Hotel Choosing Opus

Hotels Hotels Hotels... Which One Do I choose!

Hotels in Las Vegas furnish a guest with the excitement, amenities and appeal of this wonderful destination. Everyone has heard of Circus Circus. Its appealing restaurants, theme parks, shops, gaming and the world's greatest circus acts guarantees good fun for everyone. Best of all, it continues to be the value leader on the Las Vegas Strip. The possibilities are unlimited in where to stay, when you play in Las Vegas! Some things to consider when selecting a hotel are its amenities, restaurants, attractions and more. Check out the casinos for games, dining and entertainment.

Hotels like Hilton have the hottest entertainment acts performing nightly. From the nightclub center stage to the world famous theater, only the top acts in show business perform on stage at the Las Vegas Hilton. It has spacious accommodations, which provides you a homey atmosphere and makes you feel like a pampered guest. Heck, you can even enjoy yourself in cheap hotels or discount hotels.

Hotel Marriot - What I really liked about the room was the huge Jacuzzi tub that you could lay down in. That is ultimate pleasure! There are several restaurants presently at the JW Marriott. The pool is one of the best features at the JW Marriott. It offers a serene environment to host board meetings or romantic weddings, receptions and social affairs. Wedding parties have the opportunity to select a venue sited for rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid's brunches or evening parties when staying at the Marriott.

Author, Mike Yeager, Publisher: http://www.a1-vacations-4u.com.

Hotel Opus

Hotel Rooms Are Nightmares

Ever since I began working for that Florida vacation rentals website, I have been plagued by recurring nightmares. I am haunted at night by the spirits of hotel rooms past.

There was a time when I traveled quite a bit on business. Thankfully, I don't hotels hop any more. But at night I float off to a hotel room far away in time...

The day's work done, I phoned home to check up on the kids. It seems there was a shouting match going on in my absence. It sounded like Pandemonium was winning, but Total Bedlam was making some noise, too.

"Can you just quiet down a bit," I said into the phone.

"YOU shut up," I heard the man in the next room growl.

I chose to ignore him. "Come on guys. Can't you just stop fighting for a minute?"

"I'll show you what fighting means" I heard through the wall.

"Geeze. I can't even here myself think," I complained into the phone.

"Hey! I've had just about enough of you," the guy on the other side of the wall screamed.

Suddenly I got very scared. I pictured a burly, six-foot-two weightlifter smashing his fist through the wall. I hung up the phone, wondering how thin the walls were.

Nothing happened. No fist. No smashed wall. No burly, six-foot-two weightlifter.

I decided to go downstairs for a stress-relief stroll. As I was closing my door, the man from the next room emerged.

Fortunately, he was no weightlifter.

I was about to ask him why he had shouted at me through the wall while I was trying to discipline my kids, when he called to me, "Hey you. I was on the phone with my wife. Why did you have to heckle me?"

All of a sudden, I knew how thin the walls were.

In fact, I discovered that hotel walls come in two thicknesses:

If you're lucky, you get "Turn down the volume on your TV!" walls. If you are less fortunate, you get "Turn down the brightness on your TV!" walls.

Fortunately, hotel rooms are immaculately clean. It's true. The sign says so. Just as long as you don't look under the mattress to find a 1976 copy of Businessweek Magazine and theatre tickets to a 1982 showing of The Music Man.

I don't know why hotels pretend to be so spotless. All that junk under the bed could be used as a marketing tool. "Stay at the Hilltop Hilton and join in our under-mattress-scavenger-hunt."

If the hotels don't catch on, sooner or later the motels will. They can turn anything into a sales pitch. Like, for example, "Color TV" (Ooooooohh.). And "Outdoor Pool" (I think the "outdoor" feature is a nice added touch, don't you?) And how about "Free Parking" (which is really a way of saying, "You don't have to park your car in your room.").

What worries me most about hotels is what they keep in the drawers. Did you ever notice there is always a bible in the drawer? Why?

When you buy a car, there is no bible in the glove compartment, although the road is where you need prayers the most.

When you dig for the prize at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box, it's never a bible.

Even in hospitals, where a prayer might be all you have left, there is no bible in the drawer.

Only in hotels and on death row do bibles come as standard equipment.

And why just the Bible? I have had plenty of spare time to search for Torahs and Korans in hotel rooms, and I have never found any. Do Jews and Muslims not stay in hotels? What do they know that I don't?

Fortunately, I don't have to stay in hotels anymore. I don't have to endure shadow-puppet shows from the guy on the other side of the wall. I don't have to keep from reading over his shoulder. I don't have worry about what he ate for dinner.

And I don't have to listen to his snoring. I can enjoy my own nightmares in peace.

