Best Paris Hotels

Industry hotel web site ehotelier has released its survey of what it regards as the best hotels in Paris. Dividing its list into the best Chic Hotels , Hip Hotels & Character Hotels heres a great list to keep in your travel diary.

Best Chic Hotels in Paris:

Meurice. The location alone ( See photo above) is superb as you enter from the arches of the rue de Rivoli and overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries. The interior glitters with gold,marble & glass and there is a Michelin starred restaurant. 

Lancaster. Dating back to 193o this Paris landmark has been completely refitted. Everyone famous from Coward to Dietrich has stayed here at some point in time. 

Verneuil. Its not cheap but this chic hotel on Saint-Germain is an address to be seen and seen at ! 

Therese. Near the Louvre a hotel in contemporary style with an eye for quality. Hotel attracts the publishing & fashion scene. 

Best Hip Hotels In Paris:

de Sers. Just 100 yards from the George V this is a smaller mansion turned hotel with a sense of zaniness. 

Costes.An oppulent faux Napoleon III cocoon which top decorator Jacques Garcia has taken to the plushest levels. 

Amour. Brainchild of graffiti artists and nightclub entrepreneur known as Andre this is extremely hip ! Bedrooms lead off black painted corridors with naked bulbs.

Murano Urban Resort. Hip in a fun way. The lift is lined in faux fur, the corridors feel like nightclubs and finger print scanners replace room keys.

Best Paris Hotel With Character:

Daniel. Turning its back on all white minimalism ,this newcomer puts Chinoiserie back in style with Khotan carpets,hand painted Chinese wallpaper and jewel coloured silk sofas. heaven.

Worlds Top 5 Bars

Stick this list up on your fridge so your seen in all the right places this year !

*The Big 4,Huntington Hotel,San Francisco. Seriously posh on top of Nob Hill.

*Centro,Kerry Centre Hotel,Beijing. The very edgy now bar in this hot city getting ready for the Olympics.

*Lobby Bar,One Aldwych Hotel,London. The hotel is hot and the bar is soooo stylish. Great for martinis.

* Sidebar,Four Seasons,Beverly Hills. A long bar ,long tables and backless stools is just the place to go star spotting in the City of Angels. Very cool.

* Peak Lounge,Park Hyatt,Tokyo. 11 floors up and quieter and more stylish than the Peak Lounge on the 41st Floor you feel like your in Blade Runner

The Top Hotels For Movie Buffs!

If your a serious movie buff here are a list of hotels that you should not miss. Lights! Camera! Action!

*Millennium Biltmore,Los Angeles. Opened in 1923 its ornate ballroom once played host to the Oscars. It was the hotel used in Beverly Hills Cop and Ghostbusters. Its where Michelle Pfeiffer also filmed The Fabulous Baker Boys.

*Hotel Alfonso XIII,Seville,Spain. The courtyard was used for a scene from Lawrence Of Arabia and the exterior doubled as the 'Naboo Palace' in Stars Wars II -Attack Of The Clones.

* York Hotel,San Francisco. Its where they film the ultimate Hitchcock classic - Vertigo.

* The Plaza, New York. From Crocodile Dundee to Arthur to North By North West and a host of others this grand old lady has hosted them all and now looking more spectacular with its recent reopening.

Four Sensational Places To Get Married!

Internet site wow.travel has just released their "Top  Places To Get Married". All of these stunning locations are situated within the grounds/precincts of luxury hotels. If your thinking about popping the question , get saving and get into these!

1. Grand Hyatt Tokyo Japan. Yep not just a wedding chapel in a hotel but a spectacular one with ceilings that soar 50 foot above your head and designed by hipster Peter Remedios.

2. Monasterio Del Cusco,Peru. Situated within the Orient Express Hotel the chapel dates to 1595 and feature amazing artworks inside.

3. One And Only Palmilla Resort,San Jose Del Carbo,Mexico. Get hitched in this little white building on a 250 acre peninsula overlooking the Sea of Cortez.

4. Pousada Sra Da Assuncao,Arraiolos,Portugal. A 16th century Monastery set in rolling pastures and less than 2 hours from Lisbon.

Airport Misery List Released !

American publisher US News has crunched US Govt. figures to release its Airport Misery Index. It was compiled from official US figures showing the airports that had the worst delayed flights and overbooked planes. Here are the Top 10 US Airports to avoid - if you can (good luck!).

