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Who doesn’t yearn for a more Mediterranean lifestyle every now and then? Whether or not a getaway is on the cards this summer however, bringing those dreamy holiday vibes home with a style update is easier than you might think. “Pulling together a Mediterranean-inspired coastal scheme is all about perfecting an airy, bright feeling through the use of colour and material that harks back to ocean shores,” says Rohan Blacker, founder of Pooky. “A palette of cool blues and pared-back neutrals introduces a breath of fresh air into the home, and when paired with natural materials, it works to create this slightly bohemian beachside feeling.” Consider rustic rattan lamps, paired with beautiful linen shades in muted seascape tones too, Blacker suggests. Organic raffia pendant designs also make easy additions, which will allow you to incorporate elements of a sunny coastal scheme through lighting changes alone. Helen Pett, Arteriors design ambassador, says: “When looking at furniture and lighting design, opt for statement pieces crafted with woven rattan or open-weave detailing, materials such as coconut shell or wooden beading. “Alternatively, a timeless colour choice for any coastal destination-inspired décor scheme introduces a pleasant combination of varying blues to mimic a summer sky, and the reflective surface of the sea,” she adds. Here’s how to get the look… 1. Picnicware – Set of 4 Dinner Plates, £20, Next Summer salads and slow days call for lightweight tableware, especially eye-catching designs like this, with a shiny finish to look and feel just so. 2. Seashells Jug, £17.95, Annabel James She sells seashells on the seashore… this beautiful bone china jug is worth shelling out for. 3. Pooky Aphrodite Pendants, from £200 (other items from a selection/part of room set), Pooky Featuring an artisan woven effect and brass accents, these hanging pendants are right on point. 4. Maze Rope Decorative Tray, £15, Dunelm Favourite finds such as this woven tray imbibe thoughts of freshly baked bread at breakfast, topped with exotic fruit platters. 5. Hugh 4 Seater Sofa – Calix Boucle, Ivory, £949; matching Large Square Footstool, £399, and Tarland Pattern Accent Chair – Kirkton Floral, Duck Egg, £799 (items part of room set), DFS A sumptuous sofa like this makes a wonderful centrepiece, especially styled with mosaic print cushions, ocean blues and rattan accessories, for an airy, breezy aesthetic. 6. Abigail Ahern Elian Recycled Glass Table Lamp, £149, Freemans Contemporary and cool, this clear recycled glass lamp with raffia shade will style up any space. 7. Collection Luxe Josie Frame in Wood and Cane, from £850, Next A beautiful base to build around, this carved wood and cane bedframe – especially teamed with a jute carpet, ocean hues and sheer white curtains – is tailor-made for hot, sultry nights. 8. George Blue Arc Tufted Throw, currently £12 (was £15), Direct.asda The finishing touch to dressing the bed à la Med? A tufted blue throw strewn across crisp linen sheets. 9. Indigo Seaweed Print Wall Art, from £18 each (unframed), Beach House Art Beachcombers will be drawn to these pretty artwork prints. 10. Mediterranean 594 Evora Vinyl, from £24.99 per square metre, Carpetright (available early July) Suitable for kitchen, dining and bathroom schemes, this modish motif makes a real feature. 11. George Wooden Lounge Chair – Cream Rope (top), £99, and Wooden Lounge Chair – Cream Cross Straps, £99, Direct.asda These accent chairs with woven rope design or cream straps will style up your suntrap and bring smiles all round. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Whiten up your wardrobe with summer’s hottest trends Paternity leave should be paid for six weeks, campaigners tell Government My teenager gets all their news from TikTok – should I worry?

