We decided at Christmas that we really couldn’t afford to go this year as we’d have more important things to spend our money on come September (a house renovation is not cheap) but some friends booked a cottage on the cheap that sleeps 8 and invited us and some other friends along. Sharing the cost of the cottage and the gas definitely makes it more affordable. They were lucky enough to know a great aspen vacation rentals website that offers some last minute bargain deals and the say they were keeping an eye on it on a daily basis looking out for that killer offer that was too good to pass up.

Because we won’t be going in our own car though we will definitely need to find a cheap car hire company in the area – we love our friends but we don’t plan on spending the entire week in their pockets so cheap car hire will be an essential – we like to be able to get out and do our own thing, explore the local area and points of interest etc. Being stuck in one place with no car would be a bit of a nightmare to us. I hope it’s nice and simple and easy to find cheap car hire in the area -we’ve never had to hire a car before so don’t really know where to begin.

Still – how exciting, I really thought we wouldn’t be able to get away at all this year.

Visiting New York City requires some organization and planning. Vacation logistics include making accommodations, preparing for transportation and researching entertainment. NYC is divided into five boroughs that include Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. Connected by subways, buses, cabs and ferries, you can travel to and from any borough to experience the best the city has to offer.

Keep these tips in mind while planning your next trip:
• Hotels: Arrange accommodations at a bed and breakfast, business hotel, luxury hotel, hostel or an economy hotel. New York hotels can be narrowed down by features such as art collections, bars, dining scene and location. Hotels near Grand Central Terminal, the Empire State Building, Times Square and Rockefeller Center are convenient and offer world-class ambience. You’re sure to find a hotel that will meet your sightseeing needs, budget and style!

• Transportation: Arrive in New York by plane; airports include John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airports. Travel throughout the city by trains that connect to Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station. Cabs, ferries, town cars and limos in NYC are practical transportation options.

• Tours: Trust an expert as you discover the city. Touring New York doesn’t have to mean clutching a map and getting lost. Professional guides can lead you throughout the city and offer interesting facts and historical information.

You can experience:
• Carnegie Hall tours
• Liberty helicopters tours
• Adirondack sailing excursions
• Pop culture, celebrity and film tours
• Central Park bicycle rental tours
• Food on foot tours
• Skyline tours and more!

There are many places we have been and not liked so much, like Wakefield. But a few that we find ourselves keeping on returning to such as Liverpool and York.

York is so lovely that I have even looked online for jobs in York and considered moving out there. We have been in winter twice and it’s just lovely with the castle on the hill and the outdoor ice rink, when we went last winter the river ouse was completely frozen over. We would like to visit in the summer this year though as we’ve never been able to actually walk on the castle wall as it’s always been closed due to poor/icy conditions.

I am definitely going to soak up every minute of being there and enjoy all the services on offer that we don’t usually get – the concierge services on offer for Condo owners sound out of this world.

I am going to eat, sleep, drink, relax, party, get pampered and every thing in between. The best part about it all is that we will be surrounded by friends and family, as much as I love going away with my husband I can do that whenever I like, but I have never been on a vacation with a large group of loved ones before so it will be a new and wonderful experience for me.

I just took the Radisson Blue Quiz not only was it fun, but I might actually win some killer prizes for taking part. On offer are 1000 Radisson Blu giftcards of various values and a big prize of a weekend away for two in one of the following stunning European cities; Milan, Madrid, Berlin, Helsinki or Hamburg.

It's a while now since I got to visit Europe. It seems like in my twenties I was visiting at least two or three new cities in Europe each year but my globetrotting ways appear to have left me now I am in my thirties – I still have the desire to pack up a bag, hop on a plane and explore what the world has to offer, I just don't seem to have the drive! Helsinki would be at the top of my wishlist out of the available prizes, I have visited all the other cities before and every one of them was gorgeous and definitely worth a return trip, but I would always take the option of going somewhere new whenever possible – another place to tick off my list

It's really simple to enter too, you just answer three questions based around Europe and Radisson Blu – most are common knowledge but those you don't instantly know the answers to are nice and easy to work out thanks to the handy hints available – then if you get all three answers correct you'll be given a chance at an instant prize, one of the Radisson Blu giftcards. Just spin the wheel and you'll find out right away if you've scooped a €20, €50 or €100 giftcard. Then, whether you get all three questions correct or not you'll be invited to enter your contact details and be entered into the weekly prize draw for one of the weekend stays.

The competition runs until January 3rd and you need to be 18 years old to enter, you can read the full terms and conditions on the website.

If you hurry and take the Radisson Blu quiz yourself right now you'll be in time for this weeks main draw for a trip to Berlin

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