A mesmerizing island full of tranquil environment, lively white sand beaches and the land of sun and fun- that’s what defines Mauritius! Come aboard the island and spend some of the best moments of your life or start your married life with Mauritius honeymoon packages. There is no doubt that Mauritius is a paradise where you can enjoy variety of fun activities, challenging water sports and satiate your shopping appetite.
Explore the paradise island with Mauritius tour packages
Mauritius, a sparkling island in the aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean, will instantly charm you. The perfect blend of tastes, culture and colors, the place is so fascinating that it will instantly set the tone to enjoy delightful Mauritius holidays. You will be furnished with the ideal opportunity to relish a unique mix of luxury and fun which will definitely elate your mind and soul. Mauritius tour packages offer some of the most pleasurable experiences which will lure you to return to the magnificent island time and again.
Unlimited fun and entertainment
The fun and entertainment never ends and your Mauritius holidays will turn out to be a bundle full of surprises. There is nothing more exiting than booking Mauritius honeymoon packages and strolling along the Mauritius white beaches with your spouse. The mesmerizing lagoon and the inviting marine life will spark your soul with energy and its sheer beauty will simply spellbind you. As the night sets, the trendy bars and the restaurants buzzes to life and excites you. When you feel tired after trekking or mountain climbing, just a cool and refreshing drink at a local pub will instantly revive your senses.
Enjoy a memorable honeymoon
Mauritius is rightly called as a pearl on the Indian Ocean and what can be more enthralling than spending your honeymoon there? With wide varieties of Mauritius honeymoon packages at your disposal, you get the benefit to explore their facilities, the amenities they offer and their prices. If you are more an adventurous person you can go for Mauritius tour packages which include exciting cruises and adventure sports. Or if you prefer tranquilly and peace, you can book packages where you can spend Mauritius holidays basking in the glory of the sun and walking along the serene beaches. You will feel like you are the characters from a story tale and you can enjoy the ultimate luxuries in Mauritius.
Mauritius holidays will never disappoint and you can add the magnificent experience in your memory store to recall and smile in future!
by: Jone Gail
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 30 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
วันพุธที่ 29 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
Paris Holidays: Sparkling Your Life
The City of Lights, Paris is a renowned romantic destination, aesthetic center and business hub. Its significance is also discovered in the fields of science, arts, fashion, business, education and media. Whether you are a romantic person, lover of grand night life or an expert of art, Paris holidays are perfect for you! A sparkling city of hope, love and pleasure, Paris packages will just mesmerize you and leave you completely satisfied.
Preplan Your Paris Tour to Avoid Confusions
A well planned and organized Paris tour is the perfect idea if you desire to get the maximum pleasure and delight. There are times when people on an impulse decide Paris holidays without any knowledge or idea about the city and its landmarks. As soon as they reach the City of Lights, they find themselves confused and anxious. If you choose any random hotel or apartment, you may end up spending a large part of your holiday savings as you have no prior knowledge about their rates. To visit the landmarks you will have to rely on the locals to guide you. At the middle of your Paris tour, you may even become utterly frustrated and disappointed. Therefore, it’s always on your best interest to preplan your Paris Holidays to get maximum benefits and pleasure.
Use Internet to explore the best Paris Packages
The best medium of booking your Paris tour is through the medium of internet. With just few clicks of your mouse you will get access to view numerous websites which provide Paris packages. With so many options at your disposal you can choose the best one which suits your budget and compliments your requirements.
Select Paris Packages on the basis on your budget and preferences
The travel websites are well organized and you get to explore the catalogs too. There are varied assortments of Paris packages available. They are well classified on the basis of the number of days you want to stay, your budget and your preferences. If you desire for a grand stay, you can choose luxury Paris packages. Or if your budget is limited you can select cheap but enjoyable Paris tour. Sometimes people think that with limited budget, they won’t be able to enjoy their Paris holidays to the maximum. But that is not true! You can relish a comfortable stay and a grand tour in an affordable budget by contacting an esteemed travel company and booking a Paris package tour!
by: Jone Gail
Preplan Your Paris Tour to Avoid Confusions
A well planned and organized Paris tour is the perfect idea if you desire to get the maximum pleasure and delight. There are times when people on an impulse decide Paris holidays without any knowledge or idea about the city and its landmarks. As soon as they reach the City of Lights, they find themselves confused and anxious. If you choose any random hotel or apartment, you may end up spending a large part of your holiday savings as you have no prior knowledge about their rates. To visit the landmarks you will have to rely on the locals to guide you. At the middle of your Paris tour, you may even become utterly frustrated and disappointed. Therefore, it’s always on your best interest to preplan your Paris Holidays to get maximum benefits and pleasure.
Use Internet to explore the best Paris Packages
The best medium of booking your Paris tour is through the medium of internet. With just few clicks of your mouse you will get access to view numerous websites which provide Paris packages. With so many options at your disposal you can choose the best one which suits your budget and compliments your requirements.
Select Paris Packages on the basis on your budget and preferences
The travel websites are well organized and you get to explore the catalogs too. There are varied assortments of Paris packages available. They are well classified on the basis of the number of days you want to stay, your budget and your preferences. If you desire for a grand stay, you can choose luxury Paris packages. Or if your budget is limited you can select cheap but enjoyable Paris tour. Sometimes people think that with limited budget, they won’t be able to enjoy their Paris holidays to the maximum. But that is not true! You can relish a comfortable stay and a grand tour in an affordable budget by contacting an esteemed travel company and booking a Paris package tour!
by: Jone Gail
Dubai Holiday Packages: Enjoy a Majestic Stay in the City Of Merchants
One of the seven emirates which constitute the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, symbolizes the victory of man over nature. Dubai vacation packages draws people from across the planet and even far off places like Indian sub continent, Africa and Europe. The perfect contrast of desert and modern cities can also be experienced through Dubai holidays packages. The roads and streets of Dubai are extremely neat and clean and you can easily stroll through them without any tension or issues of hygiene and pollution.
Dubai has by far taken the whole world by storm and continue to grow and shine at a fast pace. Notably one of the most desired holiday destinations, just the mention of Dubai Vacation packages fascinates the vacationers. The three major factors which captivate the attention of the vacationers towards the city are its beaches, abundant shopping centers and delightful nightlife.
Exotic beaches
The beach and water sports lover must book their Dubai Holiday Packages immediately! The clear and beautiful Palm Beach of Dubai offers a large assortment of entertainment facilities and recreational activities to their esteemed visitors. The year round sunshine makes Dubai the most preferred choice to take on Dubai Vacation Packages and spend quality time with your family and friends. You can just relax, sun bath or laze around the warm beaches. If you are a sports enthusiast and looking forward to some adventure, there are various water sports lined up for you. You can scuba dive, sail or just swim in the inviting waters of the Arabian Gulf.
Enjoy Shopping
Shopping forms an integral part of your Dubai vacation packages. There can be nothing more fulfilling and exciting than shopping in the designer stores, fascinating malls and high streets of Dubai. From traditional carpets, fine arts, souvenirs, accessories and bags, you can find everything under the sun in Dubai. World renowned designers and famous personalities specially book Dubai Holiday Packages to shop for accessories, clothes, shoes and other stuffs. Whatever your budget or requirements, you can find the best of all in Dubai and it will even suit every pocket and budget.
Spellbinding Nightlife
When you talk about Dubai Holiday packages, how can you miss talking about its spellbinding nightlife? No holiday maker can stop themselves to spend some quality time shaking their legs at the fast rhythm of the clubs and pubs of Dubai.
Just visit Dubai once and you will surely return to the magnificent place time and again!
by: Jone Gail
Dubai has by far taken the whole world by storm and continue to grow and shine at a fast pace. Notably one of the most desired holiday destinations, just the mention of Dubai Vacation packages fascinates the vacationers. The three major factors which captivate the attention of the vacationers towards the city are its beaches, abundant shopping centers and delightful nightlife.
Exotic beaches
The beach and water sports lover must book their Dubai Holiday Packages immediately! The clear and beautiful Palm Beach of Dubai offers a large assortment of entertainment facilities and recreational activities to their esteemed visitors. The year round sunshine makes Dubai the most preferred choice to take on Dubai Vacation Packages and spend quality time with your family and friends. You can just relax, sun bath or laze around the warm beaches. If you are a sports enthusiast and looking forward to some adventure, there are various water sports lined up for you. You can scuba dive, sail or just swim in the inviting waters of the Arabian Gulf.
Enjoy Shopping
Shopping forms an integral part of your Dubai vacation packages. There can be nothing more fulfilling and exciting than shopping in the designer stores, fascinating malls and high streets of Dubai. From traditional carpets, fine arts, souvenirs, accessories and bags, you can find everything under the sun in Dubai. World renowned designers and famous personalities specially book Dubai Holiday Packages to shop for accessories, clothes, shoes and other stuffs. Whatever your budget or requirements, you can find the best of all in Dubai and it will even suit every pocket and budget.
Spellbinding Nightlife
When you talk about Dubai Holiday packages, how can you miss talking about its spellbinding nightlife? No holiday maker can stop themselves to spend some quality time shaking their legs at the fast rhythm of the clubs and pubs of Dubai.
Just visit Dubai once and you will surely return to the magnificent place time and again!
by: Jone Gail
Dubai Holidays: A Dream of All Vacationers by: Jone Gaill
Situated south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and surrounded by the royal desert, Dubai attracts tourists with its year round sunshine. Visitors plan their Dubai tour to enjoy the five star luxuries and the added adventure of fantastic Arabian experience. Dubai, just the name itself is enough you to make you think about great architecture, alluring beaches, majestic deserts, fascinating shopping center and business houses. With the passing of decades, Dubai has become a hub for tourists and a large number of people plan their Dubai holidays to spend their vacations. But, have you ever given it a thought as to why vacationers opt for Dubai packages and not any other location? Given below are a few viable reasons which make the Dubai tour all the more alluring and delightful for the people.
Dining
Eating in Dubai is quite reasonable and tasting the traditional cuisines having Arabic influences delights your taste bud. You can enjoy eating Shawrama, the traditional dish of Dubai, which is prepared by mixing chicken or lamb with their local pickle. Also, there are other delicious food items like Falafel, made of chick peas and spices which will please your senses. You can also discover international eateries and outlets which serve food of different countries. Trying different Dubai restaurants and dishes would never disappoint you and you can enjoy the Dubai holidays to the fullest.
Unique Jewellery Stores
The jewellery stores and their massive and unique collection will just take your breathe away. If you have promised to bring gifts for your loved ones after returning from your Dubai holidays, there can be nothing more special than a specially carved piece of jewellery. This will not only represent your love and affection but also mark your Dubai tour as extremely satisfying and memorable one.
Diverse Culture
You will never feel out of place while on if you take on Dubai packages. You will get to see people from all walks of life, culture and countries living in Dubai with harmony, peace and unity.
Heart warming hospitality
The gratifying services and pleasing hospitality of Dubai will warm your heart to the core. The Dubai residents are warm, friendly and helpful and you will always find them ready to help. Whatever guidance you require, they will assist you in every step of your way to make your Dubai holidays as enjoyable and pleasurable as possible. So, why wait? Book Dubai packages and have a divine experience!
by: Jone Gaill
Dining
Eating in Dubai is quite reasonable and tasting the traditional cuisines having Arabic influences delights your taste bud. You can enjoy eating Shawrama, the traditional dish of Dubai, which is prepared by mixing chicken or lamb with their local pickle. Also, there are other delicious food items like Falafel, made of chick peas and spices which will please your senses. You can also discover international eateries and outlets which serve food of different countries. Trying different Dubai restaurants and dishes would never disappoint you and you can enjoy the Dubai holidays to the fullest.
Unique Jewellery Stores
The jewellery stores and their massive and unique collection will just take your breathe away. If you have promised to bring gifts for your loved ones after returning from your Dubai holidays, there can be nothing more special than a specially carved piece of jewellery. This will not only represent your love and affection but also mark your Dubai tour as extremely satisfying and memorable one.
Diverse Culture
You will never feel out of place while on if you take on Dubai packages. You will get to see people from all walks of life, culture and countries living in Dubai with harmony, peace and unity.
Heart warming hospitality
The gratifying services and pleasing hospitality of Dubai will warm your heart to the core. The Dubai residents are warm, friendly and helpful and you will always find them ready to help. Whatever guidance you require, they will assist you in every step of your way to make your Dubai holidays as enjoyable and pleasurable as possible. So, why wait? Book Dubai packages and have a divine experience!
by: Jone Gaill
วันอังคารที่ 28 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
Catch A Glimpse Of the Nature’s Beauty with Maldives Holidays
Maldives vacation packages offer the perfect blend of unspoilt beaches, serene ambience, soul cleansing freshness; in other words, a once in a lifetime experience! Your Maldives packages uncovers for you the most picturesque scenes, lagoons, white sand beaches, numerous water sports and many more exciting activities. The adaptable and splendid climate and the adventurous and interesting water sports are the two basic reasons for the tourists to delightfully plan their Maldives holidays.
