Travel

By Colleen Clark April 1, 2015

A good hotel, much like a good relationship, has that perfect alchemy of comfort and excitement, intrigue and indulgence. The trick is in finding your match.

Fancy a heart-pounding hike followed by a hot mud bath? California’s Calistoga Ranch may be your hotel soul mate. If frozen margaritas in a beachfront hammock are more your thing, we’d like to set you up with the Four Seasons Punta Mita in Mexico. Virginia’s Inn at Little Washington, meanwhile, sets the mood nightly with its award-winning tasting menus and wine pairings.

These are a few of the top-ranking hotels for romance, as chosen by Travel + Leisure readers in our annual World’s Best Awards survey. No. 1 on the list: Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn, where rooms appear to float above the forest floor and alfresco hot pools seem to flow into the wild Pacific. Other hotels that seduced readers provide over-the-top pampering. At Tuscany’s Ca ... Read more »

Related

Everyone knows that booking early is the only hope travelers have to avoid paying through the nose for holiday flights. This year, the price of booking at the last minute may be higher than ever.

The traditional approach to getting the best prices on holiday flights has been to book early. Based on years of data, Hipmunk. CheapAir. and other flight search sites say that travelers hoping to fly around Thanksgiving and/or Christmas will generally snag the lowest prices by closing the deal 60 to 90 days ahead of time — in late summer or the weeks after Labor Day. Fluky sales do sometimes pop up later in the fall, but for the most part, travelers can expect prices to rise steadily as flights fill up and the holidays creep closer.

While it may be true that fliers who ve booked early have gotten the best deals, the holiday flights booked thus far haven t exactly been cheap. The Wall Street ... Read more »

NEW YORK (TheStreet ) -- For most consumers a collapse of oil prices equates to lower prices for everything from the cost at the pump to the food on your table. Since fuel is the largest single component in the price of an airline ticket, would-be travelers may be wondering why ticket prices haven't fallen further.

The fact is that passengers may not see a precipitous fall in airline prices for months to come -- if at all. The reason for this apparent disconnect is most airlines can't afford to lower ticket prices due to losing huge bets they made on fuel prices months ago.

To understand this situation, we must travel back to late 2007 when the housing bubble was near its peak and oil prices spiked to all-time highs, forcing gas and jet fuel prices to skyrocket higher. The United States Oil Trust ETF (USO ) was just north of $116. These days, it's under $22 a share.

Most airline ... Read more »

Advice for All Destinations

The risks to health whilst travelling will vary between individuals and many issues need to be taken into account, e.g. activities abroad, length of stay and general health of the traveller. It is recommended that you consult with your General Practitioner or Practice Nurse 6-8 weeks in advance of travel. They will assess your particular health risks before recommending vaccines and /or antimalarial tablets. This is also a good opportunity to discuss important travel health issues including safe food and water. accidents. sun exposure and insect bites. Many of the problems experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccinations and other preventive measures need to be taken.

Measles occurs worldwide and is common in developing countries. The pre-travel consultation is a good opportunity to check that you are immune, either by previous immunisation or natural measles infection.

Ensure you are fully i ... Read more »

Getting the cheapest flights

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LAST AUGUST, Gulliver told you about the "eight-week rule" for buying airline tickets. According to Makoto Watanabe, the cheapest time to book your flight, all else being equal, is about eight weeks before you plan to leave. It's a good one-step rule. But what else should you take into account when trying to get a great deal on an expensive flight? The Wall Street Journal 's Scott McCartney has some suggestions. Bottom line: if you buy your tickets midweek (i.e. Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday), you can save a bundle. One expert, FareCompare.com's Rick Seaney, has even pinpointed an ideal time to buy: 3pm EST on Tuesday. So why do fares work this way, anyway? Here's Mr McCartney:

Though prices fluctuate frequently and the ups and downs of airline prices can frustrate and anger consu ... Read more »

Over the last 25 years we've received thousands of letters and postcards from satisfied travelers telling us how pleased they were with the free vacation guides they have received from our program. Here are excerpts from a few representative letters:

"Thank you for the fabulous vacation guides. They were very helpful in planning our trip out West."

R.N. - Maryland

"Great guides. More than we ever expected."

