24hrhotels will be going live in Spring 2010

After nearly a year of development and setup 24hrhotels will be going live in Spring 2010. There will be huge discounts and prices across the board for all your favourite holiday destinations.

We have partnered with some of the best hotels in resorts across Europe to bring a comprehensive hotel portfolio you just cant afford to overlook.

Our belief is that people are looking for value in the current economic climate and there is no better place to "Discover Better Value" than at 24hrhotels.com

So once again thank you for your patience and we will look forward to meeting you online very soon to fullfil your hotel requirements.

QE2 plans for hotel up in the air!

The cash-strapped Dubai owner of the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise liner, to be renovated into a floating hotel, is considering moving the hotel from Dubai to elsewhere in the Middle East or Africa.
Government-owned property development company Nakheel says it is evaluating options for the ship ahead of a planned refurbishment, and that other ports had expressed interest in hosting the ship.
South Africa's Business Day newspaper reports that Nakheel has applied to anchor the ship in Cape Town.

How to Get an Upgrade on a Flight

Getting upgraded on a flight is one of the best travelling perks around, there's nothing like relaxing in first class knowing you paid for economy! But the thing is getting a flight upgrade need not just be a stroke of luck, there are ways to get upgraded on a flight and here's how...

Lady Flying in a plane

Blagging, flannelling, verbal gymnastics, sweet talking – you know what we're referring to: that ability to talk yourself into a business class or, better still, first class seat when you haven't paid for it! Almost everyone, provided they're not bags-of-money travellers, wants to buy a cheap economy ticket and get upgraded so that they're travelling in business class or first class. After all, who out there doesn't want more legroom and better service when they're travelling – especially if it's free?

To improve your chances of getting that much-sought-after upgrade , check out the following tips – which should help to get you rubbing shoulders with the first class jet-set while being pampered by attentive staff and stretching out on a flatbed chair!

Top tips for getting a flight upgrade

* - Become a member of your airline's frequent flyer mileage club. The more miles you rack up against your name, the greater your chances of getting an upgrade will be if there is one available. Also, remember that you can be a member of many different airlines' clubs.
* - Travelling alone may help when you're trying to secure that cherished upgrade. You won't have a realistic chance of getting bumped up to a higher-grade seat if you're being trailed by others – particularly if you're travelling with the whole family.
* - Travelling with someone else who is holding a higher-class ticket than you and asking to sit together may reap rewards. And you may be even more likely to blag an upgrade if you, as the lower-class ticket holder, have good status in a frequent flyer programme.

* - Really try to look the part if you're looking for an flight upgrade . Smart casual wear or business attire should ensure you fit in, while some decent-looking luggage will complete the picture. A battered rucksack and sandals are unlikely to fit the bill!
* - Make sure you're early at your flight's check-in, because your chances of getting an upgrade will quickly diminish over time. If you're one of the last to check in, then it's a certainty that you're going to be one of the last to be enquiring about an upgrade – by which time they will probably all be taken.
* - If you can help it, don't order a special meal if you want to get upgraded. This is because a meal cannot usually be moved up with you – plus an airline would never want to be seen serving an economy meal in business class in the same way that you wouldn't want to be seen eating it!
* - You should nearly always be willing to move from your seat when asked to do so by the cabin crew, as it's quite possible that the seat you are being offered as a replacement is in first class. Of course, there's always the possibility that you may not get a better seat than the one you had before – but you never know!

* - It may sound obvious, but make sure you're courteous. Being nice to ground staff – who are probably used to being on the receiving end of hassle and abuse – can go a long way towards making you stand out and getting you that upgrade.
* - If you feel like laying it on thick, then make it known that you have been inconvenienced on a previous flight. Do this in such a way that you don't make a scene, however – otherwise you might end up in the worst possible seat! If you handle this well, the airline may be more willing to accommodate you.

Michael Jackson - Rest In Peace.

Michael Jackson was a misunderstood individual who had an amazing entertainment talent bringing together dance and music creating innovation and shaping a road for music to follow.

Having seen Micheal Jackson in concert in Pairc Ui Caoimh, Cork in Ireland in 1988, I can truely say he was magnificant and his concert was probably one of the best concerts I have been to.

His moonwalk was his trademark and was always something we used to try to do ...."unsucessfully" at home when his music would come on TV.

