Looking for some recommendations...
Me and my better half both hit the big 40 this year, and I'm looking to book a short break away without the kids...need a bit of pampering.
Can't quite decide on destination though...considered Dubai, Egypt, New York, Rome etc....just can't make up our minds.
Anyone got any marvellous experiences/recommendations for this type of thing?
Rich.
may i recomend ?
Cyprus
Not exactly exotic, but, I have been to Ireland and the south of France quite a few times, always enjoyed it and because it's not too far you get more time there.
If you want to visit a big City in America I can highly reccomend San Fransisco, just fantastic - Alcatraz, Largest China town outside China, Golden
Gate Bridge, Cable Cars what more can I say.
quote:
Originally posted by big-vee-twin
If you want to visit a big City in America I can highly reccomend San Fransisco, just fantastic - Alcatraz, Largest China town outside China, Golden Gate Bridge, Cable Cars what more can I say.
For me it has to be Vegas, I got married there and have been back 3 times in the last 5 or so years, absolutely love the place.
Renew your vows for next to nowt
Grand Canyon
Hire a Viper
Cirque Du Soleil
Gambling, shopping, food, ridiculousness, shows etc etc, the list is enormous, apparently anything's possible in Vegas!!!
North of Italy, do the historic cities Verona, Florence, Venice then a week to wind down at either Lake Garda or Lake Como.
The life style, hotels, food, wine, history and scenery are fantastic.
For Lake Garda I can particularly recommend the Hotel Catullo in the historic centre of Sirmione (just down the road from M Schumachers holiday
villa) you can book it from the Inghams Lakes and Mountains Brochure.
http://www.hotelcatullo.it/en/home_hotel_catullo_locale_storico.php
I would advise you check out the reviews of any hotel you book on the Tripadvisor web site.
The Catullos Tripadvisor reviews are here
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187842-d314143-Reviews-Hotel_Catullo-Sirmione_Lake_Garda_Lombardy.html
[Edited on 20/2/10 by britishtrident]
If you just want a couple of days try Dubrovnik. I fly in there quite a bit & it always looks lovely along that coast. It's got a lot of history & is reasonably cheap.
It's your 40th, so pamper yourself and head to the Maldives! Just the most fabulous place to relax!
You had Dubai in your list... excellent hotels, but beware that it's still just a HUUUGE building site!
I agree with Britishtrident - the north of Italy is stunning.
Dubrovniks not really for me - I like my coastal hols to have some form of beach or coastline where you can walk by the sea. Dubrovnik has a rocky
coastline, but to be fair, the town itself is very nice and the accommodation is very reasonable.
Best place i have ever been is Norway although very expensive.
Other than that, we visit scotland alot 
One more for the Italy tour.
Did Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome and Naples over a week and a few days in Sorrento doing Pompeii and Vesuvius etc. Flew to Venice travelled by train
and then flew home from Naples which worked really well.Brilliant stuff.
Steve.
Verona every time for me - sorry us!
Fantastic historical city, Nicolis Museum nearby and cheap rail connections for Venice, Brescia (Mille Miglia Museum on the East side of town or go
wk1 May and watch them go off mid-week and come back on the Sunday!), Mantova (lakes, food, sights and providing they have re-opened it the Nuvolari
Museum) - all day trips.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe 
BTW Rudy (sometimes on here) lives near Venice).
[Edited on 20/2/10 by pewe]
[Edited on 20/2/10 by pewe]
We went to the North of Italy several years BC (Before Child.)
Florence was nice, but San Gimignano (pr. San Jiminyano) was especially memorable.
Last year, we spent a long weekend in Carcassonne which was equally memorable. That's a jaw droppingly attractive Medieval City, just like San
Gimignano.
I would go back to Carcassonne in a minute.
Taormina in Sicily for me, I spent 2 weeks there at Her Majesty's Pleasure (Navy!)
I spend most of my leisure time in Cornwall these days
Dubai every time for me, If you want peace and quiet stay away from the beach front hotels as they are getting busier with families (kids).
Next year though defo going to see North Italy for a change.
Just come back from Meeru island on the Maldives, was my forty birthday present. Was very nice indeed.
Cheers
Rich
I can recommend Egypt for Gastroemtroisis and Vomiting. Place is filty (whole country) and they like ripping of tourist big style......
Nah i'd go back to the US or go to Canada.
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
Taormina in Sicily for me, I spent 2 weeks there at Her Majesty's Pleasure (Navy!)
I spend most of my leisure time in Cornwall these days
Got to be Italy for me
Cattolica just south of Rimini
No british stuff at all, no hassle
just the best, Im going back again this year again
Dubia is good, but bit like a building site -if you get a top notch hotel with a private beach you wont notice, but if you plan on going out and about
its a bit of a dump whilst the building work is going on. I was there 4 years ago and it was bad then - might be better now.
As has been said, Lake Como is beautiful - as are the rest of the italian lakes. I can recommend the Grand Tremezzo hotel.
http://www.grandhoteltremezzo.com/
v special
i spent my 40th in Las Vegas, the best place on the planet
i'm currently sat in a bar on the beach in St Lucia which is very nice. Maldives is nicer though, and you can do it with a few days in Dubai on the way there
Dubai..... building site, nothing special at all about the place
Egypt... Great until they opened it up to tourists. Think Chavy spain with pyramids.
San Fran... great place to go, 2 days in vegas, drive to san fran for a decent break... fly home from there. Great week.
Any of the great lakes in Italy are nice, quite expensive but well worth it. Had good times there when in the RN too.
I'd also say think of Washington DC, Great city and only an hours drive to national parks/skyline drive.
All IMO
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Dubia is good, but bit like a building site -if you get a top notch hotel with a private beach you wont notice, but if you plan on going out and about its a bit of a dump whilst the building work is going on. I was there 4 years ago and it was bad then - might be better now.
As has been said, Lake Como is beautiful - as are the rest of the italian lakes. I can recommend the Grand Tremezzo hotel.
http://www.grandhoteltremezzo.com/
v special
quote:
Originally posted by fesycresy
click me northern boy
Since going to Italian lakes a few years back it has become our main holiday destination we just love the lifestyle and the fact that unlike some
other Mediterranean countries the food hygiene in hotels and restaurants is very good.
This year we are going to Sorrento for Naples, Pompei, Herculeneum and Almalfi --- a lot to pack in in short time.
We found it pays to do a bit of research first, holiday prices vary a lot between resorts but the quality of the resort & hotel can be identical,
for example Bardolino is significantly cheaper than Garda town but the two resorts are very similar.
In addition to checking the Trip Advisor reviews it is a good idea to check the hotel locations on Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Street view
to check out not only the hotel but the surrounding area.