Romantic holidays and short breaks
Surprise the one you love with a romantic holiday or short break
On this page:
- Take a great value Eurostar short break to Paris, Bruges, Brussels, Lille, Antwerp or Ghent with ShortBreaks - click here
- Rent a villa in The Algarve, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Florida, the Canaries, the Balearics, Sardinia or Tuscany with James Villa Holidays - click here
- Discover the perfect holiday cottage - a 'hidden gem' in the UK or abroad - for you and the special person in your life - click here to read all about Cottage Selection.
- Book a romantic short break or long weekend, choosing from over 10,000 hotels worldwide - click here to read all about Hotel Pronto or click here to read about romantic city break weekends from Opodo - starting from only £107, including flights and 2 nights accomodation!
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Also featured - three of the
UK's best major online travel agents -
TravelBag, Opodo and E-bookers.
We carried out our normal, meticulous research looking for the best suppliers on the web - companies with a good range, competitive prices and a reputation for customer service.
We are continually adding to this page, as we discover new companies offering something we think you'll like.
This is the whole point about LovefromMe and what we had always intended - right from the start - to accomplish. We do the work finding the best suppliers, looking into what they offer and telling you about them ... so that you can choose that special present, with no hassle and no worry.
But, don't forget that if you need any help on choosing a long weekend, short break or holiday for you and your wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend .. or any other special friend, just to email us. We're here to help ... and that's the LovefromMe difference.
Don't hang around for hours at an airport - take your short break by Eurostar, with ShortBreaks
ShortBreaks are a specialist tour operator offering high quality city-break packages via Eurostar to Paris, Brussels, Bruges, Lille, Antwerp and Ghent, in boutique hotels individually inspected for quality and value.
And they were voted Favourite European Short Breaks Operator (Evening Standard/Travel Weekly Consumer Awards 2005).
Their simple booking process allows you either to create your own 'package', or select from their popular, prepackaged special offers - from only £99 per person, for a 2-night break.
Paris
- only 2hrs 35mins from Waterloo
" ... then we wandered around the Marais district and spent a few idle hours people spotting in a Place des Vosges café ..."
Paris is an intoxicating city, with museums and galleries ranking among the finest in the world, an exhilarating bar and restaurant scene and magnificent architecture lining virtually every street.
Cosmopolitan and chic, Paris is the fashion capital of the world and home to some of the best shopping in Europe.
Antwerp - only 30mins further on from Brussels
" ... I wandered through Rubens' impressive mansion, surrounded by his paintings ..."
Possibly Europe's trendiest and most buzzing city, Antwerp's vibrant nightlife and world-class shopping are now within easy reach - thanks mainly to Eurostar and an easy 30-minute onward connection from Brussels.
Home to Pieter Rubens, the international diamond industry and famous designers (the Antwerp Six), few places mix the old and the new so enchantingly. Narrow cobbled streets, Art Nouveau mansions and the magnificent gothic cathedral provide a magical backdrop to the city's myriad bars and cafés.
Lille - only 2hrs 20mins from Waterloo
" ... ambling the day away, we discovered the real Lille: beautiful Belle Epoque shops, cosy bars and intimate, welcoming cafés ..."
Lille is the capital and cultural heart of French Flanders, a labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets, lined with ancient guild houses, renaissance palaces and gothic churches.
Life in Lille is focused on the beautiful Place du General de Gaulle - dotted with café tables all summer - and the shopping is fabulous, with a whole host of creative local boutiques and specialist antique shops waiting to be discovered.
" ... then we wandered around the Marais district and spent a few idle hours people spotting in a Place des Vosges café ..."
Paris is an intoxicating city, with museums and galleries ranking among the finest in the world, an exhilarating bar and restaurant scene and magnificent architecture lining virtually every street.
Cosmopolitan and chic, Paris is the fashion capital of the world and home to some of the best shopping in Europe.
Antwerp - only 30mins further on from Brussels
" ... I wandered through Rubens' impressive mansion, surrounded by his paintings ..."
Possibly Europe's trendiest and most buzzing city, Antwerp's vibrant nightlife and world-class shopping are now within easy reach - thanks mainly to Eurostar and an easy 30-minute onward connection from Brussels.
Home to Pieter Rubens, the international diamond industry and famous designers (the Antwerp Six), few places mix the old and the new so enchantingly. Narrow cobbled streets, Art Nouveau mansions and the magnificent gothic cathedral provide a magical backdrop to the city's myriad bars and cafés.
