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February 9, 20124 Hotels to Take Advantage of This Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and luckily for those of you who like to put things off until the last possible moment, there’s still time to take plan an incredibly romantic getaway for you and your special someone. With that in mind, here’s a look at four of the most romantic places in the country to spend time with your Valentine this year.
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Florida
Head down south this Valentine’s Day for a warm weather getaway in the middle of winter. The Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, located on a 5-acre private island that is only accessible by boat or seaplane, is one of Florida’s most secluded retreats.
Nestled amid the coconut trees, the hotel offers 30 ultra-private suites in 14 thatched-roof bungalows. Each comes with a romantic ocean view, louvered windows, beds draped in butterfly netting, bamboo accents, terra-cotta tile floors, and sisal rugs. When you’re not enjoying your nature-inspired room, you can feast on classic European dishes infused with Caribbean and Latin flavors at Little Palm’s Dining Room or improve your health and mental wellbeing at Spa Terre.
Four Seasons, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
If your idea of a romantic holiday is embracing the winter weather rather than shunning it, set your sights on a Valentine’s Day ski weekend at the Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole. Home to some of the world’s best skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling , and dog sledding, Jackson Hole offers easy access to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and the Four Seasons Resort is the perfect place to stay for some après-ski pampering.
If you’ve stayed with Four Seasons before, you know that the chain has a reputation for getting things right, and the Jackson Hole resort is no exception. The hotel has 124 rooms and 57 suites, so you can be sure to find a room that fits your style.
Wheatleigh Hotel, Lenox, Massachusetts
If you’re looking to whisk your beloved away to a hotel that offers old country charm mixed with 21st century comforts, look no further than the Wheatleigh Hotel in Lenox, Massachusetts. Built in 1893, the Wheatleigh transports you back in time with its classically beautiful Italian architecture and 22 acre park surroundings overlooking the Berkshire Mountains and lake.
Stay in one of 19 individually-decorated suites, and enjoy amenities that include a private wine cellar, golf, horseback riding, and fitness center. The Wheatleigh is within walking distance to Tanglewood and close to other performing arts venues.
The Lowell, New York City
Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the Lowell delivers on sophistication and service. The Lowell was built in the 1920s as an upscale apartment hotel, and today it boasts a total of 49 suites and 23 deluxe rooms, each decorated to match a different theme, such as the Hollywood Suite or the Garden Suite. When booking, be sure to ask for one of the hotel’s 33 suites with wood burning fireplaces or 14 with private terraces.
As with other many of the finest New York City Hotels, part of the charm of staying at the Lowell is that the hotel truly feels like home (if your home were located in one of New York’s most fashionable neighborhoods and stuffed with creature comforts like full-sized BVLGARI amenities). Each room is designed to offer a truly personalized experience to guests with stocked bookshelves, in-room iPods (upon request), and a daily copy of the New York Times.
Some of the extra amenities that guests can enjoy include a nightly turndown service complete with complimentary Voss water, free daily shoeshine service and a fitness center. With all of that, you may not even make it to Madison Avenue, as you’ll be too busy enjoying what this truly romantic hotel has to offer. For additional great ideas on places to stay near Manhattan this Valentines’s Day read more from our travel advice.
No matter where you choose to spend this Valentine’s Day, make it memorable by planning something extravagant for your special someone. What is your favorite romantic hotel? Are you planning a Valentine’s Day stay?
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February 7, 2012Travel Advice: Plan Your Road Trip Right
The best road trips are the ones that involve a string of memorable events as you go from point A to point B. Experienced road trippers know that the best part of the trip has nothing to do with the destination – it’s all about the journey. So how do you make the most of your time on the road? Do you schedule every mile of the journey to make sure you’ve filled every moment of your vacation, or do you just pick a direction and start driving?Choose Your Vehicle Wisely
A good road trip starts with a good vehicle. Most of us are limited to whatever is currently sitting in the garage, but there are definitely some vehicles that are better than others for a long journey. Those large SUVs are going to look extremely tempting – they’re roomy, they sit above most of the surrounding traffic, and they’re extremely comfortable. Of course, you will blow the major portion of your budget on fuel if you go this route.
