City maps

Every time you start preparing your trip, you probably head to the book store to search for some guides and maps because you get more engaged and you want to get a better idea of where you’re going. Sometimes it means getting a little bit further from that dreamy outlook that you had when you decided to travel to that destination. You start planning more specific things, finding sights, restaurants, museums on the map, trying to figure out transportation etc. Some of us buy a guide and ignore the bad map in the guide saying “We won’t get lost, we have travelled before and we were just fine…” or “Why would we need a map? We don’t plan, we like to wander around more…” That’s all great, and you definitely won’t get lost, you can wander all you want but you start changing your opinion when you are at your destination or when you come back home and realize you haven’t seen anything or done much.

It’s about time management. What does that mean??

Some of you may have bought a city map. One of those pretty, colourfull, rainproof paper maps with some information on the side that at first looks  “cool”, but later you find it to be just an attraction factor, nothing useful. The thing is, it’s not easy to know what you should be looking for if you are not an experienced traveller; or if you don’t know much about the place you’re going to. These maps start to loose their charm once you search for a street that is not marked, once you are having trouble folding and unfolding that huge map, or when you really wish you knew where your stations and stops were or how to get to where you want to go.

If you’re like me, you probably thought of downloading and printing out public transportation maps from the net. That might be a good idea if you already bought your guides and maps. The tricky part comes when you’re on the spot, trying to find the map you need Just kidding… but if you don’t like a million papers, go for National Geographic Maps of cities. Except the city map, they include:

- regional map

- points of interest

- airport diagram

- public transportation map

There are things you should find by yourself and mark them on your map such as stores, restaurants, bars, hotels, museums and sites you want to visit. And things that you should get marked like public transportation information, all sights, legend, time maps and useful phone numbers.

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

DOPPLR – share your travel plans

While writing my blog, I want to tell you about things that are related to travel, like travel gadgets, services, sources and books, besides travel destinations, plans and stories.

With the web changing every day and rapidly becoming the main source of, now, quality information and services, it’s time to start using it the way it is imagined. These changes are making a huge impact on the travel industry and very soon that will show as a big difference.

Dopplr is an online service for frequent travellers. When you become a member, you can add your trips which will be shown on a map, and enter details of your itinerary; even your multi-stop trips. Once you’ve done that, you can find what other people suggest. It’s based on coincidence; the people you might meet, and most of the data is generated by your travel destination. Since you can keep your profile private or public, it can be used in many ways. You can share your travel plans only with people you trust. What I like about Dopplr is that it’s serious about member’s privacy which shows that they are a service first and a social network second.

How to use Dopplr? Invite your friends and plan trips together by leaving them your information to see, find out where you can meet your friends and colleges next, read or add tips about different places, share your trips with people who might not be a part of your Dopplr network yet through Groups and stay informed. You can even use something they call “guest passes” to send specific trip information to someone who is not a member yet, and they will receive it in the way you  see it in your profile. But you are not restricted in information by the place you are planning to visit; search through City Profiles to answer questions, give/find tips and search for people who live or are travelling there.

As a social network, everything is pretty much familiar. You can add a Dopplr box on your Facebook profile and upload your Flickr images for every trip on Dopplr.

Check out Dopplr, you might like it. They started in December 2007 and looking at the way they are developing, there is a lot more to come I’m sure. Who knows, you might bump into me, say Hi and I’ll be happy to share my travel plans with you…

Stella – European Travelling Advosor

*all images from Dopplr’s blog

Annie Lebovitz exhibition in London

In mid October an exhibition opened at The National Portrait Gallery in London. It showcases a huge selection of Annie Lebovitz work from 1990 – 2005. If you find yourself in London by February 1, 2009, pay it a visit. I know I might just do the same…

Annie Lebovitz is one of the world’s revered portrait photographers. Her career thrived while she was working for the Rolling Stone Magazine, from which she later moved to Vanity fair where she still works today. She photographed some of the most important and well known public figures of the world; actors, musicians, presidents… Demi Moore, Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Al Pacino, Mikhail Baryshnikov, etc. A lot of her photos have a requisite staging or a clear message.

The exhibition comprises more than 150 photographs that show her work with celebrities, her personal life and some of her reporter work during the siege in Sarajevo and Hilary Clinton senate US elections. It is said that the exhibitions brings a narrative into her work as well as an insight into her personal life. Since every showcased photo was chosen by Annie Lebovitz herself, it ads a very personal note to the way it’s laid out and the overall impression.

