Talk to any shopkeepers in this Belgian city and they’ll tell you they’re excited. Excited because Ghent, a sleepy university city just 30 minutes from Brussels, is seeing a new wave of visitors charmed by its beguiling cobbled streets, Gothic architecture and laid-back atmosphere. Once the seat of the Counts of Flanders, whose castle has … Read more
An Inspector Calls… Sopwell House in Hertfordshire was once an Admiral’s country retreat but today’s PVC windows and dry seabass trigger a sinking feeling Sopwell House is located just outside St Albans and it has 128 bedrooms It’s been owned by the chairman of AB Hotels, Abraham Bejerano, since 1986 He’s invested £14m in a … Read more
Margaux is explaining how babies drink champagne before they drink milk. ‘Really,’ she assures me, ‘it’s a tradition that goes back generations. A family member puts a drop or two on to the baby’s lips after it is born.’ Margaux, 25, was born and grew up in Reims, in the heart of the French Champagne region. … Read more
Standing barefoot on a wooden jetty on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, I am being helped, one leg at a time, into an upside-down life jacket. Once I’m strapped in, it looks like a boxy, neon nappy. But our guide says it’s the best way to travel this freshwater lazy river. Worn like this, we’re vertical in … Read more
On the dot of 9.30am, there is a knock on my office door — and in troop the senior management team. There’s the food and beverage supremo, the head of housekeeping, the financial controller, the maintenance man, the boss of ‘guest relations’, the hotel operations manager, the director of human resources, the receptionist, the duty … Read more
An Inspector Calls… The friendly Cornish hotel and restaurant that’s popular with locals (but you wouldn’t want to spend a romantic night there) Mannings has 30 rooms and nine apartments fronting a car park The Inspector checked into an apartment which had a ‘whiff of old shoes’ The a la carte breakfast menu comes recommended over … Read more
The world’s finest spring gardens are right here in Britain. No, really — that’s not an idle boast. The mild, damp climate helps, along with a rich legacy of plants and centuries-old gardening traditions. So here’s a varied selection of Britain’s most inspiring spring gardens. Opening times can vary from month to month, so be … Read more
Can I cruise from Sydney to Papua New Guinea? What UK holidays are there for singletons? And can I attend a Papal Mass in Rome? The holiday guru offers top tips to travellers Cruising from Sydney to Papua New Guinea is doable but not easy A walking break in the UK is recommended for singletons without … Read more
Swans, cobblestones and lace shops: Bruges doesn’t disappoint if your hopes for a weekend away includes old-fashioned charm. But this medieval masterpiece of a city, reached from London in little more than three hours on Eurostar, also has avant-garde musical installations, irresistible chocolate shops and a thriving beer scene all set on winding, ancient lanes. … Read more
There’s only one downside to visiting St Petersburg. You quickly realise you’ll have to return again and again if you want to see everything. I’ve visited the Russian city six times over the past 30 years and still feel I’ve only scraped the surface. The Winter Palace is second only to Versailles in architecture and … Read more