Top 10 Lists Archive
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March 31, 2008
- Meet the World’s Dirtiest Cities
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Where are The World’s Dirtiest Cities? Forbes recently came up with a list. The 25 cities deemed the world’s dirtiest won their places on the list with disease-infested water supplies, life-threatening air pollution, plentiful raw sewage and rank public sanitation problems. Drum roll, puh-lease. The cities are:1. Baku, Azerbaijan (pictured)
2. Dhaka, Bangladesh
3. Antananarivo, Madagascar
4. Port au Prince, Haiti
5. Mexico City, Mexico
6. Addis Abada, Ethiopia
7. Mumbai, India
8. Baghdad, Iraq
9. Almaty, Kazakhstan
10. Brazzaville, Congo
11. Ndjamena, Chad
12. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
13. Bangui, Central African Republic
14. Moscow, Russia
15. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
16. Bamako, Mali
17. Pointe Noire, Congo
18. Lome, Togo
19. Conakry, Guinea Republic
20. Nouakchott, Mauritania
21. Niamey, Niger
22. Luanda, Angola
23. Maputo, Mozambique
24. New Delhi, India
25. Port Harcourt, Nigeria
posted in Destinations, Miscellaneous, Top 10 Lists, Mexico, Healthy Travel, India, Southeast Asia, Africa. permalink
March 13, 2008
- Best Airports for Wired Travelers
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Forbes recently published a list of the Top 30 Most-Wired Airports. Problem is, you have to sit through a while slide show to figure out which airports around the world made the list. Yeah, you could be a responsible media consumer and actually read the entire story. But if you want to just consume the list, here it is:1. Atlanta Hartsfield
2. Denver International Airport
3. Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
4. Hong Kong International Airport
5. (tie) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
6. (tie) Singapore Changi Airport
7. London Heathrow
8. Tokyo Haneda Airport
9. Orlando International Airport
10. Tokyo Narita International Airport
11. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
12. Paris Charles De Gualle International Airport
13. Los Angeles International Airport
14. Amsterdam Airport Schipol
15. Bangkok International Airport
16. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
17. Frankfurt Airport
18. Sydney Airport
19. Munich Airport
20. Charlotte Douglass International
21. Dubai International Airport
22. Seoul Incheon International Airport
23. Toronto Pearson International Airport
24. Madrid Barajas International Airport
25. London Gatwick Airport
26. Paris Orly Airport
27. (tie) Rome Fiumicino
28. (tie) Kuala Lumpur International
29. Barcelona Airport
30. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
posted in Air Travel, Destinations, Top 10 Lists, Techie Travel. permalink
March 11, 2008
- Phoenix Ranked Best Value for Travelers
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Want a good value on your next vacation? Sure, we all do. Phoenix, shown here from atop Camelback Mountain, was recently rated one of the top places for good travel deals. According to the Hotwire Travel Value Index released yesterday, these are top U.S. cities for travelers to hit up when they’re looking to stretch their vacay dollars:1. Phoenix
2. Dallas-Fort Worth
3. Orlando
4. Denver
5. Atlanta
6. Los Angeles
7. Washington, DC
8. Kansas City
9. Miami
10. Milwaukee
Frankly, I’m surprised to see L.A. and Miami on the list, as I was just last week hunting for decent deals on hotels in both cities and came up surprisingly short. I mean, yeah, you can stay somewhere cheap, but it often means staying somewhere really bland, really out of the way or really sketch. And that’s not what I call a “value.” In my mind, a good value is something a traveler can get excited about. Not just an inexpensive place to bunk in.
