If you’re going on holiday this summer, remember to pack your best knickers. Celebrities are everywhere these days and you never know when you might find yourself building a sand castle with P Diddy or sharing an ice lolly with Elton. If you’re not sure where to start your search for a star, here’s a short guide to some top celebrity holiday hangouts.
The French Riviera is a perennial favourite of the rich and famous. A-listers and wannabes flock to Cannes during the annual film festival to sip champagne aboard luxury yachts. St Tropez draws the celebrity elite throughout the season with Pamela Anderson, Elton John, P Diddy, Liz Hurley and Donatella Versace regularly resting and playing. If you’re into day-glo tans and white jeans, this is your home from home.
On a slightly less vulgar theme, the Balearic Islands attract celeb royalty. Hollywood heros, supermodels, fashionistas and rock gods head to hideaways in Ibiza and Majorca year after year. Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Jade Jagger, Fat Boy Slim, Sting, Elle McPherson, Matthew Williamson, Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Liam Gallagher, John Paul Gaultier, Paris Hilton and P Diddy are all regulars. Head to these hot Spanish islands if you like things cool and stylish.
There’s at least one big reason to go to Lake Como…gorgeous George. Mr Clooney owns a villa on the lake where the big Hollywood names holiday and it is possible that you’ll catch George in his speedos. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes also married in this region. So if you appreciate good food, fine wine and spectacular scenery as well as star spotting then book your seat to bella Italia.
The Caribbean is a magnet to millionaires, with Mick Jagger, the Beckhams, Tiger Woods, Britney and Sting regularly recuperating in the luxury resorts of Antigua and Barbados. British entrepreneur Richard Branson owns his very own island, Necker, in the British Virgin Islands, which can be rented out for just $46,000 a night. Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Mel Gibson have all stayed here so if you’re feeling flush and looking for some posh privacy it could be for you.
Mecca to premiership footballers and their WAGs is the United Arab Emirate of Dubai in the Middle East. Over the last five years, politicians, CEOs, sports stars and Hollywood hotties have visited the glitzy hotels and snapped up property here. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Rod Stewart, Ronaldo, David Beckham, Michael Schumacher, Tiger Woods and Richard Branson have been seen enjoying the shopping, sunshine and beaches. Strictly for fans of blinging man-made glamour.
Miami, Florida is again attracting A-list party people with its Latin beats, Art Deco architecture, super-cool shopping and sizzling beaches. Shakira, Jessica Alba, Matt Damon, Enrique Iglesias, Bono, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez have all been known to enjoy the South Beach scene, with some owning homes here. Forget the Golden Girls and pack your party feet.
If globetrotting isn’t for you, you might like to book a week in sunny Southwold, England. You could be lucky enough to bump into Gordon Brown eating his fish and chips. The Prime Minister is taking his family to the Suffolk seaside town this summer.
November 27, 2009
Seeing Stars this Summer – Celebrity Holiday Hotspots
Strikes In Spain Hit Holiday Resorts
With a strike in Spain over rising fuel costs hitting hotels and supermarkets in popular holiday resorts in June, the Spanish holiday industry could be releived that the British often book their holidays months in advance.
Before the days of the internet, as soon as Christmas Day was over the advertising campaigns for summer holidays would appear on British television.
Millions would book their holidays in January, and many would pay weekly or monthly to their local travel agent so by the time it came to take their summer holiday, it had been paid off and it was just spending money to take care of.
Old habits die hard it seems, as despite late deals and instant access on the internet to hundreds of thousands of holidays, nearly half of the British population still book their holiday in the first two months of the year.
‘It’s a habit the country got into over a couple of decades’, one UK based group of travel sites try to explain, ‘And it continues today despite the fact that the cost of an average holiday compared to salaries is way down on when the internet wasn’t around to the mass market.’
How long the January and February frenzy continues is anyone’s guess, but as even more of the population gets online and time online increases, the holiday bookings Brits make should become more spread out over the year, and with late deals often available the booking peak might shift from early in the year to the early May and June summer months.
Interesting statistics have been released by one of the UK’s leading holiday companies for the bookings they took in the first weeks of 2008, and it suggests the British love affair with Spain shows no sign of slowing down.
Top searched destination was the Spanish island of Majorca. Majorca is one of the longest established tourist destinations in the world, and has had a tourist board for over a hundred years. Their tourist board has ensured the island has remained a British favourite for generations.
Today, Majorca receives more than six million visitors annually, yet ninety five percent of her tourists concentrate in only five percent of its territory. Less developed areas of this elegant island are ripe for new development and prime property commands a great premium. Majorca is now also successfully selling holidays away from the coast in traditional areas not known for tourism.
