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Planning Your Vacation Activities

There’s times when you don’t want to do much on vacation other than sit by the pool. Other times, you may really want to get out and about a bit and discover some of the local area. Here’s a few tips:

Plan ahead
Popular vacation attractions can get busy quickly.  Some may require reservations months in advance before you even start your vacation.  Make sure to do your research and find out how far in advance you need to get tickets or make reservations.  Some vacation attractions only allow a set number of visitors each day.  Some are only open certain days of the week.  You can never start planning too early.  For example, in New Zealand during peak tourist season, you may have to make reservations a day or two in advance for the Shotover Jet, a wild jet boat ride through the slot canyons of the south island.  In Washington DC, you need to reserve almost two months in advance, just to go to the top of the Washington Monument.

Go early
If it’s a major vacation attraction, you should go early.  Going early allows you to tour the place before the crowds descend later in the morning.  Going early can allow you to take your time, not feel rushed and also get some good photos without 100s of people wandering around and getting in your way.  Plus, in warm weather climates, you can beat the heat.

Read up
If you’re planning on an all day visit to a large tourist spot, read up on it before you leave home.  That way, you’ll make sure to plan your visit to see the things you want to see.  At the Louvre in Paris, you could spend a week and not see the entire place.  If you have 3 hours, you certainly want to make sure you see the main things you have an interest in.  We went to Pompeii a few years ago and we could have spent a week or two there if we wanted to really see everything.  Instead, we had a half a day.  We mapped out the things we really wanted to see and hired a guide.  It made all the difference.

Talk to your hotel concierge.
If you like being spontaneous or just had a change in plans, ask your hotel concierge to help you plan your vacation activities.  Most good concierges have connections or alternate resources to help you plan what you want.  We’ve done this from time to time and it’s worked out very well.  For instance, you may have planned sitting by the pool all day, but what are you going to do if it all of a sudden decides to rain?  A good hotel concierge will be very knowledgeable about the area.  Once you tell them your interests, they should be able to easily arrange something for you.

Festivals & Events.
Before you leave, check your destination for certain festivals and events that may be happening during your stay.  Whether they’re well known or not, it might be a great way to spend a day doing something unexpected or relatively unknown.  On a recent trip to Thailand, we discovered a “New Moon” party on a nearby island.  Luckily a hotel employee overheard us talking about things to do and mentioned it to us.

Car rental and other transportation options

If you’re traveling inside North America, car rental is probably a no brainer if you’re going to be traveling some distance from your destination.  In other countries, you may have many more transportation options than what you’re used to in the US.  We’ll give you some tips and ideas no matter what choice of transportation you decide to make.

Car Rental

There’s no question that with a car, you ‘ll be able to experience more at your own pace, without being constrained by schedules. You’ll also be able to go off on various adventures where other transportation doesn’t go. But don’t underestimate public transportation in other countries.  Europe has some of the best public transportation options around.  Developed Asian countries do as well. The first thing you need to ask yourself is if you really need a rental car.

Many of the popular US car rental firms, do business overseas.  Avis, National (Europcar), Thrifty, Dollar and Hertz can be found in most major cities.  Another company based in Europe is Sixt. Rental cars tend to be much more expensive overseas.  And, you’ll need insurance.  Not only collision insurance, but also theft and probably personal effects coverage.  A GPS is also a good idea. (Remember using GPS on your phone overseas is going to consume mountains of data leading to a huge wireless bill.)  Fuel is considerably more expensive than in the US, plus many more roads are toll roads. Parking charges in major cities can be horrendous, that is if you can find a place to park.

Here’s some tips:

Is your drivers license sufficient?
Most EU countries accept your US or Canadian drivers licenses as is.  In most other countries, you may need an International Driving Permit (IDP).  You can get an IDP from either your local AAA or CAA office.  The IDP is not a replacement for your license, but should be carried along with it.  Check with your rental company to see if one is required for the country you are renting a car from.

Make sure you have insurance coverage.
Don’t assume that your regular auto insurance company or credit card company will cover damage to cars rented outside of North America. Make sure you check before leaving home.  With the high rate of automobile break-in’s and thefts in other countries, you may also want to consider personal affects coverage (PAI).  If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, it may include car rental coverage in foreign countries.

Check insurance coverage from the rental car company (CDW)
Insurance coverage on overseas car rentals varies from what you may be used to in North America.  Most companies offer various tiers of coverage that reduce the amount of financial responsibility you will have if you get in an accident.  The less financial responsibility you want means the more you’ll pay.  Be careful as some rental car companies won’t let you get away with total non-responsibility.

Check on driving restrictions for your rental
Rental companies in Europe may have different age restrictions than rental car companies in the US.  Also, don’t assume that you can take your rental car out of the country you’re visiting.  Many rental companies restrict where rental cars can be taken, including some areas within the country you’re in.  If you’re planning on taking your rental car to another country, make sure you have any needed paperwork for the other country.

Can you get lower rates if you “prepay”?
By prepaying your rental, you may not only save on the base rate, but you may get a discount on many of the add-ons as well, such as insurance coverage and GPS.  If you know that the chances of you not going on your trip are slim, it may be worth it for the additional savings.

Get a complete list of charges due at the end of the rental
Before signing on the dotted line, you should make sure you have a complete detailed list of all charges that will be due at the end of the rental.  Beyond the basics, there may be other fees or taxes that you haven’t thought about.  Remember that taxes and fees in foreign countries can be quite large. Finding this out before hand will allow you to make changes before you rent.

Research the type of car your renting
Most cars at rental agencies in foreign countries have manual transmissions standard.  Automatic transmission cars can be significantly more expensive.  Car sizes are also much smaller than in the US, which means a lot less space for luggage.  Before renting, do your research on the car you’re thinking about renting.  Just because the rental agency says it will fit 2 people and 4 bags, doesn’t mean it will.

Plan your basic route before you leave home.
Don’t count on getting a detailed map of the entire country free from the rental agency.  You should buy a road map for the area of the country your visiting before you leave home.  Michelin, has great road maps of most countries.  These are very detailed (which you’ll need in Europe, if not Asia) and often cover just a small portion of the country your visiting.  You can also try to use Google Maps and print directions before leaving home.  Getting a GPS with your rental is probably the best option, but note that many of the rental companies in Europe have a limited supply available.  You should make sure they can confirm a GPS with your reservation.  Just indicating you want one without checking, doesn’t mean you’ll get one.

Toll roads and fuel
Toll roads in Europe, Asia and South America are much more prevalent than in the US.  Tolls can be quite expensive for just a short distance.  If you want to see how many toll roads you may be using while in Europe, you can check this website. Fuel costs in Europe or Asia can be 2-4x what they are in the US.  Also, fuel stations are much less prevalent than in the US.  You should make sure to refuel before leaving medium to large size cities as your next chance may be a ways a way.

Check the rental car before leaving the rental agency
Before you leave the rental agency, make sure to check your car thoroughly for any dents, dings or damage.  You should make sure that the rental representative acknowledges the damage on your rental form before you leave.  It may be also worthwhile to document the damage with photos from your camera or phone.  It’s also a good idea to check, so you can make sure that everything on the car is in working order.

 Are you ready for the stress?
If you think driving in downtown Manhattan or the 405 in Los Angeles is stressful and time consuming, wait till you try to drive in a large foreign city.  Streets can be very poorly maintained, as well as poorly marked.  Traffic can be unbearable at all times of day, not just during “rush hour”.  Parking availability on streets is almost non-existent.  If you get in an accident, will the local police speak English?  Do you know how to read foreign road signs?  Do you know the foreign “rules of the road”?  Many laws and regulations for traffic differ widely from what you may be used to in North America.

Car Services/Guides

If you’re going to be in a city or area for a few days, consider hiring a car service or guide.  These can be expensive, but again if you’re traveling with a group, the price can be very reasonable.  An advantage of a car service/guide, is that it will be more than just a ride from place to place.  You’ll also have someone who knows the area and give you great advice on where to go and what to see.  You can find reputable car services in various travel guides and major travel websites.  Car services can add an extra level of safety and security.  They usually speak most major languages (German, English, Spanish, Italian) and offer continuity as you’ll deal with the same person you’re entire trip.

We’ve used car services/guides extensively in Italy, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea.  They’re very adept at driving “challenging” roads, can take you to places off the beaten path, share their local knowledge and history of a location, plus you have a built in translator whenever you make a stop.  We usually try to make arrangements with car services and guides a month or two before we leave for our destination.  Like anyone who is good at what they do, they book up fast.  If you arrive at your destination and decide you want a car service or guide, check with your hotel’s concierge.  We’ve done that for last-minute day trips and it’s worked out well.

Trains

Traveling by train can be very easy and efficient in most countries.  It’s also a great way to see the countryside, while leaving the stress of driving behind.  For many major destinations, you’ll have the ability to take “express”trains.  Express trains make less stops, reducing travel time.  Regular trains are nice as well, as it gives you a chance to see more of the countryside.  With it’s more frequent stops, you can hop off the train if a place looks interesting, explore it for an hour or two and then hop on the next train that comes through.  It’s a great way to make your travel more spontaneous and less structured.

Trains in Europe and Asia tend to run on very precise time tables.  While the occasional delay may occur, you’re wise to be ready to board the train and the exact time of departure.  Even being just a minute or two late can mean that you’ll be waiting for the next train.  Also, on some trains, storage is extremely limited, so pack wisely.  Unless you’re planning on buying snacks on board, you should also plan on bringing food along.  For routes that have frequent trains, you can hop off in a town, run to the bakery and meat shop to grab supplies for lunch and hop back on the next train a few minutes later and continue your journey.

Here are just a few of the different types of trains in other countries:

Urban trains
Urban trains usually run throughout a large metropolitan area.  These types of trains are similar to the “L” in Chicago or CalTrain in the Bay Area.  Most urban trains give you easy access to far-flung suburban areas, as well as around large city centers.

Regional Trains
Regional trains go beyond a local city.  Sometimes they can cover an area such as a country, province, canton or even multiple numbers of those.

National Trains
National trains, as the name implies, usually cover most major cities within a specific country, but may not stop in smaller cities along the route.

Night or Scenic Trains
These type of trains usually cover longer distances with fewer stops.  Night trains usually have sleeping cars, which you can reserve so you can arrive refreshed and relaxed at your destination the following morning.  By traveling at night, you’ll also be able to travel while sleeping and be ready to go right away the next day in your new destination.  You should be aware that most sleeping cabins on trains are shared.  So, if you’re a light sleeper, you may want to think about a private cabin.  Scenic trains usually have special cars (think glass top coaches and railcars with larger windows) to experience the scenery as you travel throughout a single or multiple countries.

