Author ∣ Advocate ∣ Journalist
On Travel is a weekly column about being a smarter traveler. It covers practical travel advice for the readers of USA Today and the USA Today Network. If you’re interested in publishing this feature, please contact Elliott directly at [email protected] or (202) 370-7934.
What to do about travel fees? That’s what John Frigo wants to know. Chances are, so do you.
Frigo believed he’d found the ideal vacation rental in Tampa, Florida. Instead, he faced a collection of travel fees.
For just $350, he thought he could enjoy three nights in a spacious condo with stunning views of the bay. But when Frigo tried to book the rental, the price suddenly doubled to roughly $700.
Read more “What to do about travel fees now”
If you just had a bad vacation, and you’re looking for someone to blame, you might want to find a mirror. The whole thing could be your fault.
As the busy summer travel wraps up, it’s too easy to point the finger somewhere – at an airline, hotel, or travel agent. Or, if all else fails, you can blame the pandemic. But the truth is a little more complicated.
Read more “Did you have a bad vacation? It might be your fault”
When should you check out of your vacation rental early? For Kate McCulley, the decision to leave was easy. The owner had advertised a reliable wireless connection, but when she checked in, McCulley could only pick up a faint signal.
“I needed the wireless signal so I could work,” says McCulley, who was staying in an Airbnb in Kotor, Montenegro. “I got there and found out that the internet was actually through a hotel across the street, and I couldn’t access it unless I leaned out the window with my phone.”
Read more “This is when to check out of your vacation rental early”
Ever gotten lost at the airport? I have.
I remember the time I disembarked the puddle-jumper from Porto, Portugal, to Madrid. All I had to do was find the designated pick up point for my Uber ride into town. But the 45-minute odyssey left me angry, disoriented and wondering: Why are airports so confusing?
I’m not exaggerating. It took me 45 minutes to find my ride. And it wasn’t the first time I lost my way in an airport.
Read more “How to not get lost at the airport (from someone who has)”
Don’t look now, but more vacation rental surcharges are on the way. At least that’s what Karen Payton found when she searched online for a vacation rental in Hawaii recently.
“I saw one rental where the daily rate was $89,” says Payton, a teacher from Irvine, California. “I was about to book it, but on the last page, I found a summary of mandatory fees. There was a cleaning charge for $200 and a business charge for another $188. These additional charges were more than my entire stay.”
Read more “Here come the new vacation rental surcharges!”
