Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels | "$95 million luxury yacht visits Annapolis harbor"


Source      : http://www.capitalgazette.com
Category    : Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


Do it before you step aboard. Ever tried to scrub dirt from teak decking?
Michael Edgar has enough to do washing off the sticky Annapolis pollen. He doesn’t have that problem while cruising the Mediterranean for the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix.
You certainly don’t want streaky decks while showboating off the south of France in a 230-foot luxury yacht.
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels

The Martha Ann offers six decks, a glass elevator, a Jacuzzi, a gym and a 12-seat dining salon. There’s more than 13,000 square feet of air-conditioned interior dripping with gold accents and covered with silk carpets.
It’s all yours for about $784,000 a week.

Of course, it costs more to cruise, eat and drink — maybe $980,000 a week, depending on the champagne.
The yacht cruised into Annapolis harbor this month. Its hull now sits in the bottom mud at the Annapolis Yacht Basin near the Marriott Waterfront Annapolis Hotel.

The German-built yacht will stay the month while a crew of about 20 — including an Icelandic deckhand named Thor (honestly) — gets ready for summer in the Mediterranean.
“You can travel literally anywhere in the world and have it set up exactly as you want,” said Edgar, the first officer and a 1999 Severn School graduate.

The Erie Canal was dug to fit 30-ton freighters but wouldn’t have held this gal.
Guests can sleep in seven staterooms, slurp at seven wet bars, and crisp on sunbathing beds.
At your command, the crew will lower Jet Skis, Sea-Doos and a 26-foot limousine speedboat.
Isn’t life grand?

There’s laundry service and — if the scenery grows dull — a stock of 1,237 movies and 302 music albums covering everything from ABBA to ZZ Top.
Not a "Sharp Dressed Man"? The crew will outfit you in designer swim trunks.
So who rents a yacht for nearly $1 million a week?

“It could be an Arab, it could be a young Russian, it could be a Google guy or an Apple guy,” said Frank Grzeszczak of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based International Yacht Collection.
IYC Marketing director Terry Hines said customers are mostly international businessmen.
“Open up Forbes.”

But the Martha Ann isn’t available for charter in U.S. waters by Americans — no matter how deep their pockets.
To charter locally, the owner must pay a duty of about 1.5 percent of the yacht’s value, estimated at $95 million, said Grzeszczak. That would be more than $1.4 million in taxes.
So, you want to rent?

First jet to the Bahamas or France to tour the boat in foreign waters.
“We do have a few Americans, but most of our charters are from other countries,” said owner Warren Halle.

He founded a Silver Spring-based development company, The Halle Cos., which developed office buildings at the Odenton Town Center and Kingstowne Towne Center in Virginia.
Halle said Martha Ann charters about eight weeks a year.

“There’s a lot of wealthy people in this world who would rather charter a yacht than own it,” he said.
Edgar, though, won’t offer clues to the rich and famous who’ve lounged aboard.
That remains a trade secret.

In Annapolis, the crew will spend a day-and-a-half washing the boat, top to bottom. They’ll polish teak decks and buff stainless-steel railings.

Fingerprints remain a constant nuisance for them. Edgar opens doors with his shirt sleeve, careful not to smudge gold-plated bannisters, gold-plated doorknobs and gold-plated faucets.
In the salon is a vase of fresh baby’s breath — stems painted gold.

“You won’t find a nicer boat in nicer condition anywhere in the world,” Grzeszczak pledged. “It’s maintained to perfection.”
So if you got pocket change, how about jetting overseas this summer?
Step aboard the Martha Ann. Smell the saltwater and wood polish. Ask nicely and the crew might take her out for a spin.

Then sign on the dotted line — and we’ll talk about financing.
Just imagine munching grilled lobster with caviar garnish. Consider sunbathing while Swedish stewards serve chilled champagne.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Hotels In Fort Lauderdale | "Tortuga Music Festival rocks Fort Lauderdale beach"


Source      : http://www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com
Category    : Hotels In Fort Lauderdale
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


That's a Kenny Chesney song, but it may as well have served as the collective mantra for the rain-soaked first-day festivities Saturday at the Tortuga Music Festival at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park.
Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel
Hotels In Fort Lauderdale

It's no problem for Fort Lauderdale, with a world-class music festival poised to rehabilitate its image as the city that shed spring break tourists long ago.

It was, likewise, no problem for the country-, reggae- and roots-rock diehards in bikinis, sandals and cowboy hats, who converged on the beach. They came armed with ponchos, ready for one of South Florida's notorious weekend rainouts. And, of course, it was no problem for a Chesney fan.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere: Check out our list of the best happy hours

"We totally came for the country," said Bailey Davis, 15, of Coral Springs, slurping a strawberry-banana smoothie from a nearby beach vendor.

Davis, counting herself a Chesney and Michael Franti and Spearhead fan, came with younger sister Emma, 10, and parents Gregg, 47, and Sandy, 45.

"We only live 15 miles away, but we're really tourist-ing it up," said Sandy Davis, reaching into her turquoise beach tote for their Tortuga spoils: four Pirate Flag skull-and-crossbones souvenir tees, a reference to Chesney's current namesake hit. "It's a great lineup, a stunning location and just the thing to bring life back into Fort Lauderdale."

Tortuga's vibe often resembled the laid-back nonchalance of a Chesney song, with at least two concertgoers napping on picnic benches just before Pennsylvania alt-hip-hop quartet G. Love and Special Sauce bounded onto the Tortuga stage at 2 p.m.

A brief, light drizzle cast an early afternoon pall on an otherwise boisterous beachside bash, one sponsored by Earth-friendly nonprofit Rock the Ocean and billed as an oceanfront festival to promote ocean conservation. (Tortuga's headliners are wrapping sets by 9:30 p.m. out of respect to the beach's nesting sea turtles.)

"I think we started a little slow with the rain, but business is picking up now," said Hollywood's Tamina Brooks with a laugh, peeking from underneath her taco-vendor tent at the overcast sky. "I talked to a lot of people who say they're coming from north Florida, but no out-of-staters."

By 2:30 p.m., about 5,000 festivalgoers — a blend of locals and out-of-town Floridians by one Rock the Ocean spokeswoman's estimate — were sticking their toes in the sand.

Meanwhile, a dozen yachts idled 100 feet from the shore to watch Tortuga's action on three stages (called Tortuga, Sunrise and Sunset), blocked from edging closer by Fort Lauderdale's beach patrol.

"I'm from Germany!" shouted a shirtless man, raising his arms triumphantly, bolting up from the sea of stage-facing beach chairs. He sat down just as quick.

Nate Steere, a 31-year-old spa director from Naples, said his wife, Crystal, was the "big country addict " of the pair.

"Just put me on the beach with a beer in my hand. I'm good," he said, catching himself with a laugh. His wife giggled.

"God, I sound just like a beach bum," he said.

As he spoke, Garrett Dunton, of alt-hip-hop band G. Love and Special Sauce, burst into a rousing electric solo on the outsize Tortuga Stage. The Steere's raced off.

No problems could be found with 37-year-old James Simons, of Davie, sporting a Landshark Lager shark-fin foam hat.

"Nah, the rain won't deter us," said the Home Depot employee, who brought his wife, Donna, and sons Justin, 11, and Jake, 2, to Tortuga for a two-day staycation at the Bahia Mar.

They were determined not to miss Jake Owen, the Florida-raised country superstar, last seen in South Florida for January's Orange Bowl halftime show.

