If you like travelling and your girlfriend/boyfriend likes it too, in stead of a bunch of flowers and a nice card, Valentine’s day is the perfect excuse to flight somewhere and spend a romantic weekend with your partner. And what could be more romantic than Paris?

Paris has always been known as “the city of love”. Nobody knows exactly what it is but we all agree on the fact that Paris has “that something”. The small streets, a walk by the Seine, the Tuileries Gardens… everything will seem perfect for the lover’s eyes. From having a dinner for two in a cruise through the Seine, with some romantic music and the views of the wonderful Eiffel Tower or the Louvre, to hiring a bike and going around the city on two wheels, plans for each and every pocket and all different tastes.

However, if this is not the plan for you, it is maybe a bit too sentimental or you don’t have a couple to share this with, wait for the next few posts on Blogtelopia. We will give you other ideas on how to celebrate the day of love, even if you are single!

The Annual Guardian Angels – Motorcycle Police Officer’s Association Rally took place in Benidorm this year from 20 to 22 November on the occasion of its 10th Anniversary. Four-hundred people attended the event and enjoyed a weekend of companionship and the friendly atmosphere that was present throughout their stay. Hotelopia was in charge of lodging and we thank the Association for entrusting us with this task. Congratulations on your 10-year Anniversary!
Hotelopia has also made available to the Guardian Angels an exclusive website with which they can make hotel reservations in any of our destinations at special prices, for both personal and professional reservations.

The destination of the month in Hotelopia is like a city taken out of a fairy tale: Prague. Its bridges, the river and its colourful houses that contrast with its emblematic dark stone buildings give it a mystical, imaginary splendour. This dreamy sensation is magnified by its Art Nouveau, which became very popular in the capital of the Czech Republic in the 20th century. The Municipal House, the Hotel Europa or the first Exhibition Grounds are a reflection of the extent to which this artistic style has influenced Prague’s architecture. The force of its Art Deco or Modernism (as it’s called in Spain) however, can be felt in many other parts of the city, not only at these prominent buildings. When you are meandering through the streets of Prague, remember to look up. You might find a painted female figure smiling down at you from the top of a house. Maybe, when you open the door to a shop, you’ll find that the iron door handle is in the shape of a climbing plant. Inside a café, a mirror could reflect your image surrounded by a wooden frame showing the craftsmanship of virtuosity. Even in the hotel, its winding staircase will add a touch of magic to your stay. When in Prague, visitors do not need to look for Art Nouveau; they will find it all around them, accompanying them during their stay.

If packing to go on holiday means taking everything except for the kitchen sink, then check out website www.onebag.com.

Created by Doug Dyment, the so-called Go-Light Guru, learn about the art and science of travelling light.

With all low-cost airlines now charging extra for checking in luggage, and some (inc. Ryanair) reducing their check-in weight, means you pay more, for the more you take.

The website shows how to create your own reusable packing list, to ensure you’re taking the essentials without over packing.

As for other benefits:

-  Travelling light means a better journey: You can board trains and busses more easily and get around on underground trains or metros without having heart failure.  It also means you’ll save a packet on taxi fares.
-  Help save the environment: Planes need less fuel depending on the weight of the luggage carried.  The less you take, the less impact you’ll have on the planet.

What’s more, the website is packed with fascinating facts.  Did you know that a wheelie suitcase weighs 75% more and has less space than one without?  Or that you can use dental floss as a cheese or cake cutter, heavy duty thread for making repairs, as a temporary luggage lock, to mend dripping taps, and even if you’re forced to give birth, it is also strong enough to cut the umbilical cord!

After checking out this website, you won’t travel in the same way again.

After Ben Southhall beat 34,000  applicants to bag the Best Job in the World as newly installed caretaker of Hamilton Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, it turns out that another Brit has just struck lucky.

A holiday booking website launched a competition to find a willing candidate to blog their way around the world.  And the winner is a recently made redundant Brit, 24 year old Richard Conway who will be paid £20,000 to travel the world and blog his experiences on the One Heck of a Summer Website.

He will spend five months making the 32,000 mile trip around the globe and taking in cities including New York, Las Vegas, Dubai and Barcelona.  If anyone is feeling remotely jealous by this news, then you’re in good company – Grrr.

If you think that Twitter is for “Twits”, and telling the world what you’re doing in 140 characters is a total waste of time, then think again.

Not only is it a useful medium for reporting breaking news but it’s also the latest social networking website to offer a quick fix to help plan your holiday.

