Wembley Stadium – London, UK

Wembley Stadium – Image © Howard Layne

It’s missing the twin towers, but the illuminated arch has become the highlight of west London’s skyline, and the atmosphere inside the stadium has stayed just as electric. The original Wembley became synonymous with football all over the world thanks to hosting now legendary finals such as the 1966 World Cup, Euro 96 and the Champions League. Since reopening in 2007 a 105,000-strong Wembley crowd have been treated to many more thrilling matches, and we’re hoping this year’s UEFA Champions League Final on the 25th May 2013 holds more of the same.

F1 Monaco Grand Prix – Monaco

Image © Dmitrijs Mihejevs

The entire Grand Prix circuit is a poster campaign for the ridiculously wealthy lifestyle. Fast cars, dreamy destinations, beautiful women. And men. And this weekend’s setting; Monaco is the glitziest of them all. Gleaming yachts bob in the harbour. It’s presided over by one of the wealthiest royal families in the world. F1 drivers old and new from Couthard (who owns a Monaco hotel) to Button and Hamilton live here.

And there’s the course itself – widely acknowledged to be one of the most demanding on the circuit, because of its narrowness, changes in elevation and tight corners. Drivers also have to cope with a tunnel and harbour – although to date only two drivers have managed to crash into the latter.

Wimbledon Tennis – London, UK

Image © Paula Funnell

Strawberries and cream. Tall glasses of Pimm’s. Robinson’s fruit squash. Henman Hill (or Murray Mound as it’s known these days) Tennis simply wouldn’t be the same without its famed south London home. And British summer simply wouldn’t be right without the swelling hope, that this year, just maybe, a British player is going to bring the trophy home. (Please?)

Tennis legends Borg, McEnroe, Billy Jean King, Federer and the Williams sisters have all lifted the prestigious trophy of the world’s oldest tennis tournament. Almost as dedicated are the tennis fans who camp overnight to be in with a chance of a ticket to centre court.

French Roads (for the Tour de France!)

Image © Radu Razvan

Although the Tour de France and its famed yellow jersey are a travelling race, regularly venturing into neighbouring countries like Germany, England and Italy, the most iconic stages are almost always in its French homeland, and of course the race has ended with laps through Paris’s Champs-Élysées every year since 1975.

2013′s tour is the 100th – and in celebration of that milestone the tour is beginning on Corsica, the very first time it’s visited the island. The remainder will be staying entirely within the French mainland and re-visiting some of the most memorable locations of the past century including two climbs of the gruelling Alpe-d’Huez.

Lord’s Cricket Ground – London, UK

Image © mailliw

The dream of any cricket fan is to watch their team romp to an innings victory whilst nursing a pint on a sunny day at Lord’s. Sadly the English experience is to be 54 – 8 down before play is called off due to rain. Ahem. But don’t let that scare you off the ground though.

Lord’s became known as the ‘Home of Cricket’ due to the fact that the grounds were also home to most of the administration of the International Cricket Council (ICC). They moved on in 2005, but Lord’s retains that prestige, plus the St John’s Wood’s grounds have a long history of their own, originally established in 1787, although the grounds have changed a bit, and moved several times, since then.

The latest reincarnation was built in 1814 and watching a test match there you can’t help but notice several distinctive features; the Victorian-era Grade II*-listed pavilion building, the space-age Media Centre bubble rising out of the stands opposite and Old Father Time, a much loved weather vane.

Yankee Stadium – New York, USA

Image © Mike Liu

As iconic venues go, you can hardly get more recognisable than the Yankee Stadium, which is especially impressive when you think that the sport of baseball hasn’t really caught on in many places outside of the USA.
The Bronx ballpark was opened in 2009, built to replace the previous stadium, and there are plenty of nods to the 1923 stadium in the design. From the imitation of the trademark frieze along the upper stands, to the cut outs made to allow spectators to see passing subway trains. With a capacity of 50,291 it’s still one of the most exciting places to experience a game.

Millennium Stadium – Cardiff, UK

Image © Deymos

As one of the newest venues on our list it’s safe to say that Wales’ national stadium has been quick to establish a name for itself. Opening in 1999 to host the Rugby World Cup, it boasts a fully retractable roof, and is still the largest-capacity venue in the world with that feature.

