In 2012 we did a lot of travel, for research honest! One of Darren's favourites was Oman : “For a spot of winter sunshine late last year I had a long weekend in Oman, where temperatures were in the mid 30's - just perfect for lazy days in the pool! I stayed at the Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton hotel and a local landmark - there aren't many hotels I've been to where the local Sultan has a floor all to himself (not even the hotel's manager has been to the 9th floor, apparently!) Oman is a beautiful country and Muscat itself is a fascinating town - the area has some beautiful hotels but if you can drag yourself away from the beach then I'd really recommend exploring Muscat for a half a day. The Grand Mosque is a beautiful example of Arabic architecture, while the Downtown area of Mutrah has an excellent Souq that looks like it hasn't changed for hundreds of years - I bought some spices and a rather lovely stained glass light fitting that seemed like a b

As the wedding season approaches, Escape Worldwide takes a look at some of their most popular destinations for honeymooners. If your idea of the ultimate romantic honeymoon is to be alone with just the love of your life, then look no further than the Maldives . Hundreds of tiny islands scattered across the Indian Ocean , the Maldives is a stunningly beautiful destination where romance comes easily. Lazy days on the beach, beautiful sunsets and understated service are the order of the day here – forget sightseeing and partying! Resorts do vary quite considerably, and as you can’t really leave your island once you’re there its important to get the right one for you. Larger islands tend to offer a range of facilities and more of a village feel, ideal for those who like a little more activity, while some islands are little more than a dot on the horizon, perfect for a real get-away-from-it-all. From the moment you land at the airport, the beauty and romance of the Maldives

A Happy New Year from everyone at Escape Worldwide. We had a great 2012 and we all managed to travel tons, all in the name of research of course. Mark went to Mauritius which he loved and saw loads of properties. He was particularly taken by the Long Beach Resort Mauritius  which he found was of a great standard with a good all inclusive package and also good sized rooms. So much so he's planning to go back next year on his own holiday. He also went to Kenya again and as well as going on safari he also visited the brand new Swahili Beach Hotel in Mombasa  which is a stunning 5* resort on Mombasa's south coast and if a great standard, cascading swimming pools and great restaurants. Karen also made it to Kenya last year and went on safari on the Masai Mara  and also Amboseli National Park  which she hadn't visited before and simply loved being in the foothills of Kilimanjaro. I managed to travel a fair bit, I made it to Mauritius , Taba in Egypt , Koh Samui in Thaila