Here is Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk at the 25 Motown Anniversary for the very first time. Something the world had never witnessed before in a music dance performance.

Alcudia Majorca -Family Holidays in Majorca

Alcudia in Majorca is situated on the North East Coast approx 58km from Palma Airport. It can easily be accessed by airport transfer or our cheap car hire.

It is the perfect choice for family holidays in Majorca
The resort is very popular with visitors from all over Europe and is very family friendly with some of the best beaches on the Island.

The stunning panoramic views, shallow waters and log sandy beaches, provide an ideal family holiday resort. A large range of water sports are available, including sailing, windsurfing and scuba diving. The usual sunbeds and pedalloes are available for hire. At various points on the beach are small bar/restaurants which are actually situated on the sand and offering a wide range of drinks, snacks and meals.

Alcudia has lots of restaurants and bars that are mostly family friendy that provide entertainment like caberet acts, comedians, Spanish Flamenco dancers and guitar players. There are also Clubs and Discos but the area is generally catering for younger families. It makes Alcudia our No.1 destination for family hoildays in Majorca.

The best restaurants are located in the Port area, where you will find a variety of restaurants serving Fresh Seafood, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Steaks and most have kiddies menus with Burgers,Fries, Nuggets, ice-cream and all the things kids love to eat on holiday.

Most of the hotels in Alcudia are located around the beach and Port where there is something for everyone from Kid friendly hotels with kid clubs and activities to all inclusive deals and luxury 5 star hotels.

The local market is held on Tuesdays and Sundays, selling fresh local produce as well as clothing and craft items. There are several supermarkets around the resort for those who are self-catering.

Alcudia has plenty of options, attractions, activities to do and places to visit.

LOCAL PLACES TO VISIT:

• The Roman city of Pollentia, founded in 123 BC,
• The Roman theater, exceptional for being carved into the stone
• City of Alcúdia medieval, walled enclosure within which lies the village of Alcudia, place at
• Fundación Yannick and Ben Jakober with an interesting collection of portraits of children.
• Monographic Museum of Pollentia.
• Museum of the Parish Church of Sant Jaume.
• Natural Park S'Albufera. The biggest natural park of the Balearic Island approx. 3 miles away

INTERESTING BEACHES IN THE SURROUNDINGS

• Bahia de Alcudia beach, the biggest fine sandy beach of the Balearic Island. On this beach you will find many facilities and services (sunbeds, umbrellas, sailing school, attractions, bars, parking, restaurants, and many attractions specially recommend for the children)-
• Quiet and tiny beaches such as S'Illot or Alcanada.
• Naturist beaches such as Es Coll Baix - if thats your thing!
• Can Cap de Bou in the Pollensa bay perfect for sports such windsurfing or kite-surfing.

ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS:-

• Walk along the protected areas of Ermita de la Victoria, and Penya S'Atalaia des Migdia (highly recommended)
• Excursion to the Caves of Menorca (underground caves unexplored)
• Hidropark water park (slides, wave pool, miniature golf ..etc)
• Costa Cruises to sail north. There are boat trips (cruises Brisas)
• Alcanada Golf Course, 18 holes opened in 2004
• Hang-gliding and paragliding from Puig de Sant Martí (mountains where thermal currents allow the practice of these sports)-
• Marinas and Donaire of Alcudiamar.
• Cycling (starting point to climb the Serra de Tramuntana, Alcúdia has areas with bike lane)

Search for Cheap Alcudia Hotels and Discover Better Value!

Weather In Majorca

Famous for its warm summers, the weather in Majorca especially during the summer is glorious with approximately 300 days of sunshine. The heat during the summer months can be pretty hot, but not uncomfortable. July and August see temperatures of around 30 - 35°C.
High factor suntan lotion is essential to protect your skin from the sun and it is advisable not to fall asleep on the beach between midday and 4 in the afternoon. The hotels, reataurants, bars and clubs in Majorca are generally well equipped to cope with the weather in Majorca providing shade and aircon to cool you down from the heat in the summer.
During the rest of the year the the Weather in Majorca is pretty fair and mild with warm sunny days and cooler nights. In winter the nights can become pretty cold so if you are taking a winter break be sure to pack a pullover and a jacket. March, April and November tend to be the rainiest months.

