Recent Hotel Trends

There has been some good news for small, luxury hotels across the UK and that is that recent reports suggest there has been a 6% increase in people booking rooms at small hotels from January to April this year. However, is this due to the room rates falling on average by 4% year on year? The average cost per night for staying in a small luxury hotel is reported to be £213 per night, which I think is still rather steep, but many business travellers do get their expenses covered, including over night stays so more often than not, they are not paying for the accommodation themselves. If this is the case, how are businesses affording the rates of £213 per night on average, especially with the way that businesses have to cut back drastically on overheads and expenses due to the economic climate? Strange one!

Obviously there are guests at small luxury hotels that are there purely for leisure, but for that price, I personally would rather go abroad for a week with everything included – yes it wouldn’t be the most luxurious of places or have the best accommodation, but it would be a lot warmer, well hopefully!

Consumer’s staying in a small luxurious hotel do demand high levels of service and with that, value for money, even if they are paying £213 per night on average for the privilege of staying at a luxury hotel. Has this factor alone driven the average price of staying in a luxury hotel, down? Maybe not; there is fierce competition between hotels and not just hotels that are similar to one another, but even large hotel chains are now trying to offer much more than previous and at a much lower cost.

Competition between Hotels

Ok, so the standard isn’t as high in terms of décor and personal service, but currently the mass general public and some businesses now prefer to stay in the larger hotel chains due to the value for money and therefore, the larger hotel chains are taking clients away from small independent hotels, as they are in-directly in competition with one another.

However, with luxury hotel room rates decreasing year on year and the reported 6 % increase in people staying at these types of hotels, it wouldn’t surprise me if they become even more popular, perhaps even more so for business clients, es[ecially once the economy gets better; would this mean that luxury hotels will increase their room rates again? and therefore, numbers of people staying at smaller boutique hotels decreasing.

Perhaps this would be the case as more often than not, once demand is high for certain products and services, the value increases. This may not be good for smaller boutique hotels as they would slowly but surely drive traffic away and their profit margins could possibly plummet. For now, they are cheaper and becoming more popular with guests.

Summary

Recent reports suggest there has been a 6% increase in people booking rooms at small hotels from January to April this year. However, is this due to the room rates falling on average by 4% year on year?

Mark has several years experience in the hotel industry and is the current owner of a boutique hotel Harrogate.

One of the major disadvantages of air travel is jet lag, which is associated with fatigue, daytime sleepiness, lack of concentration, insomnia, and light-headedness. This is due to the fact that the body’s normal function is different during day time from night time, and the body is forced to alter it when the time zone is crossed. The body feels awake, although the local time indicates that its bed time.

To immediately adapt as soon as you arrive at your destination, drink lots of liquids and avoid alcohol. For short trips, stick to your sleeping and eating schedule, but for longer trips, it is wise to get into the local time upon arrival (sleep when its night time). Aside from these basic tips, there are several more methods for you to get over jet lag, including sleeping pills, aromatherapy, herbal remedies, homeopathy, melatonin, and light therapy.

If you choose to take sleeping pills, it is best if you take it a couple of nights after arrival, but discuss this first with your regular doctor. Aromatherapy is helpful with its carrier oils that contain plant oils, which are dabbed on the feet, temples and wrists. Rosemary, cardamom and grapefruit oils can keep you refreshed and alert, while mandarin and lavender oils can relax you. There are herbal remedies for jet lag. Some of which include hops, pulsatilla, lettuce tea, valerian, camomile and passionflower. These traditional remedies calm the mind and induce sleep. They are available as standard tablets and teas, both available in several health shops and pharmacists.

Melatonin in the form of capsules can also help in beating jet lag. The body produces the melatonin hormone that induces sleepiness when the night falls. Thus, melatonin supplement can work as an override switch that tricks the brain to feel sleepy. Melatonin is available in 2.5 mg, 3 mg and 5 mg. However, discuss this first with you doctor to know what dose is applicable to you. A Swiss study has revealed that melatonin, even in dosages as low as 0.5 mg, is effective. There are still no reported adverse melatonin effects in people, though there are still no long-term safety studies available. It appears that it can worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Another method of beating the dreaded jet lag is light therapy, which has been proven to work for SAD (season affective disorder) during winter. Unlike taking a melatonin supplement, which induces sleep, light therapy actually keeps you awake and has the opposite effect of actually suppressing melatonin production in the body.

