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Archive for January, 2008

January 25th, 2008

Getting a Cheap Plane Ticket is Easier Then You Think

Many people spend whatever the asking price for a plane ticket is simply because they do not know that it is possible to find them much cheaper if they only knew where to look. Most savvy travelers know the secrets to procuring discount tickets and if you wish to become one of them here are some quick tips to get you started.

One of the first things you can do to find a cheap plane ticket is try to be as flexible as possible when it comes to your actual travel dates, both going and coming home. If you check prices for different days of the week and even times of the day you will find some pretty good price differences which you can take advantage of. This is where comparing fares using internet travel sites can pay off, because it is very quick and easy to comparison shop right from your computer.

Another place to save some money is by planning your trip far enough in advance. Many airlines offer early booking discounts up to a certain time. The general rule of thumb is to try and book your flight at a maximum of four months to a minimum of two and a half weeks before you want to travel. Beyond four months and most airlines will charge full price for a reservation. Prices will also rise sharply once that two and a half week threshold is begins because most people choosing to travel on short notice have limited choices.

Cheap plane tickets can also be had simply by calling the airlines customer ticketing agents. This is a good way to ferret out those unadvertised specials that most airlines run through out the year. Ticket agents will be more than happy to tell you what’s available if you ask. It can also pay to inquire about any discounts related to joining an airlines mileage club. Some airlines are more than happy to do this to keep your business.

While cheap plane tickets don’t just fall out of the sky if you know where and how to look you stand a good chance of saving money whenever you travel.

January 25th, 2008

Flights To Beaver Creek, CO - Read About Flying Into Vail Eagle

Beaver Creek, Colorado is nestled in the Vail Valley of the Colorado Rockies. With superb access from Vail / Eagle Airport and Denver International Airport, flights to Beaver Creek are affordable and convenient. Read about tips for flying into Colorado for you winter or summer vacation.

Flights to Vail / Eagle Airport
Flying into the Vail Valley is a popular option for those wanting direct access to the slopes of Beaver Creek and Vail Ski Resorts. The airport is an easy 20 to 30 minute drive on Interstate 70.

Flying To Beaver Creek In The Winter
In the winter, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, United Express, and US Airways provide non-stop jet service between EGE and thirteen major U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, and Philadelphia.

Flights To Beaver Creek In The Summer
Summer options include daily non-stop B-757 flights between Vail / Eagle and Dallas / Ft. Worth (DFW), on American Airlines, and Chicago (ORD) and Denver (DEN), on United. Competitively priced American and United services link up Eagle County Airport with their DFW and Denver hubs, and hundreds of domestic and international cities.

The Vail / Eagle County Airport has grown with the opening of their award-winning passenger terminal in 1996. In 2004, they served their millionth passenger and set a new record for commercial passengers. New at the Vail / Eagle Airport is the addition of customs services for private aircraft and free wireless internet service in the terminal. Just bring your laptop!

Airfare to Denver International Airport
With it’s spectacular resemblance to the Colorado Rockies, the Denver International Airport is almost worthy of flying into just for a glimpse at this state-of-the-art airport. A pleasant drive from Denver to Beaver Creek will have you relaxing in the comfort of your own Beaver Creek condo rental. Transportation to and from Beaver Creek comes in two forms. You can either choose to rent your own Beaver Creek Car Rental or book a shuttle from Denver to Beaver Creek.

Car Rentals in Beaver Creek
Whether you fly into the Vail / Eagle Airport or Denver International Airport, you will have many options for Beaver Creek private transportation. Both airports offer economy car rentals, 4wheel drive SUVs and even 12 passenger vans. Having your own car rental allows you the flexibility to explore nearby communities such as Avon, Eagle, Vail and Minturn.

Shuttles and Transportation
A unique attribute of the villages of Beaver Creek, Colorado is their guest transportation. Simply hop on the intown shuttles and let the FREE transportation system carry you and your ski gear between the three villages. The free transportation system allows visitors who book shuttles from Denver to Beaver Creek freedom to not need their own car rental.

