Mrs Happy Hotelier has the keenest and sharpest eye for details, details and … for details: She nudges me every day: ” Seen that? Repair it! Make it work”. I’m learning every day. So I’m glad I can share with you something I noticed and an observation of a fellow hotelier who told me not so long ago: “You know, when I was younger and was managing housekeeping in a hotel, this is what always happened to me: Once a week I had to do the hotel tour, checking the hotel with the boss. I just had checked everything myself half an hour before I took the boss around…
Selected by happyhotelier
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Happy Hotelier
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Hotel Managers have to be Critical and see Everything
3 Nov 2009 | 7:59 am -
2009 WordCampNL Photos
1 Nov 2009 | 4:33 pmI’ve finalized the uploading to Flickr of the photos I took at WordCampNL. I will devote one or two posts to the camp later. For the moment I leave it with posting this slideshow. The reason I link to my own stream and not the entire pool is that it is chronologically organized from the checking in to the final one thanking Erno photo. All photos are also in the WordCamp Nederland group. Post from: Happy Hotelier -
Tripadvisor Expands in China
31 Oct 2009 | 4:14 pmThis was not the post I had in mind about Tripadvisor. However It shows they are not sitting on their hands clipped from thenextweb.com TripAdvisor To Acquire China’s Second Largest Travel Site TripAdvisor, committing itself further to the Chinese market, has now agreed to acquire Kuxun.cn, a flight and hotel search engine and the country’s second largest travel site. This will see TripAdvisor own two of China’s top ten travel websites along with Daodao.com who it acquired in April. The combination of DaoDao.com and Kuxun.cn will more than double traffic for TripAdvisor Media Group… -
2009 Wordcamp NL
30 Oct 2009 | 3:54 pmTearing myself away from the hotel. After some gentle nudging I’m charging batteries for camera and netbook. Hope to be able to give some coverage tomorrow when I’ll be at the first ever Wordcamp in the Netherlands. I’m experimenting a bit with a plugin that gives a Twitterfountain. The only problem will be there will be a lot of Dutch language tweets here:-) Looking forward to it. Post from: Happy Hotelier -
Opening 2009 Holland Dance Festival
28 Oct 2009 | 2:50 pmA lonely dancer is outside to welcome the public for the opening of Holland Dance Festival. The 2009 festival is entirely dedicated to the Netherlands Dance Theater’s 50ieth anniversary and Jiri Kilian’s departure as the resident choreographer of NDT in The Hague. The president of the Board of Trustees of Holland Dance Festifal, Mr Gilbert Monod de Froideville welcomed the public. Dutch Minister of Culture, R. Plasterk opens Holland Dance Festival officially. I’m sorry the photos are not as sharp as I would have liked. To be continued. Post from: Happy Hotelier
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Hotel Blogs by Guillaume Thevenot
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I have Greenland followers on @hotelblogs
28 Oct 2009 | 11:32 pmJust checked where my followers on my Twitter account @hotelblogs are coming from - thanks to @RobertKCole for sharing this nice application, Twitter Analyser - and just discovered that I have 83 followers from Greenland !!! More than in France.... -
The Hotel Show - Season 3, Episode 5 (Travel startups, WTM, TBC)
28 Oct 2009 | 1:45 amThis week episode covers the competition between 10 travel startups last week on HB, World Travel Market with GetFunded Show and Travel Blog Camp. Thank you for our partner HotelsCombined for supporting The Hotel Show. If you would like to... -
Twitter cost London firms £325M a year but you can still have a cigarette break
26 Oct 2009 | 1:51 pmOn my way to a meeting this afternoon, I was reading the free newspaper Evening Standard and noticed this article on why Twitter seems to cost millions of pounds to London firms because of lost productivity with their staff. Apparently... -
Congratulations to Vipe - Ask the CEO
26 Oct 2009 | 12:55 amIt has been an intense end of the week last week in terms of traffic and interaction with your votes and comments on the latest Ask the CEO competition to elect your favourite travel startups I have interviewed on Hotel... -
10 Travel StartUps CEOs, who's your favourite? - updated
21 Oct 2009 | 3:44 amI have conducted interviews in the last 10 weeks with 10 different CEOs with very different business models and online value proposition. Which is your favourite startup among these 10 companies in terms of usability, uniqueness, value added? In case...
