Stay in the well-reviewed four-star Andels hotel on a bed and breakfast board basis for only £139 per person when you book with lowcostholidays! This price includes flights too. True story!

Image by Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho

From what we’ve seen of the Andels Hotel, we’re pretty impressed. It looks modern and stylish, and even better, it’s in a fantastic location close to lots of bars and shops. It has huge windows, lots of light and all for £139 per person – what’s not to like?! Booking ends on the 15th February so get your skates on!

Image by Khrume

The offer is only available on Sundays-Wednesdays in March from Gatwick, Stansted and Luton.

If you don’t like the look of this offer (are you mad?!) but fancy a slice of the Prague action, why not look for some cheap Prague flights yourself using our handy search tool, or how about checking out some Prague hotels?

Whether you’re looking to take up swimming seriously for the first time, or just get back in the …er… saddle? costume? we’ve got ideas to suit you (groan)!

Snorkelling

If you’re more of a stand-at-the-edge and paddle kind of seaside visitor, then you definitely need an incentive to get yourself in further. Why not try a holiday to Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh? The warm clear waters are ideal for getting in without that any of that screaming and shocking cold that the UK is known for! Plus, once you’re under you’ve got a great chance of seeing some beautiful underwater creatures. Get started with a snorkel and flippers, and before you know it you might be heading off on a scuba adventure.

Island Hopping

Island hopping with a difference, it’s you who provides the transport between islands, swimming in a group as you make the tour. The Greek Cyclades around Naxos are a popular choice for this, with warm calm waters and easy swims. If you prefer something a little more exotic though, you could always try the British Virgin Islands, with stunning scenery both above and below the water line. If you don’t mind the slightly colder temperatures of the waters around the UK what about the Scilly Isles or even the Inner Hebrides – wetsuit very much advised!

Challenge Yourself

Perhaps not for complete beginners, there are also some amazing swimming sightseeing challenges you can partake in. How does swimming to Alcatraz sound? Well, apart from sounding to me like that’s the wrong direction, imagine the amazing sights you’ll see along the way, and the stories you’ll have to tell. Or swim from Europe to Asia – or across the Dardanelles to be precise. It’s the Turkish waterway that separates Europe from Asia and a very busy shipping route, apart from the one day a year it’s closed for this popular swim. Places are limited though so book early! Closer to home there are regular excursions to Burgh Island, just off the Devon coast. It’s a great way to challenge yourself on a budget and get a taste for open water swims.

Image credits Julien Haler Sarah_Ackerman lyng883 http2007

So, you’ve resolved to dust off that bike from the shed, buy a new helmet (important safety tip: new helmets protect you better, especially if you’re not sure where that dodgy pink one came from) and get out on the streets. But something is stopping you! Ah, you need motivation. Well we’re here to help.

We’ve got pleasant UK cycle routes, some dangerous dealings and some impressive challenges so read on for some bicycle-related inspiration. Plus, cycling’s a great way to get all the family involved so perhaps it’s time to gather everyone together and dive (or ride) on in.

The UK’s Nicest Cycle Routes

One of the new kids on the block, the Water Rail Way in Lincolnshire head out of Lincoln towards The Wash and includes art works and plenty of wide open space. Step into the past with a cycle down Flitch Way in Essex, a disused railway line with Victorian stations making great stopping points. For a family-friendly route try Marlborough to Coate Water Country Park, another old rail route, this time with lots of wildlife to look at when you take a break. My favourite of all though is the Camel Trail, which runs from Padstow to Wadebridge in Cornwall, following the coast.

Try Downhill

If all that pedalling seems like a LOT of work, there is another way. In the world of downhill biking you get to the top of a hill and point yourself down the trails – definitely new helmet territory. Start off with something gentle like Delamere Forest in Cheshire where there are slow sweeping routes that kids will enjoy too. The Quantocks in Somerset most definitely up the ante as well as offering stunning views of Exmoor. Test your mettle though with MegAvalanche in the French Alps. Almost an hour of nonstop downhill racing against hundreds of competitors you’d best believe it’s tough!

