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It seems obvious that for a long stay in a hotel the rates should be lower. This is not necessarily true and it depends on the pricing policy of each hotel establishment or hotel chain.

Looking at a real case, we can try to find the best weekly hotel rates for a hotel in Miami. Let’s search for availabilities and rates a week from now, checking in on Monday and checking out on Monday the following week, a 7 day hotel stay, one room for two adults. Some results show that the rates are not discounted even for such a long hotel stay but some results show clearly both the original price and the discount price as for instance:

El Palacio Sports Hotel shows a 25% discount for a three+ night stay (Stay 3 or more nights save 25%,Includes free Calder Raceway Clubhouse Entry).

The next extended stay hotel, as it shows a lower rate for a long stay, is the Best Western Miami Airport West Inn & Suites which shows a 15% discount, better than nothing for sure, (Book now and save 15%).

Then we have Hyatt Regency Miami offering some good savings, 20% off, but only on specific rooms (Up to 20% off the Miami suite room rate). This is a 4 star hotel, a good one and greatly located in downtown Miami.

This is a sample, as of today and of course hotel rates and discounts will change depending on when you run the search and depending on arrival date and hotel stay duration.

Extendedstayhotels are a good way to save on hotel reservations and checking the hotel offers before making a booking is strictly advised.

Chicago is a great travel destination for families as well and if you are there with family these are some of the places you may like to visit, not a comprehensive list but a place to start from… If travelling with family is also important to find a cheap hotel to stay and to make a hotel reservation for Chicago with ease and peace of mind.

American Girl Place, 111 East Chicago Avenue. American Girl Place, an enchanting concept for little girls and their dolls,  On the Magnificent Mile, across the street from the historic Water Tower and overlooking Lake Michigan.  Children, and parents, can shop for the American Girl dolls.  Also, a wide selection of authentic historical clothes, accessories, and furniture.  American Girl café  for birthday celebrations for girls.

 Chicago Children’s Museum, 700 East Grand Avenue. ”Climbing Schooner” a replica of an 1850’s sailing ship. “Inventing Lab,” dedicated to the science of flight. The “Waterways” attraction invites children to suit up in rain gear and try to dam a waterfall. Dinosaur lovers will be happy to take the “Dinosaur Expedition” to Niger in West Africa.

Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark Street. The Zoo is one of the few places in the country where children can observe rare endangered species, as the Siberian Tiger and Grevy’s Zebra. The zoo’s emphasis is education about preserving rare and beautiful creatures in the wild. Classes and tours are available, young ones may enjoy a kid-friendly “farm” at the zoo’s south entrance.

John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive.  The Shedd’s signature exhibit, the “Oceanarium” replicates the coastline of the Pacific Northwest. More than 8,000 animals make their home at the Shedd and children can marvel at the majesty of whales, dolphins and harbor seals.

 The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. ”Life Over Time” area of the museum,  explores the weather changes over the course of the earth’s history and the development of single- and multi-celled animals.

Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue. Chicago Children’s Museum, the Navy Pier offers other attractions to interest young people. They will be delighted by the sheer size of the 3,000-foot pier and the magnitude of its offerings. A 150-foot Ferris wheel provides an incredible view of the downtown skyline. Ice ring.  Older children might enjoy sightseeing trips on one of the tour boats.

As said this is just a short selection of places in Chicago to enjoy with the family and children.

