Pera Palace Hotel, Agatha Christie rooms and Hemingway suites

The Pera Palace Hotel is one of Istanbul’s most famed and historic hotels, dating back from the times of the Turkish Empire. This centric hotel dates from 1892, when it was built for passengers of the Orient Express.

History.

This special category hotel can be considered as a museum hotel. The hotel is located in the Beyoglu district, a centric historical neighbourhood of the city, and is the oldest European hotel in the country.

The hotel has art nouveau elements with a touch of neoclassical and oriental style. The hotel officially opened in 1895. During many years, guests who arrived at the city by the Orient Express stayed at this hotel, and because of this the logo of the hotel is the same as the one of the Orient Express.

During the last century the hotel has lived through the fall of the Ottoman Empire and two World Wars. During the First World War the hotel was used as the main headquarters by the occupying forces. This building was the first building to have electricity, which was only used in palaces at the time.

Rooms and Prices.

The hotel has 99 rooms and 16 suites. All rooms are double rooms with a spacious bathroom. The rooms have been renovated maintaining the same style they had all those decades ago when both royalty and celebrities stayed here.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first president of Turkey, stayed in Room 101. In 1981, to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of his birth, the rooms was converted into the Atatürk museum, where visitors will find authentic antiques dating from 1917 and personal amenities that belonged to the man who founded the Republic of Turkey. The room is painted in a light sunrise pink, his favourite colour, and is decorated with ancient Turkish and international books of great value and collections of magazines, post cards, medals and other antiques.

Other historical figures who at some point stayed at this hotel are King George V, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Zar Nicholas II and the Austro Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph, and many others. Even personalities such as Great Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Jacqueline Kennedy and Zsa Zsa Gabor enjoyed a stay at this hotel.

The Deluxe Pera View rooms have views towards the famous Petits Champs street. These rooms can have either a kingsize bed or two large individual beds, and the bathrooms have either a bathtub or a shower. Some of the rooms have their own French balcony. Each room is decorated with crystal ornaments and has a lot of natural light. Price is around 155€ per night.

The Deluxe Golden Horn View rooms have views towards the Golden Horn. The bathrooms are made of marble and most rooms have a private French balcony. Price is 195€ per night.

The Grand Pera Studios have views towards one of the city’s main streets, Les Petits Champs. Guests will be able to enjoy views towards the centre of the city, which has many buildings and historical monuments, from the large sofas in their living rooms. The room is connected to the bathroom, which has both a bathtub and a shower.

Room 411 is known as Agatha Christie’s room. The Queen of Crime stayed in this particular room several times between 1926 and 1932. Several urban legends claim that this hotel was the place she spent the 11 days she was missing, and half a century after that incident a key to one of her still missing diaries was found in this room. This rooms is one of the most booked rooms at the hotel, and guests will have to book in advance if they want to stay at the place where she wrote Murder on the Orient Express.

The six Greta Garbo rooms are 50 square metres each, and have small French balconies with views towards the Petits Champs. The Swedish actress stayed in these six rooms. Price starts from 270€ per night.

The Pera Palace Special Suites are decorated with paintings, antique furniture and designer carpets. The large marble bathrooms have a bathtub and a shower. Most suites have French balconies, and each suite is named in honour of an historical figure who stayed at that room. Price varies according to the suite, with the minimum price being around 445€ per night.

Five suites are known as the Ernest Hemingway suites. The writer stayed here in 1922. The 55 square metre suites have a bedroom, a bathroom, a closet, a living rooms and a French balcony.

The Pierre Loti suites were some of the French writer’s favourite places. The suites are located on the corners of the building and have different views. The suites have a bedroom, a bathroom and a living room.

Suite 201, the Ismet İnönü suite, and Suite 301, the Celal Bayar suite, are senior suites named in honour of the second and third presidents of the Republic of Turkey. These suites have large balconies with views towards the Golden Horn. Each suite has a large bedroom with a marble bathroom and a separate working area.

The Piano suite is located on the sixth floor and has views towards the bay. The suite is decorated in an Art Déco style, and has a large bedroom, a bathroom and a living area.

The Presidential suites at the hotel are known as the King Edward VIII suite and the Franz Joseph suite. These suites are located on the fourth and fifth floors of the hotel. Each suite has 155 square metres, with a bedroom, a closet, a large living room area, a dining room, an office and two bathrooms.

Interior décor.

The reception, hallways and rooms at the hotel are covered in white marble and are decorated with Murano glass chandeliers that hang from the ceilings. New technologies have been integrated without disrupting the design.

The hotel has conserved its XIXth century style, and little has changed in its décor. The elevator has been renovated conserving the same structure that the first elevator installed at this hotel had.

Bar and Restaurant.

The hotel’s restaurant, Agatha, combines the traditional cuisines of the three cities where the Orient Express stopped, Istanbul, Paris and Venice. Guests will be able to savour dishes from the French, Italian and Turkish cuisines. The restaurant has an open kitchen and its own wine cellar.

