Air Canada Deals

Air Canada is offering some pretty good rates to Honolulu. It is 50% off their "Tango Rate", you have to book by August 29th (TODAY) for travel until then end of September.

Use this promotion code when booking! JGAEKGM1

Happy Travels

Whistler Deals to be had!!!

With the Sea to Sky Highway being closed for this long weekend, there are some awesome deals to be had in Whistler if you want to drive up there on the two "longer" routes. I have heard some rates as low as $99 at the Chateau Whistler!! I am positive you could get even cheaper at other resorts, but for a five star resort that is a crazy price!! Many of the stores are offering gifts with purchase, to try and encourage people to come up as well!

There are two alternate routes to Whistler, the Duffy Lake Road, and the forestry service road that runs along Harrison Lake. I have driven both routes several times and both are gorgeous. The forestry service road is a little rough in sections since it is gravel, but completely passable by a normal vehicle. There are also some beautiful hot springs to visit along the way!

So if you are looking for a great deal in Whistler and you want to do a bit longer of a drive, go for it, you won't regret it!

Unhappy with Discount Car and Truck Rental

Recently we rented a small compact car for a three day weekend, to save on gas on a roadtrip we were taking. We had never rented from Discount Auto and Truck rental, we found them to have the "best" prices online by about $5 or so, so we choose them. We booked our rental vehicle from 4:00 pm Friday to 4:00 pm Monday afternoon.

When arriving at the rental location they began hassling us to purchase the insurance. Well we are already covered under our ICBC insurance as well as our credit card. Unfortunately they would not take our word for it and started calling to ask these companies, which I was not comfortable with as that is alot of personal information. Upon calling they said they were experiencing long wait times and that we had to purchase the insurance and upon verification they would "refund" us the insurance portion, so after much grumbling we chose that. They then also tell us we must pay this mandatory fee that would have the insurance deductible go from $1000 to $300, shouldn't this be our choice whether or not to pay a $7.99 per day fee.
Had we not been "picked up" from our home and driven to the location by the company we would have just walked away at this point, but it was getting late in the day and we wanted to head out. No big deal we will get this figured out when we return the car at 4:00 pm Monday.

Unfortunately upon returning the car they attempted to inform us that we were late in returning the car and would have to pay an additional day. Already frusterated with the company and knowing we were going to have difficulty I had prepared. I brought with us everything proving we had the coverage for the insurance and the original email with the reservation times showing clearly pickup was Friday at 4:00 pm and drop off would be Monday at 4:00 pm. The clerk even still continued to argue with us that the price we were given was based upon returning it at 9:00 am, I said well my reservation was showing till 4:00 pm at this rate with no additional day charged. The clerk finally gave in on that regard and honoured the original reservation, which in my opinion should have never been an issue in the first place. The clerk looked over our items showing our proof of insurance and grumbling accepted it.

The clerk then ran the full price of the rental through on the credit card and said oh our head office will do the refund of the insurance! Why he couldn't run the real cost through then boggles my mind. This was several weeks ago and I am still waiting for my $62.68 refund. I have called the customer service line, then sat on hold for 15 to 20 minutes until it said we are experiencing high volume of calls leave a message and we will phone you back. I am also still waiting on a call back.....

In short, do not rent from this company you will be extremely irritated and it will end up costing you an arm and a leg. I have rented from alot of different companies and have never had such a terrible experience.

WestJet Sales

West Jet has some pretty good deals for travel within Canada, some for as low as $19 (before taxes). If you book before July 3rd for travel until September 30th, 2008 there is a 10% promo code of 'Canada' that you can use. I have also done some random searches for other fares to international and US destinations and there are some seat sale prices to be found.

WestJet has also added Barbados as a new route!

Check them out, its always good to support local Canadian companies.

MGM Signature Suites

As promised in my previous blog about Las Vegas, I will go in to more depth on the MGM Signature Suites located at the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas strip. These suites are designed as a quiet enclave of the resort. There are three towers, with a convenient air conditioned walkway to get you back into the heart of the action back at the MGM Grand.

