EASTER ESCAPE TO 15th CENTURY SWAN HOTEL AT LAVENHAM, SUFFOLK

Escape this Easter to the beautiful 15th century Swan at Lavenham, a country retreat in the heart of Suffolk’s rolling countryside. The historic hotel is offering two night Easter weekend breaks between 2 and 5 April from £240 per person including a delicious three course dinner in the two AA rosette Gallery Restaurant and a full Suffolk breakfast both days.

The special Easter offer is based on two sharing an enchanting double or twin classic room; guests staying a third night on Good Friday or Easter Monday can enjoy dinner B&B for just £60 per person.

Steeped in history, the Swan has served as a hostelry for nearly 600 years, ancient oak beams and inglenook fireplaces blend with rich furnishings and modern luxuries, while outstanding food is served in the restaurant, informal lounges and the historic Old Bar, which boasts a wonderful collection of World War II memorabilia.

To book call the Swan Hotel at Lavenham on 01787 247477 or email bookaroom@theswanatlavenham.co.uk; details can also be found on www.theswanatlavenham.co.uk.

According to top villa holiday company, CV Travel, France is back in vogue for British holiday-makers. The company reports bookings to France for 2010 to be on the increase as more clients opt for self-drive or rail and car-hire over and above flying through Europe’s busy and security-impeded airports. Driving down or taking the train also gives holidaymakers the chance to enjoy the journey, as much as the destination*.

In line with the greater interest in rail travel and holidays to France in 2010 CV Travel has come up with its top six French villas most easily accessible by rail, either Eurostar to Lille, transferring onto the TGV to Avignon, Aix-en Provence, Nîmes or Cannes and hiring a car, or taking a car through the Eurotunnel to Calais and driving south.

(Calais to Aix-en-Provence: 9 hr 20 min, Avignon: 8 hrs 45 mins, Cannes: 10 hrs 30 mins)

1. Make the most of France’s markets
19km from TGV terminal
French markets are a real draw for Francophiles and foodies and one of the joys of holidaying in France, especially for self-drive holidaymakers who can load up the car and feast on local produce. The Provençal town of Aix-en-Provence has typically French food markets on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and just 4kms from the town, amid an estate of 25 acres of lavendar, olive trees, orchards, oak and cypress trees, is the magnificent and majestic Notre Dame du Val, an elegantly furnished house with a lovely large swimming pool, tennis court and gym, with beautifully appointed accommodation for up to 14 guests.
Notre Dame du Val can be rented for up to 14 guests from £10260 to £15330 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044 www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Notre Dame du Val is 19kms from Aix-en-Provence TGV station, direct from Lille and hire a car, or self drive from Calais (approx 9 hours 20 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Provence/Aix-en-Provence/Accomodations/Pages/Notre-Dame-du-Val.aspx

2. A week in Provence at a 17th Century Provençal house
20km from TGV terminal
St Bonnet-du-Gard is an authentic Provençal village with an impressive 12th century church, a few kms from Le Pont du Gard with its 4th Century aqueduct, while nearby Uzes is popular for its lively Saturday market selling truffles, olives and an abundance of garden produce. Up to six guests can experience the age-old lifestyle of the local French towns and stay at the lovely Mas de la Pousterle, a beautiful 17th century Provençal Mas with its own courtyard swimming pool, restored using traditional materials and furnished with authentic local antiques.
Up to 6 guests can enjoy a week’s stay at Mas de la Pousterle from £2500 to £2735, (excluding travel), available through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Mas de la Pousterle is just 20km from Nîmes rail station and 25km from Avignon, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 8 hrs 45 mins to Avignon).