If you arrive at your travel destination during the day time, stay in areas with natural daylight as much as possible so that your body can become accustomed to the light. About 2,500 lux (unit of measure of light) is the intensity of indirect sunlight. You only need 1,000 lux to suppress the melatonin production to stay awake. About 500 lux is given off by most electric lights, which can be helpful if doubled.

You can also consider travelling with a portable light visor with 500-1,000 watts for you to use in your room, but this can be cumbersome to transport and may be best suited to domestic travel. It has been discovered by researchers at Cornell University that shining light on the skin behind the knees as the body’s temperature reached its lowest can instantly shift back the body clock as much as three hours. However, the cause of this is still unknown.

I love travelling the world and am currently writing travel tips and advice posts on Blurtit which aims to answer just about every question on the planet.

Rid Bad Habits

One way to cut down on costs in your everyday life and to help with saving for a trip you are planning is to eliminate bad habits that may be negatively impacting not only your budget, but your health. Skip purchasing sodas, quit smoking and stop eating fast food (or takeout) every day of the week. Instead, put the money you save towards planning the trip of your dreams, which can add up relatively quickly depending on your current lifestyle choices.

Changing Transportation Methods

By changing the way you get to work and move around your city, you can drastically cut thousands of dollars of gas money from what you are paying out to help with saving money for a trip you have in mind. Take public transportation options such as a bus or opt for riding your bike and walking more to reach your destinations if they are local to help with saving even more money.

Create a Savings Jar

Use a traditional clear jar or glass bottle to help with saving additional change and extra spending money you accumulate each week or month to contribute to your traveling fund. Adding all of your change to the jar each day can result in a significant amount of money annually to pay for your travel flight or even a ticket on a cruise ship depending on where you are planning to travel.

Rid Services You No Longer Need

Avoid visiting the gym if you can cancel your membership and workout from home or locally outside near your home. You can also save money by giving yourself at-home spa treatments rather than paying service charges to receive massages and facials. Skipping the hair salon and purchasing your own professional-grade hair dye from local beauty supply outlets is an option that require a bit more time but will save you large amounts of money each time you choose to color or touch up your hair on your own.

Utilizing Thrift and Resale Shops

Visiting thrift and resale shops is a way for you to save money on clothing and accessories you are interested in so you can easily put the additional money you would have spent elsewhere away in savings for the traveling plans you have set. You can often get more for your money when you are shopping for clothing, furniture or even household decor at resale and thrift stores, helping to cut costs from traditional department stores and outlets.

Using Coupons

Another way to save money for a trip you are planning and for any type of travel you have in mind is to begin using coupons before you head out to shop for groceries, clothing or any type of household items you may need. Searching for coupons can be done with local sales papers as well as by conducting a bit of research on your own, from home. Printing coupons online and combining them with manufacturer coupons can help to cut costs on everything you buy, giving you even more money to save for the traveling you desire to do this year. Using coupons regularly can also help you to receive products for free, giving you even more cash to use for the traveling plans you are pursuing.

This article was written by Kevin Caldwell for the site he built, www.sanfranciscohotelguides.com . Kevin built the site to help fellow travelers find hotels in San Francisco.

The Best Visa

One of the primary reasons Peru is such a great spot for the long-term traveler is the visa situation. They ask travelers how long they are planning on staying when they enter the country. Anyone who asks to stay the maximum of 183 days will get a visa for that long. It is a free visa and allows you six months of travel in Peru before you have to leave.

That is incredible and much different than any other country in South America. All the other countries in South America give Americans a maximum of 90 days for their tourist visas, and most of them do not let visitors stay for more than these 90 days per year with a tourist visa. Some even charge Americans substantial fees for tourist visas.

Peru will never charge a fee for a tourist visa for Americans. The visas can be renewed every six months just by crossing the border. If someone stays over his or her visa, it is no big deal. They simply have to pay a fine of $1 for each day they go over their visa. The convenience of the tourist visa for long-term travelers in Peru is hard to beat.

So Much to See

The other major reason that Peru is so appealing to the long-term traveler is that there is just so much to see and do. No other place on Earth has as much geographic diversity as Peru. Visitors can explore the rainforest of the Amazon. This is especially enjoyable when taking a cruise up and down the Amazon River from Iquitos.

As well as lots of jungle, Peru also has many mountains. Some of the best mountain climbing in the world is found in the Andes of Peru. Trekkers can outfit themselves with everything they need for a climbing expedition for a bare minimum of expense in this developing country.

