Tag: howto View All Tags

HOWTO: Make Your Villa Rental Flawless

June 16, 2008 at 2:30 PM | 0 Comments

Apparently renting a house instead of paying for a hotel room is the new hotness, as both Conde Nast Traveler and Peter Greenberg have lately started hyping the vacation option. We have to agree that rentals are dope, and they can be a good way to save money if you're traveling with a big group.

We actually just got back from a villa rental trip, though "cottage" would probably more accurately describe our pad than "villa." Still, we learned a few things that we hope will make your own villa vacay better.

more ›

Packing One Bag :: The Ladies Edition

May 29, 2008 at 2:50 PM | 6 Comments

Yesterday, we were a little miffed by the packing tips of One Bag that came off as a bit sexist. (Asking ladies to pack one ugly pair of shoes and to use a bathing suit tankini top under suits? As if! Should men wear their speedos as an alternative to briefs at a big meeting?)

Thus we were spurred to create our list of packing tips for the ladies. We travel quite a bit and we never check a bag. These are some of the little things we do to make sure all our stuff fits into one stylish green Kipling carry-on suitcase.

Keep reading for our packing tips

more ›

HOWTO: Hedge Those Airfares

May 12, 2008 at 4:03 PM | 2 Comments

Have you tried to book an airline ticket lately? They're getting expensive! But without a miraculous drop in the price of oil, fares are only gonna go up this summer.

Luckily, airfare obsessive Rick Seaney has a terrific tip for keeping your costs down as prices go up: Hedge. Usually it's detrimental to buy plane tickets more than about six weeks before your departure. But Rick says this summer, you're better off locking in a price now before fuel surcharges--and prices--go up yet again.

We love this tip because it's so insider-y. Airlines do the same thing when buying fuel; it's been helping the bottom lines at Southwest and JetBlue for years. If you're gonna stay within your summer travel budget, better get booking now.

Of course, we should mention that there's always the chance that fares will end up dropping on your particular route, but that's the risk you take when you're playing the oil futures market. Hey, now you know how the airlines feel!

Related Stories:
· Attention Summer Travelers: Hedge [Rick Seaney]
· Airlines Finally Passing Higher Costs on to Passengers [Jaunted]
· Airfares coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Fetchy]

HOWTO: Hang with Flight Attendants off the Clock

May 5, 2008 at 12:00 PM | 0 Comments

Do you ever feel bad for flight attendants? After getting hassled by rude passengers, spending hours and hours locked on planes and getting jerked around by management, they then have to find a place to stay for the night. (The airlines only comp hotel rooms on layovers.) You can help out--and make a few bucks--by renting flight attendants and pilots beds at your place.

Setting up a "crashpad" is easier than you think, if you've got some extra space and live close to an airport, says the LA Times:

Crashpad layouts vary with the property and may be a spare room in someone's home or an entire house devoted to airline renters...many crew members look for crashpads that have kitchen privileges, WiFi, nearby restaurants or a grocery store, laundry and, of course, close proximity or convenient transportation to the airport.

Sleeping arrangements are usually same sex and same profession: Pilots tend to bunk with other pilots and flight attendants with other flight attendants.

We can only imagine the shenanigans that you could get up to hosting a bunch of pilots and FAs at your house. Then again, like anyone else, they probably just want to chill after they're finally off the clock.

Related Stories:
· Rent a Room in Your House to Airline Crews [LAT]
· Flight Attendants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of your potential future: r0b1]

HOWTO: Ride the Heathrow Express for Free

April 24, 2008 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

We've always thought that the fares from central London out to Heathrow were a bit steep, and apparently we're not alone. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair also didn't bother buying a ticket when he was heading to Heathrow to catch a flight to the US this week.

The usual fare for a first class train ticket to Heathrow is £24.50 ($49), but neither Blair nor his aide bought one before the trip. When inspectors discovered them, one of the policemen protecting Blair offered to pay for a ticket, but the inspector just told them to forget it.

So if you think the Heathrow Express prices are too high, there is a simple way to avoid them--just rule the country for a few years and nobody will make you pay. Apparently if you earn something like $4 million a year, nobody expects you have to have such a "cheap" train ticket.

Related Stories:
· Former PM Caught Without Ticket [AFP]
· London Heathrow Coverage [Jaunted]
· Tony Blair's Jet in Near-Accident [Jaunted]

[Photo: jaimelondonboy]

Ecuador Field Trip: Trying to Get off the Ground

March 10, 2008 at 2:00 PM | 1 Comment

When I traveled around the world with two girlfriends last year, the three of us often relied on dumb luck and the kindness of strangers to get us from point A to B safely. And if we missed a bus or a flight was delayed? No harm, no foul--after all, we had 12 months to accomplish our globe-lapping mission, right?

But that ease-of-attitude drastically changes when you're planning an eight-day trip to Ecuador with a new boyfriend. My method for making sure everything went right was to carefully plan every detail so that nothing could possibly go wrong. Which, of course, was the fastest way to ensure that everything did.

As dominoes toppled, I struggled to maintain the new girlfriend illusion that I'm a fun, lighthearted traveler--and not a thoroughly seasoned, take-no-bullshit road warrior. In the end, all pretenses went to pot and bitchy won out. My top four travel snafus--and solutions for next time--after the jump.

more ›

Standby: Something US Air Actually Does Right

March 6, 2008 at 2:46 PM | 0 Comments

If you are use to watching VH1 reality marathons on JetBlue, or CNN election results on Virgin America, boarding a US Airways flight is a big-time let down. The planes look like they just got out of Dr. Brown's 1985 DeLorean, and the in-flight entertainment is, um, pretty much flight attendants reading advertisements. (No joke; be sure your iPod is charged and loaded.

