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F I N D
LAST MINUTE VALENTINE TREATS
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ASIA

    Kyoto--Winter Wonderland
   Hong Kong Happenings
    Mandarin's Yin and Yang
    The Kimberley Hotel
    Enjoying a 'Song'
    Think Asia
    Rock Climb in Thailand
 
CANADA
   Hike/Bike Quebec
    Quebec's Charming Inns
    Montreal on a Budget
  
    Romantic Montreal


CARIBBEAN
   Caribbean Hotels
    Golf Barbados
    Sultry St. Lucia
    St. Thomas Port Shops 
    Rebranded Breezes
   A Villa in Anguilla

    Jamaica Calling 
    Sunsets Over Jamaica
    Club Peace & Plenty
    Negril Dine-Around
    Celebrity's Ladies
     
EUROPE
   What's New in Barcelona
    Long Live the 'Queens'
    Pedal Around Europe

MEXICO
    Riviera Nayarit
    Nayarit Hotels

      
UNITED STATES   
    Boutique Biker Hotel
    Family Bargains
    Mendocino
   
Napa Valley Tours
    
San Francisco
  
MISCELLANEOUS
   Best Buys
   Free Weddings
   Cruise Rates Reduced

   More Trip Tips
   Luxury for less

  
TRIP TIPS

Me No Speak language companion. This $9.95 slim passport-size book  navigates the basics in foreign words and phrases. Point to the illustration of your question. It's printed in English and the local language and covers most countries, including China, Japan and Thailand. A China iPhone application is now available on iTunes. www.menospeak.com

Free New York tours. Ask a Big Apple Greeter to share history and  hot spots in various neighborhoods.  www.bigapplegreeter.org.
Take the free Union Square walking tour Saturdays at 2pm.  www.unionsquarenyc.org/walk.html

Embassy Suites Hotels provide lobby kiosks for checking in, checking out and printing boarding passes. www.embassysuites.com

Have Pouch, Will Travel. Those ‘80s KangaRoo slip-ons or ties are back with that sleek hidden inside pocket for keys or money. $50 a pair in bright colors...men, women and kids sizes. www.zappos.com

Passport Card
gains entry to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. Credit card size, it features photo, personal information and a chip giving border officials instant access to a government database. A 10-year card costs $45 for adult, $35 for child under 16. Apply at any passport processing site. www.travel.state.gov

Worried about your PET when you travel? See www.fetchpetcare.com for in-home visits, overnight sitters and other programs. Get more canine help at www.dogtipper.com

Use a Shop Las Vegas Passport for gifts and discounts at most Vegas malls and Outlet Centers. Download: www.visitlasvegas.com. Click on Play, then Shopping.





F E A T U R E D  A R T I C L E

HALF OFF AT CONRAD HOTELS

...just in time to escape the cold

marina asia hotels
Conrad Centennial Singapore

It's warm weather time in Southeast Asia, and Conrad is giving you a 50% break on weekends at several of its hotels throughout 2010. Book by January 31 to assure that you and your fellow travelers acquire excellent accommodations most weekends in 2010. You'll find a relaxed romantic atmoshpere, where you'll enjoy the hotel's Lazy Breakfast until 11am.
Another bonus is the late 6:00pm checkout. If this is a family escape, kids stay and eat free.

In addition to Asia, these same breaks are yours in over 220 destinations across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Terms and conditions apply, so book early.  www.conradhotels.com

Conrad is an upscale brand of Hilton Hotels that provides convenience, glamour and other pleasant surprises at a rate that's affordable to the majority of today's travelers. I can especially recommend the Singapore, Bangkok and Dublin hotels, as I’ve stayed in all of them.

Conrad Centennial Singapore is situated in the trendy Marina district, putting you in the heart of a tourist’s dream. A six-level shopping emporium is across the street, offering everything from electronics to clothing, plus a fast food court, an outdoor plaza in the center complete with fountains, and excellent people watching. Indoors or outdoors, you will be fascinated by the activity and entertained by traditional Chinese dancers, jugglers, comics, bands and the like.

singapore asia culture businessConrad's rooms are well equipped down to the signature rubber ducky for the tub. The business center and an array of tech links in your room keep you in touch with the office or home. The Executive floor’s private lounge serves a light breakfast, daytime snacks and sunset cocktails. The dining areas offer buffet and a la carte, and combine Chinese favorites with continental cuisine.

Just around the corner is a huge arts/entertainment complex containing changing displays, shops and an Imax-type theater. The cable car is also close, taking you soaring over the busiest of harbors to serene Sentosa Island for fun rides or a day at the beach. A monorail runs from the mainland all around Sentosa Island. And Singapore's latest dazzler, the Flyer (world's tallest ferris wheel) is steps away.

Conrad Bangkok is a neighbor to the U.S. Embassy and other elegant buildings in this bustling city. It is built around a central lobby atrium. The mezzanine is home to a very unique restaurant, especially when you are dining with a group. You can be served a la carte, or wander among an elegant buffet that allows you to sample every type of ethnic Thai food along with more familiar international dishes. If you are a light eater, or have children in your entourage, there’s a price for that menu as well. Just choose from selections in a certain section of the buffet. I found this a very economical spot for dinner without sacrificing ambiance.
thai asia unique
The hotel is connected to a shopping mall, and a very short walk from the elevated train that takes you all around
Central Bangkok. On the seventh floor is a spectacular spa where treatment takes place in your own salon sporting a lotus pool and faux garden view. Some even have Japanese tubs for a relaxing soak. Just outside the spa doors is a grand outdoor pool surrounded by rows of palm trees, lounges and a bar. Yes, that’s on the seventh floor, above the street noise and closer to the sun. It’s very romantic at night, lounging under the stars, but get there early…the bar usually closes just after sunset.

