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Hotels and Apartment
Hotels Aren’t The Only Accommodation Alternative
042 days
by admin
in Hotels and Apartment
Many people don’t seem to give any consideration at all, when booking their holiday, to any kind of alternative accommodation to a hotel. Often, if you visit travel agents, 99% of all the holidays you see advertised will include a stay at a hotel. Certainly the luxury of a hotel is enticing, but it is all too easy to imagine that hotels are the be all and end all of a holiday, and that to select any alternative would be to lose out on the holiday experience.
In fact nothing could be farther from the truth. There are plenty of alternatives to staying in a hotel, almost all of which are far cheaper, leaving you more of your hard earned money to enjoy shopping, eating out and having a drink. Many of the alternatives also give you much more of an experience as far as the local culture and opportunities are concerned.
Let’s have a look at the types of accommodation on offer, and what they have to add to your holiday experience. The most comfortable alternative as far as traditional hotel-stayers are concerned is the rental of an apartment, either on a timeshare basis or other arrangement. Clearly you will need to do all your own cooking and tidying, but you will also benefit from complete peace and privacy. The whole house will be yours, and very likely you’ll have either your own pool and garden, or at least one which is shared by only a very few other people.
If renting or owning a timeshared property is not for you, then consider a self catering opportunity. Self catering cottages and houses come in all shapes and sizes, and there is certainly likely to be one which suits not only your taste, but also your pocket. These are much cheaper than hotels, and again will provide you with privacy, peace and often an outdoor space of your own too. You’ll need to do your own cooking and tidying, although the money saved by not going to a hotel will be more than enough to allow you to eat out far more often. This will also give you a greater experience of the local culture and surroundings.
Rather than eating at the hotel each night, you can choose whether to eat at a quaint local pub, or a posh city restaurant, or just curl up at home with your family and have a cozy meal together. The choice will be yours.
If the idea of being responsible for your own meals doesn’t appeal, then perhaps a Bed and Breakfast place will be more to your liking. These usually charge on a per night basis, and will be very much cheaper than a hotel, with breakfast included. Although they are advertised as just offering breakfast, very often dinner will be available as an option, and again will be much cheaper than the hotel’s food, or eating out. Often the quality is excellent, and the food home cooked.
For a real experience, why not consider a farm stay? Staying at a farm will be a real change of scene for most people, and will give you a real feel for the country. Very often the food provided will be the freshest you’ll have come across – nothing can beat having your egg for breakfast and seeing the chicken that laid it that morning strutting past your window!
Finally, it’s always worth considering camping, either in a tent, your own caravan, or a rented one. Rented caravans, often called static caravans, are like small cottages and are in no way a rough stay. The advantage of camping is of course the price, with overnight stays being about 10 Pounds. Facilities are usually communal, but the sense of adventure and community spirit have to be experienced at least once to appreciate what you would otherwise be missing!
Hotels And Making First Impressions Count
048 days
by admin
in Hotels and Apartment
The old expression – you never get a second chance to make a first impression – is somewhat worn, but nonetheless stands very true, particularly when it comes to hotels and you.
Both the hotel and yourself will get a chance to make a good impression on each other. If this goes well, then it can certainly work in your favour as far as getting a good hotel at a good rate is concerned, and also in their favour because they will be more likely to gain a customer.
When you are booking a hotel you will obviously want to try to get not only a good rate, hopefully one which is considerably below the listed rate, but also perhaps a free upgrade or some other option thrown in to persuade you to stay. But the impression that you give either in person or on the phone will make a considerable impact on the likely success on any such bartering. Being too formal or official is likely to simply to come across as though you are a business booking perhaps an official visit, in which case the hotel is likely to charge the full rate. Similarly, if you come across as too friendly and ‘chummy’ this can be rather off-putting, and almost considered slimy, and not likely to be very successful.
