World's Most Expensive Hotel

The most expensive hotel in the world is located in Utah, according to a recent survey from Luxury-Hotels.com.

Amangiri Hotel, Canyon Point, Utah

The survey compared luxury hotels around the globe based on their average rates for a standard double room. The summer time period of June to August 2015 served as the basis of comparison.

In coming up with the rankings, the survey interpreted the term “hotel” in a rather narrow sense. More specifically, it considered only such properties having at least 15 rooms located in a single building. This definition excludes villas, bungalows or safari camps, which are sometimes considered hotels as well by other standards of the term.

At an average nightly rate of $1889 for the least expensive double room, the Amangiri hotel, located in Canyon Point, Southern Utah, tops the ranking. Coming in second most expensive is the Hotel Cala di Volpe, located in Sardinia, Italy, with an average overnight price of $1789.

Explora Rapa Nui, situated on Chile’s Easter Island, rounds out the Top 3 with an average price tag of $1733 per night. The USA's second most expensive hotel is the Montage Kapalua Bay located in Maui, Hawaii. It ranks fifth most expensive in the world with an average rate of $1554 per night for the most affordable double room this summer.

Following are the 10 most expensive hotels in the world. The rates listed are based on the average price for a standard double room for the summer time period spanning June through August 2015.

1. Amangiri (Canyon Point, Utah, USA) $1889
2. Hotel Cala di Volpe (Sardinia, Italy) $1789
3. Explora Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile) $1733
4. Cap Estel (Cote d'Azur, France) $1679
5. Montage Kapalua Bay (Maui, United States) $1554
6. Hotel Pitrizza (Sardinia, Italy) $1543
7. Explora Atacama (Atacama, Chile) $1533
8. Aman Canal Grande (Venice, Italy) $1489
9. Villa del Parco, Forte Village Resort (Sardinia, Italy) $1439
10. La Réserve, Ramatuelle (Cote d'Azur, France) $1369

Excerpted from ETurboNews

Where, oh where, in the world is this?

Where, oh where, in the world is this?

Photo by Cynthia Dial

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Memorial Day

In memory of those who gave their lives for our freedom. Thank you.

#thankyou #memorialday #freedom #travelingcynthia 

World's Largest Hotel to be Built in Mecca

MECCA, Saudi Arabia – Imagine a hotel with 10,000 rooms and covering more than 15 million square feet, which is large enough to accommodate the population of a small town. This is the reality of an under-construction, mixed-used development expected to open in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2017.

Named Abraj Kudai and located approximately one mile from the Mecca site, the expected cost is $3.5 billion, with features including a shopping mall, convention center, food court, bus station and several rooftop helipads.

The hotel, consisting of 12 towers, will be constructed to resemble a traditional desert fortress (10 towers will provide four-star accommodations; two will offer five-star amenities).

Excerpted from eTN News

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Summer Time - Contest

As Memorial Day approaches, swim season is around the corner. I've received a sample of Swim Spray, a brand new, 100% natural, fragrance-free product that promises to eliminate chlorine odor and irritation from your hair and skin.

Photo by Cynthia Dial

So, as a gift from me to you (courtesy of Swim Spray), please "like" my FB Cynthia Dial Travel Writer page, follow my blog http://travelingcynthia.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram @CynthiaDial.  Just let me know you did so (I honor the honor system) and I'll randomly pick a "winner" (translation: close my eyes and point) and mail this summer product to you before summer begins.

 #contest #travel #traveltuesday #travelingcynthia #summer #swimspray

London's 10 Best Places For Tea

London's top 10 spots for tea include:

Photo by Cynthia Dial

Palm Court at The Langham

Brown's Hotel

Sketch London Mayfair

Cellarium Cafe

The National Cafe

The Ritz London

Tate Modern

The Wolsley

Liberty

Ottolenghi

Soho's Secret Tea Room

#travel #traveltips #travelingcynthia #tea #londontea #london #afternoontea

RIP B.B. King - Nashville Feel-Good Story

In commemoration of legendary guitarist, B.B. King (DOD 5/14/15), known for his velvety voice and bringing the blues to the mainstream music scene, I wanted to share a Nashville feel-good story about my visit to B.B. King's Blues Club.

  Photo by Cynthia Dial

I visited Nashville a couple of years ago with a press group.  Due to bad weather, my flight was cancelled, necessitating a day on my own.  Having not yet had my fill of the Lower Broadway area and its nightly live music scene, I quizzed my concierge at The Hermitage.  As a single woman, where can I go for dinner, drinks and music and feel comfortable.  The answer: B.B. King's.  So, off I went.  Seated at a small table near the stage, enjoying the music with a nice glass of red wine and planning for my last Southern-style meal, I reached into my purse to discover I had no wallet. Rummaging through my entire bag, I confirmed: my wallet is missing.  Did I lose it?  Was it in my room (ladies, you'll understand as I changed out purses)? When I approached the manager with my situation, I explained that I was happy to leave my purse (as collateral) and walk back to the hotel, mail a check, or do whatever would suffice, I was at her mercy.  Her response:  "No worries, the wine is on us and please order whatever you would like for dinner, compliments of B.B. King's."  Now I know this wasn't a personal directive from the king himself, B.B., but I have a feeling it was reflective of the great man.     

RIP B.B. King, a Mississippi native, whose reign as "king of the blues" lasted more than six decades within the span of two centuries and who has been credited as a major influence on a generation of rock and blues musicians -- from Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan to Sheryl Crow and John Mayer.

Portions excerpted from CNN.

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