wintersports  

The world's 10 best ski hostels

A Swiss Cube, a Chilean refuge and a Colorado inn - plus seven more bargains for £8-£48 a night

• Posh skiing on the cheap

• 6 ski holidays for less

Ischgl, an underrated rock star ski resort

Martin Symington joins rock's royalty on the slopes of one of the most overlooked and underrated resorts in Austria

• O little French ski town of Morillon

• How to save on the ski slopes

How to book an Olympic bobsleigh ride

Ed Grenby thought the bobsleigh ride in the Italian Alps would be exciting. And it was, until turn three

spas and lifestyle  

A life changing holiday in Thailand

Tania Cagnoni arrived in urgent need of a life change and found therapy - if not fortune and love

• My Thai colonic irrigation

Five affordable detox retreats

The author of Body & Soul Escapes: Britain and Ireland, selects good value retreats close to home

• England's Top 10 budget spas

good spa guide  

Hardeep Singh Kohli at Smarjeske Spa, Slovenia

One way of facing up to the naked truth of being fat and 40 is to check into a detox programme

Ushvani Spa, Chelsea, London

Spa goers splurge for the exclusivity of this Malaysian-themed day spa in SW3

• The Spa at 51, Victoria, London

Royal Yacht Spa, Jersey

A new spa and sail package means getting soaked and slathered in minerals both in the bath and out at sea

• Visit Jersey, give up smoking

wintersun  

Pemba, the great escape off Zanzibar

The scent of cloves on the breeze, deserted white sand beaches, snorkelling off the coral reef ...

• Up the volcano, down the beach in Nicaragua

The best of Tunisia in 80 hours

Myth, legend, spas, fresh fish, lager and souks: North Africa's lesser-known winter sun break is a gem, says Mark Barber

• Winter sun and culture in Tenerife

The 10 best winter sun music festivals

We reveal the places to catch some rays this winter while listening to the best in pop, rock and dance

• Ten winter world music escapes

business travel  

Profile: Raymond Blanc

The celebrity chef talks of how his forgetfulness has turned business trips into nightmares and his views on the state of airline food

• Profile: Shopaholic Patricia Davidson

• Profile: Dame Mary Perkins, Specsavers

The 2009 business traveller

What does the coming 12 months hold in store for road warriors? Business travel editor Mark Frary makes his predictions

Airlines start January sales

Bmi offering discounts with no blackout dates or minimum stay requirements; one way BA upgrades to business class from £59

• The best last minute travel deals and bargains

your say today  

Manchester flights to South East Asia

Brenda Lockett wants good value flights from Manchester to Hong Kong, then Bangkok, and back

• Flying to Rhodes from Manchester

Skiing in Cyprus

Kenneth Grey wants to know about skiing options on the Mediterranean island

How to get the best deal on low cost flights

Desmond Bowes is having problems finding that elusive cheap deal - what's the knack?

• Your Top 10 questions on low cost airlines

the year ahead

The 10 best festivals for 2009

The author of A Year of Festivals, Lonely Planet's guide to global festivities, picks his top ten

• The best events around the world in 2009

The 36 best travel ideas for 2009

Next year is jam-packed with wild and exotic events, but don’t freak out - we've picked the best

• Lonely Planet's top 20 big trips

• The 10 best destinations for 2009

The hottest hotels for 2009

Norway, Chile, Scotland, Thailand, Lebanon, Dubai and more... Tom Chesshyre reveals the rooms that will dazzle in the coming year

and finally...

A cycling tour of Mallorca

Mallorca is the perfect island for a two-wheeled adventure. You don’t even need to wear Lycra

• The complete guide to Soller, Mallorca

• Instant weekend: Palma

Four reasons to visit Worcestershire

The county has put the floods of 2007 behind it and is promoting a range of attractions in 2009

• Why Staffordshire has star quality

Borneo: how to climb Mt Kinabalu

Forget Kilimanjaro, says Ginny McGrath - Borneo's highest mountain has legend, tribal sacrifice and beer at 3,000m