Hikers and campers will have a wonderful time no matter what area of the country they are in. It doesn’t take long to get out from the cities to wilderness areas that will offer beautiful scenery to explore.

The city has loads of coastline to enjoy. The waters of Peru range from tropical up by the Ecuador border to fairly chilly further south. However, one thing about all the water off the coast is very exciting for swimmers who like to go in the ocean. There has never been a recorded shark attack in the history of Peru.

Visitors to Peru can also get their creature comforts. The Internet is readily available in every town in Peru. Cell phone service is ubiquitous. The food is very good and bottled water is cheap and available everywhere. Visitors who stay in the larger metropolises will find every luxury they could possibly ask for. In fact, Lima has some of the best cuisine of any place on the planet.

There is a lot to be said for making a long-term stay in Peru. The people are friendly, the country has lots of beautiful areas to explore and the living is cheap. Anyone who is looking for a great long-term vacation spot needs look no further.

This article was written by Kevin Caldwell for www.washingtondchotelsuites.com who specializes in helping travelers find hotels in Washington DC.

Without any significant ties, kids to look after or university fees to pay off, those beyond the age of retirement should find themselves with more chances to enjoy a relaxing holiday. Older travellers may also be thankful for their current condition and will choose to tick a few more locations off their bucket lists while they can. Not only this, retirees may not have a lack of time to contend with when outlining their plans. It’s for these reasons that over-80s still see value in a good holiday and continue to cherish their experiences.

Travelling itself is – and should be – accessible for people of all ages, although some will need to prepare more for their trips than others. People with existing medical conditions, for example, may seek out local hospitals before their trip to ensure care is always around the corner. Older travelers may also wish to take a few similar precautions with the aim of making their time off all the more peaceful.

Always apply attention to the areas that may concern your specific case; for example if you have special medical requirements that may or may not be age related you may wish to consider medical travel insurance, but here are a few pointers for travelling at the age of 80 and above..

Limit your luggage

Travelling somewhere different may cause you to overpack as you’ll be looking to prepare for the very worst that foreign weather can bring. Try not packing so heavily to prevent your luggage from becoming a nuisance at all the transport links and terminals you encounter. Perhaps try stocking up on toiletries upon arrival or, if you’re travelling for over a fortnight, searching for a local laundrette to wash your clothes. 

Check your documentation

Travelling abroad means you’ll have to supply additional documentation when crossing borders. Triple check your passport is up-to-date and will be at least up until the last day of your trip. Also make a few print outs of your flight references and any other confirmation documents to save complications at the airport. 

While you’re putting everything on order, this might be a good time to sort out your travel insurance. This can represent something of a problem as many industries will have age caps on their cover. However, many specialist providers do offer travel insurance for those over the age of 80 which means you can set off with the peace of mind knowing that you’re all covered.

Consider the climate

It’s always important to consider geographical conditions before organising any travel plans. Older people tend to have more health issues and as a result, their medication or condition could react negatively to a certain climate. Before booking any hotels or flights, look for projected weather forecasts and always consult with your general practitioner about the effects they could have on your personality.

Always inform

Everyone loves the feeling when they’re thousands of miles away from life at home. A holiday presents a chance to break from the shackles of normal life and escape to a paradise. However, disappearing without trace is never advised. While staying in touch is often something you’ll have ordered your kids to do on their own trips, don’t be surprised to see the roles reversed as you start to age. Telling loved ones when you’re away and how long for will help them rest easy and will prove invaluable in the event of the unexpected.

About the author:
Henry Carter is associated with a travel agency and has visited many countries. He has wide experience in the problems and suffering of a tour and therefore always bears necessary kits with him. Recently he has started writing on over 80 travel insurance and likes to share his experience with his readers.

As the sun goes down, the city lights are up, an indication that a night of partying is about to start. It becomes a magnet for locales and visitors of all ages. There are four zenith locations for the city’s night life. They are the Business District, Casco Viejo, Calle Uruguay and Amador Causeway.

Business District

The Business district of Panama is known for its wonderful night appeal with a great variety of luxury restaurants. Most of its bars and cafés are designed after some bars from other parts of the world and many sophisticated bars here offers a lot of first-class choices for international wines and beers.

Casco Viejo

If your top choice is good music, Casco Viejo is your destination. It offers a lively night with classy and historic bars and some restaurants here have American style. This is the place for jazz lovers because there are a lot of themed bars here that play jazz and Cuban music.