The other end of the spectrum is the small, fuel-efficient cars that will carry you from one side of a state to another with minimal gas usage. Unfortunately, this can also lead to maximum discomfort after a few hours on the road.
It is possible to find a vehicle that walks the line between these two extremes – a vehicle that offers the interior space and reasonable gas mileage that will make a trip comfortable for you and your wallet. Of course, unless you’re planning on renting a vehicle specifically for the trip, you’re going to be limited to whatever you currently own. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – you just need to be aware of the benefits and limitations of your vehicle.
The Plan
Will you plan out every stop along the trip, or will you simply head west and then turn around after you spend half of your money? There are a lot of opportunities to find hotel rooms for cheap even if you don’t call ahead, but you will be taking a lot of chances. You may find yourself sleeping in your car as often as you do a nice New York Hotel. Of course, that just might be half the fun.
Open ended road trips may lead to spending a night in a questionable neighborhood, but it could also create the opportunity to see and experience a lot of things you would otherwise miss if you are determined to stick to a pre-planned schedule. Of course, these days there are a lot of ways for road trippers to be impulsive without risking a stay at a questionable accommodation. With a good travel app and a reliable GPS you can add some adventure to your road trip without the risk of spending a night in the car.
Consider the following as a potential road trip method: choose the city or locations where you want to end up, but don’t plan your stops along the way. You don’t even have to decide on more than a couple attractions that you expect to see as you go. When you reach any given town, though, rather than just stopping in at the nearest drive-through, use your travel apps or your GPS to find something completely different. Search for something a little more generalized, like “Thai food” or “pastries” and find out what each city has to offer in these areas. You may be surprised. On top of that, the GPS will soon have you travelling through parts of the city you would have never seen if you had planned out every step of the trip.
Lodging can pose a slightly different problem, though. You need to find something that fits the budget and seems clean and safe. It only takes a little last minute research, though, and you can still discover some great accommodations that other travelers have rated well.
Whether you enjoy travelling with to specific destinations with set schedules or you prefer the kind of road trip that is open to a lot of unforeseen possibilities, just make sure you have the best tools to make the most out of your time on the road.
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January 24, 2012Technology Never Sleeps and Travels Fast
Keeping up with the technology curve can feel like a never-ending battle. It often seems like there is no way to ever get caught up. There is always something new, always something going on and always somewhere to be. The Internet is constantly growing, and most recently social media has caught everyone’s attention.
The good news is that all these new social networks and apps can seriously enhance your travels. The bad news is that with so many options out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The following are some tips on how to manage your time and social media endeavors to make the most of your travels without getting distracted by all the activity in the social sphere.
1. Avoid filter failure
It is really easy to get bogged down by trying to follow too many things, which is why filters can be your best friend. Rather than following everything on Twitter, use an outside agent like HootSuite or TweetDeck to pare it down to the essentials. There’s simply too much information out there to take it all in. Whether you are on Twitter, Facebook or Google+, filters help you get the information you need and share your news with the right people.
One of the best filters to help plan your next travel experience are the hashtags on any Twitter application. As shown above there are quite a few hash tags to get your started:
- #FlipCamFriday - This is a fun event where anyone has the chance to win a free Flip camera as they participate.
- #TravelTrivia - As the name implies, this is a great source to find and contribute to daily trivia regarding travel.
- #TMOM – This is a hashtag for the very active Travel Mom Blogger Network.
- #SATW and #TBEX are specific to the Society of American Travel Writers and the Travel Blog Exchange.
- #TravelTuesday (also sometimes used as #TT) – Similar to #FollowFriday but specifically for the travel world, every Tuesday is “Travel Tuesday,” and anyone who shares travel-related information uses the hashtag on this day.
2. Plan ahead
If you are worried about keeping up your blog schedule, many blog platforms and social networking sites will let you create posts ahead of time. If your business relies on this kind of social media presence, it can be crucial for you to plan for your time away. This way, if you have to spend time looking for hotels in Las Vegas, you won’t fall behind schedule. If you have a plan, you can create some blog posts and pre-schedule them to go out on specific dates. The same applies to other social networking platforms. Make sure you are taking advantage of all the social tools that are available.
