Price goes up...price goes down...price goes up...the tedious and odd airfare travel game

Price goes up...price goes down...price goes up...the tedious and odd airfare travel game:

While it may not come close to the excitement of your Grand Theft Auto
video game, or interest your friends on a Saturday night like Monopoly, beers
and fondue, the tedious, addictive and somewhat odd game of travel airfare is
something that keeps me coming back for more. It has become such an addiction,
that I find myself sometimes looking for airfare to places that I never plan on
visiting. Sad maybe...but as someone who loves to travel, and finding a good deal,
it has become a habit of mine when I am looking to kill a few minutes online. I mean
I can only take so much election coverage...ok maybe not, but still the game of
checking online fares is something that not only feeds the travel monster in me, but also leaves me scratching my head in confusion.

Here are a few examples of why I always tell people to never book a trip on a whim or without doing any research. Let me preface this journey by telling you that I am currently looking for airfare to Europe right now, and found a great deal twicw...only to not book it in time and find it gone hours later. It is like the stock market...except chances are the government is not going to bail you out if you book a flight for say $900 and hours later it drops to $500. Now searching with one of the internet's top travel search engines Kayak.com, I came across a sweet heart of a deal. New York to Warsaw, Poland for $667 during the Christmas holiday! Now many of you might say, "Poland in December? Are you nuts!"...and I answer that with...yes, yes I am. But I love cold destinations and really love Europe at Christmas time.

So I see this great deal on Air France, and immediately tell my significant other about it. We converse, and say that this is too good to be true, most flights to Poland are $900 and up. So we sit on the idea, and say we will decide in the morning. Well morning comes and...the flight's price has changed...drastically. The bargain deal of $667 to Warsaw is now priced at $1090! Yes within 8 hours (11pm to 7am) Air France had jacked the price up $423! Ouch!

Frustrated, annoyed and a little hungry I decided to turn off my laptop and focus on some other things around the apartment. Who am I kidding, I checked that fare every other hour on the hour. It would come back the same price all day. The next morning after reading some emails I decide to go gambling again with airfares. I put in the airport codes, dates and click search. Results are lower, $899...eh, while that is decent for a trip to Europe at Christmas time, I still feel burned by that $667 price. Being the frugal traveler that I am, I go back to work and decide not to check prices until later in the day. I come back and its still $899. One hour later its $1090 again! D'oh! One hour after that it is $995. How did this end up? Well more on that in a moment.

Airlines play this fun game of raising and lowering prices to compete with each other. For example when Delta released on their site a JFK-Chicago round trip deal for $189, American Airlines found out about it and offered the same trip for $149. Well Delta's people see this $149 deal and lower it to $144. It is the ultimate game of out doing each other between the big airline companies.

Another example of when an airline changed its fare, and it really had me wondering, "why?", was when British Airways was offering a round trip deal from JFK to London for $780 round trip. I click on the Kayak link to the airline and find out that this fare is no longer available. Now in the past that meant an increase of $50,$100 or sometimes as high as $400. But in this case the fare had changed from $780 to $780.56! Yes British Airways had raised their fare two quarters, a nickel and a penny.

Finally, back to my New York-Poland experiment. So I am stuck at the bargain price of $995...yeah right. So 3 days after losing out on that fare of $667, and not hearing the end of it from my wife, I keep checking and even making my dates flexible. That is something most people do not understand about travel. Even the days you leave could save or cost you hundreds. So first I check my original dates and its $1090 again, but when I change it to coming home 1 day later, the fare is $623! Yes the lowest fare I have ever seen round trip from JFK to Warsaw and about $40 lower than my dream price 4 days earlier.

But sadly this story does not have a happy ending. I waited...again! Then two hours later that amazing fare jumped back up, and as I write this, is currently $880. A few lessons can be learned from this airfare game of travel hunting:

• Make sure you always use a travel search engine to get the lowest price. Just going to an Airline's website or a travel site like Expedia or Orbitz could cost you big time.
  
• When you find a low price on a site like Kayak, understand that the price may change within the day, the hour or just a few minutes from the time you see it online. So if it is a sweet deal, act fast, but again do not impulse buy...make sure it is indeed a good deal, and then snatch it up before its too late.
  
