Of the Britons surveyed who said they would go regardless of warnings, 39% said they needed to go for their mental health, while 27% said they were fully vaccinated and saw no reason not to go.
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Category: TRAVEL
The stunning winning images in the UN World Oceans Day 2021 photo contest revealed
The prestigious contest attracted around 1,400 entries that showcase a fascinating spread of marine flora and fauna from across the planet, from the Tenerife to Costa Rica.
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The powerful images by Marsel van Oosten from new book Mother: A Tribute to Mother Earth
Mother: A Tribute to Mother Earth features more than 200 striking images of landscapes and wildlife, taken everywhere from Antarctica to Asia by Dutch photographer Marsel van Oosten.
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Exploring the revamped playground at Sandringham inspired by the Duchess of Cambridge
Adventures at Sandringham: Discovering the revamped playground inspired by the Duchess of Cambridge at the Queen’s Norfolk estate
- The outdated experience playground at the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk has experienced a revamp
- It was inspired by a yard designed by the Duchess of Cambridge at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show
- The centrepiece is a duplicate of the 1877 Appleton H2o Tower, crafted to improve water good quality at Sandringham
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‘Drive 50 miles to go to an journey playground. Why would you do that?’
‘Because it can be not any aged playground,’ I replied, ‘It’s been built by the Duchess of Cambridge.’
The previous adventure playground at the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk has experienced a revamp, together with other attractions.
The Kate escape: The old adventure playground at the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk has had a revamp
The revamped play space was influenced by a back garden intended by the Duchess of Cambridge at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Present
The centrepiece is a replica of the 1877 Appleton Water Tower, built to make improvements to drinking water good quality at Sandringham
It was impressed by the Again to Nature garden created by the Duchess of Cambridge at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Demonstrate that experienced a swing rope, a tepee and a treehouse to immerse kids in character.
Set among the towering trees on the edge of park woodland, the enjoy products is modelled on neighborhood landmarks.
The centrepiece is a 26ft tall reproduction of the 1877 Appleton Drinking water Tower, crafted to improve h2o quality at Sandringham.
Nonetheless to appear are characteristics based on the ruined church close to West Newton and Queen Alexandra’s Nest, a summerhouse future to the estate’s lake.
The playground and Royal Park are free of charge to use, even though you do shell out for parking
The Duchess of Cambridge’s 2019 Chelsea Flower Demonstrate playground highlighted a swing rope, a tepee and a treehouse
The Queen is demonstrated about the Duchess of Cambridge’s Back again to Nature yard at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Present
The tower is proving popular, with its spiral staircase, chatting tubes and a 46ft prolonged slide. Then there are zip wires, swings, picnic tables and a toddlers’ spot. The 600-acre Royal Park also has two waymarked trails.
The blue just one is two miles lengthy and the yellow, 3. You can also head for The Courtyard and its restaurant, café and shop — comprehensive of goodies for kids these types of as Bumpa, the Sandringham Bear, and local gin and beer for the grown ups.
The playground and Royal Park are free of charge to use, even though you do spend for parking.
If you have more mature small children who may possibly want to visit the residence and official gardens, there is a demand and make confident to ebook ahead online. I did drive 50 miles there and didn’t regret it a bit.
For additional info visit sandringhamestate.co.british isles.
Hyperloop network connecting Amsterdam and Paris could be running by 2028 says Hardt Hyperloop
A 620mph hyperloop network between Amsterdam and Paris – with journey times of just 90 minutes – could be up and running within the next eight years
- Dutch firm Hardt Hyperloop is developing the ultra-fast transport technology
- It involves travelling in a train-style pod through a steel tube in a partial vacuum
- Study has revealed project could be economically viable and running by 2028
A hyperloop network that would whoosh passengers between Amsterdam and Paris in under 90 minutes may become a reality within the next eight years.
Dutch company Hardt Hyperloop is developing the ultra-fast transport technology, which involves a train-style pod that floats using magnetic levitation being pushed via electric propulsion at over 620mph through a steel tube maintained at a partial vacuum.
The firm says that a new study it carried out alongside the province of North Holland has revealed the project could be economically viable and be up and running as early as 2028.
A rendering showing what a hyperloop network between Amsterdam and Paris could look like. Hardt Hyperloop says the journey time would be 90 minutes
The study looked at how accessibility, connectivity and decongestion around the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area would be impacted if a hyperloop were to be installed to link the city with other destinations in the Netherlands, as well as further afield in Europe.
It suggests that a hyperloop could carry 200,000 passengers per hour in each direction and in half the time it usually takes to travel between Amsterdam and Paris by train.
Passengers would travel from Amsterdam to Eindhoven in just 15 minutes, to Dusseldorf in less than 30 minutes and Brussels in less than an hour on five potential routes.
Hardt said: ‘The implementation of hyperloop would, in turn, have a huge economic impact and strengthen the economic value of the North Holland province.
A rendering showing what a hyperloop station would look like. A new study has shown that a hyperloop network linking Amsterdam to other cities is ‘economically viable’
What a boarding platform at a hyperloop station could look like. Hyperloop travel involves a train-style pod that floats using magnetic levitation being pushed via electric propulsion at over 600mph through a steel tube maintained at a partial vacuum
A rendering of what passengers could experience inside a hyperloop pod
‘The potential size of the working-age population would be considerably expanded if Amsterdam was connected to Groningen, The Hague and particularly regions such as the Ruhr area.
