Thanks to Eurocamp, those seeking some early summer sunshine have the opportunity to bag their summer break for less than £400 for the whole family.

Why not take advantage of fantastic early summer deals and enjoy magnificent Vendée? Spanning 300 kilometres of spectacular Atlantic coastline, endless golden beaches and crystal clear waters; it’s a paradise for watersports enthusiasts, while the region’s climate makes it an idyllic holiday destination for all the family.

Eurocamp’s Le Clarys-Plage parc in the Vendée is lively all season, making it a great choice for families, particularly those who enjoy splashing around in the sun. With its fantastic swimming pool complex, comprising of sun terraces and a selection of waterslides, there’s also the option of beach-side fun with a wonderful sandy beach located just a short stroll away.

The parc also offers a selection of first class activities and regular entertainment. And with an excellent children’s play area and free Mini Fun Station kids club offering – supervised fun activities like sand play and painting for children aged 6 months to 5 years – there’s plenty to keep the little ones entertained.

A seven night break, staying at Eurocamp’s Le Clarys-Plage parc, arriving 11 June 2010, staying in a 2 bedroom ‘Comfort’ mobile home (sleeps up to eight), costs just £327 for the whole party, including return Dover-Calais ferry crossings.

Another of Eurocamp’s popular Vendée parcs is Sol à Gogo. This modern parc has an exceptionally high standard of facilities, including a superb pool complex with waterslides, a covered pool and Jacuzzi.

The parc also offers direct access to a stunning beach and is just a few kilometres from the bustling resorts of St Hilaire and St Jean de Monts, where there’s a variety of restaurants and bars, for holidaymakers to enjoy.

A seven night break at Eurocamp’s Sol à Gogo parc, arriving 06 June 2010, staying in a 2 bedroom ‘Comfort’ mobile home (sleeps up to eight) including return Dover-Calais ferry crossings, costs just £348 for the whole family.

Ferry crossings, fly drive packages, rail travel and overnight stops – at hotels or parcs en route – can also be arranged through Eurocamp at a supplement.

For further information on Eurocamp, please call 0844 406 0552 or visit www.eurocamp.co.uk

For the very best of the West Country head to award-winning Woodovis Park in Devon (www.woodovis.com), which re-opens for the season at the end of March. The independently run holiday park has recently swept the board with a string of awards, including beating off competition from 2,000 parks across 13 countries to be one of only two UK winners in the Alan Rogers 2009 Campsite Awards.

•Highly Commended winners in The Alan Rogers 2009 Campsite Awards
•Hoseasons Diamond Award
•Silver in the South West Tourism for Excellence Awards 2009/10 ‘Holiday Park of the Year’
•Ranked in the top 20 in the Practical Caravan Top 100 Parks 2010
•Dartmoor First Award for sustainable practice

Situated on the edge of Dartmoor in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a designated World Heritage Site, five-star Woodovis Park also took Silver in the South West Tourism for Excellence Awards 2009/10 ‘Holiday Park of the Year’ category. Other recent achievements include the Hoseasons Diamond Award for exceptional quality and outstanding customer service as well as ranking in the top 20 in the Practical Caravan Top 100 Parks 2010. Woodovis Park has been recognised with a Dartmoor First Award for its commitment to sustainable business on Dartmoor.

Owners John and Dorothy Lewis are delighted with the recognition. “This run of awards is incredibly gratifying,” comments John. “We work very hard to ensure Woodovis Park is a friendly, safe and welcoming site, combining the best standards of sustainable camping with a few creature comforts. We’re not one of the biggest sites but it’s nice to know we’re one of the best,” he adds.

Woodovis Park sits in 14 acres in the tranquil surrounds of the Tamar Valley on the Devon-Cornwall border, an ideal base for exploring attractions from Dartmoor to the Eden Project along with the West Country’s beautiful beaches. With a range of luxury holiday homes, holiday cottage, 50 spacious pitches (including all weather pitches) and the addition of a new camping ‘pod’, Woodovis Park is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors, whatever the weather has in store. And with on-site facilities including a heated swimming pool, spa pool, sauna and shop offering fresh daily baked bread, croissants and pain au chocolat, a great value holiday needn’t mean going without.

