Travel
These 14 unique Airbnbs are perfect for a holiday in the UK
These are amazing!
From boats to planes to treehouses, we’ve compiled a list of the weirdest and most wonderful Airbnb listings so you can have an incredible staycation.
Although many of us are gutted we can’t be going on holiday this year to our usual and favourite beach spots, it doesn’t mean we can’t get away from everyday city life.
With Boris recommending staycations and the UK full of amazing spots, with many just a short drive away, now is the time to explore what the country has to offer.
The Jet Star, Redberth
£149 per night
Let’s kick off with a good one, fancy staying in an old private jet in the Welsh countryside? Course you do.
It can sleep up to four people and has a swanky double room attached to the side, there’s a loo and even an Xbox in the cockpit. Not sure what else you could want really?
St Benedict’s Abbey, Fort Augustus
£137 per night
This flat has everything you need for a romantic weekend in an actual ABBEY! Complete with a kitchen, lounge and a huge brass bed you’ll be tucked away in what was once the secret ‘writing room’ of the monastery.
You also get full access to the club which has a stunning pool (when pools reopen of course!). There’s also a gym, tennis court, cricket pitch, snooker tables and a luxurious restaurant in the boathouse. Oh, did I mention this is on the shores of Loch Ness?
Hoots Treehouse, Mayfield, England
£220 per night
If you wanted to live out your childhood dreams of living in a treehouse, this is exactly the one for you. It’s got 29 five star reviews on Airbnb so you know you’re in for a treat.
It’s in the perfect spot if you want to go off grid and enjoy some nature, with a deer park just 5 minutes away. There’s also a tennis court for use too!
Trickers Windmill, Suffolk
£125 per night
A five-storey Grade II listed Tower Windmill complete with a private courtyard in the heart of Woodbridge.
It’s the only habitable windmill in Woodbridge so you can sleep comfortably in the knowledge that you are in fact, one of a kind. Perfect for a romantic, windy weekend away!
Glamping Dome, Horningsea
£100 per night
If there’s one thing you need to do at least once in your life, it’s stay in a dome. I’m not entirely sure why but it’s pretty cool, right?!
This one is fully decked out with a wood-burning stove, leather tub chairs and a huge double bed. Cambridge is just three miles away.
Land Rover Hot Tub & Bluebird Penthouse, High Bickington
£110 per night
I can only imagine how many times you’ve dreamt about converting your old rusty Land Rover, which you have just on hand, into a hot tub – well, Ralph only went and did it.
The superhost has a 1950s decorated penthouse and a vintage Land Rover hot tub. There’s enough space for two guests, a gas BBQ, chimenea and even a wine cellar. One user recommends getting in the Land Rover hot tub for sunrise.
Hobbit House, Powys
£60 per night
For all you Star Wars or Star Trek fans, or whatever the Hobbit is from, this one’s for you. I’m just kidding, I know it’s from Doctor Who.
The description is perfect for this and I simply can’t do as good of a job, so here is Tin, the host, to tell you all about his Earth House instead: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole and that means comfort.”
The description does come with a disclosure that ‘this is glamping, not luxury’ and it ‘IS small’!
Romantic Medieval Castle, Peebles
£140 per night
Feast your eyes on what could be your home for just £140 a night, an entire castle.
It’s a mini-castle on the Scottish Borders around 45 mins from Edinburgh, but it’s still a castle. It’s described as ‘ancient’ but ‘cosy. Perfect.
Dairsie Castle, Fife
£1,100 per night
Another castle, but this time MASSIVE. If you’re lucky enough to have 13 friends you can all hire out this place for a small fee of £1,100 per night.
Now before you choke on your water, that works out at just 92 quid each for you and all your mates, which is not bad considering you get this 12th-century castle complete with a dungeon. If you love golf, the famous Old Course in St Andrew is less than an hour away!
12th Century Abbey, Suffolk
£675 per night
Sticking with the grand theme, how does a Magical 12th Century Abbey sound? Thought you might like that.
Deep in the Suffolk countryside, this 12th-century abbey sleeps 18 and is completely surrounded by marshlands and forest. On that note, the description does say you will need ‘a car or a horse’ to get around. It’s just a few miles from the beach and around two hours to London – how perfect?!
Train Carriage, Machynlleth
£40 per night
This one is quite literally described as ‘train carriage on a hill’ and I’ll be honest that looks as though it’s a pretty bob on description.
It’s cosy and ideal for those looking for a walking or cycling trip in the surrounding Welsh hills. This one is also completely off the grid, so if you’re looking for an eco-friendly stay this is the one for you! The host also offers ‘holistic massage’ if you’re after it.
The Bridge House, Ballintuim
£164 per night
This unique two-bedroom home was built as part of the bridge over the River Ardle back in 1881. It’s been recently renovated – complete with a sauna by the way – a full king size four-poster bed, all soundtracked by the blissful river flowing.
The Crow’s Nest, Isle of White
£179 per night
I know what you’re thinking ‘another treehouse’. Well, you’re wrong because this one is ON THE BEACH.
Just about as far away as you can get without getting a plane, The Crow’s Nest is on the Isle of White and is a romantic, award-winning accommodation. Sit up from the king-size bed to a full view of the sea and a glorious golden beach. Pubs are just a short walk away too, doesn’t get better than that does it?!
Earth House, Canterbury
£90 per night
Finally, let’s get things back to nature with this Earth House. This is a unique and beautiful spiral straw bale studio with a reciprocal wooden roof.
There’s also the option to add on yoga and meditation tuition, breathwork, reiki treatments and even relationship therapy among a long list of other services.
