Top 10 Best Boutique Hotels in the World

Boutique hotels offer something special that can only be achieved in a small, intimate setting where painstaking attention to detail ensures every moment of your stay is a magical experience. Featuring stunning architecture and awe-inspiring locations, boutique hotels ensure an unforgettable stay, and the following 10 hotels are sure to become as much a part of your vacation as the destination itself.

1. Entre Cielos, Mendoza, Argentina

This stunning new spa hotel is located at the foothills of the Andes, and its 16 rooms are surrounded by vineyards that produce the hotel’s own signature wine, Marantel Malbec. Entre Cielos boasts a full service hamam and spa, which offer wine based treatments such as grape seed body exfoliation and a wine bath using grape extracts.

2. Taveuni Palms Resort, Taveuni, Fiji

Honeymooners searching for the ultimate private getaway need to look no further than the Taveuni Palms Resort that has taken luxury accommodation to a new level. Guests can select one of three private villas for their stay, all of which feature an acre of private beach and a personal staff of seven ready to cater to your every need.

3. The Samling Hotel, Windermere, UK

Food lovers heading toward the Lake District National Park should make The Samling Hotel their first port of call. Set in 67 acres of rolling countryside, the hotel’s main attraction is its Michelin Star restaurant that offers guests an unforgettable fine-dining experience. Most of the rooms feature stunning views of the lake, and guests can even choose to hire the entire hotel for a really exclusive experience.

4. Poseidonion Grand Hotel, Spetses, Greece

The picturesque island of Spetses is home to the sprawling Poseidonion Grand Hotel which overlooks the Dapia Port. Guests will be pleasantly surprised by the Freud Oriental restaurant which serves Asian inspired fusion cuisine using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients.

5. The Toren, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The city of Amsterdam needs no introduction, and The Toren hotel provides the perfect base for a delightfully decadent weekend. Each of its 38 rooms is individually designed with a few featuring their own private whirlpool Jacuzzi and all are striking examples of the hotels magnificently theatrical design.

6. Layana Resort, Koh Lanta, Thailand

No list would be complete without a visit to Thailand, and the Layana Resort and Spa is a shining example of Thai hospitality. The hotel is available only to travellers aged 18 and over, and is situated on one of Koh Lantas many breath-taking golden beaches where guests can enjoy a variety of water sports.

7. Sanctum Soho, London, UK

Right in the heart of London sits the achingly trendy Sanctum Soho, which features a small yet stunning private cinema, rooftop garden complete with hydro-hot tub, and 30 individually designed rooms including ‘Crash Pads which are tiny compact rooms that offer rest and recuperation to those seeking a short stopover.

8. Lydmar Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden

Those seeking a cultural getaway will not be disappointed by the Lydmar Hotel set in the heart of Stockholm. This simple yet elegant 48 room mansion is within walking distance of The Museum of Modern Art and The National Gallery, and features a classic contemporary design and knowledgeable staff that can inform you of what’s happening in town.

9. Maison 140, Beverly Hills, USA

Deep in the heart of West Hollywood sits an intimate retreat that is reminiscent of a Parisian inn, and its 44 rooms are decorated in vintage French style. Guests can take advantage of gourmet meals prepared on site and delivered directly to the rooms, or head downstairs to the bar to sample one of the signature cocktails such as the Lady Godiva or the French Kiss.

10. Borgo Santo Pietro, Tuscany, Italy

Last but by no means least, is the truly spectacular Borgo Santo Pietro, nestled in the heart of 13 acres of vineyards, orchards, secret gardens, and courtyards filled with antique roses. Guests can wander for hours around the exquisitely beautiful hotel grounds, before retiring to one of the sumptuously decorated suites that transport the visitor to Old-world Tuscany.

Boutique hotels offer much more than just a place to lay your head, their individuality and charm will add a new dimension to your holiday as well as leave you with fond memories of being completely pampered. Whether you are seeking five star service on a tropical island resort, or chic surroundings in the heart of a vibrant city, boutique hotels offer something for everyone in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Top 10 Best Cities And Towns To Celebrate Halloween

Halloween is coming and we all have to choose the city or place to celebrate this awesome holiday! Have you already made this choice? If not, maybe you will be interested in my list of 10 best places to celebrate Halloween! And if you are in love with all these scary things like vampires, ghouls and ghosts you will really like them!

1. London, England

London with pleasure presents you the best Halloween celebration ever. There are a lot of places, where you can shrill, scream and laugh a lot! For example, the London Dungeon: Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and Killer Queen are waiting for you here. If you want, you can also visit the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, the London Tower and, of course, the Highgate Cemetery! How can Halloween be without any cemetery?

2. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Oh, there is one scary place, so be ready for the really exciting moments in your life! This is the Bytown Museum, and all visitors can tell you that six ghosts live here. Somebody has heard the children crying, others have seen the ghost of Duncan McNab, and as you may know, he died about 150 years ago. They tell, that he likes to get scared a lot of people, for example, he likes typing his name on the some museum’s computers. Also, somebody has seen how dolls winked and moved!

3. Forks, Washington

The first I want to tell about a lumberjack who wanders around the Forks Dam and about a pregnant woman who can be seen walking lawns late at night. And of course, I don’t want to miss to tell you about the fact that a very popular saga “Twilight” was written about this place. It was a usual peaceful town, where timber industry based in. But this love story between the girl and vampire turned this place upside down. Now, due to the Stephanie Meyer’s vampire saga this place is very popular for the teens and those who really love these books.

4. Tombstone, Arizona

Since there were a lot of gun-fighting skirmishes, it has spawned of appearing a lot of ghosts here. You can talk with a lot of spirits in the special town’s saloon, but don’t forget to visit the reenact places of the infamous gunfights that end in the Boot Hill Cemetery.

5. Long Beach, California

If you really love to wander through very entangled and scary labyrinth, you should definitely go to the Queen Mary Ship. You will be very excited of many surprises that you will meet here and I’m sure you will like some live performances at the Dome of Doom and at very terrifying Purgatory Park.

6. Salem, Massachusetts

Salem is perhaps the spookiest town in the United States. Some situations with “witches” had happened here, so this place has a really dark reputation among others. But if you want to add something special to your holiday and if you want to feel some extra scary moments, suit costumes and come to the Hawthorne Hotel. Usually, they present the Annual Halloween Costume Ball for everybody here.

7. New Orleans, Louisiana

I have never heard about this before, but this city is the main place of voodoo story! If you take some tour through the cemeteries, you will get a lot of incredible feelings! There are cemeteries in a ground crypt-style, so you will see something very interesting. Don’t forget about the voodoo temple! I want to add that the last showplace also has been used till the present days!

8. Orlando, Florida

If you don’t want to be spooked a lot, you can visit Halloween Party “Mickey’s Not So Scary” in the Disney World’s Kingdom. But if you want to be spooked, you can go to the Halloween Horror Nights in the Universal Studios Park. You will see something extra special in their shows. Don’t miss it, you will be glad to be here.

9. Transylvania, Romania

Do you love “Dracula” and “The Land Before the Forest”? Yeah, I really do. So, if you want to plunge in this atmosphere, you must certainly visit Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle. This is the castle, where Dracula had lived and also there are two places: Hunyad Castle and Poenari Castle, which were associated with Vlad the Impaler in the 15th century.

10. New York

If you have a lot of costumes and some of them you have never used before, you can show them all in New York! So, put on one of them and don’t miss one of the most interesting events in this city – the Village Halloween Parade! Also, there is great Nightmare Haunted House, where you will never feel boring!

Where are you going to celebrate Halloween this year? What are you going to be for Halloween? Do you have any other place to add to this list?

Top 10 Most Haunted Hotels in the World

Are you afraid of the dark? You certainly will be after a night in one of these terrifying hotels that are home to ghosts and ghouls of every variety. Ghosts of young girls, weeping widows, and floating apparitions will keep you company in these haunted buildings, and you may even spot a celebrity spectre floating past your bedroom door.

1. The Stanley, Colorado, USA

This creepy hotel inspired one of the greatest horror novels of all time, The Shining. Legend has it that when Stephen King and his wife stayed here, they briefly left their hotel room only to return and find their suitcases unpacked and their things stowed away in the closets. Guests at the hotel include the ghost of a woman who froze to death in the basement, and the building’s former owner F.O. Stanley roams the halls supervising the hotel from beyond the grave.

2. Karosta Prison Hotel, Karosta, Latvia

Bring your nerves of steel if you plan on spending a night in this former military prison. Used by the Nazis and Soviets, the prison walls still depict the graffiti of former prisoners which makes for chilling bedtime reading, and guests will have company in the form of the ghost of a woman who hung herself after learning her fiancé was executed here.

3. Akasaka Weekly Mansion, Tokyo, Japan

No one does horror movies better than the Japanese, and visitors to this hotel will see where they find their inspiration. Ghostly mists appear from the air vents in this spooky hotel, and guests report feeling the touch of icy hands during the night.

4. The Crescent Hotel, Arkansas, USA

Ghost hunters should book a night in room 218 of this hotel to meet Michael. Legend has it that Michael reaches for guests from the bathroom mirror, and he is said to be the ghost of a stone mason who fell to his death during construction of the hotel. A former cancer hospital, the Crescent is haunted by the ghosts of former nurses who can be seen pushing corpses around on gurneys, and guests often wake up and find their clothes scattered about the room.

5. Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, England

The appropriately named Chillingham Castle is definitely not for the faint hearted. Guests can visit the torture chamber where traitors met a grisly end on the executioners block which still remains in place along with various items such as thumb screws and eye gougers.

6. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

For some celebrity ghost-spotting, the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel will surely not disappoint. Guests have reported seeing the ghost of Marilyn Monroe sashaying through the Tropicana Night Club while others report hearing the trombone of Montgomery Clift who stayed at the hotel in 1953.

7. Hawthorne Hotel, Massachusetts, USA

Located in the infamous town of Salem where 20 women were hung during the witch trials of 1692, the Hawthorne Hotel sits on the site of a former apple orchard belonging to Bridget Bishop who was one of the first women to be executed. Guests staying at the hotel report seeing the ghost of a crying child in their room, and others have felt the touch of invisible hands.

