Boracay Budgettravel Tips: Safe, Affordable & Memorable Vacation Travel

In May 2007, Boracay Philippines was ranked #7 in the ten Top Beaches in the world by both the Chicago Tribune and the New York Newsday, based on user ratings from Yahoo! Travel.

Is there really a secret to Boracay, you may ask?

Ask any traveler who has been invited to a Filipino home in the countryside before. They will tell you about the red-carpet treatment they received from their hosts while there.

Filipinos are noted for their unique brand of warm and loving hospitality. They look after their guests with unrivaled care and affection. They love to pamper their visitors -- to a fault.

Therein lies the secret to Boracay: the Filipino hospitality.

Nowhere else is this more evident than in Boracay. And that is the reason why visitors keep going back to this enchanting island paradise.

The Filipino hospitality is a unique trait among Filipinos. There is this unusual desire to please the guest, no matter what the outcome. Filipinos know this, but foreigners who have never associated with Filipinos before are unaware of this distinctive Filipino character.

Of course, to a visitor, this Filipino custom is something desirable and appreciated because it is but natural for a person to enjoy special treatment.

To a Filipino, there is no such thing as an uninvited guest at a Filipino home, no matter how humble it is. If someone turns up unexpectedly during meal time, whatever food is on the table is shared with the visitor, even if it means not having enough for the rest of the family.

There are so many exciting things to see and do in Boracay, Philippines that this alone is enough reason to visit the place. However, the one exceptional advantage that Boracay has over the rest of world is -- the Filipino hospitality.

When you travel to Boracay, you do not go there just for the beaches. You visit the place because of its appealing holiday atmosphere. You go there because Filipinos treat you as someone special and not just as a tourist out for a good time.

Here's what TaRits, a recent visitor to Boracay has to say about this tropical oasis:

"Boracay is such a great place that when you stay there, you would want to stay longer than you have to....

I guess that's how you feel when you are from a busy stressful place and you come to see paradise, you'll know that everything you do there will be full of fun, full of light. LOTS OF LIGHT, LOVE AND LIFE."

TaRits

Now is the time to go to Boracay, Philippines. Experience this wonderful feeling of being looked after as someone special.

Here's what you can do there:

Go on day trips island hopping and snorkeling with Capt Joey on his Red Pirates sailboat.

Play recreational frisbee or compete with more seasoned players on Boracay's white sand beaches.

Enjoy scuba diving in Boracay's exotic coral gardens with their colorful tropical marine life.

Test your beach volleyball skills against other visiting players along Boracay's White Beach.

Visit the Butterfly Garden and marvel at the rare collection of exotic tropical butterflies.

Experience the thrill of kiteboarding -- the adrenalin sport -- in Boracay's Bulabog Beach.

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By: emlegaspi

Find out more about Boracay Island, Philippines by visiting our website at:
www.Boracay-BudgetTravel-Tips.com.
You can also keep up-to-date with all that's happening in Boracay through our blog at:
www.Boracay-BudgetTravel-Tips.com/Our-Boracay-blog

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Paris Hotels: How To Reduce Your Risk Of Being Disappointed

Travel forums are gold mines of information if you care to review the postings of enchanted and disgruntled travelers coming back from abroad.

As Senior Editor of "Paris Eiffel Tower News", I often peruse these forums to find out about the concerns voiced by fellow travelers headed to the 'City of Lights'.

Among the postings which keep coming back, one stands out from the crowd: what does a 3-star rating really mean? Travelers tend to be confused by the many star-rating systems in use. I felt the subject called for an educated explanation.

The meaning of stars in the US

First of all, let's be clear: there is absolutely no relationship whatsoever between the number of stars commercial travel sites award to hotels, and the hotel rating system in use in France.

The core business of commercial travel sites is to sell you hotel rooms, flight tickets, car rentals, and cruise packages. They purport to guide your choice by awarding stars to the products they peddle.

When you book a room on such sites, a significant portion of your money goes to the travel operator which presents the hotel - up to 50% on well-known websites.

For this reason alone, you could reasonably ask yourself: are these ratings unbiased, or tainted by corporate greed?

To make matters more complicated, each travel website uses its own rating method. Consumer Reports published an enlightening article on the topic in its November 2005 issue.

