Half a million Britons to join celebrations in London

More than half a million Britons are expected to visit London over the weekend to take part in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Association of Train Operating Companies said around 500,000 people would be travelling to London by rail, while a further 30,000 are due to travel with coach operator National Express.

Many rail companies will be providing additional trains and carriages to cope with the increased demand, while the majority of engineering work has been put on hold.

One route that will be affected is the Stansted Express service between the Essex airport and Liverpool Street station.

National Express said its busiest departure points for trips to the capital would be Bristol, Birmingham and Bournemouth.


Hundreds of thousands more will visit the capital from overseas – Heathrow alone is expecting to handle 780,000 overseas travellers between today and next Tuesday.

The west London airport is laying out red carpets in its arrivals halls and handing out Union flags to passengers.

Eurostar has also reported a 30 per cent rise in bookings over the weekend, with up to 30,000 passengers a day travelling between Britain and the Continent.

Not all Britons will be staying in the country to celebrate the Jubilee, however. Around two million are expected to head abroad during the coming days, with 115,000 due to fly from Heathrow on Friday. The most popular destinations for departing travellers are Dubai, Amsterdam, Chicago, New York and Dublin, according to the Association of British Travel Agents.

Meanwhile, Transport for London has warned motorists to avoid central London throughout the weekend, while a number of bus routes will be diverted due to road closures.

"Central London will be very busy throughout the weekend and everyone intending to be in central London should use public transport, plan their journeys ahead and check before they travel,” said London's Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy. "Road closures and bus diversions will mean that some people have to travel in different ways - particularly on the Sunday. Due to a number of road and bridge closures, motorists are advised particularly to avoid central London for all but essential journeys on that day.”


The London Underground will be running a complete service, although a few parts of the London Overground will be closed.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Britain's hotels shake off Fawlty Towers reputation

Britain’s hotels – often stereotyped as dowdy and unwelcoming – have finally shaken off their Fawlty Towers reputation, new research has shown.

An analysis of more than eight years’ worth of hotel reviews, by the travel website TripAdvisor, has revealed a significant improvement in the quality of Britain’s hotels and guesthouses.

According to the website, Britain’s hotels currently have an average rating of 4.09 out of five – up from a low of 3.48 in 2004 – placing them for the first time above the global average.

The collective average rating is also higher than that of hotels in the US, France, Spain and Germany.
The website said that the biggest factor behind the rise was improved service and cleanliness, areas where Basil Fawlty’s fictional Torquay guesthouse was notoriously poor.

British hotels currently boast an average rating of 4.23 for service and 4.32 for cleanliness, up from 3.29 and 3.42, respectively, in 2004.

A spokesperson for TripAdvisor for Business, said: “Hotel and b&b owners have clearly been listening to the feedback they have received, and used it to improve the service they provide.”

The website’s research also suggested that Cumbria’s hotels offers the best experience for visitors. Its hotels and b&bs have an average rating of 4.3, making it Britain’s most high-rated county, ahead of Cornwall (4.28), Northumberland (4.26), Devon (4.24) and Somerset (4.22).

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Save Over £40 on Food & Drink with Park Holidays

With many quality holiday parks around the country, Park Holidays UK offers great value to people holidaying throughout England’s south coast. Now, they are providing their guests with an additional bonus – more than £40 worth of savings on food and drink when you stay with them!

Right now, you can sign up to receive a special welcome pack when you arrive at one of their parks, with any break booked for between the 25th May and the end of June, excluding school holiday dates.

You will enjoy free drinks and snacks on particular nominated days throughout your stay, such as a pint of lager or bitter on the Monday and a glass of wine on the Thursday. There will also be days on which guests can have either two free starters or desserts when ordering two main courses.

All you need to do is present the voucher that you will find in your welcome pack when you get to the park to our onsite restaurant when you place your order.

Whether you are interested in one of Park Holidays UK’s static caravans for sale or just want to enjoy a short break, get in touch today. With Park Holidays cheap getaways made even cheaper with promotions like this one, you’ll find it hard to match them in terms of both value and quality.


Park Holidays offer a range of facilities designed to give you the best value for money holidays you are likely to find in the UK. With 25 fully equipped parks stretching across south England’s coasts, from Devon to Suffolk, Park Holidays are the perfect choice for family breaks.

