If you are a constant traveller then by this time you must have realised that it is not easy to find a hotel that fits in your budget.

You may have to go through a number of options before settling for one. So if you believe in saving money, better follow the steps and get accommodation for less:

1. Plan ahead

If you plan things in advance and are flexible with the options, then you will be able to save a good amount of money. There are many hotels which provide good money saving deals if you book rooms in advance. Chances are there that later, the rate of the rooms may drop down from what has been previously decided, and in that case you can negotiate to bring down the price.

Many a time, hotels are very desperate to fill up their rooms the same night, so call the hotel to bargain. If you are lucky you will be able to strike a good deal.

2. Look for promo codes

If you are looking for some cheap deals, search for a hotel along with the term promo on the internet. You will get a number of promo codes which can then be later used on booking sites or on a hotel’s own website. For example, if you are trying to book a room through Travelodge, use a travelodge voucher code of £5 off on the website when you are booking the room. Sites like Hotels.com provide reward points and cashback, so you can even look out for these options.

3. Look out for sales

There are many people out there who do not have a proper plan regarding their trip. These people can look for sales on booking websites. The last minute deals and offers will help them to plan a trip for less. If you are this kind of traveller, sign up for email alerts to get fresh Travelodge discount codes direct to your inbox.

4. Loyalty bonus

This is a plus point for frequent travellers. Most of the hotels offer some perks or discounts to the guests who visit their hotels regularly. For example, Hotels.com gives an extra free night for every ten nights booked through them. Using credit cards also has its own perks. If you are a frequent visitor, take a chance and ask for a free breakfast, or an upgrade or something like that. A hotels.com voucher code 2016 can also be used to get some amazing discounts.

5. Use your affiliations

If you are a student, serve in the military or are an AAA member, chances are there that you can get a discount. Just check with hotels to know what they can offer you. Chances are, you will be able to get some good deals.

6. Consider where you’re staying

Understand one thing: staying in the middle of the city is going to cost you more. So if you want to save some money, why not stay a little bit further out? It will give you a different experience and a chance to interact with the locals who live away from all the glitter and glamour.

7. Go for other options

Sometimes it may not be possible to get the cheapest deals. Instead, you can try out options like hostels or Airbnb. Other options are couch-surfing, home sitting, etc. They may not be that comfortable but will match your budget.

So plan a trip, pack your bags and set out to explore new far away lands.

These days, the fact that there are so many low-cost airlines serving French airports from up and down the UK makes air travel to the continent something of a no-brainer. That is, until you start to iron out the actual specifics of each transport option at your disposal.

Ask any sample group of Brits what makes more sense and chances are very few will take the corner of the classic ferry crossing – even the faithful Channel Tunnel takes a backseat to air travel. Why? Well, primarily for the simple reason that planes tend to shoot across the water at a much faster speed than the average ferry. Top this off with agreeable fairs and you have what appears to be the only sensible way to travel, but as is the case with so many things in life, it’s not quite as black-and-white as it appears.

False Economy

In the first instance, it’s sensible to take a look at the real costs associated with both options. For example, when you pay to take a car over to the continent you pay a single fare for the car, its occupants and literally as much luggage as you want to take. By contrast, head over on the plane and you have to pay per person, add on the luggage fees and then pay to get to the airport in the first place. Assuming you’ll also be needing transport on the other end, car rental fees and general public transport costs can add up to a bill way in excess of the flight itself… certainly more than the ferry would have cost.

Quality Time

But, some may argue, going by plane saves you a ton of time on which a price cannot be put… or so you’d think. Admittedly, it takes a plane a couple of minutes at the very most to cross the channel, but how about the two hours you need to spend at the airport checking in, passing through security and hanging around? And the transport to the airport in the first place? And waiting for your bags on the other side? A ferry crossing may take around an hour if rounded-up, but this doesn’t come close to the three, four or five hours you’re realistically looking at to take a flight to France.

Freedom of Choice

If you want to leave things until the last minute or find you need to change your itinerary late on, chances are with an airline you’ll be looking at either a massive surcharge or an outright brick wall. With ferry and train crossings however things are much more flexible and prices don’t tend to rocket through the stratosphere in the days and weeks prior to each service departing. And as we all know how plans can change at the drop of a hat where families are concerned, locking into an airline booking doesn’t instil a great deal of peace of mind.

A Better Way to France… especially for families!

For families in the UK, holidays in France are an ideal place to take the children and enjoy everything on offer in France. The cross channel ferry provides a very attractive way to travel, especially for families as this graphic created by Brittany Ferries clearly shows.

Image source: Brittany Ferries – Ferry VS Plane to France

And the Winner Is?

