Jaberwok Amazing Advices

An exciting and fun learning experience is a barrel tasting. Some wineries offer different types of tours that include tasting from barrels. Others offer barrel tastings to their club members at certain times during the year. Check the wineries where you will be visiting to see if they offer tours that may include barrel tasting. If you are a club member, see if barrel tasting is one of the benefits of membership.
Most likely, when you taste a wine from a barrel it is not ready for release. Barrel tasting provides the opportunity to taste a wine that may be months or years away from bottling and sales. Although the wine may taste good, try to determine what additional aging may do for it. Is the wine balanced or is the alcohol, acidity, oakiness, or fruit predominant?
In April of 2007, we had the opportunity to attend a barrel tasting at Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery in Leon, Virginia. Brad Hansen, the winemaker, led 40 people down a flight of stairs from the spacious tasting room. We entered a large rectangular shaped, barrel aging room with a curved ceiling. Small overhead lights provided subdued lighting. Barrels lined the walls of this room except for two alcoves that had beautiful murals painted depicting scenes from the old world wine country.
In the center of the room a long, wood table was set with wine glasses, cheeses, olives, crackers and water. Brad welcomed everyone and indicated that this barrel tasting was in appreciation of the wine club members. He chose four wines to show us a "picture of what's going on in production."
Brad began the tasting with the history of Prince Michel vineyards. He discussed the challenge of the vineyards on the land next to the winery and the direction the new owners have taken. Sixty percent of the Chardonnay crop around the winery was lost due to 16 degrees - 19 degrees weather in mid April. The previous weather was warm and the buds began to swell and leaves began to pop out when they were hit by the very cold weather. The buds turned brown and dropped off. Brad explained that the difficulty in this area of Virginia is that cold air rolls down the mountains and settles right over this area. So Chardonnay vines planted just minutes away are fine. Fortunately, Prince Michel owns or has partnership vineyards throughout the Virginia Commonwealth. They acquire most of the Chardonnay from a vineyard on the Eastern shore. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay keep the land on the Eastern shore warmer. The recent sub-freezing temperatures around the winery did not affect the Chardonnay grapes on the Eastern Shore area. By having partnership vineyards throughout Virginia the "risk is spread around."
The first wine Brad offered the group was Petit Manseng. This is a new grape planted for Prince Michel and Brad is very pleased with the first release that will be for sale in just a few weeks. Brad produces this wine in a dry French style. The Petit Manseng grape can produce very high sugar levels and make a very sweet wine. Brad harvests this grape early while the sugar levels are low. We enjoyed this wine. Although dry, it seemed sweet and had a very nice bouquet and a good balance between the citrus fruit flavors, acid and alcohol.
The next wine we tasted was a barrel selected 2006 Chardonnay. This wine will see another eighteen months in the barrel before release. It was out of balance at this point, with too much oak flavor. Brad explained that over the next eighteen months, the dead yeast cells will give the wine flavors and the fruit flavors will become more intense and balance out.
We then tasted a barrel aged Syrah done in the French style. This was a very light Syrah and Brad is thinking of blending it with about five percent Merlot. It will see several more months in the barrel before release in the fall of this year. The final wine tasted was a Cabernet Sauvignon that has a summer release date. Brad explained that he would like to use this wine in a blend of Prince Michel's Symbius, a Bordeaux style blend.
During the tasting, most people drank the wine and only a few people dumped their wine in the dump buckets. While waiting for a serving of the wine, people frequently visited the table for the cheese, olives, crackers or water. After we tasted the Cabernet Sauvignon, Brad asked the group for questions. There were several questions. Do grape growers know what areas of Virginia grow the best varietals? What characteristics do you look for when blending Symbius? Brad explained that Virginia is new to wine and they are still discovering what areas grow the best varietals as well as experimenting with varietals that may do well in the various climates of the state. He talked about the success of the Viognier grape throughout the state. Brad believes that the Petit Manseng will also be successful. Brad pointed out that the wineries throughout the state produce similar wines. However, they seek their wines to be similar with a difference. "If our wine tastes the same as others, why come here?" Many produce a Bordeaux style blend. However, each of these blends is different. He will blind taste different wines until he comes up with what will make a blend for Prince Michele's Symbius.
Be sure to check out your favorite wineries or wineries you have not visited yet, and see what type of barrel tastings they have to offer.