8. Elvey Farm, Pluckley, England

England’s most haunted village is home to Robert Du Bois who met a grisly end at Fright Corner, and the ‘weeping wanderer’ is regularly sighted making his way around Elvey Farm. A phantom coach and horses have been rumoured to appear at the top of Maltman’s Hill, and brave guests can take a walk in the nearby ‘screaming woods’.

9. Hotel Burchianti, Florence, Italy

This haunted hotel is home to the ghosts of a young girl who can be seen skipping down the halls, an old lady seen knitting in a chair, and an old man who is preceded by an eerie pink glow. Visitors who hear a bump in the night should not be alarmed, as it’s just the ghost of a dead maid going about her cleaning duties.

10. Dragsholm Slot, Sealand, Denmark

Dragsholm Slot is a 12th century castle with 3 resident ghosts, the Earl of Bothwell, the White Lady and the Grey Lady. During renovations workers discovered a skeleton entombed inside the walls wearing a white dress, and legend has it that it is the body of a nobleman’s daughter who was imprisoned there by her father after she fell in love with a commoner.

Haunted hotels make fantastic options for a Halloween break, or provide an alternative holiday experience for spooky thrill-seekers. Those who feel brave enough can even spend the night alone if they dare, but it may be a good idea to bring a friend along for moral support.

Top 10 Best Airports in the World

For travelers weary of long lines at security checkpoints and overpriced fast food, the idea that any airport could be viewed as “best” may seem laughable. However, for travelers lucky enough to have flights that originate or end at any of the airports listed below, the word “best” is totally appropriate. These outstanding airports received the most votes from more than twelve million travelers who participated in a survey administered by Skytrax. Awards for the 2013 World’s Best Airport and nine runners-up were announced at passenger terminal EXPO in Geneva, Switzerland. The winning airports were located largely in Europe and Asia, with only one representative from North America and none from Australia, South America or Africa.  The United States was also notably absent from the list of winners.

1. Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

Singapore Changi Airport claimed top prize for the fourth time since the Skytrax awards were initiated, having last won the title in 2010. In addition to winning the top overall award, Singapore Changi Airport, which served more than fifty million passengers in 2012, was named Best Airport in Asia and Best Airport for Leisure Amenities.

2. Incheon International Airport, Seoul, South Korea

Last year’s winner Incheon International Airport slipped to the second place. Still, the main airport serving the South Korean capital is no slouch. In addition to its overall second place finish Incheon received the Best Airport Staff Service – Asia and Best International Transfer Airport awards for 2013.

3. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands

For the first time since the Skytrax awards were issued, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands broke into the top three finishers, largely due to its highly-regarded and efficient self-service transfer process. Schiphol also earned top honors for Best Airport in Europe and Best Airport in Western Europe.

4. Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong, China

A third-place finisher for 2012, Hong Kong International Airport slipped to fourth place in the overall voting for the 2013 World’s Best Airport. Nonetheless, Hong Kong International Airport remained a favorite among the voters. In addition to its overall fourth place finish, Hong Kong International airport ranked in the top five among all airports in six different categories.

5. Beijing Capital International Airport, China

Beijing Capital International Airport only began operations in 2008 and has added passenger traffic every year. Nonetheless, the airport maintained its fifth place overall position from 2012 to 2013, and was also named the best airport in China.

6. Munich Airport, Germany

For travelers who hate the dried out microwave fare many airports offer, Munich Airport in Germany features food offerings that are a treat to the palate. In addition to scoring sixth in overall voting for 2013, Munich Airport also earned the award for Best Airport in Central Europe and Best Airport Dining Experience.

7. Zurich Airport, Switzerland

If you have ever experienced lost luggage, you will appreciate the fact that Zurich Airport in Switzerland is a perennial winner in the category of Best Airport Baggage Delivery, in addition to scoring seventh place in overall voting in 2013. Zurich Airport also earned the 2013 award for Best Airport Staff Service – Europe.

8. Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, Canada

Finishing in eighth place overall in the 2013 voting, Vancouver International Airport is the only North American representative on the list of World’s Best Airports. Moving up from its overall ninth place finish in 2012, Vancouver International Airport retained the award for Best Airport in North America.

9. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), Japan

A new entry in the top ten list of World’s Best Airports, Tokyo International Airportmoved up five places from its 2012 position.  Haneda took first place in the category of Best Domestic Airport, a new category for 2012, and also snagged the award for Best Airport Terminal Cleanliness.

10. London Heathrow Airport, England (Great Britain)

Rounding the top ten is London Heathrow Airport, earning its place on the list largely due to its highly-regarded Terminal 5, which opened in 2008. T5, as it is commonly known, also earned the award for Best Airport Terminal for the third year in a row. The entire airport has undergone an overhaul, with its efforts rewarded by Heathrow finally earning 4-Star Airport status in 2012.

What do you think of this list? Do you agree with it? Please share your thoughts in the comments options.

Source: Amerikanki.com