Category: Hotels

Top 5 Hotels With Underwater Rooms

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Fancy spending a luxury holiday in a room with a view? How about an underwater room? With the establishment of the following luxury resorts, your dreams have been made a reality. Welcome to the modern age, where anything is possible. These are our Top 5 destinations around the world with underwater rooms.

1. Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
For the ultimate in relaxing vacations, Huvafen Fushi resort offers 43 overwater bungalows decorated in sleek lines and minimalist colours.

In 2004 the hotel owners took this concept to a whole new level and constructed two underwater treatment rooms for Huvafen Fushi’s Lime Spa. These treatment rooms reflect the spa’s philosophy, that ‘water is the equilibrium and elixir of life.’ The spa complex is laid out in a series of bungalows, with the underwater rooms accessible via a staircase.

If you can’t manage to get a reservation, don’t panic. Huvafen Fushi’s other spa-treatment rooms have glass-bottomed floors so you can still gaze off into the deep.

2. Jules’ Undersea Lodge, Key Largo
The Jules’ Undersea Lodge, named for science fiction author Jules Verne, is the only undersea hotel currently in existence. To enter the lodge, guests must scuba dive 21 feet beneath the surface, swimming past all manner of marine life on their way.

This destination is aimed at avid scuba divers. Thus, the decor focuses on functionality, as opposed to extravagance. There are two guest rooms and a common room which doubles as a galley, dining and entertainment area.

Breakfast and dinner are served in the underwater rooms, but for something a little bit extra, guests can request the services of a “mer-chef” who dives down to the hotel to prepare and serve a gourmet dinner.

3. The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa
The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa is spread over two islands and is famed for its overwater villas, each a massive 1,600 square feet in size and featuring their own private sun decks and outdoor Jacuzzis. Also available are spa villas, which have their own private treatment room with sea views.

But to truly experience the treasures of the deep guests can book a table at Ithaa, an all-glass, underwater restaurant. Ithaa is situated five metres below sea level. Diners enter from an overwater platform so they never even get their feet wet. The room has a domed glass ceiling and 180 degrees views of the sea, with accommodation for 12 diners.

To cap off a truly aquatic experience guests can head to the spa, which is built on stilts 110 yards out to sea.

4. Hydropolis, Dubai
Scheduled for completion late 2009, Hydropolis will be the world’s first luxury underwater hotel. Architect Joachim Hauser’s futuristic vision is taking shape 20 metres below the surface of the Persian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai.

The original idea for Hydropolis developed out of the architect’s passion for the sea. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares.

This undersea resort even features a children’s SeaWorld.

5. Atlantis the Palm, Dubai
Today, the Atlantis holds the prime spot on the outer rim of the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island that juts from the coast of Dubai.

The 1539-room Atlantis consists of two towers, a conference centre, a spa, a private beach and the water park. Taking the mythological sunken island of Atlantis as its theme the resort aims for the wow factor right from the start, with terraced water gardens at the entry and an ornate, high-vaulted lobby.

The Neptune and Poseidon suites, which face that three-story aquarium, have private floor-to-ceiling underwater views from the bedrooms. If guests are unable to tear themselves away from watching the 65,000 marine animals, a 24-hour private butler is available to serve refreshments.

Then there are the Lost Chambers Suites – with bed and bath views directly into the underwater world of the Ambassador Lagoon.

How You Can Improve Room Service Performance

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When room service was introduced to the public, this was viewed as one of the most convenient features of a hotel or any type of lodging. There are some people though who are reluctant to avail of such service because there are additional charges that are added to their expenditures. However, if you show your customers that you only provide quality room service, there is no doubt that they will avail of this every time they stay at your hotel. So how do you improve room service performance?

The best method of enhancing room service performance is to monitor this regularly. If you have the data that you need, you will know where you are lacking and where you should improve on. Luxury and full service hotels always have room service provided for the guests. Most women who travel alone appreciate this kind of hotel feature and for your company, this can drive increasing profits while attracting more clients. Hotel room service can also support higher daily rates for the rooms. Many misinterpret room service as food delivery but the former is not only for serving food to the guests. It aims to make the customers feel special and comfortable while staying at the hotel. This may include services like professional servers, setting the table and even sell desserts for the guests.

