Singles’ Day, November 11th (11/11) is the biggest online sales day in China and it’s expanding across Asia and anywhere Chinese want to shop. There will be a Singles’ Day online sale in Manila and Accor Hotels is getting into the action with a big worldwide sale. Continue after the break to see if there […]
I love good coffee and breakfast is my favorite meal – fortunately, Manila seems to agree with that and has lots of coffee shops. In addition to all the big chains, you also find a number of great independent stores, like Single Origin, or mini-chains with a few outlets, like Wildflour Cafe & Bakery. Wildflour
The US Department of State just ordered the departure of family members of employees at the consulate in Istanbul and updated their general travel warning to reflect that. While I consider the US and UK travel warnings as very conservative in general, this is a significant new piece of information to consider if you have
As part of my “Bali on a budget” trip, I visited Lovina Beach on the North Shore of Bali to get away from the crowds of Southern Bali and explore the quieter side of Bali. I was looking for a hotel close to the beach for under $50/night and found Hotel Melamun from online reviews – and it is
Most visitors to Bali head to the beaches of Southern Bali, like Kuta, Legian, Seminyak or Nusa Dua or the forests and rice paddies of Ubud. If you are looking for a quieter beach to relax on Bali, there are lots of choices and on my most recent trip, i visited Lovina Beach in the
The Philippines’ Spanish, Chinese and Filipino roots all have influenced its cuisine – and 50 years of American influence have left the locals with a love of burgers that gives you a better choice than anywhere else outside the US! One of my favorite places to eat in Manila and to still my occasional cravings for
One of my favorite hotel rewards promotions is Intercontinental Hotel Group’s (IHG) quarterly PointBreaks promotion: You can book a select number of hotels worldwide for only 5,000 points/night. IHG just released the Winter 2016 promotion and you can book stays until January 2017 – find out where I saved big and great value destinations you could,
On my last night in Faro, I went to dinner at Santo Antonio’s, a restaurant that came highly recommended by the front desk agent at the Best Western Dom Bernardo hotel I stayed at. And he had recommended it with so much passion that I was looking forward to trying it out.
Last week, I reviewed the Experience you can expect at Best Western hotels and I mentioned that Best Western was working hard to move their brands into the midscale and upscale segments and has kicked out more than 1,200 properties that do not meet their brand standards. They have also embarked on a redesign of
For my stay in Faro on Portugal’s Algarve coast as part of my Iberian Explorer Trip, I selected the Best Western Dom Bernardo hotel. I want to explore Best Western, their rewards program and promotions this year (together with Choice and Wyndham) and this was one of the few options on the Iberian peninsula. Like
More than 5 Million passengers use Faro airport every year to travel to the beautiful Algarve coast in Portugal – and usually bypass the city of Faro. That’s a pity, because Faro has a beautiful old town, quirky street art and great food! Read my Snapshot: Faro you should stop over in Faro before heading
Travel rewards programs stopped being about loyalty a long time ago. Today, they are profit centers that manage a currency of points and miles and you can earn them not only at hotels and airlines, but by using a credit card, earning them for shopping or dining – and even buy them. Check out current