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Holiday Villages A European Delight

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Holiday villages are growing in popularity with families who are looking for a laid back holiday where they can completely relax, but yet have the all the facilities of a large resort at their fingertips. In the UK villages are open year round, and are as popular for a winter getaway as for a summer holiday.

One of the largest brands of holiday villages in Europe is Center Parcs. Apart from their centres in the UK they have sites in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. In the late 1960s a Dutch entrepreneur bought some woodland in the south of the country and started the first holiday village using tents. He soon changed these for bungalows and the Center Parcs brand as we know it today had started.

Center Parcs now have four holiday villages in the UK in Cumbria, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk and Wiltshire, plus one more under development in Bedfordshire. Each village is located in woodland sites of up to 400 acres, and are particularly marketed to appeal to families with young children. The main ethos of the villages is to provide a relaxing forest holiday for visitors. Cars are not allowed on site and visitors leave their vehicles in large car parks by the exit after unloading their suitcases. Bikes are the encouraged form of transport around the site, and there are hire facilities for people who have not bought their own bikes with them. The villas are grouped in small clusters and are all low-rise so as to blend in perfectly with the forest environment.

The main attraction at a Center Parcs holiday village is the huge swimming area, marketed as a sub tropical paradise. The swimming area is housed in a massive glass roofed area, and there are separate areas for toddlers, children and adults. They have high adrenaline slides and flumes as well as smaller slides and wave machines for younger guests. There is plenty to keep guests occupied for several hours, and numerous places to sit and relax. All visitors to the holiday village get free access to the swimming facilities throughout their stay.

Apart from the swimming, there are dozens of other activities on offer. These can include pony trekking, archery, tennis, abseiling, kayaking, and windsurfing. Guests will be charged extra to participate in these activities, which can soon mount up to a considerable sum for a family wanting to be busy every day. Most sites also have a spa offering the full range of beauty treatments and the opportunity to relax completely and be pampered. As the site itself is so large, there are also free bike and nature trails through the forest or guided tours with one of the ranger staff.

The main area of the holiday village is packed with restaurants, cafes and bars, providing plenty of options for dining. There is also a supermarket on site, and as all villas have full cooking facilities many visitors take their own food and self cater. A selection of gift and craft shops also offers the chance to pick up a souvenir of your stay.

Have Yourself A Romantic Holiday Season

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Holiday season is often an exciting time for lovers- exchanging gifts, going to affairs and parties, and going away for a vacation. But this feel-good atmosphere can sometimes be overwhelmed by the Holiday stress- preparing and cramming for family dinners, shopping, oceans of presents to wrap and crazy schedule to abide. Amid this rumpus, its always good for you to set aside some romantic things to do with your loved ones. To have a romantic- filled holiday season, here are some few suggestions that you can do.

1. Do the twelve days of Christmas countdown. This requires a bit of imagination, but it will be more than worth it. It doesnt need to be expensive or time consuming. For instance, in the 10th day of Christmas you can give 10 hickeys or in the 9th day you can give 10 baked cupcakes there are so many things that you can do together with the twelve days of Christmas. The great thing about this is both of you have something to look forward to everyday. Make this a tradition.

2. Romantic Paper Chains on your Christmas tree. In a colorful strip of paper, write down the qualities you adore about each other. Then glue each strip until it will make a long chain and have it wrap around your tree.

3. A romantic Christmas love letter. Instead of giving an ordinary card, why not make a letter of lovely sentiments about your loved one. Make your words count this holiday season.

4. Have a slow cruise around town sight seeing the wonderful Christmas lights and decorations, take pictures of each town you have gone to.

5. This holiday season, hang a hundred of mistletoe around your house! Be sure to kiss every time you are under a mistletoe.

6. Cuddle together and watch holiday special movies.

7. In a Christmas party, take the stage, have everybodys attention and dedicate a love poem or sonnet to your partner.

8. Surprise your partner with a lovely hotel suite with candle lit dinner.

9. This holiday season, have a group of carolers sing Christmas love songs to your partner.

10. This holiday season go to places where there are beautiful lights and ornaments, take time to walk around the park hand in hand, enjoy the view and each other.

11. If you havent cook for your partner, then do it now. There is no perfect way for you to surprise your partner with your rare culinary skills than this holiday season.

Self-Catering Holiday an Advantageous Solution for Holiday Budgeting

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Self-catering holidays are more popular than they have ever been in the UK at least this is the case, the biggest market utilising such a holiday are parents and their accompanying offspring – so families essentially. Choosing self-catering options over traditional all inclusive options helps to reduce the overall cost of a holiday and gives the holiday maker complete control and flexibility with meal times and indeed meal choices – thus self-catering holidays are an advantageous solution if you are looking to budget for your next holiday, regardless of whether it is a family affair, a couple or a lone holiday – you can still save a packet!

Focusing on the self-catering accommodation means that you could well eat at any number of different restaurants, take away and cafes – alternatively you could prepare and cook food in the kitchen of your self-catering accommodation. This is what I meant by flexibility, consider that if you have any special dietary requirements such as high fibre or gluten free you can rest assured and consume your regular foods and drinks without having to make any special requests or worry if they even cater for you in the first place.

It’s likely that most places will have an alternative menu item for certain dietary needs and certainly vegetarian alternatives to choose from. The cost saving of not eating out every night is enormous – in some instances you might save the same amount as your daily accommodation rate and have just as good meal. Consider also that inclusive will generally mean you are confined to eating in the same set place day in day out, no variety and if you don’t like the food well you will end up spending more in the long term anyway.

