Any parent to a toddler knows that holidays with our little bundles of joy can be somewhat… challenging. The journey! The routine! The sleeping arrangements!

But it’s a case of sweet relief at Harbour Beach Club Hotel & Spa in the salubrious seaside town of Salcombe. Not only is it in a swanky location that makes the south coast of England feel like the French Riviera, but it makes relaxing with a toddler in tow a cinch. 

From warm and friendly staff – who were happy to fulfil my two-year-old son’s requests of racing them at breakfast – to parent-pleasing free gin in every room, this picture-perfect Devon hotel makes for the ideal beachside bolthole for families.

Harbour Beach Club is set in the beautifully unspoilt bay of South Sands in the South Devon Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a mile and a half outside the centre of the exclusive town of Salcombe, which was named Britain’s most expensive seaside home location earlier this year.

The setting is truly hard to beat, with the scenic beach just two seconds from the hotel, a huge perk when you are travelling with young children and seem to be back and forth to your room constantly for snacks, clothes and nappy changes. 

Offering panoramic views across the beach, the hotel is secluded enough to provide a welcome break from the tourist madness of central Salcombe, but within easy reach of its many attractions.

What’s more, guests can park up for the weekend, ditch the car and visit Harbour Beach Club’s sister hotel in Salcombe using a free shuttle service. The town is perfectly walkable if you don’t mind hills.

My son Oscar, two, was delighted by the sweet local ferry from South Sands to Salcombe town. Riding out into the bay on the ‘sea tractor’ was without a doubt one of the highlights of his trip (and probably life!).

There are 44 rooms and six stylish suites at Harbour Beach Club, with some for families with older children that interconnect. Almost all of them offer breath-taking views of the bay and balconies so guests can while away the hours looking out to sea.

If the copious sea air and tranquillity isn’t enough to guarantee a good night’s sleep, the sublime super-king beds will have you nodding off in no time – and all bedrooms are air conditioned, in case you hit the British seaside holiday jackpot and chance upon a warm week.

Plus, all rooms feature plenty of creature comforts in the form of a Nespresso coffee machine, tea-making facilities, a well-stocked mini-bar and those all-important complimentary bottles of Salcombe Gin. 

A brand new spa, which opened in March, is another bonus. It’s home to a 12-metre pool, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a suntrap terrace, sauna and steam rooms. I was lucky enough to enjoy a signature facial and drifted off to sleep in blissful relaxation. 

Time can also be passed simply relaxing and sandcastle-building on the beautiful beach. And handily, Harbour Beach Club has a well-stocked selection of beach goods, so not to worry if you’re short on space or travelling by train. 

We borrowed a bucket and spade, crabbing lines and a pair of adorable Hunter wellies for Oscar whenever we decamped to the sands.

There are plenty of activities on offer too – including free beach yoga, paddle-boarding and kayaking. 

And those with more adventurous tastes can even try their hand at wild swimming, fishing trips and guided coastal hikes. 

We were treated to a boat trip around Salcombe Harbour with an incredibly knowledgeable guide who even let Oscar steer the boat, something he still talks about to this day. 

However, one of the main highlights for us as parents was that the staff seem to genuinely love children and even knew Oscar by name by the end of our four-night stay. And they thoughtfully allow parents to have a glass of wine in relative peace during mealtimes by giving little ones stickers and activity books. 

Old and young are kept happy foodwise, too, with the restaurant offering a good choice of children’s food options and adults treated to a wealth of delectable seafood options and delicious local fish, as well as a robust wine and cocktail selection.

Breakfast was a particular highlight, with guests enjoying an extensive continental buffet and a menu featuring plenty of cooked options. The pancakes seemed to be a huge hit for the little ones.

With beautiful views, an A-plus location, wonderful staff and a genuinely lovely vibe, Harbour Beach Club is the perfect place for British beach fun for all the family. 

  

Shannon Beador was complaining about former Real Housewives of Orange County co-star Alexis Bellino before she drunkenly crashed her car into a home and was arrested for DUI alcohol and hit-and-run Saturday.

Beador, 59, was at a Newport Beach, California establishment called A Restaurant Saturday, where Bellino, 46, was also present, an eyewitness told TMZ Tuesday.

The witness told the site that Beador was sitting with her friend and business partner Steve Muller at the eatery, which is near where she subsequently crashed her vehicle while intoxicated.

