Villa Exchange Destinations
October 15th, 2008 at 02:55pm
Under Italy
Located in central Italy along the Mediterranean coast, Tuscany is a hilly region known for its vineyards, olive groves and rolling landscape. The beautiful countryside is not all that Tuscany has to offer, as the stunning scenery surrounds beautiful towns and cities with renaissance art and architecture.
Villa Exchange Tuscany
Tuscany really does have something for everyone. For the active, the breathtaking countryside offers stunning walks and cycle routes while others adore lazy beach holidays on the Tuscan coast. Some enjoy the wonderful cuisine and wine produced in the local area, and many go in search of fine art and architecture in the cities.
Plus there a host of opportunities for cookery courses and wine and olive oil tasting to painting and language lessons, ensuring that a visit to Tuscany offers something for everyone.
When not exploring rural Tuscany, why not visit some of the charming cities and towns such as Florence, Pisa, Siena and Lucca which can be reached by car or some by public transport.
Select Exchange have a number of properties available for villa exchange so you can save yourself thousands of pounds on your trip, giving you more to spend on fine wine, fine food and if your wife is like mine, fine Italian fashions.
By admin
October 9th, 2008 at 04:00pm
Under France
It’s a well known fact that many recipes for famous French liqueurs, and even for Champagne, were produced by monks. Benedectine, as the name implies was produced by the Benedectine monks at the monastery of Fecamp in Normandy. The inscription on the bottle DOM stands for Deo Optimo Maximo, latin for “To God most good, most great”.
Monk Don Bernardo Vincelli originally designed the “elixir” to sustain the monks in their work and as a medicine to defend them against malaria. I suppose you could say that even if it the remedy did not work, at 40% volume, it would certainly help them to feel better for a while, not sure how much work got done though!
Chartreuse is another popular liqueur originally produced in the 12th century by the Chartreuse Monks in the most beautiful section of Chartreuse mountain range in south west France. The original Monastery has been converted to a museum and you can experience how the monks lived at that time.
Home Exchange France
The French seem to enjoy life more then other nationalities, especially when it comes to food and wine. France is a beautiful big country, if you visit in early autumn; you can experience the wine harvest and visit all the famous vineyards. The best way to do this is to take a vineyard tour; most regions of France produce good and famous wines, one of the most popular is the Bordeaux region.
The Lamarque residence, in the village of Montreal du Gers, situated between Bordeaux and Toulouse, is an ideal base for visiting nearby wineries. You could possibly stay there for free! Lamarque is one of the many properties featured by Select Exchange, for more details visit;
www.selectexchange.co.uk
By admin
October 9th, 2008 at 03:49pm
Under St Lucia
“Michael Winner is not welcome here!!”
So said the sign at the entrance to a beach restaurant in Rodney Bay St. Lucia, in truth I would not be surprised to see similar signs outside most restaurants, that name must strike fear even to the most professionally run establishments! Sunday Times readers will be familiar with the regular column by the ex film director, now food critic, which appears on the back page of the Review section. The articles are amusing but seldom complimentary.
Michael Winner is a regular visitor to St. Lucia, he regularly boasts about hiring private helicopter to go for lunch during his frequent visits to the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados. His latest visit was to the Ladera restaurant located in a idyllic position overlooking the magnificent Jalousie Bay with the Pitons rising to almost 3,000 feet on either side of the bay, it’s an awesome view!
The food is pleasant; the place is very peaceful with only the constant chirping of colourful birds that incidentally also like the food, hence the reason for the water pistols placed on every table!
Discovery in Marigot Bay is a small Boutique Hotel recently opened; the accommodation consists of privately owned suites leased back to the Hotel by the owners. You can stay at Discovery by booking through the usual channels, or if you own a holiday home elsewhere, you could possibly stay for free by joining www.selectexchange.co.uk
There are many unique dining locations in St. Lucia, if you like waterfront dining I suggest the Charterhouse in Rodney Bay or the Coalpot near Castries for a very romantic setting. Further north, still on the west coast, is Marigot Bay, the setting for Dr. Doolittle film. Marigot Bay is often referred to as “The Most Beautiful Bay in the Caribbean”. Here you will find The Hideway restaurant built on stilts and only accessible by boat a short ride from The Discovery hotel on the other side of the Bay. The Hideaway is seriously romantic, candlelight, soft music, calm water and good food, all the ingredients for a perfect atmosphere.
By admin
October 9th, 2008 at 09:54am
Under Cyprus
Cyprus, where East meets West
The island of Cyprus lies in the North East corner of the Mediterranean near Turkey and Syria. Because of its geographical location, it’s been over the centuries a natural crossover point for travellers primarily of Christian and Muslim faith. Visitors to the island will notice how the two cultures sometimes blend by observing the architecture, the folkloric dances and sampling the local cuisine.
During its long history, the island has been governed and administered by many outside powers including the Republic of Venice, Greece, Turkey and Great Britain. Cyprus became independent in 1960; the north part was invaded by Turkey in 1974. Since then it has been divided and the northern part is now the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.
Villa Exchange in Cyprus
The majority of the population is of Greek descent and living in the southern part, which has prospered greatly since the division and became part of the EU in 2004. A reunification plan was put forward by the United Nations in 2004 but this was rejected by the Southern Cypriot government. The two sides are continuing to talk and progress is being made. It is encouraging to hear that a new proposal for reunifying the island is planned for the near future.
Cyprus has much to offer and it is very popular not just with tourist but also holiday home buyers and people wishing to live there permanently. Cyprus is a great place to visit anytime of the year, new facilities are being added and existing ones improved.
Cyprus Home Exchange
Aphrodite Hills is just one example of the new smart resorts being built on the island. Cyprus is easily accessible with frequent flights from most part of the UK and Europe. Aphrodite Hills is one of the many destinations with villa owners featured by Select Exchange where you could potentially stay for free by joining the villa exchange program www.selectexchange.co.uk
By admin
October 8th, 2008 at 03:35pm
Under USA
Texas, the Lone Star State.
The history of Texas began in 1845 when it joined the Union of The United states of America. The word “Texas” originates from the word “Taisha” meaning “friends” in the Caddoan language spoken by the Hasinai indigenous Indian tribe living in the territory, the state motto is “friendship”
Texas is one of the largest states in the union and everything we associates with the state is BIG, the Rio Grande, the highways, the buildings, the cattle ranches and the big Stetsan hats. Not many people realize that prior to joining the union, there were once many Texases; French Texas, Spanish Texas, English Texas, Mexican Texas and the Republic of Texas.
Texas is often referred to as the “Lone Star state” which stems from the fact that the original state flag had only one star. Today it is known for the oil, President Bush connection, (he was a previous governor) and the Pecan tree which is the state tree symbol, pecan nuts are grown commercially.
Texas is a big, friendly state where visitors are made very welcome with lots of interesting sites to explore. Texas is well connected and easy to get to; Houston airport is one of the largest airline hubs in America with many daily flights and connections to the UK and the world.
Home Exchange Texas
Mustang Island is a popular holiday destinations just of the Texas coast, it has beautiful sandy beaches and enjoys the warm breezes of the Gulf of Mexico. Visit Texas and Mustang Island, one of the many destinations featured on Select Exchange where you could potentially stay for free by joining http://www.selectexchange.co.uk. We currently have a fantastic property in Mustang Island available for exchange. This beautiful beach house on Mustang Island has 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. This house has a view of the Gulf of Mexico from all floors and guests can walk to the beach by private walkway. There is a communal pool and hot tub close by. This home is beautifully decorated with the owner’s own artwork and great wall paintings around the home.
By admin
October 7th, 2008 at 12:22pm
Under Algarve
Not many people realize that the word “Algarve” is of Moorish (Arabic) origin. The word stems from the Arabic word “Al-Gharb” meaning “The West” the Moors occupied the region for almost 600 years from 711 to the late 13th century; the region was their westernmost outpost in continental Europe. The castle walls of Silves and Tavira are a physical reminder of the occupation.
Another constant reminder which can be seen all over the Algarve and Portugal is the sight of the typical Arabic chimneys and the vivid colours of the houses with contrasting windows and doors surrounds.
The last 30 years have seen dramatic change in the Algarve, the infrastructure has been modernised to support all the new hotels, resorts and all the thousands of privately owned properties. Many British and Irish people have second homes there and many thousands have relocated and made the Algarve their first home.
This is not surprising as the Algarve enjoys one of the best climates in southern Europe and does not get as hot as other Mediterranean areas. It is easily accessible from many parts of the UK and continental Europe, which is another reason why it is so popular.
Vale do Lobo was perhaps the first tourist resort to be built, soon followed by Quinta do Lago. The area along the coast encompassing these two resorts and back to Almancil is often referred to as the “golden triangle”. In this area you can certainly find some of the most luxurious homes in Europe supported by some of the best facilities, golf courses and beautiful sandy beaches.
If you own a holiday home elsewhere in Europe, you could potentially stay in a luxurious holiday home in Quinta do Lago for free by joining Select Exchange. You can view some of the properties on the website www.selectexchange.co.uk
By admin
October 6th, 2008 at 11:19am
Under St Lucia
Discovery Marigot Bay is a luxury hotel and apartment complex in St. Lucia. This 5 star hotel complex is made up of privately owned luxury apartments which are leased back by owners to form part of the hotel complex. The bay itself is also fast becoming become a favourite celebrity hangout.
Discovery at Marigot Bay is a unique resort offering fabulous treehouse-style accommodation on the lush green hillside running down to Marigot’s deep natural harbour. Discovery is on the sheltered, Caribbean coast of St Lucia, 5 miles from the capital, Castries, and close to both the lively nightlife in the north and the natural beauty of the south. This lovely island, with its tropical rain forests, waterfalls, mountains and secluded beaches is rapidly becoming one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean.
