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Santorini…I bloody LOVE you

I am well aware that this sounds cheesy as f**k but Santorini really is the gift that keeps on giving!! 

I feel like no matter how many times you go to Santorini, it never gets boring and the views just seem to get better and better every time! I have been three times now and Rory has been twice and each and every time we fall more in love with the island, the people…and of course the food! 

This time we wanted to do some island hopping (not with a backpack as I don’t travel light even though I try!) and as we only had 11 nights to play with we decided to spend 4 nights on the island of Santorini so decided to stay in Kamari which is a beautiful beachfront resort with a black sandy beach and plenty of chic (who even says chic anymore?!) bars and restaurants.  

Kamari also has some bloody fabulous local tavernas, which are my choice hands down every time for a cheap eats and amazing food (averaging around 30/40 euros with drinks for the 2 of us… and Rory eats allot of food…and I drink allot of wine 😉 ) Perissa is also a good base but I personally prefer Kamari as there is more going on and a nicer vibe there, although it was much quieter than the last time we visited and was so sad to see some of the hotels and bars closed (F**K YOU COVID & BORIS) 

Me with my arse eating my playsuit on Kamari beach!

Kamari really is the perfect base to get out and about and explore the island…which you must, if you go to Santorini or anywhere in Greece and stay in your resort or hotel then you are a grade A arsehole…honesty is the best policy…and we are all friends here 😉  

We stayed this time at the Blue Sea Hotel which was great and in a good location which was only a few minutes’ walk from the beach and restaurants. I booked the hotel through Booking.Com and it was a proper bargain at around £50 per night for an upgraded room with breakfast…which looked great but Rory moans if there isn’t a hot selection so we ended up eating out every morning but as the breakfast was included in the rate and I hadn’t paid extra I didn’t kick off…too much!  

I have popped the link below for the hotel as it was perfect and I would definitely recommend it and would stay here again…which is always a good thing as I can be a slight hotel snob!

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/blue-sea-kamari.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA
https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/blue-sea-kamari.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

The island isn’t really that big and you can get from one side to the other within no more than 30/40 minutes (not including sunset rush hour…yes that’s a thing here) then it can take slightly longer.  There are lots of places that you can hire a car, moped or quad for a small cost so you can explore the island independently or you can prebook before you travel…but Rory wouldn’t let me do this (and rightly so) as I am a shit driver and an even worse passenger so we played it safe for the sake of our health and marriage and used a transfer company to get around the island. There are taxis on the island but they are very few and far between so I would recommend prebooking if you want to be somewhere for a certain time. We used Baikas Travel who we found online and they were great and picked us up in a swanky Mercedes car…move over Molly-Mae there’s a new girl in town 😉 

The buses are great here as well and also a cheap way to get around the island and go every half an hour from most resorts and connect in the capital Thira/Fira at a cost of around 1.80 euro per person…which is a bloody bargain and perfect if you are on a budget. 

Our daily breakfast spot in Kamari

In my personal opinion 4 nights in Santorini wouldn’t be enough if you haven’t been before, which we have and still there is more to see on the island that we didn’t have time to do so I would recommend a longer stay, especially if it is your first time as you don’t want to miss out on the beautiful places and stunning scenery that good old Santorini has to offer.  

There are some must see places and experiences in Santorini that I would definitely recommend, no matter how long you are there for… 

Sunset or Sunrise in Oia

I can hear you saying “no shit sherlock…this one goes without saying!” Oia is one of the most photographed places in the world and it isn’t hard to see why and looks even better in real life and photos do not do the place justice…and the photos are sexy as fook, which says it all! Oia really is a sunset chasers and photographers dream come true, but because of that it gets SO busy during sunset hours (even during a pandemic) so expect to be crammed into the streets and be ready to wrestle all of the instamodel brigade to get the best location for your holiday snaps and selfies! If it’s within your budget then I would definitely recommend a stay in Oia for the beautiful views and also so you can get up early to see the sunrise and take your photos then when the beautiful cobbled streets are quiet and not packed with tourists who have travelled from other parts of the island for the world-famous sunset views. We were lucky enough to stay 1 night in Oia in an amazing cave suite with its own private views with views over the Caledra…but that needs a whole blog to itself it was that bloody amazing…. this will be coming soon, with tips on how to do it without having to sell a kidney or remortgage your home to do so 😉  

The view from V Lounge in Fira/Thira

Fira/Thira 

I never know which is the right spelling and neither does Google…so I’m going to edge my bets and play it safe here! The capital of Santorini is just as bloody beautiful as the rest of the island and offers stunning Caledra and sunset views but doesn’t get AS crowded (it still gets busy!) as Oia so is a great alternative option if you don’t fancy being packed in like sardines to watch the sun go down! We went to a beautiful cocktail bar here called the V lounge which had the most amazing views and the best cocktails (averaging around 8/10 euros each which isn’t bad, especially considering the views) and it was the most perfect place for the sunset and of course the all-important photos to make your mates back at home green with envy! We prebooked this (messaged them on instagram) but you can just turn up, but I would definitely recommend prebooking to ensure you get a good seat with the best views!

Volcano and Hot Springs Boat Excursion

APPROACH WITH CAUTION – If you like climbing, nearly dying from heat exhaustion and sweating like a bitch then this is the trip for you 😉 On our first visit to Sasntorini we got roped into doing a boat trip from Fira which took us to the Volcano (which I climbed half way up, got hot and mardy so shuffled back down on my arse…I hate activities!!) After nearly dying on the hike up and down the Volano (yes, I am dramatic!) we then hopped back onto the boat and went to the hot springs on the island of Palia Kameni which are surrounded by warm dark waters which are well known for their therapeutic benefits (apparently!)  I did enjoy this part of the trip…I think I was just glad to be off the bastard Volcano and cool down) but as the water is full of magnesium from the Volcano be careful not to wear your best swimmers…like I did….as it turns them orange…which as you can imagine…I was not happy with and was in a huff for the rest of the day! If you are going to do this trip DO NOT DO THE OIA SUNSET ADD ON…I REPEAT…DO NOT DO THE OIA SUNSET ADD ON…When I say I nearly died…I promise you that I am not being dramatic!! The boat drops off at the bottom of the cliff in Oia which is mega steep and has over 200 steps which are easily each one at least a metre long and so steep to climb up to the beautiful village above. People were passing out with the heat and the climb (you literally are climbing up a cliff edge!) and if the climb doesn’t kill you, the herd of donkeys which nearly push you over the wall and back down the cliff will!! Oia like I said above is 100000% worth a visit, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way unless you are mega fit and healthy as by the time we got to the top I was a sweaty, red, very grumpy dirty mess which isn’t really the required look for an Oia sunset (especially for your holiday photos!) 

Visit Pyrgos and Megalochori 

Both villages are so beautiful with their stunning cobbled streets and hidden alleyways with blue doorways and windows…and of course lots of pretty churches (they are everywhere in Greece) so if you want an escape from the hordes of people in Oia and Fira and a great place for your instasnaps then Pyrgos and Megalochori are definitely worth a visit…plus you will eat and drink here in the local tavernas for a fraction of the price than what it costs in the busier and more popular resorts…try the Lamb Kleftiko…you can thank me later!! 

There are plenty more places to visit and see in Santorini such as Santo Winery, Akrotiri Archaeological Site, Akrotiri Lighthouse and so much more, but I am not ging to lie and say Ive been to these and give you travel advise because I haven’t…but f**k it…it’s another excuse to go back again!  

To wrap it up before I start boring you with all the little details of our time in Santorini my top tips are to 

  •  Get out and about and explore the beautiful island and all of its hidden gems 
  •  Eat local – Tavernas and family run restaurants for the best food at the best prices…oh and also you have to try Il Forno Italian in Kamari as it was the best meal I have EVER had (yes, I know this isn’t Greek but is owned by a Greek family so shut it!)  
  • Drink local – Santorini is well known for its wine and it is mega cheap…that’s my excuse anyway to consume copious amounts of it…some of it does look like piss but tastes like heaven! 
  • If you are trying to eat out on a budget then Gyros is sooooo cheap (around 2.80 euros each) and although it isn’t the healthiest thing and the kindest on your waistline (as my jeans have now proven!)…my god it is good! 
The best Gyros in Kamari!
  • And most importantly have the best bloody time and enjoy every second on this magical island! 

My blog on how to live a champagne lifestyle (well kind of 😉 ) on a lemonade budget in Oia will be coming soon, so please follow my blog if you want to hear all about it and me rambling on as per usual! 

Living my best life!!

Santorini you have my heart and in the words of the terminator…. I’LL BE BACK… but for now it’s time to jump on the ferry and head to the amazing Paros which I will tell you all about 😊 

YAMAS

The Best UK Luxury Spa Breaks

There is nothing quite like a spa break to help you relax, unwind and forget about all of the worries and stresses that come with everyday life….which at the moment, let’s be honest, it is pretty bloody stressful!

With traveling abroad becoming much more stress than enjoyment by the time you’ve done a million tests, filled in a thousand forms and checked you have the correct entry requirements and medical forms (damn you covid!) it is no wonder that most of us are looking for something a little closer to home when we are in need of a much needed break.

The UK is home to some of the most luxurious and exclusive spas in the world….move over Dubai 😜 and with so many wonderful options dotted around the country you will never have to travel too far from home to have the ultimate relaxing spa escape.

That being said with so many options available it is hard to narrow down which is the best option for your own luxury spa break….but do not worry, as always, we have you covered and have narrowed it down to our favourite 5 options for utter peace, serenity, pampering and of course luxury!!

So let’s take a look…

The Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel – Bath, Somerset

We are starting off strong with the stunning Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel which funnily enough is in the historic city of Bath.

The five star hotel is centrally located within the beautiful city and is warm, welcoming, elegant, vibrant and social – a modern interpretation of a classic design. Each one of the hotels stunning guestrooms and suites are all custom furnished, subtly referencing period details combined with contemporary forms while including all the functional elements that discerning travellers have come to expect…in other words, they are bloody beautiful!

