Sheffield City Guide, Including Hotels

Sheffield is a city that is steeped with the history of steelmaking in England. Take a look at any knife and fork and see the inevitable ?Made in Sheffield? sign. Most of the tourists come here especially to be the part of the scenic beauty that surrounds Sheffield. The city is located towards the centre of England in the county of South Yorkshire.

The city was actually the country?s first National City of Sport in 1995. That year triggered an interest of the populace towards sports. Since then the city has an excellent reputation of being one of the prime cities for sport and sporting venues. Be it sports research, sports medicine and sports related engineering, the city has endeavoured to keep no stone unturned in the world of games and sporting expertise.

An estimate of seven million people reside here, within an hour?s drive. All in all it is a modern multicultural city with a prosperous heritage and a diverse culture. Every day is a day for the city to pave the road to further progress.

Places of interest:

Sheffield is a popular UK destination - a tourist?s paradise. If you are passionate about arts, someone who likes diversity in culture or someone who swears by exciting nightlife, then you ought to have Sheffield in your mind. Combine these things with excellent shopping locales and eye-soothing scenery and you know you are in the right place.


Chatsworth House - This is one of the treasure houses of England. Chatsworth House is located right at the border of Sheffield and in the heart of the Peak District National Park. It is one place that should never be missed. The spectacular woodland adventure playground, the scenic farmyard or the 105-acre garden with its cascading fountains and maze are breathtaking.

Millennium Galleries - This is just the place where intricate art meets exquisite design. Situated in the heart of the city centre, it has an outstanding impressive metalwork gallery, attracting immense and grand exhibitions from national galleries. It has beautiful works in traditional craftsmanship and contemporary examples. It links directly to the stunning winter garden, which is Europe?s biggest city centre temperate glasshouse.

Hardwick Hall - Hardwick Hall is a spectacular National Trust Elizabethan home with more glass than wall. You will love the embroideries and tapestries put on display here. Of course, this place has no dearth of gardens and scintillating parkland walks.

Magna - Magna, the UK?s first science adventure centre, is an awe-inspiring day out for the family. It is a tribute to the powerful elements of earth, wind, fire and water. You can take controls of a JCB digger, blast water cannons at human targets and also feel the heat of a fire tornado.

Trans-Pennine Trail - You can walk and bike on this regional trail that spans east to west and breezes through Derbyshire and Yorkshire locations.

Things to do:

Hailed as the safe city, you can rest assured that you will feel secure in this city. In fact the city has undertaken a lot of initiatives to keep crime and anti-social behaviour at bay. You can shop till you drop and enjoy the exciting local events.

Shopping - Sheffield is a shopper's resort. The retail outlets have a lot of variety in the products they offer. The indoor and outdoor markets are always bustling with lively activity. There are trendy shops as well as those that specialize in selling designer brands. Fargate is a famous pedestrian shopping area right in the heart of the city with an emphasis on fashion and trends. The Moor is another broad and famed tree-lined thoroughfare, having over 100 shopping outlets, banks, department stores, caf?s and restaurants. It is also famous for its open-air market.

Transport- Sheffield is wonderfully connected to the rest of Britain by road and rail. There is a comprehensive bus network and the efficient Supertram system in the city also. This place is also remarkably close to most of England?s major airports. Leeds Bradford, Nottingham East Midlands, Manchester, Humberside and Birmingham International airports all within about an hour and a half by road. The Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport was the first full-service international airport to be built in the last thirty years. It has flights to major European cities and resorts like Rome, Rhodes, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Belfast. The Supertram, silent and sleek as they come, constitutes one of the most successful urban transport systems in the whole of Europe. The Supertram network is 29 kilometres long. Each tram can carry 250 passengers.

The Nightlife - The nightlife is pretty hep here with the best of DJs and big name artists thronging this city. The place is a regular clubbing haunt. The late-night venues for music and pubbing would be Leadmill and the renowned Gatecrasher One. Those looking for live music could head to Eleven jazz club, Ruskins ? a contemporary wine bar adjacent to Sheffield?s Theatres, The Leadmill, The Boardwalk or Trippets Wine Bar to listen to popular live music and bands.

Special events - A city full of vibrant arts, passion for music and literature has a lot of festivals in honour of these pursuits. There is a much acclaimed Children?s Festival, a five-week event involving more than 135 schools, colleges and community groups. There is Lord Mayor?s Carnival Parade each July, which sparks off a party mood in the minds of the general public. You will see hundreds of people moving their way through the city streets carrying spectacular carnival structures and donning colourful costumes. There is a literature festival called Off the Shelf Literature Festival that has prominent literary figures pouring to the city. One cannot forget Europe Week, a celebration event which grows better with every passing year! It is comprised of a chain of events celebrating Sheffield?s role as a major European city. The events include the European Youth Parliament, the Taste of Europe continental food market, European Question Time and Opportunity Europe for Business. The famous Lovebytes Digital Arts festival, the longest running event of its kind for celebrating digital innovation in photography and culture, is also celebrated here with grandeur.

