It’s hard having fur-babies, whether you have one, two or five, holiday’s can be a stressful time, but not with Darwin Escapes!

We have a great range of pet friendly holidays, to take your pooch, cat, rabbit, lizard or fish on the break with you and the whole family can enjoy that special time away! I’ve mentioned Hugo and Bella before in my posts, my loveable puppies, but I also have four adorable cats, ranging from 5 years old to 2 years old. So it’s safe to say that I am bit animal crazy.

Now with this many pets I really have to plan any time away, how am I going to transport five animals – four of which have very sharp claws when annoyed, and two that have no interest in behaving. If I can’t take them with me, where are they going to go? Or who am I going to have take care of them? So Darwin Escapes have come up with a great solution, you can take your pet away on your UK holiday. Have a read on about the all pet friendly accommodation we offer, we will have the perfect location for you and your fur-baby!

Cornwall – a coastal adventure

We have 3 outstanding locations in Cornwall, all with pet friendly accommodation, from our traditional Sandymouth Holiday Resort, the relaxing Mullion Cove Coastal Retreat and the ‘Best in Britain’ 2015 award winner Piran Meadows Resort & Spa. With great family fun activities on park, like a two lane bowling alley, golf simulator and indoor heated swimming pools and spa treatments, there is something for every person in the family. There are plenty of coastal walks surrounding the parks for the little fur-baby in your life, marvel at the lovely cliffs, beaches and hidden woods around the areas. Many of the luxurious holiday homes come with up to date tech, like DVD players, all for a great night in with your dog, cat, lizard, rabbit or fish you love! Some lodges even come with hot tubs for the mummies and daddies of the party! Cornwall is a stunning part of the country to visit, so take a look at what’s on offer at our pet friendly holiday parks in Cornwall.

Sommerset – the best of both worlds…

Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa

We have two glorious resorts in Somerset, ‘Best in Britain’ 2014 winner Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa and the brand new for 2015 Bath Mill Lodge Retreat. Both offer something different for you pet friendly escape, Cheddar Woods is set in the beautiful Mendip Hills and is surrounded by woods for some great walks! The Cheddar Gorge is also very close and has a great 3 mile walking path to the Lookout Tower, what a way to spend a day (or two for me, I’ll take my camping gear…) all lodges are fitted with the great mod cons for a fantastic night in with your fur-family, cuddle on the sofa and relax.

Bath Mill Lodge Retreat

Bath Mill Lodge Retreat is just that, a retreat, two miles away from a city centre. You would never believe you were so close to the city while there, sitting on your private decking all you will hear is the Newton Brook meandering through the resort. Surrounded by trees you will feel totally secluded and safe in this sanctuary of a city break holiday, your dog can run around and enjoy the brook and take the walk through the woods and fields in the surrounding area. (I have a white dog, imagine what colour he would be coming back in?!) What a perfect escape with your fur-baby, and all the mod cons in the lodges will be a great treat to snuggle up at the end of the day on the comfy sofa and take in the lovely surroundings.

Surrey – explore the countryside

Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat is perfectly placed in the Surrey countryside for peace and tranquillity. (if I take Hugo it would no longer be peaceful…) There are plenty of nature walks for your bouncing puppy to explore, you can drop into the market town of Farnham, where there are gift shops and some lovely restaurants to try, and a few even allow dogs in to dine too! Take a walk around the historic Waverly Abbey, marvel at the once magnificent structure and have a wander around the River Wey (another river for the puppy to make a mess in!) Many of our pet friendly accommodations have their own hot tubs for that extra feeling of luxury, and a few even have their own saunas! And with DVD players and our own rental facility at reception, you can enjoy a lovely, cosy night in cuddled on the sofa with your little one. If you have a clever little cat along in tow, there is glorious scenery to marvel at out of the window too! A great country escape with the little fur ones!

