Time 4 travel

Sussex has many beautiful spas for the ultimate pampering session. The best Sussex spas to choose from are those with a variety of facilities such as a sauna, steam room, a selection of treatment areas and a pool. Whether it is a hen night, a birthday or just a treat for yourself and your friends, there is something to suit everyone.

The Grand Hotel

This Eastbourne spa has a variety of relaxing treatments and activities, not to mention it has a seafront location for the height of luxury. Try out the steam room, sauna or solarium and relax with one of the treatments available. These include massages, wraps, facials and body scrubs. There are also a hair and salon as well as a range of male grooming treatments.

Horstead Spa

This Sussex spa located in the East Sussex National Hotel is a sophisticated choice. It has different treatments some of which have a detoxifying effect, some which sooth and calm the senses and others which have an energising effect. This spa boasts a sauna, salt vapour room, aromatherapy room and offers treatments such as facials and massages.

PH20 Spa

This notable spa is located in the Park House Hotel in Midhurst, West Sussex. In addition to the sauna and steam room, it also boasts a Jacuzzi and 15 metre swimming pool. For the summer months there is also a heated outdoor pool complete with sun loungers. The spa offers a variety of packages for mothers, mothers to be and individual packages as well as treatments like massages, facials, manicures and pedicures.

Aquila Health Spa

Located in the Spread Eagle Hotel in Midhurst, this luxury Sussex spa has much to offer. This offers exotic treatments like aroma stone therapy, the herbal lavender repair facial and a variety of skin nourishing wraps. There are three treatment rooms which are all temperature controlled. Additionally, there is a Jacuzzi and indoor swimming pool.

Renting a villa for your family holiday does not have to be an intimidating experience. You can find the perfect holiday home to suit your needs without breaking your budget. Countless websites offer reviews and listings of plenty of villas, wherever your destination may be. Websites such as eholidaycollection.com are an excellent place to start your search.

The first thing to take into consideration when booking a holiday villa is, of course, location. Regardless of whatever city or beach or main attraction you want to be near, villas are most convenient right where you want to be, but cheaper the farther out you look. The size of the villa will probably be smaller if you are right in a city, so if lots of extra space is mandatory, look out in the country. A listing will often say the villa has good transit connections, but you should definitely verify with an online map and train or bus schedules to prepare yourself for whatever commute you will be facing if you will not be having the freedom of your own car.

Self-catering villas are ideal for family holidays. They provide the space a family so desperately needs, which a hotel will not generally have. You can find one with its own garden so the kids have lots of room to run around. Many villas are well equipped for families and provide travel cots, high chairs, toys, video games, and books.

Whether you are booking in a city or a village, make sure there are amenities nearby such as a small supermarket and a chemist. You never know when you will need extra supplies when travelling with children. It also helps to have a playground nearby. You may not want to spend every day sightseeing, so having a place close by for the kids to run around will be a blessing.

Traveling from Gatwick Airport to Central London can be accomplished by many methods. Methods available to choose from are coach, bus, train, taxi, and rental car.

Coach or Bus:
Leave the Driving to someone else and enjoy the company of others on a coach or bus. Visit with others and see the sights along the way to Central London. Travel by bus can be time consuming with many stops along the way however it is cheaper than travel by train or taxi. Minibus shuttles can also be great for those that want fewer crowds than what you would find on a bus.

Train or Tube:
One of the fastest ways to travel from Gatwick Airport to Central London is by train or tube. It can also be an exciting adventure for children who love trains. Two trains connect Gatwick Airport to Central London. Another option for train travel is the local stopping trains; they are cheaper than the other two choices but can get crowded.

Taxi or Transfer:
A taxi can provide speed and privacy for those who want alone time after being in a busy airport. Taxis can be one of the most expensive travel options however it will provide you with the opportunity for some alone time without the crowds of people and let someone else do the driving.

Rental Car:
One of the best ways to get from Gatwick Airport to Central London is by rental car. A rental car will allow you to see the sights on your own time schedule. Privacy is another benefit of renting a car and provides the flexibility and opportunity to travel around the city and have a night out on the town.

Whichever travel method you choose, there is an option for everyone. Travel from Gatwick Airport to Central London can be fun and easy.

photo credit: chakchouka

Driving a car through Midtown Manhattan on a busy Friday evening may seem a daunting task to the newly arrived tourist. There are sights and sounds and smells galore. All vie for your attention. Relax. Here are a few tips to ease your journey.

The Pedestrian is King
True New Yorkers, that is, the ones who live in the city, despise the automobile. An automobile’s presence is an affront to their very being. With this point in mind, always be aware of pedestrians. They will step in front of a moving car in the middle of a snowstorm and the driver will still be blamed for the accident.
Tip #1 – Always defer to pedestrians.