Beador’s demeanor at the bar in the luxe Orange County area was described to the site as ‘tipsy, loud and boisterous,’ and she had her arms ‘flailing in the air.’

A witness told the site that there was ‘real animosity in the air’ as Beador badmouthed Bellino to the people around her.

Bellino, who appeared on four seasons of the Bravo reality show, confirmed in a statement to TMZ that she and Beador were at the restaurant, but did not talk to one another.

‘When my girlfriends and I arrived for a fun night out together, it was soon brought to my attention that Shannon was also at the same restaurant,’ Bellino told the outlet. ‘Shannon and I did not interact that night, but it greatly saddens me to learn that she may harbor negative feelings or resentment toward me.’

In regards to the fallout of Beador’s crash and arrest, Bellino said she wishes ‘Shannon nothing but the best, as I know she is facing trying times ahead.’

Bellino added that she ‘was not involved in’ a defamation lawsuit her ex-husband Jim Bellino filed in 2018 against Beador and RHOC’s Tamra Judge over comments they made about his business on the podcast Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald.

According to TMZ, Beador was arrested Saturday in the luxe Orange County city, as authorities said she hit a house, parked in the middle of a street and pretended she was walking her dog.

Beador’s vehicle was seized by authorities, and she was was subsequently released without bond.

Beador’s lawyer Michael Fell told DailyMail.com Monday: ‘Shannon is extremely apologetic and remorseful. 

‘We will be awaiting the official information on this case as it becomes available, and Shannon is prepared to accept full responsibility for her actions.’

The Newport Beach Police Department told People Monday that Beador had been ‘arrested at 1:17 a.m. on Sept. 17 after fleeing the scene from a collision that caused property damage.’

She was ‘booked for two misdemeanors – hit-and-run and DUI alcohol;’ and ‘released on a citation.’

Bravo personality Jeff Lewis, who is a friend of Beador’s, said that Beador ‘was injured’ and is ‘going to be recovering’ in the aftermath of the incident.

‘Shannon and I have been friends for a very long time,’ Lewis said on his SiriusXM show. ‘I was shocked – she called me yesterday and we talked for awhile – and I was shocked because I’ve never known Shannon to ever, ever drink and drive.

‘I will tell you she’s accepting full accountability. She is ashamed, she’s embarrassed. I personally, as her friend – cause people are like, “Oh she needs rehab,” “Oh she’s an alcoholic” – I don’t think Shannon is an alcoholic.’

He added: ‘I think she’s been going thorough a lot of personal struggles right now, and I think she has been leaning on alcohol – but I don’t think she’s an alcoholic.’

Lewis said that Beador is ‘going to be entering counseling this week’ following the accident and arrest.

The Real Housewives of Orange County can be seen on Bravo every Wednesday at 8/7c.

British woman, 19, ‘is raped on a beach’ during holiday on Greek island of Ios

• The 19-year-old said she was raped on the Mylopotas beach on Wednesday night
• Comes amid horrifying spate of sex assault allegations from Brits this summer

By Arthur Parashar

Published: 03:44 EDT, 17 August 2023 | Updated: 05:58 EDT, 17 August 2023

 Taylor Swift fled a restaurant in Long Beach Island, New Jersey after being the cause of a major road being shut down as her presence at pal Jack Antonoff’s star-studded wedding rehearsal dinner caused quite a commotion.

Hundreds of the 33-year-old hitmaker’s diehard fans – known as Swifties – made their way to the Black Whale corner bar just for a chance to get a glimpse of the music icon.

Taylor – who was seen out with pal Ed Sheeran the previous day – is in town to celebrate her 39-year-old music collaborator’s nuptials with 28-year-old actress Margaret Qualley. 

The megastar arrived at the star-packed event with Channing Tatum and Zoe Kravitz to an uproarious ovation from her passionate fans. 

 Taylor, Zoe, and Channing were not the only stars at the gathering as Lana Del Rey, who has also often collaborated with Antonoff, was also there in addition to mother-of-the-bride Andie MacDowell

 Police ended up having to arrive outside of the popular Long Beach Island spot to ensure that the massive crowd was behaving themselves.

Taylor looked absolutely stunning upon her arrival at the Black Whale as she stunned in a two-piece strapless dress.

Her signature dirty blonde locks were worn down into an elegant updo with her fringe hanging to just above her eye.