High Speed/Bullet Trains
These trains generally cover long distances at very high speeds (220 mph +) with minimal stops.  When you need to go a long distance in a very short amount of time, this can be a great option to minimize travel time.

While train fares have increased in the past few years, they still can save you money and time over airlines and rental cars.  The best place to start looking for train tickets is Rail Europe.  Rail Europe offers multiple different kinds of passes for single or multi-country travel.  The longer the pass, the more you save.  If you’re primarily staying in one country, you can also check websites for trains that serve that specific country.  For some special trains or high traveled routes, you may have to pay a supplement, in addition to the price of your rail pass.  For popular trains and routes, you may have to make advance reservations to ensure you have a seat.  The same goes for overnight trains, especially during peak periods.

The quality of trains vary widely from country to country.  A few years ago, we took an overnight train from Germany to Denmark.  While the sleeping cars were OK, they were old and pretty worn.  The A/C and heat didn’t work very well.  Also, the “bedding” provided was minimal.  By contrast, we took an overnight train in Vietnam and while the sleeping car was a bit dated, the sleeping compartment was very clean and everything was in very good working order.

In most countries, you can choose between First and Second Class.  Sometimes, there’s barely any perceptable difference.  In others, there’s a huge difference.  If you can tolerate the price variance and will be traveling extensively by train, it may be well worth the upgrade.  You’ll usually have a much more modern car, in cabin service and much more comfortable (a.k.a “padded”) seating.  While many countries have made great strides in upgrading their train cars, you’ll find trains in the Nordic countries tend to be the best, as well as the high speed/bullet trains.

Urban trains are convenient for traveling within a large metropolitan area.  Many cities offer discounts to tourists who choose to use public transportation.  Many of them sell “combination” tickets that allow you to also use city buses, trams and urban rail on the same ticket.  Some also offer short “stop-overs” that let you get off for a certain amount of time, hop back on, yet still have it be considered one journey or one ticket.  Check the official website of your destination city for their public transportation offerings.

Ferries

If you’re traveling somewhere where there are large bodies of water, ferries make a very convenient and fast form of transportation. People don’t ordinarily think of ferries, but there are many that not only link local areas, but also countries as well. In Europe, some passenger trains are actually loaded on to ferries for part of their journey. In Greece, ferries are used to link many close-by islands. In Sweden, you can use a ferry to travel to several other countries. Even if you’re renting a car, you may have a need for a ferry. One example is when you’re traveling in New Zealand and need to go from the North to the South island or vice versa.

Many of the basics that apply to trains, apply to ferries as well. Some ferries are very short, while others have sleeping cabins for longer journeys. Some ferry routes also utilize different types of boats. You can take a regular ferry or in some cases a hydrofoil or jet boat. The latter can cut your travel time in half, but are often more expensive. You should check out your destination to see if they offer ferry service. It could open up a whole new transportation or destination alternative.

Before you book your ferry trip, you should check the ferry operators safety record. As you see in the news from time to time, ferry disasters are much more common than on other modes of transportation. You should be especially vigilant with ferries in third world or underdeveloped countries.

Subways

Subway systems can be found in many major urban cities.  From the MRT in Singapore to the “tube” in London, these transportation systems make it easy to get around the city.  Just like urban trains, many cities offer discounts to tourists to use subway transportation.  It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the subway maps before you leave on your vacation.  You can usually print a pocket sized map from the internet or purchase a map online. Many subway systems also offer their maps and timetables in Smartphone versions, so you can always have it with you. This advance planning will save you time once you arrive at your destination.

Many cities now have subway routes to major airports.  Many of these trains have special cars that have places to store your luggage while on the train. This can be a huge savings over taxi fare or other transportation methods.  Check your arrival airports transportation section to see if they offer subway or train service into the city. Two examples are the Heathrow Express in London and the KLIA in Kuala Lampur.  The KLIA offers an additional valet service, where someone will take care of your luggage once you clear customs, put it on the train for you and then a car will meet you at the train station in the city and take you to your hotel or final destination.

Taxis

Taxis and car services can be one of the most expensive forms of transportation in any country.  That is, unless you’re traveling with others.  In this case, it could be much more economical than other forms of transportation. For short hops, taxi’s make sense.  They’re convenient, easy and can take you door-to-door.  Here are some thoughts:

Agree on the fare
Before you leave your hotel, make sure you agree on the fare to your destination.  Fare disputes arise more often than not and in a foreign country, misunderstandings are frequent.  The last thing you want is to be hassling with a cab driver at your destination or worse, talking to the police.

The shortest route
Ask your cab driver to take the shortest route possible.  If you feel they may not understand you, ask the doorman or concierge from the hotel to communicate that to the driver for you.  It could save you tons of cash.

Return trip?
If you’re going to a destination where it may be difficult to get a cab, ask your cab driver if they can come back and pick you up at a certain time.  If you aren’t sure when you’ll be returning, ask your cab driver for his mobile phone.  In many foreign countries, cab drivers like the idea of having a guaranteed “customer” and will happily offer up their card with their mobile number.

Start that meter
Make sure your driver starts the meter when you get in the cab.  While there’s always the possibility that meters may not be “accurate”, it will at least allow you to keep an eye on the charges that you’re racking up.