3. Cycle to a lost Roman city, farmhouse for 6
25km from TGV terminal
Roman scholars will enjoy the extraordinary Roman remains of France’s lost city of Glanum, a pair of monuments and an excavated Roman town on a site dating from the 4th century BC; beside Saint Remy-de-Provençe. Guests at the lovely Provençal Mas d’Isabelle can cycle or drive to Glanum from the farmhouse along the ancient road Via Aurelia. Further afield Avignon and Arles are testimony to the area’s Roman past. Mas d’Isabelle is 12km from St Remy, of which Lawrence Durrell said ‘I know of few villages more benign and indeed more beautiful for a prolonged visit’ and only 1km from the pretty village of Molleges.
Up to 6 guests can share Mas d’Isabelle from £2530 to £3545 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Mas d’Isabelle is just 25kms from Avignon rail station, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 8 hrs 45 mins).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Provence/St-Remy–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Le-Mas-dIsabelle.aspx

4. Making the most of the Côte d’Azur
20km from TGV terminal
For a house that is close to the magnificent beaches and buzz of the Bay of Cannes, as well as the vibrant city of Nice, Beaux-Rêves provides a touch of glamour and a taste of the highlife for at least a week of the year. This lovely air-conditioned house is set in a private residential domaine and has amazing views out across the surrounding mountainside to the sea beyond, with its own freeform swimming pool. A week’s rental costs from £5545 to £6175 for 12 sharing, available through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Beaux Rêves is just 20km from Cannes, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 10 hours 30 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Cote-dAzur/Bay-of-Cannes–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Beaux-Reves.aspx

5. Teenagers’ heaven with a feast of creature comforts
20km from TGV terminal
The traditional shuttered Villa Jasmine on the Bay of Cannes is equipped with the kind of creature comforts that will make it appealing to families with older kids, including a huge TV with satellite channels, Playstation, broadband Internet access and Bose sound system, a pool table and a karaoke machine. Not surprisingly for its elevated location above the Bay of Cannes the house also has stunning views, a private pool, poolside terraces with comfortable seating and a hammock.
Up to 6 guests can share Villa Jasmine from £1510 to £3985 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Villa Jasmine is only 20km from Cannes, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 10 hours 30 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Cote-dAzur/Bay-of-Cannes–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Villa-Jasmine.aspx

6. Follow in the footsteps of an army
10km from TGV terminal
Explore the scenic route Napoleon travelled in 1815 on his march from the Mediterranean to the French Alps, from Golfe Juan to Grenoble. It now takes rather less time than the marching army, around 8 hours by car, or cover sections of it on a pleasant cycle ride, with plenty of scenic stopping off points and places to stop for a glass of wine. Convenient for walking, cycling, following in the footsteps of Napoleon’s army or enjoying the coastline of the Côte d’Azur is Villa Bellevue, set into the hillside with 200 degree spectacular views over Grasse and stretching across to the coast of Mandelieu and the Estérel Mountains, just 7kms from the coast and with its own private pool and gardens.
Up to 6 guests can share Bellevue from £2425 to £4675 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Bellevue is only 10km from Cannes, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 10 hours 30 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Cote-dAzur/Bay-of-Cannes–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Bellevue.aspx

* TRAVEL BY TRAIN
En route to the south of France the TGV glides past some of France’s beautiful agricultural countryside and most celebrated vineyards, following the natural path of the River Rhône as it too makes its way south from its source in the Swiss Alps to the glistening Mediterranean Sea. The train speeds through the hills of Provence over dramatic bridges and viaducts, and, for those bound for the Côte d’Azur, the track runs along the coast past yacht-filled harbours, rocky inlets and breathtaking villas. Take a bottle of wine with you (there is no rule against this on the train!), put your feet up and enjoy the ride!

* TRAVEL BY CAR
Driving from Calais to the South of France is made considerably easier by the high quality of the French autoroutes, and the diverse scenery makes the journey interesting. Avoiding Paris, take the autoroute from Calais to Reims, and onwards through the undulating countryside towards Dijon, whizzing past sleepy villages. Onwards, the famous names of Burgundy vintages beckon, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, with Beaune or nearby Chagny both proving enjoyable places to stop. Then onto the famous A7 known as the Autoroute du Soleil – the motorway of the Sun, through the stunning Rhône Valley. If travelling to Provence or the Côte d’Azur, the autoroute passes famous towns such as Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, onwards to Saint Raphaël, Cannes, Antibes and Nice, with all the stunning inland towns and villages of this glittering part of the coastline, home to many CV Travel villas.

Enjoy the journey as much as the destination!

Press contact Mary Stuart-Miller, mary@mstuart-miller.co.uk, 01403 738844

Top tips for the Cheltenham Festival are promised by the Dormy House Hotel near Broadway in the Cotswolds at an evening in aid of St Richard’s Hospice on Tuesday 9 March, starting at 6.30pm.

