Holidays from £15 - Daily Mail offer

You need to act quick to take advantage of this one. Because it's a token collect. Six from the Daily Mail newspaper and one from the Mail on Sunday and the last one is being printed on 10 July.  So you need to start today, tomorrow or Saturday.

Price is per person (based on four sharing). So what's the catch? Well it's in a caravan. But I've stayed in these vans several times and they're not only fine but are in fine locations. And for a few quid a head who's complaining?

Find out more and book here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1195507/UK-Family-Holidays-just-15-.html?ITO=1490

PS. There are two tokens in today's paper to get you going.

NOW READ: Ryanair's latest £5 seat sale - in the school summer holidays 

New York flights approaching £200 threshold

Just how much are the airlines suffering? Well, you can now fly to New York for £216 return.

http://www.flightcentre.co.uk/promotions/travel-zoo

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Ryanair £5 summer flights (July and August)

Ryanair is the Marmite of the skies. You love it or you hate it.

You respect the low prices, the fact it has shaken up the market for the good, its record on punctuality and the go-getting attitude of the chief executive Michael O'Leary - or you hate the fact you don't get an allocated seat, the extra charges such as pay-to-check-in and pay-to-pay unless you have an elusive Electron card and the customer's-always-wrong attitude of the chief executive.

Whatever side of the perimeter fence you sit, you can't deny that flying halfway across Europe for a fiver plus taxes and other cr*p is a fine way to see our bit of the world, especially if the deal is available in the school summer holidays, which this time it is.

Check out the latest £5 flights here:

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/?klc=y

>> NOW READ: The most useful page on the internet: Ryanair's list of charges

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Annual European breakdown insurance for less than £60

The big two former motoring clubs, the AA and the RAC, offer breakdown insurance that can sometimes feel like they're trying to break the bank balance.

But here's one that offers similar all-encompasing cover such as at-home recovery and tow-home from the UK and Europe for just 60 quid for a year - even for older cars.

Go to Gocompare and click on Breakdown cover.

http://www.gocompare.com/insurance/

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Half-price hotels - UK summer sale from Accor group

Not content with cutting prices at its hotel chains across continental Europe (promotion now closed), the Accor group is now slashing prices at Novotels, Mercures, Ibises and Etaps in Britain.

As ever, the 'Up to' monsters are at work so the deals are only up to 50% off. The full discount is pretty limited but if Newcastle Airport for £36 a night is your thing, check it out:

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/promotion/specials/uk-hotel-summer-sale.shtml

It's for bookings made until 29 June, for stays in July and August.

Premier Inns is also cutting prices, with rooms from £29. But you have to book three weeks in advance.

http://www.premierinn.com/pti/premieroffers.do

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near Newcastle Airport

Save £5 (10%) on the inflatable HandiRack roof rack

If you needed evidence that we truly are in the 21st century then check this out: the inflatable roof rack. Nope, it's not a joke. It is, we think, a stroke of geniuis. You can keep it in the boot, whip it out and strap on your boat, your wardrobe or your surfboard. It's Australian. It fits all cars with doors. And until 1 July it's on offer at £50, down from £55.

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Oz, New Zealand flights sale: from £357 return

This is getting ridiculous. Fly to Australia and New Zealand from September to December for less than £400 with Singapore Airlines.  Understandably there aren't many dates left. But worth a look nonetheless.

http://www.netflights.com/airlineoffers/singapore-airlines/?srcid=C_1

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£50 Boots voucher if you book your holiday on Expedia

Says Expedia.co.uk: "Book Any Holiday for travel between the 20th July 2009 and 31st October 2009 for 4 Nights or more to receive a £50 Boots Gift Card, Hurry this offer is only available until the 22nd June 2009"

http://www.expedia.co.uk/daily/voucher/tc_travelhook2_uk.aspx

Details of the offer will show up once you've selected a trip.

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New car rental comparison service

Another site to add to our ever growing armoury of sites to check out before doing stuff is mercifully probably one worth checking out.

