Get glossy on the go with GLOSSYBOX

- February 7th, 2012

Making its Canadian debut this year is the GLOSSYBOX, a subscription-based service that’s been all the rage in Germany and the U.K., delivering sample-sized luxury make-up and body products to consumers’ homes monthly.

Perfect not only for the woman who loves to experiment and sample products without commitment or high price tags, the GLOSSYBOX is also great for the frequent traveller.

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Arriving in their signature pink GLOSSYBOX package, the sample products are all travel sized. The woman-on-the-go will appreciate these small sizes, great for when she wants to pack a luxury moisturizer in her carry-on that won’t be tossed out at an airport security checkpoint. 

Each GLOSSYBOX contains five luxury samples. Mine – which arrived last week – features an Ahava mineral hand cream, Elizabeth Grant lip moisturizer, Essie nail enamel, Oscar de la Renta lotion and Prevage night cream. All were under 100 mL in size and travel ready.

GLOSSYBOX occasionally adds a sixth product to their monthly delivery. I received Beauty So Clean’s make-up sanitizing spray and wipes as a bonus in my package. Both are perfect for removing bacteria and germs from make-up and brushes, especially after returning from a trip and unpacking a travel make-up case.

The pink GLOSSYBOX arrives at the door once a month for a cost of $15, including taxes and delivery. When subscribing, you will be able to fill out your personal beauty profile to ensure you receive the make-up and product samples best suited to your style.

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For more information on GLOSSYBOX, visit glossybox.ca.

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A Valentine’s escape for your sweetie

- January 23rd, 2012

With Valentine’s Day coming up on Feb. 14, hotels and travel destinations are looking to capitalize on the season of love by offering a bevy of romantic escapes sure to make your sweetie swoon. Here are just a few  of our favourite Valentine’s deals:

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(Image courtesy The Sanctuary Hotel)

The Sanctuary Hotel, New York City: Plan an ultra romantic Manhattan escape with this boutique hotel’s Valentine’s Day package. Available from Feb. 10 to 19, this package includes a $100 dinner at the French themed La Petite Maison restaurant, rose petals, champagne and truffles, as well as an intimacy kit. Visit sanctuaryhotelnyc.com for full details and pricing.

Whistler, B.C.: Heat things up in Canada’s ski capital of Whistler this Valentine’s. Until Feb. 16, couples can stay at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, dine at Alta Bistro, indulge in a hydrotherapy treatment and hit the slopes for just $378 per person. Visit enjoywhistler.com for more information on the “I Heart Whistler” package.

Villa Magna, Madrid: This elegant Spanish property wants to treat you and your special someone right this Valentine’s. Available through Feb. 19, the “Be My SUITEheart” package treats couples to the hotel’s very best offerings, including cocktails at Magnum Bar, a three-course dinner at Restaurante Villa Magna, a private tour of Madrid in a classic Morgan car, couple’s massage and much more. Prices start at 1,000 euros for the stay. Visit hotelvillamagna.com for full details or to book.

Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa, Miami Beach: Canyon Ranch is offering couples an especially sensual Valentine’s escape, thanks to a number of classes meant to spice up your sex life. From Feb. 13 to 18, the hotel will host a Sensuality and Sexuality week and will offer classes to visitors who want to get in touch with themselves and their partners. Room rates start at $605 per night through the week. Visit canyonranch.com for more information.

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(Image courtesy Auberge Du Soleil, a Relais & Châteaux property)

Auberge Du Soleil, a Relais & Châteaux property, Rutherford, Calif.: Find the privacy and intimacy you and your sweetie desire at this secluded California property, located in the heart of Napa Valley. The Cabernet Season package is the perfect Valentine’s gift for that special someone who loves fine California wine.  Including dinner for two with a flight of three wines, private wine tours and tastings, and a bottle of cabernet to take home, this getaway will be one of your most memorable ones. Prices start at $1,025 per couple. Visit aubergedusoleil.com for more details.

Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago: Located in the heart of Chicago’s downtown, the Trump Chicago has a number of package available for lovers through Feb. 29. Our favourite is the “Spa Indulgence,” which sees couples stay in a spa guestroom, receive 30% off their couples spa treatments, have in-room continental breakfast for two and park for free. Visit trumpchicagohotel.com for details on all Trump Chicago Valentine’s packages.

