Patong Hotels and Resorts - Tourist Guide

If you are on your way to confirm your flight tickets to Phuket, you could do with some education about this famous Asian island. Remember, it is a Thai-speaking nation and being a Westerner, you should be apt enough to get your way with the locals. Sure enough you will be finding yourself surrounded by all sorts of tourism support and guide, the moment you land at the spot. Nevertheless, you can get all the help you need from these local tourist guides. However, if you are on the island for the first time, then you better be equipped with some important facts and figures pertaining to this land and its landmarks. I am saying this because the culture and the local lingo in here is something too typical for this part of the country.

Your first concern should naturally be finding a good stay. Now, there are different methods to proceed. Surfing online can act as a good primary source of info in this context. As you know well, Phuket and its famous beaches have always been the best Asian attractions. So, you would not find it too hard to get a good glimpse about the island's tourism sector, if you know where to search for the same. There are many independent tourism sites on Thailand and similar Asian hotspots. Search about interesting destinations like Patong. You would surely come across numerous websites listing Phuket hotel deals and various tourism attractions in and around the island.

It would be much better if you make all your bookings before landing at your destination. This would be far economical, besides advanced bookings can earn you good discounts too. You would not find much difficulty in fishing out the right deal for you. Visit the official tourism website for Thailand and you will find some of the best packages listed in there. What you get depends on what you are looking for. Make your budget plans and arrive at a decision as to what kind of accommodation you would settle in for. If you are looking for a budget friendly Thai holiday in Phuket, Patong hotels can be your place. It is great for surfing, partying or simply sightseeing. Truly, a paradise of a place, Patong beach can keep you engaged and entertained for days. You might not even feel the need of traveling to another location before winding up your holiday.

There are many Patong hotels and resorts that accommodate tourists at incredibly low rates. Besides stay, cheap shopping and dinning is yet another specialty of Patong. In this region of the island you would find everything you need at great prices. Search online for hotel deals in Patong and you will find luxury stay, deluxe rooms, private villas and single rooms at great discounted prices. Spa services are the hallmark of Thai hospitality. So, remember to try out a few spas before leaving the island. It can be surprisingly relaxing and even psychologically rejuvenating.

Are you looking for something that can let you know about the most amazing vacation experience in Patong Hotels? Simply click on the links to get best Phuket hotel deals.

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Wellness Hotels And Resorts - Adding A New Dimension To Life Style

Hospitality is an ever evolving industry. It caters to needs and desires of its users. As these desires keep changing with the ever evolving life style, the hospitality product offer makes micro adjustments to address these fresh demands. They say wealth gives birth to desire, how true it is. As people get more spendable income, we see new demand generation in almost all areas of our daily life.

We saw the introduction of health concept in city hotels in early seventies when the luxury hotels embraced something called a health club. Those days it consisted of only a gym, steam and sauna rooms. Good health clubs also had a few body massage rooms. The demand for a beauty parlor followed soon. No one wanted to step out of the health club without a proper facial or hair do. This made the beginning of a new era for hospitality industry - the wellness age. Those who recognized it as an opportunity exploited it to remain competitive.

Today, after four decades, things are different. The concept of health club has undergone a drastic change. It is now one of the key revenue generators for luxury hotels. Things are very specialized. No more just a gym and massages, now they offer a whole range of products, treatments and therapies and services for holistic wellness. There are specialists offering counseling on diet, nutrition, weight loss, slimming, fitness, beauty, body care and general well-being. The underlying philosophy being to help the guests remain healthier.

The demand for wellness travel has given the hospitality industry a new niche, the wellness hotels or a resort. A well planned wellness resort in an attractive resort location offers all the luxuries of a resort hotel. In addition, it offers a well equipped Wellness product. The facilities in these resorts vary but generally include a range of restaurants or food outlets, bars and clubs, business facilities, meetings and conferencing, entertainment and indoor and outdoor sports. The main emphasis in these resorts is the wellness center.

A luxury wellness center will include a well equipped and fitted gym with personal counselors and trainers, a range of body baths, steam, sauna, solar therapy and so on. Wellness hotels located in an area with natural springs even offer natural spring water soaks, dips or baths, a number of swimming pools, different types of body and massage therapies, yoga, aroma and color therapy, skin treatment therapies, beauty treatments and the list is ever-increasing. Needless to say that the hotel employs specialists in all areas to counsel and physically render various therapies to the guests and residents.

