Dan Egg

Looking for pretty, tranquil, peace and quiet? Well, this place delivers that and more. Bucolic villages, honey-coloured cottages, rolling limestone hills, medieval churches and, er, the possibility of bumping into David Cameron and his Chipping Norton chums… Okay, so the last one’s not for everyone but look, the Cotswolds really is pretty glorious, especially for a foolproof romantic getaway. Brimming with that kind of quintessential vision of England that sends visitors to our shores just a bit batty. And you know what? That means its Airbnbs are some of the best in the land, too. We’ve handpicked a bunch so you don't have to. Here are some of our favourite Airbnbs in the Cotswolds, from reimagined churches to cute little pods and glamping spots. Happy holidaying! Updated November 2024: Two more couldn't hurt, but it may make your choice a little more difficult, especially once you take a look at the new Hobbit-inspired hut we've added – or the dreamy meadow yurt. RECOMMENDED: 🇬🇧See our top picks for the best Airbnbs in the UK🏨Cosy up in the cheapest hotels in the Cotswolds 💂‍♂️or stay in these unique Airbnbs in London Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more i

Turns out you don’t need new teeth or a hair transplant to leave Türkiye feeling transformed. Liberty Lykia Adults Only offers a different kind of makeover, one built on sea views, spa treatments and the buffet spreads of your dreams. You’ll come home glowing, rested, and feeling ever so slightly spoiled. Set in a secluded stretch of coastline near Ölüdeniz, this adults-only resort is less a hotel and more a self-contained world of indulgence. There are private beaches, forest cocktail bars, dramatic mountain backdrops and more pools than you could ever need (three, to be exact). It’s huge, yes, but everything is still surprisingly polished, peaceful and effortless. If you’re after laid-back luxury with zero stress and maximum pampering, it’s hard to beat. Why stay at Liberty Lykia Adults Only? This isn’t your typical all-inclusive; no lukewarm buffet trays or novelty pool games here (unless you’re into that, in which case: the family resort next door awaits). Liberty Lykia Adults Only is the grown-up half of a vast 400-acre estate, and it feels like a world of its own: calm, polished, and blissfully kid-free. And it’s genuinely stunning. Expect beautiful scenery, blindingly blue sea, and forest paths that wind through the trees to secret beaches and cocktail bars. The sheer scale means there’s always a quiet corner to claim, while the staff-to-guest ratio somehow makes it feel boutique. If you’ve been put off by all-inclusive holidays before, this place might just convert yo

If your Instagram feed is anything like mine, you’ll have noticed that everyone is heading off for a weekend away in the Cotswolds lately. Celebs and niche micro-influencers keep popping up in tranquil countryside settings, usually from the bougie surroundings of Soho Farmhouse, leaving the rest of us stuck in the city – drinking expensive coffee at our desks, yearning for a mini-break of our own. Sound familiar? Well, you’re in luck.  Situated right in the middle of a charming little village called Duns Tew, this 18th century barn has been lovingly reimagined as The Barn, with its original features (think wooden beams, exposed stone walls) sitting proudly amongst a bold, modern design. Like something out of The Holiday – but a little more Soho Farmhouse. The barn’s striking new look is courtesy of artist and designer Kelly Jackson – you’ll notice her chic artistic touches throughout. It’s a place that is packed with personality; with colour-blocked walls, geometric patterns and playful art pieces (thank you David Shrigley) all making the open-plan kitchen and living area an ideal spot to chill, curl up in front of the fire, or catch up over a glass of (complimentary) fizz. And the two bedrooms are just as snazzy; one decked out in calming greens, the other offering a touch of luxury with its king-size bed, ensuite, and dedicated desk area- perfect for squeezing in a bit of work, if you ‘forgot’ to book the day off. Plus, even the bathrooms feel special, thanks to their vibra

To paraphrase an old saying; nothing is certain except death, taxes and Shrek. This beloved movie about a big green swamp-dweller and pals has inspired countless memes, parodies and tributes over the years, and the adoration for the beloved Scottish beast seems unlikely to stop any time soon.  If you, like everyone else, are a dedicated fan, then you’ll no doubt want to get yourself down to Ogrepalooza this Halloween.  With a costume competition and headline performances from the UK’s #1 Shrek tribute band (there was tough competition, I’m sure), this swamptacular shindig is set to literally be the stuff of fairytales. It’s on the South Bank as well, so you won’t even have to travel Far, Far Away.

