Knowledge Wanders
Wandering the great places…

Archive for January, 2010

31
Jan

Modern Campsites: Taking You as Far as Possible From Nature

Posted in Travel  by julianlenox on January 31st, 2010

Campsites have been for many years like a sanctuary for those who love nature. Anybody who wishes to have a wildlife experience or an adventure for his holidays will go for a campsite, no doubt. A holiday in a campsite promises a natural lifestyle, away from our daily routines, but you should be aware, that campsite holidays cannot be trusted to keep to those promises, anymore.

You will find that most modern campsites count with classy restaurants and bars, so much for toasting marshmallows outside your tent, under a sea of stars. There is nothing outdoorsy about a campsite holiday, if you end up spending your evening eating filet mignon in an exclusive restaurant.

Furthermore, today’s campsites count with Jacuzzis, indoors and outdoor pools. So, if you were planning to go for a dip in the river, you can forget about it. The same goes for entertainment. It is very common to find TV rooms and game rooms in campsites. And generally, computers with internet access can be found as well.

Any trip or outdoor activity that you were planning with your kids will end up as soon as they stumble upon one of these rooms. Your kids will spend most of their time playing videogames, or watching television, instead of going fishing with you. So if you thought that a campsite holiday would help you spend quality time with your children, think again.

Also, if you are planning to visit tourist attractions, you will find that most campsites are awfully far from most of them. So if you though that spending a holiday in a campsite would save you some bucks, you were wrong again. You will end up spending tons of money in taxi fares, to get to these attractions.

Some campsites offer boutiques, novelty shops, and gifts shops, among others. So again, another reason for spending lots of money on things that you most probably do not even need, quite the contrary of the camping spirit, that encourages people to live only with what they need.

In addition, some campsites offer luxury tents, which are a lot like a deluxe hotel room. They count with fabric roofs, and electric blinds. So again, if you were planning to wake up early with the first ray of sun, you can forget about it. Campsites no longer say nature, family time, or peace and quiet.

To make matters worse, these modern campsites are as expensive as a hotel room. The only reason why somebody would pay the same amount than a hotel room for a campsite is because that person is looking to have a wildlife adventure, and to connect with nature.

However, now we know that that this is not going to happen. So save your money and review your plans, the best place to get in touch with nature might be closer than you think. Camping in your backyard will probably live up more to your expectations, than camping in modern campsites.

CEO of Advertizia, Julian J. Lenox writes articles and reviews for Travel and Tourism Top 100, a devoted Travel and Tourism websites judgments repository. Additional resources at Best Campsites.

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31
Jan

Budget Accommodation: Sounds Too Good to Be True? Then it Probably Is…

Posted in Travel  by julianlenox on January 31st, 2010

The current financial crisis has affected most homes in the whole world. So it is not uncommon for people to go for cheap accommodation, when planning a holiday or a three-day weekend’s getaway. However, this type of accommodation may end up being a big disappointment.

There are hundreds of stories on the web about how a family holiday turned out to be a complete mess, due to hiring cheap accommodation. These cheap places tend to be dirty, and only God knows what kind of critters can be found beneath cheap hotel sheets.

Dirty hotel rooms tend to be a common factor, when it comes to budget accommodation. Finding that the room that you booked is filthy can be a major downer and a horrible way to start out a holiday or getaway.

I have even heard disgusting stories about comforters stained with blood or with mould growing on them. Regardless how cheap a hotel room may be, I truly believe that tourists deserve at least to get a clean room. However, dirty rooms are just a drop in the bucket when it comes to budget accommodation and cheap hotels.

It is important that you modify your expectations before embarking on a budget accommodation holiday. Ninety percent of budget and cheap rooms are not small… they are tiny. You will hardly fit in the room, let alone your luggage. Needless to say, relaxing in this sort of atmosphere is almost impossible.

In addition, most budget hotels do not count with fans or heaters. I cannot think of anything more unpleasant that not being able to sleep at night due to weather conditions, whether it is too hot or too cold, it is a total pain in the neck.

