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Posts Tagged ‘bed and breakfasts’

Beechworth, Victoria Hotels And Close By Attractions

April 6th, 2011 No comments

A trip to Beechworth is just the thing if you are looking for a fun and interesting place to enjoy a romantic getaway. There is a lot to see and do around the town as well as a large variety of Beechworth accommodation to give you a relaxing and romantic trip away: you will find a type of accommodation to meet all budgets and expectations.

Around the little town you will find that there are hotels, motels, cottages and B&Bs that all have a lot to offer the visitor in the way of services. Throughout the year the accommodation that is there often has packages put together to make your stay more affordable.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so any couple on a romantic trip away should take advantage of the many different food sensations that are on offer. One of the first stops on your gastronomic tour of the town should be the Beechworth Bakery. This bakery is famous throughout Australia and has a massive range of pies and pastries to satisfy hunger pains.

One of the town’s many excellent restaurants is Sambell’s Bar and Bistro, which is ideally situated in the LaTrobe Gardens on 11 acres of gardens. Here you can try many dishes that are made from local produce and products as well as some of the region’s excellent wines.

No visit to the area would be complete without sampling some of the locally made wines and ales. At the Bridge Road Brewery you can try a number of different brews that are made on the premises and many of them have won international brewing awards. There are also vineyards out of Beechworth that produce and sell to the public some high quality wines: you can organize tasting tours in town.

The town of Beechworth is arguably the best preserved gold mining town in Australia with many heritage trust buildings that you can see and visit. One of these historic buildings is the Beechworth Hospital. Unfortunately, only the grand facade remains, but it is very important as at one time it was the only hospital located between Melbourne and southern New South Wales. You can also visit a number of museums in the area such as the Burke and Carriage Museums, which showcase much of the area’s local history, with a particular focus on the gold mining era.

To send your stress levels packing, you can pay a visit to the Spa at Beechworth, which is ideally located amidst gardens that are more than a century old and in an historical building. There are several different beauty and health treatments that you can have there and restore your energy levels and reignite your romance.

For a romantic trip away with your loved one, Beechworth is a great choice. It has all the elements that you could possibly want or need and a good range of Beechworth accommodation to keep you comfortable during your holiday in the town.

Jasmine Zahara is seen as a highly regarded author with a business office in Beechworth and is well read regarding this region of Australia. Jasmine writes on most provincial Victorian topics and acknowledges Beechworth as one of the most interesting country Australia spots.

Experiencing Monteverde Costa Rica

October 8th, 2009 No comments
by Janet K. Rustiford

When traveling in Costa Rica, you must make it a point to visit Monteverde. The town is tucked away high in the mountains and the views are incredible. Monteverde offers a variety of tours of things to see and do.

A tour that offers many thrills and chills is zip lining over the canopy. The staff will clip you onto the cable and send you flying across 600 meters of open space, you’ll be extremely high and will be able to see the canopy from above. Now, that is a great combination.

If you are avoiding adrenaline, try the suspended bridges. You can go to Selvatura and see the canopy in another very personal way. Up at Selvatura you can also experience the hummingbird garden. It is truly incredible something to be that close.

Costa Rica is known for having a lot of bio-diversity and every area of the country is different. Be sure to hike one of the two reserves in Monteverde. If you’ve got a good eye or ear you might see and hear toucans or monkeys.

If you want to learn about the forest while hiking, you can hire a guide for a private tour. With this option you will have a better chance at seeing animals. The guides are trained to know all about the cloud forest life.

In Santa Elena, which is one kilometer from Monteverde, there is a Frog Pond Exhibit. They have the famous Red Eyed Tree Frog and Poison Dart Frog. Inside, there are 28 different species of frogs.

For those who enjoy everything outdoors, try horseback riding with the company La Estrella. You can spend an hour, an afternoon or the day riding through the forest. The trails wind along the tops of the mountains. Be sure to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Nicoya.

After you have spent the day enjoying the tours, be sure to spoil yourself at one of the fine restaurants. Don Juan and Morphos are great choices and if you are looking for the local place, go to Donde Henry. As for desert, Stellas Bakery is where its at.

And the place to lay your head is a place literally in the trees. Hidden Canopy Tree House Hotel has four tree houses available. Treat yourself to their waterfall showers and be sure to catch the sunset on the patio.

