Everyone likes to get a good deal or find a bargain. But sometimes you just want to be pampered with the best of the best. Here are some of the best hotels worldwide for just that, according to a recent survey.

The top honors go to The Peninsula, in Shanghai. The architecture is fabulous, with brass and mahogany elevators and glass lamps, but the amenities are top of the line. Enjoy such perks as VolP phones, spa tubs with music and light settings, and portable master control panels.

Number two goes to the Four Seasons Hotel in Mexico City. Relax among the hacienda architecture, stroll through the Mexican gardens with tropical fruit trees, caged canaries and orchids. Dine in the courtyard or soak in the deep tubs provided in your room. The views are spectacular from your room, and the staff is impeccable.

Three and Four were both so good they ended in a tie. The Four Seasons in Hong Kong sits on the waterfront, and features lacquered wood tables and silk throws and cushions. Get in your viewing time on the 42-inch plasma screens, and step into the walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads. Scrumptious on-site dining is available, and you can get some exercise on the rooftop deck in the twin swimming pools.

The Peninsula in Tokyo provides you with an exquisite staff that can help you with any need you might possibly have. The hotel boasts 314 fantastic rooms and suites, with stone accents, Japanese torches and inviting woodwork. Lavazza espresso machines are also a delicious perk!

Coming in at number five is the Stafford London by Kempinski. The rooms are traditional, while the carriage house has a more country flavor to it. The Stafford Mews has more modern suites that are exquisite and immense! Check out the American bar, where more than 3,000 items hand from the walls for a unique museum of sorts. They also have an in-house wine cellar.

Buenos Aires is the location of yet another Four Season Hotel. This 12-story tower is the perfect spot to relax and get your work done. Each room in the building reflects the era of the building it is in. There are 161 tower rooms and seven Mansion suites with glass chandeliers, gilded mirrors and floral rugs.

Atlanta has another of the famed Four Seasons Hotels, this one recently renovated in 2007. All 244 rooms are earth toned, and the indoor pool and outdoor sun terrace are for lounging at its finest.

Hong Kong is once again the site of the number eight hotel, the Mandarin Oriental. Relax in oversized rooms with Wi-Fi and touch screen lighting, super luxurious velvety fabrics, and colorful ceramics. There are spas on three floors, herbal steam rooms, 10 restaurants and bars, and even an old-time barber shop.

We can’t finish up the top ten without another visit to a Four Seasons Hotel, this one in Budapest. After a $125 million restoration, this 1906 hotel is one of the classiest around. Guests can’t stop gazing at the stained-glass windows in the lobby, or the magnificent chandelier that was custom-designed and created from hundreds of crystal leaves. The lobby floor consists of 1,021,200 mosaic tiles.

Number ten finds us in Berlin at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski. This hotel was around since 1907, destroyed in 1945 and reopened in 1997. It now features Carrara marble and stained glass, cherry wood accents in the rooms, and a top of the line spa for relaxing. World class restaurants are also on site so you can feast in elegance.

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Chicago’s O’Hare is a bustling hub and the second busiest airport in the US. Filled mostly with United and American Airlines, O’Hare guides over 17 million passengers through its doors every year.

On-time stats for O’Hare have been around 80%, which isn’t all bad, if you consider the extra time you might have to browse around this fabulous airport.

Chicago Transit Authority will quickly transport you to and from the airport, but if you find yourself waiting on a flight or stuck with a layover, there are plenty of activities to keep you from being bored.

For starters, you won’t be stuck with airport food. Enjoy gourmet meals at some of the celebrity chef restaurants such as Wolfgang Puck Café, or Rick Bayless’ Tortas Frontera. Sure you can still find your basics like Subway or Quiznos, but why settle for the basics when you can have delicious food.

If you have extra time and want to do some sight -seeing, head to the Magnificent Mile and shop till you drop. There are shops featuring everything from home-furnishings to luxury clothes and even upscale pet items.

Millennium Park is the home of Chicago’s famous sculpture titled “The Bean”. There are free concerts at the park or even an ice-skating rink in the wintertime. If you just have a short time to spend, head to the Navy Pier waterfront and take a ride on the Ferris Wheel.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have the extra time to check out the city, make the best of your stay at the airport. The United Club offers plenty of perks to keep you satisfied while you wait at the airport. Complimentary beverages and light snacks, bar service, Wi-fi and fax machines, and conference rooms for your use.

The Admirals Club offers showers and a children’s room, along with Wi-Fi and other perks.

If you end up having to spend the night, there are plenty of hotels to accommodate you for the evening. The InterContinental is close by and has everything you need for a good nights’ rest, and the Marriott is only five minutes away and boasts an on-site Starbucks so you can get a good start the next morning.

Reviewers tend to vote mostly against O’Hare in terms of strength and price of Wi-Fi, waiting lines, and customer service. If you do have to spend long amounts of time here, you might want to either head to one of the clubs or try to get out and see the town if you can.

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Philadelphia International Airport is located in between New York and Washington DC. Seeing how both of those cities have three major airports, you would think that PHL would not be very busy.  But on the contrary, about 31 million passengers a year make their way through the airport.

Philly’s Airport is conveniently located just seven miles from the heart of downtown. Public transportation, or SEPTA, is how most of the locals travel on a daily basis. Take the rail or check out one of the bus lines that serve the airport.

If you’d rather take a private taxi, you can get where you need to go from the airport for anywhere from about $10 to $28.

Within the airport you will find free internet access and plenty of electrical outlets all around so you can stay connected. Terminal B/C is a great spot to relax in a rocking chair and wait for your flight.

The Philadelphia Marketplace is the perfect place to stroll around, stretch your legs and do some shopping. There is a large food court, and over 70 eateries to choose from throughout the airport. Be sure to grab a Philly Cheesesteak! There are also several stores where you can get in some shopping. The airport also boasts a wonderful art program where you can stroll around and check out the exhibits located throughout the terminals. Local artists and art galleries have plenty for you to see, including movie posters, ceramics and much more.

When you need a good de-stressing, head to the XpresSpa or d-parture spa for a relaxing massage, facial or even a waxing. You have the time, why not get pampered?

If you happen to be stuck for a few hours, take advantage and try to see some of this fabulous city. Independence Hall is a must see for history buffs, (as is most of the city), the Betsy Ross House, and of course the Liberty Bell.

Whether you enjoyed the Rocky movies or not, you might want to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Head inside to see the awesome collections, or just revel in the fact that you stood on the steps where Sylvester Stallone did.

The Reading Terminal Market is an historic farmers’ market with mouth-watering fresh produce and unique crafts.

If your trip ends up being overnight, head to the Philadelphia Airport Marriott, which is connected to the airport.  If that’s a little too close for you, there is a Hilton and a Hampton Inn also relatively close. The Hampton will even provide you with a complimentary hot breakfast!

Philadelphia International Airport might be perfect for your next pass through trip and help you avoid the major traffic in New York or DC.

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Charles A. Lindbergh came to San Diego in 1927 and commissioned Ryan Airlines to create an aircraft that could achieve the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

The professional builders at Ryan Airlines, headed by Frank Mahoney, jumped at the chance to be a part of this endeavor. They were more than ready to design, build and test the aircraft in 60 days.

They designed the plane after their already successful aircraft, the M-2 monoplane, which was modified by Donald A. Hall to feature a greater wingspan, larger fuel capacity, and a new Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine. This was all in attempt to make it the previously ridiculous distance this plane was to travel.

Lindbergh wanted to honor the people from his hometown who helped make this happen, so therefore named this new monoplane the “Spirit of St. Louis”.

There were many test flights achieved from the local airstrips. Lindbergh then departed San Diego on May 10, 1927, and headed for St. Louis, New York, Paris, and the makings of history.

This amazing transatlantic solo flight, which occurred on May 20-21, got worldwide attention and people everywhere suddenly became interested in aviation. There were none more excited than those in San Diego, where the flight was launched.

In 1928, the passing of a bond issue for the building of an airport was established. Charles Lindbergh was in full support of this great beginning, and even agreed to let the airport use his name. “Lindbergh Field” had been established.

