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    January 31st, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    All domestic and international airlines use Prague’s Ruzyne international airport – (code-PRG). Fairly inexpensive minibus connections available to central Prague (17km away, over 30 minutes). Alternatively, there are public buses that call at the Nove Butovice underground station

    Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, is situated in the heart of Europe.

    Prague International Airport is served by dozens of international carriers from most major cities. A convenient Airport Shuttle Bus service operates between the airport and the center of Prague. Other means of transport are avaliable as well.

    Trains run daily between Prague and most major European cities; Paris, Amsterdam, Munich and Vienna are some major hubs.

    Getting Around In Prague

    Central Prague is very compact and walkable. If your hotel is in the Old Town, or almost anywhere in Prague 1, you can probably walk wherever you want to go. If you need transportation, Prague offers a multitude of options.

    Metro: Prague’s metro is fast and reliable. There are several metro lines and all come thru the center of the city, with the main stops at Staremeska (Old Town) and Mustek (Wenceslas Square). It costs only 12 crowns per trip (about 40 Eurocents). There are discount cards for 3 or more days, but you are unlikely to need public transport that much to realize any savings.

    Trams: The trams are very convenient and travel surface routes that the metro misses. Especially useful to visitors are the lines that run along the river. The trams use the same tickets as the buses and metro, and transfers are allowed between them. Trams allow you to see much more of the city than the metro, but they can get very crowded during the rush hour.

    Buses: Like the trams the buses run outward from the city towards the suburbs. These can be useful if your hotel is outside the city center or you have a reason to venture further.

    Taxis: Public transportation peters out around 1:30 am so many people need to take a taxi back to their hotel late at night. Prague’s taxi system is notorious for ripping off unsuspecting tourists.

    Their methods are many, but often involve no meter or a meter that runs too fast. The best idea is to negotiate a price before going anywhere. It shouldn’t cost more than 300 crowns (about 10 Euros) to go anywhere within the center of the city, up to around 500 crowns for outlying regions.

    Where To Stay

    Prague has a long tradition of hospitality having hosted generations of travellers, thinkers and invading armies. However, to the modern guest this may not be immediately apparent as the tradition of customer service is somewhat shorter. Generally, centrally-located hotels are more expensive because of their proximity to Prague’s sights, but the further you travel into residential Prague, the cheaper the rooms become.

    Élite Hotel. Praha 1, Ostrovni 32.

    With a history that dates back to the 14th century, the hotel Élite, a member of the Small Charming group, is another of those gems that keep popping up.

    Where To Eat

    One of the great pleasures of life is to dine well. In Prague this pleasure is considered to be part of life, not something reserved for special occasions. In fact few European capitals can claim a greater variety or more sophisticated cuisine than can be enjoyed in Prague’s hundreds of restaurants.

    And when you consider the low cost of dining out in Prague, you can understand why it’s so hip to visit this culinary mecca.

    U Fleku Brewery and Restaurant. Authentic Czech food in the heart of the city.

    Govinda Vegetarian Club. One of the best vegetarian restaurant in the worlds is in the middle of Prague city.

    What To See

    Visit Hradcany. (Prague Castle) The largest ancient castle in the world – 570m (1870ft) long, an average of 128m (420ft) wide and occupying 7.28 hectares (18 acres).

    Visit the Strahovsky Klaster. (An old monastery). Don’t miss Prague Castle’s less famous attractions, such as the network of tunnels the communist government built in 1950 for easy access to the bomb shelters.

    Entertainment

    Prague is not only a major historical and cultural site but a fun city to visit. It offers many restaurants, traditional Czech pubs, jazz clubs, concert halls, discos, etc. One can attend the ballet, opera, philharmonic, or theater for just a few dollars.

    The Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Agharta Jazz Festival, and the Prague Dance Festival (Tanec Praha) attract some of the world’s top talents as well as audiences from around the world. Prague is also the home to many museums and galleries such as the National Museum, the National Gallery, the Prague Castle Picture Gallery, the Mucha Museum, etc.