The Orient Bar remains one of the city’s most trendy bars. Many historical figures and celebrities have enjoyed a night out at this bar, which is known for its Oriental décor and its cocktail and wine list.

Events.

The Kubbeli Tea Room Saloon can be rented for private events. This room has high ceilings, large windows and a piano. Many guests come to this tea room during tea time, and live music is played during the afternoons.

Pâtisserie.

The hotel has an historical bakery, the Pâtisserie de Pera. This pâtisserie serves fresh croissants and ground coffee. Guests and visitors will be able to enjoy home-made cakes, chocolates and pies from both France and Turkey.

Spa.

The hotel has a 380 square metre spa where guests will be able to enjoy traditional Turkish baths. The spa has a gym, a swimming pool, several saunas and Turkish baths, and there are massage rooms.

Conference Rooms.

There are several renovated conference rooms which combine design and technology. The conference rooms have high ceilings and plenty of natural light. Some of the rooms can be divided into smaller rooms.

Location.

The hotel has views towards the Golden Horn, an estuary that divides the city, and part of the peninsula. The hotel is located in one of the city’s oldest districts, where people of European descent used to live, which explains why the area is known as Little Europe. Nowadays the neighbourhood is one of the most visited places in the city, and has many bars, restaurants and a variety of museums.

The hotel is located a short distance away from the main streets and main squares, such as Istiklal Avenue and Taksim Square. There are many shopping centres, open air markets selling carpets, jewellery and spices, and traditional restaurants nearby.

Cube Hotel Savognin, a colourful cube near the ski slopes

The Cube Hotel is located in three different cities in Austria and Switzerland. One of these hotels is located in Savognin, near the mountains and several ski resorts.

The Hotel.

From the outside the hotel looks like the product of a giant disco ball and a huge sugar cube. The Savognin Hotel has a large lounge area, its own spa, a bar and a grill restaurant.

Rooms and Prices.

Each one of the 76 rooms has a special area right near the entrance where guests can leave their skiing gear. The bed linen and pillows are hypoallergenic. All rooms in this cube shaped hotel have a functional design, a bedroom with a flat screen television set, a safe, luggage storage space and a bathroom with a hair dryer.

There are quadruple rooms designed for families. The Cube Suites are even more spacious, with a kingsize bed, a bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower and a living room with a sofa bed. Price is 129€ per night for a double room, and the price includes a ski pass.

Extra Services.

The room key does not only open the door to each guest’s room, but can be used to access some of the ski slopes. All Cube hotels are located near the ski lifts and the skiing resorts. Some of the extra services offered by the hotel are a late breakfast option which allows guests to enjoy breakfast in their rooms until three in the afternoon, and a late dinner at the buffet which lasts until ten in the evening. On the day of arrival and departure guests can use the changing rooms and the showers in the lobby, and there is a luggage room for those who want to enjoy their last hours on the slopes before leaving.

All the floors at the hotel are connected between them by special ramps that allow guests to carry their ski gear without much effort. The hotel has an advanced climate control system that makes sure that the ski gear and ski clothes dry in the least possible time without damaging the material.

The cubes are made from steel and glass. As soon as it gets dark the façade of each cube illuminates in a different colour. All cubes are connected by colourful hallways, and the common areas are located in these hallways. The common rooms have glass floors that light up and fireplaces, leather armchairs and sofas where guests can relax.

On the ground floor of the hotel guests will find the spa, several saunas, steam rooms, a gym and massage areas. One of the hotel’s largest common rooms has a climbing wall.

Restaurants.

In the basement guests will find the Cube Club, a disco bar where parties are organized every night. On the ground floor there is a terrace. The hotel has a buffet restaurant where guests will find a wide range of regional and international dishes. The snack bar is open 24 hours a day. The Cube Grill is an upscale restaurant where gourmet guests will be able to savour traditional dishes with views towards the mountains. The restaurant offers international cuisine and has a large wine list.

Conference Halls.

There are several conference halls at the hotels, and all can be rented for events and presentations. These conference rooms are equipped with modern audiovisual technologies, have natural light and are located near the reception. The maximum capacity is around 140 people. The bars and restaurants can be rented for larger events of up to 600 people. The hotel organizes all kinds of corporate and private events and can find the appropriate catering and decoration services.

Location.

The hotel is located in Savognin, in the Swiss canton of Grisones, and offers many activities for guests. Guests will be able to enjoy the many ski slopes located right outside the hotel, and practice sports such as ski, snowboard and snowmobiles. All skiing gear can be rented at the hotel. Other activities such as riding snowbikes, practising airboard and skifox are offered. Those who enjoy hikes and long walks in the mountains will find guide books in the lobby, and during the summer months guests can bathe in the Barnagn Lake.

