stayed

CATCHING fish has never been top of my holiday to-do list.

But from the moment my six-year-old son Alex spotted a boat offering fishing trips in the Cretan harbour of Panormos, he pleaded to go on one.

And when he offered to pay with his pocket money, I knew he was serious.

With three-hour excursions starting at 50 euros a head, I buckled under the pressure and am so glad I did.

Panormos is a village in the Rethymno area of the Greek island, 45 minutes from Heraklion Airport in the north and where Eva’s Fishing is based.

The owner, unsurprisingly called Eva, spent years fishing for a living before welcoming tourists.

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After taking us through stunning caves, with crystal-clear water, she put bait on to our poles and insisted: “You will find it the most relaxing thing you ever do.”

She wasn’t wrong. And now, pardon the pun, I am hooked. We caught fish after fish and it was relaxing, but also exciting and fun.

Back on land, Eva has an agreement with a lovely restaurant, Agkyra, to grill her customers’ catch and they served ours with roasted vegetables and lemon butter.

Although Alex had seen her gut and descale the fish, my husband Chris and I watched in amazement as he tucked in enthusiastically — even picking his way through the bones and asking for more.

I opted for tzatziki and a Greek salad.

With wine, complimentary orange cake and a shot of raki, it cost less than 25 euros for all three of us.

The boat fun was the highlight of our holiday —  but not the first exciting trip.

On our flight from Manchester, with Tui, Alex got to visit the cockpit — then the fancy ceiling lights of our airport taxi made us feel like we were in a limo.

Our hotel, The Royal Senses Resort & Spa, which is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, was also pretty fancy — and not least its reception, with floor-to-ceiling gleaming glass doors and the smartest- looking staff you have ever seen.

By the way, those staff were also the kindest of teams, ensuring each guest felt like a VIP.

Like Yorgos, who ushered us into a golf buggy to whisk us to our room — and let Alex help with the driving.

Along the way, Yorgos pointed out the kids’ club, as well as the main pool, a waterslides zone, adult pool, gym, spa, bar and four restaurants.

There are 178 rooms, ranging from doubles to villas, and spread out up a hill so that each has a sea view.

A cable car-style glass lift travels up and down the hill, lest you have to work too hard.

We were upgraded to a room with, joy of joy, a private plunge pool.

Our room had a kingsize bed plus sofa-bed for Alex, plenty of storage, a coffee machine, free bottled water, fluffy white towels and locally made toiletries crafted from olive oil and mandarin.

But we didn’t get to relax in our room for long.

At 5am, Alex was up, trunks on, goggles ready and raring to go. And breakfast only added to his giddiness.

Although he tucked into fresh pineapple and watermelon, I struggled to divert him from the temptaion of fresh cookies, pancakes, cakes and waffles.

I loved the Cretan breakfast with rusks, fresh tomato, olive oil and feta cheese while Chris struggled to resist the free- flowing fizz.

The hotel isn’t bang on the beach but its sister, The Royal Blue, is and guests share facilities.

There is a free shuttle bus but we walked.

It took five minutes and there’s a supermarket en route.

Although the city of Rethymno, with an old Venetian harbour, is just 30 minutes and 25 euros away in a taxi, we loved the relaxed vibe in Panormos.

It is six minutes from the hotel by taxi, £7 each way.

Or the green and yellow Magic Train travels by road to and from the village several times a day. It’s £2.60 for kids over five and £4.35 for adults.

It felt like an easy funfair ride and Alex loved it.

Panormos has a sandy beach, church, bakery, supermarket, taxi office and a few tourist shops.

We bought olive oil from a man whose family have farmed locally for hundreds of years.

There are several restaurants, too.

Our No1 was the Locus Deli, on a cobbled pedestrian street where local musicians played Greek music and Alex ran around, danced and played with the local cats.

It served Greek food with a modern twist.

We had chicken with pistachios and a fava-bean dip with fresh basil oil.

Even the child pasta was made with chopped local tomatoes.

With drinks, our bill came to less than £50.

The hotel also offered great dining options.

The evening buffet had amazing variety, plus homemade pizzas that could have come from Italy.

Other treats included a restaurant with Michelin-starred chef — which welcomed kids and offered adult mains from £30 — as well as wine-tasting evenings.

Musicians played of an evening, and the hotel even invited loom weavers to demonstrate their art — we crammed a new bath mat into our suitcase, which was already bulging with pottery after a Tui trip to Margarites.

The mountain town stands on rich clay, and pottery has been made there since 3000BC, during the Minoan period.

But my best trip was to the hotel spa. It’s the largest on Crete, with therapeutic thalassotherapy seawater pool.

I celebrated my birthday on holiday so also had some pocket money.

And during an hour-long massage for £58, chiropractor Costos rid me of longstanding shoulder knots.

We spent our last night at Geropotamos Beach’s Old River taverna, 1km from the hotel.

As Alex played on the beach and the sun set, we had some very drinkable local wine and reminisced.

We agreed few places could beat Crete, for its warm hospitality, fab food, glorious beauty — and modes of transport.

PART of The Signet collection of boutique hotels, The Barnsdale fully embraces its rural surroundings for the ultimate laid-back stay.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Where is The Barnsdale?

The elegant countryside retreat just a stone’s throw from one of the UKs most famous reservoirs, Rutland water. 

It’s around an hour’s drive from Nottingham and Leicester.

