Almost anyone who has decided to visit Washington as a tourist is more or less aware of its tourist trails and the shiny surface – from the Space Needle, White House, Pentagon and White Water Rafting and beyond. However beneath, there are many other interesting and yet unusual places to visit in Washington that many tourists may not have heard about. Keeping an open ear, open eyes and an open mind can reveal a few hidden gems.

Bob's Java Jive

This is the biggest tea pot you can come across in the world. Named from the old Ink Spots song, it was a beat hangout in the fifties. This place used to be a tea/coffee shop before, but then shut down. Years later it was reopened as a club and functions as such until now. Bob's Java Jive is situated in Tacoma and is its hidden gem. 

This place is built of dark wood with dim lighting and off-putting decor and it was at one point quite smoky. Decorated dollar bills adorn the ceiling, sexualized images are carved in the bar and seats and graffiti in the restroom. In addition it has extremely limited menu, when the only resemblance of a menu are the random box of food items stapled against the wall. And it is... Read More

The global short-stay apartment company Ginosi is announcing the opening of the first vacation rental in outer space. The apartment which is called Your Mars Experience is going to be live by the end of April, 2013. The first out of the world vacation rental is a lot different from an ordinary apartment. It is built using near-term technologies and resources already available on Mars. It is constructed with the help of robots and run on nuclear energy, but has made use of materials and construction techniques reminiscent of earlier centuries on Earth.

Your Mars Experience apartment is expected to be live on ginosi.com with a nightly rate of 500 USD per guest. Khachik Badeyan, the Marketing Manager for ginosi.com, says: "We have really gone our way out to offer our guests the most extraordinary vacation ever in history. It's been a huge project where we have put a lot of efforts in order to be the first company ever to enable people book their accommodation on Mars online in just a few minutes. We are starting with one rental and expect to grow rapidly in the future. The first rental is designed for 4 people maximum, and for such a small supply the demand is expected to... Read More

This year Amsterdam celebrates the 400th anniversary of its well-known Canal District, which was established in the Golden Age and is currently included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Starting from the 17th century the Canal District has been a compound chain of amazing waterways that attract thousands of visitors each year. The anniversary is a big event in the city, in regard of which many museums, restaurants and cafes located nearby the canals offer tourists special packages and discounts. For instance the Het Grachtenhuis museum has established a special thematic exhibition, which is devoted to the anniversary and represents life during the Golden Age. 

Only a 40 minute walk in the museum promises to reveal the 400 year old history of the Amsterdam Canal Ring. And if you present the Canal District 2013 Map in this or in some other museums that take part in the celebration of the anniversary, you will get little souvenirs as a gift. The map can be found in different tourist agencies. 

Different water tours around the canals are organized for tourists, as well as discounts are provided for restaurants and museums. The tours are led by... Read More

Hollywood is one of the most visited cities in CA. Its Subtropical-Mediterranean climate, unique blend of modern and classic culture and fame as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars make it a popular addition to many travelers’ to-visit lists. There is just so much to see and do in Hollywood that it is not possible to do it all in one trip. That is part of the allure of Hollywood: you can come back again and again and never have the same experience twice.

This is our take on the most interesting and fun places to visit in Hollywood, LA.

1. Hollywood Boulevard

This is the classic tourist site full of touristy activities, such as outdoor concerts, street performers, luxury restaurants, the famous Kodak theatre (home of the Academy Awards) and the new Madame Toussauds museum.

2. Hollywood Walk of Fame

Hollywood Walk of Fame features more than 2400 stars embedded in the sideswalks of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Each star bears the name of a famous actor, singer, musician, producer, bands, fictional characters and more. Those are considered as public monuments to great achievements... Read More

Los Angeles beaches can be as iconic for the city as Disneyland or the Hollywood sign. There are about 2 dozen beautiful, white sandy beaches in LA and it may be difficult to choose which one to visit during a short vacation. The guide below points out the best beaches in Los Angeles in terms of comfort, natural beauty and interesting activities, such as surfing, whale watching, rock climbing, fishing and many more.

1. Zuma Beach

Located in Malibu, Zuma is one of the largest beach parks in Los Angeles County and is a great place for swimming, surfing, beach volleyball and whale-watching (in winter). Here you will find plenty of restrooms, playgrounds, volleyball courts, and snack bars. However, on busy days, the parking lot and every inch of roadside parking are packed - and so is the sand. Water is a little colder here than it is further south.

