ParkSleepFly Posts

On Location – The House of the Dragon

November 4, 2022 No Comments

With the recent success of House of the Dragon, the world of travel offers new and exciting experiences all over the globe. Since the series wrapped up, we have been left wondering, where are all those incredible sights to be found? Look no further, as we have listed various places where the HBO show was filmed.

Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, Spain

The first location scoped out during the principal photography stage was the breathtaking Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe. This beautiful, historic building can be found in the Cáceres province of Spain. Eagle-eyed viewers may remember this place from the show’s predecessor, Game of Thrones. Scenes were shot for both King’s Landing and the Red Keep, and to keep continuity for this prequel, the exact location was used for House of the Dragon.

The scenes that used this space include Rhaenys’ discussion with Princess Rhaenyra about her being named heir to the Iron Throne, and where Rhaenyra chose Ser Criston Cole as her Kings guard.

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Featuring in the second to last episode of House of The Dragon, the Caceres church – San Francisco Javier was the backdrop for an intense scene between Aegon and Aemond Targaryen. The former ran away from his duty becoming king, and his brother was sent to hunt him down. The altercation between characters in this scene is played out in front of the many steps that can be seen before the entrance.

San Francisco Javier Church, Caceres

In reality, this baroque-style church is in the centre of Caceres, a small town located in Spain. This 18th Century church adds to the old town aspects of King’s Landing and made for the perfect addition to the House of the Dragon filming locations.

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Other locations for filming included Monsanto in Portugal

The next recognisable location can be found across the pond in Holywell Bay, Cornwall. The view from this large cave was used as Rhaenyra and Laenor walked across the beach. It is the primary location used to represent the Valeryon family home at Driftmark. This location was new to the Game of Thrones universe, after not being previously used. The Valeryon home was never featured in the show’s predecessor.

Holywell Bay beach, Cornwall

Cornwall is located in the very far Southwest of the United Kingdom and makes for a great vacation spot. The summers can get particularly warm, so a good place to consider if you want that English charm sprinkled into your next trip. We also recommend traditional fish and chips and Cornish ice cream as a treat!

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Just a stone’s throw from Holywell Bay is the beautiful St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall. This was the main feature for the Drift mark exterior shots, which served as the Valeryon ancestral home. Laena Valeryon greeted King Viserys and welcomed him to the home in one of the earlier episodes of House of the Dragon.

St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall

The stunning location is very reminiscent of Mont Saint-Michel in France, but the two locations are totally separate.

We recommend adding this breathtaking historical castle to your trip to Cornwall! There is an online castle tour also available for those keen historians who want to learn more about the destination.

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Our final destination in Cornwall is Kynance Cove beach near the Lizard Peninsula. Located further south than Holywell Bay, this truly looks out into the ocean. This Cove faces out to the Celtic Sea and the English Channel.

Kynance Cove was the main location used for the Stepstones Battle between Daemon, Corlys and the Triarchy.

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

The blue water of the cove is a sight to be seen on any trip to Cornwall, with the rocky pillars below being the perfect backdrop for a true battle Game of Thrones style. After a walk down to the beach on a sunny afternoon, why not enjoy a fresh Cornish pasty or homemade cake with clotted cream? The Kynance Café and Cottage eco-friendly eatery is a must-visit after a long day.

The 3.2km walk offers scenic views and Lizard point is the UK’s most southerly point. This National Trust location is a protected conservation area, so make sure you dispose of all trash appropriately!

Looking forward to jetting off to Cornwall next summer? Make sure to pre-book your airport parking lot space now with ParkSleepFly!

The Airport Layover Index

October 6, 2022 No Comments

The best airports for when you need a layover

Quite often, holidaymakers, travelers, and business people will experience layovers as they fly between countries. Layovers can be as short as 30 minutes, or as long as 24 hours for international flights.

Layovers can be a great way to discover a new destination. Whether you have a few hours to wander the streets of Paris and grab a croissant, or an evening to take advantage of the nightlife in Tokyo, layovers are a fun way to check out a new city to see if you’d like to return in the future.

By investigating the busiest airports in the world from Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta to Shanghai Hongqiao International, on their food & beverages, hygiene, service, customer satisfaction, shopping, and hotel availability, this report reveals the best airports in the world for an airport layover.