What’s The Barnsdale like?

The Barnsdale has all the charm of a dainty cottage in the Cotswolds, but with the hospitality benefits of a 4* hotel.

A former hunting lodge constructed in 1760 that – despite the installation of modern amenities – still has an old world feel to it in the form of grand paintings and varnished wooden furnishings.

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Because of its rural location, this hotel is certainly one to visit during the summer months when you can take advantage of the green grounds.

What are the rooms like?

Each of the 46 rooms is decorated in a typically English style with pastel-toned walls, frilly cushions and patterned armchairs. 

The Classic is the smallest and cheapest of the bunch and worth it for the lower price. 

The only difference in rooms, bar the decorative tweaks, tends to be size and the view (the Royal Room has one of the best).

What is there to eat and drink?

The hotel’s 1760 Brasserie serves classic British favourites including seared scallops doused in butter and a mouthwatering 32-day dry-aged ribeye served with chips.

I opted for the Atlantic cod which was seasoned well and served with an unctuous vermouth sauce.

Anyone with a sweet tooth will love the sticky toffee pud – this one’s a real crowd pleaser.

What else is there to do?

People come for the outdoor Signet Spa where wood-fired hot tubs, a heated pool and a glass-walled sauna overlook fields of grazing Highland cows.

It’s a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, sipping on sparkling wine and admiring the creatures munching away on the grass.

The only downside to the spa being entirely outdoors is the unpredictability of the British weather.

Fret not, though – every spa guest is given a DryRobe and flipflops to plod around in.

When the drizzle hit, we persevered in our tub.

Big thanks to the staff member who swiftly came to the rescue with a couple of umbrellas.

Massages can often be overpriced, but not here. My therapist truly listened to my needs and pressure preferences, ensuring I enjoyed every one of those 60 blissful minutes.

How much is The Barnsdale?

Classic rooms cost from £85 per night with brekkie.

Is The Barnsdale family-friendly?

Extremely. Family rooms come with separate bedrooms with bunk beds and a main room with a double bed.

There’s plenty within the hotel to keep kids busy and entertained.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

The main dining areas are wheelchair accessible, but there are no specific accessible bedrooms.

TRYING to find an affordable, but clean and safe hotel can be tricky when exploring London.

So here’s everything you need to know about The Drey, one of the newest on the block.

Where is The Drey Hotel?

Tucked down a quiet side road of London, The Drey Hotel is a short walk from Earls Court.

What is the hotel like?

The recently opened The Drey takes over one of the beautiful South Kensington townhouses, with 125 rooms throughout the townhouse.

It’s no frills but classy – think tablet check ins and complimentary umbrellas.

There are no key cards either, with buttons via your phone to unlock the main entrance and your room.

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What are the rooms like?

My room – The Roost – overlooked the garden square with huge floor to ceiling windows making it a beautiful wake up from my super king bed.

The rooms have all the essentials, that I mean a coffee machine and water bottles, as well as towels and Gabar toiletries.

The dressing gowns and irons have been missed out, but you can pay £20 for a workout ‘bundle’ which has yoga mats, skipping ropes and weights inside.

But the fun part is owning the door, bizarrely. It’s keyless, so you check in and then click a button on your phone to open the room when you’re near, without having to scan anything. Very techy.

(You can request physical keys from reception if you prefer).

There are loads of other rooms to choose from, including a number of windowless rooms for “people who take sleep seriously” or rooms sleeping up to six people.

Rooms start from £100, but there is an extra 35 per cent off until the end of March.

What is there to eat and drink there?

There is a Starbucks coffee machine and healthy snack vending machine in the lobby but for dinner you have options.

But there’s no restaurant here so you’ll have to go out.

The hotel has teamed up with a number of food and drink spots to offer discounts.

Get 20 per cent off breakfast or brunch at The King’s Head, Earls Court, as well as discounts at places such as cafe Elixis and restaurant Afandena.

What else?

The pared back hotel has little else going on inside but you can pay extra for some of the nearby amenities.

This includes 20 per cent off wellness studio Common Bond and The Gym Way Kensington.

Other local partners include florist Petal Vibes (15 per cent off) and winery London Cru (£8 off tickets).

Otherwise it is two stops on the underground to the ‘museum hub’ South Kensington which is nicknamed the museum hub with the V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum all nearby and free to visit.

Luggage storage costs £10.

Is it family friendly?

Yes, there are Family Rooms that sleep up to six people thanks to some strategically placed bunk beds.

Is it accessible?

Yes, there are accessible rooms with step-free layouts and wider doorways, as well as lift access.

CORNWALL isn’t short of cracking coastal escapes, but the newly-renovated Pedn Olva is a step above the rest, not just because of its rooms but its excellent pub grub, too,

Here’s everything you need to know.

Where is Pedn Olva?

Its name translates to Lookout on the Headland in old Cornish – a rather accurate description of its perch, a craggy cliff several metres above the choppy St Ives sea in Cornwall.

Guests can park for free in a nearby car park above the hotel – they will need to collect a slip to display in their car window from the hotel reception. 

What’s it like?

Inspired by the windswept patch of coast it sits on, Pedn Olva in Cornwall has buckets of coastal character.

It’s first and foremost a cosy St Austell Brewery pub, but the 27 boutique rooms mean you can hunker down for the night. 

