Vegas is all about getting you to come back. The casinos make so much money from you gambling that they can afford to give a little back. Usually that ‘little’ comes in the form of comps. Comp is short for ‘complimentary’ and comps range from free food and drinks to T-shirts and other souveneirs, all the way up to free hotel suites.  Unless your last name is Sinatra, however, they won’t just offer you this stuff, you have to ask.

The first step in getting comps is to obtain a slot club card. There is usually a slot club window in the casino and all you have to do is fill out a card with your personal information. A slot club card is about the size of a credit card and is used to track your gambling habits within the casino. The card can be inserted into slot machines or given to a dealer at a table game so that your gambling can be ‘rated’. The machine or dealer will then track your average bet and how much you’ve bet. Some casinos have formalized the process somewhat and reward you with points as you gamble that can later be redeemed for a variety of free stuff.

You should also make an effort to meet the host of the casino section that you’re in. The host used to be called a pit boss and their main job is to make sure you have a good time and that you keep gambling at their casino. It’s a good idea to introduce yourself to them when you start gambling as they’re more likely to be generous with you.

Once you’ve been gambling for a while, its okay to start asking for stuff – try starting with a ‘line pass’ to the buffet. It won’t pay for your meal but it will get you to the front of the line. If you’ve spent a fair amount, go ahead and ask for a free pass to the buffet. A good rule of thumb is that you can be expected to be comp’d about 20-40% of what you’d be expected to lose.

Of course, the drinks are the main form of comps. You’ll often see waitresses wandering around, taking orders. Well spirits and tap beers are free, but you should always tip your waitress, especially if you want her to remember you.

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Blackjack has the best odds for the gambler of any game in Vegas; the house edge is only .5%. That means that over time, if you bet 100 dollars on blackjack, the casino will end up with a measley 5 cents. But wait, you ask – if the odds are so good, why do most people lose all their money? It’s because the house edge is based on how much you gamble, not how much you bring to the table. As you win, you play more, out of your own winnings. If you bring 100 dollars to a blackjack table and bet $5 per hand, you’re betting about $150 per hour – more than you actually brought. After 13 hours you’ve bet $1950 and 5% of that is $97.50, meaning that at the end, you’re left with $2.50 and another Vegas story. The other catch is that the house edge is only small if you’re playing with the right strategy. If you do it wrong, you’re playing at a much higher disadvantage. So learn to do it right.

The operating principle in blackjack is simple – there are more cards that are worth 10 than any other value. Keeping that in mind, assume that any card you can’t see – the dealer’s down card or your next hit – is a 10. It’s also important to remember that the dealer has to hit on anything less than 16 so if you’ve got a 14 and his up card is a three, you should stay, since he probably has a 10 and will have to hit and likely bust. It’s not about getting the highest total, its about beating the dealer.

Splitting and doubling down are your two other strategic options. If you have two of the same card you can split them by putting an amount equal to your originial bet next to the cards.  You then play two hands, hitting or standing on each one independently. It’s a good idea to split when you have two aces or two 8s. The former, because of the rule of 10 above and the latter because two 8s are 16, one of the easiest hands to bust.

Doubling down means you double your bet and get dealt exactly one more card. Doubling down is a good bet when you have either a 10 or an Ace.

Two things to avoid are tables where blackjack pays 6:5 and insurance. Without going into why, just remember that these are sucker bets.

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Holidays are expensive. If they weren’t, nobody’d work. One of the main reasons for their priciness is the cost of accommodation. You can easily spend as much for one week in a hotel or resort as you would for one month in your own house. Adding to the strain on your wallet is the fact that resorts are designed like pitcher plants – attractive to look at and apparently filled with nectary goodness, but once you get in you’ll have a hell of a time getting out. That means you pay resort prices for resort foods and, after paying resort prices for resort cocktails you’re all the more likely to indulge in a bit of room service.

Of course, you could always go the time-honoured route of hostels. Of course, in many major cities a private room in a hostel is barely cheaper than a hotel. Dorms are an option but a single room smelling of the socks of the multitudes isn’t conducive to relaxation. Fortunately, you can take a third option and rent your own cottage or apartment.

With a cottage or apartment rental you get the privacy and comfort of a hotel room without the enticing added extras that can send the bill spiraling to Virgin Galactic heights. Cook your own food, bring your own grog, supply your own entertainment, all in surroundings that have a personal touch often lacking in mass market resorts.

