If, like me you were familiar with the Sunday evening phenomenon that was Bergerac in the 1980s then you will  understand my concern at heading to this gangster's paradise. Fortunately the largest of our beautiful Channel Islands was in John Nettle's safe hands and is a wonderful place to visit for a weekend or longer. Jersey is just a short flight away, far more accessible than the west country and with a climate closer aligned to continental Europe a real alternative to for the Cornwall crowd.
 Where to Stay
The Atlantic Hotel is an exquisite family run Hotel over looking the stunning St Ouen's Bay. A member of The Small Luxury Hotels of The World the service and attention to detail is world class. Despite winning many awards and recently featuring as a prize on the BBC program "The Apprentice" the hotel keeps a warm family feel where nothing is too much trouble. It is very easy to relax and make yourself at home at The Atlantic. Rooms are tasteful and well appointed, throughout the hotel you'll notice striking and sometimes unusual art as the owners support and encourage local artists on the Island. Guests are encouraged to un-wind in the spa and sample the delights of their in-house restaurant, "Ocean".
Where to Eat
Did I mention that The Atlantic had a good in-house restaurant? This might be a small understatement to say the least. Ocean proudly owns and Michelin star and has been awarded 4 rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2012, placing it as one of the best restaurants in The British Isles. Booking is advisable as is the lobster surprise, but I won't give too much away! 
Mark Jordan at The Beach is an exciting new venture between The owners of The Atlantic and their award winning chief, Mark Jordan. A different offering from the formal fine dining of 'Ocean' but without cutting any corners on the quality. The food is delicious and the view stunning. We loved the crab and sweet corn risotto and found the bitter chocolate tart divine.
In the beautiful bay of St Brelades head to The Crab Shack for fresh and delicious seafood in a fun and informal setting. The seafood platters are mouth watering and I have it on very good authority that the homemade milkshakes also hit the spot.
What to do
A great way to see the Island is by bicycle, the roads of Jersey are very quiet and there are a number of paths perfect for walking and biking. We spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the company of Arthur The Blue Badge guide who is very knowledgeable about the Island- he is also lots of fun and very kind. He tailored a tour to suit interests and cycling capabilities and made sure we came away having had a great afternoon with a few more anecdotes about Jersey's history.
The Jersey War Tunnels are a must see for those with an interest in modern history. Jersey was occupied during the second world war and this museum teaches visitors what this meant for the Jersey resident who remained. Allow a good two hours as there is a lot of reading and wear warm clothes as the museum is underground. You may struggle not to be affected by the war tunnels there is still definitely an eerie feel about the place.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is well worth a visit to learn about the work of the late Gerald Durrell and what is done on a world wide scale to promote conservation and prevent extinction. A recent addition has been the new eco-friendly bat house built by a number of volunteers and with the backing of HSBC. In addition some of the must see residents include the Gorillas, Orang-utans and lemurs.
Jersey is tailored to those who enjoy the great outdoors, in addition to some crazy golf visitors can try their luck at a race at The Segway Rally ( readers of this column will know how much I love and indeed really want a segway) or even have a go at Blow Carting on the beach just be sure there's plenty of breeze first!
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