‘The hyperloop would create a compact region of cities on the five routes, all within a one hour, door-to-door travelling distance. This would equate to an additional GDP of 275 billion euro for the province, i.e. growth of +121 per cent.’
Jeroen Olthof, from the North Holland province’s local authority, said: ‘We know that people are willing to travel for a maximum of one hour to their work. With a high-speed hyperloop, you would be able to cover much greater distances in that time.
‘This sounds very promising. That is why we will engage in discussions with other authorities to progress this research.’
MailOnline reported in 2017 that Hardt had set up a full-scale testing centre to trial its hyperloop technology.
It consists of a 30 metre (98ft) tube with rails and the shuttle it has designed inside it.
The hyperloop concept was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013, who at the time said it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes
MailOnline reported in 2017 that Hardt had set up a full-scale testing centre to trial its hyperloop technology. Pictured is the testing tube
The hyperloop concept was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013, who at the time said it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes – half the time it takes a plane.
Hardt grew out of the competition team from the Technical University of Delft (TU Delft) that beat teams from MIT and the Technical University of Munich to win the all-around design and construction award for hyperloop from Musk’s SpaceX company.
Speaking at the time, Hardt co-founder Tim Houter said: ‘People were dreaming already of transporting humans and cargo (in hyperloops) from the 1860s, so the concept is not that new.
‘But when Elon Musk proposed it as a transportation system between San Francisco and Los Angeles it got a huge boost in renewed interest.’
Great British seaside resorts for a post-coronavirus lockdown escape, from Brighton to Margate
Wave hello to some post-lockdown vacation inspiration.
Britain’s coastal towns are currently closed for business but one day in the near future we’ll be able to enjoy sunny days by the seaside again. Here’s our pick of some of the best beach towns, from bohemian Brighton to marvellous Margate.
Margate: Modern art – and old-fashioned amusements
Sun-drenched: Enjoy views over the beach from the open-terrace roof bar of the light-filled boutique Sands Hotel in Margate
What’s to love: Get a slice of both traditional and modern seaside life in this corner of Kent, home to both the UK’s oldest rollercoaster at the revamped Dreamland amusement park and to the stark white cubes that make up Turner Contemporary. This art gallery was built on the site of a guesthouse that J. M. W. Turner frequented, and exhibits have included My Bed by Tracey Emin, who recently opened a Margate studio. There’s quirkiness, too, in the underground shell-lined passageways of the Shell Grotto, discovered in 1835.
Where to stay: Catch one of those fiery Turner sunsets from the open-terrace roof bar of the light-filled boutique Sands Hotel, overlooking the beach. B&B doubles cost from £130 a night (sandshotelmargate.co.uk).
Ventnor: Deckchairs amid a Mediterranean landscape
Ventnor is a seaside resort on the cliff-protected south coast of the Isle of Wight where beach huts have been fashioned from Victorian bathing machines
Hillside Hotel clings to a steep slope below St Boniface Down and has a Scandi-chic vibe with modern artwork
What’s to love: The unique micro-climate that exists on the cliff-protected south coast of the Isle of Wight benefits both the beach, where huts have been fashioned from Victorian bathing machines, and the Botanic Garden, where Mediterranean plants flourish. It’s just a short walk along the coastal path from one to the other. Head downhill from the gardens to the quieter Steephill Cove, where there are deckchairs to rent, rock pools to explore and amazing seafood to be found at The Boathouse restaurant and the Crab Shed.
Where to stay: Enjoy the sea views and a Scandi-chic vibe with modern artwork at the thatched Hillside, which clings to a steep slope below St Boniface Down. B&B doubles cost from £153 a night, but children under 12 aren’t allowed to stay (hillsideventnor.co.uk).
Largs: Viking battles – and a castle with a Brazilian twist
Victoriana comes with a side serving of Vikings in this north Ayrshire resort. Pictured is the pebble beach
Cape Cod-inspired Waterside Hotel is situated on the water’s edge, with 23 modern rooms and views to Arran
What’s to love: Victoriana comes with a side serving of Vikings in this north Ayrshire resort – on the promenade stands the Pencil monument commemorating the Scottish victory against the Norwegians in 1263. You can find out more at the multi-media attraction Vikingar! Then take the ferry to the nearby isle of Cumbrae and admire the views of Bute and Arran as you cycle its perimeter. Refuel on your return with an ice cream at Art Deco Nardini’s before heading to medieval Kelburn Castle, which has been given a modern makeover by Brazilian artists.
Where to stay: It may be eight miles south of Largs, but at the Cape Cod-inspired Waterside Hotel you’re still situated on the water’s edge, with 23 modern rooms and views to Arran. B&B doubles cost from £152 a night (watersideayrshire.com).