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Europe A LA Carte
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Kalev Chocolate Museum calls me back to Estonia
2 Nov 2009 | 10:46 pmThe beautiful Estonian capital of Tallinn has long been one of my favourite cities, and I’ve just come across a reason to return for my third visit: the Kalev Chocolate Museum. Open in the inner city since 2003, the museum documents the history of the Kalev sweets manufacturers since 1806, and since that time includes the Soviet era, there is much of interest to see. For example, the museum includes different labels and packaging from throughout this era, a lot of it politically motivated. It’s also interesting to note that the USSR only authorised the Kalev company to produce… -
Zagreb’s Stone Gate
2 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amLast week I wrote about the Lotrščak Tower in Zagreb. Today, I’m writing about another local landmark situated just a few paces from the tower, the Stone Gate. Locally known as Kamenita Vrata, this is the only surviving medieval town gate in Zagreb. It was once part of the old city walls, connecting the Upper and Lower parts of the city. But it isn’t this historical fact alone that makes the Stone Gate a local landmark; Stone Gate is also one of the city’s most visited shrines. Stone Gate’s spiritual avatar is closely linked to its history. The original structure was built… -
Open Exhibition at Gymnasium Gallery, Berwick upon Tweed, 31 October – 12 December 2009
31 Oct 2009 | 11:47 amThis afternoon I attended the Opening of the Open Exhibition at Berwick upon Tweed’s Gymnasium Gallery. The exhibition showcases the works of artists and designers living in the local regions of North East England and the Scottish Borders. The exhibition runs until 12 December 2009 and is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 12:00 to 16:30. The Gymnasium Gallery is located next the Barracks, on the town walls. You can contact the Gallery by phone 01289 304535 or email (gymnasiumgallery at hotmail.co.uk). My first video is of works portraying scenes in and around Berwick upon Tweed. My second… -
Guest Post: High & Mighty in the Swiss Bernese Oberland
30 Oct 2009 | 7:43 amIn this guest post, Margaret Doherty gets a taste of the high life in the Swiss Bernese Oberland. “The spectacular mountains, valleys and lakes of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland have been on the tourist trail since the Grand Tourists first discovered the region in the eighteenth century. Lauterbrunnen Valley, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland Imagine a classic Swiss landscape. Waterfalls cascade from a high pine-topped valley. Cow bells tinkle as their well-fed owners leisurely munch the lush meadow grass. Snow-capped mountain peaks glisten in the sunshine. Small herds of goats dot… -
Saving in Madrid
29 Oct 2009 | 10:49 pmI hadn’t been to Spain in about 10 years so on my recent trip to Madrid, I was looking forward to seeing what had changed and what hadn’t. Well, the sunny Spanish weather was still there, as well as the sunny disposition of most Spainards. Unfortunately, the Euro has brought with it a nasty surprise: sticker shock. I couldn’t believe how expensive everything was in Madrid, even on day trips and in off-beat neighbourhoods. I’m talking like anywhere up to 2.50EUR for a bottle of coke! Really crazy. Anyway, I thought I’d share some tips on how I managed…
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DeliciousBaby.com
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Weekly Travel Links and Giveaways
1 Nov 2009 | 7:43 pmHere are a few stories I enjoyed this week. Did you ever wonder what it would be like to celebrate Halloween in Beijing A noisy child was kicked off a plane this week. Southwest has apologized to the mother (it sounds like they didn't give her any advance warning), but perhaps you want to read some of my tips for flying with kids. Here are some great photos and a story about a family visit to Yellowstone National Park Giveaways Journeywoman is giving away 6 reusable shopping bags, one of them stuffed with DK books If you are headed to Atlanta, enter to win World of Coca Cola tickets If you… -
Photo Friday: Little Laviator
29 Oct 2009 | 11:15 pmThe Littlest Laviator Heather Pool, who writes a really funny blog about her experiences as a flight attendant posted earlier this year about Laviators. In case you haven't heard, a laviator is a passenger who takes mile high headshot in an airplane bathroom. Heather didn't invent the idea, but she coined the name and posted about it. Pretty soon it became a phenomenon. On our most recent flight, I thought I'd add my own picture to the mix. Here it is, Heather, baby Eilan on his 4th flight ever. P.S. If you were hoping for something a little more Halloweeny, check out last year's Photo Friday… -
Santa Monica With Kids: An Afternoon on the Pier
27 Oct 2009 | 1:00 amDuring our stay in Santa Monica, we were guests of the Loews Santa Monica. I received no other compensation beyond the room and dessert, and the hotel did not require that I express a particular point of view. We ended our family trip to Orange County last week with a night in Santa Monica. I haven't visited Santa Monica since I was in College, so it was fun to rediscover the beach and the pier with the kids. Our hotel, the Loews Santa Monica was right across the street from the beach, making it a great starting point for our adventures. We really packed a lot in to just a few short hours! -
Orange County With Kids: Pretend City in Irvine, CA
26 Oct 2009 | 12:28 pmWe visited Pretend City at our own expense (including baby Eilan slept through the whole visit!). Whenever I accept a free service, I will always let you know. While we were down in Orange County visiting family, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to check out a brand new children's museum called Pretend City In an Industrial Park near Irvine Spectrum, a windowless warehouse has been recently converted into a playspace for local kids. The museum is modeled after a small city, with a town square and roads leading between each of the "shops" Town Square at Pretend City, Irvine CA My kids were… -
Photo Friday: Driving in LA
22 Oct 2009 | 10:43 pmDriving in Los Angeles, CA In a city that is obsessed with cars and ruled by a tangle of freeways, it's no surprise that driving holds its own drama. Each time we return to Los Angeles, I feel a special energy as I step into the car. Driving here is simultaneously invigorating and exhausting. The local culture has built up a whole language around driving its own traffic rules. Everyone knows about California stops (they're just for show), but there is also the "LA Four Car Rule" (when I lived here it was the three car rule) which designates how many people can turn left after the traffic…
