Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Back in May, I visited the Hawaiian island of Kauai for the first time. Being so overwhelmed by it’s beauty, I couldn’t resist visiting Kauai again this month. Result: a summary of my experiences and advice for your future trip to…
Author: Bart Lapers
Op wereldreis: droombestemmingen en must-do’s!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
This post is published in Dutch to highlight a contest where Belgian readers can win 10 Round The World trips of 12500EUR! 1. Vliegen in First Class De ultieme luxe beleven in het vliegtuig? Boek dan een First Class vlucht….
I travel too much!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
I travel too much… at least to keep this blog up-to-date!😉 In first 5 months of this year, I visited 20 destinations in 12 countries. Some stats: 51 flights, 76350 flown miles, 3.1x around earth, 182 hours up in the air First Class…
Arctic Adventure: Svalbard
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Mid-February, Visit Svalbard invited me to discover the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean. Svalbard is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population. Longyearbyen, the largest settlement (2100 inhabitants) on the island of Spitsbergen is located 1338 km (831 mi) from…
Tips & Tricks to Book Cheap Flights
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
1. Use powerful flight search engines Use aggregators to check airfares on many OTA sites (Online Travel Agencies) simultaneously. My favorites: Momondo Google Flights Kayak Jetcost.de The last one on the list is a German aggregator which often leads to German OTA offering…
Welkom Telefacts kijkers!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
This post is published in Dutch as I was featured on Belgian television program Telefacts Reizen in luxe met een beperkt budget is een fantastische hobby. Het stelt je in staat de wereld te verkennen op een zeer comfortabele manier. Toch…
SWISS First Class A330-300: Zurich to Dubai
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Early October, I flew Swiss International Air Lines First Class on the A330-300 from Zurich to Dubai. I used 62500 Miles & More miles and paid €208 in taxes & fees for my one-way flight. The price of a revenue ticket for…
Qatar Airways First Class Lounge Al Safwa Doha pictures!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Today, the much anticipated Qatar Airways First Class Lounge Al Safwa opened at Doha Hamad International Airport. A friend of mine was traveling Qatar Airways First Class and had the opportunity to enjoy this amazing lounge on its opening day. Below are…
Stay at luxury hotels for FREE!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Over the past few years, I’ve stayed numerous times at luxury hotels for free. Highlights include a night in the €2500 Dom Perignon Suite at InterContinental Amstel and suites at InterContinental Paris Le Grand, InterContinental Paris Avenue Marceau, InterContinental Dusseldorf, InterContinental Dublin and InterContinental…
My favorite hotels in Bali
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
AYANA Resort and Spa Bali Back in November, I flew Air Berlin and Etihad Airways Business Class to Jakarta. I reported extensively about my flight experiences with both airlines, but didn’t write yet about the hotels I enjoyed in Bali. First up is Ayana Resort…
How to pay when traveling abroad
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Rule #1: Pay with your credit card Paying with the right credit card has many advantages including: Cheaper than exchanging cash* Cheaper than Maestro debit cards (non-euro countries) No need to carry around large amounts of cash Possible to dispute transactions with…
5 Tips to Book Cheap Hotels
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Make sure to book the cheapest hotel rates using these 5 tips! 1. Use Price Comparison Sites Don’t assume your favorite online travel agent (OTA) always offers the cheapest rates. Compare hotel rates using price comparison sites like HotelsCombined.com and Trivago.com to book the cheapest rooms. 2. Check Hotel Promo…
Hot Air Balloons World Record!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
On Sunday, I witnessed an amazing new World Record: 433 hot air balloons took off simultaneously at Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons (LMAB), the biggest international hot air balloons gathering in the world! The festival takes place every two years at former United States…
153 EUR in free travel credits!
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Hotels HOTELTONIGHT Credits: $25 (€22) Promo Code: BLAPERS ($25) What: My favorite last-minute hotel booking app. Book up to 7 days in advance. Link: hoteltonight.com Terms & Conditions: Both promo codes are for first time users. HOTELQUICKLY Credit: $15 (€13)…
Qatar Airways Business Class: Brussels to Bangkok (via Doha) B787 Dreamliner and A380
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Pic: Qatar Airways B787 Dreamliner Business Class Seat Business Class fares have dropped significantly in the past couple of years. It’s not uncommon to see Business Class fares from Europe to Asia for ~€1200 or less these days. One of the airlines routinely offering…
Lufthansa First Class A330-300: Vancouver to Munich
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Pic: Lufthansa A333 First Class Champagne Bar (Jun 2015) For my return from Canada to Belgium, I used 85.000 Miles & More miles (+€383 in taxes & fees, ouch!) to book Vancouver to Munich in First Class and Munich to Brussels in Business…
Canada: Banff and Jasper National Park
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Pic: Bart at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada After my First Class flights to Los Angeles the journey continued to Calgary, Canada. I had booked Hertz’ cheapest rate but was lucky enough to receive a brand new car for my 3-day roadtrip (map)…
My First Class Weekend
Written by Bart Lapers @ bart.la
Pic: Etihad Chauffeur service to London Heathrow Terminal 4 One weekend, three A380 First Class flights, a personal record! On my way to Canada, I flew Etihad Airways A380 First Class from London to Abu Dhabi, Qatar Airways A380 First Class from Doha to London and…