Now let’s talk about the main reason we are all here…the spa! The Bath House experience is pure luxury and we LOVE IT! Guests can begin their visit with a spa circuit that includes dipping in two natural thermal pools of varying temperatures, traditional and infrared saunas, a steam room, an ice alcove and elegant relaxation areas. After taking a dip in the natural thermal pools and cooling down in the ice alcove then it is time for a rub and a scrub down in one of the 11 treatment rooms which include a couple’s room, a VIP Suite with private natural thermal waters and two tatami rooms designed especially for the award-winning Asian therapies.

After working up an appetite from all of that swimming and pampering in the spa, guests can head to the Gainsborough Brasserie restaurant which offers a contemporary British cuisine inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients in a stylish and relaxed environment.

Fancy a nightcap, we got you, the Gainsborough Bar serve delicious innovative cocktails tailored to your personal taste, along with traditional classics or simply choose from a stellar collection of Champagnes, artisan gins, Martinis, fine wines and local ales.

Sounds good right?!

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House – Windermere, The Lake District

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well the photos from the Gilpin Hotel just generally leave me speechless (which is in fact a miracle in itself)…one word, HEAVEN!

Located in Windermere in the beautiful Lake District is the jaw dropping Gilpin Hotel & Lake House which offers 28 stunning rooms which all have lake views with most leading directly onto the beautiful gardens. 6 Garden Suites have their own cedarwood hot tubs, 5 Spa Lodges have their own ensuite spa which includes rainmaker showers and steam rooms inside, hydrotherapy hot tubs and saunas outside.

The hotel also has 3 even bigger Spa Suites which each have there own lounge and dining area, cocktail bar and wine fridge (YES PLEASE!), huge circular stone bath, cedar wood double walk-in shower,  spa room with steam room, sauna, infrared lounge bed, and a state-of-the-art automated massage chair and of course, a bedroom ‘floating’ over the pond with views to the mountains.

If you can bare to drag yourself away from the unreal rooms then you can head to one of the hotels two restaurants for some tasty grub. The Michelin starred HRiSHi which combines great Lake District produce and classic methods to deliver unbelievable textures and flavours – modern British cuisine with a twist which will certainly hit to spot for those foodies amongst us!

If I close my eyes I can picture myself in one of the hotels luxury spa suites, champagne in hand (of course) bubbling away in my private hot tub where I am pretty sure all of life’s stresses and worries would simply float away…BOOK ME IN!

Dormy House Hotel & Spa – Broadway, The Cotswolds

If you are looking for luxury then you will certainly find it in one of the celebrities favourite staycation spots, the beautiful Cotswolds. Situated in the pretty village of Broadway the Dormy House Hotel & Spa certainly does not disappoint.

The Dormy House is the perfect rural retreat, like home…but fancier and much more luxurious! Think cosy corners, log fires, sparkling spa, glorious grub and sumptuous interiors. Whatever your style may be the hotel has bedrooms to suit every mood, whether you want to go traditional in the main farmhouse, private and secluded, super stylish, hot tub happy, or rustic in Rose Cottage, there’s a room waiting for you (and me, hopefully!).

The house spa is nothing short of spectacular and has been has winning awards since the day it opened and it really isn’t hard to see why! Offering guests an indoor/outdoor blend of soothing therapies, serene pool, terrace hot tub, and Scandi-style thermal suite. The spa also offers a huge range of treatments from relaxing back massages to brilliant booster facials, it’s time to sit back, relax and make some time for much-needed pampering.

Whether you want a romantic picnic hamper to take with you on a walk around the pretty chocolate box villages of the Cotswolds or fancy relaxing with your friends over a delicious meal or afternoon tea the selection of foodie options is guaranteed to satisfy your appetite. The hotels Back Garden restaurant is a celebration of the finest ingredients from the land right on the hotels doorstep (literally!) – high-welfare rare-breed meats and veggies grown in the hotels own “back garden”, you can’t get much fresher than that!

If it is a luxury countryside retreat with an award winning spa, beautiful surroundings, magnificent rooms and bloody wonderful fresh and tasty food (YES PLEASE TO ALL OF THE ABOVE!) then the Dormy House Hotel & Spa has a room with your name on it.

The Scarlet Hotel & Spa – Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

With spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean, a world class spa and the fact that this stunning hotel is adult only it was always a sure thing that the Scarlet was going to make it onto our top 5 luxury UK spas list, and it really isn’t hard to see why!

The Scarlet is a clifftop, eco retreat which is just for grown ups in the most beautiful of settings. The Scarlets 38 beautiful rooms each have views of the beach and stunning ocean and are designed to be warmed by the sun and cooled by the sea breeze. Each room’s deep, coastal colours are drawn from the nearby wildflowers, rock pools and sea mosses. Slide open the door and listen to the soothing sound of the sea. All of the hotels stunning rooms include outside space to be amongst the waves, winds and gulls…HEAVEN!

Alongside the hotels unbeatable location is it’s pièce de résistance, it’s amazing eco spa! The Scarlet Spa features a bromine-filtered indoor pool, outdoor natural reed pool, clifftop wooden sauna, restorative steam room and wide views of the blue Atlantic. Treatments take place in tented, lantern-lit rooms and include stillness afterwards in the deep relaxation room’s suspended cocoon pods. Sauna, steam room, pool use and wellbeing classes included for all guests at Scarlet which is another great reason to get yourself booked in ASAP.

The Scarlets clifftop restaurant with its unrivalled sea views offers seasonal fresh local produce, freshly caught seafood and an extensive and impressive wine list. Picture yourself on the restaurants outdoor terrace, listening to the waves and taking in the sea air with a cocktail in hand and a traditional Cornish afternoon tea…the only thing you will need to worry about is whether to put the cream or jam on first to your freshly baked scone!

Clifftop hot tubs, an award winning dining option, modern and luxurious accommodation and a world class eco spa all with views of the beautiful beach and Atlantic Ocean is a sure fire reason to get this hotel added on to your luxury UK spa breaks shortlist.

Pennyhill Park & Spa – Bagshot, Surrey

If its an extensive spa in beautiful surroundings then the Pennyhill Park is the perfect option for you. Nestled in 120 acres of stunning Surrey parkland the hotel (which is more like a resort) offers a huge array of experiences for fun, leisure & special occasions to wow each and everyone of it’s guests.

You really are spoilt for choice when you book a stay at Pennyhill Park with it’s 124 rooms, all of which are individually designed and furnished, no two are the same so you can return for a whole new experience, or perhaps find your favourite to keep coming back to. The hotel also has a selection of rooms and suites that offer a little bit extra sass with double baths, horizontal showers and even an eight man jacuzzi!

The spa at Pennyhill park is out of this world and is 45,000 sq. ft. of award-winning facilities, a state-of-the-art fitness suite, 23 relaxing treatment rooms, nail bar and Pool View Bar. The luxury spa turns from a Mediterranean-feel escape in the summer, to an indulgent thermal heaven in the winter making it the perfect all year round option for your UK spa escape. Experience a range of pools and jacuzzis both indoors and outdoors, an extensive range of thermal cabins of differing temperatures, humidities and aromas, along with experience showers, relaxations rooms and a huge menu of incredible spa treatments…sounds bloody lovely, right?!

After working up an appetite with all of the serious pampering and preening there are plenty of dining options available at Pennyhill Park which include, 2 award-winning restaurants with the Michelin starred Latymer which is an fine dining restaurant, offering bold flavours in dishes using locally sourced ingredients inspired by the seasons. A restaurant in The Spa, bar, lounges and terraces, and private dining rooms open to residents and non-residents alike, there is a dining experience and atmosphere for every occasion, every mood and every appetite…it is safe to say you will not go hungry during your stay here!

With a magnificent and gigantic spa, award winning dining options, beautiful rooms, stunning scenery and surroundings it really isn’t hard to see why the Pennyhill Park is making it into our list of the top 5 luxury spa breaks in the UK!

We hope you have enjoyed taking a look at some of the best spa breaks available here in the UK and would love to here which spa tickles your fancy for your own next luxury break.

If you have enjoyed reading this then please take a look at our YouTube video to take a further look and see the spas come to life and of course…don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe!

Thank you 😊

The Lost Excitement Of Travel

Remember the days when you were a few days away from jumping on a plane and flying off to somewhere that isn’t a very cold and rainy UK….me too. That feeling is now replaced with one of anxiety, dread and shaking like a shitting dog in the fear that your Covid test comes back as positive and ruins your plans for a nice week in the sun!

Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com

We are now 2 days away from a week in the (hopefully) sunny Canary Islands and yesterday was D Day, or as I have renamed it S Day, which means sticking a shitty swab up your nose, not literally a shitty swab but you get the point, and then having to wait 48 hours (literally less than 12 hours before we fly) to see if we get the go ahead to travel.

The usual feeling of the pre holiday buzz has been replaced with me refusing to pack my suitcase just in case we can’t go, checking my emails every few minutes to see if the results have come back yet, the pre holiday de-fuzz has been pushed back to the last hour…I am not shaving if we can’t go 😂 and a 3am anxiety wake up call this morning panicking over every possible scenario that can go wrong!

What if the test gets lost in the mail? What if the tests are inconclusive and we don’t have time to take another? What if it comes back positive? What if, what if, what if!!!!

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

I am not even sure why I feel this way and why waiting for the results are turning me into a nervous bloody wreck?! I haven’t been around anyone with Covid, I have no symptoms and I wear my mask and wash my hands like a good girl (more so in the last week than ever!) yet I still have a twitchy bum and a heavy feeling as you hear so many people that have the virus without showing any symptoms at all.

I am fully aware that everything is now out of my control…AND I DO NOT LIKE IT AT ALL. I am apparently turning into a control freak…which trust me, is never EVER something that I thought I would say.

I also know I am not alone in feeling like this and have friends who are due to travel soon and are also bricking it in case anything happens to disrupt their travel plans. It also doesn’t help matters that the test is £120 each which makes a cheap last minute deal, not that cheap at all and if the worse happens and the test comes back positive…it will be the shittest money I have ever spent 🤣

Photo by Lukas Hartmann on Pexels.com

So for now all I can do is wait, wear some holes in the carpet, pacing whilst constantly refreshing my emails every few minutes and keep my fingers, eyes, legs and arms crossed that everything comes back OK and that we can enjoy our well needed escape before what looks like a very bleak January ahead.

