Flights, Accomodation and other travel questions??

Hi Smeg,

Good to see you back.

I have been out of America for a couple of years now, but here is my input FWIW.

1. I stayed at a reasonably priced hotel in NYC just off times square, but I can't remember the name. Why don't you try priceline.com? When you have time, and you don't mind exactly where you end up staying, it is a good option. You basically nominate the price, the hotel star rating, and the general area and any hotels fitting your critera can accept. If they don't, you generally just increase your bid. I have used it a couple of times.

2. You can try buying flight coupons associted with the airline you are flying to LA. The last time I did, each sector was about A$150 - not sure whether they are still available or how much, but worth a try. Other than that, try southwest.com and then any of the discount online brokers such as orbitz.com, expedia.com, travelocity.com If you can lock down your travel dates, book them in advance, or just keep your eyes open for specials. Don't leave it to the last minute otherwise you might get stung.

3. Both great cities, but I will let someone more familiar with them give you a guide.

4. Not sure about colege BBall - never tried. I found it quite difficult to get college football tickets at UT - Austin, basically had to rely on a former student.

 

I can get you discounted Friends & Family rates at Intercontinental Hotels... i.e. Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental

I work at a Holiday Inn in San Francisco @ Fisherman's Wharf... not the best hotel as far as luxury, etc. goes, but its the most convenient location in the city. I can get you super rates there... in the $29-$59 per night range.

 

I would suggest avoiding reserving a hotel room thru an online travel agency if you care anything about comfort, etc. You get treated like a 2nd class citizen. I know from experience working at a hotel that hotels give the crappiest rooms to online reservation bookings. We will give you the crappiest room possible... something like a double bed smoking on the lowest floor next to the dumpsters, and other crap like that. Room types are never guaranteed for online reservations... so the hotel will give you a room that nobody else wants.

 

This remind of the last travel discussion I had with an aussie.

The second to last australian I met the other day, a loudmouthed jackass electrician from Darwin, when discussing his trip to India, abruptly said to me "Oym not takin any travel advyce from a fackn American evahh!" and walked away.

opinion of australia tarnished.

Fortunately, the last australian I met the next day confessed to me, unprompted, and without having met the jackass electrician from Darwin, that she was ashamed that so many australians she met traveling were jackasses.

opinion of australia restored!

 

As mentioned, Priceline.com. Do your research at www.biddingfortravel.com first before bidding.