• Be flexible...make sure you check off various airports and various dates when searching airfare. For example in the New York area, a flight from JFK to Orlando may be cheaper than a flight from nearby LaGuardia to Orlando.
  
• The best days to check for good airfare deals are Tuesday and Wednesday. The worst days to look are Saturday and Monday.
  

I will continue looking, and trust me, the next time I see my fare for under $700 I will not hesitate!

Low fare buses are all the rage & Un-Belize-able sale with American Airlines

Gas prices may be dropping...but travel is still expensive, take a bus:

Strapped for gas money? Hate the high price of airlines? Want an alternative to pricey train rides? Well all of your prayers have been answered my frugal friend! Two competing companies have started to gain popularity this year, and it is keeping your wallet, and the earth, happy at the same time. Both Mega Bus and Bolt Bus are offering service to and from such cities as New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto for low, low prices. After doing a recent search on the Mega Bus site, I found a round trip fare between New York City and Washington, D.C. for only $2!

You kidding me? $2 gets you a half a gallon of gas these days! Now not all the fares are that low, but they sure are cheaper than pretty much all other means of transportation…besides a bike maybe. Knowing that bus travel is not the most popular means of travel in America, the two companies have stacked up on some goodies to get you to come aboard their respective buses.

On both Mega Bus and Bolt Bus, you get a new fleet of clean, alternative fueled buses, that include free wi-fi, outlets to charge your ipods, laptops or cell phones. You will also enjoy big comfortable chairs with plenty of leg room, a clean bathroom and a television on board for the long trips. Check out each either mega bus or bolt bus, for your low cost travel alternatives, the next time you plan a getaway. With prices these low, you can throw away that awful buzzword “staycation”, once and for all!

Here are some sample round trip fares we found on their websites:

Megabus:

• Fall casino weekend: Fri.11/07 - Sun.11/09: NYC-Atlantic City, $15
  
• Turkey day in the Big Apple: Wed.11/26 - Sun.11/30: Baltimore-NYC,
  $29
  
• Long weekend up North: Thurs.12/11 - Mon. 12/15: NYC-Toronto, $16
  

BoltBus:

• Washington weekend: Fri. 12/05 - Sun. 12/07: NYC - D.C., $25
  
• Christmas time in the Big Apple: Fri. 12/26 - Sun. 12/28: Boston-
  NYC, $16
  
• New Years in Philly: Thu. 01/01 - Sun. 01/04: NYC - Philly, $11.50
  

Note: I came to realize that for whatever reason, when you go to
book two or more tickets together the price increases. Example NYC
to Boston for one person may be $5, but when you book two NYC to
Boston it is $12 or $15. So check the fares for price increases, and if
it occurs, simply book one ticket at a time. Neither of the bus
companies assign seating until you arrive to the station the day of the
trip anyways.


Round trip Belize City airfare for under $200:

AirfareWatchdog broke the news this afternoon on an amazing deal to Belize City. For $154 round trip
(taxes included) out of Newark, you can go round trip to this beautiful Central American city! Yes under $200 and most fares are in the coldest months of the year, so it makes for an even sweeter deal. American Airlines is offering this great fare and prices are sure to go up, so book quickly.

Carnival Cruise deals, Jet to Florida this fall, Amtrak sale...sort of, and Grand Canyon train packages.

Save on some Carnival Cruises:

Orbitz.com is offering a sweet deal right now on its website. It is offering passengers "free upgrades on most sailings." For full details of this sale, check out Orbitz, and book early to lock in a good deal. Sale ends Friday October 31st. Here is one sample deal:

7 Night Western Caribbean: January 3-10, 2009

1. Depart Miami at 4pm
   
2. At sea
   
3. Cozumel, Mexico 8am-10pm
   
4. At sea
   
5. Grand Cayman 7:30am-4:30pm
   
6. Ocho Rios, Jamaica 8am-3:30pm
   
7. At Sea
   
8. Return to Miami at 8am
   

Interior: $449 p/p
Oceanview: $599 p/p
Balcony: $759 p/p
Suite: $1199 p/p

Jet to Florida this fall and save:

Jetblue has yet another sale on their website (seems like they have a new one every other day). The airline is offering the "Getaways Sunshine Sale", in which you can book some great packages (hotel and air) to the Florida between November 12 and December 17. Some of the packages JetBlue are advertising include:

• Tampa Bay, 4 nights, for $445
  
• Jacksonville, 3 nights for $395
  
• Orlando, 3 nights for $295
  
• Miami, 3 nights for $379
  
• West Palm Beach, 4 nights for $335
  

Hurry- travel must be booked by October 26!

