A For a holiday on Aruba — an island with year-round sunshine, just off the coast of Venezuela — you’ll get better value if you book a package. First Choice (0870 850 3999, www.firstchoice.co.uk) offers the only direct flights from the UK — from Gatwick and Manchester, with services starting in May 2007.
A good bet is the recently refurbished Tamarijn Aruba, a four-star hotel with a great beach and watersports. A 14-night package starts from £1,259pp, all-inclusive, including flights and transfers.
Alternatively, Kuoni Travel (01306 747008, www.kuoni.co.uk) has seven nights, B&B, at the colonial-style Bucuti Beach Resort from £1,067pp, including flights from Heathrow, Manchester or Birmingham, all via Amsterdam.
For more information on the island, which has excellent beaches, colonial architecture and a surprisingly arid desert interior, call 020 7928 1600 or visit www.aruba.com.
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Q My boyfriend and I want a last blast of Mediterranean sun. The Balearics are top of our wish list, but are we too late for warm weather, and can we still find a quiet villa?
Margaret Joseph, Sussex
A The good news is that the tail end of September is the best time to hit the Balearics. Prices drop dramatically after mid-September, with villas available at half the peak-season price, sea temperatures at their annual high and the sun perfect for days by the pool.
If it’s peace you need, then Minorca would be my top tip. Okay, it’s not as undeveloped as Formentera, but its towns are more interesting, its hillsides are lusher, and its south coast is strewn with pristine white beaches such as Cala Mitjana. There are few one-bedroom villas in the Balearics, but Meon Villas (0870 850 8551, www.meonvillas.co.uk) has seven nights at the two-bedroom
Casa Carlos, near medieval Ciutadella, for £539 (compared with £1,149 in high season). First Choice (0870 850 3999, www.firstchoice.co.uk) has flights from Gatwick from £139; car hire costs £135.
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For somewhere with a bit more buzz, Mallorca’s northeast coast — particularly around old Pollensa — is truly unspoilt. Mallorca Farmhouses (0118 947 3001, www.mfh.co.uk) has about 70 properties around Pollensa, all with pools. The two-bedroom Villa Finca Peric is available from October 7 at £575 for a week, including car hire. Flights from Gatwick to Palma with Excel Airways (0870 320 7777, www.xl.com) start at £105.
Q I’ve been offered accommodation in Bodrum this Christmas, but am unable to find any direct flights from the UK. How can I get there?
Val Blissett, Banbury
A Actually, there are direct flights from the UK, but they’re all operated by charter airlines. In the summer months, there are nonstop flights to Bodrum from 14 UK airports and Dublin; in the winter, you can fly direct from Gatwick or Manchester.
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Charter Flight Centre (0845 045 0153, www.charterflights.co.uk) has winter fares from £139 or, for the Christmas period, from £270. While it is often possible to get excellent last-minute deals on charter flights, I’d strongly recommend that you book as soon as possible if you’re planning to travel over Christmas.
Incidentally, Charter Flight Centre’s website is a useful resource for finding out where charter flights go, and from which UK airports they leave. Click on “Flights” then “Information” for a complete list by destination country and city. Other good places to book charters include Flightline (0800 541541, www.flightline.co.uk) and Travel Republic (0845 612 1747, www.travelrepublic.co.uk). ()
Q Now the festival is over, can you suggest a trendy hotel and hip restaurant in Edinburgh?
Heather Myers, Brighton
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A One of the stylish modern rooms at the Glasshouse (2 Greenside Place; 0131 525 8200, www.theetoncollection.com) would suit you perfectly. This striking hotel, opened in 2003, occupies the top two floors of the Omni leisure complex and has a roof garden.
You enter the hotel through a historic church facade at street level and reach the 65 rooms via the lift. They have sweeping views from the floor-to-ceiling windows — and most have their own terrace, along with walk-in showers. Prices start at £210 per night.
Edinburgh’s hottest table has to be the Tower (0131 225 3003, www.tower-restaurant.com). It’s a rooftop restaurant above the Museum of Scotland, with excellent service and fantastic views of the castle to accompany the outstanding seafood and grilled meats. There’s a two-course light lunch for £9.95 or à la carte in the evening, with starters from £7 and main courses about £20.
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Q Last year, I flew to northern Cyprus and my passport was stamped by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. Next month, I am flying to the Greek island of Samos. I want to know if I’ll have any problems, as Greece doesn’t recognise northern Cyprus.
John Rawlinson, by e-mail
A No, you won’t have any problems entering Greece with a stamp from Turkish Cyprus, nor anywhere else in Turkey. Nor will you have any trouble going to the Republic of Cyprus, which will still let you enter or leave if you have a stamp from the northern part of the island.