Boomerang Village Cottages Resort: Kata Beach - Phuket

The largest island of Thailand has Become a popular destination for holidays. For sea lovers, It may seem nothing more than an island formed by an endless chain of beautiful coves with sandy beaches and palm trees WHERE reaches the view to the small islands scattered at sea. But Phuket is also wonderful history and hospitality. Its great attraction Is That It's ideal for even the most diverse age and budgets

Tropical climate. It is hot and rainy from May to September. This is the monsoon period, registering temperatures above 30 º C. Between November and March, the weather is hot and dry, with temperatures above 30 ° C. Between December and January temperatures are cooler, dropping down.

Phuket City: It Can Be Explored on foot or by tuk tuk. Presents interesting examples of Sino-Portuguese architecture and maintain the pleasant atmosphere of the late nineteenth century. The Following Can the route: Start the walk beside the Post Office and walk west along Thalang Road, then turn south along the Standard Chartered Bank building and walk in the direction of Yaowarat Road. Continue to Fountain Circle, heading west, for Ranong Road, continue to Patipat Road, linking the historic Krabi Road.

Thai Village and Orchid Farm: Situated on Thepkasattri Road, about 3 km from Phuket City are interesting places. The Village Offers the Opportunity to watch the Thai Traditions such as dances, sword fights, Thai boxing and elephant shows. The orchid farm is worth exploring.

Wat Chalong: Buddhist temple in typical Thai style.

Cape Promthep: For beautiful scenery, worth the trip to this cable on the south coast of Phuket. The cable Has a small lighthouse with a fantastic view from where you Can enjoy the famous sunset Cape Promthep.

Phuket Fantasea: This theme park at night, based on the rich history of Thailand, promises great entertainment. [Url]

Phang Nga Bay: It is worth exploring the caves, tunnels and ponds created in the rock formations of this area, on board boats.

Koh Panyee: It's one of the many islands off the coast of Phuket Can you visit. It Has the picturesque lakeside village characterized by houses, Which are based on pillars That moves by sea. It Is Mainly inhabited by the Muslim community, Which Preserves Their simple lifestyle.

Located in the suggestive surroundings of Kata Beach, Phuket, the Boomerang Village Cottages Resort Offers a warm welcoming as well as an attentive service to all ITS guests, so as to make Them enjoy a holiday full of emotions and experience unforgettable sights. Externally similar to mountain chalets, the newly built cottages are furnished in Thai style, offering a very congenial and relaxing ambience. The property boasts panoramic views of Kata Beach and is located Approximately 80 meters above sea level, the beach is about 800/900 mt. , Being Virtually dipped in the nature of a tropical garden.

Boomerang Village Cottages Currently comprises 17 guest rooms are suite of Which 4, are 4 and 9 are Superior Deluxe. Externally similar to mountain chalets, the cottages are furnished in Thai style, offering a very congenial and relaxing ambience. All guest rooms with panoramic views of Kata beach and tropical garden, private terrace for chilling Out and watching the sun in September

Tastefully decorated in Thai style, with private balcony / terrace, panoramic views and Kata tropical garden.

Room service: king-sized bed, Suitable for 2 adults (3 with opt. Extra bed), Air Conditioning with individual controls and Fan, Multi-Channel Satellite TV, private bathroom with shower, hot and cold water and toiletries, Refrigerator - Fully -stocked Mini Bar, Safe Deposit Box, Hair dryer, Beach-towel, All rooms are Non-smoking, Laundry service, Wireless Internet Connection, IDD Telephone, Alarm Clock / Phone.

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Tan Tar A Resort - Osage Beach (Missouri)

The Missouri  is one of 50 states of United States of AmericaLocated in Midwest Region the country. Missouri is cut by rivers Mississippi and Missouri, The latter being the origin of the name of the state. This, coupled with its geographical position at the center of North American continent, Made the Missouri was an important transport hub since the beginning of its history. Currently, the Missouri is one of the main rail, Port and airport the country.

