Holiday Camping Europe

Ref: P6636 - Villa in Mallorca Balearic Islands

2006-12-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

Ref: P6636 - Villa in Mallorca Balearic Islands

China's luxury hotel market growing due to increasing affluence in the country
Dec 12, 06 1:58 am
China's luxury hotel market is growing - thanks to increasing affluence in the country and an influx of high-end corporate travellers. And one company that is tapping into this market is Raffles Hotels and Resorts. Raffles recently launched its flagship property in China and is already planning for more such hotels. Raffles Hotels and Resorts has just refurbished a historic hotel in Beijing, turning it into the Raffles Beijing, a luxurious hotel with over 170 guest rooms and suites. The property is owned by government-linked Beijing Tourism Group, but managed by Raffles. Raffles is one of the first players to enter Beijing's luxury hotel sector. Michael Ong, Corporate Director, Business Development, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, said, "...I think before Raffles was opened there was only a St Regis. So this is the second luxury hotel into the market. After this, a couple more will open. So right now I think we are competing directly with St Regis and we are doing well." The company says there are also plenty of investment opportunities outside the Chinese capital. Thomas Storey, Executive Vice-President, Development, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, said, "There are five or six key markets already in China that are already supporting luxury hotels and we think represent that opportunity in the future. Markets like Shanghai...Macau (are) increasingly growing in prominence...So we see those markets as key opportunities today. "A market like Tianjin is more of an emerging market (and) probably will have luxury hotels within the next five to 10 years, but there are none existing today." The growth is a result of the increasing wealth in China. Mr Storey said, "With the growth of the Chinese consumer and the affluence that's being built in the region overall, we think both for inbound and outbound travellers, that there will be an increasing number of cities that probably support a luxury hotel going forwards." Outbound Chinese travellers present a huge market for hoteliers. One example is Canada, which was recently given approved travel destination status by the Chinese government. This means the country is open to Chinese tourists and for hotels, this means big business. Raffles Hotels and Resort's parent company, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, owns significant assets in Canada.

Ref: P433 - Chalet in Northern Alps France

2006-12-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

Ref: P433 - Chalet in Northern Alps France

Luxurious Holiday Inns
Dec 12, 06 1:59 am
By Sophia Banay, Forbes.com
Hoping for a white Christmas this year? What about a green one?
That's what holiday guests at the K Club , a golf club and spa resort in County Kildare, Ireland, are paying for. Thanks to Ireland's mild winters, snow is rare, and the K Club's two golf courses--Palmer, where the Ryder Cup took place this fall, and Smurfit, where the Smurfit European Open is held annually--are pretty much guaranteed to remain lush all winter. This year, the K Club is offering a three-night Christmas package, which includes Christmas Eve wine-tasting, caroling and a buffet dinner, Christmas Day dinner or lunch--and a daily round of golf.
If a green Christmas doesn't do it for you, maybe a black Christmas will--black-diamond, that is. At the Four Seasons Resort, Whistler, in Canada, guests visiting over the holidays can take advantage of a wide range of seasonal festivities, including making s'mores over an open fire, schmoozing with fellow guests at the General Manager's holiday reception, and attending a kids' Charlie & The Chocolate Factory dinner buffet on New Year's Eve. Then, there's the skiing. The Whistler-Blackcomb resort area gets 30 feet of snow a year and has 8,000 powder-packed acres. What better stocking-stuffer than two round-trip plane tickets and a Whistler ski pass?
Even if they aren't golf buffs or super skiers, Americans are increasingly asking Santa to send them somewhere new for Christmas--and they are willing to pay for it, as well. According to Smith Travel Research, a Hendersonville, Tenn.-based lodging information provider, the average daily rate at luxury hotels in the U.S. in 2005 for the week of Dec. 25 through Dec. 31 was $345, a 50% holiday premium over a comparable week at the height of the summer travel season, July 24 to July 30, when the rate was just $230.
What’s more, hotels the world over are decking the halls in anticipation of that year-end revenue.
"This is a time of year when families travel together--[especially] families with the means to seek the finest experiences--and celebrate," says Ciro Tacinelli, director of marketing at the Four Seasons Resort, Whistler. "We design our Festive Week to appeal to all ages, couples as well as families, and members of different religions."