From traditional caravan holidays to camping and even static caravans for sale, Park Holidays have everything you need for a great value getaway.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Is Cornwall Greenest Holiday Destination?

Cornwall remains high on the list of favourite UK holiday destinations. Three Cornish resorts featured in the top 10 British resorts in the TripAdvisor Awards, a Which? holiday survey put two Cornish resorts amongst Britain's top ten favourite seaside towns, the British Travel Awards recently voted Cornwall the best UK Holiday County or Region and Sunday Times readers voted Cornwall their Favourite UK Country Escape.

Little surprise then that two of the most popular of Haven Holidays' 35 UK family holiday parks are Riviere Sands near Hayle and Perran Sands near Perranporth. Riviere Sands enjoys an enviable position with direct access to the South West Path and stunning views across the Hayle estuary to St Ives whilst some 26 miles further north along the coast path, Perran Sands is set amidst Cornwall's largest dune system overlooking the long stretch of Perran Beach and perfect for surfing.

Families and couples travel from all over the UK to holiday here each year, many returning time after time drawn by the gorgeous scenery, beaches and local attractions as well the wide choice of facilities, sports, activities and entertainment on the parks. There's always something to do - whether it's introducing the kids to fencing, getting involved in 'Messy Mornings' with your toddler, a round of Adventure Golf, a swim in an heated leisure pool or just sitting back and enjoying the entertainment.

But for General Manager June Donnery, who looks after both parks, one of the most important aspects of running park holidays is to ensure that it operates with minimal impact on the environment.

'So many people have voted for Cornwall in so many different holiday surveys and awards we truly believe it's our duty to make sure we can welcome visitors without damaging what it is they come here to enjoy.' June is passionate about ensuring that the eco-credentials of both parks are an integral part of everything she does.

Both parks have held a David Bellamy Conservation Award Perran Sands ten years Riviere Sands 5 years and both hold the prestigious 'Gold' Green Tourism Business Scheme award. For larger businesses this means meeting significant standards across a wide range of criteria from recycling waste and minimising utilities to working alongside local communities and keeping visitors informed about local flora and fauna.


A self-confessed sustainability geek, June is keen to encourage her team to get involved in green projects too. Before the current holiday season started Team Members at Riviere Sands carried out a litter pick on the Gwithian Towns and collected a staggering 45 bags of rubbish from this are and the beachfront.

And everyone is expected to get involved in the annual Big Green Weekend that provides a real show-case for their eco-endeavours, with all sorts of 'green' activities that involve holidaymakers and the local community as well as team members. From green fancy dress and recycled sculpture competitions to guided walks across the dunes led by Park Ranger Sarah Taylor a combination of fun activities and more serious events highlight the parks' ethos when it comes to the environment.

Continuing investment in both parks ensures that the product remains fresh and exciting for visitors - but June insists that the environment should be taken into consideration with any new building projects.

This year GBP 1.5million has been spent on a new touring facility. 'Camping and caravanning holidays have such a low carbon footprint,' says June. 'It's a fantastic way to get really close to nature and spend time outdoors and we wanted to make it as convenient and comfortable as possible for our touring guests.'

The new shower and washroom blocks have been designed to blend in with the sand dunes so the visual impact is as modest as their environmental footprint. Curved roofs are covered in grass and designed to harvest rainwater to make them self-watering. Water for the showers is solar heated and the exterior is clad in cedar which will fade over time to a silvery-grey to blend in with the natural environment.

Energy efficient under-floor heating, rooflights to maximise the natural light and high efficiency condenser boilers ensure that the buildings work to best environmental standards as well as looking attractive. Inside, the interior has been quirkily designed to make one block redolent of the camper vans much loved by local surfers whilst the other captures a 'beach hut' feel with lots of seaside brightly coloured beach hut cubicles.

What's more, Perran will be the first Cornwall Holiday Park to feature geo-domes as an alternative accommodation for touring guests. Following the success of their yurts (they have four) and a new village of safari tents, June commissioned a handful of geo-dome tents, complete with separate sleeping pods for children. Similar in shape to the famous domes of the Eden Project, the new tents will be fully furnished in 'shabby chic' style with a corner sofa and comfortable beds.

