Glitzy St Petersburg
Glitzy St Petersburg
Daily Express

TWO elderly Russian ladies wearing full-length mink fur coats carefully sip mugs of hot chocolate, their gnarled fingers heavy under the weight of gold rings. If there is one thing St Petersburg has in spades, it’s glamour.

December 2012
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Delhi Homestay
Delhi Homestay
National Geographic Traveller

Avuncular Major Singh runs a homestay, Abode Kolta, in Gurgaon; originally just beyond the city limits of Delhi, but now subsumed by the sprawling mass of new developments.

September 2012
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Excelsior Palace Hotel – Rapallo
Excelsior Palace Hotel – Rapallo

Along the coast from the better-known French Riviera, is the arguably more scenic Italian Riviera, and here, at Rapallo, perched on a cliff, is the Excelsior Palace Hotel, one of only two five-star hotels on the Portofino Coast.  45 minutes’ drive from the airport, it’s an ideal weekend getaway.   The Excelsior Palace Hotel first

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Merrell Kahuna women’s sport sandals
Merrell Kahuna women’s sport sandals

Merrell Kahuna lll Women’s sport sandal   UK price:  £75   Pros:  Sturdy, light, easy to clean   Cons:  Not available in half sizes   Verdict:  A good sandal for walking and hiking in the heat   Rating:  4 stars   Available:  Merrell stores and online   Product review:     For most of the

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Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Watergate Bay, Cornwall

Dramatic floor to ceiling windows overlook the unspoilt Watergate Bay with miles and miles of golden sands. A few surfers, a handful of dog walkers and a noisy group of seagulls arguing over a piece of fish were the only beach occupants on this rather overcast summer’s day. Inside, the squishy sofas, daily papers and

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Radisson Edwardian at Heathrow
Radisson Edwardian at Heathrow

There’s something really nice about being able to arrive under your own steam at your airport hotel, fly abroad and then come back to find your car ready for you.  This is the service offered by Radisson Edwardian near Heathrow airport, named Stay, Park and Fly.  It beats all the other options in my book

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