What do Virginia wine and England have in common? Answer: history and today's interest in pursuing quality wine. This year is the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown by the English settlers. Several events have been planned to commemorate the founding of Jamestown in 1607. One of the events planned will be the tasting of Virginia wines at Vinopolis in London. The theme is "Virginia, First in Wine." "First in Wine" refers to the quality of Virginia wines and to the established fact that Virginia was the first place in the new world for the English to attempt the cultivation of grapes and winemaking. In February, a number of Virginia wines were judged at White Hall Vineyards in a wine tasting event. The purpose was to choose wines to go to England for a tasting. On April 30, Virginia will present wines at a VIP invitation only tasting at Hampden House (a historical house) in the middle of Chiltern, England. On May 2, the Virginia wines will be tasted at Vinopolis, a world wine center in London. Will the Mother Country be impressed?
Will Thomas Jefferson's dream of producing fine wines in Virginia be met? After all, an attempt was made to grow grapevines very early in the 1600's. When the first settlers arrived in Jamestown, native grapes grew in abundance. Wine produced with these native grapes in 1608 was unlike wine in Europe. Wine from Virginia was bitter and did not travel well. England was hoping the colonies could provide wine for the Mother Country. Laws requiring the growing of grapes were passed. Failure to grow grapes would result in severe penalties. By 1619 the House of Burgesses required each adult male to plant grapevines. However, at this time vineyards and vine growing requirements were not well understood. By the late 1700's, Thomas Jefferson had visited grape growing areas of France and fully believed that Virginia could grow grapes and produce wine as good as any other country. Jefferson said, "We could, in the United States, make as great a variety of wines as are made in Europe, not exactly the same kinds, but doubtless as good." Jefferson tried growing his own vineyards and participated in a venture with a vineyard planting next to Monticello. The vineyards did not survive. Despite Jefferson's firm belief that Virginia could grow grapes and produce fine wine, he was unable to make a single bottle of wine before he died. George Washington also tried growing grapes but the vineyards were not productive and he replaced the vineyards with orchards.
During the 1800's, Americans attempted to grow wine grapes throughout the country. Again, due to lack of knowledge about vineyard diseases, success was elusive. As time went on, an accidental hybrid began to grow successfully and after the Civil War, vineyards were beginning to flourish. Then came a manmade disaster in 1919. Congress approved the 18th Amendment and by 1920 the amendment was ratified. This decimated many of the existing vineyards and in combination with the Depression in later years most vineyards could not survive. By 1933 when the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition, much damage had occurred to the wine industry.
Today, after Prohibition, Virginia is making much progress towards becoming a well-known area for growing grapes and producing fine wine. To prove this point, 65 wines from 28 Virginia wineries were chosen to provide wine for the wine tasting at Vinopolis in London. Vinopolis is a wine museum, tasting facility and restaurant all rolled into one building. Wines from all around the world are available for tasting at Vinopolis. However, until now only wines from California have been represented of wines produced in the United States. If you have the opportunity to visit London on May 2, stop by Vinopolis and check out the Virginia wines.
How will Virginia wines fare at Vinopolis? On our recent visit to Vinopolis we shared a bottle of Pearmund Cellars Ameritage with Tom Forrest, the Tour Development Manager. He shared the bottle with other tasters and had the following comment, "I retasted the Pearmund Ameritage last night. It seemed to have really developed after opening. It was full of rich fruit cake aromas and flavours. Still smooth and soft, the spicyness of the Malbec element shone through the red and black forest fruit flavours. It impressed the members of the tasting team. So I look forward to tasting the wines in May." Anyone who has visited wineries in Virginia and talked to the winemakers knows that Virginia wineries are intent upon making fine wine from the best grapes available. England, we hope you like Virginia wine.

Virginia - named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the Virgin Queen - resides in the southern part of United States with greatly varying geography. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. It is one of the country's most scenic States. From the amazing Blue Ridge Mountains to the sandy beaches on the coast to the vivid activity in its cities, Virginia has much to offer. It is a great place to live, the state has a growing real estate market.
Richmond, Virginia's capitol, was founded in 1607 and is located centrally - a convenient distance from many of the Commonwealth's sites. The Richmond metropolitan area is home to approximately one million citizens and is described by Style Magazine as "a beautiful and graceful southern city, that it is hopelessly mired in tradition, that it is a vibrant center of commerce and arts." Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy in the Civil War, has numerous fine old buildings and cultural options.
Virginia is perhaps the most historic of all the 50 states. Some of the most important events in American history took place here. It was one of the first places to have live history reenactments. In Northern Virginia, you can visit the homes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Robert E. Lee, James Monroe, and many other prominent figures in American history. If you go to Arlington National Cemetery, you'll walk among headstones that chronicle American history and you have opportunity to remember and honor the nation's war heroes. In the Visitors Center you'll find maps, guidebooks, exhibits, and information services that include grave locations. Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown (the birthplace of the USA) are three of Virginia's most historic sites, don't miss them if you are interested in American history.

Shenandoah National Park lies high above the classic American panorama, 300 square miles stretched out along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a precious reminder of the great hardwood forest that once blanketed the northeastern United States. This area is full of trails for biking and hiking or even a nice drive along the Blue Ridge mountains.
The oceanfront of Virginia Beach has many things to do and discover. The hotels are directly on the beach here, and all of the junk shops are set back on the street. This leaves pleasant views directly from many of the hotels on the beach. There are some nice beaches nearby that are much less crowded. There are also a lot of great restaurants and stores at the oceanfront.
Don't forget to visit the East Coast's pretty beach: Virginia Beach. Touted by the Guiness Book of World Records as the "Longest Pleasure Beach," Virginia Beach is a family-friendly travel destination, it offers the classic beach vacation. The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is the state's largest and one of the most-visited aquariums in the nation, it should not be missed.

From Appalachia to the Potomac River, Virginia is diverse as it is rich with history. Revolutionary and Civil War battlegrounds rub shoulders with thriving urban centers and peaceful outdoor sanctuaries. Richmond, Virginia Beach and Arlington are the main points of entry, as well as the northeast neighbors of Washington D.C. and Maryland.
Virginia in the Books
Virginia is also certain to brush up your United States history, as eight Presidents were born here including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Mount Vernon was the home and plantation of George Washington, located on the Potomac River just south of Arlington and Washington D.C. Enjoy the expansive grounds, oceanfront walking paths and stables as well as a new giftshop and quaint colonial restaurant serving traditional food as well as some of George and Martha's favorites. In Richmond, the Virginia State Capitol Building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville was founded by the former President as well.
You will also encounter more Revolutionary battlefields in Virginia than any other state. The Yorktown peninsula is the site of the famous battle that ended the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, Richmond was not only the capital of Virginia but also of the Confederated States. Become surrounded by one of the great moments in United States history at the Appomattox Court House, the site of the Confederate surrender to the Union that ended the Civil War. Travel to Virginia's northeast county of Arlington to pay respects to some of the great heroes of the nation at Arlington National Cemetery, including the Challenger Space Shuttle Mission, numerous Supreme Court Justices, the Kennedy family and even the mast of the sunken USS Maine from the Spanish-American War.
Voyage Beyond the Virginian Veneer
Once you've had your fill of history, get outdoors into some of the most breathtaking scenery on the Eastern Seaboard. The resort city of Virginia Beach is one of the most popular destinations along Chesapeake Bay. At your own leisurely pace, discover the many wildlife refuges, wildflowers, aquariums and seafood restaurants along the stretches of beach. Check out the First Landing Cross as well, the point where English settlers landed in 1607.
Spanning west across the Piedmont region, you will finally come to the Appalachian ranges, cooler temperatures and forested hillsides. The Shenandoah Valley plunges gloriously between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains and offers unlimited outdoor adventure as well as endless Civil War stories. Discover why Virginia is truly for lovers... of everything!

