Don’t let your pet over drink – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

Boarding pets while you’re on vacation can be costly. So why not take them? After all… they love a change of scenery, too!

If you can take your pet with you, avoid letting him or her “over drink” on the trip, as a result of stress. This can lead to vomit spells. (Of course, be sure to let your pet get enough liquids during the ride!)

One way to prevent your pet from over drinking is to get a kid’s sand pail; fill it with ice; and let the ice melt. As it melts, the pet can drink from the pail — but because the ice melts slowly, your pet can’t over drink!

Meal times can vary greatly – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When dining out in some countries — like Spain for example — you need to remember that they eat their largest meal of the day around 1pm or 2pm. This meal is multiple courses and can take a long time.

If you plan on going out to a restaurant at night, you should know that many of them may be closed until 8pm or 9pm. Ten o’clock dinner times and social dining is normal in some places.

If you’re there to enjoy the night life, you can order tapas and drinks well into the early morning hours — far later than you may be used to eating at home. This isn’t a big deal; you just may need to adjust your schedule slightly to accommodate.

Eat at the public market – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Public markets are great places to find fresh, local food. From farmer’s markets in California to public markets in Chile, you can find food booths dishing up vibrant local fare. It’s one of the best ways to soak up the culture and tradition of any city or town while traveling.

It also gives you the opportunity to indulge in unusual local dishes that you may not find in restaurants. Eating at the public market is a good way to stretch your food budget, as booth food is usually extremely cheap.

Bonus: it’s usually prepared on the spot, so you’re bound to get something super-fresh!

Best Western announces new hotel points matching program

by Melanie Nayer on

If you have hotel points from other hotels, Best Western will match them. Of course, there’s a catch: you have to be a member of the Best Western Rewards loyalty program and have elite status with another hotel group.

Best Western’s new “Status Match, No Catch” program rewards members of its free loyalty points program with matching elite status of any other hotel loyalty program-free of charge.

Here’s how it works:

Starting now, new and existing Best Western Rewards members can upgrade their Rewards status by contacting Best Western and providing proof of elite status with another hotel loyalty program. Best Western Rewards points will be earned at the equivalent elite status immediately.

According to the hotel’s website, members of the elite status loyalty program with Best Western enjoy:

  • Gold Elite (awarded after 10 qualified nights in one calendar year), which earns a 10 percent Rewards bonus
  • Platinum Elite (awarded after 15 qualified nights in one calendar year), which earns a 15 percent Rewards bonus
  • Diamond Elite (awarded after 30 qualified nights in one calendar year), which earns a 30 percent Rewards bonus.

Time to start digging through your old accounts for those extra hotel points.

Check into a suite – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When booking accommodations, travelers should compare the price of a suite to the price of adjoining rooms. Suites are larger than standard rooms, often accommodate six or more people, and are frequently the same price — if not less than — two side-by-side rooms.

Larger families and small groups often find suites more spacious, more comfortable, and easier on the budget.