Make a Holiday of It

If day-long rides just aren’t cutting it for you, or you want to build up to a challenge, how about this lot? An easy beginner, the Round the Island cycle route is 62 miles long and takes you around the Isle of Wight on an surprisingly flat path. Not so flat is going coast to coast in Scotland from Aberdeen to Ardnamurchan Point, 250 miles in total with plenty of breathtaking vistas and hard climbs to keep it interesting. Finally, how about the C2C, going across the north of England, taking in the Lake District, the Pennines and the railways of County Durham. This is the UK’s most popular cycle challenge so why not make 2012 your year?

Use our UK breaks page to find yourself a great deal to any of these places – or if you’re going straight for the Alps you’ll need to go here. Or possibly to have your head examined.

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They’re offering amazing weekend breaks for two from only £84 – that’s  a saving of £25! It’ll arrive as a gift voucher and will give you one romantic night in unusual accommodation with a scrumptious breakfast to boot. Yep, you heard it; no crumbly hotel next to the airport for these guys; every accommodation on offer is of an interesting or unique bent!

Stay in a unique hotel like the African Queen, a floating B&B near Reading, to traditional farmhouses and even a converted Victorian bakery in Lincoln.

You can book your voucher and choose your hotel, but then book your actual stay at a later date – the perfect gift, we say! There are 22 hotels in total to choose from and the offer is valid on selected days until the 1st December 2012!

Let the romance commence! Like the look of this offer? Check it out here.

If these don’t tickle your fancy, why not have a search for a romantic hotel stay with our handy search tool?

Images courtesy of Gift Ideas for Two, apart from header image which is by Pink Sherbert Photography.

Now it’s not unusual for a stag do to comprise a whole long weekend, or even a week of pre-nuptial shenanigans!

Never one to miss a trick, the tourism industry has spotted this marked trend in more elaborate stag activities and a growing number of popular destinations now cater specifically towards giving soon-to-be-grooms and their mates the best stag weekend of their lives.

London

Recent stag and hen surveys have revealed that London remains one of the most popular destinations for the nearly-married Brits to blow off steam before the big day. With its near-endless range of stunning entertainment, dining options and nightlife venues, it isn’t hard to see why.

Dublin

Just like London, Dublin has a huge amount to offer the prospective stag party. Ireland is rightly renowned for its friendliness and that’s just the right vibe for a couple of days in the Republic’s capital, taking in the sights, sounds and lively atmosphere.

Bangkok

Forget New York, Bangkok really is a city that never sleeps! Like the rest of the country itself, the capital Bangkok offers something for everyone. Truly exceptional cuisine, incredibly welcoming bars that are teeming with friendly locals and expats, Bangkok has it all. What’s more, it all comes at a fraction of the price you’d expect in London, Paris or popular American cities.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Sin City, stag do heaven! The glittering gem of the Nevada desert is perhaps Earth’s ideal stag weekend spot as it exists primarily to entertain its visitors with a staggering array of opportunities to enjoy swanky bars, glitzy shows and of course, casinos.

If your party is keen on a flutter, then Las Vegas is the place to go. The great gambling monument in the desert might be more expensive to get to, but for an unforgettable experience (provided events don’t play out like the film The Hangover) Las Vegas is worth the trip.

Riga

Eastern Europe is an emerging tourism powerhouse and Latvia is no exception. The capital Riga offers a unique combination of excellent nightlife, cultural attractions and hearty cuisine, all at extremely good value for money.

Newcastle

It’s not just the Metro Centre shopping Mecca that attracts people to Newcastle. This jewel of a northern city has carefully grown its reputation over the years as a lively yet sophisticated night out with a wide assortment of watering holes that range from the classy cocktail bars to the more rough-and-ready pubs and clubs.

Whatever your taste, whatever your tipple, Newcastle won’t fail to look after you and your stag party.

Marbella

Nestled away in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca, Marbella might seem like a sleepier location than some of our other featured spots, but don’t let appearances fool you, Marbella is a party town.

Not only are there the usual delights of Spanish nightlife to sample on shore, but Marbella also has a lot to offer stag parties who want a weekend with a twist as they can hire a yacht and take the party out to the Mediterranean!

