Visit Hawaii between August 24 and October 31! With the Hawaii Summer Special deal from Vacations For Less, you can get great rates for a number of Hawaiian destinations beginning at $565 for six nights per person. Ohana Maile Sky Court ($565/6 days), Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber ($699/6 days), and Waikiki Beach Marriot ($825/6 days) all offer special rates as a part of this deal. You can also chose from Castele Hilo Hawaian Hotel ($679/6 days), the Sheraton Keauhou Bay ($875/ 6 days) at the Hawaii Big Island or the Outrigger Aina Nalu in Maui at the rate of $679 for 6 days. The vacation packages include a round-trip flight on Delta Airlines to the Hawaiian island of your choice from the offer, 5 nights at one of the hotels mentioned above, as well as the hotel and land taxes. In addition, up to 2 children at the age of 16 and younger go for free, provided that they share a room with an adult. And if you chose to stay in Waikiki Beach Marriott, you receive free breakfast as a bonus. Note that the rates per person are based on double occupancy and that airfare charges are based on Los Angeles departures. Airport taxes and security fees are not included in the prices.
For more information, visit http://www.vacations4less.com/promohawaii1.htm
July 24, 2007 No Comments
Oaxaca, Mexico is closer to the shores of the Pacific Ocean than to the warm waters and white beaches of the Caribbean Sea. For this reason, if a beach vacation is what you are looking for, it can hardly be comparable to Mexico destinations such as Cancún or Cozumel. But if you are a fan of folk art, could admire hand-made crafts for hours, and you’d be interested in exploring the vibrant world of Mexico’s distinct contemporary art and the country’s ancient traditions, Oaxaca has a lot to offer.
Death is a real part of the Mexican culture, and Oaxaca is a city that celebrates the dead in ecstatic thrill of life. In almost every craft store, you will find art-pieces referencing death. Looking at tiny statues of skeletons placed next to vividly painted masks and wooden boxes, you get a grasp of how visions of contemporary artists fuse with subtle influences of ancient cultures.
The same thing could be said about many festivals and celebrations that Oaxaca is so well known for. The Night of the Radishes, celebrated on December 23, is probably the strangest of Oaxaca’s fiestas. On the night before Christmas, people from all over the valley meet at the zócalo, the main square, to present the largest of their homegrown radishes, which they have carved into any imaginable objects. The greatest local celebration is, however, the Day of the Dead. This Mexican equivalent to Halloween is celebrated on November 2 and represents an opportunity to actually mock the death by preparing lavish altars and dishes dedicated to the deceased and celebrating life. Oaxaca is a very popular place to celebrate Day of the Dead, so anyone considering visiting Oaxaca around this time should book accommodation in advance.
To me personally, Oaxaca is a perfect spot for a romantic vacation. Here, you can spend the day visiting galleries and city markets, and have a lunch in one of several restaurants at the main square. Later, you can stop by at the Centro Cultural Santo Domingo, where you’ll find a magnificent collection of gold and ancient jewelry retrieved from Monte Alban, a large pre-Columbian archeological site located about 5.6 miles west of Oaxaca City. And as the evening falls, you have a great opportunity to explore several great restaurants and bars of the Oaxaca City. Even if your budget does not allow you to stay in the luxurious Camino Real, you can still enjoy an afternoon cup of fine cappuccino in the hotel’s garden restaurant while listening to Mexican performers singing in the background. Another romantic spot might be the Hostal de La Noria, a beautifully restored colonial mansion with a very good indoor and outdoor restaurant, in which will the chef prepare some of the less complicated courses right in front of your eyes. But as for a quiet late evening for two, I recommend Casa Oaxaca – a hotel with an adjacent art gallery, a great restaurant serving delicious food and excellent wine, and a beautiful small bar, where the bartenders will prepare for you one of the smoothest margarita cocktails you’ve ever had. It is probably the best place to finish, or start, an evening.
July 24, 2007 No Comments
Visiting Krakow, the cultural capital of Poland, is something I recommend to everyone. Krakow’s Old Town was declared a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in 1978and it became the most densely ‘pub-populated’ UNESCO Heritage Site in the world. Some Krakovians pride themselves with a saying that there’s more drinking holes per square meter here than anywhere else. And although the service is not always the best and finding a place to sit after 10 pm may be difficult, the spark of the vibrant Krakow night life will surely brighten up your travels.
The horizon above the Old Town is dominated by a mythical Wawel Castle, notable for its stunning courtyard and an incredible collection of jewel-encrusted. It is in Krakow where you will find Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece Lady with an Ermine. Arguably the most beautiful out of only three female portraits know to be painted by Leonardo, Lady with an Ermine is displayed in the Czartoryskich Museum at 19 Sw. Jana Street.
