We love the fact that February brings with it the Chinese ‘Spring Festival’, known more commonly as their New Year. Culminating with the 'Lantern festival’ on the 15th day, the festivities this February are injecting much-needed colour, vibrancy, and joy to our cities.
Where will you be celebrating the Year of the Pig? Whether you're born under the Pig or just want to eat like one, let the Spring Festivities begin…
This boutique B&B in Puglia is one of our favourite mini-moon boltholes…With just six suites, it’s bijou but bursting with character & style. Perfectly positioned to explore the heel of Italy, we recommend hiring a vespa to visit the region’s vineyards and quiet beaches. May, June and September are our favourite months to visit.
Keen to chat with us about your honeymoon? We’ll be at the Most Curious Bridal Show 1st-3rd March at the Truman Brewery and have a pair of complimentary tickets for one lucky couple…
With just a month to go until our favourite bridal show, Most Curious, and given that we’re now officially into the month of love…stay tuned in February for our daily fix of honeymoon hotels & villas-just-for-two.
Today, we’re heading to a little-known private island resort in Indonesia, Cempedak. With just 20 hillside and beach villas - all with private pools - and no children under 16 on the island, you’ll be hard-pushed not to relax here. For wildlife enthusiasts, bottle-nose dolphins, sea otters and green sea turtles are a common sight. Within the 17 hectares of golden sands, rocky coves and emerald-green jungle, you’ll also find lawn tennis courts and croquet, and kayaking, paddle-boarding and sailing and popular past-times.
Foodies definitely won’t be disappointed either….whilst Cempedak works hard to source locally and reduce waste, the variety on offer is astounding. Breakfast includes a tropical fruit platter, pastry baskets and a choice of eggs or muesli. Lunch and dinner are a delicious mix of local and contemporary Asian flavours . And if you just want a sandwich, they can do that too.
No air-con here but the fans and the sea breeze will keep you cool enough. And you’ll sleep well at night knowing that simply by staying at the hotel, you’re contributing to the Island Foundation, an education programme for villagers across the archipelago focusing on nutrition, hygiene, crafts, English language, IT skills.
Interested? Contact us for our advice on the best months to stay…
Considering sharing a holiday with friends? A large villa for a few families makes good financial sense and, assuming you choose those families carefully, kids and adults alike will be entertained from dawn to dusk! Hosting up to 12 people, this villa is one of the oldest fincas (farms) on the island and has been beautifully restored, while remaining in the same Ibizan family for 200 years. Showcasing gorgeous Sabina (native wood) beams, traditional whitewashed walls and an earthy colour palette, the open-plan living spaces flow seamlessly out to the beautifully manicured lawns, infinity pool and shady summer kitchen and dining area. This villa is also near to some of the best beaches on the West coast, such as Cala Gracio, Punta Galera and Cala Tarida.
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to make sure you don't miss out on more 2019 holiday and honeymoon ideas. And if you'd like to receive our monthly newsletter or My Native Kids brochure, go to my-native.com/contact-us.
Tiled in a piercing Yves Klein blue, the pool at this six-bedroom Ibizan villa is insanely enticing, isn't it? We're particularly fond of the outdoor cinema and summer kitchen. The interiors are pretty special too...
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to make sure you don't miss out on the villa portfolio we’re sharing with you this week. And if you'd like to receive our monthly newsletter or My Native Kids brochure, go to my-native.com/contact-us.
It still takes us by surprise that Ibiza, the ultimate Spanish party island, works just as well for toddlers and teens as it does raging ravers. If you're not there to make shapes and wear glow sticks, Ibiza offers relaxed dining by the beach, coastal cycling paths, caves to explore, zip lines, paddle-boarding and pristine countryside for horse treks. We think most families would have a blast and we’re thrilled to be marketing a new portfolio of villas on the island - for couples, families and large groups - which we’ll be sharing with you this week. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out. If you’d like to receive our monthly newsletter or My Native Kids brochure, sign up here
Tourist License: ETV-1368-E
Are you thinking of sun or snow for your Easter holidays? We're going with snow but one of our clients is considering Jordan for some early spring sun and we think it's a brilliant choice. April is the ideal month to visit and it's a fantastic location for families with older children who are ready to explore. Float on the Dead Sea, walk along the streets of the Roman Decapolis in Jerash, star-gaze from a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, even learn how to make baba ghanoush in Amman's finest cookery school. All this before you've even arrived in Petra! As this is the third most water-scarce country in the world, our superb guides will be sure to drop the topic of sustainability into the conversation...
