| Learn how you can dine like a high roller at a frugal price! Save on everything from ice cream treats at Ben & Jerry's to gourmet steak dinners at Morton's. View the movie here or if it's not visible, check it out on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yin6nrDeVOQ | ![]() |
| Part 2 of a 10-part series on the in's & out's of lucky Las Vegas. Today's video blog: Top 10 Do's & Don'ts for you to have a fantastic time in Sin City. |

Have you caught Olympic fever? If you're interested in cheering on your nation without breaking the bank, check out these amazing offers on today's Winter Games events:
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| Happy Groundhog Day everyone! Unfortunately, it was a near unanimous vote for 6 more weeks of winter. From Ontario's Wiarton Willie to Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, all manner of weather-predicting rodents have agreed that winter is here to stay. Only Alberta's Balzac Billy felt contradictory this morning, with a mind for an early spring. Are we looking forward to another 6 weeks of shoveling snow, rushing out to snag the last bag of road salt, and dreary weather? Or will it be sunny skies? Whether these predictions fall true or not remains to be seen, but one thing we can count on is hot weather down south. So, here are 6-weeks' worth of amazing deals to the sun. | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| * Rates shown are per person based on double occupancy in the currency shown. Rates subject to change. Certain restrictions apply. Call now to take advantage of these amazing offers! To book, call Christine at 866.988.5283 or email christine@thefrugaltravelers.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Planning where to take your kids for your spring vacation just got easier.
Sandos Caracol (also marketed as Sandos Select Club to Canadians) in Cancun's Mayan Riviera just opened a new water slide park and it looks like a lot of fun. There are 17 water slides and a bunch of other play areas to keep your kids occupied for hours. Open daily from 10am to 5pm, families can kick back & relax poolside at the Aqua Park while children can enjoy splash-filled fun under lifeguard supervision. The Aqua Park features a pool bar as well as the convenience of showers and bathrooms. A veriety of water play areas include a "raining" palm tree, a large water bucket area and water spouts throughout the park. As a daily activity, all children that are enrolled in the complimentary Kids Club will enjoy a trip to the Aqua Park under the supervision of the Sandos Animation staff. Sandos Aqua Park is included in the all-inclusive program within Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa and Sandos Select Club. Note that only guests from these Sandos resorts are allowed at the Aqua Park. Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa is located on a white sand beach in the Mayan Riviera, only 45 minutes from Cancun & 15 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen. This unique all-inclusive resort features 62 3-storey villas with a total of 781 rooms and Junior Suites. It lies on an extensive natural area at the edge of an exotic jungle surrounded by cenotes, mangroves and natural lagoons in an ecological environment for those who like to live in harmony with nature.
Sandos Select Club has sixteen 3-storey buildings within the Sandos Caracol complex, offering an additional 218 Standard & Deluxe and Junior Suites.
Check out this short video on their new water park & then give me a shout to book your spring vacation & take advantage of these great prices! Sandos Aqua Park YouTube Video |
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| Now is the time to sit up & pay attention if you've been thinking of coming to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games. Trust me - this sale is so good, space will sell out quickly, so if you or someone you know needs accommodation in Vancouver, you have to send this deal to them! YOUR PACKAGE: - 2-nights Inside or Outside Cabin (Shipboard accommodation on the Norwegian Star) - ALL MEALS onboard the ship - 24-hr COMPLIMENTARY ROOM SERVICE onboard the ship - Nightly ENTERTAINMENT in the shipboard Stardust Theatre All this for just $396 per person including tax*! Upgrade to a Mountainview Balcony cabin for just $139pp more. Upgrade to a Cityview Balcony cabin for just $278pp more. | |
| Just for comparison's sake, the Happy Day Inn in Burnaby is charging roughly the same - $399 per night plus taxes. And no, that doesn't include meals. Whether you're coming to town or are a Greater Vancouver resident who just wants to stay downtown & catch some Olympic fever, at this price, your stay will feel like it's almost free! But wait...there's more! There's still limited space onboard the ship as it repositions from LA up to Vancouver for the big games. OPTIONAL ADD-ON CRUISE TO VANCOUVER's 2010 OLYMPICS PACKAGE (Feb 6-10, 2010):
*Rates shown USD, per person based on double occupancy. Cruise from LA to Vancouver excludes airfare & transfers. GO TEAM CANADA GO!! SPACE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED!! DO NOT DELAY - CALL NOW TO BOOK! 866.988.5283 / christine@thefrugaltravelers.com | |
| If you're like me and have never been able to unlock the secret of the magical $20 upgrade, I'm going to share the secret with you in 3 easy steps. 1. First - it doesn't matter how you book your reservation. Hopefully you've booked through me & are already getting an amazing deal, but if not, it just doesn't seem to matter, because checkin agents are often blind to the travel supplier in the face of a crisp new $20. 2. The more expensive the hotel or type of room you're after, the more graft you'll need (ie. Bellagio upgrade to a fountain view room may require $50 or an upgrade from a Planet Hollywood, Hollywood Hip room to a Panorama Suite, may also require $50). 3. Simply place the bill in between your driver's license & credit card (you always have to give a credit card against room charges, even if you pre-pay for the room) or in between the pages of your passport. You'll also want to be subtle in case management are watching, and mentioning a special occasion seems to help too. Remember - this is a bit like tipping for your meal before you receive it - you may not always get what you want in terms of an upgrade. Sometimes you'll get your $20 back...other times, not so. Find out how well others are doing with their $20 magic at www.FrontDeskTip.com. FOOD SAVINGS: While you're in Vegas, you're going to need to eat, so why not take advantage of great discounts on that too? All you need to do is pre-book gift certificates from www.Restaurant.com, where you can get $100 gift certificates for as little as $40. Sure, there are some restrictions & conditions, but by and large, these GC's will leave your pockets full of gambling money. MORE VEGAS TIPS & NEWS: | RESTAURANT.COM SAVINGS EXAMPLE:Mandalay Bay: StripSteak $50GC ~ You pay $20 Aureole $50GC ~ You pay $20 Border Grill $25GC ~ You pay $10 Rio Suites: McFadden's $25GC ~ You pay $10 Planet Hollywood: Hawaiian Tropic Zone $50GC ~ You pay $20 Tacone Flavor Grill $25GC ~ You pay $10 Misc. Strip Locations: Harley-Davison Cafe $50GC ~ You pay $20 Envy Steakhouse $70GC ~ You pay $30 Fremont Street: Hennessey's Bar $25GC ~ You pay $10 $345 in food gift certificates, all for just $140! |
And if you do get lucky in Las Vegas and decide to settle down there, here's an example of what $200,000 will buy you... Today's Hot Deal to Lucky Las Vegas: * Prices shown USD, per person based on double occupancy, in a Deluxe room. Checked baggage, seat selection, and priority boarding are additional. Certain restrictions apply. Space limited. Prices subject to change. | |
| Translink recently increased the tax to park at Vancouver's International Airport (YVR) from 7% PST to a shocking 21%. To add insult to injury, GST is payable on top of that amount, so your overall tax rate is now 27.05%. But, if you're planning a week-long getaway to the sun, it is still possible to park at the airport without breaking the bank. There are three options for long term parking at YVR.
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Of these, Park N Fly is my favorite & the one that we always use when we travel. Not that we haven't tried the others...when I worked in the corporate world, the Economy Lot was often most convenient and if a trip got extended from 2days to 5, no matter to me because the cost would be expensed. But your car is exposed to the elements and in the winter, you may find a pile of snow around it PLUS you have to remember where you parked. | |