Tips for Easier Hotel Contract Review When Planning a Meeting

The next time a hotel contract lands on your desk, read it twice. First, read what is there and identify the terms that need to be rewritten, changed, or deleted. Then, read it for what is not there and needs to be added. The following checklist will help you determine what to look for and what is missing. (Note: This information is not intended to be “legal advice.” Meeting planners and hotel managers should consult a qualified attorney to review all contract issues.)

CONTRACT SECTIONS

General Contract Issues

• Date of contract initiation.

• Accurate and complete legal names of both parties, addresses, and contact information as well as the name of the meeting. Be sure the contracting party is not listed as the name of the meeting; they are often not the same.

• Actual dates of the meeting, not the dates of the room block.

• Statement of whether the contract is a first or second option. A first option should specify the date by which the contract must be signed and returned to the hotel, after which date the option will expire and the contract may have to be renegotiated. A second option should include the above as well as the date by which the hotel must reply to you after receiving the signed contract (typically three business days) and notify you of its decision.

Sleeping Room Block

• Table format showing the year, days of the week, and dates of the room block.

• Specific breakdown by type(s) of rooms/suites and number(s) per night.

• Beware of language that locks you into payment for the entire contracted block.

Room Rates

• Year quoted. If rates are quoted for any year other than the current year, that year should be specified.

• Future rates. If rates are not definite yet, indicate the formula to be used and when final rates will be established (usually 12 months out). Use at least two factors in the formula, such as percentage off rack rate, maximum percentage increase per year, or the Consumer Price Index, and state that final rates will be the lesser of the two formulas.

• Breakdown of rates by type of room/suite, single/double, deluxe, and government rate. State the percentage blocked in each rate category.

• Applicable taxes (sales, occupancy), service charges, and gratuities.

• Applicable charges for extra person in room.

• Currency. If the contract was initiated in another country, the rates are usually quoted in that country’s currency.

• Ensure that final rates are not subject to change.

Complimentary and Other Negotiated
Concessions

• One complimentary room per 50 revenue-producing rooms actually utilized. Spell out how the comps are calculated (on a cumulative or per-night basis) and whether they can be credited to the master account.

• Additional concessions. Include specifics such as the duration of each concession, i.e., comp rooms are for five nights each.

• If concessions are based on 80 percent of the room pickup, specify what happens if the pickup is less than 80 percent.
• State if a concession is complimentary.

Reservations

• Procedure. Is the group, hotel, or a third party handling housing? Will individuals call in, use reservation cards, be identified on a rooming list, or be serviced by a housing bureau? Will you use your own reservation form or the hotel’s?

• Cutoff date. Identify the exact cutoff date usually 30 days prior to the major arrival day. Indicate whether reservations received after the cutoff date will be honored at the group rate or a rate at the hotel’s discretion.

• Confirmations. Specify if/when they are to be sent by the hotel.

• Check-in/check-out times.

• Dishonored reservations. Spell out what will happen if individuals with guaranteed reservations are turned away or “walked.” Consider reimbursement of replacement accommodations or transportation to and from the new hotel.

Payment

• Rooms. Will individuals or the organization be responsible for payment?

• Deposits. For the group’s master account, how much is due and when? For individuals, a credit card guarantee or one night’s deposit is usually required.

• Early departure charge. Specify the amount (it should be less than one night’s room rate) and that guests will be informed of this potential charge upon check-in.

• Master account. Typically, the credit application is due 90 days prior to arrival. Stipulate items that are to be included on the master account, as well as authorized signatories and payment terms.

Reports/Printouts to Request

• A per-night room pickup report.

• Individual cancellations and no-shows.

• Statistics for food and beverage revenue.

Function Space and Meeting Arrangements

• Agenda. Is it tentative or finalized? What are the due dates for the program? When will the hotel provide room names?

• Exact days, dates, setups, and functions.

• Specific room names or minimum square feet required; start/end times for 24-hour hold on space.

• Ancillary charges. Are there charges for meeting room rental and/or setup? Is there a fee for “extensive” meeting room setups and how is that defined? Is there a charge for using outside suppliers or contractors? If there is no charge for any of these services, be sure to state that.

• Release of space. What are the terms?

• Security guards. Hotel should “request,” not “require,” security guards.

• No changes to function space assignments or requirements should be allowed without written group consent.