Is it the end of the world if we aren’t able to go…no, we have insurance that means we get can get the holiday cost back (minus the tests) if our tests come back positive. Are there people in the world who are in a much much much worse position than we are with much bigger things to worry about right now…definitely and I am fully aware of this.

I guess what I am trying to say is I miss the buzz and excitement that I used to get before a trip before this bastard virus came and ruined the whole world and everything that we knew pre November last year.

I am sure that excitement will return promptly as soon as we get the test results back either today or tomorrow (unless it is the answer we do not want, then it will be a huge tantrum and most likely…well 100% a mini meltdown with tears!) and then I will be moaning about having to pack the case (which I HATE doing) and doing a last minute de-fuzz so I do not resemble a yeti whilst I am away 😂

I long for the days when this wasn’t even a feeling that I would have to consider before a holiday and the anxiety that seems to build with every minute longer our results take…I only sent it off literally 24 hours ago 🤦‍♀️ but it feels like I have been waiting a year!!

So anyone that is reading this, please send positive thoughts and keep everything that you can cross, crossed for us in the hope that we can get on the plane on Saturday and save my poor husband from 2 weeks of me moping about the house, climbing the walls and finding him endless DIY tasks to do.

The holiday buzz will return without the need to test, swab and isolate….and I for one CAN NOT wait for that feeling to return…whenever that may be xx

Photo by C. Cagnin on Pexels.com

Why travel needs you, and why you need to travel…

For the last 6/8 months I, like the rest have us have had to stay at home to “stay safe, protect the NHS and save lives” which at the start I was more than happy to do. There was a new deadly virus that we didn’t understand, no one had ever seen before and we didn’t know the long-term effects that it would have on people’s health, the world and the economy and it is now 8 months later and we still don’t know much more, but I won’t get into this today…I will save this for another rant down the line!

Photo by C. Cagnin on Pexels.com

I agree that the virus, is a virus and that unfortunately it does have really severe complications for some people and my heart really goes out to all of the people that have become ill, suffered long term effects of the virus and may have lost loved ones during the course of the pandemic…whether it be from Covid or lack of treatment due to reduced options available due to Covid (which in my personal opinion is the REAL PANDEMIC).

During the course of the last 6/8 months, let’s be fair and honest, the entire world has been an absolute shit show. Now that furlough is coming to an end in the UK there will no doubt be many thousands more out of work, made redundant and some even homeless which is heart-breaking. For those of you that aren’t from the UK, furlough, which is a word I had never heard of until this year and is now part of my daily lingo, is a government backed scheme to pay 80% of peoples wages whilst they are unable to work due to this stupid bloody virus…again this is also a mess as so many people who are self employed etc haven’t been able to benefit from this and as a result have lost their jobs, financial freedom and more importantly their livelihoods, which is truly devastating.

This virus really has put so many lives at risk, and not just health and mental health wise for so many reasons. People are now rebelling against governments all over the world, and I really cant say I blame them, I myself want to rebel and want this whole big, fat, horrible mess to be over and get back to “normal life” and if I hear the phrase “The new normal” again, I swear it will tip me over the edge!

Everyone has their own view on the virus and the pandemic. Is it man made? Are they making the numbers up? Is it all a control issue from the elite, big pharma and worldwide governments who are trying to control us? Is it all a conspiracy theory?? WHO KNOWS, but I am swinging towards the idea that the “conspiracy theorists” are talking more sense than they are on the news and media in general!

Empty Bars and Restaurants which last year were bustling

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I would never personally judge someone on theirs, but whatever the truth is, all I know is that the effect this virus has had on the world and its people is utterly devastating in so many ways.

As I am a travel blogger (well attempting to be) I know that this rant may be a little bit of a curve ball….but I promise I am going somewhere with it!

Kamari Beach – a normally busy beach was empty

In September we travelled to Greece for a much needed break from the UK and everything that is going on in the world around us. We started our trip in Santorini and from there travelled to Paros and then to Mykonos, before flying home after 11 nights of pure bliss, gyros and copious amounts of Greek wine.

Now, we have been to Santorini three times now in the last 3 years, it’s safe to say we absolutely love it there! Everything about the island is just perfection, from the views, the people, the food and of course the weather, if you haven’t been you really are missing out!

But this year, it was different. A few days before we were due to fly out, the British Government removed some of the Greek Islands from the travel corridor list, which meant that upon returning home, by law, you must self isolate for 14 days. No leaving the house AT ALL, not even to walk the dogs (which they were NOT happy about!) the only thing you can leave the house for is for medical emergencies. Now luckily my husband is self employed and I was still on furlough at the time so it didn’t really bother us too much about having to quarantine when we arrived back into the UK (but by day 14, I was saying different 😂) so we decided that we still wanted to go ahead with the much needed break and off we went!

The cobbled streets of Oia were so quiet

The flight was probably 1/2 full, which I kind of expected as many people didn’t have the flexibility that we did and have the option to self isolate for 14 days but nothing could prepare me for how quiet the island was. We based ourselves in Kamari for 3 nights which is a bustling, village with a black sandy beach and a great promenade filled with bars, restaurants, shops and cafes and then 1 night in Oia (WOW). Last year the beach was packed, the restaurants were heaving and the bars were buzzing, this year it was like a ghost town. Places that we had eaten the year before were closed, along with many hotels which I guess had given up hope for this year or had sadly closed due to the effects that Coronovirus has had on tourism, which the island relies heavily upon, along with so many other places in Greece, and in fact the world.

We got chatting to some of the locals who didn’t know how they were going to survive the winter as what used to be a season that ran from May to October was now June to August and they were barely covering their running costs with how quiet it was. This really broke my heart, not just for the people that we met, but for everyone in the world and their families that rely on travel and tourism to live and to keep their head above water.

I know this is even having huge effects in the UK, with seaside and popular tourist towns struggling after a poor summer season with “lockdowns” and now with a second surge in cases, who knows what their winter season will look like or if their businesses will make it through this absolute shit show until we make it through the other side.

An usually quiet Blackpool Tower during the main school holidays

I work in travel and so many of my close friends have lost their jobs, literally 3/4 have been made redundant from jobs that they loved and thought that they would be doing for the rest of their lives, which again is heart-breaking to see and to experience and enough is enough now.

Why are countries being taken off the travel corridor list?? Santorini had less cases than the UK had at the time (per 1000 people) and I felt much safer there than I do in UK?? The chances of catching Covid on a flight is  1 in 7,700….your more likely to catch it down the middle isle of Aldi or whilst enjoying your eat out to help out breakfast in Wetherspoons, every Monday to Wednesday for the last few months…but we all did that!

I completely understand that there is a risk involved, but that risk is extremely small in comparison to so many other things that we do in our day to day life. I also get that people are afraid to travel at the moment, my own parents are petrified and I understand that (they are old 🤣 and I am only writing this because I know how pissed off my mom will be when she reads it!!)

What I guess I am trying to say is…get on a bloody plane, train or hop in the car and get out there! Where you can, when you can and as often as you can! I really believe that travel brings so much joy to our lives, our physical health and most importantly, our mental health. I know that after spending 3 months basically locked inside 4 walls, that 11 nights in Greece did wonders for Rory and me and how we were feeling on a daily basis, a much needed respite before coming back to have to face normality again (although, nothing about this year has been normal!).

A very empty promenade, the Golden Mile in Blackpool

People rely on to travel and tourism to live, and I live to travel. So, get out there and don’t be scared. Take the precautions, wear a mask when needed (no-one likes wearing them but it has to be done at the moment!) wash your hands (which I hope you are doing anyway 🤦‍♂️) and go and explore!

If anyone is worried or scared, which again I completely understand and it is hard not to be when all we see on the news is doom and gloom, has any questions about what is was like travelling during the pandemic or anything at all then please message me and I will be open and honest about every experience, which again was so much better and more organised than anything I have seen in the UK over the last few months.

If there is anything that I have learnt over the last two years is that life really is too short, so in the words of Peter Kay “book it, pack it and f**k off” and ENJOY!

Wake up and smell the flowers…life is too short ❤

The Prettiest Hotels in The Cotswolds, England.

When you imagine England the first thing that comes to mind (no not the huge amount of kebab shops and overweight people…including me) is the beautiful quintessential villages, made up of cobbled streets and chocolate box cottages. For me, this is everything that the beautiful area of the Cotswolds is about…just like in the film The Holiday (which is also one of my firm favourites!).

I have been to the Cotswolds lots of times, mainly when I was younger on caravan holidays with my Mom and Dad, and I’m pretty sure I moaned consistently because I wanted to go back to the holiday park and play on the park with my new friends that I had made that week, and the only way my parents could keep me going was by bribing me with ice cream…somethings never change!

Now I am adult (well attempting to be) I have a new found love for the UK and all of it’s beautiful places and I actually have Coronavirus to thank for that (the only thing Coronavirus can be thanked for!). Before this year I would never dream of a UK break and would always opt for somewhere that can pretty much guarantee sunshine, palm trees and copious amounts of cocktails.

I am very lucky that I have still managed to get abroad this year to do some island hopping in the stunning Cyclades Islands in Greece but the dreaded 14 day quarantine that we had to endure when landing back in the UK has put me off travelling abroad for the time being…I will be back!

So instead we have done some great UK breaks this year in the Cotswolds and soon to be York (next week, YIPEE) so whilst I have been stalking the internet and looking for cute places to stay in the Cotswolds, I have come across some of the prettiest hotels in the most beautiful villages that I have ever seen, so I thought I would share them with you so you can narrow down your searches and save time when you next want to visit the Cotswolds…you are welcome 😉

There are so so many beautiful places to stay in the Cotswolds, so narrowing it down to 5 (so I don’t bore the hell out of you) was pretty hard, these are of course based on my own personal preference and by looking at the hotels reviews to make sure I don’t recommend any shit holes to you 😂

The Manor House Hotel – Moreton In Marsh

The beautiful Manor House Hotel is where we stayed for our Cotswolds break earlier this year, located in the market town of Moreton In Marsh which is a perfect base to get out and explore lots of the nearby, pretty Cotswold villages.