Race expert Jim Lewis, owner of Best Mate and patron of St Richard’s will give his top tips for the forthcoming festival alongside trainers Alan King and Richard Phillips and jockey Paddy Brennan.

Tickets for the event cost £25 for a traditional meal of slow braised beef, followed by spiced apple crumble tart, with all proceeds going to the hospice.

The Cheltenham week is the busiest of the year for the Dormy House which sees the hotel running at break horsepower. The hotel remains a firm favourite retreat of commentator John Motson who says: “racing at Cheltenham and early evening at the Dormy House, Broadway, simply the best hotel in the world for me. I like the accent on good old fashioned service. Nothing is too much for the staff”.

Casa in Collina / Tuscany (sleeps 12)
http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/casa-in-collina.php

10% discount for stays from 5th – 19th June in this lovely large villa that sleeps 12. Located in the hills above the Val di Chiana and yet close to charming villages and towns, Casa in Collina offers considerable privacy and the accommodation is of a high standard. The views from the pool are wonderful.

Location: Nearest village Vitiano 1kms, Castiglion Fiorentino 5kms, Arezzo 15kms, Cortona 15kms, Florence 90kms. Nearest Restaurant 1km (walkable), nearest supermarket 2kms

Price: From £1490 – £2680 per week

I Limoni / Tuscany (sleeps 10)
http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/i_limoni_10plus.php

10% discount on all weeks booked for stays up to 8th May, and then for weeks 26th June – 3rd July, 10th July – 17th July, 14th August – 21st August.

I Limoni is an old farmhouse which has been restored with great attention-to-detail and skill. It is located within easy access of many towns and villages and offers very comfortable accommodation, with wonderful gardens and a spectacular pool, ideal for families and groups of friends. Beautiful views over the Val di Chiana towards Montepulciano.

Location: nearest village Valiano 5kms, Montepulciano 15kms, Cortona 15kms, Arezzo 30kms, Siena 50kms, Florence 80kms

Price: From £1490 – £2595 per week

Cipressetto / Tuscany (sleeps 10)
http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/villa_cipresseto_10plus.php

10% reduction on any bookings until 28th March and then for weeks 7th April – 1st May and any bookings from 11th September, 2010 onwards

Villa Cipresseto is located within easy access of many towns and villages, offers comfortable accommodation and a wonderful garden and pool, ideal for families. The garden is surrounded by cypress trees and from the pool there are views over the Val di Chiana towards Montepulciano. The grounds are on one level, making it an ideal house for families with young children. The pool enjoys lovely views across the valley and is well equipped with sun loungers and a gazebo. The owners also have a collection of vintage cars available for rent. Nearby is a vineyard open to visitors.

Location: nearest village Valiano 5kms, Montepulciano 15kms, Cortona 15kms, Arezzo 30kms, Siena 50kms, Florence 80kms

Price: From £1240 – £2470 per week

Tune Hotels.com, part of the Tune Group, the private investment group of Tony Fernandes, founder and Group CEO of low cost airline AirAsia and Team Principal of the Lotus F1 Racing team, has entered into a strategic partnership with London-based Queensway Group Limited to invest in, develop and operate 15 Tune Hotels.com hotels across Greater London by 2017.

Under the terms of the strategic partnership, Tune Hotels.com’s limited service concept of a ‘5-star sleeping experience at a 1-star price’ will be rolled-out across approximately 1,500 hotel rooms, representing £150 million of investment into the London hospitality sector. The roll-out will commence with the launch of Tune Hotels.com-Westminster at 118 Westminster Bridge Road in Q3 2010.

Queensway Group Limited is a UK-based private investment group owning and operating hospitality assets in the UK, Europe and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.com, said: “We believe Tune Hotels.com will significantly boost London’s hospitality sector. While this city’s global reputation as a leisure and business destination will be enhanced by the Olympic Games in 2012, sterling’s current weakness works in London’s favour in attracting overseas visitors and spend, and in times of continuing economic uncertainty, superior value for money remains key.

