RSSJan|31|2010
The Dirtiest Hotels In US
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Hotels, United States, Website
Trip Advisor is one of the top web sites in the world when it comes to travel tips and advice. It is a big community of people from all over the world who love travel. One of the things I like about them is that I get to read reviews by “real” travelers from different countries. This month, they just released a list of the dirtiest hotels in the United States. According to the web site, the list is based on member reviews.
Are you ready to find out which hotels are the dirtiest? Here goes…
1.Heritage Marina Hotel, San Francisco, California
2.Days Inn Eureka/Six Flags, Eureka, Missouri
3.Tropicana Resort Hotel, Virginia Beach, Virginia
4.Super 8 Virginia Beach/At the Ocean, Virginia Beach, Virginia
5.Quality Inn, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
6.New York Inn, New York City, New York
7.Parisian Hotel & Suites, Miami Beach, Florida
8.Capistrano …
Jan|30|2010
Philippine Travel Alert Extended By US State Department
Posted by Noemi as Asia, United States, Warnings
Before any of my fellow Filipinos react, let me say that I am in no way in agreement with this extension. In fact, the reason for my writing this post is to express my disagreement with it! This travel alert against the Philippines was issued late last year after the egregious issue of the Maguindanao Massacre hit international headlines.
We all have to admit that that was a horrible affair and that it did nothing to improve the image of the Philippines. Everyone condemned – and continues to do so – that incident. However, that does not mean that the Philippines is an unsafe country. In fact, in the past months, I have interacted with numerous foreign visitors – and each one of them have all their hair in their heads untouched.
For one, Maguindanao …
Jan|29|2010
Is The iPad The New Travel Gadget?
Posted by Noemi as Travelogger, Trends
I wish I could say yes. I was looking forward to January 27 as much as the next Apple enthusiast although to be honest, I was hoping for more iPhone news. When news about the iPad spread like wildfire, though, I found myself getting just as excited.
Since this is not a tech blog, let’s not go into the nitty gritty tech specs but suffice it to say that they are touting the iPad as the new travel must-have. It is supposed to revolutionize the way that we travel, but is it going to, really?
Let’s see, what do you normally need when you travel? I’d list down the essentials as:
• Camera
• Phone
• Laptop
Apple is promoting the iPad as something in between a phone and a laptop. It should be more than good enough to be your sole travel companion …
Jan|28|2010
Go On A Cruise ALONE!
Posted by Noemi as Cruises, Trends
I wrote something about going as a solo traveler some time back, and I think it’s time to tackle this topic again. This is because I just found out something about cruise lines offering more solo travel deals these days. I have always wanted to go on a cruise but they’re just way too expensive for me. If this trend of lower prices for solos on cruises goes any further, then I just might find myself going on a cruise one of these days!
This is what I found out from Reuters:
“The tour industry is making way for the single traveler,” said Margie Jordan, spokesperson for the American Society of Travel Agents. “This is nothing that’s going to go away. The single traveler is going to have as many opportunities as anyone else.”
For years most travel …
Jan|23|2010
Little Passports: Impart The Love For Travel To Your Kids
Posted by Noemi as Family, Website
I don’t have kids – yet. One day, I really hope to have my own (two should be enough) and I want to share with them the world. The easiest and most creative way of doing this, in my mind, is to cultivate their imagination through reading. Indeed, one can travel the world just by reading.
Of course, reading alone will not be enough if I want my kids to experience the real deal. Still, reading is a good place to start, especially if the destinations I have in mind are of a totally different nature from what the kids are (going to be) used to.
That’s where this cool web site comes into the picture. I just discovered Little Passports, a web site founded by two moms who wanted to share the world (and its diverse …
Jan|22|2010
The Best Tech Hotels
Posted by Noemi as Hotels
What’s the most important thing for you when choosing a hotel? I really cannot pinpoint a single feature but most of the time, I would mention at least one of these three things: a bathtub, WiFi in the room, or a pool. If you found yourself nodding vigorously while reading the second item in that very short list, you’d love the list that AskMen.com came up with: Travel Picks: Top 10 tech hotels.
Let me pick out the two that interested me the most:
Hotel Sax, Chicago
There’s the free Wi-Fi, massive wide-screen TVs, and the 6th floor Studio Lounge, free for all guests, where you can relax on big sofas or play Rock Band, Wii games and Guitar Hero. Guests each receive a laptop and Zune MP3 player for use during their stay. The hotel also has tech studios and tech …
Jan|15|2010
US Travel Sector Gives Aid To Haiti
Posted by Noemi as News
A lot of people are forever griping about how the travel sector – specifically airlines! – are always out to make more money out of travelers. You can’t really blame the people who complain. We know just how unfair many practices are. However, when the news about Haiti’s plight made the headlines, we have to give credit to the travel industry for their quick response.
Various airlines have already flown a considerable amount of relief supplies. Airlines such as American Airlines have flown several planes to Haiti to deliver goods such as medical supplies, food, and other essentials. Even other airlines which do not have regular flights to Haiti have set aside some of their planes just so they could be used for relief services. I think that yesterday, I even read something about doctors and other …
Jan|10|2010
Make Airport Security Checks Less Painful
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips, Transport
Flying is not always everyone’s number one choice when it comes to traveling. We have to admit, though, that in many cases, it is the most efficient way of traveling – that is, if you don’t get high blood pressure during the security check. In order to avoid this headache, prepare yourself (in all aspects!) before you fly.
Prepare yourself mentally. Tight security means longer waits. It also means you having to put up with pat downs, open bags, taking your shoes off, and more. Even before you leave for the airport, get yourself mentally ready for this. Your attitude will make a whole lot of difference!
Prepare your bags in such a way that you’ll find it easy to open and close them. As much as possible, bring one bag. If you …
Jan|05|2010
More Island Hopping In Caramoan
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Features, Islands, Travelogger
Island hopping is the main reason one should go to Caramoan. I was really quite disappointed with the beach front at the resort we stayed in. The sand was brown and looked dirty. Dried seaweed littered the beach. I thought I would not enjoy myself, but I was proven wrong. Two days of island hopping showed me just what this place has to offer.
There are two main groups of islands that are usually visited by tourists – one to the south and one to the north. The southern islands are farther, but a whole lot more beautiful. Manlawi, which I wrote about in the previous post, is located in this area. Another island in this area is Cotivas. It is also beautiful, but smaller than Manlawi. When we got there, there were a small group of people lunching under the …