Ibiza, well known in Europe for a younger tourists and night clubs which feature visiting and resident British DJ’s, is a neighbouring island of Majorca and also makes the top five most booked holiday destinations in the early weeks of 2008.
The Spanish Canary Islands also feature among the most booked holiday destinations, with Tenerife and Gran Canaria being the second and third most popular areas.
Another Canary Island, Lanzarote, was the fourth most searched holiday destination, but Lanzarote is a popular winter getaway and as well as summer bookings would have benifitted from Britons looking for a winter holiday.
Lanzarote maintains relatively constant temperatures and sees low annual rainfall. Few days are lost to weather-related problems due to this environment, which offers the premium atmosphere for technical improvements and beneficial training. In addition to these benefits, the winds are good and steady in the Canary Islands due to the north-east trade winds, which also bring cooler air in the summers to Lanzarote.
If bookings continue in similar patterns throughout the year, Spain and her islands will be again the destination of choice for the British.
November 26, 2009
Luxury Island Hotels
Traveling is the most thrilling experience that one can have especially if you are traveling to one of those beautiful islands that we can usually see only on T.V. But you can have a hard time to decide where you want to go since they all look like paradise on earth. The exclusive resorts are located on island locations and the most beautiful environments in the world. The luxury island hotels mentioned here in are some of the best getaways in the world.
Aguas de Ibiza Lifestyle and Spa
This resort is a very personal interpretation of what luxury should be all about and it interprets hospitality. It gives pleasure to every one who visits there.
Amandari
Amandari has just thirty suites surrounded by long grasses and palm trees, where sweeping views of the verdant valley get unfurled before your eyes.
Amankila
Amankila, means `peaceful hill’ in Sanskrit. It is built along the contours of an escarpment between two headlands in East Bali and is stunningly luxurious.
Amanpuri
In Sanskrit Amanpuri means ‘place of peace’ and this exquisite hotel is indeed retreat of tranquility. IT embraces the beauty of Thai culture and the service, cuisine and facilities are unparalleled.
Amelia Island Hotel Plantation
Amelia Island Plantation is a 1350 acre property. It has four 18-hole championship golf courses & 23 clay tennis courts which also feature a health and fitness center, award-winning youth programs, fine shops, a full service spa and excellent choices of dining options as well.
Apollo Hotel Jersey (Channel Islands)
The Apollo Jersey is basically a modern four-floor hotel which is built around a garden courtyard and pool. It located in the centre of St Helier, 500 meters from the main shopping street. There are 85 guestrooms with a bright décor which is patterned with fabrics and modern furnishings.
Atlantis Beach Tower Resort Hotel Paradise Island The Atlantis Beach Tower Resort is a perfect place for you to reside if you are looking for an ideal holiday destination in Paradise Island and explore the surrounding areas. The Resort is situated on the easternmost end of Atlantis.
5 Factors to Keep in Mind While Choosing Holiday Villas in Spain
Spain – the name conjures up images of wild beauty of Andalucía, the excitement of bull fighting and the sunny beaches of Ibiza. It has always been and still is one of the favourite tourist destinations. If you are planning to visit this wonderful country, it is better that you go for rented holiday villas rather than booking a hotel room.Why holiday villas are better than a hotel If you are planning to stay for a long time, and you are with a group of friends/family members, then there are reasons galore as to why you should go for villas in Spain. A rented villa will give you more freedom and privacy while charging almost half of what a decent hotel charges exclusively for accommodation. But that does not mean that you go and hire the first holiday villa that comes to your notice, whether online or in Spain itself. There are some guidelines and tips that will help you avoid a disastrous holiday. Keep these 5 factors in mind while choosing holiday villas in Spain.First and foremost, verify the location of the villa. Thanks to ‘Google Map’, it is now possible to see a whole city, its roads and main attraction without even setting foot in the place! So if you have narrowed down your choice to some select villas in Spain, look up ‘Google Map’ with their addresses. See where they are situated and what amenities and attractions are nearby. If you are visiting any of the fabulous beaches of Spain, find out how far the villas are from the nearest beach. There are many instances of fraud where people have rented villas in Spain only to find that the villa does not exist at all! So to avoid that, it is better that you go through reputed sites that list holiday villas. Look up the website to attain physical addresses and telephone numbers of the villa owners and avoid those that do not provide one. Remember, going cheap is not always a good idea. So beware of sites that offer unbelievably low rates and do not ask for security deposits, even if you are a foreign tourist!Be clear from the very beginning of what is included and what is not in the contract while you are hiring villas in Spain. Will there be a change of towels? Are the applications in kitchen free-of-charge? Is once-in-a-while housekeeping-on-demand included in the additional charges? – these are the questions that you should ask before hiring a villa in Spain.Also be clear about the mode of payment. Any genuine owner of villas in Spain will insist on bank transfer or credit card payment. In both cases, the sellers are identifiable and so if there is any problem, you will know who to contact. Lastly, while you are looking for villas in Spain, ask if the owner or the site that has the listed properties is offering a contact person on location or not. Despite perfect planning, things may get out of hand and in such cases, it is always better to know a local professional or individual to seek help from.Spain has so many things to offer to her visitors that it is better that you go for a long holiday instead of a short trip. And in such a scenario, nothing is better than a rented holiday villa as a residential option in Spain.
