EuroCheapo announces the best cheap hotels in Europe

by Annie Scott on

Today is an important day: EuroCheapo has just announced their first ever Cheapo 100 list of the best cheap hotels in Europe. If you’re a traveler on a budget and don’t know where to go, this is where you should look.

Going to Europe doesn’t have to be that expensive. Try EuroCheapo’s Flights section or find yourself a low fare by using AirFareWatchdog or another service which will send you an alert when the deal you want rolls around. Then, head straight to the Cheapo 100 and find a hotel in one of 20 cities, handpicked just for you by EuroCheapo’s editors.

“There are cheap hotels and then there are fantastic cheap hotels,” says Tom Meyers, EuroCheapo’s founder and Editor-In-Chief. “This list includes the 100 hotels and B&Bs most enthusiastically recommended by our editorial team. We have ‘hotel crushes’ on these properties and we think our readers will, too.”

To my delight, they have “hotel crushes” on hotels in cities including Vienna, Florence, Munich, Stockholm, London and even New York City (like our own Grant Martin, they like The Jane). Each city includes hotels in the categories of Super Cheapo, Best Location, Most Unique, Best Budget Style and Best B&B, Pension or Guesthouse. Quick one-liners give a little more into about each hotel, and a click will take you to EuroCheapo’s full review.

Click here to visit the Cheapo 100 and start planning your European dream vacation (for less).

[Photo by Annie Scott]

Free passes: Museum Day set for Sept. 25

by Amy Chen on

It’s not too early to start thinking about where you should be on Sept. 25, which happens to be the 6th annual Museum Day.

During last year’s Museum Day, an estimated 300,000 people got in free at some 1,300 museums around the country. Hosted by Smithsonian Media and sponsored by Toyota, the annual Museum Day offers a glimpse of what it’d be like if more museums in the U.S. were free — like in London, perhaps.

Though many U.S. museums offer free admission through year-round programs such as Target Free Fridays, the fact that Museum Day falls on a Saturday makes this a family-friendly (and budget-friendly) event.

Starting July 1, you can print the free museum pass from Smithsonian.com. The pass is good for two people at one of the participating museums. Though the list of registered venues hasn’t been finalized yet, confirmed museums include the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), the Adler Planetarium (Chicago), the Experience Music Project (Seattle), and the Dallas Museum of Art.

The value of the Museum Day pass depends on where you go. For example, general admission at the Museum of Fine Arts is usually $20 per adult, while entry to the Experience Music Project normally costs $15. Adult tickets at the Adler Planetarium and Dallas Museum of Art each regularly cost $10. If you’ll be traveling in late September, it’s worth trying to take advantage of these savings.

If you don’t see a museum near you, keep an eye on www.smithsonian.com/museumday for updated venues. Even if the museum charges for parking, chances are the free Museum Day pass will make this family outing less expensive than going to the movies.

Details: Starting on July 1, download your Museum Day Ticket from www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Limit one pass per household (or per e-mail address).

[Photo Credit: Amy Chen]

For last second fares, watch for United’s Twares

by Grant Martin on

As the social media monstrosity known as Twitter continues to grow by the nanosecond (did you know that the Whole Foods in Evanston, IL is now on Twitter?), more and more companies in the travel industry are now taking advantage of their followers to lure in new sales.

Sure it’s just another marketing technique, but where travel consumers and producers can really benefit is in the wholesaling of last minute capacity.

In United Airline’s case, the product is called a Tware. We first covered these Twitter Fares around this time last year, and since its inception the concept has really taken off.

In a nutshell, here’s how Tware’s work: Airline capacity managers identify a group of routes that are significantly undersold over a period of time, say, all flights from the US to Australia over the course of June. Knowing that there’s a low probability of all of those seats being sold at the current market prices, the capacity managers block off a bucket full of seats on select flights, heavily discount the fares and call the folks at the Twitter desk.

At the count of three, cheap seats open up and an advertisement goes on Twitter announcing that “A Tware to Australia!” has started. 70,000 highly focused, highly motivated followers suddenly tune in, everyone starts booking and the seats sell like hotcakes.

In the end, United makes some cash, when they formerly would have been flying empty seats and a few passengers get a great deal on tickets. Oh, and United gets a ton of free PR.

The only catch? Since the airline is clearing out empty seats most Twares are for travel within the next month or two. But if you’re flexible, adventurous and have a few extra dollars the formula is perfect for a quick jaunt to paradise.

You can follow @unitedairlines to tune into upcoming Twares. Be forewarned that most Twares only last a few hours, so have your credit card and calendar ready!

[Image credit, Pylon757]

Swimsuit Tips: How to care for your swimwear

by Amy Chen on

Finding the perfect swimsuit for the summer is just the beginning. Once you’ve settled on a design, you can keep buying a new swimsuit every year, or you can invest in some quality pieces to get you from season to season. Whatever your style or budget, here are some easy ways to make your swimsuit last longer.

I consulted Jennifer Hinton, co-founder and Creative Director of Carve Designs, for her top swimwear tips. Hinton started the Mill Valley, Calif.-based company with her friend Thayer Sylvester not long after returning from a surf trip to Mexico. So much for beach bumming.

What inspired you to launch a swimwear company?
We were in Sayulita, Mexico, in 2003 when it wasn’t built-up or Americanized at all. No one was at the beach when we went, and we were just waiting for the waves to come up. We started talking about doing a line of surf shorts and swimwear that was cute, sexy, and fit women. We were tired of Billabong, Roxy, and O’Neill branded all over our butts. So here we are seven years later with 105 items in the line when we started with eight.

What are the common mistakes that people make when washing their swimsuits?
People think that bikinis are made of steel, which for such a small suit is a lot to ask. That said, if you care for your bikini, it can last for quite a long time if it’s made with good material.

Obviously hand washing and hang drying your suit is optimal, but we know that people don’t do that. If you can, wash it in cold water in the washing machine and hang dry. The color will hold as will the fabric. Putting your bikini in the dryer is a total no-no.

Ocean water is better for suits than pools. Chlorine breaks down the integrity of the suit, but we know that not everyone swims in the ocean. Our suits can last up to four years if you treat it right.

How much time does it take for a suit to properly air-dry so you don’t have to resort to popping it in the dryer?
It depends on where you are. If you are in a dry spot, it can dry in 10 minutes, but if you are in a hot, humid spot, it can take a while — about an hour.

Are there any materials that dry faster than others?
Microfiber, which our board shorts are made of, dries a lot faster than most other fabrics. That’s why we use it for the shorts.

Any packing tips?
Reversible suits are best because they are two swimsuits (one sexy and one sporty) in one. When you bring a total of two suits, you can mix and match. That’s how we design the swim line, too. Everything kind of goes with each other. Our Bondi reversible top ($46) and bottom ($42) are among the best-sellers in the line.

What do you wear on the plane so you won’t freeze but can hit the beach as soon as you get off the plane?
I just got back from Bermuda, and on the plane I had a long T-shirt over leggings. I just slipped the leggings off when we got to the hot temperatures. I also like to travel with a nice cashmere wrap as you might need it at night time wherever you are.

Any other clever shortcuts so you can easily go from the plane to the beach?
We wear our swimsuits as bras. The Cardiff ($40) is as supportive as a bra, so we wear it on the plane. The fabric is comfy, and if you need to hit the beach fast, you’re already halfway there.

[Image Credit: Carve Designs]

How to protect your digital camera at the beach

by Amy Chen on

If you’ll be tanning at the beach this summer, make sure your digital camera doesn’t also end up getting toasted. Though many camera manufacturers now make waterproof digital cameras or accessories, not everyone can afford to buy new gear just for a beach trip.

I checked in with Lindsay Silverman, Nikon‘s senior technical manager, for advice on how to protect your digital camera while at the beach.

Whether you own a SLR or a point-and-shoot, these five tips can help make sure your camera survives a day on the sand. Best of all, none of Silverman’s tips require buying a lot of fancy accessories.

What should you do if you get sand in the camera?

Use a blower device, like the ones that you would find in a pharmacy for getting mucus out of a baby’s or child’s nose. It works great for blowing off moderate amounts of sand. If the camera really took a “dusting,” send the camera in for servicing and let the experts take a look.

What do you do if the camera gets wet?
If it’s a moderate amount — let’s say from a drizzle of rain — I would just wipe the camera clean. If the camera has severe water damage, send it in for servicing.

What do you do if just the lens gets wet or gets sand on it? How do you wipe it without scratching anything?
Same as above; try using a blower to remove grains of sand.

Should you store your camera under the shade of a beach umbrella? What if you put it under a towel? Is that good because it’s out of direct sunlight, or will it overheat if it’s also in a bag?
Leaving the camera exposed on the beach can make the camera really hot. Not only will the camera get hot, the battery will also get very hot, so this is not a good idea.

Protect the camera as much as possible. What I like to do is bring a protective bag for the camera, and then I put it in a dry spot in my cooler. If you can’t do this, keep the camera in its case and put that under a towel — anything to keep it out of the sun and heat.

Should you leave your digital camera at home and take a cheaper one to the beach instead (or just use your camera phone)?
Leave a camera behind? Never! Just use common sense, and have a good time.

[Image Credit: Amy Chen]