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Each of them looks as if they have been carved into the rockface, all with views of the ocean and the flickering lights of the town centre a short distance across the water.

What are the rooms like?

Extremely well thought out.

A property can look sleek and stylish but if the basics haven’t been mastered then everything else becomes redundant – that’s certainly not the case here. 

There’s every tea imaginable from camomile to berry and decaf, while USB ports have been conveniently placed next to the bed and hooks on the walls make efficient use of the cosy space.

Next time I’ll be bringing my dog who can stay in selected rooms for an extra £15 per night.

What is there to eat and drink?

The restaurant is a popular dining spot in its own right.

Classic by-the-sea dishes star on the menu such as golden ale and chilli pickled cockles and grilled buttery scallops, served in their shells.

I jazzed up my classic fish and chips by swapping out the chunky fries for Pedn Olva’s famous crabby fries, which come with hunks of white crab meat and a thermidor sauce.

Wash it down with a local ale and make sure to try the chocolate and stout cheesecake – subtly bitter and indulgently creamy.

What else is there to do?

Superb, friendly service is what takes this place a notch above the rest.

All rooms come with a large and sturdy tote bag that guests can take with them for the day, while an in-room mini telescope meant that I could take advantage of our seafront position and gaze up at the stars.

You won’t be short of ideas for days out with the family and the dog in this patch of Cornwall

How much is Pedn Olva?

Rooms cost from £200 per night on a B&B basis. 

Is Pedn Olva family-friendly?

Most of the rooms sleep just two, but there is a family room that sleeps four.

The hotel’s great locations makes it ideal for a family break and there’s a fair distance between the restaurant area and rooms meaning you’re unlikely to get disturbed at night.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

Due to Pedn Olva’s cliffside perch, mobility issues are likely to struggle.

The car park is only reachable via a set of stairs and the higgledy piggledy nature of the building means guests may find it challenging getting into and out of some rooms.

Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.

NEWLY reopened in the UK last year, The Hide Hotel is one for the families who love the great outdoors.

Here is everything you need to know

Where is The Hide Hotel?

Right up in the hills on the edge of Chatsworth Estate in Chesterfield lies this The Hide Hotel.

You’ll most likely need a car to get there although there is a bus stop outside that connects to Chatsworth and Bakewell.

What is the hotel like?

The thick stone-walled hotel is complete with dog and boot washing facilities, a roaring log fire in its restaurant and a tasty local pint for walkers to reward themselves with after a ramble in the Peaks.

The views across the moorland are breathtaking, and while the building is 200 years old, it was given a complete refurb last year, so all the furnishings look shiny and new.

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What are the rooms like?

All neutral tones with cosy throws strewn over the beds, rooms at The Hide Hotel are comfortable and inviting.

You can choose from double, triple, quad, or like us a bunk room, where a family of four could happily stay in the king size beds and very cute cabins.

Rooms cost from £79 per night including breakfast. See here.

What is there to eat and drink at the hotel?

There’s a great restaurant focusing on big plates of ribs, brisket, burgers and more.

They also offer a terrific range of stone baked pizzas and the cooked breakfasts are worth waking up for.

For something more refined, The Beeley Inn, also owned by the Chatsworth Estate, is well worth a visit.

Here we enjoyed whipped goats cheese with balsamic beetroot, and local lamb saddle with hispi cabbage.

What else is there to do there?

There’s a footpath out of the back door that leads directly to Chatsworth House (albeit via a 9km walk), where guests can book multi-entry tickets for their stay.

The Hide is also right at the entrance to The Peak District National Park which has amazing rambles for all abilities.

You’ll find a handy walking guide in every bedroom, and the staff are super knowledgeable and inspired us to climb the nearby snow topped Mam Tor, an unforgettable experience.

Is the hotel family friendly?

Yes, there are four-person rooms with bunk beds and king beds, so perfect for families, although kids re an extra £15 a night.

They also have everything else from high chairs to cots, and a play area in the restaurant with toys and games.

The hotel team are also on hand to recommend family-friendly activities.

is it accessible?

The hotel has accessible rooms, with wide entry bathrooms as well.

It has a microwave and a radiator

At garage has been put on Airbnb, complete with bed, bathroom and microwave cooker, and r eviewer Zac Jones said he loved it after booking in for a stay.

A video, which has amassed more than 86k likes on social media, showed the property behind an electric security shutter which rose to reveal the entrance door. Inside it was radiator-heated with a double bed, couch, TV, ensuite toilet and shower.

It even had a fridge. Before his stay, Zac said he really didn’t know what to expect. But once inside, he said he was very pleasantly surprised.

He said: “Someone has put a lot of effort in. It’s got snacks, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Shout out to the owner of this place. This has been one of my most interesting check-ins in a while.”

The garage in Bradford, West Yorkshire is available for £30. Viewers were impressed. One person said: “For the price, it actually looks good.” Another viewer added: “30 quid! I’ve stayed in worse for 100.”

And a third commenter said: “This is totally fantastic idea. If all the planning and building controls have been met. The Government should pay attention to ideas like this. Can you just imagine the very quick fix for many of homeless people.”

For the past 36 years, architects, engineers and all sorts of artists have descended on the tiny Swedish town on the outskirts of Kiruna to construct the latest iteration of the ice hotel

It’s not the cold that gets you first. It’s the quiet.

