British Isles
The market town of Banbury makes an ideal base for exploring the Cotswolds and,
until June 22, visitors can stop over at the 17th-century Mercure Whately
Hall hotel for just £35 a night B&B on Fridays to Sundays. Hidden
staircases, priest-holes and plenty of character add to the charm of the
three-star hotel. Book with Superbreak. 0871 2212662
Put on your hiking boots and join in the Guernsey spring walking
festival from Saturday until May 18. Explore the island by day then recover
at the four-star Old Government House Hotel & Spa in St Peter Port. It
has two-night breaks, including dinner and breakfast, from £150 a night for
two people in a queen room. 01481 724921
Seals, otters and deer are regular visitors to the shoreline below Sea Wrack
House, a cottage for eight on the Isle of Skye. The cottage, which
has a terrace with great views over Isle of Ornsay Bay, is available for a
week from May 17 for £775, a discount of £150, through Ecosse Unique.
01835 822277
A stay at Gossip cottage in Cornwall should prove a talking point. The
renovated cottage for five stands in a quiet hamlet five minutes' drive
along a country lane from the picturesque harbours of Newlyn and Mousehole.
A week beginning on May 17 costs £358, rising to £446 from May 31. Cornish
Traditional Cottages is also offering a quaint converted cider press in
Lostwithiel, which sleeps two, at £284 for the week begining May 31. It is
set in peaceful grounds and woodland and has a secluded outdoor hot tub. 01208
821666
Luxuriate in the mineral-rich, warm waters of Bath's Thermae Spa as
part of a cut-price offer from the Mercure Francis Hotel this month. Dinner,
bed and breakfast costs £210 a night, a saving of £44, and guests receive
free tickets for a two-hour session at the spa, five minutes' walk away. 01225
424105
Short haul
Save £228 a person on a week's stay in the Margarita Apartments on the lush
Greek island of Paxos, departing on Monday. The £341 deal is
available through Ionian Island Holidays and includes car hire and flights
from Gatwick or Manchester (£25 supplement). Seven nights, departing May 19,
cost £377. 020-8459 0777
French specialist VFB is offering savings of 25 per cent on half-term cottage
holidays in Brittany, the Dordogne, the Loire and on
the Atlantic coast, if completed by May 31. A stone barn conversion sleeping
four in a picturesque location in Brittany, for example, costs £329 for a
week. Channel crossings for one car are included. 01452 716840
A family of six will pay just £145 - less than half price - to stay seven
nights in a four-bedroom tent at Camping La Plage, St Hilaire-de-Riez, in
the Vendée, France, over half-term. The offer from
venueholidays.co.uk is valid for arrivals between May 22 and 30 and includes
return ferry crossings between Dover and Calais on a midweek saver fare. The
campsite has direct access to a safe, sandy beach and has its own pool. 01233
629950
Escape to the countryside and laze in the sun amid orange and avocado trees in
the grounds of the Villa Daniella near Pollensa, Majorca. The
four-bedroom, self-catering villa has a pool and spacious sun terrace and is
available from May 24 for seven nights at £399 a person, a saving of £190,
with Simply Travel. The price is based on eight sharing and includes car
hire and flights from Gatwick. 0871 2314041
Seven nights' B&B at the three-star Port Azzurro Aparthotel, Xemxija Bay, Malta,
costs from £255, departing Heathrow on June 4, or from £239 departing
Gatwick on June 9. The hotel overlooks picturesque St Paul's Bay and is less
than 3km from the sandy beaches of Golden and Mellieha bays. Book with
maltadirect.com. 0845 6040035
Enjoy the spectacle of old rally cars racing around the roads of Corsica
during the island's Historic Rally from May 21 to 25. Corsican Places has a
seven-night deal staying at the two-bedroom, Casa Columbus self-catering
apartment in the heart of Calvi Citadel for £299 a person, based on four
sharing. Depart on May 18 from Gatwick or Manchester. 0845 3302113
Long haul
Saving £325 will put you in the right frame of mind for an eight-night holiday
at the five-star Evason Hua Hin & Six Senses Spa in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Breaks with Premier Holidays cost £699 on room-only basis for departures
throughout this month and June, including BA flights from Heathrow. Add £13
for weekend travel. 08444 937542
A seven-night, two-centre break in Las Vegas and San Francisco during
May or June is on offer with Bon Voyage for £585, a saving of £119. The
package includes three-star room-only accommodation, flights from Gatwick or
Manchester and internal flights in America. To stay in four-star hotels the
cost rises to £699. Bookings must be made by Saturday. 0800 3160194
Couples can save up to £540 on a seven-night, all-inclusive break at Halcyon
Cove by Rex Resorts on Antigua for selected departures during June
through Tropical Sky. The offer from £649 includes flights from London
Gatwick with XL Airways. 0870 9079600
All prices are per person and based on two travelling together and sharing
a room, unless stated otherwise.
