Carry a door stop – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Ever worry that you might have an unwelcome visitor during the night in your hotel room? While most hotels have a deadbolt or a chain lock which can be engaged only from the interior of a hotel room, many cheap accommodations — especially some found overseas — offer less protection for their guests.

To deal with this, I carry a small rubber wedge that is normally used to hold doors open with me. Before I go to bed, I wedge it between the door and the floor. It’s inexpensive, easy to pack, and gives me a little peace of mind when patronizing less-than-glamorous lodgings.

[Photo: Flickr | General Wesc]

Keep tabs on your tabs – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Carry an envelope to keep every charge slip you accrue — but before filing them away, write the date, location, and reason for the charge on them.

Your monthly statement will likely list the charge detail in the language of the country where you traveled. Having your own notes on the receipts will give you a way to reconcile to your statement and provide extra assurance that all charges were legitimate.

[Photo: Flickr | Tim Morgan]

Meet locals (and save money) hiking through Europe – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Most travelers are keen to mingle with locals while taking in the sights. Do both and save money by hiking along the fjords and fjells of Scandinavia and/or the soaring majesty of the Alps.

Don’t like the idea of lugging your gear over the mountains? No worries. Join one of the following hiking clubs that maintain hut-to-hut hiking trails and get discounts on accommodations. This lets you can pack light and spend each night in the company of local hiking enthusiasts:

Happy trails!

[Photo: Flickr | Geir Halvorsen]

Swap shelves in airport bookstores – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

I’ve been noticing swap shelves in airport bookstores lately. Store owners are starting to encourage frequent fliers to leave a book and take a book. This helps you get fresh reading material for free (or cheap) and lightens your load of a book you’re done with.

A few airports, like Portland International, have used bookstores where someone has undoubtedly just sold back that bestseller you wanted, and you can pick it up for less than full price.

Alternatively, check out The Paradies Shops: they let you return a book you bought within 6 months and receive half your money back.

[Photo: Flickr | jrodmanjr]

Borrow a charger from the front desk – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

For every person who forgets their charger at home, another person leaves their charger in their room at checkout.

If you go down to the desk and ask nicely, they might offer you a big box of left-behind cords to sort through for a charger that fits your phone, computer, or whatever.

This saves money and time better spent having fun, and if you don’t care about paying it forward to the next forgetful traveler, you can usually keep the abandoned charger.

Also ask about international electricity adapters if in need– they’ll almost always be able to accommodate you there.

[Photo: Flickr | Gary Bridgman]