Another difference this year, is that the weather is acting as if it is April rather than mid-summer. Last year I can recall spending Easter in shorts and T-shirts on the beach with temperatures in the mid-20’s, whilst this year we seem to be experiencing a more appropriate climate for the time of year. I like the spring months – everything in the islands looks fresh and green and the light is spectacular. Great for photographers.

Last week we welcomed a group of some of our top travel agents to the island of Jersey. I always love meeting up with these key partners, as they are ‘at the coalface’ with our clients and can give us some honest feedback on both our service and the products we sell. Those agents who have never visited before generally have their perceptions shattered as the islands have so much more to offer than they imagined. Nothing beats the experience of seeing the product you are selling – which is why we try to run a few trips for our travel agents every year.

Finally a mention of the islands sporting achievements and specifically our rugby teams. Guernsey were crowned champions of London South Division 1 and will be playing in National League 3 next season. Meanwhile Jersey are the champions of National League 1 and have gained promotion to the second tier of English rugby – The Championship. This is their 4^th promotion in 5 seasons. Congratulations to both clubs. Channel Islands’ rugby now provides a major opportunity for tourism development as supporters of visiting teams will combine a trip to support their team with a short break in our beautiful islands.

Winner of the 2010 Diners Vote Award, La Barbarie Hotel prides itself on offering unpretentious food, friendly service, and a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The hotel serves a fantastic selection of menus, including a la carte, lunch menus, poolside snacks, afternoon teas and an excellent four course set menu. Local Guernsey ingredients take centre stage, with supporting dishes showcasing the best of continental and British produce.

Converted into a hotel in 1950, La Barbarie is an original Guernsey country house that provides a perfect location for a memorable meal. Diners can enjoy their meals, drinks, and nibbles around the hotel, from the dining room, mixing contemporary décor with classic stone floors and walls, to the swimming pool terrace and the cosy lounge bar.

The a la carte menu at La Barbarie offers a perfect balance between seafood, meats, and vegetarian dishes. Starters include a mouth-watering collection of fish from local waters, from the simple local fish soup with Gruyere cheese and rouille, to seared Guernsey scallops with chorizo and classic hand-picked crab served with a zingy sweetcorn coriander salsa.

“The freshly caught lobster we ate at La Barbarie Hotel where we stayed, covered in that wonderful yellow Guernsey butter, was the best we have ever tasted.”

- BBC TV Chef Rick Stein

Vegetarians are well cared for in the La Barbarie restaurant. All vegetarian dishes can be served as either a starter or a main course, creating a mix-and-match menu including Piedmontese-style stuffed peppers served with cous cous, roast Guernsey goats cheese with fresh Royal potatoes, and a tangy roast pepper salad with tomatoes and creamy mozzarella.

The La Barbarie main course selection is a sight to behold, overflowing with dishes for every taste. Classic dishes include the medley of grilled seafood served with a champagne sauce and new potatoes, a slightly spiced fillet of brill with local scallops, and a glorious five-spiced duck breast accompanied by stir fired greens, Teriyaki sauce, ginger and chilli.

However, that’s not all. Steak lovers and fish fans will be bowled over by the La Barbarie Steak Board and the selection of ‘Marine Cuisine’. Whether you’re tempted by the 8oz fillet, a juicy 10oz rib-eye, or the grand Chateaubriand for two, steaks are perfectly cooked and served with all the traditional tasty trimmings. The Marine Cuisine menu showcases the hotel’s fine choice of local and seasonal catches, cooked in your chosen style and served with one of the kitchen’s fabulous sauces; choose from Guernsey scallops, salmon, fresh brill, bass, and local lobster.

If you still have space after your sumptuous starter and main course, the dessert menu and cheese board will not disappoint. La Barbarie desserts reflect the concept behind the restaurant: tasty, classic, and not at all pretentious. Choices range from the fresh and fruity to the rich and decadent, including a luxurious freshly made chocolate fondant and a vanilla panna cotta served with a tangy berry compote. If you’re looking for something simple, then look no further than the fantastic selection of Guernsey farmhouse ice creams, from caramel fudge to maple syrup and pecan. For those without a sweet tooth, the great value cheese board features a small selection of Guernsey cheeses with walnut bread and biscuits.

Whether you’re a hotel guest, visiting La Barbarie from another hotel, or even if you’re a local Guernsey resident, the restaurant offers a fantastic collection of dishes, showcasing all that is best about local Channel Island food. Ideal for quick bites, celebrations, special occasions, and romantic meals, La Barbarie has something for everyone.