Another feature of interest: the stadium’s bars can pour 12 pints in less than 20 seconds – useful with that size crowd.

Ascot Racecourse – Berkshire, UK

Image © James Marwood

Hats at the ready ladies – no fixture at Royal Ascot would be complete without at least a few feathers bedecking your barnet. It’s strictly compulsory, and there are guidelines governing the minimum size of the headpiece if you’re one of the privileged few invited to watch from the Royal Enclosure.

The highlight of the racing year, Royal Ascot, dates back to 1711 when it was founded by Queen Anne. The royals have maintained an impressive attendance record for the event. They start proceedings each race day with a Royal procession. It might help that the course is just down the road from Windsor castle.

Augusta National Golf Club – Georgia, USA

Image © photogolfer

The Augusta National Golf Club has been subject to much criticism through the years with strict policies denying membership to blacks until 1990, and women until 2012. This has done nothing to dampen its reputation as one of the most beautiful and iconic courses in the world – well it would hardly be a prestigious place if mere mortals like you, me and our scruffy shoes were allowed on the green.

The course itself is a masterpiece developed by esteemed designers and even some former famous members – General Eisenhower himself suggested the location of Ike’s pond.

Madison Square Garden – New York, USA

Image © Erika Cross

You’ve a choice of sports if you attend New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden venue. The arena is famed for hosting basketball, ice hockey and boxing – though it’s also regularly used for concerts and ice shows too. This is the fourth incarnation of the Madison Square Garden venue, opened in 1968, making it one of the oldest active sporting venues in New York.

It’s earned its almost mythical status in part as the venue of ‘The Fight of the Century’ – the epic 15-round boxing match between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

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Lightwater Valley, North Yorkshire

Roller Coaster Philosophy

You will find over 40 rides from thrill rides like Ultimate, Europe’s longest rollercoaster, to adventures for smaller visitors such as Dragon Boats. There’s also a beautiful lake, falconry displays and a small farm. And here is where you will find the UK’s largest Angry Birds Adventure Park too!

Price for family of four: £78 or £47 based on kids under 1m tall
Website

Barry’s Amusements, Northern Ireland

Image © Barry’s Amusements

This quaint theme park is great if you’ve got a few in the family who would rather just watch others, as it’s on a pay as you go basis. The Looping Star rollercoaster has fantastic coastal views if you can keep your eyes open, whilst there are plenty of family favourites like a carousel and dodgems too.

Price for family of four: 50 tokens are £20, or 50p each
Website

Paultons Family Theme Park, Hampshire

fribbleblib

Mainly geared towards younger children, who get in free if they are under 1 metre tall (in shoes), there are a smattering of thrill rides to spice up the park. Peppa Pig World is a huge draw, whilst Gold Rush Falls Adventure Golf, Water Kingdom and more are great for family fun. Wind the pace down in the lakeside gardens, and check out the birds and animals too.

Price for family of four: £86 – children under 1 metre tall are free though!
Website

Oakwood Theme Park, Pembrokeshire

Roller Coaster Philosophy

With five adrenaline rides, a choice of ways to get soggy and plenty of other ways to amuse yourself, this theme park has come a long way since opening. You can even be scared by in-your-face ghosts with a 3D ride, take a London Taxi Ride, or pan for gold! Kids big and small will appreciate the fun in Neverland as well.

Price for family of four: £66
Website

Fantasy Island, Lincolnshire

Roller Coaster Philosophy

A mixture of games and attractions, family friendly fun like mini golf and a carousel, plus characters roaming the park makes this a great bet for a family day out on the East coast. If you want a bit of a thrill there are plenty of those rides too, including some indoors – dare you ride The Beast? Watch out for special events too, with pop acts appearing regularly.

Price for family of four: £66 in peak season
Website

Flamingo Land, Yorkshire

Roller Coaster Philosophy

It’s not just about Flamingos anymore, Flamingo Land is now home to a theme park and a zoo! Try out Mumbo Jumbo, the world’s steepest steel rollercoaster if you’re brave enough, or enjoy a sedate trip around the zoo on the Monorail. There’s plenty in between too, with rides for all the family, plus water–based fun in Splish-Splosh!

