I love staying in 4 and 5 star hotels but I usually can’t afford their normal rates. Even the swankiest place have sales, but they are often last minute and you don’t want to end up with no room because you were waiting for a deal that never came. Here’s the strategy I always follow for getting the best hotel for my money:
-When I schedule a trip, I immediately book the nicest hotel I can afford for my stay. I rely heavily on Tripadvisor and other reviews of hotels on the web. I always read the reservation policy carefully and make sure I book a rate that can be cancelled.
-If the hotel is a top place, I’ll leave it at that. If I’m hoping to stay someplace nicer, I’ll check out the hotel deals for the city I’m headed to every couple of days leading up to my trip. To do this, I’ll visit Travelzoo, click the “Hotels Only” button at the top of the page, type in my destination and search it. If there is a particular hotel I’m hoping to stay in, I’ll sign up for e-mail alerts on their website so I’ll get notified right away when they have a sale.
-If I find a good price at a better hotel than the one I’ve already booked, I’ll reserve a room at the new place and cancel at the old one. If I never find a better deal, I’ll stick with my first reservation. Either way, I have a place to sleep and I know I’ve found the best deal I could get.
Now you can download Frommers travel guides for use on your iPhone or iPod Touch. They include all the information and maps available in the books and are stored locally so you can access them even when you can’t get online. Guides for New York, San Francisco, London and Paris are currently available with more expected later this year. They are priced at $9.99 each and can be found in the App Store section on iTunes.
Yougetitback.com wants to help you keep track of your valuables while you travel and get them back if you lose them. Here’s how the program works:
Order tags from the website to attach to your belongings priced $9.99-$14.99 per tag depending on size and style. Each tag has a unique I.D. code printed on it which you activate on Yougetitback.com. If you misplace an item, hopefully the person who finds it will call the phone number printed on the tag. If the finder is local, you can arrange to meet them in person to recover your property or Yougetitback.com will arrange for a courier at your expense. If you’d like provide a cash reward for the find, the website will facilitate it, otherwise they will send the finder a free Yougetitback.com starter kit as thanks for their honestly and help. The site estimates that tagged items have a 75% chance of being returned if lost while untagged goods are recovered only about 5% of the time.
Yesterday, union pilots for both Delta and Northwest Airlines voted in favor of the proposed plan to join the two carriers. The companies are hoping the merger will go through by the end of the year.
If you are holding frequent flyer miles for both airlines, make sure you don’t lose them. Once they merge, you will likely be able to combine the miles into your Delta account and that may mean a free ticket for some of you!
With so many airlines charging for checked baggage at this point, flyers are looking for ways to get all of their stuff into carry-ons. The new Vezzeo Mobile Vest is one of the most creative I’ve seen. It’s like a backpack, with 10 pockets to store your goods, including one big enough for a 17 inch laptop, but it’s also a vest so it’s easy to carry and looks more like clothing than an additional bag. Whether on not it’s fashionable is debatable, but it may enable you to travel heavier while avoiding some of the new fees.
The vest comes in a variety of colors and sizes for both men and women and will retail for $119.99. It’s expected to be in stores before the end of the summer. If you are interested, you can sign up for Vezzeo’s mailing list for the latest information.
Vezzeo Mobile Vest
Head over to My Adventures to read about our trip to The Hague in The Netherlands and check out my pictures on my Photos page or by clicking into the album through one of the images posted.
Date of trip: May 2008
Although Amsterdam is the capital of The Netherlands, The Hague is official seat of the government. It is home to the Dutch Parliament, their Supreme Court, monarchy and most foreign embassies. Since it is easy to reach by train and takes just under an hour from Amsterdam’s central station, Will and I found it the perfect place for a day trip.
Highlights:
-The courtyard where Parliament meets and the office of the Prime Minister is located is known as Binnenhof. Although most of the buildings are closed to the public, there is a small visitor center where you can sign up for a guided tour. The tour begins with a short video about Binnenhof and the political history of The Netherlands. It includes visits to the Hall of Knights and the Second Chamber of Parliament, providing the rooms are not in use during your visit. The Hall of Knights is where the queen officially opens Parliament in a ceremony every September. She arrives by golden coach and proceeds to her throne to deliver a speech describing government business for the year ahead. It’s quite an honor to be among the guests invited to the event. Tours of Binnenhof can be unpredictable not only because the buildings are still in use but also because they are only given at specific times to a certain number of people. If too little people show up, there may be no tour but if too many show up you may not get a spot. If you visit The Hague, head to Binnenhof first to find out the status of tours for that day.
-Next to Binnenhof is the royal picture gallery called Mauritshuis. It has a fantastic collection of Dutch art by world famous painters. Among the most notable pieces is Rembrandt’s “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp” and Vermeer’s “Girl With a Pearl Earring”. I had never been impressed by pictures of “Girl With a Pearl Earring” but in person it is absolutely stunning.
-I first saw a picture of Madurodam several years ago and I couldn’t wait to visit. It’s a miniature city on a 1:25 scale with models of famous architecture and historical sites from all over The Netherlands. The attention to detail is remarkable. There is a little airport with moving planes, an amusement park with a turning ferris wheel, and canals with bridges that lift for boats to float through. There are even little trees and gardens! The city has a mayor and council of young people elected in The Hague’s schools who attend ceremonies and officially accept new models. There is also a full time professional staff to keep everything in working order which can be a challenge as it’s completely outdoors and exposed to the elements. Madurodam was opened in 1952 by the Maduro family as a special memorial to their son who died in a Nazi concentration camp. Profits after taxes have always been donated to charity.
The Hague may not be as pretty as Amsterdam, but it is no less significant. The city is home to Holland’s most powerful citizens and if you love history, your trip to The Netherlands would be incomplete without a stop here .
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
The Hague Links:
The Hague Official Site
Binnenhof
Mauritshuis
Madurodam
This month we’ll take a short trip to Philadelphia to visit some historical sites, check out the art scene and find a good Philly cheesesteak. Since I’m vegetarian, Will is going to have to handle the last item!
Yesterday Jetblue stopped handing out the usual complimentary airplane pillows and blankets on their flights and started offering brand new, eco-friendly versions for purchase. The $7 travel kits are being offered on flights over 2 hours long and also include a $5 coupon for Bed, Bath and Beyond. It all comes in a carrying case so it can be saved and reused on future flights.
Personally, I think this is a good idea. I’ve never liked the grungy, recycled bedding on planes and I always use my own pillow and blanket. When you factor in the coupon, you are getting the kit for $2 which isn’t bad at all, especially if it can be reused. I’ll be interested in hearing more about the quality and comfort of the products and how they hold up over time.
JetBlue Press Release