There are several types of rooms to choose from a Junior Suite (Some with balconies), One Bedroom Suite and a Two Bedroom Suite. They all feature kitchenettes, great bathrooms with seperate shower and jacuzzi tubs, wifi, and nice LCD televisions. By staying in the Signature suites you also have access to private pools as well as the other amenties offered at the MGM Grand.

I have read the reviews on many different websites and these suites are highly recommended, it is ranked #2 on tripadvisors popularity index of 252 hotels in Vegas, only being beaten out by the Skylofts at the MGM Grand.

I have found two promotions being offered at the MGM Signature Suites.

Summer Splash - Suites from $149 a night, offer also includes: 20% off poolside grill, 20% off spa treatment, Children eat free poolside, Continental breakfast for two at Delights and a $25 entertainment credit. Use booking code SUM011 book online, or call 1-877-727-0007

and

Girlfriend Getaway - "Sex in Sin City" Las Vegas escape package - This package is good for four girlfriends, perfect for a bachelorette or just a girls weekend out!
What you get:
- One bedroom suite - 950 square feet with two bathrooms.
- Upon arriving in your suite you are are served Cosmopolitans in keepsake martini glasses. Then don plush, pink chenille robes (our gift to you!) to relax in as you indulge in a delicious chocolate fondue.
- Private cabana at The Signature pool and enjoy a poolside massage service for four!
- Three full hours of private limo service to use at your descretion for shopping or club hopping....
- Experience WET REPUBLIC, an alluring 53,000-square-foot ultra pool combining an exclusive nightlife vibe with poolside pampering and relaxation, enjoy a delectable sushi dinner for four at AAA Four Diamond award-winning Shibuya, and then party like rock stars at Studio 54.
- Once back in your Signature suite, you’ll adore the specialty shoe-shaped treats on your pillows. Sleep way beyond dawn before recovering with a “morning-after” continental breakfast in the comfort and privacy of your own suite.

Cost: Starts at $425 per person based upon a four-person occupancy. Rates and availability vary. Contact The MGM Signature Suites at 1-877-727-0007 to book!

Another way to book a Suite at the MGM Signture Suites is to book direct through owner, as they are individually owned suites. I highly recommend using Vacation Rentals By Owner. You can find some great deals going this route, and you still receive a confirmation of your stay direct from the MGM Signature Suites.

Viva Las Vegas!

Las Vegas

If you are looking to get away for a quick trip this summer, there are a lot of great deals to be had in Las Vegas this summer. Yes it is hot there during the summer, but hey its Vegas and everything is air conditioned! Why not take advantage of some of the great deals on accomodations and even flights.

At the Mirage they are offering some great deals midweek for July $77 a night and August $88 a night. The Mirage has recently undergone some major renovations to their rooms, and they have one of the best pool areas on the strip.

The Venetian is offering a promotion on suites, book a suite (starting at $159 a night) and receive a $100 gas credit and a $25 gaming credit.

NY NY also is offering a 20% discount on all rooms. You can also upgrade from a Skyline room to a Spa Suite for $50.

The Luxor is also offering some fabulous deals on throughout the summer and into the autumn.

Another good choice is the Signature Suites at the MGM Grand. Book direct through an owner and save. I will post more on this option later in the week :)

Viva Las Vegas

Taxes & Fees Rant

I have always noticed in advertised fares on the television, online and at travel agencies "deal boards" that you have to be careful about what is actually a "good deal". Generally the advertised fares are shown without taxes or are shown from a different departure city than what is close to you, so the actual fare you would be paying is far higher than advertised. I really dislike this, it always strikes me as a poor advertising and misrepresentation.

You will see this great advertised fare, seven days at a five star all inclusive including flight for X amount of dollars, and you think - Wow what a great fare! Until you dig a little deeper and realize if you include the taxes that fare is actually double the advertised rate. You then look at other rates including all taxes and realize it is no deal at all. My wish is that they would at least show the cost of taxes when they advertise these so called "great deals." As often I give people a quote for their trip, including all taxes and fees and they come to me, saying I saw this great deal on tv for this trip etc.. I then have to explain to them that the price advertised was not including all the fees and therefore does not always make it a great deal.

