Don’t Use The Glass In Your Hotel Room!

YUCK! We found this shocking video story on Brightcove.com (internet tv).  It’s proof that glasses in hotel rooms (no matter how pricey the hotel) NEVER leave the room, and NEVER get a proper washing with soap and hot water or put through a dishwasher.

Watch this video and you’ll never drink from a glass in a hotel room again!

PS – Better give those coffee mugs an extra wash as well!

Get Your Mail Anywhere In The World

Managing print mail at home is one of the great challenges for long term travelers. Whether you’re moving from place to place, or spending a month or more at a new destination, it’s a major puzzle to receive (or keep tabs on) your mail at home. We’ve found a web service that solves the problem!

EarthClassMail.com makes receiving your mail from home as easy as opening an email. Pricing plans that start at $9.95 per month, allow you to have your mail forwarded to a secure virtual mail box. All envelopes are scanned to a PDF and forwarded to your email address where you can view them and decide whether they should be opened, recycled, shredded or forwarded to you at a temporary address. If you decide the mail should be opened, the contents are scanned and sent to your email address.  So no matter where in the world you roam, you can see what’s going on in your home mail box!

Where To Vacation Without A Passport

OK, so you meant to apply for a passport… and you still intend to do it… but right now you really need a vacation. Where can you go to find sun and fun with just your photo ID?

Choice #1 Hawaii – For Exotic Beauty, Gorgeous Beaches, Top Golf and Remarkable Resorts. Find more information at Go Hawaii

Choice #2 St. John – For Dramatic Beauty and Laid Back Resorts that are In Tune With Nature. Find more information at USVI

Choice #3 Miami Beach – For See and Be Seen Beaches and Nonstop Nightlife.
Find more information at Miami

Choice #4 Key West – For A Funky Good Time in Rented Villas, Historic Bed and Breakfasts and Quirky Hotels there’s no better place than Key West – where else can you hang out with chickens?! Find more information at FLA-Keys. If it’s an island atmosphere you’re after, you’ll find two luxurious island destinations in the Keys – the ultra deluxe Little Palm Island and Westin’s Sunset Key.

Choice #5 Puerto Rico – Exotic City Life Meets The Beach and Rainforest – Feel The Beat and Party On. Find more information at Go To Puerto Rico

Choice #6 St. Thomas – Gorgeous Beaches, Golf Courses and Upscale Hotels, Shop ‘Til You Drop – just avoid Charlotte Amalie when the cruise ships are docked! Find more information at USVI

Choice #7 St. Croix – Off The Traditional Tourist Map. The largest of the US Virgin Islands but perhaps the least visited – enjoy their abundant uncrowded sugar white beaches. Find more information at USVI

Is Airline Check-In Going Paperless?

Now that virtually every man, woman, and child carries a cell phone in their pocket, the airlines are planning to go paperless for check-in by sending a boarding pass to your cell phone.

In cooperation with the TSA, Continental Airlines has begun testing the new paperless boarding system on nonstop flights. It’s hoped that not only will this new system improve customer service, but will improve security as well. It’s expected the new procedure will counteract a potential security weakness realized during Internet check-in where the printed bar code could potentially be altered. Here’s how it will work. Read more

MAXjet Leaves Christmas Travelers Stranded

The all luxury airline MAXjet stopped flying unexpectedly on 12/24, leaving holiday travelers stranded on Christmas Eve. The airline was reportedly trying to find hotel rooms for passengers in New York and London and was placing passengers on alternative flights with other airlines. It’s expected that MAXjet will file for bankruptcy.

So just what went wrong? Read more

Compare Ski Resorts Worldwide With Ease

It’s going to be a spectacular winter for skiing! (Well, in the United States anyway.) Your biggest challenge will be trying to decide between snow packed vertical runs and powdery lanes all the way from California to Maine.

We’ve found a super website that makes choosing the right mountain a cinch.
On The Snow has all the information you’ll need to find extreme runs, fresh powder, wild nightlife and family friendly resorts.

There’s a running report of snow drops in the past 24 hours, acres of skiable terrain, snow depths, and snow cams at every major mountain. Combine that with weather reports, user reviews, and current deals and you have one powerful ski site.

I particularly like being able to check out who has the best conditions; the big US West, picturesque New England, or the highly touted European Alps. This year it looks like the US wins – handsdown!!! So spend your money at home, find your ideal winter wonderland at OnTheSnow.com, and get out and enjoy the snow!

Alert! Your FF Miles May ‘Go Poof’ on Dec 31st

Are your frequent flyer miles due to expire at midnight on New Year’s Eve?
Most major US airlines have reduced the life of frequent flyer miles this year, so your’s may be expiring sooner than you thought.

What causes miles to expire? Basically you need some activity in your account every 12 to 24 months depending on the individual airline program. Now is the time to check your accounts – or at least right after the Christmas crush is over.

Here are three easy, inexpensive ways to save your miles without buying an airplane ticket.

Tip #1. Do some gift buying on your airline’s online shopping site. You’re likely to find all the major national store chains represented and the catalog sites as well. A great way to earn some miles and add activity to your frequent flyer account.

Tip #2. Subscribe to a magazine on your airline’s website. This typically takes VERY few miles and will qualify to keep your miles alive.

Tip #3. Go out to dinner. Join your airline’s Dining Club (free) and then go out to dinner. The miles you earn will revitalize your frequent flyer account.

The BIG exception to saving expiring miles is Southwest Airlines. Southwest miles expire every two years without exception – so the only way to save your old miles is purchase a ticket for a new trip.

Don’t let you miles expire! – Give the airline a call, ask them what the expiration date is for your miles and what the least expensive way is to renew them. PS – don’t forget to check your children’s accounts as well – they tend to fly less frequently than we do.

Spain Tourism Guides

Spain, the land of “S”! Stylish, Sophisticated, Sizzling and Spicy – a treat to all your Senses.

Start your travel planning by visiting the Spain National Tourism Bureau.

Then focus on the Regions and Cities below: Read more

Save Big Bucks – Rent a Timeshare!

Thanks go to Gary for telling me about RedWeek.com a terrific website for finding Timeshares to rent directly from their owners. We’ve all heard about timeshare owners trading space, but now it’s just as easy to find a timeshare offered for rent.

So why rent a timeshare? Easy, they are condo-style accommodations complete with fully equipped kitchens for preparing a few meals in, have large living areas for the whole family or two couples to stretch out, laundry facilities, and all the comforts of home in a vacation setting.

How about the prices? They are usually significantly lower than hotel rates in the same area. For instance we took a look at Aruba (Palm Beach area) and found 10 rental listings between $107 and $214 per night during high season. The deals are even better when renting in all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Read more

The Cheapest Winter Weeks For Caribbean Travel

The cheapest prices for winter travel to the Caribbean fall on weeks that are traditionally the coldest of the winter. Wow, almost a no-brainer that those are the weeks you should plan your beach escape, right! Here’s the catch – we’re all so stressed out by the holidays, we don’t focus on our winter vacation until it’s too late. Without a doubt, the least expensive travel weeks to the Caribbean are the first three weeks of January – right after New Year’s is over.

You can often save HALF of the cost of vacationing in during the holiday weeks, and a third of costs in February or March. It’s not unheard of to find all inclusive rates in the Dominican Republic, and the Mayan Riviera for $1,000 per person for FLIGHTS, ALL MEALS and ALL DRINKS. You almost can’t afford to stay home at those rates!

So put holiday shopping out of your mind for a few minutes and focus in on getting out of town to soak up some Caribbean sun and work on your tan for the New Year.

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