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Costa d’Este Beach Resort, Florida

Vero Beach is located on the Atlantic side of Florida’s coast about two hours south east of Orlando. On the beachfront is the luxury Costa d’Este Beach Resort owned by Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio. The Atlantic coast of Florida is often overlooked but some of the beaches on this side of this state are truly stunning.

You can book it here

Villa Angela, Taormina, Sicily

The villa’s views out to the Ionian Sea and inland over to Mount Etna are simply breathtaking – and every room has a panoramic terrace to make the most of them. Other reasons to stay include the swimming pool, rooftop bar terrace and stylish furnishings – many made by local craftsmen. It’s also owned by Simple Minds’ front man Jim Kerr – he built the villa to reflect the warmth and passion of the Sicilian people after he fell in love with the island whilst on tour there in 1995.

You can book it here

The Clarence, Dublin

Owned by Bono and The Edge of U2, this boutique hotel is located right in the centre of Dublin – perfect for exploring the delights of Dublin. Apparently its famous owners have been known to pop in for a drink at the hotel’s Octagon bar when they’re in town. If they’re not around you can always eye up the bar’s original art deco features and striking octagon dome instead.

You can book it here

Rival Hotel, Stockholm

Uniquely designed and located in a vibrant area of Stockholm, this hotel was created by ex-Abba singer Benny Andersson. This was Stockholm’s first boutique hotel when it opened. We love its individual style – think lots of striking prints, funky lighting and carefully selected background music.

You can book it here

The Greenwich Hotel, New York

Boasting an underground pool and fitness centre, this hotel is located in the trendy TriBeCa district of New York City. Each of the 88 rooms are different giving a unique New York city break. And finally the owner – Robert DeNiro.

You can book it here

Any we’ve missed? If you have found some truly unique hotel experiences yourself, please share and let us know.

Images all courtesy of the hotels

We have all three. As you probably know, we’re kind of into travel. When we’re not talking about it, writing about it or dreaming about it, we’re doing it. Travelling, that is. Now, like most offices we are contractually obliged to bring back for our co-workers at least one of the following: A.) Fudge from Cornwall B.) Macaroons from Paris and C.) Hersheys or another inferior-to-Cadbury’s type chocolate treat from the USA. But we have another little tradition, and that is, we must, without fail, add to The Hideously Tacky Souvenir Collection, or face public ridicule and imminent unemployment.

After years of amassing our triumphant array of terrible tack, we thought it was high time we showed our lucky readers just exactly what we’re been hiding in our cupboards. So here, immortalised (perhaps unwisely) forever in the blogosphere, is our bad souvenir collection. Welcome to the world of the kitsch, the silly and the downright weird. You’re welcome.

Sam’s leather camel

When asked for the story behind her souvenir, Sam replied that ‘she was in a rush’ and ‘it was the cheapest thing she could find’. With an attitude like that, it’s lucky she makes a good cup of tea.

Eve’s Bob Marley hat

Brought back from a Barbados holiday by yours truly, this rather delightful item consists of a knitted hat in Jamaican colours, from which hang odd, spidery dreadlocks. It’s about three sizes too small for any adult head, so if your small child desperately covets dreadlocks – do get in touch.

Anna’s clock

What’s baby pink, informative and triumphantly plastic? It can only be this kitsch-tastic clock all the way from Marrakesh! Anna searched every souk in town for a suitably tack-heavy treat, and came back with what can only be described as the Elton John of clockery. That may or may not be a real word.

Alice’s duck oven mitt

We’re not sure that this even qualifies as a Truly Tacky Souvenir, as the conditions of the title deem that the item in question must be both a.) Useless and b.) Hideous. This oven mitt from Guatemala is neither. But Alice maintains that it deserves its place amonst the holiday dross, so in the cupboard it goes!

Yvonne’s Mexican man shot glass

What’s better than drinking tequila out of a tall shot glass? Drinking tequila out of a tall shot glass with a small Mexican man hanging off the side of it, of course. Yvonne picked up this beauty during a two-week Mexico holiday with her husband. By the look of this picture, he’s got competition.

Alice’s Amsterdam tulip

Amsterdam and tulips are like Batman and Robin; they belong together. After a recent trip to Amsterdam, Alice brought back this wooden tulip. Clearly Alice has far too much taste for a competition like this, as again, this souvenir is quite nice. However, she’s clawed back a few points by ensuring that the item is completely useless – hurrah!

