Escapism

Rather romantically, the new Kokohuia Lodge B&B, on a hillside above Hokianga Harbour in New Zealand's far north, accommodates just one couple. It has simple wooden floors and fixtures, is off-grid, and built from responsibly sourced timber.
• +64 2177 9927, kokohuialodge.co.nz, from £130 a night, dinner can be provided

Weird world

The Holiday Inn at Heathrow Airport is the most popular hotel for cheating London couples, a survey by controversial married dating site AshleyMadison.com has revealed. It claims that 71% of the 2,698 self-confessed two-timers who completed the survey admitted that hotels were their preferred place to meet lovers. The Mandarin Oriental and the Savoy were also popular.

Travel trash

Prices for "travel-size" products have rocketed in the past year, according to a survey by Money Supermarket. It found that some miniature toiletries have mark-ups as high as 750%, compared with 250% last year. For example, a 500ml bottle of Johnson's Top-to-Toe baby bath costs £2.67 from Asda, but a 50ml bottle from an airport WH Smith costs £1.05.

What's new?

Self-catering
From 1 September, onefinestay, the company that allows you to rent stylish London homes, will also offer properties in New York. Each house is supplied with crisp bed linen, fluffy towels and Kiehl's toiletries, as well as an iPhone for calls and local tips. It has dozens of New York properties, in Uptown, Downtown and Brooklyn, including a recording studio-turned-penthouse and a Tribeca apartment in a former factory, pictured above.
• 0800 612 4377, onefinestay.com, from £90 a night

Hotel
Formerly a Jesuit chapel the new Mercure Poitiers Centre is an unusually characterful chain hotel in the centre of Poitiers, in France's Poitou-Charentes region. Built in 1854 and sitting in the heart of the medieval city it has 50 bedrooms, some in what was once the nave.
• +33 5 49 505060, mercure.com, from £86 per night

Gadget
Travellers can now capture every moment of their holiday, be it on land or water, with Polaroid's X720E waterproof digital camcorder. The compact gadget takes high-definition photos and videos under water (to a depth of three metres), is available in a range of colours, and comes with editing software, allowing speedy uploads on to social media sites. 
• £49.99 from amazon.co.uk

Where's hot now?

Hvar, Croatia (27C)
This gorgeous little island, popular with yachties and beach lovers, receives a blissful 2,724 hours of sunshine a year. Known for its party atmosphere, Hvar is also home to Croatia's oldest town, Stari Grad, which dates back to 384 BC. Return flights from Gatwick to Dubrovnik in September with easyJet (easyjet.co.uk) cost from around £210.

Cheap date

America's oldest and most popular footpath, the Appalachian Trail, through the mountains of New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts, is 75 years old this year. Grand American Adventures (0844 576 1406, grandamericanadventures.com) has £255 off a 10-day group trip, from 15 September – it's now £1,689pp including flights from the UK.