Jetsettersblog

Feed 10,000 hungry poor at India’s holiest Sikh shrine

Spend an afternoon serving hungry and poor street dwellers in Amritsar, Northern India at the Golden Temple, a Sikh shrine, widely regarded as the spiritual and culture center of the Sikh religion. The temple kitchens are run by volunteers and produce up to 10,000 free meals per day. Those who choose to take part will have the opportunity to go into the kitchens to prepare, serve food and wash up together.

This experience is part of Journeys of Distinction’s thirteen day Summers of the Raj round-trip tour from Delhi to Amritsar, Chandigarh and Shimla before ending the tour in Delhi. The tour departs on 1st November 2011 and 10th April 2012 and costs from £3,245 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, hotel accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com  or call 0161 491 7616.

Cruise with a Maori chief on his hand made boat through New Zealand’s Wairekei Terraces

Meet a Maori elder and spend the day discovering the fascinating Wairekei Terraces, a naturally manmade formation of cascading multi-colored silica walkways that have been fed by the multi-hued waters of the Alum lakes. Listen as he shares wisdom, tells of captivating stories and gives a guided tour of the Wairekei Terraces Walkway before finishing with a cruise in his hand made boat.

This spectacular experience is part of Journeys of Distinction’s twenty-nine day luxury escorted ‘Magnificent New Zealand’ tour from Christchurch to Auckland. The tour has multiple departure dates on 29th October 2011, 17th January 2012, 11th February 2012 and 3rd April 2012 and costs from £5,195 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com  or call 0161 491 7616.

Visit Mandela House and explore the divisive township of Soweto

One of South Africa’s most interesting and influential black urban residential areas is Soweto; home to roughly a million citizens within 29 townships and renowned for its ability to establish trends in politics, fashion, music, dance and language. Go into the township of Soweto accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide and visit Soweto’s significant locations including Mandela House, the restored house where Nelson Mandela lived, the Hector Pieterson Museum which recognises the apartheid riots of 1976, and the Apartheid Museum.

Spend a day in Soweto as part of Journeys of Distinction’s sixteen-day The Garden Route tour of South Africa from Cape Town to Pretoria. The tour departs on 14th October 2011 and 17th February 2012 and costs from £5,195 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com  or call 0161 491 7616.

Sing with a New York Gospel choir in America’s largest church

Take a tour of Upper Manhattan and Harlem through Central Park, Park Avenue and Firth Avenue’s nine museums, including the world renowned Guggenheim, along Museum Mile before visiting the largest church in America, St John the Divine, to sing with Sunday’s congregation and experience first hand the joy and uplifting feeling of true Gospel music.

Spend three days exploring New York as part of Journeys of Distinction’s twelve day East Coast Splendours luxury escorted tour of the USA from Washington DC to New York. The tour departs on 12th May, 9th June and 8th September 2012 and costs from £3,755 per person including the services of a Tour Manager, Local guides, accommodation and return scheduled flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com or call 0161 491 7616.

Camp under the stars and listen to Elephants bathe

Spend an evening in Minneriya National Park under the dark night sky listening to elephants drink and bathe in the nearby watering holes from the comfort of an authentic tented safari camp. Experience the very best of Sri Lanka’s vast array of wildlife in a truly wonderful setting and get closer to nature on a fantastic jeep safari exploring the diversity of the national park.

This experience is just a segment of Journeys of Distinction’s sixteen-day luxury escorted tour of the very best of Sri Lanka. The tour departs on 15th November 2011, 14th February 2012 and 13th March 2012 and costs from £2,695 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com or call 0161 491 7616.

Sleep amongst nature in the rainforest in Ecuador

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands are well known for having the most biodiversity per square kilometer in the world. Stay in a traditional lodge in the rainforest just two hours outside of Ecuador’s capital city, Quito, and enjoy guided walks and canopy trails with local experts through the lush rainforests of the Sierra to experience the enormous exotic biodiversity of this part of the world.

This experience is apart of Journeys of Distinction’s fourteen-day luxury escorted tour of the Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The tour departs on 4th November 2011 and now costs £5,095 per person, was £5,295, saving £200pp, and includes the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com or call 0161 491 7616.