Brighton: This place rocks for foodies
Bohemian: Enjoy fish and chips on Brighton’s pebble beach and take a stroll down its famous pier
There’s a buzzy atmosphere at the Artist Residence, with its cocktail bar, ping-pong and rooms featuring exposed brickwork, reclaimed furniture and plenty of contemporary artwork
What’s to love: In bohemian Brighton, everything rocks, from the Royal Pavilion with its dragon-festooned scarlet and gold music room and the cobbled alleyways of The Lanes to the British Airways i360 tower for views of the downs and cliffs. Swap your fish and chips by the pebbly beach for something fancier: try lobster croquettes at Murmur in the city centre or the five-course set menu at the Little Fish Market in Hove.
Where to stay: There’s a buzzy atmosphere at the Artist Residence, with its cocktail bar, ping-pong and rooms featuring exposed brickwork, reclaimed furniture and plenty of contemporary artwork. B&B doubles cost from £131 a night (artistresidence.co.uk).
Tenby: See the ruins of a medieval marvel
Local colour: Fishing boats on the beach in the historic Pembrokeshire town of Tenby
The Broadmead Boutique B&B – historic home on the outside, but all stripped-back floors and bold wallpapers on the inside
What’s to love: On a promontory with sandy beaches on either side and a rainbow of Georgian houses running down to the harbour, Tenby is home to both the ruins of a medieval castle and the 19th Century St Catherine’s Fort. Explore the atmospheric alleys in this historic Pembrokeshire town, then take a trip across the water to Caldey Island where Cistercian monks make delicious chocolate and perfume.
Where to stay: Historic home on the outside, but all stripped-back floors and bold wallpapers on the inside, The Broadmead Boutique B&B is 20 minutes from the harbour. B&B doubles cost from £115 a night (broadmeadtenby.wales).
Whitby: Get a taste of the drama of Dracula
Whitby’s steps from the alleyways by the harbour to St Mary’s Church are featured in the Gothic horror novel, Dracula
What’s to love: Fancy a bit of drama with your sandcastles? It was in the unlikely setting of this Yorkshire town that Bram Stoker dreamed up some of his Gothic horror novel, Dracula. The 199 steps from the alleyways by the harbour to St Mary’s Church featured in the book, and you can check out a signed copy in the new museum in the abbey ruins. It was in Whitby, too, that the explorer Captain James Cook got his sea legs, and you can take a trip on a replica of his famous ship Endeavour to see Whitby’s beach and piers.
Where to stay: Estbek House is a stylish seafood restaurant with five rooms by the beach at Sandsend. Some rooms have sea views. Half-board for two costs from £240 a night (estbekhouse.co.uk).
Newquay: Surf mecca’s on a crest of a wave
It’s now all about surfing rather than stag parties in Newquay, a resort on Cornwall’s wild and windswept north coast
On a promontory overlooking Fistral Beach, The Headland has a spa, 95 traditional and contemporary rooms, and some lovely pared-back cottages on the clifftop
What’s to love: It’s now all about surfing rather than stag parties at this resort on Cornwall’s wild and windswept north coast. Nightclubs and trashy pubs have been replaced by bistros, bakers and an upmarket cocktail bar called Tom Thumb. Even celebrity chef Rick Stein has moved in, with a restaurant at Fistral Beach.
Where to stay: On a promontory overlooking Fistral Beach, The Headland has a spa, 95 traditional and contemporary rooms, and some lovely pared-back cottages on the clifftop. B&B doubles cost from £170 a night (headlandhotel.co.uk).
Bournemouth: Seven miles of sand
Bournemouth’s seven sweeping miles of sand – with a handful of Blue Flag beaches – are hard to beat
Stay mere steps from the sand in one of the 24 stylish self-catering Bournemouth Beach Lodges, which sleep up to four adults and two children, with views across Poole Bay
What’s to love: There’s a reason why Dorset’s tourist mecca was voted the best seaside town at the 2019 British Travel Awards: its seven sweeping miles of sand – with a handful of Blue Flag beaches – are hard to beat. And the pier is not just home to the usual amusement arcades: there is even a pier-to-shore zipwire. For culture, go to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, the home of two Victorian collectors, and visit St Peter’s Church, where novelist Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein in 1818, is buried.
Where to stay: Stay mere steps from the sand in one of the 24 stylish self-catering Bournemouth Beach Lodges, which sleep up to four adults and two children, with views across Poole Bay. Four nights cost from £450 (bournemouthbeachlodges.co.uk).
Torquay: The queen of crime’s hideaway
Agatha Christie was born in Torquay and live there. Take a trip by steam train and riverboat to her holiday house of Greenway
What’s to love: Devon’s self-styled English Riviera is the perfect setting for fans of Agatha Christie, who was born and lived here. Sites on the Christie trail include prehistoric caves Kents Cavern, inspiration for The Man In The Brown Suit, and Torre Abbey, which hosts a photographic exhibition on the author until November. Take a trip by steam train and riverboat to her holiday house of Greenway, with its stunning garden, then hit the beach at Oddicombe using the Babbacombe Cliff Railway.
Where to stay: Just a few minutes from the beach, Meadfoot Bay is a Victorian villa with 15 contemporary rooms named after local coves. The grown-up feel is reflected in the clientele – children must be over 14. B&B doubles cost from £126 a night (meadfoot.com).
