Take Care Travel

05/03/2024

Rivera del Rio Puerto Vallarta Ratings & Review

Rivera del Rio Puerto Vallarta Overview

A luxury, boutique hotel centrally located in Puerto Vallarta. In the Heart of Puerto Vallartas OLD TOWN (Romantic Zone), Rivera del Rio offers a luxurious setting for your wedding, honeymoon, group event, or gay friendly vacation. Rivera del Rio is a sumptuous Mexican bed and breakfast villa, nestled on the verdant banks of the Rio Cuale river.

Rivera del Rio Ratings:
Rooms 5.0
Dining 4.5
Public Rooms 5.0
Family 3.5
Service 4.5
Value For Money 4.0
Rates 4.0

Bottom line:
This BEAUTIFUL Instagram worthy hotel was a wonderful mix of elegance and Mexican charm. From the sun splashed indoor/outdoor lobby, to the rooftop pool and whirlpool bath, to the eclectic breakfast room. We wanted a baecatiom to remember and this romantic locale delivered. Highly recommended for gay travels and all lovers alike.

03/20/2024

Hotel Sultania Istanbul Ratings & Review

Hotel Sultania Istanbul Overview

Hotel Sultania will make you “feel like a sultan” in its 42 luxury rooms, each of which harmonizes the modern lifestyle with traditional Ottoman touch. With its luxuriously inspiring design and landmark old city location, steeped in the history of its surroundings, Hotel Sultania welcomes you with exceptional harem style and world-renowned Turkish hospitality. This upscale hotel is within a 15-minute walk of Hagia Sophia, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.

Hotel Sultania Ratings:
Rooms 4.5
Dining 4.0
Public Rooms 4.5
Family 3.5
Service 4.5
Value For Money 4.0
Rates 4.0

Bottom line:
This beautiful boutique hotel was equally lovely as it was convenient. Centrally located to all of the sites of the European side of bustling Istanbul. It allows you to end your day either in their traditional hammam or rooftop restaurant or both! Still, for the price, I expected a bit more. May try another option for future visits, but would still recommend.

03/20/2024

Safran Cave Hotel Cappadocia Ratings & Review

Safran Cave Hotel Cappadocia Overview

Safran Cave Hotel is a restored and renovated cave hotel in the center of Goreme. It is run by a family. The hotel has flower garden and breakfast is served on the covered terrace and is used for watching balloons.

Safran Cave Hotel Ratings:
Rooms 4.5
Dining 4.5
Public Rooms 4.5
Family 4
Service 4
Value For Money 5.0
Rates 5

Bottom line:
This charming, boutique hotel was a warm and welcome home base after a busy day exploring Cappadocia. The views were amazing and the breakfast delicious. Would highly recommend and would stay again if I find myself in Cappadocia again.

10/31/2023

#5: Download offline maps for easy access

Download maps and use them offline. This is a great travel hack as you might not have continuous internet access while travelling to a new country or even domestically. Even though offline maps offer limited features compared to online maps, they come in handy while navigating in a new city. Avoid getting lost while travelling with this simple hack. Google maps can be downloaded using a few simple steps. Just open the Google maps app on your phone and zoom in to select the area or search for the city’s map that you want to download. Now just click on the download offline option. You can now access the marked area even when you have patchy internet or even in airplane mode. Make sure to download offline maps when you have access to a good internet connection.

10/24/2023

#4: Always check the expiration date of your passport well before traveling. Many countries require six months of validity to grant entry, so the effective deadline might be sooner than the actual expiration date written on your passport.

10/18/2023

What is luxury travel for you?

Luxury travel looks rather different now than it did a few years ago. According to a recent study, luxury travel in 2023 means:

Exploring remote destinations with space and privacy.
Personalized and unique experiences
A chance to recharge and improve health and well-being
Increasingly, travelers are also willing to pay a little extra: 61% of travelers say they plan to spend more than they normally would. But that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank.

With such personal requirements while on vacation, it’s little surprise that 81% of travelers are turning to travel agents for expert guidance*, loving their rich destination knowledge and ability to recommend unique experiences to build amazing trips.
Contact us for tips on how to achieve a luxurious and affordable travel experience.