Food & Drink:

Sheffield is an incredible place to dine. You can get a sumptous variety of food from all over the world here. There?s the best of Indian, Italian, Cuban, Chinese and seafood restaurants to choose from. There is also no dearth of bars, bistros, caf?s, and of course, pubs.

Rutland Arms?- Rutland Arms? is a beautifully painted award-winning beer joint.

Gastro Pub - Gastro Pub merges the best of a traditional pub with contemporary dining and a wide selection of drinks.

Marco at Milanos in Millhouses ? Marco has been ranked one of Britain?s top 10 Italian Restaurants in the Observer Food Monthly magazine in June 2004.

Rafters - This is recommended in most of the food guides in the UK, offering the best of European menu.

The Old Vicarage at Ridgeway - Is the restaurant owned by the award-winning TV chef Tessa Bramley. You can expect to get an innovative mix and taste of modern British dishes.

Hotels & Accommodation:

Whether you want to come here for a long weekend, a business trip, or even spend your honeymoon, you will find that the choice of where to stay may be a difficult one. The hotels and accommodation could be bed and breakfasts, discount hotels, guesthouses, four or five-star luxury hotels and accommodations, etc. The benefits in most of them multi-functional rooms, swimming pools, gyms, saunas, Jacuzzis, and Internet access at a good price.

Hotel Bristol
Rutland Hotel
Cutlers Hotel
Holiday Inn Sheffield
Sheffield Park Hotel
Carlton Park Hotel
The Beauchief Hotel
Staindrop Classic Hotel
Grosvenor House Hotel
Novotel Sheffield
DAYS INN HOTEL Sheffield South
Macdonald St. Paul's Hotel
The Red Lion Inn

Entertainment:

A ten-minute tram ride from the city centre is Valley Centertainment. This extremely popular development includes a multi-screen cinema, stylised American-type restaurants, a bowling alley, and amusements with the latest video and arcade games. The Valley Centertainment is surrounded by a host of leisure venues including Don Valley Stadium, English Institute of Sport Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam FM Arena, iceSheffield, and Don Valley Bowl. Sheffield is always on the map for any major UK music tour. Major bands as well as the upcoming ones always love to perform in this city. The 2000 seater City Hall accomodates the biggest names in world entertainment like Beyonce and Justin Timberlake.

Sheffield?s people are some of the friendliest and most tolerant people in the UK. It is a vibrant city that sends positive vibes to the people and tourists visiting the place. It is a multicultural city as potrayed by the innumerable festivals, variety of cuisines and cultures on display here. Come to Sheffield and get the tour of your life.

Name: Maria Williams Occupation: Traveller Website: http://www.sleepuk.com Sleep UK are an online hotel booking engine for uk hotels

The 5 Most Expensive Hotels In Barcelona, Spain

The Arts Barcelona

The Arts Barcelona, or to give it its full name the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Arts Barcelona, overlooks the magnificent Port Olimpic and is an incredible sight in itself. With 5 different dining areas ranging from the 'Chic informal' Bites to the 'Jacket and Tie' Enoteca there is something for everyone's tastes. Full housekeeping twice a day, babysitting on request and a complimentary overnight shoeshine and morning paper give the Arts an air of extravagance and the terraced gardens, outdoor swimming pool and numerous bars combine to make this a reassuringly expensive hotel to stay in during your trip to the beautiful Barcelona.

The Barcelona Hilton

The Barcelona Hilton seems mainly geared towards business and business meetings and is a modern looking 11 floor building situated right in the middle of Barcelona giving superb access to the businesses and tourist areas associated with Barcelona. The advantages that the Hilton boast are very business orientated with computer and Internet points in every room, a work desk and chair and voice mail messaging are standard in every room. The vast array of meeting floors, executive rooms and executive lounges make it ideal for the travelling businessman.

The Claris

The Claris is a very luxurious hotel and is aimed at guests who like the finer things in life, in particular fine art. Various superb examples of exquisite art are littered around the hallways of this converted palace and also in the rooms. Booking is almost impossible without years of notice but the sculptures aged from the 2nd through to the 7th century as well as 300 year old furniture make this a truly lavish hotel for lavish wallets.

The Ritz

What city in the world would be complete without a Ritz adorning one of its more exclusive streets. By staying at the Ritz you know that you are in for a real treat and the Ritz in Barcelona is no exception. Now called the Palace Hotel, it features Scotch bars, beauty halls and boutiques so the only reason to leave your hotel is because you are in Barcelona and there's just as much to see outside the four luxurious walls of the Ritz hotel. It also features a business centre that is more than lavish enough to hold executive business meetings in.

Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel

A grand name for a grand building. An incredible combination of modern interior design and architecture you will be enthralled before you've even set foot in your room. The 8 floor building housed on Barcelona sea front features incredible works of art and you will be met by a massive piece just behind reception as you walk in. With a large and impressive collection of art the Grand Marina is another hotel designed for people with a love for fine arts. The 278 rooms offer probably the cheapest of these hotels in no small part due to the fact that the Grand Marina was only founded in 2002. While a relative newcomer to the market though, the Grand Marina has a more than slightly impressive list of top class services to offer its discerning guests. Make the most of the more affordable price tag because it is sure to increase in time as the rooms are already nearly always full.

Matt Goldman is a freelance writer who has been living in Barcelona with his wife and three daughters for the past 8 years. To read more about Barcelona accommodation possibilities, visit http://www.holiday-apartments-barcelona.com to which Matt contributes from time to time.

Hilton Hotels Tuck You In In Phoenix

In the World War II flying epic "Flight of the Phoenix," filmed in the 1950's, stars Jimmy Stewart and Ernest Borgnine resurrect their Sahra desert crashed aircraft just like the mythical bird, the Phoenix that rises from the ashes, to fly again.

In the World War II flying epic "Flight of the Phoenix," filmed in the 1950's, stars Jimmy Stewart and Ernest Borgnine resurrect their Sahra desert crashed aircraft just like the mythical bird, the Phoenix that rises from the ashes, to fly again.

Flying into Phoenix, Arizona, is an easy adventure for the leisure or business travel, far removed from the movies, and the Hiltons in the area have you covered - tucking you in whether in the country's sixth largest city for fun or profit.

The Spanish settled in the area in 1752, and today with over three million people in the Greater Phoenix area, spread out over 2,000 square miles, it is no bewilderment why Phoenix Magazine readers voted the Hilton Airport Phoenix the best hotel in town, and often rated one of the best business hotels in the country; the hotel offers a free fitness and business center, and you down have to run to the airport with the free shuttle to your flight out of Sky Harbor Airport, (www.phxskyharbor.com) serving 36 million passengers annually. (Airport parking Services are 602/683-3615; Ampco System 602/273-4545; info on airport construction and garage closures: 602/273-0954.) Sky Harbour is five minutes from downtown Phoenix and the Hilton airport facility is only 1.5 miles from the landing lights.

Phoenix means business and this regional center is home base for America West Airlines, and the hub for many others, including AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air Jamaica, Alaska Air, America West, America West Express (Mesa), American, American Trans Air, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Delta Connection (Skywest Airlines) Frontier, Lufthansa, Midwest Express, Northwest, Scenic Air (Grand Canyon Flights), Shuttle by United, Southwest, Sun Country, United and USAirways.

You, and the Phoenix Hiltons are in the American portion of the Sonoran Desert, stretching all the way down into northern Mexico. Living in the desert means Phoenix, at an elevation of 1, 117 feet, only gets an average rainfall of 7.66 inches per year, with an annual high mean temperatures of 85 degree with 300 annual days of sunshine.

If the Airport Hilton is voted one of the best hotels in town, the town itself was selected the "Best Run City in the World," by the Carl Bertelsmann Foundation, and the Best Managed City by Governing Magazine. Inc. Magazine judges Phoenix the best spot to start and operate a business. All the area and suburb Hiltons host business meetings for executive from around the world. One of the top management schools in the world, Thunderbird School of Management, also shares it's campus here.

The Metro Phoenix area has over 26,000 hotel rooms, with none outmatching the Pointe Hilton resorts Tapotio Cliffs and Squaw Peak. Squaw Peak was the first all suite resort in the United States. Tapotio is built reminiscent of a Tuscan, Italy hill town. Hilton also offers the Hilton Suites, also close to the airport, for business travelers needing a quiet, relaxing, but convenience home away from home for doing business in high tech and manufacturing, tourism and construction, the top Phoenix industries.

Suburbs of Phoenix include Tempe, Carefree, Cave Creek, Chandler, El Mirage, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Sun City, and Taliesen (cliffs or brow in Scottish). Taliesen is the winter home of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

There are 190 golf courses for the snowbirds in Phoenix. The annual PGA Phoenix open is held here and the Standard Register Turquoise Classic LPGA and the Tradition Senior PGA make it their home as well. The Tapotio Cliffs and Squaw Peak share the facilities of the Hilton owned Lookout Mountain Golf Club, one of the top ranked courses in the country.

There are seven Major League Baseball teams - part of the Cactus League - offering spring training camps in the area: the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers and Anaheim Angels. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox train in Tempe, a suburb.

And the trivia question of the day: Which Phoenix pitcher is the only pitcher ever to hurl a perfect game in the World Series? Answer - Don Larsen, in the late 1950's, pitching for the Phoenix Giants.

THE POINT HILTON TAPATIO CLIFFS

My favorite Hilton in Phoenix is the 583-room/suite resort Tapatio Cliffs, with a close second, its nearby colleague, The Pointes at Squaw Peak, sharing some management and staff services. The Tapatio Cliffs is a AAA 4 Diamonds, Mobil 4 Star Resort.

For business or pleasure, the Tapotio

Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com