November 25, 2009
Pacha Ibiza [CD] [Box set]
CD Description
Ibiza’s legendary club and lifestyle brand, Pacha, returns with a triple CD of upfront tracks from this summer’s season mixed by their residents… Highlights include David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland – “When Love Takes Over”, Basement Jaxx – “Raindrops”, Pitbull – “I Know You Want Me”, Empire Of The Sun – “We Are The People”, Deadmau5 & Kaskade – “I Remember”, Paul van Dyk – “For An Angel 2009″; the list is long and distinguished!
Spanish Holidays Off To Flying Start For 2007
With fresh challenges every year from new and old competitors to take away market share, Spain increased her number of visitors in the first couple of months of 2007 for what could be a good year for a country that has been the favourite destination for Europeans for nearly fifty years.
The visitor numbers were so good that it broke new records for Spain, with 4 per cent more holiday makers in January 2007 compared to 2007, and a total of 2.8 million tourists overall.
The most popular area of Spain was off the mainland, the Canary Islands.
The Canary Islands consist of Tenerife, Fueteventura, Lanzarote and Gran Ganaria. The Canaries enjoy good weather in the winter months due to her geographical location near Africa, and Many British, Dutch and German tourists take villa and hotel holidays for a week November to mid March.
The Costa del Sol, a perennial favourite of the British seeking a winter sunshne break surprisingly saw a near 5 per cent dip in UK visitor numbers, but overall enjoyed a near 6 per cent increase in tourists.
The Balearic Islands recorded a rise in visitors of just over 1 per cent.
The Balearics consist of Menorca (the smallest island), Majorca and Ibiza. The small rise compared to the Canary Islands isn’t too much of a surprise as Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
Majorca
Majorca is hoping to boost visitor numbers this summer by increasing the level of competition at the island’s SuperYacht Cup. As well as drawing extra tourists for the event itself it adds an extra attraction for those holidaymakers already on the island, adding to the possibility of a return visit in future years – and with more destinations to choose from in recent years repeat visitors has become an important strategy in tourist locations.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Park, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
Spain Enjoys Spring 2007 Visitor Boost
Worried tourism bosses in Spain are winning the battle for European holidaymakers, with an impressive 5 per cent rise in visitor numbers for the first quarter of this year.
The country welcomed over ten million holiday makers in January, February and March – normally viewed as off peak months.
The highest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom, followed closely by Germany.
It was mainly due to the Germans that the numbers were up, as the number of British arrivals actually showed a slight drop, while more than 6 per cent extra visitors from Germany ensured a good start for 2007 for Spain.
The Canary Islands were the most popular part of Spain. Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura enjoy warm winters due to their geographical location near Africa, and have a strong appeal for Britons facing their winter.
The Costa del Sol, a perennial favourite of the British seeking a winter sunshine break enjoyed a boost in arrivals.
The Balearic Island also recorded a rise in visitors.
The Balearics consist of Menorca (the smallest island), Majorca and Ibiza. The small rise compared to the Canary Islands isn’t too much of a surprise as Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
How the second quarter official figures go remains to be seen, but Spain could see a further drop in British arrivals compared to last year.
An unusually warm spell of weather for five weeks in April in the UK could mean that more Brits have booked summer holidays in their home country.
The warm weather, increased airport departure taxes, and environmentally aware travellers could shun an overseas holiday this year.
The new environment warnings of ‘carbon footprints’ is impacting the travel market, with news bulletins regularly reporting that taking a flight adds to global warming. If holidaymakers take heed Spain might also see a drop in visitors from Germany and Scandanavia.
