Archive for July 21st, 2008

Ready for the third part? Ookay, here we go :-)
The Wellness Sector is one of the most important indicators for selecting the Secret Resorts of your dreams.
What do you have of it if the location is TOP and the facilities are new, but the Wellness Sector consists, lets say… only of a Sauna and a small pool? You might feel relaxed only superficially. The consequence: Grind is pre-programmed. A pool and a Sauna are not sufficient.
I for myself know by own experiences that some of those so called Secret Resorts only use their title, because they have installed a sauna recently, “and outside you have the freshest air in whole Germany” they write in their brochures.
So what?! Of course, fresh air outside is good. No doubt. You go out, take a deep breath and exhale. Do that a lot of times during your stay and it will give your inner cells and immune system a huge kick into recovery and health. And you know, I am not talking about ‘fresh air’ in cities but about real fresh air in forests regions.
By the way, visit our Black Forest and you know what I am talking about.
But, however, what has fresh air to do with the Secret Resort itself? You do not sleep outside, do you? There might be days where you mostly stay inside and let yourself spoil like a Queen/King. And you might not be able to it if there is anything but a Wellness Sector at all.
And most of all, why do they call their shack a Secret Resort with just a Sauna inside? What a cheek! You book, arrive and expect to be spoiled for the next three weeks, but all you get is a sauna and maybe ‘fresh water’ in a pool and fresh air outside. You deserve much more than that. And believe me, there is good news: it is possible :-)
Okay, what now comes is a checklist in a checklist :-)
You should find the following in a Wellness Sector:

Sauna - yes, but at least two, better four; with different temperature ranges and smells. A plus: if besides that another external area is present (for cooling). A health-scientific description of correct application should be present additionally. You surely would not like to terminate the sauna with a cold, but healthier than before, would you?
Solarium - just in case you want a tan additionally. I know people whose energy rose after an attendance in a Solarium. It’s not a must, but good Secret Resorts have.
Massage - here the chaff separates from the wheat. Relaxation starts with a good long intense massage. A hotel, which calls itself ‘Wellness’, MUST offer massage. Make sure the massage is held daily and in the house. It would be disturbing, if you would have to drive to another place. That way the relaxation of the massage treatment would get lost fast.
Pools - good Secret Resorts have pools. Ensure that the pools are not old. If you find different pools besides that with e.g. different smells, that is a plus - therefore very pleasant and relaxing.

Again, besides all that stuff, everything written here should be in-house! You don’t want to have to drive to a next town or village, do you?
Allright. We have covered a lot.
Look forward to my last issue on how to find awesome German Secret Resorts.
In that you will get to know what another indicator of good Secret Resort is, in terms of our Hotel Classifications.
Finally you will get an overall checklist which you can keep handy. It will safe you a bunch of time, trust me.
Anyhow, enjoy your trip(s)! :o)
Marcus Hochstadt
andcopy; Copyright www.smart-travel-germany.com, All Rights Reserved
You may use this article in its entirety with the Author Bio and links.

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Jul-21-08

10 Reasons To Holiday In New Zealand Part 2

posted by flinche

1. Queenstown in the South Island is considered to be the “Adventure Capital of the World”. You can bungy jump or go on a thrilling jet boat ride, go heli-skiing, sky diving, fly-by-wire, and luging to name a few. Both bungy jumping and jet boating were invented in New Zealand. New Zealanders have a saying about Kiwi ingenuity which is borne out in the tourist spots within New Zealand.
2. There is a wide array of different accommodation options to cater for all tastes. At the upper end there are Lodges which are the height of luxury. These lodges are ordinarily located in very scenic and secluded areas and all gourmet meals are included in the price. The price of this type of accommodation reflects the luxury and inclusions.
The next level of accommodation is hotels, from international 5 star down to 2 star for basic accommodation. The hotels will tend to be serviced on a daily basis and usually include one room and a bathroom. Hotel rooms will include tea and coffee making facilities, fridges and most hotels would include a restaurant.
A favored option for families is the ever increasing numbers of apartments. The apartments are generally self catering as opposed to a hotel stay but the advantage is that they provide more space and are self catering which means that you don’t have to eat out all the time thus saving you money to spend on sightseeing.
Then we have motels. Generally speaking motels offer more space than hotels and tend to be serviced daily but do not tend to be as luxurious. Motels often provide a separate bedroom or two and sometimes cooking facilities. You would need to check this out when booking.
There are also an increasing number of Bed and Breakfast’s. These vary dramatically and can vary from 5 star establishments to the fairly basic. If you enjoy “getting to know the locals”, the B and B option could be a good one for you. Generally breakfast will be provided as part of the price. Dinner would be by special arrangement only.
If you are on a budget there are plenty of backpacker hostels to choose from which are centrally located and well priced.
3. New Zealand has a great culinary landscape. Being a small island country surrounded by the sea, there are a multitude of seafood delicacies on offer. The ocean surrounding New Zealand is cold water thanks to Antarctica being relatively close. Cold water fish tend to have a delicate flavor. As well as fish from the sea, there are large lakes which are trout and salmon breeding grounds. Trout can not be caught commercially so there is no danger of supplies running out. New Zealand is also quite big on game and most of the more up-market restaurants will have a game option on the menu. You will find that there are dining options to suit every taste and budget. New Zealand might be quite removed geographically from the rest of the world but it is quick to adopt new types and styles of food and the kiwi ingenuity mentioned earlier in the article is demonstrated in the food served in restaurants. There are coffee bars and cafes, wine bars serving food, pubs with restaurants, family dining options, buffet’s as well as the more up-market al la carte options.
There is also a thriving wine industry in New Zealand. Wherever you go, you will see vines and many of the wines produced are top quality. If wine is your thing, you won’t be disappointed. Marlborough located at the top of the South Island is one of the oldest and best known wine areas, most famous for production of Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand is also becoming very well known for producing excellent Pinot Noir, a notoriously difficult wine to produce.
4. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you will know that the recent series of movies was filmed in different parts of New Zealand. New Zealanders are very proud of this and whilst traveling around you will come across many mentions of parts of the movies which may have been filmed in certain spots. There are also tours catering specifically to Lord of the Rings fans.
5. New Zealand has an interesting cultural history. It is thought that the Maoris who came from Polynesia settled in New Zealand about 1000 years ago. New Zealand became a British colony in 1840 after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. There are many excellent museums within the cities and towns which offer a great overview of the relatively short and violent history of New Zealand.

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