Food and Beverage

• Menu prices. Firm prices should be established no later than six months out.

• Guarantees. Most guarantees should be given 48 or 72 hours prior to the function. Specify how weekends affect this deadline.

• Taxes and gratuities. State whether the service charge is taxable.

• Hotel’s alcohol service policy, adherence to laws, and intoxication policy.

• Food and beverage cancellation or reduction/mitigation clause.

Exhibit Space

• Exact dates. Include beginning and ending times, setup and move-in, tear-down, and move-out.

• Costs. What is the rental fee? Does it include daily maintenance and vacuuming of the aisles? Be sure the charges are by net, not gross, square feet.

• Booths. List type, size, and number.

• Box delivery. What are the charges? When shipping boxes to the hotel prior to the meeting, where and by when should they be shipped?

• Security guards. Are they required?

• Release of space. What are the terms?

• Exhibitor responsibility clause. Make sure it absolves both the hotel and your organization of liability.

Room Block Control and Pickup

• Provisions for attrition and mitigation. (See “Analyzing Attrition Clauses” and “Making Sense of Mitigation” on pages 37 and 40, respectively.)

• Meeting room rental/facilities service fees. Does the rental fee apply per day for a certain number of days (if so, it should apply only to the major days) or is it all-inclusive? The rental scale should be based on sleeping room revenue.

• Include room block review dates and allowed adjustment/attrition.

• If there are no room block performance charges, that should be stated.

• Any nonrefundable individual cancellation or early departure fees that are collected should be applied to any group performance or cancellation charges due.

• Do not allow more than one room block performance charge.

Rights of Termination for Cause

• Force majeure for termination in the event of an emergency over which neither party has control (also known as an “impossibility”) should be mutual and state that termination will be without a cancellation charge.

• Termination should be allowed for construction, change in management company or ownership, bankruptcy, conflicting booking/competitor, and unavailability of convention center or other facility.

• “Without liability” is often missing in these clauses.

Cancellation

• By the group. There should be a sliding scale of charges as well as mitigation.

• By the hotel. The group should be made whole for its losses.

• The same clause should not include both the hotel and the group; issues affecting the group and the hotel are too different to have the same charges owed.

• Cancellation clause. Be sure to include one for your group or total revenue could be owed.

• Watch out for cancellation clauses that seek to recoup all revenue that the hotel would have lost; damages owed should be in terms of lost room revenue only.

Americans with Disabilities Act

• Hotel should warrant its compliance.

• Specify the group’s obligations.

• State mutual cooperation in identifying needs.

• Each party should indemnify the other for violations by the indemnifying party.

• Beware of vague language and one-sided obligation for the group.

Dispute Resolution

• What method will be used arbitration, litigation, or other?

• Which side pays attorney fees?

• In the event the hotel sues the group for collection of funds the group owes, and the hotel wants to be reimbursed for its attorney fees, the hotel should be reimbursed only for attorney fees the hotel incurred to collect charges that the group does not dispute that it owes.

• Any dispute resolution should be at a neutral site.

Miscellaneous Issues that Occur During Meeting Planning

• Indemnification should be reciprocal and each party should be responsible for its own negligence.

• Insurance should be a mutual clause.

• The hotel should warrant the condition of the facility. It should be the same or better than at the time of the on-site visit or contract signing.

• The hotel should state its adherence to laws regarding fire, safety, and health codes.

• The hotel will usually ask that the laws of the state where the hotel is located will apply in the event of a dispute, as will venue and jurisdiction, but that may unnecessarily lock the group into traveling if there is litigation.

• The laws of which state govern the contract?

Closing Issues

• Can the contract be assigned to other parties?

• How are notices to be given?

• Itemize all attachments.

• Merger clause. State that this contract constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes previous agreements.

• Changes can be only in writing.

• Severability. Is the contract enforceable if any provision is ruled unenforceable?

• Is a faxed document valid? It should be if the original is received within 72 hours of the receipt of the fax.

• What is the authority of the signatories?

• Signature information name, title, group name, and date.

Robin Roth is Senior Contracts Editor at Conferon Global Services, Inc. in La Quinta, California. Visit us at http://www.conferon.com for all your meeting planning needs.

Resolving Conflicts By Turning Negatives Into Positives

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required.