Ref: P7766 - Villa in Provence - Cote d'Azur France

2006-12-12T15:53:00.000-08:00

Ref: P7766 - Villa in Provence - Cote d'Azur France

By Rich Beattie, Forbes
W hen it comes to Indian hotels, it's all about the palace.
That's the judgment, anyway, of the expert travelers who chose the best hotels in India for Forbes Traveler .
After all, who wouldn't want to stay in a palace hotel? It's like having your own personal Taj Mahal. Not all of India's grand hotels are in palaces, of course, but why not live like a maharaja, at least for a night?
Which one of the 10 is #1? Forbes Traveler didn't rank them; instead, we had our panel choose the overall best places, based on factors such as room quality, service, d�cor and location. We wanted to make our compilation much more than a list -- we wanted it to be a real resource, a place travelers could find the absolute best places to stay.
So we also had professional travel writers who have stayed in these hotels review them, offering an in-depth look at the rooms, service, and other highlights. And since these writers didn't accept a complimentary rate, they could provide an honest assessment.

Ref: P7141 - Apartment in Ibiza Balearic Islands

2006-12-12T15:50:00.000-08:00

Ref: P7141 - Apartment in Ibiza Balearic Islands

MKG Consulting presents results from the program that tracks daily hotel results - Hotelcompset(R) - for November 2006 confirming that business is picking up speed in the hotel industry with a RevPAR up by 7.9%* across all categories. • MKG Consulting presents results from the program that tracks daily hotel results - Hotelcompset(R) - for November 2006 confirming that business is picking up speed in the hotel industry with a RevPAR up by 7.9%* across all categories.• On the first eleven months of the year the revenue per available room built is up by 6.5%*, in line with the forecast made by MKG Consulting at the Decision Makers Forum last March which was then revised in September (5% to 7% for the entire year 2006). Growth was up year round and the business year 2006 should close with the strongest growth in the RevPAR since 2000. • Pursuant to MKG Consulting's expectations, the positive hotel cycle, that began 2 years ago and continues, is characterized in 2006 by stronger growth of average daily rates throughout all categories. The 4* segment, moreover, benefits from strong growth in occupancy rates. Continued strong growth in November 2006 Preliminary results from the daily hotel statistics observatory at MKG Consulting for November 2006 establish growth in the revenue per available room at 7.9% across all categories, thanks to occupancy rates that improved by 1.6 points and growth in average daily rates by 5.3%. Such performance is all the more satisfying since results in November 2005 were already excellent despite urban violence throughout France. Moreover, Paris hotels did not benefit from the Batimat show that made a significant contribution to the good results of 2005.Results improved throughout the year as a result of the increase in business and leisure nights alike. The favorable development of hotel performance gains strength as the fiscal year 2006 comes to a close. While the first quarter ended with 2.6% growth in the RevPAR with respect to the first quarter 2005, the recovery gained momentum from one quarter to the next:

Ref: P1610 - Villa in Costa Blanca - Azahar Spain

2006-11-07T15:27:00.000-08:00

Ref: P1610 - Villa in Costa Blanca - Azahar Spain

2 big bedrooms, 1 bathroom, sleeps 5, sun balcony & private garden, shared pool Villa in Moraira, Alicante - Costa Blanca, Spain: Moraira 's most exclusive area is the location for this property. E-MAIL us for villa web site address & detailed photo-album showing ALL aspects of villa & surrounding areas. Excellent value compared to rates charged for other properties with similar location, views and size. 'Vil Sol' offers something a little different. A spacious, secluded, two-storey, hillside villa with breathtaking sea, mountain and vineyard views. South-facing, all day sun. A roomy villa (130m2). Sleeps 5 in two large bedrooms and double sofa bed. The property shares a large pool and is eight minutes from Moraira's ideal, fantastic family-friendly beaches, restaurants and marina. Three minutes from the charming market town of Teulada. More excellent beaches at Javea, Calpe and Altea 20 minutes away. Large rooms, great views and privacy.For special offers on last minute bookings and late availability deal reductions email us.Profile:beach, mountain self-catering, linen provided, sunbed, towels provided

Ref: P9486 - Villa in Crete Greece

2006-11-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

Ref: P9486 - Villa in Crete Greece

Athina Luxury Villas is a complex of three luxury villas in Chania, on the Island of Crete, each with its private pool, set amongst a wonderful natural environment overlooking the ocean and the surrounding grapevines and olive groves. While in the villas, guests can enjoy daily maid service, daily change of luxury linen and towels, free use of bathrobes, slippers, luxury toiletries and beach towels at the pool as well as room service, massage and hair-dressing services on request. All villas are in excellent condition as they are two or one year's old and offer unique facilities and services to their guests, such as barbecue, playground, marble hammam etc. The villas are built on a plot of 8.000 sq.m., protected by a tall stone wall in order to avoid intruding eyes while there is access only through an electronic gate that opens by remote control owned by guests only.All villas are fully air-conditioned, centrally heated (hot water all through the day) and have large verandas with comfortable sofas for you to enjoy the view.Profile:luxury villa, unique facilities, room service, daily maid service, private pool, view to the ocean, in a rural natural environment,

