What makes us unique?

If your idea of a vacation is lounging by a pool doing absolutely nothing, then Playitas might not be for you. As the most well-equipped sports resort on the Canarian island of Fuerteventura, it caters best for those who like to keep active. Somehow, though, it seems to accommodate a wide spectrum of guests, from those who simply want to enjoy some downtime to serious athletes who use the resort as a training base. For most, it’s a place you come to get better — at swimming, cycling, running, golf, or simply at looking after yourself. The welcome This was our second visit to Playitas and so we knew that our flight would be landing too late for us make it to the resort’s restaurants, despite it being just a 30-minute transfer from the airport. Having communicated this in advance, the Playitas team kindly arranged for cold plates from the buffet to be waiting for us on arrival. The welcome was quietly efficient: someone directed us to the food that had been set aside, and the check-in formalities were completed after we’d eaten. The room Just as we did last visit, we stayed in the aparthotel section of Playitas in

It’s 6 am, and I’m not at all keen to get out of bed. I drag myself out from under the warm duvet and head to the dining room to grab some coffee and make my way to the waiting game drive vehicle. We head out on our drive, warmly tucked up under blankets and with a flask of hot coffee in hand. The early morning light shines over the reserve as our guide steers down the rugged dirt tracks of the reserve. Within what feels like minutes, we come across a breeding herd of elephants. The young calves play while the matriarch watches over them, stripping branches from a spekboom as she waits. A few decades ago, this scene would have been unimaginable. The land was overgrazed farmland, stripped of both wildlife and vegetation. But today, thanks to a bold experiment in rewilding, it’s home to the full array of safari animals, from antelope to apex predators, and has become one of the country’s most inspiring conservation success stories. At the heart of this transformation are two properties: Shamwari Private Game Reserve and the smaller, adjacent, Founders Lodge by Mantis. Together, they represent not just a top safari destination,

A traditional 18th-century pub with rooms, The Pilsley Inn is part of the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire. It falls under the Chatsworth Escapes brand which includes the previously-reviewed – and newly-crowned AA Hotel of the Year – The Cavendish at Baslow. Formerly known as The Devonshire Inn, The Pilsley Inn takes centre stage in the sleepy village of Pilsley, offering a homely retreat that is utterly local and yet also quietly luxurious. Read on to learn more about what you can expect if you’re considering staying in this Peak District haven yourself. The welcome Our arrival was somewhat unconventional – we had just completed the Nine Edges Endurance Challenge, a gruelling run of more than 4 hours across the Peak District. We rolled into Pilsley weary, muddy and not at our most glamourous. Yet there were no raised eyebrows – having announced our presence in the pub, we were warmly greeted and personally shown to the Farmhouse annexe at the rear. That simple act — of being guided rather than pointed — immediately spoke volumes. A genuine and personal welcome with the kind of friendliness that holds a village pub together. The room Our base for the night was a