Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Dec 3

What Makes South Africa a Good Golf Destination

As a golfing destination, South Africa is rated very highly by many golfers throughout the world. South Africa has over 450 golf courses, and a number of these golf courses are truly world class. Some of the world best golfers have created signature courses in South Africa, including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Gary Player, Ernie Els and Annika Sorenstam. Golf is an extremely popular sport in South Africa, and this is due to a large part to the ideal climate that exists in South Africa, and golf can be played throughout the year in most parts of the country.

For the international tourist, a South African golf holiday is financially attractive. This is due to the favorable exchange rate of the South African Rand. Visitors can play world class golf courses under the spectacular African sun, and the green fees will be a fraction of what you would expect to pay in America or Europe. Add to this the cheaper accommodation rates, cheaper restaurants and cheaper travel, and one can see why South African golf holidays are gaining in popularity. For South African accommodation, have a look at the GolfLinx South African Where to Stay Guide.

The variety of golf courses which are available in South Africa can make a South African golf holiday really special. Many awesome coastal golf courses provide the golfer with dramatic views of the ocean and a challenging round of golf when the wind blows. The bushveld courses offer the unique experience playing golf in the African bush, and the opportunity to see some South African wildlife during a round of golf. For more information about the top golf courses in South Africa, have a look at the Top 100 Golf Courses in South Africa (Golf Digest).

Besides golf, South Africa boasts many tourist attractions. If you are looking to relax, then take advantage of the many miles of unspoilt and exotic beaches. The swimming and bathing beaches are safe (they are protected by shark nets) and are very clean. South Africa has some of the best game reserves in the world, which are a major attraction for overseas visitors. There are 17 South African national parks, and also many private game reserves. South Africa is one of the few countries where you can see the Big Five, which are elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. The Western Cape’s world renowned wine routes are a popular tourist attraction, as are the many spectacular mountain ranges in South Africa. South Africa is a hiking and backpacking paradise.

There are many tour operators that specialize in South African golf holidays. Type the search ‘south african golf tours’ into Google to get a list of tour operators to help you plan a memorable South African golf holiday.

For more information about South African golf courses, accommodation, news and links, take a look at GolfLinx.co.za – South Africa’s Golfing Hub.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Nov 24

Increasing numbers of folk are deciding to take vacations closer to home this coming year. For the majority of us it is to save money but is this the correct decision or a dreadful error? Often most of us overlook the large number of local attractions but they are frequently brilliant and much better than those we would see elsewhere. People living in the United Kingdom have an enormous choice of vacation destinations each having a huge collection of first class tourist attractions to visit. In the following article I describe the English city of York and hotels in York.

York is found in the far north of England and was, once, the capital city of a huge kingdom covering most of northern England. With such an ancient city you will not be surprised to discover a large collection of incredibly historic buildings, but you may not expect the astounding sight of the 12th century Gothic York Minster.

The first York Minster was a small construction made of wood in which the Northumbrian King Edwin was, in the 7th century, baptised. It wasn’t until the time of the Normans that the first substantial building made of stone appeared on the site. Built by Thomas of Bayeux it was added to by Archbishop Roger who added a a south transept and a north transept. After many additions and alterations it was said to be complete and consecrated in 1472. Inside has the the world’s largest medieval stained glass window. York has other places to visit including; Barley Hall, the Jorvik Viking Centre, the National Railway Museum, the Roman Bath Museum and Fairfax House.

As well as all of the fantastic historic attractions mentioned earlier, the city of York is a superb place to spend an evening partying or enjoy the opera, theatre or live music. It that doesn’t excite you then you could visit a pub instead there are certainly plenty to choose from, to name but a few; The Royal Oak, The Snickleway Inn, Slug and Lettuce, the Old Star Inn and The Bluebell Inn, and, lastly, the Black Swan. Of all of them the Black Swan is most probably the best with an excellent atmosphere and sometimes having live music.

York Hotels

Like many other cities in the UK you will discover a massive variety of B&B accommodation in York ranging from cheap and cheerful guest houses to five star hotels. The Middlethorpe Hall hotel is a mere 2 miles from the city centre of York but provides superb accommodation with private gardens, gym, steam room and sauna, and it also offers massages. Other superb York hotels include; Bishops at 135 Holgate Road, Burn Hall Hotel, Parsonage Country House Hotel, Hotel du Vin and Bistro and the Marriott on Tadcaster Road and one of the finest guest houses is Crossways, or if you are looking for something different why not consider Marmadukes Boutique Hotel.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Oct 30

Think of Nottingham and nearly all people think of the legend of Robin Hood, his merry men and Sherwood Forest and even though the legend attracts many visitors annually there is much more to the city of Nottingham than your would think. Infact Nottingham is home to a respectable selection of super local attractions and it makes it a superb base for a vacation and the following article examines the city and a few of tourist attractions in and around Nottingham, as well as some guest houses offering Nottingham B&B accommodation.

Nottingham is Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands, England. As well as the legend of Robin Hood, his band of merry men  and the Sheriff of Nottingham, the city is also widely known for lace making especially during the Industrial Revolution when it gained a worldwide reputation for excellence.

The Lace Market

At one time the heart of the worldwide lace industry, at the time of the British Empire, Nottingham’s Lace Market is, today, a protected heritage area. It  has a great many incredible examples of industrial architecture of the Nineteenth Century. The Lace Market was not like a normal market, as such, rather than featuring stalls and salespersons, the market was more a number of warehouses and salesrooms displaying and selling lace. After the collapse in the lace industry the Lace Market suffered terribly but, nowadays, most of the fine warehouses have been renovated for other purposes for example photographic studios and the likes. The Nottingham Lace Market is a popular tourist attraction.

Shire Hall & Galleries of Justice

Near to the Lace Market can be found the Galleries of Justice found in Shire Hall. The Hall is a Georgian-built building which features Neoclassical pilasters, columns and dome. The front of Shire Hall has, if you examine it carefully, a spelling error Goal instead of Gaol. Shire Hall has 2 excellently preserved courtrooms from the Victorian period plus old cells, a women’s prison, bath house, an Edwardian police station and a prisoner’s exercise yard.

Nottingham is a perfect place to have a short city break. You will find plenty to see and do within the city and a massive number of visitor attractions which are readily accessible. Places to visit include; Hardwick Hall, Newstead Abbey and Wollaton Hall.

As is common in all bed & breakfast accommodation in England, Nottingham accommodation is commonly top class at a fair price and many people choose to stay in Nottingham for only part of their break and then somewhere else for the remainder.