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Travel Rants Blog
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Flight taxes rise again but are consumers really bothered
2 Nov 2009 | 1:52 pmAs expected air passenger duty increased and despite all the huff and puff coming out the travel and airline industry when the increase was first announced it seems to have gone quiet. The majority of consumers will pay the flight tax without little fuss and the talk that we won’t go abroad is nonsense. Making flying greener While my main gripe is that the revenue generated from air passenger duty has never gone to help make flying more greener. I will continue to take my holiday abroad. Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons but primarily when I go on holiday I want a change of scenery and… -
Shaping the future of Travel Rants
1 Nov 2009 | 1:42 pmI have been writing this blog for over four years and I have enjoyed it, sure it has had its ups and downs. I write primarily from my own experiences and thoughts about travel, but also I receive a lot of emails from consumers which spark me into a post about the travel industry. Looking at travel from another perspective Some people have been very critical that I am always writing about the negative aspect of travel which confuses me because surely there’s so much nice positive content out there that you need someone to look at it from a different perspective. Keeping busy You may have… -
Consumers should receive compensation for hotel changes
1 Nov 2009 | 10:32 amAbout a month ago I launched the ‘Ask Mr Rants’ feature and what a response from consumers. I am starting to notice a few common issues and I want to highlight one of them. For many consumers choosing the right accommodation is important, no matter if it’s a hotel, ski chalet or apartment. Website error so holiday cancelled Most of us spend a lot of time reading reviews and researching the location before booking so it must be incredibly frustrating when after you have booked, the tour operator or travel agency move you in to another hotel, one that you are not happy with, or the option…
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The Perrin Post
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Presidents' Week or Spring Break Vacation with the Kids
2 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pmWhere should a family with three young boys go during the Presidents' Week school holiday in February, or for Spring Break in April, that won't be an overcrowded headache? Here's your answer. -
Cheap Business-Class Flights to 21 Cities in Europe
30 Oct 2009 | 11:01 amThis may be the low-season business-class airfare sale to Europe that Condé Nast Traveler readers have been waiting for: $1,698 roundtrip to Dublin or Shannon from New York (JFK), Boston, or Chicago. -
Frequent-Flier Superhero To The Rescue
29 Oct 2009 | 11:46 amMileage expert Gary Leff of View From The Wing just launched a new site, Book Your Award, that is the answer to many a Conde Nast Traveler reader's prayers. For a fee, he will use strategies that you might not have thought of -- such as flying on alternate routes or on partner airlines -- to get you where you're going for as few miles as possible. -
Your New Source For Villa and Apartment Rental Intelligence
29 Oct 2009 | 9:58 amHere at The Perrin Post we get so many questions about vacation rentals--everything from apartments in Rome to beach houses in Hawaii to estancias in Argentina--that we decided to create a new blog dedicated to the topic. -
Another Great Travel Promotion on Twitter
28 Oct 2009 | 1:12 pmIf neither my print column on "How to Tweet Your Way to Amazing Travel Deals" nor my blog entry about Marriott Resorts' month-long October Trick-or-Tweet promotion convinced you of the travel perks you can glean from joining Twitter, perhaps this will: Air New Zealand is giving away 30 free flights to New Zealand on Twitter -- one each day over a 30-day period.
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soultravelers3
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Best Halloween! Europe or U.S.?
29 Oct 2009 | 7:55 amBest Halloween! Europe or U.S.? October 29, 2009 There are so many fantastic festivalsin Europe, but no one knows how to do Halloween better than certain There are so many fantastic festivals in Europe, but no one knows how to do Halloween better than certain neighborhoods in the United States! We were spoiled and lived in one of those neighborhoods when we lived in Santa Cruz, where Mozart was born and lived her first 5 years.We lived in a country neighborhood where each family really got into the trick or treat spirit. There was always a Halloween party (as well as Christmas and usually… -
Family Travel Photo - Finland
21 Oct 2009 | 10:56 amFamily Travel Photo - Finland October 21, 2009There is nothing like great books to enhance family travel! We loved the libraries in Scandinavia that all seem There is nothing like great books to enhance family travel! We loved the libraries in Scandinavia that all seem to also have a great selection of kid's books in English, which pleased seven year old Mozart to no end! This was a beautiful library with lots of windows with gorgeous sea views in Finland in a tiny town on the Aland islands that we visited last September.Books are the cornerstone of our homeschooling and we… -
Family Travel Photo - England
13 Oct 2009 | 10:38 amFamily Travel Photo - EnglandOctober 13, 2009Tapestries and a knight in shining armor...what could capture the joys of family travel in England any better? Tapestries and a knight in shining armor...what could capture the joys of family travel in England any better? We just had a fantastic week in London from October 1st through 8th, our second time there on our world tour and took a train to the countryside to join friends from around the world for a high tea at the posh Cliveden House.This was part of Mozart's 9th birthday celebration as she has been wanting to go to a fancy high… -
Family Travel Photo - Ireland
7 Oct 2009 | 11:03 amFamily Travel Photo - IrelandOctober 7, 2009Peeking into new world's of wonderis what family travel is about! Here seven year old Mozart explores a Peeking into new world's of wonder is what family travel is about! Here seven year old Mozart explores a hidden forest behind a rock wall door in Blarney, Ireland last summer. She had just kissed the Blarney stone, we did one of her violin vignettes in front of the castle and we were off wandering around the beautiful park-like grounds. We spent quite a bit of time in Blarney and met some great people there because our RV was rear-ended in… -
Roomorama Short Term Rentals Rock!
