I'm Not An Expert, I Just Play One On TV...err, the Web

Since I started my blog, I've gotten a lot of questions about where to go, what to do, how to get from here to there... I must admit, I did not expect (yes I did) to be thrust into the spotlight as a person, "in the know." On one hand, it is scary... I mean, people are listening to me! On the other hand, I love it... because, well, people are listening to me!

It is no secret... anyone who has known me for more than 30 seconds knows that all I do is daydream about traveling. (Dear Boss: If you are reading this... don't worry, when my door is closed, I am really am on a teleconference.) I also love to talk about traveling... to anyone who will listen... tell me where you are going and I'll give you something... although it may not be expert advice, it is usually something you can take and build on.

I kinda feel like the guy from Trapper John, MD... I mean, if you met him on the street, wouldn't you feel like he should be able to tell you what to take for your headache?? And he would probably look at you like, "Hey man, I'm an actor." But you would still want him to tell you something, right??? And he would probably say, try aspirin. You know that already, but it just feels like you got a pretty good piece of advice, right?

Well, that's what it's like with people asking me about travel... I love to go... I'll take a trip almost anywhere... and once I get there, I try to experience everything I can... from seeing the most beautiful vistas to going to the pickle festival (... yes, I really did go to a pickle festival). But, that doesn't make me an expert... I'm just a gal who likes to share the bits and pieces that I have picked up here and there. I also like to "remind" people of the stuff they know, but sometimes forget because they travel infrequently. Kind of like saying, "Take an aspirin."

With that in mind, I'm going to share a few tips... some you've heard, some you may not have heard... that will, hopefully, make planning travel a bit easier.... Especially for those who are trying to book those last minute trips before Labor Day, the unofficial expiration date on summer.

In the next section, I have posted my "100 words or less" takes ( don't count them, that's just a gimmick) on a few of the top travel "how to's" that I'm often asked about...

Air Travel: Getting the Lowest Fare
Check Travelocity and Expedia and other on-line booking engines to see what airline has the lowest fare. Then go to the airline's website to compare their fare against what you found on Travelocity (or whomever)... they may offer web-only discounts if you purchase directly from their site. If you decide to use a 3rd party booking engine, watch for service fees; some charge as much as $25 to process your transaction. (Cheers to Expedia... they recently stopped charging fees for booking flights... nice.) If you book directly with the airline, try to use their on-line tools... remember, if you use a phone rep, there is usually a fee. And always, always, always make sure you understand the change fee and refund policies.

Don't forget, fares change frequently (sometimes within the hour), so if you can, be ready to make a go/no-go decision. My primary airline, Continental, started a practice that will allow a full refund within 24 hours of purchasing the ticket. This is great if you want to lock a low rate in while you finalize your arrangements. Two things... just be sure to read all of the terms and watch the time!

Are You a Not-so Frequent Flyer?
Even if you only fly once or twice a year, sign up for the frequent flyer clubs. The miles add up. Believe it or not, you can redeem miles for more than free tickets... many airlines will exchange as few as 1,000 miles (a typical trip from NY to Orlando) for magazine subscriptions, merchandise (I'm trying to get a Callaway club for my sweetie) or gift certificates to retailers and restaurants. With my American Airlines points, I scored a year of (you guessed it) Travel & Leisure magazine.

To go a step further, many airlines even let you earn miles when you go through their site to a "partner" retailer's site to make a purchase. For example, I earned 15 miles per dollar on my Continental OnePass account for flowers I sent to my mother-in-law... and she thought I was sending them just because I love her... (No... Mom... just kidding... I do love you, really!) You will find retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Dell, Gap, J. Crew and many more... check out Continental's shopping partners! My advice?? Sign up and start earning today! You'll thank me when you cash in those points for that subscription to Us magazine (don't be embarrassed, you know you read it).

Booking Your "Home Away from Home"
Most booking sites allow you to search by an address... This way you can find the closest hotel to Aunt Betty's house... (even though she says she has room to "put you up", I know you can't take another pillow made from folded-up quilts or sleeping on Uncle Jesper's medi-bed... rest his soul...)

Once you figure out where you want to stay, call the hotel directly and ask for their in-house reservations person (who is usually there during regular business hours). Ask if there are any special rates or upgrades available for whatever you have... AARP/Senior Rate, AAA, veterans/military, student.... in fact, ask them if there are any special groups they recognize... who knows, your membership in the International Silver String Submarine Band might score you an upgrade! Even if the hotel does not have an in-house person and transfers you to the 800 number, still ask. Last but not least, call the hotel directly 2-3 days before your stay and ask them to please check to see if you have the best rate available.

Pre-Paid Hotel Sites
I have used sites like Hotwire, with pretty good results, but you have to be completely comfortable with shelling out the dough in advance, and for good... no refunds... and the suspense of not knowing what hotel you are staying in until you pay. My advice?? If you are going to a city you are familiar with or your stay is brief or it's a city where you can narrow down the offerings, try it out.

With Hotwire, once you punch in destination and dates, they show you everything available and allow you to further customize your search by hotel rating, area of town, etc. They also give a high level overview of what the property has to offer... pool, on-site restaurant, etc.

I used a prepaid booking engine for a trip to Tampa... I knew that there were only a couple of four star hotels in the Westshore area of town (because I did a little bit of research on Expedia), so I was OK with the blind booking... I netted a $67 rate at the Grand Hyatt on Tampa Bay. I also hit the jackpot with a $92 rate at the Le Centre Sheraton in Montreal. In DC, I got the rock bottom rate at the luxurious (read: best hotel bed ever) Phoenix Park Hotel, a boutique hotel across from Union Station.

The one time my luck was kind of shaky, I ended up in a haunted... I mean, historic hotel in upstate NY. I was waiting for Ichabod Crane to ride by my window. And when I heard the toll of the town bell (no joke)... you know that Bible they put in the nightstand???? Well, you can figure it out... (yes,I am being overly dramatic) Don't get me wrong, it was a nice hotel and the staff was great... it just was not my personal taste.

All jokes aside, I have not been terribly disappointed with any of my arrangements to date, but if you do consider using one of these sites, just be sure to read all the fine print to help determine if you are ready to try it out.

Overall, I like having the opportunity to network a bit with the hotel's staff before I make my decision, so I usually go the traditional route, but on the days when I am looking for a four-star at a two-star price, especially for a last minute trip when the likelihood of canceling is low, I definitely check out the pre-paid sites. (Note: many hotels offer the pre-paid/discount option on their websites, so don't forget to look there as well.)

So, there you have it... Your dose for the day... Happy hunting!