Maizebread's Blog

Unusual Hotels – Wine Barrels Netherlands

maizebread — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:14:47 +0000

The entrance to the Barrel Hotel in Friesland

The Netherlands’ Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren is a barrel of fun. The hotel features four rooms made from 14,500-liter wine casks shipped from Switzerland.

Each wine cask room has two twin beds and is attached to a small sitting room with a television, radio and full bathroom.

Barrel Hotel Living Area

The hotel has views of the harbor and a shady terrace patio for guests to enjoy. Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren also has a restaurant that offers a wide range of traditional and international cuisines.

Barrel Hotel - Bedroom

The wine cask rooms start at 109.50 euros per night for two people.
From November to February, guests can snag a room for as little as 27.40 euros a night if they’re willing to stay at least three nights.
Room prices include breakfast. Some of the hotel’s packages include additional meals or fun extras such as a homemade cake or pie, a bottle of wine and bicycle rentals.

Stavoren - Friesland

The hotel can be found in Stavoren, a town in the Netherlands’ Friesland province. The well-preserved harbor city boasts centuries-old forests and a large network of bike paths that wind through the city.

Friesland province is famous for its cross-country speed ice skaters, hosting Elfstedentocht, a 200-kilometer ice skating tour.

For more information on Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren, visit its website: www.hotel-vrouwevanstavoren.nl/Engels/indexengels.htm

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotel, Hotels, Things to see, Travel, Unusual hotels

Unusual Hotels – Hobbit Motel NZ

maizebread — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:54:58 +0000

Hobbit Hotel Waitomo - New Zealand

Who knows how J.R.R. Tolkien would have designed a motel but the Hobbit Motel in New Zealand seems to have real fantasy appeal. The strange little building with porthole-style windows is built into the side of a hill in Waitomo, a region on the North Island known for its caves and waterfalls.

Entrance to a Hobbit Hole

Woodlyn Park, the site of the Hobbit Motel, started out as a working farm that turned into a restaurant-bar and was then fashioned into a string of unusual dwellings.

Hobbit Hotel - Living Area

Each Hobbit unit accommodates up to six people, with a double bed in the main living area and an additional room with two sets of bunk beds.

Hobbit Hotel - Bedroom

The units, built into the hillside like the hobbit-holes from “The Lord of the Rings,” were built from polystyrene, which naturally cools during the summer and warms in the winter.

– Kelsey Ramos Los Angeles Times

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotel, Hotels, leisure, Travel, Unusual hotels

Unusual Hotels – Oil Pods A

maizebread — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:04:25 +0000

Sleep in an oil rig escape pod. In this case a novelty bedroom rather than a luxury experience. An oil rig escape pod functions as a capsule hotel in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Oil Rig Capsule Hotel -Amsterdam

Amsterdam has lots of floating communities – houses or boats moored in place on the canals – but there’s one little community that’s so unusual it’s sure to turn heads: the Capsule Hotel.

Made from repurposed life rafts that once belonged to an oil rig, the Capsule Hotel comprises two UFO-shaped pods a little over 4 meters in diameter.

The interior has been left to retain much of its “original charm” which means you won’t find any mod cons here (unless you count a disco ball and party lights – yes, that’s included!). Your bed for the night? A large sheepskin rug thrown over a hammock-style bit of netting. The bathroom? Well, you might want to hold it, but there is a chemical toilet for um, “emergencies”. That said, I’m guessing the kinds of people who choose to stay in this type of accommodation are doing it for the novelty more than anything – and that, there is certainly plenty of.

by REENA GANGA on Nov 17, 2011

via Sleep in an oil rig escape pod | Wanderplex | Tips, Tricks, and Inspiration for World Travel.

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotel, Hotels, leisure, Travel, Unusual hotels

Airline safety – New Look

maizebread — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:48:26 +0000

You certainly wouldn’t get this on Alitalia.! But it certainly makes you stop and listen. Perhaps it is the answer to how to get all boring/repetitive/have to listen but heard it all before type of information across.