Barter and explore the markets in Hoi An, Vietnam

Visit Hoi An along the central South coast of Vietnam and barter for almost anything and everything in the local markets from exotic customary foods and jewellery to live venomous snakes and herbal medicines. Learn to cook fantastic Vietnamese dishes at the Red Bridge Café in Hoi An before finishing off the stay by watching a traditional water puppetry performance originating in the 11th century CE at the Red River Delta in Northern Vietnam.

These experiences are part of Journeys of Distinction’s twenty-day luxury escorted tour of the very best of IndoChina from Laos to Vietnam and Cambodia. The tour departs on 6th March 2012 and costs from £5,195 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com or call 0161 491 7616.

Learn how to cultivate, blend and bottle wine in the Andes Mountains

Learn how South American wine is cultivated, blend and label your own bottle of wine, under the auspices of local experts in the world’s highest wine lands in Mendoza, Argentina. Spend the day learning from local winemakers and use decanters, labeling and traditional methods to get involved in winemaking with the fantastic snowcapped Andes Mountains as a magnificent backdrop.

This unique experience is part of Journeys of Distinction’s twenty-three day luxury escorted tour of the very best of South America from Lima, Peru to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The tour departs on 23rd October 2011, 4th March 2012 and 15th April 2012 and costs from £5,795 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com or call 0161 491 7616.

Explore the Sarajevo war tunnels in Bosnia

Visit and explore the maze of the Sarajevo war tunnels in Sarajevo, constructed during the Bosnian war between 1992-1995, spanning 960 metres in length and seeing an estimated 20 million tons of food enter the city with an additional 1 million people passing through it during its active lifetime. If that’s not enough historical reliving for one day; stay in Josip Broz Tito’s, the Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman, former summer residence, the fabulously located Vila Bled in Slovenia.

These unique experiences are part of Journeys of Distinction’s eight-day luxury escorted tour of Montenegro and the Dalmatian Coast from Split, Croatia to Montenegro. The tour departs on 21st April 2012 and 25th May 2012 and costs from £2,075 per person including the services of a tour manager, local guides, accommodation and return flights.

For further information visit www.jod.uk.com or call 0161 491 7616.

Experience an exceptional welcome ceremony at the ancient city walls of Xian

Upon arrival into the ancient city of Xian, prepare to be mesmerised by an impressive performance of traditional dance in a ceremony dating back to the Tang Dynasty. In traditional attire performers re-enact the welcome ceremony that was dedicated to the emperor at the time. Taking place at the imposing North Gate it illustrates not only the essence of Chinese culture but also the complexity and the culture in this part of the world. Truly impressive and not to be missed!

The ceremony is part of Journeys of Distinction’s twenty-one day Very Best of China luxury escorted tour from Shanghai to Hong Kong. The tour departs on 11th October, 8th November 2011 and 13th March, 10th April and 13th May 2012 and costs from £3,395 per person including the services of a Tour Manager, Local guides, accommodation and return scheduled flights.

El Gouna, the Red Sea’s premier leisure destination, has boosted its water attractions with Liquid Park, the first inflatable water park in the Middle East.

With slides, trampolines, and a number of other activities right on the water, Liquid Park’s lagoon location gives it a truly original setting for fun in the sun that can be enjoyed by both the young and the young at heart.

Open daily from 10am to 6pm, Liquid Park costs £10 per person and comes complete with an animation team, life guards and mandatory life vests. While the minimum age to enter is six years old, younger children can enter if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

El Gouna is recognised as Egypt’s most environmentally-friendly holiday destination, with unspoilt lagoons and miles of sandy beaches. After enjoying the sun on the thrilling new Liquid Park, water sport enthusiasts can visit one of El Gouna’s five kitestations to try their hand at kitesurfing, or splash into The Orange Concept, El Gouna’s water sports specialist, for a range of water sports including wakeboarding, waterskiing and wakesurfing. For some dry-land action, visitors can take part in one of the many leisure activities on offer including golf, horseback and camel riding, or relax in the Mövenpick or Steigenberger’s Angsana Spas.

Whether you are looking to celebrate Christmas or New Year in a cosy coastal cottage for two, a converted Chapel for ten, a former shipwreck or a family friendly property for four or more, luxury self-catering specialist Blue Chip Holidays (www.bluechipholidays.net) has the answer. Prices start from just £409 for two guests staying a week at Maidencombe, part of a former Victorian Villa overlooking the English Riviera.

