Freshen Up For Free

By Laura MacNeil
November 16, 2006
016620_travelkit

Had to check your toothpaste or hand lotion?

Starting this Tuesday, American Airlines will hand out 1.2 million free in-flight 'Comfort Kits' to AA passengers traveling during the holiday season--just to get in the spirit of things.

American Airlines has teamed up with MasterCard to provide the clear plastic 'Comfort Kits' containing toothpaste, a toothbrush, hand-lotion and lip balm. Attendants will pass out the goods after take-off on domestic flights longer than three hours until supplies run out. Sure, the kits are for a limited time only and they aren't Bliss-brand products like on JetBlue's overnight flights, but who are we to complain? After all, it's the thought that counts.

Plan Your Next Getaway
Keep reading

Rent That Villa

The best villas go fast. Ideally, start looking--and booking--six months in advance. Set your priorities. Is price the key factor? Location? Size? A pool? Be clear up front with your travel companions. Get everyone's desires down on paper. People often rent with friends or extended family, so discuss everyone's wants and needs first. Then designate one person to search for the villa (or narrow the field to a few finalists, then vote), but make sure everyone is on the same page first. Be reasonable about costs. Villas sleeping, say, six people start as low as $200 per person per week, but in more popular areas--and for nicer properties--the low end is closer to $500. With even modest hotels in European cities topping $100 per night these days, that's still a phenomenal bargain. Treat the agent like a therapist. Tell her everything you like and dislike, what you want and what you want to avoid, what you expect to find and what would ruin your trip. The more she knows, the better she'll be able to match you with your perfect villa. Country life is lovely, but you can quickly go stir-crazy. Make sure your villa is within driving distance of a few villages. Ask about the surroundings. Where is the next closest house? Who lives there? How far is the nearest town with a grocery store or market? When does it close? Will you be alone? Some properties contain three or four rental villas, all sharing one pool--that's great for socializing, but not if you want solitude. Ask for tons of photos, then be politely suspicious of them. The villa that looks dreamy on the website might turn out less homey than a barn, and you can bet that the hog farm next door won't make it into the snaps. Get photos that were taken while looking in each direction from the villa. Find out when they were shot. Check the parameters. Most villas rent by the week; some have two-week minimums. Many insist on set arrival/departure days (say, Saturday to Saturday). The off-season offers more flexibility. Assume nothing. Not every villa offers TV, phone, heat, air-conditioning, towels and linens, maid service, a washer and dryer, a fully equipped kitchen, etc. Many of these come only at an extra charge. You can never ask too many questions. Be alert for cultural and language differences. You may read "4-baths" as four full bathrooms; it might mean one toilet, four sinks. Are all bedrooms full-fledged bedrooms? Or will some folks be stuck on pullout sofas in the living room? Ask for a floor plan. Check that everyone doesn't have to troop through one person's bedroom to get to the only bathroom. If your group includes all ages, make sure the rental will work for everyone. Does the pool have a gate for small children? Is there a ground-floor bedroom for Grandpa? For major rentals--say, 12 people for a whole month--consider sending an advance scout. Once the list is narrowed to a half-dozen choices, designate someone to take a quick trip over and eyeball the candidates before you make the final selection. (In exchange for this free trip, insist he wash all the dishes for the first week.) Find out what kind of support you'll get. Is there a caretaker, on-site owners, or local contact? How will questions or problems--leaky roofs, broken water heaters--be handled while you're there? Buy cancellation insurance. Villas tend to have onerous cancellation policies and require large deposits, and much can happen between the time you book and the time you arrive. Know every detail about the arrival before you leave. Where do you pick up the