Welcome to our third issue of Guilded News, the bulletin which connects the talented writers, photographers, bloggers, vloggers and broadcasters from across the UK (and the wider world) that makes the BGTW what it is, with travel editors, PR and tourist boards – and vice versa.
Our aim with this quarterly bulletin is to inform the wider travel sector of the amazing work our members are doing, as well as the type of work and commissions they are seeking. It also allows editors, PR and tourist boards to inform our members of the type of content they will look favourably towards, as well as their current projects.
We also are taking the opportunity to update you all with the current projects and work conducted by the Guild.
Guilded News is broken down into the following sections:
- News from the BGTW Board
- News From BGTW Members
- Industry News
- From the BGTW Archive
I hope you find Guilded News a great networking tool. This is an evolving project that needs your cooperation. So, if you have any suggestions for how future issues of Guilded News should look, please email me at [email protected].
Mark Bibby Jackson
Communications – The British Guild of Travel Writers
From Chris Coe, BGTW Chair
This is my first Guilded News since stepping into the role, so “Hello” to all our travel industry and PR friends and colleagues. In a rapidly changing world, the BGTW is looking to change too. In some ways, we already are, as recent years have seen a growth in the number of photographers, broadcasters and bloggers amongst our ranks.
During the year we’ll be reaching out to you for your feedback and suggestions as to how we can work together closer and better. This process is starting now with an upcoming meeting with a sample group of PRs.
The Board has a new look too, mixing younger fresh faces with experience, all enthusiastic to move the organisation forward with positive initiatives.
If you have clients who are keen to work with us then Renate Ruge brings continuity as our Sponsorship & Partnership Director and she has some exciting opportunities to share with you. For events, Mary Anne Evans is handling all those in and around London, while Valery Collins has stepped into a newly created regional role, so wherever you are we have someone to work with you and make things happen.
Daniel James Clarke joins the Board as Vice Chair and Sustainability lead, bringing fresh perspectives with sustainability high on our agenda. Looking after our membership are two newer members, Sarah Rodrigues as Membership Director, and Richard Villar as Board Secretary. We’ve also put in place Guild members to support all these roles.
The BGTW February AGM in the Isle of Man was a huge success. Our hosts laid on a fabulous and fascinating programme which showed this Island Biosphere off to its best, introducing our writers, photographer, broadcasters and bloggers to a broad range of wonderful initiatives which are generating lots of media coverage in return.
BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner
The BGTW Annual Awards Dinner will be held on Monday November 4.
If you would like information about remaining sponsorship possibilities, please contact Renate Ruge and Mary Anne Evans.
Sustainability
The BGTW is working on various initiatives and events related to sustainability in all forms. If you are/represent a travel company or destination focusing on sustainability and may be interested in collaborating on a webinar, training session, or connecting with members, please contact our Sustainability Lead, Daniel Clarke.
Member benefits
Our partners kindly provide the BGTW with a range of member-only benefits. These benefits usually aren’t dependent on confirmed commissions or guaranteed coverage and aid accredited members professionally or in organsing research trips, such as discounts for transport, hotels and packages, camera equipment, training resources, etc. If you would like to extend a benefit or discount to Guild members, please get in touch with Daniel Clarke.
Press trips and regional events
Having taken over responsibility for press trips at the end of last year, I’m keen to discuss opportunities with PRs and destinations to arrange exclusive press trips for Guild members, and also to include the BGTW in general press trip invitations. These can be shared via myself to publicise them to our members.
The Guild’s membership can offer a wide diversity of skills and outlets through different media. I would love to hear from any PRs who would be interested in organising a press trip or regional event for our members or wish to issue invitations to press trips open to a wider audience. My contact is Valery Collins, [email protected]
Recognising talent / Celebrating our members
The winners of the Inspire Global Media Awards were announced on 16th April. Many congratulations to all the BGTW members who came away with awards: Emma Gregg, Karen Edwards, Kate Wickers, Meera Dattani, Shafik Meghji, and Bella Falk. The full details can be viewed here. Many congratulations also to the shortlisted members: Martin Symington, Simon Parker, Sue Watt, Claire Boobbyer, Adrian Phillips, Richard Collett, Nigel Tisdall, Lynn Houghton, Kassondra Cloos,Tracey Croke, Ash Bhardwaj, Heidi Fuller-Love, Simon Parker and Claire Dodd.
