Showing posts with label HOTLELS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HOTLELS. Show all posts
THE KING GEORGE PALACE IN ATHENS
This is a hotel, where you will feel like a movie star. The location is fantastic... Syntagma Square, where every hour, you have the famous change of the guards. It is also the place where everyone meets each other... and also, the place where the strikes take place... After all, Syntagma Square (Constitution Sq.) is where the Government is placed.
It is within short walking distance from the touristic and traditional Plaka district, where you will find a huge amount of restaurants and tavernas, where you will enjoy local food.
The hotel itself is rather classical in decoration. I always prefer a much modern looking one, but this is just a matter of taste. Like Louis XIV, you walk along the extremely baroque decorated corridors until you reach your equally furnished bedroom. As you can see from the picture, I am not exaggerating. Its all frills there. (I have to say I was not welcome with a bouquet of roses... I think I should have complained, hehehe).Rooms tend to be rather small too. You would expect that a 5 star hotel at the high rates they charge would offer you a bigger room. At least, mine was very small. The bathroom is fully equipped with soaps and other accessories from a well known brand. I even like the smell of the soap... (Sometimes you find hotels with awfully smelly soaps).
But, something that you will never forget is breakfast. It is served in the terrace on top of the hotel. There are waiters coming in an out, to offer you coffee and juices. The rest is self-service. Between bite and bite you can stare at the Acropolis and the Parthenon in particular that is ... just there. In front of you... LOOKING at you. I fell in love with the place. Outstanding...Service was always very attentive, offering you whatever you needed. Something you really appreciate.
3 Vasileos Georgiou (Syntagma Square)
Athens 10564, Greece
Tel: +30 2810 300330
Fax:
A JUMBO JET TURNED INTO A HOSTEL, IN STOCKHOLM ARLANDA
This is the first time I talk about a hotel I have never been... but I saw it and I couldn't help making a short article. The Jumbo Hostel is at Stockholm-Arlanda airport entrance and offers you an unforgetable experience. At least, it would be for me: To spend the night on board a genuine jumbo jet transformed into a hostel. Ok, you won't be flying, as the plane is retired from flying, but still, it would be worth it.The Jumbo Hostel has a total of 72 rooms, divided into two- and three-person rooms and dormitories as well as a cockpit suite at the upper level of the plane.
In the café you can buy breakfast, take a coffee break and buy basic meals. It will also be possible to microwave food you have brought along. Which other hotel would allow you to do so? Additionally, you can visit the Jumbo Hostel, even if you don’t spend the night. It even has a museum, so it becomes more than just a hotel...
Pricewise, it seems to be rather economical, for Sweden, I suppose... :=)
JUMBO HOSTEL
Jumbovägen 4
SE-190 47 Stockholm Arlanda
SWEDEN
Phone +46 (0)8-593 604 00
Fax +46 (0)8-593 604 11
E-mail reservation: booking@jumbohostel.com
HOTEL CORINTHIA, IN LISBON
The breakfast, for me, is essential. And The Corinthia can boast to be one that has a wide range of food to offer. Fruit, cereals, cold meat, cheese, dry fruits, pastry, juices (that could improve, certainly) kitchen to have fresh fried eggs, omelettes, crêpes... you name it, and it's bound to be on offer. It even has a corner for those who look after their shape, with "light" products.
Some people say it is far away from the centre. True. It is not central, but, in my case, I need to be close to the motorway as I am going there for business and need to get out of the city fast. The ring road is barely 5 minutes away. If you do want to go to the city centre, you can always get the underground, which is just 100mts away, and it takes you directly to the Chiado. Lisbon International Airport is just 7 Km from the Corinthia, which is also another good point if you are flying back home.
There are 518 guestrooms, including double, single, twin, executive double, Club room, Executive Superior and suite.
But I also have to say that I am not very happy with the cost of the car park. The surrounding area is rather difficult to park, as there isn't much space for parking: 18 Euro per night. Also, the cost of internet connection in your room: another 18 Euro. Apparently in the hall, it is free of charge, but if you need to do some work, get some papers and so, the place is not prepared for that, therefore, I prefer to do it in the room. It is a 5 star hotel and, as such, extra services have 5 star price too, which, in my opinion, are not acceptable.
