Merry Xmas & Happy New Year From Travel Secrets

May all our bloggers have a great Xmas and a terrific 2008. This blogger is off to tuck into the plum pudding until January 6 and we look forward to bring you more breaking travel secrets in 2008 !

Cheers

The Travel Secrets Blog Team !

London's Top Spots To Get Married !

Getting married can be exclusive and yet not expensive. Here are two of the most extraordinary yet inexpensive places to get married in London !

* Westminster Register Office London. With its four wonderfully decorated historic rooms you can

join the likes of Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman , Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach ,Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit ! 

Cost ? Between 43 and 250 Pound

*The London Eye. What could be better to complete your nuptials suspended above London ? The capsules hold up to 20 invites and can be decorated with your own floral collection. 

Cost ? 1700 to 2000 Pound.

Who says weddings need to be traditional ?

Air New Zealand Offers Concierge Service In Flight

First it was Virgin Atlantic offering in flight massages now respected Pacific Airline Air New Zealand will start offering an In Flight Concierge Service on its long haul flights. 

Believed to be a world first the airline will have a dedicated staff member on its long haul flights . The airline says it is currently recruiting 90 Concierge staff.  

And what does an In Flight Concierge do ? For a start the airline says they will be walking guru on all Air NZ destinations. As well as helping passengers on the ground, in the air they will advise passengers on everything from car hire and accommodation to the top tourist attractions. The new service launches in April next year between Auckland and Los Angeles,San Francisco,Vancouver & Hong Kong but if successful the airlines expects to extend it to all international routes. 

And here is the good part - its not just for those premium passengers in the pointy end. Even us poor cousins down the back will get the same service. Good one Air New Zealand !

Hot Dog ! New 5 Star Pet Hotel Secrets.

Just when you thought the world could not get more silly comes a story about a new 5 star doggie hotel that has opened in Washington. Why not ? After all its where all the dogs we voted for hang out anyway! 

The new PetSmart Pet Hotel offers more than your Holiday Inn for humans.

An overnight stay runs around $US20 and for that your little darling gets:

*Pet Themed TV shows. Heaven knows there are plenty of 'dogs' on the box every night so no shortage of programming !

*Lactose free ice cream

*Indoor recreation

* A 'relief' room for potty breaks complete with plastic tree for cocking the old leg.

* Pet massage.

The group that owns the pet hotel currently have 32 'pet hotels' and hope to have 240 by 2010 ! Sounds like a growing market - after all Americans spend a staggering $US40 billion a year on their pets 

Hot Travel Destinations For 2008

Respected international newspaper The International Herald Tribune has just published its list of the 53 Hot Destinations For 2008. We think this is a really cool list. A lot of these places you may not have even heard of but the people in the know say these are the destinations you should check out in 2008. You can read the full article here. So heres the list to keep handy as you plan to go somewhere different in 2008:

1. Laos

2. Lisbon

3. Tunisia

4. Mauritius

5. Miami -Mid beach

6. Miami -South Beach

7. Maldives

8. Death Valley

9. Courchevel France

10. Libya

11. Hvar Croatia

12. Puerto Vallarta Mexico

13. Sylt Germany

14. Prague

15. Quito Ecuador

16. Liverpool

17.  Munich

18. Iran

19. Tuscany

20. Anguilla

21. Bogota

22. Playa Blanca Panama

23. Alexandria

23. Mazatlan Mexico

25. St Lucia

26. Oslo

27. Buenos Airies

28. Rimini Italy

29. Malawi Africa

30. Roatan Honduras

31. Mozambique

32. Kuwait City

33. Verbier Switzerland

34. Lombok Bali

35. Northwest Passage

36. Easter Island

37. Virgin Gorda BVI

38. Namibia

39. San Francisco

40. Detroit

41. Itacare Brazil

42. Kilimanjaro

43. Algeria

44. San Diego

45. Malaga

46. Puerto Plata Dominican republic

47. London

48. Vietnam

49. Essaouira Marrakesh

50. Las Vegas

51. Barossa Valley Australia

52. Tokaj Hungary

53. New York

RIght now could you send us a postcard from all of them please ! If you want to read full details on all these hot spots for 2008 click here

