Seaside Hotels: Waves, Sand & Great Service

Many hotels provide beach access, but which ones in particular stand out? Here’s a look at a few beach hotels on the top of our list…

Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel in Mallorca, Spain is situated on a cliffside property with stunning views of the Balearic Sea. In the distance you can also see Port de Soller and the Tramuntana mountains. Guests can take in the views while exploring nearby villages and coastlines. All 120 rooms have balconies with views of the sea. Staying at this hotel is sure to be a relaxing visit!

Kimpton’s Hotel La Jolla, San Diego provides visitors with views of the Pacific Ocean from a majority of guest rooms. With the shoreline right outside the property, adventurous guests can enjoy a day of kayaking, snorkeling, or surfing. Hotel La Jolla is also a good accommodation for business travelers as it provides free Wi-Fi and meeting spaces.

The Birchwood Inn in St. Petersburg, Florida is a small, boutique hotel that reopened this past May. This hotel features a rooftop restaurant where guests can take in great views of Tampa Bay and The Pier. The remodeling of the Birchwood Inn blends new, modern architecture with its original 1924 Spanish mission-style structures.

Which of these hotels do you think would provide the most breathtaking views and relaxing visit?

For more new beach hotels please visit http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/hottest-new-beach-hotels/1

Future of Mobile Tech

To accommodate increasing smart phone use, many stores have created mobile apps to engage customers further, but what good is an app if your phone is low on battery? Apps are fun and useful until you realize it has used up a good portion of your phone battery. The next mobile trend companies are looking into is providing wireless charging stations in their stores.

Companies that have already seen the necessity for mobile wireless charging stations include Starbucks, McDonald’s, and airport lounges. Starbucks is the first to place these charging stations in their stores by first testing out its popularity at 17 locations in Boston last year and expanding to 10 stores in Silicon Valley this year.

Currently, the charging stations have to be used with a compatible wireless battery case attached to the phone. However, it is expected that the wireless battery cases will soon no longer be need as AT&T has announced plans to produce phones with wireless charging technology built in.

Wireless charging stations seem to be the future of mobile technology as we greatly rely on our smart phones for daily activities and therefore need them to maintain power throughout the entire day.

For more information please visit http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/08/02/starbucks-mcdonalds-wireless-charging/2600699/

Hostels Reinvented: The New Trend of Upscale Hostels

When you think of a hostel, upscale generally isn't the first word that comes to mind. Hostels have been associated with low cost, low amenities, and being geared towards college students and backpackers. However, new hostels are popping up around the globe that are looking to change those generalizations. The hostels of today are still budget priced, but offer much more in the way of amenities.

The Blue Hostel, a recently renovated hostel in Rome, Italy is close to the Coliseum and Termini Station. It is also located inside an 18 century building with parquet floors and beautiful wood ceilings. It offers hotel level features such as Wi-Fi, minibars, and flat screen TVs for only $59 a night. A bonus feature they offer is maps of Rome, which have local dining suggestions.

Equity Point Marrakech Hostel, in Marrakech Morocco is a gorgeously decorated riad (a traditional Moroccan house characterized by an inner courtyard). They offer dorm style rooms with 8 – 10 beds or double and single rooms. There is also internet access and a bar and offer free traditional Moroccan breakfast all for only $13 a night.

The Getaway Hostel, in the beautiful city of Chicago is a short walk from many of Chicago’s beaches and offers both dorm style and individual rooms. It has a large gourmet kitchen and an outdoor patio, and many of the rooms offer private bathrooms. Continental breakfast is served daily and free Wi-Fi and computers, as well as guitars are offered to guests. They also cater to guests who want to see the city, with bar crawls, barbecues, and blues club tours.

The new trend in hostels seems to be blending the amenities of a nice hotel with the budget consciousness of a hostel. Only time will tell if it will be a smart business strategy, but in the meantime it’s a great time to be a traveler!  

