buttons to get marbles to travel along the runs.

The attraction also has a heap of antique games and toys, as well as vintage fairground attractions to try out like distorted mirrors.

What makes the attraction even better is that it is completely free to visit.

A NEW area of one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions is being opened to the public.

The Natural History Museum in London is officially the UK’s most popular attraction, with seven million tourists visiting each year and soon a new area in the museum will open.

Closed since World War II, the Nature and Us gallery will open to the public next month.

Opening on September 16, the gallery will be free to visit and will be home to 50 objects linked to humans’ relationship with the natural world.

The space has been closed to the public since 1943 and includes a miniature model of a Crystal Palace dinosaur and Jenny, a Victorian skeleton of a monk seal.

Visitors will also be able to touch a replica jaw of one of Britain’s earliest known domesticated dogs, which dates to around 14,300 years ago.

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All visitors can then have their say on their favourite stories from the gallery, which will then be moved into the permanent collection in 2029.

The gallery is located on the second floor of the museum.

It used to be a skeleton gallery and mammal gallery.

When the museum’s original herbarium was damaged during the Second World War, it was then turned into the botanicals new home.

Today, the original wooden herbarium cabinets remain.

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Museum, said: “Reopening this remarkable gallery is an exciting moment for the Museum.

“For the first time in over 80 years, visitors will be able to step into this beautiful historic space and explore our changing relationship with the natural world.

“It’s another important step in our NHM150 transformation as we create new spaces that inspire people to become advocates for the planet.”

The reopening of the gallery is part of the NHM150 campaign which includes opening a new or revitalised gallery each year until 2031.

IT’S half nine at night on the summer solstice.

The light is doing the golden hour thing it only does in June, and my four-year-old is scattering dragonflies as she launches herself into the cold water.

“Can we go in the ‘cold pool’ again?” she asks the next morning. Again. She has asked roughly 200 times this week.

The pool in question is the natural swim pond at Tanylan Farm, on the coast road between Ferryside and Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire.

We stayed in Ty Llo (Calf House), one of a handful of holiday barns on site — and the pool was the single best thing that has ever happened to my daughter.

Rain or shine, morning or night, she was in it.

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There was a sauna next to it for the grown-ups, a private hot tub outside our holiday cottage, and the beach was 400 yards down the lane.

My wife and I, our daughter and baby son had travelled by train to Swansea then picked up a hire car and made our way to Carmarthenshire — that bit of Wales everyone drives past on the way to Pembrokeshire. Their loss.

On day one, the sun was out so we visited Pembrey Country Park — 500 acres of woodland backing on to Cefn Sidan, an eight-mile stretch of sand that was the first beach in Wales to win a Blue Flag.

The sand is absurdly fine and the water so shallow that by mid- afternoon it had warmed up like a paddling pool.

For small children, it is close to perfect.

The park itself is the showstopper, though.

There’s a dry ski slope, a toboggan run, crazy golf, a pirate adventure playground and miles of flat, traffic-free cycling on rental bikes.

We arrived planning to stay two hours and left after seven.

Next day, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, just over half an hour’s drive from the farm, was one of the most relaxing family days out we’ve ever done.

Monty Python fame

Think Eden Project but at a size you can easily get round with a buggy and a pre-schooler.

The Great Glasshouse, packed with plants of six Mediterranean climates, sits in the landscape like a dropped raindrop.

We ate our picnic sandwiches in the “Canary Islands”, with the smell of cedar and lavender.

Outside is 568 acres of restored Regency parkland, lakes, waterfalls — and a Gruffalo trail themed on the kids’ book character.

Kidwelly Castle, of Monty Python movie fame, is a 20-minute drive away.

“Let’s climb to the top, Daddy,” my daughter begged. So we did — and the views over the Gwendraeth estuary are worth the effort.

From on high, I told my princess-obsessed daughter about a real one, Gwenllian, who rode out from this castle to lead an army into battle against the Normans.

I left out how it ended (head lopped off) and she was suitably impressed.

Our final stop was the British Bird of Prey Centre which recently moved to a purpose-built site at Idole, near Carmarthen, after years at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

It flies golden eagles, red kites, owls and peregrines, with three shows a day and an indoor arena for when the Welsh rain sets in.

We did get four days of rain but it barely affected our week’s getaway.

There was always a glasshouse, a castle, an indoor flying arena — or that cold pool.

We’ll be going back for more — she’s already asked.

SWIMMING through the pleasingly warm water, my bright-pink tow float streaming behind me and a family of ducks paddling in front of me, I glance up at the sky as two herons fly over in perfectly synchronised formation. This is my kind of wild swimming.

I’m taking a dip in the 11-acre lake at Watersedge, a wellness retreat in the countryside near Pershore, 25 minutes south-east of Worcester.

My swim session, £10.50, is really friendly and well-organised – with swimmers wearing ID wristbands, bright hats and tow floats, and three lifeguards on boards and canoes in the water with us as we swim one of the 750m, 300m and 150m loops.

Groups breaststroke and chat their way round, while others front-crawl impressively quickly, but there’s a sense of community among everyone.

Hut stuff

Later, I wander across to the Wild Spa, where there are three different temperatures of wood-fired sauna, plus two small hot tubs.

To cool down, there’s an ice cabin, cold-water bucket and, of course, the lake itself. One-hour sessions cost £18.

We’re staying in The Den, Watersedge’s largest lakeside lodge.

The light, airy space has three double bedrooms, two with French doors overlooking the water, two bathrooms, and an outside space with a hot tub, barbecue and fire pit.

Once the final swimmers have left for the evening, it’s a haven of calm, and is equipped with everything you need for a cosy night in – a large, squishy corner sofa, huge TV, a stack of board games and a wood-burner for cooler evenings.

The swish kitchen comes with a L’Or coffee machine, induction hob and cute banquette eating area.

But, as it’s a lovely evening, my partner Steve and I make the 20-minute walk into the village of Bishampton to Ounce at The Dolphin for its Thursday-night Chateau Club, which offers a 16oz fillet chateaubriand for just £20 a person.

Steve declares the perfectly cooked steak to be in the top three he’s ever eaten, and we wash it down with blackberry-rich malbec, £8.40 a glass (Ouncebar.co.uk).

What’s sup?

Come morning, there are plenty of farm shops close by, but we’ve booked a breakfast hamper, £50 for six people, full of refreshing juices, juicy sausages and bacon to save heading out.

After our fry-up, we try standup paddleboarding (SUP), £20 per person.

The lake is shallow around its edges, so getting back on the board if you fall off (which I do, with a huge splash!) is fairly straightforward.

Soon we’re paddling around like pros, though our arms definitely get a workout when the breeze picks up and we have to navigate our way back to the jetty.

Keen to stretch out our achy muscles, we join a packed Pilates class, £12.50, in the beautiful studio that juts out over the lake.

Instructor Alex puts us through our paces and we promise ourselves we’ll try the fun-looking bungee fitness class next time.

But for now, I’ve earned a treat – and that’s exactly what I get, thanks to wellness therapist Jen’s blissful 45-minute full-body, hot-stone massage, from £50.

Rested and restored, we gaze across the water one last time from our sunloungers on the lake’s small beach area.

Spotting one of the herons, we find ourselves wishing we too could make our home close to this special place.

RECREATING your favourite childhood holiday doesn’t mean you have to pay modern, inflated prices.

From £9.50 stays in Great Yarmouth to £15 per night Cotswolds holidays, the Sun Travel team’s favourite childhood escapes remain remarkably cheap today. Bargains span across Europe too, with £16 flight deals and £18 per night South of France stays.

Even famously-pricey trips like Disneyland Paris can be had for a fraction of the cost by opting for off-site hotels instead of forking out thousands on on-site stays.

Here are Sun Travel’s favourite childhood holidays where the prices have barely budged and exactly how to book them right now.

Disneyland Paris

Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill

The first time I ventured into magical Disneyland Paris, I was four years old and it was in the depths of winter, so covered in snow.

But it goes down as one of my favourite holidays, getting to go on the rides and meet my favourite characters (according to my parents anyway as I can’t remember most of it).

But let’s face it, Disneyland Paris isn’t the cheapest spot to go on holiday. However there are ways to keep the cost down.

The first is choosing accommodation wisely. Rather than staying at one of the hotels on the park which are incredible, but also quite pricey, stay outside and take the train in.

Marne-la-Vallée train station is right outside the gates to the park and just a few minutes on foot to the Disney Village, and off-site accommodation often operates shuttle buses to the theme park too.

