Sunday 31 January 2016
Amadeus completes acquisition of Navitaire
Amadeus has completed the US$830m acquisition of Navitaire from Accenture. The acquisition marks an important step for Amadeus in the low-cost and hybrid segments of the airline industry, in which Navitaire has a global customer base of more than 50 operators to which it provides revenue-generation and cost-streamlining solutions in the areas of reservations, ancillary sales, loyalty, revenue management, revenue accounting and business intelligence.
Hilton Worldwide unveils midscale brand
Hilton Worldwide has unveiled Tru by Hilton, a brand that is simplified, spirited and grounded in value, filling a massive void in the midscale category in the U.S. and Canada. Built from a belief that being cost conscious and having a great stay don’t have to be mutually exclusive, Tru by Hilton offers an experience … Continue reading Hilton Worldwide unveils midscale brand
Hilton Worldwide unveils midscale brand
Hilton Worldwide has unveiled Tru by Hilton, a brand that is simplified, spirited and grounded in value, filling a massive void in the midscale category in the U.S. and Canada. Built from a belief that being cost conscious and having a great stay don’t have to be mutually exclusive, Tru by Hilton offers an experience unlike anything in its space, consistently delivered in a surprisingly affordable way.
The Best Way to Carry Money Overseas
While traveler\'s checks were once the most popular way to carry money overseas, today\'s travelers are much more likely to rely on credit cards and ATM withdrawals, which usually offer better exchange rates and lower fees. But what\'s the best option for you? See our comprehensive roundup of all your currency conversion options when you\'re traveling overseas.
Continue reading for more details
Friday 29 January 2016
The Best Way to Carry Money Overseas
While traveler's checks were once the most popular way to carry money overseas, today's travelers are much more likely to rely on credit cards and ATM withdrawals, which usually offer better exchange rates and lower fees. But what's the best option for you? See our comprehensive roundup of all your currency conversion options when you're traveling overseas.
Continue reading for more details
Continue reading for more details
Hyatt Hotels expands presence in Jordan with Ayla deal
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into an agreement with Ayla Oasis Development Company for a 286-room Hyatt Regency hotel in Aqaba, Jordan. Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla will be the first hotel to open within the prestigious Ayla development, a master-planned, multiphase development on the northern shores of Aqaba.
Accor reveals 85 hotel European sell-off
Pursuing the transformation of HotelInvest’s hotel portfolio, AccorHotels has announced that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with a new hotel investment company for the sale of 85 owned and leased hotels that it currently operates. The portfolio comprises one Pullman, 19 Novotel, 13 Mercure, 35 ibis, 3 ibis Styles and 14 ibis budget hotels.
Thursday 28 January 2016
Accor reveals 85 hotel European sell-off
Pursuing the transformation of HotelInvest’s hotel portfolio, AccorHotels has announced that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with a new hotel investment company for the sale of 85 owned and leased hotels that it currently operates. The portfolio comprises one Pullman, 19 Novotel, 13 Mercure, 35 ibis, 3 ibis Styles and 14 ibis budget hotels.
Top 3 “Maison” in Paris
“Maison” is of course the French word for house. A house is a building where you live in. Yet, it also has a historical meaning in our language. It refers to a business. “Je suis de la maison depuis longtemps” means I have been working in this place for a long time. In these circumstances, […]
Top 3 "Maison" in Paris is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post Top 3 "Maison" in Paris appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
Paris Bars For An Amusing Night Out On The Town
Paris Bars For An Amusing Night Out On The Town
Paris offers so many experiences, so many venues, that whatever you feel like in the moment has an answer, a perfect place just waiting to satisfy. If one night you put on the stilettos and cocktail dress and sip...
Paige Donner
Thursday, January 28th, 2016
The Other Historical Hotel in San Diego – Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown
When we think of historical landmarks in San Diego, the following sites come to mind: Mission San Diego de Alcala; El Prado Area; Lighthouse of 1854; Mission Beach Rollercoaster; and the ever popular Hotel Del Coronado. Nestled in the heart of downtown San Diego- a stone's throw away from the historic Gaslamp District, stands a lesser-known historical landmark– the Courtyard by Marriott?
Yes, you heard it correctly, the Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown San Diego. Originally the San Diego Trust & Savings Bank built in 1928, the hotel majestically rises 240 feet above street level. The building's architect was a well-known San Diegan by the name of William Templeton Johnson. He was known also for building the County Administration Building, the La Jolla Library (the Anthenaeum), and the Fine Arts Gallery and Museum of Natural History in Balboa Park.
The San Diego Trust & Savings Bank was founded in 1888 by Joseph Sefton, Sr. and continued to operate as a bank until its closure in September 1996. The bank's upper 11 floors were originally local office space. William Johnson's office was located in what is now the Presidential Suite of the hotel. A portion of the 14th floor was originally a shooting gallery, where Mr. Sefton encouraged all his tellers to practice shooting in the event of a robbery. Keep in mind that this was during the time of Prohibition, Al Capone, and Bonnie & Clyde.
The Cupola on top of the hotel was San Diego's first aviation beacon and was reportedly added to the original plans because the Seftons wanted this building to be the tallest in San Diego. In 1994, First Interstate Bank acquires San Diego Trust & Savings Bank and bears this name for two years until the bank closed in 1996. The Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown opened on October 19, 1999 with 245 guest rooms, 5 meeting rooms and a historic landmark designation/title. It cost 27 million dollars to renovate the bank into a hotel.
