Top International Hotels : An Interview with Bizymoms Top Blogger 2010 Recipient Uwe Frers

1. Escapio is all about travel, lifestyle and hotels. How do you bring all three elements together in your blog?

The Escapio website presents a handpicked selection of unique hotels. Our aim is to structure and present all the necessary hotel information as concisely as possible for our clients to make quick comparisons and choose the right hotel. The Escapio blog is a perfect complement to the website and allows more extensive editorial coverage and information which would slow the booking process if on the main website.

2. Your contributors hail from various places and walks of life. How do you find them?

The regular travel writers are our core team and we often have contributions from bloggers or editors who have impressed us. More and more often we receive applications from freelancers who have discovered the blog and want to write for us.

3. Escapio features a large number of top international hotels. What is it about these hotels that grabs your attention?

A “unique hotel” must have a one-of-a-kind concept distinguishing it from the normal hotel standards. Quality is the most important deciding factor – with less significance placed on the star classification but rather on the little details which make the hotel unique. This could be a stylish design hotel in New York City, a romantic hotel in an ancient Spanish monastery, a small luxury hotel with just four suites in Tuscany or a stylish family hotel in Austria. Escapio reflects a vivid range of lifestyles in its hotel selection, which put experience and enjoyment at the fore.

4. Every year, many holiday goers are forced to change from “romantic vacations” to “family vacations.” What vacation travel tips do you offer for such couples?

When they choose a family hotel, many couples make the mistake of taking only children’s needs into consideration. They ultimately end up in a great kids hotel but with their own expectations unsatisfied. These days, mothers need a few days of serious relaxation and recovery – not just a babysitter. Escapio’s family hotels endeavour to offer not only perfect service for the children but a desirable atmosphere for the parents, too.

5. What affect does the size of a hotel have on the quality of a vacation?

Escapio recommends mostly small to medium sized hotels, but we do have some large properties too. Essentially, small hotels tend to offer a more individual concept, more personality – criteria valuable to our clients. In addition, we have the larger hotels particularly in cities, which score with their design, location or luxuriousness.

6. Are the top international hotels always beyond reach of the average traveler? Do affordable luxury hotels for families exist?

The definition of luxury has completely changed in the last few years. It’s no longer relies on caviar and champagne for breakfast, rather the ability to replenish the guest’s energy ready to face the day-to-day routine. To be woken up in a small historic hotel by the sunrise with picturesque views over Umbria can be more luxurious than having a personal butler on call. The wonderful experiences don’t have to be unaffordable for families.

7. Which types of top international hotels are the most popular among your readers? Why do these categories outshine the others?

At the top of our favourites list are charming, romantic hotels with a historic atmosphere, like for example our Paradores in Spain, Moroccan riads, Pousadas in Portugal or castle hotels across France.

8. Please share a few vacation travel tips on picking the right hotel. What should holiday goers look for when making the choice?

The guest firstly needs to be aware of what they really need from their holiday – peace and quiet or hustle and bustle; gourmet food or sport; luxury or back to nature simplicity; new friendships or time to think alone. From person to person and depending on their current situation, this varies greatly. The real search for the perfect hotel can only begin when these answers are clear.