Airports can be very large these days and people often have to walk a considerable distance with their luggage, frequently pulling a suitcase with one hand and carrying another bag in the other. Conventional cases with their tiny wheels and pull up handles are difficult to manoeuvre, sometimes fall over and are very difficult to lug up stairs. Moving a fully-packed case weighing up to 23kg places a considerable strain on the user. To travel like this assumes a level of fitness which not everyone is blessed with. As we age and still wish to travel, our journeys through airports and stations can become problematical. Even the young and robust aren’t immune to arm and neck strain from the effort of dragging and lifting heavy luggage, and surely everyone would prefer to keep one hand free, instead of having to put something down to accomplish simple tasks like paying for a newspaper or handing over passports or tickets.

Live Luggage realised what people really require from luggage is stability, manoeuvrability, and flexibility. So it designed and engineered a completely new range of suitcases literally from the ground up. After six years, the result is stylish luggage, flexible enough to cope with everything from a day trip to a two or three week holiday, with high-tech innovations to help prevent health problems caused by pulling heavy bags around. Live Luggage invested around two kilos’ worth of weight allowance in the actual case and associated technological breakthroughs, devised a proper handle system on a stable chassis and pioneered powered wheels. 85% of the packed weight in a Live Luggage case rests over the wheels instead of on the user, thanks to the properly-engineered fully injection-moulded handle system (the Anti-Gravity handle). The result – no hassle, no struggling – no health issues such as backache and shoulder problems. Live Luggage PA (power-assisted) cases also have pan-cake motors built in to the large flat wheels, giving power-assistance for going up gradients: intelligently driven with torque sensors and tilt switches, the wheels only power up when a step or gradient is sensed. The weight of the packed case feels like virtually nothing. Safe, rechargeable batteries last for around 1.5 miles on a single charge.

The multi-bag zip system of Live Luggage’s Hybrid bag is a breakthrough in functionality designed to cope with airlines’ continued changes of weight and “number of items of hand luggage” policies. Made from tested and proven ballistic lightweight nylon, the Live Luggage Hybrid Bag comprises a capacious main case with a removable laptop bag and a weekend luggage bag, which can be checked in as a single piece of luggage or alternatively zipped off to be carried as either one or two pieces of hand luggage. It’s a very neat way of buying three different bags in one, which can used separately all year round.

Live Luggage cases are stylish designer bags, designed by British engineers and built in Britain so people can travel safely and flexibly anywhere in the world. The Hybrid Bag is available in black with a choice of black, yellow, white, pink or red handles. Two versions are available: The Hybrid PA (power-assisted) Bag, with powered wheels and anti-gravity handle at £395, and the Hybrid AG (anti-gravity handle) Bag, priced at £250.

Live luggage…because the world is not flat

Special Offer Valid the weekend of the 30th April through to the 2nd May…….

In honour of the famous and popular festival of Sant’Efisio, patron of Sardinia with a parade of traditional Sardinian costumes and folk dances, this spectacular hotel is offering the following – 2 nights half board £ 145.00 per person. This includes 2 nights in a room facing the park, half board (from dinner on Friday to breakfast on Sunday) with the use of sunbeds and beach umbrellas included. The offer is not inclusive of drinks.

To view:
www.italian-connection.co.uk/italiancollection/details2.asp?propid=433

Do you have an heirloom in your attic, or a treasure in the shed?

If you think there’s a chance your car boot bargain might turn out to be a valuable antique, find out on a special holiday break featuring Antiques Roadshow expert, Eric Knowles.

The special ‘Antiques with Eric Knowles’ Experience Break is happening at warner Leisure Hotels’ magnificent Thoresby Hall Hotel & Spa, on the edge of the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, on April 5th.

The TV presenter and author will join the four-night midweek holiday for two days when he will be available to give you a valuation on your treasures, answer your questions and present a talk about the fascinating world of antiques.

The break coincides with the Newark Antiques Fair, Europe’s biggest antiques and collectibles event where you can browse around as many as 4,000 stalls offering a huge variety of furniture, architectural pieces, porcelain, pottery, silver, jewellery, paintings, books, maps, prints, and toys. Transport to the Antiques Fair and the entrance cost are included in the price of the Experience Break.

Grade I listed Thoresby Hall is the perfect setting to be inspired by historic art and culture. Dating back to 1875, the beautiful stately house was designed by Anthony Salvin with gardens by Sir Humphrey Repton and parklands landscaped by Capability Brown. The extraordinary Great Hall which rises through three storeys is steeped in history, and legend has it that Robin Hood exchanged vows with Maid Marion in the nearby church of St Mary. During your stay the full story of the mansion will be brought to life by the Thoresby Players.

While the hotel may be historic, the quality of its four-star accommodation and level of service with superb facilities on site is of the highest contemporary standards. There are three outstanding restaurants to choose from and a wide range of leisure facilities including a leisure centre with swimming pool, sauna, steamroom, bubble pool and fitness room, plus a state-of-the-art spa and a full programme of evening entertainment.

