| Luxury Vacations for Less - Fortune |
| BYO Food .. And Save Hundreds on Your Next Trip “For the average hotel guest, dining can make up anywhere from a third to a half of the total spend on an average trip,” noted Lisa Grossberg, General Manager of the historic Buckingham Hotel in Manhattan which has eat-in kitchens in every apartment-style suite.
Pictured Above: Buckingham Hotel Suite’s Kitchen Whether you’re headed to tropical island or a major city, here are 5 simple ways you can save hundreds of dollars on your next trip: 1) Book a condo-style hotel room with an eat-in kitchen. If you’re headed to a major city, you’ll find that many of the early and mid-century hotel buildings, like the Buckingham, came installed with private kitchens. And if you’re jetting to an island destination, more and more hotels are renting out their dormant condo and timeshare units. “The overdevelopment of timeshares in 2008 has left a lot of hoteliers with a wider inventory than they anticipated. As a result, travelers can find great deals on some very luxe condos, some with Viking kitchens and high-end appliances!” notes Grossberg. 2) Stock your fridge. Even if you have plans to dine out every night of the week, you can still skip paying $40 for a below-average continental breakfast by bringing your own eggs, bagels and coffee. “We have the great fortune of being located in midtown Manhattan, so we’re blocks from some of the best bagels and lox in the country,” said Grossberg. “But every city and town has its own food gems. It’s a great loss if you don’t take advantage. When in Rome!” And if you want to spice things up with a mimosa, pick up a bottle of Freixenet cava. It retails for just $10 at the liquor store and is what many restaurants use behind the scenes. Just pour out half a flute of Freixenet and top off with another half of OJ — and you’re set, brunch style… 3) Stock your bar. And if you’re tempted by that packet of peanut M&Ms or miniature Jack Daniels calling your name late-night, make your own mini-bar by hitting the liquor and convenience story for far less. Stores like Walgreens even sell theater style box candy or a 1 oz bag of mini-Oreos for $1 instead of $6+ mini-bar prices. And if you really insist on having the Thelma & Louise experience, a site called beerliquors.com actually sells miniature bottles of your favorites in bulk, and on the cheap. Also, with wines incurring a hefty mark-up dining out, pick up a great $20 wine that would cost you $50 from a restaurant’s cellar. “It’s on the rise right now for even five-star restaurants to open up their Mondays for BYOB. So you can have a great meal and pick up a great bottle at cost,” added Grossberg. To find local restaurant specials check out deal-of-the-day sites. 4) Buy local. Also treat yourself to the best of whatever your particular city has to offer. If you’re in New York City, hit the H&H Bagels or at least a great deli. Seattle? Fish market! Bay Area? Replace your in-room Sanka pod with a small bag of the cult-favorite Blue Bottle coffee. ### Travel Insurance Gives Peace Of Mind Traveling can sometimes be a stressful and mind numbing experience before getting to your destination where you can finally relax. Your mind is flooded with thoughts about flight cancellations, lost luggage, severe weather delays and many others. With travel insurance those thoughts can be put to the side and you can travel at peace knowing you are covered if any of these types of situations should arise. No matter where you are in the world you are protected and can get assistance with a simple phone call. When people think of insurance they can sometimes see it as a drain of funds and not something that they really need. While paying insurance premiums is an expense, the benefits they provide at the time you need it most makes every penny spent worthwhile. Nobody wants to be caught in a situation that is outside their control and have a feeling of helplessness. Having a travel insurance plan can prepare you for those situations and give you a place to turn to in your time of need. There are a number of different coverage types available in a travel insurance policy. You can purchase a general plan that gives basic coverage on some of the most common travel risks. This will give you coverage for issues such as medical or dental expenses, emergency and hospital care, travel delays caused by weather, trip cancellation, damaged or lost luggage, accidental death, legal assistance and many more. While you never want to find yourself in situations like this, they can happen. As with any insurance plan you can purchase add-ons and extra coverage based on your needs which can protect you from other risks you may encounter. Additional coverage types you can purchase is car rental insurance coverage, additional accidental death and dismemberment insurance coverage, or even coverage for high risks activities commonly done on vacation like scuba diving. Depending on the amount of coverage you are seeking the insurance premiums can increase significantly or minimally. There are often exclusions that apply just as with any other type of insurance plans such as medical, auto, and homeowners insurance. It is important to be aware of these exclusions so that additional coverage can be purchased if available. It will also help you to understand when you can make a claim against the insurance policy. If you are unsure of what the exclusions are be sure to ask your travel insurance agent or seek legal advice from an attorney. Traveling is supposed to be a fun and exciting time and should not be hindered with thoughts of things that can go wrong. Purchasing travel insurance can give you a worry-free travel experience and allow you to simply relax and enjoy the trip. If you are interested in purchasing travel insurance or would like more information, contact a travel insurance agent near you. He or she can assist you in finding the coverage that is right for you and your travel habits. ---------------------------------------------------- Casey Trillbar is the editor of the YourOnlineInsuranceAgent.com website which offers information, resources and online insurance quotes for people looking for all types of insurance. For more information visit: http://youronlineinsuranceagent.com |