Archive for March, 2011
YouVe Scaled The Great Wall Wandered The Temples Of Angkor Wat And Partied On The Beaches Of Goa. WhatS Next?
That decision is being faced by a lot of travelers these days particularly those who see themselves as cultural trendsetters the kind of people who will cut cocktail party chatter short by casually asking a new acquaintance Oh but you haven’t been to Laos yet?
That’s because Asia has emerged as one of the fastest growing tourist markets in the world both for the hardcore adventurer and the upscale vacationer just looking for a nice place to relax. According to the World Tourism Organization India and Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam Cambodia and Indonesia had doubledigit increases in international tourist arrivals last year.
For those who want to stay ahead of the crowds here are a few emerging destinations with the makings of the next Asian hot spots.
Hainan Island China
Floating off the southern tip of China the tropical island of Hainan has drawn vacationers from mainland China for years with palmfringed beaches and warm temperatures year round.
Now major resorts including Starwood’s Le Meacute;ridien Fairmont Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons are adding hotels along its shores that will most likely attract a broader base of tourists.
Most of the highend developments are clustered in Sanya on the island’s southern coast. A 450room RitzCarlton opened there in April with 33 pool villas each with a private butler. Also new is a Banyan Tree with 61 villas in nearby Luhuitou Bay. Mandarin Oriental is expected to open a resort with more than 290 rooms next year while Fairmont has plans for a 702room resort in 2011.
Concierge.com the travel Web site of Condeacute; Nast Traveler put Hainan Island on its 2008 It list naming it one of the 10 mustsee destinations of the year and even comparing it with Hawaii without the Honolulu highrises and crowds.
Kerala India
Goa the former hippie enclave on India’s west coast is often cited as the hot spot for travelers seeking spiritual enlightenment and allnight beach parties.
Kerala about 400 miles south of Goa along India’s southwestern tip is emerging as a quieter alternative with its long shorelines sprawling plantations and soothing spas that specialize in the healing practice of ayurveda the traditional Hindu medicine of India.
As the spa business globally has exploded Kerala as the center of this treatment style has been able to take advantage of that said Scott Woroch executive vice president worldwide development of Four Seasons which is developing a small resort there.
There are dozens of ayurvedic spas and health centers to choose from. One of the newest is at The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach Hotel which opened an 8000squarefoot spa ayurvedic wellness center last year called Divya with 18 therapists 4 physicians trained in ayurvedic medicine and an openair meditation hall.
So far foreigners make up a small fraction of the visitors to Kerala. For example 515808 foreign tourists visited Kerala last year compared with about 6.64 million domestic tourists. Yet foreign visitors are growing fast up 20 percent from the year before according to Keralatourism.org the official Web site of the Kerala Department of Tourism.
Indeed Western tour companies have started adding Kerala to their standard India itineraries. Kerala is an upandcoming destination but still relatively unknown said Manuela Khoury director of hotel relations for Butterfield amp; Robinson a biking and walking tour company based in Toronto. The company plans to add Kerala to its repertory of active travel trips this spring.
Vietnam
For some time now Vietnam has been popular with budget travelers for its cheap eats lowpriced lodging and shops that count on travelers to bargain for souvenirs. But that isn’t stopping luxury hotels like the Four Seasons and Banyan Tree from trying to turn Vietnam into a posh getaway. After all the country offers beautiful beaches exotic cuisine and a burgeoning art scene. It also has Unesco World Heritage Sites like the ancient town of Hoi An a wellpreserved example of a traditional Southeast Asian trading port and Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin with some 1600 limestone islands and islets jutting out of the water.
Some upscale hotel chains like Park Hyatt have already raised their flags in Ho Chi Minh City the country’s largest city. But others are seeking out lesser known regions. Six Senses based in Bangkok is planning to open a highend resort next summer on the remote island of Con Dao in southeast Vietnam. The resort will have 51 villas with private infinity pools some villas have two and a private plane to shuttle guests from Ho Chi Minh City 45 minutes away. It would be the company’s fourth resort in Vietnam; others are in Nha Trang on the southcentral coast and Dalat in the central highlands.
Banyan Tree is developing a 270 million complex with hotels spas and an 18hole golf course along a pristine stretch of the famed China Beach on the south central coast. And Four Seasons plans to open a 75room resort by 2011 on Cham Island a 15minute boat ride from historic Hoi An.
Laos
Waves of travelers are being lured to Laos by the promise of extreme luxury and the Southeast Asian government’s embrace of ecotourism. The picturesque town of Luang Prabang named a Unesco World Heritage Site for its unique blend of Laotian and European architecture is going upscale. Villa Maly opens Oct. 1 with 33 rooms and a central building that was once the residence of a Laotian prince and princess. And Amanresorts the luxury hotelier is opening a new resort by early next year.
Elsewhere in the country ecotourism is gaining ground. The Laotian government is developing ecotourism projects in Luang Namtha Luang Prabang Khammouane and Champassak provinces according to Ecotourismlaos.com an official site of the Lao National Tourism Administration.
Journeys Within a tour company based in Truckee Calif. that specializes in Southeast Asia recently began offering tours of the Plain of Jars an area in northern Laos known for its ancient stone urns. For people that are excited by archaeology and unsolved mysteries it’s a perfect match said Andrea Ross director of tours. There are also many hill tribes in the area that allow for more cultural exploration.
About the writer: Leela Palaces Hotels amp; Resorts
Your Guide To Hotel Accommodation In Oslo
Traveling to a new place can be an exciting experience. The best way to enjoy what any city has to offer is by enjoying its hospitality in any of its classified hotels. Oslo hotels are categorized from luxury or 5 star hotels to cheap and economical hotels including 1 star and 2 star hotels providing all the amenities to make your trip comfortable and memorable. Luxury hotels are suitable for the class conscious people who are looking for ease and luxury and are also suited for the business traveler.
