I’ve been lucky enough to spend time in some truly fascinating and beautiful places this year, but nothing compares to the Isle of Wight. Delicious local food, freshly-caught seafood, genuine warm welcomes everywhere, breathtaking cliff views, clean sandy beaches, real ale, rolling green countryside, farm shops bursting with honey, garlic, relishes, eggs, milk…

And a top place to stay: Vintage Vacations with Helen and Frazer.

I woke up on Monday, back home after just two nights away (that felt like a real holiday), and the radio station was asking ‘what is the first thing you do when you get back from holiday?’

Most people, it seems, make a cup of tea – or collect their cat from neighbours.

Me?

Book another holiday! And the next one will be back in the Isle of Delight that is the Isle of Wight.

Launched in 2011, the Food and Wine Academy offers an opportunity for experts from the hospitality sector to share their experience and knowledge with students and industry partners, and was borne from the Hotel ICON philosophy of providing interactive and dynamic learning environments in addition to state-of-the-art educational facilities.

Fletcher, who was trained by Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens, joined The Pawn in Hong Kong in August 2011 as Head Chef and continues to champion sophisticated British fare whilst using the finest fresh Hong Kong-grown ingredients.

Richard Hatter, General Manager of Hotel ICON explains why Fletcher is hosting the intermediate- to median-level workshop: “We are a hotel with a purpose and the Food and Wine Academy is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. In collaboration with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, we’ve identified organic cooking as a trend that will go from strength to strength in coming years, so it’s imperative that hospitality students learn new skills in a practical environment to ensure they keep up with what customers want and expect.”

“Working with only the best organic ingredients sourced by Homegrown Foods from growers across Hong Kong, participants will get hands-on experience of ‘green cooking’ with a top chef in our state-of-the-art food laboratory and kitchen.”

Dishes prepared will be Organic Heirloom Tomato, Basil, Beetroot, Baby Cucumber Salad with Rosemary & Honey Dressing and Organic Mushroom, Sweet Potato and Thyme Bake. The salad deliciously exhibits the fruit flavours of the heirloom tomatoes whilst the combination of fresh beetroot, cucumber, rosemary and sweet honey combine to create a mouth-watering summer dish. The Bake, a hot dish that perfectly balances sweet and savoury, is hearty yet delicately-flavoured with thyme.

First-come first-served places on the Organic Cooking Workshop cost only HK$475 (£40) per person and the three-hour course is open to the public. The workshop takes place at The Western Food Lab, THB207, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Contact Denise Law on denise.law {at} polyu.edu(.)hk or tel: 852 3400 2180.

Having just spent a week touring the British Isles (I visited the Isle of Man, which is not part of the UK, as well as several places in England) and staying in various accommodation styled ‘hotel’; ‘guest house’ and ‘B&B’, I can honestly say that the luxury I most appreciated…was silence.

The silence that comes with no mobile phone, no tap-tap-tap of the laptop keyboard, no iPad, no radio and no TV. The sort of soundlessness (my new word) that is at first rather threatening to the modern urban dweller but which very swiftly provides a cocoon of tranquility enabling the mind to wander, and relax…

Anyway. Top spots? Arundel Castle – seen from a train window -  and Stonehenge – seen from a car window – were ticked off the list. Bath – shame about the 75 minute queue for the spa, but redeemed by microbrewery Graze, right by the station. The golden sand beach at Port Erin, with Bradda Head and the Irish Sea glistening to the horizon, made the perfect spot for a locally-crafted choc-mint ice cream ona  hot, sunny day (yes, we had a few).

Best bit? The food! In ten days, I only had one dud meal -  and it wasn’t inedible, just average.

Where will they all stay?

Many will doubtless have their own private or official London homes – Dame Shirley Bassey; the Canadian Prime Minister – but many more must surely now be seeking top notch, secure central London accommodation. Given how hard it can be to find a room in this town, it must be a challenge for all those aides and agents tasked with making the bookings.

Some potential options include The Royal Horseguards and its neighbour Corinthia London, or perhaps The Goring (recently voted as serving the best Afternoon Tea in town) or a penthouse at Grange St Paul’s? Of course, there is always The Ritz, the favoured hotel of Baroness Thatcher herself and the place where she passed away on Monday.

Next Wednesday promises to be quite an occasion.

