The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
EMERGENCY PICK-ME-UPS
Short-haul and UK mini-breaks to see you through winter
Five-star hotel in Rome January 25-28
Lift flagging spirits with a quick flit to Italy’s capital to soak up some culture, eat pizza and browse the shops along the fashionable Via del Corso. Take in the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Vatican and, if the weather turns chilly, pop into the Capitoline Museum to admire the paintings by Titian and Caravaggio. Jet2 City Breaks (0800 408 078; jet2holidays.com) offers savings on a three-night stay at five-star NH Collection Palazzo Cinquecento hotel, near the bars and restaurants of Rione Monti, from £627 b&b, including a £50 discount. Excludes transfers.
Ski break in France January 25-29
Perk yourself up by heading to the twinkly, traffic-free centre and cobbled streets of Megève for a ski break. Little more than an hour’s transfer from Geneva, and with speedy access to the slopes, this resort is a top choice for a time-poor stay – and offers views of Mont Blanc as well as good restaurants. Ski Solutions (020 3944 7792; skisolutions.com) offers savings on four nights at three-star Hotel Au Vieux Moulin, with cosy bedrooms and bar, from £865 B&B, including a £60 discount.
Spa hotel in Wales January 26-28
Book a cosy stay at 600-year-old stonebuilt Bodysgallen Hall, a manor house hotel near Llandudno with views of Snowdonia. Go for bracing rambles, take a dip in the indoor pool and enjoy a soothing treatment in the spa before afternoon tea in the drawing room. Bodysgallen Hall (01492 584466; bodysgallen.com) offers winter sale savings on a two-night stay from £221 B&B, including a 35 per cent discount, available until March 28, based on a standard cottage suite and including use of the spa.
Winter activities in Switzerland January 26-29
Zap up the adrenaline levels in Grindelwald, where off-piste activities include mountain-top zip lines or winter walking, running and toboggan trails. You can also take an excursion on the Wengernalpbahn cog railway to Kleine Scheidegg for great high-altitude views. Inghams (01483 945792; inghams.co.uk) offers “January 2024” savings on four nights at the four-star Hotel Belvedere in Grindelwald, with indoor pool and spa. From £1,231 half board, including a discount of £202 per person.
Seaside hotel in Suffolk February 1-4
Blow away the blues with a bracing seaside stay at the Anchor, a 10-bedroom inn in Walberswick, a 30-minute walk from Southwold and a short drive to the 12th-century castle at Framlingham. The restaurant serves dishes based on local produce including Blythburgh ham and Bungay cheeses, and there are three dog-friendly rooms. The Anchor at Walberswick (anchoratwalberswick.com) offers a three-night “third night free” promotion from £160 B&B (saving £85 per person) based on a sea-view room, available Wednesdays to Sundays until March 27.
Sunshine and souks in Morocco February 1-4
Seek out the sunshine by heading to Marrakech where February temperatures reach around 18C with up to 10 hours of daylight per day. A stroll around the exotic souks, with their spices, textiles and traditional crafts, and the vibrant Jemaa el-Fnaa square should help to banish the winter blues. Tui (0203 451 2688; tui.co.uk) offers savings on three nights at four-star Riu Tikida Palmeraie, 30 minutes from Marrakech, from £407 all-inclusive, including a discount of £52, based on a room with a balcony or terrace.
Rural retreat on the Isle of Wight February 2-5
Recharge your batteries by booking a self-catering stay at Osborne House on the island’s north-east coast. Sovereign’s Gate, originally commissioned by Queen Victoria, is converted into two apartments, each with a private garden and access to the beach. The rental also includes entry to Osborne House. English Heritage (0370 333 1181; english-heritage.org.uk) offers a 20 per cent discount on all cottage stays until February 8. A three-night stay at No2 Sovereign’s Gate, sleeping four people, costs £396 total rental when using the code WINTER20 at check out.
Gourmet getaway in the Cotswolds February 3-5
Forget the post-Christmas diet and book a fine-dining stay at Lucknam Park, near Colerne and Castle Combe in Wiltshire. This Palladian mansion’s restaurant is overseen by Michelin-starred chef Hywel Jones, who sources local ingredients for carefully presented dishes served in formal surroundings. Lucknam Park (01225 742777; lucknampark.co.uk) offers a two-night Winter Gourmet Getaway break until March 28, from £582.50 based on a classic room, including a seven-course tasting menu dinner and a three-course à la carte dinner.
Mini-cruise to Amsterdam
February 7-11 Take to the water on a mini-cruise from Southampton to Amsterdam aboard P&O’s ship, Ventura, which offers a spa, sports facilities and four swimming pools. Evening performances take place in a large onboard theatre, and the cruise docks overnight at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, to allow for a full day of sightseeing. P&O Cruises (0344 338 8003; pocruises. com) offers a four-night cruise to Amsterdam, departing from Southampton, from £499 full board, based on a standard cabin with balcony. Bookings made before March 4 qualify for a £30 per person on-board spending money allowance. Bracing walks in Yorkshire
February 9-12
Embrace the winter weather with a re-energising stay in the Yorkshire Dales for hearty hikes through remote valleys and along riverside trails. Landscape highlights include Malham Cove
and Gordale Scar, while the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth and Skipton, with its 900-year-old castle, are among local excursions.
HF Holidays (020 3974 8865; hfholidays.co.uk) is offering a £20 discount on a three-night Southern Yorkshire Dales Self-guided Walking Holiday from £345 full board.