Both the United Kingdom and Germany are fantastic choices for an upcoming getaway, but is one better than the other? 

United Kingdom vs. Germany: Which Is Best to Travel?

For most of us, the Christmas season starts as soon as Halloween finishes. We take off the Halloween costume and immediately put up our Xmas trees, only taking a short break in between to feast on turkey, mashed potatoes, and delicious pumpkin pie.

Christmas Across the USA: Holiday Destinations that are Full of Cheer

With summer coming to an end, most of us have already taken our vacations this year and are already dreaming about our next one. 

The Best Cruises in the World

To many, the holidays may not seem like the greatest time to travel the globe, especially when it’s supposed to be a time of get-togethers and merrymaking. But with places all over the world celebrating Christmas in their own ways, it’s actually a great opportunity to see how different cultures enjoy the end of the year.

20 Best Places to travel in Christmas time

If you are planning a trip to Europe, two of the most beloved countries that may appear on your bucket list are Spain and Italy. While they both have an incredible amount of natural and cultural beauty to offer, in this post, we will give you everything you need to know.

Italy vs. Spain: Which Is Best To Travel?

Both Singapore and Malaysia are picturesque and awe-worthy travel destinations. However, if you must choose between the two, this article will give you all the insights into the pros and cons of Singapore vs Malaysia.

Singapore vs Malaysia: Which is best to travel?

After the chaos that followed the Pandemic in 2020, airlines are looking to bounce back to their previous glory. In the 21st century, air travel has become the way for backpackers, business people, and luxury travelers alike to reach their destinations.

The World's Top 10 Airlines Of 2022

So, you are looking for the next destination to visit in the Middle East. You may be considering Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi vs. Dubai: Which Is best to travel?

Egypt and Tunisia are both countries that have an amazing past and are filled with ancient treasures. They offer the beauty of the desert coupled with some of the best diving spots in the world.

Egypt vs. Tunisia: Which is best to travel?

First of all, what is eco-friendly or green-friendly travel anyway? By now, we all must have made some changes in our life to protect the earth for future generations - whether it’s as simple as recycling at home or picking up trash on your daily walk.

But in the past few years, many travel companies, hotels, and even airlines have made sustainability their focus and are promoting more eco-friendly travel.

How To Make Your Next Vacation More ECO-Friendly

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Localgrapher is an online service that allows travellers to book professional photographers to capture memorable photos while on the go. They offer more than 600 carefully selected photographers in a range of destinations worldwide, from Prague to Buenos Aires, catering every type of scenario, be it an engagement, a honeymoon or simply some pictures of the family on vacation.&nbsp;A great feature that I have found while using Localgrapher is the reviews section. Here you can easily view hundreds of reviews left on Facebook by customers who have used a photographer from the website, allowing you to get an idea of the type of service that is provided. You can view photos from the shoot that people have shared and read comments on their experience. Although Localgrapher only share the positive reviews, it gives an idea of what to expect from booking a private photographer online.&nbsp;Price of packages on Localgrapher are divided into three categories – Bronze, Silver and Gold –&nbsp; with Bronze being the cheapest at $250 USD for a 30-minute session and 20 photos. However, there is also the option to “Design Your Own Package”, which I personally thought was a great addition, as sometimes you may want more than the 100 minutes and 60 photos offered by Gold. Here, you are also given the choice of photographer or videographer, meaning you can also select someone to capture a video of your experience.&nbsp;A facet of the website I thought could be improved was the profiles of the photographers, which I felt were a bit thin on the ground. Although you could view languages spoken, the bios were only one line long. With something as personal as a photo-shoot, it’s important to know your photographer a bit before hiring them, therefore more information on their profiles would have been a good addition. There were also no verified user reviews on the profiles.

Book a local photographer wherever you travel.

Localgrapher

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No to Take Control of Your Life is a New York Times bests-selling book by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend that focuses on the word of God in telling us what our boundaries ought to be and how to protect them, as well as how to recognise what is not within our borders of responsibility. One of the key ideas is that being responsible for ourselves is carrying our own daily loads, while being responsible for others is doing what they cannot do for themselves.&nbsp;Boundaries is, by and large, a self-help booked that is set around a Christian premise by that can be read and appreciated by all people, whether religious or not. Their conclusion that the ability to set clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle is something that all of us can agree on to one extent or another, and that in the same way we set physical lines around our possessions, we must also set mental, physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries for our lives.&nbsp;With both authors holding doctorates in clinical psychology, it is no wonder that people have connected so much with Boundaries and are able to apply its teachings in everything from relationships to travelling. The book does not instruct you what to do in every life situation, however it gives great pointers on how to assess certain scenarios and act in the most responsible way possible.&nbsp;However, one of the criticisms that the book commonly receives is in fact the Christian slant that is contained throughout, with many viewing it as too preachy. There are numerous citations of Biblical scripture, which means that if you are not a Christian, you must read between the lines to get an idea of the lessons being taught. Nevertheless, as already stated, it is possible to apply the ideas without being religious.

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

Boundaries

Travelling the globe while trying the local cuisine has become a popular theme in the world of travel documentaries and Ugly Delicious continues this trend in an intriguing fashion. First aired in 2018, the series follows American chef David Chang as he explores different regions by focusing on a particular dish or concept and discovering how it is made across the world, including pizza, tacos, fried chicken, shrimp and BBQ. This differs from other travel-food documentaries, which usually divide the episodes by country or continent.&nbsp;One of the most interesting and unique aspects of Ugly Delicious is how it uses food to highlight the differences between cultures, particularly as the featured dish is the same in each episode. For example, the first episode on pizza explores the difference between customs in the US and Japan, intertwining methods of cooking with culture and history to present a fascinating account of both countries.&nbsp;Another aspect that I like about the series is the fact that, although Chang is the host, the show brings in different presenters including chefs, artists and comedians to give their take on different food and countries. This makes Ugly Delicious a stimulating watch as viewers are presented with commentary from more than one perspective, unlike other series where you are only given the thoughts and feelings of a single presenter.&nbsp;One issue I had with Ugly Delicious, however, was the political overtones featured throughout each episode. Issues like immigration and race are brought into the series, displaying only one side of the argument and seemingly pushing an agenda that goes beyond travel and food. At times, the programme can feel as though it is simply Chang using the backdrop of food to make a point about his disillusionment with American politics and its wider issues.

Ugly Delicious

BlaBlaCar is a ride-sharing website and mobile application that connects drivers with passengers who are travelling to and from the same place and want to share the cost of the journey. The service boasts more than 50 million members and currently operates in over 20 countries, including France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, India and Brazil.&nbsp;One of the key benefits to using BlaBlaCar over the traditional means of travelling by train, bus or taxi is that journeys can be from almost anywhere, meaning you don’t have to be travelling to or from somewhere that has a station or taxi depot. This provides far greater flexibility in getting from A to B, while at the same time reduces emissions and saves money, as journeys are considerably cheaper than booking a private cab for example.&nbsp;To search for a ride you simply need to enter your pick-up and drop-off location as well as your intended date of travel. You will then be shown a list of drivers who are offering spaces in their car, with a price and time that they will be setting off. Entering how many seats you need and setting a maximum price you are willing to pay can filter these options to make finding your perfect ride even quicker.&nbsp;However, one of the best features here is the rating system based on feedback from former passengers. Drivers are given an average rating out of five, while you can read people’s comments to get an idea of what the driver is like, to make travelling as safe and secure as possible.&nbsp;That being said, the flipside is that new drivers to the platform who do not have any reviews may not be considered trustworthy. Due to the fact that anyone with a car can register to the site, it doesn’t have the same security that a verified taxi company may have.

Leading long distance carpooling platform

BlaBlaCar

Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelancers, allowing writers, designers, translators, animators and other creative professionals to offer their services to clients starting at a cost of $5 per job, hence the name of the platform. Freelancers offer ‘Gigs’ that can be bought by registered users, for example the offer of writing a blog post. It takes a couple of seconds to sign up as a freelancer, where you can either use Google or Facebook or enter your email address to register.&nbsp;In my opinion, one of the best features on Fiverr are the selection of guides that offer businesses advice on how they can use the platform to help grow their company, with everything from boosting visibility with SEO to creating a mobile app. Each post contains an array of information, usually set out in a step-by-step guide, with insider tips interspersed throughout. This helps freelancers as well, as they can discover what businesses look for and tailor their services to fit the requirements.&nbsp;Another great feature for is the availability of a mobile app, meaning you can continue browsing and applying for jobs, as well as offering ‘Gigs’ while on the move, away from your laptop. This is particularly ideal if you are travelling and do not have somewhere to sit in comfort with a table, as would be required with a computer. The app is free to download and works on iOS and Android.&nbsp;The downside to using Fiverr is the processing fee, which is how the platform makes its money. All purchases are subject to a $1 USD fee up to and including $20 USD, while there is a 5% charge on purchases over $20. Although this is cheaper than other websites, it can mean sacrificing a significant amount of income. Therefore it may be better to look for alternative ways to get paid.

The Best site For freelancers that want to work from abroad

Fiverr

Flytographer is a professional photograph service that connects users with local photographers across 170 cities worldwide to take high-quality pictures of your travels abroad. Rather than having to worry about asking strangers walking by to take photos of you on your phone camera, Flytohraphy allows customers to simply and quickly hire a professional, who will follow you around taking photojournalistic style pictures wherever you may be.&nbsp;Before making a booking using Flytographer, I found the option to handpick your own photographer by looking at their portfolio and verified user reviews to be an incredibly useful feature. Although the website claim that they have vetted and selected only the very best, it is great to be able to find out for yourself the kind of person you will be getting. Each photographer profile features a short bio, three things they love, their favourite place to shoot in the city, languages spoken and customer feedback. Knowing the languages spoken is particularly important if you are to convey exactly the sort of pictures you would like before starting the photo-shoot.&nbsp;A great feature that helps make Flytographer easy to use is the instant online chat. There is an icon in the bottom right corner that gives you the choice between four options – “I’m a photographer”, I’m thinking about booking”, “I’ve already made a booking” and “I’m a Travel Advisor” – before presenting more choices to narrow down your enquiry. I found this to be a really helpful addition, allowing you to avoid the hassle of making phone calls or sending emails.&nbsp;However, Flytographer is without doubt a luxury service and will not be an obvious choice for those simply backpacking or going on a cheap weekend away. Prices start at $250 USD for a 30-minute session, which includes just 15 photos in one location, while two hours is as much as $650 USD.

Flytographer

EuroCampings have been offering expert advice on campsites in Europe since 1999, with information on locations in France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Belgium, among others. Their database contains details of more than 9000 European camping spots, and provides users with the ability to either book or send requests directly via the website. They also offer an affiliated smartphone app for free, available on both Android and iOS under the name ACSI Campsites Europe.&nbsp;An aspect of the EuroCampings website that I feel sets it apart from similar platforms and makes it unique is the ability to search campsites by theme. These include ones by the sea, those with cycling, hiking and winter sports facilities, environmentally-friendly sites and ones that are suitable for people travelling with pets. Having themes helps to quickly find the right type of campsite for you, without having to apply filters.&nbsp;That being said, EuroCampings has one of the most extensive selection of filters I have come across on campsite <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">booking websites</a>, with more than 200 amenities to choose from to narrow down search results. One of the best ones for me is the option to choose only sites with a rating of 8 or more, determined by more than 130,000 customer reviews, making them fairly reliable recommendations.&nbsp;After selecting a campsite, you can read past guest comments, find out availability and prices, view photos, and even see the weather forecast for that week to decide whether it is worth visiting or not. I also like the average temperature and precipitation charts, as they indicate the best time of year to go depending on past years, with Europe usually offering the best weather between May and September. Having said that, a useful addition would be an indicator of when the campsite is at its most busy, as the majority of people are likely to go when the weather is best, meaning you may want to look for an alternative.&nbsp;A drawback to the platform is that while you can book some of the campsites via the website, some you will need to go to the official site to make the reservation. Having the ability to book all the sites via the platform would be more ideal, however with over 9000 featured, a long process.

Their database contains details of more than 9000 European camping spots

EuroCampings

Knowing the weather while travelling is an essential part of planning any trip and, therefore, having a good website where you can quickly find out the forecast, as well as any important weather-related information, is a vital tool. Weather.com covers both of these aspects, providing news and weather forecasts worldwide on its easy-to-navigate platform.&nbsp;Its homepage features a range of different relevant articles, including trending news, recommended stories, gallery of weather from around the globe and a map that allows you to effortlessly explore your area. You can search for your nearest city or simply click ‘Find Me’ that uses your location to give you the most accurate and up-to-date weather information. Details include Wind, Humidity, Dew Point, Pressure and Visibility, while you can view up to ten days of forecast.&nbsp;My favourite option when viewing the forecast on weather.com is the option to view an hourly breakdown of the weather over the next 36 hours, including the temperature and ‘Feels’ temperature that gives an indication of what the weather will feel like in comparison to what it really is. This detailed analysis helps you to plan your day hour-by-hour when out and about, meaning you won’t get caught in the rain after going to an outdoor food festival when the sun was shining.&nbsp;However, undoubtedly one of the most intriguing features of the website is the ‘Weather In Motion’ section that allows users to view moving weather conditions as shown over an interactive map. By toggling the variety of options on the left hand side, you can change between applying a whole host of different weather layers, including water vapour, wind speed and UV index.&nbsp;For me, the website could be even better if, at the end of articles, there was a comments section where readers could leave their thoughts and feedback on the featured topic.

weather.com

JustPark is a mobile application that allows customers to quickly find and pay for more than 20,000 parking spaces worldwide. You can find out where’s available near you and make a reservation directly from your phone, using either PayPal, Apple Pay or Android Pay. The app will then provide you with directions for how to get to the space using its in-built GPS system.&nbsp;One of my favourite features of JustPark is the ability to extend parking reservations while on the go. This eliminates the stress of rushing back to either top up the meter or move the car, giving people more freedom to enjoy their day without constantly checking the time in order to avoid paying parking fines. This isn’t just available for private drives, but also includes the JustPark parking kiosks in public parking lots.&nbsp;Finding parking spaces is easy to do, simply requiring users to enter their destination, arrival and departure dates. This will bring up a list of different options that can be sorted by best match and distance, while clicking on an option will bring up photos, a description, facilities and verified customer reviews. I found the reviews to be a fantastic addition to the website, as it allows you to find out exactly what you will be getting from parking your car in any one spot, and whether there might be anything that the description or photos may have missed out.&nbsp;One drawback that I encountered when using JustPark to search for a parking space was the lack of filters to sort through results. If, for example, you are looking for a car park that is gated or has lighting, you will have to sift through and click on all the car parks in the area until you find one that fits your criteria.

JustPark

Rail Europe is a worldwide distributor of European rail products, from Eurail Global Passes to single journey train tickets, as well as <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">reservations and travel packages</a>. They offer great deals from more than 20 different rail providers, including Eurostar, TGV, Renfe and National Rail, which can be booked all in one place.&nbsp;As well as offering an easy-to-use interface on their website, what sets them apart for me is their impeccable customer support, both before and during travelling. You can easily request a live chat with an online travel agent to quickly answer any queries you may have about making or managing an existing booking, allowing you to save time and money speaking on the phone, or waiting for an email response.&nbsp;Another great feature is the website’s ‘Travel Itineraries and Inspiration’ section, which provides fantastic ideas for those looking to book a rail pass in Europe. With over 75 years experience in the travel sector, their resources, including city guides, itineraries and travel tips, are some of the best around for gaining insight into travelling abroad.&nbsp;The ‘Community forum’ is also an infinitely useful place to find out information on everything from printing tickets to catching a train in Italy over the Christmas period. Anyone can pose a question that is sure to be quickly answered by Rail Europe’s large community of users.&nbsp;One problem I encountered when using Rail Europe was that some of its search results were slow to load. This could be due to the large amount of information and options it has to sort through, however it was significantly slower than other similar services, even for looking up basic journeys.

Rail Europe

TripHobo is a free trip planning website that allows you to gain access to personalised itineraries from more than 9000 cities, helping you find out the best thing to eat, drink, see and do. You can also book accommodation, transportation and tours all via the website, making the planning of your trip an easy and stress-free process.&nbsp;After entering the details of your travel plans, TripHobo will produce a day-by-day itinerary that gives you a range of suggestions for how to best spend your time in your chosen city, such as where to stay and how long to spend doing each activity. The aspect I enjoy most is being able to click on each recommendation to find more detailed information, including a short description of the attraction, address, phone number, time required, opening hours and suggested travel tips. I found the ‘Near By Public Transport’ entry to be particularly useful, as I don’t usually use a car when travelling to a foreign city and this gives the best ways to get there by bus, train or tram.&nbsp;There is also a great blog section, containing a range of articles from the ‘10 Best Things To Do in Swaziland’ to ‘Free Wi-Fi Spots in Medellin’. However, although the articles are coherent, some of the descriptions for the recommended things to do are both inaccurate and badly written. Some of them appear to have been simply taken from an internet source, rather than being written by someone who has visited the city first hand, while lots of the pointers are out-dated.&nbsp;Another downside to the website that I experienced when trying to plan a trip using the platform was the pop-ups that appear on almost every page. New windows with links to accommodation in your selected destination and pop-up windows make for a distracting and unnecessary feature.

TripHobo

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, is the leading national public health institute of the United States. Their focus is on protecting public health, both in the US and internationally, particularly against infectious disease, food borne pathogens, environmental health and occupational safety. Their ‘Traveler’s Health’ section contains a wealth of information for those planning or currently on a trip, featuring resources on over 100 countries worldwide, while they also offer a mobile app with essential material for travellers, called TravWell.&nbsp;One of the best inclusions on the CDC website is the ability to enter your destination and traveller type to bring up a whole host of different advice and important information for travelling to that particular country. This includes details on vaccines and medicines, eating and drinking, germs, animals and general personal security to reduce risks to yourself when travelling.&nbsp;I find the ‘Healthy Travel Packing Lists’ particularly useful when planning a trip abroad, as these provide a breakdown of all the recommended items you may want to consider taking with you on a trip to that specific country. Although most of the lists are similar regardless of the country, some, where dangers of disease are greater, have contain more exclusive items.&nbsp;The Travel Health Notices are also very useful in providing warnings depending on different levels of urgency. Watch Level 1 recommends travellers to practice usual precautions, Alert Level 2 suggest enhanced precautions, while Warning Level 3 is the most serious and advises people to avoid nonessential travel. Naturally, Level 3 is the most rare, usually only applied in cases of severe weather conditions – such as tsunamis and earthquakes – or fundamental breakdowns in health infrastructures.

