STAY: Chateau de Bussas, The Cevennes

Chateau de Bussas

Location: The Cevennes, France

Accommodation type: Rental Property (Chateau)

Board Basis: Self Catering

Price: From £370 per week

Date Visited: September 2013

We initially booked this property for a week after having watched 'A Good Year' and deciding that we'd quite like to live the life of Russell Crowe's character. I forget exactly where I stumbled upon the chateau, but the low price and convenience (short flight straight out of Gatwick to Montpellier) meant that we didn't hesitate to book. Little did we know that a totally remote week away from the rest of the world would be exactly what we needed thanks to incredible amounts of work stress throughout the summer; I honestly have never felt so burned out.

If you know that feeling, then Bussas is exactly the place to escape to. The chateau is about a two hour drive from the airport and a further 20 minute drive off the main road (involving crossing a precarious, rail-less bridge over the river), before you fall upon the property nestled in its own 200 acre estate. The chateau is divided into gites, ranging from one to three bedrooms. We stayed in Four a Pain, the smallest of those offered. The two level gite was basic, made up in a traditional countryside style, but had two bathrooms, all of the kitchen appliances we needed and a comfy bed. 

I have never stayed somewhere so quiet and peaceful. Each day we woke up, drove into town to pick up food for lunch and then collapsed by the river where we never once saw another soul. However, if you're inclined to be more active, I can't think of a better location to go on long walks, canoe, mountain bike or whatever else may take your fancy. Liliane and Bernard look after the property, but tactfully give you as much space as you require. They were perfect hosts who seem to live the perfect, placid life; we are incredibly jealous and were reluctant to return to the hectic city. I already fully intend to return to Bussas to restore and reorient in a year's time.

WISH LIST: Palazzo Radomiri, Kotor

Sunbathing Pier, Palazzo Radomiri

Location: Kotor, Montenegro

No of Rooms: Ten (Including four suites)
Board Basis: Bed and Breakfast

Room Price: From £90 per room per night

For all of the brilliant, unusual places that I have been lucky enough to visit, I am always on the hunt for more. Therefore, intermittently, I plan to have 'wish list' posts, sharing places that are on my to-do list. This gem in Kotor, Montenegro, will hopefully form part of a larger trip to Eastern Europe that I plan to take next year.

Palazzo Radomiri is set in an 18th century building, converted into a hotel comprising ten rooms, including four suites. It is set right on the edge of the bay of Kotor, with its own sunbathing pier jutting out into the water, The bay is renowned for its incredible sunsets, so this hotel's location is idyllic. It is also only a walk away from the historic old town of Kotor, which is great for shopping, eating and generally taking in the culture. However, the reviews purport that there are great eateries in and around the hotel without paying the higher prices that come with the touristic old town.

Throw in free yoga in the mornings, a heated pool, and the introduction of direct flights from London to Tivat, and this spot is firmly on my radar. 

More information can be found here: www.palazzoradomiri.com.

STAY/ EAT: Horse and Groom, Gloucestershire

The view from The Horse and Groom, Bourton-On-The-Hill

Location: Gloucestershire, England
No of Rooms: Four doubles
Cuisine: English gourmet pub grub
Room Price: Doubles from £90
Food Price: Mains from £12
Date Visited: September 2011

I was brought here as a birthday surprise; having just returned from three month's travelling, my boyfriend sensibly decided to choose somewhere that didn't involve a flight or a change of time zone! The drive itself was beautiful, traversing through tiny limestone clad towns and great countryside. As you can see from the featured photograph, the view from the this hotel pub itself is something pretty special.

The Horse and Groom is primarily a gastropub, but also has a hotel offering in the form of four double rooms. We stayed in the standard double and were really impressed. It doesn't feel at all as if the accommodation is an 'add-on' above a pub. The rooms were tastefully decorated, quiet and cosy. The bathroom (something that seems to often be compromised in pub accommodation) was modern and had everything you could ask for. The complimentary fudge, speciality teas and water were also a lovely touch.