Tickets cost between £9.00 – £11.00 and need to be booked in advance!

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

Resort Boutique Hotels

Although having the same philosophy as city boutique hotels, resort destinations bring significant differences. Location is still one of the most important things, but now they are not situated as close as possible to populated places. It’s the opposite, well-hidden places are more appreciated. That doesn’t mean that they have to be on desert islands, on the contrary, they can be anywhere.

Resort boutique hotels are usually smaller in size and more intimate. Location and a small number of guests allows you to enjoy the quiet atmosphere and relax. One more thing that is the complete opposite from hotels in cities is the technological aspect. There are no electronic devices for entertainment or communication. Resorts are oriented toward rest and relaxation, a way to escape the city hustle and bustle. And they are serious about it.

Santa Teresa Resort, Sicily

One the other hand, resort design hotels need to be more distinctive, more recognizable than those in cities. In this case, design is again not enough. The attraction factor then becomes local produce, cuisine, special spas or activities like ridding and art workshops (painting, sculpture…). Boutique hotels can be owned by anyone. What’s important is that they are a reflection of the local community. As an example I took these pictures of a boutique hotel in the Sicilian archipelago (shown above). It is situated half-way between Europe and Africa which is recognizable in design and atmosphere, same as food: fish, couscous and Arabic sweets.

Sometimes resort boutique hotels are closed during winter time. That refers to warmer regions only. Because, as I said before, resort boutique hotels are not reserved for tropical islands only, they can be anywhere in the countryside, even close to cities.

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

City Boutique Hotels

There is one thing that always comes first about city boutique hotels. It’s location. Many would say it’s logical, location is always important; the closer you are to the city center, the more attractive you are. But, there is more to it. In today’s vibrant cities, certain neighbourhoods are considered the popular ones, or the fancy ones. And they are different in a way because they have something that others don’t; it’s an artist’s area, it’s well-known because of the old architecture, it has a beautiful park in the area…and with all that come chic places, like cafes, restaurants and galleries. Again, the reflection of culture but this time, inside one city.

Technology is also an important factor. There isn’t a city designer hotel that doesn’t have rooms and suites equipped with flat-screen televisions, (computers with) high speed internet connection, cordless phones, dvd players. Some go a few extra miles with sensor lights, universal remote controls, special showers and music and TV in the bathroom. When you think a little better about it, every five-star hotel should have a few of those first things, it’s the 21st century! But the sad truth is they don’t; some are making it possible because they are realizing that the time of pretty little soaps and candies on a pillow is long gone.

The Hempel Hotel, London

The third criteria is entertainment. Only live music in bars doesn’t do the trick any more. Hip restaurants, lounges and bars, in hotels, with exceptional themes and design are what attract people and make them feel great.

Today, what’s considered good is no longer good. What’s considered safe is actually risky. We are all searching for something new, something different, looking for ourselves by taking what appeals to us. Hotel business, same as travel, is rapidly changing, and it’s reacting to what we have to say. This is where it’s taking us now.

What do you think about it?

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

Design hotels

Travel has changed. There are no unfamiliar places any more. Demands have increased and so did the choices. Now, travelers are able to persue travel experiences on a more individual level. Travel is not only about sightseeing any more. Every travel destination is defined in a way by a new approach in architecture, design, art and entertainment.

Boutique hotels, or popularly called design hotels, are one of those ingredients that can give your travel experience a more individual feeling. Boutique hotels are a lot different from chain hotels, in design, service, ownership and most of all, philosophy. They are operated by individuals or companies with a small collection and usually don’t have a large number of rooms. It depends on the location but the number is between a few and 150. Just enough to be unique and create a connection between customers and hotel staff.

Hotel Sezz, Paris

Design is the first and most important determinant when we are talking about boutique hotels. Most attention goes to interior design; furnished in a period style or modern, with different accents. Sometimes every room in a hotel is furnished differently to give a unique look and feel for every guest. It also happens that a particular hotel guest books the same room every time. Except styles, artwork and popular designer pieces, usually 20th century design, makes them so appealing. That’s where the term design hotels derived from and became more used than boutique hotels.

The George Hotel, Hamburg

They are not only a fancy place to stay in, they have a deeper meaning. Every place, that being a vibrant city hotel or a small resort, is a cultural reflection. As art and architecture, people are trying to distinguish themselves through designing new places; hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. So each of them has a story to tell, a story told in their own, unique way.

Next time you travel, add a personal note, in every aspect!

Stella – European Travelling Advisor