InCity Hotels

If you are planning a trip to Italy, check out this selection of Milan hotels and get ready to explore one of Europe’s leading cities for design, style and fashion.

Watttredici Hotel - Milan Famagosta
The Watttredici is a brand new Milan hotel enjoying a great location in the capital of Italian style. Situated only a few steps from Alzaia Naviglio Grande waterways - a trendy area offering a vast choice of shops, cafés, and dining venues - this design hotel is the perfect spot for discovering Milan fashion district and experiencing the city’s lifestyle. In addition to modern guest rooms, this 4-star hotel offers relaxing lounge areas and a modern lounge bar, where you can participate in the traditional Milanese ritual of aperitif and taste yummy cocktails until midnight. The Watttredici Hotel also boasts a meeting room fully-equipped with innovative technologies.

Hotel Straf - Milan historic center
Hotel Straf is ideally located in Milan city center, a stone’s throw away from Via Montenapoleone shopping street and close to the Duomo Cathedral and La Scala Opera House. Combining classic elegance, Italian style and minimalist design, this luxury Milan hotel offers 64 rooms and suites with high-tech functionalities and comfortable amenities. The Straf Hotel Milan boasts fantastic interiors featuring innovative materials including cement, black stone, iron, burnished brass and scratched mirrors, as well as beautiful furnishings by Italian fashion designer Vincenzo De Cotiis. This design hotel also offers meeting facilities, a fully-equipped gym, a stylish cocktail bar and a modern restaurant open for lunch.

Enterprise Hotel - Milan Fiera
Located in the lively neighborhood of Milano Fiera, the Enterprise Hotel offers comfortable rooms within short walking distance of Fiera Milano City fairground and close to some of Milan’s trendiest night clubs. Representing the city’s creative spirit, The Enterprise is the first design hotel in Milan and is the perfect venue for social events, business meetings and fashion shows. Boasting a relaxing atmosphere, this 4-star Milan hotel features a gym, a cozy lounge area, a garden courtyard, the Event Plaza meeting room, the fashionable Privé wine bar, and the Sophia’s Restaurant offering excellent creative cuisine in a splendid, spacious loft.

Hotel The Gray - Milan historic center
Situated in the Milano city center, a few steps from La Scala Opera House and the Duomo Cathedral, The Gray is amongst the newest Luxury hotels in Milan. Set opposite the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, this design hotel offers meeting facilities and comfortable, spacious guest rooms in the very heart of Milan’s financial and shopping district. Boasting stylish interiors with modern Italian design by Florentine architect Guido Ciompi, The Gray Hotel also has a splendid lobby and the ‘GBar’, which welcomes guests in an intimate atmosphere with background music. Serving delicious Mediterranean and International cuisine, the hotel restaurant ‘Le Noir’ is the perfect setting for your banquets and cocktail parties in Milan.

Carrer Del Cardenal Reig 11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

The Hotel Spa Senator Barcelona is a modern, eight-storey hotel located four kilometres from the Barcelona city centre and 1.5 kilometres from Sants railway station. The 213 air-conditioned guestrooms are furnished with wooden floors and contemporary furniture and include adjustable beds with a selection of pillows. All 4-star hotel rooms are equipped with satellite television with pay movies, complimentary wireless Internet, direct-dial telephones, hi-fis with CD players and complimentary minibars. Bathrooms include telephones, bathrobes and designer toiletries.

The Spa Senator Barcelona hotel offers a range of spa facilities, including a hot tub, Turkish bath, Finnish saunas and an immersion bath. Guests can also enjoy revitalising beauty treatments, including facials and massages, swim a few laps in the hotel’s outdoor pool and tone up in the fitness room. In the evening, guests can sample a selection of Spanish and international dishes, served a la carte or buffet-style, in the restaurant and then head to the piano bar to enjoy live music and unwind with an after-dinner drink. Those visiting Barcelona on business can stay connected via wireless Internet access and make use of the hotel’s conference rooms and business centre. Multilingual staff at the 24-hour front desk can arrange dry-cleaning and babysitting services, exchange currency and provide room service. Motorists will find parking facilities on site (surcharge).

The ornamental gardens and fountains of Montjuic, home of the 1992 Olympic Games, are three kilometres away. Art-lovers will find the National Museum of Catalan Art, housing a collection of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque works, also within three kilometres of the hotel. Barcelona Airport is 11 kilometres away, with an approximate driving time of ten minutes.

