ZAKYNTHOS ZANTE ZEN SEA FRONT POOL VILLA

ZAKYNTHOS ZANTE ZEN SEA FRONT POOL VILLA

La Mer villa at Zante Zen - a gorgeous sea front retreat in Zakynthos that really was as spectacular and luxurious as it looks

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WILD ESCAPES TREEHOUSE HAMPSHIRE

WILD ESCAPES TREEHOUSE HAMPSHIRE

An off the grid treehouse adventure. Scandi-cool design meets gorgeous Hampshire countryside. Parent pleasing and dog friendly, just perfect.

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COMPARING MARTINHAL SAGRES & PINE CLIFFS

COMPARING MARTINHAL SAGRES & PINE CLIFFS

When we were deciding whether to book Pine Cliffs or Martinhal Sagres for October half term last year, the one thing I really wanted was to find a blog review that compared the two. To help me decide. I couldn’t. So now that we’ve stayed in both, I thought I would write it!…

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THE MAGIC OF MARTINHAL

THE MAGIC OF MARTINHAL

Magical Martinhal, where to start? It truly provided the most effortlessly relaxing holiday our little family could have hoped for. Martinhal have got everything right for a luxury family holiday. Everything. Nothing is missing, nothing is an effort, really it’s perfect. A John Lewis holiday, if that makes sense. It has everything you…

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GORGEOUS BEACHES OF CRETE

GORGEOUS BEACHES OF CRETE

After two magical trips to Crete, I'm keeping a list of the fabulous beaches. There's far more to Crete than the resorts it is known for.

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ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FAMILY FRIENDLY POOL VILLA IN CRETE?

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FAMILY FRIENDLY POOL VILLA IN CRETE?

Then I have just the place for you! Dimokritos villas in central Crete are the perfect place for a relaxing family holiday.

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HALF TERM AT PINE CLIFFS RESORT

HALF TERM AT PINE CLIFFS RESORT

Pine Cliffs Resort is somewhere to which we will return. Peaceful and relaxing it made everything so perfectly simple for a half term getaway.

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SUMMER GETAWAY HAMPER FROM JET2 AND JET2HOLIDAYS

SUMMER GETAWAY HAMPER FROM JET2 AND JET2HOLIDAYS

Last week the lovely people at Jet2 & Jet2holidays sent me a hamper to celebrate their new routes from Bristol Airport to Europe

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WALKING IN THE HAMPSHIRE BLUEBELLS

WALKING IN THE HAMPSHIRE BLUEBELLS

Bluebell season is my favourite season! There is no getting away from just how magical the forest floors across England look for a few weeks each spring, littered with bluebells. A purple haze of delight. I’ve become a little obsessed by it since we moved to a bluebell hotspot. And on our doorstep…

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WINCHESTER COLLEGE HERITAGE OPEN DAY

WINCHESTER COLLEGE HERITAGE OPEN DAY

There’s a certain allure to somewhere that’s behind closed doors and not open to the public. Winchester College is such a place. We’d catch glimpses of it across the water meadows on a stroll or by peering in the porters lodge door. But that’s it. We got close to spending a day at…

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THE BABYMOON – TRIED AND TESTED

THE BABYMOON – TRIED AND TESTED

The babymoon – it’s fair to say we took a few… Not just the “last jam before the pram” before the arrival, but at regular intervals through 9 months of growing the baby. Our choices were around Baby P and to be sure I got the relaxing and de-stressing breaks I needed to…

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CHARMING COTSWOLDS STAY AT THE LYGON ARMS

CHARMING COTSWOLDS STAY AT THE LYGON ARMS

We’ve been lucky enough to stay at the Chewton Glen and Cliveden House a number of times. There are few teams and hotels that know hospitality better. I have for a long time been wary of what’s on offer hotel-wise in the Cotswolds as much of it looks a bit like Little London.…

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A SLEEPY WEEK IN THE ALGARVE

A SLEEPY WEEK IN THE ALGARVE

Our week on the Algarve was just what a doctor would have ordered. Warmth and sunshine. 10 hours sleep a night, a few more hours dozing on loungers by the pool each day, plenty of fruit (especially oranges), veg and fish and some excellent pampering too. We also added in a teeny bit…

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BELA VISTA HOTEL RESTAURANT AND SPA, THE ALGARVE

BELA VISTA HOTEL RESTAURANT AND SPA, THE ALGARVE

When I stumbled across the Bela Vista hotel whilst hunting for special places to stay in the Algarve, I saw photos of the most incredible hexagonal stained glass bathroom. I didn’t quite make the booking on just the basis of this one room but it was a factor…  As was the dreamy pool! Quite…