Some wellness resorts, with enough landscape offer their own gated jogging tracks within the resort. Wellness resorts offer enough outdoor activity to its residents. They have tennis courts and badminton courts on the premises. Alternatively they have arrangements with a local club for use of facilities by its residents.

The resort management does everything to ensure that the resident spends minimum time in the room by offering a range of wellness, leisure and entertainment activities and facilities in the resort. The food menu in the restaurants offers a wellness food section offering a range of organic and nutritional selections. One can find a choice of diet and health dishes even on the buffet spreads. A special feature in some wellness food menus is that they also mention the nutritional values of the dish, including the calories. There is enough evening activity in a wellness resort to keep the residents occupied before retiring to bed.

A wellness hotel or resort could be anywhere or in any location. However those located in well-known vacation spots or resort location are more successful than the city center ones. The wellness hotels located in resort locations like a hill resort, ski resort or a beach resort offer the opportunity to combine vacation with wellness. Of late, it is observed that big corporations also patronize wellness resorts as their meetings and conference venues, combining business with wellness.

Branding of a wellness hotel or resort plays an important role in its success and within the hotel, the branding of the wellness product is absolutely crucial. It must be ensured that the brand has strong market presence and backing of an even stronger brand ambassador. In recent years the industry has witnessed launch of a number of highly successful brands, some belonging to large hotel chains and some to stand-alone hotels.

The most important aspect of a wellness hotel or resort is its initial conceptualization and planning. This is the most complex exercise. One can not simply have a hotel and add to it a state of the art health club. Wellness hotels need an in-depth study and research on needs and demands of its potential guests, the competition with in the area and how to ensure that the resort remains competitive for at least the next four to five years. While Big hotel chain have their own in-house wellness facility planners, the independent investor will be well advised to retain a professional consultant to create a unique and competitive product. It pays back in the long run.

A good wellness resort with attractive activities give room for one complaint - why the sun rises so late and the night comes so soon? One is so busy the whole day that the day never seemed to have come in the first instance. Wellness resorts, on one hand define your life style, and, on the other they offer a perfect opportunity to fuse your holidays with your well-being. Live healthy for you only live once!

You are free to publish this article without any change in the content electronically, in print, in your e-book, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author resource details are included.

Ram Gupta is a professional hospitality consultant with over four decades of experience in Asia, Far East, Middle East and Europe. He has been associated with over two dozen hotel projects. His web site can be viewed at http://www.bcgglobal.com and can be contacted at ramgupta@bcgglobal.com

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Bellagio Hotels and Resorts

Arguably the most beautiful of the Italian Lakes, Lake Como is a favorite summer playground of European royals and celebrities like George Clooney. Backed by the snow-capped Alps, the lake is lined with dreamy villas, formal gardens, and charming villages.

Lake Como is shaped like an inverted Y, and Bellagio is located near the fork. It's the loveliest of the towns on Lake Como and a delightful place to spend a day or a summer.

There are several wonderful Bellagio hotels and resorts to choose from. And not all of them are expensive, although you will need to make reservations well in advance to stay in one of the inexpensive hotels here. It's such a wonderful place to unwind, you might want to splurge a little.

The five-star deluxe Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is probably the best known resort in Bellagio. It was once a private estate, but it's been a hotel since 1873. Luminaries like JFK and Winston Churchill have been guests, and service is impeccable. The grounds and pool are delightful, and the restaurant, which has a Michelin star, is located on a huge terrace overlooking the lake. In addition to the outdoor pool, there's an indoor one, a private beach, gym, spa, and tennis courts. Rooms and public areas are palatial and luxurious.

Hotel Florence is in a 19th-century villa across from Bellagio's ferry dock. With a pretty terrace overlooking the lake and an old fireplace imported from Florence, it's an inviting place to stay and one of the most popular hotels in Bellagio. It's also hosted famous guests, including Mark Twain and the composer Puccini. Rooms, which have hardwoods floors and nice woodwork, are furnished with antiques and many have views. A full-service spa provides health and beauty treatments. The bar is a lovely spot for a cocktail.