Enjoying a very central and romantic location, this charming property offers quality accommodation for your pleasant stay in Rome.

The Residenza Ave Hotel is centrally located in the city of Rome, close to the main tourist attractions, shopping area and the famous Piazza di Spagna. This charming property is placed in a romantic location close to the Tiber River.

The Residenza Ave Hotel Rome offers elegantly furnished guest rooms that are facilitated with all modern comforts. The breakfast offered at the hotel makes you to start your day in a most tasteful and colourful way. During leisure, you can visit the attractions of Rome and explore the surrounding areas.

“Two extremely weary first time travellers to Roma were welcomed with great gusto & enthasium from Salvo to a wonderfully appointed boutique hotel. The people that run Residenza Ave Hotel Roma are outstanding and do more than bend over backwards to assist their guests, they treat you like you are a valid member of an extended family. Hotel Residenza Ave Roma was our first hotel on our first Italian holiday and set such a great precedent that was never matched by anywhere else we stayed. If we ever have the opportunity to visit Roma again, we know exactly where we are going to stay - it is truely a home away from home with wonderful decor - it is a very special place with very special people. I’d also like to recommend the Trattoria Lilli in the lane way behind the Residenza Ave Hotel Roma - the food is just wonderful - a true taste of Italy” - Residenza Ave Hotel Review from Herman and Carolinn

Whether you are in Amsterdam for business or for pleasure, this hotel property provides you all the modern facilities that will make your stay a memorable one.

Situated in the most important business district of Amsterdam, the Holiday Inn Amsterdam Hotel is close to Schiphol International Airport and just a stone’s throw from the RAI Exhibition as well as the Congress Centre. The hotel is only a 5-minute drive from the Amsterdam World Trade Centre.

Designed for your comfort and convenience, the guestrooms are elegantly appointed and equipped with all the up to date amenities that any traveller would expect from a hotel of 4 star category.

The onsite restaurant serves a variety of delectable and healthy food for you to feast on, in a comfortable atmosphere. The bar is a delightful place to relax with a newspaper, meet friends or for enjoying your favourite cocktail.

The Holiday Inn Amsterdam Hotel boasts 12 multi-functional meeting rooms that are well-appointed with all the latest technology for making your conferences and seminars a successful one. At leisure, you can workout at the gymnasium, play a game of tennis, have a dip in the swimming pool or relax at the sauna.

The Holiday Inn Amsterdam Hotel is close to the Amstelpark, a golf course and a centre for tennis and squash. The nearest public transport station “Rai” has frequent connections to Amsterdam City Centre, Albert Cuyp Market, Anne Frank Museum, Dam Square, Flower Market, Gassan Diamonds, Heineken Brewery, Holland Casino, Madame Tussaud’s Amsterdam, Red Light District, Van Gogh Museum and Rijksumuseum

A hotel in City Centre, Helsinki: Helka Hotel Helsinki
The perfect combination of an ideal location and impeccable service makes the Helka Hotel Helsinki the right choice for business and leisure travellers.

4-star hotels: Palace Hotel Helsinki
Offering comfortable accommodation and convenient facilities, the Palace Hotel Helsinki provides you with all of the quality amenities to make your stay a memorable one.

Check out Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre
Featuring all the modern day conveniences, the Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre welcomes you for a memorable stay.

A 4-star hotel in Helsinki: Cumulus Olympia Hotel Helsinki
Offering a good location and comfortable accommodation, this property invites all type of guests for a pleasant and wonderful stay in Helsinki.

BEIJING — The Olympics are looking like a bust for the city’s hotels.

The 17-day games were supposed to generate a buzz throughout the summer, leading to a tourism windfall with fully booked hotels and free-spending customers.

Instead, Beijing’s summer tourism season has been slow, and hotels and travel agencies say many potential visitors are being put off by tightened visa rules and scarce tickets to Olympic events. Others could be reluctant to book trips because China’s authoritarian government seems more concerned with keeping out foreigners than welcoming them to the games.

“We are not full at the moment, and we have rooms to fill” said Anthony Ha, general manager of the newly opened Marriott Courtyard Beijing Northeast. “There’s not much time left, and we have a way to go.”

China has spent a reported $40 billion on new infrastructure and stunning venues, hoping to impress visitors with a modern city when the games begin Aug. 8. But the lack of reservations could shake the city’s hotel industry, which has more than doubled its five- and four-star hotels offerings to 160 since Beijing was awarded the Olympics seven years ago.