F.P. - Illinois

"A quick note to say thanks. We studied the brochures for weeks and planned our entire vacation to New England."

J.J. - Nevada

"I didn't realize that some of the states included full size state maps in their kits? great help in planning."

"We've used your program in the Rand McNally Road Atlas several times over the years? great to see it now on the internet also."

A. R. - Ohio

"Chock full of valuable information?exactly what we needed! THANK YOU!"

B.N. - Ca ... Read more »

Flickr/carpathiar Long Beach Airport has the cheapest average flights in the US.

Flying is expensive, but you could save a lot of money just by booking a flight into an alternate airport.

In Los Angeles? Instead of flying out of LAX (where an average flight costs $465), you may want to book a flight out of Long Beach Airport (LGB), where the average airfare costs just $216.

Cheapflights.com just released their fourth annual Airport Affordability Index, which ranks popular airports with the most affordable round-trip airfares, including tax.

California's Long Beach Airport (Daugherty Field; LGB) has the cheapest flights, with an average fare of just $216. Last year, LGB came in at the number two spot. South Carolina's Myrtle Beach Jetport (MYR) jumped to the number two spot (last year it was #42) with an average airfare of $249, and California's Fresno Air Terminal (FAT) came in at #3 with an average airfare of $ ... Read more »

Come Attend the Best Conference in Travel

Now that Expedia Inc. owns Travelocity. how much love is Expedia going to give to the Travelocity brand?

One of the key reasons that Expedia acquired Travelocity outright, after powering Travelocity.com and Travelocity.ca since signing a 2013 marketing agreement, is that while Expedia ran much of the Travelocity operation behind the scenes, Travelocity still did its own marketing and Expedia had no control over it, and little visibility into what kind of resources Travelocity would put into the marketing effort.

— dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) January 23, 2015

The Roaming Gnome joins Expediabear and Yoda in my office. #gnome pic.twitter.com/BVCwufJnLl

— dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) January 23, 2015

We absolutely intend to run the Travelocity business as a strong, independent North American brand, said Sarah Waffle Gavin, Expedi ... Read more »

Yes, we are the airfare experts, but did you know we're also your vacation experts, dedicated to finding you cheap vacations wherever you wish to travel? We'll custom make your dream holiday, stretching your dollar as far as it will go (it's a good thing we don't design clothes, we'd be using a lot of elastic.) We'll find you a vacation package that's a perfect fit for your budget and style, whether it's an all-inclusive vacation package. destination wedding, last-minute vacation. weekend getaway or long stay.

Vacations Packages From

*Prices are in CAD unless otherwise stated and subject to availability. Please refer to specific product's terms and conditions.

LOWEST AIRFARE GUARANTEE

Look here to find the lowest prices on flights to domestic and international destinations. Flight Centre's Lowest Airfare Guarantee promises you the best deals on flights within Canada and around the world. We'll beat any comparabl ... Read more »

Dreams

Bucket these beachfront hotels into all-inclusive family resorts for active broods. In Cancun, swim with the dolphins. In La Romana, bounce on an ocean trampoline. And at multiple resorts, send the tykes on their own adventures at kids clubs for ages 3-12.

Excellence

Viva Wyndham

All-inclusive FAQs

Many think that all-inclusive vacations mean crowded pools, mediocre meals and limited entertainment options. They re wrong. Today s all-inclusive vacation packages include inexpensive resorts with unlimited activities, and exclusive hideaways with championship golf courses and world-class spas.

If you ve never booked vacation packages, all-inclusive is the way to go. Learn more about all-inclusive vacation packages in these frequently asked questions:

Q: What s included in my bill?

A: Costs are spelled out in our vacatio ... Read more »

Ukraine Travel Advisor is designed to be a reliable source of practical information to plan your visit to Ukraine. Are you planning to travel Ukraine but are not sure how to get there? Would you like to know where to find the best places to stay and the most interesting things to see? We are here to help answer those questions for you.

Before you go to Ukraine.

Just browse this site.

I am not a sales person who is trying to sell you a typical travel package. Since I was born and lived in Ukraine I have spent many years traveling and experiencing this beautiful country. I have created this free on-line guide - Ukraine Travel Advisor - to benefit you in order to plan the best Ukraine trip possible. This means that all information presented here is based on my personal " lived, seen, and traveled experiences."