St Ives: Get your fill of Poldark… and pasties
Cornish charm: Pictured is Porthminster Beach in the pretty town of St Ives
The Harbour Hotel has 52 modern rooms, many with sea views, plus a spa. It can arrange picnics for the beach and guided art visits
What’s to love: Cornwall’s coastal landscape and beautiful beaches form the perfect backdrop to world-class art in Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth museum. There’s hiking along the South West Coast Path, plus cycling inland to the old tin mines made famous by the BBC drama Poldark. For a traditional pasty, pop to S. H. Ferrell & Son.
Where to stay: Close to Porthminster beach, the Harbour Hotel has 52 modern rooms, many with sea views, plus a spa. It can arrange picnics for the beach and guided art visits. B&B doubles cost from £180 a night (harbourhotels.co.uk).
Cromer: Anyone for popcorn cockles?
Foodies flock to Cromer in Norfolk for the crabs. Tuck into a crab burger at restaurant Upstairs At No1
What’s to love: Foodies flock to this pretty Norfolk town, with its brightly painted fishermen’s houses, for the crabs. Try your hand at catching one before tucking into a crab burger Upstairs At No 1 (the popcorn cockles are also pretty good). There are short strolls down the pier to the RNLI museum, longer cliff walks to Cromer Lighthouse, or inland trails past Cromer Hall, inspiration for Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles.
Where to stay: A private path leads to the beach from the creeper-clad The Grove, which has an indoor pool, self-catering cottages and yurts. B&B doubles cost from £115 a night (thegrovecromer.co.uk).
Llandudno: Celeb fans and a hikers’ heaven
Llandudno’s trump card is a cable-operated street tramway leading up to Great Orme, a 650ft limestone headland that rises straight out of the sea
Escape B&B is pleasingly modern, with nine rooms featuring bold wallpaper and fabric headboards
What’s to love: Renowned travel writer Bill Bryson’s favourite seaside resort comes with the usual promenade, pier and long sandy beaches. Its trump card, though, is a cable-operated street tramway leading up to Great Orme, a 650ft limestone headland that rises straight out of the sea. On the hiking trails, you’ll find views of the Snowdonia mountain range and sometimes to the Isle of Man. Not far away lies the medieval Conwy Castle, built by King Edward I.
Where to stay: It may be in a Victorian villa, but boutique Escape B&B is pleasingly modern, with nine rooms featuring bold wallpaper and fabric headboards. B&B doubles cost from £120 a night (escapebandb.co.uk).
North Berwick: Home to treasure island
North Berwick boasts two sandy beaches and is home to one of the world’s largest gannet colonies
With 11 chic rooms and a modern bistro serving local food, No 12 Hotel & Bistro has B&B doubles from £180 a night
What’s to love: Great for golfers, North Berwick near Edinburgh is also a delight for bird-watchers. Among the volcanic islands in the Firth of Forth, the impressive Bass Rock is home to one of the world’s largest gannet colonies, while the Isle of May is puffin central. You can take trips to both with guides from the Scottish Seabird Centre. A third island, Fidra, is visible from one of the two sandy beaches – it is claimed it was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Be sure to take in the clifftop Tantallon Castle, too.
Where to stay: With 11 chic rooms and a modern bistro serving local food, No 12 Hotel & Bistro has B&B doubles from £180 a night (no12hotelandbistro.co.uk).
Newcastle: The sleepy gateway to Narnia
Newcastle is a sleepy seaside town in County Down in Northern Ireland. Pictured – the Mourne Mountains
An impressive Victorian hotel, Slieve Donard may have a slight corporate feel to its 120 rooms these days, but it also has a lovely spa overlooking the beach
What’s to love: This sleepy seaside town in County Down in Northern Ireland is the gateway to some amazing hiking trails, plus other activities from biking to bouldering. Tollymore Forest Park is overshadowed by the mysterious Mourne Mountains, which gave C . S. Lewis inspiration for Narnia, and which meet the sea in a series of tumbling sand dunes at Murlough National Nature Reserve.
Where to stay: An impressive Victorian hotel, Slieve Donard may have a slight corporate feel to its 120 rooms these days, but it also has a lovely spa overlooking the beach. B&B doubles cost from £163 a night (hastingshotels.com).
Blackpool: The leading light of holiday towns
Traditional fun: Young children can take donkey rides along Blackpool’s sandy beach
The new Boulevard Hotel has 120 contemporary rooms, including well-designed family rooms with bunk beds
What’s to love: Check out why 18 million visitors a year make a trip to the original kiss-me-quick resort in Lancashire. As well as Blackpool Tower, thrills and spills at Pleasure Beach, the UK’s largest indoor waterpark and even a Madame Tussauds, there are more shows than you can list on an I Love Blackpool postcard. Buy a stick of rock and embrace it all. If you visit from September until early November, you can also catch the world-famous Illuminations.
Where to stay: The new Boulevard Hotel has 120 contemporary rooms, including well-designed family rooms with bunk beds. Room-only doubles cost from £89 a night (boulevardhotel.co.uk).
- Prices are for both August and September.