There are five techniques that I shall share with you. They have been proved to be effective in resolving, minimizing, and preventing conflicts. And by conflicts I am referring to any of the following that take place between two or more people: misunderstanding, miscommunications, arguments, disagreements, mixed messages, fighting, etc.

A. I-Message: Use this approach to convey a message to someone when:

* your communication and that of the other person might become hostile;

* the communication might become a shouting match; or

* the words might turn to physical confrontation.

Put an I-Message into action by following these sequence of steps:

1. Get his attention. (Call person by name.) “John, Bob, Sue, Mary, …”

2. Identify your emotion. (Identify and name the emotion you are feeling.) “I feel/am happy, angry, mad, excited, etc. …”

3. Name his misconduct. (Identify the behavior that is offensive.) ” …when you slam the door, spill juice on the clean floor, call me names, etc. …”

4. State the consequence(s). (Identify the consequence that you wish him/her to change. And stop! Be extremely cautious not to ramble because by doing so you run the risk of throwing a spark on the cinders.) “… because it/you causes me to jump, have to remop the floor, be disrespected, etc.”

Putting it together it should sound like this: “John, I get angry when you slam the door because it makes me jumpy.” (Stop! Wait for a response!)

Research has shown that the response is 95-98% non-confrontational or aggressive.) Remember: This approach lets the person know that, although you disapprove of his (or her) behavior, you still care about him.

B. You-Message: Use this approach when you want to reflect to your listener what you’re observing. [Reflect the emotion.] (Identify and name the emotion you are observing.)

(Call person by name), “You seem happy, angry, mad, excited, etc. … “

C. Active Listening: Use this approach when you want to let someone know that you’re truly paying attention. Do so by totally involving your eyes, ears, and body. Pay attention to his body language, move close, cup your hand over your ear, lean forward, etc.

D. Paraphrasing: Use this approach when you want to make sure you did not miss what was said. “So, if I understood you correctly, you said there were only 5 spaces.”

E. Summarizing: Use this approach when you want to break up lengthy conversations into smaller pieces that you can remember and understand. Rather than let the other person ramble on about what all he did last weekend, take control by asking to tell you about each day’s events before moving on the next.

Put it all together. Begin SOARING to the top of the Mountain when you:

* Summarize when the conversation is becoming too lengthy.

* Observe to see if the body language matches the words spoken.

* Actively listen to what is being said by making eye contact.

* Reflect what you thought you heard.

* Indicate that you truly care about the doer and not the deed.

* Name the misconduct to bring it out into the open.

* Go beyond the emotions to get to the facts.

Remember: When you maximize your potential; we all win. When you don’t, we all lose.

© MMIV, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

About the Author

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts lectures, seminars, and writes articles on his theme: … helping you maximize your potential. For more information visit www.MaximizingYourPotential.blogspot.com.

A Simple Bargain Hunters Article on High-Definition Television’s

About a decade ago the actual contemplation of a wall-mounted TV may possibly have appeared like a wishful thought. It was out of the reach of the majority of consumers, with sticker costs that requested taking out a second mortgage to procure these particularly silky TVs. But over a period these marvellous television products reached the level of attainability. Still, still not something you might just go out & pay for, it has step by step become much more of a chance. Retail prices for these flat panel High-Definition TV sets are currently decreasing quicker than new house values, and have made the electronics fantasy a certainty.

At Present there are two competing flat-panel products; plasma & LCD. Despite the fact that each product gives a bright picture and these sets can deem similar from the front, the machinery on the inside is a great deal dissimilar. And even though LCD televisions have been limited to 37-inches & smaller, television sets with the liquid crystal display technology are currently in sizes as large as plasma. If you are looking to grab a bargain on a 19″ Digital TV then look no further than Digital Direct.

But in spite of that, loads of shoppers discover plasma to provide several crucial advantages over LCD televisions. The major benefit is that plasma sets typically contain deeper black levels-indicating that the blacks are truly black and not barely a dark level of gray. This in turn means that the colours are much more fabulous and convincing. The current models from Philips & Hitachi have in actuality taken the black levels to unimaginable depths, & in consequence have offered the optimum images we’ve viewed to date.