Well done to the BGTW members who were shortlisted for Spain’s Sustainable Media Awards. The winners are being announced on Wednesday 17th April 2024 so the very best of luck to Meera Dattani, Ross Clarke and Simon Parker.
On 12 March 2024, TravMedia announced the finalists for the TravMedia Awards in an industry broadcast. Congratulations to all the BGTW finalists: Bella Falk, Mary Novakovic, Mike Unwin, Nigel Tisdall, Emma Gregg, Shafik Meghji, Adrian Phillips, James Stewart, Simon Parker, Heidi Fuller-Love, Becki Enright, Abigail King, Kav Dadfar and all involved with JRNY, and the team at Adventure.com, including Guild members Kassondra Cloos and Meera Dattani and all Guild contributors.
Congratulations to Rashmi Narayan who has been shortlisted for the U.S. Travel Association and Brand USA’s IPW Travel Writer Awards. The winners will be announced on May 6th.
Many congratulations to Tim Bird finishing runner up in the TPOTY Landscape & Environment category in the 2023 awards This was announced in January.
News from BGTW members
Industry News
News from BGTW members
Gillian Thornton
After bilingual training at the Institut Francais in London, France was the obvious specialist area for me when I moved from writing general features into travel in 1998. I’ve written for many Francophile titles and today contribute regularly to both France Today and The Good Life France. But I also write on other destinations for women’s magazines and for silvertraveladvisor.com, covering everything from walking breaks to over-50s holidays, river and ocean cruising to history and heritage. So far this year I have trips planned to Hauts de France in April and the Occitanie region in June, the latter hooked on a zero-birthday celebration. But I’ll be exploring the Northumberland coast in May on a three-generation holiday and cruising the Danube in August as a couple. Would love to hear from anyone offering support or commissions.
Petra Shepherd
Petra will be attending the 5th edition of “Takulandirani” The Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) in April followed by a fam trip to the North of the country and IPW in LA in May. In 2024 Petra also has trips planned to The Hague, Western Crete, Kalmar in Sweden and Bali and is particularly interested in any group press trips. Petra contributes to Silver Travel Advisor, The Travel Magazine, TripReporter, Go Eat Do and Travel Matters and more recently The Bespoke Black Book. She is particularly interested in getting of the beaten track, adventure travel, local culture and festivals, ski and the 50 + market
Anna Richards
My first guidebook, Paddling France for Bradt Guides, is now out!
It’s the first comprehensive watersports guidebook to France, covering the best canoeing, kayaking and SUP routes in the country, tried and tested.
Ian Packham
I will be travelling to Ghana for 2 months of on the ground research for the latest edition of the Bradt guide – the only dedicated guidebook to the country by a mainstream publisher.
I’m keen to connect with hotels, operators and PRs – and am open to additional commissions from editors too!
Simon Parker
Simon’s new book – A Ride Across America – is now available for pre-order and tickets for his 20+ night autumn theatre tour are on sale. The tour began in Chipping Norton on April 5.
He is now planning book 3 and is keen to hear from national tourist boards.
Mary Moore Mason
Editor/editorial director of Essentially America magazine, the UK’s only consumer magazine exclusively covering travel to and the lifestyle within the USA as well as the creator/writer of the Mary Go Round America blog, the author of two books and a contributor to other publications on both side of the Atlantic.
As the founding and ongoing editor/editorial director for the UK’s Essentially America magazine (celebrating its 30th anniversary this year) and also a freelancer for other publications Mary Moore Mason will be leaving soon for the major IPW tourism conference in Los Angeles and while in the USA will be researching other story possibilities in California, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and North Carolina and is also looking for BGTW contributors to forthcoming EA stories on America’s Historic and Scenic Small Train Journeys, New and Exciting Wine Regions, and Lesser Known National Parks and Monuments. So get in touch with her if interested.