Jersey’s my oyster! Discovering the island’s largest oyster farm and learning how to ‘shuck’ them
The most sought-immediately after food items are inclined to divide opinion — and for very good purpose. The truffle, pulled from the filth, normally by a pig, can be frustrating, caviar leaves quite a few cold, and it is most effective not to imagine about how foie gras is manufactured.
The oyster is summed up by creator Jonathan Swift: ‘He was a bold person that 1st ate an oyster.’
But I’m not so sure about that. Standing at the water’s edge at Jersey’s Royal Bay of Grouville, in the torrential rain, I’m searching forward to attempting a person and understanding about its unique style and texture.
Mont Orgueil Castle in Jersey, wherever 3D images of the Queen adorn the walls
I’m traveling to the island’s premier oyster farm, Seymour Oyster, operate by John and Shannon Le Seelleur. It has beds extending around 13 hectares and includes about 14 million oysters.
John, a 17th-technology farmer and island indigenous, states working the sea is just like working the land. Hunting at the uniform rows of oyster beds running alongside the beach front, it’s tricky to disagree.
John’s rock oysters go to the Dorchester, Borough Industry, France and beyond.
They are salty, fresh new and, while probably not an aphrodisiac, they are unquestionably energising.
John clarifies the two-to-3-12 months course of action from seed to harvest, as Shannon teaches me how to ‘shuck’ an oyster — wiggle, really don’t push. John likes to eat his simple, or grilled on the barbecue so they steam inside of their shells, then brushed with garlic butter. Shannon provides balsamic vinegar, purple shallots and chillies to hers.
Jersey is also dwelling to the rarer, rounder, sweeter indigenous oysters. Regrettably, 95 for every cent of all Uk natives disappeared owing to above-fishing in the 19th century, but re-cultivation endeavours are now less than way. Immediately after our tour, we stop by magnificent Mont Orgueil Castle, where 3D pictures of the Queen adorn the walls.
St Brelade’s Bay, which shares a seafront with the Winston Churchill Memorial Park
They ended up produced from portraits by area photographer Chris Levine in 2004 to celebrate 800 yrs since Jersey split from the Duchy of Normandy.
Remaining British but eliminated from the mainland puts Jersey and its 106,000 inhabitants in an appealing placement.
It is not portion of the British isles, but it is a British isle, ruled by its have parliament — the States Assembly.
All through Globe War II, it was the only part of the British Isles to be occupied.
The island waited very long following D-Working day, right until Might 1945, for liberation, but no one particular appears to be to keep a grudge.
Delicacy: Oysters are a component of Jersey’s culinary scene. Seymour Oyster farm has over 13 hectares of beds with close to 14 million oysters
Without a doubt, St Brelade’s Bay Hotel, where by we are keeping, shares a seafront with the Winston Churchill Memorial Park. It also overlooks one of south Jersey’s sweeping crescent moon seashores. It’s a true charmer.
When, 1 morning, I saunter as a result of reception in my swimming trunks, heading to the beach for a dip, and passing a sea of anoraks, umbrellas and water-proof trousers, no a person bats an eyelid.
Normally, in the evenings, we sample the Seymour oysters in two exceptional eating places, Sumas and The Oyster Box, both of which have views in excess of the 14-mile extend of sea that separates Jersey and Normandy.
On our ultimate working day, good rain attracts in, but it doesn’t difficulty us. The temperature in Jersey could be changeable, but the oysters are normally trustworthy.
A review of The Kings Arms Hotel, Hampton Court
Excellent British Boltholes: Shed oneself in remarkable luxurious at The Kings Arms Lodge in London’s Hampton Court docket
- Kings Arms Hotel is sandwiched between Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace
- It champions the very best of British during – from delicate furnishings to develop
- James Mannion visited and explained the hotel is ‘a jewel in the crown of the area’
When he wasn’t on the hunt for yet another queen (or disposing of the former incumbent), King Henry VIII usually devoted his time to amassing residence – with substantial accomplishment. By the conclusion of his reign he owned much more than 60 residences and palaces – unrivalled by any British monarch in advance of or given that – and amongst their amount was Hampton Court docket Palace. It’s a single of two of his palaces even now standing (St James’s becoming the other) and it draws admirers by the coachload.
Set in beautiful grounds, Hampton Courtroom is a sight to behold – even on a gray, soaked working day at the tail stop of wintertime. It helped immensely that our base for discovering was The Kings Arms – a Quality II listed 18th Century former inn, now a wonderful boutique resort and cafe.
It is a serene saunter from the hotel to the palace alone, and in actuality The Kings Arms is so close that it basically backs on to the palace’s well-known maze, the UK’s oldest surviving illustration. The resort was not long ago extensively refurbished above two years, formally reopening last summer time.
Fit for a king: The lodge with the well known Hampton Court maze at the rear of it
Championing the finest of British all through – be it comfortable furnishings or foods substances – the resort is a jewel in the crown of the area.
Downstairs is the cafe and bar, although upstairs are the 14 visitor bedrooms. The natural way, supplied the historic character of the building, the en suite rooms differ in sizing and shape, even though each individual has tea- and espresso-building facilities and a absolutely stocked (payable) mini-bar. It beats me, however, why any individual would select to drink in their area when downstairs is the aforementioned comfy bar – and out front is a spacious, non-public terrace providing enough seating for a cocktail or two in the sunshine when the climate permits.