A quick google search to the effect of holiday rentals (destination) can often yield some pleasant surprises.  Two Mile Bay Cottage in Port Campbell on the Great Ocean Road is one of them. Built by a local artist out of the pylons of the old pier, this quaint, two-bedroom home sleeps up to six and provides a fantastic ocean view. At 200 dollars per night, it’s a very economical option if you’ve got a group.

Boutique hotels in Sydney are known to offer good accommodation with their awesome ambiance and design. Traditional standard bearers of Sydney’s boutique hotels industry have consistently satisfied tourists and business travellers  alike. Now, a new breed of boutique hotels have opened their doors to a more diverse, unique and personalized experience for all guests. Whether you like a room that gives you an astounding view or a feel of Sydney’s heritage, there’s a boutique hotel for you. You deserve nothing but the best for your entire stay at Sydney. So here’s a list of our picks of the best boutique hotels in Sydney:

1. The Diamant

The place is strategically located near the city which allows you to enjoy the leisure of work and play. Upon entering the hotel lobby, you’ll surely have an impression of a grown-up feel. The rooms are spotlessly clean.

2. Ravesi’s

When you’re in the Bondi Beach, this is the best place to check –in. Rooms provide you a beautiful scene of the ocean and morning sun. This place is definitely your sanctuary after a day of surfing, moving about on the sand, restaurant hopping and partying.

3. Moog Hotel

Here is a hotel that was once a dilapidated 10-bed hotel. But now, it has been renovated into a single, huge room. The amenities include two pools, playstation-enabled spas, big screen projectors and an awesome stereo system. This is surely a pick of rock-stars and their likes.

4. The Storrier

Do you have the love for art? This place combines hotel and art gallery in one. The paintings and artworks displayed in this hotel are the creations of Tim Storrier. Rooms come with kitchenettes and terraces at the back of the hotel. Amenities include LCD-flat screen TVs with Foxtel, fast internet connection, his’ n’ hers robes, quality linens and toiletries from Molton Brown.

5. Australia Street Cottage

With modern furniture and bare sandstone walls, it’s evident that “Old meets New” is the hotel’s primary motif. From the yoga mat placed on a cupboard, pantry filled with supplies you need, queen-sized bed hovered with an insect net; truly you can say that this place has been well thought of to provide you with convenience and comfort. Unfortunately, the rooms don’t have airconditioning systems. You must open the windows and get a bit of noise during weekend nights.

Book your boutique hotel here

Macau is a city where the east and west meet. Although the majority of the people and influences are Chinese, the city is a blend of Asian and Western cultures, lifestyles, entertainment and gaming that allows you to experience a unique and exciting trip like no other.

Until recently Macau was  a colony of Portugal and even today that culture is strongly ingrained into the lives of its people and you can still see and experience the European influence in the architecture and cuisine of the city.

Gambling is the major attraction of Macau and as such the city is often referred to as the “Las Vegas of the Orient”.  You can find plenty of casinos, hotels and resorts that are patterned from Vegas’ style and new developments continue in this vein with a number of new hotels and casinos opening over the next few years.

But Macau is not just about gambling. Its Portuguese influence has also promoted a welcoming nature in its peopleand throughout the city there are some wonderful sights to be seen from churches and fortresses to cobbled streets and serene and colorful parks, gardens and islands. Indeed, there are lots of places to visit and experience in Macau. Here are some destinations that backpackers should visit when in Macau:

1. One of the amazing piazzas of the Historic Center, Senado Square or Largo de Senado, is where tourists and locals gather to relax amidst  the neo-classical buildings that give the city its Portuguese/Mediterranean feel. As well as the view and charm the Senado Square is a great place to shop, eat and hang-out.

2. For a breathtaking bird’s eye-view of the entire city, visit the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Center. This is one of the tallest towers in the world and if you love adventure, the Tower offers extreme activities like bungee jumping, Skywalk X and the Sky Jump!

3. The city’s most famous landmark, Ruinas de Sao Paolo, is a must visit. The place has a stairway and stone façade that are the remains of the Macanese Church from the early 17^th century that was destroyed by a fire in 1835.

4. For more contemporary activities you can shop for designer products that cost less than they do here citieat The Shoppes in Four Seasons.

5. For a one-of-a-kind experience  go to Cirque du Soleil’s ZAIA! It is a 90-minute presentation of a journey through outer space that is composed of dance and breath-taking aerial acrobatics.

