Sherman's Travel

We’ve all read the doom and gloom surveys: Americans are less likely to travel this summer because of the high price of gas, the state of the economy, or maybe because Venus is in retrograde (can’t be too careful with your horoscope). It seems hotels have read these surveys, too, and have devised ways to entice you to stay by footing part of your gas bill or even doling out cold hard cash.

Perhaps the most generous offer comes from InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG), which will give you a $75 prepaid MasterCard for every stay of two consecutive weekend nights (Friday-Sunday) through September 3. You will have to wait 6-8 weeks to receive the gift card, but the deal applies to all IHG brands, from InterContinental to Holiday Inn.

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Politics are heatin’ up, making it prime time to school yourself at the source with a visit to our nation’s capital – and not just because Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is here. With its bevy of (mostly free) museums, a burgeoning food and cocktail scene, and nightlife that doesn’t suck, it’s no surprise The Advocate named Washington, D.C., as America’s 16th Gayest City in which to live, and that it placed amongst the 20 Gayest Cities to visit, as reported by OutTraveler.com. One more reason: Renaissance Hotels just joined the same-sex love fest with its Out in DC package.

Available at four key properties from now through the end of the year, the package is set to encourage guests to “come out and play” in DC’s many vibrant neighborhoods. Partnerships with Navigaytour and Blade magazine offer convenience, inclusiveness, as well as tailored amenities for a unique experience.  Read more

The Washington, D.C., area will be getting a lot more air traffic this year. Following U.S. Airways’ announcement that they will be increasing frequency of flights to D.C., Porter Airlines – also one of our Top 10 Budget Airlines – will begin operating daily roundtrip flights between Washington Dulles International Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

This route is now the Canadian airline’s sixth U.S. destination (Porter also flies to New York, Chicago, and Boston, and has seasonal flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Burlington, Vt.). Flights will begin operating on April 16, with up to three roundtrip flights daily.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more travel deals.

For frequent flyers to Washington D.C., good news: US Airways is adding flight service to eleven new locations, mostly in the Southeast and Midwest, eight of which currently have no direct service to the downtown D.C. Reagan National Airport. Daily flights are also to be added to three locations, and Hartford, Connecticut is getting increased daily nonstop frequency.  The expansion comes with the reduction of US Airways flights to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, although US Airways will continue to be the airport’s third largest carrier. (For a full list of the changes to take place on March 25, click here.)

Why the increase in D.C. and the decrease in New York? It comes as part of a slot-swap deal with Delta; the two airlines traded takeoff and landing slots so that Delta could cement its hold on NYC and US Airways could become even stronger in the Washington market, where they also note there will be a job increase. With increased holds at their hubs, the airlines can easily expect an increased percentage of the hub’s passengers (and their money).

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more travel deals.

Fly throughout the country this December with low holiday rates from Jet Blue. Fares start at just $34 for one-way flights!

See the holiday windows in New York City, the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., shop on Newbury Street in Boston, or ski down snow-capped mountains in Denver.   Looking to escape the cold instead?  Soak up the sun on beaches in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa or Long Beach, or enjoy family fun at the Disney World parks in Orlando.

Sample One-Way Fares this December:

• Las Vegas–Long Beach: $34
• Boston–New York City: $41
• Boston–Washington, D.C.: $46
• San Francisco–Long Beach: $59
• New York City–Washington, D.C.: $64
• Washington, D.C.–Orlando: $72
• Washington, D.C.–Fort Lauderdale: $75
• New York City–Orlando: $92
• Portland–Long Beach: $99
• New York City–Fort Lauderdale: $99
• Boston–Denver: $104
• Orlando–Austin: $112
• Boston–Orlando: $114
• Tampa–New York City: $114
• Austin–Boston: $134

* Travel is valid on select dates in December. All prices listed above were valid at the time of publication. Restrictions, taxes and fees apply.

THE VALUE: Pay as little as $34 on this holiday season airfare from Jet Blue!

THE CATCH: These rates apply to one-way travel only, before taxes and other fees.

THE DETAILS: Visit www.jetblue.com to book these flights.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Guides for holiday trip-planning ideas to these destinations, including New York City, Orlando, and Denver.

What can hotels do to make your stay more comfortable? That’s what Affinia Hotels hopes to learn with the launch of new nightly “comfort hours.” Each day, guests will have a chance to give feedback to hotel staff on how their stay could be improved. They’ll also be able to try out items from the “comfort cart,” including loaner video game systems (like Xbox Kinect), assorted pillows, and a hangover kit, which includes an eye mask, Advil, and a bottle of water. Some evenings, drinks and snacks will be served. To oversee these efforts, Affinia has appointed Christina Denihan (pictured) as the Chief Comfort Officer. Earlier this year, a body language expert trained all of Affinia’s staff to recognize guests’ non-verbal cues, so they know when to chat up a guest and when to back away, as well as ensure that a guest’s first impression is a good once. Affinia has seven hotels in New York City, D.C., and Chicago. www.affinia.com

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, cruises, and other travel deals.

Space tourism is one step – and $8 million – closer to reality, with the completion this week of a massive production plant in California’s Mojave Desert that houses the first passenger aircraft that will fly into space.

According to Virgin Galactic, which is owned by British billionaire Richard Branson and has joint ventured on the project, more than 430 customers have already signed up, at an out-of-this-world cost of $200,000 per ticket. Read more

Fairmont Hotels typically exude elegance. Their outposts in New York and Boston, The Plaza and The Copley Plaza, radiate elegance and Eloise, perhaps why my daughters are fans of the chain and those two properties in particular.

Now relax, I’m not trying to say that Fairmonts only pack appeal for women. But when I heard that the Fairmont Washington D.C. was offering an American Girl doll-themed package, my initial reaction was not that it had the makings of a father-son getaway.

The deal, of course, targets American Girl doll-loving girls and parental guardians with the strength to set foot in an American Girl store – in many cases, moms.

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Rising fuel costs means you’ll have pony up big time this summer to fly to Europe – might as well spend those precious dollars on a more spacious seat. OpenSkies, an all business class airline that connects Washington D.C. and New York City to Paris, is discounting peak summer nonstop fares to $1722 round-trip including taxes – less than the cost of some nonstop coach tickets. Better yet: The plane is well-equipped to make the transatlantic journey comfortable, with 52-inch seat pitches, in-seat power outlets, and gourmet dining.

THE VALUE: A nonstop, round-trip coach flight from New York City to Paris on American Airlines from August 10 to August 12 costs a whopping $2513. Save $635 and upgrade your travel with the OpenSkies “Red Hot Summer Saver” sale, which slashes fares for the same dates to $1878 (including taxes); we found flights as low as $1722 round-trip throughout the summer. Travel is valid from July 10 to September 10 and must be booked by June 12.

THE CATCH: A 21-day advance purchase is required.

THE DETAILS: Go to www.flyopenskies.com to book travel.

WE’VE GOT MORE: See our Paris Travel Guide for more trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on hotels in Paris.