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Jaillan Yehia

UK Staycation


My Crush On Log Cabins, Cotswolds Style: A Luxury Log House Review

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Fancy spending a few days staying in your own private lakeside retreat, surrounded by stunning nature, with quaint and historic honey-hued village pubs on your doorstep? If the answer is yes, then holidaying in log cabins, Cotswolds style could be the mini-break for you. Renting a rustic but luxurious log house of your own is […]

The Stylish Way To Brave Blackpool: An Alternative Weekend in Lancashire

Written by Jaillan Yehia

A weekend break to Blackpool probably isn’t the first thing that pops into your head when you think of a stylish staycation, but I found that by combining a visit to the stunning Lancashire countryside with a side trip to the kitsch and cheesy seaside town that’s famous for ballroom dancing and bright lights, you […]

15 Unexpected Things To Do Near The Shard & London Bridge

Written by Jaillan Yehia

One of the reasons London is such an endlessly exciting city is because it is forever evolving. And along with other parts of the English capital, the London Bridge area of the city is changing at a pretty fast pace. As a native Londoner I still remember the area around London Bridge before The Shard […]

Weekend Shortcut: Your Complete Guide To Short Breaks In Cornwall In Winter

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I can personally vouch for benefits of holidaying in Cornwall in the depth of winter; I once boarded a train at London’s Paddington Station in the snow – and arrived a few hours later in St. Austell, to the sight of sunshine and daffodils, at the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Cornwall as a summer destination […]

Where To Next? My Autumn+Winter Travel Plans for 2018/2019

Written by Jaillan Yehia

It really has been a summer of legend here in the UK, but I’m finally ready to admit that the British heatwave is over, that no, I probably didn’t need to buy that extra fan after all, and that there is life (and travel) beyond the UK in the glorious sunshine. Considering I’m a travel […]

Weekend Shortcut: Eco Camping In Sussex Woodland at Beech Estate

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Do you love getting into the outdoors, cooking on an open fire and sleeping under the stars? If you’d asked me that very question just a few years ago I would have answered firmly in the negative; as I didn’t understand just how amazing a camping break can be. These days my feelings about camping […]

Weekend Shortcut: Top 5 Things To Do In Salisbury + Stonehenge

Written by Jaillan Yehia

If you’re looking for staycation ideas here in the UK you’re probably picturing yourself enjoying a leisurely weekend away in a quintessentially English market town, perhaps one blessed with some gorgeous scenery and top notch local sightseeing. You know the kind of weekend I mean: strolling through cobbled streets eating pub lunches, spying half-timbered buildings […]

Bringing Camping Home From Canada: My Ultimate Camping Checklist

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I blog about lots of travel experiences here, like delicious foodie weekends away in the UK or chilled out sunny holidays in the Balearics, but one thing I’ve never really talked about online is actually one of the single most defining travel experiences of my life: falling in love with camping while living in British […]

Weekend Shortcut: Bristol For Foodies

Written by Jaillan Yehia

One of the things I banged on about endlessly while based on the West Coast of Canada was the sheer variety of travel experiences on offer back in the UK – especially the variety of cities we can visit, often within a couple of hours drive of our homes. Canada is epic, obviously, but those […]

Loch Lomond Hotels For Lovers: Where To Have Your Own Highland Fling

Written by Jaillan Yehia

If you’re looking for true romance and a mini-break that swerves the stresses and strains of long haul travel, you can do no better than to cosy up together on the banks of Loch Lomond. Gather round the hearth with your hubby, take a wee dram with your wife and snuggle up in the cutest […]

Weekend Shortcut: Drawing Inspiration From An Artist Retreat In Kent

Written by Jaillan Yehia

The last time I wrote about going on a retreat, I started by talking about crying in a yoga class on a beach in Mexico. At the risk of making it seem like all retreats – be they yoga or artist retreats – involve crying, I’m going to start this review of a UK artist […]

A Day Trip To Boulogne & Le Touquet

Written by Jaillan Yehia

The humble day trip, whether at home or abroad, has untold powers to invigorate and inspire us: it offers us all the joys and refreshment of a new place compacted down into a short time frame, and without any of the stresses and hassles of organising a full blown holiday. In short, the day trip is the travel equivalent of a power nap. […]

Weekend Shortcut: 48 Hours In Glasgow For Foodies

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I go to Glasgow for 48 hours. It’s no exaggeration to say that all I do during that time is eat – as well as learn just why Glasgow is an urban paradise for foodies. But judging by the reactions of people who hear about my Glasgow foodie weekend, it seems that generally speaking, expectations […]

Things To Do In Thanet: 10 Reasons To Be A Tourist In East Kent

Written by Jaillan Yehia

As well as writing about travel on this very website, I’m the travel editor of a print magazine published in Thanet, a part of England that’s close to my heart. I often find myself bragging about what I consider to be the best corner of my own country to the people I meet when travelling […]

Antiques & Ales: A Day Out Near Farnham By Bike

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I recently moved to Farnham, Surrey, a pretty market town less than an hour’s train ride from London. Since the move I’ve been to Egypt, Italy, Menorca, the list goes on, but I’ve not made enough time to explore the area in which I actually live, until now. I decided to get out my trusty […]

Weekend Shortcut: A Weekend Of Culture & Consumerism In Cardiff

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Weekend Shortcuts are complete guides to weekends away, written to help you enjoy a perfect short break without needing to do any additional research.  If a weekend in Wales isn’t for you, gorge yourself on my weekend guide to Devon for foodies or slope off to read Cortina, Italy for non-skiers – or simply scroll down for a in-depth weekend guide […]

Fancy Learning to fly a 737 in Devon?