The bank's safety deposit room has been preserved and converted into an executive conference room. When the bank closed, some of its long-time customers decided to remove the face plates of their safety deposit boxes as mementos. To honor their dedication, Marriott has chosen not to replace these safety deposit boxes with mock doors. 98% of the historic fabric of the hotel has been preserved. The 35 columns around the lobby are all made from various types of marble from three different continents. During the renovation from bank to hotel, each marble piece was numbered, removed, cleaned, stored and carefully replaced to its original spot.
In 2013, the hotel completed a 6 million dollar revitalization of all its guest rooms, meeting spaces and all public areas. The focus of this revitalization was to incorporate a unique mix of old and new that seamlessly blends the bank's Italian Romanesque revival architecture with modern decor to create that timeless allure.
Wednesday 27 January 2016
Win the amazing Panasonic Lumix GX8 camera worth over £1,000!
Regular readers will know that I've been trialling a rather special camera this last few months – the Panasonic Lumix GX8. Retailing in the UK at £1099 with the 14-42mm lens, not only does it offer superb image quality but it's also amazingly compact and has consequently taken the DSLR market by surprise. One of […]
Win the amazing Panasonic Lumix GX8 camera worth over £1,000! is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post Win the amazing Panasonic Lumix GX8 camera worth over £1,000! appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
50 shades of blue
Between the foothills of the iconic Table Mountain, one of the of the World's New 7 Wonders of Nature, and the Atlantic Ocean, lies a strip of land that can only be described in superlatives: the most breath-taking beauty, the most valuable real estate, the most luxurious seaside villas, and all the shades of blue […]
50 shades of blue is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post 50 shades of blue appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
Trip Review of the Month: A France Pilgrimage
Each month, we'll highlight one new trip review submitted by an IndependentTraveler.com reader. If your review is featured, you'll win an IndependentTraveler.com logo item!
In this month's winning review, a traveler to France mixed visits to religious sites (such as … Keep reading!
The top 5 child-friendly luxury hotels in South Africa
The belief that children and luxury can’t mix is a fallacy, and having children need not mean an end to indulgent, grown-up holidays. The recent nosedive of South Africa’s currency means that five-star luxury holidays in the sun for family groups are far more attainable than ever before. Whether your brood fancies a break with […]
The top 5 child-friendly luxury hotels in South Africa is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post The top 5 child-friendly luxury hotels in South Africa appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
Tuesday 26 January 2016
Paris Asian Restaurants Offering Haute, And Hot, Cuisine
Paris Asian Restaurants Offering Haute, And Hot, Cuisine
When I have a taste for Asian food, there are two neighborhoods I head to in Paris : Chinatown and Little Japan Town. The former is in the 13th arrondissement (Metro Olympiades) and is a whole street lined with...
Paige Donner
Saturday, January 23rd, 2016
6 romantic places to spend Valentine’s Day in Japan
Where better to spend Valentine's Day than the land of steaming hot springs, luxurious kaiseki cuisine, enchanting ryokan inns and exclusive skyscraper hotels? Whether you're after traditional charm and rural seclusion or Michelin-starred restaurants and cocktail bars – Japan has romance to suit all comers. Here are just a few of our favourite places to […]
6 romantic places to spend Valentine's Day in Japan is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post 6 romantic places to spend Valentine's Day in Japan appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
4 Favorite Cold-Weather Destinations
While friends of mine spent their recent snowed-in weekend reserving their summer vacation rentals and booking flights to Florida, I took the opposite approach: I looked through photos of some of my favorite snow-covered destinations around the world.
Svalbard, Norway:… Keep reading!
Home Exchange: A How-To Guide
A home exchange (also known as a house swap) is an economical, comfortable and fascinating way to vacation far from home. You arrange to occupy someone\'s home at your destination while they occupy yours.
Continue reading for more details
Enterprise Rent-A-Car brings Exotic Car Collection to UK
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has launched its new Exotic Car Collection in the UK to give consumers access to some of the world’s most desirable vehicles. The launch follows a trial period, which has seen enquiries for some categories of its prestige vehicles and supercars increase sevenfold.
Monday 25 January 2016
Home Exchange: A How-To Guide
A home exchange (also known as a house swap) is an economical, comfortable and fascinating way to vacation far from home. You arrange to occupy someone's home at your destination while they occupy yours.
Continue reading for more details
Continue reading for more details
Enterprise Rent-A-Car brings Exotic Car Collection to UK
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has launched its new Exotic Car Collection in the UK to give consumers access to some of the world’s most desirable vehicles. The launch follows a trial period, which has seen enquiries for some categories of its prestige vehicles and supercars increase sevenfold.
Sunday 24 January 2016
Abu Dhabi records strong increase in visitor numbers in 2015
Year-end figures from Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority show an 18 per cent increase in Abu Dhabi hotel guests when compared to 2014. A total of 4,105,846 guests checked into Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments in 2015, staying a total of 12,243,096 nights, a 17 per cent increase year on year.
Saturday 23 January 2016
Abu Dhabi records strong increase in visitor numbers in 2015
Year-end figures from Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority show an 18 per cent increase in Abu Dhabi hotel guests when compared to 2014. A total of 4,105,846 guests checked into Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments in 2015, staying a total of 12,243,096 nights, a 17 per cent increase year on year.
Friday 22 January 2016
Flag Friday
This week\'s travel puzzle is part of our ongoing Flag Friday series of challenges. Can you identify which nation the following flag belongs to?
Enter your guess in the comments below. You have until Monday, January 25, 2016, at 11:59 … Keep reading!
Flag Friday
This week's travel puzzle is part of our ongoing Flag Friday series of challenges. Can you identify which nation the following flag belongs to?
Enter your guess in the comments below. You have until Monday, January 25, 2016, at 11:59 … Keep reading!
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