I'm heading to Vegas!

So coming up soon I'll be in Vegas on a very short business trip.  Here's the deal I booked, which is pretty amazing.  Two (1) way trips to Vegas and back from Los Angeles for just $60 bucks each way on Southwest Airlines.

While in Vegas I got a room at the newer 4,004 room Aria Resort and Casino.  The cost?  $169 for the night.   I've never been to the Aria so I'm excited about that.  Any thoughts about the place?   Comment please.

I'll be sure to take along the new I-Pad, my MiFi device and blog along the way.  Let's see how much damage one man can do in Vegas in just over 24 hours.  :-)

A new hotel is set to open Downtown Vegas

Vegas has two parts of town.  #1.  The famous Strip with all it's glam, big casinos and action.  #2.  Downtown with the Fremont Street Experience, a few older hotels and up and coming casinos.   The newest hotel to open (re-open) up is "D" which is a 683 room hotel with a casino, dancers and great views.

(Rooms will have pillow-top mattresses, flat-screen

 TVs, iPod docking stations, Wi-Fi and more)

The new D used to be Fitzgeralds Casino & Hotel, but it's been completely remodeled into a new pimping hotel.   A a press release says It will offer dancing dealers, state-of-the-art sound system, a two-level casino, modern slots on the first floor, plus campy vintage ones on the second.  Booo-ya!

The best part?  The rates.  They'll probably be $59 weekdays and $99 weekends giving Vegas visitors new options for both affordable yet fun.   Check out: www.vegaschatter.com/D, for more info about the coming hotel.

2 day super sale for Hedo II and/or Breezes

Superclubs has a super sale today and tomorrow, Feb 28th and the 29th (leap year) for both Breezes Trelawny/Curacao and Hedonism II in Negril.  

(Breezes Trelawny)

They are offering 30% to 35% off their standard rates. 

Details below provided by Denny P Travel, LLC.  Get a price quote.

• Booking window: Tuesday & Wednesday February 28th & 29th, 2012
• Travel window: Varies by hotel, see below

• Breezes Trelawny
• 35% off standard rates
• Travel: March 17 - 31, 2012

• Breezes Curacao
• 35% off standard rates
• Travel: March 16 - April 13, 2012

• Hedonism II
• 30% off standard rates
• Travel: March 18 - 31, 2012
• Blacked out: March 25, 2012

• Based on standard room pricing (no group rates)
• NEW bookings only
• Minimum 3 nights
• Not combinable with other specials or promotions
• Based on availability

Check out Denny P over at:  DennyPTravel.

1/2 price cabins on Titanic cruise

"Cabins, get your cabins!  Half off, cabins!"  

This April will mark 100 years since the Titanic sunk in the frozen waters of the Atlantic.  To honor those who died, and to have an excuse to cruise, the 710-passenger Azamara Journey is hosting a Titanic cruise.

It's actually the 2nd of 2 cruises but the first one sold out over a year ago.  The second cruise still has rooms and since it's getting close to cast-a-way time, they're 1/2 off.   I checked their site, for the 8 night cruise you can now get a cabin from $1,999 and up.

If you do book you'll be leaving April 10th, 2012 from New York City, the same day the Titanic embarked on its doomed journey from Southampton, England, in 1912.   

  You'll first visit Halifax, Canada, where passengers can visit the Fairview Lawn Cemetery, the final resting place for many of Titanic's victims.  A few days later you'll be arriving at the exact site of Titanic's sinking on April 14, when memorial services will be held.

Check them out further at:  www.titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk.   And if you do book, please contact us, we'd love to do a follow up post.

My first follow up post...

This is my first "chaser" post to yesterdays contest post.  Yesterday I was blogging about how you can stay in Ecuador for a month if you win this contest.  I also included a link to a website out of Ecuador with apartments that are available.

I went to the website out of curiosity.  Damn, it's the real deal!  Apartments starting off at $250 per month and you can get pimping pads for $800 to $900, I mean nice stuff!

Take this one for example...

Price:  $865 per month.   Size: 3BR 2BA - 1,300 sq. ft.

 Direct link to this listing:  www.cuencarealestate.com/Rent/216.

This 16th floor condo in one of Cuenca's newest high-rise project features great views over the city.  Condo has three bedrooms (one serves as an office) and 2 baths and is comfortably furnished.  The neighborhood, near the Tomebamba River greenway, has good restaurants, a modern supermarket in a small shopping mall and the city's largest indigenous mercado. 

Comes with fully equipped kitchen, bed and bath linens and washer - dryer. Rental includes utilities, CATV, internet and condo fee. Building has elevators, underground parking, 24-hour security, CATV and internet.  No pets or children under 12 allowed.  One-month minimum rental.  AVAILABLE MARCH 9th 2012. 