In Virginia Beach you don't only see life around you but actually live it. Welcome to Virginia Beach the independent city which is full of life. This Beach is best known as a major resort, with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels, motels, and restaurants along its oceanfront.
It is also home to several state parks, several long protected beach areas, three military bases, a number of large corporations, and two universities. It was the site of the first landing of English colonists bound for Jamestown.
Once you are there in the city you will leisurely get involved in the cities pace and way of life. You will get the most striking views of your life as well as the most beautiful buildings which blend properly with the city skies and give you a nostalgic feeling. This Beach is a major tourist attraction due to the options one gets while holidaying in this tourist attraction and to complement it, it is the safest city for its size. As a tourist you can explore many things in the city.
The first thing you would do once in Virginia is to go to the famous beach and stroll on the boardwalk. And if you have spent enough time on the beach you can go wild at the amazing Virginia Zoo, take a limo tour of Virginia Beach, enjoy the nightlife, celebrate the arts festival and other such events taking place in Virginia, go to museums, go golfing to eight championship courses and a lot more adventures are possible with its amusement parks and water rides.
If you are on the Beach you just can't miss the famous three-mile boardwalk at the oceanfront which is often packed with fascinating entertainment, outdoor cafes, concerts and people. The Beach Boardwalk isn't actually made out of boards, as it sounds at least, but it's a concrete walkway that is more than 3 miles long. It starts at 3rd Street and continues along the ocean to around 39th street, the boardwalk offers everything from oceanfront restaurants like Waterman's Grill, to everyone's favorite pit stop, Dairy Queen.
The boardwalk also exhibits more than 40 hotels with oceanfront rooms which would give you a pleasant view of the ocean. The public access to the beach features running water stations which allow you to rinse off after your day in the sun. Quite convenient for those who love the sand, but would prefer to leave it at the beach.
You will find the hotels ate Virginia Beach Boardwalk offer the finest service you will experience anywhere else. The best part of it is the oceanfront which gives you a pleasant state of mind during your stay. There are many hotels and Inns on the oceanfront typically meant to match different budgets.
The restaurants here offer you the finest variety of fresh sea food and other culinary across the globe. The hotels are well equipped with various essential facilities like air conditioned rooms, swimming pools, restaurants, airport pickup and drop facilities etc. If you are tiered of walking you can rent a bike and make your day in the beautiful surrounding of the Boardwalk of the Virginia Beach.

The Virgin Islands Top Resort for Honeymoons has to be Peter Island.
Any visitor here would describe Peter Island as one of the very top Caribbean beautiful small island vacations, with just cause too!!
To be on your honeymoon on Peter Island, is just a dream come true, because as well as being a top Caribbean resort, it is probably the most romantic hotel in the Caribbean.
Honeymoons should always be romantic, and whilst it has to be said that what Peter Island is not, is that it could never be described as one of the most romantic affordable honeymoon ideas, because it is definitely not cheap, however it is one of the two most romantic vacations spots for me.
The first being when my husband proposed to me!! ..................
Enough of that, now what about Peter Island as the most romantic hotel in the Caribbean?
This was our first trip to the Caribbean, although we are very familiar with top class resorts, beautiful white sand beaches, and delicious food, but we were not prepared for some of the most beautiful beaches on Peter Island. It really is a top resort in every sense of the word. The sea is so clean and clear, and if you enjoy snorkelling, which we do, then the beaches we tried snorkelling from were excellent. There were plenty of opportunities to indulge on the water as well with hobie cats, sunfish, windsurfing, sailing, sea kayaking.
The best thing about the beaches apart from the sand and the sea was the fact that there were never many people there. We mostly went to Deadman's Beach which runs from close to our room, past the beach restaurant
The island itself is a tropical paradise, palm trees, lush green vegetation, and VERY private. No streets, no taxis, no shops, no cruise ships, airports, time share salesmen, not even houses. This is a privately owned island, and it will stay that way - pristine, unspoiled paradise, and very very private.
The accommodation is probably understated, but we were lucky indeed to get an upgrade to a beachfront junior suite.
It was quite amazing, beautifully furnished, a huge bathroom with a double Jacuzzi, and shower. The view from this 1st floor suite was unforgettable, and incredibly you could walk out straight onto the beach without using the stairs or the front door.
I did like all the extras in the suite, the robes, flip flops etc, but the best thing to me was the fact that the radio in the room took CD's and I always take some away with me, so we could listen to our favourites when we were dressing or just relaxing.
Finally the fridge in the suite was well stocked, and the prices remarkably cheap.
I come now to the food, and with it the service, and this is really where Peter Island has rightly established itself as the Virgin Islands top honeymoon resort, because if ever a girl wants to be pampered it is on her honeymoon!!
Well the food at Peter Island is extremely good, and loving my food as I do, this was a foodie paradise. Breakfast, lunches down on the beach, dinners were all delicious, and I can't remember a bad meal.
The service was mostly superb, the staff went the extra mile many times for us, and were very good at remembering our names, and supplying us with things like snacks when we wanted them even if we had only casually mentioned the subject.
The total highlight for me was the spa. My husband and I both had massages for the first time, and we loved the pool at the spa with the best views.
Peter Island certainly lived up to its reputation as top Caribbean small island vacation, and will always be on my list of most romantic getaways, but as it is not cheap, whilst most romantic it was not my most affordable honeymoon idea - but who cares - I loved it!!