keys? What papers will you need? Finding that countryside villa always takes longer than expected. Remember that you'll be faced with foreign road signs and traffic patterns. Estimate how long the trip will take, then double it. If your plane lands in the afternoon and you're looking at a five-hour drive, maybe your first night should be in an airport hotel. Buy the most detailed map you can find. It will help you find your new home and explore the region. Manage your expectations. No matter how many precautions you take, what you'll get is certain to be different from what you expected--the trick is to roll with it and have fun. Don't make the obvious mistakes "Many travelers overschedule ambitious day trips. Once they arrive, they realize that a perfect-fit house will be the most appealing location of all." --Marjorie Shaw, Insider's Italy "We have some clients who turn down lovely villas because of the beds. There aren't many queen- or king-size beds. You're only there for a few days. Find a way to make it work." --Mary Vaira, El Sol Villas "The cars are smaller than Americans expect. Rent a van or, if it's in your budget, a couple of cars. Then you can split up and go in any direction you want." --Michael Thiel, Hideaways International "A lot of people want to be on the beach. Being by the beach itself can be noisy and busy. It's not that bad to be a 15-minute walk or drive from the beach, to be somewhere more rustic and private." --David Kendall, Villas International "Make whatever amenity you need a priority. If it's air-conditioning--although you won't find it often in Europe--make sure to tell the [rental] company." --Harry D.J. Barclay, Barclay International "Most villas require a security deposit, which you are required to pay before you get into the villa. How are you going to get it back?" --Harley Nott, Coach House London Vacation Rentals The Specialists Generalist agencies--Barclay International (800/845-6636, barclayweb.com), Rent Villas (800/726-6702, rentvillas.com), Villas International (415/499-9490, villasintl.com), and Hideaways International (800/843-4433, hideaways.com)--have the widest selection. But if you've chosen a region, country-specific agents who really know their turf can find you a better match. Here are the best of the regional specialists. France: Gites de France represents 42,000 gites rural--country cottages and farmhouses available for a weekend or longer (011-33/1-49-70-75-75, gites-de-france.fr). Arrange a Parisian pad with Paris Sejour Reservation (312/587-7707, psrparis.com), the France USA Contacts classifieds (212/777-5553, fusac.com), or At Home in France (541/488-9467, athomeinfrance.com), which also has villas. Italy: Everything from apartments in Venice to Renaissance castles to Tuscan farmhouses are handled by four major agencies: Italian Vacation Villas (202/333-6247, villasitalia.com), Vacanze in Italia (413/528-6610, homeabroad.com), the Parker Company (800/280-2811, theparkercompany.com), and Marjorie Shaw's pricey but excellent Insider's Italy (718/855-3878, insidersitaly.com). Spain: Spanish rentals range from mansions on the glitzy Costa del Sol to simple cortijos (farmhouses). El Sol Villas does villas and Madrid apartments (610/687-9066, elsolvillas.com). Mijas Villas represents properties on the Costa del Sol (011-44/1744-884-404, mijas-villas.com and estepona-villas.com). Or forgo the agencies and peruse hundreds of villas being rented directly by owners at www.rentinspain.co.uk. Great Britain and Ireland: Special Places to Stay reviews vacation homes in the U.K. and Ireland (011-44/1275-464-891, specialplacestostay.co.uk). Resireland books Irish cottages (011-353/66-979-2196, resireland.com). Find a London flat with Coach House London Vacation Rentals (011-44/20-8772-1939, rentals.chslondon.com). The Landmark Trust lists British castles and historic manors in their $25 property guide (011-44/1628-825-925, landmarktrust.co.uk). Greece: Greek rental action centers around Mykonos, where some of the best cliffside villas are listed by Living International (011-39/ 348-0146-466, livinginternational.net). Villas across the Greek Isles are represented by Sunisle Holidays (011-44/1285-750-612, sunisle.co.uk). Check out the Greek Travel Pages (011-30/10-324-7511, gtp.gr) or the classifieds of Kathimerini (ekathimerini.com) for Athens apartments.