5 Oct 2009 | 1:43 pmRoomorama Short Term Rentals Rock! October 5, 2009 We are big fans of hotel alternatives, so when the New York Times said "Stay tuned for the hip We are big fans of hotel alternatives, so when the New York Times said "Stay tuned for the hip Roomorama.com", in this article, we thought it was a great idea to check them out for ourselves and our readers. They were our sponsors for our trip to London and provided a smashing two bedroom, three bathroom luxury apartment in a beautiful neighborhood that is directly across the street from The Natural History Museum. Mozart was literally…
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Jaunted
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Found a Cheap Ticket? Now All You Need is a Hotel Room
3 Nov 2009 | 2:19 pmOmni Hotel San Diego.Last week was a bit of an airline fare war bonanza with Virgin America, Southwest and even American Airlines launching some steeply discounted airfares. But getting your ticket is only 1/2 of your vacation planning, unless you plan on shacking up with some friends and family. If you aren't, then you're probably going to need a hotel room. This is where Omni Hotels comes in. The hotel chain has just announced a limited offer of 40 percent off hotels in destination that were recently featured last week in the fare wars. That means that Omni Hotels in Austin, Chicago, Corpus… -
WestJet Launches Cuba And St. Maarten, Non-Stops Away From Canadian Winter
3 Nov 2009 | 1:54 pmStarting from last Sunday, Toronto travelers in search of warmth have had two new options courtesy of Canadian low cost carrier WestJet. Last week the airline announced they were launching nonstops to Varadero, Cuba and St Maarten, and the first flights duly took off over the weekend. The company issued separate press releases for the St Maarten and Cuba routes, each identical except for the obviously made up location-specific quotes from Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Planning. That doesn't make WestJet's announcement any less exciting. It just kind of made… -
Tweet Of The Week: Yankees Vs. Phillies, Zoo Edition
3 Nov 2009 | 1:29 pmWe love Tuesdays. Why, you ask? Because the day brings many travel tips and quips as "Travel Tuesday" on Twitter, and we're going to share our favorite with you. Got an avid travel twitterer we should follow? Let us know. As we're sure at least everyone on the east coast of the United States knows, we're in the midst of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees. Game six takes place tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium, but we're a little focused on today still, it being #traveltuesday on Twitter and all. But thanks to @FreeFunGuides, whose sole mission is to… -
Relive 'Carmen Sandiego' With Lufthansa's 'Virtual Pilot II' Game
3 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pmWere you a huge fan of Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? Or maybe you just have a thing for geography? Well, Lufthansa totally understands and they're rekindling a bit of the Carmen Sandiago adrenaline with their second version of the geography trivia web game "Virtual Pilot." In Virtual Pilot 1, you'd be given a city name and you'd have to click on a map in order to "land your plane" as close to there as possible. The first round showed city dots and country borders, the second round only had country borders, and the third round only gave you land masses to go by. We fared pretty well… -
Chicago: Neighborhoods You Need To Know And Go: Chicago's Chinatown
3 Nov 2009 | 12:09 pmHead to the near South Side to see one of Chicago's best and most hopping ethnic neighborhoods, Chinatown. Along Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, you'll find a slew of yummy-smelling restaurants, gift shops and teahouses. Find out what there's to see, do and—most importantly—eat, while you're exploring Chinatown after the jump.