Price for family of four: £92
Website

Pleasurewood Hills, Suffolk

Roller Coaster Philosophy

Probably skewing towards families with younger children, some of the rides, like the Wipeout rollercoaster are most definitely not for the faint of heart – this one will see you pull a weighty 5Gs! There is also a laser labyrinth, an illusionist doing 30-minute shows and a performing sealion.

Price for family of four: £66
Website

M&D’s, Scotland

Roller Coaster Philosophy

Billed as Scotland’s Theme Park, this isn’t the largest of parks but it’s got plenty to offer. There are 11 thrill rides, plus kids rides and family rides too such as Big Apple, where you swoop around on the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Additional attractions at an extra charge include an indoor rainforest in Amazonia, mini golf and glow in the dark bowling!

Price for family of four: £51 (+£29 to visit Amazonia and Mini Golf)
Website

Wicksteed Park, Northamptonshire

Image © Wicksteed Park

A traditional theme park set in pretty grounds and featuring a Grade II listed building, the adrenaline might not pump so hard for some, but the Rocky River Falls and The Roller Coaster will certainly make the heart beat faster. There are plenty more rides too, plus a boating lake and a huge free playground open all year round.

Price for family of four: £60 plus car parking or you can pay as you go with ride tickets 30 for £25
Website

Crealy Adventure Park, Exeter

gavinandrewstewart

The big sister to the Cornwall Crealy, this theme park is aimed at younger families. There are a few slightly scarier rides such as Tidal Wave, but attractions by and large are more suited to those not yet in their teens. Indoor and outdoor activities abound from a lake and a playground to go-karts and aqua blasters, plus animals too. You can even go on pony rides!

Price for family of four: £55
Website

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Triposo

Though there are already quite a few travel-guide apps, none are so  cleverly aligned with the needs of mobiles as Triposo. This app from two ex Google employees has access to information on 8,000 destinations using sources from wikitravel and openstreetmap, and it’s extremely accurate. Useful features include a currency converter, phrase book and suggestions for how to explore your city of choice, dependent on the day, weather and opening hours!

Photosynth

Available for Windows Phone and iPhone, this fantastic panorama creation app lets you shoot geo-located, interactive images. You can share your Photosynth with other users when you have an Internet connection. Gorgeous show-off worthy images are a mere click away!

Simply Declare

Simply Declare is probably one of the first apps that aims to make declaring what you bought at the customs easier. It lets you keep a personal track of what you buy by receipt tracking – just click photos of receipts and they get stored. It has a real-time currency update and will keep all those currencies organized so you can manage things easily.

SeatID

This unique app is sort of like social seating – aligning with travel websites, it gives you the ability to see who else is on your chosen flight – and you can even see whose on a flight before you’ve purchased a ticket! Perfect for those hoping to avoid an army of screaming infants.

JetLag Genie

Suffer from jetleg? This clever app might be able to ease your pain. Input your travel dates, destination and normal sleeping times and it’ll come back with personalised alarm clocks to make life a little easier when you wake up on Wednesday afternoon in a confused haze!

Foodspotting

We’ve mentioned this one before, but we love it so much that we just have to mention it again. This one is a little different from other crowd-sourced restaurant apps as it focuses in on specific dishes. So, for example, fancy knowing where the best pizza in Naples is? Foodspot it, and you’ll find out the answer from a bevy of helpful foodies.

The post Top Travel Apps for 2013 appeared first on Top Travel Tips, Destination Guides & Deals - Dealchecker Blog.

Or, you can do the smart thing and spend it on seventeen nights gallivanting around the pristine shores of the Caribbean, culminating in a four-night stay in Orlando, Florida. Those three bottle of overpriced bubbles aint looking so good now, hmm?

With this fab package from Cruise 1st, you’ll float off from Southampton onboard the rather snazzy Independence of the Seas by Royal Caribbean – which, by the by, isn’t too shabby either. Fancy testing your surfing prowess? Well, you can, on board the FlowRider® surf simulator. Similarly exciting is the ice-skating, rock climbing, Broadway-style shows, and the outdoor movie screen, plus the rather intriguing sounding Cupcake Cupboard (surely the best kind of cupboard?)