There were several video’s of Taylor’s presence at the neighborhood bar all over social media including a TikTok of her arrival with the 34-year-old actress and 43-year-old actor from inside of the restaurant. 

The scene grew even more chaotic as hundreds of fans could be heard chanting ‘Taylor! Taylor!’ as the wedding rehearsal was in full swing.

Other video footage showed the massive crowds who had lined the street in hopes that they would be able to catch a glimpse of the Bad Blood hitmaker.

Finally after the wedding rehearsal dinner had commenced, Taylor quickly walked down the steps with her thespian pals and made her swift exit alongside a security detail. 

 Earlier in the day news of the pop megastar’s arrival had spread around the neighborhood amongst locals who made their way to the Black Whale in droves leading to law enforcement having to direct traffic according to Page Six.

At around 8:45pm the eatery ended up shutting the balcony curtains which was a move met with boos by the Swifties in attendance. 

The publication reports that the rehearsal dinner had wrapped around 9pm as Swift and Del Rey left promptly.

Black Whale is definitely a change of pace for the megastar who is used to life in the lap of luxury as it is a modest bar and fish house which was established in 2005.

Before this the eatery’s claim to fame was as the neighborhood bar for the township of Beach Haven on Long Beach Island.

Back in May 2022, Qualley confirmed that she was engaged to Antonoff as she took to Instagram to share a snap flashing her diamond engagement ring. 

The beauty was hugging and kissing her musician beau in the cozy images. ‘Oh I love him!’ wrote the daughter of Andie MacDowell in her caption.

Rumours swirled on that she was set to marry Antonoff after wearing the ring at the Cannes Film Festival  just weeks before that.

  

The actress has been attached to Jack since the summer of 2021. 

They confirmed they were dating in August 2021, when they were spotted kissing and embracing while strolling around New York City. 

As for Swift’s relationship with Antonoff, he has played a major role in her very successful career.

He started working with the singer on her 1989 album, which she won a GRAMMY award for, and is credited as a writer and producer on every Taylor album since.

The two became close after meeting at the MTV European Music Awards in 2012 and has since been hailed by Swift as her ‘friend for life’.

Jack made a cameo in her star-studded Bejeweled music video and joined the star in performing songs from her Folklore album for the Disney+ special film Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions. 

The musician is the lead singer of rock band Bleachers and was the guitarist and drummer in the pop rock band Fun. He was also the lead singer of the indie rock band Steel Train.

In May last year he credited Taylor for launching his career as a producer, telling The New Yorker: ‘I’d been trying to produce for a while, but there was always some industry herb going, ‘That’s cute, but that’s not your lane.’

‘Taylor was the first person with the stature to go, ‘I like the way this sounds, I’m putting it on my album’ – and then, suddenly, I was allowed to be a producer.’

A British mother-to-be who flew 4,000 miles across the world to give birth on a beach is now ‘stranded’ off the coast of Grenada with her four-month-old baby.

Iuliia Gurzhii, 38, and husband, Clive, 51, said they ‘feel like prisoners’ as they have been unable to register their newborn’s birth or apply for a passport.

The couple left Tameside, Manchester, and were travelling to Rodney Bay in St Lucia so that Iuliia could fulfil her dream of having the most ‘natural’ birth possible on a beach.

But her waters broke and she gave birth to baby Louisa at sea on April 23.

Ever since, the couple have been locked in a battle against bureaucracy to get her home.

To make matters worse, they left their eight-year-old daughter Elizabeth in the UK because they couldn’t get her passport renewed.

Initially they were told by a hospital that they couldn’t register her birth because she was more than 24 hours old.

Then an immigration office said they needed proof the baby was theirs, before a passport office said they couldn’t help because the couple had no proof of where Louisa was born.

And now they claim the UK High Commission said they needed a DNA test – which they are still waiting to get the results for.

The pair say they don’t know how they will get back to the UK and they feel that they are ‘stranded’.

Iuliia, a yoga teacher, said she is having sleepless nights due to the stress of not being able to go home to her daughter, who is being looked after by her auntie, Kristina, 24.

She said: ‘It is hurricane season we have storms now – it is traumatising for us all.

‘I can’t stop crying, we are begging for help – we have been abandoned.’

Clive, a sports coach from Tameside, said: ‘We have been passed around different agencies and nobody will help us.

‘We are running out of money. We will soon run out of food, and nobody is helping us.