Lille - only 2hrs 20mins from Waterloo
" ... ambling the day away, we discovered the real Lille: beautiful Belle Epoque shops, cosy bars and intimate, welcoming cafés ..."
Lille is the capital and cultural heart of French Flanders, a labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets, lined with ancient guild houses, renaissance palaces and gothic churches.
Life in Lille is focused on the beautiful Place du General de Gaulle - dotted with café tables all summer - and the shopping is fabulous, with a whole host of creative local boutiques and specialist antique shops waiting to be discovered.
Brussels - only 2hrs 20mins from Waterloo
" ... I shall never forget turning the corner into the Grand Place and seeing its magnificence for the first time ..."
The capital of Europe, the birthplace of Art Nouveau, home to the most beautiful square in Europe - Brussels offers far more than chocolate and beer ... although excelling at both!
Narrow cobbled streets open suddenly into the breathtaking Grand Place, with its ornate guild houses, magnificent Town Hall and buzzing atmosphere. Eating out is a national pastime and the city is packed with consistently good restaurants serving everything from haute cuisine to the city's signature moules-frites.
Bruges - only 1hr further on from Brussels
" ... surrounded by mediæval gothic architecture and guild houses, I was instantly transported back in time ..."
Bruges is a living history book and possibly the most picturesque city in all of Europe. Interlaced with a network of ancient canals, magnificent architecture, fine galleries and museums, Bruges is also a gastronomic paradise - with both excellent local bistros and no less than 3 Michelin-starred restaurants.
Undoubtedly the most enjoyable way to explore Bruges is to amble along its cobbled streets, glide by boat along its tranquil waterways and discover a city that time seems to have almost forgotten.
Ghent - only 30mins further on from Brussels
" ... we got off the tram at the flower market and simply wandered around looking at the brightly coloured stalls - you could feel the spirit and soul of the place ..."
Ghent combines an impressive past with a vivid present. The historic heart of the city offers many places of interest, such as St Michael's bridge with its wonderful view of the mediæval skyline, the impressive towers of St Nicholas Church and the ancient belfry. The beautifully preserved old part is also worth a visit, as is the Castle of the Counts, once the fortress of the Count of Flanders.
There are, as you would expect, numerous museums and galleries housing a wealth of Flemish art treasures. Ghent also offers excellent shops, restaurants and exciting nightlife.
" ... I shall never forget turning the corner into the Grand Place and seeing its magnificence for the first time ..."
The capital of Europe, the birthplace of Art Nouveau, home to the most beautiful square in Europe - Brussels offers far more than chocolate and beer ... although excelling at both!
Narrow cobbled streets open suddenly into the breathtaking Grand Place, with its ornate guild houses, magnificent Town Hall and buzzing atmosphere. Eating out is a national pastime and the city is packed with consistently good restaurants serving everything from haute cuisine to the city's signature moules-frites.
Bruges - only 1hr further on from Brussels
" ... surrounded by mediæval gothic architecture and guild houses, I was instantly transported back in time ..."
Bruges is a living history book and possibly the most picturesque city in all of Europe. Interlaced with a network of ancient canals, magnificent architecture, fine galleries and museums, Bruges is also a gastronomic paradise - with both excellent local bistros and no less than 3 Michelin-starred restaurants.
Undoubtedly the most enjoyable way to explore Bruges is to amble along its cobbled streets, glide by boat along its tranquil waterways and discover a city that time seems to have almost forgotten.
Ghent - only 30mins further on from Brussels
" ... we got off the tram at the flower market and simply wandered around looking at the brightly coloured stalls - you could feel the spirit and soul of the place ..."
Ghent combines an impressive past with a vivid present. The historic heart of the city offers many places of interest, such as St Michael's bridge with its wonderful view of the mediæval skyline, the impressive towers of St Nicholas Church and the ancient belfry. The beautifully preserved old part is also worth a visit, as is the Castle of the Counts, once the fortress of the Count of Flanders.
There are, as you would expect, numerous museums and galleries housing a wealth of Flemish art treasures. Ghent also offers excellent shops, restaurants and exciting nightlife.
We're always rather suspicious of companies who don't have an 'about us' page on their websites - if they are proud of themselves and their service, they should want to tell their prospective customers. A good indication of just how much ShortBreaks value their customers is that, when we said that we thought they should have a more comprehensive page about the company, they agreed - and reworded it to incorporate our suggestions.
