Archive for the ‘travel’ Category
Dubai 7 Star Hotel – Choose Wisely, It’s Your Money
Dubai 7 Star Hotel – Choose Wisely, It’s Your Money We’re Talking About
Dubai has taken the lead in building the world’s fanciest, and most opulent luxury hotels. Every few days a new one is built or plans announced to build one.
But, Dubai 7 star hotel?
Yes. Seven Star. Though self-proclaimed, since officially a 5 Star is the highest level a hotel can get, a trip to The Burj Dubai Hotel will clear all doubts that this truly is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. In fact, a 10 star Underwater Hotel in Dubai named The Hydropolis is being built. The beautiful Burj Dubai Hotel, that’s shaped like a billowing sail, has surpassed all previous records in pampering their customers. Being treated like royalty is how some people express about their stay here.
Having completely undergone a transformation from a sleepy fishing town to a glitzy, modern tourist and business destination, Dubai is now one of the Fastest Growing Tourist Destinations in the World. Having consistently grown over the past 2 decades or so, Dubai now plans to double tourist inflow by 2015. To cater to this great potential, a slew of top class hotel groups have gone in frenzy to build the most elegant and luxurious Hotels in the world. Not without reason. Statistics show that Dubai will attract the lion’s share of affluent tourists by 2015.
To be truly termed 7 star, a hotel has to have 7 star facilities like designer duplex rooms, luxurious amenities like personal spa, celebrity chef cooking, signature restaurants, and your own personal butler. In fact, service has to go beyond the ordinary & hum drum, and stretch into proactive, personalised service. Calling guests by their first name, designer chocolates, towel decoration and flower bouquets in your room, along with room service twice a day, all go in to add that special personal touch.
Live life King-size. That’s the motto of Dubai 7 star hotels.
Here’s a list of Dubai luxury Hotels, with a short description of each:
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
An incredible view from the room, overlooking the sea with the Burj Dubai Hotel in front, The Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, the most luxurious beach hotel in Dubai and popularly classified as a Dubai 7 star Hotel, has a breakfast buffet (at the Latitude) to be eaten to be believed…
Atlantis Hotel Dubai, Palm Island Resort Dubai
A superb Dubai seven star hotel on the man-made island, Jumeirah Palm Islands. The Atlantis Hotel Dubai has lovely rooms overlooking the sea and excellent food. The fantastic view of the Palm Islands at night, all lit up and glowing and the lovely Aquaventure water park with the Dolphins is an experience out of the ordinary…
Jumeirah Emirates Towers.
Located close to the DIFC, The Jumeirah Emirates Towers meets all the needs of a busy executive as well as holiday makers. A range of restaurants and a shopping mall nearby, the internal business center is professional and state of the art with the lobby and the lounge, ideal for informal meetings. One of the better 5 star hotels in Dubai, but could easily pass off as a 7 star hotel…
The Ritz Carlton, Dubai
A nice, small, personal hotel, The Ritz Carlton Dubai which is a fine beach hotel has polite, caring staff, a great kid’s pool, and a nice private beach with tempting blue azure waters where you can snorkel and indulge in other water activities…
Le Meridien Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina
One of the popular, luxurious 5 star hotels in Dubai, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina deserves to be a Dubai 7 star hotel. The pool area, beach and gardens are very well made and maintained and service is exceptional…
Grosvenor House Dubai West Marina Beach
The favorite Dubai Accomodations of lots of friends that delivers great service and thoughtful extras to pamper guests, like chocolates and flowers; The Grosvenor House West Marina Beach Dubai, with services like a 7 star hotel, is located just minutes away from Dubai Internet and Media City, as well as the world-famous Emirates Golf Course…
The Hydropolis: Underwater Hotel in Dubai
Located in the middle of the ocean, and below the surface of the sea, Touted to be the only 10 star hotel in the world. The approximate price: USD 5000+ per night. Yes, you read right. It is USD Five Thousand!
Mina A Salam Madinat Jumeirah
With beautiful views from most rooms of the sun, sand and sea, The Mina A’ Salam Madinat Jumeirah is a lovely beach hotel in Dubai. Exquisite food, spacious rooms, and great service, that I would sum up as a Dubai 7 star hotel…
Whether you enjoy your stay in one of these seven star hotels or not, one thing is certain. It isn’t going to be cheap. Now everybody has different likes and dislikes. So how do you determine, what’s good for you and what’s not, simply by viewing the hotel on a website, or reading a few reviews? You need some crystal clear tips along with the important do’s and don’ts that you won’t find on the booking websites. Then you’ll make a calculated decision.
