<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919</id><updated>2011-04-21T16:14:32.030-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Holiday Homes Canada</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>6</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919.post-114950125938224486</id><published>2006-06-05T02:53:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-06-05T02:54:19.393-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Explore the Adventurous side of You</title><content type='html'>some real adventures? Well, you might be having some wrong perceptions about ‘adventure’, considering your everyday life in this concrete jungle as one big adventure (in a way, you may call it an adventure). Well if that is the case, you need to think twice over it.Let’s get back to the adventures that we define here and see the difference from the real adventures – that requires high adrenaline. Climbing staircase (that too, once in a while, when your elevator is not working) doesn’t count as an adventure. Your computer mouse doesn’t come under wildlife. Standing under the shower is not same as standing under the waterfall. Wondering in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city is miles of freshness away from getting lost in the thick lush green jungle. MountaineeringWhich floor do you live in? Well, you might enjoy the height that you live in but never ever compare that with the heavenly mountains – standing tall and proud. So just pump up your adrenaline, head for a real adventure, feel the nature, defy the law of gravity… When you are heading for a mountaineering trip, follow the instructions of the guide properly to avoid any mishap. Wear comfortable and convenient clothes – for e.g. Cargo pants, multi-pocketed jackets, good hiking shoes. Carry all the basic accessories but make sure it’s not overweighed. But before starting off, get medically examined. Also ensure that at least one or two members of the team have experience of high altitude climbing.Rock ClimbingIt’s always fun to try something new in life. And what can be more exciting than climbing the steep rocky mountain. It might look quite scary, but then what is life without some challenges? Of course, you’ve seen Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible with all those actions. Well he had a mission. And here, your mission is to feel the thrill.For such adventure, it’s definitely not a cakewalk. First you need to sign up for basics with an experienced instructor. Climbing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury, so proper training and equipment before attempting this activity is seriously recommended.Jungle SafariNo matter how colourful or fast your life gets in the city, you surely need to escape from it at least once in a year. It’s time to feel the nature. It’s time you realise that it’s not just humans that the world belongs to. Indeed, there’s nothing like exploring… making your vision broader.However, few things are needed to know before taking the wild side. Learn about the place – the culture, the habitat, various types of species found and their behaviour. Make sure you are under an experienced guide. Never take chances with wildlife, even the cutest looking species might turn out to be dangerous.RaftingHigh speed, high energy, high life... just what rafting is all about. Racing with the current. Waters splashing all over you. Not a single word but the sound of water hitting the rocks. Isn’t it amazing when your mind is free for once and you feel nothing but yourself, accompanied by the force of nature. But before you head for this mind-boggling activity, enrol with an experienced group that organises rafting. Make sure that you don’t have any physical ailment. Don’t take chances if don’t know how to swim. And most importantly, the high-powered spirit is all it takes.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27235919-114950125938224486?l=holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/114950125938224486/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27235919&amp;postID=114950125938224486' title='6 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114950125938224486'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114950125938224486'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/2006/06/explore-adventurous-side-of-you.html' title='Explore the Adventurous side of You'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>6</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919.post-114898321884128356</id><published>2006-05-30T02:58:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-05-30T03:00:18.853-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Holiday Rentals in Spain</title><content type='html'>Welcome to the Art Hotel&lt;br /&gt;May 30, 06  2:00 am&lt;br /&gt;"It's over for design hotels," says Ian Schrager, the man who invented them. "What once was the exception is now the general rule. It doesn't interest me anymore. I have taken it as far as it can go. This for me is a new beginning. Im trying to change the game again."&lt;br /&gt;By this Schrager means "art," at least as it's embodied in the 185-room Gramercy Park Hotel, set to open this August in New York City. Schrager, who famously worked with designer Philippe Starck on New York's Royalton and others, is collaborating on the property with artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel to create a "bohemian" spirit -- "but a bohemian with money," Schrager qualifies, describing their vision of organized chaos, with canvases propped up against the wall and a sense of "individuality and spontaneity."