Rent That Villa

The best villas go fast. Ideally, start looking--and booking--six months in advance. Set your priorities. Is price the key factor? Location? Size? A pool? Be clear up front with your travel companions. Get everyone's desires down on paper. People often rent with friends or extended family, so discuss everyone's wants and needs first. Then designate one person to search for the villa (or narrow the field to a few finalists, then vote), but make sure everyone is on the same page first. Be reasonable about costs. Villas sleeping, say, six people start as low as $200 per person per week, but in more popular areas--and for nicer properties--the low end is closer to $500. With even modest hotels in European cities topping $100 per night these days, that's still a phenomenal bargain. Treat the agent like a therapist. Tell her everything you like and dislike, what you want and what you want to avoid, what you expect to find and what would ruin your trip. The more she knows, the better she'll be able to match you with your perfect villa. • Country life is lovely, but you can quickly go stir-crazy. Make sure your villa is within driving distance of a few villages. • Ask about the surroundings. Where is the next closest house? Who lives there? How far is the nearest town with a grocery store or market? When does it close? • Will you be alone? Some properties contain three or four rentaal villas, all sharing one pool--that's great for socializing, but not if you want solitude. • Ask for tons of photos, then be politely suspicious of them. The villa that looks dreamy on the website might turn out less homey than a barn, and you can bet that the hog farm next door won't make it into the snaps. Get photos that were taken while looking in each direction from the villa. Find out when they were shot. • Check the parameters. Most villas rent by the week; some have two-week minimums. Many insist on set arrival/departure days (say, Saturday to Saturday). The off-season offers more flexibility. • Assume nothing. Not every villa offers TV, phone, heat, air-conditioning, towels and linens, maid service, a washer and dryer, a fully equipped kitchen, etc. Many of these come only at an extra charge. You can never ask too many questions. • Be alert for cultural and language differences. You may read "4-baths" as four full bathrooms; it might mean one toilet, four sinks. • Are all bedrooms full-fledged bedrooms? Or will some folks be stuck on pullout sofas in the living room? • Ask for a floor plan. Check that everyone doesn't have to troop through one person's bedroom to get to the only bathroom. • If your group includes all ages, make sure the rental will work for everyone. Does the pool have a gate for small children? Is there a ground-floor bedroom for Grandpa? • For major rentals--say, 12 people for a whole month--consider sending an advance scout. Once the list is narrowed to a half-dozen choices, designate someone to take a quick trip over and eyeball the candidates before you make the final selection. (In exchange for this free trip, insist he wash all the dishes for the first week.) • Find out what kind of support you'll get. Is there a caretaker, on-site owners, or local contact? How will questions or problems--leaky roofs, broken water heaters--be handled while you're there? • Buy cancellation insurance. Villas tend to have onerous cancellation policies and require large deposits, and much can happen between the time you book and the time you arrive. • Know every detail about the arrival before you leave. Where do you pick up the keys? What papers will you need? • Finding that countryside villa always takes longer than expected. Remember that you'll be faced with foreign road signs and traffic patterns. Estimate how long the trip will take, then double it. If your plane lands in the afternoon and you're looking at a five-hour drive, maybe your first night should be in an airport hotel. • Buy the most detailed map you can find. It will help you find your new home and explore the region. • Manage your expectations. No matter how many precautions you take, what you'll get is certain to be different from what you expected--the trick is to roll with it and have fun.

