Roving I Finds: $40 Southwest Fares and South Pacific Savings

Today's Roving I Finds: Two great deals that you need to act fast on. Like today fast. 

1. Southwest Airlines is celebrating their 40th anniversary. And it's a win win for the rest of us for a few more hours. If you're in the market for some serious savings on air fares, you need to click over to Southwest's $40 Fares . Depending on how far you're flying, fares are priced at $40, $80 and $120 for travel August 23rd through November 16th, 2011. But hurry, the deals end today (6/23/11)!

2. Air Tahiti Nui is making flying to New Zealand or Australia this fall and winter (aka summer down under) even more appealing with a special 3-day stopover in Tahiti for around $1200 to Auckland from LA (slightly more to Sydney). You get your choice of three hotels on Tahiti or Moorea but for an extra $275 pp you get an over-the-water hut at the Intercontinental Tahiti Resort. And nothing says Tahiti like a grass hut. Book by July 1st, 2011 to get the Tahiti treatment included. 

Thanks for stopping by! More tomorrow.

Roving I Find: 5 Clicks That Could Take You Places.

(Traveling for work this week set me back on blogging, so this week’s Roving I Find is getting a special Sunday feature. More on my latest trip soon! )

I’m a sucker for sweepstakes and contests, especially when the prize might involve a fabulous trip. Knowing that I can’t be the only travel promotion enthusiast out there (otherwise I would win way more often), I’ve collected of few of my favorite promotion finds below that are perfect for the wandering souls of the world or, at least the continental US. No purchase necessary, but if you win, can you send me a postcard?

1

5.   1. The beautifully-designed and written blog, Oh Happy Day! is giving away a trip to Paris with a stay at the hip, new boutique hotel, Mama Shelter. Check it out through June 20th (that's tomorrow!) and find out how to enter here. 

Mama Shelter
Paris, France

2. Picture yourself in National Geographic? The 2011 Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest could put you there. You could win a trip for 2 to Alaska, Morocco or Bhutan plus your photo will grace the pages of the December issue of National Geographic. Check out last year's winner and enter through June 30, 2011 here.


3. Another photo contest could land your shot on the cover of a Frommer's guidebook and give you $1000 towards your next trip. Enter here through June 30, 2011. 


4. Have a Visa credit card? Then you may already be entered into Visa's $100,000 Trip of a Lifetime sweepstakes. Just use your card through October 31, 2011 for more chances to win. Odds may be steep but $100,000 pretty much opens the door to the world. More info here. Also, while you're there, check out the new Memory Mapper app from Visa. It's an easy way to track and share your travels with photos, videos and captions.


5. This one is for Dave in honor of Father's Day: Budget Travel Magazine and the state of Montana are giving away a trip for 2 to Montana and your choice of Glacier National Park or Yellowstone National Park. The best part: No camping required. Enter here through June 21, 2011.

Old Faithful and some uninterested bison
Photo: visitmt.com

Thanks for the Sunday rove. Hope you’re having a great weekend wherever you are! And a very Happy Father's Day to Dave. I love you lots and thank you for all your support in all that I do in life, even this blog!

Roving I Find: Chic Savings in St. Louis

Photo: Moonrise Hotel

For this week's Roving I Find, I roved closer to home.


SniqueAway.com (free membership site) has a phenomenal deal on the helplessly hip and ever-so-stylish Moonrise Hotel in St. Louis, MO. Through October, you can book a superior room for as low as $105 per night (normally $169 and up). Ready for a romantic, urban  getaway? Want to be within walking distance to top-notch noshes, music venues and shopping? Then, read on.  


What makes the Moonrise rise to the top:

• Two refreshment establishments on site: The Rooftop Terrace Bar and Eclipse Restaurant
• Its prime "Loop" Location - Resides on one of St. Louis' most famed neighborhood streets, Delmar Boulevard, with restaurant and entertainment options galore
• Close to some of St. Louis' top sites in and around nearby Forest Park: The St. Louis Zoo, The Muny (historic outdoor theater), The St. Louis Art Museum, Washington University, etc.

And if you're visiting the Lou in the next month or so, you'll get the added bonus of being serenaded by the 13-year cicadas. It doesn't get more romantic than that.


Thanks for reading! 

Roving I Find: Business Meets Pleasure

I've been fortunate enough to stay in some nice places when I travel for business. And I'm pretty sure it was business travel that helped to "season" my taste for finer hotels. But now, when I travel on my dime, my preferred hotel star level still hovers somewhere between four and five when my desired per night price is closer to the two-star or three-star range.


I'm a Hotel Snob. I'll admit it. I like pristine, comfortable beds, opulent interiors, helpful staff and amazing amenities (Hello Mr. Spa). Two flash sales on Jetsetter this week offer all that and more at prices that please. Hotel Snob approved.

The Find:

• Mondrian LA: If you're in LA, you might as well live it up on the iconic Sunset Boulevard. This deal knocks the nightly price to a digestible $210 for most dates through September. (The same room goes for $295 or more on Mondrian's site, depending on the dates.) The views from the rooftop pool are reason enough to stay here. 

• Sofitel Philadelphia: Whether you're visiting "The City of Brotherly Love" for the Liberty Bell or Geno's Cheesesteaks, staying in style is easy and a lot more affordable through August, with rates as low as $130 per night. Two of Philly's major hot spots, Rittenhouse Square and the Walnut Street shopping district, are within easy walking distance.

Roving I Find: Maui Luxury For Less

In 2009, while planning our trip to Maui, I discovered the Wailea Beach Villas while searching for a place to stay online. These extremely upscale condos and villas are mostly owned by individuals and property companies. Once I saw the pictures, I was sold. My wallet was not. I started digging for deals. And after some negotiation with a VRBO owner, we booked the perfect place at a palatable price.

Roving I Finds:
Vacationist:
Currently, on Vacationist.com (Luxury Link's flash sale site - It's free to join.), you can get an ocean-view, two-bedroom penthouse for $825/night through Saturday 5/21/11. I know it doesn't sound like a phenomenal price at first, but here's why it is:

• The published rate for the same accommodation is around $1500/night. 
• Two bedrooms in this place really means two suites, suitable for two couples to share. Most penthouses also have a pull-out couch for additional guests. If you split the costs down the middle, you're spending around $400 a night/$2800 a week. 
• Each penthouse features a fully equipped, gourmet kitchen (two Sub-Zeros may be overkill) and a patio with a top-line grill so you can save on meals while you're there. 
• There's also a great gym, two pools (one for the kiddos) and beach access to Wailea Beach
• The high-end outdoor mall, The Shops at Wailea, is next door. Makes it easy to pick up the perfect souvenir (from Tiffany?). 
• Celebs stay here. The privacy and locale make it a perfect hideaway. (We ran into a popular soap star at the pool and Paris Hilton allegedly stayed in our villa the year before.)

VRBO.com:
There are lots of WBV listings this site. Most are posted by individual owners who "rent out" their homes away from home when they aren't there. TIP: Check the calendars, see what weeks are available and make the owners an offer. All they can say is "no" but they may come back with a price more in your range. VRBO Wailea Beach Villa Listings

On the surface, this is a pricey place. But with a little research, you can nab an amazing deal for a truly luxurious stay on Maui.

Tropical Flowers 

Wailea Beach Villas Property

Photos: Scott Clark