Of its prime location, InterContinental Kiev’s General Manager Leon Larkin says; “Like many of our sister InterContinental hotels around the world, in world capitals such as London, Paris, Hong Kong and Sydney, the location of InterContinental Kiev could not have been more strategic. Our doors open directly to some of the best-known landmarks in this city and our contemporary-classical façade blends perfectly into the heritage and culture of the immediate area.”

The 11-story hotel was designed by celebrated Ukrainian architect Sergey Babushkin. Its angular marble-and-glass façade is an artful blend of classical and contemporary features, highlighted by a three-meter statue of the Greek Goddess Nike by Ukrainian sculptor Michael Reva. The hotel’s interiors were created by well-known British designer, John Tweedie, and offer an authentic perspective of the region’s rich heritage. Upon arrival, guests are greeted by an air of elegant refinement, reminiscent of noble Ukrainian homes. The residential lobby and public areas feature cream and pale yellow marble floors, black marble columns, handmade Italian furniture by Armando Rho, exquisite drapes, and specially-commissioned Eastern European art and lighting fixtures.

Through its location, design and local knowledge, InterContinental Kiev is committed to providing guests with truly local, authentic and enriching perspectives of Ukraine. Each employee is empowered to share their local knowledge, so guests make the most of their stay in Kiev. Joining her global counterparts in 160 other locations worldwide, InterContinental Kiev’s chief concierge Katerina Khrapko will engage with guests prior to their arrival, through information-rich destination-specific interactive websites and videos.

For more information, visit www.intercontinentalvideo.com.

It may sound odd but that’s the kind of experience you can have in this landlocked nation; a combination of France, Germany, Italy and more awaits.

People from all over flock to Switzerland for its famous outdoor lifestyle, which seems to please in both summer and winter. The Swiss Alps are the home of skiing and lay dormant at 4000 metres and higher, and the sparkling lakes that dot the country are ready during the warm months for all kinds of merriment.

The country is one of immensely beautiful landscapes, where locals take pride in the fact that their greatest buildings – think castles, cathedrals and churches – complement the surrounding environment.

Take Lausanne, for example. A lively, medieval city dominated by one of the world’s great Gothic cathedrals, Lausanne is somewhere to indulge in arts and entertainment, but also to peer breathlessly at the gorgeous surroundings.

For a taste of the mountain high life you will probably want to head to Zermatt, a climbing and skiing paradise that is balanced by a chilled and funky nightlife.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking Switzerland is all about the past. Any country that speaks four languages (Swiss German, Italian, French and Romansch) is going to be great at keeping up with the latest international pop culture trends.

Basel, seated on the Rhine to the country’s north, features some uber modern buildings designed by the likes of Frank Gehry, and the “world’s capital”, Geneva, is one of the slickest cosmopolitan centres on the planet.

While in Geneva, continue with the international local flavour and check out some of the more than 200 international governmental and nongovernmental organizations that operate from here.

You might start with a tour of the UN head offices, then over to the World Health Organisation before a quick stop off at the International Red Cross.

And that sums up one of the strange but compelling aspects of Switzerland; for a place with so much quiet and tranquility, you really can find parts of the whole world here.

Any rumours you may have heard about travelling to the Philippines are more than likely misguided hype. Travel there is safe and reliable and the service is flawless. Language is not an issue as over 85% of local residents can speak or at least understand English and the local vendors are fluent purely because their business depends on the tourism industry. A luxury holiday in the Philippines is ideal for those who don’t see the fuss over staying in an overrated and overpriced location such as the Caribbean and want to stretch their dollar further without compromising on quality, luxury and service.

The favourable exchange rate makes travel to the Philippines even more attractive because accommodation at the most luxurious of resorts is still a comparatively minuscule amount – some even as low as AU $30 per night. The amenities in these hotels are nothing less than first rate and the facilities are just as appropriate. Spa facilities are a staple of the resorts and when you do venture outside the reefs along the Philippine coastline are considered to be among the best in the world.

One place that offers luxury travel for all tourists is Boracay Island. Adventure-seekers will also be delighted to find that they can enjoy their luxury holiday on the white sandy beaches and clear blue waters where water and outdoor activities are on offer.

Other popular destinations in the Philippines include the cosmopolitan localities of Davao and Cebu. Here there are many activities on offer including the typical ‘day at the beach’ experience to travel tours, sightseeing historical landmarks such as Bataan and Corregidor as well as the bustling city centres of Manila and Cavite.

For the pinnacle of luxury, visitors can also rent their own private islands like Pamalican, an island situated 320 kilometres from Palawan. The Amanpoulo is another tourist hotspot due to its natural tropical beauty. Surrounded by coral reefs, luxury here is a way of life.