Visit before the end of May and enjoy some of the best weather, fewer people and excellent rates. Pitch fees cost from as little as £5 from 27 March to 27 May (excluding Easter and Bank Holidays) plus £7 per person. Children under five camp for free. The new fully-insulated camping pod costs from £40 per night and sleeps up to four people. A fully-equipped two bedroom luxury holiday home, sleeping up to six people, costs from £157 per week. Woodovis Cottage sleeps up to three people and costs from £233 per week.

Award winning luxury holiday specialists, Cornish Gems, are launching a new service in April that will showcase some of the most desirable accommodation in Cornwall, with the help of Simon Weston OBE.

Labelled “Cornish Cribs”, the service will be dedicated to managing multimillion pound properties joining their portfolio. With lavish price tags, the properties will rent in the region of £2000 – £8000 per week, making them some of the most exclusive and elite destinations in Cornwall and the UK.

Boasting gadgetry that rivals any Bond film, home cinemas, swimming pools, saunas, gyms and hot tubs with sea views, the Cornish Crib collection will be complemented by a range of guest holiday concierge and lifestyle services including gourmet private catering and helicopter/limo transfers – creating the ultimate holiday experience in the Duchy.

Director of Cornish Gems and Cornish Cribs, Julianne Shelton said, “We are launching Cornish Cribs in response to the highest calibre of properties that are joining our portfolio. Cornish Cribs will combine the very best in exclusive and luxurious accommodation in the county, with a professional and bespoke service, resulting in the ultimate Cornish holiday experience.”

These select few holiday homes of distinction will soon be available to view and book through the dedicated new website www.cornishcribs.com which will be live in March.

With a black tie dinner featuring a charity auction on the 23rd April at the prestigious Carlyon Bay Hotel’s Golf Club, Falkland’s veteran Simon Weston OBE has confirmed that he will be hosting the occasion to celebrate the launch.

Simon Weston, OBE said, “I am pleased to be able to attend this event to celebrate the launch of Cornish Cribs. The way that the Gems team are using this to raise funds for charities is fantastic and I hope that we can raise significant amounts for the charities whilst having a great time on the night. I am looking forward to what is going to be an amazing event and meeting Cornish Gem’s guests.”

Co-director of Cornish Gems and Cornish Cribs Nadia Durrant said, “We are delighted that Simon Weston will be attending our event. We want to give something back to the region, so a charity auction is the perfect way to mark the launch of Cribs. We hope to raise significant funds for Cancer Funding for Cornwall, Mullion Gym and Lizard Lifeboat, as well as national charity Help For Heroes, which has touched many people locally as well as nationally.”

Further information about the dinner and tickets will be available by contacting the Cornish Gems team on 0844 800 2813 or visit www.cornishcribs.com

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

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.

Treat your mum to a 2 or 3 night weekend break at Retallack Resort & Spa in Cornwall this year.

With two fabulous packages to choose from, mums are guaranteed to feel thoroughly spoilt and the whole family can enjoy some quality time together. Offering a decleor spa, indoor swimming pool, fitness studio, tennis courts and 9-hole golf course, Retallack is the ideal place for mums to be treated to some time to relax and rejuvenate.

The resort is perfectly positioned only a few minutes drive from Padstow and Watergate Bay where Rick Steins and Jamie Olivers restaurants can provide a very special meal out whilst the rugged Cornish coastline and stunning beaches are the perfect place for long walks and plenty of fresh air.

For the ultimate indulgence why not give mum some much deserved time off cooking/serving and washing up and allow Retallack to organise a private chef to cook up a feast in the privacy of your own lodge, complete with local Cornish produce, a waitress and somebody to clear up along the way?
Package 1 ‘spoil her rotten’:
2 nights from £289 or 3 nights from £295 for a 2 bedroom lodge (sleeps 4)
Includes accommodation in a luxury 2 bedroom self-catering lodge, welcome hamper on arrival, complimentary bunch of spring flowers delivered to the lodge on mothering Sunday plus a half bottle of champagne and a half an hour Decleor aromatherapy facial.

Package 2 ‘Mums go free’ – Book a 4 bedroom lodge and mum will stay for free*.
2 nights from £259 or 3 nights from £267 for a 4 bedroom lodge (sleeps
Includes accommodation in a luxury 4 bedroom self-catering lodge, welcome hamper on arrival.
*Based on 8 sharing and includes a discount allowing mum to stay free.

