Oyo Hotels Reveals Tactics for Bad Reviews and ‘Negative Press’ in IPO Filing

Oyo plans to combat bad reviews with a tactic that won’t likely improve its reputation as a toxic place to do business. The India-based budget hospitality brand officially moved ahead with plans to go public late last week. The $1.2 billion move, seen as a way to provide a financial lift to a company drastically […]

England’s travel traffic-light system replaced and testing requirements to change

All countries will now be on the red list or no list, with the fully vaccinated no longer required to test before returning home An overhaul of England’s Covid-19 rules governing international travel will come into force from Monday 4 October, replacing the traffic-light system. A single red list of countries will remain, with the previous green and amber countries becoming the “rest of the world” or “non-red list”. There will also be changes to the testing requirements when returning from a non-red-list country, if fully vaccinated. Continue reading...

Air New Zealand Mandates Vaccines for International Flyers in First for Airlines

Air New Zealand will mandate Covid-19 vaccinations for all international travelers from February 1, 2022, a first for an airline and signs that strict requirements are now moving from airline workers to flyers. The move makes the Auckland-based carrier the first to set a date for a traveler vaccine mandate. In September, Qantas CEO Alan […]

Crunch time: the 10 best places to celebrate Apple Day in Britain

As harvest time arrives, here are the top destinations for apple harvests, tastings and other core activities If there is a cider capital of the UK it’s arguably Herefordshire, where the rolling hills are covered with orchards. The Big Apple is an association of orchards in the region and their harvest festival takes place at nine locations around the town (9-10 October). A free tractor and trailer service, provided by Weston’s Cider, takes visitors between six of the sites, including organic orchards, small-scale cider producers and Hellens Manor – a country estate and gardens offering hands-on pressing activities and morris dancing. Pop into the Much Marcle Memorial Hall for a cup of apple tea, and stay at the Seven Stars in nearby Ledbury, a cosy pub with comfortable rooms. Doubles from £99 B&B, sevenstarsledbury.co.uk; bigapple.co.uk Continue reading...

Riddle of the stones: my love affair with west Wales

The meaning of ancient sites, such as Pentre Ifan in Pembrokeshire, has been lost over time, but they’re truly alive in this writer’s imagination After I die, I want my ashes to be scattered in Pentre Ifan’s shadow. The scatterer will have to wait for a rare, windless day. It’s on those still days that the nearby hawthorn trees, the ones most exposed and bent nearly lateral by prevailing westerlies, can break your heart. They look ridiculous, like blown birthday candles perpetually being extinguished, gusted over to one side. When there’s no wind, you wonder why they don’t spring back up straight. But they never do. The hawthorns grow at a respectful distance to the west of Pentre Ifan. The horizon behind them is hitched to the sky by the largest “mountain” in west Wales: Carn Ingli, the Hill of Angels. It’s just 347 metres of ancient shield volcano, but it has a big reputation. They say if you sleep on its summit, angels will whisper their secrets in your dreams. Another version says the Earth will speak to you as you sleep. I’d rather hear what the bedrock has to say. Continue reading...

UK to Lift Mandatory Hotel Quarantine for Vaccinated Visitors From More Countries

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will open up more countries for hotel quarantine-free travel later this week, The Sunday Telegraph reported, saying that the UK’s “red list” of destinations would be slashed to nine from 54. Fully vaccinated arrivals from countries including South Africa, Brazil, Mexico and Indonesia will no longer have to quarantine in […]

10 of the best October half-term family breaks in Europe

With overseas travel opening up again, we have family ideas for cities, coast and countryside Slovenia is cooling down in October, but it is a spectacular time to see Lake Bled’s woody fringes burst into flames of colour. Hilltop Bled Castle towers over its northern shore, and children will love the cruise to the fairytale island in the middle of the lake, as well as the Indiana-Jones-style walkway at sheer-sided Bled Gorge. Families can stay at River Camping Bled, where simple alpine cottages come with heating, private bathrooms and kitchens. From this rural base, visitors can kayak on the River Sava or cycle the 3km to the lakeshore. From £128 a night for five adults and two under-12s Continue reading...