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Not your father’s business trip

Holiday rental platforms and personal technology change face of work travel.

Fast bookings, low-cost airlines and an increasingly mobile workforce are shifting the culture of work travel: Trips may be slightly less glamorous but they are more frequent, more practical and more comfortable in a lot of ways. 

Airbnb recently announced the launch of a dedicated business platform to capitalize on both the increase in spending on travel-for-work as well as the growing popularity of using short-stay flat rentals for a work trip. 

The transformation of ‘home comforts’ during work travel has shifted away from hotel loyalty points and free coffee-in-the-lobby ‘perks’ to enjoying a fresh pot of your own brew — on the sofa in your private flat. 

Why? A January 2016 white paper produced by Barclaycard, in partnership with Festive Road, points to the following trends: 

Because it’s becoming the ‘new normal’ 

The advent of ‘living like a local’ in a comfortable flat during holiday has had a huge influence on a traveller’s expectations. And since a huge percentage of business travellers also claim they use work trips as an opportunity explore a new place, the desire to merge the two experiences makes even more sense.

Because millennials are on the road 

As more Gen Y and millennials move up in seniority within organisations and hit the road, forming the new wave of business travellers, they are bringing their personal devices – and a digital native’s knowledge of all the services available from the palm of their hand. A whole ecosystem of resources has grown from this more integrated approach to work travel, from dry cleaning services to full-range essentials concierges like TimeResQ, and millennials expect to be able to take advantage of these breakthroughs. …

And technology travels with them 

This demographic has been reared in a digital age where they expect a huge spectrum of choice as well as a curated ‘recommendation’ experience - they seek out user generated content and peer reviews before making decisions when booking hotels, flats, restaurants and entertainment. 

Sources: Barclaycard’s Evolving Travel Management Ecosystems 

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TimeResQ proud to announce Ibiza launch!

STARTING TODAY

Starting today, tourists, partiers and holidaymakers bound for Ibiza can pre-order the supplies for their nightcap and their morning coffee — and it will be waiting for them on the doorstep of their vacation home. 

As the first international no-fuss sundries service for holiday lettings, connecting practical and convenient amenities with holiday rentals, TimeResQ eliminates that “how will I get what I need when I get there?” anxiety, erases aggravation and saves time. By providing groceries, toiletries, baby essentials, alcohol, airport pick-ups and connectivity upon arrival, TimeResQ has reimagined “living like a local” by making it simple to stock up. 

One happy customer shared that “this service is just super! Getting the basic toiletries delivered upon our own arrival was top!” 

“It’s with great pleasure to expand TimeResQ to Ibiza, as the island is unique in its audience and long season, and there is no doubt that a service like TimeResQ will make holidaying there even more relaxing and fun,” said Jeremy Bryant, TimeResQ’s CEO. 

Expanding onto the Spanish island is an exciting opportunity for Portugal-based TimeResQ to serve the longest summer season in Europe, spanning from April to October, with millions of visitors to this tiny island every year. TimeResQ will cover the whole island, 7 days a week between 9 am – 7 pm. 

Guests can order their delivery for any address on the island or via their host, if the host has connected their listing to TimeResQ. Ibiza will now join the existing service portfolio of 17 other destinations, which TimeResQ has served since its launch in March 2015. 

www.TimeResQ.com

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LET YOUR GUEST KNOW ABOUT YOUR TIMERESQ SERVICE?

Guests want high-quality, accurate information and a good trip experience. Here are a few things you can do to make your guests aware of your TimeResQ service. 

Integrate your House ID in your listing description. 

An informed guest is a happy guest. Make sure your guests are aware that you have a guest service integrated with your listing as a part of your hospitality. 

See example of text integration: 

Describe the service in short: If you don’t have leftover character space in your listing description – you can add a short text in other sections. Guests tend to read the full description if they’re interested in booking a stay with you.

Set expectations: If your guests are informed of your added value service they are more likely not to request extra amenities or make special enquiries. And more importantly a guest presented to a service is less likely to leave a bad review of missing or lack of amenities.

Use the right timing to introduce the service in your conversation with the guest. 

Guests can be very concerned of the accessibility to groceries and general supplies. Let your guests know that they can avoid the hassle of shopping groceries and other necessities upon arrival, and instead get it delivered directly to their door. 

Provide them with your partnerpage and House ID, or the direct URL to the listing shop they booked.

Template Messaging 

It’s always a good idea to have template messages ready to announce general service notifications for your guests. 

Please feel free to use below template or curate your own version: 

*Remember to insert your own House ID.

