Travel

From Functions and Funerals to Flourish and Fame   How Number 10 Hotel became the new hidden gem of Glasgow's South Side. //steller.co/site/static/js/steller.jsAs a Glaswegian West Ender who now lives in Edinburgh, I will hold my hands up to say that I rarely venture over to Glasgow’s South Side, especially when going for a meal. I was therefore intrigued when a friend recommended a...

On a visit to South East Asia recently I went to see a new botanical garden in Laos. Coming from Edinburgh where the Botanics are such a popular attraction it seemed like an interesting place to go. The garden, Pha Tad Ke, is the first ethnobotanical garden in the country, shining a spotlight on the local and traditional knowledge of...

SCHLOSS Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course in the Scottish Borders has recently joined Destination by Hyatt and completed an extensive refurbishment, including upgrading its bedrooms and installing a new Winter Garden spa with heated infinity pool. The destination has now become one of the first Scottish hospitality businesses to engage with the new look Staycation Scotland (Accommodation) Ltd.A vibrant...

As we are travelling out from the Hawes Pier skipper Duncan takes a little time to explain that the boat will call at Inchcolm Island, where there is not only an Abbey but also a visitor centre, and let some passengers off.He also explains that there are two people employed by Historic Environment Scotland who live on the island...

Following its purchase by Karma Group, a collection of worldwide luxury resorts established by British entrepreneur John Spence, Karma Lake of Menteith is able to offer its guests the opportunity to taste a very special red wine created and blended by John Spence himself, together with his 90-year-old father, Mike.A 2019 Bordeaux, the wine, which John has named Père et...

A camping and glamping site near Musselburgh has been awarded a five-star rating by VisitScotland with inspectors praising the quality of the facilities and describing the park and its grounds as ‘spotless’.The rating makes Drummohr one of only 33 five-star camping and caravan parks sites across Scotland and one of four five-star sites in East Lothian.Drummohr has undergone significant...

Flybe is to open a new base at Cardiff Airport.  The airline will serve Edinburgh and a further 10 destinations across the UK and Europe this summer and will base two of its existing Embraer E195 aircraft in Wales. One of these 118-seat aircraft will arrive at Cardiff in June and the second in September 2015. This announcement will result in the...

Advance tickets are now available on 196 journey combinations using London North Eastern Railway (LNER) for the first time.The rail company want to offer the savings on advance tickets while also making ticketing simpler and smarter, even on shorter journeys within Scotland.David Horne, LNER Managing Director, said: “LNER is on a mission to make rail travel even...

The Giant’s Causeway was once named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in Britain.I can see why. It is a mind-boggling arrangement of mostly hexagonal columns.And the tops form stepping stones that lead from the base of a large cliff and disappear under the sea.That description does not do this UNESCO World Heritage Site justice.It is a must see...

Viking Cruises' brand new cruise ship dropped anchor in the Firth of Forth last week on its maiden voyage from Norway, where Viking Jupiter was officially named by star Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebo. The ship is the sixth ocean-going ship to join Viking's fleet. Jupiter is a 'small ship' by cruise line standards (that means she has space for 930...

The sweet floral scent of lavender drifted across the extensive garden as we chilled after the two-hour Ryanair flight, Edinburgh to Marseille. There was not a cloud in the clear blue sky and very little wind.Indeed, the French flag flying from a flagpole in the neighbouring garden hardly moved. We took in the sun and rejoiced in the experience. However, the...

Nira Caledonia reopened on Thursday with a ribbon cutting ceremony, some fizz and canapés. It has been closed for a nine month refurbishment following a fire last year in Gloucester Place.The work entailed 3 km of cabling, 300 litres of paint, 2000 square metres of carpet and 1092 square metres of wallpaper.The result is a stunning boutique hotel with...

On the occasions when we get away from Edinburgh, we like to really get away. Now that the whole of the US has become reachable in only a couple of hops from Edinburgh Airport it is all the more accessible.On a recent visit to California we were invited to have lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe San Francisco to see...

The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa has begun its multi-sensory bath experience, offering you a moment or two to relax even if you are a busy business traveller.While the hotel has its own spa, some people just don't have time. It is only £20 extra to upgrade to include the Soak Your Senses bath experience in your room.What this...

I’ve never been one for doleing out parenting advice (preferring the flying from the seat of my pants to the studious approach to motherhood) but I will offer these words of wisdom to you: when checking your kiddywink’s school calendar before booking holidays it’s a good idea to make sure you’re consulting the school in Edinburgh, rather than one...

FOUR STAR RATING FOR BAY HOTEL ENSURES ITS PLACE AS ONE OF FIFE’S PREMIER FOOD, ACCOMMODATION & FUNCTION PROVIDERSStunning Waterfront hotel in Kinghorn has recently secured four starsThe Bay Hotel at Pettycur Bay, Kinghorn is celebrating having achieved its VisitScotland four star rating. Popular for private parties, weddings and events, the Hotel, which boasts stunning views across the Firth...