Alistair McKenzie & Mary Anne Evans
With our co-authored Bradt ‘D-Day Landings – A Travel Guide to Normandy’s Beaches and Battlegrounds’ book now in the bookshops, Mary Anne Evans and I are available for commissions, interviews and opinion pieces on visiting Normandy in this 80th Anniversary year. I have images available too.
Robin McKelvie
Q2 trips to France, Speyside, Fife, Aberdeen, Royal Deeside, Perth, Falkirk, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Czechia, Germany and back on a cruise on the Hebridean Princess. Always looking for ideas for my weekly Sunday National page. This year been published in Telegraph, Sun, Fabulous, i paper, Scotsman, Herald, Independent, Wanderlust and National Geographic.
Kate Mann
Based in Munich with a focus on travel in Germany and Austria, I’m also about to head to Switzerland for the first time so hoping to branch out a bit!
Open to commissions and press trips in this part of the world and to hear about new local openings and activities too.
Janine Marsh
The Good Life France Magazine Spring 2024 issue, published by BGTW member Janine Marsh, is free to read online and subscribe. With around 3.3 million readers per issue, it is the world’s No. 1 independent English language magazine: magazine.thegoodlifefrance.com
James Lowen
Following recent wildlife-travel features in the Telegraph and BBC Countryfile magazine, James is currently working on books about France and Iberia (out this year), and South America’s Pantanal (2025). He is keen to hear from PRs representing nature-related travel clients anywhere in the world, particularly with regards press trips.
Jacqueline Jeynes
My latest book “Have Bag will Travel!” relates to a stoma bag. Not a ‘disability’ but over 12 months to mid-2025, we will be travelling where we can, noting if/when/where we encounter any problems. The Stoma Society love the title and asked me to do a blog following our progress. Read more about this here
Mark Bibby Jackson
Mark Bibby Jackson is launching Wellness Begins at 40 this summer. It will join the Begins at 40 family to accompany Travel Begins at 40 and London Begins at 40. If you would like more details of this or you have a client who would like to feature in this new online website, please email Mark at [email protected]. Travel Begins at 40 is still focussing on sustainable travel for the 40+, as well as industrial architecture, which is Mark’s particular niche.
Frances & Michael Howorth
Having recently returned from voyaging along the rivers of India, Frances and Michael Howorth have stories to sell and stunning photography to illustrate them. In West Bengal, they sailed upstream in a luxury barge along the holy River Ganges starting in Kolkata. They stopped in villages and small towns seeking out and photographing local artisans as they worked. From potters to market gardeners, from dancers and musicians to sari weavers, they met them all. Shifting states, they flew to Odisha in Eastern India. There they were the first travel journalists in the world to be invited to sail in one of four, small, brand-new luxury cruising catamarans. Next year, these 4-passenger / 5 crew craft will begin operating water safari cruises inside India’s Bitarkanika National Park.
Martin Hesp
From mid-April 2024 I will be writing and editing a weekly travel and lifestyle double page spread for the Saturday editions of 2 large regional daily newspapers – the Western Morning News and Western Daily Press and their associated websites – plus my own
Solange Hando
Recent trips /2024: Singapore (January), New Zealand round tour (Jan.Feb.), South Korea (April)
Upcoming: US National Parks Rockies to Grand Canyon (May), Copenhagen (July), France Languedoc (September), India Kolkata+ Hoogly cruise (October)
Ross Clarke
Hello, Spain and Wales specialist Ross here! I’m always on the lookout for new openings and things to do in both countries, as well and food and wine stories further afield. Open to commissions of all kinds and press trips. I’m a former editor for British Airways and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group among others and write for the likes of Times Travel, iNews, Evening Standard, Wizz Air, Air Baltic, High Life, Independent etc. Just back from: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Wales Off shortly to: West Denmark, San Sebastián (Basque Country), Belfast
Daniel James Clarke
I’m on the ground in the Algarve and wider Portugal, researching new openings, restaurants, and experiences for guidebooks and other projects.