I hope that this approach will ... Read more »

For students studying away from home

Are you an international student studying in Canada or a Canadian student studying full-time in another province or outside of Canada?

Your government health plan may not cover all or any of your medical expenses when you are studying away from home. And while routine, basic medical services can add up quickly, emergency medical expenses can easily cost thousands of dollars. Further, most post-secondary schools require that you have a medical insurance plan before classes begin.

Thankfully, CoverMe Travel insurance for Students offers you a simple, affordable solution, protecting you against the cost of both emergency and non-emergency medical expenses.

Plan Details

Important Reminders

If you have purchased a CoverMe Travel insurance for Students plan, please review these important reminders.

Exclusions and Limitations

We know how important your pet is to you. That's why we offer a pet friendly option for travelling with your pet on Qantas.

On both Australian domestic and international flights, you must book and lodge your pet through Qantas Freight prior to commencing your travel. If you wish to travel on the same flight as your pet, you will need to confirm your pet's booking prior to making your own reservation.

Qantas Freight also offers a service for pets to travel unaccompanied. Visit the Q-GO Pets product page for further information.

Only service dogs can be carried into the passenger cabin of the aircraft.

Recent changes to Qantas' Travelling with Pets policy For all bookings ticketed on/after 1 December 2014, all passengers travelling on Qantas domestic flights within Australia will now be required to book and lodge their pet with Qantas Freight prior to commencing travel. Pets are no longer part of Qantas' free checked baggage allo ... Read more »

These families are in country now meeting their child for the first time as a result of your life-saving donations

ASTOR for Eric and Blythe SC

Eric and Blythe met in college in 2006 and soon married in 2007. While they were dating, they would talk about how they knew adoption would play a big part in our their family would grow. After their first son, Hendrix, was born in 2009, they started seriously looking into adoption and how the process of domestic adoption worked. God placed Emma Kate into their lives in 2011 and their family has never been the same! She is a spunky, loud, sweet, adorable, strong-willed little princess. When Emma Kate was 5 months old, Eric and Blythe got the surprise of their lives .they were pregnant! They had been told that they would never get pregnant on their own but it turns out that the Lord had other plans.

Bennett was born in 2012 and soon after his first birthday, Eric and Blyth ... Read more »

Be part of something big

Sabre ® technology powers one of the world’s largest industries – travel and tourism. Our systems work 24 hours a day, every day, processing more than 60,000 transactions a second at peak demand. Over the years, we have transformed and modernized the travel industry, with a history of “firsts” that paved the way for online travel agencies, corporate booking tools, revenue management, and web and mobile itinerary tools, to name a few.

And we’re still blazing a trail by investing hundreds of millions of dollars each year in research and development to create the next generation of e-commerce and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions for travel agencies, corporations, travelers, airlines, hotels, car, rail, cruise and tour operator companies.

And while technology is at our core, we also hire the best in all of the disciplines it takes to run a highly-respected company, from marketing and customer service to fin ... Read more »

Insurance options

Account type: Travel

Annual multi-trip travel insurance

Choose the level of cover you want, and the area of the world you want to visit, as well as any extras you might need. Then relax you're covered for any trips you take throughout the year.

Single trip travel insurance

Extended trip travel insurance

Insurances no longer available via Barclays

Barclays Income Insurance is no longer on sale. If you already hold this insurance, you can find out more at Income Insurance.

Over 50s Life Assurance from Aviva is no longer on sale. If you already hold this insurance, you can find out more at Over 50s Life Assurance.

Barclays Car Insurance is no longer on sale. If you already hold this insurance, you can find out at Car insurance.

Personal Accident Insurance from Aviva is no longer available. If you already have this insurance, you can find out more on ... Read more »

The move puts most US and global travel market in just a few hands.

Greg Sterling on January 23, 2015 at 10:26 am

Sluggish travel industry growth and pressure from insurgent travel providers have prompted Expedia to buy competitor Travelocity. The Wall Street Journal reports the deal is worth $280 million.