The Worlds Best Amusement Park Vacations

While cruising ,condos,biking holidays, and canal boats are gaining every year in popularity those of us with families still love to take vacations centred around Amusement/Theme Parks. When you think of Theme Parks of course we all think of Disney and yep they are right up there in terms of popularity but there are a few surprises as well. Here's the Top 5 Most Visited Theme Parks:

* Disneyland,Anaheim California. An oldie but still a goody ! More than a 15,000,000 pass through the gates of the Magic Kingdom annually. Latest attractions include the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.

* Magic Kingdom ,Walt Disney World Florida.  Florida has become THE place for Theme Park junkies and this one is rated as the best with that 'old Walt magic' shining trough. With nearly 17 million visitors a year try and avoid the summer crush but when you do go  a 'must do' is the Cinderella's Castle.

* Tokyo Disneyland. This was the first Disneyland to be built outside the States and attracts 13 million visitors a year. Its a big park with 7 themed lands and the must ride is Big Thunder Mountain.

* Disneyland Paris. This one has been a struggle from Day 1 but still 11 million visitors pass through the gates. The French once called it a 'Cultural Chernobyl". That being said don't the kids deserve a treat after you have dragged them around all those French churches and monuments !

*Everland,Kyonggi, South Korea. Fun in South Korea ? Its the only non Disney park to make it into the Top 5 so they have to be doing something right ! Yep this park is 30 years old and puts 7,500,00 guests through its gates each year. They specialize in lots of themed festivals throughout the year. Check whats on before you go.

If your thinking about taking the kids on a Theme Park holiday make sure you check out some of the great packages on offer. These normally include airfares,accommodation at or near the parks and multiple entry tickets. Its the cheapest way to go. And the other tip - avoid weekend and major public holidays if you can. Web site Orlando Theme Park Vacations has some great deals for Florida you might want to check. If you have any great Theme Park secrets we we love to hear them !

Our Final Airline Story Of The Day!

When researching the story below we came across this little gem. Its a handwritten note from an 8 year old on a Qantas flight thanking the pilot. No ice cream for you tonight little girl !

WHOOPS ! Er Lets Go Around Again - Secret Airline Screw Up Photos.

Further to our story above below are some photos that did not involve any fatalities but probably caused the pilot to look for a job at Burger King - Enjoy!

Airlines To Avoid in 2008 Secrets!

Flying is still safer than walking across the road -right ? Er well depends on what airline your flying on. We found these little statistics that you should keep handy next time your booking a flight. Based on the number of fatal accidents per million flights are the following to scratch off your list:

Aeroflot (Russia)

China Airlines (Taiwan)

Turkish Airlines

Egypt Air

CAAC (China)

Meanwhile just to doubly assure you, the worst airlines based on the number of fatalities per million passengers are as follows:

Turkish Airlines (124)

Air India (21)

Avianca (5.93)

Nigeria Airways (5.53)

Lot Polish (4.54)

The Best New Years Eve Secrets!

Tired of the same old same old at the local pub on New Years Eve? 

Internet hotel company boo.com has released its survey of the New Years Eve Hotspots they say you won't want to miss. Here they are:

* Moscow, Russia.Shake your tail in Red Square,get dressed as 'Grandfather Frost' and 'The Snow Maiden' and grab that Vodka bottle baby !

* New Orleans USA. Er excuse me didn't it get washed away ? Nope word is the French Quarters back and there going to throw the mega party of the year in "The Big Easy".

*Melbourne Australia. Please they can do it better than fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge ?? I don't think so but maybe the staffer at boo.com has a little something on the side in Melbourne ! My view - head to Sydney mate !

