I have been fervently researching country cottages/barns/venues in the south of England in which to hold a surprise party for my boyfriend's 25th birthday. I can't find any that take bookings for the weekend, let alone for more than 30 people - including smokers. Please help! I'm at my wit's end. I need somewhere easily accessible from London.
Name and address supplied
Try contacting The Big Domain (01326 240028; www.thebigdomain.com) which represents large houses throughout the UK. Huntsham Court near Tiverton in Devon is one of its properties, charging £4,500 for a weekend, based on 40 people sharing 20 double rooms. You should also know catering often needs to be arranged separately. There are several other options to choose from on the site. Alternatively, an excellent source of information and inspiration is The Big House Party (www.thebighouseparty.com; Pendant Press, £14.99) which features 80 properties ranging from converted barns to country manors. The book also includes hotels which can be hired out for parties, such as the funky Blanch House B&B in Brighton.
My husband and I have the first two weeks of September off work. We'd normally head for Greece or Italy at this time of year, but I'm wondering where outside Europe could be a possibility. From looking at brochures it seems that much of the rest of the world is suffering monsoons/rainy seasons or extremes of temperature at this time. It certainly doesn't have to be a seaside destination, and definitely nowhere riddled with nightclubs. Culture, history and outstanding natural beauty are more our scene. I do, however, like guaranteed sunshine, a swimming pool and warm nights watching the stars. I'd consider just about anywhere; a wide brief, I know, but any suggestions?
Sue Griffiths, by email
Before you head away from the continent, bear in mind that September is a great time to be in most places in Europe, with warm weather and fewer crowds. If you've spent lots of your holidays in Greece and Italy, you could try Montenegro. The latter is home to southern Europe's longest fjord at Kotor, a clutch of great resorts on the Adriatic and some beautiful old walled towns to explore. It's easy to combine with visits to Dubrovnik or Belgrade for some urban exploring. Holiday Options (0870 013 0450; www.holidayoptions.co.uk) has a variety of options for Montenegro, including a stay at the famous resort of Sveti Stefan.
September is hurricane season for much of the Caribbean. For sun-soaked days and starlit nights, Oman in the UAE is hard to beat. This desert nation has retained its traditions and offers good hotels, spectacular desert scenery and a fascinating cultural heritage. Kuoni (0130 674 3000; www.kuoni.co.uk) is one of several tour operators offering packages to Oman. You can combine beach, culture and wildlife spotting in East Africa. September is a good time to go for comfortably warm, dry weather. A good compromise may be a Kenyan safari combined with a week on historic and beautiful Lamu Island. Try the Africa Travel Centre (0845 450 1541; www.africatravel.co.uk). Twelve-day tailor-made itineraries are around £1,895 per person.
My partner and I are going to California for our honeymoon, flying in and out of Los Angeles, our planned route is LA-San Francisco-Yosemite-LA. We have just over two weeks in which to do the trip so appreciate we can't see everything. What are the absolute must-see places? Also, do you have any advice on great accommodation that won't break the bank?
Janine Edwards, London
You should allow at least two or three days for Los Angeles. Spend a day exploring the newly spruced-up Hollywood Boulevard and Beverly Hills and have dinner in beachside Santa Monica. Take another day on Venice Beach and see the wonderful architecture downtown. The sunset views from Yamoshiro Bar in Hollywood are awesome, too. The Standard Hotel (001 213 892 8080; www.standardhotel.com) has stylish rooms with platform beds for a reasonable £80 a double.
Out of LA, head north through the Sierra Nevada to the stunning Yosemite - which offers a variety of programs, sports and tours depending on the season - via the Lassen Volcanic National Park, home to the world's largest plug-dome volcano. From here drive west to San Francisco, taking the long way via the coastal towns of Monterey and Carmel. Round off the trip with a few nights in the Hotel des Arts (00 1 415 956 3232; www.sfhoteldesarts.com), where each room has been designed by an 'emerging local artist'. Doubles start at £80. There's more detailed information and detailed maps at www.gocalif.ca.gov.
I have booked an Exodus trip to Botswana and Zambia for three weeks in July, but we fly out from Heathrow and return to Gatwick, which makes organising connecting flights to and from Glasgow slightly trickier. Is there a cheaper way of travelling between the two airports than the National Express coach - which costs £18 one-way? This seems extortionate for an hour-long bus journey. As a student, this whole trip will leave me extremely skint so any savings you unearth will be much appreciated.
Lynsey Cowan, Glasgow
When compared with the cost of coach travel around the UK this is indeed expensive, and prices are almost the same for both National Express (www.nationalexpress.co.uk) and Jetlink services. You are paying for the convenience of not dragging your bags into central London and out again. Given that the alternative, Underground (£4) and then Southern Railways (www.southernrailway.com) service to Gatwick (£9), will only save you a few pounds it's not really worth the extra hassle, unless you're planning a few hours in London as your stopover.
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