Iran visas, hotels in Cuba, and the islands of Mozambique: Travel agenda

Where to go and what to know

Mr & Mrs Smith now offer holiday rentals

Isle seats

Boutique hotel booking site Mr & Mrs Smith is expanding into holiday rentals. Privately owned luxury villas in Mallorca and Ibiza are now available to rent, with plans to expand into other locations. The portfolio includes the four-bedroom Can Miró in Mallorca (from €2,400 per week) and a private island off Ibiza sleeping 10 (from €101,150 per week).

mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-villas

Room at inn

The Huntsman at Brockenhurst is a newly-opened New Forest inn with a difference. In addition to the 13 crisply decorated bedrooms, there's also a skittle alley. Doubles from £100, B&B.

thehuntsmanofbrockenhurst.com

Picture this

More than 50 drawings by some of Britain's most celebrated 20th-century artists, including Henry Moore and David Hockney, are to go on display at Mottisfont, a National Trust house and gardens in Hampshire, from 23 April to 3 July. The Schlee Collection exhibition will be enhanced by a drawing trail during May half-term.

nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont

Cuban class

Following President Barack Obama's watershed visit to Cuba earlier this week, Starwood has announced that it will manage two historic hotels in Havana. It will renovate the Hotel Inglaterra and the Hotel Santa Isabel into Luxury Collection properties.

starwood.com

Man up

The Isle of Man has received Unesco Biosphere status, one of six sites in the UK recognised as being “special places for people and nature”. Steam Packet Holidays is offering five nights at Peel campsite on the island, plus foot passenger ferry from Liverpool from £76pp.

steampacketholidays.com; visitisleofman.com

Iran easier

The Foreign Office says the Iranian embassy in London has commenced its visa service. Until now many travellers have had to go to Dublin, Paris or Berlin to get their visa. The first step is to email lon.visa@mfa.gov.ir. Prospective travellers are advised to apply well in advance of their date of travel: “The application process for an Iranian visa can be long and unpredictable,” says the Foreign Office. bit.ly/FCOiran

Alastair Humphreys' new book, Grand Adventures

Grand plan

Alastair Humphreys considers trips on a grand scale in his new book, Grand Adventures. It includes advice on how to plan, finance and put into action the trip of a lifetime, from walking itineraries to polar adventures.

harpercollins.co.uk

Big breaks

The Central Europe specialist tour operator Fred.\Holidays is offering “Discover” trips: once-in-a-lifetime experiences that include sailing around the islands of Mozambique and hiking the Appalachian Trail.

freddiscover.co.uk