Founded in 1985, Apollo is a RV hire company based in the United States offering rentals in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Each motorhome is fitted with camping guides and welcome packs, while living equipment and other optional extras are available for hire. They offer a wide range of RVs that cater to all budgets, from cheap last minute getaways to luxurious travelling holidays.&nbsp;After entering your itinerary, including travel dates, pick-up and drop-off locations, number and age of travellers, you will be presented with a list of results that can be filtered by selecting the various items down the left hand side of the page. You can also sort the order you see results by choosing from price, berth and rating based on customer reviews.&nbsp;Clicking on a motorhome will bring up a new window containing more detailed information, such as vehicle dimensions, features, number of beds and additional items for hire. Here, I found the photos of the vehicle to be quite limited, although they do show a floor plan to help provide a sense of what the interior is like.&nbsp;I particularly liked their ‘Travel Routes’, which offer detailed itineraries between different locations, broken down into a day-by-day reading with a list of highlights to experience along the way, as well as a recommendation for the best vehicle to hire depending on the route. I was also impressed with the range of different ways to contact the company, such as via Skype, Twitter and Live Chat.&nbsp;One issue I discovered when making a booking with Apollo was the difficulty in reading customer reviews. Although there was a star rating for each vehicle, I could not find how to read people’s feedback to give a better sense of what the vehicle was like.

Apollo

Knowing precisely how much you will need to go travelling to a particular destination can be tough. People may be able to give you a rough estimate, but can they really tell you everything from the price of a coffee to the cost of a room in a hotel to an accurate degree? That’s where Budget Your Trip comes in. You can view average costs across thousands of cities worldwide, helping you to plan your trip and track expenses so you don’t go over budget.&nbsp;You can choose between entire countries or individual cities to get an overview of costs across a range of various items, such as average price of a bottle of water, entrance to a show, metro ticket, and breakfast for two. I particularly like the ability to choose between travel style – budget, mid-range or luxury – as you do not need to know, for example, the average price of a boutique hotel if you are planning a backpacking trip.&nbsp;Down the right hand side of the page are travel tips from users containing useful information like renting a room in an apartment and buying a travel pass. There is also detailed information on sightseeing, neighbourhoods, food &amp; dining and transportation underneath the average prices.&nbsp;I also found their blog, which is full of helpful articles containing an abundance of information on how to track and manage your budget when travelling, to be a great feature of the website. Posts incorporate a range of destinations, from Mallorca to Cuba, as well as general tips for budget-conscious travellers. Unfortunately there is no option to leave comments or questions under the posts, which would be a great addition to the website.

Estimate, plan and track your travel expenses.

Budget Your Trip

Headout is an on-demand marketplace for finding and booking experiences dealing in everything from theatre tickets to bus tours to football matches. They boast over one million customers, 10,000 experiences and more than 50,000 verified reviews. Their best price guarantee and authorised ticket seller banners help users feel confident that they are getting the best deal available.&nbsp;One feature that I personally feel sets Headout apart from other tours and activities websites is the 24/7 live chat. This allows users to instantly get in contact with an online agent who is there to answer any queries you may have, whether its before or after making a booking. This saves on having to pick up the phone or wait for a response via email, making for a much less time consuming experience.&nbsp;After browsing and selecting a tour, you will be taken through to a much more detailed break down of what exactly is included in the experience and what you need to do beforehand to prepare. ‘Highlights’ breaks the tour or activity down into its best parts, while ‘Know Before You Go’ contains important information to bear in mind before arriving.&nbsp;You can also view varying degrees of cancellation policy, from flexible to strict. This has been great for me to know in the past when I have been unsure about whether I could make an event and have required the flexibility to cancel 24 hours in advance.&nbsp;An obvious stumbling block to using Headout to find and book tours and activities is that they only offer experiences in 15 cities, with New York, Las Vegas, Dubai and Singapore the only options outside of Europe. As the website is relatively new, there are most likely new cities in the process of being released, however for now it is limited to just a handful.

Explore and book the top attractions, sightseeing tours, events and things to do.

Headout

Bing Translator is a simple translation tool powered by Microsoft, which offers translation of more than 65 languages, including Arabic, Catalan, Chinese and Estonian. The free version of the service allows up to 5000 characters, which is more than enough to find out basic sentences to get started in another language.&nbsp;One of the best features of Bing Translator that I discovered was the ability to not only play back translations to find out how to pronounce words and phrases but also the option to select which dialect of the language you hear it in. For example, when listening to a Spanish translation, you can choose between Spanish from Spain or from Mexico, while with Portuguese there is the choice between Portugal and Brazil. This provides greater insight into speaking a language as it considers the varying accents that you may encounter. English had as many as five different choices, including British, American, Canadian, Australian and Indian.&nbsp;Another good feature is the ‘Conversation’ tool, which allows users to log-in and start having conversations with people from all around the world. You simply have to type your message in your own language and Bing Translator will do the rest by converting it into the target language. This means that you could be having a conversation about life in Beijing with a Chinese man who doesn’t speak a word of English.&nbsp;That being said, the accuracy in translations for Bing is not always the best. Unlike Google Translate, Bing does not offer information of translations that have been approved by a community of language experts, meaning it is difficult to know how reliable a translation really is.

Bing Translator

Travelex is a comprehensive currency converter whose instant calculator makes for a very quick conversion across nearly 50 currencies. The website also displays results against other popular currencies, including Australian Dollars, Canadian Dollars and Euros, meaning you can easily see what the current exchange rates are.&nbsp;The difficulty is in changing both currencies, as the website will only display exchange rates against one currency depending on where you’re looking from. For example, if you are looking from the US, you can only compare currencies in relation to US dollars, which limits it to an extent.&nbsp;The ‘Historical rates’ tab allows you to view the exchange rate between two currencies in the last month, last three months, last six months and last year with an easy to read graph so you can see if it’s a good time to buy. There is also an option to buy the currency via the website with the simple click of the ‘Order Now’ button.&nbsp;However, my favourite feature is the section under the currency converter that calculates how much money you will need to convert based on your travel itinerary. It takes the average costs of the all-important travel essentials and combines them with the live exchange rates to help you work out a budget for your travels. I found this to be extremely useful when it came to exchanging money as it gave a good indication of how expensive things would be before setting off.&nbsp;You can also sign up for free email updates on exchange rates that you are interested in. If you’re planning on going abroad but want to make sure you get the best rate, Travelex will send you an email when it’s a good time to buy so you get the best value for money. This is a great feature and can mean big savings on your currency conversion costs.

Get real-time currency exchange rates with currency converter.

Travelex

Chef’s Table is a documentary series on Netflix that goes inside the lives of some of the world’s most renowned chefs and their kitchens. First aired in 2015, each 50-minute episode focuses on a single chef, providing a unique look at their lives, talents and passions, as well as what drives them to succeed, their philosophy or simply how they got into cooking.&nbsp;What makes Chef’s Table fascinating is the different stories, cultures and experiences around the globe told through the medium of food. Although the series is not a travel documentary as such, the range of locations and nationalities incorporated, which includes the US, Italy, Argentina, Australia, Sweden and Thailand, means that it functions much like one, giving a guide to local cuisine and culture through the eyes of a top chef and their kitchen. For me, this is a more interesting and engaging way of discovering a place than simply travelling around visiting the touristic landmarks, providing more depth and knowledge to the country and what it has to offer. You can, without doubt, learn a lot about a place through its food.&nbsp;Additionally, I found the personal aspect of each episode to be an intriguing concept that departs from both the traditional travel and food documentary. Rather than simply talking about culinary topics, the chefs often go off on a tangent to speak about deeply personal experiences, as well as their thoughts and feelings of certain themes. In one episode, for example, an American chef talks about the death of his mother when he was only four years old. This kind of intimacy makes for a very stimulating series. That being said, the chefs can at times come across as over-dramatic and the producers certainly play up to it, making it feel slightly contrived.

Chef's Table

Lonely Planet Spain is an 864-page guidebook, containing everything you need to know about the European country, from hiking in the Pyrenees to the villages of Aragon. It covers all 18 provinces in an easy to read guide and has a detailed contents page that allows you to quickly find what you’re looking for.&nbsp;Its maps are in full colour, with a colour-coded key to indicate elevation of the terrain. It also contains an abundance of high quality images, presenting a true sense of what to expect from the country.&nbsp;One of my favourite inclusions in the book is the ‘Month by Month’ section. Often when reading articles of people’s experiences in a country, you only hear of what it was like during the particular time of year that they were there, whereas the Lonely Planet Spain guide gives detailed information on what it is like to be in the country in each month. This is important to know, especially in a place that has such a wide variety of different climates.&nbsp;I also found the language section very useful, which provided a glossary of helpful words and phrases to use when you get to Spain. Although not enough to have a full conversation with someone, for a short trip it is the perfect amount to get by and saves spending money on a phrasebook.&nbsp;One problem I did encounter when reading the Lonely Planet Spain guidebook was the small font size, making it difficult to read when the lighting is not very bright. Not only this, but its sheer size makes it difficult to transport from one place to another, which means that if you are after a quick reference, it may be easier to use your phone.

Lonely Planet Spain

FlyerTalk is the go-to place for the latest travel news, with a particular focus on air travel, but that also covers hotel information and advice for getting the best deals.&nbsp;My favourite part of the website is the forum featuring discussions and chat boards where FlyerTalk’s community of people can post on a range of topics, from airlines and mileage programs to hotels and dining. Each forum topic has thousands of threads and some have more than a million posts from people around the world. This provides a great resource for getting first-hand information on travel, posing questions and helping others out with their queries.&nbsp;Another section of the website I find extremely useful are their hotel guides that are often formatted in the style of a list, such as the ’10 Best Luxury Hotels in Berlin’, and give a detailed breakdown of the best places to stay in a whole host of different cities around the world. Each post comes with a range of different high quality photos and even allows you to input your travel itinerary to check rates for when you are planning your trip. If that’s not enough, then there is also a ‘Hotel Reviews’ section, which provides expert reviews across a selection of hotels, a more reliable source, perhaps, than TripAdvisor that is based on user reviews.&nbsp;One downside to using FlyerTalk to get all your travel news, beyond the fact that it is mainly focused on airline and airport updates, is that the homepage is rather jumbled. Although they have tabs at the top with links to different sections of the website, the range of material is strewn across the home screen in a messy order, making it difficult to navigate and find what you’re looking for.

FlyerTalk

<h3>Review: Kayak</h3><h3>What is Kayak? How can you use Kayak&nbsp; ?</h3>Kayak is a travel metasearch engine with a platform you can use to search the world wide web for hotels, <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/">flights</a>, and rental cars. This enables users to get all the information in one place, rather than having to visit each different airline, hotel, or rental car provider. The travel search engine scans hundreds of other sites and agencies and brings all the information together for you to easily browse. You can compare the perks and prices before making a decision on what would be right for you.Kayak may seem similar to that of <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-com/">Booking.com</a>, <a href="https://travelsites.com/priceline-2/">Priceline</a>, or <a href="https://travelsites.com/agoda-com/">Agoda</a>, and that’s probably because they all have the same parent company – Booking Holdings. Originally named Travel Search Company, Inc., Kayak was founded in 2004 by Steve Hafner and Paul M. English; after several years of growth, it was then acquired by Booking Holdings in 2013.The company has proven to be a useful tool in the travel industry and has won several awards throughout the years, including People’s Voice Award in the Travel category and Webby Award in the Travel category for Tablets.<h3>What will you find on the Kayak website? How easy is it to use the Kayak website?</h3>When you visit <a href="https://travelsites.io/kayak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.kayak.com</a>, you’ll find a clean-cut, easy-to-use website. The left side has a list of links that lets you navigate everything Kayak offers. After the sign-in link, you’ll find access to Flights, Stays, Cars, Things To Do, Packages, and Trains and Buses. There are also links to Explore, Flight Tracker, Travel Restrictions, and Trips. There are also links on the upper right hand side of the home page to Business, Trips, and Sign In. We’ll delve into what each of these do further down.The Home Page has a search engine at the very top that is similar to what you might find on other travel search engines. You’ll have to input details such as whether you’re looking for round-trip or one way, how many adults, which flight class (economy, etc.), how many bags, your departure and arrival locations, and departure and arrival dates. You are then taken to a list of results which include multiple ways of getting to and from your destination including flights, greyhound buses, etc. Once you find one that matches your criteria as well as your budget, they’ll connect you to the site you chose and purchasing is as easy as one, two, three.The system works similarly for hotels, car rentals, etc. Once you put in your destination and date details, Kayak will scour the internet and see what is available and list them for you to compare in one easy-to-use list. It’s important to note that Kayak themselves don’t offer any booking services, but rather that they find you the deals and connect you with them – kind of like a free, online middleman. That’s right – there are no hidden fees when using Kayak.<h3>How can I book a hotel room using Kayak?</h3><a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">Hotel bookings</a> are one of the main features that users sought out on the Kayak website. You can customize your results based on location, dates, number of guests, etc. You can also use filters to narrow down your list further; found on the left-hand side of the results page, hotel listings can be filtered by hotel class, review score, price, health, and safety (added post-COVID feature that highlights stays with enhanced health and safety measures), hotel chain, neighborhood, amenities, style, booking provider, and more. You can also filter your search results by freebies offered, which is something I haven’t seen much in other online hotel booking sites. This filter will show you hotels that offer free breakfast, parking, internet, cancellations, airport shuttle, etc. with your booking.The hotels that come up, as well as the price per night, are similar to what you would find in any of the other major booking sites, which isn’t surprising since popular ones such as Booking.com and Priceline all have the same parent company.And finally, once you do find a hotel booking that meets your needs, Kayak will take you directly to the booking provider’s website where you can confirm the transaction.<h3>What’s a feature that stands out on Kayak?</h3>There’s a link on the left hand side navigation menu on Kayak called Explore, and this feature really stood out to a traveler like me because it could be very useful. If you like to go on <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/">last-minute vacations</a> or even a planned one, but don’t really have a destination in mind, Kayak’s Explore page will show you destinations that are currently popular.You just insert the airport you want to depart from, without a particular destination or dates in mind, and Kayak will show you all of the options which you can filter by price, distance, things to do, etc. There’s an easy-to-view map where you can see how much travel would cost to destinations across the US – this is great if the price is your most important factor and you’re willing to go anywhere for the right cost.If you scroll further down on the page, you’ll find listings of some of the most popular destinations to visit from your departing airport. All in all, the Explore page is one of my favorite aspects of the Kayak website and is perfect for those who like to do last-minute weekend getaways at minimal costs.Another feature I found on the Kayak website that deserves a quick mention is a section on the homepage called ‘Favorite Hotels Around the Globe’. This is a wonderful feature that highlights some of the most unique and amazing hotels that other travelers have rated highly. If money and distance are no objection, definitely check this section out to have a different experience.<h3>What will you find on the Kayak blog?</h3>Since I knew that Kayak had a blog, I went searching for it on their website. Surprisingly, I didn’t see any links on the navigation bar or highlighted sections on the homepage dedicated to it. Instead, I had to scroll to the very bottom of the home page and click on the blog link at the bottom to access it. This takes you to their Travel Hacker Blog, which is filled with articles on communities around the world, traveling during a pandemic, how to use Kayak for business, travel tips, and much more.There are some really great topics covered such as traveling with children as a single parent, finding places to fly based on a budget, solo trips for women, and even an insider look at how budget airlines can afford to offer the prices they do.<h3>Is it expensive to use Kayak?</h3>As we mentioned earlier as well, Kayak is absolutely free for people to use. There are no actual transactions that occur on the Kayak website – instead, the platform connects you directly to service providers, whether it’s an online hotel booking website or a car rental company, etc.So, how does Kayak make money? Their main sources are the distribution revenue they receive from travel suppliers and agencies when users are referred to their sites through Kayak’s search engine as well as advertising and distribution sources.<h3>Does Kayak have a loyalty program?</h3>Kayak does have a loyalty program called Kayak Explorer. Absolutely free to join, the program enables users to collect points when they book a trip. Do keep in mind that there are conditions (at the moment) that limit users to collecting points only when staying at select hotels that were booked through their app. It is unsure at the moment whether Kayak will allow users to collect points for other aspects such as car rentals, etc.You can then redeem your collected points for a number of perks and rewards such as travel and dining discounts as well as electronic gift cards.<h3>Does Kayak have a mobile app?</h3>Kayak does have a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. The app is free to download in both the App Store and Google Play. There are a lot of benefits to using the award-winning app compared to the website such as getting better deals with their mobile rates and getting instant notifications on price drops for trips you’re planning.<h3>How do you contact someone at Kayak?</h3>There are no obvious ways to contact Kayak when you go to their website. There are no phone numbers listed or online chat options that are highlighted on the main page. Instead, I scrolled to the very bottom of the homepage and clicked on their Help/ FAQ section. You’ll find answers to most of the user queries here – with step-by-step instructions on how to solve most problems. If none of those meet your needs, scrolling to the bottom of the Help/ FAQ page does have an online chat option that will put you through to one of their representatives. You can also <a href="https://www.kayak.com/feedback/form?i=price" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Report a Problem</a> through their online feedback form though it does not mention how long it would take for someone to get back to you.–Kayak is very similar to other online booking agencies that you may already be familiar with. It’s proven to be extremely easy to use and can be helpful to different types of travelers. There are some features that stand out, and it is a great resource overall.&nbsp;

Kayak is searching for flights all around the flight booking sites

Kayak

Rome2rio is an online multimodal transport search engine that searches thousands of cities, towns, landmarks, attractions and addresses across the globe to suggest routes that help travellers discover the best way to travel from one place to another.&nbsp;They work with more than 4,000 train, bus, ferry and airline operators to offer a selection of prices and means of getting from A to B to help users save time and money when on the move. They also offer a free mobile application, making it even easier to access the most convenient travel information.&nbsp;Searching using the website is simple, requiring users to just enter a starting location and destination to bring up a list of suggestions of how to get there. There is a map showing the quickest route depending on the mode of transport you are looking at that can be zoomed in and out with ease, while an estimated price range is displayed by each suggestion.&nbsp;I find this to be exceedingly useful in helping make a decision of how to get to a particular place as the mode of transport that you may have thought to be the best may actually turn out to be the more expensive option. An average travel time is also given.&nbsp;A fantastic recent addition to the website is the inclusion of travel guides that feature a whole host of different articles, from the best ways to travel around Australia to tips for surviving an overnight stay in an airport terminal. As a company that has been on the market since 2010, they have a wealth of experience when it comes to travel, making their guides consistently reliable and informative.&nbsp;A downside to using Rome2rio are the pop-up windows that are automatically opened when searching for a destination. As affiliates of Booking.com, a new tab with a list of hotel suggestions appears whenever you go to search for routes.

Get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes

Rome2rio

Via is a ride-sharing service that functions much in the same way as other taxi-hailing mobile apps, such as Uber or Lyft, but that operates more like a public bus. A rider is able to download the app, select pick-up and drop-off location and view availability.&nbsp;However, Via only provides Mercedes-Benz vans that pick up several passengers along the way and make multiple stops, more similar to a bus service. This is intended to offer people an alternative to using public transport and access areas that normal buses may not travel to, without having to call a taxi for one person. Not only does this cut costs, it also helps to minimise emissions as multiple people are sharing the same journey rather than travelling individually.&nbsp;One of the aspects that I liked about Via was the ability to book a van via telephone as well as using the app. This means that people without access to smart phones can also benefit from the service, without having to go through the process of downloading an app, entering personal details, etcetera.&nbsp;For me, another good feature is the ‘Refer A Friend’ option, which allows users to share their personal promotion code directly through the “Free Rides” section of the app. Then, when your friend signs up using the code, you will receive $10 USD of credit to use on your next journey. As there is no limit to this promo, you could end up travelling for free over multiple journeys, should you recommend enough journeys to friends.&nbsp;One thing that I found slightly frustrating was the fact that the van does not come straight to your door, instead making you walk a block or two to find your ride. This means that if it is raining, for example, you will have to face the weather as, unlike other taxi services, they will only go to the nearest corner.