For some of the guests to the ICEHOTEL in the Arctic town of Jukkasjärvi, it isn’t the -10C bedroom temperature that causes them to abandon their £600 ice bed in the middle of the night and make for the hard wooden slats of the mercifully heated changing rooms, but the oppressive, complete silence that comes with being in a room constructed entirely snow packed onto ice foundations.

“If you didn’t know you had tinnitus before, you certainly will once you spend a night in here,” explained guide Glen as he gestured into our icy room for the night.

Poking out from around the doorway was another unnerving element: an adult-sized ice baby.

For the past 36 years, architects, engineers and all sorts of artists have descended on the tiny Swedish town on the outskirts of Kiruna to construct the latest iteration of the ice hotel. The building process begins when massive blocks of ice are harvested from the Torne River. Each block weighs up to two tonnes and is stored cold during the summer, ready for the winter and the construction of the ICEHOTEL in October. They are not there to build uniform, utilitarian ice rooms, however. Instead, they construct something between the fictional ice palace in James Bond’s Die Another Day and a fairground house of fun.

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My wife and I were to sleep in one of 12 art suites, ours titled ‘There is no one here’ and created by Turkish artists Ayla Turan and Kemal Tufan. Five round-faced, jellybaby-like figures were in there with us, one standing guard at the door, another popping its head over the bedstead. A third seemed stuck in the wall, as if splinched by a Harry Potter apparition gone wrong.

Before bedding down for the night, guests have a chance to visit the other 11 art suites—that is, before they are shuttered up in April and left to quietly melt into the river beyond. A particularly striking creation is ‘Arctic Archive’, the work of Kristina Möckel and Sebastian Scheller. Each wall is made of rows of shelves filled with hundreds of snow books.

Carl and Malena Wellander’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ lets guests sleep alongside some of the toughest creatures on the planet: tardigrades. These unusual little “moss piglets” can survive in any habitat on Earth, in space and, it seems, the ICEHOTEL.

What’s less certain is whether Robin Lind and Charlie Hammarlund’s Crystal Souls are evil or benevolent figures. The two blurry, Dr Who-like characters are trapped behind an ice block, seemingly desperate to get through.

There are several ice hotels in the world, but the ICEHOTEL is the first and biggest. Its life began in 1989 when Yngve Bergqvist, who had built an art gallery from ice and snow in his garden, opened its frozen door to Swedish soldiers who needed a place to stay. He woke in the morning in a panic. The temperature had plummeted deep into the -20Cs overnight, and Yngve was convinced he’d killed the troops. He rushed out to the gallery to find them happily making breakfast, having survived the night in their thick Arctic sleeping bags.

Since then, the ICEHOTEL has let thousands of guests do the same. In truth, when tucked up inside a winter duvet-thick sleeping bag, atop reindeer furs, the only real difficulty I had was keeping my snorkel-like nose warm as it peeked out of the bedding folds.

There are several reasons why the hotel is where it is: the proximity of the river and the climate, of course, but also Kiruna, where the vast iron ore mine has delivered untold wealth, an international airport and engineering expertise. Yngve himself spent five years down the mines before turning his skills to hospitality.

It is truly a marvel, both creatively and technically. Using 1,000 tonnes of ice and 30,000 tonnes of snow-ice mixture, the structure is built using steel moulds, snow cannons and huge, perfectly clear blocks.

On the other side of the courtyard from the art suites is the year-round 365 Hotel, which uses cooling techniques to keep the ice from melting even in the height of Arctic summer, which, in fairness, did once reach 24C.

The less transient nature of this part of the hotel has given its creators licence to go bigger. Guests first walk into the bar, where a spiral staircase (made of ice) leads up to an elevated seating area (also made of ice), where you can enjoy a cocktail in a glass (also, ice). Once used, these are tossed into the river from whence they came.

Having donned an extra pair of socks after a foot-numbing tour, I shared a drink with a couple from Leicester who’d spent three days husky sledging, ice fishing and reindeer spotting on a blowout 50th birthday anniversary trip. And blowout it was.

The one hesitation I have about this undeniably magical place is the price point. The cost for an ice room for the night is 4000 SEK (£320) for two, with breakfast included. In itself, not a bad price at all. But once the flight to Kiruna via Stockholm, or the 16-hour night train, is factored in, along with the frankly eye-watering £150pp cost of a fairly average dinner at the ICEHOTEL restaurant, there might not be much left over for excursions. And there has to be given the £400 cost of a private sauna ritual and £800 private transfer to the airport via husky sledge.

But really, no one was in the mood for griping about a few krona or öre once ensconced in this ice palace. I suspected it’d be a magnificent place before I arrived, but I wat I didn’t realise is that it’d be so funny. From my creepy ice baby guard and lounging otter statue to the ice slide that directs tipsy guests back to their room, the ICEHOTEL is packed with witty and unexpected surprises.

Book it

The cost of staying at ICEHOTEL varies depending on the type of room, time of year, and package selected. To sleep in a room made of ice and snow costs from 4000 SEK per night (2 people, B&B). Go to www.icehotel.com

I stayed in a chocolate themed hotel suite that was full of delicious treats – but what surprised me the most wasn’t the edible chocolate in the bathroom.

Hidden away, just an hour from the UK, is a hotel suite completely draped in chocolate. This is accommodation that money simply cannot buy, but no, you don’t need a golden ticket – you merely have to be the world’s kindest person.

