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Man killed in Broken Arrow hit-and-run

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Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 6:54 AM
Last Updated: 28 minutes ago

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. - Police in Broken Arrow say a pedestrian was struck by vehicle and killed on 91st Street on Friday night, just west of Aspen Avenue.

The man was walking on the north side of the road when he was struck by a westbound vehicle around 11:30 p.m.

Officers say the vehicle did not stop, and there were no witnesses to the accident.

Officials say they believe the vehicle to be white or silver and should have damage to the passenger side front windshield. They are looking for a 1998 to 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup or Blazer.

The identity of the pedestrian has not been released.

Anyone with information should call Broken Arrow Police at 918-259-8400 or the Crime Stoppers number 918-596-COPS.

Bartlesville teens arrested, suspects in an attempted bank robbery

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Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Posted: 9:49 PM
Last Updated: 9 hours and 30 minutes ago

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Two boys were arrested in Bartlesville Friday as primary suspects in an attempted bank robbery.

Bartlesville police say two teenage boys rode up to a Bank of the West on bicycles around 5 p.m. Friday. The boys entered the bank and "demanded a large amount of money."

The bank manager refused, according to police. The boys said they had a gun, but no weapon was ever produced. Authorities say the boys then left after the manager told them to leave.

In review of surveillance footage, an officer recognized the boys from a traffic accident earlier in the day, police say.

The boys, 16 and 17, were arrested around 5:30 p.m. and ordered to the Washington County Detention Center.

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Weird Wisconsin


Sean Janas, Wisconsin resident, systematically tortured boyfriend's dog to death, charges say

Categories: Animal Rights, Weird Wisconsin
sean janas.jpeg
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If the allegations are true, Janas makes Michael Vick look like a caring dog owner.
Sean Janas, a 20-year-old resident of Wausau, kept a diary about systematically torturing her boyfriend's dog to death, prosecutors say.

SEE ALSO:
-- Dayna Bell, accused puppy drowner, to argue dogs were "commercial animals," not pets
-- Benjamin Stavaas, accused dog throat slasher, heads to trial
-- Wisconsin dog "Big Boy" burned to death, 13-year-old arrested


She now faces felony animal cruelty charges that could land her in prison for five years, but many animal rights advocates think that isn't enough.

Janas made a court appearance yesterday and indicated she won't be challenging any of the charges. According to Wisconsin's CBS 6, Janas allegedly poured Drano and bleach down the throat of Mary, a 4-year-old Labrador/shepherd mix (pictured above) that finally died in June after months of torture. Janas also allegedly stabbed the dog with a knife.

The Associated Press, citing a criminal complaint, reports that "Janas kept a diary with entries describing her intense hatred for Mary... the diary also detailed the abuse Janas inflicted on the dog."

Wednesday's hearing brought out about 100 animal rights advocates who demonstrated outside the courtroom as part of a "March for Mary."

From the Wausau Daily Herald:
A line of protesters circled the courthouse before and after the court hearing in support of Mary, and drivers blew horns as cars passed the demonstrators. Some who marched carried signs, and many took their dogs to the demonstration. Kelli Obremski, 42, of Mosinee took her dog, a 1-year-old boxer named Parker. And Obremski's two sons, Ben, 13, and Tanner, 15, took the morning off school to participate.

"We don't have tough enough laws that protect animals, and I believe vets should have to report any suspected abuse, just like they would in a child," Obremski said. "If (Janas) killed man's best friend, she should get the maximum penalty possible. If the abuse had been reported, I have to wonder if that dog could have been saved."
Almost 50,000 people, inspired by Mary, have signed an online petition asking for tougher animal cruelty penalties, according to the Pierce County Herald.

Police find part of woman's ear in man's pocket while booking him into jail

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Joseph Sidney Hall Jr.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Regular Photo Size

Posted: 10/26/2012

TULSA - Tulsa police say a man being booked into the county jail had a woman's ear in his pocket.

Officers were notified early Friday morning of a woman injured and fleeing Braden Creek Apartments near 49th and Yale.

The woman told police she was assaulted and held against her will by her child's father, Joseph Hall Jr., at his apartment.

According to the arrest report, the woman had visible injuries to her face, head, torso, arms and legs. She had bite marks on her body and a portion of her right ear had been torn or cut off.

The woman also had broken ribs and a collapsed lung. She was transported and treated at a local hospital.