There are over 450 properties with availability for the festive season and many include complimentary decorations, trees, hampers, chocolates and champagne.

And that’s not all. Christmas will come early for one of Blue Chip Holidays’ customers who’ll open the door of their Christmas cottage to find £250 of individually selected presents just for them. All customers staying seven nights including Christmas Day are automatically entered into this special seasonal draw.See www.bluechipholidays.net/xmas  for full details.

Cottages, houses, coastal apartments and former chapel’s that are still available to rent over Christmas and New Year include:

1. Old Chapel, St Columb Minor, North Cornwall
Enjoy Midnight Mass In The Comfort Of Your Own Chapel

Stay in a beautiful 200 year old former chapel set in the peaceful village of St Columb Minor, near Newquay and put on your own midnight mass.

This large, five bedroom former Chapel sleeps 10 and retains much of the character from its days as a place of worship. Entertainment in its huge living room is provided by a large flatscreen TV with Freeview, DVD player, I-Pod station and a free Captain Hook pinball machine that’s perfect for Christmas tournaments.

Nearby is the local village shop and the very popular Farmers Arms pub. Refreshing sea walks can be enjoyed along Porth Beach, just 1 mile away.

Seven nights for ten guests, including Christmas Day, can be booked from £1,639. www.bluechipholidays.net  / 0844 7044987. Deep link: www.bluechipholidays.net/oldchapelnq

2. Lyndale Cottage, Kingsand, Cornwall
Spend Christmas in a cottage constructed from a former Ship Wreck.
Comes with a free Christmas hamper.

Spending Christmas in a shipwreck may not be everyone’s idea of luxury, until you discover that a canny Cornishman used the hull of a boat wrecked on the Eddy Stone Rock to build Lyndale, the second oldest cottage in the quaint seaside village of Cawsand.

This charming Grade II listed cottage for six bursts with character and it’s great fun to spot all the places where the wreck has been used to construct this fascinating house. The most obvious remnants are the ribs of the boat that form the beams in the main bedroom and the original ship’s door, which is still in use in the house today.

Inside, Lyndale has two cosy living rooms, a cracking wood burning stove for the long winter nights, a beautiful beamed fireplace and a traditional cottage kitchen with its very own an Aga-style cooker that’s perfect for festive feasts. It has three bedrooms including one with a four poster bed, one with a double and the other with twin beds.

The beautiful sandy beach of Cawsand is seconds away as are a host of lovely independent shops, a delecatesen and three pubs; The Cross Keys Inn, The Devonport and The Halfway House.

Seven nights for six guests, including a free Christmas hamper, can be booked from £989. www.bluechipholidays.net / 0844 7044987. Deep link: www.bluechipholidays.net/lyndale

3. Retreat To Libbys And The Untouched Cornish Fishing Village of Polperro
Available for Christmas and New Year.
Comes with complimentary Christmas tree, decorations, champagne and chocolates.

Libbys Cottage a splendid, Georgian, grade II listed white-wash house for four, is set in the heart of the arrestingly beautiful cliff-ravine Cornish fishing village of Polperro where barrows of fish were once carted by day, while brandy casks and tobacco bales were smuggled by night.

Set over three floors this exceptional property echoes its maritime history throughout, having been owned by the prominent Libbys family who lived in the village as far back as the 16th Century. Bursting with character it has exposed whitewash stone walls, chic French-style provincial painted furniture and nautically themed decorations that include model yachts, drift-wood mirrors, and oar banisters. Libbys is only a short walk to the renowned Blue Peter Inn and the delightful inner harbour where its bobbing boats and swans can be seen.

A week’s stay over Christmas week or New Year week costs £1,239 for four. Stays of seven nights including Christmas Day come with complimentary Christmas tree, decorations, champagne and chocolates. Bookings can be made online at www.bluechipholidays.net  or by calling 0844 7044987. Deep link www.bluechipholidays.net/libbys

4. Christmas in Crumplehorn At The Rigging Or Inglenook Cottage
Both come with complimentary Christmas trees, decorations, champagne and chocolates

Also available in Polperro are The Rigging and Inglenook Cottage, both traditional white-wash Cornish stone cottages. Set in Crumplehorn at the top of the village The Rigging can be booked for seven nights from 19 December for just £1,239 based on six sharing, while Inglenook Cottage, also available from 19th, can be booked from £1,159 based on four sharing. As the cottages are next door to one another ten guest can book both together.

