Friday, December 31, 2010

New Orleans Hotels

The other high end hotels in New Orleans include the W Hotel for the hip and trendy traveler. The W is one of the New Orleans boutique hotels with a modern touch. It also offers some interesting vacation packages, especially during summer when occupancy is low.

In the arts district you can find more New Orleans boutique hotels like the Ambassador with its hardwood flooring and wrought iron poster beds. It’s close by the galleries and walking distance to the French Quarter. There is also the Pelham Hotel, nearby the convention center which boasts European decorated rooms, some with four poster beds.

In the French Quarter, you can find some of the best historic hotels New Orleans offers. The Bourbon Street hotels are especially desirable if you want to be in the center of the New Orleans nightlife or have a good seat during one of the many New Orleans events and festivals, like the world famous Mardi Gras. The Wyndham Hotel, Royal Sonesta and French Market Inn are on the top of the list for the historic hotels New Orleans offers.




paranormal research team identified four ghosts at LePavillon including a 19th century teenage girl, a young aristocratic couple from the 1920’s, and a dapper gentleman from the same era who likes to play pranks on the cleaning staff.

With a history stretching back to the Gilded Age and impeccable French décor throughout, Le Pavillon Hotel of New Orleans piques the imagination in a way that even the Emperor himself would applaud.

Located in the heart of downtown New Orleans, Historic Le Pavillon Hotel is adjacent to the French Quarter, only five short blocks to the celebrated music clubs of Bourbon Street and the famous restaurants and antique shops of Royal Street. Within a five-minute walk, you can find yourself at the Louisiana Superdome for a NFL Saints home game or at the New Orleans Arena for a world-class concert or NBA Hornet's game.

If your travel to New Orleans is conference related, you will be pleased to know that Le Pavillon is only eight blocks to the Morial Convention Center, the largest convention center in Louisiana. During Carnival season, Le Pavillon Hotel offers an ideal location; as Mardi Gras parades roll only two blocks away from the grand entrance of this classic New Orleans hotel.

Opened in 1907, Le Pavillon Hotel New Orleans is a member of Historic Hotels of America and maintains membership in the exclusive Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Le Pavillon Hotel of New Orleans has been the proud recipient of AAA's four-diamond award since 1996. Out of hundreds of eligible New Orleans Hotels, Le Pavillon Hotel was named to the "Gold List" by Condé Nast.

In a world of steel-and-glass skyscrapers and cookie-cutter design, the age of grand hotels seems long gone. A rare exception: Le Pavillon Hotel of New Orleans is where guests can instantly conjure the days of genteel luxury, romantic evenings and glittering nights.

The much-lauded 324-room Windsor Court Hotel epitomizes New Orleans luxury while playing freely with disparate aesthetics. Completed in 1984, the Windsor Court transports design cues from Windsor Castle and other grand English country manors into a modern architectural space. Prints and paintings of equestrians and wig-wearing 18th-century nobles abound—even in the elevators—and original oils by Reynolds and Gainsborough hang in the first- and second-floor lobbies. A traditional afternoon tea is served in Le Salon, and the Polo Club Lounge, with its dark wood and resident piano player, feels like an old-time gentlemen's club. Eighty percent of the rooms are suites; the standard junior offers plenty of acreage and a kitchenette but lacks the polish that its reputation (and premium price) implies. The pop-up television at the foot of the king bed is a fun touch, but its oversize mirrored enclosure seems clunky and dated. The hotel was recently sold by the Orient-Express group to a local ownership team that has promised renovations; we hope they make improvements without sacrificing the atmosphere.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Two years

That's how long I've been married to the person I kept calling Da Ge (Big Brother) since we met each other online. Even now, this habit won't change, and I know how people look at us when they hear the way I call him the first time. :P But then, isn't it common for Malay to call their husbands "Abang"? I'm just adapting that tiny culture.

Years back, never in my wildest imagination that I would have known my lifelong half through the so call unsafest place to meet someone, internet.

For a person who is a bigger risk taker than her own look (I can look pretty nerdy), there are many things in life that I've done, regretted some, but this is the one I cherish.

Two years is just a short time. And there will be many more years to come. But when I think of how I can depend on him when I have to, I'm not afraid to walk through the unknown path lay ahead of me.

I know, he will be walking together by my side.

Dear Da Ge, aishiteru!

Flamingo Hotel Las Vegas

All reservations must be guaranteed with a deposit for the first nights guestroom and tax charge, per guestroom, billed immediately to the cardholder's account. Guestroom reservations may be canceled without penalty up to 72 hours of the scheduled arrival date or failure of the individual to check-in on the scheduled arrival date. Any remaining nights of a "no-show" reservation will be cancelled. It is policy to require a credit card or cash deposit for incidentals. The Hotel accepts Visa, Mastercard, Amercian Express, Diners Club, or Discover.