In addition, you need to look out for scams. Many cheap hotel rooms and budget hostels are a scam waiting to happen. They advertise unbelievably cheap prices for their rooms, and once you get there, you find that those prices were not real, and you will be overcharged for staying at a fleabag hotel.

To avoid being scammed when booking a room at a cheap hotel or budget accommodation, avoid sending money in advance. There are plenty of people who got conned like this. Once you sent the payment, the con artists will run with your money. And when you get to the place you chose for your holiday, you will see that such accommodation does not even exist.

So it is very important that you are well aware of the true colors of budget and cheap accommodation. As the saying goes, if it is too good to be true, then it probably is. Never pay in advance or book a room, without the proper research, and if it is possible, always ask for photos of the accommodation where you will be staying, so that you know what to expect.

The boss at Advertizia, Julian J. Lenox writes articles and reviews for Travel and Tourism Top 100, a dedicated Travel and Tourism websites opinions reserve. Get the facts from Best Budget Accommodation.

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31
Jan

Budget Hotels: Affordable Prices Come With Unaffordable Pains

Posted in Travel  by julianlenox on January 31st, 2010

Have you ever wondered how come budget hotels can offer amazing prices? It is a reasonable question. Obviously, you cannot expect to find the services and amenities that you find at more expensive hotels, when you stay at a budget one. However you should be able to expect the basics, right?

Well in most budget hotels this is not the case. If you surf the net for reviews on budget hotels you will find that most of them discuss the same issues, and one that can summarize them all is lack of quality. Budget hotel services are not even the basic services you would expect even from bed and breakfasts.

The first thing that is common to most budget hotel reviews is the lack of cleanliness factor. Not only the rooms but the hotels in general are dirty. The housekeeping service is very poor. Most of the times, they just empty the bins, and that is it. They do not even replace the bathroom towels on a daily basis.

Secondly, most budget hotels count with a staff that is not helpful but rather unfriendly. Many times, this leads to misunderstandings, especially when checking out. Sometimes people are overcharged, and the staff is not willing to help them to get to the bottom of the issue.

In addition, the staff that works at budget hotels is not very helpful when it comes to giving advice on tourist attractions or restaurants. It seems like the price only includes the room, so you cannot expect anything more, not even a knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Another big issue that is common to most budget hotels is their location. They are either located in bad neighborhoods or far from the town or city center. For that reason you end up spending a lot of money on transportation, and your budget hotel ends up costing you more than expected.

A big problem with budget hotels is that sometimes they have hidden fees that added to the base price, end up making quite a significant figure. For example, in some budget hotels, they charge you an extra fee for air conditioning and even for fans. Also, they charge you extra if you need crockery.

Also you will find that several hotels advertise services that they do not actually offer. For example, a budget hotel may advertise a heated swimming pool, but when you get there you might find out that the swimming pool is in a gym a few blocks away, and that you have to pay an extra fee for it.

With budget hotels many times what is cheap ends up being expensive. Be extra careful when choosing your accommodation. Remember that it is always better to pay a bit more and stay at a nice hotel, than trying to save money and ending up at shabby, fleabag hotels.

A manager at Advertizia, Julian J. Lenox reviews and writes articles for Travel and Tourism Top 100, a specific Travel and Tourism websites examinations warehouse. Learn the details at Best Budget Hotel Deals.

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31
Jan

To Beach Resort Or Not To Beach Resort

Posted in Travel  by julianlenox on January 31st, 2010

What could be better than just lying on a sandy beach, away from everything? Most people probably cannot think of anything. That is why they choose to spend their holidays at the beach. Warm weather and a nice dip in the water are just some of the reasons why most people love the beach.

However, a vacation can be easily ruined if you do not choose the right accommodation type. For instance, a beach resort may be the wrong choice for you and your family. There are many lodging options that probably suit your needs better, so do your research before you make.

Firstly, most beach resorts are really expensive. They are not meant for everybody. Those who are looking for a budget vacation will find that if they go for a beach resort, they will probably spend all of their savings. A bed and breakfast is much more suitable if you are on a budget.

In addition, if you are on a budget and you stay at a beach resort you will find that eating at their restaurants is really expensive. Most resorts are isolated from the rest of the city, so if you come back late from an excursion you will not have many choices, and you will end up eating at the hotel’s restaurant.

