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Self-catering accommodation prices are on the rise for Easter with families booking staycations in lieu of international travel, despite no guide from the Government as to when lockdown will ease. Canopy & Stars, which offers glamping and camping holidays in the UK, is among the providers to have seen a surge in interest. A spokesperson for the company told Telegraph Travel that bookings for April are up ten-fold this week compared to the same week in January 2020. "It would be wise to think about securing your staycation sooner rather than later, as we are expecting a post-lockdown rush and this year availability could be even tighter with many people already having postponed their stays from 2020 into this year," said the spokesperson. Greater demand and higher prices are typical during school holidays. However, some prices for this Easter break seem particularly high compared to prices listed for March. A search for holidays booked through Away Resort...

The good news is that, at the time of writing, the Lake District has plenty of summer availability… but the area is braced for bookings to take off at supersonic speed. "As soon as there's a hint at a realistic date [for places to re-open] things will start to happen", predicts Dan Visser, sales and marketing director for the Langdale and Brimstone hotels. Last July, he recalls, when the hospitality sector re-opened after the first lockdown, "within 48 hours of bookings opening, we were full for the summer".  Anecdotal evidence suggests that, currently, self-catering options in the hot spots are the 'hot property'. Rental company Holidaycottages.co.uk saw twice as many bookings during the last week of January compared with the same period in 2020. Together with deferred bookings from last year, this means they have less than half their Lake District properties available for week-long breaks over the summer.   Campsites, too, are filling up. ...

Despite a challenging year for tourism on the Isle of Wight due to the coronavirus lockdowns, and the effects of the pandemic on would-be visitors, Isle of Wight businesses are still shining. The finalists of the Beautiful South Awards have been announced, with several Island establishments making the cut in the prestigious competition, which is run by regional organisation Tourism South East. Isle of Wight businesses are up against tourism industry heavy hitters from across the south, including Kent, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. Finalists for gold, silver or bronze awards on the Isle of Wight include Away Resorts at Whitecliff Bay, Osborne which is operated by English Heritage and new tourism business Camp Wight, a wild camping site at Ningwood. Gemma Cowley from Camp Wight said: 'We are absolutely thrilled to have been named as a finalist in the New Tourism Business category of the Beautiful South Awards. We are very much a fledgling small family busine...

10. This person said their sister got a rather impractical home makeover, and took most of it down when the cameras left: My sister's master bedroom got a makeover on a "surprise your spouse" show. The designer was going for an "Arabian nights" romantic vibe, but it ended up pretty weird looking with all the closets hidden behind yards of draped fabric. They took it all down and painted the room a neutral color within months. The show also took the ceiling fan out and replaced it with a giant tree branch wired up with twinkling lights. Not too long afterwards, half the lights went out and it was too hot in the room without the fan, so that got put back as well. On the bright side, it didn't cost them anything and was a fun experience, and they got a couple of new furniture pieces out of it, but in the end, they didn't keep any of it the same. —u/RealLivePersonInNC

Statement from Power Home Remodeling (edited for length): In order to keep our employees, our customers, and our communities safe when COVID-19 hit, we made the difficult decision to suspend most major business operations. When the stimulus package passed on March 27, we recognized that furlough would make a bigger financial difference in our employees' lives than we could provide. To make this situation a little easier, we decided to cover the full cost of their health benefits and accept onto our plan all partners and/or family members who may have lost their own benefits.

With ongoing uncertainty over when lockdowns will be lifted and whether vaccines will be required for overseas travel, booking a summer holiday is risky. But if you're still tempted to secure a UK cottage break, you can protect your trip with a flexible booking. Even if the government does give the green light for UK holidays, you may face local restrictions at the time of your trip and there's no guarantee you'll be able to stay with more than one household. However, many reputable cottage providers offer free amendments if COVID-19 restrictions mean you aren't able to travel, while others offer full refunds. Here, we round up some of the best flexible policies from UK holiday cottage companies – including two Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) – who performed well in our recent survey.  National Trust flexible booking The National Trust has more than 400 cottages, a few lighthouses, castles and manor houses to choose from. And the money you pay is used to p...

E uropean destinations insist that they will be open come summer. Tour operators promise that there will be flights. But confusion and uncertainty over self-isolation, tests, vaccinations and now quarantine hotels is discouraging all but the most determined travellers. For many who saw last year's travel plans dashed, then couldn't find anywhere to stay in the UK, repeating such actions in 2021 and expecting a different outcome seems insane. If the holiday is cancelled, it's Groundhog Day . If it goes ahead and you come home to a fortnight banged up in a Travelodge, it's Papillon . In Hounslow. Better, then, to star in The Great Escape by booking a UK break now. Peak periods will be irritatingly busy and there will be latent hostility from