The five-star luxury Conrad Dublin carries forth that Irish spirit to the letter. Located in the heart of Dublin city center, just opposite the National Concert Hall, this gem provides 190 guest rooms, including 5 suites. Around the corner is St. Stephens Green, a noted well-landscaped oasis in the city scene. In the same neighborhood, shop ‘til you drop on famous Grafton Street; or visit the Book of Kehls at Trinity College and marvel at the massive library stacks.

Europe  Ireland  funincityAn exciting choice of restaurants and bars includes the Alex Restaurant, specializing in seafood. A glass screen links the restaurant to the cocktail bar, creating a warm ambience, especially around the baby grand piano. Gourmet coffee and afternoon tea are served in the Lobby Lounge. We spent some fun times in Alfie Byrne's, the hotel’s classic Dublin pub that’s a favorite with locals. I think we met everyone in the place within the first hour. 

You don’t have to give up your exercise while staying here. Jogging routes and maps are available from the front desk, and several great golf courses, including Portmaanock and Royal Dublin, are just 30 minutes away.

 



 

 

 



 

 

BEST BUYS

SKI TAHOE ON A BUDGET

AAA Travel Club has found affordable lodgings in the heart of Lake Tahoe’s best runs. Book air and hotel together for more savings.  www.AAA.com

Harvey’s Lake Tahoe from $79 – Surrounded by the stately Sierra Nevada mountains, Harvey’s is situated on the lake’s
picturesque south shore.

Resort at Squaw Creek from $199 – This ski-in ski-out resort is just 45 minutes from Reno International Airport and a 3-hour drive from San Francisco.
Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort from $59 – Just off beautiful Lake Tahoe, next to the Ski Run Marina, and a mile from Heavenly runs.
The Ridge Tahoe Resorts from $64 -- Adjacent to the Nevada Stagecoach Chair Lift at Heavenly, this resort offers free shuttles to all nearby lifts.
MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa from $70 – Formerly Caesar’s Tahoe, MontBleu is two blocks from the lake and Heavenly, and 60 miles from Reno airport.

SKI STEAMBOAT
ski adventure sports outdoor packages

Treat your- self to the generous Relax & Reserve package at Sheraton Steamboat Resort in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and get a 20% room rate reduction if reserved 21 days in advance. Re-opened Nov. 25, Sheraton Steamboat is located in the heart of Ski Time Square at the Silver Bullet gondola. The hotel doors open directly onto Steamboat’s ski runs and surrounding mountains. There’s something for everyone here: a Starbucks in the lobby, rooftop hot tubs, an outdoor pool, spa,  boutiques, golf course, an art gallery, and rooms with every desired feature. The $17 per night resort fee adds high-speed Internet, 2 bottles of water daily, seasonal ski/bike/ golf club storage, and scheduled city shuttle service.  www.sheratonsteamboatresort.com

SKI FREE IN JACKSON HOLE THIS WINTER Dollar-stretching package at Spring Creek Ranch offers savings over 50% (except Feb./Mar.) Now through April 1, 2010, skiers at this 1,000-acre resort overlooking beautiful Jackson Hole Valley hit the slopes at either Grand Targhee Resort or Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, prime locations in the Grand Teton range. Ski Free from $87.50 p/person p/night double occupancy, includes room, 2 lift tickets per day, breakfast daily, shuttle service to town and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Rusticly elegant studios, suites,  luxury condos and homes feature hand-made lodge pole furniture and stone fireplaces. Spring Creek’s Wilderness Adventure Spa offers après ski massages, hot stone treatments, facials, mud wraps and more.  www.springcreekranch.com

TRENDS 

Leave it to Jamaica to offer the Caribbean's first GPS navigation system, covering 9,300 miles of roads and 15,000 points of interest. Shops, hotels, gas stations and attractions are all possible to find with JAMNAV, developed at the Mona campus, University of the West Indies in Kingston. The locals'  intimate knowledge of what to see and do and how to get there makes this tour of Jamaica a truly rewarding adventure.  www.visitjamaica.com

Grand Velas Resort Riviera Maya, just 40 miles south of Cancun, rolls out the trolley…the “Margarita Trolley” that is, wheeled right to your table in the resorts Mexican restaurant, Frida (named for the great national artist Frida Kahlo). Make your selection from top Tequila brands and Margarita flavors like tropical mango, tamarind, guava, cucumber and lime...and the bartender prepares it right there, spicing things up in a glass rimmed with chili-salt.  www.grandvelas.com

Sunset at the Palms, Negril, adds free bonuses to your stay. Enjoy nature walks with Shorty, the resort’s resident gardener; cocktail mixing lessons, including the bartender's best Tom Cruise moves; mouth-watering Jamaican recipes like rasta pasta or peppered shrimp, taught by Sunset’s executive chef. www.sunsetatthepalms.com

At Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa (one of my Thailand favorites), it's not Dinner on the Beach but Breakfast by Design. As guests climb the bamboo stairway at a hidden location, sparkling wine flows at a full gourmet breakfast, where the private chef's main course includes "eggs any style." Sip and  dine while taking in a panoramic view of Laos, Burma and Thailand along the Mekong for approx. $62 p/person.  www.anantara.com