When planning accommodation, keep in mind that a room with a kitchenette will seriously cut costs too – as you won’t have to fork out for pricey park food.

For instance, StayCity aparthotels have family studios for up to four people from €299 (£259) for two nights – the rooms come with their own kitchen and the hotel has an outdoor pool, plus it’s just a free 8-minute shuttle ride to Disneyland Paris.

This means you can stock up food for breakfast, packed lunch and dinner at the local supermarket.

Or if you want to stick around at the park in the evening, check out some of the lower cost options like Hakuna Matata where you can get an adult meal for €16 (£13.67) and a kids’ plate from €10 (£8.54).

When it comes to booking travel, Eurostar offers children between 4-11 30 per cent off the price of peak travel and a discount of up to 50 per cent on off-peak travel tickets when booking with an adult.

We found a two-night stay at the Grand Magic Hotel Marne La Vallée in a family room for £410 – from there it’s a six-minute drive to Disneyland (there are regular shuttle buses). Click here to book.

Over the same two-night period, a stay at the Disney Hotel New York The Art of Marvel works out to £2,287 or £285.88pppn.

Camping in the Ardeche

Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

As childhood games go, it wasn’t the most exciting. Flip Flop Harbour – as we sisters named it – consisted of attaching string to our flip flops then creating a very impressive stone harbour to sail our ‘boats’ in and out of.

Our ‘harbour’ was actually on the banks of the Ardeche River in the South of France and as children, this was our little piece of paradise.

The river itself sits at the heart of an astonishing landscape of dramatic limestone gorges, dense oak forests and ancient stone villages.

The river winds through the Ardeche Gorges – an 18 mile canyon of pale grey cliffs that lead to its most stunning point, the Pont d’Arc, a 54-metre-high natural stone arch that spans the turquoise river.

We stayed at Camping des Cigales at St Martin D’Ardeche. Facilities weren’t the priority, as long as we had a shower block to wash off the day’s adventures and a small shop to spend our pocket money on ice creams, we were happy.

Walking across the vast suspension bridge from the campsite into St Martin D’Ardeche, you could get right down to the water’s edge at the Grain de Sel beach.

It was the hours spent swimming in the clear, sparkling waters, white river rafting through the rushing waters and simply sunbathing at the water’s edge.

Things haven’t changed much to this day.

You can still enjoy camping at the same site, with just 26 pitches now for tents or campervans with the addition of modern glamping huts and lodges to enjoy as well.

And it doesn’t come at a huge cost. In peak season, a pitch for two adults for the night is just £18. Click here to book.

Great Yarmouth

Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski

If I concentrate hard enough, I can still hear the screams from the rickety rollercoaster and smell the toasted sugar wafting from the candy floss machine on Great Yarmouth’s pier.

My brother, step sister and I would tease ourselves by strolling past the sweet stalls daily, just to get a whiff, despite knowing full well that this was reserved as a last-day-of-holiday treat.

We’d try to savour it, but candy floss is hardly a snack that can be relished – a fizzle on the tongue and then it’s gone.

The memories of Yarmouth’s fun in the late 90s and early 2000s very much remain, though.

We’d have spent that morning on the seafront, putting all our might into building the biggest sand castle on the beach, plunging into the sea every thirty minutes or so with whatever float Mum had bought us from the promenade.

Back then, there were no pink flamingo inflatables, it was rubber rings only for us – although we did (successfully) campaign for the smiley-faced orca one year.

Another year, I saved up all my pocket money to splurge on a personalised hairbrush I’d seen at the market. The wooden frame had been embellished with sequins and a large glitter-shaped ‘S’ – it became the envy of my classmates on my return to school.

Rainy days were no bother. These were spent at the penny slot machines in the arcade, followed by vinegar-doused chips and a show at the pier – special mention to the 2003 Chuckle Brothers performance.

We would stay in a caravan each year, but I couldn’t tell you where. Back then I didn’t care, I was too focused on whether I’d win at the claw machine (I never did).

But if you want to book an affordable getaway to Yarmouth, you can stay at Parkdean Resorts’ Vauxhall Holiday Park with The Sun’s Hols from £9.50.

The holiday park recently received a multi-million pound makeover with a new sports bar, fairground golf, Bear Grylls-themed escape rooms, upgraded soft play and more. Click here to book.

Alcudia, Majorca

Travel Reporter, Jenna Stevens

You know that annual family holiday abroad – the spot you return to year after year – to that very same hotel that you love?