1. Chicago O'Hare

2. San Francisco

3. Dallas Fort Worth

4. Miami International

5. Las Vegas

6. Charlotte NC

7. JFK

8. Atlanta Hartfield

9. Seattle Tacoma

And the #1 airport for least stress - San Jose in California

Top 10 Adrenalin Holidays

Adrenalin junkies who find an open top bus tour of London just does not cut it should keep this list handy. Men's web site askmen.com has come up with the ultimate Top 10 list of exhilarating activities for 2008.

1. Trekking to Everest's Base Camp in Nepal

2. Walking the Great wall of China

3. Hiking The Inca Trails in Peru

4. Camel trekking In Morocco

5. Tandem Sky Diving Anywhere.

6. Shark Cage Diving in South Africa

7. Bungee Jumping in Zimbabwe

8. Motor Cycle Trip On Highway 1 from LA to San Francisco

9. Running With The Bulls In Spain.

10. Ice Fishing In Canada

Right get packing!

Don't Try This At Home!

Lufthansa has to get the vote this week for roller coaster landings. We could not resist posting this amazing landing one more time ! Check out the video here

How To Travel Well & Pay Less!

The Times Of London recently released their "Scrimpers Guide To Travel". Basically the guide gives you hints on how to save money on things that you don't  really need to pay for which leaves you more money to spend on the things that your happy to pay for! We think there are some great tips here.

1. Smuggle Drinks & Snacks. How many times have you seen a hotel mini bar charging $10 for a Coke or $5 for a chocolate bar. Outrageous mark ups by hotels on their mini bars are the norm. So after you have checked in head to the nearest convenience store and stack up on your snacks and drinks and save heaps. If you check in late and you do need to use the mini bar just shoot out in the morning and  replace the expensive Coke you drank with the cheap one from the convenience store next door. Easy !

2. Get Takeaway. Most room service meals are pretty ordinary and heavily priced. Get around this by getting the concierge to recommend good local takeaways. The food will probably be better and it will certainly cost you less.

3. Get a Free Lunch From The Breakfast Buffet. Just take a brown bag with you to breakfast and nick a few rolls , some fruit,some cheese and ham and presto a free lunch !

4. Have Lunch Rather Than Dinner. Most good restaurants have lunch time specials. Its the same food they serve at dinner but half the price.

5. Rip Into It At Happy Hour.  You can watch the late edition of the nightly news later. Get down stairs and get into it!

6. Never Use A Hotel Transfer. They cost a kings ransom. The same for airport taxis. In Tokyo a cab fare from the airport can run you to $200 but the airport coach will run you about $30. Likewise the taxi from Newark runs to $55 and the train costs you $5. Go figure.

7. Never Use Roaming On Your Mobile Phone. You may have to sell the house when you get home to pay for it. Pick up prepaid Sim cards wherever you can and never never use the hotel in room phone for International calls.

8. I Do Like Mondays. That's the day when lots of museums,galleries and exhibitions offer free entry. You see the same stuff you see on Tuesday!

World's Whackiest Hotels!

Alternative travel site i-escape has just released the second Alternative Hotel Awards. The Awards voted on by past guests and users rates some of the whackiest and most unusual places on the planet to stay. If your looking for something different your sure to find it here !

* Perfect For Pillow Biters - Evason Ana Mandara Hotel, Vietnam. Check in here and you can choose from no less that 16 types of pillows. Everything from a traditional Vietnamese buck wheat filled pillow, a butterfly shaped pillow and scented pillows. Night Night.

*Out Of This World - Hotel Cocoon, Brazil. The building looks like a giant circa 1950's spaceship (see photo). The staff dress in space suit uniforms, the pool changes colour every 5 seconds and notices and menus are addressed to astronauts not guests. Er pass the drugs !

* The Dalia LLama of Hotels - Le Castel,France.The first thing you notice when you check in here at this historic Normandy chateau are a pair of llamas grazing on the lawns. Doctors say these creatures are the ultimate in stress reduction.

* Get Lost In Bed - Art Hotel Luise, Berlin. If you want to revert back to your childhood check in to Room 107 where the bed is 50% oversized in every dimension so when you climb in and get under the vast duvet you feel like a child again. Or if that does not work ask for Room 309 where a sloping bed suspended on chains,along with two aircraft seats and  a log book on the fold out table gives the impression of flying though the sky on a plane !

