Le Meurice | Paris on sale in March and April

Le Meurice is my favorite hotel in Paris. It enjoys the perfect location for sightseers, right on the rue de Rivoli, overlooking the Tuilleries. You can cross the street to stroll in the park, and you're an easy walk from the Louvre, the musée d'Orsay, the place de la Concorde, and world-class shopping. I've always said that Le Meurice offers the best location in the heart of Paris.

And Paris is on sale, a casualty of the current financial recession. A Superior Room (375 square feet) at Le Meurice is just 345€ (about $438) during March and April, and that rate comes with these added-value amenities just by booking through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant:

• daily Full Breakfast in the hotel's three-star Michelin restaurant
• upgrade on check-in to a Deluxe Room (430 square feet) if available
• a complimentary extra bed for a child under 14
• early check-in and late check-out if available
• exclusive welcome amenities

There are no catches to this sale, no pre-payment or deposit required, no rigid cancellation deadlines. You can cancel anytime up until 3 p.m. the day before your arrival, and you pay the hotel when you check out. These are unheard-of values for one of the great palace hotels in Paris, and these fabulous rates are currently available for March and April. Does this sound too good to be true? Just check it out and let me prove it to you.


Le Meurice (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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booking expedia? read the fine print

This happens more often than any travel consultant wants to think about. A couple contacted me, wanting to plan their honeymoon on Maui. I gave them quotes on several resorts they were interested in and, as they were looking for a great value, recommended another property, the Napili Kai Beach Resort (pictured above). This is a very nice, low-rise group of condos on a great beach. The resort has swimming pools, putting green, beautiful grounds, and a nice restaurant.

I quoted them a complete package including round-trip air on the flights they wanted, five nights in the room category they preferred, and a rental car for the entire period of their stay on Maui. I included in the quote a very reasonably priced travel insurance policy that would allow them to change or cancel their reservations for any reason at any time, very important since the Napili Kai has a rather significant cancellation deadline.

They emailed me a few hours later, having priced out the same package on expedia for a slightly lower price. They asked a reasonable question: why did my package price out higher? So I did my research ... doing a mock booking for the same package on expedia. The result of my research? Expedia's price did NOT include taxes and surcharges on the rental car; mine did. When booking with expedia, it's always important to read the fine print about taxes and fees. You usually need to click through to another page to get to that information — and why is that, I wonder?

Consider the benefits of using a luxury travel consultant. I am, of course, biased in expressing this opinion, but hear my argument. While you may save a (very) few dollars by booking on some website, there are distinct advantages of working with a trusted travel advisor.

• A no-walk guarantee. My supplier, Classic Vacations, has a no-walk provision in their contract with every property they represent. You will not get to the resort and find that the hotel sold your room to someone else.
  
• An emphasis on service. Classic is not a mass marketer selling hundreds of thousands of vacations directly to consumers on the internet. While expedia does have an 800 number, I've read countless accounts of customers unable to get through in a timely way to get their problems resolved. My clients have a toll-free number to call 24/7 if they need help.
  
• Working with a human being. When you use a travel consultant, you're not reduced to clicking buttons on a webpage. You have an experienced travel professional working for you. You can ask questions and get advice. I have traveled the world, very likely have visited the places you're thinking of traveling to, and have a network of contacts who can smooth the way for you.
  
• Special requests. Would someone at expedia call the sales manager at Napili Kai, let them know a honeymoon couple is coming, and ask that they be VIP'ed for their stay? I don't think so ... but this the kind of service I provide every day for my clients.
  
• Small touches like having all the paperwork for your rental car pre-filled. There is a special Classic counter for my clients at the Hertz office in Maui; they won't have to wait in line for their rental car.

How did the story turn out? My clients ended up booking through me. It doesn't always happen, but my job is to give my clients the best advice, service, and value I possibly can. travel consultant (search here on Google) copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

Mobil 5 star hotels for 2009

The Mobil Travel Guide has published their annual 5 star hotel awards for 2009. The list is posted on the Mobil Travel Guide website, along with links to reviews of each of the forty-three Mobil 5 star hotels.

What's the best way to book a 5 star hotel? Although many upscale travelers tend to book directly on the internet luxury travel consultant can typically provide a better value. Their clients receive complimentary amenities (such as free breakfasts, room upgrades, and more), usually at exactly the same rates found on a hotel's website. And sometimes a luxury travel adviser will have access to even lower contracted rates.

Interested in any of the "checked" hotels on the Mobil 5 star hotel list? I have access to special amenities at each of these properties. I charge no booking fees, and you pay the hotel when you check out.

California
LAX
√ Hotel Bel-Air
√ Beverly Hills Hotel
√ Peninsula Beverly Hills
√ Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
√ St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach

SFO
√ Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
√ Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
√ St. Regis San Francisco

Chateau du Sureau, Oakhurst (near Yosemite)

Colorado
√ The Little Nell, Aspen
√ The Broadmoor

Connecticut
√ The Mayflower Inn, Washington, CT

District of Columbia
√ Four Seasons Washington

Florida
√ Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach
√ Ritz-Carlton Naples
√ Four Seasons Palm Beach

Georgia
√ Four Seasons Atlanta
√ Sea Island - The Cloister
Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club

Hawaii
√ Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Illinois
√ Four Seasons Chicago
√ The Peninsula Chicago

Massachusetts
√ Four Seasons Boston
√ Boston Harbor Hotel
√ Blantyre, Lenox

Nevada
√ Wynn Las Vegas - Tower Suites
√ SKYLOFTS at MGM Grand

New York
√ Ritz-Carlton Central Park
√ Mandarin Oriental New York
√ St. Regis New York
√ Four Seasons New York
Trump International
The Point, Saranac Lake

