Do you love to travel? trivago.co.uk is a great website to meet likeminded people from around the world. I have been writing reviews and adding photos of the places I have been to; been using reviews and recommendations on trivago to plan my next holiday and, besides helping other members, I have been earning money for all content that I’ve added.
Take this opportunity to promote your corner of the World, mingle with a vibrant community and be paid for the privilege - if you think that it might be something for you, take a look at my profile and register for free.
I’m looking forward to seeing you at trivago and reading about your travel experiences!
European hotel prices are eight percent less than December 2008. In comparison to the previous month, overnight accommodation prices have decreased by four percent. In the United Kingdom hotel prices have decreased by 21 percent in Manchester and by 15 percent in Edinburgh in comparison to the previous year.These are the findings of the trivago Hotel Price Index (tHPI) which is published monthly by the hotel price comparison site www.trivago.co.uk.London, 9th December 2009. The price for a standard double room continues to decrease in the majority of popular European cities. The current tHPI for December shows the average price for a hotel is four percent less than the previous month and eight percent less than this time last year. Copenhagen goes against the trend; average hotel prices have increased by 21 percent in comparison to November 2009, due to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.
European hotel prices are seven percent cheaper in comparison to July 2008. These are the findings of the tHPI (trivago Hotel Price Index) which is published monthly by the hotel price comparison site www.trivago.co.uk. Travellers can currently find cheap hotel deals in the major Spanish and Italian tourist destinations. In top European cities prices have decreased up to 25 percent in comparison to the previous year.
London, July 6th 2009. The trivago hotel price index shows that accommodation prices in Europe are seven percent less than the previous year. A standard double room in one of the top European cities costs 90 pounds in July 2009, compared to 97 pounds in July 2008. In 38 of the 50 cities hotel prices have decreased or remained the same.
Cheap hotel prices in Southern Europe
There has been a substantial drop in prices in the most popular holiday destinations. In Rome, the price of a standard double room is 102 pounds in July, seven percent less than last year. In Milan hotel prices are seven percent less (93 pounds). Prices are also plunging in Spanish cities: a room in Madrid is 74 pounds, 31 percent less than the previous year (107 pounds). In Barcelona the average hotel price is 94 pounds, 28 percent less than July 2008. Other Southern European cities such as Turin (84 pounds), Palermo (81 pounds), Lisbon (75 pounds) and Bologna (73 pounds) have also seen a considerable decrease in prices.
Bargains also in Scandinavia and the United Kingdom
Sweden and Norway are usually consistently expensive countries to visit, however this July prices are also more favourable. Overnight accommodation prices in Stockholm (101 pounds) and Oslo (111 pounds) are at their lowest level this year. These cities are 20 percent less than last month and over
10 percent less than last year. Also in the United Kingdom there are good deals this July in comparison to the previous year. A room in Brighton1 this July is 14 percent cheaper at 110 pounds. Accommodation prices in Birmingham are 20 percent less (74 pounds); an overnight stay in Manchester is 17 percent less than July 2008. Hotel prices in the English capital have risen by two percent to 134 pounds and Geneva remains the most expensive European city at 194 pounds.
The www.trivago.co.uk hotel price index shows the average overnight accommodation prices for the most popular European cities on trivago. The average prices for a standard double room are calculated on the basis of 40,000 daily price inquiries for overnight hotel stay generated through the trivago hotel price comparison. trivago stores all hotel enquiries for each month and therefore gives an overview of hotel accommodation prices for the upcoming month.
The difference in price for the top 25 European cities in comparison to July 2008 can be found here:
The difference in price for the top 25 European cities in comparison to June 2009 can be found here:
Subscribe for the monthly trivago price index by emailing: thpi@trivago.com.
Mystique: a stellar establishment on a crater’s edge above the Aegean
Featured in the Condé Nast Traveller Hot List 2008, Mystique is a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection and thus it was expected that it would be “stellar”. The author was not disappointed and writes that it is “a sensitive makeover” of an earlier hotel with friendly staff and “curvaceous walls” which “stand out in comforting cream” in contrast to the usual “Cycladic white”.
Located on a crater’s edge above the Aegean, the Starwood Mystique features guest rooms which are “carved into the cliff” and offer “caldera views”. Décor is a combination of “the troglodytic look” and “island flair”, with limestone floors and “lamps sculpted from driftwood” being paired with cushions in “traditional floral designs”. It is noted that the “cave-cellar” is full of interesting wines and the restaurant provides “delicious dishes made with fresh, local ingredients”.
The hotel was awarded on the 12th February in New York with the Travel & Leisure Design Award 2008 for the Best Small Resort in the World. As the publication notes, “Architecture and design shape every aspect of the travel experience”. Mystique was honoured for its standout design attended by Frank Lefebvre of Bleu Nature.
Its 18 Suites and Villas with a contemporary, yet respectful towards the tradition design, have managed to perfectly adopt in the surrounding area of the traditional Cycladic village of Oia on the caldera of Santorini. Mystique’s facilities include an outdoor infinity pool at the cliff’s edge, the Charisma gourmet restaurant, the poolside Aura bar and the Secret Wine Cave, a dramatic 150 year old wine cellar. [source: yatzer]
This modern, multimillion-dollar center is home to “one of the world’s finest private art collections” which includes Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities. The Museu da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian is rated as “exceptional” by Frommers and it is noted that the collection includes “a remarkable assemblage of Islamic art”, “medieval illuminated manuscripts and ivories”, silver which was “once used by Catherine the Great” and works by such Masters as Rembrandt, Rubens and Renoir.
There are also Oriental vases and prints on display, as well as sculptures, Renaissance tapestries and medals and some “important collections of 18th-century French decorative works”. It is noted that the museum also offers a rotating exhibition of modern art and that the Foundation sponsors plays, films, ballets, and concerts. [Frommers]
Avalon Springs is located in Montagu, a scenic two-hour drive from Cape Town. Offering very good value for money, it is the ideal place to unwind with great facilities for the health-orientated guest who wishes to gym, sauna, have massages etc. Very relaxed and friendly ambiance throughout. Weekends may be slightly crowded, but midweek the Avalon is definitely one of the best spots I have ever encountered for total relaxation.
Avalon Springs, Montagu
Visitors also have the opportunity to enjoy a scenic tractor trip in the Langeberg at the Protea Farm and discover the delights of a traditional South African potjiekos.
At trivago the customer can compare prices with one mouse click. With a unique meta price comparison for hotels, the client searching can find the cheapest deal from different well known booking platforms.
Even people that prefer to book directly through hotels should also check out trivago first. Often intermediaries can offer better prices than the hotel itself. Those visitors who know exactly what they want, can use different criteria to narrow down the search to suit their individual needs.
Some of the most researched hotels the past week at trivago:
Thanks to the trivago community, visitors can find personal travel reports, holiday photos, hotel, restaurant and destination evaluations, beyond compare. No sales driven travel agent has a say in this, only the travelers with their personal recommendations. Therefore, an honest impression of the next holiday destination develops because of the fact that trivago members write and judge only that information which they share between themselves.
Every member engaged in the community also benefits financially, as the community shares a large part of the commission from hotel recommendations. Active users can therefore contribute to their travel funds, and again use their newly gained travel information for the community.
Peter Vinnemeier, Malte Siewert, Rolf Schrömgens (from left to right)
“trivago’s unique technological structure makes finding hotels efficiently with your chosen criteria possible.”
- Peter Vinnemeier, Technology Sales and Distribution Manager
“For most internet users the online travel market is still very unclear. With our price comparison we clarify the offers from various suppliers for customers. Our partners also profit from trivago through an increase in bookings and publicity. We compare the prices from booking machines, which provide an added value and are thus competitive. At times one partner has the advantage, and at times another. The region in which someone is looking for a hotel also plays a big role. We have determined that individual suppliers in specific countries or cities are especially low-cost. Without the help of trivago, such information is only available to customers via exhausting search efforts on their part.”
- Malte Siewert, Finance and Business Development Manager
“trivago is often used as an ideal example for the Web 2.0. With the overuse of the word ‘ideal’ the latter hardly holds any meaning for me.
To put it simply, in comparison to its competition, trivago goes the extra mile. trivago doesn’t have a community, it is the community. Every user is immediately part of the broad picture, in which the possibilities are endless.”
- Rolf Schrömgens, Strategy and Product Manager
Travelling to South Africa? Well, you’re going to Cape Town, right? And you want to see if you can get the Big 5? Here’s something that’s better than Cape Town. Better than the Big 5. And it’s the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir.
There are quite a few things that are unique or world class in South Africa, and the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir is one of them.
Doors opened in 1965 to the first 20 pupils. The dream was of a multi-racial, multi-cultural Choir School to rival the Vienna Boys. Not in the middle of a history-rich, ancient European city. But in the boondocks. In a beautiful, rural, sparsely populated valley in the Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The first and only one of its kind on the continent.
Today the annual intake is 100 boys between 9 and 15, and auditions are held nation-wide. Can you think of anything more sublime than crisp, mountain air, majestic mountains, azure skies and natural beauty as far as the eye can see, complemented by the pure tones of counter-tenor harmony?
The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir tours overseas every year and is internationally recognized as one of the best in the world. And they aren’t just holier that thou brats either – after hours they’re into rapids tubing, abseiling and hiking in their Drakensberg paradise. They work hard and play hard.
