vacation planning

formerlyGDaisy09 · March 2015

there was discussion, a little while ago about sources for cheap plane tickets...but I can't remember the sources that came-up.

H and I got more back in our tax return than we anticipated, we weren't going to plan a vacation this spring because of all the upcoming weddings, but now we're thinking if we can find some kind of last minute deal we should take the opportunity to get away for 5 or 6 days...and out of mud season!

I'd say we're looking to spend less than $2K, including paying for care for dog. one option on the table right now is driving to DC and finding a pet-friendly hotel, since we'd likely spend a good part of a trip there walking outside in dog-friendly places it might be nice to take her with us and save $30 a day on kenneling or a dog sitter.

Ideas and past experiences welcome!

als1982 · March 2015

We don't have pets, so I have zero experience finding hotels that will allow them. But, one of the best ways we find cheap hotels is through a lot of research. We check Hotels.com, Trip Advisor, Costco.com and lots of other websites for the best deals.

We like to points travel, so occasionally, if we find a good deal on Rocketmiles.com, we'll book through them to get Southwest or United miles (hotels are notoriously difficult to get a decent number of annual free stays unless you always stay at the same chain, which we don't do).

I'm also a big fan of Jetsetter.com. Last year, my mom and I stayed at the Maui Andaz for $200 a night, which included a breakfast buffet for the both of us. The breakfast alone was valued at more than $50 per person per day, and right now the average rate per night (room alone) is more than $400 a night. So it was a crazy good deal.

We've also been successful in finding a good deal online and then contacting the hotel directly to see if they can do better. This fall we did that at the Aria in Las Vegas. They gave us the best deal we found online plus a $75 food and beverage credit.

And if you're really okay with last minute, there's always the Hotel Tonight app, through which hotels get rid of their vacant rooms at rock bottom prices.

One last suggestion. We (read: me) are really, really picky about hotels, so I rely a lot on Trip Advisor reviews and photos. In particular it's important to look at the photos taken by actual guests and not management, which will be more telling about the actual accommodations and amenities. Also, in looking at the rankings, be sure to look at how many reviewers have ranked the hotel. A property can have a high ranking but has only been reviewed by 100 guests, which can skew the perspective.

hoffse · March 2015

This may not be helpful for you since you are in the NE, but I use Clark Howard's website to check for flight deals. He picks up virtually all of the lightening deals out of Atlanta (which is where he is based), as well as some of the big ones nationally:

http://www.clarkhoward.com/travel/national-travel-deals/

If you would consider a cruise, vacationstogo.com has the famed "90-day ticker" which is all of the last minute cruise deals compiled into one place. You have to register your email address with them to see it, but they don't spam you:

http://www.vacationstogo.com/ticker.cfm?t=y

Looks like there are some cruise options out of Baltimore and Bayonne, NJ starting at several hundred bucks per person for inside cabins. Be sure to budget tips and drinks into the cruise price. Some of the cruises out of FL to the Caribbean and Mexico are dirt cheap right now - and even with a flight, you would probably come in under your budget.

I'm with als1982 about being picky about hotels. I'm actually not picky about flights (and we're sort of locked into Delta anyway when flying out of Atlanta), but I like to sleep in a nice hotel. Check the recs that als1982 gave you. I'd also add travelzoo to the list - it has some good last-minute deals.

hoffse · March 2015

Actually, I vote you go to Iceland and then tell us what it's like. From Clark's website:

SAVE TO EUROPE

WOW Air, the second largest low cost carrier out of Iceland, is running a $166 one-way sale from Boston and $208 from Baltimore to Reykjavik. Nonstop service starts in March to Boston; in June to BWI. Rates to London start at $252 each way. WOW's low "Fly without Frills" fares are a bargain because you'll pay extra for everything from seat assignments to luggage. Get the details before you book at WOW.

dragonstarjk · March 2015

We frequently travel with our two dogs so I do have some experience with that. There are definitely more and more hotels that will allow pets. Some places even cater to them, providing treats and beds and such. When looking for a pet-friendly hotel, make sure to check what the additional fees are to have a pet in the room. Occasionally I have been able to find hotels that allow pets to stay for free, but most will charge a fee. Sometimes it is per pet, sometimes per night, and sometimes per stay. This is the top consideration we look at when traveling with dogs, because that extra fee can really add up if you don't pay attention to what you are booking.

In almost all of the above mentioned travel search engines, you can narrow the hotel search results by which hotels allow pets, which makes it easier to choose. I like to use Expedia to look and then I'll usually go to the hotel's website directly to see if they have any deals. I am not picky about hotels as long as they are clean; we usually try to stay at Best Western or Holiday Inn so we can accumulate rewards points for free nights.

formerlyGDaisy09 · March 2015

Thanks for the great tips! I've been checking everything on trip advisor and the AAA website, and crosschecking with bringfido.com for more targeted feedback on bringing along dog. Just had a weigh-in at the vet and she's at 39lbs so she falls under many of the requirements to bring along (though not Jet Blue's...we wouldn't fly with her anyways) I'm generally go mid-range with hotels...really depends on where we're going, if we're going to be out seeing the sites and not spending a lot of time at the hotel I try to get in the $120-150/night range but if a good portion of our trip will be about relaxing in the hotel then I'll look at hotels a tier or two up.

Erikan73 · March 2015

check out www.bringfido.com You put in the location and you can find pet friendly hotels, resturants, attractions and shopping and even names of vets in the area should you have a pet emergency.

sugarygoodness · March 2015

Check out Kimpton. I know that they have a few locations in DC. The last minute deals page is my favorite. They can be pricey, but their last minute deals are awesome. They are super pet friendly--they do not charge extra and even give away extras for dogs like potty bags and food bowls. They also have an evening reception w/ wine and a few apps. They seem to go the extra mile and their beds are heavenly.

phillywife2007 · March 2015

Love the DC area for a weekend getaway,Georgetown has some good shopping too, if you are looking to branch out from the museums. If you opt to travel further, spirit.com has some good deals on their airfare in the major cities domestically last minute, definitely join their email club, as they have good deals pretty frequently.

mana8503 · March 2015

If your looking for pet friendly, Annapolis is amazing! I went for a conference a few years ago. There are even restaurants that give water bowls etc for the dogs. I've always said we need to go back for a weekend.

formerlyGDaisy09 · March 2015

Thanks All! I'm still on the fence about going at all, I think if we go, the DC area is going to be it. Kimpton and a few others are on my radar, there were a few recent reports of bed bugs on Trip Advisor, but those looked like they might be spam.

We've got so many competing goals right now, the winter was starting to mess with my head last week, I suffer from SAD every year and I think that was impacting my thought process when it came to vacation versus our goals of converting our basement it more usable finished space. I think I've talked myself back out of vacation planning and back into investing in our house.

short+sassy · March 2015

I'm not sure how common it is to allow dogs, but another lodging option is to check a website like AirBnB where people rent out vacation homes. It is up to each individual proprietor if they will allow dogs or not and I know, at least on AirBnB, you can define your search to those who allow it.

I rented the other half of my duplex out for a big weekend last year and I allowed dogs. I'm sure I can't be the only one!

RosieC18 · March 2015

Another vote for AirBnB, but be careful about parking, especially in the city. DC is lovely in the spring but look out for the Cherry Blossom festival in early April. They're really beautiful but it's crowded and prices go way up. If you go the week after they peak the trees will still be pretty and it will be cheaper. Annapolis is great but might be a better day trip from DC. I'm not sure you'll find that many days worth of things to do. Also you should check out Alexandria. Feel free to PM me if you want a advice on neighborhoods.

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