Fort Lauderdale Hotels | "3 Important Statistics for Hotel Marketers"


Source      : http://www.hoteltravelcheck.com/
Category    : Fort Lauderdale Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


To start off 2009 correctly, Hotel owners and hotel internet marketers need to keep on top of their game. With the New Year around the corner, here’s three important marketing statistics to keep in mind heading into the new year.
Statistics For Hotels Marketers
Fort Lauderdale Hotels

EMAIL EARNS $57 FOR EVERY $1 SPENT

This according to the DMA’s 2008 Report. It’s an impressive number that is both good and bad. Good because it makes sure that Hotel owners and marketers are keeping email marketing as a priority, bad because it can mislead some into thinking email marketing is both cheap and easy. The truth, as always, is somewhere in between. While most email marketing campaigns might not reach the $57 to $1 ratio, email marketing remains among the highest earning ROI marketing tactics. But easy it is not. There’s much more to email marketing than just blasting lists of names with materials in hopes of short term gain. Marketers and Hotel owners need to take the lifecycle-based approach which in the longterm is much more profitable in absolute revenue, value per subscriber, satisfaction and loyalty and technological investment.

SPAM ACCOUNTS FOR 90-95% OF ALL EMAIL SENT

Good deliverability, though some will disagree, is ultimately in the hands of the marketer. Much of the effectiveness of avoiding ending in the spam box relies on a marketer’s sender reputation, and in 2009 many advancements are being made in terms of communication between ISPs and access to deliverability data. Marketers should take advantage of these improvements to actively handle complaints, keep lists clean, tighten their bouncing processes and audit their infrastructure. The penalties for not doing so are steep and will hit hard.

70% OF MARKETERS COLLECT THE RIGHT DATA, ONLY 25% USE IT

Data is even more important in 2009 than 2008. It is the crux on which hotel email marketing campaigns reside. The opportunity is out there for those wanting to join in the 25% that effectively use it. You’ll have a step up on competition just by using resources that you’re already in possession of. JupiterResearch found that 60% of purchases made from email were products that the consumer was already considering buying. Use your data to its full potential to put your hotel email marketing materials into those consumers that will find it relevant.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Attraction Hotels In Fort Lauderdale | "Top 10 Insights from Eye for Travel North America 2011"


Source      : http://www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com
Category    : Attraction Hotels In Fort Lauderdale
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


As I’ve done the past two years, I attended EyeForTravel’s Travel Distribution Summit North America event last week – held this year in Las Vegas. It was encouraging to see the best practices we identified earlier holding up with time: a focus on service, creativity, and guest-created content. Corporate executives may always remain hesitant to reveal everything in their public presentations , but one-on-one conversations are often very insightful.
Travel North America
Attraction Hotels In Fort Lauderdale

A good example of this was the ecommerce manager who shared an anecdote with me over lunch: A guest had seen photos of chocolate-covered strawberries on the resort’s restaurant website – but was told they were out of stock when she arrived. The guest sent out a tweet expressing her disappointment. This manager quickly caught this message, and immediately called the hotel’s GM – asking him to send up a plate of chocolate strawberries to the guests’ room along with a note of apology. This gesture immediately won back the loyalty of the customer, and they ended up purchasing one of the timeshare units on property. Anecdotes like this demonstrate the value of monitoring the social web and responding quickly with memorable service.
I like to see hoteliers opening up and talking about what’s working and what’s not working through stories like that.

Top 10 Insights I Heard at EyeforTravel North America 2011

 1. Location based services with time-sensitive offers will play a big role in revenue management in the future. Technology is increasingly allowing us to deliver content in context, and this additional relevancy increases sales.

2. The battle for attention is becoming more intense than ever. In the case of mobile, you battle for space on the deck of apps. (The average program gets deleted in 30 days.)

3. Location based service Gowalla is becoming a “social atlas” and travel guidebook that is written by your friends. (Andy Ellwood)

4. “Stay focused. Find 2-3 good ideas and implement them well.” – Rohit Dhawan, Facebook

5. Use Facebook’s API to plug into their social graph. TripAdvisor found users connected with Facebook were twice as engaged with their website.

6. Travelers today use social media to get the real, authentic, unvarnished, unedited preview of what to expect. (Barbara Messing, TripAdvisor)

7. In this Review Economy, the credibility and authority of the reviewer is becoming increasingly important. For example, TripAdvisor is placing more weight on the profile and record of the reviewer.

8. Personalize content on your site to increase conversion rates. Attributes to use include the referring site, keyword search phrase, date, geo-location, and visit recency.

9. People are far more trusting online than in real life, said Leonard Brody. This means they will likely share much more content online. Are you listening?

10. Interesting case study from John Peters on the power of partnerships. Rand McNally created substantial amounts of online buzz for their Best of the Road campaign created through joint ventures with Saab, Country Inn & Suites and USA Today. What partners could you be working with?

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Airport Hotels In Florida | "More hotels recycle left-behind toiletries"


Source      : http://www.usatoday.com
Category    : Airport Hotels In Florida
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


Increasingly, those little bars of soap abandoned every day in guest rooms are finding a new home.

That's because a growing number of hotel chains are encouraging individual hotels to recycle toiletries through global non-profits that get soap, lotions and shampoos to people who need them. In many cases, the sterilized soaps and lotions go oversees to developing countries, where soap can help save lives.
Hotels Recycle left-behind toiletries
Airport Hotels In Florida

This week, Hyatt Hotels Corp. became the latest hotel operator to officially encourage its 475 properties to recycle toiletries through Clean the World, the 4-year-old organization started by two road warriors who wondered what happened with all the soap they'd regularly leave behind in hotels.

Currently, just 25 Hyatt-brand hotels participate in the program. But Henning Nopper, Hyatt's top executive in charge of rooms, believes participation will expand since the agreement cuts red tape for hotels to launch the program and Clean the World is growing in locations where Hyatt is opening hotels.

The number of hotels participating in Clean the World's recycling program doubled in the last year, since Holiday Inn-parent IHG inked its agreement with Clean the World, says Maury Zimring, a corporate responsibility executive at IHG.

Today, there are 148 hotels across IHG's chains — Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental — that participate, compared with 60 one year ago, she says. Since then, IHG's collected 99,000 pounds of soap for Clean the World, which has translated into 400,000 bars of soap delivered to developing countries, she says.

The recycling process initially relies on housekeepers, says Clean the World CEO Shawn Seipler.

It's up to them to locate the used soap bars and toiletry bottles in guest rooms and place them in special bins; how dedicated they are to this extra task can influence the success of the program.

At IHG, Zimring says the company tries to encourage housekeepers to make the effort by talking to them directly or holding webinars.

Do consumers care about toiletry recycling?

Whether a hotel recycles toiletries, and how it recycles them, probably won't influence the average consumer when they're picking a hotel, Jennifer Silberman, corporate responsibility chief at Hilton Worldwide.

"This is not part of the booking choice," she says. "This is one of those programs that when you tell consumers about it, it's an 'aha.'" It drives favorable reputation."

Bill Deforrest, CEO of hotel developer-manager Lane Hospitality, agrees that this is mostly a behind-the-scenes task. His company manages 15 hotels, including a Courtyard by Marriott in Gulfport, Miss., and a Doubletree by Hilton in Annapolis, Md.

"To me, it's absolutely the right thing to do," he says. "I don't think the customer's even aware."

Hyatt suspects that its efforts might make a difference to consumers, so it's in the early stages of figuring out how to convey the toiletry recycling program to guests, Nopper says.

Business reasons to recycle

There is one way toiletry recycling might help boost a hotel's business. It can make a hotel more attractive to meeting planners working for clients that favor green hotels and practices for event venues, Silberman says.

Recycling also can cut a hotel's garbage bills, Hyatt's Nopper says, although hotels must pay a fee to participate in the most popular programs.

At Wyndham, sustainability and innovation executive chief Faith Taylor views recycling of all materials as a serious employee morale booster.

"When a hotel starts to do one of these, their 'green teams' become excited and they do more, from newspaper recycling to helping Ronald McDonald house," Taylor says. "It's a platform for doing good business."