Adaptable and magnificent Climate and Weather
When you talk about the climate and weather of Maldives, you will definitely find it picture perfect! The pleasant mornings, colorful sunset, sparkling days and breezy nights are ideal to enjoy your Maldives holidays. The climate and temperature of the island rarely changes. Thus, you can easily pack for your Maldives vacation packages and delight in the experience. The sun is usually vibrant through out the day and creates unique patterns and designs on your feet which heal your cold bones. The always shining sun is sure to caste its spell on you. If you love reading and rainy weather, the rare thunderstorm of the island will provide the perfect setting. The slate gray sky and the cloudy weather will just mesmerize you. You can also go for a swim where you will find the sea warm and inviting. After your Maldives holidays end, you are sure to remember and miss the sun and the weather as an old friend.
Numerous adventurous and challenging Water sports
During your Maldives holidays you can have endless fun and entertainment in or under the water! The place where you get to see more water than land offers plethora of adventure and excitement. Many of the Maldives packages include water polo sessions, diving excursions and several other recreational activities for tourists. You can select the Maldives vacation packages which promise a stay in a resort having its own sports center and furnishes varieties of water sports activities.
Some of the resorts are fully equipments with all the diving and swimming equipments for making the Maldives packages of the holiday makers a complete success. You will be provided with boards, snorkels and masks of various sizes with the help of which you can choose your own interest of water sports and enjoy it to the fullest. You can spend your Maldives Holidays diving and coming face to face with the wide eyed fishes or surfing and feeling the serene ambience. You could go for parasailing, water-skiing, kayaking, kite-surfing or jet-skiing.
Have fun and relish your Maldives holidays to the fullest!
by: Jone Gail
Adaptable and magnificent Climate and Weather
When you talk about the climate and weather of Maldives, you will definitely find it picture perfect! The pleasant mornings, colorful sunset, sparkling days and breezy nights are ideal to enjoy your Maldives holidays. The climate and temperature of the island rarely changes. Thus, you can easily pack for your Maldives vacation packages and delight in the experience. The sun is usually vibrant through out the day and creates unique patterns and designs on your feet which heal your cold bones. The always shining sun is sure to caste its spell on you. If you love reading and rainy weather, the rare thunderstorm of the island will provide the perfect setting. The slate gray sky and the cloudy weather will just mesmerize you. You can also go for a swim where you will find the sea warm and inviting. After your Maldives holidays end, you are sure to remember and miss the sun and the weather as an old friend.
Numerous adventurous and challenging Water sports
During your Maldives holidays you can have endless fun and entertainment in or under the water! The place where you get to see more water than land offers plethora of adventure and excitement. Many of the Maldives packages include water polo sessions, diving excursions and several other recreational activities for tourists. You can select the Maldives vacation packages which promise a stay in a resort having its own sports center and furnishes varieties of water sports activities.
Some of the resorts are fully equipments with all the diving and swimming equipments for making the Maldives packages of the holiday makers a complete success. You will be provided with boards, snorkels and masks of various sizes with the help of which you can choose your own interest of water sports and enjoy it to the fullest. You can spend your Maldives Holidays diving and coming face to face with the wide eyed fishes or surfing and feeling the serene ambience. You could go for parasailing, water-skiing, kayaking, kite-surfing or jet-skiing.
Have fun and relish your Maldives holidays to the fullest!
by: Jone Gail
Maldives Honeymoon Packages: The Perfect Backdrop for the Divine Union of Hearts
Honeymoon is actually the celebration of trust and love in the most exciting and intimate setting. Maldives honeymoon packages provide the best backdrop and a beautiful setting to rejoice your honeymoon. You can discover limitless ways to allow the magic of the island delight you in your Maldives tour.
Enjoy your dinner under the sparkling stars
You can enjoy the dinner with your spouse under the dazzling stars with a candle shinning brightly nearby. A daring escape to an uninhabited and secluded island for the whole day will enhance the appeal of your Mauritius tour. You can also just relax and relish a spa treatment or a wonderful massage in your resort which is included in your Maldives holiday packages.
Relish the fishing and swimming experience
While enjoying your Maldives honeymoon packages, you can know each other better through a diving session or swim across the vibrant house reef with masks and fin. It will be an unforgettable experience and enhance your bond with your beloved. You can relive the awesome memory for days to come.
There are various fishing spots and if you are looking forward to some excitement and challenge to enhance the mood of your Maldives tour. You can indulge in fishing competitions and see who can catch more in less time. The amazing boat trip which you will have to undertake to reach the fishing spot will provide you both fun and entertainment.
Glimpse the nature’s miracle
If you are lucky enough and the nature plays its magic, then you can view a magnificent sunset with vibrant colors spread all over the sky. Just by looking at it you will realize that you have been witness to a most beautiful and scenic moment of your life. With Maldives honeymoon packages at your service; your honeymoon need not be just one time delight. In fact you can come all over again to the splendid island and spend some happy days and strengthen your bond and love.
Delight the gratifying hospitality
The hospitality and gratifying services of the Maldives tour packages is unmatched. Almost all the resorts and hotels welcome their guests and honeymooners with a flower decorated room and especially assorted fruit plates. This heart warming gesture feels like a promise for many more alluring and appealing days ahead. If you desire to arrange a special candle light dinner for your spouse, you just have to voice your preferences. You can even order special cuisines in your room during Maldives tour and etch the pleasant memory for a lifetime!
by: Jone Gail
Enjoy your dinner under the sparkling stars
You can enjoy the dinner with your spouse under the dazzling stars with a candle shinning brightly nearby. A daring escape to an uninhabited and secluded island for the whole day will enhance the appeal of your Mauritius tour. You can also just relax and relish a spa treatment or a wonderful massage in your resort which is included in your Maldives holiday packages.
Relish the fishing and swimming experience
While enjoying your Maldives honeymoon packages, you can know each other better through a diving session or swim across the vibrant house reef with masks and fin. It will be an unforgettable experience and enhance your bond with your beloved. You can relive the awesome memory for days to come.
There are various fishing spots and if you are looking forward to some excitement and challenge to enhance the mood of your Maldives tour. You can indulge in fishing competitions and see who can catch more in less time. The amazing boat trip which you will have to undertake to reach the fishing spot will provide you both fun and entertainment.
Glimpse the nature’s miracle
If you are lucky enough and the nature plays its magic, then you can view a magnificent sunset with vibrant colors spread all over the sky. Just by looking at it you will realize that you have been witness to a most beautiful and scenic moment of your life. With Maldives honeymoon packages at your service; your honeymoon need not be just one time delight. In fact you can come all over again to the splendid island and spend some happy days and strengthen your bond and love.
Delight the gratifying hospitality
The hospitality and gratifying services of the Maldives tour packages is unmatched. Almost all the resorts and hotels welcome their guests and honeymooners with a flower decorated room and especially assorted fruit plates. This heart warming gesture feels like a promise for many more alluring and appealing days ahead. If you desire to arrange a special candle light dinner for your spouse, you just have to voice your preferences. You can even order special cuisines in your room during Maldives tour and etch the pleasant memory for a lifetime!
by: Jone Gail
Get a Glimpse of the Futuristic City with Dubai Tour Package
Dubai symbolizes the unique phenomenon of blending scorching deserts into most advanced cities. Largely popular as the “City of Merchants”, Dubai has from decades welcomed the visitors and traders to its grand shore. Till today, the hospitality and courtesy lingers on and you can experience them in Dubai’s every corner while enjoying your Dubai tour package.
Best Getaway during winter: Dubai proudly enjoys moderate temperature all year round. During winters the demand for the Dubai tour packages just shoot up. Vacationers desire to escape the bitter cold winters of their country and delight in the warm water and year around sunshine of Dubai.
A futuristic appeal: When you plan your Dubai tour package and step foot on the city, you will realize what the word “futuristic” really means! The ever expanding architecture, the massive shopping centers and the majestic business houses are all perfect examples of futuristic planning and revolutionary development. You can only find such masterpieces in Dubai.
The Burj Al Arab hotel: Arguably the world’s most renowned hotel, the Burj Al Arab proudly stands on artificial island on the Jumeirah beach. The fourth tallest hotel in the world, its iconic structure represents a sail of a ship. The rooms, designs and structure of the hotel are majestic. Its sheer internal and external beauty will spellbind you. If you are looking forward to luxurious Dubai tour packages, then a stay in The Burj Al Arab hotel will glorify your tour.
Desert: Dubai may be the futuristic city of the present millennium, but its heart still lies in the desert of the Arabian Peninsula. The various desert events allure thousands of tourists as well as the residents. A Dubai tour package which includes a night spend camping at an oasis under the stars with camels nearby is a lifetime experience which no tourist would ever want to miss.
Stunning parks: Dubai is the home to some of the most beautiful parks and tourist attractions. When you are reading the catalogs of the various Dubai tour packages, always make sure that they include a visit to the water amusement park, Wild Wadi which will just delight your children. Along with the water park, there are some of the most interesting landscapes, gardens, zoo and playgrounds which will double your fun and furnish you complete entertainment.
Enter the world of fun, entertainment and magnificence with Dubai tour package!
by: Jone Gail
Best Getaway during winter: Dubai proudly enjoys moderate temperature all year round. During winters the demand for the Dubai tour packages just shoot up. Vacationers desire to escape the bitter cold winters of their country and delight in the warm water and year around sunshine of Dubai.
A futuristic appeal: When you plan your Dubai tour package and step foot on the city, you will realize what the word “futuristic” really means! The ever expanding architecture, the massive shopping centers and the majestic business houses are all perfect examples of futuristic planning and revolutionary development. You can only find such masterpieces in Dubai.
The Burj Al Arab hotel: Arguably the world’s most renowned hotel, the Burj Al Arab proudly stands on artificial island on the Jumeirah beach. The fourth tallest hotel in the world, its iconic structure represents a sail of a ship. The rooms, designs and structure of the hotel are majestic. Its sheer internal and external beauty will spellbind you. If you are looking forward to luxurious Dubai tour packages, then a stay in The Burj Al Arab hotel will glorify your tour.
Desert: Dubai may be the futuristic city of the present millennium, but its heart still lies in the desert of the Arabian Peninsula. The various desert events allure thousands of tourists as well as the residents. A Dubai tour package which includes a night spend camping at an oasis under the stars with camels nearby is a lifetime experience which no tourist would ever want to miss.
Stunning parks: Dubai is the home to some of the most beautiful parks and tourist attractions. When you are reading the catalogs of the various Dubai tour packages, always make sure that they include a visit to the water amusement park, Wild Wadi which will just delight your children. Along with the water park, there are some of the most interesting landscapes, gardens, zoo and playgrounds which will double your fun and furnish you complete entertainment.
Enter the world of fun, entertainment and magnificence with Dubai tour package!
by: Jone Gail
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 26 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo
Sydney's zoo - Taronga Zoo - is situated on Bradley's Head and enjoys one of the most spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the city. This prime location forms an unrivalled backdrop for the enclosures and pens of all the animals that call Taronga Zoo home. Taronga Zoo's giraffes are particularly infamous for their unrivalled harbour view and their outstanding positioning for all Sydney events - most notably the fireworks display on New Year's Eve. Taronga Zoo repeatedly makes the list of the world's top zoos, not only for the incredible diversity of animal species it houses, but for the education, conservation, veterinary and research operations it undertakes. It has to be conceded that the location and view doesn't hurt either! Further, the cable cars that sail above the zoo offer views of the entire zoo and the breathtaking scenery of Sydney and Sydney Harbour.
A visit to Taronga Zoo is included in many visitors to Sydney's ‘To-do' list, particularly those travelling with small children. But did you know that you can do more than just visit the zoo? Visitors can now spend the night at the zoo, at its amazing location and amongst all the animals.
Visitors who decide to take the Zoo ‘Roar & Snore' overnight stay will camp amongst the animals in luxury, purpose built tent accommodation and enjoy up-close and personal animal encounters that only overnight campers get to enjoy. Enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the stunning situation of the tents which overlook Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. It's certainly a Sydney accommodation option with a twist! You'll get to go behind the scenes of the zoo and experience all it has to offer before the crowds arrive. Dinner, breakfast and behind the scene tours are all included in the price.
Once you've stayed in this premier harbour side location, why not look for other accommodation deals? Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and other inner city suburbs offer accommodation that will be markedly different from that at Taronga Zoo, and allow visitors to explore and enjoy all the different sides, faces and experiences that Sydney has to offer.
Interesting facts about Taronga Zoo
The Zoo was officially opened on October 7th, 1916.
The original site of the Zoo was in Moore Park, and when the location changed to Bradley's Head, many animals - including the elephants - crossed the harbour on board a flat top barge.