Of course you can get the latest deals and information on promotions from us by checking out the feeds for @HotelopiaUK.  But  if you’re looking for somewhere slightly different to stay, Twitter allows smaller tour operators to post feeds including @HotelsinRome or even get in touch with the hotelier direct.

There’s @royalramblas who tweet direct from their four star hotel on Barcelona’s La Rambla.  Or check out the feed for this little agro-turismo in Majorca @Peppersantblai .  It’s run by their resident donkey, who will tell you all you need to know about a great rural stay on the island.

Best of all is the opportunity to connect with the locals in your holiday destination.  Type in your destination into the search box, and see who’s writing about it.  A couple of useful examples of  local Tweeters are in the Isle of Wight: @Red_Funnel , Majorca: @Mallorcanow and Cévennes (South of France): @cevennes

Just click on the feed and use the @ reply tool to ask them questions of your own; favourite restaurants, recommended sights etc.

Plus if you’re looking for where the party’s at when you get there, just tap in “party near: Paris“ to get the low-down on what’s happening in your holiday destination

Finally, get up-to-date feeds on information and advice by the Foreign Office by following @britishabroad.

And if you’re really stuck for something to do on holiday.  Tweet where you are and open yourself up for suggestions like this journalist did…

Happy Holidays everyone!

Michael Jackson is set to be immortalised in the Ukraine.

Oktyabrskoye, a little known village in the South East of the Ukraine, may soon experience an increase in hotel bookings if proposals to rename the town “Jackson” go through, according to the Daily Mail.

There are also talks in process to open a museum and house collections of the late popstar’s memorabilia, which could put the town on the tourist trail for must-see sights for dedicated Michael Jackson fans.

And just as the death of Elvis Presley provided a positive boost to tourism in Memphis, the passing of Michael Jackson will surely provide an increase in tourist dollars to locations associated with the pop legend including his former Neverland Ranch in California.

And with the sales soaring of Michael Jackson hit albums and singles, this bizarrely proves that some popstars are in fact more profitable dead than alive.

Thomson Experience in association with Hotelopia has confirmed today that they will offer a full refund to those who’ve booked hotel and Michael Jackson concert ticket packages following the star’s death last week.

However, those who booked a package and still wish to visit London can do so, and will be offered alternative entertainment options including West End concert tickets to shows including Thriller Live, the show celebrating Michael Jackson’s life, Oliver and Mama Mia.

London plays host to a wealth of theatre, museum and other attractions so ticket holders can still visit the city for less and take advantage of exclusively renegotiated hotel rates.

This includes paying just £119 for a four star hotel stay (per room, per night including breakfast and taxes) or £199 per room staying at five star hotel during the dates the concert should’ve taken place.

Also customers will be the first to be advised of any replacement concerts taking place at The O2 and if/when they’ll be given the option to book.

To get a refund or to book alternative entertainment options please send your reference number which starts with 164 to customerservice@thomsonexperience.com and outline which option you wish to follow.

Refunds will be processed as soon as possible.

All eyes are on tennis’ biggest tournament Wimbledon which runs this summer, (weather permitting and Cliff Richard singing) until the 5th July.

The biggest blow for us here at Hotelopia is that Rafael Nadal isn’t playing.  This means, 90% of Majorcans including most Hotelopia staff who’d normally tune in to see their local hero play will be switching off in their droves.   Not us Brits though.  We may be few and far between in the office, but we’re throwing our weight, along with the rest of the UK, behind *Scottish player Andy Murray and the nearest we have to national talent**.

And those lucky enough to bag last minute Wimbeldon tickets can find hotel accommodation all over London.  Regardless of where you stay, getting to London’s SW19 is easy, as the public transport system is pretty well connected across the city.

*Note to all Scottish sports fans:  Just remember where your allegiance lies when it comes to supporting us during football internationals
** Whatever happened to Tim Henman?

To celebrate 20 years since the fall of the Wall, the German Tourist Board has launched a map highlighting sites which once defined East Germany taking in Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.

City breakers to Germany can now explore the sites which include memorials, museums, leftovers of former border installations, bunkers and restored historical buildings.

Since the reunification of Germany, many buildings, squares and city centres having been painstakingly restored to embrace the future. What used to be no man’s land in Berlin is now “Potsdamer Platz”. And in Brandenburg, the restoration of Potsdam’s historical centre will be completed with the reconstruction of the “City Palace” in 2011.

The new map is available from Tourist information offices in Germany or can be downloaded here  www.open-this-gate.com