Hotel du Lac is also near the dock and main square. In business for over 150 years, the hotel boasts stunning views from almost every turn. The terrace of the arcaded restaurant and rooftop garden are perfect for gazing at the lake - a pleasure that can also be enjoyed from most of the rooms. For the ultimate vacation, upgrade to a room with a terrace or balcony. The guest rooms are outfitted with mini bars and satellite TV and there's WiFi in the common areas. Guests of Hotel du Lac can use the pool and health club at the Bellagio Sporting Club.

Travelers looking for affordable accommodations in Bellagio will appreciate Hotel Suisse. Housed in a building that dates from the 15th century, it has a lot of charm for the money. Parquet floors and carved paneling add character and WiFi access makes it convenient for today's guests. The terrace restaurant that looks out over the lake is very enjoyable. Although the rooms aren't luxurious, they're clean and well maintained. Some even have lake views. Breakfast is included in the rate, making Hotel Suisse one of the best values in Bellagio.

Budget travelers can stay in two lake-side trattorias. La Pergola and Silvio both rent small, tidy rooms. Not all of them have private baths or views, so ask when you make reservations.

Find more Bellagio hotels here. And more Italian lakes hotels here.

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Best Spa Hotels and Resorts - Drive Away Your Blues in Style

There is nothing to beat a rejuvenating session in a luxury spa. If the spa in question happens to be part of a luxury resort spa, then the pleasure is doubled, what with all the other amenities on offer. No wonder then that some of the best spa hotels are almost always booked to capacity. The very mention of a luxury resort spa is enough for your mind to conjure up images of blissful peace and plenty of fun. Although spas have been in existence since ancient times, these days they seem to be enjoying some kind of a revival, thanks to luxury best spa hotels.

Spas and resorts seem to be made for each other. In fact, a large number of resorts have been designed around a spa. This is true to a large extent in the case of spa and hotels too. Seldom do you find a hotel that does not have a spa these days. A simple online search is all that you need to do in order to find a lake spa resort or a spa hotel near you.

Whether it is for ensuring your glow on your wedding day or to drive away all the work related stress, you can find best spa hotels are the places to head for. Once you have zeroed in on your choice, you can then relax in the tranquil environment on offer and completely recharge your batteries at the Spa and hotels.

Typically a variety of treatment options would be on offer in a luxury resort spa. Manicures, pedicures and of course different types of massages are some of the options that you can choose from. Beauty consultation is another thing that you can look forward to in a luxury spa.

Most people are under the wrong impression that spas and resorts are all about beauty treatments only. Nothing could be further from the truth. A relaxing day at the spa would additionally offer you a variety of health benefits. The sense of relaxation that a session in a Spas and resorts would promote is perhaps the best stress buster of them all. Spa and hotels are in fact the best places to unwind. The variety of exfoliation and body wraps on offer at the spas can help you get rid of whatever toxins that your body may have. Once your metabolism is stimulated, you can always have fun with the other options available at a Spas and resorts. This could typically include, live entertainment or a round of golf.

With intense competition prevailing among the best spa hotels, you can easily find a spa that best suits your needs and budgets these days. Exotic spas are coming up in all sorts of places. A lake spa resort for example, would be ideal if you are someone who prefers absolute silence and wants to be close to nature. A Spa and hotels inside the city may be the choice of a few others, who would not want to miss out on their other commitments, while they unwind in luxury. The choice is absolutely yours, although regardless of it, you are bound to have a great time.

Mike Greaves is a self-made entrepreneur, a well known travel consultant and internet marketer. Over the years he has traveled across the world and has numerous writings credited to his name in many renowned publications. His areas of writing include travel experiences including reviews of spas and resorts, world best hotels and Paris luxury hotels.

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Some of the Finest of Hotels and Resorts in Krabi

Krabi is a jewel in the crown of Thailand. Of all Thailand attractions, Krabi takes top honors with the likes of Ayutthaya, Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, Ko Samui and Chiang Mai. It is a very popular tourist destination and people come to visit the place from all over the world. It is inevitable that to house these tourists, the place ought to have lots of hotels and resorts where they can put up. Some of the top hotels are located right in front of the beaches, making it a double whammy of sorts for all the beach babies who need a chance to whisk away and enjoy the waters.

