Flying with a baby or toddler can have its fair share of turbulence. From finding a place to change diapers to keeping your child quiet to dealing with eye-rolling passengers, parents have their work cut out for them on a plane.
Five years is too long between vacations. Just ask Amy and Matt Wilcher.
Flying with a baby or toddler can have its fair share of turbulence. From finding a place to change diapers to keeping your child quiet to dealing with eye-rolling passengers, parents have their work cut out for them on a plane.
Shortly after its opening in 2006, I decided to visit the Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa deep in the Poconos. Upon my arrival from New York, I discovered the property had no cellular service, so I made several calls home from my room phone, expecting to fork over little more than a dollar. Imagine my surprise when my hotel bill revealed a $7.38 charge for each time I picked up the receiver, despite having never actually reached anyone.
With a fever that soared to a mind-numbing 103 degrees and a chest rattling with acute bronchitis, Kathryn Clover's co-worker was in no shape to fly from Buenos Aires to Miami recently. But she boarded the plane anyway.
Lower-priced hotels have long been the realm of Muzak-filled lobbies outfitted with worse-for-wear furniture and industrial carpeting. But the genre has entered a new era. A wine bar? A sleek lounge area? Free Wi-Fi?
It's time to think of the inside of your carry-on suitcase as real estate: Make the most of what you've got, keep it functional and make neatness count.
It had been at least 24 hours since we had seen other humans, and the trail seemed to be ours alone -- gleaming granite slabs, scrabbly switchbacks, glorious glimpses of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River, and jagged Sierra spires under cloudless skies.
Flying with a baby or toddler can have its fair share of turbulence. From finding a place to change diapers to keeping your child quiet to dealing with eye-rolling passengers, parents have their work cut out for them on a plane.
Five years is too long between vacations. Just ask Amy and Matt Wilcher.
Flying with a baby or toddler can have its fair share of turbulence. From finding a place to change diapers to keeping your child quiet to dealing with eye-rolling passengers, parents have their work cut out for them on a plane.
Shortly after its opening in 2006, I decided to visit the Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa deep in the Poconos. Upon my arrival from New York, I discovered the property had no cellular service, so I made several calls home from my room phone, expecting to fork over little more than a dollar. Imagine my surprise when my hotel bill revealed a $7.38 charge for each time I picked up the receiver, despite having never actually reached anyone.
With a fever that soared to a mind-numbing 103 degrees and a chest rattling with acute bronchitis, Kathryn Clover's co-worker was in no shape to fly from Buenos Aires to Miami recently. But she boarded the plane anyway.
Lower-priced hotels have long been the realm of Muzak-filled lobbies outfitted with worse-for-wear furniture and industrial carpeting. But the genre has entered a new era. A wine bar? A sleek lounge area? Free Wi-Fi?
It's time to think of the inside of your carry-on suitcase as real estate: Make the most of what you've got, keep it functional and make neatness count.
It had been at least 24 hours since we had seen other humans, and the trail seemed to be ours alone -- gleaming granite slabs, scrabbly switchbacks, glorious glimpses of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River, and jagged Sierra spires under cloudless skies.
The last thing any traveler wants is to lose a wallet, whether it's misplaced or taken by a pickpocket, in the middle of a vacation.
As far as mistakes go, the one Janet Gordon recently made didn't seem like a big deal. She booked an airline ticket from Toronto to London under the name "Jan."
If you've never vacationed in a recreational vehicle, your first reaction might be "I can't afford to rent an RV" or "They're too large to maneuver."
Disgruntled airline passengers are nothing new, and the latest snapshot of the U.S. airline industry indicates plenty of cause for frustration.
Myron Sigal and his wife can't make their return flight from Venice to Philadelphia after she is injured on a Mediterranean cruise. US Airways promises him a voucher for the unused portion, but months later, there's no sign of it. Is the money lost?
A cottage in the English countryside or a flat in Paris, a deluxe Caribbean villa or a house with a pool in Orlando, San Diego, Canada, Colorado, New York City or San Francisco. Take your pick for summer vacation. Price is no concern. It won't cost you a penny -- Really.
Q: I'm heading to Europe this summer, and I want to bring my cell phone, but international roaming looks expensive. How do I keep costs down?
You're sitting in a hip Tokyo cafe, having a fish cake and sake. Your server has been especially attentive, so when the check arrives, you think nothing of pulling out some extra yen and leaving a healthy 20 percent tip. But suddenly things go horribly wrong: the server turns wide-eyed, becomes agitated, and walks away. What happened?!
When Allison Fagerness' flight to Rome is canceled, she's forced to call off her vacation and return home. Her online travel agent, Expedia, promises a refund, but her airline, Alitalia, won't pay. What should she do?