The place restaurant – named The Six, following the number of Henry’s wives – is property to the Michelin-starred Mark Kempson.
His dishes boast refreshing vegetables, fruit and herbs type the Hampton Court docket Palace kitchen backyard garden, so you can rightfully claim to be consuming meals fit for royalty. We tucked into oxtail and gruyere croquettes and crispy whitebait for starters, mains were gossamer-gentle battered fish and chips and a significant aged sirloin, also with chips. Dessert was at first passed above for panic of gluttony, but the supply of treacle tart and a chocolate pavé proved too a great deal to transform down.
There are 14 guestrooms upstairs with ‘super-comfy’ beds and confined-edition prints
The USP: Hampton Courtroom Palace. The resort is sandwiched among Bushy Park and the palace itself. Slightly further afield – but still walkable – are strolls down the banking institutions of the River Thames and, if you extravagant a flutter, Kempton Park racecourse.
The rooms: These are either remarkable, luxurious or deluxe and every single is adorned with unique or confined-version prints overlooking super-comfortable beds.
The food: The 6 is definitely its secret weapon and all our foods was exceptional: £35pp for 3 courses. Continental breakfast is integrated, showcasing such delights as Chapel Farm duck eggs on toasted sourdough, cooked any design.
Skiing is great, but for real thrills, head to Saalbach in Austria and try some mountain madness
What do you do soon after a lavish meal of deer tartar, steaming pork knuckle and dumplings, topped off with apple strudel, washed down with Austrian red wine and a parting shot of mountain firewater?
Why, you wobble out into the darkness of the Austrian Alps, don a crash helmet, say ‘Danke’ to a grizzled guy with a piercing stare who palms you a toboggan, and move forward to hurtle down a snowy slope, all the when whooping with delight.
Saalbach may be just one of the very best ski resorts in Austria, with far more than 170 miles of slopes organized in a ‘Skicircus’ of related pistes that you can get pleasure from in a big circular route. But it is also a person of the best resorts for what you might get in touch with further-curricular mountain insanity.
Saalbach, pictured, has a lot more than 170 miles of slopes arranged in a ‘Skicircus’ of related pistes that you can love in a enormous round route
Supper at Spielberghaus is a circumstance in stage. You are dragged up the mountain in a cage-like sled at the back of a snowcat (piste-bashing equipment), devour a feast and then fly down a hill on a little plastic contraption.
This is supper the Saalbach way, and there are a great deal of other suggests by which to fill the gap in between hanging up your skis and hitting the sack.
Terrifying zipline rides across valleys, snowtubing (zooming down slopes on inflated tyres), tandem paragliding to ‘feel as totally free as a fowl as you fly by means of the air at the identical peak as the clouds’, tiptoeing alongside towering treetop walks, and snowmobile racing on bumpy mountainside tracks are just a number of of the pursuits on offer away from the most important slopes.
The zipline journey, termed Traveling Fox XXL, is not for the faint-hearted. Standing by the edge of a 470ft precipice, you are provided a crash helmet, linked to a wire, wished ‘Guten Flug’ (Good flight) and released throughout the abyss.
Down below, a pine forest spreads out as you get to speeds of 80mph before descending for just one mile. The working experience lasts only about 90 seconds, but your recollections of it will very last a whole lot for a longer time.
Afterwards, if however in the mood for high adventure, head for the Golden Gate & Treetop Trail at a single close of the Saalbach-Hinterglemm valley.
Soar like a bird: Intrepid end users of the Flying Fox XXL zipline can achieve speeds of up to 80mph
Listed here you will come across a 650ft-prolonged suspension bridge spanning a canyon-like void, with the Saalbach River 140ft underneath.
This is substantially gentler than the Traveling Fox XXL but it is even now a incredibly long way up and fairly slim, major to a outstanding network of wooden walkways through the cover of a larchwood forest. It is the highest these types of treetop path in Europe.
For those people who have had their fill of heights, choose the horse-drawn sleigh down to the Golden Gate & Treetop Trail’s car park and set off for Snowmobile Town.
As soon as crash helmets have been distributed – seemingly the prelude to most off-piste routines – you are seated on snowmobiles and offered a thumbs-up before you zoom off for a observe lap of the bumpy observe.
Overtaking may be executed, adhering to cautiously the instructor’s rules. The greatest portion, nevertheless, is just allowing the throttle go on uphill sections and experience that unfamiliar feeling of surging up the mountain.
We have carry-off: A customer hurtles down the slopes on a big tube
In action-packed Saalbach, which attracts a hardy group, apres-ski appears to have excess gusto and the epicentre is Hinterhag Alm, a wooden barn-like creating where karaoke is heading strong by 4pm.
The bash goes on into the early hrs, the later on-evening hub staying the club in the basement of the Saalbacher Hof hotel in the city centre. Hope reside audio and persons commonly letting loose.
But that is not to say that family members are unsuited to the sights of Saalbach. Mothers and fathers with adolescents and middle-aged couples appear to have fallen for the demanding, permit-it- all-go environment. But no just one would seem to overdo it either.