‘We are essentially stateless – we are more than abandoned. We are prisoners in a country that we are not allowed to leave.’

The couple left the UK in March when Iuliia was 35 weeks pregnant and first travelled to Martinique.

They then headed to St Lucia by boat and Iuliia gave birth at sea off the coast of Rodney Bay.

Louisa was born at 12.40am, weighing 3kg.

A few days later, the parents visited the Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital in St Lucia to get checked over and register their daughter’s birth.

But they claim they were told they couldn’t because it was not within 24 hours of her birth.

Clive said: ‘We headed over to the registry office and filled in the forms for a birth certificate.

‘We waited for a couple of weeks and the registry office came back and said they couldn’t do anything as the baby wasn’t born in the hospital and nobody witnessed the birth.’

The new parents then went to the immigration office in St Lucia for assistance and claim they were told they would need proof that the baby was theirs.

The family contacted the passport office in Castries, St Lucia, hoping to secure an emergency passport for their baby.

But they claim they were not provided with one because they had no proof of where Louisa was born.

As the storm season began in St Lucia, the couple had to move the boat to safety and anchored in Grenada on June 20.

After arriving in Grenada, Clive and Iuliia went to the UK High Commission in St George’s for help.

But they claim they were told they would have to do a DNA test to prove that the baby is theirs.

They couple hope that when the DNA test results arrive, they will be allowed to leave with a passport for the baby and return to the UK.

Speaking of the ordeal, Clive said: ‘We don’t have enough money for flights. When we came over here, they were £600 each and now they are a few grand.

‘I am £6,000 in debt on the card. We are running out of money.

‘We keep being called by the Foreign Office and they ask us if we have an update for them.

‘They should be the ones helping us get out of here.’

An FCDO spokesman said: ‘We have offered consular support to a British family in St Lucia.’

The tables have turned! Beachgoer chases off six wild boars on Marbella beach… after animals’ rampage antics give sunbathers the fright of their lives

By Olivia Jones and Gerard Couzens

Published: 11:44 EDT, 1 August 2023 | Updated: 12:22 EDT, 1 August 2023

A long-overdue mix of innovations, inventions and improvements are set to transform holiday options for disabled travellers this summer. 

Better still, it’s not just planes, trains and (off-road) automobiles promising easier access and more comfortable journeys.

Hotels, beach resorts and cruise ships are also unveiling radical changes as travel bosses wake up to the size of the disabled travel market.

‘A lot of challenges remain for disabled people and their families, but the travel industry is moving in the right direction. The world is slowly opening up to everyone,’ says Angus Drummond, of Limitless Travel, which specialises in disability-friendly and accessible holidays.

BEST FOR BEACHES

Greece is leading the way with a clever scheme to help wheelchair users reach and swim in the sea. New wooden decks help disabled visitors avoid the ‘sand trap’ of rolling wheelchairs across a beach, while at the deck’s edge, solar-powered seats lower users into waist-high waters.

Tobea, the local company behind the scheme, has already installed more than 200 of its Seatrac chairs in Greek resorts and is expanding into Italy and Cyprus this summer. Spain, Croatia and the Caribbean are next on the list. There’s a directory of locations at seatrac.gr.

Sand traps have also been smoothed out at a series of Inclusive Beaches in Northern Ireland.

The Mae Murray Foundation, a charity, ensures the beaches have disabled access and parking, toilets with hoists and adult-sized changing benches plus wet suits and equipment to rent including new sit-down surf boards, floating chairs and thick-wheeled beach walkers. Check the facilities at maemurrayfoundation.org.

IN THE SKY

A new airline seat is planned by Delta Airlines that will allow passengers to stay in their own wheelchairs on board.

When installed, the back cushions of an economy seat near an exit and toilet are removed and the lower part flipped up to create space for a chair.

It means travellers won’t have to check their own chairs into the hold, get on board in a narrow ‘aisle chair’ and slide into an ordinary seat for the flight. Safety testing means the new cabin’s first flight is around 18 months away — but the good news is that Delta’s design partner plans to licence it to other airlines in the meantime.

Another innovation is on the horizon in Germany. Revolve Air is a foldable chair for travellers (described as the Brompton bike of wheelchairs). Even the wheels fold small enough to fit into a plane’s overhead locker, with production due to begin this winter.

