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Best Hotel Pools for Summer Fun!

Posted on: June 17th, 2013 at 5:19 pm by Nicole

pools

What’s summer without a dip in the pool? ‘Pools are the new Spas’ as hotels vie for guests enticing pool-side fun and services made for cooling off, relaxing, people watching, and oh yeah, swimming.

Check out these hotels and their notable swimming pools:

5. Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio
This resort should really change its name to “Oasis of Fun” because that is exactly what you will find when you stay at the San Antonio hotel. This summer, the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa becomes the first Texas hotel and one of only three in the US to have a FlowRider® wave machine that lets guests choose bodyboarding, kneeboarding or stand-up boarding. The resort also features a new, 22-foot-tall tower slide, a 950-foot Ramblin’ River, an activity pool equipped with water volleyball and basketball, an adults-only Texas-shaped pool, 2 hot tubs and a zero-entry kiddie wading pool.

4. Golden Nugget, Las Vegas
Card sharks aren’t the only sharks swimming around Las Vegas. At the Golden Nugget Hotel you’ll find a 200,000-gallon, shark-filled aquarium in the middle of an amazing swimming pool. You’ll feel like you are swimming with the sharks, and you can even slide down the Shark Chute, a three-story waterslide that shoots you straight through the tank.

3. Grand Wailea, Maui
As if Maui isn’t reason enough to visit the Grand Wailea, the pools may just be the lei on the hula dancer! This 40 acre resort features Wailea Canyon, a water park that connects 9 pools includes four jungle pools, four intertwining slides, a whitewater rapids slide, a Tarzan pool with rope swing, a sand beach, six waterfalls, caves, three Jacuzzis, an infant pool. And that’s not even the best part. Grand Wailea has the world’s first water elevator; it’s built into a volcano.

2. Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia
If you are looking for a romantic getaway with an equally special pool then plan a visit to the luxurious Viceroy Sugar Beach in St. Lucia. The luxury cottages and villas feature private plunge pools. At the resorts main pool, you’ll be pampered poolside with water bottles and popsicles to fresh fruit to canapés to wine.

1. Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles
The “Pink Palace” aka The Beverly Hills Hotel should not be left only to be experienced in feature films. This legendary hotel and its famous pool have appeared in countless movies and TV shows. The pool features more than 20 cabanas; the pool plays underwater music; and the pool crew offer frozen towels, sunglass cleaning, full dining, and pretty much anything else you want taken care of.

Have a favorite hotel pool? Tell us about here on Travel Smart Blog!

 

 

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The Hotels.com Club Sandwich Index

Posted on: June 12th, 2013 at 10:51 am by Travel Smart Blogstars

Last year, Hotels.com launched the Club Sandwich Index (CSI), which reports on real prices paid by travelers for a Club Sandwich in major tourist destinations worldwide. The CSI, much like the Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com, is a helpful resource for travelers looking to gauge the price of everyday items like food and drink in an unfamiliar city they plan to visit.

By monitoring prices year over year, travelers can become more aware of factors that can affect their travel spend, such as changes in the local price of food or currency fluctuations.

This year, Paris was bumped from its top spot as most expensive Club Sandwich by Geneva. In the States, California Clubs showed the highest price increases over last year. Check out how each city compares below!

hotel_clubsandwichindex_art_US2013

 

 

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Affordable Three-Day Weekends

Posted on: June 11th, 2013 at 1:33 pm by Travel Smart Blogstars

Royalty Free stockSummertime is the perfect time for a little vacation. Thankfully,  you don’t need to take off a week of work or save money for months to enjoy a fun getaway. Check out these great destinations and make plans for an affordable three-day weekend with the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index. Steal a deal at any of these locations with Hotels.com and you’ll have extra cash to spend exploring and enjoying your interests!

What are you interested in doing with your long weekend? Here are three fun options to consider:

For the Active Traveler
Denver, Colorado – $118 (average daily rate according to the HPI)

Stay: A short walk from the 16th Street Mall and trendy Lo-Do, the Marriott Denver City Center offers breath-taking views of the Rocky Mountains for rooms facing west.

Activities:  With miles of bike paths starting in the heart of Denver and spreading over the greater metropolitan area, travelers can walk, run, bike or rollerblade around to explore the city. Skirting just west of downtown Denver, the South Platte River gives travelers the opportunity to rent a tube and float through the river or try a new sport such as river kayaking or river paddle boarding.  Rent a car and take a quick 30 minute drive west to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Chautauqua Park or Lookout Mountain to get some exercise and see a sweeping view across Denver looking west.