A cognomen Missouri is Mother of the West (Mother of the West). The Missouri was acquired by the United States Louisiana Purchase of 1803, And was one of the first regions in the new territory being populated by American settlers. To the extent that the country began to expand toward the west, the Missouri has become one of the main ranges of migrants. Missouri became the 24th U.S. state in August 10 of 1821. The agricultural industry made great use of Missouri's slave labor. Although most of the state population is in favor of secession and union with the Missouri Confederate States of America, Missouri stood alongside the United States throughout the civil war.

The Tan Tar A Resort is a resort community on 420 acres of land in Osage Beach. Built along the shores of the Lake of the Ozarks, the resort is adjacent to the Oaks and Hidden Lakes golf courses. Timber Falls Water Park and the Bears Den Arcade are on site. Tan-Tar-A Marina is adjacent to the resort community allowing immediate access to the lake.

Consisting of two types of complexes, the Tan Tar A Resort includes five interconnecting buildings and multiple smaller structures. The complexes are approximately eight miles apart. Six restaurants are found within the Resort Complex. Black Bear Lodge Restaurant provides sandwiches and Ozark specialties amid a rustic hunting lodge atmosphere. American steak and seafood selections are served in the fine dining restaurant, Wind Rose. The Oaks overlooks the Oaks golf course and includes a full-service bar. Quicker selections are acquired at Sbarro, Burger King, and Java Lakes. Massage service and spa treatments are offered in Windjammer Spa. The fitness facility features cardiovascular and weight-training equipment. Complimentary wireless Internet access is offered in the lobby and Java Lakes.

The 870 guestrooms of the Tan Tar A Resort include colorful fabrics, emerald carpets and walnut-stained wooden furniture. Rooms are equipped with cable television and wireless Internet access for a fee. Refrigerators and coffeemakers are provided.

Tan-Tar-A Resort offers the best in Lake of the Ozark lodging, with modern amenities surrounded by beauty and seclusion for the ultimate getaway. After a day in the great outdoors, our 720 tastefully appointed guest rooms and 150 suites let you relax in style. Whether you are hosting a large group or vacationing with your family, Tan-Tar-A is the resort you’re looking for.

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South Beach Resort & Vacation Club - Christ Church City (Barbados)

Many Caribbean islands have beaches, but where Barbados differs is what lies behind the surf and sand. No matter your budget or style, you can find a place to stay that suits you, whether cheap, funky, restful or posh. All the comforts of home are close at hand if you want them as Barbados is one of the most developed islands in the region. The literacy rate approaches 98% and the capital Bridgetown and its surrounds are booming.

Away from the luxury resorts of the west coast and the well-developed south coast, however, is where you’ll find what makes the island special. Central Barbados has a rolling terrain of limestone hills and amid this lush scenery are fascinating survivors of the colonial past. Vast plantation homes show the wealth of these settlers and face up to the brutality of the slave trade. Museums document this engrossing history while several botanic gardens exploit the beauty possible from the perfect growing conditions.

The wild Atlantic-battered east coast is a legend with surfers; those looking for action will find wind-surfing, hiking, diving and more. Barbados is a great package, and despite its popularity, you’ll have no trouble making it your own. Away from the glitz, it’s still a place of classic calypso rhythms, an island-time vibe and world-famous rums.

Half a million people can’t be wrong. That’s the number of visitors Barbados attracts annually, and it doesn’t take long before you see why they come by the planeload: the coasts are ringed by the kinds of azure-water and white-sand visions that fuel the fantasies of Brits, Americans and Canadians stuck shivering away in some snowy winter clime.

Directly opposite the white sands of Rockley Beach, the South Beach Resort and Vacation Club is located on the southern end of Barbados in Christ Church. From lush valleys to azure blue water, Barbados boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Caribbean. Approximately 12 km (7.5 miles) from Grantley Adams International Airport, the resort is within proximity of several restaurants and right next door to a shopping center. More restaurants and great nightlife exist in at St. Lawrence gap, just five minutes away, and in Bridgetown, ten minutes away.