Play it safe
If you feel uncomfortable with a driver when you enter a cab, don’t go.  Get out and wait for another cab.  If you’re traveling alone, be extra careful.  Stay aware during your ride.  Put down your wireless phone and pay attention.  If you’re distracted, you can soon realize you’re somewhere you don’t want to be.  It’s a good idea to have the local emergency number programmed into your phone before you leave.  Also, if you’re catching a taxi at a hotel, let the concierge, bellhop or desk clerk know where you’re going and when to expect you back.

Make it official
Before you leave for your destination, research what “official cab companies” cars look like as well as their company names are.  Beware of hawkers at the airport offering extraordinary cheap rides.  You’re best bet is to go the transportation counter at the airport or arrange for a ride before you leave home directly with the hotel you’ll be staying at or the cab company itself.

Language barriers
If you’re in a foreign country where English is not the primary language or you don’t speak the local language, it’s a good idea to have your hotel concierge give you a card with your hotel’s name on it for your return journey.  Have your hotel doorman or concierge explain to the driver where it is you want to go, to avoid any misunderstanding.  We were in South Korea once where cab drivers speaking English were a rarity.  We had the hotel concierge give us a few of their cards with their address in Korean, so we knew we’d always get back to the right place.  Never assume your driver will recognize the hotel name.  During that same trip, we learned that the hotel was known by Sofitel to foreign travelers, but a completely different name to South Koreans.



 

 

Tips to find the perfect hotel or vacation rental

Trying to find the perfect hotel or vacation rental to spend your holiday can be time consuming and frustrating.  But, the result can be worth the time spent.  We’ve put together some tips to help you find the perfect hotel or vacation rental to make your vacation memorable.

Consider these things before you begin your hotel or vacation rental search

How much do you want to spend per night? 
Determining what your budget per night is, will immediately help filter your possibilities.  If you think you’re budget may be too small to stay in the places you’d like to stay in, there are other things you can consider.  If you’re traveling with friends,  think about staying together and splitting the cost of a better hotel room.  Remember, that it means potentially sharing a bathroom and giving up some privacy, but your budget will go farther.  If your travel dates are flexible, you may be able to save on hotels by traveling “off-season”.

Location, location, location.
Think about things you’ll be doing while you’re at your destination.  Location is important.  You really need to take into account where you’ll spend most of your time and how close do you really need to be to that area.  Rates will be higher the closer you are to prime areas. You’ll pay much more in Times Square in NYC, than you might closer to Battery Park and Wall Street. If your destination has good transportation options, being close to where you’ll spend most of your time can be less important if you can get there easily and quickly. In New York City, there aren’t many places you can’t reach in Manhattan by cab in 15-25 minutes, as long as your not going during rush hour. In Europe, you can often stay away from the city center, yet be within 10 minutes or so by train.

Are you open to staying in places other than hotels?
For those traveling on an extremely small budget, hostels can be a great alternative.  You can also consider renting apartments or homes, if you’re going to be in one destination for a longer period of time or traveling in a large group.  When we travel to Europe, we almost always rent an apartment or a house.  In London for example, we can rent a very nice, albeit small apartment in a great neighborhood for 20-40% less than a mid-range hotel.  Plus, we it’s a lot more fun to be in a neighborhood and live like a local.  Another great thing to consider is a home stay, where you can stay with a local family.  It’s a great way to learn about the culture, as well as pick up a few language pointers

How much time will you be spending in the hotel each day?
If you’re going to be out and about all day and really not spending much time in your room, then look for hotels without a lot of amenities.  You really won’t be using them, so why pay for them?  Now, if you’ll be spending lots of time in the hotel, (think beach resort), then you definitely may want to consider spending a bit more money for added comfort, luxury and amenities.

Finding the best type of place to stay on your vacation

When we think about picking a place to stay, we let the type of trip where taking lead us in the right direction. If we’re staying in the same place for a week or traveling with a group of friends, then renting a home may make more sense. Or, if we’re passing through a big city just for one night, we may opt for just a chain hotel. Consider these options as you consider where to stay:

Large Chain Hotel & Resorts
We usually avoid these like the plague. If you’re going to travel to another country, do you really want to stay in a Marriott in Frankfurt that looks just the Marriott in Omaha?  Some people prefer the “familiarity” of chain hotels. And chain hotels can work well if you’re just passing through a major city.  They’re usually close to airports, train stations and easily accessible locations. They’ll also have a lot amenities such as on-site restaurants, laundry facilities, pools, etc.  If you’re part of hotel loyalty program, it’s an easy way to cut the cost of your vacation by using your points to pay for a stay.

Depending on the location, staying at a large hotel chain could pose a security risk.  In some foreign cities, these hotels with “highly recognizable names” can become terrorist targets.

Small Chain/Boutique Hotels & Resorts
Our preference is to stay at small chain or independent boutique hotels.  They offer a more local and friendly experience than the large chains.  Service tends to be much more personal as these hotels are smaller and have a fewer number of guests.  These types of hotels usually have better locations, because they can be located where “large building” hotels aren’t allowed.  An advantage is you’ll also be a bit more away from the “tourist herd” and have much different experience at your destination.

Rental Houses & Apartments
If you’re going to be in one destination for a long period of time, you should consider house or apartment rental.  While most have a minimum stay of a week, you can occasionally find those that will rent for 3 days or more.  It’s a great way to save money if you’re traveling with a group of friends.  You’ll also be part of the “neighborhood” where you can enjoy local cafe’s, restaurants and shops that other visitors would not get to experience.