Poles are film fanatics and art-house films, many of them in English with Polish subtitles, are mainstream here. So if you have time, you can go to see them in some of the coolest cinemas in Europe. Once in Krakow, don’t miss the unique Wieliczka Salt Mines with wonderful rooms, sculptures and a chapel craved entirely from salt! And while somebody might just be getting married in the salty chapel 200 meters under the ground, you may indulge in another one of Leonardo’s masterpieces, The Last Supper.
July 20, 2007 No Comments
It hasn’t been long since I stayed in a bed and breakfast for the first time myself, but ever since I did, B&B has become my favorite type of accommodation while traveling. Staying at a bed and breakfast is a very enjoyable experience, but it is also quite different from staying in a hotel. Here are some B&B basics that first time B&B goers might find useful to remember:
1. Things in the house are not easily replaceable
Before anything else, it is important to realize that the majority of B&Bs are family-run or owner-operated. This means that the furniture is antique and that fine linens and beddings offered are usually family heirlooms. This is what makes staying at B&B so special, but also makes the items a lot more difficult to replace than in a hotel. Also, unlike in a hotel, there is usually no front desk with an at-all-time available staff at a bed and breakfast.
2. B&B is not very suitable for children
Unless a special family room is offered, taking very young children with you to a bed and breakfast is not advisable. While there are some B&Bs that accept babies and little children, most don’t. This is because many of the bed and breakfast guests prefer peace and quiet, and because the rooms are rarely child-proof. On the other hand, bed and breakfast is an ideal place to stay for women traveling alone.
3. Have special dietary needs? Ask in advance.
The menu usually consists of culinary specialties cooked by the innkeepers and is the same for all. If you have any special dietary needs, ask about them while making a reservation. This is when you should also discuss your breakfast preferences. Many B&B owners will try to accommodate your requests.
4. Eating in the rooms is not always allowed
While complimentary refreshments alongside with a fridge to keep things cold are commonly provided, many bed and breakfast owners don’t allow eating in the bedrooms. Also, you shouldn’t expect a TV set or a telephone in every room. Check with the owner what is permitted and what facilities are available prior to your arrival.
5. Ask the host
The attention you will receive in a bed and breakfast is at a much more personal level than it would be in a hotel. The innkeeper will tell you all he or she knows about the history of the place you are visiting and will happily recommend where to go and what to see. If you are wondering which restaurant to pick or which castle is open to public when, ask the host.
6. Before bringing your own stuff, check what’s available
Things like bikes, beach chairs, ski, or towels are often available at B&B. Asking prior to the arrival can save you carrying equipment you may not need.
7. Use guidebook certificates
Many guidebooks contain buy-one-get-one-free certificates. The money saved using them can add up to several hundreds of dollars.
8. Cancellation periods may be long
Before booking a room at B&B, make sure you know what the cancellation policy states. The cancellation period in bed and breakfast is usually longer than for hotels or motels. During the high season, it may be as long as 45 days.
July 20, 2007 No Comments
If the magic of medieval European cities is what you’re into, you’ll love Tallinn. I fell in love with Tallinn immediately, when I visited the Estonian capital for the first time a couple years ago. Full of 13th through 17th century buildings, churches and towers, the city offers an interesting cultural mix of Danish, Swedish, Russian, and German influences. Not many outsiders know that the city’s name, derived from the Estonian for “Danish Fort” (taani linnus), is a reminder of the fact that Tallinn was founded by the Danes in early 13th century and the political control over the city has nearly always been in the hands of foreigners from then on. In the past, Tallinn was dominated by Germans, ruled by the kinds of Sweden and the tsars of Russia and later, it became a part of the USSR.
Tallinn is a wonderful place to be indulging in hot chocolates, fine European pastries, delicious Estonian food and excellent beer. During the day, you can soak up the northern European sun at the beaches of the Baltic Sea. You could also stay in the city center and climb a few more than 270 stairs up to the top of St. Olaf’s cathedral. Once the tallest building in the world, you enjoy the magnificent view of the city from here. I actually think that the most amazing thing to do in Tallinn is to walk around its cobblestone streets and observe the little details of the city. You will find wooden doors covered with peculiar geometric patterns, beautiful stained glass windows, or a myriad of architectonic styles and designs noticeable in the city’s numerous churches.
While the overall image of Tallinn is that of a very historic city, I was amazed to find how widespread and accessible free Wifi zones in Tallinn are. Many bars and cafes let you bring in your laptop and surf the Internet for free.
