All You Need Is Love...and a Great Hotel

Love is in the air and it doesn?t get much more romantic than spending Valentine?s Day in a beautiful hotel. The luxury and boutique hotels booking site, Luxique, chooses its Top 5.

On a Valentine?s Day getaway, a loved one expects nothing but the best - and that includes the hotel. With that in mind, the boutique and luxury hotel booking site Luxique has selected its top five romantic destinations for 2008.

Every survey insists that Paris remains Europe?s most romantic city and the Hotel de Crillon, a palace commissioned by Louis XV, is among the cr�me de la cr�me of luxury hotels in the French capital. Its previous guests include Prime Ministers, Presidents and pop stars, so discretion is guaranteed.

Many cities in India have a romantic aura, but perhaps the pick is Udaipur in Rajasthan. The 18th century Taj Lake Palace is a fairytale of white marble and mosaic that shimmers over four acres on the calm waters of Lake Pichola. Staff dressed in immaculate tunics make guests feel like maharajahs.

Many Americans like to head down to the Hawaiian islands if romance is on their mind, and the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has a paradise setting with amazing places to share views of the ocean and the sunset. There?s also a world class spa and an impressive art collection.

The Burj Al Arab in Dubai has been called an ?Arabian Nights Fantasy.? With its famous design resembling a billowing sail, it?s surrounded by choreographed colour sculptures of water and fire. The duplex suites all feature remotely-controlled lighting, curtains and air conditioning ? and a choice of thirteen pillows!

For those looking for absolute romantic seclusion, there?s Le Taha?a, an exclusive hideaway in French Polynesia on what?s often called ?the Vanilla Island.? The resort hotel has 48 over-water suites and 12 beach villas and offers a special programme called ?Romantic Rendezvous.?

Luxique?s Chief Executive, Alex Brey, commented: ?These are some of the best hotels money can buy. They all have something special about them and we?re confident guests at any of these will have an unforgettably romantic experience.?

Aiport Parking - Purple Parking website review

Golden tips for a stress free travel

Travelling can be a stressful event for many of us and airplane travel is top on the list of the stressors that we experience on what is supposed to be an exciting and fun event. A few simple steps can remove most of the stress of air travel.

Make a checklist
Make a checklist of all the things you want to check to secure your home before you leave. Walk through your home checking off each item. Do this at least an hour before you leave your house.
Doing this will make sure that you don?t have that awful feeling when you get to the airport of ?did I lock the back door?? or any of the other little nagging worries you might have while on your travel.

Pets
Be sure your pets are taken care of. Make any kennel reservations well in advance of your trip to be sure you have a reserved spot at a kennel you trust. This is very important during the holiday seasons.

Fly in the morning
Morning flights are often the best. Most people do not want to wake up early for a flight so you will more often than not find the plane and airport less crowded and more spaces available in the Airport Parking lot.

A good idea is to book into a hotel close to the airport the night before so you can get to the airport early enough.

Avoid peak flight times
Even if you are unable to get on the earliest flight, it is recommended that you avoid peak flight times as this is when the flights, Airport Parking and the airport itself are most crowded.
Additionally, security will be heightened during peak times making longer queues.

Use online check-in
Many airlines offer online check-in and this will save you time otherwise wasted standing in line to check-in at the airport - time that can be better spent at home or in the airport lounge. Unfortunately, you won?t be able to utilise this feature unless you are traveling without luggage that needs to be checked-in.

Pack your bags
Make sure all your packing is done at least the night before and that you have all your bags in one central location for easy and complete loading into your car or taxi. Have all your travel paperwork organized and in one central location.

Get there early
Arrive at the airport as early as possible. Call the airport and airline the day before to see how early the recommend you should arrive for a smooth, stress free check in. If they tell you to arrive three hours early and you arrive just 30 minutes early, you will probably feel great stresses about missing your flight. While 5 hours ahead of time might be a bit too far in advance, you never know what could go wrong on the way to the airport or while you are there. Also ask if there are any parking restrictions you should be aware of. Airport Security check-in takes longer these days, and many airlines are recommending arrival 3 hours prior to flight time.
You?ll feel far more relaxed if you are not rushing to get to your plane and can enjoy a drink in the airport bar or some duty-free shopping instead. If you have trouble arriving early, think about staying in an airport hotel the night before.