“You will now have the possibility to pre-order your groceries from TimeResQ. Use my House ID: XXXXX to pre-order your sundries, breakfast, beverages, toiletries or baby essentials. To facilitate things for you, the online shop TimeResQ will know automatically where you are located when you order, and will deliver the goods directly to your door upon arrival." 

Remind them 1 - 2 week prior arrival. 

Some guests will push everything to the last minute – which you might also realise when you start getting questions and enquiries of your listing 1-2 week prior the guests arrival. Remind them of your TimeResQ service and you can easily settle questions of amenities, supermarket location, included services etc. 

We know: No guests has ever complaint of added value services or a reminder of same. 

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Grilled Avocado - Believe it or not - its absolutely flipping amazing!

Who would have thought! That avocado would be suitable to grill. But it is indeed. It’s super simple and super delicious for a quick lunch or as an appetizer. 

Alternatively you can add roasted sliced almonds (watch your fingers) as topping.

Your TimeResQ Shopping list for 2:

1 large hass avocado, halved and stone removed

olive oil

lemon

salt

pepper

½ cup of rocket salad

¼ cup of herbs – basil or chives.

½ cup parsley leaves

bread slices to toast (if you prefer)

Goat cheese (if you prefer)

Shop your ingredients here.

Process:

Preheat your BBQ or grill plate to high heat.

Brush avocado halves with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and a few turns of black pepper.

Place avocado halves, flesh side down, onto the hot grill and press down gently. 

Let cook for 4-5 minutes – without touching or moving around – until the undersides are nicely charred. Remove from grill and set aside.

To prepare the salad, combine the rocket, herbs in a small bowl. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and toss gently to coat.

To serve, simply pile some salad on top of each avocado half, drizzle with a little extra lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil and attack with a spoon. 

Another lovely way to eat this is on top of a thick slice of toasted bread. Spread the toast with some good quality goat cheese and top with scoops of avocado and salad.

Easy, simple and summer delicious!

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Smushie Salad - Simple and Yummy Yummy

Looking for healthy salad inspiration which is not boring rabbit lettuces? Then this salad is for you! Is full of all the good stuff, its tasty and smushieeeee. 

If pinje or sesame isn’t available you can easily use other toppings such as roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted peanuts, roasted almonds or others of your liking. 

Your TimeResQ Shopping list for 4:

2 avocados.

2 bags of salad - mixed salad and one full rocket salad.

1 red onion

roasted toppings of your liking.

olive oil

1 lemon

salt

pepper

Shop your ingredients here.

Process:

Mix your dressing: 2 spoons of olive oil, half a lemon, good pinch of salt and pepper. taste it - and apply more lemon, salt or pepper if needed.

Cut your avocados in chunky pieces.

Thinly slice half of your red onion.

Roast your preferred toppings on a pan if not already roasted. By heating the nuts, oils will be extracted and give extra flavour to your salad.

Put all the salad in a bit bowl, apply the avocados and sliced red onion and mix it well with the dressing. 

End it off by applying your roasted toppings.

How simple is that - and wait till you taste it! 

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Summer Burger - Juicy and delicious with avocado mash.

Its our favourite burger of the summer season - it’s quick and a heavenly delicious avocado surprise. The avocado really brings this burger to the next level of yummy! 

Depending of availability, you can either do the meat on the garden grill or on pan on the stove

Your TimeResQ Shopping list for 4:

4 burger buns

400-600 g of minced meat (depending of the amount of meat you wish)

2 avocados 

a squeeze of lemon juice

2 large tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 red onion

1 handfull of Rocket salad

4 slices of cheese

1 small spoon of mayo for each bun

Salt and pepper

Shop your ingredients here.

Process: 

Pre-heat your oven to be ready to heat the burger buns. If you prefer to toast them or heat over the toaster, you don’t need to turn on the oven.

Dice the tomatoes

Slice thinly the red onion and the cucumber

prepare the minced meat by dividing it into four equal sizes. Do not overwork or massage the meat too much - you should still see the structure of the meat. Lightly batch each piece of meat together into a ball’ish shape. 

Heat the pan - once medium hot apply olive oil and a good peace of butter. 

Now apply the ball’ish pieces of meat and as soon as they touch the pan, press the meat as flat as you can with your spartel. 

Flip the meat once the pan side is nicely brown. Your meat is done once you see juices raise through the top of the meat. 

Apply a good pinch of salt and pepper to the meat.

Start heating your buns in the oven or with a toaster.

You can now turn down the heat for your meat and apply your cheese and let it melt slowly. 

While the meat rests for a minute or two - scope out the avocado into a bowl, apply a good squeeze of lemon for the avocado not to discolour, apply salt and pepper. 

