As usual, I threw myself on the mercy of the other passengers during my bus trip to Tequisquiapan. This tiny Mexican town was another of Mexico’s Pueblo Magicos – Magic Towns – reputed to have a lovely church and central square, but I’d never been in this part of Mexico before and wasn’t sure where to get off the bus. With their help, I not only got off in the right place, they told me which street to take to get to the center of town. With my directions in hand, I walked toward the central square and dealt with the next problem: finding a place to stay. I wandered down the long narrow street looking for a hostel but none was in sight so I stopped to ask the advice of a kindly looking man leaning against the entryway of a small neighborhood grocery store. I didn’t know it at the time, but I’d just struck gold. He directed me one block over to Posada de Tequisquiapan, explaining that it was the most economic place in town and it had lovely grounds.

Posada Tequisquiapan

“Lovely grounds” was an understatement. Behind its simple streetfront facade, Posada de Tequisquiapan secreted lush gardens that cascaded down a hill and surrounded a swimming pool carved into the hillside. Pathways curved through expanses of thick grass, leading to tables and benches tucked into pockets of jungle vegetation. As I strolled through the tranquil gardens, the only sounds were from birds twittering and lizards cheeping. Read More »

Are you a photographer, professional or amateur, who loves to take pictures of nature, beaches, and the sunset? If not, WHY NOT? That’s besides the point.

On the west coast of the Florida peninsula runs a long strip of photogenic beaches on the Gulf of Mexico perfect for sunset photography. Sugary-white sand beach with the calm, sea-blue water offers the best backdrops for an level photographer.

The following is a list of hotels directly on the beach with optimum camera positioning.

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Florida

Ritz Carlton, Sarasota, Florida

As the photo shows, the Ritz-Carlton is conveniently located directly on the beach. My bets are, with the impeccable service the Ritz provides, you’ll have no problems setting up a private location from which to capture the perfect shot.

Holiday Inn St. Petersburg Marina Cove, Florida

Holiday Inn, St. Petersburg, Florida

Imagine the foreground of your sunset shots with the palm frond-covered huts shown above. Near perfection, if you want my opinion. Stay at the Holiday Inn St. Petersburg Marina Cove for an affordable rate with the same sugar-white sand and the more expensive hotels.

Marriott Key Largo Bay Beach Resort, Florida

Marriott Key Largo, Florida

Arguably, one of the world’s most perfect tropical locations, the Florida Keys are home to some of the best photography-taking opportunities in all of Florida. Palm trees on the beach are in abundance as you capture your photograph of the sunset with the perfect silhouette of a sailboat heading out for a night-time cruise.

Edgewater Beach Hotel, Naples, Florida

Edgewater Hotel, Naples, Florida

Tropical elegance is the selling point of the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Naples. It’s hard to get closer to the beach than the few steps it takes to make it to the water’s edge. As one of the Waldorf=Astoria’s Collection hotels, top-notch service is worth the visit.

Harbour Master Hotel, Cedar Key, Florida

Harbour Master Hotel, Cedar Key, Florida

Rustic, classic Florida beach hotel is the best way to describe the stay at the Harbour Master Hotel in Cedar Key, Florida. Located on Cedar Key at the boat harbor, you can capture the best of the small-town, Florida flavor with the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico as your backdrop.

Photos Courtesy: Ritz-Carlton, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Edgewater Naples, Harbour Master Hotel

Now you can book a room in NYC and have enough left over to hail a few cabs

According to a recent article in the New York Times, hotel rates in Manhattan have been drastically reduced to counteract sagging occupancy rates.

Now, the New York Times is concerned with whether or not this is a wise move for hotel operators.  They question whether this will actually attract new visitors and ultimately improve the financial health of Manhattan properties.  The article discusses whether there are better alternatives for hotels to entice guests to stay.

I, personally, don’t care if it’s good for the hotel industry or not.

I am simply thrilled that the end result makes Manhattan a more affordable place to visit.

Hotels in Manhattan are, on average, cheaper to book than they were a year ago.  That’s good news for budget conscious travelers with an eye towards the Big Apple.  Period.

How much cheaper?

According to the New York Times article, the average price for a Manhattan hotel room in 2008 was $280 per night.  The average hotel room rate for 2009 is $198 per night.  Spread that out over a 3 night stay, and you’re saving almost $300 for the exact same hotel stay.

You’ll find comparable savings if you choose to stay in a luxury hotel in Manhattan.  Rates for luxury hotel rooms in Manhattan have gone from a 2008 average of $401 to a 2009 estimated average of $289 per night.  Now might be the best time to finally splurge on a little New York City luxury, if your budget will allow it.

How long will these savings stick around?

Obviously, no one can say for sure, and even estimated guesses are still just guesses.  But experts predict it will take years before hotels can get their rates back up to pre-economy crisis levels.  While customers will happily jump on a good deal, they’re much more reluctant to go along with rapidly increasing prices.