For the “Shop Until You Eat” Traveler
Houston, Texas -$118 (average daily rate according to the HPI)

Stay: Nestled in the heart of the nation’s fourth largest city, travelers can stay inside the “loop” at Inn at the Ballpark.

Activities:  For foodies, the city harbors an eclectic mix of chefs and cuisine including restaurants specializing in southern soul food, mouthwatering cocktails, fresh seafood dishes, up-and-coming Mexican and Vietnamese gems. Scour the various outdoor farmers’ markets for local goods and fresh snacks. Shoppers will love Houston. With a dozen distinct shopping hubs, the city has stores for all tastes and interests from vintage and bargain goods to high-end designers and luxury commodities. Spend an afternoon wandering 19th Street in the historic The Heights neighborhood. Dive into bargain hunting on Harwin Drive. Need to find something for the man in your life? Houston prides itself on having a host of shops catering specifically to men.

For the Entertainment Lover
Las Vegas, Nevada – $105 (average daily rate according to the HPI)

Stay: The opulent Caesars Palace supplies enough amusement you’ll never want to leave. Enjoy two dozen restaurants, gaming, entertainment, shopping, spas and a pool.

Activities: International music talent almost always stops on The Strip while touring, so travelers are guaranteed to find a show that interests them when visiting. Head downstairs from your room to enjoy a show at the Colosseum, which is currently headlining Shania Twain, the world’s best-selling female country artist of all time and Celine Dion, the best-selling female recording artist of all time, period. Afterwards go dance the night away to live DJs or rock out on the floating Cleopatra’s Barge. Want to venture out? The Cosmopolitan, Harrah’s and a plethora of other resorts are just minutes away on foot.

 

 

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How NOT to Look Like a Tourist… When You Are a Tourist.

Posted on: June 7th, 2013 at 6:08 pm by Nicole

As exciting as it is to go on vacation and experience some place new and different, it’s important that you not stand out as an obvious tourist. Not only do you have a greater chance of getting sucked into tourist traps, but you’re also a clear target for petty crimes.

Whether you are visiting a new city in the US or traveling abroad, here are some tips to help you avoid the “tourist trap.”

@Glowimages gwn109053.Learn Before You Leave: Before you go anywhere that you’re not familiar with, do some research and get familiar with the city, country, people, and culture of your destination. Your trip will go much more smoothly if you have a plan for how you will get around, pay for things, and communicate with the locals.

Getting Around Town: If you are not familiar with taking public transportation and will be visiting a city where this is the most efficient and affordable option (think New York City, Berlin, Chicago, London, Washington DC) then here are a few tips:

  • Determine the distances between where you are staying and points of interest that you are going to visit.
  • Figure out the fastest and the most scenic routes to get to those destinations (if you are lucky, they’ll be the same).
  • Download to your smartphone public transit maps (there are hundreds) so that you be certain as to which train or bus to get on/off at which stop. Here’s an article from Gizmodo highlighting a few of the top public transit apps.

Blend In: Make sure your clothes are appropriate for the local culture and climate. Check travel forums and photos online to get a feel for what the locals wear at your destination. For example, if you are from a small rural town and are headed to New York City, be sure to read up on relevant attire so you don’t stand out like a sore thumb. The wrong footwear will give you away in almost any place. You almost never see a New York woman walking around in actual running shoes when she’s not running. Stylish yet functional footwear (think: ballet flats) or basic sneakers (Vans or Converse) are always acceptable when cruising around town.

Traveling abroad? Leave your baseball hats, backpack, fanny pack and water bottles at home. Baseball caps and fanny packs SCREAM “American!” And In SE Asia, any shirt with a collar is preferable to a T shirt.skd184990sdc

Do What Is Customary: Part of experiencing a new culture is also accepting the differences in their dining traditions. In many parts of the world, you will be served your drinks with little or no ice. And, don’t ask for tap water. Accept the fact that you are going to get mineral water, with or without gas (this means bubbles- carbonation). Also, requesting typical US condiments like Ketchup or Ranch Dressing is a sure giveaway that you are an American tourist. Try the typical condiments in your host country.

Keep the Map Out of Sight: Pulling out and looking at your map in a public space is a safety no-no and makes you a target. Be sure to plan your route before you leave your hotel. When I need to check a map, I typically step into a coffee shop and take the time to sit and reassess my plan.