January 25th, 2008

Aspen CO Airfare, Flying, Flights & Car Rentals - What You Need to Know

Aspen Flying and Transportation Information

Aspen, Colorado is a town located on the western border of the Colorado Rockies. The famed town of Aspen, Colorado is home to four ski resorts and two mountain communities. Aspen and Snowmass Village provide the majority of lodging and accommodations for Buttermilk, Highlands, Snowmass Mountain and Aspen Mountain. Getting to Aspen and Snowmass is easy, but there some tips for flying into Aspen, CO and Snowmass. Read more about airfare, flights and car rentals to Aspen.

Flying In To the Aspen / Pitkin Airport

The closest airport to Aspen, Colorado and Snowmass is the Aspen / Pitkin Airport (airport code ASE). This centrally located airport provides direct access to the town and ski resorts. A quick 15 minute drive will drop you off in the heart of this famous mountain community. The airport is open year-round and provides access to all major cities in North America and beyond. Many car rentals and shuttles operate year-round from the airport to the nearby town as well.

Flying Into Vail / Eagle Airport

Located 70 miles and just a 1.5 hour drive to Aspen, the Vail / Eagle airport is another popular option for getting to this unique mountain town. The Vail / Eagle airport code is EGE.

In the winter, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, United Express, and US Airways provide non-stop jet service between EGE and thirteen major U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, and Philadelphia.

Summer options include daily non-stop B-757 flights between Vail / Eagle and Dallas / Ft. Worth (DFW), on American Airlines, and Chicago (ORD) and Denver (DEN), on United. Competitively priced American and United services link up Eagle County Airport with their DFW and Denver hubs, and hundreds of domestic and international cities.

The Vail / Eagle County Airport has grown with the opening of their award-winning passenger terminal in 1996. In 2004, they served their millionth passenger and set a new record for commercial passengers. New at the Vail / Eagle Airport is the addition of customs services for private aircraft and free wireless internet service in the terminal. Just bring your laptop!

Aspen Car Rentals & Shuttles

When you book your airfare to Aspen, it is best if you reserve your Aspen car rental at the same time. Aspen Car Rentals tend to book up fast so reserving your transportation in advance is a good idea. Some choose the safety of a SUV for driving in adverse weather. The Colorado Department of Transportation does a good job of clearing the road, but when big snowstorms come in the winter, the highways and byways can become slick. Renting your own SUV 4wheel drive will inevitably help while traveling to Aspen.

Shuttles in Aspen are a unique feature to this mountain town. Shuttles will take you from the airport directly to your specific lodging property. Grab your bags, hop in and let the drivers of one of the many shuttle companies whisk you away to your Aspen vacation.

January 25th, 2008

Cheap International Air Fare Secrets

If visiting an exotic foreign land has always been something you’ve dreamed about but outrageous airline prices keep you taking that once in a life time vacation then maybe this article can help. With all the planning involved with such a vacation spending more then you want to on air fare can add unneeded stress to such a trip. If you could just find an airline offering cheap international air fare all your problems would be solved.

The thing that you should always be aware of is that airline ticket prices will change daily so when you find that price point you are comfortable with you need to make the purchase because it may not be available the next day. By researching your destination and the airlines that serve it you can usually gather enough information to begin your search for cheap tickets.

By maximizing your efforts to get as many price quotes as you can chances of finding a good deal are increased. The airline and travel industry is very interested in competing for your travel dollars so one of the best ways to find discounts is comparing what the individual airlines have to offer. Sometimes just simply calling them on the phone and asking what kind of ticket discounts they are offering can pay big dividends. Airlines run specials all the time but they aren’t always well advertised.

Try to find out when the slow part of the tourist season is where you would like to travel and consider going during this time. International air fares are usually cheaper during these off-peak times because the demand for seats isn\’t as great. This is where researching your destination to learn the seasonal tourist flow can pay off.

Knowing when to buy tickets also works into the savings equation. You want to make your reservations far enough in advance to take advantage of early booking savings, but not so early that the airlines are still charging the premium price. Somewhere between four months to 14 days before a flight is the best time to reserve a seat. Anything over 4 months and chances of any savings are basically nothing. Once you hit the 21 to 14 days before a flight is scheduled the airlines start raising prices because they know that people who buy ticket now are normally last minute and business travelers who have little choice when it comes to what they will pay.

