Kellyn Heller Travels

04/01/2025

Airbnb Tips

We stay mostly in Airbnb’s (only whole unit rentals, never shared) and get a lot of questions from people afraid of being disappointed or think it’s gross to rent someone’s dwelling. Firstly, the majority of whole unit rentals are being run as an investment, I think we’ve rented maybe 4 times where the owner lives there when it’s not rented. So they are set up more like hotel suites.

Some tips on how to choose a place:

First try and figure out which areas you’re most interested in - do you want to be in a neighborhood, near shopping, near the beach, close to the nightlife? I research best neighborhoods to stay in for each town/city before I look at airbnb. I also look at hotels to get an idea for price comparison. We usually prefer the quietness of neighborhoods and being able to eat where the locals eat and then explore the busy areas as we wish.

Put your “must haves” as filters; for example, traveling to Europe in summer? Put in air con, you may have fewer options, but you’ll sleep!
I will include a washer for some locations. Don’t put in a dryer as a filter, or you may have no matches and if your unit has the washer that also dries, don’t try to dry, it takes forever and still won’t be dry, just use a drying rack.
I also never put dishwasher as a filter, if there is one, that’s a rare bonus. I don’t have to have cable but I do want a tv (hopefully smart) and WiFi.

I check the box to include total price and you should adjust the price scale to your actual range, to narrow it down. If you leave the whole populated price range in, you can easily miss perfect matches as the algorithm will skew things to the high end.

Next, after perusing the ones in the desired area, desired amenities and price range, I look at the map with the prices and start clicking, looking at the scores first, and if in acceptable range (for me 4.87 and above) then after looking at pictures, reading reviews, my next qualifiers are looking first for super hosts. If the listing is new but a super host is managing it, I will have no problem considering. If it’s a very new listing with zero reviews or it’s not a new listing with zero reviews, or a listing where price seems to good to be true, proceed cautiously, as this is where scams can happen.

Read as many reviews as you can, but ignore trivial petty things, if the majority of reviews are excellent. For example, it peeves me when someone lowers the property rating due to stairs no elevator, when the listing points that out. If stairs are a concern and you can’t tell if there’s an elevator, message the host and ask before booking. If the caution is given for no more than 4 people in the elevator, and you stuff 6 in, then get stuck and have to have firefighters rescue you, do not give zero stars🤣 Real review I read for one place we stayed at.

I also am looking for hosts where English is one of their languages. I don’t want to be communicating using google translate with my host.

Enlarge the pictures of the furniture, do the loveseats/sofas look comfortable and in good condition? We are too old for “modern” furniture that looks sleek but is hard. Look at the kitchen items, if you think you’ll be cooking.
Read what all is included in the various rooms.
Does the bathroom and shower look big enough and clean enough?

I also like when an owner will let you cancel pretty close to check in date with full refund. If we are months out, I try and stay away from the 24-48 hour cancellation window as things do indeed happen to mess up plans.

Using these criteria, I typically have 3-4 options to choose from and this Has worked well for our overall satisfaction with our stays.

Once you’ve completed your stay, leave a review. In third world countries we do not look at things with the same standards as for first world stays. I’ve only left one bad review for a place in Rome that had the worst bed I’ve EVER encountered, (including fold away sofas at relatives) because the host wasn’t the owner and wanted the owner to do something about it and the owner kept ignoring her advice. We also leave the places very clean and tidy and have great reviews of us as guests. This also is important as hosts often read reviews to decide whether to accept the request to rent, or who to choose to rent to, if multiple requests have come in.

If you have questions, please ask in the comments.

12/12/2024

Internationally, our first priority in picking a place is looking at the seated customers, as our aim is to go where the locals go. In SE Asia, where we currently are, menus do tend to be plastic, with pictures so that’s not a factor, as we are looking for taste and value.
We love when we are the only caucasians and the staff are always gracious and eager for us to try their specialties. We also try and stay off the main drags, and instead detour a block or two, or down a food alley.