And that's the kind of thing we want to do for our customers - not just lazily display a page full of banner ads and expect you to click on them!
So Click here
About ShortBreaks
We are market leaders - we are Eurostar’s largest direct sell operator and one of the largest overall to our main destinations of Paris, Brussels and Bruges.
We are knowledgeable and helpful - all our hotels in Paris, Brussels, Bruges and Lille have been individually inspected for quality, value and location. All hotels are visited by our contact centre staff on a regular basis so the person on the end of the phone actually knows your hotel first hand.
We are the best value - our close relationships with Eurostar and our hotels enable us to negotiate rates unavailable to the public or to High Street travel agents. Our prices are unbeatable, with 5-star weekend breaks from £129 per person for 2 nights - including breakfast and return Eurostar travel. Midweek getaways start at just £99 per person.
We are award winning - our carefully chosen short breaks have been recognised as the best in the industry. We were awarded ‘Best Newcomer’ in the Eurostar Travel Awards 1999, followed by ‘Best Direct Sell Tour Operator’ and an ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ the following year. More recently, in January 2005, we have been recognised as ‘Favourite European Short Break Operator’ by the Evening Standard/Travel Weekly Consumer Travel Awards.
We are fully bonded - for your financial protection – we are holders of ABTA W5344 and ATOL license 5968 - so your money is completely safe.
We are user friendly - above all we are here to help. Our website has a choice of either pre-packaged special offers or a simple booking process which allows you to create your own break with departure times to suit you.
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We are market leaders - we are Eurostar’s largest direct sell operator and one of the largest overall to our main destinations of Paris, Brussels and Bruges.
We are knowledgeable and helpful - all our hotels in Paris, Brussels, Bruges and Lille have been individually inspected for quality, value and location. All hotels are visited by our contact centre staff on a regular basis so the person on the end of the phone actually knows your hotel first hand.
We are the best value - our close relationships with Eurostar and our hotels enable us to negotiate rates unavailable to the public or to High Street travel agents. Our prices are unbeatable, with 5-star weekend breaks from £129 per person for 2 nights - including breakfast and return Eurostar travel. Midweek getaways start at just £99 per person.
We are award winning - our carefully chosen short breaks have been recognised as the best in the industry. We were awarded ‘Best Newcomer’ in the Eurostar Travel Awards 1999, followed by ‘Best Direct Sell Tour Operator’ and an ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ the following year. More recently, in January 2005, we have been recognised as ‘Favourite European Short Break Operator’ by the Evening Standard/Travel Weekly Consumer Travel Awards.
We are fully bonded - for your financial protection – we are holders of ABTA W5344 and ATOL license 5968 - so your money is completely safe.
We are user friendly - above all we are here to help. Our website has a choice of either pre-packaged special offers or a simple booking process which allows you to create your own break with departure times to suit you.
to read all about ShortBreaks and the service they offer as the
leading Eurostar short breaks
specialist.
... then click here to visit the website, to find the perfect long weekend or short break for you and the special person in your life.
James Villa Holidays - the UK's No 1 villa holiday specialist - offer an exceptional selection of quality properties to rent for your romantic short break or holiday.
Hundreds of hand-picked villas in 22 of the most popular holiday destinations around the Mediterranean, the Canaries and Florida - from simple country farmhouses to impressive new properties right by the sea.
And every single villa has its own private pool.
There's nothing quite like the freedom and relaxation of your own place in the sun. With James Villa Holidays, you can tailor your holiday to suit your needs. In addition to your villa, they can organise flights, car hire and travel insurance and also cover the extras that make life easier, like airport hotels and parking, and a welcome pack on arrival.
Click here
About James Villa Holidays
With the widest choice of villas and destinations in the Mediterranean and beyond, and over twenty years of experience, we can show you the way to choosing your ideal villa holiday.
Back in 1984, James started his villa holiday company with a handful of villas in Lanzarote. Although we've grown, we're still a family-run business with a long-held passion for finding superb villas in some really great places. And more and more clients keep coming back, perhaps because they've learnt from experience that there's nothing quite like the sheer freedom and relaxation of your own place in the sun with James Villa Holidays.
