Travel Plan Information

Unbelievable Last Moment Hotel Bookings Catches

Travel plans can pop up from absolutely nowhere, and there is no reason to believe that you don’t have enough time to make your trip. Many people are under the misconception that the supply and demand mechanism only serves to shoot prices skyward. This is only partially true; you can get unbelievable deals at rock-bottom prices even when you plan late or go for last minute hotel bookings.

One thing is for sure: if you’re planning a trip really late, you should check for all the available last minute hotel bookings at your destination. Most large hospitality chains don’t have available accommodations until you go to them for a last minute hotel booking. In fact, rooms that are booked later come out much cheaper than a typical room; the hotels would rather let a room at lower prices than not let it at all.

If you want a last moment hotel booking, be sure to search everywhere. The internet can serve that purpose very well. Many travel agents and last minute hotel booking dealers will actually give you fabulous offers that you couldn’t find offline.

Places You Shouldn’t Miss While Searching

Most travel websites have hotel prices and package deals ready for you to browse on their websites. You could sign up for newsletters or notifications to get the best last-minute deals sent straight to your email inbox. That way, you’ll really get the best offers – ones that would have been unimaginable had you booked well in advance.

Although most of the famous hotels have very costly rates published on their respective websites, you could call their customer service numbers and negotiate a last moment hotel booking deal. Going through travel blogs featured in travel agents’ websites can also give you a decent idea about the last minute dealings with hotels and the place you want to visit.

If you hold membership of a travel club, many hotels may offer you a considerable discount on your room rates. Many big travel agents and travel chains are willing to give you membership because they can advertise themselves that way and improve their market image. The membership in turn gets you discounts and the best deals when you’re looking for a last moment hotel booking. It’s a good idea check with all the famous travel agents, as well as with some of the newer ones that you know.

Dealing with Last Minute Plans

Dealing with the last minute hotel bookings isn’t all that difficult if you keep your cool and trust yourself. With the huge role of the internet in every aspect of modern life, finding a hotel isn’t a problem in this day and age. The only thing you might have to compromise when you go for a last minute hotel booking is a little comfort in the form of, say the room with a view of the sea.

A lot depends on the negotiations and the way that you negotiate. Try to convince and be polite with the receptionist or the agents to get the best last minute hotel booking deals. Don’t take your time, though; deals might be getting snapped up while you’re on hold with the receptionist!

Cleddau Bridge Hotel United Kingdom – London Hotels, Cheap Hotels

London is the best case, culture and against civilization. Each year, thousands of people for different purposes to come to London. There are many sites to see in London like Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, Millennium Wheel, the Greenwich Observatory and the wax museum Madame Tussauds. Some other attractions for visitors to London are studying art and life of the city after night. However, his stay in London would not be possible for a cup of tea for everyone. That may be the most expensive city in the world. But think again, because you might be wrong with this view. There are many profitable hotels in London, which provide the best services.

In essence, the term “cheap” depends on the economic situation of the individual. Someone can pay a 5-star accommodation or 7. visitors who can not afford, have a choice in the type of hotels do not label stars profitable, but it could be 10 times or 10 times less expensive than 5 or 7 star hostels.Such hostels often found Bayswater, Victoria and the King Cross area of London. Bayswater Victoria and are frighteningly close to central London, so they are historically chosen field of cost-conscious visitors.

Travelers should be especially aware during the selection of cheap hotels in London. Remember that roses always come with thorns. This could be very expensive to spend the night in a cheap hotel. For example, King Cross district a bad name. Therefore, avoid this situation.

Wed Cleddau Bridge Hotel used across three or four star hotel, in spite of not providing these services. Therefore, there should always go with the cloud of stars. security issue is also a major concern at affordable prices. Thus, visitors should be strictly on their effects during their stay in hotels. These hotels can provide rich and tasty breakfast with the best price, but be aware that perhaps not as shown in hope. Quantity and quality are not described here. Cleaning is also an extremely important factor when choosing a cheap hotel. In general, it was that the shelters do not offer price bathroom and toilet deep cleaning. Therefore we must try to score at least clean cloth and carpet on the floor.

smart travelers know to a test certificate before choosing travel locations. Some sites are also available online showing feedback from customers on profitable hotels. Therefore, you must visit these sites and have some idea about the hotels.

