Travel Vacations tips

Archive for February, 2011

New York Luxury Hotels: An Excellent Getaway Choice

New York City is an excellent choice for a get away destination anytime of the year. It offers several museums and fine arts centers located through out the city as well as some of the best shopping choices available. Radio City Music Hall The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are some of the more popular tourist attractions.

Each year some 39 million people visit the city. It also considered by most people to be one of the major global cities of the world hosting international finance and the Stock Exchange.

With so many options including the great Broadway Shows anybody can find something they enjoy. It also has been nicknamed “the city that never sleeps”. This may be due in part to the 24 hour subway system running below the city.

However if you are there on a visit chances are you will want to sleep at some point. Your trip would not be complete without staying at one of the many New York Luxury hotels that are available.

Mixed in with the skyscrapers that seem to be miles high you can find luxury hotels almost everywhere you look. The Four Seasons Hotel located adjacent to famous Central Park is a fascination in architecture alone.

This grand hotel is 52 stories tall with views of the sunset over the park. Your all marble bathroom with let you relax amidst bubbles while you watch your favorite television show on the flat screen television. Maid service is available twice per day and they are at your beck and call 24 hours a day should an emergency arise.

The Mandarin Oriental luxury hotel in New York is the definition of chic and modern. This prestigious hotel is located above Columbus Circle offering you a choice between two views from your suite. A magnificent look over Central Park and the Manhattan skyline is one option.

While the other gives you a breathtaking view of the Hudson River where you can watch the sun set behind it. The spa facilities at Mandarin Oriental are second to none when compared to other New York luxury hotels. It offers six multifunctional rooms including amethyst crystal steam rooms and Thai Yoga Suites that have deep soaking tubs.

The Waldorf Astoria located on Park Avenue in Manhattan is historically famous as one of the top luxury hotels in New York. Most people are unaware that this grand hotel began as a place for transients. Over the years it has transformed itself into a prestigious social destination.

You will find spacious rooms with twice daily maid service and turn down service in the evening. You can enjoy your in room mini bar and high speed internet after you’ve had a long soak in the marble bathtub. Enjoy dinner at your choice of three different restaurants. Choose from the Peacock Alley Bull and Bear Restaurant or Inagiku Restaurant which serves exquisite Japanese fair.

When deciding which New York luxury hotel you will be staying at make a list of what your expectations are as far as services and amenities. Choose the one that most closely matches your list.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Mike Greaves is a selfmade entrepreneur a well known travel consultant and internet marketer. Over the years he has travelled across the world and has numerous writings credited to his name in many renowned publications. His areas of writing include travel experiences including reviews of Five Star Hotels World Best Hotels and Ski Resort .

Pet-friendly Hotels From Paris To Portland

by Barbara Wade

Look to all four corners of the globe and you’ll find the world has gone pet crazy. Once upon a time a feline friend or canine kid was considered a family member. Today they have achieved the level of status symbol. With stars such as Paris Hilton and Oprah Winfrey making their love of pets widely known it is becoming significantly more common to find a local petfriendly hotel: Monaco to Memphis and Paris to Portland. Luxury hotel accommodations are even readily available for those who wish to pamper their fourlegged babies.

Traditional Lodging for Pets

In years past neighbors or family members traditionally shared the care of pets when owners left town. As the need for quality pet care grew kennels began to sprout worldwide. These facilities generally offered basic shelter and food for dogs and cats. A wire kennel only big enough to turn around in along with food and water bowls served as the accommodations for boarded pets. Wanting better for their loved ones pet parents continued to make their wishes for care known and thus luxury pet lodges were born.

As appealing as this option is what many owners really wanted was to simply take their pets with them when they traveled. Providing that option along with many pet amenities is the fundamental premise behind a truly petfriendly hotel. Monaco Rome and countless other cosmopolitan destinations for example have petfriendly hotels that allow guests to house pets in their rooms. While a much better option for some than leaving pets behind other hotels go miles farther to make the pets’ visit as outstanding as the owners’.

