🌎 Tips for Finding a Unique Stay on Your Next Trip, A Nature & Glamping Lover's Getaway in QC, plus the latest travel contests, giveaways & news

Vol. 15

Welcome to The Weekly Traveller, Vol. 15!

Last week, my sister was feeling some decision fatigue trying to plan a couple days on her trip to Italy. She knew she was landing in Milan and meeting friends in Rome, but wasn’t sure where to go in between that felt right.

She works full time as a teacher, and she was in need of a break. We come from a family of teachers, and after working as a teacher for ten years myself, I definitely understand the value of a treating yourself to an accommodation that ticks just the right boxes when you’re in need of a break. And I absolutely understand the feeling of being decision fatigued when it comes to planning travel when life is hectic.

I recommended a small town in Tuscany that Chris and I visited on one of our longer trips to Italy, and encouraged her to go for the room with the balcony. She sent me this picture of her view last week when she checked in, and I was so happy for her taking this moment to treat herself to a stay like this! It’s something we all deserve every now and again.

My sister’s views from her hotel in San Gimignano, Tuscany

Sometimes, the right accommodation makes all the difference on a much-needed getaway.

In this edition ⬇️

1. Tips for Finding a Unique Stay on Your Next Trip 🍃🛖⛺

2. Destination Spotlight for the Week: Taking a Weekend Getaway to Le Pontiac, Quebec 🇨🇦🏕️

3. Travel contests of the week 🏆

4. Must-know travel news of the week 🗞️

Tips for Finding a Unique Stay on Your Next Trip 🍃🛖⛺

On the note of the right accommodation, in my experience unique stays make all the difference when it comes to taking a getaway. An already incredible destination can feel even more special when you stay somewhere memorable, or sometimes a great place to stay can be a destination within itself.

Inside one of the many incredible riads in Morocco—this one is in Fes

Since I started travelling more or less dedicatedly about 15 years ago, I have stayed in my fair share of places!

In my backpacking and shoestring budget era, I couch-surfed in Vietnam, stayed in hostel dorms of 30+ people in Spain, slept on ondul (heated) floors on a yo mat in co-ed rooms in South Korea, and slept in beach resort overflow tents in Greece in whatever the opposite of a glamping tent would be.

In my international school teaching era with a mid- to luxury-budget, I stayed in castles overlooking vineyards in the French countryside, luxury Riads in Morocco and wineries in South Africa and Georgia (the country!).

I’m chuckling as I write this because I really do feel like I’ve experienced a full spectrum when it comes to accommodations on the road. And if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I appreciate every single one of these stays now for the same common reason: each one made for a great story.

When I help friends pick places to stay or plan travels for myself nowadays, I wouldn’t necessarily say that I “do it for the plot”, but I do love to stay somewhere that feels like there’s either a good story to be told, or just a good experience for the memories. It makes every trip more vibrant and meaningful.

Types of Unique Accommodations To Consider

Glamping in Le Pontiac, QC at Hillhaus Domes—part of this week’s destination spotlight!

When it comes to accessing unique accommodations on your travels, it’s never been easier to search for them online. Some of the categories for unique stays include:

• Glamping resorts or sites—luxury camping with a whole host of amenities

• Sustainable properties—from rainwater collection to solar energy, learning about how these types of places operate can be just as interesting as staying in them

• Tiny homes—just what you think; a compact and fun type of way to stay in an often-times more compact space

• Castles—this is especially common in Europe. Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Italy are especially known for their abundance of castles. Some can be rented out for family or group trips, but many have rooms available on an individual basis.

• Cottages or cabins—on-or off-grid, in a forest or on a lake; these make some of the best getaways for group trips

• Farm Stays & Agro-tourism—these types of properties are often located on a functioning farm and on top of offering a unique place to stay in nature, they may offer classes or experiences connected to the farm

• Guesthouses—these are typically rooms located in or near a family home, which is known as your “host” family

The list goes on and on. On top of these types of stays, there are often regional stays specific to a country that you will find more commonly when you visit certain places. This is the case for places like Morocco and its riads, Scandinavian countries with their cabins and sauna access, or central Turkiye where you can stay in cave hotels or houses.

Tips for Booking a Unique Accommodation On Your Next Trip

Balcony views from our room at Château Les Carrasses in the South of France

My number one tip is don’t rush. If you really want to find an incredible place to stay, the real fun is in putting together a list of 5-10 stays that look like true experiences, and narrowing down your search from there.

Sometimes it isn’t until you do a more detailed search that you’ll learn about different styles of accommodation that are particular to a region. I keep mentioning the riads of Morocco, and that’s because they’re each truly so unique. I had heard of riads before my trip, but didn’t realize just how prevalent they were until I was looking at accommodation options and saw so many options for rooms in riads that I knew we had to prioritize this experience.

Here are a few more tips I’d recommend when searching for a unique stay:

1. Think about the type of trip you want. This sounds obvious, but if you’re visiting a city or busy place and plan on leaving the accommodation fairly frequently, don’t sacrifice location or book a place based on an amenity you might not use just because it looks interesting. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a place to get away from it all then prioritize that type of property.

2. Search on different platforms, and filter for the best results.

   1. Each booking platform has benefits and drawbacks.

      1. AirBnb is beginning to fall out of favour compared to hotels again (I think largely because people are remembering all of the amenities they can be guaranteed at a hotel), and Booking.com has come under fire for some unregulated/unverified listings that have come out to be scams.