Try to Speak the Language: If you’re going to a country that speaks a different language, why not try to make an effort to speak it? Learn a few basic words like “Hello”, “Please” and “Thank you.” While you are at it, learn the words for some foods that you like, and the ones that you don’t like. It makes eating out much less scary. There are some great language apps for your smart phones that make learning the local lingo a cinch!

Talk to the Locals: There’s no better way to immerse yourself into a new place than to do what the locals do. Talk to shopkeepers, museum docents, and hotel staff about where they like to eat, and what their favorite interests in the city are. Sometimes the best recommendations are not the ones that you find in a destination guide but the ones that come from the people who live there every day.

Following these tips will definitely help you blend in on vacation. But more importantly, they should help you get more out of your trip. Do you have a tip for NOT looking like a tourist on vacation? Share it here!

 

 

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How to Take Better Photos on Vacation

Posted on: June 5th, 2013 at 2:27 pm by Nicole

Man Photographing His GirlfriendSo the ol’ saying goes: “The best camera to have is the one that’s with you all the time.”  And with the prevalence of smart phones, we almost always have a camera in our purses and pockets.

It seems like the days of the endless photo albums are gone and we now post a few select photos to share with our social networks.  And lately, I find myself post-trip, post great experience, feeling like I don’t have any photos that truly capture how great the vacation actually was.

So I went digging to find the best tips, from actual photography experts, to help us all make our photos match the greatness of our memories.  Take this advice for photo taking prowess:

Basic Photo Taking Tips
Visual interest… Most of the people who view our photographs are friends and family, and they’ll be much more interested in the places you visit if you include people they know in your photos. So, look for other friendly faces taking photos and offer to snap their memories in return for taking a photo for you.

Shoot from different angles… Try zooming in, zooming out and shooting vertical, as well as horizontal. This will help you take different types of images. If you don’t pay attention, all of your photographs will be taken from your eye level. If you squat down, lie down or perhaps gain a perspective from above, you might end up with images that have a better sense of space.

Avoid Auto-Exposure…  You can control the amount of light in your shot with your iPhone (I didn’t even know that – and have already been taking better photos!) When shooting, tap the areas of light on your screen to help define contrast and exposure.  You can even lock the exposure by tapping and holding for a few seconds to keep your iPhone from automatically readjusting.

Minneapolis and Denver photographer and owner of Bloom Portaits, David Schmidt, had this advice for us photo novices:

Point and Shoots… “One of my biggest frustrations while I travel is always having to lug around my big camera bag so on less “touristy” days I just bring along my point and shoot camera. I shoot with the Canon Powershot G12 but if you like Nikons go with the Nikon 1 V1. These are easy to use and easy to print a quality 8×10.”

Couple Taking a Picture of ThemselvesFlashes… People walk around a lot during the day, which tends to have the harshest sun. While photographing people I would suggest always having your flash on to help “fill” in your image. This helps balance out shadows created by the harsh daytime sun.

Spares…. Don’t forget extra batteries and memory cards and I would always suggest taking something to back up your photos. A laptop or iPad will help make sure you leave your vacation with your photos with you. There is nothing worse than coming home from a vacation and something happening to your memory card or it getting lost in the shuffle of traveling.

Get more great insights from David at www.bloomportraits.net/blog

New York photographer Dennis Kwan also provided some helpful tips:

High Quality… If you plan on printing and framing your pictures (which you should!) it’s great to invest in a decent SLR camera. Instagramming is fun for social media… but 20 years from now everyone’s going to wish they had actually captured their memories in much higher quality. If you’re spending the money to travel, it’s time to invest in a camera that will allow you to preserve your memories properly. You can buy professional-quality SLR kits at Costco these days for around $1000 or less.

Get there early, stay late… Beat the rush and visit places early in the morning when there aren’t hordes of goofy-looking tourists filling up your photos. Sunrise and sunset also provide much better natural light than harsh midday sun.

Use the Sun… Shoot with the sun behind your subjects. If you learn to use your camera to expose your images properly, having a back-lit subject will almost always look better than if sun is shining directly on it. MAKE SURE you are exposing correctly though (learn to use the manual settings on your camera, or to make auto-exposure work the way you want) otherwise your subject will appear totally dark.

1_59930362Overshoot! One of the advantages of digital photography is that you can take as many pictures as you want and try to get creative with different angles.

