Travel the World on a Limited Budget

Have you had more than enough of the limited scenery and sights that your home town has to offer you? You don't necessarily want to say "Sayonara" to your old alma mater, but you're certainly willing to explore other parts of the world. If you're coming up on your yearly vacation, you should be planning a trip to some new part of the world that your eyes have never seen before. It's the best way to keep you motivated on your work as you move ever closer to your desired goal.

Pick a Spot, Any Spot

Where do you want to go? Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology in the last few decades, you can pretty much just pick a spot, any spot. You can pick a favorite place that has always been high on your list of desired destinations. Or you can simply pick a name that sounds good, than research it on the Internet to see what the place actually looks like. No matter how you get your inspiration, once you've got it, it's time to put in the leg work that will make your vacation dream come alive.

Picking Your Ideal Vacation Destination

Are you ready to choose your ideal vacation destination? Perhaps a location "South of the Border" is what you crave. If so, you can make use of the magical powers of the Internet to help you get there. You can simply log on to your favorite travel reservation site, click a few buttons, and voila! Your reservation is made, and you can begin planning out all of the activities you wish to engage in once you arrive safely at your destination.

A wealth of information concerning hotel reservations and airline fares will be laid out directly in front of your eyes. It has been well and truly said that, "With the Internet, all things are possible", and nothing proves it quite like the brave new world of travel that has been placed at our fingertips. This is truly a great age to be alive.

Hipmunk's Handy Travel Guide Will Get You Up To Speed

For example, if the sunny beaches of tropical Southern Mexico are what you desire to experience this year on your vacation, you'll need Hipmunk's handy FAQ guide to staying in Cancun. This is an indispensable resource that is guaranteed to make your stay in hot Cancun a memorable one. Whether you're an aficionado of the night club scene, or just an old soft touch who craves nothing more than a relaxing day at the beach, Hipmunk can set you straight when it comes to finding all of the best sites in Cancun and beyond.

Hipmunk: Your Ultimate Travel Reservation Authority

Hipmunk is a website that has been specifically designed and engineered to play the part of your one stop travel authority. From your hotel reservations to your airline fare, as well as all points in between, Hipmunk is the travel site that allows you to pick your spot and name your price. Never before in all the history of mankind has there been a website that is quicker to navigate and more fun to use. No matter where your journey may take you, you can rely on Hipmunk to help get you safely there.

This article was contributed by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk.

 

MARIUCA LOVES

Visiting Cannes, French Riviera

According to B who has stayed in a cosy French hotel in Cannes a few years back when he was there for work, most of the hotels in Cannes are tiny and costly. So when we visited Cannes city in the beautiful French Riviera back in October 2013, the first thing we did upon arrival was to find ‘his hotel’ so he could show me the cosy but costly hotel he stayed in.

Waiting for the train

Heading to Cannes, France

 

Apparently ‘his hotel’ was still around and of course, evidence of me seeing the hotel in person was done via a snapshot! Too bad I couldn’t go inside to take more photos but I pretty much got the idea just by looking at the hotel from the outside.

Hotels in Cannes

B and his hotel!

Mariuca in Cannes

 

The last cosy but costly hotel I can recall staying in was the Hotel in London during our European Escapade 2010. Although tiny, it was still a wonderful snug hotel with friendly staff, good service and an excellent location as well, which played more importance than our need for a spacious room when we made our booking. 

If you’re planning to visit Europe any time soon, say Paris in France for example; worry no more about costly hotels in Europe! Whether it’s a 3-star hotel in France or a 4-star hotel in France, you are bound to find suitable accommodation at extremely reasonable rates, when vacationing in Europe. And when I say reasonable, I mean less than €100 for a 4-star hotel!

When and if I finally get to set foot in the city of romance Paris, I’d definitely be looking at these great deals too. Great hotel deals are always around online. You just have to look for them starting with the 3-star and 4-star stylish and charming QUALYS-HOTEL collection I mentioned earlier. 

By the way, our day out in Cannes was a hot and humid affair. I got tricked by the weather forecast and arrived in Cannes in sweater and jeans. Although it did get cooler later in the day, I told B that if we get to visit Cannes again during the same wet month of October, I’m just going to confidently wear something skimpy LOL!

Exploring Cannes

Cinema Cannes

B in Cannes

Am I doing it right?

Lovely Cannes souvenir store where I got myself a snow-globe

Al fresco dining in Cannes

Shopping & Dining at Rue Meynadier

Hanging out with Pinocchio

 

I’m leaving you with a few more photos of our Cannes visit. Next, I’ll probably blog about my romantic lovey-dovey lunch with B at Le Caveau 30 French seafood restaurant in Cannes. Until my next post, Merry Christmas to those celebrating and Happy holidays to the rest!

Yeah .. 'What about YOU?'

Cannes Carousel

Heading to the beach

Tourists in Train

Fun in the sun

Artist at work

A different kind of artist at work!

