Latest articles from Katie Wood
Travel: Living la dolce vita in one of the most glamorous European destinations
PORTOFINO is the ultimate Dolce Vita destination. Tall pastel houses surround a harbour which is lined with chic bars and restaurants, all presided over by a pine-shaded castle. It truly is the stuff of dreams.
Travel: A tour of Aberdeenshire’s gorgeous gardens
Here’s a question for you. Where do you find the most castles per acre in all of Europe? Apparently, it’s Aberdeenshire, which has an eye-watering 263. Most you can see, many you can visit – and some you can even stay in.
'It's amazing just how much the Scottish tourism offering has improved'
AS I write this, I am feeling really rather proud of being a Scot. It had been many years since I’d properly travelled as a tourist in my own country, but I’m recently back from a week that took in some of the highlights of the western Highlands and islands, and I have to say, it was truly impressive. One upside of all the horrendous Covid restrictions, I suppose – rediscovering your own country.
Living the manor house dream in the heart of the Highlands
AFTER a nightmare year for the hospitality industry, big decisions have had to be made by many hotel owners. One such was taken a few weeks ago by Gillian and Mike Lacey-Solemar concerning their beautiful estate – Achnagairn near Inverness. Business in 2020 was down by a soul-destroying 95% so something drastic had to be done. And quickly.
Discovering royal London
The royal family have certainly had a jam-packed diary this year: births, engagements, weddings, you name it. On a recent trip to London, I found myself in conversation with quite a few overseas visitors – many from North America who had specifically come to the UK because of the royal family. With my interest piqued, this inspired me to look again at London and assess what the royals bring to our tourism industry.
