Sri Lanka thank ya
THE WELCOME
I was struck by the vast size of the reception. It had a buzz about it and I liked that. And plenty of staff members to check you in.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
On the South Bank of the Thames, close to Westminster Abbey, the London Dungeon, Sea Life aquarium and Imperial War
Museum. Enjoy views of the London Eye from the Executive Lounge. Walk to Waterloo and Westminster stations in five minutes. THE ROOM
With 1,019 rooms, this is a big hotel. I stayed in a Studio King with a fantastic view across Westminster Bridge. There are double rooms, studios, suites or penthouses to choose from. I loved the decor – it felt like a boutique hotel. It was nice to relax in the separate lounge area and both the bedroom and seating area had a flatscreen TV. I loved having a Nespresso machine. THE FOOD
Grab an Italian coffee in the illy Caffè. Lots to choose from if you opt for breakfast – hot and cold buffet. End an exciting day with a French entree at award-winning Brasserie Joel or go for a plate of fresh sushi at Ichi Sushi and Sashimi Bar. I enjoyed a starter of creamed garlic mushrooms, beef bourguignon for main and managed to squeeze in a chocolate fondant at Brasserie Joel. The atmosphere was great. Conrad, my waiter, was attentive and happy to help suggest some wine. If you would like drinks and light bites, try the Primo Bar, or 24-hour room service is available.
THE SERVICE
Excellent, from checking in at reception, to my evening meal.
LOVED
The room – I wished I could have spent more time in there. There’s also the Mandara Spa which has a 15-metre swimming pool.
HATED
A shame Big Ben is having renovation work and is covered up. Also, you sometimes have to wait a long time for the lifts to arrive. BOTTOM LINE
From £250pn based on a Studio King Big Ben View room and breakfast included.
CHECK IT OUT parkplaza.com/westminster. TRAVEL to Sri Lanka in the next six months and swerve the £30 visa fee. It has been waived to get tourists back after the Foreign Office lifted its advice to avoid trips in the wake of Easter terror attacks.
Abercrombie and Kent has up to 25 per cent off prices – save £790pp on a 13-night Classic Sri Lanka trip, now £3,120pp, with flights,
B&B and guides. See abercrombiekent.co.uk. SEPTEMBER is a great time of year to travel – not as hot as high summer and not nearly as crowded. A sense of peace is returning to the water’s edge and hosts have more time for guests.
Greek retreat Ios
A Greek island without an airport represents island living in its more pure and peaceful form, which is pretty much a description of Ios. It is midway between its more famous neighbours, Mykonos and Santorini, from where it is served by fast ferries at least a dozen times a day.
During six frenzied summer weeks this is where young adults come to party. But by the end of August they have all gone and the lanes of the main town, Chora, splashed like spilt paint down the hillside above the port, are sleepy again. This is a place to watch the sunsets, just as on Santorini, but here your cocktail will be a fraction of the price.
GO: Agalia Luxury Suites are beautifully positioned opposite the port. A suite that sleeps four costs from £141pn, including breakfast, see agaliahotel.com. Get there via Santorini – Easyjet has flights from around £200 return – and a £20 ferry crossing. See ferries.gr.
Posh tents Istria, Croatia
Croatia’s popular Istrian peninsula is an ideal mix of seclusion, sophistication and sea. And the main town and airport of Pula is served by Jet2, Easyjet, Ryanair and British Airways.
It is also home to the Arena Kazela campsite, right by the blue waters of the Adriatic. The site, which has a large pool has just launched its brand new luxury camping homes.
These units sit on the fence between mobile homes and villas, and come complete with air-conditioning, Egyptian cotton linen, coffee machines, flat screen televisions and free wifi.
If you prefer hotels consider the Minerva, also on the Istrian coast at nearby Medulin.
GO: A home that sleeps five costs from £70pn, see arenacampsites.com. Return flights from Leeds with Jet2 cost from £214 in September. See jet2.com and hotel-minerva.hr.
Style miles Sardinia, Italy
All the Mediterranean islands have their own identities and their own admirers, but Sardinia is particularly suited to September. This Italian island has a range of mountains at its core, ideal for late summer hiking, and a huge serrated coastline that boasts secret coves, sandy beaches and extreme natural beauty.
Being Italian, it also has great style and great food, particularly seafood. And it has the famous Costa Smeralda, a tiny strip of coastline lined with elite hotels, five-star beaches and boutique shopping.
GO: A seven-night break in the Club Esse Cala Gonone resort, a villa village on the east coast, with breakfast included, costs from £232pp including flights, see onthebeach.co.uk.
Single sailing Bodrum, Turkey
Wooden traditional Turkish gulets are beautiful sail-cruisers. Whole fleets of them work Turkey’s stunning Lycian coast out of ports such h as Marmaris, Bodrum and Fethiye. They offer everything from day trips to week-long explorations, fully catered and crewed, usually sleeping 15-20 people on board.
You don’t have to do any of the rope-hauling or o helming if you don’t want to, and there is nothing no quite like anchoring in a calm bay of your yo own, and plunging in for a swim.
These cruises are like gentle floating house pa parties, ideal for meeting other like-minded pe people, but not so ideal if you like to have lots of personal space.
GO: G Friendship Travel offers cruises out of B Bodrum aimed specifically at single travellers, us using eight-cabin gulets. A sole use cabin costs fr from £1,175 for seven nights, fully catered, but w without flights. See friendshiptravel.com.
Golden pond Lake Annecy, France
Come C September the crystal-clear water of Lake Annecy A will be at their very warmest. This mountain-surrounded m water has all the elegance el of the Italian lakes but with fewer