Hotels
Bratislava’s newest hotel is fit for a queen
A new boutique hotel, the 5* Hotel Albrecht, opened in Bratislava this week (21st October), two days before The Queen and Prince Philip journeyed to Slovakia’s capital during their first visit to the country.
Hotelbook.com reports increased revenue
Utell Hotels & Resorts has reported a 21% increase in revenue to hotels from January to August 2008 on hotelbook.com, the representation service’s consumer site offering more than 6,000 independent, boutique and small group hotels in 2,000 cities worldwide. The site is also reporting average stays of 2.8 days, and an average increase of £8 per night in booking rates compared to 2007.
Condé Nast ranks Al Maha ‘Top Overseas Leisure Hotel’
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, the luxurious desert retreat owned by Emirates Hotels & Resorts, has collected yet another Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Award. Jumping six places in its overall rating from last year, Al Maha was the only Dubai hotel to be listed in the prestigious top 20 list, for Overseas Leisure Hotels.
Rooftop dining in the heart of Berlin
September marked a new and fragrant beginning for the Swissôtel Berlin. Exotic herbs such as tropical sage, African lemon savoury, Ecuadorian lilac chilli, Peruvian hot pepper, Persian mint and thyme-leaved savoury are among some of the 35 exquisite herbs and spices reaching towards the sky on Restaurant 44's roof terrace herb garden at the Swissôtel Berlin.
Koh Samui: An Asian attraction
Koh Samui is arguably Asia’s newest boutique holiday destination. With miles of coconut white sands, unspoilt turquoise seas and a near perfect climate it’s not hard to see how it won that mantle. The third largest island in Thailand and neighboured by the country’s top diving destination Koh Tao, the exclusive Koh Samui resort is an A-list favourite.
Columbia Beach Resort voted Leading Spa Resort
The Columbia Beach Resort, the luxury five star hotel in Pissouri Bay Cyprus, has been recognised by the World Travel Awards (WTA), winning Cyprus’ Leading Spa Resort 2008. At a glittering ceremony held in Poprad in Slovakia last night the award was accepted in front of a host of top travel industry professionals.
Get into bed with bond
Women admire him and men aspire to be him – there is only one James Bond. To celebrate the release of the new James Bond film, The Quantum of Solace, in cinemas on 31 October, Hotels.com has chosen the best hotels to have featured in classic Bond films to bring you get a little closer to the ultimate man of mystery.
Londa voted leading Mediterranean Boutique Hotel
The Londa, the contemporary boutique hotel in Limassol Cyprus, has again been recognised by the World Travel Awards (WTA), winning the award for Leading Mediterranean Boutique Hotel. This follows on from last year’s success when the Londa won WTA’s accolade for Cyprus’s Leading Hotel.
Photography breaks at Egerton Grey
Egerton Grey Country House Hotel is offering a class where leading Welsh photographer Nick Jenkins will teach participants how to ‘make a great picture’ whether the camera is film or digital, rather than simply ‘taking a picture’. The class will also include a guide to the basics of the camera, composition techniques and processing photographs.
Hotel offer delivers the best of town and country
The five-star Chester Grosvenor Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of the city, and the award-winning Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel, uniquely positioned overlooking Lake Windermere in the Lake District, are two of Britain’s most celebrated hotels. Through a shared commitment to excellence, the two prestigious properties have come together to offer a fantastic four-night package showcasing city and country living at its finest.
Langham Hotels forges ahead with Chuan Spa expansion
Luxury hotel operator, Langham Hotels International (LHI) has appointed Barry White to the position of Director of Spa Operations to oversee the global operations quality of Chuan Spa – the group’s proprietary wellness brand based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) philosophies and techniques.
Have an explosive break on Bonfire Night
Remember, remember the 5th of November. As London’s sky is lit up with fireworks this Bonfire Night, celebrate the occasion with a stay at Park Plaza Riverbank London.
Marriott’s Praia D’el Rey named Portugal’s Leading Resort
The European winners of the 2008 World Travel Awards, dubbed “the Oscars of the travel industry” by the Wall Street Journal, were announced this week at a glittering awards ceremony in Slovakia attended by 300 guests from 19 countries across Europe. Against stiff competition, the Praia D’El Rey Marriott Hotel, situated 50 minutes north of Lisbon on Portugal’s Silver Coast, was named “Portugal’s Leading Resort” for the second year running.
Linthwaite makes a suite offer during Wedding Week
In celebration of Winter Wedding Week (27 October - 2 November 2008), Linthwaite House, a boutique property in the heart of the Lake District with stunning views over Lake Windermere, is offering couples the opportunity to get two nights Bed & Breakfast in their new luxurious loft suite valued at £990 for free when they book an ‘exclusive use wedding'.
England soccer fans tackle the credit crunch
Savvy soccer fans searching for value are taking budget airlines into nearby cities such as Warsaw, Kaunas, Vilnius and Riga then travelling on to the game by train or bus, and booking cheap hotel deals on sites such as Hotels.com.