“We are pleased to be working with organisations such as Visit Britain, Visit London, Think London and Visit England; and believe our dynamic pricing model will provide a strong call to action that will be hard to ignore.

“Our limited service concept encourages guests to spend less within the hotel itself, driving more spend outside the hotel, within the local business community.

“More consumers are demanding a ‘5-star sleeping experience at a 1-star price’ so that they can spend their hard-earned income on shopping, dining and recreational pursuits outside the hotel. Tune Hotels.com creates a multiplier effect, growing overall tourism spend throughout the locations we establish. Understandably, our expansion requires strategic collaborations with solid local partners who share our vision and we’re delighted to have found the right partner in Queensway Group Limited for Greater London. “

The fast developing economies of Asia, with their major populations and innovative regional low-cost carriers such as Tune Hotels.com’s sister company AirAsia, have fostered significant increases in travel activity. Tune Hotels.com has leveraged this by embracing the limited service model used by low cost airlines, passing on savings from eliminating costly, yet underutilised facilities like conference rooms, food & beverage facilities, swimming pools and gyms, directly to its guests.

Tune Hotels.com focuses only on the high quality basics of great beds with ensuite Power Showers; implementing a pay-as-you-use system of optional add-ons for energy-consuming amenities. It encourages guests to book early online to enjoy exceptionally low prices, with rooms available from as low as £2 per night in its Malaysian and Indonesian hotels.

Tune Hotels.com’s healthy occupancy figures confirm it has hit upon a concept that resonates with today’s modern traveller. Until recently, much of Asian travel activity was intra-regional. However, with the AirAsia-X launch of low-cost, long-haul flights between Kuala Lumpur and London in 2009, there is now a truly affordable bridge between a key Asian hub in Kuala Lumpur and a Europe-American hub which can be found in London. Tune Hotels.com therefore see it a logical step to enter the London hospitality sector with a limited service product that has already been embraced by over half a million guests in South East Asia, in addition to the expected customer base from the United Kingdom and Europe.

Nick Jivraj, Managing Director of Queensway Group Limited, said, “We’re extremely excited about partnering with Tune Hotels.com to develop the London market. Their association with AirAsia, AirAsia-X and Lotus F1 through the Tune Group provides a unique platform for marketing synergies, and their strong brand and marketing expertise in generating room nights online aligns with trends revealing the internet as the prime channel for travel purchase decisions.”

He continued, “Queensway Group Limited views Tune Hotels.com’s brand presence in Asia Pacific as positive for the medium to long term as we expect Asia Pacific to become a major incoming market into London. In addition, we appreciate the strong match of cultures and values fostered in both teams – highly entrepreneurial, people-focused companies for which the Customer is King. By leveraging on Tune Hotels.com’s proven brand, team expertise, and operational model, Queensway Group Limited expects that our investment into the brand will present significant growth in the near future.”

Despite the challenging global economic environment, the partnership with Queensway Group Limited forms only a part of Tune Hotels.com’s aggressive expansion plans. Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.com, says, “By 2015 we will have invested in over 100 hotels in key cities across the world.”

The global roll-out involves recent strategic partnerships in India and Thailand. On 11 September 2009, Tune Hotels.com announced a strategic partnership with Apodis Hospitality Group to invest in, develop and operate 20 Tune Hotels.com hotels across India by 2012. Under the terms of the strategic partnership, 5 Tune Hotels.com hotels are targeted to be operational in India by December 2010 with a staggered roll-out of the subsequent 15 hotels to be completed by the end of 2012. Initial hotels are likely to be located in and around Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Jodhpur, Kochi, Mumbai, Pune, Pipavav, Raipur, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirapally.

On 17 December 2009, Tune Hotels.com announced a strategic partnership with Evolution Capital PCL, a real estate investment advisory firm listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, to franchise a roll-out of 44 Tune Hotels.com hotels across Thailand, China, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Under the terms of the strategic partnership, the first 24 Tune Hotels.com hotels are targeted to be in development by early 2010 and operational by 2012 with staggered roll-out of the subsequent 20 hotels to be completed by 2013.

Tune Hotels.com employs a self-service online booking system similar to low-cost carrier airlines that encourages guests to book as far in advance as possible on www.tunehotels.com to enjoy exceptionally low prices.

