Retreat to our Cocoa Beach Florida Oceanfront Hotel

Listen to the soothing waves of the Atlantic Ocean as you sink your toes into a white sand beach at the Oceanfront Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach FL hotel.

Start your Florida vacation by booking your room at one of the best Florida hotels in Cocoa Beach, the newly-renovated Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Hotel and Resort. Situated on Florida’s Space Coast we are just a short drive from Orlando Airport. With the Atlantic Ocean in our front yard, this Cocoa Beach FL oceanfront hotel offers great beach rentals, perfect for long-term snow birds or visitors coming for a short family vacation or romantic Florida getaway in the sizzling sun.

Experience the best accommodations Cocoa Beach has to offer at our oceanfront Florida resort. Ocean suites with balconies offer magnificent panoramic views of the ocean while our amenities provide all the conveniences a traveler desires. Guests of this Florida hotel in Cocoa Beach have options when choosing accommodations to best suit their vacation needs. Traveling with the kids? Give your children their own space to play by booking a Kidsuite which features a bunk bed, a single bed, television and a pay-per-play game system. Your kids will want to come back time after time as they let their imagination run wild in the newly renovated kid’s water park complete with pirate ships and water slides.

Don’t forget all the excitement that awaits you outside our Florida beach vacation resort. This hotel is only seven miles from Port Canaveral, one of the largest cruise ship docks. In addition, Kennedy Space Center is 17 miles away where you can witness history in the making during a space shuttle launch. The charming boutiques of historic Cocoa Village are perfect for a relaxing day of shopping or a unique dining experience. Visit Ron Jon’s Surf Shop or take a short trip to visit Orlando theme park attractions.

For the grandest of commitments, we offer an ideal Florida beach wedding location. Picture your romantic Florida wedding in one of our elegant indoor facilities or on our beautiful beach. Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach will tend to all the details so you can focus on your special day and creating memories to last a lifetime.
Keep the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach at the top of your list when searching for distinctive Florida Space Coast hotels. Delight in unparalleled access to exciting nearby attractions, decadent dining options and world-class shopping. Reserve your relaxing Cocoa Beach accommodation replete with thoughtful amenities at this deluxe Port Canaveral hotel.

source:www.articlesbase.com

Looking for a Florida Waterfront Home?

When you’re looking for a waterfront home, what is it that you’re really looking for?
Some people, it seems, are looking for bragging rights. When they buy a waterfront home, it’s all about inviting family and friends over, about hosting dinner parties and encouraging their guests to check out the yard - including the dune walkover to the beach.
Others are looking for relaxation when they seek out a Florida waterfront home. For them, it’s about falling asleep the the sound of crashing waves. It’s about waking up with a cup of coffee and the newspaper while sitting on the balcony and watching the sun rise over the Atlantic.
Still others are looking for a great family home, a place where they will be able to learn about one another, a chance to spend time talking, laughing and enjoying quality family time.
So, which is it for you? Are you looking for a waterfront home that will give you a place with the kids, a spot to relax, bragging rights or a combination of all three?
Resource: www.seasideviews.com

Florida: Naples, The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, Sun, Sand and Sea

Florida: Naples, The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, Sun, Sand and Sea. Families looking for a carefree beach vacation experience where it is is easy to unwind, have fun and rejuvenate will find The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club ideal. Sun, sand, golf, tennis and a spa plus a family friendly, attentive staff to take care of the details, sounds like the perfect family vacation recipe.

Resort: This 125-acre tropical beachfront resort in Southwest Florida is located in the heart of Olde Naples. Enjoy plenty of year-round sunshine, the warm gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico, miles of white sand beaches, plus remarkable golf and tennis. We offer a selection of 318 guest rooms and suites, onsite championship golf, an award winning Tennis Center, large beachside swimming pool, complete fitness center and a world class spa. Plus for the benefit of guests we have four great restaurants, a sunset beach bar, and five retail shops.

Accommodations: One-bedroom suites offer spacious comfort for vacationing families, with separate living room, dining area and kitchen, which includes a microwave and refrigerator. Each suite includes all the same in-room amenities as our guest rooms 256 guest rooms - a mix of two double beds, two queen beds and king-bedded rooms. There are also 42 suites each with kitchenette, living room, bedroom, and refrigerator as well as 20 efficiencies each with bedroom, kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave. Room amenities include: color cable television, two telephones and voice mail, two data ports, wireless high speed internet access, refrigerator, shopper’s service, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, in-room safe and many with wet bars.