Not all hotels recycle the same way

In 2011, Hilton Worldwide inked an agreement with a different non-profit — the Global Soap Project — to recycle toiletries. Today, about 500 Hilton hotels out of 3,900 across the company's various chains recycle toiletries through this program. Participation partly hinges on a hotel's proximity to the non-profit's delivery and distribution venues, she says.

The most recent hotel to sign up: the iconic Waldorf Astoria in New York City

Hotels that belong to the boutique chain Kimpton and the Fairmont luxury chain, for instance, donate second-hand toiletries to local shelters or community support networks.

In Toronto, the Fairmont Royal York donates toiletries to a shelter for battered women, while the Fairmont San Francisco works with the local Salvation Army. The chain's hotels in Africa donate them to local clinics and orphanages, says Fairmont spokeswoman Lori Holland.

At Wyndham, which franchises about 7,000 hotels, about 3% of them participate in either Clean the World or the Global Soap Project, Taylor says. Still, some of the hotels not participating in those programs donate leftover soaps and toiletries to local charities. Taylor says this practice is more sustainable.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels | "How to open your Wine without a Corkscrew"


Source      : http://www.independent.co.uk
Category    : Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


The extremely useful list of alternative options to a corkscrew comes to us courtesy of Household Hacker, who has been featured here on The Feed multiple times in the past, most recently with a series of tricks to open a beer bottle, and who writes about this latest work:
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels

Wine. The nectar of the gods. But what if your corkscrew mysteriously goes missing? We've got some simple ways to solve that problem so that you can get your drink on.

1. Hit up your junk drawer and grab a screw hook. Apply it to the cork and get it snug. Now carefully and slowly wiggle out that cork and enjoy the fruit of your labor.

2. Hit that junk drawer again. Find a thick screw and twist it down into the wine stopper. When you are done grab pliers or clippers and twist that bad boy out. Voila.

3. This also can work with a large nail but you need to pound it in at a slight angle and then carefully remove the nail and cork with the back of a hammer. Take your time and you'll be fine.

4. Now you might have heard that banging a bottle against the wall will pop the cork, and you would be right. However, it takes far too long to be effective so don't bother with this trick just move on to something better such as...

5. The shoe string method. Want to really impress? Bore a hole in the cork and tye a big knot in a string. Shove that thing down there and then simply pull up hard on the rest of the string. Plipitty ploppy, time to get sloppy.

6. This one is my favorite. You just need a serrated knife. Take your blade and thrust it into the depths of the evil cork. Now slowly and carefully twist and pull. The cork will be out in moments, unless your bottle is wearing chain mail.

7. Finally, just to keep things fresh I will show you a new method that while not the easiest. Has some fun results. Grab a bike pump and shove the tube down a hole you bore in the cork. Give it some pressure and watch the cork rise. Once it is about halfway pull it with your hand and set it free.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Fort Lauderdale Hotel | "Fort Lauderdale area expects 13 million visitors in 2013"


Source      : http://www.independent.co.uk
Category    : Fort Lauderdale Hotel
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale

Broward County's tourism leader joked about the Miami Dolphins stadium push on Friday, but also had a serious prediction of 13 million visitors in the county this year, up from 12.04 million in 2013.
The overview of tourism by Nicki Grossman, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, came as part of the Fifth Annual Economic Engine Performance report. In upcoming blogs, I'll look at the outlook for Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
See the attached slideshow for statistics and images about the CVB's advertising campaign.
Fort Lauderdale Hotel
Fort Lauderdale Hotel

Grossman said Broward County had the second-highest hotel occupancy rate in the state at 87.6 percent in February, the highest since 2006. That percentage was up 3.2 percent from 2011.
The average daily room rate hit $151.54, the highest since 2008, and for all of 2012 was up 3.4 percent. More than 90 hotels had sellouts during February, Grossman said.
Grossman, who is a former county commissioner, said 14,647 people are employed in Broward tourism and each 85 additional visitors sparks one job creation. The spending generated by the visitors in 2012 was $9.8 billion.

Grossman took aim at the Miami-Dade County Commission, which is moving to minimize the impact of future Super Bowls on Broward County, which has hosted teams and had the majority of fans. The Broward County Commission rebuffed efforts to help Miami-Dade in funding for the stadium and Miami-Dade officials don't want Super Bowl teams to stay in Broward anymore.
"We are actually watching to see how many Broward residents buy tickets for the Miami Dolphins in the Miami stadium and the Miami Super Bowl," Grossman said, punching the world "Miami" each time.

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Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels | "Stay up for the European Night of Museums"


Source      : http://www.independent.co.uk
Category    : Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


Who wouldn't want to poke around a museum after dark? As night falls, it's easy to let your imagination run wild, imagining the exhibits coming to life as you wander through dimly lit halls of Egyptian mummies, past towering dinosaur skeletons (remember Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum?).
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels

The first Lange Nacht der Museen took place in 1997 in Berlin, the first Nuit des Musées in France in 1999, spreading out across Europe in 2005 to become the European Night of Museums. Last year, two million visitors in France alone enjoyed the special events, temporary installations and dramatic performances at venues across the country.

This year, on 18 May, the programme, backed by Unesco, will unfold across more than 30 countries across Europe (nuitdesmusees.culture.fr).

Home run

In the UK, you get three nights for the price of one (16-18 May; culture24.org.uk). Last year, more than 530 venues got involved in the event. This year looks set to be even better: new venues taking part include the Golden Hinde galleon in London and Manchester's new National Football Museum. Highlights include an all-night poetry workshop at the Writers' Centre in Norwich (01603 877177; writerscentre norwich.org.uk; £65) and a free 1920s murder-mystery performance at Blackwell The Arts and Crafts House in Cumbria (015394 46139; blackwell.org.uk; booking essential).

Early birds

Not everyone toes the date-line. Those doing their own thing include Sweden. Stockholm's annual Culture Night (kulturnattstockholm.se) takes place this coming Saturday from 6pm until midnight and offers free admission to more than 100 events at more than 85 art galleries, clubs, museums and theatres, including boat rides around the archipelago.

In Switzerland, Geneva's Museum Night is on 11 May. The tourist board has a special offer of one night's accommodation, a Museums at Night ticket (there are 21 places flinging open their doors until midnight and a host of additional activities) and a free public-transport card for Sfr68 (£48)pp, when booked online at geneve-tourisme.ch. Flights extra.

Artistic licence

At the Paul Dupuy Museum in Toulouse there will be readings of the works of Villon, Ronsard, Rimbaud and Verlaine on 18 May (00 33 5 61 14 65 50; bit.ly/PaulDupuy; toulouse-visit.com), while elsewhere in France highlights include a film screening in the Vesunna museum in Aquitaine on Heroes and Mythology (perigueux-vesunna.fr). The Grenoble Museum will dedicate its night to the artist Giacometti (museedegrenoble.fr), and the Jean Cocteau Museum in Menton, will put on performances of the poet's favourite jazz (nuitdesmusees.culture.fr).

Night owls

At the Zoological Museum of Rome (00 39 06 67 109 270; museodizoologia.it; 7pm-2am; free) visitors can roam the exhibition halls before heading to the Zoo Lab, where there will be laboratory activities laid on for adults and children. In Ravenna, there's an evening of delights planned at the House of Butterflies (00 39 05 44 995 671; atlantide.net/casadelle farfalle). Not only will there be guided tours during the night in the tropical greenhouse, but children can bring a sleeping bag and bed down in the House of Insects. Evening activities cost €10 or €18 including an overnight stay and morning walk in the woods.