PRs, please send any relevant press releases for consideration. Editors, please contact me if you’d like any features or insider listicles written by a local (I’m a resident).
Ash Bhardwaj
Ash’s debut book – Why We Travel: A Journey Into Human Motivation – is out now. It’s a blend of travelogue, research, memoir, history, interviews, science, and advice, which explores our reasons for travel, asks how we can do it better, and shows how it can help us to live more fulfilling lives.
Industry News
From the Editor’s desk
Lisa Minot, Head of Travel at The Sun is happy to receive pitches from Guild members.
Travel PR & Association Updates
Antor
In 2022, Antor celebrated its 70th Anniversary by honoring the media outlets that have steadfastly supported its members throughout the years. Building upon the success of this initiative, the board has decided to expand the awards this year to encompass two categories.
Firstly, recognition will be given to the publication or media outlet that has consistently provided support since 2022.
Secondly, acknowledgment will be extended to the individual journalist or broadcaster who has demonstrated exemplary support to Antor’s members over the past three years. We encourage all those who have collaborated with our members to reach out and request nominations.
For more Antor news please click here
Camping & Caravanning Club
Ian Weightman who has been involved in the world of travel PR for around 40 years, has recently taken on some additional freelance work, and is now able to help with any enquiries regarding the Camping and Caravanning Club, and the city of Derby. The Camping and Caravanning Club appointed wildlife cameraman, author and TV presenter Hamza Yassin as its latest President; while Derby’s Museum of Making is one of just three UK museums shortlisted for the 2024 European Museum of the Year award. Anyone interested in hearing more, or who wants to discuss possible press trips with the Club, or to Derby, can contact him below.
Tourist Board Update
Cumbria Tourism
Cumbria Tourism has just started a new three-month campaign to promote food and drink in the Cumberland region of Cumbria and will be looking for media who’d like to visit for reviews based around this.
It’s not just about visiting cafes/restaurants but also about the amazing producers from the county, whether that is makers of jams and ice creams or cured meats, distillers and brewers.The region is literally overflowing with amazing food and those with great stories to tell too.
While they’re promoting nationally, they’re especially looking to target people in a two-hour drive of the region, so anyone who writes on regional titles from areas in the Scottish borders, north east, north Yorkshire and north west would be very welcome.
Further information detailing all that’s new for 2024 can be found here or by contacting Cumbria Tourism below.
Brean, Somerset
Anyone interested in covering stories about Brean (a lovely spot in Somerset and Britain’s biggest beach) and potential press trips, please get in touch with member, Jane Egginton.
There’s lot to say in terms of vintage British beach holiday, whatever the weather. other angles for other publications, including eco, staying in low key accommodation, back to nature as well as plenty of walks/cycling. TV tie ins just keep coming and there’s lot of new things to say, eg history tour NT and national walking trail. Food and drink is another big one, with local producers and lots of cider as well as Somerset Amaretto.
For more information click here.
Switzerland Tourism
Download details on all that’s new in Switzerland for 2024 here!
If you need any further information, please contact Fran Lambert.
Tenerife
Download details on all that’s new in Tenerife for 2024 here!
For more information please contact Enrique Martin, below.
Holiday and Experiences
Muddy Boots Walking Holidays
Muddy Boots has launched self-guided walking breaks in the Lake District. ‘Heart of Lakeland’ covers Ambleside & the Langdales with highlights including the 40-foot Cathedral Cave chamber. ‘Explore Ullswater’ takes in waterfalls and outdoor art installations. Muddy Boots organises stylish places to stay, luggage transfers, detailed route maps, a ‘Survival Pack’ & more.
Contact Muddy Boots Walking Holidays
Shed One
Shed One, the Lake District’s award-winning micro distillery, has launched a new range of gin and spirit experiences. It’s the only place in Cumbria where people can make and distil their own personalised spirits, plus offers Distillery Tours & Tastings, Spirit & Sweet Treat Pairings, Botanical-inspired Afternoon G&Teas, and Craft & Wellbeing workshops.
