Posts from — November 2006
Top 15 Australia/Pacific Hotels for 2006
The Rialto Hotel takes the crown for top hotel in the Australia/Pacific region. This 5-star, 244 European style bedroom hotel is situated in the center of Melbourne and only a short stroll from the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, Telstra Dome, theatres and well-known shopping areas. 
- Rialto Hotel on Collins, Melbourne 94.2
- Park Hyatt, Sydney 92.5
- Lilianfels Blue Mountains, Katoomba, Australia 91.1
- The George, Christchurch, New Zealand 90.9
- Langham Hotel, Melbourne 89.7
- Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand 89.3
- The Westin, Sydney 88.9
- The InterContinental, Sydney 87.4
- The Millennium Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand 86.7
- Four Seasons, Sydney 86.6
- The Observatory, Sydney 86.1
- Grand Hyatt, Melbourne 85.9
- Sheraton on the Park, Sydney 85.1
- The Westin, Melbourne 84.7
- Kilauea Lodge, Big Island 82.4
November 30, 2006 No Comments
Buying Alcohol at the Airport Duty-Free Shop?… BEWARE!
This message is a warning to all of you thinking you’re getting a good deal when you go to the duty-free shop in an airport.
Do not buy any bottles of alcohol before going on the plane! You have to check it (meaning you have to go back through security and re-check a bag). If you don’t re-check it, they take it away from you at the gate.
Quick story. A friend of mine was traveling to see his family this Thanksgiving. For the ease of storytelling, we’ll call this friend Jimbo. Jimbo bought his father a bottle of Johnnie Walker: Blue Label. This is most expensive bottle of scotch whiskey in the store and cost over $100. When he got to the gate, the bottle was sealed and still in the shopping bag from the duty-free shop. The gate attendants told Jimbo he couldn’t take it on board and had to leave it with them. He was late for the flight and couldn’t return it. Jimbo proceeded to empty out the entire bottle in the garbage so that the airport employees didn’t go home with a free bottle of Blue Label.
Consider yourself warned.
Tip: You can still buy alcohol, but do it after you land
Additional Info for Smokers: You might want to check the local prices of cigarettes where you are going, to see if it’s worth getting some before you get to your destination.
November 29, 2006 No Comments
7 Best Locations to Ski All Over the World
This winter season is quickly approaching, and vacation plans are hard to decide. As skiing comes to the minds of many chilly vacationers, consider looking all over the world, rather than staying with your local slopes. Here are 7 of the best slopes that the world has to offer skiiers and snowboarders of all skill levels. And it doesn’t hurt to explore the city a bit as well, after a long day of activity.
Aspen, Colorado, United States
Everyone’s heard of Aspen! Featured in many films and television shows, Aspen, Colorado also draws many celebrities. Although you might go for the location’s great ski offerings, you might find yourself meeting someone famous! Be wary though – Aspen gets a bit expensive.
Vail, Colorado, United States 
Vail is neighbor to the previously mentioned Aspen. However, it’s still nothing to laugh at – critics regard this legendary locale as one of the world’s top five resorts, and the best (and the largest) the United States has to offer. Let’s not forget all the other things Vail has to offer, like art galleries, ballooning, and much, much more.
Cortina, Italy
One of the world’s first ski resorts and a past host to the Olympic Games, Cortina boasts some very impressive slopes, and is Italy’s most stylish resort.
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
Tremblant was the first resort to open in Canada and the second in North America. Only an hour away from Montreal, Mont-Tremblant promises all kinds of activites other than skiing or snowboarding.
Stowe, Vermont, United States
Stowe is a beautiful location with classic New England charm. It’s linked to neighboring ski resorts so visitors have a larger variety. The resort also offers over 90 shops and 60 restaurants to ensure that visitors are comfortable and don’t need to travel too far away.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France
Chamoinix is the highest peak in the Alps, some of the most impressive mountains in the world. It hosted the first ever Winter Olympic Games, and remains in high regards to residents and tourists alike. It boasts one of the longest runs (Vallée Blanche), at 13.7 miles (22 km).
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt is acclaimed as one of the most peaceful, picturesque mountains in the world. This is largely due to their mandated car-free environment. It has one of the largest lifts in the world, and is a great getaway for any city-dwellers.
November 28, 2006 1 Comment
Interactive Map of Oxford University in England
For those of you interested in planning a trip to England, I strongly recommend making a stop in Oxford. It is a beautiful city with lush gardens and fascinating individuals. Below you can see an interactive map of Oxford. University Park and the Christ Church War Memorial Gardens were my personal favorite places to sit and relax.