Visit Dubai 7 Star Hotel for the complete list, including information to travel in and around the hotel vicinity and great restaurant info.
The Only 7 Star Hotel in the World
A seven star hotel is considered a synonym for grandeur, class and style. Offering luxuries like limousine service, private transfer for all guests via private golf cart, private butler service and just about anything else that is being associated with vanity. These days, savvy and wealthy globetrotters, demand for caviar, personal butlers and Bentley and more tasty accommodation morsels as they prefer to travel (and rest) in style when it comes to bedding heads for the night. Seven star hotels accomplish all this.
There is an official body with standard criteria for classifying hotels in some countries. While most countries check their hotel rating systems at five, very few use six or seven star ratings, claiming to be the most beautiful and prestigious hotels in the world. At present there is only one seven star hotel in the world, though there are a few more under construction. Start planning your vacations now and be the first to see some of the amazing architectural wonders.
The Burj- Al- Arab in Dubai, the only Seven Star hotel began in 1994 and was modeled after the sail of a famous Arabian ship. The appearance was created by using Teflon-coated fiberglass and white materials that resemble a mast when viewed from a distance. The hotel is an architectural masterpiece. The foundation was constructed on an artificial island and the hotel is home to the world’s tallest atrium. While the Burj- Al- Arab likes to believe it is the world’s only seven-star hotel, it is officially known as a five-star deluxe hotel on the standard star system.
The Burj Al Arab is the only, “Seven star” hotel bearing a resemblance to a billowing sail, the hotel ascends to a height of 321 meters, overlooking the Dubai coastline. It is an unforgettable sight at night, surrounded by maneuvered color sculptures of water and fire. This all-suite hotel with the floor to ceiling glass windows viewing breathtaking Arabian Gulf reflects the finest that the world has to offer.
Designed to offer most comfort, unique service levels with chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, discreet in-suite check in, private reception desk on every floor and a brigade of highly trained butlers who provide around-the-clock attention, you can be assured of a highly personalized service throughout your stay. The hotel offers the highest levels of personalized service in the most luxurious surroundings imaginable, while the butler will ensure that every little need is met.
Surrounded by white beaches and the blue waters of the Arabian Gulf, one can choose from a variety of activities while staying at Burj-Al-Arab. Alternatively, there are unlimited amenities for recreation and entertainment; be it spacious airy gymnasium boasting the very latest in equipment and with personal trainers on hand or unlimited complimentary access to Wild Wadi Water Park for water sports, accessible via a complimentary buggy drive or short walk.
Boutique Hotel Internet Marketing
Boutique hotel internet marketing has dramatically changed this past few years. Never has there been a better time to get a tremendous amount of exposure, website traffic, leads, and new customers from the worldwide web, though. The opportunity to be the number one establishment in your local area is there for the taking. Here are some things to do immediately when it comes to marketing your hotel or resort online.
Use Social Networking
Facebook and Twitter come to mind as the major social networking front-runners. Facebook itself boast over 600 million users at present. Talk about a massive lead generation powerhouse! You can meet targeted people locally or related to a specific industry on social networking websites, building trust and credibility fast.
Facebook, and most other networks, now have an ads section similar to Google AdWords where you can get mass exposure in no time at all. Knowing how to harness this medium can give your hotel / resort all the growth you want.
Get Online Reviews
Google Places, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and CitySearch are a few places you can start. Hold contests and incentives for your current and past customers to get them to provide feedback. People trust other people’s reviews so you can use this to your advantage when it comes to hotel internet marketing.
Amazon.com is prime example. Most often when you go there, you read the reviews before ever purchasing a book. Why? Reason being, you want to get unbiased user feedback to make an educated decision.
Create and Distribute Videos
Video is a very powerful medium to connect with any brand and get a sense of the establishment before ever being there. Customers want to see the place live before ever setting foot in your resort or boutique hotel.
If you have knowledge of search engine optimization and internet marketing, you’ll be able to rank the videos on the first page of Google for high-traffic search terms, too. Then, you can sit-back as they work for you 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Start a Blog
A blog is your home-base online and can be a good place to bring the traffic to from your other lead generation campaigns. WordPress is the best platform to use and make sure the blog gets installed directly on your website. Never use a sub-domain.
It’s important to post regularly on the blog and know how to optimize each post for Google and other search engines. This can be a great traffic generator once your blog establishes a bit of authority. This boutique hotel marketing strategy is like a snowball that can turn into an avalanche eventually.
