Tag Archives: hotel

A Stay at the Hotel Phoenicia, Valetta, Malta

Karl on Feb 20, 2023 with Comments Off

My wife and I visited Malta several years ago during the winter months. It was a nice time of year to visit as the weather was very pleasant, hotels were offering discounts, and it wasn’t hard to get a table at a restaurant.
We decided to splurge a little and stayed at the Hotel Phoenicia, a five star accommodation just outside the gate of old Valetta in Floriana, near the Triton fountain. This was both a good and bad choice. The location, facility and grounds were terrific. The food and service were below par for a hotel of this quality, and I’d not stay there again if we ever return to Malta.

(The Hotel Phoenicia, Valletta)

That said, I thought I …

Tagged hotel, Malta, Phoenicia

“Pic of the Week”, December 20, 2019: Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Situated in the heart of pretty Niagara-on-the-Lake is an elegant Victorian era landmark, the Prince of Wales Hotel. lt was built in 1864 and has gone through several name changes. Originally called the Arcade Hotel, then Niagara House, it was given its current name when the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary) visited in 1901.

The hotel was significantly expanded in the 1970s, though in a manner very consistent with its original design. It was thoroughly restored and updated in the late 1990s. It’s lobby shows nice architectural and historic details.

I’ve never stayed here but did eat at its fine dining room once and thoroughly enjoyed it. High Tea in the Drawing Room …

Karl on Dec 19, 2019 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, January 11, 2019: Grand Oriental Hotel, Colombo

The Grand Oriental Hotel (GOH, previously the Taprobane Hotel) is a heritage property located in the Fort district of Colombo.

The building was formerly a barracks for the British Army and was converted to a hotel in 1875, with 154 rooms. Ads at the time claimed it was “the only fully European owned and fully equipped hotel in the East”; also, “the hotel is lighted throughout by electricity and all the public rooms and bedrooms are kept cool by means of electric fans”.

It was an elegant place to visit in the 19th century. It had a tropical garden, was illuminated at night by colored lights, and had its own orchestra which performed daily. The hotel underwent a thorough a refurbishment in …

Karl on Jan 10, 2019 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, June 8, 2018: Burj Al Arabia

In a country of spectacular modern buildings and architecture, the Burj Al Arab more than holds its own. A beautiful white structure, it was built to resemble a dhow sailing into the blue waters of the Persian Gulf. The Burj Al Arab was one of the first big constructions in modern Dubai and like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York, it has come to symbolize today’s Dubai.

Some of the Particulars:
The Burj Al Arab is considered one of the world’s great luxury hotels and is the third tallest hotel in the world. It’s built on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to it …

Karl on Jun 7, 2018 | Comments Off

.All Trips / Hawaii / North America

Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Oahu

Karl on Feb 14, 2017 with Comments Off

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel was one of the first hotels located on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. The hotel’s beach offers wonderful views of Waikiki and Diamond Head, the island’s extinct, iconic volcanic crater. It is one of the few ‘older’ places in a city that has exploded with new devlopment in the past half century.

The Royal Hawaiian is known for its bright pink color, hence the nickname, “The Pink Palace of the Pacific”. Its design has a Moorish influence and the complex sits on 15 acres of land, most of which is a beautiful tropical garden. The hotel has 400 rooms, each with a balcony, and was built to accommodate the growing number of wealthy American …

Tagged Honolulu, hotel, Oahu, Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki