I have a new best friend to travel with – my Titan four-wheeled roll-on luggage. I never dreamed that having luggage with a backbone and four feet of its own could make so much difference in my travel life.

You can find big discounts on luxury resorts, cruises and inns if you try a few of these tricks for having the best for less. Everyone loves to save money, and with a few simple strategies you can travel in deluxe style at budget-friendly prices.

While many of the lodgings in the Solares de Portugal group are noble manor houses or great wine estates, some have more modest beginnings. They may be a group of town houses converted into a little oasis of luxurious tranquility.

Staying in a noble manor house on a famous wine estate is the best way to explore Portugal’s famed Douro Valley region, home of Port wine.

If I were handing out prizes for the best hotel concierge I’ve met, David at Blythswood Square Hotel would be in the top contenders. He was everywhere, thinking of everything before we did. But that was typical of this charming hotel in the heart of Glasgow.

I’m staying at Tenuta Pilastru, an agritourism inn high above Arzenchena, about 15 minutes from the Costa Smeralda, but light years away in style and class.

Ski right out the door and onto the gondola at Loon Mountain Club, in the heart of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Or curl up in front of the fireplace with a good book, swim a few laps in the heated pool, luxuriate in the spa and forget the snowy landscapes outside.

The shining example of the Solares de Portugal, Paco de Calheiros, offers an exceptional travel experience that goes far beyond any hotel. Guests of the Count and his wife can spend their days exploring the estate or touring northern Portugal

Travelers looking for an experience that combines luxury lodgings with a rare chance to live in a distinguished manor hotel should plan a vacation itinerary in northern Portugal.

Charming inns, scones and cream at tea-time overlooking the sea, fresh-caught seafood, and stunning sunset views are all part of a New Brunswick island getaway.