North Carolina
Umstead Resort and Spa, Cary
Fearrington House Country Inn, Pittsboro

South Carolina
√ Sanctuary at Kiawah Island
Woodlands Resort and Inn, Summerville

Tennessee
√ The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville

Texas
√ Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas

Utah
Stein Eriksen Lodge, Park City

Virginia
The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, VA
The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, VA

Wyoming
√ Four Seasons Jackson Hole


Mobil 5 star hotels (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Four Seasons Punta Mita | incredible package

Four Seasons Punta Mita is a fabulous beach and golf resort on the west coast of Mexico, just 40 minutes from Puerto Vallarta. An intimate resort with just 140 rooms and suites, guests are accommodated in quaint, clay-roofed Mexican-style casitas. Most suites also feature private plunge pools. With a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, tennis center, infinity-edge swimming pool and a "lazy river" pool, and coral reef snorkeling, there will be plenty to keep you engaged — unless you prefer simply to play or walk on the beautiful beach or indulge yourself at the Spa. Offering a Children's Program, Four Seasons Punta Mita is a great family destination resort.

An incredible Ultimate Inclusions package offers significant savings. At the regularly rack rate (as low as $415 nightly in the summer season), guests receive the following inclusions with a 7-night stay:

• Round-trip airport transportation
  
• Three dinners for two at any resort restaurant (beverages not included)
  
• $200 SPA credit per room

You can receive additional amenities including daily continental breakfast for two and a room upgrade upon check-in if available — for no additional cost. Ask me for more information.


Four Seasons Punta Mita (search here on Google)

Package subject to availability at time of booking with blackout dates: Feb. 11-19, April 2-10, Nov. 19-27.

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Fly to Europe for as little as $199 roundtrip*

Brendan Vacations offers well-crafted vacations to Europe, bringing the expertise gained from 40 years planning European tours to the task of making your trip a fun, enjoyable, stress-free, and informative experience for you and your family. Brendan has announced a special promotion, applicable for new bookings made by February 27: fly to Europe for as little as $199 roundtrip.*

I've pasted the terms and conditions at the bottom of this article, but in my view this represents a real value. Pick virtually any of their guided, locally guided, or river cruise vacations anytime between March 23 and October 21, 2009, and receive $199 roundtrip airfares on British Airways from applicable US gateways to select European gateways. Taxes are extra, and seats may be capacity-controlled, so if you're interested — now is the time to act on this promotion.

There are some distinct advantages to guided vacations. The cost of your tour is typically significantly less than what you would pay if you paid for hotels, meals, transportation, admission tickets, and tour guides à la carte. You will benefit from an expertly planned trip and be spared the stress and hassle of planning the details yourself. Your job on the tour is to sit back, take in the sights, enjoy a different culture, and have fun with your family and new friends you'll meet along the way.

fly to Europe (search here on Google)



copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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*Valid for new bookings only made between 02/12/09 and 02/27/09, for travel between 03/23/09 and 10/21/09. Full payment on air portion due no later than 02/27/09; once paid, tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable. Offer valid on Locally Guided, Guided, and River Cruise vacations only. Not valid on independent vacations. Not available for Best of Israel, Israel Revealed and Best of Morocco itineraries. Companion airfare to Cairo is $399. Airfare offer is valid on British Airways from applicable US gateways to select European gateways. Airfares of $199 and $399 include fuel surcharges and carrier-imposed fees. Air prices do not include up to $10 in September 11th Security Fees, $3-$18 PFCs, and air taxes of up to $170 per person. Please see BrendanVacations.com/airfarerules for details. Offer is combinable with applicable Brendan brochure discounts, but cannot be combined with any other promotions. Not valid for groups. Space is limited (offer not valid for Los Angeles to Europe during July and August), is subject to availability in a designated class of service and can be withdrawn at any time by Brendan or British Airways. Companion fare on air-inclusive River Cruise Vacations is applicable only on select River Cruises. Air portion of air-inclusive River Cruise vacation is non commissionable, cruise portion is commissionable at applicable travel agency commission level. Air portion of air-inclusive Guided vacation is non-commissionable; land portion is commissionable at applicable travel agency commission level. Air inclusive River Cruise vacations are applicable only on select cruises. Ask for booking code BBAIR54. Other restrictions may apply. For full terms and conditions, please visit BrendanVacations.com.

South Pacific cruises | 45% off + free air

Tahiti is one of my favorite destinations on earth, and Paul Gaugin Cruises is offering 45-50% off its 2010 cruises. And if you book by March 31st, you will receive free airfare from Los Angeles to Papeete on cruises 10 nights or longer. Book a 7 night cruise, and receive two-for-one airfare. A third person in your stateroom sails free (for designated staterooms).

Why consider a South Pacific cruise? The South Pacific offers some of the clearest, most inviting seas in the world, and you'll enjoy fabulous snorkeling and beautiful sunsets. Cruise options include the Society Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, etc.), the Cook Islands, Figi, Tonga, and more. One cruise even visits New Zealand.

Paul Gaugin has all oceanview staterooms and suites (no windowless inside cabins), and nearly 70% provide private balconies. With only 332 guests, you'll enjoy gracious service, and virtually everything onboard is included: all onboard gratuities; complimentary beverages including fine wine and premium spirits; free in-suite mini-bar; complimentary 24-hour room service; lectures and entertainment. Enjoy fine dining at one of three onboard restaurants — L'Etoile, Le Grill, and La Veranda.

Planning a honeymoon or family trip in 2010? Get in touch to plan your luxury cruise with Paul Gaugin Cruises.

South Pacific cruise (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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