Hall was located in front of his apartment where he was taken into custody. He later gave police a statement, in which they say he lied about the whereabouts of his child.

While being booked into the Tulsa County Jail, police found blood stains and clumps of hair matching the victim's.

Among the evidence collected was the remaining portion of the woman's ear, which officers found in Hall's pocket, according to the report.

Hall was booked for domestic assault and battery, kidnapping, maiming and interfering with a police officer.


Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Repealing China's One Child Law May Not Cause Baby Boom

Morning Show
Tags: International, Culture, News, China, population , one child policy

Elly Mui
Nov 2, 2012 20:39 Moscow Time
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A child is carried down a street in Beijing. (c)RIA Novosti, photographer: Vladimir Vyatkin.

A Chinese think-tank is urging leaders to end China's one-child policy and allow two children for every household as soon as possible


CHINA-- The famous one-child policy is being questioned by the China Development Research Foundation, starting a debate on whether repealing the policy would help with China's economic and social issues.

The policy has been criticized for inspiring more violence against less-valued female children, creating a generation of spoiled single "Little Emperor" and "Little Empress" children, and for creating a disproportionate financial burden on youth as China's larger older generation ages. But a study where Chinese parents were allowed to have more than one child shows that financial factors may make it unlikely that repealing the law will result in a baby boom.

Voice of Russia's Elly Mui speaks to Cai Yong from the University of North Carolina on the daring proposal:

NYC Looters Dress Like Con Edison Workers to Gain Access to Houses

Morning Show
Tags: Culture, News, US, Frankenstorm, Hurricane Sandy, New York City
Crystal Park
Nov 1, 2012 19:51



Breezy Point. (c)Voice of Russia, photo: Vasili Sushko.

New York is still struggling with getting back to work and cleaning up. Here are some of the more notable stories from the storm:
Crystal Park interviews New York correspondent Vasili Sushko on the state of the city:

With limited metro access, New Yorkers had some of the worst commutes imaginable today. Thousands of people lined up at bus stops to try to get into Manhattan, and cars without three passengers weren't allowed into the city to try and cut down on traffic.

As of this recording, 600,000 in New York City are still without power. The local power company, Con Edison, is working on areas with the highest population first.

Looters have taken advantage of the confusion and desperation by dressing as Con Edison workers and breaking into houses on the pretext that they were doing electrical repairs. Sushko reports that around 15 people have been arrested for looting.

When Hurricane Katrina struck downtown New Orleans, a huge issue that we saw unfold in the days after was the problem of looting and violence in the streets. Has New York seen anything like that in the past few days?

It has. Sadly it did. From what I understand there have been 15 arrests so far in the outer boroughs of New York City for people who were looting and were arrested. Here are a few stories that I’ve heard. People actually dressed up as Con Edison power utility workers during the actual storm and in the hours after it passed and went and looted apartments that way.

There have also been reports that several, I’d say dozens of pharmacies have been looted. As you know, pharmacies have medications and prescription pills that many people are addicted to and those were looted. Reports of maybe 12 to 15 pharmacies have been looted, but no arrests in connection to any pharmacy lootings.

There have been 15 other arrests I believe most of them coming from Brooklyn and Queens that suffered many of these power outages. Fifteen arrested. I’m not sure if there are going to be more. Places like Long Beach and several places in New Jersey as well have put in these curfews from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. where residents can’t be outside. That was the measure done to prevent looting.

World's Best Hotels (Travels) 2012

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Courtesy of Nayara Hotel

No. 6 Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica
Score: 96.36

Tucked away towards the base of the still-active Arenal Volcano, Nayara could very well be considered the definition of oasis. The resort has views of the volcano, surrounded by a rainforest that bursts with Costa Rica’s trademark bright colors, whether it’s tropical flowers or vibrant creatures (like a blood red dragonfly). With a focus on romance and seclusion, the 50casitas include private outdoor Jacuzzis and sheer curtains surrounding the four-poster beds. Explore the surrounding wilderness by guided hike, zipline, horseback ride, river rafting, or wildlife tour. Then unwind with cocktails at the swim-up bar or a rose petal-adorned massage.