Amtrak wants to thank you for your continued service...with a gift... well actually its a gift with terms and conditions:

Amtrak is celebrating their 25th anniversary of Auto Train service with a 25% discount. But like many Amtrak deals, it comes with many catches...actually more catches than I have ever seen for a sale of any kind from a company. Here are the terms and conditions:

• Valid for sale October 25, 2008 (one day only).
  
• Valid for travel between February 3 and February 25, 2009 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. Travel prohibited on all other days.
  
• Valid for 25% off the regular (full) adult rail fare.
  
• Valid on Auto Train (trains 52 and 53).
  
• Offer is subject to any restrictions, blackouts and refund fees that apply to the type of fare purchased.
  
• Use discount code H784.
  
• Valid for Coach seats only.
  
• Seating is limited.
  
• Not combinable with any other discount offer.
  
• Other restrictions may apply.
  

Ok...you still there? Yes that is a laundry list of rules to follow in order to save some cash. I really think Amtrak has some nerve making passengers going through all these hoops in order to save money in such a tight economy. People should just choose to use the other train service...oh yeah...thats right...there is no other train service in America. That is what can happen when you monopolize a service in this country, it gets abused. Pretty soon with all of the airline carriers consistently losing money, it will be just a matter of time before we all have one major airline to choose from...by then airline travel will be so expensive none of the regular travelers will care anyways because they will be either staying home or driving to their destinations.

A less stressful train deal:

The Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona, has a great "train-and-lodging"
package available for customers. Starting at $119 per person, passengers will get
overnight lodging at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, a round-trip coach-class train ticket to the Grand Canyon, and breakfast and dinner. Other packages are also available.

Going with this money saving package is a great way to see the beauty that is the Grand Canyon. Booking all of this on its own will definitely cost much more, so check out their website and see their great rates.

If you are coming from out of town, use kayak.com to check for the lowest fares to Arizona.

Four simple ways to save on international travel

A few ways to save on international travel:

With the economy in the toilet and the U.S. dollar at an all time low, I figured what better time to travel overseas and take a two week European vacation. Yes, it sounds like a dream trip, but it does not have to be my frugal friend. You see travel is what drives me, it is my passion in life, and I will attempt to venture anywhere I can, but at the same time save as much cash as I can in the process. Traveling is an adventure, I thrive on the interaction with different cultures, tasting different cuisines and snapping photos in front of as many tourist traps as I possibly can. So this past March, my wife and I packed our bags and took off for a European expedition to Switzerland and Italy.

We decided to go in March, which is off season for both countries, and that means cheaper hotels, less tourist, short lines and happier locals. All of these things are important to me when I visit a new place. Do not listen to people that say you need to see Italy in the summer. They are either out of their mind, or they enjoy the opposite of all the things I just listed.

You see, since our economy is in pretty bad shape right now, and with oil on the rise daily, it has become harder for people to travel further. When oil goes up, airline tickets go up as well, and that means most people just stay home for vacation. The term “staycation” is not allowed in my house. It is more offensive than any four letter word in my opinion. Here are some ways to make your next vacation overseas a bit cheaper:

1) Travel off season:

Booking a trip in the peak months of May through August, and the holiday season is just asking to pay top dollar on hotel rooms and deal with long lines at every attraction in the city you visit. So whether it is Rome in April or Dublin in January, you will be grinning from ear to ear when you have less people in your way at the sites, and cheaper rates at better hotels. I personally travel to Europe between January and April, and I have saved hundreds of dollars in hotel rooms. But that savings can be greater if you are into taking a risk with getting your room.