The three star La Barbarie Hotel is open between March and October, with rooms available from £38 per person per night. You can find out more and book online here.

The Rock Garden serves up a tantalising selection of cocktails, from post-work tipples to audacious celebration drinks. Classics such as the Martini, the Bramble, the Old Fashioned, and the Mint Julep sit aside locally created concoctions, from the Fermain White Lady to the Rock Garden Flower. A perfect collection for all occasions!

Eating at the Rock Garden is a social activity. The menu is tailored to sharing and socialising, with sushi and tapas taking centre stage. Tapas come in all shapes and sizes, hot or cold, with highlights including salt cod and potato crostini, baby pequillo peppers stuffed with feta cheese, Toulouse sausage with puy lentils, marinated halloumi cheese, and roast Guernsey scallops with a tasty red lentil dahl. The larger sharing platters are perfect for grazing whilst catching up; the classics on offer range from local oysters, simply served or Rockefeller style, a charcuterie plate of salty, moreish meats and pickled vegetables, and a whole baked Camembert with fresh bread for dipping.

The main course menu at the Rock Garden is small and well-formed, complimenting the sharing starters that go before. Diners can choose great value classic dishes, including catch of the day with chunky chips, slow-cooked Moroccan lamb, and a great glazed ham hock with local honey and pease pudding. For those looking for a treat, you can’t go wrong with the beef selection, from the tartar of Scottish fillet with a fresh hen’s egg, to the aged Scottish rib eye steak with a velvety Béarnaise sauce.

The focus on sharing platters and strong savoury flavours means that the dessert menu is small, with only four classic dishes available at £5.95 each. Choose from apple crumble, tarte au citron, crème brulé, or a strong espresso semifreddo, or simply order another cocktail!

With a fantastic drinks menu, tasty dishes for every taste, unique video wall, and outdoor granite terrace, The Rock Garden is a one-of-a-kind in Guernsey. Ideal for celebrations, special occasions, or simply enjoying an early evening drink in the sun.

The 4 star Fermain Valley Hotel is open all year, with rooms available from £69 per person, per night.

View more details and book online here

Grammy-winning soul star Macy Gray has been announced as one of the headliners at this year’s Guernsey Festival, due to take place on 23rd and 24th June at the Rabbit Warren in the parish of St. Sampsons.

On the international music scene for over a decade, Macy Gray hit the heights of fame with her 1999 single ‘I Try’. Macy Gray has just released her sixth studio album, titled ‘Covered’, and featuring cover versions of songs by artists as diverse as Metallica and The Arcade Fire.

“Macy Gray is quite a coup and we’re over the moon to have her confirmed to be one of the three big headliners.”

- Festival organiser Paul Stephen

Source: Guernsey Festival Website

Flybe Launches Norwich Route

Flybe have recently announced the return of a Norwich to Guernsey route for summer 2012, launching the service on 19th April and running through to 22nd September.

The inclusion of the Guernsey route sits alongside the return of a Jersey route, ensuring that travellers in the Norwich area have quick and efficient access to the Channel Islands when heading on holiday this summer.

“With the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations this summer, Flybe is the perfect 2012 travel solution for people wanting to take advantage of short travel breaks closer to home… In continuing to keep Britain on the move, we are confident we have come up with summer travel options that are both extensive and affordable for summer 2012.”

- Simon Lilley, Flybe

Source: Norwich Airport Website

The Sure Festival of Comedy Returns

The sixth Sure Festival of Comedy will be hitting Guernsey’s shores on 25th May, with homage TV shows, stand-up comedians, and musicians all taking to the stage over the course of nine days.

Highlights will include stand-up shows from comedians such as Rufus Hound and Sean Hughes, known to audiences from television shows such as Argumental and Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

There really is something for everyone during nine days of laughter, including homages to classic comedy television in the form of the Father Ted Dinner Show and the Fawlty Towers Dinner Show, as well as a brilliant stand-up show especially for kids.

Source: Sure Festival of Comedy Website

From our clients’ point of view this tax will increase the cost of flying and in turn holiday and short break prices will be affected. Here in the Channel Islands, we feel disproportionately penalised as passengers flying here from the UK are charged the same APD as someone flying to Athens – which is more than 40 times the distance!

Talking of flying, the long-awaited work on Guernsey Airport’s runway has finally started. As a result the airport was completely closed for 2 days last week. Whilst this must have been lovely for those living near to the airport, we are pleased that there are only a few more days this year when this will be repeated. The end result will also be good news as it will allow bigger, more modern aircraft to land in Guernsey.

