Clare Hughes

Clare Hughes | Travel Specialist

Phone Clare: 01600 463 022

Visit Clare: 39 Monnow Street, Monmouth, NP25 3EF

All about Clare

I’ve been a Travel Specialist for thirty-six years now and am lucky enough to have travelled extensively around the world, ticking off a broad range of must-see destinations. Working now in Miles Morgan Travel’s Monmouth branch, I’d be delighted to welcome both returning and brand-new customers and share my expertise in the hopes of booking the holiday they’ve spent a lifetime waiting for.

South Africa is undoubtedly one of my favourite countries to visit. The Mount Nelson Hotel – or “Nellie”, as it’s famously and lovingly known – is a sight to be seen and offers an unforgettable overnight stay. Walking through the grand entrance, I was already awestruck by its timeless, traditional décor. The food is spectacular, the rooms divine. Situated at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain, and with the waterfront only a five-minute drive away, what else could you ask for? Be sure to take the cable-car to the top of the mountain for unmissable views of the lively, cosmopolitan city. Or, if you’re lucky, hop into a helicopter for the view of a lifetime. I’ll never forget it!

On the same continent, Kenya also holds many special memories for me. I stayed in the Mara Bushtops Luxury Safari Camp, a gorgeous, secluded paradise, complete spa, pools, a selection of beautiful suites, and even its own private wildlife reserve! The safari itself was utterly jaw-dropping, with views just as I imagined: untamed nature at its absolute best. Early in the mornings I’d stare at out at the view, watching the morning dew lift slowly to reveal a huge herd of wildebeest. Plus, how can you top being guarded by a Maasai Warrior as you sleep? It was incredibly special trip, and one I couldn’t recommend highly enough.

I also loved Barbados, with its sophisticated west-coast hotels and stunning beaches. It’s a fantastic destination for the ultimate relaxing, luxurious holidays. A personal favourite spot of mine is the Tamarind Cove, a stone’s throw from the gorgeous St. James Beach. When the day is done, why not travel south to the chic bars and glittering nightlife of St. Lawrence? There’s a huge variety of resorts, hotels and self-catered properties, catering to all needs and tastes. A true bucket-list destination to explore!

Meanwhile, after a short city break to Toronto & Niagara Falls, I fell in love with Canada. It’s such a vast country, so I’d really recommend a self-drive trip. We drove over the Rockies, from Calgary to Vancouver, and it was an incredible way to explore it, discovering lots of hidden gems we wouldn’t necessarily have found otherwise! The accommodation and cuisine in Canada is second to none: from the five-star Fairmont in Whistler to the Lobstick Lodge in Jasper, I truly never wanted to leave. I was even lucky enough to spot a pod of no less than eighty orcas on the coast of Vancouver Island! A sight that will remain with me forever. Recently, I revisited this amazing place, escorting a group to the Rockies, with an added bonus of the Rocky Mountaineer and an Alaskan cruise! No customer ever returns from Canada disappointed, and I’d recommend it endlessly: lifelong memories are a guarantee. If you’re interested in taking this iconic trip, please give me a call to arrange an appointment. I’d love to share my experiences.

Australia, and Tasmania in particular, also hold incredible memories for me. I’ve written a blog all about my trip there: please see below for my guide to this wonderful corner of the world!

Interested to know more, and book your next holiday? I’d be delighted to welcome you to our Monmouth branch.

Customer reviews of Clare

As promised, here are a few thoughts about our recent holiday to Sicily. Taormina is an excellent base for those wanting a combination of sun, sea, shopping and culture. If of average fitness, organise a trek up Etna with one of the many specialist day tour companies. It was a brilliant experience to get that close to the volcano. The Excelcior Palace is a grand old hotel in a stunning position overlooking Etna and the bay. The staff are friendly and cannot do enough for you. Nothing was too much trouble. Our room was adequate for 3 people, especially as we didn't spend too much time in there! It certainly had everything we needed and a fantastic view of Etna to watch the nightly lava flows and explosions. The food is good. Plenty of choice but don't expect British dishes. Lots of pasta, risotto, veal, fruit and veg etc. Continental breakfast with a small selection of hot eggs and bacon. More than adequate. The pool area is stunning. So much so that the trek to the beach, even when organised by the hotel by car, seems unnecessary! It is a large pool, surrounded by trees and gardens and with a wonderful view along the coast. The pool bar is good and manned all day. The representative, Rita, was lovely and not at all pushy! She was easily contactable by mobile when we needed her. We did one excursion, The Godfather half day tour but although the first half was interesting, the second half was far too long with little to see and a poor choice of restaurants for lunch. It would have been better to finish before lunch and make it an actual half day as opposed to 9.30-2.45. I can't think of anything else Clare but if you need clarification on anything, let me know. Thank you again for organising such a brilliant holiday.