Activities: In addition to everything which goes with pristine white sand and the shimmering waters of the Gulf of Mexico, guests may enjoy pedal boats, kayaking, sailing a Hobie cat, volleyball or simply lie back and soak up the sun in a comfortable beach chair. Bonus points: Enjoying the heated beachfront pool is an important part of the first-class experience at the resort.

Go for tennis or golf. They offer private lessons or clinics for both adults and juniors under the direction of Chris Eddy, formerly ranked "Number One Women's 45 and Over Player in the State of Florida" by the USTA. If golf is your family thing this is the place. The championship par 72 golf course was built in the late 1920’s and is the oldest course in the Naples community. A beautiful new full-service pro shop and locker room facilities complement the overall golfing experience. Individual and group lessons are available through the golf school onsite. Practice facilities include: a warm-up range; a short game area; and, a 14,500 square foot putting green.

Only for kids. The resort’s “Beach Klub for Kids” entertains 5-12 year old kids daily with complimentary activities including; themed activities such as Pirates Day with buried treasure hunts, swimming, beach walks, movies, finger painting and great games all under the watchful eyes of our caring and energetic staff. A “kid’s night out” of dinner, movie and games is available Friday and Saturday evenings for a nominal charge. Teenage children are encouraged to meet others through volleyball tournaments, golf and tennis clinics and a host of other coordinated activities.

Value added: Complimentary Beach Klub 4 Kids daily (ages 5-12). Plus with this package you may enjoy afternoon tea & cookies daily at 4 pm; complimentary weekly golf clinic (Thursday's 10 am) and complimentary tour of the Resort's Orchid House (Tuesday's 10 am).

Discovery: The Naples Spa offers exceptional treatments, which have been cultivated for the purpose of heightening relaxation and beauty. Need to know: Guests ages 12 - 18 are welcome to participate in salon services when accompanied by an adult and guests 16 - 18 years of age are welcome to utilize the spa and fitness facilities and services, when accompanied by an adult. Bonus points: Enjoy yoga practice at the spa. They offer guests the practice of Kripalu Yoga; yoga dance for synchronization inner and outer energy; Yoga 4 Kids created for young guests to stretch, breathe and relax.

Here’s the deal. The resort’s “Family Fun Package” includes: deluxe or superior room accommodations for two nights; full breakfast buffet daily for two adults and up to two children (ages 12 and under); reserved beach chairs daily for two; sand pail kit for each child; complimentary morning activities in Beach Klub 4 Kids daily (ages 5-12); one extra hour of boat rental with one hour purchase; one extra hour of tennis play with one hour purchase; afternoon tea and cookies at 4 p.m. daily; complimentary weekly golf clinic; a tour of the resort’s Orchid House (on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m.); nightly turndown service; and valet parking. The “Family Fun Package” is from $870 from December 22, 2007-April 6, 2008; from $670 from April 7-May 26, 2008; from $490 from May 27-September 30, 2008, or from $670 from October 1-December 21, 2008.

Location: The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club 851 Gulf Shore Boulevard North, Naples, Florida 34102. Toll-free 1-800-455-1546, 1(239) 261-2222

Source : http://www.thefamilytravelfiles.com/

The Betsy Hotel

The Betsy stands out as the lone surviving ‘Colonial Masterpiece’ in an Art Deco-dominated neighbourhood on South Beach’s famed Ocean Drive. Pampering and comfort are unequalled with the assistance of the ‘Your Desires’ guest programme.

The Betsy is a sophisticated enclave reflecting impeccable service in an unpretentious environment. With stately lines marked by an expansive four-column front porch and rows of shutter-framed windows, it exemplifies refinement and style.

All 62 guest rooms and suites offer a welcoming, soothing canvas of understated elegance. Rich dark-wood floors highlight the hotel’s timeless, colonial style while infusing it with a relaxed contemporary feel. Guests receive private, personalised spa treatments at the lavish rooftop solarium, while admiring the stunning views of the Atlantic; alternatively, for a night to remember, the hotel’s B-4 Lounge is the ultra-VIP spot to begin an unforgettable evening.