The US online travel market is largely controlled by four companies: Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline and Orbitz. Contending with the same pressures and slowing growth, Orbitz is exploring a sale to private equity or perhaps even Google. (Microsoft created Expedia in the late 90s and spun it out.)

Google several years ago bought ITA software, which powers the reservations systems of many airlines and travel sites. A Google acquisition of Orbitz would probably be blocked by regulators. It s unclear if regulators will try and prevent the Travelocity acquisition though probably n ... Read more »

Enquire-now

Thailand Holiday Package

Start your holiday with spectacular scenery, stunning tropical sunsets and warm blue sea awaits you at Asia s most popular beach destination. Phuket and Phi Phi Island provide an unbeatable combination of perfect silky soft white palm-lined beaches, superb hospitality and great value accommodation in Thailand.

Package dates

• Throughout 2015

Package includes        

• Return flights from Johannesburg
• Return airport transfers
• 5 nights at 3-star Sunset Beach Resort, Phuket (or similar)
• 2 nights at the Bayview Resort on Phi Phi Island (or similar)
• Delicious breakfast daily
• Return ferry from Phuket to Ph ... Read more »

Check-in / check-out

• Earliest check-in: 14:00
• Latest check-out: 10:00

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Our bed rates are excluding breakfast and 5% city tax. Starting from January 2013 the city tax will be 5.5%

Your reservation is guaranteed with valid credit card details. We check the validity of your card by trying to get an authorization 7 days prior to arrival. This means we will freeze the costs of the first night on your card. If authorization cannot be obtained, we will contact you right away. If we do not receive a reaction from you, when we did not get authorization for your credit card, then your reservation cannot be guaranteed.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Guests can cancel their reservation free of charge up to 2 days before arrival. Payments made to HostelBookers are non-refundable.

TAX POLICY (PAYABLE TO PROPERTY)

Local Tax 5.50%

DIREC ... Read more »

Travel around Europe by Train

If you intend to travel around Europe by train, then you should define your plans. Which countries will you visit? How long will it take to travel? Do you want to thoroughly explore one country or wish to see many of them? Only having answers to these questions, you can choose the most appropriate ticket.

Travel tickets for everybody

There are train tickets for different expiration periods (for 3, 5, 6, 7, 14 days with unlimited number of trips). They are also divided depending on how many countries you want to visit. The exact price of tickets can easily be found on different sites online.

There are also other practical offers for travelers. For example some companies offer tickets which allow you to travel by train in the 21 European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland. France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherla ... Read more »

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Auctions

WCNY Auctions

TelAuc and Travel Auctions features fabulous merchandise, services and trips from local and international vendors, a terrific crew of hundreds of donors and volunteers, and on-air participation by public figures from throughout Central New York.

Both also provide a unique marketing opportunity for businesses to donate their goods and services for televised airtime. While viewers get great deals on quality trips, items and services, WCNY receives much-needed revenue to educate, entertain and inspire.

WCNY thanks our sponsors, donors, buyers and volunteers for supporting TelAuc, the Great TV Auction! Your generosity helped generate important revenue for our Public Media company.

Coming soon… more items to bid on and buy. Check back for detailed information or contact Sara Strong, strong@wcny.org .

These days, with money so tight my trip planning process always starts with a hunt for a deal. I'll bet you have your favorite websites to check first for flight specials. George Hobica hopes one of them is AirfareWatchdog.com. He founded that site 15 years ago to help connect travelers on a budget with the best airline buys. George joins us to talk travel deals and answer some of your trip planning questions.

Is it easier or harder to get an amazing discount on a flight now compared to 15 years ago?

"The reason we started AifareWatchdog was because it was easier to find fares if you knew where to look. What happened was when there were more airlines, there was more competition. We would see many unadvertised airfare wars, where some fares would go down to $88 roundtrip coast to coast. Delta would attack Northwest, Northwest would attack Delta. Of course, now they are the same airline, so that doesn't happen so much," says Hob ... Read more »

Visit your local MWR Tickets and Travel office, located at 9230 Marne Road, next to the Fort Benning Commissary. They offer travel and cruise packages for all budget and adventure needs. A professional travel agent will help you find the right one for you!