Taronga Zoo is managed by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales, the same board that manages Dubbo's Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Divided into eight zoo-geographic regions, Taronga Zoo is home to over 2,600 animals on 21 hectares, making it one of the largest of its kind.
by: Cambridge Hotel
A visit to Taronga Zoo is included in many visitors to Sydney's ‘To-do' list, particularly those travelling with small children. But did you know that you can do more than just visit the zoo? Visitors can now spend the night at the zoo, at its amazing location and amongst all the animals.
Visitors who decide to take the Zoo ‘Roar & Snore' overnight stay will camp amongst the animals in luxury, purpose built tent accommodation and enjoy up-close and personal animal encounters that only overnight campers get to enjoy. Enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the stunning situation of the tents which overlook Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. It's certainly a Sydney accommodation option with a twist! You'll get to go behind the scenes of the zoo and experience all it has to offer before the crowds arrive. Dinner, breakfast and behind the scene tours are all included in the price.
Once you've stayed in this premier harbour side location, why not look for other accommodation deals? Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and other inner city suburbs offer accommodation that will be markedly different from that at Taronga Zoo, and allow visitors to explore and enjoy all the different sides, faces and experiences that Sydney has to offer.
Interesting facts about Taronga Zoo
The Zoo was officially opened on October 7th, 1916.
The original site of the Zoo was in Moore Park, and when the location changed to Bradley's Head, many animals - including the elephants - crossed the harbour on board a flat top barge.
Taronga Zoo is managed by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales, the same board that manages Dubbo's Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Divided into eight zoo-geographic regions, Taronga Zoo is home to over 2,600 animals on 21 hectares, making it one of the largest of its kind.
by: Cambridge Hotel
International Car Rental Tips And Advice
Here in this article you can find some tips and ideas to make a great deal and also to make sure that you have all the necessary documentation and the your driving is safe in abroad.
At any cost book your rental car in advance. Since rental rates will be higher in the table then over the phone. If you have ample time visit the websites of several car rental agencies and search for the cars that fits you on your travel dates.
Make it possible to make all the necessary arrangements from booking a rental car to payments all are done before you leave your place. This will generally make all things cheaper, easier and safer. This will also help you to avoid unexpected problems like unfamiliar rental specification, language barriers and also the cultural differences.
Ask whether the car rental company has any weekend specials, penalties for returning the car late and gas charges. Since there might be some hidden discounts or some hidden costs which you will not be explained at the time of rental. Be aware that all the countries have their own minimum and maximum age limit for renting the cars.
If you are planning to have a airport pickup then rent a smaller car since the airport fleets with larger car are used by the business travelers and at the same time you will also receive some free upgrade for choosing a subcompact package. But this will not fit for the people who are extra-tall and having lot of luggage or for people traveling with family or in groups. In this case do not take a risk you try to rent a car that fits in your needs.
An American driving license is enough if you are traveling to an English-speaking country but many countries specifies that you need an international driving permit. IDP is nothing but a piece of paper that just translate your information into 10 different languages and it is globally recognized and accepted in 150 countries. So if you are going to rent a car in abroad then you need to submit this international driving license along with your state license and you should be 18 years of age.
Make sure that you get your international driving license before you leave your home since you IDP must be issued only by the home country. It is not a license it is just a translation for the license issued for you from your home country. So in any situation if you are stopped by any law enforcement officials then you have to produce both your IDP and home driving license.
Before you leave make sure that you know the realistic price that you have to pay for the car fuel in the country you are going to visit. Ensure that you have left some big space in your budget for the gas expenses. Get your self familiarize with the local road rules of the country before you get into the car. The best solution for this is to get the country's consulate or embassy and keep yourself updated. If you have any insurances, then check with your auto insurances company that if you rent a car abroad will be covered under their policy. So at the time of booking itself you have buy the insurance from the car rental company.
If you are planning to drive extensively then don't forget to your road map or atlas it would be worth for the price you will be paying for it.
by: Michael John
At any cost book your rental car in advance. Since rental rates will be higher in the table then over the phone. If you have ample time visit the websites of several car rental agencies and search for the cars that fits you on your travel dates.
Make it possible to make all the necessary arrangements from booking a rental car to payments all are done before you leave your place. This will generally make all things cheaper, easier and safer. This will also help you to avoid unexpected problems like unfamiliar rental specification, language barriers and also the cultural differences.
Ask whether the car rental company has any weekend specials, penalties for returning the car late and gas charges. Since there might be some hidden discounts or some hidden costs which you will not be explained at the time of rental. Be aware that all the countries have their own minimum and maximum age limit for renting the cars.
If you are planning to have a airport pickup then rent a smaller car since the airport fleets with larger car are used by the business travelers and at the same time you will also receive some free upgrade for choosing a subcompact package. But this will not fit for the people who are extra-tall and having lot of luggage or for people traveling with family or in groups. In this case do not take a risk you try to rent a car that fits in your needs.
An American driving license is enough if you are traveling to an English-speaking country but many countries specifies that you need an international driving permit. IDP is nothing but a piece of paper that just translate your information into 10 different languages and it is globally recognized and accepted in 150 countries. So if you are going to rent a car in abroad then you need to submit this international driving license along with your state license and you should be 18 years of age.
Make sure that you get your international driving license before you leave your home since you IDP must be issued only by the home country. It is not a license it is just a translation for the license issued for you from your home country. So in any situation if you are stopped by any law enforcement officials then you have to produce both your IDP and home driving license.
Before you leave make sure that you know the realistic price that you have to pay for the car fuel in the country you are going to visit. Ensure that you have left some big space in your budget for the gas expenses. Get your self familiarize with the local road rules of the country before you get into the car. The best solution for this is to get the country's consulate or embassy and keep yourself updated. If you have any insurances, then check with your auto insurances company that if you rent a car abroad will be covered under their policy. So at the time of booking itself you have buy the insurance from the car rental company.
If you are planning to drive extensively then don't forget to your road map or atlas it would be worth for the price you will be paying for it.
by: Michael John
I Love Italian Travel - Tuscany Wine Touring
Who has not heard about Tuscany? Its capital Florence is a living work of art, whose relatively small historic center contains far too many sites to list here. Where else you can find world-class jewelry in shops lining a bridge as they have been for centuries on the Ponte Vecchio? You might be surprised that Bistecca all Fiorentina, the local beefsteak, is excellent. Enjoy it with a Chianti or other fine Tuscan wine. Tuscany is a lot more than Florence. You may want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa and visit the partially walled city of Lucca, home to 99 churches. Or visit Florence's historic rival, Siena, which has retained its medieval flavor. Its Piazza del Campo is one of Italy's finest squares. Try to see the Palio, a historic horserace pitting the city's 17 neighborhoods against one another every July 2 and August 16. The Renaissance village of Montepulciano is best known for its Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOC. Go to Saturnia to see some Etruscan and pre-Etruscan tombs. There's a lot more to see, for example, the region of Chianti.
What about the wine? Virtually everywhere you turn in rural Tuscany somebody is making fine wine. Most of it is red, but there are some great whites as well. Tuscany is home to Super Tuscans, wines that defied traditional wine making practices and regulations. They aren't allowed to carry Italy's fine wine designations. Many of these wines sell for much more than $100 a bottle, so successful producers are laughing all the way to the bank.
Sangiovese is the most widely planted red grape in Tuscany. It's the heart of Chianti DOCG (with and without the Classico refering to the traditional Chianti region), Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and many others. Don't be confused; many Super Tuscans contain Sangiovese and sometimes no other grapes. Other quite common Tuscan red varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The whites are simpler. The most common are Trebbiano, especially Trebbiano Toscano, and Vermentino. The famous Tuscan sweet wine Vino Santo is made from white grapes.
Companies that sell Tuscany wine tours include Prime Italy, Select Italy, and Alabaster and Clark Wine Tours Worldwide. Tuscany wineries that provide visits include Antinori in Firenze now in the agriturismo business, Avignonesi in Montepulciano, the organic winery Badia a Coltibuono in Gaiole in Chianti which offers a restaurant and lodgings, Barone Ricasoli in Gaiole in Chianti, and Ruffino in Pontassieve to name but a few. A few words of warning are in order. Be sure to check ahead of time for opening hours and whether English is spoken. Some of these places may charge admission; others may expect that you buy some of their products.
by: Levi Reiss
What about the wine? Virtually everywhere you turn in rural Tuscany somebody is making fine wine. Most of it is red, but there are some great whites as well. Tuscany is home to Super Tuscans, wines that defied traditional wine making practices and regulations. They aren't allowed to carry Italy's fine wine designations. Many of these wines sell for much more than $100 a bottle, so successful producers are laughing all the way to the bank.
Sangiovese is the most widely planted red grape in Tuscany. It's the heart of Chianti DOCG (with and without the Classico refering to the traditional Chianti region), Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and many others. Don't be confused; many Super Tuscans contain Sangiovese and sometimes no other grapes. Other quite common Tuscan red varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The whites are simpler. The most common are Trebbiano, especially Trebbiano Toscano, and Vermentino. The famous Tuscan sweet wine Vino Santo is made from white grapes.
Companies that sell Tuscany wine tours include Prime Italy, Select Italy, and Alabaster and Clark Wine Tours Worldwide. Tuscany wineries that provide visits include Antinori in Firenze now in the agriturismo business, Avignonesi in Montepulciano, the organic winery Badia a Coltibuono in Gaiole in Chianti which offers a restaurant and lodgings, Barone Ricasoli in Gaiole in Chianti, and Ruffino in Pontassieve to name but a few. A few words of warning are in order. Be sure to check ahead of time for opening hours and whether English is spoken. Some of these places may charge admission; others may expect that you buy some of their products.
by: Levi Reiss
วันเสาร์ที่ 25 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
International Car Rental Tips And Advice
Here in this article you can find some tips and ideas to make a great deal and also to make sure that you have all the necessary documentation and the your driving is safe in abroad.
At any cost book your rental car in advance. Since rental rates will be higher in the table then over the phone. If you have ample time visit the websites of several car rental agencies and search for the cars that fits you on your travel dates.
Make it possible to make all the necessary arrangements from booking a rental car to payments all are done before you leave your place. This will generally make all things cheaper, easier and safer. This will also help you to avoid unexpected problems like unfamiliar rental specification, language barriers and also the cultural differences.
Ask whether the car rental company has any weekend specials, penalties for returning the car late and gas charges. Since there might be some hidden discounts or some hidden costs which you will not be explained at the time of rental. Be aware that all the countries have their own minimum and maximum age limit for renting the cars.
If you are planning to have a airport pickup then rent a smaller car since the airport fleets with larger car are used by the business travelers and at the same time you will also receive some free upgrade for choosing a subcompact package. But this will not fit for the people who are extra-tall and having lot of luggage or for people traveling with family or in groups. In this case do not take a risk you try to rent a car that fits in your needs.
An American driving license is enough if you are traveling to an English-speaking country but many countries specifies that you need an international driving permit. IDP is nothing but a piece of paper that just translate your information into 10 different languages and it is globally recognized and accepted in 150 countries. So if you are going to rent a car in abroad then you need to submit this international driving license along with your state license and you should be 18 years of age.
Make sure that you get your international driving license before you leave your home since you IDP must be issued only by the home country. It is not a license it is just a translation for the license issued for you from your home country. So in any situation if you are stopped by any law enforcement officials then you have to produce both your IDP and home driving license.
Before you leave make sure that you know the realistic price that you have to pay for the car fuel in the country you are going to visit. Ensure that you have left some big space in your budget for the gas expenses. Get your self familiarize with the local road rules of the country before you get into the car. The best solution for this is to get the country's consulate or embassy and keep yourself updated. If you have any insurances, then check with your auto insurances company that if you rent a car abroad will be covered under their policy. So at the time of booking itself you have buy the insurance from the car rental company.
If you are planning to drive extensively then don't forget to your road map or atlas it would be worth for the price you will be paying for it.
by: Michael John
At any cost book your rental car in advance. Since rental rates will be higher in the table then over the phone. If you have ample time visit the websites of several car rental agencies and search for the cars that fits you on your travel dates.
Make it possible to make all the necessary arrangements from booking a rental car to payments all are done before you leave your place. This will generally make all things cheaper, easier and safer. This will also help you to avoid unexpected problems like unfamiliar rental specification, language barriers and also the cultural differences.
Ask whether the car rental company has any weekend specials, penalties for returning the car late and gas charges. Since there might be some hidden discounts or some hidden costs which you will not be explained at the time of rental. Be aware that all the countries have their own minimum and maximum age limit for renting the cars.
If you are planning to have a airport pickup then rent a smaller car since the airport fleets with larger car are used by the business travelers and at the same time you will also receive some free upgrade for choosing a subcompact package. But this will not fit for the people who are extra-tall and having lot of luggage or for people traveling with family or in groups. In this case do not take a risk you try to rent a car that fits in your needs.