*Rio De Janeiro,Brazil. Natch - they invented the party ! Its not much of a crowd puller though - only 2.5 million people. Watch your toes!

*Prague,Czech Republic. Supposedly one of the biggest fireworks displays in Europe and rthe Czech's now how to party.

If you have any great New Years eve party secrets - let us know !

Worlds Largest Cruise Ship Secrets

Just when you thought they could not get any bigger word comes this week of the the keel laying ceremony  for what will become the worlds largest cruise ship...er that is until someone builds something bigger !

Its the Royal Caribbean International's Cruise Lines Project Genesis. 

Weighing in at a whopping 40% bigger than any other cruise ship afloat the behemoth will accommodate a staggering 5,400 guests ! 

And the size ? - 1200 feet long ,154 feet wide and 240 foot high -ouch. 

Costing a whopping $1.2 billion its also the most expensive cruise ship ever built. Project Genesis will take to the water, with its final name still to be decided, in early 2009 and be based permanently in Fort Lauderdale,Florida. 

The company currently operates the worlds biggest ships , "Freedom of The Seas" and "Liberty of The Seas" carry 4,000+ passengers.

The arrival of yet again an even bigger cruise ship will continue to ignite discussion on whether big is best. Those that continue to flock to award winning small cruise liners like the Silversea Line will run from ships like this in droves. What do you think ? We would love to know your cruising secrets.

Win A Weekend Away - Just Tell Us Your Wish Weekend Destination For 2008!

If you have promised yourself some more time off in 2008 here's how to get a weekend off at your favorite destination for FREE ! 

Hotels On Sale has given us 2 nights free accommodation at your favorite destination in 2008. 

Just tell us on this blog where your favourite weekend destination is. Entries are open until March 31 and we will announce the winner April 15 2008. Prize is accommodation only for 2 nights and subject to availability. Prize can be taken any time in 2008 subject to availability on the dates you are requesting

Make sure your post your first name or nick name and city and then check back April 15 to see if your the winner !

Sexy Travel Secrets For 2008!

Ok the new year is coming and its time to rev up your existing love life or go somewhere new with someone new ! While a candlelit dinner at KFC might do the trick chances are your going to zoom up the love scale if you get away somewhere really sexy for a break.

 Here's our recommendations for some of the sexiest places on the planet for 2008.

*Tahiti. Its French. Its in The South Pacific and whole place oozes sex - what more could a girl want. One of the better hotels -The InterContinental Resort Tahiti even has shirtless bellboys. The site off well buffed lads should get you in the sack within minutes of your bag being dropped off !

*British Virgin Islands. No limit to tiny little private beaches  where you can redo Deborah Kerr & Burt Lancaster's surf grope from Here to Eternity. Check out Little Dix Bay for the sexiest hedonistic retreat !

*Fiesole Italy. Book yourself into Villa San Michele and you may never leave. Set in a 15th century monastery the ultra chic hotel frequented by the likes of Julia Roberts and Madonna has jaw dropping views down the mountain to Florence.

*Go Bush - er make the Go VirginBush! So how about an African safari company that is run by two babes - one blonde and one brunette that call themselves VirginBush Safaris. Bedouin style tented camps,canopied beds and evening martinis after wildlife spotting then off to bed against the lions roar - perfect !

*Phuket. Sexy,chic and cheap. One of the hot new resorts is the Aleenta Resort & Spa.Super stylish rooms with indoor -outdoor flow and your own private plunge pool for doing the buff thing - bliss !

*Queenstown New Zealand. Probably NZ's most stunning destination and if you want to really impress your love head to Blanket Bay. While the helicopters coming and going to whisk guests off on some new adventure can get a little annoying laying back in the indoor spa with massive windows looking across fields to snow capped mountains is sure to get you mojo going.