Fifty years after it first flounced onto the London stage, Richard O’Brien’s campy cult classic is still a certified smash. Written as an homage to ’50s sci-fi and horror B-movies, ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ quickly solidified O’Brien as a queer icon after its initial debut in 1973 - thanks to his unashamedly horny script and a star turn as Riff Raff in the initial production.  Several decades, a movie adaptation later, O’Brien’s legend status remains untouched - as does that of this gleefully chaotic show, which still draws in crowds of adoring fans. This is not because of its plot (which is wafer-thin at best), but because of ‘Rocky Horror’s infectious energy, memorable songs, and a dedicated following that makes every performance a riotous, truly immersive experience.  Let's start with the storyline: straight-laced, virginal couple Brad and Janet get stranded at a creepy castle, where they fall into the clutches of Frank N Furter, a fishnet-clad, mad scientist-alien who spends his time creating sexy new minions he can play with. That’s pretty much the whole plot, and while the first act zips along thanks to iconic bangers like ‘Time Warp‘ and ‘Sweet Transvestite’, the second act does bog down a bit as the narrative fizzles out and the well of recognisable songs dries up. But no one comes for the story, do they? It’s the audience interaction that makes ‘Rocky Horror’ a one-of-a-kind event. Ardent fans arrive in flamboyant costumes, armed with fairy lights and placards, and rea

If you’ve swiped through Hinge recently, you might have noticed that a seemingly ever-increasing number of LGBTQI+ east Londoners are now based in Clapton.  This unassuming district of Hackney has arguably usurped Dalston as the unofficial queerest neighbourhood of east London, so it seems only right that the girls, gays and theys in the area should now have their own venue too.  This comes in the form of new gay bar the Wing and a Prayer, cheekily nicknamed ‘the WAP’. On the former site of The Mermaid and more recently The Black Hen, it’s a pub that hasn’t exactly had the best luck staying open over the last few years - but it’s in very capable hands. Run by the team behind Hoxton fave The Nelson’s, its new owners have a load of experience in running bars for east London queers. With comfy seating, loads of pot plants, disco balls in every corner and a basement for parties, this cute little bar could soon become your new favourite hangout - or the perfect place for your next Hinge date. 

In news that will delight cider lovers and cream tea connoisseurs alike, two new railway stations have officially been approved in southwest England. One is in Cullompton, Devon and the other is in Wellington, Somerset. Both towns sit right on the main line between Exeter and Taunton, but haven’t had their own functioning stations since the mid-20th century. That’s now being fixed, with government funding secured and services expected to start running by 2026.  These changes might sound hyper-local, but they’re also genuinely useful for anyone heading down from London or further afield. The shiny new stations will both connect via Exeter St David’s, a major transport hub with direct services to London Paddington, Plymouth, Bristol and the Cornish mainline. That means a much smoother journey, with no scrambling for local buses or hoping your signal holds for long enough to book a cab. More importantly, these new stations open up access to some of the southwest’s finest countryside. Cullompton sits right by the Blackdown Hills (a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, no less) and puts you within striking distance of Killerton House, Sidmouth and, of course, Dartmoor – perfect for a bit of wild camping, now it’s officially legal. Wellington, just over the border in Somerset, gives you a straight shot to the Quantock Hills, with Exmoor not far off and plenty of under-the-radar trails, farm shops and proper pubs along the way. Now that the two stations have secured fundin

If you grew up in the south of England at any point in the last 20 years, you probably went on a school trip to the OG Eden Project. Those sweaty biomes have been the go-to spot for nature lovers and stressed geography teachers alike since their rainforest doors first flung open back in 2001. Now, there’s a new Eden in town – or at least there will be soon. And this one’s going underground. Set to open in 2028 and cost £32.7 million, the new attraction will be carved into a disused limestone quarry on the Isle of Portland, right on the Jurassic Coast. It’s technically called MEMO Portland (short for Mass Extinction Memorial Observatory), but because it’s being developed with the Eden Project team, most people are already calling it Eden Portland. Think fewer domes, more dramatic tunnels - a kind of eco-Batcave for climate-curious tourists. The plan is to turn almost a kilometre of underground mine shafts into a massive, immersive experience that tells the story of life on Earth; from the dawn of time to whatever it is we’re doing to the planet now. Expect fossils, big feelings, high-tech visuals, and even an immersive theatre. Punchdrunk, eat your heart out. The project’s been kicking around in various forms for a while, but with Eden officially on board, it’s finally gaining traction. PM Keir Starmer even name-dropped it during Prime Minister’s Questions recently, calling it ‘hugely exciting’. If MEMO Portland all goes ahead, it’s expected to draw 325,000 visitors a year and

