How often have you gone on holiday desperately in need of some relaxation time, only to feel incapable of unwinding? Modern life is often hectic, and work obligations overwhelming, making it hard to set time aside for that much needed rest and recuperation. Surrounded by endless to-do lists and plagued with inbox alerts, you simply may not remember how to switch off and relax on holiday. In this blog we’ll teach you how to enjoy a truly tech-free retreat and [...]

We’ve all been there. You’ve packed and re-packed the same bag multiple times to make sure everything is there. And yet somehow, as soon as you step on that plane you realise you’ve forgotten something. Whether you’re the type to leave packing until the last minute or you like to be prepared weeks before you set off, it’s easy for certain items to slip your mind. Packing efficiently and thoroughly isn’t always as simple as it may seem, particularly [...]

  It’s incredible how songs can bring you right back to a moment: A road trip with friends, a lounge by the pool, building sandcastles with the kids… that time dad burnt all the food on the BBQ! No matter what you’re doing this summer, there’s always a holiday playlist that will lift the mood, put you at ease, and bring everyone together. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together two playlists we love to play on our summer cruises [...]

Why Everyone Should Use a Travel Agent in 2018 by Cheryl Rosen / October 25, 2017 Photo: Shutterstock As business for 2018 begins to build, we asked travel agents why they think travelers should never travel without an advisor behind them heading into the New Year. Here’s what they said: 1. Storms and natural disasters are making travel more difficult. This year has been a particularly tough one for travel, with natural disasters and system failures overwhelming some suppliers. But travel agents have [...]

I recently had the fantastic opportunity to go to Sri Lanka and Dubai with Gold Medal Travel. I had such a great trip in totally contrasting places that I thought I should share my experience. Our 1st hotel in Sri Lanka was the Chaaya Village in Habarana which is located in the middle of the island. This hotel is in an area of flat swap like land a lot of green trees a lot of rain this time of year [...]

We flew with British Airways to Miami in business class. The flight was extremely comfortable, service and food very good. Our flight arrived into Miami at 1455 local time, immigration and baggage collection went smoothly. We were met by our transfer company – Mears Transport – and taken to our hotel, The Metropolitan by Como (originally known at the Traymore), Miami Beach where we were just spending the one night before going on to the Turks & Caicos. The Metropolitan [...]

By Gin Ford I travelled by train to Gatwick and stayed overnight at the Premier Inn North Terminal.  Very good with excellent facilities, having never stayed at this hotel before I would recommend it. Il Borro is a medieval village, made up of beautiful individual houses, some small shops, 2 restaurants,  a spa,  riding stables and church.  It is very quiet and set in  vineyards and acres of lush green hills and pastures.  The first recorded production of Chianti wine [...]

A huge congratulations to Gin and the Chew Valley office for winning Top Agent in the West Country for Carrier Holidays.  This has been the third year in succession that this has been won by Chew Valley Travel.