MyHotel Chelsea, a boutique hotel and hot water bottles

MyHotel Chelsea is a fashionable hotel located in Chelsea, London, in the United Kingdom. The boutique hotel is near many of the world’s best known restaurants and shops, and is known for its attention to detail.

Features.

During the cold winter months the hotel provides guests with furry hot water bottles to keep them warm during the snowy season. Each room comes with a hot water bottle for each guest, and each hot water bottle is covered in a furry sleeve. These sleeves are washed every day, allowing guests to enjoy a cozy night in.

Building.

The hotel is located inside a Victorian era building. Years ago, this five storey building used to be a local Police department, until the James Soane from Project Orange decided to turn it into a modern boutique hotel.

Rooms and Prices.

There are several types of rooms. All rooms have a television set, a safe, a working desk and Internet access. The bathrooms have heated towel bars and BeeKind amenities, bath products made with honey and other ecological ingredients.

The Standard Single rooms are the smallest rooms at the hotel and have a bathroom with a shower. These rooms have an individual bed and cost around 105€ per night.

The Standard Double rooms are larger rooms with a double bed and bathroom with a separate shower. These rooms are decorated in pastel colours and cost 140€ per night.

The Superior Double rooms are spacious rooms with a separate working area with views, and bathrobes and slippers are provided for guests. Price is around 176€ per night.

The Studio Queen rooms are large studios with a queensize bed and a working area. There are bathrobes and bedroom slippers for each guest. The Studio King rooms are larger rooms with a kingsize bed and a matching bathroom with bathrobes and slippers for guests. This studio has a separate living room area with sofas. Both studios cost 282€ per night.

The Thai Suite is the hotel’s largest accommodation quarters, and has an oriental décor and statues of Buddha. All suites of this type have a large bathroom with a double sink and a separate jacuzzi and shower. There are special make up and shaving mirrors. These suites have a kitchenette and views towards the gardens.

Restaurant.

This hotel has a restaurant which follows the hotel’s philosophy. The restaurant can change its lightning, its colour and its music depending on the time of day. There is a breakfast buffet and snacks are served around midday. All meals are made from fresh produce. Guests will be able to savour desserts such as strawberries in chocolate and chocolate mousse. During the Christmas holidays Christmas puddings and other typical winter recipes are served.

Conference Halls.

There are several conference rooms at the hotel. All halls are spacious and have plenty of natural sunlight and modern decorations. There is Internet access, telephones and audiovisual technologies available at all halls. These meeting spaces can be used for both formal and informal events.

The Sage Hall has crystal decorations and fresh flowers. This room has a chic décor and natural sunlight. The meeting space is versatile and can host both meetings that require a theatre seating and larger stand up events such as cocktails.

The Lavender Hall is more spacious, with windows that cover one whole wall. This room has access to a private patio decorated with flowers, a fountain and many different plants.

The Conservatory Hall is a grand ballroom with a lot of natural light. This hall is used for large events such as corporate events and cocktails.

Gym and Spa.

The hotel is located in one of London’s most chic neighbourhoods, and has its own gym and spa. There are several beauty salons, such as the Jinja room where guests can enjoy traditional oriental skin treatments. The gym, called the Energy Zone, has several cardiovascular machines, weights and an exercise room.

Library.

Guests will be able to relax in the hotel’s library. The library has a large collection of classic literature and press. During the evenings tea is offered at the library.

Location.

The hotel is located in the centric neighbourhood of Chelsea. There are many boutique shops and haute cuisine restaurants a few steps away, and guests will be able to visit many historical landmarks, such as Oscar Wilde’s house. The Thames flows near the hotel and guests will be able to enjoy long walks along its banks, filled with bars, shops and monuments.

Three Ways House, a hotel all about puddings

The Three Ways House Hotel is located in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, in England. This hotel is part of a select club of those who enjoy pudding, and all rooms are pudding themed and cater for those with a sweet tooth.

Pudding Club.

The hotel has close ties with the Pudding Club, an association of people who enjoy traditional puddings. All the hotel’s decorations feature elements that have to do with puddings. Many of the Pudding Club’s meetings take place at this hotel, and for less than 40€ guests will be able to enjoy a pudding tasting party. The Club sells many souvenirs such as teddy bears, recipe books and large mugs with the club’s logo.

Rooms.

The hotel has 48 rooms. All rooms are double rooms with a bathroom. Each room has an individual décor, and the largest rooms are decorated according to a pudding theme. All rooms have coffee and tea making machines, a television set and WiFi access. There is a spacious bathroom with either a bathtub or a shower in each room.

The Standard and Superior rooms are located in the main building. Each room has a double bed, a bathroom and an individual décor. The Superior rooms are larger than the Standard rooms, and have a CD collection, a larger television screen, bathrobes and a wider range of bathroom amenities.

There are several rooms adapted for people with mobility difficulties that are located on the first floor of the hotel. Some of these rooms are larger family rooms which have space for extra beds.