Finally, the clocks went forward last weekend and we are now looking forward to Easter – always a popular time for visiting the islands for a long weekend. There’s a lot of late demand coming through, probably driven by the wonderful weather we are currently enjoying. Long may this continue!

Whether you are at home or away this Easter, I hope you enjoy a wonderful long weekend break.

The restaurant’s staff pride themselves on preparing, cooking, and serving the finest Guernsey produce where possible, with local seafood such as seabass and scallops featuring on the restaurant’s signature dishes. The restaurant’s ideal position means that diners at Mora can almost touch the sea in which their lunch was caught.

Visitors to Mora won’t be disappointed with the menus, divided into cold and hot starters, pasta and risottos, fish and shellfish, meats from the white-hot grill, and a mouth-watering collection of fresh vegetables, salads and potato dishes.

At Mora, starters equal an irresistible combination of taste and great value, with most dishes not exceeding the £6.00 mark. Highlights from the cold and hot starter selection include a sumptuous shellfish bisque with garlic croutons, homemade crab cakes with harissa mayonnaise, and a potted slow-cooked duck with orange and nutmeg butter; all classic dishes with an interesting twist. If you’re a fan of something Italian, why not go for the less or more collection of Italian dishes, including a sublime lobster and roast tomato risotto.

Main courses at Mora are dominated by fresh fish and the charcoal grill. The crowning glory of the seafood menu is the Mora fish and chips, featuring a collection of brill, seabass, scallops, and battered king prawns, served with a velvety pea puree. If your taste buds are looking for something slightly simpler, then ask for the Dover sole, served under the grill or Meuniere; simple and absolutely delicious.

Meat-lovers are definitely spoiled at Mora, with a fine selection of meats from the grill on offer. For a celebration or special occasion, why not try the Côte de Bœuf for two – a 26oz cut of tender beef, sliced at your table and served with garlic spinach French fries and a Béarnaise sauce. If you don’t like sharing but want to dine well, the Mora mixed grill will satisfy all your carnivorous tastes, including a pork sausage, lamb cutlet, beef fillet, gammon, lamb kidneys & liver!

Desserts at Mora don’t try to re-invent the wheel, the focus instead being on serving classic, sweet dishes that tick all the boxes. From double chocolate profiteroles and banana toffee cheesecake to Guernsey farmhouse ice creams and sorbets, you’ll be in sweet tooth heaven. And all for only £5.95. If you’d prefer something a little less sweet, then the fine selection of Guernsey, Normandy, and English cheeses is just for you.

Serving fabulous food that satisfies your appetite in a friendly and classic restaurant atmosphere is what Mora does best. With a popular following of locals and regular visitors, make sure you book early to avoid disappointment!

“I am confident that our frequent services to the Channel Islands and onwards to St Malo in France will operate smoothly from the Port of Poole through the summer. Everyone at Condor Ferries is committed to making a seamless transition to sustain the essential ferry services to Guernsey and Jersey. Our customer service teams are working hard to contact passengers with existing bookings, to update our website and schedules to help those planning a trip.”

- Capt Fran Collins, Operations Director Condor Ferries

All existing bookings from Weymouth to the Channel Islands will automatically be transferred to the nearest equivalent sailing from Poole, and all customers will be notified by the C.I. Travel Group customer service team.

Guernsey’s capital, St. Peter Port, will host the RHS Britain in Bloom finals during October this year.

RHS Britain in Bloom is a wide-ranging environmental campaign across the UK, with over 200,000 volunteers planting and maintaining shrubs, flowers and trees throughout their communities. 73 finalists have recently been selected from over 1,000 entries.

The 2012 theme is ‘Wild about Wildflowers’; finalists will be judged on three criteria: horticultural achievement, community participation and environmental responsibility.

“Collectively the nation has planted more than 115,000 trees, 352,000 shrubs and 21.6 million plants and bulbs annually, contributing to an improved UK. It is an honour for the RHS to be associated with these groups and individuals.”

- Sue Biggs, RHS Director General

Source: Royal Horticultural Society

March Sees a Sark ‘Starfest’

Sark was the first place in the world to be awarded official ‘Dark Sky Island’ status, and is preparing to celebrate their status later this month.

A Starfest will take place on the island over the weekend of 17th and 18th March, giving visitors and locals a fantastic opportunity to experience untouched night skies across the island. The starfest will include a presentation by Dr Marek Kukula, the Greenwich Public Astronomer.