Nestled under brick arches that support the Victorian railroad, lies Vinopolis just yards away from the newly constructed Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in the London area of Southwark. Latin aptly names Vinopolis. The Romans once settled this area of London south of the Thames River. Vinopolis means vine city. Now it has come to mean wine center. The center opened in 1999 in what use to be a warehouse. The South-eastern Railroad Company built the original structure in 1866.
As you wander the rooms of Vinopolis, you see the graceful arches and brick vaulted ceilings. Extensive work transformed the long tunnels into a series of rooms that house the displays, artifacts, images and videos. Other rooms are available for special events.
Tom Forrest, the Tour Development Manager, spoke with us about the history of Vinopolis and its vision. When asked if the mission of Vinopolis was to educate the public about wine, Tom responded that the mission is to educate with a small "e." Education occurs through a very relaxed atmosphere. Tom stated that the public learns through enjoyment. As a result, Vinopolis employees do not use sophisticated wine vocabulary. They are very knowledgeable about the wine they have to offer for tasting and answer all your questions.
A visitor to Vinopolis can choose among a series of tours. Each tour includes a walk through rooms that focus on wines from different parts of the world. In these rooms one finds displays of artifacts, videos and images. Each tour also comes with a number of tickets to use for tasting wines. The Original Tour offers five regular wine tastings and a Bombay Sapphire Cocktail. Other wine tours include a "How to Taste Wine" session and additional wine, beer, whisky, champagne, or absinthe tastings. A visitor can also use an audio guide. At different locations along the tour, a number signifies a number to type onto the playback device and you can hear a narrative about what is on display. The tour is self-paced. One can read as many of the display descriptions as they choose.
The tour began with displays that show that Georgia, an area surrounded by Russia, the Black Sea, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan was the cradle of wine. Archeological evidence points out that viniculture took place in Georgia about 6000 BC with more than 500 grape varietals. An antique kvevri, once used to ferment wines, is on display. These 300-500 decalitre jugs would have been buried in the ground up to near the top in order to control temperature. Next, one travels through displays of the importance of Bordeaux and Rhone areas of France.
We stopped for a twenty-minute session on how to taste wine. Our presenter offered each participant a glass of white wine. We sat in a comfortable small amphitheatre. He demonstrated how not to taste wine by quickly glancing at the wine, taking a quick smell and drinking all of it at once. We noted that he spat out the wine each time he demonstrated how to taste it. He then proceeded to demonstrate how to look, smell and taste a wine. He gave us plenty of time to follow his directions and asked us what we thought after each step. This session was very low keyed and entertaining. Throughout the rest of the tour, we noticed that many other people were swirling their wines and smelling the wines.
The tour continued self-paced through displays on Burgundy, France and Germany. Visitors then approach the first tasting table where they can choose wines from different countries to taste. The wine consultants are very knowledgeable and helpful. If you do not know what to taste, they will ask several questions to determine what you may like to try. We decided to pick a country and try a wine they suggested from that country. The tour then continued through displays on Australia, New Zealand, United States, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. Visitors then approach the second wine tasting table.
We took a slight detour between the Argentina and South Africa displays to enter a series of rooms devoted to Bombay Sapphire. Bombay Sapphire is a distilled London dry gin. A large round table holds copper bowls filled with different spices. All the spices were fresh enough for one to smell. A hallway lined with different gin glasses led to the tasting bar. Three different Bombay Sapphire cocktails were available. We tasted the Summer Sapphire which consisted of 25 ml of Bombay Sapphire, 15 ml of vanilla syrup and some pineapple juice and the Bombay Berry cocktail which consisted of 25 ml of Bombay Sapphire, 15 ml of blackberry liqueur and topped with cranberry juice. Both of the cocktails were delicious.
The tour led us on to the Italy room, another tasting table and then on to displays about the health benefits of wine. A series of quotes from ancient times to present day make the case for the health benefits of wine. Our favorite is a quote from Dr. Thomas Stuttaford, London 1999 who stated, "A glass or two of wine a day will not only lengthen life, but may also enhance intellectual power during the extra years provided."
The tour of Vinopolis was very educational and Vinopolis employees are very helpful and informative. As we left Vinopolis, we met a couple that we talked with earlier on the tour. They wished they had allotted more time for the tour. If visiting London in the future, consider making Vinopolis a destination and plan for plenty of time.

