Sherman's Travel

Soak in the secluded tropics of a Costa Rican paradise, lit up by the embers of Arenal Volcano in the distance. Surrounded by gurgling waterfalls and rejuvenating hot springs, the 120-acre Lost Iguana Resort and Spa offers the Two for Two promotion, featuring four nights for the price of two, with daily breakfast. Rates start from an affordable $93 per person, per night, in standard deluxe rooms with views of the lush rainforest and the fabled, active volcano. A four-night stay clocks in at just $370 (only $185 per person) – a savings of 50 percent!

THE VALUE: Receive a complimentary couples’ massage when you mention ShermansTravel at booking.

THE CATCH: May through November is Costa Rica’s rainy season.

THE DETAILS: Travel through November 15. Visit www.lostiguanaresort.com or email maritzalostiguana@mac.com. Don’t forget to mention where you read about it to get the free massage!

WE’VE GOT MORE: For budget-friendly vacations, check out our 40 Sweet Spots for Fall Value.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find great rates on airfare.

Tucked away on an unremarkable block in Chelsea, Mexican restaurant and bar, Las Chicas Locas (attached to but not affiliated with the Four Points by Sheraton), has kept a fairly low profile since opening in 2008. Sure, the occasional celebrity wanders in now and again – Tiger Woods (pre-infidelity), Derek Jeter, Anthony Mackie (I saw the latter two there myself on separate occasions) – but this often dubbed “neighborhood hangout” is headed towards stardom of its own. A new partnership with two-star Michelin Chef Christopher Lee, currently of Charlie Palmer’s Aureole, brings a redesigned menu á la Chef Lee, featuring creative yet affordable tapas-style Mexican fare, and a well-placed kitchen staff, including Executive Chef Kathryn Busch, intent on serving quality meals consistently. Read on for the scoop and the Sherman’s Travel free drink offer.  Read more

There’s nothing worse than arriving at your hotel, opening your bag, and finding that your shampoo bottle has exploded, unless, of course, your prized possession was already confiscated by airport security because it was just over the 3.4-ounce regulation size. Suite Arrival, a new and unique concierge service, provides a solution to this toiletry-travel burden by delivering travel-sized products directly to your hotel room. With options ranging from luxury brands like Oscar Blandi and value brands like Garnier Fructis, customers traveling to any U.S. city (international service is set to start this year), for any purpose, are guaranteed to find products that suit them. Read more

Travelers headed to Europe will be hard-pressed to find affordable airfare this summer. Flights to major cities like Paris, Munich, Madrid, Rome, and more are selling for hundreds more than last year, with average ticket prices ranging from $900-$1,500 round-trip (from New York City). However, Scandinavia appears to be exempt from this wallet-damaging trend, with current rates the same ? or lower ? than they were in 2009. This new sale from SAS is the silver-lining to the sky-high summer fares with prices starting at just $715 round-trip – with taxes included. This sale fare ends May 27. Travel is valid from August 15-October 18.

Round-Trip Sample Fares (This August) with Taxes:
•    New York?Stockholm: $715
•    New York?Copenhagen: $720
•    New York?Oslo: $741
•    Chicago?Copenhagen: $820
•    Washington, D.C. –Copenhagen: $820
•    Washington D.C. –Stockholm: $836
•    Chicago?Oslo: $840
•    Washington, D.C.-Oslo: $841
•    And more!

Are you searching for affordable airfare? Join the club. Spirit Airlines’ $9 Fare Club just unveiled its Penny Plus Fares promotion. From August 1, 2010, through January 31, 2011, one-way tickets to more than 30 American and Caribbean destinations rack up a grand total of one penny (before taxes)! Booking is available now, on a first-come, first-served basis. Spirit, the self-proclaimed “Ultra Low Cost Carrier,” lifts the shroud of secrecy from airfare fine print, making fuel costs, and taxes and fees (a flat rate of $18.70), explicit. Club members also get an extra $10 off all regular baggage fees, which range from $25 to $45. One-way fares start from just $31.03 (one penny, fuel price, and $18.70) between Atlanta and Myrtle Beach, with round-trip travel required.

Spirit’s $9 Fare Club is a contract-free, annual membership for $39.95, which guarantees frequent airfare sales, member rates for non-members on the same ticket purchase, and other discounts on hotels and car rentals.

Sample one-way fares (including taxes):

•    Atlanta — Myrtle Beach: $31.03
•    Boston — Myrtle Beach: $46.28
•    Detroit — Fort Lauderdale: $55.20
•    Detroit — Las Vegas: $72.93
•    And more!

To book, visit www.spiritair.com.

After careful deliberation, ShermansTravel editors have found the most affordable way to cheat this prolonged winter. Booking a flight to Hawaii will raise your spirits and go easy on your wallet, with rock-bottom fares through March, April, and May that even beach bums can afford. Between Delta, American Airlines, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines (offering unbeatable rates starting from $497 each way on first class!), and more unannounced rates from numerous carriers, all you have to do to find yourself among palm trees and coconut bikinis is click a button.