Hotel Updates
Aitken Spence Hotels
See a Different Side to Sri Lanka on the New Trails of Bawa Architectural Tour – Heritance Hotels and Resorts, the flagship brand of Aitken Spence Hotels, has launched a new tour that promises guests a journey through the creative mind of world-renowned Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa, credited as the father of ‘Tropical Modernism’.
To enhance the guest experience, the tour includes overnight stays at both Heritance Kandalama and Heritance Ahungalla.
To find out more click here
Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, Venice
Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, the five-star hotel and former flour mill on Giudecca island, is thrilled to announce 24 new suites at the hotel, due to open in mid-April 2024. The new suites will span three categories and will enhance the existing suite inventory, resulting in the hotel offering guests an incredible 45 suites to choose from when booking their stay. The suites will be open in time for spring in Venice, arguably one of the best times of year to book a canal-side retreat.
Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman
Scheduled to open in Q2 2024 is Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman. The 282-room 10-storey beachfront property will provide an upper midscale experience featuring multiple restaurants, a 6,700 square foot ballroom, a pool deck and a rooftop bar. Indigo’s restaurants and bars around the world are known as a favourite destination for visitors and locals alike.
With sustainability in mind, the hotel is being built to LEED standards, which ensures high-performance buildings that have less of an impact on the environment. Hotel Indigo will use a geothermal/ice storage combination and will feature insulated glazing throughout to reduce energy consumption. The latest in Cayman real estate developer, Dart’s, hospitality portfolio, Hotel Indigo is expected to generate several hundred jobs when it opens.
In 2022, Dart launched its Hospitality Training Programme, which provides Caymanians with the opportunity to obtain first-hand industry experience via a three-month work experience within the Dart hospitality portfolio.
Lošinj Hotels & Villas
Lošinj Hotels & Villas is a portfolio of the most luxurious and private residences on Lošinj Island, Croatia, and is poised for summer with a thrilling calendar of events!
The exciting programme kicks off on 1st – 4th May with Taste of Slovenia, a gastronomic extravaganza featuring renowned chefs boasting an impressive total of two Michelin stars and several Michelin Recommendations. Guests will enjoy a culinary spectacle including dinner at Bava Restaurant with Galerija Okusov and Edi Simčič Winery and a meal at Matsunoki Restaurant with Gostilna Pri Lojzetu, Tomaž Kavčič and Marjan Simčič Domaine.
Vintage Weekend is taking place from 31st May – 2nd June where Lošinj is transformed into a haven for vintage enthusiasts, featuring vintage wines, Pagoda Classic cars, and timeless fashion – ideal for those seeking a nostalgic journey.
Four toe-tapping jazz sessions are taking place from 22nd June – 4th July, taking guests on a sonic journey like no other starting with the sensational Alfredo Rodriguez performing the Seasonal Opening on 22nd June.
The musical theme continues at the Bellevue Music Weekend from 4th – 6th July where a symphony of sound will transport guests to the heart of jazz brilliance with performances by Ratko Zjača Organ Quartet, Franceska Tandori Trio, and Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet. Jazz on Lošinj is a celebration of the universal language of music that brings people together and transcends boundaries.
The five-star Hotel Bellevue and Boutique Hotel Alhambra are the ideal bases for an indulgent stay to explore Lošinj’s inspiring calendar. Guests can enjoy elegant surroundings, the Michelin-Starred Alfred Keller Restaurant, innovative treatments using more than 800 different types of plankton, essential oils, and saltwater at Cube Spa Alhambra, and personalised service at Boutique Hotel Alhambra.
Hotel Bellevue provides the perfect blend of modern elegance and historic charm where guests can savour the delicacies at Restaurant Bava and Michelin-Plate awarded Japanese restaurant Matsunoki, and relax in the uber-chic and high-tech haven Bellevue Spa Clinic, named the 3rd Best Spa Hotel in Europe by The Luxury Spa Edit Awards, amid stunning Čikat Bay views. Additionally, six luxury villas provide a private sanctuary for those seeking the utmost in comfort and exclusivity.