Et Voíla! You can now assemble the burgers. 

Apply a small spoon of mayo to the toasted buns.

Apply your avocado mash to all the buns (upper and lower buns).  

Apply the diced tomatoes, red onions, salad and cucumbers. (lower buns)

Apply the meat and finish off by closing the burgers with the bun lids.

Bon appetit! 

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5 vacation rental kitchens i’d LOVE to cook in 

I’m not sure if you feel the same way, but i love to cook homemade meals when im abroad. I also like restaurants, but there is something really unique and nice about cooking with local, maybe unfamiliar, ingredients in an exotic (”to your tastepalet”) place. And staying with vacation rentals on your holiday gives you a really great opportunity to experiment local cooking while abroad.

So being a bit of a food lover, i’ve selected my top 5 vacation rental kitchens which i would love to cook in - and maybe you would love it too. 

Mexico City 

It’s not only an awesome penthouse flat, but LOOK AT THAT VIEW. And even the kitchen has a view. Seems like everything in this flat has a view. I think we all get the BIG picture here – and just the fact that you can cook and eat with this view is just amazing. 

So being in Mexico – what should we cook? 

Of course something mexican; and i was thinking in the terms of Oven-Fried Pork Carnitas with Guacamole and Orange Salsa or maybe Yucatán Chicken with Orange-Guajillo Glaze. 

And should you be interested in checking out this listing, please find the link here. 

Paris 

I know, maybe not what you expected for grand Paris – but its just so small and perfect! And perfect for cooking and enjoying a homemade breakfast before strolling the city. 

So what should we eat for breakfast? 

Croissant

Jam 

Freshly brewed coffee 

Soft boiled eggs 

Even though this doesn’t need any cooking skills, you don’t need much space to serve something nice, simple and local. 

And should you be interested in checking out this listing, please find the link here. 

Lisbon 

Because this old stone frame is just stunning and a nice reminder of how the kitchen were back in the days in Lisbon, Portugal. Beside that, i love that you can cook meanwhile having friends or family conversing by the dining table and not missing out on the fun. 

In Lisbon i would experiment and dive head first directly into Bacalhau – the Portuguese traditionel salted cod fish. Either you love or hate it, but it’s definitely a different story cooked than uncooked.

And should you be interested in checking out this listing, please find the link here. 

Copenhagen 

Stylish design – Its Copenhagen! And this kitchen is superb. Eventhough im not tempted to throw myself into cooking a traditionel danish ”brown sauce, potato, pork” dish in these surroundings. I could always turn to NOMA;) but then again no need to overdue work on your holidays. 

So what to cook?

Open-faced sandwiches is always a good idea – and it does take skills (believe it or not) to construct the perfect ”mad”. Build it high and follow the rules of ”smørrebrød” and you’ll be safe;). 

And should you be interested in checking out this listing, please find the link here.

The Grand finale takes us to: Toronto

I mean look at that cooker! Not even sure how to turn it on and it intrigues me! The space is large with room to express your culinary skills. Toronto is known for being multicultural and with a very diverse population, so if you would ask the Torontonians, what is a traditional Toronto dish? Most will find it difficult to answer. Not because of the lack of culinary choices, but more because of the diverse selection of culinary choices from all over the world. 

So ideally we should be cooking a mix of everything – let’s call it intercultural cooking. So maybe i’ll just let you decide and suggest.;)   

Should you be interested in checking out this listing, please find the link here. 

Editor note: Should you be planning a trip to any of the above destinations, TimeResQ can deliver all your groceries and other needed essentials directly to your vacation rental upon arrival. Visit TimeResQ for more.

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What do these 5 images symbolise?

Emptiness. But also your typical vacation rental (see for yourself here).

TimeResQ opens up to a world of convenience for your vacation rental stay.

Today you’ll find multiple vacation rental platforms offering unique places to stay from local hosts around the world.

TimeResQ now gives you the opportunity to prepare and stock these rooms with your preferred supplies upon arrival. Whether its breakfast for the mornings, diapers for the baby, toilet paper, shampoo, washing supplies - or beverages for the vacation party. 

Once you’ve booked your stay with your preferred host - make sure to fill it up so it feels just right, maybe even like home.

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Spot your new home abroad easily!

Millions of people every year packs their bags for the adventure of living abroad in a familiar or unfamiliar location. May it be work, school, expat life or the pure enjoyment of freedom of mobility which takes you abroad – we know the most important thing before you go is to find the right new home to settle into. 

This is why we decided to introduce to you Spotahome  - the easiest way to find and book your mid to long-term housing. 