The largest independent hotel in Edinburgh has removed single-use plastic toiletries from their bedrooms, instead offering guests a gift to add to Scotland’s natural beauty. Guests at Ten Hill Place Hotel are being encouraged to take home their free packet of Scottish wildflower seeds, available in every bedroom, to plant this spring. The decision is the latest in the four-star hotel’s series of sustainable changes which...

SILVERWOOD LOCHAN ADDS EXTRA ATTRACTION TO STUNNING NEW PERTHSHIRE RESORTA new luxury lodge resort at Errol in Perthshire is offering an additional attraction for both lodge holiday makers and visitors – its own fully stocked small trout loch, or “lochan”, an old Scottish word for a small loch.Silverwood Luxury Resort is situated between Perth and Dundee in the Carse...

Strathmore Golf Centre near Alyth is celebrating its fourth major win in six years at the recent Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.The centre, which has the 18 hole 72 par Rannaleroch Golf Course at its heart, together with the nine hole 27 par Leitfie Links course, has once again been named Scotland’s Best Golf Course in the “£75 a...

You can stay overnight in the newly renovated apartments right next door to the Palace of Holyroodhouse - and live like royalty.Abbey Strand Apartments at Holyrood have been undergoing complete renovation over the last two years and have now opened their doors to guests.The nine apartments are in the building just on the left of the Abbey...

Following a buyout by the worldwide Karma Group, Karma Lake of Menteith is launched with exciting plans to collaborate with local visitor attractions and further develop its impressive whisky vault.A beautiful country hotel in a truly idyllic Scottish location which has become the latest addition to a worldwide collection of outstanding resorts and estates. It was this tempting proposition...

Think France, think Paris, think Nice, think Cannes. However, Explore France are promoting other areas including Pas-de-Calais, the Loire Valley and Corsica as well as one of their undoubted gems, Antibe, which is, or course, on the French Riviera.The PR machine came to Scotland's Capital with a clear message, consider France for a holiday destination and also look further than...

Luxury charter travels around Scotland from April to October every yearThe Belmond Royal Scotsman luxury charter train will begin its 2019 touring itinerary from Edinburgh Waverley, the departure point for every excursion in its programme.Of the seven main tours that the train operates, the Scotland's Classic Splendours and Scotch Malt Whisky Trail excursions are the first of the...

NEW PHASE RELEASED AT CAIRN LODGES, MAINS OF TAYMOUTH- Luxurious, bespoke Willerby lodges are “on course” for strong salesWith half the development already sold, Mains of Taymouth Country Estate & Golf Course at Kenmore has released a further release of luxury turnkey lodges at its Cairn Lodges holiday home development.Part of the prestigious Taymouth Village on the estate, the development sees Mains of...

32 destinations including four new ones for summer: Antalya (exclusive), Dalaman, Kos (exclusive) and Madeira 160 weekly flights and 700,000 seats available, with a new Boeing 737-800 aircraft added, a 9% uplift on Summer 17 More flights and more seats to Halkidiki, Paphos, Naples and Verona.Jet2.com and  Jet2holidays has announced its biggest ever summer flights and holidays programme from Edinburgh Airport for Summer 2018.There are four brand new destinations (two of them exclusive to Jet2), over 700,000 seats and thousands of 2-5...

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) will have hundreds of thousands of tickets for sale from Tuesday to cover the Christmas and New Year period.Tickets will apply to travel between 21 December and 6 January 2023.You can sign up today for alerts on the LNER website and App.David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “We are looking forward to...

Vueling surprised their 400,000th customer travelling through Edinburgh Airport, lucky Tracey McTeague from South Queensferry.Tracey was boarding her flight to Alicante when she was presented with a pair of free return flights to Barcelona for a future trip.The low-cost Spanish airline has been flying from Edinburgh Airport for five years and provided more than 100,000 seats from the Scottish...

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has more good news for Edinburgh holidaymakers.They have just announced a BRAND NEW destination – IZMIR in Turkey - as part of their Summer 20 programme from Edinburgh Airport, which goes on sale today.Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has put flights and holidays on sale to 33 destinations from Edinburgh Airport for Summer 20. The addition of more capacity means over 850,000 seats are going on sale today. As well...

The Chris Stewart Group is a name which has become more and more familiar in Edinburgh with firstly the Old Town Apartments on Advocate's Close, and now development of the building at Baxter's Place into a Courtyard Marriott.Advocate's Close was Scotland’s Best Building 2014, and received the RIAS Andrew Doolan Award.The building in Baxter's Place has been empty for some considerable time,...

Historic Mansion House on Unst, Shetland thanks its funders, supporters and customers as it looks ahead to post pandemic recoveryThe historic Belmont House on Unst, Shetland, now run as a commercial self catering business, is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its rescue by five volunteers whose connections to, and love of the island, inspired them to step in to...