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Viator Travel Blog
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Atlas Obscura: Cemetery Edition
30 Oct 2009 | 3:41 pmEditor’s Note: What, you’ve never heard of the Atlas Obscura? The founders - Dylan Thuras and Joshua Foer - have created a compendium of the world’s wonders, curiosities and esoterica, which they’ve agreed to share with Viator blog readers. Click here to read previous Atlas Obscura posts. Hello Viatorians, Viatorites, and Viatorinians! Sorry for the long delay, but I am happy to announce that the next installment of Atlas Obscura’s wonder-inspiring, off-the-beaten-path places that don’t make it into traditional guidebooks is here! This week’s theme is appropriately… -
All My Roads Lead to Dubrovnik
27 Oct 2009 | 9:54 amDubrovnik, in Croatia, just keeps pulling me back in. For starters it’s beautiful; for another thing there are a few different ways to experience it. In the past I’ve always stayed in or near the old town (Grad). The walled old city is so spectacularly beautiful that to wake up in the morning and look out the window at all that history is magical. I’ve stayed at the Hilton, which has a great location and lovely old building; at the Excelsior which has waterfront and great views of the sun setting over the old town; and in a private apartment inside the walls with a terrace where we… -
Reykjavik, Iceland: Top Things to Do
23 Oct 2009 | 1:57 pmReykjavik (Reykjavík), despite its tiny population, is a very cosmopolitan place for being tucked away in distant Iceland. The nightlife in Reykjavik is legendary. And when the sun is out, the mustards and crimsons of its corrugated houses sit in happy contrast with the Nordic blue of the summer sky. Reykjavik is an awfully pretty town to meander through. But a bustling metropolis it is not. It’s the kind of town you get to know in a day. And on the second day, you meet everyone who lives there. Everyone. So unless you intend to travel outside of Reykjavik and commune with nature,… -
[contest] Win 20 Free Nights at any Hampton Hotel!
21 Oct 2009 | 2:30 amThink back to 1989. The Berlin Wall has just fallen. The television shows LA Law, Cheers and Murphy Brown clean up at the Emmy Awards. George Michael’s Faith is the album of the year. And Hampton Hotels launches its “100% Satisfaction Guarantee.” Yes, 1989 was a banner year. Fast-forward 20 years. There are many anniversaries to celebrate in 2009, but the one we’re focused on is Hampton Hotel’s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee (not 100% satisfied? then you do not pay). Why? Because in honor of the 20th anniversary of Hampton’s guarantee, Viator and Hampton have… -
Madrid’s Top 5 Day Trips
20 Oct 2009 | 4:32 pmThe Spanish capital, Madrid, isn’t exactly short of things to do. But for those who have got a little more time to explore, there are some awesome day trips from Madrid available. There are a series of interesting cities that are either a short distance away or can be reached in surprisingly quick times via high speed train. Whether it’s mosques, cathedrals and castles or a carnivorous feast on local specialities, these cities have plenty to offer. And then there are the royal and literary hang-outs that are just on Madrid’s door step… We could have gone for more, but here are…
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HOTELMARKETING.COM
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According to Expedia, Choice is an outlier
2 Nov 2009 | 11:05 pmWhile Expedia executives have been tight-lipped about the company’s decision to take most Choice Hotels properties off of its Expedia.com and Hotels.com sites, president and CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and CFO Michael Adler had to address it during the company’s earnings conference last week. -
Egencia bookings continue steady ‘09 comeback
2 Nov 2009 | 11:04 pmEgencia's gross bookings decreased 10 percent year-over-year to $344 million in the third quarter, but its top-line performance has steadily improved since the second half of 2008. -
Hotels serve up free phone calls
2 Nov 2009 | 11:03 pmAn increasing number of hotels provide free local calls, and some provide free long-distance calls within the USA. That's a big switch for many hotel chains that profited from charging guests to use the hotel's land-line phones before cellphones and Internet communication became widespread. -
4 ways to rev up your RevPAR
2 Nov 2009 | 11:02 pmThere are few things more important to hoteliers right now than finding ways to increase bookings. This is evident everywhere, from large chains advertising across-the-board rate discounts to boutique properties launching campaigns designed to put heads in beds. Here is a list of four highly effective tactics. -
Six social media trends for 2010
2 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmIn 2010, social media will get even more popular, more mobile, and more exclusive, according to this Harvard Business Publishing article, which lists a few of the emerging trends in social media.
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Travel + Leisure: Articles
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World's Strangest Airport Attractions
2 Nov 2009 | 12:52 pmFrom teeth cleaning to “4-D” movies, fliers are finding unusual ways to make the most of their layovers. -
Best Hotel Kids' Programs
27 Oct 2009 | 8:55 amFrom skiing near Vancouver to snorkeling in Florida, these North American hotels offer great child-friendly activities. -
Worst Medical Tourism Disasters
22 Oct 2009 | 2:09 pmTraveling overseas for medical procedures is a growing industry—but is the cost savings worth the risk? -
World's Eeriest Abandoned Places
20 Oct 2009 | 6:58 amSunken villages, derelict amusement parks, and vacant mental hospitals are just a few spots with creepy appeal. -
Best & Worst Airlines for Lost Luggage
19 Oct 2009 | 1:05 pmWorried about your luggage being mishandled or going MIA during plane travel? Choosing the right carrier can cut the risks.
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HotelChatter -
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Where is Finn Hudson Staying in New York?
