Travelling and spending are always relative. From an all inclusive holiday to Cancun to a backpacking adventure across Spain, variables tend to change quite a lot when you think about your perfect destination and the money you are about to spend. As with any general question however, the answers are also general but one thing always stays the same; despite spending, travelling is an investment. No matter where you choose to go or how, each destination is unique and provides ample opportunities to see a side of the world you never thought existed. Go on holidays to Santorini and witness the majestic volcanic landscape and its world famous sunsets or set sail for Ibiza and party until the morning. Travelling always comes with the best of experiences and memories and as such spending on travelling is always something guaranteed to return part of your investment.
We know how hard it can be to try and choose a holiday destination let alone the destination and then a hotel. You look forward to your summer holiday all year and then what if it’s a flop? Or it doesn’t meet your needs?
Luckily, Purple Travel is here to help you find hotels in Kos that you can rely on for an excellent time on holiday in Kos. We’ve chosen these hotels on our list because of their high quality standards of service and the great feedback that we get from our customers.
Mitsis Blue Domes is a newcomer to the scene and opened in 2010. Since then it’s garnered a good reputation among hotels in Kos for the amount of facilities available and its first-class service. Read More
Our weekly series: A Night Less Ordinary is all about finding the most weird and wonderful hotels all over the world. From a James Bond hotel room, to sleeping underwater expect the unexpected. This week, we have a night less ordinary at the Giraffe Manor in Kenya.
The WOW factor? The Giraffe Manor which is part of the Tamimi Group lets you get as close to a giraffe as you’re ever likely to get in your life. The Manor is a luxury hotel with its own herd of Rothschild Giraffe who wander around the property, nudging at your breakfast and generally being super cool new friends. The nature trail around the hotel goes through forests and dry lands and as well as giraffes it’s a natural habitat for warthogs, hyenas, different species of birds and every so often a leopard, so you’ll get up close and personal with all kinds of animals.
TripAdvisor has just announced the winners of the World’s Best Accommodations. Here’s the winders of the 2014 Travelers’ Choice Award for Hotels. The 12th annual awards celebrates everything from B&Bs, family hotels, luxury and romance. TripAdvisors annual list also features a US only list and dedicated sections for each type of hotel. It’s a good starting point for finding the best hotel in the world 2014 at your budget!
Barbara Messing, Chief Marketing Officer with TripAdvisor says: “We’re excited to recognize the world’s best properties, based on the opinions of those who know them best – the millions of travelers around the globe who come to TripAdvisor to share their experiences,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “For those seeking inspiration for their 2014 travel planning, this list of spectacular accommodations that received 2014 Travelers’ Choice awards is a perfect place to start.” Find out more about each hotel on TripAdvisor.
And the winners are:
1. Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, Switzerland
2. The Upper House, Hong Kong, China
3. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, Lankanfushi, Maldives
4. Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica
5. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India
6. Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador
7. Lindos Blu, Lindos, Greece
8. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, Punta de Mita, Mexico
9. The Oberoi, Mumbai, Mumbai, India
10. Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Every week, we keep an eye out for the most weird and wonderful hotels on earth. From caves to igloo styled hotels, expect the unexpected and a night less ordinary. This week, the Majestic Minima Hotel in Adelaide, South Australia.
What’s the gimmick? Art buffs, visiting Adelaide in South Australia can now enjoy a unique artistic experience in a hotel, whose rooms have been turned into true paintings. Opened in 2008, the Majestic Minima Hotel has won a place among the city’s most alternative and special accommodation. The Majestic Minima Hotel made an avant-garde renovation, turning its rooms into exceptional works of art.
Why stay? Guests can spend a night in an art room, which they will choose from the hotel’s online gallery. Options are ample and extremely interesting, as room themes vary, from romantic patterns to colourful designs.
The WOW Factor? Many South Australian artists were called to visually represent their take on the theme of ‘creativity and creation’ in each one of the 46 rooms. The walls and ceiling in every room have been adorned with reliefs or wall paintings similar to the art of graffiti.
Stays at this one of a kind hotel start from £65 per night.
From the weirdest to the most wonderful hotels around the world, we find the best unusual hotels around the world for your delectation. Stay in a hamster hotel or an igloo and enjoy a night less ordinary. This week we take a peak inside the Hotel Fox in Copenhagen.
Image via @ Pinterest
What’s the gimmick? Designers, grafiti artists, illustrators and artists from all over the world have gathered to make a truly creative hotel experience in Copenhagen. 21 artists were given free reign to put together every single detail of the rooms in Hotel Fox.