The best US airports for layovers

Airport Layover Index US Top 3

1. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport- Layover Score – 7.22/10

Ranking as the best airport for a layover in the US is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, hitting a layover score of 7.22/10. The airport offers great hygiene and service practices and there is a good selection of 33 hotels within 2 miles of the airport to choose from.

Seattle to Los Angeles is the most popular flight out of this airport. Yet, whilst you wait you can gaze upon the stunning Mount Rainier, visible from the comfort of the Airport’s terminals.

2. George Bush Intercontinental Airport – Layover Score – 6.11/10

George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranks as the second-best US airport for a layover with a score of 6.11/10. George Bush Intercontinental sees excellent ratings across amenities, hygiene, and services. There is only 1 hotel within 2 miles of the airport though, so be sure to book in advance. The most popular flight out of George Bush is to Los Angeles.

3. Denver International Airport – Layover Score – 6.00/10

In third place is Denver International Airport with a score of 6.00/10. Denver has more shopping choices than George Bush International, and the airport also scores well for its food and beverage offerings (4.17/5).

Denver is one of the busiest US airports, servicing almost 60 million people each year. Denver Airport offers a memorable and exciting experience as you investigate its four murals, all of which have been a favorite topic of conspiracy theorists.

Airport Layover Index US Table

The best global airports for layovers

Airport Layover Index Global Top 3

1. Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan – Layover Score – 8.67/10

Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan, ranks as the best airport in the world to enjoy a layover. This Japanese airport has an excellent 4.59/5 hygiene rating to pair with an excellent choice of food and beverages. The service and shopping choices are likewise great here, with several designer fashion shops available, including Burberry, Chanel, Hermès, and Rolex.

There are 31 hotels within 2 miles of the airport to find the perfect place to relax and unwind. Tokyo Haneda Airport shows off its more modern design and is often enjoyed by foreign heads of state upon visiting Japan.

2. Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, China – Layover Score – 8.44/10

In runner-up position is the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Shanghai Hongqiao International offers excellent amenities, with shopping and staff service hitting 4.5/5 each. The airport also boasts a customer satisfaction score of 6.00/10, a significantly high score for a busy airport.

Shanghai airport has its very own art galleries in the Arrival Hall, known as the Artspace. Antiques alongside modern artworks and paintings are displayed here for travelers to enjoy.

3. Istanbul Airport, Turkey – Layover Score – Layover Score – 7.22/10

Istanbul Airport, in Turkey, ranks as the third best airport to enjoy a layover. With scores for amenities consistently over 4.00/5. Istanbul Airport also enjoys a huge choice of 87 hotels within a 2-mile radius. Despite a lower customer satisfaction score of 3.00/10, Istanbul Airport still scores a 7.22/10 layover score due to its consistently high scores across its amenities.

Luxury Square, at Istanbul Airport, offers a wide variety of world-famous luxury and designer products, with stores covering 800 m². Opened in 2018, this airport has some stunning architecture with its giant glass walls, and it is already one of the most popular airports in the world.

Airport Layover Index Global Table

Methodology

All of the following data was taken from Skytrax:

  • Food and beverage ratings were calculated from ratings for landside and airside choices and prices.
  • Hygiene ratings were calculated from cleanliness ratings for seats, washrooms, public areas, and food.
  • Staff Service ratings were calculated from service ratings for info & help, shopping, and food.
  • Shopping facilities were calculated from landside and airside choices.
  • Customer ratings were taken directly from Skytrax.

The number of hotels within 2 miles of each airport was recorded using Booking.com.

Annual passenger numbers were taken from Wikipedia. These were not included in the ranking calculations.

Most common domestic flights in the US were taken from Stacker.

Data was recorded before October 4th, 2022.

All factors were given a normalized score ranked and combined to give the Layover Score.

Searching for Treasures on your Summer Vacation!

June 21, 2022 No Comments

Summer is here – FINALLY! Time to let loose and have a little fun. When you were younger, did you ever pretend that you were a pirate, or a train robber, or any other adventurous figment of your imagination? As a kid, I had a wild and vivid imagination and went on many adventures in my backyard. I often dug holes in the yard, as I was positive there was some kind of treasure that would make me rich, and I could get that pony that I always wanted.  But, as fate is fickle, I never found Blackbeard‘s treasure in the middle of Indiana and I remained a dirt poor kid.