Tony’s Chocolonely has teamed up with the Social Hub in Amsterdam to offer a select few people an overnight stay in this extraordinary, chocolate-themed room. And I was fortunate enough to become the first guest to experience it.

From the cupboards and shelves brimming with chocolate, the overwhelming chocolate aroma, and the inspirational messages scattered throughout, this suite was a remarkable space I won’t forget in a hurry.

However, it wasn’t just the edible chocolate in the bathroom that surprised me the most: it was the deeper meaning behind the competition.

What to expect

I stepped into the room through enormous red curtains to find a personal bartender, who prepared a beverage of my choosing. I opted for the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, which was incredibly tasty and decadent. The bartender was welcoming, considerate and engaging.

I was then given free rein to discover the suite’s three spaces: the principal red one, a concealed blue room, and an upstairs monochrome room.

Each space conveyed its own theme and function: the red for community and connection, the blue for self-reflection, and the black and white for gratitude and recognition.

In the red room, I discovered a self-contained kitchen featuring a functioning hob, coffee maker, sink, microwave, a create-your-own ice-cream sundae station, a well-stocked fridge containing various beverages, and (crucially) cabinets brimming with chocolate.

Every visitor receives a shelf packed with chocolate which they can take away, to share with the loveliest people in their lives (or someone less lovely, should they wish). Messages about kindness and connection were dotted throughout. There was even a chocolate Jenga available with questions printed on the wrappers.

The blue room features a fortune slot machine, which requires finding tokens scattered around the suite to operate. Within it, you can collect chocolates and discover self-reflective questions. I invited my brother along, who was posed the question: “What’s one belief you have changed your mind about?”

He answered: “That I’m not good enough.” This wasn’t something I anticipated him revealing or knew he’d struggled with, because to me, my older brother is nothing short of perfect.

Finally, we entered the black-and-white room, where visitors can leave a message of kindness for the team or the following guest. Charlie Ayres, head of brand at The Social Hub, commented: “We wanted every part of the room to spark togetherness and encourage kindness, using chocolate to create opportunities to share, interact and above all, be sweet to one another.

“This is a one-off, limited experience designed to celebrate some of the world’s sweetest people, while also telling a more important story. Through our partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely, we hope to spark conversation around exploitation in the chocolate industry, showing how experiences can be both joyful and meaningful.”

My night in the chocolate ‘red room’

The red room, along with the black and white room, was our accommodation for the evening, and the space is, quite frankly, enchanting.

Upon entering, I was met with a delightful chocolate aroma that wasn’t overly sweet but rather nutty and creamy. Everything appears extraordinary, and just when you think you’ve discovered all the chocolate, you open a new cupboard or area, and there’s even more.

The bed felt like sinking into a cloud, complete with a soft mattress and a thick duvet. Personally, I would have preferred the room to be a tad warmer, as it was a large area with only air conditioning and no heating.

However, there were ample blankets available, which kept me snug and warm. One minor issue was the television, which we couldn’t seem to get working, but this encouraged my brother and me to continue conversing.

I awoke feeling incredibly refreshed. We indulged ourselves with a scrumptious sundae before receiving a heartwarming and delightful wake-up call that encouraged us to share the kindness we’d experienced with the wider world.

Reflecting on his time there following the visit, my brother remarked: “Sweetness and warmth even down to the scent wafting throughout the rooms. It had a spacious bathroom, a comfortable bed and an abundance of chocolate as a treat at hand, anywhere you looked. Thought and caring touches sprinkled throughout promoting mindfulness and a reminder that peace doesn’t happen in a vacuum.”

The chocolate-themed room will remain available for the next three days. Enthusiasts in Amsterdam can also visit the space on March 29 from 1 pm.

The message

When the world requires a touch of kindness, this partnership seeks to inspire people to engage with family, friends, and even complete strangers, and to appreciate the significance of making decisions that benefit those in their community.

Trix van der Vleuten, chief marketing officer at The Social Hub, explained: “The world feels increasingly divided. We’re more digitally connected than ever, yet loneliness is rising. We wanted to come together with Tony’s to showcase that sweetness, simple, human kindness, matters more than ever, and that people can enjoy our products while positively impacting society.”

Through this launch, Tony’s Chocolonely aims to spotlight its commitment to aiding approximately 40,000 cocoa farmers in achieving a sustainable income. The firm’s head of global brand and communications, Sadira E. Furlow, stated that the brand’s goal is to eradicate exploitation within the cocoa industry by demonstrating that chocolate can be produced more ethically.

The Social Hub has locations in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and more. Discover more about how you can stay at the Social Hub here.

IF you fancy a stay in the Cotswolds, then there are few places as quaint as the Woodstock.

Here is everything you need to know about staying at The Feathers hotel.

Where is The Feathers hotel?

The stunning boutique hotel situated in the heart of the Oxfordshire village with more than a hint of Cotswolds charm.

Woodstock is also near Blenheim Palace, although its nearest train station is Hanborough Station which is around an hour to London.

What is the hotel like?

The hotel says it has both “modern comfort and historic charm” with a cozy lounge area by the bar.

Last year it underwent a huge six month refurbishment which saw an upgraded bar and terrace area.

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What are the rooms like?

The 18 rooms and five suites combine original features with extravagant modern touches to make for a luxurious stay.