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotel, Hotels, Travel, Travel Tips

How to take a Turkish Bath

maizebread — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:08:43 +0000

The Turkish bath, also know as hamam or hammam, is one of the ancient world’s most widely exported customs. The tradition of the Turkish bath was born generations ago, adopted from Romans and Byzantines and then perfected by the Seljuk and Ottoman Turks and has continued even until today.

“What happens in a Hamam?”
Well, the ritual is simple. After entering to our hamam at Kelebek Hotel, you will find yourself in the camekan with changing cubicles. Wearing only a Pestemal (a large striped or checked towel fringed at both ends and wrapped around the chest), and clanking on the marble floor in your nalins (clogs), you pass through a semi-transparent door and reach the core Sicaklik (hot room). To feel more comfortable, we suggest our guests to have their swim-suits with them as well.

Sicaklik (also known as Hararet), is a high room filled with the sound of splashing water, the scent of soap, and wafting steam through which daily concerns and worries cannot penetrate. In the gentle moist heat your body relaxes, and your nerves are soothed. You sit down at one of the marble wash basins which line the walls, and adjusting the temperature of the water to a delicious warmth, dip the copper bathing bowl into the basin and tip the water over your head and body. Waves of relaxation seem to pour right through you as the water ripples down.

If you purchase peeling & soap massage, which is known as “Kese” in Turkish Bath culture, your attendant (tellak for men and natir for women) will pour hot water on you and then begin to scrub every square inch of your body. Basically, every millimeter of dead and dirty skin is scrubbed off, even the skin between your fingers and toes.

The traditional Hamman

Afterwards you are lathered with liquid soap and shampoo and given the choice of many different massage types including classic, arometherapy, medical, shiatsu therapy and others in special massage rooms with a relaxing music on the background. The massage is guaranteed to make you feel relaxed. When it is done, one last shower and then it is time to leave the Sicaklik, steam room.

Then you are given fresh towels and again brought to Sogukluk (the cool room, lobby) to rest, dry off, drink tea, coffee or refreshments and socialize with other guests which are now “Hamamers”.

Resting Rooms

After resting as long as you like, it is time to go. You will get up and get dressed and as you walk to your room and pass by the mirrors, take a fleeting look at yourself. Your skin will be glowing rosily. But you will feel it as soft as a baby’s skin.

So go ahead and enjoy a Turkish Hamam, sure in the knowledge that now you will be doing it in the correct manner.

The ritual of a Turkish Bath as described by the Cave Hotel, Goreme in Cappadoccia, Turkey.

www.kelebekhotel.com

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, leisure, spa, Things to do

Unusual Hotels – Cave Hotel, Turkey

maizebread — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:54:43 +0000

Goreme, heart of Cappodoccia

Stay in a cave Hotel in the heart of the Cappadoccia region in Turkey. Kelebek has a wonderful location, right in the heart of Goreme’s historic old village, with spectacular views looking out towards Uchisar and Cavusin.

Cave Hotel

The history of the site stretches right back to prehistory, to the days when the eruption of Mt Erciyes and then the effects of wind and rain on the tuff created our two fairy chimneys.
In medieval times the rooms in the top of the chimneys served as simple chapels for local hermits; some of them were frescoed on the ceiling.

Fairy Chimney Bedroom

Today Kelebek -the Butterfly in English- has 31 rooms, some of them in the fairy chimneys, some in caves and some of them in the traditional arched rooms where the locals used to live.

Cave Hotel Bathroom

Suites have spacious cave bedrooms with hand-carved furnishings and locally-made fabrics, marble-walled bathrooms with their own hamam basins, power-showers and bathtubs, and a lovely flower-filled garden with fairy chimneys behind it and the Pigeon Valley opening out in front of it. What more could you possibly wish for?

The traditional Hamman

The Hotel also offers a Haman, swimming pool, and a full range of magnificent tourist attractions.

Price per room per night from €50 to €130 , depending on the size and location of the room.

There are rooms built into fairy chimneys, cave rooms and stone rooms in the rose garden.

www.kelebekhotel.com

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotel, Hotels, Travel, Unusual hotels

Unusual Hotels – Durley House

maizebread — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:22:45 +0000

A weekend in…London

In a year’s time all eyes will be on London as it hosts the 2012 Olympics. But why wait until then to visit this exciting, metropolitan city?

