Best Hotel Directory

Places from songs

1. Men at Work – Down Under Notable lyric: "Do you come from a land down under? Where women glow and men plunder?” Even though this is the only song in the list where the place isn’t mentioned literally, everybody knows which country is meant by “The Land Down Under”. The song tells the story of an Australian travelling around the world telling people proudly about his heritage. The song became an international hit, topping music charts worldwide. And the Australians have every reason to be proud of their country. Australia is home to the richest collection of fauna and flora found in the world. But even for those who don’t like the outdoors, there are reasons enough to visit Australia. There are some great progressive cities with blossoming cultural life located here, such as Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

2. Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow Notable lyric: “Like stranger in Moscow” In a very difficult time of his life, Michael Jackson wrote a song about a city that offered him comfort for his loneliness: Moscow. The song became a minor hit (compared with some of his other hit songs) and was appraised by critics. The video clip depicts 6 individuals (one of which is Jackson himself) living their life in Moscow. While this might be a sad and melancholic song, the city of Moscow is used as a metaphor for the beautiful things in life. And what a perfect metaphor it is, Moscow is well-known for its cultural and historical significance. Typical must-see’s like the Red Square, the Kremlin and the Lenin Mausoleum can be combined with lesser-known sights like Gorky Park, Garden of Fallen Monuments and New Arbat Street for the perfect Moscow weekend trip. Hotel Savoy Moscow has a rich history of its own, but offers all the conveniences and luxury of the present thanks to major renovations works in 2005. http://www.ghotw.com/hotel/home/hotel-savoy-moscow.htm

3. Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water Notable lyric: “We all came out to Montreux, on the Lake Geneva shoreline” The most famous Deep Purple song and one of the most famous guitar riffs of all time, Smoke on the Water is the definition of a classic. The band wrote the song after witnessing a casino burn down in the Swiss city Montreux. The song achieved massive critical and commercial success. The city even decided to build a sculpture to honour the song (which has become its unofficial anthem). But of course Montreux has much more to offer. You can go visit the historic Château de Chillon, which is a 45 minute walk or a 4 minute train ride from the city centre. Another great option would be hiking in the mountains around Montreux, which are famous for the thousands of marmots that live there. Finally you can go to the famous 2 week long Jazz Festival, which is the ultimate experience for music fans. If you want to go visit Montreux: stay in a hotel that offers great views of Lake Geneva. The best way to wake up is watching the mist clear on the lake with a cup of coffee. Try Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic for a perfect, relaxing stay. http://www.ghotw.com/hotel/home/grand-hotel-suisse-majestic.htm

4. Abba – Waterloo Notable lyric: “Waterloo - finally facing my waterloo” When Abba entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with “Waterloo”, nobody expected how big the song and the band were going to be. It was a smash hit all around the world and propelled the group into superstardom. It was even voted the best song in the history of Eurovision in 2005. The song uses Waterloo (where Napoleon surrendered) as a metaphor for a woman surrendering to love. But of course Waterloo is also a physical place in Belgium.

5. Duffy – Warwick Avenue Notable lyric: “When I get to Warwick Avenue…” In this song Duffy sings about a guy who she is leaving. She is hurt and wants to be free now and they are going to talk for the last time at Warwick Avenue. Actually the street in London doesn’t seem to have a real meaning to her, she says she just used this street for her song without a particular reason. Warwick Avenue is a street in Maida Vale. Maida Vale is a residential area with dominantly Victorian and Edwardian houses. However it is a residential area there are also some things that are worth a visit. Little Venice is located near to Warwick Avenue and is a beautiful little area with canals where you can go on a boat ride. Maida Vale also has a lovely street market! If you would like to visit Warwick Avenue yourself you should stay in hotel the Landmark, which is located close to Warwick Avenue and Maida Vale. For more information or to book please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/landmark-london

6. Jay-Z & Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind Notable lyric: “In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there’s nothing you can’t do. Now you’re in New York, these streets will make you feel brand new, the lights will inspire you. Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York” Actually the whole song is notable, because the song is totally dedicated to the city of New York. New York City is probably the city with the most outspoken image in the world and in this song is every single aspect covered. They sing and rap about New York as the home of hip hop, about the restaurants, world trade, the hoods, the billboards, the capital of fashion and off course the yellow cabs and the statue of liberty. So actually with this song as your city guide, you will see everything in this amazing city.

7. Madonna – Hollywood Notable lyric: “Cause you're in Hollywood” The song is about that everybody comes to Hollywood to make it there and people like the glamour and the atmosphere of Hollywood. She also sings that when you do audition in Hollywood it's got to be good, because the competition is hard and there are many people trying to become famous in Hollywood. Hollywood is indeed one of the world’s most glamorous places. Many people go to Hollywood to become an actor or actress or singer but it is also very nice for a holiday. Absolute must sees in Hollywood are the Hollywood sign, The Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, which is one of the most famous theatres in the world. If you want to feel like a glamorous movie star Hollywood is the place to be.

8. Lily Allen – LDN Notable lyric: “Sun is in the sky oh why oh why? Would I wanna be anywhere else?” Lily Allen sings about London and the grey sky and dirty streets that she normally walks through look very sunny and wonderful through her eyes. It is also about living in London with some negative aspects but in the end she likes living in the city and says the sights of London are priceless. If you also want to walk through the beautiful streets of London, you should stay at the St. James Hotel. For more information or to book please visit http://www.ghotw.com/st-james-hotel-club

9. Shakira - Waka Waka Notable lyric: “This time for Africa” This was the official song for the football World Cup of 2010. The song is actually partly in the African language Swahili which makes it even more connected with the country. The song definitely encourages both the footballers and the supporters to make it a spectacular event. The World Cup took place in the beautiful country of South Africa. If you are planning to visit South Africa you should definitely go to Kruger National Park for a safari and to Cape Town, which offers you beautiful views from the Table mountain. For the ultimate stay in South Africa you should stay in Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve. For more information or to book please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/sabi-sabi

10. Abba – Our last summer Notable lyric: “Walks along the Seine, laughing in the rain” The song is about a couple’s last summer together in Paris. It is basically about looking back on a memory of a romantic holiday and what they’d visited during that holiday. Again in this song the most popular tourist attractions of Paris are highlighted like the Notre Dam, The Eifel Tower and the Champs Elysées. With this song in mind you can discover the whole city. For a luxurious hotel in the city centre of Paris you should consider La Villa Maillot. For more information or to book please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/villa-maillot

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