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You’d be hard-pressed to find someone these days that isn’t supporting some sort of eco-friendly activity, and that definitely extends to hotels. Formerly bastions of all things eco-UNfriendly, most hotels today are working toward a greener environment, too, with initiatives like environmentally friendly electricity and heating/cooling systems, recycling programmes and water conservation techniques. We’ve even blogged about some of Europe’s best eco-friendly hotels in the past.

Well, the folks over at HotelsCombined.com have done their homework and come up with quite a few great hotels that are supporting Earth Hour. For those not familiar, Earth Hour started back in 2007 in Sydney and has become a global phenomenon. Every March 26, business and individuals all over the world turn their lights off to take a stand against climate change. Last year, hundreds of millions of people participated in 88 different countries and 4000 cities around the world, and this year promises to be even bigger.

Hotels Participating in Earth Hour

Mount Kenya Safari Club

Photo by Dan Lundberg

Now owned and operated by Fairmount Hotels, the Mount Kenya Safari Club is a distinguished, historic hotel in Nanyuki, Kenya. (more…)

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Though it might not feel like it, spring has arrived across the world. The snow is melting, flowers are starting to bud and birds are chirping. March is nearly half over, and so it’s time to start thinking about some spring city breaks for 2011. This year, we’re thinking that the U.S. is the place to go, but the options are virtually endless in the United States for wonderful cities to see.

We’re sure you’ve been to New York and San Francisco, so instead, why not check out these six alternative spots for great spring city break destinations!

Chicago

Photo by Flickr user melakai

The blooming tulips along the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago brighten up the Windy City after its long and brutal winter. The locals are out in full force once the weather gets nice – shopping, eating and socialising on the streets. Just make sure you plan your trip for late spring – warmth doesn’t descend on Chicago until May!

Find hotels in Chicago.

Austin

Photo by Joe Calhoun

Spring is the perfect time to check out the bohemian, laid-back Texan capitol – before the heat of summer sets in. The lazy waters of Lake Austin (a reservoir of the Colorado River, right in the city centre) makes the perfect place for inter-tubing with a local brew under the sunshine.

Find hotels in Austin. (more…)

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Jurys Inn St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway

Guests of Jurys Inn might be given an unexpected prize this March 17th, if the leprechaun fairy visits their hotel room on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day. 17 shamrocks will be hidden under pillows in rooms across the 30 different Jurys Inn hotels in Europe, such as Jurys Inn Prague, and the lucky winners will be treated to a 2-night Jurys Inn stay.

Photo by Robert OrrJurys Inn is hosting the competition to celebrate its Irish heritage. The hotel chain was founded in 1993 as part of the Jurys Hotel Group, which dates back to 1881, when William Jury opened his first hotel in Dublin.

The rules of the competition are pretty simple. All you have to do is book a room at Jurys Inn – any Jurys Inn – on the night of St. Patrick’s Day, or March 17, to be eligible for the prize.

Especially if you are planning to be in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day, there are a number of Jurys Inn Dublin hotel options to choose from, and they always make a reliable and friendly, not to mention affordable hotel choice.

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Taking your mum for high tea on Mother’s Day might be the most cliché activity of all time, but it can still be really difficult to think of something unique to do for Mother’s Day every year. That’s where the R.S. Hispaniola comes in.

Mother’s Day on the R.S. Hispaniola

Photo by Robert Orr

If you’ve never been on the permanently docked ship, which rests on the Thames at Victoria Embankment near the Jubilee Footbridge, it has been reconverted into a rather smart restaurant. The R.S. Hispaniola (which now, cleverly, stands for Restaurant Ship) has two outdoor decks, also, one of which has a lovely view across to the London Eye, making for a very refined dining experience right in central London.

The R.S. Hispaniola will be hosting a special Mothering Sunday programme this April 3, starting with a 3-course Mediterranean menu that will be served for both lunch and dinner. The ship’s in-house pianist will provide a nice mood for the meals, and there will also be the option of changing to more traditional dishes if your mum’s tastes don’t stretch to their avant-garde special menu. £30 per person.

If you’re not in for an entire meal but still want to get your mum out for something special, you could opt instead to do the afternoon high tea – a nice unique take on a rather cliché Mother’s Day choice. Tea will be served with all the fixings – scones, jam, sandwiches, fruit cake, biscuits and coffee, for those that prefer. £18 per person.

Whether you are a resident Londoner or just visiting the city with your mum, the R.S. Hispaniola is a very atmospheric place to dine (where else can you eat literally on the Thames) with a traditional English atmosphere.

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Finding a good and inexpensive hotel in New York is like the holy grail of bookings. Most New York hotels are either too expensive, too shoddy or too small, or they are miles away from the action of Manhattan Island.

