A luxury train journey costing £440 per ticket, where passengers walk a red carpet to board, will depart from Manchester this year.
A ride on board the Northern Belle often includes a seven-course dinner, champagne, and on-board entertainment.
The prestigious train, rated by Conde Nast as one of the top 10 in the world, has seven Pullman carriages, each one decorated by master craftsmen in a 1930s-style.
It’s a seriously luxurious experience, with tickets costing anywhere between £295 and £695 per person – which, to be fair, isn’t even that much more than a last-minute ticket on an Avanti train to London…
Trips promise to take in some of the most scenic stretches of Britain’s railways.
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The Spirit of Travel lunch departs from Manchester Victoria and snakes its way past Rochdale, Hebden Bridge and Brighouse.
On board, passengers sink into plush armchairs with crisp white tablecloths on the tables between them.
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Within minutes, liveried stewards crack open the champagne and guests get a chance to browse the menu created by celebrated chef Matthew Green.
As passengers are whisked through the British countryside, seven fine dining courses are served to their tables, alongside complementary fine wine chosen by Northern Belle’s own sommelier.
Condé Nast Traveller magazine named it in the top 10 train journeys in the world, beating the iconic Flying Scotsman.
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They wrote: “It’s all about the food – and the scenery, but mostly about the food – on this lovingly-restored train which zig-zags its way across the countryside.
“The meal services are exquisite, offering fine dining crafted mostly from UK suppliers so you can enjoy classic British fare as the heaths, meadows and dales roll on by.”
There are two different journeys on the Northern Belle that will depart from Manchester Victoria in the coming months.
One is the aforementioned The Spirit of Travel Lunch on Friday 21 April, priced at £375 per passenger.
Then on the same day is the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Lunch, with a menu from Matthew Green again but with Laurent Perrier champagne served to couples on board.
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Northern Belle’s website says: “So relax in your elegant surroundings and gaze out the picture window, watching the passing scenery unfold and contemplating the gastronomic journey ahead.”
The northern spa retreat with one of the most beautiful outdoor pools in the country
Daisy Jackson
If you turn to the great outdoors to relax in your spare time, but you don’t actually want to swim in a pond, then we’ve found the absolute perfect spa retreat for you.
This spa might just have the best swimming spot in the UK, with an outdoor swimming pool sunk right into a natural pool so you can feellike a mermaid without actually touching a mystery plant with your bare toes.
This is the Yorkshire Spa Retreat, part of Hoseasons’ collection of holiday escapes right here on home turf.
And as soon as our friends over at The Hoot Leeds discovered it, we knew they’d landed on something special.
It’s set in more than eight acres of gorgeous rolling Yorkshire parkland, an oasis of tranquillity that’s the ideal place to give yourself some well-deserved TLC.
You can enjoy the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside with a dip in the hydro-pool, or take a turn in the herbal steam room, sauna, or salt chamber.
Then there is of course that incredible wild swimming pool.
The northern spa retreat with the most beautiful outdoor pool in the country. Credit: Hoseasons
Of course there’s a long list of spa treatments to take your reset to the next level and a menu of locally sourced food and drinks to keep you going.
All that relaxing deserves a good night’s sleep and here you’ll find a blend of bespoke luxury holiday homes and stunning lodges which are cosy and comforting with all of the best modern amenities.
You don’t have to spend the night if you don’t want to, with day spa packages available too.
But to be honest, I don’t think we’d ever be able to tear ourselves away once we were submerged here.
With an overnight or weekend stay, you’ll have a number of national parks on your doorstep, including the North York Moors which wraps around the Yorkshire Spa Retreat.
Nearby attractions include a Land Rover tour of the local area, Castle Howard, Rievaulx Abbey, the market town of Helmsley, and the city of York itself.
Aether – Manchester Airport’s new private terminal that treats passengers like royalty
Thomas Melia
An all new private terminal experience is launching at Manchester Airport giving you the chance to travel like the rich and famous.
With a £1.5 billion refurbed Terminal 2 steadily opening various eateries and boutiques paired with this new private terminal experience, Manchester Airport might just take the biscuit for one of the bougiest airports in the UK (don’t bring Terminal 3 into this…).
Aether is a brand new airport experience exclusive to Manchester Airport, which looks after passengers to such a degree that it even has a group of chauffeurs to take you to or from your journey to the aircraft in a fleet of BMWs.
Guests are greeted with nothing but relaxation, with Aether on hand to bring refreshments, including an exclusive menu curated by Adam Reid, of The French fame.
And just because it’s a private terminal doesn’t mean you need a private jet to board – the Aether experience is accessible to all those travelling to and from Manchester Airport, regardless of ticket class.
The private terminal’s minimalistic and modern interior is a beautiful space to relax before you jet off on your holiday or business trip.
Aether may guarantee a private and relaxing time in their sanctuary but they certainly don’t hold back on all the offers and goodies passengers are treated to.
This private terminal supplies its jet-setters with three separate packages to choose from depending on how engulfed guests would like to be in this world of luxury.
An ‘Express’ service will cost you £90 and includes select benefits such as a chauffeur and general access to the private terminal.
A taster of the menu from Adam Reid. Credit: Toby Mitchell The lounge in Manchester Airport’s new private terminal. Credit: Toby Mitchell
Guests who would like a little more pampering and a sample of the delicacies taken from the exquisite menu can do so for £150 and £170 under the ‘Inclusive’ package which has two branches depending on whether your party has cabin bags or checked luggage.
Instead of just transport and leisure covered, the ‘Inclusive’ deal provides complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks, an exclusive dining menu curated by Adam Reid and access to terminal private security.
If you’re considering this ‘elevated airport experience’ travellers can arrive up to three hours before departure and must get to this relaxing space at least one hour before your flight.
The private terminal will be opening every day from 4am meaning holidaymakers get to put their feet up and properly rest before they fly through the sky.
You can even visit the private terminal just to taste the delicacies of The Midland Hotel Chef as starting from £40 non-flyers can also taste the high life.
If you want to book your first private terminal experience at Aether in Manchester Airport already, more information can be found on the company’s website here.