So youґve made the big decision and decided to leave the UK behind and go and live in a villa in Lanzarote. But how do you go about it and what things do you need to do?

The important thing first of all of course is to buy your villa in Lanzarote and sell your UK home! Once youґve done that, youґre ready to start your preparations for the big day. You have 2 choices concerning your house furniture, either sell it and buy new in Lanzarote, or ship it over along with your personal belongings. The option you choose will really depend on whether you want to keep your furniture or not. Personally, in most cases I think itґs better to sell off your furniture in the UK and buy new in Lanzarote. Lanzarote villas are not the same as UK houses and Iґve seen people shipping over their furniture which just doesnґt look right in their new Spanish villa. However, if you decide to ship over, use a company like T.C. Freight who will load it into a container and ship it to Lanzarote.

If you decide to sell your furniture, advertise it in the local paper, let your friends know whatґs for sale, and for what remains, have a "garage sale" along with any other furniture and belongings you donґt want to take with you. Itґs amazing what people will buy and just how much money you can raise from these sales! You will get antique dealers coming along looking for anything which might be of some value, and you might be surprised to find some old tea set in the attic is worth a bit of money. At the end of your sale day, someone will usually come along and buy whatґs left, but if not, chuck it in the skip with all the other junk youґve collected over the years.

You can either take all your personal belongings with you on the plane or send them by airfreight in advance. The latter option is by far the best - you can get them uplifted from your home a few days before you leave and they will be delivered to your new villa in Lanzarote a few days after you arrive. Packed into boxes, itґll cost less than you think, and almost certainly less than youґll have to pay for excess luggage.

An important thing you need to do is to inform everyone who needs to know, of your new contact details in Lanzarote or that you no longer require their service. These will include banks, building societies, TV licencing, vehicle licencing if you have a car to sell, share companies, trusts, pension companies etc. etc. Go through all your paperwork and documents and also try to think of all mail which you receive from time to time which is important to you. You may be able to get mail forwarded to you in Lanzarote or perhaps to family or friends in the UK who can send on anything important.

If you have any pets that you are going to take with you to Lanzarote, see your vet well before your moving day. They will be able to advise you on the required documentation and any injections that may be required. If you are flying to Lanzarote, your pet can go with you on the plane. Use a company like www.animalairlines.co.uk to do all the work for you. Remember though, it isnґt cheap!

Thatґs you ready then to start your new life in a Lanzarote villa. Good luck!

Many people buy a Lanzarote villa needing rental income to help to pay the mortgage and annual running costs. So itґs vital that you prepare your villa correctly for your guests so that they get maximum enjoyment from their holiday and want to return, and also tell their friends about your villa. That is how you build up your rental business and you get the maximum return from it.