Nevertheless, it is a highly recommended hotel.
CORINTHIA HOTEL LISBONAv. Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, nº 105,Lisbon 1099-031,
PORTUGAL
T: +351 21 7236363
F: +351 21 7236364
E: lisboa@corinthia.pt
CARLTON HOTEL SINGAPORE
A stop over in Singapore, with Singapore Airlines took me to this Carlton Hotel, in the Raffles area of the city. The first thing is that is undergoing expansion works, therefore, there was no reception in the ground floor. Staff were waiting for you in the entrance to take you to the provisional Reception Desk on the 6th floor... This was the beginning of the nightmare. The concierge took control of my luggage, while I got to reception. I was promised it would be sent to my room later.Reception staff was hardly helpful. In fact, after 3 weeks in Asia, where by politeness, everyone says yes to anything that comes out of your mouth, staff here, were the "NO" Type. They put me in a twin room. I asked to get a big bed instead. No... Hotel is full... As if... The conversations were as if I was talking to trainees. They were all extremely young, I suppose cheaper to pay and there was no one who seemed to be the senior.
I asked if they could add points to my frequent flyer card, as advertised in a panel in the reception. No, the booking has been done via a travel agent
They told me that breakfast was not included... When my reservation clearly stated the price included breakfast... "No... reservation is done without breakfast".
I was given the key and sent to the 11th floor. But my key didn't work, so back to the 6th floor to get it fixed. New key given and back to the 11th. This time, I was lucky. It worked. My room was 1116, next to the lifts, so the "Cliiiiiing" of the lift arriving was noticeable all the time. My room, was facing the works, therefore, it was noisy, as the windows, clearly were not properly isolated. In fact, you could even get the noise of the planes taking off...
As my suitcase didn't arrive, I decided to go to get something to eat. On my return, about 1 hour and a half later, my suitcase was STILL NOT THERE... I had to call the concierge to ask for it...
The room was rather basic. The carpet looked really old, slightly dirty, and there were no sleepers available, so, I was a bit concerned to walk barefooted. Asia tends to offer complementary water... Over here, not even a "mirage" of it.I had a shower and when going to get dry, noticed that the towels were unpleasantly stinking, as if they had been washed with dirty water and got dry. That made me go and complain, yet again.
They key kept not working, which made me quite worked up about it, having to go to reception to complain and complain. In the end, they came to my room with me "to show me I didn't know how to use a magnetic key". It worked for them...
The cleaner came in the morning, asking me if she could come in and do the room. I told her I was leaving that afternoon, and she said... "It's ok; I can do it for you, if you want". I said... help yourself. Strange... Nothing to complain about... (1st thing).
If you wanted to stay in, you had an old TV with some TV stations, most of them Chinese and the odd one European and English speaking. Unlike most hotels, if you wanted to see a movie, there was no free movie channel (HBO, Star, AXN...) that normally are available. Over in the "generous" (not) Carlton, you had to pay to watch a movie. Not even MTV or similar was available.
From the window, I could see the swimming pool and its floor was way far from being clean...
The worst part of it is that it wasn't cheap and I was staying there on a Stop-over from Singapore Airlines. Clearly, this airline would really have to reconsider whether to allow this hotel to be somehow related to them. Very poor image they are giving. Maybe it is also a sign that Singapore Airlines could be changing?
76 Bras Basah Road
189558 - Singapore
Tel: +65 6338-8333
HOTEL AFRICA EL MOURADI
It all starts in reception. The lighting is way old fashioned. The lifts have rather small doors and seem to go the way they want. I wonder if the would be able to cater for a wheel chair. The rooms seem abandoned to time. They are clean...ish. But very basic for this rating. One of the unbearable things for me was the air conditioned, that, once you left the room, started working even if it was off, so at you return, the room was... extremely hot. If you think that I am joking, look at the thermometer in my room one night. It was thanks to the fact that the window could be opened that I managed to get the temperature down. 