St. Kitts Marriott Resort: Indulge in a Caribbean getaway this Valentine’s at the recently renovated St. Kitts Marriott. The “His n Her” escape package includes daily buffet breakfast, spa treatments, a round of golf and a bottle of wine upon arrival. Available through Dec. 2, 2012, the package makes a perfect romantic escape long past Valentine’s Day. Visit stkittsmarriott.com to book with code ES6.

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A better world – and a better you – in 2012

- January 11th, 2012

If you’ve told yourself this is the year you’ll get healthy, the year you’ll volunteer more or the year you’ll spend more time with your family than your iPhone or computer, take a look at these travel resources and destinations. With a little support, you could be one step closer to reaching your goals of creating a better world and a better you in 2012.

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(Shutterstock Image)

Voluntourism vacations

Volunteering-based vacationing is a travel trend that is sticking around as travellers look for a unique experience that allows them to give back to the places they visit.

GoVoluntouring.com, a website dedicated to matching travellers with a volunteer travel experience, is the perfect resource for anyone considering a voluntourism trip. Guests can browse available trips by destination, cost, duration, fitness level and even religious affiliation. Current opportunities include:

- Female-based trips, such as supporting victims of prostitution in Costa Rica.
- Environmental and wildlife projects, including rehabilitating African lion cubs in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
- Development projects, like helping a fishing village rebuild and develop eco-tourism in continued efforts after the 2004 tsunami in Thailand.

Charities and non-profit organizations can post their volunteer opportunities to GoVoluntouring.com for free.

Weight loss retreat

New Life Hiking Spa can help you reach your weight loss goals for 2012. Located in Vermont’s Green Mountains, this scenic retreat is among the top weight loss spas in the United States, as voted by MSNBC, Shape Magazine and SpaFinder.com.

Retreats are available from May 17 to Sept. 30. Reserve by Feb. 10 and get $350 off the price of the first 11-night retreat of the year. Those who book now will also receive $20 off per night for any weight loss retreat through the resort’s 2012 season.

Visit newlifehikingspa.com for full details, dates and prices. Packages are all-inclusive, featuring accommodations, healthy meals, daily hikes and a massage for every three nights spent at New Life Hiking Spa.

A digital detox

Step away from your iPhone, BlackBerry and laptop in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This 32-island tropical destination has teamed up with U.S.-based travel company Black Tomato to create a “Digital Detox” vacation, where guests must relinquish televisions, telephones and other technology in favour of human interaction.

This seven-night package starts at $3,799 per person and includes flights from New York City, three nights in luxury accommodation on the secluded island paradise of Young Island, four nights on the equally stunning Palm Island and private catamaran transfer. Guests will also recieve a guidebook with tips for “de-teching” when on vacation.

For more information, call Black Tomato at 1-888-341-9663 or visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines online at discoversvg.com.

Top ethical destinations

Looking for a unique travel destination with heart? Ethical Traveler has named its 10 most ethical destinations in developing countries for 2012. Countries are ranked based on environmental protection, social welfare and human rights.

“None of these countries are perfect, but the countries that are on this list deserve their spots — thanks to their effort to ensure that tourism has a positive impact on their country and their people,” said Ethical Traveler researcher Natalie Lefevre in a press release.

In alphabetical order:

- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Latvia
- Mauritius
- Palau
- Serbia
- Uruguay

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Discover Canada with great deals

- January 10th, 2012

If this is the year you plan to travel more within Canada, one of these great travel deals is just the thing to get you started on your all-Canadian trip.

Elkin Creek Guest Ranch, Langley, B.C.: Get back to basics with a trip to the rustic Elkin Creek Guest Ranch. Learn to ride a horse, enjoy campfire cooking and release all your worries with one of the Ranch’s 2012 travel packages. In the month of July, get 15% off your stay when booking a three night trip, in August, kids stay free when two adults book a stay, and in September, book four nights and receive your fifth night free. Visit adventurewestresorts.com/elkin for more details.