      2. Regardless of these issues, I would personally still look on a mix of AirBnb, Vrbo, Expedia and Booking to see what’s out there. Filter your results based on guests, and interesting amenities like views, outdoor spaces, pools, spa access, etc. You never know what types of amenities by region until you filter search results by them, so it’s always fun to take a look.

3. Look at pictures beyond the booking platform. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, then what is a collection of thousands of pictures worth online these days?

   1. I’m by no means suggesting that you should check every single photo online, but if the property is on Google or TripAdvisor, I like to filter by “guest photos” to see what the unmanicured images of the property look like. Or if it’s a private Vrbo or AirBnb, what pictures have they been tagged in on Instagram or Facebook from guests who have stayed there?

   2. These pictures will also give you a much better idea of the “view” or amenities you have been promised.

4. Read reviews—but don’t take all of them seriously. I have read some absolutely wild reviews over the years. People who clearly have no desire to see any glass half full in their lifetime shouldn’t be allowed to leave reviews, in my opinion!

   1. To make the reviews work for you, I like to filter guest reviews by time of year or season and how recently the review was posted. If I’m visiting in rainy season, it helps to check reviews from that time the previous year to make sure it didn’t put a strain on the property’s plumbing, hill access, etc.

   2. If the property has a 9.4/10 and the second most recent review is scathing, but the rest are amazing, I will take that negative review with a grain of salt. However, if the property has something like a low 8 or high 7 and 5+ recent reviews don’t have much in the way of positivity, I’ll likely skip that property.

5. Check to see if it’s a local- or family-owned business. It can sometimes be difficult to figure out this information, but after digging through some reviews or the property’s “about” page or description, they’ll most likely share this information if it’s the case. It isn’t always foolproof, but I often find that businesses falling under this umbrella love what they do and are passionate about offering a great experience, especially if they’ve been in business for more than 5 years.

6. Consider booking with the property directly. Sometimes third party sites will find you the best deal, but it’s always worth reaching out or checking online if you have the time.

If you use even a few of these strategies when you book your next stay, I have no doubt that you’ll find one with a good story waiting for you!

Destination Spotlight for the Week: Taking a Weekend Getaway to Le Pontiac, Quebec 🇨🇦🏕️

Chris just shared an article about how to take a trip to Le Pontiac, Quebec. We visited the region together last year and loved it, so I figured now was as good a time as any to share it here.

Les Chutes Coulonge are definitely worth taking in on a trip to Le Pontiac

Located just a short one hour (75 km) drive from Ottawa in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Le Pontiac is known as Quebec’s “Far West.” This lesser-known gem offers stunning natural landscapes, a deep connection to history, and a warm, small-town charm that makes a visit feel personal and authentic.

Some of the highlights you can expect on a trip here are:

1. Staying at Hillhaus Domes: On the note of unique stays, this small glamping resort of 3 domes is on a private lake. Each dome has access to its own private hot tub, deck, sun chairs, picnic table and firepit outside, and the domes are perfect for hanging out in at night and stargazing from the second floor bed. This is one of those accommodations that’s an experience in itself.

2. Parc des Chutes Coulonge: This adventure park is home to a beautiful 42-metre waterfall, and plenty of walking and hiking trails. They also have obstacle courses, a zipline across canyons, and plenty of ways to learn about the region’s logging history.

3. Coronation Hall Cider Mill: This cidery is located in an historic hall that used to be used for town dances and events. Today it’s an event space and cidery with delicious dry cider, tasty apple flavoured products and mean slices of apple pie, all from the apples they grow on site.

For the complete guide to taking a trip to Le Pontiac in Quebec, feel free to check out Chris’s full article here.

Deals and Contests of the Week 🏆

• Win a three-night luxury stay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The grand prize is a three-night stay in a Park Suite at the luxurious Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur Hotel. Prize included breakfast and MO Club benefits. Contest closes April 30, 2025.

• Win a deluxe Spanish farmhouse getaway in Vieques, Puerto Rico. The giveaway includes a 3-night stay for 2 people at the deluxe Hacienda Victoria, a $500 AMEX gift card for travel, a $100 gift card for brunch and mimosas one day, and a guided snorkelling tour. Open to US residents only. Contest closes April 21, 2025.

• Win a trip for two to Joshua Tree, California, including a $500 Free People gift card, a $500 airfare voucher, and a 2-night stay at Whisper Rock Ranch. Open to US residents only. Contest closes April 18, 2025.

Travel News of the Week 🗞️

• Singapore Airlines will be offering a variety of sales throughout the month of April to celebrate 60 years of the country’s independence.

• The 2025 World Expo started on April 13th in Osaka, Japan. This year’s theme is "Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” aiming to help with sustainability and innovation initiatives.

• London’s Gatwick Airport may potentially strike over the upcoming long weekend from April 18the to the 22nd. This may disrupt flights, and passengers are advised to check with their airlines for updates and potential delays.

And that’s it for this week’s edition! Stay tuned for next week. If you like The Weekly Traveller, don’t forget to share it with someone who’d appreciate it, and subscribe for the latest in travel stories, news, contests and giveaways.

🫶 Bri