Hi Reader,

Welcome to Come Travel with Melodie.

Every week I'll share a travel experience, a practical travel tip, and a tool or app that's helped make our travels easier. My goal is to help you travel smarter, discover great places, and make the most of your adventures.

This week, I'm taking you to one of my favorite discoveries from last summer: Quebec City. Gary and I visited Quebec City for a blogging conference, and it quickly became one of our favorite destinations.

What surprised us most was how European it felt. Cobblestone streets, historic buildings, charming cafes, and incredible food made us feel like we had crossed the Atlantic. The best part? No overnight flight, no jet lag, and no major time difference.

We spent our days exploring the city on a hop-on hop-off bus tour, walking through Old Quebec, riding the funicular, taking the ferry across the river, and enjoying a river cruise. One afternoon, I escaped to a spa outside the city where I relaxed in outdoor hot spring pools and saunas. It was the perfect way to recharge after a busy conference.

Of course, one of the highlights was the food. We enjoyed several memorable meals, including the famous La Buche restaurant and 1640 Restaurant. And yes, I had plenty of poutine while we were there.

We also spent time exploring the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, one of the most photographed hotels in the world. Whether you're interested in history, food, sightseeing, or simply wandering beautiful streets, Quebec City has something for everyone.

If Quebec City isn't on your travel list yet, it should be.

👉 Read more about our favorite Quebec City experiences:

• Hilton Quebec City Review
​https://travelmustdos.com/hilton-quebec-city-hotel-review/​

• La Buche Restaurant Review
​https://travelmustdos.com/la-buche-quebec-city/​

• Quebec City Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
​https://travelmustdos.com/quebec-city-hop-on-hop-off-bus-tour/​

• 1640 Restaurant Review
​https://travelmustdos.com/1640-restaurant-quebec-city/​

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💡 Travel Tip of the Week: Get More Value From Hotel Status

One of the best ways to stretch your travel budget is to take advantage of hotel loyalty programs.

For this trip, we used Hilton Honors points to stay at the Hilton Quebec City. One of my favorite Hilton benefits is the "5th Night Free" perk on award stays. When you book five nights using points, you only pay for four.

We also received access to the executive lounge. Each morning we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast, and in the evenings there were appetizers and drinks. A couple of nights, there was enough food that we didn't need to purchase dinner.

Whether you stay with Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, or another brand, it's worth learning the benefits that come with elite status and award stays. Those perks can add up quickly.

One additional tip. If you're considering Quebec City, summer offers beautiful weather and long days for exploring. Winter can be magical too, especially during festival season, but be prepared for temperatures that can drop well below freezing.

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🎒 Melodie's Travel Pick of the Week: Gondola

I've recently started using an app called Gondola, and it has quickly become one of my favorite travel tools.

Best of all, it's completely free to use.

Gondola tracks hotel reservations and helps identify opportunities to save money when rates drop. Depending on how you set it up, it can either notify you about a lower rate or automatically rebook eligible reservations.

You can choose how Gondola receives your reservation information. It can securely monitor your email for hotel confirmations, or if you prefer, you can simply forward your reservation emails to the service manually.

For trips we have planned over the next year, I've already seen savings ranging from a few dollars to several hundred dollars.

What I like most is that you can still earn your hotel points, elite night credits, credit card rewards, and other loyalty benefits. Unlike many third-party booking sites, you're not giving up your hotel status benefits to save money.

You can also book many hotels directly through Gondola and earn Gondola Cash on top of your normal hotel points, elite status credit, and credit card rewards. In other words, you may be able to stack multiple rewards on the same reservation while still receiving your hotel loyalty benefits.

Between the rate tracking, automatic price monitoring, and the ability to earn Gondola Cash while still receiving hotel points and status credit, it's become one of the first apps I check whenever I'm planning a trip.

If you'd like to try it, here's my referral link:

​https://gondola.ai/invite/A95C33PJ4​

If you sign up and book a hotel stay, we can both earn $50 in Gondola Cash.

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Where are you traveling this summer?

Hit reply and let me know. I love hearing about your upcoming adventures and getting new ideas for future trips.

Until next time,

Melodie
​Travel Must Do's​

P.S. Join the Come Travel with Melodie Facebook group to share travel tips, ask questions, and get advice before your next trip.

P.P.S. Some links may be affiliate links, which means if you click and buy something, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Travel Must Do's.