the

S unday

HEADING to Istanbul? Then

give the new Mvenpick Hotel
Istanbul Golden Horn a chance.
All rooms, including the seven
suites, enjoy panoramic views of the
city or the historic waterfront and
the private balconies of the hotels
Premium rooms are perfect for
unforgettable peninsula sunsets.
The Golden Horn suite even has a
Jacuzzi on one of its two balconies.

1SM

Sunday, April 12, 2015 ...............

l Health l Consumer l Money l Games

l Perks l Motors l Puzzles l Travel

Ola Ivarsson, Chief Operating

Officer, Mvenpick Hotels Resorts
in Europe, said: Im proud to say the
Mvenpick Hotel Istanbul Golden
Horn is our second hotel in Istanbul
and our fourth hotel in Turkey following the success of our awardwinning five-star Mvenpick Hotel
Istanbul and our properties in the
capital of Ankara and Izmir.
See moevenpick-hotels.com.

IF you are driving rather than flying on a eurozone break, petrol

costs could be cut by up to a quarter, according to a Post Office Travel
Money survey.
The drop in the cost of crude oil
has come at the same time as sterling has hit its highest rate against
the euro in years.
Andrew Brown, of Post Office
Travel Money, said: People plan-

ning motoring trips to Europe this

spring can bank on the cost of a litre
of unleaded petrol being up to 25
per cent lower than last summer.
The biggest falls are in Ireland
prices are down 25 per cent for
unleaded petrol (99p) and 24 per
cent for diesel fuel (95p).
Europes cheapest fuel is in Luxembourg, where prices are 87p a
litre for unleaded and 81p for diesel.

Planet Heather
7 PAGES OF HOLS WITH SCOTTISH SUN TRAVEL EDITOR HEATHER LOWRIE

Pause
for
reflection
Pause for reflection
TUCK INTO GREAT VIEWS AND TOP FOOD
I HATE driving.

My first job in journalism

was dependent on having a
licence. I had six months to
pass or my contract would be
null and void.

I passed at my seventh attempt,

on the last week of my half year
probation.
Had it not been for my job, I
reckon I would never have gotten
behind the wheel.
But the journey to Taynuilt, 12
miles outside of Oban, could convert
the most reluctant driver. It was
simply stunning.

Luxurious place
to stay and eat

Leaving Glasgow on a Friday, late

afternoon after a busy week at work
we headed past Clydebank, along
Loch Lomond and into the rolling
countryside,
where
every
turn
seemed to hold an ever more
breathtaking view.
The village itself is tiny, with a
wee shop and butchers and not
much else except the Taynuilt
Hotel, which we were calling home
for the weekend.
For decades the building has
housed a staging post and travellers
rest and in the last two years has
been under new management.
The owner and manager have
worked incredibly hard to make this
a comfortable and luxurious place
to stay and eat without losing its
traditional charm. Unlike many

GO: TAYNUILT HOTEL

ROOMS at the Taynuilt Hotel in Argyll
start from 60 for a single and 85 for a
double B&B. For more info, email
enquiries@taynuilthotel.co.uk or call
01866 822437.
Scottish village hotels, it feels up to
date with a fantastic line-up of food
without being fussy or pretentious.
We were in the refurbished Loch
Etive suite which, with its high ceilings, wood panelling and nautical
decor, felt like the captains quarters
of some old ship apart from the
cinema-sized TV.
On the first night, we had dinner
at the bar restaurant. The hotel has
its own lager, which is delicious,
and a cracking menu.
I had the potted trout, which had
been caught that morning from the
nearby Loch Awe, with oatcakes,
which tasted deliciously fresh and
delicate. My main was the hanger
steak with chunky chips. It is Flintstone-sized but worth the post-dinner belt-loosening.
My other half started with soda
bread and butter and had the beef
burger for his main, which he said
was juicy and packed with flavour.
Breakfast was just as impressive.
My partner is a fried brekkie aficionado and is very particular about
his black pudding he was not disappointed.
A sharp 15-minute walk from the
hotel is Loch Etive, the perfect hike

to work off our fry-up. The

view over the water and the
surrounding hills is awe
inspiring. Taynuilt has its
own train station and Oban
is a 20-minute journey away.
Oban is more bustling than
the village, with a lovely,
chippie-lined harbour, sealwatching boat trips aplenty
and a steep walk up to
McCaigs colosseum-like monument on offer. We had a good
jaunt up the hill before settling on a
bench with some calamari and chips
down at the water . . . the perfect
vantage for people-watching.

