The hotel was clean enough, but really needs an update on the furniture and decor. The staff was not unfriendly but they weren’t extremely knowledgeable either, struggling with recommendations for dinner reservations and directions. The location of this hotel is fantastic, within a 5 minute walk to Notre Dame.

Getting to the Hotel
By metro go to the Chatelet stop and the hotel is about 2 to 3 blocks away in a very convenient location, one block from the river.

Address: 17 Avenue Victoria, Paris 75001
Telephone: (+33) 1 40 26 90 17
Fax: (+33) 1 40 26 35 61
Website: Website

The Food

The menu has a good mix of traditional French cuisine with some worldwide standards like steak. Served very rarely cooked, the salmon appetizer is light and delicious. Although some revues claimed the onion soup here was incredible, it was good but there are definitely better places in France, and even Paris, to get onion soup. The beef cheeks in a red glaze are a great, hearty main course. The carafes of house are also a very good deal here so skip the bottles of wine and chug the house special.

The Ambiance

When you walk into the small restaurant you will be sure to be a bit surprised by the small, quaint feel of the restaurant. With a piano player by the door and an incredible, rustic charm you immediately feel comfortable in the intimate atmosphere. The upstairs is equally charming but watch your head! The ceilings are extremely low. There is also an outside area which is perfect for a warm Paris evening.

Where and when to go

The restaurant is located in the Châtelet near the Pont Neuf. The hotel can be reached by the metro at Châtelet – Avenue Victoria. The restaurant, as many in Paris, opens later on and can often times fill up quickly so you may want to call ahead for reservations.

L’Auberge Cafe

I looked at a sample flight from Boston to Myrtle Beach (a quick flight that is less than 2 hours) from June 7 to June 10, 2012. Spirit Airlines, unfortunately, is the only carrier that flies this route directly without stopping. Spirit’s fare was also the cheapest for any that I checked. However, they nickel and dime you the entire way so that they don’t actually end up being the cheapest. The worst is the charge for having a carry one bag – this seems excessive and is $30 each way.

This flight on Spirit came to a only $240.49. Now add on the extras. $60.00 ($30 each way) for a carry on; also note that this is if you pay for the bag ahead of time. Paying for your bags at the terminal will be significantly more. This, plus taxes, got us up to $337.57 and that was without added fees for a checked bag, being able to choose a seat or pay the extra for a seat in an exit row. Comparing that with Delta, although they had a more expensive fare, the total, because it also includes a free carry-on bag plus a person item, came to $319.20. So, although the Spirit flight is ‘cheaper’ it is really $20 more expensive.

Be very careful when you are booking your flights and check on these add-ons as they quickly add up and you can end up paying more for the ‘cheaper’ flight. Be sure to compare the hell out of your flights and options before booking. TripAdvisor flights does include some options to check fares that include baggage fees but doesn’t seem to include charges for carry-ons just yet.

The Prize
One winner will receive $2,500 toward their dream vacation from the sponsors.

Eligibility for the giveaway
Entrants must be over the age of 21 at the time of entry. The giveaway is open only to legal residents of the forty nine (49) United States and the District of Columbia (void in Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, all U.S. territories and possessions and all overseas military installations)

How to Win the Giveaway
Sign up to receive email newsletters from SniqueAway, ELLE and PureWow in order to get your chance to win.

Why stay in Oak Bluffs?
Some of the other towns on the island are dry towns and don’t really have as much to offer. Oak Bluffs gives you options, particularly if you find a vacation rental that is within walking distance to the downtown. Renting a vacation rental here gives you the opportunity to grill out and enjoy the yard as well as the beach while still having the options to go into town.

The vacation rental featured here was a great option with six bedrooms, four bathrooms, comfortably sleeping 10 people. The yard is humungous and the home is very well kept with everything you could need in the kitchen and even has WiFi.
More details on this vacation rental

Oak Bluffs downtown
The downtown area of Oak Bluffs offers bars, restaurants and a variety of shops. You can also rent mopeds or bicycles to take a trip around the island. Renting a moped is quite cheap and lets you get to go out and explore some of the winding roads outside of the city.

