So you have decided to go on one of your long and hard earned family holidays and are looking through your brochure to see what sort of great deals you can get. Finding the ideal location was very hard, but after a few hours you found your ideal location. You quickly grab the phone and book your trip.

A few months pass by, and the date of your trip is finally here. So you pack your suitcases, get the family ready and head for the airport. All the anxiety and excitement kicks in and your right for it to do so, you have been waiting a whole year and working hard to fund this trip. You then step off the aeroplane or boat and head for your hotel. The coach driver pulls over to one side and you wonder what is happening, he then announces we have arrived at our destination you look out of the nearby window and see your so called 5 star hotel. The entire place looks as if it has not had a renovation for years and then you enter the hotel and be asked to go and get some food before the buffet finishes, you notice that there are bugs and wasps landing all over your food.

So you are asking yourself how can this be a 5 star hotel. Then you think back and remember, while looking through the brochure that you had never heard of the tour operator in question. You quickly go to find the local rep but there is not one, you soon start to realise that you are trapped in a holiday from hell.

So what can you do to help this problem so it does not occur in the future again? You should always check to see if the company are APTA regulated. You should check and see if there is any feedback. The internet is a user generated world and people speak there minds so if something is good or bad you are sure to hear about it.

Every year hundred of people visit the hotel from hell. The only way to avoid upsetting is to research and then research some more. There’s nothing worse than to be stuck in a foreign country with no help and no money.

Great UK Family Holidays

Posted: January 21st, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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It is becoming increasingly common to see that many of the new, smaller, hotels are describing themselves as a “Boutique Hotel”. Across the city of London, the capital city of England in the United Kingdom, there are now a small number of superb boutique hotels but what exactly is a “Boutique Hotel” and where did they first appear? The following article provides an explanation.

More often than not a boutique hotel is owned, run and maintained by one family, a couple, and in some cases, small hotel chains specializing in this type of accommodation. However, there has been a recent trend for some of the larger hotel chains to build hotels to meet the specific demand for these hotels so this distinction may not hold true for much longer! One thing that has to be true is that they are unique in style and decoration and often based upon a theme. Such themes can range from a hotel decorated and furnished in the 17th Century style to one which is focused on chocolate for avid chocoholics. Although the vast majority of boutique hotels are based upon one particular theme or style, from time to time, you will find such a hotel that chooses to have each room individually styled upon different, and sometimes contrasting, themes.

Where Was The First Boutique Hotel?

Boutique hotels first appeared in the late 1980s in New York USA. Although some hotels claim to have been boutique hotels as far back as 1981 in places such as London UK and San Francisco the first hotel to be described as such was the ‘Morgans’ hotel, New York, in 1984. These earlier claimants were, therefore, subsequently described as such and can not, realistically, claim to be the first.

‘Morgans’ hotel  was owned by Steven Rubell and Ian Schrager who had commissioned the Parisian designer Andrée Putman to create a unique, highly stylized, hotel in New York.  Putman created the hotel in what has become known as an “America meets Europe” fashion. Steven Rubell set out to promote his hotel and to do this he needed to make his hotel stand out from all others, especially those belonging to the large hotel chains. He described other hotels as “department store” hotels and his own as a “boutique hotel” to show the distinctive difference - thus the phrase entered the English language for the first time.

Interesting Boutique Hotels in the United Kingdom

42 The Calls (hotel) in Leeds claims to be one of the first to appear in the UK. The Calls was a hotel built in the carcass of an old corn mill and used that as the overall theme. The main points of interest in the hotel are the incredibly comfortable handmade beds of each room and the pieces of machinery which have been kept from the days it was a working corn mill.

The Blake’s Hotel in South Kensington, London, is often quoted as being one of the first boutique hotels in the world but, although this appeared before Morgans in New York, for the reasons outlined above this claim is often dismissed. Ever since the first boutique hotels appeared they have spread across the United Kingdom until they recently reached the remote island of Harris, where a boutique hotel recently opened in the small village of Tarbert, however the vast majority are to be found in London.

If you are planning a trip to, or a vacation in, London and you are considering booking a boutique hotel you may wish to check out the listings of boutique hotels in London at http://www.londonhotelhelper.com/

Posted: November 2nd, 2008 under Hotel and Timeshare Deals.
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Florida Slideshow

Florida is one of the most popular holiday destinations in America, attracting thousands of tourists every year from around the world. Florida Holidays have proved popular because of Florida’s warm climate and location. Thanks to it's blistering temperatures topping 100°F during summer months, Florida has become known as "The Sunshine State".

Situated on the South Eastern coast of the USA, Florida is just an eight hour flight from the UK.A number of resorts have been built across the Florida coastline over the past 40 years, thanks to the uneven cost with lots of bays and enclaves. The wide range of accomodation on offer, including hundreds of hotels and Florida holiday villas, combined with the fantastic climate conditions have created a superb location for a sunny holiday abroad at most times of the year. If you want to feel the sand between your toes, a trip to Daytona Beach is a must. The resort is very popular, consisting of a 23 mile stretch of white sandy beach. For those who don't mind getting their feet wet, fishing, diving and snorkelling are very popular in the Florida Keys, which can be found at the very end of the coastline.