I realize that most things advertised in flyers and on tv do not show the taxes, but generally we all know the percentage of tax that will be charged (ie. gst, pst). However with travel there are a variety of fees and taxes that vary across the board, therefore very difficult to estimate, as every hotel and airline charges something different.

More flight deals

Recently Spirit Airlines has been offering some amazing promotions, including their 100% off sale! They always have their $9 Fare club which does require a membership fee to qualify for that promotion, but other promotions you do not need to be a member. Unfortunately Spirit Airlines does not fly out of Canada, but many cities that they fly out of are within an easy drive from Canada (ie. Detroit). Or you likely could find a seperate carrier to get you to an airport, to connect with a Spirit Airlines flight. Spirit is a very affordable choice for any Caribbean/Bahamas, Central and South American destinations as well as Mexico.

So check them out, you may be amazed at the deals you could get.

Great place for flights

I was watching CNN and they did a profile on airlines, and how with the rising costs of fuel and all the confusing surcharges you are being charged, many people are choosing not to fly. Airlines have noticed a drop in business travel, which accounts for the vast majority of their profits, the business travellers are now opting for internet teleconferencing, rather than paying the travel costs.

Many people believe that flight deals are few and far between, which I believe to be untrue, you really just have to do your research. CNN also discussed a great website, that does alot of your research for you, its called Airfarewatchdog. So check it out sign up for their flight alerts, and good luck!

New Flight Fees

With the rising cost of crude oil in the last few years, fuel surcharges on flights have been added and the flight prices therfore have increased. The rise in fuel costs has obviously been passed on to you - the customer, resulting in you having to shell out more money to fly to your destination.

Airlines have also changed their policies on luggage allowances. Previously you were allowed two pieces or more at no additional charge (unless the bag was overweight). Now you are only allowed one checked bag at no additional charge. The charges seem to vary by airline, usually ranging in the neighbourhood of $20 to $50 per additional bag, more if they are overweight. It is even more important to try and pack light and to pack smart!

I have found the best way to try and lower the amount of taxes and fuel surcharges is to try to get a direct flight to your destination if at all possible. Or if possible fly out of a USA airport as they do not charge as high of taxes or fuel surcharges there, resulting in an overall more affordable flight. You often can lower your flight cost even more by flying out of smaller airports if possible, as you will incur even less fees (as the smaller airports charge smaller fees than the large airports.)

Good luck in finding a deal on a flight, they still exist, just watch out for the "Hidden fees"!!

Club Med 2 for 1 Promotion

Book a 2-week Club Med couple's getaway for the price of one!

Land only between May 9 and June 22, 2008. This offer is based on a double occupancy.

It is valid at the following resorts:

Columbus Isle, Bahamas
Turkoise, Turks & Caicos
La Caravelle, Guadeloupe
Les Boucaniers, Martinique
Ixtapa Pacific, Mexico
Cancun Yucatan, Mexico
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Sandpiper, Florida
Bora Bora, French Polynesia

I highly recommend Club Med Resorts, they invented the "All Inclusive Resort" and they definately have it perfected :)

Deals on Allegiant Air

I did a quick check on airfare to Vegas from Bellingham on Allegiant Air and there are some great "last minute" fares. One way from $21 USD, you can not beat it!

Whistler, BC

Whistler is a great destination at any time of the year, whether it be for skiing/boarding, shopping, dining, hiking, mountain biking or any other activity that Whistler offers you are guaranteed a great time.

There are several ways to get to Whistler, by car, bus, rail, limo service, float plane and helijet service. The Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler is a very scenic drive, with endless views of mountains, ocean as well as construction currently. With the Vancouver 2010 Olympics coming up fast the Sea to Sky Highway is undergoing a much needed repairs and upgrades. So if you are driving check http://drivebc.com/ for all construction information. The highway does occassionally close for construction but it is only in the overnight hours. With that being said the construction should not deter you from visiting Whistler.