2) Bid on your vacation:

I was once like you, scare to death of price line and other travel sites, that let you bid on your hotel and airfare, amongst other things. The idea of not knowing what you will be booking will frighten most people, and understandably so. But if you want to save money, and you are willing to let a site pick the accommodations, then desperate times call for desperate measures. Ok, maybe it is not that dramatic, but you get my point. When I first tried priceline.com, I pressed that confirm bid button, like I was about to set off a nuclear missile. My finger pressed it oh so lightly, and then within seconds…your bid has been accepted, click here to see your hotel. I will say that 90% of the time, I was happy with what I got with my bid.

Always start with a 4 star hotel, and bid low…don’t worry if you bid too low, like $10 a night for a 4 star in London (come on, you know you would be tempted to try), it will tell you that the bid probably has little or no chance of being accepted. But start with about 50% of what the average room is going for in the city, and you have a pretty good chance of getting a room at an insanely lower price. Trust me, I am proof of that happening, on more than one occasion. Some of my best bids, $40 a night in early March at a 4 star hotel in Toronto. The same room was going for $299 a night on the hotel’s main website. Another great example was $90 a night in Zurich’s Marriott, the same dates were posted on their site for $250 a night.

Now you will not always get discounts that deep, but I promise you, if you are not picky about a specific hotel you want while traveling, and you stick with 3 or 4 stars, you will more than likely walk away with a great room and a smile on your face knowing what the room next to you is paying. I also used priceline.com to book a flight from New York to Chicago and saved $50 compared to the advertised sale. One catch with bidding is that once it has been accepted, you can not cancel the reservation. So be sure you want to book before you bid. Check out priceline.com and hotwire.com to bid your way to savings.

3) Be flexible:

What day you fly, and out of what local airport you choose, can save you big money. On a recent search of flights for a March 2009 trip from New York to Dublin Ireland, we found various prices. For example, if we decided to leave March 13th from Newark to Dublin, it would cost us $590. But if we decided to leave instead on March 14th, the same trip would cost $640. Oh and do not even think of leaving March 16th, because then you are paying $782 with a JFK to Dublin flight. So if you can be flexible, it will save you big cash. A great website to check out for fare comparisons is Kayak.com.

When you use their search engine, it has various ways to find the lowest price, like flexibility options. These include searching various airports in your area, instead of just one, and also using various day options. For example, instead of checking JFK to Heathrow on November 2 to 7, you can search NYC airports (JFK, LaGuardia and Newark) to London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) on the dates of November 1,2,3 to November 6,7,8. It makes for a great way to save big money when flying international on a budget.

4) Be a smarter traveler:

Sometimes when booking a major trip, like an international vacation, it pays to research and find other ways to save moolah. Maybe you fall into the category of a student or a senior citizen. Pick up the phone and call the airline. Ask for any sales or discounted tickets, sometimes they may give you anywhere from a 10% to 20% discount. Try to book with one airline carrier. Various airlines can mean pricier tickets and major headaches when transferring between flights at terminals.

These are just four examples of how you can try and make your next international journey less pricey. Because even though you will save some cash with all of these tips, there is no way you can avoid one pricey thing about flying overseas, and that is the currency exchange rates…ouch.


Andy H.
andy@travelbyandy.com

Lufthansa European fares and Brooklyn Nightlife and Shopping

Lufthansa offers passengers many low fares to Europe:

Lufthansa is offering Europe sale fares starting at $516 round-trip. Destinations include
Brussels, Paris, Oslo, and Rome. You must book by Monday in order to get Europe on sale!

Now while these prices may seem great to you, always be sure to check online and compare
with other airlines, so that you get the best deal. The sample fares below are listed for
round-trip travel and do not include taxes and fees.

• NYC-Munich: $516
  
• Chicago-Oslo:$634
  
• D.C.-Madrid:$754
  
• L.A.-Zurich:$780
  
• Atlanta-Milan:$788
  
• Boston-Rome:$816
  
• Dallas-Paris:$948
  

Travel is valid midweek from October 31 through December 11 and from December 25
through May 1, 2009. Departures are available through April 2. Book tickets at least 14
days in advance. A Saturday-night stay is required, and the maximum stay is 30 days. Book
by October 20, 11:59 PM ET.

