Archive for May, 2010

Tri-State campsites fill up during Memorial Day weekend

Tri-State campsites fill up during Memorial Day weekend
Several Tri-Staters said you can’t beat the prices, and it’s good to spend time with family and friends.

Read more on 14 WFIE Evansville

where is the best place for romantic camping close to New York city?

I am 26 years old ,I live in Brooklyn NY and I have 2 days vacation, so I want to take my wife to a romantic beautiful place so we can camp , drink wine and enjoy the charming nature, any Idea?

Top 5 Luxury Spa Towns In Sicily

Anyone who is interested in a luxury holiday to Italy will inevitably be drawn to the best spas and thermal baths the country has to offer. Since Roman times, spas have been one of the most popular forms of relaxation and socialising in Italy, and today its thermal baths and spas have become so popular that many holiday goers make them the centrepiece of their trip.

The best destinations for spa holidays in Italy are on the coast or the small islands that surround the mainland, and Sicily has some of the best thermal spa hotels in the region. Most of the top luxury hotels in Sicily have some kind of spa facility, and there are many that specialize in thermal treatments. Sicily and the Aeolian islands have numerous active and dormant volcanoes, and many spas take their spa water from natural hot springs. This volcanic spring water has a particularly high salt and mineral content, giving many health benefits to those who bathe in it.

Just as important as the quality of a luxury spa hotel in Sicily is its location. Some people want peace, quiet and natural beauty after a spa session, others want vibrant city life and an authentic taste of Sicilian culture as part of their holiday. Here are five of the best spa towns in Sicily, from bustling cities and towns to secluded island retreats.

Catania

Located on the east coast of Sicily, Catania is the island’s second largest city after Palermo. The source of Catania’s hot springs isn’t hard to locate – the city sits at the foot of the largest active volcano in Europe, Mount Etna.

The proximity of the volcano has made the surrounding land extremely fertile, and the spring water is of excellent quality. Though earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have damaged the city at several points in its history, many of the ancient buildings remain intact. The city is also famed for its popular music scene, and so offers both handsome architecture and a vibrant nightlife. For people who want the bustle of an exciting city as part of their spa holiday in Sicily, Catania is an outstanding choice.

Vulcano

If you want a little more seclusion while on your luxury holiday in Sicily, some of the best places to go are on the Aeolian Islands, a small archipelago just off the north coast of Sicily. Each island has some superb spa resorts, but perhaps the best of them can be found on Vulcano.

As the name of the island suggests, several volcanoes are at the centre of the island, giving rise to the hot springs that are used by the spa hotels on Vulcano. The island is sparsely populated, leaving plenty of untouched natural beauty to enjoy between spa sessions. And for those who are looking for unusual health and beauty treatments, sulphur mud baths are a particular speciality offered by the spas of Vulcano.

Taormina

Taormina is small town on the east coast of Sicily, popular with tourists and famed for its superb beaches. The town itself is a great place to relax during spa holidays in Sicily, with picturesque architecture and a rich history. It’s an especially good place for culture vultures – Taormina features one of the most popular archaeological sites in Sicily, the ‘Greek Theatre’, a superbly preserved amphitheatre which is the venue for numerous live music and theatre events. For a luxury holiday in Sicily, Taormina is a great middle ground between a busy city like Catania and the more isolated Aeolian island resorts.

Mazara Del Vallo

Located in the southwest of Sicily, Mazara Del Vallo is a busy port town that is home to the largest fishing fleet in Italy. The area immediately around Mazara Del Vallo, where many of the best spa hotels are to be found, is rich with numerous olive groves and vineyards, providing a handsome backdrop to some of the best luxury resorts for holidays in Sicily. This part of the island is visited by fewer tourists than the north and east, which makes Mazara Del Vallo the ideal place to get away from the crowds for relaxing spa holidays in Sicily.

Termini Imerese

The very name of Termini Imerese is inseparable from its history as a spa town. Derived from the Latin “Thermae Himerenses” or “Hot springs of Himera”, the town has been a significant spa town since it was found over two and half thousand years ago. It has a history associated with the Hercules and the armies of Hannibal, and was once praised by Cicero as one of the finest towns in Sicily. Today, those on spa holidays in Sicily can still see the ancient Roman aqueducts and enjoy a superb view across the sea to nearby Palermo. Pretty architecture and good views aside, the town works hard to uphold its traditional role as a premier spa town. It has some of the best luxury hotels in Sicily, and most offer an extensive range of health and beauty treatments.

The Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa: catering to every need

The smallest Arabic country in the world is a delightful archipelago comprising 33 islands. The main island, a blob of paradise, is called Bahrain next to which are Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Here you get the best of both worlds in terms natural as well as architectural splendor. Long beaches, leafy green pathways and trails and matchless monuments adorn the country rendering it rich both scenically as well as visually.

The Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa is situated in the capital city called Manama next to a lovely sandy beach. The 7-storey luxury resort is comprised of 245 suites and guest rooms. The deep blue-tinted Arabian Sea presents a fascinating vista from the luxury five star hotels.

As soon as you check into your suite or guest room you will be struck by the sheer sumptuousness of it all. You will have a high-tech LCD television airing some of your favorite channels, a well-appointed suite with a 600 thread-count bed linen, three types of pillows (all treated for allergens) marbled bathroom replete with a la mode rainshowers, etc.  The housekeeping service occurs on a twice-daily basis, plus there is 24-hour in-room dining service available. Look out the window and your eyes will be embalmed by the sight of a lagoon and the marvelous city skyline.

Enjoy a swim? Well, depending on the weather you can take a plunge inside the outdoor swimming pool or, if it happens to be cold, inside the heated indoor one. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of the luxury spa at Bahrain’s Ritz-Carlton. Great body and skin treatments, herbal remedies, and massages make your stay worthwhile.

After stepping out of your sauna you can go into the Tiare Spa Café renowned for its low-calorie desserts, fresh fruit juice, and some really amazing sandwiches. Some of uts ‘wellness’ teas too, simply take the cake.

The gourmet specialists at the Ritz-Carlton make a point of catering to every palate, including the fussiest. For a lavish spread of continental, Arabic or Asian fare check into the rather luxurious La Mediterranee known for its splendid and variegated meals. Some of the favorites include smoked salmon and the La Mediterranee chef’s salad. The wine list too, is pretty impressive. Do be warned, though, that the café is exclusively a non-smoking zone.

And if you want to dine real royal, that is maharaja style, we suggest you check into Nirvana, for a true culinary nirvana-like experience. Especially wowed are the dal makhani, prawn biryani and the various assortments of kebabs that you can munch along with your favorite red or white wine while listening to some exotic Indian music.

If you happen to be a business traveler you will be taken with the facilities the Ritz-Carlton has to offer. There are four meeting rooms equipped with the best technology. The partitions are sound-proofed while the aircon is subject to individual temperature control. Then there are two spacious ballrooms that can take up to a thousand guests easily.

The Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa takes care of all your individual wants and needs.

Santa Isabel Hotel in Havana

The offer for entertainment that Old Havana has, with five centuries of history in its account, constitutes an excellent option. This part of the city which was declared by UNESCO cultural heritage for being an architectural treasure of the world, has a large tourist infrastructure which brings us to mind the colonial stage. There are more than 30 thousand buildings that preserve thousands of stories. It can be seen in perfect harmony among fortresses, churches, tourist commercial and cultural centers.

Among all this range of touristic places to visit, there is the Santa Isabel hotel. This hotel used to be the main residence of the Count of Santovenia in this village. It was built in the early 18th century and it was later sold to an American with the current name in 1867.

By becoming a luxurious state-owned hotel in 1997, Santa Isabel offers all the comfort of a five star centre but at the same time it proffers a special and unique ambiance typical of the colonial time. This palatial hotel has 27 rooms, 10 are junior suites and it has a special charm which is the colonial-style furniture, iron-worked beds and what is more: little balconies in the third floor rooms.

The main reason why this hotel is so appealing is its location, near the place called The Templete, where the first mass and the first town-council were made. All this is closely related to the foundation of what was in those days the village of San Cristóbal de La Habana. The hotel together with other places such as La Casa del Agua (“The Water House”), La Mina restaurant, and the residences of the Governor of the island and his second in charge during the colonial stage are the most relevant elements that are directly linked to the history of Havana. The residence of the Governor is nowadays a museum visited for lots of people during the year. The residence of the second in charge is today the Cuban Book Institute and where every Saturday, the books club throws a rock with the participation of writers and singers.

The ambiance of the hotel and its surroundings revive the spitting image of the society of the colonial time to which can be added the intense cultural activities present in the zone. As well as other hotels such as Sevilla, Plaza and Inglaterra, Santa Isabel has references of famous visitors that have stayed there. Pedro Almodovar, the Spanish film maker referred to his visit to the hotel as having family life and the real state and the environment remind him his country. Other praises were said by Jack Nicholson and Bruce Willis.

Santa Isabel shows itself pompously as a gem of tourism. If you want to be in an urban zone during your holiday and enjoy at the same time of the familiar life that you normally carry out, Santa Isabel Hotel welcomes you. If you come to Havana and already have a room, it does not matter. We can assure you that with only one visit you will be in love and you will want to come back..