World's Best Hotels 2012

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Courtesy of Discovery Shores

No. 5 Discovery Shores, Boracay, Philippines
Score: 96.77

Barefoot elegance is undoubtedly the vibe on this tiny island, where the 2 and a half-mile stretch known as White Beach is often singled out for being the softest in the world. The 88 spacious suites all have large glass walls that look towards a scenic rock garden, but chances are you'll spend more time by the water. Take a dip in the infinity pool, or jet-ski on the crystalline sea. For people-watching, head to The Sandbar, where they stir up delicious mojitos, infused with local flavors like lychee and mango. Once you're sufficiently refueled, karaoke your heart out, with over 1,000 songs |mostly in English| to choose from at the resort's recreation lounge.

World's Best Hotels 2012





Courtesy of Oberoi Udaivilas

No. 4 Oberoi Udaivilas,Udaipur, India
Score: 97.50

This palatial, 30-acre property, located in central Rajasthan, presides over the banks of Lake Pichola, preserving the enchantment of a bygone era through a distinctly Mewari lens. Royal service is ensured from your arrival as a private boat ferries you across Udaipur's domed palaces. You're also provided with a personal butler who guides you to your room, situated in a private courtyard with silken parasols and views over the jagged Aravalli Mountains. It's hard to believe you're less than 3 miles from the city center and its landmarks like the 16th-century City Palace; the resort can arrange for an English-speaking expert to guide you through its countless corridors and gardens.

World's Best Hotels 2012



Courtesy of Baillie Lodges

No. 3 Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia
Score: 97.87

On a sparsely populated island 30 minutes by plane from Adelaide sits this lodge, which is contemporary in design and green in attitude. The 21 spacious suites have limestone floors, locals' artwork, and outdoor terraces. Air-conditioning is unnecessary: the property was constructed to take advantage of natural weather patterns. Owners James and Hayley Baillie developed only one percent of their total acreage on the wildlife-filled isle, leaving the rest of the land in a preservation trust. Guests learn about the resort’s sustainability policy upon check-in, underscoring the Baillies’ appreciation of the area’s natural beauty.

Best Hotel In the World




Courtesy of Triple Creek Ranch

No. 2 Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, MT

Score: 98.22

Triple Creek is a service-driven, adults-only property in Montana’s Bitterroot Mountains. The 40-acre landscape has 23 plush log cabins, each outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces, hot tubs, original oil paintings and sculptures, and fit-for-a-rancher feather beds topped with locally woven woolens. Itineraries are tailored to guests’ interests and can include fly-fishing, dinners at the chef’s table, and helicopter tours. The Baker and Boulder cabins are the least expensive, but still have a sitting area and fireplace and offer access to a hot tub. In winter, don’t miss a snowshoe excursion across the Chief Joseph Pass—explored by Lewis and Clark in 1805—or the chocolate chip cookies served by cowboy-booted staffers on your return.

Courtesy of Singita Game Reserves | No. 1 Singita Grumeti

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Courtesy of Singita Game Reserves
No. 1 Singita Grumeti Reserves, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Score: 98.25

Pioneering Singita has done it again with the new Singita Explore, a mobile safari camp that's the latest addition to the company's 340,000-acre concession in Tanzania's majestic Serengeti. Other lodges include tented (and stationary) Sabora, with mahogany chests, worn-leather campaign chairs, and thick Persian rugs. Faru Faru, with six chalets overlooking the Grumeti River, channels a Swahili beach resort; a swimming pool curves in front of an open-air lounge, where guests sip sunset cocktails as elephants gather at the watering hole below. The reserve's flagship is Sasakwa, an East African ranch house on a plateau. There are seven cottage residences, each with a garden and cliff-top plunge pool. Tennis courts, a spa, and a yoga center occupy guests between twice-daily game drives, where sightings include elephants, wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. Active travelers can take in the scenery via horseback or mountain bike.

World's Best Hotels 2012

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Courtesy of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek

The results of the annual Travel |Leisure survey are in! Which are the world’s best hotels of 2012?From August 2012By Travel | Leisure Staff | Appeared as "World's Best Awards" in T+L Magazine

Catch a water taxi to the Peninsula Bangkok, and the chaos of the Thai capital slips away as you enter your serene guest room, done in silks and teakwood, overlooking the Chao Phraya River and glittering cityscape. The hotel, a longtime favorite, makes such an impression that it’s now ranked No. 11 in the world.

