Slope off to Austria
THE WELCOME MY partner and I received a lovely welcome at the hotel reception and quickly popped through to the bar for our first pint and mulled wine of the weekend. Perfect. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD The Tempest Arms is a gorgeous country pub dating to the 17th century. There are walks from the front door, and from reception you can pick up a guide detailing three routes.
We headed off on a challenging sevenmile ramble to the town of Earby, navigating through fields, across railway lines and down pretty country lanes.
The town of Skipton is four miles away. THE ROOM Our room was modern and pretty. It had an area to snuggle up on the sofa near the TV and a cosy double bed.
The bath came complete with greatsmelling salts, just the tonic after our hike. THE FOOD The Tempest has a huge menu and serves fantastic food in hearty portions.
On Saturday night our party of six sampled everything from cheese and onion pie to rabbit done three ways.
But my chicken roast dinner on Sunday was hard to beat. THE SERVICE The pub was stuffed to the rafters when we dined on Saturday night, with a wedding reception going on in the function room and locals and guests packed into the bar.
Thankfully, the staff took it all in their stride and the service was fantastic. LOVED The special touches were fabulous. There was a little box of chocolate truffles waiting on our bed and flapjacks to accompany our tea and coffee in the room. Not to mention homemade cakes and cookies at reception. HATED Nothing. BOTTOM LINE Two nights in a Club Room from Thursday to Sunday costs £150 with an Escape Package. The deal includes breakfast and applies when you dine at the pub both nights. CHECK IT OUT tempestarms.co.uk. CARVE the slopes instead of a Christmas turkey by skiing in St Anton, Austria, over the festive period. Iglu Ski has seven days at Chalet Gretl, flying out of Gatwick on December 20,for £530. As well as flights and transfers, staying in a chalet means the food is included and cooked by chalet staff. Call 020 8811 6381 or get more details at igluski.com. IF you can’t face Christmas at home this year, get away from all the festive frenzy (and cooking duties) and enjoy the big day on one of these great breaks FARTHER CHRISTMAS: If you’re yearning for a hot Yuletide break, check in to the Excellence Riviera Cancun and swap the freezing snow for sparkling white sands and tropical sunshine.
Set on a stunning beach on the country’s Riviera Maya coast, the all-inclusive, adults-only resort has six winding pools. And with nine restaurants to pick from, you won’t miss the traditional Christmas dinner. The dining choice includes Italian, Japanese and Indian, along with a steakhouse and seafood specialist.
Trendy Playa del Carmen, with its laidback restaurants and bars, is a 30-minute drive away, and ancient Mayan city Tulum, 90 minutes. YULE PAY: Save up to £1,708 per couple on a seven-night all-inclusive stay, now costing from £2,025pp. It includes return flights with British Airways leaving Gatwick on December 19, UK airport security fast passes, UK airport lounge access and private resort transfers with Sovereign Holidays. CONTACT: sovereign.com, 01293 765 003. FARTHER CHRISTMAS: Duck out of cooking the turkey and escape to the Lake Country House Hotel and Spa on the banks of the River Irfon, near Builth Wells.
Head chef David Brown will be laying on a cracking five-course lunch on the day itself, with a four-course gourmet dinner on Boxing Day.
Work off the calories in the gym, sauna and pool or stroll by the river and lakes in 50 acres of grounds. Or give yourself a present and book a treatment in the hotel’s superb spa.
Among the Christmas Eve highlights are a Welsh dinner, concert and Midnight Mass at the village church. YULE PAY: A three-night stay arriving on December 24 costs from £750pp based on two sharing a double room and includes breakfast, mid-morning coffee with mince pies, afternoon tea, champagne reception, Christmas Day lunch and Boxing Day dinner – through Pride of Britain Hotels. CONTACT: prideofbritainhotels.com, 0800 089 3929. FARTHER CHRISTMAS: Retreat from the Christmas chaos and whisk the family off to Center Parcs’ Woburn Forest.
You can order a real fir tree magically decorated with baubles, bows and fairy lights to be delivered to your lodge for your arrival, as well as a Lincolnshire turkey if the children don’t want to miss out on a traditional dinner.
But if you want to bow out of boiling brussels sprouts (and the washing-up), book a table at one of the on-site restaurants.
And work off lunch with a Christmas dip in the pool.
Get into the festive spirit and treat the kids to a magical pony ride from the Waterfont to the big man in his woodland workshop – £8.50. YULE PAY: A four-night self-catering break beginning December 23 at Woburn Forest starts at £1,399 for a family of four staying in a two-bedroom Woodland Lodge. CONTACT: centerparcs.co.uk, 03448 267 723. FARTHER CHRISTMAS: If you’re single and don’t fancy being on your own or fighting with relatives, then slip off to the Berkshire countryside.co There, you can join Friendship Travel’sTr festive house party at the Donnington ValleyVa Hotel and Spa near Newbury.
Hosts are on hand to break the ice with other gu guests in a fun, friendly atmosphere.
But the four-star hotel’s extensive grounds m mean you can have your own space too, as well as enjoy the indoor pool or play a spot of golf on the nearby course.
The celebrations start on Christmas Eve with af afternoon tea and evening entertainment from a 20-piece choir.
Tuck in to a traditional lunch with all the tr trimmings on Christmas Day. And on Boxing Day, yo you can get your dancing shoes on for the disco to work off the four-course black tie dinner with yo your new mates. YULEYU PAY: The three-night full-board break for