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At the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory. (Nicole Feenstra/Canoe.ca)

Niagara Falls, Ont.: Discover the beauty of one of Canada’s natural wonders in Niagara Falls with the “Niagara Magic Pass.” Available to adults for $24.95 and to kids for $16.95, the pass gives families entrance to the Journey Behind the Falls attraction, where guests get a very different view of the famed Horseshoe Falls. Admission to the Butterfly Conservatory and Niagara’s Fury attraction, where guests see how the Falls were created, is also included. Visit niagaraparks.com to get your pass.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts: Hit the slopes across Canada with the Ultimate Ski Package from Fairmont. Available at such iconic properties as the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Fairmont Tremblant and Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, the package includes accommodation and two adult ski passes. Prices start at $219 per night. Visit fairmont.com/ultimateski for full details and a list of participating hotels.

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Fish pedicure an unusual spa experience

- December 4th, 2011

If you’re looking for an off-resort excursion at your all-inclusive in Punta Cana that doesn’t involve swimming with dolphins or a drive-by tour of the area, what about one that promises relaxation and rejuvenation — and involves dozens of tiny garra rufa fish picking dead skin off your feet?

The very unusual fish pedicure was just one of several treatments we had during our three hour cruise on the Dr. Fish Spa Boat, led by Ocean Adventures tours of Punta Cana.

After boarding the spa boat and setting sail on the blue, breezy Atlantic, we rotated in groups through five treatments. First, some light yoga on the deck followed by a dip in the “ocean Jacuzzi.”

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Waiting to board the Dr. Fish Spa Boat with Ocean Adventures.

For this, we descended from the boat by ladder and settled onto a floating mattress in the ocean. We were pulled on our individual mattresses to a line of rope and attached in a line beside others in our group, left to float under the warm Caribbean sun as the gentle waves of the ocean circulated refreshing salt water over our bodies.

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Relaxing in the Atlantic.

Back on the boat, we moved on to massages, followed by a detox therapy meant to remove toxins from our bodies. Finally, it was time for the Dr. Fish signature treatment: fish pedicures.

We disembarked on a small dock and sat side-by-side on benches with boxes of water at our feet. In the wooden boxes: dozens of small, grey garra rufa fish.

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Small garra rufa fish pick the dead skin off the feet of tourists. (Ocean Adventures photo)

These toothless fish are imported from Turkey and the Middle East, where for centuries they have been used to help those who suffer from psoriasis with their skin ailments.

The fish only eat dead skin from the body, and by the way they latched onto our feet once we lowered them into the water, I’d say they were mighty hungry. Dozens of the fish, ranging in size from an inch to more than four, lunged at my feet, tickled my toes and sent a sudden wave of queasiness over me.

Watching and feeling the fish nibble at my skin, especially so when there were multiples of the little guys latching on at once, was an odd sensation that took some getting used to.

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A guests receives a fish pedicure with the Dr. Fish Spa Boat. (Ocean Adventures photo)

I pulled my feet back out of the water more than once to give my nerves a break. But, over the course of the 10-minute treatment, the urge to squirm or shriek when tickled subsided and was replaced by pure awe at how amazing the treatment actually was.

My feet certainly were smoother after the fish pedicure, though I didn’t find the treatment to have the lasting effects a traditional foot exfoliation at a spa offers. Still, sitting on a dock in the Atlantic, a breeze blowing over my shoulders and dozens of small fish pecking away gently at my heels, I knew this truly unique spa treatment was one I would always remember.

What a perfect way to end our trip to the Dominican Republic.

For more information on the Dr. Fish Spa Boat excursion, visit oceanadventures-puntacana.com.

Plan your vacation to Punta Cana with Transat Holidays. Transat offers packages that include accommodations, flights and transfers from the airport to more than 20 sun destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, making vacation planning beyond simple. Transat Holidays also offers packages for more than 150 different cruises. Visit transatholidays.com to start planning your warm-weather escape.

For more images from this press trip, visit canoe.ca/puntacana

Categories: Live from Punta Cana! | 1 comment

Five-star luxury at Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro

- December 2nd, 2011

After spending just one full day at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro, I saw why this Punta Cana- area property was named as one of TripAdvisor’s top all-inclusive resorts of 2011.