Stay in the Heart of London in a small, all suite hotel in Sloane Street, a few minutes walk from Harrods and the King’s Road.

Where to stay

Durley House is a discreet sanctuary in the heart of the vibrant London district of Chelsea; an “all-suite hotel” offering 11 elegantly furnished period suites, born of a traditional English classicism tempered with modern touches and dedicated personal service.

Located on Sloane Street and perfect for business, families or romantic trysts, Durley House´s spacious suites are 45 sq metres and upwards, sitting rooms with period fireplaces, sofas, dining tables and chairs and space to sleep up to 4 people.

Prices from £252 for a one bedroom suite to £500 per night for the Durley Suite

115 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9PJ, United Kingdom
Tel. 44 (0) 20 7235 5537 Fax. 44 (0) 20 7259 6977
Email. info@durleyhouse.com

Getting around

Although locals love to complain about it, London’s public transport system serves the city pretty well. A large underground train service (“the Tube”) provides links across the whole city, and can be easily navigated by London’s iconic Tube map. (If you are visiting at a weekend be sure to check which Tube lines are running, as engineering works occasionally close lines temporarily on Saturdays and Sundays).

If you’re not travelling far you can get a much better idea of the layout of the city by taking one of the city’s red buses, or even by walking. For a weekend visit, you can purchase an Oystercard for use on buses and Tube trains from any Tube station or ticket machine at a bus stop. Simply top-up these electronic smart-tickets with as much credit as you need to travel around the city.

Sights to see

Thanks to the recent Royal Wedding, the British royal family remains an icon of the country, and London in particular. No trip to London is complete without at least a glimpse of Buckingham Palace, which stands at the end of The Mall. From late July to early October, State Rooms at the Palace are open to visitors, offering a snapshot of life within the Queen’s home, although as they’re a tourist favourite they can be extremely busy.

Buckingham Palace (photo: wikicommons)

Surrounding Buckingham Palace are St James’ Park and Green Park, wonderful places in which to wander; oases of green amid the impressive buildings of the city.

London’s architecture reflects the everchanging art and culture which has shaped this city since its Roman establishment. On the completion of “The Shard”, currently under construction in Southwark, London will also claim the tallest building in Europe.

Should you fancy a stroll along a river rather than beneath trees in one of the parks, the South Bank is an exciting area to explore. Home to several theatres and concert halls, including the National Theatre, the Thames riverbank is also lined with restaurants and bars.

The South Bank is a regular site for outdoor events, particularly in the summertime. Currently it is lined with brightly coloured beach-huts, containing everything from musicians to art exhibitions, celebrating the Festival of Britain. Whilst there take a spin on the London Eye – a large ferris wheel – at sunset for a stunning views of the city.

London Eye (photo: wikicommons)

Also on the South Bank is the Tate Modern art gallery, a must-see for any modern art enthusiasts. London has a number of fine galleries, also including the National Portrait Gallery on Trafalgar Square (with an exceptional, although pricey, rooftop restaurant) and Tate Britain in Pimlico, featuring some of the finest British artwork, both classical and contemporary.

Many of the city’s glorious museums are clustered together in South Kensington, where you can find the Science and Natural History Museums and the stunning Victoria and Albert Museum, or “V&A”, which houses fascinating collections of cultural artefacts from all over the world. All three of these museums also offer free entry, and are excellent places to entertain children.

London West End (photo: Jupiter images)

Alongside New York’s Broadway, London’s West End is one of the world’s best places to visit the theatre. You can take in ballet or opera at Covent Garden’s majestic Royal Opera House, or enjoy a musical (or even the world’s longest running play, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap) along The Strand or Shaftesbury Avenue.

For keen shoppers, Oxford Street is the perfect place to indulge in a little retail therapy, the home to many flagship stores, including Selfridges department store (near Marble Arch). On nearby Regent Street is the vast Hamley’s toyshop, and tucked behind Oxford Circus is Liberty – London’s most glamorous and haven-like department store, built from old boat timbers.