For me and my family, that was a trip to TUI’S Hotel BQ Delfin Azul in Alcudia.

I loved holidaying there as a kid. Getting up on stage and making friends at the kids mini disco, playing mermaids in the pool, singing ‘Choco Choco Chocolate’ to my heart’s content.

My sisters and I would get our hair braided, and I’d soon be begging my parents for a souvenir to remember our holiday. My eyes lit up for spotty flamenco dresses and castanets, or anything with ‘I love Majorca‘ or a dolphin plastered over it.

My granddad, on the other hand, loved loading up on desserts at the all-inclusive buffet, and relaxing on a lounger with a newspaper in peace and quiet until we came back. He still visits year after year, and very much looks forward to that buffet spread!

When it comes to Spanish resorts, Alcudia is a near-perfect pick for families of all ages.

Exploring the Old Town and Roman Ruins of Pollentia keeps parents and history buffs happy, whilst Hidropark Alcudia has waterslides and trampolines adored by kids. This hotel is only a 12-minute walk from the waterpark.

It’s also remained a super affordable part of Majorca to visit, with a meal from the menu del dia at restaurants along the Bellevue Strip costing only around €10 (£8.70).

In fact, you can stay seven nights at this exact hotel with TUI from £457pp, which includes your return flights. For a week away under £500pp, that’s an absolute bargain. Click here to book.

Cotswolds Caravan Holiday

Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

It was the summer of 1976 – the last great heatwave. The unique, baking hot conditions saw an invasion of ladybirds.

And in an idyllic little bit of the Cotswolds I can vividly remember clutching an old Quality Street sweet tin, filled to the brim with the bright red bugs we’d collected on our adventures.

As a family, we’d spend many weekends in our caravan at a working farm at Grafton, a tiny historic hamlet between Clanfield and Bampton in Oxfordshire.

The farmers, Mr and Mrs Wooliams, ran a Classified Location (CL) for caravans called Grafton Hive – essentially a field that would host no more than five caravans.

The facilities were minimal – somewhere to fill up our water carrier and empty our waste. But for us as youngsters from London’s suburbia, this was pure heaven.

We had the freedom to explore the farm, riding our bikes across fields and exploring tiny streams and ancient woodland.

Mum would rustle up eggs and bacon in the caravan in the morning. Lunch or dinner was chicken in a basket at the local pub.

While Grafton Hive no longer runs as a CL there is still an alternative very close at Friars Court Island.

Part of the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s CL offering, this unique little site sits on a three-acre island with the river Thames to the south and a backwater to the north.

Sitting right on the river front, the field allows up to five caravans and you can even launch dinghies and paddle boards from the riverbank as well as fish.

Prices start from just £15 per night for a caravan and all occupants. Click here to book.

Lake District – Lake Windermere

Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill

Staycations might be on the rise again, but when I was a kid it made up the majority of my summer holidays.

Trips to the often wet and wild Lake District in the summer holidays are ones I’ll always remember.

From feeding the birds at Lake Windemere to sitting at the bottom of a hill eating sandwiches in the car because it was too rainy to outside or on the other extreme, hiking up hills in the scorching sun.

If we were feeling flush, there was also a chance to get out onto the water at Lake Windermere on one of its boat cruises or water sports activities.

Or for those who are fans of Peter Rabbit, it’s close to the World of Beatrix Potter too.

One of the best ways to keep things cheap is a long walk to see the views from Orrest Head – make sure to take a picnic to keep everyone happy.

In my opinion, no trip to the Lake District is complete without a cosy cabin because let’s face it, the weather can be very up and down.

The Rowan Lodge in Cumbria is perfect for a family of four, it’s a great place to be amongst nature and it’s near both Ambleside and Windermere.

A four-night break in October starts from £383, working out to £24 per person per night. Click here to book.

Carcasonne

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Like many families growing up in the 90s, my rare holiday abroad was only ever to France every few years.

One that we still talk about to this day was our trip to Carcassonne, complete with all the troubles you’d expect of a multi-generational trip.

There was the car sickness from me and my sister (that my dad always forgot about before piling us into a 13-hour car journey), there was the lack of electrics in our villa after we arrived, and of course all of us being bitten to shreds by mosquitoes.

But despite all that, it was still one of those great holidays where we spent the days eating baguettes and exotic snacks from the local store, or playing volleyball in the pool followed by a game of cards.

