What's Your Biggest Hotel Pet Peeve?

What makes for a romantic getaway? We posed that question to our audience and, while not everyone agreed on a place (some celebrated the romantic quality of nature, others citied the charms of cities; some couples were content to stay close to home while others found bliss halfway around the world), some themes emerged nonetheless. Spanning cultures and continents, here are the four elements that seem to be essential to romance. Disagree or have one to add? Tell us below! While you're at it, check out the 25 destinations that never fail to put our readers in the mood for love. 1. Sunsets. There is something magical about the moment that the sun kisses the horizon and then disappears behind it, bathing everything in a transformative glow—and that's just as true in Paris and Sydney as it is in the Grand Canyon. 2. Serenity. The chance to be together, uninterrupted (though not necessarily alone), was a theme that transcended destination. Finding seclusion in the Scottish Highlands turns out to be just as refreshing as sipping champagne tete a tete in Paris or people-watching in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The key seems to be the ability to un-tether yourself from the demands of daily life. 3. Water. Flip through our slideshow and you'll be amazed by how many of the places where folks found romance revolved around water—in both traditional and non-traditional ways: Hilton Head Island, Bora Bora, the Scottish Highlands, Venice, Santorini—and the list continues. 4. Food and Wine. Food played a recurring role in romance—cozy bistros, wine trails, fresh fruit. A special thank you to everyone who shared their stories with us! Have another one to share? Tell us below. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 33 Picture–Perfect Reasons to Love Paris 30 Vacations Budget Travel Readers Will Never Forget 12 Family Trips Budget Travel Editors Love

We recently reported about a British hotel that replaced Bibles with Kindles. Now, another U.K. hotel has taken things further, placing copies of the popular E. L. James book, Fifty Shades of Grey, in each of their hotel rooms. Jonathan Denby, owner of the Damson Dene Hotel in England's Lake District, announced the news on his blog, explaining that, "Tonight millions of women will be curling up in bed with a good book and you can bet your life it won’t be the Bible." Each of the hotel's 40 rooms was outfitted with the book, and so far, he says, the only complaint regarding them was when one guest noticed hers was missing from the room after the previous guest had taken the book home. Denby says the majority of visitors are in support of the switch, although he did receive a number of emails from unhappy Bible supporters in the U.S.—one of them even called him a "puppet of Satan." In another blog post, Denby describes being amused by angry emails from people posing as guests (who had, in fact, never stayed at The Damson Dene Hotel) threatening never to return because of the book swap or changing their minds about staying there upon hearing that there were no Bibles in the rooms. It should be noted that the hotel does keep a few at the front desk, available by request. What do you think about this? Has this hotel gone too far by swapping out the usual bedside Bible with a book that pushes the envelope—let's face it, it has absolutely nothing to do with the color grey—or do you think hotels should be willing to take more risks and go with the trends? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 25 Greatest Travel Books of All Time Stock Up on Free E–books Before Your Trip E–book vs. Print: Which Do You Prefer on Vacation?

If you've planned a trip to London for the Summer Games, you may want to consider starting a new hotel search. The Telegraph is reporting that room rates for London hotels during the Olympics have plummeted since June—with rates for one–star hotels dropping by an average of 38%, according to data from Hotels.com. Analysts point to a glut of hotel openings and lower–than–expected demand for rooms during the events to explain the cuts. And while a recent survey by hotel booking site Tingo found that 80% of travelers don't bother to check hotel rates for changes after making an initial reservation—even though canceling and rebooking would save them money about a third of the time—we think there's never been a better time to buck the trend. Of course, this strategy only pays off when you have a no–penalty cancellation (or find a new price that saves you more than the cost of any cancellation or rebooking fee), but it certainly doesn't hurt to look. And while you're at it, why not consider an upgrade? The Telegraph story also cited research estimating a 25% vacancy rate in London hotels during the Olympics, so you may even be able to trade up for nicer digs than those you've already booked—for about the same price. Need some inspiration? Check BT's London hotels page for reviews of our boutique favorites, or explore your options at one of 30 trusted international hotel chains. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Passengers On Virgin Atlantic Will Soon Be Able To Use Cell Phones In–Flight Paris to London by Premium Bus Can Save Money London's Seven Newest Attractions for 2012

As more than one million visitors descend upon greater London for the Summer Olympics, you might guess that certain commodities could be difficult to come by: hotel rooms, taxis, dinner reservations. But did you ever wonder what would happen if the supply of cash runs short? We’re not talking about the cash in any one particular visitor’s wallet, mind you. We’re talking all the cash in the scepter’d isle. Londoners and their sports–loving guests may soon find out, warns the UK’s Payments Council. It is advising tourists to arrive in London with cash in hand and to have a back–up plan in the event that visitors’ credit cards aren’t accepted or ATMs across the city run out of bills. Oh, and it’s worth reminding everyone that the UK’s official currency is pounds—cab drivers and other locals on the ground have reported confusion on this point, with some visitors attempting to pay for goods and services with euros or American dollars. The thought of ATMs running out of cash citywide may seem like some sort of doomsday scenario, but it happened this spring during Diamond Jubilee celebrations and last week during an Olympic “test event.” If a credit card malfunction strikes you as even more unlikely than a cash drought, consider this: At Olympics events, the only card accepted is Visa. The Payment Council reports that Visa removed 27 ATMs from Olympics venues, replacing them with cash machines that work only with Visa cards. For its part, Visa assures us that it doesn’t expect this maneuver to cause problems for visitors—and most British citizens—who will likely account for about 80 percent of Olympics crowds—carry a Visa debit or credit card. London is, of course, one of the world’s most expensive cities. USA Today reports that a ride on the tube can cost more than $7, a movie ticket can run $22, and a simple pub lunch with a half-pint of beer can put you out more than $15. —Robert Firpo–Cappiello MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL London's Seven Newest Attractions for 2012 Paris to London by Premium Bus Can Save Money Passengers On Virgin Atlantic Will Soon Be Able To Use Cell Phones In–Flight