New Year's Eve with Hotelbook

2008 is just around the corner.  Where are you going to celebrate?  The following cities are some of the best places in the world for New Year's Eve and several great festivals throughout the year.

For instance, New York City is known for having the most famous New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, but it's also a great place to experience great music, fashion, culinary, art, and cultural events throughout the year.  Sydney, Australia is one of the first cities to celebrate the New Year, which it rings in each year with a huge celebration over the Harbor Bridge.  Plus, it's also the home of the Big Day Out Music Festival on January 25th, which will feature artists such as Bjork, Spoon, Silverchair,  and Arcade Fire.  In the UK, Edinburgh, Scotland features the uniquely Scottish New Year's Celebration known as "Hogmany".  Yet, it's also a city known for the Fringe Festival in August (which we feature in a podcast).  Last but not least, New Orleans has one of the most exciting cultures and music scenes in the US, making it a great place to ring in the New Year and celebrate Mardi Gras.

All of the cities mentioned above link to unique boutique hotels which willl help keep your experience as authentic as possible, whether it be for New Year's Eve, another yearly festival, or just a quick vacation away.

Hotelbook Hits Vegas

Recently, hotelbook's offerings in Las Vegas have been greatly extended with Harrah's signing on.  Now, you can find great rates at the best properites on the Vegas strip including:

• Harrah's Las Vegas
• Caesars Palace Vegas
• Paris Las Vegas
• Rio All-Suite Hotel

Each of these properties provide a unique Las Vegas experience, including the splendor of ancient Greece and Rome at Caesars Palace and a meticulous re-creation of the City of Lights (down to the Parisian street tiles) at Paris Las Vegas.  Plus, nowhere else in Vegas can you catch great shows by Jerry Seinfeld & Elton John (Caesars Palace), Rita Rudner &  Mac King (Harrah's Las Vegas), Penn & Teller (Rio All-Suite Hotel), The Producers (Paris Las Vegas).  They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  Isn't it about time you experienced it for yourself?

Christmas Markets in Europe Podcast

In this podcast, learn more about Christmas Markets in Europe, and great nearby hotels in Munich, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and London.


MP3 File

Christmas Markets in Europe

As Christmas approaches on the horizon, it can be easy to get caught up in the traditional holidays celebrations at home.  However, this year, why not change things up a notch and experience Christmas in a new culture?  One of the best ways to experience a new cultural holiday experience is to explore one of the many Christmas markets available across Europe, where you can observe holiday traditions, cuisine, and hand-crafted goods you won't find anywhere else.

For example, in Munich, experience a unique Bavarian market at Marienplatz, where, apart from finding unique handcrafts in tradtional stalls, you can experience christmas trees unlke any other (this was the place where this tradition began after all).  Also, in Denmark, experience Tivoli Gardens, the city's old theme park that is decorated with 7,500 meters of lights and is frequented by nisser, Danish Christmas elves.  In Sweden, enjoy the world's largest open-air museum on Durgarden Island, and enjoy authentic Swedish handicrafts and celebrations.

For more information regarding Christmas Markets in Europe, stay tuned for the next podcast, which will focus more on these unique holiday markets.  As a side, all of the above links will direct you to the most relaxing boutique hotels in each city.