The best approach is simply to be polite and friendly, without throwing in small talk. If you are going in person and wish to try to negotiate a good rate, then it is worth considering if you are in a party who actually goes in to do this. It may seem terrible cliche, but it has been proven to work almost 100% even today, if the receptionist is a young man, send in the prettiest young woman in your party in your room and you are more likely to get a reduced rate, compared to anyone else trying the same trick. If on the other hand the receptionist is a woman, sending in the most presentable man will also have more success.
Of course, it isn’t all about how you present yourself to the hotel, because whilst it is important that you gain a good price, and this will largely be based on you and your approach, it is important that, from your point of view, the hotel gives you an equally good impression.
Consider such things as how quickly they answered the phone, what their manner was like when they answered the phone, and how open to the idea of bartering or discussing the options available were they? If they took a long time to answer the phone, they seemed harassed or flustered and keen to simply deal with you and move on to the next customer, then this is likely to be indicative of the kind of level of service that you will receive as a customer actually resident at the hotel. If something needs dealing with in your room such as a broken lock, a window that won’t shut or other small problems, then you do not want to find that you are calling reception and waiting for ages, or that they are too busy to be bothered to provide you with a quick and efficient service.
If you are calling a toll free number, remember of course that this will probably not be the hotel itself, and will be a call centre somewhere which deals with the reservations for a number of hotels on their behalf, and as a result will have far less to deal with and will be able to focus entirely on the customer service. This doesn’t give you a genuine impression of the hotel, and it is always preferable to ensure that it is the hotel itself that gives you their impression and not a third party paid specifically to give a good impression.
How To Persuade A Hotel To Lower Their Price
053 days
It is very surprising how many people don’t even give a moment’s thought to trying to get a lower price from the hotel than the one they are advertising in their brochures or on their website. Think about the last time you booked a hotel room – did you ask for a discount? Or a free upgrade? It is unlikely, most people don’t. Yet the hotels do allow for this in their prices, and by haggling a little you will be very surprised just how easy it is to get a much cheaper price.
It should be relatively easy to get a 10% discount very quickly, but in some cases it is possible to achieve up to a 40% discount for exactly the same room and service without any trouble.
So how is it possible to do this? There are a few simple rules to follow, and then it really is all down to confidence. Most people are very shy when it comes to asking for a discount, and feel either that it makes them look cheap or rude. The truth is, it is your right to haggle on price. Think about it – when you buy a house, do you simply hand over the full asking price? No, of course not, you offer a much lower price, then wait for the seller to either accept your offer or decline it, and give you the chance to raise yours.
Very much the same is done when you buy a car – you will discuss the price and then put an offer in below the marked price. It is expected. If such large and serious purchases permit, or even expect, for you to haggle on price, how much more of a right is it to do the same thing when it comes to booking hotel accommodation? They can only say no, and if they do, they’re effectively turning away a potential customer.
Once you think of things this way, you’ll begin to pluck up the courage to do it. Another little tip to try if you are really nervous is to try a hotel you have no intention of staying at, and then by knowing you really don’t have anything to lose, you can try to get the listed price down. This will give you some practice, and once you see just how successful you can be, and how easy it is, you’ll be much more confident about having a go with the hotel you really want to stay at.
Always make sure that you do the haggling directly with the hotel, and not through a third party agent who won’t be prepared or able to do this for you. Don’t forget that the third party agents will be getting a commission from your booking – which means they have already negotiated a lower price from the hotel. By reducing the hotel’s price further, they are effectively eating in to their own commission – and they’ll be unlikely to do this for you!
By speaking directly with the hotel, you stand a much better chance. It also helps to call two or three times, at different times, so that you speak to different members of staff. One may be much more flexible than another, and so of course, you keep a record of the discounts offered, and then take up whichever was the lowest.
Why You Should Stay In Holiday Apartments
054 days
by admin
in Hotels and Apartment
When choosing a holiday apartment it is wise to check if they do have a balcony and if so what sort of view that they have. Some holiday apartments have spectacular views over the coast and those in the cities can look onto some interesting local architecture. If you are taking young children with you and staying in a holiday apartment it is wise to ensure that if it does have a balcony that you can keep the door locked.