Ref: P9516 - Apartment in Campania Italy

2006-11-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

Ref: P9516 - Apartment in Campania Italy

The apartment is made up of living/dining room, bedroom, terrace, kitchen and bathroom with shower. It overlooks the beutifull Amalfi coast and Mediterranean Sea. Romantically situated around lemon trees, in a small and quite neighberhood. Ravello is situated between the hill of "Dragone and Reginna" on the north of Amalfi Coast and it's one of suggestive place of "Amalfi Coast"; there are three other coasts in Campania State: Sorrento, Amalfi, Cilento.Profile:in the Town/City, near to the sea

Ref: P178 - Apartment in North West - Bern Switzerland

2006-11-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

Ref: P178 - Apartment in North West - Bern Switzerland

British-Swiss Owner The chalet is in the middle of the village but set back from the street in its own 1/2 acre garden. There are 3 hotels with restaurants 1/3 minutes walk from the chalet. The bus to Stechelberg/Schilthorn cable car is just accross the street. A baker (with small self-service shop), butcher, dairy, Internet corner and laundrette are all within 1 minutes walk. On the way to the station are a Coop shop, banks and post office. The stations to Wengen/Kleine Scheidegg (famous for the longest men's World Cup downhill ski race) and to Murren are 4 minutes walk.For the younger at heart, there is a pub/disco nearby.All flats have a telephone, satellite TV and parking space.Winter sports: skiing, snowboarding, cross-country, winter hiking, tobogganing, skating, and tandem paragliding.Summer sports: hiking, mountain climbing, swimming, mountain biking, river rafting, fishing, windsurfing and paragliding.Interlaken is 20 minutes away where there is the new Mystery Theme Park.Profile:mountain, village self-catering, central heating, linen provided, telephone, towels provided
Overview

•
Sleeps :
4 people

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Bedroom(s) :
1 total. 1 twin

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Bathroom(s) :
1 bathroom

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Dining for :
4 people. dining area, seating for 4 people

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Location:
Lauterbrunnen - North West - Bern - Switzerland

•
Availability
January-December

•
Price from
€90.00 per week

Ref: P285 - Apartment in Costa del Sol - Malaga Spain

2006-11-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Ref: P285 - Apartment in Costa del Sol - Malaga Spain

We offer a selection of 25 superb apartments, comprising of a selection of studios, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments. These can sleep from 1 person to a maximum of 6 people. The prices below are for studios. Occupying Marbella's finest central location, the Skol complex enjoys a prime position on the resort's sea front, separated from the long sandy beach by a marble pedestrian promenade fringed with palm trees. The complex is opposite a beautiful park and is just a short walk from the winding, cobbled streets of the old town. Shops, restaurants and supermarkets are all situated in the immediate vicinity.Profile:Skol, apartments, Marbella, holiday, rental, rentals, costa del sol, beach, beachfront, town self-catering, linen provided, sunbed, towels provided

Let it rain...And it did.