<h3>What are Momondo Flights? How can you use Momondo Flights?</h3>Momondo is a global travel search site that scours the world wide web for the best prices on travel-related services such as accommodation, <a href="https://travelsites.com/car-rental/">car rentals</a>, holiday packages, and our focus in this review flights.&nbsp;Within minutes, the website finds and compares prices offered by different platforms. And if you’re worried about using an unfamiliar website for your transactions, rest assured that Momondo only finds and compares the different platforms and price ranges available. After you choose one that’s right for you, you click on the Momondo search result to be taken directly to the platform of your choice and complete your booking there.&nbsp;It’s a wonderful option for travelers to use no matter if they travel frequently or even if it’s once in a while – because who doesn’t want to save a few dollars that can be used elsewhere?&nbsp;The company, which is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, was founded in 2006. They are managed by <a href="https://travelsites.com/kayak/">KAYAK</a> and are a part of Booking Holidays Inc. They have offices in Berlin, Massachusetts, Lithuania, Miami, London, Brazil, Zurich, Connecticut, Taipei, Sydney, and more. Their platform reaches people all over the world and has proven to be a useful source for over fifteen years.&nbsp;This website review will focus solely on the flight’s aspect of the Momondo website. We’ll get a better understanding of how the platform works, how effective it is, how it compares to other flight booking sites, whether it’s a trustworthy and reliable platform, and more.&nbsp;<h3>What will you find on the Momondo Flights website? How easy is it to use the Momondo Flights website?</h3>When you go to www.momondo.com, the landing page immediately takes you to their website’s ‘Flights’ section. That is one of their main services and you’ll find the platform extremely easy to use.&nbsp;While we’ll delve into how exactly to book a flight using Momondo in the next section, we do want to cover some of the basics. At the top of the page, you’ll find a pretty straightforward navigation bar. Below that, there are links to the current popular destinations visitors from the US are going to. Then, there is a section on their ‘travel inspiration’ which is basically their travel blog and has articles on great destinations for families or how to book cheap flights. As you scroll further down, you’ll see links to most searched cities and countries (on Momondo), flight deals by destination, and specific articles on how to find cheap flight deals using Momondo.&nbsp;The entire flights section seems quite easy to use at first glance and there are direct links that any type of traveler would find useful, whether you pick a flight based on popularity or current deals.&nbsp;<h3>How can I book a flight using Momondo?</h3>So, let’s be clear, you can’t actually book a flight on Momondo. You can use Momondo to <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/">find cheap flights</a> that other platforms are currently offering, and you can also use it to compare prices between the multiple airlines and platforms available.&nbsp;Here’s how to find the perfect flight for you using Momondo:&nbsp;If you know your destination already, then the navigation bar at the top of the flights page is the perfect place to start. You’ll have to input information such as to and from destinations as well as your travel dates. You can also pick whether you need a one-way flight, round trip, what class of flight you prefer (economy is there by default), and whether you have any check-in luggage you’ll be taking with you.&nbsp;To use as an example, I searched for flights from IAD (<a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/washington-d-c-how-to-spend-a-day-in-the-nations-capital/">Washington, D.C. USA</a>) to DAC (Dhaka, Bangladesh). I searched for a round-trip ticket for one passenger on economy with no check-in luggage. I used the dates December 20th, 2022, to January 10th, 2023 for my example. Note that when picking dates, a drop-down calendar appears; there you can choose whether you want flights on that exact date or if your travel dates are flexible for cheaper options.&nbsp;You are then taken to your list of results. The first thing that stood out to me was the date/ price chart at the very top. At a glance, you can see if flying on another date is cheaper. You just hover over the date to see the varying prices for your outbound and return flight. This is wonderful if your dates are flexible, and the price point is important to you.&nbsp;Below that, you’ll see the list of results as well as filters on how they’re presented to you. The default list shows the results by what they consider ‘best.’ This considers the airline, the total travel time, how many stopovers there are, etc. You can also view the list based on the cheapest option first or the option with the least CO2 emissions – this is an amazing feature if you’re trying to be more eco-friendly and reduce your carbon footprint during your travels.&nbsp;Finally, there’s the list of results for your particular itinerary. You’ll see the airline(s), departure and arrival time for your outbound and return flight, how many stops each way and where, and your total travel time from your departure airport to your destination and the return. They also display the price and the class of ticket, and if you hover over it, you’ll see what benefits are added.&nbsp;For example, for the IAD to DAC flight I searched for, my best option is an <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/the-worlds-top-10-airlines/">Emirates flight</a> that costs $2,617 for an Eco Flex seat. When I hovered over the price, it showed me that included in that price was a carry-on hand baggage, one checked baggage, pre-reserved seat assignment, how many miles I could earn, and that meal and beverages were included. Refundable tickets are also listed but not highlighted, telling me that while Emirates has refundable tickets, these particular tickets did not qualify.&nbsp;To the left of the search results, there are additional filters you could apply to narrow down your list according to your needs. For example, you can ask to show results based on number of stops, see tickets with no date change fees, or narrow down flights based on the take-off or landing time. That last one is great if you hate waking up early to go to the airport and would prefer an afternoon or evening flight instead. You can also filter by airline, alliances, airports, flight duration, price, cabin, layover airport, flight quality, aircraft, or booking site.&nbsp;Once you pick a flight ticket that’s perfect for you, there’s a ‘View Deal’ button, that when clicked takes you directly to the website where the ticket is being offered; this is most often directly the airline. You don’t have to do anything initially as it has all of the details that you put in such as destination, dates, etc. automatically filled. You can then fill in your passenger details, make your payment, and get an emailed flight confirmation from the platform or airline you choose directly. Other than gathering the information and displaying it to you in an easy to compare list, Momondo does not collect any payment information or issue any flight tickets on their website.&nbsp;Momondo proved to be extremely easy to navigate and the results were straightforward, easy to read, and I loved that when it redirects you to the airline website or booking site, you don’t have to put your information again.&nbsp;<h3>Is it safe to book flights using Momondo?</h3>You will not be booking any flights on or with Momondo. You can only use Momondo as a tool to find flights and deals offered at the moment by airlines and other booking sites. Momondo is just a platform for you to easily find these deals, compare prices, and pick a flight that is right for you. And in that way, Momondo is extremely safe to use and does not require any of your personal information.&nbsp;<h3>What will you find on the Momondo Flights blog?</h3>The Momondo Flights blog, or their Travel Inspiration section, is filled with industry insights, travel tips, and expert hacks. It’s important to note that this section does not focus solely on flights but also on other travel features like hotels, attractions, road trips, and more.&nbsp;They have some interesting flight-related articles on their blog. For example, you may have noticed that one of the ways you can filter your flight results is by CO2 emissions, which again, is fabulous if you’ve been more eco-conscious lately and want to reduce your carbon footprint without impeding on your travel plans. One of the articles on their blog, How the Least CO₂ Sorter Works, delves into how CO2 emissions are calculated, how they impact the climate, and how they use this tool to find flights for you. You’ll also find articles on their blog like ‘<a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/the-top-secrets-of-cheap-flying-on-your-next-vacation/">Tips and tricks for finding more sustainable flights</a>’ and ‘<a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/tips-for-traveling-with-kids-of-all-ages/">25 essential tips for traveling with kids</a>’.&nbsp;It’s a great resource and is fun to check out even if you don’t have any pending travel plans.&nbsp;<h3>Is Momondo Flights expensive?</h3>All of Momondo’s services are absolutely free to use and there are no additional booking fees or service fees added on by them. Additionally, they never use cookies to track a person’s searches and interests to hike prices.&nbsp;If you’re wondering how Momondo makes money, it’s from a referral fee they receive when users successfully book a flight on the website that you’re redirected to. These referral fees are paid by their partners and are never charged as a commission or fee from the user.&nbsp;<h3>Does Momondo Flights have a mobile app?</h3>If you scroll to the very bottom of the Momondo website you’ll find a list of links, particularly one titled ‘Mobile’. You are then taken to their mobile app page where you can download the Momondo app for iPhone and Android users. The page states that there are additional mobile-only deals and lets you search for hundreds of flights from the palm of your hand.&nbsp;Some of the benefits of downloading and using the mobile app include searching while on the go, access to exclusive mobile-only deals, immediate alerts on price drops, and the ability to get automatic booking alerts, see your travel plans, and more.&nbsp;<h3>How do you contact someone at Momondo Hotels?</h3>You can contact someone at Momondo by scrolling to the very bottom of the home page and clicking on Help/ FAQ under Contact Us. There you’ll find answers to their most frequently asked questions and can most likely find the help you need there. If none of those help, it will give you the link to an online feedback form where you can contact them. There is no email address or phone number listed on the website nor did any come up on a Google search.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Overall, Momondo’s flights section proves to be extremely easy to maneuver. They’ve got some great features such as showing you cheaper flights on alternative days or only finding flights with a certain departure/ arrival time. The website is very straightforward, there are no hidden fees, and you can confidently book your next flight directly on the airline website or flight booking website that they’ve redirected you to.

Great For Comparing and Booking Cheap Flights

momondo

Mark Wiens is travel-orientated YouTube channel, run by a man of the same name who records and uploads videos of himself and his wife travelling the world while trying out the local cuisine. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Wiens is based in Bangkok in Thailand where he met his wife during a six-month backpacking adventure. Since starting the channel in 2009, he has gained a following of over three million subscribers and amassed more than 570 million views across all his videos.&nbsp;Wiens’ YouTube channel features food and travel guides across a range of different countries, however what sets it apart for me is the selection of less traditional locations that he visits. On top of the typical backpacking spots, such as Thailand and Indonesia, the channel also features videos from Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Rwanda, Ghana and Ethiopia. These provide detailed insights into destinations that you may not usually have considered visiting, told through the context of food. This makes for a slightly more unique way of travelling, while at the same time providing a food guide for viewers.&nbsp;Another good aspect of Wiens’ videos are that after each meal he gives an indication of the total price so that viewers can get an idea of how much it might cost to travel and eat well in different countries. Having an understanding of the average price of a meal can often give a wider sense of the cost of other things, such as accommodation and transport.&nbsp;One downside is that although Wiens’ is obviously very well travelled, having lived in France, the DR Congo and Kenya as a child, his knowledge of languages and Southeast Asian countries is not always that well-informed.

Mark Wiens

Memrise is a freemium study app that features a range of content to aid in learning a foreign language. The app is free to download and provides plenty of challenging content to get you started in a new language, teaching vocabulary, characters and basic phrases in a fun environment.&nbsp;The Pro account costs $9 USD per month, $59 USD per year or $129 USD for a lifetime membership. With paid membership, naturally you get access to significantly more features, including chatbots to help them learn by conversing, videos of native speakers and statistics to keep you informed on how much progress you have made.&nbsp;However, what I like about the app beyond its easy to use interface and slick design, is that with the free version there is sufficient content to not feel as though you are constantly hitting a pay wall. This differs from other apps that are free to download but quickly become obvious that they are only really useful if you are willing to pay for membership benefits. With Memrise this was not the case.&nbsp;One of the drawbacks that I found when using Memrise to learn a language is that it is very much focused on learning vocabulary rather than for practicing speaking, extensive writing, listening or reading. Therefore, as a resource for memorising words, or simply as a study aid, it is great, however for gaining fluency in a language I would recommend another means of learning that is more comprehensive.&nbsp;Furthermore, because the app does not make you do a placement test to determine what level you are, it is difficult to remain engaged if you are beyond basic ability as you may have to start at a level that is either too simple or too hard.

Learn a new language with games, humorous chatbots.

Memrise

Lonely Planet Italy is a travel guidebook that provides copious information on everything from Italian art to legal matters. There is a great ‘Special Features’ section that deals with some of the country’s most defining aspects, including Cinque Terre, Venetian artistry and coffee culture.&nbsp;One of the best features of the book is the large selection of different maps, be it of a city, region or the entire country. Some of the city maps are so detailed, I was able to use it to navigate my way around. This is a great addition as it means you can save on buying a separate map by simply referring to the one from the book.&nbsp;Another aspect of the guidebook that I found to be incredibly useful was the information provided to suit every budget. They give information on luxury hotels and backpacker hostels, high quality restaurants and cheap take-away eats, where you should be more lenient with your cash and where you shouldn’t. This is different to some travel guides and blogs that may focus only on the luxurious side of travel, providing information solely on boutique hotels, expensive clothes shops and posh dining.&nbsp;For me, the information on where to find tourist offices in each city was spot on. I always make sure that these are the first places I go to when I arrive somewhere as you can pick up free maps, find out the best things to do and discover events that you may not have known were going on.&nbsp;One of the downsides to Lonely Planet Italy is the size of the book and the difficulty in carrying it around with you. At nearly 1000 pages in length, it cannot easily be put in a bag, meaning you will have take photos of pages or simply cut them out if you want to use the information when you are out there.

Lonely Planet Italy

Like mе, you’ve probably got plenty of mеdіа fіlеѕ on your computer, іn umрtееn dіffеrеnt fоrmаtѕ; MP3s, MP4s, AVIѕ, WMVѕ, FLVs, DATS, OGGs, SWFѕ, MOVs, RMs, VOBs MKVs, etc, еtс, аnd don’t you juѕt wіѕh thеrе was one player which wоuld play all оf them? Of соurѕе, Windows Media Player іѕ рrеttу good, аѕ аrе ѕоmе оthеrѕ, but thе сlоѕеѕt I’ve come to finding the panacea of mеdіа рlауеrѕ, hаѕ to bе GOM Player.&nbsp;Fіrѕt rеlеаѕеd іn 2003, the totally free GOM Player has been updated ԛuіtе a few tіmеѕ, thе current vеrѕіоn, v. 2.1.28, bеіng fully соmраtіblе wіth all versions of Windows аnd, аt just оvеr 7mb, downloads аnd installs іn just a fеw mіnutеѕ.&nbsp;On thе оutѕіdе, GOM Player looks рrеttу much like any other mеdіа рlауеr. Thе сlеаn, unсluttеrеd, default front end consists of the uѕuаl рlауbасk position bаr аnd playback соuntеr, vоlumе control, play/pause/stop/forward/backward, ореn file, control раnеl, аnd рlауlіѕt buttons аnd a button tо ассеѕѕ thе рrоgrаm’ѕ settings. Thеrе аrе оnlу 2 vіdео ѕkіnѕ which come wіth thе program, and 2 muѕіс skins (dіrесtоrу lists), but colors are changeable and there are more ѕkіnѕ available to dоwnlоаd аnd, уоu саn dеѕіgn уоu оwn іf уоu’rе аrtіѕtісаllу inclined.&nbsp;Much оf what GOM Player hаѕ tо оffеr, however, іѕn’t rеаdіlу арраrеnt, аnd thеrе are ѕоmе fеаturеѕ which rаіѕе GOM Player above much of thе соmреtіtіоn.&nbsp;One interesting feature іѕ the ability to рlау mеdіа files which have bесоmе partially соrruрt or, perhaps, are ѕtіll in the рrосеѕѕ of being downloaded. GOM Player ѕсаnѕ ahead through the fіlе lооkіng fоr рlауаblе раrtѕ аnd ѕіmрlу рlауѕ thеm. It dоеѕn’t fіx damaged files, but it dоеѕ give you an орроrtunity tо рlау thеm.&nbsp;In thе mаnу years I’ve been downloading ѕоftwаrе, I’ve nеvеr соmе асrоѕѕ аn іnѕtаllеr аѕ рuѕhу аѕ thіѕ one. Needless tо ѕау, I uninstalled GOM Player sharpish. I dоn’t want it runnіng оn mу PC іf I саn’t truѕt іtѕ рublіѕhеr. I’ll ѕtісk with the free and hіghlу versatile VLC, which plays аlmоѕt anything I throw at it аnd dоеѕn’t trу tо load mу hard drive with еxtеnѕіоnѕ, gаmеѕ, brоwѕеrѕ, аntіvіruѕ аnd оthеr junk.

GOM Player

Claiming to be the world’s most global car rental company thanks to their 10,000 locations across 145 countries and 6 continents, Hertz offers some of the best deals on car rental available on the market. Their website is simple to use, presenting you with the option of choosing exactly what vehicle type you’re after and giving you the chance to book either as a member or a guest. If you are part of their Gold Plus Rewards program and want to make sure you can book with them where you’re travelling, you also have the option of selecting ‘Help me find a Hertz rental location’ to check availability across multiple places.&nbsp;Once you have filled in your preferences, the website will take you through to a new window where you can view all the available cars where you’re travelling. I was especially impressed by the ‘Included in the rates’ and ‘Not included in the rates’ checklists, as they gave a clear indication as to what exactly you would be getting with the booking. You also have the option to pre-pay online or pay at the location, with the latter being slightly more expensive.&nbsp;Like Enterprise, after you have chosen your vehicle you can select extras to add-on to your booking, such as child seats and a satellite navigation system, although its worth checking their offers section to see if you can get any add-ons included for free. However, compared to other similar websites, their selection of offers were not as wide-ranging.&nbsp;Another feature that caught my attention when using Hertz was their car sales category. This offers a wide range of used cars for sale with a five-day test drive included to help make sure you are buying the right car for you. Although this moves away from simple car hire, it seems like a good service to advertise if you are moving to a new place and want to find a deal on a car.

Hertz

As a regular traveller to Asia, Africa, South America and Europe, I am always seeking the cheapest and best accommodation deals and looking at new metasearch engines to see which can fulfill my travel needs. Thus, I have reviewed HotelTonight.com.&nbsp;HotelTonight advertises itself as a last minute hotel search website, with good deals at the ultimate hour. Firstly, I wanted to see what kind of destinations the website would serve: Istanbul had a handful of hotels: Ho Chi Minh City &amp; Rio de Janeiro had nothing available. Thus, it would appear that this website suits people looking for last minute deals in top European or North American destinations. Wanting to review the website fairly, I thus changed my initial search to Chicago.&nbsp;In Chicago, the website had 2 hotels in the $60 range, which increased to $70 when taxes were included. I also repeated the search for London, where a cheap room including taxes was $77 per night. Both of these prices are competitive considering how expensive the 2 cities actually are.The search feature is unlike other metasearch engines: hoteltonight has relatively few search options and filters, however, it does allow you to search by price “low to high”, and I don´t actually feel a large number of filters is necessary as HotelTonight does not return thousands of results for a city as per a metasearch engine such as Agoda or Booking.com. Rather, HotelTonight has relatively few hotels, with good promotions, for the last minute. The map feature was always present in searches which meant that a quick decision could be made on which hotels were suitable in terms of location. I tried seeing what the booking process would actually look like, and it was quick and efficient, with payments taken by Google Pay, Credit Card and PayPal. However, debit card wasn´t taken which surprised me.&nbsp;HotelTonight seems to serve travellers to very popular, western destinations. It offers discounts on mid range hotels, and has a few decent deals. However, it certainly isn’t for budget travellers or anyone who is travelling outside major North American or European cities. I believe it is thus a website worth checking for couples, business travellers or those who want decent, affordable mid range accommodation.

