Spoiler Alert: The Louvre is big. Gargantuan, really. 72,735 square meters (782,910 square feet) of big. For anyone who loves art and antiquities, it’s nirvana. But it bears repeating: it’s a really big nirvana. So we’ve put together our top … read more
New York, New York may be so nice they named it twice, but in southern France is a town so nice they named it Nice! Okay yes, it’s pronounced like niece, but we can’t pass up a good pun. read more
No matter what your budget is, you would probably appreciate more money in your vacation budget. Every little bit helps, and if it’s easy to do, that’s even better. read more
Èze is a page from a medieval fairy tale. A mountaintop castle on the rugged French Riviera, with exotic gardens overlooking a sweeping landscape that tumbles into the azure Mediterranean Sea. read more
M-I-C...See ya real soon! (As in, July! 😊 ) K-E-Y... Why? Because we miss you!
Disney World has submitted their plans to begin a measured re-opening of the Happiest Place on Earth, following the successful reopening of Shanghai Disney Resort, and Disney Springs in Orlando:
"Pending Orange County and state approval, our Walt Disney World Resort proposal plans for Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom to begin a phased reopening to the general public on July 11, followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15." - Disney Parks Blog
It won't be a return to normal, though. Among the proposed safety measures are limiting park capacity and a new reservations system for park entry. Disney will "continue to follow enhanced safety protocols based upon applicable guidance from health authorities and government agencies..."
- Cast members and all guests over age 3 will be required to wear face coverings, both in the parks and in common areas of resort hotels.
- Guests and Cast will be screened for temperature before entering a theme park.
- Cashless transactions are recommended.
- Cleaning and disinfection procedures will be increased in high-traffic areas.
- Some "large gathering" attractions and events - like parades and nighttime spectaculars - will not return immediately.
- "High-touch" events, such as character Meet & Greets, Bippity Boppity Boutique makeovers, and playgrounds, are also on hold.
- Though not mentioned, we also expect social distancing guidance (such as floor markers) in queues for rides and attractions, as was seen in Shanghai.
Perhaps hardest of all, all interaction with Disney characters will be socially distanced. Which makes us wonder: How you tell a toddler (or teenager, or adult!) that they can't hug Mickey Mouse???
There are a lot of anti-mask comments, but also a lot of people ready to visit the Magic Kingdom in any circumstance. What are your feelings?
You can read the whole story on the Disney Parks Blog: disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/05/plans-unveiled-for-the-phased-reopening-of-walt-disney-wor...
Remember when you were a kid, and being told you couldn’t have ice cream just made you want it more? Yeah, that’s how we’re feeling about travel in the age of Coronavirus shut downs. Not being able to take a trip is making us want to go even more. We are so tempted!
Making matters worse, some of our favorite travel brands are coming out with some very tempting offers. Offers we would normally snap up without blinking. But now we’re worried about cancellations and refunds, and when (not if) we’ll actually be able to schedule something.
The wonderful people at Fairmont feel us. They know we are in desperate need of a night of luxury hotel style pampering. Maybe two. Even better, two…for the price of one! Cha. Ching.
For a limited time, every second night – or second room – is free at seven select Fairmont hotels as part of the Stay Close promotion. A one-night prepaid deposit holds your reservation, but is 100% refundable. The rate is good or the rest of the year, provided you book now. So you don’t have to worry so much about cancellations and refunds. You just have to worry about which Fairmont location(s) to visit!
To take advantage of the offer, you must book by June 15 at Fairmont locations in Canada: Banff Springs, Chateau Lake Louise, Chateau Whistler, or the Jasper Park Lodge. Book by June 21 at the Fairmont Washington DC Georgetown. Book by June 30 to stay at the Fairmont Austin, or Scottsdale Princess. In all cases, your stay must be completed before 31 December.
We could book these, but should we? So far Banff and Jasper National Parks are closed, but may offer limited services starting 1 June. Of course, the US/Canada border is closed through 21 June, which could be extended. Blackout dates apply, and the US locations are reportedly going fast. So it’s a risky proposition requiring a bit of luck at best.
Overall, we think this is a great deal.These are lottery list hotels, essentially at half price. With no penalty for cancellations, you can buy now and travel later – or not at all. So far, it’s one of the most tempting offers we’ve seen!
www.fairmont.com/offers/north-america/stay-close/
The old Road Warrior joke goes: "My wife wanted me to be at home more, so she painted our bedroom to look like Motel 6!"
But we can do better than that!
Like many, we're going a bit stir crazy after several weeks of #StayAtHome. We'd love to be hunkered down in a gorgeous luxury suite - whether during a lockdown or a vacation! Of course, we can't do that right now. So...
How about dressing up your Master Bedroom? USA Today's 10Best has just the inspiration we needed. 🤣 Now...where do we get that gorgeous view of Central Park...in Texas? 🤔
www.10best.com/interests/hotels-resorts/10-ways-transform-your-bedroom-into-luxury-hotel-suite/
How to transform your bedroom into a luxury hotel suite
www.10best.com
These authentic hotel furnishings and amenities will make you happy to stay home.
Do you know anyone who thinks they're too young for a cruise? They need to read this:
https://howtocruise.co.uk/am-i-too-young-for-cruise/
#cruise #cruisechat #firstcruise
Very sadly, the coronavirus pandemic has led to the closure of Lonely Planet’s UK magazine. Here’s a parting gift from our exceptionally talented team: a free eBook of 12 beautiful, previously unpublished features. Available only briefly - please share! https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ebooks/out-there.pdf