Our dog-friendly Cotswold Room had exposed wooden beams complemented by sleek interior design, including air con and a massive TV.

The bed was enormous and beyond comfortable, while the marble-effect bathroom had a belter of a shower.

There was also a doggy welcome pack, which included treats, toys and a plush sleeping pad.

It was the most wonderful stay in an idyllic village setting. Relaxing, even with our nutter of a cockapoo.

Rooms start at £250 including breakfast. Dogs charged at £30 per stay. See feathers.co.uk.

What is there to eat and drink there?

If the sun’s out, head to the hotel’s cute courtyard at The Aviary and get that Aperol spritz ordered.

For dinner, move inside to The Nest for fine dining with a flourish. Every item was off the scale but the star of the show was the lamb main.

For the lamb dish alone I would walk from my home in South West London.

Make sure to return for lunch as they serve a beautiful afternoon tea.

What else is there to do?

Woodstock is perfect for a genteel traipse, and a visit to nearby Blenheim Palace is a no-brainer.

The signs boast this is “Britain’s Greatest Palace” – and the beauty of the undulating grounds coupled with the striking palace itself definitely put it in there with a good shout.

Is it family friendly?

Two of the suites have sofa beds at an additional cost, for families staying with kids.

Cots can also be rented for £10 a night.

Is the hotel accessible?

The hotel has an accessible room on the ground floor.

I visited a unique British city which has plenty of character, a liberal vibe and a thriving art scene, but it’s often overshadowed by its posher neighbour

Britain boasts numerous cities waiting to be explored, and it’s remarkable how distinctive each one is, moulded by its heritage, residents, and surrounding terrain. I recently returned to a British city I’ve visited before, and whilst much has evolved in this vibrant metropolis over the years, it frequently gets overlooked because of its more celebrated neighbour.

I’ve been travelling to Bristol for several decades now, and the city conjures up warm memories of the Lakota nightclub from the late 1990s – the night spot is still open.

This urban centre has always possessed a rebellious “soul” with an independent spirit – and in recent years, the Green Party have effectively assumed complete control of Bristol City Council. During my visit to the city, I was struck by how spotless it was in the shopping area – and also how welcoming locals were.

As with everywhere else I’ve travelled to recently, there appears to be substantial construction underway in Bristol as the need for new housing continues to surge, but the city also boasts some striking, well-maintained period buildings.

I observed that many of the historic structures in Bristol were constructed from the same stone as those in the neighbouring city of Bath – and Bristol is frequently overshadowed when compared to the more conventionally picturesque city of Bath.

Nevertheless, Bristol possesses its own distinctive appeal and a progressive atmosphere, the city has a multicultural population alongside a flourishing arts culture, as well as some excellent retail and culinary destinations.

Bristol’s historic structures, constructed from a honey-hued limestone (referred to as Bath stone), contrast strikingly with the contemporary cityscape, whilst numerous modern buildings in Bristol have been decorated in vibrant colours, enhancing its distinctive charm.

A trip to Bristol can often prove more budget-friendly than Bath, and the city boasts excellent transport connections including a train service to London taking merely one hour and 30 minutes.

During my visit to Bristol I was accommodated at the Clayton Hotel on Broad Street, this four-star establishment occupies what was formerly a historic printworks location – with the structure dating back to approximately 1900.

The hotel’s striking Art Nouveau facade was created by William James Neatby, who served as the principal designer at Royal Doulton throughout the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

Broad Street itself proved fascinating, as upon exiting the hotel and glancing right, positioned just at the street’s end stood an ancient church, St Johns, which I’ve since learnt originates from medieval times and sits within the original city walls.

Visitors can pass through an archway of St Johns church (Nelson Street) to reach a main thoroughfare and considerably newer section of the city, creating the genuine sensation of travelling back in time; this district comprises Bristol’s old town.

Stumbling upon remnants of Bristol’s historic quarters is captivating, and nestled within the charming Castle Park in the city stands another church (St Peter’s) which traces its origins to the 11th century, encircled by a Physic Garden – and spending time here allows you to envision the lives that once unfolded in centuries past.

Today, Bristol city centre sits just 30 minutes from Bristol Airport with regular buses and coaches ferrying passengers back and forth – and there are rail connections or coaches to South West locations including Cornwall or Devon.

Many people mistakenly believe that Bristol sits within Somerset, but the city and its surrounding areas are actually an independent county corporate, established as far back as 1373, with a present-day unitary authority council.

The About Bristol website put it clearly: “Bristol is the largest city in the south west of England, with a population of approximately half a million.

“The city lies between Somerset and Gloucestershire and has been politically administered by both counties in part at various times. However, Bristol is historically a county in its own right and is properly entitled the City and County of Bristol.”

So what makes Bristol “better” than Bath, well there’s the Banksy claim to fame and the Banksy trail – and I’ve encountered a couple of these iconic works on previous trips.

Then there’s the nightlife. During this visit I attended an experimental gig at Strange Brew and the vibe was edgy yet inviting (that encapsulates Bristol perfectly I’d say).

Bath is undeniably a beautiful city to explore, but it exudes an air of affluence, whereas Bristol, rich in its own history, has a more down-to-earth vibe – and there are far fewer tourists to navigate around.

Indeed, Bristol made headlines in 2020 when a historical contentious bronze statue of Bristol-born slave trader Edward Colston was defaced and toppled during an anti-racism protest nearly six years ago – and this certainly raised some eyebrows at the time.