Personally I hate doing the washing up after eating so if I go self-catering I ensure there is a dishwasher to pop dirty dishes in, little things like this just make the whole self-catering holiday experience an enjoyable break from the normal. Did you know that there are self-catering properties out there which now come with a chef or other service staff to assist you when on holiday? Amazingly you could have your meals prepared in the comfort of your own self-catering holiday home. Though I don’t imagine there will be too much cost savings here from staying in inclusive accommodation – flexibility is still provided though.

The self-catering holiday market has had an explosion in growth in recent years throughout the world. Self-catering provides an unrivalled level of independence, control and flexibility over all aspects of your holiday including location, budget, activities, timing and the things you eat and drink. If it’s not something you have considered before – I would certainly recommend trying it out, after all what have you to lose?

Holiday cottages in Devon

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Devon is one of the most popular holiday destinations in England. Devon is situated in South West England, and offers plenty for tourists sandy beaches, open spaces of national parks, historic villages, bustling seaside resorts and rolling countrysides. There is much to do in Devon including attractions and activities, shopping and restaurants, stunning scenery and sandy beaches, making it the perfect destination for a family holiday.

In keeping with this, Devon offers several accommodation options for all your needs. You name it, from luxury hotels to camping sites, there is something for all in Devon. Holiday cottages are an excellent accommodation choice they are comfortable, self catering, affordable and most are baby friendly and even dog friendly!

East Devon is an ideal location for a break at any time of the year. It is composed of rolling farmland countryside, coastal towns and villages and the Exmoor National Park. Here are a few holiday cottages situated in East Devon.

Bothy, Spreyton: This is a gorgeous 16th century romantic hideaway that is buried in the glorious countryside. It has its own large private garden and even has an extensive library! It is close to the Dartmoor National Park, the Two Moors Walk and the glorious Teign valley which hosts the famous Castle Drogo.

Hannaford Quay, Topsham: This is a beautifully refurbished and comfortable holiday cottage situated on The Strand, close to the edge of the River Exe. It is a five star property, well equipped and set in a fantastic location.

Idehill Cottages, Colyton: These cottages are situated overlooking the Coly Valley and an 18 hole golf course, which is exclusively for guests to use. The cottages are located in a peaceful setting and provide an excellent opportunity to sport a wide variety of birds and local wildlife. The cottages are comfortable and have good views, and have their own personal patio/sitting out area with garden furniture and a barbecue.

The Mede, Topsham: This is a gorgeous self catering cottage set in a quiet residential cul-de-sac on the edge Topsham. It has wonderful views up and down the Exe estuary, and a recreation park nearby. This holiday cottage is suitable for those with walking disabilities, as it is all on one level and no steps involved. The area is famous for its birdlife, pleasant riverside walks and excellent shopping.

Holiday Driving Safety Tips Help Avoid Auto Accidents

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Even though your chances of having an auto accident during the holidays is much higher than normal, holiday accidents are preventable to a large extent. The increase in holiday auto accidents is due to the fact that there are just more people out there driving–both short and long distances–as well as the fact that the holidays bring celebrations, and celebrations typically come with alcohol. Add the generally more inclement weather to the mix, and you have a holiday recipe for an auto accident. You can substantially increase your chances of getting where you are going without suffering an auto accident that ruins your holidays-and perhaps even changes your life-by following a few simple rules.

Top Auto Accident Prevention Tips

Most especially if you will be driving cross country, there are basic maintenance and vigilance tips you can implement which will substantially reduce your chances of an auto accident far from home.
1.Check the oil: Even if you are a few hundred miles away from your next scheduled oil change, get it done early.
2.Check the tread on your tires: Nothing puts a damper on holiday trips more than getting into an auto accident due to worn out tires. Check your tire pressure as correctly inflated tires improve handling, make tires more resistant to punctures to help you avoid an auto accident.
3.Slow down! Though it seems self-evident, you need every trick in your arsenal during the holidays. Drive defensively; drive the posted speed limit, pay attention to the road and you will arrive at your destination whole and happy.
4.Plan ahead: Allow extra time for the heavy traffic immediately before and after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
5.Plan to stop: Although you and your family might be excited to get to destination as soon as possible, plan to make stops along the way. Getting out of the car for just a few minutes will help you stretch your legs and even give you time to grab a coffee to stay fully awake while driving. Switch drivers if necessary to avoid an auto accident.
6.Avoid distracted driving: Distracted driving had become the main cause of auto accidents in the US and many states have already passed laws punishing this behavior. Avoid texting, playing with your GPS, adjusting the radio or talking on your cell phone while driving and you will reduce the chances of having an auto accident.
7.Prepare a safety kit: Pack a safe road trip kit with essential items such as a cell phone, flashlights, ice scrapers, blankets, jumper cables and a first aid kit, drinking water and snacks.
8.Designate a driver: Since there is drinking involved during the holidays, avoid getting into an auto accident by having a designated driver.
9.Buckle up: Always use seat belts and car safety seats for your children.

They will protect you and your family in case of an auto accident.
Remember that during the holidays many drivers are worried, hurried or distracted, making them less careful, and demanding that you be more vigilant than normal to avoid an auto accident that can leave you with less-than-festive memories of your holiday.