Sample Fares (Round-Trip) Include:

•    Portland—Kahului: $349
•    Seattle—Big Island: $351
•    Los Angeles—Honolulu: $381
•    San Francisco—Honolulu: $396
•    Las Vegas—Honolulu:$481
•    Denver—Honolulu: $539
•    Dallas—Honolulu: $569
•    San Diego—Kahului: $597
•    Portland—Honolulu: $994 (First class)
•    Seattle—Honolulu: $1,122 (First class)
•    Oakland—Honolulu: $1,194 (First class)
•    And more!

For more information or to book, visit Hawaiian Airlines, Orbitz Flex Search (choose option three), or search for flights using our own Quicksearch! tool.

Here again with news of yet another New York City hotel opening – but this one is the most affordable to date.  The Distrikt Hotel, opened on February 1, is offering spacious rooms from only $159/night! The hotel goes for a boutique feel with a New York theme. The city is represented (somewhat abstractly) throughout the hotel: floors are designated by neighborhood with a colorful photo collage of say Tribeca or Harlem displayed in the floor’s hallway (decoration within rooms, on the other hand, is the same regardless of which floor you chose); the hotel’s restaurant and bar features locally brewed beers and homegrown Long Island wines; in the lobby, a wooden map of Manhattan sits behind the check-in desk and an 11-foot grassy “living wall” installation represents Central Park. Its 155 rooms (video preview above) are simple, clean, and modern with great perks for the price like free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, iHome docking stations, Frette bedding and robes, and ECRU New York bath amenities. Go for a room on a higher floor (16 and up) for views of the west side and Hudson. All this attention on New York ‘hoods yet its own locale is the dismal Port Authority zone – the high-rise sits across the street from the station on 40th, next to layers of scaffolding (another hotel is underway next door) and a New York City Parole Office down the way. Despite the drab street, Times Square subway stations are two blocks away and prices really can’t be beat.

Deal: Stay two nights through March 31 and get the third night free, plus a complimentary room upgrade, a welcome basket from Dean & Deluca, and a “Distrikt Kit” with city maps and coupons.

For more budget hotel ideas, check out our Top 10 City Hotels Under $100.

Exotic, romantic Tahiti often seems out of reach for newlyweds on a set budget. But if you can afford $500 a day (that’s just $3,500 for a week, not including airfare, which runs about $1,600 for two on Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles), an unforgettable honeymoon to this South Pacific paradise is totally doable. If you can splurge on $750 to $1,500 a day, Tahiti’s resorts will deliver pampering beyond your dreams. Here’s how:
 
On $500 a day
Focus on more affordable (and ferry-linked) Tahiti and Moorea—although you can sneak in two nights on Bora Bora if you are willing to stretch your budget. After arriving in Tahiti’s capital, Papeete, stay a night or two at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort or the Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti. Rooms at both start at about $199 a night, but food and sightseeing are pricy and will quickly eat up the rest of your daily budget. Then hop the ferry over to lush, spire-topped Moorea, where a pair of romantic yet affordable resorts (ranging from about $220 to $350 a night) awaits: Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa and The Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort. Spend four nights on Moorea to stay within budget, or if you have your heart set on Bora Bora, two on Moorea and two there. Interisland airfare is about $1,000 roundtrip for two and rooms at the Sofitel Marara Beach and Private Island and The InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora range from $329 to $500 a night. Read more

Discover the amazing culture of one of the world’s oldest civilizations on this affordable tour through historic China. This popular 10-day itinerary from Friendly Planet Travel covers three fascinating cities – all for the low price of only $999. Begin your tour in the cultural capital of Beijing, where you’ll have four full days to explore renowned sites like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the extraordinary Great Wall of China. Next, board a transfer flight to ancient Xi’an, home to the life-sized army of 2,200-year-old Terra Cotta Warriors. Round out your tour with several days spent in bustling Shanghai, renowned for its gorgeous gardens and picturesque canals. A full-day optional sightseeing trip includes tours of the renowned Shanghai Museum and the soaring 1,536-foot-high Oriental Pearl TV Tower. The trip includes round-trip airfare on Air China, transfers, and many meals, with various departures available throughout 2009. Package rates normally start at $1,299, but you’ll save $600 per couple if you book before September 23.

This 9-night tour of Egypt’s ancient wonders is perfectly suited to wallet-conscious travelers. Your itinerary begins in the bustling capital of Cairo, where you’ll have time to explore the world-famous bazaar of Khan el Khalili and chat with locals in the city’s ancient sheesha cafes. From there, you’ll continue on to the Great Pyramids of Giza, built by the kings in the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Other tour highlights include visits to the botanical gardens of Elephantine Island, excursions to the twin temples of Abu Simbel, and the chance to view the imposing Colossi of Memnon standing guard over the ancient Theban necropolis near Luxor. Starting at just $399 per person, this GAP Adventures tour includes simple hotels and local transportation, by coach bus and train, as well as daily breakfast and guided tours. The next departure is July 17, with additional tours available throughout 2009.