Set in five acres of lush Buckinghamshire countryside on the outskirts of Marlow, there is an air of tranquillity about the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It seems in a world of its own, cocooned from outside distractions, and provides an ideal retreat for those, including families, who want to relax at the end of a busy [...]
Having visited Brighton only once before – and that was years ago – I enjoyed arriving with my family free of any preconceived views and opinions on what to expect or what we could achieve during our short break. Our excursion to this Sussex resort, granted city status by the Queen in 2000, was a [...]
Located on Marine Parade, across the road from Brighton Pier, Sea Life should be on everyone’s itinerary when visiting the town. One of 35 centres located around the world, Brighton’s Sea Life boasts over 1,500 creatures and captivates its visitors by taking them on a journey from the water’s edge to the ocean’s depths. It [...]
Hidden away underneath the forecourt of Brighton’s railway station is a gem of a museum which will bring memories flooding back for adults and provide a snapshot of the past for younger visitors. It may not be the biggest museum around (it occupies four of the Victorian arches holding up the station’s forecourt), but what [...]
This stunning building, which took 35 years to make, is among Brighton’s premier tourist attractions – and it’s easy to see why. Classed as a “pleasure palace”, it was built for King George IV and possesses an exotic oriental style, inside and out. It’s long been part of the city’s fabric and tourists from around [...]
On the hotel’s website the general manager makes two bold statements: the Seattle is all about “great hospitality wrapped up in a little piece of Brighton” and that the staff are a “big part of what makes the Seattle experience so unique”. They’re brave statements because all too often staff-visitor relations are where hotels let [...]
Sitting in your air-conditioned capsule, 50 metres above sea level and listening to an informative commentary by comedian Steve Coogan, a ride on the magnificent Brighton Wheel is the ultimate way to admire Brighton, Hove and the splendid Sussex coastline stretching far into the distance. Situated next to Brighton Pier’s entrance, the wheel has 36 [...]
What an intriguing hotel this is. Take its location for starters: it clings to the edge of steep cliffs, affording fine views of not just Ponta do Sol, a tiny village sitting within a deep ravine on the island’s south coast, but along the rugged coastline as well; then, of course, there are the breathtaking [...]
Although Madeira, save Funchal during the rush-hour, is an oasis of calm and tranquillity, there is a little spot on the southern coastline which is, believe it or not, even more peaceful and relaxing – and that’s Faja dos Padres. It’s no wonder that this place is so tranquil because it can only be reached [...]
After staying at English Lakes’ sister hotel, Low Wood Bay, an incredibly child-friendly place just up the road, Waterhead had a lot to live up to, I thought, as I arrived with my wife and two kids, aged five and eleven. Just a short stroll from Ambleside, my favourite town in the Lake District, the [...]
