Wondering where to get next on your holiday? Not sure whether to go on beach break or sightseeing? Well stop right there because we have the answer! Volunteering holidays are the perfect way to mix getting to know the culture of a place, meeting the local people and giving something back to the community you’re in, making you a better person. And if you don’t fancy travelling alone, take a friend or go in a group, either way you’re sure to have a great time!

Here are a few ideas of where you could go…

Berlin

Help organise and run summer camps for disadvantaged children in the city of Berlin . You can help with activities such as painting, art, games, sports, and running the canteen at lunch. For children who don’t get to travel much, this is a great way to have fun without even leaving the city.

Budapest

Budapest’s Autumn Festival takes place in October each year featuring all sorts of arts, music, dance, drama, poetry and more. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then volunteering there will give you the chance to experience it all and give something back to the community.

London

In London there are many charities that are dedicated to providing opportunities to disabled children and their families, helping them to get out and about in society and gaining access to the services they need. Volunteers are always needed to keep this organisations going, and no experience is necessary!

More London…

Why not plan ahead and volunteer to work at the 2012 London Olympics? There’s no age limit, no experience is needed and it’s a great way to meet people from all over the world. And who knows, you may get to meet your favourite athlete!

Barcelona

Why not volunteer in an elderly residential home in Barcelona? There are many programmes available and you’ll get to mix with the local people, learn about new cultures and most importantly help other people. And in your free time you have all of Barcelona at your fingertips!

Rome

Teaching languages abroad is an ideal way to see a city, help the local population and volunteer at the same time, and there are always plenty of language schools who’ll want your help. Rome is a great city for sight seeing, and with the amount of tourists it receives each year the local population are always interested in learning new languages.

Volunteering holidays can be hard work, but what do you say? Are you ready for the challenge?!

We all know that NH loves to make you feel special during your stay; to deliver the highest standard customer service, spoil you and cater for your every need. So I’m sure you already know that at NH you can have breakfast in bed or even select the type of pillow you prefer!

But we want to continue to impress you so we are researching a range of new ‘alternative’ services to our hotels…

1. Rent a pet

We understand it can be particularly lonely when travelling alone. A table for one in the corner with only a newspaper for company sound all too familiar?

This one is for pet lovers who just cannot bear to be away from their furry friends for long periods of time. You will never be alone in your hotel room again – head down to reception and rent your very own pet for the evening!

2. The Storyteller

What could be more relaxing than reading a few chapters of a good book before bedtime? But when you’re feeling tired after a long day it’s hard to concentrate so ring reception and get your very own story teller sent up who will recite a tale from long, long ago…..

3.  Personal Sightseer

Don’t feel like queuing for hours in the blazing sun while waiting to climb a famous landmark that looks better in a postcard anyway? All this while street vendors try to sell you tacky souvenirs you really don’t need?!

Well, here’s the solution….

Get your photo taken, enlarge it into a life-size cardboard cut-out then one of our exceedingly helpful NH staff members will take it to all the main tourist attractions in the town to get you all the photos you need to keep your Granny happy.

4. Souvenir Shopper

Left the souvenir shopping to the last minute, can’t bring yourself to go hunting for the next addition to Aunt Margaret’s spoon collection? Before you check-out, make a list of all the people you need to buy a little something for and one of our NH staff will track down everything you need!

5. In room entertainment

If you don’t feel like getting dressed up and going out tonight then bring the entertainment to your hotel room. Whatever takes your fancy…a circus complete with acrobats and dancing elephants or a personal operatic production? If you don’t like those ideas then you could try inviting this lot to you room…

ENJOY!

N.B These services are not available in any of our hotels….yet!

Always fancied visiting Florence but never got round to it? Well now is the time to go; with so much going on in 2010 it’s the ideal time to discover the Tuscan capital.

This year Florence is hosting a whole range of events throughout 2010. So no matter when you go there will be something going on. There are of course the ‘usual’ tourist attractions to visit, after all Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

Florence in the coming months, what not to miss….

June

Estate Fiesolana festival from mid-June to the end of August; a festival with a fantastic array of events including: music, arts, drama, dance and film.

July

Bareback horse racing - This event takes place in Siena (approx 70km from Florence) and is one of Tuscany’s most famous events watched by thousands of people and first recorded in 1283!

August

Estate Fiesolana festival still running throughout the month of August.

September

Festa della Rificolona – 7th September, children from all over the area congregate at the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, carrying candlelit paper lanterns to honour the eve of the birth of the Virgin.

October

The friends of the music concert season running from October to April.

November

Festival dei Popoli running from November to December, this is Tuscany’s most important film festival and is open to everyone, showing films in their original languages with Italian subtitles, at the Piazza dei Congressi.

December

The Burning of the Tree, 24^th December an immense bonfire of evergreen branches burns, accompanied by the bell of San Giacomo.

3 NH Hotels in Florence:

For history lovers the NH Porta Rossa is the place for you. The hotel is a work of art in itself, built in the 12^th century and one of the oldest hotels in Italy. You are sure to have a truly authentic stay in Florence.

NH Porta Rossa – Collection

NH Porta Rossa is a distinguished piece of Florence’s history built in the 12th century and one of the oldest hotels in Italy. The hotel is perfectly located in the pedestrianised historical centre, just a few steps from Florence’s main attractions, such as the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery.The city’s historical centre boasts a considerable number of Renaissance buildings, gardens, churches, museums, art galleries and ateliers.

