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Gareth Hoyle

Stay in the German capital in utmost luxury with Berlin Five Star Hotels

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Berlin is a great city to visit, irrespective of whether you are there on a business trip or as one of the many tourists who pay the German capital a visit each year. If you are one of the latter, Berlin offers you everything from top art galleries, museums and historical sites to premier sporting events and the finest in local, national and international cuisine.

Although you could experience some of these attractions by booking even the cheapest of accommodation options, the reality is that you are unlikely to derive the maximum enjoyment from your holiday unless you also book a hotel of the highest quality. Berlin five star hotels are a cut above your average accommodation, offering not only comfortable beds and opulent rooms for the best night’s sleep, but also extensive facilities, from free Wi-Fi or high class restaurants to a swimming pool or gym.

The wide range of requirements that different people have from Berlin hotels makes it important to ensure that you have chosen the right one for you. Nonetheless, it can be difficult at the best of times to find a Berlin hotel that exactly matches all of your needs.

The best websites offering Berlin five star hotels

Whilst it is true that such hotels will have websites of their own, given most people’s time-poor lifestyles these days, few are likely to have the luxury of visiting each and every website to compare rates and facilities. It is for this reason that many online hotel specialists have appeared so that you can easily compare what each hotel offers next to the competition. What’s more, many such websites are able to offer the best rates on your chosen hotel to be found anywhere, together with the highest standard of customer service.

Looking online for Berlin five star hotels offers many advantages. Not only are you able to browse the Internet at any time during the day or night, making it a mightily convenient way of quickly finding the best deals on Berlin accommodation, but it also offers a greater choice of such hotels than you could expect to find anywhere else.

Check out some of the best Berlin five star hotels and see how much of an improvement incredible accommodation can have on your overall holiday.

How to get your antiques valued

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If you are an antique insurance policyholder, you will have antiques that you may want valued. To do this, you’ll need to get in touch with a local auction house or antique dealer.

First of all though, you’ll want to educate yourself so that you can get the best possible valuation. You should learn about the particular collecting field to which your antique applies, perhaps by reading up at the local library. Keep in mind that you are unlikely to be able to find all of the information that you need online, particularly if you are unsure of what you are looking for. Your antique may have a distinguishing stamp or signature that you can type into a search engine. Alternatively, you could head to an auction website and look at the list of finished auctions, noting what kind of prices similar items have commanded.

Eventually, though, you’ll need to do some more research at a road show or antique shop. Browse these, and you’ll get a sense of what is presently selling and fashionable.

Once your research has been done, there are a number of ways to get your antiques valued. You could ask a local dealer or auction house for a free and informal valuation. Alternatively, if you have a specialist item that has a niche market interest, you may wish to consider finding a suitably specialist dealer or auction house. If you are struggling to find the right specialist, ask a collector’s society for their suggestions.

A free valuation service will tend to involve bringing your object or work of art to the valuation counter of the chosen auction house. From here, a specialist from the appropriate department should be happy to value your item for you, with no obligation to sell. It is always better to take the antique itself with you. If this is not possible, then you should make a note of as many details as you can. You should include such aspects as the size and condition of the item, as well as any marks. Also bring clear, well-lit and in-focus photographs that show the item from a range of different angles so that any damage or marks are visible.

Ashton Mapletoft writes for a range of insurance related topics, including ways to obtain antique insurance

Learning how to invest ethically

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Have you ever stopped to consider how ethical your investments are? In the 21st century there is a growing emphasis on “going green” and otherwise helping to protect the planet on which we live; not only for our own personal future, but for the many generations yet to come. It is only logical that this thinking would eventually make its way into our investment portfolios whether in private pensions, ISAs or general savings. For the concerned individual and investor, this can only be a positive occurrence.

The UKs first ever ethical fund began in 1984. Growth and interest continued as people opposed the apartheid rulings of South Africa. There are now over 100 green and ethical funds that can be invested in. Many people would likely agree the worthwhile effect of investing in these funds if there was the chance to both make a profit and assist in the backing of ethical companies and projects.

Which investments should I avoid?

How you choose to invest – whether ethically or not – is a personal decision that can be made with the help of your financial adviser. If you are keen to invest ethically, there are a few types of companies which you may want to avoid; these could include those that:

Deal in the arms trade
Support oppressive regimes
Support tobacco companies
Pollute or damage the environment
Profit from gambling, pornography or the production of alcohol.