Learn more about Dennis and see his work at denniskwanweddings.com

Better Photo-Taking Apps
For $0.99, you can download TiltShift Generator by Art & Mobile to increase photo contrast and saturation.

With the FREE Adobe Photoshop Express, you can make so many fixes that your photos are destined to improve. I like that a copy of your original file is always saved, and you can undo and redo changes until you get just the look that you want.

Camera+ by tap tap tap let’s you “focus” on crisp photos and even has a burst-shooting mode that lets you shoot about five images per second.

Need a great spot for taking photos on your vacation? Look no further than your Picfari App. You can search for nearby places, or explore your vacation destination before you leave. There are tips, and the app will even tell you what camera settings to use to get the pictures you see in the app.

 

 

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Party Earth: Hot Hotel Rooftop Bars to Hit Up This Summer

Posted on: June 3rd, 2013 at 1:16 pm by guest blogger

PH-D_Hotels(dot)com (1)No matter which major metropolitan area you’re visiting for a night of revelry, hotel rooftop bars in America are some of the hippest high-altitude hangouts in the world.

At New York City’s Dream Downtown Hotel, penthouse bar PH-D is decked out in glass, glitter, and enough celebrity-studded luxury to make even the most moneyed Manhattanite blush. Arriving on the twelfth floor via a mirrored elevator, jet-setters and trust-fund coeds make their way past a small bar and into a sprawling lounge with glossy black walls, polished marble floors, and plate-glass windows that look out onto neighboring high-rises and the Hudson River. 

POV Roof Terrace_Hotels(dot)com (1)Whether it’s day or night, a visit to the P.O.V. Roof Terrace and Lounge above the W Hotel is a top destination for savvy citizens looking for things to do in DC. With an expansive panorama that encompasses several famous monuments, the venue attracts a wide range of political elites, professionals from nearby offices, and camera-toting tourists.

Set atop the 27th floor of a trendy boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Chicago, ROOF on theWit boasts an expansive view of the Windy City’s glittering skyscrapers, as well as a good sampling of the coolest cats in town. Open-air patios flank both sides of the main room, including a small dining area that hangs precariously over the side of the building – seemingly unsupported – and aptly named the Hangover.

Roof On TheWit_Hotels(dot)com (1)For ritzy Angelenos who love the heights, an evening at the ultra-mod Rooftop Bar at The Standard Downtown is one of the hottest things to do in Los Angeles. With a swanky environment where sipping cocktails under the stars (and around them) is par for the course, there’s few better places to experience Downtown L.A.’s resurging nightlife scene.

One of the best big-city delights in which denizens can indulge is sipping a drink on a rooftop perch while gazing down on the bustling boulevards below. So hop in that elevator and head for the sky at some of the best rooftop bars in the U.S.

By Party Earth - a global media and entertainment company that features reviews, editorials, and listings of the best bars, clubs, festivals, concerts, events, and more in major cities around the world.

 

 

 

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Itinerary of the Month: Summer Escape to Santa Ynez Valley, CA

Posted on: May 31st, 2013 at 12:06 pm by Nicole

If I had 36 hours in Santa Ynez, CA…

If Wednesday’s post got you excited about exploring California’s Santa Ynez Valley outside of Santa Barbara then you’re ready to start planning! A word of travel warning, a long weekend is definitely the way to go on a trip to the towns that make up this region. Many restaurants, museums and wineries have limited hours and some are closed, Monday-Wednesday. 

Day 1:

Whether driving or flying, arrive in time for lunch at the Bell Street Farm Eatery & Market in Los Alamos. This local favorite is only open Friday – Monday, 11-6 and serves up some amazing sandwiches, salads and sweets made completely of all things local, small-batch and organic.

Glider viewed from aboveYou’ll find yourself in Los Alamos for some of the area’s best meals!

If you want a completely unique experience while you are in Santa Ynez Valley then make your way over to the Santa Ynez Airport, just off Highway 246, and check out Windhaven Glider Rides. Soar above the valley 2500 feet up where you can see Lake Cachuma, the Santa Barbara coastline and even the Reagan Ranch if you let your pilot know prior to takeoff. Flight time is only about 15 minutes and you’ll love every second!

