You don’t need us to tell you that paying in dollars while staying in a European hotel translates into a good deal for U.S. travelers this summer. But you may need us to tell you where to find such a deal:

The WorldHotels Stay in Europe - Pay in Dollars promo, good through August 31, 2008, allows visitors to Europe to pay published euro rates with dollars, which means a hefty savings. Some of the 52+ participating hotels include Prague’s Imperial Hotel (pictured above) and Hotel Leonardo, Paris’s Hotel Astor Saint-Honore, Milan’s Grand Visconti Palace, Brussels’ Stanhope Hotel and Barcelona’s Avenida Palace.

Since it opened earlier this year, I’ve been keeping an eye on Cavallo Point, a new lodge built at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge across from San Francisco. Mainly, I’ve been wondering how I can justify a vacation to a place that’s just a few miles from my house.

I may have found the answer: Cavallo Point’s Adventures & Learning Vacations. The ongoing series of adventure, well-being, arts and culinary programs let guests hole up in this idyllic setting for a few days while exploring those topics with Northern California experts - among them, the art of handcrafted cheese with Cowgirl Creamery cheesemakers, animation with artist Packard Jennings, bootcamp fitness for women with Joanie Greggains and wine country cooking with Joanne Weir.

Through the end of the year, the programs come with free lodging when you and another person share a room and participate in the program together. Solo travelers will receive one night of free lodging at the inn.

If you agree with the sentiment normal is boring, then Discover Weird U.S. may inspire your next travel epiphany. Based on the book Weird U.S: Your Travel Guide to America’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets, these summer vacation offerings roll overnight accommodations at a participating hotel (mostly Sheratons and Marriotts), a copy of the book, a guide to weird local destinations and breakfast for two into one neat little package that’s available in destinations up and down the East Coast.

For example:

- Pittsburgh, PA: Gravity Hill, a destination where cars left in neutral are said to roll uphill.

- Ocala, FL: The Big Tree, reportedly the oldest living thing in Florida.

- Allentown, PA: Columcille, a 17-acre outdoor expanse dotted with stones and monoliths that mimics those found in ancient Scotland.

- Wilmington, DE: The Ticking Grave, which was said to have inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart.”

Of course, you could always snag a copy of the book or head to the destinations on your own. For ideas for possible places to add to your summer roadtrip agenda, check out Weird U.S.’s list of weird places.

Sir Richard Branson, the man who brought mood lighting to the air travel experience (thanks for that), will soon add hotelier to his ever-lengthening list of titles. Is there nothing the man can’t (or won’t) do? As this story reports, the bearded businessman has been asked to “virginize” several hotel brands in his time, but would prefer to strike out on his own. The brand will be officially announced in the next three months, with properties planned initially for New York, London and L.A.

Hilton announced this week that it will roll out a pet-friendly policy in its U.S. hotels this summer. Four-legged guests at Hilton Hotels will be treated to stain- and water-resistant pet beds made with anti-microbial material, bowls, poop bags and treats.

No word yet on weight limits (which always seem to be impractically low) or pet fees. Still, this is welcome news for families traveling by car this summer (and dogs and cats who like to travel).

This week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Veronica Belmont, Internet television It Girl and tech know-it-all extraordinaire who has captured the hearts of geeks and nerds everywhere in her current role as host of Revision3’s Tekzilla, and, before that, on Mahalo Daily and CNET. Of course, she wouldn’t describe herself that way. The 20-something San Francisco resident proved herself to be ultra down-to-earth, funny and personable when we caught up with her to pick her brain about some very important tech and travel topics. Like, for example, the reason my GPS is constantly hurting my feelings. Read on…

When was the last time you took a vacation and were totally “off the grid?” Does that notion even sound appealing – or totally nightmarish?

I’ll just say it’s been well over a year since the last time I truly unplugged. Honestly, I don’t even think it was on purpose. I went to Big Sur, and there just happened to be no cellular reception! My email went unanswered for a record 3 days. The Earth, shockingly, continued to turn.

How does it feel to be known as one of the sexiest geeks alive?

You’re embarrassing me! Do I have to answer? OK, well, I have to say that it’s a little odd, because I never thought of myself that way. It’s flattering that some people do! Next question!!

Favorite airline? (Is it Virgin America? We knew it!)

Oh man, do I really give off that vibe? Yes, Virgin America is my favorite, and I swear that it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they play Revision3 content. I fly a few times a month, so any steps that an airline takes to make the experience better means a whole lot to me. I’m pretty sure they have the best cocktails too.

Favorite hotel or hotel brand?

I’m a big Westin fan, when I get to stay there. I do not, however, appreciate paying $15 for a bottle of contact saline solution. Also, any hotel with a sand-bottom pool gets me every time.

You live in one of the best cities on the planet: San Francisco. (I’m a bit biased, considering that I live there, too.) What are three things any first-time visitor to San Francisco must, must, must do?

Definitely eat a burrito in the Mission, preferably at Taqueria Cancun and then bike in Golden Gate Park all the way down to Ocean Beach to burn it off!

Let’s talk about GPS devices. Which one is your current favorite?