To go directly to the airlines website: Lufthansa.com
To compare prices with numerous sites: Kayak.com

Nightlife:

Clover Club Mixologist Julie Reiner offers Cobble Hill residents a sheik and sophisticated
lounge. Patrons step up to the large mahogany bar and order the Clover Club cocktail,
which is a blend of gin, dry vermouth, lemon and freshly made raspberry syrup. Cobble Hill;
210 Smith Street; 718-855-7939; www.cloverclubny.com

The Hideout This popular Fort Greene establishment offers a dizzying array of uniquely
named drinks, such as the snow mosquito and Whiskey Fig Fizz Dazzle. The crowd is mostly
young professionals, and patrons dress up nicely to match the drinks prices. Fort Greene;
266 Adelphi Street; 718-855-3010

New Five Leaves (September 2008) Funded by the late Heath Ledger, this nautically
themed oyster bar has locals ordering up tap beers and fine wines. The crowd is laid back,
and it has become a celebrity spot already. Greenpoint; 18 Bedford Avenue; 646-510-6467;
www.fiveleavesny.com

Stonehome Wine Bar This lively establishment offers roughly 200 wines by the bottle,
and 35 by the glass, artisan beers and spirits are also on tap, the stylish crowd enjoys
Latin beats and hip-hop in the background. Fort Greene; 87 Lafayette Avenue; 718-624-
9443; www.stonehomebar.com

Salty Dog This firehouse turned bar, is a favorite to the Bay Ridge locals. The bar offers
cheaply priced beers and mixed drinks, all sporting events are broadcast on their many
televisions. Live music most weekends, with an occasional $5 cover charge. Bay Ridge;
7509 3rd Avenue; 718-238-0030; www.saltydogbar.com

South 4th Bar and Grill A laid back local favorite that offers all the essentials to a
frugal drinker, cheap beer, no dress code and a jukebox. This hole in the wall offers its
patrons free wireless internet as well. Williamsburg; 90 South 4th Street; 718-218-
7478; www.south4thbar.com

Shopping:

Kimera Design Owner and designer Yvonne Chu offers high end women’s clothing and home
décor at this pricey shop in Boerum Hill. The clothes are mostly filled with bright and
luscious colors and made from texturally rich fabrics. Boerum Hill; 366 Atlantic Avenue;
718-422-1147; www.kimeradesign.com

New Urban Alchemist (June 2008) Local designers Rebecca Shepherd and Imaan Selim
offer Park Slope residents handbags, jewelry, vintage furniture and home décor. This
artsy black and white tiled shop also doubles as the pairs makeshift studio. Park Slope;
343 5th Avenue; 718-499-0758; www.urbanalchemiststore.com

Kings Plaza This is the biggest mall in Brooklyn, and offers shoppers over 100 individual
stores such as Macy’s, Sears, The Gap and Armani Exchange. It also has a Loews Cinema
and is home to the world’s first Sbarro pizzeria. Marine Park; 5100 Kings Plaza; 718-253-
6842; www.kingsplaza.com

Lola Staar This eccentric boutique is definitely one of the more memorable shopping
experiences in Brooklyn. Choose from a wide range of funky and wild t-shirts, hats, bags,
fine art and various other Coney Island themed souvenirs. Coney Island; Coney Island
boardwalk; 718-855-8773; www.lolastaar.com budget

Bay Ridge Bookstore A small family owned and run bookstore in the Bay Ridge area.
Customers have been greeted by this husband and wife team for over 25 years. If a book is
not in stock, they will order it for you at no additional cost. Bay Ridge; 8508 4th Avenue;
718-680-5137

Visit Ireland now, save on JetBlue later, & Things to do in Brooklyn.

Earlier this year JetBlue and Aer Lingus formed an industry first partnership, and
passengers can now get a sweet deal because of it. Simply book a flight to Ireland on Aer Lingus for travel between November 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009 and each person traveling will receive a $50 JetBlue promo card good for travel anywhere in the continental United States. Hurry, this offer is only available through October 21, 2008.
Plus beginning this January, JetBlue starts jetting to Bogota, Colombia!