Both come with complimentary Christmas trees, decorations, champagne and chocolates, and visitors will also be entered into the draw to win £250 of specially selected presents in celebration of Christmas. www.bluechipholidays.net  / 0844 7044987.
Deep link: www.bluechipholidays.net/therigging  or www.bluechipholidays.net/inglenook

5. Ten Per Cent Off Christmas By Sea In The South Hams
Nine At The Beach Apartments Available

Nine chic At The Beach apartments are available for Christmas and the New Year in the South Hams seaside village of Torcross. Each comes with their own decorated tree. Sleeping between four and seven guests, the apartments are set within the former Victorian Torcross Hotel nestled between Slapton Ley, a fresh water lake and wildfowl reserve, and 3 miles of stunning beach.

The shingle beach, which lies just outside the apartments, provides the perfect setting for a brisk walk to blow away the cobwebs after festive feasting. And for those looking to continue the celebrations, the 14th Century Start Bay Inn, just 100 yards away, serves a mean pint and fish and chips that are renowned for their with whale-like cod fillets.

This Outstanding Area of Natural Beauty and stretch of coastline is both dramatic and steeped in history. During the 1940s it was used by American forces to practise for the D-Day landings due to its striking similarity to the French shoreline. Evidence of the operations can still be found today including a Sherman Tank that was dragged from the sea in the 1980s.

Eleven, At The Beach, sleeps six
This stunning waterfront apartment boasts amazing beach and sea views, and has a large living room with a 37″ flat screen TV and DVD player that’s perfect for festive films or The Queen’s Speech. As well as a selection of DVDs, books and games to choose from, the apartment has access to its own private decked patio area with a table and seating for 4.

Along with numbers 4, 5, 16, 17, 18 and 19, 11 At The Beach can be booked at a 10% discount for any seven night stay over Christmas up until 07 January. This brings the price down to £775 for a week at 11 At The Beach; 19 At The Beach, the lowest priced of the apartments, falls to £559 for four guests, while 16 At The Beach, which sleeps seven, drops to £1,069 for the week. www.bluechipholidays.net  0844 7044987.

Deep link: see http://www.bluechipholidays.net/atb

6. 38 Moorings Reach, Brixham
Relax In The Quaint Harbour Town Of Brixham, Devon – Star Of Sky Atlantic’s Series: ‘Fish Town’
Comes with complimentary Christmas Hamper

Guests booking 38 Moorings Reach for Christmas will enjoy a hearty stay as this harbour-front apartment comes with a special Christmas hamper stuffed full of seasonal food and goodies.

Set over four floors this stylish townhouse for eight has four bedrooms and spectacular views out to sea that take in the remarkable Jurassic coastline.

Perfect for a large gathering of friends and family it has a dining table for up to nine and a light and airy living room that comes with two sofas and a 32″ flatscreen TV with Freeview and DVD player.

It’s also just four miles from the popular sailing and maritime town of Dartmouth where a cluster of fashionable restaurants, including Mitch Tonks’ Seahorse Restaurant and the Michelin starred Restaurant Angelique, can be booked for Christmas celebrations.

For bookings call 0844 7044987 or visit www.bluechipholidays.net
Deep link: www.bluechipholidays.net/38mooringsreach

Long-haul tour operator, Tropical Sky has some fabulous Christmas and New Year offers still available to the Caribbean for couples and families.

The exceptional, all-inclusive, festive packages to Grenada, Barbados, Tobago, Antigua and St Lucia start from £1,899per adult and £1,259 per child, (based on a family of four travelling together) and include:

CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH IN BARBADOS – Departure 22 December
Families will love the all-inclusive four-star Almond Beach Village in Barbados, with seven nights from £5,197 for a family of three. For the ultimate bucket-and-spade festive holiday, this family-friendly resort is located on the stunning Platinum Coast. Facilities include a selection of kids’ clubs, 10 swimming pools, fitness centre, tennis courts and fine restaurants and bars.