Check-in time is 4:00 PM and check-out time is 11:00AM. Any departures after 11:00 AM are subject to the full day charge. Each guestroom must have at least one registered guest 21 years of age or older.

Inviting and innovative - GO guest rooms feature sleek, modern furniture and indulge tech-savvy guests with digital accessories including premium sound system, iPod® docking station, CD/DVD player, electronic window treatments, 42" High Definition flat panel television with HDTV and wireless internet connections (fees apply). GO Deluxe bathrooms include stylish frosted glass walls and doors, Delta jetted shower fixtures, TV screens built in the mirrors and luxurious bath amenities by Gilchrist & Soames®.

* 42" High Definition flat panel television with HDTV
* State of the art Denon CD/DVD player
* iPod docking station











The famous Flamingo Hotel situated along the Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada.

You can add any of the above products to your shopping cart.
All of our prints come masterfully printed on museum-quality archival paper. Our computer mouse pads, trivets and trays are handmade, one by one. And every product comes with your satisfaction guaranteed! We usually ship within 48 hours!
Above the main casino, the upscale





London Club offers a posh ambience of evening-dress dealers, plush seating, and high-limit tables. The pool complex offers two large, heated pools flanking an expansive sundeck dotted with palm trees. The shopping/dining promenade runs in a 1.2-mile circle under a softly lighted "sky" ceiling. The opulent, 32,000-square-foot Elemis Spa offers two-room suites for couples, beauty treatments, and a fitness center

Amenity highlights: A 9.5-acre Mediterranean garden featuring fruit trees and slender cypresses contains six heated pools, three with oversize fountains and the two largest—180 feet and 150 feet long—open year-round. The garden also offers four jet spas roomy enough for 12-18 people, expansive sundecks, and luxurious for-rent cabanas furnished with television, telephone, refrigerator, sink, dining set, padded lounges, and both ceiling fan and misting system for cooling.

Insider tip: Located between the main casino and the mezzanine, Sinbad's Lounge is a terrific place not only for enjoying live evening entertainment but for viewing the hotel's entire neon-lit spectacle.
This picture is of last weekend's pool scene at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Can you spot K-Fed?

Actually, HotelChatter is very interested in the Las Vegas pool scene so if you got pictures of your best friend making out with a tattooed biker while wearing an orange Hooters bikini and slurping pina coladas on a raft in the pool, send 'em our way.

Or you can upload your photos to the HotelChatter Flickr Pool. It's totally safe--no one will come after your children if you sign up--and it's a chance for the world to check out your shots.
Flamingo can seem small as a casino. Its poker room is substandard when compared to the growth of poker across the country. It’s actually not a poker room, but a poker area, as there are no walls or real separation between poker and the slots. However, it may be kept small because it offers charm that larger rooms in other casinos can’t touch. The other gaming areas also seem small by comparison. The slots are everywhere, though, and since that seems to be the most popular attraction, especially by older visitors, they’ll feel well taken care of.

The showroom is also relatively small by comparison with other casinos, but it’s built well and provides for an intimate setting with the performers. When I was there, the performers were George Wallace and Gladys Knight. At the present time, it’s the home for Donnie and Marie Osmond.
The Flamingo also has a lot of history. It was the location for the first Oceans Eleven movie starring Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Elvis also made the movie Viva Las Vegas here. The movie Bugsy starring Warren Beatty had many scenes filmed here.

My room was also on the 23rd floor, which offered a great vision of both the city and the mountains. At night, it was a wonderful and spacious view; almost took my breath away. We had paid for a package deal, which offered $15 a day to gamble with and a couple of free meal tickets to the buffet. It also took 7 minutes to get from our room to the lobby or casino area; that’s a big hotel! The buffet was okay, but the rest of the restaurant was pretty nice, as it offered all sorts of meals from Italian to Asian choices.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Discount Hotel Reservations

There is nothing that is impossible in New York. The world’s tallest buildings are here in New York. You can spend the best holiday with endless leisure and comfort. The city is also known by the name “Big Apple”. New York has some of the best nightclubs full of dancing, live music, people, and fun. Tourist should definitely visit Empire building, the statue of Liberty, Grand Central Terminal, Museums of art and history and Museums of modern arts.
New York City discount hotels offer many facilities which one can easily afford and stay there peacefully. The lobbies of the hotel are of latest quality. Internet connection, T.V, mobiles, air-condition system and soft big sized beds are available in bed rooms of the hotels in New York. The meals are also amazingly tasty.