Destination London is called the most beloved and 2012 Olympics could go to a new height that can be bad for the reputation of the City of London. Thus, all eyes are flights and its management. The best thing is that culture, media and sports departments have emphasized the multi-agency entitled “Winning -. Tourism plan for 2012 and beyond “Therefore, I certainly would control the price of hostels and hotels to promote.

Bangalore Cheap Hotels plans is all travel and tourism and food

Bangalore Hotels

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every minute of it packaged travel, with its reserves is really cheap motel. Get the whole journey, and plans for tourism and food, not just a rudimentary transport. The World Wide Web Reference to find wonderful wonderful vacation package hotels depending on your variety of vacation packages that will suit their allowances and offers everything a person has been looking for. It’s really a great thing to help decide on the packages to visit the site, ensuring that the object means that you can see a lot of areas in a limited time. Rental strategy, really want to buy a very nice place

If you find Hotels Bangalore is a challenge to get the perfect package stay, choose the method Internet. Any measure of participation opportunities through several different programs and travel tips can make your own travel is just one click. Forget running to opt for a travel guide, which will present its plan your vacation much easier, but enjoyable in particular. getaway effortlessly through the choice of the perfect travel offers in respect of any person having a spouse and children

business travel should not be a tour is more interesting help make it exciting as well. Travel smoothly with the help save information on management plans time to go. You can also go too far, by the work of scuba diving, wine tasting, information and data as well as spending time in wetlands luxury green area of the ocean and relax hotels you! Help strategies trip 1 of the invention, by subtracting the suggestions of travel guides on the Internet.

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any agreement that meets their preferences in a company that offers a wide variety of travel related programs. Choose hotels and guide them through reading the comments in the room, having reached the stage of expensive hotels and the incredible determination, you can view and generate more tourists to be aware of their motel more popular as the big moment to stay put. Getting to this account today!

by Michael D. Hume, MS

We live stressful lives in a stressed-out world. Your parents may have felt like they were always going “a mile a minute;” today, it feels more like a mile a second. And if you’re spending a good chunk of your life on airplanes, this is literally the case.

You travel all over the world, sleep a lot of nights out of your own bed, and work long hours trying to impress customers, clients, colleagues, everybody. You are “on” for hours and hours, every day. Your “program” tells you where, when, and what to eat, and every meal’s a “working meal” with clients. You do this every day, week, or month. . . but it’s a special event for your clients, so every night is a “celebration” where the treats (like alcohol) are flowing. And it would be rude, and maybe career-limiting, to decline! You have to sleep fast, and you don’t sleep well. Yes, from the time you step off the plane in a jet-lagged stupor to the time you drag your luggage to the car in the long-term lot at your home airport, your vitality is under attack. After weeks, months, or years of this lifestyle, “vitality” will seem elusive (at best), or even impossible. You feel weak, soft, even sick. You’re like the overworked horse the old cowboy would refer to as “rode-hard, and put up wet. ”

Are you sick and tired of being sick, and tired?

The bad news is that it will take self-discipline to regain control of your vitality. If you want to recapture a true sense of well-being, it’ll take quite a bit. The good news is that, if you start now, and make firm commitments to one little change at a time, you can do it. You can go from “rode hard” to something more like “road hard. ” And here are the eight best practices to help you get started.

Nutrition

It’s hard not to eat just whatever they put in front of you at a hotel or conference center. You need a plan. It’s a lot easier to keep yourself healthy if you have some simple rules on what you can and can’t have. Counting calories and “just trying to eat a balanced diet” is particularly difficult with a traveling lifestyle, because you need more rules. You have to focus on impressing clients, so get a dietary framework that does the thinking for you when it’s time to eat. And everyone’s different; what works for me might not for you. Because it’s easiest to understand and stick to both at home and on the road, I recommend a low-carb approach. . . but do the research and find the approach that you can stick to and enjoy.

Exercise

Yes, that hotel probably has a gym. Find it. But don’t just wander in after work and before cocktails. . . have a plan, and stick to it. There are several good exercise regimens out there; the best one is the one you will enjoy enough to do regularly. I recommend alternating interval aerobics (like on a treadmill), say, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, with strength training (weight lifting) on the alternate days. Start tomorrow, and start each day with a workout (it’s much more effective in jump-starting your metabolism if you do it first thing). Limit it to 45 minutes, but do it every single day you’re on the road (and at least 3-4 times a week when you’re home). By the second week, you’ll find it much easier to get up and just get it done.

Those are the two biggies! If you could do just those, you will feel better in a short time. These next practices, though, will really help; and if you have the discipline to change your nutrition and exercise habits, these are easy:

Water

Drink two liters a day, or 64 ounces. Spread it out over the day. This is a no-brainer. And while we’re on the subject of drinking, you need to set a limit on caffeine and alcohol. One neat trick is to make yourself drink a 16-ounce bottle of water for every cup of coffee or glass of wine you allow yourself.

Supplements

Based on what’s available in a place like a hotel restaurant, you simply can’t get everything your body needs to maximize your health. Take at least a good multi-vitamin every day (or with every meal). I recommend the liquid “nutraceuticals,’ which are much easier for your body to absorb and use.

Sleep

Most people need at least eight hours’ sleep every night. No, you should not assume you are one of the minority who needs less! Do what it takes to get your Zs. Take an herbal sleep aid (like Valerian), turn off the electronics in your room, make it dark, and truly let yourself relax.

Breathing

Believe it or not, you are not breathing right. Your lifestyle doesn’t let you catch your breath! Find a 10-minute break (ideally mid-morning, but any time is better than none) to do a breathing exercise. Sit comfortably with your spine straight. Close your eyes. Try not to think about anything. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale even more slowly; a good rule of thumb is to take a full four seconds to inhale and eight to exhale smoothly. With practice, you can do this without counting. Set a timer to “wake” you after, say, seven minutes. Do this daily, and you’ll be amazed at the reduction in your stress. You’ll become a more patient, easy-going person. Clients will love you even more!

Cleansing

Once every six months (I recommend at the change of the seasons in the spring and fall), cleanse your system. The best method is to fast (in a controlled way, with organic juices) for at least three straight days. If you really want to cleanse, consider colon hydrotherapy. There are also some good cleansing supplements out there.

Checking

I recommend you check your “vitals” periodically. It’s a good idea to go to a chiropractor who can check your energy and adjust your frame – I do it monthly. Check your blood pressure when you pass by a free machine at the grocery store. Every quarter, get some lab work done to check your cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. Meanwhile, resist the temptation to check your weight all the time. Your goal is vitality, not an arbitrary weight number; and if you stick to your healthy habits, your body will optimize its weight anyway. Finally, to keep a “check” on yourself, keep a journal. I give myself a “score” on each of these eight practices, every week. I routinely stick to 80% or better on my personal goals on each practice, and in a short time, you’ll find it reasonably easy to do the same.

Finally: don’t get overwhelmed! Eventually, if you want to live a long and healthy life, you need to do all of these things. But for now, just start with nutrition and exercise. Read up on some programs, pick a plan, and start right away! At a mile a second, you don’t have time to wait.

