Not too many years ago, people looked forward to one, two-week, holiday every year along with a couple of weeks of trips out to soak up the rest of their holiday allowance. But in these modern times of cheap and available travel, the focus is now much more on short, exotic weekend breaks. But while it is now perfectly acceptable to get to somewhere as far-flung as New York for a long weekend, there are also plenty of alternatives closer to home for a relaxing weekend away from home.
If you fancy a break in the UK, you could try The Cotswold’s. Covering nearly 800 square miles across five counties and with many parts designated as areas of outstanding natural beauty, this is the place to find wonders such as Ellenborough Park where you can get 10% OFF rooms and spa if you quote 'Hawkins & Brimble' when booking, Cowley Manor, Tortworth Court, and the excitingly named Slaughters Manor. The Cotswold’s are filled with a mass of superb weekend getaways to really help you relax.
Down on the South West Coast, things are hotting up, not only on the water sporting front but with weekend getaways too. Fast becoming the Riviera of the UK, Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset are inviting weekend destinations and easy to get to. If you fancy your weather a bit warmer, you could try Bovey Castle on Dartmoor, Lewinnick Lodge sited on the jutting Pentire Headland, near Newquay, or Gidliegh Park on the edge of Dartmoor. Any of these or many more besides are excellent and exciting places to spend a weekend getaway.
With flight, road and rail travel being relatively cheap, you could always head a bit further afield in the UK and go really North rather than just North London. While renowned for its rugged and windswept vista, Scotland too has a miscellanea of high-end getaways to suit your taste for all thing Gaelic. You could check out the Barony Castle on the Scottish borders, the Fraser Monastery on the shores of Loch Ness, or the apparently haunted Scone Palace, where the spirits of Scottish warriors allied to Robert the Bruce are said to have fallen, possibly whilst drunk!
Flights to Europe are now so cheap, that its almost easier flying to them than driving to a city just 20 miles from you, and with last minute hotel deals just as good, there are some great breaks to be had. Exciting cites such as Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin, Barcelona and Florence are all a two hour flight time from London Heathrow, making the easily accessible, but if you fancy adding an extra hour to that flight, you can reach some truly exotic cities, and get to stay in the Excelsior Hotel in Dubrovnik, or the Brody House in Budapest., or even the magnificent Hotel Borg in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland.
Weekend getaways are becoming the must-do activity for the young and aspirational travelers and with the pound being low, flights are easy to pick up at really low cost. The only problem is picking where you want to go on your next break.
