As the leading hotel price comparison website and mobile app, inspiring travel decisions is part of what makes the experts at HotelsCombined tick. Working with the best and brightest bloggers, vloggers, travelistas and traveloguers alongside our own team of in-market experts, ensures that when it comes to insights, trends, travel guides, tips and reviews HotelsCombined has it’s finger well and truly on the pulse.
With ‘travel more’ featuring on everyone’s resolutions list, we decided to ring in the New Year with a celebration of the best and brightest, and up and coming British travel bloggers. Whether travelling solo, as a couple or with the family, travelling on a budget or with an eye for luxury, these top ten globetrotters have got it covered. From immersive videos, to inspirational Instagram accounts and insider tips, spending time exploring these blogs may well help answer the age old question of: “So…where to next?”
- Kash Bhattacharya, Budget Traveller
It’s unsurprising Kash recently took home the coveted title of ‘Best Travel Blog’ at the prestigious National Geographic Traveller UK Reader Awards. The blog is seriously sleek in design and chock full of insights on budget travel that happily proves compromising on cost, doesn’t need to mean compromising on luxury. Budget Traveller is filled with destination guides, travel tips, accommodation advice, cheap eat guides and travel videos.
Best for: Travel enthusiasts who are tight on cash, but big on dreams.
- Kirstie and Stuart Pelling, The Family Adventure Project
A long-term experiment of Kirstie and Stuart Pelling and their three kids, The Family Adventure Project follows the clan as they discover new adventures together. Mum Kirstie recently claimed the coveted ‘Travel Blogger of the Year’ award from the British Guild of Travel Writers, with the judges describing the blog as a “glorious celebration of adventurous life and the ups and downs of family travel”. Focused on cultivating a sense of adventure, creativity and fun into family life – both in everyday living and through adventures – the blog YouTube channel illustrates the family story in an equally engaging way.
Best for: Parents who live by the phrase ‘a little dirt is good for them’.
- Chloe Gunning, Wanderlust Chloe
Chloe began travel blogging in 2014 after quitting her stressful day job. In 2016, Stylist named her one of the “top female travellers to follow on Instagram”. Aimed at the 25-34 year old traveller, Wanderlust Chloe focuses on fun, food, style, adventure and memorable moments…with a touch of luxury. 2017 is looking bright for Chloe as her blogging has translated into travel writing for a number of UK national newspapers and sites as well as other well regarded travel blogs. Watch this space. We’ll be seeing more of Chloe Gunning.
Best for: Social media-loving Millennials.
- Daniel James, Dan Flying Solo
For two years, this travel blogger and photographer has been sharing his adventures through guides, tips and stories on his blog Dan Flying Solo. Having chosen to live in England, Scotland, Portugal, Australia, and Bali so far, next year Dan is taking the unusual step of inviting his readers to vote on where he lives next through his campaign, ‘Say Yes 2017’. Dan Flying Solo focuses on destinations away from the tourist trail that offer remarkable activities. The blog is perfect for solo-travellers looking to educate themselves, connect with locals and get involved in community projects.
Best for: Solo travellers who want to live a local and capture it on camera.
- Flora Baker, Flora The Explorer
What do a Columbian journalist, Bolivian artificial limb maker and Brazilian builder have in common? Believe it or not, these are all posts held previously by Flora Baker. Her moniker is well chosen, as she’s lived in Florence and San Francisco; worked in India and Iceland; volunteered in Nepal and Lithuania; and more recently spent eighteen months journeying around South America. In December 2016, Flora achieved her first by-line in National Geographic Traveller UK and her aim is to visit every continent twice before she turns thirty-one. See whether she achieves this by following her adventures on Flora The Explorer.
Best for: Those who like their travel tales tinged with a little philosophy.
- Suzanne Jones, The Travel Bunny
Serial traveller Suzanne was recently awarded ‘Best Blog Feature’ by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation at travel industry showcase World Travel Market for her vibrant piece on St Kitts. The Travelbunny features inspiration for travellers looking for luxury, adventure and culinary experiences the world over, with strong visuals paired with travel tips and advice focusing on mid-range to luxury and independent travel.
Best for: Cruise-thusiasts. The Travel Bunny has a whole dedicated section.
- Kia Abdullah and Peter Watson, Atlas & Boots
Atlas & Boots is an outdoor travel blog covering thrilling activities in far-flung places. From swimming with whales in Tonga to trekking volcanoes in Vanuatu, the blog has enjoyed a notable growth in popularity over the past year and shows no sign of slowing down. The founders, Kia and Peter, both have a background in travel: Kia is a travel writer who has published two novels and contributed to the likes of the Guardian and BBC, while Peter is a freelance filmmaker and audio-visual engineer whose short films have featured at Cannes Film Festival. Together, they encourage their readers to travel with abandon and throw off their ordinary lives to try new things out of their comfort zone.
Best for: High octane adventure travellers.
- David and Auston, Two Bad Tourists
For insights on LGBT travel, readers should look no further than Two Bad Tourists. Founders David and Auston travel across Europe uncovering the best LGBT offerings from around the globe. From fun and frivolous Pride-hopping around Europe to travelling in Africa experiencing first hand the challenges faced by the LGBT community, the pair is constantly exposing their readers to new experiences and unfamiliar cultures. Looking to make the most out of the 2017 Pride season, or simply head off on an exciting gaycation? Look no further than Two Bad Tourists for honest advice and great tips.
Best for: LGBT travellers, their friends and family.
- Clare Farrell, Need Another Holiday
As a first-time mum with a full-time job, it’s not surprising Manchester-based blogger Clare needs another holiday. Packed full of reviews, opinion pieces, tips and even poems, the arrival of a ‘Holiday Baby’ was the catalyst for Clare to evolve her blog to include insightful advice for jet-setting parents and musings on motherhood alongside recommendations for the best city breaks in Europe. Need Another Holiday is perfect for stressed parents whose New Year’s resolutions include travelling and spending more time with the family.
Best for: Time-poor parents who still yearn to travel.
- Natalie Chalk, Chalkmarks
Broadcasting legend Hunter Davies described travel writer Natalie Chalk as “a one-off, perhaps two-off as I swear there are two of them inside there, each full of fun and energy, brightness and wit and sharpness”. Natalie has lived in Peru, Nigeria and Portugal and shares her escapades on her travel blog Chalkmarks which features high-quality travel content delivered through fun, whimsical storytelling.
Best for: Fans of quality photography should visit the blog for inspiration.