We’ll take you on a search in 3 out of their 12 cities to spot homes that will fit a student, a professional, couples or anyone looking for housing abroad. And hopefully while you read, you will be able to spot your perfect home!

A few practical hints before we dig deeper:

Spotahome is a Spanish founded company, with its central office based in Madrid. 

They operate in 12 cities around Europe and are quickly expanding to more and more each year. 

Each apartment is visited, recorded and photographed - you can view your new accommodation without even leaving your bed. 

They handle all communication with the landlords and ensure you receive correct information. 

Paris Je t’aime 

Are you one of those who always dreamed of taking a leap of faith and move to Paris – the city of (everything!, and) love. Maybe you already packed your packs, contemplating what should be your next step in a city like Paris – learn French, write a book, write many books, French kiss, eat croissants and drink cafés - sil vous plait- all day long, then we’ve got one suggestion before you go and do all of that. Go find yourself a true Parisian home! 

Spacious and Chic with a view of Paris’ rooftops. 

This 1 Bedroom apartment with balcony for rent in the heart of Paris makes you dream. Close to the Seine, Jardin du Luxembourg and plenty of local cafés and chic boutiques, you can find this apartment seated in the 6th arrondissement, close to one of the oldest part of town. Trés trés trés manifique. 

So if you don’t feel like dreaming or contemplating no more – I believe we found you a match! 

The apartment has a minimum stay of 6 months and no maximum length of stay - hurrah!

Price tag: 2500€ a month

Find the listing here or check out other listings in Paris here

Barcelona yo soy 

Studying in Barcelona is fun as it truly, among other things, is a city full of young creative people, fantastic night life and has the beach literally right at your feet. Practice your Spanish (or Catalan) and get to know the Spanish culture – there is more to it than just tapas ;). The Spaniards are open-minded and friendly which makes it easy to integrate and mingle with the locals.

Semester stay together with others 

This shared 5 room apartment is just around the corner from Monumental metro station and bus number V21 to reach Barcelona beach in just 20 minutes. What a fantastic find! The room has a tremendous balcony view on a typical Barcelona grand boulevard.  

If you’re all about sharing the experience and adventure of studying abroad together with other students – this could be the place for you!  

Carrer de la Marina is a higher middle class neighbourhood. Here you’ll be able to live amongst Gaudí’s La Pedrera (or Casa Milà) and Sagrada Família. What an excellent opportunity!

The room has a minimum stay of 6 months and no maximum length of stay. 

Room price tag: 420€ a month

Find the listing here or check out other listings in Barcelona here

Let’s go to London! 

Known as one of the most difficult locations to find a good (and affordable) living space, London, is also one of the largest cosmopolitan cities in the world, full of great opportunities. Tackling the London housing market can be very tricky and it is advisable to use a trustworthy service platform in order to avoid scams.

Professional (mid-term stay) in London 

Nine minutes from Clapham Junction train station you’ll find this little pearl – a modern 2-bedroom flat with backyard for rent (all bills Included). Room for both you, spouse and kids or even a dog to stroll the backyard. 

Clapham, or more precise Lavender hill, is known as a good middle class residential neighbourhood in Battersea, south London. A typical London neighbourhood, predominantly full of chic Victorian architecture. Furthermore, the area provides great connectivity to the rest of London with many bus routes, trains and underground services. 

The flat has a minimum stay of 1 month and maximum of 2 months. 

Price tag: 2300£ a month

Find the listing here or check out other listings in London here

Couldn’t spot your perfect home just yet? 

Click to Spotahome’s website and browse through rooms and apartments available for rent in 12 different cities, watch the videos, see the pictures and the floorplan without leaving your own apartment! 

As a bonus point, Spotahome provided us with a special discount for all the TimeResQ readers and guests – this is certainly a great opportunity to start searching for your new home today!

Visit our facebook pages to participate in winning a Welcome Pack. 

TimeResQ on Facebook

Spotahome on facebook

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TO KISS OR NOT TO KISS

Its always a confusing and sometime awkward moment when we are to greet new people from different cultures. So we at TimeResQ decided to give you all a little heads up for your next travel - pleasantly presented by some world faces;) Should you know of other special greetings, or personal (maybe awkward) greeting moments you experienced - we would love to hear about it! 

Photo credits goes to the original photographers.

FRANCE

The hand shake is a common form of greeting. Friends may greet each other by lightly kissing on the cheeks, once on the left cheek and once on the right cheek. You are expected to say 'bonjour' or 'bonsoir' (goodmorning and good evening) with the honory title Monsieur or Madame when entering a shop and 'au revoir' (good-bye) when leaving. If you live in an apartment building, it is polite to greet your neighbours with the same appellation.

