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You can refer to this guide to plan any and all aspects of your trip from accommodation to the care of your pet friend. I will be leaving my personal preferences along with some other alternatives so you can make your own search based on your personal preferences and get the best deal for you.

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ONE-STOP TRAVEL PLANNING PLATFORMS

If you are one of those who like to handle everything in one-go when it comes to travel planning, following one-stop platforms will be a good choice for you:

  • Tripadvisor.com
    I guess there are very few people who have not heard Trip Advisor, right? But just in case, Trip Advisor comes as one of the most frequented platforms whether it be for having some ideas, checking reviews or making reservations. For almost any queries you may have such as “where to stay?”, “things to do”, “where to eat?” etc. you can visit Trip Advisor.

ACCOMMODATION

A feeling of home away from home is my priority for almost all of my trips. I love discovering new places that offer cozy and if possible esthetically pleasing accommodations. And below are my go-to sources ever since I embarked on my first trip.

  • Booking.com
    Having the largest collection of hotels, along with other accommodation alternatives such as apartments and hostels, Booking.com is a great platform that caters to almost any type of traveller. Not only accommodation but also you can find additional services like pick-up and car rental on Booking.com. Another plus side is the more you use the platform, the better discounts you can get. I have been using Booking.com for many years now and it is my primary option for most of my accommodations.
  • Hostelworld
    When it comes to more budget-friendly accommodation options, Hostelworld is the favorite of many people with the largest collection of hostels and guesthouses.
  • Trip.com
    On Trip.com you can book accommodation, search flight tickets and rent a car on one platform. It is similar to Booking.com in that regard.
  • TrustedHouseSitters
    TrustedHouseSitters can be one of the most original accommodation ideas. Combining petcare with accommodation service Trusted House Sitters  differs from the other options above. How it works? On TrustedHouseSitters, pet owners allow you to stay in their house for free if you can look after their pets or water their plants while they are away.
  • Trivago.com (USA)
    Lastly, with the price comparison option, Trivago comes as a handy platform when it comes to researching accommodation. (For US residents)

THINGS-TO-DO

Got stuck on finding activity ideas at your travel destination? Check my travel guides HERE.

You can also see below platforms to check out tours offered and visit attractions with a guide at your destination:

  • GetYourGuide
    One of the most popular platforms when it comes to finding local tours and activities. You can find walking tours by locals, food&drink tours/activities and skip-the-line tickets.
  • Viator
    Just like GetYourGuide, Viator offers special experiences worldwide from tours, classes, tickets, daily trips and so on.
  • Tripadvisor.com
    See above “One-Stop Travel Planning Platform section”
  • MapoTapo
    Offers extreme sports activities at off-the-beaten-track locations for outdoor enthusiasts.
  • BigBusTours
    You know the big red “Hop On / Off” double deckers roaming around the cities? They are the Big Bus Tours busses. The good thing about these tours is that while having a sightseeing tour based on your preference without having to deal with transportation issue, you can explore major landmarks at your own pace.

Don’t forget t check Ticketmaster to not miss the important or even better, once-in-a-lifetime shows that will take place at your destination to make that trip an unforgettable one.

TRANSPORTATION

Just like many of you, when I am planning my trips, I use more than one source to get the best deal for me. But within the years, I have set my favorite service providers among them.

I am leaving here the services I like to use and few more options so you can find what’s best for you.

  • For finding the best flights on flights Skyscanner is my first address to go.
  • Trip.com is another alternative that I like to check to catch really good deals.
  • Enuygun.com is also one of my favorite search aggregators I have been using for years.

Nothing is worse than missing a flight, having a cancellation, delay, a boarding denied right before or when you are ending a beautiful trip. To rule out such a risk I always suggest to have a service to ensure compensation, a travel insurance and whenever possible, a priority pass to have a stress free trip. For suggestions regarding these supplementary services, see below the section “OTHER USEFUL SERVICES“

  • When it comes to checking busses and trains within Europe, OMIO is my favorite aggregator where I can compare options and choose the best deal for me. 
  • For busses and trains around the world, I use TrainLine .
  • BigBusTours is a sightseeing tour provider, but I will mention them here as well, because it is a good alternative as a transportation if you have a limited amount of time to discover a city.

For cost-effective transportation most of the time taxi alternatives such as Bolt & Uber are the most preferred solutions.

But companies such as these do not exist in all countries. Having a stress-free travel to your accommodation from the airport (or vice-versa) matters a lot to begin / end your trip positively. So when I need a smooth ride, without a hassle and worry I go to the companies below:

  • Booking.com : Aside from accommodation and other services, you can book a taxi from/to the airport of your destination.
  • HolidayTaxis : HolidayTaxis offers airport transfers in 150 countries with different vehicles that suit to every budget.
  • Kiwitaxi : Another alternative website where you can book a taxi from/to airports that also operates more than 100 countries.

For RVs see the section below “Rental Services”.

RENTAL SERVICES

Often, renting a car is the most time-effective solution for discovering multiple destinations in a shorter time or a single destination where you don’t have enough public transportation services.

So here are the services I check for renting a car:

  • Discover Cars : An award winning website where you rent  a car that suits you best, by comparing the deals.
  • Localrent.com : A very helpful aggregator of local car rental companies that work only in their city, where you can find very cheap deals that you may not find in many world-wide websites.
  • AutoEurope for UK/Europe and AutoEurope for USA/CA : Also another preferred service provider. (Please check AutoEurope according to your residence

For booking motorcycles, scooters, quads, and bicycles all over the world I can suggest BikesBooking.com

If you are one of those who like to take you home with you to your trips, I can suggest the companies below. Most of my camper friends like to use them when they need to hire camper vans, motorhomes, caravans etc.

  • Indiecampers.com is where you can hire or even buy campervans. You can also list your own RV on their peer-ro-peer marketplace.
  • Outdoorsy is another most-favorite RV companies for rentals within the USA among campers.

FOR YOUR PET-FRIENDS​​

Of course, as a pet-friend myself, I did not forget our precious, little companions. Trust me, I know the struggle to leave your loved-one behind when you go on a trip.

Well, I cannot help with the feeling of missing your pet but I can help you embark on your journey without leaving one-eye behind. Below are the top picks by most pet-lovers:

  • TrustedHouseSitters
    As the name suggests, TrustedHouseSitters remains as another reliable option when it comes to find a petsitter. Therefore although I mentioned in the accommodation section, it may be helpful to remind here.
  • Rover
    Rover has one of the largest network of caregivers around and offer many services from drop-in visits, boarding, housesitting, doggy daycare to training and dog walking. Caregivers have to pass a background check and -although limited- they offer coverage to a certain extent.
  • WAG!
    Wag! is another great choice when it comes to pet sitting, boarding, dog walking, drop-in pet care and training services. Just like in Rover, caregivers are subject to background checks. One more plus side of Wag! is that all the services are insured so that you can have peace in mind when entrusting your pet.

OTHER USEFUL SERVICES

Finally here are some of the useful links for any other services that you may need during your trip such as airport fast-tracks, luggage storage, flight compensation and so on.

  • AirHelp & Compensair
    These two companies offer help in pursuing claim process to get your delayed / cancelled flight or denied boarding compensated.
  • PriorityPass
    For 3 decades PriorityPass has been providing lounge access to frequent travellers at more than 1400 airports worldwide, ensuring a relaxed, stress-free journey. They have different membership programs that you can choose depending on the frequency of your annual flights.
  • Radical Storage
    A luggage storage service so you don’t get stressed over early arrivals or late departures from the home/hotel. You can leave your luggage at one of their points and continue to enjoy your day without carrying a load alongside.