* Bintan Island. Its a 45 minute fast cat ride from Singapore. The spot to stay is the fabo Banyan Tree Resort. Private walled villas with infinity swimming pools overlooking the South China Sea. Make sure you order the Romantic Moment. While your away at dinner the little pixies slip into your villa and place scented candles around the swimming pool then follow the candle trail to your outdoor spa bath which has been surrounded in more candles  while the pool is filled with hundreds of fresh flowers and a chilled bottle of champagne awaits your arrival - bliss!

If you have any other sexy getaway secrets for 2008 we would love to hear from you.

Two South African Travel Secrets -Elands Bay and Drakensberg

Overseas visitors and locals alike are rediscovering some of the gems of South Africa that are still pretty much off the main tourist routes.
Just when you thought that property development had left little untouched on the Cape West Coast go and discover Elands Bay. While the town has not taken off like Paternoster or Yzerfontein when it comes to scenic settings Elands Bay is hard to beat ! 

Against a backdrop of stunning mountains,rivers and wetlands and some of the best waves in the world at Baboon Point we think this is one of South Africas best kept travel secrets. The word is go in the spring when the Bobbejaanberg Mountains are ablaze in yellows's and purples !
Drakensberg is the other one of South Africas best kept secrets. The Drakensberg starts in the North with Clarens and the Golden Gate National Park and ends in the South at Bushmans Nek. In between you can discover the Royal Natal national Park. The main drawcard of Drakensberg is the mountains. A few spots not to miss are Sentinel Peak, Tugela Falls and the Ampitheatre
For further information on Drakensberg go here

Cancun Tops US Holiday Secrets!

In the past you would expect Americans overseas holiday wish destinations to either be the big lights of London or the beaches of Jamaica. 

This year that's all changed with Cancun emerging as one of the top international destinations. Travelocity has Cancun rated first amongst its city 'wish list' while Orbitz placed it in second.

Its probably no surprise with the $US to the Pound at an all time low and Jamaica quite frankly, unless your are in a locked gated estate,  the pits. I recently got back from my first visit there and expected to find happy smiling faces singing reggae in the streets. What we got was sullen unfriendly people who were in your face every five minutes - no make that every minute - flogging drugs or T Shirts - get me outa here ! 

For those of you that are geographically challenged Cancun is located on the northeastern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula bordered by the Caribbean sea and the tranquil Nichupte Lagoon. The destination is know for its 16 mile stretch of white sandy beaches that are close to historic Mayan archaeological sites.While much of America is freezing in ice storms this week its 75 degrees F or 27 degrees C and the US dollar gets you nearly 11 Mexican Pesos - sweet.

You can check out all the info you need on Cancun here.

 If you have any Cancun secrets lets us know.

Travel Green From The UK In 2008 - The Inside Secrets

As we are reminded daily of what our carbon footprint is as we hurtle across the planet now eco green travel site responsibletravel.com has unveiled its hot 'green' destinations in 2008 for UK travellers.

The word is : Nicaragua ,Guatemala , Honduras & Colombia. Now some of us might regard these destinations as some of the more dangerous places on the planet unless you are doing a little drug shopping for auntie but the web site says these destinations are top of the list for punters who want to get off the beaten track. The other hot spot is Madagascar which is becoming the 'new Galapagos'.

That being said the site does say that still the most popular destination for green UK travelers is just up the road at home with The New Forest being top of the list. If you have some secrets on green travel destinations just let us know.

Here's The Secret To the USA's Best Hotel - Its in Chicago!

Now when you think of the great US hotels your mind probably goes to California or New York or San Francisco but for seven - yep that's seven- years in a row travel guru Conde Nest has given the gong to the Ritz Carlton (also known as the Four Seasons) in Chicago. So what does it take to run a great hotel. Here are some inside secrets:

* Lots of quality staff. The Ritz Carlton has some 600 employees making a employee to guest ratio of 1.5.

* Look after your staff. Over 20% of the staff have worked at the hotel for over 20 years !

* Give great phone. Reservations field some 45,000 calls a year. That's one sore ear.

