Submitted by: Nia Peters

Selecting the 10 best hotels in Hawaii is not an easy task. Being a vacation paradise and with tourism and the mainstay of its economy, the islands have an extremely well developed hotel infrastructure. There is accommodation to fit all budgets. But beyond that there are hotels dedicated to honeymooners / romantic getaways, family holidays, water sports and beach activities and much more. But on the basis of guest responses and overall reputation, here are 10 hotels that should be considered by anyone planning to visit the islands. The hotels listed below are not presented in any particular order or hierarchy.

The island of Oahu has 3 hotels that fall into the best category. The Royal Hawaiian is the best known of them all. Although older than other hotels, it has recently been renovated and the results are impressive. Each of the 528 rooms and suites combines modern comfort with old world luxury. The original structure, called the Historic building offers elegant period furnishings and an aura of old world sophistication. The rooms in the newer Royal Tower all have a lanai offering a private view of the beach and ocean.

Set in 880 acres of verdant tropical gardens, the Turtle Bay resort is a true full service luxury hotel. Only 45 minutes from Honolulu, guests have 5 miles of pristine beach and 12 miles of ocean trails to enjoy. With all the comforts one could ask for and great meeting facilities, this is the perfect place for both work and play.

Those wishing to follow in the footsteps of presidents, royalty and celebrities will find the Kahala Hotel and resort ideal. In 2006 it was chosen as the best resort hotel in the state. The hotel offers a full range of activities, spas, great cuisine and extremely well appointed rooms.

On the Big Island, The Fairmont Orchid with its 540 luxurious rooms and suites offers the perfect place to enjoy a great vacation. Situated amidst 32 acres of lush greenery, the beach front property is also adjacent to a world class golf course. With nightly entertainment, great food, spas, and a range of activities, it is a complete vacation hotel.

The Kona Village Resort is the only all inclusive hotel on the Big Island. Offering rooms with all modern comforts and amenities and great cuisine options this hotel is best known for the range of entertainment and activities that are part of the all inclusive package. There is also a special childrens program to keep the young ones occupied.

On the island of Kauai, the Grand Hyatt provides all the class and comforts that the Hyatt chain is known for. Rooms have either an ocean or a garden view and have floor to ceiling windows to maximize the viewing experience. A variety of eating options, a great bar, live entertainment, the beach, golf and tennis are just some of the attractions available.

Situated atop lush emerald cliffs is the St. Regis Princeville Resort. From the hotel you will get spectacular views of crystal clear water, pristine beaches and fabulous sunsets. Luxury is exemplified by the gracious butler service. After playing golf, walking through the rainforest or spending a day at the beach, the spas are great places to unwind.

Maui is where you will find the Four Seasons resort. Guest coming here for the first time will soon understand why the Four Seasons name defines luxury and comfort. The hotel has recently be renovated and the rooms offer state of the art amenities like furnished lanais, marble bathrooms, large screen HDTVs, high speed internet and much more. And of course, the Four Seasons acclaimed cuisine. After a long day enjoying all the attraction that Hawaii has to offer, this is the place to come back to.

The Westin Maui Resort and Spa is situated on 12 acres of oceanfront property and all the 750 rooms have private balconies and classic wooden furniture to create a tropical aura. Besides all the other facilities you would expect from a world class resort, the Westin also has its own water park that is designed to be enjoyed by every age group.

Located on Mauis western coast and adjacent to Wailea beach is the Grand Wailea Resort. This 5 Diamond resort has luxurious rooms that include fully stocked refreshment centers. There is a water complex with 9 interconnected pools, besides all the other attraction a visitor would expect from a luxury resort in Hawaii. The Spa Grande is regularly featured among the best spas in America.

About the Author: Search for

Hawaii hotels

on all Hawaiian islands at

AlohaHawaiiHotels.com

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isnare.com

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By Marie-Claire Smith

Considering your mortgage options in preparation for buying or refinancing your home? The most important thing you will need to consider is that of your monthly payment amount. After all, if you take out a loan whereby your payment is too high, you could end up not being able to swing your payments. This could put you at risk for foreclosure.

Why You Need a Loan with the Right Monthly Payment

The amount you owe each month to your mortgage lender plays a huge role in your monthly finances. A good rule of thumb is that your monthly housing expense (which includes your mortgage, homeowner’s insurance and property tax payments) should not exceed 30% of your monthly income. Any more than that and you could be setting yourself up to fail financially.