Book non-stop flights
Non-stop flights will save you a lot of time. Non-stop flights usually cost more, but they can be worth it if you want to have a more relaxing journey.

Make sure there?s enough time for connections
If you can?t get a non-stop flight, make sure your agent books connections with ample time for plane changes. Even if you get your boarding pass ahead of time and your luggage is checked through to your final destination, it could be a long hike to the gate once you are in the transit lounge. Additionally, if your first flight is late, you risk missing the next flight without a good buffer zone.

Fight Jet Lag
You can prevent jet lag by drinking water instead of alcohol on the flight, keeping your body well hydrated. It?s also wise to walk around the plane and stretch while in your seat so you keep your blood circulating. Sleep according to the time zone of the location you are heading to, and if you get there in the daytime, do not sleep until the night!

By following these simple steps, you will find that your stress levels from your air travels will be much less. A well planned trip agenda ensures that those little stress points stay little stress points and don't balloon into a full blown crisis.

Try it any you will be amazed how just a small amount of up front planning dramatically improves the enjoyment of your travel.

Obviously, traveling business or first class is going to be more relaxing. Here are a few steps that will improve your chances of getting a free flight upgrade:

Be polite and friendly
Upgrades are usually at the discretion of check-in staff so a bit of flirtatious charm can go a long way.

Be subtle and discreet
Staff are unlikely to upgrade you if other customers are within earshot. ?Have you got seats anywhere else on the plane?? is a rather nice way of asking for an upgrade, or alternatively request ?an aisle seat next to the window!? ? think about it!

Scrub up well
Staff will prioritise customers who look the part, so that rules out any jeans and beach wear - however much you're in the mood for a tropical holiday! There's no need to wear a full suit as this can be uncomfortable on long flights; smart trousers and a shirt should do it.

Join a frequent flier programme
If you're a frequent flier, then you should definitely consider becoming a member. After all, they're completely free to sign up to and usually you'll be given priority over low fare economy ticket holders when upgrades are available or necessary.

Get friendly with staff
Having friends or family who work for the airline will always help. Also, if you regularly fly on the same route, get to know the staff and they'll be more likely to keep you in mind.

Avoid regular business hours
Flying during the working day obviously means more business people taking up seats and less opportunity for you to fill them. If possible, fly at the weekend or unusual hours to increase your chances.

Fly on planes with larger first class sections
It goes without saying the more first class seats there are, the more likely it is you'll get one. You can either check the airline's website or use a site like Seat Guru to investigate a specific plane's layout.

Get bumped off
Companies often over-book flights, especially in busy times like school holidays, and hope people will cancel or not turn up. Then they'll ask passengers to voluntarily fly on the next available flight and more than likely offer you an upgrade as well as compensation for the inconvenience.

Celebrate in style
If you're celebrating a special occasion like your honeymoon always let the staff know. A good tip is to take your marriage certificate with you so you can prove it. You never know, you may get lucky!

Use Frequent Flyer Miles
If you prefer a guaranteed way to travel in comfort without shelling out, you can always use your Frequent Flyer miles to top up the flight.

Ditch the family!
It's easier to get upgrades when you're traveling on your own. Families and groups aren't likely to be offered them.

Chat up the travel agent
Try and get the travel agent to annotate your booking with SFU (suitable for upgrade) or CIP (commercially important passenger), while it won't assure an upgrade, it should increase your chances. Marry a pilot! It speaks for itself!

And what not to do??.

Be demanding
While it might work for celebrities, having an attitude isn't going to warm the staff to you and they'll be less inclined to give you an upgrade.

Undersell yourself
While this won't definitely secure you an upgrade, if you're a Doctor or Reverend, make sure you book with this on the ticket. Some peoples' experiences suggest this will help you on your way to getting a luxury seat.

The next best??.
If you don't rate your chances of getting an upgrade, there are ways to improve the likelihood of getting those much sought-after bulkhead seats with the big leg room. While airlines say these seats are only allocated on the day of flying, frequent flyers may actually be able to pre-book them.

If not, why not try checking in online? As well as saving time, you might be able to grab aisle or bulkhead seats this way. If you've a back injury, get a certificate from your doctor to help persuade staff at check-in. Be aware, though, to sit by an emergency exit you have to be deemed ?physically fit'.