HotelTonight

Mr Ben Brown is a Youtube channel run by Ben Brown, a filmmaker and photographer from London, who uploads vlogs detailing his travels around the world. Content ranges from camping trips in Wales to fishing trips in Cape Town. He uses both a GoPro and a drone to grab footage, although the majority of the videos involve close up face shots of him describing what the experience was like. He currently has more than 700,000 subscribers and over 131 million views combined.&nbsp;Undoubtedly, one of the aspects of the Mr Ben Brown that sets it apart from other travel channels is the honest and intimate nature of the content. Brown always speaks directly to the viewers, sharing stories, emotions and thoughts about various trips and experiences, giving those watching the feeling that they are part of the whole adventure. This means that rather than simply finding out what a place is like as if watching a travel guide documentary, viewers also get a glimpse into Brown’s life and how each exploit influences him.&nbsp;A characteristic of the channel that I like in particular is the variety of different places Brown travels to, catering to all budgets and interests. While many travel vlogs are centred on luxury travel that is inaccessible to the average backpacker, Mr Ben Brown features a wide selection of different locations and activities. The channel goes from uploading material on polar bear spotting in the Artic to a recommendation of the best place to get a haircut in London. This wide ranging content makes for a more varied and all-encompassing channel.&nbsp;A downside to Mr Ben Brown is the inconsistency in when videos are uploaded. There can be a flurry of daily videos only to be followed by a gap of three months and then two weeks etcetera meaning subscribers never know when the next video is coming.

Film maker & photographer from London traveling around.

Mr Ben Brown

Boasting over 17,000 members, Staydu offers a unique and economical way of discovering new locations by staying with local hosts. By simply entering the place you’re planning on travelling to, the website takes you through to page featuring a range of different hosts offering the chance to experience a cultural exchange.&nbsp;Each host shows a photo, a short tagline and one, or more, coloured spots underneath. These are used to indicate the type of accommodation that the host is offering, whether its stay and help, stay and pay or stay for free. After clicking on a host’s profile you will be take through to a more detailed page, showing a short bio, expectations from your stay, languages and user verified reviews. The user reviews are an important feature as these can be extremely useful in helping decide who to stay with based on past guests’ experiences.&nbsp;One of the main problems I had when using Staydu was the time it took to load results. Even for just entering the city you are looking for, the website could take up to a minute to load and often came back as having no results for your search. There also seemed to be a problem with loading the map to show exactly where hosts were located, making it difficult to plan where to go.&nbsp;I also thought that their ‘Travel Magazine’ section was very thin on content, with just two posts between March 2016 and October 2018. This seemed a shame, as travel websites often feature a number of blog posts to help inform users of where to travel and advice on when you get there. Having more articles would certainly make the website more complete.&nbsp;All in all, a good concept, but desperately in need of some servicing if it is to work efficiently.

staydu

It’s always great to have access to useful travel tips and inspiring ideas for trips, and this is where Cheapflights comes in handy. Their travel blog is an ideal resource for those needing some inspiration or perhaps frequent flyers looking to make their journey just that little bit more comfortable.&nbsp;In terms of booking flights, the website is very similar to its competitors. On its homepage you can easily enter the details of your travel itinerary or, if you’re not sure where the nearest airport is to your destination, tick nearby airports.&nbsp;However, rather than just taking you through to a page displaying various results, a new window opened that took me through to the metasearch engine, Kayak, with results for hotels in the location I was flying to. Not only did this feel intrusive, it was unnecessary as I was using the site to book flights and not accommodation. You also have to untick the box ‘Compare sites vs. Cheapflights’ if you do not want another tab to open that will take you through to justfly.com.&nbsp;After clicking ‘View deal’ on a flight I was interested in, yet another new tab opened, this time taking me through to eDreams.com, as you cannot book directly through the website. That being said, there were lots of filters to choose from on Cheapflights.com, as well as the ability to be notified by email if prices on the flights you are looking at change. Unfortunately, the site does not display additional bag fees on bookings, meaning the price displayed is only a rough estimate. Their holiday deals are handpicked to offer good deals on package trips, however once again by clicking on the deal you will just be taken through to another booking site. Overall, a good website for travel information and tips, but in terms of comparing or booking flights, its poor.

Cheapflights

Although, like numerous other online travel agencies, you can book flights on SeatGuru, rather than being the principal focus this function comes second on their website. Instead, they give detailed advice on in-flight information, from which seats to avoid to the quality of the food service. Travellers can post photos from inside the plane and leave comments, while the website offers its own short overview of each aircraft.&nbsp;This website will undoubtedly be amongst every frequent flyer’s most visited pages, particularly those who embark on long journeys and want to have the most comfort possible. Using their comparison charts to compare airlines is extremely useful in finding out everything, from seat width and leg room to power sockets, entertainment and on-board Wi-Fi. This is especially useful for those who may want to crack on with some work whilst flying and need to know beforehand whether they’ll have somewhere they put their laptop on charge. Their colour-coded ‘Seat Map’ bases its rating on user reviews, with green being a ‘Good Seat’, yellow ‘Be Aware’ and red a ‘Bad Seat’.&nbsp;In terms of finding flights to book, SeatGuru is not the best. As it is owned by TripAdvisor, the website pushes the user to book using Expedia, while its comparison only includes affiliated partners. You cannot book directly using the site and their display results seem to be more expensive than other companies, such as Kayak.&nbsp;However, what I really liked about SeatGuru other than its information on aircrafts was its ‘Guru Tips’ section. Here, you can find numerous articles on what to expect from certain airports and airlines, as well as advice on airplane etiquette, saving money at the airport and surviving a long layover. In this sense, SeatGuru is great for providing information on all things air travel, yet not the place to book flighst.

SeatGuru

Hostelbookers is a website offering <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">cheap deals at youth hostels and hotels</a> in over 3,500 destinations worldwide, from Amsterdam to Las Vegas. Their accommodation is perfect for those budget-conscious travellers looking to explore the world without breaking the bank.&nbsp;Their website also features a travel blog, travel inspiration lists and destination guides for tips on how to make the most of your trip. I found their inspiration blog especially interesting, with articles such as ‘The Best of Budapest in 24 Hours’ a great guide on how to get the best from the city in just one day. All the posts are well researched and feature a range of photos from the trip.&nbsp;The website is easy enough to navigate, simply having to enter your travel itinerary to access a list of results with filters down the left hand column to fine tune results. Filters range from Facilities to Room Type, and have both a price per night bar and property rating bar that can be adjusted to bring up even more specific options.&nbsp;Each property profile has a series of high quality photos of the accommodation and various room types, as well as a list of amenities and important information to know about the hostel, such as check in time, cancellation policy and breakfast options.&nbsp;One thing that can is slightly distracting and irrelevant is the pop-ups that appear on the right of the screen while you are browsing a particular property, alerting you as to how many people are currently looking at the same hostel and when the most recent booking was.&nbsp;Once you have chosen a hostel and a room, you will be taken to a page where you must enter your details and pay a percentage of the booking total. Everything can be done directly through the website, making securing a reservation an easy process. Unfortunately, unlike Hostelworld, there is no booking guarantee that offers money back should a problem occur.

Youth hostels and Hostels for a Great Deals

hostelbookers

WeSwap is a peer-to-peer currency exchange platform that matches travellers heading in opposite directions and swaps their travel money directly. Launched in July 2013, the service is available as a smartphone app on Android and iOS and currently supports 18 different currencies worldwide.&nbsp;One of the best inclusions with the WeSwap service is the global travel card and app available. The card can be loaded via the app within a matter of minutes and doesn’t have any hidden fees that may come back to haunt you after your trip. They also don’t charge any ATM fees on withdrawals of more than £200, meaning you can avoid the steep commission that most banks charge when taking out money abroad.&nbsp;If you lose the card, you can even lock it via the app until you find it and then easily unlock it again. This saves calling banks and cancelling cards which they appear at the bottom of your suitcase.&nbsp;Another good feature is the ability to send unused currency to WeSwap who will then put it directly onto your card. I found this to be a great addition to their service as I often find myself with leftover money from a trip in a currency I won’t ever use again. With WeSwap you can put all your leftover money to good use by charging up your card that can then be used across any of their 18 currencies available.&nbsp;One issue with WeSwap is that you are limited to loading £12,000 onto the card each year. That means that if you are working in a foreign country and receiving more than £12,000 a year, you won’t be able to use the WeSwap card to withdraw money or pay for things after a certain amount.

WeSwap

Lonely Planet Scotland is a guidebook covering all the best destinations to visit, from Edinburgh to Glasgow to Orkney and Shetland. Their highlights and itineraries put all the top things to do in easy-to-read lists, while their cultural insights equip you for when you arrive.&nbsp;I thought that the inclusion of a section on disabled travellers was particularly thoughtful as many guidebook do not cater for those that have trouble getting around by assuming that everybody is equally able. The chapter provides specific information on how to best get about and the potential problems that one may encounter if carrying a disability whilst travelling in Scotland.&nbsp;Another aspect of the book that I thought was very useful was the fact that it appeals to everyone, regardless of interests. For example, if you are more keen on discovering what Scotland has to offer in terms of shopping, then there is an entire section dedicated to it, whereas if you prefer to discover the traditional festivals that are on then there is also a section dedicated exclusively to that. All are presented in an easy to navigate contents page, allowing you to quickly find what you’re after.&nbsp;I also enjoy looking at the ‘Special Features’ section of the book, which includes Scotland’s museums, castles, islands, lochs and mountains. In each Lonely Planet guidebook, there are always different special features that highlight what sets that particular country apart from others, its level of detail giving the reader a good grasp of what to expect.&nbsp;One criticism of the book would be the inaccuracies when it comes to recommending some of the lesser known, smaller towns. For example, some places that the guide states as having nowhere to eat or drink do in fact have lots of cafes and restaurants. This could be down to a lack of research or simply being out-dated in certain areas.

Lonely Planet Scotland

Jet.com is an online marketplace featuring a curated assortment of new and leading brands in order to offer customers a tailored shopping experience. With everything from pet supplies to electronic goods, Jet.com has become one of the top sites for getting all your shopping done with brands you can trust.&nbsp;Browsing products on Jet.com is an easy experience, offering an aesthetic and modern website that doesn’t feel too overcrowded. Users can easily find what they’re looking for by searching by department, including Pantry &amp; Household, Electronics, Home, Fashion and Deals, or by simply typing keywords into the search bar.&nbsp;Once you have searched for keywords, a whole host of different results will appear that can be sorted by relevance, top rated or price. However, one of my favourite features is the option to add a filter called ‘Deals’, which allows you to view all the products that currently have money off. The items are displayed with their original price, the discounted price and the percentage saving. In the past, this has been a great tool for finding bargains, with new deals added everyday.&nbsp;Another good feature is the option to add a product to your favourites. This means that if you like the look of something but don’t want to buy it straight away, you can save it in favourites so that it can be quickly accessed later on.&nbsp;For me, an obvious drawback to Jet.com is the lack of user reviews available on each product. While some have thousands, many don’t have any at all, making it difficult to gauge what a product is like. Therefore, if you are unsure about a product description and would like more information, it may be better to use a website like Amazon that has many more user reviews.

Great Travel Brands Accessories at one Place

Jet.com

Hostelz.com is database of hostels, featuring over 50,000 listings in more than 7,500 cities that allows you to easily compare prices across a range of different hostel booking websites, from Hostelworld to booking.com.&nbsp;The homepage only requires the user to enter their intended destination before taking them through to a new page that shows all results for that particular city and the option to add in more filters to narrow down results. You can easily add preferences, including facilities, neighbourhood, accommodation type and who the property is most suitable for, be it business travellers or those with pets.&nbsp;There is a useful sidebar on the left that contains a brief overview of the city, as well as nearby cities should you want to stay slightly further out. Once you have chosen a hostel, you will be taken through to the property profile page that contains more detailed information on amenities, fee services, and high quality photos. There is also a Hostelz.com Overall Score based on reviews from all the major hostel websites, however there is no option to read the comments from the reviews, meaning it is difficult to get a good idea of people’s experiences beyond the percentage rating on different factors.&nbsp;After selecting your room type, Hostelz.com displays a list of prices from across various <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">booking websites</a>, with the cheapest option at the top and how much you will save compared to the most expensive option. This was great for saving time having to search on lots of different websites, although you are unable to book directly with Hostelz.com and instead are redirected to a third-party website to make the reservation.&nbsp;The ‘Travel Articles’ contain useful information on things such as how to book the cheapest airfare and what to pack for a trip, however there are currently only six articles in total, meaning advice is limited.

Hostelz.com

Waze is a community-based traffic and navigation mobile application that allows drivers to share real-time traffic and road information, helping people to save time and money on their daily commute. People can share details of accidents, police traps, road hazards and traffic jams to make getting around as stress-free and easy as possible. You can also enter trip details and find out the best routes and estimated arrival times to help plan journeys.&nbsp;A great feature that sets Waze apart from other navigation apps, like Google Maps, is the dynamism of its recommendations for getting from A to B. It constantly readjusts its suggested routes based on where other drivers are getting held up, while at the same time alerting you of important information, such as road closures and speed traps. This helps you to feel reassured that you are always taking the most efficient route thanks to how quickly it reassesses particular routes.&nbsp;Information on the price of gas at different stations is another fantastic addition to Waze’s platform, allowing drivers to choose the cheapest option and potentially save hundreds of dollars over time. There is also the ability to carpool with other users by selecting a driver and viewing a detailed profile, with photos, description and reviews, allowing you to share the cost of journeys and help save money. There are a range of filters to fine tune results, including same-sex or co-workers only.&nbsp;An issue with Waze that can make it an awkward app to use, however, is the presence of adverts and the lack of a premium version to eradicate the ads. While using the app to track a journey, an advert banner will often appear across the screen, obscuring the map and forcing you to cancel it, which can be particularly dangerous if driving alone.

Waze

True Traveller is a travel insurance company offering coverage on single and multiple trips, giving you personalised insurance whether you are surfing, skiing or simply sunbathing. After entering your trip details, you will be given a choice between three different plans – True Value, Traveller or Traveller Plus – each with varying degrees of coverage for medical expenses, baggage loss, cancellation and personal liability.&nbsp;For me, one aspect of True Traveller that sets it apart from other travel insurance companies is the wide-range of add-ons that you can include with your plan. These feature everything from marathons to canyon swinging to tandem skydiving, meaning your insurance will have you covered for every type of trip. However, the add-ons are not only limited to extreme sports, and can be selected for a whole host of other scenarios, such as loss or damage to specific items, waiver excess for damage to hired cars and disruption during any part of your trip.&nbsp;Another infinitely useful resource that I have resorted to while purchasing insurance from True Traveller is their online live chat. All that is required is your name and email address to get online, before you are connected with <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/how-to-become-a-travel-agent/">a travel agent</a> who is there to answer all your queries, free of the charge and hassle associated with making a phone call and waiting to speak with someone. There is also the option to send a message directly to the True Traveller Twitter and Facebook pages.&nbsp;A drawback to the website is the limited information available on travelling to various destinations around the world. Although there is a ‘Tips for backpackers’ section, it would be helpful if they were to have a more expansive blog, featuring articles that give more detailed advice about airports, hostels and navigating around cities.

If You Are True Adventurist, this Insurance Will Suit You

True Traveller

<a href="https://travelsites.com/health-information/">TraveDoc is a free online doctor appointment scheduling</a> service for people who require a doctor, dentist or specialist when travelling or living outside their home country. It connects patients with handpicked senior physicians who have been vetted in order to provide people with a doctor they can trust regardless of the destination. The service is currently available in over 30 cities worldwide, including Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Bangkok and Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;For me, one of the best features is the ability to select doctors by language. This is because when traveling through a foreign country with an illness or injury, it is essential that you are able to communicate exactly what the problem is with your doctor, so as not to be misinterpreted. TraveDoc clearly understands the importance of this, therefore it offers a choice between 25 different languages from Arabic to Yiddish.&nbsp;Once you have entered your preferences, you will be shown a list of available doctors relevant to you, with a profile picture, languages spoken and services offered, as well as where they are located. After selecting a doctor, you can then view more details, such as office hours, photos of the practice and even read user reviews. This helps give a good idea of which doctor is right for you and provides unbiased feedback on the type of service they offer. <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">Booking</a> an appointment is simple enough, either calling the doctor directly or selecting a time and date via the website.&nbsp;The only issue that I came across when using TraveDoc is that, as a relatively new concept, there is a limited availability of doctors offered on the website. This is especially true when searching for ones that speak a language that differs from the language of the host country.

TraveDoc

Liftshare.com is a ride-sharing platform that connects drivers and passengers to help save money and reduce emissions. Joining is completely free and allows you access to thousands of people offering journeys between places that trains and buses may not run.&nbsp;To search for a ride, you must simply enter your travel itinerary and hit go to bring up a list of results. Once you have selected a driver, you must request a seat to form a ‘Liftshare team’. One of my favourite features here is the ability to message the driver directly using the website’s online chat. This makes communication far easier than sending emails and allows you to find out any information that they may have left out in their description.&nbsp;Another great feature is the ‘Savings calculator’ that allows users to enter the details of their journey to find out how much they can save by using Liftshare to make trips. You can add information, such as the frequency of the journey, whether it is a return or one way, and how many passengers you share with. This means that if you usually commute catching the train, you can find out how much money you could save by opting to share with someone using the Liftshare instead. The website then produces information of how much you could save in a year as well as the number of tonnes in CO2 emissions and the equivalent in offsetting of trees.&nbsp;One downside is that there is no LiftShare mobile application for searching and requesting seats, only for communicating with drivers. This means that you cannot reserve a ride while on the move and must have access to a computer in order to take advantage of the service.

Liftshare

Hippie in Heels is <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/">a travel blog</a> run by Rachel Jones who left her job nursing to live on the beaches of Goa in India, with her articles focusing on off-beat places and glamorous travel. Destinations include everywhere from Albania to <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/the-best-destinations-for-solo-travel/#Vietnam">Vietnam</a>, with a grid layout displaying all the different countries to find information on.&nbsp;The demographic for Hippie in Heels is young women looking to experience the more luxurious side of travelling. Under the ‘Glamorous Globetrotting’ section, Rachel gives tips and advice on trips such as yoga retreats and spas, while the ‘Luxury Guides’ written by guest writers tell readers about <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">the best boutique hotels to stay</a> in and the swankiest restaurants to dine in for a whole host of different cities. This differs significantly from other blogs, such as the Budget Backpacker, who provides information on how to get by on $10 USD a day whilst travelling abroad.&nbsp;Similar to other travel blogs, the ‘<a href="https://travelsites.com/helpful-travel-sites/">Travel Resources</a>’ section provides useful information on things such as booking flights, getting good deals on car rentals and which backpack to take. There’s also the option to buy her two eBooks – one on Goa and the other on India. These give an insider’s guide to travelling and living in India based on her experience over the last few years.&nbsp;All the blog posts are nicely presented, with quirky cover photos and a readers’ comments section below each post. However, like the rest of the website, the blog articles only really cater to women looking to travel in luxury, with tips such as hiring a chef and renting out a luxe boat. This limits the website to a large extent and perhaps doesn’t give the general representation that most travellers would experience in each place listed.