&lt;br /&gt;Rather than just slapping art up on the walls of the lobby and guest rooms [although they'll do that too], its spirit will permeate the place. Picture flowers plopped into water pitchers set before a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat.&lt;br /&gt;AROUND THE GLOBE.&lt;br /&gt;If Schrager's track record is any indication, the "art hotel" is about to become a big deal. And yet this time around, the man who co-founded Studio 54 isn't the first at the party [even if he is arriving in style].&lt;br /&gt;Hotels have always had artwork, but today the concept is being stretched to new limits, as boutique hotels replace hospitality-as-theater with hospitality-as-installation-art. Around the globe, hoteliers are working with artists [if they're not already artists themselves] to create environments with a sense of style and authenticity -- in explicit retort to the boutique hotel formula, with its contemporary furniture and dimmed hallways.&lt;br /&gt;In part it's a backlash against the democratization of design: Now that there are "W" hotels by the dozen, hoteliers are seeking new ways of standing out. And yet, the hoteliers say, it also reveals the tastes of a generation that has come of age in a flat world.&lt;br /&gt;"I think people are tired of having a pre-described experience handed to them, and they're tired of being disconnected from the life of the city they're visiting," says Christina Zeidler, developer and proprietor of the Gladstone in Toronto, a Victorian-era railway hotel that reopened last year.&lt;br /&gt;TEEN QUEEN.&lt;br /&gt;Drawing on her roots in Toronto's lively art scene, Zeidler commissioned different artists to design each of the rooms, encouraging individuality and creativity, while keeping them in check with a prepared booklet that dictated the rooms' functional needs. The results include the Canadiana Room ["a brief, whimsical fantasy of Canada"], Teen Queen [pink walls plastered with teen idol posters], and Faux Naturelle ["a woodsy retreat where lesbian separatist commune meets Storybook Gardens"]. Flat-screen TVs and Internet access round out the amenities.&lt;br /&gt;The Gladstone's second floor has artist studios for rent, the top floor boasts a "rock star" suite for $400 [U.S.] a night, and there's nightly live music at the bar, which maintains a crowd of regulars from the hotel's fleabag days. For Zeidler, the combination brings the place alive. "It's not just about art here, it's about community and neighborhood," she says.&lt;br /&gt;And while the hotel is for-profit -- and often sold-out -- Zeidler terms herself a "social entrepreneur." As she explains: "The belief in the individual, and the belief in making things, is still a revolutionary idea, and I think that as a business model it's becoming really successful."&lt;br /&gt;UPSIDE DOWN.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.holidayhomeseuro.com/rentals/Spain-Holidays/"&gt;http://www.holidayhomeseuro.com/rentals/Spain-Holidays/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That has been the case for Lars Stroschen, a Berlin artist and musician who has become something of a reluctant hotelier. Seeking to raise money for his music [a combination of electronica and vintage instruments] in the mid-1990s, he decorated a couple of rooms in his "very large" apartment and began to let them out.&lt;br /&gt;When the idea took off, he set to work creating the 30 unique rooms of Propeller Island City Lodge, including the Mirror Room [a life-size kaleidoscope], the Upside Down room [just as it sounds; there's a single mattress on the floor], and the Freedom Room [a prison cell with a hole knocked through the wall to allow for escape]. "It's like a theater," says Stroschen, who resists being limited by the "art" moniker.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"The term 'art' is very difficult today," he says. "All people think of is money. And of course I have to think of money too, but that wasn't the reason I did it. I like to experiment."&lt;br /&gt;Howard Jacobs, Chief Operating Officer of Portland [Ore.]-based Aspen Hotel Management, employed art for more conventional reasons. For the Hotel Max in Seattle, which opened last year, he asked designer Denise Corso and curator Tessa Pappas to transform the down-at-the-heels Vance Hotel into a showcase for local artists.&lt;br /&gt;SNACKS AND DRINKS.&lt;br /&gt;Each guest floor hallway has been given over to a single photographer, whose work plasters the hotel room doors [the fifth floor features Charles Peterson images of Seattle's grunge rock heyday]; every guest room has an original painting, prominently labeled with the artist's name. In addition to snacks and drinks, the mini-bar sells "Maximalism," a published catalog of the hotel's artwork, with contact information for each artist.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The cultural patronage is deliberate. "Too often there are some untapped resources in the local community that are overlooked when properties are created, particularly branded properties," Jacobs says. "A brand may bring consistency, but it doesnt bring uniqueness."