The summer is nearly upon us and we'll soon be digging out our shorts and basking in the glorious British sunshine (hopefully!). Whatever the weather, this summer promises to be an exciting one with so many things to see and do, whether you're staying at home or going abroad. Today, we're taking a look at some of the best things to do and get involved in this summer.

 

On the beach in Rhodes, by flickr user drdcuddy

Go Abroad
Let's face it; the weather in the UK is unpredictable at the best of times, so why not head somewhere that guarantees sunshine and lots of it? With arguably the most varied group of islands in Europe, you can't go wrong with Greece. Whether it's clubbing in Zante or sightseeing in Rhodes, check out Hotels4u for a selection of Greece hotels suitable for every budget.

 

Staycation
Why jet off thousands of miles away though when everything we need can be found right on our very own doorstep (well almost). For example, you could go on a train ride to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, where there's lots to offer visitors of every age. Book into one of our fantastic hotels in Edinburgh and explore the famous Edinburgh Castle, take a walk down the Royal Mile or spend an evening of fun and frivolity in one of the lively bars in the city.

 

Olympic Stadium, by Frank Steiner

Olympic Games
Unless you've been living in a cave for the past year or so, you might have heard that the greatest sporting event in the world is taking place this summer in London. Whether you were lucky enough to get tickets for the 100m final or the beach volleyball, the Olympics Games is sure to be one of the most historic events this country has ever seen. Take a look at our selection of London hotels for some great deals on accommodation.

Diamond Jubilee
There's nothing more British than the Royal Family and with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee taking place in June, this summer is sure to be the most majestic of occasions. Best of all, we get an extra bank holiday too on June 5th, enabling you to join in the celebrations as the Queen celebrates 60 years on the throne. Or why not follow in the Royal footsteps by doing your own Jubilee themed tour of the country? 

Leeds Festival, by Ian Wilson

Festivals
Those who don't mind slumming it in a muddy field surrounded by fellow revellers, smelly port-a-loo's and lots of noise should head to one of the various music festivals happening around the UK this summer. Whether you're getting your glow sticks out in Stratford-upon-Avon for Global Gathering (27-28 July), rocking out to Kasabian and Foo Fighters at Leeds Festival (24-26 April) or living it up at Bestival (6-9 September) on the Isle of Wight, there is a festival for everyone out there. 

 

House Decorated for the 2010 World Cup, by Matthew Wilkinson 

 

Football European Championships
With all the excitement of the Olympics, let's not forget the football European Championships are also being held this summer. Taking place in Poland and Ukraine, the hopes of the nation will rest on the shoulders of Wayne Rooney and co as England aim to win their first tournament since 1966. Expect the country to be awash with St George's flags, men in pubs who have just about managed to squeeze into their England shirts for another year and perhaps more footballing heartache.

What are your plans for the summer? Tell us in the comments!

You can also catch up with us on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Oh, holidays - how we love them. Let us count the ways... The shifting time zones, the excitement of getting on the plane, cultural expectations, sights to see, new languages to decipher and - of course - lashings of sunshine to do it all in.

Sounds exhausting, doesn't it?

While we've all scheduled in a day with our feet up at least once while on holiday, it's fair to say you probably wouldn't expect to go to bed as part of your evening's entertainment.

So as we head into the final week of National Bed Month, we've rounded up some bizarre bed-themed attractions throughout the globe where you can expand your cultural experiences and put your feet up away from the hotel.

The B.E.D Nightclub in Miami (via nightcure.com)

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When you go on holiday, a good night's sleep is an essential part of the entire experience. Whether you're combating jetlag, recovering from a boozy night on the town, or just indulging in a lazy lie in, nothing quite beats the comfort of a freshly made bed.

We've rounded up some of our hottest deals on hotels around the Mediterranean that will help you get a good night's sleep on your break abroad.

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The nature of travel dictates that sometimes, whether by choice or necessity, you can find yourself in a less-than-conventional sleeping arrangement when you go abroad.

So earlier this week to start off National Bed Month, we told you about the different types of traditional beds used in countries around the planet.

Today, it's the turn of the unconventional as we're looking at some of the strangest places you might end up sleeping around (and out of) the world...

 

Image by Alaskan Dude via Flickr

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The Hotels4u team love a good night's sleep. So imagine our glee when we found out that the whole of March is National Bed Month - a cause very much after our own hearts.

Being in the bed business ourselves (well, if you count hotel beds) we decided to jump on board and devote this month to all things sleep-related.

So what better way to start than to look across the world and see how the rest of the planet gets their eight hours of shut-eye?

From siestas to a bed of nails, here are just a few different ways people get some sleep around the world.

Image by Pedro Ribeiro Simoes via Flickr

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We're an odd lot, us Brits.

We like Morris dancing. We're obsessed with the weather. One of our best-selling artists of all time is Sir Cliff Richard. Village fetes, eel pies, saying ‘sorry' all the time - the residents of this wonderful UK of GB and NI can be as mad as a box of frogs.

Which is why all this week we've been looking at some of the more unusual things that us barmy Brits get up to, like setting unusual world records.

That's right, not content with breaking the more ‘conventional' records, some of us Brits like to break the ones that are a little less mainstream. Keep reading to find out four of our favourites...

 

Morris dancers lead the way for quirky British traditions (by Martin Pettitt via Flickr)

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It's fair to say that when it comes to countries with unusual quirks and eccentricities, Britain is up there with the best of them.

Aside from the the orderly queues, our penchant for cups of tea and even the odd cheese rolling competition, the UK also has an array of interesting (and just plain funny) place names to be proud of.

While some are steeped in local history and can give a glimpse into a city or town's past, others just make for an amusing way to pass a road trip. So to kick off Unusual Week at Hotels4U, let's take a look around the country at some of Britain's most weird and wonderful place names...

 

Image by Anne-Lise Heinrichs via Flickr

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We all have our different reasons for going on holiday.

You might like getting pampered in a luxury hotel, have a passion for trying the local delicacies or simply want to escape the British weather. Whatever your reason for wanting a break, there are several factors to take into consideration before choosing where you go. But which one matters the most?

With it being Over2U week, we thought there was no better time to put that question to Hotels4U's Facebook fans, and asked you to vote the most important part of your holiday.

We've totted up the results, so let's take a look at what came out on top...

Image by Teo Romera

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All this week we're handing the decisions Over2u, giving you the chance to vote for what you want to see on the Hotels4U blog. 

Today on our Facebook page we asked you to vote for what type of family friendly holiday you wanted us to blog about: beach breaks, or city trips?

Well the results are now in...and city breaks have taken the win!

We know it's stressful enough having to lug your kids around a strange city, and when it comes to family holidays, some cities are much more welcoming towards youngsters than others. So to help you decide which one to choose, here's a round-up of our favourite family destinations, featuring some of the best European cities for catering to children. 

 

London has plenty to keep kids occupied (image by John Goode via Flickr)

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Welcome to Blogger Week!

Whether you're looking for inspiration, tips, advice, or just a 10 minute break from the nine-to-five, travel blogs are a great way to get your daily wanderlust fix without leaving the house.

And here at Hotels4U, we love reading about what travellers are getting up to around the world.

So all this week on our blog, Twitter, Facebook and Google+, we'll be sharing some travel blogs that have caught our eye this year.

To kick things off, we tracked down nine bloggers and asked: What are your travel plans for 2012?

Here's what they had to say. Prepare to catch the travel bug...

 

First up, Laurence from Finding the Universe

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