Hi, I'm Jared. Everyone wants to have a great vacation, without getting stuck in a flea-bag hotel, or paying 3X more than they should.
That's why we've created this special page within the site to advise on how to choose the best hotel. Not all hotels are equal. And even if it has a "4 Star Rating ", doesn't mean it's the best hotel out there.
Which hotel is best for you?
Finding the Best Resorts
If you do a little research and plan ahead you can find some of the best resorts around the world. There are many different luxury and family oriented resorts, as well as romantic get away locations. Some of the best hotels and resorts are found in out of the way places like Puerto Rico, Spain, and Greece. A good place to begin is to decide where you want to go.
When you are looking for the best resorts, one of the places you can look for them is on resort listing websites. These sites have a large compilation of different kinds of resorts, and many include things like if they are adults only or kid friendly. They even have ratings for each site and reviews from real customers who have visited them. You still have to visit the resort site in order to find out what amenities they have, any attractions that they may offer, and what kinds of adventures await you.
If you have children, one of the biggest problems with vacations is that most of your budget is spent on meals. The best resorts for families are the all inclusive resorts. All inclusive means that for one price, your lodging, meals, and on site activities are free. While these can be the best resorts for families, you still have to check for hidden fees. You may still have to pay any gratuities and some of the on site activities may be extra, like if you want to have a parasailing adventure. Many of these all inclusive resorts have buffet style dining, and so if you want something special, you may have to pay extra.
All inclusive resorts can be the best resorts for couples seeking to get away from it all for a few days, or even a week or more. Since you don't have to pay, there is time for other things, like enjoying each others' company. They may have lots of different amenities available that aren't normally available at family oriented resorts, like bars and dancing. Usually these resorts are set in some of the more exotic locations like Cancun or the Bahamas and have plenty of natural beauty around them.
When looking for the best resorts you really need to plan ahead. One of the things to consider is booking your resort early. Many people travel and go on vacation during the summer, and even the best resorts can be crowded during the peak season. For a change, you should consider going during the off season, when the crowds and tourist are fewer. Many locations around the equator are nice and sunny even during the winter, although you may have to deal with adverse weather once in awhile.
Some of the best resorts may even include tours of local National Parks, or going on safari. When you book a resort, make sure that you check the internet first as you can find some of the best bargains on discount resort packages. It is a good idea to advance book any tours or other attractions that are near the resort you are interested in.
The Best Hotels in the World
If you are looking for the best hotels in the world then you are in the right place! This is a comprehensive list of the top 10 castle hotels in the world. These hotels are offer nothing but the best. They truly are fit for a king!
Lakewood, Washington Thornewood Castle - This 27,000 square foot castle hotel is conveniently located just south of Seattle, Washington. It sits on the banks of American lake. The hotel is surrounded by beautiful gardens. This makes it a great place for those who want to sit back and take in the natural beauty if this wonderful castle hotel.
DENMARK, Funen Hvedholm Slot - Funen Hvedholm Slot truly is magnificent. The castle was built in 1570 and was renovated during the 19th century. It is surrounded by 120 acres are luscious greenery. This makes this castle hotel one of the best hotels in the world.
ENGLAND, West Sussex Amberley Castle - Amberley Castle was built in the 14th century and still boasts medieval architecture. During your visit to Amberley Castle you will find lakes, gardens and even a crochet lawn. This makes it one of the best hotels in England to spend a relaxing holiday.
FRANCE, Thouet Valley Château de Saint-Loup - This castle is as realistic as they come, it even has a moat! You will truly feel like a king or queen staying in a room at this castle hotel. The rooms feature four poster beds and stained glass window for your enjoyment. There are many activities to take part in as well such as biking, hot air balloon rides and fishing.
INDIA, Rajasthan Taj Lake Palace - The Taj Lake Palace is by far one the most beautiful and best hotels in the world. This palace appears to rise out of Lake Pichola and therefore it is only accessible by gondola. This palace makes for the perfect romantic getaway. The suites are absolutely stunning and are sure to take your breath away. Dinning in the hotel restaurant, Neel Kamal is a wonderful experience as well.
Poland, Reszel Reszel Castle - Reszel Castle in Poland is an absolutely stunning castle hotel. It was built in the 14th century, but was recently renovated in 2001. This is one of the best hotels to stay at if you are planning a vacation to Poland. When you visit, make sure that you don't miss out on the hotel restaurant, which is a favorite of the locals. The restaurant serves delicious mutton dumplings!
SPAIN, Cuenca Parador of Alarcon - Historians will appreciate that this hotel in Spain was built in the 8th century! The castle has been perfectly preserved and is not one of the best hotels in the world. The hotel sits in a small medieval town next to the Jucar River gorge. During your visit you should make sure that you take the time to check out the beautiful landscape and relax! The hotel itself is full of old world charm and is the perfect place to stay when visiting Spain; however you may want to book ahead of time, because this castle hotel only has 15 rooms.