Maslina Resort, Croatia
Maslina Resort, a member of Relais & Chateaux, was Croatia’s very first ‘mindful luxury’ property and is celebrating reopening for the season with its tranquil Lavender Dreams package.
Available from 1st May to 15th October, guests can enjoy a three-night magical escape guided by the therapeutic powers of the fragrant lavender flower, with prices starting from €5,254.25 per person. Maslina Resort is located on Europe’s sunniest island, Hvar, which is also known for its unique and enchanting Lavender Festival.
Taking place on 12th – 13th July, this annual celebration takes place in the beautiful village of Velo Grablje and features a fair showcasing local artisans, workshops, lectures, performances of traditional Croatian songs and dances, concerts and book presentations. Guests will also have ample time to learn about the cultivation and history of this soothing native herb. The Lavender Dreams Package pays homage to the home-grown plant’s ability to improve sleep quality, enhance sleep patterns, and enable dreamers to increase time spent in deep or slow-wave sleep.
On arrival, guests will be greeted with a calming lavender-infused welcome drink, a gift of lavender essential oils and lavender cookies in the suite. They will also experience meditation, massages, and sound healing, all of which utilise the relaxing properties of lavender on the nervous system, along with a 75-minute lavender-infused breathwork session held outdoors to reduce tension, negativity and stress.
Maslina Resort has 50 rooms and three villas each boasting Maslinica Bay views, a Michelin-Recommended Restaurant that uses the very best of seasonal ingredients to enhance the flavours of Croatian cuisine, and Pharomatiq Wellness spa that uses local herbs and spices grown in its 7,000 sqm Organic Garden to create indulgent treatments using a garden-to-skin wellness concept. With a glistening infinity pool, nearby beaches, and an admirable respect for Hvar’s environment and heritage, Maslina Resort is a beautiful property, perfect for a revitalising getaway with lavender-infused dreams.
Nxamaseri Island Lodge
Desert & Delta Safaris, founded in 1982 as one of the original safari operators in Botswana has nine camps in northern Botswana’s famous game reserves and national parks, and its Nxamaseri Island Lodge is preparing for its reopening after an extensive renovation on 1st May 2024.
A highlight of the stunning revamp is the introduction of the first-ever Wellness SPA in the Desert & Delta Safaris portfolio. Located on a private island in the permanent waters of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Nxamaseri Island Lodge immerses guests in the tranquil waters of the Okavango and is embraced by the shade of ancient Jackalberry and African Mangosteen trees – a true island oasis. To enhance the SPA experience, each guest will be invited for a complimentary “treatment of the month” after arriving for their treatments by traditional mokoro (dug-out canoe) ensuring a calming start to their wellness and full-body massage session.
As well as a relaxing wellness experience, guests can expect a trip to Nxamaseri Island Lodge interwoven with the rich culture of Botswana. Located nearby are the Tsodilo Hills, a remarkable cluster of huge rocky hills and home to one of Africa’s most impressive collections of ancient rock art. With over 4,500 paintings located around 400 different sites dating back to over 25,000 years ago, Tsodilo Hills are sacred to the San people of Northern Botswana.
Another incredible activity that occurs every year at Nxamaseri Island Lodge is the Barbel Run. Taking place between August and October, the Barbel Run is an annual phenomenon that occurs when floodplains dry up and force smaller baitfish and insects into the larger channels encouraging the magnificent Tiger Fish to hunt in the deep channels. Weighing up to nine kilogrammes, the Tiger Fish makes the Barbel Run one of the most thrilling freshwater fly-fishing experiences. Fly-fishing enthusiasts can be among the first this year to experience the Barbel Run in Nxamaseri Island Lodge’s brand-new accommodation. With its beautiful newly renovated setting, unforgettable river safaris, and thrilling experiences, Nxamaseri Island Lodge is the ideal destination for a 2024 safari.