Alpha Yachting: This facility offers a wide variety of models of motor yachts, sailing yachts and motor sailing yachts. Crewed charter rentals can be acquired that are bound for specific destinations such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Turkey and France. Choose from among at least five itineraries that have been carefully designed for a luxury holiday cruise that you’ll not soon forget.

Yachting Power: Famous for their luxurious bareboat yachting charters in Greece, Yachting Power offer a full fleet of breathtaking vessels that will appeal to the multitudes. Located near the Kalamaki Marina in Athens, they own some of the finest sea-going vessels that can be found today, including high performance boats and large boats of breathtaking design and luxury.

Poseidon Charters: This worldwide operation is based in Athens, Greece, in addition to their main base of operations in the Mediterranean. They offer various charter opportunitie and service guests with sailing skills of all levels. Whether you prefer to charter your own private yacht to visit Greece and the surrounding areas or sign on to an archaeological adventure cruise, you’ll have the time of your life on one of the many top-of-the-line yachts.

Odyssey Sailing: Officially registered and bonded with the Greek National Tourist Organisation, this business provides a comprehensive line of yacht charters and vacation packages throughout the Aegean territory. Specialised vacations include those which offer bareboat yachts, crewed sailing yachts, luxury cruises, flotilla holidays, fully crewed motor sailers, luxury crewed sailing yachts, luxury crewed motor yachts and one-way yacht charters, in addition to special offers and discounts on specialised sailing holidays.

Top Yacht: Whether you’re looking for a crewed, skippered, gullet or bareboat experience, this facility can cater to your every whim. This UK based organisation offers chartered yachts to Greece and its surrounding areas, as well as a variety of special offers. You can choose your own vessel, according to the number of berths, cabins and length of water craft that you prefer, enabling you to customise your excursion to meet your particular needs for luxury and practicality.

For about the same price as an exotic vacation with luxury hotel accommodations, you can treat yourself and family or friends to an outstanding vacation in Greece, and enjoy adventures on both land and sea – effectively offering two vacations for the price of one.

Scuba diving and snorkelling are amongst the most popular activities you can find on the island. Visitors are also invited to learn about the rich history of Jamaica, dating back to the days of plantations and slavery, on various cultural tours and guides. The main cities of interest on the island are the capital, Kingston as well as Ocho Rios, Negril and Montego Bay.

Montego Bay is best known for being visited by Columbus in May 1494 and named Montego Bay “El Golfo de Buen Tiempo,” or Bay of Good Weather. Home to wealthy planters and still visited by the rich and famous today, it has remained one of the most famous destinations in the world. The Bay has some fantastic beaches with superb sea views from the hills. Sam Sharpe Square is the main tourist area whilst other major resorts and hotels are to the north, conveniently located close to both the town and the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport.

Another reason Montego Bay has earned its name as one of the best destinations for a luxury holiday in Jamaica is because it has the best collection of golf courses in Jamaica. Tyrall is an 18-hole golf course, making it one of the best in the Caribbean. Many tournaments are held here and the course was originally built on a 19th Century sugar plantation. Reggae worshipers will want to visit the Bob Marley experience, a 68-seater theatre celebrating the life and works of the great musician.

Ocho Rios is also located on the northern side of the island and is the second major tourist town. Attracting more than 700,000 tourists each year, Ocho Rios offers excellent accommodation, beaches and lush vegetation. Described as the garden centre of Jamaica, the area of the Dunn’s River Falls is particularly a sight to behold. A series of waterfalls cascade from the mountains towards the sea and can be experienced first hand as Jamaican guides navigate groups to climb their way up the falls. Other attractions include the town of Oracabessa, famous to 007 fans that know it as the town home to James Bond Beach, just west of Ocho Rios. Activities include taking a helicopter tour or go horseback riding along the beach.

Apart from these popular tourist locales, Kingston is the capital of the island and lies on a wide plain with the sea to the south and the St. Andrew Mountain in the north as its backdrop. The town was originally established on the beautiful waterfront and has the seventh largest natural harbour in the world. Kingston is home to many people who like to spend their days enjoying the sunshine, conversing and buying the local produce. A modern and bustling city, Kingston rarely sleeps and as a result has many cosmopolitan attributes about it including luxurious resorts, first-class facilities and prestigious entertainment venues.

Lose yourself in the rhythm and experience of Jamaica…it’s what sets it apart from other luxury Caribbean holidays.