The hotel was founded in 1985 by the Pudding Club, whose main objective was to maintain the historical importance of traditional puddings. There are seven pudding themed rooms, known as the Pudding Club rooms. All seven rooms are located in the Garden Wing of the hotel.

The Sticky Toffee Room is decorated in caramel colours and has a large mural representing a desert. Lord Randalls is a chic room covered with red velvet. The Spotted Dick and Custard Room, named after the dessert, is decorated in a pale lemon colour and has a mural with dalmatians. The Syrup Sponge room is decorated with golden silks. Oriental Ginger is a room designed in shades of orange with a dragon mural covering one wall and a pudding recipe on the door. The Summer Pudding room looks like a large colourful cake, with lavender walls and flowers. The Chocolate Suite, decorated in chocolate colours, comes with bathroom amenities that include chocolate shampoo, chocolate bath foam and chocolate sweets elaborated with fair trade cocoa.

Restaurant.

The hotel has a restaurant which specializes in all kinds of puddings, such as the traditional meat based Yorkshire pudding and the internationally known chocolate pudding. Randalls Bar and Brasserie is a more informal dining place with a bar.

Events.

The hotel can organize conferences and events. The conference halls at the hotel are spacious and have a lot of natural light. Either before or after a meeting all team members will be able to enjoy a delicious local meal. The recently renovated Hidcote Suite is located on the first floor of the hotel and is equipped with ergonomic chairs designed to provide more comfort during the conference hours. The Terrace Suite is the largest conference hall, and has a modern décor and a private terrace, and is capable of accommodating up to forty people.

Location.

The Cotswolds region is known for its natural landmarks. The hotel organizes hikes and guided walking tours around the region. Only a ten minute drive away guests will find the town of Stratford Upon Avon, William Shakespeare’s birthplace. Other nearby historic places are the towns of Broadway and Chipping Campden.

Rustic hotel in a Hanseatic League town

The Hanseatic Hotel is located in Bryggen, Bergen, in Norway. This ancient hotel is considered to be one of the region’s oldest buildings, and is near the historic centre and the port.

The hotel.

This hotel is located inside an ancient building, the Finnegaarden, a place considered to be a World Heritage building. The façade of the hotel is decorated in many colours, and the inside of the hotel has a rustic design.

Rooms and Prices.

The hotel has sixteen spacious rooms decorated in dark hues and velvet. Each room has a double bed with a private bathroom. All bathrooms have either an antique claw foot bathtub or a separate shower. All rooms have Internet access and television sets.

There are several types of rooms that vary by price, size and decoration. There are four Standard rooms, which are the smallest rooms, with beamed ceilings. The seven Deluxe rooms are more spacious. The three Junior Suites have an antique décor with art works dating from the start of last century. The Top Suite is a spacious suite with a large double bed and a bathroom with a claw foot bathtub. The Senior Suite is the hotel’s best known suite, with a lounge area, a bedroom, a Victorian era bathroom and views towards Bryggen. Price starts from around 111.8€ per room per night, with an extra 31€ for an extra bed.

Common Areas.

The rest of the hotel follows the same theme and is decorated in a rustic style. All the wooden furniture has been crafted by hand and there are leather sofas in the common rooms. Most of the décor at this hotel has an antique twist to it, as if it were still living in the early nineteen hundreds, with high ceilings and wooden beams.

Conferences and Events.

The hotel has a large conference hall that can accommodate up to sixty people. There are several smaller meeting rooms at the hotel which can accommodate between five and thirty guests. All the meeting spaces have a large wooden table, leather chairs, Internet access and audiovisual technologies.

Restaurant.

The hotel has a traditional restaurant, the Finnegaarden, and two other restaurants specializing in international cuisine, the Mediterranean style Mezzo and the Mexican Casa del Toro. All three restaurants are spacious with a rustic décor, high beamed ceilings, dark wooden furniture and red velvet decorations.

Building and Location.

Guests who stay at this hotel will be able to visit the next door Hanseatic Museum, one of the city’s landmarks. The hotel is located in Bryggen, the oldest part of Bergen where merchant houses and warehouses used to stand, since the city was one of the main ports of the Hanseatic League. A few minutes away from the hotel guests will find St. Mary’s Church, considered to be one of the city’s oldest buildings with some parts dating from as far back as the twelfth century. Other activities in the area include exploring Bergen on foot, visiting the historic port and participating in the many outdoor sports activities offered near the city.

Wine and a wave shaped hotel in La Rioja

The Marqués de Riscal Hotel is located in Elciego, in Spain. This hotel was designed by Frank Gehry, an architect known for his unique architectural style that can be seen throughout the hotel.

Architecture.

Sometimes known as The Twentieth Century Château, the hotel’s building was designed by Frank O. Gehry. The building is a giant structure shaped like a coloured metal wave.