&lt;br /&gt;In Chicago, The James begs to differ. As the first property in a new brand launched by Danny Errico [co-founder of Equinox gyms], Brad Wilson [a former manager of "W" Hotels] and Steve Hanson [the New York restaurateur behind Blue Water Grill, Ciana, and Ruby Foo's], The James uses art as "part of its DNA," Wilson says. "One of our brand commitments is the integral experience of art, and partnering with a genuine part of the local art community."&lt;br /&gt;VIDEO VIEW.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For its opening last month the hotel sponsored MixArt, a public art exhibition and charity auction organized by curators from the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and other local institutions. Gene Pressman, former Chief Executive Officer and creative director of Barneys New York, the high-fashion department store, has overseen the hotel's permanent art program, which includes a video projection in the lobby courtyard.&lt;br /&gt;But you won't find any fun-house rooms at the James. "The James brand is about balance," says Wilson. "Your room is more than just an art gallery -- it's where you live, it's where you work, it's where you sleep. We worked hard to find a balance between the stimulus of the art and the comfort of the furniture."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For Jennifer Rubell, the Miami hotelier and lifestyle writer who is also actively involved in the Rubell Family Collection, a 45,000-sq.-ft. public contemporary-art institution, that's exactly why art and hotels can only mix so much. "Anytime you're worried about how art affects a brand or a place, you're probably leaning toward less interesting art," she says. "Museums don't think the customer is always right."&lt;br /&gt;Click here for the slide show&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27235919-114898321884128356?l=holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/114898321884128356/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27235919&amp;postID=114898321884128356' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114898321884128356'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114898321884128356'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/2006/05/holiday-rentals-in-spain.html' title='Holiday Rentals in Spain'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919.post-114819583850102305</id><published>2006-05-21T00:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-05-21T00:17:18.516-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Holiday Resources</title><content type='html'>Hotel News In Brief&lt;br /&gt;May 04, 06  1:46 am&lt;br /&gt;Casino and resort operator Kerzner International Ltd. on Monday agreed to be purchased by a group of investors led by its chairman and chief executive for about $3.2 billion.  The investors' group, headed by Kerzner Chairman Sol Kerzner and CEOButch Kerzner, raised its buyout offer to $81 a share in cash, up from $76 a share it offered in March, the company said. Bahamas-based Kerzner, which owns brands such as Atlantis resorts and One&amp;Only hotels, said as a result of the raised offer it would no longer seek superior proposals. The total transaction value, including the assumption of $599 million of net debt, is about $3.8 billion and carries a break-up fee of about $95 million. The investor group includes United Arab Emirates-based Istithmar PJSC, which is already joining with Kerzner on an Atlantis resort in Dubai. Whitehall Street Global Real Estate Limited Partnership 2005, Goldman Sachs &amp;amp; Co.'s primary real estate investment vehicle, is also among the investors, as are Colony Capital LLC, Providence Equity Partners, Inc. and The Related Companies, L.P.&lt;br /&gt;Equinox Hotel Management, Inc. has sold the Aloha Beach Resort Kauai   to Anekona Real Estate Development for an undisclosed price. The 216-room, full-service hotel will now be managed by Anekona Real Estate’s newly formed subsidiary, Anekona Management, LLC. The new subsidiary will also now operate the nearby Kauai Beach Hotel &amp; Resort, which will be rebranded as the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort this summer.&lt;br /&gt;The 426-room Hilton Cancun Golf and Spa Resort opens today following a $40 million renovation post-Hurricane Wilma. The hotel’s beach was one of the first to be completely restored, with more than 150 feet of white sand added.  The entire hotel was repainted, including exterior and interior walls, ceilings, hallways, patios, villas and roofs. A translucent-blue dome was installed. In addition, the resort’s life-safety system has received a $1.75 million upgrade that meets all U.S. compliance codes, including ADA enhancements. Other upgrades were made to the water-treatment system, landscaping, water features, pool and pool deck, fitness center, spa, lobby, guestrooms, restaurants, business center and other public spaces and meeting facilities.&lt;br /&gt;Following last year’s award successes, Sheraton Noosa Resort &amp; Spa has won the Meeting &amp;amp; Events Australia (MEA) 2005 National Award for best Meeting Venue for 150-500 delegates.    The Sheraton Noosa Resort &amp; Spa was announced as the winner of this prestigious award at the Meeting and Events Industry Gala Dinner held at Jupiter’s Casino on the Gold Coast on Saturday night the 29th of April 2006.   