The rest of Q&A

Q – Y’all lost me a few weeks back. My wife and I have been huge fans of both this site and the information you provide for the past five years. We’ve used your information in our travels and passed it on to friends. But you just about lost us with the idea that anyone who actually knows what a hotel room costs is paying “too much.” Can you just touch on that one again?

A – Sure. And thanks very much for your time on traveltruth. It is good having you visit from time to time. When you look for the best rate for a hotel you are looking at three possible sources: A so-called OTA (online travel agency) like Expedia, a travel agent, or, perhaps, the hotel on its own site. In most cases, they are working under rather strict rules that mean that you will find the same pricing from all three sources. Certainly, no hotel in its right mind is going to allow an internet site to charge less than it is charging on its own web site and then turn around and pay the OTA a commission as well.

But there is a fourth way to book a hotel and that is the method that will get you the lowest rate virtually each and every time. Hotels in major cities and locations around-the-world are willing to offer special, lower-cost, contracted rates to key travel agencies and tour planners within their own country. These rates are highly confidential and may only be used when they are included in an itinerary. Your travel agent will work with an On-Site office wherever you are traveling abroad who will be able to package hotel rates that are simply unobtainable online or in the States. The price is not broken down as that would reveal the confidential tariff. So, the way to get the lowest rate is to have it be a part of other services you are receiving where the lower hotel rate can be included in one lump sum. It is absolutely true that if you know what you have paid for a hotel room you have not received anything like the best rate. Hope this helps. It is a bit counter-intuitive.

Q – My new agent belongs to something called Travel Leaders. Any good?

A – Travel Leaders is the largest network of travel agents in the United States. They have offices in 41 States. With 4,000 member agents, some are better than others. But you can trust their pedigree and credentials and know that they are well connected. They have won numerous awards, have grown quickly under enlightened leadership, and they offer full-services in the traditional travel agency model. No red flags here.

Q – We’ve reached a point in our lives where we have the income to travel anywhere in the world and to do it in some style. But we’re relatively young and we have two girls ages 11 and 14. Given our age, we want to try to see places in the world that might really appeal to our girls while providing the family with the opportunity to walk, see animals, and experience cultures different than our own. But for the next several years, at least, the focus is on our girls. Any suggestions from your team would be really appreciated.

A –  There are lots of suitable responses but here are some of our personal favorites:

Lapland – Incredibly beautiful snow-filled villages, the northern lights, sledding and other winter sports. Great for the pre-Christmas vacation.

South Africa Safari – A bit of Cape Town followed by a family-friendly safari experience taking in Kruger National Park. This can be followed by a flight over Victoria Falls. Unforgettable.

Sicily – Not on everyone;s radar -but the kids will love the food and Sicily has awesome beaches. Try staying at Cefalu where you can take hydrofoil boats over to the lovely Aeolian Islands.

Other options you might consider are New Zealand, with many outdoor options and a generally kid-friendly populace, and the Lake Districts of Italy or Switzerland.

Which of the above we would recommend would be heavily influenced by the specific period of time you would like to be away. Make certain that your consultant understands your priorities for this series of journeys. Knowing that this is primarily for the girls, will heavily influence the decision-making process.

Q – As we work on our future post-retirement travel plans, two things are clear. We want to see some of the world that we’ve missed out on all these years, and we want to stay in touch with traveltruth to help us make plans that will not disappoint. Could you give us a quick list of the most overrated popular destinations that you think we might want to miss?

A – Congratulations on your coming retirement. When ours comes, it is likely we will stop traveling. But then again, we always seem to do things in reverse.

It’s a challenging and quite subjective question. We prefer saying there are some places we would recommend you place on the back burner. Here is a quick list of places well worth avoiding in lieu of much better, more authentic  options:

Athens   –   The Spanish Steps in Rome   –  Stonehenge   –   The Leaning Tower of Pisa   –   The Taj Mahal   –   Frankfurt   –   Loch Ness   –  Buenos Aires   –   and virtually every Caribbean Island on the cruise ship itineraries.