An American driving license is enough if you are traveling to an English-speaking country but many countries specifies that you need an international driving permit. IDP is nothing but a piece of paper that just translate your information into 10 different languages and it is globally recognized and accepted in 150 countries. So if you are going to rent a car in abroad then you need to submit this international driving license along with your state license and you should be 18 years of age.
Make sure that you get your international driving license before you leave your home since you IDP must be issued only by the home country. It is not a license it is just a translation for the license issued for you from your home country. So in any situation if you are stopped by any law enforcement officials then you have to produce both your IDP and home driving license.
Before you leave make sure that you know the realistic price that you have to pay for the car fuel in the country you are going to visit. Ensure that you have left some big space in your budget for the gas expenses. Get your self familiarize with the local road rules of the country before you get into the car. The best solution for this is to get the country's consulate or embassy and keep yourself updated. If you have any insurances, then check with your auto insurances company that if you rent a car abroad will be covered under their policy. So at the time of booking itself you have buy the insurance from the car rental company.
If you are planning to drive extensively then don't forget to your road map or atlas it would be worth for the price you will be paying for it.
by: Michael John
วันศุกร์ที่ 24 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
Museum INN, Bangalore
HOTEL OVERVIEW:
Bangalore is the IT hub of India and attracts large number of travellers. People come to Bangalore to spend holidays and for business. Here one can find number of good accommodations in order to have a comfortable stay. Hotel Museum Inn is a well known 3 star deluxe hotel of the city.
Hotel Museum Inn promises you a comfortable stay with style in Bangalore. Museum Inn is among the most popular economy hotels in Bangalore. The hotel is known for its striking interiors and calm environment to make you feel at home away from home. Museum Inn is one of the most preferred accommodations due to its location. The hotel is at a distance of 38 Kms from the Bangalore City Airport and is at a distance of 8 Kms from the Bangalore Railway Station. This is an ideal destination for the business travellers and the leisure travellers who come to Bangalore.
The hotel is situated amidst the business and entertainment districts of M.G. Road. The hotel consists of well equipped 40 spacious guestrooms. All the rooms are tastefully designed and have the potpourri of dinning outlets. Bamboo Shoots are the Chinese restaurant of the hotel which is known to serve multi cuisines.
The Museum Inn Hotel blows its own trumpet of three highly modernised restaurants where you may savour Chinese, south Indian, continental and Thai food. The hotel also has a Tavern Pub where you can laze around during the leisure time. The Angeethi Restaurant serves Indian delicacies and is also a pastry shop. The hotel also provides with numerous other facilities for the comfort of the visitors. The restaurant here serves best of dishes to tickle your taste buds.
The hotel provides you with wireless Internet service, travel desk facility, airport transfers, 24 hour room service, laundry service, air conditioned rooms, 24 hour running water. Various other facilities given to the guests include a doctor on call, safe vault and many more.
Here at Museum Inn Hotel in Bangalore you feel fresh every moment you can relish your stay in the hotel. The professional trained staff of the hotel tries its best that the visitors do not face any inconvenience. The Museum offers cocoons of comfort for staying where the guests can have the memorable time. So walk into The Museum Inn and spend some memorable time with your friends, family and the loved ones.
by: Anjela Rock
Bangalore is the IT hub of India and attracts large number of travellers. People come to Bangalore to spend holidays and for business. Here one can find number of good accommodations in order to have a comfortable stay. Hotel Museum Inn is a well known 3 star deluxe hotel of the city.
Hotel Museum Inn promises you a comfortable stay with style in Bangalore. Museum Inn is among the most popular economy hotels in Bangalore. The hotel is known for its striking interiors and calm environment to make you feel at home away from home. Museum Inn is one of the most preferred accommodations due to its location. The hotel is at a distance of 38 Kms from the Bangalore City Airport and is at a distance of 8 Kms from the Bangalore Railway Station. This is an ideal destination for the business travellers and the leisure travellers who come to Bangalore.
The hotel is situated amidst the business and entertainment districts of M.G. Road. The hotel consists of well equipped 40 spacious guestrooms. All the rooms are tastefully designed and have the potpourri of dinning outlets. Bamboo Shoots are the Chinese restaurant of the hotel which is known to serve multi cuisines.
The Museum Inn Hotel blows its own trumpet of three highly modernised restaurants where you may savour Chinese, south Indian, continental and Thai food. The hotel also has a Tavern Pub where you can laze around during the leisure time. The Angeethi Restaurant serves Indian delicacies and is also a pastry shop. The hotel also provides with numerous other facilities for the comfort of the visitors. The restaurant here serves best of dishes to tickle your taste buds.
The hotel provides you with wireless Internet service, travel desk facility, airport transfers, 24 hour room service, laundry service, air conditioned rooms, 24 hour running water. Various other facilities given to the guests include a doctor on call, safe vault and many more.
Here at Museum Inn Hotel in Bangalore you feel fresh every moment you can relish your stay in the hotel. The professional trained staff of the hotel tries its best that the visitors do not face any inconvenience. The Museum offers cocoons of comfort for staying where the guests can have the memorable time. So walk into The Museum Inn and spend some memorable time with your friends, family and the loved ones.
by: Anjela Rock
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 23 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2553
How to Deal With the Stress of Losing Your Passport
Losing anything is frustrating, but to lose your passport can be a particularly painful experience, depending upon where you might be at the time. We all, I'm sure, know of somebody who has experienced the stress of trying to work out how to get home, or how to go about replacing this essential identifying item.
A family member was telling a tale yesterday about a particular trip to Perth, Australia with his wife and four children. Being a very organized family, each person had one small case and one small rucksack which they were individually responsible for. Dad had one additional item; his briefcase, in which he safely carried all of the passports, credit cards and money.
Well, the idea seemed to be "safe"! All went very well, until they arrived at their first hotel and couldn't see the briefcase when they came to unpacking their car. One very worried dad proceeded to drive for forty five minutes back through Perth traffic towards the airport. You can only imagine the thoughts which were running through his mind for that very, very long drive.
Put yourself in his shoes for a moment. You are responsible for the family and you have managed to lose passports, money and credit cards. You are in a strange country. He described the anxiety and the racing thoughts to me as if it had happened yesterday, as opposed to twenty odd years ago. In this day and age of modern technology you can scan important documents and keep them in your "online safe"; you couldn't do that back then.
He did a lot of deep breathing during that drive and kept the windows open to cool himself down. In such circumstances it pays to know how to relax your mind and your excited emotions. You can relax yourself and calm yourself if only you know how. Self hypnosis is a great help with this.
Upon arrival at the airport, believe it or not, sitting on the curb stone, exactly where they had loaded up the car an hour and a half earlier, stood the briefcase. (I doubt that would be the case in this day and age, but that's another story entirely!)
Once again, put yourself in his shoes. Imagine the feeling of elation and euphoria! He told me how he instantaneously felt as if he was floating on air. He had never felt so happy and those feelings swept over him immediately.
This is a great example of how our emotions can hit rock bottom and yet soar to incredible heights in just seconds. I dare say that even as you put yourself into each of these scenarios - lost and found - you too experienced a little of this emotion simply by identifying with the circumstances. This demonstrates how you can use the power of your mind to change the emotions which you are experiencing.
Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis mp3 downloads for health, happiness and well-being.
P.S. Discover how to use your mind to sooth your emotions. Grab a free hypnosis mp3 from my website now.
by: Roseanna Leaton
A family member was telling a tale yesterday about a particular trip to Perth, Australia with his wife and four children. Being a very organized family, each person had one small case and one small rucksack which they were individually responsible for. Dad had one additional item; his briefcase, in which he safely carried all of the passports, credit cards and money.
Well, the idea seemed to be "safe"! All went very well, until they arrived at their first hotel and couldn't see the briefcase when they came to unpacking their car. One very worried dad proceeded to drive for forty five minutes back through Perth traffic towards the airport. You can only imagine the thoughts which were running through his mind for that very, very long drive.
Put yourself in his shoes for a moment. You are responsible for the family and you have managed to lose passports, money and credit cards. You are in a strange country. He described the anxiety and the racing thoughts to me as if it had happened yesterday, as opposed to twenty odd years ago. In this day and age of modern technology you can scan important documents and keep them in your "online safe"; you couldn't do that back then.
He did a lot of deep breathing during that drive and kept the windows open to cool himself down. In such circumstances it pays to know how to relax your mind and your excited emotions. You can relax yourself and calm yourself if only you know how. Self hypnosis is a great help with this.
Upon arrival at the airport, believe it or not, sitting on the curb stone, exactly where they had loaded up the car an hour and a half earlier, stood the briefcase. (I doubt that would be the case in this day and age, but that's another story entirely!)
Once again, put yourself in his shoes. Imagine the feeling of elation and euphoria! He told me how he instantaneously felt as if he was floating on air. He had never felt so happy and those feelings swept over him immediately.
This is a great example of how our emotions can hit rock bottom and yet soar to incredible heights in just seconds. I dare say that even as you put yourself into each of these scenarios - lost and found - you too experienced a little of this emotion simply by identifying with the circumstances. This demonstrates how you can use the power of your mind to change the emotions which you are experiencing.
Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis mp3 downloads for health, happiness and well-being.
P.S. Discover how to use your mind to sooth your emotions. Grab a free hypnosis mp3 from my website now.
by: Roseanna Leaton
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 25 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553
Chicago’s Top 5 Places to Live for Convenient Biking
Lincoln Park
With one of the city’s longest stretches of traffic-free biking and designated bike lanes along many of the main streets, it’s no wonder Lincoln Park is a favorite Chicago neighborhood among avid cyclists and recreational bike riders alike. Paved paths crisscross the expansive namesake park, providing easy access to the site’s many attractions (such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, Conservatory and History Museum), and underground passes and a skywalk with ramps to North Avenue Beach make crossing busy Lake Shore Drive carefree. The bike trail along the edge of Lake Michigan has become a main artery for city cyclists heading south to downtown and beyond or north to Lakeview and other north side neighborhoods. Actually, the path is part of a continuous 18-mile-long lakefront bike trail that hugs the shoreline from the South Shore Cultural Center up to East Rogers Park.
The bike lanes in Lincoln Park are especially useful in areas like DePaul University where many students ride bikes around campus; Armitage Avenue, which is a popular boutique shopping district that is easier to walk or bike to than drive; and the Clybourn Corridor where a bunch of big box stores and chain retail options make for a parking shortage that bikers do not have to deal with. Lincoln Park residents who work in downtown have a quick commute to the business district in the Loop. Bikers can shoot down Wells Street and be in the midst of City Hall, Chicago Board of Trade, Sears Tower and other major office buildings in less than 10 minutes.
The Loop
Living in the Loop, you are already in the heart of Chicago and close to many of the city’s main attractions and its thriving business center. That’s exactly why a good number of Loop residents ride bikes around the neighborhood: everything is nearby and it sure beats sitting in traffic or waiting for the “L” train to come by. The inner blocks of the Loop are fairly congested with cars, taxis, buses and pedestrians, so cyclists should be cautious when riding through these hectic downtown streets (wearing a helmet and reflective gear is always recommended). Just west of the Chicago River, Canal and Clinton streets have bike lanes, which make for quick and safe north-south routes that pass by both Union Station and Ogilvie Center (Chicago’s main transportation hubs). Ride east pass Michigan Avenue and you’ll be in the sprawling park grounds of Millennium and Grant parks, which offer several outlets to the extensive lakefront bike trail—a wildly popular means for travel by city cyclists.
Once on the lakefront trail, bikers enjoy well-maintained, paved paths with mile markers and lane designations for orderly riding and directional assistance. From the Loop, bicyclists can head down the trail 5 minutes to the Museum Campus to spend a day at the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium or Adler Planetarium, or see the Chicago Bears play at Solider Field. And, instead of paying through the nose for parking, bikers can lock up their bikes outside for free!
Lakeview
Bike riding is such a common form of transportation in Lakeview that you’re bound to see bicyclists coasting down the streets even during winter! The strong cycling interest in this north side Chicago neighborhood has prompted the establishment of bike lanes and shared lanes on several of Lakeview’s major thoroughfares. Halsted Street, which divides East Lakeview and Lakeview proper, has handy bike lanes that provide a north-south travel route right by loads of dining options, trendy night clubs and comfy neighborhood watering holes. During the summer, Cubs games are always cause for bottlenecks around Wrigley Field, but bikers never get caught up in the traffic jams. Those swift two-wheelers can fly right by the line of cars backed up at lights and diverted by barriers set up for the crush of fans flooding the ballpark grounds.
Chicago’s well-traveled 18-mile lakefront bike trail makes a tour through Lakeview East with easy access from the neighborhood streets to the path via three Lake Shore Drive underpasses at Barry, Roscoe and Waveland. Bike riders can take the vehicle-free trail north a few minutes to the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course and Montrose Harbor and Beach, or south past the Belmont Harbor Dog Beach to Lincoln Park and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. And, Lakeview residents who work in downtown might just find this picturesque trail to be the fastest way down to the Loop (roughly a 20-minute ride). Try to beat that time in a car during rush hour!