Which is the way it goes in Saalbach: ski tough, do all the things tough – then get up the subsequent working day, action out into the crisp Alpine air, and do it all once again.
The hotels where… the spa’s the star from Sopwell House to the Old Course Hotel
There was a time when a spa in a British hotel meant a couple of treatment rooms in the basement.
These days, wellness offerings are often the main draw, offering everything from sunlight therapy to altitude training – and even an underwater treadmill…
SOPWELL HOUSE, ST ALBANS
Classical design: One of the treatment rooms at Sopwell House’s new spa, called Cottonmill. Massages are enjoyed on the quartz and amber bed
Wow factor: The massages you’ll enjoy on the quartz and amber bed at Sopwell House’s new spa, called Cottonmill, are among the best (60 minutes, £99). The grains are heated to 42 degrees (ancient Egyptians apparently used sand to cure muscle pain) while the vibrating bed is tilted to aid circulation.
The Club at Cottonmill is the kind of place at which you could easily spend a day, moving between the outdoor hydrotherapy pool and the deep relaxation room with colour-changing seats.
Among the 128 hotel rooms are 16 modern mews suites, some with private hot tubs.
Cost: A one-night half-board stay with a 60-minute treatment plus lunch costs from £289pp (sopwellhouse.co.uk).
GRANTLEY HALL, RIPON
Wow factor: For seriously cutting-edge facilities alongside an excellent spa, look no further than Grantley Hall, which opened last year.
Chill out in the snow room and cryotherapy chamber (to increase cell rejuvenation and reduce signs of ageing), work out on the underwater treadmill or in the altitude training studio, and book sessions on everything from life coaching to gait analysis.
There is all the normal spa stuff here too, and an 18-metre pool. The 47 rooms are divided between the classical country house style in the Palladian mansion and coolly contemporary ones in the new spa wing.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £275; a 60-minute massage is £90 (grantleyhall.co.uk).
RUDDING PARK, HARROGATE
Champagne reception: Enjoy a glass of bubbly during a break at Rudding Park, pictured. It has a hydrotherapy pool, hot tub and herbal steam room
Wow factor: Grantley Park isn’t the only innovative spa in Yorkshire: less than 15 miles away, Rudding Park is home to a two-storey facility topped by an open air spa garden with a hydrotherapy pool, hot tub and herbal steam room.
There’s a sunlight therapy room to drive away winter blues, an oxygen pod to help prevent signs of ageing and to strengthen the immune system, and even CBD-infused spa extras, with baths, foot rubs and tongue sprays incorporating (legal) cannabidiol.
The 90 contemporary rooms include spa rooms with a private steam room, sauna or spa bath.
Cost: A one-night half-board stay with a 50-minute treatment costs from £185.50pp (ruddingpark.co.uk).
Soothing: Enjoy a facial at Dormy House, a converted farmhouse on the Farncombe estate
DORMY HOUSE, BROADWAY, WORCESTERSHIRE
Wow factor: Spas don’t come much sexier than at Dormy House, with its candlelit infinity pool, outdoor hot tub by the fire and Scandi-style thermal suite.
There’s even a Veuve Clicquot Champagne nail room.
Grown-up treatments at the Temple Spa include a champagne and truffle facial.
The cosy converted farmhouse, on the 400-acre Farncombe estate, has 38 elegantly understated rooms.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £269; a 60-minute massage is £85 (dormyhouse.co.uk).
OLD COURSE HOTEL, ST ANDREWS
The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, pictured, is home to the Kohler Waters Spa, a hydrotherapy haven with treatments using seaweed and marine extracts
Wow factor: Yes, this hotel overlooking one of the world’s most famous golf courses is a haven for golfers, but those in the know also go for its Kohler Waters Spa, a hydrotherapy haven with treatments using seaweed and marine extracts.
Other features include a 20-metre swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool and rooftop hot tub.
Try the 90-minute Sok Overflowing Bath With Massage (£148) where you wallow in a chromotherapy bath before some serious pummelling. The 144 rooms have tartan touches, and there’s also a whisky tasting room.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £275; a 50-minute scrub is £94 (oldcoursehotel.co.uk).
SEAHAM HALL, COUNTY DURHAM
Inside the spa at Seaham Hall in County Durham. It has just launched a series of therapies combining Ishga, an organic seaweed skincare range, with an ancient ‘touch’ technique for those affected by cancer, anxiety, depression or stress
Wow factor: They’re rolling out hypnotherapy retreats as part of a move to more holistic treatments at this luxurious destination spa.
It uses organic seaweed skincare range Ishga and has also just launched a series of therapies combining the product with an ancient ‘touch’ technique for those affected by cancer, anxiety, depression or stress.
Whatever your need, the spa, with its 20-metre pool and floor-to-ceiling windows plus thermal rooms, is superb. Just a ten-minute walk from Seaham Beach, the 21-room elegant Georgian hotel has several hot tub suites as well as a Zen Garden with pool.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £195; a 60-minute massage is £85 (seaham-hall.co.uk).
