From stylish townhouses to characterful country piles, this selection of inns, B&Bs and hotels offer delicious food and a touch of luxury for £150 a night or less
Drakes, Brighton Keep an eye out for deals at this glamorous Regency seafront hotel (a November 30% discount won’t be a one-off). A sea-view balcony room, of course, will cost a bit, but even the snuggest, city-facing bedrooms have air conditioning, a king-size bed, wet room, bathtub and Green & Spring toiletries. For somewhere so fun and stylish, Drakes offers real value, including the shorter tasting menus in Dilsk restaurant. Or just treat yourself to a sundowner in the bar, then head out to dine. This is Brighton; the world is your oyster. Doubles from £143.50 B&B, drakeshotel.com
Colombia has recovered the first artifacts from San José galleon, also known as the legendary "Holy Grail of shipwrecks." It is said to contain $20 billion worth of treasure.
Across the U.S., it’s beginning to look, and smell, a lot like Christmas — artisanal stalls framed by twinkling lights are selling delightful gifts and the tempting aromas of mulled wine and bratwursts are wafting through the air
Thanksgiving travelers are packing Amtrak trains as the company hits all-time ridership highs. Officials urge early booking and arriving on time amid busy holiday schedules.
Poor weather couldn’t spoil my high-altitude walking trip amid these stunning peaks, especially with delicious, hearty Tyrolean cuisine to keep me going
When you come to the Dolomites for winter walking, it’s with the intention of having spellbinding snow-streaked peaks that are unlike anything else in the Alps as your constant companion. But with impenetrable cloud and heavy rain forecast, it was hard not to feel deflated.
Then again, this was Italy, where it’s easy to make the best of things whatever the weather. And the 3 Zinnen Dolomites ski resort and nature park – right on Italy’s border with Austria, about two-and-a-half hours north of Venice, is always charming, with the usual jumble of cultures you see in South Tyrol. Part Italian, it’s more Austrian thanks to the legacy of the Habsburgs, who ruled this part of Italy until 1918. Hence most places have an Austrian and an Italian name, 3 Zinnen or Tre Cime (meaning three peaks) being a case in point. It’s the home of Ladin, an ancient Romance language, too.
Near the Poland border, a father and son who were metal detecting discovered buried artillery shells, prompting a major bomb squad operation involving Czech officials.
For the explorer and author, the desert outpost, irrigated by water from the Atlas mountains, is the perfect place to decompress
The first thing I notice when I walk into the oasis is the temperature drop. Then, I hear the birdsong and the rustling of the palm trees. The harsh sun dims and there’s water and the smell of damp earth. It’s easy to understand why desert travellers yearned to reach these havens and why they have become synonymous with peace. I’m an explorer who’s walked through many oases with loaded camels, crossing Morocco and the Sahara on foot, but Skoura, a four-hour drive from Marrakech, is a place I visit to decompress.
You may be imagining some kind of cartoon mirage oasis – a sole date palm shimmering above the endless sands. In fact, Skoura has a population of around 3,000 people living in a small town on the edge of the palms with 10 sq miles (25 sq km) of agricultural land. Many visitors to Morocco start in Fez or Marrakech and stop off in Aït Benhaddou, then go down to the Sahara towns of Zagora or Merzouga. Skoura, less than an hour from Ouarzazate, is an ideal stop-off point for a couple of days, or you could combine it with a Marrakech city break. The bus from Marrakech (CTM or Supratours) takes six hours, or you can hire a car (or car with driver) from Marrakech or Fez.
New Zealand's "golden" visa applications from Americans surge 72% after the country launched a new Business Investor Work Visa, offering permanent residency.
GymNation's bold billboards suggest Dubai as a self-defense retreat while the phone-snatching crisis in London continues. The campaign is dividing opinion on social media platforms.
The country has so many cultural and historical treasures that relatively few are known to tourists. Our tipsters share their discoveries, from ancient hill towns to a mini Venice
Approaching the town of Brisighella in Emilia-Romagna, it feels as though you are rapidly incorporating yourself in the backdrop of a Renaissance masterpiece, with dramatic rocky hills with singular trees perched upon them, and mysterious towers standing in solitary self-possession – leaving you to wonder what they must have witnessed over the years. The town is the perfect launchpad to explore such remarkably beautiful scenery, but it is also absolutely worth exploring its many medieval alleyways and its particularly unique elevated path, granting private nooks to take in the town’s charm. Gioia
Connexion