Stylish New Destinations For 2008

A New Year brings a rash of hot new hotels and destinations worldwide. Here are a few we really like that you might want to check out!

* Malawi. To open in July The Pumulani, on Lake Malawi adds new romance to your African safari. The 10 room lodge overlooks a pristine beach

* Madagascar. Discover the unbelievable vivid natural wonders like the lemurs, chameleons and bug eyed frogs. New luxury resorts are gradually replacing 'basic only'. Check out Mandrare River Camp situated in the forests in the deep south.

* The Maldives. Basically see it before it disappears under the ocean. Not only one of the most stunning beach vacations but one of its swankiest. Opening this month the Beach House at Manafaru offers sleek villas and a gentlemen's club (hmmmm what does that mean ???). July sees the arrival of 'Diva'. As well as spas and villas Diva will have no less than 12 bars and restaurants.

* Mykonos. Maybe the Greek Islands are becoming so so however if you love your clubbing this is still the hot place to go. To match the clubbing stay in the Mykonos Grace . See Photo above.

The Room Key Is Dead !

The good old fashioned room key is on the way out replaced by new super technology.

In New York the newly renovated Plaza Hotel will feature radio frequency cards that will open the door when swiped past the lock at close range. Paper cards,cellphones,finger print and iris scans are the new 'Matrix' of getting into your hoetl room.

And what's driving the change ? -cost of course. The standard magnetic cards cost about 10 cents each and while good for about 20 uses most guests take them with them and throw them away. Alternatives include paper cards like you use at the parking station, and Radio Frequency such as being used at the Plaza or a special code placed into your cell phone at reception.

Meanwhile the SoHo Loft Hotel in New York is the first hotel to begin trialing finger print scans on their locks. Feedback from guests has been positive with guests saying they love the technology because they dont have to worry about keys. Welcome to the New World !

Rest After a 'Hard Days Night' At Beatles Hotel !

Fans of the Fab Four can now rest up up the newly open Beatles Hotel in Liverpool !

The 'Hards Days Night' Hotel has 110 rooms and is situated close to the Cavern Club where the Beatles started out. 

The 4 star boutique hotel has two luxury "Lennon" and "McCartney" suites and has its own wedding chapel. Special paintings and pictures depict the history of the Beatles from the basement through to the roof top. Check it out here

America's Best Places To Propose !

If you live in the States or your thinking of 'dropping the question' on your next visit TripAdvisor have just released there survey on the hot places to propose in the US.

The Hot Ten is list is as follows:

1. Central Park New York. Whether its on the grass, on the ice rink or a horse drawn buggy this is the numero uno place to propose in the US !

2. Grand Canyon. Don't forget to watch your footing though !

3. Kapalua Bay, Maui. Nothing like those Hawaiian sunsets to get the heart strings going !

4. Napa Valley California. Just blame it on the wine the next morning !

5. Niagara Falls. An oldie but still a goodie.

6. Christmas Point,Twins Peaks,San Francisco. The spectacular views should do the trick !

7. Bellagio Fountains,Las Vegas. And of course then you can do the drive through wedding!

8. Empire State Building ,New York. Just make sure its a clear day!

9. Red Rocks ,Sedona , Arizona. Do it is a hot air balloon they say is the way to go.

10. Mount Aspen,Aspen. Grab your skiis and go ahead and ask her !

Favorite In Room Hotel Movies

NxTv a major provider of in-room moves to hotels has just released a nice little piece of trivia - the most watch in room movies for last year ! Now of course they don't mention the X rated stuff - nobody watches that - er right. 

OK here is the most watch in room movies of last year:

1. Borat

2. The Departed

3. Casino Royale

4. Knocked Up

5. Wild Hogs

6. 300

7. Spederman 3

8. Blades Of Glory

9. Night At the Museum

10. Bourne Ultimatum

Nice to see the culture of Borat is a solid # 1 !

Have Cruise Ships Lost The Art Of Cruising ?

It seems as cruise ships become more like floating shopping malls the very essence of cruising is being lost. Time to relax on the deck with a good book , good food and the smell of the sea.

This year new and large cruise ships being built will add a staggering 20,000 new berths a week or more than a million in the year. Travel pioneer and author Arthur Frommer says " they will be less like ships and more like amusement parks and shopping malls". 