Calle Uruguay

Calle Uruguay is your clubbing destination if you are planning to dance the night away. The place is jam-packed with party goers so you can enjoy your mixes outdoor while enjoying a view of these revelers. The place provides a wide selection of first class and popular restaurants where you can choose your kind of music from salsa to electronic.

Amador Causeway

Amador Causeway is your destination if you are looking for a relaxing and quiet drink with friends. It has street side bars and cafes for you to choose from. This is the place if you want to enjoy some karaoke session and there are also outdoor and indoor lounges where you get to enjoy the picturesque view of the ocean.

You will surely have an enjoyable and delightful nightlife experience in Panama City because there is always a place for everyone here.

Whether you are a tourist or a locale, you will never run out of things to do in Panama. This country offers you broad and extensive choices of what you can see and do. Winter, spring, summer or fall, there are always stuffs you can do on whatever season you choose.

If you are into sports and high outdoor adventure, you can always go zip lining, horseback riding and water rafting which are easily available. For tourists and vacationers, these activities can be arranged for you by your hotel. If you are into some relaxing and peaceful environment, you can enjoy a relaxing day in one of the country’s beautiful beach resorts. The country is proud of its many picturesque beaches.  You can also go nature tripping. Panama boasts some of the best bird watching destinations in the world.

Visiting Panama would not be complete if you do not visit its historical and world renowned sites. You can visit and see why Panama Canal is the number one destination in the country. You can also visit some of its historic sites like the San Jose Church which was built in the 16^th century after the first Spanish settlement. This small church keeps its famous altar made totally of pure gold, the Altar de Oro or Golden Altar in English. Do not also forget to pay a visit to its ancient ruins and discover they are preserved and learn how people used to live.

If you are in the country, you might as well be attending one of their many festivals. The famous of them all is the Carnaval. Enjoy a party with the locales and that includes their love for music and of great food. All year round the country celebrates a lot of events and all represents and showcases their traditions. So this can be a good way to be able to get to know more about the country’s practices and beliefs.

So when in Panama, don’t miss out to try those mentioned above. Don’t forget to bring extra batteries for your cameras because you will sure have a lot of great moments to cherish.

Whether you are in the country for business or pleasure, you should never miss the chance to shop and bring home some souvenirs for your family and loved ones or even for your own expenditure. Panama has been a destination for shoppers for two reasons, traveling to the country is very easy and its recent economic boom can be an indication that many new malls were put up. It boasts a broad selection of shopping locations to meet all of your needs. You can choose from their huge shopping centers similar to those malls in the U.S. and their street markets.

Mallrats’ Paradise

If you are a high end malls fanatic, the popular shopping ends include the Albrook Mall, Multiplaza Panama and Multicentro Mall. All these offer an array of stores and shops, food courts, movie houses, kids’ parks and other remarkable amenities.

 Albrook Mall is considered to be famous and amazingly the biggest of them all. It is a huge mall that offers everything from gadgets to fashion and crafts. It also offers everyday low prices to keep up with the competition. One interesting detail of this mall is its entrances which are after animal names that allow you to easily remember the doors where you came in.

Multiplaza is regarded as the most attractive mall at the same time the most expensive as it has all those designer American shops. They also have a huge selection of food houses and first class movie theaters.

Multicentro is deemed as the little Hong Kong in the Americas is a small and quiet mall but houses some of the unique shops you could not find anywhere else. It is the bargain department store which surrounded by condominiums, office buildings and hotels.

Bargain Haven

 If you are on a budget and enjoys bargaining, Panama has a place for you. You can choose from La Central, Los Pueblos and Calidonia.

La Central is said to be the original shopping area of the city. It is a two miles pedestrian only area. Los Pueblos is located near the airport where you can also find stores of almost everything. Calidonia on the other hand is a bit busy where stores are lined on both sides of the road with hectic people and vehicles. These shops already offer low prices but you can still haggle as the prices can go down from 20 to 30%. When in these places, you should also be very careful for pickpockets and thieves.

Panama is a sure delight for every shopping lover. So enjoy your stay and enjoy your shopping!

Top on the list of every visitor is the Panama Canal. It is the world renowned canal and is the number 1 tourist attraction for the country. It is also known as one of the wonders of the world. This is a terrific engineering feat and should never be missed. A visit to this canal is a worthwhile experience, being on a man-made wonder.