The bottom line is this:

If you’ve been considering a trip to New York City, now is a great time to finally book the trip.

Photo Credits: Miss Britt on FlickR

guest post by Sherry Gray

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando?  Finding the right resort can be a daunting task because there are so many factors to consider.  Should you stay at a Disney hotel, or nearby?  Cost is important, and to some, the defining factor.  But you may also want to consider the quality of your stay. For dedicated Mousketeer families, immersion in the Disney experience and culture is a big part of the fun. For kids of a certain age, expectations will be high, and nobody delivers the magic like Disney.

So here’s why you should consider staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Proximity is your friend. If Disney is your only destination, then the closer you are to the parks, the better. Traffic around Disney can be as bad as downtown at rush hour, and who wants to be stuck in traffic with kids at the end of a very long day?
• Siesta time. Staying inside Disney allows you to start early, return to your hotel to cool off with a dip in the pool or a nap, and go back for that tenth ride on Space Mountain (or maybe the Teacup ride) feeling refreshed. Florida is HOT most of the year, and being outdoors in the fierce sun can really wear you out – dangerously so. Off topic: Wear a good sunscreen, drink plenty of water, and find a cool spot if you start feeling shaky.
• Disney has transportation of every conceivable variety. You may be able to forego a rental car and return to your hotel by bus, train, monorail, sky gondola or even boat. Disney’s inter-park transportation is free to travel, but getting from one point to another may be time consuming and involve multiple transfers. Disney World is huge, 47 square miles, so while getting around without a car within the park is certainly possible, it might not be desirable.
• Disney’s Magical Express is a pretty cool perk. You board the plane at your home airport and when you arrive at the Orlando airport, you simply jump on a coach. Disney will claim your luggage and deliver it to your room. Bear in mind that you might want to pack some essentials in a carryon, because your bags may arrive hours after you do.
• Extra Magic Hours give Disney guests a few extra hours to enjoy the parks before and after the invasion of the unwashed hordes: an hour extra in the morning before the parks open to the public, and a few hours in the evening after public closing time.
• Fixed-rate dining plans can potentially save you money on your meals. It’s a comparative value; eating outside Disney or bringing in groceries could be far less costly, but compared to free-range foraging for meals without a package deal, it’s practically budget.
• Golf and sports. Disney offers a beautiful golf course and a sports venue that hosts youth sports, professional training camps, exhibitions and championship events for when you’re ready for some more grown up recreation.
• Expense. Years ago, Disney had only one resort price range: high. Today they offer options for nearly any budget, although to drop under $80 per night, you’ll need a camper. There are many options in an affordable $80-$150 range.

One thing that belongs in both pro and con columns is the Disney Magic.  If you’ve ever ridden the “It’s a Small World” ride, you know what I’m talking about. It’s fun at first, until you realize you’re being smothered by ubiquitous Disney…sort of like subliminal messages in 70s elevator music. Bushes are trimmed in character shapes.  Floor tiles are arranged in attractive advertising layout.  Power lines are threaded through mouse-head shaped pole toppers.  Golf course sand traps are mouse-eared. If a seagull flies over and poops on the sidewalk, it lands in perfect character silhouette (ok, I made that one up.  They probably pay somebody to shape the poop after it lands). For an enthusiastic five-year-old, this level of inundation really is pure magic. Small kids will delight in finding mouse ears in unexpected locations (everywhere).  Adults and older kids might be considerably less than enchanted.  Depends on how they feel about Disney.

Here’s why you should consider staying off Disney property:

• Fitting your budget.  First, you can find a less expensive hotel. The lowest price Disney hotel, excluding Fort Wilderness campsites, is $82 per night and reservations for lower price rooms tend to fill up well in advance.  Offsite, there are literally hundreds of nearby hotels to meet any budget. You can also choose a reasonably priced all-suite hotel; suites are both rare and pricey on Disney property. Hotel rooms in the highly competitive Kissimmee area close to Disney’s West Gate can run as low as $38 per night for a very basic stay (not that I’d go so far as to recommend them). In addition to hotel cost, the choice of eateries ranges from street vendor sandwiches to five-star gourmet…or you can just hit a grocery and pick up some supplies.
• Shuttle service to all attractions. Disney is a closed environment, but offsite hotels often have shuttles that will take you to any of Orlando’s attractions like Seaworld, Universal Theme parks, water parks, and themed restaurants. Pirate’s Dinner Adventure anyone?
• Convention facilities. If you’re planning a working vacation while attending a convention or conference, a hotel on or around International Drive might be your best bet.
• Chaos factor. Disney hotels and hotel grounds are busy. If a picture of downtown Bejing sends you into convulsions, you might want to find a nice quiet hotel off the beaten path.  On Disney property, the more adult oriented the property, the higher the price.

Your best preparation is in planning and research. Outline your objectives and decide what is most appealing to every member of your vacation party, and then find a compromise. Selecting a hotel that fits your budget and meets your comfort needs means less stress and a more enjoyable overall experience for everyone.