Cheap Hotels Everywhere
Before the recession, in what experts call the `boom time` more people were able to afford travel than ever before. This was due to competition in the travel industry fuelled by the start of the low cost flight wars. The travel boom, like the economic boom is predicted to end, but until it does you can still get some great deals on flights and more importantly, hotels.
Comparison Sites
Unless you have been living under a rock, you must have noticed the current trend for comparison sites. There are sites which compare credit cards, pages that compare car insurance and of course, websites that compare hotel deals. These comparison sites operate differently; with credit cards a website most likely earns a `referral fee` from the credit card company whenever you click on a link and apply for a card.
This is nice, because that charges you nothing, however, with many hotel comparison sites such as Expedia the website earns cash by charging you (the visitor) a booking fee. This is something you`ll need to watch out for. However, hotel comparison sites are still invaluable as a resource and they can help you to save a lot of money. Just make sure you can`t get a better deal directly from the hotel before you book if you want to make savvy savings and avoid paying nonsense booking fees.
Hotel Deals
One way to book great hotels at discounted prices is by scouting the comparison sites. However, you can also find deals online from other sources such as guides and articles like this one. Many chains such as Travelodge for example offer seasonal deals such as their present spring offer (a family or twin room for £19 a night.) These are often not advertised on comparison sites but can be found through a quick online search.
It can also pay to book online for another reason. Many hotels have `online rates` which are lower than the rates you would be offered over the telephone. Perhaps they offer online rates because you can very easily see how their competition compare to them online, whereas, if you are calling them on the phone it`s assumed you have already decided to stay with them. The Hilton chain, for example does offer `exclusive online rates` so it`s always worth booking online instead of over the phone.
To find the best hotel deals start with where you want to go and when. If you are flexible with dates you`ll increase the chances of finding a good deal but if you`re inflexible, as many of us are, then you`ll need to shop around to find the best offers.
Use comparison sites but be careful about those booking charges. Also consider the deposit requested, some chains like Park Plaza don`t request any deposit at the time of booking while others charge a large percentage or the full charges up-front. Remember that you can also findcheap hotels by browsing the official websites of popular chains such as Ramada, Hilton, Park Plaza, and the budget brands such as Premier Inn, Travelodge and Comfort Inn

This past Christmas my husband and I took our kids on a ski vacation. But rather than drive through the snow and ice to someplace close or brave the airport to go someplace farther away, we chose to take book an overnight train trip on Amtrak’s Empire Builder from Seattle, WA to Whitefish, MT. The skiing was great but I think that the train trip to and from Whitefish was the best part for the kids.

The ticketing and baggage check-in experience for Amtrak is unbelievably simple and easy. No lines, no security hassles, no problems. You could literally arrive minutes before your train leaves the station.

While on board we experienced some of the country’s most exciting and colorful sights: the Cascade Mountains. It didn’t take us long to get into the mountains were we could enjoy beautiful snow-capped vistas. And we didn’t have to drive in the snow or strap chains on the tires.

We banned portable DVD players, Nintendo DS, and iPods from the trip and instead favored the scenic views from the train, books, card games, board games, and good old fashioned conversation. And our ten year old had so much fun that she didn’t suffer any technology withdrawal symptoms. And our two and a half year old was so excited to be on a real train (like Thomas the Tank Engine) he was practically beside himself. Movies, games, etc. were in available in the Lounge Car but we chose to quietly relax on our own.

The kids loved the train tunnels! A mile-long tunnel under downtown Seattle leads out from King Street Station. And later on during the trip you pass through the 7.79 mile Cascade Tunnel, bored under Stevens Pass.

The trip from Seattle to Whitefish is a little more than 13 hours. And because departure is in the late afternoon or evening much of the trip is spent sleeping. We reserved a family-sized (sleeps four) room on the Sleeping Car. A friendly, traditionally dressed conductor came by to smile and punch our tickets. The kids thought he looked like the Tom Hanks character for The Polar Express. And a few minutes later the attendant arrived with champagne for the adults and sparkling cider for the kids.

Seating on the train is unbelievably comfortable as compared to airline seating. There is lots of leg room, room for your carry-on baggage, you can reserve a room with your own lavatory, and you can move around as much as you like.

After relaxing for several hours we proceeded to the dining car (dinner included in the fare for sleeper car customers) where we sat in a large, comfortable booth with a white table cloth and candles. The food is not world-class; but, the meal was much better than your typical reheated airline dinner.

Later when we arrived back at our room on the sleeping car the seats had already been converted into bunk beds for us by the attendant. The kids LOVED sleeping on the train. And of course, they loved that the room had bunk beds. I have to say that I didn’t sleep as well as I would have in my own bed or in a hotel room but there is something strangely soothing about the rocking motion of the train.

Wake-up calls are available and the attendant will bring the morning paper. The following morning we awoke just in time for a hot breakfast in the dining car before rolling into Whitefish.

The kids loved the trip so much that we have been scouring the map looking for other vacation spots that we can reach by train.