INDIA

Westerners may shake hands, however, greeting with 'namaste' (na-mas-TAY) (placing both hands together with a slight bow) is appreciated and shows respect for Indian customs.

JAPAN

Bowing. In the Japanese bow, the bower expresses appreciation and respect to the person being bowed to by bending at the waist. This is a gesture widely used in tandem with greetings like "ohayo gozaimasu" (good morning) and "konnichi wa" (hello, good afternoon) as well as words of gratitude or apology.

SCANDINAVIA

At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. With friends and people that you see often, a friendly hug is suitable. Good friends may engage in a single kiss on the cheek. This tends to be more common for younger generations.

THE US

Greetings are casual.A hand shake, a smile, and a 'hello' are all that is needed. Use first names, and be sure to introduce everyone to each other. A fist bump is also not an unusual sight;)

THE EMIRATES, MAORI AND INUIT CULTURE

In The Emirates, nose-rubbing has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a unique way of greeting, showing friendship and deep respect, but at the same time it works like a traditional code among the Bedouins. The old custom of rubbing noses is not an Arab invention but the code of indigenous peoples in many parts of the world. The Inuit and the Scandinavians also do it. It varies from rubbing to kissing, but they all require the noses to touch.

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Welcome to ‪#‎WhereEverYouStay‬ with TimeResQ! Let's kick off the New Year 2016 with great travels, enjoyment and of course TimeResQ;)

- can you guess which magical city we're in?!

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Those Apps that will make Travel Easier

In an era where technology takes each day a growing space in our lives, it is important to be aware of the latest actors and the new tools that will make a real change in our everyday routines. This also works for travel!

Though it’s a true pleasure to travel, waiting in long-lasting lines for the airport checkin , remaining sat in a 10 hours flight and desperately looking for “Good Plans” locally can be such a drag.

Consequently, here are the solutions to your so many travel issues: TimeResQ’s list of the most useful travel apps.

#1 Zomato

Best alternative to TripAdvisor, Zomato is your best option to search and discover great places to eat. Browse through updated menus, pictures and reviews. You can use the map feature to explore. View newly opened romantic and top restaurants in your city.

++: Builds a trusted network of foodie friends and discover great restaurants through them- Show off your own food journey with reviews, photos and check-in restaurants. Combine your city-discovering stay with a local food journey!

#2 Party With A Local

 Basic goal s to connect and share with the locals, expats nearby. Check their profiles an reviews, feel free to chat real-time with them. Meet-up and party! Their knowledge of the neighborhood will surely help you get into the best bars and clubs. Don’t forget to set up your party status:

Let’s go for a drink

Go clubbing

Give me nightlife tips please!

#3 Just Landed

This app is destined to travelers and those who have the delicate mission to come pick them up!

Get supernaturally good airport pickup timing! Just Landed tracks incoming flights in real-time in addition to your location. It monitors current traffic conditions even when the app isn’t open. It figures out when to notify you when to leave for the airport so that you’ll arrive just in time to park and meet someone. Never be late (or early) to pick someone up at the airport again!

#4 XE Currency

Xe Currency app allows you to access exchange rates, view historical charts and calculate prices on your smartphone or tablet. Extremely useful to know whether you’re buying at the right price and compare prices to your home country prices. 

#5 Uber

Getting around in an easy matter. Uber is a mobile app connecting passengers with drivers for hire. It’s easy, reliable, a super service and it’s everywhere. If you’re not already using it locally, this is the perfect opportunity to start a test when travelling. 

#6 Smigin

The language app! Instead of focusing on verbs and grammar, Smigin helps you build phrases and get you speaking right away. Order food, make reservations and get around a new city without the weight of phrasebooks. You simply build a sentence and hear a native speaker pronounce it so you can sound like a local, not a tourist :)

#7 Gogobot

Gogobot dishes up interesting things to do for any type of traveler across a wide range of cities around the world. It suggest family friendly activities, stuff to do outdoor in addition to the typical shopping/eating/site-seeing agenda. Save these activities to a Gogobot itinerary.

*Description credits to the original authors.

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An Alternative to your Christmas-The Perks of a Holiday Abroad

We’re in November and you are already stressing out about the coming month and what it implies: Christmas?

Finding the right present for your kid: you know this playstation/nintendo DS game he’s been begging you to buy all-year long and that you promised to offer at the condition that he’d get good grades at school? And this toy/ latest doll your little girl has been crying for? Well they surely both deserve their Xmas present but it might sometimes be a little stressful to enter the pre Xmas rush to buy their present... And it’s a whole preparation to welcome family at home: diner, clothes, house. So much to do so much to organize!

