Britain on the Cheap

Heading to London to visit the Queen? Or at least the Queen’s main residence, Buckingham Palace? TheatreBreaks will offer a summer promotion from July 27–Sept. 29:  £63/$95 for a three-course lunch at the Ritz, a glass of champagne and a tour of Buck House.

Love is in the air at Hampton Court Palace. Join King Henry VIII durng his “Honeymoon with Jane Seymour” July 24. Imagine: Henry VIII has just married his third wife, Jane Seymour, and celebrations are underway to welcome his new bride to his favourite palace. The people of the palace will celebrate with falconry, fencing [...]

Sultry summer evenings cry out for ice-cold gin and tonic, and the newly refurbished Feathers Hotel in Woodstock, just outside Oxford, is ready to respond. The historic hotel has the country’s first-ever gin bar, and today pours more than 50 brands. Sip a free G&T when you book the two-night Perfect Weekender break over the [...]

The sumptuous Hampton Court Palace Flower Show continues through July 11 at the royal palace on the Thames. This Royal Horticultural Society spectacle is the largest of its kind in the world. Day tickets start at £22/$33; less for evening hours.

VisitBritain has ramped up its online shop, with new products, including tours in London and around the countryside. There’s also the London Travelcard for unlimited travel on the London Underground. Save 15% off the London Eye after 5 p.m. and 15% off the London Eye River Cruise until June 30. Looking for more ways to [...]

Travel season is heating up, and a London Pass is a good way to pop into more than 55 attractions, such as the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor Castle and HMS Belfast. The pass also lets you skip to the head of the line at some of the most popular spots, such as [...]

Through February, the family can spend the entire day at Warwick Castle for $241/£154 per person, including one night’s lodging at the Legacy Falcon Hotel in Straford-upon-Avon. Breakfast is included for the adults, children pay locally. At Warwick Castle, 1,000 years of history unfold as children play in the Princess Tower and Pageant Playground.

Hooked on “The Tudors”? Superbreak has a private tour of Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace March 6, with privileged access to areas unseen by the general public. Hampton Court’s warders will lead the tour, which pops into King Henry VIII’s private apartments, now showing a new Young Henry exhibition. You’ll also see the Palace State [...]

Some good news! Betsa’s piece “Kenilworth Castle Plants New Elizabethan Garden,” published on  Suite 101.com, is a finalist in the Best Online Article category in VisitBritain’s Travel Journalism Awards for 2009. Hope you’ll enjoy reading!

Dream about going behind the scenes on an evening tour of Windsor Castle? Superbreak is offering a weekend package in Royal Windsor, with a castle tour led by a Royal Household guide into the State Rooms. The tour is 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m., followed by a glass of champagne, on Jan. 23, Feb. 13 and 20, [...]