Ha declined to reveal his hotel’s occupancy rate, but he expressed concern over a report last month from the Beijing Tourism Bureau that showed five-star hotels were 77 percent booked, and four stars were at 44 percent.

“That’s worrisome,” Ha said. Hotel operators in Beijing were “hoping to hit 90 percent daily. It’s a huge thing.”

The average price of a five-star hotel in Beijing ranged from $560 to $1,150 per night, according to the tourism bureau, although some rates were reported as high as $2,000 per night during the Olympics. The four-star average was $325.

The number of foreign visitors to Beijing in May dropped by 12.5 percent from a year ago, the tourism bureau said. Among the biggest drops were Japanese visitors, down 45 percent. The number of American visitors fell by 17.15 percent.

But the lack of visitors also coincides with new visa regulations that make it tougher for tourists and business executives to enter China. Students have been targeted too, because the government fears they might side with political activists if protests erupt during the games.

Homeowners who hoped to lease their houses or apartments are also disappointed. Song Zhi, manager of a Web site aimed at overseas Olympic tourists, said he had 200 units but only 20 were reserved. The average price was about $145.

“We don’t have what we’ve expected,” Song said. “There’re not even many people making inquires about pricing. We had expected a peak in June, but that peak has yet to come.”

Several hotel managers also cited soaring prices, which rose artificially when Beijing Olympic organizers in 2005 and 2006 reserved 70 percent of the rooms at the city’s four- and five-star hotels. A few months ago, those organizers released thousands of rooms, dropping their room holdings to 40 percent.

The practice is common in many large sporting events, but it usually drives up prices.

“A lot of the hotels overestimated their occupancy rate for July and August,” said Si Cunxia, sales manager of Travel China travel agency. “The hotels were all too optimistic to think that they would be packed with tourists. In reality, tourists who would normally come to Beijing are not coming during the Olympics because transportation and accommodations are quite high.”

China’s authoritarian government seems intent on keeping many foreigners away. Visa rules were changed with little explanation, and officials have conducted repeated sweeps for travel documents at compounds where foreign visitors live.

To guard against threats to the Olympics, Beijing said last week that it had mobilized a 100,000-member anti-terrorism force headed by the elite Snow Wolf Commando Unit.

Ground-to-air missiles have been positioned under camouflage netting just 300 meters from one Olympic venue, a highly visible response to alleged plots by separatists from the Muslim-dominated region of Xinjiang. The government says plotters attempted to crash an airliner and planned to kidnap athletes and journalists.

There are also reports of bar areas in Beijing being forced to close early during the games, with a few around town dubbing these the “Killjoy Games.”

“Beijingers will enthusiastically welcome foreign tourists,” said Zhang Huiguang, director of the Beijing Tourism Bureau. “But for terrorists and troublemakers, we’ll unite and fight against them.”

Guo Lingmei, general manager of marketing for BTG Travel in Beijing, said tourism will probably remain slow for the entire summer. He blamed high hotel prices and difficulties obtaining tickets to Olympic events.

Beijing organizers have said 6.8 million tickets were available for the games, but most were snapped up by buyers within China.

Some five-star hotels are in good shape - at least during the Olympics - because they secured reservations from Olympic sponsors or Olympic committee delegations.

“We don’t have any problems at all,” said Marco Sander, director of marketing and sales at the 526-room Kempinski Hotel. He said his high-powered guests were a sure bet.

“They need to come, and they have no choice to turn back now,” Sander said. “They have put so much money down, they cannot draw back.”

Sander’s hotel, like many, has undergone renovation for the games. But he said he was doubtful that Beijing would charm foreigners. Barcelona made its mark in 1992 with a stunning port and spirited nightlife, and Sydney did much the same in 2000.

“We will see a big vacuum after the Olympic Games,” he said. “If Beijing is not able to transmit a very positive picture about the city and facilities, if we can’t convince people to come to Beijing, we have a big problem.”

The earthquake on May 12 that killed almost 70,000 people in Sichuan province may account for some of the decrease. So may a slumping world economy, and alarming images of deadly rioting on March 14 in Tibet, followed by chaotic pro-Tibet protests on international legs of the torch relay.

by Stephen Wade - Huffington Post

Sophistication and charm are the hallmarks of the InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel where the service is outstanding and nothing is too much trouble for the attentive and friendly staff. Located in fashionable Yorkville and surrounded by upmarket shops, galleries and museums, guests are treated to the utmost luxury. The award-winning Signatures restaurant is first class and renowned for its fine wine list.

InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel is within walking distance of the CN Tower and Rogers Centre and approximately 18 miles from Lester B Pearson International Airport. This location is also within walking distance of the Air Canada Centre and Princess of Wales Theatre, half a mile from Queen’s Quay Terminal and Harbourfront, one mile from Eaton Centre, and three miles from Ontario Place. This 4 star Toronto hotel also received a 30-million dollar renovation.

InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel amenities include the indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness room, beauty salon, and 10,000-square-foot Victoria Spa. Guests can enjoy fine dining at Azure. The hotel also offers meeting space, room service, valet laundry service, concierge service, a gift shop, currency exchange, parking (fee), and safety deposit.

All hotel rooms feature pillow-top mattresses, down duvets, Egyptian cotton linens, high-speed Internet access, cable TV, coffeemakers, hairdryers, irons and ironing boards, bathrobes, CD players, individual climate control, minibars, sofa sleepers, voicemail, safes, and cable TV. InterContinental Toronto Hotel Rates are based on double occupancy. Charges for extra adults may apply and will be due directly to the hotel.

Hotel Sheraton New York City not only gives you comfort and satisfaction but it also makes you feel that you belong. The endeavor of the Sheraton hotel staff is to provide you with a home away from home. 4 star Hotel Sheraton is located in the middle of Broadway Theatres. Because of its nearness to the theatres, this New York City hotel is much in demand. That it is a conference hotel is also one of its major points.

The elegant and beautiful ambience of the New York City Sheraton hotel charms the guests into tranquility. Guests of Club Floor are privileged because they have access to the 44th Floor Lounge where complementary breakfast, complementary coffee is provided to the guests.

Hotel Sheraton boasts of two bars and a restaurant, which serves the needs of the guests. The hotel offers valet parking facility for which extra charges are applicable.

This palatial New York hotel accommodates 1,750 rooms. The rooms are provided with Sheraton hotel special beddings, which are soft and luxurious. Other facilities in the room include work desks with ergonomic chairs, high speed Internet connections, task light and double line speakerphone. All the rooms are provided with television with cable connections, pay movies, Video console, hair drier, voicemail, air conditioning etc. Bathrooms are spacious and complementary toiletries are offered. Rollaway beds and cribs are available but extra charges are applicable. Special rooms for smoking are also available.

After a long day guests may unwind themselves in the hotel’s Health Club that provides everything from yoga classes to sauna bath. In addition, the Sheraton hotel may also arrange for recreations in Chelsea Piers, Central Park, and Rockefeller Center that are only a few blocks away.

Those of you carrying your pets with you should be happy to know that the Sheraton New York hotel not only allows pets within the hotel premise it also offers complementary Sheraton sweet sleeper dog beds.

In the end, it may be concluded that this is the hotel to stay in while you are in New York, if you are looking for elegance combined with comfort. With the friendly and cooperative behavior of the hotel staffs, this place definitely deserves a trial.

Hong Kong Hotels range in quality from a basic discount hotel to a 1st class premier accomodation experience. It all depends on the type of trip you are taking. For the average business person who is only going to spend one or two days in Hong Kong, a nice middle of the road hotel is usually adequate. The great thing about all Hong Kong hotels is that the management and staff take great pride in their hotel and go out of their way to provide the best experience possible. The Newton Inn Northpoint Hotel is a middle class hotel that costs a little over $100.00 a night. It is in a wonderful location and is perfect for people passing through and people on short business trips that are on a company budget. Many rooms come complete with a kitchenette for added convenience.

Family vacationers and honeymooners will obviously want very different accommodations. Where a family vacation may look for a cheap Hong Kong hotel so they have more money to spend shopping and on attractions, honeymooners will want a 3 or 4 star Hong Kong hotel where they will be lavishly catered to, have a great view, and have a memory that will last a lifetime.

Location is important when choosing a Hong Kong hotel. If you are looking to go to certain shopping districts or local attractions, it is best to find a Hong Kong hotel that is close to those particular things. Luckily, Hong Kong has an excellent public transportation system so even if you can’t get the hotel you want, you can always find one fairly close that will let you take public transportation to where you would like to go. You can’t go wrong with most Hong Kong hotels, so research a few online or ask a travel agent what they recommend to get the best results possible.