As for the itinerary? Well, you’ll breeze all the way to the Caribbean, stopping to spread your toes in pristine white sands and tranluscent azure ocean in Fort Lauderdale, St Maarten and the Bahamas. After that you’ll head to Orlando for four days of theme parks and tomfoolery in this sunshiniest of states.

Want in? Thought so. The cruise sets off on the 2nd of November from Southampton, but you’ll have to book by the 29th May. Oh, and the price includes your return flight to either Manchester or London. Very smooth, Cruise 1st…very smooth indeed. Check it out here.

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Essential Details

Ajaccio JeanbaptisteM

Fly to: Ajaccio in the west or Bastia in the north – great news, there are even cheap flights to Corsica available with low cost carriers!
Flight time: Minimum four hours
Temperature: Mid- to high-20Cs between June and September
Holiday season: April to October
Currency: € Euros
Language: Corsican, although most people will speak French or Italian
Car hire: Possible to do without a car, you will get much more out of your holiday with one – traffic gets pretty bad in August though!

Top Resorts

Calvi Kjunstorm

Calvi is best if you would rather not hire a car, and it’s also one of the island’s most picturesque spots. You will find a large beach, an imposing citadel, and streets crammed with cafes and boutiques, so you can enjoy the sunshine with a generous helping of café culture on the side.

Porto Vecchio is the island’s oldest holiday resort, and with eight miles of inlets and bays plus a charming Old Town and a fashionable marina it’s still one of its most popular. Great for families and couples, this resort provides the opportunity to explore a new beach every day without ever travelling very far.

Bonifacio boasts a dramatic port that’s the focal point for this resort, complete with luxury yachts and a restaurant-lined quayside. A great resort if you like to get out on the water – numerous boat tours exploring the caves and grottoes leave from here, and holidays are about relaxing in a pretty square and slowly taking in the sights.

Best Sights

Bavella Mountains Fikra

On the “Island of Beauty”, as you can imagine, many of the must-see things are natural attractions. The Natural Regional Park of Corse contains astonishing diversity whilst the Calanques de Piana and Bavella Pass are two more highlights. If you prefer your sights to be indoors then the Palais Fesch has France’s largest collection of Italian paintings outside the Louvre, and the Oratoire de la Confrérie St-Antoine boasts some lovely frescoes. The Musée National de la Maison Bonaparte features plenty of memorabilia of this emperor – including a lock of hair!

Best Beaches

Palombaggia Beach Bryce Edwards

The island boasts plenty of beaches, and quite frankly, most of them are gorgeous! Note that the vast majority don’t have lifeguards, even in peak season, so be careful and sensible! If you’re after seeking out the best of the best, then you probably need a hire car. Propriano itself has an unremarkable beach, but you will find Portigliolo, one of the prettiest beaches, just south of the town. The same is true of Porticcio which has two stunning beaches a short drive south. In Porto Vecchio you will also have to drive to the beach, with Cala Rossa and Palombaggia both popular thanks to their looks!

Other gorgeous offerings include Piantarella’s lagoon beach with has white sand, Rondinara which has a semi-circular bay and a spectacular setting, and Pinarellu, also outside Porto Vecchio.

Money Saving Tips

Painted House in Evisa sqfp.info

You could look to stay away from the main resorts in one of the central towns, such as Evisa, Lento of Sant’Antonino to save a bit over a hotel in a prime location. As an added bonus, you will also have more chance of dining on traditional Corsican food, often found served out of local houses.

As with many inhabitants of small islands, the locals have long been fiercely independent, and today this shows in the beverages. It’s much cheaper, not to mention more interesting, to try the local beers, wine and even the local version of coke, rather than the more usual alternatives.

For free water on the go, make sure you look out for the roadside springs where water trickles from the mountains – you will be able to spot them by the particularly lush greenery nearby!

Try self-catering, with plenty of properties in Calvi and Porto Vecchio to choose from – grab some of the local specialities of cheese and charcuterie and make yourself some slap-up meals!

Visit our dedicated Corsica guide to book your cheap flights, hotel or car hire and for more tips and hints!