The 16th Century building has plenty of charm and has beautiful manicured gardens at the back of the property which is the perfect spot for an afternoon tea (or a glass of wine) weather permitting…this is England, after all!

The hotel also has a beautiful restaurant, The Mulberry which offers a wide range of freshly cooked dishes using locally sourced ingredients. If you do not want to eat in the hotel then Moreton In Marsh also has a wide range of cafes, pubs, delis and restaurants for you to chose from.

The rooms are the Manor House are all individually designed and offer a modern twist with period features…which I loved, I felt like the lady of the Manor! The only issue we had at this hotel was the low doorways, which do not mix very well with my 6ft 4 husband…bumped heads galore!

I cannot recommend this stunning hotel enough and we had a fantastic stay here!

To check out prices and availability for the Manor House Hotel, click here.

The Swan Hotel – Bibury

Hotels do not come much prettier than the stunning Swan hotel which is centrally located in the picturesque Village of Bibury, which is also said to be one of the prettiest villages in all of the UK. The village is also very well-situated for exploring the wider Cotswolds with Cirencester, Burford and other charming towns nearby.

The boutique style hotel has 22 cosy and beautifully designed rooms and also has 4 cottages which can be rented out for those looking for extra space and self catering facilities, which is ideal for those looking for a longer stay in the Cotswolds.

The hotel is well know with locals for its fantastic home cooked food and guests can choose from a casual lunch in the bar or hotels courtyard, a traditional afternoon tea in the library or a relaxed tipple in the sunshine of the hotels private riverside gardens. For those looking for a more formal and sophisticated dining experience, The Swan Brasserie offers a seasonal menu including fresh fish from the next door Trout farm…it doesn’t come much fresher than that!

This hotel is on the top of my list for our next Cotswolds visit thanks to its stunning, riverside location and of course…plenty of dining options to keep me and the hubby happy!

If you like the look of the Swan hotel and fancy a stay there yourself, then click here to check prices and availability for your stay.

The Lygon Arms – Broadway

I LOVE this hotel and had originally booked here for our wedding anniversary but sadly the hotel flooded so they had to cancel our reservation…anyway I digress…The amazing Lygon Arms is an iconic Cotswold hotel in the pretty village of Broadway, which again is a great location from which to explore the villages and rolling hills on offer nearby.

The hotel has a long and vast history, the coaching inn originally dates back to the 1300’s and is where Oliver Cromwell rested his weary head the night before the Battle of Worcester in 1651, the hotel still has some of its original period features which will make the history buffs out there very happy!

Each of the beautifully designed and decorated rooms offer quirky features but in keeping with the hotels period features and history. With a choice of rooms, suites and also cottages available at the hotel, there is something for everyone…and its also pooch friendly so your beloved four legged friends can also experience the Lygon Arms!

The hotel also offers a beautiful spa which features an indoor pool covered by a retractable roof where guests can relax, unwind and enjoy a range of treatments. Foodies out there will love the Lygon Bar & Grill which serves seasonal British dishes and also has a vast wine list…yes please!

The Lygon Arms is the perfect hotel for those looking for some luxury, celebrating a special occasion or just wanting a nice relaxing stay in the heart of the Cotswolds. To check prices and availability for the Lygon Arms, please click here.

The Slaughters Country Inn – Lower Slaughter

The name may be slightly off-putting but the Slaughters Country Inn which is centrally located in the picturesque village of Lower Slaughter is a 5* world class hotel and inn which offers its lucky guests a beautiful base from which to explore the local area and the attractions that it has to offer.

With 4 acres of land to explore and a beautiful cosy bar and lounge with beamed ceilings and log fires to relax in after a tiring day of venturing out and about. The food at the hotel is exceptional (I have eaten here so can confirm this!) and offers a modern seasonal British menu which will keep even the fussiest of eaters out there, more than happy with a full tummy! When the sun is shining guests can also dine and have a drink on the terrace which overlooks the beautiful River Eye…I can think of a worse view to enjoy a nice cold pint on a summers day!

The hotel has 31 beautiful, individually designed bedrooms which are all the perfect place to kick off your shoes and relax after a long day exploring the Cotswolds.

If you are looking for a beautiful stay, in stunning surroundings then the Slaughters Country Inn could be the perfect option for your Cotswolds break.

To check out prices and availability for the Slaughters Country Inn then please click here.

Whatley Manor – Malmesbury

If you are looking for some luxury for your Cotswolds break then Whatley Manor in beautiful Malmesbury is a great option for you. The stunning 5* hotel and spa is nestled within 12 acres of picturesque Wiltshire countryside, this hotel is a stylish venue where you can relax and revive.

The hotel is home to a stunning spa which has been voted in the top 10 spas in all of the UK. Make good use of the indoor/ outdoor hydrotherapy pool, stretching out on the heated stone recliners, indulging in the therapeutic benefits of the salt scrub showers and thermal suite. One of the most relaxing spa experiences you will find in the heart of the Cotswolds.

The foodies amongst us will definitely not be disappointed with the dining options at the beautiful hotel. The Dining Room is a two Michelin starred restaurant which offers a twelve course tasting menu…twelve whole courses! You will certainly be needing to take a walk around the hotels, beautifully manicured gardens or take a swim to burn all of the amazing food off!

The hotel offers 23 beautifully designed rooms and suites which are all individually designed and offer utter luxury and comfort…as you would expect from a 5* hotel!

For those amongst us looking for a luxury base from which to explore the Cotswolds with time for some relaxation and pampering as well the Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa is a great option for you!

If Whatley Manor is ticking all of your boxes then click here to check prices and availability for your next Cotswolds stay!

Fingers crossed that we have helped you narrow down your next Cotswold stay options and can save you time scrolling through hundreds of hotels and reviews to find the right stay for you.

I would love to hear if you have stayed at any of the hotels and also which one is your favourite out of all of the hotels featured!

We also have a YouTube video which shows the hotels featured and is great if you wanted to stalk the beautiful hotels in more detail. We would love it if you could please like and subscribe ✌

Thank You!

How to have the perfect city break in Liverpool, England.

When you are planning on visiting a city for the first time it can cause a huge headache trying to plan everything as you want to ensure that you are getting the most out of your time there, and of course, your money. From finding the right hotels in the best areas, without having to re-mortgage your home in the process, finding the best spots to eat and drink and most importantly, making sure you find the best attractions to visit to ensure you get the best experience and make the most out of your short time there.

The beautiful Royal Albert Dock

Renowned around the world for its music and culture scene, Liverpool is the perfect destination for a weekend break in the UK. Liverpool really does have it all, whether you are looking for a short break with the family, a romantic break with your better half or a fun girls or boys weekend!

I love Liverpool and have done quite a few breaks in the vibrant city, so to help you organise your Liverpool City Break and take some of the stress of planning away, I have compiled a list of my favourite hotels (to suit all budgets) and my top list of attractions (including some cheeky freebies) so you can spend less time planning your trip and more time getting excited about the amazing time you will have whilst your there!

Liverpool really does have a great variety of places to stay, from Airbnbs, hostels to hotels and apartments. With so many options available it can be confusing and mindboggling as to which one is right for you, I have chosen my favourite five places to rest your weary head after a long day (and night) exploring the vibrant city.

The Titanic Hotel

The Titanic is the perfect hotel option for those of you looking for some luxury and pampering on your Liverpool city break, yet still only a few minutes drive from some of Liverpool’s main attractions. The luxury hotel has elegant and beautifully designed guest rooms and suites and is also home to the dockside Stanleys Bar and Grill and Rum Bar.

Guests looking for that extra bit of pampering after a long day exploring the cities sites can check out the hotels stunning subterranean sanctuary, The Maya Blue Wellness Spa. Maya Blue Wellness offers a unique thermal suite as well as ten treatment rooms which offer the ultimate in relaxation.

A night in a Classic Room at the beautiful Titanic Hotel costs on average around £85 per night, which is amazing value for money for such a luxurious property. If you are looking for something extra special then a night in the hotels amazing Presidential Suite will set you back, on average around £370 a night.

To price up the Titanic Hotel for your own Liverpool City break please click here

Hard Days Night Hotel

The amazing, Hard Days Night Hotel…you guessed it…is a tribute to the fab four from Liverpool, the world famous, Beatles. Located in the bustling Cavern Quarter and just a few minutes walk to Albert Dock and the busy city centre. The 4* hotel is housed in a magnificent, Grade II listed building and is of course, Beatles themed with exclusive artwork and original Beatles memorabilia throughout.

The Lounge Bar and Bar Four (which are also Beatles themed…shock!) serve fabulous cocktails with live music on a weekend. Guests can also dine at the hotels beautiful Blakes Restaurant which services seasonal British cuisine.

All of the 101 rooms and suites at the Hard Days Night Hotel are beautifully and individually decorated with luxury, modern amenities and exclusive Beatles artwork.

A night in a Luxury Double Room at the fabulous Hard Days Night Hotel will cost on average around £95 per night, which is an absolute steal, especially for any Beatles fans amongst us. If your feeling flush then book a night in the hotels top suite, The Lennon Suite, which features a baby grand white piano , two large prints of John himself as well as numerous artefacts and will set you back around £225 per night (which I think is pretty damn good for a room as special as this one is!)

To check the hotels availability and prices, then please click here

The Shankly Hotel

The fabulous Shankly Hotel is the go to hotel for those who want to have fun in Liverpool and enjoy its vibrant nightlife. With rooms that sleep up to 24 people, the hotel is perfect for those visiting the city in larger groups and is ideal for those looking for a fun girls or boys weekend away. The stunning hotel is ideally located in the very heart of the city centre which is perfect, as there isn’t a long way to stumble back to your hotel after a heavy night on the town!

The individually designed guest rooms are definitely the talking point of the Shankly Hotel but guests also have access to the fabulous, Bastion Bar and Restaurant which is the perfect place to grab some tasty food and some amazing cocktails to suit all tastes before heading out into the city centre to paint the town red (see what I did there?!).