The bottom of the map shows a map of the city while the top shows a “real-life” 360 degree view. Hit one of the buttons on the bottom and notice how the pictures on the top changes. This interactive map is provided by Panoramic Earth and powered by MAI Technology. Hope you enjoy it.November 27, 2006 No Comments
Necessary Travel Vaccines
Before going on your trip, it is very important to take the necessary medical precautions before stepping on the plane. Consult your doctor on your travel plans and ask him which vaccines you should take before your trip. The vaccines you got when you were a child also may need to be updated. Below is a list of vaccines that you may need to take before going away:
- Hepatitis A (or hepatitis A immune globulin)
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza (or the flu)
- Japanese encephalitis
- Measles (mumps of rubella)
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Pneumococcal
- Polio
- Rabies
- Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids
- Typhoid Fever
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Yellow Fever
Again, it is very important that you consult your doctor before going on a prolonged trip. Some of these vaccinations may be needed or overdue. Good luck and have a safe trip!
November 27, 2006 2 Comments
Top 25 British Isles Hotels for 2006
Not a surprise that nearly half the British Isles’ top hotel properties are located in London. However, the number one pick is Buckland Manor settled in the Cotswolds. The hotel dates back to the thirteenth century and is set in glorious grounds featuring immaculate gardens with running stream, small waterfalls, croquet lawns and tennis courts. Golfing guests can enjoy the private putting green and there’s an 18-hole course in nearby Broadway. Top British Isles hotels are:
- Buckland Manor, The Cotswolds 98.9
- Gidleigh Park, Devon 93.5
- Madarin Oriental Hyde park, London 92.2
- Four Seasons, London 91.1
- Claridge’s, London 90.6
- The Dorchester, London 89.4
- The Lanesborough, London 88.7
- The Merrion, Dublin 88.3
- Lygon Arms, The Cotswolds, 88.0
- The Connaught, London 87.8
- The Balmoral, Edinburgh 87.7
- The Savoy, London 87.7
- The Ritz, London 87.4
- One Aldwych, London 86.5
- Four Seasons, Dublin 85.4
- Killarney park Hotel, Co. Kerry 85.1
- Cashel House Hotel, Co. Galway 84.9
- Cotswold House, Cotswold 84.7
- The Westin, Dublin 83.3
- Royal Crescent, Bath 82.6
- The Berkeley, London 82.4
- Covent Garden Hotel, London 82.2
- Dukes Hotel, London 81.9
- Royal Hourseguards, London 81.9
- Conrad, Dublin 81.5
November 22, 2006 1 Comment
Top 75 Asia Hotels for 2006
Asia has bloomed this year to house 75 world class properties, led by the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore with a rating of 96.6. The Fullerton is located in the heart of Singapore’s arts and financial districts, a 25 minute drive from Singapore Changi Airport. The 400-room award winning hotel, built in 1928, successfully blends the old and new to give an unsurpassed five-star accommodation experience for business and leisure travellers.
Hong Kong tops the list of cities that host the best hotels in Asia with 12. And the top 75 hotels in Asia are:
- Fullerton Hotel, Singapore 96.6
- Amandari, Bali 96.5
- The Peninsula, Bangkok 96.4
- The Oriental, Bangkok 96.3
- Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India 96.0
- The Peninsula, Hong Kong 96.0
- Oberoi Amervilas, Agra, India 94.9
- Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, India 94.6
- Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 94.5
- Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, Singapore 94.5
- The Four Seasons, Bangkok 93.8
- The Peninsula, Manila 93.7
- The InterContinental, Hong Kong 93.6
- Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 93.4
- Grand Hyatt, Singapore 93.0
- Ritz-Carlton, Osaka 93.0
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India 92.2
- Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok 91.9
- Four Seasons, Singapore 91.7
- Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia 91.7
- Four Seasons, Hong Kong 91.1
- Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong 90.8
- Governor’s Residence, Rangoon 90.7
- Sofitel Royal Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia 90.6
- Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 90.4
- The Peninsula, Beijing 90.4
- Banyan Tree, Bangkok 90.2
- Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai 90.1
- Rafles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 90.1
- Park Hyatt, Tokyo 90.0
- Grand Hyatt, Tokyo 89.9
- The Imperial, New Delhi 89.8
- Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur 89.6
- Imperial Hotel, Tokyo 89.3
- Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong 89.3
- Conrad, Hong Kong 89.3
- Raffles Hotel, Singapore 88.9
- The Regent, Singapore 88.7
- Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong 88.4
- JW Marriott, Hong Kong 87.2
- JW Marriott, Shanghai 87.2
- Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong 87.0
- Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok 87.0
- China World Hotel, Beijing 86.6
- Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, India 86.6
- Four Seasons, Shanghai 86.4
- The Sukhothai, Bangkok
- Conrad, Bangkok 86.1