3 Nov 2009 | 2:46 pmCan anyone guess the hotel where Finn Hudson aka Corey Monteith from Glee was Twitpic-ing from recently during the GLEE press trip through NYC. He writes: sitting on the roof of my hotel in NYC... Love this city... It looks like Midtown to us but he just tweeted that he was at Columbus Circle. Could he be at Six Columbus or are they staying at the Empire Hotel? Either way, your guesses have to be a hotel with a rooftop. Corey also mentioned that he went running through Central Park so it has to be a hotel close to there as well. And no, we have no idea which hotel it is. Put -
'A Rare World' Offers a Rare Look at Luxury Hotels
3 Nov 2009 | 2:21 pmLooking for some new aspirational travel literature to add to your collection as you hop from budget hotel to budget hotel? Then try A Rare World. The luxury travel magazine is published ten times a year at a hefty subscription price of $199. But unlike most magazines, A Rare World actually offers an electronic version (in a PDF file) to go along with your print edition. In fact, the PDF is actually emailed to you first. Then the print version will show up in the mail a few days later. So what's inside? As expected, luxury hotel reviews. Glancing through a preview edition, which is free and… -
New York: Mister Cartoon Now Accepting Tattoo Reservations at The Marcel Hotel
3 Nov 2009 | 12:35 pmPerhaps we spoke too soon about Hotel Graffiti being the new hot hotel trend. Perhaps Hotel Tattoo Artists are the new new hot hotel service instead. The Marcel at Gramercy Hotel has announced today an ongoing art series called, M.O.A.R.--Marcel Original Art on Rotation. The program will bring "progressive, burgeoning artists" into the hotel to show off their work. But the first artist to come onboard will not be displaying his talent on the walls. No, try your skin instead. Famous for tattooing celebrities such as Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Eminem, Mena Suvari and Ryan Phillippe –… -
Laguna Beach: Laguna's Casa del Camino Just Got a Whole Lot Cooler
3 Nov 2009 | 11:16 amOn what ended up being a sunny, yet slightly overcast day in Laguna Beach, we had the opportunity to check out ten recently overhauled rooms at La Casa del Camino, a comfortable boutique hotel that lies just above the city's famed shoreline. And just in case you're wondering, no, we didn't run into any ex-cast member of a certain O.C. reality television show. Anyways, we're of the "we have to see it to believe it" variety; almost daily we catch wind of the latest multi-million dollar renovation, but it takes an in-person visit to determine exactly what makes those new, meticulously chosen… -
Soufriere: Inside The Fond Doux Cocoa Plantation Hotel In St. Lucia
3 Nov 2009 | 10:49 amHave you been digging our recent tours of St. Lucia's Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain resorts, but perhaps the prices or beachside locations aren't up your alley? Well, while we were on the island and jumping from active volcano to scuba diving, we came across Fond Doux Estate, a working cocoa plantation that also functions as a boutique hotel comprised of several individual villas scattered around the lush grounds. It was a complete surprise to be walking through foliage just short of a jungle—with starfruit, cocoa pods, banana bunches and ginger lilies all around—and then to…
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Holy Kaw!
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Why we ought to re-think the notion of temptation
3 Nov 2009 | 6:01 pmAccording to a new Harvard University study, we don’t have little angels and devils sitting atop our shoulders, pleading their cases. We just have one or the other - and that forces us to re-think the way we understand temptation. The new research suggests that the problem isn’t our inability to control our temptations, but rather, which ones we possess. For example, what you do with that wallet you find on the ground, stuffed with cash, depends more on your automatic urges in light of the situation, rather than your ability to control those urges. Researchers performed a test in… -
One year of walking and beard growth: an awesome time lapse video
3 Nov 2009 | 4:43 pmFrom November 9th, 2007 to November 13th, 2008 - Christoph Rehage walked 4646 kilometers on foot through China. In that year, he accumulated many memories, and quite an epic beard. Check out his awesome time lapse video that captures his travels (and his hair growth) in five minutes. To learn more about Rehage and his travels, visit his blog. By Catherine Faas. Many more wonderful travel stories. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Fourteen ingenious literal product designs
3 Nov 2009 | 4:22 pmSometimes simplicity is the most fetching look. Check out these fourteen awesome and creative product designs that literally represent the products themselves. Here are my three favourites: the milk carton, the table, and the remote. By Catherine Faas. More inspiring designs to tickle your creative bone. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
How the Ritz-Carlton does leadership right
3 Nov 2009 | 4:04 pmThe Ritz-Carlton is the standard for luxury lodging. It is the only service company that has won the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award twice, and has been named the best company in the nation in terms of employee training. So how does the Ritz do it? They stick to the fundamentals of their basic goals. One fundamental goal is to provide an exceptional stay experience for every customer. To provide this, every staff member is alloted two thousand dollars per customer to make their stay one that they will remember. This money may be spent without general manager permission, and does not… -
Totally cool programmable "cookie" computers
3 Nov 2009 | 3:24 pmThis is a demo of “siftables”—cookie-size computers the detect motion, other siftables, and wireless communication. They are fully programmable by using Python. David Merritt of Sifteo gave me this demo at the PDMA conference today. Read about more Cool Stuff. By Guy Kawasaki. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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NYT: Netherlands
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Karadzic Promises to Attend War Crimes Trial Tuesday
2 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmRadovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader, is defending himself but previously advised the tribunal that he was not ready for the trial. -
Karadzic Trial Resumes Without Defendant
27 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pmRadovan Karadzic refused to appear in The Hague and sent word once again that he wanted more time to prepare his defense. -
Karadzic Refuses to Appear on First Day of His Trial
26 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pmThe Bosnian Serb leader refused to appear at The Hague and sent word once again that he wanted more time to prepare his defense. -
Karadzic to Boycott Start of War Crimes Trial
22 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pmFormer Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic said he will not come to the start of his trial on Monday, insisting that he needs more time to prepare his defense. -
Smuggling Europe’s Waste to Poorer Countries
26 Sep 2009 | 9:00 pmExporting waste illegally to poor countries is now a vast business, as companies try to reduce the costs of environmental laws.
