For all the traveling I've done and will do, one of things I've been frustrated over is trying to get the best fares at the best times. Of course, we have the many travel websites to help us, but all it would tell us are the best fares for the times that we specify. That was OK, but even my friends would say the prices are too expensive, but they would still pay what the going fares were.
Then one day, when I was checking out summertime fares to Seattle, a friend of mine told me about this website which she said few people know about right now. It's Farecast, and it's more than all the other travel websites could ever do. It's similar to The Weather Channel, you could say, in the sense that Farecast gives you a forecast of when fares will go up or down for a certain time of year. Also it advises you to buy now or fares will rise, or wait because fares will soon drop. It also gives you a 30-day window on when the fares will be cheapest---as well as expensive. When I tried it out, I knew exactly when to make the reservations for Seattle, and for what days.
Of course, it also does the usual price comparisons with other travel sites for airfare and hotels, and Farecast doesn't cover all airlines, just the major ones, so that's the one major drawback. However, it's better for my time and effort than going on the other travel sites. I saved roughly $60 using this site for the airfare to Seattle, and that sold me. So maybe this site won't be a closely guarded secret now.
If you\'re planning a trip, please be sure to check out the guest reviews of the various hotels, restaurants, and tourist sites on TripAdvisor.com.
For example: some of the guests have encountered filthy, dirty, unsafe, and unsanitary hotel rooms where they have had to go out and buy Lysol and Clorox; that\'s right; to do the same job that the housekeeping department is supposed to do; as well as undesirable locations, having problems with getting their money back, and having to deal with rude and unprofessional staff members.
At the same time, some of he guest reviews were just the opposite; clean rooms and linen, good service, good location; polite, professional, and friendly staff, and so forth.
I\'ve also read the reviews of some of these Hawaiian luaus as well. I can\'t believe that these people are paying $70, $80, or even $90 to sit outside on the beach, with picnic tables and chairs, eating partially-cooked food off of paper plates, having watered-down drinks, and to watch a hula dance show!
One of these luaus is located next to a recycling plant in an industrialized area! This is not an appropriate place to hold a luau. Since I\'m from the Philadelphia area, that\'s just the same as holding this luau on the banks of the Delaware River in nearby Marcus Hook in the shadow of the Sun Oil Refineries; or along the Industrial Highway, just south of the Philadelphia airport; with the Boeing Vertol plant in the background.
If I ever go to Hawaii, I would rather see a free hula show and eat inside for ten times less than what it costs to go to a luau! And speaking of rain, I have had a fear of thunderstorms ever since I was a kid, and I definitely won\'t eat outside, especially in the pouring rain.
It\'s very important that you read the guest reviews first, especially the hotels, and judge for yourself before you plop down all of your hard-earned money. After all, don\'t you want to stay at a clean, comfortable, attractive, and secure hotel with an attentive, caring, and professional staff? And if you ever encounter any filthy conditions there, report them to the local Health Department and Building Inspector right away. If you bought cleaning supplies to clean the room, send them copies of the receipts as well. If you got seriously hurt, send them copies of your medical bills and talk to a lawyer right away. As a former food service worker, sanitation is very important and should be very strictly enforced.
A travel brochure is not going to tell you the whole story of what a destination has to offer; reading the guest reviews on TripAdvisor.com will.