It's a car rental comparing tool from the people at the flights comparison service, Skyscanner. 

Here you go:

http://www.skyscanner.net/car-hire/

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More French holiday discounts

Continuing this little series of Nobody Wants To Go To France Any More Because it's Too Damn Expensive But It Seems They've Cottoned On And Are Dropping Prices, I bring you another holiday sale.

This time from PV-Holidays, where discounts of between 20% and 40% are available for the summer holidays. PV run usually upmarket holiday villages for families.  

The offer includes the brands Pierre & Vacances, Maeva, Latitudes Hotels, Residences MGM. Adagio City Aparthotels are not included in this offer. The discount is available on bookings made for stays of minimum 2 nights between 7 May 2009 and 15 November 2009.

http://www.pv-holidays.com/

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Flybe flights sale extended

Only until the end of today, but there are some interesting offers available through to the end of August.

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600,000 hotel rooms from £26 - only six days to book

Something odd is happening in France. The former most popular holiday destination in the world appears to be having trouble attracting tourists.

It doesn't take a qualified head doctor to work out that it may have something to do with it now being one of the most wretchedly expensive holiday destinations out there. But it does seem as if the problem is being remedied somewhat.

The Accor Group, behind such names as Formule 1, Mercure, Etap, Novotel and Ibis, has slashed prices for bookings made until 1 June. It is offering 600,000 rooms across France and the rest of Europe from £26 a night but bookings must be made within a six-day window, which began yesterday.

Check out Accor's Happy Nights promotions here

Eurotunnel is at it too, offering 70% off hotels in the north of France.

Check out Eurotunnel's hotels offers here

In Paris, big, smart hotels are also having to take a ride down the discount route. The Meridien Montparnasse, for example, is dolling out rooms down from mega bucks to 111€ a night.

And Active Hotels is offering Paris hotels for 30€ a night, and even London rooms for just £5  - although I couldn't find any so not such a great offer as it makes out.

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Probably the most useful page on the internet - Ryanair's list of charges

People love to knock Ryanair and with the ever-more imaginative ways of finding things to charge for I can't help but feel the company is getting harder to defend. Oh, yeah, it's still cheap sometimes and pretty reliable.

But with latest ruse which means you cannot now fly with Ryanair without paying to check in - £5 to check in online, £40 if you show up at the airport without having checked in online - it struck me that the most useful page on the whole of the world wide web is probably Ryanair's list of charges.

At least if would be if it was a bit clearer. For example, the 'Not Checked in Online Fine £40' is referred to as the 'Airport Boarding Card Re-issue - Booked via a Call Centre or Airport £40.'

Anyway, here's the page. Bookmark it, print it, check it regularly, memorise it or click on the image to admire it in full pop-up glory.

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES

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Legoland annual pass for just £10

It's true. Although it is only for children. But if you buy and collect your pass before the end of May you'll pay but a tenner. A saving of £43 on the annual children's pass at Legoland, a park suited to younger children. The adult's pass costs £71. Day tickets for adults cost £22.

For this and more Legoland offers visit Lastminute.com

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Beach towels 2 for £5 and other deals from the Webless wonders

It's always interesting to see that some of our more successful low-cost High Street stores don't bother spending (wasting?) money only fancy online presence.

Take Primark: Profits up | Website rubbish

Or TK Maxx (parent company TJX): sales up | you can't buy stuff online

And Bon Marche (Peacock Group):  Sales up | Nothing to buy online

If such cod analysis offered any kind of insight into retailing, which is probably doesn't, you could argue that maybe Woolworths should never have bothered with a website. Although those in the know clearly disagree as the brand is already back up and running on line at Woolworths.co.uk.

More interesting still are the High Street stores that have a strong presence in the real world with only a half-hearted online store.

One such is QS, which is currently offering a brilliant deal for beach towels at 2 for £5 in store. But you'll hear none of this on its website, which has a small collection of shoes, hoodies and, yes, towels but, no, no sizes so it's unlikely they'll sell any of them online.

