Travel Intel

Why You Should Already Be Booking Spring Travel

We get it—thinking about Spring Break right now, when holiday travel has barely begun, seems bizarre. But we guarantee that once you spend a few days escaping the early-winter blues, you’ll start thinking about your next sun-soaked getaway—and you’ll be glad if those March plans were already in place. That’s why we’ve identified a few places that, if you book now, will bring that enviable combo of higher temperatures and lower rates. Whether your Spring Break involves kids or not, here are a few places to consider.

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Arushi Mehra
Travel Intel

How The Hurricanes Changed The Winter Vacation Map

Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria wreaked havoc on the Caribbean and Florida, and many of the top resorts in the region remain closed (see our updated list for the latest status). One indirect result is that other sun-and-sand destinations are busier than ever, as travelers whose plans were thwarted by the storm are now looking to book elsewhere.

That’s especially true for the weeks around Christmas and New Year’s, always the most popular time of year to visit the tropics. If you haven’t made plans for a holiday trip, NOW is the time to do it! Our list of places that remain unaffected by the hurricanes is below, along with information on availability for the “Festive” season.

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Staff
Travel Intel

Updates From Hurricanes Irma and Maria

As Florida and the Caribbean recover from the one-two punch of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, we want to keep our members up to date on the status of our many hotel partners. The list below represents the latest reports we have received, but information is subject to change. If you have questions about a specific property, please get in touch.

We will keep updating this post as news continues to come in. 

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Staff
Travel Intel

Why Nantucket's the Place to Go in the Fall

When the air gets crisp and the leaves start to turn, point your bow towards Nantucket. Why visit the Little Grey Lady in the fall? The weather on the island during September and October is on the pleasant side of perfect—and because school’s started and the crowds have gone home, the beach is close to being all yours.

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Jes Ware
Travel Intel

Why You Should Make Your Holiday Plans Now

September 1 is a day every travel agent has circled on their calendars. That’s because it’s the day deposits are usually due for holiday bookings—and the day that many people change their minds and cancel their plans. That means a whole lot of space opens up tomorrow. This year, why not give yourself an early Christmas gift and book your holiday vacation far in advance. It saves you an enormous amount of money and grief—and you can actually get what you want.

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Jes Ware
Travel Intel

Five Things You Didn't Know About Miraval

Over the course of two decades, Miraval, the wellness retreat outside Tucson, Arizona, has become synonymous with mindfulness. It’s the place to go when you want to eat better, breathe better, feel better. And while that’s true, the resort, located on 400 acres of cactus and canyonland in the remote foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, may not be quite what you expect. We broke down the preconceptions:

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Jes Ware
Travel Intel

Introducing The Skylark Originals

When was the last time you were impressed by a mint on the pillow? Yeah, we can’t remember either. Not that we’re complaining: High-end hotels have been engaged in something of an amenities arms race for years, with guests ending up the winners. We’ve all come to expect—and usually receive—niceties like flat-screen TVs, crisp duvets, multiple charging ports and high-end bath products. That’s why we’ve created the Skylark Originals: a list of innovative amenities that show a spark of creativity or thoughtfulness, and special experiences that bring a destination to life in a new way. Along the way, we also discovered airlines, airports, and apps that made us feel like V-VIP’s, so we included those, too. Hats off to them and the other travel providers that are Making Amenities Great Again!

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Kathryn O’Shea-Evans
Travel Intel

The Best Places to Slurp Down Some Oysters

“The time has come,” the Walrus said to the Carpenter in Lewis Carroll’s famous rhyme, as they prepared to dig into a small fleet of innocent, unsuspecting oysters. But to us, it’s never _not _a good time to feast on a platter of freshly shucked marine morsels, especially when we’re on or near the shore. So, just in time for National Oyster Day, August 5, here are some of our favorite spots to slurp.

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Jes Ware
Travel Intel

Up to 65% Off at Le Sirenuse in August!

Arguably the most beautiful and glamorous of all the resorts on the Amalfi Coast, Le Sirenuse is usually fully booked for the entire summer. But we’ve uncovered some last-minute availability in last August that, combined with our deeply discounted insider airfare, adds up to once-in-a-lifetime savings at a bucket-list hotel. 

For example, you can fly from New York in Alitalia business classon Friday, August 18, spend four nights in a junior suite, and return on Wednesday, August 23, for just under $13,000 for two people. Not a cheap date, but the same trip normally costs about $30,000. That flight connects in Rome, with the quick hop to Naples in the economy; if you’d rather fly non-stop, you can take Meridiana in coach for the same price. 

You can plug in your own home airport to find similar deals. For instance, we’re seeing that same fare from San Francisco on Air France in business.

Le Sirenuse only has limited rooms available for the dates August 19-23, but if you want to extend your trip at another hotel, whether in Amalfi or beyond, get in touch with one of our agents and we'll help you out.

Soon enough, you’ll be raising an Aperol Spritz to toast your own good fortune—and travel savvy.

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Peter J. Frank