2006-08-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hotel News In Brief
Aug 28, 06 1:46 am
Westin Hotels And Intrawest Announce Plans For New Luxury Condominium Hotel In Napa Valley Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Intrawest Corporation announced plans today to build the Westin Verasa Napa, a 160-unit luxury condominium-hotel located in America's premier wine region, Napa Valley, California. With construction beginning in late 2006 and a planned opening date of 2008, the highly anticipated Westin Verasa Napa will be the first full-service property to come to Napa in nearly five years. Napa is an idyllic getaway in which to enjoy the best aspects of fine living. The hotel is located approximately two blocks east of downtown Napa and within walking distance to COPIA, The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts, and a short drive from San Francisco. The Napa Valley is the foremost wine producing location in North America, well known for its culinary attractions, spas and a casual, inviting atmosphere making it a perfect location for a Westin Hotel. "This Napa location is the embodiment of Westin's vision of being a serene, relaxing haven for those with discerning tastes," said Sue Brush, senior vice president of Westin Hotels & Resorts. "The inspired architectural design, the integration with Napa's natural beauty and the Westin brand signature services and amenities provide the opportunity to own a truly unparalleled piece of the Napa valley. Everything Napa is just beyond your doorstep at the Westin Verasa Napa."
Jones Lang LaSalle arranged the $165 million refinancing of the 575-room JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson , Ariz. , on behalf of Starr Pass Resort Developments LLC . The hotel is located just outside of downtown Tucson and includes a 27-hole championship golf club and 20,000-square-foot full-service spa. Construction of the hotel was completed in January of 2005. Matt Comfort and Ben Singer of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Real Estate Investment Banking (REIB) group, conducted a comprehensive marketing process that generated strong bids. The transaction was awarded to a Wall Street lender on the basis of its highly competitive spread and ability to address the key objectives of the borrower, including a flexible structure that allowed the borrower to best execute its business plan. The hotel’s abbreviated operating performance history posed a challenge, but the strong year-to-date 2006 performance and the emergence of Tucson as an attractive market created a competitive atmosphere among lenders,” said Ben Singer, senior vice president, Jones Lang LaSalle Capital Markets. “This generated innovative bids and resulted in the ability to perfectly match a lender with the project.” This refinancing further illustrates that experienced sponsors with a clear and aggressive business plan are attractive to the capital markets,” said Alan Tantleff, executive vice president, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels in New York .Dallas-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the premier manager of ultra-luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world, has announced that the property formerly known as Laguna Kai in Riviera Maya, Mexico is now Rosewood Mayakoba. This marks yet another of Rosewood’s future properties to assume the prestigious Rosewood brand; Rosewood Sand Hill, in Menlo Park, California, opening in 2008, was the first hotel to follow this naming convention. “The Rosewood brand equity is incredibly strong, and we have been asked by our development partner in Mayakoba, OHL, to leverage the name recognition by incorporating the brand more prominently into the resort name,” stated John Scott, CEO of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. “Inherent in the Rosewood name are all of the hallmarks of this celebrated brand that have generated such high guest loyalty over the years; A Sense of Place™” “We’re thrilled that Rosewood agreed to include the brand more prominently in the resort name, allowing us to further leverage Mayakoba,” stated Salvador Linares, General Manager of OHL. In December The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, also known as the Crown Jewel of the Crescent City, will open her doors once more to the world as the premier luxury hotel. The building in which the hotel is housed is over one hundred years old and is a national historic landmark. Since opening on October 6, 2000, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans has been ranked annually as one of the "Five Hundred Best Hotels in the World" by Travel + Leisure and remained on Cond, e Nast Traveler's "Hot List," "Gold List," and "Top North American Hotels" lists. The hotel closed post-Katrina due to extensive flooding in the basement, but new custom-built machinery including air conditioning, laundry and cafeteria equipment will be installed as it is delivered, allowing the hotel to open by December of 2006. Simon F. Cooper, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is thrilled about the opening date. "We are very pleased The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans will be ready to welcome guests once again by year's end," said Mr. Cooper. "The road back from Hurricane Katrina has been challenging, but the hotel will return better than ever to reclaim its reputation as the finest in the city."The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is an award-winning hotel situated on the edge of the French Quarter, in walking distance to area attractions. Beginning with the first floor, over 8,000 square feet of meeting space will be added in what was formerly known as the Gallery of Shops. This much-needed space brings the total to over 35,000 square feet for everything from intimate gatherings to plated dinners for five hundred.Hotel Fauchère, having undergone a top to bottom multi-million dollar restoration, has announced its grand opening on August 18, 2006. Guests are now invited to make travel reservations to the historic hotel in Milford, Pennsylvania which was originally opened in 1852 and has hosted the crème de la crème of New York society throughout its first 125 years before closing in 1976. An opening preview rate of $220 nightly is available now through September 28. This special rate reflects a savings of 20% off regular rates which will begin at $275 thereafter. A snapshot of the Fauchère includes: a beautifully restored Italianate structure with a collection of authentic Hudson River School paintings, private waterfall, llama picnics, private mile trout stream, Frette linens in a dual duvet bed configuration, Christofle silverware, Kiehl's products and vintage menus from 1920s Europe's best-known restaurants as both décor and menu inspiration. All this and more, coupled with Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, flat panel televisions and a sleek underground bar with photography by Christopher Makos and the Hilton Brothers.Park Hotel Group plans to pump $125m into stylish, boutique hotel in Singapore Reflecting the strong sentiment in the Singapore hotel market, a state tender for a hotel site next to Robertson Quay Hotel yesterday attracted seven bids. The top bid of $55.5 million came from Hong Kong's Park Hotel Group. This price is more than double the $25 million minimum price for the 99-year leasehold site on the reserve list. 'The price we paid reflects our confidence in the Singapore hotel market in the years to come,' Park Hotel director Allen Law told BT. Last year, the group bought Crown Hotel on Orchard Road. Park Hotel beat Far East Organization by 6.4 per cent to emerge as the top bidder for the plot, which is located at the corner of Unity Street and Clemenceau Avenue. The site has a view of the Singapore River. Far East offered $52.18 million, marking the second time in a week that the local property heavyweight has been beaten by foreigners at a state land tender. Last week, Far East was defeated by just a 1.1 per cent margin by Australia's Lend Lease group, which emerged as the top bidder for the plum Somerset Central commercial site on Orchard Road. Park Hotel unit ParkSing Property's $55.5 million top bid at yesterday's tender reflects a unit land price of $466 psf per plot ratio - which is 55 per cent higher than the $300 psf ppr fetched for a Bras Basah Road hotel plot next to Carlton Hotel in January 2005, property consultancy CB Richard Ellis observed.Accor has taken over the innovative ‘corporate crashpad’ hotel, Columbard Auckland, and is re-branding the hotel as Formule 1 Auckland. It is the first Formule 1 to be launched in New Zealand . Accor was appointed to take over management of the hotel by New Zealand property development company, CP Group, which recently purchased the hotel. The 144 room hotel is located in Wyndham Street in the heart of Auckland ’s central business district. Rooms are compact 13 square metre studios that offer a double bed, kitchenette, bathroom, laundry facilities, TV, computer desk and balcony. The hotel has a street level reception. Previously, the hotel’s rooms were let on a weekly basis, but with the hotel’s re-brand to Formule 1 it has moved to a more traditional nightly rental basis, with rooms available for NZ$70 a night. Formule 1 is Accor’s renowned budget hotel brand, with over 600 Formule 1 (and ETAP) hotels operating in 13 countries around the world. The brand has been highly successful in Australia , where the network is set to grow to 19 hotels with the opening of a Formule 1 in the centre of Melbourne later this year. Formule 1s are located in major cities such as Sydney , Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth and Canberra , as well as at airports and in regional centres. Accor will be looking to increase the brand’s presence in New Zealand with new-build hotels in strategic destinations around the country.