These hotels in Krabi offer world class facilities. They have everything tourists seek of accommodation, and ensure people have a good time staying at them. Some of the names are given below.

1) Centara Grand Beach: This resort contains 192 sea facing rooms with green limestone mountains for a backdrop. It is on the Pai Plong, a white sand beach that one can have access to by foot and by boat. Room size varies from 72 sq. ft. and onwards. Food is sumptuous and cocktails exotic.

2) The Tubkaak Krabi: 'Visitors Cove' is what the word 'Tubkaak' refers to. One of the best Thailand Attractions, the hotel provides a villa style accommodation on pristine beach with a view of the Phang Naga Bay Islands. Dinner can be eaten at the beachside, a site for peace lovers. Tourists get to choose from dual room types and two types of suites in this resort of 40 rooms. The sea breeze can be enjoyed throughout day and night.

3) Pimalai Resort and Spa: This is on the Lanta Island overlooking 100 acres of the sprawling hillside grounds. The 121 fully available rooms have been divided into five different types of categories. The Spas and Wines here are very famous with tourists, who pertinently make it a point to enjoy them to the hilt. Its marine location ensures a lot of eco-based activities, wining and dining dominating during nights.

4) Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi: This resort offers you a combination of turquoise sea, pristine seascape. Built over a 20 acre land area and housing close to 80 bungalows, the resort is heaven for those seeking space and comfort. The bungalows offer a king size bed, catering for three people and water sport facilities. There are plenty of recreational options to choose from.

5) The Sheraton, Krabi: The Sheraton is one of the most looked up to Thailand Attractions. The grounds are huge. They cover a land area close to 16 hectares. A total of 246 guest rooms and 30 Zen Rooms form this hotel. The recreational activities are simply sensational. Aerobic Classes, Video Games for Children, Swimming and other Water Sports dominate the activities chart. All of them are state of the art and ensure tourists have the time of their lives enjoying them.

All these resorts form an integral part of the Thailand Attractions one usually talks about. Staying at any one of them gives tourists a real peek into the standards of hospitality set in Thailand.

Krabi is an attractive place for tour and tourism. Wonderful beaches and hotels of Krabi are famous all over the World. Plan your Krabi trip with travel Krabi and get discount offers.

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Spa Hotels and Resorts - Ultimate Wellness Destinations

The emergence of spas is not recent. Earlier spas were located near a natural spring offering holistic wellness treatment to the visiting public. The term is more than often referred in conjunction with healing and curing than wellness. Spas got a make over from the Roman royals. They developed spas with a touch of class and a feel of luxury. In fact, they started using spas more or less like wellness centres, soaking in spring water, taking steam or hot air bath in a marble clad chamber, giving the body the luxury of soft massage, taking a cool dip in spring water and finishing with a relaxing drink.

Present day hectic pace of life, a busy social lifestyle of the lap top carrying corporate executives has created a profitable business opportunity for the hospitality industry - wellness travel. The concept of wellness is quite different than curative or medical travel. Wellness is for healthy people wanting to live healthier, whereas medical travel is for patients wanting to get well. This fine distinction makes wellness travel or spa tourism an interesting marketing proposition.

The term spa is derived from its Latin origin - salus per aquam, literally translating as water gifted health. No wonder then that the earlier wellness spots were located near natural springs as aqua therapy is considered mother of all detox therapies. The German health destinations like Baden Baden and Bad Neunehar, to name a few, have the prefix Bad, meaning spa or literally bath. Spa hotels and resorts today offer holistic wellness, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual in luxurious surroundings and atmosphere.

According to the first ever spa report published by Christine Tetreault at the 2008 Global Spa Summit in New York, the global spa economy stood at US$ 250 billion. This confirms the fact that the economic slow down had no impact on wellness business.

Spa business has come of age generating employment opportunities by millions. It has become very focused, specialised and professional. Spas can be classified into three categories - the day spa, offering a specific therapy, destination spa- as the name suggests, these are spas where guests stay, get healthier, have an entertaining time as the spa offers a whole range of body pampering treatments and therapies, and finally the medical spas which are more on clinical and medicine based treatments. The industry thrives on day spas in the city hotels and destination spas in resort hotels.