Sticky toffee pud

was a sinful treat

Dinner at the hotel was another

triumph. I wanted another shot at
the trout and had it this time as my
main, with creamy mash and sea
veg. My sticky toffee pud was a sinful treat.
My boyfriend had the gin-andtonic battered whiting with crushed
peas and triple-cooked chips and it
was as amazing as it sounds. His
waffle pud was also good, but his
main was the star of the show.
Contented bellies and a good
nights sleep followed, as did another
cracking brekkie. We drove home,
fully rested, via Inverary, with more
splendorous views aplenty.
And this is a journey Id certainly
be happy to take again as long as
dinner at the Taynuilt is at the end
LYNN KERNAN
of it.

u
PAGES
6 MORE

uilt Hotel is
YOUR LUX IN . . . Taynexterior look
the
m
so stylish fro
comfy rooms
to the food and the

57

ITS 22C IN
GRAN CANARIA seven
nights at the
4H Sentido Gran
Canaria Princess in
Playa del Ingles is from
429pp with Thomas
Cook. Price is based on
half-board with flights
from Glasgow on May 21.
See thomascook.com or
call 0844 412 5970.

hot
spot

ITS 39C IN
DUBAI three
nights
halfboard at the 5H
boutique Dar Al
Masyaf is from 759pp.
Includes complimentary
access to the Wild Wadi
Water Park and flights
from Glasgow between
June 17 and July 12. See
dialaflight.com or call
0844 556 6060.

hot
spot

PARK LIFE: Seven nights

B&B at the 4H Astoria Park
Hotel in Lloret De Mar on the
Costa Brava is from 188pp,
leaving Prestwick on April 28.
See onthebeach.co.uk or call
0871 474 3000.
. . . VILLAGE PEOPLE: A
week self-catering at the 3H
Pirates Village in Santa
Ponsa, Majorca, is from
248pp, leaving Edinburgh
on April 20. See jet2holidays.com or call 0800 408
5594.
. . . THAI ANOTHER DAY:
Four nights at the 3H Ibis
Bangkok Sathorn in Thailand
is from 625pp, leaving Edinburgh between May 1-June 15.
See flightcentre.co.uk or call
0800 258 5773. Quote reference: 2585737
. . . TEN OUT OF TENERIFE:
Seven nights all-inclusive at
the 4H Aguamarina Golf
Hotel in Golf del Sur, Tenerife,
is from 367pp, leaving Edinburgh on April 21. See
cheapflights.co.uk
. . . BRIT ON THE SIDE:
Seven nights at Yelloh! Village
le Ranolien, Brittany, in a
three-bedroom Select mobile
home with decking, which
sleeps up to eight, is from
161 (travel extra) on May 5.
See canvasholidays.co.uk or
call 0345 268 0827.
. . . FOR THOSE
ABOUT
TO
ROCK: A week
late
all-inclusive
at
deals
the 5H Golden
Rock Beach Hotel
in Marmaris, Turkey,
is from 299pp including
flights from Edinburgh on
selected dates this month or
339 from Glasgow in May.
See dealchecker.co.uk or call
01959 567 868 and quote
dealchecker.
. . . CHESHIRE GRIN: Three
nights at Alvaston Hall Hotel in
Cheshire including half-board,
entertainment and activities is
from 301pp on April 17. See
warnerleisurehotels.co.uk or
call 0844 8714 523.
. . . DUBAI BYE BABY: Five
nights B&B in Dubai at the
5H Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach is from 697pp,
leaving Glasgow on May 12.
See lowcostholidays.com or
call 0800 2800212.
. . . UP THE ZANTE: Seven
nights self-catering at the 3H
Manousis Studios in Tsilivi,
Zante, is from 245pp, leaving Glasgow on May 17. See
olympicholidays.com or call
0208 492 6868.
. . . MOUR THE MERRIER: A
week self-catering at the 3H
Vilamoura Golf Apartments in
Vilamoura, Algarve, is from
309pp, leaving Edinburgh
on May 19. See jet2holidays.com or call 0800 408
5594.
. . . PERFECT PORTUGAL: A
B&B week in the Algarve, Portugal, at the 4H Paraiso Albufeira is from 188pp leaving
Glasgow on April 21. See
easyjet.com/holidays or call
020 3499 5232.