Marigot Bay
The bay itself is home to a variety of yachts, and super yachts so don’t be surprised if you meet a celebrity or two coming of their yacht and into the hotel. Recently Prince Charles and Camilla visited as part of their Caribbean tour, whilst shortly afterwards Hollywood royalty Eddie Murphy arrived on board his 229ft yacht. Among other stars to cruise into Marigot Bay are Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Nicolas Cage and John Malkovich
The apartments offer spacious suites with large balconies and magnificent views over the bay. The apartments offer high levels of furnishings as well as complimentary internet connections, flat screen TVs, music systems, and well equipped kitchens.
Discovery in Marigot Bay
Many of these owners are also part of Select Exchange, our villa and apartment exchange scheme. This gives people a fantastic opportunity to stay in this 5 Star hotel for a fraction of the cost of your normal holiday.
Our members in Marigot Bay are keen to find exchanges, particularly for property in the US and in high quality European resorts. If you own such a property, why not register and join today.
By admin
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:51am
Under Barbados
Orchid World
A paradise of colourful orchids nestled in the tropical surroundings of Barbados. Take a journey along the waterfalls, streams and Sweet Vale Valley as you enjoy this colourful show.
The Sunbury Plantation House
This 300 year old great estate home is a treasure trove of antiques and paintings, where every room is open to the public. Visit the cellars, originally used for vegetables now hosting some magnificent carriages and artefacts reflecting the history of Barbados.
Francia Plantation House
This old plantation house is designated a home of architectural interest by the Barbados National Trust. The home is surrounded by tropical gardens, terraced lawns and beautiful fountains. The home is still occupied by descendents of the original family.
Andromeda Botanic Gardens
Overlooking the Atlantic the Garden of Andromeda Botanic is one of the islands most beautiful settings. The gardens bring together flowers from around the world as well as beautiful native flora such as Bougainvillea and orchids.
Flower Forest of Barbados
These glorious Botanical Gardens are situated nearly a 1000 feet above sea, about a mile from Harrison’s Cave. This is an ideal place to relax and enjoy Bajan food and fruit juices.
Select Exchange currently has a number of clients seeking villa exchange opportunities in Barbados. If you currently own a property on the island please let us know, we can register you and get you in contact with fellow exchangers.
Select Resorts holidays offer a superb choice of luxury Barbados Villas to rent, including Royal Westmoreland, please visit our website for more details. http://www.selectresorts.co.uk/
By admin
October 2nd, 2008 at 04:19pm
Under Spain
The rain in Spain…………………..
It actually fell everywhere! Spain, especially the eastern coast saw a week of heavy thunderstorms at the end of September. In the county of Murcia, local peoples said they had not seen so much rain in living memory!
After 4 months of arid hot weather without a single drop, the countryside certainly needed it and the reservoirs needed refilling.
The Murcia region is considered the Garden of Spain, not so much because of flowers but the fruit trees like oranges, lemons, almonds and all the salad crops which are exported all over Europe.
The growing number of golf courses need a lot of water also, there are plans are for at least 30 new courses to be built in the next few years and although it is a requirement that every major golf project has to be self sufficient for water through desalination plants, there is nothing like pure rain water for greening things up.
For golfers, autumn in Spain is one of the best times of the year for visiting; temperatures are mild and the courses un-crowded. After the kids go back to school, accommodation is plentiful, hotels and private owners are keen to do deals.
Select Exchange has a selection of property in La Manga and in Murcia in general so if you own a villa and would like to visit the region why not register and contact one of our owners? Imagine, you could stay for free by exchanging your property with an owner on one of the many existing golf projects in the region!
Visit www.selectexchange.co.uk for an overview of available exchange possibilities!
By admin
April 15th, 2008 at 01:20pm
Under St Lucia+ Travel
I recently spent 10 days with my wife in one of our exchange properties in St. Lucia and we had a fabulous time. We stayed in the Discovery Hotel in Marigot Bay, which is a sales and leaseback development. We were able to use some of the owners available weeks and it was stunning.
Marigot Bay is famous for being a refuge for sailors during hurricanes as well as for being the place where the original Dr. Doolittle was filmed. It is a great resort to go and relax and get some well need RnR.
During our stay we got to see a little more of the island, doing a little snorkeling as well as hiring a boat for the day and travelling around the Pitons. We also met some potential new clients for home exchange. One of the great things about St. Lucia is the diverse range of holiday makers it receives, from the uber rich to your honeymooners as well as lots of families and retirees.
I expect St. Lucia to continue to grow as a destination, particularly given the volume of new developments and golf courses in the offing. Keep your eyes on www.selectexchange.co.uk for new home exchange opportunities and if you are lucky enough to own a home in this fabulous island please let me know, as for a limited time only we are offering free membership to St Lucian properties.
By admin