North America Las Vegas & the Grand Canyon

North America Las Vegas & the Grand Canyon

I’ve recently returned from the islands of St Kitts (or St. Christopher Island as it’s otherwise known) and Nevis.

If you want to combine history along with great food & lovely individual boutique hotels then consider these beautiful islands.

I’d recommend starting off with 5 nights at Ottley’s Plantation Inn, St Kitts. Ottley’s is a family-run former 17th century sugar estate set high in the hills on St Kitts. It offers beautifully tended gardens and dreamy views . Whilst staying here make sure that you visit Brimstone Hill Fortress National park as well as the Plantations that turned St. Kitts into one of the Worlds largest sugar producers. A trip down to Basseterre, the Capital is also recommended (daily transportation is provided). From Ottley’s there are many great walks on offer and if you are feeling brave even a zip-line adventure. The family and staff here make this place very special indeed!

Next, head to the island of Nevis – just 25 minutes away by boat. Stay 5 nights at the Nisbet Plantation. Nisbet is the Caribbean’s only historic plantation that is located directly on the beach. Every evening a sumptuous 4-course dinner is served in The Great House, it’s very romantic and special. The food here is superb. They also offer a gourmet beach BBQ every Thursday. The 36 cottages are spread throughout the 36 acre estate. Nisbet offers Old-world charm and exceptional service.

To finish off the trip, head up into the hills of Nevis to stay at The Montpellier Plantation for 2 or 3 nights. The Montpellier Plantation is a member Relais & Chateaux so fabulous dining & fine wines are guaranteed. This property offers stylish, chic accommodation and surroundings. The views are truly superb. You can relax by the pool or take the free shuttle down to the beach club. I’d recommend taking out a mountain bike and exploring the local area, you’ll see lots of monkeys and even wild Donkeys ! If it’s a special occasion we can arrange a candle-lit dinner in the 300 year old sugar mill (the only restaurant of it’s kind in the World).

These beautiful islands are very special and am sure they will capture your heart as they have mine

Ohhh the Zoetry, what a gem!  I cannot tell you how much I loved staying at this hotel. The Zoetry is situated on the north of Riviera Maya Cancun Mexico, it is a very unique property on this beach.

From the moment we stepped out of our taxi, the porter personally welcomed us by our names.  I could feel the ying and yang, the zen in this wellness spa hotel.  Everything has been designed to make you feel totally peaceful and relaxed and I felt it straight away.  We arrived early at the hotel so our suite wasn’t ready yet but we could use all the facilities and start consuming food and drinks which were included in the All inclusive package.

We had the lead in beautiful one bedroom suite and it was soooo spacious and spotlessly clean.  Only 64 suites in the hotel and all the suites are sea facing with a lovely large hammock on your balcony or terrace.   The beds are very comfortable, the bathroom is very spacious and more beautiful.

Every morning, at breakfast we were serenated by the beautiful sound from the harpist. He played for hours making us sit at the breakfast table for hours too.   Food and drinks are plentiful all day long.  Food are absolutely delicious at both restaurants and the chef prepares the most delicious paella at lunch time.

The daily activities such as Yoga are also highly recommended and fun to do.  Gabriella is a fantastic yoga teacher and they have the most amazing yoga studio on the pier. We attended all the tequila, wine, cocktail, cigar rolling lessons.  The mayan ceremony and the Thalasso spa are also a must do.  The boat trip to Puerto Morelos was fun.  I highly recommend people to do as many activities as possible as we learnt so much and was so much fun that we cannot wait to go there everyday.

With all these events etc, I would say that the Zoetry is very good value for money.  There are so many free activities for free where other hotels will normally charge.

This place is very special and always will be close to my heart as I had the most amazing time at Zoetry.  I mustn’t forget the lovely people we met there.

Dreams Mexico – I have been very lucky to have stayed at Dreams Riviera Cancun, the hotel sits on the lovely Riviera Maya stretch of beach.

Dreams hotels are family designed hotels, however I have seen lots of young couples, honeymooners and all sorts of ages.  The hotel has 3 large swimming pools, large enough to accommodate many people without feeling overcrowded.  There are lots of activities such as aquaerobics, volley balls and more activities on the white sandy beach.

