Bargain | Charlotte's VVeb

Luxury for Less in Hungary

10/02/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Those looking to enjoy a luxurious break without the price tag should look no further than Hungary, a destination which offers visitors the chance to holiday in the lap of luxury at a fraction of the cost of other European capitals. With several deluxe properties in and around the vibrant capital Budapest, visitors can choose from trendy design-led hotels, to historic city dwellings as a luxurious base from which to explore the city and its surroundings.

Whether it’s enjoying a deluxe spa break in spring or experiencing the city’s gastronomic highlights in summer, Budapest offers an abundance of unique cultural experiences as well as outstanding value for the luxury market.

Here’s a few of our favourites to consider…

Lánchíd 19 Hotel 4* Design By The Danube
Named after Budapest’s famed “Chain Bridge” which spans the Danube, the Lánchíd 19 is a contemporary highlight in a neighbourhood of predominantly 19th century architecture, highlighting the modern and traditional contrasts which characterise much of Budapest. Situated at the feet of the Buda Royal Castle, the hotel is ideally located for exploring the city on foot. The hotel itself offers stunning vistas from all its rooms, though little can match the majestic views across Margaret Island and the Danube from Panorama Suite, which comes at a fraction of the price of similar suites in other European capitals. Even the standard rooms offer stunning river views from one side of the hotel, or look out on to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Buda Royal Castle on the other.

Rooms at the Lánchíd 19 cost from €89 per night, based on two people sharing and including breakfast. The Panorama Suite costs from €316 per night, including breakfast. For more information visit www.lanchid19hotel.hu.

Danubius Grand Hotel, Margitsziget 4* Traditional Spa Luxury on Margaret Island
The Danubius Grand Hotel lies literally in the heart of the Danube, on Margaret Island, and is the island’s original spa hotel. Retaining its turn-of-the-century ambience, style and elegance, the Danubius Grand is the perfect location from which to explore the nearby historical sights and city-centre shops, or just to relax and enjoy the luxurious spa facilities.

Two nights’ bed and breakfast at the Danubius Grand Hotel is available from €182, with three nights from €264. Prices are based on two people sharing. For more information visit www.danubiushotels.com.

Continental Hotel Zara 4* City Centre Luxury in Budapest
This new hotel is located in Budapest’s downtown, with 272 rooms from standard to suites, offering guests a luxurious and relaxed environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Built on the site of the legendary Hungária Spa, the hotel is near to the city’s Jewish quarter, which will enthrall and excite visitors with its atmospheric streets, and unique blend of fantastic restaurants and retro bars.

A superior room with breakfast at the Continental Hotel Zara costs from €75 per night, based on two people sharing. For more information visit www.continentalhotelzara.com

For more information on Hungary visit www.gotohungary.co.uk

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Great Value Ski Accommodation in Slovenia

12/11/201006/03/2017 by Charlotte J

If you are looking for a winter sports experience with a difference, then head to Slovenia where two new self catering properties have been launched by Slovenian Retreats in the Julian Alps area, close to Kranjska Gora, Slovenia’s best known ski-resort and home to annual world cup slalom and ski-jumping events.

Villas Planina and Nebina offer great value ski accommodation for either those looking for individual apartments or for big groups of up to 20 people wishing to hire out the whole properties. Villa Planina is situated on the edge of the charming rustic village of Ratece. Each apartment within the villa are finished to an extremely high quality, with luxury features such as underfloor heating, flat screen TVs, DVD players, wireless internet and a shared pool table and ping pong table, as well as a kid’s communal soft play area. The villa is situated in a unique location with uninterrupted panoramic views from each apartment towards the Julian Alps and snow capped peaks of Jalovec and Mojstrovka mountains. Local facilities in the village offer a range of restaurants, traditional taverns (or ‘gostlinas’) and a supermarket, and the villa is just a five minute drive from central Kranjska Gora or even less to the slopes at Podkoren. Prices start from €60 (Euros) per night for a loft apartment sleeping between two and four people and based on a minimum stay of three nights.

Villa Nebina has been designed in more of a ‘farmhouse style’ holiday rental property and has been reconstructed on the site of a farmhouse originally built over 150 years ago in the traditional Slovenian village of Ratece, just 5 minutes drive away from Kranjska Gora. The property includes four apartments and many of the original features of the building, such as vaulted ceilings and a traditional enclosed wooden balcony, have been retained at this high quality accommodation. The four apartments are furnished and equipped to an extremely high standard with alpine solid wood furnishings seamlessly combined with contemporary facilities such as flat screen TVs & DVDs. Apartment three has its own balcony access and other apartments have shared balcony access – with magnificent mountain panoramas. Prices start from €60 (Euros) per night for a ground floor apartment sleeping between three and five people and based on a minimum stay of three nights.