Everyone wants to know where to stay, and for 17 years running, we’ve asked T+L readers, who are passionate about travel, to vote on the hotels they love the most. The resulting World’s Best Awards are a collection of the properties that go above and beyond. The voting categories stay the same—rooms, location, service, food, and value—but this year’s results showcase the hotels and destinations that are important now.

One noticeable trend: Istanbul is on the rise. The city’s Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul on the Bosphorus ranked No. 24 (it’s also the No. 1 Large City Hotel in Europe); readers love the riverfront location and the 19th-century building’s refined elegance. Elsewhere in Europe, readers are heading to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where the family-run Hotel Santa Caterina offers antique-filled rooms and the seclusion of a private beach, terraced gardens, and citrus orchards.

Some surprising newcomers also made the ranks of the T+L 2012 World’s Best Awards: the romantic Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, near Costa Rica’s Arenal volcano, debuts at No. 6 (it’s the first Costa Rican hotel to break into the Top 10); Australia’s Southern Ocean Lodge, the country’s first wilderness luxury retreat, surged to the top of the list at No. 3.

But the top 50 hotels aren’t exclusively found in far-flung destinations. In 2012, almost 20 percent of the winners are right here in the United States. That includes No. 12, Charleston’s genteel Wentworth Mansion, with its romantic restaurant and rooftop cupola’s views, and No. 21, the Osprey at Beaver Creek, CO, a recently renovated ski-in, ski-out hotel near the slopes.

Safari lodges are tough to beat, however, especially Singita Grumeti Reserves, in Tanzania. Two lodges and two camps (including one mobile camp, set up in various locations around the Serengeti) make up this exotic winner, which has ranked No. 1 in the world for two years running. For all the World’s Best Hotel winners, read on—and then hit the road to experience them yourself.

—Sarah Spagnolo

Couples Sans Souci Jamaica | Best Resorts in the Caribbean

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Courtesy of Couples Resorts
No. 6 Couples Sans Souci
Jamaica

The one-bedroom beachfront suites at this cliffside adults-only resort have sitting areas and views of the ocean from balconies or patios. And don’t miss the award-winning spa, with its mineral pool and spring-fed grotto.

Best Resorts in the Caribbean|Couples Swept Away



Courtesy of Couples Resorts
No. 5 Couples Swept Away
Jamaica

The all-inclusive vacation is a grown-up affair at this refined adults-only resort. The 312 airy wood-and-tile rooms and suites are spread out over 17 acres of gardens along Negril's Seven Mile Beach. A recent $7 million expansion added nice touches, such as an infinity pool.

Best Resorts in the Caribbean

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Courtesy of Couples Resorts

No. 4 Couples Tower Isle
Jamaica

The first Couples resort, recently renovated with 20 new rooms, a dive pool, and ten spa treatment rooms. Book one of the top floor Ocean Junior Suites and take advantage of the breathtaking sea views on your private balcony.

Best Resorts in the Caribbean

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Courtesy of the Jamaica Inn

No. 3 Jamaica Inn
Jamaica

Gracing its own sandy cove on the east side of Ocho Rios, this classic Caribbean resort has been around since the colonial days of the 1950’s. The 47 suites are a blend of Indonesian, colonial, and retro Jamaican décor, but remain refreshingly unplugged, with no TV’s to shatter the peace. Every suite has its own outdoor space, with a private infinity pool and sea entrance just steps from the bedrooms.

Best Resorts in the Caribbean

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Courtesy of Jade Mountain

No. 2 Jade Mountain
St. Lucia

Located at the highest point of the resort, near the west coast town of Soufrière, the hotel wraps around the hillside, its exterior all curves and rough stone. Inside, each of the 28 suites is unique, but they all share impressive features: infinity pools or jacuzzis, 15-foot ceilings, and loftlike architecture—even the raised bathroom is essentially part of one huge space. Walk into the living room and it seems as if you’ve walked into the Pitons: since there is no fourth wall obscuring the view, it’s completely exposed to the elements.

Best Resorts in the Caribbean



Peter Frank Edwards

No. 1 Nisbet Plantation Beach Club
Nevis/St. Kitts

These wicker-furnished cottages sit on a palm-fringed 18th-century former sugar plantation
For the best views book one of the six Lower Deluxe Junior suites, with attached patios facing the ocean.