Oh and QS stores are doing rather well too.

Could this really mean the High Street is finally winning the battle against cyberspace? Only way to find out is to go shopping in town and see for yourself.

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The man in Seat Sixty-One: affordable rail traffic across the UK and Europe

If, like me, you find the reality of trying to get a family from A to B on a train a jaw-droppingly expensive and therefore an almost always abandoned experience, check out The man in Seat Sixty-One.

One of the train ticketing websites, Trainline.com, has today been pushing its latest brilliant offer of tickets for just £9 in June and July. But as ever when I try to book I find it would cost a family of four more than £300 to visit Newcastle from London for the weekend. Not bad, you may argue. But not £9 each way each either. Not on the days and times I want to go and not as cheap as jumping in the car.

But help is here. There are alternatives to Trainline.com and there is a world of affordable rail travel out there if only you can work out the fares and the timetables. And that is where the man in seat sixty-one comes in.

Seat sixty-one is 'The Man's' favourite seat on the Eurostar trains between London and the Continent. He's done it a few times, you see. And he argues that the Eurostar has opened up Britain to a network of railway freedom that previously we could only oggle at from the cliffs of Dover.

Whether you can find the affordable fares he promises is something I have not been able to do. But it doesn't really matter because spending a lunch hour studying the possiblities is a wonderful bit of escapism. Check out...

http://www.seat61.com/

http://www.seat61.com/UKtravel.htm

And once you're hooked: buy the book

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First ever British Airways business class sale

For the first time ever, British Airways has launched a 2-for-1 promotion on all Club World flights from Gatwick and Heathrow for travel throughout the summer.

According to Travelzoo, the specialist travel offers website: 'When we checked this morning, we found return fares to New York from £1,666 for two people - by far the cheapest price we could find for flights of this calibre.'

The discount applies to all return routes in Club World, including the following (prices are for two people and include all taxes):

Mumbai from £1,604
Miami International from £1,959
Antigua from £2,000
Hong Kong from £2,633
Cape Town International from £2,996
Rio de Janeiro International from £3,022

This offer must be booked before midnight, 5 May, for travel between 1 June and 31 October, but dates vary by route.

Yeah, OK, it's still expensive. But..

...on board you'll enjoy individual flat beds, touch-screen telly and menus designed by some of the world's top chefs. You'll also have access to an exclusive lounge with complimentary food and drinks before boarding. Check out...

BA's business class sale

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Australia for less than £500

It seems its against the law to publish words without mentioning latest karaoke sensation Susan Boyle so there, I've done my bit and now for something interesting.

You can flying to Australia - and back - in May and June for £489. Ridiculous. Check out...

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London discounts

According to recent statistics from the flight search website, Skyscanner, the most popular destination for flights from the UK this easter is... wait for it... no, not Florida or France or in fact anywhere in Europe or the rest of the world, but London.

People really are cutting back on foreign travel. Yet, London isn't the cheapest of destinations. There are however some interesting discounts out there. This one caught my eye. 

Save money on Madam Tussauds, London Eye and Tower Bridge 

If you are heading for the capital, the site has other offers worth a look

http://www.discount-london.com/

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South East offers, 2 for 1s, meal deals, hotels and more

One downside of writing from an office in Kensington is the inevitable southern bias that slips in between the lines. It's a lot harder to get a feel for what's going on in Grangemouth or Morpeth when out the window is London.

We all know that the best bands come from the north, the best beaches are northern - although you need a centrally heated dry suit to take to the water - the best stotties are from the north, as are the best sculptures, Roman walls, mountain ranges, accents, beers, football teams, countryside, people (hey, so I'm from the north) but the South East is where most of us live because, oh, I don't know, it is (was) the centre of the global financial services industry.

So what else does the South East have to offer?