Every mode of transport has its pros and cons, but when travelling the few miles from the UK to mainland Europe, there’s really not a great deal to gain by making things even more complicated and long-winded than they need to be. Or in other words, that classic ferry crossing or train service really does have more to offer than many would give credit for.

Exploring a town, city or region for the first time is always great fun, and there are various ways you can go about it, from the conventional to the wacky, weird and wonderful.

Playing it safe and taking the traditional city tour can be great for those of us looking for a dependable, reliable way to make sure we don’t miss out on any highlights.

But for those among us seeking a little spirit and adventure in our voyages of discovery, there are usually fairly inexpensive alternatives to the humdrum, injecting that frisson of excitement into our experience of a destination.

Take a look at these five delicious European mad modes of transport from east and west, to guarantee your sightseeing has an air of eccentricity about it! Click the numbered headings to read more about each quirky conveyance.

1.) Enjoy a city tour of Prague in a shocking pink Škoda Felicia convertible…

Although Prague is culturally and economically on a par with the rest of its European counterparts today, you can still hark back to cold war days with a tour of the city’s hotspots in this iconic communist convertible.

2.) Take the longest trolleybus ride in the world – from Yalta to Simferopol…

Most tourists opt for a plane or taxi, but you can cruise through the Crimean mountains in a genuine old Škoda trolleybus on this epic 86 kilometre journey at the pace of a snail.

3.) Ride the meanest, greenest solar train to see what’s what in Maastricht…

It’s quirky, clean and fun, and will get you round the sights of the Dutch city of Maastricht using nothing but the power of old Phoebus himself.

4.) Drive your own Trabant around Berlin’s east side…

Get behind the wheel of a real, live genuine Trabant and explore Berlin as part of a Trabi Safari. It’s not so bad once you’ve mastered the revolver gear shift…

5.) From the French frontier to the Dutch border, discover the scenic Belgian coastline on the Kusttram…

The De Lijn Belgian Coastal Tramway is a great way to cover the whole of Belgium’s diverse coastline – all 68 kilometres of it!

Travelling for business can be a challenge at the best of times. Whether you’re crossing thousands of miles to seal a deal with a major new client, or heading a few hours down the motorway to see a long-standing customer, you’re still doing business – and that has its own pressures. Throw in the difficulties of travel, and you have a potential nightmare scenario.

It doesn’t have to be like this, though. A few straightforward steps can make a huge difference to your business travel experience, and can transform the end result. Hotel group IHG have created a comprehensive guide to how you can minimise the disruption that travel makes to your business life and your personal well-being. Some of the advice seems obvious, but is all too often overlooked – for example, do you make a proper checklist of everything you need to take with you?

Then there are tips which save time and prevent you from getting stressed when you don’t need to. Key among these is collating all your travel essentials into a single wallet which you keep with you at all times. It’s simple, but could save you all manner of hassle!

There’s also plenty of advice which you’ve probably never considered; the kinds of things which you think won’t ever happen to you. You’re all dressed for a meeting, you’re prepared, you’re confident – and then you spill coffee down your best shirt, while your spares are in your suitcase. If you’d kept a spare in your hand luggage, you wouldn’t have to worry!

The full list of tips makes for a great read, and could make business travel a whole lot better for you, no matter what line of work you’re in. Click here to read the full article.

We’ve been waiting for so long…it’s been hard and we almost lost hope. But you’ve finally arrived and we are ready to enjoy you and your #LongerDays…

WELCOME SPRING!

The long winter, with its meagre daylight hours, is at last drawing to a close. There is a freshness; a lightness in the air that hails the oncoming spring to summer, and the promise of long days and bright nights. It is time for adventure.

The North Face® are inviting those intrepid walkers, runners, hikers and climbers to explore longer, making the most of those wonderful, longer days ahead. And for those more sedentary specimens amongst us, why not take up the challenge and make this the season to do more, live more and seek out adventures you’ve never dreamed of. Most of us lead busy, hectic lives these days, so take the opportunity to embrace your inner explorer and revitalise your spirit.

Take up the inspiration and get involved in the fun and action, head over and like
The North Face® on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and check out their official website for the skinny on how you can become part of the great adventure.

Don’t forget to include @thenorthface.europe when posting on Facebook, or @thenorthfaceEU for tweets, and to embrace the experience to the fullest, download the Explorer app to your mobile now, create your profile and start adding your pictures and stories – the more the better! And keep the excitement going by retweeting and reposting every time you or the campaign get a mention. Keep your followers up to date and share, share, share!

There are daily prizes to be won in the Explorer Photo Competition, so whether you’re on a mountain summit or blazing your favourite trail, share your pictures and experiences using #LongerDays.

Make the most of the longer days, and live life to the full with The North Face®.

Post sponsored by The North Face®

A city tour can be a useful device with which to acquaint oneself with the often many and varied quarters a new playground of adventure has to offer.