Introducing Europe

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Few places pack the punch of Europe. From its Northern Lights to its Southern shores, this drama queen keeps on thrilling, surprising and confusing with her extraordinary wealth of sights, sounds, peoples and parties.

Overwhelming it can be, confusing for sure – just perusing a map of the crowded Old World will reveal cities, mountain ranges, seas and even countries you may never have even heard of. But the good news is that whatever you decide to do here, you’ll leave blown away by the sights, sounds, tastes and other sensations you’ll experience: there simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck.

First timers might try a sprinkling of the classics |Britain, France, Germany, Spain|and spice it up with a dash of something classical |Italy, Greece, Turkey|, while those who have covered the essentials can try lesser-explored destinations |the Balkans, Scandinavia,Portugal or Poland|. For the truly original the sky is the limit – Iceland, Albania,Moldova and Belarus all see few travellers, while for the true eccentric, microstatesAndorra, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg might beckon.

Momentous history
What a heritage Europe has! As well as the birthplace of democracy in Athens, the Forum of Rome, the renaissance buildings and art of Florence, the graceful canals ofVenice and the Napoleonic grandeur of Paris, there’s always the less expected sites such as the Moorish palaces of Andalucía, the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the World in Turkey, the majesty of a second Venice in St Petersburg and the haunting buildings of Auschwitz in Poland.

Cutting-edge culture
But Europe is far from preoccupied by its extraordinary past. The continent leads the world in fashion, art, music, architecture and design; just see the street styles and music scenes of London and Berlin, the ground-breaking design in Antwerp,Copenhagen and Stockholm or the amazing displays of contemporary art, well, just about everywhere.

Breathtaking landscapes
Glorious scenery your thing? Try out the awesome fjords of Norway, the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands, the volcanic dramatics of Iceland, the breathtaking Alps of France, Switzerland and Italy, and the lesser-known mountains of Spain,Slovenia, Southern Poland and Slovakia. For beach life you can fight for some sand on France’s Côte d’Azur, Spain’s Costa Brava or Portugal’s Algarve, or – far more enjoyably – discover your own pristine beach in Albania, Bulgaria or on the gem-like islands of Greece and Croatia.

Smashing stereotypes
A trip around Europe’s patchwork of nations will inevitably make you rethink what you thought you knew about the place. As with any form of travel, surprises await: nationalities about whom you know little beyond lazy clichés will become humanised, complex and contradictory; you will feel the chill on your spine when you see that iconic work of art in the flesh or find yourself standing right where that happened. You will at least once find yourself on a beach, up a mountain, at a café or in a club thinking ‘these people know how to live’.

Yes, Europe has and offers it all. So don’t delay – get planning your own European odyssey as soon as you can. With so many extraordinary destinations offering incredible things to see and do, your only problem will be where to begin…

Ready to go?
You can start by browsing our list of the best things to do in Europe and downloading our free 10-page 'Europe Essentials' .

These tours & activities make it easy:
Tour from Rome to Paris
Travel from St Petersburg to Budapest
See the highlights of Italy in a week
Walk the spectacular Tour du Mont Blanc
Enjoy the best of Holland and Belgium

Need more inspiration? Check out our best photos and videos from around Europeand dive into Thorn Tree's Europe branches, where the world's most experienced travel community unearths the continent's hidden gems.

Best Resorts in the Caribbean

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Courtesy of Anse Chastanet Resor
Unwind at these inviting beachfront hideaways, hilltop resorts, and seaside hotels.From January 2011By Donna Heiderstadt, Travel + Leisure Staff

Toes in the sand, a frosty tropical cocktail in hand, and a bit of soulful reggae playing as the sun slowly sets—that’s the very essence of a Caribbean resort, right? Indeed, but just like the two dozen unique islands they call home, Caribbean resorts defy easy generalization. A few are luxurious enclaves, some are lively all-inclusives, and others are one-of-a-kind properties with a look and vibe all their own. Which are considered the best?

Based on the results of our ninth annual T+L 500, where we ask readers to choose their favorite hotels and resorts around the world, 29 Caribbean properties on 12 islands made the cut. Read on for a few tantalizing highlights, followed by a slideshow of the top 20 vote-getters.

Jamaica, one of the Caribbean’s most popular destinations, claims six of the top 20 resorts, including the genteel and romantic Jamaica Inn (No. 3). This 60-year-old Ocho Rios property features 47 suites awash in whimsical periwinkle blue, plus an alfresco dining terrace where guests are invited to slow dance to live music.