Wake up and smell the coffee

The Age of Discovery is the theme of Museum Night celebrations in Povoa de Varzim's town museum in northern Portugal (cm-pvarzim.pt; €20). In this traditional seafaring and shipbuilding town near

Porto, a vivid historical re-enactment is scheduled from 7pm until midnight, when the museum will be invaded by sailors, navigators, merchants, pilgrims and soldiers. The air will be scented with freshly brewed coffee, chocolate and spices brought back by the explorers. There will be a dinner in the courtyard, as well as music, dancers and jugglers.

And so to bed

Head to Belsay Hall in Northumberland for ghost stories in the castle keep, twilight rambles in the grounds and a cosy supper. There are 10 bedrooms (suitable for adults and children over 12) furnished with air beds. Just bring sleeping bags, pillows and a torch (0870 333 1183; bit.ly/BelsayNight; 7pm-8am; from £60 adults, £50 children; booking essential).

There's a dinosaur, rocks and fossils theme at Wrexham museum's family sleepover on 17 May. Suitable for children aged 7-11 (01978 297461; bit.ly/WrexhamNight; 7pm-9am, £7.50 per child, £3.75 per adult including breakfast).

At Kensington Palace children age 7-11 can act the little prince and princess at the family sleepover on 16 May (0844 482 7777; hrp.org.uk/kensingtonpalace; 6pm-9am; £55 per person).

Dress up as a dalek and head to the John Rylands Library in Manchester for a Dr Who-themed slumber party on 17 May. There's a prize for the best costume, you'll watch two episodes of the show and take a torch-lit tour of the library, solve the mystery of the missing Tardis and then bed down in the Historic Reading Room (0161 306 0555; library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands; 5-9pm, free but booking essential, age 8-14 accompanied by an adult).

As part of "Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber" at Hampton Court you can bed down in style in the palace on 17 May. There will be private tours and talks and supper in the privy kitchen before you clamber into bed (0844 482 7777; hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace; adults only, £100 including breakfast).

Insider information

"This year, the festival starts on a Thursday night. I am really looking forward to an event at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, where Gavin Turk will take visitors on a magic-carpet ride. Museums at Night has 10 artist-led events this year, each with its own unique quality akin to creative alchemy." Nick Stockman, project director of Museums at Night in the UK

Culture crawls

In Newcastle, you can go on a late-night culture crawl. Venues across the city will have a mix of events, exhibitions and performances as part of the Late Shows from 7-11pm on 17 and 18 May including a tea party, a behind-the-scenes look at a dinosaur exhibition and the opportunity to contribute to a constantly growing artwork (culture24.org.uk). In Liverpool, LightNight (lightnightliverpool.co.uk) kicks off at 4pm on 17 May with free events, such as large-scale light projections, a carnival and a samba procession, at more than 50 of the city's cultural venues.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Hampton Inn Airport Hotels | "Beyond the Memorials, Monuments, & Museums"


Source      : http://www.plumdeluxe.com
Category    : Hampton Inn Airport Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels n Fort Lauderdale


Many visitors who come to Washington, DC barely scrape the surface of all the city has to offer. They stick with the well-worn path along Pennsylvania Avenue, eating at chain restaurants and museum cafeterias, buying souvenirs at Smithsonian gift shops and only seeing about 1/16th of what the city has to offer. This is a guide to DC’s neighborhoods: the places the locals call home, where we live and play after work.
Hampton Inn Airport Hotels
Hampton Inn Airport Hotels

Dupont Circle

Northwest of downtown Washington is one of the city’s many neighborhoods that popped up around a traffic circle: Dupont Circle. Part of the original city designed by Pierre L’Enfant, Dupont Circle is now a vibrant neighborhood of shops, coffeehouses, restaurants, and many of the city’s LGBT residents.

Grab dinner at Al Tiramisu, an Italian restaurant that serves some of the best homemade pasta around. After dinner, go for a stroll around the circle, admiring the famous fountain commissioned by the Du Pont family. For an after dinner drink, head up to Veritas wine bar, where you can taste wine by the glass or by the flight.

U Street

In the early 20th century, U Street was the largest African American community in the country, a vibrant neighborhood of music, restaurants, and culture. Following Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination, the neighborhood fell on hard times and was the scene of many riots, but now is back and better than ever.

During your visit, make a pit stop at the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl for a half-smoke (sorry, you only eat free if your name is Bill Cosby or Barack Obama!). Head to Marvin — named after Marvin Gaye, one of DC’s favorite sons — for dinner and the best chicken and waffles in the city. A nightcap can be found at Local 16 bar and lounge. If it’s warm out, make sure to visit the rooftop patio.

Capitol Hill

In addition to being the location of the U.S. Capitol Building (and yes, it really is up a rather large hill!), the Capitol Hill neighborhood is full of young professionals, cafes, and the best public market in the city. Barracks Row, on 8th Street SE (named after the Marine Barracks that are still in use today), is home to a cluster of restaurants offering everything from amazing Turkish pides (Cafe 8) to the best pizza and mini-burgers in the city (Matchbox).

On weekend mornings, the whole neighborhood turns out for the Eastern Market farmers and flea markets. One of the oldest continually operating markets in the country, vendors at Eastern Market sell everything from produce to popcorn to paintings. If you’re there on Saturday morning, queue up for blueberry pancakes at Market Lunch – some say they’re the best in the country!

Del Ray

Just north of the Braddock Road Metro station in Northern Virginia is the neighborhood of Del Ray. Originally part of the incorporated Town of Potomac, this neighborhood didn’t lose its charm when it was taken over by the City of Alexandria.

Stroll through local boutique shops and a hardware store that sells a little bit of everything before snacking on the best frozen custard outside of Wisconsin at the Dairy Godmother (there’s always three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and a flavor of the day). The BBQ pork sandwiches at Pork Barrel BBQ are satisfying, as are the deep dish pizzas at Del Ray Pizzeria (keep an eye out for President Obama!). Finer dining can be found at Evening Star Cafe, and be sure to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the nightly live music at St. Elmo’s Cafe.

This is my neighborhood, and I’m madly in love with it. You’ll often find me cozied up to the bar at Fireflies Cafe, noshing on a BBQ chicken pizza and drinking Alexandria-brewed Port City Monumental IPA.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels | "Florida is a vacation paradise for dogs"


Source      : http://www.postandcourier.com
Category    : Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale


FORT DE SOTO PARK, Fla. — You’re sitting on a white sand beach in the sun. Sunscreen wafts in the air. A splashing noise comes from the blue Gulf of Mexico. It’s your dog, happily retrieving a favorite ball from the water.
With miles of sandy beaches, endless sunshine and a laid-back vibe, there’s no reason to leave your four-legged pal behind as you vacation in Flo-rida. From lodging with special pet beds, beaches with off-leash play, and theme parks with nearby kennels, many places cater to visitors with pets. Lodging with your dog can be as rustic as a campground or as ritzy as, well, the Ritz Carlton. In places like Key West or Sanibel Island, where beaches are open to leashed dogs, pet-friendly accommodations can be found.
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels

Dog Beach & Paw Playground at Fort De Soto State Park. In 2010, Southern Living named this spot on Florida’s West Coast one of the top five dog beaches in the South. It’s gorgeous and peaceful.

Dinosaur World in Plant City. Between Tampa and Disney, Dinosaur World features 150 giant statues and trails winding through lush Florida landscape.

Dog Wood Park, Jacksonville. 25-acre park is heaven for dogs: off-leash, fenced in.

Best Friends Pet Resort, Lake Buena Vista. Day and overnight care for pets.

Loews hotels at Universal Orlando Resort pet-friendly.

La Quinta. Affordable chain in Florida likely is the best-known pet-friendly chain.

Luxury hotels. Pampered people have pampered pooches. For small dogs who need luxury (under 25 pounds), try Ritz Carlton hotels in Sarasota, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Miami Beach. Nonrefundable pet fees vary, but hover near $250. And swanky Mandarin Oriental in Miami is frequented by celebrities.