Everyone loves a night out in Hackney. Whether it’s a sweaty gig at MOTH Club or boogieing into the small hours at Dalston Superstore, the borough’s nightlife has long been one of the best things about it. Now, Hackney Council has announced a new strategy aimed at making nights out in the borough safer, more inclusive and better supported. Titled Good Evening Hackney, the plan introduces free phone charging points, water refill stations and weekend welfare teams patrolling the streets. There’s also free training for venue staff on drink spiking prevention and noise management, as part of the Hackney Nights accreditation scheme. Accredited venues get a Late Night Levy discount, which might make staying open past midnight a little less painful. There’s a focus on women’s safety too, and on making nightlife work for communities who’ve historically been left out of the conversation. In short, it all sounds like a step in the right direction. Plus, the plan lands a few months after Sadiq Khan launched a London Nightlife Taskforce to help revive nightlife across the capital. That group is still gathering public input on what’s working, what’s not, and what nightlife in London should look like. But what do these new policies mean for helping clubs stay open, protecting them from developers, and encouraging venues to open in the first place? In recent years London has been accused of closing down early (with half of Londoners supposedly in bed by midnight), and shoving out all nightl

Do you find moving house a daunting, stressful, time-consuming thing to do? Well, try doing so with 1,300 tropical plants. That’s what staff at Kew Gardens have already started doing ahead of a massive restoration of the attraction’s most iconic glasshouse, which will shut from 2027 for four years. Originally built in the 1840s, the Palm House is arguably Kew’s most recognisable building – a full-blown horticultural celeb, basically. It was designed to show off tropical plants collected from across the British Empire, and today it’s home to some of the world’s most threatened species. It’s steamy, it’s dramatic, it smells faintly of compost, and soon it’ll be surrounded by scaffolding. The Palm House’s restoration will see all 16,000 of its window panes replaced with insulated glass, while the iron frame will be stripped and repainted, and the ageing heating system swapped for sustainable alternatives. The goal is to turn the Grade I-listed building into the world’s first net-zero glasshouse of its kind. Photograph: Toms Auzins / Shutterstock.com And, yes, the plants are already on the move – though thankfully they’re not going far. Kew’s team of plant pros are lovingly relocating them to a set of temporary glasshouses elsewhere on site. Some of the species are extinct in the wild, so no pressure – they just have to keep them alive for the next few years. Once the works are done, the whole collection will be triumphantly returned home. Kew expects the construction to last f

Londoners could soon be getting a new, more convenient and eco-friendly way to get from the capital all the way to Berlin, as plans for a direct train between London and Germany have been outlined by political leaders.  UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have signed a new ‘friendship treaty’ at a summit in London today. It’s all part of the UK’s post-Brexit effort to reset relations with Europe. One of the more tangible outcomes? A plan to finally break down the legal and logistical barriers that are currently standing in the way of direct trains between London and Frankfurt, with the hope of eventually extending the route to Berlin. A direct London-Berlin train is being discussed, but it’s not first in line. The initial destinations on the table are Frankfurt and Cologne, the former being Germany’s financial capital and the latter known for its enormous carnival and cathedral. Both cities would be connected to St Pancras via new Eurostar-style routes that would likely pass through Paris or Brussels to allow for border checks.  Deutsche Bahn tried to launch a London–Frankfurt service back in 2010 but shelved the idea after hitting a maze of cross-border complications, including tunnel rules, voltage differences and conflicting safety standards. Now, with Eurostar investing £2 billion into 50 new trains and both companies back in negotiations, the political will finally seems to be there. The working group announced by Starmer and Merz wil