* Service that shines. The overnight shoe shiner does 10,500 pairs of shoes while guests sleep while the next day housekeepers make 10,300 beds !

* Guests like it so much they take the Ritz Carlton home ! The Shop at the hotel has sold 200 king size mattresses, 350 comforters,240 pillow sets,400 bathrobes and even 80 silver martini shakers to departing guests !

That being said their are some mixed reviews at Trip Advisor. Overall the hotel gets a 4 out of 5 but there are a couple of less than flattering reviews. You can check the reviews here. If you have some secret stuff n the Ritz Carlton just let us know !

Fat Travels Secrets!

Now here's an interesting story that keeps doing the rounds in various formats and wont go away anytime soon. Ok your already jammed into your tiny economy seat and here she comes - all 250 pounds of her. As the world becomes more obese it's becoming a big problem for airlines world wide both from a safety and passenger comfort POV. A new survey just released by totaltravel.com asked the question " Should excessively overweight people be forced to pay for 2 seats when travelling on a plane ?"

And the result ? An overwhelming 63% said absolutely. One punter commented..."I've already paid for my seat why should I share it with someone else " ! 

Its already a hot topic on the Internet. Do a search on Google under "overweight people on planes" and you will get a staggering 35,000 postings! Back in 2002 Virgin Atlantic paid over 13,000 Pounds to a passenger who was permanently injured when she was squashed by an obese woman on a flight - ouch ! 

In the US Southwest has had a policy for along time of charging for 2 seats if you cant get your lard in one or you will be believed to be a hindrance to other passengers.What's your view ? If you have any fatty traveling secrets we would love to hear from you.

Australians Reveal Their Travels Secrets For 2008

Australian travelers  are looking forward to 2008 with 64% saying they wanted to try different destinations next year and 40% of them saying they wanted to "try something adventurous" next year. The poll has just been completed by the Australian arm of Expedia.com. Here's a snapshot of where travelling Aussies want to head to overseas in 2008:

* Eastern Europe came top of the list with 28%

* South America came a close second with 24%

* Africa is big on the wish list for 2008 with 21% saying they would like to go there

* Asia continues to become so so for Aussie travellers with only 16% wanting to head up that way.

Surprisingly only 4% said that they would look to make their travel 'carbon neutral' next year. "Fill up the tank Alice and lets blow some smoke and get out of here !" 

We would love to hear your 2008 travel secrets - so let us know.

One And Only Maldives -Could This Possibly Be The Worlds Best Resort Secret?

Its that time of the year when most of the world's travel magazines and newspapers reveal the best of 2007. When it comes to resorts one destination and one resort keeps on surfacing to the top. The destination is the Maldives and the resort is the stunning One and Only Maldives At Reethi Rah. Influential travel mag Conde Nest just had its readers rate it as # 1 in the 'Overseas Leisure Hotels' and wait for this it came out #1 in EVERYTHING for travel.

Now for those of you who don't even know where the Maldives are well here is the low down. There are some 1200 coral islands that make up this paradise and they lay southwest of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean by the Equator. 202 of the islands are inhabitated and 87 of them are exclusive resorts! The average year round temperature is 29-32 degrees. There are a host of international airlines flying in but most people go via Singapore or Malaysia. You can get a general run down on the Maldives  here.  

There is another great reason to make it to the Maldives before you die - somewhere in the next 100 years (some say 20) it wont exist. With global warming the boffins say it will be one of the first places to go under water as most of it already only sits about 8 feet above sea level.

This place has some of the flashiest resorts on the planet so the competition is thick. But the one at the top of the pile right now is the One and Only Maldives at Reethi Rah. The resort is home to 130 private villas that include 32 water villas perched above the Indian Ocean - bliss has a new word ! Words and even pictures are pretty hard to describe the quality and style of the rooms. Check out the room tours here. 