Learning the secrets to finding cheap international air fare for your next trip or vacation takes a little research and patience, but as you learn the ways of the travel industry you will soon find yourself able to save yourself some money that could be put to better use once you get to your destination.

January 25th, 2008

Discounted Travel for Students

Discounted travel for students is really nothing new. But like many other things in life, you need to know their existence before being able to ask for them, and this is a bit the general problem that exists today and why airlines and hotels are making so much money out of the very limited knowledge that population has. In the end, it seems that everybody knows their obligations but very few people really understands their rights.

Let’s go on with that then. Discounted travel for students is a reality you can find in many airlines. Simply you need to tell them that actually you are a student. They will need some proof to make sure that you are not taking advantage of the situation, and after that you will be given almost always a discount that can vary from a 10 to a 50% in some cases.

The situation with discounted travel for students is the same as for senior people. When you are older than 65 years old, you are able to ask the airline for special discounts. The only condition is that you should ask this with time enough, as there are very limited places for discounted travel for seniors.

In any case, going back to the students situation, there is another way to get discounted travel opportunities and, incredible or not, is a web-page where you will be able to become a member after having registered and proved that you are a student, and then you will be able to look for flights in their search engine. This flights encountered will be already with the discounted travel for students fares.

It is very important that you keep in mind that not all airlines allow this possibility, so in many occasions you will face that the flight you are asking for does not give out any results. Simply the airlines that fly this route are not included in the program, so you will need to find a possible alternative route, or try any other method to get discounted flights.

January 24th, 2008

Doesn’t sound bad, does it?

Well, the idea is to let you finish this article having in your hand a Top 5 of hotels in London that accomplish the following conditions: they are some of the most cheap hotels in London, and at same time they have positive customer feedback, so that they should be within the ones that have a good quality related to the price. Isn’t it what we are all looking for?

So, here below is the ranking of cheap hotels in London. To take a reference, I have decided that I would consider cheap hotel any establishment where rooms are priced at less than 90 Euros per night.

1. Gatwick Belmont Guest House Hotel London

This is the number one, and that is because it has managed to get a 5 out of 5 in consumer rating reviews and it is considered a 3 stars hotel with prices that start at 67 Euros for the room. The only problem that it may have is that it is not placed in a central location. It is in fact in the area of one of the secondary airports that London has. In any case, as in the criteria for evaluation I don’t take into account the distance to the center, I think it deserves the 1st position.

2. Mehfil Hotel London

This one is a bit closer, just in the middle between Windsor and Heathrow Airport areas. The second position is because it is a 3 stars hotel that has had customer evaluation of 4.5 out of a 5 points system. The prices for rooms begin at 74 Euros.

3. Sara Hotel London

The Sara Hotel has only 1 star and the reason why it is placed here is because guests decided that far from what the stars system says, they felt that staying there was about 4.5 points out of 5. Almost probably this is one of this little cozy hotels where you can stay if you are not looking for any big luxury and where you will receive familiar customer service. Not being centric, it is place within the area that we can consider Greater London.

4. Days Hotel North Gateway London

Even if the price is just reaching the limit, this hotel will surely give you a very pleasant stay. I have chosen this one not only because of the punctuation of 4.5 out of 5, but for the elevate number of votes that it received and the reduced dispersion in the results. It is considered a 3 stars hotel and the price for the rooms start at 87 Euros the night and it is placed in the Luton Area.

5. Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel Hotel

Finally, closing the top5 classification, I am happy to introduce you to the Holiday Inn Ariel Hotel. This one claims to be in this selection because it is ranked as a 4 stars hotel but room prices start at just 90 Euros the night, which sounds like a great deal. Consumer rating is 4.5 out of 5 points, and as the name suggests, it is placed within the Heathrow airport area.

This is the end of the classification for cheap hotels in London. Still, I always recommend to look at the places that offer travel certificates, as you would almost probably get 4 star hotels at 90% discounted prices in most occasions and you can get this certificate for free simply by downloading them or writing the code in the redemption page.

