I am a regular listener to your Sunday program. Thank you for all the wonderful insight into travel.
I am going to Scotland and England in late August through Sept. 21. Are there any hotels that accept payment in American dollars? We are looking to save money on hotel lodging and a friend thought that you had mentioned this possible savings on your program. We already have a credit card that does not charge the $3 conversion fee.
Sally
Dear Sally,
What a wonderful time to be in the U.K.! Let's try and help you out.
In the past, the Thistle Group of hotels has offered it's hotel rates in American dollars (ie 120 GPB is charged as USD $120). But it doesn't seem to be currently running that promotion. Of course, you could keep checking back to its website (www.thistle.com).
But as Thistle is a mid-range chain, you might get better prices from other properties, even with the conversion rate. I know that currently Travelodge (www.travelodge.co.uk) is running a terrific sale on its properties throughout the British Isles. I took advantage of a sale of theirs about a year ago and got hotel rooms, for my family of four in Scottland, for 12 pounds a night!! No other hotels would let us bed down for anything close to that amount. As for the chain: it's much nicer than Travelodge in the USA. The furnishings resemble IKEA furniture (bright and cheery and just fine) and sometimes they're quite well-located (the one in Edinburgh, where I've stayed, couldn't be better located; it's right off the Royal Mile).
Beyond the chains, the U.K. boasts dozens of small, family-run B&B's that often offer exceptional prices to travelers. Problem is, many of them are so old-fashioned (and have such loyal repeat clientelle) that they don't work through the major hotel websites. Do a search of Expedia and Travelocity, and you're likely to miss them. This is a case where getting a good guidebook (and you know I can recommend some ;) and booking over the phone may well get you the nicest place for the lowest prices.
In a previous blog, “A Runners Wife” I spoke about my husband training for the NYC marathon. All I have to say is that the months of training all came together of an amazing race. Race day is a grueling day for runners, and the family. But a miracle happened...
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Here is a list of wines all from Spain, and menus from restaurants in Brooklyn where a crew of us did a food / wine crawl through Carrol Gardens and Williamsburg recently
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