A lovely hotel in Deia, a small town nestled in the north western mountains of Mallorca (the Tremuntana range). The hotel is situated ideally, the breakfast terrace overlooks the pool and is surrounded by mountains which makes you feel like you're floating.

Deia is a beautiful place, although the presence of two five-star hotels means a lot of restaurants are pricey (although excellent). The tapas bar at the end of the road out of town is fabulous. A walk up the hill from town takes you to the cemetery where Robert Graves is buried. It's a beautiful place with spectacular views. If you need a pinch of reality, take a trip to Palma, for a day of shopping and city stuff, before taking the orange train (wooden narrow guage train, which used to transport oranges) across (and through, literally) the mountains over to Soller - a nearby port, which is quiet and friendly and a million miles from Magaluf, but just a 15 minute taxi drive back to Deia.

www.hoteldespuig.com

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Just ten minutes by bus from the centre of Brighton and you're in the middle of some incredible countryside. Take the bus to Devil's Dyke (ignore the beefeater style pub by the bus stop) and take a walk round the top of the dyke, or (armed with a map) go exploring. There are some great country pubs and villages to be found -- great for dog walking, great for kite flying or paragliding and a real breath of fresh air if you want to blow a hangover away!

Buses go to Devil's Dyke from the centre of Brighton.

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This is the kind of bar you find on holiday. It's friendly, plays great music, and is refreshingly un-designer-y. Hector the owner is a genuine Cuban and is always happy to have a chat. It's Hector, and the cool vibe, and the rum-based cocktails that really make it a great place to start or end an evening. The best mojito this side of Habana!

36 Preston Street, Brighton (between Western Road and the sea front)

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There are two Gingerman restaurants in Brighton. Both the tiny original in Norfolk Street and the newer one at the stylish Drakes hotel are superb. Excellent, well-thought-out menus, great value fixed price menu, and a great wine list. However, it’s the friendliness of the staff that make both Gingermen truly special. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

21a Norfolk Square; tel: 01273 326 688 and at Drakes, 44 Marine Parade; tel: 01273 696 934;
www.gingermanrestaurants.co.uk

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