Wednesday 14 October 2015

Romantic Weekend in London on a Budget


Romantic Weekend in London on a Budget

London has a reputation as an expensive city, but there is plenty happening around town that is free, and lots of great options of places to eat and drink on a budget. If you're heading here for a romantic weekend, you might be surprised how many great things there are to do. Here are our top ten things to do on a Romantic weekend in London on a budget.

Check out our post for Equity Point Hostels here

10 Tips for a Romantic Weekend in Marrakech


This Moroccan city is full of charm, from romantic rooftop restaurants to camel rides in the desert. Enjoy some Arabian Nights with our top 10 tips for a romantic weekend in Marrakech.

Find our post on the Equity Point blog here


Tuesday 18 August 2015

Copenhagen Downtown Blogs

What's on in Copenhagen?



Copenhagen Fashion Week, Copenhagen Pride, Copenhagen Art Week, even Copenhagen Cooking Week! There's lots going on in Copenhagen at the moment. Check out the blogs we created for Copenhagen Downtown hostel and find out more.

http://www.copenhagendowntown.com/blog

#cphdowntown

Thursday 30 July 2015

Eating and Drinking in Girona

Eating and Drinking in Girona



If you're looking to head to Girona then check out our recommendations of where to eat and drink in Girona on a budget, from the famous cafe Fabrica to typical tapas.

Here's the post we created for Equity Point Hostel, Girona

http://www.equity-point.com/blogs/equity-point/eating-and-drinking-in-girona/

Tuesday 16 June 2015

What to see in Barcelona this summer



What to see in Barcelona this summer

Blog post for Equity Point

What to see in Barcelona this summer, from live music and festivals, to street parties and fireworks displays.
The catalonian capital; famous for Gaudi architecture, Gothic old town alleyways, food, and football, is a great destination all year round, but if you’re planning a visit to Barcelona this summer then check out these events. If you love to party, then try a fiesta Barcelona style!

Read more here

www.equity-point.com/blogs

Top 10 Things To Do In Lisbon



Top 10 Things To Do In Lisbon

Article for Equity Point Hostels

"From the best viewpoints in this charming historic capital, to the tastiest cakes, check out our recommendations for the top 10 things to do in Lisbon.
One of Europe’s most spectacular cities, the Portuguese capital is filled with charming hilly streets and beautifully facaded buildings, tumbling down to the sea from the city’s seven hills. With a wealth of historical monuments and tempting cafes with sea views, grab a map and set out to discover the city’s treasures."

Read more here

www.equity-point.com/blogs

What To Do In Girona This Summer



What To Do In Girona This Summer

Article for Equity Point

"This historic Catalan city of Girona is famous for its beautiful old town, riverside views and Costa Brava coast, but it’s also known as the City of Festivals. Girona is a great place to experience the Catalan culture and they love to party! Find out the best things to see and do with our recommendations of what to do in Girona this summer." - Read more here

www.equity-point.com/blogs

Thursday 11 June 2015

Advertising on Facebook



Do you advertise on Facebook? Who and, more importantly, where, are your market?
According to the latest article from Mashable this makes a difference

http://mashable.com/2015/06/10/facebook-creative-accelerator/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-socmed-link

Why Staying in a Hostel is Best












Check out our article on Copenhagen Downtown Hostel's Blog - Why Staying in a Hostel is the Best way to Travel on a Budget
For those who think that hostels are something from a horror movie, here's why the new 'poshtels' are taking business away from hotels.
http://www.copenhagendowntown.com/blog/why-staying-in-hostels-is-the-best

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Copenhagen Downtown Photography



Copenhagen Downtown Hostel threw a huge opening party for their new bar and live music venue, Copenhagen Down Under, and Hostel Doctor was there to take their official photos.
We had free champagne for our guests and VIPs, a free buffet of traditional Danish delicious food and deserts, great drink offers in our happy hour, DJ’s until 5am, and best of all, hip Danish girl band the Gabriellas played live. What a night. 

