Thinking of heading to Venezuela for the holidays? The capital is a great destination. With a population of approximately four million, Caracas is one of the most populated cities in Venezuela and is close to the coast. The uniqueness of Caracas is the perfect mingling of Caribbean heat with the crisp coolness of the Andes, giving it exquisite climate. If you have a few days or even just a weekend, here’s my pick of a few experiences that you just must enjoy, before packing your bags. Museo de los Niños or Children’s Museum What…

View from Sheraton on the Falls By Carla Alberti We had limited time for a family vacation during March break, so we decided to take a road trip and stay a couple nights in Niagara Falls, Ontario — just 90 minutes from Toronto. My family and I, along with our friends and their two children (ages 9 and 4), decided to take in the sites and sounds of one of the wonders of the world and take advantage of the other family attractions nearby. We stayed at the Sheraton on …

The British weather is the most deplorable flirt – giving us sunshine one day, and grey skies the next. We want some unwavering warmth, a boutique hotel hideaway, a shot of coastal cool and a holiday sans umbrella – magnificent Mystique in Greece ’s sun-kissed Santorini should do the trick… Style Leisure, luxury and linens Setting Cycladic volcano summit Why this week? Get more beach for your buck with Mystique’s current members’ offer – 4 nights for the price of 3 . Our favourite bits The mind-blowing vista of the caldera cliffs makes for holiday snaps to be proud of, and the hotel’s cloistered quarters guarantee privacy and relaxation. Mystique ’s suites are spacious and airy, with camera-pleasing private terraces overlooking the sea. Room 16’s generous terrace provides the most impressive view…

Traveling with pets If you have a dog and enjoy going out with your friends but don’t want to leave your pet alone: stop worrying! The Good Pub Guide has just published a dog-friendly pubs ‘ guide though the UK. Thank you guys! Uncommon Honeymoon destinations Are you starting to plan your wedding? Are you thinking of the place you’d like to spend your honeymoon in? Forget…

By Joe Brancatelli If you have any doubt at all that hotel chains are getting as good as the airlines at playing shell games with their frequency programs, you can disabuse yourself of that quaint notion. As you surely know by now, hotel frequent-stay award charts are based on each hotel’s “average daily rate” (ADR). When the rate goes up, the price you pay in points goes up because the hotel chains raise …

Homewood Suites La Quinta By Joe Brancatelli Throughout 2009, the hotel industry was awash in waves of property openings just as occupancy rates and nightly room rates were collapsing. That was an accident of timing since the hotel pipeline tends to be planned 2-3 years in advance and can’t be plugged when business turns south. But 2010 will be much different. A lot of projects have been halted in the planning stage, and there are some empty holes out there that were going to be hotel foundations. And the flow of properties has definitely slowed down. Here’s what’s new lately: Atlanta hotels : a 192-room Embassy Suites Kennesaw Town Center in Atlanta; Seattle hotels : a 134-room Staybridge Suites Seattle North &#…

Train lovers, there’s lots of news to report about traveling through Europe by Train . With the deregulation of railroads, more are launching, competition is greater, and train passengers have more choices than ever. Rail Europe sells train tickets, passes, and packages for dozens of railroads that criss-cross Europe and remains a best bet for Americans heading overseas. Big Deals on Train Wheels Through Rail Europe (check fares) , you can save 20% on the high-speed Eurostar between London and Paris if you travel by August 31, 2010. (Note: You must book by April 7.) Hoping to see more of France than Paris? The company’s flexible Anywhere Anytime France pass provides first-class travel through the …

Book a hotel and you expect the price to be the same no matter if you found the hotel booking site through Google, or another channel, right? So, I was surprised to find out that booking a hotel with Vivastay through an affiliate link, the consumer receives a higher price than booking direct. Here are the screenshots of the pricing via an affiliate link and a search direct on their website. Vivastay’s response to my query Tonight I contacted Vivastay for their response. “The reasons for doing this were not due to a dishonest attempt to mislead any affiliates as we are very new to the arena of affiliate marketing (6 months) and were never advised by networks that price variations via different channels were inappropriate or …

Ljubljana, like many cities in the former Eastern Bloc, has enjoyed a renaissance since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the eastward expansion of the EU. At first, tourism was based almost entirely on the low prices on offer but the city’s place in the market has matured recently and while it is still relatively cheap, its other assets have come into their…

Disney © Thanks to everyone who participated in the Orbitz  Disney travel tip contest on Twitter. We’ll announce who won the 7-day Disney vacation  next Thursday. To show our appreciation for the wealth of tips you shared, here’s a special  vacation  discount: Use promo code TWITTER40  to receive $40 off a flight + hotel vacation package.   Just book by March 20, 2010  for travel through Dec. 31, 2010. Terms and Conditions Book a qualifying flight + hotel package between March 18, 2010 and March 20, 2010 for 3 or more nights for travel between March…

  Grand Cayman By Lena Katz Honest disclosure: As a female, I fully believe that most Caribbean vacations — actually, most vacations in general — should be mixed-gender. Women make things more fun, plus, we always are the ones who remember the sunblock. But if you’re planning on four solid days of spear-fishing or survival training or anything that gets dirt/fish scales under the fingernails, I pass. You and your backpack-heaving buddies have my blessing…

Grand Cayman By Lena Katz Honest disclosure: As a female, I fully believe that most Caribbean vacations — actually, most vacations in general — should be mixed-gender. Women make things more fun, plus, we always are the ones who remember the sunblock. But if you’re planning on four solid days of spear-fishing or survival training or anything that gets dirt/fish scales under the fingernails, I pass. You and your backpack-heaving buddies have my blessing to hit any of the amazing, remote, outdoorsy Caribbean vacation destinations below,  have fun, take pictures, try to avoid major bruises, and I’ll see you when you’re back to civilization. Cayman Islands If …

Martin Miller doesn’t like birthdays, doesn’t really like weddings, and isn’t sure if he likes hotels (other than Miller’s Residence of course). He used to like partying – still does every now and then – loves a G&T (made with Martin Miller’s Gin ), prefers his bedrooms on the cosy side and has a magnetic attraction to big piles of bricks, especially ones …

Dear Travel Agony Aunt, Can you suggest a hotel in rome, good location, but around 200.oo or less… thanks JS Dear JS, I’ll try to come up with a list of hotels in Rome with good location and prices under $200.00. Please, note that as you did not indicate any particular dates, room rates may vary and even be over $200.00 in peak season. Hope you enjoy your stay in Rome! 1. Ludovisi Palace – City Area: Via Veneto Ludovisi Palace is a Rome 4-star hotel located off Via Veneto, famous thanks to Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita . Other easy-to-reach tourist attractions from Ludovisi Palace hotel are the Spanish Steps, Piazza Barberini with Bernini’s Fontana …

By Elina Fuhrman Alaska is one of those places where people go to seek adventure. Its fierce beauty, overwhelming silence and lack of luxury hotels makes it a natural spectacle. Once you get off the main roads and into the wilderness, a whole new world opens up: raw, magnificent and still. But most places in Alaska are not even accessible by car, so I decided to make my first trip there by taking a cruise . As a child I knew …