Save 50% on Your European Hotel Booking

If you want to save up to 50% on a hotel room, rush over to Hotels.com for a 48 hour sale on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 August.  Their advanced search functions make it easy for you to narrow down your choice and past guest reviews will help you decide.  I always use Hotels.com for my own hotel bookings because they offer a Loyalty Rewards programme so for every 10 nights booked, I receive 1 night free.

Booking Dates: Wednesday 19th August  - Thursday 20th August 2015
Travel Dates:Tuesday 19th August - Sunday 4th October 2015
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Experience a Travelodge Dreamer Bed at Budget Hotel Prices

Have you visited Travelodge recently? Its new-look hotel room programme includes: a King-size Travelodge Dreamer Bed - Over 950 individual pocketed springs - Extra comfort layer - Hypo-allergenic fillings - Medium/firm support - 4 plump pillows - A comfy duvet.

All rooms are en-suite with some adapted bathrooms for wheelchair access and offer: - TV with 17 channels - WiFi access (charges apply - subject to availability) - Large lit desk area - Tea & Coffee making facilities Family rooms sleep up to 3 adults or 2 adults + 2 children and all the rooms are 100% smoke free.

Travelodge was the first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985 and now offers over 35,000 rooms in city centres, next to major routes, seasides, airports and countryside locations, so there is always one near to wherever you want to stay. There are also 11 Travelodge hotels in Ireland and 6 in Spain.

Millions of leisure and business travellers have grown to rely on Travelodge each year for a comfortable, hassle-free night’s accommodation. Most reservations are made online (approx. 80%) at travelodge.co.uk, where prices start at just £19 a night per room (not per person).

Travelodge listen to their customers and have made changes to the website offering: - Improved map functionality which allows hotels, transport links and nearby attractions and points of interest to be clearly identified. - Consistent hotel information for each of the company’s 500 hotels – including location details, parking information and maps for each hotel. - Improved photos of all hotel exteriors and interiors, including different room options in hotels.

If you want great value and a really comfortable bed, it is time to look at Travelodge.

Pre-Book UK Airport Parking for Best Rates and Convenience

Parking at the airport can add a large unnecessary bill to your trip as the onsite airport parking is rarely the cheapest option. FHR Airport Hotels & Parking have been serving travellers for over 28 years and offer a range of hotels (including Hilton, Holiday Inn and Marriott), airport lounges and car parks (across 20 airports across the UK) to suit all budgets. They work with a number of established and reliable companies to ensure that your holiday gets off to a great start. This includes transport to and from the airport terminals as well as guaranteeing that parking is always at manned and secured sites.

FHR Airport Hotels & Parking offers: - - Over 28 years experience supplying airport hotels & parking - Best price guarantee across all parking options - Save money by booking in advance - User friendly website - Customer reviews on website

Airport parking is available at: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Dublin, Durham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Humberside, Inverness, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Prestwick, Southampton, Southend and Stansted.

This site also offers parking at Dover and Southampton cruise port.

Choose Hotels.com When Comparing Hotels and Receive Free Nights

Hotels.com run a simple to use booking site for - you guessed it - booking hotels. You can search for a city name, or a particular hotel, or even base your search on distance from a landmark. You can specify price bracket, minimum number of stars in the rating or even by previous guests' ratings. Each hotel lists photos and a full list of facilities. You can also read reports from previous guests which is very useful.

What Hotels.com offer which other comparison sites do not offer is their Welcome Rewards scheme. Most of the hotels listed will be in this. Every time you book a hotel, choose one which uses the Rewards scheme then when you have booked ten nights over a two year period, you can choose one free night at any hotel based on an average value of the ten nights paid. It is a really good system. I used the site when booking various hotels on a touring holiday in Europe. The site was easy to use and I used my free night for a treat away with my children.

Click here to use Hotels.com and set up your account today. They often run 40-50% discounts on the whole site and you still receive Welcome Rewards!

Apply For a Free EHIC Card to Cover Health Costs in EU and EEA Countries

If applying online for an EHIC card (old E111) for free health treatment in the EU, be careful that you use the official NHS site. I nearly paid £19.99 then smelt a rat. Use the official site for a free form and allow ten working days.

Official NHS site for EHIC form: 
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx

Of course, travel insurance is still recommended but there is always a hefty excess to pay and minor treatment will be covered for free by the EHIC form.  You pay for it in your social security payments so I recommend applying for a card for all members of your family who are travelling in the 27 EU countries  plus all European Economic Area (EEA) countries, including Switzerland and Norway. 

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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