Why not escape from this annual end-of-year rush and take a break? You know you deserve it. Spend the 2 weeks of your Christmas holiday and New Year’s Eve abroad! On the beach under palm trees for instance? Break free from the traditional and dusty Christmas tree, turkey meal and snowman. Let enter the sun, sand and cocktails in your Christmas routine :) 

                                          Beaching is the New Christmas!

Keep in mind that TimeResQ will gladly deliver your #Beachessentials in Lisbon and Barcelona! 

#1 Warm me up sun!

Bye Bye cold season, negative temperatures and frozen cars! Welcome to Paradise! Spending Christmas under the sun is mentally more pleasant than in front of the fireplace drinking a hot chocolate and waiting for Santa to come by the chimney... How boring! Your body actually creates “Happiness Hormones” a.k.a Melatonin due to sun rays, free to you to enjoy sun and its benefits (thanks Mother Nature!) . Never forget sunscreen :)

#2 Rock that Tan!

While you’ll be on a long chair in a crazy good-looking and colorful bathing suit tanning and reflecting on how sweat life is , the rest of the world (meaning people stuck in your hometown) will be struggling with snow, rain, wind and hail. Take your Tan Game to the upper level and make your coworkers/family/friends die of jealousy! 

#3 Break the Tradition

Tired of turkey/chicken, smashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and foie gras? Good, because so are we! Let’s get wild and have exotic food for once! Try local meals such as cod fish with vegetables like they do in Lisbon. 

The kids will be more than happy to build sand castle and play beachvolley for once instead of spending hours on a snowmen.

Bonus: Santa Claus arrives on his surfboard, how cool is that?

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A weekend getaway- Take the kids with you!

November is known as the worst month of the year for children. You wonder why? Well, simply because October with its usual Halloween Trick or Treat ritual and its Pumpkin all-flavored madness are over. How sad! Then you have Christmas which is so Far Far Away...

You need to keep these little minds busy and cheer them up in such grey and rainy times. Something is for sure: November is no fun for children, so why not changing environment? Take the kids to a fun city and get your head out of work for a pleasant week-end!

TimeResQ prepared a nice selection of flats in the best cities to enjoy time with the kids! Paris, Barcelona and London!

1) Bonjour Paris

If there is something that you should know is that Paris is a BIG city, you won’t have time to do everything, see and visit everything. That’s why before leaving you should prepare a list of the few places you absolutely want to see. Therefore, we advise you to take 4 days (2 days of weekend and 2 days on your work time) for a quick getaway in Paris with the child(ren). You’re no abusing of your extra vacation days and the kids are not suffering too much for lacking 2 days of school. Let’s say that the damages are limited.

Plan at least one day at Disneyland Paris to please the kid(s), they surely deserve a day of pure happiness in the most magical place in the world! Disneyland offers a large variety of rides for the princess lovers, emotions seekers and laugh addicts.

As for the place to stay, we chose a charming HouseTrip apartment in the heart of historical Paris: the Montmartre neighborhood. Children friendly, very luminous and offering all the bare amenities you’ll need, there are 4 places to sleep: one bedroom and a futon. internet, TV, video games and a console for when you’ll need to keep the kid(s) busy. As for your essentials, you can always count on TimeResQ ;)

Instant Booking at : http://bit.ly/1XSrvZn with Robin ;)

2) Bienvenidos a Barcelona

Enter the cosy wooden welcoming general vibe of this Barcelona flat in the Eixample District. Located in a privileged area, in the middle of the modernist route of Barcelona, ​​2 minutes from the stunning Sagrada Familia and 5 minutes away from the newly restored Hospital de la Creu and Sant Pau, modernist icon. Well connected with public transport to access any point in the city.  2 bedrooms, one with 2 twin beds for kids.

Offers Wifi,TV, heating (incredibly loved in these times of coldness), fully-equipped kitchen. Parking close by. In Barcelona too, TimeResQ delivers your at-home comforts, have a look at your packs NOW: http://bit.ly/1MPoS7o .

As for Paris, we advise you to take one day for PortAventura, Spain’s n°1 Theme Park! Rides, shows and shops organized into world areas: Mediterranean coast, China, Far West, Polynesia and Mexico. Fun guaranteed! 

To book, it’s here-> http://bit.ly/1kwbx8w

3) Good Morning London

London, capital city of England is a very big and also very expensive town to live in a daily basis or just to be in for a short time. That’s why we chose a not too expensive apartment, yet offering what you’ll need to have an enjoyable stay. It’s a studio and guess what? You’ll get to sleep in the same room as the kids! Family experience at its maximum :)

This charming bright studio is equipped with a bed and a sofa for night time. Wifi, TV, DVD player (to keep the little ones busy while you get prepared), kitchen and basic bathroom.