Fast forward a few decades and that thrill of seeking treasures is still alive and well.  Whether you are going on a roadtrip, or visiting an area for a limited time, there’s always some new and exciting things to discover or treasures to find.  In fact, recently 100 JetBlue crew members and volunteers not only cleaned up the beaches of South Boston, but they also hid 100 blue Save the Harbor/Save the Bay 25th Anniversary marbles.  Happy hunting if your vacation or weekend plans include visiting these beaches this summer.  Five winners will receive 40,000 TrueBlue points. How’s that for buried treasure?

But, if you aren’t planning to visit South Boston this year, there are other ways to find treasures.  Often when I am traveling, I go searching for geocaches.  Called the “outdoor treasure hunting game,” it is a very good way to spend an afternoon, go places you would not have ventured to before, hone your Blackbeard skills, and have fun all at the same time.  I’ve found geocaches in state parks, along roadsides, in hotel parking lots, city parks, just about anywhere imaginable.  There is a lot of information available at the official website.  It’s a relatively inexpensive hobby, as the only equipment you need is a GPS unit, or a smartphone with GPS capabilities.

Download the app on your cellphone, and you can located geocaches near your location.  You will be amazed how many there are hidden.  Ranging from virtual caches to buried containers, each cache is rated on it’s level of difficulty and it’s terrain.  All ages and fitness levels can participate, so it’s good from baby to Grandma.  The caches vary in sizes from microcaches to buried containers.

It’s quite a feeling when you follow the coordinates correctly and locate your quest.  Whether is it is a magnetic container attached to the bottom of a park bench or an ammo container in the middle of a dead tree, you truly feel as if you found the buried treasure.

But, I’m sure that digging around and poking for things may not be everyone’s idea of fun.  Plus, you may get a few looks from the “muggles” (The general public not keyed into geocaching fundamentals).  Have no fear, I have another treasure hunting game I play.  As I have stated before, our parents took us across the United States and back a few times in our young lives.  I always wanted to stop a thte oddest places featured along Route 66 and other roadside vendors.  Now, all these peculiarities have a dedicated website where you can plan your trip around these oddities.  Roadside America features many of these “tourist traps” and helps you locate these you may be traveling near.

I’ve been known to travel a few miles out of the way to catch a glimpse of some treasure that I’m sure will enhance my life forever. For example, when I found out I was only five miles from the largest bottle of ketchup, I had to go see it.  As we came around the bend and saw that the bottle was up in the sky, it was just as if I had found a treasure.  The town hosting the attraction is Collinsville, IL,  a quaint Midwestern town and we spent an hour or two exploring.

So, whether you are more of a hands-on treasure hunter, or like to view from afar, you can still get a thrill whether you are on a vacation or just roaming around your own town (You won’t believe the things I’ve discovered in my own little town).

You won’t need a treasure map when searching for a great airport hotel deal on ParkSleepFly.com.  We’ve already charted those for you. With the deals on ParkSleepFly.com, you receive a night’s stay at an airport hotel, parking for your trip, and transportation to and from the airport.  All for one low price.  You don’t need a shovel or GP to locate that deal.

So, start your trip off right and leave the hunting for deals to us.  You spend time looking for the World’s Largest Bottle Cap Collection or the microcache that is located in a tree.  You will be glad you did.

So, let me know if you are a geocacher.  We can compare stories.  Or, if you are a roadside oddity aficionado.  I’m always looking for the next gotta-go-see. 

The World’s Best Value for Money Passports

April 12, 2022 No Comments

The passports that offer the greatest mobility for the lowest costs

We all need a passport to travel around the world, but the freedom that comes with your passport can vary quite a lot depending on where you live.

Not only this but the costs of applying for one can differ drastically too, meaning that a passport can prove to be much more valuable for some countries than others.

Taking both the ‘power’ of a passport in terms of the number of countries you can visit, as well as the cost to buy one, we’ve revealed the world’s best value for money passports. 

Once you’ve got your passport ready and made sure it’s safely packed away, be sure to book your airport hotel and airport parking to save time and money at the airport.