Also use the airline's website or an online guide to airline seating to compare the amount of leg room you get. For example, Air New Zealand offers their lucky passengers three inches more leg-room as standard compared to BA.

Rick Stein - Accommodation in Padstow, Cornwall

When thinking of a hotel in Cornwall, let alone accommodation in Padstow, actually staying overnight at a Rick Stein establishment might not sound a likely choice. The famous chef just cooks fish, right? In fact Rick Stein?s contribution to the Padstow Hotel scene is as broad and appealing as his culinary delights.

We?re just another couple from London, the over-worked, over-stressed type that seek out a hotel in Cornwall as a means of recharging, relaxing and ? well, re-everything before throwing ourselves back into the big smoke. Now let?s not be too contrite here, Rick Stein?s is expensive, we couldn?t afford to do this often, but given the therapeutic qualities of his accommodation in Cornwall, not to mention the atmosphere of the place, we will definitely do it again!

Padstow, a working fishing port and well heeled tourist magnet, is massively enjoyable out of season. You get everything you would at the busy times, with dark mizzley nights as a kind of payment, or depending on the way you look at it, authentic Cornish weather. There is a certain ambience that comes from not having to side step the summertime hordes of sightseers. This soulful, dreamy atmosphere kind of soothes you, and when you get in from your early evening stroll and take your place at the table of what must be one of the best fish restaurants in the world, you really feel like this could be the only thing in the world.

Although it would never have occurred to us that you could actually stay at a Rick Stein hotel in Padstow, it does seem quite an obvious business model for the Stein formula of using the best of ingredients for outstanding results.

Situated behind the Seafood Restaurant is one of Padstow?s most impressively elegant guest houses ? St Edmund?s ? one of six hotels and holiday cottages in Padstow owned by Rick Stein. With oak flooring and great views across the beautiful Camel estuary, St Edmunds boasts the latest in chic modern features combined with a classic, colonial decor.

Even The Seafood Restaurant has 15 rooms above the restaurant, mostly overlooking the estuary and harbour. We chose to stay there, and it being the most famous of Rick Stein?s establishments, we chose to eat there too. The food lived up to the acclaimed chef?s reputation, and the rooms? Not just another hotel in Cornwall, Rick Stein?s accommodation in Padstow is a careful and considerate combination of comfort and style. A hotel in Cornwall of the Rick Stein variety is as worthwhile and enjoyable as a trip to one of his eateries.

Whether it?s a private holiday cottage, or a full board hotel in Padstow, Rick Stein?s little empire retains its blend of individualism and opulence throughout, lending his formula of local inspiration for a global audience to the definition of a hotel in Cornwall. The food?s not bad either.

Airport Parking - Cheapest prices are found online

How many of you have struggled to find a car park space at a UK airport adding to the misery on what should be an exiting start to your holidays? If you are lucky enough to fight your way to a free parking space and dragged your luggage to your terminal, your holiday is almost certainly off on the wrong foot.

There is a very easy way to cut out this stress entirely by using an airport parking booking agency online to book your airport parking well in advance.

The main UK airport parking companies include Purple Parking, Park and Save and Bluedog Parking.

These types of preferential airport parking are becoming increasingly popular as they cut out the stress of finding a space plus they offer substantial savings. Finding convenient airport parking close to an airport at prices that do not pinch the purse has now become a reality and all you need to do is go online and find services that offer airport parking.

Booking airport parking online is very safe and easy with benefits that include:

• Best Value - Saving you money
  Booking online can save you over 60% compared to paying on the day at the airport.
  

• Stress Less ? Peace of mind
  Cut out the stress of finding a space on the day by booking your airport parking that suits you and plan your journey in advance. Everything is booked and arranged in advance. You just turn up, park and fly.
  

• Compare prices for the best deal
  There are many websites that compare airport parking prices for you and show you the total cost so you can choose the parking that best suits your needs and pocket.
  

Some companies such as Purple Parking offer the ultimate in airport parking with a chauffeur meeting you outside your terminal and driving you to your car park.

You will find that there are no hidden costs so there will be no surprises in store for you. There are many sites offering attractive promotions like hotel and parking combinations, meet and greet or chauffeur services or breakfast offers.

