Euro Travel & More

This wasn’t exactly the room i stayed it.. but it was similar size .. and almost similar decorations and wallpapers. Mayfair Hotel is at the heart of Paris between Place de la Concorde and Place Vendome, A 4 star hotel and going rate per nite is about $150 €, which not many people like us can afford unless you are on a business trip like me.

My bosses stayed here.. and didn’t think it was convenient for me to stay in another .. with another co-worker. A luxurious hotel .. Mayfair is.. and expect professionalism.. and extended hospitality .. once you become a house guest. The front desk takes time to remember your name. In my whole time there.. they called me by my family name. Each room has it own unique decoration and reflects the unique Parisian style.

The hotel has room service .. but not 24hrs.. a business center, concierge to make those special dinner arrangements for you. Cable TV, Hair Dryer ( you need not bring yours) . .safe in the room and of course air conditioning. For those traveling with children, you will be glad to know that they have a day nursery as well. Call either the Concierge or Housekeeping for arrangements.

The breakfast room serves continental and buffet breakfast from 7am to 10.30am daily. We didn’t eat here.. because we usually have breakfast meetings in another hotel.. or the office in Paris.

read comments (0)

Like anyone traveling for business or going on vacation, looking for the right place to stay is very important.  For us, we were usually traveling because of business and we sometimes have meetings and late conference calls to our head office, from our hotel room, which sometimes can be not feasible at all.  Hotel rooms are kind of small but if we choose to stay in an apartment like those offered at Amsterdam Short Stay Apartments, you can understand why we choose an apartment over a hotel.

Conveniently located, these apartments are spacious, have equipped kitchens and are fully furnished from living room to bedrooms.  Here we don’t have to cram into a small room for our meetings and conference calls and it certainly wouldn’t look weird to invite an office associate to the apartment.  As in a hotel, most of our guests need to register at the front desk after 9pm, which can be a real hassle.

Rental is as low as € 105.00, therefore it is very cost effective for those of us who were traveling in groups. Check the availability online or you can contact them by phone or thru’ their contact form online.  Why pay an arm and a leg to book an extra conference room for your meetings when you can have the whole apartment to utilize as you wish.

read comments (0)

We don’t get to take too many vacations these days because we own our own business.  Unlike when I was working for a company back home where I got to take a few vacations a year, a beach vacation is definitely my choice for relaxation for the family. It is not an easy task to plan a vacation for the entire family, or even just the other half, for they love to leave the planning to me because they deem me as the most difficult person to please since I’m a person who needs plans for everyday.

I would love to explore the Siesta Key resorts, while the spouse is into the condos in Destin Florida but if the only time we can leave for a vacation is winter, then the bed and breakfast Breckenridge is what we would choose.  Because of Rentalo.com, I am able to plan and look thru’ all the possible vacation destinations and plan way ahead of time. I can browse at each and individual accommodation available at a time I am most relaxed, be it at home or at the store.  Plus, this is a great place to send my girlfriends to since they love to travel as well.

read comments (0)

The Merchant Court Hotel, located of course in Singapore this one has a special place in my heart. Really owned by the Raffles group. and then they changed their brand name, Merchant Court Hotel is what we called the no frills budget hotel .. with class. Don’t be fooled about the no frill budget hotel thingie .. because Merchant Court has all the amenities that most hotels have, albeit the room being a tad small in my opinion.

The owners are mostly chinese .. as far as I am concerned. Headed the hotel was Jennie Chua .. the then General Manager of the Raffles Hotel and Westin Hotel in Singapore. With 400 over rooms to boast about, Merchant Court Hotel has the club floors as well for their long staying guests.

The Merchant Court has bell services, concierge and a front desk with a salon opposite the front desk. Many ballrooms are available .. for private functions.. and they do have a bar, a coffee shop.. and 24hrs room service. I hear that you can even get rooms as low as $100/nite at the Merchant Court Hotel. Although they are not located strategically in town.. they are right in front of a MRT station. which brings you to town.. within a few mins. A hotel like Merchant Court, I am sure wouldn’t need any used cisco equipments .. but one never know eh. More on Merchant rooms later.

read comments (0)

Photo credits:  Only exclusively travel

Having dinner here with someone you love very much is very possible you know.  While many may think that it must be expensive, I think that it is worth every penny you pay.  Your personal butler and about 3 service staff just for one room, you and yours never have to wait for anything you need while here. Luxury Holidays may not be for everyone but when it comes to a honeymoon or a very special occasion then I think this island and the folks at the Le Saint Geran Mauritius can make your dreams come true.

AlthoughI liked the Le Saint Geran Maritius a lot, I feel that it is more for the business crowd and older guests.  The Le Touessrok Mauritius is more my kind of style and if you are like me you would fall in love with this place over and over again.  Truth be told I didn’t want to leave.  Did I also mention that we stayed in the Ocean Suite?  It was huge, extremely comfy and had a very, very awesome bath and shower with 2 plasma TVs and DVD players and even a Playstation (that was in 2005).

I finally got the tan I had wanted for years and the beaches were really nice, they had loungers everywhere and you got served with bottled water, lots of fresh fruits on sticks, and sorbet.  And since we don’t drink we didn’t worry too much about the wine selection even though they had a good wine list and champagne by the glass.  If you never played golf before that’s ok, just go for the cart ride, it’s an excellent way to spend the mornings; with quiet talks and whisper sweet nothings.  I cannot say how happy you will be, regardless if you want rejuvenation, a reminder of how love once felt or to celebrate an anniversary, this is the perfect place to be. As dreamy as it can get, Mauritius Island.

read comments (0)

Park Hyatt, Toronto was one of the first hotels that I’ve stayed in while visiting Toronto for both business and pleasure. It is a wonderful hotel albeit abit expensive. For those not on business.. at $200 per nite per room.. it can be a wee bit costly. I usually stay for a few days.. i think 5. But Park Hyatt is conveniently located downtown, so it is walking distance to alot of places.. and shopping centers, the Royal Ontario Museum, CN Tower, Skydome, Hockey hall of fame and the famous theater district.. just as long as you do not go during the winter.