What I love about the hotel is all the different restaurants where you can eat and coffee cafe all included in the price.  Service is excellent, staffs are very friendly.

Rooms are very spacious, we have 2 large beds, a double sofa, double sinks, a jaccuzi, a separate shower and toilet in the bedroom and yet we had plenty of space to walk around. Mini bar is also replenished with beers and soft drinks everyday.

In the evening, there are live shows or you can relax in the large lobby with soft live music next to the bar.

I was truly impressed with Dreams hotel, it exceeded my expectations and I find it very good value for money.   I highly recommend Mexico for a relaxing beach holiday or find out more about history and ruins there.  Don’t forget to visit Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the world.

Japan is a country which has so much to offer, it is steeped in history, tradition and has some amazing landscapes and a fascinating culture.

It is no surprise then that it is fast becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination.

Well known for the Samurai, Sumo Wrestling, Geisha’s, the Cartoon Culture, Tea Ceremonies, Sushi, Bonsai Trees, Mount Fiji, Cherry Blossom and the Bullet Train. It really is a must see destination.

There are numerous direct and indirect flights from the UK to Japan, which takes approximately 11 hours 30 minutes.  UK citizens are exempt from visa’s and are able to stay for up to 90 days.

Japan has a temperate climate and has four distinct seasons, Spring Summer, Autumn and Winter, they are the same months as the seasons in the UK.  As Japan stretches a great distance from north to south the climate is cooler in the north and in winter there is frequent snowfall in the Japanese Alps providing great snow for Skiing.  June and July see the monsoon rainfalls.

The most desirable time to travel is in the Spring and Autumn when the weather is mild and warm and the Cherry Blossom is in bloom from late March to mid-April and the splendour of the Autumn leaves in late October –November.

Travelling around Japan is made easy by it’s great public transport network in particular that of the train network, where trains are always on time!  The Japan Rail Pass is a definite must if you are planning on travelling around as it provides virtually unlimited travel on the entire Japanese Rail network (excludes the new super express Nozomi).

Accommodation is in both Japanese and Western Style and varies  from youth hostels, B&B’s, Ryokan’s (traditional Japanese Inn’s), hotels and even a chance to stay in temple’s. Offering accommodation for budget traveller’s right up to the luxury traveller.

There are 7 regions of Japan Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai, Chubu, Chugoku and Shikoku and Kyushu and Okinawa.

Hokkaido – home to the unspoilt mountain scenery and abundant wildlife.  It is a nature-lover’s paradise.  It’s cool summers bring spectacular blooms of flowers while world class ski resorts mean it is also a great winter destination.

Tohoku – has a rustic charm, with a slower pace of life, rich natural beauty and countless hot spring resorts.

Kanto – home to Toyko is a region which boasts cultural attractions such as the ancient capital of Kamakura and the impressive temple Nikko set among beautiful scenery of lakes and waterfalls.

Kansai – the cultural heart of Japan is its ancient capital of Kyoto, with its many stunning temples and gardens.  By contrast, the city of Osaka offers a taste of vibrant modern Japan.

Chubu – the iconic site of Mount Fiji and the panoramic mountains of the Japan Alps provide well worn hiking trails in the warmer months and fantastic skiing in winter.  The Chubu region is also home to the picturesque towns of Kanazawa and Takayama.

Chugoku and Shikoku – the highlight of this region is the city of Hiroshima and the nearby island of Miyajima.  The inland sea separates this region from Shikoku, Japan’s fourth largest island.

Kyushu and Okinawa – the southern island of Kyushu offers lush greenery, hot springs and mysterious volcanic formations.  Highlights are Nagasaki and the volcano Mt. Aso. Further south, the tropical island chain of Okinawa boasts amazing coral reefs, white sandy beaches and a fascinating cultural heritage that is a mix between Japan and South-East Asia.

Japan is not as expensive as you think and, in fact, compares very favourably with London prices and has something for everyone, whether you are looking at a city break, tour, adventure, island getaway, family holiday, cruise, honeymoon, ski holiday etc.

So all that is left to do is book a trip and let the Japanese people Kangei (welcome) you.