Any traveller who has had the pleasure to stay at the Grand Hotel Bavaro knows the service and accommodations at this resort really are worthy of their five-star rating. As one of the hotel’s butlers told us, we are kings and queens when staying at an Iberostar.

The lavish Grand Hotel Bavaro features 274 well-appointed rooms, arranged in a U-shape around a lush courtyard dotted with palm trees and filled with pools of water that leads down to the famed white-sand beach of Bavaro. The full-scale ship docked in one of the courtyard’s pools doubles as a disco at night.

All rooms are equipped with stocked mini bars, iPod connections, LCD televisions and offer 24-hour complimentary room service. Treat yourself and upgrade to a suite with a Jacuzzi – which personal butlers will turn into a romantic bubble bath on request – or a suite with a walk-in, private swimming pool just outside your patio doors.

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Private pool suite at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro.

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Butlers at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro will create a romantic bubble bath in your room’s Jacuzzi on request.

Our first order of business after waking on our first morning was making dinner reservations at one of the hotel’s four a la carte restaurants. No problem – a simple call to our personal butler and he made reservations for the evening at the Japanese restaurant and reservations at the Italian eatery the following night. The resort also offers French gourmet and surf n’ turf dining spots, as well as a casual dinner buffet.

Next, we were off to breakfast. The breakfast buffet offers an array of meal choices, perfect for anyone who has a picky eater in the family. Warm crepes, custom-made omelets and a cold cuts selection were among the offerings at the morning’s sitting.

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Shellfish at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro dinner buffet.

We skipped coffee to indulge in glasses of the Dominican Republic’s national beverage – mamajuana. Spicy and cinnamon-scented, this unique drink is made from a collection of local herbs and bark left to soak in alcohol. Mamajuana was even used to add a kick of flavour to our chicken fried rice at dinner in the Japanese restaurant. The locals are proud of their beverage and applauded us and even broke into song every time we ordered a glass.

Lunch was also buffet-style, with a mix of hot and cold entrees, including Dominican wheat croquets, and a diverse salad bar. The quality and diversity of the food impressed.

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Couples massage room at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro spa.

While waiting for a couples massage in the spa, we whiled away the afternoon swimming and lounging in one of the curtained cabanas in the pool area. The well-manicured grounds and the light breeze blowing over the resort from the Atlantic added to the sense of paradise we felt we had discovered at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro.

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Poolside at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro.

For more information on the more than 100 global Iberostar properties, visit iberostar.com.

Book your stay at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro as part of an all-inclusive holiday package with Transat Holidays. Transat also offers worry-free flight and hotel packages to 20 other sun destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico. Visit transatholidays.com for more information on these and other Transat vacation packages world-wide.

TOMORROW: An off-resort excursion aboard the Dr. Fish Spa Boat.

For more images from this press trip, visit canoe.ca/puntacana

Categories: Live from Punta Cana! | No comments

Making holidays simple with Transat

- December 1st, 2011

Greetings from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic!

My boyfriend and I just arrived at the adults-only Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro, the luxurious, five-star resort we’ll call home for the duration of our Transat Holidays press getaway.

The Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro is one of many sun destination hotels Transat Holidays offers as part of their all-inclusive vacation packages.

Located on the famed white sand shores of Punta Cana, the Iberostar is the ultimate all-inclusive couples retreat, complete with a disco on board a docked ship, four gourmet a la carte restaurants available for dinner and romantic bubble baths prepared on request.

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Arrival in the lobby of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro.

We flew aboard Transat Holiday’s own Air Transat and were delighted with the extra leg room, attentive service and delicious food – our menu included teriyaki beef and butternut squash ravioli – in Club Class. If you can afford to treat yourself on vacation, Club Class is a must.

We were welcomed aboard with mimosas, complimentary ear buds and blankets and fun trivia on the in-flight screens (one question asked what salsa dance burnt the most calories. Air Transat’s answer: Who cares? You’re on holiday!)

We tracked our flight’s progress on the live map displayed on the screens. The map was intermixed with cartoon graphics of our plane in transit. Speech bubbles popped up from time-to-time above the cartoon plane, keeping passengers amused with captions like “Giddy up!” appearing before takeoff and “He flies better than he drives” after landing.