2. Leo Carrillo State Beach

Leo Carrillo is located 28 miles northwest of Santa Monica, on the pacific coast highway. It is one of the most picturesque beaches in Los Angeles with a lot of nice rock formations and beautiful coastal caves. Most of the time it is pretty uncrowded. This beach offers... Read More

Each year, it seems the vacation rentals market gets increasingly popular globally. I think rental apartments are definitely on their way to going mainstream and this progress has also covered Yerevan. Nowadays a lot of travelers to Yerevan, especially those with families choose to stay at an apartment rather than a hotel. The main reasons for this are of course the more affordable price and the informal atmosphere that rental apartments provide. Below is an easy guide to find and book Yerevan rental apartments online.

How to Book Rental Apartments in Yerevan

Even though online booking is new to Armenia now it is easy than ever to find and book comfortable apartments in Yerevan online. Ginosi.com offers a range of Yerevan short term rentals that can suit to anyone’s needs. The apartments on Ginosi are all located in the central... Read More

At the moment the rental business is almost completely occupied by the major players, and for a small players there is a very small room to play. This was the truth before recently. However the latest Google updates gave small business a big chance to matter.

The key point is that Google values the original content and listings. Big players already have thousands of listed apartments and hotels, hence to update each of these they need to go over each of those and complete a list of recommended actions, whereas the small business can afford it. Despite all that they are confident that nothing will harm them as they already have most of the market, added to all that the fact that many prefer buying “things” from big brands.

However search results matter in this game. When somebody is looking for an apartment in Amsterdam for a couple of days he searches for it in Google instead of just going to one of those winner websites. Taking into account the changes in the market it’s quite possible for small business to steal the first lines in search results and get a customer.

So, how to get into the first lines of Google searches?

The first... Read More

Whether you are a tourist in Georgia or visit it on a business trip, renting an apartment in Tbilisi can make your stay really interesting, as it will give you an opportunity to sense the actual spirit of Tbilisi, becoming an authentic part of it with an affordable budget and full comfort.

There are quite some differences between staying at a hotel and renting a vacation apartment. First of all, renting an apartment you will economize your stay and get almost the same level of comfort but with a more homely atmosphere, additional facilities at your disposal, such as more living space and even kitchens, which all go together to make them a real home away from home. Plus, instead of remaining just a visitor at the hotel, you can become a part of the city at the holiday apartment. 

Find a Vacation Rental in Tbilisi

In the recent years the popularity of Read More

Rental apartments cost cheaper in Los Angeles than they do in New York or San Francisco, but finding the right place to stay in LA is still not easy. Los Angeles is a huge city that has cities within cities, where finding the right location to rent an apartment largely depends on the purpose of your visit, your budget and your personal preferences. 

A rental apartment can be the ideal way to enjoy a comfortable vacation with family in LA. Although many people prefer apartments to hotels, families find them the most useful and economical. The prices of rental apartments in LA vary drastically, depending on what part of the city the apartments are located.

Safe and Unsafe Areas in Los Angeles

Some of the safest areas in LA include Malibu, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Weho, Venice. In these areas there are a lot of homeless people, who however do not usually approach or ask for money and pretty soon you will get used to them.

The more you move towards the coast the safer the area is, where most of the beaches are located, such as Hollywood, West Hollywood, La Brea have the safest neighborhoods and offer a lot of attractions.... Read More

Amsterdam is a major European tourist and business destination and has a large variety of short term accommodation to suit every budget. Most short term rental apartments here are boutique independent properties that quality three star hotels and more basic budget inns.

Many travelers believe that staying in an apartment while visiting Amsterdam can save them money, as an apartment often accommodates more guests than a hotel room and can save you money as you can prepare some meals at home. Besides being a more economical option, staying in an apartment will give you the sense of living in Amsterdam instead of just visiting.

How to Rent an Apartment in Amsterdam?

If you're interested in short-term apartment rentals in Amsterdam, consider booking your apartment online with websites that offer short-term rental apartments in Amsterdam. Renting your apartment through an online travel agency is a lot more comfortable than any other way, as it takes only minutes and you always have a travel agent specialized in that field to help you out in case you need something or have some questions.

Ginosi.com offers Read More