There is quite a variety of accomodations in Whistler to choose from. If you are looking for a five star hotel with all the trimmings, you can choose from the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Four Seasons Whistler, Westin Whistler, Hilton Whistler, Pan Pacific Mountainside Whistler, Pan Pacific Whistler Village.

If you are looking for a bit more affordable hotels there is a wide variety to choose from - Holiday Inn Sunspree , Crystal Lodge, for a full list of hotels offered in Whistler check out http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/hotels/index.htm

There are some hostels in Whistler, here is a link to what is offered http://www.whistler-bc.com/Accommodations/Hostel/.

There are also some campgrounds located in Whistler, just outside the village. I would only recommend camping in the summer months though.

There are also a ton of condo and chalet rentals available in Whistler, this may cost you a pretty penny, but totally worth it in my books, especially if you can get something on the mountain during the winter. Who wouldn't want to walk out the door and be on the slopes. Check out http://www.vrbo.com/ , http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/ and http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/condos/index.htm for listings.

If you are looking to find a deal on accomodations, the best way I have found especially last minute is to use the Whistler Blackcomb Last Minute Deals sales. You search for the days you wish to arrive and then it will give you a list of what is available, but it will not name the hotel, it will however give you its approximate location, how many stars and a description of the rooms. The trick to figuring out what hotel it is (if it matters) the descriptions they use to describe the rooms in the mystery picks are the exact same as they use to describe them on their regular accomdations page. So just compare and if there is a specific hotel you wish to stay at you should be able to get it. We have done it several times and it has worked out perfectly everytime, and we have usually saved ourselves at least 40% off the advertised rates.

Here are my picks for the best hotels to stay at:

If you want the best pools:
1. Fairmont Chateau Whistler, its gorgeous and a great mountainside view.
2. Westin Whistler, awesome pool and great views of the valley and village, with a huge spa.
3. Four Seasons Whistler, beautiful pool facilities and gorgeous views, and a little more private than some other hotels.

Best Village Locations:
1. Westin Whistler, you can not beat its location in the heart of the village, within two minute walk to the gondola.
2. Hilton Whistler, located next to the Westin in the Village, can't beat it.
3. Pan Pacific Whistler Village, its close to everything, gondola, shopping, and dining.

My favorite hotel overall in Whistler has been the Westin, it had it all, great service, nice sized rooms, great pool and we recieved a good price for a one bedroom suite booking online with Whistler Blackcombs last minute deals. This hotel is also dog friendly for all you pooch owners.

With summer finally making its grand entrance to BC I think its a great time to visit Whistler and enjoy its great outdoors. There is so much to see and do, Blackcomb is open till June 8th for riding, and then the glacier is open till July 27th, so don't put the boards away yet. There is also lots of hiking and bear viewing as well as shopping and the Whistler nightlife.

Cheap Airfare to Europe

I recently discovered another discount airline to Europe. FlyGlobeSpan has some great regular prices to get you to several locations in Europe, including London (Gatwick), Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin from Vancouver. If you are flying from other locations in Canada you can also fly to Belfast and Bristol.

AirTransat still has some great deals on Europe for the Spring/Summer, check out their Flight Deals webpage.

Good luck in your search for great flight deals.

Kids fly free to Disneyland

This year Alaska Airlines has extended its "Kids fly free" promotion to September 30, 2008. They have made the offer even better, when you purchase a 3 day or longer Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket at regular price you will receive 2 days free.

You must book by May 31, 2008 to recieve this promotion.

I love Disneyland, so this is a great offer. If you are on a special trip to Disney (ie. Birthday, Anniversary, Honeymoon) ask at any of the Disney shops or Customer service areas for a pin to match your occassion and often you will recieve "special treatment". Richard and I were in Disneyworld for another Honeymoon and we wore the pins, people congratulated us left right and centre, we also got some front of the line perks :)

If you would like any help with your Disney vacation please feel free to drop us a line.

Some flight deals

I have been doing some checking online and have found some great prices for flights:

Check out Air Transat for some good deals (one way and return) to different locations in Europe!