One of the main goals of providing room service is to be able to offer this as fast as possible. Guests do not like to wait for their food, staff member or for any kind of help they require. Thus, they should be attended to immediately. Otherwise, they will most likely not return to the hotel. Aside from the response time, there are also other things that you should monitor to improve room service performance. Some companies choose to measure all the aspects that might affect the efficiency of their room service, making them more effective. This is particularly because they are able to perform a complete hotel performance appraisal.

Room service is not only about giving food or serving towels and other things to the customers. This may also refer to dining room service. In this case, you should also keep track of the restaurant service specifically if you have a restraint within the building. Both dining and hotel room services should provide support for client calls 24/7. To cut down the response time made for housekeeping and kitchen, you might want to maintain a pantry or storeroom on each of the floors. The storage section should contain essentials such as fresh water, flowers, towels and others. This will allow the employees to quickly attend to the guests without having to rush to the main storage room for the requirements of the customers.

To make your room service performance more efficient, personnel should be professional particularly in answering phone calls. Check the name of the customer and clarify the things or orders that he or she needs. More than often, suggestive selling practices are utilized. It is also helpful to inform the client about the waiting time for the delivery.

New Hyatt Wailea Maui Hotel To Open For Beach Weddings In 2013

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Hawaii is to receive a new Hyatt-branded hotel after Hyatt Hotels and Resorts announced that they will be opening the new Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort & Spa in Spring, 2012.

The new hotel will be located on Mokapu and Ulua Beach on the island of Maui, which is a hotspot for idyllic beach weddings, and Michael Stephens has been named as the General Manager.

Set upon 15 acres of land, the new Hyatt resort will take over the hotel that was once the Wailea Renaissance resort. This is the first Andaz-branded property to be built in Hawaii and the brand embraces local culture into its dcor, food and events.

The Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort & Spa will have 325 rooms and suites, a lavish 15,000-quare-foot spa, and 12,000-square-feet of event and meeting space, making it the perfect venue for destination weddings of any size.

Mokapu and Ulua Beach has been a popular setting for romantic beach weddings for many years and the new resort is expected to attract many couples planning on getting married abroad in Hawaii in the near future.

All beaches in Hawaii are open to the public and Mokapu and Ulua Beach is likely to see an increase in visitors once the new hotel is open for destination weddings.

General Manager of Hawaiian Style Weddings, Jana Rothernberg, commented: I think this has been the ideal location for beach weddings on Maui. The location has been un-crowded since the closure of the Wailea Renaissance hotel. Being on the south end of the Island means ideal weather and beautiful sunsets. This will certainly change next year when the Andaz resort opens its doors.
Hawaii is a fantastic destination for island weddings thanks to its idyllic surroundings, a tropical climate and a variety of luxurious hotels and facilities that are available to the bride and groom and their guests.

Hawaiis five main islands Kauai, Maui, Oahu, the Big Island and Molokai – offer plenty of settings for romantic ceremonies such as white sandy beaches against the backdrop of the sparkling turquoise ocean, a wooden gazebo in fragrant tropical gardens, or under an arch that has been decorated with native colourful flowers.

Luxury Hotels Prague – Luxury Travel Prague

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Luxury Hotels Prague

There have been many guides written to Luxury Hotels Prague that detail the merits of individual hotels in the city but we want to deal with just the best areas and to stay within Prague and name just a couple of unbeatable value 5 star hotels.

A luxury hotel means different things to different people. Some people consider luxury as a matter of aesthetics, a beautiful staircase, a Rococo piece of furniture, and high ceilings with wooden beams or even make their hotel choice based on the feng shui qualities of the room. Luxury to other people means not having to lift a finger, a hotel with a wonderful concierge, 24 hour room service and a bell-hop. Others consider luxury as pampering, this group would value a heated indoor pool, perhaps a spa and massage services.

Prague offers hotels that cater to everyone; some hotels in Prague even offer facilities to suit the needs of all the above. Once you have decided what qualities in a luxury hotel are important to you, you must then decide in what area of Prague you wish to base yourself.

Once more, this question can only be answered by the individual travelers. Those wishing to stay in the thick of it, near Wenceslas Square and the main shopping district will want to base themselves in the Stare Mesto. There are hundreds of hotels here, but only around 10 of these would be considered luxury hotels. The luxury hotels of the Stare Mesto are also the most expensive and whilst it is still possible to stay here for far less than the Spanish Steps in Rome for example, there are great savings to be made by staying within a 10-20 minute walk of the Stare Mesto.