Director of Sales for the Sheraton Noosa Resort &amp; Spa, Steve Molnar, humbly accepted the award on behalf of all the team at the resort, acknowledging the high level of finalists and congratulated fellow winners on the night.  Steve Molnar stated “This award win is the result of a great team effort from all the associates at the resort and is recognition of their dedication and friendly professionalism. I must also make mention and thank our local suppliers for enabling us to provide the high level of services that are unique to Noosa. The Sheraton Noosa Resort &amp; Spa is well known for its friendly professional service and this accolade is a credit to our property owners, who continue to invest in the resort’s facilities, further enhancing Sheraton Noosa Resort &amp;amp; Spa’s reputation as one of Australia’s finest beachside resorts.”  Nestled next to one of Australia's most loved beaches and fronting onto the magnificent Noosa River, the Resort is the only five-star branded resort and spa on the internationally renowned Hastings Street.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The resorts continuous improvement program included the first Sheraton managed day spa in Australia, the AQUA Day Spa, followed by a refurbishment of all guest rooms, function rooms and swimming pool facilities. With the recent release of its Noosa Lifestyle Spa Studios, the Sheraton Noosa Resort &amp; Spa is positioned as the ideal location catering for the leisure traveler, special events, conferences and incentives.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.holidayhomescanada.com/resources/bizCategories.php"&gt;http://www.holidayhomescanada.com/resources/bizCategories.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;French Polynesia’s First 21st Century Hotel opened on Bora Bora May 1 The 80-villa InterContinental Resort and Thalasso Spa will make a soft opening on Bora Bora starting May 1 as French Polynesia’s first 21st Century hotel. And from all indications, the world appears ready for this revolutionary accommodation that takes the nearly 60-year-old hotel industry in Tahiti and Her Islands to a new, pathfinding level never before imagined. 10,000 Villa Nights Already Sold thru Dec. 31 Before the first guests set foot in this new luxury resort world, literally thousands of people from all over the world have already made reservations to stay in one of the 80 over-the-water villas before the end of the year. Precisely, there have already been 10,000 villa nights sold from May 1 through Dec. 31.  As the resort’s brochure claims: “The slumberous spell cast by cliché picture postcards on the white beaches of Bora Bora is about to be broken. . .” Guests will be staying in villas, making people forget the 20th Century terms of rooms and bungalows. Guests will be visiting a hotel and fitness center, the term hotel being one of the few carryovers from the past. 1st Thalasso-Spa in Southern Hemisphere And this is not just any fitness center. It’s “the very first Thalasso-spa ever built in the southern hemisphere”. And it’s “the first in the world to administer care using water drawn from the bottom of the ocean”. The Deep Ocean Spa, however, will not open until Sept. 1.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Al Sondos Suites by Le Meridien Goes into ATM on a high this year reflecting a strong performance during 2005 and bright forecasts for 2006  As the regional hotel sector expands at a phenomenal rate, Al Sondos Suites by Le Meridien remains one of the leading Boutique Hotels in the UAE. Al Sondos Suites known for its luxury, personalized service and excellent location in the heart of Dubai is a specialized boutique hotel that caters to the specific needs of business travelers to the UAE. The numbers speak for themselves as Al Sondos Suites achieved 100% occupancy rates during Gitex and Dubai Air show 2005. The overall occupancy rate for the hotel averaged at 90% for 2005, a nine per cent increase over 2004. This success can be attributed to the hotel’s focused &amp; dedicated marketing and business strategy. “Boutique hotels are becoming more and more popular with travelers looking for an alternative to mainstream hotels.  Al Sondos Suites, one of the first boutique hotels established in the UAE, offers guests a more personalized service, within an environment that is reflective of the culture of the region” said Ashraf Safei, Sales and Marketing Director, Al Sondos Suite by Le Meridien. With a majority of customers from the GCC, and some from Europe Al Sondos Suites has a loyal customer base, who returns to the hotel year on year. Al Sondos Suites is now experiencing an increasing number of enquiries from other markets such as Scandinavia.