Simply Travel are specialists in providing villa and hotel holidays off the beaten track. The properties are hand-picked and full of character, offering an alternative to mass-marketed package holidays for those who want more from their holiday than a nice tan! The quality accommodation ranges from simple to luxurious and you can even select a 'wandering' option so you get the chance to tour the island/area and stay in a selection of hotels.
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Simply Travel aim to offer something for those who want something a little different from mass-marketed package holidays. They carefully select quality accommodation in destinations off the beaten track. All properties are full of character and range from charmingly simple to luxurious. For those who want to explore more of an island or area, you can select the 'wandering' option which enables you to tour the area whilst staying in a carefully hand-picked selection of hotels across the region. Great destination guides to help you pick the right location.
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Record Rent a car
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Rating:
8
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Record Rent a car offer discount rates on car rental in mainland Spain, the Balearics or Canary Islands. They have offices based in all main Spanish airports and cities. Prices are all-inclusive with no hidden charges or extras.
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Despite the best efforts of the power to its north, the
sun still shines on Cuba. It's the Caribbean's largest and
least commercialized island and one of the world's last
bastions of communism. The island's relative political isolation
has prevented it from being overrun by tourists, and locals
are sincerely friendly to those who do venture in - even
blockade runners from the US get a warm welcome! The Helms-Burton
Act has allowed Cuba to find its place in the post-Soviet
world gradually, without the sudden destabilizing shock
of mass consumer tourism from the United States. It's only
a matter of time before American-imposed travel and trade
barriers fall. No doubt millions will come when flights
from Miami resume. Clearly, the time to go is now.
Although you can't quite hear the colonial architecture
peeling in the streets, even Cuba's larger towns are pretty
relaxed. The most frenetic it gets is in the middle of an
enthusiastic chachachá, and the loudest it gets is
behind one of the huge finned American cars chugging the
streets. If you want it even quieter, Cuba's backcountry
and beaches are perfect chillout destinations for hikers,
swimmers, cyclers, spelunkers or those who just want to
smoke a fine cigar under a palm tree.
Cuba has undergone a transformation since it first opened
its doors to global tourism after almost three decades of
isolation. Most noteworthy has been the rapid growth in
private accommodation, the extensive network of casas particulares
allowing the independent traveller the opportunity, not
only to experience life more as it is lived by the average
Cubano, but also to explore corners of the country that
had previously been inaccessible or off-limits. Good news
for the tourist is the growing choice of resorts and the
number of new or refurbished hotels that are opening in
towns across the country. While eco-tourism is still in
its infancy and much of the islands extraordinary
natural beauty remains to be discovered, the government
is already making strides in the right direction
Cuba really can offer something for all types of travellers
and holiday makers. Whether you are looking for a picture
perfect paradise with palm trees shading the pure white
sand beaches and blue lagoons, or for an interesting baptism
into a culture moulded by its unique history and political
climate, next time you draft up your short list of vacations...
make sure Cuba is on it.
VITAL STATISTICS:
Full country name: Republic
of Cuba
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean
Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 110,860 sq km
Land: 110,860 sq km
Land boundaries: 29 km
Water: 0 sq km
Population: 11 million
Capital city: Havana (pop 2,200,000)
People: 60% Spanish descent, 22% mixed-race, 11%
African descent, 1% Chinese
Language: Spanish
Religion: 47% Catholic, 4% Protestant, 2% Santería
(many Catholics also practice Santería
Government: Communist republic
Head of State: Fidel Castro
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Superbreak specialise in short breaks and simple hotel requirements e.g. stopovers, business travel, throughout the UK. For 2-5 star accommodation, whether you are looking for a city or countryside location, Superbreak has access to 1000s of hotels ensuring they will meet your requirements. With real time availability you can book up to and including the day of departure, with a simple online booking process. Last minute offers and special deals are always available online.
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Haven Holiday Parks
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Rating:
9
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Haven Holidays offer fun-filled breaks at award-winning family holiday parks around the UK. With a choice of ‘All-Action’ parks for non-stop entertainment, or ‘Lively’ parks which also give the chance to unwind, there is something to suit the tastes of all family members. All the parks have excellent facilities such as all-weather sports courts, indoor and outdoor pools, crazy golf and mini-bowling, adventure playgrounds, kid’s clubs and much more. There are also daytime and nightime shows full of music and spectacular floorshows, often from big-name star performers, so you’ll never be short of something to do, day or night.