FESTIVE FAMILY SOIREE IN ST LUCIA – Departure 23 December
Set in sixty acres of lush, tropical gardens on a secluded bay, seven nights on an all-inclusive basis at the four-star Smugglers Cove in St Lucia is available from £6,316 for a family of four. Boasting extensive facilities including a popular kids’ club, Mum can escape to the spa, which offers yoga and Pilates classes, while older children and Dad can also enjoy a wide range of watersports, as well as tennis, squash, seven freshwater swimming pools and archery.

NEW YEAR ANTICS IN ANTIGUA – Departure 28 December
Perfect for active families, seven nights on an all-inclusive basis at the three-star Halcyon Cove by rex resorts in Antigua is available from £6,696 for a family of four. Located on the stunning shores of Dickenson Bay, this family-friendly resort offers plenty to keep both adults and children busy, with a selection of water and beach sports, as well as tennis, football and cricket.

GROWN-UP FUN IN GRENADA – Departure 29 December
For those wanting to enjoy more peaceful festive season, the adults-only four-star plus LaSource in Grenada is a haven of child-free tranquillity and available on an all-inclusive basis for seven nights from £2,799 per person. Set within tropical gardens on the stunning shores of the Pink Gin Beach, the superb Oasis spa offers one complimentary treatment per person each day, as well as yoga and meditation classes. In addition, certified divers are entitled to one free dive per day during their stay.

All prices include accommodation on an all-inclusive basis, return flights from Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic, resort transfers, taxes and surcharges. To book any of these offers visit www.tropicalsky.co.uk  or telephone 0844 332 9349.

During November and December 2011 luxury river cruise operator AmaWaterways is offering the opportunity to cruise Europe’s finest Christmas markets from the comfort of a festive 5* river cruiser. As well as being able to shop for traditional crafts, gifts and Christmas decorations guests on board this winter’s Christmas market cruises will enjoy a festive atmosphere as the ships are decorated with Christmas trees, garlands, swags and lights, and festive fun includes carolling performances, hot spiced mulled wine and seasonal entertainment.

DANUBE CHRISTMAS MARKET CRUISES:-
AmaWaterways’ seven night Christmas Time Cruise sails between Nuremberg and Budapest allowing guests time to browse the markets at Nuremberg, Regensberg, the numerous different Christmas markets in Vienna and finally in Budapest where the ship cruises past the city’s dazzling Christmas illuminations.

AmaWaterways has nine departures for its seven-night Christmas Time Cruise on 27th November, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 18th and 19th December. The itinerary operates in both directions, Nuremberg-Budapest and Budapest-Nuremberg and cost from £995 (saving £381, was £1376) per person, including breakfast, lunch, dinner with free-flowing wine, soft drinks and beer, free wi-fi and free use of on board bicycles. Contact AmaWaterways freephone 0808 223 5009, www.amawaterways.co.uk

RHINE CHRISTMAS MARKET CRUISES:-
AmaWaterways’ Rhine Winter Voyages from Basel and Amsterdam (and vice versa) includes the many and varied Christmas markets in Freiburg, Strasbourg, Worms, Rudesheim and Cologne, from the medieval themes of French Strasbourg to the pretty market in Rudesheim and the impressive display in Cologne, in the shadow of the magnificent cathedral with over 160 wooden stalls.

AmaWaterways has five Rhine Winter Voyage departures, every Saturday weekly from 26th November until 17th December, with prices from £1285 (saving £91, was £1376) including including breakfast, lunch, dinner with free-flowing wine, soft drinks and beer, free wi-fi and free use of on board bicycles. Contact AmaWaterways freephone 0808 223 5009, www.amawaterways.co.uk

Located at the heart of one of Germany’s most stylish cities, the Excelsior Hotel Ernst is offering the ultimate New Year party package with their exclusive Excelicious Red Carpet Night.

Soak in the atmosphere of the year’s biggest night whilst situated in the hotels sumptuous surroundings, all of which are open to New Year’s guests.

Entertainment will be provided by a range of different musical acts so guests are guaranteed to be kept on their feet as they party the night away.

Drinks will be served throughout the evening in the Piano Bar, where revellers can try the hotels signature cocktail the ‘EHE special’, and the Riesling Lounge which specialises in serving the regions excellent wines.

