Topic: Hotels

Top 5 ways to save on your summer vacation

If you're pining for a summer vacation but worried about costs, consider how Wayne and Pat Dunlap of Del Mar, Calif., managed to tour 51 countries over two years, marvel at the Egyptian pyramids, scale a New Zealand glacier, and visit Laotian Buddhist monks all for less than $100 a day. "We often stayed at guesthouses and hostels, ate at local family restaurants, took public transportation, and in some cases, traveled on cruise ships offering reduced rates," says Mr. Dunlap, author of the travel book "Plan Your Escape." This year amid price worries and higher summer airfares, especially to Europe such ingenuity could prove essential. Here are five cost-cutting strategies that can help:

Secret Service's Colombia scandal has election-year implications

The growing scandal surrounding Secret Service and military personnel's association with prostitutes in the run-up to the Summit of the Americas is a scandal the President would rather not have.

Johannesburg no longer a no-go for tourists, investors

Johannesburg has a reputation for high crime, but efforts to rejuvenate the South African city are having an impact.

London: 8 stories from its residents

8 Londoners tell their stories about living in the city that will host the Olympics.

Top 5 ways to save on a honeymoon destination

So you’re about to tie the knot. Let me offer my congratulations! I do worry, though, about your bank account. Getting married is one of the costliest decisions of your life (financially, I mean). I remember the after-effects of our wedding on our finances … shock sums it up nicely. I don’t mean the wedding, which itself can cost a small fortune (an average $18,000, says the website Wedding Report). I mean the honeymoon. As someone who has researched honeymoon destinations and watched others decide their post-nuptials in exciting and different ways, I’ve compiled money-saving hints to keep you from incurring too much debt. Here are my Top 5 money-saving tips for a honeymoon destination:

Spots to watch in the battle for Tripoli

Libya’s rebels staged a swift takeover of much of Tripoli over the weekend and into today, and they now control 80 to 95 percent of the capital. Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi are nonetheless fighting fiercely to hold on to pockets of the city still in their hands. Below are some of the most embattled areas.

Mumbai's terror track record: nine major attacks in two decades

Yesterday's blasts in Mumbai prompted Indian newspaper Hindustan Times to ask: "Why is Mumbai targeted again and again?"

Iraq unveils refurbished palace where US soldiers once hung laundry

Ahead of the May 10-11 Arab League summit, Iraq has prepared suites, ballrooms, and manicured gardens in anticipation of receiving 22 invited heads of state.

Johnny Depp and the new tax law

Johnny Depp's new film 'The Tourist' provides some perspective on the new tax law.

Will the Grand Prix clean up Baltimore?

The mayor says the Grand Prix is 'game changing' for Baltimore. Sure, it'll bring in some tourism and related revenues, but what will it cost?

Taking the homeless beyond shelters

Rosanne Haggerty's Common Ground creates permanent housing that has reduced homelessness by 87 percent in one 20-block area of New York City.

Record crowd for Obama inauguration?