Tag Archives: Accommodation

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The Luxurious Emirates Palace Hotel

Emirates Palace Hotel

Located in Abu Dhabi, the seven-star Emirates Palace Hotel is considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the UAE, describing itself as a palace rather than a hotel. With everything from gold and marble furnishings in the guest rooms to world-class fine dining restaurants, this is a hotel that definitely goes above and beyond when it comes to providing quality accommodation.

Guest Rooms and Suites
There are 302 guest rooms at the Emirates Palace Hotel, as well as 92 suites, with all of these accommodation options spread out across two wings and a central building. From the standard rooms to the penthouse suites, every room is decked out in gold and marble, with many other extravagant design details adding to the luxuriousness of the experience. While the focus may be placed on Arabian furnishings, the technology and multimedia systems that you will find within the rooms are state-of-the-art, while the private terraces and balconies offer spectacular vistas of Abu Dhabi.

Restaurants
The restaurants that you will find at the Emirates Palace Hotel are sophisticated and refined, but with a variety of cuisines to choose from. The opulent Mawal restaurant practices Levantine hospitality, in which guests are treated as part of the family, while Mezzaluna has been inspired by the grand trattorias found in Northern Italy, and has frequently been named as the best Italian restaurant in Abu Dhabi. The Sayad Seafood Restaurant is another award-winning restaurant, this time with the best seafood in Abu Dhabi, while the Mezlai Emirati Restaurant is reminiscent of an airy, traditional Bedouin tent, serving up dishes that make the most of local native ingredients. These are just a few of the many restaurants that you will find here, making the hotel quite the culinary hot spot.

Hotel Facilities
As you would expect from such a high-class hotel, the Emirates Palace Hotel boasts a number of facilities and services that will make your stay even more memorable. The two luxurious, temperature-controlled, sparkling swimming pools simply beg to be dived in to, while beach club membership is available for those who want to spend their time splashing about in the sea. The hotel offers several other sporting opportunities, from 75-minute yoga classes, as well as special full moon sessions, to jogging and cycling trails to water sports and so much more. The camel rides along the beach are also not to be missed, and these can be rounded up with a cup of Arabian coffee and a bowl of dates to make the experience even more authentic. If there is anything that you require that the hotel does not usually provide, their concierge service, as well as their personal butler service, will be able to help, as the hotel strives to meet each and every guest requirement.

The UAE is full of luxury hotels, but the Emirates Palace Hotel still manages to rise above its competition. With the finest of accommodation, facilities and dining options, this is a hotel that really prioritizes their guests’ needs and comforts, ensuring that your stay is never anything but enjoyable.

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Amanpulo on Pamilican Island

Amanpulo on Pamilican IslandThe Philippines is home to thousands of stunning islands, one of which is Pamilican Island, which can be found in the Cuyo Archipelago, just north of the famous Palawan Island. Situated on Pamilican Island is Amanpulo, a private island resort that is considered to be the most exclusive in the country, making for a perfectly decadent tropical getaway.

Casitas and Villas
When it comes to guest accommodation, Amanpulo is home to 40 casitas and 11 villas. The casitas enjoy direct beach access, and are designed with an open-plan aspect, offering views of either the sparkling sea from the hillside, or the lush forest canopy. With private plunge pools, secluded hammocks and large wooden decks from which to take in the spectacular surroundings, the casitas guarantee an enjoyable stay. The villas are each arranged around a large private outdoor swimming pool, with separate lounging and dining areas, as well as private bedroom pavilions. Those who stay in a villa also enjoy the luxury of a private club car, which makes for an ideal way to explore the rest of the island independently.

Fine dining
Dining
Rather than offering a plethora of less-than-average dining options, Amanpulo places its focus on locally caught seafood and vegetables grown on the island, all of which are served from both the Beach Club to the Clubhouse Restaurant to private beach barbecues. For guests who want to be more involved in the dining experience, the resort is more than happy for visitors to pick their own ingredients from the island’s organic garden, from which the chefs will then create a stunning custom dish.

The Best Resort Spa in the Philippines
Voted this year as the Best Resort Spa in the Philippines by the World Spa Awards, Amanpulo’s spa is a large sanctuary set above the treetops on the hillside, with panoramic views of the water below. The inter-connected pavilions are where you will go to enjoy a treatment, with the Hilot treatment being a great one to try, as this makes use of local products and techniques to re-balance areas of tension. In addition to their extensive treatment menu, the spa also boasts a gym with floor-to-ceiling windows, so that you can still enjoy the view, and a yoga and pilates studio, along with professional instructors.