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Whether you’re looking for a break amid the peaceful locks of Scotland, the rugged coast of Northern Ireland, the picture-postcard villages of England, or the rolling hills of Wales, staycations are clearly here to, well, stay. But, for many of us, a short break needs to deliver not just a change of scene, but also the opportunity to be pampered and coddled at a swanky spa, indulge in our favourite hobbies, such as golfing or clay-pigeon shooting in glorious grounds, or learn new skills from esteemed experts, such as a renowned chef heading up a hotel’s cutting-edge kitchen. So, if you’re after a gourmet culinary break, during which you can not only eat great fodder but learn how to prepare and make it too, then a trip to a hotel with a cookery school should be right up your street. Fortunately, the UK is abundant in hotels that boast destination restaurants, which are more than happy to open up their kitchens and recipe books to guests, and share their skills and tricks of the trade. From grand hotels with Michelin chefs to cosy country kitchens with skilled and friendly tutors, take your pick from our round-up of the UK’s best hotels with cooking classes – many of which offer day courses, too. The best UK hotels with cookery schools are: Best for a small and cosy course: Northcote Best for a friendly vibe: Lainston House Best for Michelin-star restaurant: Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Best for seafood-lovers: Rick Stein Best for a relaxing course: Llanerch Vineyard Best for a castle-based course: Swinton Park Best for Aga fans: Eckington Manor Best for a small and cosy course: Northcote Location: Langho, Lancashire This is arguably the most talked-about foodie hotel in the North West, with the restaurant having retained its Michelin star for 20 years. In the cookery school, you can learn how to master everything from bread and seafood to spicing and Mexican fare with a range of different courses run by Rick Ogden and Ben Hinchliffe, along with guest chefs. Up to six dishes will be demonstrated, and you’ll get the chance to cook at least four yourself, as well as enjoying a two-course lunch as part of the experience. Best for a friendly vibe: Lainston House Location: Winchester, Hampshire This magnificent 17th-century William and Mary country house hotel is home to Season, a state-of-the-art cookery school, located in the characterful old well house. It runs half- and full-day courses, covering everything from stocks and sauces to French classics and much more. There’s a relaxed, friendly vibe and an emphasis on provenance, where possible using local produce, much of which is grown in the on-site kitchen garden. There are 50 individually designed guestrooms in the hotel, plus a three-AA Rosette restaurant, The Avenue. Best for Michelin-star restaurant: Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Location: Great Milton, Oxfordshire The Raymond Blanc Cookery School, set in the glorious grounds of his 13th-century manor house hotel and restaurant, caters for beginners right through to experienced cooks, and is one of the only cookery schools in the world that enables you to learn in the kitchens of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant. The head tutor, Mark Peregrine, is one of the best in the business (he helped Blanc get his first Michelin star) and the kitchen itself is as high-end as you can imagine. If you can afford it, unwind in one of the luxurious bedrooms of the hotel afterwards and feast on the hotel’s renowned cuisine. Best for seafood fans: Rick Stein Location: Padstow, Cornwall Preparing fish in Rick Stein’s bold yet simple style in this stunning kitchen overlooking the Camel Estuary is as good as it gets when it comes to seafood cookery – this is serious cooking in a relaxed environment. You can stay in one of the 16 coastal-inspired rooms of Stein’s flagship seafood restaurant a short walk away, or opt for one of his other hotels. Either way, you can dine in one of his many eateries in this charming seaside harbour town, which is increasingly known as Pad-stein. Book now Best for a relaxing course: Llanerch Vineyard Location: Vale of Glamorgan, Wales This stylish hotel is located on a working vineyard just 12 miles from Cardiff, with 10 chic rooms and suites spread across the main farmhouse and an adjacent annexe, as well as separate cottages. The hotel is also home to a fabulous bistro, formal dining restaurant and the Angela Gray Cookery School. Angela runs classes lasting from a few hours upwards, in which she promotes cooking as relaxing