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nrcnext.nl
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Herbruiksels: creatief met condooms
3 Nov 2009 | 9:11 amWe kennen de papieren bordjes en de plastic wegwerpbekers. Maar wat gewoon is, kan ook design zijn. In deze rubriek Herbruiksels lees je over bijzondere gadgets en creatieve ontwerpen die gemaakt zijn van heel gewone dingen. Vandaag: vijf keer creatief met condooms. 1. Een bekende condoom-kunstenares is Adriana Bertini. Alweer elf jaar geleden presenteerde ze in São Paulo voor het eerst een collectie die volledig was gemaakt van condooms. In 2004/2005 was Dress up! te zien in het Centraal Museum in Utrecht. Bertini geeft ook workshops in knutselen met condooms. Hier zie je… -
Het jaar van de spectaculaire bloglanceringen
3 Nov 2009 | 8:07 amZoals vanmorgen aangekondigd in nrc.next: de nieuwe debatsite van de VARA, Joop, is online. Internetjournalist Francisco van Jole wil met deze site een Nederlandse variant op ’s werelds grootste blog The Huffington Post maken. Een progressieve site die linkt naar het laatste nieuws en tegelijkertijd bloggers (van bekende journalisten tot je buurman) een podium biedt. Om zo tegenwicht te bieden aan het ,,overheersende rechtse geluid in het debat op internet”. De VARA vond dat een goed idee. Enkele bloggers niet. Zoals Bert Brussen. ,,[Een opinieblog] werkt niet onder de paraplu van… -
Het Verdrag van Lissabon is rond
3 Nov 2009 | 7:15 amZo, dat is achter de rug – denken ze nu waarschijnlijk in Brussel, terwijl de champagne ontkurkt wordt. Nadat het Tsjechische Constitutionele Hof vanochtend bekendmaakte dat het Verdrag van Lissabon niet in strijd met de grondwet is, heeft president Vaclav Klaus het om 15:00 getekend. Daarmee is het nu definitief rond, want Tsjechië was het laatste land dat moest tekenen. De rampscenario’s die eerder op dit blog geschetst werden, kunnen we dus vergeten. Gordon Brown deed het op 13 december 2007 al voor. Foto AP / Paulo Duarte Wat we wel krijgen: een vaste voorzitter van de… -
Buitenlandse pers vindt Balkenende vrij saai
3 Nov 2009 | 6:28 amDe Belgische premier wordt eerste president van de EU, aldus de Belgische media. Leuk, weer een nieuwe speler in deze geruchtenmachine. Steeds meer buitenlandse pers noemen inmiddels ook kanshebber Balkenende. De Haagse redactie had voor NRC Handelsblad van gisteren een aantal citaten verzameld. Bij deze op het blog met, uiteraard, linkjes naar de bronnen. Still uit DWDD „Nederland is middle of the road, het is groot noch klein, noch is het noord of zuid of oost of west. Het is solide middle ground om op te onderhandelen.” Anonieme diplomaat vertelt persbureau Reuters over Nederland in… -
Kunsthaar voor je wenkbrauwen
3 Nov 2009 | 5:29 amMéér wenkbrauwen Wat valt er nog te innoveren op het gebied van wenkbrauwen? Nou veel. Voor dames die door de jaren heen te veel hebben geëpileerd, heeft het cosmeticamerk ModelCO! de More Brows Hair-Like Gel Formula voor ruim 28 euro op de markt gebracht. Het is een stift waar gel en kunsthaar in zit. Met de kwast strijk je over je wenkbrauwen. Volgens het Australische make-upmerk dé oplossing “voor littekentjes en overplukte wenkbrauwen”. Nu is de vraag: werkt het? Hier op de redactie zit niemand met gehavende wenkbrauwen. Maar als je het spul op je hand strijkt, zie je…
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TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends
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Viral D-Bag Mockeries - The Douchebag Solidarity Movement Video Gives 'Douches' a Voice (VIDEO)
3 Nov 2009 | 4:50 pm(TrendHunter.com) The Douchebag Solidarity Movement video is taking a hilarious look at this much-loathed group. Asking us to take a stand for those who irritate our senses with their inane vocabulary, volatile stench… -
Weebling Toothbrushes - The Bobble Brush Holder Keeps Toothbrushes Upright (GALLERY)
3 Nov 2009 | 4:40 pm(TrendHunter.com) The Bobble Brush is a toothbrush holder that turns your toothbrush into a ‘weeble.’ The weighted holder keeps tooth brushes upright, bobbling, and easy to access. A toothbrush insert slot at the top of… -
14 Two-Headed Finds - From Conjoined Clothing to Celebrating Modern Miracles (CLUSTER)
3 Nov 2009 | 4:30 pm(TrendHunter.com) These two-headed finds are truly bizarre. I’m sure many of you are wondering why I put together such an oddball—even freakish—cluster, but it is important that you remember that these strange occurrences… -
Dolphin-Punching Comics - The Oatmeal Comics are Funny -- Really Funny (GALLERY)