Next pay a visit to the Santa Inez Mission. Old Mission Santa Ines was established by Franciscan priests from 1769 to 1823 and is still an active parish church today. The views from this historic structure are outstanding, and the beauty inside the Old Mission is equally matched, housing a rich collection of paintings, statues, vestments, manuscripts, and artifacts. A taped audio tour guides visitors through the Museum rooms, church and garden. In fact, I will be there to witness my good friends from Los Angeles, Rebecca and Oscar, say their “I do’s” at this very spot in September!

Grapes in Bordeaux, France

Feel like some wine? Check out the nearby Sunstone Vineyards & Winery. Walk-in wine tasting groups of eight or less are welcome, and can choose from two different tasting options: $12.00 for our standard tasting of five wines, or $16 for our Reserve Tasting List, including eight wines. The Tasting Room is open Monday – Friday 11-5 PM.

Dinner in Santa Ynez Valley:
Now you should be hungry for dinner. I’ll give you a couple of choices.

If you head back to Los Alamos, and it is a weekend evening, then you want to take a seat at Full of Life Flat Bread. Each weekend, the production bakery space is converted into a restaurant where the community gathers around the stone hearth and enjoys the yummiest, locally sourced but internationally known, Flatbreads. Hours are only Thursday – Saturday 5-9 PM, and Sunday Supper 4-8 PM.

If romance is what you are looking for then travel to the charming town of Ballard and dine at The Ballard Inn Restaurant. With 12 candle-lit tables, soft music, and a roaring fireplace, the restaurant offers award-winning French Asian cuisine and an extensive wine list in an elegant, peaceful atmosphere.

 

Wine & OlivesDay 2:

The local hang out for breakfast in Santa Ynez is definitely the Longhorn Coffee Shop. Serving up breakfast and lunch daily for nearly 40 years: it’s affordable; it’s delicious; it’s exactly what you want a greasy spoon to be. 

Time to pick some fruit! You can get your antioxidant fix by picking some Buellton blueberries at Restoration Oaks Ranch U-Pick Blueberries, five miles south of Buellton. Open now through the end of July, 10:30am-5:30pm. Or, if your taste is more for a crisp apple; late summer and into November is a great time to get fresh picked apples. Greenhaven Apple Orchard, also known as Dittmar’s Apples, in Solvang was the first orchard in the Santa Ynez Valley and dates back to the 1970′s. Today, they have more than 675 trees and 10 different varieties.

Perhaps olives and olive oil are more your style! Open daily from 12-4 PM, Rancho Olivos offers tastings of their award winning olive oils. 

Hungry in Santa Ynez?
Trattoria Grappolo is an informal Italian bistro in the town of Santa Ynez that serves a meal as authentic as the local wines it pours.

Wine Tasting
Solvang is approximately four blocks by four blocks in size. You can stroll the shops, eat some authentic Danish, or meander in and out of more than a dozen wine tasting rooms in town, all within steps of each other. You may remember it from the Academy Award-winning movie “Sideways”, which was filmed here and highlights the region’s wines.

Another fun wine tasting experience is Babi’s Tasting Room in Los Alamos. The tasting room is run by Malibu-based Casa Dumetz winemaker Sonja Magdevski and her fiance, actor-director Emilio Estevez.

And remember, you can purchase The Summer Pass to enjoy wine tasting at the 13 premier boutique wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley from now through August 31, 2013!

 

 

 

 

 

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City of the Month: Summer Escape to Santa Ynez Valley

Posted on: May 29th, 2013 at 10:53 am by Nicole

If you are looking for a new spot to explore this summer, plan a trip to the Santa Ynez Valley in California. The area, located two hours north of Los Angeles and a mere 30 minutes from the Santa Barbara airport, is an escape from all things in a hurry, bustling, and citified.

676001.TIFSanta Ynez Valley is comprised of five communities: Santa Ynez, Solvang, Los Olivos, Ballard and Buellton. The area offers a great diversity for food, history buffs, and nature lovers and features 70 (many award-winning) wineries; the Santa Ynez Valley is known especially for its outstanding Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. You may remember it best from The Academy Award-winning movie “Sideways“. The film was set here and highlights the region’s wines.

It’s so easy to get around that you can literally cycle through the scenic heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, and immerse yourself in the vineyards, wineries, lavender farms, apple orchards and horse ranches.

Santa Ynez
The “downtown” area of Santa Ynez is about three-square blocks and resembles an old western movie set. It’s home to several great restaurants and stays up later than some of the neighboring towns.