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B&B Guests Earn Rewards 10 Times Faster Than Leading Hotel Chain

March 26th, 2009 No comments

If you are looking to pile up free-night rewards from frequent stay programs when you travel, we’ve found that you can get more bang for your buck staying at a bed and breakfast. Here’s a little test we did:

Rewarded 10 Times Faster than at Marriott

Picking up the phone, we called Marriott Rewards with a standard request to earn a free stay. We asked about booking a $209-per-night room at the Marriott Suites, which would get us a total of 627 points per night. In order to compile enough points to get a free night at their lowest level, we would need 7,500 points. That means we would have to spend $2,500, staying about 11.9 nights in order to get that free night reward.

Now we’ll check how travelers can earn a free stay at B&Bs nationwide, in addition to a few other B&B-related values. Bed and breakfasts are hard to beat when it comes to unique lodging, hospitality and what you can get for your hard-earned dollar. If you are interested in making your money work better for you, take into consideration a couple of items:

Across the nation, more than 1,500 B&B inns will give guests a free second-night stay with the purchase of the first night. They do this for a simple reason. They want exposure for their property. The typical bed and breakfast doesn’t have the large advertising budget that a standard hotel does. So, they look to earn word-of-mouth exposure and added promotion through this popular program.

At iLoveInns.com, the site that runs this free-night program, travelers can save $140 on an average two-night stay. Think about the numbers above that we quoted from Marriott Rewards. How much more can you stretch your travel dollar than using it to spend 11.9 nights in order to get that free night?

Depending on the individual bed and breakfast or country inn, a traveler can save as much as $650. Plus, the buy-one-get-one promotion is an immediate reward.

You can save even more when you take into consideration your meal expense. The bed and breakfast, after all, comes with breakfast. But many inns also take it a step further an offer various free business services and such items as free drinks or snacks (and not with a mini-bar price).

Money and Memories Go Further with Bed and Breakfast Trips

Now that you know you can save more from a bed and breakfast, consider a typical inn and what it provides. For example, look at this California Bed and Breakfast, the Inn at Seventeen Mile drive located in the Monterey Peninsula.

Choose from rooms with views of the sea or garden in the main house of this three-building bed and breakfast. Or, enjoy the oak and redwoods in the chalet and cottage rooms. Unwind in the spa beneath the towering trees or the gardens whose guests also include the occasional deer and monarch butterfly. Maybe sip some champagne near the fountains and koi ponds. With the Buy-One-Night-Get-One-Night-Free program, guests will save anywhere from $145 to $290 at this lovely property.

Hard to beat an excellent experience and an excellent value. When you’re trying to decide how to find that next free-night perk, take a look at a property like that California bed and breakfast. The B&B free-night program is a superb travel value.

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Enjoy the Most Romantic Bed and Breakfasts of the South

March 3rd, 2009 No comments

In these troubling times, it is essential that we step back and make a little time for rest and relaxation. It is especially important for couples to spend a little time rekindling the romance that first brought them together. A getaway at a romantic Southern bed and breakfast serves as a perfect little respite from the daily grind.

If you want to find the best inns of the South, head to ILoveInns.com. This award-winning website is run by American Historic Inns, publishers of more than 2.7 million travel guides. After an exhaustive search, the writers and staff at AHI have compiled their annual list of the Top Ten Most Romantic Inns of 2009. The following Southern bed and breakfasts are featured on this year’s list.

With its stunning ocean views and seaside location, guests might never want to leave the idyllic Port d’Hiver Bed and Breakfast. Located in historic Melbourne Beach, this Florida inn boasts gorgeous guest rooms, each of which has been decorated in a posh beach style. Dianne’s Room is a personal favorite, a cozy retreat with an almost whimsical canopy queen bed, unique vaulted ceiling with dark wood beams, and a clawfoot tub in the marble-appointed bath. Several rooms offer an ocean view, and some have a whirlpool tub. The beach is just 200 feet away, but the innkeepers also offer a spa pool for their guests to enjoy. The rates include a full breakfast, which you can enjoy either on your porch or in the dining room.

For a mix of new and old, consider the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. This Charleston inn features new construction but is surrounded by the downtown historic area just steps from the town’s famous market. The inn provides plenty of modern amenities, such as CD players and high-speed internet access. A unique Sound Sleep Pillow Menu allows guests to choose the perfect pillow to ensure an excellent sleep. All of the rooms and suites are spacious and some suites include extras such as whirlpool tubs, a private balcony and a fireplace. The inn’s restaurant, Tristan, has earned a four-star rating from AAA.

