Mas du Langoustier
What's so special?
Escape the mainland and relax on Ile de Porquerolles at this beautiful, traditional hotel that boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant.
How they rate it
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"It is impossible to separate the Mas from its setting," says Anthony Peregrine in The Daily Telegraph. The gardens have a pool and tennis courtyard and there are paths down to a creek and beach.
The hotel itself is covered with bougainvillaea, while inside "a certain retro style portraits, period furniture recalls old Porquerolles, when the island was the personal fief of a rich Belgian businessman".
The bedrooms are "large, uniformly comfortable and some of them open on to terraces. Because the Mas is set back, do note, though, that none has a sea view." To explore the island you'll have to walk or cycle, there are very few vehicles.
The menu
"If there is a lovelier place to dine than on the terrace of the Mas, well, I'd like to hear about it." There are two restaurants. L'Olivier has a Michelin star for "its inventive take on Mediterranean cooking". La Pinde is available exclusively for guests staying half-board.
The cost
Prices start from €215 for a standard double room on a half-boardbasis. Find out more at www.langoustier.com, or call 00 33 04 9458 3009.
Les Florets
What's so special?
Several reviews rate this small hotel as one of the most romantic places to stay in Provence.It boasts uninterrupted views of a small mountain range, the Dentelles de Montmirail, and the hotel's sister vineyard.
How they rate it
"With service as memorable as its setting, and a restaurant you'd happily travel out of your way to reach, this is a hotel that few people end up visiting just once," says Lonely Planet Traveller.
The "thick-stone" hotel is beautifully located four miles south of Sguret, "beneath the limestone ridge for which the region of Les Dentelles is named". The guest rooms are "dressed up with bright colours and antique furniture", says Fodors.com.
"Apritifs can be taken on the... terrace, with its century-old centrepiece plane tree, or, on colder evenings, around the bar's log fire," says Lonely Planet Traveller.
The menu
The restaurant is considered one of the best in the area. "Dishes are both innovative and locally sourced don't miss the langoustine sushi with asparagus."
The cost
Prices start from £90. For more information, visit www.hotel-lesflorets.com, or call 00 33 490 6585 01.
European safaris
If you think you might want to go on an African safari to see remarkable animals such as elephants and lions, don't forget that Europe has its own impressive animals, which you can see more cheaply.
Around 800 Eurasian brown bears can be found in the Tatras Mountains of Slovakia. It's a thrill to watch "300kg furballs scavenging for berries in mountain forests", says John Malathronas in Sunday Times Travel.
Exodusoffers hikes to two regions of Slovakia's High Tatras National Park. A four-night trek starts from £969pp, including flights, a guide, ranger and most meals.
One of Europe's largest predators is the grey wolf, which can be found in Romania's Carpathian Mountains. WildlifeWorldwideoffers carnivore-tracking trips, but be aware that the "chances of sightings are only around 20%". A four-night trip costs £1,095pp for full board with flights.
Reindeer are an impressive sight, especially "observing male reindeer fight and race each other as they skirt the Arctic, over snowy peaks and grassy valleys". Just choose your trip carefully. "Most so-called reindeer safaris' are trips to farms, where the animals stand around looking confused, waiting for slaughter."
Avoid this with a trip to northern Norway with Taber Holidays, where in summer you see wild reindeer "in search of the greenest grasses". A four-night trip costs from £1,645pp, including meals and transport.
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