Hotel Features. Opened in 2002, the resort features a terrace overlooking the street with an expansive sundeck and a three-section rectangular pool with a children's area. A poolside bar serves tropical drinks and cuisine such as curried chicken roti, skewered flying fish with green-apple salsa and smoked mahi mahi. The Fusion Restaurant will open in July 2008, featuring southeast Asian cuisine. Guests are treated to a complimentary cocktail upon arrival and every Tuesday evening. Concierge and business services are offered, as is currency exchange and dry cleaning. Wireless Internet access is available in public areas for a fee. Complimentary laundry facilities are located on each floor.

Guestrooms. Several different accommodations exist, from studios to two-bedroom suites. Each unit features a balcony or terrace and a kitchen. VCRs and television offering United States cable channels supply entertainment, and Internet access is available.

Expert Tip. Visitors can explore the wonders of the deep via an Atlantic Submarines excursion. Tropical fish, plants and an upright shipwreck are some of the highlights of the tour which begins in Bridgetown. Go To South Beach Resort Search

Hotel Madeira Palacio - Madeira Island (Portugal)

Madeira island is one of Europe's oldest travel locations and many thousands of tourists return year after year. Why?

Madeira offers not only a pleasant year round climate and wonderful fauna and flora - Madeira is also virtually crime free and one of the safest holiday destinations in the world!

The archipelago is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, lying 500 km off the African coast and 1000 km on the European continent, ie 1H30 minute flight from Lisbon.

Madeira, Porto Santo and the uninhabited islands "Desertas", form the archipelago of Madeira, which was discovered by the Portuguese in 1418.

Its privileged geographical position and its mountainous terrain, giving the island of Madeira a surprisingly mild climate with very mild temperatures and a moderate humidity.

Temperatures fluctuate between 23 º in summer and 17 º C in winter.

We show you all the places to go. Whatever your taste - you'll find something to interest you!

From wonderful parks and gardens with exotic flowers to seascapes with blue ocean and towering cliffs to rustic villages in quiet valleys to seriously good views and sheer mountains who's lofty peaks are higher than Scotland's!

And that's just for starters!

In a quiet setting high above the sea,  Hotel Madeira Palacio is situated in a quiet area on the Madeira coastline and only ten minutes via hotel courtesy shuttle to Funchal Center. Funchal Airport is approximately 16 miles away. Guests of the hotel can enjoy international and regional cuisine in the hotel's three restaurants and two bars. Sport and leisure facilities include the Active Centre with spa, health club, and indoor pool. There are also tennis courts, an aerobic room, Turkish bath, and sauna. The hotel also provides business services, meeting facilities, concierge, 24 hour room service, laundry, dry cleaning, babysitting, game room, library, and more.

Each of Madeira Palacio's 225 guestrooms has a minibar, satellite television, air-conditioning, safe, hairdryer, and balcony with table and chairs.

Hotel Amenities

Swimming Pool

Non-Smoking

Parking

Restaurant On Site

Room Service

Fitness Facility

Kids Activities

Tennis Courts

Meeting Rooms

Interior Corridors

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Holiday Inn - Macau

The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) is a part of China’s territory. It is located on the Southeast coast of China to the west of the Pearl River Delta. Bordering on Guangdong Province, it locates 60km from Hong Kong and 145km from the city of Guangzhou. Local time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Due to land reclamation along its coastline, Macao has grown in land area from 10.28km2 in the 19th century to 29.2 km2 today, which is equal to one-fortieth of Hong Kong and one twenty-third of Singapore. Macao consists of the Macao peninsula and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane. Three bridges, Nobre de Carvalho Bridge, Friendship Bridge (Ponte da Amizade) and Sai Van Bridge, link the peninsula to Taipa, while the two islands are linked by the six-lane 2.2km Taipa-Coloane Causeway.

The population of Macau is estimated to be 542,200 . Population density is 18569/km2, and the northern part of the peninsula is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages of Macao, and more than 95% of the population speak Chinese. Portuguese is spoken by about 0.6% and the remainder speak English, Filipino or other languages.

According to the results of the by-census 2006, more than 78% of Macao’s population have been living in the territory for more than 10 years. Meanwhile, 42.5% of the population were born in Macao and 47.1% were born in the Mainland, while 10.4% of residents are from other regions.