ON SAFARI

New accessible vehicles with ramps for powered wheelchairs are opening up the game reserves of South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia for trips with 2by2 Holidays, where experienced staff have been offering disabled-friendly holidays for more than two decades.

Holidaymakers who travel in manual wheelchairs and can transfer into the front seat of a 4×4 safari vehicle can also look at the company’s safaris in Botswana and tours to the Victoria Falls.

At each destination a tailor-made mix of accessible hotels and lodges are on offer while airport assistance and accessible transfer vehicles can be booked alongside flights.

Holidays include a seven-night wheelchair-friendly break in Cape Town and the winelands of Stellenbosch from £1,995 pp plus flights (2by2holidays.co.uk).

PARK LIFE

Some of America’s most rugged landscapes are more accessible this year as all-weather, off-road wheelchairs are ready to rent from the visitor centres of beauty spots from Colorado to Lake Michigan. Described as ‘the Land Rover of wheelchairs’ the Minnesota-built Action Trackchair can tackle modest slopes while moving safely over rocks, tree roots, streams and sand.

America can be particularly friendly to disabled travellers and villas with fully-adapted bed and bathrooms can be good accommodation choices.

Four-bed villas near the theme parks of Florida with outdoor ramps, hospital-quality beds plus overhead gantry hoists in main bedrooms and hoists by a private pool can be rented from £2,100 per week. Compare villa choices at enableholidays.com and disabledholidays.com.

ON THE HIGH SEAS

Exhilarating attractions will be accessible to all when Sun Princess begins its inaugural Mediterranean cruises in February. Clever modifications mean thrill-seeking disabled guests can try the top-deck Rollglider, a cross between a rollercoaster and hang-glider.

Passengers also get a choice of wheelchair-friendly cabins with roll-in showers, accessible desks and easy-access, pull-down rails in the wardrobes.

Chair hoists on the pools and whirlpools of P&O ships help every guest enjoy the water on board, while cruises with UK departures remove the stress of taking wheelchairs through airports. A no-fly, 14-night and fully accessible Mediterranean cruise on P&O’s Arvia with specialist staff on hand from Limitless Travel starts at £4,059 pp (limitlesstravel.org).

While raised door thresholds can be a problem in some corridors, the fact that decks are all served by lifts makes ocean cruises a good choice for many wheelchair users. Equipment unavailable in cabins can be hired from Mobility At Sea and other firms (mobilityatsea.co.uk).

PERFECT PACKAGES

This summer Tui is teaming up with research group AccessAble to ensure travellers know exactly what to expect on their journeys and at their destination. AccessAble staff have been carrying out in-person examinations of hotels, attractions, restaurants, pubs, stations and more in the UK for years.

Its expansion overseas will include a similar treasure trove of facts, figures and photographs of everything from steps to showers in holiday resorts.

Tui also employs an in-house Assisted Travel Team who can ensure customers with visible or non-visible disabilities have smooth journeys (including vital but easy to overlook transfers) and the most suitable hotel rooms and in-resort support.

ACCESSIBLE ROOMS

In Britain, the Bespoke Hotel chain is taking a fresh approach to accessibility by seeking interior design advice from the Blue Badge Style group.

The aim is to ensure accessible rooms are as chic as every other. Bespoke has also created an Accessibility Charter for its properties to ensure staff know how to help guests with special needs (bespokehotels.com).

Britain’s poshest beach huts, installed by luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason, have been ruined by a storm just days after opening.

The trio of high-end huts were unveiled last week at Watergate Bay, Cornwall, with guests offered an ‘al fresco feast to remember’ by chef Emily Scott.

But the now lie in ruins after an ‘unexpected storm’ at high tide battered the wooden structures, causing ‘significant but cosmetic damage’, said Fortnum & Mason. 

The swish shacks, painted in the retailer’s shade of ‘Eau de Nil’ blue-green, cater for up to four guests and cost between £195 to £395 for a two-and-half-hour slot.

Repairs are now underway to the damaged platform surrounding the huts, with the firm hoping to reopen them as soon as possible. 

‘Due to an unexpected storm during high tide yesterday evening at Watergate Bay, the platform surrounding our Fortnum’s Beach Huts has sustained significant but cosmetic damage,’ the luxury retailer said. 

‘Before launch, all health and safety measures were approved by an accredited body that has since ensured that the base platform remains structurally intact.