South Loop
The South Loop is a budding Chicago neighborhood that has the right idea when it comes to “bikeability.” As one of the lucky communities with public parkland along Lake Michigan, the city’s extensive lakefront bike trail runs right through the South Loop, connecting it with 18 continuous miles of scenic shoreline cycling. On the north end of the neighborhood, bikers can hop on the path from Grant Park. Cruise by Buckingham Fountain and watch the impressive water jets shoot 50 feet in the air then take the paved trail south through the Museum Campus and right past Burnham Harbor. Further down, bikers can easily cross Lake Shore Drive at the overpass/ underpass at 18th Street and another elevated skyway at the massive McCormick Place convention center on Cermak Road.
Students at Roosevelt University and Columbia College (both located on Michigan Avenue in the South Loop) appreciate the convenient bike routes through the park and the designated bike lanes along the neighborhood’s high-traffic streets. Wabash is useful for north-south travel and Roosevelt provides bikers with a safe east-west avenue to cross the Chicago River. Just west of the waterway, Roosevelt meets up with Canal Street, which also has bike lanes and allows cyclists to head up to the business district in the Loop from a less-congested west side approach.
Bucktown
Unlike Chicago’s other top neighborhoods for biking, Bucktown is inland from the water and does not share in the popular lakefront bike trail that runs practically the entire length of the city shoreline. Nevertheless, this ultra-trendy community shows a fondness for cycling that has spurred neighborhood-wide measures to provide safe and convenient bike routes within the Bucktown borders. Streets with designated bike lanes are concentrated in the center of Bucktown, where most of the area’s business and entertainment are focused. Damen is a north-south running thoroughfare that bisects the neighborhood and intersects all the other main avenues in Bucktown with bike lanes or shared lanes. From Damen, riders can pick up Armitage to the west or Cortland to the east, which crosses the Chicago River and hooks back up with Armitage in Lincoln Park and takes bicyclists directly to the waterfront (about a 10-minute trip from the heart of Bucktown).
Slicing diagonally through Bucktown is Milwaukee Avenue, another heavily-traveled Chicago road that passes through numerous neighborhoods and is the site of countless shops, restaurants, bars and other businesses. Up in Bucktown, Milwaukee has shared lanes (marked by chevron and bike symbols on the pavement and yellow diamond warning signs). At Division, the shared lanes change to bike lanes (indicated by solid stripes on the pavement and signage alerting motorists to its existence), which continue to Grand Avenue where Milwaukee dead-ends in the River West neighborhood. Because Milwaukee angles straight towards the Loop, it provides a great way to transverse downtown from the near northwest side community of Bucktown.
Information on Chicago’s best neighborhoods for biking is supplied by Chicago real estate website Dreamtown.com.
by: Spencer Mason
With one of the city’s longest stretches of traffic-free biking and designated bike lanes along many of the main streets, it’s no wonder Lincoln Park is a favorite Chicago neighborhood among avid cyclists and recreational bike riders alike. Paved paths crisscross the expansive namesake park, providing easy access to the site’s many attractions (such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, Conservatory and History Museum), and underground passes and a skywalk with ramps to North Avenue Beach make crossing busy Lake Shore Drive carefree. The bike trail along the edge of Lake Michigan has become a main artery for city cyclists heading south to downtown and beyond or north to Lakeview and other north side neighborhoods. Actually, the path is part of a continuous 18-mile-long lakefront bike trail that hugs the shoreline from the South Shore Cultural Center up to East Rogers Park.
The bike lanes in Lincoln Park are especially useful in areas like DePaul University where many students ride bikes around campus; Armitage Avenue, which is a popular boutique shopping district that is easier to walk or bike to than drive; and the Clybourn Corridor where a bunch of big box stores and chain retail options make for a parking shortage that bikers do not have to deal with. Lincoln Park residents who work in downtown have a quick commute to the business district in the Loop. Bikers can shoot down Wells Street and be in the midst of City Hall, Chicago Board of Trade, Sears Tower and other major office buildings in less than 10 minutes.
The Loop
Living in the Loop, you are already in the heart of Chicago and close to many of the city’s main attractions and its thriving business center. That’s exactly why a good number of Loop residents ride bikes around the neighborhood: everything is nearby and it sure beats sitting in traffic or waiting for the “L” train to come by. The inner blocks of the Loop are fairly congested with cars, taxis, buses and pedestrians, so cyclists should be cautious when riding through these hectic downtown streets (wearing a helmet and reflective gear is always recommended). Just west of the Chicago River, Canal and Clinton streets have bike lanes, which make for quick and safe north-south routes that pass by both Union Station and Ogilvie Center (Chicago’s main transportation hubs). Ride east pass Michigan Avenue and you’ll be in the sprawling park grounds of Millennium and Grant parks, which offer several outlets to the extensive lakefront bike trail—a wildly popular means for travel by city cyclists.
Once on the lakefront trail, bikers enjoy well-maintained, paved paths with mile markers and lane designations for orderly riding and directional assistance. From the Loop, bicyclists can head down the trail 5 minutes to the Museum Campus to spend a day at the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium or Adler Planetarium, or see the Chicago Bears play at Solider Field. And, instead of paying through the nose for parking, bikers can lock up their bikes outside for free!
Lakeview
Bike riding is such a common form of transportation in Lakeview that you’re bound to see bicyclists coasting down the streets even during winter! The strong cycling interest in this north side Chicago neighborhood has prompted the establishment of bike lanes and shared lanes on several of Lakeview’s major thoroughfares. Halsted Street, which divides East Lakeview and Lakeview proper, has handy bike lanes that provide a north-south travel route right by loads of dining options, trendy night clubs and comfy neighborhood watering holes. During the summer, Cubs games are always cause for bottlenecks around Wrigley Field, but bikers never get caught up in the traffic jams. Those swift two-wheelers can fly right by the line of cars backed up at lights and diverted by barriers set up for the crush of fans flooding the ballpark grounds.
Chicago’s well-traveled 18-mile lakefront bike trail makes a tour through Lakeview East with easy access from the neighborhood streets to the path via three Lake Shore Drive underpasses at Barry, Roscoe and Waveland. Bike riders can take the vehicle-free trail north a few minutes to the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course and Montrose Harbor and Beach, or south past the Belmont Harbor Dog Beach to Lincoln Park and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. And, Lakeview residents who work in downtown might just find this picturesque trail to be the fastest way down to the Loop (roughly a 20-minute ride). Try to beat that time in a car during rush hour!
South Loop
The South Loop is a budding Chicago neighborhood that has the right idea when it comes to “bikeability.” As one of the lucky communities with public parkland along Lake Michigan, the city’s extensive lakefront bike trail runs right through the South Loop, connecting it with 18 continuous miles of scenic shoreline cycling. On the north end of the neighborhood, bikers can hop on the path from Grant Park. Cruise by Buckingham Fountain and watch the impressive water jets shoot 50 feet in the air then take the paved trail south through the Museum Campus and right past Burnham Harbor. Further down, bikers can easily cross Lake Shore Drive at the overpass/ underpass at 18th Street and another elevated skyway at the massive McCormick Place convention center on Cermak Road.
Students at Roosevelt University and Columbia College (both located on Michigan Avenue in the South Loop) appreciate the convenient bike routes through the park and the designated bike lanes along the neighborhood’s high-traffic streets. Wabash is useful for north-south travel and Roosevelt provides bikers with a safe east-west avenue to cross the Chicago River. Just west of the waterway, Roosevelt meets up with Canal Street, which also has bike lanes and allows cyclists to head up to the business district in the Loop from a less-congested west side approach.
Bucktown
Unlike Chicago’s other top neighborhoods for biking, Bucktown is inland from the water and does not share in the popular lakefront bike trail that runs practically the entire length of the city shoreline. Nevertheless, this ultra-trendy community shows a fondness for cycling that has spurred neighborhood-wide measures to provide safe and convenient bike routes within the Bucktown borders. Streets with designated bike lanes are concentrated in the center of Bucktown, where most of the area’s business and entertainment are focused. Damen is a north-south running thoroughfare that bisects the neighborhood and intersects all the other main avenues in Bucktown with bike lanes or shared lanes. From Damen, riders can pick up Armitage to the west or Cortland to the east, which crosses the Chicago River and hooks back up with Armitage in Lincoln Park and takes bicyclists directly to the waterfront (about a 10-minute trip from the heart of Bucktown).
Slicing diagonally through Bucktown is Milwaukee Avenue, another heavily-traveled Chicago road that passes through numerous neighborhoods and is the site of countless shops, restaurants, bars and other businesses. Up in Bucktown, Milwaukee has shared lanes (marked by chevron and bike symbols on the pavement and yellow diamond warning signs). At Division, the shared lanes change to bike lanes (indicated by solid stripes on the pavement and signage alerting motorists to its existence), which continue to Grand Avenue where Milwaukee dead-ends in the River West neighborhood. Because Milwaukee angles straight towards the Loop, it provides a great way to transverse downtown from the near northwest side community of Bucktown.
Information on Chicago’s best neighborhoods for biking is supplied by Chicago real estate website Dreamtown.com.
by: Spencer Mason
The Top 5 Burlesque, Cabaret and Comedy Clubs In London
London’s Top Burlesque, Cabaret and Comedy Clubs
Making a list of the best burlesque and cabaret clubs in London is in part a fools errand. The requirements of say a middle aged American tourist from the Mid West is going to be very different from that of say a young metropolitan burlesque aficionado or a hen /office party for that matter. And that’s before getting into supper club vs theatre style club vs bar style club, gay vs straight or the whole traditional vs neo burlesque debate. Below are what I call my five “best of breeds”. I make no attempt to crown one “best of show” – continue my canine simile – because to do so would be errant nonsense.
Madame Jojos
A must for everyone not just because it is the Daddy of the burlesque cabaret scene but because through its superlative programming it caters for almost everyone from my American tourist (go for the weekend shows) to my burlesque aficionado hipsters (go for the showcases and some of the midweek shows) not to mention having some rather good club nights (but that’s for another article). If anything the only groups not well catered for I would say are UK hen and office parties who might find the weekend shows too dumbed down (well you try and find humour that can encompass 20 different nationalities – including Japanese - that isn’t!) and the midweek show / showcases a mite inaccessible. Wonderful architecture and a convenient location caps off a great overall package . Other grumbles might be the high prices and the so so food and drinks but that’s not really the point is it. My main criticism is that it leans far too heavily towards traditional burlesque /cabaret forms and is looking increasingly dated for it relative to its more avante garde rivals – shades of The Royal Academy of Art there perhaps in the mid 90s which go so left behind by the likes of Goldsmiths College with the whole Brit Art thing. Still should one expect a venerable Grande Dame to be anything else – I mean would you want your Great grandmother to be break dancing and “getting it on” with the kids Particularly well suited for tourists
Volupte
Again situated conveniently in the West End albeit in a somewhat uninspiring (but well decked out) basement Volupte is my preferred London supper club. Escellent burlesque programming with a good range of both traditional and neo burlesque performers and for that matter a great website too with not a flash of err flash. What I especially like about the programming is that its both sophisticated and accessible at the same time something which from my own experience is quite hard to achieve. Everything is just right from the ever so crisp white linen table clothes to the faux Edwardian table lamps. Good food and drinks service too with a large stage (albeit somewhat obscured behind pillars for some tables so do make sure to check when booking!). Grumbles unfortunately as a supper club the atmosphere can be bit restrained to say the least and with a Holborn address very office party dominated (the yards of white linen only surpassed by the acres of white shirts and ties of the office workers who descend pack like) so the audience is somewhat less sophisticated than the shows (the management by the way are to be complimented for ignoring the “I want more tits and arse” brigade). I am not a great fan of the standing tickets either and as with all West End venues yes the prices are high. An excellent late licence caps off a great night out. Oh and please do avid expensive imitations like Pigalle’s which I have heard nothing but bad reports about (Vince Powers should really stick to rock and roll!)
Vauxhall Tavern
The legendary gay cabaret haunt which has launched just about every gay /transvestite crossover TV comedian and host in the UK and beyond for the last 20 years which tells you something of the quality of the acts here. All this in a venue unparalleled anywhere in the UK for its grossness from the sweat stained black walls to loos indescribable in their filthiness - all which of course provides the perfect backdrop for the b*tch queen from hell style of acts that predominate here (hecklers beware!). Unfortunately this venue is strictly gay so not accessible for the majority of us. People often write of how Lost Vagueness, avante garde performers like Leigh Bowery and clubs like Torture Garden helped spark off the neo burlesque movement . However I suspect the Vauxhall Tavern had a far greater indirect influence than any of these. So for any gay or bi sexual people from overseas visiting London don’t leave till experienced at least one night at The Vauxhall Tavern. But a word of warning do avoid the legion of cheap and expensive imitations from Clapham to Camden – none of them are the patch on the real thing. Finally the Vauxhall Tavern is obviously much more a cabaret than burlesque venue – you won’t be seeing too many girls in feathers not unless they are drag queens that is. Grumbles its gay only and really could do with a tiny bit of a clean and maybe a tiny bit of air conditioning too without of course wanting to in any way change the character of the place. Oh No! Particularly well suited for metropolitan gay and gay friendly customers
Bethnal Green Working Mans Club.
