With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, you might have spent the last few weeks thinking up a perfectly extravagant plan to woo your better half. Or maybe you’re excitedly awaiting the moment when your significant other sweeps you off your feet with a wildly amorous gesture or the promise of a romantic break somewhere exotic. Most likely, you have far too much on your plate to think of anything original that will show your special someone just how special they are. With this in mind, we have compiled a short list of our favourite places to whisk yourselves away for some (affordable) summer loving. From Rhodes to Rhossili, these are the perfect places to get a “Yes, yes yes!”
New Year’s Eve – Make it a good’un!
Ah, New Year’s Eve. After the initial, painstaking decision of where to go has been made, you plan for weeks, spend a fortune on outfits, taxis and babysitters, then stand, freezing, in the queue for an overpriced club selling overpriced drinks. Or you’re brave enough to throw your own party and spend New Year’s Day nursing a hangover while you clear up empty bottles from your sticky kitchen floor. Either way, New Year’s Eve is invariably a let down, and each year you tell yourself, “I’m staying in next year.”
Hotel of the Week: Hotel Gran Sol, San Antonio, Ibiza
“Fantastic little find…” “Just what we needed…”
Sparkly clean, in a fantastic location, with a breakfast menu that’s been deemed “one of the best we’ve had in Spain”, the Gran Sol is TripAdvisor’s number one ranked hotel in San Antonio. Perfectly placed near the sandy beaches on the northern side of San Antonio Bay, as well as world famous Cafe del Mar and Cafe Mambo, it’s the ideal base from which to enjoy the sun, sand and sea of the White Isle – not to mention the odd cold beer.
Hotel of the Week: 4* Aqua Blu Sharm, Sharm El Sheikh
It’s a pleasure to read the TripAdvisor reviews about this hotel. So often review sites are full of complaints and low ratings, it’s refreshing to read about a hotel which gets consistently excellent marks all round – and not a complaint in sight!
Hotel of the Week: 4* Three Corners Palmyra Resort, Sharm El Sheikh
When a hotel has an average rating of “excellent” on TripAdvisor, you know you’re onto a winner. The Three Corners Palmyra Resort is a beautiful complex, large and spacious with six swimming pools on site and two gorgeous beaches nearby which can be reached either on foot or on the free shuttle from the hotel.
Hotel of the Week: 3* Santa Rosa, Lanzarote
The same comments come up again and again in the TripAdvisor reviews of Santa Rosa Hotel in Lanzarote. “Very well kept,” “lovely atmosphere,” “wonderful staff,” “amazing value for money”… The food gets consistently glowing reports, rooms are described as big, clean and comfy, the pool is perfect for all ages with a separate section for small children, and there’s a poolside bouncy castle and playpark to keep young guests occupied for hours on end.
Hotel of the Week: El Guarapo Apartments, Lanzarote
You only need to glance at TripAdvisor to see that El Guarapo Apartments is one of the finest hotels in Lanzarote, and at these prices, it’s definitely up there with the best value! With a prime location in Costa Teguise, the apartments are close to a gorgeous beach, Playa Bastian, as well as plenty of bars and restaurants. Check out El Maestro and La Hacienda (not to be confused with the ex-Manchester club!).
Hotel of the Week: Ipanema Park, Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria
It takes a lot for a 2* or 3* hotel to get an average rating of 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor, so we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to feature the fantastic Ipanema Park Apartments in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, as our hotel of the week, and offer you 7 nights there from only £203pp – including return flights!
Hotel of the Week: Tossa Center Hotel, Costa Brava
For a quiet getaway, Tossa Center Hotel in gorgeous Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava, is perfect. Small but perfectly formed, it’s just two minutes’ walk from the beach, behind which you’ll find some great restaurants and bars. Rooms are quaint, not huge but big enough and kept exceptionally clean. Continue reading
Hotel of the Week: Holiday Park Hotel, Majorca
For a great value, relaxed week or two in the sun, you won’t find much better than the Holiday Park Apartments. An easy 20-minute drive from the airport, the hotel is comprised of a number of apartments, each one spacious and clean, with little extras such as black-out curtains ensuring you get a great night’s sleep.








