Iowa’s Surf Ballroom named rock landmark

Iowa’s Surf Ballroom named rock landmark

CLEVELAND — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has added the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, to its list of designated rock ’n’ roll landmarks.

The Surf was where Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens played their final gig Feb. 2, 1959. The three died in a plane crash after the performance.

Other sites in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Landmark Series are the Whisky-a-Go-Go in Los Angeles, where the Doors were resident performers; Brooklyn High School in Brooklyn, Ohio, where Elvis played his first concert north of the Mason-Dixon line; and The Crossroads in Clarksdale, Miss., cradle of the blues.

Though the Surf Ballroom is still a venue for concerts and other events, there is also a museum at the site dedicated to preserving musical history

For more information, visit www.surfballroom.com.

Hostel in Seattle voted best in U.S.

DUBLIN — Hostels in Lisbon, Portugal, dominated an annual awards list for hostels, grabbing four of the top 10 spots.

Travellers House, a hostel in Lisbon, Portugal, was voted the No. 1 hostel in the world in the annual survey by Hostelworld.com for the Web site’s “Hoscar” awards. The other three Portuguese hostels in the top 10 were Rossio Hostel, Lisbon Lounge Hostel and Goodnight Backpackers Hostel.

Winner of the award for the best hostel in the U.S. was Hostel Seattle, in Washington, followed by Pacific Tradewinds Backpacker Hostel in San Francisco and HI-Baltimore, in Maryland.

More than 800,000 travelers who booked hostel stays through Hostelworld.com took part in the survey, rating their accommodations on character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness.

New brand from Hilton: Home2 Suites

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Hilton Hotels has announced the launch of a new extended-stay lodging brand called Home2 Suites by Hilton.

Construction is expected to begin on the first Home2 Suites hotel in the next six to 12 months.

The company said it has received applications for franchises for sites for the brand in New York City; Baltimore/White Marsh, Md.; Charlotte, N.C. and Jacksonville, N.C.; Gadsden, Ala.; Alabaster, Ala.; Elko, Nev.; and three hotels in San Antonio, Texas.

Each property will have an average of 108 guest rooms, 80 percent studios and 20 percent one-bedrooms.

Hilton expects Home2 Suites to include 100 properties by the end of 2012.

Associated Press