The views from the 18th floor where I was staying were good. The room had two small beds, even though I had asked for a big bed. As you can imagine, the cover and the blanket needed to be taken off... The bathroom was old fashioned, decorated in Arabic style, and could have been cleaner. Long hairs could be found in the bath, sink... which clearly were not mine. Even a little spider... Breakfast was generous, but most things were repeated. Fruit was not fresh apart from the odd thing that didn't look that fresh. Plenty of bread and Tunisian cakes. There was a cook waiting for your order of eggs, or crêpes. There was also some typical fried pastry, but in the end, hardly anything to eat. Cheese seemed really dry. Pain au chocolate was... ok... Coffee, horrendous. Not really my cup of tea...
Internet was ridiculous. It did not open many websites, which in the end, it was frustrating. 10 Euro for the use for 24 hours... I had to go down to reception and tell the guys there that it was not working. Initially, it was due to some problem in the building, which then turned out to be that it was a general problem with internet in the country... and of course, I said that in this condition, I could not accept the service. So I was promised I would not be charged for it and was sent to the room to give them the password back. Surprisingly enough, the following day, the bill contemplated Internet used which I refused to pay, and eventually, got deducted from my bill.
God, was I happy to leave the hotel !!!
50, avenue Habib Bourguiba-B.P.73 ,
1001, Tunis Ville,
Tunisia
Téléphone : + 216 71 34 74 77
Fax : + 216 71 34 74 32Site
Email : info.africa@elmouradi.com
SHERATON DUBAI CREEK HOTEL & TOWERS
Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers is a nice hotel. It is grand, but you can tell that the hotel is not a new one. There is something about it that makes you feel it needs some updating.Checking in at reception, late at night, as flights to Dubai normally reach at night, was extreeeeeemely slow. I am not sure how many questions I got asked... which probably could have been done when reserving the room. I had my voucher... but still... questions and questions. Excuse me man! I want to go to bed... I was thinking. And I was lucky, as I was the first one to reach the desk from a large group. I wonder when the next group of Argentineans would have reached their room.
The elevators were on the opposite corner of the entrance, which was a bit of a nuisance, as my room was just on top of the main entrance... So my "promenades" in and out of the hotel were spectacularly long... I feel they need to improve this.
The room was nice and spacious. Big bed (as I normally ask) and plenty of pillows. I tend to only need one, but watching TV in bed always requires a few more. The room was clean, but my complaint would be that, facing the main road, the noise isolation was not very good. Also, the fountain in the lobby made a constant noise. I was too tired by the end of day to have these affecting my sleep, but I wonder how other people with lighter sleeping habits would manage.
The shower was good... and so was the smell of the soaps... Sometimes you go to certain hotels that have extremely scented soaps... which really, put me off. It was not the case here... I really liked it.
Breakfast was good... although not first class. Horrendous juices, of course, not fresh. Artificial egg liquid for omelettes (I am sure it has a name, but I don't recall it now). This is really important for me... so I opted to get fried eggs. Fruit, however, was impressively tasty, sweet and abundant, so... I got a lot of it.I had my breakfast in the outside terrace, which was a bit hot and had some smoke from smokers... but was worth it to overlook the creek, watching the waterbuses pass by, and the skyscrapers in front of you... A bit of relaxation to start with before a stressing day.
Checking out was way faster than checking in...although they tried to charge extra for my breakfast, which was included in the voucher. Strange! So beware of the charges.
Another negative point was the charge for Internet in the room. A totally unacceptable high price.
It is a good hotel, but I am not sure whether I would go back again. I would definitely try to go to the nearby Radisson, which is closer to Union Metro Station, and probably, would offer free Internet, as it is customary in those hotels.
SHERATON DUBAI CREEK HOTEL & TOWERS
Baniyas Street/Creek Road
Po Box 4250
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Phone: +971-4-2281111
reservationsdubaiuae@sheraton.com
The Hilton Dublin
Hotel Overview
The Hilton Dublin hotel in Dublin lets you experience the hospitality and customer satisfaction which shows in the dedicated hotel staff that is always eager to help and welcomes every question that you might have. You can expect numerous facilities such as a 24-hour available reception desk and room service.