Homestays
If you really want to “live like a local” and are going for an extended stay to a destination, you should also consider a homestay. With a homestay, you’ll actually live with a local family.  While this is usually extremely popular with foreign exchange students, the concept has expanded to just about any traveler who will be staying somewhere for a month or more.  Homestays give you the best chance to immerse yourself in a culture, see how the people live and work, plus it’s a great way to quickly learn a language.  A friend of ours did a homestay in Guatemala last year for a month, to learn Spanish.  She said it was an experience that changed her life.

Check hotel ratings from guests before making your selection

Check a variety of hotel rating sites before you make your decision to book. Ratings vary from website to website.You can look up one hotel on Orbitz and it’s 5 star, yet on every other website it’s 3 star.What do you do?

With a little simple research, you can get a good feel for what a place is really like.The easiest way is to Google the hotel name along with the word “review” and “rating”.That should give you a quick list of sites that rank the hotel, along with comments from guests.You can then make your own conclusion as to which rating is probably the right one.

We prefer TripAdvisor.We’ve found the ratings to be almost always spot on.Of course, you do have to use some discretion if there are only a couple of reviews.You may also have to “throw out” a those reviews that are “out of whack” with the others.You’re never going to please all of the people all of the time.

Another thing we look for when checking hotels on TripAdvisor is hotels that actually respond to reviewers comments.If they take the time to read their own reviews and take feedback, that’s a fairly good sign that they’re concerned about providing a great experience to their customers.

Finding the best hotel rates and deals

Finding the best hotel rates and dealsl when looking for a place to stay on vacation can be challenging.  While many hotel and booking websites offer “The Best or Lowest Rate Guarantee”, that’s not always the case.  If you read the fine print, most say the guarantee is for rates available on any “publicly available” website.  So, what about “private, members only” websites or “unpublished” rates?  It pays to do your research before you book a stay.  

Here are some tips we use to make sure we always find the best hotel rates and deals out there. 

Where should you start your search?
A great place to start your search is Kayak and TripAdvisor.  Kayak can quickly and easily scour hotel rates for a destination in seconds, while giving you options to simultaneously conduct the same search on Expedia, Orbitz and host of other travel websites.  TravelAdvisor recently added a feature that once you pick a destination, you can do a single search for rates among it’s top rated hotels.  Starting there will give you a good idea of price ranges for your dates of travel and help you start narrowing the list of potential candidates.

While some boutique and small resorts also show up on Kayak and TripAdvisor, you can also check LHW (Luxury Hotels of the World), SLH (Small Luxury Hotels), and LuxuryLink.  Don’t let the terms “luxury” in their names scare you off.  Form time to time, they have phenomenal deals that don’t always appear on other websites.

For home or apartment rentals, the best place to start is VRBO.  We’ve used and rented from owners on VRBO several times and have been very satisfied.  Like anything else, you want to make sure you do your due diligence by reading reviews from previous renters as well as checking Google on the internet.

Where to find even better hotel rates and deals
Sometimes to get the best deal, you may need to be flexible on your travel dates.  Or, you may need to be flexible on location.  Either way, you can save a ton of money if you’re in the right place at the right time.  Deals come and go, so you need to check sites often.  Also, you can’t hesitate.  Many deals are for a limited time or limited number of rooms.  If you snooze, you lose.  If you find the deal of a lifetime, you need to be ready to book the stay.  Also be aware, that most of these deals have rates that require a pre-pay and are non-cancellable and non-refundable.

We use Travelzoo frequently. Travelzoo has great rates for top-name highly rated properties for travel in the next 30-90 days. Their website is updated regularly, however big updates are made on Tuesdays. The best way to make sure you don’t miss anything is to subscribe to their email newsletter.

As we mentioned above, there are also a number of private, members-only websites that can have great rates.  Some cost nothing to join, while others can have hefty fees.  Our favorites that we are members of are (and these are free, once you score an invitation): Jetsetter, Snique Away and Vacationist.  These sites sales last for a very short time (usually 3-5 days), so when you see it and like it, you should book it.  One advantage over Travelzoo is that usually their “window” of time that you can make a reservation for, is longer.  Sometimes up to 4 months in advance.

We’ve booked a few trips using Jetsetter.  For example, in NYC, we saved over 50% at Cooper Square.  In Puerto Vallarta, we booked a stay at Garza Blanca Resort in a 2BR, 2000 sq ft Oceanfront Suite for $420 instead of the $810 rack rate.  Splitting that amongst four people, it’s less than $110 per night per person at a 5 star resort.

What about all inclusive rates?
Sometimes the additional charges for all-inclusive resorts far outweigh what you’d normally spend on food and beverage.  All-inclusive sounds like a good deal, but you really have to determine what you’ll be doing during your vacation.

If you’ll be away from the hotel doing a lot of day trips or activities, all-inclusive may not be such a great deal.  You also need to take into account where you’re going to stay.  For example in Mexico or Asia, you can get great food outside of your hotel at unbelievable prices.  Some people never get to experience true “local cuisine” because they feel they have to always eat at the hotel since they’re paying for it in the all-inclusive rate.

 Also research what kind of beverages are included in the rate.  For example, many resorts indicate that they serve premium alcohol. Ask what’s premium?  In many cases, it’s a “locally” made liquor.  Also consider how much you’ll be drinking.  If you’re doing a “spring break” type vacation, maybe all-inclusive is worth it.  Otherwise, it may sound good as you plan your trip, but you may end up actually paying more.