The super stylish hotel is also home to the jaw dropping, Laurent Perrier Pool Room, which sleeps up to 24 guests across two floors with a 25 foot pool which is perfect for hosting your very own pool party, which isn’t something you come across very often in a UK city break!

On average, a night in a Superior Double Room at the Shankly Hotel will cost you around £130. If you wanted to book the amazing, Laurent Perrier Pool Room then this on average would cost around £1440 an night…which spread over 24 of you is only around £60 a night which is an absolute bargain for such a amazing suite in a fabulous hotel, smack bang in the city centre!

To check prices and availability for the Shankly Hotel click here

Aloft Liverpool By Marriott 

The Aloft Liverpool by Marriott is a hip hotel housed in an iconic Grade II-listed property right in the heart of Liverpool’s vibrant centre. It is the perfect base so that you can enjoy your Liverpool City break without breaking the bank or having to scrimp on style in the process.

The Aloft gets fabulous reviews on trip advisor and is a great option for those seeking a centrally located, stylish hotel from which to explore all that the vibrant city has to offer.

If after a long day, you want to relax and enjoy a great meal without having to venture back out in to the city then the NYL Bar and Restaurant is the perfect place for you to enjoy a New York inspired meal or cocktail before heading back to your fabulous room to rest your weary head.

The Aloft Liverpool by Marriott is a great, budget friendly option with rooms at the hip hotel costing on average around £70 per night. Making the hotel perfect for those that do not want to break the bank on your accommodation but still have a wonderful room with great facilities to come back to after a long day exploring the city.

To check out prices and availability for your next Liverpool city break at the Aloft click here

Staybridge Suites Liverpool

The wonderful Staybridge Suites Liverpool is a great, highly recommended, aparthotel right in the heart of the bustling city centre, making it a great base to explore all that the fabulous city has to offer. Ideally located, next to the famous Albert Dock, the Staybridge Suites offers fully furnished, modern suites with fully equipped kitchens, making for the perfect home from home weekend away.

The wonderful aparthotel also has a Grab and Go Pantry which is ideal for grabbing a quick bite to eat for breakfast before heading out to enjoy the city and also offers complimentary drinks and nibbles on a evening between 6:30-7:30pm in its relaxed lounge area. If you still have plenty of energy left after a day exploring, then the Staybridge Suites also has a fully equipped gym that guests can use free of charge.

With Studio and One Bedroom Apartment options available, the Staybridge Suites is the perfect option for those travelling as a couple or as a larger family who want the convenience and comfort of having their own kitchen facilities and lounge area to kick back and relax in after a long day.

With Studio Suites costing on average around £90 per night and the One Bedroom Apartment around £130 a night, the Staybridge Suites is ideal for those looking for a comfortable, well priced, home from home stay for your next Liverpool City Break.

To check prices and availability for the Staybridge Suites for your next Liverpool City Break click here

Albert Dock and the Museum of Liverpool

Top Attractions

If you are only in Liverpool for a short break, then you want to make sure that you get the most out of it by visiting the top attractions and sites. With something for everyone we think that our Top 5 Liverpool Attractions will be sure to help you get the most out of your time, and money in the vibrant city of Liverpool.

The Beatles Story

The Beatles Story is one of the most popular attractions in Liverpool and is a great, fun day out for everyone to enjoy. Be transported on an incredible immersive journey as you explore the story of how four young lads from Liverpool were propelled to the dizzy heights of fame and fortune from their humble childhood beginnings.

Take a step back in time with plenty of memorabilia, artwork, original band costumes and equipment to replicas of some of the most famous spots that helped The Beatles on their journey to becoming one of the Worlds most loved bands.

The Beatles Story brings to life that journey in technicolour for you to experience and enjoy.

To buy your tickets to The Beatles Story please click here

The Museum of Liverpool

No visit to Liverpool is complete without a visit to the fantastic Museum of Liverpool, which is the world’s first national museum devoted to the history of a regional city and the largest newly-built national museum in Britain for more than a century.

With over 6000 exhibits and items showcasing the history and culture of the amazing city, including a full life-size Liverbird and The King’s Regiment Archive. The younger visitors are also catered for and will love Little Liverpool which introduces children to the wonder of the museum with interactive games and displays to keep them happy and engaged!

The museum is completely free of charge to visit, which is ideal for those looking to get the most out of the city without spending a small fortune in doing so. Tickets must be pre-booked due to current government guidelines, so to reserve your spot then please click on the link below which takes you to the Museums website where you can book slot to experience the fun & fabulous day out:

https://tickets.liverpoolmuseumstickets.org.uk/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=MOL&c=MOLA

Merseyside Maritime Museum

Enjoy a day out at the Merseyside Maritime Museum and get 3 amazing museums in one! The museum is located in the heart of the Albert Docks and is also home to the Museum of Slavery and the Border Force Museum, and even better, entry to the museums and exhibits is completely free of charge!

The amazing museum takes you on a immersive journey, looking into the history and discovering the city’s pivotal role as the gateway to the new world. The Titanic Exhibition within the museum also takes a look at the untold stories of the Titanic and has some artefacts which survived the ill fated, world famous ship. The museum is great for the entire family with plenty of interactive displays and games to keep the younger family members happy and entertained.

Tickets to the Merseyside Maritime Museum are free of charge but must be pre-booked due to current government guidelines. To book your tickets, please click on the link below which will take you directly to the museums website:

https://tickets.liverpoolmuseumstickets.org.uk/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=MMM&c=MMMISMA

Royal Albert Dock

You cannot complete a trip to Liverpool without visiting the historical Albert Dock, the iconic dock is one of the prime locations to visit during your Liverpool City break and offers guests a huge choice of retail outlets, world class museums and attractions.

The Dock is home to major attractions such as The Beatles Story, Merseyside Maritime Museum and the Tate Liverpool, plus many more.

The Albert Dock is also home to a large selection of dining options with cafes, bakeries plus a great selection of dining in options to suit every taste, occasion and budget. Those looking for a tipple will also be spoilt for choice at the Docks, whether its a casual drink or a night out on the town, The Albert Dock has something for everyone!

To plan your visit to the Albert Dock and take a look into what is on offer there then please click on the link below:

https://albertdock.com/plan-your-visit

The Cavern Club

No trip to Liverpool is complete without stopping by and having a drink at the world famous Cavern Club. The club is where it all started in the 1960’s for the cities most famous four, The Beatles and they have played at the Cavern Club over 300 times.

The club isn’t just famous for helping propel the fab four to fame but also some of the worlds best musicians and rock stars have performed at the iconic venue, from The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Queen, The Who and Oasis in more recent years.

The Cavern Club is still a thriving live music venue to this day, with live artists and bands playing on most days and evenings. The club is free to enter and has a huge amount of historical, musical memorabilia on display which is why The Cavern Club is a must visit on our top lists of attractions to visit during your next Liverpool City Break.

The Liverpool Skyline from the Mersey

I hope you have enjoyed reading our top picks and attractions for your next Liverpool City break. All of the hotels and attractions are my personal preference and I have of course taken into account the reviews and reputations of each hotel and attraction on the list.

For more information and tips please watch the video below:

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Thank you for reading 👍

Santorini’s 5 Most Luxurious Hotels and Resorts

If you have read my previous blog on how to live a Champagne lifestyle on a Lambrini budget in Santorini (and if not…check it out 😉) you will see that I wanted to spend a night in a luxury suite in the stunning and world-famous village of Oia. My tick list for our stay included a Caldera view to watch the sunset over the Aegean and of course our own private pool or jacuzzi (so I could pretend to be super rich) for just one night.  

After hours of trawling the internet and scouring through a million hotels and booking sites, I found the most perfect hotel which was within my budget. Whilst ding this painstaking search (yes I am slightly dramatic) I found some of the most amazing hotels and villas that I have ever seen in my thirty plus years of life (that were obviously WAY out of my budget) but they might not be out of yours…so I thought I would share the best of the best of Santorini’s 5 Most Luxurious Hotels…so you can either book them for your own luxury Santorini break (you lucky beggars!) or if you are more like me…just fan girl over how amazing they are!!  

So lets take a look and let the perving over hotels commence….

Grace Hotel Santorini, Auberge Resorts Collection – Imerovigli

Ok, so if a hotel has a “collection” name, you already know its going to be pretty bloody amazing and the Grace hotel is just that…and more!

The luxurious boutique hotel is, of course, 5* and offers the most jaw dropping jaws over the Santorini Caldera. Carved into the cliffside, all of the hotels stunning rooms and suites have sea and of course…sunset views which Santorini is so well known for and some of the beautiful rooms at the hotel also have their own private plunge pool on the terrace….YES PLEASE!

The hotels restaurant, Santoro (even the name sounds exclusive!), offers a five course champagne breakfast (well that is sure to set you up for the entire day!) and dining throughout the day and evening with the most stunning caldera and ocean views.

The jewel in the crown of the Grace hotel is its award winning sea-view heated infinity pool (I didn’t even know that pools could win awards…but they apparently can!) which runs along the entire front of the hotel with plenty of loungers and daybeds to spend the day soaking up the glorious Greek sunshine and taking in the amazing views….sounds awful (NOT).

The Grace Hotel also offers its lucky guests a fitness room (I’ll give this a miss, thanks), a Yoga and Pilates studio and a long list of luxury spa treatments (now this is more my cup of tea!) to help you relax, unwind and be pampered from head to toe…heaven!

There are plenty of room types and suites to choose from for your stay at the hotel and all of which have fabulous terraces with plenty of outdoor space for lounging about and taking in the sweeping views of the Caldera, and of course, your own private heated plunge pool. If your after something extra fancy and your budget is slightly larger than mine (and when I say slightly, I obviously mean drastically!) then do not worry, the hotel has a bloody beautiful Villa. With 400 square metres of pure luxury, the villa comes complete with plenty of amenities, a huge outdoor space and a large swimming pool (which matches the large price tag). Who ever says that money can’t buy you happiness, clearly hasn’t had a look at the Villa at the Grace Hotel because I am pretty sure that I would be more than happy if I could spend even just one night in this amazing space!