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Here are my 10 things that no Spanish trip would feel complete without – but I know there’s a lot more to love. Share your favourite bits of Spain in the facebook comments below.

Sunshine

Yeah, so what if I’m stating the obvious? No matter how beautiful the Spanish beaches, or lovely those cobbled old town squares are, Spain wouldn’t get even a 10th of its visitors if it was set somewhere north of Ireland. The southern coast of Spain can get as much as 2,900 hours of sunshine each year, and I’d like to be basking in every single one.

Siesta

Spain is a country that takes lunch seriously. So seriously that you get several hours to eat, and then it’s traditional to take even more time to nap it off afterwards. If you can find a shady hammock then siesta time is pure bliss – and possibly should be adopted into the British working week.

The traditional tourist variation of the siesta is the afternoon nap on the beach. This can only be approved of providing you’re being sensible with sunscreen and beach umbrellas. That Spanish sunshine (see above) sure is hot.

Tapas

There’s a lot of Spanish food to love; Olives, squid, paella, chorizo. Nom. But the brilliantest thing about Spanish cuisine is that they perfected tapas, an entire meal of little snack-sized dishes – which means you get to have a taste of it all.

Sangria

You’ll be relived to know that Sangria isn’t one of the things I took to on my first trip to Spain, I was only 11 then. However these days I find it makes an excellent alternative to the poolside gin and tonic. Recipes vary, but I’d recommend heaps of fresh fruit and not adding a lot of orange juice (makes the sangria too acidic). Dilute with ginger ale or lemonade if you want to make it weaker.

Markets

If you just can’t go a week without shopping Spain has some fantastic hippy markets where you can browse hand-made jewellery and fine lace work, sip a freshly squeezed juice in the sunshine and pick up unique pieces of leather and pottery. It’s less screaming kids in Tesco, more Nigella on holiday. Haggling is allowed so perfect your bargaining skills for the biggest savings.

Language

I’m no ace with languages – but it’s impossible not to pick up a few words of Español. You could say gracias to your amigo, and head off in search of a cerveza gratis – learning a little will go a long way. And some phrases just sound so much better in Spanish. Vamos chicos!

Boat trips

Marinas are a staple feature of Spanish resorts, and are usually a great place for a posh lunch and some people watching. Don’t forget that you don’t have to own your own yacht to get out on the water, taking a boat trip is a great way to see the stunning coastline, visit that nearby island and even spot dolphins!

New Ice-Cream Flavours

At first glance the Wall’s ice-cream selection might seem familiar, but then you notice some slight differences – We don’t have that flavour Calippo in the UK! And just a moment… is that a cheesecake Magnum?!? There’s a whole new set of ice-cream to discover, and you’ve only got a week to do it.

Flamenco

Now here’s a dance style to get behind: you stamp your feet, you wave your skirts, you pout. I’m not saying it’s easy. I am saying it’s a lot of fun to have a go at. Make sure you catch a dance by the professionals too – they make the castanets look easy and the speed their feet move at is truly jaw-dropping!

Wacky street festivals

The UK’s idea of a festival is cheese-rolling, or perhaps five days squelching through the mud. In Spain they release raging bulls into thronging crowds in Pamplona, or throw the world’s biggest tomato fight, La Tomatina, near Valencia. Not to mention the massive music festivals like Benicassim or Primavera, where heaven forbid anyone should need to wear Wellingtons.

The post 10 Things we ♥ about Spain appeared first on Top Travel Tips, Destination Guides & Deals - Dealchecker Blog.

Well it might be uncommon in these parts, but elsewhere in the world they are already enjoy the healthy, protein-filled and cheap delights of insects. So to tempt you we have sought out some of the – best seems wrong here – most popular dishes featuring creepy crawlies, flying beasts and all manner of insects.

Japan

williamnyk

Japan has a long history of eating insects for nutrition, and in Tokyo you can still sample many of the dishes. Favourites include boiled wasp larvae, fried rice with field grasshoppers, fried cicada and fried silk moth pupae. Eat them as a side with your usual dish or as a snack between the sights!