Relax, Traffic is Your Friend
Remarkably few accidents occur in NYC during rushhour. This fact is easily explained. Traffic moves, on average at 4 mph. A driver can fall asleep at this speed and still wake in time to avoid a collision.
Tip #2 – Take your time no matter how much the guy behind you is flashing his lights.

It’s a Grid, Stupid
Aside from Lower Manhattan, the island is arranged in a grid pattern. First Avenue is the most easterly thoroughfare. Heading west, you will encounter Second Ave. and then Third Ave., etc. The streets decrease from 230th street at the northern tip of the island to 14th street in the south. So to find 33rd and 3rd from 55th and Fifth, head south and east.
Tip #3 – Remember the grid.

Cabbies Know Everything
They may not speak English well and they may look like hell but the average NYC cabbie is a decent, hardworking guy and they know the city inside and out. Don’t limit your questions to directions. Ask them about anything from restaurants to the meaning of the Khalsa. -
Tip #4- Taxicab drivers are an important source of information.

These driving tips were brought to you by Alamo car hire New York – see more of their driving tips for Boston here.

Derby lies within the East Midlands region of England. The town boasts origins that stem from Vikings, Saxons and Romans. The city has experienced centuries of history that has shaped its present day culture. Today, some of the main attractions in Derby are the Derby Cathedral, the Derby Gaol, the Silk Mill and Pickford’s House Museum. However, visiting Derby wouldn’t be complete without a visit to some of the finest dining establishments for which the city is also famous for.

1. Anoki. While traditional Indian cuisine may not be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of dining in an old English town, you will be pleasantly surprised to know that Anoki is a delicious experience. It is the perfect place to bring children, have a romantic dinner or plan a business meeting. The food is spicy and unique, the atmosphere is very traditional and the service is friendly.
2. The Chestnut Tree. Once again, Asian dining has taken up root in the heart of Derby. Nestled within a quaint and cozy pub atmosphere, The Chestnut Tree is a cross between a traditional English atmosphere and a modern Asian dining experience. What are they most famous for? Their use of curry!
3. La Dulce Vita. Italian cuisine is a very popular way to dine, but oftentimes it’s hard to find a restaurant that measures up to your expectations. No so with La Dulce Vita. They feature a very wide variety of Italian food, and their pizza is excellent. You may even be offered a free bottle of wine when you walk in the door!
4. Mansion, Restaurant and Wine Bar. It’s the place you’ve been searching for. European fare is served in an upscale, chill environment for a selective clientele. Try the lamb – it’s amazing.

Useful links for Derby:

• Visit Derby
• Car hire Derby
• Derby hotels

Brighton Royal Pavilion

Once known as the pleasure palace of King George IV, the Brighton Pavilion began life as a modest farmhouse in Brighton. The Prince of Wales, soon to be King George IV, rented the farmhouse and later purchased it and a large amount of the surrounding land in 1786. Work commenced to enlarge the existing house a year later. For several of the following decades, the property was expanded and redesigned in classic Indian architecture, but the interior remained neoclassical. Today the Royal Pavilion in Brighton is a popular tourist destination that is rich in the country’s history, and culture.

Royal Pavilion
The interior of the Pavilion reflects the refined taste in visual arts cultivated by George IV which is reflected in Chinoiserie, a 17th century European style of art that shows a prominent Chinese influence. Throughout the palace the décor exhibits lavishly painted walls, exotic furnishings from France, England, and China adorned with golden gilded dragons, carved palm trees, and imitation bamboo staircases. The Banqueting Room has lavishly decorated walls depicting domestic Chinese scenes and an extraordinary 30 feet high chandelier of glass lotus blossoms adorned with silver dragon claws. The Dragon theme continues throughout the room in the lamp stands made of blue jars of Spode porcelain with ormolu dragon mounts. Even the Queen’s sideboard positioned on the window wall of the Banqueting Room is carved with dragons.

Royal Bedrooms
George IV slept in a bedroom on the upper floor surrounded by walls covered with green dragon wallpaper. The style of the room is a combination of French and English and is complete with the original bed that belonged to King George IV. Other rooms available for viewing are the Yellow Bow Rooms (named for the yellow wallpaper decorated with dragons, phoenixes, and birds of prey), and Queen Victoria’s Apartment whose rooms have been restored to their original chinoiserie decor.

Image credit: Brighton Guy

Within the beautiful Scottish capital of Edinburgh lies the magnificent Balmoral Hotel. Surrounded by some of the city’s most historical buildings, the hotel itself is one of the cultural landmarks associated with Edinburgh. With an ideal location in the heart of the Old Town, the Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh offers visitors a chance to truly reside amongst history. The five star luxury hotels provides for every need and whim of the guest, and is the ideal accommodation for travelers on business or pleasure.