The 'seaside' theme continues at Riviere Sands where the new Cornish Cafe is decorated in natural timber cladding with mural of St.Ives bay- and stocks plenty of local produce, with Cornish cream teas and Cornish ice cream. It even features hand carved Cornish pasties as door handles - with a local artist commissioned for the job.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

London Underground: Tube map unveiled

Tracey Emin is the latest artist to decorate the pocket Tube map; her picture will be printed 18 million times.

Notable artists have long decorated the cover pages of Tube maps distributed to tourists and locals in London Underground stations. Emin’s map is the sixteenth in a series of such specially commissioned covers, all of which form part of the Art on the Underground initiative that integrates contemporary art into Tube passengers’ journeys.

The first artist to have their work promoted on a Tube map was Emma Kay in 2004, with subsequent designs coming from artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Michael Landy, Eva Rothschild and David Shrigley.

Some 18 million maps will be printed with Emin’s design, making it the most prolific edition of the map to date, and it will be available from June and over the duration of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The design shows a scrawled bird at rest on a branch that stands in place of the Northern line and features the names of the Central line and east London stations that form the basis of the artist’s commute. Speaking about the reaction she hopes her work evokes, Emin said: “When people look at the Tube map I want them to smile and feel reassured.”

TfL has commended Emin’s creation for adapting “the iconography of the original map to reflect her personal experience of the network and her ideas and experience of place.” Tamsin Dillon, head of Art on the Underground praised the piece as “a moving and unique interpretation of the capital”. Emin was also one of the artists who contributed a design to the official series of 12 Olympic and Paralympic posters.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Where to spend your 4-day Jubilee weekend?

With the Diamond Jubilee Bank Holidays leading into the half-term break, holidaymakers are rubbing their hands at the prospect of a four-day weekend from Saturday, June 2, to Tuesday, June 5.

That means you can get away with nine days off work while only using up three days of annual leave.

So if you’re planning a regal British getaway to celebrate, our list of the top deals around might help.

TEA-RIFFIC: Butlins are getting busy with the bunting this June to commemorate the Queen and Prince Philip’s 1963 visit.

Jubilee afternoon teas, Best Of British garden parties, souvenir mugs and mini hampers are being served up at all three Butlins resorts — Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness.

And why not check out the new £25million Wave Hotel opening at the Bognor Regis resort this summer, with 29 apartments and 215 family bedrooms. Prices for Jubilee and half-term breaks include three nights for a family of four at Skegness from June 1 from £413, four nights from June 4 at Minehead from £743, and three nights at Minehead from June 8 from £312.


BUCKING’S THE TREND: Try a little luxury a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.

Three nights’ B&B at the three-star Royal National Hotel in central London — including three-course dinners, welcome cocktail, celebration BBQ and packed lunch on Sunday June 3 — will help you make the most of the Jubilee weekend.

Monday, June 4, is free for you to soak up the atmosphere in the capital and on Tuesday, June 5, you can enjoy the Queen’s carriage procession through London.

Price is from £193 per person, based on two sharing, arriving Saturday, June 2. via superbreak.com.


Or toast the Queen in true British style with the new Jubilee martini at the Dukes St James’ Hotel.

Nightly rates start from £308 plus VAT, including champagne afternoon tea and a Jubilee martini. Call 020 7491 4840 or visit dukeshotel.com.

ROYAL INDULGENCE: Champneys health resort is offering four nights for the price of two to mark the occasion. Their Diamond Jubilee Weekend Package — available at all Champneys locations — includes all meals, one massage, one facial and one “thalassotherapy” pool session.

There will be a Friday drinks reception followed by an evening of British films, a Saturday screening of the Epsom Derby and a lavish garden party on the Monday.

The Queen’s Jubilee concert will be screened live from Buckingham Palace and guests will have use of the croquet lawns, tennis courts and spa facilities. Plus there will be a small Diamond Jubilee souvenir to take home.

The Diamond Jubilee Weekend Package starts from £369.95 per person. via champneys.com.

ROYAL FOREST: Oakdene Forest Park in Hampshire is set in 55 acres bordering the Avon Forest and off-site activities include jet-skiing, flying lessons and snowboarding.

A three-night break for a family of four over the Jubilee weekend (from Friday, June 1) is from £261.75 for a self-catering Wimborne Caravan.

Jubilee-themed fun for kids includes a royal decoration session creating crowns and tiaras, flags and posters.

There will also be races and challenges and a Brit Pop Show family disco in the evening. visit shorefield.co.uk or call 01590 648 331.