Common transportation 3 minutes away walking from the flat. 20 minutes away from Central London by fast train (for those shopping sessions)!

As for the no-go activities such as grocery shopping, TimeResQ will make you save time, order your London Packs at http://bit.ly/1jQwDhw !

Please the child(ren) and take them one day on kid activity! Lately the Shrek’s Adventure! London has opened its door and welcomes you into the Kingdom of Far Far Away. It’s no theme park: a tour bus taking you through a 4D experience, 10 fairy tales told by Donkey and a mirror maze! For those of you seeking more adventure and sensations, the Legoland Windsor offers you visits and rides in the Lego universe! Pirates, Vikings or Pharaohs will gladly welcome the kiddo(s) and make them have the best day in London :)

To book this studio it’s here-->  http://bit.ly/1RY21WD

[timeresq]

TimeResQ Selects Epteca to Complete the Perfect Travel Experience

The #1 international concierge service for travelers partners with Epteca to offer relevant products to millions before, during and after their trip.

SWITZERLAND – November 3, 2015 – Studies show that 8 out of 10 travelers want to receive offers, as long as they are relevant, which means the market to tap into unrealized revenue streams for travel companies is enormous. Visionary global concierge service TimeResQ has selected Epteca to help them meet travelers needs with perfect offerings before, during and after their trip. This partnership opens up for an entirely new sector and approach of offerings to travelers - completing the “perfect travel experience”. 

With a mission to rid the world of irrelevant content by curating relevant products and services to enhance the customer journey, Epteca has developed the smart-selling “Marketplace Ecosystem” to fill a void in the fragmented environment and add value to the consumer, partner, and advertiser. Using algorithms based on more than 34 data parameters Epteca can determine the right context and the unique intent of customers. Click here to watch a video about Epteca’s fully-managed smart selling solution.

TimesResQ has already launched the new services in seven markets including Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Prague, London, Berlin and Copenhagen and is expanding quickly. The exclusive offers are designed for the unique needs and context of individual travelers. 

"We are the only international solution to complete the perfect travel experience for pre, during and post needs,” said Jeremy Bryant, CEO TimeResQ. “It was key for TimeResQ to find a partner who could deliver precision on segments, time and placement in a smart and efficient way. Together with Epteca, we open up a new and much-desired approach for the travel industry. It’s a perfect match!" 

TimeResQ is specialized in international concierge services and delivers "at-home comforts" directly to your foreign holiday destination. These include everything from groceries, soft/alcoholic beverages, diapers, pet food and toiletries to subway tickets, airport transfers, local SIM cards and much more. Welcoming you with all the conveniences you need and leaving you without the hassle of struggling to ‘live like a local’ in an unfamiliar location. TimResQ’s mission is to maximize your vacation time and remove the stressful activities so you can enjoy the moment without having to worry about finding groceries or other daily necessities. 

“In marketing to travelers, it is all about one thing – timing,” explains Bojan Jokic, Epteca’s CEO. “Timing is everything – and customers do not want more offerings in the booking flow. It could be more relevant just before the trip or even during the trip. The perfect offer, at the right time, at the right place and in the right way. We’re a performance-based company, so when our partners and advertisers win, we win. And winning means happy customers and selling more.” 

With the increasing demand for their pioneering solution, Epteca has recently expanded into several new markets including Norway, Switzerland, and Austria. The company even guarantees that travel providers using their platform will leverage profits from 3rd party ancillaries and improve their margins. 

About Epteca (www.epteca.com) 

By collectively building a Marketplace Ecosystem that brings together travel companies, suppliers of goods and services and customers, Epteca’s innovative platform creates new revenue opportunities and enhances the customer experience in all the phases of their journey. Using profile data and predictive algorithms that match context and intent, Epteca can accurately anticipate not only what customers require, but also what they are likely to want, need or do during their trip. This allows for ‘smart-selling and marketing’ that taps into key sales points at the time when purchases are most likely to occur, to dramatically increase profits and create a positive brand relationship. Epteca delivers the right offering, presented to the right customer, at the right place and the right time, to sell more stuff - guaranteed. 

About TimesResQ (www.timesresq.com)

TimeResQ's newly introduced service targets leisure and business travellers utilising short-stay home rental services, such as Airbnb and HomeAway. Tourists and professionals cashing in on the short-term home rental boom can finally stop worrying about food, toiletries and other essentials upon arrival—and stock up instead online using TimeResQ. This efficient concierge startup sells a wide variety of at-home comfort “packages" — easily pre-orderable for delivery to a foreign holiday destination—on a fully responsive website, eliminating the stress and hassle of hunting for groceries and other sundries, subway tickets, airport transfers, local SIM cards and more. To make our service even more welcoming to you, our trained TimeResQ delivery teams are situated locally – across the world wherever you go – to make sure you’re all set for your stay. 

