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Best Holiday Spots To Avoid The World Cup

The World Cup kicks off this month and if you’re not a fan here’s where to avoid the footie, home and away.

Never-ending lists of matches, endless discussions about missed penalties and player’s injuries; if it’s starting to feel like the whole summer’s been hi-jacked by the World Cup don’t get down, get going to a football-free zone NOW.

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Goat, Chelsea
Goat, Chelsea



If you’re London-based and your OH insists on watching all the matches (yawn) then drag them to the Goat in Chelsea where the football is shown in the main bar, but the hidden members bar (The Chelsea Prayer Room) is being opened up to football widows for fun alternatives, like a Cosmopolitan cocktail masterclass (£5), and Sex and The City episodes playing on the big screen.

In retaliation to all the football frenzy, The Malvern Spa is launching a League Of Your Own spa day (£119) for anyone who’s not enamoured with the beautiful game. The pampering session, which runs throughout the World Cup (June 12-July 13), includes a 30-minute geranium and grapefruit scrub, 60-minute rose body massage, full use of the spa facilities and lunch.

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Ragdale Hall in the Midlands is also offering an Escape The World Cup three-night break, packed full of  lovely treatments, including facial, massage, manicure, scalp massage and OPI nail varnish gift, for £450pp. If that’s too pricey, there’s also a World Cup Escape Day (£119pp) where you can enjoy a mani, day in the spa and three-course lunch with a glass of pink bubbly (available until July 17).

Linthwaite House
Linthwaite House



And if you really can’t bear to even hear the word ‘football’, check in to Linthwaite House in the Lake District, where the F-word has been banned. That’s right, any guest that hears a member of staff mention the word ‘football’ can claim a free glass of Champagne. And that’s not all, they’re also taking the sports supps out of the daily newspapers (yes!) and o§ffering free DVD’s from the library, so you can avoid watching telly completely. Rooms from £95.

Away



G&T’s on the terrace at sunset, morning strolls through the garden with the in-house Labrador, cycling trails through tea plantations; we know where we’d rather be during the WC – Ellerton boutique hotel in the hills above Kandy in Sri Lanka. The recently renovated rooms don’t have televisions, food is fresh and locally produced and there’s an infinity pool and yoga, so you’re more likely to bump into chilled out health-freaks than football bores. From £139per night, drinks included.

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If you’re after a full-on Robinson Crusoe-esque experience, check out tiny island of Tsarabarinja off the north coast of Madagascar. There are just 25 thatched beachfront bungalows dotted among the palm trees and, while there’s a barefoot beach bar, this is honeymoon heaven so most guests are cosied up on their private terrace watching sunsets and stars rather than wondering if England made the semi-finals. Original Travel offers five nights from £207pp, per night during the World Cup (June 12-July 13).

Walk Japan
Walk Japan



Televisions and WiFi are hard to come by on Walk Japan’s seven-day break hiking parts of ancient highway Nakasendo, so checking the scores isn’t an option. Days are spent walking through picturesque countryside and remote villages, while evenings are Internet-free in traditional Japanese inns, where bed is a simple futon. From £1583pp, tour dates from 11-21 June and 5-11 July.

The Faroe islands in the North Atlantic lost every game bar one (a draw) in their qualifying group, so it’s unlikely this remote archipelago is going to be full of chanting crowds this summer. Ensure your holiday is completely World Cup-free by heading to Stora Dimun island, population seven (two families), and accessed only by helicopter. There’s a cottage for visitors (from £109pn) where you can switch off your gadgets, go for windswept walks, take a boat trip or just count the sheep (preferable to counting the minutes until the end of yet another match).  



Finally, if you really want to escape the World Cup (and everything else for that matter), then consider a month at the Mountain Hotel Obersteinberg in Switzerland, which doesn’t have any mains electricity (perhaps don’t mention this if your OH’s a major footie fan…). It’s so remote, food and drink are delivered by donkey and it’s lit by candlelight. On the plus side, the mountain views are amazing and there are loads of activities from mountain biking to cable car rides.