There is no point in having a lovely Lanzarote villa, marketing it well, but have the reality for your guests not meeting their expectations. Firstly, spend as much as you can afford on decent furniture. Cheap tatty furniture will not impress your guests and also will not show up well in the photographs which you`ll use for your very important marketing. Nice bed covers, the right suite and a few flowers around the villa can add a number of weeks on to your rental for the year, so will pay for themselves very quickly.

What you put in the villa by way of equipment is very important as well. You donґt want to advertise your villa as taking 6 guests but only provide 4 sunbeds, cutlery, china, glasses etc.! Ideally good quality, but something which can be replaced easily when broken, otherwise youґll end up with 2 of this and 2 of that which donґt match. If you donґt intend to visit the villa yourself on a regular basis, make sure your villa manager has been instructed to report to you when anything needs replaced, whether it be kitchen equipment, linen, towels etc. It can be quite cool at night in Lanzarote in the winter, so make sure that blankets are available through the winter and provide a small heater as well. Air conditioning isnґt really essential in Lanzarote due to the cooling breezes in summer, but for the days when it is hot, have one or more fans in the villa. Your guests will really appreciate that. Satellite TV is pretty well essential now as is pool heating. Also provide a DVD player and a selection of DVDs.

Iґd recommend having a welcome pack for your guests. You donґt need anything fancy, just milk, bread, water, eggs etc. The appreciation of your guests will far outweigh the few euros it costs, especially if they arrive late. Have an information pack in the villa. This should contain all the information the guests will need during their stay, such as where to put the rubbish, replacing the pool cover at night, how to use the washing machine etc., as well as loads of information about the island, where to visit, eat, shop etc. Importantly as well, the contact phone number of your villa manager in case of problems or emergency

Your villa manager is key to your success. Have a good one and you can relax back in the UK knowing that your guests will be happy, have a bad one and you will be soon know about it! Leave a visitors book in the villa for guestsґ comments, and follow up guests visits with a friendly email asking if they enjoyed their holiday and was everything in the villa all right for them.

Remember, happy guests come back again!

Lanzarote is one of a number of islands which collectively make up the Canary Islands. There has been a lot of building development over recent years throughout the islands. So what makes Lanzarote stand out from the other islands?

There are 4 main Canary Islands - Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Lanzarote is the smallest, and certainly is different from the others. This is due to the influence of Cesar Manrique, a local artist, sculptor and architect, who was born on the island in 1919. Manrique felt that he had to transform the island before the increasing amount of tourists overwhelmed and disfigured it irreversibly. His influence can be seen all around the island in the form of sculptures, museums and tourist attractions, but perhaps most of all, in the building development.

Tenerife has been allowed to develop in much the same way as the Spanish Costas i.e. upwards! Most of the new development is apartment blocks concentrated in the southwest corner where the infrastructure is finding it hard to cope with the influx of tourists and residents. Detached villas tend to be large and expensive. Fuerteventura is going much the same way with major development proceeding in the north and down the east coast. This again is taking the form of apartment blocks and linked bungalows i.e. aiming at the cheaper end of the market. There are some more expensive villas around the new golf courses at Caleta de Fuste. Gran Canaria has a lot less residential property. Developments tend to be centered around purpose built resorts with hotels and apartments. There are very few private villas.

Building in Lanzarote, however, is very tightly controlled, and is still influenced by Manriqueґs vision for the island. A lot of the new development is residential villas, many with private pools, and any new building has to conform to strict regulations - all buildings have to no more than 3 storeys high and whitewashed with either wood, green or blue windows and shutters. Walls are only allowed to be a certain height as well, and where possible, the natural volcanic rock of the island is used. "Green" areas are used to separate different developments. A "green" area is a strip of land which is filled with palms and other Canarian plants, the idea being to try to blend in the new buildings with the natural landscape. There is only one golf course on Lanzarote, whereas on Tenerife there are many. Golf courses are seen as not being part of the natural landscape, although another one is under construction near Tias.

Far from being "Lanzagrotty"," Lanza is lovely"!