Those involved were making a stand and delivering a significant message, despite many labelling the statue’s toppling as vandalism at the time.

This act by protesters will also be etched in history as those responsible spotlighted Colston’s involvement in the Atlantic slave trade, in a manner that brought it to the attention of a wider audience – and I believe Bristol will always possess a rebellious spirit, it’s simply the nature of the city.

It also ranked ahead of heavyweights like Haven, Warner, Butlins and Parkdean.

This remote corner of the UK is magical. It is steeped in history and home to the most beautiful landscapes. Stone burial chambers date back 4,000 years, standing stones inscribed with Latin and Ogham (an ancient Irish) dot the countryside and wrapped around it all is one of the most striking coastlines anywhere, where waves roll in over pristine sandy beaches or smash violently against towering rock faces.

At the heart of it all is the Bluestone National Park Resort, set within 500 acres of wild Welsh countryside. A holiday park it may be, but Bluestone wants you to feel like you are part of the Pembrokeshire panorama that surrounds you on all sides. So well-absorbed is the resort into its surroundings that despite its size and its hundreds of lodges you’d scarcely have any clue it was there until you were well inside.

But that’s not to say it’s not also a modern and luxurious holiday experience, especially where its new lodges are concerned. They took my breath away.

Bluestone in a nutshell

Most of Bluestone is made up of its 300 or so beautiful wooden lodges of various sizes dotted across hills not far from the pretty town of Narberth. The centre of the resort is its purpose-built village home to a couple of dozen charming, colourful stone cottages, a handful of restaurants, some shops (selling a wide range of Welsh foods, beers, spirits and toys), a spa and a pub with a beer garden conveniently a playground.

Also in the resort is a large indoor play area called The Hive (with one of the best features you’ll find in any indoor play area – more on that later), the Blue Lagoon, a large swimming area with indoor and outdoor slides and a wave machine, and the Serendome, a covered indoor-outdoor adventure play area featuring everything from a theatre to an extensive aerial adventure course. Generally speaking, the resort is probably better for younger children rather than teenagers (mine are 10 and under) but you can make your own call on that.

I’ve been holidaying here for a decade. My children have grown up coming here almost every year of their lives so it already holds a special place in my family’s hearts. We’ve just returned from our most recent visit, which coincided with winter turning to spring (though no one told the Welsh weather that). I’d go back tomorrow.

Accommodation: The lodges

There’s only one place to start and that’s with Bluestone’s new Platinum Collection lodges. Immaculate and beautifully-designed, these brand new lodges are on another level to any I’ve stayed in before. We stayed in a St Govan Lodge (named after one of the most striking parts of the nearby coastline) with three bedrooms sleeping six people, two bathrooms including one gorgeous en suite with rain shower, standalone bath, twin sinks and serene starlight effect lighting on the ceiling.

There was a spacious upstairs open-plan living area with a dining room, a “cwtch” (a snug room with two chairs and a TV for relaxing, working or giving the kids some quiet time) and a sun room, a stunning new feature for Bluestone lodges with two fully retractable glass walls. Even at winter’s end we opened them wide to breathe in the Pembrokeshire air and drink in those views. In summer, it would be heavenly drinking prosecco or a cold beer as well as the scenery.

The lodges come fully-equipped with an oven, microwave, fridge freezer, dishwasher and even an air fryer, which we made full use of for breakfasts and an evening meal around the six-seater dining table. After a home-cooked meal on our first night, we settled into the huge u-shaped sofa in front of a cosy electric fire.

The Platinum Lodges also come with their own electric buggy to help you get around the resort. This was the highlight of my five-year-old’s trip as we tootled along in our six-seater at 6mph engaging in the resort-wide game of “beep the horn at everyone you pass”. The lodges also have their own buggy charging point.

All Bluestone’s lodges, which sleep between two and 14 people, come with kitchen and open plan living areas, while the cottages in the village have one or two bedrooms.

Check-in

Check-in is effortless. For most of the park’s guests, it’s a drive-through process: arrive at the welcome lodge, drive around the one-way system to your own lodge, unload your car then return it to the car park at the resort’s edge and forget about it until it’s time to leave. Outside check-in and check-out times, Bluestone is a car-free resort so you can stroll the roads or drive your buggy in peace and safety.

For Platinum Collection guests, it’s even smoother. We had our own exclusive entrance, check-in lodge, car park and buggy pick-up point. There can’t have been more than five minutes between checking in and driving odoff in the buggy after a quick how-to guide.

Activities

A sign on the wall in Bluestone’s village says “there’s no bad weather in Pembrokeshire, just the wrong clothes”. As someone who visited on a weekend when the weather ran its full gamut from blue-skied bright sunshine to howling wind and driving rain, I could not agree more.

Bluestone has masses of outdoor activities for all the family, from stand-up paddleboarding on its lakes to cycling, archery, exploring its woodland trails, zip-lining or rustic outdoor eating and marshmallow-toasting at Steep Ravine and Camp Smokey (which reopen in June after storm damage forced them to close). You also have all of Pembrokeshire and its award-winning beaches on your doorstep.

