UK's poshest train with seaside views and £11k cabins suffers major blow
The country's most luxurious new train which idles past rolling countryside and golden beaches has hit a major snag - for the second time this month. There's no denying the UK's railways are in dire need of significant reform. Riddled with hefty delays and last-minute cancellations - most Brits have endured the commute from hell thanks to unreliable trains and overcrowded carriages.
When you're forking out a staggering £11,000 for a double cabin, you would expect a much better, more efficient, service. However, the acclaimed Belmond has axed its inaugural run of its newest fleet, the Britannic Explorer, once again.
Featuring an onboard spa, a world-class menu curated by a Michelin-star chef, and sleek rooms that look like they belong in a five-star hotel - the Britannic Explorer is the epitome of elegance. Earlier this year, the sleeper train unveiled it will be taking passengers on an incredible three-night journey to Wales via the west of England and the iconic Cotswolds.
Not only do guests get to marvel at stunning stretches of coastline, lush mountain ranges and unspoilt countryside - they can also partake in excursions such as hikes in the Welsh national parks, clay pigeon shooting and a trip to a luxury boozer.
The unique experience, does however come with an insane price tag - with a double cabin costing £11,000.
"Highlights on the Wales route include a picnic-style lunch featuring delights like rarebit and leek tart," the company said. "Each dining experience onboard will reflect the landscape outside the train's windows, using the freshest local ingredients to create an immersive culinary journey that celebrates the diverse flavours and stories of England and Wales."
The boujee train was due to depart from London Victoria at 3.45pm on Monday, July 21 - but passengers were informed the night before that the journey had been suddenly cancelled. This follows a similar decision to cancel a three-night trip to Cornwall earlier this month (July 4).
Speaking to the Mirror, a Belmond spokesperson said the 'difficult decision' to postpone the inaugural journey of the Britannic Explorer was not 'taken lightly'. "During the routine pre-trip protocol checks over the weekend, we encountered unforeseen technical issues related to the door mechanism," they said.
"Despite the dedicated efforts of our engineering team, the issue could not be resolved in time, and as a result, we had to make the difficult decision to cancel the trip. As always, guest welfare and reliability of our train operations remain paramount."
Belmond confirmed that that every affected guest was offered a full refund, along with a complimentary future journey aboard the Britannic Explorer in 2025 or 2026. "In addition, we are covering any related expenses incurred as a result of the cancellation," the spokesperson added. "Our team worked closely with each guest to arrange immediate alternative accommodation where needed."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Live
3 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Holiday let owners hit by council tax bombshell told 'pay up or sell up'
Across Wales, holiday let owners have been hit with unexpected and steep council tax demands, leaving many fighting to stay afloat. The charges follow new government rules on rental thresholds, with nearly half of self-catering businesses now operating at a loss or just breaking even. North Wales Live readers are divided—some fear this could destroy Welsh tourism, while others say it's a needed change to give locals a fair shot at owning homes. A little-known change in legislation has triggered council tax demands—often amounting to tens of thousands of pounds—without prior notice. In most cases, owners are being given just seven days to pay, under threat of legal action. The charges stem from a rule about the number of nights a property must be let, which critics say has pushed the holiday rental industry to the brink. One family with a rental in Abersoch, Gwynedd, is facing a bill of several thousand pounds despite believing they had met all legal requirements. They were unaware the 182-night letting threshold was applied retrospectively, meaning they fell short during their first year. As a result, they've been back-charged for council tax over three years—making the original 70-night guideline irrelevant for most lets in 2022–23. The impact on owners is already visible. A recent survey by PASC Cymru found that 47% of those now paying higher council tax are operating at a loss. Local councils argue the policy is necessary to curb the rise of second homes and ease pressure on the housing market. But others fear it will come at the cost of Wales' vital tourism economy. 'It's difficult to challenge the legislation,' said Nicky Williamson of PASC Cymru. 'Holiday let owners have few options.' Commenter Idontstop thinks: 'There needs to be a review of the legislation as its introduction has not addressed its main aim and has created further issues. There is a glut of holiday homes now on the market, they remain unaffordable for the majority of local people, fewer holiday homes will impact tourism and therefore the local economies. There are tens of thousands of static caravans and lodges across north Wales, with occupants here 9 months of the year but they do not pay council tax but utilise all the local services. Whilst Welsh families who wish to hold on to family homes in Wales that they have inherited from their parents are forced to pay premium council tax rates or sell to people from outside Wales.' Angleseygirl writes: 'We are having to give ours up. It's a small one bed apartment and sleeps 2. We are, for about 9 months of the year, really busy. We suddenly received a letter from the council saying they want £250 per month council tax. We then received a call from our insurers saying they had new underwriters and they had put our insurance up from £80 per month, to £280. We can't do it, it's an impossibility. There is no way we can pay out £530 per month. We are open all year but we can't force people to book with us. So in a couple of months we are closing for good, it's such a shame, and the knock on effect to local businesses is awful. ' Butterfly1722 agrees: 'Increasing council tax for holiday lets is not helping anyone other than the greedy government and councils. We all know almost every council is on its knees. They are putting the owners of these holiday lets in debt and they will be forced to sell. I understand that local young couples cannot find properties in the area they were brought up in to purchase a property, but first time buyers living in the area cannot afford these prices. It's a no win situation and it sounds like it's causing misery to the holiday let owners.' Steamnut is outraged: 'Whatever your thoughts on second homes and letting, retrospective legislation like this, where the owners cannot change what actually happened, is sneaky and underhand. Imagine the outcry from motorists that, on a certain date, had travelled on a road with a speed limit of 30mph and, when the limits were reduced to 20mph, these motorists were all given backdated speeding tickets? There would be a massive 'unfair' outcry. The same sentiment should apply to the letting industry.' Tumbiloo says: 'Blame it on the 2nd homes that are causing the housing shortage rather than establishing industry for people to work and earn and save, especially in North Wales.' DP reader agrees: 'That's a shame for them, but not as much of a shame as people not being able to find a house to live in. So, will we be able to increase our local housing stock or will they continue to let the properties and cry about the council tax?' Jnrm retorts: 'People can't sell as locals don't want to live in remote cottages. They only appeal as holiday lets!' Daffyddthomas writes: 'Pay up or sell up, but stop complaining.'