The Mediterranean’s Newest Luxury Family Resort Is About To Open

Borgo Egnazia Hotel Villas Spa & Golf Resort, positioned to become one of the leading luxury family resorts in the Mediterranean, is proud to announce the opening of its eagerly anticipated OurSpace Children’s Club.

Opening in June 2010, Borgo Egnazia’s OurSpace Children’s Club offers a full range of childcare for children aged 8 months to 13 years. It is one of only a handful of Children’s Clubs in the world catering to the very young, as well as teenagers. The OurSpace specialists are friendly, multilingual, and most importantly, highly trained and qualified. For children under the age of two, there is one nanny for every two toddlers; ratios which ensure children are looked after every minute of the day, and with a maximum of just 45 children, personal attention is guaranteed.
With the family facilities opening just in time for the summer holidays, Borgo Egnazia will showcase an array of accommodation for all ages.

Divided into three areas, the Resort features a luxury 63 room hotel with a 2,000m² Raison d’Etre spa (perfect for Mum); an 18-hole Championship golf course (great for Dad); 28 three-bedroom private villas with pools and butler service; and the piece de resistance for families: a traditional Apulian Village, with 91 one and two suite townhomes; a beach club, Italian cooking school, and of course, designed to keep the children and parents happy, the OurSpace Children’s Club.

OurSpace activities, run by UK-trained specialists, take place in the indoor Children’s Club located next to the family-friendly swimming pool within the Village. There is an additional dedicated outdoor area, a walled, secret garden where a 300m² ‘lost city’ will entice and excite the little ones with zipwires, climbing frames and swinging bridges.

Activities include cooking lessons, arts and crafts, watersports, tennis and golf lessons; there are computer and console games for the older ones, and soft crèche areas for toddlers, whilst fun archaeological digs in the neighbouring ruins of Egnazia will ensure dressing up as a Greek goddess or Roman warrior has never been so true to life!

Great value Easter Breaks are available this year at Guernsey’s newest four-star hotel, the St Pierre Park. Set in acres of beautiful parkland and gardens on the outskirts of Guernsey’s capital St Peter Port, the iconic St Pierre Park Hotel has just been awarded a 4-star rating by Visit Guernsey after a £1.5m refurbishment in 2009.

Over the years, the hotel has welcomed many famous people, including travel presenter Alan Whicker, author Jack Higgins, sports celebrities Martin Johnson and Henry Cooper, pop star Elton John, and international royalty, including Princess Caroline of Monaco.
The hotel is an ideal destination for Easter Breaks for families and couples. Three night “Guernsey Escapes” over the Easter holidays cost from just £327 per couple, for dinner, bed and breakfast.
The St Pierre Park is set in beautiful parkland, woodland and lakes, and boasts an impressive indoor swimming pool, steam room, Jacuzzi, full equipped gym, and outdoor activities including a 9-hole par-3 golf course designed by Tony Jacklin, tennis courts, Trim Trail, crazy golf and a children’s play area. Within its Le Mirage health club, there is also a hair salon and beauty treatment rooms, offering a wide range of treatments, including some aromatherapy treatments which are exclusive to the St Pierre Park, on Guernsey.

Easter escapes to Guernsey are easy, with flights from 10 UK airports, and three ferry routes from the south coast. Enquiries and bookings on tel. 01481 728282, or visit www.stpierrepark.co.uk.

Oceania Cruises celebrated the floating out for its first new-build cruise ship, Marina, at the Fincantieri shipyard near Genoa on Friday 26th February with a surprise announcement that the company is building a second ship, Riviera. The building dock for its new 1,258-guest, flagship Marina began filling with water as the first steel was cut for Riviera, her identical sister ship. Marina is scheduled to sail her maiden voyage on January 22, 2011; plans call for Riviera to debut in April 2012.

To celebrate the occasion, more than 50 US and UK travel agents, Oceania Cruises past guests and journalists were invited to don hard hats and preview Marina. Guests even had the chance to partake in the first meal served in “Jacques” – the eponymous restaurant of Master Chef Jacques Pepin – which is one of six, open-seating gourmet restaurants on the new vessels.