Amenities for Pets

Right here in the U.S. pets can receive exceptional treatment when traveling with their families. For example one Portland luxury hotel has a K9 Director of Pet Relations whose job it is to make all petguests feel right at home. This social golden retriever named Art ensures that all pets and their owners understand the amenities available to pets including a food bowl with coordinating mat dog bed complimentary dog treats bottled spring water and disposeascoop cleaning supplies.

Scheduling a massage for yourself? Don’t forget your pet. Canine and feline massage specialists are on staff to destress your pet after a long day of travel. While you’re at the hotel fitness center your pet can enjoy a delightful stroll around the block at the hands of a trained professional. While you and your family are out with business or sightseeing during the day your pet can visit with a pet sitter so loneliness and boredom don’t set in.

When booking petfriendly hotels be sure you ask about extras such as deposits or additional cleaning fees. You’ll also want to inquire about weight limits imposed on dogs and other pets.

Luxury doesn’t have to be for humans alone. When you travel with your family bring everyone along pets and all. With the luxurious accommodations available for pets there is no reason the entire family can’t enjoy a vacation together.

About the writer:  Barbara Wade writes articles for the newly renovated Hotel Monaco Portland luxury hotel. With wellappointed accommodations and innovative pet programs the Hotel Monaco offers a convenient central location. Visit http://www.monacoportland.com. 2007 All Rights Reserved

Hocking Hills: Beyond Old Mans Cave

Most everyone who has heard of or had the opportunity to explore the hocking hills has heard of Old Man?s Cave. One of the largest and more popular state parks in Ohio Old Man?s Cave is also one of the most familiar. Home to countless forms of wildlife breathtaking waterfalls and miles of hiking trails it is no wonder that this section of the Hocking Hills has retained so much popularity. However Old Man?s Cave is just one of the six unique and different parks which make up the Hocking Hills. Some of the less explored and less well known areas offer plenty of pleasant surprises to all who decide to explore them.

The Ohio state park at Ash Cave is a spectacular combination of natural beauty and human convenience. The park at Ash Cave is one of the areas in the Hocking Hills which has been updated with asphalt paved trails in some areas and is largely wheelchair accessible. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of Ash Cave is the breathtaking 100 ft. waterfall at the north end of the trail. Massive in every respect of the word the waterfall has been seen completely frozen in the winter months one of the most beautiful times to visit the Hocking Hills.

Cedar falls is a more secluded section of the Hocking Hills with its dense cover of Hemlocks and ferns. The long and slender park runs east to west along the stream formed from the beautiful Cedar Falls waterfall. The pool that forms at the base of the falls is the home to snapping turtles and many varieties of fish.

Conkle?s Hollow is one of the more challenging trails to hike in the Hocking Hills. This park has plenty of rugged rocky cliffs which offer a nice contrast to the serenity of the gentle Hemlocks and soft flowing stream. The trail at Conkle?s Hollow state park in Ohio?s Hocking Hills can be traverse in about an hour and offers any level hiker a great adventure.

Nature lovers who are looking to find wildflowers and experience the full beauty of the Hocking Hills in the fall should check out Cantwell Cliffs. One of the more isolated of the state parks in the Hocking Hills Cantwell Cliffs is the perfect place for a romantic walk with a loved one. The trails here offer a little challenge and large rewards with unique rock formations and inclines.

Rock House or Robber?s Roost as it is popularly known is the park in the Hocking Hills with a trail that proceeds directly through the recessed face of a massive boulder. History thrives at Rock House from the rumored hideout of seventeenth century bandits to the massive rock formations which were left by glaciers thousands of years ago. This one is a favorite with younger adventure seekers.

The best way to enjoy the natural beauty of all of the parks within the Hocking Hills is to stay in an authentic log cabin. These Hocking Hills cabins are the perfect weekend getaway in Ohio combining all of the perks and conveniences of a modern lifestyle with the raw and majestic beauty of Ohio’s Hocking Hills.

About the writer:  Mark Devol is the owner of Old Man’s Cave Chalets and an expert on the natural beauty of the Hocking Hills. The number one preferred and most referred lodging in the Hocking Hills area Old Man’s Cave Chalets has been renting Hocking Hills Cabins since 1988. The Hocking Hills are beautiful comfortable and inviting. Visit http://www.oldmanscavechalets.com/ to make your reservations today.