Travel News

Pam Pam in Juan le Pins is a unique bar, with a very distinctive style.

Whether you're looking for a special drink or extraordinary entertainment, this small watering hole on the French Riviera offers it all.

Standing out among the more sophisticated establishments in upmarket Juan les Pins, the Brazilian themed decor here is complemented by the up-tempo live Latin music.

Celebrating the rainforest, every detail in this bar is different, from the outlandish South American decoration which includes palm trees and a scattering of drums, to the fantastic cocktails which are served in a variety of containers, including a monkey-shaped cup.

The venue attracts a huge range of people, from families enjoying the great entertainment, to local twenty-somethings who will likely venture on to explore the local nightclubs.

Juan les Pins is a popular holiday destination in Antibes. It is also a favourite with yacht owners, many of whom moor their boats here.

In August, the French retreat is home to a number of fantastic firework displays from the bay as part of a firework festival and views are especially spectacular from a boat.

Norfolk's newly opened Broad House Hotel is a beautiful boutique listed building set amid 24 acres of picturesque countryside.

Once a grand family home, it has now been converted into a nine-bedroom hotel retaining much of the building's original character and tradition.

Each uniquely decorated room is named after members of the Trafford family, the Norfolk landowners who once lay claim to the building, including the Lady Betty Suite, Aunt Diana's suite and Bernard's room.

All the rooms including the restaurant boast a classic elegance, with the English country hotel catering for those looking for tranquil luxury.

The restaurant has a British-style menu and uses locally sourced produced for its recipes. It also offers a wide range of high quality wines.

There is also a bar, library and drawing room, where guests can be served a classic English afternoon tea.

Located on the doorstep of Wroxham Broads, visitors to the Broad House can take advantage of the many attractions in the Norfolk Broads. These include a variety of opportunities for water-sports, the chance to explore a number of charming local villages and the prospect of peaceful walks through the serene landscape and past breathtaking views.

For a hint of madness in a town that normally prides itself on its order and educational pre-eminence, head to Oxford on May Day.

May 1st sees residents and students in this university town gather in their thousands to uphold centuries-old traditions.

Festivities begin the evening before, when the eager undergraduates flock to parties throughout the town and in the field at Port Meadow.

As the sun rises, traditional Morris dancers welcome in the new day and the worse-for-wear students head for Magdalen Bridge, which crosses the River Cherwell.

Over the years, restrictuions have had to be put in place after students continuously jumped into the shallow water, resulting in injuries.

Crowds then quieten and gather to listen to the choir of Magdalen College, before heading their separate ways to continue the time-honoured tradition of drinking alcohol, in the many pubs that open early especially for the event.

The less energetic locals can enjoy the entertainment put on in the city centre, which includes maypoles, street theatre and music performances.

The centrally located Corinthia Palace is one of the grandest hotels in Malta.

The five-star hotel set amid its own stunning landscaped gardens, provides comfort, luxury and beauty in one ideal location.

Built in the traditional Maltese light-coloured stone, the five-star hotel boasts grand architecture and 155 luxurious bedrooms, complete with all the mod-cons, including eight suites.

It is also renowned for its great range of fantastic cuisine and its brand new fully renovated Atheneum Spa, which uses only natural substances and provides facilities for a number of relaxing therapies and treatments.

After unwinding by the outdoor pool, head to the poolside bar or the Caprice Lounge for cocktails and entertainment from a pianist.

For the more energetic guest, the hotel also has facilities for tennis and water sports including sailing, scuba diving, windsurfing and water-skiing.

The Corinthia Palace Hotel is located at the centre of the island, close to the Presidential Palace and its adjoining San Anton Botanical Gardens.

It's not every day that you will get the chance to sleep in a building made of ice. So the Ice Hotel in Sweden is perfect for those looking for a truly unique experience.

The chilly venue has to be rebuilt every year from 10,000 tonnes of ice and 30,000 tonnes of snow and is only open between December and April, before the warmer weather sets in and the building encounters a Snowman-like demise.

Guests at the hotel located in Jukkasjärvi, in the magical Swedish Lapland, are equipped with an ice suit and a specially made sleeping bag to cope with the ice cold temperatures which range between -9 and -4 degrees centigrade.

Following a nippy night's sleep, visitors are provided with a hot drink and can then warm up in one of the obligatory Swedish saunas.

After that, they can purchase a night-cap from the Absolut vodka ice bar, or perhaps spend some quiet-time in the ice chapel. Food is also available in one of the two slightly warmer restaurants.

Most guests will only spend one night in an ice room and the rest of their stay in one of the warm rooms.

There are only 541 residents in the small village of Jukkasjärvi, which is 200km north of the Arctic Circle.