Before you book, here are some more tips

Think about a room upgrade
Sometimes it may be worth spending a few extra dollars on a room upgrade.  If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your room, a bit more space can be a good thing.  Also, many larger hotels have “club levels” for their best guests, which usually include a “happy hour”, free internet, free breakfast and more personal attention.  In some cases the room rate can be as low as an additional $20-$30, yet with all those amenities, you’ll actually get that amount back and more.  Plus, you can always take your chances and ask for an upgrade when you check-in.

Double check rate rules and cancellation policies
The devil is in the details.  Before finalizing your booking, make sure you read and understand the hotels rate rules and cancellation policies.  Many smaller hotels and resorts may only allow you to cancel more than two weeks prior to your arrival.  After that you may pay a penalty or be charged for a full stay.  Some “great rates” may also require a pre-payment or require even more advance notice of cancellation.

Consider prepaying for your room
If you’re 100% certain your going to stay come hell or high water, then you usually can save some cash by prepaying your hotel.  Occasionally, some hotels/resorts will even let you cancel some prepaid rates and refund your money, but you should always make sure to read the rules first.  Before you prepay, also consider what the chances are that the rate may actually go down prior to your stay.  If you prepay, you may over pay.

Never assume anything
Just because one hotel chain does this, or other hotels do this, don’t ever assume.  Just because one hotel in a chain has free internet, doesn’t mean another one in that same chain does. 

Smoking or Non-Smoking
While many US hotels are now non-smoking, that’s not so in the rest of the world.  If you want a non-smoking room, make sure you check before you book your hotel room.  Non-smoking rooms are harder to find in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Fees, Fees and More Fees
Hotels have taken a cue from the airlines and now add many fees above and beyond the rate you’re actually booking.  Resort fees, parking fees, internet fees, and on and on.  When comparing hotel rates, make sure you take into account all of these extra charges, some of which may be mandatory.

Always recheck your rate before you leave on your trip
If you didn’t prepay for your reservation and you’re still within the cancellation window, you should always re-check your rate.  Rates can often drop after you make your original reservation.  Why overpay?  As long as the room type you want is still available, make a new reservation first, then cancel your previous one.  Also, if you made a reservation at a hotel that was your “second choice”, check your “favorite hotel”, to see if a room has become available since you made your reservation.  Travel plans change all the time and they may have had a cancellation that will allow you to get the room you really wanted.

Choosing an airline

If you’re flying domestically, choosing an airline is easy.  Your choice will probably depend on price, number of connections and departure time.  But, if you’re flying internationally, choosing an airline can be a whole new ball game.  US residents are familiar with most airlines being the same.  Not true overseas.  You should do your research before booking on overseas carriers.

Here are a few tips:

  • Safety
    That’s a pretty important one.   Usually you don’t give airline safety much of a second thought.

    You would be surprised at how many countries don’t give full attention to airline safety.  The FAA updates a list of those countries and their compliance level to generally accepted airline safety rules each month. And don’t think that these are just third world countries that have issues. Belize, Uruguay, Paraguay and others were on the list as being “insufficient” in December 2010.  You can find the list by clicking here.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) also requires it’s member airlines to submit to continual safety audits.  You can see of those who have passed this audit on their website.

    The EU also publishes a “blacklist” of airlines that are prohibited from flying to EU countries due to their being “unsafe to operate in EU airspace”.  That list is updated frequently and can be found by clicking here.

    Airsafe.com also tabulates in-depth information on airline safety, including crash and safety statistic by airline.

    A couple of years ago we were flying from Singapore to Sulawesi, Indonesia (on a major Asian carrier).  As we were on final approach for landing (in a rainstorm, no less), we passed a mountain with a large (think 3-4 story) cross on the side of the hill right outside the airport.  That was the site of an air crash in 2007 where a small airline’s 737 crashed into the hillside during a storm.  A few seconds later, we did a “touch and go” on the runway as the pilot thought it was “unsafe to land” during the storm.  That pretty much brought safety to the forefront of our minds. 

  • Seating
    Before booking on an unfamiliar airline, you should check out the seating plan for that airline.  Many discount carriers abroad, try to cram many more seats into their cabins that traditional US or EU mainline airlines.  For example, EU discount carrier EasyJet’sseat pitch is 29″.  Most airlines average 32″-33″ of pitch.  Seat pitch is the distance between seats. While 3″ doesn’t sound like much, if you’re much taller than 5″10″, you’ll notice a pretty good difference in leg room.  Also, some discount carriers use narrower seats, so they can fit more seats across.  If you think you lack elbow room on a mainline carrier, wait till you get to some of the discount carriers.

    A good resource on seating is SeatGuru.  They have seating plans and information for almost every airline worldwide.  They also identify what are the “best” seats to sit in in the cabin as well as the “worst.”

  • Airline Alliances
    When booking on any airline, you should check to see if they are part of an “alliance” or partner of an existing airline that you may use frequently for domestic travel.  If so, you can probably earn miles in your regular airlines frequent flyer program, plus get some of the same benefits you get on your regular airline.  There are several different alliances, but the largest worldwide are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and OneWorld.  If you can earn miles by flying another airline or get additional perks, it may be worth paying a slightly higher fare.
     
  • Non-Stop or Many Stops
    You should always look closely when booking itineraries to see how many stops your flight may make before it gets to it’s final destination.  For a few bucks more, you might be able to take a non-stop flight, which means you’ll be able to spend more time at your final destination vs. time in the plane.  If it seems like you’re making too many stops, make sure to check other carriers that may get you there faster.
     