Nothing can be batter idea than to spend your vacation in Orlando, which promises fun and excitement to his guests. Spending a quality holiday in Orlando with family or friends is a perfect way to transport oneself to a world of luxury and pleasure. According to an estimate more than 25 million tourist visit this popular tourist destination every year. As a tourist destination, Orlando presents a range of indoor, outdoor, and underwater activities catering to the needs of individual families. The Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World, Universal Studio Escape, Pleasure Island, and many other themed sites are the reason for the city’s success story as a major tourist destination.



Hotels use the hotel reservation software to show room availability by real-time updating. It can be utilized for full search capability, reporting and sales analysis, etc. for maximum productivity and multi-functionality. The sophisticated software solution offers secure and accurate online reservations to customers as it steps customers through the process of making a booking easily and comfortably. Additionally, it ensures that it can be used by just about anyone for it is highly user-friendly.

Whereas hotel reservation software claims to offer maximum room yield, it also claims a decrease in administration costs. As the software is powered by the technology which connects directly to the central reservation systems of hotels worldwide, a real time transaction is made possible and for that reason there is not much human interaction or incurrence of human labor. Popularly known for offering widest selection of hotel rooms, hotel reservation engine are extremely business friendly.


Hotel reservation system stores all important information about the customers who book the hotel room and for that reason it helps a lot to the management of the hotels who earlier were busy maintaining piles of files. Any information about the customer and on the hotel is just one click away. Simplifying the method of hotel booking hotel reservation software allow travel agencies and hotel owners store customers’ data and use the same to attract repeat customers.

Bringing a sophisticated payment system such as adding additional charges such as bar, laundry, meals or any additional add on purchase, etc. hotel reservation softwaremakes things easy for hotels and friendly for customers. Moreover, using hotel reservation software hotel owners can check whether some customer owes the money or not or what amount he owns, this not only makes payment system flawless but also enables hotel and clients know the exact amount to pay.

Hotel reservation software is not only easy to install but also contain some unique features which can be known only after using them. Even this software is easy to operate and users do not need technical sophistication to use them. Once the owner uses the hotel reservation software to get started, he can begin taking reservations immediately. Excellent reporting methodology helps owners see the big picture and plan accordingly.

People from other areas such as China, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia and Tibet have ended up in Thailand, leading to a diverse mixture of people and cultures. Buddhism came to Thailand from India in the second or third century BC and has become the predominant religion but there is also a strong Muslim community.

Thais are very proud of their King. The easy going attitude of the people in Thailand has led to Thailand being known as the Land of Smiles. Thais tend to be pleasant and friendly, and used to tourists. English is now taught in schools so many young Thais speak some English.

Thailand is part of South East Asia and borders Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Malaysia. Refugees from Myanmar live in settlements in Thailand. Thailands hill tribes in the north consist of different ethnic groups and sea gypsies live on the islands in the south.

There are border crossings between Thailand and her neighbouring countries, allowing travellers to cross by land. Thailand is a good place to start a trip to South East Asia as it is very easy going well set up for tourists and it is possible to get visas for other countries in Bangkok.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Cheap Hotels In Las Vegas

But there are also some relatively cheap Vegas hotels, even on the strip. The southern end brings has bargains at family friendly hotels such as New York New York and Excalibur. Not only are they a great value, they are conveniently near a lot of the more exclusive hotels, too. The Monte Carlo also offers considerable discounts on rooms. The key is to reserve them for weeknights or in the early months of the year - January and February are the best months to find cheap Vegas hotels.

The northern side has an even more diverse selection of cheap hotels in Las Vegas. Although they have to compete with the Wynn and the upcoming Echelon Las Vegas, the northern edge of the strip has often stayed more with the values of old Vegas, coming closer to the no-frills atmosphere in comparison with the rest of the street. Circus Circus, The Riviera and the Stratosphere all have extremely low rates, and grant you a location convenient to both the famed reaches of the strip while remaining only a short cab ride away from downtown. The Sahara is the class of this small area of the city, plus you ca











Let’s look at the people who gave some advantage to see. At some sites, editing, and even a few users in various places, such as the Westin Casuarina hotel or Marriott Grand Chateau, after the discount information. Room rates from U.S. $ 99, which is really cheap! There are other hotels like the Red Rock one night’s stay, providing 50-minute massage. Planet Hollywood Hotel and even offers “while a” peepshow package “, the first degree or a woman, both husband and wife” and so on.

Why so high, the famous hotel in Las Vegas tend to give discounts to their customers? Maybe they start to feel pressure from the economic crisis. Or they try to make various types of Las Vegas to attract more customers. Maybe they’re just trying to bridge the gap between the occupation of their rooms. We do not know that.