Rooms and prices.

Inside, the hotel has a modern décor. The hotel has 42 rooms of several different types and a large suite, all of them decorated with strange shapes and bright colours. The rooms are spacious, with a bedroom and a marble bathroom, decorated in different ways. Price varies depending on the type of room and on the season, and starts from 321€ per night.

The rooms have a either a kingsize bed or two individual beds with several types of hypoallergenic pillows to choose from. Each room has a large flat screen television with cable TV, mp3 docks, a safe, a radio, an alarm clock, a telephone and Internet connection. The minibar in each room holds a selection of several snacks.

The hotel has two interconnected wings. The Deluxe and Executive rooms are housed in the spa wing. The Deluxe rooms can either be Grand Deluxe or Premium Deluxe. Each room has a unique style, and all have large, differently shaped windows covered by red velvet curtains with views towards the vineyards. The Premium Deluxe rooms have windows that cover a whole wall and have views towards either the town of Elciego or the other wing, shaped like a present box with colourful ribbons.

The Executive Suites are located in the spa wing of the hotel. These suites are spacious with a modern design. The floors are made from wood, while the rest is painted in white. There is a living room area with a table and chairs, a sofa and a coffee table, all of it made by famous designers. The working area is equipped with the latest technologies, and the minibar has a Nespresso machine and a Porsche kettle.

The Gehry Suite is the hotel’s largest suite. The suite is spacious, with four metre high ceilings and wooden walls. There is a separate living room area and a large terrace with views towards the vineyards and the Cantabrian mountain range. The bedroom has large, windows of different shapes that allow in a lot of natural light, a kingsize bed and a décor designed by the world’s best interior designers. The bathroom is made from black and green Italian marble and has a separate bathtub and shower, a telephone and spa bathroom amenities. There is a separate working area equipped with all the necessary materials, and the suite has its own kitchen with a Nespresso coffee maker and a Porsche kettle.

Special services.

The hotel has special access for people with mobility problems. The hotel admits children, and there are special bathroom amenities and bottle heaters available for children. Some pets are allowed at the hotel.

Restaurant.

The hotel has an haute cuisine restaurant. The menu consists of different courses elaborated with local and traditional ingredients with a touch of design. There is a long wine list which includes both national and international wines. The hotel has several conference rooms where meetings and events such as weddings can take place, and the restaurant can be rented for large gatherings.

Extras.

The hotel has  spa where guests will be able to enjoy both traditional massages and treatments such as vinothérapie, with wine based products. The spa has a swimming pool with a relaxation room, a steam room, a gym, a Jacuzzi, a special bathtub where guests can enjoy foot massages and other facilities.

Location.

The hotel is located in an area known as the Ciudad de los Vinos, the City of Wine, in the region of La Rioja. Near the hotel guests will find hundreds of square kilometres of vineyards where some of the country’s and the world’s best wines are produced.

The hotel is a located in a region known for its wine culture, and the hotel’s theme is wine. The hallways and rooms at this hotel are painted in shades of yellow, pink and red representing the different types of wine. There is a wine museum and a shop where guests will be able to buy several different vintages, and the hotel organizes tours to the many different vineyards in the region.

Abitart Hotel, poetic suites and themed designs

One of the most artistic boutique hotels is located in Rome, Italy. The Abitart Hotel has eight suites, and each suite has a different theme and design filled with all kinds of details for an enjoyable stay.

Rooms and prices.

The hotel has several types of rooms. The rooms are double rooms with a double bed and a bathroom with amenities. The suites are larger and each one has its own theme.

Guests will be able to enjoy rooms decorated as Magritte’s works of art. The themed rooms have many contemporary art works on the walls, filling them with colour. All rooms have a minibar, a safe, telephone, Internet, temperature control and a television with satellite TV channels. There are special rooms for smokers.

Classic rooms can either be double rooms with a double bed, double rooms with twin beds, or triple rooms. These rooms have a modern décor. Price is around 199€ per night.

The Superior rooms are more spacious, and can be either individual or double rooms. The large bathrooms have a bathtub. Some of the  Superior rooms have a terrace. Price starts from 209€ per night.

The themed suites are the largest rooms. Each suite has a master bedroom with a bathroom and a small lounge area. The suites have an individual theme and decoration, and price ranges from 299 and 600€ per night, depending on the season.

The Deconstructionist suite is full of colour. This suite has a large double bed and a small lounge area with a sofa. The suite even has a guidebook which tells guests how to relax and avoid stress.

The 1970’s suite has plenty of natural light and seventies psychedelic decorations. The room is painted in optimistic shades of orange. There is a bedroom, a bathroom, a working area and a lounge area.

The Pop Art suite is a creative, colourful suite. The television is inside a large, brightly decorated wardrobe. The room is filled with murals that cover the walls.

The Metaphysical suite invites guests to relax. The suite’s ceiling is painted as a Magritte’s painting, the walls are painted light blue and the furniture is white and curvy.