For one, Crawley is the birthplace of the Cure (pictured below). But it is also home to the Surrey Hills, one or two incredible sandy beaches (pebbles do not a beach make) at Camber Sands and West Wittering the South Downs, Brighton, Canterbury, Leeds Castle and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to name a few.

If any of this sounds appealing, then there are loads of special offers available to visitors from 2 for 1 tickets for attractions, restaurants and hotels. Here:

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How to avoid the great airport water con

As we approach the end of our little series of travel-related tips, deals and offers, here's probably one of the most important for anyone heading through an airport this year - particularly if you are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the War on Terror.

Chief weapon in our country's armoury is a clear, resealable plastic bag no larger than 20cm x 20cm approx in which to place all carry-on-board liquids, which must be in containers no larger than 100ml.

According to the Department For Transport:

'Remember that 'Liquids' includes:

All drinks, including water, soup, syrups
Creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, mascara etc
Sprays and pressurized containers including shaving foam and spray deodorants
Pastes, including toothpastes
Gels, including hair and shower gel
Blah, etc

While, taking soup on a plane is a niche pastime these days, we all really ought to be taking water with us to ward off dehydration. And this is where we confront the 'Great airport water con'. If you arrive with a bottle of water, you are forced to either drink it all before passing through security or throw it away. After security, you may then buy a new bottle of water from the imaginatively priced airside shops. This is an outrageous rip-off. But it doesn't have to be.

Simply take an empty bottle with you - there no anti-terror law about that - and fill it up with water from the fountain or the loos on the other side of the security checks. Easy.

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Easyjet flights: half-price sale

The word on the floor of airport arrivals halls suggests that more flights these days are arriving earlier than scheduled. As more routes are being axed, I surmise, it is making it easier for flights still operating to leave on time and to find an elusive air traffic slot. Dare I say? Flying is becoming more pleasurable as recession bites.

Another knock-on effect of the current malaise (and of the falling oil price) is the availability of lower fares.

Return flights to Australia are being touted for less than £500 return - that's all the way round the world for the amount you could be overpaying for your phone bill. And if you book before the end of the month (tomorrow) you could nab 50% off your flight to a selection of destinations with Easyjet.

Remember, the shorter your trip, the cheaper it will be. This is one for a short early summer getaway.

Easyjet half-price sale

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The Sun £15 holidays vs Daily Mail Chelsea Flower Show offers

Anyone who has walked the coast of Britain will have been astounded at the sheer number of caravan parks packed into some of our most attractive coves and crannies. OK, so I'm not talking to a big walking-round-the-coast-of-Britain audience here but take it from me, there are loads of these sites. And if you've ever fancied staying in one of them (along with legions of Sun readers for just 'From £15') today is your big chance. 

You'll need to buy a copy of The Sun newspaper today to get the booking form, then buy it again for six more days to get enough vouchers.

The catch is that you need to select a range of alternative locations and five alternative dates so you could end up anywhere at any time but there are camps in Europe available as part of the offer. The other potential catch is you could end up at at one of the site's sales events and end up buying a caravan that you never use and end up renting it out to Sun readers. But I went on one of these breaks last year and for a late summer weekend in a suburb of Weymouth had a fine time.

Chelsea flower show

For a more refined holiday experience - possibly without the children - the Daily Mail has a couple of offers today for the Chelsea Flower Show and the Hampton Court Flower Show. You'll know when you're going and where. For Chelsea, for £139 per person you get a night's hotel with dinner, breakfast, show tickets and coach travel from the hotel to the venue. The interesting thing about this one, is that the hotel is near Heathrow, which makes it relatively easy to access from all parts of the country and because the show ground is a swine to get to, so a coach to drop you off is a godsend. To book this deal separately would cost around £180 a head. For a supplement you can stay in central London.