Nigeria

mckaysavage

Termites, crickets and the palm weevil larva are all widely eaten in Nigeria, prepared in various ways either by boiling, charcoal grilling or frying. These are all eaten by themselves, but if you want to try a whole dish, then the cirina forda westwood larva, often called kanni, is added to a vegetable-based soup to provide protein.

Bali

ingridtaylar

The residents of Bali have a particular affinity for dragonflies and damselflies, despite the fact that they are really tricky to catch! Maybe that’s part of their charm. Sometimes they are served simply grilled over charcoal, but you can also try them boiled with ginger, garlic, shallots, chili pepper and coconut milk.

Thailand

borkur.net

Insects are a hugely popular snack here, and you will see them in many places, usually served fried with soy sauce and pepper alongside a beer (or two). Jing Leed are crickets, Maeng Kee Noon are beetles and Non Mai and Non Pai are types of worms. If you want to go even more adventurous try Maeng Da, which are around 10cm long!

China

Ven. Chandawimala – a bit from SAMSARIC life’s photostream

There’s no half-hearted attitude to eating all manner of insects here, with many things getting the fried treatment! Particularly popular snacks are skewered beetles and skewered scorpions, which are usually sold on the street. Can’t imagine anyone showing up with their morning coffee and a skewer of bugs!

Peru

Ruby Slippers In Italy

Here in Peru and also in Eduacor, corn forms a large part of the diet, but for a treat why not pair it with toasted tayno kuro worms? Apparently once cooked in a clay pot over a smoking fire you won’t be able to tell the difference between them and a slightly burnt hotdog – that’s the spirit!

New Zealand

schlott

Proving that they really do eat insects nearly everywhere apart from the Western world, huhu grubs are a traditional Maori treat. They are fried and served as a snack, and aficionados have compared the taste to peanut butter or – of course – chicken.

I think it’s safe to say that the theme is that frying the insects might make them taste better. I’ve also come across some chocolate covered insect recipes which might induce me to try them – just maybe. But woodlouse cocktail in place of prawns? Cricket flour? Mealworm bolognaise? Definitely a step too far for this palate.

If you’ve eaten anything like this we’d love to hear about it – get in touch on twitter or facebook!

The post Around the World in 80 Insects appeared first on Top Travel Tips, Destination Guides & Deals - Dealchecker Blog.

What could improve an experience like that? In a word: cocktails. Lots of them. Here’s our guide to the best place to grab a drink and a view in London.

Sushisamba, Heron Tower

If you’re into great views, strong drinks and lifts with an adrenaline chaser, it quite honestly doesn’t get much better than this. To reach SushiSamba, you’ll take the wonka-style glass lift up forty floors at breakneck speed, watching as London quite literally peels away underneath your feet. Luckily, you can recover from any unwelcome vertigo with a delicious cocktail, an unparalleled sake menu and a whole lotta raw fish – bag a table on the outdoor roof for a taste of the elements, samba style.

Image and website: Sushisamba

Boundary Rooftop, Shoreditch

It’s sort of like a less pretentious Shoreditch House, which is one great reason to set up your tab here. The rest of East London thinks so too, apparently, as it’s always pretty busy – but with views like these, we’re not really surprised. It’s perched on top of the Terence Conran designed Boundary Hotel, so if all that fresh air – and the seventh house-designed cocktail later – get a bit much, you can always head downstairs for a kip (be warned though – Travel Lodge this aint – you won’t get change from £300.)

Image and website: Boundary Hotel

Radio Rooftop Bar, ME Hotel

Win some in-the-know points and take your date to the Radio Rooftop bar. Located rather glamorously on the top of Covent Garden’s ME Hotel, it’s still very much an insider secret, and its triangular shape means that you quite literally get your pick of the views – from everyone’s favourite clock Big Ben on one side to the Thames and the Shard and good old St Pauls on the other, it’s pretty special. It’s likely that you’ll find us buried under a furry throw on one of the white banquettes sipping on something sinful any day now.

Image and website: ME London

Sanctum Soho

Soho isn’t exactly famed for its sense of tranquillity, which is why Sanctum Soho is probably doing big business at the moment. This fifth floor haven is an oasis of calm – think huge squishy sofas, calming music and a hydro spa. Music video-style wall to wall glass doors open onto a horticultural haven, with gorgeous views, a sundeck for sun worshippers and seats for after-work party people. Best of all? It’s open 24 hours a day!