  • Dependability
    The last thing you want while on vacation is to have your flight cancelled or delayed.  Who wants to be spending time in an airport when you could be on the beach or on the slopes.  You should check the on-time performance of the air carriers your considering using for your flights. FlightStats, can not only give you on-time performance and cancellation statistics for most major airlines worldwide, but they can also give you information for specific flights, routes, times/dates or even how often flights are diverted.
     
  • Restrictions
    Before booking, you should check to see if the airline you’re thinking about has any restrictions on how much luggage you can bring on board, how much luggage you can check, what type of sporting equipment you can bring, etc.

Comparing airfares

With airlines trying to get every nickel from every passenger, it’s important to compare airfare.  Just checking airfare on-line may not give you an accurate picture of what you’ll actually be paying for your air travel experience.  Many airlines quote only the airfare portion of your trip, which doesn’t include many add-on fees.  Unfortunately, this means you’ll have to do a bit of research and some handy calculator work to see what really may be the total cost of your trip.

So, here’s a quick list of fees you will want to investigate before you make your final airfare selection:

  • Luggage fees
  • Carry-on luggage fees
  • Overweight luggage fees
  • Seat selection fees
  • Early boarding fees
  • Food & Beverage fees
  • Cancellation/Rebooking Fees (Should your plans change unexpectedly)
  • Taxes & Surcharges

One last thing to check is to see if you can earn miles on the airfare you’re paying.  Some airlines have lower fares in exchange for not giving you any mileage credit in your frequent flyer program.  Most airlines list eligible fare classes to earn miles on their websites.

Benefits of airline loyalty

There are benefits to airline loyalty. Loyalty can bring perks.  Depending on how loyal you are, depends on the number of perks you’ll get.  If you have no loyalty, then departure time, flight time, number of connections and more than likely price become your first consideration when booking airfare.

It’s definitely no secret that “great service” is hard to come by with an airline.  (OK, OK….if you fly JetBlue, Southwest or Singapore Airlines that might not be true.)   But giving most of your business to a certain airline, can have it’s benefits.  And, the value of those benefits can add up quickly if you fly even just a few times a year.  On most airlines, you can check at least one piece of luggage for free by flying just a few trips a year.  If you fly 6 round trips a year, that can save you $300, assuming you pay $25 for the bag for each leg of the trip.  So, even if you paid $25 more per ticket for those 6 trips, you’re still saving $150.  Of course, the more you fly, the more benefits you get.

We fly United or Star Alliance carriers almost exclusively.  We use other airlines only as a last resort.  Why?  Because we have a top tier flying status with United (1K).  Now, it’s not that we LOVE the airline by any means.  But since most of our air travel departs from Denver, a large United hub, they have the most convenient flight times and gateway destinations than any other airline at the airport.  Luckily, Southwest and Frontier also have a large presence at Denver, so it keeps United’s airfares to most destinations reasonable.

So what do we get for that loyalty?  Well, quite a bit actually.  We can check up to 3 bags free each to any destination in the world.  We can also carry an extra 20 lbs per bag than other passengers (which comes in handy when you’re flying to far flung destinations).  We’re at the top of the list for domestic upgrades and should we have to ride in “the back of the bus”, we at least get seating with expanded leg room.  On international trips, we get 6 “free” business class upgrades per year.  Now, we don’t always get those upgrades, but most of the time we do.  We get to board the plane first.  Now, you may not think that’s great, but with everyone trying to carry on vs check a bag, it’s a lot nicer when you’re assured if getting to store your bag right above your seat vs half way back in the plane.

Another advantage of being a loyal customer to one two airlines, is that you have the potential to receive better service, should something go wrong.  Should a flight be cancelled, airlines will usually give their frequent fliers first crack at open seats on the next available flight and probably will automatically rebook them.   Everyday customers will simply have to take their chance, probably stand in line with the masses and hope that they can get on one of the next two or three flights the carrier has available.  Loyal fliers also usually get a special customer service number to call vs being sent to the foreign call center for assistance.  When a problem arises with your travel, it can be very helpful to talk to someone who’s familiar with the way the system works.  These calls usually go to “seasoned” airline employees who have worked in a domestic call center for years and can get you’re issue resolved quickly.

So, is loyalty worth it?  Well, you really have to decide if you want to put your eggs in one basket.  We’ve been flying United for almost 10 years and while the airline is just so-so at treating it’s premium passengers well, they are getting better.  And, if we added up what that loyalty is worth, it’s certainly worth more than the extra $20 or $40 we may spend on a ticket from time to time.  Since we fly to Asia quite a bit, I can tell you that as much as we may complain, those complaints go away when we’re sitting in Business on a 17 hour flight to Singapore at a mid-range economy fare instead of being scrunched up in the back of the buss in Economy.

As airlines continue to add fees for just about everything you can think of, loyalty to one or two carriers does look like it will become more and more advantageous.  If you’re just starting out traveling and aren’t sure who you’ll be loyal to, you should still sign up right away for the airlines frequent flyer program so you’ll start earning credit for what you do fly.

Before booking your airfare..

Before you purchase your airline ticket, here are a few things to consider before making your reservation:

  1. Pay with a credit card.
    While the financial health of many airlines has greatly improved, you never know when a carrier may decide to stop flying due to bankruptcy or other financial or regulatory issues.  When you pay with a credit card, you’ll at least have a better chance of getting your money back on your airline ticket should something go awry.  You should also heavily consider buying travel insurance to protect yourself as well.
     
