ENGLISH MUM

  Le Chateau Saint-Martin Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to stay for a few days at the utterly beautiful Chateau Saint-Martin in the pretty little town of Vence on the Côte d’Azur.  For a luxury short break, the Chateau really has everything: it’s a scant 30 minute drive from Nice Airport (just over an hour’s hop from Gatwick), the accommodation is luxurious, the scenery breathtaking...

One of the best things about cruising is the sheer variety of activities offered by this sort of holiday.  As well as enjoying all the amenities a massive ship like the Liberty of the Seas has to offer (theatre shows, water-based fun like the FlowRider, ice spectaculars, fine dining, parades, a casino, climbing wall – I could go on), there is the added bonus of stopping off in different places (indeed,...

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort: ‘Big Blue’ Pool If you follow me on Facebook (if not, why not? We’re a lovely gang and have all sorts of waffly conversations), you’ll know that a while back, my chums at Disney offered me the most FABULOUS prize for you, my lovely readers: a 7 night holiday in a Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, complete with park tickets.  I, of course, bit...

Exploring the empty park in the dark It’s my birthday shortly (not a hint, I promise) and although I can remember sunny days, cloudy days and rainy days, I’m pretty sure it’s never snowed before at this time of year. Yesterday we drove down to Surrey to visit Thorpe Park for the opening party for their new hotel, The Crash Pad, and to experience the new backward twist to The Swarm, their amazing...

 It’s lovely to get away for a weekend, and Paris, especially at this time of year, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  So why visit this ravishing place, then stay in a bland hotel?  I’m always tearing out bits and bobs from travel magazines and scribbling details about hotels I’m dying to stay in.  Here are three of my favourites: Radisson Blue Le Dokhan’s Hotel It...

I do love a Minion.  And the cheeky Minions of Despicable Me are soon to have their own ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood. Planned for 2014, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem will mix videos, special effects and digital animation and whizz guests around Gru’s house (and secret super-villain laboratory) , encountering loads of elements of the movie on their way – you even get a special pair of 3D...

When I mentioned that I was off to Gran Canaria at the end of last year, the lovely chaps at Beachfactory.com offered to send me one of their fabulous sun hats to protect my poor bonce, which always gets burned – especially my parting. I have to say, I was really impressed, and it did just as well on the cruise too.  The hat has a lovely wide brim and withstood being wedged into a suitcase and stuffed...

The ladies chillin’ on deck with a cocktail As we got near Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale (in a massive coach which was laid on for all – wait for it – seven of us), we caught our first glimpses of the ship, rising up between cranes and tall buildings.  It’s MASSIVE.  We couldn’t quite believe we were going to be on there.  And there were all sorts of worries too: will we be...

As I sit here  at my desk, slightly groggy with jetlag and with cankles the size of tree trunks, I can hardly believe that this time last week I was joining the cruise ship Liberty of the Seas with five friends to start the adventure of a lifetime. I have so much to tell you!  I surfed the Flow Rider, sunbathed on a private white sand beach in Haiti, rode horses in the sea and climbed Dunns River Falls In...

Every so often someone comes up with an idea that’s just so brilliant, I’m amazed I haven’t heard of it before.  Wimdu is one of those things.  It’s a website (or ‘accommodation platform’ to use the technical term)  that brings travellers together with people around the world who have accommodation.  It’s not small, either.  They currently list over 150,000 properties...

My friend and fellow travel nut Laura recently told me about this little beauty: Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2013.  This fab special edition, released to celebrate Lonely Planet’s 40th anniversary, is packed with tons of recommendations for destinations, looks into travel trends for 2013 and showcases some incredible journeys.  Inspirational, and with photos to die for.  I want to do it all.  I...

This week, I travelled into London to meet up with a few of my blogging buddies and the lovely chaps at Royal Caribbean cruises.  We were there to hear more about the fabulous facilities that Royal Caribbean can offer families on board their fleet of cruise ships. First, though, there was the matter of a rather delicious afternoon tea, complete with champers!  There were plenty of ‘ooh, posh!’...