After arriving in Punta Cana, we were whisked away by private transit for the short 20 minute drive to the Iberostar.

While we’re looking forward to a quiet couples retreat, the array of passengers on our flight – from a family with a small baby to larger groups of friends – proves just how diverse Transat’s vacation portfolio is.

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Ship – which moonlights at a disco –  in the courtyard of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro.

The travel company offers an array of ready-made getaway packages that take the worry out of vacation planning. Their roster includes sun destinations like Aruba, Martinique and St. Lucia, family-friendly spots like Walt Disney World and cultural favourites like Vienna, Rome and Lisbon.

Make family vacations even more memorable for little ones with the Air Transat Kids Club. Available to children ages two to 11, kids receive a welcome kit when boarding that includes headphones and games, advance boarding, entrance into annual draws for trips to Disney World and more.

For more on all of Transat Holidays’ vacation packages - including their 175 sun destinations and 150 cruises, – visit transatholidays.com.

TOMORROW: All about the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro in Punta Cana.

For more images from this press trip, visit canoe.ca/puntacana

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Luxury lives at Trump Chicago

- November 22nd, 2011

The skyline of Chicago is a hodge podge of great design; a place where structures built in art deco and neoclassical style stand side-by-side. 

Bordering Lake Michigan, from which the city welcomes the Chicago River into its stylish borders, no one structure stands out amongst the others. All buildings here fit together in a harmonious puzzle that showcases the imagination of architects as they rebuilt the city in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. 

One may think, then, that a 92-storey structure built in 2008 and made of steel and glass would spoil the grandeur of designs past, but the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago defies this notion. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the tower’s unique stair-like recessions — known in architecture as setbacks – keep the Trump from being a straight, sky-high glass monster and allow it to connect with its iconic surroundings. 

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A view of the Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago. (Nicole Feenstra/QMI Agency)

The first setback of the Trump hotel and residences is 130 metres high, at level 16. It is the same height as the Wrigley Building, located just across Michigan Avenue. The second setback is at level 29 and matches the height of the 179 metre Marina City Towers.  The third setback is 212 metres above ground at level 51 and corresponds with the height of the IBM Building on Wabash Avenue. 

Inside the property, the décor and service reflect the true “Trump Lifestyle,” where every whim is catered to and every comfort is provided. It is a taste of what Canada can expect when Trump International opens its first Canadian property, the 277 metre tall Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, on Jan. 31, 2012 at Toronto’s Bay and Adelaide streets. 

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Artist rendering of the Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto. (Handout)

In Chicago, doormen greet both guests and residents with humour and genuine warmth upon arrival. Once inside, guests may settle into their comfy-as-a-cloud bed or relax in the bathroom’s tub while watching the television built into the mirror. 

If guests can tear themselves away from the comfort of their luxurious suites, they may want to relax with fresh lobster and mango maki in the intimate Rebar lounge, accessible from the lobby level, or gaze over the bustle of the city toward Lake Michigan, while settling into a couch, sipping a must-try Pink Affair champagne and fruits cocktail. 

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Room delivery sushi. (Nicole Feenstra/QMI Agency)

Room service at the Trump is pricey — I racked up a $44 bill on breakfast for bacon and eggs – but it provides an incredible variety of meal choices, from boxed lunches for travellers on the go to huevos rancheros, the traditional Mexican breakfast dish. Room service will even deliver treats for cats and dogs at this pet-friendly property. 

Should guests require any extras – from shopping recommendations to personalized business cards – the Trump Attaché, a beefed-up concierge who will meet even the most particular of demands, is simply a phone call away. The Attaché records all guest preferences so they will never have to repeat requests during future visits. 

Those who crave more of the superstar treatment can head to the two-level Spa at Trump. Sweat out stress on an elliptical while overlooking Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River in the health club (access is complimentary for all hotel guests) or indulge with a massage in one of 11 treatment rooms. 