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    January 30th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is on the hunt for 33,000 talented new staff to work in its hotels in the Middle East and Africa over the next three years as it opens a further 49 hotels

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    January 30th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    Vegas stands out like a jewel across the desert. The bright lights can be seen from great distances and act as a beacon bringing in droves of visitors in search of riches, romance, and a myriad of other goals year after year. If the lights weren’t enough from a distance, once you’ve entered Vegas you will discover that the lights and sounds are even more pronounced up close and personal. Vegas is probably the ultimate experience in sound and light. If you’re not hearing the chinking of slots or music from the Elvis impersonators you are hearing chapel bells from someone getting married along the strip.

    Whether you are coming to Vegas for the casinos and hopes of finding fame and fortune, the fabulous shows and big name headliners, the wonderful food that is one of the biggest sins to be found in this city, golf, marriage and happily ever after, or the nightlife that has earned Vegas the title of ‘Sin City’. You are well on your way to an experience you are unlikely to forget.

    While Vegas has not always been thought of us an appropriate vacation destination for those with families, this city is really trying to mend its ways and foster a more family-friendly reputation. They are even developing resorts and hotels with kids and family entertainment in mind. From theme park like atmospheres to everything in between the Vegas hotels of today are marketing to a much younger audience.

    If you haven’t checked out some of the newer hotel and resort experiences in Vegas, perhaps now is the ideal time in which to do so. There are so many fun ways to enjoy your time in Vegas that the problem isn’t choosing which casino to visit or which hotel you want to stay in, it’s deciding which attractions you must see and which attractions you can actually live without.

    In order to attract visitors hotels and resorts are going to further and further extremes and levels of competition. Some of these hotels have even gone to the extent of bringing thrill rides into the mix in an effort to attract new guests and thrill seekers. If it isn’t rides that are being offered it’s the biggest shows and brightest stars to perform for your pleasure. With the tight competition among casinos for your business it’s hard to imagine just how much money these hotels and casinos are bringing in each and every year but you can rest assured they wouldn’t be constantly building, upgrading, and offering more and more features and services if it wasn’t a highly profitable endeavor for them.

    The fierce competition among hotels and casinos is good news to some extent for you as a potential guest. The tightness of the competition keeps the prices relatively affordable and allows you to pick and choose which hotel you want according to the services and amenities they offer rather than by the prices of the rooms. In fact, if you find another hotel that you aren’t as interested in for less money, try bartering with the hotel you prefer. It is very possible to get a lower price by going back and forth between two or three competing hotels.

    Saving money in Vegas

    Saving money is a great idea in Vegas, the more money you save on hotel accommodations, the more money you’ll have to spend on the entertainment of choice. Also consider some of the ‘perks’ offered by hotels when considering the price of the rooms. Some of the perks will include complimentary breakfast buffets or lunch and dinner buffets. Compare the price of buying breakfast to the price difference in the room before you make your ultimate decision. Some of them offer show tickets or discounts such as buy one get one free offers for attractions that may have been on your itinerary at any rate. It’s always good to shop for the best bargain and Vegas is one of those cities where it can’t really hurt to ask for a better deal.

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    January 29th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    Companies changing mindset in “new normal” of business travel. Hotel rates likely to decline globally with Asia Pacific as the exception.

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    January 28th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    In an all-cash transaction, the landmark South Miami Beach hotel will remain operational while new owners enhance current operations and explore long-term repositioning.

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    January 27th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    A luxurious beach resort in Barbados, the Sandy Lane resort is a paradise for honeymooners. Offering a combination of privacy, numerous activities, and first class service, the resort is located on the west coast of the island of Barbados. Sandy Lane also offers three golf courses and a 47,000 square foot spa. The resort also offers a white sand beach and the Caribbean Sea.

    The island of Barbados offers tropical climate with year round temperatures that stay between 75 and 85 degrees. The non stop flights to Barbados take around 4.5 hours from New York City, making the island one of the best beach vacation spots from the East Coast.

