Ever wondered where the word ‘Spain’ comes from? Or how about how many miles of beaches there are in Spain? Let us help you out with our 16 excellent holiday facts about Spain.
#1 Let’s start with one of our favourite facts about Spain. It is the most popular holiday destination for Brits, (it was in 2013) with Majorca, Malaga, Tenerife and Costa del Sol holidays ranking highly. Purple Travel’s most popular Spain holidays included Ibiza, Alicante and Palma de Mallorca as well as city breaks in Barcelona.
#2. Some of the most famous names in the world hail from Spanish shores. Actors Javier Bardem (Gran Canaria),Penelope Cruz (Madrid) and Antonio Banderas (Malaga) and sports stars like tennis player Rafael Nadal (Majorca), Andres Iniesta (Castilla-La Mancha) and Fernando Torres (Madrid) are just a selection of the famous faces hailing from Spanish shores.
#3. The word for ‘Spain’ is said to come from ‘Hispania’, which roughly translates to Island of Rabbits. So if you see some bunnies, don’t be too surprised.
Find out more about the most amazing hotels around the world with Purple Travel. We travel the world to find the most night less ordinary. Whether it’s sleeping in a fox hotel, or in a Marie Antoinette themed room, we want to give you a look at some of the weirdest but most wonderful hotels in the world. This week, indulge in debauchery in the Rockstar Suite at the Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana.
What’s the gimmick? Everyone knows those stories about celebs living it up in hotel rooms, whether it’s bathing in champagne, chucking TVs or rocking out in your room. This hotel offers that by the bucket load. Channel your inner Mick Jagger or Courtney Love with a guitar room service, sprawling terrace with spa, or in-room bar. This Rockstar Hotel Room is one to get excited about.
Why stay? This is much more than your average hotel room. Complete with a dedicated butler surround sounds, a fully stocked bar, a hangover kit, a baby grand piano and a guitar “room service”, you can live it up in style without even having to leave your suite. If you do decide to explore outdoors, you’ll get a chance to visit the Rock Spa, onsite Casino, and exquisite restaurants and bars.
The WOW factor! Not only is this hotel about rockstar living, but it regular attracts rock stars for you to rub shoulders with! Snoop Dogg, Rihanna, Fabolous and Juanes are just some of the celebs who’ve visited recently.
You should read… A night less ordinary: Hamster Hotel
With twitter, facebook and basically, the whole internet, it’s never been easier for celebs to share their holiday snaps. Being the glamour addicts that we are, we’ve had a keen eye on Beyonce’s Tumblr, Miranda Kerr’s twitter and all things One Direction. So sit back, put your feet up and relax with our gallery of stars on their holidays.
It’s our second favourite bit of the X Factor, after the first auditions of course, when all the contestants are brought to the judge’s house for that final round of tears, tantrums and triumph. In a last minute phone call from boss man Simon, the judges were told which groups they were mentoring. Gary Barlow is in charge of the Over 28s, Louis Walsh has the Groups, Nicole Sherzinger has the Boys and Tulisa the Girls. The big news came that after the departure of Rough Copy, Louis has seven acts in the Judges’ House, while all the others have six. We can sense some tense times ahead. Last weekend was the Judges’ houses round, where Nicole, Gary, Tulisa and Louis whisked away their contestants for some top secret, last minute tuning up. Nicole was in Dubai, Tulisa was in the Caribbean on St Lucia, Louis was in Vegas while Gary was in the English countryside.
So where to go to holiday like the X-Factor? Read on to find out…
From the tiniest detail, holidays in Dubai are pretty mind blowing; even its fountains are impressive. Drenched in sunshine, your jaw will drop like the X Factor Boys at the ornate hotels, indoor ski resorts, white knuckle rollercoasters, exotic pools and unbelievable food. The biggest draw is likely to be the World’s Tallest Building, the Burj Khalifa, which you simply have to check out. Reaching 2km into the sky, it can be seen from miles away, and has everything you could possible want on a holiday. It’s even got an Armani Hotel! If you’re trying to figure out where to stay, The Four Points by Sheraton, Downtown Dubai and the Melia Dubai are well worth a look.
Sunshine, perfect beaches and sparkling blue waters, it’s the simple things that impress in honeymoon favourite St Lucia. The tiny island is a favourite with celebs, so it’s no surprise really that the X Factor Girls will get a taste of the good life with Tulisa. There’s plenty to do, like rainforest hikes, or climbing the Gros Piton (it’s a bit of a walk, but well worth it) and snorkelling. However, our favourite thing is to feel the powder soft white sand between our toes, maybe take a quick dip in the warm Caribbean Sea, before retiring to a hammock for the afternoon. The Anse Chastanet, Soufriere and The Bay Gardens Hotel in Gros Islet are two of our top hotel choices.
Entertainment capital of the world in Las Vegas, otherwise known as Sin City is an inspired choice for the Judge’s House. It’s seen *the* big names in the world of music play, from Frank Sinatra to Tom Jones, Elton to Celine, so why not Vegas? While the groups are busy fine tuning their performances, we’re daydreaming about having a go at some of the casinos, watching the fountain show at the Bellagio, visiting the massive shark tank at the Golden Nugget and maybe taking a trip to one of the little chapels, well, you never know do you? Stay at the budget friendly, Americas Best Value Inn Hotel, East of the Strip or go wild at the 5 star Trump International Hotel, West of the Strip.
Lord of the Manor in the English countryside: We don’t need much of an excuse to indulge in a long weekend, and nothing impresses us more than lording it over the countryside at our own fancy manor house. Ok, it might not be ours, but we can dream right… just like the X Factor Overs. Gary was definitely on to something, with that gorgeous rolling countryside, a quick stroll in the great outdoors, before retiring by the fireside with a glass of port. When in Rome and all that. We like the luxury Ellenborough Park in the Cotsworlds or the country hotel, the Three Horseshoes Inn.