The Queen Victoria for example will offer "bungee jumping" ,"clown acts" and "circus training programs". Add to this rock climbing walls,boxing rings,bowling alleys and spa cabins. Some of the ships are getting so big they are offering a 'ship within a ship" - an exclusive area where you will feel like you are on a small ship - go figure !

Its probably little wonder that while these massive monsters of the seas taking up to 5,000 passengers are being flocked to so too are the wonderful small cruise lines like Silverseas where a cruise is still a cruise !

Top 10 Places To Visit In 2008 For UK Travelers

Expedia has just released its survey taken in the UK where it asked its users to nominate the Top 10 places to visit in 2008. The list will surprise many with some fresh new names popping are. The Top 10 are:

1. New Zealand

2. Argentina

3. Cape Verde

4. Alaska

5. Reykjavik

6. Berlin

7. Boston

8. Liverpool

9. Abu Dhabi

10. China

Hottest Winter Beach Destinations For US Travelers

The hottest winter beach destinations for US travelers ? Maui ,  Hawaii hits # 1 spot in a recent US poll outpacing the ever popular Florida.

However with over 700 miles of sandy beaches Florida delivers 5 of the Top 10 beach destination spots.

The Big Island in Hawaii came in at # 3 with California beaches San Diego coming in at # 5 and Santa Monica # 9.

Outside the US, Cozumel,Mexico continues its run at the top for US beach travelers.

Majority Of Aussies Want To Be In 'Mile High' Club !

Nothing wrong with your average Aussie Traveller ! Research by local firm Total Travel just released shows a staggering 60% of Australians are either members of or want to join the 'mile high club' ! 

In case you dont know (please!) this Mile High Club means having sex on an aircraft.

Of the 1200 interviewed, half said they wanted to do it but had not yet. 12% proudly said they were already a member. I guess that includes British actor Ralph Fiennes and a female Qantas trolley dolley who had it off in the business class dunny. Popping up in the survey was the new Airbus 380 with its double beds on board . Nice but maybe not as fun as the washroom. That being said 42% said that getting hot and sweaty in a cramped aircraft toilet was not a turn on.

Where The Stars Vacation Secrets

While us mere mortals pack the bags and head to the same old same old for our hard earned vacation "A" list celebrities are on the constant look out  for the new "in" spot. Here are the current front runners:

Portofino, Italy.On the north west coast of the Italian Riviera. the former fishing village has played host to everyone from Elizabeth Taylor,Richard Burton & Sinatra  along with the new stars like Brad Pitt & Johnny Depp. Seriously upmarket.

I le de Ra , France. A favourite of Johnny Depp. the small island is connected by a bridge to La Rochelle and fronts the Atlantic Ocean.

The Fregate Island Private. No paparazzi allowed here ! One square mile Indian Ocean resort is a haven for honeymooners and "A" listers who do not want to be seen. A favourite of Pierce Brosnan and Michael Douglas.

Four Mile Beach Port Douglas,Australia. Gateway to the Barrier reef and Daintree Rainforest everyone from Bill Clinton to Kylie Minogue, Hugh Jackmann & Sean Penn have visited.

The Mystique, Carribean. 1400 acre island home to visits by the likes of Prince William & Kate Middleton. 12 tranquil white sand beaches, two hotels and 120 private villas await you !

The Worlds Best and Least Known Beaches

Serious beach vacationers are always on the look out for that 'undiscovered gem'. 'Hotel & Resort Insider' has just published their list of some of the sexiest but lesser known beaches that leave Bondi & Copa for dead !

Eleuthera - Bahamas. 100 mile ribbon of land adorned by lush pineapple plantations and stunning beaches. Situated a few km's east of Nassau.

The Pinneys Beach - Nevis. A 4 mile stretch of volcanic sand along the west coast of the egg shaped island. Lined by swaying coconut tress and features wonderful calm waters.

The Punta Cana. On the eastern most tip of the Dominican republic and known as the 'new Cancun'. Full of luxury resorts to take advantage of its pristine position.

The Caprera Island. One of 7 islands in the Maddalena archipelago with the beaches  kissed by the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Cousine Island,Seychelles. Small lodges and stunning beaches tucked into a National Park. No wonder George Harrison called the Seychelles home !