A Special Launch Offer from €69 per person, per week is available for house parties – Villa Planina can sleep between 12 and 20 people and Villa Nebina can sleep between 12 and 18 people so both offer great value ski accommodation for big groups. If you wish to get a discount on renting the whole of either Villa Planina or Nebina, then there is a special launch offer available. An offer of seven nights for the price of six is available if you book the whole of Villa Planina or Nebina for a week.

So, a week hiring out the whole of Villa Planina would start from €1,380 (discounted from €1,610) – this works out at just €69 per person, per week based on 20 people sharing – and for the whole of Villa Nebina it would start at €1,740 (discounted from €2,030)- this works out at just €97 per person, per week based on 18 people sharing. This offer is not valid for New Year.

Flights from London Stansted to Ljubljana with Easyjet are priced from £22.99 per person, or from London Gatwick with Adria. Another airport within an hour’s drive of both villas include Klagenfurt in Austria (serviced by Ryanair).

To make a booking call 0208 123 2898 or for further information go to www.slovenianretreats.com or email info@slovenianretreats.com

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Hot London to Istanbul Flight Offer From Pegasus

17/08/201023/10/2016 by Charlotte J

It is well noted that when I visited Istanbul I fell in love with the city, its culture, history, food and people. To me there is no more magical city in the world. While many may think the days of fabulous holiday offers are gone, you may be surprised by Pegasus Airlines’ latest deal. I think it is an offer you really should make the most of!

“Fly direct to Istanbul from London for just £49.99 including taxes and charges when you purchase your tickets between today, the 17th, and 24th of August for travel any time between now and the 30th of September 2010*. So hurry, book now on www.flypgs.com to see Istanbul for less!

*subject to availability”

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easyHotel Launch in Berlin

21/01/201018/10/2016 by Charlotte J

To celebrate the launch of the easyHotel Berlin Hackescher Markt on 8th March 2010 the brand is offering tourists rooms for just €10 a night. The introductory offer is running between the 8th and 31st March only, so make sure you don’t miss out, get online and book now!

The brand new 125 bedroom easyHotel Berlin Hackescher Markt is located right in the sizzling centre of Berlin, within walking distance of all the main tourist attractions including Hackescher Markt, Alexanderplatz and the Museums Island. When you get hungry there’s a huge choice of cafes and restaurants between Rosenthaler Platz, Hackescher Markt and Oranienburger Strasse serving throughout the day and night. Then follow the locals and meet up in the bars and clubs at fashionable Prenzlauer Berg.

Don’t miss out on this great value deal, hurry now to book your room from just €10 euros per night!

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Bargains Still to be had in Eastern Europe

17/08/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Eurostat have revealed the results of their latest price survey across Europe, proving bargains are still to be had across Eastern Europe. The survey revealed that price levels in 2008 differed widely across Europe: Northern European countries tend to have the highest prices while the south-eastern European countries have the lowest prices. Southern and central European countries tend to show price levels closer to the EU average.

In Denmark consumer prices appeared 41% higher than the average of the 27 EU Member States, while in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia prices are 53% lower than this average. Among the EU Member States, the cheapest country is Bulgaria (49% below the average).

Food and non-alcoholic drinks are most expensive in Denmark and cheapest in Bulgaria. Taxes on food, alcohol and tobacco across the bloc’s 27 states are highest in Ireland and lowest in Romania. Regarding clothing prices, Britain is the least costly and Finland is the most expensive. Prices for consumer electronics are lowest in Britain and highest in Malta. Hotels cost the most in Denmark and the least in Bulgaria.

Eurostat examined prices of 2500 consumer goods and services across 37 European countries (27 Member States, the three Candidate Countries (Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey), three EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) and four Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia).

The results of the surveys are expressed in “price level indices” (PLIs), which provide a comparison of countries’ price levels with respect to the European Union average: if the price level index is higher than 100, the country concerned is relatively expensive compared to the EU average and vice versa, if the price level index is lower than 100, then the country is relatively cheap compared to the EU average.

10 Least Expensive European Countries
1. Macedonia
2. Bulgaria
3. Albania
4. Bosnia and Herzegovina
5. Serbia
6. Montenegro
7. Romania
8. Lithuania
9. Poland
10 Slovakia

10 Most Expensive European Countries:
1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Switzerland
4. Ireland
5. Finland
6. Iceland
7. Luxembourg
8. Sweden
>9. France
10. Belgium

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Spend September in Slovakia: Bargains from Mountain Paradise & Kempinski

14/08/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Mountain Paradise is offering four nights accommodation for the price of three, saving £150 per person, plus a buy one spa treatment and get another free offer worth an additional £50 at the newly opened five star Grand Hotel Kempinski in Slovakia’s picturesque High Tatra Mountains.

The deal is valid for travel on the following departure dates: 3, 10, 17, 24 September with a four night break costing just £699 per person, including the discount, return flights to Slovakia from Bristol, London Luton, London Gatwick, Stansted, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle or Manchester, airport transfers and accommodation in a deluxe double room with breakfast. Mountain Paradise can also organise cultural, walking and activity day trips for those wanting to explore the region.

