Ockenden Manor, West Sussex
“Located in Cuckfield, considered one of the prettiest Tudor villages in England, Ockenden is an Elizabethan manor dating from 1520, the beamed interior of which resonates with creaking floorboards and character…”
Browsing: The Explorer
Finale Ligure: An Impromptu Gallivant
‘Even “the best laid plans…,” remarked Robert Burns, and as a fellow Scot raised on a climate of snow in June, he should know…’ Danielle flees the weather and discovers a timeless hideaway on the Italian Riviera…
Down at Fraggle Rock
“It’s 295 miles to Truro. We’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of Twiglets; it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses…” Gabrielle discovers the child-like delights of Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula…
Dolder Grand, Zurich
Larry returns to Zurich and experiences a weekend of opulence, elegance, unparalleled finery…and a delicious…
Seven Days in Andalucia
I don’t know if there is a Spanish version of that well-worn phrase La France…
Bailiffscourt Hotel, West Sussex
“Stay away from the mushrooms with gills or skirts on their stems.” Such words to the wise sound like they belong in the ominous section of a fairytale, just before the wolf or Mad Hatter makes his appearance…
Southernhay House, Exeter
“The old bookworm has begun to twitch. It is, perhaps, the gaggle of youths playing songs rich in reference to knife crime that have him so on edge; on the other hand, it might equally be the whinging child…”
Rotterdam: Manhattan and Naughty Gnomes
“If you asked me to choose one place in the world that I’ve always wanted to visit, Rotterdam probably wouldn’t have been at the top of my wishlist.” Our Fashion Editor goes Dutch and meets a giant gnome…
Lower Slaughter Manor, Cotswolds
“Some places are cursed with bad names, so it was with an open mind and visions of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre that I approached the rather dubiously titled Lower Slaughter Manor…”
To the Manor Lawn: Glamping at Hidcote
“We made use of a wheelbarrow to transport our luggage across the muddy field; it certainly made a change from pulling up outside a plush hotel and having the luggage magically transferred to our room.”
Hotel Monte Mulini, Croatia
“Croatia’s five-star boutique Hotel Monte Mulini was quite an understated first sight for this shamefully quick to judge traveller. A momentary opinion, thankfully, swiftly dispelled by the view that filled my eyes…”
The Francis Hotel, Bath
“Two men carry a bathtub into Bath. Not a joke, but my first sight on entering the city famous for its sulphurous waters…” Douglas Blyde revisits a haunting childhood haunt…