If you’re a person who visits Europe mainly to explore the history and architecture then two of the cities district will appeal to you; namely Josefov and Mala Strana. These are also home to several of the most upmarket, boutique style hotels. Josefov, with its famous shopping street Pariszka is by far the most expensive option. Those wishing to go central, historic and five star should choose the gorgeous Mala Strana district. Depending on the time of year, five star hotels in Mala Strana can be found for under 80 a night (the Mamaison Riverside Hotel Prague).

Luxury Restaurants Prague

Finding a restaurant in Prague is as easy as standing outside your hotel and taking 10 steps in any direction. Every street in Prague seems to be bursting with eateries offering as much pork knuckle as you can eat (and if you like that, the best of these is Kolkovna in Josefov). However, if your tastes are more refined and you do not enjoy the Czech cuisine the best spot in town, with the best views, is atop Petrin Hill in the fabulous Nebozizek restaurant. Even though this is one of the best restaurants in town, it is still around the same price as eating at the Strada chain in London.

The ultimate Czech eating experience though is Le Degustation, offering modern fusion cuisine as Western Europe means traditional Czech cooking. Here you can feast on seven courses of traditional Czech food along with wine matches also from Bohemia. Although not the cheapest dining option in Prague, La Degustation provides a culinary experience you will never forget!

Luxury Nightclubs Prague

If your name’s not down… it doesn’t really matter. It is very easy to boogie on down with the rich and famous of Czech society. The Duplex Bar on Wenceslas Square is one of Prague’s most exclusive spots where beer and wine are still far cheaper than a night in London. The Duplex spins with the Czech Republics best DJs.

If you prefer a night of culture there are wonderful events held every week at the Czech Opera House at the end of Wenceslas Square and the Prague National Theatre. Tickets to see the Czech Philharmonic and operatic masterpieces such as Tosca and La Boheme go for as little as 10 each. Prague has a renowned classical tradition with 3 of the best classical composers to ever reach for a piano or violin coming from this tiny country those being Smetana, Janacek and the infamous Dvorak.

The prices in Prague are far from static. We have noticed a 20% increase in prices from 2010 to 2011 so if you want to experience a luxury trip to Prague we recommend you go ASAP before the Eurozone as we know it changes beyond compare!

Best Hotels is the author of this page. If you want to know more about world’s top hotels , please try to visit this link http://www.1in50hotels.com/luxury_hotels_prague_guide_.php

Environmentally Conscious Lake District Hotels

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Thinking of the environment and being environmentally conscious needn’t stop when taking a holiday. Many hotels and leisure complexes are leading the way in the environmental stakes by lowering their carbon footprint.

Many businesses are looking at ways in which to be more environmentally aware green. One such way is by applying for the ISO14001 accreditation. The ISO14001 proves a company’s environmental credentials which in this day and age enhances the corporate image and actually saves the company or organisation money by reducing energy consumption. The hotel and leisure industry is notorious for its energy consumption. From the hot water and laundry to the on-site facilities such as heated swimming pools, saunas, and Jacuzzis. All are energy intensive and contribute significantly to a hotel’s energy demand and carbon footprint.

The Lake District is seeing an increase in tourism related businesses taking a more serious look at their energy consumption and resulting carbon footprint and are taking action. The larger Lake District hotels and leisure complexes obviously have the most to do but there is help in the form of CBEN, the Cumbria Business Environment Network and supporting tourism partnerships. This area is a haven for walkers and many visitors take a very keen interest in environmental issues.

There are a huge number of ways hotels in the Lake District can improve their carbon footprint. The introduction of alternative, renewable energy generation technologies onsite is one of the biggest but most beneficial to both the environment and the energy bills of the business. In the current climate of rising energy prices, it is beneficial for both. Biomass energy production is being implemented in the area for example in the village of Eskdale and as the location of many Lake District hotels are amongst large managed woodland areas, there is potential availability of raw materials. Installing a biomass burner can save a large hotel up to 35,000 per year on their energy ill although this is dependent on future LPG prices.

Other ways in which a Lake District hotel can implement changes is by installing a charcoal oven, Installing low energy light fittings, minimization of waste and the creation of recycling schemes, solar power, hydro power and new, efficient LPG boilers.

All this action can then be used for marketing purposes. There is not a news bulletin that goes by without an environment story somewhere. A tourism business which has implemented changes such as any of the above have a real unique selling point. They can recoup the costs of installing these alternative energy sources but increase their visitor numbers at the same time so benefitting the environment, the hotel’s profit and the guest’s conscience.