If you can afford it, then why not enjoy one of the best and most luxurious hotels on the magical island of Santorini…I know I would if I could!

If you want to check out the prices or just have a good old fashioned nosey at the hotel the link is below:

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/santorini-grace.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

Canaves Oia Suites & Spa

If you want to be treated like a celebrity, then this is the hotel for you…I mean the hotel even has its own luxury yacht that is available for guests to use to discover the amazing coastline…oh how the other half live (buys euromillions lottery ticket, just incase 🤞).

The 5* Canaves Oia Suites and Spa have the most amazing reputation, and to be honest it isn’t at all hard to see why, with its picturesque white suites set into the islands dark volcanic rock cliffs, glistening pools and huge terraces. The views of the Caldera from the hotels stunning infinity pool are like something from a dream or a fairytale…it really is hard to believe that something so bloody beautiful and perfect exists.

All of you foodies out there won’t be disappointed with the selection available at the hotel (I’m happy with a Gyros but I’ll take it 🤣) with the Panorama balcony experience which offers the hotels luxury guests an intimate gourmet dining experience with incredible panoramic views of the beautiful village of Oia and the Aegean Sea and of course, the breath-taking sunsets (if you are bored of me mentioning sunsets already, then you might as well stop reading now…there’s much more of that to come!).

As I mentioned before, the hotel has a beautiful infinity pool with views to die for (and for once, I am not being dramatic!) and is the perfect place to relax after exploring the stunning island, soak up the Greek sunshine and have a cocktail…or two (or three, your on your holidays after all).

As well as having its own private luxury yacht, the hotel also offers its (very lucky) guests Yoga experiences and classes with views of the Caldera, wine tasting tours and of course, an award winning spa and wellness centre (fun fact – which used to be a 17th century wine cave) which offers plenty of relaxing treatments and places to relax and unwind…if you need unwinding after a day at this hotel, you must be mad!

The Canaves Oia Suites and spa offers some of the best accommodation on the entire island of Santorini and all suites have unrivalled sea and sunset views , plenty of outside space to soak up the sun and top up the tan and of course…your own private plunge pool to cool down in and also an in room dining option so if your antisocial (like me) you don’t have the leave the comfort of your amazing suite (winning!). If you aren’t counting the pennies, then take a look at the top accommodation that is on offer at the hotel…the sexy as hell, Three Bedroom Villa with Infinity Pool. The amazing villa has enough space to sleep 7 people and has not just one…but two private verandas (greedy) with a large outdoor dining space (a private chef can also be arranged for an additional cost…ooohh fancy!) and an glistening infinity pool with caldera views.

The Canaves Oia Suites and Spa really is a breathtakingly beautiful hotel with world class service and amenities and also gets top marks on good old trip advisor (which is always something I take into consideration when booking a hotel). If its within your budget then why not treat yo self…I’m pretty sure you wont regret it!

Once again, I have popped the link below for the hotel if you want a good old nosey at it 🤣

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/canaves-oia.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

Dana Villas & Infinity Suites

If you are looking for a contemporary twist on traditional yet mega luxurious stay in a beautiful cave suite…then the Dana Villas and Infinity Suites is a great option for you…and even if your not…its bloody beautiful just to look at (or as in my case, dream 🙌).

The stunning whitewashed hotel which is well known for its amazing service and hospitality hangs off the edge of the Caldera (not literally hangs, but you get what I mean!) and offers jaw-dropping views of the Santorini Volcano and the beautiful blue Aegean below…sounds awful…NOT. Situated in a peaceful area just outside of Fira the hotel offers utter peace and tranquillity but within walking distance to the beautiful capital of the island (which has tonnes of amazing restaurants and some great cocktail bars with a view…winning). It comes as no surprise that the Dana Villas and Infinity Suites is one of the most sought after and exclusive wedding venues on the entire island and many happy couples tie the knot at the hotel every year…its certainly beats the local registry office, that’s for sure!

For those of us out there that like some extra pampering and indulgence then the hotels Soma Spa has you covered (for some extra pennies, of course!). Whether you want a full body massage, fancy a facial or just a good old dip in the hot tub and to sweat out some of the copious amount of Greek wine you have consumed in the cave sauna and steam room…it has the lot!

If you have worked up an appetite with all of the relaxing and pampering then Orkos (the hotels new and very Greek named, restaurant) offers a true taste of the Mediterranean with an Asian twist…not a clue, me either…but it sounds delicious either way 👌 with the most fabulous views of Santorini Caldera, and is the perfect spot to enjoy the mesmerising, world famous sunsets, washed down with a nice glass (or bottle) of wine…or 2.

All of the stunning contemporary suites and villas on offer at the Dana Villas and Infinity Suites are whitewashed (it’s a theme in Santorini!) and are carved into the volcanic cliff face, offering its lucky guests some seriously sexy sea and sunset views from your very own private terrace. If your not on a budget then take a look at the amazing infinity pool villa which has a spa like bathroom with not one, but two showers…call it his and hers, a 23 square metre indoor pool and most impressive feature in my personal opinion, an infinity river pool that connects from the stunning bedroom to your private terrace…which again, offers the most amazing views of the caldera and the sparkling sea below…YES BLOODY PLEASE!

This beautiful hotel has it all, including a great location, close to the very heart of Santorini. This hotel is surprisingly on the cheaper end (it’s not cheap by any means, but compared to some of the others, it’s a steal!) out of all of the hotels on my list…and if that isn’t an excuse to book it, I don’t know what is 🤣

If you want to have your own, more in-depth perve at the Dana Villas and Infinity Suites, then fill your boots…the link is below.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/dana-villas.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

Iconic Santorini, a Boutique Cave Hotel

Iconic by name, Iconic by nature…see what I did there?! The hotel offers award winning luxury, cave rooms and suites and was proudly names Greece’s Luxury Leading Boutique Hotel in 2019…so you know it is going to be blooming brilliant, to say the least!

The beautiful Iconic Hotel like many of the other hotels on my list, is carved into the cliff face and set within five levels with outstanding views of the Santorini Caldera. The hotel is big on hospitality and treats each (very lucky) guest like they are visiting the home of a close Greek friend…I need me some friends in Greece with a house like the amazing Iconic Hotel 👍. Centrally located yet far enough away from the busy (sometimes too busy) cruise port of Fira and just a short drive from the world famous, picturesque, whitewashed village of Oia, the hotel is in a fabulous position to explore all the the stunning island of Santorini has to offer.

The hotel caters for every individual guest and offers a large choice of extras and tailor made experiences including the use of the hotels wellness and fitness centre which provides the latest range of Cybex professional exercise equipment (yeah, I’m going to sit this one out). The hotel also has an amazing spa with couples treatment rooms and a heated and jetted, indoor grotto pool to soothe away any stress so you can fully relax and unwind (now, this is more my kind of thing!).

Guests of the Iconic hotel get breakfast delivered daily to their rooms and suites so you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast on your private, sea view terrace, without even having to get dressed…this sounds like my kind of breakfast! The hotels Pergola Restaurant also offers a authentic Greek island dishes which are freshly prepared daily, using only the finest ingredients, in an exclusive setting with the sexy sunset views of the Santorini Caldera…sounds dreamy!!

Iconic Santorini is a true boutique hotel with just 19 accommodations and suites, all of which have amazing private terraces which offer world class views of the ancient Caldera and the sparkling Aegean Sea below. Each of the rooms and suites are individually designed and decorated with touches of the Greek-style to complement the historic Cycladic architecture of the hotel, and after all, you are in Greece! If you are looking for something super special then check out the Iconic Cliff Suite which takes up an entire level of the exclusive hotel! The Cliff Suite offers its (very lucky) guests pure privacy and seclusion with a candlelit indoor grotto pool and not one, but TWO (ok, your getting greedy now) private wraparound balconies with sun loungers, a large outdoor seating area and of course, an outdoor jetted plunge pool with hypotonic, sunset views (yes, I said it again!).

If you are looking for an authentic, award winning, luxury boutique experience then the Iconic is a bloody good option for you (and if it’s within your budget of course!)

To check the prices or once again, just to have a good old stalk of the stunning hotel then the link is below 😍

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/iconic-santorini.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

Honeymoon Petra Villas

One word…WOW! OK, so the Honeymoon Petra Villas is my absolute favourite out of the five hotels on my list and is my dream hotel…yes I am fully aware I haven’t stayed here, but I have stalked the shit out it constantly for the past few months which counts…right?! Just look at the views…need I say more 😍

The Honeymoon Petra Villas is breathtakingly beautiful, adult only escape and clings to the hillside in the pretty village of Imerovigli, overlooking the Caldera and the sparkling sea below. The 5* resort is a family owned complex (which I always have a secret soft spot for!) and combines pure luxury and world class service to provide the best possible experience that the island of Santorini has to offer.

For me, personally the most spectacular part of this hotel is its super sexy infinity pool which is the largest on the entire Caldera and offers 270 degree views of the stunning volcano and the sparkling sea. I think anyone in the world would be more than happy soaking up the sun, with a cocktail in hand, enjoying the views of the Santorini landscape whilst taking a dip in this magnificent pool…and if not, stop reading now, because no one needs that kind of negativity in their lives 🤣

The foodies amongst us will also fall in love with the dining options available at the Honeymoon Petra Villas. At the Paragara restaurant which offers breath taking views, guests can enjoy a snack or a meal composed only of fresh products and organic vegetables that are grown on the hotels own farm…it doesn’t come much fresher than that! The pool bar also offers drinks 24 hours a day and offers locally produced wine to the most colourful cocktails, plus anything else you could want or need, which may be another reason I have taken a particular shining the the hotel! If all of the above doesn’t make you fall in love with this beautiful hotel then the hotel also offers a great wellness programme with treatments and pampering, wine tasting tours and sailing experiences, plus much much more.