Macao’s climate is warm and humid with a fairly wide variation in temperature over the year. From June to September, the temperature can rise to over 30ºC while it can drop to less than 10ºC from November to February. The average temperature seldom falls below 14ºC. Macao’s weather is also influenced by tropical cyclones from the South China Sea and North Western Pacific Ocean during the typhoon season between May and September.

Holiday Inn Macau is the only international four-star hotel in the new business district of Macau. The hotel is centrally located in the prime and convenient location, provides its guests with utmost convenience. Holiday Inn Macau is close to both the Macau-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal and the city centre, and the hotel is accessible by public transportation to most of the business and leisure facilities within the city of Macau. Apart from its prime location, the hotel®s guest rooms, unique restaurants and bar, fitness and spa facilities are designed to meet the needs of both business and leisure travellers.

Amenities:

High speed internet access

Indoor Pool Restaurant

Valet Parking

Television with Cable

Hairdryers Available

Exercise Gym

Business Center

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Clubhotel Riu Funana: Sal - "Cabo Verde"

Cape Verde is an African country, an archipelago of volcanic origin, consisting of ten islands. Is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 640 km west of Dakar, Senegal. Other neighbors are Mauritania, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, so, that is all in the West African coastline that runs from Cape Blanco to Bijagos islands. Interestingly, the Cape Verde which names the country lies not in it, but hundreds of miles to the east, Senegal.It was discovered in 1460 by Diogo Gomes in the service of the Portuguese crown, he found the island uninhabited, and apparently no evidence of earlier human presence. Was colony of Portugal from the fifteenth century until its independence in 1975.

The small island of Sal stands shyly Atlantic, with an austere landscape That Will not let us forget you're on the Same latitude to the Sahara Desert. Here, everything revolves around the sea: beautiful beaches, Numerous Possibilities to practice water sports, es-fishing, windurf, kitesurfing and diving, and fish, always fresh and tasty ... are living testimonies of the close relationship Between the island and the ocean.

Santa Maria is undoubtedly the best beach of the island. Are 8 km of fine golden sand, the real treat for the senses With its water sapphire and transparent.

But Sal is not just beach. Do not miss the old salt mines Stone of Light, on top of an extinct volcano, forming a colorful mosaic Truly the part of the stunning lunar landscape. The Buracona is another point of access not to b missed: it is one of the many natural rock pools on the island, where you Will want to dive!

Here there are the crowds ... Only small towns and some hotels, Creating the ideal environment for Those seeking peace and tranquility.
 The Clubhotel Riu Funana offers to visitors a wide bundle of options, from services to animation. It will be some unforgettable travel!

Restaurant  "Cabo Verde"

Restaurant at pool -Grill "Santa Maria"

Asiatic Restaurant"Mandalay" ( ClubHotel Riu Garopa)

African Restaurant  "Mambana" (ClubHotel Riu Garopa)

Lobby bar "Grogue"

Bar saloon"Batucada"

Bar at the pool  "Botafogo"

Bar "Abacaxi"

 Dancing Bar "Barracuda" ( ClubHotel Riu Garopa)2 sweet water pools with jacuzzi

Infants pool

Solarium

Riu Hotels Offers and Promotions

Holiday Inn Fortaleza - Brazil

The city of Fortaleza is located in the state of Ceara in northeastern Brazil. Fortaleza has an area of 336 km2 and is bounded to the north by the Atlantic Ocean to the south by the municipalities of Pacatuba, Eusebius, and Maracanaú Itaitinga, east by the Municipality of Aquiraz and the Atlantic Ocean and finally to the west by the Municipality of Caucaia.

The waterside city of Fortaleza is surrounded by a sea of warm waters and beaches urbanized, such as the beach of Iracema accompanying the Avenida Beira-Mar, one of the busiest in the city is situated opposite the hotel and welcome the typical "Feirinha" where visitors can buy everything from the famous bottles of colored sand from White Hill to the magnificent statues wooden incredibly low prices or sweets such as "brown sugar" or "thighs of a woman" (candy made primarily based on condensed milk).

