Travel Destinations

Travel tips: Wine and spa in the Duero

Wallow in wine treatments in Spain’s Duero wine area, where the historic hotel Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine has some great packages featuring vinotherapy at its new spa. For instance, the three-night spa gourmet getaway includes breakfasts, two dinners and two lunches, a “grand cru” two-hour spa package, and a free mini bar. It costs from £1,470 for two. The hotel reopens after its winter renovation in March, with rooms from £324 a night. Eight new guest rooms have direct spa access. More details on ledomaine.es.

Cheaper holidays
It’s good news for UK holidaymakers: the strength of sterling and local price cuts mean the cost of a holiday in 23 of 44 key worldwide travel destinations has fallen, according to the latest report from Post Office Travel Money. The cheapest place in Europe is the Algarve in Portugal, with prices down more than 18 per cent in the past year, while Cape Town offers the best value for long-haul travellers, with prices down 20 per cent.

Japan city guides
If you’re heading to Japan — and it’s one of those countries that is great value now — take a look at these city guides, which give hotel and restaurant recommendations, itineraries depending on your length of stay, and first-timer guides. Insidekyoto.com is joined this weekend by its sister site trulytokyo.com. Future guides will feature Hong Kong, Singapore and mainland China.

Wolfgang Puck at Coworth Park
Calling all Wolfgang Puck fans: the chef’s signature dishes, including the lip-smacking organic chicken and black truffle “pot pie” and marinated Szechuan steak with shitake mushrooms, will feature at a “pop-up” restaurant in the Coworth Park hotel from February 19 to March 6. Puck, whose dishes feature at the Cut restaurant in 45 Park Lane, has designed the special menus (which start from £32) for brunch, lunch and dinner. Rooms start from £355 B&B, including a £70 credit to be used in the restaurant (dorchestercollection.com).