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In my opinion (and I have 20 years in the travel industry) there is no better way to get to the airport than taking a limousine or sedan (aka Black Car).  Forget the prestige, I’m talking about comfort.  The comfort I am talking about is more than the comfortable ride associated with a limo, I’m talking about the comfort that comes from not having to drive myself to the airport and then look for a parking place. I still remember having to run through the parking lot with my bags falling all over the place and by the time I got the TSA I was sweaty and out of breath.  Needless to say I raised a “red flag”.  Now the limo drops me off at curbside baggage check.  I stroll in at my own pace and life is grand!

This “grand” experience on the return trip can turn into a nightmare if you don’t pick the right limo company.  For all major limo companies, one of the biggest areas of customer complaints is in the airport pickup process.  Most major companies wait for you to call into their call center or dispatch when you have your bags in hand to assign a vehicle to your reservation.  This process is very time consuming because the calls don’t float in at an even pace.  No, the calls rush in like a Tsunami all at one time. The end result is you get put on hold and wait and wait until finally you have a vehicle assigned.  This “just in time” dispatching also leads to other issues such as after that long wait on hold the only car that is left is a sedan and you have a party of 4 with luggage.  The big companies who do “just in time” dispatching have a “just in time” recipe for disaster.

You should always look for a company that follows the 3 P’s of success; prior proper planning. I use only limo companies that dispatch orders the day before. I want and desire to know who my chauffeur is before I get on the plane. I want and desire to get the vehicle type I reserved.  One of these so called big companies didn’t have enough limos to cover their orders one day and I was sent a Toyota Camry.  Well let me say this, if I wanted to drive in a Camry I would have driven my own!  I suggest only using a company who offers a variety of vehicle make and models. The industry standard is the Lincoln Sedan, a spacious car with a luxurious ride.

If you want to know more, please visit our website at www.NationalBlackCar.com

The largest Balearic Island of Mallorca is a real hot favourite with tourists. Who flock here in their millions from May through until September.  Boasting beautiful beaches, stunning pine clad scenery, historic towns and cities and a real wealth of things to do and see.  Offering all the right ingredients for the perfect holiday destination.

Mallorca has in fact been welcoming famous guests and VIP visitors for centuries.  As the island has played host to eminents such as Frederic Chopin, George Sands, Joan Miro and Robert graves over the years.  And is still a magnet for creative and artistic types today. 

The island was restored to Christian rule in the early 1300´s after many centuries of subjugation by the Moors.  With this victory marked by the construction of Palma Cathedral on the site of their main mosque.  An amazing feat of architecture which has effectively been a work in progress ever since – as successive rulers and bishops sought to add their own personal flourishes to this amazing edifice.

During the 1980´s Mallorca began to acquire a reputation as a slightly downmarket destination.  Fuelled by the boozy escapades of British tourists and the Club 18-30 crowd in mega resorts such as Magaluf in the south of the island.

That’s all largely history now – but the north now enjoys a more upmarket image as a result.  With well heeled holidaymakers heading for destinations such as Puerto Pollensa and Alcudia.  Which is also where the bulk of the best hotels and holiday villas in Mallorca are located.

The majestic Tramantuna Mountains dominate this part of the island. Providing a hugely atmospheric backdrop for tourists staying in coastal resorts such as Puerto Pollensa.  Which is the seaside sister to the former Roman settlement of Pollensa which lies about 8km inland.

As a result visitors can enjoy hiking and mountain biking whilst on holiday here - as well as days on the beach or by the pool.  Offering plenty of variety to those who like to do more than just soak up the sun.

Such is Mallorca’s size that separate resorts on the island even cater to specific nationalities and age groups.  With British tourists especially opting for destinations such as Alcudia – with its enormous 9km long beach - and Cala D’or on the east coast.  Home to seven separate sandy coves.

Travelling to the island is easy from mainland Europe.  As well as cheap flights from most countries there’s also a regular ferry service to Mallorca from both Valencia and Barcelona.

There are hundreds of last minute decisions to make before setting off on holiday, but the final one is; do we take the car or get a cab to the airport?

Some taxi’s depending how far you live from the airport, charge a fortune to get you there and back. So you’re left with the expense of airport parking! Or if you’re lucky enough, you could get lift from family or friends. And let’s face it, the parking is usually just as far from the airport as your home is!

So my question is; if you’re going on holiday, does the vacation start from the moment you close the front door or when the plane lands at your destination?

I think we would all like to say we’re on holiday once that door slams shut. And that’s why you should consider luxury travel when getting those airport transfers.

Imagine, an executive S Class Mercedes pulling up outside your home, the smartly dressed chauffeur puts your luggage in the back of the vehicle. You sit in, switch on the television and open the bubbly! That’s more like it.

So for an extra couple of pounds would your consider luxury?

One of our first thoughts when looking at our next trip, how to get cheap tickets and how to get cheap hotel / motel rates?

Well, may not be the first thought, in fact the very first thought could go to the business meeting we are going to take part to with an important customer or it could go to the great beaches we will find just in front of our hotel resort.

But as anybody else we do not want to spend more than it is required, right? So let’s talk about cheap and discount rates we can find for hotels and motels - that’s because I am good at this subject.

There are a number of places we would look for cheap rates, anyone has his own preferred places but let’s do not forget about the major ones as expedia.com, deskbell.com, travelocity.com, booking.com, orbitz.com. I always start from one of them to find cheap hotel rates.

Where do we go? Houston! Largest City of Texas and a major one in the United States. Students will travel there for the many universities and colleges such as the University of Houston, the University of Texas-Houston Health and Science Center, Texas Southern University and Rice University. Some will travel for business and most likely having to do with one of the major industries there: Oil and Natural Gas or the space and aeronautics industry.

Let’s assume we are looking for the best price for a cheap hotel in Houston and do not have flexible dates, we will be there for a 2 day business trip!

Assuming a check in date 22 December and a check out date 24 December we go through the results to find a few offers as:

- Book now and save 30%! at Lancaster Hotel a 4 star in Texas Avenue

- Weekend and holiday rates at Four Seasons Houston, a five star downtown Houston

- Book now and save 20% at Hilton Americas Houston, a four star downtown Houston.

This is just a sample of the many hotel deals found for this short stay but try to change the dates or to make a longer stay and the rates will undoubtely be better and lower.