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I went to Devon for a weekend of cream teas and beach walks. But ever one for adventure when I discovered that the UK’s best flight simulator is right here on the south coast, I set aside a couple of hours to try it out. This is the story of learning to fly a 737 in […]

Weekend Shortcut: A Weekend In Devon For Foodies

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Weekend Shortcuts are posts written to help you put together a perfect weekend away without tearing your hair out during the research phase. This weekend shortcut covers everything you need to know for a food-filled 2- day break in Devon, a truly delightful part of South West England that’s simultaneously easily accessible yet somehow feels unhurried and […]

Christmas Travel: Does Devon Have The UK’s Most Historic Mince Pies?

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Munch on mince pies made with flour dating back to the Domesday Book I travelled to Devon this December to discover the festive history behind the first Christmas card ever designed. But while in the southerly English county, famous for its beautiful beaches and picture postcard villages, I discovered the area has another incredible – […]

Travel To The Home Of The First Christmas Card

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Christmas crackers, the Queen’s speech, mince pies, Boxing Day, Christmas pudding – England has plenty of festive traditions which are regarded with complete puzzlement by the rest of the world. England also has an even bigger Christmas claim to fame – one that is somewhat of a secret. The first Christmas card was invented right here, conceived and designed in the English county of Devon. […]

Going Glamping: A South East Safari At Kent’s Port Lympne

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I’ve been looking forward to writing about my short break safari at Kent’s Port Lympne Reserve ever since I got home. But every time I sit down to tell you about the experience, I end up getting distracted by all my photos of the cute baby rhino, ickle giraffe and all the other animals they have roaming around […]

How To Pack a Suitcase: 3 Easy Steps To Perfect Packing

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Do you love holidays but hate packing? Guest blogger and super-stylist Ruth Keel shows you how to pack a suitcase like a pro and look super-stylish on holiday.

Valentine Hotel Hotlist: 6 Sexy Places To Spend Time With A Special Someone

Written by Jaillan Yehia

A romantic weekend away for Valentine’s Day – sounds like a great idea in principle, right? But as anyone who has tried to book even a simple night away with their partner already knows, the process of finding the perfect hotel for romance isn’t all hearts and flowers. You’re searching for seclusion and sophistication in […]

My Mayfair Lady – A Local Girl’s Guide To London’s Exclusive Square Mile

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Most people think of Mayfair and imagine upscale hotels, the beautiful boutiques of Dover Street Market and the high-end establishments of Shepherd Market but take it from a local girl, whether you’re more of a Professor Higgins or an Eliza Doolittle you can still find your fun in Mayfair…

How To Holiday Monaco-Style Without Leaving London

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I’ve got a different kind of seven step program for you in this post; one that won’t help break your addictions to travel, shopping and good food but which will show you where to find your fix of the luxurious Monte Carlo lifestyle without leaving London. Here I share my 7 favourite places in the […]

The Day My Flight Karma Turned Chameleon On Me

Written by Jaillan Yehia

As a frequent traveller I do come and go a lot (you could say I’m a member of a cultured club). But I usually don’t miss a flight, even when I’m so laid back about getting to their airport that I probably deserve to. Let’s just say I usually have good flight karma. But there have been […]

The Perfect Place To Stay in Brighton – Vine Street Studios

Written by Jaillan Yehia

I often evangelise about the saving grace of apartment rental as opposed to hotel stays for a certain type of trip. Usually I’m preaching to the converted but some people would need a miracle of water-to-wine proportions before they’d give up 24-hour room service, the breakfast buffet and a decent concierge (though perhaps not the in-room […]

In Pictures – County Antrim’s Stunning Causeway Coastal Route

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Think of Northern Ireland and you’ll probably think of Guinness, stunning green scenery, Game of Thrones tours and the Giant’s Causeway. But the famous Unesco World Heritage Site isn’t the only natural wonder this stretch of Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast has to offer. There’s a wealth of Ireland attractions here in County Antrim, so come […]

A New Forest Weekend Break

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Want to feel virtuous and enjoy walks in the outdoors one minute – then devour entire home-made lemon cakes from a quaint tea room the next? Here’s my guide to the perfect New Forest weekend break…

Postcards From Sunny Bognor Regis

Written by Jaillan Yehia

Bognor Regis. The name may conjur up images of faded seaside grandeur and have connotations of titter-worthyness, sticks of rock, Butlins holiday camps and end-of-the-pier shows, but let’s face it this place is up there in Britain’s collective consciousness, so if you’ve got a spare sunny day off here in Blighty the surprisingly photogenic seaside town is well […]

The New Battle of Hastings: The Jerwood Gallery

Written by Jaillan Yehia

A shiny new and exciting modern art gallery surrounded on all sides by signs and graffiti deploring its very existence? Who knew a gallery could cause such a furore? See what all the fuss is about and take in the East Sussex sea air with a visit to Hastings’ Jerwood Gallery. I’m going to do something I […]