Tallinn is a small city, so three days may be just enough time to stay there, especially if you don’t particularly love history and architecture or are on a tight travel schedule. But it’s definitely worth seeing.
July 18, 2007 No Comments
The number of Canadian tourists visiting the United States is increasing as the Canadian dollar approaches parity with the U.S. dollar. Strong currency has encouraged Canadians to travel to the States already last summer when the loonie, as Canada’s currency is called after the loon in the back of the dollar coin, reached its 28-year high against the US dollar. But while the loonie was worth 90 U.S. cents back then, the deal is even better for Canadians now. Currently, the loonie is being traded for 95 U.S. cents. Considering that a Canadian traveler would receive no more than some 62 U.S. cents for one Canadian dollar five years ago, this is a dramatic change. As a result, Canadian travel to the USA has increased by 23 percent within the past five years. Reportedly, some Canadian banks even had to dip into their reserves after running out of the green bills as more and more Canadians exchange their loonies for their trips south across the boarder.
New York, Florida and Washington are among the U.S. destinations that attract Canadian visitors the most. Another popular vacation spot is Old Orchard in Maine, which offers 7 miles of a sandy beach and is just a few hours of driving away from Quebec. And with gas being roughly one dollar cheaper in the United States than in Canada, those few hours behind the wheel are well worth it. Not even lengthy wait times at boarder crossings or chilly waters of the North Atlantic can discourage Canadians from enjoying an affordable vacation.
In accordance with the overall trend, the number of overnight trips from Canada to the U.S. has also been rising. Analysts conclude that strong currency has apparently helped Canadians to overcome concerns over the war in Iraq and the SARS scare that was haunting Canadian travelers three years ago.
According to currency strategists, the trend of the Canadian dollar approaching parity with its U.S. counterpart is likely to continue for a number of years. If the future is to prove the prognosis correct, we can expect Canadian travel to the United States to rise further.
July 18, 2007 No Comments
I decided to visit Bordeaux because I love wine. While I don’t think it would be impossible to appreciate the superb quality of French wine without the approval of a wine specialist, paying for an organized trip with a knowledgeable host is most definitely worth your money. Also, some of the exclusive estates where you will have the opportunity to taste some of the world’s most famous chateaux, like Chateaux Margaux, Latour or Lafite Rotschild, are not always open to the general public.
My personal problem with the wine world is that it tends to be pretentious and elitist at times. And – as the locals admit themselves – Bordeaux is no exception. So if you are like me, you are probably planning your wine tasting vacation with one question in mind: how do I truly enjoy luxury wine snobbery-free? The good news is that there are some companies, such as Wine Lovers Tour Bordeaux that offer passionate yet relaxed and informal tours run. Having a host who is a wine professional and a Bordeaux local is something I recommend. Locals’ understanding of the complexities of this world’s most celebrated wine region is usually unparalleled by those who are mere Bordeaux visitors.
Good food is an obvious part of a wine tasting experience and Bordeaux is known for its excellent Michelin starred restaurants. But while the dining is sure to be superb, eating in some of these impressive restaurants can sometimes turn into an exam. That’s why I was relieved when our guide made it clear that our wine tour is meant to be truly gourmet but without the formal stuffiness. My absolutely favorite was the Relais & Chateaux Restaurant Hautrive Saint James – a great restaurant surrounded by its own vineyard, offering a fabulous view on Bordeaux.
My Bordeaux wine tasting trip was exactly what I had hoped for. I was amazed by the depth of our host’s knowledge. Not only do I know the taste of the best Bordeaux wine but I also learned to see how to choose a really good wine from those more affordable ones. No more panic when I’m handed the wine list or the cork.
I call myself a wine beginner, but some of the people in our group were advanced wine enthusiasts. Regardless of the level differences, we all loved the tour, for we have one thing in common: we love wine and hate snobbery.
July 17, 2007 No Comments
Peru is quite an extraordinary country. The Cusco region offers quite an extensive first-hand experience of the Latin American poverty. And yet, Machu Picchu – the famed ruins of an ancient city that have become the most recognizable symbol the Inca Empire, is neighbored by the luxurious Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. Having a luxurious hotel where rates for a one night easily exceed $ 1.000 built right next to one of the greatest reminiscences of the Inca Empire, currently voted as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, is quite disturbing. For this reason, I found my stay in a small town called Ollantaytambo at the eastern end of the Sacred Valley. Although I was quick to discover that the ‘homemade’ mushroom soup served by the one of the Ollantaytambo hostel’s kitchen was an instant Maggi, my modest room had a direct access to a terrace that offered a wonderful view of ruins of a less-known old Inca city. Unlike Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo’s ruins are currently neighbored by run-down houses of the villagers.
