Travel Notes...

What’s new and how to get the best from your hoilday

ALL ABOUT IRAN

IRAN is back on the travel map. Following a change in Foreign Office advice, tour operator Travel The Unknown has launched a brochure for the once no-go country. Its three group t ours i nclude t he Classical Iran package (14 days from £2,995 pp, next departing April 11), on which you’ll explore mosques and archeological treasures of ancient Persia. traveltheunknown.com

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

CARVE up some fun over half-term with free Halloween activities at Parkdean Holidays venues. There will be pumpkin carving, zombie runs and fancy dress parties across 24 nationwide retreats. Choose between lodges, caravans or, for hardy types, tents. Parkdean.com

SLOPE INSURANCE

ELEMENT Ski Travel’s new ‘ snowsure guarantee’ policy promises a refund on trips to Meribel if more than half the lifts on the Trois Vallees slopes are closed in early December. Bookings from December 5 to 12 and 12 to 19 (£390 pp for a week’s catered accommodation, flights and transfers) can be cancelled up to seven days before departure and if you don’t go, they’ll send you a grill so you can cook up a taste from the mountains at home.

elementskitravel.com

PARTY TIME

HOTEL chain citizenM is giving away 500 rooms for New Year’s Eve across the party cities of London, New York, Glasgow, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Register online by October 29 and be quick-fingered at 1pm the next day, when the giveaway begins. Citizenm.com

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

LUXURY Family Hotels’ festive packages provide a traditional Christmas with all the trimmings. From a Tudor castle to a seaside hotel, each comes with a Christmas Day feast and set of treats: spa treatments, cocktails in your room and a visit from Santa. Two nights from £715 per room. luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk