I’M A CELEB GET ME OUT OF HERE!
From luxury hotels to cheap breaks, celebs love getting away from it all as much as we do. Here they reveal what made their trips five star
MELINDA MESSENGER, 38
Last year the TV presenter split from hubby Wayne after a 10-year marriage, but they reunited eight months later. Here she reveals how a Caribbean cruise refloated their love boat.
"When Wayne and I got back together, we wanted to spend some quality time with each other and our children Morgan, nine, Flynn, seven and Evie, five.
I finished the Dancing On Ice tour in May, and we spent three nights at the all-inclusive Almond Casuarinas Hotel in Barbados, followed by a seven-night Caribbean cruise.
One morning, Wayne and Morgan swam with giant turtles, while Flynn, Evie and I watched - it was just lovely. Later at the ocean-front Reef restaurant, Wayne and I ate curried mussels, and reflected on what we could have lost.
During the cruise we passed through Dominica, home to the famous Emerald Falls, but I wasn't brave enough to dive into the freezing water! The holiday was amazing and brought us all together - now Wayne and I are more in love than ever."
Three nights at the Almond Casuarinas, followed by seven nights on the Carnival Victory cruise ship costs from £1,299pp including Virgin Atlantic flights (Virginholidayscruises.co.uk).
JENNIE MCALPINE, 25
The Corrie actress reveals how her Irish roots keep drawing her back to Dublin.
"I took my dad, Tom, to the Irish Film And Television Awards in February, and afterwards we stayed on in Dublin for a three-day break. My nana was Irish and lots of my relatives live there, so I feel right at home.
We stayed at the Morrison Hotel, which has a beautiful view of the River Liffey. During the day we wandered around the Temple Bar area, home to the city's markets, which I loved - I can't resist a good bargain.
I even tried oysters - Ireland's famous for them - but while Dad washed his down with Guinness, I enjoyed mine with a cup of tea!
At night we found lively bars like Gogartys, and listened to Irish folk music until the wee small hours. That's what I call a night out!"
Aer Lingus flies return to Dublin from the UK for £50pp (Aerlingus.com). Rooms at The Morrison Hotel cost from £86 a night (Morrisonhotel.ie).
KATHY LETTE, 50
The author jetted to Phuket for 10 wild and wonderful days off 'mum duty'.
"My sister Jenny lives in Australia and to mark her 50th birthday last year we met up in Thailand - my first holiday without hubby Geoffrey and my kids Julius, 18, and Georgie, 16.
After an obligatory Thai massage, we went on a sea-canoeing safari, tried shark and squid fishing, as well as swimming with stingrays, buffalo riding and elephant trekking - being
photographed next to elephants is sensationally slimming! I almost plucked up the courage to go bungee jumping, but I figured motherhood was dangerous enough so I went shopping instead. I got some gorgeous dresses made by a local tailor for just a few pounds.
We stayed at the Sri Panwa resort, where we had a private infinity pool and a villa made of glass. We lay in bed at night and the moon shone down on us -
bliss.
When I got home, the kids greeted me like Labradors - all wet kisses and hugs. I should go away more often!"
To Love, Honour And Betray is published September 10 (Bantam Press, £6.99).
Flights to Phuket cost from £519 with Cathay Pacific (Cathaypacific.com). Villas at Sri Panwa cost £580 per night (Sripanwa.com).
NATALIE PINKHAM, 29
The TV presenter thawed out from ITV's Dancing On Ice with some sun and snow in Dubai.
"After all the training I'd done for the show, I needed a holiday, so my friend Caroline Greenwood [who's married to rugby star Will] and I flew out to Dubai.
After sizzling on the beach for a few days we needed to cool off, and Dubai is home to the third
largest indoor ski slope in the world - it was like a winter wonderland! Dubai is crazy - where else would you find the excesses of the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel? You have to book two months ahead just for afternoon tea there! We had some great girlie nights in the hotel bars, which are the only places allowed to serve alcohol."
Flights to Dubai cost from £370 with Emirates (Emirates.com). Rooms at the Grosvenor House cost from £113 per night (Grosvenorhouse-dubai.com).
ALISON HAMMOND, 34
A girlie holiday to Tunisia changed 34-year-old TV presenter Alison Hammond's life forever
"I jumped at the chance to book a cheap, last minute, all-inclusive holiday to Hammamet with my friend Emma in 1998. In my early 20s all I cared about was sunbathing, beaches and fun.
And there was certainly that at the three-star Saphir Hotel. Every night there was entertainment and on day three I volunteered to help the rep out because she felt ill.
I immediately had everyone singing and dancing along to Eddy Grant's Gimme Hope Joanna and afterwards the manager asked if I wanted a job. Three days later, I flew back to the UK, quit my job and returned to Tunisia to start as a holiday rep with Airtours.
That job became the centre of my life and the other reps my family. We even nicknamed ourselves 'TunEnders' because each day was like an episode of EastEnders. One day I nearly drowned being pulled along by a speed boat and another afternoon some kids set fire to sunlounger cushions.
From 9am to midnight I entertained guests then I'd go clubbing until 4am before starting all over again. Looking back, I don't know how I did it!