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
UK airport where you're most likely to lose your luggage is named
A new analysis has revealed the odds of losing your luggage at each of the UK's major airports - and surprisingly, the worst odds are not at the UK's busiest hub For the unlucky few who have lost their luggage, checking in a bag will always feel like a gamble. But a new analysis has revealed that it's not all up to luck, and that some UK airports are more likely than others to lose your luggage. From missed transfers to mishandled bags during busy travel periods, there are several reasons your suitcase might not make it to your final destination. But has revealed the predicted odds of your bag going missing for the UK's major airports. The odds are based on official complaint figures from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) between 2017 and 2021. READ MORE: Brits warned over details you should not put onto luggage tags - not your name These complaints only cover serious cases of unresolved luggage - bags that were never returned to passengers. The complaints were combined with passenger traffic data from each airport, various seasonal factors, known luggage-handling bottlenecks and considerations of each airport (including number of carriers, transfers, flight volumes). Unsurprisingly, two of the UK's largest hubs, Heathrow and Gatwick, had the most complaints overall. But when the number of passengers is factored in, they are not actually the worst rated. Smaller airports like Birmingham had fewer complaints overall - but far fewer travellers too, meaning the per-flight risk is significantly higher than at Heathrow or Stansted. Meanwhile, regional airports like Edinburgh and Stansted offer the safest odds of your bag arriving with you. The analysis suggests that while lost luggage is incredibly rare, the risk is not evenly spread. If you're flying from Birmingham, the odds that your luggage will be lost are more than 15 times higher than if you're flying from Stansted. Even Gatwick, a major international hub, carries greater odds than Heathrow - likely due to tighter transfer windows and a more complex mix of short and long-haul routes. If you want to better your odds of meeting your luggage at your final stop, there are a few things you can do. For one labelling your luggage and ensuring your luggage tag is placed securely and visibly is a must. Another tip is to avoid tight connections when possible, especially through major hubs. That said, the odds of losing your luggage are never completely zero - though it's important to note they are quite low. One thing you can do if you're still nervous of the risk is to ensure you pack all essentials, including travel documents, medications, and jewelry in your personal item or carry-on luggage. The UK airports ranked by lost luggage risk Birmingham (BHX) 0.00093%1 in 107,5002 London Gatwick (LGW) 0.00081%1 in 123,5003 Manchester (MAN) 0.00056%1 in 178,6004 London Heathrow (LHR) 0.00050%1 in 200,0005 Bristol (BRS) 0.00014%1 in 714,3006 London Luton (LTN) 0.00011%1 in 909,1007 Edinburgh (EDI) 0.00010%1 in 1,000,0008 London Stansted (STN) 0.00008%1 in 1,250,000
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Charming UK fishing village by beaches and waterfalls 'flies under the radar'
A picturesque UK village is right by some beautiful beaches, woodlands and waterfalls so it's well worth having on your radar the next time you're planning a staycation Brits planning a staycation may want to check out a former fishing village that 'flies under the radar' despite being right by some gorgeous beaches, woodlands and waterfalls. Runswick Bay in North Yorkshire wouldn't look out of place on a postcard with its red-roof cottages, sandy beach and lush green surroundings, but it's often overlooked by tourists who flock to nearby holiday hotspots such as Whitby instead. Still, the small village has plenty to offer for those after laidback UK holidays, from the charming B&Bs and tea rooms just a short walk away, to the quiet beach from which you can take in the views. (Keep an eye on the waters too as the likes of dolphins, seals and even whales have been known to make an appearance!). UK beach that rivals Maldives with white sands also boasts swim-friendly waters Holiday warning for Brits as easy pool mistake could mean you pay hefty fees The beach itself is quite small, but at low tide you can find plenty of families exploring the rock pools. However, the peaceful and empty nature of the shoreline has proven to be a hit with visitors who do stumble upon it. "Beautiful little seaside coastal bay, fossil hunting, no commercial places as in amusements, rides etc," one happy holidaymaker wrote on TripAdvisor. "Just a lovely quiet day at the beach." Another added: "Absolutely stunning! Well worth a walk along the beach and doing a bit of fossil hunting, glass spotting, shell collecting. Lovely ice cream." Meanwhile intrepid explorers will be spoiled for choice thanks to the surrounding coastal walks. For example, the Cleveland Way National Trail passes through the village, while North York Moors National Park's website includes an easy 1.3-mile route that offers up some unrivalled views of the coastline. There's good news for history buffs too as Runswick Bay sits on the Jurassic coast which means there's plenty of opportunity to go seeking out fossils. Adventurers may also want to head out to nearby Hayburn Wyke, which looks like it belongs in a fairytale thanks to the dense woodlands hiding a boardwalk route straight to an ethereal waterfall. It's easy to see why the team at Simply Sea Views named it one of the UK's top 10 hidden gems that are well worth having on your radar. They explained: "Runswick Bay is a picturesque former fishing village with red-roofed cottages and a quiet curve of beach, just a few miles from Whitby. Popular for fossil hunting and rockpooling, it still manages to fly under the radar. For a wilder escape, head further along the coast to Hayburn Wyke, where a woodland waterfall heads straight into the sea."
