Courtyard by Marriott opens 2 new properties in Europe

by Scott Carmichael on

The Courtyard by Marriott chain of hotels is in the middle of a major revamp – but at the same time, the chain is working hard to expand across Europe.

The chain already has 40 properties and over 7,000 rooms in Europe, and today, they announced the two newest additions to their lineup – Budapest and St. Petersburg.

The 235-room Courtyard Budapest City Center is located on Blaha Luiza Square in the Pest section of Budapest. The hotel is located in close proximity to both the airport and public transportation lines.

The new 273-room Courtyard St. Petersburg Center West/Pushkin Hotel is located in central St. Petersburg within a 10-minute walk of the Marinsky Theater and St. Nicholas Cathedral and the State Hermitage. It is Marriott’s second Courtyard-branded hotel in St. Petersburg.

Both properties feature everything that makes a Courtyard such a great pick – high speed Internet, the Grab & Go snack market, flat screen TV’s and a well designed work area.

The two new properties are open and ready for guests – to learn more about them, and the 848 other locations in the chain, check out the Courtyard by Marriott site.

Daily Pampering: Rent a villa during the euro’s four-year low

by Annie Scott on


While there are a number of ways to take advantage of the fact that the euro is at the lowest exchange rate with the dollar that it’s had in four years ($1.22), what could be more lovely than renting a villa in the French Riviera?

In the prime location of Mandelieu in the Cote d’Azur, Villa Kieta, above, boasts all the luxury it had when the exchange rate was much, much less favorable. The four-bedroom villa is situated on 12 acres of private grounds and sleeps up to eight adults and two children. The master bedroom has a jacuzzi bath and private terrace and each additional bedroom has en-suite facilities, as well as wifi, air conditioning, and elegant modern furnishings.

The villa is a supreme place for romance or relaxation, with a sauna, pool, TV room, home cinema, elaborate kitchen and a number of private terraces overlooking the Bay of Cannes and the Lérins islands.

Best of all, you can rent this luxury villa for more than 13 percent less than what it would have cost you just earlier this year. Villa Kieta is now $267 per person (in fully occupied villa) per night in high season. That’s the kind of bargain even the most discerning travelers can appreciate. Visit AKvillas.com for more info, to look at more villas where you can take advantage of the price drop or to book.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Brits are worst-dressed tourists in Europe

by Mike Barish on

When it comes to dressing horribly, the British are the best of the worst. According to a survey conducted by TripAdvisor, Brits are the worst-dressed tourists roaming the Continent. According to the Telegraph, the Germans and Americans are next in line when it comes to fashion-challenged tourists. The survey covered several other topics, as well.

The French may be well-dressed, but they are the worst when it comes to checking their emails while they are traveling. 93% of Britons make an attempt to speak the local language while on holiday while 20% of French travelers admitted to making no attempt to do the same.

76% of those poorly-dressed Brits plan to take a summer vacation this year.

A TripAdvisor spokesperson said, ”Despite airline strikes, an uncertain economy and an erupting volcano, it’s reassuring to see British travellers recognising the importance of a summer holiday again.” It’s just a shame that they’re doing so in such horrible outfits.

Give dad a custom vacation from Kensington Tours this year

by Kraig Becker on

Father’s Day may still be a couple of weeks away, but if you’re struggling to figure out what to give dad this year, than Kensington Tours is here to help. The travel company, which specializes in private guided adventure travel to more than 80 countries around the globe, has officially designated a Vacation Valet who is prepared to help create a custom itinerary to fit your dad’s needs.

Kensington has named Brad Crockett as their official Vacation Valet for Dad, and he is ready to help apply his years of experience in the travel industry to create an unforgettable vacation experience. Whether your dad is an experienced global traveler or this is his first time abroad, he’ll have a custom designed itinerary that has been developed with his interests in mind. Best of all, these custom trips are surprisingly affordable, ranging from $200 to $2000 per day depending on your destination and options.

Of course we all know that every dad is different and each has their own idea of what constitutes a great travel experience. Fortunately, Kensington has the resources to deliver those experiences to even the most demanding traveler. For instance, if your dad is an adventurous traveler, then perhaps he’d enjoy trekking in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco or hunting with Pygmies in the Congo. Is he a history buff? Then let Kensington send him on a tour of famous battle fields in Vietnam or on an archaeological expedition through Egypt. Other options include exploring Kenya by motorcycle, dog sledding in the Yukon, white water rafting in Peru, or fly fishing in Chile. And for the dad who’s passion is golf, Kensington can even arrange a trip to the British Open in Scotland, including rounds of golf and whiskey tasting.

If you have one of those dads who already has everything, perhaps this year you can give him something that he has been lacking in the form of an international adventure of a lifetime. For more information go to Kensingtontours.com.

Airline recovery: U.S. and Asia key to growth

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Take advantage of cheap fares while you still can! It looks like the airline industry could find its way back to normal in as little as two years, thanks largely to increase in the United States and Asia, which will offset flagging demand in Europe.

The global recession has been brutal for the airline industry, which sustained 15 percent decline in revenue last year, according to the International Air Transport Association. Nonetheless, the initial belief that it would take three years to recover has been scaled back to two.

Says Giovanni Bisignani, top dog at IATA,

“Instead, probably we are seeing this could happen in two years,” he said at a news conference ahead of IATA’s annual general meeting next week. “The economy is pushing again strongly, especially in areas outside Europe, and the good news is that this industry is recovering faster than expectations.”

Even with an estimate economic impact of $1.8 billion from the “ash cloud” in Iceland, the airline industry is headed in the right direction. So, book your flights now … prices may be heading up soon!