New B&B deals offer savings around the world

The bed and breakfast community will probably put a hit out on me soon, if the comments from my last article are any indication. But, I’ll take my life into my hands and cover the latest news from BedandBreakfast.com anyway.

Under the new “Tanks for Traveling” program, BedandBreakfast.com members will be able to save some cash on their travels this year. I’m not crazy about the name of the program, but it probably resonates with the cutesy B&Bers.

B&Bs in around 40 states – not to mention the Caribbean, Canada, Italy, France and (wow!) Croatia – have found north of 150 ways to help their guests save on travel this year. The Vine Street Inn (California), for example, is kicking in a $100 gift certificate to any guest who arrives by train or bus … and they’ll pick you up at the station! Tudor Rose, in Colorado, is only asking for $1 for the third night when you pay for two, and Sabal Palm House in Lake Worth, FL is willing to give you the third night free – as long as you bring a bag of non-perishable food items for personal care products for the local pantry.

So, there are plenty of ways to save some money in these shitty challenging economic times.

Please, B&B people, have I repaid my debt?!

Jalousie Plantation resort brings solar golf carts to St Lucia

Okay, it’s not exactly a cure for cancer, but any initiative that does cut down on fossil fuel reliance still resonates with me. So, I was pretty excited to see that the Jalousie Plantation has adopted a hybrid solar-powered golf cart to move guests around on its 192-acre property … with no carbon emissions! This is among the first of these environmentally-friendly golf carts in the Caribbean, and the goal is for this quirky little vehicle to replace the oil-dependent carts and minibuses that currently carry passengers around Jalousie.

This measure is reflective of Jalousie parent company Kor Hotel Group’s “Second Nature” program, which consists of several eco-friendly measures across its holdings. Kor’s properties are encouraged to source local produce, arts and other supplies to cut down on food-miles (or other “product-miles”) in an effort to reduce carbon emissions while contributing to economic growth in the community.

“We want to play our part at The Jalousie Plantation in supporting the environmentally-conscious initiatives of Kor and the new hybrid solar-powered golf cart is seen as a first step in helping us to do this,” Jalousie’s General Manager, Rodrigo Caldeira said.

The golf cart has a photovoltaic cell on its roof, which takes St Lucia sunshine and turns it into the electricity that makes the cart move. In the event of rain, the cart can be plugged into an electrical outlet to have its battery charged.

“Eventually all of the vehicles we use at Jalousie will be gasoline-free and this will help us to lessen our emissions of greenhouse gases which are having a tremendous impact on eco-systems around the world and contributing to climatic change and global warming,” Caldeira said. “The new cart also significantly reduces noise pollution and makes a great contribution in our efforts to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and in ensuring our operations are environmentally sustainable.”

Top 10 best beaches in the Caribbean

I grew up in a little fishing village, as did my husband — and so now that we both live in the city, about every 12 months or so, we both crave the ocean. It’s like a sickness, really: unless we get an opportunity to breathe in some salty air, we start to get all crabby and out of sorts.

Or maybe that’s just my excuse for wanting to get away to a beach vacation.

In any event, my yearning for the ocean hasn’t eased any by this recent post on AquaTerraSky, listing their favourite top 10 beaches in the Caribbean. Perusing the list, I’m surprised that there aren’t very many I’ve been to — although admittedly, I was pleased to see that Englishman’s Bay, from my home country of Trinidad and Tobago, made it to number 7.

Looks like it’s time to start planning that Caribbean vacation. And now’s a good time, too: after Easter, most of the hotel and resort rates in the Caribbean drop for low season.

U.K. Travel Insurer: Cuba as Dangerous as Afghanistan

U.K travel insurance company Direct Travel Insurance Services has a blacklist. If a traveler is headed to Sudan or Afghanistan, they will need to seek their insurance elsewhere. But Cuba?

That’s right, Cuba. The insurer will not cover British travelers headed to Cuba. Perhaps someone in the company thinks that it is still the 1950s. Or perhaps someone in the company was robbed during a recent vacation in Havana. But that’s unlikely. Cuba is, arguably, one of the safest destinations in the entire Caribbean. Crime is virtually not-existent. It is much more dangerous to vacation on more popular islands like Jamaica.

But there is a more probable reason that English travelers are not able to get coverage for Cuba: AIG. The American firm took over Direct Travel Insurance Services and has extended its practices of not insuring Americans in Cuba to its new British customers.

Because of an archaic trade embargo, US citizens are not allowed to visit Cuba. thus AIG does not cover them. But there is no such law in England. Luckily for UK residents, there are many other travel insurers willing to cover tourists on their trip to Cuba.

[Via Havana Journal]

Single Men Looking to Meet Someone? Try Disney

I’ve heard that laundromats are good places to meet guys. I once interviewed a guy in a laundromat for a journalism class after I randomly picked his name from the Albuquerque white pages of the phone book. (I opened the book and plopped my finger down. His name was where my fingertip landed.) He was a nice guy, but he hadn’t been to many places and wasn’t exactly sure how he ended up in Albuquerque from a childhood growing up in Brooklyn. While he folded clothes, I worked on getting deep thoughts out of him for a decent quote.

So, if you’re a woman, perhaps you might meet a guy who has a way with laundry in a laundromat. If you’re guy, here’s a tip I read in the article, “Cruise prices drop when leaves fall.” If you’re single, mind you, and you want to meet a woman, go on a Disney Cruise. According to tipster, Art Sbarsky who once was a cruise executive, single moms travel with their kids on these ships. Doesn’t this scenario sound like a movie in the making?


Don’t stop now. Get even more information on cruises.

If you are a guy who is thinking about a Disney Cruise, here are some things you might do:

  1. Get a bandana to dress yourself like a pirate. There are kids dressed like pirates on the home page. It wouldn’t hurt to try to look like you belong. Plus, with the bandana (make it red) you’ll be ready for the Pirates of the Caribbean deck party.
  2. Sing karaoke at Studio Sea or twist the night away at a dance party.
  3. Go to the fitness center and afterwards get a massage in the spa.
  4. Take in a show like Hercules, A Muse-ical Comedy. Brushing up on your Greek myths might impress someone.

Just like the article said, prices drop right about now. The Disney Cruise starts at $389 for a 3-day trip to the Bahamas.

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