In those same beaches can observe the small, rustic boats nicknamed "rafts" that are used by fishermen from Ceará. On some beaches, for example, Canoa Quebrada, tourists can even get to walk the raft can therefore enjoy these paradises of various viewpoints.

Iracema beach houses most of the bars, restaurants and hotels in the city. It is there also that lies to the Ingleses Bridge, the Old Harbour which is now used to watch the sunset, sun and dolphins.

For those who do not want to stray too far from the city, Praia do Futuro is the favorite of the bathers, concentrating in itself a large number of typical restaurants, whose construction is used in the aforementioned carnauba straw and are nicknamed "beach huts ". Each Thursday evening at this beach are very animated. In fact, in Chico Crab there concerts live music, forró and very obviously very fresh seafood, especially crab! The existence of strong winds in Praia do Futuro makes it conducive to water sports such as surfing and windsurfing. Fortaleza hosts world competitions even.

If you want to enjoy more quiet beaches and less cosmopolitan will have to travel a little further, but do not be alarmed cearenses roads are in very good condition and the buses have air conditioning which makes the trip very enjoyable and at the same time have the opportunity to know the Brazilian hinterland.

The extensive beach of Cumbuco near Fortaleza well, has a dense coconut trees, dunes very expressive of a great white that rise up to 41 meters, where you can stroll Buggy "with much emotion" or visit the Banana Lagoon widely used for water sports, including jet-ski. Here you can find some typical restaurants where seafood predominate, you can also ride horses, buy souvenirs or just enjoy a relaxing massage to the seaside. In Cumbuco you can also practice "skibunda" (a very fun and popular activity) that is to slide down the dunes sitting on wooden planks going to fall in the warm waters of a small pond.

You can also visit the beach Caponga, located 69 km from Fortaleza. The beauty of coconut trees, lakes and dunes make up the perfect setting for leisure. In this beach resorts that are located some place available to the visitor various activities such as, for example, aquatic exercises outdoors.

Morro Branco Beach, just 80 km from Fortaleza, you can visit the famous cliffs of colored sands are mined where they are placed in vials and modeled using small spatulas leading to magnificent landscapes that seem authentic paintings.

A little later, 7 km from Morro Branco is the Praia das Fontes. This beach became famous for being the scene of the recording of a well-known novel that was very successful, both in Brazil and in Portugal, call Tropicaliente. In fact their exotic caves, cliffs and sculptural sources of fresh water flowing into the beaches are a paradise setting quite impressive and attractive.

The 130 km of Fortaleza Beach Pond is a beach of unique beauty due to its shape in a half-moon, to which there are many palm trees and their thick vegetation. Here you can visit the area surrounding the beach riding in a so-called "Pau-de-parrot": a kind of van where people sit on wooden seats, which formerly constituted the transport of Ceará where they wanted to make longer trips. This visit is guided and takes us to the real Pond, a pond a beauty thunderous where we noticed a striking fact: the water is peculiarly hot even for those who already know the usual temperature of water in Brazil. The return to the beach is made first by boat (to cross the pond) and then Buggy lead us through the dunes to the site of departure.

Canoa Quebrada, an exotic beach paradise of scenarios located 156 km from Fortaleza, offers immense attraction to visitors: rides raft off the beach, rent a quad bike, horse riding or buggy, massages by the sea ... Canoa Quebrada is a village that was settled, many decades ago, for a community, "Rastafarian" where can today if you want, get a tattoo of "henna" or "Teresa" (small braids) in the hair. Can still practice "skibunda" or "aerobunda": a kind of "rappel" in which the practitioner falls once again into a small pond of water hot enough.

Finally, and beyond the endless number of beaches which can address the area of Fortaleza, Jericoacoara visit a tropical beach considered one of the ten most beautiful in the world by U.S. newspaper The New York Times. "Jeri," as he is affectionately called by its inhabitants, is a beach with difficult access, which guarantees the isolation and protection of natural beauties. Jericoacoara was a colony of fishermen. However, nowadays it is well served by hotels and inns to welcoming visitors. In fact, tourism is the lifeblood of this town whose slogan preserving their landscapes: ridges moving dunes, coconut groves, mangroves, ponds ...

