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16 Dec 2010

Los Angeles hotel review : Hollywood Hotel

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So I thought it was about time I did a review of a hotel in Los Angeles because after all it is one of the most popular destinations in the whole of the US. I suppose one reason it does get overlooked by some is that it’s much further away for European people so it could be offputting because of the flight times which are a bit scary. Still if you stopover somewhere like New York then it’s more than possible without too much jetlag.

So the hotel is aptly named the “Hollywood Hotel” and it’s quite reasonably priced at around $200 a night and it has quite a few facilities like:

  • FREE breakfast buffet daily from 6:30am – 10:30am
  • 24 hour front desk
  • Dry cleaning service
  • Bar and Lounge open from 6:00pm – 11:00pm and subject to change without notice
  • Modern Fitness center
  • Swimming pool area with garden
  • 10,000 Square feet of Banquet and Meeting space with
  • Concierge and guideline tours of Hollywood desk
  • Car Rentals

So as you can see you’re getting a lot of facilities for your money which is always nice. I was also thinking it would be great for a family who want to visit Universal Studios as its really close by.

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06 Dec 2010

Hotel review: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

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So I thought the hotel reviews section of this site needed a little “livening up” so I have decided to review a hotel set right in the Disney World resort. This is a first for openfire as I’ve never reviewed a “theme hotel” before. Also I know a lot people are thinking about booking a hotel outside the main Disney world resort and travelling in every day however this could be one of the best reasons not to do that.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is based largely around the Safari theme and also a kind of overall African atmosphere which the kids are sure to love. It’s also got spa treatments on site with swimming pools which I’m sure the adults are going to love too. Another thing I like about this hotel is it has so many positive reviews on sites like tripadvisor which is almost always a good sign. Did I also mention that they have 30 acres of land where 100 animals roam freely around? If this doesn’t impress and add to the atmosphere then surely nothing will.

I do have to say that this particular resort is the furthest away of all the hotels from the actual theme park (about a 20 min ride). To some people this will appeal while others may be thinking why not just get a cheaper hotel outside the resort? I suppose the main point is that this isn’t just a Disney hotel but a really unique experience that you can look forward to coming back to after a day at the park.

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04 Dec 2010

Other things to do in Las Vegas

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So I was thinking today (as I have been known to do) are there other things to do in Las Vegas other than Gamble? It’s an interesting question because while I believe that most people who come to sin city come to visit the casinos I also know many people want to see more than the inside of the gambling houses on their vacation. So I thought I would list a few of the top attractions here so you guys can see for yourselves that there really is a lot to do. It’s also worth mentioning that many of the sightseeing opportunities are provided by the casinos to lure people in but that doesn’t mean you have to give into temptation and start gambling!

Bellagio Fountains


Eiffel Tower Replica


The Volcano Eruption at the Mirage Hotel

Gondola Ride at the Venetian

As you can see many of these activities are free and that’s not a word people often associate with Las Vegas. I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that so much of the enjoyment of the city comes from just breathing in the atmosphere around you.

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04 Dec 2010

Great national parks in the U.S.A

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So I’ve always been a great admirer of the great national parks in the USA and when I found this great video all about them I wanted to share. Its quite long at over 26 mins but more than worth the watch, especially so if you’re planning a trip to one of the national parks sometime soon.

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04 Dec 2010

Hotel Review: Hilton Garden Inn New York

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So I thought it’s about time I did a hotel review here at openfire. I suppose one of the things people find really hard about booking a hotel is just which one to choose. This is so true when you are in a strange city that you have never visited before. So to help with all the confusion I decided to do some hotel reviews here of some great hotels all around the USA.

One reason I often like to go with a brand name like the Hilton is because there’s a certain level of service which is always reassuring for people. Another great thing about the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Tribeca is the huge number of rooms at over 151 which means its one of those hotels in New York that always has vacancies.

One positive thing that I always like to see is a high number of positive reviews on other review sites like tripadvisor, and this one seems to have a lot (over 1500). Check them out some time if you’re looking for a cheap hotel.

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04 Dec 2010

How to choose a cheaper hotel (the easy way)

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So someone asked me personally a short while ago exactly what the best things to do and see while on a short break in Ny City. The present problem for any traveler is that often there are actually so many terrific sites it’s nearly impossible to choose. This can be even more true if you’re on a short holiday weekend break and there’s a set limit to the number of attractions you can visit. To help I made the choice to give out a few of the best things to do on your next vacation in New York.

Baseball can be a must see attraction inside the metropolis and i feel it’s one of the few traveller activities were residents and travelers to the city actually meet. Another awesome thing may be the price of seating for baseball which may be as low as $30 which for a whole nights entertainment is hard to beat.

Food Tours have gotten ever more popular in New york city. This is because New York has an enormously varied mix of ethnicities that bring many unique variations of food for the table. There are food tours that focus on one kind of food just like Scott’s Pizza trips and others which go for a more diversified mix.

Museums are another common destination for holidaymakers visiting the city. Destinations like the Metropolitan Museum of Art are totally free to enter which is suitable for people visiting on a budget. You in addition have a broad range of galleries from the modern day to the classic so there must be something for everyone.

I’m sure you can see there’s more than enough attractions to fit into any kind of getaway in the Big Apple, nevertheless it’s really important to pre-plan and also budget what you wish to see beforehand. Understand that many of the attractions including the statue of liberty tend to be miles from everywhere else and may consume an important portion of your day if you decide to visit.

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