Tickets and Travel will continue to offer discounted local, regional, and national attraction tickets. This is a savings of 10%-50% off regular priced tickets.

Tickets and Travel is currently offering a Fort Benning Discount Offer at the Springer Opera House. Contact our office for further details and prices.

The AFVC is a Space-A vacation condominium rental program developed to benefit members and employees of the U.S. Uniformed Services, National Guard and Reserves.

Condos at privately owned resorts normally sit empty when the owners aren t using them. AFVC makes them available to eligible individuals for a flat rate of $329 per week.

Installation Family and MWR program ... Read more »

Where to Purchase

Travel can be booked however you deem fit, through a travel agency, directly with an airline, or an online agency of your choice. Effective 06/07/12 Airfare no longer must be purchased through a contract travel agency or directly with the airline. The contract is available for use as a convenience:

Benefits of State Contract Airfares

• refundable and no advance purchase, minimum stay or penalties; Learn more
• review list of Alaska contract airfares (effective July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2015)
• review list of SouthWest contract airfares ( effective Oct 1,2013- Sep 30,2015)

Guidelines

• provide YCAWA as fare basis code during purchase
• may only use a UW individual travel card or CTA to purchase contract airfare
• can not purchase contract airfare using personal credit card
• listed by city pair and specific contract airline for one-w ... Read more »

Start your Annual Membership Today

$150 per Travel Advisor

* This rate is per individual travel advisor allowing you to create your own personal profile and speciality. Travel advisors who sell packaged or custom adventure travel tours will qualify for the travel advisor member rate. All advisors need to supply an accreditation number issued from an accredited organizations such as IATA, ARC, TRUE and CLIA.

ATTA membership helps educate you on what destinations have to offer, introduces you to tour operators, accommodations and activities available for your clients. Our goal is to help you grow, provide educational resources, and creates awareness of what is happening in the industry. Additionally, your investment in the ATTA helps us to pursue initiatives to drive industry-wide growth and responsible travel practices.

Membership benefits include:

Networking

Access to ATTA’s Member Communit ... Read more »

Ticket and travel news appears here throughout the season

TICKETS SOLD ONLINE FOR HOME GAMES ARE FOR BORO FANS ONLY. THERE ARE NO SEATS SOLD ONLINE TO OPPOSITION FANS ATTENDING THE RIVERSIDE. AWAY FANS FOUND IN THE RIVERSIDE'S HOME AREAS WILL BE EJECTED WITHOUT A REFUND FOR THEIR TICKET.

Your guide on how to activate your card or buy a ticket for a Boro home match.

Activating your Boro Pride card or buying a ticket is now easier than ever using the MFC Online Ticket Office. Activating your Season Card for home cup-ties is equally straightforward. It takes a matter of minutes.

Seats can be booked online 24-hours a day by visiting our Online Ticket Office up to two hours before kick-off.

The system is designed to talk first time users through in an easy-to-follow fashion, while a list of Frequently Asked Questions provides the answers to anything you need to know.

Season Cards (for home cup-ties) and Boro Pride card ... Read more »

Consumer Complaints Reviews

I called the phone number that I thought was a hotel in Telluride, Colorado, Telluride Mountainside Inn. It turned out to be through Expedia and then turned out to be Travelnow. I spoke with a man who spoke perfect English and was getting prices. He said he could get the best price for me and to please go through him as he would get a commission. I told him that there was a 50/50 chance I may have to cancel as my husband was still awaiting word from his boss about one more day off of work. This man assured me 4 times over the phone that if I canceled before 6 PM on August 20th that I would get a full refund.

I asked them 4 times to make sure. He said he would be sending me an email with everything that I needed to know including directions to the hotel. Then the email came and I just skimmed it. The next day, so within 24 hours, I had to cancel and when I did I noticed on my bank statement that I was ... Read more »

Students - Put your ID Card to good use Take the Train

InterCity Tickets

Students can purchase great value single or return tickets from our stations or online through our journey planner above. Go to our fares section to view all of our fantastic student fares.