Elsewhere in the hotel, culinary delights will be on offer at award winning restaurants taku and the Hanse Stube restaurant.

As the clock strikes twelve you’ll be able to welcome the New Year in style as you watch the cities fireworks light up Cologne’s Gothic Cathedral.

You can book the New Year’s Eve package for:

EUR 383 per person based on a double occupancy in a superior room.

EUR 404 per person for a single occupancy in a superior room.

The Excelicious package includes an overnight stay and a ticket to the Red Carpet Night festivities at the hotel on New Year’s Eve, which includes access to all event locations as well as food and beverages. Also included in the package the famous New Year Brunch and a late checkout of 3pm.

All reservations can be made by contacting:

reservation@excelsior-hotel-ernst.de

Early December is one of the most reasonably priced time of the year to enjoy a classic Nile cruise and with Discover Egypt (www.discoveregypt.co.uk) also offering 50% discounts for the 2nd traveller – there is no better time to book a Nile cruise.

Nile cruises on the 5* Viking Princess departing from Gatwick on 05 and 12 December 2011 are currently just £699 per person, with the 2nd traveller going for £349.50, making it the best value time to travel from now until October 2012.

This is also one of the best times of the year temperature wise when it is a very pleasant 25 degrees with nine hours of sunshine on average – perfect for relaxing and topping up the tan before the onslaught of the festive season.

The price includes return flights to Luxor, seven night full board Nile cruise with 10 guided excursions to see the amazing ancient archaeological monuments and sites that still stand after 6,000 years, plus transfers in resort.
Highlights include visiting:
Valley of the Kings – one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and a World Heritage site since 1979
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut – close to the Valley of the Kings and one of the most significant monuments of ancient Egypt
Valley of the Queens – the burial place for the wives of Pharaoh’s and often their children. The area is said to hold 70 tombs that are all lavishly decorated, one of the most famous being the tomb for Queen Nefertari carved out of the rock.
Colossi of Memnon – one of the most imposing ancient monuments on the West Bank and featuring two huge stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that have sat in the Theban necropolis for 3,400 years.
Temple of Karnak- the Temple complex of Karnak is the largest ancient religious site in the world and is a vast mix of ruined temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings, including the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure started by Pharaoh Ramses II between 1391-1351 BC).

The popular 5* Viking Princess offers 49 stylish cabins that all face out over the Nile for amazing views, compete with en-suite facilities, in room amenities and air conditioning. There is also a lovely plunge pool, deck bar and spacious restaurant where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served.

Discover Egypt is also offering cruises departing on the same dates in December on board the 5* MS Royal Ruby for £799, with the2nd traveller going for £399.50; the deluxe 5* Royal Viking for £899, with the 2nd traveller going for £449.50 and on the recently refurbished, luxury 5* Alexander the Great for £1,599, with the 2nd traveller going for £799.50 – a cruise to suit every budget.

For reservations contact Discover Egypt on 0844 880 0461 or visit www.discoveregypt.co.uk

Relieve the stress of Christmas at home by heading to family run cottage resort, Celtic Haven, in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Families will benefit from Celtic Haven’s personal service whilst enjoying the privacy of their own costal cottage. These are available for three or four night breaks or week long stays with flexible arrival and departure dates over the Christmas period. Prices start at £562 for a short break in a cottage sleeping four people.

Resort staff can help to make the cottages as festive as possible by offering to decorate and put up Christmas trees prior to arrival. They can also unpack food which guests order online before arrival.

Celtic Haven will kickstart the Christmas mood with fireworks, mulled wine, mince pies, a Santa event and gifts for all children on Christmas Eve. There will also be special Christmas menus at Celtic Haven’s Italian influenced Waves Restaurant.*

Celtic Haven’s 26 cottages of one to six bedrooms make for a cosy Christmas as many date back to the 12th century and retain historical elements such as beamed ceilings. It was originally the busy country estate of Lord St. David and each cottage has a characterful name, such as Servant’s Quarters, which relates to its original function. The cottages are decorated to luxury standards and have fully equipped kitchens. Celtic Haven welcomes families of all ages as it offers babysitting for the young and can organise qualified carers and NHS trained nurses for the elderly. Pets are also welcome!