What?!?!?!   I think I'm gonna move!  Well I can't just yet, but if I was ready to retire, this sure looks like a good city to move to.  Also, some people are moving there for a year just to learn Spanish, muy bueno!

Check out this place and more at: www.cuencarealestate.com.

Live in Ecuador, and get paid for it!

Here's a contest put on by InternationalLiving.com that's seeking either a couple or a single w/a friend to spend a month at a retirement community in Cuenca, Ecuador - Google Map.  And not only is the stay free, you'll score $1,500 in spending cash!

Why are they doing this?

They're trying to promote living and/or retirement in countries that are US friendly.  I signed up about a year ago for some free guide to Honduras from this same company and for the last 12 months I've been getting e-mails from IL about once a week with hot deals in the Caribbean and Central America.

(Cuenca offers a low cost of living, good climate, friendly residents & good medical care)

The winning pair gets free airfare, a place to live for four weeks, plus $1,500 in spending cash.  The winner must be willing to write about the experience for International Living at its freelance rates.  Enter at the IL website.

Enter the "Win Your Dream Retirement Overseas" contest by posting a video (three minutes of fewer) on YouTube explaining why you would like to retire overseas and why you would like to try out Ecuador. The submission deadline is midnight (eastern time) on March 15th, 2012.  The lucky winners go to Ecuador in 2012.

BONUS LINK:  www.cuencarealestate.com/apartments.  <---apartments in the host city from $500 per month, US.

Ice skate at Rockefeller for just $7.50

If you're visiting Manhattan, you may be able to lace up a deal!  The ice rink at Manhattan's Rockefeller Center is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a $7.50 Tuesday promotion (skate rental included).

The deal runs through February 7th, 2012.  It includes four hours on the ice.  Typical pricing this time of year would start at $21 for adult rink time and skate rental and $16.50 for children under 11.  So jump on it kids!

Take a cruise on a freighter ship!

A lot travelers don't flying long distances, but for those needing to cross an ocean you do have other options other than a traditional cruise.  Sailing the seas on a freighter ship could be a great alternative and it's a lot cheaper than a passenger cruise.   But it's still unknown to many.  Some of the most common FAQs are answered online by Sea Travel Ltd., a British company that books freighter cruises.  But we'll try to cover the basics here.

 

How much do they cost?  Consider some recent freighter sailings offered by The Cruise People, and how such fares compare with more traditional travel modes.  A recent 13-day sailing from Amsterdam to Cleveland could be booked for $1,560 per person for single or double cabins. The lowest comparable airfares on that route were in the $1,100 range, but no passenger cruise line offered a similar itinerary, at any price.  

How do they differ from a passenger cruise?  Well, you're on a freaking freighter!  So don't be expecting the amenities of a passenger cruise ship.   You won't find parasailing, rock-climbing walls, casinos and big shows.  You will find plenty of sun and sea air, solitude, poolside sunning, ample reading time and casual/no black-tie dinners. So if you're down for a way different type of cruise, check it out.  I think I could handle about a week on the vessel then I'd be ready to get back to the "real world."

Get a free ride, on a bus!

As of today, the city-to-city express bus service Megabus.com is offering 200,000 free seats for travel January 4th to March 1st, 2012.  The free trips can be booked to or from more than 70 U.S. cities and even Toronto.  To get in on the free'ness travelers must use the promo code:  GOFREE on their website.

Since the offer is limited and subject to availability, you're more likely to snag a freebie if you're flexible and can travel midweek, particularly on such popular routes as Washington, D.C.- New York City.  I did a sample test and said I wanted to travel from New York to Boston on February 21st, 2012 returning the next day.   The price I got?  FREE!  It works!

  

(inside a Megabus)

Megabus.com, which launched in 2006, is among a growing number of intercity bus services offering cheap (as low as $1 each way) fares with such frills as free Wi-Fi and power outlets.  LonelyPlanet is even saying that the Northeaster US is easier to travel due to companies like Megabus, because they make it possible to "hop-scotch across the region without booking a flight or hiring a car."

So again, go to www.megabus.com and use the pormo code:  GOFREE.

Black Friday camera deal from Amazon!

Black Friday is ON! Here's a wicked good camera from Fujifilm that ordinarily costs $399, yours today for $199. That's a steal! It's a 16 megapixel monster that will take amazing shots on your next travel destination. This is one day deal from Amazon (according to them) so if you're in the market for a new camera, this might be the one for you.

• All-new 16 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor
• 15x optical zoom covering 24-360mm (35mm equivalent)
• 3.0 inch rear LCD with 460,000 pixel and new Rich User Interface using Vector fonts and graphics
• 1600% wide dynamic range
• Full resolution high speed shooting at 3fps
• Full HD movie capture (H.264 MOV file format)
• Advanced 27 scene mode EXR Auto
• Film simulation modes
• 360° Motion Panorama mode
• Photobook Assist function

Following in the footsteps of the award-winning FinePix F200 EXR and F300 EXR models, this latest recruit to the range is the ideal camera for discerning point-and-shoot photographers or SLR users who want to travel light but don't want to compromise image quality and picture-taking versatility. Superb results are assured with exciting new features including an innovative 16 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor, a 15x wide-angle zoom lens, Full HD video functionality and an improved user interface. With a stylish design and pocketable dimensions, the FinePix F505 EXR is set to become the must-have compact in 2011.