Palm Heights
Palm Heights has just opened its highly anticipated wellness programme, Garden Club. Connecting wellbeing and rejuvenation with nature, the new 60,000 square foot spa has been designed to provide guests with a tropical sanctuary where they can focus on active wellness and regenerative well being for the mind, gut and skin using influences of the Caribbean. The 52-suite boutique hotel softly launched in 2019 and is situated on the golden shores of Seven Mile Beach. The venue quickly rose to prominence thanks to its stylish 70’s art-decor interior, ocean views from every suite, a guest-only pool, top-class restaurants, a lounge, beach club and an abundance of water activities – including kayaking, snorkelling and paddleboarding.
Savute Safari Lodge
Desert & Delta Safaris, founded in 1982 as one of the original safari operators in Botswana has nine camps in northern Botswana’s famous game reserves and national parks including Savute Safari Lodge, a stunning lodge undergoing a full renovation and rebuild, due to reopen on 1st June 2024.
The new Savute Safari Lodge will elevate the safari experience to new luxury standards with all rooms boasting spectacular views of the famous Savute Channel. For the first time, outdoor showers will be installed in a Desert & Delta Safari lodge thus providing guests with the chance to shower beneath the stars. The new communal space has been carefully designed to prioritise views over an impressive waterhole with an elevated deck and central fireplace so guests can wind down after an exhilarating day on safari while watching elephants play and bathe. This unique waterhole has been featured in world-renowned documentaries including National Geographic’s Savage Kingdom and the BBC’s Planet Earth series.
Each of the 11 newly-renovated rooms and one family room will feature natural thatching and canvas to welcome temperature control during hotter months as well as drawing on inspiration from the striking contrasts of the Kalahari from the earthy greens to the sandy beige. Botswana has one of the most magnificent environments in the world and guests staying at Savute can expect extraordinary excursions including game drives in an open 4×4 safari vehicle incorporating a visit to the Savute Marsh.
Not only does Savute boast the second-largest summer Zebra migration in Africa, but it is also home to Botswana’s famous lion Sekoti. Sekoti was chased out of his pride by his father and successfully found his own territory with his three brothers and has since grown his own pride. When out on safari with the expert guides at Savute Safari Lodge, guests will have the opportunity to spot lions from the Savuti Northern Pride or the Marsh Pride and watch them play with other members in their pride, bask in the sun, or watch the exhilarating moment that they hunt their prey. For an idyllic safari experience in a newly renovated property, Savute Safari Lodge is the perfect destination.
Stay in a Pub
British pubs and traditional coaching inns are steeped in history, full of character and charm. They provide hubs for local communities and ideal hotspots for visitors with their delicious food and drinks, and cosy bedrooms for overnight stays.
Stay in a Pub is a carefully curated collection of over 1,500 pubs. We are keen to work with more journalists, bloggers and collaborators who would like to experience a more authentic way to stay, whilst really shouting about the fantastic, cultural gems found across the UK.
Stocks Hotel, Sark
Stocks Hotel is the premier small hotel on the beautiful British Channel Island of Sark. The property is family owned and has a 4-star accreditation. The island and the hotel are predominantly a summer season destination. Stocks has 23 individual bedrooms and suites, plus a small restaurant and bar. Sark is a car-free destination and we operate our own horses and carriages. Our website can be seen here; www.stockshotel.com
We have recently modified our business model to prioritise resident hotel guests. Previously we attracted significant numbers of day visitors who used our poolside Bistro restaurant and swimming pool. This aspect of our business, although popular during the summer months, has become increasingly less profitable and incompatible with the expectations of our core resident guests.
We have traditionally marketed and promoted Stocks from within the business and in association with a small number of strategic marketing partners. We would now like to consider media opportunities to promote our modified business model to the wider world, but predominantly in the UK and Europe.
We would be pleased to host genuinely accredited journalists to experience what Stocks Hotel and Sark can offer. We are particularly keen to promote the island as a wellness destination and to emphasise the unique and unspoiled natural beauty of Sark. There are many diverse stories to promote about Sark from Yoga retreats to Sheep Racing, depending upon the specific media and their target audiences.
Villa Sea Princess Nika, Croatia
Part of Lošinj Hotels & Villas, the brand-new Villa Sea Princess Nika, is a true architectural gem on the island of Lošinj, Croatia getting ready to open this summer.