Why stay? At Hotel Fox you become the work of art, or at least part of it. Maybe you want to be a princess, visit Japan, or become a king for a night in this quirky, kitschy hotel. Plus it’s one of the best value stays in Copenhagen despite its stellar reputation.
The WOW Factor? Each of the rooms is visually striking, you can stay many times over and still not get all the nuances that are on offer.
ClubHotel Riu Ocho Rios: Seriously, this is one fabulous Jamaica hotel. Right on the beach of Mammee Bay in Ocho Rios, the ClubHotel is surrounded by woodlands and waterfalls. It offers the perfect mix of total relaxation and endless activities. The hotel is very close to Dolphin Cove, where a guide will take you to swim with dolphins (or even sharks!) and the Dunn’s River Fall, one of the most beautiful in the world is perfect for a day trip.
Best on a budget
Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa, Ocho Rios: Diving, waterfalls, plunge pools, powder soft sandy beaches, is that your idea of a good time? Then the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa is just the ticket. This all inclusive 730 room palace has plenty of restaurants, bars, kids club and boutiques, all in the beautiful, Caribbean surrounds that Jamaica is famous for.
Great huts: If you’re feeling a little adventurous about your holiday, how about a night away in a hut or a tree house? Yes, we did say hut, but don’t let that put you off. These Great Huts are off the beaten track luxury accommodations, with stunning cliff side views and hammocks everywhere. Choose from the different amazing structures on offer, you can even stay in the Queen of Sheba hut! We’re sure it’s fit for a queen.
Total relaxation
Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica: A Victorian style hotel, right on the beach, you can go from bed to beach in just seconds. Here it’s all about complete relaxation in the sunshine. The 840 room hotel has a spa, excellent restaurants and on top of the white, sandy beach there are three interlinked pools to swim in, countless loungers, beach umbrellas and towel service. Everything is looked after at the Gran Bahia Principe.
The Sandals Montego Bay: is surrounded by a tropical setting and right on a white sand beach, offering a slice of heaven for your holidays. Here, guests can experience the true Caribbean spirit and chill out all day long, tasting mouthwatering cocktails.
Perfect for kids
Breezes Trelawny Resort & Spa, Falmouth: This gorgeous hotel is really a sight for sore eyes. With four (count ‘em!) swimming pools to choose from, two water slides and that absolutely perfect, white sand and stunning blue waters that Jamaica is famous for, it’s a hotel that’s really close to our hearts. It’s just a couple of miles from the centre of Falmouth where you’ll find a mix of history and shopping, restaurants and bars. You couldn’t ask for more!
We go around the world to find the most beautiful, weird and wonderful hotels. From Underwater Lodges to converted Airplane Suites, expect the unexpected. This week a hotel made entirely of cake. If you can make it through this post without drooling, you’re better than us. Ladies and gentlemen, let us present to you the Cake Hotel in London… and get ready to drool just a bit.
What’s the gimmick? For most of us, eating out and treating ourselves is part of the fun of holidays. You might check out the hand made pasta in Rome, the cheese in Paris or the Mediterranean cuisine in Greece. However, this is something a little different. A hotel for one night only made entirely of cake. The Cake Hotel in Soho is filled with bright pops of coloured cakes, frothy confections and macaroons as far as the eye can see.
Why stay?The Hotel has eight tasting rooms with different themes including Pirates of the Caribbean, Mardi Gras and more. The brainchild of a sugar cane manufacturer, it certainly set our tastebuds tingling just at the thought of it. The best part is, each lucky guest can eat everything, carpets, decorations, lights and windows. The bedside tables house edible books and the bathtubs are filled with caramel popcorn.
The WOW Factor? Did we mention everything is edible? The walls are made with 2,000 macaroons, the rugs are made of 1,081 meringues, there are edible pearls in treasure chests and a two-metre-high Easter Island chocolate statue. 14 bakers slaved for 2,000 hours using 600 of sugar to make this hotel taste as delicious as it looks. However, sadly this special hotel was open for one night only, but we can always dream.
We’re all about the Algarve, specifically the lovely seaside town of Albufeira. It’s got the Old Town that’s perfect for long lazy strolls in the sunshine. Over the hill you’ll find The Strip, packed with neon bars and all night parties. It really offers the best of both worlds.
So if you’re stuck for a place to stay, here’s our top 5 hotels in Albufeira.