‘And because we’re determined that nothing should get in the way of our customers enjoying a wonderful summer Beach Hut experience, we are now completing additional checks on the structure and working to correct the cosmetic damage before re-opening to the public as soon as we can – hopefully when there is a bit more sunshine.’

In promotional material, the retailer says the huts are ‘inspired by the nostalgia of summers spent on the British coast’. 

The exclusive seaside shacks were designed by the store and are kitted out with handpicked homeware that includes ‘beautiful rugs and blankets to keep guests warm on chillier summer days’. 

To book a slot in the exclusive seaside shacks, beachgoers must buy a Fortnum hamper containing a picnic that ‘combines the very best fresh dishes from independent Cornish suppliers with the store’s famous picnic products’. 

A statement last month from Fortnum & Mason, which was founded in 1707 and holds two royal warrants, said: ‘Every beach hut will enjoy the very best hospitality, including a pre-set picnic table, complete with stylish tableware and table service.’ 

Its two picnic menus were designed in collaboration with nearby restaurant ‘Emily Scott Food’.

The first is ‘Seaside Picnic’, a hamper priced from £195 for two beachgoers. Inside there’s smoked Cornish trout with ale-infused bread for starters, followed by a Coronation crab sandwich.

As for dessert, there’s fig leaf soft serve ice cream and Cornish cheddar truckle cheese served with Fortnum’s crackers.

A bottle of Fortnum & Mason sparkling tea will also be included in the hamper, along with the store’s pistachio and clotted cream biscuits, savoury ‘181 Sauce’ and a box of cheese sables (cookies).

The second hamper, meanwhile, is the ‘indulgent’ Seaside Feast hamper, which comes in at £295 for two people.

It comes with Cornish trout served with Exmoor caviar and the crab sandwiches are paired with half a local lobster and black truffle mayo. A lemon verbena posset features in the dessert offering. 

The huts opened on July 25 with limited bookings meant to continue until September 10.  

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden enjoyed at relaxing bike ride during their Rehoboth Beach vacation on Monday while, back in Washington D.C., their son Hunter’s former business partner testified to Congress. 

The Bidens, in matching black bike gear and uniforms, zipped along a bike path at Gordons pond, a popular five-mile loop near their $2 million beach home.

The first couple didn’t stop but did wave to a crowd of supporters, several of whom yelled ‘four more years’ – a reference to the president’s re-election campaign.

While the Bidens’ got in an early morning bike ride, Hunter’s Biden’s former friend and business partner Devon Archer arrived on Capitol Hill to testify to the House Oversight Committee about Hunter’s foreign business deals. 

Archer was subpoenaed by the House of Representatives Oversight Committee. House Republicans argue that Hunter Biden used his father’s status as vice president to help his business interests. They hope Archer can provide evidence that the president was directly involved in his son’s alleged dealings.

President Biden had denied any involvement in Hunter’s business affairs. 

‘We know that Devon Archer has met and communicated many, many times with Joe Biden about Burisma and other things,’ House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer told Fox News on Sunday.

Comer’s committee also has heard testimony from two Internal Revenue Service whistleblowers who say their investigation of Hunter Biden was stymied by the U.S. Justice Department.

Additionally, Hunter Biden appeared in court last week amid expectations that he would plead guilty to two tax charges and avoid a gun charge. But the judge in the case said she could not accept the plea agreement with prosecutors.

Meanwhile, House Republicans are weighing whether or not to impeach Biden. Archer’s testimony will play a role in that decision-making. 

Archer and Hunter both graduated from Yale and were friends for decades. Hunter has reportedly described Devon as his ‘best friend in business.’

Together they formed Rosemont Seneca Partners back in 2009, along with Christopher Heinz, the son-in-law of former Sen. John Kerry, kicking off a period of international business deals and jet-setting.

Archer and Hunter Biden each landed lucrative seats on the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, despite Hunter not having particular expertise in the field. The firm brought in a reported $11 million through the arrangement, based on information gleaned from Hunter’s infamous laptop.

They were photographed golfing with then-Vice President Biden back in 2014.

But the Bidens showed no signs of distress as they enjoy their week-long beach holiday. The president and first lady smiled broadly and waved to supporters as they zipped along the bike path. 

They are staying in their $2.7 million, six-bedroom, 4,800 square foot home in the Delaware beach town.

The first couple enjoyed some beach time on Sunday, sitting under an umbrella reading on the public beach.  

