Hotel Guide

What emanates from the heart of the city of Budapest is a deliberate steadfastness despite its momentous past. There is substantial authenticity in a city that houses an array of historical hotels that acknowledge past cultural influences, exhibit classical elegance, and demonstrate collaborative innovation. This verity can be witnessed in how these hotels have transformed themselves throughout the centuries.

Historical Hotels - Relics Become Habitable
When Romans occupied the area where the city of Budapest now lies, around the 1st and 2nd Centuries, invigorating bathhouses or spas were built. Many of these ancient spas are still being enjoyed today. One Roman spa in particular is housed within the Corinthia Aquincum Hotel. While the hotel itself would not be considered historical, the spa that it espouses certainly is. In this way, modern conveniences are adorned with legendary luxury.

Another modern hotel, the Hilton Budapest, absorbed within its own framework a 13th Century Dominican Church and the baroque-style facade of a 17th Century Jesuit College. This hotel has brought the past into the present by combining what seems to be differing architectural styles and solidifying them into a present day facility. This is truly representative of how Budapest as a whole acknowledges its past, but keeps its eye on the future.

Interestingly enough, a true blast from the past comes in the form of the Hotel Citadella. This hotel is located within the confines of a 19th Century garrison. During Habsburg rule, this garrison would have sheltered soldiers and ammunition, but currently this same structure caters to the needs of 21st Century guests. The past is celebrated while a rebirth is taking place.

Historical Hotels of the 19th Century
Architectural styles of these exquisite hotels range from awe-inspiring Gothic to regal Art Nouveau. Built during a time of prosperity in the region, these hotels emit an ambiance of eloquence. Much of the splendor of the 19th Century can still be seen in these newly renovated accommodations.

Many of the great hotels from this era fell into disrepair during the 20th Century’s Soviet-enforced Iron Curtain. Currently, these hotels have reclaimed past grandeur. Their beauty and old-world style remain, but they are affixed with updated furnishings.

Historical Hotels - Classic Innovations
Function often gives way to form. With this in mind, a number of Budapest’s hotels blatantly reveal its colorful history. The elusive Hotel Romai was once a haven for Communist Party officials and The Hotel MEDOSZ is a former trade union hotel for agriculture workers. While these hotels may not be as ornate as an 18th or 19th Century baroque style structure, authenticity is unearthed.

Form, at times, gives way to function. Examples are guesthouses for two of Budapest’s public institutions. The Radio Inn is the official guesthouse of Hungarian National Radio. In a similar fashion, guests of Pest’s ELTE University lodge at the Peregrines ELTE Hotel. These guesthouses are quaint destinations that stem out of practical need.

Historical Budapest, Today and Tomorrow
Around the 8th Century, two cities, Buda and Pest resided on opposite sides of the Danube River. Buda and Pest remained separate cities until they were united in 1873. Between the time of the original Hungarians to the 21st Century, Budapest has stayed loyal to its Hungarian culture despite the strong influence of its invaders.

Much culture does prevail in modern day Budapest. The city can boast about its fascinating museums, its fine concert halls and its educational institutions. Its hotels also radiate Budapest culture. Whether historical relic, magnificent structure, or of practical design, these hotels remain adaptable but rooted in legacy.

Fionn Downhill is President of Four Corners Hotels offering hotels in cities around the world. To find out more about hotels in Budapest visit
http://www.fourcornershotels.com/index.php/HU–Budapest.

Greece is one of the best vacation spots in Europe. Other than the mainland, there are a number of islands where there are excellent hotels. All the islands in Greece have a large choice of hotels, from luxury hotels to moderate ones. Tourists can easily find hotels to fit into every kind of budgets and facilities.

Hotels in Greece can be categorized into six groups: Luxury, A, B, C, D, and E.

A hotel is ranked based on the size of rooms, variety, array of amenities offered and the services provided by the hotel. Factors such as cleanliness, friendliness or comfort are not considered in the classification process.

