| Expert tips for scoring free trips and Lavish New Year's Eve trips |
|
|
|
|
(CNN) -- Howie Rappaport has stayed in six hotels on one business trip to boost his hotel reward stays. He also regularly takes the long way to and from home, complete with connecting flights, to rack up airline points.Consider a recent trip to London: "I could've just flown from Savannah directly to LaGuardia, had a two-hour layover, taken a cab to JFK and flown straight over to London."Instead, Rappaport, 32, opted to fly from his home in Savannah, Georgia, through Atlanta to increase qualifying miles for elite frequent flier status."I got upgraded to first class, had a cup of coffee, then I flew from Atlanta to LaGuardia, had breakfast, had Wi-Fi, had my coffee, had a big seat, all comfortable, fantastic. Then I had that seven-hour layover where I spent the day with my grandparents" in New York before flying on to London, says Rappaport, a frequent flier who works in software sales and blogs for the Frugal Travel Guy. [Read the full article] (CNN) -- There's nothing like soaking in the hot springs while soaking in the culture of a place that loves its bathing. If you're traveling first class, why not head to Japan or Iceland to enjoy a country whose people celebrate the waters and can pinpoint their various healing properties?If domestic travel is more your speed and budget, there are delightful natural spas to be had in the United States. And to spend even more time in nature but less in dollars, camping near a historic hot springs may be the way to go.While Japanese ryokans have traditionally served the weary traveler looking for an inn and a soak, some modern ryokans are offering a more luxurious experience. "The finest ryokans are now very refined establishments which are the epitome of Japanese "omotenashi," a spirit of hospitality that takes into account all aspects of the guest's experience," says Japan expert Duff Trimble. [Read the full article] (Southern Living) -- Your entire winter wishlist is here. Cozy fire casting shadows in an expansive lodge library? Check. Families snowshoeing into a thicket of evergreens? Check. Old-timers dropping lines into holes cut from a frozen lake? Check. You can even find dogsledding and sleigh rides.All this in a postcard-ready setting: the 3,900-acre Deep Creek Lake, surrounded by Maryland's mountains and dusted with an average snowfall of 120 inches. (That's twice as much as Denver, Colorado, and Fairbanks, Alaska!) Here's our guide to planning a frosty yet cozy winter weekend.Lake Pointe InnSet on the shore of Deep Creek Lake, Lake Pointe Inn has nailed the yin and yang of a winter retreat. The Arts and Crafts-style bed-and-breakfast has a wraparound porch with views of the lake, while a massive stone fireplace dominates the lobby. Outside, a fire pit in the snow is fully stocked with marshmallows. [Read the full article] 
|