Isle of Wight – a whole island to explore

Woodside Coastal Retreat is perfectly placed on the Isle of Wight within easy reach of a plethora of visitor attractions on this beautiful island that has everything you could ever need. Woodside has a stunning shingle beach just a stones throw away, a perfect place to let the dog run loose along the shore, and maybe a quick swim in the sea! Along with great local attractions to visit, like Carisbroke Castle, where dogs are welcome to run around and marvel at the history, along with their mummies and daddies! Visit the plethora of restaurants and café’s on offer on the island, a few of which are dog friendly and have a ready warm rug in front of the fire place for a cold day! There is so much to see here that you really do need to visit and find it all, a wonderful escape to explore with your fur-family, away from the stresses of everyday life.

Take a look at our dog friendly holidays in the Isle of Wight.

Lake District – nature at its best…

Thanet Well Lodge Retreat

Our Thanet Well Lodge Retreat is one of the most perfect places to escape to with a dog in tow, with a huge range of lodges that are pet friendly, some with hot tubs and all with brilliant mod cons for cosy nights in. The surrounding area is breath taking and worth spending every minute of your stay enjoying walks out, placed on the edge of the Greystoke Forest, this secluded location is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Walk out the door on to the private decking and marvel at the nature surrounding you, grab a lead and off you go for fun and frolicking! There are some great restaurants, pubs and cafes that are dog friendly to have a lovely meal out too, or if you fancy a night in, grab a DVD and cuddle up on the sofa in the hauntingly beautiful scenery surrounding you. You can enjoy nature at its best here in Thanet Well and your fur-baby will be in their element too!

Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat

Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat is one of Darwin Escapes’ brand new destinations. Located in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this luxurious retreat offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside, with the beautiful Bewaldeth Beck running through the park and a picturesque pond, complete with duck lodge, for you to marvel at. Your fur-baby will adore the brand new, luxurious lodges to settle down after a long walk in the surrounding mountains and fields.

perfect pet escape

So if you are struggling to find the perfect pet friendly holiday, or just can’t bear leaving you little one behind (like me, I hate it), why not just have a look at what Darwin Escapes has to offer? There is no better treat than seeing your fur-baby running around and exploring!

Keeping warm in the winter is everyone’s top priority, but that doesn’t mean you have to head for the airport…you can enjoy a luxury warm holiday break here, in the UK!

Winter came out of nowhere for me this year! One day I was enjoying the sun with my puppy, and the next I had my coat and gloves on while trying to coax a 10 month old Bichon out of the door and into the rain. He promptly turned around and lay in front of the fire, a very sensible decision in the grand scheme of things. Looking around the same walls throughout the winter can be hard, the dark weather and coldness can make everyone (okay, mainly me) a little cranky, so a UK holiday break away is the perfect pick-me-up! And there are some great ways to keep warm while in a lodge or holiday home this winter, read on and find out more!

saunas

Saunas are a great place to keep warm, I genuinely love them as they mean doing my favourite thing in the winter – sitting down. They are guaranteed to keep you warm, so whether you are in North Wales staying at Talacre Beach, in Somerset at Cheddar Woods or in Cornwall at the Best in Britain 2015 winner, Piran Meadows, have a sit in the sauna to warm those digits! Looking for something even more luxurious? Some of our lodges at Tilford Woods offer stunning and soothing private saunas, so after a lovely stroll around the countryside that surrounds the beautiful lodge retreat, you can sit in your very own sauna and let it warm you to your bones. Sign me up!

cosy fire

Another great way to stay warm this winter was stolen from Hugo, my 10 month old stubborn Bichon, laying down in front of a cosy fireplace. For me there really is nothing better than sitting on the sofa with a good book, or movie, and being heated by a stunning and cosy fire. And with all our holiday homes and lodges available in the winter being double glazed and centrally heated, this adds extra cosiness! With the weather all dark and wintery outside you can relax with your feet up in style and luxury, while keeping those toes warm! I think I know where to take Hugo for the winter!