Jordan features in our Native Kids brochure out later this month, sign up here for a copy, or if you're ready to chat now, call us on 0203 371 7203.
Started planning your 2019 holidays yet? If you'd like a hit of holiday and honeymoon ideas directly into your inbox each month in 2019, sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter. We'll be reviewing the Indonesian private island resorts of Nikoi and Cempadak in February, updating you on renovations at the sublime Copperhill Mountain Lodge in Sweden, weekending at the Palazzo Avino on the Amalfi coast in the Spring….and test-driving the Mandarin Oriental resort in Bodrum in the Summer.
And our family brochure is coming out in January featuring itinerary ideas for destinations including Jordan, Borneo, Namibia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Oman, and the Seychelles, a focus on our favourite family-friendly safari lodges and a directory of hotels where we know the service levels won’t disappoint. Plus we’ll be spotlighting villas that we know & love. Let us know if you’d like a copy.
We've enjoyed working with some lovely clients in 2018, exceeding their expectations on being price competitive, and providing honest, local knowledge and reliable, unparalleled services wherever in the world they’ve landed. For some of our clients, they just like the fact that we save them time and allow them to focus on work, family, house renovations, wedding planning, a new baby and whatever life is throwing at them.
We look forward to meeting and delighting more of you in 2019...
As much as we'd love you to be planning ahead for your 2019 hols right now, we know your mind is probably on Christmas parties and gifts for your loved ones - and quite right too! If you're buying for a globe-trotting friend or relative, we love these personalised wash bags and manicure sets, from one of our favourite partners, NotAnotherBill — quote NAB5 to get £5 off your first order.
For those of you who are already wondering where 2019 will take you, contact us for ideas and prices at julie@my-native.com or call on 0203 371 7203.
We’re thrilled to be exhibiting again at Most Curious (1st-3rd March 2019 at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane) and will be looking forward to talking 2019 & 2020 mini & mega honeymoons with more lovely couples. The show really is the most vibrant and creative gathering of wedding professionals so do come along if you’re planning something a little bit different…
Curious? To buy tickets, please go to: https://www.amostcuriousweddingfair.co.uk/shop. And if you’d like some honeymoon ideas or proposals ahead of the show, email us at info@my-native.com.
Hosting Christmas this year and fancy putting your feet up somewhere lovely for New Year? Lucknam Park in Wiltshire has a fabulous two-night offer which packs in two afternoon teas, a champagne reception and Michelin-starred dinner, a New Years Day brunch and treasure hunt for adults and children alike. We reckon you can easily squeeze in a swim in their 20ft pool, a pampering spa treatment, and a ride at their Equestrian Centre...with 35 horses, there's one to suit all sizes and abilities. The hotel works equally well for family gatherings as it does romantic luxury getaways. Contact us to check availability and for promotional Black Friday rates across all destinations.
If you’re lucky, your May break will coincide with Tinos Food Paths, a food festival, which takes islanders and visitors alike around the island to discover the best gastronomic spots. Think beach barbecues, fish suppers at Tinos market, cuttlefish risotto on harbour-side tables – local recipes, local ingredients and, most importantly of all, in the company of the locals themselves.
Just a 30-minute sail from the party island of Mykonos, Tinos is a great choice for families & couples in search of the quieter, more authentic side to Greece.
Villa Eti provides an ideal spot to kick-back at, complete with a fresh-water pool and a playground, and it’s an easy stroll to the beach.
If your holiday ticklist includes a pool and a beach nearby, cast a glance at Villa Chloe on Paros in the Greek Cyclades. Offering 4 bedrooms, spacious living areas, a beach-front infinity pool and ensuite bathrooms for all, the villa rents for €6,000/week at May half-term.
On Paros, expect whitewashed villages, blue-domed churches, blonde-sand beaches, and lively tavernas. A haven for families...Golden Beach, where Villa Chloe is situated, has the sandiest of shallow waters for toddlers and young children. An ideal spot for windsurfing too.
The kitchen cabinets alone make us want to go back....
