March 17, 2012

Georgetown Heritage Business Developments In Penang

A new kind of energy fills Georgetown City of Penang Island these days. The elegant 19th century shop lots are buzzing with life and activities. New business trends related to heritage living style have sprung up everywhere around the city area.
There has been renewed business interest in the areas since the listing of Georgetown as a UNESCO world heritage site two and a half years ago. Both small time entrepreneurs and more established investors are putting cash in conservation projects. Old heritage houses and shop lots have been transformed into chic eateries, boutique hotels, and charming home stays.
A classic cafe example is 'Kopi Cine', which is located at Stewart Lane. This delightful cafe serves Penang style coffee as well as Italian cappuccino. 'Amelie Cafe' in Armenian Street is another heritage cafe investment, which serves local delights prepared from fresh market ingredients. The new generation of investors are not merely pumping funds into prime real estates, but have shown deep respect for heritage and culture.
The buffer zone area has also been livening up with the establishment of 'Hotel Penaga'. This hotel is located in the surrounding areas of Hutton Lane, Transfer Road and Clarke Street, which is a pre-war terrace of fifteen shop units. It has been beautifully restored into a boutique hotel and maintains the character of the heritage zone, while meeting the highest modern expectations for visitors, who particularly wish to experience the heritage style of living accommodation.
Investing in the heritage city of Georgetown may seem like a good idea, but it is not a simple task. The dilapidated condition of many of Georgetown's old shop houses call for restoration and renovation. Such costs are often double the cost of the initial purchase price of the dilapidated property. But luckily these factors have not discouraged investors, comprising local Penang citizens, Malaysians from other states, as well as foreigners, from investing in heritage estate developments.
Georgetown's heritage listing has also proved to be a huge investment opportunity and a big boost to Penang's economy. Penang is now globally recognized as a selected destination for tourist to visit. This has also upgraded the Penang's status as a healthcare or medical care destination. More visitors from neighbouring countries are now coming to seek medical treatment in Penang. Medical tourism enabled many people to get the benefit of high quality medical treatment with more competitive cost in medical expenses, while going on a beautiful and tranquil vacation.
The cost of getting the treatment done elsewhere aboard has confirmed to be comparatively more expensive, whereas the same medical treatment cost in Penang can be much lower, by as much as 50% of the cost abroad. Patients can get the best possible treatment available in Penang. Penang medical professionals are highly efficient and well versed in English.
Penang may be small but is full of life, and have been voted as one of the top most livable place in the world.
Get all the information the you need to know about Penang as a Selected Destination for Free And Easy Travels

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March 16, 2012

Holiday Home in Snowdonia

Many tourists come to Wales to visit the well known landmark, Snowdon. The peak of Snowdon is the highest point in the British Isles, not including Scotland. The mountain itself is located within the Snowdonia Park Range, which is host to various mountains and adventurous walks, a great place for a hiking fan to visit on holiday. The mountain is visited by so many different people; it has even been described as "the busiest mountain in Britain." It has also been designated as a national nature reserve due to its rare flora and fauna.
Snowdon was formed in the Ordovician period, between 488.3 to 443.7 million years ago. It was produced by volcanoes, and the mountain's massif has been sculpted by glaciations giving Snowdon that pyramidal peak.
The peak of the mountain gives visitors some of the best views in Britain, and these views can be reached in various ways. For those who enjoy hiking up steep mountains, adventuring over cliffs and claiming their fame as they reach the top, the footpath is recommended. It doesn't take a great deal of time and some of the sights on the way up are not to be missed. For anyone who doesn't enjoy walking or wants to arrive at the top without effort, there is a train ride that starts in Llanberis, a small village at the foot of Snowdon, and stops at the summit of Snowdon.
There are many places for visitors to stay in the area of Snowdonia. There is accommodation based in all the surrounding villages such as Betws-y-coed, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Caernarfon etc. Each place of accommodation gives the visitor the chance to truly see Wales and be closer to their favoured attractions. The different accommodation available are each perfect in their own way, whether it's a quiet family holiday you want or a busy weekend of adventuring and tackling mountains, each different place offers its own service.
Many visitors to Snowdonia tend to come back year after year and it is for this reason that many people choose Snowdonia in North Wales as the perfect place for a holiday home. Buying a holiday home in Snowdonia is perfect for those that like to get away to totally different and rural environments and be at one with nature, especially for those that spend most of their time in busy cities or towns and crave the outdoor life. Owning your own holiday home gives you the opportunity to come and go as often as you like and stay for as long as you like without having to worry about availability, check in and checkout times etc. You also have the option to let your holiday home during certain periods so that you can make a second income.
If you are thinking of buying a Holiday Home in Snowdonia, Morfa Lodge has a wide range of quality Lodges for Sale on their magnificent holiday park in Snowdonia, North Wales.
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March 15, 2012

Holiday Homes Are Perfect For Staying During Holidays

During traveling there are some things that are going to always remain eternal. During the recent years, there has been a change in this particular thought process. Most of the people earlier stayed in resorts and hotels but today, it has been found that most of them want to live in holiday homes. What is the reason behind this change? There are mainly three reasons behind this which is mentioned below:
Holiday homes are cheaper than the resorts and hotels. No matter whether they are like the villas in Spain or like an apartment in London, they are much cheaper. You do not think that there is not much difference in the price between a holiday home and hotel as the difference is very huge. They are priced in such a manner that people from different strata can live in it. In this type of vacation home, you can stay with your family without any fear as the environment there is very friendly. There is nothing to worry about the safety of your family member.
Another advantage with vacation homes is that it can be found everywhere. No matter wherever you go to spend your holidays, you will be able to find a holiday home there. Whether you go to the beaches or to a desert, you will surely find a rental home there. There are some holiday's homes that you can get on rent. Although they are present in most of the parts but one place where you won't find them is the trodden regions.
Another reason why more and more people want to stay in holiday homes is due to their design. These are designed in such a manner that a family can live there happily. They have all the facilities that are needed by a family. Most of the hotels and restaurants have fixed rules, but if you want to stay in a type of holiday home, you do not have to follow such rules. In these types of vacation homes, you will find different kinds of swimming pools where you and your kids can enjoy playing with water.

There are many hotels where you would find the same kind of swimming pools but there you cannot enjoy freely. There are also some hotels that even do not allow people to touch the water in the pool, they are only meant for seeing. Another best thing about these holiday homes are that they do not make you feel that you have come to another place as the situation there is very homely. It does not make one feel that they are guests but at the same time the service provided by these holiday homes are incomparable.
Byron Jonas recommends getting a good luxury accommodation for you and your family for the holidays. He thinks living in the right apartment can be a rejuvenating experience worth looking forward to.

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March 14, 2012

Herefordshire - An Idyllic Place for Garden Lovers

Garden lovers love Herefordshire. It's the perfect place to meander around some of the most enchanting gardens in England.
The county, with its collage of meadows, fields and woodland, has a favourable climate and unspoiled landscape, making it a favourite area in which to choose a holiday cottage. To take full advantage of Herefordshire's peace and quiet, here are some tranquil gardens open to the public that would complete your stay.
Stockton Bury is in Kimbolton, near Leominster and has an abundance of charm in every season. It's a working farm that has been developed over several decades to become one of the UK's best-loved gardens and sits among some of Herefordshire's most prized unspoilt countryside. Set around medieval farm buildings, and with many rare and unusual plants, it covers around four acres in total.
The gardens are divided into themed areas that include The Grotto, Elizabethan Gardens, the Secret Garden, the Long Walk and Dingle Gardens among others. There's also a working kitchen garden, pigeon house, pools, cider press, a mock ruined chapel and a tithe barn. The Tithe Barn Restaurant serves up traditional farmhouse fare (vegetarian too) using produce from the kitchen garden and farm along with other locally sourced ingredients.
Bryan's Ground Gardens is in Letchmoor Lane, Stapleton, Presteigne, which is on the border with Wales. The gardens here have colour-themed borders, formal pools and follies in a beautiful Edwardian setting. These outstandingly lovely gardens integrate some awe-inspiring designs, which are the work of professional garden designers, and the publishers of the garden journal HORTUS.
The gardens themselves cover around three acres and they're further set in twenty-five acres of river meadows, which offer stunning views to Wales. Divided into a series of 'rooms' which were begun in 1913, Bryan's Ground offers visitors follies called 'The Sulking House' (complete with its own gothic garden), 'The Lighthouse', and 'The Belvedere'. No one could fail to be delighted with the scented flowers, the topiary and the rose gardens.
Abbey Dore Court Garden is also well worth a visit. About 12 miles from Hereford city and sitting at the south end of the Golden Valley, it's open from early spring until autumn. Laid out over six acres, it also boasts a one-acre walled garden with no fewer than nine borders separated by brick pathways, arches and a water sculpture.
If you're visiting Abbey Dore Gardens, you'll want to walk the riverside arboretum - there are plenty of seats supplied - the owners encourage you to sit and enjoy the peaceful setting. The Court gardens are close to the famous mid-12th century Cistercian Abbey so lots to look around if you're in the area.
Westonbury Mill Water Gardens are close to the half-timbered village of Pembridge. It covers over three acres and contains ponds, a corn mill and a variety of interesting follies. The follies provide some light relief. One of them, a dome-roofed fernery, is fashioned from sunlit wine bottles and another, a castellated tower, has gargoyles that spurt jets of water.
As you might expect from its name, the Water Gardens specialise in water-loving plants and there are paths over the bog garden area to allow visitors to view the plants properly. The unusual African summerhouse incorporates bull rushes from the pond and is a good spot in which to view the wild flower meadow. The café serves home-cooked food and teas or you can sit beside the stream and take in the lovely view across the meadow to the hills.
A stay in Herefordshire wouldn't be complete without visiting one of its delightfully peaceful gardens, many of which have specialist nurseries. Take something home for a lasting reminder of your garden visit to the county.
Choose your ideal holiday cottage at Herefordshire Cottages.
For more information on places in Herefordshire, follow the link in the resource box below.
Maureen Vincent-Northam writes regularly about the beautiful county in which she lives. To learn more about Herefordshire visit Goherefordshire at http://www.goherefordshire.co.uk/

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March 13, 2012

Fun Things To Do In NJ: Stay-Cations; To Keep Families Busy All Summer Long

Even as the economy recovers, more and more families are opting to forgo the annual family vacation and replace it with a 'stay-cation.' These special vacations help families explore their own area and let them make the most out of the place they call home. The best part about these stay-cations is that there's no long waits in airports, no choruses of 'are we there yet' from the backseat and no expensive travel costs. If you're in the NJ area, consider making one of these New Jersey attractions the focus of your stay-cation.Amusement Parks In New Jersey: Morey's Piers
Morey's Piers is located in Wildwood, NJ and it's easy to see why it's rated the third best seaside amusement park in the world. The park offers three piers full of rides, attractions, games and food, and two different waterparks. With so many things to do, it's like getting three different amusement parks in New Jersey in one.
Original to 2011 is 'it.' 'It' is a one of a kind thrill ride that spins and swings riders up to 65 feet over these amusement parks in New Jersey. It has a unique lap bar restraint that delivers an experience that isn't found at any other thrill ride. The waterparks also offer something for everyone. From a lazy river to aggressive water slides to shallow children's play areas, everyone on your stay-cation will appreciate being able to stop and cool down in the water. Visitors can choose one day or multi-day passes, or choose to only visit the waterpark or amusement park. Season passes are also available.
Fun Things To Do In NJ: Adventure Aquarium
The Adventure Aquarium in Camden is known as 'America's most touchable aquarium.' Here, families can visit attractions like Penguin Island, Seal Shores, Stingray Beach Club, Touch-a-Shark, Rainforest Rendezvous and more. Children and adults can touch hermit crabs, lobsters, sea stars, giant isopods, grass shrimp and even a white spotted bamboo shark. If you're considering a trip to the Adventure Aquarium, it's a good idea to book your visit online. Guests can choose from a one day pass, or a family value package that includes entrance to all the exhibits and a meal voucher.
New Jersey Attractions: The Liberty Science Center
The Liberty Science Center is located in Jersey City and has nine different permanent exhibitions that promise to inspire visitors. Guest can learn how scientists study diseases and how to treat infections, how human communication has changed and all about the sources of energy and how humans can experiment with alternate sources. There's even a special, interactive area for children ages 2-5. Tickets can be purchased at the door for the museum.
With so many fun things to do in NJ, your family can stay busy all summer long - without breaking the bank. From amusement parks in New Jersey to New Jersey attractions like museums and aquariums, look no further than your own backyard for your next stay-cation.
Chris Harmen writes for Morey's Piers, one of the many New Jersey attractions for families looking to enjoy a vacation close to home. Morey's Piers is just one of the many fun things to do in NJ.