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James Villas are specialists in providing holiday villas. They offer quality villas in 22 popular destinations including Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Florida. All James Villas have their own private pool, from simple farmhouses to luxury villas by the sea. Simple online availability and booking with a shortlist facility to make it easier to keep track of your favourite properties before making a decision. James Villas can also take care of flights, car hire and insurance at competitive prices.
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Helpful Holidays
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Rating:
8
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Helpful Holidays are based in the heart of the West Country. They have a choice of over 500 holiday cottages and houses throughout the area, all of which are regularly inspected. Interior and exterior photos of all properties are available online to help you select the right one for you. The website allows you to search by area and add properties to a shortlist. You can check availability, pricing and book online. Helpful holidays started as a family-run business over 20 years ago and their knowledge of the local area and level of customer service means that the majority of their business comes from repeat customers.
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Superbreak specialise in UK short breaks. Choose from London hotels or theatre breaks, spa or golf breaks, theme parks, concert or sport packages, or select a destination to create the perfect weekend away. Special hotel offers and bargain weekend breaks are available online. Superbreak aim to deliver excellent service and to exceed customer expectations.
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Bridge the World
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Rating:
8
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Bridge the World offer niche, tailor-made, flexible travel, at an affordable price. For holidays, round the world trips, honeymoons, retirement trips and long-haul short breaks. They specialise in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Southern Africa and the Middle East, although they offer holidays to other destinations as well. They also offer 'intrepid travel' trips for those who want to get off the beaten track and experience a country and its culture and history. Customer service is their number one priority.
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Avis offer prestige car hire in the UK. Long or short-term rentals are avilable from Kensington, Heathrow and Gatwick. Their prestige fleet includes BMW, Jaguar, Porsche and Mercedes.
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Short Breaks are Eurostar's largest direct sell operator. This means that they can cut out travel agents' fees and pass the savings on to you. They offer city breaks to destinations including Paris, Brussels, Bruges, Lille, Antwerp, and Disneyland Paris. All hotels are inspected for quality. You can create your own break or choose a package, all of which can be booked simply online.
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Lunn Poly is a leading travel retailer, offering holidays from the UK’s major tour operators. They offer
a huge range of UK and overseas holidays including cruises, flights, ski holidays, city breaks and sun holidays. Their website has special offers which are
exclusively available online, and plenty of late deals to choose from. The website also offers online auctions where you can bid on Thomson late deal
package holidays from £1. They have a high level of customer service and excellent value for money. Booking online is easy, and can be done in 5 simple
steps.
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Expedia give you access to the same information as a high street travel agent, enabling you to choose and plan your travel. They offer great deals on holiday packages, flights, hotels, car hire and city breaks. The website is packed with detailed information on destinations and you can view photos of hotels and read reviews before making your choice. Loads of special offers online, including late deals and even discounted holidays from regional UK airports
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Thomson Holidays
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Rating:
9
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Thomson holidays aim to offer you the perfect holiday. If they are unable to sort a problem while
you are away, they offer a moneyback guarantee for peace of mind. Thomson has an excellent reputation, and is committed to providing honest information and
publishes the opinions of past holidaymakers to help you find the right holiday for you. More customers come back to Thomson and they win more awards from
travel agents than any other holiday company. Thomson offer great deals on beach holidays, skiing, cruises, city breaks, lakes and mountain holidays, and
even the perfect wedding in the sun. The website has lots of special offers, online savings and late deals.
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Alpha Rooms.com
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Rating:
9
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Alpha Rooms offer you the chance to book accommodation from a huge selection of 15 000 discounted villas and hotels across the world. The website has special offers and late deals for both popular holiday resorts and worldwide city breaks.
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With Eurostar you can travel from London or Ashford in Kent to over 100 destinations across Europe. Direct services run to Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Paris and Calais. They also offer a seasonal ski service direct to the French Alps. There is a loyalty programme available for frequent travellers, offering benefits such as reduced check-in time and earning points when you travel, which can be redeemed for Eurostar travel or other rewards. The website includes special offers on train journeys and hotel city breaks.
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Thomas Cook have over 160 years experience and sell millions of holidays every year, making them one of the UK's leading and most trusted travel companies. In addition to holiday packages, they offer flights, cruises, UK breaks and have special online deals. They also have a price promise for added peace of mind.