Top 10 Ways to Avoid New Airline Fees:

ShermansTravel has a great article on their website right now about the Top 10 Ways to Avoid New Airline Fees. Avoid all those nickel and diming schemes from the airline industry, and travel smarter. It is a great read, filled with useful tips.

Travel Spotlight, Brooklyn (Part 3):

TBA's Spotlight on Brooklyn, New York continues today with a look at things to do when you visit New York City's popular neighbor. Here are some of the items I believe any newcomer will love when they cross over to Kings County.

Prospect Park This 585-acre oasis was
designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and
Calvert Vaux, who also created Central
Park. There are plenty of walking, running
and biking paths for travelers of all
speeds. The park also includes an ice
skating rink, outdoor concerts and
barbeque pits with picnic tables.
Prospect Heights; www.prospectpark.org

Brooklyn Bridge This structure, that
connects Brooklyn and Manhattan, is the
oldest suspension bridge in the United
States. Walking across this engineering
marvel is a must for any New York
enthusiast. The views of both lower
Manhattan, and the neighboring Manhattan
Bridge, are breathtaking. Brooklyn Heights;
www.newyorkled.com/brooklynbridge02.htm

Coney Island Cyclone Named not only a New York landmark, but also a National Landmark, this world famous roller coaster is a must for the adventurous individual. Even if you do not ride the wooden coaster, it is worth seeing the 80 year old iconic wooden coaster in person. Coney Island; astroland.com

A Slice of Brooklyn Neighborhood Tour Visit various Brooklyn neighborhoods and sample some of the charm, flavor and beauty that makes this borough so special. Ebbett’s Field, home to the former Brooklyn Dodgers, and Famous Junior’s restaurant are just some of the tour‘s highlights. Brooklyn; www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/neighborhood.html

Keyspan Park The Dodgers may have left
town over 50 years ago, but Brooklyn still
has baseball fever with their hometown team
The Cyclones. This minor league team offers
fans summer seasons, it is a fun and
affordable local activity. Coney Island;
1904 Surf Avenue; 718-449-8497;
www.brooklyncyclones.com


Brooklyn Botanic Garden A 52 acres escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. This living museum is filled with amazing flowers, plants and specialty gardens. Admission to the garden is low, and certain times of the year it is actually free. Prospect Heights; 900 Washington Avenue; 718-623-7200; www.bbg.org


Ikea Express (June 2008)
This New York Water Taxi departs
from Ikea Red Hook every forty minutes
seven days a week, and arrives at Pier 11
in downtown Manhattan. It is a
convenient, unique and free way to go
back and forth between the two boroughs.
Red Hook; 1 Beard Street; 212-742-1969;
www.nywatertaxi.com

Iceland's bad news is good news for American travelers

Days ago Iceland's government had some bad news to tell its people...they were flat broke. Ouch! Now while the entire world seems to be expensive for our weak U.S. dollar, Iceland is now one of the few amazing locations we can visit on the cheap.

Reykjavik is not only the capital and largest city in Iceland, but it is the most popular for tourists. Travelers from around the world visit this hip city,Reykjavik has been dubbed "the nightlife capital of the north." Icelanders enjoy one of the most festive New Year's eve celebrations on the planet. Shops sells fireworks to anyone over 16, and the entire town lights up from at midnight from the explosions going off in unison.

The temperature in Iceland is often times misconstrued by many, Iceland is in fact that made of Ice. The winter temperatures are comparable to winters in New York, but with less snow. Locals and tourists all flock to Reykjavik's most popular destination, the blue lagoon, which is a geothermal spa. It is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world!

Icelandair has announced a new sale for travel between the East Coast and Iceland. Fares start at $400 round-trip for fall and winter travel. Economy Plus fares are also available starting at $800 round-trip.

Icelandair usually offers the best deals for travel to Iceland, but it's still a good idea to compare fares before you book. The sample fares below are listed for round- trip travel and do not include taxes and fees.