With its prime location and amazing history, The Inn at Warner Hall, is practically perfect in every way. This Virginia inn is located along the Chesapeake Bay in the village of Gloucester, 15 minutes from Yorktown battlefields and just a half-hour from Colonial Williamsburg. The historic plantation was created by George Washington’s great-great grandfather. Each of the elegant bedchambers has been decorated with period antiques, and the innkeepers pamper their guests with fluffy down comforters, soft bathrobes and luxurious bath products. Full, gourmet breakfasts are included in the rates, and snacks and beverages are available throughout the day. The inn’s restaurant is a delight, serving the best local produce and seafood on an ever-changing seasonal menu. Popular five-course tasting menus are presented on Friday and Saturday nights, offering such items as fennel and garlic crusted rack of lamb or perhaps butter-braised lobster with lemon.

More information about these three romantic inns, as well as more than 19,000 bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels and country inns is available at ILoveInns.com. This comprehensive website has all the information you need to help plan your next B&B getaway. You’ll find detailed information about each property as well as photographs and helpful travel maps. In addition, printable gift certificates are available for thousands of the inns listed on the website.

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Switzerland’s Best Hotels Offer Unparalleled Beauty, Hospitality

January 28th, 2009 No comments

With its snow-capped mountains and quaint villages, Switzerland is a fairy tale land, full of adventure and beauty. It is here you will find some of Europe’s best offerings – fine cuisine, world-class skiing and picture-perfect scenery.

Jet d’Eau, the tallest fountain in the world, is found in Genevaa beautiful old city bisected by the river Rhone. Definitely a walking tour is in order here with Geneva’s marvelous selections of fine shops, fantastic restaurants and inspiring cathedrals. After you have exhausted the beauty of this quaint city, head out for Lausanne, Zurich or even St. Moritz where you will be astounded by the plethora of nature at its best.

Karen Brown, a prolific travel writer, suggests numerous itineraries for assistance in planning the perfect vacation to this wondrous land. Included at KarenBrown.com are maps and activities that make choosing your travel spots fun and simple. The following inns and hotels have been chosen and voted on by her readers as being the very best that Switzerland has to offer:

Encamped in the Anniviers Valley lies the quaint village of Grimentz, filled with brilliant flowers in the summer and excellent snow pack in the winter. The family-run Hotel de Moiry is located here and was named the recipient of the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for “Greatest Value.” This charming whitewashed inn is absolutely genuine Swiss at its best. Enjoy traditional Swiss food including savory fondues and crisp strudels, while taking in the views from the terrace or, if snowy weather arrives, in the dining room before a blazing fire.

With beauty to be found in every corner of Switzerland, the country is an excellent spot for a romantic vacation. The Romantik Hotel Wilden Mann in Lucerne is a perfect spot from which to rekindle your love. The hotel, which dates back to the 16th century, has been selected as the “Most Romantic” lodging choice in Switzerland by Karen Brown’s readers. Each of the guest rooms and suites has been decorated individually. While not adjacent to Lake Lucerne, several of the rooms offer river views as does the hotel’s restaurant.

The Hotel Privata in Sils-Maria, comfortably ensconced between mountains, sprawling meadows and pristine lakes, has been awarded the Karen Browns Readers’ Choice Award for “Warmest Welcome” in Switzerland. Hiking trails are in abundance here. Venture into the mountains, take a lazy stroll by pristine lakes or lose yourself in the lush atmosphere of the wide meadows. Offering extremely comfortable guest rooms, the Hotel Privata also presents a lovely, spacious dining room with windows overlooking an opulent back garden.

The recipient of the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice award for the best “Splendid Splurge” in Switzerland is the Hotel Rote Rose and its guesthouse, Engelfrid. Situated on a hill of vineyards, this meticulously restored building boasts rooms decorated with elegant antiques and carefully selected furnishings. While no restaurant is available, breakfast is fabulous with choices of fresh piping hot breads, cheeses, yogurts and beverages. The landscape is unforgettable with ivy covering the exterior of the building and seasonal flowers blooming throughout this charming medieval town of Regensberg.

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