Readers' Choice: If money were no object, where would you travel?

Name: Budget Travel LLC
Price range: $

By Budget Travel

October 3, 2012

We're giving you the floor. To gear up for our second annual Readers' Choice issue in November 2011 we're turning to the true experts—you! Over the next few months we'll be asking for your thoughts on a variety of travel topics ranging from your favorite cruise line to your ultimate dream destination. Once your nominations are in, we'll give you the chance to vote on the best of the best.

If money were no object and you could go anywhere in the world, what would be your ultimate dream destination and why? Tell us below. The more detailed you can be, the better.

NOMINATE MORE:

Tell us your favorite (and least favorite) airport.

What is the world's most beautiful city?

Tell us which airlines you love (and hate).

What's your favorite hotel chain?

What's your favorite national park?

Plan Your Next Getaway

Keep reading

New York City: New (relatively) affordable hotels

National chains are opening sleek, relatively affordable hotels in downtown Manhattan. Marriott alone will open 13 new budget hotels there in the next few years. Visitors to the Big Apple are rediscovering the strengths of chain hotels. They're clean, well-lighted, quiet places, with crucial amenities in all of the right ways. Welcome to a stylish middle ground between staying in a costly closet or a fleabag motel. You won't find the following four hotels highly rated on TripAdvisor—yet. They're too new. But we're letting you know about them because they're well located, fully renovated, and well priced for Gotham. Fairfield Inn, Chelsea Opening in December on West 28th Street, this son-of-Marriott, budget business hotel sticks to the basics: Free WiFi, free continental breakfast, and fluffy bathroom towels. It's next to a row of commercial florists, making for a beautiful stroll to the Empire State Building. from $98, marriott.com, map. Holiday Inn Express, Wall Street Holiday Inn isn't dead after all—your father's favorite roadside brand is back on the scene, disguised as a showroom for functional, Ikea-style furniture. This 112-room property, opened this summer downtown. It is a test model of sorts. Your nightly rate covers perks like free WiFi and a hot breakfast, and the decor makes it feels more real than any HoJo Holiday Inn you've ever visited. from $110, hiexpress.com, Water Street, map. Doubletree, Wall Street Opening in December, this 399-room skyscraper is within a couple of blocks of a few major subway lines. On the downside, it is as impersonal as a conference tote bag. Rooms have mahogany wood tones and a bronze color scheme. But the hotel furnishes a surprising number of amenities (parking, concierge) at a fraction of what rival hotels charge. from $160, " target="_blank">doubletree.hilton.com, 8 Stone St., map. Courtyard by Marriott, Manhattan/SoHo Opened on 181 Varick St. this fall, this outpost of the national chain battles snobbery in design. Its rooms are big and warm, making it a hotel counterpart to comfort food. Need more than one wastebasket in your room? Check. Need more than one mirror? Check. Need a box of facial tissues? Check. What's more, the place is well located. It's above two major subway lines, a few blocks from the shopping heart of SoHo, and down the street from America's leading independent movie house, Film Forum. from $249 after taxes, marriott.com, map. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL World's Weirdest Hotels 3.0 World's Best New Boutique Hotels Under $150 Airport Hotels With Unexpected Perks

Inspiration

London: Royal wedding-themed vacations

So it's April 29th, and you're all invited: H.R.H. Prince William is making his marriage to Catherine Middleton into a "People's Royal Wedding." In the works are a parade, street parties, and a military fly-over. Soon, tickets will go on sale for a concert that weekend, starring Elton John and Susan Boyle. A special national holiday (combined with a previously scheduled one on the following Monday) will create a four-day weekend for locals. Many Londoners plan to celebrate, dressing up in spiffy clothes and fancy hats. There is political pressure on the Mayor to find budget money to put giant TVs in Hyde Park, which would broadcast the ceremonies. Local boroughs are certain to sponsor street parties, about 30 in every borough. Book your travel now. Prices will only rise from here on out. One sample offer: British Airways is selling wedding-themed air-plus-hotel packages from $865, before taxes. Can't make it April 29? Not to worry. Here's a guide to the top London attractions related to the royal wedding. Visit when you can. Westminster Abbey As you've heard, William and Kate chose this palace for the 15th royal wedding in its 1,000 years. £15 ($23), westminster-abbey.org. The Royal Mews See the Royal Carriage, the coach that the couple will most likely use on their wedding day. The queen's working horses are in the stable next door. £7.75 ($12), royalcollection.org.uk. Garrard & Co. Garrard claims to be the world's oldest jewelry shop. It's the source of Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring, which Prince William took out of his rucksack and presented to Kate during a getaway in Kenya. garrard.com. Jigsaw After graduating from college, fashion maven Kate worked in the Kew branch of British boutique chain Jigsaw. You can check out her taste at the London branch at 126-7 New Bond Street. The store is a minimalist marvel, designed by renowned architect John Pawson 15 years ago. The fashion is relatively affordable for London. If you're looking to buy one "splash out" dress for the weekend's festivities, this is one place to shop for ideas and accessories. jigsaw-online.com. Club Mahiki One of Prince William's favorite hangouts, this nightclub is likely to be part of his stag party. mahiki.com. Clarence House Prince William currently lives near his Royal Air Force base in Wales, but his father, Prince Charles, announced the engagement from their official home lives at Clarence House.* Glimpse this Tudor building by walking up the Mall from Buckingham Palace to Admiralty Arch. Soldiers in sentry boxes guard out front. Book now for summer tours. royal.gov.uk. *CORRECTED on Wed. Sorry for the error. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL London shopping: A new mall with spectacular views Quiz: Think you know London? London hotels: Want that towel? You have to pay $2.40