ID Card Requirements

Students can avail of these fares by presenting one of the following forms of valid identification:

Terms and Conditions

• College ID cards which have no expiry date but have an issue date are valid for 4 years from date of issue. Students who are still in college after the 4 years have expired will need to apply for a Student Travelcard
• Second level students can avail of these fares if they are in possession of a personalised official Second Level ID card with an expiry date or a date of birth, where a date of birth is the only indication of validity the student must be 18 years or younge ... Read more »

By Rick Steves

How much would you pay for train tickets if you didn t buy a rail pass? These maps are your best tool for quickly getting a fairly accurate estimate of how much it d cost to just pay for separate tickets for each leg of your itinerary.

Connect the dots and add up the fares to get an approximate cost for your tickets. Don t worry if one of your destinations isn t shown on any of these maps: Ticket prices are mostly based on distance, so you can estimate fares. For example, if you re going to Italy s Orvieto, about halfway between Florence and Rome, it s safe to assume the train fare to Orvieto from Florence or Rome is about half the total shown for the whole Florence Rome stretch.

These maps show point-to-point, one-way, second-class train fares in $US. Add up fares for your itinerary to see whether a rail pass will save you money.

For first-class fares. add 50 percent. Buses (dashed li ... Read more »

Get directions

“Closer to the wedding date, Jay also assisted us with planning off-site activities for us and our guests.” in 7 reviews

“Just got back from a marvelous vacation to London, Lyon and Paris, all put together by Ryan at Sunset Travel.” in 5 reviews

Recommended Reviews

Ryan from Sunset Travel came through for my girlfriend and me.  He hooked us up with a fantastic vacation to Mexico on short notice - all over the phone, just a couple conversations and a few emails.  I m already stoked to book the next one with him.

Just got back from a marvelous vacation to London, Lyon and Paris, all put together by Ryan at Sunset Travel. He worked with me to find the right hotels and put together all the train travel, which went off without a hitch - the vendor he used, Avanti, was very reliable and professional - the only glitch was booking us on the mil ... Read more »

The Internet has revolutionized personal travel research. Much more comfortable with computers than perception might dictate, mature travelers of both sexes love to research their own vacation themes, destinations, alternative accommodations, and tour operators. They may still book through a travel agent. but they want to have a lot more input into the eventual mix than in the far more predictable planning for a conventional, mainstream holiday. Senior Travel Editor Alison Gardner

About.com. SeniorTravel.About.com. offers useful articles and resources for senior travelers.

Arthur Frommer s Budget Travel Online. www.frommers.com. Features a section on senior travel with articles and Web links.

Connecting, Solo Travel News. 689 Park Road, Unit 6, Gibsons, BC V0N 1V7, Canada; 604-886-9099, fax 604-608-2139; info@cstn.org. www.cstn.org. With its slogan Travel Alone Not Lonely, CSTN offers ... Read more »

Not going to keep you in suspense on the cheapest days to fly, but read the entire article because it includes other money-saving tips.

Cheapest Days of the Week

Keep this in mind every time you shop for airfare.

• These are usually to the cheapest days to fly: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays.

Now that we ve got that out of the way, it s useful to know why they re cheap.

What Makes These Days Cheap

No one wants to fly on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Saturdays (or not many). However, airlines still have to fill their planes especially those increasingly rare empty middle seats and they do this by enticing passengers with better deals.

Airfare Sales and Cheap Days

You see these better deals all the time in sales featured on FareCompare s Deals Blog. You will also note that many of these sales feature restrictions like, Fly Tuesdays and We ... Read more »

Visit this guy, for cheaper than ever before. Image via Wikipedia

Yes, you can travel on the cheap. And no, you won’t need to go in hurricane season, hoard frequent flier miles, book at a hostel, or face those near-$5 gas prices .

With the economy on the cusp of recovery, consumers are finally fulfilling their wanderlust.

According to a recent report. fifty-three percent of consumers plan to travel more in 2012 than 2011—an 18 percentage point increase from 2011— despite a lack of confidence in the economy. Additionally, two-thirds of travel-bound consumers plan to increase their travel budgets. However you don’t have to spend more to make your vacation worthwhile; this year, it’s all about alternative destinations and cool search tools to save more money.

These tips for scoring travel deals will get you from office cubicle to beachside cabana without waiting on that tax return. Get ready to choose-your-own-adventure at ... Read more »