Europe and Middle East

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in Europe and Middle East. independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

Andy Mossack stays at the Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island and despite the long name only takes a short time to fall in love with it. Radisson yas island

The Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island

It’s 9pm and Luca Paltinieri Executive Chef of Felini, the signature restaurant at Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island, is teaching me a valuable lesson about Lambrusco in Abu Dhabi. “The bubbles disappear the minute the wine crosses the Italian border. Better you should drink Barolo.”

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Andy Mossack reviews the Radisson Blu Hotel Deira Creek in old Dubai.

Radisson Blu Hotel Deira Creek. A luxury stay in historic old Dubai

Well lucky me. I’d found a cosy hideaway in the top floor Royal Club Lounge giving me a front row bird’s eye view of the Arabic Dhow boats setting off up Deira Creek on their evening dinner cruises. “Must book one of those for tomorrow night” I thought to myself as I sipped a smooth scotch and contemplated a chocolate dipped date. Such is life at the Radisson Blu Hotel Deira Creek, a world away from the razzle dazzle Dubai of Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim.

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Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel and Spa

Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel and Spa. In the Heart of the beautiful Duero Valley.

A wine and olive spa may be an odd way to define a hotel, but in the case of Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel and Spa it’s a prime attraction. The owners, actually a Spanish wine conglomerate, make wine and olive oil in the area around their one, splendidly secluded, boutique hotel as well as running an organic farm, and they certainly have a spa on the premises making therapeutic use of the by-products of the vine and olive tree.

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Don carlos

The Don Carlos opens exclusive Orange Beach Club

The legendary five star hotel and resort which has held pride of place on Spain’s Costa del Sol for over 40 years continues to cement its lofty position as the Don Carlos opens exclusive Orange Beach Club for the summer season after a 12 month renovation.

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terry Marsh reviews Angel's Restaurant and finds it a very special place indeed.

Angel’s Restaurant. A very special place indeed.

Special wine is for special occasions; and the same is true of dining out. So, it was with no small measure of joy that on the proverbial dark and stormy night, in search of epicurean delight that didn’t require an advance visit to the bank for a mortgage, my curious finger flipped its way through the Michelin Red Guide to alight on Ribchester and Angel’s Restaurant, not far from my Lancashire home.

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Terry Marsh offers us his guide to Sarlat. A Dordogne gem of a town. 015 4593

Discover Sensational Sarlat. A Dordogne Gem of a town.

At the hub of Périgord Noir, the vintage town of Sarlat lies in a depression surrounded by a protective arrangement of wooded hills, a medieval settlement that evolved around an abbey with Carolingian roots.

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