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Comfy robes wait in the bathroom of the Trump Chicago. (Nicole Feenstra/QMI Agency)

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Thirsty? Trump water awaits in your suite’s fridge. (Nicole Feenstra/QMI Agency)

I was treated to the signature Gemstone Spa Treatment during my visit. Seeking an uplifting treatment, my masseuse, Jon, recommended the sweet, floral Revitalizing Rubies Massage. The ruby’s red colour represents the grounded root chakra and the gemstone-infused oil is “used to revitalize the body, clear negativity and reveal an uplifted inner self.” 

Balancing Diamonds, Purifying Emeralds and Calming Sapphires massages are also available. 

I felt as uplifted as possible after nearly being lulled to sleep during the soothing 90 minute massage, but I was definitely free from all negativity. After all, I was experiencing the Trump Lifestyle first hand. I may not be worth $2.7 billion like The Donald, but after staying at the Trump, I certainly felt like I was.

Visit trumpchicagohotel.com to book your stay.

Visit canoe.ca/trumpchicago for more images of the hotel.

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What to look for when booking a hotel

- November 15th, 2011

“The hotel you choose can directly affect your vacation, either for the better or worse,” says Anthony Annunziata, vice president of marketing for Niagara Falls’ Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa.

I have to agree. I’ve found the quality and location of a hotel can either provide a great jumping-off point for experiencing a city or be a detriment to exploration and budget.

I stayed at lovely properties on trips to both Nashville and New York City, but my Nashville hotel was near the airport, about 20 minutes away from the city centre and the major attractions were nearly impossibly to access without a car. As a result, a good deal of my vacation budget was eaten away by cab fares.

In New York City, I scored a great deal on a hotel just a block from a subway station and Central Park. The convenience of the location and access to public transport was appreciated by my tired feet and wallet several times through the trip.

But it’s not only location that matters when searching for a hotel. In a press release, Annunziata offers his top five things all travellers should look for before booking a hotel.

Convenient Location – “It is important to ensure you book a hotel that is close to all of the destinations you have on your ‘vacation-to-do-list’ so that you can spend more time at your destination instead of travelling to it,” says Annunziata.

Clean, Comfortable and Safe – “After a long day of sight-seeing and being on their feet at the end of the day most travellers want to head back to their room, take a hot bath or shower and crawl into bed and relax,” says Annunziata in the press release. ”If you want to avoid questioning the cleanliness or comfort level a hotel can offer choose a hotel with a recognizable name or one that has been recommended to you by family or friends.” 

Points/Rewards Program – “If you are a frequent traveller, especially in North America, make sure you take advantage of hotels that offer points or rewards programs,” suggests Annunziata.

On-site Restaurants – “Make sure you choose a hotel that offers a variety of restaurants either on-site or within walking distance so that you can not only enjoy the dining experience, but also have a variety of options so that you don’t get bored of the food by the end of your trip,” says Annunziata.

Price – “Make sure you get the best deal possible, but, always remember that the price is typically relative to the amenities that the hotel provides,” advises Annunziata.

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New7Wonders to launch city contest

- November 10th, 2011

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Could a Canadian city be named one of the New7Wonders Cities? (Shutterstock)

The New7Wonders group is following its New7Wonders of the World and New7Wonders of Nature campaigns with the New7Wonders Cities contest.

The previous campaigns have relied on votes from around the globe to determine the best of the world’s man made and natural attractions. Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China and the Colosseum were among the attractions honoured in the Wonders of the World contest, while the New7Wonders of Nature will be named on Nov. 11, 2011.

New7Wonders founder Bernard Weber hopes the cities campaign will highlight the mass urbanization occurring around the planet.

“For the first time in history, a majority of the global population now lives in cities. From the great historical cities of Jerusalem, Venice and Kyoto, to the alpha world cities of London, Paris, New York, Mumbai and Shanghai, urban living has enriched human society,” Weber said in a press release. “Given these dramatic developments, New7Wonders Cities will become a catalyst for discussing everything from urban planning to metropolitan governance, from tourism to architecture. This campaign is going to be very much in touch with the Zeitgeist and I am very excited about its potential to generate energy and ideas.”

People around the globe are being urged to nominate their personal favourite cities in the campaign, which will accept suggestions through Dec. 31, 2011. The field of finalists will be announced on Jan. 1, 2012.

Visit cities.n7w.com to submit your nominations.

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