SANDRINGHAM ESCAPE: Inglethorpe Hall in Norfolk, a refurbished Georgian country house set in 30 acres, sleeps 15 people, and even hosted three real queens in the 1920s.

Queen Mary (George V’s wife), Queen Alexandra (wife of Edward VII) and Queen Maud of Norway (Queen Victoria’s granddaughter) all sipped Earl Grey while on visits from the neighbouring Sandringham Estate.

This June, royal pursuits will include croquet, horse riding and clay pigeon shooting.

The price is from £227 per person for three nights’ self-catering over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend — June 1-4. Visit statelyescapes.co.uk or call 0845 389 9582.

A RIGHT ROYAL HOO-HA: The Queen and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon, and subsequent wedding anniversaries, at Luton Hoo hotel in Bedfordshire.

The rooms in which they stayed now form part of the Queen Elizabeth State Suite.

A Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend package at Luton Hoo is from £410 per person for four nights — June 1 to June 5 — including celebration dinners.

Children stay free when sharing with adults. visit lutonhoo.co.uk or call 01582 734437.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Britain’s first ‘Wiki-town’

Tourism boost for Wales as Britain’s first ‘Wiki-town’ is launched in historic Monmouth.

The small Welsh town where King Henry V was born in 1387 is about to make history again by becoming the world's first ‘Wikipedia town.’

From tomorrow, visitors to Monmouth, in south-east Wales, will be able to scan barcodes at points of interest, instantly bringing up a Wikipedia page about the landmark on their phones. Hundreds of articles about the life and history of Monmouth will be available online in more than 26 languages, from Hindi to Hungarian.

Around 1,000 different barcodes, plaques and stickers are now displayed on the town’s schools, museums, historical sites and even pubs have signed up, highlighting the history of their establishments.

And while the project is geared at capturing ‘every notable place, person, artefact, flora and fauna’ in the town, some less-historically notable - but equally welcome - articles have been added.

Local businesses such as bakeries have been involved, placing barcodes in their windows linked to articles about the history of baking.

The project - dubbed ‘Monmouthpedia’ - has been developed by Wikimedia UK over the last six months, helped by the local council's installation of town-wide free Wi-Fi.

Local residents and businesses have created and edited articles about the town, while other volunteers have been translating them.

More than 450 new articles about Monmouth have been added to Wikipedia and nearly 150 existing articles have been improved in the past six months.

Czech speakers can now learn about Monmouth Castle in their native tongue, while Fijian Hindi speakers can check out articles on the Monmouth Cricket Club, Methodist Church or the local Kings Head Hotel.

Scholars of lesser-known languages such as Esperanto or Latin will also have their pick of Monmouth-related articles.

Monmouthshire County Council's chief officer for regeneration and culture, Kellie Beirne, said the project had already boosted tourism.

The town was chosen for its rich cultural history, says Wikimedia UK's communications organiser Stevie Benton.

He said: ‘It's really captured people's imaginations in ways we hadn't expected.'

‘If everyone shares the stories of their local area, we'll have a much clearer understanding of the world we live in and that's a powerful thing.'

Roger Bamkin, a director of Wikimedia UK, said, 'We're delighted that Monmouth is becoming the world's first Wikipedia town.

‘Both the quality and quantity of the new Monmouth Wikipedia content is outstanding, reflecting the rich cultural, historical and natural heritage of the town.

'At last foreign visitors can not only read information in their own language, but they can edit it too.’

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said he was looking forward to seeing other towns following suit.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Diamond Jubilee to spark UK holidays frenzy

UK holidays will be on the agenda for many people next month when the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations create a four-day window for breaks.

A report by the Telegraph has claimed the long weekend will see £10 billion added to the country's economy, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to arrive at holiday spots from both the UK and abroad.

Restaurants, attractions and shops are likely to be busy, with much of the activity focused on London.

With this in mind, people might be wise to take holidays in Sussex, Kent, Essex or other counties close to the capital. But that is not to say there will not be plenty of tourists heading for beautiful locations such as Devon and Yorkshire in order to soak up a relaxed atmosphere as the nation marks 60 years of its monarch's reign.