The Bluebell Railway in Sussex has just opened the greatest engineering project undertaken by a UK heritage railway by linking itself to the national railway network at East Grinstead.

Not a train spotter? Visitors don’t need to be – this is a charming day out at a reasonable cost: £16 day return for a 90 minute round trip along a restored and renewed 22 mile track. The station at East Grinstead is a work in progress but the splendid Horsted Keynes (used as a set for the likes of ITV’s Downtown Abbey and Miss Marple) is a gem – and a great spot for a beer or hot tea by the Waiting Room fire.

Kids of all ages – both boys and girls – love the locomotives, the steam, the elemental aspect of the railway: these things aren;t controilled by an app and an iPhone won’t count for much on the footplate!

Preserved railways like The Bluebell Railway rely on volunteers to run it and the public to fund it with donations. In lean economic times, projects such as this are a way to future proof the UK tourism economy and ensure its vitality is retained.

Bravo Bluebell!

Located in the centre of the resort, close to the breath taking main swimming pool, there is no charge for Andara Kidz Club which is open daily from 8am to 6pm for children aged 4 to 12 years. A range of supervised activities including bag, batik and balloon painting are on offer, so children can create a range of Thai-inspired souvenirs that are sure to memories once back at home, as well as plenty of grins and giggles on holiday. Children’s creativity is set free when making greetings cards and fun face masks, and there is even time set aside for enjoying a range of the latest movies.

Daniel Meury, General Manager of Andara Resort & Villas, said: “Andara is the ideal Thai retreat for families seeking a safe and private holiday together. We’re just moments from the beach and the calm waters of Kamala Bay, while the resort also offers a gorgeous palm-tree-lined pool. Our new new Kidz Club means there is even more to entertain our younger guests while their parents enjoy signature spa treatments, drinks on their private terrace or simply precious time alone together.”

Andara boasts a collection of deluxe pool villas and spacious residence suites, perfect for families with children of all ages and those travelling with grandparents or a nanny. Commanding the finest views of the entire resort, Pool Villas (with three, four, five or six bedrooms) boast spacious bedrooms that open directly onto the breath-taking ocean vista.  Lavish en-suite facilities include indoor and discrete outdoor showers and bathtubs, seamlessly blending interior space with the lush tropical exterior.  Living and dining areas are lavishly decorated with traditional Thai tones and materials, without neglecting guests’ needs for the latest entertainment and communications technologies.

Andara Phuket Residence Suites provide families with expansive accommodation with sumptuous bedrooms and beautifully appointed bathrooms, while the living and dining areas enjoy Andaman Sea views. Offered with one to four bedrooms, the suites are the perfect Phuket family experience.

Abercrombie & Kent  (0845 485 1142) offers seven nights accommodation at Andara with breakfast from £2,395 per person based on two adults and two children including flights and taxes.

Entering the now almost-complete Basilica, the first thing that struck me was the intensity of the coloured light streamign through the stained glass windows. And the vastness of the space – visitors walk around craning their necks to see up, up, up.

A grand interior was what I expected. More of a surprise was a ride in a  lift – me, my friend and the lift operator – to the top of Naixement Tower and the knee-trembling views across Barcelona, out to sea…and down!

Well worth the EUR20 and an unexpected thrill!

The photos show the view over Jesus’s shoulder out towards the city and the rather vertiginous view lookign down inside the Naixement Tower.

It’s simple. It’s fun to join in. And it’s a good example of how to engage social media users to further promote a blog or brand online.

Check out Isabelle’s work here.

Hotel ICON, Hong Kong’s groundbreaking teaching and research hotel, earned a place among the Top 25 Luxury Hotels and Best Hotels as well as the Top 25 Hotels for Service in China. The list is part of TripAdvisor’s 2013 Traveler’s Choice Awards. Now in its eleventh year, the highly prized TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards reflect the unbiased reviews and opinions from millions of real travelers across the globe.

Guests of Hotel ICON were almost unanimous in their praise for the premier hotel in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. A typical comment reads that Hotel ICON “raised the bar higher for all hotels around the world” and described the hotel as a “jewel in the east” offering an “amazing experience.” Another guest accurately noted that Hotel ICON is “superb in every way”.

