Sherman's Travel

Gin: A spirit of the past is now the hottest ingredient in cocktail creations. In fact, here in New York City, there are cocktail dens exclusively peddling this fine booze, with house-made tonic taps and gin-centric speakeasies.

I wanted to dig deeper into this fresh-tasting spirit, and had the pleasure of doing so on a recent trip to England. My mission was to delve into London gin – the mother of all gins – to understand its true beauty.  Read more

If you’re looking to take an exotic vacation this season, we’ve got deals for you from all over the world; from Africa to Europe to the Caribbean islands. Stray outside of your comfort zone and take the journey you’ve always dreamed of; with these fantastic deals, you’ve got few excuses not to. Read more

If you’re reading this post in a part of the world where winter has not yet gracefully given way to spring, you’re no doubt longing to escape to a place with the precise weather you want. But what if you haven’t planned a spring getaway and don’t exactly have a lot of money to spend on one? Don’t fret, we’re here to help! Read more

Any major city worth its salt has a decent public transit system – “decent” meaning “it will usually get you from A to B… hopefully.” Besides being a lifeline for locals, a city subway system is a huge asset to those visiting the area. Subways can be a tourist’s best friend, as most lines have stops at some of the city’s biggest draws (Grand Central Terminal in New York City, or Westminster Abbey in London). Riding the rails is also a great way to hold onto cash that would otherwise be spent on cab fare. But, public transit isn’t without its drawbacks (read: long waits, terrible smells, the constant fear of an attack of the Rodents of Unusual Size). However, the most frustrating part is often the most unavoidable: your fellow passengers. Being packed into a tight space with hungry, tired, cranky people is bound to result in aggravation. However, there are a few universal annoyances that can easily be avoided so you get through your trip without being “that guy.”

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Travel is about more than exploring new lands and cultures. It’s about fostering memories that will last long after the embarrassing snapshots fade. Once a memory – exceptional or mortifying – is forged, it’s difficult to shake it from the place it was created, for better or worse.

I’m not short on fond family vacation memories: rafting down the Colorado River, kayaking alongside sea lions in Monterey Bay, standing waist-deep in Lake Michigan while marveling at the Chicago skyline (most of my family vacations have involved massive bodies of water). I’ve been fortunate not only to do a healthy bit of traveling, but also to have a wealth of wonderful experiences. But my most unforgettable moment? Not quite so wonderful. And as ShermansTravel’s new editorial intern, I can think of no better way to say hello than by telling my second-worst vacation story of all time.

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The London 2012 Olympics, which has brought more than 14,000 athletes from 204 countries and close to a million spectators to this historic-meets-modern city on the River Thames, has also inspired the opening of a host of exciting new upscale hotels – with splashy interior design worthy of a gold, silver, or bronze. In case watching the Olympic Games (which run through August 12th) is inspiring you to plan a hop across the pond  to London in the coming weeks or months, here’s a look at six of the city’s most notable and stylish new places to stay, a few with appealing opening rates extended through fall.

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It was bound to happen: London hotels have finally realized no one wants to pay the overly inflated prices to stay during the Olympics, and now they are slashing rates in the hopes of filling those empty rooms. Online hotel search site Trivago notes that London hotel availability is still at 30 percent through August 12, and room rates have fallen by 17 percent in the last three weeks. Similarly, JacTravel, a UK-based travel agency for group bookings, says London hotel prices are back to normal levels – after having been driven up by as much as 300 percent two months ago.

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London has so many good free attractions and experiences, suggests the appropriately free Lonely Planet eBook, Recession-busting Britain, that you can “forget all those stories about how expensive London is.”

It’s hard to forget those stories, though. There are so many of them. But while chatting the other day with Lonely Planet U.S. Editor Robert Reid, he noted that on-the-ground expenses in London “can be easily less than what you’d spend in New York,” which had never occurred to me. But Reid, a New Yorker who once spent about a year and a half living like a local in London, has given it some thought, because he loves London and wants other travelers to love it, too – and not overpay while they’re there.

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On this season of ABC’s reality series The Bachelorette, single mom Emily Maynard and her bachelor suitors have jetted off to four amazing and romantic destinations over the past several weeks: Bermuda, London, Dubrovnik, and Prague (shown at left). I have been to each place several times – and loved them all – so I decided to create a quiz to help you figure out which of the four destinations is best for your next romantic getaway. Answer the 10 questions that follow (write down the letters you choose on a piece of paper) and then read on to find out where you should consider heading to next. (They’re all great . . . just completely different!)

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This summer, Hilton Hotels is launching its Great Getaway promotion for stays at Hilton’s various properties across the globe, including Waldorf Astoria, DoubleTree, and many more.

In North and South America, save up to 20 percent; in Europe, discounts reach 40 percent and include weekend stays; in Africa and the Middle East, save up to 25 percent; and in Asian and the Pacific, save up to 33 percent.

At the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, rates start at an incredible $95 per night. Guests of the Waldorf Astoria Chicago can save 20 percent on stays through September 30, 2012 (rates start at $348 per night). The Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, rates start at $239 per night.

Across the Atlantic, The Trianon Palace Versailles (pictured) has rates starting at $164 per night. If you’re headed to London for the Olympics, the London Syon Park has rates starting at $214 per night.

For a list of all Hilton’s Great Getaways participating hotels, visit their website.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights.