Escapism
Tenna, a small resort in east Switzerland, has unveiled one of the world's first solar-powered ski lifts (skilift-tenna.ch). Around 80 solar panels are suspended above the lift, producing enough power to transport 800 skiers an hour. Outside the ski season, the panels will continue to generate electricity which will be sold back to the grid, eventually covering the near-£1m cost of the lift.
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Holiday bargains
• A flight from Banda Aceh to KL for £3 (with taxes). Very good times @DanielaMarchesi
• In Bangkok 4 of us ate a proper meal & drinks for less than £5 in a supermarket cafe, the food was awesome! @CharlieSmoothy
• £3 a night for beach hut overlooking sea in Goa. Had "The Hilton" painted on it @corrinacorrina
• A huge cheese omelette, chips, salad & as much mint tea as you like for about £1 in Morocco + surf-side view @GemmaFreeman
• Suite in Masai hotel, Tanzania, $3/night. Superking bed, TV, sofa and red velvet curtains. No room service @iamsusieg
We had some great tales from you about your holiday bargains – see our pick of the best here on Storify
Next week: insect horror. Tweet us @GuardianTravel #TravelCorkboard
Where's hot now?
Goa (32C)
An Indian designer hotel group has just opened its first property in Goa. The Park on Holiday Beach features all-white rooms, a purple pool and dawn-to-dusk DJs. Prices are a bit beyond the average backpacker, but are lower if you book ahead.
• Best rate in February: around £82 for a double, theparkhotels.com/goa
What's new?
Pods in Cornwall
Another new option in the world of glamping: eco pods. Atlantic Surf Pods are capsules on a farm in Bude a few minutes' drive from beaches and great surf. The pods are ideal for a cosy break for two. Anyone for a last-minute Valentine's break?
• Available all year, from £65 a night, oneoffplaces.co.uk
Aussie adventure
From March, visitors can view Uluru (Ayers Rock) in a totally new way: from a hot-air balloon. Outback Ballooning tours will float over the Patji region just outside the Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park, which has never been accessible to visitors without special permits. They won't pass directly over the rock due to regulations and respect for its cultural significance, but will give panoramic views from 10km. No other tours can travel over this Aboriginal land, so it is a unique experience.
• Adults A$450 (around £315), six-16s around £250, including transfers, outbackballooning.com.au
New French flights
From late March, Ryanair will be flying from Manchester to Béziers in the south of France. Château Les Carrasses, a 19th-century wine domaine, is half an hour's drive from Béziers airport and is offering deals in April.
• From around £240pp for three nights' B&B and one dinner, 0845 686 8067, lescarrasses.com. Ryanair has return flights from around £40, ryanair.com
Cheap date
Stonefield Castle, on the west coast of Scotland, has a tempting offer for those willing to brave the cold. Book a two-night trip by tomorrow, for stays up to 5 April, for a 57% discount. The imposing hotel on the banks of Loch Fyne is a great base for a spot of Hebridean island-hopping. The deal includes a three-course dinner and champagne.
• £89pp, 01880 820836, oxfordhotelsandinns.com
Weird world
On 13 May, the residents of Ypres, Belgium, will gather for a jolly festival of cat-throwing and witch-burning. Don't worry, the cats aren't real (and neither are the witches). But in the more brutal middle ages they were: cats were thrown off the belfry tower of the Cloth Hall to the square below. The Kattenstoet festival only happens every three years, so book well in advance.