While I can’t remember the exact villa we stayed at – I was barely a teenager after all – it remains a great affordable option for larger families wanting some R&R.

You can get private homes with a swimming pool for as little as £948 in September for an entire week – that works out to £33 each a night. Click here to book.

Or you can splash out and stay in some beautiful private houses on the grounds of medieval castles or glamorous apartments, if you’re happy dropping a few thousand.

(Just maybe skip the car journey if you have car-sick kids – while not an option in the 90s, Ryanair have gloriously cheap £16 flights to Carcassonne Airport from the UK).

FINDING a London hotel room that isn’t the size of a shoe box and is actually affordable can be a real challenge.

Luckily, I’ve done my research and have found an underrated hotel that hides a secret bargain.

This stay offers suite-sized rooms for a very reasonable £65 – which is less than what you’d pay for those broom cupboard-sized rooms in the city centre.

Not only that, but the hotel has great connections into Central London, plus has attractions like the Minecraft Experience and The Legend of the Titanic exhibition less than 10 minutes away.

Throw in unlimited free ferry rides across the river to Canary Wharf, and it might just be the best-kept budget hotel hack in the capital.

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Where is a&o London Docklands Riverside?

a&o London Docklands Riverside is in Rotherhithe, which sits directly opposite swanky London finance district Canary Wharf.

A stay here even comes with free ferry tickets to cross over the river and reach Canary Wharf in a matter of minutes.

You can take the ferry as many times as you’d like during your stay. Ferries come every 15-20 minutes, and run daily until around 11pm.

The easiest way to get to the hotel via public transport is by taking the underground to Canada Water, and then walking around 10 minutes to reach the hotel.

What is the hotel like?

This is a no faff, no-frills spot which makes for the perfect budget-friendly base on a trip to London.

The building is a restored 17th century wharf warehouse, bringing a touch of the area’s maritime history to your stay – but all of the amenities here are super modern.

Everything here is designed for efficiency – the check-in process is quick and easy, there are vending machines throughout with snacks, drinks and toiletries, and reception are on-hand 24 hours a day to help.

There’s an indoor bar and lounge area, plus an outdoor ‘Urban Beach’ bar with plenty of parasol-topped tables for soaking up the sun in the warmer weather.

What are the rooms like?

This London stay offers the ultimate room hack – entire suite-sized rooms from just £65 per night.

a&o London Docklands Riverside used to be a Hilton Doubletree hotel, however since a&o took over ownership, you can snag a large room for a shockingly low price.

This is because some rooms here which were once sold as King Junior Suites are now being sold for the price of a regular double room.

This means that you could bag an entire suite with a big double bed, lounge area with a sofa, desk to work from and even a balcony overlooking the Thames for just £65 per night.

That works out to only £32.50pp per night (almost unheard of for a Central London hotel).

Prices vary depending on the time of year you visit, so if you want to bag this price, make sure to look for off-peak season stays such as weekdays in the winter.

As this accommodation is owned by a&o hostels, there are actually dorm rooms on offer here, too.

If you’re a seasoned traveller that doesn’t mind sharing a room, you could bag a stay here from as little as £19 per night – perfect if you just want a place to crash after a concert or event.

What is there to eat and drink?

Breakfast here is served buffet-style with all the usual suspects – eggs, sausage, bacon, cereals – plus a pancake machine with Nutella and maple syrup.

It’s definitely worth heading out into the city to grab lunch and dinner, as London is full of amazing restaurants inspired by all sorts of cuisines.

Cross the river into Canary Wharf and you’ll soon spot Big Easy – a huge, American-style BBQ restaurant that sits on top of the underground station, with huge neon signage that reflects onto the water below.

Here you can feast on steak, ribs, fries, corn on the cob and more, all lathered in thick barbecue sauce. Messy, but so delicious.

What else is there to do there?

When you’re out in Canary Wharf, make sure to book in a session at Fairgame.

Head towards the giant yellow rubber duck on the waterfront and behind it you’ll find a playground for grown-ups.

Inside there’s street food-style stalls, a bar serving crazy cocktails and, most importantly, loads of fairground-style games like whack-a-mole and basketball hoop-shooting.

If you’ve got kids with you, or just fancy a wholesome day out, hop on the DLR to Mudchute Farm.