There’s usually a veterinarian, big-box pet store and pet-friendly hotel within a short drive. A quick Google search of sites like www.bringfido.com or www.dogfriendly.com can help locate them.

Larger theme parks such as Busch Gardens in Tampa offer kennel services; make sure to bring your pet’s vaccination record along.

Other basics for a Florida vacation with your dog: Drinking water, heartworm medicine and sunscreen.

Fort Lauderdale Hotels| "A guide to fabulous and inexpensive places to stay in Rome"


Source      : http://www.thestar.com
Category    : Fort Lauderdale Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale


Inside the residence, the sense of time travel only increases. Owners Marco and Gianna Paola Fè d’Ostiani decorated the six guest rooms with their noble family’s belongings: an 18th-century walnut wardrobe, an antique crystal chandelier, even family portraits.
Guests gather in the morning for a breakfast that includes homemade cake, Italian hams and cheeses, and jams made from apricots and blackberries from Gianna’s countryside garden.
Marco, who was born two blocks away from the inn, shares sight-seeing tips. “Don’t miss the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere,” he says. You can still descend beneath the centuries-old church and see ancient Roman houses.
Fort Lauderdale Hotels
Fort Lauderdale Hotels
For gelato, Marco sends guests to the Bar San Calisto, where he says scoops aren’t just tasty but “the most honest in Rome — one euro for a cone.”
Room with a View
At its best, a pensione reflects both its neighbourhood’s history and its owner’s personality. Aklesia Suite ticks both boxes.
Located just up the street from the Colosseum, Aklesia’s three sun-filled rooms, with their original art deco tiled floors and antiques, are convivial and warm — like the owners themselves.
“We want our guests to feel as if they’re at their own house,” says Gianfranco Valleriani. His wife, Aklesia, has even been known to do the guests’ laundry.
Located in the central, but residential, Celio neighbourhood, the B&B is just a minute’s walk to local favorites like pizzeria Li Rioni and wine bar Il Pentagrappolo for live music.

Piazza Plush
When brothers Marco and Pierluigi Sole turned their grandfather’s apartment in Piazza Navona into a bed-and-breakfast two years ago, the economic crisis had just hit. “We knew if we did something standard, it would be hard to sustain,” says Marco. “So we decided to invest in luxury.”
But the personal touches of the three-room Locanda del Sole, run by the brothers and their friend Emiliano Galli, make the B&B as intimate as it is upscale.
The furniture is handmade in Italy; breakfast specialties include homemade Nutella rolls; guests are greeted not only with a bottle of Lazio wine and hazelnut chocolates but also with a complimentary minibar complete with prosecco.
On an evening passegiata (stroll), guests can browse limited-edition handbags printed with images of Sophia Loren at the Massimo Trulli showroom and dine on homemade pasta at Rome’s oldest restaurant, La Campana.

Top Street Creds (From $234)
The six elegant guest rooms at Crossing Condotti take their names from nearby streets: Babuino, Frattina, Condotti. After all, the residence’s location is worth bragging about. It’s in the heart of the Spanish Steps neighbourhood, with tony shops such as Fendi and Ferragamo.
Rather than compete with the area’s large five-star hotels, the owners, Alfio and Carlotta Puglisi Gravina di Montevago, chose to keep Crossing Condotti small, with both the comforts and privacy of home.
The rooms, furnished with old master paintings and walnut bureaus, have views of the boutique-lined streets. Choice amenities include Nespresso machines and L’Occitane toiletries.



Thursday, April 11, 2013

Fort Lauderdale Hotel | "Where Sleeping With Fish Is A Good Thing"


Source      : http://stupiddope.com
Category    : Fort Lauderdale Hotel
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale



Hearing the phrase “sleeping with the fishes” usually indicates something bad but not in Singapore. The luxury hotels always find ways to elevate their guests’ stay to the next level. The Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore is hosting a completely underwater hotel-suite experience. This first ever underwater lodging hotel is the first-ever immersive underwater hotel situation. The hotel borrows the Open Oceanic exhibit at S.E.A. Aquarium to make this happen.

Fort Lauderdale Hotel
Fort Lauderdale Hotel

Boasting accolades as the world’s largest aquarium, this venue of 6- square feet of acrylic panels is home to nearly 70 different marine species from the confines of the bedroom. Each hotel suite has two levels, the first floor being completely submerged in water, the second level housing the outdoor deck and private pool. Beautiful accommodations. And the personal hotel butler doesn’t hurt either.
Check out the hotel pics after the jump and let us know what you think.


Most fish reproduce by laying eggs, though some fish, such as great white sharks, give birth to live babies called pups.d
Starfish are not fish. Neither are jellyfish.a
Although the fangtooth fish is only a few inches long, it has teeth about the size of a human’s.
The mudskipper is a fish that spends most of its time out of water and can “walk” on its fins. It carries a portable water supply in its gill chambers when it leaves the water. It can also breathe through the pores of its wet skin
Catfish have over 27,000 taste buds. Humans have around 7,000.
To achieve shimmering effects, most lipsticks contain fish scales
Most brands of lipstick contain fish scales