January 24th, 2008

Cheap Hotels in Paris With Positive Customer Reviews

Doesn’t sound bad, does it? A trip to Paris, probably with your loved ones in the city of love makes quite a good combination. And the only thing that does not fit with all this is the war you need to fight with search engines to find good deals that at same time have a good quality. To help you in your decision, I have built a Top 5 list with some of the most cheap hotels in Paris that offer at same time good customer reviews.

To make the selection of cheap hotels in Paris I have decided to set a maximum price per room per night of 85 Euros, whichever the stars rating of the hotel is. No more words, and let’s get started!

1. Mon Reve Amadeus Hotel Paris

The winner in this Top 5 is this 3 star hotel that has managed to get consumer reviews of 5 out of 5. The location is pretty central, near to Eiffel Tower, and the prices for the rooms start at 70 Euros per night, which makes it an excellent combination, specially considering that in Paris the average price is quite expensive and that this hotel is ranked as 3 stars in the official classification system.

2. Libertel Strasbourg Mulhouse Gare de l’Est Hotel Paris

This one, which nearly took the first position, is a 2 stars hotel which customers have evaluated giving to it a 5 out of 5. Maximum punctuation for nights that cost about 82 Euros. The location is also very centric, with all important touristic hot spots available at short walks or public transport.

3. Comfort Place du Tertre Hotel Paris

The third in our ranking of the cheap hotels in Paris has a customer rating of 4.5 out of 5. With a price per night that starts at 78 Euros, this centric hotel is considered a “3 and a half” stars one.

4. Art Hotel Paris

With a completely different style, the Art Hotel Paris is maybe not that much centric, but being still a very good place where to base your Paris touristic operations I decided to give it the 4th place. The reason is because the customer rating is again a 4.5 out of 5 and the price for the rooms starts at just 73 Euros. Sounds like a good deal for a 3 star hotel in the city of love!

5. Du Parc Hotel Paris

Finally, closing this Top 5 classification of the cheap hotels in Paris, we find the Du Parc Hotel. It is just a 2 stars establishment, but general opinion of guests have placed it at a punctuation of 4.5. Together with a room price per night starting at 58 Euros, I think it definitely deserves to be included in this selection. At same time, even if it is not just in the middle, the communications with the center of the city are very good and at same time you will avoid the stress that being placed right in the middle can cause.

January 24th, 2008

Cheap Hotels in Barcelona With Positive Customer Feedback

Being Barcelona one of the most touristic places in the world, I think it is good to give you an idea of which hotels could be good in order to spend some quality vacations for a relatively low price. If you are looking for 4 or 5 star accommodation, probably this is not your article, but if you are trying to find out some nice and cozy places to stay, definitely you should take a look at it. Taking as a maximum price 75 Euros per room per night, here it comes the selection of cheap hotels in Barcelona:

1. Canton Hotel Barcelona

This one is placed in Rambla Catalunya, which means that is pretty close to the center and in a touristic street. The star rating for this hotel is only 1 star, but the consumer rating placed it at 4.5 out of a 5 points punctuation system. The price is 46 Euros per night per room.

2. Oasis Hotel Barcelona

It is placed also in a central location, with good communication either with buses and subway. Still, I would always get the subway as the traffic density in Barcelona makes it very difficult to circulate on the centric roads. The hotel is rated with 2 stars, but consumer ratings give to it a punctuation of 4 out of 5. The price is 59 Euros per room.

3. Chic & Basic Gothic Apartments Barcelona

Those apartments have been rated with 3.5 stars, and consumers give to them a 4 out of 5. They are in the Ramblas Area as well, so it is easy to reach all important places in a quick way. The price is just in the limit, being about 73 Euros per room.

4. Antibes Hotel Barcelona

Priced just one Euro under the Chic & Basic, the Antibes has also a punctuation of 4 out of 5, having in this case 2 stars as a hotel rating. The location of that one is a bit different, as it is near to Sagrada Familia, probably the most important building in Barcelona. Take a look at it, and then go with the tube to the center of the city.

5. Feel Good Plaza Real Apartments

Finally, again in the Ramblas Area, we find the last of the winning hotels in this classification. It seems that you will definitely feel good as guests have given to it a punctuation of 4 out of 5. The price is about 65 Euros the night, and it is considered a 3 stars apartment.