Prices for an Ambassador Room start at £314 per person including three-course dinner, bed and hearty breakfast. There’s an £85pp supplement for the Antiques Experience with Eric Knowles. For more information visit www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk or ring 0800 1 388 399

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

This 2 night Mini Cruise Break to Alkmaar is a MUST for cheese lovers! From only £97pp this Alkmaar’s Cheese Festival is one of Holland’s most popular tourist attractions. Browse the stalls; watch the cheese men bringing their wares on barrows, and taste samples of Dutch cheese. Or explore the restaurants, cosy bars, extensive shopping offering and interesting museums.

Alkmaar’s historic town centre hasn’t changed really since the 17th century and with its pretty canals, cobbled streets and traditional gabled buildings it creates a fantastic atmosphere for the famous cheese market.

Sailing from Newcastle, enjoy two nights cruising, to and from Holland, where there is a whole host of great things to see and do onboard. From a cinema to a casino, a number of sumptuous restaurants and bars to enjoy a drink, there is something to keep everyone entertained.

Why not enjoy a summer drink on the sky deck as you sail to Holland and enjoy a romantic meal before retreating to your en suite cabin for a relaxing nights sleep.

On arrival into Holland you will be transferred to the famous cheese markets of Alkmaar. After a full day exploring the shopping and museums of Alkmaar it’s time for your return overnight cruise back to Newcastle.

2 nights from £97pp departing 27 May, 8 July, 19 August 2010

What’s Included

• 2 nights onboard in an en-suite cabin

• Coach transfers to and from Alkmaar

• Live entertainment onboard

Mini Cruise Prices

• Standard Mini Cruise
From £97pp

• With Breakfasts included
From £115pp

• With Breakfasts & Dinners included
From £155pp

Simply add meals or upgrade your cabin whilst making your booking.

If you have a passion for chocolate, why not choc into chocolate-preneur Gerry Wilton’s chic and unique Chocolate Boutique Hotel this Easter for a weekend of heavenly indulgence!

As you step into the world’s first chocolate themed hotel you can scoop up handfuls of milk, dark and white chocolate buttons before being shown to a cosy room decorated in chocolatey hues where you can dip fresh strawberries into a cascading chocolate fountain.

If you want to lift your spirits still further, head to the Chocolate Bar where you can down decadent chocolate martinis or perhaps a chockywockyminty ‘chocktail’ or two before nestling into one of the hotel’s 13 chic chocolate themed bedrooms, such as the Aztec, Maya or Montezuma.

And as each room comes with its own complimentary selection of heavenly handmade chocolates, you can indulge yourself while watching chocolate themed videos such as Chocolat or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*. You’ll even find a sachet of chocolate face mask in the bathroom.

After a night of sweet dreams and chocolate pancakes for breakfast you can take part in a chocolate workshop under the guidance of a trained chocolatier, who will whip you through the fundamentals of making delicious Belgian truffles by hand.

You’ll end up with around 40 truffles that you can pop into an Easter egg or special chocolate boxes, wrap in cellophane, tie with ribbons and take home to share with the rest of the family.

Prices start at £120 per night for a double room, while the chocolate making workshop costs £100 for two. To find out more, ring The Chocolate Boutique Hotel on 01202 556857 or go to www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk

The Rooneys may have just whisked little Kai off to the Caribbean, but for a ‘baby’s first holiday’ without the Barbados price-tag, Keycamp’s Mini World breaks from just £196 per party, make the perfect getaway for a young family.

Holidaying with baby can be a stress-free experience at L’Atlantique, one of Keycamp’s 19 specially selected Mini World parcs, which offer free activities, safe play areas and lots of helpful extras for young families.

Little ones will adore the special free Gymbabes programme and free Mini World activities, including games, puzzles, bricks, blocks, ball pool and Leapfrog interactive toys. Meanwhile, mum and dad will enjoy the parc’s jacuzzi and sauna and visiting the quaint towns of Beg-Meil and Pont l’Abbe, which are close at hand.

A particularly baby-friendly setting, the parc has a relaxed atmosphere, children’s swimming pools, and is just a short stroll through shady pines to a fine sandy beach.

To help lighten the load when travelling with baby, Keycamp can also provide free hire of decking gates, travel cots, high chairs, baby baths and potties, while all-terrain buggies are available to hire for a small fee.

Seven nights starting from 12 May or a family of two adults and up to four children staying in a Supernova mobile home will cost £196 including a return Dover to Calais ferry crossing. Alternative ferry crossings or fly-drive packages can be arranged through Keycamp at a supplement. This price includes a 30% discount which is available on bookings made before 1 April.

To book, or for further information, call Keycamp on 0844 406 0319 or visit www.keycamp.co.uk.

To relieve some of the stress of packing for a family holiday, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, the UK’s No.1 holiday  home website, has come up with a check list of the essentials needed for a self-catering family vacation.
Best of all they have gone the extra mile and ensured that those homes available on the site that offer specific  baby and toddler friendly facilities are highlighted in their own section. With half the packing done for you, you  can pack lighter and happier.