    The country club at Sandy Lane Resort is a golfers’ paradise. The resort spa, fronted by a waterfall and swimming pool, offers guests a combination of relaxing and healing therapies from the Far East, Caribbean, and even Europe. For the ultimate in spa indulgence you should try one of the nine VIP treatment suites with a private landscaped garden and three hydrotherapy pools.

    The 112 resort rooms are both luxurious and very spacious, with each one offering a plasma television and high speed internet access. The hotel also provides 24 hour room service, and maid cleaning service twice a day.

    If you plan to go on a family vacation, the resort offers the Tree House Club, which is a special facility designed for children 3 – 12. Kids here can experience exciting thrills, such as swimming with turtles and easter egg hunts. The resort will also offer you and your family a number of exciting water sports, tennis, and even shopping.

    The signature restaurant, L’Acajou, serves French cuisine that features fresh island seafood and other local treats. The restaurant also offers you an open air setting on the waterfront, that offers you breathtaking panoramic views.

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    January 26th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    Apartments situated in the tourist area of Benidorm. The one and two bedroomed apartments are just a short walk from the Levante beach and resort centre, with bars, restaurants, shops and nightlife. Key collection is from the office of Barcelo Destination Services in Benidorm.

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    January 25th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    The Oktoberfest in Germany is a well known name amongst the people who have a love for great beer and unrestricted parties all day. It is organized every year in Munich, Germany and is an indispensable part of the Bavarian culture.

    It began all the way back in 1810 at the royal wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig. A horse race was organized in the month of October to mark their marriage and the feast thrown on their marriage.  Since then, barring any war outbreak or epidemic, a fest is organized every year in October at Munich, Germany known as the Oktoberfest.

    Beer being the primary culinary delight has become a central part of this fest. Thus, this fest is popularly known as the Munich beer fest for the astonishing amounts of beer served during the sixteen days of the fest. It starts at noon on the first day with the mayor arriving in a specially decorated festive coach with a decorated beer can pulled by horse cart just behind him. After the ceremonial parade finishes, the mayor comes up and taps the first barrel of beer and shouts “o’zapft is!” which signals that Oktoberfest in Germany has begun. The first mug of beer is passed to the prime minister and then the various tents can start selling beer to people.

    Due to its sheer magnitude and extravaganza, it attracts a large number of people from all around the globe to come and take part in this historic yet enjoyable event. Although it is called the Oktoberfest but a major part of it is over by September end as considering that the winters might arrive early.

    This year (2009) it was held from 19th September to 4th of October. In spite of a recession hit world economy, the Oktoberfest in Germany saw an increase in the number of visitors as compared to last year signifying that this one of a kind event was a success yet again.

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    January 24th, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    Free downloadable from iTunes App store, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts App was created to meet guest demand for a functional booking portal and gateway to mini “escapes.”

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    January 23rd, 2010EmilyUncategorized

    Accessible by only ferry, private boat, or by air, Ocracoke Island seems to make time stand still on it’s 16 mile island. What really makes this island special is that over three quarters of it is protected Cape Hatteras National Seashore property.

    Within Ocracoke Island North Carolina, there are many different houses, schools, parks, and numerous boat ramps and places for beach access. The community is very friendly here, making it a perfect beach vacation spot for the entire family.

    For everything practical and not so practical you’ll need while your away from home, you can find it here on Ocracoke Island. From beach chairs and boards to manicures and massages, and rental cars to finding a caterer – you can find everything you need to make your beach vacation a dream come true.

    For nearly 12 continuous miles, the dunes and marsh lands of the island are untouched, providing a home for birds, deer, muskrats, rabbits, and other wild animals. The several beaches on the island are some of the last pristine beaches left in America. Fishermen and anglers are allowed to drive on the beach, with surf fishing being truly great here.

    If you visit Ocracoke Island in the summer, you’ll find that there is always something to do. The island has a happening nightlife as well, which is perfect for those who want more than just the beach on their vacation.

    If you live close to North Carolina, Ocracoke Island is possibly closer than you may realize. Those of you who have been looking for the perfect beach vacation can find it here. All you have to do is book a hotel then let the good times roll.

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