and even meditative, yet packs in the prepping and cooking of plenty of dishes. Choose from themes ranging from pastry to Italian fare, all of which will see you taking some of your culinary delights home with you at the end of the day. Best for a castle-based course: Swinton Park Location: Masham, North Yorkshire Set in a 17th-century, 30-bedroom castle hotel within 20,000 acres of grounds in the Yorkshire Dales, the cookery school is run by chef tutor, Luke Palmer. It’s housed in a converted Georgian stable wing and offers an impressively wide range of courses, all of which include an element of hands-on, practical cookery, using locally sourced food where possible. Best for Aga fans: Eckington Manor Location: Eckington, Cotswolds This cookery school blends beautifully into the rural background, based as it is in the Dutch barn of a 26-acre working farm and hotel. Courses are designed to be challenging but fun, and range from modern British classics to Aga cooking, and from restaurant dishes at home to bread making. Read more of our UK hotel reviews: The best UK hotels with swimming pools The best family-friendly UK hotels The best Cornwall hotels Read more about UK travel: The best London hotels for afternoon tea England’s best foodie hotels and pubs Best spa hotels in the Cotswolds Read More Best luxury UK hotels 2023: Where to stay for great food, family adventures and spa retreats The ultimate foodie guide to Copenhagen 10 of the best hotels for golfers in the UK and Ireland 2023: Where to practise your swing in style 9 best adventure holidays in the UK that adrenaline seekers will love Best October half-term holiday destinations in the UK for a 2023 staycation 7 best activity holidays in Wales for couples and families

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With a switch in seasons and jumper weather signalling a change of mood, the same can be said for the structure of your scent. Suddenly a spritz of watery notes, summery sugariness and barely there blossom feels hollow… it’s your senses telling you it’s time for something heavier to match the weight of your winter wardrobe. And with so many breathtakingly beautiful perfumes and long-lasting elixirs to engage with, now’s the time to focus on a fragrance with some oomph… 1. Jimmy Choo I Want Choo Forever Eau de Parfum, £50 for 40ml (100ml for £64 also available), Fenwick A fanfare of deep raspberry-rose, cassis and intense, spicy sweet nuances, this is a stand-out fragrance in the Jimmy Choo range – with a rich earthy note and vanilla sweetness aligned with pink peppercorn. Extremely attractive with floral touches and sensual vanilla on the drydown. 2. Akro BAKE Eau de Parfum, £80 for 30ml, Fenwick Alluring and mood boosting, the name is a bit of a giveaway and will take you to a happy place. With top notes of praline, rum, vanilla cream and press of lemon, it’s quite hypnotizing – and if this was a luxurious box of truffles and pralines, the first tray would be gone. Base notes of bourbon, brown sugar and vanilla make for a sweet ending. 3. Tom Ford Café Rose Eau de Parfum Spray, from £90.10 for 50ml (100ml for £127.50 also available, Escentual Fans of Fords’ original Café Rose will adore this reimagined classic which pulls at the heart strings with its bouquet of velvety roses combined with seductive spices, dark coffee notes, with a warm sandalwood accord and notes of rose essence as the fragrance evolves. Divine. 4. Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire THÉ AMARA Eau De Parfum, £145 for 75ml, Fenwick A contemporary take on a tea note – think a morning stroll through a tea plantation – with enticing green, dry leafy aromas complemented by bergamot, rose and uplifting sweet pea; at its base there’s white musk and cedarwood lending depth, finishing with fresh powdery nuances and touch of rose. 5. Ormonde Jayne Arabesque Eau de Parfum, £195 for 88ml, Ormonde Jayne Arabesque is inspired by a journey through the spice souks and a sensory feast of patchouli and oudh. Opulent and sexy, with a sensual combination of rose, jasmine, fruity accords, vanilla, musk and wood… think gourmand with a whiff of grown-up glamour. Read More Consistent lack of sleep may increase risk of future depressive symptoms – study World Osteoporosis Day: The risk factors and early warning signs everyone needs to know about How to support a child with a stammer From colourful gowns to drones, these wedding trends are set take over 2024 Call The Midwife ‘should come with a health warning’ Halloween: 10 wicked ways to kit out your haunted house

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