*Source: https://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Travel-Agent-Popularity-on-the-Rise-Yet-Again

10/17/2023

#3: Consider traveling during off-season

The best question to ask when considering off-season travel is what makes this time of year the off-season? There’s a reason peak times are popular so it’s a matter of what you’re willing to give up. The savings may be worth dealing with less than favorable weather or missing out on seasonal events, or not. It’s worth considering to save big bucks.

10/11/2023

To upgrade or not?
We recommend you save your upgrade investments for the parts of your travel it will make the biggest difference. Here are a few things to consider:

Flights: How long will you be in the air? Upgrading to first or business class has greater benefits on a long-haul flight than on a short hop.
But you don’t have to go all-in to enjoy flight upgrades. The extra legroom with a premium economy seat can make a tremendous difference on a long flight. Contact us to find your perfect luxurious getaway.

Ground transportation: How tired might you feel after your flight? And how easy is public transport at your destination? Stepping off a long-haul flight into a hot and unfamiliar country, then into the extra comfort and convenience of a private car that whisks you straight to your air-conditioned hotel can be priceless. Contact us to find your perfect luxurious getaway.

Accommodation: Luxury doesn’t necessarily mean a five-star resort. Luxury could mean an ocean-view room or daily breakfast in bed. Contact us to find your perfect luxurious getaway.

Activities: Experiences are such a big part of true luxury in travel. When a hotel room or flight is long forgotten, experiences stay with you for years to come. Get your travel agent to book a cookery class with a local family. Arrange a sunset meal on the beach, with the waves lapping your ankles. Plan a guided tour of favorite local spots. Rent pretty bikes and cycle off on a day-long wine tasting course. Learn to carve, paint, or sculpt with a local artist. These are just some high-level tips. Based on experience, we know when it’s worth upgrading and when it’s not. Reach out to us for more expert advice.

10/10/2023

#2: Make Photocopies Of Important Documents & Digital Copies
This is really important. Your passport is pretty much your most important document when travelling, you’ll need it to get into and out of a country. This step helps in case it’s ever lost or stollen while abroad.
With regards to health insurance documents and visa documents, make sure you have digital copies of those with you that are easily accessible.

10/04/2023

Luxury is within reach
A first-class travel experience really can be for everyone. Luxury is more than staying in exclusive hotels with helipads or chartering private jets to take you around the world. You can absolutely indulge in a higher level of comfort and convenience without breaking the bank.

That’s because luxury is more about the seamless end-to-end experiences, with added comforts where it matters and special moments that you’ll remember for years to come. There are plenty of ways you can indulge in a luxury experience on a budget. Reach out to us to plan your next luxury vacation.

10/04/2023

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10/03/2023

#1: When booking flights far in advance, book the lowest priced option for your desired dates with your chosen airline. The further in advance you book the more likelier you are to have the airline change make a schedule change. With most air lines, itinerary changes for over a certain amount of time entitle you to either a refund or a free flight change. When electing the flight change, the airlines often allow you to choose whatever replacement flight you would like, without additional charges.

For example, book the $99 redeye flight. Once the airline makes an inevitable schedule change, give them a call and you can have your flight switched into that $180 flight that you preferred. You’ve saved money on the best flight option. Easy.

09/27/2023

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09/27/2023

Travel Tip of the Month: 12 Things You Can Still Get for Free on a Cruise Ship

With all the changes cruise lines have made recently, what can you still get for free? We have listed some of the best things you can enjoy on a cruise ship without spending an extra penny.

In an effort to recoup some of the money lost from being shut down for almost two years, some companies have had to make a few adjustments.

Cruises still offer an excellent value for the money, and even though not everything is included when you sail with one of the mainstream lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC), there are still plenty of things that won’t cost you any extra.

1. That extra main course for dinner
2. Free raffle tickets to the spa on embarkation day
3. Prizes for participating in games and game shows
4. Prizes for playing cruise ship trivia
5. Tournament trophies
6. Gifts for attending a shopping talk
7. Drinks and appetizers for attending a special event or meetup
8. Onboard credit if you own some cruise stock
9. Room service
10. Loyalty and status match perks
11. Free onboard credit for referring a friend
12. Free bottle of wine from dining in certain Specialty restaurants

Now is the perfect time to start planning your 2024 cruise travel (2023 too!). Which free perks are you looking forward to taking advantage of?

