Joining the trendy pop-up trend is the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, just in time for the summer rush.

The Five-Star luxury hotel on the Boston Common is prepping its lobby for summer crowds with a summer favorite: ice cream.

Starting July 3 and running through Sept. 8, the hotel will host an ice-cream pop-up shop featuring ice cream from Gifford's Local Ice Cream. You can grab your $6 scoop Wednesdays through Sundays from 1-4pm.

The pop-up will also offer various ice cream dishes, like the Romeo & Juliet (2 scoops of various flavors for $9), The Kitchen Sink (5 scoops of various flavors for $15) and extra scoops for $3. Each cone comes with a free topping.

Looking to save a little on summer travel? Maybe you have a few extra dollars you're willing to spend? TripAdvisor recently released the results of their annual study that analyzes the costs of a night out and overnight stay (a four-star hotel, cocktails, a two-course dinner paired with a bottle of wine, and round-trip taxi ride) in cities around the globe, giving travelers some insight into cost-effective travel.

Boston ranked third on the list, following Honolulu and New York City.

TripAdvisor looked at prices from June 1 through August 31, and showed the biggest increases happening in Orlando, Denver, Honolulu, L.A. and Seattle. Honolulu was the most expensive U.S. city ($504.94), while Oslo brought in the highest numbers internationally ($581.08). If you're looking for a budget trip, a night out in Vegas will cost you $272.94 and Sofia, Bulgaria, is a bargain at $158.42.

Prepare your sweet tooth, because next installment of Mandarin Oriental, Boston's pop-up shop is bound to make your mouth water and cure any and all sugar cravings.

After a successful couple months in the pop-up business, Mandarin Oriental, Boston is setting up it's next shop: Oralia’s Pop-Up Cake Shoppe.

Oralia’s Cake Shoppe will feature a four special cakes created by Mandarin Oriental, Boston pastry chef Oralia Perez, who also creates all of the hotel's wedding cakes. The individual servings of cakes will include Boston Cream Cupcake, Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, Carrot and Cream Cheese Cake and Strawberry Shortcake.

You can grab the cakes to go, or enjoy them with a glass of champagne, or a cup of coffee or tea in the hotel lobby. The cakes are all priced at $10.

The Cake Shoppe, open now, will be available daily from 1:00pm to 4:00pm in the Lobby Lounge next to the fireplace.

In the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedies, airlines and hotels are waiving cancellation and trip change fees for travelers. If you're in Boston, or you have plans to travel to Boston, here is a list of phone numbers to call for travel changes:

AIRLINES

American Airlines: 1-800-433-7300
AirTran: Call 800-AIR-TRAN (800-247-8726)
Delta: 800-221-1212
JetBlue: 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583)
Southwest Airlines: 1-800-435-9792
United Airlines: 800-864-8331
US Airways: 800-428-4322
Virgin America: 1.877.359.8474

HOTELS

Hotels are also waiving fees for last-minute re-bookings. Here's a list of the major hotel groups and their phone numbers:

Fairmont Hotels: 800-527-4727
Four Seasons: 800-332-3442
Hilton Hotels: 800-445-8667
Hyatt Hotels: 800-233-1234
InterContinental Hotels: 800-327-0200
Kimpton: 800-546-7866
Marriott: 800-831-1000
Preferred Hotels: 800-323-7500
Ritz-Carlton: 800-241-3333
Sheraton Hotels: 800-325-3535
W Hotels: 877-946-8357
Westin Hotels: 800-325-3535
Wyndham Hotels: 800-545-5545

The most important thing at this point is your safety.

If your travel plans are cancelled, or if you need to change your travel plans, rest assured you'll be able to do this with ease.

Watch this space and I'll keep you updated on any more information about travel as it happens.

The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston is looking to spruce up its cocktail menu. The search for a new signature martini is on, and the Bristol is taking to social media for the drink of choice

If you make a mean martini, The Bristol Lounge Bar wants to hear about it. The bar has always ben known for serving up Boston’s best martinis and switching up their cocktail menu seasonally, but now the bar looking for one martini that will remain: The Bristol Martini.

Think you have a flare for mixology? Create your own Bristol Martini and submit it through Facebook. The Bar is hosting a martini contest from now through April 9, 2013, and the winner will receive a year of complimentary appetizers, and his/her name on the menu at the Bristol Lounge.

Here's how you can enter:

If you're planning to read your nuptials in New England, Forbes Travel Guide has some suggestions for you. While the Boston Commons and Boston Public Gardens are often the most popular spots for wedding photos in the spring and summer, the four- and five-star hotels in the city are where weddings typically hold court.

Forbes rates The Four Seasons, Boston, as one of the top wedding venues in Boston. The hotel offers panoramic views of Boston Common and the Boston Garden, and has private bridal and bridesmaid suites for day-of preparations. The hotel also has a wedding package that includes a honeymoon suite, as well as transportation to the airport on the day of your departure.