The latest round of American Airlines flight cancellations has left tens of thousands of passengers searching for alternative ways to get to their destinations, but airlines are not required to compensate passengers for canceled flights.
Scoring bargain accommodations in Rome can be as tricky as deciphering ancient ruins. But you're in luck: We've done the homework and unearthed nine charming, affordable hotels.
You'll never meet a traveler who, after five trips, brags, "Every year I pack heavier." The measure of a good traveler is how light he or she travels. You can't travel heavy, happy and cheap. Pick two.
Douglas Hawkins and his wife reserve a Budget rental car in Naples, Italy, but when they arrive at the car rental counter, the company downgrades his car and almost doubles its rate. Six months later, Budget hasn't refunded the money Hawkins says it owes him. What now?
Let's assume, for a moment, that you can't stop 2008 from becoming the Year of the Fee.
Cameron Etezadi and his girlfriend are on their way from Seattle to Casablanca, Morocco, when their flight is delayed in London by weather. British Airways agrees to refund the couple's money, but one year later, there's no sign of a check. Is the airline pocketing their fare, or is something else going on?
Cruise Industry officials note that half of the projected 12.8 million cruisers this year have never cruised before. That includes many families. Here are some tips for kids cruising for the first time from the veteran junior cruisers I talked to:
Never underestimate a car rental company's drive to make an extra buck. Amy Villa did when she rented a car from Alamo in Columbus, Ohio, recently, and she ended up paying twice as much as she expected.
Your cruise ship may not be seaworthy. Your airline isn't responsible for your checked luggage and if something's stolen from your room, good luck getting the hotel to cover your losses.
A couple of years ago, online travel-booking sites such as Expedia and Travelocity began issuing service-related manifestos -- the idea being that you could contact them with problems before or during your trip, much like you would a travel agent. But read further, and you'll discover that these are promises to provide good customer service, and aren't built to protect you from the fees and penalties you may incur due to last-minute cancellations.
A recent stay at a Comfort Inn in Vancouver does not impress Richard Simms. His room is filthy, the shower runs lukewarm and the coffee maker is busted. But when he tries to invoke the hotel chain's "100 percent Satisfaction Guarantee" Simms is offered an apology -- but nothing else. Is he out of luck?
Rule 240 is the most misunderstood rule in the airline business.
Hard as it may be for anyone under 30 to imagine, there was a time when people used to shoot eight-millimeter films while on vacation and then show them to friends and family gathered around a projector in the living room. Nowadays, capturing video is far easier (whether you use a video camera, a digital still camera with video capability or even a cell phone), as is the sharing: YouTube has proved that millions of folks have learned to upload video to a computer and instantly e-mail a link to family and friends.
Whether you're looking for the next airfare finder or trip-planning tool, here are seven sites we love.
Vicky Fligel's ticket from Chicago to Acapulco is canceled, but no one can tell her why. The only thing her airline, Mexicana, is certain of is that she has to buy a new, more expensive ticket. Mexicana gives her a refund on the canceled ticket, but shouldn't the carrier honor its first price?
Confused about whether you should book your hotel room with a credit or debit card? Or how much cash to exchange when you arrive overseas? While there are no steadfast rules about what types of currency to bring on your trip, travel and money experts do have recommendations on your best bets and what to avoid as you hit the road.
For years, I've persuaded my family that it's my very important job that causes me to put off booking trips. But the real problem is twofold: I'm often convinced that if I plan too far ahead, something better will come along; and I'm as addicted as an online gambler to last-minute offers.
For years, I've persuaded my family that it's my very important job that causes me to put off booking trips. But the real problem is twofold: I'm often convinced that if I plan too far ahead, something better will come along; and I'm as addicted as an online gambler to last-minute offers.
Orla Buckley was less than a week into her study abroad program in Spain when things went sour.
Kathleen Anderson was the only woman in business class on a recent Northwest Airlines flight from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Chicago. And it cost her.
With airports from New York to Sydney getting upgrades, Travel + Leisure picks our favorite restaurants, bars, lounges, shops and spas.
With so many options at the car rental counter, it may be tempting to buy whatever insurance protection is available to safeguard your trip. But many travelers don't realize they're more than likely duplicating coverage they already have.
If you've seen one tourism brochure that refers to itself as a "year-round" destination, you've probably seen them all.
When tour operators such as Traveland implode, their customers get burned. Here's what to do if ...
The big goal these days is to pack so little that you can carry on your bag. That means doing more with fewer clothes -- in other words, it's a question of style. Who better to help than Clinton Kelly, cohost of TLC's "What Not to Wear"? Budget Travel asked him to teach our editorial production manager, Lauren Feuer, how to pack for a long weekend in the Berkshires.
Avoid the mile-long lines at the Times Square TKTS booth by buying discounted Broadway tickets using one of these eight approaches.
