The New Forest in Southern England is a fantastic family destination. Discover old villages where famous witches once lived, trek through ancient woodlands or head to the beach with your buckets and spades! And with our hotels designed with families in mind, your break will be a truly enjoyable and relaxing one.
Check out our mini-guide to the New Forest here!
If you are heading to a spa it’s more than likely that you are in need of some R&R. The Lake District is a perfect choice. The rolling landscape, natural wildlife and spectacular views immediately relax and calm the mind. It’s no wonder why it’s referred to at one of Britain’s breathing spaces.
Whether you’re looking for a short break, or something longer, you won’t run out of new places to see with over 16 beautiful lakes to explore, find out more in our mini-guide to your Lake District spa break.
We’re full swing into spring and if you still haven’t booked yourself a mini-break then Dr Saul Hillman’s wise words may give you the nudge you need! In part 2 of our ‘Spring into Action’ mini-series Saul explains why our relationships benefit from a get-away and he shares some top tips on how to get the most (for longer) from your spring break, enjoy!
“Given that most people go on breaks with family or friends, there is a great benefit to bonding, communication and solidarity. What we do on a short break is create a ‘shared experience’ with those we are with and this again enhances connections and relationships. When we are on holiday, we will invariably be removed from ordinary daily routines (work, chores, school, family politics, technology) and instead are able to focus upon something different, open up new experiences and broaden horizons.
“Stress is unavoidable and takes its toll at so many levels. Some of these are more obvious such as becoming more irritable, sleeping worse, or more prone to feeling anxious about events that would normally not phase us. However, many of the symptoms of stress are more silent and may be taking their toll in more subtle ways. Our bodies are expert in maintaining an internal homeostasis but we are often very slow in knowing how to manage stress levels.
“For this reason, short regular breaks are a huge tonic to our mental health given that they offer us time to relax, unwind and step away from our entangled and often routine lives. In the same way that children respond to incentives and rewards, adults are no different, and having something like a spring break, whether to a holiday park, a city break, a cottage holiday, or an activity-based vacation, we are likely to find the ingredients that will help us switch off and recharge.
“We often leave long periods between holidays when short breaks can be a great boost given how the benefits of a holiday wane over time, and we need the time to unwind and destress. There are other things that we can do in order to ensure that the effects from these breaks are strong.
Dr Saul Hillman’s Top Tips for you Spring Break… Psychologist, Counsellor & Therapist at the Belsize Health Clinic in Belsize Park, North London.
1. Detach and Switch off – in an increasingly connected world where our time spent on phones and devices is so common place, this perhaps could be the greatest sacrifice, if we left our phone and refrained from checking and responding to emails and other messages, or engaging in any social media. Though this may seem trivial, it is acknowledged to have become a growing addiction and barrier to relationships.
2. Engaging outside – most positive breaks will and should involve some engagement with the natural habitat, whether this is an outdoor activity or pursuit, or something far more mindful which allows one to be in nature.
3. Slow pace – in order to counter the lives that most of us normally lead, don’t feel the pressure to make your break too packed or structured. It is always helpful to allow breathing space which again can allow us to relax, recalibrate and reinvigorate before we return to our typical lives.
4. Plan breaks in advance – as well as being able to obtain bargains in advance, it will undoubtedly be an incentive to have short breaks to look forward to.
5. Don’t just photograph, film with your senses – we are spoiled nowadays for having ways of capturing our lives on camera, but consider reflecting in a more mindful way whilst drinking up the experience.
6. Realistic expectations – accept breaks for what they are and that they may still have some challenges and dips. Of course, breaks are bound to bring with them stresses, whether related to travel, illness, interpersonal dynamics, or so much else, which may diminish the quality of the experience.
7. Don’t be selfless – even if you are holidaying with family or friends, remember it is okay to sometimes say ‘no’ in order to ensure that the holiday is working for you. If you overcommit yourself, you may feel dissatisfied, tired or overwhelmed. Do what works for you.
Dr Saul Hillman (PhD, BACP, GHR) psychologist, counsellor & therapist
If you’re in need of some rest and relaxation then a springtime spa break is just the ticket! Hit the gym for a workout and pamper yourself with a luxurious body massage before taking a hot sauna and then a plunge in the pool… or just lay back and read a good book – you can take it as you wish.
Enjoy all this in the most beautiful surroundings of the Kent countryside; find out more in our mini-guide to your Kent spa break.
From high-class shopping in Knightsbridge to the colourful back streets of Soho, West London is large, diverse and most definitely a lot of fun! With plenty to see and do, there’s something to suit all tastes.
Find out if west is really best in our mini-guide to West London.
It’s great to get away from it all for a short spring break so you can unwind from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If you want to enjoy this relaxing ‘holiday feeling’ at home then start by creating a bedroom environment that will ensure you get a good night’s sleep, every night. Here’s 5 top tips from the experts at Warren Evans bed makers:
For more great tips and info head to Warren Evans’ online magazine, Inspire Me where you’ll also find our fabulous competition to win a super 5* hotel spring break!