Do you dream of travelling to an exotic destination like Myanmar but think that it’s just way too expensive? You’ll be surprised that many tourists are now preferring to travel to Myanmar, not only because its considered as an inexpensive travel destination, but also because of its interesting cultural heritage and the wide assortment of activities available for the adventurous traveller. If you’re looking for a hotel that would cater to your needs without the hassle of expensive bills, then check out the Asia Plaza Hotel Yangon. Asia Plaza Hotel Yangon is conveniently located where all the action happens. In the center of Yangon, the part of the city that seldom sleeps, life is bustling by at all hours of the day and night. The place is packed with the best of the nightlife Yangon has to offer its guest. It’s also home to the all kinds of international cuisine so getting a bite in the wee hours of the morning will not be a problem for all the night owls out there.   During the day, you can also explore its many heritage sites and learn more about the Burmese history and culture. If you’re on the look out for shopping deals, Yangon is the best place to start your lacquer ware, woodcarvings and handicrafts collections. They have a wide selection of interesting art pieces that you can bring back home with you as souvenirs. Or even as gifts to your family and friends to let them feel a slight hint of the magic you felt while in Myanmar. Transportation is not a problem in Yangon as many modes of public transportation can take you to the different parts of the city fast and easy. Just always remember to bargain for a price, as most fares are open for negotiation. Asia Plaza Yangon is a first class three star hotel located at 277 Bogyoke Aung San Road, Corner of 38th Street, Kyauktada Township. Although they may still considered them to be a fairly new hotel compared to others that are located nearby, it already has garnered great reviews from many tourists who have chosen the Asia Plaza as their second home while in Myanmar. It boasts of having five star amenities with the price of a three star hotel. And the staffs never fails to extend their gracious Burmese hospitality 24 hours a day, to the international line up of guests that frequent their hallways.   You can choose from the different accommodations they have on offer, depending on your budget. All air-conditioned rooms are equipped with their own local and satellite TV, IDD telephone lines and other things you may expect from a typical hotel room. And the best part is the accommodations are affordable any time of the year, with discounted rates prevailing during the off peak travelling season. So next time you’re thinking of travelling to Asia and visiting Myanmar, stay at the Asia Plaza for a night or two and discover the best of Yangon has to offer its foreign guests.

Nowadays, tourism industry all over the world take advantage of the internet and online hotel booking is now becoming more and more popular among travelers. Online booking services provide better ways to book your hotel accommodations for your future travels. You can easily book a hotel reservation from the comforts of your home without the need of going to a travel agency.

You can find countless listings of websites that offer these facilities for people who want to book their trips in advance. Furthermore, they offer complete information regarding different tourist destinations. Most people find it quite challenging and stressful to search for hotels manually. It is also impossible to go from one hotel to another just to check their facilities, services and rates. This is the reason why travelers tend to use the internet for their hotel bookings.

Some tourists think that hotels with cheap rates are untidy and provide low quality lodging services and amenities but actually, these hotels also offer high-class services and amenities.

Travelers from all over the world love to go on vacations because going to interesting and exotic destinations give them new experiences and relaxation. In most of the cities in the world, cheap hotels are located in the small towns near the cities. These hotels provide tourist the feeling of being at home because of the serenity and calmness of the hotel. Aside from the cheap rates, these hotels also provide clients all the essential facilities similar to luxurious hotels in the cities. These amenities include coffee makers, televisions, refrigerators, internet access and other essential facilities.

There are some famous hotels that do not really care about the needs of their customers because they are confident that they are going to get their clients whether they provide great facilities or not. On the other hand, cheap and smaller hotels are making extra effort to provide better services and amenities in order to attract more customers. This is true when it comes to most hotels in Asia where many tourists are attracted to nice and warm hospitality of small hotels.

Online hotel booking helps a lot of travelers around the world to save time and money in planning their vacations. Furthermore, booking your accommodations online can keep you away from any possible difficulties in your dream destination.

Nowadays, there are numerous online websites and companies provide online hotel booking facilities around the world. All you have to do is to determine your desired destination and your budget in order to acquire possible options that suit your needs.

In doing your online hotel booking, make sure to choose reputable websites in order to get the right information about your Asian travel. You can also find great packages and travel deals that can help you save money.

In order to ensure a hassle-free vacation, you must pay attention to certain issues when you are doing your online reservation. For one thing, make sure to find popular and respectable service provider. It is also important to look for all essential services and facilities offered by the hotel. Furthermore, you must confirm your reservation before heading off for your holiday.