Which investments should I choose?

Your financial adviser should be able to gauge which type of ethical investment is best suited for you, but broadly speaking you may match yourself to one of the following outlooks:

Conscience decision investors: as a conscience decision investor, it is likely that your main priority is to avoid companies associated in activities you disapprove of. As shown above, this could be their support of tobacco companies or animal testing. If you fall into this category it might be advisable to rule out a number of “negative” investments before discovering which ones remain; this is known as negative screening.

Themed investors: a themed investor may actively seek out companies that – according to your beliefs – act positively toward society. Instead of ruling out “negative” investments, you might instead look directly for those you associate with. This is commonly known as positive screening.

Ethical investment and risk

As with any type of investment, you should consider the associated risk with your ethical choices. Your financial adviser will be able to assess your risk profile as well as finding investments that meet the criteria of other influential factors. This way you will be able to invest in a fund that suits your financial circumstances, stage in life, as well as your concerns and interests.

Charlotte Walker writes on a range of finance related topics, including private pensions.

Making your home office perfect for you

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There are several key steps that you will have to take to ensure that your home office is as good as it can be.

Where will it be?

Firstly, you will need to identify where your home office is to be located. You may not have much choice in the matter if you only have a small amount of space, but nonetheless, your home office space should be hospitable to work in and free from distractions. It is for this reason that many people choose to convert their loft into a home office, as this represents a separate space from the rest of the house. Although you could convert even a very small area into a home office of sorts, to make yours perfect for you, you may consider having it somewhere that has more room and a window view if plan to spend extended periods of time there.

Making plans

You will then need to plan your work area, considering all of the things that you could require in your home office in order to work comfortably and efficiently. You should ensure that the temperature can be properly controlled and that the lighting is good. You should also have a telephone nearby, in addition to a computer with an Internet connection and stationery such as pens, depending on your exact needs. You should also pay attention to the flooring: as your computer chair will be moving around a great deal in this space, you will require a hard and reasonably durable surface.

Furnish right

You will also need to ensure that you have chosen the right home office furniture, not only for your own needs but also that work well with the particular space that you have chosen. Surely the most important furniture piece will always be your desk, and this does not have to be a simple table, as there are many stores, both online and offline, that offer a range of pieces combining different storage options such as cupboards and drawers, along with a surface area on which to write. You will also, naturally, require a comfortable chair that is at the right height, in addition to offering good arm and back support for the type of work that you will be doing.

Make it fun

Don’t forget that even your workspace doesn’t need to be entirely devoid of fun. Add a favourite piece of art to the wall or a plant pot on top of the filing cabinet, and you can add a bit of individuality to your home office!

Auriella Borino writes on a range of interior design topics including home office furniture.

Making Your Home Study Look Professional

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When you work from home, you should have a home study that looks as professional as possible. That way, you will be able to concentrate on your work without having any of the distractions of the home that can negatively impact on the amount of work and, therefore, the money that your business can earn.

There are several ways to make your home office look more professional. First of all, you should give your home study a room of its own. It does not look in any way professional, after all, to be working on the sofa in front of the television or on the kitchen table. You should instead have a permanent desk in a spare room, with all of the equipment that you need immediately to hand. The tools that you have in your office should include, at the very least, a computer, a phone and a connection to the internet for email.

One of the most obvious ways of keeping your home study looking professional is to ensure that it is kept clean and tidy. You should set up your PC, chair and desk at the correct height so that you can work without slouching and also position any equipment, such as a phone and some stationery, in a place that is accessible so that you do not have to stretch to reach them.

Your home study should be free of too many of the distractions that would undermine its work-like appearance. This means that you should not have a television unless it directly relates to your business. Ideally you would have a window near your desk to provide inspiration and calm, although if you find it too distracting you may want to cover it with a blind. Overall, the home study should be simple, with no overly distracting gadgets and only the items that are necessary for you to be able to do your work.

Another factor that has a great influence on the professionalism of your office is the home study furniture that you choose. This includes computer desks, filing cabinets, desks and chairs. You will want to find a desk, for example, that is durable and that is at the right height, in addition to a computer chair that allows you to stay comfortable for many hours of work at a time.

Auriella Borino writes on a range of interior design topics including home study furniture.