If you fancy a little bargain-hunting off the tourist track, head up north to Camden Lock market, or if you’re in town on a Sunday explore Brick Lane’s buzzy antiques markets and stalls.

Eating and drinking

Thanks to its wonderfully cosmopolitan population, London has a richly varied gastronomic culture. Alongside traditional British fayre you can find excellent Asian, European, and even African cuisine.

Bustling Brick Lane, the centre of the city’s Bangaldeshi community, in East London, is a fun place to go for a curry. Wave away the touts and find yourself a restaurant that appeals to your personal tastes and budget. If you’re more of a Chinese food fan, you can explore Chinatown’s numerous restaurants and oriental supermarkets in the heart of the city’s West End.

Britain is famed for its pubs, where you can sample local ales brewed in the city itself (numerous micro-breweries have popped up all over London in the last decade or so), or from further afield.

Try The George Inn in London Bridge, where once Shakespeare and Charles Dickens propped up the bar. Whilst here you can also admire the fine 17th century architecture of this last surviving galleried coaching inn in London.

Many pubs also serve decent British food, such as the quintessentially English fish and chips. For those who fancy something more elegant than a pint, you could instead find yourself a cocktail. Visit the Skylon Bar within the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, for a stunning view out over the Thames and this exciting city as you sip your Martini.

By Flora Tonking

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotels, Lake Maggiore, London, Shopping, Things to see, Unusual hotels

Valentine’s Day

maizebread — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:41:16 +0000

Dinner at "Le Fief" - Castello Dal Pozzo

Spend a wonderful Valentine’s Day/weekend at the Castello Dal Pozzo – Lake Maggiore

Le Fief Restaurant

Enjoy a romantic weekend

For all information and to book
www.castellodalpozzo.com

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Dining, food, Hotel, Italy, Lake Maggiore, Piemonte, Valentines Day

Skiing in Piemonte

maizebread — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:16:15 +0000

Although most of the Olympic Piemonte ski stations are suffering from lack of snow, the area around Lake Maggiore has been gifted with abundant snow up in the mountains.

Web Cam Macugnaga 16 January 2012

Stay at Castello Dal Pozzo and spend a day skiing in the area. You can shoose to ski a different area each day, rather like changing your golf course.

Macugnaga, Devero and San Domenico all have from 50 to 240cm of powder snow to offer and excellent promotions to get you onto the pistes.!

- Macugnaga: during this week a day’s skipass € 19 on Monte Moro.

- Devero: saturday 4 february day’s skipass free for children under 14.

- San Domenico: Happy Monday skipass €14

Web Cam San Domenico 16 January 2012

San Domenico 50-280cm

San Domenico is the starting point in the winter for the ski slopes of the Alpe Ciamporino (1975 m).

The village of San Domenico is situated at an altitude of 1,420 meters. It offers 30 km of ski slopes and facilities for snowboarding and freestyle, open spaces and walking paths, alpine skiing and snowshoeing
The snow park ha been totally renovated with new equipment for all enthusiasts of acrobatic spins and jumps.
The opening of the lifts is guaranteed from December to early May due to a high quality natural snow
For alpine skiing, 30 km of professional ski runs served by 6 lifts. The easy and wide slopes of the Alpe Ciamporino are ideal for beginners and the excellent skischool allows everyone to improve their technique.
Cross country, hiking and snowshoeing trails. In Trasquera there is a nice cross country trail of medium difficulty, 5 km ski run that runs through an enchanting forest of conifers.

Family ski pass 56€:

Web Cam Alpe Devero 16 January 2012

L’Alpe Devero 60 – 190cm

L’Alpe Devero is the ideal place for skiing in all its forms: from alpine skiing to cross-country, from children to adults, from beginners to experts, the area offers everyone the chance to have fun thanks slopes of easy and medium difficulties.

L’Alpe Devero is also the kingdom of snowboarders, freeriding and backcountry.
You can reach the summit of Monte Cazzola with three lifts: you can ski up to an altitude of 2212 meters in 4 beaten pistes for a total length of 8 km and many off-piste routes, in the woods. For cross-country skiers, short and easy paths for a total of 7 km.
For snowboarders, Alpe Devero offers “Jambopark”, an area equipped for stunts, jumps and dedicated to freestyle.

