Over the years, working as a travel journalist and editor has meant I’ve been lucky enough to experience some fine hotels. Just two, however, have stolen my heart: one is situated on the island of Jersey while the other is the sublime VidaMar Resort Hotel in Madeira. I’ve stayed several times at the VidaMar and, [...]
Here at Travellowdown, we’ve recently returned from one of our best family holidays. Our destination was sunny Madeira, a beautiful island I’ve got to know so well over the years. Its bright colours, abundance of greenery, pleasant people, spectacular mountain ranges and myriad other delights make it an ideal destination for all ages. When it [...]
The largest of the Channel Islands offers visitors myriad eateries, everything from shacks on the beach to top-end restaurants where deep pockets are recommended! Having just returned from yet another visit, here are some suggestions for anyone looking for somewhere to eat or drink… OCEAN RESTAURANT The Atlantic Hotel is, by far, my favourite hotel [...]
It was my last morning at the Atlantic Hotel, my favourite place to stay on Jersey, and a couple walked past as I headed to the restaurant. Pulling a hefty suitcase, the wife turned to her husband, saying: “Oh dear, I guess all good things come to an end!” Sadly they do, as I discovered [...]
My first experience of staying with the Inn Collection dates back some five years or so when the Travellowdown team explored Northumberland. Back then, the company comprised of inns largely in the northeast. But soon after, an expansion programme saw them venture west to the Lake District where they quickly added a handful of [...]
Spotting throngs of excited tourists jostling for position at the quayside, we half-expected to see an A-list celebrity pulling up in their million-pound yacht. But the cameras were primed to catch sight of a more important visitor in this part of the world – George, the loggerhead turtle. Kefalonia, the fourth largest Greek island, is [...]
Luxury Lodges – the name says it all. Superb, attractive, self-catering properties located in such delectable locations as Cornwall, the Lake District and Carmarthenshire. And it’s not all lodges, either. I was fortunate enough to sample a Troutbeck Cottage, one of many on offer at Whitbarrow Village. Nestled in the northeastern corner of the Lake [...]
It's time to be honest now. When we're thinking of organising a holiday, we wouldn't automatically consider Leicestershire - well, that was the case before we visited the county during the summer. That short break opened our eyes to how interesting and beautiful the county is. Not only do you have the city itself, but [...]
Jersey, the largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands, boasts myriad cafés and restaurants catering for all kinds of dietary requirements. Here, I recommend just a handful which ticked all the right boxes when I experienced them on a recent trip to the island… GREAT FOR VEGAN FOOD... The Sinful Vegan This cosy café [...]
There are many reasons why you’d choose to stay at the Edgbaston Park Hotel, which celebrates its third anniversary in 2022. One reason is its convenient location: adjacent to the A38 in the heart of Birmingham it may be, but it’s within a short distance of both the M6 and M5. Similarly, its proximity to [...]