I’ve teamed up with American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Card to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a selection of family travel essentials, as chosen by radio DJ, mum of four and ambassador for the Gold Card, Jo Whiley. This exclusive prize includes an iPod Shuffle and headphone splitters so that two of you of can enjoy your favourite tunes at the same time (brilliant for kids while travelling),...

When you’re planing a holiday, it’s really handy to be able to chat to someone who’s been to that destination before – even better if they can give you a few hints and tips to get the most out of your holiday. The chaps at TravelSupermarket are working very hard to make this happen (well, the next best thing).  They’re planning a series of ‘cheat sheets’ for top holiday...

So that’s it, then… my Week of Walt is nearly finished.  I couldn’t end, though, without giving you a little whisper of some of the biggest Disney secrets going, snaffled during my week in Florida at the launch of New Fantasyland especially for you! There are TONS of things in the pipeline at the moment for Disney Parks… with New Fantasyland now open, they’re concentrating on...

A surprising amount of people planning a trip to Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, and the surrounding areas often miss out by thinking that they can’t afford to stay in in a ‘proper’ Disney hotel.  The luxury resort hotels are phenomenal – the Grand...

I recently made a promise to myself that I would stop taking pictures of food in restaurants.  My husband hates it (especially when I slap his hand away from his plate) and I’ve lost count of the times my friends have sighed as I snap away at their plates, trying to get the best angle by practically sitting in their laps.  Annoying, much? But it’s SO hard.  I did, for example, break my rule for...

One of the things I love about Disney is that they never stop.  There’s always something new and exciting in the pipeline (more of this later in the week) – their teams of designers (or ‘Imagineers’), work tirelessly...

I was having a conversation with my Disreputable Dad recently about crying.  ’Oh I well up all the time’, he said.  ’Watch out, it gets worse as you get older’. This can’t be good, as I seem to cry plenty already.  Just before Christmas, I was lucky enough to be invited to Florida for the grand opening of a brand new section of the Magic Kingdom: New Fantasyland.  I seem to...

Christmas treats for kids don’t get much better than going to Lapland and meeting the real Santa Claus. Children will fall in love with this wonderland where the deep, velvety snow is dotted with frosty pine trees and (if you’re lucky) illuminated by waves of blue light.  If you’re fortunate enough to be planning one of these enchanting breaks, there are ways to make the most out of visiting...

I always find that as soon as I return from one holiday, I start planning another.  Next year, we’re going to Brittany for a couple of weeks in the summer, and are also hoping to get away in the UK for a week. I’ve been talking to Norfolk-based Richardson’s Boating about their fab self-drive boating holidays on the Norfolk Broads – my sister in law did this last year with her sister and...

I had such a lovely flight to Gran Canaria.  It wasn’t particularly the plane (with Thomson now launching their new 787 Dreamliners – they start flights to Mexico and Florida in May next year – I wonder if this will free up some newer planes to replace the clunky old Boeing 757-200s that are still...

What does Christmas mean to you? For me it’s the scent of pine, frosty walks, tinsel and glitter, cinnamon and spice, the odd present or two and food food food! It’s different for everyone: maybe you’re planning a big get together, musing about going away or maybe it’s just the two of you, planning a quiet day. If you’re undecided, I think I’ve found the perfect Christmas...

Back, then, from our wonderful weekend, we’ve had time to reflect upon Guernsey, and what it can offer the traveller – be they family, couple, group or solo. The first thing that struck us both, having enjoyed each other’s company, sans children, for the first time in a good few years, is that it’s a wonderful place for a weekend getaway.  But then, it’s good for everyone.  Before I explain why,...

It’s just six weeks – SIX WEEKS! – until we’re off on our holidays with my Disreputable Dad and his partner to Gran Canaria for a week.  I think we’re probably at the stage where, with Sam being 17, our days of enjoying holidays as a family are numbered, so I’m determined to enjoy every second, especially as there’ll be three generations all holidaying together.  When...