Check it out at: Fujifilm FinePix F505 - $199 today only.

A way cheap all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic

All-inclusive resorts are so very nice because once you pay, you're done baby.   Forget about paying more for meals, drinks, entertainment and even tips - just relax and have a good time.  I've personally been on 6 all-inclusive trips (5 times to Hedo II and 1 time to Grand Lido/Breezes) and I've very much enjoyed the "keep the money clip in the room safe" concept.

The Hotel Riu Naiboa in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has a current special starting at a pretty amazing $63 per person, per night, meals and drinks included!   Punta Cana, with dozens of all-inclusives along miles of white-sand beach, is popular with Americans as a safe place to travel.

Hotel Riu was just renovated this fall and offers over 362 guests rooms spread out over 20 acres of land right on the beach.  Hotel amenities include mini-market, pool with children's section, miniclub, complimentary sun loungers, towels and umbrellas by the pool, 4 tennis courts, a sun terrace and free Wi-Fi in lobby.  The all-inclusive part of the resort also offers 24-hr snack and beverage services, daily programs for adults and children (ages 4-12), nightly entertainment live music or shows.

 The renovated guests room includes Air conditioning, ceiling fan, 1 double bed or 1 double bed and 1 twin bed, direct dial phone, regularly replenished mini-bar, new liquor dispensers, satellite TV, in-room safe for free. Bathroom equipped with bathtub and shower, amenities kit. Balcony or terrace.

Most of the sale prices are for next month, so if you're down, go here:  www.riu.com/punta-cana/hotel-riu-naiboa/offer.

Score cheap airfare w/Southwest & AirTran

What do you do when business slows?  Have a sale!  Both Southwest, and its subsidiary, AirTrans are releasing some pretty amazing rates - as low as $35 one way.  Flights of 450 miles or less are on sale for $35 each way – or less than $95 round-trip, even when taxes and fees are included.

(I could fly from Los Angesles to Las Vegas for $88)

For flights between 451 and 1,000 miles, sale fares are $65 each way (plus taxes and fees).

That jumps to $95 each way for flights of 1,001 to 1,500 miles and tops out at $125 each way for flights of more than 1,500 miles.

If you want in on the action you must book your tickets by the end of the day Thursday but then they are good for travel from November 30th through December 14th 2011 and from January 4th through February 15th, 2012.  

 Read the fine print for Southwest & AirTran.

Wyndham gives away $20 gift cards

In a fall promotion to boost traffic during a slow travel season, Wyndham Worldwide is giving away a $20 gift card to guests who stay twice at any of its 6,500 hotels.

It amounts to about $5 in discount per night since each stay must be at least two nights.  This is not a deal that'll change your life, but hey, it's something.

(Gainesville's Super 8 Motel)

Customers must be a member of its loyalty program and can participate in the promotion up to three times, for a total of $60.  The promotion ends on Nov. 18.

Wyndham's hotels include Wyndham Hotels, Ramada, Days Inn and Super 8.

Breezes is having a sale

Check out this sweet deal that I found on the Superclubs website.  A friend of mine at my office was asking about "these resorts" that I always talk about.  Well, come to find out he wants to travel around his anniversary which is in December.

That's a perfect time to go!  We did some checking and he can book 7 nights in Negril's Breezes and it would be around $1,414 for the 7 nights, for 2 people.  ($101 x's 2= $202 x's 7=$1,414).  Add in airfare from Los Angeles to MoBay and back and that's another $1,400.  Boom...for under 3k he's chilling on a beach for a week with all food and drink he can bare to handle.

Check them out further at:  www.breezes.com/specials.

Fares drop to $19 as low-cost carriers roll out fare sales

Yesterday 3 of the nation's largest low-fare airlines introduced their fare sales for the fall season.   Fare sales by Southwest and its subsidiary AirTran cover flights through early December while Frontier's sale extends into February.  Frontier's sale fares drop as low as $19 each way on some routes, such as Milwaukee-Kansas City and Denver-Kansas City.

Sales by Southwest & AirTran are nearly identical. The sales, which include one-way fares as low as $59 each way (plus taxes and fees) cover travel between Sept. 16 and Dec. 14.

(our personal favorite, Virgin America, didn't announce sales)

Tickets require a 10-day advance purchase and must be purchased by the end of the day Thursday (Sept. 8). The lowest fares are for flights on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Saturdays, though higher sale fares are available on other days. Travel is blacked out from Nov. 17 through Nov. 28.