From the start, Hotel ICON set out to be a hotel with a purpose: to become the global centre of excellence in education and research in hospitality and tourism. Committed to providing interactive and dynamic learning environments, Hotel ICON serves as a resource centre for the hospitality industry, offering the public, hoteliers and students invaluable insights and industry knowledge

While Hotel ICON continues towards its goal of ‘Being Tomorrow’s Hotel’, the latest honour recognizes the property’s uncompromising quality and level of service. Unaffiliated with any brands or hotel chains, Hotel ICON has been able to forge its own identity and service standards.

“I am very pleased to see the recognition for this the World’s First Fully Integrated Teaching and Research Hotel developing true professionals in our industry,” said Richard Hatter, General Manager of Hotel ICON. “We are on TripAdvisor’s Top Luxury Hotels 2013 with less than two years of opening, thank you to all our guests and fans for sharing their experience online. I am beyond excited for this recognition. It’s a great success for the brand because it really shows how much the brand has grown and what it has come to represent.  And also my great team, without their thoughtful service and continuous effort, an undertaking like this would have been nearly impossible.”

Officially opened in September 2011, Hotel ICON offers 262 guest rooms and suites, three food and beverage outlets, an Angsana Spa featuring professional therapists from the world-famous Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, a state-of-the-art gym, and an outdoor swimming pool overlooking the spectacular views of Victoria Harbour. Featuring the combined efforts of Hong Kong’s most creative talents, the premier hotel stands as a stylish testament to Hong Kong’s vibrant arts scene.

CANDLE-LIT ROME, AFRICAN STARS, CARIBBEAN SUNSETS AND TUSCAN TRYSTS

Love is in the air and Voyage Ashore, the new independent online service for travellers offering affordable tours in luxury destinations worldwide, has selected the most romantic of its current 796 tours in 65 countries available to book by love-struck Brits this Valentine’s Day.

There is nowhere more reminiscent of romance than Paris. Explore the city of lovers by bicycle for four hours to discover secrets and stories that even Paris aficionados will find fascinating. The tour includes Tuileries Gardens – created by the heartbroken Catherine, widow of France’s King Henry II – and starts from the Eiffel Tower, a worldwide symbol of love. Make the tour even more special – bring a flask of chocolat chaud to share. From £25pp.

How to better a tour of the icons of Rome escorted by an expert guide? A tour after nightfall with Roman Candles is how. This magical tour takes in The Spanish Steps, The Pantheon and Piazza Venezia, concluding at The Trevi Fountain – an ideal spot for a marriage proposal under the night stars – and shows off the Italian capital in all its glory. From £30pp.

The Cliff Divers at La Quebrada are a must-see when in Acapulco, Mexico. Enjoy a delicious evening meal with views of the bay after an engaging tour of the city, then head out to the cliff tops to witness the brave young men who make diving into the sea an art form. From £56pp.

Flirting in Florence? Discover one-thousand years of history on an escorted full-day tour of Tuscan treasures in Pisa and Lucca. Pose in Pisa for photos with the leaning tower – world famous and now fully restored – and explore the Etruscan sights before heading to Lucca to see the two-thousand year old Roman architecture, famous basilica mosaics and ancient city walls. From £81pp.

What could be more romantic than holding hands, strolling under the stars with dreamy eyes? Indulge in a traditional Egyptian supper in Sharm el Sheikh with entertainment and live music around an open fire before heading to the giant telescopes to star-spot. Expert guides assist with identifying and photographing the stars, planets and constellations. From £30pp.

Share a sunset in paradise…Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas. This two-hour excursion departs from the central port area and offers couples an opportunity to whisper sweet nothings to one another as the sun descends beyond the horizons. A freshly-prepared barbecue supper and rum punch are included. From £38pp.

For an extra special evening, savour the sunset off Langwaki, Malaysia while enjoying a Jacuzzi – champagne in hand – aboard a luxury yacht named Nautiness. The Langwaki archipelago is renowned for its tranquil anchorages, breath taking coastline and abundant marine life – take swimwear and a snorkel to enjoy it to the full. From £221pp.

Soar over the landscape near Marrakesh with a sunrise hot air balloon excursion that includes in-flight champagne and traditional refreshments upon landing. Hotel transfers are included to enable couples to relax and enjoy being pampered for a spectacular morning. From £215pp.