But even when it rains (and it’s Wales so there’s a high chance of this) there are masses of activities under cover. My kids were entertained every minute of the day. Start the day with a swim at the Blue Lagoon Water Park, an indoor pool heated to perfection (using locally sourced biomass) with four flumes, a wave machine, toddler splash areas and a lazy river which takes you outside for a quick loop before returning indoors. It’s looking a bit tired in parts and could probably do with a bit of touching up in the not-too-distant future as it approaches its 20th birthday but that doesn’t detract from how much fun it is.

The Hive indoor activity centre has soft play, a huge bouncy castle, climbing walls, messy play, and a cafe-bar upstairs where parents can relax while the kids tire themselves out. But the highlight of my trip this time round was watching my two children try Adrenaline, a circular zipline suspended from the roof which they flew around high above the play area. They came off grinning from ear to ear.

The Serendome is an indoor-outdoor adventure play area housed under a giant transparent dome housing everything from a multi-level aerial adventure course in which kids (and adults) can ride a bike across a zipwire three storeys high to an amphitheatre-style theatre in which we watched a local male voice choir perform on St David’s Day and danced along to a silent disco. There’s also a bar and a few pop-up food stalls.

And there’s The Well Spa, a tranquil, adult-only spa offering thermal experiences, hydrotherapy, saunas, steam rooms and a range of luxury treatments. The kids’ mum headed here for two hours of peace while the youngsters used up some energy on the Serendome’s aerial adventure course.

Food and drink

One of the great joys of Bluestone for me is being able to prepare and eat a meal in a beautiful upstairs open-plan dining room with views of the countryside all around. Whether it’s breakfast in morning sunshine or a cosy evening meal and glass of red wine with the wind and rain howling outside, we always plan on having at least one family meal in the lodge.

But there are plenty of options for dining out too. Our go-to is the Farmhouse Grill, a casual and rustic restaurant serving steaks, burgers fish and kids’ dinners. The Oak Tree serves pizza and other Italian food, there’s pub food in the Knights Tafarn (where a roaring log fire keeps you warm on cold winter days and a beer garden lets you soak in the summer sunshine), fast food at the NRG Lab in The Hive and outdoor eating at Camp Smokey. The food’s not award-winning but it’s perfectly decent. There’s more refined dining at the gorgeous Black Pool Mill, a newer addition to Bluestone’s eating options which is off-site and a 20-minute walk along a well-marked path or very short drive away.

Things to do outside Bluestone

We didn’t spend a single second outside Bluestone during our three-night stay. We never do. But if you did fancy a change, Bluestone is the only UK holiday resort situated inside a national park so you’re not only immersed in protected landscapes but have easy access to land, sea and coast. You are spoilt for choice in all directions in one of the most naturally beautiful places in Britain. Five minutes down the road is the gorgeous town of Narberth, which is packed with independent shops, outstanding restaurants and has been named among the best places to live in the country.

The stunning seaside town of Tenby is 25 minutes away and is also brimming with places to eat and drink. It also has no less than four beaches within a few minutes’ walk of the town centre. The less famous, but equally charming, town of Saundersfoot is just a short drive along the coast.

A little further away you have the unique harbour village of Porthgain, which, despite being tiny and at the end of one road in and out, manages to have one of the best places to eat in Wales, as well as one of its best pubs. Also not too far away are Britain’s smallest city of St David’s, with its magnificent cathedral, the harbour village of Solva (yet another place in the area named among the best places to live), and the truly jaw-dropping St Govan’s Head, where a tiny chapel is built into the cliff face just above thundering waves below.

And then there are the world-class beaches: Barafundle, Whitesands, Freshwater West and East, Marloes Sands – it’s difficult to find the superlatives for them.

Better than Center Parcs

I have no hesitation in saying I prefer staying in Bluestone to Center Parcs. Of course, it’s all subjective but Bluestone has also been named the best holiday park in Wales (and third best in the UK) for the third year running by holidaymakers and Which? readers, beating heavyweights like Center Parcs, Haven, Warner, Butlins, Parkdean and more.

Costs

Bluestone’s prices vary by accommodation type and time of year. Here are examples of costs for the upcoming season:

• Weekend Easter break (arriving 10 April): from £645 for a 3‐night stay (up to 4 guests in a Ramsey Lodge or Caldey Deluxe).
• Midweek Spring breaks: from £300 for a 4‐night stay (up to 4 guests in a Caldey Lodge).
• The Mini Adventurer Break (from £300) is a deal designed especially for families with children under five and includes a bundle of free activities and entertainment during select midweek stays throughout the year. For qualifying dates, costs and included activities, visit https://www.bluestonewales.com/offers/free-activities-entertainment
• For any other costs, please get in touch or visit https://bookings.bluestonewales.com/search-rates
• All breaks include unlimited access to the Blue Lagoon water park, free indoor and outdoor play areas in The Hive, Serendome and village. Several activities do cost extra and need to be booked in advance: I would thoroughly recommend the 90-minute Sky Walk aerial adventure course (from £30, there’s also a Sky Walk Mini for smaller kids at £12.95), the Adrenaline circular zipline (£18 for two rounds) and the silent disco (from £5).
• A meal for four including drinks at the Knights Tafarn pub cost £73 while a meal for seven including drinks and a bottle of wine at Farmhouse Grill came in at £220.
• Access to the Celtic Thermal Suite to enjoy its steam rooms, sauna, ice pod and hydrotherapy pool costs from £20 and a Signature Massage costs from £75.