Note that countries for which reliable data was not available were omitted.

The world’s best value passports

1. United Arab Emirates

Passport mobility score: 162

Passport cost: $13.61 / £10.35 / €12.31

The passport that comes out as having the very best value for its holder is that of the United Arab Emirates.

Not only does an Emirati passport give its holder the greatest freedom (able to travel to 110 countries visa-free and a further 52 with a visa on arrival), but it’s also the cheapest passport to obtain, costing just 50 dirham, which is equivalent to around $13.61.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated in 2017 that it wanted the UAE’s passport to be one of the strongest in the world by 2021 and it seems that they achieved this aim!

2. Sweden

Passport mobility score: 159

Passport cost: $42.47 / £32.28 / €38.39

In second place is the Swedish passport, with a joint-second highest mobility score of 159, as well as costing just $42.47 to obtain, which is relatively affordable by global standards.

Sweden is of course part of the European Union, as well as the Nordic Passport Union, and Swedish nationals can enter 115 countries visa-free (more than any other country) and a further 44 with a visa on arrival.

3. South Korea

Passport mobility score: 158

Passport cost: $43.68 / £33.21 / €39.49

Not far behind Sweden is South Korea, where a local passport will allow you entry to one free country, whilst also costing just under a dollar more to apply for.

A South Korean passport has a mobility score of 158, just one less than Sweden, due to the fact that its holders get visa-free access to 114 countries, as opposed to 115.

The world’s worst value passports

1. Liechtenstein

Passport mobility score: 152

Passport cost: $268.50 / £204.13 / €242.71

At the other end of the scale, the passport that proves to be the worst value for its holders is that of the tiny state of Liechtenstein.

While this passport does allow you to travel to a decent number of countries, with a mobility score of 152, the reason its such poor value is largely due to its cost, with residents having to pay over $260 to obtain a Liechtenstein passport.

2. Mexico

Passport mobility score: 137

Passport cost: $98.14 / £74.62 / €88.71

Mexico is the country where a local passport gives you the least freedom to travel, with a mobility score of just 137, which means that you can only visit 97 countries visa-free and 40 with a visa on arrival.

To compound this, it’s also not particularly cheap to obtain a passport here, with a cost of Mex$2,000, which equates to just under $100 for a six-year passport.

3. San Marino

Passport mobility score: 142

Passport cost: $110.64 / £84.11 / €100.00

Like Liechtenstein, another tiny European country comes in third place, with San Marino having a mobility score of 142 and a passport cost of $110.64.

This being said, San Marino is one of the few European passports that allow you to travel to China visa-free and offers one of the longest visa-free stays there too, at 90 days.

Methodology

Each country was analyzed on the following two factors, with each being given a normalized score out of ten for both factors before an average of these two scores was taken to calculate the passport value score out of ten.

Note that countries for which reliable data was not available were omitted.

Passport Power

A score sourced from the 2022 Passport Index, with points being given based on the number of countries that travelers can visit visa-free or with a visa on arrival.

The Passport Index updates its figures in real-time, these figures were sourced on March 16th and are correct as of this date.

Passport Cost

The cost to apply for a passport in each country, with figures sourced from a variety of sources, which can be viewed here.

The World’s Worst Value for Money Tourist Attractions

March 2, 2022 No Comments

The global attractions that offer the worst (& best!) value for money

Global travel is finally starting to open up once again, with many people looking to book their first overseas vacations in a long time.

And with lots of people eager to tick items off their bucket lists, the world’s major tourist traps will be gearing up for an influx of visitors.

However, before booking your airport parking and your tickets, it might be an idea to step back and consider the costs of visiting these well-known landmarks.

To try and help you out, we’ve taken a look at the entry price to some of the world’s biggest attractions and compared them with how well-reviewed they are, to reveal the worst and best value tourist attractions in the world.

The World’s Worst Value Attractions

1. Empire State Building, New York City

Ticket price: $44.00/£32.57/€38.82

% of bad reviews: 4.2%

Value score: 1.03 out of 10

Taking the unfortunate title of being the worst value attraction is New York’s Empire State Building, the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper that dominates the Big Apple’s skyline.