And how much does this hedonistic retreat going to set you back? Ok draw your breath - between $US900 and $US5,000 - a night. But is does include breakfast but not taxes - such a deal. This however is the starting rack rates and there are some good packages floating around either through the hotel or on some of the better web sites. 

So how does it rate with the punters ? We checked out Trip Advisor and most of you gave it 5/5  with descriptions like "Loved It Loved It ! Loved It !" and  'Absolute Paradise" and 'Unbelievable". That being said there were some 3/5 in the reviews with comments like "the food was aweful" and "the island felt like Disneyland". The biggest complaint seems to have been the bikes that the resort provide for guests. Most reviewers said you could find better ones at the dump.

And our verdict ? There is no doubt Reethi Rah has had some stunning reviews from all the respected travel mags and generally on line reviews are first class from past guests. That being said there are a collection of first class resorts in the Maldives and we reckon you can probably find one as good if not better for less money. You might want to check out a good web site that compares all the Maldives luxury resorts called Five Star Alliance. If you have any additional inside secrets on the Maldives we would love to hear from you.

Secrets Of Europe's Best Xmas Markets

Here's some inside secrets on some of the best European Xmas Markets. Xmas shopping should be more than just heading down to High Street for a couple of quick mass produced presents so why not grab a cheap Ryanair flight and go have some fun shopping! Here's a quick list of some great Xmas markets:

* Germany. Check out the Wilheim Gedachtniskirche in Berlin ,the Munich market in the Marienplatz or buy real Gingerbread at the Nuremberg markets.

*Belgium. Jump on Eurostar and head to Brussels for their famous Xmas markets that are open all the way to January 6 in case you miss December 25 !

*France. One of the best is in Lille and open until Xmas Eve. It takes place in Rihour in the centre of the town.

*Denmark. Head to the Tivoli Gardens in the centre of Copenhagen where the centre piece is a massive Xmas tree

*Austria. The big market in Vienna in front of the city hall is open until December 24.

*Switzerland. Try the traditional St Nicholas pastries and butter cookies in Basel by the River Rhine - magic !

If you have any more Xmas shopping secrets - get them into us quick !

Inside Secret To The Best Place To Propose

OK your a pure romantic at heart and you want to pick the absolute right place to propose to your long time love. Will it be overlooking Niagara Falls , on top of the Empire State , on the London Eye or perhaps the Eiffel Tower ? 

Well here's a little secret spot that will have your partner saying yes ! yes! yes !.

Imagine dropping the question against the sound of 10 million butterfly wings !

Well here is where you will find it. Firstly you get to Mexico. Then take a 3 hour drive from San Miguel de Allende to the old mining town of Angangeuo, An hour past here up a steep gravel road is the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. The sanctuary is in 12,000 acre protected area and the butterflies seclude themselves in the abies religiosas tree at the summit of a 10,000 foot climb ! Once you have done that,catch your breath get down on your hands and knees and as 10 million Monarch Butterfly's do their thing pop that question. Who's a smart romantic bunny then !

If you have any other great secret spots to drop the question we would love to hear them .

Secrets On How To Fly For Cheap In The US!

Well the sky's over the USA are becoming more crowded and more complex. And when it comes to complexity how do you sort out and find the best deals around ? Here's a few secrets to help you get the best airfares possible within the US. A lot of these secrets work in almost any market but are particularly relevant to the US market. So here is our short list to get you on your way to a cheaper flight:

*Fly on the cheapest day of the week. It just happens to be on a Wednesday. So if you can move your schedule around to visit Grannie in Kansas go mid week and save heaps !

*Fly low cost carriers. Everyday there is a new one taking off but the best starting point for better airfares will always be with the LCC's. Check SouthWest, AirTran, JetBlue,Virgin America, Skybus, Frontier or Allegiant for starters. If your flying in Europe the lowest of the low is Ryanair.

* Be flexible with your vacation dates. Have a look at what dates you can get the best fares before you apply for your vacation.