Lima, Peru’s capital, was founded by a controversial chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro. While denounced for initiating heartless destruction of the Inca civilization, Pizarro is celebrated for bringing Christianity to the people of Peru. Colonial architecture is mixed with derelict buildings and flamboyant residences of the country’s few who share most of its wealth are rising into the horizon surrounded by ghetto-like images. Ever-present barbed wires encircling schools and private properties of the rich, constant honking of taxis, and bullet-proof police SUVs – all that felt quite uncomfortable at first. But I got used to it. What I found most distressing, however, were the countless crowds of children begging for money. Not just because a sight of kids deprived of decent shelter, food and education would be depressing in itself. More because it made me see how quickly you get used to that sight. For a few days, you are shocked and moved. Than, you become apathetic. And suddenly you realize that these small dirty hands pulling your trousers wherever you move genuinely annoy you.
If the aesthetic beauty of Lima is hard to appreciate, great museums, a sparkling nightlife and a notable cooking scene are the qualities that the city certainly has to offer. Along with the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History, the Gold of Peru museum displaying the world’s most magnificent collection of ancient Peruvian art is an absolute must for anyone visiting the city. And so is the Miraflores District, in which tequila flows fast and bare-feet natives dance their troubles.
July 16, 2007 No Comments
If you plan to travel from the United States to Canada, you should know that the unusually high price of the Canadian dollar could affect your budget and force you to sacrifice comfort over money. However, there are heavily discounted first-class airline tickets available for over 100,000 US and Canada flights. While most people have some idea of how to get cheap airline tickets, only very few know that there are inexpensive first-class airline tickets available. There are a number of reasons for which you might find this article useful:
You plan to travel from the United States to Canada. Knowing how to get the best travel deals could come in handy to compensate for a more expensive Canadian dollar and increased travel costs.
You travel from Canada. You may be in luck as the Canadian dollar’s purchase power has gone up over 10 percent in just the last two months. Why not get first-class airline tickets and save money here, too?!
You like the idea of enjoying a comfortable first-class flight for a fraction of price that you normally have to pay for a first-class ticket.
If any of the above applies to you, read on to find out more about the cheap first-class airlines tickets. The discount first-class tickets offered for US-Canada flights can be unusual. While the passengers sit in first-class, these tickets are intentionally published by the airlines to look exactly the same as any other coach ticket. The origin of these cheap first-class tickets is difficult to trace but it is generally known that they were designed to help the airlines’ most important clients on their business trips. Coded as coach tickets, they allow a handful of chosen clients to get away with skirting corporate “No First-class Travel” policies.
The discount first-class tickets can be less than $300 round-trip. For the most part, the price is approximately the same as that of business walk-up and 7-day advance purchase airfare. Therefore, with a little luck, you get all the first-class comfort when taking your next flight.
7 First-class Airline Tickets Tips That You Should Know About:
Discount first-class tickets are available for most of the United States/Canada flights, including peak days and times, such as Holidays, Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays. They could also be available for last-minute trips. There are no discount first-class tickets for international coach, business or first-class air travel outside the Northern American continent.
While most of the air travel transactions happen online, it is important to know that the booking flow for discount first-class tickets does not show up in common travel quote queries based on city/date-based search.
Discount first-class tickets are incomparably more reliable than a first-class ticket upgrade lottery. The upgrade is occasionally available when the airline needs to move more passengers taking a given flight from the rear of the aircraft (Economy section) to the front (Business and First-class sections. These operational upgrades, however, rely on nontransparent and quite unpredictable hierarchy-driven principles. Premier fliers with frequent-flyer programs have a priority, ordinary members, military personnel, and passengers who paid for a full-fare economy ticket follow. Only if there is not enough people in these categories will the ground staff look for someone who is “polite and well-dressed”.
Unlike those counting on the upgrade lottery, travelers with a discount first-class ticket do not have to keep their fingers crossed. They can enjoy the luxury of being “confirmed” first-class.
Most phone agents are trained not to offer cheap first-class tickets. Ask for a discounted first-class ticket explicitly! Also, make sure that you check with the agent that the plane on your itinerary has a first-class cabin. Some of the regional jets do not have these.
Most of the discount first-class tickets are one-way. Therefore, if you miss a flight, ask the airline agent to check for first-class discounts. These might be often cheaper than the walk-up coach ticket for a replacement flight.