All of the stunning rooms and suites on offer at the Honeymoon Petra Villas are elegant, luxurious and modern with terraces that have jaw dropping volcano and sunset views (yes, I said it again!). If you are celebrating something special, or just want a sexy upgraded room then the brand new Honeymoon Nest is the perfect option for you and is one of the best suites available on the entire island! The amazing Honeymoon Nest is spread out over three levels and has plenty of luxurious inside space and a bathroom with views to die for. The best part of this suite lies outside, as you step out onto your own large private terrace you will be able to enjoy yourself by lying back on your sunbeds and in your own outdoor Heated Plunge Pool, while at the same time admiring the amazing views and sea landscapes that Santorini has to offer…heaven is a place on earth!

If you are looking for an adult only, luxury, romantic stay, then I seriously cannot think of a better hotel for you than the Honeymoon Petra Villas.

Also if anyone knows of any sugar daddies that want to take me here, then please let me know (I won’t tell my husband, don’t worry 😂) JOKING!

If you want to check out the hotel and salivate over the photos then the link is below…enjoy

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/honeymoon-petra-villas.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

If you want to take a look at the hotels in more detail, the your luck is in! I have created a video with the amazing hotels and more detail about each property, check out the link below

I hope you have enjoyed perving over the hotels, like I did. If you have stayed at any of the hotels I would LOVE to hear your feedback in the comment section below.

I loved writing this so if anyone would like me to perve and stalk the shit out of any other hotels in any other locations and write about it then give me a shout and I will see what I can do👍

Also, if you have enjoyed reading then please check out my other blogs and once again share your feedback…as long as it’s nice 😂…no negative Nancy’s around here!

Thank You xx

Living a Champagne lifestyle on a Bucks Fizz budget in Santorini!

If you have read my previous blog…hint hint, nudge nudge…you will see that we have just returned from 11 nights island hopping in the beautiful Cylades Islands.  

We started our trip with 4 nights in Santorini (AKA heaven on earth) and booked 4 nights in the beach resort of Kamari. As this was a last minute trip as we have Italy booked in October (fingers crossed it goes ahead and Boris lets us travel!) I was under strict instructions from Rory (AKA the grumpy photographer!) that I wasn’t allowed to go crazy and spend a stupid amount on hotels. For Rory to agree to an impromptu holiday is like winning the lottery and I would have happily stayed in a hostel (well no I wouldn’t, that’s a lie!) to get away after the last few years that we have had! 

Me jumping on a plane before Rory changes his mind!

As we have been to Santorini before I knew what area I wanted to stay in and we decided on 4 nights here to recharge our batteries and mainly chill out, catch some sun and eat all of the Gyros we could fit in before heading to the next island. I found a great hotel for the 4 nights on booking.com called the Blue Sea Hotel (linked below) which fitted the bill and our budget perfectly. The rooms looked modern with a nice bathroom (I can’t deal with a shit bathroom) and had amazing reviews on trip advisor so I quickly booked it as there wasn’t many rooms left and it was such a good price at around £50 per room per night including a continental breakfast (which we didn’t eat cause Rory needs a lot of food in the morning otherwise he is vile all day) but the breakfast looked great from what I saw! 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/blue-sea-kamari.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

As you do, I was stalking the shit out of people on Instagram that were currently in or had recently returned from Santorini (come on, we all do it) and was drooling over the amazing photos of the Instamodel brigade posing in their beautiful dresses on the whitewashed village of Oia and lounging in their private infinity pools watching the sunset into the Caldera. I started looking at some of the hotels that were tagged in some of the photos just mainly to have a good nose and of course a girl can dream and I couldn’t believe the prices…who the hell can afford £8000 A NIGHT…that’s my mortgage repayments for a whole bloody year!!  

One of the beautiful hotel’s that I stalked the shit out of…I means its bloody beautiful…but £8000 a night?!!

Once I have started looking at something and have it in my head I become obsessed and would spend every night looking (and driving myself crazy in the process) for a hotel in Oia, just as a treat and a surprise for Rory after the shit few years that he has had, that was within my budget that I had set for myself…which I can confirm was significantly less than £8000 a night!!  

I had three things that I wanted in a room…well I wish I could have more but I wasn’t about to spend a month’s earnings on 1 nights’ accommodation, no matter how beautiful or Instagramable it was! My wish list was once again a nice bathroom, a view of the caldera and either a jacuzzi or private pool….all for under £400…which seems like a lot but have you seen the prices in Oia?!  

I searched and searched until I was blue in the face and about to tear my hair out and give up completely as all of the hotels I was coming across within my budget either didn’t have a private pool or jacuzzi or a cadera view (third world problems).  

Just as I was about to give up, I realised that in my search I was asking for a pool and a private pool so unticked the shared pool box on Booking.Com, now who needs a shared one when you have your own…and up came the Liakada Suites! The reviews on trip advisor were slightly mixed so I did some stalking (thank god for location tags!) and found a lovely girl on Instagram who had just stayed there and messaged her directly to see what her opinions were on the hotel and the specific room type that I had my beady little eyes on and she couldn’t praise the hotel enough, which at this point I was literally climbing the walls with excitement!! 

The Liakada Suites in Oia

The room type I was eyeing up was the Deluxe Suite with Private Pool and it even had self-catering facilities which was a huge bonus as I thought we could save some money and not leave the room once we had checked in (trust me I wasn’t about to leave a room with views like that for love nor money!) The room was such a good price at only £245 per night which is literally a quarter of the price as other rooms in Oia with the same facilities…so I started wondering what is wrong with the place that it is so cheap?! After doing some more research (I’m not an impulsive kind of girl!) I found out that the hotel wasn’t as much of a hotel, just a small collection of 4 suites with no reception or shared facilities but you would check in at a hotel a few minutes’ walk away and then someone would help you with your luggage (down the million steps…I will come back to this shortly) and showed you around the room, which was perfect for what we needed so I secretly booked it and pissed myself with excitement (no, not literally) and wondered how long I would be able to keep my big mouth shut and not tell Rory about the surprise!! 

I lasted until the morning we checked in… which is more of a miracle than Jesus turning water into wine! It killed me not to tell Rory what I had planned as I could hardly contain myself as this was something that has always been on my bucket list and I swear he knew something wasn’t right as I couldn’t keep still and wanted to go to bed extra early the night before so it would come around sooner, I was literally like a kid at Christmas! 

The second we woke up on the morning that I had booked the room for, I blurted it out, like verbal diarrhoea or someone with a bad case of Tourette’s of what the plans were. Now Rory is a man of very few words, and doesn’t get excited for anything but he seemed really pleased and was looking forward to it and to seeing what I had booked. I had kept our room on in Kamari so we wouldn’t have to take much luggage with us as I had read how steep the steps were down to the room and didn’t fancy karting our huge suitcases with us that were really bloody heavy so I just took my light hand luggage which was the perfect size and easy to navigate around the cobbled streets and steep steps of Oia. I’ve popped the link below for our hand luggage that we used, we have had it for a few years now and it is still in perfect condition…and it has been used A LOT!  

https://amzn.to/2G6440n

I had organised for a transfer company that I found online to pick us up and take us to Oia, and the hotel had kindly rung us in the morning and let us know that the room would be ready early which was an extra bonus! Rory hadn’t been at all to Oia before as when we went last year it was for a friend’s wedding so we didn’t do a huge amount of site seeing. Once we had arrived in Oia and the moment that we walked up the cobbled streets from where the car had dropped us off and Rory saw the amazing views…his eyes lit up…which again is a miracle in itself! We were met by a lovely gentleman (god that sounds posh…so a bloke who works for the hotel!) who took us to the hotel to check in and waited for us to finish before walking us to our hotel and our room. 

Now when I say there is a lot of steps…I am not being dramatic (for once!). For some reason I HATE steps that don’t have a handrail (yes, I am worse than your nan!) and the steps were mega steep and seemed never ending with a huge drop into the sea below on the right-hand side, I don’t know what I expected from a cliffside hotel 😉 . After what felt like a lifetime of the steep steps, we had reached our room and I was speechless…and I mean literally speechless (there is a first time for everything!) The views were out of this world and our room had its own huge private terrace with the most perfect caldera view and of course the most amazing private infinity pool…I literally cried I was that happy at how perfect it was. 

I was that excited and gobsmacked by the views and the huge outdoor space that I forgot we was actually staying there! The room itself, I didn’t expect anything special, especially for the price we had paid…but my god it was frikking amazing…and HUGE!! The suite was built into the cliffside and as soon as you entered the suite there was a large living area, with a kitchen and bathroom to the left and then a massive bedroom….and even a walk-in wardrobe…. for £245…I couldn’t and still can’t believe how amazing it was for the price! 

Rory’s face was a picture and he was literally farting fairy dust over the views and the room, as was I! We dumped our bags and decided that we would go and grab some lunch and then just get some bread and picky bits for dinner so we could enjoy the room and relax for the rest of the day. If I thought the steps were bad on the way down, it was nothing compared to walking back up them in the midday heat…the chub rub was on a whole other level! We had seen a supermarket near where our car had dropped us off so once I had got over my heavy breathing and wiped the sweat off ,which was coming from every orifice after the climb, we heading to get to the essentials…basically wine and crisps 😊  

Rory was starving (I don’t think there is ever a time that he isn’t hungry) so we found a Gyros place called PitoGyros which I had found on Instagram and heard great things about, so we headed there for some lunch. There was a small wait for a table but my god…it was worth the wait! Oia is well known not only for its views and sunsets as it is its prices, but for the two of us including drinks and Rory having 2 gyros (hey fatty) the total only came to 15 euro which is soooo good and I would have paid double, the food was that good! 

After we had been fed and watered and cooled down after what felt like climbing Mount Everest, we headed to the supermarket to get all of the essentials…basically wine (a few bottles!) bread and crisps…oh and a hat for Rory as he left his at the hotel in Kamari and he needs protection for his bald head especially as there was not much shade on our terrace 😉  

With the essentials in hand we made our way back down the million steps (slight exaggeration) and back into the cool comfort of our amazing room, got into our swimmers and literally bombed into the pool…which is pretty much where we stayed all evening.