The pub has a private garden with a  huge vegetable patch, which is a great segway to talk about the food. The restaurant uses fresh produce that it grows itself. As such, although the food is simple, it is incredibly tasty. The menu changes constantly, but at the time we visited, I started with whitebait then continued on to the steak. My boyfriend predictable had a burger (he might as well make a living out of being a burger connoisseur), but he ensured me that it was one of the best. Small flourishes such as mustard and watercress butter with the steak, and cherry tomato salsa and horseradish mayo with the burger lift this menu above the ordinary. The restaurant itself is of medium size, but the tables are not too close together so that you get a pub ambience with the privacy of a restaurant.

To top off our stay, the full english breakfast next morning lived up to the standard of the evening meal. It was generous and filling, but with none of the greasy guilt that this kind of breakfast usually induces. In short, if you have a spare weekend and would like to be well fed on a relaxing staycation, this is one to visit.

Find out more here: horseandgroom.info

EAT: Trattoria degli Amici, Rome

Piazza di Santa Maria, Trastevere

Location: Trastevere, Rome
No of Tables: circa 30
Cuisine: Italian
Price: Dishes from £12
Date Visited: June 2012

Firstly, although this should be common knowledge to anyone travelling to Rome, Trastevere is the place to eat. Escape the main city as soon as you can, take a short trip across the river and discover this veritable maze of delicious Italian restaurants. 

We fell upon Trattoria degli Amici by chance during an evening of wandering through Trastevere's streets. We only stopped on the small Piazza di Santa Maria to admire the old church that takes pride of place. By total chance, we then decided to check out the menu of the restaurant on the edge of the square. It wasn't until we returned to eat at degli Amici that evening that we realised there was more to this eatery than originally met the eye. The restaurant is partnered with charity Comunita Sant' Egidio, an organisation dedicated to helping handicapped people find work. 

All of the staff, from the chefs through to the waiters, have some form of mental or physical handicap. The restaurant is a non - profit business that solely exists to teach its staff valuable skills and give them the confidence that comes with employment and serving the public. 

This great cause alone would be reason enough to visit degli Amici. Happily, though, the food is also of a high standard. We both had a basic tomato pasta dish to start, which was, typical of Italian cuisine, confoundedly tasty for something that only uses about three ingredients. I then followed this with the Swordfish and fennel. The house wine went down well, and was plentiful for the price we paid. The service, although not of the speed that you can expect in the restaurants in the tourist quarter, was friendly and attentive. I personally don't mind taking a meal at leisure whilst on holiday, but the restaurant has received some negative reviews on TripAdvisor as a consequence of the service. Perhaps the critics didn't understand the premise of the restaurant, but either way my advice would be to ignore the lot of them.

The food at Trattoria degli Amici holds its own against any other restaurant we tried in Trastevere and is significantly better than any of the tourist traps in the city. Add to this the brilliant cause that the restaurant serves, and there really is no excuse not to while away a Roman evening here.

Find out more information here: www.tratorriadegliamici.org

STAY: Hostel Riad Marrakech Rouge

Central Lounge, Hostel Riad Marrakech Rouge

Location: Marrakech, Morocco
No of Rooms: 5 private rooms, 8 dormitories
Board Basis: Bed and Breakfast
Price: From £8 per person, per night
Date Visited: May 2013

So this is a real budget option! As much as I love hostels, quite often they are either extremely basic (read uncomfortable), or are overpriced for what they offer and lack any charm. Hostel Riad Marrakech Rouge, has just the right balance of comfort and originality. Yes, it is far from luxurious, but for £8 per night, you don't expect it to be. What it does deliver on is hospitality, value for money and peace in a busy city.

I was fairly sceptical about my stay in Marrakech, not least because I had relinquished my usual control freak tendencies and let my friend book where we were staying. On top of this I had heard that I would need to worry about my safety, the food, the haggling, the noise; the list was endless. However, I would urge anyone to try this city out for themselves, and stay at Riad Marrakech Rouge when they do. Malek, the hostel owner, was unbelievably helpful, offering up tips and advice on where to visit and eat, and making sure that we lacked for nothing. On top of the generous free breakfast (we never managed to finish it all), the hostel offers free mint tea and biscuits throughout the day, perfect for when you pop back to relax in the central lounge.

The central lounge itself is the primary reason for staying here. It is decorated with memorabilia from all over the world, has comfortable recliners, relaxing music playing throughout the day and is the perfect forum to meet new and interesting people on their travels. It summed up everything that I love about backpacking. 

Throw in comfortable beds, a roof terrace and a central location, and you have yourself the perfect stay for a budget trip to this bustling city.