Aggressive boutique hotel internet marketing is necessary for those companies wanting to grow quickly in today’s time. It’s the easiest and most effective way to stand out from all of the other chain and corporate hotels. Having a seasoned hotel marketing consultant by your side to implement these campaigns can fast-track your growth, too.
The Stories of Manila Hotel
If Raffles Hotel is said to be the embodiment of Singapore’s rich culture, the Manila Hotel serves as the favorite muse of all hotels in the Philippines. It is described as a “living testimonial of Philippine heritage.”
Built by the Americans near the turn of the 20th century, the Manila Hotel has stood witness to important events in Philippine history including the Philippine Commonwealth, the Second World War, the Restoration of the Philippine Republic, Martial Law, People Power, Restoration of Democracy, attempts of Coup d’ etat, Impeachment of an incumbent president and so much more. Despite the wear and tear of time, Manila Hotel is still surviving and fighting for its existence in Philippine landscape and history.
The doors of the Manila Hotel were first opened in 1912. It used to host the festivities during the inauguration of the Philippine Commonwealth government. But when the Japanese occupied the Philippines in the 1940s, the hotel became the headquarters of the Imperial Army. When the time of the Liberation came, Manila was bombed by the Americans in order to attack the Japanese forces seeking refuge in the capital. It was a miracle that this hotel survived this bombing and was later rebuilt in its finest stature.
Up to the present time, it holds important political events and inaugurations of notable people in the Philippines. Foreign leaders and Heads of State like Prince Charles stayed in this hotel, as well as entertainers Sammy Davis Jr. and The Beatles. It had also been a home to authors Ernest Hemingway and James Michener, Time publisher Henry Luce, and actors John Wayne and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Among the notable personalities that stayed in this hotel, there is one that truly made a mark: Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who played an important role in liberating the Philippines from the Japanese invasion. General MacArthur stayed in the hotel for a time before the War broke in the 1940s. The same room that Gen. MacArthur stayed in was preserved until now in its original condition. This room was even named after the brave general who became dear to the Filipinos’ hearts.
The hotel’s major renovation and reconstruction was done during the time of the Marcos dictatorship. It was reopened in 1977 with an even grander and more glamorous appeal. This time can be considered the hotel’s peak of glory. It was during this era when the Manila Hotel won many international awards and gain recognitions from all around the globe.
If Manila Hotel could only tell stories of what it had been through for the past century, publishers will surely not ran out of books to publish. But even without speaking, the architecture, the style and the design of the Manila Hotel could already testify to what it had experienced. And as a symbol of Philippine culture at its finest, Manila Hotel will never cease to tell its stories to the coming generations.
Is it Prudent to Wait? The Truth About Last Minute
Is it Prudent to Wait? The Truth About Last Minute Hotel Room Bookings
There is a much debated topic among travelers as to whether or not it is advantageous to wait until the last minute to get a better discount on a downtown Vancouver hotel room or Toronto Airport Hotel. There are two schools on this idea, and each makes valid points as to whether or not earlier is better.
The Last Minute Booking Position:Many will argue, that it is in fact, better to wait until the last moment to book your hotel room, as often you are able to save a significant amount on the rate. The reasoning behind this argument is simple. In the instance of a Toronto airport hotel, often when there is excess inventory the day prior or same day, a hotel will dramatically drop rates in order to prevent rooms from going empty. In the eyes of the hotelier, it is better to get something for the room as opposed to nothing, provided operations costs are covered.
The “pros” of this theory
often hotels can drop rates up to 50% of the regular sell rate, resulting in large discounts for the traveler – nice perk in the case of a Toronto airport hotel
The “cons” of this theory
By waiting too late, you may find the hotel is sold outBy waiting to book, you may find that specific room types are no longer available
The Early Booking Theory
On the other side of the debate, is the belief that the farther out you book, the better deal you will receive. Again, in the case of a Toronto airport hotel, it is speculate that the more rooms which are available, the lower the rate will be. As the hotel draws closer to the date of arrival, and the amount of rooms available for sale decrease; often hotels will raise rates. Always remember that hotels subscribe to the law of supply and demand; as the supply decreases the prices typically increase.
The “pros” of this theory
By making a booking far in advance when the hotel has ample inventory, you are apt to ensure a good rate as the hotel is not in a position to properly judge what the demand will beOften hotels will also offer advance booking discounts, which afford the traveler a cheaper rate by prepaying in advance for the roomBy booking farther in advance, you are sure to be offered a wider variety of room types
The “cons” of this theory
The hotel may not achieve the demand for the particular date and rates may indeed drop
One tip which can make this decision easier is to actually speak with the hotel and ask if they have a large amount of rooms available for the date you require. It is also wise to research what is happening at the destination at the time you are traveling. There is nothing like a festival or convention to drive hotel rates up and fill all the available rooms. Now go find that cheap Toronto airport hotel!