The rooms are between 300-400 sq ft and are furnished for the businessmen and women. I had a king size bed. The bathroom are very nice.. with shower/tub combination. And the room i was in was decorated in warm forest green.  Highly commendable were their concierge and reception services. Very accommodating.. and really helpful.. and they do try to make your stay as comfy as possible.. without intruding.

read comments (0)

Paris, La Ville-Lumiere (the City of Lights) brings back a lot of good memories.  Many of you may also know that Paris has a very special place in my heart because of my 6 month work stint there after I graduated from the University of Glasgow.  Paris reminds me of very passionate people, not only for cultural things but for food and life itself.  If you think that the Parisian only speaks French than you are wrong, they do speak fluent English too. Well, most of those that I’ve met and come to be friends with do. They choose to embrace the identity to the extent where some people mistaken that they are being arrogant when in fact they are the least eccentric people I’ve met around the world.

A short 6 month work stint in Paris also made me realize that a LOT of people come to Paris for various reasons but the most common is for how romantic Paris is for proposing a marriage or renewing a vow or even for those who just want to impress their other half.  What have I learned from Paris?  LOTS! The people are as beautiful as the scenery and everything you eat need not be expensive.  There are many good cafes and restaurants in Paris and you wouldn’t believe this but I had eaten in one of the best Japanese restaurants not in Japan, but in Paris.  There is more authentic Chinese food found in Paris than in Nova Scotia, Canada.

And hotels? Well, that’s my area of expertise. I worked in some of the best during the last 15 years. For many of us budget is important and of course you want to make sure that you are centrally located, within walking distance from the things you want to do, whether you are on vacation or on business.  I like Triptake.com  firstly because of the real reviews from real people and the ability to compare prices and make your reservations online.  Punch in the date of your pending trip and wait for the search engine to work for you.  It does not take long, I assure you.  Whether you want to stay in Hotel Britannique Paris or the Hotel De Crillon Paris, you can take a peek at what to expect from the hotel, its facilities, pictures of the rooms they offer and the overview of the hotel. Most importantly the location of the hotel and a map, I liked that.  Alas some of the room rates are pretty expensive, but never mind, I just go back to Triptake.com and look again.  Perhaps, the Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris or Hotel Hospes Lancaster Paris, they are all very good hotels as well but the one I would love to get a chance to stay in is Hotel Lutetia Paris for it is so near the Notre Dame Cathedral and within walking distance to so many interesting places that one can visit. I can go on and on about Paris, but no one should say “no” if they get a chance to visit this beautiful place.

read comments (0)

I’ve been asked many times by new parents if they should bring their own baby bedding with them when they are traveling for just a few days.  And my answer is a definite YES, especially if you are driving on your own and plenty of trunk space.  A baby is accustomed to the smell of their own bedding and if you are traveling to a place that she had never been to, it is a great way to make your baby feel comfy by bringing things that she is familiar with.  Some new parents are not aware of this.. but the first few months of your babies’ lives, they cannot see too, too clearly .. but they can smell very well.  Therefore, the smell on the mummies are the strongest.. so whenever a baby is uncomfy .. and starts crying.. and they keep quiet immediately after the mummy carries them.. that is the reason.   So yes..! i strongly encourage that you bring stuff that the baby is used to along when you are traveling.

read comments (0)

For every vacation that we take, even for business trips, the accommodations are one the most important things that we take care of first.  After all, you can’t go for a vacation and not have somewhere nice to stay in right?  The Best Western is a name I am very familiar with because I’ve stayed in many of them. It is a name synonymous to affordable, clean and safe accommodations.  Not only are they usually strategically located,  they are usually easy on transportation too.  Plus each Western Zoder’s Inn has its own parking lot so we need not worry about having to look for parking or any extra costs.

Being one of the finest Gatlinburg resorts at the Smokey Mountains hotel, one can expect to feel pampered and relaxed as well.  The Best Western Zoder’s Inn In Gatlinburg is conveniently located and is within walking distance of a great shopping are or for visiting galleries. There are also some very good restaurants, so food is never a problem.   Beautiful mountain streams surrounding its property also help you to feel absolutely relaxed.   They have cabins and hotel rooms of different sizes to accommodate everyone’s needs and more.  Make your reservations directly online or check on your reservation dates easily to make sure everything is all set.  Plus you can cancel and rebook anytime you need to.  No pets allowed though, so little fluffy man have to stay at home.

read comments (0)

Hotel Bauer is not like your ordinary hotel, this is one of the best hotels in Venice, Italy. It is what we hoteliers considered as a 5 star hotel or a first class hotel. Not many hotels are named first class hotels.. and what i liked most was it was a 2 mins walk from San Marco.

I was privileged to have stayed in this wonderful hotel.. that transported me back in times.. i felt like a queen.. and i’m sure my bosses felt like the kings. My room overlooked the small square.. internet access is available in the room and of course satellite tv and the meals were awesome.. at the terrace. It was so enlightening almost every evening. .sipping a glass or wine.. relaxing before turning in.

The concierge department as well as the front desk were efficiently operated.. and every morning.. when turning in my room keys.. they would greet me by my family name. The concierge department and the bell men knew which was my limo driver every morning. I forgot to mentioned that the bathroom was tiled with marble .. and it was really awesome.. on a hot summer day.

read comments (0)