One of the most desirable travel images can be the trickiest to get right. Follow these step-by-step tips for capturing sunsets that will live up to the moment you remember.
Sally Savona books a vacation at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, where she's promised a 25,000-mile bonus. But the loyalty points fail to show up in her account, despite repeated calls to the hotel. It's been months since her visit. How can she get Marriott to make good?
Travelers treat searching for hotel rates online like a game of roulette: try enough combinations (dates, locations, travel agencies), and you'll score the perfect one. But it's easy to forget that booking a room through an online travel agency means that if you need to change your travel dates or find a better deal, you may pay a penalty, often upward of $25. Add to this the fact that hotels don't reward loyalty points for stays reserved through discount booking sites, and that bargain-basement price doesn't look so appealing. Avoid pitfalls by following these approaches:
Even with Hurricane Dean taking aim at Cancun, Mexico, last August, Miguel Guillen wasn't worried. After all, he had insured his vacation.
There are more than 160 ships in the fleets of the 24 major cruise lines and more than 7,500 itineraries, from Alaska to Zanzibar. So how do you decide which one most suits your style? Follow these 10 steps to ensure smooth sailing:
A stone cottage overlooking the Italian countryside ... an old farmhouse in the hills of Provence ... a beachfront estate in the Caribbean; Renting a vacation house with character has undeniable appeal. In the past year, the number of people renting villas around the world has increased by more than 20 percent, according to a handful of industry experts, with bookings in more affordable countries such as Spain and Portugal nearly doubling.
Just when I was getting used to the idea that a euro should cost $1.20, our dollar plummets 20 percent, and now a euro costs $1.50. Don't expect our dollar to recover anytime soon because, frankly, we're not as rich as we think we are.
My first experience with an all-inclusive resort was a decade ago during a freezing February in New York City. I was easy prey for this promise: a startlingly low price for a trip to Cancún, which included airfare, four nights in a double room and meals at any of three "exciting, international" restaurants.
Worried about how Fido will fare while you're away? Do some research to minimize the stress of leaving your pet in someone else's care.
Is your airline telling the truth about the weather?
Half of Julie Liening's airline seat is missing. An extra-large passenger is sitting in it, forcing her to lean into the aisle or sit on the passenger's lap. Not a comfortable way to fly, nor, for that matter a safe way to fly. But when she asks her airline for compensation, she's turned down. What's next?
You probably already know about Spring Break, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.
Roz Weiss' vacation to Puerto Rico is put on ice, thanks to JetBlue's operational meltdown last winter. Months later, the airline has refunded the tickets, but the hotel is holding onto her money. Should it let go?)
What is "Super CDW" -- and why is it on Rick Murai's credit card bill after he rents a car from Alamo in Madrid? The car rental company's Web site is less than clear about the fee, and Murai's credit card company refuses to get involved. Is he stuck with the bill?
You gotta hate that guy. The guy sitting next to you on the plane, at the pool or the chairlift who can't stop bragging about the fantastic vacation deal he snared that saved his family big bucks.
A Days Inn property offers a Roman Catholic priest a tax refund. No, that's not the opening line of a joke -- unless playing phone tag and hearing excuses is funny to you. It isn't to Father William Mary Morgenstern, who is just trying to get his $42 back from the hotel. But is anyone listening to him?
This is the prime season for one of nature's great displays, but you might have to travel a ways to see it. The aurora borealis, aka the Northern Lights, is best seen at northern latitudes, and that means you'll have to pack your warm winter clothing -- after you check out a few Web sites to survey the possibilities in Alaska and Canada.
Because no one knows a city as well as the locals do, Budget Travel magazine asked a trio of insiders to give their opinions of three recent guidebooks about Rome.
Thinking of taking a cruise? Then you picked the right time -- and you're reading the right story.
Gayle Grafstrom-Corman is promised a refund on her daughter's Lufthansa ticket. But two years later, the 890 euros she's due is nowhere to be found, and neither her travel agent nor her airline know why. Is this a lost cause?
Mention that you're thinking of taking the kids to Orlando -- especially if you're first timers -- and you'll hear how your mother-in-law's sister's cousin scored discount tickets to Walt Disney World. Your son's first-grade teacher will fill you in on which character breakfasts her sister-in-law's aunt raved about (never mind that you know your preschooler will be terrified of the giant fuzzy creatures.)
If you're among those frequent travelers whose growing gadgetry collections occasionally make you suspect that technology does not, in fact, simplify your life, you're not alone. Take recent reports by new AT&T iPhone customers of roaming charges in the thousands of dollars and novel-length bills in the mail (customer Justine Ezarik posted a YouTube video of herself opening a 300-page bill that AT&T sent to her in a box).