Hippie in Heels

Still a relatively new kid on the block, since its arrival in 2008 Airbnb has changed not only the way people book accommodation but, more importantly, the very way in which they travel. Forget sterile hotel lobbies, grumpy concierge staff and stuffy rooms that look identical no matter what continent you’re on. From condos on the beach to eco-houses located in the middle of forests, there is no limit to what Airbnb can offer, whether travelling for work or simply just to grab a bit of ‘me time’.&nbsp;Having only discovered the website three years ago, I’ve already made countless bookings across dozens of cities, staying in places I never thought I’d ever have the chance to stay in. With Airbnb, you no longer have to walk past that spectacular Georgian house on the corner with stunning views out to sea, wondering what it would be like to spend just one night there; if it’s on their website, you can book it.One of my favourite features, introduced in 2018, is the option to book an Airbnb ‘Plus’, which means the host is both verified and possesses accommodation of the highest standard. With ‘Plus’ you have the guarantee of quality, relieving the stress of questioning whether the host has just been very clever with their camera.&nbsp;Another good option is the choice between ‘Private room’ or ‘Entire place’. This means that, if required, you can keep the price low on your booking by just renting a room in a property that will be shared with other people. Other filters include number of beds, facilities, type of home (everything from pent-house to igloo) and even what languages the host speaks. Tres bien!&nbsp;A list of reviews are available to read before making a booking, with the reviewer having to have previously stayed at the accommodation, making for more reliable and accurate feedback than other websites such as Tripadvisor.&nbsp;One of the only issues that I have encountered while using Airbnb is that it does not give an option to ‘sort by’ price, meaning you are always left to scroll through multiple pages before finding the best deal. Not only this, but if the host is new to the site, and therefore has no reviews, it makes it difficult to know what exactly the accommodation will be like, particularly if they only have a handful of photos to view. However, overall, it is a magnificent and unique place to find your perfect place to stay.

Airbnb Private

<h3>What is CruiseCompete?</h3>CruiseCompete is a service in which customers can use the platform to connect with a travel agent and get the best deals for a cruise vacation. You can use details such as travel dates, destinations, and preferred amenities to narrow down the available cruises through CruiseCompete while also gaining access to discounts and promotions you might not have known about otherwise.The company launched in 2003 and claims to be an independent organization that connects consumers with independent travel agents; they don’t consider themselves to be a travel agency.Their website claims that many publications such as The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and more have written about CruiseCompete and their incomparable services in the cruise industry. This review is going to take a more in-depth look at their website and services to see if they live up to the hype.<h3>Is CruiseCompete a reliable company? Is CruiseCompete a trustworthy company to book a cruise?</h3>To determine the reliability of CruiseCompete, I took a look at several different aspects. Reviews on CruiseCompete’s own website and social media pages give glowing feedback; the up-to-the-minute user feedback on the <a href="https://www.cruisecompete.com/cruisecompete_reviews.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> mentions their great service, how much money consumers saved, and how easy it was to get the best rates. Their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CruiseCompete/reviews/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> reviews rank them a 4.8 out of 5, though it should be noted that the page itself isn’t that active, with almost all of the comments dating to before 2019. Their Twitter page has been active more recently, but I didn’t see a lot of user interaction that gives an opinion on their services.On the bottom right-hand corner of the website’s home page, you’ll see them boast of an A+ rating on the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ia/des-moines/profile/cruises/cruise-compete-llc-0664-32033705#sealclick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Better Business Bureau</a> website. And while that may be true, it should be noted that they’ve been accredited on the BBB since 2013 but have not had a single review/ complaint/ feedback ever – which is pretty unusual. They’re not even listed with ConsumerAffairs, which adds to my overall unease about the website.All in all, I couldn’t find any recent feedback or reviews to determine the trustworthiness of CruiseCompete – other than on their website. That being said, I should also point out that I didn’t find anything negative which would prove them untrustworthy. It’s the lack of reviews in general that has me apprehensive about CruiseCompete.<h3>Does CruiseCompete offer the best deals? Is it better to book a cruise through CruiseCompete or with its competitors?</h3>Several companies do what CruiseCompete claims to do – and that is to connect you with travel agents who can find you the best deals with almost any popular cruise line in the world. The benefit of using one of these companies instead of booking with a cruise line directly is that you get to see all the cruises available and the prices they’re being offered at on one site instead of having to check them individually.These experienced travel agents also know of deals and offers that you can apply to get the best rates – for example, did you know that everyone who stays in the same cabin as a senior can get the discounted senior rate? But what makes CruiseCompete different from other booking sites is that once you pick your cruise, over 500 independent travel agencies place bids for your business. They then give you the choice of deciding which price/ agent is right for you and who you want to work with.Cruise booking sites such as CruiseCompete can be a very good resource when planning your next vacation, but I would suggest other companies with more recent positive feedback – even though they don’t work exactly the same as CruiseCompete. Some of these include <a href="https://travelsites.com/cruisedirect-com/">CruiseDirect.com</a>, <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheaptickets-cruises/">Cheap Tickets Cruises</a>, and <a href="https://travelsites.com/cruise-com/">Cruise.com</a>. <a href="https://travelsites.com/best-cruise-sites/">Click here</a> for a list of some of the most popular cruise booking sites.<h3>Is it easy to use the CruiseCompete website?</h3>At first glance, the CruiseCompete website looks very outdated. Everything from the layout to the font they use makes it look like one of those basic websites from the 90s when the internet was just gaining fame.Once you get over the visual, you’ll find their search engine right on the home page. You can input details such as destination, cruise type (ocean, river, etc.), sail date, length, and cruise line, with the option to choose ‘all cruise lines’ so that you can see everything available. Beneath that, you’ll find a list of current cruise specials with destinations such as Europe, the Caribbean, and even the glaciers in Alaska.Once you plug in your details on the search engine, you’re taken to a list of all the results that match your criteria. You’ll see the name, cruise line, how many nights, the stops, and the dates they sail at a glance. But it isn’t till you pick one that you realize, you can’t access the prices or get quotes until you register as a member. It is free to register, and once you do, you will remain anonymous as different travel agencies send you quotes that you can browse and pick from at your discretion.<h3>How can I register as a member on the CruiseCompete website?</h3>To get access to the member-only pricing, you’ll have to input details such as a preferred username, password, a valid email address, and your location. The email address is where you will get the quotes, but it won’t give travel agents access to your actual email – that entire process is anonymous. They require your location because this gives travel agents the chance to apply any special location-based discounts (which I wouldn’t even know existed without these cruise booking sites).You’re then taken to a page that asks you questions such as whether you’re current or former military, emergency medical personnel, or teacher, etc. so that agents could apply additional discounts that may be available.Users are then prompted to select their ‘cruise type’, which ranges from large ship ocean cruises that carry over 1,000 passengers to group charters that accommodate groups of 20 people. Afterward, you can put in a quote request by inputting details such as preferred ship, total cabins, number of passengers, etc. And then you wait – professional travel agents will bid for your business (via email), giving you the best offers to choose from.<h3>Can the CruiseCompete website help me figure out which cruise is best for me?</h3>If you’re unsure of where exactly you want to go, opt for the ‘<a href="https://www.cruisecompete.com/search.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cruise search</a>’ option. You can pick when you want to go, where you want to go, where you’re departing from, how long you would like to cruise for, and additional preferences such as preferred cruise lines, etc. to get a list of results. The best thing about this feature is that you can keep everything blank except your preferred departure port and get a list of every cruise available from there.<h3>What other features are on the CruiseCompete website?</h3>I came across their ‘<a href="https://www.cruisecompete.com/travel_tools.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Travel Tools</a>’ page which provides a helpful list of cruise-related resources you may need. This includes finding excursions at ports you stop at, buying travel insurance, budgeting your vacation, and even applying for a visa or passport.They also have a ‘<a href="https://www.cruisecompete.com/resources.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Travel Resources</a>’ page filled with essential blog-style articles that could be beneficial to cruise-goers. You can purchase cruise travel planners, learn about going on a cruise while pregnant or with small children, and get a better understanding of what’s included in your cruise. There are also user reviews of different cruise lines that may help you narrow down your possibilities.All in all, though outdated, the website is functional and very easy to use when searching for a cruise. And while you do have to register to become a member, once you do, you are emailed the best deals available to you directly from the travel agents.<h3>Can you get scammed by CruiseCompete?</h3>While the only positive feedback I’ve found on CruiseCompete is on their website, I haven’t been able to find anything online to suggest that CruiseCompete is a scam. There isn’t any way the company can scam you since they don’t sell the cruise packages themselves, but instead, allow independent travel agents to bid for your business – and anonymously without sharing your information, for that matter.The service offered by CruiseCompete is free to use and you are not obliged to buy after you receive a quote.<h3>Does CruiseCompete have a rewards program?</h3>While CruiseCompete does not have a rewards program, you will be able to provide any cruise-specific loyalty details to your travel agent before booking confirmation and they will be able to include that. For example, if you decide to book a vacation with MSC Cruises, using CruiseCompete partner travel agent, you’ll still be able to use the MSC Voyager’s Club number to collect your points.<h3>Does CruiseCompete have a mobile app?</h3>CruiseCompete does not have a mobile app for iPhone or Android users. Everything will have to be processed directly on their website, which isn’t very convenient in this modern day and age.<h3>How can I reach CruiseCompete customer service?</h3>At the very top of the page, on the navigation bar, there’s a ‘<a href="https://www.cruisecompete.com/guidedhelp.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Live Help</a>’ button. That takes you to a page with phone numbers for domestic and international clients who want to speak to a live agent. You’re also given an option to use their ‘<a href="https://www.cruisecompete.com/virtual_cruise_advisor.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virtual Cruise Advisor</a>’ if you prefer.–Researching CruiseCompete and its services for this review didn’t leave me 100% satisfied only because I couldn’t find any recent user reviews anywhere other than on their website. But the fact that their service connects me with a variety of independent travel agencies leaves me comfortable enough to use CruiseCompete for any future cruises I may take.

CruiseCompete

Yahoo Lifestyle Travel is a travel news website, featuring daily stories from around the world, with everything from angry flight passengers to the best hotels to stay in on a trip to Edinburgh.&nbsp;The website is laid out in a story-by-story feed, displaying a small image, a headline and the first couple of lines of the article. There is also an indication of how many ‘reactions’ the story has had, which refers to comments left under each piece by readers.&nbsp;For me, this is one of the best features of the website as it offers people the chance to leave their thoughts and feedback on the article, as well as reply, like and dislike comments. Often, halfway through an story, I will scroll to the bottom to see what people are saying about it and view the ‘Top Reactions’, meaning the ones with the most likes. This helps to give a general sense of how people feel about a certain topic and add ideas that the writer may have missed out.&nbsp;Another good aspect of Yahoo Lifestyle is that after you have finished a story, the next piece blends in to the previous one, meaning you don’t have to go back to the homepage in order to read another article. This allows you to easily scroll through the stories and become quickly informed on the latest topics.&nbsp;However, one issue I have encountered when using Yahoo Lifestyle for travel news is that although there are a range of different topics, the vast majority are focused on air travel. There aren’t as many inspiring travel ideas as there on other websites, with most of the stories recounting airport or flying issues. More variation would make the website more all-encompassing.

Yahoo Lifestyle

Skype hаѕ аlwауѕ been my fоrеmоѕt choice whenever it соmеѕ tо gеt linked or соmmutе with сlіеntѕ and соllеаguеѕ. Equipped with all the lаtеѕt tооlѕ аnd handy fеаturеѕ іt іѕ by far thе grеаt tооl that I have uѕеd.&nbsp;I am аt ease tо make conference саllѕ to discuss any on-going matter wіth thе еmрlоуееѕ at the оffісе with соntіnuоuѕ sharing of mеѕѕаgеѕ аnd dеlіvеrіng necessary fіlеѕ.&nbsp;Aѕ a frееlаnсеr, we often еnсоuntеr ѕuсh ѕіtuаtіоnѕ whеrе wе hаvе to build up a chat room wіth ѕресіfіс individuals аnd have to sort out any major соnflісt or discussing nеw іdеаѕ which аrе ассоmраnіеd аlоng wіth ѕhаrіng of tеxt messages аnd fіlеѕ. Thіѕ hаѕ only been роѕѕіblе through Skype which is аn ultimate ѕоurсе of communication.&nbsp;In thе end, Sкуре fоr buѕіnеѕѕ іѕ thе рrіmаrу сhоісе for all рrоfеѕѕіоnаlѕ who have tо bе connected with their clients аnd рrоfеѕѕіоnаl соllеаguеѕ 24/7.&nbsp;One thing that I lоvе about Skype іѕ that it can be used оn juѕt аbоut аnу рlаtfоrm, ѕо it won’t matter if уоu uѕе Wіndоwѕ, Aррlе, or Android dеvісеѕ. There are also аррѕ fоr lеѕѕ соmmоn systems lіkе thе Aррlе Wаtсh, Lіnux ѕуѕtеmѕ, Blackberry dеvісеѕ, аnd Xbox consoles. You dоn’t tесhnісаllу nееd the арр ѕіnсе іt works through the wеb аѕ wеll. Once уоu’vе dоwnlоаdеd and іnѕtаllеd thе аррrорrіаtе version fоr your ѕуѕtеm, ѕеttіng up thе ѕоftwаrе іѕ a breeze. You’ll сhооѕе уоur lаnguаgе frоm thе nearly 40 орtіоnѕ, аnd уоu’ll bе gіvеn thе орtіоn tо install a ѕераrаtе Click-to-Call widget for your іntеrnеt browsing apps. Wіth this wіdgеt, you’ll bе аblе tо сlісk оn аnу phone numbеr on аnу web раgе and іnѕtаntlу make a call thrоugh thе wеb.&nbsp;After thеѕе bаѕіс preferences аrе set, уоu саn either make a new Skype ассоunt or lоgіn with your existing Mісrоѕоft or Skype ассоunt. Anу Outlook or Hоtmаіl email account should wоrk, and уоu саn аlѕо use Fасеbооk to sign in. Once you’ve got the ассоunt ѕеt uр, you can add a рrоfіlе рісturе аnd other dеtаіlѕ ѕо uѕеrѕ саn fіnd you. After уоu click thе buttоn that reads ‘Stаrt Uѕіng Skуре’, you’ll be showing the mаіn wіndоw fоr thе арр. You can then add соntасtѕ be searching for оthеr uѕеrѕ, аnd Outlook uѕеrѕ can view all their еxіѕtіng contacts through Sкуре.

It can be used оn juѕt аbоut аnу рlаtfоrm, ѕо it won't matter if уоu uѕе Wіndоwѕ, Aррlе, or Android dеvісеѕ

Skype

Just about everyone loves to travel. If you’ve ever asked someone what are some things that they’d like to accomplish or what’s on their bucket list, you will definitely hear the majority of people say that they want to travel somewhere. It’s a great way to learn about cultures, take a break from your daily life, and potentially even find a place to retire.Whatever your reason for traveling, you’ve likely noticed how expensive it is. When you <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">add up airfare</a>, baggage, snacks, <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hotels</a>, car services, and whatever you’ve added to your itinerary, you can easily spend thousands of dollars on one trip.&nbsp;Did you know that there is a website available that can help you save a ton of money while traveling? JohnnyJet does just that and more. Today we’re going to be diving into what the website offers along with where it excels and where it could use some work.<h3>What is JohnnyJet?</h3>JohnnyJet is a newsletter-like website for those who love to travel. Have you ever been looking for a traveling deal for your next vacation and ended up looking at several websites? You could create an entire folder for the sites that claim to have the best deals or cheapest airfare options. Essentially, JohnnyJet puts your folder full of all of those different sites and puts it in one place.This traveling portal will show you organized results no matter how often you find yourself headed to the airport. Many people enjoy using JohnnyJet instead of spending hours trying to find a travel deal for their upcoming trip. The public is allowed to share traveling bargains, tips and tricks from their experiences, and more. You can read public stories from people who have traveled just about everywhere.&nbsp;You will also find information about the best credit cards that have benefits for those who travel. In a nutshell, JohnnyJet is a place to share and learn about traveling. It is packed with money-saving posts, and you’re bound to learn something new by just visiting the website. There is also a free newsletter that will go straight to your email inbox.<h3>JohnnyJet History</h3>Johnny, the founder of JohnnyJet, grew up being afraid to fly after being diagnosed with asthma. The thought that breathing inside the cabin brought enough anxiety that Johnny avoided flying for nearly four years. By the age of 21, he was off his medication and headed for the airport. Ironically enough, airports and inside the cabin of an airplane is where he spends the majority of his time now. While he conquered his fear of flying, there were still unpleasant things about traveling that both Johnny and nearly everyone else has experienced.&nbsp;Have you ever been waiting to board a plane and had to wait forever until your section was able to board? Maybe you’ve been nestled into the middle seat for a long flight. Don’t get Johnny started on having to sit in the back of the plane, the terrible airplane food, or having to wait for luggage. After experiencing all of these problems over and over again, Johnny decided enough was enough and that a change had to be made.&nbsp;After a lucky experience in first class, he realized that everyone should have a relaxing and first-class-like experience whenever they fly. No one should be treated as steerage, especially when their paying for a service. After a lot of observation of everyone involved in a flight, Johnny learned that traveling via airplane was all a game.&nbsp;Johnny learned how to play the game and wanted to share it with the world, which is why JohnnyJet was created. Now instead of being paralyzed at the thought of flying, he looks forward to his next trip and enjoys helping others do so as well. Johnny’s mother Jeanne once said, “the best way to use your miles is to take your mom to Europe.” It sounds like Jeanne had the right idea all along.<h3>Benefits of JohnnyJet</h3>Below are some of the main benefits of using JohnnyJet for your next adventure.<h3>Real-life Reviews</h3>Believe it or not, a lot of the time, reviews are fabricated to make businesses look better than they are. With JohnnyJet you will find that all posts on the website are from real people who have used the services or products that they’re writing about. You can learn tips and tricks from them, as well as learn from their travel mistakes!<h3>Saving Money</h3>Easily one of the best parts of this website and newsletter is how much money you can save on your trips. You can learn about deals via a blog post or you can learn which credit card has the most travel benefits. You won’t just learn about how to save money on flights, but you can read about saving money on luggage, hotels, taxis, and more. You can also read all about travel rewards, how to get more points while traveling, and even insurance guides for your trip.<h3>What Could JohnnyJet Work On?</h3>After spending quite a bit of time on the website and actually putting some of the things I learned to use, I really don’t think there is much that JohnnyJet needs to improve on. The website is well organized, contains a variety of different topics, is easy to navigate, and is aesthetically pleasing. Good work to his website creators! This site is only there to help people save money and learn all about traveling, and they’re doing a great job at it!<h3>Final Words</h3>Whether you fly once a decade or three times a week, you may find taking a trip over to JohnnyJet will benefit you. Feel free to read one of the many <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">blogs from experienced travelers</a> about specific destinations. There’s no reason not to sign up for the free newsletter. You’ll likely <a href="https://travelsites.com/vacation-packages/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">save some money on your next vacation</a>. If you’re scared of flying, take a deep breath and take it from Johnny; eventually, you will grow to love it! Have fun and happy travels!