You can also stay at the Miraflores Locks where you can find the Panama Canal Visitors Center. Keep in mind to contact the visitors center if you want to know the best time to visit. You can also schedule or request a mini-cruise on the Panama Canal if you want to see ships passing through in action.

Oprah’s Jet Image – by Andy Rusch

True showbiz royalty simply cannot be made to mingle with commoners – especially in the air. You may remember the now infamous incident in which Aer Lingus dared to book Will Smith and his family on an economy-only flight from Dublin to Manchester: the outraged Fresh Prince stormed off the Airbus 320 and straight onto the luxury of a private chartered jet. There are plenty of celebrities who would never let what happened to Smith happen to them. Read on for a glimpse into the ultra-exclusive world of superstardom with this list of five of the most expensive celebrity jets ever to grace the troposphere.

5. Bombardier Challenger 850 Learjet owned by Jay-Z and Beyonce

Cost: $40 million

Perhaps lesser hip-hop stars would settle for Bentleys and bottles of Cristal to distinguish themselves from the commoners around them, but not Jay and Bey. These two have proven they are in a class all their own by owning one of the most lavish private jets on the planet. According its manufacturers, the Challenger 850 boasts “brawn with beauty, allowing you to soar across continents with ease” and “a high-speed cruise of 850 km/hr” – but what’s the rush? Reports indicate that the jet belonging to pop’s current king and queen is fitted with a bedroom, living room, and two bathrooms, along with a fully stocked kitchen. That sure beats a boring tour bus!

You may think that these two surely must own the finest plane in Hollywood, but they are actually outdone by one of their good friends, who is next up on this list…

4. Bombardier Global Express XRS owned by Oprah Winfrey

Cost: $42 million

Oprah is a goddess amongst media moguls: over the course of her career she’s had an incredibly successful talk show, academy award nomination, magazine and radio and television channels. So it goes without saying that she also has one of the world’s most impressive private jets. The Global Express is fit for a queen, able to climb faster than any other jet of its kind and fly for up 16 hours non-stop. Oprah’s jet can seat up to 10 members of her entourage, all of whom will no doubt relish the designer accessories and leather seats that Oprah handpicked for her custom version of this exclusive jet.

It’s always difficult to top Oprah, but there are celebrities who’ve gone bigger and better with their flying toys. The next one will positively blow you away.

3. Boeing 757-23 owned by Donald Trump

Cost: $100 million

You may have been on a 757 in your lifetime, but even if you were riding in first class, your flight won’t have offered quite the same level of luxury Trump affords passengers in his 43-seater version of this jumbo jet. Instead of peanuts and stale wine, this Boeing is stocked with Waterford crystal lamps, gold-plated seatbelts, two bedrooms, and, just in case you need more exclusivity, a VIP section. You can see a tour of this awesome jet here. What else would you expect from a guy who has his own skyscraper?

Donald Trump may have made his name has TV’s most famous rich guy, but there are wealthier celebs than him. And they’ve got the planes to prove it.

2. Boeing 767-277 owned by Mark Cuban

Cost: $144.1 million

This is one of three jets owned by the superrich Cuban, who also counts amongst his many possessions the Dallas Mavericks basketball team. Cuban’s fortunes derive from his successful business maneuvers during the dot-com boom of the nineties, and he actually bough his first plane online. His second plane, used for flying his basketball team around the US, mixes business and pleasure, featuring an onboard weight room, medical facilities, and of course, oversized seats. The B767 is the largest plane in his fleet and the jewel in his aviation crown – best of all he is more than happy to share: this acquisition is currently available for private charter.

Cuban says he loves private jets because they allow him to spend more time with his family. If that’s anything to go by, then our number one entry must have lots of time for his relatives – that is, if he can find them in the vastness if his mega jet.

1. Airbus 340 owned by Roman Abramovich

Cost: up to $500 million

Clocking in as one of the priciest jet purchases in history, Russian business tycoon Abramovich is the proud owner of the largest private jet in his home country of Russia. Even Vladimir Putin cannot match the size and prestige of Abramovich’s fleet. Not only is this plane enormous, but is can also fly up to 9,000 miles non-stop and seat 375 people. So how does he use all that space? It is thought that Abramovich has customised every inch of the plane to suit his extravagant tastes. That said, this mega-rich billionaire is still close to his roots: he named this plane “Bourkhan” after his father.

So there you have it, five ultra-luxurious planes to whet your appetite for private flying.

Feeling inspired? Get answers to all your questions about chartering or purchasing a jet of your own at Av8jet.com.