$1 March Madness

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New York

In celebration of SU Orange’s #1 seed in March Madness, Syracuse is offering a variety of $1 deals throughout the city for residents and visitors alike. There are even $1 hotel stays!!

Incredibly, 22 local hotels, restaurants & attractions (i.e., museums, spas – even the opera!) have signed up to offer discounts for The Orange’s run through the NCAA tournament. To receive all deals, interested parties need to simply mention the “1 for 1 All the Way.” Please find a full list of “Syracuse’s 1 for 1 All the Way” deals at:  www.visitsyracuse.org/alltheway

Live like the Bachelor

Posted by Staff in Europe, Luxury Monday, Switzerland

The Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, nestled between two stunning Alpine lakes and at the foot of the majestic Jungfrau mountain in Switzerland, played host to Bachelor Ben Flajnik and his bevy of beautiful bachelorettes, Courtney Robertson, Lindzi Cox, and Nicki Sterling, on the ninth episode of ABC’s The Bachelor. Luckily for all Bachelor fans, a romantic Swiss getaway is no longer just an idle daydream. Those wishing to follow in the footsteps of Bachelor Ben can do just that with the Victoria-Jungfrau’s Bachelor’s Rose package.

Ben’s date activities at the Victoria-Jungfrau included a candlelit dinner in the hotel’s elegant Salon Rouge and a scenic picnic lunch prepared by the hotel. At night, things heated up when Bachelor Ben chose to spend the night in the Fantasy Suites on three separate occasions with each bachelorette. To replicate the passion and glamour of these dates, the package includes a picnic basket and a candlelit dinner for two in the Salon Rouge as well as breakfast in bed and couples pampering in the hotel’s wellness wing, which is home to an ESPA treatment center and the world’s only SENSAI SELECT SPA.

Fortunately one of the show’s nerve-wracking rose ceremonies is not included; however, the hotel’s lakeside location, stunning views of the Alps, and the city’s Old World charm will certainly inspire The Bachelor-style romance.

Recycle your maps

Posted by Staff in Souvenirs, Tip of the Week

Don’t know what to do with old travel maps, blogger Teena Hughes from A-Night-In-Paris.com has some great ideas…like using them as creative wrapping paper…to read the rest of her ideas click here

Hobbit-esque travel

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New Zealand

If wacky travel is your forte, then you must check out Woodlyn Park, located on the North Island of New Zealand.

Woodlyn Park is a working farm and home to the popular “Billy Black’s Kiwi Culture Show,” where you will see a sheep shearing demonstration and get to know the different varieties of bush animals. The owner decided to build on the idea of his cultural heritage show and added on various motels, housed in relics of New Zealand history.

The Plane Motel is set in a 1950’s Bristol Freighter that was one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam.  The plane features two self-contained rooms that each sleeps four…one in the cockpit and one in the tail of the plane.

The Train Motel is housed in a 1950 train cart and features three separate motel rooms. If sleeping in a train does not fit your style then why not try out a night in the Waitanic…a grounded WWII Patrol boat that was built in Auckland in 1942.

My favorite is the newest edition to Woodlyn Park, the Hobbit Motel.  Built into the side of a hill and featuring oversized furniture…this place really lets your inner Frodo free.

Woodlyn Park is located only two minutes from the Waitomo caves, home of the infamous glowworm…and many guests that come to see this natural wonder decide to crash at Woodlyn…so advanced reservations are recommended. All this wackiness starts at the bargain price of $75 per night.

For more info visit www.woodlynpark.co.nz