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Starwood Hotels &amp; Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Columbia Sussex announces the conversion of the Wyndham Harbour Island in Tampa, Florida to Starwood's upper-upscale Westin brand. Developer and operator of more than 95 hotels and casinos around the world, Columbia Sussex will soon be flying the Westin flag on six additional Wyndham properties in key urban and resort destinations representing a major avenue of growth for the Westin brand. Columbia Sussex will continue to manage The Westin Harbour Island and it is licensed as a Westin under a long-term franchise agreement. "We are delighted to expand our association with Columbia Sussex," said Sue Brush, senior vice president for Westin Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts. "They are a dynamic presence in the world of hospitality, and their sensitivity to outstanding guest experiences is perfectly in sync with Westin's philosophy of renewing and enriching the mind, body and spirit at all customer touch-points." "We are excited to include the Westin Harbour Island in our growing family of Westin properties,'' said William Yung, president of Columbia Sussex. "This conversion will allow us to leverage our extensive experience in developing resorts with the same unparalleled attention to detail bestowed upon our other developments, including our current Westin portfolio of The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino &amp; Spa and The Westin Casuarina Resort &amp;amp; Spa Grand Cayman. While the private island setting and lush tropical landscape that surround Westin Harbour Island offer a true Florida getaway experience, the property is just minutes from downtown Tampa, the Convention Center and Tampa International Airport. The 12-story hotel with its panoramic harbor views has 299 guestrooms, including 19 suites, all featuring the deep-down comfort of The Heavenly Bed(R) and the invigorating spa-like experience of The Heavenly Bath(R). Westin's commitment to personal renewal continues at the state-of-the-art WestinWORKOUT(R) Powered by Reebok and at the year-round heated pool, the perfect setting for carefree relaxation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Acacia Hotel to re-branded All Seasons Perth after sale of Northbridge hotel Accor will add its sixth hotel in Perth following the completion of the sale of the Acacia Hotel in Northbridge to GPR Hotels Pty Ltd. The sale is expected to be completed in June, with Accor taking over the hotel and re-branding it to All Seasons Perth by the end of the month. It is the first All Seasons hotel in Perth and joins a network of nine All Seasons hotels in Western Australia and 20 in Australia. Accor is the largest hotel operator in Western Australia with 16 hotels, part of an Australia-wide network of 115 hotels.  It will be Accor’s sixth hotel in the Perth area, joining Novotel Langley, Mercure Perth, Ibis Perth, Formule 1 Perth Airport, and Novotel Vines Resort in the Swan Valley.The All Seasons Perth is located in bustling Northbridge, considered Perth’s premier restaurant and entertainment precinct. The hotel boasts 94 4-star rated rooms, conference facilities for up to 300 delegates, a gymnasium, licensed restaurant.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And underground parking.The All Seasons brand has been the fastest-growing brand in Australia over the past year, with 16 hotels added to the Accor network since April 2005. Other recent additions include the All Seasons Grande Florida on the Gold Coast, All Seasons Ki-ea Apartments Port Macquarie, All Seasons Margaret River and All Seasons Sanctuary Golf Resort in Bunbury.While much of the growth in the All Seasons brand has come from franchising, All Seasons Perth is a management agreement that will see Accor take over all aspects of the hotel’s operations.Accor Asia Pacific Managing Director, Michael Issenberg, said that he was delighted to add the Acacia Hotel to the group, as Perth was one of Australia’s best performing markets and Accor would be able to maximise the potential of the hotel.“Our hotels in Perth have been averaging over 80% occupancy for the past year and with Western Australia’s economic and tourism boom set to continue, we will be able to attract considerable new business to the hotel,” Mr Issenberg said. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Equity Inns, Inc. has sold its Hampton Inn here for $12.2 million. An undisclosed and unaffiliated private partnership was the buyer. The sale of the 126-room hotel was a part of the company’s strategy of opportunistically disposing of non-core assets. Through this sale, Equity Inns will record a gain of about $4.4 million in the second quarter. Those proceeds will be used to pay down debt and fund the company’s on-going acquisition program.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27235919-114819583850102305?l=holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/114819583850102305/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27235919&amp;postID=114819583850102305' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114819583850102305'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114819583850102305'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/2006/05/holiday-resources.html' title='Holiday Resources'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919.post-114819378435113716</id><published>2006-05-20T23:40:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-05-20T23:43:04.360-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Holiday Properties Canada</title><content type='html'>InterContinental Hotels 1Q Profit +40%&lt;br /&gt;May 18, 06  2:03 am&lt;br /&gt;(Dow Jones)  Intercontinental Hotels Group Tuesday posted a 40% rise in underlying first-quarter profit and said the outlook for the rest of the year was positive.