Activities
There is a wide range of activities on offer at Amanpulo, both on land as well as in the water. From scuba diving to windsurfing, the aquatic activities available will suit guests of all ability levels. Out of the water, there are tennis courts and bicycles to keep you active, the latter of which you can use to explore the island. There are also organized nature walks that you can take part in to learn more about the island’s native plants, and, at night, be sure to spend some time with the resort’s refracting telescope, as this will make you feel closer to the stars than ever before.

There may be plenty of resorts to choose from in the Philippines, but none of them can offer quite the experience that Amanpulo does. From the second you arrive on the island’s private airstrip, you will be enveloped in a sense of exclusivity and luxury that guarantees nothing but an unforgettable vacation.

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Planning Your British Columbia Hiking Trip

West Coast Trail, British Columbia

With over 850 parks and protected areas all around British Columbia, there are hundreds of different hiking trails to be found. While day hikes are always enjoyable, planning your trip around a longer hike will not only give you a much greater sense of accomplishment when completed, but will also enable you to see more of the stunning natural beauty that British Columbia has to offer.

Sunshine Coast Trail
Stretching out for 180 kilometers through alpine meadows and around sparkling lakes, the Sunshine Coast Trail is the longest hut-to-hut trail in Canada and takes around a week to ten days to complete. While it is possible to camp along the way, the huts, along with B&Bs, provide plenty of other options for those who do not wish to camp, and there are even a few hotels to be found around Powell River. From standing above the clouds at the Tin Hat Mountain Summit to the crystal clear waters of Elk Lake, the Sunshine Coast Trail is not as difficult as some of the other longer hikes in British Columbia, but definitely provides some truly unforgettable moments.

West Coast Trail
Found on southern Vancouver Island, the world-famous West Coast Trail attracts hikers from all over the globe and is a trail that would be well worth planning a hiking trip for. Open from May to September, the West Coast Trail is 75 kilometers long and usually takes somewhere between five to seven days to complete. This is a trail for the more experienced hikers out there, as there are a number of challenging areas, from climbing ladders and steep slopes, using cable cars and wading through strong rivers. Weather conditions here are also extremely unpredictable, but for those hikers that do decide to embark upon this adventure, they will be rewarded with extraordinary sights of Canada’s natural wilderness, and will experience a part of the world that has only been seen by the most intrepid of travelers.

Mt. Edziza Plateau Traverse
Situated in northern British Columbia, the Mt. Edziza Plateau Traverse is an extremely challenging hike, and really gives hikers the opportunity to be at one with nature. Stretching out for about 75 kilometers, this trail takes around a week to ten days to complete and includes hiking to the top of a volcano. While hikers may not spot another human being for days, they will spot some of British Columbia’s magnificent native wildlife, from caribou trotting up a glacier to the bears and the wolves, although these animals are also a danger that hikers need to be aware of. While some may say that the Grand Canyon offers a sense of wonder that nowhere else can, those who have hiked the Mt. Edziza Plateau Traverse are all likely to disagree, as this trail always manages to provide the trip of a lifetime.

British Columbia is home to some of the most picturesque views in the world, and hiking through these is the best way to truly explore them. From the sandy beaches of the West Coast Trail to the dense forests of the Sunshine Coast Trail, these trails are all worth planning a hiking trip around.

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The Biltmore Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara beach

Now owned by the Four Seasons group, the Biltmore Santa Barbara was first opened in 1927, boasting iconic Spanish Colonial architecture that sets it apart from its competition. An oceanfront resort situated on idyllic Butterfly Beach, the Biltmore offers luxury accommodation, beach-side dining venues, rejuvenating spa treatments and a number of other unique activities, all the while tying this in with its historic charm.

The Accommodation
Unlike the many high-rise hotels that have become all-too-common, the Biltmore consists of low-lying buildings and single storey bungalows, each being home to around five guest rooms and boasting private entrances. The Ty Warner Bungalow not only includes a large living area with a fireplace, but also a 1000 square foot garden patio, complete with fire pit and heated plunge pool, while the Anacapa Suite has a private driveway and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Each of the various rooms offer something slightly different, and are able to cater to just about every need that their guests may have.