Of course, the maximum amount you should be willing to pay will vary depending upon other factors such as the amount of other debt payments (like credit card debt) and the amount you have available to put up as a down payment on the mortgage.

So, start by setting for yourself a maximum monthly mortgage payment you will be able to afford.

The Factors that Determine Your Payment Amount

Next, it is a good idea to understand the various factors that influence how much you pay in mortgage fees each monthly. These are: the principal of the loan amount (P), the annual interest rate of the loan (I), and the loan term (L) in years.

Before you start performing calculations, it is a good idea first to open up a spreadsheet application like Excel and start inputting the various assumptions you want to try. We’ll call each set of assumptions a “scenario.” For example, one scenario might be a loan amount of $125,000, an interest rate of 6.2%, and a repayment term of 30 years. Another might be the same as the first, but with a loan amount of $150,000 (etc.).

Obviously, you can reduce the number of scenarios by setting realistic figures for each item. Four scenarios is probably a good way to start (maybe try two different interest rates and two loan amounts, for example).

Loan Calculator: Knowing the Monthly Payment

So, with all of that in mind, here is how to calculate your future would-be payments using pen & paper or in a spreadsheet application. First, let’s review the variables we discussed above and add a few more (which are simply derivations of the first set).

Variables:

M = monthly payment (this is what you are going to calculate)

P = principal (initial amount borrowed)

L = loan term, in years

I = the annual interest rate (from 1 to 100)

J = monthly interest amount in decimal form, which is calculated: I / (12 x 100)

N = loan term, in months, which is just L x 12

Here is the formula (note that this formula assumes a standard loan wherein interest is compounded each month).

M = P * ( J / (1 – (1 + J) ^ -N)) For this notation, ^ means “to the power of”.

Step by step, here is how to figure out your monthly payment:

1. Calculate 1 + J, then take the result to the power of -N (minus N).

2. Subtract that from 1.

3. Take the inverse of this result (1 / X).

4. Now, multiply the result by J, then by P.

There you have it! Hint: if you use Excel, you can just set this up once and then copy/paste to create as many scenarios as you need. Then, plug in the different assumptions to see how they will affect your payment.

About the Author: Find financial calculators and the best mortgage rates at:

Approve My Home Loan

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Goodnight Sweetheart – One Of The Most Underrated BBC Sitcoms?

by

James Woolley

When people talk about some of the great sitcoms to have been made by the BBC, they often mention series such as Only Fools And Horses, Porridge, The Royle Ramily and The Office, but Goodnight Sweetheart hardly ever gets a mention. Okay so maybe it isn’t up there with some of these great sitcoms, but it is definitely underrated.

Goodnight Sweetheart was shown over six series in the 1990s and yet it’s a sitcom that’s been largely forgotten by British audiences. This seems odd because it was very popular when it was first broadcast, and yet you only find this series repeated occasionally on digital channels such as ITV3. The show starred Nicholas Lyndhurst as an ordinary everyday man living in the 1990s who had one extraordinary ability – he could travel back in time to the 1940s. This sounds a ridiculous premise but when you actually watch the series you really do get drawn into it, and it almost becomes completely believable. The writing by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran is absolutely brilliant and they capture life in war-torn London perfectly. They really bring that era to life and it’s fascinating seeing how the main character, Gary Sparrow, lives two separate lives (with two different girlfriends) in completely different times. It’s not really laugh-out-loud funny but it doesn’t really set out to be. It’s the time-travel element that really adds something extra to this show. There are plenty of funny moments, but for me it’s the brilliant storylines, both in the 1940s and the 1990s, that provide the real entertainment. Plus of course there is the supporting cast who are also superb, particularly Victor McGuire who plays Ron Wheatcroft, Gary’s best mate in the present day. Overall Goodnight Sweetheart is an excellent sitcom and certainly a lot better than some of the recent sitcoms to have been made by the BBC such as My Family and The Green Green Grass. While it may not be the funniest sitcom ever made, it is still a highly enjoyable and very well-written TV series.

Click here to read reviews of some of the most popular comedy DVDs including the

Goodnight Sweetheart DVD box set

and the

Only Fools And Horses DVD box set

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Goodnight Sweetheart – One Of The Most Underrated BBC Sitcoms?