You are getting ready for your much anticipated cruise vacation. The best way to maximize your cruise travel is to have some of these cruise tips about the little things you should know. Many cruisers have questions about phoning home, seasickness, laundry facilities, and photography while on their cruise vacation. These are not big items that should concern you during your cruise travel but helpful hints nonetheless.

Phoning home always gives one peace of mind when they are on vacation. It is natural to want to check on your children, or check into the office, just remember that ship to shore phone costs can be very hefty. They can cost up to $15 minute, so I if you must, keep it brief. You can use your cell phone but be aware that in some areas roaming charges will apply. Your cell phone will not work in Europe unless you have universal service.

It is very important that you leave the information on how to contact you at home in case of an emergency. When you receive your cruise packet there will be contact information included. Make sure you leave the name of the ship, the cruise line you are traveling with, and the itinerary that you plan to follow. Make it very clear that it is for emergencies only.

There is a way to get around this expense and that is to buy a phone card and call home from your ports of call. The connection will be far greater and your savings too. Be aware that this is where the crew members make their calls home so you may want to venture further from the dock to find a not so busy public phone.

All of the modern ships are wired for the internet so you can stay in touch with email. This is a much easier and cheaper way to but your mind at ease. On some ships if you are a frequent cruiser the internet time is free. If you are not, connections can run from fifty cents to a dollar a minute. Just keep in mind that they are not high speed hook ups so they will be slow. Compose offline and then send your message. Some ships will offer you package deals to save a little money. Here again, if you can wait until you get to port, internet cafes ashore are relatively inexpensive.

Seasickness is almost a moot point on today’s cruise ships. They are so large that you don’t even know you are moving unless you look out the window or you are up on deck. With today’s technology for weather tracking the cruise lines know in advance if any storms are approaching and therefore can avoid the area. Earlier cruise ships had stabilizers but nothing compared fo today’s technology which enables them to counter act any motion the sea has to offer.

If that doesn’t calm your fears about seasickness and cruise travel there are a number of ways to ensure a very comfortable cruise. Take a cruise vacation in an area of the world that has calm waters on a modern ship with the aforementioned stabilizers. It is best to book a cabin in the middle of the ship on one of the lower levels. If just looking at a horizon that is moving sends you into a tizzy, book an inside cabin. A little known cruise tip is to arrange your beds in alignment with the ship, bow to stern. Rocking is always easier to handle than a rolling motion. Once, you’ve got yourself situated on board go up on deck and stare at a fixed position on the horizon to get your body use to the motion.

Your doctor may have some medication you can take, or try the acupuncture bracelets that go around your wrists. If you do feel queasy eat crackers and green apples to settle your stomach. Ginger capsules have been said to work wonders and are available in your health food store. By all means avoid any alcoholic beverages which will only make your symptoms worse.

On board laundry services are very expensive. Book a ship that has an onboard laundry room for passengers so you can do your own. These laundry rooms will be equipped with an iron and an ironing board. An alternative is to pack a small bottle of laundry liquid and a few clothes pins in you luggage, hand wash them in your stateroom and hang them from the shower line provided.

Photography is always a big question. Should you bring a camera or rely on the ships photographer? The answer is to bring your own. If you don’t want to worry about your expensive digital camera, buy a lot of the throw away types. Pick up a few waterproof ones too for when you take you snorkel adventure. Take twice as many as you think you need. If you don’t use them on this cruise vacation you can always use them at the next holiday or birthday celebration.

You could also opt to pick up a cheap digital. You can buy them for about $20.00 and you won’t have to worry about losing it since your expensive one is at home. These are usually smaller than the pricey ones so they are easier to carry around.

On formal nights you will want to get your picture taken by the ships photographer. These pictures are wonderful memories of your cruise but they are expensive. The ships photographer will take pictures of you all through the cruise. Getting on and off the ship, on deck, in the dining room at your table and when you enter the dining room on some nights. Although these pictures are fun, you are not obligated to buy them. If you are on a cruise vacation for a special occasion like a honeymoon or an anniversary, splurge and buy them, they will be more than just memories.

These are just a few cruise tips for the little things you should know about cruise travel. Having this knowledge before your cruise vacation will help you on the way to clear sailing.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.