I am not entirely sure why I am including this venue because its not actually a burlesque or cabaret venue at all - it is as the title suggests a working mans club in a really rather unpleasant part of London. It’s also rather unpleasant inside although possibly of interest to sociologists as you do feel you are walking back in time to the 1950s - from the ancient cashier at the front door to the aging beehive haired harridans who pass for bar staff (serving some of the most uninspiring drinks I have seen. Lets just say the mixology revolution forget to get off at Bethnal Green tube) not forgetting vinyl and carpets so decrepit that you wonder it does not stick to your shoes (oh and does on busy nights). The programming is however inspired and its home to some of the best roving neo burlesque club nights (Wham Bam Club for one) and performers (Chocolate Delicieux for one). However do check listings in advance and do ring in advance too or when you arrive you might be very disappointed when you find there is no show and only warm beer in plastic glasses and checkers for entertainment. Particularly well suited for metropolitan sophisticated burlesque aficionados and clubbers
Peacock Bar http://www.the-peacock-bar.co.uk
Now I have to confess to some bias here as I book the club and helped create it. However in my defence Peacock Bar has been rated Top London Burlesque Club, Top London Cabaret Club as well as Top Birthday Party venue by ViewLondon [plus won just about every other award under the sun in the last six months including Top London Small Venue from Function Fixers. Our programming is very much neo burlesque – really musical comedy sketches /social commentary in the finest Kinks style. We also specialise in being interactive and bringing audience members on stage with a lot of improve as well as being a bar club rather than a supper club. All of which we believe creates a much livelier, exciting and dynamic atmosphere than you get at either supper clubs (although we do of course provide food) or traditional burlesque shows (well just how many girls in feathers can you see in a lifetime). We also try and program seasonally so for Christmas we are presenting “ Christmas Lunch and Christmas Dinner with a difference with free burlesque and cabaret – put your boss on stage and humiliate him! Particularly well suited for birthday party, Christmas party, hen party and stag party bookings.
That completes my review of the Top Five Burlesque and Cabaret Clubs. Please feel free to contact me with any criticisms or praise and also with any venues I may have missed
by: Lawrence Merrett
Making a list of the best burlesque and cabaret clubs in London is in part a fools errand. The requirements of say a middle aged American tourist from the Mid West is going to be very different from that of say a young metropolitan burlesque aficionado or a hen /office party for that matter. And that’s before getting into supper club vs theatre style club vs bar style club, gay vs straight or the whole traditional vs neo burlesque debate. Below are what I call my five “best of breeds”. I make no attempt to crown one “best of show” – continue my canine simile – because to do so would be errant nonsense.
Madame Jojos
A must for everyone not just because it is the Daddy of the burlesque cabaret scene but because through its superlative programming it caters for almost everyone from my American tourist (go for the weekend shows) to my burlesque aficionado hipsters (go for the showcases and some of the midweek shows) not to mention having some rather good club nights (but that’s for another article). If anything the only groups not well catered for I would say are UK hen and office parties who might find the weekend shows too dumbed down (well you try and find humour that can encompass 20 different nationalities – including Japanese - that isn’t!) and the midweek show / showcases a mite inaccessible. Wonderful architecture and a convenient location caps off a great overall package . Other grumbles might be the high prices and the so so food and drinks but that’s not really the point is it. My main criticism is that it leans far too heavily towards traditional burlesque /cabaret forms and is looking increasingly dated for it relative to its more avante garde rivals – shades of The Royal Academy of Art there perhaps in the mid 90s which go so left behind by the likes of Goldsmiths College with the whole Brit Art thing. Still should one expect a venerable Grande Dame to be anything else – I mean would you want your Great grandmother to be break dancing and “getting it on” with the kids Particularly well suited for tourists
Volupte
Again situated conveniently in the West End albeit in a somewhat uninspiring (but well decked out) basement Volupte is my preferred London supper club. Escellent burlesque programming with a good range of both traditional and neo burlesque performers and for that matter a great website too with not a flash of err flash. What I especially like about the programming is that its both sophisticated and accessible at the same time something which from my own experience is quite hard to achieve. Everything is just right from the ever so crisp white linen table clothes to the faux Edwardian table lamps. Good food and drinks service too with a large stage (albeit somewhat obscured behind pillars for some tables so do make sure to check when booking!). Grumbles unfortunately as a supper club the atmosphere can be bit restrained to say the least and with a Holborn address very office party dominated (the yards of white linen only surpassed by the acres of white shirts and ties of the office workers who descend pack like) so the audience is somewhat less sophisticated than the shows (the management by the way are to be complimented for ignoring the “I want more tits and arse” brigade). I am not a great fan of the standing tickets either and as with all West End venues yes the prices are high. An excellent late licence caps off a great night out. Oh and please do avid expensive imitations like Pigalle’s which I have heard nothing but bad reports about (Vince Powers should really stick to rock and roll!)
Vauxhall Tavern
The legendary gay cabaret haunt which has launched just about every gay /transvestite crossover TV comedian and host in the UK and beyond for the last 20 years which tells you something of the quality of the acts here. All this in a venue unparalleled anywhere in the UK for its grossness from the sweat stained black walls to loos indescribable in their filthiness - all which of course provides the perfect backdrop for the b*tch queen from hell style of acts that predominate here (hecklers beware!). Unfortunately this venue is strictly gay so not accessible for the majority of us. People often write of how Lost Vagueness, avante garde performers like Leigh Bowery and clubs like Torture Garden helped spark off the neo burlesque movement . However I suspect the Vauxhall Tavern had a far greater indirect influence than any of these. So for any gay or bi sexual people from overseas visiting London don’t leave till experienced at least one night at The Vauxhall Tavern. But a word of warning do avoid the legion of cheap and expensive imitations from Clapham to Camden – none of them are the patch on the real thing. Finally the Vauxhall Tavern is obviously much more a cabaret than burlesque venue – you won’t be seeing too many girls in feathers not unless they are drag queens that is. Grumbles its gay only and really could do with a tiny bit of a clean and maybe a tiny bit of air conditioning too without of course wanting to in any way change the character of the place. Oh No! Particularly well suited for metropolitan gay and gay friendly customers
Bethnal Green Working Mans Club.
I am not entirely sure why I am including this venue because its not actually a burlesque or cabaret venue at all - it is as the title suggests a working mans club in a really rather unpleasant part of London. It’s also rather unpleasant inside although possibly of interest to sociologists as you do feel you are walking back in time to the 1950s - from the ancient cashier at the front door to the aging beehive haired harridans who pass for bar staff (serving some of the most uninspiring drinks I have seen. Lets just say the mixology revolution forget to get off at Bethnal Green tube) not forgetting vinyl and carpets so decrepit that you wonder it does not stick to your shoes (oh and does on busy nights). The programming is however inspired and its home to some of the best roving neo burlesque club nights (Wham Bam Club for one) and performers (Chocolate Delicieux for one). However do check listings in advance and do ring in advance too or when you arrive you might be very disappointed when you find there is no show and only warm beer in plastic glasses and checkers for entertainment. Particularly well suited for metropolitan sophisticated burlesque aficionados and clubbers
Peacock Bar http://www.the-peacock-bar.co.uk
Now I have to confess to some bias here as I book the club and helped create it. However in my defence Peacock Bar has been rated Top London Burlesque Club, Top London Cabaret Club as well as Top Birthday Party venue by ViewLondon [plus won just about every other award under the sun in the last six months including Top London Small Venue from Function Fixers. Our programming is very much neo burlesque – really musical comedy sketches /social commentary in the finest Kinks style. We also specialise in being interactive and bringing audience members on stage with a lot of improve as well as being a bar club rather than a supper club. All of which we believe creates a much livelier, exciting and dynamic atmosphere than you get at either supper clubs (although we do of course provide food) or traditional burlesque shows (well just how many girls in feathers can you see in a lifetime). We also try and program seasonally so for Christmas we are presenting “ Christmas Lunch and Christmas Dinner with a difference with free burlesque and cabaret – put your boss on stage and humiliate him! Particularly well suited for birthday party, Christmas party, hen party and stag party bookings.
That completes my review of the Top Five Burlesque and Cabaret Clubs. Please feel free to contact me with any criticisms or praise and also with any venues I may have missed
by: Lawrence Merrett
New Years Eve Restaurants in Nottingham
Nottingham becomes alive on New Year’s Eve. Nottingham is famed for its vibrant night life and there are hundreds of options for any New Years Eve revellers, the question is what to do? With the largest concentration of bars and pubs in a mile radius in the whole of Europe party goers can enjoy a huge range of stylish bars and then go to one of the many clubs and dance the night away.
The Lace Market is home to a number of stylish bars from Living Room to the famous Pitcher and Piano converted church, or perhaps West of the city towards the castle and the cobbled streets is for you. There are a good number of restaurants in Nottingham that will cater an amazing 3-5 course meal and then provide a range of post meal entertainment so you and your guests won’t have to worry about a thing! Having a meal with friends and family on New Year’s Eve is the perfect way to chat about the highs and lows of the year and indeed set those New Year’s resolutions. After all isn’t New Year’s eve about celebration, those you care about and reflection on the year just gone.
Go dine are already taking bookings for New Year’s eve and as everyone knows, those who prepare early tend to get the right offering, venue and even the best table; as the year progresses we shall be adding New Year’s Eve menus and putting these all in one area for you.
Vienna - Situated just of the Market Square in Nottingham city centre Vienna would make the ideal venue. Beautiful surroundings, in house bar, and if you want to join the crowd gathered in the square simply step outside.
Harts - Nottingham restaurant awards winner 2009, Harts will ensure your New Year’s is memorable. Exquisite food, fantastic champagne, perfect service, in-house bar, the list goes on, ooh and why not stay in the fantastic rooms within the hotel... the list is endless at Hart’s.
Home Bar and Restaurant- If you want to be slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre Home Bar is a perfect venue. Home Bar is literally that, Home from home. Enjoy a fantastic menu cooked by one of the finest chefs in Nottingham and then why not sit back in one of Home’s leather sofas.
Check out New Years Eve restaurants in Nottingham.
by: Mark Roberts
The Lace Market is home to a number of stylish bars from Living Room to the famous Pitcher and Piano converted church, or perhaps West of the city towards the castle and the cobbled streets is for you. There are a good number of restaurants in Nottingham that will cater an amazing 3-5 course meal and then provide a range of post meal entertainment so you and your guests won’t have to worry about a thing! Having a meal with friends and family on New Year’s Eve is the perfect way to chat about the highs and lows of the year and indeed set those New Year’s resolutions. After all isn’t New Year’s eve about celebration, those you care about and reflection on the year just gone.
Go dine are already taking bookings for New Year’s eve and as everyone knows, those who prepare early tend to get the right offering, venue and even the best table; as the year progresses we shall be adding New Year’s Eve menus and putting these all in one area for you.
Vienna - Situated just of the Market Square in Nottingham city centre Vienna would make the ideal venue. Beautiful surroundings, in house bar, and if you want to join the crowd gathered in the square simply step outside.
Harts - Nottingham restaurant awards winner 2009, Harts will ensure your New Year’s is memorable. Exquisite food, fantastic champagne, perfect service, in-house bar, the list goes on, ooh and why not stay in the fantastic rooms within the hotel... the list is endless at Hart’s.
Home Bar and Restaurant- If you want to be slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre Home Bar is a perfect venue. Home Bar is literally that, Home from home. Enjoy a fantastic menu cooked by one of the finest chefs in Nottingham and then why not sit back in one of Home’s leather sofas.
Check out New Years Eve restaurants in Nottingham.
by: Mark Roberts
วันอังคารที่ 23 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553
How To Close A Vacation Rental Deal Like A Pro - Part 1
In previous article, The Art and Science of Responding to Inquiries, we discussed how to instruct your computer to automatically respond to a prospective renter's first email request, how to handle your next communication with him using the "fast-and-dirty response", how to build a FAQ to save time and energy, and when to communicate by email or phone.
Now that you've carefully and enthusiastically provided your prospective renters with clear, honest and comprehensive details about your wonderful property and region, how can you make sure that all that investment of time and effort will translate into firm bookings? In other words, as the sales specialists put it, how do you "close the deal"?
In this article, I will also provide some tips on how to screen your guests before firming up your bookings.
Benchmark and track
Let's begin this discussion by taking one step back. Start keeping statistics now so that you'll have a clear picture of where you stand. Benchmark how you are doing today, and over the coming months, track your progress - number of inquiries vs. number of bookings - as you integrate the communication techniques laid out here. Every time you lose a booking, try to figure out why and what you could do better.