• NYC to Reykjavik: $400
  
• Boston to Reykjavik: $400
  

Travel Spotlight, Brooklyn (Part 2):

All this week Travel By Andy will spotlight the borough of Brooklyn. This diverse and delicious borough is home to some of the restaurants, bakeries and bars in the New York area. But when you visit for a trip, what exactly are your lodging options? Some people think that Manhattan is your only place to book a hotel when in town. Not true... Brooklyn has a few gems all around Kings County. Here are our favorites:

Marriott New York at the Brooklyn Bridge (4 star)
The most popular choice for most business
and leisure travelers visiting Brooklyn.
Ideally located just minutes to downtown
Manhattan, this luxurious 637 room hotel
offers customers state of the art features,
inside a cozy and modern atmosphere.
Downtown Brooklyn; 333 Adams Street;
718-246-7000; www.marriott.com


Nu Hotel A chic new addition to downtown
Brooklyn, offering both complimentary
breakfast and wireless internet.
This 93 room eco-friendly hotel is designed
with cork floors and furnishings made from
recycled teak wood. Boerum Hill;
85 Smith St.; 718-852-8585;
www.nuhotelbrooklyn.com


Best Western Gregory Hotel
Located in the middle of one of the liveliest
sections in Brooklyn, this 70 room hotel
offers complimentary continental breakfast,
free newspaper and is minutes from such
sites as the Brooklyn Aquarium and Prospect
Park Zoo. Bay Ridge; 8315 4th Avenue;
718-238-3737;
bestwestern.com/Gregory hotel

Best Western Brooklyn Bay Convenient access to everything Brooklyn has to offer, and located right along the beautiful Brooklyn waterfront, this 48 room hotel offers guests complimentary breakfast, free parking, fitness center and business services. Sheepshead Bay; 3003 Emmons Avenue; 718-769-5000; www.bestwesternnewyork. com/hotels/best-western-brooklyn-bay

Canadian Airfare deals and Travel Spotlight: Brooklyn (part 1)

October 13, 2008: Oh! Canada airfare deals & Travel Spotlight: Brooklyn Part 1

Canadian airfare deals on United:

Flights to Canada are on sale from United. Fares start at $88 one-way or $176 round-trip, and cities include Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver, and Victoria.

Shop around before you book to ensure you get the best deal for travel on your route. The sample fares below are listed for round-trip travel and do not include taxes and fees.

• Seattle-Vancouver, $176
  
• San Francisco-Edmonton, $328
  
• Baltimore-Ottawa,$412
  
• Chicago-Quebec City, $438
  
• Boston-Montreal, $470
  
• New York-Winnipeg, $510
  

Travel is valid through
February 28, 2009. Book tickets at least 14 days in advance.

Travel Spotlight, Brooklyn (Part 1):
Home to over 2.5 million residents, and nicknamed “the city of churches and trees”, Brooklyn is one of the most interesting, diverse and delicious areas in New York. From the architecturally beautiful brownstones of Park Slope, to the historic and lively boardwalks of Coney Island, this borough has something for everyone.

All this week Travel By Andy will spotlight this diverse and delicious borough. We will dig deep into the new hip locale of New York, and show why many people prefer Kings County to any other part of New York today!

Neighborhoods:

Park Slope Located on the western slope of beautiful
Prospect Park, this hip neighborhood is lined with both
trendy restaurants and fashionable shopping along 5th
and 7th Avenue. Stroll down numerous streets to see
some of the most beautiful million dollar brownstones
in New York.




Bay Ridge This largely middle class neighborhood was at one time mostly Irish and Italian, but has seen a large surge of nationalities move in, such as Arab, Greek and Scandinavian. It is popular with young professionals and boast an impressive array of restaurants and nightlife, especially along 3rd avenue.

Greenpoint Dubbed “Little Poland”, this area of Brooklyn has the second largest concentration of Polish immigrants in the United States. The neighborhood’s main hub, Manhattan Avenue, is filled with numerous Polish restaurants, bakeries and butchers.

DUMBO Considered by many locals to be
one of the hippest sections of Brooklyn.
Once full of abandoned warehouses and
factories, it is now home to some of the
most expensive real estate, chic
restaurants and high end shops in the borough.







Williamsburg Home to the artists and hipsters of Brooklyn. This neighborhood is extremely popular with young people, and is home to one of New York’s best indie rock scene.

