From all of us at prontohotel.com to alla of you out there, our best wishes for a terrific 2009! We wish a Happy New Year, hoping that tonight you will be able to celebrate the end of 2008 with a bang! We hope that, in 2009, all of you will be able to reach your goals and achieve your aims.

Hoping to see you travelling all over the globe in the next year, we wish again to all of you a gorgeous 2009!

Christmas is over, and everybody is getting ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve! If you are looking forward to a real treat you might take into consideration to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam! The streets of this gorgeous city in this spectacular night get crowded with tourist who have the difficult task to avoid firecrackers tossed by kids who get their kicks by scaring passers by! Pubs, bars and squares of the Northern Venice get crowded with people, who at midnight, gather on the streets in order to celebrate the incoming new year watching the wonderful fireworks. If you wish to see the fireworks show in a less crowded spot you might decide to do so from the balcony of one of the hotels in Amsterdam or to pick a nice place on one of the many bridges that cross the city’s canals.

Rome, during Christmas, offers its best look. The heart of the city lights up with wonderful lights and at every street corner you might find chestnut sellers. If you want to go shopping we advise you to book one of the hotels in Rome that are close to the subway or right in the most famous shopping district, the area near Via del Corso! Wandering through the narrow streets of Rome in this period of the year might be a little bit tricky but, if you are brave enough, you will have a great holiday, watching people going by and admiring some of the most gorgeous shops of the most known brands in the world, sitting side by side with monuments centuries old. If you get tired of walking you can rest in one of the many bars that you will encounter or decide to have a nice cup of tea in one of Rome’s oldest tea rooms that you will find right next to the Spanish Steps!

Last thing to remember, if you wish to go shopping in Rome during this period of the year, you will have to be very patient since the shops are very crowded!

As we have always been told, Santa travels on a flying sleigh. Probably in Denmark they thought that he needed some excercise… Last Saturday, thousands of Santas gathered for a six kilometers run in the small city of Kalundborg. Their aim was to get into the Guinness Book of World Records and to raise funds for poor children. While they raised a good amount of money for the less fortunate, they didn’t defeat the Santas on the Run record, held by the city of Liverpool in the U.K. Only 1300 running santas reached the end of the race!

On this very day, 402 years ago, three vessels loaded with settlers, one of them was the famous Captain John Smith who will later publish a book about this same voyage called “A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Happened in Virginia”, left the coast of England headed towards the New World. After a long and difficult journey across the ocean they finally touched ground at Chesapeake Bay, has it is known today. Those settlers set the foundation of what became the very first colony of the thirteen that will form the cornerstone of the United States of America.

If you are planning to visit Europe during Christmas time you might taking into consideration to catch a plane headed to Spain. The period of Christmas in Madrid starts from the beginning of December. Starting from the very heart of this beautiful city, La Puerta del Sol, every street becomes a show of shining lights. In Madrid you will also find some of the most beautiful Nativity scenes of the world, one of the most known is the Baroque Nativity in the Church of Saint Genes. And, as usual, the friendly people of Madrid will let you feel at home, everywhere you will go! Check out the hotels in Madrid right now!

As we all know, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Yet, this ancient beautiful city, almost got flooded after a week of pouring rain. A member of our staff took some interesting pictures of the most famous bridges of Rome during the worst of the flood.

He was staying in a hotel in Rome, right next to Navona Square, and it took him just a five minutes walk to get to Lungo Tevere, the road that runs along Rome’s river.

Due to the unusual amount of rain some of the boats along the river crashed against the bridges’ pillars. Luckily enough no one was injured in the crashes.

We already stated that to us the Hawaiian Islands are like heaven on earth! Today we would like to suggest you to spend your Christmas Holidays on one of the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands: Oahu! You migh find many hotels in Honolulu or on the North Shore and, wherever you will find it, you will be able to experience an incredible Christmas. Just pack your bags with shorts and t-shirts and you’ll be all set. You will be spending Christmas Eve on the beach of Waikiki or at Pearl Harbor, while on the 25th you might find yourself scuba diving or surfing on a long board! Tired of being cold and celebrating Christmas under the snow? Catch a plane and land on the Hawaiian Paradise!

Usually the 13th of December is considered the shortest day of the year. This day is dedicated to Saint Lucy, a young virgin born in Siracuse, Italy, who was tortured before being put to death. Celebrations are held mostly in Scandinavia, actually in Sweden She is venerated both by Catholics and Lutherans, but also in the United States and particular regions of Italy. Usually on this day, young girls dress in white with a crown of lights on their head.

If you are tired of celebrating Christmas as you always did, you might be interested in taking a break from it all and spend your Christmas holidays in Mexico! From the gorgeous beaches in Cancun to the astonishing temples in the forest, passing by the cozy hotels in Mexico City, that will offer you a one of a kind stay, Mexico has much to offer during this special period of the year. The relaxing atmosphere will soothe your soul and you will enjoy some beautiful days in a warm weather, with so many things to do and to see that you will have to get back there another time!

On the 11th of December in Argentina is the Tango Day. On this date the Argentineans celebrate the birth of the most famous tango singer that ever lived, Carlos Gardel! The biggest celebrations are held in the Capital City of Buenos Aires where, as the saying goes, the Tango was born. The squares, the clubs and the hotels in Buenos Aires held in this date parties to celebrate this peculiar day!

Christmas is close at hand! For all of those who are in need of a hint for their gift chase we would like to recommend you the area around Rockefeller Center in New York. The 5th and the 6th Avenues, with their world known shops, are close by. In the same area you will find Macy’s and Bloomingdales, with their huge offer. Obviously, even though it is Christmass time, you will easily find a hotel in New York in its very heart. Shopping in New York in this period has a charm all of its own. From every shop you will ear Christmas Carols, and you will se the City crowded with Santas and other fellow shoppers. Our tip is to end your wanderings on the ice ring that sits underneath the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center, and if you are very lucky the snow will complete this dream like picture.