Location

18kms from Miami International Airport.
Things to enjoy

Outdoor swimming pool, rooftop solarium, fitness centre, beach area, private massage treatments, VIP lounge.

Nearby: Beach activities, nightclubs, shopping, golf, museums, art galleries, helicopter and sea plane tours, fine dining, boating/yachting cruises, American Airlines Arena and Carnival Centre for the Performing Arts.
Attractions: Art Deco District, Lincoln Road, Star Island mansions, Miami Beach Convention Centre.

Source : http://www.slh.com/

Florida hotel added to Cipriani empire

The Cipriani empire of luxury hotels and exclusive restaurants is set to expand in the US, after the group completed the largest property deal in Miami over the past 12 months.

In the UK, the Cipriani name is best known for its upmarket restaurant in Mayfair, famed for celebrity clientele including David Beckham and Naomi Campbell. The restaurant's parent company, the Cipriani Group, runs eateries from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires.

At the end of December, a group of private investors teamed up with the company to buy the Saxony Hotel in South Beach, Miami. The deal, which has now been completed through a sale and leaseback venture, is understood to be worth about $250m (£127m). It was the largest property transaction in the city in the past year, according to sources close to the deal.

The hotel is now under renovation and will reopen at the end of next year as part of what will be called the Cipriani Ocean Resort and Club Residences.

The acquisition of the hotel was negotiated by Crédit des Alpes, a banking group that specialises in luxury hotel developments. It also holds a stake in Cipriani's Mayfair restaurant.

The Cipriani restaurant empire traces its roots back to an abandoned warehouse in Venice, Italy. It was there in 1932 that Giuseppe Cipriani opened Harry's Bar, whose patrons included Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles and Truman Capote. The Cipriani Group is run by Giuseppe's son Arrigo and his grandson Giuseppe.

Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/

Florida Hotel Meth Lab Prompts Evacuations

A methamphetamine lab found inside a hotel room near Sea World prompted the evacuation of two floors late Monday, according to police.

Authorities responded to an anonymous call from inside the Extended Stay Hotel located at 6451 Weswood Blvd., and discovered a strong chemical odor coming from a fourth-floor room.

Guests from two floors of the hotel were immediately evacuated.

"They were talking about fumes and the floor below it and the entire floor up there," evacuated hotel guest Debbie Nixon said. "I'm asthmatic and there was a little girl staying a few doors down, that's dangerous."

Two people were arrested in connection with the discovery, police said.

Fire crews worked for seven hours to clean up the rooms before guests were allowed back inside the building.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the incident.

Source : http://cms.firehouse.com/

Two Palm Beach County hotels earn five stars from Mobil

Looking for five-star lodging in South Florida?

Visit the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach and Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach County, according to the latest Mobil Travel Guide ratings issued Monday.

Only 41 hotels across the United States made Mobil's prestigious five-star list, with none in Miami-Dade or Broward counties. And no South Florida restaurants were among the 17 nationwide Mobil gave five stars. Many South Florida hotels earned four stars, however, including Broward County's new St. Regis Resort on Fort Lauderdale beach.

The four-star hotel list also includes Palm Beach County's The Breakers and in Miami-Dade County, the Fairmont Turnberry in Aventura; three Ritz-Carltons in Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove and South Beach; the Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental in Miami; the Loews and Setai in Miami Beach; and the Trump Sonesta in Sunny Isles Beach. The Breakers, a Palm Beach landmark, lost its five-star rating in 2002 after six years.

Seven South Florida restaurants earned four stars: Palm Beach County's Cafe Boulud, The Restaurant and L'Escalier at The Breakers and Miami-Dade's Blue Door, Wish, Azul and La Palme D'Or. No restaurant earned the four-star rating in Broward.

Mobil said its ratings are based on more than 750 standardized criteria for hotels and more than 250 for restaurants. Rankings include a facility inspection that considers cleanliness, condition and location plus "an unannounced, undercover service evaluation." Inspectors look at such service details as whether they are greeted by a valet within 60 seconds upon arriving at a hotel or if they are offered a beverage within 60 seconds after being seated at a restaurant.

Mobil has been rating U.S. hotels and restaurants since 1958. Its recommendations carry weight for traveler's choices.

Its five-star picks in South Florida were unchanged from last year's list.

Source : http://www.sun-sentinel.com/