Author, David Leonhardt, publishes The Happy Guy humor column: http://www.thehappyguy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html.
And A Daily Dose of Happiness: http://www.thehappyguy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html.
He also writes personal growth articles: http://www.thehappyguy.com/self-actualization-articles.html.
And sells liquid vitamins: http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net.

Villa Living Serenade

Ditch The Hotel For A Villa Or Vacation Home

Two visits to Budapest. Two apartments, walking distance from downtown. I did not even set foot in the Hilton. My mother and I saw Budapest like only someone who stays away from the Americanized hotels can. We stayed with the locals. We came to feel the city, not just see it.

Several years later, I returned to Europe on my honeymoon (this time, without my mother). The first two nights in a little village near Schaffhausen, Switzerland, we stayed in the European version of a vacation villa rental: our own unit in a private home, our own balcony overlooking the scenic village, comfort, privacy and peace.

Three weeks of touring brought us to one or two hotels, several bed and breakfasts, and a couple "gasthauses" in Austria and Liechtenstein that felt more like private homes.

"There is no way to compare the comfort and privacy of a private villa with squeezing everybody into an impersonal hotel room," says Stewart Granville, CEO of Last Minute Villas ( http://www.lastminutevillas.net ), a booking site for Florida villas and vacation rental homes. "You have your own space – and lots of it – and you don't have to worry about noise of peeping eyes. Usually you have a private pool, spa, sound system and other luxuries."

Last Minute Villas books some vacation rentals on Florida's Gulf Coast, but mostly in the Orlando area. Typically, theme park visitors stay in the motel strip in Kissimmee. Those with deeper pockets might stay at the Disney World Hotel. Few people realize that a Vacation home near Disney World or in nearby Orlando is even an option.

Fewer still realize how cheap it is. One Florida villa owner describes how he had just checked his guests in to his own Kissimmee/Orlando area villa. Drew was heading out of town, but he missed his flight. With ten people staying in his rental home, there really was no place for him. He checked into a very basic motel, typical of the Kissimmee strip, and realized he would be paying over $200 per night for ten people – or about $1500 per week – for uncomfortably basic motel rooms typical of Orlando and other vacation mecas.

"They stayed in my house for $900 - and they got their own private pool, ensuite bedrooms, laundry facilities, refrigerator and all the things you now take for granted in villas," Drew says. "It really opened my eyes to just what a sweet deal my visitors are getting – and how little motel visitors get for their money, too."

Two years ago, my brother and I rented a private cottage in the Laurentians. We had four bedrooms, enough to accommodate both our young families. We could see two of the neighboring houses, which would be useful in case of an emergency.

We had the television, the stereo, the fire place, fresh raspberries right off the bushes around the house (some blueberries, too!), a screened patio with a private table/bench swing, and a nice big fridge to keep juice, milk and beer cool. We had plenty of space to spread out and a table just perfect for a relaxing evening of cards.

Last summer, we rented a private villa in the Laurentians again, this time overlooking a small lake, and a canoe was supplied.

Why would anybody want to crowd their family into a hotel room? Or even two? I've been spoiled. From Orlando, Florida to Budapest, Hungary, travel in style by staying in a private vacation rental home, no matter where you go.

Written by David Leonhardt, freelance writer, and an online and offline publicity specialist. Contact him at: mailto:info@thehappyguy.com or visit his website at http://www.thehappyguy.com. For Florida vacation villa rentals: http://www.lastminutevillas.net. For Orlando vacation home rentals: http://www.orlandovillaowners.com.

East Africa Travel Serenade

Newsletter from East Africa

A Wedding Out Of Africa

Kenya has always brought out the romantic in its overseas visitors, from the days of the early European settlers to the international travelers that now arrive daily from all parts of the globe to explore the country for themselves. As a honeymoon destination, Kenya is among the top in the list. It is a country that boasts an enviable range of dramatic landscapes inhabited by exotic and wild animals, and has a surprising number of paradise locations on its Indian Ocean coast. An advantage of a wedding in Kenya is that everything will be done for the couple except saying “I do”; from invitations, marriage license to registrar, photographer to entertainment. So whether a beach wedding with a total seclusion on a deserted sand dune or a sumptuous beach party of 200 or more! Or getting spliced on a luxury yacht whilst sailing on the Indian Ocean, or even a bush wedding revolving around the ‘Out of Africa’ theme – Five-star seclusion, four-poster beds and excellent cuisine served on best bone china with silver cutlery and candlesticks redolent of times past, you name it and the dream will be a reality. http://www.kenyaonetours.com/activities/weddings.htm

Endangered Species in Kenya

After the decision to resume ivory trade was taken last year, poachers have taken a greater interest in elephants in northern Kenya. Eight orphaned babies have been rescued in the recent months, the youngest being one week old. These baby elephants, which actually are a reminder that the resumption of international trade in ivory brings violence, cruelty and tragedy, are being raised and rehabilitated by Kenya Wildlife Service, for the eventual release back into the wild. Kenya that once boasted of 120,000 elephants, has had this number reduced tremendously after a decade of poaching. Today her elephants are strictly protected and population is recovering.