Since these tickets are booked in the first-class cabin, the frequent flyer mileage that you receive for these tickets will reflect a first-class ticket purchase.
July 5, 2007 No Comments
Do you assume that there are secrets to how to get a cheap airline ticket that the airlines try to keep from you? Do you always feels nervous and slightly dizzy whenever you are about to click on the “Buy Now” button when purchasing your flight? Your skepticism and worries are justified. An attempt to get the best airfare could be as difficult and frustrating as trying to figure out on what number to place your bets in a lottery game. But unlike gambling, there is more to airline ticket purchases than a sprinkle of luck. Knowing a little bit about how the system works and remembering a few useful tricks could maximize your chances of getting the best air travel deal possible. And although the suspicion that the person sitting on the plane right next you got his ticket for half the price of yours could never be entirely erased from your mind, there are some key rules of thumb that can put the one cheap airline ticket right into your pocket. Why should you pay more when you can get the same ticket for less, especially when the currency trends already increase most of your travel costs?
The Canadian Dollar recently approaching parity with the US Dollar is just one of many topics driving discussions of a weakening power of the US dollar. Hence, with the US Dollar pushing prices of traveling abroad and overseas up, an extra cheap airline ticket could be a welcomed way of making the trip more economical. Similarly, with a USD/CAD exchange rate possibly hitting a 1:1 ratio, knowing how to get a cheap airline ticket within the United States and Canada could be especially useful.
10 useful tricks to get you your cheap airline ticket:
Know what is a cheap airline ticket
The key to the successful purchase of a cheap airline ticket is knowing what ticket is really cheap. As far as domestic US airline tickets go, a cheap ticket should cost you around $100.00 for a short-distance travel (within or around two neighbor states), around $150.00 for a medium-distance travel and around $200.00 for long-distance coast-to-coast travel. Also, be prepared to pay additional fees and charges to these prices, such as a $20.00 roundtrip non-stop fee, a $40.00 fee for connecting roundtrip flights, or a premium for popular destinations (beaches and resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, etc.). Due to a smaller competition that would keep prices low, your cheap airline ticket is likely to be more expensive if you travel to or from smaller regional airports.
Know when to travel
If you are flexible about the date of your trip, choosing the right day of travel could make the airline ticket price cheaper. While beginnings and ends of weeks and weekends are the most expensive due to a high demand (most people travel arrange their flights on these days), Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are usually the cheapest. Also, except Fridays and Sundays, flying in the evening can increase your chances of getting the cheap airline ticket you want. Similarly, taking a “red-eye” flight can pay off well, since not too many people like the idea of leaving the airport at 5:30 in the morning and arriving at their destination at 3 AM.
Use the same airline both ways
For reasons hidden from the eyes of ordinary mortals, a one-way flight is usually just as expensive as a roundtrip. Always go for a roundtrip ticket if possible.
Start searching for your cheap airline ticket early
While the airlines charge a premium for purchasing a ticket prior to four months ahead of the departure, absolutely do book your ticket sooner than two weeks in advance. Fourteen days prior to travel is considered the breaking point for business and leisure. And since most of the airlines make their profits from business travelers, avoid purchasing your ticket too close to your flight date.
Get a travel club membership
If you travel more frequently (more often than twice a year), join a frequent flyer club. Even though you are usually asked to make some initial payment, benefits of the membership will easily pay that off in the long run.
Use your age
Find out about senior and student discounts. Airlines sometimes offer them with their tickets.
Ask about alternative airports
You can most definitely save money by using alternative airports, which are often used by many low cost airlines. While a real money-saver, make sure that you consider the convenience factor. Alternative airports may account for some 2-hour drive extra.
Learn about cheap first class airline tickets
If you are big on comfort but still hope to scoop the best travel deals out there, learn more about discount first class tickets. Many airlines offer cheap first class tickets for flights between and within the United States and Canada.
Keep checking before you purchase
Like the price, the availability of flights is an incredibly volatile element. Airlines may add discount tickets without warning. That way, a flight you gave up on months ago could be suddenly available for even a better price.
Stop checking one you purchase
Prices of airline tickets are subject to a constant change and their purchasing is very similar to trading stocks. There are only a few perfect times a year to purchase. Only hindsight will show what these actually were. Checking the prices after that very online click that has dinged your credit card when you finally purchased your ticket is running a risk of seeing you ticket sold cheaper. On the other hand, keeping a record of how prices fluctuate could help you grasp how this unpredictable market works. Eventually, you might be able to make a better, more informed decision.
July 5, 2007 No Comments
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