&lt;br /&gt;The company - which operates the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotel brands - said that operating profit from continuing operations rose to GBP42 million in the three months to March 31 from GBP30 million last year.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These figures exclude any contribution from soft drinks group Britvic PLC ( BVIC.LN) which up until last year's flotation was jointly-owned by Whitbread PLC (WTB.LN), Pernod Ricard SA (12069.FR), PepsiCo Inc (PEP) and Intercontinetal.&lt;br /&gt;Reported revenue including discontinued operations was GBP239 million, down from GBP533 million last year, while net profit was GBP53 million compared with GBP51 million last year.&lt;br /&gt;"The results for the quarter were strong, helped by buoyant market conditions around the world," said Chief Executive Andrew Cosslett.&lt;br /&gt;"Our pipeline of new hotel signings, the largest in the industry, continues to grow," he added. "The outlook for the rest of the year remains positive."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At 1100 GMT, the company's shares were down 25.5 pence, or 2.6%, at 943 pence in a slightly higher London market. One trader blamed the fall on profit taking and said any weakness should be seen as a buying opportunity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.holidayhomescanada.com/properties/"&gt;http://www.holidayhomescanada.com/properties/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The results benefitted from strong growth in the hotels market, particularly in the U.S. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR grew at a rate of 11.6% in the quarter, with RevPAR in the Americas up 13.0% as room rates continued to rise, the company said.&lt;br /&gt;CEO Cosslett said there were no signs of the buoyant market conditions coming to an end. "Our first quarter was perhaps higher than we first anticipated," he said. "It would have to go some to go any higher than this though."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He said that the strong performance in the first quarter suggests that the strategy laid out last year is on the right track.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The company said it was on track to reach its target of between 50,000 and 60, 000 net organic room additions by the end of 2008.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The company opened 8,343 rooms during the quarter, though at the same time 8, 332 rooms were closed as the company focused on improving the quality of the estate. The room count at the end of the period was steady at 537,544. " There's a lag between signing new hotels and getting them open," said Cosslett. He said the hotels signed up last year would begin to open at the end of this year, increasing the net figure.&lt;br /&gt;The company now has 116,964 rooms in its pipeline, which are mainly focused in the U.S. and Asia.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27235919-114819378435113716?l=holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/114819378435113716/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27235919&amp;postID=114819378435113716' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114819378435113716'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114819378435113716'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/2006/05/holiday-properties-canada.html' title='Holiday Properties Canada'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919.post-114626398234886548</id><published>2006-04-28T15:37:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-04-28T15:39:42.356-07:00</updated><title type='text'>You can have hundreds of Stories...</title><content type='html'>With our holiday homes you can have hundreds of interesting travel stories to tell your friends and family.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A Dirty City Called Frankfurt&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Frankfurt, Germany&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We got to Frankfurt at midnight with five hours to kill until morning when we could hitch a ride to the rainbow gathering in Meiningen. We sat down to have a smoke, wishing we'd meet some locals to take us to coffee, beer, burgers, and milkshakes when a cute boy walked by and smiled. I smiled back. He walked over to us a minute later and in broken English explained to us he was waiting for a five a.m. train to his hometown 150 km away. We decided to look for a bar together. I liked the way he leaped over the hedges to ask two old bums drinking a beer where the nearest bar was. "Danka!" we cried out as we walked away, exercising our ability to pronounce at least one word in German right.&lt;br /&gt;A few minutes later we stumbled upon a pizza place. Tiffany had been ranting regularly about pizza cravings during the last week and was thrilled. We sat down to beer and pizza and Sasha told us about the time he had gotten so stoned he cared about recycling. "My cell phone is too big," he said. He told us how raves are cool and gave me a techno cd. We explained our plan to hitchhike to Erfurt the next day. Sasha told us his friend was driving halfway there the next morning and could give us a ride. He would call in the morning and arrange everything. We couldn't believe our good luck.