As for Frontier, its sale tickets also must be purchased by the end of the day Thursday, though Frontier's sale covers flights through Feb. 15. Frontier's fares, which require a 14-day advance purchase, are lowest for Tuesday and Wednesday flights, though higher sale fares are available on other days.  There are several blackout dates around the Thanksgiving and winter holidays.

Frontier's sale fares focus on its hubs of Denver, Milwaukee and Kansas City: Sample one-way fares on Frontier (not including taxes and fees): Denver-Kansas City, $19; Kansas City-Milwaukee, $19; Denver-Phoenix, $49; and Milwaukee-New York LaGuardia, $79.

Starwood Hotels brings back it's popular 'pay your birth year' deal

Starwood Hotels is offering a cool special designed on your birth year.  Here's the 411:  the hotel determines the first night's rate, under the promo, you'll get your second and third nights' rate for a cut rate based on your birth year.  So let's say the first night was $125, fine.  But the second and third night at the hotel would be $72 bucks per night for me since I was born in 1972. 

All you have to do is book and use your travel dates before the end of this year, December 31st 2011.   Starwood has been doing this special since 2008 and it's proven very popular.   There is some fine print that changes things a touch.  For example...if you book at the Los Angeles W Hotel you can't get this exact deal - you have to pay another $100 in addition to your birth year for your second and third nights.  Still cheaper, but not as good as it could be for other Starwood hotels.

Read the fine print here and see if this deal works for you.

Affordable Beachfront Hotel - Postcard Inn

Located on the Gulf Coast of Florida comes Postcard Inn in St. Pete Beach which is not to be confused with St. Petersburg, St. Pete Beach is a six-mile-long island off the coast of Florida.  With flour-fine white sand and shallow Gulf of Mexico waters, the coastline is graced with mellow swells that are excellent for beginner surfers learning to ride.

(Priced from $89 per night)

When Stephen Hanson upgraded a 1950s motel into the Postcard Inn in 2009, he played off the local surf vibe:  The 196 rooms feature a mix of vintage longboards, surfing-themed photo murals, retro light fixtures, and flea market finds, ensuring that no two are alike.  The hotel also has a beachfront pool, shady courtyard, and shuffleboard and volleyball courts.  The Beachwood BBQ & Burger restaurant is notable for the gourmet spin it puts on grilled comfort food, with specials like smoked chicken glazed with apricot barbecue sauce and sprinkled with pickled jalapeños.

Visit them further at:  www.postcardinn.com.

Popular Atlantis resort launches fall super sale

It's not very often that an upscale resort offers $99 rooms, especially when it's popular Atlantis located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.  The resorts marine habitats with sharks, waterpark, casino and multiple other amusements draw the wealthy, celebs & star athletes.

Last week, Atlantis announced a $99-a-night room sale.  From Aug. 21-Oct. 31, rooms can be booked for about $150 when taxes, fees and mandatory gratuities are factored in.  Booking deadline is July 24, 2011 according to the resort.  It is not high season, and there is always the chance of a hurricane or tropical storm that time of year.  Usual rates for similar rooms start around $280.

There is fine print. Stays must be Sunday - Wednesday nights (slow times), and only certain rooms are included. To book your reservations: visit them online at www.atlantis.com.

Los Angeles hotesl offer deal due to 405 shutdown

Here Los Angeles it's known as Carmageddon!!!  On July 16-17, 2011 the infamous 405 in Los Angeles is being shut down for an expansion project.  To cope with business, local hotels are offering up a few hot deals.   I wonder if the 101 is going to be nearly shut down this weekend too, it sounds like a great weekend to stay home!

Featured deals

• Terranea Resort: Guests who stay at this hotel in Rancho Palos Verdes on July 15 and 16 can add nights before or after for 40.5% off the published rate.
• Shutters on the Beach: Stay three nights (July 15 to 17) for $405 a night -- a discount off the standard rate of $610 a night, not including tax.
• Hotel Oceana: The Escape the 405 package takes 15% off room rates for stays from July 14 to 18. The hotel also is hosting a "405 warriors" cocktail party on July 15. 

Read more about Carmageddon here: http://blogs.laweekly.com/405.

Google Plus Invites

Well, I'm not sure what this has to to with travel, but this week I fought and got my way into Google Plus, Google's attempt to have a "Facebook" type of social media platform.  It's not an easy in at the moment, it seems like you need an invite from someone that got in earlier and then MAYBE you can get an official invite from Google.

But I'm in!  And I got invites I can send out!  Soooo...if you want one either A. comment in this post with your e-mail and I'll send you one OR B. use the "Contact Me" button on the About your host page to send me your e-mail.

Either way I'll send you an invite and you'll be in!  No catches, just trying to help out a fellow man (or woman).