New York City hotels charge nearly $300 a night on average. But with some persistence, it's possible to book a far more affordable place that's central, comfortable, and -- sometimes -- even charming. Be sure to plan well in advance. Most hotels recommend you make reservations at least one month before your arrival. Others encourage you to book months ahead. Some hotels require a certain minimum-night stay.
On a trip to Disneyland, Marco McFarren and his girlfriend participate in a program that allows them to buy a CD of photos taken by cast members for $59.99. But wait! The CD actually costs $124.95 when it's ordered from the Disney Web site. Is Mickey holding their vacation photos hostage, or was McFarren given the wrong information?
It's two days before we leave for a trip out West and my husband can't find his hiking boots. And he's not worried in the least.
When Colin West arrives at the Howard Johnson Express in New York, there's no room for him. He's sent to another nearby hotel, but has to pay for the room himself. West gets his money back for the first hotel from Priceline, but does it owe him something for the new hotel, too?
Denise Reed calls Delta Airlines to get a price quote on a flight between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Memphis, Tennessee. Or so she thinks. A few days later, she gets a bill. Now Delta won't return her money, saying its tickets are nonrefundable. Is Reed out of luck?
Q: My frequent-flier accounts have been inactive for too long, and my miles are going to go down the drain. What's an inexpensive last-minute save?
As I write this, I'm in a hotel room on the Vegas Strip, looking out my window at the construction site of what will be the largest green hotel in the world, set within MGM Mirage's $7.4 billion City Center.
'Tis the season ... for long lines and frayed nerves. Santa may not have to fly commercial, but you do. Here's how to cope.
When Henry Harteveldt looks to the future of travel, he sees fees. Lots of fees.
Jennifer Holland prepays for a hotel room on Hotwire.com. But a severe storm threatens to wash out her vacation. Holland wants the travel site to give her a rain check, but it won't, insisting its rooms are nonrefundable. She checks in, but finds her room is unusable. What, if anything, does Hotwire owe her?
Cheryl McClure reserves a room at the Hampton Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, and is offered an $81-a-night rate. Then the hotel has second thoughts and changes the rate to $149 a night. Can it do that? And what, if anything, does a "confirmed" rate mean? Should McClure cancel her hotel stay, or can the Hampton Inn be persuaded to honor its first rate?
On her way from Dallas, Texas, to Kauai, Marlene Kelley lands in Phoenix, Arizona, to find that her connecting flight to Hawaii has already left. But no one notified her about the schedule change, and now she and her husband are sent to Los Angeles to catch another flight to the islands. What do her airline and travel agent owe her for the runaround -- specifically for the night she had to spend at an LAX hotel?
When it comes to airline ticket rules, the devil isn't in the details. The devil is the details.
The rental car that Earnest Hoenck reserves from Hertz isn't available when he arrives in Hamburg, Germany. He's offered two choices: A smaller car that won't fit his luggage, or a bigger car for an extra 10 euros a day. He picks the bigger car, but when he returns the rental, he finds that his bill is even bigger than he expected. What can he do?
Shuffling through airport security in your socks or sitting in traffic may seem like a breeze compared with the stresses of settling in under the same roof with family.
Frank Gilbuena and his wife check in to a Comfort Inn, but find that they're less than comfortable with their accommodations. The upholstery is stained, the room isn't vacuumed and the bathroom is a mess. He gives the hotel a day to clean things up, but it doesn't. Now he wants his money back, and the hotel is ignoring his letters. What else can he do?
It's only October but Sandra Arthur has her extended family's Thanksgiving gathering entirely planned out. And she's not going to spend a single minute in the kitchen.
His mother is scheduled to fly to Hawaii with his aunt and cousin, where they plan to board a cruise. But hours before they leave, Lawrence Dean Parrish finds out that their flight schedules have been changed. Now his mother, who is 74 and suffers from glaucoma, is flying solo and his aunt and cousin are on another flight. Neither the travel agency nor the cruise line will help. Is her vacation sunk?
Your next hotel might not be a hotel. It could be a condo, a rental apartment or a home.
The agreement he signs with his car rental company says there's a $5.49 state tax, but when Michael Norton returns his vehicle to Hertz, the fee is twice what he expected. He complains to the company -- to no avail. Does he have to pay this surprise car rental tax?
I'm driving to the Poconos for Thanksgiving and flying to Paris for Christmas. Should I buy travel insurance for both trips?
Many Americans don't realize that there's a world of reliable hotel chains beyond Marriott and Motel 6. Here are 39 chains worth a stay.
The rate at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik is 181 euros a night, which a phone agent confirms with Sheri Siegel. But when she tacks an extra night on to her reservation at the same rate, something goes wrong. Now her bill is more than $260 higher than she expected -- and Hilton won't help her. Can this hotel stay be saved?
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