That’s all we’ve got time for this week – perhaps if you’re really lucky, we’ll reveal some more gems from our box of treats in the near future!

Have you got any terrible souvenirs from your time abroad? If so, tell us about them!

Disclaimer: despite appearances, there are some men in our office. They just hadn’t done their hair on the morning of these pictures.

The discount – if you’re interested (you should be!) – is 60%, so you know you’ll be getting some serious value for money. There’s a minimum three-night stay, and to sweeten the deal, they’ve also thrown in a FREE bottle of bubbly – don’t say we never do nuffink for you!

So where will you be staying? Well, at the East Clare Golf Village, which is located in an idyllically rural area – you might want to think about hiring a car! You’ll find shops and pubs at the nearby village and the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher are a short drive away. Play a few rounds of golf, or just kick back in your villa, which comes with its own terrace and a fully equipped kitchen. Lovely!

Like the look of this offer? Check it out here.

All images from the Diamond Resorts International® website.

Image by Missmeng

A lot of traditional Caribbean dishes are really hearty, warming fare – not what you’d necessarily expect from a place that enjoys such hot weather! Dishes like stewed chicken, jerk chicken and curried goat are popular dishes – usually served with rice and peas and delicious coleslaw. Ingredients which are common in most islands’ dishes are rice, plantains, beans, cassava, bell peppers, chick peas, tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes and coconut; Caribbean food manages to be both filling and hearty, as well as healthy and nutritious – a winner all round, we say!

Image by Jetalone

Richly seasoned and well-spiced, flavour is the aim of the game in Caribbean cuisine. When in Barbados recently, I visited Oistins Fish Fry on the east of the island, where delicious food is cooked up right in front of you whilst you chat at big trestle tables positioned outside in the warm Caribbean air. Snapper and Mahi Mahi are both popular choices; both are seasoned perfectly and served with a whole array of cooked vegetables, coleslaw and rice. Served with an ice-cold Banks beer, it’ll give your tastebuds a party to remember!

Image by Adactio

Callaloo is  another popular dish; it’s a soup-like dish with a distinctively mixed African and indigenous character, and is – unsurprisingly – delicious. Ackee and Saltfish is popular in Jamaica, where it is the national dish – it’s much like the traditional roast dinner that we enjoy in England, in that its tradtionally eaten on a Sunday.

All this mouth-watering fare got you hungry for a taste of the Caribbean? Find cheap holidays to the Caribbean with our handy search tool or keep an eye on our Real Deals – we often discover amazing Caribbean holidays on our deal-hunting travels, and here’s where we’ll tell you about them!

Top image by missmeng

Show yourself some love and kick start this new relationship. We’ve got some great ideas whether you’re looking to save your pennies this January or splash out on a new you.

Weekend Away

Whether you go for a spa weekend with the girls or a walking weekend in the countryside with your other half, the rules for this trip are DO NOTHING. Enjoy being outside in the quiet, have a massage, or just hole up by the fire somewhere and read your book. The best bit? You don’t even need someone to go away with. In fact, you’ll get even more peace and quiet if you go all by yourself.

Fancy this? Then try out our UK breaks page to save yourself a few pounds too

Tai Chi or Yoga

A meditative and slow physical exercise like Tai Chi or Yoga is great for stopping your mind buzzing about all the things that you’ve got to do today, tomorrow, this week and this year. Instead you’ll focus on movement, breathing and muscle control. Start out slowly with a class if you want, or book yourself on a beginner retreat. You could try one in your local area, or even splash out on a week long retreat in Turkey or Morocco, two budget alternatives to the quintessential India retreat.

Retail Therapy

If all that relaxing sounds like torture, then maybe you’ll prefer a bit of shopping to get you rested and relaxed. A New York break is probably the best medicine if you really want to splash the cash. Alternatively, head for a weekend in Paris to browse chic boutiques or just hit the streets of London. But don’t let it be all about the shopping. Spend time eating and enjoying your surroundings, perhaps book a show or go on a walking tour as well. And remember, if you go over your budget that’s really not going to make for a peaceful New Year relationship with yourself!

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