To find out more call 0845 155 6723 quoting DML, or go online here:

>> Travel Mail Chelsea offer

>> Travel Mail Hampton Court offer

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Ryanair check in changes: read this if you're flying this summer

As an international airborne bus service Ryanair is brilliant. Sadly, in my view, its brilliance is marred by the melee that ensues when you come to take your seat, which isn't allocated, and is scarred by the ever-increasing extra charges that passengers face en route through the online booking process. You have to pay a fee to pay for your ticket, is my favourite. And there's more...

If you are flying this summer, you must read this.

How to avoid the £320 sting

Airport check in is being abolished and if you're not aware you could face a rather large bill.

 

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£0 Nice - and, no, it's not Ryanair but it's not £0 either

Anyone jaded by the cheapo flights offers from Ryanair that end up costing more than the advertised price should always check out the alternatives.

One of those alternatives advertising heavily at the moment is Aer Lingus, with a one-way fare to Nice for £9.99, including all taxes and charges. OH, BUT NOT THE HANDLING FEE!

Frankly, I'm tired of this nonsense and would rather pay more for a more straightforward approach, which is a shame because if you look at the website you can fly to Nice during the May school holidays for a reasonable amount of money. If you don't take luggage, obviously.

The £9.99 advertised fare is actually a £0 fare plus taxes. Twenty quid to Nice and back is not bad. Read the small print and you'll find there is a handling fee of £8 return for each passenger. Thirty odd quid for a return to Nice is still not bad. If that sounds like your thing, check out...

Aer Lingus

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25€ apartment hotels

Apartment hotels are great for families. If you can find one of these special offer 25€ rooms good luck, but it may be worth a try. Bizarrely, it's only available for one-night bookings.

http://www.citadines.com/en/promotions/birthday.html

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Free currency exchange card

We're often asked what is the best way to take money abroad and with all things financial the answer takes you into a web of intrigue, commissions, opacity and, oh you know... the usual shenanigans of the money industry.

But one option that has caught our eye lately is the pre-loaded currency card that allows you to load up online when the exchange rate takes your fancy, then withdraw cash from ATMs abroad displaying the Visa, Maestro and Mastercard logos.

If this sound like it may be the way to avoiding variable charges and exchange rates then read this piece, where you'll find details of an offer to get a free one (normally a tenner).

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£10 hotel rooms (oh, and The Pixies)

Lastminute.com is running another £10 hotel rooms promotion from 10am this morning, Thursday 12 February.

Here's the link

http://www.lastminute.com/site/deals/birthday/wigig.html

I'd love to know if anyone manages to snare one of these deals. They've been elusive to me when I've tried before - it's likely to be a sold out by one minute past 10 kind of a deal.

Richard Browning

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PS

A quick thank you to what appears to be members of the Pixies who have been posting comments on the blog. For anyone not familiar with the band, here are a few pictures.

Easyjet on sale again

An Easyjet sale feels like it's becoming a fortnightly occurrance - the last one ended only a couple of weeks ago. But if you can swallow the tumbling value of the holiday pound this one warrants a mention as there are some amazingly low prices for some of the ski destinations as part of its latest January sale.

As ever, prices include taxes but not checked-in luggage. So if you really want a weekend skiing, wear lots of clothes and take a small bag or consider Swiss Air or BA.

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Hi-visibility vests for little more than £1

If news that Eurotunnel is to fully reopen outweighs the crippling euro exchange rate and your holiday plans are turning towards France, you may not be aware that the law changed last year and as well as having to carry a warning triangle and spare bulbs, you need a hi-visibility life vest to be kept in the front of the carin the event of a breakdown.

The bad news is that if you hire a car you are likely to have to buy one from the rental company. One rental agency at Geneva airport charges 10 Swiss francs (about £7) for a vest. The good news is you can buy them before you go for little more than £1 + delivery. Not a massive saving but this is more about saving face - especially if you're stopped by the police.  

Here are a couple of outlets with the cheapest we could find:

Security Direct has one for £1.37 + £2.99 delivery (total: £4.36)  

Glovesnstuff has one for £3.10 inc delivery 

Halfords has them for £4 in store

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