There is, indeed, not much more disheartening to the intrepid traveller than gaining fleeting glimpses of treasures undiscovered from the dusty window of an airport or railway station bound taxi cab.

Finding both value and requisite quirkiness fused pleasurably in one offering can be a little irksome, and require much tramping and traipsing of dusty streets and squares, and consorting with guidebooks. Let us save you that trouble in Maastricht – simply seek out the innovative Solar Train, whose soft amble and green conscience make it the perfect conveyance for acquainting yourself with the main cultural staples of this splendid Dutch city.

Claimed to be a world first, this cheeky little road train trundles and winds along main streets, squares and cobbled alleys with ease, imparting historical knowledge through its tiny speakers at almost every bend in the road.

A different, fun and inexpensive environmentally friendly way to do your sightseeing, the Maastricht Solar Train will surely catch on in other cities soon. Hop on at Kesselskade and enjoy the ride!

Visit www.vvv-maastricht.eu/day_out/zonnetrein_maastricht

Tickets available at:
VVV Maastricht
Kleine Staat 1
6211 ED Maastricht
Netherlands

Tel.: 0031 (0)6 1236 4416 for reservations

An Aladdin’s Cave of kitsch and wonders awaits your exploration in Leuven.

If you actively seek out that certain kind of shop whenever you’re in a new town or city – you know, the one that sells all the wacky cards, wall plaques, tin robots and, in fact, all manner of automata – then you’ll while away more time than is good for you in Leuven’s Living Lounge, which can be found at Parijsstraat 27.

When you’ve done cackling at the downright evil and offensive, yet hysterically funny range of cards, postcards, fridge magnets and wall notices, you can indulge yourself further in the fabulous collection of charming toys and gadgets, cushions and cups and stuff you’d never imagine in your wildest dreams.

Well stocked, and with treats seldom seen and most certainly not the usual fare, Living Lounge is somewhere in which you can lose yourself for a happy hour, spend far too much money, and still come out with a big smile on your clock, knowing you’ve had a real treat, and you’re worth it.

Just make sure you have enough room in your suitcase!

Living Lounge
Parijsstraat 27
3000 Leuven
Belgium

Visit www.living-lounge.be

Tel.: 0032 16 22 77 45

Email info@living-lounge.be

Choosing the first winner of our prestigious award has been no easy task…

When it comes to travel and holidays, there are those of us who consider ourselves tourists, and those who think of ourselves more as travellers. Whilst for some, the perfect holiday is returning to a favourite resort year after year, relaxing in the sunshine with everything around us immediately to hand and familiar, others are more intrepid in their taste for adventure and crave exploration a little more off the beaten track.

World Travel Blog has always been committed to discovering those roads less travelled, which can always be found even in the most popular of tourist spots, and our anecdotal advice and articles are aimed at providing some insight into how such endeavours are best undertaken. But sometimes, for some trips, a specialist is needed, and that’s what has led us to launch our Travel Company of the Year Award this year.

Choosing our first winner hasn’t been easy – there are many agents in the market today offering a wide range of trips to suit varying budgets. We’ve been rigorous in our selection, though, and scored each of our shortlisted operators on the areas which matter most, namely quality of the itineraries on offer, overall value of holidays, how well organised the trips are and, all importantly, how knowledgable the staff and representatives are about your chosen destination. Feedback has been gleaned from not only the World Travel Blog team, but also independent reports from individuals and groups who have used these companies first hand.

We are, therefore, very pleased to announce that after very careful consideration, the winner of the first World Travel Blog Travel Company of the Year Award is:

Regent Holidays have been chosen for their unquestionable product knowledge, their willingness to be of assistance both before and after booking, and during the holiday itself, the friendliness of their team of experts, the fantastic choice of locations available, the overall exceptional value and for having innovation in spades.

So, congratulations guys – this award is not given out easily, and you should be very proud. Long may you continue to provide the excellent service you do!

Regent Holidays
Colston Tower
Colston Street
Bristol
BS1 4XE

Visit www.regent-holidays.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)20 7666 1244

Email: regent@regentholidays.co.uk

Paris is renowned for many things, from its fabulous food and wine to the winding River Seine and its reputation as the most romantic city in the world

One thing that has fascinated visitors for decades is the country’s heritage, with some of the most important architectural and cultural movements in history taking place in the French capital, and evidence of many of these historical events are still there for all to see.

The first stop on any itinerary should be the incredible Palace of Versailles, one of the most beautiful buildings on the planet that stands as perhaps the major relic of the French monarchy.

Its grandeur is matched only by its vastness, with the palace’s 2,143 windows, 1,252 fireplaces and 67 staircases each holding their own iota of history and all presenting perfect picture opportunities.