– Karen

Thank you Clare. We had a great time at The Grand Pineapple Beach Hotel in Antigua. A lovely choice of restaurants from Buffet, Italian, Grill and Authentic Caribbean. We were spoilt for choice . We would certainly recommend the hotel to friends and family. And thanks again for looking after us so well

– Mr & Mrs M

We have just returned back from a holiday we book with you last September. we came to Miles Morgan Monmouth branch for advice on cruises, my friend and I was celebrating our 50th birthdays and wanted something special. We have had a fantastic 7 day cruise on board P&O Ventura, we both wanted to say a special thank you for all the advice you and your team gave us on choosing our holiday destination. Thank you Claire for booking our reservations and keeping us up to date with information prior to our departure. You have a very friendly team of staff at Monmouth and people rely on your services - you have done an excellent job and we will treasure the memories of our 50th birthday celebrations for years to come. We look forward to booking our next cruise with you soon

– Wendy & Moira

It was an unspoilt, traditional and rustic – a real find ! Ocakkoy in a natural setting for complete relaxation surpassed our expectations. Our individually furnished cottage had all we needed including a small fully fitted kitchen. Olu Deniz Beach just a 15 minute drive and Fethiye just ten. What more could you want. Highly recommended for a truly Turkish holiday. Thank you Anatolian Sky for finding this beauty and of course to Clare for recommending following her visit.

– Mr & Mrs K

Grand Pineapple. Hotel a little tired, but room very good. Best rooms in the 900's block. Staff very attentive, food and restaurant very good, beach fabulous, pool again a bit tired. sandals have plans to purchase the rest of the beach area and to modernize the whole resort. I would go again, facilities and staff make up for the again slightly oldish feel. 8 out 10. Booked with Funway and Thank you Clare for recommending this special offer to us.

– Mr & Mrs T

My wife and I have just returned from a one week's winter sun break in Gran Canaria. The holiday was at the Hotel Riu Palace Meloneras Resort . This was an excellent venue with comfortable well furnished rooms and good sea views. The extensive hotel grounds were well maintained very attractive with two large pools. There were also plenty of sunbeds with daily supply of fresh towels to lie on. There were two options for meal times: buffet style or restaurant a- la carte style. The food was of excellent quality with plenty of variety each mealtime. The hotel staff were courteous and very helpful and the only criticism I would make is that the standard of evening entertainment was of very poor quality. However the convenient location of the hotel meant that there were ample bars and restaurants nearby which we could use alternatively. Finally a nice relaxing pleasant break in a hotel and area my wife and I would gladly return to!

– Mr H

Thank You to Clare Hughes of Miles Morgan (Monmouth branch) for helping us to book a wonderful tour with Travelsphere which enabled us to realise a long held dream to see the beautiful scenery of New Zealand. On our arrival at Auckland Airport we were met by a friendly and efficient tour manager and an extremely knowledgeable coach driver who was proud to give an interesting commentary about his homeland. These two people worked together to provide every opportunity for us and the rest of the group to experience the excitement and the tranquillity which both the North and South Islands of New Zealand have to offer. All the hotels were good and everyone we met was friendly and helpful. We booked optional excursions and all of these were excellent value because they provided us with such memorable highlights. The party travelled many miles in a comfortable coach and there were regular stops for photo opportunities and comfort breaks. We selected this tour because the itinerary included travelling north from Auckland to visit the Ninety Mile Beach and the tip of the country at Cape Reinga and also because the price was favourable compared with other travel companies.

– Heather and Keith Hunt

Dear Clare, What a lovely holiday we had with Travelsphere to The Historic Towns of the Rhine & Moselle this September. We cruised on the MS Serenade 1 Mozart and were thoroughly delighted with the whole River Cruising experience. Having cruised on much larger ships we weren't quite sure what to expect when we saw how much smaller the Serenade was but we weren't disappointed as everything went to plan. We saw some beautiful places and would recommend this holiday.

- Mrs Fox & Mrs Brown

Clare’s personal knowledge of the East coast of Australia was instrumental in helping us plan our once in a lifetime trip. With such a large number of places to visit, it was vital that we spoke to someone who had been there and could advise accordingly. We ended up spending three wonderful days in Byron Bay, due to Clare’s personal recommendation, which we had not considered at the start.

- Anon

When I was planning my trip to Canada, Clare at Miles Morgan Travel in Monmouth was an immense help. Her knowledge of British Columbia and the driving distances between the towns and attractions I wanted to visit, made planning our trip really easy. She also suggested some fantastic off the beaten track hotels that we would never have known about otherwise! I just wanted to say what a star you have there at your Monmouth shop.

- Jane T

Hi Clare

Just to say we are having a fantastic time. All hotels have been superb and everything has gone like clockwork. You cannot be held responsible for the weather, which was like home in Sydney with not a glimpse of the sun and visibility in the Blue Mountains reduced to 20 yards. Despite that we still enjoyed Sydney. Will send further updates. Thanks for all your hard work in making this happen.

- Diane and Geoff

We have just returned from an excellent holiday that we booked through you with Kirker Holidays. We stayed at the Hotel Chateaubriand in Saint Malo which was excellent. The location, service, character and comfort exceeded all our expectations. We will definately be booking with you and Kirker Holidays again in the near future. Thank you again.

- Dr and Mrs J.