Many value this highly and thus the Hilton Dublin hotel, central south area, is well frequented by travelers around the world.
Furthermore, the rooms offer you all the amenities that you would expect from a hotel in this class and sometimes even more than that. Private telephones and a well stocked Mini Bar are just some of the features that the Hilton Dublin hotel provides to its guests.
The discounted rates mentioned here are available ONLY on Excelloz and not from the Hilton Dublin hotel directly. All service charges and taxes are already included in the stated price. With confidence, proceed now to your hotel reservation!
Hotel Rooms
Despite having low rates, you get comfortable Dublin hotel accommodation in a contemporary setting. Nevertheless, cleanliness and service quality are of a high standard.
All hotel rooms have numerous amenities such as private telephones and a well stocked Mini Bar to make your stay at the Hilton Dublin as pleasant as possible. The rooms themselves were furnished tastefully while being functional in a way that always keeps the guests needs in mind.
Hotel Location
The Hilton Dublin hotel is located at Central South, one of Dublin's most interesting areas, featuring quick access to plenty of shopping, dining or entertainment options. The hotel staff will be more than happy to help you find the right restaurant or the most happening bar to go out to.
Dublin Transportation from the area is also readily available if you need to reach any other part of the city. Just hop into one of the many taxis or have the reception call one for you. Dublin has so many things to offer that you will surely find many things that suit your taste perfectly.
General Hotel Location information by Excelloz.com
| Facilities include |
| • | Luxury | • | Shopping |
| • | Wheelchair Accessible | • | Broadband Internet Access |
| • | Air Conditioning |
Hotel Facilities
Several facilities at the Hilton Dublin Hotel Dublin will surely satisfy your requirements. Also, the friendliness of the establishment's staff will make your leisure or business trip a complete success.
Why not just sit back and relax to fully enjoy your hotel stay in Dublin, Ireland?
The hotel also provides local and international dishes at its food and beverage outlet. Even when you should be outside the hotel the whole day you can have at least breakfast at the restaurant before you leave.
Other facilities available at the Hilton Dublin are 24-hour hotel room service, as well as express laundry and dry-cleaning service. Security is also a strong point, with video surveillance and round-the-clock guard service. Safe deposit boxes can additionally be used to store your valuables.
A tour desk present in the hotel lobby helps you with further travel arrangements, while the helpful concierge service can be used to inquire or make reservations within Dublin. The Hilton Dublin hotel even has an on-demand airport transfer service that can take you to or from your plane.
Why not just sit back and relax to fully enjoy your hotel stay in Dublin, Ireland?
The hotel also provides local and international dishes at its food and beverage outlet. Even when you should be outside the hotel the whole day you can have at least breakfast at the restaurant before you leave.
Other facilities available at the Hilton Dublin are 24-hour hotel room service, as well as express laundry and dry-cleaning service. Security is also a strong point, with video surveillance and round-the-clock guard service. Safe deposit boxes can additionally be used to store your valuables.
A tour desk present in the hotel lobby helps you with further travel arrangements, while the helpful concierge service can be used to inquire or make reservations within Dublin. The Hilton Dublin hotel even has an on-demand airport transfer service that can take you to or from your plane.
| Facilities include |
| • | Luxury | • | Shopping |
| • | Wheelchair Accessible | • | Broadband Internet Access |
| • | Air Conditioning |
Hotel of the Week: Paradise Island Villas
The British summer may be on its way out, but in Crete the water is still in the mid-20s and the raki-distilling season is only just about to begin. We also love a hotel where the rooms are fit for Greek gods and goddesses (and named after them too)…
Style Set-apart, secluded villas
Setting Cretan paradise found
Why this week? Paradise Island Villas is knocking 25 per cent off room rates for bookings made by 30 September, for stays from 24 September to 1 November 2010, making a Senior Villa just €171.75, and their plushest accommodation – a Superior Villa – €327 a night. And the usual Smith member offer (a bottle of Cretan wine and a hamper of local produce) still applies. Lucky.