The Cubist suite has a replica of Picasso’s Guernica on one of the walls. The suite is spacious, with a lounge decorated in greys and reds.

The Poetic Suite has a classic décor. The suite has a large double bed with a headboard, yellow walls and bookshelves full of books and decorative letters.

The Neoclassic suite is a spacious suite with XIXth century furniture. The suite is decorated in pastel tones and many antiques cover the walls.

The Photographic suite is one of the hotel’s highlights. The suite is divided into two parts, a darker one and a lighter one filled with light, and has pale pink furniture and walls covered with professional shots, There are photographs of celebrities such as Edith Piaf, scenes from the Dolce Vita and Helmut Newton’s black and white series.

Extras.

Guests will be able to enjoy free WiFi, complimentary press and the hotel’s luggage storage. The lobby works all day long and there is a tourist information area where guests can purchase guided tours. For a small extra price guests can use the laundry, park their cars in the garage and enjoy the hotel’s to and from the airport transportation service.

Restaurant.

The hotel’s restaurant, Estrobar, is known for its Italian cuisine. The restaurant has a terrace, an interior patio, and a separate room for smokers. The restaurant provides tea, coffee and special menus for those participating in business meetings and seminars, and personalized menus are available. Breakfast is served at the Abitart Café, which offers American breakfasts and organic meals.

Events.

The hotel has a dadaist décor which inspires many of those who travel on business. The hotel can organize conferences and events. There are several conference rooms equipped with audiovisual technology, and the hotel’s bar and restaurant offers a catering service.

The hotel has conference halls connected with the Estrobar. The conference rooms have sound amplifiers, flat screens, DVD players, microphones, whiteboards and projectors. All the participants of the business meetings get notepads and pens with the hotel’s logo, as well as sweets and bottles of water.

The conference rooms are divided into several categories. The halls Classic, Eva, Apollo and Dafne have artificial light, telephone and Internet, and are usually used for conferences. The halls Contemporary, Ophelia, Maya and Frida have plenty of natural light and views towards the interior garden, and are usually used for events.

Location.

The hotel is located between the Ostiense and the Testaccio districts, next to the Tiber. Near the hotel guests will find several are galleries and many bars and restaurants. Guests will be able to visit the many classical art and modern art museums located nearby.

Close to the hotel stands the Macro Future, the new building belonging to the Museum of Contemporary Art which is housed in what used to be a XVIIIth century slaughterhouse. The Montemartini Plants Museum, known for hosting themed events, is a few blocks away. Only a few stops away is the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum and the Pyramid of Cestius.

Anchorage Historic Hotel, ghosts and the Aurora

Anchorage Historic Hotel was one of the first hotel built in Anchorage, Alaska, in the United States. The hotel is located in an historic building and it is said that several ghosts live at this hotel.

The rooms and prices.

The rooms has 26 double rooms and suites decorated in pastel colours. All rooms are double with a bathroom and all of them are no smoking rooms. Two of the rooms have access for people with mobility difficulties. All rooms have large television screens, Internet access and an alarm clock.  There is a spacious working area with a desk and chair, a safe and free newspapers. The bathroom amenities are Aroma Botanicals. There is a coffee machine and a wide selection of teas and coffees, and a microwave is available on request. Guests can use the iron and the ironing board. The hotel can arrange long term stays.

The standard rooms have a classic décor, with a bathroom and either a queensize bed or two twin beds. The price is usually 78€ per night.

The Junior Suites are large suites with the same amenities as the standard rooms. The suites can have either a kingsize bed or two queensize ones. There is a living room with a bar and a sofa which can be converted into a queensize bed. Price is around 135€ per night.

The ghosts.

It is said the spirits live in this hotel. The second floor is visited by a young woman who roams the hallways. One of the hotel’s celebrity ghosts is Black Jack, named John J. Sturges, who was the town’s first chief police officer. The ghost returns to the hotel every 20th of February at 21.15 since 1921, the day he was killed. The rooms 215 and 217 are haunted rooms where guests usually feel the presence of a ghost. Some of the bathroom curtains in several rooms tend to move of their own accord, and some tap open and close without anyone touching them. The ghost of a bride-to-be committed suicide the night before her wedding, and now her spirit walks down the hallways. Another guest who passed away haunts the stairs, going up and down. At the reception desk guests will find a book where they can write down and ghost sightings.

The building.

The hotel was founded in 1916. During many years, it was the city’s only hotel, and at the start of the century it was used as a place for cotillions, charity fund raisers and other social events such as dinners with silver cutlery, china crockery and sparkling white tablecloths. The hotel is located in the centre of the city, and the recently reconstructed building is considered to be a National Historic Landmark.

Breakfast, dining and conferences.

Guests will be able to enjoy a delicious continental breakfast. Breakfast includes several type of cereal, fresh fruit, Belgian waffles, freshly squeezed juices and a wide selection of tea and coffee.