At My Native, we always encourage our clients to book their holidays ahead: it makes sense on all levels - best location, best prices, peace of mind that it's done. Our Travel Smart, Book Ahead series is packed full of ideas for 2019 and we're kicking off this week with a few of our favourite villas from the Greek islands. For families, May half-term is unquestionably the best week to head to Greece.
We're supremely fussy when it comes to villas and will only recommend the best....take a peek and let us know your favourites...
Our daughter is a social animal and so her definition of a “good holiday,” is “I made a friend, and have a new penpal!" With this in mind, we started to look at European resorts with a kids’ club for our summer holiday. There are some truly excellent ones out that there that would have ticked all of our demanding boxes, but the price tags were hard to justify for a room with four of us bundled in together. Our usual camping week in the Pyrenees would have afforded us more space & privacy!
So we looked further afield this year to the Indian Ocean and found direct flights – tick, kids clubs – tick, pristine beaches – tick, reliably good weather without it being 40+ degrees – tick, less expensive than Europe - tick, new destination & experiences - tick, tick. Booked.
So, what’s the verdict? The kids have loved feeding giant tortoises, taking a 12-seater plane to get to a remote island, spotting turtles on snorkelling trips, our nine-year-old has got her PADI seal certificate, a conservationist has shown us how sustainable tourism works in practice, and how important it is to protect an island’s indigenous species. And between my husband and I, we’ve slotted in six dives, a spa treatment, morning yoga, our first game of squash in 10 years and finished three books…so definitely feels like we’ve had a holiday. And, one of the key elements of a holiday for me, the food, has been divine. In particular, the farm-to-table experience at Denis Island – one of the most remote places I’ve visited – is an inspiration, and wonderful for the children to experience too.
Our advice? Book ahead to ensure a good fare on your flights, choose your resort carefully as not all kids clubs are made equal, and split your time between at least two islands. If you do this, the Seychelles can work brilliantly for your Easter or summer family vacation.
Take Note | The Seychelles sits 4-11 degrees south of the Equator, and as such enjoys a tropical climate. Expect the odd tropical storm at all times of year.
As you know, we love the Ile de Re. Here is just one of the many honeymoon destination postcards we will be handing out at the Most Curious Wedding Show this weekend (find us at stand no. 101). We have partnered up with our favourite hotel on the island, l'Hotel de Toiras, to offer you the chance of winning a two-night stay at the hotel including your flights to La Rochelle & private transfers...the ideal mini-moon or pre-wedding escape from planning.
Simply take a photo of yourself at our My Native stand and tag @mynative with the hashtag #mynativehoneymoon. And then follow us @mynativetravel. The winner will be drawn on Sunday 4th March and announced on Instagram & Facebook.
We are so excited to be the only honeymoon specialists exhibiting at the Most Curious Wedding Fair in London (2-4 March). A match made in heaven, bringing together the style savvy bride and the travel company for the discerning traveller. Come and find us to talk about your perfect honeymoon. Tickets available at www.amostcuriousweddingfair.co.uk
15% DISCOUNT ON ALL ENTRY TICKETS with code CURIOUSLOVE!
Take out your calendar for the year & decide where you'd like to go when, and then book it - Easter, Summer, October half-term, celebratory weekends, Christmas. This doesn't mean paying for everything now, we can hold flights for you and guarantee a cheaper fare; and many of our preferred hotels don't even require a deposit. This will actually give you greater flexibility and what you save on flights, you can spend elsewhere, or just save!
With Eurostar starting its direct service to Amsterdam this Spring, Native Weekenders are in for a treat, particularly at the enchanting Pulitzer. Overspent this Christmas? We reckon you'd spend less on a Christmas holiday in the Andaman Islands assuming you book ahead... For more of our top travel tips for 2018, click here
The hotel stretches between 25 houses & 2 canals...
Francesco Mazzei's new Mediterranean restaurant, Fiume, in Battersea Power Station, has left us yearning for some southern Italian sun. Don Totu in Puglia ticks all of our boxes...as does Villa Paola right down on the tiptoe of Calabria.
We're so pleased for La Réserve Paris being named #1 Hotel in the World in the Condénast Readers Choice Awards this month. For a truly indulgent celebratory weekend away, we can’t think of many other places we’d recommend more highly.
For the full list, see: https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-best-hotels-in-the-world
