The United Kingdom (UK) or Britain comprises of Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain. It is recognized as a sovereign state just off the coast of Continental Europe. Among the several islands, Northern Ireland remains the only UK region with a land border, which it shares with Ireland. It is also bordered by the Irish Sea, English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, Great Britain, its largest island, has the Channel Tunnel for its link to France.

Regarded as a unitary state which consists of 4 countries, namely Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, it is governed by a parliamentary system. London is noted as its capital. This is amidst its 3 devolved national administrations with the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which is Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively.

Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of state as a constitutional monarchy. It also has a total of 14 overseas territories, all noted as remnants of the vast British Empire, encompassing ? of the land surface of the world. This makes it the largest empire in the history of mankind. In fact, the British influence can constitute to the legal system, culture and language of its numerous former colonies.

Consider some travel tips when planning to visit the UK. For both business and leisure travelers, it is vital to have good lodging wherever you want to go. Similar to trips to other countries, when going to the UK, make sure you are booked at a hotel that has everything you need, starting from the facilities, amenities to its close proximity to important areas in your trip.

Business travelers who are always on the go should have a hotel that is near the airport. The hotel should also be able to provide airport-hotel transfers. Some of the important things to consider when looking for accommodations include the onsite meeting facilities, its closeness to other business facilities, the rooms? technology and ?hook-ups,? accessible transportation and nearness to groceries and shops.

Check out the most popular tourist attractions in the UK. Look for accommodations near these spots so that transportation will not be very costly. UK has many wonderful sites, and it will all depend on your general interest. You may be scholarly, and would like to visit their libraries, museums and famous universities. There are also many parks and other recreational centers.

If you are still having second thoughts about the perfect lodging facility for you and your family, go with familiarity. You can go for chain hotels known to have branches worldwide. The reason you will not go wrong with these hotels is because they take care of their guests just as they take care of their establishment. This would include the likes of Ramada Inn Worldwide, Hilton International, Sheraton, Doubletree, Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites among others.

You can also check for the hotel's long term and short term accommodation packages. For those who will be on a long term project, apartments for lease or hotel suites are the best options. This type not only emphasizes a ?homey setting,? it is also more relaxing because of its separate sleeping, kitchen and living areas. Good examples in the UK include Hyde Park's Space Apart Hotel and Citybase Apartments.

Lastly, it will be very important to research on the general weather conditions during your visit. It can sometimes get very cold in UK. Pack the necessary clothing.