Book Ends Essay Research Paper Book endsZagat

Book Ends Essay, Research Paper

Book endsZagat 2002 Guide to US Hotels, Resorts and SpasЈ8.99Probably the only hotel guide to have 20,000 reviewers,

Zagat’s guide is based on surveys issued to frequent

travellers. The average respondent stayed at hotels for

more than 30 nights per year, and Zagat funnels their

expertise into a handy guide with plenty of useful

indexes and cross-referencing.The guide is always a good barometer of hotel trends,

and apart from the obvious downward sweep of prices,

some quirky fashions emerge from this year’s survey.The most interesting is that Las Vegas, the heart of

trailer-trash America, is moving upmarket with the

opening of the highly rated Bellagio (described as ‘a

class act for the senses’ by one visitor) and the Four

Seasons, which receives praise for everything from its

‘elevators that smell good’ to the relief it inspires in

people delighted to find a hotel with no casino.The explosion in fine hotel dining is also tipped as a

hot trend. The Bond St Lounge in Miami’s Townhouse

Hotel serves ‘ultra-stylish sushi’, while the star chef

Geoffrey Zakarian attracts crowds of foodies to Town at

New York’s Chambers Hotel.The spa reviews are required reading for the comments

alone; The Greenhouse in Arlington, Texas, is ‘like a

sorority for well-pampered women of a certain age’ in

the words of one cynical visitor.The Rough Guide to Thailand’s Beaches and IslandsЈ8.99As the writers admit in the introduction, ‘despite myriad

cultural attractions, sand and sea are what most

Thailand holidays are about’, so Rough Guide has risen

to the challenge with a book devoted to the country’s

sands and islands.The guide’s strength, particularly in a book aimed at

fast-forwarding straight to the hedonism of beach life, is

its full colour ‘22 things not to miss’ section. Each

‘thing’ has a page reference to help you make the most

of the book. Beautiful pictures tempt you to, among

other things, the Full Moon party at Hat Rin, Ko Pha

Ngan, described as ‘ Apocalypse Now without the war’

and the town of Songkhla, ‘a great all-round base, with

miles of sandy beach, some fine restaurants and

accommodation’.As well as the standard Rough Guide fare, there are

detailed boxes accompanying each area, from

sea-kayaking around Krabi (paddling in lagoons called

‘hongs’, home to flying monkeys) to the importance of

amulets in warding off evil spirits. It’s not all fun though;

Rough Guides know their audience well and while

pointing out that Ko Samui is still paradise in many

respects, it describes the development behind the

beaches as speeding along ‘in a messy, haphazard

fashion’ due to the massive influx of visitors to the area.The Best Bed and Breakfast 2002Ј10.50If the thought of British B&Bs makes you shudder – all

that smelly lard wafting up the stairs in the morning, or

waiting in a cold corridor for the loo – then this is the

guide for you.Inspectors from the Worldwide Bed and Breakfast

Association (which was set up 20 years ago) review a

selection of the best B&Bs in England, Scotland and

Wales. They’ve found more than 600 to choose from.The guide lists the more colourful advantages to each

family home (nearby trout fishing, Cordon Bleu-trained

landladies) and not, like some other guides, just the

number of trouser presses and coat hangers.Prices vary from ?15 to ?85 per person per night,

including a hearty morning feed – across manor

houses, Tudor cottages, sixteenth-century coaching

inns, Georgian town houses and Victorian hotels from

Parsons Green to the Isle of Skye. There is something

for everyone who wants to avoid the impersonality and

cost of hotels.By focusing solely on B&Bs, the WWBBA inspectors

(who will have visited each property anonymously at

least every 18 months) can be less criteria-driven in

their judgment.They are not into ticking boxes for facilities provided,

more into giving a feel for the place.Skiing and BoardingЈ16.95American skier, snowboarder, author and journalist

Peter Oliver has written this exuberant book about 20

of the world’s finest skiing locations – with the

emphasis on back-country, or off-piste areas. He

provides facts on conditions and guide services,

photographs and colourful pen-pictures of these thrilling

alpine destinations. It is clear that he is a true

enthusiast as well as an accomplished skier.Skiing and Boarding includes popular destinations

such as Aspen, Whistler, Chamonix and Val d’Is?re,

and lesser-known resorts such as La Grave in France,

before moving on to Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica.Oliver also describes the apr?s-ski scene and reveals

the philosophy behind the more radical forms of skiing

and boarding.This book will appeal to the aficionado, the occasional

skier or or any snow virgin who is willing to be sucked

into this thrilling world.