Solvang
An authentic Danish settlement, the charming city of Solvang was founded in 1911. Today, Solvang’s architecture reflects its heritage with windmills, tudor storefronts, thatched roofs and even a replic of the Little Mermaid statue from Copenhagen. Shops in this quaint town offer imported European wares: porcelain, ironwork, leather, linens, and handicrafts.

Solvang is truly pedestrian-friendly with wide sidewalks and benches for restful viewing of the colorful village scene. There are more than a dozen wine tasting rooms in town, all within steps of each other.

Things to do in the Santa Ynez Valley
In the summer, you can purchase The Summer Pass to enjoy wine tasting at the 13 premier boutique wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley. With your pass, you can taste one time at each of our Association tasting rooms from now through August 31, 2013.
A couple toasting
Not without the arts, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) is celebrating its 49th year. Between June and September, nights in Solvang sparkle under the stars with Theaterfest; PCPA’s world-class theatrical productions in the 700-seat open-air Solvang Festival Theater. Theaterfest is the only professional resident theater company on the Central California coast.

During your visit, stop by the Carriage museum in Santa Ynez, play some golf on a breathtaking course, take a nature hike at Lake Cachuma, ride a glider over the entire valley, and browse the art galleries in Los Olivos. Later this week here on Travel Smart Blog, check out an itinerary with even more suggestions for a great trip to the Santa Ynez Valley.

Where to Stay
Santa Ynez Inn is a luxury boutique hotel, featuring 20 rooms that are just right for a romantic weekend away. Guests receive a complimentary breakfast and free parking, and it’s located near many local wineries and attractions.

Victorian Mansion at Los Alamos is one hotel stay you will never forget. Located in the nearby town of Los Alamos, the Victorian Mansion features six themed suites that are big on luxury and fun. From a 50’s drive-in, to a pirate ship, and a gypsy caravan – all suites include private “hidden” baths, fireplaces and spa tubs.

Santa Ynez Valley Marriott is located in the town of Buellton. Rooms open to balconies and the hotel features an outdoor pool, free Wifi, and parking.

 

 

 

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Must-Read Tips for Planning a Destination Wedding

Posted on: May 24th, 2013 at 9:35 am by Nicole

It’s wedding season! Time to get out our party frocks and prepare to usher happy couples into wedded bliss. Perhaps you’ll be packing your bags, too, to attend a destination wedding?

destination weddingDestination weddings are growing in popularity thanks in large part to celebrities making it the way the cool kids do it. From Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel’s Italian dream wedding, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ Charleston “I dos,” and Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman’s wedded soiree on a private estate on California’s Big Sur coast, many celeb couples are taking the plunge in places far from Hollywood and home.

Destination Weddings are also a great way to extend the celebration and give friends and family a two-for-one experience: both a wedding and a vacation. Now, who wouldn’t love that! If you are considering turning your wedding into a remote celebration then here are some helpful tips to get you started.

13 Must-Read Destination Wedding Tips courtesy of The Knot.

Tips for Choosing a Destination Wedding Hotel

For destination weddings, often the hotel is the site for both the ceremony, the reception and the accommodations for your guests. The nice thing about that is everything is usually taken care of – the caterer, cake designer, team of servers and bartenders, wedding coordinator, ceremony, and reception site are available all in one place. There’s not much to worry about in this setting. And most hotels, at the very least, can provide you with a list of trusted vendors.

Try to get a special rate for guests. You will need to work with the wedding or event coordinator for a special rate for your guests at the hotel you’ve chosen. It helps if you can guarantee a certain number of reservations when negotiating rates. Try to do this four to six months prior to your wedding date.

In Las Vegas, some couples end up hosting part of their wedding day festivities in a hotel suite. Luckily, with so many hotel choices, Vegas can accommodate small in-suite ceremonies, receptions or post-reception cocktail parties…and really knows how do a great wedding party!

If you are booking both the rooms block and the wedding reception at the same hotel, there is a good chance that your wedding package includes a complimentary room. In my experience, many hotel wedding packages include a complimentary room for the bridal couple and often discounts for other services and amenities for both the couple and their guests.

Consider a Cruise. More and more couples are turning to cruise lines for affordable and fun getaways. This option is great for couples that want to extend the party with their guests; it especially works well for second marriages or vow renewal celebrations. Cruise weddings have grown a massive 60 percent over the last ten years, according to the New York Times.