But there's one thing that'll help. With oil prices going up by the day, airlines are forced to make their hay elsewhere. On most carriers, that means change fees--once a flat 50 bucks--are now a profit center. Nowadays, you'll pay maybe $100 and the difference in airfare.

When it comes to standby, many airlines will not only make you pay, but they'll keep you in the dark until there is no way for your bags and you to make it to your port of call at the same time.

more ›

HOWTO: Chew Your Way Around Budapest

February 7, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

There's just a month to go until the Budapest Spring Festival kicks off, so we thought it time to tell you how to find a place to eat in this pretty city. We suggest trying a neat website called Chew.hu.

We're already quite taken with the name, but the content is also terrific. Chew.hu has a Top 33 list which they describe as a "No-PR, No-BS List of Better Budapest Restaurants." The list--and, no, we can't figure out why 33 is the magic number--features a large variety of cuisines from Indian to French to Hungarian to Bavarian, and each restaurant is linked to Chew's sister site Caboodle where you can read what others have to say about the place.

Chew.hu also publishes regular blogs and updates about the wining and dining industry of Budapest. They're not afraid to pursue what they think is right, having recently got pretty upset at a popular restaurant that was including large "suggested tips" on the bills. They also keep an eye on where scandalous rotten meat is ending up--it's an ongoing saga--and tell you where you can get your jellied pigs' feet.

Related Stories:
· Chew.hu [Official Site]
· Spring into Budapest in 2008 [Jaunted]
· Budapest Travel Stories [Jaunted]

[Photo: dogra]

HOWTO: Celebrate the Year of the Potato

January 31, 2008 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

In case you've managed to get through a month of 2008 without realizing it, this year is the United-Nations-declared International Year of the Potato. (Apparently they had a Year of Rice back in 2004; who knew?)

As well as 2008 being a very special year for the potato in general, it's a year when we're going to be keeping a closer eye on a famous traveling potato named Spud. One of the only potatoes with his very own website, Spud's last excursion saw him in Namibia in late 2007. We're keen to see where he'll turn up during the Year of the Potato.

Our big tips for you, and Spud, in Year of the Potato travel: Try China, which produces more than a fifth of the world's supply of potatoes, or pretty much anywhere in Europe, where they're proud to be the world's biggest consumers of potatoes. (Russia and Ukraine lead the way.) We're still searching for a travel company offering a grand potato tour, but somehow the theme just hasn't taken off. Yet.

Related Stories:
· International Year of the Potato [Official Site]
· Spud's Travels [Official Site]
· Sweet Potato Season [Jaunted]

[Photo: RyanBSchultz]

HOWTO: Save Big Money by Booking Online

January 29, 2008 at 2:13 PM | 0 Comments

We love us some online flight booking. And while we were pricing out a trip this weekend, we were once again reminded of how positively awesome Airfare Watchdog can be.

Thanks to George Hobica and his team, we managed to save close to $300 bucks on two tickets. And all we had to do was punch in a promo code we got from AW. But booking online can be a hassle. Luckily, we're here to tell you how to do it right:

Our six-step guide to saving money.

more ›

Jaunted at Sundance: HOWTO Couchsurf Park City

January 21, 2008 at 4:16 PM | 2 Comments


The road to our condo (for the night)

During Sundance, rooms at the Yarrow Hotel start at $400 a night. Given that the Yarrow is about as swank as some suburban Comfort Inns we've stayed at, that really sucks. So how did we beat the system? Couchsurfing Park City.

We'll admit, it wasn't easy to find a place to crash; lodging is tight when 50,000 people descend on a town of 8,000. But as the film fest continues this week, more and more people will be heading out, leaving floor space and couches--and maybe even some bedrooms--wide open. It's up to you to scam your way into those spots.

Our first few tries didn't pan out. One friend who was in town on business couldn't host us per company rules. Another pal was too busy working to even meet up for a drink, let alone put us up for the night. A few random emails to some random people we found on the Internet didn't even net replies.

Just when we were getting really nervous about finding a spot, a friend of a friend called up offering a couch at a condo on Deer Valley Drive. Perfect! The spot was on a few bus routes and provided some people to party with.

How we found our place to crash.

more ›

Jaunted at Sundance: HOWTO: Get into the Films You Want to See

January 18, 2008 at 3:04 PM | 0 Comments

If you've waited till now to find your Sundance tickets, you're sorta in trouble as availability is limited. But don't fear: You'll still be able to see lots of screenings. It'll just take a bit of patience and a willingness to give some underexposed films a chance. Good thing that's what Sundance is about.

The first stop you'll wanna make is the Gateway Center. The little mall near the transit center and Main Street is the main box office for the fest. A giant poster with all the films is set up, and those screenings with seats are clearly marked "available." You'll pay $15 for individual tickets, but you won't mind because you came to Park City to watch movies.

Your next option is day-of sales. Every morning at 8 am a few tickets for that day's shows are released to early birds. You have a good chance of scoring these because most people in town for the festival are too hungover at 8 in the morning to be out of bed.

If you want the true Sundance experience, you'll seek out a theater rather than a particular film and line up for wait-list tickets. Starting two hours before the show, you can pick up a number then go have lunch or whatever. Come back about 30 minutes before showtime to talk film with your fellow line-goers. Bonus: Wait-list tix are "only" $10.

Lastly, if you're with the accredited press--there's about a thousand of you--check out the listing of press and industry screenings. (You can find a guide to those shows at press HQ at the Park City Marriott.) Press people are also entitled to one public screening ticket per day; request it a day in advance of the show you're interested in.

Related Stories:
· Sundance Film Festival Box Office [Official Site]
· Sundance Film Festival coverage [Jaunted]
· Sundance Field Trip [Jaunted]
· Sundance 2008 Map [Jaunted]