These are the cues that can signal you should seek a better meal elsewhere.

15/11/2024

Travel expert Maria Nuzzolillo reveals Italy's hidden gems for offseason visits, highlighting festivals and seasonal foods in the Campania region.

28/09/2024

Another afternoon of walking Valencia, having tapas and now it’s evening, time for a delicious Sangria and more tapas!

27/09/2024

We have found another city to recommend! Valencia Spain! Not for the summer months but the other seasons. Here’s an article explaining some of the highlights.

Discover Valencia, Spain, filled with stunning architecture, beaches, and delicious cuisine. But it begs the question: is Valencia worth visiting or not?

08/09/2024

If Ireland is on your travel list, (and it should be) make sure and add Northern Ireland to it as well.

From its coastal views to its majestic mountains, Northern Ireland is full of stunning sites. Here are 10 beautiful places to visit in Northern Ireland.

16/07/2024

I think Venice needs to be a destination for several days, not just a cruise stop.

The city of Venice will plan to renew and even raise its day trip fee next year after successfully implementing it for the first time this summer.

03/07/2024

Well this is good news!

Passengers on carriers including Aer Lingus can now use PreCheck—just in time for a record-breaking summer of travel.

21/06/2024

We just completed our first Rick Steve’s Tour (Best of Sicily 11 Days) and wanted to share my thoughts.

It was great! Very smooth, very organized and the guide was wonderful. We did a lot in the 11 days, but each day had free time as well. Some of the activities and locations were ones tourists wouldn’t even know about or have the opportunity to experience on their own. The size of the group is kept small (by tour standards) and we all enjoyed each other and watched out for each other. We are already waitlisted for another itinerary.

11/04/2024

How To Avoid Gaining Weight On A Cruise:

I'm currently on a 2 week transatlantic cruise to England and doing my best to arrive no heavier than when I left. When I was a travel agent, I had a land client tell me she and her husband couldn't do a cruise, I thought maybe due to seasickness or fear of being on the ocean, but no, it was due to her fear of gaining ten pounds!

So here are my best tips that I employ (and if a gain of 1-2 pounds occurs for any of us, it should drop between 1-3 days of returning home)

1. Take the stairs, limit the use of the elevator. We've been on this ship one week, and I've been on the elevator 4 times.
2. Walk briskly everyday, either laps on the walking deck or just walking the entertainment decks several times a day.
3. When in port, walk as much as possible whenever/wherever feasible.
4. Avoid the buffet as much as possible. I prefer eating in the main dining room for breakfast and lunch as the food is better and portions controlled. If you do the buffet, limit the carbs, start on fresh vegetables/salad and if still hungry find an entre and a couple of sides.
5. Lunch/Dinner skip the bread basket.
6. Dinner Don't eat 4-5 courses every night.
7. Skip desserts most nights, if there are some absolute favorites, indulge, but maybe share? If the first bite isn't wonderfully delicious, set it aside.
8. Eat slowly and consciously, putting fork down between bites.
9. Don't snack throughout the day, if late dining, choose carefully something mid afternoon.
10. Don't eat anything after dinner is over. Fortunately the good old days of Midnight Buffet are mostly over!
11. Drink lots of water, one, it's good for you, and two, lots of times what you believe to be hunger cues are actually thirst cues.
12. Adult Beverages Stick with lower calorie options, I prefer Prosecco and a Vodka Cranberry for a cocktail. While I adore Pina Coladas, Mudslides, Daquiris, Margaritas, they pack on 400-500 calories each!
13. Last But Not Least - Don't wear "expandomatic" clothes every day, bring a pair of truth tellers - that will let you know by how tight/loose it is!

If you have any additional tips, please add in the comments!

24/03/2024

As a part 2 to yesterday’s tips on light packing, here is a gentleman’s basic list for a longer international trip, using a carry on and is based on a warm weather itinerary.

