Spring in Kyoto

For centuries cherry blossom time has been celebrated in Japan, so it was with excitement that I found myself bound for Kyoto, cultural centre of Japan. It is great gardens for which Kyoto is famous and the first anyone wants to see the Zen dry garden Ryoan-ji.

In the footsteps of Jean Cocteau

One of the appeals of Menton on the French Riviera is the largest museum dedicated to the works of Jean Cocteau (1889-1963), a famous French artist who died fifty years ago. Frederic exolores the museum and the three towns forever linked with his work

Consumer Direct (formally the National Consumer Council)

From the website:

“Consumer Direct is the government-funded telephone and online service offering information and advice on consumer issues. Consumer Direct is funded by the Office of Fair Trading and delivered in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services.”

The Album: Tom Rumboll

CD Traveller reader, Tom Rumboll, takes us on a tour of his favourite destinations

Amazing Thailand: Land of Smiles lives up to its reputation at WTM

Although many parts of Thailand have been affected by floods, they are expected to recede in a few weeks, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) team have welcomed guests at this week’s World Travel Market with smiles and enthusiasm, despite the damage that the floods are causing back home.

Hotel Habits Change

As long as there have been hotels, there has been those who want to know what happens inside them. Thirty years ago, the television series “The Duchess of Duke Street chronicled the comings and goings of a hotel in Victorian London. Nearly 80 years ago the film, Grand Hotel did the same thing.

Novotel, the hotel chain has been running a survey in Australia. Fiji and New Zealand for the last 10 years into what guests leave behind in their hotels and it is intriguing to see how habits have changed over the decade. Most of us believe that the guests nick the soap and the little shampoo bottles but is this still the case?

Travel talk: where the experts holiday

Sarah-Jane Goodall, senior sales and marketing manager for Namibia Tourism Board, chats to CD Traveller about swimming, sightseeing and the rewards of a holiday in Namibia – one of Africa’s youngest countries.