Denali Lodges Expands into Growing Alaska Tour Operator Market

Wasilla, Alaska (PRWEB) January 30, 2007 – The promise of a greater share of Alaska’s $2.4 Billion tourism market has prompted Denali Lodges to launch Alaska Denali Tours, its new custom and packaged Alaska tour and vacation arm.

While coordinating custom itineraries does involve a bit more work on our part, feedback from our clients on this service has been overwhelmingly positive

Denali Lodges, the 15-year operator of the Denali Backcountry Lodge and Denali Cabins, has now expanded into the lucrative Alaska tour and vacation market. Alaska Denali Tours offers custom and pre-packaged Alaska tours, vacations, lodging and transportation throughout Southcentral and Interior Alaska including Denali National Park.

"Given the absolutely phenomenal growth of tourism in Alaska, particularly in the last three years, I believe moving beyond our existing Denali National Park lodging facilities into the vertical tourism market offers tremendous opportunities," said Sham Idnani, President of Denali Lodges & Alaska Denali Tours. "Over the years, out of state visitors to our lodging operations have repeatedly expressed an interest in a convenient, one-stop transportation, activity and lodging provider. It’s that interest that prompted the launch Alaska Denali Tours."

In addition to pre-packaged two to seven-day Alaska vacations, Alaska Denali Tours allows visitors to build custom itineraries à la carte. "While coordinating custom itineraries does involve a bit more work on our part, feedback from our clients on this service has been overwhelmingly positive," said Idnani.

While currently limiting its operations to Southcentral and Interior Alaska including Denali National Park, Idnani doesn’t rule out future expansion to other popular regions in the state. "We’re always looking for additional opportunities for growth and will continue to research those opportunities," he said.

For additional information on Alaska Denali Tours, contact Sham Idnani or visit www.AlaskaDenaliTours.com

About Denali Lodges & Alaska Denali Tours:
Denali Lodges & Alaska Denali Tours is a Wasilla, Alaska based lodging and Tour Company whose holdings include the Denali Backcountry Lodge and Denali Cabins.

Contact:
Sham Idnani, President
Denali Lodges & Alaska Denali Tours
907-376-1900
http://www.AlaskaDenaliTours.com

CoastRentals.com Lists The Top 10 Reasons Why Hotels Suck

(PRWEB) January 28, 2007 -- CoastRentals.com, a division of the Find Your Escape Network, has issued its "Top 10 Reasons Why Hotels Suck" for 2007. For all the inherent hassles of booking and staying in a standard hotel room, CoastRentals proves that vacation rentals offer the perfect alternative - space, comfort and individuality.

Top 10 Reasons Why Hotels Suck
We've all endured the pains of staying at hotels. No matter where you're visiting, your experience at the hotel has a profound effect on how the trip turns out. Here's CoastRentals.com's 2007 version of the top 10 reasons that hotels stink and cause headaches for innocent travelers who are just looking to enjoy themselves.

10. "Waiter, This Isn't the Room I Ordered."
We've all been through this one. Everyone's excited for the vacation to finally start, and naturally the first thing to do is head up to the hotel room to drop off the luggage. Upon opening the door of your hotel room, however, you discover that there has been a horrible, terrible mistake. This isn't the room you reserved. Maybe you wanted two single beds instead of one queen, or vice versa. Maybe you explicitly asked for a view of the ocean, and instead got a view of the murky pool.

9. Waking Up to the Sound of "Housekeeping!"
You stayed up late last night. And why not? You're on vacation! You deserve it. Now, all you want is to sleep in and maybe wake up sometime before the sun sets. But unsurprisingly, the hotel's housekeeper bangs on the door sometime in the early, early morning. Having to deal with housekeeping services in a hotel may seem like a trivial problem, but it's related to privacy in general.

8. Hassles at the Reception Desk
In order to get into your hotel room, waiting in line at the reception desk is a must. During peak holiday seasons, these lines can sometimes be long and arduous. Furthermore, when checking in, some hotels require several forms of identification. In some instances, the concierge working the desk may even take reservations over the phone before speaking with customers in line. All in all, it can be a real mess.

7. Want to Use the Internet? That'll Cost You.
In this day in age, the internet plays a key role in our daily lives. Even when on vacation, some might need to keep checking their email, want to read the news, or keep track of other important information found on the internet. Fact is, getting internet access in a hotel is sketchy at best, and often expensive. It is not uncommon for large, nationwide hotel chains (and even smaller, upscale hotels) to charge between $10 and $20 for internet access per day. This exorbitant price can really add up over a week or more of vacation.

6. Pay-Per-View Can Make You Blue
Sometimes the best way to relax after spending a day out on the town is with a movie. Hotels realize this, and offer guests the option of watching movies by purchasing them via a pay-per-view system. The problem is, these movies can often be $10+ per viewing! This is often more than you'd pay if you were to see the movie in a theater! Let's not even go over the possibility of your children finding the "Adult" section of the pay-per-view movies in a hotel room…

5. Problematic Parking
Hotels are built to cater to hundreds of people at a time. As such, guests are usually required to park in a large lot. This can be stressful for a number of reasons. Hotel guests are often forced to park in a section of the parking lot where their car will not be visible from their hotel room. This can be disconcerting as criminals know that hotel guests often keep valuable luggage in their cars, making hotel parking lots prime locations for breaking into vehicles. To make matters worse, some upscale hotels in urban centers may even charge the hotel guests extra for parking!