The Holiday Lettings Baby & Toddler Friendly Holiday Idea links to each of the child friendly properties available  on the site:
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/baby-and-toddler-friendly-holidays/72/ideas/

Even with these key items checked off the list, travelling with children often means packing a lot! Thankfully

Holiday Lettings offers a number of ways around this including:

Baby product home delivery bebebel.co.uk is a service available through the website that will organise all your baby essentials such as   pushchair, nappies and powdered milk, and deliver them to your holiday home in time for your arrival!

Homes that have it all!
Within the Holiday Lettings Baby & Toddler Friendly Holiday Idea there are some home owners that literally pull   out all the stops to accommodate the every need of holidaymakers travelling with young children. Here’s just a
few:

Villa Camellia, Corfu
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/38853
From £300 per week, sleeping six (£50 per person per week)
This two bedroom villa has a private pool and outdoor play area. The owner’s provide an extensive list of   amenities and child specific facilities including a welcome basket of groceries, a wide range of toys, water   inflatable’s and arm bands, a steriliser, sun house, children’s kitchen utensils, night light and much more.

La Mirabelle, Angles, Les Tranche Sur Mer, France
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/56624
From £795 per week, sleeping 15 (£53 per person per week)
This five bedroom property sleeps 13 and was made for families! As well as a heated pool and plush furnishings the  house specifically caters to families with children, offering an entire TV/play-room stuffed with toys, board  games, dressing up clothes, train sets, building blocks, dolls house and a huge library of children’s videos and  DVDs as well as an extensive library of children’s books, with ones specially for bedtime. Within the price the  owners also supply a sterilizer, bottle warmer, food blender, a travel cot, black-out blinds for the children’s  bedrooms, changing mat, baby bath, high chair, push chair and children’s crockery and cutlery.

Holiday Lettings Ultimate Baby & Toddler Packing Checklist:

• Night light
• Beakers and bottles
• Sun screen / sun hat
• iPod and docking station for lullaby time
• Camcorder / camera to capture all those special memories
• Arm bands and swimwear
• Soother and/or comfort blanket
• Collapsible pushchair
• A few books and toys
• Sterilizer tablets

Consult the home owner for full details of what equipment is provided so you know what to pack and what you can  leave at home as each home is individually furnished by the home owner.

The Champagne-Ardenne tourist board has introduced English versions of their popular audio mini-guide series, so that British visitors can now explore the charms of Champagne-Ardenne in a new and original way.

Versions are available to download easily from the website, or simply to listen to on-line. Commentaries are mix of tourist and historic information, interviews, music, literary references, flavoured with quotes from a local ‘expert’ and useful pointers on highlights of the particular area and suggestions for further exploration. It’s an enjoyable, leisurely way to get to know the diverse attractions of the region.

The 14 mini-guides are 3 – 4 minutes long and cover 8 different themes and areas:

The 7 Champagne Routes

Reims

Troyes

Charleville-Mézières

Colombey-les-deux-églises (home of Charles de Gaulle)

Lac du Der

The Regional Park of the Orient Forest

The Meuse Valley

Produced in association with local tourist boards, the guides are free to download and are available on-line on the following website www.tourisme-champagne-ardenne.com.

For more information, shortbreak ideas and downloadable brochures for the region, see the above website.

Rose petals, champagne, a seductive atmosphere and fabulous Italian food, what more could you want for the one you love on St Valentine’s Day? At the Baglioni Hotel London you can make dreams come true by booking our very romantic package as a surprise gift.

Arrive in your De Luxe Junior Suite to find that the butler has the champagne on ice to start your evening in style. Follow that with cocktails and a delicious dinner for 2 in Brunello. On returning to your room, you will find the scented candles lit, the music turned on and the bed strewn with rose petals…

The following day after a hearty breakfast you may use our Jaguar courtesy car and chauffeur to do a spot of shopping in Knightsbridge before returning home, relaxed and refreshed.

THE PACKAGE INCLUDES

• Valid on 14th February 2010
• Accommodation in a Deluxe Junior Suite
• English breakfast for 2 people
• Bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne and Chocolates in the room on arrival
• Bouquet of Flowers in the room on arrival
• 3 Course Valentine Dinner for two in our Brunello Restaurant
(Beverages not included)
• Romantic Turndown with scented candles, music and rose petals on bed
• Complimentary unlimited blockbuster movies on demand
• Complimentary use of our Jaguar with a 1.5 mile radius of the hotel
(Subject to availability)
• Butler service
• Entrance to The Baglioni Spa, use of the gym and steam room

RATES
2 Night minimum stay
(Inclusive of VAT)

Deluxe Junior Suite £380/night

TERMS & CONDITIONS
Valid on 14th February
Rate is per night and valid for up to 2 people in the room
Guarantee Policy: a credit card guarantee is required to secure the booking. Deposit of 30% not refundable will be debited up on booking confirmation Your credit card will not be charged until it is presented at check in.
Cancellation Policy: the reservation may be cancelled up until 6pm 6 days prior to arrival without charges. Cancellations received after this time will be charged at one night’s room charge.