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Hotels.com offer over 17 000 properties in over 400 cities across North America, Europe, The Caribbean and Asia. They specialise in providing accommodation during sold-out periods. Their website is packed with special offers and packages. They have a huge range of types of packages, including family or golf breaks, romantic trips and gay travel. They even offer a road trip feature where you input a zip code and the maximum number of hours you want to travel, and an optional direction of travel and it will suggest places to stay with information about each one.
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Warner Holidays
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Rating:
9
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Warner holidays offer breaks exclusively for adults. They have a range of properties including historic hotels and listed buildings set in stunning grounds, or you could choose a more traditional holiday in a classic resort. Beautiful locations in the country or by the coast, the breaks include breakfast, a 3-course evening meal a wide range of activities and live evening entertainment. Special offers are available on their website.
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With a choice of over 50 properties located throughout the UK, Ramada Jarvis are likely to have a hotel which suits your needs. Choose from airport, city or beautiful countryside locations with extensive grounds. Packages are available for family or romantic breaks, sports and activities, murder mystery weekends, theatre breaks, or special interest. There are special offers online and photos and information for each hotel, to help you make the right decision.
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Pure Vacations Surfing
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Rating:
9
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Pure Vacations have been the world's leading surfing holiday operator since the 90's. They offer a huge range of surfing holidays including tours, boat trips, weekend breaks, and family surfing holidays. Pure vacations are passionate about surfing and research the waves, resorts and facilities of all destinations. They have selected 30 of the best destinations throughout the world including the USA, Hawaii, Europe and Australia. The website is packed with information about the areas and surfing conditions, and there are graphs to show the monthly water temperatures and swell size. There are holidays to suit everyone from the beginner to the experienced professional.
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Essential Travel
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Rating:
8
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Essential Travel offer competitive rates on insurance for worldwide travel or winter sports in Europe. Choose from single trip or annual insurance. They also have specialist policies available for backpackers, ski and golf breaks, and for the over 65's. For peace of mind, policies are available to view in full online before making a decision.
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Hilton offer fine hotels worldwide. The website includes UK and Ireland packages, leisure and golf breaks and murder mystery weekends. Packages are also available for families, and culture and entertainment, sports or festive breaks. Special online deals are available.
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A highly polished travel site which has established itself as a leading internet travel company. Expedia
offers an extensive list of flight options and searches making it easy to find the right flight at a budget to suit.Of course, like all good travel sites
they don't just provide flights but also offer a whole host of travel amenities including car hire, hotels, holidays, insurance... Quite simply one of the
best.
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Direct Holidays
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Rating:
10
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Direct Holidays is the UK and Ireland's leading tour operator for direct sell holidays. By selling direct they are able to cut out travel agents commission and pass the saving on to the customer. For added convenience, they fly from main and local UK airports. They have a huge range of late deals and special offers on their website.
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Holidays Uncovered
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Rating:
9
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Holidays Uncovered offers you the chance to read reviews about package holidays to 250 leading
destinations. It is a comprehensive website with over 25 000 reviews of package holidays in over 2000 hotels written by real holidaymakers who have had first
hand experience. Packed with useful tips, the reviews offer a fascinating and invaluable insight into the both the accommodation and the area. Discover
which day trips and sites are worth visiting, and which restaurants and beaches are recommended. Read through the reviews before booking a holiday to find
which hotel or apartments best suits you. Packed with useful tips, you can find out plenty of information about the area.
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Going Places.com
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Rating:
9
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Going Places.com is the website of one of the UK’s leading high street travel agents and offers great value package holidays and flights direct from established, and well-respected tour operators including Airtours, Aspro, Escapades, Manos and Panorama.
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My Travel are a leading UK holiday group. They offer thousands of holidays to all major destinations, with exclusive discounts for holidays booked online. Special offers on late deals, skiing holidays, cruises and flights.
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Hoseasons Holidays
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Rating:
9
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Hoseasons are the UK's leading self-catering holiday specialists. They offer over 12 000 places to stay throughout Britain and Ireland. Whether you are looking for a secluded lodge at the edge of a forest, a seaside holiday park, a cottage in the countryside or by the coast, or a relaxing river or canal holiday, Hoseasons has something for everyone. They now offer holiday apartments and villas throughout mainland Europe, at over 120 locations.
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