Enticing Christmas and New Year Breaks in London or the UK

You deserve a break and Superbreak have some lovely offers on right now. One New Year I treated my family to a Superbreak deal staying in a 4* hotel in Central London visiting the Terracotta Warriors exhibition at the British Museum and Tutankhamun at the O2 Arena. We had priority pass tickets and an excellent price overall.

Here is a tempting selection of the many offers on right now:

There are Christmas breaks:

Christmas Break: 4* Macdonald Highlands, Aviemore, £329pp 3nts from 24th Dec includes breakfast, dinner, Christmas day lunch and entertainment. Resting at the very heart of the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands, the Macdonald Highlands Hotel offers luxury guest bedrooms and features Aspects signature restaurant, offering the very best locally sourced and organic produce. The hotel’s on site Leisure Arena and Vital Beauty Spa offers an array of facilities including a lagoon swimming pool, luxury spa, gym, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi.

Christmas Break: 4* Lancaster House Hotel, Lancaster, £420pp 3nts from 24th Dec includes breakfast, dinner, Christmas day lunch and entertainment. Add a little style, elegance and luxury to your Christmas break with a stay at the fabulous Lancaster House Hotel, where an award winning menu awaits you in the Foodworks Restaurant. Offering a taste of exquisite food, attentive service and fine wines. Located in peaceful grounds, this hotel offers spacious, stylish and superbly appointed guest rooms, whilst the hotel’s Sandpiper Leisure Club boasts a 50 foot swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, gym and beauty spa.

Christmas Break: 3* Hatherley Manor, Gloucester, £299p 3nts from 24th Dec breakfast, dinner, Christmas day lunch and entertainment. An elegant 17th century manor house, nestling in 37 acres of its own grounds on the edge of the Cotswolds. Following major refurbishment, this formerly moated residence provides all the comfort and luxury expected of a modern county house whilst retaining its historic heritage and charm. The Dewinton Restaurant with its oak beams and appealing décor is a delightful dining room with a vast menu of interesting and tasty dishes.

There are New Year breaks:

New Year break: 4* De Vere Carden Park Hotel, Chester (nr), £195pp 1nt on 31st Dec, includes breakfast, dinner and live entertainment. Located on a beautiful 1000 acre estate, De Vere Carden Park Hotel is one of England's finest luxury hotels and offers a unique combination of history and luxury. Each room is beautifully designed and has fabulous views over the Cheshire countryside and Welsh hills. Why not spend your time enjoying a slice of pure relaxation in the Spa where you'll find 20 unique expert treatment rooms, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and more.

New Year Break: 3* Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool, £299pp 3nts from 30th Dec includes breakfast, dinner and cabaret entertainment. The Norbreck Castle stands proud on the North Shore overlooking the seafront, in the quieter part of Blackpool, a short tram ride from the town centre and the Pleasure Beach. The hotel boasts two restaurants, two bars and Spindles Health Club offering heated indoor pool, sauna, gym and hair & beauty treatments. Each bedroom is furnished for your comfort with en suites, hairdryer, television, and tea and coffee making facilities.

New Year Break: 4* Menzies Cambridge Hotel & Golf Club, Cambridge, £185pp 2nts from 30th Dec includes, breakfast, afternoon tea, Gala dinner and dancing. Its contemporary décor and spacious public areas make this Cambridge hotel one of the finest in the area. The superb Waves Health & Leisure Club includes indoor swimming pool, Nordic sauna, steam room, spa bath and a fully-equipped gym. The hotel’s Brassiere restaurant has a tempting menu of British favourites and international dishes, using only the finest, freshest ingredients and seasonal produce.

There are some wonderful shows on in London. Don't miss them and bag yourself an excellent package deal of hotel and ticket:

The Nutcracker live at the O2 Arena, 4* hotel & ticket from £87.50pp Available 27th, 28th & 30th December. Birmingham Royal Ballet presents The Nutcracker. Enjoy the festive feel of this renowned Tchaikovsky ballet which is an essential part of the Christmas season. The Nutcracker is a magical story for the whole family to enjoy where enchanted lands and toys come to life. After sneaking downstairs at midnight to play with her new Nutcracker doll, Clara magically finds herself in a fantasy of toy soldiers, giant rats, snow fairies and magic before she is finally transformed into a beautiful ballerina.