All Tune Hotels.com hotels feature space-efficient, streamlined rooms focusing on high-quality basics: 5-star beds and powerful hot showers. Though minimally priced, the strategically located hotels still provide housekeeping services, electronic keycard access into rooms, extensive CCTV systems, and no access into the main lobby without a keycard past midnight. Through Tune Hotels.com’s ‘Less Waste, More Earth’ pay-as-you-use system of add-ons for air-conditioning, laundered towels and other energy-consuming facilities and amenities, Tune Hotels.com aims to help guests conserve both their funds as well as the earth’s resources.

Since Tune Hotels.com was first launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2007, more than 500,000 guests have stayed in one of its properties, currently totaling 9 hotels located in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Penang, Danga Bay, Johor and Kota Damansara in Malaysia and Kuta – Bali and Double Six, Legian – Bali in Indonesia.

For bookings made between 3-12 March 2010, Tune Hotels.com is offering promotional rates from less than £3 per night across its network of Asian hotels for stays between 1 November 2010 – 31 January 2011.

Bookings can be made online at www.tunehotels.com.

Four very different writers will gather in a historic country house hotel, which may or may not be haunted by Thomas Hardy, for a weekend of literary discussion. Sounds like a good start for a whodunnit by Agatha Christie!

The idea, however, is far from bumping each other off (whilst leaving a host of fascinating clues, plausible motives, dodgy alibis and smoking red herrings). The purpose is to entertain and enlighten guests by sharing the secrets of their writing success.

“Summer Lodge has close associations with Thomas Hardy,” explains General Manager Charles Lötter. “He lived nearby and the hotel is at the very heart of the Wessex landscape he immortalised. The village pub, the Acorn Inn is featured in his novel ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ as ‘The Sow & Acorn’. What’s more, in his capacity as an architect, Hardy was asked to design the upper floor and the drawing room of Summer Lodge by the 6th Earl of Ilchester in 1893. So you could say the house is haunted by him – although I’ve yet to bump into him myself”.

This gave the team at Red Carnation Hotels, the luxury collection of five and four-star family-run boutique hotels that owns Summer Lodge, the idea for the Writers’ Weekend. Guests will have the opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from four very different practitioners.

Roger Collis is an actor, broadcaster, writer and master raconteur who has earned world-wide recognition as a business travel guru through his weekly column, ‘The Frequent Traveler,’ in the International Herald Tribune

Marcelle Bernstein is a much acclaimed novelist, nonfiction writer and journalist. Several of her novels, such as “Body & Soul” and “Sacred & Profane”, are best-sellers and were made into into successful feature films and television dramas.

Eric Clark is a respected investigative journalist who has delved into the seedier aspects of crime and drugs. His gripping thrillers “Black Gambit” and “Chinese Burn” have proven particularly popular.

Jim O’Connor is an advertising copywriter who has promoted everything from boutique hotels to fork lift trucks, Clover Low Fat Spread to Palmolive Soap, Cornish Pasties to Australian rum.

The Writers’ Weekend package includes:

* Two nights accommodation in a Classic Double Room
* Full English Breakfast daily
* Welcome Champagne and Canapés
* Attendance at three Writer Workshop sessions over two days
* Three-course dinner on the Saturday evening
* Teas and coffees during workshop sessions
* Complimentary signed-copy of a book by Eric or Marcelle

Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, set in four acres of perfectly maintained gardens, is the epitome of the English country house in the picturesque Dorset village. This luxurious 24-bedroom five star hotel has swiftly earned a reputation as one of England’s finest country house hotels. With a world-class spa – including indoor heated pool and rejuvenating body and beauty treatments – and an award-winning restaurant and extensive wine list created by one of the world’s best sommeliers, this hotel is the perfect short break getaway. Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa is a member of Relais & Châteaux.

• To book the Writers Weekend package contact the hotel directly on +44 (0) 1935 482000
• Rates are from £221 per person per night, inclusive of VAT and based on two adults sharing a Classic Room. Subject to availability and terms and conditions.
• For further details visit www.summerlodgehotel.co.uk

The popular Lady Taverners Charity Celeb-Am will be returning to La Manga Club’s fairways for its ninth outing from May 24-28.