Allegiant Air - flying out of Bellingham to Las Vegas has a great deal on May 19th one way to Las Vegas for $21 ($31.50 with tax). Allegiants regular prices of $88 each way are also great too, if you book with Allegiant you are also given the option of booking your flight and hotel together, often you can get a great overall rate this way, but just check your hotel choice first to see if there are any promotions on at that time, you can get great rate that way also!

Air Canada even has some deals in their websaver promotions area, check each day for some great prices.

Don't forget to check Westjet they have been having some great prices recently.

Happy Hunting!

Car Rental Promo Codes Part II

Avis:


Save 50% off weekend internet rates at Avis airport locations - minimum 2 day rental. Quote coupon # G540700. Rental must begin by 6/30/08.


Free day on a weekly rental - Offer valid on an intermediate (group C) through a full-size four-door (group E) car. Renters must use their MasterCard® card when reserving a vehicle to take advantage of this offer. Quote coupon # TUPA008 to recieve this offer.

Dollar Rent a car:

Reserve now and save 10% on any vehicle from Dollar Rent A Car when you pay with any American Express Card at participating locations. Rental must be booked on Dollar.com and quote Promo Code: AX10.

Thrifty:

Reserve now and save 10% on any vehicle from Thrifty Car Rental when you use anyAmerican Express Card at participating locations in the US, Mexico and Canada. To receive this offer book online and quote Promo code: AX10.

With car rental companies there are always ways to get deals. If you are travelling in a group, you can make a car rental group code, you just have to fill out a form with all your information and the rental car company will then give you a discount code. You can also usually combine a discount code and a coupon code to get further discounts.

Car Rental Promo Codes Part I

Here are a few rental car codes for discounts or Bonus Airmiles.

Alamo:

Quote Coupon code: AB4218ADC for triple airmiles on any US rental.
Quote Contract ID: USA gives all Canadians a 10% discount on US rentals.

National:

Quote Coupon ID: NF1982JDD for $30 off a weekly rental of a compact car to the Luxury car. Offer valid until 6/30/08. Offer valid for US and Canada. Must have the car for a Saturday.

Quote Coupon ID: ND35 for $15 off a minimum 3 day rental of a compact car to the luxury car. Offer valid until 6/30/08. Offer valid for US and Canada.

Hertz:


50% Off Weekend Rentals at Airport & Local Edition
Save 50% off your weekend rental at Hertz Airport and Hertz Local Edition locations. Offer valid now through 6/30/08. Airport locations: Rent an Economy through Full-Size vehicle Quote PC#104182. You must be a member of a AAA membership.

Tommorow Part II

WestJet Sale

Another day and another Westjet sale for travel until June 25, 2008. For today only 50% off travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays within Canada and the U.S. for any international destination the travel day restrictions do not apply.

Go on search out your destination and see if you can find a steal of a deal.

Great place to look for accomodations

If you like the accomodation options of having a kitchen at your disposal perhaps a good way to travel is by staying with vacation rentals instead of hotels. These types of places often end up being alot more affordable, while still providing you with a great deal of ammenities and can be quite flexible. It is true that you most likely do not get daily maid service, but I still find it a great way to travel and often many of these condos or houses can be extremely luxurious!

A great place to start your vacation rental search is Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO). I have used this to find many great places to stay, and often you can really find a deal or even bargain a little since you are dealing directly with the owners of rental. VRBO has vacation rental listings for all over the world, so it is a great website for any travel destination.

If you are the type that would like to stay in a very upscale beautiful home in any of the Hawaiian Islands than this website is for you: Luxury Retreats Hawaii. I am sure you can find many of these types of websites for any location.

If you are looking for any recommendations for condo rentals in Maui or the Big Island I have quite a few recommendations, please feel free to email us at: travelsecrets@shaw.ca

South Pacific

Recently I have been asked about the South Pacific, more specifically Bora Bora, French Polynesia. Richard and I travelled there for our honeymoon, it truly was Heaven on Earth!