The famous theme parks and water parks in Florida are centered around the Tampa and Orlando areas. Some of the most famous entertainment complexes include Sea World, Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, Wet n Wild and Universal Studios to name but a few. These attractions massively popular, with many tourists planning their entire trips around them - you can have a full Disney World holiday, for example, eating in the many restaurants and sleeping in one several themed hotels around the park.

All ages can find something to enjoy in Florida, though retirees in particular enjoy the fantastic weather conditions and relaxed atmosphere. However Florida is also ideal for families as well as younger groups.Whatever you like to do or see on holiday, you're sure to find something for you in Florida, from adverturing to museums, sightseeing to watersports, or just relaxing on the beach!

Posted: November 2nd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Paris, the capital city of France, is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Paris is certainly included in the list of places that tourists must visit. There are a lot of activities that can be done in this very famous city. You can already start the French experience in a comfortable luxury Paris hotel. Now, what are the other things that you can do with your family, friends, and partner or just by yourself in this very beautiful city outside your luxury Paris hotel?

Top of your to-do list will be a visit to the famous tourist spots in the city. Its hard to walk a block in Paris without coming accross another world-famous attraction. Of course there is the cathedral of Notre Dame, which is famous for its pipe organ and the north tower that has 387 steps. A visit to the Eiffel Tower the symbol of Paris, is not to be missed. Another structure that you must visit is the Arc de Triomphe , a commemoration of Napoleon’s victories. Be sure to include in the list Sainte Chapelle, Zoo de Vincennes, Tuileries Garden, Place de Vosges, Champs Elysees, Catacombes des Paris and Ile de France.

Paris is also a city of art. The sheer number of museums and art galleries in Paris is remarkable, even by European standards. Topping the list of museums that a tourist in Paris should visit is the Louvre where the famous paintings of Da Vinci are displayed including the Mona Lisa. After a visit to the most famous Paris museum, continue your art tour in other museums and galleries such as the Fotainebleau, The Musee de la Poupee, the Orsay, and the Carnavalet.

Another activity that will surely complete your Paris vacation is shopping. Paris is one of the shopping capitals in Europe and the whole world. From haute couture to flea markets, Paris is surely a one stop shop. If you want to visit top boutiques and emporiums such as Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior and Lacroix, you should stop at the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honré and Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement. There are also department stores that boast a wide choice for shopping including the Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette which are the largest department stores in Paris. Of course, the city is also famous for its flea markets that started hundred years ago for those who opt for bargains.

Paris has an overwhelming number of attractions but start with the ones above to create a memorable vacation. There is still dining which France is also famous of, sports activities and events such as the French Open, parties at night, and a lot more. Maximize your time and enjoy the city before you retire and relax in your central Paris hotel.

Posted: October 17th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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The capital city of England is London, which is as famous for its shopping as it is for its history and culture. People from all over the world flock to London to sample the wonderful stores and markets on offer.

Covent Garden has become known for its unusual and specialist shops, and has become a very hip place to be seen. There are a number of excellent restaurants in Covent Garden not just excellent shops. Until 1980 the Covent Garden market had many stalls selling flowers, vegetables and fruit its roots can be traced to the middle ages.

Camden Market is now one of the most popular places to visit in London. There has been a markets here in Camden for a long time, but in its present status only since 1974. The market is actually a group of adjoining markets selling wares of most things one could possibly think of.

The Kings Road is known as Chelsea’s high street, and one of the most chic and stylish streets to shop in London. Back in the 1970s the Kings Road was closely associated with ‘Punks’, who proved to be an attraction in London themselves. However, the Kings Road is more subdued these days and no longer just a haunt of the followers of the anti-fashion era.

Sloane Street is a street in London which runs north to south, and takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane, who purchased the surrounding area in 1712. Sloane Street has has long been a fashionable shopping district, but is probably just as well known for lending it name to the ‘Sloane Rangers’ in the 1990s. The name Sloane Ranger was applied to the stereotypical young upper class English ladies seen in the area during this time. (One famous woman often referred to as a Sloane Ranger was Lady Diana Spencer)

Harrods department store in Knightsbridge is the worlds largest department store standing on 18,000 m2. The motto of Harrods department store is “all things for all people, everywhere” or ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’. A very exclusive and luxurious department store, Harrods is famous the world over for its food hall and its toy department.

Another famous London department store is Selfridges in Oxford Street. Selfridges opened its doors to the public in 1909, and was built was the entrepreneur Gordon Selfridge. When it opened Selfridges set new standards for the retailing business. The reason being that each of the floors were designed so that the shopper was able to access the goods on sale more easily.

The shops in London offer as much diversity as its culture and no matter how bizarre ones shopping requirements, it can be found in London. Whether you like to shop in department stores or prefer to rummage through the markets, London has it all.

If you are planning a shopping trip to London you will find plently of cheap London hotels listed at www.londonhotelhelper.com

Posted: October 6th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Saving money when visiting to Disney World might seem to be a contradiction, but with some planning and preparation, you can have a great trip to Orlando without running up a huge credit card debt.