Book Smart!
Hotel Price Comparison – How to Negotiate a Lower Rate
Hotel Price Comparison – How to Negotiate a Lower Rate
The biggest expense that you are going to face while travelling is the cost of hotels. Finding a good deal on a hotel room can save you a lot of money on your next vacation. The problem is that it can be tricky to find the best rate available. This is because hotel prices aren’t straightforward, there are a lot of factors that go into them. A hotel price comparison can help you to find the best rate, but there are other ways to get a lower rate.
We are not really accustomed to negotiating
One way that you can save money on the cost of a hotel room is by negotiating. Most of us live in world in which we are not really accustomed to negotiating we usually just pay whatever we are told the price is. In many situations negotiating really isn’t an option, you wouldn’t haggle with the cashier at the supermarket over the price of milk. However there are some situation in which it makes sense to negotiate and booking a hotel is one of them. It is frequently possible to call up a hotel and ask to speak to the manager and negotiate a better room rate. This is far more likely to work during the slow season when they have empty rooms than it is when the hotel is full. The one difficulty that you may have when trying to negotiate is that since it will be difficult to do a hotel price comparison you will have fairly limited leverage.
Good deal will then get passed on to the traveller
The people who do have leverage to negotiate with hotels to get the best deals work for online booking websites. Sites like Travelocity and Expedia are able to negotiate with the hotels and get much better rates than most people can get on their own. They can do this precisely because they have the leverage that you lack. It is easy for them to make a hotel price comparison since they are negotiating with pretty much all of the hotels. The hotel managers know that if they want to fill their hotel they have to give a good deal to these sites. And that good deal will then get passed on to the traveller.
It is important that you make comparison of hotel prices if you want to get the best deal available. Just remember that the price they initially quote you probably isn’t the best price available. Hotel room rates tend to be negotiable, if you ask for a lower price you very well might get it.
Whats New With Boutique Hotel Resort Trends?
Boutique hotel resort trends have seen major changes recently due to the increasing booking demand. This is due to the fact that more and more people of late are opting for these hotels due to the personalized service offered by them. After all, when they are paying money, they feel good when they are pampered on their holidays or business trips. Boutique hotel resort trends have therefore seen a constant upward swing.
Chain hotels are still in demand. Albeit, trendy boutique hotel resorts are in vogue. So what’s the latest in boutique hotel resort trends? Well it’s a mixture of old and new. The hotel tries to tailor to every conceivable taste. Modern technology and a trip down memory lane.
The versatility of boutique hotels is another big element to their success. Boutique hotel resort trends have as their backbone, the ability to offer the customer little comforting products and services that appeal to the “spoil me” side in all of us.
The customized products and hotel atmosphere contributes to the exemplary standards that drive boutique hotel resort trends. What also establishes the hotels theme, is the surrounding locations.
If the hotel is situated in a busy urban location it can be assured of good business clubbed with quality service. Alternately, if it is located in a tourist spot which sees a lot of traffic there is a good chance of success again as seen in he boutique hotel resort trends.
After looking at boutique hotel resort trends it is apparent that being located in the hub of a city is very good for business. The modern traveler is keen to see the city and relax in the comfort of the boutique as well.
Another factor which plays a major role in the success of a boutique hotel according to boutique hotel resort trends is whether the location is attractive enough to obtain traffic during off seasons too. It is important to choose a location attracting maximum traffic most parts of the year, thereby ensuring maximum occupancy throughout the year.
So what else shows up in boutique hotel resort trends? Well, if the boutique offers individualized treatments and products for men and women, they create a lot of business for themselves. Maintaining the customers satisfaction is the key element here.
Boutique hotel resort trends also make it mandatory to market the service effectively. Doing this could be an important key to success. Important factors in this aspect are to see that the hotel gains maximum visibility through advertisements. One can even go in for affordable means of advertising but this has to be streamlined in the right direction to see that it is visible among targeted customers. Of course, keeping in tune with boutique hotel resort trends and making positive and progressive changes from time to time also plays a major role in the success of a boutique hotel.
The Benefits of Hotel Manager Jobs
One of the fastest growing career fields today is the hospitality business and that of course, includes hotel management. The fact is, that with currency rates having gone through and still undergoing adjustments, the American Dollar is turning out to be a better deal that it ever was when compared against currencies such as the Euro or the Yen.
