What makes us unique?

Sailing upstream on the Rhône from Avignon to Lyon, on Riviera Travel‘s MS Thomas Hardy, is one of the world’s epic river cruises.  It is an eight day voyage from Avignon that concludes in Lyon. Cruising through time from caveman’s woolly rhino drawings, past crumbling relics of Roman conquests to Second World War destruction, this is more than a luxurious river cruise, it is a voyage through the very essence of civilisation.  Rich in history, both beautiful and brutal, the Rhône displays the arrow-slit architecture of war; where even the papal palace was crenelated and where church bell towers were fortified. Stories from the history of art abound. Through Chauvet’s cave drawings, Botticellis in Avignon and contemporary works in Arles’ Vincent Van Gogh Institute. Day 1 – From London to Avignon Riviera Travel arrange flights, from Heathrow in our case, booking us on a British airways flight, though other cruisers fly from regional airports or take Eurostar followed by the rapid TGV to Avignon. At Marseilles airport we are met and taken on a coach, for 70 minutes, through a landscape of olives, rosemary and thyme, towards hills that have hosted the Tour de France. We do not see our

I have dreamed of visiting Kenya and Tanzania since I was a very small child. Wild places like the Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater have been top of my bucket list for more years than I care to remember – and despite working in the luxury safari industry for nearly thirty years, somehow I had yet to experience the Serengeti or the Crater! So when I finally had flights booked, I set about arranging some of the additional experiences I had been told were not-to-be-missed, just in case it’s another 30 years till I get back! Embracing Maasai history and culture In addition to the obvious wildlife highlights of the Masai Mara, what can truly make a trip even more memorable is immersing yourself in the regional culture and meeting the local people.  At Mara Bushtops, you know you are in Kenya the minute your ALS flight touches down at Siana airstrip, as your Maasai guide and spotter/tracker welcome you in full traditional costume including bright red Shukas and adorned with beautiful beadwork!  Our Maasai guide Daniel and spotter Frederik guided us throughout our stay, spotting game effortlessly, having lived and guided safaris in the region for

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 modern furniture and local touches that keep the hotel feeling like a city hotel rather than a corporate retrofit. Read on to learn more about our visit. The welcome This was my second stay at the hotel and, like last time, we opted to arrive by public transport over the headache of city driving — the hotel’s adjacency to Leeds railway station makes that choice a joy rather than a compromise. Having navigated the lobby’s mix of book-lined nooks and plush seating, the reception team made our arrival go smoothly with a warm, brisk and friendly handover of keycards, before we made our way up the building via the art deco lifts (which also have Grade II-listed status), with their signature pillar-box red doors and striking brass trims. The room We stayed in a Superior Family City Square View with a thoughtful 29 m² / 312 ft² layout that was both elegant