They will be in Rehoboth Beach until Friday, then head to their Wilmington, Delaware, home for the weekend. 

Next week President Biden travels to Arizona, New Mexico and Utah next week where he’ll talk about his administration’s efforts to combat climate change amid the brutally hot temperatures.

He’ll tout his Inflation Reduction Act and what it is doing to push advances in clean energy and manufacturing.

The president is also sending his cabinet across the country to talk up his accomplishments as he prepares for next year’s re-election campaign.

Vice President Kamala Harris heads to Wisconsin this week with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to talk about broadband infrastructure investments. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack goes to Oregon to highlight wildfire defense grants, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will go to Illinois and Texas, and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona heads to Maryland to talk about career and technical education programs. 

Summer is underway, but it’s not too late to book a last-minute beach break – and there are still some bargains to be had, Which? reveals.

The watchdog has drawn up a ranking of the top 10 cheapest destinations for a last-minute package break in early August. 

To curate the ranking, Which? compared the prices of more than 3,500 short-haul holidays available to book in eight countries from the UK’s biggest tour operators – Jet2holidays and Tui – to find the most affordable seaside destinations in the third week of the school summer holidays. 

Overall, it found that Spain was the cheapest country – the average price of a seven-night trip to Spain in early August is more than £400 less than a week in Croatia or Greece, Which? reveals. Here’s the low-down on the cheapest holiday hotspots to visit, starting with the most budget-friendly destination of all…

1. Bilbao – average holiday price of £667pp

Which? says: ‘Summer is balmy rather than baking in Bilbao. The best-known landmark in this Basque city in northern Spain is the shimmering Guggenheim Museum – a ship-shaped, titanium-clad marvel that’s as impressive as the art inside.’

It adds: ‘When you’ve had your fill of sightseeing, hop on the metro to Plentzia to stretch out on its golden beach or take a dip in the sheltered bay.’

2. Valencia – average holiday price of £694pp

Which? notes that – as we reported – the Spanish city of Valencia came top in its recent survey of the Mediterranean’s best seaside towns, saying: ‘Visitors gave Valencia full marks for its beach, tourist attractions, attractiveness, peace and quiet, friendliness and value for money.’ 

The watchdog notes: ‘It’s a great destination if you want to combine sunbathing with sightseeing. There’s a Gothic cathedral, a palatial Art Nouveau food market and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences cultural quarter to explore.’

3. Porto – average holiday price of £790pp

‘Porto sits on Portugal’s northern coast and enjoys gentler summers than Lisbon and the Algarve,’ Which? declares, noting that the city is known for its ‘prized port wine’.

It continues: ‘The waterfront and winding streets of Unesco-listed Ribeira [neighbourhood] are lined with hip bars and chic restaurants.’ Which recommends taking the ‘historic’ tram Number One to the beach or a river taxi to Vila Nova de Gaia, the city on the other side of the Douro River. 

4. Thessaloniki – average holiday price of £791pp

Which? says: ‘Greece’s second city is buzzing in summer. Escape the midday sun in its fresco-adorned Roman Rotunda, Byzantine museum, century-old food market and traditional coffee houses and tavernas. Or catch the breeze on a boat ride on the Thermaic Gulf.’

It adds: ‘The powder-soft beaches of Halkidiki are an easy day trip.’

5. Dalaman – average holiday price of £815pp

‘Dalaman is the cheapest option for holidaymakers who just want to flop on a beach and chill by a pool,’ Which? reveals.

It says: ‘The average cost of a package holiday in this region was considerably less than elsewhere on Turkey’s sun-soaked Turquoise Coast, and you can still find bed and breakfast, half-board and all-inclusive holidays available.’

While there, the ancient Greek rock-hewn tombs of the Fethiye district are a must-see, the watchdog adds.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘Jetting off in the summer holidays this year could be very pricey, but we’ve found it’s not too late to bag a bargain coastal break this August, whether you’re in the mood to simply fly and flop or want a bit of city life thrown in too.

‘Those looking to avoid the worst of the current hot temperatures in Europe might want to consider a last-minute city break in Bilbao or Porto, both of which were highly-rated by travellers in our recent survey of European coastal destinations. Meanwhile, those wanting a relaxing break lounging by the pool will find great value stays still available on Turkey’s beautiful Turquoise Coast.’