- The Oriental, Singapore 86.1
- Raffles The Plaza, Singapore 86.0
- The Westin, Shanghai 86.0
- Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur 85.9
- Sofitel Metropole, Hanoi 85.7
- JW Marriott, Seoul 85.6
- Sheraton Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City 85.6
- St. Regis, Beijing 85.4
- St. Regis, Shanghai 85.0
- Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai 85.0
- Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai 84.8
- The Strand, Rangoon 84.6
- Grand Hyatt, Shanghai 83.5
- Hilton Hanoi Opera, Hanoi 83.4
- The Shilla, Seoul 82.9
- Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok 82.7
- Makati Shangra-La, Manila 82.5
- Grand Hyatt, Beijing 82.4
- Grand Hotel, Beijing 82.1
- New Otani, Osaka 82.0
- Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur 81.9
- Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, India 81.9
- Angkor Palace Resort, Siem Reap, Cambodia 80.9
- The Oberoi, New Delhi 80.9
- InterContinental Grand Standford, Hong Kong 80.7
- Shanghai JC Mandarin, Shanghai 80.6
- Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi 80.2
November 22, 2006 No Comments
Top 75 Europe Hotels for 2006
Planning to travel to Europe in style? Conde Nast recently published their Reader’s Choice Top 100 “The Best in the World”. The segment rates the best of the best for Cruises, Hotels, Airlines, Islands, and Cities on a scale of 1-100. This will be the first of a series of posts. We will start with hotels. The categories in which they are rated are:
- Food/Dining
- Location
- Overall Design
- Rooms
- Service
The following list does not contain hotels in the British Isles. The Four Seasons makes the list six times. Both Paris and Rome are home to six hotels that make the list. And the top European Hotels are:
- Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest 98.8
- Chateau Les Crayeres, Reims 97.8
- Four Seasons George V, Paris 97.4
- Palazzo Sasso, Ravello 96.6
- Four Seasons, Istanbul 96.4
- Ritz Carlton, Istanbul 93.1
- Il San Pietro di Positano, 95.3
- La Bastide de Moustiers, Provence 95.3
- Villa San Michele, Tuscany 95.0
- Palace Luzern, Lucrene 94.9
- Chateau de la Chevre d’Or, Cote d’Azur 94.7
- Le Meurice, Paris 94.1
- Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, Paris 94.1
- Hotel Taschenbergpalais, Dresden 93.9
- Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne 93.8
- Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, Cote d’Azur 93.7
- Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul 93.2
- Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento 93.1
- Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo 93.1
- Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris 92.6
- Katikies Hotel, Santorini 92.3
- Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi 92.2
- Hotel Villa Cipriani, Asolo 92.2
- Hotel d’Europe, Avignon 92.1
- Hotel Cipriani, Venice 92.0
- Chateau de Bagnols, Beaujolais 91.8
- Le Sirenuse, Positano 91.8
- Four Seasons, Milan 91.6
- Grand Hotel de la Minerve, Rome 91.6
- Hotel Savoy, Florence 91.5
- King George II, Atens 91.5
- La Reserve de Beaulieu, Cote d’Azur 91.5
- Londra Palace, Venice 91.3
- Ritz-Carlton, Berlin 91.3
- Domaine des Hauts de Loire, Onzain 91.2
- Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice 91.2
- La Colombe d’Or, Provence 91.1
- Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel, Interlaken 91.1
- Hotel Imperial, Vienna 90.8
- Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, Venice 90.8
- Hotel Ritz, Madrid 90.8
- Chateau Eza, Cote d’Azur 90.4
- Mandarin Oriental, Munich 90.4
- Raffles Hotel vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg 90.2
- Westin Excelsior, Florence 89.9
- Beau Rivage, Geneva 89.8
- Hotel Hassler, Rome 89.7
- San Domenico Palace, Sicily 89.7
- Baur au Lac, Zurich 89.6
- Tivoli Palacio de Seteais, Sintra, Portugal 89.5
- Four Seasons, Prague 89.4
- Hotel Ritz, Paris 89.4
- Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville 89.1
- Hotel Lungarno, Florence 88.9
- Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg 88.8
- Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice 88.8
- Marriott Hotel, Berlin 88.4
- Trianon Palace, Versailles 88.4
- Hotel de Crillon, Paris 88.3
- Grand Hyatt, Berlin 88.2
- Hotel Bauer & Bauer II Palazzo, Venice 88.0
- Hotel de Russie, Rome 87.8
- Grand Hotel Quisisana, Capri 87.7
- Hotel Kamp, Helsinki 87.4
- Le Meridien, Vienna 87.3
- Grand Hotel, Florence 87.2
- Palais de la Mediterranee, Nice 87.2
- Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, Budapest 87.1
- Four Seasons Hotel Ritz, Lisbon 87.0
- Hotel Arts, Barcelona 86.9
- St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome 86.7
- The Grand Amsterdam, Amsterdam 86.6
- Westin Palace, Madrid 86.6
- Principe di Savoia, Milan 86.5
- Hotel Sacher, Salzburg 86.2
November 21, 2006 3 Comments
Top 5 Winter Getaway Destinations
Travel and Leisure magazine’s Senior Editor, Heidi Sherman Mitchell recently suggested 5 inexpensive winter destinations for those looking to take a vacation after the hectic holiday season. The first thing you want to do is decide whether you want to go to a warm or cold spot. Then browse the internet for special deals on vacation packages. It’s peak season for areas with beaches or snow so plan your vacation early.
