Vacation

Luxury stays in Peru’s Sacred Valley: The quiet side of Machu Picchu’s magic

November 17, 2025

Most travelers move through Peru confined to the same itinerary and rhythm. Like being stuck on a conveyor belt, they check off Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, and done – shuffling unquestioningly along the same well-worn path and snapping the same prescribed photos. It’s efficient, yes, but mind-numbingly predictable and familiar.

Review: Riviera Travel’s History and Art of the Rhône River cruise – Days 5 to 8

November 1, 2025

We’re half-way through Riviera Travel‘s epic Rhône River cruise. A journey from Avignon to Lyon, through vine-clad hills and the ghosts of Roman civilisation. Countless stories of history and art, accompanied by superb cuisine and excellent wines, continue as we join the Saône after Lyon. History is being ticked off;

Review: Queens Hotel, Leeds, UK

October 29, 2025

Built as a flagship for Leeds railway station in 1937, and enjoying a Grade-II-listed art-deco façade, The Queens has undergone a £16 million transformation that has gently lifted it into the 21st century whilst still retaining its original glamour. It’s a renovation that sees the original art-deco flourishes now sitting alongside