Lungfish can live out of water for several years. It secretes a mucus cocoon and burrows itself under the unbaked earth. It takes in air with its lung through a built-in breathing tube that leads to the surface. A lungfish has both gills and a lung.d
Seahorses are the only fish that swim upright.
Some fish, such as the great white shark, can raise their body temperature. This helps them hunt for prey in cold water.
The oldest known age for a fish was an Australian lungfish. In 2003, it was still alive and well at 65 years old.
Fish use a variety of low-pitched sounds to convey messages to each other. They moan, grunt, croak, boom, hiss, whistle, creak, shriek, and wail. They rattle their bones and gnash their teeth. However, fish do not have vocal chords. They use other parts of their bodies to make noises, such as vibrating muscles against their swim bladder.
Fish can form schools containing millions of fish. They use their eyes and something called a lateral line to hold their places in the school. The lateral line is a row of pores running along the fish’s sides from head to tail. Special hairs in the pores sense changes in water pressure from the movements of other fish or predators.f
Since a fish’s jaw is not attached to its skull, many fishes can shoot their mouths forward like a spring to catch startled prey.
Electric eels and electric rays have enough electricity to kill a horse.
Sharks are the only fish that have eyelids.
Fish have sleep-like periods where they have lowered response to stimuli, slowed physical activity, and reduced metabolism but they do not share the same changes in brain waves as humans do when they sleep.d
Some fish, such as the herbivorous fish (grazers), often lack jaw teeth but have tooth-like grinding mills in their throats called pharyngeal teeth.
Most fish have taste buds all over their body.
Pollution in water changes the sex of fish
An estimated one third of male fish in British waters are changing sex due to pollution in human sewage.g
Saltwater fish need to drink more water than freshwater fish. Since seawater is saltier than the liquids in a fish’s body, water inside the fish is constantly flowing out. If they didn’t drink to replace the lost water, saltwater fish would dry up like prunes.
The oldest fishhook ever found dates back to about 42,000 years ago.
Most fish have little salt in them. Sharks, however, have meat as salty as the ocean they live in
Most fish can see in color and use colors to camouflage themselves or defend themselves and their territory. Most fish have the best possible eyesight for their habitat and can most certainly see you peering at them in a fish tank. Some fish can see polarized and ultraviolet light.
A fish's age can be determined by growth rings in its scales
A fish does not add new scales as it grows, but the scales it has increase in size. In this way, growth rings are formed and the rings reveal the age of a fish.d
Fish that have thin fins with a split tail indicate that they move very quickly or may need them to cover great distances. On the other had, fish that live among rocks and reefs near the ocean floor have broad lateral fin and large tails.
A ship has a heavy keel in the lower part to keep it from capsizing. Fish, on the other hand, have the keel on top. If the paired fins stop functioning to keep the fish balanced, the fish turns over because its heaviest part tends to sink, which happens when it dies.
On average, flying fish can glide 160 feet (50m), but have been known to glide as far as 660 feet (200 m). And they can reach heights up to 19 feet (6m).
An inflated porcupine fish can reach a diameter of up to 35 inches (90 cm). It puffs up by swallowing water and then storing it in its stomach. The stomach increases in size with more water. If the fish is taken out of water, it can inflate in a similar way by swallowing air.
A fish can drown in water. Like humans, fish need oxygen, so if there isn’t enough oxygen in the water, they will suffocate.
The fish in the middle of a school control the school. The fish on the outside are guided by those in the middle. Only bony fish can swim in highly coordinated groups.
Most fish cannot swim backwards
Most fish cannot swim backwards. Those that can are mainly members of one of the eel families.a
Fish would suffocate if they tried to chew because chewing would interfere with water passing over their gills.
The biggest fish in the world is the giant whale shark, which can grow to nearly 60 feet, or the length of two school buses. It weighs over 25 tons and eats mainly plankton. It has over 4,000 teeth, though they are only 3 mm long.d
The most poisonous fish in the world is the stone fish. Its sting can cause shock, paralysis, and even death if not treated within a few hours.e
The word “piranha” is from the Tupi (Brazil) pira nya and means “scissors.” Found in freshwater rivers in South America, piranhas have razor-sharp teeth. They typically eat fish, insects, seeds, fruit, and even larger animals such as horses. While there are no proven reports of piranhas killing a person, they do eat human carcasses.f
The fastest fish is the sailfish. It can swim as fast as a car travels on the highway.d
The slowest fish is a seahorse. It swims so slowly that a person can barely tell it is moving. The slowest is the Dwarf Seahorse, which takes about one hour to travel five feet. It even looks like it is simply standing up, not swimming.d
Some fish do not have scales. Sharks, for example, have rough sandpapery skin instead of scales.d
Fish have multiple Christian and pre-Christian overtones. For example, the Greek word for fish is Ichthys, which is an acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior” and was used to mark early Christian tombs and meeting places. Because of their association with fertility, fish have also been linked to Isis and Aphrodite.f
In Japanese, "fugu" literally means "river pig"
In Japan, the fugu, or puffer fish, is a succulent but lethal delicacy. It contains tetrodotoxin, a deadly poison. However, it is so delicious that Japanese gourmets risk their lives to prepare it. To make this high-risk dish, chefs must have a certificate from a special school that teaches preparation of this toxic fish.e
Hammerhead sharks can live in schools of more than 500 sharks. The strongest female swims in the middle. When she is ready to mate, she shakes her head from side to side to signal the other female sharks to move away so she is the center of attention.a
Some desert pupfish can live in hot springs that reach temperatures greater than 113° F.f
A male emperor angelfish lives together with up to five female mates. If the emperor angelfish dies, one of the females turns into a male fish and becomes the leader of the group.f
There are approximately 32,000 different kinds of fish in the world today, which is more than all the other kinds of vertebrates combined. Scientists are discovering new species all the time.d
The batfish plays dead when danger is near. It floats motionless on its side when scared, making it look like a dead leaf floating on the surface of the water.d
Anableps, four-eyed fish, can see above and below water at the same time.d
Sometimes tornadoes pick up fish while traveling over water and carry them over land, where the fish rain down. These “fish showers” have been happening for thousands of years. Roman writer Pliny the Younger describes this phenomenon in the 1st century A.D.f
Lampreys and hagfish are the most primitive form of fish still living today.c
Male anglerfish are much smaller than the female. While the female can reach up to 24 inches long, the males barely reach 1.6 inches long and live as parasites on their mates. They stay together for life. As the male ages, he gets smaller and smaller. The female anglerfish’s light is always “on.”c
Close to 99% of the ocean remains unexplored
Scientists have explored only 1% of the ocean depths. They believe millions of new kinds of animals and fish are down there, waiting to be discovered.c
Empty dogfish egg cases sometimes wash up onto the beach. Some people call them mermaid purses.f
Humans have been amazed for centuries that salmon, after journeying across the ocean, can find the river where they were born. In the Yukon River in Alaska and in Canada, certain tagged Chinook salmon covered nearly 2,000 miles in 60 days. Salmon also have adapted to live in a variety of aquatic environments, including rivers, lakes, estuaries, coal reefs, and the open sea.c
Fish were the first vertebrates with bony skeletons to appear on Earth. Unlike today’s fish, early fish had no scales, fins, or jawbone, but they did have a dorsal fin.f
Hagfish are some of the slimiest animals on earth. An Atlantic hagfish can make enough slime in one minute to fill a bucket.d
Unlike bony fish, sharks and rays do not have swim bladders. They have to swim all the time, even when they are sleeping. Otherwise, they will sink to the bottom of the ocean.f
A seahorse can move each of its eyes separately. One eye can look forward while the other looks backward. Seahorses can also change their color to match their surroundings.f
Most types of seahorses pair for life. Female seahorses lay their eggs inside a pouch on the male seahorse’s belly. When the babies are ready to hatch, the male holds onto a piece of seaweed with his tail and rocks back and forth until the babies pop out of his pouch.f
Unlike most other fish, the ocean sunfish does not have a tail. A female sunfish can lay 300 million eggs each year. Each egg is smaller than the period at the end of a sentence.f
The term “fish” is used when referring to one species of fish (e.g., 10 salmon are 10 fish). The term “fishes” is used when referring to more than one species (e.g., 10 salmon, 3 trout, and 1 angel fish are 14 fishes).e
The freshwater Pygmy and Luzon gobies of the Philippines, the saltwater Marshal Islands goby, and the tiny rice fish from Thailand all reach a maximum length of 1/2", roughly the size of a grain of rice. They are typically considered the world’s smallest fishes.c

Fort lauderdale Accommodations | "Hottest Las Vegas Nightlife Spots"


Source      : http://stupiddope.com
Category    : Fort lauderdale Accommodations
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale


Las Vegas night life is an experience not to miss while on the Strip and perhaps one of the main reasons why hordes of tourists visit the city. From fancy night clubs where you can dance next to your favourite Hollywood star, spicy or fantasy shows that immerse the public into mystical and sensual worlds, bars where exotic drinks flow all night long and loads of live music concerts, the list of entertainment choices you get in Vegas is almost infinite.
Fort lauderdale Accommodations
Fort lauderdale Accommodations

Hottest Night Clubs
Tao is the place to go if you want to have a blast in an eclectic décor of Asian inspiration. Gigantic Buddha heads are scattered throughout the place. The sensual dance moves of the flower petals dressed girl lounging in a bath tub represent one of Tao’s best known attractions. Soaking up the typically Las Vegas night life atmosphere, sampling Sin City’s opulence, hot spotting Hollywood stars and other celebrities, dancing your way through the crowds and tasting exotic cocktails are some of the must things to do at Tao.
Perched on the 17th floor of the Cosmopolitan Complex, Marquee is another trendy night life spot on the Strip. While in the main room you will most likely hear house music, in Boom Box you will be welcomed by hip-hop tunes. For a special “chill out” atmosphere, take the stairs behind the 40-foot LED screen in the main room and head towards the Library. You will see that the name goes much beyond the décor. If the weather is nice, join the party at the Patio.

Hottest Shows
A presentation of Las Vegas night life would not be complete without speaking of its varied and highly entertaining shows. All Cirque du Soleil performances are top headliners. If you are in for some blunt jokes, lots of acrobatic moves and an almost surreal atmosphere, Zumanity is your best pick. You will find the same type of humor and stunning effects in Absinthe.
No matter what type of music you prefer, you can always treat yourself to a live music performance. Luckily, you will find so many live music concerts in Las Vegas that the only question will be which one to pick. From Celine Dion to Elton John to Donny and Marie, you can find your favorite tunes and attend dynamic shows at any corner of the Strip.
The most popular performers with a long-term engagement are the Aussi singers’ quartet Human Nature and the Canadian star Celine Dion. The rap idol CeeLo Green “Loberace” has recently joined the ranks of great music stars who call Las Vegas their home.