Mitchell’s top 5 winter destinations are:
1. Whistler, British Columbia: Whistler has become the “it” destination for winter. It’s set to host the Winter Olympics in 2010. If you love to ski, this is a great destination, because there’s great skiing as well as great non-ski activities. There are spas, great shopping, and dining. If you live on the West Coast, this is a definite must! Also, many of the locals are mostly between 20 and 34, so there’s a lot of ambient energy on the streets.
2. Lake Placid, N.Y.: A great place to visit if you live in the Northeast. The former Olympic site has a wide range of winter activities for both kids and adults. Visitors love the accessibility and family atmosphere.
3. Riviera Maya: Located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, this area has become a popular destination for 2006. There’s so much going on there, and every range of spots for couples, families. You can find great flight deals right now, as well as some great hotel deals, because this region is trying to overcome the perception that Hurricane Wilma destroyed everything. The location is pretty much back in action and worth looking into.
4. Maui: We often think of Hawaii as a honeymooners’ location. But it’s a great vacation spot for those living on the West Coast. Maui boasts the Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach, a top-secret beach. The beaches of Maui are supposed to be some of the most glorious. If you are traveling during the winter season, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Maui’s largest visitors, the humpback whale, during their mating season.
5. Los Angeles: The city is undergoing a transformation. For example, check out the newly-redesigned Sunset Tower Hotel, as well as the new Hollywood Roosevelt, where the current Hollywood “A-listers” love to party. You can also cruise Melrose, Sunset Blvd and have access to beaches, hiking up Will Rogers Park. The city also has a lot more culture, and more money has been poured into the arts. Los Angeles also isn’t too expensive, compared to New York or San Francisco. The large amusement parks are also nearby, so it’s great for families who want to go to Disneyland, but you can also look into Hollywood or see the Guggenheim Museum.
November 19, 2006 1 Comment
Tips for Spring Break Vacationers
For thousands of college and university students across the US, the grueling cycle of classes and exams leave victims broken and exhausted. After so much work and effort, the week-long vacation of Spring Break is easily the most awaited event of the school year.
However, with all the things students do, a vacation is hard to organize. Because it’s easy to forget important things, here are some pointers. They’ll make your experience a truly relaxing one!
- Look for packages EARLY – As you look through the internet, you’ll notice that right now around December, many deals are for sale already. Many of these prices aren’t offered as Spring Break approaches. Don’t underestimate the value of preparation – not only do you have peace of mind, but purchasing a package early often leaves you with more money in your pocket.
- Study the place – Look into the wide selection of Spring Break destinations that are available to you. Pictures of white sand and clear water might all seem the same to you. This isn’t always the case – the friendliness of the Bahamian locals might not be as easily found in Cancun. Look into the customs and the culture of all the places before making the final decision to spend a whole week there.
- Go with friends – Too often there are horror stories about partying gone sour. To avoid bad situations, plan the trip with a close group of friends that you can trust. Not only will you make sure they’re okay, but they’ll go out of their way to make sure you don’t do anything stupid either. And of course, it’s always more fun when you’re with good company!
- HAVE FUN! – Don’t get too caught up in all of this planning madness! This is only for your safety and your wallet. Don’t lose focus being anal about each detail of the trip – a vacation should leave some room to explore, relax, and enjoy. That’s why you’re going there in the first place anyway, right?
November 17, 2006 No Comments
Make your Money Go Further
Our monthly reports tell you what countries and currencies offer the best deals. Travel and buy smart!