 

MARIUCA LOVES

Saving Money On Your Vacation

If a summer vacation is in your future, you might want to start thinking about ways that you can save money on your trip. Places like Bluegreen Resorts often have discounts for those who book in the off season, and there are usually packages available so that you can take part in activities in the area while staying at the resort.

One of the easiest ways that you can save money on your summer vacation is by being as flexible as possible when it comes to when you travel and where you stay. When you book your accommodations at times when the hotel isn't busy, then you can usually get the best rates possible. Try not to stay at the most popular locations. If you stay in a hotel that is on the outskirts of where you want to visit, then you can sometimes find cheaper rates.

Westcord Art Hotel - 10 minutes to the city by bus

One of the many cool decor pieces in the hotel lobby

 

Look at all of the options that you have in traveling. Driving might be less expensive if you utilize reward cards that offer discounts on gas. If you have frequent flyer miles, then you might want to consider using them to travel longer distances, especially if there are only a few people going on the trip. A bus or train might be less expensive than driving or flying, and you don't have to worry about how to find the location as someone else is in charge of driving. If you fly, then think about the best time to get a ticket and when to get on the plane. The middle of the week is usually the least expensive, and you won't find as many people on the plane as most will already be at their destinations.

Flying from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport

Before you pack anything, make a budget and a checklist. This will help you stay in line with all of your clothes that you need as well as any extras that you might not think about while you are on the trip. Include in your budget food expenses, money for souvenirs and money to spend on attractions. Make sure you have all of your chargers and ay important documents if you are going out of the country.

A vacation home might be an option if you have several people who are planning to travel at one time. This is often ideal for families who want to spend time together or a group of friends who are celebrating a special event. Each person can pay a portion of the rent for the home, making it very affordable for everyone. Vacation homes have kitchens so that you don't have to eat out and usually have a washing machine and dryer so that you don't have to go to a Laundromat. Another idea is to switch houses. If you know someone who lives in an area where you want to travel, then consider staying in their home while they stay in yours. Neither of you will have to pay anything, and you will get to visit a town that you haven't seen.

There are numerous ways that you can save money on your vacation and still have a wonderful experience with your family and friends.

 

MARIUCA LOVES

MONICA

WestCord Art Hotel 4, Amsterdam *

Have I told you that Amsterdam is one of my absolute favourite cities to visit? B and I both love visiting this city and we can’t get enough! We love the friendliness of the Amsterdam folks; their laidback easy-going culture, and the endless array of delicious food. Of course the city itself is filled with plenty of breathtaking sights and exciting attractions so really, there’s nothing we don’t like or find intriguing about Amsterdam. 

In my previous post, I mentioned blogging about the delicious pizza dinner B and I enjoyed at Port Hercules, Monaco next. However, I’m making way for a different post tonight; which is equally travel-worthy and it’s about the lovely 4-star WestCord Art Hotel in Amsterdam.

WestCord Art Hotel

WestCord Cows

 

B and I first stayed in WestCord City Centre during our first Amsterdam vacation back in 2010. We enjoyed our stay so much that the following two visits saw us booking our stay in Westcord Art Hotel 3 followed by the more recent stay last year in WestCord Art Hotel 4. 

October is coming, which is usually around the time B and I head off for a much-needed getaway so once again, we are searching for the perfect accommodation in Amsterdam. And by that; we are looking at location, comfort, cleanliness, coffee/tea making facilities for coffee addict me and of course FREE Wi-Fi as our main must-haves.

Checking in

Hotel Souvenir

B did this, don't ask me why LOL!

 

Well, WestCord Art 4 has it all, and then some! I got to say, among all the WestCord hotels we’ve stayed in, this recent one was our favourite!

I’ve already posted photos of the gorgeous lobby filled with artwork here, so this post will feature the room we stayed in last year. We were expecting a decent-looking room but were pleasantly surprised when we entered our beautifully-decorated hotel room, which was also very spacious; giving me the luxury to feel at home.

Our room

 

Our bed for the next three nights was comfy, a welcome change from the lumpy bed we had in our hotel in Monte-Carlo. And the mint on my pillow definitely put a smile on my face!

Love the cosy bed!

Mint on my pillow

I especially loved the cosy seating area with windows all around! Such a pretty, relaxing spot and this was also where we chucked all our shopping bags after a day out in Amsterdam.

Simply lovely!

The moment I set my sight on the bathroom, I fell in love! There was a separate shower for B and a huge bathtub for me. Plus, the room had a view! It may not seem much of a view for some but for yours truly who sadly still lives without a nice bathtub or any view in our small bathroom at home; this was divine!

Bath with separate shower

Lovely bathtub for me

View from my window

Separate toilet

Closet

Dresser & TV

Coffee time

Well-stocked mini bar

 

Storage was ample too and after taking several more shots of our beautiful hotel room, B and I hurried outside; took more pictures before heading to the nearby bus stop to take us into the city in just 10 minutes! 

Mariuca @ WestCord Art Hotel

Mariuca and Moo!

 

MARIUCA LOVES