In other words, the number of stars awarded by commercial travel sites is not a fully reliable yardstick for selecting a hotel.

The meaning of stars in France

The French hotel rating system works on a completely different set of rules.

1.It is a standardized system: meaning, all hotels across France are categorized on the same unique basis.

2.The rating system was not born out of mercantile purposes: it was framed by the French lawmakers without any concern for profit.

3.Last but not least, the French hotel rating system does not measure quality. Instead, it uses 22 measurement criteria to assess the presence or absence of certain features in the hotel.

Among the main criteria used:

- Room sizes and numbers
- Room soundproofing
- Heating and air-conditioning
- Design of bathroom facilities
- Phone system
- Electrical equipment
- Elevators

Each requirement varies from one star category to another. (See link to full article below.)

Subjective quality vs. objective quantity

The French rating system does not take into account subjective quality criteria.

And because of this limited approach, it does not guarantee your expectations will be fulfilled.

First, there are keen differences in perception between populations. For example, American travellers are used to larger sizes of rooms and beds than the average room and bed sizes offered in Parisian hotels. This can be a source of disappointment.

Moreover, the French rating system does not measure service quality - cleanliness, absence of smells, staff attitude, speed of service, etc.

It may thus be chancy to base your hotel choice solely on the French rating system.

The safer bet

To afford the best chances to pick the right hotel in Paris I recommend the following 4 steps:

- Have a basic understanding of the French rating criteria
- Check guests' reviews on Travelocity
- Visit the hotel's own website
- Do not hesitate to e-mail your questions to the hotel.

Many travellers use Travelocity to write reviews on the hotels they stayed at. No hotel satisfies 100% of its guests throughout the year, so both extreme judgments and moderate opinions can be found on this open forum. My advice: favor moderate reviews with some flesh on the bones. They will usually give you a useful picture of what to expect from the hotel - good and less good.

Visiting the hotel's website will usually allow you to see multiple views of its rooms and bathrooms. I insist on visiting the hotel's own website since it usually is the place which offers the greatest number of photos.

Lastly, e-mailing your questions to the hotel owners may or may not get you an answer, usually depending on the proficiency of the receptionist in your language. Receiving informative answers to your questions is a good sign that the hotel cares for his prospective guests.

Following these 4 steps should help you minimize the risk of being disappointed during your stay in Paris. This is no guarantee though. Remember that cultures differ from each other, and your expectations of service might not be fully understood. In such case, communicate with the owner. They are usually keen on serving you to the best of their means.

Have a safe and pleasant trip to Paris!
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By: Phil Chavanne

Phil Chavanne spent 30 years in Paris. Share his knowledge at Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com: A city guide with the inside scoop on Paris and Paris hotels. You can also directly download a simple explanation of the French hotel rating system here.

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Looking For Cheap Airline Tickets?

Traveling by air has always maintained exclusivity about itself over the years and to this date. One reason for this exclusivity is due to the fact that it is considered to be a luxurious mode of travel (You will obviously not find pretty air hostesses, standing in a queue and eager to serve you in a bus or a train). And we can't rule out the convenience factor either. This mode saves a lot of your time as well.

Considering the above benefits, everyone amongst us is in a quest to find cheap airline tickets, in case we plan to travel by air for our vacations, business or even casual trips. But hitting the Jackpot isn't that easy. However, with a little prudence and understanding, you can easily avail huge discount on air travel tickets.

First of all, you must try to do a lot of online research regarding the destination that you wish to fly and the airline service that facilitates air travel to that destination. With an extensive research, you'd be able to know about the availability of cheap airline tickets. In this manner, you are in a better position to talk to your travel agent (in case you have one), or book your tickets online in accordance with your suitability.

If you are a little bit flexible with the booking dates, you might be able to save a lot of bucks in the process. In air travel, a day here or there can also cut a lot on your budget. So, whenever, you are about to book your air tickets, this factor must be taken care of.

It is also advisable to book your tickets as a part of the travel package as that would also be cheaper than the separate cost of the tickets. Cheap airline tickets can also be obtained by looking into the discount schemes offered by the service providers.

So, next time, when you are looking forward to find cheap airline tickets, with a little knowledge and understanding you will surely be able to do so!
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By: Adam Jaylin

Know more about cheap hotels and travel package deals

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