LATEST ARTICLES
Max Verstappen’s Lesson to STR Hosts
There's just a chance that you might not know who Max Verstappen is so I'll explain in a minute but when he was just a young lad, born in 1997, was signed up by a Formula One Team when he was just sixteen. Yes, driving cars in races at about 350 kilometres per...
Explore Nature With All Trails Free App
Whether you're at home, travelling for business, on a road trip or just having a deserved weekend break, there are many reasons you might want to get out into the countryside and its fresh air. Most of us find being outside is invigorating, yet relaxing at the same...
Labworth Cafe, Canvey Island, UK
If I told you that the connection between a Swedish water tower and a café in Canvey Island, Essex, UK, was the Sydney Opera House then you'd probably think that I'd lost it at last. Fair enough. But read on. Canvey Island in Essex is not really the sort of place that...
Riverside. Iowa: The Birthplace Of James T. Kirk
That title is wrong, to be honest. Riverside, Iowa isn't the birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. It's the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk - as you can see on the photograph of the plaque. Captain James T. Kirk is, of course, the original commander of the...
Overnight From Paris To Venice
Travelling by train overnight is - to me - one of the most luxurious and romantic ways to get from point A to point B. Someone else has to worry about the driving, the navigating ... you're in a proper bed and not trying to sleep in a cramped seat as you would on a...
Hosts: Words To Avoid In Your Listing
Writing your listing blurb for Airbnb or other accommodation platforms can be tricky. After all, you're in the hospitality industry, you're not a copywriter. The good news is that online, it's much better to underpromise and overdeliver, rather than the other way...
Gaztelugatxe, Spain
It's very tricky to pronounce, it was used as a filming location for an episode of The Game of Thrones - and it's totally amazing. For centuries, the sea of the Bay of Biscay has been pounding this Basque Country coastline and forming all manner of caves, islands,...
Hotel Ukraina: Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow
This fabulous hotel was built in 1957. I know that its style make it look as though it could be early twentieth century - or even late Victorian - but the Ukraina Hotel was commissioned by Josef Stalin and until 1976 was the tallest hotel in the world. The...
Visiting Germany: Is The Tap Water Okay To Drink?
If you're heading to Germany and wondering about the quality of the tap water then I have good news for you. Germany has one of the best quality water supplies in the world. Water is something that the German authorities take incredibly seriously. You'll find that...
Aracataca, Colombia. Visit Macondo
If your pulse rate raised just a little when you read 'Macondo' above then you'll know why you have to go there. And go now before the place becomes 'disneyfied'. This small town in Colombia is where Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born and brought up for the first eight...
What Do The Best Vacation Rentals Have In Common?
The insurance people, Geiko, have recently launched a video entitled The Best Airbnbs Have These Things in Common. So I thought that I'd enumerate them and see how our own listings (here in fabulous Fort Lauderdale) compare. We have two - both are in a wonderful...
King’s Meadow Pool. Now Thames Lido
See the photograph above? Now that is one gorgeous place to swim, dine or enjoy a luxurious spa day. But here's what Kings Meadow Pool, now known as the Thames Lido. But in 2009, here's what the place looked like. And seeing what the place looks like now - and don't...
How To Contact Airbnb
Host or guest, enter the Airbnb numbers into your phone now. You'll find them by using the button below. Airbnb has grown enormously - worldwide - since the service started in 2008. To be honest, I suspect that even the founders were amazed by the popularity of this...
Villa E-1027, France
Incredible Irish designer Eileen Gray designed the house that I - and plenty of other people too I'm sure - would describe as a dream home. Completed in 1929, the house overlooks the sparkling blue sea. It was a labour of love - more about that in a moment. She...
The Wienermobile. Really
If you're American, you might not be as gobsmacked by this as I am. To me, it comes into one of those only-in-America categories. But the Wienermobile - for that is what the vehicle you see illustrated is - really is a thing. I admit that I had to go to Google to find...
Stay With Prince Charles At The Castle Of Mey, Scotland
Heir B & B is what the press are calling it. Snigger. But no, Prince Charles isn't actually about to place Buckingham Palace on Airbnb - but he is creating ten new guest accommodations at the Castle of Mey in the wilds of Scotland. The prince's grandmother bought...
Larabanga Mosque, Ghana
Here's a mosque that dates back for hundreds of years. It's said that the mosque was built in 1421 by Ayuba. Ayuba was a trader who was spending the night in Larabanga because he was travelling across the Sahara. The story goes that he was given instructions to build...
The Beach Hut Bandwagon
Although shelters and huts can be found on beaches throughout the world, the beach hut remains an icon of the British seaside. In some British beach locations, they have evolved from fishermen's huts or even from bathing machines - that nineteenth century method for...
Don’t Be Insulted By Airbnb’s Price Tips
Yes, if you host on Airbnb, the company is going to send you 'price tips'. And so many hosts are insulted by these... 'My nightly rate is $150 per night and Airbnb tells me to reduce it to one-third of that - how dare they?' Well firstly, they are not 'telling' you...
Film Locations: Schilthorn Piz Gloria, Switzerland
James Bond's arch-enemy Ernst Stavro Blofeld is hiding out in his mountaintop retreat in Switzerland. It is inaccessible by any means other than a scary helicopter flight. But Blofeld is a criminal mastermind and his goal is a simple one - world domination. Bond, of...
Destinations
Find out more about exciting places to go, things to see and activities to enjoy. Stay off the beaten path or visit lively cities. Read more about great places.
Where to Stay
Forget those faceless hotels. Find accommodation that’s just right for you. From cottages in Wales to luxury hotels in Paris. Embrace the bizarre.
Tips & Tricks
Read articles by experienced travelers. Learn the tips and tricks of easy travel from the experts. Read opinions and views from travel insiders.
News & More
Check this section regularly for some fabulous bargain offers and special deals. Seasonal specials are often to be found right here!