Our favourite bits Calling yourself paradise may seem like an ambitious claim, but the secluded, sanctuary-like villas of Paradise Island, with their private pools, dining areas and Jacuzzis live up to the name. Even the restaurant deserves to be called Ambrosia, serving perfectly grilled catch of the day and locally reared lamb, as well as delicious Greek desserts. Lastly, let’s not forget the villas’ stunning location between the Mediterranean and the mountains.
Mr & Mrs Smith say ‘The minimalist Mediterranean interiors have that warm, earthy feel. The lime-washed four-poster beds are draped with luxurious linens, and rooms are filled with examples of Mediterranean carpentry at its finest (tree-trunk bedside tables, bamboo panels and wood and glass corner cabinets). Each has its own gorgeous garden, with a Jacuzzi-jet pool and dining area. Delicate metal lanterns are scattered around in between palm trees and linen deck chairs. There are fireplaces, and spiral staircases leading up to heaven, sorry, the first floor. Our advice? Don’t bite any apples and you can stay forever…’
Style Set-apart, secluded villas
Setting Cretan paradise found
Why this week? Paradise Island Villas is knocking 25 per cent off room rates for bookings made by 30 September, for stays from 24 September to 1 November 2010, making a Senior Villa just €171.75, and their plushest accommodation – a Superior Villa – €327 a night. And the usual Smith member offer (a bottle of Cretan wine and a hamper of local produce) still applies. Lucky.
Our favourite bits Calling yourself paradise may seem like an ambitious claim, but the secluded, sanctuary-like villas of Paradise Island, with their private pools, dining areas and Jacuzzis live up to the name. Even the restaurant deserves to be called Ambrosia, serving perfectly grilled catch of the day and locally reared lamb, as well as delicious Greek desserts. Lastly, let’s not forget the villas’ stunning location between the Mediterranean and the mountains.
Mr & Mrs Smith say ‘The minimalist Mediterranean interiors have that warm, earthy feel. The lime-washed four-poster beds are draped with luxurious linens, and rooms are filled with examples of Mediterranean carpentry at its finest (tree-trunk bedside tables, bamboo panels and wood and glass corner cabinets). Each has its own gorgeous garden, with a Jacuzzi-jet pool and dining area. Delicate metal lanterns are scattered around in between palm trees and linen deck chairs. There are fireplaces, and spiral staircases leading up to heaven, sorry, the first floor. Our advice? Don’t bite any apples and you can stay forever…’
The 9 Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Asia
There are dozens of incredible tourist attractions throughout Japan, South Korea, and China. While many are historic, some are simply entertaining and others are designed to give visitors some of the most breathtaking views of Asia possible.
We’ve compiled a list of some of Asia’s most popular tourist attractions, as decided by the number of visitors each receives over the course of the calendar year. You might be surprised to see some of America’s favorite outposts on the list along with some of Asia’s most renowned historic attractions.
Image credit: helix90Tokyo Disney was the first Disney theme park ever built outside of the United States. The theme park consists of both Tokyo Disney Land and Tokyo Disney Sea. The theme park recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and it is estimated that approximately 25 million people visit Tokyo Disney each year.
The Great Wall of China spans over 4,000 miles. Originally built to protect China against invaders, the wall is now a hot destination for tourists visiting from all over the world. The most popular section can be found at Bandaling, where a 10km section is open to the public for exploration. The actual number of visitors to the wall annually varies depending on the source you ask, but rumor has it that the local municipality caps visitation at 16 million people per year.
The Temple of Heaven is a series of buildings that were built in the 15th century. They represent some of the finest ancient Chinese architectural works still in existence today. Spiritually, the buildings represent the special relationships between heaven and earth. It is believed that 12 million people visit the Temple of Heaven annually.
Nagashima Spa Land is not an amusement park alone but an entire tourist complex. The largest flower festival in Japan is held in the spa’s botanical gardens each year. Visitors flock to this location to relax in both the indoor and outdoor hot springs, shop in the mall, and entertain themselves in the amusement park. Over 11.4 million people visit each year, with almost 4 million visiting the amusement park alone.