Santander recently found the price of hotels in the UK is as much as 81 per cent higher on the Jubilee weekend, so campsites and caravans could provide the best value accommodation.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

England in top ten for world’s best beaches

Keep Britain Tidy today announced the results of the annual Blue Flag awards, with 79 English beaches receiving the globally-recognised award this year – that’s nine more Blue Flags than 2011, guaranteeing more visitors peace of mind that their trip to the seaside will be clean and litter-free.

From Tyne and Wear to Torbay, beaches around our country’s coastline have been rewarded for their top-notch facilities and high standard of water quality. The results mean England is ranked in the world’s top 10 countries for having the most Blue Flag beaches out of the 46 countries taking part in the Blue Flag scheme.

Flying the flag for England’s seaside resorts in 2012 is Thanet in Kent with nine Blue Flags, followed by Torbay and Cornwall with five each. But the awards aren’t confined to the south of the country – beaches in Northumbria, Yorkshire and along the East of England coastline will be flying the Blue Flag this year.


In addition to the 79 beaches awarded a Blue Flag, 99 beaches around England have received Keep Britain Tidy’s Quality Coast Award, with the Isle of Wight leading the way with 11 awards, followed by Torbay with 10 awards and Scarborough with eight awards.

In total, England will boast an impressive 142 award-winning beaches in 2012 (with 36 beaches flying both the Blue Flag and Quality Coast Award).

Phil Barton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, which is responsible for the Blue Flag scheme in England and the Quality Coast Awards, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that England has more Blue Flag’s this year and with a total of 142 beaches around England receiving Blue Flags and Quality Coast Awards, what better way to holiday in this country than to visit one of the award-winning beaches.

“Winning beaches along our coastline ensure high standards of excellence for visitors. These high standards are testament to the hard work carried out by beach managers throughout the year in order to provide clean and safe beaches for everyone to enjoy, whether you live on the coast or are a visitor.”

The number of beaches receiving a Blue Flag or Quality Coast Award in 2012 proves that our shores continue to shine, offering residents, day-trippers and tourists alike well-maintained and well-managed places to visit.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Enjoy the Diamond Jubilee with a Garden Party

Leading country house and castle rental specialist Stately Escapes has announced that three of its featured properties will be offering unique ‘garden party’ packages for those looking to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style.

Over the Jubilee double bank holiday weekend (1 to 5 June) the three properties – Inglethorpe Hall in Norfolk, Carlton Manor House in Yorkshire and a stunning 14th Century castle in the Scottish Borders near Berwick will all be dusting off the red, white and blue bunting and royal memorabilia so that guests can mark the royal occasion amidst their own stately splendour.

Be it the quintessentially English garden affair, a Scottish hog roast or full on Yorkshire country fair at the seat of the Duke of Norfolk, each one will surely provide a truly memorable Jubilee weekend getaway for friends and family.

Inglethorpe Hall is set in 30 acres of glorious gardens and parkland near Sandringham in north Norfolk and is a quintessential English country house. Sleeping 15 in comfort within its grand and recently refurbished Georgian interiors it is the perfect location for a quintessentially English Jubilee garden party.

A Jubilee afternoon tea will be served amidst royal bunting under trees in the gardens, or on the grand York stone formal terrace looking out over The Wash to sea or if you really want to soak up the royal atmosphere on a picnic rug in the grounds of Sandringham just next door.

The house really is fit for a royal celebration having hosted three real queens for afternoon tea back in the 1920’s – Queen Mary (George V’s wife), Queen Alexandra (widow of Edward VII) and Queen Maud of Norway (Queen Victoria’s granddaughter) all sipped Earl Grey whilst on a visit to The Hall from neighbouring Sandringham Estate.


Carlton Manor House is a spectacular 17th Century gothic Victorian stately home near Selby in Yorkshire. It is set in 250 acres of parkland and is the home of Lord and Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard – and the Yorkshire seat of Lord Gerald’s brother the Duke of Norfolk. The Nursery Wing, Bachelor Wing, Baroness Tower and Clock Tower were all refurbished in 2009 as self contained accommodation, lavishly appointed with three grand state rooms and 16 luxurious bedrooms to sleep up to 30 people.

To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee the estate is throwing a traditional country fair over the dual bank holiday. The family event featuring side shows, pop tribute acts and traditional country events such as the Queen’s challenge clay shoot, Jubilee lurcher race and Diamond Geezer competition will run from 9.30am to 9pm on Monday 4th and from 9.30am till 5pm on Tuesday 5th June. Guests staying at the house will gain free access to the fair and be a stones’ throw from all the activities.