Vacations provide a much-needed break from the fast pace of day-to-day work or family life. An ideal vacation will help remove the pressures and anxieties of daily life and allow you to pursue the activities you love at a pace that is relaxing and enjoyable. Given the limited vacation time and tight budgets most travelers experience, being aware of all accommodation options available can make a big difference in planning the best possible vacation experience. Planning for a vacation typically begins by choosing a great holiday destination and potential travel dates. Once the destination and travel dates are narrowed down, most travelers begin their search for a hotel in a desirable area at the destination of their choice. Unfortunately, many travelers do not realize there is a great alternative to hotels may offer significant advantages over a hotel for their vacation plans and destination. Vacation rentals are a rapidly growing segment of the travel marketplace that many travelers are beginning just beginning discover. Once aware of vacation rentals as an option, the Internet has drastically simplified the process for searching for vacation rentals worldwide by location, amenities, availability and price. Booking vacation rentals has also been simplified through online booking and guest review technology once available online to hotels. What advantages do vacation rentals offer over a hotel room? Within this article, we will focus on advantages in the areas of flexibility, privacy and cost. Each of these advantages is briefly summarized below. We would also encourage travelers to compare hotels and vacation rental cost and amenities online or ask a friend or family who have stayed in a vacation rental what their experiences have been. Flexibility: Vacation rentals are private furnished homes and typically include fully equipped kitchens, multiple bedrooms, and a living room and/or family room. Depending on the property, many additional amenities may be available such as private pools, hot tubs, decks, game rooms and more. Privacy: A hotel room is typically a single room and a bathroom with common walls on each side where a vacation rental typically offers considerably more interior and exterior space. The roominess and distance provided by vacation rentals allows couples, families and groups to enjoy their vacation without being concerned about noise and interruptions from adjacent rooms, hallways, or hotel staff. Cost: Because vacation rentals are often much larger than hotel rooms, a single vacation rental home can accommodate extended families or groups. The cost of a vacation rental can be significantly less than multiple hotel rooms required to accommodate groups. In addition, vacation rentals provide travelers the opportunity to purchase food and prepare breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks or Hors d’oeuvre rather than having to go out for every meal. Enjoying drinks and appetizers on the deck or relaxing in the hot tub are also options in many vacation rentals. These options can provide a substantial cost savings versus restaurant and bars. Plan your next vacation at a vacation rental and enjoy the difference.

Finding the very best deals on cheap hotel rooms is often thwarted by the really big internet travel and hotel sites that inhabit the top search results; however with a few little tricks you can get to where the best deals are faster. These are the tricks that I use when getting ready to go to a new town that I haven’t been to before.

Many hotels now are giving internet deals if you can find their site; this is good as many times you can get the price lower than the big internet hotel sites. Another benefit of dealing direct with the hotel is that you can ask questions like does the room have a window and can you see more than just an elevator shaft through it! You can also make sure that you get a no smoking room. You could also ask them if they have better rates if you book 3 or more nights. You can also confirm that they will hold the reservation if you are going to arrive after 6PM or maybe you have some other request that normally will not be answered by the big sites.

Search the travel forums and blogs most of the big ones like the Thorn Tree have a lot of information so you have to read a lot to get to the meat but there is still some good info to be gleaned here as they are a good way to figure out what section of town that you want to stay, for instance in Bangkok the 3 biggest areas are Koh Sahn Rd Suhkumvitt which includes Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy and Patpong all 3 have lots of touristy things to do like night markets and for Suhkumvitt and Patpong a decidedly mature audiences only feel where as Khao Sahn is geared to palace river and the hard core backpackers Once you have that start typing in cheap hotels City name and then the neighborhood either Suhkumvitt or Khao Sahn Rd Patpong you will see that the results will change a lot and some of the smaller sites will start to appear.

Go to the big travel and hotel sites and look for hotels in the area that you want to be many will separate by neighbor hood in the big cities like Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. You can also specify on many sites number of stars if you are looking for cheap hotels you would specify 1 and 2 star maybe 3 stars for China Write down 2 or 3 hotels that look promising and then search there names directly using a search string of city name, neighborhood name, name of hotel this usually will pop the hotels website onto the top page. Once you have the hotel site check the rates and then make your decision. Have fun!

