With the economy down, personal perks like travel can be hard to justify. Fear not! There are ways to stretch your travel dollars, even for luxury travel. Below is a list of travel deals and ideas that are easy on the wallet. (Not listed in any particular order.)
1. For the cowboy in you, spend a week (six days) at Ghost Ranch in , New Mexico for about $500 including three meals a day. For an additional fee you can take a class ranging from cooking, painting, to hiking, photography, and more. www.ghostranch.org; 877-804-4678
2. Stay at The D.C. Guesthouse bed & breakfast and combine that with a free day at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum complex (with its spectacular glass roof), and maybe a morning or afternoon at Hillwood Museum and Gardens ($15) to walk among Russian and French treasures. Nightly room rates at the D.C. Guesthouse bed & breakfast range from $150 to $225 for double occupancy. www.dcguesthouse.com; 202-332-6013
3. Experience the nature and sounds of Africa, including rhinos, giraffes, and more, during a sunset Safari at The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio—one of North America’s largest animal conservation facilities. Tours run June through September. $65 per person. www.thewilds.org; 740-638-5030
4. In need of a last-minute romantic getaway? Here are two recommendations, each with their own romance packages.
The Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort in the Riviera Maya section of Mexico has a Romance on the Beach package that for a one-time charge of $99 (this is in addition to your nightly room rate, which range
s from $113 to $180) includes a complimentary upgrade to a junior suite with king accommodations for two; continental breakfast in bed; sparkling wine and chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival; a romantic lobster dinner for two; an all-inclusive meal plan with beverages; 15 percent discount on all spa services; and complimentary late check-out. A complimentary surprise gift is also included. A little about the Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort: It’s an adults-only resort (on the Caribbean side of the Riviera Maya) with 288 guestrooms and junior suites, as well as a full-service spa (services and amenities include a Mayan ritual therapy, Vichy shower room, hydrotherapy tanks and hydro-massage tubs); fitness center; six restaurants (Italian, Tuscan and Mexican); a Tapas Lounge Bar with live music; four bars including a pool and beach juice bar; water sports (including complimentary scuba lesson); wireless Internet access throughout the resort; and lots of native jungle trees, indigenous plants, mangroves and cenotes. www.hoteles-catalonia.com; 011-52-984-875-1800
Destination Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin has the following romance packages:
The Bubbling with Romance Package at The American Club is available Friday and Saturday evenings in February and includes a Bath Butler to draw the bath; a bottle of Kohler Waters Spa Hollyhock Bath Oil; two glasses of champagne; a long stem red rose; a $100 dining credit; spa discounts; personal shopper service; and a six-piece box of “Oprah recommended” Kohler Original Recipe Chocolate Garden Ganache. Prices start at $398 for two guests. Or, enjoy a getaway to the recently remodeled Inn on Woodlake and reserve the Inn Love Package that includes overnight accommodations; $100 dining credit; continental breakfast; spa discounts; and a six-piece box of Kohler Original Recipe Chocolate Garden Ganache. Package rates start at $267 for two guests. www.destinationkohler.com; 800-344-2838
5. Considered Key West on a budget, visit Lake ErieIslands in Lake Erie, Ohio. www.lake-erie.com; 800-441-1271
6. One of the fastest growing segments in travel is volunteer vacations, which includes a nice perk: The costs are tax deductible. Boulder, Colorado-based Heritage Conservation Network’s trips center on restoring and preserving historic landmarks, including a turn-of-the-century log cabin in Montana; vineyard properties in Italy; and historic structures in Slovenia. www.heritageconservation.net; 303-444-0128
7. Visiting the Big Apple doesn’t have to break the bank. A New York CityPass (www.citypass.com/city/ny.html) lets visitors see four museums, the Empire State Building Observatory, sightseeing cruises, and provides discounts at stores and restaurants over a nine-day period for $79. For lodging, New York City’s Milford Plaza Hotel (www.milfordplaza.com; 1-888-649-0915) has packages this winter that allow travelers to upgrade to Milford Club accommodation for free. Milford Plaza Hotel’s Club accommodations include flat panel TVs and stereos with MP3 compatibility. Two packages include:
Hot Dates & Cool Rates - Rates start at $99 and include an upgrade to Milford Club accommodations and a daily complimentary continental breakfast for two.
Rates start at $99 now – February 13th
Rates start at $119 from February 22nd – March 15th
Rates start at $139 from March 18th – March 31st
February 13th marks the beginning of New York City’s fashion week and the MilfordPlaza has a February Fashion Frenzy promotion (now through February 28th) with rates starting at only $139 (single or double occupancy). The package includes:
Upgrade to Milford Club accommodations
Complimentary continental breakfast in the Milford Club Lounge
Macy’s Herald Square discount coupon booklet
One round trip MetroCard
Map of New York City
Access to the fashion magazine library in the Milford Club Lounge
8. With the dollar weak against the Euro, most of Europe is unaffordable. Some spots where the exchange rate is favorable for Americans, and where you will find an abundance of culture, history, shopping, and delectable food, includes Switzerland and Buenos Aires. (Air route update for Buenos Aires: American launched a Chicago-Buenos Aires flight in 2007, but cancelled it in September 2008. American then added a second JFK-Buenos Aires flight that runs three to four times a week.) For lavish accommodations priced right, here’s a tip: Switzerland’s Park Hotel Weggis in Lucerne. www.phw.ch; 41 (0)41 392 05 05
9. Rated as one of the top places for Americans to get the most “bang for the buck” is Costa Rica. This is because the local Costa Rican currency has been tied to the U.S. dollar at the same exchange rate for the past few years.