Find out about the party on the Copenhagen Downtown blog here


Check out the photos on our facebook page here:

Wednesday 6 May 2015

London for Free - what to see in the cool capital


Check out our latest blog article for clients Equity Point - London for Free

Top tips for backpackers visiting London who want to make the best of it without spending a penny!
From free museums and galleries to the best markets and parks. Visit the Equity Point blog to read the article here www.equity-point.com/blogs/


Wednesday 22 April 2015

Copenhagen Downtown Becomes a Hostel Geek 5 Star Hostel



Hostel Doctor is pleased to announce that client Copenhagen Downtown has been chosen as a Hostel Geek 5 Star Hostel.

After a competitive application, Copenhagen Downtown is now officially recommended as the best place to stay, rated on criteria such as Designer, Great Staff, Sustainable & Eco-friendly, Unique Character and Sociable! Check out our profile on hostelgeeks.com

We are proud to say that Copenhagen Downtown has been selected as the only 5 Star Hostel of choice for Copenhagen, according to Hostel Geeks website.

Hostel Geeks choose hostels around the world that they rate as the best in that location for recommending - this is done on the following tough criteria:

1. Sustainable & Eco-Friendly
2. Excellent Design
3. Unique Character
4. Social Vibes
5. Best Staff

Find out more at hostelgeeks.com

Thursday 2 April 2015

Copenhagen Downtown Launches New Bar and Creative Space




Launch of ‘Copenhagen Down Under’



Copenhagen Downtown is pleased to announce they are expanding their award-winning hostel. The number one hostel in Denmark and Europe’s Famous Hostel member is about to increase its current offering with a 300m2 new bar, Copenhagen Down Under.

Firmly on the backpacker map as the place to go, the new Copenhagen Down Under bar will provide a unique new space that will be a curious and authentic ‘must go’ experience for backpackers. This underground creative space will provide an atmosphere to stimulate and excite. The concept is to create a place for new experiences – exchanges, ideas, with the influence and creative input of travelers from more than 80 countries.

The new Copenhagen Down Under space is in addition to the existing lively bar and chill out area, taking the total space to 600msq; the largest in any hostel in Copenhagen. This means even more room for guests and locals to experience something unique to this hostel. It will have dedicated space for live music, pool tables, a lounge area and a 12m long bar, one of the longest in Copenhagen.

Excited about the 1st May 2015 opening night party, featuring free champagne, live music, djs and more, Bar & Events Manager Luca Marson said “This will be a unique space showcasing upcoming talent with live bands, DJs and performance artists. It will be something very different to other places in Copenhagen, and the opening party will be a night to remember
.”

The concept of the new exciting space has been created by Danish design gurus ArtRebels together with architects SpaceLab. Both companies have provided concepts for the look and design of the hostel space so expect more cool Scandinavian design but with an underground influence.

To find out more about the hostel or awards see
www.copenhagendowntown.com

Monday 23 February 2015

Client Copenhagen Downtown wins the Hoscars









Client Copenhagen Downtown wins the Hoscar for best Hostel in Denmark

Forget the Oscards, our client in Copenhagen won the most prestigious hostel awards, the HOSCARS, a couple of weeks ago in Dublin for Best Hostel in Denmark! Find out more about their win in our blog post here on the Copenhagen Downtown Blog.


Read about it  here:

With hostels gathered from around the world on the red carpet in Dublin, the annual 'Hoscars' awards ceremony took place in January. With the usual scenes of over-emotional winner acceptance speeches, great dresses and dancing the night away, the best hostels from around the globe were chosen and celebrated from over a million customer reviews.....

Monday 2 February 2015

Generator Hostels open their Paris debut

Generator Hostel now open in Paris.  The latest mega hostel to open in Paris is Generator, following the lead of St Christopher's Inn's success, in Gard du Nord.
What they say: "In the emerging district of the 10th Arrondissement, a one-time derelict office block is being transformed into a chic array of private terrace wielding private rooms and stylish rooms to share."
Find out more about the newest hostel in town here: http://generatorhostels.com/en/destinations/paris/#read-more

Facebook 'Likes' no longer offer organic reach

As Facebook 'likes' no longer offer businesses any organic reach, what do you need to do to market your business? The first answer is have a budget in place for strategic Facebook advertising...
This interesting article from Marketing Interactive looks at the options for marketeers and businesses and includes 5 key points.