If you’re a Laird rather than a Lord at heart then head to the beautiful Scottish Borders to celebrate the Jubilee at a secluded 14th Century castle near Berwick-upon-Tweed. Sleeping 25 within its grand baronial interiors its Jubilee weekend package offers a fully catered option for those looking to kick back and fully enjoy the celebrations.

For more information about all of these Diamond Jubilee exclusive getaways visit www.statelyescapes.co.uk or call 0845 389 9582.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Holiday Park Looks Forward to 50 More Years

Family-run holiday parks that have celebrated 40 years in business are not uncommon. But few can boast individual holiday-caravan owners who have been coming back for more than 50 years. However, that is the claim to fame justifiably being made by Highlands End at Eype near Bridport in Dorset.

Heading up West Dorset Leisure Holidays (WDLH) which runs this park are the Cox/Butcher family. They took over the operation, which numbers five parks, in 1971.




Among their satisfied customers are Jennifer and Robert Crockford from Stonehouse in Gloucestershire who have within past weeks taken delivery of their seventh holiday caravan at Highlands End. And Jennifer can recall staying there with her parents as far back as 1961.

Located in a clifftop setting midway between Weymouth and Lyme Regis, Highlands End lies right at the heart of the Jurassic Coast, the UK’s only natural World Heritage Site. It has views to match.

This park is the flagship of WDLH and it’s easy to see why. As well as 160 mostly privately-owned holiday caravans, it offers an indoor heated swimming pool with sauna and steam room, a well-equipped gym, tennis courts, a nine-hole pitch’n’putt course and a bar plus restaurant.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.

Hotel installs bicycle-powered television

An eco-friendly b&b in the New Forest has unveiled its newest energy-saving initiative – a bicycle-powered television.

Guests in the “Standing Hat” room at Cottage Lodge in the village of Brockenhurst, can now keep fit, watch their favourite programmes, and do their bit for the environment using the novel device.

The room also features low-energy lighting, solar panels and a wood-burning stove to produce hot water, and a low-flow toilet and shower to reduce water use. The publicity also boasts that environmentally-friends paints and low-impact building materials were used throughout, while the room’s bed, bedside table, dressing table, wardrobe and mirror were crafted by a local tree surgeon from a single beech tree which fell in the village.

Christina Simons, the hotel’s owner, has spent nearly eight years turning it into a green retreat, but explained how the 360-year-old property has recycling in its heritage.

“The building dates back to 1650, and was actually constructed from a reclaimed ship,” she said.

“I focused on three things when constructing the room: reducing waste, minimising pollution and using resources with the lowest impact possible.

“I also wanted to show that being green can also be exciting and fun, and guests love cycling on the bike.”
The hotel has won several prizes for its eco-friendly initiatives, including awards from Visit Britain and the AA.

A stay in the Standing Hat costs from £129, including breakfast. Call 01590 622 296 or visit www.cottagelodge.co.uk.

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you. 

Tourists face sharp hotel price rise for Jubilee

Those hoping to visit London for the Jubilee celebrations should beware of sharp increases in the cost of a hotel stay, a new report has warned.

The cost of a four-night stay for a family of four during the Jubilee period is an average of 54 per cent higher than for four nights in May, a study released by the Santander banking group suggests.

The report also found that some hotels have increased their charges by up to 223 per cent.

Those booking luxury accommodation face the most substantial rises – an average of 81 per cent more than an equivalent weekend in May.

The three- and five-star hotels included in the study showed a price-range from £832 to £6,606 for a four-night stay from June 2 to June 6, for a family of four.

In comparison, the same hotels had a range of £710 to £4,302 for a Saturday to Wednesday stay in mid-May. The premiums charged by hotels are significantly more than they were during last year's Royal Wedding, the research suggests. Increases of up to 113 per cent were reported then, with the average price hike being 26 per cent.

Not only London has been affected by price rises for the extra bank holiday. Families visiting Edinburgh can expect to pay an average of 28 per cent more than usual, while an eight per cent increase is reported in Manchester

Demand for hotel rooms in London is likely to be fierce over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend,” said a spokesperson from Santander. “The premiums our research has uncovered will price many families out of the capital altogether.”

Looking for the latest FABUKBreaks offers on a wide range of UK Holiday ideas let FABTHINGS2do help you.