09/20/2023

Become the explorer you were meant to be
With our list of top ten places to visit this year, you don't need to be stuck choosing your next trip. Contact us today!

09/18/2023

https://www.cnn.com/travel/unesco-world-heritage-sites-2023/index.html

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has wrapped up its deliberations related to sites that are in danger and began adding new sites on Saturday to its prestigious World Heritage List.

09/13/2023

You can't miss out on these hot destinations
Looking forward to traveling again but unsure of where to pick? We've compiled the top destinations you should visit this year. Contact us for more information!

09/07/2023

News we love to hear! Where are YOU going this fall? How can we help?

The cost of a plane ticket is plummeting. Experts say domestic airfare for the fall is down 29% from the summer.

09/06/2023

Hot off the press, every first Wednesday of the month

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09/06/2023

With so much pent-up demand for a break and sky-high expectations, you may want to go big and plan a bucket-list-worthy trip or keep it casual and relax on a tropical beach. Contact us for some ideas!

09/04/2023

Have you been to any of these? Will you go?

09/03/2023

Cities like Philly and New York—with many to follow suit—are cracking down on and essentially closing Airbnbs to address the affordable housing crisis. Something to keep in mind for upcoming travels…

The city is beginning to enforce a 2021 law that requires short-term rentals to be licensed, meaning a large majority would be illegal.

08/24/2023

Get those entries in! Ends 8/27

DENVER – August 18, 2023 – Ultra-low fare carrier Frontier Airlines (NASDAQ: ULCC) today launched a FRONTIER Miles℠ sweepstakes aimed at scores of people working hard to pay off student loan debt. Amid the end of a U.S. moratorium on student loan payments, Frontier is launching a promotion tha...

08/23/2023

Probably my favorite travel accessory pick so far! Perfect for remote workers that need a little extra. Portable and affordable. Highly recommended!

VILVA Portable-Monitor-for-Laptop - 15.6'' 1080P FHD IPS Display USB-C&HDMI Portable Monitor for Laptop with Cover and Speakers

08/23/2023

Thanks to our firsthand experience and insider knowledge we know a thing or two that Google doesn’t when it comes to exploring our local area.
After all, we’re pretty big travelers ourselves. We’ve learned from our own mistakes, so we can give you the lowdown based on our own personal experience. We’ve also booked thousands of domestic trips, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

Connect with us and we’re happy to give you travel tips based on our experience with local accommodation, restaurants, and attractions. Or we can go a step further and also build you a trip. One that gives you plenty of flexibility, fun, and minimum stress.

08/22/2023

Just renewed my Global Entry and I can barely remember my travel life before it..

If you've ever arrived on an international flight carrying 500 passengers, you know that the customs line can be brutally long. And after you've endured many hours of traveling, perhaps even a couple layovers, waiting in line to reenter your own country is the last thing you want. This is where Global Entry comes in handy…

For $100, the service lasts for 5 years and includes TSA Precheck..
Whenever I catch an outbound flight or return from an international trip I’m always pleasantly surprised by how short and quick the lines are—often no line at all!
Do you have Global Entry? Why or why not?

08/19/2023

Fans have been flying across the country—and world—and dropping thousands of dollars on tickets.

08/19/2023

TCT is now on Pinterest! Check out our boards for our favorite and recommended travel accessories. As well as derive inspiration from our travel bucket list. Let us know your favorites!

Discover itakecareoftravel's collection, Our travel accessory picks

08/16/2023

If you’ve utilized our services for either a quote or booking, we’d love if you left us a review! Help us spread the word

08/16/2023

Whether it’s a trip abroad or one close to home, travel agents can save you time, money, and hassle. That’s why the local travel agent is rising in popularity again, particularly for staycations and last-minute getaways just hours away.

Reach out to us for travel expertise, great choice, and peace of mind.