Mad Hatter’s tea parties, the Queen of Hearts, and White Rabbits with stop watches…

UK tourism and accommodation expert iknow-uk is inviting holidaymakers to experience a piece of Alice’s wonderland for themselves with a break to some of the UK’s most magical properties.

Wizard's Thatch in Alderley Edge, Cheshire

Marcus Simmons, managing director at iknow-uk, explained: “The new Tim Burton movie is set to be the film event of the year when it’s launched on 5 March, and is guaranteed to bring about a renewed interest in the classic Lewis Carroll tales.

“With busy work schedules and hectic home lives, most people want to really switch off and get away from it all on their holiday, and on the iknow-uk websites we really do have some of the most magical properties in Britain.  They certainly offer an opportunity to get away from it all, and bring a little bit of wonderland to any trip away.”

The Enchanted Manor Retreat

Niton, Isle of Wight (Telephone: 0844 372 9211)

www.iknow-hampshire.co.uk

This multi-award winning boutique accommodation is luxurious and unique.  Owners Maggie and Ric Hilton bought the property in a run-down state over four years ago, after acquiring it at an auction profiled on the TV programme ‘Homes Under The Hammer’.  They developed it to the five star standard it is now – with eight luxurious suites all incorporating pieces from world-renowned artist Josephine Wall.

The Enchanted Manor on the Isle of Wight

With its on-site enchanted woodland and folly, plus unrivalled views of the Isle of Wight coastline, The Enchanted Manor Retreat is the perfect place for an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding.

The hosts already run Fairy Grand High Teas for locals and guests, and are set to launch a series of Mad Hatter Champagne Tea Parties in their brand new restaurant area.  These will include croquet in the gardens, and a special tea including diamond and heart-shaped sandwiches, Queen of Hearts tarts, Cheshire Cat’s goats cheese, tomato and basil bites, and lots of other sumptuous treats to accompany a glass of fine Champagne.

Maggie Hilton, co-owner of The Enchanted Manor Retreat, said: “When we opened the guest house we were adamant that it would be the ultimate place for people to escape from their day-to-day lives and indulge.

“We work extremely hard to provide a unique and personal service to every guest, and the Alice in Wonderland themed events have already led to a lot of enquiries.  They’re a bit of fun, but fit in perfectly with the enchanted, magical sanctuary we have here.  Couples looking to escape from it all can join us, and experience their own piece of wonderland on the Isle of Wight!”

Wizards Thatch Luxury B&B

Alderley Edge, Cheshire (Telephone: 0843 208 3152)

www.iknow-northwest.co.uk

Described as ‘living in a fairytale for the night’, Wizards Thatch is situated less than a minute from Alderley Edge’s famous street of restaurants and bars.  But thanks to its tea cosy of roses and ivy which completely camouflages the house in the summer, even many of the village locals haven’t heard of it.

The property is steeped with magical stories and legend – its name comes from a local legend about the Wizard Merlin, who offered a local farmer gold in exchange for his horse, which was required by King Arthur and his men for a dangerous mission.  Merlin invited the farmer into a local cave, gave the farmer treasure in payment for his horse, and then magically disappeared without a trace.

The Wizards Thatch boutique Cheshire accommodation is located on the very road where this magical encounter is said to have taken place, and with its five star suites (Merlin, Camelot or The Wizardry), is the perfect magical retreat for a romantic weekend away.

The self contained Merlin, Camelot, and The Wizardry suites all have four poster beds, draped in red and gold tapestries – with Camelot and The Wizardry boasting seven footers.  Travellers from all over the world have visited to experience a taste of Olde England and they are not disappointed judging by the quality of reviews received.

Wizard's Thatch Camelot Suite

Ian Lambert, owner of Wizard’s Thatch, explained: “I’m really proud of the magical heritage surrounding the property.  Films such as the new Alice in Wonderland movie, or Avatar really appeal to Brit’s imaginations and we get a lot of guests coming along who want a break from reality and to truly escape from it all.

“People are always saying it’s like living in a scene from The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter – but probably the greatest attraction is the candleabra which hangs from an old rose over the pond.  Guests can light it and sip their Champagne – magic and romance is definitely in the air as the centuries old aura casts its spell on you! ”

eButler Apartments

Stockton Heath, Near Daresbury, Cheshire (Telephone: 0844 372 7243)

www.iknow-northwest.co.uk

The eButler apartments are based just a few miles from Daresbury, the birthplace of Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, and offer the perfect location from which to explore the locations that inspired the classic stories.

Lewis Carroll was born in Daresbury in 1832 and spent the first ten years of his life in the quiet corner of rural Cheshire.  The fully serviced eButler apartments and luxury Penthouses provide a great base for fans of the books to really get under the skin of the region that inspired such imaginative tales – from the beautiful country villages and peaceful forests, to historical architecture such as the Parish Church of All Saints in Daresbury which features a fine stained glass window showing many of the characters from ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’.

Geoff Crawford, owner of the eButler apartments, said: “This really is a great region for tourists to explore, and our serviced apartments aim to provide a cost-effective solution that offers complete flexibility and freedom without losing any of the service or comforts a hotel might offer.