Family friendly: The Paraiso de Albufeira Hotel Apartments have practically every facility you could think of, from one bedroom apartments to duplexes. The MGE restaurant and pool side snack bar are great for keeping little ones topped up, while the multi use court for basketball or football, mini golf course and video game room will keep even the moodiest teenager busy. That’s before you even get to the pool, nearby beach or the selection of water parks you’ll find around.
With plans for the Discus Hotel in Dubai well under way, we felt it appropriate to give a little nod to the latest craze in hospitality. We’ve christened it, marine tourism. Sure, space tourism will be on the horizon soon enough, but until that day, the more audacious of tourists are checking themselves in to that great other beyond – the deep blue sea. Here ‘ocean view’ and ‘on the beach’ should be taken in their most literal sense; enter the new division of incredible underwater hotels.
Jules Undersea Lodge
Named after the author of 20, 000 Leagues under the Sea, Jules Undersea Lodge was the world’s first underwater hotel. Located in Key Largo, Florida, the Lodge began life as La Chalupa, a groundbreaking research facility, when it was originally built in the ‘70s. It was later transformed into a hotel in 1986, catering especially to lovers of the marine world. Set about 21 feet under water, the hotel can only be reached through diving. Visitors who are not certified divers must first complete Jules’ three hour crash course in scuba diving before they embark on their underwater adventure. Then, after diving down through the mangrove habitat of the Emerald Lagoon, guests resurface through a wet room entrance, and find themselves in a treasure trove of modern day life conveniences. Escapism is taken to extraordinary new heights (or should we say depths?) at this secret underwater clubhouse. When taking a break from marvelling at unobstructed views sea life in their natural settings through 42-inch windows, guests can enjoy all the creature comforts anyone could ask for. Expect to find air-conditioning, hot showers, a stereo, a DVD player and the world’s only underwater chef, who will serve breakfast at 8am every morning and dinner at 6pm, promptly. Jules really is the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure. On an average evening the hotel is shared by two different couples, but it can accommodate a group of six friends in the congenial living quarters, designed by the award-winning firm of Richard F. Geary Interior Designers. However, exclusive use of the hotel can also be arranged for couples and the Lodge is even available for underwater weddings.
Not every undersea resort requires its guests to dive, or even to get wet. Poseidon Undersea Resort, located 40-feet below sea level in a 5,000 acre Fijian lagoon, can be reached by the convenience of an elevator. The $200 million Poseidon development, which includes seaside bungalows above the waterline, begins on a mile-long, palm-shrouded crescent of Fijian island. The elevator takes you down to the two dozen luxury suites, and also the restaurant, library, conference room and a convertible wedding chapel. Poseidon undersea is the first ever 5-star luxury underwater resort, and the brainchild of is L. Bruce Jones and his company, U.S. Submarines, renowned builders of deep-diving mini-subs and submersibles. Each of Poseidon’s suites is encased in a clear acrylic shell, four inches thick and a simple press of a button on your control console will feed the outside fish. Pretty impressive, right? However, guests looking to get in on this James Bond-style adventure will have to cough up a whopping $15,000 per person for seven days and six nights.
Utter Inn
Utter Inn is styled like a retro Swedish house, all painted brick red, with white trimmed windows. Primarily an art project by Mikael Genberg, Utter Inn offers underwater accommodation to the public (and by that we mean at affordable prices). After pulling up to the Inn by an inflatable boat that picks you up from the port of Vasteras, guests can step down into their room, which is three metres below water level in Lake Malarenl, Sweden. Then, after receiving all the instructions guests need, they are then left completely alone to enjoy their unique experience. Although alone, guests are also welcomed to use their inflatable canoe to visit the closest uninhabited island. Or if they prefer the ‘deluxe’ package, someone can deliver dinner by boat in the evening – hey, we’re talking about what an artist considers deluxe here, not a billionaire submarine company owner.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant
Ok so you won’t be able to spend the entire night underwater here, but at the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, you’ll get a taste of the general idea. The restaurant serves up Maldivian-Western fusion cuisine, in the world’s first all-glass underwater restaurant. Offering unobstructed 180-degree views of the surrounding reef, Ithaa Undersea Restaurant offers diners the chance to marvel at 180° views of reef and marine life, whilst sipping on champagne cocktails. And located around 16 feet below sea level in the Indian Ocean, there are some truly spectacular sights to behold.
Jamaica via @ 