London blooms in springtime, it’s literally buzzing with activity! There’s simply too much to cram into one short London break so before you set-off have a clear idea of where you want to explore and what you want to do. Why not choose a specific area within London for your mini-break, this gives you focus and you’re never too far from your hotel room too. So, where to start? Why not try the City of London as a destination, there’s loads to see and lots to do – our mini-guide will give you plenty of ideas!
So why is a spring break so good for us? We put the question to Dr Saul Hillman, psychologist, counsellor & therapist at the Belsize Health Clinic in Belsize Park, North London. In the first of this two-part mini-series, Saul explains why a short-break is particularly good to take at this time of year.
“Most of us are wrapped up in frantic lifestyles with multiple layers, competing demands and limited rewards on a day to day basis. Whilst we may simply get used to this sort of lifestyle and don’t necessarily always notice the stresses in our body or state of mind, the effects do build up, and we often need to step back, observe and tweak our lifestyle in order to make sure the balance has not gone awry.
“Two large studies confirm this and indicate that taking regular breaks and vacations reduces risk of health problems including cardiovascular disease. Further research at a more superficial level reports that people have more energy, higher degrees of life satisfaction and have fewer general health complaints after going away.
“At this time of the year, with the onset of spring and clocks going forward, we can benefit from longer and lighter evenings. There are strong reasons why a break may be a good move and may also have many positive health benefits. For more than one in ten people in the UK, the winter and darker months between November and March can be challenging to varying degrees with less natural light, together with a range of symptoms that often get clustered together under terms such as ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)’ or ‘Winter Blues’. In essence, the reduced natural light stimulates the release of serotonin, which results in the feelings that we commonly associate with depression.
“On top of this, given that many people have also just left behind a very intense and financially challenging period of Christmas, the early months from January to March can be the most psychologically challenging. Often, we are faced with realities not always matching up to our expectations.
“Short breaks have the potential to release us from the stress cycle in our lives. When we get away, we remove ourselves from the actual physical location of our everyday life, the demands and rituals that pervade it and of course that state of hypervigilance which comes from the busy nature of our lives.
“As we all know and experience, a break can help by interrupting this pattern, defuse any lingering tensions, so that we can also gain a new perspective on what is important in our lives and what we maybe need to tap into more. So many studies support the benefits from taking vacations given how they buffer the stress from our work and home lives.”
Dr Saul Hillman (PhD, BACP, GHR) psychologist, counsellor & therapist
In part 2, Saul shares his top tips on making your short break work harder and better for you, so you feel de-stressed for longer – coming at the end of April!
A good night’s sleep gives your mind and body the chance to recover, repair and rejuvenate and will quite literally set you up for the day ahead. You can step into this season with a ‘spring’ thanks to our super competition with Warren Evans bed makers!
A well-crafted, high-quality bed and mattress is essential for a restful night’s sleep so with all this in mind, we’ve teamed up with the experts at Warren Evans bed makers, who have 37 years of award winning experience handcrafting beds and mattresses, to give you the chance to win one of their super comfy Superior mattresses!
Voted 5 star for advice, range, delivery and quality in their ‘Best Mattress Retailers’ 2015 by Which? members, Warren Evans’ Superior 4000 Pocket Sprung mattress is expertly designed to support and enhance your best night’s sleep; featuring hand-tufted fillers and comfort layers using Orthofirm fibres which help regulate heat and retain the shape of your mattress for superior support.
Crafted in Warren Evans’ environmentally friendly Walthamstow workshop in North London, items are handmade and delivered, without middlemen, so you get superior service, quality and price.
So put a spring in your step this season thanks to our fabulous competition and a great night’s sleep with Warren Evans!
Good luck 🙂
Fancy winning a revitalising and rejuvenating spring break? Then check out our competition on Warren Evans’ Inspire Me magazine.
Spring is here at long last… time to book a spring break so you can blow away the winter cobwebs and enjoy the new beginnings this season brings!
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing some of the best spring break hot spots for friends, couples, families and young lovers (sigh!). Our mini-guides to your mini-break are easily digestible, pocket-sized parcels of know-how so you have the insight before you book.
We’ve also teamed up with psychologist, counsellor & therapist Dr Saul Hillman from Belsize Health Clinic who explains why a spring break is actually very good for you – his perceptiveness is both confirming and inspiring. And to top it all off we’ve teamed up with Warren Evans bed makers to give you the chance to win one of their super comfy Superior mattresses and a stupendous spring break, to the 5* Alexander House Hotel & Utopia Spa, Sussex worth £545, from us!
Why not hop in the car or take a leisurely train ride to laid-back Cornwall for your spring break this year? Find out a little more about this diverse southwest region, get the low-down on what to do and check out our top picks for hotels in the first of our mini-guides to your Super Spring Break – Cornwall!
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