The Walt Disney World Resort is absolutely huge, covering nearly 47 total miles near Orlando, Florida. There are four major amusement areas, Epcot, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom. With so much to see, tourists usually spend at least 7 days or more just to see everything. Disney has constructed more than 12 resorts just to take care of everyone visiting the area.

Fortunately, Disney executives recognize that folks are looking for different options when visiting the area. For this reason, they have resorts that fit everyone’s budget. Resorts are separated into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe levels. Value is sort of the Disney way of saying less expensive, but you will not be let down, as the Disney Value hotels are nice and comfortable. Moderate hotels are definitely nicer, promising bigger living areas and sit down dining on the property.

Deluxe hotels at Walt Disney World are full service accommodations designed to satisfy and placate any visitor. Many of the resorts such as the Contemporary Resort and Polynesian are on the monorail, so you can easily ride to Epcot without using a rental car or taking a bus. Guest accommodations are much larger, and the Disney experience is of course magical.

So how do you decide which resort to stay at? Well would you rather use your hard earned cash on presents or pamper yourself with the best, remember you are on vacation? Value options like the Disney World Pop Century Resort can cost anywhere from $75 to $130 per night, while Deluxe Resorts start from $225 and go up from there. As you can tell, if you extrapolate that by 5 to 9 nights, you could end up spending thousands more just for a nicer place.

The choice belongs to the visitor, but whatever you pick, tourists can be sure Disney World cast members will do their best to make sure you and your family have a great time on your trip away from home.

Posted: October 5th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Italy has always been one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Here are some quick Italy travel tips

Italy Travel Tips

• Avoid the peak tourist season June through September; either side will give you still great weather and a better chance of seeing the attractions without the queues and crowds.
• Packing light is key to easy trip. One small bag that you can easy carry yourself on and off planes, trains and up and down stairs will give you a lot more freedom. Don’t expect every hotel to have an elevator - they don’t.
• The majority of long-distance fights arrive either in Roma or Milano: you will get the best priced airfare to these airports. You may get a better over-all cost looking for a cheap flight into London or Amsterdam and then connecting on to Italy using a local European budget airline such as EasyJet or Ryan Air.
• If you do use a low cost airline check how far out of town the airport they are using is and how much it will cost you to get back into town. Few of the cheaper airports will be as convenient as Rome’s Fumcino airport where you can catch the Leonardo Express train to Rome’s Termini Station for Euro11
• Don’t worry about not speaking Italian - if you speak French or Spanish you won’t have a lot of problem. Even if you don’t patience, acting, sign language and a sense of humor will get you a long way.
• Train Travel. If you are going to use the Eurail pass for discounted train travel within Europe you need to purchase your pass before leaving home. Do you figures carefully though, many of the passes are not good value unless you are traveling from one end of Europe to the other. Also if you are over 26 you will have to travel first class on an Eurail pass while second class is comfortable and available for tickets bought in Italy.
• Italy has a fairly low rate of crime. Be careful of pickpockets in major cities but there is probably less violent crime than in your home town. Be aware of your surroundings in large train stations and popular tourist sites. The Romans never carry a bag slung over a shoulder but hung diagonally across the body - and you should too.

Enjoy your Italian vacation: hopefully these Italy vacation hints have helped

Posted: October 1st, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Paris the French capital, is one of Europe’s perennially popular destinations and has some of the biggest name attractions of any European city.

Whether your ideal lodgings in Paris are a central Paris hotel choose something memorable for your stay.

Choose the neighbourhood that works best for your trip. Arty Montmatre, the laid-back left bank or something further out on the Metro line they all have their advantages. A boutique Paris hotel all offer something - decide what is important to you before making a booking.

Here are some suggested highlights for a first time visitor to Paris. The extensive, reliable and cheap metro makes it easy to get around Paris regardless of where your hotel is located
Remember to hold onto your wallet tight, especially when the hoards descend on you trying to sell the usual tourist junk at popular locations such as the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre|Notre Dame Cathedral.

Montmartre
In the north of the city Montmartre is the traditional artists, bohemian quarter. The steep streets are a challenge but the reward is making it to the huge Sacre Coeur Cathedral. From the cathedral are stunning views across the heart of Paris to the Eiffel Tower. Montmartre is also home to the famed red light district and the Moulin Rouge, offering a blend of gimmicky and genuine places of interest.

Champs-Elysees
Although an attraction in itself, the long and wide Champs-Elysees boulevard is often a pleasant departure from the more built up areas of the city. Tourists are unlikely to find a cheap Paris hostel along here, however. However the many luxury 5 star hotels are nearby.

At one end of the Champs-Elysees is the Arc de Triomphe: one of the city’s must-sees, honoring the soldiers that fought in France’s wars. It can also be an amusing place to watch cars carefully navigating the bizarre Charles de Gaulle roundabout (nicknamed L’Etoile, or star), one of the world’s worst roundabouts. As a predestrian avoid death and take the underpass.

Posted: October 1st, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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