* Make some money when you travel. These days overbooking flights is common and there's money in getting bumped. If you have all day to get somewhere and don't mind being bumped to a later flight ask at the gate lounge what  there compensation deal is for the flight your on. If it seems good register your name. You don't have to take the deal but at least your at the top of the list.

If you have any great money saving secrets for traveling within the US or anywhere we would love to hear them !

Best Seat On The Plane Secrets !

Whether your flying at the pointy end or back of the bus all seats are not created equal ! When your making you're booking either on line or thru your travel agent you want to make sure you get the most comfortable seat possible. And its a jungle out there so don't leave it to haggling at the last minute at the check in counter. 

We have found an excellent on line service called Seat Guru. Here's how it works. When you have made your booking or even if you are researching your booking you will be told on your itinerary what type of aircraft will be servicing this route. Now go onto Seat Guru. Choose the airline, choose the aircraft and voila you will get a snapshot of the hot seats and the worst seats ! I use it all the time and its one of my little 'must have' travel tools.

One thing that you can not pre book and what I regard as the premium seats are 'Emergency Exit' seats. The reason you cant pre book these is because the agents at check in need to be able to ascertain that your fit enough to help evacuate the plane from these seats. So don't say " I need that seat because I have a stuffed leg or a I have heart problems "....... If your tall like I am the you can say " Well you know any chance of an emergency exit seat for my long legs...". Trick here is to get out to the airport early on check in before everybody else asks for these seats. 

Another trap to avoid is the seats in the middle of an aircraft on a wide body jet that are next to the bulk heads or walls. These are the pits. You cant stretch out your legs and normally that's where the babies cots are. So unless you want to end up in the air for 12 hours with no leg room and a screaming baby get out of here !  I would generally want to stay at least five rows away from bulk head seats for the same reason - crying babies. If yo have any other seating secrets we would love to hear from you.

Kauai Vacation Secret - Forget The Hotel - Grab The Condo!

One of my favourite islands in Hawaii is Kauai - The Garden Island. OK its a little wetter than the other islands but it still feels like old style Hawaii. There are a number of resort hotels on the island and the flashiest of them all is Princeville Hotel on the Princeville Estate. Now this is a great hotel but here's a secret we just discovered that will cost you a third of the price and a 'room' thats about 5 times bigger ! 

We surfed the net and checked out some of the great deals on owners apartments in the Princeville Estate area. Now you really have to do a bit of home work here because there are lots of owners renting lots of condos. Princeville is huge so you have to make sure where your condo is. Is it overlooking one of the many golf course , or overlooking nothing or overlooking the sea - which is where you want to be. 

We finally settled on Suzi's Condo which is actually apartment #220 in the Pali Ke Kua section of Princeville. This beautiful 2 bedroom Condo is right on the cliff face with stunning views over the sea. 

When we arrived we were blown away. It was like arriving at someones home. Forget the condo that has a 4 plates , 2 saucepans and a couple of thin towels. Suzies Condo has everything that opens and shuts. You could easily cater for a dinner party for 12 with everything a cook could want, piles of big fluffy beach towels, snorkels and flippers , a DVD library of great movies , books and music CD's, essential food and cooking items in the pantry. In short the best condo I have ever stayed in anywhere ! 

Now here is the big secret. 2 Bedrooms , 2 bathrooms overlooking the sea with access to the resorts pool and tennis court for around $US1600 a week in the high season to $US1350 a week in the low season. The condo will accommodate 4 people so that means if two couples go its a snip at $US800 a week each. NOW compare this to the Princeville Hotel which is ten minutes walk down the road and if you want a room with the view that Suzies Condo has its going to set you back a cool $US600 A NIGHT !

Now remember that just for a big size room and a bathroom. So for a week holed up here its going to run you at $4,000 -$4500. Well heeled travellers who are shutting down for a week or more are discovering not only the real value of condos but they end up with more luxury in many cases then the so called luxury resorts. If you have any other condo secrets we would love to hear from you.