Target the right clientele for your property
If you're losing bookings today, the problem may simply be that you are not aiming at the right renters for your particular property. Have you taken the time to thoughtfully reflect about what profile of renter your property would naturally attract? Have you stood back to look at your property objectively, in conjunction with your region, through the eyes of a renter?
You cannot hope to have a high ratio of bookings vs. inquiries if you're shooting too wide, as with a bee-bee gun - you may hit a few birds but because there is nothing strategic about your approach, you're wasting precious ammunition (your time and energy). It's well worth it to take some time to position and brand your property, so that you can attract the right renters through fine-tuning your communications.
Here is an exercise to guide you through this process:
1. Start by studying the profile of your past guests - describe that group, in writing. What do they have in common? Review what they told you they appreciated about your property - these elements may prove to be points you'll want to highlight in your communications.
2. What type of traveler normally visits your region? You should be able to obtain statistics and a visitor profile from your local tourist office. Visit regional tourism Web sites and inventory the type of activities available in your region - are they aimed at families, sports-minded couples, culture freaks?
3. To whom would you really prefer to be renting? For instance, you may decide you prefer to rent to couples with no children, or to small groups even though your home can accommodate a larger number.
4. Examine all the features of your property - to whom are they best suited? A "romantic spa" and a "high-tech gourmet kitchen" might not send the same message as a "kid-friendly swimming pool in a large, safe, fenced-in back yard".
5. Your rental rates help position your property within your particular vacation rental market. How do your rates compare to those of other properties in your region? Inflated rates limit the pool of interested renters while rates that are too low, compared to similar properties in your area, can create suspicion (what's wrong with this house?) and attract bargain-hunters. Investigate regional rates and make sure that yours are appropriate for your target clientele and region.
6. Have you thought about growing your renter pool by rethinking some of your policies - to include pets, for example?
Revamp your communications to fit that target clientele
Now that you've done this important positioning work, you're ready for the next step: Examine your current communications with your renters - ads, FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), email and verbal communications - and make the necessary adjustments to content and language. Ask yourself questions such as:
- Is my content and specific choice of words working to attract my target clientele?
- Are any of my claims confusing or contradictory for this target group?
- How can I present my offer so as to discourage renters whom I have excluded from my target group?
- This is a work-in-progress, so you'll need to review your communications on a regular basis and keep making adjustments. You'll discover that it is more profitable to cut back on the number of undesirable inquiries in order to make more time to invest in potentially agreeable, profitable business relationships.
Play an active role in your renter's decision-making process
Don't just wait passively for a renter to take his decision. There are several ways you can influence that decision in your favor. When a renter is faced with two or three equally interesting options, it's often going this "extra mile" that can swing the situation in your direction.
- Respect best practices: Remember that you are competing with other property owners who take their rentals as seriously as you do. So handle all inquiries in a timely and professional manner - review our compilation of best practices in our April issue. Your renter's comfort level will be affected by your overall approach and your personality.
- Like a good scout, Be Prepared! Always be ready for that call - which of course will come in at the most inconvenient moment! Keep your FAQ and booking calendar up to date and handy - near your home phone, with you in the car, in your briefcase at work - so you can quickly say whether the week requested is available or not. Be prepared to propose other dates.
- Always follow up: So many property owners don't take the trouble to follow up on inquiries. If they don't hear back from the renter, they assume she has chosen another property - which may not be the case.
Take a moment to reflect on how you yourself react to a renter's silence… Isn't it possible that the renter may simply be overwhelmed at the office, preoccupied by a child's illness, or is waiting for her procrastinating husband to give feedback on a short list of properties? Your timely, thoughtful call could tilt the balance in your favor because it will bring you and your property back top-of-mind and give you another opportunity to remind the renter of all the advantages of renting with you. In short, your call might just save the day by making it much easier for your renter to take her decision. If you can create a comfortable, trusting relationship with her during that call, your chances of closing the deal within a few hours are multiplied.
- Provide your guest with a decision-making tool: Now that you've spoken with your prospective renter and have listened to her carefully, especially her subtle in-between-the-lines messages, you have a much better understanding of where her hesitations lie. You might want to try a homemade decision-making tool such as the one below. Send this chart along with a note: "Hello, Jane. Following our conversation, I gave some thought to the concerns you expressed and have prepared this little chart for you, in the hopes that it might help you take your decision more comfortably. Let me know if I can be of any more help."
by: Michael Canson
Now that you've carefully and enthusiastically provided your prospective renters with clear, honest and comprehensive details about your wonderful property and region, how can you make sure that all that investment of time and effort will translate into firm bookings? In other words, as the sales specialists put it, how do you "close the deal"?
In this article, I will also provide some tips on how to screen your guests before firming up your bookings.
Benchmark and track
Let's begin this discussion by taking one step back. Start keeping statistics now so that you'll have a clear picture of where you stand. Benchmark how you are doing today, and over the coming months, track your progress - number of inquiries vs. number of bookings - as you integrate the communication techniques laid out here. Every time you lose a booking, try to figure out why and what you could do better.
Target the right clientele for your property
If you're losing bookings today, the problem may simply be that you are not aiming at the right renters for your particular property. Have you taken the time to thoughtfully reflect about what profile of renter your property would naturally attract? Have you stood back to look at your property objectively, in conjunction with your region, through the eyes of a renter?
You cannot hope to have a high ratio of bookings vs. inquiries if you're shooting too wide, as with a bee-bee gun - you may hit a few birds but because there is nothing strategic about your approach, you're wasting precious ammunition (your time and energy). It's well worth it to take some time to position and brand your property, so that you can attract the right renters through fine-tuning your communications.
Here is an exercise to guide you through this process:
1. Start by studying the profile of your past guests - describe that group, in writing. What do they have in common? Review what they told you they appreciated about your property - these elements may prove to be points you'll want to highlight in your communications.
2. What type of traveler normally visits your region? You should be able to obtain statistics and a visitor profile from your local tourist office. Visit regional tourism Web sites and inventory the type of activities available in your region - are they aimed at families, sports-minded couples, culture freaks?
3. To whom would you really prefer to be renting? For instance, you may decide you prefer to rent to couples with no children, or to small groups even though your home can accommodate a larger number.
4. Examine all the features of your property - to whom are they best suited? A "romantic spa" and a "high-tech gourmet kitchen" might not send the same message as a "kid-friendly swimming pool in a large, safe, fenced-in back yard".
5. Your rental rates help position your property within your particular vacation rental market. How do your rates compare to those of other properties in your region? Inflated rates limit the pool of interested renters while rates that are too low, compared to similar properties in your area, can create suspicion (what's wrong with this house?) and attract bargain-hunters. Investigate regional rates and make sure that yours are appropriate for your target clientele and region.
6. Have you thought about growing your renter pool by rethinking some of your policies - to include pets, for example?
Revamp your communications to fit that target clientele
Now that you've done this important positioning work, you're ready for the next step: Examine your current communications with your renters - ads, FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), email and verbal communications - and make the necessary adjustments to content and language. Ask yourself questions such as:
- Is my content and specific choice of words working to attract my target clientele?
- Are any of my claims confusing or contradictory for this target group?
- How can I present my offer so as to discourage renters whom I have excluded from my target group?
- This is a work-in-progress, so you'll need to review your communications on a regular basis and keep making adjustments. You'll discover that it is more profitable to cut back on the number of undesirable inquiries in order to make more time to invest in potentially agreeable, profitable business relationships.
Play an active role in your renter's decision-making process
Don't just wait passively for a renter to take his decision. There are several ways you can influence that decision in your favor. When a renter is faced with two or three equally interesting options, it's often going this "extra mile" that can swing the situation in your direction.
- Respect best practices: Remember that you are competing with other property owners who take their rentals as seriously as you do. So handle all inquiries in a timely and professional manner - review our compilation of best practices in our April issue. Your renter's comfort level will be affected by your overall approach and your personality.
- Like a good scout, Be Prepared! Always be ready for that call - which of course will come in at the most inconvenient moment! Keep your FAQ and booking calendar up to date and handy - near your home phone, with you in the car, in your briefcase at work - so you can quickly say whether the week requested is available or not. Be prepared to propose other dates.
- Always follow up: So many property owners don't take the trouble to follow up on inquiries. If they don't hear back from the renter, they assume she has chosen another property - which may not be the case.
Take a moment to reflect on how you yourself react to a renter's silence… Isn't it possible that the renter may simply be overwhelmed at the office, preoccupied by a child's illness, or is waiting for her procrastinating husband to give feedback on a short list of properties? Your timely, thoughtful call could tilt the balance in your favor because it will bring you and your property back top-of-mind and give you another opportunity to remind the renter of all the advantages of renting with you. In short, your call might just save the day by making it much easier for your renter to take her decision. If you can create a comfortable, trusting relationship with her during that call, your chances of closing the deal within a few hours are multiplied.
- Provide your guest with a decision-making tool: Now that you've spoken with your prospective renter and have listened to her carefully, especially her subtle in-between-the-lines messages, you have a much better understanding of where her hesitations lie. You might want to try a homemade decision-making tool such as the one below. Send this chart along with a note: "Hello, Jane. Following our conversation, I gave some thought to the concerns you expressed and have prepared this little chart for you, in the hopes that it might help you take your decision more comfortably. Let me know if I can be of any more help."
by: Michael Canson
The Art And Science Of Responding To Vacation Rental Inquiries - Part 1
So what's so complicated, you say, about providing information and answering questions from potential vacation renters? After all, as an owner, you certainly know your property well. And it's not like it's rocket science or something. Or is it?
As you will see in this issue and the next, responding effectively to inquiries - in a way that maximizes your chances of securing bookings - is a well-balanced cocktail of technology, behavioral science, intuition, good communications and experience.
How Your Computer's Auto-Reply Capability Can Become an Ally
You're not always in front of your computer when inquiries arrive. And responding to all those inquiries can be quite time-consuming. But you've learned that not responding in a timely manner is not an option - it may mean losing bookings. On the positive side, your quick turnaround tells a potential guest that you'll be just as responsive in dealing with any problem that may arise during his stay. So what's the solution?
You've probably noticed those automatic computer messages that business people generate to confirm reception of email when they're away from the office for any extended period of time. You too can put this tool to good use in your rental business. Setting up an auto-reply message can help you manage your initial contacts with your potential renters. The technical procedure is pretty straight-forward, but if you can't figure it out, ask a technician or friend for help.
Start by deciding what level of information you want to provide in this first correspondence - which will be your second chance to make a positive impression. Renters will have already viewed your property listing, which means your auto-reply message should include some additional useful information. However, it's important to avoid overkill at this stage - it's often better not to tell all until you have a better idea of your renter's needs, desires and personality. So save the detailed explanations and the answers to his questions for your next communication. With experience, you will get a sense for how much info and which precise details to include in this first communication, and how to work up from there. You might want to include some of your own questions, to help you screen the renter.
Some owners have simplified their lives and that of their renters by setting up a Web page that provides standard, high-quality information to renters. Your first communication with your potential renter could simply be a referral to your Web page. If this is your approach, make sure that you still sound warm and personal in your email message and not distant or mechanical.
While you're thinking about what to include in your first communication, why not set up today a warm but professional auto-reply message such as this one:
We're so pleased that our property caught your attention! We're very much looking forward to telling you more about it and our exciting region and answering all your questions. We promise to get back to you within 24 hours. Please tell us where you learned about our property and if this is your first trip to our area.
Remember to provide your name, contact info and the name and reference ID of your property on third-party Web sites so that the renter who has been exploring several properties can remember yours. If you have a web page, add your link as well as a link back to your property listings on those other sites. Make sure you know how to activate (hyperlink) these links in your email (see Insert menu). Reiterate the dates to avoid confusion later.
The Fast-and-Dirty Response
When you're ready to sit down and answer those inquiries, start by glancing through all of them to identify those that can or should be handled urgently - there are at least four types in this urgent category.
* Last-minute bookings: If a renter has decided to organize a last-minute vacation, there's no time to lose - you'll need to give priority to his request.
* Dates and pricing: Many renters start their search by sending off messages to several potentially interesting property listings. All they are interested in at this point is availability and pricing, so don't waste their time or yours by providing a lot of information they don't want at this time. Two exceptions: If you're booked out on the requested dates, do provide alternate dates - this might turn things around. And don't lose an opportunity to invest in the future: Add a "hook" - some tidbit of info that could work to keep you high on the renter's priority list, if not for this vacation then sometime soon.
* Poor match: With experience, you'll be able to identify renters who are unsuited to your property. These situations will be easier to handle if you have already taken the time to determine exactly who your target clientele is and what kind of renter you want to avoid. Matching the inquiry against that list - and against your rules and regulations - should allow you to screen. Remember to send these people a thoughtful email thanking them for their interest and telling them why your property is not the right one for them.