hot tubs

The Icelandic population are experts in keeping warm in cold weather (stay with me…). They say to layer your clothes, jump in a geothermally heated outdoor swimming pool, and if you don’t have one of those, because lets be honest, we don’t, then jump in a glorious hot tub! And I feel that if people who can live in a place where the temperature rarely rises above 15 degrees deem a hot tub a good way to keep warm, then that’s good enough for me! I love hot tubs, you can sit outside and enjoy the extraordinary scenery around you while keeping warm – it’s like being inside but outside! I once sat in a hot tub while in -32degrees temperature in Blue Mountain, Canada, it works! So whether you are in the Lake District at Thanet Well surrounded by the countryside or down at the most southern point of the UK in Mullion Cove, then jump into the hot tub and marvel at the stunning scenery surrounding you. Take a look at all the hot tub accommodation we offer and choose your perfect UK break!

indoor heated swimming pool

This may sound a bit obvious as it has heated in the title, but you know hot tubs…

Anyways, so if you are nothing like me, and you can actually swim, then you might become unmotivated this winter because it is hard to get going in the pool when you know that dipping your toes into it, is something like sitting in an ice bath, just waiting for hyperthermia to set in. I’m not being dramatic here, it can be that bad. Well no fear at Darwin Escapes, as you can dive bomb into any of our indoor heated swimming pools with no worry of frost bite! (please don’t actually dive bomb, health and safety obviously!) Our brand new Hawkchurch Resort & Spa has a Hydrotherapy pool, that not only is designed for releasing tension and increasing circulation, it is also heated slightly higher than other pools for extra relaxation…I’m sold.

winterisation for owners

For owners the winter can mean time away from your holiday home while your resort closes for the 6 weeks winter break. This can be a time of stress if you try to get your holiday home ready for the winter yourself, but we offer a great Winterisation Package that takes care of your home away from home during this break. The package protects against any frost damage, burst pipes or leaks, all costs are covered, as well as a complete restore of the water and heating at your convenience, meaning your holiday home is then ready for your return in the spring! Find out more from our friendly reception team.

Happy UK Winter Holidaying Folks, and Keep Warm!

As our opening is getting ever closer we wanted to give you another update on the development of Hawkchurch Resort & Spa.

This is the fourth update we have done for what is sure to be one of the most desirable holiday locations in the South West, and we have some brand new pictures for you to feast your eyes on!

Our new luxury holiday resort is taking shape and coming along nicely, have a look at the pictures to see for yourself…

We are still developing our beautiful Hawkchurch Resort & Spa but we were so excited by this news we couldn’t hold back.

Our amazing Ezina Spa has released its all new treatments menu!

You can relax, de-stress and revive with the luxurious treatments in a palace of peace and tranquillity. Hawkchurch Resort & Spa are proud partners with Aromatherapy Associates. Their passion for essential oils and plant extracts helps them understand that their power can transform your physical and mental wellbeing. Spoil yourself or your better half with a sumptuous and romantic spa day gift, in the perfect setting to relax and indulge.

luxurious treatments

Escape the noise of the outside world with our highly trained therapists and indulge in a relaxing and invigorating experience. We offer a wide range of treatments, with everything from the Ezina Spa Indulgence, which is a wonderful neck and scalp massage to set you off in the right mindset. Or try our Ultimate Aromatherapy Experience, our hero treatment will save your day like Batman! (I’m really sorry, I couldn’t resist that). Our talented therapist will use carefully applied pressures to stimulate the nerve system and relieve muscle tension which all encourages healthy circulation for a deep relaxation. We have a treatment to cover you from your head down to your toes! Our indulgence includes your hands and feet as well! We provide manicures and pedicures, for men and women, using the very best Jessica Nail products. We’re experts at revealing the natural beauty of your nails, enjoy the ultimate in nail nutrition.

wellness and love

All to create the perfect spa experience for you, you can spoil the other half with a treatment day and earn some brownie points. Or you can book some treatments together with our couples treatments for some great quality, relaxing and revitalising time together, all in a wonderful romantic setting. Take care of your own mindfulness and wellbeing, love your self with our relaxing treatments, romance yourself and spoil yourself with our wide range of treatments on offer. Any mums-to-be are more than welcome to come and enjoy the tranquility, put your feet up with our pregnancy treatment, the perfect way to relax those aching muscles.

