A1 Destination

Are you planning a romantic getaway? If so, there are many places that you can go and things for you to do. One thing that you should also consider is the hotel that you select to stay at. If you want to plan a romantic getaway, one of the most important aspects of making that happen is the actual hotel itself. Not everyone realizes that they do have options in this regard though. Before booking a hotel , consider these tips to help you to get the best destination for your getaway.

Tips To Consider

• You may want the honeymoon suite. It does not have to be solely for a couple that has just gotten married. In fact, you can easily book this any time that you want to. Take a few minutes to see if the hotel offers one and what it includes. For a bit more expense, you may be able to get a Jacuzzi in the suite, rose petals thrown around or even a heart shaped bed. There are many extras that can be provided with this style of a room. Romantic Getaways are becoming so popular these days that many hotels are beginning to cater to this event. Ask the Hotel what packages they offer, some may include theater tickets and candle light dinner. They may also offer a gift basket with champagne and other goodies as well.

• What kind of room service do they offer? A romantic getaway may include a candlelight dinner in the hotel room itself. This will keep you right at home and keep the lines away. Find out if the hotel offers room service (that is of the romantic nature of course!) It will help to spark romance if you do.

• Once you have chosen where you would like to stay, when booking a hotel ask what they view is from your potential room. I once had an amazing room with a king size bed, fireplace, whirlpool tub, glassed in shower but the view was overlooking the indoor swimming pool. The smell of chlorine and the sound of kids playing around and in the pool really put a damper on things.

• Consider what’s around the hotel too. Think about a romantic walk to a nearby park. You may like to venture into a beautiful museum or a ride in a horse drawn carriage. There are many things that you can do that could be considered romantic. In fact, the things that you do should be things that you both enjoy doing. This will create an environment of happiness. Find out what there is to do around the hotel that will be romantic.

Planning a romantic getaway is more than just picking a location to go to and booking a hotel. If you take a little more time and do some research, you can find all types of great things to enjoy. What’s more is that most of this information is readily available right on the web. Just take a look at the options that you have. You are sure to find an amazing getaway destination for both of you.

Image by Robert Scott Photography via FlickrSo you thinking about planning a romantic getaway, put some sizzle into your relationship, consider what the bed and breakfast setting can provide for you. There are several things to take into consideration when deciding to get away from it all. The bed and breakfast may be able to provide all that you are looking for without all the stress that can sometimes accompany planning a vacation. This can be the ideal choice for many couples looking to simply get away and relax without the added stress of a major travel vacation.

So What Exactly Is It?

A bed and breakfast is a location that you can go to relax and getaway from it all without having to worry about your meals or your room. Generally speaking, these are usually offered in the setting of a home rather than a hotel. You will stay in a home setting, making it less formal but still as private and as comfortable and usually very quaint. In many cases, meals besides breakfast can be provided as well. You can locate a bed and breakfast in most tourist locations and even in those that do not tend to attract the visitors. Sometimes, you can find them in secluded locations such as wooded areas which add to the beauty and comfort that they offer. To get away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, this is a great place to go. Some even offer various activities like horse back riding.

Booking It

You can find most of the information and the booking details for bed and breakfasts right on the web. Most advertise locally if you do not plan to travel very far. The bottom line here is that they are out there in increasing numbers. That allows you to have many choices available. Consider what the amenities they each offer are, before investing in them. Also, try to stay someplace more remote for the added relaxation.

Also, when booking your B&B, make sure to tell them it is for a romantic getaway. They may have a specific suite they can offer with extra amenities. Or, they may be able to provide some tips about the local area and what would be the perfect place for a dinner or a walk in the woods.

If you want to relax on your romantic getaway, consider the bed and breakfast. You are sure to love all that it can offer to you and just how much it is like a home. You may find a place you love so much that you will come back to it year after year for your romantic getaway.

While we don’t plan them, but they do happen, sometimes it’s totally out our control. Some vacation destinations aren’t as good as they were made out to be, maybe it’s a case of false advertising or maybe as a tourist you are taken advantage of by the locals. If you’re planning a road trip, the worst part could be the traffic jams, sometimes left stuck in traffic for hours with no explanation of why traffic was backed up. On top of a traffic jam, maybe you will find that your hotel reservation had expired and was given to the next person in line. Or maybe your luggage arrived from the airport a day or two after you did. In any case, it’s hard to pinpoint the worst destinations without taking into consideration all the things that can happen. Most disappointing vacations can usually be prevented.

To prevent one bad vacation turning into two, here’s a list of the top five and why.

1. Many of America’s popular tourist areas are being choked by unhealthy smog levels. Continued exposure to ozone smog is a powerful lung irritant that has a cumulative impact on the body. It’s especially dangerous to children, elderly people or those suffering from asthma and other lung diseases.

Although there is really no escaping air pollution in most of the United States, you can at least avoid the areas that have the highest ozone smog in the U.S.: Cape Cod National Sea Shore, Boston, Maine’s Acadia National Park, Philadelphia, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Washington D.C., Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indianapolis, and Lake Michigan, Pennsylvania (including the Amish farmland and the city of Lancaster).

Take this into consideration before traveling to any of these destinations, especially if you are traveling with children, the elderly or those with asthma.

2. When browsing through the brochures for the Nickelodeon Family Suites in Orlando, Florida, you may think they look awesome and a fun place to stay. But once you actually arrive, expect it to take a few hours away from your vacation time for checking in. The check-in lines are usually extremely long and by the time you get up to the desk to speak with a desk clerk, your room may not even be ready. Then by the time you get to the room, some appliances are defective and the cleaning service doesn’t even dust and may miss cleaning several things. The pool is over crowded with hardly any room to sit and there is no changing room. The pool side bathroom becomes crowded with people trying to change into their bathing suits, for lack of another place to change. I’ve seen better accommodations at a Motel 6. If you have a membership to CAA or AAA they offer booklets and information to help you plan your travel arrangements like rating the accommodations, tourist attractions and maps. Consider becoming a member if you are not. They offer tons of resources.

3. Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Beware: The bed bugs really do bite! As reported by several unhappy guests.

4. New Orleans, Louisiana. Even before the terrible tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has been one of the hottest spots in the country, despite the fact that they have one of the country’s highest crime and murder rates.

5. Iran,Iraq and Afghanistan. Self-explanatory.

You can travel to the most wonderful vacation destinations in the world and have things go wrong. It could be poor customer service, mediocre cleaning services, surcharges and creepy crawlies in your bed. Items stolen from your room. Your wallet and/or passport lost. Your worst vacation, can be another persons’ best and while everything may not run as smoothly as planned, here are a few tips to help you avoid being a victim:

Stay away from travel offers that sound too good to be true, especially if you have been solicited by phone or mail.

Never give out your credit card or bank account information over the phone unless you initiate the transaction and are confident about the company with which you are doing business.

Get complete details in writing about your vacation arrangements prior to making a payment. These details should include the total cost, including taxes, service fees, surcharges, port charges; including the terms and conditions, restrictions and cancellation penalties.

Walk away from high pressure sales people that won’t allow you time to evaluate an offer.

Be cautious of companies that require you to wait 60 days to take your trip or require you to select various dates of departure.

Keep these in mind and make your next vacation destination and A1 destination!