Be prepared for diversity. If you like a good dirge, stay away. The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir has very catholic tastes. The first half of the concert is classical. You might hear Bach or Beethoven or Mozart. The second half can be anything. It could be Queen. (Freddie Mercury would have loved it). Or folk, or jazz, or sacred music. Or African harmonies you’ve never heard before that will bring tears to your eyes.
Come with tissues. And a jersey, for the goosebumps. But whatever you do, BE THERE. The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir performs most Wednesdays during term time at 3.30 p.m. There is a world class auditorium on campus.
So if you’re coming to South Africa – sure Cape Town’s good and you need the Big 5. But you really shouldn’t miss this. Sublime Drakensberg experience!
The Choir is representative of the multi-faceted cultures that make up South Africa. It has created a new trend in the international choral scene that transcends the conventional. A unique style of diversity – Bach, Beethoven, Freddie Mercury, African sounds, Jazz, Folk, etc.
The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir captivates audiences with its unique and diverse style of music, which demonstrates the versatility and depth of the Choir’s ability. This can be especially seen and heard with the recent addition of more modern art music. The Choir is internationally acclaimed for its unique African repertoire, containing various traditional works like ‘Shosholoza’, and ‘Night Sounds’ where the boys imitate the sounds of the African Bush. They also perform a ‘Gumboot Dance’, which originated on the South African mines. Using authentic African instruments and body percussion as accompaniment, the boys perform traditional African works as have never been experienced before!
The Choir also excels in music such as Handel’s “Messiah”, Mozart’s “Requiem”, Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms”, Bach’s “Magnificat”, and many more works of this stature. [wikipedia]
The Château de Vauvenargues is to be opened to the public between May and September in conjunction with the Picasso-Cézanne which is hosted at the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence.
The French château where Pablo Picasso is buried is to be opened to the public for the first time, 35 years after his death.
The Spanish artist was buried in the grounds of a château that he bought on a whim in 1958 in the village of Vauvenargues in the south of France.
Picasso’s 17th Century Chateau Opens To The Public : Wicked Good Travel Tips.
The grand chateau will welcome pre-reserved tours from May 25th until September 27, seven days a week. Small groups of 18 will be hosted by a guide with entry each half hour. Tours will visit Picasso’s suite of private rooms including the diningroom, bedroom, bathroom (with Picasso’s painted wall above the tub), and of course his studio. Picasso and his wife Jacqueline have been laid to rest at the foot of the main steps on the terrace. Tickets can be purchased for 7.70 euros at the Aix en Provence Tourist Board and the Granet Museum.
May 27th will mark the first day the public will be admitted to Picasso’s Château de Vauvenargues, which lords it over a tiny village of the same name.
Once inside, visitors will be able to view a suite of Picasso’s private rooms. These will include his bedroom and bath (on whose walls he painted a mural of a faun), and, most pointedly, his studio, which has been left exactly as it was, down to the last errant splatter of paint.
If you’ve ever dreamt of making a pilgrimage to Picasso Country, this is your year.
With newly granted access to the grave of the father of 20th century art, art lovers everywhere are already making plans to pay their respects.
The One&Only has arrived in grand style & with much fanfare! Guests at the grand opening included Nelson Mandela and celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Sharon Stone, Robert de Niro & Matt Damon. Sol Kerzner’s latest was launched in April and offers the Mother City and her visitors some truly unique features, not least of which are the only restaurants on the African continent operated by Nobuyuki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa & Gordon Ramsay and a 6,000 bottle tri-level wine loft.
This R900-million, 6-star resort is ideally located for guests attending the 2010 World Cup and boasts the largest and most luxurious Cape Town accommodations as well as the most comprehensive Spa. Of course the price tag matches the setting and ranges from about 500€ to 4,500€ per night.
Kerzner’s brash and bold use of celebrities and the media to boost his brand is, he says, a deliberate marketing tool. “Why be the world’s best kept secret?’ he joked to CNN by the infinity pool of his newest venture.
And after more than 40 years in the business, he understands that the allure of the rich and famous can help him to sell hotel rooms.
In the early 1960’s, when he was just 29, Kerzner developed South Africa’s first five start hotel called the Beverley Hills. Marlene Dietrich, he says, was at the opening.
Years later, when he revolutionized the concept of a gaming and entertainment destination by developing the Sun City resort, Frank Sinatra performed at the opening of the Sun City Superbowl.
When he launched his One&Only Palmilla in Mexico the opening party was a surprise fiftieth birthday party for Hollywood actor John Travolta.
In 2008, at the opening of the Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, his celebratory fireworks display was beamed live on satellite around the world and was billed as so spectacular it the could be seen from space.
Now in his 70’s, Kerzner’s showing now signs of slowing down. His next hotel and casino resort opens in Morocco later this year. (CNN)