 

By using hotel search engine marketing (SEM) strategies, hospitality organisations across the globe can boost sales, add revenue, and enhance their visibility in the online world. Yes, it is easier said than done but it can be done. In fact, SEM is one of the highest revenue generating models for the hotel industry. It delivers the highest returns on investments (ROI), takes a little bit of skill and understanding on how it works, and can be put into effect quite easily. In today’s multi-connected world where travel plans and hotel bookings are made via phones, websites, chat platforms, social media engagements, etc. – SEM is perhaps the least expensive and most under-utilised tool of promotion.

 

Some basics about hotel search engine marketing that you should know about are that SEM uses various strategies to enhance page rankings on search engines. Making the hotel website search engine optimised (SEO friendly) is one aspect of it. Other aspects include paid advertising, contextual advertising, and paid inclusions.

 

Making a search engine optimised website means populating the website with online content that uses specific keywords that the customers would use when they search for a hotel. Using meta-tags is another aspect of SEO. The idea being that every website should be both search and user friendly to generate maximum impact.

 

Hotel search engine marketing also uses paid search as a tool to draw in customers. From sponsored ads that can be seen on any search engine results page, to banner placements on the web pages of a major newspaper’s travel section and travel blogs – it is all a part of the SEM action plan. Making a landing page where the customer “lands” after clicking on any ad is another key aspect of the process. This is where a consumer can opt-in through email to receive the best promotions and updates.

 

On smart phones today, internet and mobile browsers allow users to search for and look at content. Contextual advertising makes it easy for marketers to place promotions that are relevant to the content being displayed on the screens. As one of the many tools available in the hotel search engine marketing portfolio, contextual advertising continues to deliver the results. This is because contextual advertisements are usually more targeted and therefore are more likely to be clicked.

 

Paid inclusions are a product that search engines companies sell to their clients. These are basically promotions of websites that are included in the search index (as opposed to paid advertisements which are listed separately and not in the search index). Using this tool can be a great search engine marketing strategy for hotels especially because most hotel websites feature dynamic content that is frequently changed. With paid inclusions, website owners can specify the schedule for crawling the page.

 

Today was our relocation day: we moved from our vacation apartment in Solana Beach in San Diego to the chic Sofia Hotel in downtown San Diego. On another brilliant day we arrived at the hotel at about 10 am, but our room was not ready yet, so we decided to embark on some brief local explorations.

Seaport Village’s Victorian, Mexican and East Coast style architecture and its four miles of meandering cobble-stoned walkways create an inviting waterfront environment for shopping and dining. The assortment of merchandise includes souvenirs, clothing, kites, wind chimes and unique gift ideas. Galleries and art retailers round out the offering, and live music is offered frequently throughout the year. An original 1895 carousel with hand carved animals enchants adults and children. Culinary options include four fine dining restaurants and thirteen casual eateries.

An outdoor exhibit of oversized globes currently adds extra interest to Seaport Village. “Cool Globes – Hot ideas for a cooler planet” features 40 inspiring globes that depict simple solutions to global warming. The globes were designed by local, national and international artists and have been traveling on the road in places such as Chicago, Washington D. C. , San Francisco and will be on display in Los Angeles and London in 2009.

Further north of Seaport Village is the Embarcadero which features the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier that was in operation between 1945 and 1992. It was donated as a museum ship and has been moored on San Diego’s Navy Pier since 2004. Visitors can tour the ship’s flight deck, mess hall, bridge, flight control area, officers’ quarters, sickbay and portions of the engine room. Evening events are frequently held on this massive ship and a café adorns the rear of the ship. A portion of the ship overlooking San Diego Harbor can be accessed free of charge while admission to the rest of the ship is $17. 00.

San Diego has long been a centre for the US Navy and the area around the USS Midway features many reminders of military history including the Battle of Leyte Gulf Memorial, dedicated to a historic naval battle in 1944. The Bob Hope Tribute, also called the National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military, is an impressive collection of larger than life-size bronze figures that commemorate Bob Hope’s five decades of support in entertaining soldiers, airmen and sailors, starting in 1943.

