Short Breaks - What Makes Accommodation Special?

By Sarah Avery

Where we holiday is certainly an extremely personal choice for most of us. Some people's idea of heaven is to trek miles into untouched bush land and stay under the stars surrounded by crickets making music. They don't seem to notice the mosquitoes chewing them to bits, the wet patch in the sleeping bag or the 100% humidity!

Or you may have more my own personal taste which tends towards luxury holiday resorts where everything it very much to hand. I don't mind driving or even flying miles or hours to get somewhere well away from the smiling hordes, as long as I can order a flat white skinny at the end of the journey, preferably served by a very attentive member of the hotel staff who is really friendly without being intrusive. I really do appreciate waitpersons (politically correct? Great people anyway!) in restaurants and cafes who are quick to serve you but wait for you to catch their eye or need attention - I don't find being singled out for attention the minute I walk in the door and pursued until I order at all relaxing. Even staff at a perfect resort (where all the rooms are well laid out, everything clean and tidy, with all those little extra little touches like toilet rolls folded into corners as well as a spare roll in the cupboard are catered to) still make the different between a really enjoyable relaxing break and a holiday where you are glad to be home again.

Most luxury resorts these days have all the facilities if they have 4 to 5 stars but the places you really remember and go back to are the ones with the fabulous people who make you feel like you're the only guest they have to worry about. I am just so impressed with the lovely folk who seem to have this gift - when you've perhaps driven miles or are at the end of a long flight where you have been waiting in queues for hours or sitting in a plane somewhere - they welcome you with a smile and a commiseration at the same time as efficiently booking you into your room and getting you off your feet as soon as humanly possible.

I find time and time again that I go back to the resort for the people, not necessarily the amenities although I think I have become very spoiled from holidaying in Australia and finding that in most places all over this fabulous country you can usually find both. Sometimes it can take a bit of finding. I remember having booked into a motel which was literally across the road from where I was attending a conference - only to find that even having booked about three months in advance they had given me a pokey little room behind the motel office which was furbished with dark wood panelling and absolutely reeked with cigarette smoke. That was one of the few occasions when I decided to cancel the room and move, despite protests from the owners that I would never find another room in the area because it was a busy weekend. Not only did I find other accommodation - I only had to pay an extra $10 per night for an apartment in a lovely quiet complex two minutes down the road, well away from the busy, noisy centre of town, with leafy balconies and full kitchen facilities. Just goes to show what you can achieve when you put your mind to it and decide not to accept second best. I have stayed in the same place a few times now and the people are always pleasant and will go out of their way to help.

I travel away quite a lot at weekends or on short breaks mid week and although there is always a lot of choice of hotels and special deals to be had I tend to stick to my favourites. It's wonderful at the end of a long trip to walk into a place where you know you will get a warm welcome and that your room will be ready waiting for you with everything in place for a great, relaxing, carefree stay.

Sarah Avery is a member of Global Resorts Network which offers luxury resort accommodation at highly discounted rates. If you love luxury holidays or are looking for a web-based business visit: http://www.sarahavery.biz