Finding Deals on the Best Hotels
There are many ways to find deals on the best hotels, if you do a little researching. There are many great hotels both here in this country as well as abroad, but you have to know where to look in order to get the most savings. Here are some helpful tips and suggestions.
If you travel frequently, you can find deals on the best hotels using discount travel services. They offer deals not only on hotels, but flights and car rental services as well. You can find many package discounts, which combine all of these into one low rate. You don't have to necessarily plan ahead either, there are many sites that have quite a few last minute deals as well. One thing to keep in mind when wanting to use these sites however is that you will usually have to pay a monthly fee to use their services, and in some cases, you can find these deals just as easily on your own.
If you are on a family vacation, some of the best hotels are ones that offer discounts for children. These can include free meals, or free hotel stays, and in some cases both. You have to really look into each of these child discount hotels though, because many of them will have age limitations.
Whether it is a family vacation, or even getting away with your spouse for a romantic interlude, some of the best hotels are the ones that are all inclusive. For one convenient price, your stay, meals, and even on-site activities are included. With many of these inclusive packages, you have buffet style dining, which can accommodate even the most finicky children and adults. Again, you have to check with the hotel for any extra fees that may not be included with the price. These can include things like tips, attractions that are at the hotel but not part of the hotel itself. You may have to pay extra for alcoholic beverages, special menu items, as well as any off site tours.
Some people find that some of the best hotels are not hotels at all but bed and breakfast lodgings. These can be at historical homes, and other famous landmarks. While you may have to pay extra for food, you are guaranteed that there will be at least breakfast and dinner available. Some of these provide high quality home cooked meals, made by the host or hostess themselves. Bed and breakfast accommodations can be in secluded areas of the country, or even in the hustle and bustle of major cities. There are also websites to help you find the one that is right up your alley.
If you really want to get into the best hotels for the best rates and don't want to use one of those discount sites, you have to book reservations ahead of time. This way you are sure that you will get the room you want, at the price you want. Many high end resorts and hotels fill up fast during the summer months. In order to escape from too many people, it may be a better idea to book your travel and other accommodations for the winter time, when it isn't in peak tourist season.
Choosing the Best Inn for Your St. Augustine, Florida Vacation
Choosing the best inn for your St. Augustine, Florida vacation may prove to be a challenging endeavor as this particular city has a wide array of inns to choose from. When choosing your lodging accommodations, it is important to consider only the locations that truly bring the essence of Florida and the history of St. Augustine to life. St. Augustine has been hailed as the "Nation's Oldest City" as well as "One of the 10 Most Walk-able Cities in the United States". There are a number of historically famous locations, various types of museums, shopping experiences, dining experiences, and friendly historic ghostly figures waiting your arrival! Here, you will be introduced to a few of the best inns in the city.
Casablanca Inn on the Bay
The Casablanca Inn on the Bay is considered to be the best inn in St. Augustine. This particular bed and breakfast overlooks the waterfront area of the Matanzas Bay located in the spectacular historical region of St. Augustine near the popular "Bridge of Lions" and the "Castillo de San Marcos" National Monument also known as the "Old Fort" to locals. Children ages ten and up are welcome at this particular inn. You may check in to the inn between the times of 3:00pm EST and 10:00pm EST. Breakfast is served in a spectacular dining room, or it can be eaten in the verandas located in the front of the structure. There are many luxury amenities offered at this historic inn including Jacuzzi whirlpool tubs, plush bedding, flatscreen televisions, and more! In addition to this, it is within walking distance to the horse and buggy rides, the "Old Fort", St. George Street, and many other exciting locations.
Penny Farthing Inn
To many, the Penny Farthing Inn is the best inn located in the "Nation's Oldest City". This bed and breakfast inn was constructed in the year of 1897 and is located right in the center of the historical region of St. Augustine, Florida. The building is a classical Victorian style structure and those employed by the bed and breakfast do all that they are able to in order to ensure that your stay is pleasurable and catches the essence of romance of the popular Florida town. This beautiful inn is located immediately next to the popular Lightner Museum. This is directly across from the popular Flagler College. While visiting the inn, you will be provided with breakfast, beverages, and luxurious sweets. If you are planning a getaway to this notably historic and haunted town, the Penny Farthing Inn will be one of the best choices as far as luxury accommodations.
St. Francis Inn
For those that enjoy history and perhaps have an interest in the paranormal, the St. Francis Inn will likely be considered to be the best inn located in St. Augustine, Florida. This inn is located on the popular "St. George Street" where there are many shopping outlets where visitors may acquire Florida souvenirs, clothing, toys, special foods, and more! This inn possesses the "Old World" charm of the "Nation's Oldest City", as well as at least a couple of ghosts according to the locals. This comes as no surprise as this inn has been called the "Oldest Continuously Operating Inn in America". Constructed in the year of 1791, this inn has been in full operation since 1845. Several apparitions have been spotted in the building, and it is said that they all welcome new visitors.
As you can see, there are many interesting inns in St. Augustine, Florida. However, choosing the best inn will be determined by your agenda while visiting the oldest city in the United States. However, at least one of the three inns listed here are likely to appeal to you.