Secondly, although some beach resorts count with game rooms and swimming pools, they tend to be crowded and you are not able to fully enjoy these amenities. If you travel with your family, and especially on rainy days, your kids may find staying at the resort all day very boring.

In these cases is much more advisable to go for vacation house rentals instead of beach resorts. If it rains all day, your kids can stay home playing video games. They will not have to share the game console with other kids. When you go for vacation house rentals you enjoy more privacy.

Furthermore, the lack of privacy can really affect your entire stay. Many beach resorts, especially the cheaper ones, have paper thin walls. That means that if the guests that are staying in the next room decide to stay up all night, watching television or listening to music, you are probably going to be up until the morning comes.

When you go for vacation rentals, if you do not hire a housekeeping service for an extra fee, you take care of the cleaning. Although it may sound like a downer, the truth is that you make sure that everything is sparkling clean when you come back from the beach. Many beach resorts are known for their lack of cleaning and poor housekeeping service.

Also, some beach resorts need immediate maintenance, and they look really shabby. The good thing about renting a vacation home rental is that you can tell if it is in a good condition just by looking at online pictures. When it comes to beach resorts, they do not provide online pictures of every single corner of the resort.

For all of these reasons, staying at a beach resort can be a real downer, and in some cases it may ruin your holidays. Choose wisely, and make sure you do your research before booking your accommodation. Once you pay the down payment, there is no going back.

Head of Advertizia, Julian J. Lenox reviews websites and articles for Travel and Tourism Top 100, a focused Travel and Tourism websites views pool. Stay tuned at Best Beach Resort Deals.

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31
Jan

All Inclusive Resorts: Read Before Going!

Posted in Travel  by julianlenox on January 31st, 2010

All inclusive resorts are famous worldwide because they offer fun activities, amenities, all meals, and drinks. You do not have to pay anything on top of your bill, and you can just kick back and enjoy a nice holiday. However, some all inclusive resorts are not what they seem. A lot of tourists ended up quite disappointed after staying at this so called all inclusive resorts.

Whenever you stay in an all inclusive resort, you are totally isolated from the country you are visiting. For many people this can be disappointing, because they do not get to know the country they have chose for their holidays. However, if you are well aware of this, you would expect the resort to offer you everything you need and more.

Some tourists find that staying in an all inclusive resort can be very boring. Especially, if they do not offer enough activities. Some resorts in Crete have this problem. In addition, the food that they offer is terrible, which can make your stay a real nightmare.

Some other all inclusive resorts are quite dirty, and break environmental rules. Other resorts do not even offer a private beach. They just count with a swimming pool and a bar. Amenities are not included. They do not offer any activities like water sports.

Tourists tell terrible stories about all inclusive resorts that do not offer anything for fun. They can be call all inclusive only because they offer food and drinks, but that is it. Most guests are ready to break out as soon as they get there, because they get unbelievably bored.

Some all inclusive resorts offer smelly tiny rooms, and some do not even have showers. The worst all inclusive resorts are not really all inclusive. They have a rule of only one drink per person. If you want to have more drinks, you have to pay for them.

If you pay for an all inclusive resort stay, you obviously expect quality service and entertainment. In some cases, they offer a night show, but it is so poor and boring that you end up going back to your room. To make matters worse, some resorts charge you an extra fee for air conditioning or fan in your room.

Obviously, if you are going to stay at an all inclusive resort, you are expecting to find a swimming pool. Although in most cases you do, in some you will find a murky swimming pool, totally uninviting, and you will not dare to take a dip. All inclusive resorts can be really disappointing.

When you plan an all inclusive resort vacation the first rule is not going for bargains or cheap deals, because you will probably end up on a shabby hotel, which is far from all inclusive. Also, it is advisable to read some online reviews on the resort you chose, to know what to expect.

Head of Advertizia, Julian J. Lenox writes reviews and articles for Travel and Tourism Top 100, a devoted Travel and Tourism websites analysis reserve. Learn more about Best All Inclusive Resorts.

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