Luxury Hotels in Oslo: These luxurious hotels have a lot to offer with their outstanding facilities and services including all the basic amenities. Facilities at these luxury five star hotels make them some of the most prestigious hoteller Oslo. These five star hotels are best suited for the status conscious or the business traveler or those looking for a romantic luxury break. Visit HotellWeb.no to book luxury hotell i Oslo.
4 star hotels: Four star hotels in Oslo also cover all the basic facilities needed for stay and also include advanced facilities which make them a good choice for those who are traveling in style and comfort. 4 star hotels are also known as Superior hotels and most of them match with the services offered by 5 star luxury hotels.
3 star hotels: Providing a high standard of accommodation with their facilities and services 3 star Hotels are best suited for the budget conscious traveler. Comfort and ease along with pleasant decoration and presentation are their priorities. Most of the 3 star hotels in Oslo provide luxury and facilities you will find at any other 4 star or 5 star hotel; at much affordable rates.
2 star hotels: Economical and comfortable 2 star hotels provide easy and relaxed accommodation for many of the costconscious travelers. They might not have the luxury of a 5 star hotel but their airy and homely environment is all that’s needed to put you at ease. Have a look at some 2 star cheap hotels in Oslo.
1 star hotels: One Star hotels all the basic amenities to guarantee a comfortable and relaxing trip when you visit Oslo. These hotels provide all necessary facilities and services at affordable rates for the traveler looking for a cheap and affordable place to stay.
Oslo Hotels range from a wide variety and you will find just the right accommodation you are looking for in this beautiful city with ease. The best thing about these hotels is that they are located very close to some of the most popular tourist attractions and market places in Oslo. The hotels also have transportation facilities nearby which make it easy for the tourists to travel to and from these hotels with ease. Cheap hotels also known as billig hotell i Oslo in Norwegian are also available for booking at HotellWeb.no. Online booking for Hotels in Norway locally known as hotell Norge are also available online. Facility to book worldwide hotels is also available online at HotellWeb.no. The website is available in 5 different languages.
About the writer: Jenny does online promotion for HotellWeb sites. Hotell Web offers online booking and reservation for Oslo Hotell and Stockholm Hotell. Visit www.HotellWeb.no to book your stay at cheap hotels in Oslo.
You Mexico City Hotels
Mexico city hotels are unique in their own ways. Above all they are surrounded with preserved colonial architecture and that is how travelers fall in love with Mexico city. You can now have a sneak preview of some of the Mexico city hotels through the following brief description.
1 Casa De La Condesa Hotel :
This Mexico city based hotel has a total of 32 rooms and this hotel has six floors in
the main building and four in the neighboring building. There are rooms of various
sizes. They are all decorated in traditional Mexican style with white wash walls
and cobalto blue touches. The hotel has a traditional Mexican courtyard which is
based on the ground floor where break fast can be taken. There is also a
small breakfast room which is inside and adjacent to the lobby.
2 San Francisco Hotel:
This hotel is six storey hotel and it comprises of 142 rooms and there is a wonderful terrace which is meant for the guests. This San Francisco Hotel is located a walking distance to all down town tourist attractions. Specifically speaking this Mexico city based San Francisco Hotel is situated half a block from Alameda Park and it is approximately 13 miles from the International airport.
3 Nikko Hotel:
This Nikko Hotel is considered to be rated among the finest hotels in Mexico city. It intends to meet and exceed the expectations of demanding guests. Promiment people like The President of Mexico and Ms. Margaret Thatcher have visited this hotel in the past. The hotel is situated within the neighborhood of Polanco. Nikko Hotel is close to Chapultepec. It is also near to the Auditorio Nacional and and several museums. You can also enjoy a ride on the Turibus which is a London style doubledecker bus that stops at 24 different historical rights and attractions.
Nokko Hotel in Mexico city has got a corporate upgrade to 40th floor lobby and it consist of beautiful modern room with a awesome view of the city. The check in time is 13.00PM and check out time is 11.00AM. Hotel Nikko consists of 750 rooms.
3 J W Marriott Mexico City Hotel:
This hotel has striking high rise with angled corners and sloping roof. It has a Mexico City based JW Marriott hotel is a very nice elegant hotel with great service. It is a very large hotel but it will not look crowded. This hotel is a solid luxury hotel. This hotel is right in the middle of Polanco and you have a good view of the location from one of the top floors of the hotel. This hotel is recommended for all right from young singles honeymooners and families with small children to older travelers. Over all this hotel is good for business meetings or hosting events.
There are plenty of hotels in Mexico. However it is up to you to choose a hotel that is good and has a good safe location around. Mexico city is considered to be the second largest city in the world. However getting around Mexico city is fairly simple even though it is a big place to move around. The city street signs are in Spanish. Try to know some Spanish. It can help you. You can use the taxi or the public buses. The Metro based Mexico Citys subway system is an excellent and cheap way to travel around .
I would like to end this article by stating the top 9 rated hotels which are as follows:
1 J W Marriott Mexico city
2 Embassy Suites Mexico city Reforma
3 Four Seasons Mexico city
4Emporio Reforma
5Casa Vieja
6 Maria Cristina Hotel
7 Sheraton Centro Historico Hotel
8 Nikko Mexico
9 Hotel Catedral
You must choose your hotel on the basis of your budget and other priorities. I would recommend you to do your own research before you make your final decision on booking the right Mexico city based hotel for you
About the writer: Paul Olij is a freelance writer and blogger who offers suggestions about Mexico City Hotels. Paul Olij writes about Mexico City Hotels standout such as Mexico City Hotels .