The National Salute consists of 16 figures on a circular plaza that surround a sculpture of Bob Hope, entertaining the crowd in front of a microphone. The surrounding figures are authentic depictions of military personnel from different eras including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War era and the first Persian Gulf War.

Among the many pieces of public art along this waterfront walk, one of the most stunning is “Unconditional Surrender”, a 25-foot sculpture of a sailor kissing a young nurse. The sculpture commemorates the moment when World War II was finally over, and joy and euphoria swept the world. Inspired by a famous photo of the V-J Day Celebrations on Times Square, this sculpture by Seward J. Johnson is on loan to the San Diego port until the end of February of 2009.

Further north along the waterfront is the Cruise Terminal, located at the B Street Pier along North Harbour Drive. San Diego is a port of call for many major cruise lines including Carnival, Holland America, Celebrity, Royal Carribean and Princess Cruises. Almost 620,000 cruise passengers arrived in San Diego in 2006. Local harbour cruises can also be accessed in this area, and a central office of the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau is located right across the street from the cruise terminal.

Now it was time to head back into the head hotel and finally check in. Within less than ten minutes I had arrived at the Sofia Hotel. The front office staff was very friendly, and our suitcases had already been brought up to Suite 602, a Deluxe Studio Suite. Our sleek modern bedroom was enhanced by a sitting room with a second flat screen television and an ergonomic desk. Our bathroom featured a full bath with a luxurious shower head, and a vanity area complete with fresh orchids in the bedroom area.

Always driven by my curiosity, I managed to convince two of the hotel’s employees to give me a tour of the entire hotel a few minutes later. Brian Wells from the front desk and Danny Miranda, a bellboy, graciously agreed and started by explaining the history of the Hotel Sofia to me. Two of the hotel’s towers were built in 1926 and opened a year later as the Pickwick Hotel. The property was part of the Pickwick Corporation, a company that provided 22 stage coach routes in California. The design was Neo Gothic and in 1928 two additional hotel towers were added.

From 1928 to 1944 the hotel even became the location of a broadcasting station called KGB (no association with the former Russian secret service agency). In 1929 Pickwick Stages merged with the Greyhound Corporation. During the 1940s and 1950s the Pickwick Hotel remained a popular tourist and entertainment location, and locals and guests alike enjoyed the Piccadilly Lounge. During the 1950s city council required the decorative architectural elements to be removed from the façade, to prevent potential injuries during an earthquake.

From the mid 1950s to the mid 1980s downtown San Diego experienced a protracted decline and lost its luster as a retail and entertainment destination. Now under new ownership, the Pickwick Hotel started to show its age as well.

New owners Ken Winslow and Harki Parekh purchased the property in 1986 and systematically started to repair the hotel over the next 20 years. With the opening of the immensely successful Horton Plaza retail mall, the rejuvenation of the historic Gaslamp District and the construction of Petco Park, downtown San Diego became a desirable destination again. The location of this hotel was absolutely ideal for us in our discoveries of downtown San Diego.

After this brief introduction of the hotel’s history, we stepped outside the hotel, which is located at the intersection of West Broadway and First Avenue. The statue of the businessman outside the entrance was dedicated to the Center City Development Corporation and City Council as a way of thanking the city for revitalizing this entire district. Brian pointed out that Horton Plaza and the Gaslamp District are literally just a 10 minute walk away. The Sofia is also just seven blocks from the waterfront and the Port area.

Talking about history, the Sofia Hotel became a member of the Historic Hotels of America last year and is the only historic hotel in downtown San Diego. A photo in the entrance area shows the radio towers that used to adorn the hotel in 1934 where 50,000 Watts of airwaves were beamed out all over San Diego.

In a hallway to the left of the lobby we stopped to admire some pictures of the renovation. Brass pictures of the designer, the architects and the owners adorn the wall. One of the pictures shows the renovation, and the unique thing about the entire remodeling process was that the owners kept 12 housekeepers as well as Brian and Danny on staff to help with the demolition. The team removed carpets, ceiling fans, sinks and toilets from 242 hotel rooms, and 720 old doors were ripped out. Danny and Brian said it was great to keep their jobs during the renovation phase and to participate in the transformation of this hotel. Their sense of ownership and pride of the newly restored and glamorous Sofia Hotel was obvious.