Ditch the Crowds

Andalusia's Atlantic Seaboard...rather than Mediterranean Andalusia The Spanish region of Andalusia is almost a country unto itself. Most travelers stick to the 'circuit cities' of Granada, Seville, and Cordoba, and largely ignore the more authentic Atlantic coast. Skip the flashy, overdeveloped Costa del Sol in Malaga Province and head for the dry, corrugated interior for the fabled pueblos blancos (white villages), including Ronda, birthplace of bullfighting, a hilltop city of antique bridges straddling a ravine. Jerez de la Frontera bequeathed the world sherry and is the center of Andalusia's Roma (Gypsy) population. Scope out smoky, late-night clubs in the labyrinthine Gypsy Quarter to experience the Roma's greatest contribution to Spanish culture: flamenco, a confluence of Iberian, African, and Oriental music and dance. The sun-washed city of Cadiz is one of Europe's oldest living settlements, founded by Phoenicians in 1104 b.c. People-watch on the neoclassical main plaza and stroll the oceanfront gardens. Huelva Province's miles of beach dunes are remarkable for their unblemished beauty--and lack of foreign visitors. Coto Donana National Park, Spain's largest and most diverse nature reserve, hosts the Pentecost romeria, a four-day walking pilgrimage that culminates in a festival of fancy dresses, flower-decked oxcarts, and folk dances in the one-horse town of El Rocio. Two-minute guidebook: Reserve well in advance at the popular state-run paradores (parador.es). Two memorable ones--with sweeping views and handy locations--are Ronda's Plaza de Espana ($145, 011-34/95-287-7500) and Arcos de la Frontera's Plaza del Cabildo ($140, 011-34/95-670-0500). Hotel Dona Blanca in Jerez is charming ($85, 011-34/95-634-8761, hoteldonablanca.com). Some rooms at Hotel Francia y Paris in Cadiz overlook the plaza ($93, 011-34/95-622-2348, hotelfrancia.com). Andalusia is the land that invented tapas. In Ronda, head for Almocabar ($15, Calle Ruedo Alameda 5, 011-34/95-287-5977). In Jerez, try Bar Juanito ($10, Calle Pescaderia Vieja 8-10, 011-34/95-633-4838). Cadiz and Huelva Provinces have been praised since Roman times for their tasty seafood. The best in Cadiz is El Faro ($30, Calle San Felix 15, 011-34/95-621-1068). In El Rocio try Aires de Donana ($35, Avenida de la Canaliega 1, 011-34/95-944-2719). Languedoc...rather than Provence These days, Provence's simple charms--not just the lavender and sunflowers--are carefully pruned to please the tourists. Shift your gaze west to Languedoc, a slice of the French Mediterranean equal to Provence yet with its own subtle mysteries. The ancient Roman buildings of Nimes include the Arena, which hosts bullfights during the summer--a reminder of the Spanish vibes that spice up the southwest of France. The luminous provincial capital, Montpellier, is a garden city with touches of genteel shabbiness. With its fairy-tale turrets and cone-capped towers, the 1,000-year-old castle town of Carcassonne, saved from ruin in the mid-19th century and meticulously restored, strikes some as too EuroDisney. But the hulking walls are awesome, and they harbor the delicate Saint-Nazaire church. Affluent Toulouse is known as la ville en rose, "the pink city," thanks to the historic center's rosy bricks. The sculpture-encrusted facade and octagonal belfry of St. Sernin--the world's largest Romanesque church--supply the backdrop for a motley weekend flea market. The Pyrenees village of Rennes-le-Chateau guards Languedoc's deepest riddle. For centuries, folks whispered of buried Cathar gold. Then, in 1890, penniless parish priest Berenger Sauniere restored the church, at great expense and with shocking details like a sculpture of the demon Asmodeus and the Latin inscription THIS PLACE IS TERRIBLE. Some claim he found treasure and sensational Apocryphal manuscripts inside a hollowed-out column. In Brignac, 30 miles west of Montpellier, former winery La Missare is now a B&B ($73, 011-33/4-67-96-07-67, la.missare.free.fr). La Maison du Chapelier is a fanciful, flower-filled mansion in Esperaza, 25 miles south of Carcassonne ($79, 011-33/4-68-74-22-49, esperazabedandbreakfast.com). In Montpellier, try the elegant Hotel du Parc ($77, 011-33/4-67-41-16-49, hotelduparc-montpellier.com). In Toulouse, the Hotel Albert 1er is a refined bargain with a big buffet breakfast ($70, 011-33/5-61-21-17-91, hotel-albert1.com). Try Languedoc cuisine at Vintage Cafe in Nimes ($12, 7 rue de Bernis, 011-33/4-66-21-04-45). Garden restaurant Alexandre is a worthy splurge outside Garons, on the way to Montpellier ($50, route de l'Aeroport, 011-33/4-66-70-08-99). In Montpellier, dine outside on the square at Mosaique ($30, 21 rue Vallat, 011-33/4-67-60-77-23). Southwest Crete...rather than the Amalfi Coast The Amalfi Coast has beguiled the rich and famous for decades. But rewind to an earlier era, to a string of cliff-clinging fishing villages untouched by tourism. What was Amalfi like then? It was like rugged southwest Crete today. There are no roads, just dry-stone shepherds' tracks, the only traffic an occasional herd of sheep or goats. The air smells of oregano and thyme; mulberry and oleander add strokes of color. Cicadas keen in the summer heat, and winds dust everything red with Saharan sand. Deep chasms in the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) make for legendary hiking. By day, trekkers swarm the port of Chora Sfakion (Sfakia), but after the last bus returns north to Chania, everything reverts to the sigha-sigha (slowly-slowly) attitude. Linger and you'll soon be knocking back ouzo with blue-eyed fishermen descended from ancient Dorian tribes. From Sfakia follow the dizzying trail west, high above the Libyan Sea. The first stop is Sweetwater Beach, popular with nude sunbathers and bare-bottomed snorkelers. Farther on, light some frankincense at the whitewashed shrine commemorating Saint Peter's first Grecian landfall. Past