On my days off I visited the Sahara Desert to a place called Matmata, where Star Wars was filmed.
I also spent hours at the medina, the huge local market, where I perfected bartering. I bought all sorts, from slippers to silver jewellery. I loved getting to know the culture, and to thank me for my interest in their country I often got invited to families' homes for dinner. Most locals speak fairly good English but I learnt Tunisian because I figured it would be good for pulling men!
I had such a brilliant experience and because I loved the job so much, I returned every summer until I joined Big Brother in 2002. If it hadn't been for the show, I'd probably still be there now!
I returned to Tunisia most recently last year with my son, Aedan, four, to see his Grandparents. Aedan's dad is Tunisian and we met in Manchester - see, I knew the language would be handy!"
MEG MATTHEWS, 43
Newly engaged Meg Mathews, 43, headed to Poland's funkiest hotel for a spot of wedding inspiration.
"I'd spent months planning my visit to Blow Up Hall 50:50, a new art hotel in Poznan, Poland - but what I hadn't realised was that by the time I went in May, I'd be engaged and my fiancé, Peter Sidell, would be coming too!
He proposed a few weeks before, at the top of the Empire State Building in New York, so at the last minute, I asked Peter to join me and my best friend, stylist Nick Ede on our trip.
Peter and Nick had never met before, so the holiday meant they could really get to know each other too - luckily they really hit it off. There was no chance of Nick feeling like a gooseberry either - he was in the middle the whole time, linking arms with both of us.
Blow Up Hall definitely has the right name - it just blows your mind. You can't believe it's in Poland, it looks like it should be in New York or Paris. It's inside a shopping centre, which has amazing art installations everywhere, like white leather chairs in a glass box and pieces hanging from the ceiling.
When you walk into the hotel lobby, there's a light installation that shows you broken into thousands of tiny images on a huge TV screen. Instead of a key, you get an iPhone, which guides you to your room and unlocks the door, plus you use it to call the concierge. Except I forgot to charge it, so I had to nip downstairs in my pyjamas to ask one of the very good-looking staff for a cup of tea!
My room was completely white, which was great because that's how my house is decorated, while Nick's room was the opposite - black with silver leaf on the ceiling, which was beautiful, but very masculine. It's a total contrast to the architecture in the town, which is all pale pinks and yellows, with cobbled streets and amazing churches everywhere. It's definitely inspired some new designs for my wallpaper range.
Even the hotel's restaurant is like a huge white honeycomb, with unbelievable organic food, especially the boar from the forests around the town. The food was traditional Polish, but with a twist - my favourite was breakfast, which came in these little square pots on a square glass plate.
In the pots you had boar pâté, smoked boar ham and amazing cheese, then little sausages with an apple chutney sauce, as well as eggs, yoghurt with different berries, and lots of lovely sourdough and black bread. You definitely can't be carb-phobic there! I loved it so much I'm thinking of having lots of little dishes for my wedding in spring next year too. I'm keeping the rest of my plans secret though - all I'll say is that it's going to be very theatrical!"
Flights to Poznan with Wizz Air (Wizzair.com) cost from £13.59 one-way. Rooms at Blow Up 50:50 start from £270. See Blowuphall5050.com. Meg's wallpaper range is available from her website, Megmathews.co.uk, and Liberty.
NELL MCANDREW, 35
The TV presenter enjoyed a staycation at Center Parcs with her family.
"It's amazing how times change. It wasn't long ago when all I wanted to do was go to Dubai and lie on a beach - now, after spending five brilliant days there in July, I can't wait to get back to Center Parcs.
Since having my son Devon, three, I've been looking for more activity-based holidays because they're more fun for kids. So along with my husband Paul and my brother Gary and his family, found ourselves in a lovely lodge in the middle of Elveden Forest, Suffolk. It had everything from en-suites for each of the three bedrooms to a sauna!
Cars are banned on site except for unloading, so it's a really safe environment for kids as well as being nice and peaceful for us adults. It means the best way to get around is by bicycle, which beats sitting in a traffic jam any day! We hired our mountain bikes for £23 each for the week and it was money well spent. We used them the entire time for pretty cycle-rides through the woods as well as to get from our lodge to the huge swimming pool complex, where we spent most of our days.
Everyone loved whizzing down the water slides and bumping down the rapids, as well as paddling in the toddlers' pool and relaxing in the open-air salt pool. I felt like I had turned into a kid again!
Although the weather wasn't great it didn't spoil our week because there was so much to do, both indoors and outdoors. There are loads of exercise classes for adults like boxercise and line dancing as well as lots of activity groups for the children. Devon went to a Let's Paint class and all of his works of art are now in pride of place on the wall at home.
I found I really missed the car-free forest when I got home as well as the relaxed atmosphere - now I'm looking forward to going to Center Parcs in Longleat this winter!"
A mid-week break at Center Parcs in January 2010 starts from £199 for a family of four (£13.00 per person per night). Book online at Center Parcs before September 17 for the best price and availability.
PHOTOGRAPHY: WENN, REX, MATRIX COMPILED BY: OLIVIA BUXTON, CATHY WINSTON, VICKY POWER AND VICKI GRIMSHAW
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