Hotel reviews

Some of the prettiest beaches in the world circle the island of Cozumel. They vary from long, treeless sandy stretches of white sand to isolated coves and rocky shores. There are two sides to the island - the leeward (western) side where the coast is sheltered from storms by the proximity of the mainland and the windward (eastern) side. The beaches on the windward side require a bit more of an effort to reach, but if you make the trip, you’ll be rewarded by some of the most beautiful, serene beaches in the world.

On the leeward side, the best beaches can be found in the southern half of the island. Most of the beaches along the northern hotel strip have rocky shores with little sand. Heading southward, the first beach of note is Nachi-Cocom in front of the Casa del Mar Hotel. Open to everyone, there you’ll find a Mexican restaurant, lounge chairs and beach umbrellas. Further on you’ll find Playa Corona, a relatively quiet beach with snorkeling equipment and some fabulous underwater fauna to explore. Probably the most crowded beach on the island is the Playa San Francisco. Popular with cruise ship passengers who have limited time, the beach offers a varied sampling of Cozumel without having to venture inland. There is usually live music, a collection of locals selling arts and crafts, a choice of moderately priced restaurants, gift and souvenir shops and an ample amount of recreational equipment for rent. Divers use Playa San Francisco as their jumping off points to San Francisco reef and the Santa Rosa wall offshore. For a quieter but just as lovely setting, head just a bit farther south to the beach at Palancar with it’s view of the Palancar Reef, water sports center and bar-caf

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A trip to Windsor Locks, Connecticut simply wouldn’t be complete without a stop at one of its most exciting attractions, the ’simulcast’ Bradley Teletheater. A first class facility where tourists and locals can watch and bet on jai-alai, as well as thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing, The Bradley Teletheater is sure to offer a thrilling experience for fervent racing fans as well as first-time spectators. The off-track theatre, which holds 1,200 seats in grandstand arrangement, features a state-of-the-art race book and top-notch restaurants such as the Winner’s Circle Lounge and the Turf Club. And, of course, the venue features ’simulcast’ viewing and betting, which means that wagering is allowed at multiple sites.

The Bradley Teletheater is just across the street from the local airport in Windsor Locks; as a result, the venue makes for a particularly popular business meeting point. In fact, Bradley Teletheater hosts a number of social events - from parties to conferences; events include free parking, admission and programs, and the venue even offers a range of catering packages to accommodate any group.

While in Windsor Locks, visitors can take advantage of a number of other intriguing attractions, such as the Connecticut Convention Center in nearby Hartford; science buffs may be interested to know that the state-of-the-art convention center - which happens to be the largest venue of its kind between Boston and New York - also holds the Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration. The Noden-Reed Park Museum, a 22-acre historical park, is another area of interest in Windsor Locks, as is the New England Air Museum, the largest aviation museum in northeast United States.

As Windsor Locks is located halfway between Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield Massachusetts,an excursion to these two cities is not hard to undertake. Visit Connecticut’s capital, which is also known as ‘the insurance capital of the world,’ then take a drive over to Springfield, which, interestingly enough, stands as the very first ‘Springfield’ among 34 in the United States; it is also home to the renowned Basketball Hall of Fame.

If you’re planning a trip to Windsor Locks, you’ll find that there are a number of fantastic hotel accommodation options to consider; Hilton Doubletree Hotel, for example, is right next to the airport - not to mention conveniently close to the Bradley Teletheater. So whether you’re travelling on business or for leisure, you’ll always have time to visit the teletheater; after all, a visit to Windsor Locks simply wouldn’t be complete without it.

Andrew Regan is an online journalist who enjoys socialising at his local Edinburgh cricket club.

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The time spent anticipating a holiday often seems immeasurable next to the seemingly short time it takes to actually experience the holiday. Before you know it, your getaway is over, you’re on your way back to your day-to-day routines, and you’re not quite sure when you’ll be able to take your next getaway. No one wants a holiday to end; but seeing as how they can’t last forever, there is a way to ensure that you make the absolute most of your current - and future - travels.

If each of your trips worked towards earning you another holiday, you’d undoubtedly travel - and relax - a bit more. That’s precisely why travel reward schemes have gained such immense popularity over the years. People love to travel; and when their travels further their chances of getting away, they simply can’t lose. And aside from heightening holiday opportunities, reward schemes offer members a host of exclusive services, amenities, privileges and tailored benefits which only work to make their holiday experiences more remarkable.

The two most widespread travel reward schemes involve flight and hotel programmes; and while such programmes were initially based on partnerships between credit card companies and either hotels or airlines, you’ll nowadays find that many hotels and airlines operate their very own reward schemes. When you book your stay with a participating hotel on a recurring basis, you’ll earn ‘points’ for another visit with them at the destination of your choice. Similarly, if you fly on a regular basis with a reward-scheme airline, you’ll earn miles towards a flight to any destination.

There are even a number of multi-reward programmes which combine various aspects of travel, such as flights, hotels and car rentals under a single reward scheme. What’s more, membership is often free - so all you have to do to earn points is to travel - and enjoy your trip - as you normally would. You’ll earn a wealth of rewards in no time, which means another terrific holiday is on the horizon; and rest assured that the process of claiming points or rewards is always simple.

It’s often suggested that people who don’t travel in abundance choose and stick to a single reward programme. With all of their travel ‘points’ and credits going towards a single scheme, they’ll be able to claim their reward much sooner than if their points are scattered among various programmes.

But that being said, there are a number of great reward schemes to choose from - and if there’s one way to make the most of your travels, it’s to ensure that each trip works towards earning you another fantastic holiday.

Michael is a keen writer living in Edinburgh. Michael’s Website: Taxis Belfast

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