With James, you're in control. We have all the component parts for you to make your own tailor-made holiday. The villa is essential, of course. Then, it's up to you. We can organise your flights, car hire, travel insurance and even the bits and bobs that make life easier, like airport hotels and parking, a welcome pack on arrival, cots and high chairs.
We pride ourselves on our low prices not just for our villas, but for all the additional parts of your holiday, too. As one of the leading villa holiday specialists in the UK, we are able to negotiate some excellent deals on flights and car hire which we believe are hard to beat. What's more, our villa prices are per villa not per person. So what you see is what you get - the whole villa for the week, however many people go.
We don't believe in middle men. We much prefer keeping in touch directly with our clients. Our reservations team make regular visits to many of the villas, so if you've any queries about your chosen destination, there's nearly always someone here who's been there and will be glad to help.
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With the widest choice of villas and destinations in the Mediterranean and beyond, and over twenty years of experience, we can show you the way to choosing your ideal villa holiday.
Back in 1984, James started his villa holiday company with a handful of villas in Lanzarote. Although we've grown, we're still a family-run business with a long-held passion for finding superb villas in some really great places. And more and more clients keep coming back, perhaps because they've learnt from experience that there's nothing quite like the sheer freedom and relaxation of your own place in the sun with James Villa Holidays.
With James, you're in control. We have all the component parts for you to make your own tailor-made holiday. The villa is essential, of course. Then, it's up to you. We can organise your flights, car hire, travel insurance and even the bits and bobs that make life easier, like airport hotels and parking, a welcome pack on arrival, cots and high chairs.
We pride ourselves on our low prices not just for our villas, but for all the additional parts of your holiday, too. As one of the leading villa holiday specialists in the UK, we are able to negotiate some excellent deals on flights and car hire which we believe are hard to beat. What's more, our villa prices are per villa not per person. So what you see is what you get - the whole villa for the week, however many people go.
We don't believe in middle men. We much prefer keeping in touch directly with our clients. Our reservations team make regular visits to many of the villas, so if you've any queries about your chosen destination, there's nearly always someone here who's been there and will be glad to help.
to read all about James Villa Holidays and the service they offer as the UK's leading villa holiday specialist
... then click here to visit the website, and use their search box to find the perfect holiday villa for you and the special person in yur life
If you've ever wondered how people manage to discover their perfect holiday cottage - those 'hidden gems' - you've found the answer: Cottage Selection.
The widest choice of cottages from the market leading operator, with over 20 years experience in providing cottage holidays to hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers - the largest collection of cottages available for booking on any website, anywhere!
Cottage Selection have over 9,000 thatched cottages, barns, oasthouses, gites, villas, farmhouses, chateaux, crofts and even the odd castle - all ready and waiting for your arrival.
Each property is maintained to the highest standard, providing everything you require to ensure that your holiday runs smoothly. Furthermore, Cottage Selection regularly check every property to ensure standards are maintained and that they are offering great value for money - so what you see is what you'll get!
Click here to visit Cottage Selection and click on 'Availability Search', to find the ideal cottage for you and the special person in your life.
Stop Press ...
Cottage Selection's holidays are no longer limited to 7 or 14 nights. Many properties now offer 2 and 3 night weekend breaks, and 4 night midweek breaks - ideal for a romantic short break!.
Hotel Pronto is one of the easiest holiday booking sites we've come across, enabling you to choose from over 10,000 hotels around the world in both cities and coastal resorts.
Entering the site, you're immediately shown their search facility, where you type in the city you're interested in, the number of nights you want accomodation for, how many rooms you need and the number of people you need accomodation for. Click here to visit Hotel Pronto
About Hotel Pronto
Hotel Pronto is the web's leading hotel booking agency specialising in quality hotel accommodation at discounted rates. We offer in excess of 10,000 hotels around the world in both cities and coastal resorts. We offer a full range of properties, including convenient airport hotels, 2 and 3 star budget hotel rooms and 4 or 5 star luxury hotel accommodation.
Hotel Pronto provides a simple and cost effective way to make hotel bookings quickly and is the web site of choice for people who want a simple, fast booking process.
We offer a unique service to cost-conscious travellers seeking the best hotel rates: our unique proprietary booking system allows us to search the world's leading consolidators and return the cheapest results at the largest number of properties in any given destination.
All hotels featured on HotelPronto.com can be booked online instantly. Online payment (taken at the time of booking) uses a secure server and a confirmation reference is quoted - followed by a confirmation email. We are committed to providing the highest quality of service both before and after sales.