The MAve NYC is everything a New York City hotel should be, and at the right price, to boot. First of all, it is located in the trendy Flatiron District, which is in Midtown Manhattan, right on Madison Avenue and just a few minutes’ walk from Gramercy Park and Park Avenue.

The MAve’s prices are also right, offering a reasonably cheap room but without sacrificing any of the boutique elements that you might want in a cute, upscale New York City hotel. Basic double rooms here start out at about £94, and you could do a lot worse for a lot worse in New York.

The styling of The MAve is a sort of chic New York City vibe that bursts with bright primary colours, which offset the plain white walls and bedding, and black furniture. Counted among The MAve’s amenities are free high speed WIFI, H20 bath products and high-def flat screen TVs. It is also a pet-friendly hotel, in case Rover is coming along.

The MAve NYC
62 Madison Avenue
New York, NY
Tel: +1 (212) 532-7373
Map | Book

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The latest promotion from hotel megacorporation Mandarin Oriental is a free honeymoon. That’s no joke. Mandarin Oriental is offering a free five-night stay in any of their hotels around the world when you book their new “Graciously Luxurious” wedding package at the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas property.

Courtesy photo: Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas

A luxurious Vegas setting for a wedding

To qualify for the free honeymoon stay, couples must book the “Graciously Luxurious” wedding package at Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas by May 31, 2011. The wedding must be held by the end of the year and the package is good for couples with 100 guests or more. (more…)

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It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but by the sounds of it, Kate Middleton will be spending her last night as single gal in the ritzy Goring Hotel (Map | Book) in central London, just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace and the venue for the royal wedding: Westminster Abbey.

Courtesy photo - thegoring.com

Royal Wedding Hotel

First opened in 1910, the Goring has a rich history dotted with royal events. It was made famous in 1937 as the first hotel in London to offer ensuite bathrooms, about which King George VI made the famous statement to the Crown Prince of Norway: ‘At Buckingham Palace I have to share a bath with five people! Here [at the Goring] I have one to myself’. The Goring has often hosted British Kings and Queens for high tea and, over the years, has been visited by the likes of Winston Churchill and Prince Charles, among numerous other members of the royal family. (more…)

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If you’re planning to head over to the Emerald Isle to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this March 17th, you’d do well to start planning your Dublin hotel now. The major festivities take place around the Irish capital, with a few events also happening in smaller cities and towns around the country.

Dublin tends to get quite packed with tourists during its 4-day St. Patrick’s Festival and accommodation fills up very quickly each year. Luckily, Dublin has numerous hotels, B&Bs and hostels to cater to the shamrocking revelers that descend on the city every spring.

Here are our top picks for Dublin accommodation for St. Patrick’s Day.

Luxury Dublin Accommodation

The Westbury Hotel, Dublin

The Westbury Hotel
Balfe St., Dublin 2
+353 (0) 1 679 1122
Map | Book
Considered one of Dublin’s most beautiful hotels, this historic luxury Dublin hotel is located right off the city’s busiest shopping street, Grafton Street, and is just a few minutes’ walk from Trinity College. The Westbury makes a great choice for St. Patrick’s Day accommodation because of its central location and commitment to outstanding service. (more…)

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It’s Valentine’s Day, in case you didn’t know, and so in light of this romantic date, I thought I’d do a little digging to find something really special today: photos of love from around the world. Our idea of love is often tainted with red and white hearts, especially around February 14, but it is important to remember that love goes far beyond greeting card romance (though there’s nothing wrong with sending a sweet valentine!), and it takes on many faces and actions around the world.

So, I hope you can celebrate love today, in whatever form it takes wherever you are. Here are some photos that I think express love, in all its many forms, around the world.

Photo by Flickr user DaveBleasdale

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Online mega travel agent Viator.com has recently released its list of the five best hidden and private tours across Britain. According to a press release, Viator feels that there are some things that just can’t be gleaned from a guidebook. According to Dan Hart, the company’s UK general manager, “The best guide books in the world can tell you about some really cool secret places to visit but that doesn’t mean you will necessarily be able to get into them.”

This can often be true, and that’s why Viator has compiled a huge list of what they call “private tours” – tours that are given to single or small group travelers that take them to more in-depth places, hidden spots or behind-the-scenes where ordinary tourists might not otherwise be allowed. Though not necessarily cheap, these tours offer you the feeling that you’ve really uncovered something special, and it’s hard to put a price on that.

And Britain has numerous such tours, including these five that Viator feels are the very best in British hidden and private tours.

Private Viewing of the British Crown Jewels

Photo by Pietro & Silvia

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