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March 12, 2012

Having Difficulty Promoting and Marketing Your Vacation Rental? Here Are Some Pointers

Finally you have your vacation rental ready to launch. The major hurdle of getting it ready has been jumped. You may have a couple of bookings but you suddenly realise that it just won't sell itself. Here is our experience. I hope it helps even just a little bit.
When launching our vacation rental on to the market we were lucky enough to be mentioned in a related article by a national newspaper followed by a double page spread in a national Sunday paper. This was achieved by networking our friends and family for any contacts they had and then by bugging them until they followed up on it. At this point, on advice from an excellent PR person, we had to come up with an idea for the article that wasn't just self promotion. It must have a bullet i.e. subject matter of interest to that journalist's audience. Your press releases must be along these lines. Base them around 'overcoming adversity' or 'new and interesting events in your area' or 'financing the build in this financial environment'.
Open a Facebook Page, get on twitter, start a blog, join a vacation rental website and of course Trip Advisor. Good reviews are gold dust. And I for one always check out places I intend to visit. Create a beautiful website with as many photos as you can load on there. A good photo speaks a thousand words. But more importantly make it easy to navigate. I recently came across a website where you could only view their home page, yet by trawling a search engine it was evident they had other pages on there. Follow up on every lead you get.
Send out promotional offers to your existing mailing list. Don't swamp them, a notice every three months is sufficient. You can do this in the guise of a Christmas Card or similar. We have now launched a number of added value vacations to ours, activity breaks including cookery classes, triathlon training weekends and sailing weekends. A great excuse to send another email to the guests we have already had. Make sure you mention any offers you may have going.
Most countries have some sort of free press release website. You can submit a press release with them or trawl the net and submit them with one in every country. Also most areas have promotional bodies and support services for new businesses in that area. Register with them and ask for help. Be bold. Shout from the tree tops. Because there are lots of us out there, but only the squeeky wheel gets oiled.

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March 11, 2012

Have You Considered A Fractional Ownership Investment in Mexico?

Have you ever considered investing in a second home, time share, or fractional ownership in Mexico? Many Americans fly to Mexico each year looking for a great vacation. What they often end up finding is a place they enjoy so much they want to return year after year. The question then becomes "how can I invest in something that will be safe and allow me and my family to enjoy future vacations in Mexico?"
The option of purchasing a second home is often times cost prohibitive. Most people vacationing in Mexico are here to enjoy the sites and the beautiful beaches it has to offer. Often times those homes for sale which are close to these attractions are simply too expensive. Condos or apartments are usually just too small and not fitting for gathering the family together.
Time Shares often seem like a good investment at the time but over time can seem like a bad decision. Often times after purchasing a time share reality sets. You may end up getting stuck with monthly maintenance fees, you can't trade the time share like you were told you could, and it's likely much harder than you expected it to be to get out or sell the time share like you originally thought.
Fractional ownership is often a more secure and cheaper means of meeting the goal of securing a place that you can return to every year. Fractional ownership can be a house or a condo and you're typically purchasing a set week or more of usage during a set number of years or permanent ownership depending on how it's set up. Sometimes the set period you purchased does not fit with your schedule and the family is not able to even use the condo or house because they weren't able to schedule around that specific week. Regardless of if you use it or not you will likely be responsible for maintenance fees and or other fees for as long as you own it.
A great alternative investment to the ones mentioned above is currently being offered in Soliman Bay along the Riviera Maya. The Jones family has created an offering to their private luxury villa in Soliman Bay which provides security, flexible vacation time, actual return on the investor's money, and a lavish private 5 bedroom villa right on exquisite Soliman Bay in the Mayan Riviera.
The Jones family is nearing the completion of this grand estate and is looking for some additional capital to help furnish the villa and open it up for business. They currently have enough capital to complete the villa with all its finishing's but need additional monies to purchase about half of the interior and exterior furniture. The offering they've come up with is just right for someone who wants flexibility in when they vacation and the security of knowing they actually have a lien against a valuable property such as this for only a $50,000usd investment. Additionally they will actually get 10% annual interest on their money while they vacation for free.
If you want to learn more about this unique alternative to establishing a place for your family to vacation in Mexico, please visit http://www.yellowfininternational.com/ for more information on the Jones Family and this real estate investment in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.
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