* Scams: Watch out for suspicious emails - among tell-tale signs are offers to pay by wire transfer or other unusual payment methods, confusing or contradictory information or multiple grammar mistakes. A quick phone call to the supposed renter or a reverse phone search will help confirm your intuition. If you are pretty sure that the inquiry is a scam, delete the email and warn the sites on which you list your properties.
by: Michael Canson
As you will see in this issue and the next, responding effectively to inquiries - in a way that maximizes your chances of securing bookings - is a well-balanced cocktail of technology, behavioral science, intuition, good communications and experience.
How Your Computer's Auto-Reply Capability Can Become an Ally
You're not always in front of your computer when inquiries arrive. And responding to all those inquiries can be quite time-consuming. But you've learned that not responding in a timely manner is not an option - it may mean losing bookings. On the positive side, your quick turnaround tells a potential guest that you'll be just as responsive in dealing with any problem that may arise during his stay. So what's the solution?
You've probably noticed those automatic computer messages that business people generate to confirm reception of email when they're away from the office for any extended period of time. You too can put this tool to good use in your rental business. Setting up an auto-reply message can help you manage your initial contacts with your potential renters. The technical procedure is pretty straight-forward, but if you can't figure it out, ask a technician or friend for help.
Start by deciding what level of information you want to provide in this first correspondence - which will be your second chance to make a positive impression. Renters will have already viewed your property listing, which means your auto-reply message should include some additional useful information. However, it's important to avoid overkill at this stage - it's often better not to tell all until you have a better idea of your renter's needs, desires and personality. So save the detailed explanations and the answers to his questions for your next communication. With experience, you will get a sense for how much info and which precise details to include in this first communication, and how to work up from there. You might want to include some of your own questions, to help you screen the renter.
Some owners have simplified their lives and that of their renters by setting up a Web page that provides standard, high-quality information to renters. Your first communication with your potential renter could simply be a referral to your Web page. If this is your approach, make sure that you still sound warm and personal in your email message and not distant or mechanical.
While you're thinking about what to include in your first communication, why not set up today a warm but professional auto-reply message such as this one:
We're so pleased that our property caught your attention! We're very much looking forward to telling you more about it and our exciting region and answering all your questions. We promise to get back to you within 24 hours. Please tell us where you learned about our property and if this is your first trip to our area.
Remember to provide your name, contact info and the name and reference ID of your property on third-party Web sites so that the renter who has been exploring several properties can remember yours. If you have a web page, add your link as well as a link back to your property listings on those other sites. Make sure you know how to activate (hyperlink) these links in your email (see Insert menu). Reiterate the dates to avoid confusion later.
The Fast-and-Dirty Response
When you're ready to sit down and answer those inquiries, start by glancing through all of them to identify those that can or should be handled urgently - there are at least four types in this urgent category.
* Last-minute bookings: If a renter has decided to organize a last-minute vacation, there's no time to lose - you'll need to give priority to his request.
* Dates and pricing: Many renters start their search by sending off messages to several potentially interesting property listings. All they are interested in at this point is availability and pricing, so don't waste their time or yours by providing a lot of information they don't want at this time. Two exceptions: If you're booked out on the requested dates, do provide alternate dates - this might turn things around. And don't lose an opportunity to invest in the future: Add a "hook" - some tidbit of info that could work to keep you high on the renter's priority list, if not for this vacation then sometime soon.
* Poor match: With experience, you'll be able to identify renters who are unsuited to your property. These situations will be easier to handle if you have already taken the time to determine exactly who your target clientele is and what kind of renter you want to avoid. Matching the inquiry against that list - and against your rules and regulations - should allow you to screen. Remember to send these people a thoughtful email thanking them for their interest and telling them why your property is not the right one for them.
* Scams: Watch out for suspicious emails - among tell-tale signs are offers to pay by wire transfer or other unusual payment methods, confusing or contradictory information or multiple grammar mistakes. A quick phone call to the supposed renter or a reverse phone search will help confirm your intuition. If you are pretty sure that the inquiry is a scam, delete the email and warn the sites on which you list your properties.
by: Michael Canson
How To Rent Out A Holiday Home
The important steps involved are described in this article; if the advice given is taken and you do the necessary work (some effort is necessary for what is, after all, a major investment), there will be no problems and you will maximise your marketing potential. However - and this cannot be emphasised too strongly - if you are lazy and think that good renters are going to rush to book your beautiful villa while you sit waiting for the phone to ring, you will be left with an expensive, empty investment.
The property obviously needs to meet local health and safety regulations, to be clean, well-maintained and furnished/decorated to a standard that fits what you expect to receive in rent (simple and neutral respectively is normally appropriate). It should not be cluttered by lots of personalised artifacts, such as family photos and all kitchen/bathroom utensils, etc, should be out of sight. If when guests first arrive they are welcomed by a basket of essentials (tea, coffee, milk, rolls, butter and mineral water, etc) and fresh flowers they are more likely to relax and come again next year. You should also make sure there is an up-to-date and complete file of useful local information for each new visitor.
You need to decide what dates you want to rent it out to holidaymakers and then what are the seasonally-based rental prices you should set to attract renters - based on researching prices asked for similar properties in similar locations.
Positive consideration of how the property will be maintained is necessary - if you are there, this can be controlled by yourself (covering such things as meeting guests to hand over and collect keys and formally agree the condition/contents of the property before and after and listing who to call on when the air conditioning or plumbing fails), otherwise you need an agent or a reliable person (make it a business, not an informal, arrangement) to take care of these things.
It should go without saying that you need to find out about legal and tax issues in the country where your property is located and, indeed, with your own country's taxes associated with overseas rental income. This means consulting the appropriate departments or professionals.
Then possibly the most challenging job is that of advertising. There are many ways to do this, such as in newspapers, magazines, local agents, your own website, through relatives and friends and of course via reccommendation. None of these ways are likely to generate enough bookings to make it worth your while. They would cost you a lot of time and money to control and the option of having your own website is a non-starter, because it will cost you from £500 to £1500 for a designer and your website will not be found by searchers.
On the other hand, there are many well-organised holiday rental search type websites, that have other properties on their books and that attract many visitors via the search engines (importantly, they have already made the investments needed to develop a website and promote it using various search engine optimisation, ie SEO, techniques). Some of these websites offer free advertising, some are free to advertise but take a percentage of any rentals and some simply ask for an annual fee, which varies widely but is usually proportional to how big they are. Many in each category charge extras, eg for highlighting an advert or for entering advert details. It is suggested that the free ones do not offer a very professional service, in which properties are presented too simply in advert-bound and cluttered pages. It is further suggested that the very big ones are expensive and are simply overwhelming for searchers (with thousands of options that can quickly lose a visitor).
The best option is undoubtedly to use any and all professional-looking websites with a nominal annual fee, eg £30, noting that some offer a free period (which should be grabbed with both hands!). Some work is necessary to enter details and upload photos, etc; but that's all part of the work needed to promote your property rental. Some websites do that work for you for a price, if you already have your own website to extract details from or you provide them details in some other way.
One website that you must use is http://www.solapartments.co.uk, who are free up to 1/1/2010 (then £29.99/year). Importantly, this is a very professional website that is uncluttered and provides a clean, full-featured property advert page with 16 photos in a distinctive Flash gallery, an interactive map, an availability calendar and direct owner contact details. It also features a wide variety of travel aids via seperate menu selections (not mixed up with property search and property advert pages!). They do not make you pay extra for anything, even if they have to enter your details for you.
On the website(s) you enter your property details, it makes sense to 'sell' your property in the most effective way you can imagine, to attract bookings in what is a very competitive market - good, clear photos of every room, every outside feature and interesting local attractions such as the beach or golf course; a pricing structure; complete and grammatically-correct details of the property and its surrounding areas, including all facilities (air conditioning, TV, broadband internet, kitchen appliances, etc) in the property; what there is to do in the area (horse-riding, sailing, sightseing - you name it).
You can outline terms and conditions in your advert, but you should have a rental agreement already prepared, so that this can be emailed to a renter. The agreement needs to clearly define the deposit required and when it is due, when the balance is due (before they arrive), what the refund and cancellation policy is, what additional costs there are such as for cleaning after they leave, if smoking or pets are allowed and how the condition of the property will be established before and after the rental (to decide if any damages or losses need to be paid for out of the deposit).
Most importantly, when you receive an enquiry you should respond promptly and in a professional and friendly manner (they won't wait more than 1 day - they're anxious to plan their holiday somewhere now not next week and they will be keen to establish a rapport with the owner - they need to feel they can trust you when they send you a deposit) and be prepared to be flexible and helpful with such things as the price, times of arrival and departure, minimum stays, help with airport transfers, etc - just make sure you get that booking!
by: David Stuttard
The property obviously needs to meet local health and safety regulations, to be clean, well-maintained and furnished/decorated to a standard that fits what you expect to receive in rent (simple and neutral respectively is normally appropriate). It should not be cluttered by lots of personalised artifacts, such as family photos and all kitchen/bathroom utensils, etc, should be out of sight. If when guests first arrive they are welcomed by a basket of essentials (tea, coffee, milk, rolls, butter and mineral water, etc) and fresh flowers they are more likely to relax and come again next year. You should also make sure there is an up-to-date and complete file of useful local information for each new visitor.
You need to decide what dates you want to rent it out to holidaymakers and then what are the seasonally-based rental prices you should set to attract renters - based on researching prices asked for similar properties in similar locations.
Positive consideration of how the property will be maintained is necessary - if you are there, this can be controlled by yourself (covering such things as meeting guests to hand over and collect keys and formally agree the condition/contents of the property before and after and listing who to call on when the air conditioning or plumbing fails), otherwise you need an agent or a reliable person (make it a business, not an informal, arrangement) to take care of these things.
It should go without saying that you need to find out about legal and tax issues in the country where your property is located and, indeed, with your own country's taxes associated with overseas rental income. This means consulting the appropriate departments or professionals.
Then possibly the most challenging job is that of advertising. There are many ways to do this, such as in newspapers, magazines, local agents, your own website, through relatives and friends and of course via reccommendation. None of these ways are likely to generate enough bookings to make it worth your while. They would cost you a lot of time and money to control and the option of having your own website is a non-starter, because it will cost you from £500 to £1500 for a designer and your website will not be found by searchers.
On the other hand, there are many well-organised holiday rental search type websites, that have other properties on their books and that attract many visitors via the search engines (importantly, they have already made the investments needed to develop a website and promote it using various search engine optimisation, ie SEO, techniques). Some of these websites offer free advertising, some are free to advertise but take a percentage of any rentals and some simply ask for an annual fee, which varies widely but is usually proportional to how big they are. Many in each category charge extras, eg for highlighting an advert or for entering advert details. It is suggested that the free ones do not offer a very professional service, in which properties are presented too simply in advert-bound and cluttered pages. It is further suggested that the very big ones are expensive and are simply overwhelming for searchers (with thousands of options that can quickly lose a visitor).
The best option is undoubtedly to use any and all professional-looking websites with a nominal annual fee, eg £30, noting that some offer a free period (which should be grabbed with both hands!). Some work is necessary to enter details and upload photos, etc; but that's all part of the work needed to promote your property rental. Some websites do that work for you for a price, if you already have your own website to extract details from or you provide them details in some other way.
One website that you must use is http://www.solapartments.co.uk, who are free up to 1/1/2010 (then £29.99/year). Importantly, this is a very professional website that is uncluttered and provides a clean, full-featured property advert page with 16 photos in a distinctive Flash gallery, an interactive map, an availability calendar and direct owner contact details. It also features a wide variety of travel aids via seperate menu selections (not mixed up with property search and property advert pages!). They do not make you pay extra for anything, even if they have to enter your details for you.
On the website(s) you enter your property details, it makes sense to 'sell' your property in the most effective way you can imagine, to attract bookings in what is a very competitive market - good, clear photos of every room, every outside feature and interesting local attractions such as the beach or golf course; a pricing structure; complete and grammatically-correct details of the property and its surrounding areas, including all facilities (air conditioning, TV, broadband internet, kitchen appliances, etc) in the property; what there is to do in the area (horse-riding, sailing, sightseing - you name it).
You can outline terms and conditions in your advert, but you should have a rental agreement already prepared, so that this can be emailed to a renter. The agreement needs to clearly define the deposit required and when it is due, when the balance is due (before they arrive), what the refund and cancellation policy is, what additional costs there are such as for cleaning after they leave, if smoking or pets are allowed and how the condition of the property will be established before and after the rental (to decide if any damages or losses need to be paid for out of the deposit).
Most importantly, when you receive an enquiry you should respond promptly and in a professional and friendly manner (they won't wait more than 1 day - they're anxious to plan their holiday somewhere now not next week and they will be keen to establish a rapport with the owner - they need to feel they can trust you when they send you a deposit) and be prepared to be flexible and helpful with such things as the price, times of arrival and departure, minimum stays, help with airport transfers, etc - just make sure you get that booking!
by: David Stuttard
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