Freelance

Commissioned news, features, and books. 

18 cities to visit before you're 30

The world is a big old place, with a plethora - yes, plethora - of destinations just begging to be explored - so much so that it can be hard to know where to begin when planning your next trip. With that in mind, here’s 18 cities to get on your ‘before I’m 30’ bucket list. Enjoy. (And start saving.) (Sorry.)

Considered one of the world's foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing, this province of Ecuador is a chain of 19 islands and dozens of islets - and it’s one of the best places on Earth f

8 Harry Potter UK Locations You Can Visit On Holiday

You can mark the occasion in style too, because Hotels.com have put together a handy list of iconic locations from the film and book series, so that you can relive that Wizarding World magic and celebrate two decades of Potter (you can book on all hte below from Hotels.com too).

No Potter pilgrimage would be complete without a trip to Diagon Alley, which was filmed in the cobbled streets of London’s Leadenhall market. Fun fact - The Leaky Cauldron is actually an optician in Bull’s Head Passage.

Eat, drink, shop, do: the locals’ guide to Victoria, British Columbia

Set on the southern tip of stunning Vancouver Island, Victoria may be Vancouver’s smaller sibling in terms of size, but what it lacks in big city hustle is more than made up for by its cultural and historical clout, fantastic bar and dining scene, gorgeous natural surrounds , walkability and local charm. And as with any new city to explore, it is the local side of things that you’ll want to get acquainted with on your visit. So, where do Victorians go for the best cocktail, brunch, day trip or c

Inside the World's Most Expensive Hotel Rooms

Hold on to your peasant hats, friends, because these 10 luxury hotel rooms are the most expensive in the world, and by the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll be feeling a whole lot of broke.

Spread across two-floors (that’s a big deal in NYC), this 5-bedroom suite also features six bathrooms - just in case one per bedroom wasn’t enough. That’s on top of the library lounge, dining room (seats 12, natch), and private rooftop terrace, with stunning views of Central Park and downtown Manhattan.

'I went on Channel 4's First Dates and this is what it's actually like'

Lizzie Cox appeared on Channel 4 show First Dates as one of those background people, who is also on an actual first date - here's her behind the scenes photo diary from her evening:

I'm a 'background dater', which means that I'm not going to be one of the main daters you actually see featured on the programme (phew, the whole world will not be treated to my 'which member of One Direction is your favourite?' conversation starter), but I'll still be on a blind date. EEK.

I literally have no idea

"Why leaving my settled life in London was the best decision I’ve ever made"

Picture the scene: I’m floating down a sun-drenched glacier river in an inflatable dinghy (an Explorer 200, for any dinghy connoisseurs out there), a cider in hand, surrounded by mountains, pine trees, and a group of friends similarly ensconced in blow-up boats.

One of my friends says: ‘I can’t believe this is my life’ - and neither can I. It’s literally and figuratively thousands of miles from where I was a year ago, living and working in London, the city I grew up in, went to university in, a