That said, the HTVI rates cities on more than just existing hotel rates. The range of activities in a city and availability of affordable entertainment also figure in. And both Miami and L.A. have plenty of affordable entertainment options (beaches, museums, landmarks). Then again, both cities also happen to have some of the country’s most expensive and exclusive restaurants, bars, retail shops and clubs. Really, in the end, whether or not you’ll get a good value in in any of the cities on the list depends heavily on what you enjoy doing when you travel.
posted in Destinations, Top 10 Lists, Travel Advice, California, Florida, Colorado, Southwestern United States. permalink
March 10, 2008
- Cool Trips Under $1,000
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SmarterTravel.com’s list of 10 Amazing Adventures Under $1,000 is a round-up that’s worth reading. They’ve hunted down some cool ideas for adventurous vacations that hit the inexpensive end of the spectrum. And six of the suggested trips (hiking, rafting, camping, sailing, biking) are outside the good ‘ole US of A (Peru, Canada, Croatia, Tanzania, Laos, New Zealand). Trips range in length from four to 10 days. Most are packages offered by tour operators, and none include airfare in the price.
posted in Destinations, Adventure Travel, Top 10 Lists, Deals, Contests and Promos, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, South America, Southwestern United States, Europe - All Countries. permalink
February 22, 2008
- Airport Time Killers
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Behold, Travel + Leisure’s roundup of the best airport restaurants, bars, lounges and spas:
posted in Air Travel, Destinations, Travel Books and Literature, Top 10 Lists, Spas, Foodie Travel. permalink
January 28, 2008
- Mobil Announces 2008 Star Ratings
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Today Mobil Travel Guide announced its 2008 Four- and Five-star ratings for U.S. hotels, restaurants and spas. Notoriously picky (they don’t just hand out five-star ratings to any old Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton), Mobil added eight new hotels to its five-star list for 2008. We’ve listed all 41 of the five-star hotel winners below. For four-star results and winners in the restaurant and spa categories, you can check out all the ratings in the Mobil Travel Guide’s 50th Annual Star Awards.
California - Beverly Hills
Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
California - Dana Point
St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach
California - Los Angeles
Hotel Bel-Air
California - Oakhurst
Chateau du Sureau
California - San Francisco
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
Colorado - Aspen
The Little Nell
Colorado - Colorado Springs
The Broadmoor
Connecticut - Washington
Mayflower Inn & Spa
District of Columbia - Washington
Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C.
Florida - Manalapan
The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach
Florida - Naples
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Florida - Palm Beach
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach
Georgia - Atlanta
Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
Georgia - St. Simons Island
The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club
Hawaii - Wailea
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Illinois - Chicago
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
The Peninsula Chicago
The Ritz-Carlton, A Four Seasons Hotel
Massachusetts - Boston
Boston Harbor Hotel
Four Seasons Hotel Boston
Massachusetts - Lenox
Blantyre
Nevada - Las Vegas
The Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas
New York - New York
Four Seasons Hotel New York
Mandarin Oriental, New York
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
The St. Regis
New York - Saranac Lake
The Point
North Carolina - Pittsboro
The Fearrington House Country Inn
South Carolina - Kiawah Island
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island
South Carolina - Summerville
Woodlands Resort & Inn
Tennessee - Nashville
The Hermitage Hotel
Texas - Dallas
The Mansion on Turtle Creek
Utah - Park City
Stein Eriksen Lodge
Vermont - Barnard
Twin Farms
Virginia - Richmond
The Jefferson Hotel
Virginia - Washington
The Inn at Little Washington
Wyoming - Jackson
Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole
posted in Hotels, Destinations, Top 10 Lists, Spas, Business Travel, Foodie Travel. permalink
January 25, 2008
- Where to Catch a Cheater in San Francisco
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This recent bit I wrote for San Francisco Citysearch aims to give the jilted and cheated-upon help hunting down and busting their wayward lovers before moving on to the next great love affair. But really, it’s just a thinly-veiled roundup of cool San Francisco destinations good for city visitors and us local folk. Check it out:
posted in Destinations, Top 10 Lists, Travel Advice, California, Insider Tips. permalink
December 28, 2007
- Top 10 Travel from 2007
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We’re not exactly sure why, but at the end of the year, everyone seems to get obsessed with top 10 travel lists. Over the past calendar year, we’ve created a few lists of our own. We’re reprising them one last time before we wipe the slate clean in 2008:
Take These 10 Trips Before you Have Kids
posted in Destinations, Top 10 Lists. permalink
December 17, 2007
- Blogger’s Picks: Beaver Creek
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Over the weekend, I landed in Beaver Creek, Colorado for a little pre-holiday snow. There’s just nothing like downhill in the Rocky Mountains, even if it’s 14 friggin’ degrees. (That, by the way, was the high.) While there, I had the chance to snoop around a bit. Here are my picks for some of the best this resort area has to offer:Best ski-in, ski-out hotel: For sheer location and proximity to the lifts, the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa can’t be beat. The hotel sits literally at the base of the ski area - not across a road, not via a shuttle. It’s right there. After braving the c-c-cold Colorado temps all day, guests can sidle up to the outdoor bonfire for s’mores in the afternoons or get the blood flowing again with a visit to the Allegria Spa.