laid-back Loutro, the hamlet of Finix boasts prehistoric ruins. Arrange with a boatman to drop you off for a few hours at Lissos, a ravine marked by a church cobbled from marble fragments, a hillside necropolis, a mosaic temple floor, and a frescoed Byzantine chapel. At Paleochora, the land flattens to a broad beach--though prevailing westerlies make sunbathing a bit gritty. Feeling Homeric? Grab a ferry south to the even more isolated isle of Gavdos, where Odysseus dallied seven years with the nymph Calypso. Restaurants serve the catch of the day, homegrown vegetables, and tree-ripened fruit. The family-run Old Phoenix restaurant and hotel in Finix has sea-view balconies, private bathrooms, and A/C ($15 meals, $40 doubles, 011-30/28250-91257, old-phoenix.com). The Daskalogiannis Hotel in Loutro is a white villa facing the pier ($60, 011-30/28250-91514, loutro.com). Andreas Fasoulakis and family cook up local dishes in Sfakia's Taverna Lefka Ori ($20, 011-30/28250-91209, chora-sfakion.com). Hotel Stavris is a shady choice in the heart of Sfakia, with fine views from the balconies ($28, 011-30/28250-91220, hotel-stavris-chora-sfakion.com). Vritomartis Hotel, less than a mile from Sfakia, is the region's premium accommodation, almost a resort, but the tone is anything but snooty; the pool and beach are clothing optional, and rates include dinner ($120, 011-30/28250-91112, naturism-crete.com). Ljubljana...rather than Prague Only a dozen years ago, Prague was "rediscovered" and crowned as eastern Europe's hip, cheap destination. Now simple hotel rooms cost $200 and the narrow, cobbled streets are mobbed with sightseers. Ride the next trend wave two countries to the south: the city of Ljubljana. The walkable capital of Slovenia is filled with cozy, Viennese-style beer halls, wine cellars, and clubs. In nice weather locals fill the terrace cafes lining a maze of pedestrian-only streets. The city's nickname, White Ljubljana, comes from such pale structures as St. Nicholas's Cathedral and the elaborate Fountain of Carniolan Rivers, inspired by Bernini's work in Rome's Piazza Navona. You'll also see Austrian influences and a dash of bold, folksy Slavic motifs--Ljubljana managed to avoid being disfigured by too many Communist-era concrete blocks. Take a nighttime walk by the Ljubljanica River and admire the lighted curlicues of the rococo facades. This is a university city, so cultural life, art, and music thrive, with a centuries-old classical tradition that enticed composers like Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler to visit. Forests surround the 1,000-year-old hilltop castle, where views stretch to the distant Alps. Greenery carpets nearby Tivoli Park. Atmospheric lodgings are not the city's forte. Comfortable and reasonably priced modern establishments include the City Hotel ($120, Dalmatinova 15, 011-386/1-234-9130, hotelturist.si) and the Best Western Premier Hotel Slon ($125, Slovenska 34, 011-386/1-470-1100,bestwestern.com). The Pri Mraku guesthouse is a more personalized, though plain, alternative ($110, Rimska 4, 011-386/1-421-9600, daj-dam.si). Expect a combination of Balkan, Italian, and central European cooking, with seafood from the Adriatic. Pleasantly old-fashioned As is one of the best restaurants for original fish and pasta creations ($15, Knafljev prehod, 011-386/1-425-8822). River-view seating makes Ljubjanski Dvor good for lunch ($15, Dvorni trg 1, 011-386/1-251-6555). On the road to the castle, candlelit Spajza is popular for Slovene cooking with French and Italian trimmings ($15, Gornji trg 28, 011-386/1-425-3094). Le Marche...rather than Tuscany Due east of Tuscany, over the Apennine Mountains, is the noticeably undervisited region of Le Marche. Stretched along the Adriatic coast, it's home to the ideal Renaissance city, splendid Urbino. In the 15th century, Urbino's ducal court patronized painters such as Piero della Francesca and local hero Raphael. During an evening stroll in Ascoli Piceno--a town noted for its rowdy Carnival and deep-fried olive ascolane stuffed with minced meat--rub elbows with the gentry on Piazza del Popolo's polished travertine pavement lined with mismatched colonnades. At the pilgrimage center of Loreto, pay homage to the Virgin Mary's modest home, airlifted from the Holy Land by angels in the 13th century. Outside the beach town of Cattolica--halfway between the resorts of Rimini and Pesaro (the latter is best for basking, with its soft, pearl-gray sands)--visit haunted Gradara Castle and learn the tale of its doomed lovers, Paolo and Francesca, condemned in Dante's Inferno to a whirlwind of insatiable lust. Le Marche is also the site of some of the country's top natural attractions. The Monti Sibillini range is the star of the Apennines; climb to bizarrely blood-red Lake Pilate under Devil's Peak. Urbino's unsurpassed accommodation is Hotel San Domenico, a former convent opposite the Ducal Palace ($126, 011-39/0722-26-26, viphotels.it). The airy, Bauhaus-style Hotel Pennile sits a mile from the center of Ascoli in a lush pine forest ($93, 011-39/0736-41-645, hotelpennile.com). Pesaro's luxurious Hotel Vittoria is right on the beach, with a pool ($126, 011-39/0721-34-343, viphotels.it). The food of Le Marche is fantastic: seafood on the Adriatic side, and pasta and polenta accented with truffles, wild mushrooms, and game in the hillier interior. Urbino's Osteria l'Angolo Divino has a wood-beam ceiling and a rustic menu ($30, Via S. Andrea 14, 011-39/0722-32-7559). Right on Ascoli's main square, Ristorante Tornasacco manages to be traditional and elegant yet still charge modest prices ($40, Piazza del Popolo 36, 011-39/0736-254-151). At the beach, on Pesaro's Riviera Adriatica, the Bagni Gilberto has a cafe, a low-key ristorantino, and beach services ($15, Viale Trieste 32, 011-39/0721-32-887). For a real restaurant, try romantic Il Commodoro ($35, Viale Trieste 269, 011-39/0721-32-680).