“They’re the perfect base for people wanting to explore Cheshire, and the magic the region has to offer.”

Founded by Marcus in 2003 with the iknow-yorkshire website, iknow-uk now operates 14 regional websites for accommodation and hospitality providers including hotels, guest houses, holiday cottages and B&Bs.

iknow-uk’s websites cover the UK’s most popular tourist regions and are visited by almost a million users each month.

Holiday home owners looking to list on one of iknow’s regional websites, should visit www.iknow-uk.com.

The number of Brits searching for last minute Christmas and New Year breaks has surged in the past two weeks, with Yorkshire and the Lake District proving the most popular destinations with festive holidaymakers.

Low Penhowe bed and breakfast in Yorkshire

iknow-uk, the UK’s leading tourism and accommodation directory, has seen a significant increase in searches for Christmas and New Year holidays over the past two weeks, with over 36 per cent of people favouring Yorkshire as their yuletide holiday of choice.

The Lake District and Lake District accommodation is following closely behind Yorkshire in the festive popularity poll, with just under 20 per cent of people opting to visit the region for their Christmas or New Year get-away.

Marcus Simmons, managing director of iknow-uk, said: “The north is definitely beating the south of the country hands-down in terms of popularity this Christmas, with north-west cities also polling high in the list of places people are looking to spend their holiday season.

“Maybe now that weather men are hinting there could be a white Christmas this year, people are being enticed by the thought of a romantic break away in a cosy country cottage.  Or perhaps the recession has meant that people have been working so hard that they feel they deserve a nice short break away before the New Year.  Whatever the trigger, we’ve definitely seen a significant increase in last-minute Christmas holiday searches across all of our sites compared with other years.”

Scotland and Scotland accommodation has also proved popular in the past two weeks, with almost 10 per cent of visitors searching for breaks north of the border – with a particular focus on Hogmanay holidays.

Founded by Marcus in 2003, iknow-uk now operates 13 regional websites for accommodation providers including hotels, guest houses, holiday cottages and B&Bs.  The sites are visited by almost a million users each month.

Holiday home owners looking to list on one of iknow’s websites, should visit www.iknow-uk.com.

The owners of one of the UK’s most haunted buildings are daring guests to visit them this Halloween, following a series of ghostly goings-on.

Brave holiday-makers are being challenged to visit the Ship Inn Pub and accompanying Duddon Sands Hostel in Kirkby in Furness, after reports of strange sounds and spooky sightings from staff and guests.

Spooky goings on at The Ship Inn and Duddon Sands Hotel

Judith Barton, whose husband Tony owns the pub and hostel said:  “We’ve had a lot of visitors who have heard inexplicable noises or seen strange shadowy figures, especially in our pub bar.  For example, our private lounge is above the main bar of the Ship Inn and, even when there is no-one at home, staff below have heard loud footsteps tracking the full length of the room.

“We’ve also had reports of items flying off the top of cupboards and work surfaces in the kitchen, and many guests have said that they feel strangely cold when they enter the bar area – even on hot days.”

Judith added: “We’ve had lots of different people reporting sightings – even when they are sober!  Several different people have claimed to have seen a small shadowy figure in the men’s toilet, and staff often report seeing unexplained movements out of the corner of their eye.”

The Ship Inn ghost is believed to be the spirit of a young girl who lived in the pub with her family from her birth in 1859.  Judith said: “The previous owners of the property held a séance in the pub to try and establish who could be responsible for the ghostly goings-on.  They said they made contact with a young girl named Elizabeth S. Kendall, and we’ve since looked her up on the local census returns.  She is listed in both the 1871 and 1881 census documents, but then disappears, after reportedly dying at the age of 19 of a pneumonia-like illness.

“We think Halloween is a perfect time for people to come along and visit us, and we’re encouraging them to let us know if they see or hear anything unusual.  We’re hoping Elizabeth will make another appearance, and that we can maybe find out more about her life and why she’s here in the building.”

The Ship Inn and Duddon Sands Hotel has had sightings of 'ghost like' figures

The Ship Inn pub and Duddon Sands Hostel are listed on tourism and accommodation website www.iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, which offers UK holidaymakers a wide choice of accommodation options across this popular tourist region.

Marcus Simmons, managing director of www.iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, says that spooky stories such as the one at the Ship Inn can prove intriguing for many visitors: “We’re finding that many people are interested in visiting these ghostly guest houses and pubs, as a way of spicing up their weekend away.  Sometimes people like to push themselves out of their comfort zone, and a Halloween trip to a haunted house can certainly add a bit of excitement!

“Despite the recession we are seeing a definite increase in the number of people visiting UK destinations such as the Lake District, and with or without these spooky stories, we’re sure this will continue into the New Year.  We’re definitely hoping that this interest in domestic tourism will continue, and Brits will keep on investigating the unrivalled holiday destinations that are right here in the UK.”

Founded by Marcus in 2003, iknow-uk now operates 12 regional websites for accommodation providers including hotels, guest houses, holiday cottages and B&Bs.  The sites are visited by almost a million users each month.