Bar Scene
With so many opportunities for fancy and exotic entertainment, one might think there is no such thing as a simple night out in a bar. At first sight, Dick’s Last Resort is such an option. But what is simple in Vegas? Located inside Excalibur Casino Hotel, Dick’s Last Resort is the place where you can have an overpriced dinner accompanied by acid sarcasm in a totally unpretentious setting. While it is a popular bar in Vegas, it is certainly not recommended to those without a strong sense of humor. If you don’t get offended easily (and you should not while on Dick’s Last Resort’s premises), get ready for a great laugh.
If you made the mistake of not packing your fancy evening dress and your high heeled shoes, or if you are simply up for a dance in your comfortable flip-flops, Carnaval Court is the place to go.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Hampton Inn Airport Hotels | "The Largest Hampton Inn in the World, Launches New Las Vegas Summer Family Reunion Package"

Source      : http://www.prweb.com
Category    : Hampton Inn Airport Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale

The 322-room Hampton Inn Tropicana, the largest Hampton Inn in the world, has launched a special Las Vegas family reunion package for the summer season.

The Hampton Inn Tropicana Las Vegas Reunion Package, for stays from May 1, 2013 to September 30, 2013 includes a discounted room rate for groups of 10 or more rooms; an upgrade to a Hospitality Suite at the group room rate; water stocked refrigerator and welcome cookies in the Hospitality Suite; a complimentary room night for every 40 room nights purchased; and a Saturday evening “Movie Night” showing a family-friendly movie for all to enjoy. Group rooms start from $79 per night, excluding applicable sales taxes and fees.
Hampton Inn Airport Hotels
Hampton Inn Airport Hotels
The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Las Vegas and the famous Strip. Fine dining and shopping is minutes from the hotel at the Town Square Las Vegas with over 70 shops and restaurants. Guests also enjoy complimentary amenities at the Hampton Inn Tropicana such as: shuttle transportation to and from the airport and to select Las Vegas Strip stops; parking; daily On The House™ hot breakfast; wireless internet in public areas and guest rooms; hot coffee; business center; outdoor heated swimming pool; and a 24-hour fitness center.
The Hampton Inn Tropicana Family Reunion Package is available to reserve now for stays from May 1 – September 30, 2013, and valid for new group reservations. For more information and to check availability of the Hampton Inn Tropicana Reunion Package, contact the hotel sales department at (702) 948-8100.
About the Hampton Inn & Suites Tropicana Las Vegas
The family-friendly, non-gaming Hampton Inn Tropicana is conveniently located a half mile from the excitement of the Las Vegas Strip, and just minutes away from McCarran International Airport. The hotel features 322 deluxe guest rooms, including 136 double beds and six spacious suites, nearly 10,000 square feet of Las Vegas meeting space, and Coconut’s lounge. Guest amenities include an outdoor heated pool with cabanas, complimentary On the House® hot breakfast, Coconuts lounge, 24-hour fitness center, 24-hour business center, complimentary wired and wireless Internet access, and complimentary self-parking. Guest rooms feature in-room coffee maker, hair dryer, and 37” flat screen high definition televisions.

Hotels In Fort Lauderdale | "Fort Lauderdale area expects 13 million visitors in 2013"


Source      : http://www.bizjournals.com
Category    : Hotels In Fort Lauderdale
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale


Broward County's tourism leader joked about the Miami Dolphins stadium push on Friday, but also had a serious prediction of 13 million visitors in the county this year, up from 12.04 million in 2013.
Hotels In Fort Lauderdale
Hotels In Fort Lauderdale

The overview of tourism by Nicki Grossman, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, came as part of the Fifth Annual Economic Engine Performance report. In upcoming blogs, I'll look at the outlook for Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

See the attached slideshow for statistics and images about the CVB's advertising campaign.
Grossman said Broward County had the second-highest hotel occupancy rate in the state at 87.6 percent in February, the highest since 2006. That percentage was up 3.2 percent from 2011.
The average daily room rate hit $151.54, the highest since 2008, and for all of 2012 was up 3.4 percent. More than 90 hotels had sellouts during February, Grossman said.
Grossman, who is a former county commissioner, said 14,647 people are employed in Broward tourism and each 85 additional visitors sparks one job creation. The spending generated by the visitors in 2012 was $9.8 billion.
Grossman took aim at the Miami-Dade County Commission, which is moving to minimize the impact of future Super Bowls on Broward County, which has hosted teams and had the majority of fans. The Broward County Commission rebuffed efforts to help Miami-Dade in funding for the stadium and Miami-Dade officials don't want Super Bowl teams to stay in Broward anymore.
"We are actually watching to see how many Broward residents buy tickets for the Miami Dolphins in the Miami stadium and the Miami Super Bowl," Grossman said, punching the world "Miami" each time.
Grossman said she is optimistic that Broward's fourth attempt to build a convention center hotel could actually work this time. The convention center in 2012 was granted LEED gold standard for existing buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Grossman said the county doesn't want to compete with the mega 1 million-square-foot plus convention centers, but would could compete for 70 percent of additional businesses that want a convention center hotel.
"The building has to grow. We have lost clients and customers who have outgrown this 600,000-square-foot facility," she said.
The CVB's current marketing highlights six business-oriented hotels near the convention center.
Grossman said 26 percent of tourism in Broward is group related, compared with less than 2 percent when the convention center opened.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Fort Lauderdale Hotel | "How to Have fun at Disneyland on Crowded Days"


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Category    : Fort Lauderdale Hotel
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
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My kids are on spring break and that means our Disneyland Passes are about to get a workout.

“But what about the crowds?”
Fort Lauderdale Hotel
Fort Lauderdale Hotel

Disneyland is notoriously crowded during spring break. I won’t even try to argue that fact. This is peak tourist season. So much so that for many passholders these are “blackout days”. In order to have access to the park on these days, us locals need to upgrade to a deluxe pass. Not everyone is willing to pay more.  We are.

“Why go when it’s crowded?”

It’s crowded because this is when everyone has off from school, work, etc. Our visiting friends and relatives are going now. We want to go with them!

We sprung for the more expensive passes because we know how to have fun at Disneyland, even when it’s really crowded, or really rainy, or really cold…  What I’m saying here is that there is no such thing as a bad day to visit Disneyland. Everyday at Disneyland is a good day, in my book. But this doesn’t mean you should go in without a solid plan. Try and “wing it” and get on a few rides and you’re cruising for a meltdown. Be smarter.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels | "Apple patent envisions wireless charging on convertible laptop"


Source      : http://news.cnet.com/
Category    : Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale


Despite Apple CEO Tim Cook having knocked the idea of a convertible MacBook-iPad hybrid device, the company has filed a patent application for just that. The proposed patent, titled "Wireless display for electronic devices," was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today.
The application describes a computer display that is removable from its base -- basically a convertible laptop. But, what's different about this idea from other convertibles made by other companies is that it has wireless display technology. That means the device could be charged wirelessly.
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels
Luxury Fort Lauderdale Hotels

Here's how Apple describes it in its patent application:
 The base includes a processor, a base wireless chip, and a power source. The display includes a screen for displaying a video output, a display wireless chip in communicating with the base wireless chip, and a power wireless chip in communication with the power source. The base wireless chip transmits data from the processor to the display. Also, when the display is at least in one position with respect to the base, the power source transmits power to the power transition member of the display.
Convertible devices are nothing new, but they've never really caught on. Lenovo has its Yoga convertible, and Dell created its XPS 12, both of which run Microsoft Windows.
Last year, Cook mocked convertible devices saying that such convergence is a "compromise" to the end user.