TOP TIP: The best time to visit Majorca is either May-June or September-October. The temperature at night is less stiffling and the crowds from the midsummer peak season tend to have dissapeared. It is definetly more relaxed at this time of the year and the sunshine during the day ranges from the early to mid 20's making it a comfortable enjoyable trip. Hotels tend to drop their prices during these times as occupancy drops and they compete to sell their rooms.

How low cost airlines Save!

Florida and Egypt bounce back!

Florida bounces back as pound goes further

Florida and Egypt have emerged as late booking summer holiday favourites, according to new research.The Co-operative Travel’s analysis of more than 380,000 holidays shows that bookings to Florida saw a 49% increase on last year at the beginning of June compared to an 8% drop at the start of May.The US bookings surge has been prompted by the strengthening value of the pound against the dollar, according to the UK’s largest independent travel retailer.The analysis shows that in the same period the pound rose in value against the dollar, from $1.48 to $1.65 (a rise of over 11%).The same effect can also be seen in the eurozone, but with the pound rising only 4% in the same period, the agency chain believes a significant boom in bookings is still to come.Bookings to Spain, the most popular destination for UK holidaymakers, were still down at the start of June by 11% year on year, but significantly less than the 18% shortfall at the start of May.The research shows that Spain’s loss has been Egypt and Turkey’s gain, as tourists look for nearby destinations outside the eurozone.Late bookings to Egypt are up 25% on 2008, while bookings to Turkey have remained the same despite tougher trading conditions.Retail distribution director Trevor Davis said: “Understandably the holiday market is much more price sensitive than in recent years, but still this responsiveness to exchange rates is remarkable.“If the pound continues to rally against foreign currencies, we believe this upward trend will continue.” The Spanish Tourist office has predicted that UK holidaymakers will be the first to return the country and help its ailing economy.Augistin Garcia, head of promotions for the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, agreed that the strength of the euro had contributed to Spain’s falling visitor numbers, but predicted that rising numbers of UK holidaymakers will herald its recovery.“We have confidence in the lates market and Spain still has the ingredients which make it ideal for the UK,” he said.

Summer night racing starts again in July at Mijas racecourse

The summer racing season at Mijas racecourse kicks off on July 4th with some 288,000 euros in prize money to be obtained over six race nights. At a press conference earlier this week the racecourse’s technical director Josualdo Mira and the Mayor of Mijas Antonio Sánchez explained that the season will include a total of 30 races. Of these four will be directly subsidised by the Ministry of the Environment in order to help encourage the breeding of Spanish race horses and the development of horse racing in this country.
The most important race of the season will be held on the final race night of the season, on Friday August 7th, with some 20,400 euros up for grabs in prize money.
Punters at the Mijas Hipódromo will be able to enjoy more than just horse racing. This summer the municipal firm Recursos Turísticos Mijas aims to convert the racecourse into a centre offering entertainment for all the family. Visitors will be offered free guided tours of the Hipódromo “in an attempt to raise a greater interest in horses and riding”, explained María de Mar Rodríguez, the centre’s representative.
Another change has been to expand the restaurant area with prices adapted to “times of economic crisis” as well as introducing a “chill-out” terrace with music from international DJs.
Other entertainment apart from the horse races themselves includes vintage car displays, sculpture and art exhibitions, flamenco dancing and children’s activities.
Also new this season is the chance to buy tickets for the racecourse at El Corte Inglés and in travel agencies and hotels. For the first time there is a season ticket available for all six race nights on sale at 20 euros.
The Hipódromo will be open on race nights from 8 p.m. and the racing starts at 10 p.m.

Ryanair to Close Website

Ryanair passengers are being told they must check in online in advance of the airline’s website closing for ten hours.
The site www.ryanair.com will close from 19.00 on June 24 until 05.00 the following morning due to an “essential upgrade maintenance”. Web check-in passengers travelling on Thursday, June 25 must ensure that they have checked in online before 18.00 on Wednesday, June 24, the airline said. Ryanair’s website will not be available for passenger bookings or other passenger services from 19.00 due to the upgrade works.Passengers who booked flights on or before the May 21 and selected to use airport check-in will be unaffected and can check-in at the airport as normal.“Ryanair apologises for any inconvenience caused by this maintenance work,” a statement said.by Phil Davies, TravelMole