D and E class hotels have almost the same price range. In both these classes of hotels, there is no guarantee that hot water will be available. Food is not available on the hotel premises. The bathroom is shared in all E class hotels, and in some D class ones, as well.

C class hotels have private bathrooms. Food is available on the hotel premises, and there is hot water, though it may not be available all day long. Luxury, A, and B class hotels have many amenities. They have private bathrooms and provide continuous hot water.

The tourist police of Greece control the rent charges, which is dependant on the class of the hotel. Ideally all hotels are required to post a sign behind the door of each room showing the maximum cost of the room. Prices are subject to changes and it is recommended that a visitor call for an updated price quote just before the arrival dates. Prices are dependant on seasonal fluctuations and the location of the hotel. In July and August, the rate for rooms is high as these are the peak tourism months. In April, May, September and October, the tariffs tend to fall. Most hotels provide transport to and from the hotel.

For travelers planning a long trip, it makes sense to rent a large self-contained space such as an apartment, house, or villa. Apartments are sometimes available within hotels or they can be found from listings, along with houses and villas, in the local newspapers.

Greece provides detailed information on Greece, Ancient Greece, Greece Flights, Greece Hotels and more. Greece is affiliated with Zuid Holland.

Many people travel during the holidays, as well as during vacations. Likewise, business deals are often made as a result of travel. When selecting a hotel, you can learn a lot–and improve your luck–from the Feng Shui of the building.

For example, is the hotel’s main door at the center, left side, or right side of the building? If the door is at the left side, you’ll probably get good advice about things to do and places to see in the area. If the door is in the center, it’s ideal for business travel. However, if you’re on vacation, the best location for a hotel’s door is on the far right side. In Black Hat Feng Shui, the far right side supports travel and indicates helpful people.

If the hotel has a concierge, he or she should be facing the front door. If the concierge has his or her back to the front door, or–worse–is positioned behind a column, don’t be surprised if you received a chilly reception and limited help. Then again, that may not be very important to you.

For the best experience, choose a hotel where the guest rooms open onto a corridor rather than directly to the outside. In Feng Shui terms, if you walk outdoors to your hotel room, the hotel management may not have a sense of connection to its registered guests.

In other words, once you’ve registered and arranged payment for the room, you may feel as if you’re on your own.

Hotel guest rooms can also indicate good or bad Feng Shui. The bed that you are going to sleep and should not be in direct line with the door; they rarely are. Likewise, if the bathroom is at the far left or far right corner of your room, ask for different floor plan. Any other placement of the bed and bath is fine.

Check the view from your window. If you’re only sleeping there overnight, any view is fine as long as it is not a slum. However, if the view is important, if you’ll conduct meetings in your room or suite, or if all you see is poverty, request a different room with a better view.

Many business travelers are phobic about staying in a room above the third floor. Therefore, those rooms are often empty and also provide some of the best views. In addition, if you stay on the top floor, you won’t have of the sound of footsteps overhead. Finally, in Feng Shui terms, higher rooms are generally better; there is less (literal) weight on top of you.

Consider the impression that you received upon entering the hotel as well as your guest room. Look for these Feng Shui signals: Lighting should be adequate, neither glaringly bright nor too dim. If a strong aroma indicates a heavy reliance on air fresheners, look for other signs of problems with housekeeping. From the moment you enter the hotel, you should feel comfortable, relaxed, and welcomed.

Keep in mind that most hotel chains use the same floor plans repeatedly. Therefore, you can visit hotels near your home before you travel. Whether your local hotels are Hiltons, Holiday Inns, Marriotts, or some other line, you can get a good idea of their typical Feng Shui, and what to expect at related hotels when you travel.

Once you have chosen a hotel chain that meets your standards and offers consistently good Feng Shui, make that your first choice when you travel. This will reduce stress by making travel planning simpler, and improve your travel experiences.