When choosing an apartment to stay in for your holidays you must decide what type of holiday that you are looking for. In warmer climates there are many apartments in resorts near to the sea. These are ideal for families wanting a sun and sea holiday and offer families staying in the apartments much more freedom than staying in a hotel.
Holiday makers staying in an apartment by the sea can use them as a base to explore the local area during their holidays. They can also choose to eat in the apartment at night or go out and sample the local food and wine. By staying in a holiday apartment enables you to get a true feel of the local culture.
There are some amazing apartments next to the coast. Some have fabulous views across the sea and are beautifully furnished. In some cases it is possible to stay in a penthouse apartment on your holiday. These are typically stunning apartments and are usually larger than most apartments and are located on the top floor. Typically these apartments are more expensive to stay in but if you have the holiday budget some are well worth the extra money.
Many tourists go on weekend breaks or short breaks and stay in apartments in the city. These holiday apartments are becoming more and more popular with tourists. They act as a great base to stay in during your vacation to the city and are an economical way of exploring many cities around the world. Apartments in the cities are suitable for a holiday all year round and you do not just need a warm climate to stay in one.
Holiday apartments in the city are popular with all generations. Many younger people like to stay in an apartment in the city and party during their holidays. Many of these apartments are in areas full of bars and restaurants and make for a fun packed holiday. For tourists wanting to experience a less hectic pace, they can stay in an apartment and spend their holidays exploring the local architecture.
Many cities around the world are packed full of both new and old style architecture. They also have many interesting art galleries and museums. By staying in a holiday apartment makes an ideal base to explore and sample the culture of these cities. In some cases if you are lucky enough you may stay in a holiday apartment that is full of old charm and character.
It is now easy to see why holiday apartments have become so popular with tourists on vacation. They help provide an economical fun filled holiday and are an ideal way for families to go on vacation.
Barcelona Through The Ages
058 days
Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city, both from a geographical perspective and from a population perspective. It provides a fascinating juxtaposition of old and new. Its rich history and culture have strong Mediterranean influences, setting it apart from other cities in Spain. This influence, along with its exciting history, makes Barcelona a fascinating holiday destination today.
Barcelona has made an effort to preserve its historic Gothic center and this adds to the juxtaposition of old and new that is evident in the city. You can find an old maze of narrow streets that contrasts with the modern grid-like layout of the new infrastructure in the Eixample which is Barcelona’s enlargement and urban planning project. Many buildings in Barcelona provide evidence of those who once inhabited the land. You can see many monuments to the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods of the city. However, Barcelona is also a center of Modernist architecture and it is at the forefront of international trends. These contrasting styles that can be found side-by-side in Barcelona make it a fascinating city.
Barcelona experienced a major economic revival during the onset of industrialization and since the mid 1800s it has continued to grow. It hosted the World’s Fair in 1888. Today, Barcelona is one of the economic leaders in the area. It is a modern cosmopolitan city with a large variety of entertaining and vibrant night time activities. The city is home to many discos and pubs, concerts and terraces. It also hosts a number of popular fiestas and shows.
Barcelona boasts a large variety of holiday accommodation options. You can stay in hotels which range in quality and price. Hotels in Barcelona have 85% room occupancy throughout the year, so if you choose to stay in a hotel, you must make sure to book your room well in advance. Another option, that is not widely taken advantage of in Barcelona, is holiday rental apartments. These are a very worthwhile choice as they offer you privacy and space. As they are not widely chosen as an accommodation option, there are many available throughout the city including areas where it is very difficult to find hotel accommodation, such as near the beach.
Other accommodation options include aparthotels. These are apartments that are attached to a hotel. They offer more space and privacy than staying in the hotel would, however they do not offer all the amenities that would be available in the hotel itself.