The beautiful villa is hired in its entirety and is perfectly positioned in Čikat Bay to boast picturesque views and be the ideal base to explore the gloriously forested island of Lošinj.
This spectacular property was a finalist in the highly-acclaimed Brit List Awards 2023 in the International Award before it even opened, and is the ideal destination for families and big groups of friends looking for total privacy and exclusivity with a breathtaking backdrop.
Paying homage to the rich aristocratic history of Čikat Bay, Villa Sea Princess Nika has been opulently designed in the classic style with a regal arched façade, antique Venetian Murano chandeliers, a rustic French-house-inspired kitchen in white and chocolate melange marble, and seven elegant suites across three floors. Each bathroom is decorated using different styles and a delightful combination of stones from fossil stone, green Persian, rainbow and red onyx, blue lapis, to red travertine.
Luxuriously handmade silk carpets were also custom designed for each room, wonderfully complementing the furniture made according to the design of Studio Franić Šekorania from the Italian manufacturer Martini. Built with total exclusivity and luxury in mind, Villa Sea Princess Nika boasts a wine cellar Tavern, private home cinema, professional outdoor kitchen with barbecue, a 24-hour chef, and an International Butler Academy certified butler service. Guests can enjoy a plethora of activities available to explore the stunning island. Whether they wish to hire bikes to cycle around the bay, discover the fascinating history at The Museum of Apoxyomenos, hire watersports equipment in the bay, or enjoy rejuvenating spa treatments at the nearby Hotel Bellevue and Boutique Hotel Alhambra (also part of Lošinj Hotels & Villas), Villa Sea Princess Nika is in the ideal location. With a private spa featuring a sauna and steam rooms, a private gym, a marble-tiled elevator, an outdoor pool and a jacuzzi terrace, Villa Sea Princess Nika is an idyllic destination for groups and families, brand-new for 2024.
From the BGTW Archive
Our Founding Chairman Lt Col. Geoffrey Portham
For the few remaining members, including myself, who joined the guild in the mid-sixties as relatively young travel writers, our founding chairman Lieut-col Geoffrey Portham was regarded as a striking, slightly mysterious figure who had spent a decent war’, much of it working in Military Intelligence.
As reported in my history of the guild, this is reinforced by his pre-1939 Army records, which show him speaking fluent French, German and Spanish as well as learning Serbo-Croatian.
Resident in Paris for two years, he also spent eight months in Vienna, and a further two months in Lithuania and Morocco respectively.
The records also list two years’ apprenticeship as a chartered accountant and a director of GP Tours and Travel Service Ltd specialising in Central Europe and Yugoslavia.
Geoffrey was also assistant correspondent for the New York Times during the 1935 Saar Plebiscite when 90 per cent of the region voted in favour of reuniting with Germany having been run by the League of Nations following the Treaty of Versailles.
He also worked as a freelance journalist in Lithuania in 1935, as well as in Yugoslavia and Hungary. All of which is likely to have linked him with Somerset Maugham who had worked for Military Intelligence in the 1914-18 wars and was later to become the Guild’s honorary president.
Imagine my surprise then when I was sent a book by his son Richard entitled A Journey to Liberated France, January 1945, written by Violette Bilham his wife to be, born in 1920 in Marseille to a Swiss born mother and an English born father.
In June 1940 by then living Streatham, she responded to General de Gaulle’s call to arms by working with the Free French Forces at their London, as assistant to Henri Hauck, labour advisor who along with his wife Mabs who – and her comes the punch line – gave her away at her wedding to Geoffrey Portham on February 28, 1940.
Soon after their marriage Geoffrey was posted to Trieste, a hot bed of East West espionage with Violette accompanying him. On their return Geoffrey left the army and established Go! Magazine a title that was sold to Jocelyn Stevens in the early ‘sixties. Violette was among the contributors writing under three names, Violette Bilham, Violette Portham and Jacqueline Richard.
Copies of the self-published book written in a lively way by a true travel writer, are available from Richard at £8.95 plus postage from [email protected].
John Ruler – Guild Archivist