So whether you are looking for a treatment to leave your skin radiant and smooth, or something to leave you feeling relaxed and deeply recharged we will have a treatment for you. All our treatments are designed to nourish, rejuvenate and protect, we can’t wait for Hawkchurch Resort & Spa to open so you can relax in our amazing Ezina Spa.

As our opening edges ever closer we’re back with another update on the development progress at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa. We’ve managed to take the General Manager, Lydia Ruff, away from her busy schedule to catch up on the latest development progress.

Lydia had the following exciting news, “The speed of the redevelopment work has really increased over the past few weeks; many of our luxury lodges have been delivered and we can now really see our facilities building taking shape as the interior walls are being built.”

Below are some recent photographs of the lodge interiors which will be available for holiday bookings.

marple premier lodge at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa

Luxurious and home away from home lodge with two spacious and well-appointed king size double bedrooms both with en suite shower rooms. Stylish well equipped open plan central living/kitchen area. Patio doors leading to decking with an outside hot tub.

austen premier lodge at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa

Contemporary and spacious lodge with two king size double bedrooms both with en suite shower, and two twin bedrooms. Large family bathroom with overhead shower. Stylish and well equipped open plan lounge/kitchen area with all the necessities for a home from home holiday. Patio doors leading to spacious decking with an outside hot tub.

I can sum-up my week at Piran Meadows in one word – ‘Wow’!

You’re probably looking for a bit more than that though…let me explain; I work for Darwin Escapes and I was lucky enough to bag a last-minute break at Piran Meadows Resort and Spa in Cornwall in early July. It is not your average ‘holiday park’. Piran Meadows Resort and Spa have raised the bar – this was the best caravan holiday either myself or my partner of us had ever been on.

wow – the welcome was warm and bubbly (literally)

wow – the accommodation was out of this world

We stayed in the Padstow Elegance and it has EVERYTHING you could ever need for a self-catering break including coffee machine, WiFi, picnic basket and PS4!

wow – the facilities were fantastic

We were spoilt for choice with the golf simulator, bowling and activities available. We thought we might be a little old for Splash Zone, but it did look like fun! We played pool countless times and I was a very gracious loser, politely carrying on as I was thrashed in every game!

wow – fantastic food

We ate in The View Bistro only one night at the end of the week and wished we hadn’t waited so long! The lamb burger was delicious and the rump steak was incredible – the best I’ve ever tasted, and as the weather was fantastic, we enjoyed it on the terrace (We know why it’s called ‘The View’ – we enjoyed the vista as we tucked into our meals.)

wow – Cornwall has some fantastic places to discover!

Being located in the heart of Cornwall, near to Newquay, we were able to get out and discover some fantastic beaches and attractions during our stay. We’d recommend beautiful Port Isaac, charming Mevagissey and no trip to the seaside is complete without Fish and Chips, so we headed to Rick Stein’s takeaway in Padstow; it was pricey, we had to wait a while and the chips ok, but the fish was absolutely outstanding. Mmmmmmmmmmm…I can’t find the words …the delicious batter has to be tasted to be believed.

wow – peaceful evenings

As I said before, it’s not your traditional holiday park. Though we went as a couple, we’d say it’s perfect for families with lots to do, but the resort doesn’t offer your usual bingo/cabaret/children’s character-type entertainment. For us that was a plus; but others might be looking for this. We found a peaceful drink in the evening, a board game in the caravan or a game of pool much more enjoyable!

We wish we could have stayed longer as we didn’t have time to go in the swimming pool (just the sauna and steam room – wow!) or try out the activities; plus there’s so much to do right on your doorstep – we didn’t even have time to visit nearby Newquay.

travel tip

Last minute deals are great for grabbing a bargain (we booked 2 weeks before) but there’s rarely any ‘premier’ accommodation left. These have a private outdoor hot tub, which would have been the icing on the, already fabulous, cake.