While it’s undoubtedly an iconic NYC landmark, to head up the tower costs a very steep $44 (and that’s just to the main deck, not the very top). When combined with 4.2% of the building’s reviews being negative, the Empire State Building is named the worst value attraction on our list.

=2. Buckingham Palace, London

Ticket price: $40.53/£30.00/€35.76

% of bad reviews: 3.3%

Value score: 1.9 out of 10

Three attractions were tied with a value score of 1.90 out of 10 in second place when it comes to the worst value attractions, two of them in the UK and one in the States.

To visit the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will cost you $40.53, with 3.3% of visitors not being impressed with their visit to the home of the Queen.

=2. Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Ticket price: $26.35/£19.50/€23.25

% of bad reviews: 8.0%

Value score: 1.9 out of 10

Stonehenge is a famous UK landmark, although it appears that a number of its visitors aren’t too impressed, with 8% of reviews being negative.

Visitors to the ancient monument have to pay $26.35 to visit, but criticisms found on Tripadvisor include the fact that you aren’t allowed to touch the stones, which one disgruntled reviewer described as “just a bunch of rocks”.

=2. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City

Ticket price: $25.00/£18.50/€22.06

% of bad reviews: 18.1%

Value score: 1.9 out of 10

The final attraction tied in second place is the Guggenheim Museum in New York, an art museum featuring Impressionist, Early Modern, and contemporary art collections.

The main reason it scores so poorly here is due to the high number of people who left the museum unsatisfied, with almost one in five reviews being either ‘poor’ or ‘terrible’.

The World’s Best Value Attractions

1. Great Wall of China, Mutianyu

Ticket price: $6.31/£4.67/€5.57

% of bad reviews: 0.5%

Value score: 10 out of 10

Not only is the Great Wall of China the cheapest of the attractions that we looked at, with an entry price of just $6.31 for the Mutianyu section, it’s also the one with the fewest negative reviews.

That’s incredible value for money, especially for one of the modern Wonders of the World, with some of the fortifications dating back as far as the 7th century BC.

2. Taj Mahal, Agra

Ticket price: $14.61/£10.81/€12.89

% of bad reviews: 1.0%

Value score: 8.28 out of 10

The Taj Mahal is another iconic landmark in Asia, known for its majestic ivory-white marble and admired for being one of the most beautiful examples of architecture in the world.

It’s also very affordable, with an entry ticket costing just under $15, while just 1% of people who have visited the Taj Mahal have left a bad review, representing excellent value.

3. Forbidden City, Beijing

Ticket price: $6.31/£4.67/€5.57

% of bad reviews: 2.5%

Value score: 7.76 out of 10

Another Asian attraction completes the top three best value attractions, with the Forbidden City in Beijing costing the same as the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall at $6.31. The Forbidden City also only has marginally worse reviews, with just 2.5% being negative.

The Forbidden City is a huge palace complex in China’s capital, at the heart of the Imperial City, surrounded by opulent gardens and temples.

The World’s Worst & Best Value Theme Parks

Theme parks are amongst the world’s most visited tourist attractions, but their high admission prices in comparison to most other attractions make them hard to compare when it comes to value for money, so we’ve taken a look at them separately.

When it comes to the worst value parks, Universal Studios Florida takes this dubious honor, with a day ticket costing $109, but with 7.8% of reviews for the park being negative.

However, Disney theme parks weren’t far behind, with each of the next six worst value parks falling under the Disney banner.

On the other hand, the majority of the best value theme parks were located in Asia, with the best of them all being the Everland Resort in South Korea, with a daily ticket cost of $41.75 and just 2.3% of reviews being negative.

Methodology

Looking at a list of 30 top tourist attractions from around the world (as well as a selection of top theme parks), we took both the ticket and the percentage of bad reviews.

Ticket costs were sourced for a single day’s admission to each attraction for an adult, taking the cheapest available ticket, with prices being sourced from the websites of each attraction. Full sources can be found here.

Reviews were sourced using Tripadvisor, taking the number of ‘poor’ and ‘terrible’ reviews and calculating them as a percentage of the total number of reviews for each attraction.

We then gave each attraction a ‘value score’ out of ten by giving each one a normalized score out of ten for both its ticket price and percentage of bad reviews and then taking an average of these two scores.