Chic St. Bart’s and lush St. Lucia are each home to three top 20 properties, including Le Toiny (No. 13), an intimate hilltop resort of 15 villas with private plunge pools and panoramic views of the island’s picturesque bays, and St. Lucia neighbors Anse Chastanet Resort and Ladera (tied at No. 20), both of which feature rustic-chic architecture with open walls offering clear vistas of the Piton peaks.

Turks and Caicos’ 72-suite Regent Palms (No. 12) makes the list for the first time. Set on scenic Grace Bay, the resort is known for its airy, kitchen-equipped suites and award-winning spa.

The youngest property on the list is Bermuda’s Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa (No. 7), which opened in April 2009 as the island’s first new resort in 37 years. And one all-inclusive group managed to snag a total of four top 20 honors (three of them in the Top 10). So read on to learn which brand won high marks with T+L readers—and, of course, to find out which low-key Caribbean resort catapulted out of nowhere into the coveted No. 1 spot. —Donna Heiderstadt

Affordable Asia



AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, ASIA IS IN A BIT OF A SLUMP. One man's burden, however, is another man's bargain, and Asia's financial free fall has led to some of the most extraordinary deals ever.

Tumbling currencies aren't completely to blame. In fact, the main reason Asia offers such value right now is a side effect of the economic malaise: To save money—or at least spend it in their home economies—Asians themselves have largely ceased traveling outside their countries. (Imagine if the tourism industry of Florida or California had to rely solely on in-state travelers.) The result?A glut of empty airline seats and hotel rooms, making this possibly the best time ever for Westerners to venture East. Just about everything is cheaper; the people will be thrilled to see you (and, of course, your money); and you'll run into markedly fewer tourists than you would have a year ago. So go, and go soon. And don't feel for a second as if you're exploiting Asia while it's down—these countries don't just want travelers right now, they need them.

CITY HOTELS

Almost every hotel is desperately pitching packages galore, though there's no telling how long this will last. Christmas rates, for instance, look to be about normal, and as more people start going and hotels fill up, prices will undoubtedly rise.

So how do you get the best deal?In general, you should book with the hotel directly. Ask for the lowest available rate, and request every free extra you can think of: upgrades, breakfasts, newspapers, late checkout, limo transfers. If you're staying more than one day, inquire about a complimentary night or two—you'll be surprised how often you'll get it.

We've concentrated on the summer prices, comparing them to last year's for best effect. ("Rack" rates—a hotel's published prices—are notoriously inflated in most of the world, and especially here.) All prices quoted are in U.S. dollars for double rooms, and do not include taxes or service charges, which range from 10 to 21 percent.

HONG KONG Times must be tough if the Peninsula (800/223-6800 or 852/2366-6251, fax 852/2722-4170), the choice of royalty and celebrities, is bargaining. And indeed it is. You can get a superior room for $337, compared to last year's $387. The better the room, the sweeter the deal: three nights in a deluxe accommodation cost $927 (in 1997, this would have set you back $1,161). The Regent Hong Kong (800/545-4000 or 852/2721-1211, fax 852/2739-4546)—the chain's flagship property, with the best views in town—is keeping the Peninsula company with rates (good through mid-September) starting at $272 for a plaza-view room; full American breakfast is thrown in, too. The best deal among the better establishments, however, is at the Conrad International Hong Kong (800/445-8667 or 852/2521-3838, fax 852/2521-3888): rooms are priced at $205, $65 off last year's $270 discount rate. And you still get the signature rubber ducky for the tub.

THAILAND Book the minimum two nights at the Regent Bangkok (800/545-4000 or 66-2/354-9999, fax 66-2/253-9195; doubles from $240 per night), or the minimum three nights at the Regent Chiang Mai (66-53/298-181, fax 66-53/298-189; doubles from $272 per night), and you get another night free. Through September at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok(800/228-9000 or 66-2/254-1234, fax 66-2/254-6308), reserve at least two nights in a standard room for $160 and you get an automatic upgrade to a deluxe room, a round-trip limousine airport transfer, daily breakfast, and duty-free discounts. Cheaper still is the Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok (800/942-5050 or 66-2/236-7777, fax 66-2/236-8579), where rates have been slashed by 30 percent off the rack rate. Rooms now start at $168.