SWAN AT LAVENHAM, SUFFOLK
A suite at the 15th Century Swan at Lavenham in Suffolk. Here guests can enjoy a mind therapy massage
Wow factor: Feeling seriously stressed? Then hotfoot it to the Weavers’ House Spa at the 15th Century Swan at Lavenham for a Mind Therapy Massage.
The resident hypnotherapist and meditation teacher has introduced this treatment during which clients are guided on a meditation while they enjoy a massage from a separate therapist.
The 60-minute session (£150) can be tailored to your needs, helping stress, depression or sleeping disorders. The hotel – think timber beams and crooked corridors – has 45 rooms.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £150; a 60-minute massage is £77 (theswanatlavenham.co.uk)
Inside the Gainsborough Bath Spa, where one of the best treatments is simply to wallow in the waters in a pool flanked by Romanesque columns
GAINSBOROUGH BATH SPA
Wow factor: You may get more advanced facilities in other spa hotels, but you won’t get Bath’s natural thermal waters there, full of natural minerals to ease stiff joints, soften the skin and help rebalance the immune and nervous systems.
At the Gainsborough Bath Spa, one of the best treatments is simply to wallow in the waters in a pool flanked by Romanesque columns.
There are also aquatic therapies such as The Freedom Treatment, during which your body is dynamically stretched underwater by an experienced healer (45 minutes, £120).
The Grade II listed hotel has 99 rooms kitted out in a neutral (if sometimes bland) palette.
Cost: Room-only doubles cost from £290; a 60-minute massage is £120 (thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk).
ST BRIDES SPA HOTEL, PEMBROKESHIRE
Wow factor: It’s all about the sea at St Brides – there are spectacular views over Carmarthen Bay from the restaurant, bar, and some of the 34 nautically themed bedrooms.
The best view of all is from the saltwater outdoor infinity pool in the boutique spa. So it’s no surprise to find that treatments are based on thalassotherapy (using seawater or products). There’s a salt infusion room among the thermal cabins, and many therapies use Irish product line Voya with organic seaweed products designed to detoxify, remineralise and restore.
This isn’t a destination spa where you can hang out for days, but with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park outside, that’s all for the better.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £95; a 55-minute massage is £70 (stbridesspahotel.com).
LODORE FALLS, LAKE DISTRICT
Steaming hot: The outdoor pool area at Lodore Falls in the Lake District. It has 14 Scandi-style spa suites directly above the treatment rooms
Wow factor: Lie back on an underwater lounger in the 16-metre hydrotherapy pool at Lodore Falls and enjoy glorious views over Derwentwater and the Lake District fells.
You’ll get the same view from some 14 Scandi-style spa suites directly above the treatment rooms (there are also four spa suites in the main hotel). The rest of the beautifully designed stone and timber spa annexe includes a sprawling thermal suite and champagne bar.
For something different, try the Akwaterra massage, where the therapist uses warm sandstone pods to relieve muscle tension (50 minutes, £85).
Cost: B&B spa suites cost from £460; a 50-minute massage is £75 (lakedistricthotels.net).
CHEWTON GLEN, HAMPSHIRE
The spa at family favourite Chewton Glen, pictured, which features Grecian-style columns
Wow factor: Family favourite Chewton Glen even caters for children in the spa, with facials, manicures and scalp massages. There are 50 different treatments and therapies on offer, many using products designed specifically for the spa from nutritional skincare brand Oskia.
If you stay in one of the hotel’s swish modern treehouses rather than the main house, you can even enjoy a massage by the hot tub on the deck.
The spa itself has an impressive 17-metre indoor pool surrounded by Grecian columns, and one of the largest hydrotherapy pools in the UK.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £370; a 60-minute massage is £105 (chewtonglen.com).
THE SCARLET, CORNWALL
The adults-only Scarlet in Cornwall, pictured, has clifftop hot tubs as well as an outdoor barrel sauna
Wow factor: There are other spas in Cornwall, but the adults-only Scarlet, near Newquay, still leads the pack with its clifftop hot tubs and outdoor barrel sauna, which both offer cracking sea views.
They make the most of the seaside setting here, with seaweed scrubs in the copper tub, and amazing sea views from the indoor pool thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Some of the 37 bedrooms – with lots of pale wood and sumptuous furnishings – enjoy the same vista.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £240; a 60-minute massage is £60 (scarlethotel.co.uk).
CAREYS MANOR & SENSPA, HAMPSHIRE
Wow factor: Check into Careys Manor, a comfortable, gleaming 18th Century manor house in Brockenhurst in the New Forest and you’ll also have access to an award-winning Thai spa.
Holistic wellness is at its core, inspired by ancient Eastern rituals offered in an exhaustive list of treatments. Even the food served in the spa restaurant, The Zen Garden, is Thai – main courses include chicken with cashew nuts and vegetables, and crispy duck with tamarind sauce.
Day packages such as ThaiTox (£159pp) is a detox with a Thai twist – and you get to take home some goodies. Visitors can take advantage of all that’s on offer from a crystal steam room, herbal sauna, ice room and hydrotherapy pools. As you would expect, the traditional Thai massage is knockout, and relaxation classes in The Thai Temple studio aim to relax and uplift.
Cost: B&B doubles cost from £175; a 60-minute traditional Thai Massage is £85 (careysmanor.co.uk).