Lamu Cultural Festival

This month the historical Lamu island in the Indian Ocean hosted its third Cultural Festival that brought together thousands of people from other coastal towns, upcountry visitors and tourists. Unfortunately this event came in the wake of a disastrous fire that razed three hotels, including Lamu's oldest establishment Petley’s Inn, which was built in 1936 and was regarded by historians and Lamu residents as "the epitome of our cultural heritage". However, the mood of the festival was not been dampened and instead Lamu people used the occasion to display their traditional spirit of goodwill and resilience. The number of visitors has continued to increase in the past days in Lamu, and main streets and narrow alleys are congested.

Shimba Hills Lodge Specials

Shimba Lodge, a unit of Block Hotels Kenya, has introduced a very special rate for its guests this season who want to experience the only Tree Hotel at Kenya Coast. The new prices are as little as US Dollars 80 per double and US Dollar 50 per single, on Half Board. Child rate is 50% of the double room rate.

Mombasa’s Castle Hotel comes back to life

Mombasa's old glory, the historic Castle Hotel is back. This famous Meeting Place - where residents and tourists alike, including those from visiting ships, could socialize in comfort while enjoying a drink and great hospitality along the island's main thoroughfare, Moi Avenue. Its existence since 1927 (the original hotel site probably going back even earlier to 1913) also attracted many more people and trade to the area. It has been sorely missed since closing ten years ago. Striving for a four-star grading, the hotel with 66 rooms, hopes to be fully operational by the end of the year. The 'Ashanti Cafe', 'Ivory Bar' and 'Italian Restaurant’ are already operating.

East African Safari Rally

This is a reminder about the 2003 East African Safari Rally, which marks the 50th anniversary of the original Coronation Safari rally held in 1953 to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. This year’s event is opened to all cars built prior to 31st December 1971 – a classic event for classic rally cars. The 5,000 kilometres, nine day event, will start in Mombasa on 10th December, and will cover the three East African countries. The type of cars to be seen, driven by a host of former champions and experienced rally drivers, will include, Ford Escorts, Porsche 911’s, Datsun 1600SSS’s & 240Z’s, Ford Mustang, Mercedes 220SE, Volvo PV544 Sport, Austin Healey 3000, VW, Skoda, Alfa and even a Trabant. For more visit www.eastafricansafarirally.com

A Golfing Destination Kenya

Kenya has long been considered one of the world's great undiscovered Golfing destinations, but more and more traveling golfers are now packing clubs on safari. For the traveler seeking a diverse range of golf courses, combined with world class standards and service, Kenya is the perfect choice. The weather in Kenya is ideal for golf all year round. Kenya has 38 courses, of which 12 are 18-hole and 10 are used for championship events, in locations as varied as high altitude plains, beautiful lakeshores, lush forests, tropical beaches and more. The courses offer international golfing standards and some of the world's finest design and landscaping. Day or temporary membership at Kenyan Golf Clubs can be readily organized by the visitor or through a travel agent or tour operator.

Sky Diving at Kenya Coast

There are many ways to see Kenya on safari, but how about from 14,000 feet above the ground, falling earthwards at 120 miles per hour? For adrenaline junkies, the Kenyan coast has become the latest hot spot for aerial adventure- where the equatorial atmosphere at sea level can give skydivers more than a minute of full freefall over the beautiful blue Indian Ocean, before touching down on pure white sands on one of the world's best beaches. For 14 years now international skydivers have been gathering at Diani Beach on Kenya's South Coast each year for the Kenya Skydive Boogie. This event is proving very popular both with experienced skydivers and those interested in experiencing the thrill of freefall for the first time. It has now become a major event on the international skydiving calendar. The Boogie is organized by Kenya Skydivers and will be held in October 2003. www.skydivekenya.com or www.kenya-boogie.com

Lake Baringo Club, Kenya

This is a classic, neat and compact hotel on the shores of Lake Baringo, and one of the rare places in Kenya where it is possible to watch a family of hippos graze just a few metres from where you are seated! The club has plenty activities including a boat ride across the hippo and crocodile infested lake! A good time to see the hippos is late in the evening after dinner, because at this time they start to ascend from the lake to the lawn where they graze. There is also a morning bird walk before breakfast, led by the club’s ornithologist. There are over 460 species around the club. Baringo Club is situated right on the floor of Rift Valley, an area that boasts of contrasting and captivating scenes.

Greeting from East Africa

Yours, Karl-Heinz Straus

Karl-Heinz Straus is the Managing Director of Kenya One Tours and living in Kenya for 15 years and working as a tour operator for 30 years. Visit also the website http://www.kenyaonetours.com.


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