In spite of the rumours that plasma sets “needs to be recharged” after six-thousand hours, nothing could be far more from the fact. These days flat panel plasma TVs would often work for sixty thousand hours or more, providing you years of amazing telly viewing. Despite the fact that there has been an anxiety over problems like that of burn-in (appropriately so, as this could possible ruin that expensive plasma telly), the recent TV’s have technology to cope with picture retention, offering pixel alter modes that gradually move the complete screen and more essentially, get rid of any ghosting should static pictures in fact “stick” the picture. This has a white wash mode on top of an opposite mode to take-away any burn-in.

How to Prevent Clothes Dryer Fires

Few people realize the importance of dryer safety. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated annual 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries caused by dryer fire. Several hundred people a year are also subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper dryer safety measures. The financial costs come to nearly $100,000,000 per year. In some cases faulty appliances are to blame, but many fires can be prevented with proper dryer safety precautions.

Why Dryer Fires Occur
Lint accumulation and reduced airflow feed on each other to provide conditions ripe for a fire. Lint is a highly combustible material, which, interestingly enough, is one of the ingredients in a recipe for home-made fire starters. A number of dryer vent problems contribute to this.

A growing problem
Traditionally, most clothes dryers were in the basement. However, nowadays many newer homes tend to have dryers located away from an outside wall in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and hall closets. These new locations mean dryers tend to be vented longer distances and vents are generally installed with sharp turns and bends to accommodate the structure of the home. As a result, dryer vents are harder to reach, and also create more places for lint to gather. The ideal solution is to have short, straight, dryer duct venting. However, a dryer vent booster, while not the ideal approach, can improve your dryer venting in cases where your venting is longer and/or has more bends than it should. In addition to creating a fire hazard, if the venting is too long and/or has two many bends, it will cause your dryer to take much longer than necessary to dry loads.

Inside the Dryer
Lint is the biggest culprit here. As you know from cleaning out your lint filter, dryers produce very large quantities of lint. Most people assume their lint traps catch all the lint, and that all they need to do is clean them out after each load. However, a significant amount of this lint is not caught by the lint trap and builds up inside the dryer-even on the heating element! If you are skeptical, try this experiment: pull out the lint trap and look underneath it- you may find large mounds of lint staring at you. Lint can build up on the heating element and in other places inside the dryer, causing it to overheat and possibly catch fire. As a rule, a fire starts from a spark in the machine. However, improper clothes dryer venting practices outside the dryer can play a key role in this process.

Outside the Dryer
There are many improper dryer vent practices which restrict airflow and lead to lint buildup, the two main preventable causes of dryer fires.
Some of the most common and important dryer vent mistakes are:
1. Dryer vents are too long and/or have too many bends, but don’t use a dryer duct booster, resulting in lint buildup. When it comes to dryer vents, shorter and straighter is better.
2. Use of flammable, flimsy plastic or foil duct extenders. Only metal vents should be used, which is what most manufacturers specify. Metal vents also resist crushing better than plastic and foil, which allows the air and lint to be carried out of the system. Reduced airflow from build-up or crushing can cause overheating and wear out the clothes and appliance faster. In fact, many state and local municipalities have placed requirements on new and remodeling projects to include all metal dryer venting.
3. Inadequate clearance space between dryer and wall. Many people create problems by putting their dryer right against the wall, crushing the venting material in the process. The cumulative effect of reduced airflow and the resulting lint build-up prevent the dryer from drying at the normal rate. This causes the high temperature limit safety switch to cycle on and off to control the heater. Most high temperature limit safety switches were not designed to continuously cycle on and off, so they fail over a period of time.
4. Failure to clean the dryer duct.

Your Dryer May be Failing If:
The clothes are taking an inordinately long period of time to dry, come out hotter than usual or if the vent hood flapper doesn’t open. Maintenance is needed in these cases.

Only You Can Prevent Clothes Dryer Fires
Proper Installation & Choice of Building Materials
1. Make sure the dryer duct is made of solid metallic material. Both vinyl and foil are combustible and spiral-wound surfaces tend to catch lint more readily.
2. The dryer duct should vent to the exterior and in no case should it vent to the attic or crawlspace. Avoid the use of inside heat recovery diverter valves or termination boxes, which do not comply with current standards.
3. Avoid kinking or crushing the dryer duct to make up for installation in tight quarters -this further restricts airflow. If you really want to save the extra space, the Dryerbox is a new invention that allows the dryer to be safely installed against the wall.
4. Minimize the length of the exhaust duct (maximum recommended lengths depend on a number of factors, such as number of bends, and vary by model-check with your manufacturer for their specifications). If this is not possible, you can install a dryer duct booster.
5. If at all possible, use 4-inch diameter vent pipe and exterior exhaust hoods that have openings of sixteen square inches or more, which offer the least resistance to air flow.
6. Don’t use screws to put your vent pipe together - the screw shafts inside the piping collect lint and cause additional friction.