Here you’ll find a farm with a surreal feel, where you can see alpacas, goats, sheep, chickens and more grazing grasses backed by London skyscrapers.

There’s even a community garden on-site where you can get stuck in and lend a hand planting flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Is it family friendly?

a&o London Docklands Riverside is family-friendly, with private, family-sized rooms and even pram hire from reception.

The hotel also has dog-friendly rooms, with a fee of £13 per pet per day.

Is the hotel accessible?

The hotel is accessible with step-free access onto the property and elevators to reach the rooms.

Make sure to mention any specific needs you may have upon booking.

A HISTORIC ride at one of the UK’s top theme parks is set to reopen.

Blackpool‘s Pleasure Beach Resort has confirmed that its River Caves ride will reopen after a period of “reimagination”.

The classic water ride first opened in 1905 and is much-loved by families visiting the theme park.

Amanda Jean Thompson OBE, the managing director of Pleasure Beach Resort said: “Hopefully the River Caves will be reopening next year.

“One of the reasons why we had to close when we closed, is because we were hemorrhaging so much water from the ride.

“First of all we’ve got to find where all the leaks are.

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“That’s what we are working on right now.”

She then added details about how the ride will change, commenting: “What I can tell you is what will remain – the Egyptian scene will remain but it and the Angkor Wat scene, which is so integral to Aviktas will remain, but rethemed and redone.

“There will be new scenes of new travels and all different areas of where my grandparents travelled to and my parents travelled to.

“The River Caves are basically the story of where my grandparents travelled to in the close period of the park.

“I think the Blue Grotto may stay because I particularly like that area.”

She joked: “The rest will be new and remains top secret for now, because I keep changing my mind.”

“Will definitely be in the Far East for one section and Latin America for another section.”

“The boats are being done now, and one is currently being redesigned now – we are making them smaller and much more comfortable.”

It comes after visits photographed staff working on the ride the week including refitting wheels before the rides final drop.

River Caves closed back in early 2024 due to technical complications.

Since, little details have been shared about whether the ride would reopen and when.

She also confirmed there’s a new ice show in the making as well.

THE WORLD’S top cities for a night out have been revealed with one spot in the UK making the list – and no, it isn’t London, Birmingham or Manchester.

The UK is home to great nights out anywhere you go, but one seaside city in particular has it all.

According to Time Out, Brighton is the best city to go on a night out in the UK and one of the best spots in the world.

The publication commented: “Brighton’s legacy as the home of the UK’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene continues to thrive.

“Of all cities on this ranking, Brighton received the highest score for its sense of community, with 84 per cent of locals saying it’s easy to make connections in the seaside city.”

According to TripAdvisor, the best spot to head to in the city is Maggie Mae’s, which opened back in 2014 and claims to be “one of Brighton’s busiest and most loved venues”.

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For the number one LGBTQ+ nightclub on the South Coast, visit Revenge which has three floors, five VIP booths and even a magic mirror photobooth.

A raunchier option is Madam Lola’s – a cabaret and nightlife experience inside a Grade II-listed building with drag performances, dancing on tables and circus performances.

If you like to enjoy a pint but also want a bit of fun then The World’s End is the ideal spot.

The venue is home to a lively bar area as well as a 10-person remote controlled race track and a retro arcade.

If you want something unique, head to Alcotraz – a prison-cum-bar immersive experience – or for sticky floors and cheesy tunes, head to Pryzm nightclub.

Comedy clubs are more your thing? Brighton has options including Komedia, which hosts around 700 comedy performances each year.

While Brighton came eighth overall, the top spot went to Bangkok in Thailand.

The city has “everything you could ask for, from the pokey street-side bars to the mega clubs and the 360-degree rooftop bars to the wild LGBTQ+ party pads”, according to Time Out.

In second place – and the best city for nightlife in Europe – was Berlin in Germany, known for the hedonistic Berghain where cameras are banned but nudity is a go.

Time Out said: “Berlin’s nightlife is at a turning point. Rising rents and redevelopment have fuelled what critics call Clubsterben: the slow death of the city’s legendary clubs.

“But there is light at the end of the darkroom. Germany is aiming to reclassify its clubs as cultural institutions, making them harder for developers to displace; a new layer of protecting following UNESCO’s 2024 recognition of Berlin’s techno culture as intangible cultural heritage.”

Rounding out the top three was New York in America.