Visit the following websites to find the best UK airport parking deals and save yourself money, time and take some of the stress out of parking:

Purple Parking

Holiday Extras

Parking 4 Less

Travel Supermarket

Blue Dog Parking

Easy Jet Parking

FHR Parking

Booking your hotel online – What you need to know

Booking a hotel online without using a travel agent can save you big bucks compared to high street prices, but what happens if a problem occurs with your hotel? The following steps will make the process of booking a hotel online is as safe and stress free as possible:

First off, spend some time doing some thorough research by taking a look at not just one or two hotel websites but a selection before you book. This way you can compare what each hotel website has to offer and see what you can get for your budget.

Visit the hotel's own website and email or telephone the hotel to ask for their best rate. They may have a special offer running which makes it worth booking direct. Establishing a personal contact this way also makes it easier to request a quiet room, an upgrade, late check-out or other extras.

Here?s a selection of some excellent hotel booking websites:

Luxique
Has access to over 2000 unique luxury hotels & villas from around the world with no booking fees and unbiased advice.

Hotel Connect
A specialist which features properties in cities and resorts, mostly in Europe.

Hotel Club
15,000 hotels in 71 countries and posts customers' reviews online.

Late Rooms
Late hotel deals at more than 50,000 hotels in the UK, Europe, North America, Australasia and India.

Low Cost Beds
Offers hotels in cities and resorts across Europe and the USA, plus ski resorts throughout the Alps and North America.

Med Hotels
Now part of Lastminute.com; a specialist in mainstream summer sun destinations across the Mediterranean.

Octopus Travel
Hotels in more than 100 countries; also promises to match any lower price you can find elsewhere on the internet.

Priceline
45,000 hotels worldwide plus reviews written by customers.


Most websites now offer brochures or newsletters which you can register for online and will be posted to your address so you can get a better idea of what?s available.

Another great tip is to use price comparison websites which will compile a list of hotel prices from a range of websites and hotel chains. However, their prices may not be as up to date as the prices offered by sites that deal direct with the hotels, and which have direct links to the hotels' reservations systems.

The following websites are recommended to use for comparing hotel prices:

Cheap Accommodation
Hotels Comparison
Kelkoo
Travel Jungle
Trip Advisor

Once you have found a hotel that suits your budget and individual needs, it's worth looking for unbiased reviews posted by other people on websites such as www.tripadvisor.co.uk

These reviews are from people who have actually stayed at hotels and are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being a terrible hotel stay and 5 being a perfect stay. However, you should also bear in mind that it is human nature that most people are motivated to post a comment only if they have really loved or really hated a place.

It's also recommended that you check your hotel out by consulting guidebooks.


Resort hotels and apartments

Over the past five years, holiday giants such as Thomson, First Choice and Cosmos, have woken up to fact that many of us now like to put our own holidays together, buying hotel, flight and car hire separately without being tied in to a tour operator's package. So they have all hopped on the bandwagon and started selling hotel rooms and villas without forcing us to buy their flights or other services too.

There are several pluses about booking through a big tour operator. Their buying power in the key summer sun resorts is huge, so you are likely to get good prices, and you will be able to access hotels that other online retailers cannot offer, because the big operators often buy up all the rooms in some of the best resort hotels for an entire season. But you may find that their selections are heavily weighted towards the popular summer and winter sun resorts, rather than cities.

How safe is my booking?

Booking a hotel over the internet can be risky. If you buy a package holiday (including, say, hotel, flight and car hire) you are financially protected, for example by an Abta or Atol bond. But if you buy a single element of a holiday by itself, such as a hotel room, the company selling the accommodation may not necessarily be bonded (though some are - Octopus Travel and Hotel Connect, for example, are both Abta bonded).

Does this matter? In practical terms, if you are unhappy with your hotel and your purchase was not financially protected, it means you will probably have to fight it out with the overseas hotelier, which can be a hassle. And if the company selling the hotel rooms goes bust, you will probably lose out.

To make sure your booking is as safe as possible, follow these tips:

• Take a look on the website for "about us" section and make sure that they clearly have a phone number and address for queries. Give them a call to make sure this is correct.
  
  
• Look at the bottom of the site or in the "about us" section to find out if the company holds a bond. If you are not clear whether your booking is financially protected then you should phone them up and ask.
  