Men’s packing list

1 pair of lightweight pants
5 short sleeve shirts/t-shirts
2-3 pairs of shorts
5-7 underwear
3 pairs of socks
2-3 pairs of shorts
1 swim trunks
1 lightweight long sleeve shirt
1 water resistant jacket with hood
1 set sleepware

Shoes

I pair walking/running
1 pair of sandals

Here are additional items that should be carried by all:

Hat
Sunglasses
Small pack of tissues (necessary for restrooms in many countries)
Small washcloth
Hand sanitizer
Cinch sack or tote bag

22/03/2024

How to pack lightly for a long warm weather trip

Heading overseas? Going to multiple places plus using transportation such as trains, metro, buses and flights? Staying in quaint hotels, B&Bs, airbnb style accommodations? These are all reasons you need to pack lightly. You may get bored with your outfits but you will have so much less stress by doing so.

Bring either a carry on suitcase or a travel backpack, preferably one with wheels.

First, pick 3 colors as your base - for example my upcoming year long trip will be black, white, blue. My pants/shorts/skirt/dress/capris will be these colors. For the tops, whether short sleeve, no sleeve, long sleeve, each piece needs to work with 2 preferably all 3 base colors.

One thing I do is to bring clothes I don’t care about, and I buy second hand ahead of packing, or new if very cheap, so I can leave behind with zero guilt. I do let the owner or housekeeper know that I am leaving behind for them to use or donate. That way, I can buy new pieces, pack lighter for next destination or bring home souvenirs.

Not only do lodging options often offer a washing machine, we have found it is incredibly reasonable in most countries to drop off dirty laundry to be done, folded and ready to be picked up within hours or the next day. It is also not common to find dryers, so you will be using drying racks or clotheslines.

For this reason, make sure the clothes you bring are lightweight, quick drying, non wrinkling, with no special care instructions.

While I am very thrifty on clothing, I do not skimp when it comes to the comfort of my feet. We walk 5-12 miles a day when traveling and I don’t care if my footwear looks stylish, (and actually beautiful shoes are not typically practical for most countries) I don’t want foot issues, broken ankle or blisters. I laugh when I see women posing for “insta” shots in places like the Pyramids, or old cobbled streets, in high heels and then hobble away.

Shoes: One pair of water type sandals that can work for walking or in the water, I love Tevas (just recently switched to Verra series due to it being lighter than Tirras)

One pair of walkable attractive sandals - I really like Taos, specifically the Trophy series, cute enough to work with dresses, sturdy enough and comfortable enough for miles of walking, and can endure walking through puddles without ruining. I get about 2 years of hard, frequent use out of each pair.

One pair of walking/running shoes (closed toes) I’ve liked Allbirds but for this upcoming trip, I’ll be trying Brooks Ghost 15s.

5-7 pairs of quick drying un**es
2-3 bras 1 dark, 1 light
1-2 swimsuits - I bring 2 coverups, one of mine I can use as a nightgown
1 long sleeve cotton button up shirt for layering and for cold flights
3-4 pair socks (tuck into walking shoes)
1 sarong/shawl/scarf for dressing up outfit or covering shoulders for temples/cathedrals, I also bring a quick pull on knee length skirt for those type excursions.

1 lightweight, wrinkle free dress
1 skirt and maybe 1 skort
1 pair cotton pants
4-5 pair shorts/capris
5-7 short sleeve shirts
3-5 sleeveless tank tops

How to pack: First I sort everything I am considering, into different categories onto the bed, and then start editing. After narrowing it down to the essentials, I roll tightly and place into packing cubes. I have used packing cubes for years, love the ones from Ebags, and have recently purchased compression packing cubes from Amazon and love how they slim down the height of each cube.

I wear the heaviest footwear onto the plane, and bring my long sleeve shirt so it’s quickly available for flight.

I take the bare minimum for makeup/personal care and replace as needed. I don’t bring much jewelry, just a few sets of cute earrings, one silver chain, 3-4 pendants, all that work with the base colors.