The Mandarin Oriental, Boston, gives wedding guests great views of Back Bay and Boylston Street. For the wedding party, the hotel offers spa packages as part of the wedding event.

If you're a fan of The Bristol Lounge you've likely enjoyed a few Fizzy Friday's in the bar, sipping on Champagne and nibbling on amuse bouche du jour. Now, the Champagne-soaked Fridays are getting kicked up a notch with First Fridays, a new promotion taking place at the Four Seasons Boston.

First Fridays happens on the first Friday of each month, and The Bristol Lounge will turn into a Champagne bar in which the bar's favorite Champagne labels will be on hand to pour bubbly from 5:30-7:00 pm.

First Fridays kicks off on Friday, March 1st with Louis Roederer, who will be pouring Louis Roederer Vintage and Louis Roederer Estate L’Ermitage at The Bristol Lounge. As a guest, you'll enjoy complimentary sips of champagne as well as some gourmet bites.

Luxury awaits in the Laurel Suite at Blantyre Resort, named one of the top hotels in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts has another set of awards to be proud: some of the best hotels in the U.S. are located right here in the Bay State. US News ranked the top hotels in Massachusetts based on an "unbiased analysis of awards, expert recommendations and user ratings," according to their site. Out of 55 luxury hotels, nine scored high enough to make the U.S. News list of the Best Hotels in the USA.

Here are the top 10 hotels in Mass., including some commentary from U.S. News:

1. Mandarin Oriental: Recent guests describe the hotel as "sensational," "outstanding," and "special."
2. Four Seasons, Boston: The Four Seasons Hotel Boston is known for catering to even the most discerning of luxury-seekers.
3. Blantyre Resort: Recent visitors say they felt like royalty during their stay.
4. Wequassett Resort and Golf Club: Guests rave about everything from the amenities to the guest room decor and superb staff.
5. The Wauwinet: Popular with honeymooners, The Wauwinet sits in a quieter northern corner of Nantucket island.
6. Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf: When it comes to describing this waterfront hotel, guests use words like "wonderful," "gorgeous," and "excellent."
7. XV Beacon Hotel: If you're looking for extravagance, then the XV Beacon can certainly oblige.
8. Hotel Commonwealth: This stylish boutique hotel features spacious accommodations, sumptuous Italian linens, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs.
9. The White Elephant Nantucket Island: The White Elephant has been a favorite of Nantucket's bluebloods since the 1920s.
10. Chatham Bars Inn: The Chatham Bars Inn is been a cozy oceanfront retreat that beckons Cape Cod visitors with its laid-back luxury.

Check out the entire list of top rated Massachusetts hotels.

Related stories:
Top hotels for food lovers
Top destinations for 2013

Readers: What's your favorite hotel in Massachusetts?

View from the deck of an Ocean View room in the Main Inn at Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham.

While the rest of the world flocks to Cape Cod for the summer months, local New Englanders know the beauty that Cape Cod beholds in the off-season.

Snow-covered beach walks, hot chocolate strolls, slow-roasted dinners, after-dinner drinks by the fire in the bar. These are the things that make Cape Cod worthy of a winter escape. Add to this the discounted hotel and resort rates, and relatively empty stores and restaurants (read: no waiting in long lines or reservations necessary), and you've got yourself a great weekend getaway at a fraction of the price.

I took a quick trip to Chatham this weekend to check things out. Yes, it was cold. Yes, it was quiet. Yes, it was perfect. And shouldn't every day, regardless of the weather, start with a walk on the beach?

A few things you should know before you go:

• Cape Cod is unvisited in the winter months, which means a lot of shopping and restaurants you would frequent in-season are shut down from November - February or March. This is your time to try something new. Make a reservation somewhere you would normally have a hard time getting into during the high-tourist season and enjoy a leisurely dinner.
• Regardless of when you visit the Cape, the beach will be hard to resist. Enjoy a morning or afternoon walk in the snow-sprinkled sand. You'll see plenty of people walking their dogs, going for a jog or taking photos. Bundle up and join the fun.
• While many bars and restaurants are open, the hours are varied to accommodate to the slower season. Call ahead before you go to make sure your favorite hole-in-the-wall bar is open or that the restaurant you want to dine in is accepting reservations.
• The nice thing about visiting the Cape off-season is the opportunity for more hotel amenities, like easy upgrades, thanks to low occupancy. However, low occupancy means there might be fewer staff on call, so be patient. Just kick back and relax.

The Bruins are back on the ice, and to celebrate the return of Boston's beloved hockey team, local hotels are offering some great deals on room rates and discounts on seats.

The Onyx Hotel: The "Locked In" deal at Kimpton’s Onyx Hotel keeps guests walking distance from the TD Garden. Package rates start at $800 and includes:

• An overnight stay in deluxe accommodations
• Two tickets to a Bruins game in top-of-the-line seats
• One appetizer and one drink each for two people in the Ruby Room
• Two Bruins’ jerseys to wear to the game

Book online or call 1-866-660-6699 and mention rate code PLOCK.