Find out more and book online here: www.riadmarrakechrouge.hostel.com.

STAY: Mango Bay Resort, Fiji

Mango Bay Resort, Fiji

Location: Sigatoka, Fiji
Accommodation type: 16 bed dorms, 10 bed dorms, private huts
Board Basis: Bed and Breakfast
Price: Dorms from £13 per night, private huts from £50 per night
Date Visited: August 2012

Mango Bay Resort is situated in the Sigatoka area of Fiji, a short drive from the capital, Nadi. I would say that it offers 'flashpacker' level accommodation, with well kept dorms, but basic private rooms. The facilities are not luxurious; the pool is small and the decor is more or less non existent.

But, despair not! The negative set up is only to manage expectations. This is an accommodation option for backpackers, not one for those who are expecting luxury. As backpacker accommodation goes though, Mango Bay is up there with the best. The dorms are kept clean and comfortable, and even in high season are not constantly full, meaning that in our  five day stay we could spread out and make ourselves at home. The communal washing facilities are equally well looked after.

It is in a beautiful location, right on the beach, with no other hotels in sight. A walk along the bay in one direction takes you into secluded coves, and in the other to a long stretch of sandy beach. The sunsets are out of this world, and can be enjoyed each evening from the beach front restaurant.

The restaurant is exceptional. For a modest price, you receive huge helpings, and we steadily worked our way through the menu while we were there (putting on any weight that was lost during our stint in Asia). Every morning we would see that staff pulling in with the catch of the day, later to land on our plates either in traditional fish and chips format, or dressed up in curries and salads. A favourite was wahoo. I would also recommend the pineapple fritters, which I developed a particular weakness for.

Unfortunately our time in Fiji was marred by unprecedented bad weather, despite visiting during the dry season. The staff at Mango Bay, however, were totally geared up for this eventuality. There was a full program of events throughout the day, including frog racing, pineapple smashing and canoeing. In case you wondered what pineapple smashing is, see my attempt below (hint, the pineapple is about six feet to my right):

All in all, Mango Bay is a great stop off is you are backpacking and want something a little more comfortable, or if you are looking for a cost effective way to balance out the expense of your flights to the other side of the world. If we could have a great time despite the atrocious weather, I hold high hopes for any visitor.

Find out more and book here: www.mangobayresortfiji.com

 

EAT: Trattoria 4 Leoni, Florence

4 Leoni, Piazza della Passera, Florence


Location: Florence, Italy
No of Tables: Circa 30
Cuisine: Italian (Tuscan)
Price: Dishes from £14
Date Visited: June 2012

On our trip to Italy, we found two restaurants, one in Florence and one in Rome, that despite ourselves we returned to. Ordinarily, we would want to try as many different places to eat as possible on a city break, but we felt that we had stumbled across a charm when we ate in Trattoria 4 Leoni.

We had been warned in advance that it was extremely popular with the locals, so our hotel manager made a reservation for us. The restaurant took us a little while to find, as it is hidden in a small square, the Piazza della Passera; this means that it is away from the hoards of tourists that flock the restaurants near the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio. Due to the Florentine heat, we opted to eat inside the restaurant, but 4 Leoni does have a beautiful terrace area also.

The menu is in Italian and the staff speak little English. This seems to have shocked the tourists on Trip Advisor; they are in uproar that they were unable to dissect the menu or get their waiter to describe every ingredient that goes into the food. To the contrary, I take comfort in menus catering to the locals when I travel, as it reassures me that the food must be good to have local endorsement. This is particularly true in Italy, with the fierce pride that Italians take in their cooking.

On our first visit, we chose one safe option from the menu (gnocchi and antipasto), and one wildcard dish that we couldn't translate. It turns out that I had ordered veal, whilst my boyfriend had gone for a beef Tuscan stew. Both were delicious. Being far from a wine afficionado, I quaffed a good half a bottle of the house white wine alongside my meal, but there is an extensive wine list to choose from if you are more educated than I.

Any restaurant in Florence is expensive and 4 Leoni is not a budget option. However, I felt that for the price we paid, the food was far superior to any restaurant on the main tourist drag, and the secluded location and attentive staff means that should I return to Florence (highly likely - I loved it!), I will spend my first evening in this restaurant.

Find out more here: www.4leoni.com