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Blood and sunshine - bullfight in Malaga
On a blisteringly hot day in Malaga in the summer of 2001 whilst away learning Spanish in the Andalusian city, I resolved to see my first bullfight. With my father being a long time Spanish teacher I had often heard about his trips to the bullfight...
Give Yourself a Holiday Gift
Thinking about taking your family on a Christmas vacation?
Although it has long been tradition to wait at home for Santa to
arrive, a number of American families spend Christmas away from
home each year. Christmas vacations are becoming more and...
Relive the Battle of Trafalgar with Superbreak.com!
Often described as the most decisive naval battle in history, 2005 marks the 200 year anniversary of The Battle of Trafalgar. The Royal Navy, which has been inspired by the events of 200 years ago have been the main organisers of the Trafalgar 200...
The wonders of a Gite Holiday in France
Gites In France A visit to France can be one of those dream-come-true vacations. What if you need to travel on a bit of a budget? Are there any ways to see France and not break the bank? The answers to those questions are, “Yes!” A French gite...
Want to retire at 18? Panama might be the place for you
Panama’s program for retirees is said to be the best in the world. There is no age limit to qualify for the Tourist Pensionado Visa Program. You need only to be able to prove a monthly pension or retirement income of US$500 from a government or...
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Luxury Hotel Breaks – Avoiding the hotel horror stories
When looking for hotel accommodation most people are very price driven in terms of making their choices. Finding out where you want to go and how cheaply you can stay there are very often the only factors that are taken into consideration. Couple this with the British attitude of “making the best of a bad situation” and being too accommodating when it comes to poor service, and it is no wonder there are so many hotel horror stories out there. As a travel writer I have certainly encountered a number through the years myself, however one of the best I have heard of late can be read here - http://www.epinions.com/content_40028769924. The following is an extract from this particular hotel horror story -
“When I checked in, I was given the last available room. It had one bed even though I requested (requested being the key word) two beds. I would be sharing a room with someone and even though I don't mind sharing a bed, I did not know how the other person would feel. I was told my request for 2 beds was just that, a request. They are not obligated to give me what I requested. Okay, so I would be sharing a bed. Fine.
Then I went upstairs, put the key in the lock, and opened the door. There on the bed, was a couple... um... enjoying themselves. They looked at me, I looked at them, and then I ran out the door. I went down to the front desk and told them what happened. They told me that they didn't know which rooms had been given out that day. The man checked a few things on his computer and told me, "Whoops, that was the room of the couple who just got married here." How did he know who was occupying the room and the other guy at the desk didn't even know the room was occupied? So I got another key and he was pretty positive it was empty. I went upstairs, put the key in the lock, and the door didn't open. I had to go back down to the desk. I was getting tired of lugging my luggage all over the place. He checked the key and gave it to me again, assuring me it would work this time. I went upstairs, put the key in the lock, I was happy to find that the key opened the door and even happier to find that the room was unoccupied.
The room was missing an iron and the light bulbs in both of
the lamps. The bathroom light was out as well. Why would they give someone a room without making sure everything was working as it should?”
It could be said that the British very often bring this on themselves with the ‘laissez-faire’ attitudes outlined above. However, as a paying guest you should be entitled to have a hassle free stay. While it can never be guaranteed that you will have a pleasant stay, a little research beforehand can go a long way. A bad hotel experience can be hard to digest at the best of times – but what if it’s a holiday you have been saving for, or even your honeymoon?
One way to minimise your chances of a bad stay is to pay for the best in luxury hotel accommodation. While this isn’t always practical for many budgets, a break in a 5 star hotel can be an experience which will leave you refreshed and relaxed and can be worthwhile splashing out for every once in a while. In a luxury hotel, it's the touches that make the difference. Fluffy towels, plump pillows, award-winning food, attentive service and opulent furnishings are the ingredients for the great memory of an extra special weekend break.
The UK certainly has its fair share of top quality five star hotels - from quiet country retreats in Scotland, such as Gleneagles and St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa to world class hotels in the centre of London, such as the stunning Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel. Indeed the Chancery Court - located only a short walk away from the theatres and shops of London’s famous West End - is a perfect example of how hotel stays should be. The hotel’s beautiful marble architecture combined with the first class service truly make it an oasis in a sea of hectic modern living – a stay here will remind you exactly why hotel breaks are such a pleasant experience.
For further information, UK based short break specialist Superbreak.com – http://www.superbreak.com - has a range of “Luxury Hotel Breaks” that can be tailored to meet even the most modest of budgets and the excellent http://www.epinions.com has a detailed selection of hotel reviews from around the world.
About the Author
Edinburgh based travel writer and webmaster of http://www.travel-tips.co.uk
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