Plan for Weather. A Caribbean wedding sounds amazing but maybe not at the peak of hurricane season. Make sure you seriously consider the weather when choosing any destination. Weddings during the off-season can be a great way to save money, but be sure to have an inclement weather plan just in case Mother Nature decides to attend the wedding.

Bride and Groom With Bouquet on BeachWedding Resorts

American Idol season four winner Carrie Underwood wed Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher in June of 2010, at the chic 251-room Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia. Weddings at this resort can fit all budgets and the staff will even provide welcome baskets, bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts and a variety of other special amenities to help add that personal touch to your wedding*. *Costs for all items vary.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu is the state’s most legendary property. Weddings at the resort reflect the setting and can either be traditional with a Hawaiian officiant and a conch-shell blower, or modern and lavish at formal reception sites with sweeping sea views. No matter your preference, couples and their guests enjoy delectable cuisine (Polynesian-style buffets are popular) and the attention of an on-site coordinator (wedding packages start at $3,000 and include site fees and ceremony set-up and some décor.)

At the 16 beautiful properties (across 5 countries) of Barceló Hotels & Resorts, book as few as 25 room nights at participating properties and get a free ceremony at one of these family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts. On-site planners handle decor, ceremony and menu requests, as well as helping with any legal requirements.

Sprawling beachfront grounds, tons of watersports and festive nightly entertainment are just a few of the marquee amenities of Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, an all-inclusive five-star chain located in Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico. Couples holding their wedding at one of the resorts also get a free room upgrade, champagne toast and spa discount. Only five rooms must be booked for three nights to enjoy this deal.

Know any other fun destination wedding ideas? Let us know in the comments section!

 

 

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Unconventional Weddings & Destinations

Posted on: May 22nd, 2013 at 1:30 pm by Travel Smart Blogstars

Everyone dreams of having the perfect wedding — whether it’s in front of a balmy, breezy beach, at a lush botanical garden, or in a quaint, country barn. But not all people imagine picturesque trees and fancy ballrooms for their big day. There are those that dream of unconventional weddings that take couples to the most extreme and daring situations, or provide a unique and one-of-a-kind experience.

Roller Coaster WeddingFor those that wish to make their wedding day a bit of an adventure, below are five examples of out-of-this-world wedding ideas, anywhere from the sky to the sea.

Take the Plunge: One unconventional way to get hitched is to do it while scuba diving. Couples inclined to go on extreme adventures, and who feel no remorse from diving into the sea with a full wedding gown and tux, can consider this as a unique ceremony option. Saying your “I Dos” while strapped to an oxygen tank are not as uncommon as you may think. Some hotel resorts, such as the Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa, offer their own scuba-wedding packages for couples that wish to tie the knot under the sea.

Leap of Faith: Those who want even more of a thrill can soar over 120 miles per hour through the air and wed while skydiving. Couples can choose to either tie the knot on the ground before jumping out, or do it after they land. For the more adventurous types, some packages even allow “skydiving preachers” to perform the ceremony in the aircraft on the climb to jump altitude. Many packages also provide fully edited DVDs of the entire skydive for you to relive the experience long after the jump.

Not for the Faint of Heart: Weddings at haunted houses have actually been around for quite some time. For example The Crescent Hotel has been hosting weddings for nearly 125 years. According to Glamour, a construction worker fell to his death during the hotel’s construction. He landed in what would become room 218, where the toilet flushes itself and footsteps fall once everyone’s in bed. At the Kewaunee Inn, children staying at the hotel are often seen playing with a mysterious little boy, reportedly the ghost of a 5-year-old who died there more than 100 years ago. Ring bearer anyone?

Destination Wedding: Planning a destination wedding? Why not hold it at Poldark Mine in the UK, a genuine 18th century tin mine? Experience an atmospheric tour through the partially candle lit mine before having your underground ceremony in an area of the mine known as the Holman Chamber. The site contains everything needed for a wedding facility: parking lot, restaurant, evening function room, children’s play area, and baby changing room. What more reason do you need to host a wedding at this cool venue?

Weightless Wedding: If you don’t like diving of any sort, try having a zero gravity wedding. Zero G provides weightless weddings for those who want an out-of-this world experience. Hop on board their Boeing 727, G-FORCE ONE, that creates about 20-30 seconds of zero gravity at a time while at 24,000 feet in the air. They will give you all the proper pre-flight orientation you need to be ready for take off, so there’s nothing (much) to fear.

What are some unique wedding experiences & destinations that you’ve seen before?

 

 

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