"Ever since Facebook went public, it has made its stance clear about the saturation of the organic reach of branded content through Facebook pages." http://www.marketing-interactive.com/fbs-organic-reach-whats-strategy-now/ #facebook #smm #socialmedia #marketing

Thursday 22 January 2015

10 Tips for Stress Free Travel


Firstly, do you want a break from the normal routine of life? If so, then don’t approach it the same way as you do at home. Planning, organising, technology, friendships and rushing around can all be exhausting. If you want to take a break from the norm, then simplify things.


1. Chose your Companions Wisely
Hitting the open road, whether to relax or seek thrills, is a big adventure and naturally you want to share this with friends. However who you travel with is a key part of the experience and good friends aren’t necessarily good travel companion. You need to be able to tolerate them for intense periods of time (and likewise) and have the same aspirations as to how and where you’ll travel, or you’ll find yourself sneaking out in the middle of the night and boarding the next bus out of there.

2. Go it Alone
A favourite of mine for long trips that are going to be life-changing is to travel solo. It offers you a chance to explore ‘you’ for a while, so maybe go it alone and find out how good it is to be just you. You’ll always meet people along the way (whether you like it or not) and if transient or friends for life, these people will make up a part of your travelling experience just as friends from home would.

3. Pack Less
Do you really need every travel gadget out there? Simplify your luggage with a few key items of clothing and essentials. It will hurt less if it all gets lost too. I love the feel of books and swapping along the way, but a Kindle is a great way to pack all your reading needs. Likewise if you want to take a mobile phone with you, a smartphone that can be used for photo snaps, emailing home, booking ahead and using travel apps is ideal. Keep it simple – less to worry about means more time enjoying where you are!

4. Go with the Flow
I love planning trips, I love reading about the places, culture, history, and trawling through maps of where I want to go. Then I just go. Not with any plans, but just with an idea of sites and what highlights I don’t want to miss. I still always pack a guide book because I like to thumb through it, but the rest is a surprise. If you have a tight schedule or are meeting up with people, then check transport isn’t a weekly affair, but don’t get bogged down in booking every night in advance.

5. But Don’t Get Caught Out
If you’re travelling in peak season or want to be in certain places on certain dates, then book ahead to guarantee. Now the whole world is obsessed with online bookings, those people have forced a situation where no rooms are held for ‘walk ins’ – or people just arriving without warning – the old fashioned way. If you want to stay somewhere decent and it’s peak season or during a festival, you’ll only guarantee your desired accommodation by booking in advance. If you like an adventure, wing it!

6. Enjoy the Moment
Don’t be the person who doesn’t see anything because your camera is fixed to your face, or you spent all your time on your hostel wifi telling everyone on facebook what you were ‘experiencing’. Cut loose the technology and open your eyes and ears to what’s actually around you. Other people are more likely to want to talk to you too!

7. Speak the language
Or at least play the guitar. Locals appreciate you making an attempt at their language, and it’s only polite to learn the minimum. It’s also useful to be able to communicate. If you’re not good at languages, learn the guitar. Bought us a meal in India once, and you’ll definitely pick up some hippy girls along the way as a bonus.

8. Trust your instincts
If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Dodgy men, alleys, drug dealers, cops and food are all best avoided. You’ll thank yourself, the worse that can happen by playing it safe is you mildy offend someone, walk the long way or go without lunch. The other way and you’re in a world of pain.

9. Get Insurance
The downside of traveling (and life in general) is that shit happens. You can easily be drugged, robbed, fall out a tree-house, or leave all your stuff on the roof of a bus. Having done all of these, I’m an advocat of buying ‘peace of mind'; because when you need it, you really really need it.

10. Enjoy it! Don’t force it.
If you arrive at your destination and find yourself feeling disappointed, overwhelmed or even unsafe, then move on. You can always come back another time. Pushing boundaries should be more about trying water-skiing than fear and loathing. And not everywhere is exciting and welcoming either – it’s not just you.

Will Amazon Become the Next Big OTA?


Max Starkov, President & CEO at HEBS Digital takes a look at Amazon entering the travel retail market with their new industry-focused travel offices. Will Amazon become the next Booking.com? Or the next Expedia? Can Amazon become a major OTA player or are they just testing the water?

Read his illuminating article here on Hospitalitynet.org