  2. Make sure you have enough time between flights if your buying airfare from more than one carrier.
    If you’re buying more than one airline ticket for your travels, make sure you allow enough time between connecting flights between the two different carriers.  If the flight on one ticket is delayed or cancelled, you may lose all the money spent on your second ticket if you can’t make that flight.  It’s always a good idea, when possible, to book all of your flights on one ticket, even if it’s with different carriers.  Most airlines have what they call “interline” agreements with other carriers, that allows you to do this.  This can protect you if there’s an issue with any flight on the ticket.
     
  3. Review the airlines cancellation/rebooking policies.
    Just like considering the price of an airline ticket, you should also review the airlines cancellation and rebooking policies before you fly.  It may be worth paying a bit more for a ticket, if they have a better policy.  You never what may happen on your trip that could cause you to make a change in your ticketed itinerary.
     
  4. Check what type of equipment they’ll be flying to your destination.
    Don’t every assume you’ll be taking a large plane to your destination.  If you don’t like flying in small planes, it’s always worth checking to see what type of aircraft your airline will be flying.  Especially if you’re headed to a smaller destination.

Picking a vacation destination

When you’re thinking about a vacation destination, you can never start planning too early.  Starting early allows you plenty of time to do your research and plan the perfect vacation at the perfect destination.  It also gives you time to change your mind.  As you do your destination research, you may find that you’d rather visit a different place than what you had originally planned on.  We usually plan most of our longer trips one to two years in advance.  Do we change our mind sometimes? Sure.  That’s part of the fun of planning.  For us, the biggest advantage of planning early allows us to keep costs down by buying airfare and accommodation while demand is low.

When we start looking for our next destinations, we want to stay in the best hotels,  eat the best food and have the best experience we can for the least amount of money.  There’s a lot that goes into selecting a destination.  Here’s some things you can consider to help you make the right choice.

Narrow your list of destinations.
We keep a running list at all times of 6-8 places we want to go.  That way, we have plenty of time to research each one and be able to decide quickly if the right travel deals comes along.  Your list of potential destinations should take into account what type of trio you want to take (active, passivel what they weather will be like at your destination for the time you’re going to be traveling;  how long you plan on staying and how much your budget is.

Do your friends want to go?
Traveling with friends can have a couple of benefits.  One, it can reduce your costs.  Two, it can enable you to “trade up” and stay in better places and do more things for less than what it would cost you to travel alone.  Key elements are being able to get along with one another, be able to travel at the same time and all want to go to the same destination.

Know your budget.
How much do you want to spend?  That’s the next key piece of information you’ll need before going much further.  It’s good to be somewhat flexible, so having a range is much better than landing on a specific number.  Know what is and isn’t part of your travel budget.  Are you including just the basics of your trip (airfare, hotel, transportation, tours) or does it go beyond that to include souvenirs, food, events, etc.  Always count on overages and unexpected expenses.  Even with the best planning, there will always be something you didn’t think of.

Consider the weather.
Find out what the weather is at your destination.  If you can go when the weather is less than ideal, you can usually save a ton of money,  but you need to go beyond just temperature.  For example, many people wouldn’t even consider part of Thailand during the “rainy season”.  Little do they know, that in some cases, “rainy” means a chance of showers for about 2 hours each afternoon.  In this case, what really is “rainy”?

IAH TIP: Some hotels discount rates as much as 50-60% during extended periods of “weather”.  You’ll usually find that restaurants, attractions and other things are usually cheaper as well.  And you’ll have the benefit of fewer other tourists as well.

Airlines and airfare.
Look beyond just the airlines you know.  If you belong to a frequent flier program of a particular airline, look at other airlines that belong to their network.   You can probably accumulate miles while you travel (good for saving money on future vacations) as well as receive other perks like redeeming frequest flyer miles, reduced baggage fees, seat upgrades, etc.  For example, since we mainly fly United, we always look for partner airlines in the Star Alliance.  We can go almost any place in the world with the Star Alliance.

IAH TIP:  Beware of some ticket consolidators that offer airfares that are “too good to be true”.  Sometimes they are.  Make sure you check out the airline.  What’s their safety record?  How much room is there between seats in the cabin?  How much luggage can I take without extra fees?  Will I earn Frequent Flyer miles?

Where to stay.
Hotels offer deals almost all the time., even during prime season.  The key is knowing where to look.  Don’t rely on just the hotel website for the lowest rate.  Check multiple sources on the internet.  Sometimes you can lower rates for extended stays or even “package” rates that give you extra perks or extra discounts.

IAH TIP:  Just like with airfare, beware of hotel offers that are “too good to be true”. Always make sure you check rate rules and cancellation clauses before booking a stay.

Open for Business?
You should always check to make sure that attractions or locations are going to be open at your destination while you’re there.  Don’t take for granted that everything operates the same year round.  Want to go see the beach along the North Sea in early May?  Well, you’ll see the sea, but most of the surrounding restaurants and stores will be closed until at least late May/early June.  Want to go to your favorite pizza place in NYC in April?  Well, it may be closed because they’re on vacation before tourist season starts.

Special Events.
 Check to see if there are any special events at your selected destination before booking your trip, but beware it could be a double edged sword.  Rates may be higher because of it.  But then again, you may not be thrilled to learn that if you were there one week later, you could participate in a local festival.