Hosted by the charity’s president and former England women’s cricket captain, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint – who represented Staffordshire in her early golfing days – the event gives golfers the chance to enjoy some sunshine golf alongside famous faces, while raising money for youngsters with special needs in the UK.

The five-day event includes a welcome reception and optional practice round, followed by two days of fun but competitive mixed team golf. A gala dinner and presentation supper are also part of the package.

Among the competitors will be legendary golf commentator Alex Hay and TV and cabaret star Dillie Keane, with other celebrities expected to sign up in the coming weeks.

Over the years the Lady Taverners fundraising efforts at La Manga Club has seen more than £75,000 contributed to worthy causes including the sponsorship of specially adapted minibuses for special-needs schools in the UK and a sensory playground for a school in North Humberside.

Competitor packages are available from £799 per person, and include four nights in the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe, three rounds of golf, the gala dinner and prize giving, a welcome buffet and dinner after the first competition round.

Non-golfers can attend and support all the fundraising social events for as little as £589. Anyone interested in booking or more information should contact Barwell Travel on 0333 444 3011.

To celebrate the clash between England and France on the rugby pitch on March 20th, Lagrange have taken 20% off two night stays over that weekend in their Paris apartments. Two nights based on two sharing a self-catering studio apartment at the Les Rives de Seine property, arriving on either the Friday or Saturday night, is now only £94 per person – ideal for rugby fans who want to enjoy the match in Paris or anyone looking for an affordable weekend away in one of the greatest cities in the world.

Les Rives de Seine is a brand new property and part of the Lagrange City range offering self-catering apartments in city locations throughout France. Located in the Parisian district of Boulogne-Billancourt the apartments can be found at the end of Metro line 9, approximately fifteen minutes from the Eiffel Tower, in the heart of an exciting new business and residential development. More information on the property can be found at www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk.

The price of £95 per person for a two night stay is for accommodation only. Self-drive packages can be booked for an additional £69, whilst prices for the return Eurostar can be supplied on request. For reservations and more information customers should call 020 7371 6111 or email info@lagrange-holidays.co.uk.

Lagrange are the self-catering specialists to France, operating in the UK for over 25 years, with accommodation across the French coasts, countryside and mountains. In addition to city apartments the summer 2010 programme has something to suit all styles and budgets, from apartments on the Côte d’Azur to villas with private pools, or holiday homes in Brittany and the Loire Valley. Accommodation can be booked alone, or with self-drive or rail packages at a supplement. For a copy of the new brochure, or for reservations clients should call 020 7371 6111 or visit www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Partners with Thorntons Chocolates!

Up to 50% off plus £10 Voucher across all hotels AND Thornton’s Chocolate up for grabs at selected hotels

Leading family friendly hotel group, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, has launched a cracking good offer for Easter.
Perfect for families looking to enjoy an Easter holidays break in the UK, Macdonald Hotels is offering up to 50% off rates for stays between 31 March and 25 April 2010.
Available at each of Macdonald Hotels’ 40 four and five star properties in the UK, families can not only take advantage of the fantastic discounts, but will also receive a £10 voucher per room, per night, which can be redeemed against a choice of golf, spa or dinner at their chosen hotel.
Included in the offer, two children up to the age of 12 will stay for free and go free at breakfast.
And if that wasn’t enough, the offer coincides with Macdonald Hotels’ partnership with Thorntons, the nation’s favourite chocolate company, who together are offering Thorntons Metropolitan Easter eggs and boxes of Metropolitan chocolates – the newest range of must-have chocolates – at selected hotels.

Available at selected hotels including, Aviemore Highland Resort, Forest Hills Hotel & Resort, Craxton Wood, Elmers Court Hotel & Resort, Berystede Hotel & Spa and Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, each property will be giving away three sets, comprising of a Metropolitan Easter egg and box of Metropolitan chocolates.

The up to 50% off plus a £10 voucher per room, per night is available at all Macdonald Hotels on bookings placed between 25 February and 25 April 2010 for stays between 31 March and 25 April.