For holiday home owners looking to list on one of iknow’s websites, which cover popular tourist regions across the UK should visit www.iknow-uk.com.

Neil and Nicola Worthington own one of the most easily recognisable houses in Britain – Nora Batty’s Cottage as featured in the longest-running sitcom in the world, Last of the Summer Wine.

Nora Batty

The Worthingtons bought the house in West Yorkshire four years ago, and converted the property into a Homfirth holiday cottage for let to the public.

After spending months trawling around local furniture auctions and car boot sales, the Worthingtons managed to transform the cottage into what is now known as The Nora Batty Experience.

Guests staying at the cottage enjoy accommodation packed full of original props and memorabilia from the series as well as more than 800 photographs of cast and crew taken over the 36 years that the series has been running.

As the cottage remains a live film set, guest can also watch filming taking place outside of the cottage and around Holmfirth, as well as being able to meet members of the cast and crew.

Neil Worthington (40) and his wife Nicola (38) bought the row of cottages in Holmfirth in 2005 as they were keen to move into the holiday accommodation market and were big fans of the series.

Neil said: “Last of the Summer Wine has been running for 30 series with another commissioned for 2010. Fans all over the world love the opportunity to visit Holmfirth, stay at the cottage and become part of the whole Last of the Summer Wine experience.

“When we first bought the cottage, choosing the right furnishings was vital and the BBC has been really helpful in donating lots of props used over the years on the show to help us achieve an authentic look.

“At the end of the day, we are accommodating the show’s most enthusiastic and eager fans, so it’s important that they feel they are getting the most realistic experience we can provide, in surroundings that we think Nora herself would have approved of.”

Nora and Compo doing what they did best!

Kathy Staff, who played the character of Nora Batty until shortly before her death in 2008, joined the show during its first series in 1973, leaving for a short time in 2001, but then rejoining the cast in 2002.

In the new series, being filmed at the moment and set to be aired next year, the character of Nora’s sister Stella played by Barbara Young lives in the cottage which is still a central focal point of the show.

The Nora Batty Experience is the only location in England where you are can stay in an active film set, and Neil and Nicola still get a real buzz from owning such a unique property.

Neil continues: “It’s not unusual for us to have more than 100 tourists a day taking photos of the house from the main street, especially during our peak season in summer.

“We’re very proud to own what is such a unique property celebrating the longest-running comedy programme in Britain, in such a beautiful location too.”

The Nora Batty Experience is listed on tourism and Yorkshire accommodation website iknow-yorkshire, offering UK holidaymakers a wide choice of accommodation options across this popular tourist region.

Marcus Simmons, managing director at www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, says that the Nora Batty Experience is one of the most popular properties listed on the site.

He said: “What Neil and Nicola have achieved with the cottage is fantastic and their hard work and attention to detail has clearly paid off, as they attract visitors from all over the world.

“Yorkshire as a region is one of our best performing sites and traffic to www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk has increased by 12.5 per cent this summer compared to last year.”

For holiday home owners looking to list on one of iknow’s website, which cover popular tourist regions across the UK, a month’s free trial is currently available.

For more information, visit www.iknow-uk.com.

This summer more than 60 percent of Brits are shunning foreign breaks in favour of holidaying at home and research has found that more people than ever before are taking their own mini tours of the UK.

The current travel trend in the UK is Britpacking

Research, carried out by tourism and hospitality website iknow-uk, revealed that more than half of the population, 52 percent, will take more than one UK break or split their holiday between different UK destinations this year.

More than three quarters said they would be taking less foreign breaks this year and 65 percent said the recession had encouraged them to visit more tourism attractions in the UK this year.

iknow-uk.com claims bookings for hotels, B&Bs, self catering apartments and holiday parks are up 35 percent on last year.

Marcus Simmons, iknow-uk’s managing director, said: “Britpacking is a new and emerging trend.  We’ve seen the ‘staycation’ hit the UK this year as more people opt for UK breaks.

See the family itineraries on the Britpacking site

“This trend has seen Brits fall back in love with the UK and realise what it has to offer and we are now seeing more people doing their own tours of the country during their summer breaks or taking multiple short breaks in different regions.”

Tourism attractions across the UK have also seen a rise in visitors.  Since the beginning of July, visitor numbers to National Trust properties have risen by 50 per cent compared to the same period last year, supporting the growing rise of the explorer Britpacker.

Marcus added: “The feedback we’ve received from customers indicates that people are really enjoying the opportunity to explore places in the UK they were never aware of before, even if they are travelling on a budget.

“With an increase in the number of self catering opportunities available it’s never been easier to go on a spontaneous UK break. To help people along we’ve launched a website www.britpacking.co.uk to help people map out their Britpacking adventures.”

Founded by Marcus in 2003 with the iknow-yorkshire website, iknow-uk now operates 12 regional websites for accommodation and hospitality providers including hotels, guest houses, holiday cottages and B&Bs.

iknow-uk’s websites cover the UK’s most popular tourist regions and are visited by almost a million users each month.

For more information, visit www.britpacking.co.uk