TimeResQ is available in 16 cities around the world - and will continue to expand.

Press contact: Emilie Rud, CMO & co-founder, TimeResQ - [email protected]

[timeresq]

An Interview with Gunnar Garfors- the World's youngest hobby traveller to visit every country

Not a Digital Nomad but a passionate traveler, we interviewed Gunnar Garfors the world’s youngest hobby traveller to visit every country! He has literally been to all 198 countries on this planet and ended this adventure in 2013.

Several times world record for visiting 5 continents in 24 hours, visiting 19 countries in 24 hours and latest record visiting 22 US states in 24 hours.Gunnar is a Backpacker, which means that he largely prefers to pack light and quick than carry around a heavy and inconvenient luggage.

That’s what we asked Gunnar:

1/ What’s your preparation routine before leaving?

“I always have my backpack ready, and the most important thing is toiletries. I have 2 see-through toiletry bags with a zip on it. One for liquids and the other for non liquids (toothbrush and shaving kit for instance). I also have a sewing kit. As for the liquids they are always in one container near accessible pockets so I can easily take it out when I go through security at the airport. I can pack in 2 or 3 minutes, I need very clean underwear and adaptors. I always travel with a suit jacket because I can then carry stuff in my inner pockets relatively safely  and if somebody steals my backpack, I will at least have my passport with me. I can easily hold my suit jacket  and don’t loose my stuff if I go though a crowd. Of course if I go to a hot country where I won’t wear my suit jacket, I’ll just wear a pair of shorts with pockets which I can zip and button up. I always write down on a piece of paper adresses, hotel name, phone numbers, currency exchange rate of every country I go to. In some airports, they won’t even let you enter if you don’t have a printed version of your plane ticket. If I need to show it to someone: a taxi-driver, a bus-driver, or whoever, I have the paper version- a safe bet! Obviously I have all of this on my phone or Ipad but if you travel in countries where your electronic device is worth 2 or 3 yearly wages, you’re more likely to be ripped off. Suddenly you’re more likely to be robbed because somebody will see it. I also never travel with guidebooks, I prefer meeting people and talk to people, ask them instead of having my nose into a guidebook.”

2/ Any favorite airline company you like to fly with?

“I fly a lot with the Star Alliance member companies. The best airlines are probably Asian ones: Asiana (South Korea), Thai Airways (Thailand), Singapore Airlines with good service and a good amount of leg room. In Europe mostly all airlines work for me.”

3/ What is the most unusual way you’ve travelled?

“I’ve been on donkeys and camels and also on a cargo ship from Gabon to Sao Tome and Principe. It was supposed to take 12-15 hours and it took 40 hours. The weather was quite bad and people were sick. Not quite a fun experience.”

4/ In which sort of accommodation do you usually stay?

“I usually stay in relatively cheap hotels because I prefer to spend my money on travelling and less on the hotels. The hotel for me is a place to sleep so I’d rather spend my money on actually getting to a place rather than in the hotel I’m staying in. As long as it has a clean bed and drinkable tap water, I’m good. I’ve also been in hostels and used couchsurfing which is free. From time to time I rent apartments if I stay at least 2 or 3 days. You see somebody’s home and get a taste of their culture, you get to meet the person and fit into a neighborhood.”

5/ How do you communicate with people who don’t speak English?

“There is always someone nearby who knows English, even in the middle of Africa or Asia, there is always a student or a kid learning English and who’ll act like a translator. It’s a great way  of getting to know people. Otherwise I always carry a pen and a notepad. Body language combine with a drawing is fine. For instance once in Iran with my brother, we we at a restaurant and no one knew English. I could draw a sheep, a cow and a piece of bread, that’s what we got served, it worked fine.”

6/ Did you get to learn any new language while travelling?

“I studied Mandarin Chinese in Taipei in 2010 and I didn’t speak it very well after 2 months but I could have a decent conversation. I also speak German, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and a little bit of Spanish that I learned in Spanish speaking countries. I can pick up some words in the countries I go to, it helps.”

7/What about North Pole and Antarctica? 

“I’ve been to Antarctica and really enjoyed it there. I haven’t been to the North Pole but to the Northern part of Norway, which is almost like North Pole. I have been to every country but not everywhere, there are still many places for me to visit and discover.”

Thank you very much Gunnar, it’s been a pleasure to talk with you!