My worst camping trip......

2006-08-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

Holiday Articles

2006-05-22T02:18:00.000-07:00

This article will explain some really simple ways to decorate with Christmas lights year round! There are currently so many different colors of Christmas lights, not just the usual primary colors anymore. Personally, I think those are the best, but that’s just me! You should use whatever colors compliment your decor or reflect your decorative intentions.
First and foremost, I want to stress to you that your lights need to be in good condition. Do not use a strand of lights that is old or damaged.
Following, in list form, are some ideas for Christmas lights. I will also attempt to explain the how-to’s of how to hang your lights.
1. Fill a heavy, glass vase will a short strand. This is simply beautiful at night. Colored glass vases work really well here.
2. Attach a plug outlet to your porch light. Plug in a strand of Christmas lights. Put the light cover back on. Voila! Beauty! You can purchase the screw on outlet at any hardware store. You also have to make sure that your globe is the appropriate size for the length of the strand.
3. Match the light color to your bathroom decor. Hang tons and tons all around in the bathroom. This method looks really cute with a coordinating, fluffy, potty seat cover, and also serves as a good night light.
4. Use the lights to decorate shelving of any sort: books, entertainment, pots and pans. This gives a touch of whimsy to any shelves.
5. Use the lights on your back deck or porch for a year round party atmosphere. This looks wonderful at night. Many discount chains (Target!) sell attractive covers for light strands these days.
These are just some of the wonderful ways to decorate with light. Christmas lighting already has a cozy feeling that we are all familiar with. They are a simple and inexpensive way to transform your personal space into something unique!

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Camping Checklists

2006-05-22T02:16:00.000-07:00

Preparation is the key to any successful camping trip. Use this camping checklist each time you plan a camping trip to keep from forgetting anything. If you do not currently use a camping checklist, it's recommended that you start! A good suggestion is to print the camping checklist, laminate it and keep it where it is easily accessible, perhaps in your truck or recreational vehicle.
While this camping checklist is far from complete, it may be too complete for some. We are trying to cover as many types of camping trips as possible. As you and your family continue camping, you will get a better idea of what you want to add or remove from this camping checklist.
2 ways to use this checklist
Print this page and track your packing/preparation.
Bookmark/add page as a Favorite and check off the items as you prepare.

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