There is something for the whole family at Celtic Haven with free use of its nine-hole headland golf course, indoor swimming pool, hot tub, sauna and all weather tennis courts. For a Christmas indulgence guests can book from over 80 treatments at the resort’s Elemis Premier Spa. The cottages also have direct access to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Trail which snakes along the coastline and has stunning headland views.

The adventurous can also join the nearby 41st Tenby Boxing Day Swim. Brave swimmers take the plunge into the sea, in fancy dress, for charity. This is an entertaining event, just a short five-minute drive from Celtic Haven, to watch or take part in and is sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Christmas prices for a short break in a two bedroom cottage are £562 and £750 for a week long holiday. A five bedroom cottage costs £1,162 for a short break and £1,550 for a week long holiday. Bookings can be made online at www.celtichaven.co.uk  or on 01834 870000.

* Closed on Christmas day and Boxing Day

For a memorable chance to meet Santa in his snowy Lapland home this Christmas Santa’s Lapland is offering three and four day holidays to Lapland fully inclusive of a private family meeting with Santa Claus and a full day in a snowy winter activity centre, with sledging, snow-hockey, ice-fishing, a mini-skidoo ride, reindeer sleigh ride, husky-dog sled adventure, lunch and warm drinks included in the holiday price. Thermal clothing is also provided at no extra cost or all guests and free sledges are available at all properties in resort.

Accommodation is in hotels and apartments in the snowy and authentic northern Lappish town of Saariselkä, and, new for 2011, in family-friendly catered log cabins. Flights are from Manchester and Gatwick, with departures between 1st and 23rd December 2011. Optional activities include skidoo safaris, excursions to find the northern lights and downhill and cross-country skiing.

Prices for a Santa’s Lapland holiday start from £425pp for a three day stay, with two night’s b&b accommodation at Hotel Holiday Club with its indoor water park and swimming pool (based on a family of four at £1,799). Unique to the programme is a £30 per couple discount for grandparents travelling with an extended family and sharing a family cabin, suite or apartments. There is also a special offer of free half-board for children under 6 years old in all the hotels.

Santa’s Lapland Programme Director Ian Hope said “Santa’s Lapland has many years experience of offering Santa holidays, with family oriented hotels and apartments in a magical, un-commercialised resort, and of course our inclusive approach and guaranteed private meeting with Santa, ensures that guests come away with happy, family memories that will last a lifetime”.

The Santa’s Lapland brochure is available by calling 01252 618345 and the man himself can be found at www.SantasLapland.com  for online bookings and the latest holiday information.

February half-term ski holidays don’t need to break the bank as ski accommodation specialist, Pierre & Vacances, sees price differences of up to 33 per cent from last season due to the unusual calendar year. The company has self-catering apartments, which sleep from two to ten people, in 40 resorts across the French Alps and Pyrenees.

Lower prices for the half term holiday are available at a range of Pierre & Vacances properties. This is due to the 2012 half term week of 11-19 February being classed as off peak or ‘term time’ in France. The UK is one of the only European countries (alongside Denmark) which have half term during this period. Visitors will therefore be able to enjoy off peak prices and less crowded pistes, restaurants and bars.

For example, the price of a one bedroom apartment sleeping up to four people at Pierre & Vacances Les Terrasses d’Azur in Isola 2000 costs £674 which is 33 per cent cheaper than February 2011. The price is just £24 per person per night. The fully equipped apartments at Les Terrasses d’Azur each have a balcony or terrace and access to the ski lifts and resort centre via a free funicular railway.

Cathy Rankin, UK & Ireland Sales and Marketing Director, adds, “In 2012, the UK should make the most of its advantageous calendar to get the best value for ski holidays. During February half term and the first week of the Easter holidays the British market will pretty much have the whole of the Pierre & Vacances portfolio to themselves, as the rest of Europe is still in term time.”

“Also, there has already been heavy snowfall at high altitude resorts in the Alps which makes us hopeful that the ski conditions will be much better than last year.”

In addition to modern, comfortable apartments Pierre & Vacances offers its guests preferential rates on lift passes and ski equipment which are both pre-bookable. It also provides all bookings with a snow guarantee and offers a full refund in the case of too much or too little snow. *

*= Terms and conditions apply