Anything can be forced to converge, but the problem is that products are about trade-offs, and you begin to make trade-offs to the point where what you have left doesn't please anyone," Cook said. "You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going be pleasing to the user."
It's possible that Apple will never develop a consumer product based on this proposed patent, but it's also possible that the company may now be thinking it can do something beyond what Microsoft has done.
Apple has shown interest in wireless technology in the past. In 2011, it applied for a wireless charging patent that would let users charge an iOS device simply by keeping it close to their computer system. Then, last year, the company filed another patent application for wirelessly charging devices that would charge while sitting in boxes on store selves. Most recently, just last month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published an Apple patent application that aims to charge iPads using a Smart Cover outfitted with charging technology.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Hotels In Fort Lauderdale | "Dig In! Thai Elephants Indulge In A Scrumptious Buffet"


Source      : http://www.dogonews.com
Category    : Hotels In Fort Lauderdale
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale

Hotels In Fort Lauderdale


While Elephants are revered by the local people of Thailand they are also used as beasts of burdens. In the past, it was to help fight battles. Today, these majestic animals are extensively utilized to help carry wood for the logging industry. It is therefore, nice to hear that on National Elephant Day the mighty mammals are treated like the royalty they are, and served with meals fit for a king.

One of the biggest celebrations took place at the Pattaya Resort in Thailand's Chonburi Province. Fifty-two elephants, some donned in saffron attire, arrived bright and early for the big day. Each was first blessed with holy water by a senior mahout or professional elephant rider and then led to the grand feast, which comprised of an unlimited supply of their most favorite treats - bananas, dragon fruits, pineapples, assorted melons, apples and the list goes on and on! The elephants ate till they were satiated before trudging back with their owners, for a good night's rest.
Hotels In Fort Lauderdale
Hotels In Fort Lauderdale

Though called National Elephant Day, the festivities that took place on March 13th this year, stretch out for an entire week. Besides providing a well-deserved treat and break for the hard-working animals, they are also aimed to raise awareness about the mammal's dwindling population. One smart elephant even helped convey the message by painting a dead elephant and the words 'Don't kill me', right beside it.

And dire as it may sound, it has a sad ring of truth to it. That's because since the 1900's the number of elephants in Thailand have gone from over 100,000 to just 3,000- 4,000, thanks to the destruction of their natural habitat and illegal poaching.

Asian Elephants are not the only ones that are in trouble. African elephants are facing the same fate. Hopefully, the public and officials will come together and save this mighty mammal from disappearing completely, from the wild.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels | "Five Best Sleep Tracking Gadgets or Apps"


Source      : http://lifehacker.com/
Category    : Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
By          : Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotels
Posted By   : Hotels in Fort Lauderdale


We could all use a better night's sleep, and the key to getting there is a mix of good sleep habits and understanding the things that keep you from getting the best sleep you possibly can. That's where sleep tracking gadgets that you wear, and smartphone apps that monitor your sleep cycles all come into play. This week, we're looking at five of the best sleep tracking tools, based on your nominations.
Earlier in the week, we asked you to tell us which sleep tracking gadgets or apps you thought were the best. We tallied your nominations, and here's a look at the top five. We know it's a bit unfair to include gadgets alongside smartphone apps, but depending on what you're looking for when it comes to sleep tracking, it's good to have options, both robust and complete (but may cost money) and affordable for the gear you already own (and free).

FitBit One

Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels

Sleep tracking is just one of the features of the FitBit One. Clip it on your pocket or somewhere else on your person and it'll keep track of the steps you take over the course of the day and how active you are overall. It'll also generate great-looking reports and feedback on your activity levels. When it comes to sleep though, just slip your FitBit One into the included wristband and set it to sleep mode. It'll track your movements overnight, including the times you get up and move around, or when you're awake tossing and turning in bed. Turn it off in the morning, and after you sync it with the FitBit web site or app, you'll get a complete report of how well you slept, along with how many times you woke up and what times during the night you were active. It won't diagnose sleep issues, but if you're worried you're tossing and turning a lot, or if your partner is the root of your sleep ailments, this gadget will tell you. iOS and Android apps complete the picture and give you access to all the data the FitBit collects from your smartphone. The FitBit One is $100, and the apps are free.

Sleep As Android

Sleep As Android is (as the name implies) Android only, but it does a great job of watching your sleep cycles. Originally it was intended to just wake you gently at the best possible time of the morning when your sleep cycle was at the best time for you to rise, but the app has come a long way since then. The app still helps you track your sleep and shows you graphs of your sleep habits overnight, but the app will also warn you if you're running on a sleep deficit and you should get back into a regular sleeping pattern. The app even pays attention to the sound in the room while you're sleeping to catch you snoring, record you talking in your sleep if that's a problem you have, or help you diagnose sleep illnesses you might not otherwise know about, like sleep apnea. Sleep As Android will wake you up gently at the best time in the morning for you to wake without being late with nature sounds, soothing music, captcha or puzzle alarms, or whatever you choose from the music on your phone or a special playlist to get you started. You can snag a 2 week trial free, after which you'll have to drop $3 for an unlock code, and a few bucks more for other useful in-app purchases.

Jawbone Up
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels

After a bit of a rocky start with the original Jawbone, the Jawbone Up has come a long way and addressed a number of the concerns that made the original a tenuous buy. Like most activity and fitness trackers, sleep is only one thing the Up pays attention to. It'll also track your steps and your activity level, and even makes it easy to log food and drink to keep track of your diet. It'll even remind you if you've been idle too long and tell you to get up and move around. When it comes to sleep, the Up can track how many hours you've slept, and pays attention to your activity overnight, including when you toss and turn and when you're sleeping deeply versus sleeping lightly. The Up will show you everything it's recorded in a report the next day on the web site, or through the Jawbone Up iOS or Android mobile apps, so you can start trying to figure out what the root cause of your sleep issues may be, and work your way to a better night's rest. A Jawbone Up will set you back $130, and the mobile apps are free.

Sleep Cycle
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels

Sleep Cycle is an iOS app that also watches your sleep habits from your nightstand in order to help wake you up at the best possible time of the morning. We've mentioned it before, a long time ago, but the app has grown a good bit since then, and still has a loyal following. It's $1, and for the money you get motion monitoring (and even advises you on where you should place your iPhone while you sleep so it can make use of its accelerometer—right next to your pillow) so the app will know when you toss and turn and when you wake in the middle of the night. The app collects its data and then presents it to you in easy-to-understand graphs, and lets you even mark conditions for the night, including behaviors you may have changed, so you can see their effect on your night's rest. The app also functions as an alarm clock, and will wake you to your own music or any one of over a dozen soothing alarm melodies for a gentle start to the day. Plus, the app runs in the background so you can set your regular alarm and go about your business.

Sleepbot
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels
Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels

SleepBot for Android is another great Android utility for tracking your sleep patterns and measuring how well you sleep over the course of several nights. We covered it a while ago, but the app has grown and added a wealth of new features since then. The app tracks you sleep, but it also tracks movement overnight, auto-recording so you can hear whether you snore or if you're having breathing problems overnight (or if you're talking in your sleep), and is even packed with tips to help improve your sleep hygiene and fall asleep faster (and stay deeply asleep). The app also has an easy-to-use widget that lets you "clock in" and "clock out" when you go to bed and when you wake up to start and stop the app from tracking your activity, and it supports a number of other Android alarm clocks, so you don't have to give up the app you love to use Sleepbot to track your sleep. Best of all, the app is completely free, and pairs with the Sleepbot webapp for even more detailed analysis.