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VILACAMPINA GUESTHOUSE, THE ALGARVE

VILACAMPINA GUESTHOUSE, THE ALGARVE

The symmetrical white-washed moorish architecture and the lone tall palm tree. The remote rural location. The simple and peaceful blue and white pool. Vilacampina has you at hello. It’s a dreamy contemporary villa, the kind you wish someone in the family owned outright! But with the benefits of a hotel thrown in. The perfect…

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P&P RECOMMENDED: LONDON HOTEL DIRECTORY

P&P RECOMMENDED: LONDON HOTEL DIRECTORY

If we stay in London then it’s normally got something to do with work. Or to break up the commuting week. As stays are mainly for work they err on the practical and functional side of things. Sometimes though, we make a London date night of it and have been working our way around…

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AN INTIMATE SUPPER AT EVELYN’S TABLE

AN INTIMATE SUPPER AT EVELYN’S TABLE

When you find a food style you enjoy… Stick to it. We were taken to Machneyuda when we were in Jerusalem. And to our delight, there’s a growing list of restaurants in London run by the same group. I’m pleased to say we have now enjoyed them all. Each slightly different, but all…

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RELAXED WEEKENDING AT TIMBRELL’S YARD

RELAXED WEEKENDING AT TIMBRELL’S YARD

We booked our stay at Timbrell’s Yard after I made a shock discovery… Mr P was away for over half of February with work and he also had a ski holiday and weekend in Cape Town squeezed in. In a very first world way, with no trips planned, I was feeling hard done…

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A QUIET WEEKEND IN CORNWALL TO REMEMBER

A QUIET WEEKEND IN CORNWALL TO REMEMBER

Sometimes all anyone needs is a weekend away, in Cornwall. Away from the chores, the need to do a food shop, catch up on work or (heaven forbid) do anything strenuous. A weekend away in a nice place that isn’t home. No 3G, no TV, just some fresh air and sea views. Time…

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THE MAGICAL NORTH COAST OF CORNWALL

THE MAGICAL NORTH COAST OF CORNWALL

The north coast of Cornwall is magical. Especially the bits that few visitors find! Ask many where to go on the north coast of Cornwall and you’d oft hear Padstow, Rock, ‘The Scarlet’, Bude top of the list… Charming yes, But there is so much more. And it’s truly Cornish… Let me share…

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MADEIRA: 10 GREAT IDEAS FOR YOUR VISIT

MADEIRA: 10 GREAT IDEAS FOR YOUR VISIT

Madeira was the icing on the travel year cake for us in 2017. When we arrived on the stunning mid-Atlantic island, the only thing we knew was that Madeira was the perfect place to select for a week of RnR. The tears from cancelling our India trip because the government/tourist board had hidden…

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HIKING MADEIRA: AWE-INSPIRING PICO RUIVO

HIKING MADEIRA: AWE-INSPIRING PICO RUIVO

When we flew into Funchal there were some stunning mountains poking out of the fluffy clouds. Spectacular. I have only seen cloud inversion once before, and so this sight was magical. I studied meteorology at school and university, so to see it ‘in action’ was pretty special. One of those peaks I saw…

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SUBLIME STAY AT QUINTA DA CASA BRANCA

SUBLIME STAY AT QUINTA DA CASA BRANCA

Arrival at Quinta da Casa Branca is at the highest point within the grounds and there is immediate wow factor. Just metres from the city hubbub, yet shielded from the noise and urban surroundings. All you can see (and smell) are the beautiful tropical gardens and the manor house in its perfectly romantic setting.…

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BOTANICAL STAY AT QUINTA JARDINS DO LAGO

BOTANICAL STAY AT QUINTA JARDINS DO LAGO

A quinta is a Portuguese country estate, typically on the outskirts of town. Inside the walls you find a manor house at the centre, surrounded by beautiful gardens and either a wine or banana plantation for good measure. Space and tranquility in a city. What better place for a boutique hotel. Exactly the…

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Winchester Dining: Club Epicure

Winchester Dining: Club Epicure

The concept of a supper club is entirely new to me. As (let’s be honest these days) is going out on a work night! So it was quite the occasion last week when we trundled off to a private home in Winchester for our very first supper club. Let me introduce Club Epicure,…

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