To book this offer please call Central Reservations on 0844 879 9200 or visit www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/egg, quoting promotional code EAM. Terms and conditions apply.
To check out some of the other delicious chocolates in the Thorntons Easter range, or to find your nearest store, visit www.thorntons.co.uk

Chocolate Fact Box:
• The first Thorntons chocolate shop was opened in Sheffield by Joseph William Thornton
• Thorntons have been making chocolates for over 100 years and are now the UK’s largest independent confectioner
• Chocolates should be kept at room temperature (between 18-20ºc) and not in the fridge!
• If you’re tasting lots of chocolate varieties, sip a little water or lime juice between pieces as this will cleanse your palate
• Depending on the type of cocoa bean used, you should be able to pick up sweet, spicy, fruity, flowery, grassy, nutty or even woody aromas from your chocolate

The Columbia Beach Resort, one of Cyprus’s most exclusive hotels located in the secluded Bay of Pissouri, and sister Columbia Beachotel next door, are both offering a special five night short break for the Easter weekend. With selected spa treatments in its award-winning* Columbia Spa the packages also give visitors the chance to experience the celebrations and culture of the Greek Orthodox religious feast that is celebrated island-wide.

This year orthodox Easter is celebrated the same week as Catholic and Anglican Easter and it’s a great time of year to visit Cyprus when the weather is warm and the island vibrant with spring flowers.

Located on the south west coast of Cyprus the two hotels owned by Columbia Hotels & Resorts are close to the traditional village of Pissouri situated on the hills above the bay. Here visitors can get a taste of the cultural festivals of Easter week. Just as the UK celebrates with hot cross buns in Cyprus it’s customary to cook Easter breads such as Flaounes and Tsoureki. It is also the tradition to dye eggs red (in memory of the blood of Christ), also blue, yellow and green which are displayed in bowls and baskets throughout Easter.

On Good Friday in villages across Cyprus there is a candlelit procession through the streets and on to local churches. Then on Easter Saturday an open air mass takes place at midnight and visitors to either the Columbia Beach Resort or the Beachotel will have a complimentary transfer to the local church in Pissouri village to participate.

After Midnight Mass it’s back to the Columbia Beach Resort and Beachotel for a traditional Mayiritsa dinner. The 40 days of fasting of Lent are broken by eating a special Easter soup of lamb combined with the dyed-red eggs, the traditional breads and cheese pies. Then Easter Sunday is a time for fun and celebrations in all villages. Family and friends eat together on long tables through the streets and eat lamb cooked on a spit. Guests of both hotels will enjoy a similar Easter Sunday lunch prepared by renowned chefs.

The five night stay in Pissouri Bay concludes with a trip to the village of Omodhos, about 800 ms above sea level, founded in the Byzantine era and famous for its monastery and winery. Here a walk along the cobbled streets and little alleyways with their local arts and crafts is a good way to experience Cyprus off the main tourist trail.

Easter Packages:

• 5 nights accommodation in a Junior Suite (Resort) Standard Side Sea view Room (Beachotel)
• Transfer to and from Pissouri Village for Midnight Mass on Easter Saturday
• Traditional Mayiritsa Dinner after Mass
• Easter Sunday lunch
• 1 Relaxing massage or 1 Body Scrub per person
• A trip to Omodhos village (3 hours)

Price for two persons based on shared accommodation:
5 Star Columbia Beach Resort: £1,210/ €1345 (£605 per head)
4 star Columbia Beachotel: £850/ €950 (£425 per head)
Note prices do not include flights. Flights to Cyprus are available through British Airways www.ba.com, Cyprus Airways www.cyprusairways.com and EasyJet www.easyjet.com
The Columbia Spa features a hair salon and fitness facilities including squash and tennis courts, a well-equipped gym and an aerobics hall with regular workout and relaxation sessions. Guests can enjoy therapies from Daniele de Winter (specialists in anti-ageing), Molton Brown spa and the marine-based range Phytomer. The 80m lagoon style pool that flows from the spa through the heart of the Resort provides a place for exercise and relaxation.

Both the Columbia Beach Resort and sister Columbia Beachotel are of traditional Cypriot design with cool marble floors, shutters on the windows and reclaimed terracotta tiles on the roofs. Clever use of planting, wooden features and local stone mean that old and new blend together in a sympathetic but very elegant and luxurious style. For more information visit www.columbia-hotels.com.