You can learn tips and tricks from them, as well as learn from their travel mistakes!

JohnnyJet

<h3>Why are Skyscanner car rental prices so much lower than other sites?</h3>I don’t know about you, but I am beyond ready to take a vacation. This whole business of being quarantined and locked down is, frankly, getting pretty old. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for doing what is necessary in order to ensure that we can rid ourselves of this COVID 19 pandemic once and for all – I don’t want to see anybody else get sick or die, of course. For somebody who is used to traveling all of the time, frequently spending more time in transit than I do at home, this last year has been tough to get through!Finally, though, there is a vaccine. As a matter of fact, there are several. The odds of flattening the curve once and for all and having life return to at least a quasi-sense of normalcy at some point in the next year or so are looking pretty good (knock on wood).Even though I have not been able to do much of any traveling in the last year, I have still managed to put my time to good use, to better prepare myself for when it is once again safe to do so. Free time was something that I have had more than my fair share of recently. So, in my free time, I have focused on searching for all of the <a href="https://travelsites.com/">best travel sites</a> on the web. Yes, I realize that I have been reviewing car rental and cheap flight sites and the like on TravelSites.com for quite some time now.This is not a new preoccupation of mine by any means. What I have been afforded, however, with all of this newfound free time has been the ability to seek out and review a bunch of new travel sites, evaluate some of the most popular travel sites in terms of their more specific features, and work on revamping and modernizing some of my older reviews. Travel sites (just like any other kind of site) tend to change over time. It is only fair, then, that my reviews should be updated from time to time in order to reflect that, right?Today’s review is the perfect example of this notion. Previously, my review of Skyscanner was – rather appropriately, it would seem – focused almost entirely on this site’s cheap flight comparisons and plane ticket booking capabilities. The site is called SkyScanner.com, after all, this is clearly their forte. This is far from the only service that Skyscanner has to offer, though. Therefore, I felt it prudent to review Skyscanner car rental once again, this time from a bit of a different angle.We all know that Skyscanner cars rental is one of the best travel sites for <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/">finding cheap flights online</a> … but did you know that SkyScanner.com is also one of the best car rental sites that you will come across while browsing your options for <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">hotel booking sites</a>? Personally, renting a car is one of my least favorite aspects of planning a trip. It is easily the least exciting to me, and it is often the last thing that I remember to do.That being said, in many cases, finding the best car rental site is no less important than finding the best cheap flight sites. Of course, it all depends on to where you plan on traveling. If you are taking a trip to New York City, for instance, renting a car is probably not going to be on the top of your list. Well, more accurately, you will probably be better off not even considering a car rental in NYC. Parking is hard to come by and crazy expensive. Plus, NYC has what is arguably the most extensive, reliable, and convenient subway system in the world.If you are traveling almost anywhere else, though, renting a car will likely be a necessity. I mean, the other alternative is to <a href="https://travelsites.com/uber/">Uber</a> or <a href="https://travelsites.com/lyft/">Lyft</a> wherever you have to go throughout the duration of your trip … and, ultimately, this will most likely wind up being more expensive than just renting a car. Plus, a car rental grants you a much higher sense of agency and freedom to explore your destination city on your own schedule, at your whims.So, when it comes time to rent a car, finding the best car rental site is crucial. The last thing that you want when planning a vacation is to have to pay a cent more than is necessary. Traveling is exceedingly expensive as it is. Every penny you can save counts (those pennies add up, after all!).Is Skyscanner the best car rental site for you? Well, there is only one way to figure this out for sure, and that is to take an in-depth look at SkyScanner’s car rental features. Skyscanner has already established itself as one of the best travel sites on the web in terms of finding cheap flights but providing great car rental options is a different story altogether. So, let’s dive into the Skyscanner.com review and see what this car rental site is all about.<h3>Who owns a Skyscanner.com?</h3>I won’t go into too much depth regarding the history of Skyscanner.com (I provide the full historical context of how the site came to be in my other Skyscanner review, filed under <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/">Cheap Flight Sites</a> if you are interested in learning more). Suffice it to say, however, Sky Scanner was founded in 2004 by a trio of IT pros: Gareth Williams, Bonamy Grimes, and Barry Smith. The idea came to fruition after Gareth found himself frustrated with a lack of cheap flight availability while attempting to his favorite ski resorts.Although the Skyscanner.com company was not officially formed (on the books) until 2004, the website, the meta search engine, was actually developed and beta released in 2002. And in 2003, Skyscanner.com hired their first official employee, opening their first office in Edinburgh in 2004 (hence the official founding of Sky Scanner as a company proper).From there, the sky was the limit, if you will, for this site. Skyscanner has seen a steady upward trend of expansion and growth, becoming one of the most popular (and arguably best) travel sites in the world. Today, Skyscanner is used by millions of people around the globe and is particularly well-loved by millennials.<h3>Is renting a car on Skyscanner Car Rental safe?</h3>&nbsp;I am a huge fan of the look, feel and user experience provided by Skyscanner. This site makes it as intuitive and easy as it should be to search hundreds upon hundreds of rental car options. The search engine and browsing features offer total customization, the entire site and UI is easy to navigate and smooth, and, well, the site just looks great as well.Skyscanner Cars Rental offers a minimalistic site design that results in a professional, sleek, and modern look. The simplicity of the Skyscanner Cars Rental site’s aesthetic – pared down into what is essentially a 2-color theme of white and blue – goes a long way. Personally, this is what I like to see on a travel site. Too many car rental sites get bogged down in trying to present too much in a small amount of page space. Nobody likes an overly cluttered or chaotic site. Skyscanner car rental, then, is something of a breath of fresh air in its patient and relaxed layout.<h3>How does Skyscanner Car Rental customer service work?</h3>Speaking of the ease with which users are able to search for cheap rental cars, this is due entirely to SkyScanner’s easy-access filtering and searching options. Spanning the left-hand side of the page is a checklist that enables you to filter car rental search results to even the most specific requirements. Choose a number of passengers, car class, car type, cancellation policy, pickup location, additional car features, fuel policy, transmission, and more. With Skyscanner car rental, you will have no trouble whatsoever tracking down the perfect car rental for your particular needs.Skyscanner car rental boasts on their car rental page that they search their database of over 1,000 car rental companies worldwide in order to bring you the cheapest car rentals available in your destination city. After conducting a few cursory searches, myself, this does appear to be true. The prices available on Skyscanner’s rental car site are extremely competitive. Skyscanner draws from car rental companies such as Hertz, Budget, Avis, Enterprise, Europcar, and Sixt (just to name a few).<h3>How is with Skyscanner Car Rental app and Desktop Experience?</h3>I love the Skyscanner car rental on the mobile app just as much as I love the desktop site (perhaps even more so!). The Skyscanner cars rental app makes for the perfect car rental search experience, no matter what device you happen to be using. Available on both Android and iOS devices, would-be travelers can enjoy a stellar car rental booking experience on the fly, no matter where on earth you happen to be at the time.I am not alone in loving this app either. On the Apple App Store, the Skyscanner mobile app has an average user rating of 4.8 stars (out of 5), making it one of the highest-rated travel apps available today.<h3>&nbsp;What I Like about Sky Scanner Car Rental</h3><ul><li>The user-friendly and intuitive site and app design</li><li>Great prices on rental cars</li><li>Search thousands of car rental companies at once</li><li>Skyscanner car rental has 48-hour cancellation policy</li></ul><h3>What I Dislike about Sky Scanner Car Rental</h3><ul><li>&nbsp;No rewards system in place</li></ul>

Sky Scanner Car Rental is great To Find Cheap Car Hire With Comparing Options

Skyscanner Car Rental

Visa Travel Services is a help page offered by Visa, a multinational financial services corporation based in the US that facilitates electronic funds transfers throughout the world through their branded credit and debit cards. Founded in 1958 in California, their experience in the industry makes their Travel Services page one of the best out there for getting information on how to manage your finances when away on your travels.&nbsp;A great inclusion on the Visa Travel Services page is the ‘Travel Protections’ section. This provides security tips for a safe trip regardless of the destination, laid out in an easy to read bullet point format, including ‘before you go’ and ‘during your trip’ subcategories. Although some are seemingly obvious, such as to remember your card’s PIN, other tips such as about letting your card issuer know about your trip before you leave to avoid having your card blocked, are very useful.&nbsp;The Travel and Emergency Assistance Services is also a great feature of the website, which informs Visa cardholders that they are able to contact the service to receive help finding a referral abroad, be it medical, legal or transportation. Eligible cardholders can contact the service 24/7 without charge, meaning you can feel rest assured that you will be in good hands if confronted with a tricky situation when on your travels.&nbsp;However, my favourite feature of the website is the global ATM locator. This allows customers to identify where they can find official Visa cash machines across the world. You can even get directions from your location to the nearest ATM, which can also be accessed via the mobile app.&nbsp;One issue with the website is that its content is fairly limited. Although the travel tips are useful, they could certainly do with providing more detailed explanations for each point.

Visa Travel Services

Daily Star Travel is a wide-ranging news source, featuring articles from across the globe, with everything from travelling mishaps to top things to do in various destinations.&nbsp;One of the best features for me was the comments section below the articles that allows readers to leave their thoughts or pose questions to be answered by other readers. This gives the pieces more depth as the conversation can be continued and people can voice their opinions. There are guidelines on what people can post, meaning offensive comments will be removed, and provides a good forum for discussion on certain travelling topics.&nbsp;Another good aspect of the website is the variety of different content it uses to portray news stories, using text, videos and photos. This makes the articles more engaging and caters to all users who may not have time to read through an entire article, but can spare two minutes to watch a video or flick through some photos to get an idea of the story.&nbsp;Something that is obvious when searching through Daily Star Travel, however, is that they often resort to clickbait headlines, meaning articles are given titles that are intended to tempt people to click on them so that their sponsors will gain more money. Titles often have capitalised words dotted throughout and stories are exaggerated so that you believe you will reading something that you won’t.&nbsp;Not only that but while using the website I noticed that on the homepage the same articles are often shown more than once to bulk out the content and make it seem as though there are more stories than there really are. Going for a slightly more minimalist look, rather than adopting the ‘more is better’ mentality would undoubtedly make the homepage more attractive.

Daily Star

Rehlat is a long-standing budget and discount flight, vacation, and hotel booking site that helps to find and book travel in the easiest way possible. People love it for its ease of use, filtering options, and outstanding content that helps to make it an incredibly valuable tool for anyone trying to book travel. It has several features that make it an appealing destination for those wanting to find their next vacation and save money and time while doing it.&nbsp;Key FeaturesRehlat offers several features that make it an industry-leader in the travel space. The most prominent is probably the Chrome plugin that they offer. The plugin, developed by Rehlat, helps you to identify great deals and acts as your assistant while you’re trying to book a travel destination for you or your family.&nbsp;Another great feature of Rehlat is that they put out some great content on their website. They aren’t just dedicated to helping you book travel easily, but they also put out a lot of information that gives you some great knowledge and information about travel that can help you to save time, money, and even stay safe while you are traveling.&nbsp;Finally, Rehlat has an Inspirations tab. Often times, one of the hardest parts of going on vacation is coming up with ideas on where to go when you’re on vacation. That’s why Rehlat offers a lot of great ideas in their Inspiration section. Using their resources, you should be able to find your dream location in no time.&nbsp;DrawbacksWhile Rehlat’s platform is superb and easy to use, we do have some concern with their selection fo packages. It seems that they don’t have a ton of different destinations outside of the Middle East. This is a great platform if you are traveling to one of the countries that they have available, but it doesn’t have much use beyond those purposes.

Rehlat, helps you to identify great deals and acts as your assistant while you’re trying to book a travel destination

rehlat

Founded in 2009, CampsitePhotos is an online platform providing some of the most comprehensive selections of pictures, maps and reviews of campsites at popular locations across the United States. They currently have photos in more than 1,400 State Parks, National Parks, U.S. Forest Service, BLM and other campgrounds, with more added every month. In addition to the photos, each campground page has information about the campground and a link to make a reservation.&nbsp;Searching for campsites can be done by either state, region or park, or by map view. Results can then be sorted alphabetically, by newest, by oldest or by those most recently updated, however there is no option to apply search filters, such as amenities or specific features. Personally, I find that being able to add filters means that you can search for specific campsites more quickly and saves time in scrolling through listings in which you do not have an interest.&nbsp;Once you have selected a particular campsite, you can then view the selection of photos, read more detailed information, see a list of amenities and discover activities. That being said, as a website that is predominantly focused on its pictures, the additional information is limited compared to other websites, which, for me, is an issue as I like to know all about the location before making a booking.&nbsp;One of my favourite aspects of CampsitePhotos has got to be the community forum, where users can join discussions or start their own topics. Current discussions range from tips for beginners to advice on beach camping in California to the best camping gear and equipment to purchase before a trip. Signing up is free and means that if you have your own question on a camping-related matter, you can quickly and easily start a thread and wait for a reply.&nbsp;The blog is another useful part of the website that I often resort to, containing a whole range of different subjects, recommendations, advice, news and experiences to help you plan for a camping trip away. There is also a comments section below each article, which provides a space for people to leave their own thoughts and feedback on the topic in question.

One of my favorite aspects of CampsitePhotos has got to be the community forum

CampsitePhotos

Functioning much in the same way as Airbnb, Homestay offers great value on accommodation for both long and short term stays. All the homes have a host present who will help you get to settle in, while at the same time giving you a great opportunity to learn more about where you’re staying through the perspective of a local.&nbsp;The website is simple to use, with a search option allowing you to enter details of where you’re going, check-in and check-out details and number of guests. Once you have done that and hit go, the website will take you through to a page with a list of potential hosts. From here you can filters, with everything from price range to whether the accommodation has a swimming pool. You can easily flick through photos by clicking on the arrows of each profile, while the ‘hearts’ feature displays a rating out of five based on verified user reviews.&nbsp;One of my favourite features of Homestay is the ‘Inspire Me’ section, where you can explore a range of accommodation depending on various categories, such as cooking, languages or yoga. This means that not only do you get to stay with locals, you also get the chance to experience an activity whilst you are there. This is great for people with more flexibility, who don’t know exactly where they want to go but would like to get involved in a particular interest.&nbsp;A drawback to the website is that when viewing a property, you cannot see exactly where it is located, instead just being shown a rough radius. This means that if you want to be on a area or street, you wont be able to view it until after making the booking. Furthermore, like Airbnb and Couchsurfing, the hosts’ profiles are based on user reviews, meaning if someone has limited or no feedback from past guests, it can be difficult to know exactly what to expect.

Homestay.com

Google Translate is a free online translation service offering translation of text in more than 100 languages, from Afrikaans to Zulu. It is available as both a website and a mobile application and garners over 200 million users daily.&nbsp;One of my favourite features of Google Translate that I believe sets it apart from other translation tools is the ability to translate entire pages of text by simply using the camera on your mobile phone. By hovering the camera over a piece of text, Google Translate highlights each word and automatically translates it into the target language. This not only saves time searching each word or typing in entire sentences yourself, it allows you to quickly find out what a piece of text says, such as if you are in a museum or attempting to read an important document.&nbsp;Another good addition, which is a relatively new concept to the service, is the symbol to indicate approved translations from the Translate Community. This comes in the form of a shield with a tick inside, and implies that a native speaker or professional translator has confirmed that it is the correct translation. A typical problem with translation tools is a lack of accuracy, and this helps to add assurance when translating text or discovering new words.&nbsp;Finally, the option to have the translation read out to you is another fantastic feature that I frequently use. This helps, in particular, with speaking, as it teaches how to properly pronounce different words and sentences. Although, this function is not available in all languages, it is a good tool for the most common ones.&nbsp;An issue I’ve encountered when using Google Translate is the lack of examples provided, which put words and phrases into context. As there are often different variants for how a word is used, it is not always clear if it has translated the most appropriate.

Google Translate

Lonely Planet Iceland is a complete guide to travelling to Iceland, featuring recommendations, history, language, culture, cuisine, art and more. Lonely Planet have been producing guidebooks since 1973, winning multiple awards for their contribution towards travel, and this edition certainly follows the high standard that they have come to represent.&nbsp;Other than having a detailed breakdown of each city and large town, Lonely Planet Iceland also includes categories such as ‘Understand’ and ‘Survive’ that give information on items that vary from natural wonders to public holidays. This is very useful as you can quickly find the page you’re after, with each topic set out in an easy to navigate contents page.&nbsp;I particularly like the ‘Top 14’ list, which gives a brief summary of the top things to see and do in Iceland for a whirlwind tour of the country. Each entry comes with a high quality photo and one or two paragraphs detailing what you can expect.&nbsp;Another very useful section for me was the ‘Getting Around’ chapter, providing information on how best to navigate your way round the country, such as whether it is better to go by train or rental car between Reykjavik and Kópavogur. This kind of information can often be difficult to find on the internet or in less detailed guidebooks, whereas Lonely Planet have you covered with this very helpful section.&nbsp;One of the issues that I encountered when using the guide, however, was that it very quickly becomes out of date. Although information on the best destinations to travel to is constantly relevant and the bits on culture are unlikely to change, details on pricing in restaurants or the price of a bus ticket did not match after a few months. Therefore, as a base guide it is great, yet to get more accurate and up-to-date information, you will need access to the Internet too.

Lonely Planet Iceland

Lonely Planet has long been known as the most popular provider of travel guidebooks, with almost everyone having at least one copy of a guide to some country or other on their bookshelf. However, they also run a very successful travel news website that attracts thousands of readers everyday, featuring the most up-to-date information, insider tips, and inspiring ideas for budding travellers.&nbsp;What sets Lonely Planet Travel News apart from similar websites is that their focus is not principally on flight mishaps or disaster overnight stays in airports. Rather like their guidebooks, they aim to give a sense of what locations are like by publishing articles on quirky discoveries, the newest travel gadgets, underrated destinations and top 10 lists. Each article is usually accompanied by a series of high quality photos and well-researched content, with links to related stories to keep you reading.&nbsp;Another good addition to the website is the ‘Galleries’ section, which features a number of different photo albums by topic, including pictures that have attained worldwide accolades. It also presents a good alternative to reading an article if you are short of time and simply want to scroll through and find some inspirational ideas for travelling.&nbsp;In my opinion, one thing Lonely Planet Travel News is lacking is a comments sections below each article where readers can leave their thoughts and start a discussion with other readers. Where other websites do this is often very successful, with people sometimes leaving thousands of comments that go beyond the content of the article.&nbsp;Another thing that I have noticed when using Lonely Planet is that their articles are significantly shorter than on other websites, some being no more than four short paragraphs. More detail would make the website more comprehensive.