A 22 km from Fortaleza, you can visit also the water park Beach Park which has 500 outdoor tables where you can stroll or ultra-lightweight buggy, horse or quad bike and of course you can have fun in the huge existing water slides and which is part of the largest water slide in Latin America, the Insane, with a height equivalent to 14 floors. Children were not forgotten and there are specific entertainment for them: animal-shaped slides, a pirate ship, a sea serpent ...

Programming nightlife of Fortaleza is one of the best of Ceara. Indeed the Avenida Beira-Mar and the beach of Iracema concentrate a large number of bars, restaurants and houses of entertainment guaranteed to drive every day, everything is animated to receive those who want to have fun. The capital of Ceará won the fame of having the Monday liveliest of Brazil, mainly due to the Pirate Bar where there is always entertainment in charge of music bands in Brazil. Throughout the street and adjacent streets Tabajaras there is the so-called "Corridor of the Bars" where, for example, Mucuripe Club which features a complex of nightclubs and Commodore Submarine music for all tastes and generations.

Finally, the reasons to visit Fortaleza are immense and generous beyond all that this short article can contain. Just going there and enjoying everything the city has to give us we agree with the motto of Ceara, "Who comes once to Ceara will certainly want to come back."

Holiday Inn Fortaleza is located in Fortaleza, Brazil. Hotel Features complimentary parking,  complimentary breakfast buffet and outdoor pool. Also have's cable/satellite television with pay movies, coffee/tea makers and refrigerators,  air conditioning. Number of rooms: 273; Number of suites: 21; Parking (free); Porter/bellhop; Restaurant(s) in hotel; Room service (limited hours); Safe-deposit box - front desk; Sauna; Shoe shine; Suitable for children; Swimming pool - outdoor.
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Vacations at Porto Bay Falésia: Multiple Views, Multiple Charms - Algarve ( Albufeira)

The Algarve landscape is multifaceted and is a major attraction for those visiting the region. Consisting of three very distinct areas, this landscape includes areas of coastline to mountains and orchards.

Region most in demand by tourism, the coast has different expressions depending on whether the south coast or the southwest coast, known as the Costa Vicentina. In this case, the landscape is somehow rough, Consisting of steep cliffs of dark color where, at times there are small water more wild beaches. For ITS part, the south coast is mild, consisting of miles of colorful cliffs and beaches, warm waters.

Moving inland, the Barrocal is considered the orchard of the Algarve, because its limestone soil sheltering a large portion of plantations of almond, fig, orange and carob trees that during the spring, add multiple colors to a landscape marked by also The White House of colorful parapets and chimneys.

Further north, the Algarve mountains draws the boundaries of the region. The mountain of soft dominance Contours which large areas, inhabited only by the diversity of fauna and flora. Here can you hear the silence and enjoy the genuine character of its People.

Algarve A to unravel the multiple charms and no more forgetting!

Old fishing village, Albufeira has become, from the '60s, one of the most important and famous tourist centers in the Algarve and now has more than 16 000 inhabitants. In summer, the city center - with its shops, bars, clubs and restaurants - bursts with tourists from all over the world.

On the outskirts of Albufeira - from Falesia Beach in the east, to the São Rafael beach, west - are some of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the Algarve. On the west side is being built a marina.

Albufeira The name derives from the Arabic Al-Buhera and dates back to the time of moorish occupation, when the settlement was in the century VIII, an important center of commerce.

The hotel here placed, Porto Bay Falesia, stands looking at the Falesia Beach from above, in the charming town of Olhos d'Agua near Albufeira, Algarve.
Surrounded by abundant green areas, the hotel enjoys direct access to the sea and the exceptional beach 8 km washed by the clear, calm waters of the Algarve sea.