Coney Island At the very
southern tip of Kings County, you
will find one of its oldest and
most well known areas, while it
has seen better days, you can still
enjoy the miles of boardwalk and
a Nathan’s hot dog on those balmy
summer New York days.


Bay Ridge This largely middle class neighborhood was at one time mostly Irish and Italian, but has seen a large surge of nationalities move in, such as Arab, Greek and Scandinavian. It is popular with young professionals and boast an impressive array of restaurants and nightlife, especially along 3rd avenue

Ireland in the winter, house swapping & delta deals to Europe.

Before we get into this week's edition of "TBA", I just want to say thank you
for all the nice emails. We try to read and reply to all of them. So keep them
coming! If you want to see anything added to the site, a certain part of the
world covered or feel like you have a good tip, feel free to contact us. We also
have changed our "Featured Articles" links to a faster server. The previous
blog site was loading too slow. Now on to the deals.

Visiting the Emerald Isle in the winter:


I have been to Ireland many
times, and the most popular city
of the Emerald Isle, Dublin, is
great to see anytime of the
year. But the last two times
that I have visited this magical
city, it was in the month of
January. Many people think that Ireland is going to be freezing cold in the
winter, and while you will not be walking around the Temple Bar area of Dublin
with shorts and a tank top, you still will enjoy a city full of life and energy.
There is something truly magical about a chilly walk across the Ha'Penny
Bridge. I browsed the internet and came across these airfare and hotel deals
for this coming January, when Dublin is more affordable to visit:

Airfare:

• Aer Lingus: ($542), depart Monday January 12 from JFK airport and
  arrive the following morning at Dublin airport. Return Monday January
  19.
  

• Delta: ($575), depart Thursday January 8 from JFK airport and arrive
  the following morning at Dublin airport. Return Thursday January 15.
  

Hotels:

• Harding Hotel: (avg. $88 a night), Within walking distance to the
  Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Castle and Dublin's Grafton Street, is this
  2 star option for lodging. Take a look at the site and you will see that
  this hotel is simply beautiful and has all the true Irish charm.
  

• Temple Bar: (avg $99 a night), The Temple Bar district is the most
  lively area in the city of Dublin. So if you want a loud and live vibe when
  visiting this bustling city, then check into the 3 star Temple Bar hotel.
  

• The Morrison Hotel: (avg. $182 a night), This stunningly beautiful 4
  star hotel in Dublin is located right by the River Liffy, and all the
  nightlife and great restaurants that this city has to offer.
  

(Important note: Now while we linked you to the hotel's main websites, for the
best price be sure to do a kayak.com search. We found lower prices for these
hotels on numerous sites.)

House swapping becoming a popular option for many budget
travelers:

In the October 2008 edition of Budget Travel, contributing writer Joanna
Goddard has written a great piece on the new fad of "House Swapping". Sounds
dirty doesn't it? Well it seems to have caught on, especially with internet
travel. Sites like craigslist. org have travelers both looking for lodging and
giving out lodging. The idea is to chat with another house swapper and plan well
in advance for a date that the two of you can come to an agreement on. She
talks about staying at a couple's home in San Francisco while that couple
stayed at their Manhattan pad.

Now if this all sounds scary...well you are not alone. I mean even I have said
this sounds like a risky venture, but it has been proven to work for people not
willing to shell out cash for expensive hotels. Check out BudgetTravel.com for
the full article, and some of Miss Goddard's stories about her past house
swaps. It makes for a fun read and you will not believe what one of her guest
said about her place!

Delta deals to Europe:

Do you want to visit Europe? Are you scared of the high cost of airfare? Well
do not fear my frugal friends! Delta Airlines has some great low price round
trip fares departing out of New York City and landing in some of Europe's most
amazing destinations. Here are a few deals we cam across:

• New York to Athens, $658
  
• New York to Budapest, $618
  
• New York to Amsterdam, $558
  
• New York to Shannon, $518
  

(The sample fares above are listed for round-trip travel and do not include
taxes and fees. Travel is valid Mondays through Thursdays from November 1
through April 13, 2009. Other rules and restrictions apply, check Delta.com for
details. Book by October 13, 11:59 PM ET.)

Thanks again for checking us out, check us out every Monday for updates!

Contact us anytime at andy@travelbyandy.com