Best luxury splurge: Spa day at the Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. Don’t miss the Grotto, which I blogged about during a visit there earlier this year. Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch: The Grotto on the TravelPost.com Insider
Best airport shuttle service: Colorado Mountain Express. Sure, it’s one of the only options for shuttle transportation to and from Vail-Eagle County and Denver International airports, but it’s a reliable company with friendly service. And it’s much cheaper than hiring a private car service. I also like the fact that the drivers take time to introduce themselves, tell passengers where they are from and offer up insider advice on area attractions and activities.
Best romantic dining: Mirabelle. We’ll elaborate on this pick tomorrow.
Beers with buddies: The Dusty Boot Steakhouse & Saloon. If you’re looking for a place to knock back a few after a long day on the slopes, this cozy little spot is one of the most convenient options. Located in Beaver Creek village, this bar and restaurant fills up in the afternoons with patrons seeking a casual spot to refuel. Wooden stools flank the long bar, which offers frozen Margaritas, a solid selection of beers on tap and even some decent wines by the glass. Eats are typical Americana, Tex-Mex options and on the cheaper side - relatively speaking, of course.
Massage you can actually afford: Simply Massage. While hotels can easily charge over $100 for a 60-minute rubdown, this Avon massage destination prices its hour-long massage at $60 and its 90-minute massage at $90. You won’t find marble soaking tubs, steam showers or body wraps here - just massages. If you’re looking for the full day spa experience, head to one of the resort hotels. But if you’re just looking for a good massage to work out the kinks, this is the place. Same day appointments are also often available.
Best wine shop: Beaver Liquors. Yes, the name is somewhat obscene, and, yes, they sell copious t-shirts flaunting that fact. But head downstairs in this Avon, CO liquor store for an extensive inventory of wines from around the world. Being a fan of the often hard-to-find pinotage varietal, I was please to see a sizable selection of South African wines. The staff is also ready with plenty of suggestions if you need them. Another bonus: Order $100 or more from the store before your trip, and they’ll stock your condo before you arrive.
Where to rent: Christy Sports. This is the ski and snowboard rental choice of many a regular Beaver Creek visitor. And for Internet-savvy travelers (which I assume you are if you’re reading this), the shop offers 20 percent off rentals made online at least three days in advance. And with locations in Avon, Beaver Creek, Vail and other nearby ski resort areas from Breckenridge to Snowbird, you can get service on your rentals pretty much anywhere your mountain adventures take you.
posted in Destinations, Top 10 Lists, Travel Advice, Winter sports and travel, Insider Tips, Colorado. permalink
December 5, 2007
- Style.com’s 5 Great Airport Spas
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With the push of the holidays upon us, travelers have even more reason to seek out pampering and personal maintenance services in airport terminals. And hey, what better way is there to spend a lengthy layover than indulging in a massage? But which airports have the best spas? According to Style.com, the Five Great Airport Spas that stand out from the crowd are:1. Oasis Day Spa - John F. Kennedy International Airport
2. Jetsetter Spa - Boston Logan International and Miami International Airport
3. OraOxygen (pictured) - Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Calgary International Airport
4. Departure Spa - Newark Liberty International Airport and Orlando International Airport5. Elemis Travel Spa - John F. Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport
Looking for a second opinion? Citysearch has a longer list titled Top 10 U.S. Airport Spas.
posted in Air Travel, Destinations, Top 10 Lists, Travel Advice, United Kingdom, Florida, New York, New England. permalink