Keep the Dryer Duct in Good Condition
Disconnect, clean and inspect the dryer duct run on a regular basis, or hire a professional company to clean the dryer duct. This will reduce the fire hazard, increase the dryer’s efficiency and increase its lifespan. In addition, you are less likely to experience water damage.

Keep Your Dryer as Lint-Free as Possible
By keeping your dryer clean, not only will you significantly reduce the fire hazard, you will also save money as your dryer will run more efficiently and last longer.
To keep your dryer clean:
1. Use a lint brush or vacuum attachment to remove accumulated lint from under the lint trap and other accessible places on a periodic basis.
2. Every 1-3 years, depending upon usage, have the dryer taken apart and thoroughly cleaned out by a qualified service technician.
3. Clean the lint trap after each load.

Alternative Solutions
1. Use a condensing dryer. Unlike conventional clothes dryers, condensing dryers do require external clothes dryer venting. This significantly reduces the risk of a dryer fire.
2. Use a spin dryer, which uses an extremely fast spin speed to extract water from the clothes. They extract significantly more water from the clothes than a washing machine spin cycle does. Spin dryers can be used alone or in conjunction with a conventional clothes dryer.

Before You Go….
1. Never let your clothes dryer run while you are out of the house or even worse, when you are asleep.
2. Thoroughly read manufacturers’ instructions regarding the safe use of their dryers.
3. If all else fails, you can always use an old-fashioned clothesline. There have never been any reported clothesline fires!

Corey K. Tournet is the owner of The Laundry Alternative, a company which specializes inportable washers and septic tank careproducts. You can visit his website at www.laundry-alternative.com

5 good reasons why you may need to change your web host now, before it is too late

There is a very high possibility that changing your web host now
could actually save you a lot of grief in the near future. In
the past people have hardly paid attention to their web hosts
and have thus been ignorant to the fact that this is a choice
that makes a huge impact on performance and ultimately the
success of any online venture.

1)Security at your web host matters The security settings of
your web host matter. They actually matter a lot. So much so
that the security of your site from hacks and all the other
increasing online dangers depends on it. An intensive review of
your web host may lead you to look at a few other web hosts and
their infrastructure with the intention of moving your hosting
elsewhere.

2)Ddos attacks on another site in your hosts network will affect
you The danger of Ddos attacks is on the rise. Ddos or
Distributed Denial-of-service attacks have been targeted at
various well known sites in the past costing losses.

These are the attacks where massive false online traffic is
generated towards your site, thus crippling it. The attack is
executed when thousands of compromised zombie hosts are directed
against a target. These zombie hosts are unwittingly recruited
from the millions of unprotected computers online and are
quickly build up waiting for the command to launch a Ddos
attack. The symptoms are that a site receives impossibly high
false traffic that literally shuts it down.

The protection from this menace does not come cheap. The most
recent Cisco Ddos protection appliance costs about $200,000.
What this means is that many web hosts will not have this
protection. And what makes it worse is that the attack does not
need to be targeted against you for you to be affected. An
attack on any single site a particular hosts’ network will
affect everybody.

3)Can you afford long downtime on your site You may find that
your site goes down far too frequently. This could be as a
result of your host gaining many more clients than their
resources can support. Your site could also be taking too long
to open. There are a host of other technical problems associated
with your web host that could cause these.

A situation like this would mean that valuable traffic is lost
forever and would be cause enough for you to change hosts to a
more efficient and reliable organization.

4)If you are using a free site, you’re not in serious business
If you are currently using a free site, then it is imperative
that you change to a paid site as soon as possible. A free site
is more expensive than most can afford. A poor image and lack of
credibility will mean that few people will dare buy from you.
Some search engines also do not index free-hosted sites, which
would impact on your traffic since search engines are the chief
method of receiving traffic.

5)You will need a blog which is a challenge to most web hosts
Blogs are rapidly becoming an important part of any online
presence. Blogs usually put a heavy demand on networks and
servers because of their nature. For example they require
capabilities for rapid content updates and heavy traffic.
Webmasters will need to be especially sure that their host’s
network is scalable enough to handle the load.