*Check the latest updates and restrictions regarding travelling to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales before booking.
Virgin Atlantic has launched an epic Black Friday sale with return flights to NYC for as little as £280.
New York isn’t the only destination on the list of cheap flights either! There’s also deals on flights to Vegas, San Francisco and Orlando!
Return flights from London to New York in January and February next year start at just £280 per person. Flights in April from Manchester will set you back just £288.
In April you can fly to LA for £321, a round trip to San Francisco will set you back £324 and Vegas and Orlando are £326.
There’s also deals to be had on some winter sun with discounts on flights to the Caribbean in January and March. You can fly to Barbados from £345, or Jamaica from £395.
The airline has handily separated their deals into sections including Winter Sun, Easter Getaways, Visit Friends & Relatives, West Coast USA, East Coast USA, Caribbean, Premium, Upper Class and Our Best Prices.
You will need to check the current restrictions to flying as well as any quarantine restrictions that might be in place at the end of travel!
Virgin Atlantic is offering a free Covid-19 cover worth £500,000 which gives you flexible booking, enhanced hygiene measures, free amenity kits including mask and hand sanitisers plus other perks.
Travel
Holidaymaker arrested and jailed after giving hotel a bad review on Tripadvisor
He fell foul of strict local laws.
A holidaymaker left a bad review of a hotel on Tripadvisor, leading to his arrest.
US citizen Wesley Barnes left a series of harsh reviews of the Sea View Resort in Thailand via Tripadvisor, but the hotel then pursued legal action against Mr Barnes.
It resulted in him being detained and charged under the country’s strict defamation laws.
He faced a two-year prison sentence and was released only after issuing a public apology.
Mr Barnes accused the resort of ‘modern-day slavery’. The hotel said the harsh criticism was untrue and damaging to its reputation.
The incident occurred at the resort on the island of Koh Chang earlier this year, and was triggered by an argument over Mr Barnes wanting to bring his own bottle into the hotel’s restaurant.
The hotel said he refused to pay a corkage fee and ’caused a commotion’.
After leaving, he left a negative review after which the hotel sued him for defamation. He subsequently was detained and spent two nights in prison before being released on bail.
He was found guilty of breaking the country’s notorious anti-defamation laws. The hotel said the reviews were ‘fabricated, recurrent and malicious’.
Now, Tripadvisor has left a warning on the hotel’s page urging travellers to be mindful of the local laws in the country, the MEN reports.
The warning reads: “This hotel or individuals associated with this hotel filed criminal charges against a TripAdvisor user in relation to the traveller writing and posting online reviews. The reviewer spent time in jail as a result.
“The hotel may have been exercising its legal rights under local law, however, it is our role to inform you so you may take this into consideration when researching your travel plans.”
Tripadvisor added that they believe in ‘the right of every traveller to write about their first-hand travelling experiences – good or bad’.
The travel site said: “TripAdvisor strongly opposes any action where a business, like the Sea View Hotel & Spa in Koh Chang, uses local law to send someone to jail for expressing their opinion.”
The hotel has hit back at the review site, telling the New York Times they were ‘deeply disappointed’, adding that ‘the warning message from TripAdvisor is extremely misleading and lacks complete information’.
The hotel claims they initially tried to contact Mr Barnes to remove the reviews, but he didn’t respond, and they filed the complaint as the negative comments led to them losing bookings.
After he was arrested and spent two days in jail the case was eventually dropped, as Mr Barnes admitted the reviews were ‘fabricated, recurrent, and malicious’ and gave a full public apology – as per the terms of the settlement between the two parties.
Travel
Benidorm launches cheap seven-night package holiday scheme including food and drink for just £180
This looks great…
You can stay for a week in Benidorm with food included for just £180 in the new scheme.
The ban on travel throughout the lockdown has caused the popular holiday destination to suffer, enhanced by the 14-day quarantine after travelling.
The new scheme in the resorts, starting on October 14th, gives tourists a choice of where to stay and where to eat in the seven-night deal.
The only thing you’ll have to arrange on your own is your flights out to Benidorm, but deals start at £200 a return ticket.
The scheme has been launched by two trade associations, Abreca and Cobreca representing bars and restaurants plus Rosemberg Real Estate Agency and the Nicaragua Apartments.
They said in a statement: “This project is the result of the essential synergy between all the business sectors of the city and it will be a pioneer in Europe offering visitors to enjoy all the gastronomic offer of our city.
“The tourist will have a complete experience of Benidorm, being able to stay in apartments of Real Estate Rosemberg or Apartments Nicaragua and have breakfast, lunch and dinner in any bar, restaurant and cafeteria member of Abreca and Cobreca and adhered to this project.
Benidorm could also be launching the new ‘Benidorm Island’ scheme which hopes to create an effective ‘island’ on mainland Spain.
It will encourage Brits to the resort, offering testing and new safety features like a ‘safe’ coach that transfers holidaymakers directly to their holiday accommodation from the airport.
In the day a ‘Hospitality Team’ would monitor the tourist’s health.
Currently Brits must self-isolate for two weeks after returning from Spain plus other countries on the list.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay confirmed the new measures that will include swabbing at the airport.
Mr Barclay explained: ““I am expecting Grant Shapps and Matt Hancock to say more about this in the coming days.
“If we look, for example, at some of the German states, which are using testing to then release earlier from some of the restrictions.”
The current two-week quarantine period could be reduced to four days with two mandatory tests.
This week, a duo from Ashton-under-Lyne returned from Spain and refused to isolate and were both lumped with £1,000 fines.
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