I hope to have enlightened a bit your dreams of traveling there with this selection of cheap hotels in Barcelona offering also good customers reviews.

January 24th, 2008

Self Catering Cottages - Cottages Of Comfort

One of the choices that is really doing rounds is that of self catering cottages. A unique holiday destination, they have given vacations a new definition all together. Gone are the days when hotels and rest houses used to be people’s first choice for stay while on vacations. Not anymore though, for that position is taken over by self catering cottages. A nice cozy place, they expose guests to all sorts of comforts that can make their stay comfortable. Not only this, they also allow them the freedom to enjoy their stay in any which way they want. For example, if people want they can avail such facilities like cooking their own food. Such a facility is extremely helpful for families who have kids or for those who have limited budget. They can save lot of money by preparing their own food.

Money however, is slightest of concern here, for self catering cottages can be hired at bare minimum. Indeed, their availability at a meager cost is one feature that has spread their popularity in a big way to all sections of society. Other feature is their setting. Set in the calm locales of countryside, they are just perfect for overworked professionals who can relax their tired minds and body and recharge their batteries for the battles that lie ahead.

Self catering cottages are also a favourite with business units who find them to be just the right place to organise their official get together. The place also provides them with enough opportunities to organise their team building exercises. In addition to it, these cottages also give the business units an option to use a stay here as a reward for the employees who are outstanding performers.

With so many advantages attached to them, it really should not come as a surprise that self catering cottages are gaining in popularity with every passing day. And as more and more people and establishments wake up to their advantages, their popularity is sure to increase more and more.

January 24th, 2008

Venice, Always In The Hearts Of Tourists From All Over The World

In this small lagoon town live over 270,000 inhabitants; it is situated in the northeast of Italy and overlooks the Adriatic Sea.

Venice is divided into Sestieri, three of these (Castello, San Marco and Cannaregio) are here to the Grand Canal taking as a point of reference Piazza San Marco; the three at the other hand, are Santa Croce, Dorsoduro and San Polo-Rialto. These six subdivisions of the city are represented in the “Ferro” (front of the gondola-metal boats typical of the city - which has precisely six points / lines). The rear of the craft, however, represents the Giudecca island which is located right in front of Piazza San Marco.

Of course, the capital of Veneto, which is categorized heritage of humanity by UNESCO, is a unique city, where there are no roads but only canals and rivers navigable by small boats (Gondole).

Historically it was called the Dominant or even as the Serenissima, in fact has been for over a millennium, the capital of the Republic of Venice.

The old city lives mainly from the tourism, but also of local manufacture and crafts, just think of the beautiful Murano glass (small island in the lagoon of Venice). Moreover, for the most recent city located inshore, has a flourishing business and point of reference for the economy of the country.

Venice, offers many opportunities within the tourism industry and food for a variety of factors: history, culture, romance, shopping and entertainment; also offers a wide selection of hotels in Venice.

In particular, who wants to visit Venice for a few days should not miss some areas and traditions that make the visit to the city unique and unforgettable

• Piazza San Marco is considered the core of sestriere and the heart of the city (the only open space considered Square), where there are the most important monuments: Palazzo Ducale, the Basilica of San Marco
• Ponte di Rialto: the oldest bridge that crosses the Grand Canal
• Lido di Venice: very characteristic because it is an thin island that extends for more than 10 km in the Venetian lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. In this narrow strip of land there is also the beach of Venice.
• Museo Ca’ D’oro: well known palace situated along the Grand Canal which contains the gallery Giorgio Fianchetti
• Gallerie delll’Accademia: who are in Dorsoduro and retain some beautiful works of Giovanni and Jacopo Bellini, Tiziano and Tintoretto.
• Among a visit and another, take a rest in an inn or in an outdoors bar and enjoy a Recioto di Soave (white wine typical of the Veneto region) with sliced and polenta veneta.

But where to stay in Venice?

In a city that lives on tourism solutions are not lacking, in fact there are many hotels that have rooms to sleep in Venice or in the immediate vicinity also proposing a wide range of hotel in Venice.