Near the hotel guests will find Rumrunner’s Old Towne Bar and Grill. This bar and restaurant specializes in gourmet grill and during the weekends gusts dine while listening to live music.

There is a concierge available 24 hours a day. The hotel has its own souvenir shop and a small tourism office which provides information about the town to visitors. At the souvenir shop guests will be able to buy copies of traditional local artefacts and other objects related with the history of the region. There are photocopying machines, faxes and a laundromat available.

The hotel organizes conferences and banquets. There is enough space for 150 guests, and several different conference rooms are available for all kinds of events. All the meeting room are equipped with audiovisual technology and a catering service can be provided on request.

Location and Excursions.

The city of Anchorage is a lively city with natural views. Less than five minutes away from the hotel guests will find the William A. Egan Convention Centre, a space for conferences, conventions and events. Near the hotel there are several historical landmarks and museums. Sydney Laurence, a known painter, used to live at this hotel.

During the summer months the hotel organizes excursions and ecological tours. Guests will be able to enjoy many activities, including fishing, bird watching and hiking the Alaskan trails. Visitors can haunt, explore the trekking routes and kayak, and gold classes under the midnight stuff can be organized. There are 26 glaciers nearby. During the winter months, guests will be able to participate in many sports activities, ranging from mushing to hockey and ice skating. Many visitors come to the hotel to enjoy the Aurora Borealis.

Hotel Triton, a green hotel and pop culture

The Triton Hotel is an artistic hotel located in San Francisco, California, in the USA. The hotel has an eclectic décor with many references to pop culture and has become favoured by many artists.

The hotel is part of the ecologically friendly Kimpton hotels. Each hotel has a different theme, and this particular hotel is all about pop culture.

This is an ecological hotel where all the paper based products are recycled and the cleaning products are free from any toxic elements. One of the floors at the hotel, the seventh floor, only has ecological rooms, with special low consumption light bulbs, fixtures to save water and towels and bedlinen made from ecologically grown cotton. The design of this floor is full of greens and its message is about sustainability and the importance of using biodegradable materials.

Rooms and suites.

Each Standard room has a different interior design, full of colour and artistic decorations. The double rooms are small and have tomato red walls and bamboo floors. All rooms have a double bed and a bathroom with ecologically produced bathroom amenities. The furniture has a curvy style. There are iPod dock with a alarm clocks on the bedside tables and bathrobes for each guest. The minibars are filled with organic food. Each room has a Nintendo and each bathroom has a black rubber duck. There are larger rooms available such as the Deluxe and the Executive rooms, which have larger beds and a lounge.

The hotel has several suites. The Celebrity Suites and the Zen Dens are larger rooms with free WiFi and complimentary newspaper and tea and coffee each morning. Each suite is decorated like the room of a celebrity, an historical figure or as a particular commercial brand, and is decorated according to the theme.

The Zen Dens are rooms which follow the Zen philosophy. Each room is decorated in relaxing light shades and is decorated with statues representing Goddess Tara and bamboo furniture.

The Sweet Suite is a large suite decorated like a Häagen Dazs shop. The suite’s walls are painted in vanilla and caramel colours, and there are many scented candles which smell like some of the brand’s most bought flavours, such as crême caramel. The bed’s headboard is shaped like a carton of ice cream and the bed itself is covered by a large quilt which looks like a waffle. This suite has a freezer filled with many Häagen Dazs ice creams, and special spoons and bowls are provided for those guests who want to enjoy their favourite flavours. Part of the room’s revenue goes to the hotel, while a certain percentage goes to charity.

Kathy Griffin’s D list Suite is a suite inspired on Kathy Griffin’s life and her TV series My Life on the D List, which tells the story of a minor Hollywood celebrity. Even though it’s called a D list Suite, the décor is all about the bling, with modern furniture painted in pearl, chocolate and green colours.

The Jerry Garcia Suite is a suite dedicated to the singer from the Greatful Dead. All the furniture is upholstered in silk and the wardrobes hold some of Jerry Garcia’s costumes. The giant bed is covered by a woven duvet. From the walls hang some of the musician’s own art works, and one of the walls holds his giant autograph.

The King Triton Suite honours the lost kingdom of Atlantis. The suite is coloured in several different shades of blues, silvers and deep greens. The bed has silver hangings and reading lights. Next to the bed there is a large jacuzzi with its own television set.

Theme.

The main theme of this hotel is the influence of pop culture on our lives. Popular culture appeared in this city during the 1950’s and has greatly evolved since, something which is reflected in the décor and design of this hotel. There are many paintings inspired by Andy Warhol’s masterpieces. On the ground floor of the hotel guests and visitors will find a rotating art gallery. The gallery has a large collection of paintings made by local artists. The lobby is a giant mural of the history of pop culture.

Pet policy.

