Category: Hotels
San Francisco is a destination that offers a diverse and fascinating experience to the millions of visitors who set foot in this city every year. Its old world charm, combined with its modern-day exuberance is what truly sets it apart from other destinations. From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the state-of-the-art Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco has something for everyone, whether you are a tourist or business traveler.
If you are planning a visit to this exciting city and are searching for a suitable hotel to best suit your expectations, you will soon discover that you will be spoilt for choice from the numerous options available. Thus, you can read on to find out what you need to know about hotels in San Francisco and what to expect when staying in different parts of the downtown area.
Staying in San Francisco a diverse range of accommodation choices
San Francisco is home to the most diverse array of accommodation that you can imagine, offering many choices to guests seeking to experience the familiar or something rather different. Some hotels, such as boutique hotels and budget guesthouses, sport Victorian-style faades which create a historic, charming atmosphere for guests, while the more contemporary hotel buildings blend in with the modern skyline of the city. No matter what your budget is, you are bound to find lodging, whether rustic or modern in design, for any price range. For instance, accommodation with Victorian architecture can either take the form of simple bed or breakfasts, or the grandest historic buildings which have been lovingly restored.
If you are looking for high-end accommodation, you can expect 5-star hotels with great locations near the city centre in hotspots such as Union Square as well as the most spacious rooms and suites and finest personalized services such as in-room spa services.
On the other hand, you will also not be disappointed if you opt for more modest accommodation as the bed and breakfasts are also cozy and comfortable, but are situated further away from the city centre in less central areas such as Golden Gate Park. Hotels in the city generally charge an additional room tax of 14%, so be prepared to pay for it when you check out.
Where to stay when in San Francisco
In San Francisco, many of the popular tourist spots, as well as the main business and cultural areas are located in the downtown area within a short distance from each other. Hence, when visiting town, it is often advisable to stay near these central areas such as Union Square and Fishermans Wharf, instead of the more remote outskirts.
This is because although it may be easier to get cheaper accommodation in the outskirts, the high traffic which you may encounter when getting to town and the lack of parking spots once you are there may not be worth saving that extra money. Other than that, the hotels parking fees are rather high, thus renting a car to drive within the city is generally not encouraged either.
When you arrive in the ancient village of Lindos, one of the most beautiful on the Greek island of Rhodes, you will certainly take notice of all the churches, large and small that dot the landscape. Whether your interest is religious, historical, artistic, or architectural, be sure to ask the staff of the Lindos hotels about these fascinating centers of Christian worship.
Lindos hotels can tell you where you may walk in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. Tradition has it that in 58 AD, Paul landed at Lindos to spread Christianity. The small church of St. Paul stands there, now, to commemorate the event. There are also churches dedicated to St. George, and, of course, to the Virgin Mary.
Ask the staff of Lindos hotels to tell you where to find examples of ancient frescos from the post-Iconoclastic period to the post Byzantine period. There is a fascinating site where you can view the preserved mosaic and marble tiling of an early Christian basilica dating back to the 5th century. Not to be missed is the small Taxiarches Michael, Stratelates where you can see a preserved, post-Byzantine representation of the archangel, Michael, carrying souls to Heaven, the “Psychopompos.”
Ask your local experts of the Lindos hotels where to find the fascinating Aghios Georgios Pachymachiotis, also known as Aghios Georgios Pano (“upper.”) This is an inscribed cruciform church with cupola, dating back to 1394. There you will find beautiful frescoes featuring saints in opulent Byzantine style. You should also visit the parish church of Lindos, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and dating back prior to the 15th century. See history preserved in artwork in the frescoes found at Aghios Menas, where you will find work spanning from the 12th century, Byzantine era, to the 15th century Knights era.
Fancy spending a luxury holiday in a room with a view? How about an underwater room? With the establishment of the following luxury resorts, your dreams have been made a reality. Welcome to the modern age, where anything is possible. These are our Top 5 destinations around the world with underwater rooms.
1. Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
For the ultimate in relaxing vacations, Huvafen Fushi resort offers 43 overwater bungalows decorated in sleek lines and minimalist colours.
In 2004 the hotel owners took this concept to a whole new level and constructed two underwater treatment rooms for Huvafen Fushi’s Lime Spa. These treatment rooms reflect the spa’s philosophy, that ‘water is the equilibrium and elixir of life.’ The spa complex is laid out in a series of bungalows, with the underwater rooms accessible via a staircase.
If you can’t manage to get a reservation, don’t panic. Huvafen Fushi’s other spa-treatment rooms have glass-bottomed floors so you can still gaze off into the deep.
2. Jules’ Undersea Lodge, Key Largo
The Jules’ Undersea Lodge, named for science fiction author Jules Verne, is the only undersea hotel currently in existence. To enter the lodge, guests must scuba dive 21 feet beneath the surface, swimming past all manner of marine life on their way.
This destination is aimed at avid scuba divers. Thus, the decor focuses on functionality, as opposed to extravagance. There are two guest rooms and a common room which doubles as a galley, dining and entertainment area.
Breakfast and dinner are served in the underwater rooms, but for something a little bit extra, guests can request the services of a “mer-chef” who dives down to the hotel to prepare and serve a gourmet dinner.
3. The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa
The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa is spread over two islands and is famed for its overwater villas, each a massive 1,600 square feet in size and featuring their own private sun decks and outdoor Jacuzzis. Also available are spa villas, which have their own private treatment room with sea views.