Image and website: Sanctum Soho

The Vista at the Trafalgar

Rooftop bars generally don’t need much help in the glamour department – the whole set up is naturally tres James Bond – but this little number ups the ante anyway, with a location right on Trafalgar Square. The newly refurbished Vista Bar at the top of the Trafalgar Hotel has already caught attention for its chic decor, strong, delicious drinks and a stone-cold fox of a view – Nelson’s Column, Big Ben and the London Eye are just some of the landmarks on the menu. Expect an extensive, creative cocktail menu and great service. Ooh er.

Image and website: Vista at the Trafalgar

The post A Roof With a View: London’s Rooftop Bars! appeared first on Top Travel Tips, Destination Guides & Deals - Dealchecker Blog.

You’ll be staying in the lap of luxury at the Buckland Tout-Saints Hotel, which has a Pride of Britain Hotel award and has also been recommended by Conde Nast. It’s set in a beautiful manor house and they certainly haven’t scrimped on the details. The restaurant is also an award winner in its own right, with a double AA-rosette under its belt.

Speaking of belts, you may have to loosen yours after this trip! Your stay will kick off with a Devon cream tea – think plenty of clotted cream and jam with freshly made scones. We advise a quick stroll of the spacious grounds before the evening, because you will also get a two-course meal in the Queen Anne Restaurant. They serve as much local produce as possible, crafted into fine dining dishes.

ajwazzer

If that’s not enough, a full breakfast is included both mornings as well! After all that you’ll want to get moving – nearby attractions include cliff walks in Salcombe, shopping in Torquay or Plymouth, Agatha Christie’s house and Living Coasts, a coastal Zoo!

Read more about this deal here and sign up to be the first to know about our great value weekly deals here!

Unless stated images courtesy of Great Little Breaks

The post Pick of the Real Deals: Devon Dining appeared first on Top Travel Tips, Destination Guides & Deals - Dealchecker Blog.

Before you go:

Get a great deal!

Just in case the cruise of your dreams isn’t in this week’s Real Deals newsletter here’s our best advice on finding a fantastic price on a cruise:

Book early or wait until late
Last-minute departures are where you find the biggest savings – especially if you can wait until just a few weeks before the ship departs. Cruise lines get desperate to fill the last few cabins – you can snap them up at plain silly prices.
The flip side is that you might not get the choice of cruise you want – You can bet the best cabins will have long gone, or worse still the cruise might sell out entirely – leaving you with no holiday at all. Now that’s a sad, sad thought.

If you have a specific cruise in mind a far better option is to get organised and book early. Cruise lines quite like having their ships booked up in advance, and they’ll offer plenty of encouragement in the form of discounts, upgrades and free on-board spends – if that’s what it takes to tempt you.
The first months of the year, January and February, are when the cruise lines go all out to get the early sales in.

Avoid Peak Dates
Simple one this. The cheapest Med cruise is never going to be in the middle of the August summer holidays. Instead look for deals in the less popular shoulder seasons. Not only will you get a far cheaper holiday, the weather is likely to be pleasant but cooler (some people like that), and the ships and ports won’t be as crowded.

Shoulder season is May or September/October for the Med. Caribbean cruises are generally cheaper between September and January – though you should bear in mind that this crosses with hurricane season (June to November). Normally the weather is fine, but your ship may be diverted from the advertised route if a storm threatens.

Image © vetroff

Go Vintage
Look at the older cruise ships – they are often cheaper to travel on, and they also have more inside cabins (always the cheapest cabin category) than modern liners.

Don’t Let Price be the Only Factor
Don’t be swayed by a super low price if you don’t think the cruise line matches up with what you want from your holiday. It’s not a great deal if you’re surrounded by excitable kids when you really wanted a sophisticated sailing. Each of the cruise lines have very distinct personalities. Read our guide and pick one that suits you.

Ensure the extras won’t cost you extra

There are a lot of additional costs that you may not initially factor into your cruise cost – make sure you do, and make sure that you take measures to keep them low too.