The best time to take a cheap package holiday to Las Vegas is during the Spring or Autumn when temperatures are cooler. Summer temparatures in Las Vegas can top 110F, but humidity is always low, making the Nevada heat a little more tolerable. You can book cheap breaks to Las Vagas from the UK, staying at the best hotels through Expedia

For a memorable trip, stay at one of the famous 4 and 5 star casino hotels right on the Strip. Expedia enables you to compare Las Vegas room deals in order to get the best rates at the Luxor Hotel, or The Venetian and Bellagio hote

Compare deals on Las Vegas holidays with cheap breaks and special offers for Christmas 2010 or New Year 2011 travel from Lastminute.com (left). Get cheap rooms at the Excalibur Hotel and some of the best rates at other luxury casino hotels on the Vegas Strip. Click left for deals.

If you're looking for very cheap Las Vegas breaks, we recommend budget Off-Strip hotels or motels. Many downtown budget hotels offer cheap rooms and clean, low cost accommodation. View details and facilities of recommended budget Las Vegas hotels online and make a secure hotel reservations / booking using Expedia or Ebookers above.

Best Times to Visit Las Vegas

No holiday to Las Vegas would be complete without visiting the world famous casino hotels. The best times to visit Las Vegas are when the temperatures are less hot during April or May or during the autumn (September and October). Please note however that December, January and February can be cool and average around 10 Celsius (50F).













A city of joy, a city of shopping, a city of pleasure, a city of passion, a city of gambling, a city of sin. This is Las Vegas, a city known all over the world mostly for its casinos. Here you can win or you can lose a fortune, but it still fascinates you. With a population of 559, 824 people and with a land area of 131.1 square miles, Las Vegas is the biggest city in Nevada. Surrounded by mountains, Las Vegas- Spanish for "The Meadows"- was first founded in 1954 by Mormon missionaries, who built a fort in the valley where now lies the city. But its official birth took place in 1905, when 110 acres of land were auctioned off. These 100 acres are now the downtown of the city. Las Vegas was always a city of gambling. When, in 1910, games were proclaimed illegal, this didn't stop people from gambling anyway.









A bill legalized gambling in 1931 in order to raise more taxes. Since then casinos have flourished and, with them, the city did the same. The town's mayor, Oscar B. Goodman, considers himself to be "the happiest mayor in the world". And why wouldn't he? In Las Vegas there are 59 parks, 18 golf courses and 10 swimming poolPositioned on the 11th floor of the Eiffel Tower, the Eiffel Tower Restaurant serves classic French cuisine including seasoned lamb and foie gras. Meats and cheeses served at Le Village Buffet are selected from each French province of origin. The hotel features an 85,000-square-foot .

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Wisdom of the world - Week 132



Porcupines And The Coldest Winter Ever

It was the coldest winter ever, and many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realising the situation, decided to group together. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they shared their heat with each other.
After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other to stop being wounded.
As they did this, they began to die... alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it, was the heat that came from the others that enabled them to survive the coldest winter ever.

Daring Bakers' Challenge - December 2010: Stollen


Christmas has just gone by, but I still have one Christmas-y thing to do - post my DB Christmas challenge.



 




I only used a quarter of the recipe given by our host, then made two small Stollens.





Blog-checking lines: The 2010 December Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie's Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers' to make Stollen. She adapted a friend's family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart's book.........and Martha Stewart's demonstration.







Stollen shaped like a wreath using kitchen scissors to form the segments as written in the challenge recipe.





Stollen is a German Christmas bread that contains dried fruits, citrus peels, nuts, and sometimes marzipan, and heavily dusted with powdered sugar. It is similar to fruit cake except it's a fruit bread. This was my first encounter with the Christmas Stollen, so I was really happy I was able to participate this month's challenge despite the busy season. Once I got my dough done, that's when I got excited for the Stollen. The aroma alone of the dough makes you want to eat it. Unfortunately, I had to be patient proofing the dough; all the waiting was definitely worth it.







My version of making a wreath shaped Stollen; I made tiny balls then arranged them alongside each other to form a circle.





I quickly took a bite as soon as I finished snapping some photos. Honestly, I wasn't so impressed at first bite, so I thought maybe if I left it to cool down then eat it the next day instead. Alas, my hunch was right. Stollen is one of those desserts better eaten when it has time to cool down. It goes so well with a hot cup of coffee. It does have a similar taste with fruit cake, but in a bread-like texture.







A photo of the inside of my Stollen; I don't think the yeast worked it's magic as it should have been fluffier.





