You know you’re staying somewhere classy when even rock gods are turned away for having the wrong attire. Led Zeppelin star Robert Plant suffered this indignity at the hands of Joan Reen, general manager and erstwhile owner of Ynyshir Hall in west Wales. Joan recalled the story to my wife and I during a wonderful…
There was a time when people starved to death in the dungeons of medieval castles. But there’s no fear of that ever happening again at Dalhousie Castle, a magnificent 13th century fortress near Edinburgh. In 1972, the castle was converted into a romantic hotel and its stone, barrell-vaulted dungeon is now a restaurant with two…
Eyebrows were raised when I told friends I would be holidaying in Ibiza for two weeks. “Will you be partying?” they asked, referring to the island’s legendary superclubs such as Pacha, Space and Amnesia. At first, I was flattered that they believed that, at 37, I still had the stamina to bust some shapes (is…
The website says it’s the most photographed place in the world. Can you guess what it is? The Eiffel Tower, perhaps? Or what about Buckingham Palace, the Great Wall Of China, the Colosseum, Disneyworld in Florida or Egypt’s pyramids? In fact, you may be surprised to learn that it’s Keukenhof Gardens. And its boast is…
The hills are alive with the sound of music! Cool cats will be performing in the shadow of the Brecon Beacons when the HSBC Brecon Jazz Festival takes place from August 7-10. The stellar line-up includes Courtney Pine, Joan Armatrading, Cerys Matthews, Neil Cowley and Jools Holland with his guest vocalists Marc Almond and Ruby…
There’s a romantic castle in Bavaria which prides itself on being the main inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland, California. The fantastical turrets of the hilltop Neuschwanstein Castle, begun by King Ludwig II in 1869, has made it the most photographed building in Germany. But what inspired the castle that inspired Sleeping Beauty’s Castle?…
Beautiful Bath is justifiably famous for its Roman and Georgian heritage. The Royal Crescent, The Circus and Pulteney Bridge are among the architectural treasures which have made the entire city centre a World Heritage Site. But my visit on a mid-March weekend wasn’t about sightseeing. I was there to take part in the annual Bath…
The internet often gets a bad rap – but in reality it’s made all our lives so much easier. We can now do our weekly shop, check our bank accounts and even read our local newspaper without leaving the comfort of our homes. The internet has also helped take the risk out of booking a…
Like many people, I’m a little addicted to chocolate. But until recently, I’d always resisted the temptation to snort it. That changed when I visited Bruges and had the pleasure of meeting Dominique Persoone, a self-styled ‘shock-olatier’ and the city’s very own Willy Wonka. Last June, he was asked to do a dessert for the…
An historic inn which has been owned or visited by four English monarchs is once more fit for a king. A £1 million facelift has brought The Bear Hotel in Hungerford, Berkshire, into the present while respecting its character and illustrious past. Dating back to the 13th century, the Bear was later owned by the…
Holidaying Hack 