  
• Understand that if the company is based overseas, it will be harder to sort out any problems than if they are based in the UK
  
  
• Read reviews of your hotel, online and in guidebooks
  
  
• Always pay by credit card
  
  
• Carry a print out of any email reference you are sent
  
  
• After you've booked a hotel through an online agency, phone the hotel before you set off to check your booking is in their system
  
  
• If you encounter a problem, raise it with both the hotel and the booking site promptly, and in writing. If you wait until you get home to complain you may find your complaint is dismissed
  

Valentines Day Massage

In the movie 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days', magazine writer Andie Anderson sets out purposely to offload a new boyfriend by committing the worst possible dating sins. She buys matching clothes for the two of them, phones up his mother and asks for his baby photos, crashes his poker game and starts moving her toiletries into his bathroom.

The moral of the story is that romantic gestures should take into account the stage of the relationship. In the first flush, you should avoid anything that implies you are thinking too far into the future. Men can make the same mistake, too, by buying outrageously sexy underwear in those early courting days or, at the other extreme, being too comfortable with a woman and taking her to a football game with his buddies on Valentine?s Day.

For the guys, even some of the reliable Valentine?s stand-bys might be suspect. Flowers? (maybe she?s allergic); candy? (probably on a diet); a CD? (are you absolutely certain she likes Meatloaf?). The fail-safe is always, always the romantic (and, ideally secret) getaway. Boutique Hotels expert Luxique.com can help you choose a luxury hotel or a boutique hotel ? something right out of the ordinary. Picture it ? cocktails in a shared spa bath, his and hers fluffy white bathrobes, rose petals on the pillows.

So ? think Valentine?s Day, think Paris. Or is that a clich� these days? Apparently not. Every survey you read insists that it remains Europe?s most romantic city by a distance. You probably did the 2-star pension in your student days, so head for the luxury of the Hotel de Crillon, a palace commissioned in 1758 by Louis XV. Let?s face it, if it was good enough for Churchill, Teddy Roosevelt, Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna among others, you might like it there too. One lucky lady from south-east England whose boyfriend proposed to her there on Valentine?s Day said: ?The Crillon treated us like royalty and went out of their way to make the two days absolutely unforgettable.?

There can be no more romantic gesture than Shah Jahan?s 17th century 20-year labour of love to his beloved late wife Mumtaz ? the magnificent Taj Mahal. Many cities in India have a romantic aura, but perhaps the pick is Udaipur in Rajasthan. If you?ve more than a weekend to spare, you?ll love the 18th century Taj Lake Palace, a fairytale of white marble and mosaic that shimmers over four acres on the calm waters of Lake Pichola. Parts of the James Bond film, Octopussy, were filmed there. You can have dinner on a ceremonial barge and be pampered by staff dressed in immaculate tunics who will treat you like a maharajah. ?An exquisitely exotic spot,? said a New Yorker. ?It should be on your ?before I die? list.?

New York itself may be bright and brash, but it has its romantic side ? for instance, a picnic in Central Park, a walk hand-in-hand over the Brooklyn Bridge or ice-skating at the Rockefeller Center. But many Americans, it seems, would prefer to head down to the Hawaiian islands if love?s on their mind. Who could blame them when you have a paradise such as the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea? Rooms are furnished in a contemporary Hawaiian design and there are amazing places to share views of the ocean and the sunset. Apart from the facilities and services you?d expect from a top name like Four Seasons, there?s a world class spa and an impressive art collection. ?Wow, this was a truly memorable stay ? the personal attention was impeccable,? said a visitor from Atlanta.

OK, I?ve whetted your appetite, just one more suggestion before I let you loose on our luxury hotel website to make your choice. The Burj Al Arab in Dubai has been called an ?Arabian Nights Fantasy.? With its famous design resembling a billowing sail, it?s surrounded by choreographed colour sculptures of water and fire.
There are 202 duplex suites, the largest a substantial 780 square metres and all featuring remotely-controlled lighting, curtains and air conditioning.

You get a 42-inch plasma screen, a choice of 13 pillows and, if you and your credit card are up to it, a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce shopping experience. Nick from Seattle said: ?They say this is the only 7-star hotel in the world and now I know why!?

There have been many surveys about what makes a romantic trip a success. Ocean views, big comfy bed, great food and discreet service usually make the top ten. But up there at number one is generally: ?quality time with the one I love.? Enjoy!