Travel in Menorca Spain

Menorca is the second largest of the Balearic Islands and is smaller and quieter than its main neighbour Mallorca, but bigger than it’s other neighbour Ibiza. It is only 9 miles (15km) wide and 32 miles (52km) long and located just 34 km / 21 miles from Mallorca, the island has many family-friendly resorts and almost as many beaches as Mallorca and Ibiza combined. Peaceful holiday resorts line the south coast of the island and sleepy fishing villages are dotted along its rocky north shore.

Menorca has escaped much of the effect of package holidays and the island’s small towns and villages offer a fairly quiet and relaxed holiday, even during the peak season, with many wonderful attractions. There are plenty of tourism and tourist information offices situated in the towns of Menorca and these provide up-to-date information about Menorca tourist attractions, museums, events, Menorca festivals, Menorca travel, Menorca sightseeing and general Menorca tourism and tourist information.

Largely protected from development, Menorca is a real haven for nature-lovers. Menorca is a very green island, with pinewoods and many fields for the islands 25,000 grazing cattle. Cycling tracks meander vigorously across the meadows and scrublands, offering some spectacular views of the island and the seafront. The north coast of Menorca is rocky and rough, whilst in contrast; the south coast of Menorca is full of sandy coves, with fine, golden sand, sheltered by cliffs. Menorca is littered with prehistoric remains, giving much evidence of a bygone sophisticated culture. Little is known of those weather beaten stone monuments, but it is thought they are linked to those of Sardinia and date around the second millennium BC Talayotic period.

The oldest and largest towns in Menorca are Mahon on it’s eastern side, the walled capital of the island, which is at the end of an enormous natural harbour and Ciutadella, Menorca’s ancient and co (western) end of the island. Mahon is a particularly busy port and has many impressive acrchitectural features whilst Ciutadella is a more graceful town, full of winding streets and characteristic old buildings, reminiscent of the Moorish and Spanish influence, including several churches.

The town does not offer much in terms of sightseeing, but it has excellent eateries, shops and a very relaxed ambience for wandering around. Mahon itself is a sedate and conservative town, consisting of classical Georgian houses from its British past (Admiral Nelson once lived at the Golden Farm Mansion) For sightseeing, a trip to the famous Xoriguer Gin distillery is well worth a visit.

Menorca is the greenest and least developed of the Balearic Islands. It has a slightly gentler feel than neighbouring Mallorca and is the perfect holiday destination for couples and families: everything is easy, peaceful and close by. The best part of Menorca is its abundance of beautiful beaches - it has more beaches than the rest of the Balearics put together. The coastline ranges from pristine coves to long, sandy beaches separated by rocky headlands.

Inland, Menorca remains essentially rural with restful scenery of rolling fields and wooded ravines Fiercely protective of its natural beauty and fully aware of the potentially damaging consequences of selling out to mass tourism, Menorca has clearly demarcated most of its holiday areas.

Resort villages are dotted around the coast and characteristically amount to just a small selection of hotels and self-catering apartments, with enough quality shops, bars and restaurants to provide fully for visitors. As such the resorts are safe, modern and sympathetically designed to complement the surroundings. A proud island, Menorca is clean and uncluttered, with an excellent climate - qualities that promote a sense of space and well being for everyone.

Menorca is not expensive and a daily budget of around $35 is enough for a good time. However splashing out and experiencing everything can be done within a daily budget of $80. The museum of Menorca is easily the biggest building on the island and the best museum.

It holds a wide array or prehistoric artefacts from 4000BC and Talayotic times. Another well-known sight is the Naveta Dels Tudons, also known as the cathedral of prehistoric monuments. It is shaped like an upturned boat and is one of several Navetas on the island. Navetas were old funeral structures and are surrounded in mystery and legend.

Travel by Taxis
Taxis in Menorca are a useful way to travel around the towns and visit nearby sights and attractions. The taxi meters starts at a basic fare, but additional charges are usually made for luggage, night time driving and travel on public holidays in Menorca.

Driving Tips
Citizens of EU member countries require a national driving licence to drive cars in Spain

Citizens from non-EU member countries need an International Driving Permit, as well as their national driving licence. You must be at least 18 years old to drive a car in Spain and have a valid driving licence and car insurance.