We found that the islands of French Polynesia are horrendously expensive, if we had millions of dollars we could have easily spent a lot at least a million there on food and lodging. Generally flights from Mainland North America are routed through Montreal, New York and Los Angeles (generally the stops from the East coast all stop at LAX). If you wish to combine your travels to the South Pacific with Hawaii you can fly from Honolulu direct to Papeete (PPT), Tahiti, French Polynesia on Hawaiian Airlines. We found the best price was flying via Seattle to Honolulu then onto PPT after enjoying some time on the Big Island. We also found it broke the flying time up nicely.

Our lodging choice on Tahiti for one night was at the Sofitel Tahiti as we were only there for the night and in the morning we boarded a flight with Air Tahiti for our inter island flight to Bora Bora. This hotel was very nice and it was close to the airport (therefore a cheaper cab fare).

On Bora Bora there are a plethora of luxury resorts to choose from including the Four Seasons,

St Regis and many others that will cost you upwards of $1000 CDN a night for their most basic rooms!!! Therefore our choice was Club Med it was beautiful, luxurious and all the food and drinks were included, therefore making it the most affordable, yet luxurious choice we could find. Both Richard and I are not the all inclusive types, but we really enjoyed our time there and were pleasantly surprised at how much fun we had and how great the food was! It comes highly recommended by us both.

If anyone would like any help booking or planning a trip to the South Pacific, drop us a line at:

travelsecrets@shaw.ca

Here is a picture we took of the lagoon for everyone to drool over :)

WestJet Sale

For today only there is a $29.00 seat sale on WestJet.

Some example fares are:
Abbotsford to Calgary $29
Calgary to Abbotsford $29
Edmonton to Abbotsford $29
Edmonton to Calgary $29
Toronto to Montreal $29
Toronto to Ottawa $29

Flight Deals on Allegiant Air

After doing a quick check on Allegiant Air, I have noticed in June 1st and 2nd you could fly Bellingham, Washington to Las Vegas for $21.00 one way and return is $88.00 one way. You can check these prices by just selecting flight only and it will show you the lowest price each day.I highly recommend flying with Allegiant Air, you can get some great deals on airfare and package deals. Recently Allegiant has added routes to San Fransisco and San Diego from Bellingham. They fly out of smaller airports therefore the airport fees are much cheaper therefore allowing them to offer you the customer the great rates!

Car Rental Information

Recently I have been asked alot about car rental deals. Here are a few hints and tips.I have found the best prices are generally found with Alamo if you are travelling to any of the Hawaiian Islands. If you are travelling to Las Vegas I have found Advantage Car Rentals to have great pricing as well. If you are travelling to Orlando, Florida another great company for prices is L&M Car Rentals we were given that recommendation by a Westjetter.

As for car rentals in other locations within Canada and the US, the best suggestion that I can give is to shop around. Rental prices fluctuate a lot, so watch the prices and rebook as necessary, it is very easy to book online, and cancel if necessary when you find a better deal. Another hint is to look at the rental car discount page, often they will have coupon codes for $20 off or free upgrades. Another way to gain discounts it if you are a member of AAA or a union you should receive discounts at many of the major rental car companies, check your handbooks.

An important note about rental car companies, the additional insurance that they are selling you (sometimes rather forcefully, using scare tactics etc..) is often not necessary. If you insure your own vehicle at home, you generally are covered under that insurance. Also check into what credit card you are using to pay with as many of these cards cover all your insurance needs, so check your credit cards information. Often times if you receive extended health benefits with work there is coverage under that as well. As these additional costs of insurance through the rental car companies will cause your rate to suddenly be doubled.

Recently many rental car companies have offered the gas option, where you can return your rental car without filling up and you then receive the gas at a discounted price per litre or gallon. At first I was thinking this sounds like a good deal, until I asked further questions and read the fine print. They pre charge you for an entire tank of gas at this discounted rate, its not based upon how much gas you actually require when you return the car. So if you return the car with half a tank of gas, you are actually paying for the cost of a full tank, and at today's very high gas costs that really adds up fast! Essentially we have learned that whatever additional items car rental companies are offering you are going to cost you more money in the end, therefore we decline them.

The more money we can save while travelling the more travelling we can do!