4. Additional Charges for Everything
The mini-bar is a testament to the power of capitalism. Here, right in your hotel room, is a tiny refrigerator full of snacks, drinks, alcohol, and sometimes even aspirin or socks. However, while each of these products might be reasonably priced in your neighborhood grocery store, they are outrageously expensive in the mini-bar. Why do hotels charge so much for a tiny bottle of liquor or a few cookies? The convenience of having these items right in your hotel room. Just another example of how hotels will charge extra for absolutely anything. Need to do some laundry? You'll probably have to pay a fee.

3. Noisy Neighbors
This is an easy one. When staying in a hotel, the walls of your room are usually shared by another room. In some hotel setups, as many as three of your walls may be shared. Depending on the quality of the construction, these walls can range from quite thick to paper-thin. In cases of the latter, this means you'll be hearing everything your fellow guests are doing. This may include partying, yelling, arguing, drinking, snoring, using filthy language, or other illicit activities - many inappropriate for younger members of the family. Furthermore, this is just another facet of the lack of privacy in most hotels. Keep this in mind: with all those people so close, they'll be hearing everything you're doing too. An unsettling thought, but unfortunately one that most hotel guests will have to deal with at some point.

2. Size Matters
Let's face it, hotel rooms are small. This may seem shocking at first, but it's true. In fact, just one bedroom in a vacation rental may be bigger than a standard hotel room. Imagine how much more comfortable you'd be on vacation if you had an entire house to call your own instead of a tiny, stuffy, ugly hotel room.

1. The Question of Cleanliness
Several studies performed in the last decade have proven that hotel rooms are some of the least clean public places. These studies have gotten a lot of exposure in various media outlets, from the evening news to national magazines. And they're not wrong: from the bed to the doorknob to the remote control, hotel rooms can be havens for germs, bacteria and other disgusting things. The sheer amount of people that stay in large hotels should be proof enough that there will be a lot of mileage on those bedsheets, showers, and other items. Yes, most hotels employ cleaning services, but there is no telling how often they clean a room, or how well. Just because a bed is made properly doesn't mean it's sanitary.

Quite the list of unpleasantries. In fact, nearly all hotel stays will have you fighting through a majority of these inconveniences - so what's the alternative? Vacation rentals, which is just a broad term for all kinds of lodging types that are for rent in vacation spots (including homes, condos, townhomes, apartments, cabins, etc.), offer up great alternatives to all the downfalls of themodern hotel. Parking, ample space, privacy, no "add-on" charges, and cleanliness are all a step above when you're talking about vacation properties.

You also can easily find properties that cater to your particular tastes and needs for your vacation. You'll likely have a much more enjoyable experience and you'll save money to boot.

Review: Windstar Cruises Offers Unique Vacations Aboard Motor Sail Yachts

When the frantic, fast-paced flurry of most cruise vacations isn't appealing to you, there is an exceptional alternative: Windstar Cruises.

Distinctive in every way, the most notable difference between Windstar and other cruise ships is the ships themselves. Not your standard luxury liner, Windstar voyages are aboard three stunning, intimate-sized motor sail yachts. With sails billowing in the breeze, you can head out to the far reaches of the world to many of the most sought-after destinations known to man.

Classic in every detail, Windstar cruises offer popular ports of call, luxurious amenities, access to everything onboard and a wide array of choices in dining and other options. Casinos, gourmet restaurants, spas and well-equipped fitness centers are among some of the appointments you'll find, depending on which ship you choose. With a casually elegant atmosphere, Windstar Cruises also delivers some pleasantly unexpected alternatives as well.

Regardless of which ship you sail (Wind Star, Wind Sail or Wind Surf), these intimate-class vessels accommodate no more than 312 passengers. As you might expect, that equates to a level of personalized service unlike any other. From spa treatments to room stewards to dining staff, you'll find your every whim accommodated with lightening speed. That's absolute freedom!

In addition, your Windstar cruise also adheres to an open bridge policy. Stop by and introduce yourself to the captain and his crew, tour the bridge and discover the inner workings of a cruise ship. When you're finished, make your way to the rear of the ship (aft) for skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling and other water sports directly from the water platform of the vessel. (Did I mention they are complimentary?)

Destinations

But the ships themselves are only part of the cruise experience. Not to worry! The destinations available from Windstar offer a grand selection of classic favorites that bear visiting again and again.

St. Thomas and Barbados are frequent stops on Windstar voyages to the Caribbean. Ports in Rome, Athens, Barcelona and Nice are all called upon during weeklong European tours. Costa Rica offers a tropical playground virtually year round and is available to you at any time you choose. Or, for a regal cruise in the tradition of the majestic days of ocean travel, book a transatlantic crossing - two glorious weeks at sea. You'll quickly discover why Windstar gets an amazing 60% repeat booking rate.

Atmosphere

Intimate and casually elegant, all the ships in the Windstar fleet give you an entirely new cruise experience. A far cry from the hustle and bustle of other overcrowded ships, Windstar's philosophy is to make you right at home. Certainly exciting, always fun, these motor sail ships bring a more dignified air to cruising. It's as if you're sailing on your own private yacht with 300 friends.

Dining

As you might expect, the cuisine onboard Winstar vessels is second to none. With a restaurant and a veranda on each ship, you have a choice as to when and where to dine. Gourmet meals prepared to order by expert chefs are served daily for your enjoyment.

Generally catering to adults, Windstar proclaims, these adventures are "180 Degrees From Ordinary." You'll agree. With teak decking, granite-topped surfaces and elegant sails, Windstar gives every appearance of a world-class cruise ship.

If you're a cruise enthusiast who is looking for a new direction for your next vacation, Windstar might have just what you're looking for.

© 2007, All Rights Reserved

About the Author
Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center at http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com offering the best deals including European cruises and Windstar cruises.