But to truly experience the treasures of the deep guests can book a table at Ithaa, an all-glass, underwater restaurant. Ithaa is situated five metres below sea level. Diners enter from an overwater platform so they never even get their feet wet. The room has a domed glass ceiling and 180 degrees views of the sea, with accommodation for 12 diners.
To cap off a truly aquatic experience guests can head to the spa, which is built on stilts 110 yards out to sea.
4. Hydropolis, Dubai
Scheduled for completion late 2009, Hydropolis will be the world’s first luxury underwater hotel. Architect Joachim Hauser’s futuristic vision is taking shape 20 metres below the surface of the Persian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai.
The original idea for Hydropolis developed out of the architect’s passion for the sea. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares.
This undersea resort even features a children’s SeaWorld.
5. Atlantis the Palm, Dubai
Today, the Atlantis holds the prime spot on the outer rim of the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island that juts from the coast of Dubai.
The 1539-room Atlantis consists of two towers, a conference centre, a spa, a private beach and the water park. Taking the mythological sunken island of Atlantis as its theme the resort aims for the wow factor right from the start, with terraced water gardens at the entry and an ornate, high-vaulted lobby.
The Neptune and Poseidon suites, which face that three-story aquarium, have private floor-to-ceiling underwater views from the bedrooms. If guests are unable to tear themselves away from watching the 65,000 marine animals, a 24-hour private butler is available to serve refreshments.
Then there are the Lost Chambers Suites – with bed and bath views directly into the underwater world of the Ambassador Lagoon.
Manali Hotels brings you everything you need to know before preparation your holiday or business trip to (Kullu & Manali) Himachal Pradesh. Whatever the occasion may be, book your hotel in Manali with ease and confidence and get the lowest rates, guaranteed!
Stylish, sexy, and cool – Best Loves KULLU & MANALI Hip Hotels have thrown out the chintz to hug the finest in modern design. Here you’ll find inviting public spaces designed to set the stage for great discussion, for sampling the tastiest of cocktails, or for simply chilling out and watching the world go by. Let our selection of KULLU & MANALI modish hotels motivate you to put some sizzle into your travel plans.
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Whoever decided that your first step after getting married should be spent in extravagance was a wise woman indeed. Our KULLU & MANALI Honeymoon Hotels are romantic and luxurious, places where you can relax and enjoy your first hours of married life. Or if a full-scale honeymoon isn’t for you, try a mini-moon, a short romantic break taken just after the wedding and normally not too far from the wedding place. Best Lovers KULLU & MANALI celebratory Hotels and Honeymoon Hotels come in every shape and size, so the sky’s the limit.
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You can look for your choice of hotels in Manali in luxury, budget or cheap categories. The luxury hotels in Manali in this region are best known for their comprehensive range of guest-friendly facilities and services. They provide you luxuriously done up rooms, suites and villas. The dining rooms are again tastefully decorated to create a magical dining ambiance. Most of the onsite restaurants have Indian, Continental and Chinese culinary varieties. But, the main focus of the menu is always on Manali food and drink. Besides, the business and recreational arrangements are also quite extensive. The conference venues are updated and secretarial services are fine tuned to meet the expectations of the high end business guests.
There are literally thousands of hospitality business indicators that you can use right now. These indicators are commonly known as the hotel management KPI. When you have an effective KPI set for your hotel business, this removes the guesswork when it comes to managing the hotel business. What this does is that it checks the performance of your business through the numbers or the figures so that the managers will be able to use the data in telling what is really gong on within the hotel. Before you get around and research about the hotel management KPI, you should know the difference between that and the hotel KRIs. These two are often compared to each other but they are quite diverse. The hotel KRIs do not focus on the good side of the performance of the company; instead, you will obtain data about how risky your hotel activities are. Having said that, they are also very useful when it comes to tracking the health of your business.
Now, when looking for the best hotel management KPI for your business, you should not only focus on the entire organization because it would be very difficult to do so. You will need to divide the KPIs into different groups or classifications so that it will be easier for you to keep track of them. Among the types of KPIs that you can utilize are the KPIs for reception or front desk efficiency, housekeeping, kitchen, sales, restaurant, store, maintenance and purchasing among others.
Many hotels nowadays offer housekeeping services for their clients. If the hotel that you are managing provides such to your guests, it is essential that you keep track of its performance. This is because many clients are meticulous when it comes to the cleanliness of their surroundings especially their rooms. They are on a vacation so they expect themselves to be pampered and not to be responsible for the task of cleaning their rooms. You can measure the efficiency of your housekeeping services through KPIs such as the number of available staff members for cleaning, the feedback of customers based upon the housekeeping services they have acquired and the total amount of time required for cleaning among others.
Of course, you cannot deny the fact that it is important for you to know how well your business is responding when it comes to the sales department. Cash flow is very significant especially in this type of business. Your hospitality business indicators may vary here according to the different sales efforts that you put out. For instance, if you have a website, you can check the number or the percentage of inquiries that have turned into sales. You can also use KPIs that will tell you about the number of sales per head on your restaurant or your bar. You can also measure the gross profit on sales, the stock turnover, the carrying cost of the stock and the stock value.
Aside from the financials and the customer sales, it is important that you are well aware of how your employees are performing. Always ensure that you have a set of good hotel management KPI that will aid you in monitoring the behavior, the professionalism and the demeanor of your workers.