The hotel allows guests to bring their pets for an extra charge. Animals are only allowed to stay in the Standard rooms, but are provided with their own beds, organic food, water and toys. There is a pet sitting service offered at the hotel.

Food and Drink.

The hotel is located next to the Café de la Presse, a coffee shop belonging to the hotel. The coffee shop is decorated as a stereotypically bohemian French café, and serves international cuisine which guests will be able to enjoy directly in their rooms.

Business.

The hotel has a business centre equipped with fax and photocopy machines. There is Internet connection throughout the building. The hotel has several conference rooms equipped with the latest audiovisual technology and the hotel can organize events for up to 40 people.

Activities.

The hotel organizes several activities for guests. Coffee is served in the morning and freshly baked cookies are served each evening, while after dinner guests will be able to join wine tasting activities. Each night the hotel offers guests the opportunity to taste wine, listen to live music, enjoy a massage or even have their future read by a clairvoyant. All guests receive complimentary newspapers and a yoga kit which they will be able to use in the hotel’s gym.

Location.

Hotel Triton is located in Chinatown, a neighbourhood which starts at the ornate Dragon Gate. Only a couple of blocks away is the Union Square and the city’s financial district.

A Castle with a spa and kilt themed rooms

The Airth Castle Hotel is located in a castle of the same name in Scotland, United Kingdom. This historical castle, located on spacious grounds, is notable for its medieval exterior and its modern interior.

The Airth Castle Hotel has 125 rooms. The rooms are spacious and can be either double rooms or suites, each one of them with a double or two twin beds and a private bathroom. Each room is decorated in an individual style. Some rooms have a Scottish theme with curtains and textiles printed as a kilt, while other rooms have pastel coloured walls and classical furniture.

All the rooms are double rooms with a private bathroom and a lounge. The bathrooms have many amenities including bath salts, bath minerals and special gels, fluffy towels and television screens, and some larger bathrooms have double bathtubs. The rooms have tea and coffee machines, and a minibar stockes with snacks. There is an iron and ironing board. Each rooms has views towards either the forest or the hotel’s manicured gardens. Many rooms share views towards Forth Valley and the flowing river Forth. Price is around 94€ per double room per night.

The hotel has family rooms. These spacious rooms have a double bed and a individual bed, and a large bathroom. These rooms are decorated with floral prints and bright lively colours. Price is around 106€ per night.

The Suites are larger rooms with designer décor. They share the same characteristics as the other rooms, although the suites are much larger with a working area complete with stationery supplies and bookshelves filled with books about the history of the local landmarks and monuments. Price per suite is around 229€ per night.

The Honeymoon Suite is the hotel’s largest and most modern suite. The hotel is one of the best places to celebrate a wedding, making this suites one of the most sought after accommodations in the area. The interior design is very chic, with ornaments, crafted furniture and technology.

The hotel has several conference rooms equipped with audiovisual technology which can be adapted for all kinds of events. All the conference halls have plenty of natural lights, air conditioning, several landlines and Internet connection. The halls have many modern amenities. There is a private parking lot with direct access to the halls, and a larger parking lot with a capacity for 300 cars. The hotel’s business centre has several computers, fax machines and photocopiers.

The hotel can organize events such as weddings and conferences. Barbecues can be organized for up to 600 people, and the hotel can provide a marquee for events of up to 500 people. The hotel can provide a florist for special events.

This ancient mansion located in the heart of Scotland is considered one of the best places for celebrating grand events such as weddings. The hotel has a special license allowing civil weddings to take place here, and the hotel staff can organize the wedding itself, accommodate the wedding guests and the catering service. There are two large halls where the ceremony can take place. The Castle Suite is decorated in pastel colours, has large windows with views towards the hotel gardens and has a maximum capacity of up to 60 people. The other hall is the Dunmore Suite, which has high, arched ceilings, and can host events of up to 300 people.

The hotel has its own spa, the Cloud Nine Spa. The spa has an interior swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a gym room equipped with exercise equipment and a workout area equipped with television screens, a sauna, a steam room, a beauty salon with tanning beds and a solarium. There is a large terrace right next to the swimming pool.

The Glasshouse restaurant and the Piano Bar are located in an annex shaped like a crystal pyramid. The menu features traditional fish and meat based dishes cooked in different sauces, although the most sought after dish is haggis. Different cocktails are served at the Piano Bar, and guests will be able to enjoy live music while sipping champagne based concoctions. The Business Lounge is a more informal meeting place where lights salads, snacks and wines are served.

The hotel is located in Scotland, a short distance away from towns such as Airth or Dunmore. The region is known for its nature and its views, filled with forests. Those guests who enjoy playing golf will be able to practice their favourite sport at one of the many nearby golf clubs. The region has many ancient castles, and guests will be able to take day trips to places such as Tulliallan Castle. Less than an hour away guests will be able to visit the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.