Perhaps what makes the Balmoral Hotel stand out among hotels in Edinburgh is its enviable location on Princes Street. Step out the door of this landmark hotel and you can spot several iconic destinations within the city. First is the Edinburgh Castle, which is over 1000 years old and overlooks the city from atop it’s perch on Castle Rock. Within walking distance of the hotel are other significant locations like St Giles’ Cathedral, Mary King’s Close, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the Scottish Parliament. There is no shortage of cultural attractions all found right outside the front entrance of the hotel.Find out more about things to do in Edinburgh here.

Within the Balmoral Hotel, each of the 168 rooms and 20 suites are designed to bring comfort to guests, and allow them to relax and unwind after a day of work, travel, or sightseeing. Distinctive Scottish touches set the rooms apart, and remind guests of their location. Each room comes with privately controlled air conditioning, stocked minibars and snack baskets, and desks complete with telephones, wireless connections, and televisions offering a range of channels.

Take advantage of the Balmoral Hotel’s fantastic amenities, including the spa, which was recently voted top in all of Scotland. Exercise rooms provide guests with modern equipment, or they can simply swim in the pool, relax in the sauna, or lie in the relaxation rooms. Classes, personal training, and spa services are offered, along with free towels and drinks. At the end of your dar, dine in one of the world class restaurants within the Balmoral Hotel, including the Michelin starred number one, Hadrian’s, and the Bollinger Bar at Palm Court.

Easyjet fly to Edinburgh from London from £26.99

This was a guest post by Mikey for National Car. For your road trip car hire check out National Car

The best advice on creating a road trip playlist is to start early. If your music library is not up to date with your favorite music, the first step one should take is to download any enjoyable song that comes to mind.

Now, it is time to create the playlist itself. If you have a device that can be played in the car, like a MP3 compatible iPod or something similar, add all of the songs you love to a playlist using the options available. If you do not have a device, or no way to play it in the car during the road trip, you are not out of luck!

Buy a package of blank compact discs, which are relatively cheap. Once you have compact discs, it is easy to add and edit music playlists on your computer. This way, you can burn specific songs to each disc, creating numerous unique road trip playlists, each with a different feel, tone, and mood. This, personally, is my favorite method. It is always more exhilarating, I think, to put a CD into the car’s stereo than to choose the next song on an iPod. This way, rather than having multitudes of different varieties of songs on a confusing playlist on a MP3 device, you know what CDs are for a specific artist, genres, or mixes of music. Make sure to label each individual CD, though. Blank discs that come in a package look identical, and it can get confusing deciphering between one or the other if there is no label. It will most definitely take away from the experience of creating a unique road trip playlist. This method is more convenient because you can simply change out a compact disc on your road trip playlist for another when you tire of whatever songs, artists, or genres are burnt onto the CD.

Creating a road trip playlist is a fun, easy experience. If you prepare for it properly, by downloading and getting access to a number of songs you enjoy, you can drive for hours without feeling the constraints of the car. The multiple options, by either creating a playlist on an MP3 device to play in the car, or on a CD, allow individuals to choose which method is best for them.

There is an error that some people make when packing in that they attempt to pack too much stuff, and it becomes burdensome and useless for them to even take anything at all because they have to lug it around, and they don’t end up even using any of it. The trick is to find ways to uniformly organize their materials and keep them minimalistic while at the same time not skimping on what you may need. For instance, one way to do that is to get Zippu bags. Zippu bags are tiny little bags that come in an assortment of colors, and they have little zippers on them. You can put pretty much anything in them. You can put all your socks in one bag, and all your underwear in another. So, then, it doesn’t really take a lot out of you to pack a lot of stuff because it’s all so organized that it just looks like one thing. You’ll just have a piece of luggage that is full of lots of little bags. These little bags can then be further sub-divided by color. You can also put all your toiletries in one handy little toiletries bag, and you can get one from Rick Steve’s travel store. The trick, then, is to organize and not disregard anything you may need in your packing.

Are you planning a vacation in the near future? Of course you want it to be perfect. The sun should shine the whole time and the temperature should be perfect. No wind of course and keep the humidity just right.

That is in a perfect world. We all know that we cannot control the weather. It seems even the weather man has a difficult time controlling it. So it is good to be flexible and plan ahead.

Rain is something that you might have to learn to deal with. In some parts of the country, it can rain on any day of the year. If you are at theme park, you will not want to leave because of the price of the tickets. Plan on bringing rain gear and umbrellas that can easily be packed along.

If you are stuck in the motel or resort because of bad weather, then it is time to enjoy a book or movie. Grab some snacks and settle in for the afternoon. It might be a good break and give you some needed rest.

Children do well with some down time also. Renting that favorite movie or playing a surprise game you brought along for just this type of occasion, can be fun and rewarding for the whole family.