If I told you I stayed at the dreamiest hotel imaginable, what comes to mind? Frills and lace? Lots of pink bows and frou-frou design? The Dream Hotel in Mons is a travel lover's dream come true, but there's not a bow or frill in sight! Instead you get an incredibly unique property, an ultra chic design, and the perfect base for exploring the city of Mons. This character-full hotel is the ideal compliment to the European Capital of Culture!

Housed in a centuries old former convent and chapel, the exterior facade melts into the city-scape. Inside, however, things are nothing but modern and chic. There's such a great marriage of the old and new and I especially loved the funky detail like the cool main floor bar, the bright red murals, and the funky black printed carpets and walls in the hallways. 

It's hard to imagine travel or vacation without instantly picturing a beautiful beach somewhere - and I must confess to being a fan of warm weather myself. But there are amazing travel experiences all around the world and all around the calendar. Cold weather is no reason not to enjoy travel to the fullest. Even deep winter experiences, where the snow goes up to the roof and the thermostat plunges down to -20 (or even -40!) can be incredibly enriching and surprisingly comfortable experiences - provided you know what you're getting into!

I asked nine experienced travel writers to share their best tips and happiest memories from their frostiest travel experiences and I know their advice will warm your heart - and maybe even your toes! 

Welcome to the latest installment of the "Save, Splurge, Steal" interview series. Getting great value when I travel is always such a fun challenge for me and I love to learn how other people get the best possible experience for their available time and money. I'm asking pro travelers to share their expertise and I hope you enjoy their responses as much as I do!

Robert Reid is National Geographic Traveler's Digital Nomad. He's been in travel publishing for over 15 years, his writings appearing in the New York Times, Lonely Planet and ESPN. He's appeared on TV shows like CNN's Headline News and NBC's Today Show to talk travel trends, and he was once featured in the fricking Fiddlehead Focus of Aroostook County, Maine. He creates the "76-Second Travel Show" and buys vinyl from his home in Portland, Oregon.

1) How do you save money in order to travel?

Oh, I'm totally crap at saving money. I have no money saved. And I'm sort of old. Just yesterday I happened by a record store and ended up spending $19 on two records I've long had CDs for, and don't need. But the Beach Boys "Friends"? Seriously? You never see an old copy of that. I need to live, right? So, of course I bought it.

I'm lucky in that I incorporated my work life with travel life, so travel is already "built in." I so rarely just take trips for trips' sake anymore. Back before I did that, I made sure I took at least one trip a year. I'd try to save a little from each paycheck, but usually failed. So I just racked up serious credit-card debt. I banked several trips off the cards, and it took me years to pay for them. I don't regret it at all.

I am absolutely obsessed with tiny places and spaces with plenty of hidden nooks and crannies. Folding camping gear, hidden drawers in RVs, nifty gadgets for organizing luggage - these are just a few of my favourite things! So it only made sense that I visited Amsterdam's Houseboat Museum at Prinsengracht 296K. Visiting a houseboat is like the Disneyworld of organization and I couldn't wait to check out how every square foot of space is used to the max. 

There was just one problem. Exactly how would my notorious seasickness fare on a houseboat?

Almost everyone dreams of having a warm winter escape, but sometimes the best travel experiences aren't necessarily a flight or time zone away. When I spent an un-girly girls' weekend in the Ontario Highlands and the town of Haliburton, I found blazing red flames, pink and purple beets, a warm workout, and the perfect place to sizzle and fry the catch of the day.  In short I found plenty of things to heat up the winter weather- and to warm my heart!