For far too long, the only way to get your hands on a flatpack desk, a three-pack of tealights and some Swedish meatballs was to trek to a massive retail park, or a motorway warehouse in the middle of nowhere. IKEA’s recent move toward city centre locations – like the one on London’s Oxford Street – has therefore been a welcome gear change. And there’s another one on the horizon.  Brighton-based Billy bookcase fans, rejoice. You’ll soon be in flatpack heaven, as a brand new IKEA is launching in Churchill Square next month. Opening on August 14, you’ll find the two-floor, 6,700-square-metre shop on the site of the old Debenhams.    Unlike full-sized IKEA mega-stores, this one’s tailored to city living. You’ll find around 2,500 smaller items you can carry home straight away, plus larger furniture you can order for delivery or collection. There’ll be roomsets, planning services, and a secondhand section for picking up pre-loved bargains. Most importantly, the Swedish Food Market is coming too, so yes, you’ll still be able to get your hands on those famous meatballs. Karina Gilpin, the store manager, said they want the new spot to reflect ‘Brighton’s bold personality’ and its passion for ‘sustainable, affordable living’.  Plus, Brighton & Hove Council leader Bella Sankey called the store a ‘vote of confidence in our city’, pointing to the new jobs and investment it’ll bring. The shiny new IKEA will be open 10am to 8pm from Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays. So. there

Britain has some truly spectacular coastlines. Sure, a day out to the seaside in the UK usually involves pebbly shores, blustery weather and water so cold it actually hurts, but there is no shortage of excellent stretches of British coast – just take a look at Time Out’s list of the best beaches in the UK. And it’s not just us that backs Britain’s beaches. Tour company Big 7 Travel has just published the 2025 edition of its list of the best beaches in the entire world, and it lists four UK beaches among sandy destinations in Australia, Thailand and Greece. Not-that-surprisingly, Scotland takes the top UK spot. Next time you’re up that way, head to Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris (pictured above), which Big 7 Travel ranked at number 12 worldwide. Think powdery white sand, glassy blue water and a truly jaw-dropping landscape. You may need a fleece instead of flip-flops, but on a sunny day Luskentyre is about as close to the Maldives as the UK is going to get. Unsurprisingly, Cornwall also gets a look in. More specifically: Porthcurno Beach – which comes in at number 20. Sheltered by high granite cliffs, it’s one of those rare UK beaches that actually looks as good in real life as it does on Instagram. You can swim, sunbathe or just sit smugly at Porthcurno knowing you’re on a global top 20 beach that doesn’t require a passport. Photograph: Shutterstock Next up, and coming in at not-to-be-sniffed-at 28th place, is Whitesands Beach in Pembrokeshire. Whitesands is the Wel

Pigeons, protests and plinths – that’s what Trafalgar Square is usually known for. But it’s also a heck of a party destination, having held plenty of sports screenings and day festivals (like the recent edition of West End Live). The square’s party rep is being revived later this month, this time in the name of art.  Jeremy Deller, Turner Prize winner and all-round art world icon, is throwing a massive, one-day street party in Trafalgar Square. Taking place on Saturday July 26, it’s called The Triumph of Art, and it’s shaping up to be a joyful, chaotic blowout of banners, brass bands, inflatables, puppets and public performance. No tickets. No barriers. Just turn up. The event marks the end of the National Gallery’s 200th birthday celebrations and is the culmination of two years of projects across the UK. Deller has very much been part of those anniversary celebrations, being part of collaborations in Derry, Dundee, Plymouth and Llandudno. Each of those places staged its own art event earlier this year, and now it all comes together for one big finale in central London. The party will start with a procession up Whitehall at 11am which will wind its way into Trafalgar Square, where things will keep going until 4pm. Expect music, performances, workshops, banners, costumes and, crucially, a giant puppet called Quingo Starlequinn. This towering creation was built by learning disability arts collective Do Your Own Thing, and there’ll be DJs performing from inside it throughout the

Anyone who’s watched Four in a Bed has probably dreamed of ditching their day job to travel the UK reviewing B&Bs. Well, it turns out that’s actually a real job. Every year, the AA sends a crack team of experts to sample stays across the country, before crowning the best. And the results for 2025 are now in. The AA has just announced its fave bed and breakfasts in England, Scotland and Wales right now, shining a light on each country’s go-to spot for comfort, style and breakfasts worth waking up for. First up, England’s winner: The 25 Boutique B&B in Torquay, Devon. This adults-only spot (pictured above) blends smart design with serious comfort, featuring themed rooms (inspired by local beaches, no less) and tech-savvy touches like smart lighting and TVs in the bathrooms. Snazzy.  Up in Scotland, The Townhouse in Perth scooped the crown. This classic Georgian terraced spot sits right in the city centre and has rooms with stunning views over South Inch Park. The AA loves its ‘warm and genuine hospitality’ and can’t stop raving about the delicious locally sourced breakfast spread. Then there’s Wales, where Ramsey House in St Davids took the top prize. Quietly on the outskirts of town, this family-run B&B (pictured below) offers modern, comfy bedrooms and, you guessed it, a seriously good breakfast. It’s not all about the food, though; the AA reckons this Welsh winner has the perfect mix of ‘professional management and family warmth’ that makes it stand out. Image: The AA Plus