Web Cam Macugnaga 16 January 2012

Macugnaga Moro 30-270cm

You can reach Monte Moro (2868 meters) by two cableways. The station offers blue runs, red runs and black runs and over 18km of ski pistes. Macugnaga also has two ski schools for those wanting to improve their technique.

For snowboarders, Monte Moro offers an equipped Pink Snow Park served by two lifts

For Nordic skiers, there is a beautiful trail with sections of varying difficulty.

In town it is possible to rent ski equipment in several sporting goods stores.

Ski pass €23-28 per day.

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Italy, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, skiing, snow, Sport, Things to do, winter sports

Unusual Hotels – Hotels of Ice

maizebread — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:36:17 +0000

Hotel de Glace - Quebec Canada

Ice hotels provide a unique experience for its guests. They tend to be located in slightly or very remote regions surrounded by fantastic landscapes and wildlife. Not for the faint hearted but without doubt a very special experience. Available from January to end of March normally.

Bedroom in the Hotel de Glace-Canada

Quebec City, Canada
Canada’s Hôtel de Glace – North America’s only hotel made entirely of ice and snow — opens for its 11th season on January 6 (and stays open through March 25). Built on the former site of the Québec Zoo, the only animals you’ll find here today are the cold-loving humans aching to spend an evening braving the elements, enjoying a sauna under the stars in the hotel’s Nordic area or taking a turn on the fun-for-all-ages Grand Ice Slide.
Rooms and suites thankfully come with fur-lined beds and sleeping bags; some rooms even have fireplaces. Also on-site is a ice bar and a “nordic area” with hot tubs and a sauna.
Nightly rates start at CAD $400, or $389.

The oldest of the Ice Hotels -Sweden

Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Just 125 miles from the Arctic Circle in a small village where the canine residents outnumber the human ones, Sweden’s ICEHOTEL is the grande dame of frozen accommodations. Creating the world’s largest ice hotel is a year-round endeavor that begins in the spring — when 4,000 tons of water are harvested from the Torne River — and continues through the winter months, during which more than 50,000 people make the sub-zero pilgrimage to the ice hotel that started it all.

Ice Bedroom in the Ice Hotel

Cold Room Accomodation: Suite Stay amongst ice art in the shape of fantastic design and wonderful sculptures. Spacious accomodation for a special occasion. You sleep in a thermal sleeping bag on a special bed of snow and ice, on reindeer skins.You are awakened in the morning with a cup of hot lingonberry juice at your bedside. Breakfast buffet, winter overall, boots, mittens, morning sauna and towels included.
Price per Suite 3500-7000 Swedish Kronors per night.

Ice Bedroom at the Sorisniva Igloo Hotel Norway

Sorrisniva, Norway
The Vikings. Norwegian fairytales. The Alta River. Each year, a single theme inspires the ice artisans who spend five weeks creating the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel; this year’s focus is on Norse mythology. But guests aren’t left out in the cold for their entire stay: A heated service building offers restroom, changing, shower, sauna and restaurant facilities.
The Igloo measures approx 2000 square metres and the entire exterior and interior is made of snow and ice; the rooms, the beds, even the glasses in the ice bar. Apart from its 30 bedrooms, the Igloo Hotel houses suites, an ice-chapel, an ice-bar and several lounges.
Price per Double Room NOK 1995

Lake Balea IceCube Palace Roumania

Balea Lac, Romania
Perched at an altitude of 2,000 meters, Hotel of Ice Cubes might be a more accurate name, as this place — which includes an ice bar, ice restaurant and ice church — is built of ice cubes cut directly from the Balea Lake (plus some just regular old ice and water).

Ice Bedroom in the Ice Cube Palace

Nestled in the majestic Fagaras Mountains, skiing is perhaps the favorite activity of those visiting the Ice Hotel Romania. The skiing is excellent for beginners and experts alike. For those looking for some really hardcore skiing and snowboarding adventures, guests can charter heli-skiing trips that take skiers to some the most pristine slopes in the world with virgin snow, steep inclines and rocky drops that get the adrenaline pumping.
Price per Double Room