I’m looking forward to my next Darwin Escape!

book your stay at Piran Meadows

Holidays are an opportunity for relaxation, enjoyment and quality family time. Despite our best intentions and preparations, things can still go slightly wrong whilst taking a well deserved break. Whether you forget your headphones to listen to your favourite tunes or your luggage goes missing; Holiday Howlers can strike at any time.

With the help of industry experts, travel fanatics and influential bloggers we have compiled our top 10 Holiday Howlers so you can learn and more importantly laugh at our expense.

Contribute your own Holiday Howler today! We like to think that sharing is caring so let us know your howler to help “smarten up” other holidaymakers this summer. We look forward to reading all of your stories in the comments below.

Also, to celebrate the exciting launch of our new website, we’re giving you the opportunity to win one of three fantastic holidays!

Beach Cove in North Devon has gained the reputation as the romance capital of the UK since opening in 2013…

A couple’s haven in our quirky beach hut accommodation, all decorated with warm pastel colours, Beach Cove Coastal Retreat is the perfect getaway on the Devonshire coastline. On the cliffside of Hele Bay you can curl up and watch the world go by from your luxury hot tub, or wander around the coast, Devon has something for everyone, from the active couples to the strolling and taking it easy couples…

Ilfracombe sea safari

One of the most exciting ways to explore the coast, and the beautiful Lundy Island. The passenger boat trips offer different experiences, you can explore the ocean and spot some dolphins, seals and even a whale if you’re really lucky! Or take a day trip to Lundy Island and escape the crowds, while visiting the 150 resident seals in an unforgettable experience. There is also the chance to go diving and meet the sea creatures up close and personal with their sister company, the Bristol Channel Charters.

active escape

Offering endless activities for everyone from ages 8 to 80, including coasteering, stand up paddle boarding, paint balling to their famous zip lines and abseiling activities! Book a day with the team and you will get exclusive access to their private coastline, Watermouth Cove, with caves, cliffs and beaches galore. Instructors will take you through the whole day so you don’t have to worry about any level of skill, abseil down a 25 meter drop, through a blow hole and into their private cave to explore, before taking the 80 meter zip wire over the ocean. Then grab a hot shower, have a drink and bite to eat at the on-site café.

coastal walking paths

There are an unlimited amount of walking paths around North Devon to explore, the best place to find them is the Walking in Devon website, which chronicles the best walks in the area and you can download a map and a very helpful leaflet, which will tell you about toilet breaks (a must), how hard the walk is and if it is wheelchair and pushchair friendly, what kind of obstacles are in the way (steps) as well as local shops to stop and have a cuppa! The walks range from 1.5 miles to 8 miles, but all have breathtaking scenery, dramatic cliffs and outstanding beaches.

Hele Billy’s Bar & Restaurant

One of the most popular eating destination in North Devon, and it is less than 5 minutes away from our own Beach Cove Coastal Retreat. Barbara and Simon have owned Hele Billy’s since 2005, with a family friendly atmosphere it has become a huge hit with locals and tourists alike! With a huge range of wines, beers, real ales and award winning vodkas, as well as delicious food including season dishes with freshly caught Lundy Lobsters! You are always guaranteed a home cooked meal and  a warm welcome at Hele Billy’s.

Ilfracombe fish trail

A fun and informative self guided tour around a beautiful harbour, the fish trail has 8 information boards that each detail different activities and habitats of fish, and the rich history of the industry in the seaside village. Walking around the harbour you will learn about the local history, including talk of treasure, a ship coming from the West Indies in 1796 wrecked along the coast and was said to have treasure; in 1978, 18th Century gold coins were found washed up in the sand. Try your luck at the beach, or grab a bite at one of the charming cafes along the harbour.

Book your romantic getaway to Beach Cove Coastal Retreat and venture out into the stunning local area, or opt for a quiet holiday in the sumptuous surroundings of our unique beach hut accommodation, complete with hot tub and breath-taking views of the coastline.