Friday, January 16, 2009

Soar with the Eagles at Eagle Island

Breathe deeply. Do you smell the fresh pine trees and smoke from cedar logs burning in the fireplace. Cold, damp air is refreshing. Energizing to both physique and mind. Total seclusion. No traffic coursing by. You're not at a resort with organized chaos outside your room. You are far removed, accessible only by boat. The Private Isles of Georgia. A slice of heaven is waiting your arrival. From the moment you board your vessel off the dock near Skippers Restaurant on the Altamaha River, you will be leaving your worries behind and embarking on a respite you deserve.
Bait your hook, step into a kayak or simply take a walk in the woods. Relax on a hammock in the southwest corner of the wooded area and read a novel. Free your mind to release your spirit on Eagle Island. Marvel at how quickly your senses will allow you to embrace your home away from home. 
Don't worry about dinner, your meals can be prepared and brought to you or a chef can create your culinary delights upon your request, at the lodge. although it is recommended guests bring their own food to prepare as a family or couple, when they are ready for it. Enjoy the outdoor kitchen or the spacious lodge kitchen for fun, creative memories! The perfect anniversary, family reunion or girlfriends (or guys) getaway for a week, or weekend. Explore the many islands, drenched in history, with as much or as little adventure as you wish. Learn how to go crabbing, steam oysters, go birding and walk along a private beach.  
http://www.privateislandsofgeorgia.com

Monday, January 5, 2009

Secrets Hotels Don't Tell You

Want a few good tips about hotels (from booking to lost and found)? 
1. You can get the best rate by calling the hotel's local number, not the 800 number. Ask to speak to the Manager on Duty, Director of Sales or the GM, they have the authority to negotiate room rates. 
2. Rooms are more expensive in the morning. The best time of day to make a reservation by phone is right after 6 pm. This is when hotels wipe out all the no-show reservations that were unsecured by a credit card. They can offer those rooms at bargain rates. 
3. Everything is negotiable. Think parking is overpriced? If the lot looks half empty, offer less than the daily rate. Planning to make a lot of local calls? Some hotels offer a per-day flat fee for long distance in the US and local calling (usually $9.95) but you may ask for it. 
4. Rooms are available even when a hotel has no vacancies. In any large hotel, a few rooms are usually listed as "out of order" at any given time. The problems might be something as simple as a stain on the carpet or a chair that has been sent out for repairs. If you're desperate for a last-minute room in a hotel that claims to have non available, tell the manager  you are willing to take an out-of-order room with a minor problem. 
5. It pays to tip the housekeeper everyday. Exchange a few pleasant words with the housekeeper if you see him/her and leave a $2 or $3 tip each day. You'll get better service. Housekeepers  are overworked, underpaid and underappreciated in hotels. Knowing the housekeeper also reduces the chances that your room will be burglarized. Dishonest housekeepers are less likely to target guests they have met.  (more tips at www.NewTravelAdventures.com)