Parking
If you’re sailing from the UK consider how you’re going to get to your departure port. The majority of people drive – which makes parking a problem. Look for deals on parking on the Internet beforehand.
Some hotels like the Holiday Inn Express and Mercure in Southampton will offer special stay and cruise deals. These will give you one night’s accommodation and up to 15 nights’ parking – they’re especially useful if you’re coming from far away and want to drive down the day before.

If you don’t want to drive look at whether public transport or getting a lift is cheaper (the latter can sometimes be bought for the cost of a novelty box of chocolates – what a bargain).

Flights
If flights aren’t included in your deal make sure you’re getting a good price on them (we have this little flight comparison tool if you need it…). And don’t forget your baggage costs if you’re flying low-cost.

For the Cruise:

What to pack

Our packing list contains a few unusual items, all of which could save you some serious money once you’re on your cruise.

Sea-sickness medication
Some people swear by alternative remedies like wrist bands and ginger, others prefer pills and patches. Whichever works on you, if you’re prone to sea sickness make sure you’re carrying them with you. Getting sea sick will ruin a vacation. Ditto for a hefty doctor’s bill.

Image © Andy Dean Photography

Bottled water
Tap water will be free to drink on the ship but if you prefer mineral it’s far cheaper to bring your own than pay astronomical prices to the cruise line. Most ships don’t have a limit on how much you can bring on board. The only catch is you have to carry it yourself. But you can see how much you can hide in your luggage (which is brought on board for you) if you like…

Alcohol
Cruise ships have strict alcohol rules on how much and what you can bring on board. You will normally only be able to consume your drink in your cabin too. We still say it’s worth bringing what you can as it will definitely be cheaper than buying on board.

On Board Spending:

Cruise lines are very good indeed at giving you things to spend your money on. You’ll find professional photographers willing to take your picture, you can book onto behind the scenes tours of the ship and be pampered from head to toe in luxurious spas – all for a fee of course.

But if you can ignore all these, and stick to your inclusive restaurants for meals, there’s no reason why you’ll need to reach for your wallet (well, that card thingy they give you) whilst you’re on the ship.

Image © CAN BALCIOGLU

Restaurants
All of the modern superliners have at least one premium restaurant you can visit at extra cost. They’re nice for a special occasion, but if you’re on a budget sticking to the restaurants that are part of your full board package is clearly the way to go.

Traditional cruise lines like Cunard tend to have a grand dining room with set seating and dining times. Others have a more relaxed style of cruising; Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered the concept of “Freestyle Dining” with main dining rooms plus endless buffets and other snack bars all part of the complimentary meals.

Excursions
There’s nothing stopping you from arranging your own excursions – though the cruise lines will warn you that the ship won’t wait if you’re not on their official tour.
If you like having someone else take care of the organisation for you, wait at the port as you can usually find touts happy to undercut the ship’s fees. Or arrange your own trip. In many cases it’s as simple as hailing a cab, and you won’t waste hours waiting for latecomers to make it back to the coach. Go on! Have an adventure.

Image © stocker1970

Also if it is easy to return to the ship, consider going aboard for lunch – technically you have already paid for a meal there…

Tipping
Obviously we think you should tip for good service, and we know that a lot of cruise ship employees depend on their tips – but do make sure you’re aware of your cruise line’s tipping policy so you know what the charges will add up to.

For example, it’s common for the at-cost restaurants and spas to add an additional gratuity charge to their bills – check if this has been added (it’s optional) before you leave a tip. You can read our dos and don’ts of tipping on cruise ships here.

Shopping
If you’re going to shop on the ship we’d recommend waiting until the end of your cruise. Not only will you not have your purchases cluttering up your cabin but we’ve noticed that the shops’ deals often get better towards the end of the week!

Keep an Eye on What you’re Spending
It’s tricky to keep up with what you are spending on board, especially if you’ve been given a card which charges everything to your room. You can get an itemised update of your total at any time from the Purser’s Office. Preferably do this before the last day of your cruise because you can guarantee that’s when everyone else will want to do it.

Any tips that have saved you a small fortune on a cruise? Share them with us in the comments below.

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