Here are some facts about the Spirit of St. Louis you may not know.

An immense fuel tank in front of the cockpit took the place of what should have been the windshield. Lindbergh had to use side windows to see, and a periscope to view in front of him.

The first test flight of the Spirit of St. Louis was April 28, 1927; just 60 days after the construction began. Lindbergh was in a simulated fight with a Navy fighter over North Island. Though the Navy fighter had much more speed than Lindbergh’s plane, they could not escape from being followed. Lindbergh finally retreated and ended the chase.

Henry Ford, who didn’t think the future of airplanes was looking very bright, took his first flight with Charles Lindbergh in the Spirit of St. Louis.

On May 21, 1927, Lindbergh achieved his first night landing when he set down at Le Bourget Field in Paris at 10:22 p.m.

In 1918, a prize was offered for the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris, The prize was $25,000. The Spirit of St. Louis cost $10,580 to build, only $2,000 of which came from Lindbergh’s personal accounts.

Lindbergh was 25 when he made this historic flight, and had spent the years previously as a daredevil barnstormer.

The flight, which was 3610 miles long, with 2,000 of them being over the open ocean, took 33 hours, 30 minutes, and 29.8 seconds.

Lindbergh was so famous he even got a dance named after him. The Lindy-Hop was a dance that had its start in Harlem, New York City. It was popular in the 1920s during the swing era, and was named after Lindberg, or “Lucky Lindy” as he became known as.

The 1958 film “The Spirit of St. Louis” starred Jimmy Stewart in the role of Charles A. Lindbergh.

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Located in the Marina district of downtown San Diego you will find the beautiful convention center. The original building was completed in 1989, with expansions in 2001 and 2008 which doubled the size of the center.

The center provides 72 meeting/banquet rooms, two ballrooms, and massive exhibit space throughout the building. There is an outdoor terrace which provides magnificent views of the bay; perfect for holding receptions or outdoor functions.

The two ballrooms are column-free, and have ceiling heights of 24 and 30 feet. Sails pavilion is known for its beautiful white sails which flap overhead, and for its breathtaking panoramic views of San Diego and the beautiful bay.

The San Diego Convention Center is well known for its excellent staff and their attention to customers’ wants and needs. These professionals are ready to help you with registration, cashiering, lead retrieval and whatever else you need to make your event run smoothly.

The business center counts on FedEx to take care of all your priorities. Shipping, mailing, faxing and photocopying will all be taken care of so you can keep your plans on schedule.
For your audio visual needs, PSAV will ensure that you have the most dramatic results for your next presentation. Featuring the newest technology, and offering the best in projection, lighting, audio equipment and staging, PSAV will make sure you have a stress-free event.

The San Diego Convention Center has been the setting for many events in the past, such as the Comic-Con International convention and live tapings of the show Wheel of Fortune. Some of the upcoming events at the center include the San Diego Fall Home Show 2015, the San Diego Quilt Show, and the Performing & Visual Arts Fair. Private conferences and conventions are held often as well.

Catering at the center will be provided by Centerplate. Mouth-watering cuisine and professional service are sure to make your event the talk of the town. They can handle your friendly brunch, sophisticated dinner, or large reception with ease.

The center also does its part in keeping the earth green with environmentally-friendly meetings. Minimizing waste, conserving water and using energy efficiently are all parts of the green initiative. Food composting is a large part of doing away with tons of waste that would otherwise be in landfills.

The Convention Center is located in the perfect spot for checking out the local sights. There are plenty of restaurants, hotels, night clubs and attractions nearby to keep you entertained. The city is also full of arts and culture to give you something to check out while you are in the area.

The center is located conveniently just 3 miles from the San Diego International Airport, and less than one mile from the Amtrak Station. The San Diego Trolley also stops at two different areas in front of the center. Dozens of hotels surround the area so you will have no problem finding accommodations.

Planning your next meeting, banquet or exhibit in the San Diego Convention Center will definitely be a move in the right direction. Rest assured you will not be disappointed.

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