This means that the U.S. is now on the receiving end of a new influx of foreign vacationers who have for years longed to visit the U.S. Places like Los Angles, New York Miami and “The Big Easy”, New Orleans are now finding their hotels filed to capacity where only a few years ago they were clamoring for customers.
However; one must bear in mind that being a successful hotel manager takes some level of training and experience. Still one more thing to bear in mind if you are planning on landing a hotel manager job is that you must be able to inspire others and bring out the best of them in the work place.
While on the surface this might seem like an easy thing to do, in fact, it is truly an art form and learning to master it is key to landing a dream hotel manager job. A truly great hotel manager is able to inspire in their employees a yearning to excel and will make them want to do their best to make the hotel where they work as nice a place to visit as possible.
So, if you think that you have what it takes and have a reasonable level of prerequisite experience then now is the best time to begin looking for a great hotel manager job. Of course, the best place to find a great hotel manager job is in a city that is a popular tourist destination but that doesn’t mean that a hotel near you isn’t now hiring.
Opening a Hotel Business? Avoid These 4 Common Mistakes
Starting even the simplest hotel or inn is a venture that carries with it a high amount of risk. Here are four top mistakes to avoid when opening a hotel business.
Mistake 1: Not Raising Enough Capital
A hotel owner generally purchases the property of the hotel, and the down payment alone may be substantial. Factor in all of the additional costs before you can invite a guest inside – renovation, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, computer systems, initial marketing, and supplies. Then, without good, conservative projections of your costs and revenues over the first year, hotel owners can still fail to have enough cash on hand to see them through the early growing pangs before room occupancy rises enough to cover costs. Don’t let this happen to you. Asking your investors for more help a few months after opening shows them that you didn’t understand the business to begin with. They will likely make you pay for the mistake by taking a greater percentage of the business, saddling you with much higher interest rates, or even replacing you with a new manager.
Mistake 2: Failing To Check The Zoning
Before any work begins you must know that the location you desire is properly zoned for a hotel. Don’t simply follow the word of the owner who wants to sell you the land or lease you the building. To be sure, you must check with the zoning authority yourself and see the zoning in writing. Your plans can be doomed from the start if you are not zoned correctly.
Mistake 3: Failing to Seek Professional Help
Hotel entrepreneurs should consider using the services of an expediter – an experienced professional who knows the local government’s ins and outs and will pursue attaining all of the proper licenses and permits on your behalf. Consider the references and experience of such a person carefully. Only if you plan to open multiple hotels do you have a good reason to learn permitting yourself and forgo an expediter. In those cases you may quickly move up the learning curve after your first hotel or two, saving money in the long run.
Mistake 4: Getting the Insurance Wrong
People sometimes get injured in hotels. As such, you need to make sure you get the appropriate insurance for your hotel. You need to make sure you insure the hotel itself and any additional property owned by the hotel. In addition to property insurance, you will need liability insurance for customer and workers compensation insurance for employees. Since insurance expenses for hotels can be significant, be sure to shop around for the best rate.
Hotel Management Institutes
Today, hotel industry is among the top most industries that are growing at a very fast pace and offering many exciting and lucrative career opportunities. Within the hospitality industry, hotels section has the ability to offer a lot of educational, internship and certification opportunities for aspirants pursuing a career in Hotel Management. A hotel management profession can be taken up via formal education that requires a degree in management training followed up by experience in the same field. One of the factors that also attract students towards this course is the glamour associated with it.
A bachelor degree in hotel management (BHM) books around 3 years of the candidate’s academic period to complete the whole training and theory. A degree in Hotel Management prepares the students to qualify for higher level of the industry’s specialized areas including food & beverage services, business accounting, accommodation, marketing hospitality services, and human resource, etc. the responsibilities of manager in hotel industry may include almost every aspect of the hotel, such as customer service, food quality, hotel supplies and catering. Other responsibilities of a hotel manager include looking after the scheduling and conference planning, serving as a personal attendant and also taking care of transportation services. Therefore, a manager has a great role to play for maintaining the name and reputation of the hotel or restaurant by performing his duties most efficiently.
Apart from the responsibilities and duties that a hotel manager has to perform, he is also allowed to enjoy few benefits as well, such as discount rates in travelling and lodging facilities. Once you have achieved a higher designation, you are open to earn a lot of money as perks, other than your regular salary. These managerial positions in a hotel include various categories from housekeeper to a front manager, a convention service manager, and a food & beverage manager.
There are many colleges and institutes in India that offer dynamic courses in hotel management giving bright opportunities to the candidate to earn and learn in the most efficient and comfortable way.