Watching the sunset over the Caldera with Rory with a glass of wine in hand, I felt so bloody grateful and content. If you have read my previous blogs you will know the last few years have literally been the hardest of our lives…but at this moment in time it was like nothing else mattered and we just sat in silence enjoying the amazing views, each other’s company and soaking up this once in a lifetime moment…yes this is mega soppy for me, but it is the way I felt! Once the sun had set, I went and made some sandwiches with the essentials we had brought from the local supermarket (I told you I was on a Lambrini budget) with some mega chewy bread which gave our jaws a proper work out…and sat and watched the stars and the beautiful whitewashed village of Oia as it lit up for the evening (with some more wine obvs!) 

The next morning, we woke up early to go and watch the sunrise on our private terrace. As the sun peeked from behind the whitewashed village, I couldn’t believe we were lucky enough to have had this experience. We decided to once again climb up Mount Everest AKA the steps up to Oia village (which wasn’t as bad in the morning before it got too hot…but I still added some more to the old chub rub!) and have a walk around the beautiful cobbled streets and take in the views before the masses of tourists arrived for the day. It was truly beautiful and so lovely in the quiet morning with only us and a few locals around (and a few of instamodel brigade with their photographers in tow of course!) After a little walk, Rory needed feeding AGAIN, so we grabbed some breakfast before going back to the room to enjoy the rest of the morning enjoying the views and pool before having to check out at 11. 

As we checked out of our room, I had a little moment…and I may have cried…simply because of how happy I was and so glad that we had got to experience this together, yes this is another soppy moment, I promise it won’t happen again 😉  

So to wrap it up, if this is within your budget then BLOODY DO IT! I have shown that it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to experience and I promise you it will be the best money you have ever spent on a hotel!

There are also cheaper hotels without a pool that have great reviews of the caldera, which I have also linked below for you…some prices are as low at £100 per night which is frikkin AMAZING!

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/stelios-rooms-oia.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/maryloujohn-villas.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/vipsuitessantorini.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

If you want the most amazing suite for a great price, I seriously cannot recommend the Liakada Suites enough (linked below) it really was a day and night that I will never forget for the best reasons!

https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/liakada-oia-suites.en.html?aid=2075574&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&room1=A%2CA

I haven’t been paid or gifted this experience I just wanted to share it with you and make you see that it doesn’t haven’t to cost you a fortune to have these kind of experiences (but Liakada if you see this and want to give me a free night’s stay the next time I am in Santorini, come at me bro 😉)  

If anyone has any questions or would like any other tips then please give me a shout, I am always more than happy to help! 

Thank you for reading xx 

Travelling during a pandemic…completed it mate!

On Thursday we flew from Manchester to Santorini, and I am not sure what I was expecting but it really was…effin brilliant! I have flown from a very young age and am lucky enough to fly at least 4-5 times a year (no I am not rich…I am a travel agent…every job has to have it perks…right?!) and I have never in my thirty something years of my life walked through departures, checked in and been cleared through security in 10 minutes…more time for a cheeky fry up and a few vinos before the flight! I swear that the airport is the only time it is socially acceptable to knock a few drinks back at any time of the day….and I am all for it 😉 

For some strange reason (yes I may have watched the Visit Turkey advert a few too many times…it’s VERY over the top and also a little bit creepy) but I thought we would be met by cyborgs taking your temperature and no human interaction at all…but it was basically the same with a few extra safety precautions and of cause…the dreaded face mask…which may I add I have been wearing now for 4 hours and I can already feel the volcanos (AKA huge spots) erupting on my chin. I do love to moan about the mandatory face masks and I know they aren’t ideal but if it keeps others and myself safe and means that I can travel…I’ll take a few horrendous yellow heads any day over the dreaded RONA. I also find when I am wearing my face mask I tend to talk to myself more, does anyone else do this?…It’s either lack of oxygen or I’ve began to go mad (most probably the latter) Does anyone else do this…please tell me that I am not the only person who has completely lost the plot (and their memory…what is that even about?!) in the last few months??!! 

Once we had stuffed our faces and consumed a Pinot Grigio (or 2) we headed to the duty free where I sprayed myself with every free sample going (this is after all an airport tradition) then grabbed a standard boots meal deal (again other standard airport tradition) and headed to the boarding gate smelling like a whores handbag and making everyone choke on what felt like a ten mile walk to the boarding gate! 

Boarding was nice and easy and was done in order of the rows that our seats were assigned. We always have to prebook extra legroom thanks to my 6ft 6 husband (AKA the grumpy photographer) so we were one of the first to board so again as were in the middle of the plane and no queuing which is always a billy bonus! 

Once onboard, facemasks are mandatory which was what we expected and with the exemption of a few billy bellends who kept taking their masks off (which resulted in numerous tannoy calls from the cabin crew…who by the way were fab…and I have to say I was very impressed by EasyJet…Stavros give your crew a pay rise!) everyone else was looking out for one another and I felt extremely safe and comfortable…the numerous amount of Pinot Grigios and Chenin Blancs (which may just be my new favourite) may of helped, but all in all the entire airport and flight experience was great and apart from the masks….was exactly the same as pre Covid which was a pleasant surprise! 

Upon arrival in Santorini the cabin crew announced how disembarkation would work, and that was from both the front and back of the aircraft in row order. You also couldn’t stand up until the row infront of you had collected their bags from the overhead lockers and had started to move to exit the plane. I am going to be honest, when I heard this I thought it would take so much time as we were in the middle of the plane so were going to be the last ones off, but it was actually quicker and so much less stressful than the usual rushing to unbuckle the seatbelts, scrapping over who can get to their bags first and shoulder barging and clambering to be one of the first to get off the plane (why do people even do this…knobs!). Within 5 minutes everyone was safely off the plane and onto the buses to take us all to the terminal.  

As we were last to disembark the aircraft we were towards the very back of the que at passport control and yes…I did a little huff at this point, I am SO impatient. I could see two men in full PPE (and also kind of looking like the shit doctor from the Simpsons who harvests your body organs…you know what I mean!) so was ready for a huge cotton bud to be stuck up my nostrils and down the back of my throat for testing…but they were just having a nice little chat with each other and I didn’t see anyone getting swabbed for Rona. 

After my initial inner tantrum about being at the back of the que, we were through passport control within 15 minutes, collected our bag (it was ready and waiting for us which has to be the first time ever!) and on our way to the resort all within 30-40 minutes of landing, which Rory was happy with as it meant he didn’t have to wait any longer for his first Gyros of the trip 😉  

All in all the experience of flying during the pandemic was amazing and we both felt very safe and well looked after. If anyone is worrying about travelling, please don’t be as it really was easy and quicker and more organised than ever before…which is always a billy bonus! 

Life is far too short not to take the trip, so shove your mask on, wash your hands and get on that bloody plane…I promise you it is worth it!!

Hi, I’m Heather and I HATE packing

Ok, so this is my first ever blog and to be honest I don’t even know what the hell I am going to write…so bear with me!

Before I get into chatting my rubbish…which I can assure you I will, I think that I should introduce myself and tell you a few random shitty facts that you wont even care about, so here goes…

  • I am 34 years old and got married to Rory (Mr Love…the grumpy photographer) last year after 8 years of being together…and 8 years of putting up with each other’s annoying habits…his not mine, obviously 😉
  • We live in the not so sunny West Midlands with our two dogs (or as I like to call them, little shits) but in all honesty I am obsessed and a full on dog mom…but I draw the line at dressing them up though…for the time being anyway!
  • I have worked in travel for 10 years and absolutely love it. Coronavirus has had a huge effect on our industry, but I know we will come back bigger and better…these things take time and as they say…Rome wasn’t built in a day!
  • I swear…way too much! My excuse is that I used to be a Butlins Redcoat and worked abroad singing and working in hotels…so I am making up now for not being able to curse to my hearts content back in the day (which is a shit excuse but I am rolling with it)😉
  • I HATE packing…I wish I was a Kardashian and had someone to pack for me and plan my outfits…but I am not so I have to do it myself and drive myself insane during the process!
  • I LOVE my food…maybe a little bit too much as none of my clothes fit…I wonder how much longer I can blame lockdown for my weight gain?! Oh and wine…I love wine 😊

The last two years have been the hardest of our lives after loosing both of Rory’s amazing parents from cancer…FUCK YOU CANCER. Just when we began to see a light at the end of the tunnel along came a global pandemic…who would ever have thought this time last year that this would be happening?!

 If anything, we have learnt over the last few years that life really is too short and to spend time doing the things that you love with the people that you love. I love travelling….however Rory HATES holidays (Yes I am married to an absolute weirdo!) but everything that has happened over the last few years has flicked a switch in him and now he wants to experience new places and travel more…FINALLY!! So, I plan to take full advantage of his newly found interest in travel and intend to get as many trips rammed in as possible…after all, life really is too short!

Now I have bored you with my life story…I am going to bore you with our travel plans! So, on Thursday we are flying to Greece to do some island hopping…something Rory would have never have agreed to before, let alone be looking forward to!

We have booked 4 nights in Santorini which is our favourite Greek island…and also has the best Gyros I have ever tasted! As we have been to Santorini before, we plan to just relax, get some tan lines, eat all of the Gyros and drink all of the wine! Rory doesn’t know (and don’t worry he wont even read this) but I have also booked a night in a beautiful hotel in Oia with a Caledra sunset view and its own private pool as a once in a lifetime treat, he really does deserve it…but I do not intend on leaving the room with the amount I have paid for it so will be taking a bag full of snacks and most importantly wine with us to this hotel 😊

After our 4 nights in Santorini we are heading to Paros for 4 nights which I am really excited for as it looks so beautiful and traditionally Greek…Yes, I know its Greece before anyone pipes up! Then we are ending our trip in Mykonos where we will be spending 3 nights. I am looking forward to Mykonos but all I see is photos of models and insta influencers who weigh less than my right arm which makes me nervous…for some strange reason, but after a carafe or two of cheap Greek wine I know I wont give a shiny shit…plus Ill have a tan by then…and brown fat is always better than white fat, right 😉

My plan is to blog our trip (or bore you to death lol) with it. What I can promise is a no frills blog, my honest travel advice (I have a thing for sometimes being too honest!), drunken stories (which will no doubt end in some unidentified drinking injuries) and hopefully lots of laughs….fingers crossed not at my expense…but lets see what happens….only 2 days to go…YAMAS!