Florence’s immense artistic heritage includes some of the world’s most important art masterpieces. NH Porta Rossa is a perfect balance between the luxury of a past age and modern comforts. Past and present, tradition and innovation symbolize the hotel’s history. As a result of the recent renovation, NH Porta Rossa has now recreated its former beauty. All furniture and facilities have been carefully chosen to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, while certain guest rooms are decorated with extraordinary frescos. NH Porta Rossa incorporates the Monalda Tower, a wonderful 12th century tower with a staircase leading to spectacular views over the beauty of the cityscape. The hotel’s 72 rooms, combining classic and stylish furniture with a fascinating historical atmosphere, are guaranteed to ensure that guests will enjoy an authentic stay. All the rooms are unique, some endowed magnificent frescos.

NH Anglo American

Recently refurbished, the ample and elegant NH Anglo American reflects history and the fascinating age of the city Città del Giglio (City of Lirio). Its decor boasts antique furniture and impressive paintings from the Florentine school of 1800, creating a private and elegant atmosphere for our clients. The Il Granduca Restaurant is intimate and distinguished, offering a varied breakfast buffet as well as more traditional dishes from Tuscanian and Mediterranean cooking. The congress centre, equipped with a wireless internet connection, has 3 function rooms, the biggest of which has the capacity to hold up to 90 people and has a theatrical set up.

NH Firenze

The NH Firenze, offers 152 comfortable beds, all ideally located. The hotel can be easily reached from Santa Maria Novella, which is just 1km from the historical centre, and the Basso Fortress. The location is a peaceful residential zone can be easily reached by car. The hotel restaurant offers quality Mediterranean and Tuscan cuisine with a modern twist added by our head chef. The hotel offers a rich breakfast buffet; the perfect way to start your day. The hotel also offers a modern Congress Centre, which can accommodate up to 160 people.

So you’ve already seen the many crazy beds out there, but the oddities don’t end there! At NH we know a relaxing bath is the best way to unwind after a stressful business trip or a long day sightseeing, so grab your rubber duck and bathing cap and jump into one of these weird and wonderful tubs…

1. The LED Bath

First up on the list of crazy baths is The LED bath designed by Jan Puylaert. With this bath there’s no need for candles or atmospheric lighting, just turn off the lights and switch on your bath!

2. The Wash-Cook Combo

Always wanted someone to chat to while in the bath? Problem solved. With this wash-cook combo bring the kitchen to the bathroom, or the bathroom to the kitchen and you’ll always have someone to chat to while washing your hair, or cooking dinner! You could even adapt this combination to suit your household needs, how about using the surface as an ironing board or even a coffee table!

3. The TV-Bath

This one is more a television than a bath. Relax while enjoying your favourite programs, and with a special waterproof screen it doesn’t matter if you get it wet!

4. The Fish Tank

How about swimming with the fishes? Well with this bath you can! Watch the fish while they watch you! This crazy bath will set you back a whopping $14, 500; a small price to pay for such a cool bath, don’t you think? Regular cleaning needed, unless you want to have a bath in a swamp!

5. The ‘Cob’ bathtub

Maybe not the most eco-friendly of baths due to the sheer amount of water it holds and the option of intentionally making it overflow to watch the water trickle onto the black pebbles. This model, named ‘The Cob’ is handcrafted from Corian and glass and wouldn’t look out of place in any home of the rich and famous.

6. The Boat Bath

The perfect bath for any sailor or boat fanatic – The Boat-Shaped Bathtub also called Vascabarca is designed by Antonio Lupi. Each one is carved from a single monolithic block of stone which can be engraved with your name on the stern, if you really feel the need to personalise your tub! The bathroom floor will need reinforcing before installing one of these and your neighbours will certainly wonder what you’re doing!

7. The Glam Bathtub

So much for less is more; the glam bathtub by THG is without a doubt the most over the top of the crazy baths. These tubs come with hydrotherapy systems, headrests and clear side lighting panels for ultimate indulgence. Perfect for 20m² studio apartments…if you don’t have enough space you could always sleep in it!

8. The bookcase bath

This bath is perfect for those who like reading while soaking if you can fathom out how to reach for your book while scrubbing your back. Also, you may need to laminate your books, just in case!

9. The design bathtub

For a mere $26,000 this artistic bath designed by the Japanese artist Tetsuya Nakamura will prove to be the centre piece for any contemporary bathroom. However, according to the accompanying disclaimer, Nakamura’s heavy emphasis on form and relative disregard for function means bathers should enter the tub at their own risk!

10.The Shoe

Last but not least and definatly one for the girls…the high heel bath has to be any party girls’ fantasy. Probably not the most confortable to wear, but fantastic for a good soak. The heel is a massive 165cm tall and with a price tag of $17,000!

So, come on, what do you think? Do you fancy seeing any of these bathtubs on your next stay at NH? Let us know which ones you prefer and why.

Photo Credits:

The LED Bath

The Fish Tank Bath

The Cob Bathtub

The Boat Bathtub

The Glam Bathtub

The Bookcase Bath

The Shoe

An hour for the environment

At NH we care about the environment which is why this year we will be participating in Earth Hour.The big switch off will take place on Saturday the 27^th of March between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

The campaign launched by the WWF aims to raise awareness about climate change. Anyone can participate in Earth Hour; all you have to do is turn off the lights!

At NH we will turn off the lights on the façades of 289 of our hotel establishments during Earth Hour. This will include some of our most emblematic hotels, such as the NH Constanza in Barcelona, the NH Amsterdam Centre in Holland, and the NH City & Tower in Argentina.

So if you’re wondering what to do during the hour of darkness? Here are just a few ideas:

• How about an hour of meditation in the dark?
• Or a game of torch lit hide and seek?
• A shadow puppet show using candle lamps and cut-out figures
• A candlelit dinner?

If none of these ideas take your fancy then you can participate in one of the many events being held around the globe to celebrate Earth Hour. From an outdoor concert in Madrid to watching the lights on the Eiffel tower fade in Paris…