3. Consolidate
Have you ever wished there was just one magic button that you could push to simultaneously update every one of your social networks? When you’re travelling, a lot of people will want to see a lot of updates, and you could end up spending more time blogging and updating than actually enjoying your journey while you try to keep them all happy.
Chances are you will be publishing the same thing to multiple social media sites, so rather than logging into each one separately, update them all at once with sites like OnlyWire, HelloTxt or Ping.fm. If you do this, make sure you keep your work and personal updates separate – there have been quite a few examples of people who have lost their jobs over social media and an erroneous or discourteous tweet.
4. Restrain yourself
Don’t let yourself get carried away with social media while you are travelling. It’s just too easy to get sidetracked. Have a little self-discipline and, if you can, leave it behind. If you are travelling for enjoyment, realize that the social networks will still be there when you get back. If you are travelling for business, make sure you manage your time wisely. If you have to, set a timer and allow yourself small increments of time to take care of all your networking.
5. Know your purpose
You need a clear goal when using social media. If you do not know what you are trying to accomplish, then you are simply wasting time. Think of what you’re trying to gain, and then work toward that end. Discard the things that get in your way.
Even if you travel a lot, you can still effectively manage your time online. There’s a lot going on, but with the right tools, discipline and practice, these social media applications and networks can help enhance your travels rather than bog you down with countless updates and unwanted tweets.
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January 12, 2012
The Current Travel Situation in Japan
2011 was full of uncertainty around travelling to Japan. With so many different reports coming out at different times, it was hard to know exactly when or if it was okay to visit the country in any kind of recreational capacity. For some people the question wasn’t even about safety. The question was: when is it right and appropriate to travel to a country that has suffered so much?
The triple disaster in northern Japan was the worst thing to happen to the country since World War II. It was so bad the media barely even noticed that a large volcano erupted on the southern side of the island just a couple days later. Immediately after the earthquake, the U.S. State Department issued an official warning and discouraged any unnecessary travel to the country. When news about the Fukushima nuclear plants started reaching the public, the agency also recommended that any U.S. citizens within a 50 mile radius of the plant either evacuate the area or if that wasn’t possible remain indoors as much as possible.
Eventually, of course, the State Department removed all these restrictions, but despite reassurances from the Japanese government and many businesses in the travel industry, travelers are still keeping their distance from Japan and the country is experiencing a huge drop-off in annual tourism.
Immediately After
On March 30, 2011, just 19 days after the disaster, the State Department eased the restrictions on travel to Japan. While the situation at Fukushima was still extremely serious, and aftershocks lasted for weeks, commercial flights had resumed to all the major airports except Sendai, and a lot of progress has been made to restore the infrastructure.
It didn’t take long for Tokyo public transportation to start working again, and, according to the State Department, 90% of the roads that were damaged by the quake or tsunami were quickly repaired or are at least made passable. Even the planned rolling power outages in Tokyo didn’t last very long, although the outages in the northeast areas still caused some water and food shortages.
At the time, the State Department still recommended that visitors deferred any travel to the Tokyo or Yokohama areas, while Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa regions were considered outside of the troubled area and safe to visit.
What Is The Current Situation?
In the months that followed the disaster, the world watched as the people of Japan pulled together to rebuild and try to recover something of their former lives. Despite the reports of recovery, though, foreign travelers are still staying away, and the number of visitors has dropped dramatically. The tourist industry is capable of generating significant returns for business as well as the government, and the country needs to these visitors to come back.
Japan has come a long way since the day of the triple disaster, but full recovery is still a long way off. However, the country itself is still, according to all reports, safe to visit and extremely welcoming to travellers.
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January 10, 2012Travel Personalities – Which Are You?
Have you noticed how two people can go on the exact same trip and come away with completely different experiences? No matter where we go or what we do when we get there, our individual travel personalities will influence how we view the whole experience. Understanding our personalities, then, is a great way to make sure our travel plans meet our expectations.
Travel personalities are also important when you are cruising around the world with friends and family, or you expect to meet a lot of new people along the way. People often behave differently while they are travelling than they normally would, and if you can spot the signs of these personality types, you may find it easier to interact with them in different situations.
There are many different personality types, and a spectrum of people within each type, but by understanding some of the more common traits (and where you might fit into them), you may find it easier to plan the trips that are right for you.