Tweets & Hashtags: First “Twitter Hotel”

To remain a success in today’s fast paced environment, you always have to be one step ahead of the curve. Melia Hotels has done just that by launching the first ever “Twitter experience hotel.” The hotel located on the beach of Mallorca, Spain is known by its Twitter handle @SolWaveHouseHotel.

So what exactly sets this hotel apart? #SocialWave helps this hotel stand out, which is only available on the hotel’s Wi-Fi network. Guests register their Twitter handle when they check in and can then quickly use Twitter to communicate with hotel staff and other guests. There are two Twitter concierges devoted exclusively to answering guests’ requests through Twitter.

In 10 years, every hotel might use Twitter in the same way as the Sol Wave House Hotel, but it all depends on how successful the first “Twitter experience hotel” really is.  

The Future of Personal Security is Here

Want to protect your personal information and feel like James Bond? Fingerprint scanners, which are a staple of spy and sci-fi movies, are making their way into smart phones. Having to type a pass code to unlock your phone will soon be a thing of the past.

As people anticipate the next iPhone, recent news on the latest version shows that it will allow you to unlock your phone by placing your finger on the home button. This would be possible through a biometric sensor in the phone after registering your fingerprints with the device. Simply using your fingerprint to unlock your phone would be a lot more convenient and faster than having to type in a pass code and would also eliminate the chance of forgetting it and being locked out of your phone.

Another app designed to enhance smart phone security is “Step away from the phone.” Once the app is opened, the user has five seconds to put the phone down as a life-like car alarm will sound if touched. The screen will also turn black so it appears as if the device is not in use. Pressing the home button on the phone will exit out of the app, but someone trying to steal your phone may not have time to figure that out since the app will say “please step away from the phone.” This would certainly grab your attention if someone tries to steal your phone.

With people storing so much personal information on their phones nowadays, an anti-theft app would be a smart idea. Would you use either of these apps to prevent your phone from being stolen?

Historic Hotels

Hotels can be successful for many reasons - one reason that has been receiving attention lately is historical significance. Let’s take a look at a few hotels that not only have great service and features, but historical value as well…

                                

In Washington, the Willard InterContinental has been the place to stay for various U.S presidents as it is located very close to the White House. This hotel was recently included in the Historic Hotels of America Network.

The Grand on Mackinac Island in Michigan is a throwback to earlier times. Mackinac Island itself offers multiple reasons to stay with its various quaint shops. Cars are forbidden as horse drawn carriages and bicycles are used as the preferred form of transportation. The Grand offers the perfect combination of modern amenities and old fashioned charm. It also features the world’s longest porch where guests can simply relax with great scenic views of the island.

The Drake Hotel is located at the beginning of Chicago’s famed Magnificent Mile. The hotel is modeled after Italian Renaissance palaces and has great views of Lake Michigan. It has been featured in a few movies, such as The Blues Brothers, Risky Business, and My Best Friend’s Wedding.

Hotels with historical significance will always be profitable because people like to feel as if they are a part of history. In 100 years who knows what hotels will be a historical landmark - it may even be a hotel you have stayed at. 

To look at more historic hotels please visit http://travel.yahoo.com/blogs/compass/grand-hotels-blend-history-luxury-223253760.html

Tile: The Lost Will Be Found

Ever misplace your keys or wallet and have to worry about not finding them or not having time to look? A new device called Tile may just be the key to this widespread and seriously annoying problem.

Tile is a small, Bluetooth enabled device that can be attached to anything like a wallet, keys, or laptop. It works with the Tile app to help you track the item you have misplaced and sends you notifications as you take steps towards the location of your lost item. The Tile device is able to track within a 150 foot radius, however if your lost item is outside this area the cloud enabled system still provides your items' location.

Tile could make the stress and hassle of losing your keys or wallet a thing of the past, but only time will tell if consumers will use it. Would you buy one of these to avoid losing valuable items?

For more information on Tile please visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227606