During the late 19th century the highest mountain at Hong Kong Island was developed into a resort for the rich and famous. The resort can be accessed by tram car and those who visit have a wide variety of dining and entertainment options. The real treat here, however, is the view. Each year over 9.4 million people visit Victoria Peak.
Universal Studios, much like Disney, has theme parks all over the world. Its Japanese outpost is one of the most popular and in its first year of operation received more than 11 million visitors. The theme park has since tapered down to a cool 8.7 million visitors per year instead.
The construction of the Forbidden City in China was completed in 1420 and was believed, by the emperor at least, to be the center of the universe. The city is protected by a 30 foot high wall and was reserved for the emperor only until 1925. At that point it was turned into a museum and the public was given open access. It’s estimated that the Forbidden City receives anywhere from 7 – 9 million visitors each year, though visitation during the 2008 Olympics likely made numbers for that year spike a bit higher.
Everland is the largest theme park in all of South Korea and, as far as attendance is concerned, is the 10th most popular in the world. Drawing close to 7.2 million visitors per year, it is believed this park draws more traffic than Universal Studios in Florida. Similar to Disney theme parks, Everland is split into different themed sections – giving visitors plenty to explore.
Not far North of Tai’an City you’ll find Mount Tai, which is considered one of the five mountains held sacred to Taoism. Once a respected retreat for Chinese emperors, millions of people flock to the mountain each year. Many climb the 7,000 steps to the Azure Clouds Temple which is found at the top of the mountain. Those who are wary of the stairs will simply explore the Taishan Temple at the base.
Asia is full of ancient and contemporary attractions bound to draw visitors from both local cities and the rest of the world. Make sure you take advantage of as many cultural opportunities as possible if you’re ever in the area. These are some of the most popular sites in Southeast Asia. Make room for them on your itinerary!
We’ve compiled a list of some of Asia’s most popular tourist attractions, as decided by the number of visitors each receives over the course of the calendar year. You might be surprised to see some of America’s favorite outposts on the list along with some of Asia’s most renowned historic attractions.
Toyko Disney Land (Tokyo)
Image credit: helix90Great Wall of China (Bandaling)
Temple of Heaven (Beijing, China)
Nagashima Spa Land (Japan)
Victoria Peak (Hong Kong, China)
Universal Studios (Osaka, Japan)
Forbidden City (Beijing, China)
Everland (Kyonggi-Do, South Korea)
Mount Tai /Taishan (Tai’an, China)
Asia is full of ancient and contemporary attractions bound to draw visitors from both local cities and the rest of the world. Make sure you take advantage of as many cultural opportunities as possible if you’re ever in the area. These are some of the most popular sites in Southeast Asia. Make room for them on your itinerary!
The Top 10 Quirkiest Hotels from Around the World.
August 1, 2006 - TripAdvisor(TM), the largest travel community in the world, today announced the top 10 quirkiest hotels from around the globe, according to traveler popularity and TripAdvisor editors
1. Have an Ice Stay: Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada, Quebec, Canada
Breathtaking hotel made of ice, features an ice chapel, theme suites, an ice bar, and an art gallery -- with ice sculptures, of course. Activities include cross-country skiing, ice fishing, archery, snowmobiling, snow tubing and even dogsled driving. As one TripAdvisor traveler described, "It's like sleeping in a 5-star igloo." The "icetablishment" is only open from January to April, just don't forget your parka and long johns
2. Jail House Rock: Malmaison Oxford Castle, England, U.K.
Everything about the Malmaison Oxford Castle is authentic enough to make you feel as if you are in the confines of an actual prison, but with better company. Can a jail hotel be romantic? According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "My husband and I decided to 'honeymoon' at the Malmaison Oxford Castle, feeling that this magnificent converted prison would make a grand setting to begin our 'life sentence' together. It certainly did not disappoint." The first U.K. prison to be converted into a hotel, rest assured the property was renovated to ensure for more comfortable accommodations.