On a different note, I'm still on my Christmas / New Year getaway in the 'land down under'. I'm really having a blast here with my family. I have many things to share with you guys, so I will definitely be blogging about my trip once I get back.





So how did you spend your Christmas? I hope you all had a very merry one!





Bisou bisou,


Charlotte

Washington DC Hotels Photos Reviews

Washington DC Hotels and also weighed in my opinion since I did live in Washington DC for 3 years. First you might want to decide what part of the city you want to be in. Do you want to stay in Georgetown, West End, Adams Morgan, the Mall area, etc. Below I have a map of the major neighborhoods in the District of Columbia. If you want to see the National Mall with all the museums and memorials then you might want to stay in Southwest DC that is within walking distance of all the sites.
DC has a great metro subway system that is easy to use. Most tourist places in DC are near Metro Stations so check with your hotel or look on a map to see if the Washington DC hotel you are interested in is near a Metro Station. I always find it is useful to check a hotel’s webpage directly before booking to see if they have any specific deals going on. At the bottom on this page I have weblinks to all the Washington DC Hotels Hotels that I mention in this article. Have a great time in Washington DC. I enjoy visiting Washington DC at least once a year myself.
TripAdvisor has reviews for the top 140 hotels in Washington DC. They also have 50 B&B’s and Inns and 8 Specialty hotels like hostels. There is also a list of 9 reader selected Pet Friendly Hotels in Washington DC.

Washington DC is one of the most exciting cities in the world. Spanning a large metropolitan area in two states with a federal district at its center, it is a large place. Some neighborhoods are notoriously safer than others. When looking for cheap Washington DC hotels, you really must consider location. How secure are you with an inner city, very urban environment? Our city can be tough, so when choosing discount hotels Washington DC visitors generally are best to stick to the Northwest quadrant, or the area ten blocks around Capitol Hill. That is not to say there aren"t great cheap hotels in Washington DC elsewhere, there are - and there are many in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs along the Metro lines - it is just that most people feel safe in Northwest DC and Capitol Hill area. Security is important in DC, to help you relax and take in the very power and history of the place.
Consider doing a tour while in downtown Washington D.C. Tour guides know the area and can offer some fun and interesting insight to local history and events. A short drive across the Potomac, you will find some of the Capitol's most famous attractions. Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, Arlington Cemetery, Civil War battlefield sites and memorials, and the Pentagon are just a few of the many sites you don't want to miss. Whether staying downtown for business or vacation be sure to pack your camera and walking shoes.
If you are looking for really cheap Washington DC hotels, and don"t mind a slightly more communal feel, check out the Kalorama Guest House near Woodley Park. It has 19 units, 12 of which have private bathrooms, and it is only $75 to $100 to get a room with private bath, $55 to $75 for a double room with a shared bath. Their location is prime, especially if you plan to enjoy Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and the Zoo.
The Embassy Suites Downtown Washington DC hotel is nestled between historic Georgetown and Dupont Circle only four blocks from the Metro (subway) system. This full-service upscale all-suite hotel is just a quick subway ride to many Washington DC attractions
Another of the good discount hotels in Washington DC is the Washington Plaza Hotel on Thomas Circle. This is an excellent location for enjoying the downtown area itself, as well as the Dupont Circle scene, which is not far away. Rates here begin around $115 as well. Whilst it is hard to find really cheap hotels in Washington DC, it is not hard to find a wonderful space decently priced. If you are a shopper, you might consider the Georgetown Suites, nestled in the heart of the historic shopping and dining district on the canal. Suites here begin at around $120, which is not too bad considering their privately designed spaces and their prime location in the thick of it all. There are many reasonably cheap hotels in Washington, DC, but if you stick with these, you are sure to have a positive experience while visiting this intense town!
Only a short distance from Washington, D.C. city centre, and many of the area's top sites and attractions, this hotel provides comfortable accommodation, complete with many of today's modern conveniences. The Holiday Inn Express Washington D.C. features a spacious indoor swimming pool as well as a state-of-the-art fitness centre. The hotel also offers complimentary shuttle service to Union Station and DC Convention Center.
Our downtown Washington, DC hotel is located among the most recognizable landmarks in the country, like the White House and Capitol building. It’s a prestigious Pennsylvania Avenue hotel where you’ll enjoy incomparable luxury and convenience.
Originally built as a resort and housed within a contemporary, nine-storey building which rises above a beautifully landscaped pool, the hotel appeals both to business and leisure guests. Genuine service, superb facilities, satisfying food, and a relaxing atmosphere make this hotel an irresistible choice when selecting a hotel in Washington, DC