Dining Options
The Biltmore is home to some of Santa Barbara’s most revered restaurants. Bella Vista, the resort’s Italian restaurant, is considered to be the restaurant with the most beautiful oceanfront setting in all of Santa Barbara, and has made quite the name for itself thanks to their focus on fresh and organic ingredients, as well as their iconic Sunday brunches. Tydes, which focuses on modern Californian coastal cuisine, is another one of the resort’s oceanfront restaurants, overlooking Butterfly Beach, but is a much more exclusive venue and is only open to guests of the resort and members of the nearby Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club. In terms of their more casual dining options, guests can choose from the Coral Café and Bar, as well as Fins, which focuses on healthy and light dishes.

The Spa
The resort’s spa consists of eleven elegant treatment rooms, with the treatments on offer making full use of ingredients from the ocean, as well as botanicals from the many gardens of Santa Barbara. With fourteen different massages, as well as a range of body and facial treatments, this is the ideal way for guests of the Biltmore to relax and unwind.

Beach Volleyball
For guests that are sports enthusiasts, the Biltmore offers a truly unique experience that guarantees to make your stay totally unforgettable. Santa Barbara native Todd Rogers is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, and has been playing beach volleyball for around twenty years. The Biltmore can arrange for guests to spend some time on world-famous East Beach with Rogers, picking up some of the many tips he has learned over the years while facing off against the champion for a friendly match.

Sophisticated yet casual, the Biltmore perfectly mirrors California’s vibe, and offers guests the opportunity to truly indulge. With a stunning oceanfront setting, some of the best dining options in all of Santa Barbara, and activities to make each visit extra-special, it is no surprise that the Biltmore is considered to be one of the finest resorts in the region.

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Planning Your Summer Vacation

Couple in a yacht

With the holiday season over and many cold months ahead, there is no better time to start planning your summer vacation. From taking the time to choose a unique destination to planning creative and unforgettable activities, we have put together some of our top tips for when it comes to planning your summer vacation.

Choosing a Destination
One of the best advantages to planning your summer vacation well in advance is the fact that you can take the time to choose a unique destination. If you are quite flexible about where you go, then it could be worth scouring the different options available to you at this early date. Whether it be a VIP holiday package or a luxury tour around a certain country, planning your vacation in advance means that you will have first pick of all aspects to your vacation. You may also find that destinations that are always busy in the winter empty out a lot more in the summer, from the southwestern states of the USA to the colder regions of Australia, so it could be worth taking this into account.

Considering Accommodation Options
We all know that companies such as AirBnB are giving conventional hotel chains a run for their money, and if you have never used these websites before, your summer vacation is the perfect time to start. If you are planning to visit a major city, such as London or New York, you will likely find somewhere not only cheaper than a hotel but with a fantastic location and all the amenities that you need. However, there are still some instances where a hotel would be more convenient, so be sure to carefully evaluate your situation as well as the people who you plan to travel with. If you are going to be traveling with young children, hotels will usually offer activities and facilities that are catered to them, leaving the adults with much more free time on their hands. Booking well in advance also means that you will have a much wider selection of hotels, as well as rooms, to choose from, so you are extremely likely to be able to find one that works perfectly for you.

Researching Activities in Advance
No matter where you may have decided to visit for your summer vacation, it is always wise to do some advanced planning on the different activities available in the area. This gives you enough time to plan your activities creatively. For example, instead of visiting the local zoo, you would have a much better time seeking out a local wildlife sanctuary. If you are visiting a new city, you will be able to find a number of walking tours on the internet that you can print out, as well as information on when certain museums are hosting special events and VIP nights.

It may seem early to begin planning your summer vacation, but experts say that now is the perfect time. Not only have you given yourself enough time to carefully plan your holiday, but the thought of your exciting summer will provide you with plenty of motivation to get through the upcoming months.

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Top Travel Apps of 2015

Women on their smartphones

With smartphones and tablets being taken with us everywhere we go, it is no surprise that apps that make travel easier and more convenient have become increasingly popular. OROGOLD takes a look at some of the top travel apps of 2015.

Hopper
Hopper quickly became popular in 2015, especially around those who were looking to save a bit of cash when booking an airline ticket. Hopper predicts the optimum date and time to book a ticket for the trip you are planning to take, by analyzing billions of different air fares each and every day and detecting certain moments when those fares will drop to an all-time low. If you aren’t in a hurry to book your ticket, you can input your preferred travel details into Hopper and it will send you a notification when there are fares that are worth your attention.