An official seat of power in France until 1789, the Palace of Versailles was the chosen location for the country’s citizens to make their stand against King Louis XVI and resulted in the Royal Family leaving behind their life of decadence, though its opulence provides a reminder of that time.

The enormous Arc de Triomphe is one of the most iconic of all French monuments, aside from the Eiffel Tower, though many people are unaware of its historical significance.

Its construction began under Napoleon in 1809 to celebrate the triumph of the Republican armies but it was not completed until 1836 after Bonaparte’s empire had collapsed.

The monument is testament to French military glory and is decorated with friezes of battle scenes, as well as Napoleon’s victories, while the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I, a poignant tribute to soldiers who died in both world wars, is located underneath.

Another important tribute to the country’s great citizens is the Pantheon, an imposing neoclassical edifice that is the final resting place of some of the greatest minds in French history.

Built on the ruined church of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris’ Latin Quarter, the construction of the pantheon was ordered by King Louis XV after he recovered from an illness in 1744.

Although the revolution transformed the political landscape of France and the Pantheon’s purpose was cast into doubt, it was eventually rededicated as a ‘Temple to Reason’ that acts as a mausoleum for the country’s greatest French intellectuals and a reminder of their contribution to mankind.

Notre Dame Cathedral is instantly recognisable and is indelibly etched into the minds of the public thanks to the work of Victor Hugo, but its construction took many years and the attraction has undergone many changes over the centuries.

The construction of the cathedral began in 1160 and was completed in its original form within 40 years, before Jean de Chelles built the north arm and began work on the south arm in 1250 – a task finally which was completed by Jean de Montreuil.

The chapels were constructed between the buttresses between the mid-13th century and early 14th century and the finishing touches were added to the towers, which remain a tremendous sight and offer unrivalled views of the city once people have ascended the 422 steps.

Exploring these magnificent attractions is like stepping into another time, as the history, culture and architecture comes to life.

People choosing to travel to Paris and see just why it continues to hold a special allure should ensure they are covered by travel medical insurance that can provide them with valuable piece of mind and allow them to focus on the wonderful attractions.

Some 220 pre-existing medical conditions are covered for free, while serious conditions are available through medical screening.

Better still, all destinations are covered, ranging from the UK and Europe to worldwide locations, so the policy can cover future trips that take in more sights and sounds and help people to learn more about the great cultural and historical hotspots around the world.

Who said flat-hunting was a chore?

If youʼve made it this far on this site, you must have at least a passing interest in travel, but however ardent your wanderlust, itʼs inevitable that not every aspect of a trip – whether at home or abroad – is going to be all sunshine and rainbows. Filling in visa forms is a familiar headache. So is double-checking your train times and realising that youʼve only got three minutes to run halfway across a station before you miss your all-important connection. But in our experience, few elements of the travel experience are more likely to have you grinding your teeth than organising your accommodation.

It takes a very special kind of masochism to enjoy this process. Thereʼs nothing quite like spending hours trawling accommodation websites, noting down prices, comparing them and then – joy of joys – finding that the perfect hotel (you know, the one you thought looked ideal, but you just wanted to check one more) is now fully booked or is mysteriously no longer eligible for the offer that was so temptingly within your budget a few minutes ago.

So how do you take some of the horror out of getting that elusive dream hotel / motel / hostel / guest house / whatever? Well, there are no hard and fast rules, but our travels on and off the worldʼs various beaten tracks have taught us two valuable lessons. The principles are simple, but putting them into action could make all the difference to your trip.

1. Know your destination, and manage your own expectations accordingly. Heading to a rundown town in the back of beyond? You might struggle to find the familiar comforts of a Novotel. And if youʼre only looking to spend a few quid a night for somewhere to lay your head, donʼt expect fluffy towels, or – depending on your destination – running water. Travel broadens the mind, itʼs true, but make sure your understanding of where youʼre going isnʼt too narrow to start with.

2. Plan ahead. There are usually plenty of opportunities to get a hotel or find apartment accommodation when you arrive at your destination, particularly if youʼre heading somewhere more well-known, but even so, you should never leave it completely to chance that youʼll stumble across your dream lodgings within minutes of stepping off the train or plane. Some countries wonʼt even let you into their borders unless you can prove where youʼre staying.

A bit of forward planning can take a huge weight off your mind and open your eyes to accommodation options you might never have considered. As well as the better-known industry heavies, youʼll find there are many websites out there that let you scope out all kinds of self-catering apartments and flats that will fall within your budget. And of course, paying for at least some of your accommodation in advance lets you spread the cost of a trip. Good news all round, then.

Travelling is meant to be about discovering new places and new experiences, but we all want those experiences to be pleasurable ones. It doesnʼt matter whether the accommodation you choose is five-star or a little more rustic; with a bit of preparation and an open mind, youʼre halfway there.