After a refreshing drink on the waterfront, a refreshing dip in the pool, a trip to the beach, a game of tennis or an invigorating massage, sit back and enjoy one of the finest views of the Algarve, from one of the hotel restaurants. Make the most of your vacation to relax.

Services: Restaurant, Bar, 24 hours, Garden, Terrace, Non-Smoking Rooms, Elevator, Express Check-In/Check-Out, Heating, Luggage Storage, All Public and Private Spaces, Non-smoking, Airconditioning.

Activities: Tennis Court, Sauna, Fitness Centre, Games Room, Solarium, Spa & Wellness Centre, Massage, Children's Playground, Table Tennis, Jacuzzi, Hiking, Turkish / Steam Bath, Indoor Swimming Pool.

Facilities Services Meeting / Banquet Facilities, Airport Shuttle, Babysitting / Child Services, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Breakfast in the Room, Currency Exchange, Bicycle Rental, Fax / Photocopying.

Wireless internet is available in public areas and additional charges are applicable.

Parking for costumers: Free public parking available. Go for more: Vacations, Travel & Adventures  RealAdventures

Walt Disney World Swan - Orlando

Orlando’s history dates back to 1838 and the height of the Seminole Wars. The U.S. Army built Fort Gatlin south of the present day Orlando City limits to protect settlers from attacks by Indians.

By 1840, a small community had grown up around the Fort. It was known as Jernigan, named after the Jernigan family, who had established the first permanent settlement in the area. Jernigan had a post office, established May 30th, 1850.

Six years later with the settlement expanding northward, the community officially changed its name to Orlando. In 1857, the U.S. Post Office adopted the name change. The Town of Orlando was incorporated in 1875 with 85 inhabitants, 22 of whom were qualified voters.

History is not as clear on where the name Orlando originated. There are four stories that are told. One involves Judge James Speer, who worked hard in getting Orlando as the county seat, naming Orlando after a man who once worked for him. Another is that Speer named it after a character from Shakespeare’s, "As You Like It".

A third version has Mr. Orlando on his way to Tampa with a caravan of ox. It is said that he got ill, died and was buried, and that folks would come by and say, "There lies Orlando"

The most common story is about a company of soldiers on duty during the height of the Seminole Wars. After battling Indians back into the swamps on the east side of Lake Minnie (now Cherokee), the military troop settled there for the night. Sentinel Orlando Reeves was guarding the camp when he spotted a log floating toward him. Recognizing the Indian disguise and wanting to warn his fellow soldiers, he fired his gun. Arrows felled the poor fellow as the Indians came out to ambush the camp. The Indians were chased back again, and the south side of Lake Eola was chosen to bury Orlando Reeves.

Location. Topped by two giant swans, the aptly named Walt Disney World Swan in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., is a massive resort stocked with endless amenities and convenient guest services. Guests can take a short riverboat ride from the hotel to Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, Epcot and Disney's Boardwalk entertainment area. A short walk across the street lands guests at Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf, where even the smallest guests can putt with small plastic clubs.

Hotel Features. The hotel shares recreational activities with The Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort, including a swimming complex suitably coined The Grotto. This three-acre water playground is complete with waterfalls, slides, water volleyball and spa tubs. Active guests can enjoy four tennis courts, a basketball court and a jogging path. Guests can paddle along Crescent Lake, or play volleyball on the hotel's white sand beach. The hotel also features enormous convention facilities, various gift shops and a children's camp with arts and crafts, movies and video games. Dining options include the Garden Grove Café, traditional Italian fare at Il Mulino New York Trattoria and Japanese sushi at Kimonos. Thoughtful amenities include computer rentals, ATM, laundry facilities, concierge services and currency exchange.

Guestrooms. Sophisticated guestrooms, designed by renowned architect Michael Graves in 2003, include views of the resort, Crescent Lake or the pools. Guests appreciate high-speed Internet access for a fee, minibars and in-room safes. Westin Heavenly beds feature down comforters (bedspreads) and pillowtop mattresses.

Expert Tip. At each of the restaurants on different days, children will love character dining, where Disney characters come to guests' tables to entertain, sign autographs and pose for photographs.  Go to: Orlando Disney World Swan