Great Britain
Cornwall
Follow in the footsteps of the prime minster on a weekend break in Cornwall departing on Friday, staying in a “luxury woodland lodge” in Leycroft Valley, half way between Perranporth and St Agnes. Hoseasons (0345 4986130, hoseasons.co.uk) has a three-night stay in one of its upmarket self-catering lodges — which come with private outdoor hot tubs — from £389 for two people (£100 off the usual rate). The closest beaches are two miles away, for those who fancy a wetsuit swim like the PM.
Inverurie, Scotland
Scotts Castle Holidays (01208 821341, scottscastles.com) has decent savings on stays in Scottish castles this autumn. For example, it’s offering 25 per cent off the hire of a 15th-century castle near Inverurie for a week on September 19 — the price is now £1,688 (£562 off). The castle has a tower, with rooms spread over three storeys, and it sleeps 14 people; making it perfect for family get-togethers. It’s decorated in a traditional style, furnished with antiques, and comes with a fully equipped kitchen. A week’s rental on September 26 is from £1,800.
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Short Haul
Zakynthos, Greece
For a quick getaway in early October for slightly more than £200, Teletext Holidays has a raft of options, but its seven-night stay at the Aquis Avalon Hotel on a hill above Zante Town seems especially good value (020 3001 0608, teletextholidays.co.uk). A seven-night all-inclusive stay departing on October 8 from Gatwick is from £215pp — a saving of £124pp on the previous price. The hotel has an “adults preferred” policy. It has a pool on a terrace with good sea views, and there’s a tennis court, plus a mini golf course and a nearby beach.
Mayrhofen, Austria
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Walkers and bikers will find the four-star Hotel Neuhaus in Mayrhofen a good base — there are plenty of paths through the mountains close by, and the hotel can arrange bikes and guides for those who need them. A seven-night half-board stay is from £469pp — a saving of £280pp — for departures from Gatwick on September 16 with Inghams (01483 791116, inghams.co.uk); transfers are included from Innsbruck airport.
Ibiza, Spain
Party people can zoom away for a seven-night all-inclusive break staying in Playa d’en Bossa, close to several bars and clubs, on a Thomson break departing on September 24 from Bristol (0871 2302555, thomson.co.uk). The price is from £583pp for a stay at the all-inclusive Club Bahamas, which is close to a sandy beach and has a large pool (with a bar). There’s a gym and a spa. Rooms are plain but contemporary, with a whitewashed look.
Long Haul
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Dominican Republic
Fancy a fortnight in the Caribbean? The price of 14 nights all-inclusive, staying at the Memories Splash Punta Cana SplashWorld Resort — yes, it is quite a mouthful — is from £1,032pp with flights from Gatwick departing on September 22. Tennis, table tennis, mini golf, kayaking and snorkelling are available at this sporty hotel, but the highlight is a new waterpark with waterchutes, pools and slides. The hotel is by a sandy beach. Rooms are plain but comfortable. Fishing and jungle trek trips can be arranged.
Dubai, India, Malaysia and Singapore
Book a cabin for 15-night adventure beginning in Dubai and ending in Singapore, with 11 nights spent at sea on a cruise offered by Cruise1st (0800 9534963, cruise1st.co.uk). The trip includes flights to Dubai and from Singapore as well as two nights at a hotel in Dubai and two nights in Singapore at the end. Along the way — travelling aboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas — there are stops at Goa and Cochin in India, followed by Penang and Port Klang in Malaysia. The price is from £1,249pp based on a half-board inside stateroom.
San Francisco, America
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It’s a short walk to Pier 39 and ferries across to Alcatraz from Holiday Inn San Francisco-Fisherman’s Wharf hotel, where a room-only five-night stay is from £665pp with flights included, departing from Manchester in November. This is a saving of £385pp; you must book by September 22. The hotel has a heated outdoor pool. My America Holiday (020 8003 6081, myamericaholiday.co.uk) has other last-minute breaks to the US.