Travel

Five star freebies

Three weeks to go this summer and it's good news for Staycationers - no charge for kids to eat or stay at superluxe Stoke Park this month. Book up and chill out!
Gourmet Getaway, The Belfry Hotel & Resort

Muddy tucks into a 6-course Tasting Evening at this 4* top golf, leisure and spa resort in the North Warwickshire countryside. It was definitely well above par.
Cruising with kids

Cruising is not just for pensioners - some lines go all out to attract families. Find out about typical children's activities onboard and some of the adventurous places you could visit.
Riverside luxury

Looking for a relaxing spa break that's not going to take hours to get to? I know just the place.
The perfect honeymoon

Getting married? Don't leave your honeymoon to the last minute. Here's how to plan the perfect holiday as Mr and Mrs.
Make a dash for the seaside

You don't have to hop on a plane to enjoy a little beach time this summer. Here are 8 stylish British staycations for inspiration
Cotswold House Hotel

This boutique townhouse hotel in Chipping Campden gives its country house cousins a run for their money.
Insiders Guide To Falmouth

A seaside town with bags of style, community spirit and an arty edge. Here's Muddy's favourite places to eat, stay, shop and play in Falmouth
The Castle Inn, West Lulworth

Rustic luxe pub with rooms, food by a Blumenthal protégé and just two minutes walk away from the stunning Jurassic coast. I'd say the dream combo for a weekend away...
A romantic overnighter with a twist

Muddy's Kerry Potter got married at The Tythe Barn in Launton, North Oxon, a decade ago. She returns - with her husband (yep, he's still tolerating her, phew) - for a sleepover at the venue's new shepherd's hut.
The Muddy Guide to Antigua

I escaped the snow in February for a week in Antigua - and with 365 beaches to choose it was hard work (*cough*). The result? Your replete guide to where to stay, put your beach towel, eat and sightsee in this most laidback of Caribbean islands.
Childfriendly chic in the New Forest

Looking for a special, take-a-deep breath space—all Mad Men elegance, oodles of space for kids & a mahoosive dining table? Welcome to Slate Cottage.
Sheep on Sheep Street

This Stow-on-the-Wold hotel, restaurant and bar looks like a period drama on the outside – and on inside the scene is set for stylish, urbanite fun.
Need long-haul holiday inspo?

Have we got gorgeous beaches, chic shacks and twinkly turquoise waters for you. Travel porn incoming!
Tour travel: could it be for you?

Group touring has come a long way from guides waving umbrellas in the air! Increasing popular, there are now lots of small and perfectly formed far-flung travel options...
Vacation staycation

If you go down to the woods today you're sure of a big surprise - namely, these fantastic forest holidays, complete with a special Muddy discount.
Cliff Cottage, Iken

Heart-stopping views and an open, airy interior make this secret, Suffolk hideaway very special indeed. Perched high above the River Alde, expect big sunsets and endless, estuary horizons.
Caribbean island match

Budget-conscious or luxe? Romantic or family-friendly? Get the lowdown on the right islands and resorts for you with our handy guide.
Thai for beginners

As the kids go back to school and the nights draw in, what's the best thing to do? Book a holiday, of course! Fancy something a bit further afield this time?
Broadway Barn

Superbly styled, this 200-year-old barn in Ripley is perfect for a romantic or relaxing break.
Stay at the Stag

A relaxed country inn with seven charming rooms for an appealing 30 second stagger to bed after dinner. Shall we?
Make your holidays count: 13 trips of a lifetime

Splashing out on a big celebration holiday? Have we got some travel inspo for you, featuring palm trees, tropical islands, star-gazing, sundowners and private butlers. Bring it on.
Ski Luxury for Less

Are you after a luxury ski holiday but want it on a smaller budget? Fear not, Muddy is here to help - check out our top tips for luxe for less!
Hotel of the year, you say? Muddy checks in

The Pointer in Brill is hoovering up awards but what's the Muddy verdict on its new B&B rooms? Kerry Potter goes for a sleepover and fry-up.
Peruvian perfection

Muddy's Sascha just trekked Machu Picchu for her 50th, but managed to shoehorn boutique hotels into her trip. That's our kinda backpacking! Read on for trip of a lifetime inspo.
Room with a view

Lavishly decorated, a spectacular view and a whopping great big brass bath at The Swan Hotel in Wells – why wouldn't you?
Cotswold luxury – hello Bruern Cottages!