Oceania Cruises’ Marina and Riviera will offer 629 elegantly appointed and custom-crafted accommodations that are among the largest at sea, ranging from 174 to a palatial 2,000+ square feet. Their top suites, destined to set new industry standards, will feature furnishings from Ralph Lauren Home and designs by Dakota Jackson and Tocar New York.

The sister ships will also feature a Lalique-designed grand lobby, 10 dining venues and several elegant bars and lounges. Facilities will include a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub and fitness center, innovative Bon Appetit Culinary Center, swimming pool and hot tubs.

During the festivities, a bottle of prosecco wine was smashed on the hull of Marina by the shipyard “madrina” in a nod to Italian maritime tradition. The official naming ceremony for Marina will take place in Miami; her godmother has not yet been announced.

In her inaugural year, Marina will cross the Atlantic, transit the Panama Canal twice, visit ports in Mexico, as well as Los Angeles and San Francisco, and call at a host of Caribbean island gems, sailing round-trip from Miami. Marina will sail along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and call at Bermuda before repositioning to Europe for summer 2011.

For more information or to order a brochure, contact Oceania Cruises on 0845 505 1920 and www.oceeaniacruises.co.uk

Easter in Puglia, Italy

Truly quirky house for an Easter stay in Puglia

Spend Easter in Italy’s increasingly popular Puglia region staying in a `Hobbit’ style trullo house, the area’s characteristic and endemic conical roofed houses. Puglia is known for its natural beauty, ruggedly beautiful coastline and fantastic food and is far removed from the glamour of Porto Cervo or Capri. Over Easter enjoy day trips to local hill towns such as Ostuni and Locorotondo or head down to the coast for a swim on a quiet beach or to hire a boat. After the solemn build-up to Easter and some spectacular religions processions, Italians will be celebrating and eating out in force as Easter marks the end of spring and the start of summer. The lovely Parco del Vaglio is a collection of trulli houses set in gardens with its own pool, converted into a cool and quirky house for up to 7 guests and can be rented for £1545 for a week’s stay through CV Travel (020 7401 1039, www.cvtravel.co.uk) over Easter, excluding flights.

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/Italy/Puglia/Puglia-Coast–Countryside/Accomodations/Pages/Parco-del-Vaglio.aspx

Easter in Morocco

Easter escape

Escape the traditional Easter trappings and be waited on hand and foot by a staff that includes a cook, maid and steward in a luxury villa in Morocco. For arrival over Easter (April 4th) CV Travel (tel 020 7401 1045, www.cvtravel.co.uk) has a week’s stay for up to 6 guests at the fully staffed Villa Agama, a contemporary styled villa, 15 minutes from the centre of Marrakech, Morocco. This lovely house has been stylishly created by its Swiss architect owner and has its own gardens and beautiful swimming pool. Currently on offer for £4325 for a week’s rental for six, was £5410, saving £1085, including breakfast, other meals payable locally.

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech/Accomodations/Pages/Villa-Agama.aspx

Easter in France

Cote d’Azur chocolate fix

Easter is one of the quietest times on the Cote d’Azur and a time to enjoy the otherwise bustling resorts and chic harbours away from the heat of the summer sun. For those who can’t do without a chocolate fix, book a top to toe chocolate treatment with a body scrub, chocolate massage and warm chocolate face and body envelopment in the comfort of `Villa Jasmine’ a gorgeous Provencal villa. CV Travel (020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk) has a week’s stay for the whole family in this large, traditionally styled house close to Grasse for £1825 for up to 8 sharing (equivalent to £228 per person), set in a scenic location above the Bay of Cannes, 45kms from Nice airport. A two hour chocolate treatment can be pre-booked at the house for 195 euros. Rental excludes flights, which are available on request. CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

Easter in the UK

Family Easter house party
Gather together the family for Easter in a magnificent oak panelled, Jacobean Manor close to Chester and the Welsh border. A four night stay over Easter costs £2950 for 15 guests, equivalent to £196 per person, including a housekeeper to change beds and make fires. Guests also have free run of the 3 acres of gardens, in turn surrounded by 100 acres of estate land. CV Travel 020 7401 1086, www.cvtravel.co.uk

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/Great-Britain/Wales/Mold-near-Chester/Accomodations/Pages/Jacobean-Manor.aspx