My current favorite GPS device is the Dash. From a geek’s perspective it’s great, because you can send it addresses from your computer when you’re planning a trip, and the device will update wirelessly when you’re ready to go. The live traffic updating is really convenient too.

My Garmin says, “recalculating,” in a really condescending way. How can I stop taking it so personally? (Note that I’ve already tried changing the voice from the nasal American woman to the stuffy British man. It helped, but not much.)

Your GPS sounds like a jerk. I suggest selling it and going with a TomTom. That way you can have Mr. T or Tom Selleck reading your directions! If that’s not an option, just remind yourself that at the end of the day the voice in your GPS is trapped inside a little gadget, while you’re visiting interesting and wonderful places.

I’m a frequent traveler, but a pretty bad photographer. Still, I like to try. And cool gadgetry and features make me happy, even if I never actually RTFM and, consequently, never end up using them. What digital camera would you recommend for someone like me?

My favorite point-and-shoot camera is the Panasonic Lumix, and you can’t really mess up a picture too badly with that one. If you want something a little more high-end, I use the Canon G7 as my day-to-day camera, even if it’s not quite pocket-sized. But the pictures are great!

Do you have any strategies for making it through airport security efficiently with a bunch of tech gadgets in tow?

Despite the fact that I carry a small army of gadgets around with me, I’m shocked that I don’t get stopped more often. I keep all gadgets in my carry-on, because frankly I don’t trust airlines to not rifle through my stuff. My best tip is to invest in a bag that has lots of wonderful compartments of various sizes, so every gadget has its own home, and you always know where to find it.

When you travel, are there any rules that you live and die (or fly) by? Can you share them with us?

I never check luggage unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve gotten to the point where I can pack for a week or more just out of a carry-on case, which is no small feat for your average lady. If you must check luggage for an extended trip, bring a couple of days clothes with you on the plane just in case, as well as all gadgets and chargers. I also always keep my toiletries on the outermost compartment of my carry-on, for easy access through security and to prevent too much damage if anything leaks!

Want more Veronica? You can catch her dishing out tech advice and insight alongside co-host Patrick Norton every day on Tekzilla.

Every week, I run across a handful of news stories, features and blog posts that stand out from the pack. What hit my mental dashboard and stuck this week:

Recession-Proof Travel: How to Save Money When it Matters

Naked Pilot, Flight Attendant Charged After Romp in Woods

Tales from ‘Fareland’

Not that Kind of Crystal

The True Adventures of Marital Bliss Inside the Golden Nugget’s Spa Suite

Urine Collecting Underwear for Pilots

5 Common Airline Ticket Errors and How to Avoid Them

Or maybe it’s the other way around. But hey, either way, this much is clear: Google thinks Kayak.com has done a pretty kewl job of integrating the Google Maps API to enhance user experience. The proof? This video, which has forever immortalized key Kayakers like Paul, Drew and Jeff in the venerable YouTube format. Now that’s good entertainment.

Here’s a link: Google Maps Case Study - Kayak

For our part, we’re just amped that the Google Maps API is there to help us make Kayak.com a better site (um, it also saves us a boatload of development time, which we don’t mind, either).

Most of us over here at the Kayak blog have big love for other travel blogs. When we’re not thinking about what to write and post here, it’s likely we’re checking out other travel blogs for inspiration - and entertainment. (We might also occasionally interrupt these activities to take care of, you know, that strange concept known as “real work.”)

This week, these were some of our favorite travel-related posts from around the web:

Check out the unit on that guy: Millimeter Wave images from the TSA blog

‘Cause even a vacation in Kansas is expensive these days: The Impact of Gas Prices on the Family Trip

Perrin Post comments on our comment in a post: Perrin Post Comments of the Week

How laptops have fun: The 2008 Hotel WiFi Chart

Um, not that any of us are geeks: Wired’s Travel Tips for Globetrotting Geeks

And you thought your last seat mate was weird: Hey Air Travelers, You Are Extremely Disgusting People

Because dogs rule (cats are okay, too): Pet Travel Ain’t Just for Noah, Anymore

Because you know you want to: How To Hang with Flight Attendants Off the Clock

How not to be an ugly American: The Problem with ‘Do You Speak English?’

What happens when Seymour Butts checks in: Crazy Hotel Workers Blog

When a trip I’m taking involves more than 10 hours of travel time – not counting any unforeseen delays – I approach it much differently than a quick flight within the continental U.S. or one that takes me from coast to coast. Spending the better part of a day getting to and from a destination is taxing, but add an overnight leg to the journey, a lengthy layover or an impossibly long flight to the mix, and it’s easy to end up cranky, tired, hungry or bored to tears. But none of those things have to happen.

I recently took a trip that involved a five-hour red-eye followed by a six-hour layover and another three-hour flight, and the experience got me thinking about tips for travelers on long-haul journeys. Here’s a list of ideas to help you the next time you’re embarking on such an adventure:

1. Food: Bring it with you. Don’t count on the airline to provide anything except the seat you’re sitting in. I always pack granola bars and make a sandwich or pick up something post-security at the airport before boarding a plane. (And though this may sound like a small point, I’d recommend skipping extras like tomatoes, lettuce and other sog-inducing veggies. There’s nothing quite as depressing mid-flight as a squishy sammie with wet, disintegrating edges.)
(more…)