November 24, 2009
Tourists Flock To Spain For 2007
Despite facing fresh challenges every year from new and old competitors to take away market share, Spain increased her number of visitors in the first couple of months of 2007 for what could be a good year for a country that has been the favourite destination for Europeans for nearly fifty years.
The visitor numbers were so good that it broke new records for Spain, with 4 per cent more holiday makers in January 2007 compared to 2007, and a total of 2.8 million tourists overall.
The most popular area of Spain was off the mainland, the Canary Islands.
The Canary Islands consist of Tenerife, Fueteventura, Lanzarote and Gran Ganaria. The Canaries enjoy good weather in the winter months due to her geographical location near Africa, and Many British, Dutch and German tourists take villa and hotel holidays, often for a week, November to mid March.
The Costa del Sol, a perennial favourite of the British seeking a winter sunshne break surprisingly saw a near 5 per cent dip in UK visitor numbers, but overall enjoyed a near 6 per cent increase in tourists.
The Balearic Islands recorded a rise in visitors of just over 1 per cent.
The Balearics consist of Menorca (the smallest island), Majorca and Ibiza. The small rise compared to the Canary Islands isn’t too much of a surprise as Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
Majorca is hoping to boost visitor numbers this summer by increasing the level of competition at the island’s SuperYacht Cup. As well as drawing extra tourists for the event itself it adds an extra attraction for those holidaymakers already on the island, adding to the possibility of a return visit in future years – and with more destinations to choose from in recent years repeat visitors has become an important strategy in tourist locations.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Park, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for the near future.
Spain Beats Off 2007 Eastern Tourist Competition
Concerned tourism bosses in Spain are winning the battle for European holidaymakers, with an impressive 5 per cent rise in visitor numbers for 2007 so far.
The country welcomed over ten million holiday makers in January, February and March – normally viewed as off peak months.
The highest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom, followed closely by Germany.
It was mainly due to the Germans that the numbers were up, as the number of British arrivals actually showed a slight drop, while more than 6 per cent extra visitors from Germany ensured a good start for 2007 for Spain.
The Canary Islands were the most popular part of Spain. Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura enjoy warm winters due to their geographical location near Africa, and have a strong appeal for Britons facing their winter.
The Costa del Sol, a perennial favourite of the British seeking a winter sunshine break enjoyed a boost in arrivals.
The Balearic Island also recorded a rise in visitors.
The Balearics consist of Menorca (the smallest island), Majorca and Ibiza. The small rise compared to the Canary Islands isn’t too much of a surprise as Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
How the second quarter official figures go remains to be seen, but Spain could see a further drop in British arrivals compared to last year.
An unusually warm spell of weather for five weeks in April in the UK could mean that more Brits have booked summer holidays in their home country.
The warm weather, increased airport departure taxes, and environmentally aware travellers could shun an overseas holiday this year.
The new environment warnings of ‘carbon footprints’ is impacting the travel market, with news bulletins regularly reporting that taking a flight adds to global warming. If holidaymakers take heed Spain might also see a drop in visitors from Germany, Scandanavia and other European countries.
November 23, 2009
Late Boost For 2007 Majorca Holidays
Majorca has scored a stunning success this year by being the British holidaymakers island of choice for their annual getaway, and has now capped a successful summer by being top destination for the autumn too.
One travel site has reported that Majorca, along with Spain’s Costa del Sol, are the most heavily booked for the autumn period in Europe, with New York being the top long haul destination for British tourists.
Other areas of Spain are also enjoying an autumn renaissance – notably the Costa Blanca and the Canary Island of Tenerife. Surprisingly Malta is starting to compete with the traditional British getaway favourites.
Malta has enjoyed quite a turn around in her fortunes over the last eighteen months since the Maltese authorities reluctantly agreed to allow low cost airlines to fly to the Mediterranean island. The tourist situation for Malta was so poor at one stage that a British holiday company were seriously considering dropping it from their main brochures, and if others had followed Malta would have been relegated as a mainstream vacation destination to one of niche status for her culture, history, and diving holidays.
Low cost airlines have engineered Malta away from tourist disaster to a far healthier position for 2007, and some 300,000 visitors could be delivered to the island for the 2008 season, as well as giving it an autumn boost this year.
But for all the success of one island in the Mediterranean that Malta has enjoyed in 2007 after turning around an awful 2006, it is really the Spanish island of Majorca that has done best for 2007, consistently attracting tourists throughout the summer, and extending it to the autumn time – good news for the hotel and holiday trade on the island as they see the months of profitabilty extend beyond the traditional ones.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London’s Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London’s Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinations, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for both the summer and autumn.