Bargain Biatch

Top Online Travel Sites

Before I even think spending one dime or even one of my (mom’s) frequent flier miles, I always take a trip into cyberspace and surf the web for deals.  In addition to my old favorites like Sidestep, Kayak, Cheap Tickets, Travelocity, Trip Advisor and Booking Buddy, here’s a new list of my newest top five.

 

Dealbase:  Featured on the Today Show as one of their top go-to websites, it compiles package deals from thousands of hotels, newsletters, rewards clubs, and online travel agencies, and then pulls apart their components, pricing them à la carte to let you know how much you’re really saving.

Bing Travel: Formerly Farecast.com, now backed by Microsoft it works and looks even better.   It forecasts whether fares on major domestic routes will go up or down. It’s super sumple and uses a seven-day Price Predictor to give research-backed recommendations about whether you should book now or wait until fares drop.

Tripkick: Like seatguru.com, which guides fliers to the best seats on airplanes, this site gives travelers the inside scoop on the best hotel rooms based on view, noise level, size and even bathroom layout.

Luxury Link: Bid on luxury resorts and the best deals are if your dates are flexible. It’s kind of like eBay for travel and packages are about 65 percent off.  And if you don’t want to bid, there’s a “buy now” feature. 

Gas Buddy: Reported and updated by regular drivers, the site lists stations and their gas prices (for all fuel grades, including diesel) by state, city, or ZIP code. The interactive Trip Cost Calculator helps drivers plot their route according to which places have the best fuel prices for their vehicle type.

Winter Getaways: Book Your Fun In the Sun Now

Temperatures might be a bit of a rollercoaster ride but don’t play yourself, in the next few weeks they’re only going down.  So plan for the inevitable bitter cold and book a trip now.  BookingBuddy is offering some great early winter deal to Jamaica from Cheap Caribbean.  They have 4-day deals starting at $450 and that’s all inclusive, meals, beverages tips and air.  Choose the resort and know that you’ll get a ton of bang for your buck since each deal is over 60 percent off.

And check out AirTran fare sale.  They’re offering very competitive fares throughout the US starting from $39.  There are conditions and blackout date but you can’t beat the prices good until January 2010.  But if you’re planning a Thanksgiving escape, I read that from now till Turkey Day, expect to pay an additional five bucks for every day you procrastinate.

Best Vacations Deals to Europe Right Now

Going to Europe in summer’s high season means sharpening your elbows to fight the crowds.  It’s a hassle with major destinations jam packed with tourists like yourself (except uglier) trying to get t glimpse of the main attraction.  That’s why a fall trip is such a great option, fewer people, still good weather and lots of savings for folks who held out during the summer and are looking for an off-peak getaway.  And amazingly the dollar remains fairly strong against the pound and the Euro.  According to a travel article in the NY Times, some of the best deals are to Amsterdam and London where you can find great packages at sites like Orbitz and Expedia.  And Spain is another good value with low airfare to Madrid and Barcelona.  You could make either city your jumping off point and take side trips through out Spain.  And if you’d prefer an Anglophile experience, VistiBritain has been running a Get More Britain For Your Buck Campaign and deals include budget lodging for 60 pounds per night or book 2 nights and get a third free at several upscale hotels.

Tour companies are also offering discounts like the ubiquitous Perillo.  They specialize in cheesy TV ads and package tours to Italy.  The commercials aside, I’ve heard they put together very nice trips and currently have a special to Rome including airfare from New York starting at $1400 per person.

 

But Book Soon.  Airfares are going up and these deals won’t last long.

Best Fall Travel Deals, Don’t Shrug at Shoulder Season

Fall is a great time for a getaway since you can take advantage of Shoulder Season.  It’s that in between time for travel where you reap the benefits of good weather, but rates are slashed around 30 percent from high season prices.  Take advantage of cheap rack rates and great resort packages, the only downside is that airfare has barely dipped. Check the Today Show Video Segment to find great travel deals now.  The highlights include Hilton Head South Carolina where the weather is still warm and the golfing is great. Privately owned vacation rentals are available and cheap, or you can score a 2-bedroom villa at The Marriott Vacation Clubs for $156 a night. Another bargain destination is Mexico.  Overall there are some amazing deals and a stand out is the Saint Regis Punta Mita.  It’s a phenomenal 5 star ultra luxurious resort.  It features white sand beaches and private butler service and mid week prices are half off regular rates.  And finally there’s Lake Tahoe.  Fly into Reno and the Sands Regency is offering a $29 a night rate with unlimited free drinks. It’s a beautiful area where you can go hiking and biking, of course cocktailing.

Best (Highend) Travel Deals Now

Conde Nast Traveler Magazine has just come out with a roundup of their best travel deals.  It’s culled from their travel Blog The Perrin Post” which I bookmarked to check back for budget travel tips and high end deals.