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I went to the bathroom, pausing to consider the idiosyncrasies of bathroom décor before returning to the table to be told we were leaving immediately. Sasha's friend had called and we were meeting him at the train station.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He rushed us out of the parlor and hurried us down the street toward the station. We stopped to give a bum some pizza, holding up deformed hands like proof. Sasha said handing him two cigarettes and laughing nervously. He definitely had a nervous laugh, and I wasn't sure why we were in a hurry. When I paused to consider it, I wasn't sure why his sleeping friend who was miraculously heading our way was suddenly awake and at the train station waiting for us.&lt;br /&gt;We were racing around the train station now, looking for an open door and Sasha seemed borderline frantic and really cheerful. As I started to suspect the safety of the situation, Sasha turned to me, "Are you okay?" he asked. "Yes," I replied hesitantly, now even more creeped out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We had found an unlocked door and were scurrying across the parking lot. Tiffany and I fell back a few steps and I turned to her and tried briefly to explain my suspicions. As we reached the sidewalk, Sasha said, "Wait here," and ran over to one of the taxis parked across the street.&lt;br /&gt;"HOT." I said, pointing to the couple making out in the middle of the street. Their embrace ended and they started to cross the street, hand in hand. The man turned around and said something to the man behind Tiffany. "English!" she cried out, before realizing they were not talking to us.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sasha motioned from across the street, "Come on! Come on!" and we crossed the street to the taxi. An average guy in his early twenties got out of the taxi. He was on his cell phone. "Hi." He said, and jogged off down the street. Sasha got in the front seat of the taxi. "Get in!" he said.&lt;br /&gt;Tiffany, now also hesitant, wanted to know where we were going. "My house," he said. Tiffany asked him, "Isn't your house 150 km away?" "It's on the way to Erfrt," he said. When we shook our heads, he said, "It's okay! I'll take you to Erfurt! Come on!" "No." I said, and shut the door to the cab. Sasha shrugged his shoulders and the cab drove away, and that's how we almost got kidnapped by a raver in a dirty city called Frankfurt.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27235919-114626398234886548?l=holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/114626398234886548/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27235919&amp;postID=114626398234886548' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114626398234886548'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114626398234886548'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/2006/04/you-can-have-hundreds-of-stories.html' title='You can have hundreds of Stories...'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27235919.post-114626350736843704</id><published>2006-04-28T15:15:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-04-28T15:31:47.376-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Holiday Homes in Canada</title><content type='html'>Holiday Rentals Canada from the address holidayhomescanada.com or holidays-market.com are currently offering deals for all advertisers across europe.  They are offering reduced rates - free advertising, global coverage, a super platform for searchers and state of the art support functions for the site.  They have been using Camtasia studio to create help and support functions for all main difficult functions on the site.  This has proved to be very sucessful and they are now considering rolling it out to other sites in the network.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.holidayhomescanada.com"&gt;http://www.holidayhomescanada.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, if you are looking for a holiday home / rental in Europe, New Zealand, Canada, Asia, Australia or the USA look no further than the links below and the sites in the rest of the network which can all be found by clicking on the links at the top left hand corner of each page in the sites network.  Good luck with your online searches.  And advertisers, why not take advantage of these deals now as they are not going to last.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We look forward to hearing from you soon advertisers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Kindest regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Holiday Homes Team - Worldwide.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27235919-114626350736843704?l=holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/feeds/114626350736843704/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=27235919&amp;postID=114626350736843704' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114626350736843704'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/27235919/posts/default/114626350736843704'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://holidayhomescanada.blogspot.com/2006/04/holiday-homes-in-canada.html' title='Holiday Homes in Canada'/><author><name>Adrian Sykes</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06135423661379680305</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