Pub grub has had a proper glow up in recent years. Yes, the days of soggy scampi and bone-dry nachos are well and truly over, with a growing amount of Britain’s boozers now serving up genuinely delicious dinners. Proving this point even further is Lucky Lychee in Winchester – a Malaysian kitchen inside a pub that’s just been crowned the best local restaurant in the entire UK. This impressive accolade comes from the Good Food Guide, a publication which releases an annual list of the 100 best local restaurants in the UK. Lucky Lychee was named both the top restaurant in the southeast and the best overall.  Run by James Harris and chef Nicole Yeoh, Lucky Lychee began life as a market stall back in 2020. These days, it’s bringing bold Malaysian flavours to Winchester’s pub scene, with Nicole leading the cooking (drawing on her Malaysian-Chinese heritage) and James running the show out front. It’s a laid-back, low-faff kind of place, with monthly changing menus, high-welfare local produce and everything from curry pastes to bao made entirely from scratch. Good Food Guide editor-at-large Elizabeth Carter inspected Lucky Lychee place herself – and was evidently smitten. She described the kitchen as ‘light-filled and buzzy, full of heart, and serving exquisitely original Malaysian food’, adding: ‘James Harris’s energy and charm shine throughout, while Nicole Yeoh’s cooking is unforgettable. I haven’t stopped recommending it.’ Other regional winners this year include Counter Culture i

Add this to your growing list of reasons to visit Wales this summer: Caerphilly Castle is back, and it’s had some serious work done. After two years of restoration and more than £8 million invested, the 13th-century fortress is reopening to the public this Saturday (July 19). And the place is looking better than ever. The castle’s massive glow up was spearheaded by Cadw (Wales’ answer to the National Trust) and involved huge conservation efforts across the entirety of its historic site. We’re talking more than just a quick face lift. The castle brought in stonemasons, archaeologists and conservation experts to ensure the castle’s rich history is properly preserved. It’s seen a fair bit of wear and tear since it was built in 1268, after all. The most impressive transformation is that of the newly revamped Great Hall. Once a bare, echoey shell, the hall has now been decked out with décor inspired by medieval banquets – complete with digital enhancements that’ll transport you back to the right royal feasts of the 1320s. That’s not the only modern touch, either; there’s underfloor heating, a top-spec kitchen for events, and brand-new toilets, bringing the Great Hall properly into the 21st century. Plus, there’s some new interactive exhibits spilling the castle’s juiciest secrets. Think: power grabs, betrayals, messy medieval drama, and a nod to the fabulously rich Fourth Marquis of Bute, who gave the castle its last facelift back in the 1920s. Caerphilly Castle has become a lot m

Think Wales is all misty hills, choirs and cwtches? Think again. In 2027, the nation getting something decisively less cuddly: a tourist tax. Bad news for visiting Gavin & Stacey fans, perhaps, but better news for locals. The idea is to make tourism more sustainable, ease the strain on local services, and help preserve the Welsh language. It’s all part of a long-brewing plan to ensure tourists give a little something back to the areas they Instagram to oblivion.  To be clear: this isn’t a crackdown on holidaymakers. Wales’s incoming scheme is a modest levy, not unlike the ones already existing in Barcelona or Paris. Here’s everything you need to know about it. When will Wales introduce a tourist tax? Last week, the Senedd (AKA the Welsh Parliament) passed a law letting local councils bring in a visitor levy. It won’t kick in til 2027, though, leaving plenty of time to go to Wales without the surcharge. Plus, it won’t be applied everywhere automatically. Each regional council will decide for itself whether to adopt it.  How much will the tourist tax cost? From 2027, you can expect to pay a very reasonable £1.30 per person per night if you’re staying in a Welsh hotel, B&B, Airbnb or similar.  Hostels and campsites are even cheaper, setting you back £0.75 per adult per night, and anyone under 18 is exempt. Yep, kids go free. You also won’t pay the fee if you’re lodging with family, staying in their main home, or booking a place for more than 31 consecutive nights. What’s the mon