2012 – Page 23 – Purple Travel Official Blog

A night less ordinary: Hotel Kakslautten

Mar 06 2012

In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of weird hotels and wonderful holiday concepts. From space hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected.

Igloo Village at night

What’s the gimmick? Located amidst beautiful Lapland scenery in the vicinity if Urho Kekkonen National Park, Hotel Kakslautten offers their winter guests the chance to stay overnight in a futuristic glass igloo. Based on a groundbreaking idea and years of research and development, the unique, sci-fi-like glass igloos are a marvel of modern technology.

Why stay? Where else can you admire the amazing northern lights and the white Lapland scenery, all within the comfort of zebra-striped warm bed? Built from a special thermal glass, the temperature inside the igloo is always at a normal level and its special material also prevents the glass from not getting white frosted, keeping the view clear even when the temperature outside drops to under -30°C.

The wow factor: Every igloo is equipped with a toilet and luxury beds and the surrounding Igloo Village is also home to snow chapel and an ice bar, both built in every winter. On every evening a hot sauna and a refreshing ice hole are waiting for you at the igloo, where you can climb into bed and marvel at the star-studded night sky.Husky safaris, snowmobile safaris, reindeer safaris and ice-fishing trips are all made available, as well as guided ski treks.

Village is open every year from December/January and until the end of April.

PurpleTravelTalks: Don’t leave the seat next to you to chance.

Feb 02 2012

Everyone’s been through it, that awkward moment; you’re stuck on a flight next to a chatterbox, when all you want to do is have a snooze. You do that not-so subtle thing of sticking in your headphones and hope for the best. Well now, a couple of airlines are introducing ‘social seating’ so you can use your Facebook to pick who you’ll sit beside.

We hear airlines like Air France, Malaysia Airline and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are planning on the move. ‘Social seating’ will enable you to browse the Facebook or LinkedIn profiles of people on your flight and see what you’ve got in common. We think they want you to check out their pictures; see what their interests are and then you can decide if you want to sit next to them.

It will probably be geared a little more to the business audience, people who want to talk management or strategy, but it’s easy to see how it could catch on. So, we’ve been having a little chat about it here and we think it’s definitely got a lot of positives, but what happens if someone you know requests a seat next to you and you’re not exactly thrilled about it?

Maybe you’d be a little more interested in ‘antisocial seating’? An airline called AirAsia is giving customers the option to take up all the seats beside them. For a price you’ll be able to stretch out across three seats or simple ensure the one right beside you is free. You’ll be notified a few hours before – and if there are no spare seats you’ll get a refund.

We’d love to know what you think. Are you a social or antisocial sitter!? Tell us what you reckon in the comments section.

Let us help you decide your cheap summer holiday

Jan 03 2012

Thinking of a cheap Summer Holiday but struggling to make a choice? Let us give you 5 tips to help you make your decision!

Family friendly: are you looking to get away with the kids? Want some downtime to read a book by the pool, while the little ones are being well cared for and more importantly well entertained? Choose an all inclusive trip to Lanzarote. It’s got the sunshine you’re looking for, the great beaches just a stones through away, full on kids club activities and a bit of banana boating for mum and dad if you’re feeling up to it!
Adventure sports: so you want a bit of sunshine, but want to combine it with something a bit different like getting up close and personal with a wild animal on safari, or you’d prefer some water skiing or mountain climbing? We want to let you in on a little secret, try out a holiday with a difference in Gambia. It’s got everything the adventurous spirit wants!
Foodie paradise: interested in locally sourced truffle ice cream? (Hmmm) Or maybe you’d prefer some wild boar pasta? How about some homemade wine? We are drooling just thinking about it. If that sounds good to you, check out the Istria Riviera in Croatia. There are some great all inclusive offers to set up your gastronomic adventure in the sun!
Adults only: That’s not some kind of code for naughty holidays. More and more companies have realised some people just want time on their own in a quieter resort, or tailored just for them. Adult only are packages designed especially for adults with great food, brilliant service, the quality beaches and resorts that you expect and of course what holiday would be complete without a bit of sunshine. Try Turkey for a special break and see how much it will suit you!
Beach break: Are you looking for that perfect beach, to spend a few days just completely chilling out? Maybe you’ll be able to drag yourself away for a cocktail in the evening, but this is all about topping up your tan and letting the sun melt away your cares. So head to Skiathos in the Sporades islands of Greece. With picture perfect white send slipping into beautiful crystal clear waters, it is the perfect place to unwind.

What do you think of our list? We’d love to hear your ideas too, simply leave a comment and we’ll post them on our facebook page.

Archive - 2012