I've noticed that many people find this site by searching for pictures of various hotels, ships and resort locations. I myself look for pictures when deciding where to go on vacation, and appreciate good collections.

You will find pictures in each travel review, and there are more collected here for your viewing enjoyment, listed by category below. This list will be added to regularly, so check back often!

As always, click on the pictures for a larger view, and if there's something specific you'd like to see, please ask (email: admin@travel-like-a-pro.com, as there are many more shots that have not been added to this collection. Enjoy!

What a cool place! The Daddy-O Hotel, technically nestled in the Bay Harbor Islands area (think Bal HarboUr), is truly a gem. We visited in June of 2010 when the hotel had only been open a few months. The Daddy-O Hotel in Miami is an offshoot of the original in New Jersey, run by the same group and offering a similar but unique chic, upscale vibe, as befits its surroundings in the very posh neighborhood.

This place is a small gem, and offers visitors everything they could want in a tucked-away boutique hotel, especially those who are looking for some upscale shopping. With the Aventura Mall only a few minutes’ drive away, this hotel offers the perfect sanctuary.  The rooms – and staff – are cheery and inviting, and Martin the manager is exceptional. During our stay I witnessed him going out of his way to ensure guests were happy, and he works very hard to provide a seamless and enjoyable stay for all of his guests, whom he usually knows by name after first meeting them. With Martin’s background in upscale hotel management, it should come as no surprise that the hotel owners hired him; he is a huge asset to the property.

Along with the chic vibe of the Daddy-O Hotel Miami comes a surprising list of benefits, all at an extremely affordable price (we’ve worked out an amazing deal for you!*). There’s complimentary internet and parking, complimentary continental breakfast (quite nice) and much more. If you enjoy a quiet and upscale  boutique experience, rather than a large hotel atmosphere, this hotel will not disappoint!

There is a wide range of possible activities nearby, from the beautiful beach and boating, to the beautiful shopping areas of Las Olas and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (driving distance), Miami Beach, etc.. There is also a lovely upscale restaurant attached, and it’s even fun just to sit out front and watch the fancy cars go by.

*Many thanks to hotel manager Martin Mehnert for hooking up our readers (and my husband’s airline friends) with an amazing introductory price. Martin tells me a better deal will not be made available anywhere (at last check it was almost 50% off rack rates, and may not last). To get your special rate as our reader, do one of the following:

1) Call the hotel at (305) 868-4141 and mention our special access code: Air Canada. As mentioned, while rates vary throughout the year, these will be always better than anywhere else.

2) Go to http://www.daddyohotel.com/miami/, click on the ICON: ACCESS CODE. On the reservation page, enter your dates and in the field of access code enter Air Canada. You will be linked to your personal rate page, which is only available to our readers and Air Canada employees. From there you can make a live reservation with the hotel with immediate confirmation. Enjoy, and let us know how you like it!

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I've noticed that many people find this site by searching for pictures of various hotels, ships and resort locations. I myself look for pictures when deciding where to go on vacation, and appreciate good collections.

You will find pictures in each travel review, and there are more collected here for your viewing enjoyment, listed by category below. This list will be added to regularly, so check back often!

As always, click on the pictures for a larger view, and if there's something specific you'd like to see, please ask (email: admin@travel-like-a-pro.com, as there are many more shots that have not been added to this collection. Enjoy!

Surely you’ve heard about last minute travel deals, those fantastic once-in-a-lifetime discounted trips some lucky people seem to take. Are they real? Can you get some of the action?

The answer is it depends. While not everyone is fortunate enough to have a flexible schedule which allows for taking advantage of last minute travel deals, for those who do this phenomenon can mean more trips, more often, due to greatly discounted pricing as compared to regular retail.

How it Works

Hotels, airlines, resorts and even rental car companies often discount their prices for unsold inventory, offering lower prices as the date of travel nears. Especially a few days before and up to the day of travel, you will find many desperate providers trying to lure you in with travel deals and discounts.

One exception of late seems to be cruise lines, but there are still deals to be had. I am told by Royal Caribbean that lately cruising has been so popular that the opposite has begun happening: prices tend to increase closer to sail time as travel agents fight for rooms aboard the popular ships. I can attest to this, as for the last year and a half we have found all the quality ships FULL every time we have wanted to book, and we are very flexible with our travel dates.

While you can obtain last minute travel discounts from most hotels and other providers by contacting them directly, you will also reap huge benefits by being willing to shop around, and by using consolidator websites (explained below). Shopping around generally means using the internet, although you can rely on a trusted travel agent if that suits your style.

There are many websites offering last minute deals, some of which you can find on our Deeper Discounts page. Be sure to check at least two websites to compare prices. Orbitz, for instance, is often cheaper for last minute hotel and car rental rates, but Expedia has better travel reviews as well as pictures to help you determine which hotel you’d like to stay at, and also offers great last minute vacation packages.

Consolidators are companies which handle unsold rooms and cruises for providers. They offer websites like Priceline.com, where you can name your price and even bid for the product you’d like. There are definitely specific strategies you will want to emlpoy to make the most of these sites, and you’ll need to be sure you understand how they work. See the Deeper Discounts page for further explanation.

By playing it smart and being flexible, you can have the vacation of your dreams AND the price of your dreams!

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