Great Site Lonely Planet Delivers Good news

Lonely Planet Travel News

BonAppetour is a community marketplace that connects travellers with local home chefs for a unique food-orientated experience in multiple countries across the world.&nbsp; The website offers everything from food tours to cooking classes to home dining, where you will be invited into the confines of a local person’s home to experience authentic tasting food.&nbsp;The website functions much like the ‘Experiences’ feature of Airbnb, where hosts advertise their service, displaying a price and a star rating based on user reviews. There are a whole range of different options to choose from and a simple grid calendar to select the precise dates you wish to go. Once you’ve selected an experience, you will be taken to a more detailed profile where you can find out more about what it is you’re booking, including information on the menu, the location and the hosts themselves, as well as verified reviews and testimonials.&nbsp;One of the features that caught my eye in particular was the option to buy a gift card that could be used on the website. The vouchers range from €10 to €500 and would make a unique present if you knew someone was travelling to one of the cities offered by the website.&nbsp;One of the downsides to the website is the lack of filters when searching for results. You can only search by city and date, meaning that if you are after a particular type of cuisine, or are planning something with a group of people, you will have to scroll through results manually.&nbsp;Another issue is like that on Airbnb, where hosts without reviews may not necessarily be reliable. As the experiences are not from established eateries, it is difficult to know if they food will be of good quality or the specifics of the location. However, all in all, a unique website that offers users the chance to do stray from the ordinary when travelling in a new city.

Amazing for Domestic and Authentic Food Experiance

BonAppetour

Although most well known as a website for booking flights, Expedia also offers an easy to use interface for finding and reserving pet-friendly accommodation as part of its options. On its homepage it gives you the option to ‘Sign up for member prices’ and ‘save up to 10% on thousands of hotels’, a feature that may come in handy if you are a frequent traveller.&nbsp;When entering the details of your stay – such as destination, check-in date, and number of travellers – you are also asked whether you want to ‘Add flight’ or ‘Add car’. For me, having the ability to sort everything in one place is something that has come in use on numerous occasions and helps particularly when under the pressure of time. You don’t want to be scrambling around with multiple tabs open on your laptop if you have to book a flight, a hotel and a rental car for the following day. With Expedia, it’s all in one place, making for an easier time.&nbsp;Once you’ve entered all your preferences, the website takes you through to a new page where you can add further filters to find accommodation most suited to your needs. Here you must add the filter for ‘Pet-friendly’ properties in order to eliminate all those that do not welcome animals.&nbsp;A feature that I like about Expedia that sets it apart from other similar websites is that under each property, in green, it tells you about some of the ‘free’ options included, and not just the breakfast. ‘Free bottle of wine’ and ‘Free spa access’ have, in the past, helped me make a decision about where to stay and, on both occasions, these were nice and clearly advertised on Expedia.&nbsp;The site is very keen to promote their member benefits, which can be slightly annoying, however for the most part they do not distract from reserving accommodation relatively&nbsp; effortlessly. All in all, a great website for booking a place to stay with your pet.

All in all, a great website for booking a place to stay with your pet. 

Expedia Pet Friendly Hotels

Onе of mу fаvоrіtе travel bооkіng sites аrоund іѕ City.Travel Mауbе you’ve hеаrd оf it bеfоrе! If you’re looking tо рау cash fоr уоur trаvеlѕ іnѕtеаd оf trаvеl rеwаrdѕ роіntѕ then City.Travel іѕ a ѕіtе уоu ѕhоuld ѕеаrсh for. In mу review оf City.Travel, I соvеr all thе funсtіоnѕ оf City.Travel аnd whеthеr City.Travel іѕ a grеаt rеѕеаrсh tool to book уоur next trip.&nbsp;<h3>About City.Travel</h3>&nbsp;City.Travel hаѕ remained a mаjоr player in the іnduѕtrу for years thanks tо its ѕіzеаblе dіѕсоuntѕ, guаrаntееd 24/7 сuѕtоmеr service, and a wide ѕеlесtіоn оf travel ѕеrvісеѕ. Though it dоеѕn’t оffеr a flexible dаtе search option, іtѕ еxсurѕіоn add-ons and lасk of ѕеrvісе fееѕ mаkе іt worth a close look, еѕресіаllу if уоu hаvе аn elaborate trip іn mind.&nbsp;City.Travel kеерѕ its promises simple. Its аdvеrtіѕеd tagline reads, “Gеt trаvеl help when you need it. Guаrаntееd.” Thаt’ѕ a pretty vаguе сlаіm, but the іntеntіоn іѕ сlеаr. With City.Travel, you’ll find the tооlѕ tо book уоur vасаtіоn at the bеѕt rate — whether thаt’ѕ buying a рlаnе ticket, ѕеаrсhіng for ассоmmоdаtіоnѕ, or rеѕеrvіng аn excursion — and уоu’ll rесеіvе рlеntу оf hеlр аlоng thе way.&nbsp;Thе gооd nеwѕ is, іf you dо have dates іn mind, уоu’ll find a vаѕt аrrау оf booking орtіоnѕ. Unlike other travel ѕіtеѕ, you can book activities and еxсurѕіоnѕ through City.Travel. City.Travel оffеrѕ dеаlѕ оn flіghtѕ and hоtеlѕ. Whether you need just оnе оf thе things for your nеxt trip, уоu саn ԛuісklу book thеm аll togеthеr оnlіnе through City.Travel’ѕ services.&nbsp;Bundling уоur trаvеl аrrаngеmеntѕ tоgеthеr іѕ always a good іdеа bесаuѕе it can help you ѕаvе a considerable amount on the оvеrаll соѕt of your trip — sometimes uр tо a 45% dіѕсоunt fоr bооkіng a hоtеl аnd flight together. Whаt’ѕ mоrе, City.Travel соmеѕ with a рrісе mаtсh guarantee іf уоu happen tо find a better deal еlѕеwhеrе.

Thе рrісеѕ found оn City.Travel are often lеѕѕ еxреnѕіvе

City.Travel

Reverso is a free translation service that offers translation into English, <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/france-vs-spain-which-is-best-to-travel/">French, Spanish</a>, German, <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/italy-vs-spain-which-is-best-to-travel/">Italian</a>, Russian, Portuguese, <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/japan-vs-china-which-is-best-to-travel/">Chinese</a>, <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/abu-dhabi-vs-dubai-which-is-best-to-travel/">Arabic</a>, Hebrew, and Japanese. It is available as a website, mobile application, and an add-on for Google Chrome.&nbsp;One of the reasons I often opt for Reverso over other translation tools is due to the context feature that is included with each translation. When entering a word or phrase, Reverso will display a number of different options where the translation has been put into context, with the meaning in your native language above. This allows you to see if the translation matches up with the original meaning, as the same words in one language can often mean a variety of different things in another.&nbsp;Another useful feature that I often resort to is the Reverso Spellchecker. This works much in the same way as a Microsoft Word spellchecker, in which a red line will appear under the potentially incorrect word, and the platform will offer suggestions for an amendment. This is particularly helpful when writing entire essays as a way of going over everything to double-check that words have been spelt correctly, even if you may have known the translation beforehand.&nbsp;There is also an option to playback the word or phrase to find out exactly how it is pronounced, however there is no choice of accents like there is with Bing Translator.&nbsp;The adverts on Reverso can be quite distracting and make the page look overcrowded, with as many as three large banners visible at any time.&nbsp;Another drawback is the limited number of languages available for translation. Where Google Translate has more than 100 options, Reverso offers just 11. That being said, you get the feeling that it is more a case of quality over quantity when using Reverso.

Free online translation in French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, Portuguese, Hebrew, Japanese, English.

Reverso

<h3>What is TravelPirates Last Minute Vacation Website?</h3>Sure, planning vacation weeks or months ahead of time can be a fun and exciting experience; it can also sometimes be a surefire way to find the best deals on airfare, lodging, and vacation packages. But one of my favorite ways to travel is to put together a trip at the last possible second. When you have traveled as much as I have in my life, sometimes working towards finding the best last-minute travel deals can be a fun way to challenge yourself. Having all but mastered the art of scoring the best prices on travel accommodations ahead of time (it’s all about booking at precisely the right time of year, day of the week, and time of the day), lately I am all about chasing the thrill of last-minute travel.Of course, waiting to book a trip at the last possible second isn’t always a choice. Sometimes life just throws you an opportunity that you would be a fool not to take. Maybe your company asks you out of the blue if you could travel overseas to secure a business deal. Maybe a friend has an <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/101-attractions-across-the-usa-to-visit/#Hawaii">extra plane ticket to Hawaii</a> that departs tomorrow – all you need to do is <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">book an affordable room</a> and it’s yours. There are countless circumstances that could lead to last-minute, spontaneous travel. No matter what, though, you always want to be prepared.Last-minute travel, whether you love the thrill of it or hate the potential stress of it, undeniably has a reputation for being less affordable and far from ideal within the general public. This is precisely why you see so <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">many people booking flights</a> sometimes a year or more in advance, thinking that doing so is the key to getting the best prices. This is, however, not necessarily the case. More seasoned travelers know well that it can sometimes pay to procrastinate or to be an impulsive traveler. I’ve gotten some of the best deals on airfare of my life by being willing to fly standby, as well as by taking advantage of some of the unbelievable deals that I have seen on <a href="https://travelsites.com/last-minute-travel/">last-minute travel sites</a>.The early bird gets the worm, they say, and this may be true in many cases. But it is also true that, once in a while, the late riser gets everything that the early bird left behind. And if you are anything like me, chances are you’re more likely to put off doing things like booking a hotel, renting a car, or finding a flight. This is why we are very lucky that sites like Travel Pirates exist, to hook us up with all of the best last-minute travel deals available on the web.<h3>Who owns the TravelPirates website?</h3>&nbsp;Travel Pirates, originally a German company called Urlaubspiriten, was founded in 2011. Since then, it has steadily grown into one of the best travel sites on the web, especially for last-minute travelers like you and me. From its main cove (if you will) in Germany, the company began expanding in 2012, first into the United Kingdom, where it became known as Holiday Pirates. The following year, in 2013, the company’s reach grew to Italy and Austria, Piratin Viaggio and Urlaubspiriten launched, respectively.The company’s steady and swift expansion did not stop there. In 2014, new regional Holiday Pirate imprints were made available in the Netherlands, Poland, and <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/france-vs-spain-which-is-best-to-travel/">France</a>. 2015 saw the company move <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/italy-vs-spain-which-is-best-to-travel/">into Spain</a> and Switzerland, as well as a big professional step in the form of a white label affiliation deal with popular travel company Kayak. Then, finally, the company grew into the <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/washington-d-c-how-to-spend-a-day-in-the-nations-capital/">United States</a> in 2016, when Travel Pirates as we know it launched.Today, in 2021, Travel Pirates enjoys over 800,000 subscribers to its newsletter, 10+million Facebook fans, and more than 10 million downloads of the site’s mobile app. Travel Pirates has gone from a humble travel site in Germany to a worldwide phenomenon in the online travel booking space, with millions of travelers that rely on the service every year.However impressive they may be, numbers alone, of course, do not make for the best last minute travel site on the web. There are many factors to take into account before we can discern whether Travel Pirates is, indeed, the best travel site for you. Does the site actually have the best last-minute travel deals? Is the interface user-friendly and intuitive? Are the site and app features-rich?Well, there is only one way to discover the answers to these questions. And that is to take a closer look at Travel Pirates and everything that it has to offer. Does this site have enough booty to plunder, or is it time to let it walk the plank? Hop aboard the ship, matey, and let’s see what Travel Pirates has to offer.<h3>Is TravelPrates Legitimate?</h3>&nbsp;My first impression upon visiting Travel Pirates is that the site is fairly easy to navigate, sleek, professional, and dynamic. This last-minute travel site wastes no time in providing its most impressive deals – a design feature that is critical, no doubt, to a site that specializes in last-minute travel. Time is of the essence, and Travel Pirates makes sure that you can dive right in without delay by presenting a banner-style gallery of 3 deals (a mixture of flights and stays in popular destinations like New York City, Seattle, and <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/top-5-cheapest-countries-to-visit/#Morocco">Morocco</a>.Scroll down a bit and you will find a very intuitive and easy to use search bar to quickly filter out what the site shows. Simply select a category if you like (flights, vacations, <a href="https://travelsites.com/best-cruise-sites/">cruises</a>, hotels, other), type in from where you are traveling, choose your destination, and pick a date range for your trip. Then just click “filter” and watch the site instantly transform to fit your parameters. Instead of bringing you to a secondary ‘search’ page, I particularly appreciate how Travel Pirates brings the search results to you. Less clicking back and forth between pages is always better in my book.The only time you will have to click into another page is when you find a travel accommodation that catches your eye. Click on it to be redirected to a page containing trip or stay info and plenty of pictures. Overall, as far as last minute travel sites go, Travel Pirates offers a pleasantly easy to use and noncomplicated site design.<h3>How good is Travel Pirates website for booking Last minute travel vacation?</h3>Travel Pirates is pretty close to a one-stop shop for all of your last minute travel needs. Book flights, hotels, cruises, experiences, browse vacation packages, and compare travel deals directly on the site. Travel Pirates even has regularly updated and well-written blog posts to help inspire you with potential destinations, as well as read up on travel tips and tricks.There are a couple downsides to Travel Pirates, though, that might knock it out of the running for best last minute travel site in the minds of some. One major issue that I take with Travel Pirates, for instance, is the fact that accommodations and flights cannot be booked on the site itself. Although this is fairly common, the best travel sites, in my opinion, do provide a means for booking from them directly. Instead, you will have to close the deal on whatever third-party travel site it came from.Another understandable complaint with Travel Pirates is the fact that information on each deal is somewhat limited sometimes. Deals will often come with plenty of pics, but certain specifics can be missing. Most deals, for instance, only come with a very short paragraph detailing what to expect. Travel Pirates, once again, leaves the third-party site from which the deal came a heavy burden to shoulder.<h3>Does TravelPirates have an app?</h3>On a more positive note, though, Travel Sites is definitely one of the most mobile-friendly last minute travel sites out today. With native apps available on both iOS and Android devices, you never have to miss out on a great deal. Combine app push notifications with personalized WhatsApp messages and it’s like having the world’s best travel agent in your pocket at all times.The app, too, is one of the highest-quality travel apps on the market today. It offers a smooth and intuitive interface that makes browsing the best travel deals as efficient as it is enjoyable. But don’t just take my word for it, of the 8,400 reviews on the Apple App Store, the iOS app has received an average user rating of 4.8 (out of 5), making it one of the highest-rated travel apps that I have ever seen.No matter where in the world you happen to be, the Travel Pirates mobile app makes it easier than ever to book your travel accommodations, even as your plane is touching down in your destination city.Suggestions that I have for TravelPiratesSince the site doesn’t actually book its flights and deals directly, it might not be the most practical suggestion in the world, but I would like to see Travel Pirates implement some sort of loyalty or rewards program, perhaps in conjunction with a site like Kayak. If I book my flights and hotels on Travel Pirates several times over, winning them hundreds of dollars, it would be nice if there was some sort of frequent traveler perk (discounted rates, incentives, etc.) for repeat customers.What I Like about Travel Pirates-Simple and user-friendly interface for searching deals-Easily compare competing deals on the site-Mobile push and WhatsApp notifications-Great travel tips, tricks, and inspiration on the blogWhat I Dislike about Travel Pirates-Cannot book directly on the site-Somewhat limited info on deals-No rewards or loyalty program

Cheap Vacations and Good Last Minute Deals

TravelPirates

Although you cannot <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">book accommodation directly</a> through Hipmunk, it proves to be a very efficient and easy way to find the best deals across a number of booking websites.&nbsp;Like Kayak, it offers the option to compare hotels, flights and packages, by simply clicking ‘Select’ where a drop down menu appears displaying prices on third party websites such as <a href="https://travelsites.com/priceline-2/">Priceline</a>, <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-com/">Booking.com</a> and <a href="https://travelsites.com/hotels-com/">Hotels.com</a>. A quick scroll down easily informs the user on where to go to get the cheapest booking, while at the same time a map displays other options with a similar criteria to the one you are looking at.&nbsp;The choice of filters is less than that of other similar websites which limits it to a certain extent, however when viewing Hipmunk on a platform such as iOS, you can get special features like a heat map showing nightlife or pedestrian-friendly areas, something which I haven’t come across on other hotel price comparison sites.&nbsp;Hipmunk doesn’t just display hotel results either. It also features private lettings such as those on Airbnb and HomeAway, giving you the opportunity to find a unique place that may not show up on the usual hotel websites. If you want to avoid dining out every night during your stay, this is inclusion allows you to find a place with your own kitchen and may prove cheaper than staying in a hotel.&nbsp;Its ratings are taken from websites such as Tripadvisor and Airbnb, however I quite like using the ‘Expert Reviews’ section to get a better, and potentially more reliable idea, of the quality of the property. The ‘Good to know’ segment, meanwhile, fills the user in on the little details that you may otherwise forget about, such as tourist taxes and add-ons.

Hipmunk

<h3>Is Travelocity legitimate?</h3>When it comes to hotel booking sites – and, really, travel sites in general – few are better known or more popular than Travelocity. Seldom do you come across a site, in fact, of any type that manages to establish the level of brand awareness that Travelocity has? It is a household name. Go up to anybody on the street and ask them if they have heard of Travelocity and I bet they’ll be able to strike up a conversation about the company’s iconic gnome mascot – that is if they don’t break into a story about what a great cheap hotel they found on the site first.Travelocity is one of <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">the most beloved hotel booking sites</a> not just because of the fact that they have cutesy and memorable marketing. They have also managed to become widely considered one of the best hotel booking sites on the web due to the fact that they were one of the first companies in the online travel agent space, they have a longstanding history of providing a quality product while finding an innovative way to do so.Travelocity was one of the first companies to pioneer web-based disintermediation … which is just a fancy way of saying that this travel site, by offering hotel booking and <a href="https://travelsites.com/cheap-flights/">flight booking services on the internet</a>, cut out the middlemen (AKA travel agents, hotel receptionists, etc.). To put it plainly, the middlemen that Travelocity’s web-based model cut out were people.Clearly, this disruption of the travel industry was a success. Today, Travelocity is the third-largest travel site owned by the <a href="https://travelsites.com/expedia/">Expedia Group</a>, and it boasts 12.4 million unique visitors and 90+ million page views. Although best known for being one of the best hotel booking sites on the planet, Travelocity makes it easy for customers to book flights, cars, cruises, and vacation packages as well. In theory, you could take care of just about every booking for your big trip all with just Travelocity.Just because millions of people swear by Travelocity, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best hotel booking site for you. That, of course, is highly subjective. My favorite booking site might be terrible in your opinion. It all depends on your personal sensibilities, what you look for in a hotel booking site, and what kind of travel you prefer. For instance, if you want to immerse yourself in the local culture of a village in Nepal, Travelocity may not be the best hotel booking site for you.If you are planning something of a more traditional vacation, though, whether international or domestic, Travelocity will do a great job at providing you with the best deals on hotels, airfare, and more. But let’s stop beating around the bush, shall we? Let’s take a closer look at Travelocity, where it came from, and what it has to offer. It’s about time we got to know the gnome, don’t you think?<h3>Who owns Travelocity?</h3>The origins of Travelocity, interestingly enough, can be traced back to <a href="https://travelsites.com/blog/the-worlds-top-10-airlines/">American Airlines</a>. In 1978, American Airlines began allowing travel agencies to access its electronic reservation system, known as Sabre. In the middle of the 1980s, the system was also accessible on CompuServe and GEnie under the clunky brand name, “eAAsySabre.” This was a popular feature of internet services such as Prodigy and AOL in the early ‘90s.Travelocity was created in 1995. It was a joint venture between the World View Systems Corporation and Sabre. The idea for Travelocity first took root at World View in 1994 as an extension to the company’s already vast online travel database. For the next few years, Travelocity gradually amassed users, and their popularity reached a fever pitch in 1999 when they officially partnered with AOL.Since I know you are only here to learn about the gnome, he didn’t come into the mix until 2004, when Travelocity first launched its “Where’s My Gnome” marketing campaign, wherein the iconic Travelocity gnome would be placed in random undisclosed locations around the world. The challenge was to see if you could find him on your travels. Honestly, in my opinion, this is one of the more inventive marketing campaigns of all time. But I digress.Over the next decade or so, Travelocity exchanged hands and ownership many times. Meanwhile, it continued to grow and acquire smaller companies itself. By the time Expedia Group bought Travelocity in 2015, it came with a price tag of $280 million. Not too shabby. Since then, Travelocity has been firmly in Expedia’s ownership and given their online travel empire, I doubt they have any designs to give it up any time soon.<h3>How useful and well-made is Travelocity?</h3>Speaking of designs, Travelocity is one of the <a href="https://travelsites.com/booking-sites/">best hotel booking sites</a> that I have ever seen, at least if we are talking about site design and user experience. The site is sleek, professional, modern, and easy to use. From the moment you land on this site, whether you have booked hotels online a hundred times or you’ve never seen a hotel booking site before, you will instantly know how to search and browse hotel bookings. It is that intuitive.This is partly due, I think, to the fact that the first thing you see when you land on the site’s homepage is Travelocity’s simple and versatile search engine. At the top of this, you can quickly jump from one booking type to the next – be it hotels, flights, cars, vacation packages, things to do, or cruises – then you simply plug in your desired destination, check-in, and check-out dates, number of guests, and hit “search.” There are even options to add a flight and/or a car to your search, making the whole process as simple and pain-free as can be.Or, if you are more of the browsing type, feel free to scroll down past this to be inspired by travel ideas, articles, and featured stays. Feeling spontaneous? Let Travelocity recommend a place for you to visit!Let’s say that you already know where you want to go, though. Once you punch all of your relevant info into the search engine, you will be presented a list of hotels that meet your criteria. This is often where hotel booking sites lose points, design-wise. These pages have a tendency to be cluttered, jampacked, and chaotic. This is not the case here, though (phew!). In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a more neatly organized and clearly structured hotel listings page on any of the best hotel booking sites on the web. Everything is in its place, clearly labeled, and easy to browse. Plus, there are plenty of filters and options available to make sure that you find the perfect hotel for you.<h3>How does Travelocity work?</h3>Travelocity allows its users to filter hotels by star rating, specific neighborhood, view options, amenities, budget range, guest rating, payment type, cancellation policy, property type, number of rooms, meal plan options, trip type, accessibility features, and more. In not so many words, Travelocity has a ton of options for filtering hotels and stays to meet your specific needs. Sorting options, too, make browsing cheap hotels on Travelocity a pleasure. You can sort hotel listings by recommended, price, price + “our picks,” deals, guest rating, distance from downtown, star rating, or vacation rentals. Travelocity is, by far, one of the most customizable hotel booking sites out there.Each hotel featured on Travelocity also comes complete with plenty of pictures (in some cases, hundreds), all necessary info, insight into the neighborhood, and plenty of user reviews. Honestly, Travelocity has thought of everything. Literally, anything that I could think of wanting in a hotel booking site, Travelocity’s already got it.One of the things that really stands out about Travelocity is the fact that it offers a very flexible cancellation policy. Unfortunately, not ever hotel booking site can say the same. That is one of Travelocity’s calling cards, though: free cancellation on most hotels. This policy has been a lifesaver for me (on more than one occasion!).The only thing that is notably missing from this hotel booking site is some kind of rewards scheme. You know, a loyalty or a points program, something like that. I have spent a great deal of money booking hotels via Travelocity, this would be the best hotel booking site, no questions asked, if it offered a loyalty or rewards program. But, alas, Travelocity has me booking hotels at full price every time, year after year. I still book hotels on this site, though, because, well, Travelocity truly is just that good.<h3>Does Travelocity have an App?</h3>Travelocity’s mobile app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices, may even be more beautifully designed than its desktop site. The app is smooth, dynamic, user-friendly, and dependable. I’m not alone in loving the Travelocity app either. Of 233,000 ratings, the Travelocity app has an average user rating of 4.8 (out of 5) on the Apple App Store.<h3>What I Like about Travelocity</h3>-Incredible site and app design, user-friendly experience-Free cancellations on most hotels-Coupon codes for 10-15% off at checkout<h3>What I Dislike about Travelocity</h3>-No rewards or loyalty programs offered

Great Lower Price Matching and Refund System

Travelocity

Dеѕреrаtе tо escape the rаіn аnd ѕее… more rаіn? Alfa Travel оrgаnіzеѕ hоlіdауѕ tо Brіtіѕh seaside rеѕоrtѕ. But аrе thеѕе only fun whеn the weather is nісе? And hоw аffоrdаblе аrе thеіr hоlіdауѕ? Hоw dо уоu know thаt уоu are nоt ѕасrіfісіng comfort аnd іmроrtаnt fасіlіtіеѕ for a рrісе reduction? Cаn you truѕt Alfa Travel with уоur holiday? Cоnѕіdеrіng Alfa Travel оrgаnіzеѕ coach hоlіdауѕ, hоw соmfоrtаblе аrе their coaches? And hоw wеll-trained are the coach drіvеrѕ? Arе thе hоtеlѕ of good ԛuаlіtу and in good locations? All of thеѕе issues can make or break уоur holiday. Finding оut thе right answers is therefore essential. Sераrаtе fасt frоm fісtіоn аnd read rеvіеwѕ of реорlе whо hаvе actually traveled with Alfa Travel!&nbsp;<h3>About Alfa Travel</h3>&nbsp;Alfa Travel іѕ one оf the lаrgеѕt coach tour ореrаtоrѕ іn thе United Kingdom аnd іѕ раrt оf the Alfa Lеіѕurерlеx Grоuр. A ѕіѕtеr соmраnу оf Alfa Travel, Leisureplex Hоtеlѕ, оwnѕ 21 hotels іn the UK. Another sister соmраnу, Alfa Cоасhеѕ Lіmіtеd, оwnѕ a fleet оf соасhеѕ.&nbsp;Whаt іѕ rеlаtіvеlу unіԛuе about Alfa Travel іѕ thаt it is an еmрlоуее-owned соmраnу. In fасt, іt wаѕ one оf thе fifty largest еmрlоуееѕ owned соmраnіеѕ іn 2016. Thіѕ соuld mаkе Alfa Travel’s staff even more соmmіttеd tо рrоvіdіng thе best possible ѕеrvісе.&nbsp;<h3>Service</h3>&nbsp;Thеrе are mаnу different places уоu саn vіѕіt with Alfa Trаvеl. Wanting tо go tо the South Wеѕt? Yоu саn go to resorts in Exmouth, Ilfracombe, Nеwԛuау, Sіdmuth, Tоrԛuау аnd Wеѕtоn-Suреr-Mаrе. Hоtеlѕ іn the South аnd South Eаѕt саn bе fоund іn Bognor Regis, Bоurnеmоuth, Eаѕtbоurnе, Fоlkеѕtоnе, Gіllіnghаm, Hayling Island, thе Sandown аnd Shаnklіn Iѕlеѕ of Wrіght, Southend-On-Sea аnd Wеуmоuth.&nbsp;Crоmеr, Great Yarmouth and Skеgnеѕѕ соuld be your hоlіdау dеѕtіnаtіоnѕ on thе Eаѕt Cоаѕt аnd Bіnglеу (Wеѕt Yоrkѕ), Nеwсаѕtlе аnd Scarborough іn thе Nоrth Eаѕt. In thе North West, уоu соuld trаvеl to Blасkрооl, Grange Over Sаndѕ, Iѕlе оf Man, Lytham St Annеѕ аnd Southport.&nbsp;Yоu саn also go оn a сruіѕе wіth Alfa Travel’s Alfa Rіvеr Cruіѕе рrоgrаmmе. If you like drіvіng уоurѕеlf, you can gо tо mаnу оf thе rеѕоrtѕ іn your оwn саr. Othеrwіѕе, you саn use Alfa Travel’s coaches thаt hаvе rесlіnіng ѕеаtѕ, аіr-соndіtіоnіng, toilet facilities and соmfоrt ѕtорѕ.

Yоu have ассеѕѕ tо unique еxреrіеnсеѕ, skipping thе іnеvіtаblе queues.

Alfa Travel

Kayak Flights

Workaway.info is an online platform that connects hosts with travelers, in order to provide a culturally enriching experience for both parties. Travelers get the chance to learn about a country while living rent free, while hosts offer accommodation and board in return for a few hours of work per week. The website, that offers opportunities in more than 170 countries, is free to use, however contact details of hosts are only available with a paid membership.&nbsp;For me, the greatest facet of Workaway is in the simplicity of the website. Searching for hosts is easy; all you have to do is enter which continent you’d like to travel to, which country within that continent, and then hit go. The website will display a whole range of different hosts that can then be sorted by applying filters, such as host rating, whether the place has internet access, smokers allowed and job type. I particularly like the ‘Last Minute Page’, which displays a list of results from hosts requiring instant help, meaning you can quickly embark on a new adventure without having to wait for an available space.&nbsp;Finding the perfect host is also made easier by the fact that past travellers – or Workawayers – are able to leave reviews describing their experience with that particular person. Hosts can also leave feedback for the Workawayers, providing an incentive for them to behave well and conform with what the host expects. I find the blog especially useful, as you can find out in-depth stories of different countries, including people’s top tips, as well as their dos and don’ts.&nbsp;One of the problems with being a Workawayer is that some hosts require you to work as if you were doing a full-time job, making it difficult to find time to do much else.

Workaway.info

insuremytrip is a travel insurance comparison website that allows you to enter your trip preferences before displaying a whole host of different results to suit your needs. You can sort by a range of filters, including price, rating, provider and frequently purchased allowing you to quickly find the best option for you.&nbsp;One of the best features that I came across while using insuremytrip was the instant messaging chat box that appeared as I was browsing different insurance plans. It says I was chatting with an live expert and could ask about any query I may have concerning the plans I was looking at. This was really helpful as often when you are unsure you will have to scroll through the various FAQs to find the answer you’re looking for or wait for ages on the phone before getting through to someone. The inclusion of an instant chat, therefore, was a big bonus.&nbsp;Another good feature is that you can tick a box under each plan called ‘Add to compare’, meaning you can easily pit different plans against each other to see which one is best. Each plan has a star rating out of five based on verified user reviews and a percentage of how many of those people would recommend the plan. You can read feedback from people who have used the plan to see if it will best suit your needs, view detailed plan info, and even eliminate plans that you don’t wish to see.&nbsp;One of the drawbacks with using insuremytrip to search for travel insurance is that you cannot add as many filters as other websites, such as extreme sport activities or business trip add-ons. The addition of more filters to fine tune results would make the website even more comprehensive.

Compare and Find Your best Travel insurance Plan

insuremytrip

Turu is an online platform that offers a comprehensive selection of holiday sites, caravan parks, camping grounds and cabins in Australia, with almost 2,000 listings nationwide. You can search for your ideal location based on region, park features or price, before finding out detailed information to help you decide precisely where you would like to stay. You can also book directly via the website or make an inquiry by filling in their online form.&nbsp;Turu provides all sorts of different accommodation types and themes, however one section of the website that I think is particularly useful is the ‘Pet-friendly’ category. Travelling with a pet is no easy task and it can end up being far simpler to leave your dog at home rather than take them around with you. However, by being able to quickly see all the available locations that allow pets to stay can make moving around a far less stressful event.&nbsp;The ‘Travelers’ Stories’ is another section that I think is great for those planning a trip away, with a whole host of unique, camping-related experiences from people who have traveled in Australia. While the website also offers a blog featuring useful tips and advice, as well as a guide for each location, the travelers’ stories are more personal accounts of trips from a first-person perspective, making them more engaging than a typical travel blog full of suggestions. That being said, the articles lack a comments section at the end, where readers can leave their own thoughts and feelings towards the piece.&nbsp;The email notifications are also a good addition to the site, offering users the chance to get promotions and deals sent straight to their inbox so that they can be amongst the first to take advantage of them. When people are planning trips, they may not necessarily have the time to scan the internet to find discounts on campsites, therefore being able to sign up for free to a scheme that delivers good value on locations you’ve been looking at straight to your email is undoubtedly a great feature to have available to you.

Comprehensive selection of holiday sites, caravan parks, camping grounds and cabins in Australia

turu

If you are looking for a solid, reputable company to book your flight and accommodations through, Southwest is a pretty great choice. You know Southwest for their airlines, but it is little-known that they actually offer a full-service travel booking website. In past years, Southwest has perfected the process of offering a high-quality flight service for the lowest rates on the market. Now, they have brought that industry knowledge to all aspects of your vacation.&nbsp;Whether you are in the planning stages of your vacation or you almost have everything worked out, Southwest has a hub of knowledge and functionality that will help you to book and go on the best vacation of your life.&nbsp;If you are planning, you should know that Southwest has a variety of tools available to you. They make it simple and easy to handpick what you want out of your vacation. Unlike the flights, the hotels and experiences are not usually directly handled by them, but they screen carefully all of their offerings to ensure that they are giving you the best experience possible. In addition, because of their power in the market, they’re able to offer these selections at the best rate on the market.&nbsp;People don’t often consider the power of the reputation of a company, but the years of experience that Southwest has in the travel industry definitely comes into play when you are talking about travel packages. You can clearly see that some of the deal they have are markedly better than a lot of their competitors.&nbsp;Southwest is one of the largest flight companies in the world also comes in handy if you have already booked travel through them and want to find things to do while on your trip. If you just found out about Southwest Vacations after booking your flight, you can build off of that with the various experiences, hotels, and other travel recommendations that Southwest has to offer and has partnered with as a company.&nbsp;During your vacation, Southwest offers 24-hour traveler assistance. So if you have any problems or need help, they’ll be there to answer the phone. This is a lot different than other companies who have set hours or outsource their customer service to someone untrustworthy. Southwest’s reputation shines through this booking service that they have created and it lives up to the hype!

During your vacation, Southwest offers 24-hour traveler assistance

SouthwestVacations

Everything Everywhere is a travel blog run by Gary Arndt from Wisconsin, who sold his house in 2007 to explore the world, and has won a number of travel journalism awards, as well as being featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and National Geographic.&nbsp;His website is very simple, with the blog posts set out in a simple scroll down menu under various headings. Articles vary from what to know before travelling, to the best cameras to buy in order to take great photos. Although most of the posts have one photo at the top, hardly any have photos featured throughout and some have none at all. This makes for quite a dull read, as the paragraphs are not broken up with anything to look at.&nbsp;The section that interested me most about Everything Everywhere was the UNESCO World Heritage sites category. Under this, there is a list of all the new sites added to the category each year, and each one has a link to a blog post on Gary’s experience visiting it. Not only is it similar to ticking off items on a bucket list, it makes for a unique way to travel, as the locations are guaranteed to be stunning, as they are voted for at the world heritage convention.&nbsp;Another significant feature to the website, and something that sets it apart from other travel bloggers, is the podcast section. Here, there are two podcast categories – The Global Travel Conspiracy and This Week In Travel – which have won awards for best travel podcast. These can easily be accessed via the website and make for an interesting alternative to reading blog posts about travel.

Gary Arndt's journey to travel around the world.

Everything Everywhere

TripAdvisor is, and has been since 2000, a unique resource for travellers looking to decide where to eat and drink. With over 500 million reviews of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and attractions, it has become a tool that nearly every explorer uses to pick out the best places around, whether it’s in their hometown or in a city thousands of miles away.&nbsp;By relying solely on user reviews, TripAdvisor moves away from the official words of guidebooks, newspapers and magazines by allowing people who have visited to have their say and post their own user photos. When searching through reviews, I find the ability to view by language as particularly useful as opinions from people from one nationality can often be substantially different from the expectations of others.&nbsp;After selecting your location, the website then gives the option to add filters to your search, including establishment type, dietary restrictions and pricing. This is incredibly beneficial in narrowing down your options and presenting the best places to go depending on your preferences. By then clicking the name of the establishment you wish to view, you will be taken through to the profile that displays its ranking in the city, type of food or drink served and contact details. A quick scroll down will show reviews in chronological order which can then be filtered by typing in key words, selecting traveller type or singling out traveller ratings.&nbsp;However, one of the problems with TripAdvisor is its unreliability. Fake reviews written by people who have never visited an establishment can artificially increase rankings, while competitors may choose to leave purposefully damaging reviews. While the website aims to monitor and remove these bogus reviews, there is no sure way of finding out as it is difficult to prove whether someone has definitely visited a place or not.&nbsp;

TripAdvisor Restaurants

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Berlin, Campanada brings together RV rental companies and private owners with prospective renters worldwide. Operating in more than 40 countries across five continents, they currently offer over 25,000 vehicles and growing. Using the website, customers can easily compare price, location, and vehicle amenities to quickly make an informed decision and book the right RV for them. Their website is available in six different languages, including English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.&nbsp;Searching for RVs on Campanda is very easy, simply having to enter the pickup location, departure and return dates to bring up a whole host of different results from both individuals and established hire companies. By hovering your cursor over each option, you will be able to see exactly where they are located on a map on the right hand side of the screen, while there are a huge selection of filters down the left hand side. In my experience with RV rental sites, Campanda has some of the most wide-ranging choice of filters to help narrow down results, with everything from price range to amenities to vehicle length.&nbsp;Once you have selected a particular vehicle, you will be taken through to a more detailed profile, with photos, description, specifications, availability and conditions, such as minimum driver age and mileage. However, the section here that I find most useful is the customer satisfaction rating at the very bottom of the page. Past customers must leave a rating out of five stars for cleanliness and condition, service at rental station, vehicle usability and onboard fun and comfort, as well as a brief comment on their overall experience with the RV. This is a great way to gain an understanding of precisely what to expect from the rental, as customers do not have a vested interest to promote the vehicle as anything other than what it is.&nbsp;For me, one drawback of the service was the limited ways of getting into contact with customer care. While there is a phone number and email address, it would have been good to have a live online chat box to quickly ask questions. That being said, their blog and magazine is a great resource for both renters and owners, containing lots of helpful information on all things RV-related.

Choice between private renters and established companies

OVERSEAS ADVENTURE TRAVEL BLOG

United Kingdom vs. Germany: Which Is Best to Travel?