(c)2005, Aisling D’Art, Houston, TX

Aisling D’Art is an artist and a Feng Shui consultant. (”Feng Shui” is pronounced like “fung shway.” It is the Chinese art of design and placement.) She is the Feng Shui columnist for BellaOnline.com, and offers free Feng Shui advice at “Shui To Go!” - www.ShuiToGo.com

Whether planning a romantic getaway or a quiet business trip, sooner or later, the question comes up, “Do we stay at a Bed and Breakfast or one of the London hotels?” More often than not, the European bed and breakfast has been romanticized, in books and on film as the ideal getaway place. While they sound cozy and wonderful, do they really meet the expectations of travelers? How do the London hotels compare?

The bed and breakfast offered an inexpensive alternative to London hotels, and it became popular for homeowners to open their doors to the select public. Travelers were not only given a warm and cozy bed to sleep in, but this offered them the opportunity to stay in a more comfortable retreat, eat home-cooked meals, and enjoy the hospitality of London residents. Those who sought a more homey retreat yet didn’t wish to lease an apartment for an extended length of time flocked to the Bed and Breakfast, making them a popular alternative to hotels.

London hotels have their own advantages, however. Typically offering larger rooms and deluxe accommodations, the hotels also grant more freedom to their lodgers. Restaurants, health spas, and stores are just a step away, and since you are not staying in someone’s home, you have the ability to come and go as you please, without the constraints of a schedule.

While the Bed and Breakfast remains a popular vacation retreat, London hotels are now offering some hearty competition. Continental breakfasts are commonly served and reduced rates, offered during quieter seasons, often make hotels the better value. In the end, it all comes down to the preference of the lodger and a personal opinion as to what is the better bargain. Whichever you choose, Bed and Breakfast or hotel, there are many wonderful places to stay in the city of London.

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest.
Read more at http://www.london-hotels-guide.info

For a Mediterranean island with good year round weather, a friendly local English speaking population and facilities to rival that of any of her competitors, Malta is a suprisingly often forgotten island for many people planning a holiday in the Mediterranean.

Malta missed some of her own government’s tourist targets in 2005, but a recent visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh resulted in four days of positive media coverage in the island’s most important market - the United Kingdom - and also in over 50 other countries attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, including Canada and Australia.

The Queen began her official visit to Malta before she opened the meeting, and was warmly greeted by friendly islanders.

Malta was governed by the British for a hundred and fifty years, and became independent in 1964. But the island has retained many British characteristics, including driving on the left, and British visitors account for nearly half of the island’s tourists.

The George Cross ranks with the Victoria Cross as Britain’s highest award for bravery - and Malta was awarded the Cross in 1942 by King George VI for the island’s resistance to German attempts to occupy the island, with Malta being under almost constant attack from June 1940.

As well as the challenge of drawing tourists away from other Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Menorca, Malta has had to face the additional challenge of new holiday destinations in the former Eastern Bloc opening up, such as Bulgaria and Croatia, which tend to be cheaper.

Brighter Future

But where the Maltese tourist board has singularly failed to market the island’s appeal to the mass holiday market with any degree of success in recent years, the Queen’s visit has come at the right time for hotels and holiday companies hoping for a good 2006.

Tribune Properties, a British based company specialising in overseas properties including Malta comment:

‘Malta is not a high priority on the list of holiday destinations for many British people compared to the Spanish Costas, Canary and Balearic Islands. The visit of the Queen showed Malta in a very positive light, and hopefully the island’s tourist officials will be able to capitalise on the trip and increase hotel and holiday bookings in the months ahead. Given Malta’s past record of promotion though if 2006 sees an increase in visitors it will be despite of the official promotions, and not because of it.’.

More good news for the Malta holiday industry came in October with the announcement that low cost airlines had been been given the right to fly to the island.

‘This will help both the hotel and property industries in Malta’ add Tribune. ‘With the cost of getting to the island coming down, Malta should see her share of the short stay European holiday market increase substantially, increasing employment locally and benefitting the economy overall’.

Details of property for sale in Malta can be found at http://www.maltaproperty.info

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