Hopefully the weather will hold and visitors can enjoy star-gazing from one of the Channel Islands’ quietest locations!

Source: Channel TV Online

Live and Unsigned Partnership for Guernsey Festival

The Guernsey Festival, now in its second successful year, has recently teamed up with Live & Unsigned UK. The festival will be offering a lucky unsigned band or artist the chance to play an opening slot at the island’s summer music festival.

The competition invites musicians from across the United Kingdom to audition for a finalists’ spot, with the winners playing at over 30 festivals across the UK. Finalists are selected by revered industry judges, such as Annie Nightingale (Radio 1), Aziz Ibrahim (Simply Red and The Stone Roses) and Alex Baker (Kerrang!).

“This is a great opportunity to add another unique aspect to this year’s scheduling and we’re looking forward to welcoming one of the grand finalists to the Guernsey Festival”

- Festival organiser Jon Stephen

The winner will take to the stage on Sunday 24th June.

Source: Isle News & The Guernsey Festival Website

We are now getting a clearer picture of the year ahead and the challenges of the current market. It’s clear that the UK economy is affecting confidence generally in the travel industry with most large tour operators attempting to put some positive spin on challenging trading conditions. Every year presents different issues – but the combination of the Diamond Jubilee, the UEFA European Cup and of course the London Olympics provide more ‘interruptions’ to the year than is normally the case.

With uncertainty in Euro-zone, sterling is struggling to keep it’s value and has fallen back already this year from 1.22 to the current level of 1.18. This coupled with increased prices and taxation will make holidaying in Europe more expensive in 2012. Jersey & Guernsey will benefit from this. Our message to our hotel partners in the islands is to ensure we continue to provide excellent value for money – that does not necessarily mean the cheapest but good quality at competitive prices. Something we are all striving to achieve.

Despite tough market conditions, we are delighted to have announced the launch of a new air route from Cambridge to Jersey which will operate each Saturday from 12 May to 15 September. Part of our business success is due to the regional routes we operate from the UK and as with our other services, the combination of ease of access, a stress-free experience at the airport and competitively-priced holidays will attract many people to fly from Cambridge this summer. We look forward to welcoming our first passengers in May.

Last week I took part in a presentation to Jersey’s States members – the equivalent of MP’s in the UK. We wanted to stress to them the importance of the tourism industry to the island and the need to continue to provide support. The world is a smaller place with access to many more tourism destinations than was the case 10 years ago and we need to fight harder for our share of the tourism market in both Bailiwicks of Jersey & Guernsey. The feedback was encouraging, but as always we hope to see words matched by deeds.

The ‘OGH’ offers guests and visitors a selection of options, from fine dining in the intimate Governor’s Restaurant to al fresco summer meals in the Olive Grove, and casual breakfasts, lunches and dinners in the hotel’s Brasserie.

The Governor’s Restaurant claims to be Guernsey’s most romantic and intimate establishment. The surroundings live up to this claim, with richly decorated bohemian furnishings and candle light providing a rich and quiet atmosphere. The Governor’s a la carte menu offers diners a collection of perfectly cooked seafood, fish, and meat dishes; Lyme Bay scallops with braised chicken wings and a stunning pig’s head and ham hock ballotine being notable highlights. Vegetarians are well looked after with that rarest of sights: a separate vegetarian menu. If you’re in for a celebration or a special occasion, the Chef’s “Surprise” Menu Dégustation et Vins is not to be missed. Diners can relax as the hotel’s talented chefs create a seven course menu, perfectly complimented by the Sommelier’s wine choices.

The hotel’s brasserie restaurant offers a more casual and laid back affair, ideal for light lunches, informal dinners, and quick meetings. The brasserie is set in the hotel’s attractive conservatory, overlooking private gardens and with a long distance view over neighbouring Channel Islands. The brasserie menu offers a selection of great value dishes, from simple favourites such as fish and chips and moules to larger dishes of oyster box chicken curry and tasty rump of lamb. Desserts are simple and tempting, from a classic strawberry trifle to a more complex chocolate and hazelnut parfait with jivara chantilly.

The summer sun provides a perfect backdrop for the Olive Grove, a quiet and relaxing al fresco option in which guests can enjoy meat from the barbeque, brasserie meals or a very moreish afternoon tea.

Three venues, so many tempting options. The Old Government House is perfect for all tastes, simple or rich, large or small.

The Old Government House Hotel is open all year, with rooms from £69 per person per night.

Book your visit to the Old Government House Hotel & Spa here