Spa planning for a luxury city hotel and a spa resort is a very complex exercise. Since wellness is the main marketing tool, the planning and implementing team must be fully aware of various processes and procedures, the flow of activity, space planning, knowledge of latest spa, gym and therapy equipments, technology, lay outs etc. The spa planning and executing team normally consists of a technical resource, interior decorator and the facility planner.

Staff in a spa plays an important role. They are educated and well trained in various therapies, processes and operations. These include massages - Swedish, Thai, deep tissue etc, water therapies like flotation, water dance, Jacuzzi etc. Most spas offer yoga sessions and various alternate therapies like Chinese, Egyptian and many more.

Wellness being the focus of the entire concept, beauty therapies become an integral part of a spa. These are available for both men and women. The beauty segment includes areas like hair, facial and body treatments. Food and nutrition counselling is part of spa management for the resident and day spa users.

A well-planned spa hotel or a spa resort has all the essentials of a luxury city hotel or a luxury resort hotel. Wellness becomes the core activity for the guests as well as the management. Well appointed guest rooms, state of the art fitted bath rooms, a wow lobby, gourmet restaurants, bars, discotheque, lounges, business centre, swimming pool and sports complex etc make the product complete.

As we look ahead, we must remember that enjoying good health and well being is the most desired wish of humans, the demand for a luxury, upscale spa hotel or spa resort will always remain high, it is an evergreen business niche. Forget get well! Keep well! is the mantra for a beautiful and enjoyable life.
You have permission to publish this article without any change what so ever electronically, in print, in your e-book, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author by-lines are included.

Ram Gupta is a professional hotel and resort consultant with over four decades of experience in Asia, Far East, Middle East and Europe. He has been associated with over two dozen hotel projects. His web site can be viewed at http://www.bcgglobal.com and can be contacted at ramgupta@bcgglobal.com

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Luxury European Family Hotels and Resorts

The architecture of European hotels closely resembles classic tales of knights, queens and kings commonly seen in fairy tales. The rich history of the area only enhances the appeal of the luxury resorts that are awaiting families visiting Europe for vacation. Many luxury hotels are designed to appeal to romance, but that doesn't mean that there isn't still an abundance of family hotels and resorts. In fact, some of the best places to stay while visiting Europe provide up-close and personal access to adventure, dining, museums and activities for kids.

Can you imagine staying at luxury European hotels that teach you hands-on cooking skills? European cuisine is distinct, flavorful and well known for its diversity and appeal. Hotel Villa Bordoni, located in beautiful Tuscany, offers customized programs taught by master chefs. It's the perfect opportunity to engage in a family activity that older kids will love. After preparing the dinner, expect the opportunity to sit down with the whole family in the beautiful dining room and enjoy the delicious entrées made together. After dinner, it's always nice to take a walk and explore the views. There may even be an opportunity to see some of the 20 varying species of turtles that roam the area.

In Austria, Kinderhotels is the epitome of wonderland for families on vacation. The luxury resort is one of few European hotels that even offers free childcare, with a maximum of 60 hours per week. Unlike resorts that are located in heavy tourist areas or on the beaches, this particular hotel is located in the alps. All of the cuisine offered in the hotel are made with healthy, organic ingredients. Many of the locations even include customized activity and entertainment centers for kids of all ages to enjoy movies or cartoons. Specialized ski slopes and highly trained instructors are also available for toddlers who are looking for a fun, safe outdoor adventure.

When in Rome, many families choose to stay at the Residenza Cellini, a luxury resort hotel located right in the heart and soul of the city. The vintage decor has pure renaissance appeal, capturing the rich history of the area. Guided tours through the city offer the perfect opportunity to indulge in the very things that so many families fall in love with when venturing to the ancient city. The hotel offers quick access to the Colosseum, views of the architecture and is close to all of the best art and history museums in the area. Room service is available around the clock, limousine guides and laundry service are all offered by Residenza Cellini, along with the option for selecting a room with a jacuzzi.

Luxury European hotels are infamous for embracing family vacations. Because so many of them offer additional services and activities that are catered to tourists in the area, the opportunities for having fun are virtually endless. The available amenities vary from one hotel to another, each one possessing its own features that continue to bring families back to the area year after year. Have you decided where you will be staying when you vacation to Europe?

For more information on European hotels, visit http://europeanhotels.co

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