Getting to the Vineyard
There are ferries from multiple ports to get to the Vineyard. The Island Queen is a good option with relatively cheap parking and only $20 round trip for the ferry. This also drops you off right in the harbor of Oak Bluffs, making it very easy and quick to get to your final destination. There are always taxis in the harbor to take you to your vacation rental.

The area is well known for the incredible opportunities for Kayaking down the Ardèche river. There are many places along the river where you are able to rent a kayak for the day. Because it is a dry and protected region, there are very strict rules about camping and there are no fires allowed at all.

While you are in the area keep an eye out for the wild life as well; you are very likely to see wild goats on the roadside and other animals that still roam these areas.

The winding road that curves along with the river offers incredible views and has spots all along it where you are able to pull over and walk out onto view points to get some great photos. This includes a spot where you can stop to take a look at the Pont d’Arc (Arch bridge) which is a natural bridge that was created by the river over time.

In the nearby areas you can also visit Lavender fields and other features of the Provence region of France.

Lavender is used for a wide variety of products from soaps and oils to being used to treats burns and to prevent moths in your closets. There are Lavender museums throughout the region where you can learn about how it is produced and all of the various uses.

Driving through the region to see and smell the lavender fields is an experience all by itself. Ideally you want to see these fields in the summer when the lavender is really in bloom and is a bright blueish purple color rather than the duller colors shown in the photo here.

Facts about the ship
Built in 2003, the ship is in good condition. There are four decks, including the top sun deck which features a very small pool. Amenities include a bar and lounge, fitness center, WiFi (costs 3 Euro per hour), hairdresser and restaurant that serves three meals per day.

The food was quite good and featured many local specialties, varying by the region which the boat was visiting that day. For lunch there is also a buffet option in the lounge area.

There are 73 cabins and 40 staff members on the ship. The upper (Mozart deck) features rooms with full sized sliding glass doors and false balconies to be able to have a great view from your room. There are four suites on this floor; each suite has two floor to ceiling windows, one of which opens and have a large couch with tables and chairs for a sitting area. The Strauss Deck features standard windows which area panoramic and offer a good view from the room. The bottom deck (Hadyn) have windows high up on the wall which creates a weird, but not unpleasant view as your head is above water and the rest of your room is in the area of the boat that is submerged.

A European river cruise can certainly be an easy and relaxing way to see an area without needing to swap hotels daily and deal with trains or driving. This itinerary’s inclusion of excursions to the lavender fields of Provence and the Camargue and the sea as well as stops in the cities of Avignon and Lyon give it a nice balance of nature and urban culture of the area.

The areas with these cruises available range from the Danube, Rhone and Rhine to the coast of Croatia and the rivers of Russia. Depending on what you are interested in seeing and which cities and towns you are interested in visiting there are certainly plenty of options.

The small ships hold around 100 passengers who skew into an older age range of 50+. Although the ships are small, they do often many amenities. This includes nightly entertainment, fitness centers and hairdressers; this all depends on the cruise line and the particular ship. One of the biggest draws for these cruises is the food. Typically the restaurants aboard will feature specialties from the region that you are cruising through so you are not missing out on being unable to head into the restaurants of each city.

Cruises can be purchased from standard travel agents and many are able to secure deals that also include some or all of the available shore excursions which can significantly increase the cost of being aboard the ship. However, this needs to be balanced with how much it would cost you for transportation between these cities as well as hotels, guides, food and all of the rest.

The Prize
The winner will receive a certificate for a free cruise for two people aboard one of Oceania Cruises newest ships, the Marina and Riviera. The accommodation will be an Ocean View room. These are epicurean focused cruises. The prize is a ten day cruise for two people in one of these European destinations. The cruise must be taken by December 31, 2012.

Eligibility for the giveaway
Entrants must be residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia. Entrants must be over the age of 18 at the time of entry.

How to Win the Giveaway
Enter on the American Express website by 4:00 p.m. ET on May 31, 2012. Name, zip code and email address are required to enter the American Express Travel giveaway. You can receive additional entries for inviting up to six friends and family to also enter the giveaway.