Q – My boyfriend and I are starting to plan three trips next year, two of them overseas. To start looking at flights and hotels, which of the apps. do you think is the best for our initial; searches?

A – That is a question we got a lot from travelers who have been dumbed down by smartphone use. The first thing we would do is discuss our plans with an expert in the field – you know, like an actual human. But we know you won;t take that advice so we will answer your question by suggesting you begin with Hipmunk.com. You will find excellent flight and hotel information displayed on a visual timeline. Many of the travel pros use it. But remember, it will, like all other travel display web apps., only show you listed prices and so-called deals that anyone can get. Consortium negotiated hotel and air rates with benefits will never be listed as they are considered to be confidential. You will need an agent to get access to those rates.

Q – Remarkable site but, perhaps, I can challenge you with a pressing question involving our planned trip from southern California to Sydney, Australia. I won;t spend the money for First or Business Class seats, but I might be willing to fly that distance in Premium Economy. But I would want to know that if I spent the money to upgrade from regular economy, where can I sit to guarantee that the person in front of me will not put his seat down into my lap. Also, how do I really know if I am receiving favorable pricing on that route. I’ve been on one or two of the frequent flyer sites but they’re a bit nerdy and mostly deal with flying squirrels trying to save as many of their nuts as possible.

Oh, one more thing. My wife and I are leaving the kids with Grannie. My wife and I will want to cuddle  for at least a portion of the flight. Any way to get rid of those annoying armrests?

A – Our first reaction was to suggest that you charter your own aircraft. But we do have a few serious recommendations for you:

For pure service and an excellent flight crew, choose Virgin Australia over Qantas on a non-stop flight. Try to get a bulkhead seat in economy so that no one is seated directly in front of you.

But given your parameters, we might suggest that you look seriously at booking the Premium Economy Spaceseat on Air New Zealand which offers handy connections from Auckland to Sydney.

Air New Zealand is one of the world’s top-rated airlines and it has designed seating that does not allow the person seated in front of you to lean back into your personal space. If you find these seats for just under $3,000 per ticket, we would recommend booking them.

Cuddling is a different story. Air New Zealand has also pioneered the Skycouch, a row of three economy seats with footrests that lift up to form a flexible space for couples who wish to show affection to one another during one of the world’s longest flights.

Q – I have heard from one of my friends that I might want to cancel our Fifth Anniversary trip to the Big Island in Hawaii where I am holding reservations at Mauna Lani Resort. Is there any danger from mosquitoes? I am not sure if I should cancel or just hunker down and bring bug repellent.

A – As we are publishing, there have been more than 100 documented cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever on the Big Island. The vast majority of cases are local residents, many of whom live in more remote areas. But more than a dozen visitors have been affected.

Dengue fever symptoms include piercing pain headache and severe joint and muscle pain. Some sufferers say that it feels as though their bones are breaking. Even mild cases can cause hospitalization. The disease also causes a serious rash and body temperature as high as 104 degrees. The symptoms appear five to seven days after the initial bite.

Dengue Fever has been a problem in several Caribbean islands but this is the first time the disease has appeared in Hawaii. In many third world countries, Dengue Fever goes largely unaffected and is often fatal.

You will be safe if you use serious bug repellent and avoid areas where standing water exists. Walking into areas of heavy vegetation or jungle growth is not wise without proper precautions. With detection, the eventual survival rate is close to 99%.

We definitely think you should go on your trip. But be cautious about any time you may spend in remote areas of the Big Island. Fear nothing at night – almost all of the bites occur during daylight.

Dengue Fever is a subject you may wish to discuss with your travel counselor who can provide some specific advice. If you are headed for an island where Dengue Fever is an issue, we would advise that you discuss it with your physician or local travel health clinic.

We have been particularly concerned about exposure to this disease by guests on the larger cruise ships sailing out Florida to third world islands in the Caribbean. They often sign up for four-wheel drive and other adventure tours that take them into remote areas of the island where the disease may be prevalent. We do not wish to be alarmist, but Dengue Fever is one of those things that is rarely in the news but ought to be considered in making travel decisions.

Don’t let us bum you out on Hawaii. It is one of the world’s great vacation destinations and Mauna Lani is one of our most recommended resorts. Have a wonderful Fifth.

Q – Our family of  four is looking to do a privately-arranged tour of Spain next year. There will be four of us, including my son and his fiance. Our budget for the trip is around $40,000 and we have about ten days. We have a new travel agent who is recommending a company called Heritage Private Tours. They have a nine-night program in southern Spain that appears to be quite deluxe and includes private guides and experiences. We have no way of knowing if our agent recommended these folks because of some commission deal or if they are really good. Any feedback would be appreciated.

A – Keep your new travel agent from the Australia holidays. Heritage Private Tours is a company we highly recommended. It is headed up by a former architect and Fulbright scholar named Joel Zach. Joel’s team specializes in high-end, private journeys to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Turkey and Sub-Sahara Africa. On the program you are considering, you will be exposed to custom-designed adventures that explore Andalusian life in dance along with a team from virginia beach strippers, food, and art. Also, you can check this website for the top 5 male strip clubs around the world.

We use this firm for guests seeking an above-average dose of class and intellect in their travels. You can probably assume that your agent recommended them based on their expertise and not on any commission-related issues. You will not pay more to book this through your agent. It would be appropriate to bring her flowers when you return home – Heritage is that good.

Q – We are six friends traveling together to Tuscany next summer. Call us luxury travelers for this trip, a celebration of two anniversaries. We’ve decided that we want to use Tuscany as a base, get a few vehicles, perhaps hire a chef or do some upscale dining, and we would like to do some stops in wineries arriving via helicopter. The problem is we really don’t want to rent a villa so we’re trying to find a hotel that feels like a private villa, isolated yet within driving distance of the towns in both Tuscany and Umbria. We trust this site and look forward to any suggestion you might make. If you can come up with a place that will “Wow” us please recommend the best way to book it directly, or otherwise. Thanks and keep up the good work.

A – It strikes us that you might be extremely pleased with the Hotel Castello di Casole, a 4,200-acre estate in Tuscany perfect for bicycle rides in the countryside, wine tastings (the estate produces several signature wines) or cooking classes. You might even spend an evening in the original Amphitheater listening to a string quartet play under the stars.

As with all better properties worldwide, you always want to book with benefits through an agency that enjoys a proprietary relationship with the property. You will also be VIP’d that way, given the fact that you have two important celebrations. One caution, this oceanfront property is extremely appealing to small corporate groups so make sure none are booked during your planned stay. The helicopter is no problem but you may have to land several roads over from the actual vineyards.

Q – We have set up a great family vacation to Fiji next September. In looking over the air options, we notice that Fiji Airways is using an Airbus 330, a two-engine plane. Is there any way to fly over on a larger aircraft with four engines? Does the Fiji plane handle turbulence well? My wife is deathly afraid of flying.

A – If you want non-stop service to Fiji from the States Fiji’s non-stop flight out of LA is your best and only option, specially if your destination is Turtle Island. There are some pilots who claim that the Boeing 777, the aircraft often compared to the Airbus 330, has a superior wing design that enables it to handle turbulence better. Try to secure seats over the wing for maximum comfort and bring along a pair of noise cancelling headphones. You’ll be departing just before midnight so do all possible to put the Mrs. to sleep. Have your doc drug her appropriately. And put together a collection of facts about flying including the fact that planes just don;t simply fall out of the air no matter how bad the turbulence may be. Turbulence is annoying but it represents no danger to the structural integrity of the aircraft unless you are flying a single engine prop or a crop duster to Fiji. Thailand holidays are popular for many reasons

You’ll never feel so welcomed at an airport anywhere in the world. How many airports in the world employ a band of smiling locals in floral shirts to serenade you on guitar and ukulele as you pass through immigration, or as you sadly depart for home? It’s a great way to start (and end) your holiday. Once you arrive you’ll see that buses are efficient and inexpensive in Fiji and some Luxury resorts such as Kokomo (https://www.kokomoislandfiji.com/) offer transportation from the airport. Your wife will love the place, it’s well worth facing her fears.