The Grand Hotel Kempinski, boasts 98 luxurious rooms and overlooks a stunning alpine lake in the mountain resort of Strbske Pleso, providing the perfect location for a relaxing break. Facilities include a superb all day dining restaurant featuring mouth-watering international cuisine and local specialities, two bars and a 1,300 sqm Wellness Centre & Spa offering an indoor pools, steam bath, various saunas, beauty and facial treatments and fully equipped fitness centre.

Despite being in the Euro zone, Slovakia represents excellent value for money with a pint of beer, a vodka, soft drink or large sandwich costing only €1, a main course in a restaurant around €3 and an ice cream just €0.50.

To find out more visit www.mountainparadise.co.uk/summer or telephone 01614 088988

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Belvilla’s Eastern Promise

04/08/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Prague — Design Apartment Interior & View

Belvilla’s Eastern Promise is a company dedicated to helping you make the most of your travel money in countries that do not use the Euro. The holiday company provides holidaymakers with premier self-catering accommodation which will not blow your budget. Here at Charlotte’s VVeb we have picked our favourites:

Design Apartment
Praha, CZ Republic
4*, sleeps 6, £809 per week

The Design Apartment (100m) located in The Art Residence, a historic 19th century building in the center or Prague is a spacious, bright apartment with a Jacuzzi situated on the ground floor. The rear rooms overlook the garden and the front rooms look onto a beautiful historic building. The surrounding area features authentic Czech restaurants, pubs, shops and major attractions including Vitkov hill, the avant-garde TV Tower and a modern Jewish cemetery. The immense and charming Riegrovy sady Park is just around the corner offering you a breathtaking view of the Prague Castle and the Old Town rooftops.

Kelemen
Budapest, Hungary
3*, sleeps 6, £1003 per week

This 77sq. m. apartment is situated in the heart of Budapest where it resides in a beautiful building – an historic monument no less – within a stone’s through from the well-known square Oktogon with its magnificent Opera House and the famous promenade of “Váci utca,” Vörösmarty Square, the Heroes Square, the City Park and the Széchenyi Baths.

Vakantiepark Laguna Bellevue
Porec, Croatia
4*, sleeps 4, £310 per week

Tasteful, modern and luxurious furnished, the houses of Vakantiepark Laguna Bellevue have a covered balcony (type loggia) with garden furniture affording spectacular views of the sea and provide you with an ideal location from which to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Euphrasius’ Basilica in Porec which dates back to Byzantine times. Look out for the series of Byzantine mosaics, picturing Christ, the Apostles and the Virgin Mary. Euphrasius, Bishop of Porec, had the basilica built on the site of the older city basilica (some of which has been excavated), along with a series of accompanying buildings that together were to create one of the great architectural complexes of the time. Using craftsmen from Constantinople and Ravenna, the bishop’s ambitious idea was to bring in architectural and artistic innovations, the like of which had not been seen in the West at that time. Nearby you can also explore the village of Nova Vas and the famous Baredine Cave which offers a treasure chest of stalagmites and stalactites – those mysterious subterranean sculptures created over time by the slow dripping of water. Some of the rock shapes have taken on recognisable forms, including a realistic rendition of Our Lady, the leaning tower of Pisa, some ten-meter high curtains and a milkmaid who goes by the name of Milka. Other points of interest include a 66-metre deep crater that leads to a series of underground lakes. There are living curiosities as well as those made from stone – watch out for the tiny transparent crabs that crawl along the cave walls.

Vychodna
Tatra, Slovakia
3*, sleeps 8, £519 per week

Mountain Escapism and Natural Thermal Baths

This new, beautifully furnished holiday home of 120m2 lies in the western High Tatra. Vychodna is the ideal base for mountain walks, mountain biking and interesting excursions. You can relax in the thermal bath in Liptovsky Jan (20 km) or in the Tatralandia Aqua Centre in Litovsky Mikulas (27 km).

In the High Tatra you can visit the wonderful mountain lakes of Hincovo, Modre, Popradske. The impressive Strbske, Kmetov and Skok waterfalls and Belianska and Vazaecka caves are also in close proximity. The Pribylina Open Air Museum, the wooden church in Svaty Kriz, Kezmarok Castle and Strazky Monastery are all well worth a visit as well.

All villas can be booked through www.belvilla.co.uk or by calling 020 8099 0751

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Fantastic Slovakia Summer Holiday Savings

23/07/200918/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Mountain Paradise is offering £50 off of its week long cultural breaks and walking holidays plus a free day pass for luxury water park and spa, Aquacity, worth £50 – a total saving of £100. Both breaks now cost from £549 per person, including saving, for departures on 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 August.

The packages comprise: return flights to Slovakia from Bristol, London Luton, London Gatwick, Edinburgh or Newcastle, return airport transfers, 7 nights B & B in Penzion Fortuna, Penzion Plesnivec or Penzion Sabato, plus a day’s Aquacity pass. Also included in the price are five days of guided walks (easy, moderate or difficult) or five guided cultural day trips.