We are proud to say that the price quoted on the Hotel Pronto website is the price you pay: there are no booking fees, extra taxes or surcharges and, unless otherwise stated, breakfast is included in the price.
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Click here
to read all about
Hotel Pronto.
Hotel Pronto is the web's leading hotel booking agency specialising in quality hotel accommodation at discounted rates. We offer in excess of 10,000 hotels around the world in both cities and coastal resorts. We offer a full range of properties, including convenient airport hotels, 2 and 3 star budget hotel rooms and 4 or 5 star luxury hotel accommodation.
Hotel Pronto provides a simple and cost effective way to make hotel bookings quickly and is the web site of choice for people who want a simple, fast booking process.
We offer a unique service to cost-conscious travellers seeking the best hotel rates: our unique proprietary booking system allows us to search the world's leading consolidators and return the cheapest results at the largest number of properties in any given destination.
All hotels featured on HotelPronto.com can be booked online instantly. Online payment (taken at the time of booking) uses a secure server and a confirmation reference is quoted - followed by a confirmation email. We are committed to providing the highest quality of service both before and after sales.
We are proud to say that the price quoted on the Hotel Pronto website is the price you pay: there are no booking fees, extra taxes or surcharges and, unless otherwise stated, breakfast is included in the price.
| Paris from £22 | Rome from £20 | Venice from £27 | Budapest from £22 |
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| London from £25 | Prague from £22 | New York from £29 | Athens from £26 |
Hotel Pronto also have many special offers and promotions, which are continually added to the site. Offers are flagged as 'best buys' and are featured in all of the most popular destinations.
Click here to search for hotels worldwide - all bookable online
So what's that got to do with Travelbag?
Well, Bridge the World have morphed (or been absorbed) into Travelbag, who still pride themselves on their in-depth knowledge and experience of places far and wide. They can advise you on the best places to stay, ranging from 4-star hotels, B&Bs or even a cruise, helping to create the holiday you want. With 25 years of experience arranging travel, they are one of the best choices around to help you plan your trip abroad.
Travelbag constantly check their prices against their competitors and guarantee a best price policy, should the price of the same flight be cheaper elsewhere. Their speciality is long-haul, especially Australasia, the Far East, the US and the Middle East and you can book your flight online using their quick and easy 'booking engine'.
And we can tell you that it certainly is fast and the deals they find are excellent - having just booked some very cheap flights to Thailand with them!
You know that you'll get value for money with Travelbag, because they deal directly with their customers, cutting out the 'middle man' and lowering the cost of your holiday.
Everything featured on their website is checked out and constantly monitored to ensure that you receive only the highest quality holiday products.
Use the box on the right to search for just the flights you want for that special romantic break for you and someone special in your life!
Opodo is an online travel service owned by 9 of the world's leading airlines and by travel industry technology provider, Amadeus - offering flights, hotels, car rental and holidays.
They are the first truly Pan-European travel service created to address the real needs of today's traveller and offers access to nearly 500 airlines, over 45,000 hotel properties and more than 7,000 car rental locations worldwide - as well as travel insurance, package holidays and city breaks.
Opodo have designed their website to be particularly easy to use, which is especially valuable for those of us with limited time, or people who want to quickly get some ideas as inspiration for their next break. What next? Just use their quick search box, to find the flight & hotel combination you want - for that short break to surprise the special person in your life ...
STOP PRESS
Opodo now do city break weekends, from an amazing £107 per person, for a 2 night break including flights. Destinations include Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Madrid, Prague, Vienna and Venice. Click here to look at their excellent romantic city break deals.
ebookers specialises in discount air fares with a huge selection of 2 million discounted fares from over 120 airlines. They are in contact with 20,000 hotels across the globe, from cottages in the UK and France to 5-star luxury resorts in the Far East.
What next? Just use their quick search box, to find the flight & hotel combination you want - for that short break to surprise the special person in your life ...
Lastly - don't forget that if you need any help on choosing a long weekend, short break or holiday for you and your wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend .. or any other special friend, just to email us. We're here to help ... and that's the LovefromMe difference.
www.LovefromMe.co.uk
email:
tel: 01305-871561
fax: 0870-831-2726
post: 13 Market Street, Abbotsbury, Dorset, DT3 4JR
all layout images, webpage and text © Andrew Green
other images are © the relevant supplier