Apassionata live at the O2, 3* hotel & ticket from £98.50pp Available 21st January 2012. Awarded ‘Show of the Year’ at the 2010 PRG Live Entertainment Awards the astounding Apassionata returns with their new show ‘Together forever’. See the skilful agility and athleticism of the classic Cossack riders and their horses as well as the mesmerizing simplicity and discipline of a horse whisperer's talents. From Shetland ponies to Friesian horses, over 40 horses have been drawn together from throughout Europe to create this evocative show.

Strictly Come Dancing live at the O2, 4* Hotel & Ticket from £120pp Available 28th & 29th January 2012. Following the return of Strictly Come Dancing to our TV’s in September the hugely successful show will embark on its live tour in 2012. Now in its fifth year the Strictly Come Dancing Tour brings all the glamour of the show to a live stage arena. Experience firsthand the views of the judges, the stunning costumes and the remarkable dancing. Celebrities confirmed for the 2012 Tour are Jason Donovan, Harry Judd, Anita Dobson, Robbie Savage, Chelsee Healey and Mark Foster.

As well as these, always think Superbreak for London hotel & theatre trips:

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The Colourful World of Mondo Hotels in Belgium

Many hotels these days look the same. Don´t get me wrong, I like minimalist chic but sometimes it is fun to have a little colour around. People who stay in hotels frequently sometimes forget their room number, the name of the hotel or even the city they are staying in! One hotel room looks just like the next.

If you would like to stay somewhere a little different, then I suggest you look at Mondo Hotels. They are a privately-owned group of four hotels in Brussels, Antwerp and Ostend in Belgium.

I love all three cities. Quirky Brussels with its Mannekin Pis statue, the most beautiful square in the world, the Grand Place/Grote Markt, the Tintin museum, great shopping and some wonderful old bars where you can relax and enjoy Brussels beers eg Gueuze, Faro, Lambic and Framboise. Of all the 500 odd beers produced in Belgium, these four are some of my favourites. In fact, there are several varieties of Gueuze. More info on my Squidoo site.

Antwerp has its fantastic harbor with bars lining the old quaysides, or Kaai in Dutch, the new MAS – Museum Aan de Stroom overlooking the inner harbour, even better shopping and unbeatable nightlife.

Ostend (Oostende) is loved by Brits and it is easy to see why. A beautiful golden sandy beach, go karts of every sort to hire, a fresh fish market and stalls selling small platters of seafood, some expensive gin palace boats to drool over in the Mercator yacht harbor, more great shops and a never-ending choice of restaurants. That is if you are not full from all the delicious seafood on the harbour front. Of course, there are plenty of bars for enjoying Belgian beers. I spent four nights in Ostend in August on our own boat and did not want to leave. The luxury residential cruise ship “The World” also visited for two nights whilst we were there.

Mondo Hotels offer a colourful location in each of these three cities so whether you are visiting on business, a one night stop-over or want to make a weekend city break, I recommend Mondo Hotels.

Have a look at Mondo Hotels

Mondo Leopold Brussels is near the European Commission & Parliament but also within walking distance of the Royal Palace, the museums and the Grand Place/Grote Markt.



Mondo Eden Antwerp near the sublimely beautiful Centraal Station which is next door to the Zoo.




Or Mondo Empire Antwerp in the middle of the famous Diamond district.







Mondo Hotel Ostend is a hip and trendy art deco hotel near the seafront, Casino, shops and the beach.





Learn all about Gueuze beers.

Read about my visit to the MAS-Museum Aan de Stroom in Antwerp.

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2 for 1 on Mini Cruise to Amsterdam

Have you thought about a mini-cruise from Newcastle to Amsterdam?

DFDS Seaways know that money is a little tight after the Summer holidays but we still want to spoil ourselves and have fun so they have a great offer right now

2 for 1 is back!

Yes, for selected departures between September-December, you can now book a Mini Cruise to Amsterdam from only £79 for 2 people.



It´s perfect for an Autumn/Winter getaway, whether you want a short break with your friends or partner, a relaxing break in one of Europe's finest cities, or use the trip to start your Christmas shopping, with a vast number of shops from small boutiques to designer department stores.

A Mini Cruise to Amsterdam includes;
• 2 nights accommodation in an en suite cabin
• Coach transfers to/from Amsterdam city Centre
• Live entertainment onboard
• Approx. 5 hours in Amsterdam

Click DFDS Mini-cruise to Amsterdam for details.