It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear seat belts and children under 14 years old are not allowed to travel in front seats. In Spain, cars drive on the right-hand side of the road. Give way to traffic coming from the right at junctions and roundabouts
Beware of what appear to be shortcuts on maps - these often turn out to be unpaved roads or mountain passes.

Unless indicated, other major routes are 56 miles per hour / 90 km per hour and slower speed limits of 30 miles per hour / 50 km per hour are enforced in urban areas
It is an offence not to carry some form of identification, such as passport or driving licence

Travel by Car Hire/Rental
Driving in the centre of busy towns and popular resorts is best avoided if possible, as many of the streets and narrow, with one-way traffic. Cars parked alongside the pavements can also making driving conditions difficult. However, a car in Menorca provides a useful way to travel around the island and a current map of Menorca’s roads is essential. There are many winding roads around the island that offer some truly spectacular views.

For information on car hire or car rentals visit Every Car Hire at Car Hire Menorca Spain.

Should I try Online Dating? Why?

With the help of rapidly growing online community, online dating is becoming
a part of our personal lives that you shouldn’t miss and at
least have tried once in your lifetime for the fun and the
benefits of online dating. So why should you bother finding a
decent dating site and paying tens of bucks? :

- Expanding your dating circle. It’s easy to find fun and
attractive people from all around the world for chatting, fun,
friendship and maybe a serious relationship.

- Just Singles. There will be thousands of singles waiting for
you get in touch with them. It is not like going to a nightclub,
trying every other potents and praying for her/him to be single.

- Approaching and being approached easily. If you are the shy
type, it must be very nerve-racking to approach other sex but
with the advantage anonymity of online dating, approaching,
chatting is easier than it used to be.

- Safety. One of the most important advantages of online dating
is safety. In online dating, you dont have to reveal your
personal details unless you want to. No email address or phone
number exchange is required.

- Save Money. How much are you spending, when you go to a bar,
pub or a nightclub for a night to find other singles? Tens of
pounds or dollars, maybe more. But with the competition in the
online dating business, you can easily find very reputable sites
offering their services for one digit figures.

So you decided to give online dating a try, what must you
consider before registering for a dating service?:

- Look for dating site reviews, take recommendations.

- Determine how much you’re willing to spend.

- Dont jump into free dating sites at first as there will be
thousands of irrelevant profiles which are inactive or
inappropriate. Try a reputable dating site until you know how to
take advantages of online dating.

- Make a list of the dating sites you’re considering to join and
compare.

You have possibly been using or had used Internet for shopping.
Online dating is not
so different than online shopping. You’re shopping to find the
right person in the right place safely and cheap. So dont stuck
up in your own social circle, think big.

Remember your other half or soulmate could be waiting for you on
the other side of the world. Give them a chance. Give yourself a
chance.

Mortgage Lenders - Your Options

Finding your dream home is usually the simplest part of the house buying process! Once you see somewhere you want to put in an offer for, you’ll want to move fast. It helps, therefore, to have your mortgage sorted before you find somewhere you want to buy.

You can choose a lender and mortgage, apply for the loan and get your mortgage ‘approved on principle’ before you even start looking for a house. This means that you know what your budget will be and can be fairly certain that your mortgage will be accepted. The lender will still want to see the valuation survey, however, and there may be other checks that have to be completed before the deal is closed.

While most people used to take out their mortgage with a building society or bank, these days there are a number of other options to consider. Smaller, specialist mortgage providers can offer good deals and are sometimes more flexible about terms.

Banks and Building Societies

Since the market has become much more competitive, the larger finance houses have adapted their practice to become much more flexible with their mortgage deals. You will have the advantage of knowing that a reputable lender provides your mortgage, and local branches can make your day-to-day banking more convenient.

Insurance Companies

Some companies now offer their own range of mortgage products, which can give good terms, along with insurance products and investments. Legal and General are a well-known example. Check that you are not committed to taking out insurance policies with the lender along with your mortgage.

Specialist and Centralised Lenders

Generally this type of lender operates from one location - you won’t be able to visit a local branch, but they may offer lower rates as a result of having fewer overheads to cover. Virgin Direct and Mortgage Trust are two lenders who can offer particularly flexible mortgages. Telephone and internet banking make this kind of borrowing more convenient.