Looking for a pretty-as-a-picture Cotswold cottage for a trip with the fam or friends? Here's one that the Astor family made earlier.
Holiday in Lake Annecy

With its clear blue waters and striking mountain backdrops Lake Annecy is simply breathtaking.
2 days left to grab up to 40% off luxe Family Hols

Was summer a staycation washout? In that case you may want to feast your eyes on Turquoise Holiday's Family Sale - up to 40% (yes, you read that right) off stunning holidays in the Maldives, Mauritius and South East Asia. See you on the sun lounger!
The Inn @ West End

Take an award-winning pub in a pretty village, add stylish rooms and fab food. Add gin and book up.
Pick of Edinburgh Fringe

Heading to Edinburgh Festival? Overwhelmed by the brochure? Get a shortcut with my picks of the Fringe
Shakespeare’s Gardens

Been to visit the stunning contemporary new sculpture garden at Shakespeare's New Place in Stratford yet?
Say namaste to an Asian hotel in Alicante

An Asian-themed hotel right in the centre of Alicante? Meet Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa
Edinburgh Fringe planning tips

Get the best from the fest with my handy guide to how to plan your gig-going
Holiday glamping

This bijou glamping site on the Surrey-Sussex border is the perfect place enjoy the natural charms of the English countryside.
RED (CAMPER) VAN WOMAN

This baby's got everything you need to be pretty much self-contained. It's fab to drive and when you park up you can be cooking up dinner, knocking back wine and/or be cosy in bed within minutes.
50 shades of Hurley House

Pack your best knickers for a naughty weekend away in a beautiful boutique bolthole in Berkshire.
Breakfast in ‘Broadchurch’

The first award-winning series of Broadchurch opened with a shot of distinctive honeycombed sandstone cliffs with a child’s body at the bottom. I may not have guessed who done it, even by the final episode, but I immediately recognised where. Broadchurch is largely shot in West Bay on Dorset’s Jurassic coast, a few bays down from Lyme […]
New spa & afternoon tea

A cosy new spa in an old seafront cellar and a show-stopping afternoon tea at the stylish Brighton Harbour Hotel
And The Winner Is…

Happy days to one very lucky Muddy reader who is about to float off with a luxury weekend at Another Place, The Lake in Ullswater, The Lake District. Thousands of you entered this one – I guess everyone needs a holiday! – but the winner is (*drum roll*)… Michelle Tebbutt. Congratulations to you lady. I’m […]
Sundays At The Star & Garter

An amazing slow-cooked Sunday roast and stunning waterside views await at this gastro pub on Falmouth's old high street.
Chic sleeps and Sunday roasts at Rathfinny Wine Estate

Ever keeled over on a settee hugging a bottle of Pinot Noir? No, me neither <cough>. Anyway, here’s a much more sophisticated way to sleep with wine. Rathfinny vineyard perched in the South Downs has some gorgeous cosy-yet-stylish accommodation in the Flint Barns on site. It’s perfect for either a house party or a rejuvinating […]
Vegas, Baby! New flights from Gatwick

When I travel I love to experience another culture. I prefer boutique hotels and if there’s great local food as well then I’m one happy bunny. So Vegas with its crass fakery, giant accommodation and all-you-can-eat buffets should be my idea of holiday hell… yet somehow it isn’t. I’ve been there a couple of times and found […]
Muddy Stays: The Barn at Roundhurst

Remember that dramatic wedding scene at the end of The Graduate when Dustin Hoffman bangs on the glass at the top of the church? I had to fight the urge not to recreate it when I stayed over at The Barn at Roundhurst recently. Just look at this epic lounge/restaurant space with a glass-fronted snug […]
My fave places: Somerset crime queen Clare Donoghue

Crime novelist Clare Donoghue was brought up in Somerset and spent the obligatory ten years in London before moving back to the West Country to do an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa. By the end of the year she had her first novel – Never Look Back – and her main characters DI […]
Stay here: The Castle Hotel, Windsor

And so it came to pass that the mudlets were gently but firmly pushed into the loving arms of their doting Auntie while Mr Muddy B and I hopped into the car and floored it. Yes, we had escaped to Windsor for 24 hours… no kids to harrass us, nothing to do but browse in shops (yes, […]
It’s a family affair

The Hornbys are a talented bunch. Author Gill Hornby, sister of Nick, shares her favourite places.