A Cornish creek for Easter

Chill out over the long Easter bank holiday weekend, enjoy long woodland and coastal walks and stay one of 16 contemporary and chic apartments at Creek View in Lamorna, Cornwall, a beautiful period property amid three acres of land with an outdoor heated swimming pool, sauna, restaurant and children’s playground. A four night stay over Easter costs from £692 for an apartment sleeping 2 – 4 people. Nearby yoga classes and spa treatments for a truly relaxing weekend can be arranged on request. CV Travel 020 7401 1086, www.cvtravel.co.uk
http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/Great-Britain/Cornwall/Penzance/Accomodations/Pages/Creek-View.aspx

Spa heaven in a Cotswold cottage
Especially for spa lovers CV Travel has a four night stay from 2nd – 6th April at a choice of twelve beautifully restored stone cottages converted from the stables of a ruined abbey. The cottages all share an indoor pool complex and spa centre, so beauty and relaxation treatments are right on hand, including facials, scrubs, wraps and massage treatments, such as an Aromatherapy massage, (50 mins, £60) and `The Stables’ signature treatment, a two hour full body Thai massage using heated herb compresses (120 mins £135). A four night stay costs £1551 for two at Cope Cottage, or £1284 at Sara Cottage, which also sleeps 2. CV Travel 020 7401 1086, www.cvtravel.co.uk

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/Great-Britain/Cotswolds/Milton-under-Wychwood/Accomodations/Pages/Wychwood-Cottages.aspx

Easter in the Caribbean

Easter in a family villa 100m from Caribbean sands
For arrival on 31st March CV Travel has a week’s stay at Hawksbill House, Tobago, a traditionally styled Caribbean house with masses of terraces and a circular pool, overlooking Grafton Beach, just 100m away. A week’s stay for 6 costs £929 per person, including return Gatwick flights, transfers and villa rental, including a saving of £345 per person. CV Travel 020 7401 1050, www.cvtravel.co.uk

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/CARIBBEAN/Tobago/Accomodations/Pages/Hawksbill-House.aspx

Spice up Easter with a stay in Grenada
Spice up Easter with a stay on the spice island of Grenada where CV Travel has a £345 per person saving off a week’s stay at `Spice of Life’, a family villa for 6, now available for £1026 per person for departure on 31st March, including return Gatwick flights, transfers and villa rental. CV Travel 020 7401 1050, www.cvtravel.co.uk

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/CARIBBEAN/Grenada/Accomodations/Pages/Spice-of-Life.aspx

Easter in Corfu
This year, unusually, the Greek Orthodox Easter coincides with our own. Corfu is one of the most popular and colourful destinations in Greece for experiencing Easter and has a number of its own unique traditions, such as throwing 1m high specially made ceramic pots of water out of house windows and processing through the streets with sacred relics.

Party sized villa with chef to prepare a Greek Easter feast

For a spectacular and traditional gathering of friends and family at Easter CV Travel is offering a private chef to prepare a Greek Easter feast in a glorious contemporary villa for up to 12 guests with a large, private pool on the island of Corfu. Villa Lefki Thea is set in a hillside location above the popular harbour of St. Stephano with far-reaching views over the water towards Albania’s mountains. A week’s rental is currently on offer for £4680 (usually £6060), including the Easter Day chef service (excluding food), a welcome champagne reception, welcome hamper, daily maid service and luxury toiletries. Flights available on request. Contact CV Travel, 020 7401 1026 and www.cvtravel.co.uk

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/Greece/Corfu/St-Stephano/Accomodations/Pages/Lefki-Thea.aspx

Villa for 6, and take a trip to see the Easter pot throwing

Close to the popular harbour of Kassiopi on Corfu’s north east coast, Villa Lithari is a lovely family house for up to 6 guests, set in the middle of pretty lawned gardens, with views to Albania’s mountains and the coast. The house provides a convenient base in spring for walking, visiting Mount Pankrator and the inland ruined village of `Old Perithia’ or take a trip down to Corfu Town to witness the Easter Saturday pot throwing festivities. Villa Lithari is available for £1620 for up to 6 sharing for a week over Easter, excluding flights. Contact CV Travel, 020 7401 1026 and www.cvtravel.co.uk

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/Greece/Corfu/Kassiopi–Kelia/Accomodations/Pages/Lithari.aspx