Here’s a taste of featured vacations:

$1000 discount at the Four Seasons Hawaii Half off Sea Dream Yacht Club Cruises Sixty five percent off rooms at an Eco Luxury resort in the Maldives

Sounds good but know that the magazine caters to a very upscale clientele; read rich with knee deep pockets.  So yes the deals are amazing but “dream cruises” still run over four grand a person and the rack rate for the absolute cheapest room at the Maldives Villa with deal is $400.  Definitely more of a special occasion trips. But as the article state, luxury is cheap but you’re worth it.  Some of the best bargains are south of the border like every other night free in zihunatnejo and a big discount resort credit in Puna Mita near Puerto Vallarta.

Bon Marche Voyager or Cheap Travel (I think)

Travel deals in yesterdays Daily News tease with the promise of a “great deal for a taste of Europe without the long haul or the cruel exchange rates”.  Where could it be? Montreal of course.  Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time in fake France, particularly back when the “Loonie” was insanely devalued.  For a one hour $100 flight I could spend weekend gorging myself on delicious cheese and pate and be back at in time to sweat it out at Bikram yoga Monday morning.  You can recreate that fabulous food orgy now with Montreal hotels offering good deals including book one night and get half off the second.  Unfortunately airfare isn’t quite the deal it used to be but there are other incentives thrown in like complimentary breakfast, wine and cheese, discounts to key attractions, casino passes and guided tours.  Just log on to tourisme-montreal.org.

 

For a deal closer to home hit the Beach.  Don’t let the fact that you don’t have a summer house in the Hamptons be an obstacle and stay at upscale Gurneys Inn.  I love it there; all that old fashioned luxury and now you can take advantage to discount rates of $225 per night including a $50 spa credit. And I know that fifty bucks is only about enough to pay for a polish change, it’s still a nice way to say bid summer adieu.

Costa Rica On The High End Cheap

Today’s Travel deal is Costa Rica. Why?  Because it’s a paradise of nature with incredible rainforest, hiking and unbelievable vistas.  And now going native doesn’t have to be a primitive experience. The Occidental Grand Papagayo Resort and Hotel is offering all-inclusive deals starting and $110 pp.  It’s luxurious lodging located on Costa Rica’ Northern Pacific coastline and with beachfront rooms carved out in the middle of the exotic landscape. You can take advantage of kayaking, and water sport and is perfect for alcoholic nature lovers since there are 4 open-air bars.  Airfare is totally cheap and a quick search of Kayak had flights running just over $300.  And you can also book a flight on an international airline like Lan and add another destination with a free or low cost stopover.

Save Green With Jet Blue: Unlimited Travel For $599

Got a lotta time and a little money, $599 dollars to be exact?  Then all you’ll need is a cornucopia of “friends” scattered allow over the country and the Caribbean and you have the makings of your best month ever!  That’s because Jet Blue is offering a month of unlimited travel with their All You Can Jet Pass.  Just buy your magic ticket by Aug 21 and then between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8, 2009 it’s up up and away, and away and away…..to any or all of the 57 cities that Jet Blue services including international destinations.  Even after reading the fine print like you have to book three days in advance and also pay taxes and travel fees on international flights, it’s still a steal.  So was the unexpected magnanimity a response to recent passenger indignities like sitting overnight on a runway in a packed plane with screaming babies, no food and overflowing toilets?  No, it’s really, just an attempt to drum up business during a typically slow time when summer travel is over and kids are have their bad little asses back in school where they belong.

 

Bundle And Save Money On Your Summer Vacation

 

Before you hit the on your summer vac-cay let your fingers do the walking or pointing and clicking and search out a package deal.  Since vacations usually involve more than flying in huge a turbulent box while your neighbor overshares and a toddler kicks the back of your seat, you probably need wheels and a place to sleep.  And everyone in the travel industry is feeling the recession pinch, so providers are working together to sell more components for lower prices by bundling packages. A recent article in the NY Times breaks down several travel packages and reveals tremendous savings.  For example by using Expedia to book air and hotel together you save an average of 17 percent or more than double the savings over last year.  The deals are due in part from desperation and the fact more hotels are participating in and effort to book rooms in a sluggish economy.  No one travel site is consistently best so it pays to shop around.  And before you go, check out packages within packages for additional perks, particularly for resort stays.  There are so many choices of properties that in order to distinguish themselves in the sea of summer discounts they’re offering very generous add ons.  You might get meal credits, spa treatments, or excursions like horseback riding and white water rafting.  It’s great way to save money on high-end fun not be hit with sticker shock at the end of your stay

Denver On Sale! Mile High Fun For $52.80

Big Shout Out to my home town Denver, well Lakewood Colorado.  And if you’ve never had the chance to visit now’s the time or anytime throughout the summer is to take advantage of the $52.80 deal.  That’s what it will cost you to take advantage of dozen of specially priced activities, events and hotel stays.  Summer and fall are my favorite times of year when ski resorts like Breckenridge and Vail turn into mountain playgrounds with jazz festivals, cycling, hot air ballooning and lots of good food and wine.  The Denver City $52.80 packages vary greatly but there’s something for everyone including tickets to sporting events, museums, gallery and brewery tours.  And local hotels are offering 2nd night stays for $52.80 and other deals with three star rooms rates starting at $99. Log on to check out all the deals and go for some high altitude fun in the sun.