• FROM £79 FOR 2 PEOPLE

There are also a variety of 2 for 1 offers available on the DFDS Seaways Themed Mini Cruise range, including the annual and ever popular Halloween Mini Cruise, Haarlem Mini Cruise, School Disco Mini Cruise, Tropical Party Mini Cruise, Christmas Panto Mini Cruise and Utrecht Mini Cruise.

In addition to great restaurants, bars and the famous on-board entertainment, DFDS now offer the Wildlife Watching Experience

Learn about the wildlife of the North Sea as you sail to Amsterdam. Led by the leading wildlife charity ORCA, the the wildlife experience is fun for both kids and adults.
All of these special offer cruises can be found at DFDS Mini-cruise to Amsterdam

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A Visit to the MAS in Antwerp

You may know Antwerp in north Belgium for its diamonds. In fact 70% of the world’s diamonds hail from Antwerp.

It is a vibrant city (population 470,000+) for shopping, fashion, business, culture (theatre, opera, museums) and nightlife. Now there is a new reason to visit.

Antwerp has developed part of its harbour and port area into the fashionable “Het Eilandje” (The Little Island). The centrepiece is the 60 metres high MAS – Museum Aan De Stroom (Museum on the River MAS www.MAS.be) which cost 33.5 million Euros and opened to the public on 13 May with a four-day long festival of dance, theatre, films, tours and free visits to the 10-storey urban icon. The MAS is a collection of 470,000 pieces in permanent museums plus temporary exhibitions eg diamonds and silver, a gift shop and museum square for open-air events or just to rest and watch the world go by. The harbour museum shows a non-stop 360° panorama film of shipping movements in the harbour via webcams. There are plenty of choices for good food and delicious Belgian beers. Don’t miss Felix Pakhuis and Het Duvels Genot.

I took my sons on 15 May. We saw exhibitions containing collections from the city’s museums: Life and Death – myths, religions and the impressive collection of Paul and Dora Janssen-Arts with relics from Latin America; A World Port (fantastic collection of ships); Metropolis; Power & Prestige and a temporary exhibition “Masterpieces in the MAS" (until 30/12/2012) with classical and modern art. There is also a floor of storage showing collections which do not fit into the other exhibitions. Plenty for everyone to see and find their favourites.





On the 9th floor is a viewing platform giving an impressive 360° roof panorama over Antwerp through 6m high glass with the occasional open circle to give the best quality photos.

The building itself is built from hand-cut Indian red stone and designed as a giant storehouse with stacked containers or boxes to create a spiral tour with constantly changing views from the curved glass panels on each floor adjacent to the different museums. 3,000 aluminium hands, the symbol of Antwerp, adorn the stone. It is a striking design.


Antwerp is the second most important port in Europe, after Rotterdam, and the 13th busiest worldwide, handling an average volume of 160 million tonnes of international maritime cargo. Its location 80km inland offers the most environmentally-friendly means of cargo transport saving on the carbon footprint of truck movements. 14,000 ships and 55,000 barges call at Antwerp every year. The River Scheldt has been deepened to give a 15m draft.

The MAS has been built between Antwerp’s two oldest ports which have been totally renovated. There is an inner harbour in Willemdok with a high class of boats. Bonapartedok next door will be a museum dock for historic ships.

Antwerp on Wikipedia

You can also fly to Antwerp (Deurne) from London City or take the Eurostarto Brussels then change and arrive at the truly impressive Antwerp Centraal Station which is right next to the city zoo and round the corner from the Diamond centre. Have a look at the flash mob video on YouTube which took place in the station in 2009 to “Do-Re-Mi” from “The Sound of Music”. This promoted Belgium’s own search for a Maria to star in their Flemish speaking musical.


Antwerp is over 500 years old. Have you visited yet?



© Antonia Harrison 2011

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Ferry to Ireland

Ah the Emerald Isle! I have been watching Terry Wogan's Ireland program on BBC and it has given me a thirst to visit Ireland...and not just for the Guinness.

Ireland is beautiful, has a wonderful culture and you never know when a sing song will break out.

The best way to visit Ireland is in your own car so "you'll be needing a ship". Those Ferry Nice Folk at Norfolk Line/DFDS have just the ticket - a ferry from Liverpool to Ireland from just £79.



There are more than 26 crossings each week between Belfast and Birkenhead (Liverpool). They can also help with a weekend break or a short holiday in a luxurious cottage, so go ahead book online to Ireland.

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