Are you a budget traveler who has wondered where in the world you'd actually be able to afford a 5-star hotel room? You are not alone. Those of us who prefer to (or must) sleep cheap can easily get tired of tiny rooms with few frills, and we dream of what it would be like to be staying in that swanky 5-star with the perfect location.

Well, wonder no more, because we've checked prices in 102 of the most popular tourist cities and destinations around the world to find the cheapest 5-star hotel rates. There are some encouraging results, but of course it's a complicated situation. Click to read more

With most of the world's borders being shut tight since March of 2020, you can forgive many of us for being desparate to plan a vacation other than a weekend road trip. Nearly all summer trips to Europe in 2020 had to be cancelled and at this point we are still unsure that a summer 2021 trip will be possible. Is there any good news for those Americans (and Canadians) wanting to plan an international trip in the coming late autumn and winter? The answer is YES, and things are much better than you would probably guess.

As the temperatures drop in the northern areas we naturally want to head south for sunny beaches, and the great news is that almost ALL of our favorite destinations are actually open and welcoming American and Canadian visitors. Mexico and the Dominican Republic are among the most popular and easiest destinations to visit, but also quite a few other Caribbean islands and even some Pacific islands including Bora Bora are ready to be booked. Click to read more

If you are planning a trip to Asia in May you'll have probably more great choices than in any other month of the year, but it's still important to plan carefully. The main cities in southeast Asia such as Bangkok and Saigon are extremely hot this time of year, and you might get some rainfall as well.

Fortunately May is a perfect weather month to visit Japan, China, or South Korea, so stringing together a bunch of those places is ideal if you've got the time. Parts of India are still nice, and we have some good island destinations listed below as well. Click to read more

Those looking for ideal destinations in Europe for the month of May have nearly endless choices. The May weather is warm enough to be nearly perfect in all but the most northern cities, and yet tourist crowds are still small since many people can't get away until June or later.

Even though it's “warm” in most of Europe in May, the only places warm enough for sunbathing are in the far south and the Mediterranean. Those looking for a hot-weather destination in May should be thinking about Asia or the Caribbean. Click to read more

Anyone looking for an affordable destination with very good weather during the month of May will be happy to know that the list of possibilities is long. There are fascinating cities in most regions of the world that are worth a look, as well as many affordable beach areas for those looking to relax in the sun. Many people are just interested in where is it hot in May, and the list below will answer that question as well.

The list below is broken down by region to help you narrow the choices of holiday destinations in May more efficiently, and there are also links to pages with information about the cheapest beach destinations in the Caribbean and in Europe, which both are loaded with bargains this time of year. Of course for each city mentioned there are plenty of smaller cities nearby that are usually even cheaper, so hopefully this gives you some ideas.

For each destination you'll notice that we include prices for 3-star and 4-star hotels during the month. These prices are the lowest rates we could find for well-reviewed and well-located hotels in those areas, including all taxes and fees. You'll notice that in resort areas there is often a huge difference between 3-star and 4-star hotels, while in cities the difference in price is usually small.

Best destinations during COVID-19

As we all know, there is a global pandemic going on still in late 2021. Many countries are still closed to outsiders, but a surprising number are still open for visitors.

>>>Best destinations for Americans and Canadians during the COVID pandemic

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Show a person a photo of an overwater bungalow or water villa and suddenly they have a new goal in life. Unfortunately, most of the 200+ resorts that feature overwater rooms are quite expensive, usually well over US$600 per night, even in the off season.

Well, there is a bit of good news then as it turns out that not all of them are priced only for the super-rich. Thanks to the overwater bungalows and water villas guide, which lists every overwater resort in the world, we know that there are some affordable options out there.

Note: This article was last updated in December, 2021.

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As of late 2021 there are around 400 all-inclusive resorts spread around the Caribbean, with more being constructed every year. More than 130 of those are in the Dominican Republic, with nearly 60 others in Jamaica. The Cancun/Playa del Carmen/Cozumel area has more than 130, and the rest are spread among other islands. When researching Caribbean vacations, you'll find the cheapest all-inclusive deals are clearly on the islands with the most resorts.

With so much competition it's becoming more clear that the Dominican Republic is the cheap-vacations value leader and the best choice for most people. The Punta Cana area is home to dozens of newer resorts that have a thousand or more rooms each, and the new airport and new highways make it the easiest and most efficient place to reach as well. But those looking for something smaller and more exclusive also have choices, so we track all of the islands that have more than a few all-inclusive resorts. In other words, the best all-inclusive resorts are often on islands with only a dozen or so choices. Click to read more

April is a wonderful month for a trip to Asia since you have so many great choices. It's still dry in southeast Asia, even if it's extremely hot, and April is warm enough to visit China or some of the other places a bit farther from the equator.

This is also one of the best months of the year for travel bargains since it's low season in the beach areas as well as the bigger cities. April is also the first month of the year when Bali isn't in its rainy season, so you can choose from nearly every good Asia destination and save money in the process.

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Since most of Europe is so far from the equator, most of the famous cities are still a bit chilly in April. Still, April can be one of the best months of the year to visit the busiest and most popular cities here. Temperatures are warm enough for enjoyable sightseeing, yet the crowd sizes are much smaller than you'll see starting in May and June.

Those looking for a warm-weather destination in April should be thinking about Asia or the Caribbean. Even so, Europe (more or less) does have a couple places warm enough for a bit of April sunbathing, and those are listed on top. Click to read more

April is the perfect month for cheap vacations in much of the world because most people prefer tropical holidays in the months ending in March, so you can still find perfect weather combined with lower hotel prices in many fantastic destinations. The best places to visit in April are spread around the world, so no one is too far from a great choice.

Much of Latin America has ideal weather this month, while April is (weirdly) the single hottest month in most of Southeast Asia, so that budget-traveler hot spot is really better avoided until autumn.

Those looking for a cheap beach vacation will have many really good options because even places with scorching weather can be quite bearable if all you are doing is sitting under an oversized umbrella sipping cocktails all day long, with breezes always rolling in. Click to read more