SINGAPORE Through August, the new Conrad International Centennial Singapore(800/445-8667 or 65/334-8888, fax 65/333-9166) has deluxe rooms for $137, compared with 1997's price of $160. Deluxe rooms at the Grand Hyatt Singapore (800/223-1234 or 65/738-1234, fax 65/732-1696) are going for $167, down from $195.

MALAYSIA At Amanresorts' ultra-luxurious Carcosa Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur (60-3/282-1888, fax 60-3/282-7888), the former residence of the British colonial governors, doubles begin at $487, versus $752 last August. Somewhat less expensive are Shangri-La's hotels in Kuala Lumpur (800/942-5050 or 60-3/232-2388, fax 60-3/230-1514) and Penang (800/942-5050 or 60-4/262-2622, fax 60-4/262-6526), where you can get a double room for $57, including two American breakfasts, and with no charge for children under 18 (staying with their parents, naturally).

PHILIPPINES Through August, the Mandarin Oriental, Manila (800/526-6566 or 63-2/750-8888, fax 63-2/817-2472) offers a rate of $149, double, versus last year's $175. The Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila (800/228-3000 or 63-2/551-5555, fax 63-2/551-5610) has doubles from $113 per night until September 15; bookings must be made three weeks in advance. A $160-a-night package at the Peninsula Manila (800/223-6800 or 63-2/810-3456, fax 63-2/815-4825), good until September 15, includes a deluxe corner room as well as American breakfast, pressing of one garment, fruit basket, newspaper, and checkout until 6 p.m.

VIETNAM You'll get a good slump-year discount if you call a hotel directly, but an even better one if you go through a Vietnam-based travel agent. Vietnamtourism in Ho Chi Minh City (84-8/829-0776, fax 84-8/829-0775; there's also a Washington, D.C., office at 202/232-0688, fax 202/232-0689) located several deals—and can get you a visa for $10 less than the embassy. Hanoi's best supermodern hotel, with great restaurants and top-notch service, the Daewoo Hotel(84-4/831-5555, fax 84-4/831-5500) has discount rates of $105, down $45 from last year. The new luxury high-rise Meritus Westlake (84-4/823-8888, fax 84-4/829-3888), also in Hanoi, is cheaper, at $90. In Ho Chi Minh City, the top downtown hotel is the New World (84-8/822-8888, fax 84-8/823-0710), with its rooftop swimming pool and full-service health club—all yours for $85. Too much?A room at the chic, centrally located Saigon Prince (84-8/822-2999, fax 84-8/824-1888) is $70 a night, $15 less than last year. It may not sound like much, but $15 buys a lot in Vietnam.

BEACH RESORTS

Southeast Asia has some of the best beaches in the world (as a bonus, you're likely to see fewer Americans there than almost anywhere else). And the perks can be an incredible bargain: in Nha Trang, for example, Vietnam's most popular seaside town, masseuses work the beach for as little as $2 a half-hour.

INDONESIA Travelers to Indonesia should check with the State Department before going, but Bali and Lombok have remained relatively untouched (a T&L editor who was there during the rioting in Jakarta reported that all was calm). Bali's Lorin Hotel Saba Bai (62-361/297-070, fax 62-361/297-171), in a village south of Ubud, is a small luxury hotel where many suites have their own plunge pools. It has responded to the tourism slump with drastic reductions. Summer prices should bottom out at $250, 30 percent off the rack rate. The Bali Hyatt (800/228-9000 or 62-361/288-271, fax 62-361/287-693) is advertising rooms at $80. Prices at the Grand Hyatt Bali, Nusa Dua (800/228-9000 or 62-361/771-234, fax 62-361/772-038) are only slightly higher at $90. If you want to bring the family along, a special package allows for two adults and two children, breakfast for the whole crew, and half-day use of the kids' program, Camp Nusa—all for $145. The newish Ritz-Carlton, Bali (800/241-3333 or 62-361/702-222, fax 62-361/701-555) has a $118 rate, which translates into savings of 15 percent over 1997. The top-notch Oberoi, Bali(800/562-3764 or 62-361/730-361, fax 62-361/730-791) has doubles for $205, and the deals get better on neighboring Lombok, where you can crash in Oberoi style for as low as $185 (800/562-3764 or 62-370/38444, fax 62-370/32496).

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