Less than three weeks away from Christmas, the lobby was aglow with holiday decorations. Brian added that the hotel currently features a total of 14 Christmas trees, all decorated by the owners. Real orchids adorn the common areas as well as all the hotel rooms. At the back of the lobby facing the entrance is a painting of a young girl on the beaches of Coronado. This girl, Ken Winslow’s granddaughter, is named Sofia and was the inspiration for the new name of the completely remodeled hotel. A cozy sitting area invites guests to sit down and relax by the fireplace.

To the left of the lobby is the business centre which features three brand-new desktop computers, high-speed fibre-optic Internet, colour and black & white printers and fax capabilities. This business centre is available to the guests 24 hours a day.

Strolling back out into the lobby we turned right into “Currant”, the sleek modern 120-seat restaurant on the- main floor of the Hotel Sofia. Established in 2007, Currant offers upscale American-French cuisine and is open every day for hotel guests and the public. High ceilings, graphic tiles, elaborate chandeliers, uniquely-styled furniture and a private room secluded with sheer curtains, offer a sophisticated ambience.

Heading upstairs now we were on the mezzanine level where several of the Sofia’s awards are proudly on display. Within less than two years since its reopening, the Sofia Hotel has won two Best of Citysearch awards as well as an Expedia Insider’s Select Award. This distinction is only granted to the top 1% of hotels. The restaurant has also won some awards, and the Sofia has also garnered an ASID Design Excellence Award.

Around the corner Brian and Danny took me to two state-of-the-art conference rooms that are equipped for video conferencing and projection. The larger boardroom holds 32 people while the smaller 20-seat boardroom is anchored by a massive antique wooden table. Down the corridor we stepped into the Yoga and Fitness Centre, an amenity that is open 24 hours a day. The hotel even has its own yoga trainer and offers guests TVs, DVD players, fresh towels, bottled water, and infused orange water. The Sofia Hotel has even produced its own yoga DVD!

After the common facilities Brian and Danny took me to room 633, a corner room. A standard room with a queen bed, this room offers an excellent view towards the Port of San Diego. A smaller-size but well-designed room, it features high-quality beds, therapeutic queen pillow tops and luxurious down comforters. A flat-panel TV, digital safe, ironing board and iron, and blow dryer add to the amenities. A coffee maker and a microwave allow guests to look after their most basic needs. Ice machines on different floors provide the necessary cooling power for a private evening retreat with champagne.

The hallways are decorated in a sophisticated sage green colour scheme and the carpet is of upscale quality. After the renovation, the number of rooms was reduced to 211 guest rooms, down from the original 242 rooms. The extra space was taken up by the conference rooms and the yoga / fitness studio.

Steps away in suite 601, Brian illustrated the conveniences of a private bedroom featuring a queen size bed and a sofa pullout bed in the sitting room. A queen-size suite can therefore accommodate up to four people. High-tech reading lights can be angled in any direction, and the alarm clock radio comes with an Ipod / MP3 docking station. Flat panel TVs are available in the bedroom and the sitting room. All the vanity areas feature attractive dark wood cabinets, all adorned with real orchids. Upscale soaps and toiletries pamper the guests, and bottled water is complimentary.

To conclude the tour, Brian and Danny gave me a few tips for exploring San Diego: Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, Old Town, Seaport Village and Coronado are among the most popular local tourist attractions. The upscale area of La Jolla and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography are a little further afield. I was already looking forward to joining tomorrow morning’s tour through the Gaslamp District, offered free by the Sofia Hotel. A visit to Balboa Park would round out our adventures in San Diego.

Not only had we found a great central location in San Diego; by staying at the Sofia Hotel we had also connected with local history and discovered a unique place that has tastefully preserved a 1920s property and brought it into the new millennium with top-notch modern amenities.