Local authorities

Council house residents may wish to apply to their local authority for a mortgage. There are also some mortgages available from some authorities for people who wish to renovate derelict houses - contact your local council for more information.

It’s good practise for a lender to subscribe to the Mortgage Code - this is a voluntary scheme that means the lender has promised to uphold commitments to good service.

Joseph Kenny writes for the financial portal http://www.financefool.co.uk and get information on the best mortgages in the UK.

Designer Fashion by Matches Fashion

When chic shoppers of the city of London are in desperate need of a little serious retail therapy Matches Fashion grants them with the fashion fix they are looking for and the luxury fix the fabulous buyers need. Based in the U.K Matches make available the deluxe of British and European designer collections along with a focus on both classic elegance and cutting edge fashion. They furthermore supply British and International shipping which is a treat for all worldwide Matches Fashion tasteful shoppers.

Matches Fashion is one of the most thriving designer fashion style stores in the city of London. Matches Fashion enjoy 13 designer boutiques dotted around; 3 of the larger fashion boutiques can be found located in Richmond, elegant Wimbledon and Notting Hill. Along with Matches Fashion high end designer fashion boutiques Matches Fashion additionally have a superb website. You may get your favourite Demylee shorts and handbags on the internet no matter where you live in the Great Britain or Asia. Making the Matches Fashion company always available to you.

The beautiful website itself currently has nearly six hundred different designer fashion shoes in stock; there are plans to rise this to around nearly 900. Like tons of other clothing boutiques around these days Matches Fashion is continually updating their stock bringing in handbags that are the top must haves of the season. Every season Matches Fashion are focused on picking out the key high heels and editing the AM Eyewear clothing collections down to decide what they actually want to look at stocking that season. This takes loads preparation but there has not been a season where Matches Fashion has not been instinctly correct with the short skirts Matches Fashion are providing for Matches gorgeous shoppers. Stocking only the latest skirts from designers such as AM Eyewear Freda, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney to mention but a few, anything you select from Matches Fashion regardless of what fashion designers make is, is bound to turn heads. Matches Fashion are always introducing new labels and classic designers such as Stella McCartney.

Is a Destination Wedding Right for You?

What exactly does ‘destination wedding’ mean? Well, this is the term used for a wedding which takes place in a desired location which is away from the bride and grooms’ home town. The wedding ceremony and reception is held in a location where everyone (including all guests) has to travel to get to the wedding.

Choosing a destination for your wedding is probably the most important wedding planning decision you will have to make. After all, the location of your wedding will dictate many factors of your wedding, including the cost. For example, many people are now opting for a more tropical and exotic location to get married, and if you have to travel to the other side of the world to get to your dream wedding destination, then that can be pretty expensive.

Destination weddings are certainly growing in popularity. While there are still many couples who go down the traditional route of getting married in a church followed by a reception in a banquet hall, there is no doubt that a destination wedding is a new and upcoming trend with couples wanting to tie the knot.

Why are destination weddings so popular?

Well, one good reason is that they mean a vacation for everyone involved in the wedding and not just a honeymoon for the bride and groom. Some people keep it small and quiet with just immediate family and friends, while other couples have a huge wedding party traveling with them - it all depends on what you want. A destination wedding is also popular with people getting married for the second or even third time. They don’t want all the fuss and formality of a traditional marriage, they simply want to ‘get away’ and get married.

Things to consider when planning a destination wedding:

• If wanting a tropical wedding, remember that it will be very hot and you and your partner could feel very uncomfortable in your wedding attire

• Do you want only close family/friends to come with you, or a larger wedding party?

• Can all of your guests afford the travelling expenses?

• Can you afford to pay for your guests to travel?

• Do you want to hold a second reception back home for friends and family that couldn’t travel with you?

• Is privacy important to you? You will be surrounded by your guests for the whole duration of your wedding / honeymoon.

Remember that you will be inviting the guests to travel with you. Most likely, the guests will be paying their own way and are essentially planning their entire vacation around your wedding. Therefore, you will have to give considerable thought in what both you and your guests want to do before and after the wedding.

In summary, destination weddings are becoming very popular and because of this there are many travel agents who now specialize in these types of weddings. Make a decision on how large you want your traveling party to be and if your guests can afford it. Make sure to have some kind of understanding with your guests if you want a few days of privacy.

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of http://www.1stweddingplanningguide.com Find out further information about Destination Weddings from her site.