10. For a ski vacation try Taos, New Mexico, which boasts some of the best ski conditions with an average of 305 inches of snow and sunshine-filled days every year. At just $40-$66 per adult lift ticket, the mountain is a value compared to the average U.S. lift ticket price of $85. www.skitaos.org; 866.968.7386, ext. 1262
11. For elegance on the cheap, the popular Gulf of Mexico beach town of Gulf Shores, Alabama has new luxury state park cottages at LakeShelby in GulfShores' GulfState Park. Each cottage has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, full kitchen, two screened porches, fishing piers, lake views, and modern amenities. The best part is the price: For a group of six to seven people, the cost is about $300 for a weekend in the winter and about $400 for a weekend during the summer. http://www.alapark.com/parks/park.cfm?parkid=22; 1-800-ALA-PARK.
12. For the golfer in your, Wisconsin has golf courses under $70 for 18 holes. Hotel tip: The Iron Horse Hotel (www.theironhorsehote.com) recently opened in Milwaukee and is currently running room specials for around $115 a night.
Big Fish Golf Club (Tip: Pete Dye designed this course, and Dye is considered by many golfers as the most famous golf course architect in America): From May through September, Monday –Thursday: $53-walk/$69-ride and Friday – Sunday: $59-walk/$69-ride; Spring/Fall, Monday –Thursday: $34-walk/$50-ride and Friday - Sunday: $42-walk/$58-ride. www.bigfishgolf.com
Forest Hills Golf Course: Resident Green Fees are $26 and Non-Resident Green Fees are$27. www.fhlax.com
13. If you live in the Midwest, why go to California or Oregon when you can experience vineyard tours and trails within few hours’ drive from Chicago? Visit the Iowa Wine Trail (www.iowawinetrail.com/) in eastern Iowa to experience some of the Midwest’s best vineyards. Don’t miss the scenic location of the Park Farm Winery, a chateau-style winery nestled in the picturesque bluffs west of Dubuque. Be sure to also visit the Eagle’s Landing Winery on the Mississippi River in Marquette.
14. Road trip anyone? Check out www.drivei95.com for ideas of how you can save money taking road trips in general, and then specifically - from Boston to Miami.
15. Many cities have famous walks that you will let you see the sites and won't cost you a penny. As a great example, the Freedom Trail in Boston is a wonderful 2.4 mile red brick walking trail that allows you to check out seventeen significant historical sites and some of the most beautiful areas of Boston.
16. Some of the most beautiful buildings in the world are absolutely free such as the SearsTower in Chicago, or the Westminster Abbey in London.
17. Many cities around the world have fantastic botanical gardens and other natural attractions that can be visited for the cost of a Grande Latte and muffin at Starbucks. One that is worth checking out is the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
18. Most national galleries and museums are a must-see for the whole family and often are extremely reasonable on the wallet (or free!). For example, the National Gallery of Scotland is a must see the next time you visit Edinburgh.
19. Sport complexes for behind the scenes tours can be relatively cheap. Places like Wrigley Field, Wembley Stadium and Daytona Motor Speedway offer extensive tours complete with historical facts you can use to impress your friends.
20. Instead of a hotel room, book a luxury vacation home rental – like ones in Orlando, which come with four bedrooms; three bathrooms; private in-home, game rooms; screened-in pools; heated spas; and more. The cost savings can be significant. For example: Rent a vacation home in Orlando with all of the aforementioned amenities for less then $300 per night. Upgrade to a house with an in-home movie theater and the price goes up about $50. For the same space and amenities in an Orlando hotel room, you’d pay nearly twice or three times as much, and still wouldn’t be guaranteed your own pool! There is also www.homeaway.com that has homes all over the world – great for Europe where the dollar is weak and hotel rooms are expensive.
21. Have a layover at DFW? Check out the Grand Hyatt DFW's iTaste experience, which consists of a video iPod and tasting tray filled with cheeses, wine and chocolates, served at a community table. The unique tasting experience guides the guest through a podcast specific to their selection, with tips on how to pick the best wine, cheese or chocolate. It costs $25 per tasting for the wine or cheese and $20 per tasting for the chocolate. Also comes with a souvenir DVD of the tasting.
22. Talk about a deal, especially for spa goers – The Aspira Spa in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, has a Soul Sisters Reunion package that includes:
-Two evening’s accommodations
-Bottle of wine upon arrival
-$250 in spa credits per person
-$40 in dining credits per person
-One yoga class per person.
The price is from $209 + tax per person per day, two-person minimum. Available Sunday - Thursday evenings through May 23, 2009. The price goes up a bit come summer: from $259 + tax, per person per day, two-person minimum Available Sunday - Thursday, May 24 - August 31, 2009.
Comments
For some of the best Orlando vacation rentals try www.discovervacationhomes.com
I would also add our newsletter of weekly luxury hotel deals, The Perfect 10, to the mix. A new one goes out today - www.perfectescapes.com/theperfect10.aspx.
Great article!
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