3. Smooth Sailing: Imperial Boat House, Ko Samui, Thailand
With 34 authentic teakwood rice barges converted into land-locked luxury suites, the Imperial Boat House on the beach is nautical nirvana. The lavish outdoor pools are surrounded by a lush and lovely garden. As described by one TripAdvisor traveler, "The resort is really impressive -- beautiful landscaping and accents throughout." A final touch-the remarkable beach-front, boat-shaped pool, features cannons -- no doubt, to keep the pirates at bay
4. Entertainment Extravaganza: Fantasyland Hotel & Resort, Edmonton, Canada
With over-the-top fixtures and themed rooms, the Fantasyland Hotel and Resort is a shock to the senses. According to a TripAdvisor traveler, "It gives you the feeling that you're somewhere totally different, and when it's -30 C and there is tons of snow, this is the perfect escape." Great for families, it boasts a 217,800 square-foot indoor water park, an indoor ice rink, indoor golf and you guessed it, indoor roller coaster ride. Why all the indoor activities? Remember this is Edmonton, not Ibiza.
5. Tree-Top Tableau: Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel, Manaus, Brazil
Seventy feet up into the tree-tops of the Amazon, the Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel features catwalks connecting the entire complex. Activities include a jungle walk, swimming with dolphins, a caiman hunt and even piranha fishing. The rooms are rustic, but in the opinion of one TripAdvisor traveler, "Wouldn't some towering monstrosity of modern conveniences be somewhat incongruous in this setting?" Don't be surprised to see a wide variety of flora and fauna in this authentic jungle environment, where it's okay to hand-feed the monkeys and parrots.
6. Desert Rose: Al Maha Desert Resort, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Unique in its setting in the middle of the Dubai Desert, the Al Maha Desert Resort is an oasis with luxurious accommodations, including private pools and an authentic "Bedouin" encampment design. Activities that might be hard-to-find anywhere else include sand dune driving, falconry and camel trekking, and the panoramic views of the Hajar Mountains are a sight to be seen. Oryx and gazelles are known to come around the rooms at night and drink water from the private swimming pools. As one TripAdvisor traveler noted, "There are lots of wild oryx roaming the grounds, which is nice, but also a bit scary when they're blocking the path to the room."
7. Chief Light-Wallet: Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona
Operating along the historic U.S. Route 66, the Wigwams are actually teepee-style, cement tents. The bargain motel features the authentic feel of a 50s desert town -- from the furniture, to the vintage cars in the parking lot, to the sounds of the old locomotive passing through town. The rates are also a blast from the past -- the average room costs about $45 a night. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "By the way, the rate is for real ... the youngest son of the builder commented to me that they don't make money operating the motel, they do it 'as a sort of public service.'" Cash and credit only, wampum not accepted
8. Caveman's Delight: Yunak Evleri, Urgup, Turkey
Carved out of a stunning mountain-side cliff, the honeycombed hotel includes six cave houses, with rooms connected by narrow, maze-like passageways and stone stairways (think Land of the Lost, without the creatures). Decorated in Ottoman style, Yunek Evleri provides private patios offering dramatic views of the Turkish Mesa. As described by one TripAdvisor traveler, "You are then whisked to this serene land with its 7th century caves, outdoor archeological museums, and the best baklava ever."
9. Toro! Toro!: Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
Built around a 17th century bullfighting ring, it's no longer operational, so leave the red cape at home. The Quinta Real Zacatecas incorporates the feel of "Old Mexico," with its colonial architecture. Beautifully illuminated at night, the hotel also faces the city's ancient arched aqueduct and the local village's quaint shops complete the unique experience. Be sure to enjoy the comfy robes ... as one TripAdvisor traveler suggested, "Do yourself a favor and buy their robes to take home, I didn't and I have regretted it for seven years now."
10. Inn Vogue: Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California
Most often referred to as kitschy, perhaps the best description for the Madonna Inn comes from a recent TripAdvisor traveler, "It's what happens when Barbie moves in with Barney Rubble, all pink and rock." But that's part of the charm of the Madonna. A garish, chalet-style inn, the hotel features 45 rooms with varying themes and color schemes. To many travelers, an indescribably unique experience, perhaps the only thing you need to know is that there is a famous waterfall urinal in the men's room
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