AirBnB
AirBnB needs no explanation, and 2015 saw the company experience growth like never before. With over a million listings, AirBnB has so much more to offer than even the most well-connected hotel booking site, and the options on AirBnB are far more diverse. Whether you want to stay in a historic castle, a gypsy caravan or an isolated watchtower, AirBnB will have the perfect accommodation for you.

Postagram
With smartphones and photo editing apps always at our fingertips during travel, it only makes sense to use one of your vacation snaps as a postcard, rather than purchasing a pre-printed postcard to send. Postagram is an app that OROGOLD loves as it allows users to upload a holiday photo and type in a greeting, after which Postagram will print the postcard and send it anywhere in the world that you desire.

Travel Calculator
Travel calculator is an app that OROGOLD would highly recommend if you frequently travel overseas. Rather than standing at a shop, struggling to work out the exchange rate with the local currency, Travel Calculator will instantly convert this for you, based on real-time exchange rates. The app also has an offline mode, so you don’t need to worry about eating up all of your international data allowance while you are traveling, and it also has Tip and Tax features that may also come in handy.

Gas Buddy
Thanks to the increase in ‘staycations’ in 2015, Gas Buddy became a popular app. Gas Buddy keeps track of all of the cheapest gas stations in your chosen area, with its information updated by other users, who earn points for the data that they can then redeem for prizes. If you are out driving and need some gas, simply open up the app, tap on the cheapest gas station near you, and it will use Google Maps to provide you with clear and concise driving directions.

From apps that make finding affordable accommodation a breeze, to ones that make international shopping so much more convenient, these travel apps all made their way to the top of download lists in 2015. Each of these apps are continually developed, and OROGOLD is sure that 2016 will see them becoming more useful than they are now.

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How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Location – OROGOLD Reviews

Beautiful wedding setup on a beach.

When it comes to planning a wedding, choosing and booking a location is one of the first things that need to be done, as this helps to guide the planning for the rest of the wedding. In addition to finding a venue that both you and your future spouse are excited about, there are many other considerations that you need to keep in mind in order to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the big day. OROGOLD Cosmetics shows you how to choose the perfect wedding locations.

Estimate Your Guest List
It is important to try to estimate how many guests will attend the wedding, as this is a huge factor in choice of location and specific venue. If your guest list will be small, it means you can have a more intimate wedding. If you expect a larger guest list, your venue will need to be spacious enough to accommodate everyone. A larger guest list also limits your option for a destination wedding, as it may be inconvenient for many of your guests to fly out to your dream location. If you have many elderly guests, you will also need to find somewhere that is easy for them to access. Although you will not be able to please everyone, you need to keep your important guests in mind, especially if it means that they might not be able to attend otherwise.

Accommodation
Your guests are likely to need somewhere to stay, so it is important that you consider the accommodation options in your preferred locations. Many hotels offer deals if you book multiple rooms, so it is worth finding a nearby hotel that will do so before securing your venue.

Time of Year
The time of the year that you want to have your wedding is crucial, especially when deciding whether your venue is going to be indoors or outdoors. A garden wedding would be perfect for the summer, but could be bitterly cold in the winter, making you wish that you had chosen somewhere cozy with lots of log fires. When it comes to your actual wedding date, the more flexible you are, the easier it will be to find your perfect location.

How Busy You Are
If you tend to usually have quite a busy schedule, you need to keep this in mind when choosing a venue. A unique venue, set in an elegantly decorated barn in the middle of the countryside, may sound ideal, but not so much so when you consider all the arrangements you would need to make to get all the equipment out there. Although a more conventional wedding venue may not seem as exciting, they usually come with a team of staff who will take care of all the dirty work for you.

Venue Visits
Once you have narrowed down your choice of locations, it is important that you and your fiancée visit each and every one, so that you can compare the different advantages and disadvantages. One that may seem perfect on paper may actually be a let-down in reality, so it is crucial that you visit the venue beforehand, preferably at the same time of day that you’re going to have your wedding.

Choosing a wedding venue can seem like hard work, but as long as you are organized, you will be able to find your ideal location without too much hassle. Make sure that your wedding location is one of the first things you decide on, as it will be a huge weight off your shoulders once it is booked and taken care of.