- The Scheduler – These are the travelers that need to know exactly what is going to happen every moment of the trip. They understand that travel time is limited, and they don’t want to let any of it go to waste.
- The Worrier – There are countless things that can go wrong on a trip, and the Worrier will plan and re-plan for every possible contingency. Of course, they also understand that they have an impossible job, and can find it hard to relax.
- The Explorer – Travelers who wants to see new things and meet new people will have difficulties with guided tours and pre-set schedules. These are the people who want to see the things “normal tourists” never will.
- The Insider – No matter where you go, this personality seems to already know everything about the culture and the people. It’s hard to say where their insider information came from, but they are very quick to share it.
- The Souvenir Hunter – The only way for these travelers to prove they’ve been somewhere is to go home with the T-shirt – or the hat, or the collectable spoon, or that strange statue carved from something resembling rock.
- The Penny Pincher – Trips are expensive, and these travelers want see going over the budget akin to leaving the clearly-marked trail. In other words, you could cause a lot of erosion and might get attacked by wile animals.
- The Anti-Planner – Much like the Explorer, the Anti-Planner believes that schedules only ruin the experience. They want to fly by the seat of their pants, rely on last minute hotel deals, and let the world surprise them.
- The Exclusives – For some travelers, only the best will do. These are the personalities who only stay in the best hotels and dine in the finest restaurants, and they enjoy having a very controlled experience.
Of course, you can mix and match a lot of these personality types, and some people will vary between extreme or moderate displays of these characteristics, but understanding where you fit into these travel personalities will help you get more out of your trips.
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December 20, 2011If Santa Stayed In a Hotel, Which Would It Be?
It’s only natural that an aged man who travels for a living would have some very particular expectations from his accommodations. After a very long night of treating everyone else in the world (literally) to some great gifts (assuming they’re on the “good” list), even Santa needs to treat himself to a relaxing stay in quality lodgings, unburdened by the needs of thousands of short, pointy-eared toy makers and letters or emails from countless demanding children.
At the end of another long, hard year, the man could decide to stay almost anywhere, depending on his mood and immediate needs. When a person travels for work, preferences can change depending on the current circumstances and any last minute hotel deals. If Mr. Claus had his choice, though, he would likely go for one of the following:
The Ritz-Carlton in New York
When all you do is give, sometimes it’s nice to do something special for yourself. The Ritz-Carlton is the epitome of style, class, and elegance, and with its incredible service, this hotel would be just the place for the man in red to leave all his concerns behind. What could be better than unwinding at the Ritz-Carlton’s modern American bistro, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows and enjoying the park views, or topping off all those cookies and milk with a world-class desert created by celebrated pastry chefs?
Grand Oasis Caribbean Resort in Cancun
Even the jolliest of old elves can only take so much snow and ice in a year. When it’s time to get away from it all, it’s time to head south and soak in enough sun to keep warm the rest of the year. The Grand Oasis is in the Cancun Hotel Zone and offers the kind of all-inclusive vacation a hard-working magical courier deserves. With a spa, a marina, a health club, outdoor pool and waterslide, there’s plenty here for him to enjoy before heading back to the cold up north.
Circus Circus Hotel in Las Vegas
You don’t take a job at the North Pole unless you really love kids. Santa may want to relax at a nice hotel, but he may also want to have some fun that appeals to his own childlike personality. Among the many extravagant hotels in Las Vegas one you can count on to be loud, bright, and fun is Circus Circus. It’s a great place for families because there are plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained, from the elevated indoor theme park to shows featuring trapeze artists and other aerialists. And don’t forget the discount hotel rates and famous Circus Buffet, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. After a hard day’s work, a man needs his food.
ICEHOTEL in Sweden
You can take a person out of the North Pole, but you can’t take the North Pole out of the person. ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi is located near Kiruna airport in Sweden, and it’s the perfect place for a good northern boy looking for a home away from home. ICEHOTEL is the world’s largest hotel made of ice and snow, and it features two restaurants, a bar and lounge, and even a sauna. This is an unbelievably unique experience for anyone who doesn’t normally reside in ice-covered countries, but for the man himself, this might just provide the kind of comfort he expects.
Check out the Holiday Hotel Specials we have going on right now.