River cruise deals: 2 for 1 specials, no single supplements, and more

Once the weather turns cold, river cruises aren't exactly top of mind among travelers. That's why it's smart to think about river cruises right now. The winter lull, when relatively few travelers board or even think about river cruises, is often when river cruise operators roll out their best promotions in an attempt to stir up business. Here, examples from four big river cruise companies: Avalon Waterways will waive the single supplement or knock $1,000 off per couple on 12 European river cruises—all for departures in the shoulder seasons of early spring and late autumn in 2011. Uniworld offers two-for-one prices on "Treasures of Prague," a 10-day itinerary on the Rhine and Main rivers. Two-fers are available for 29 departures from May through early November in 2011, and a booking deadline is currently set to expire on December 15. Uniworld is also waiving single supplement charges on select departures of 15 different cruises in Europe. Viking River Cruises also offers two-for-one cruises for 2011 departures, and one-ups the competition with two-for-one airfare to Europe for bookings made by December 17. But, annoyingly, the only way to get specific price quotes or even find out exactly which departures come with the two-fers is to call and speak with a Viking agent (800/304-9616). Grand Circle Travel, meanwhile, is demonstrating that not all river cruise deals require reservations made far in advance. Like so many aspects of travel nowadays, travelers will often find the best deals by booking months ahead or by booking at the very last minute. Several of Grand Circle's Christmas cruises, which depart in the next couple of weeks, are available for about half off the brochure price -- just $995, for example, for a nine-day Christmas on the Seine cruise that is otherwise advertised at a rate of $2,295. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Ask Trip Coach: River Cruises River Cruises: Into the Heart of Europe A reader proposes smart new routes for river cruises

Travel Tips

Call for unique travel tips!

What is your best money-saving, time-crunching, fun-optimizing vacation strategy? If there's one thing that sets Budget Travel apart from its peers, it's you—our readers have provided some of the most thoughtful, savvy travel tips this magazine has published in its 12-year span. We celebrate the best of these in the Reader Tips section at the front of each issue and have included some of our favorites in Budget Travel's two most recent books. The Smart Family's Passport came out in 2010, while The Smart Traveler's Passport hit shelves in 2007. This week, we're on the hunt again for some fresh new travel tips to feature in an upcoming issue. But this time, we're raising the bar a bit higher to seek out the most original, unusual ideas. To give you an idea of what that means, here below are the top 10 most popular tips submitted to us by readers: 1. Pack a Ziploc bag for any and all purposes. 2. Bring a nightlight so you don't stub your toe in dark, unfamiliar hotel rooms. 3. Pack old clothes so you can throw them away on vacation and fill the newly empty space in your suitcase with souvenirs. 4. Keep a scanned electronic copy of your passport and other important documents on an e-reader, laptop, or smartphone. 5. Print and bring along a chart to remind you of foreign exchange rate. 6. Split your family's clothing evenly between multiple suitcases—if one bag gets lost, someone isn't left completely without clothes. 7. Bring an empty water bottle through airport security and refill at a water fountain. 8. A steamy shower works just as well as ironing. 9. Don't forget to bring along a roll of quarters for tolls and parking meters. 10. Always take a picture of your rental car before you leave the lot to record any pre-existing damage. These are fantastic ideas, all, but now we're looking for even fresher concepts, and we'd love to hear from you! Email your best money-saving, time-crunching, fun-optimizing vacation strategies to tips@budgettravel.com. Be sure to include name and address—you want credit for your genius, don't you?! More from Budget Travel Help a reader! Know of a travel-ready detergent? A reader proposes smart new routes for river cruises Reader report: Booking New Zealand hotels with Wotif and NeedItNow

Real Deals