3 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pm(TrendHunter.com) The Oatmeal Comics prove to be true winners when it comes to amazingly funny websites. If you thought about every inane or silly thought you have ever had, made a comic out of it. And then made it a website… -
Zombified e-Dating - 'Zombie Singles' is Online Dating, the Zombie Way (GALLERY)
3 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pm(TrendHunter.com) With the cutesy Zombie Singles website, you can upload your own picture, have it ‘zombified,’ and then search for other zombie singles based upon your likes and dislikes (such as getting lit on fire, retirement…
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Core77
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Book Review: Deconstructing Product Design, by William Lidwell and Gerry Manacsa
3 Nov 2009 | 12:45 pmMake no mistake, the "deconstruction" in the new book Deconstructing Product Design owes as much to Derrida as it does to David Macauley. William Lidwell and Gerry Manacsa take 100 (mostly) iconic products and hold them up to the scrutiny of a panel of modern design thinkers. For a hard-core industrial designer, deconstruction as disassembly might have been more interesting than deconstruction as critical analysis. Although it could have revealed some hidden engineering mysteries, our desire to see Segways in pieces and Tickle Me Elmo eviscerated may have to wait for another book. Instead of… -
Tomorrow in Portland: Transportation Planning for the 21st Century
3 Nov 2009 | 11:35 amWhat's more fun than sitting in a dim room with fellow designers and watching slide after slide after slide? Well, maybe getting outside, mixing it up with other designers, architects, planners, and engineers and taking it to the streets to learn about effective transportation reforms by riding bikes, learning about shiny new streetcars, and watching rain drops gather into bioswales. Starting tomorrow, a great group of designers, planners, and engineers nationwide will all be heading to Portland, Oregon for the 2009 Transportation Summit, hosted by the Cascadia Chapter of the Congress for the… -
Eye-popping toys you may not want to let your children ever actually touch
3 Nov 2009 | 9:10 amIt's tough to call them "toys" when they're made out of porcelain and precious metals, but that's technically what these are, Yakuza tattoos and all. Zeitgeist Toys was born from an obsession to create designer art toys that utilize craftsmanship and fine materials like metal and porcelain in a way that is a novelty for this genre. Touching the object you should instantly sense the superb quality of material, individually hand-made and finished. Berlin-based Zeitgeist Toys is part of Create Berlin, a design network dedicated to keeping that city on top of the global design game. via beautiful… -
Screw panic rooms. Get a Bordeaux room
3 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amHave you ever been sitting in your panic room during a home invasion and thought to yourself: Why the heck don't I have my collection of prized wines down here? Most of us know that helplessly monitoring armed intruders in ski masks while they pillage your parlor goes down easier with a spot of 19th century Madeira. "Oh, look at that," you'd say, staring at the grainy black-and-white image while absently swirling your glass, "the little bastards are taking the Rembrandt." There's this company called Spiral Cellars that doesn't really make panic rooms, but they do make these cool turnkey wine… -
Daily Design Snacks
3 Nov 2009 | 8:55 amA bite-sized list of what's happenin' now: haaretz Profile on Israeli ID'er Yaacov Kaufman nyt home & garden "An Ode to '70s-Style Living:" Return of the living room conversation pit, by furniture designer Jason Miller design droplets Industrial Design Portfolio Advice: Back to Basics shanghai daily Vibrant Seoul takes city design pride to heart temple news Aid by design: Student artists and designers help communities around the world through International Design Clinic biz community South Africans excel at industrial design (more...)
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Guy Kawasaki
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How I tweet
2 Nov 2009 | 8:47 amBy popular demand (and some complaints), I’ve done a FAQ with myself about how I tweet. Hope this helps you use Twitter for your business too. I explain how I use ghostwriters and why I repeat my tweets among other “unusual” practices. -
Current Twitter Demo Script
28 Oct 2009 | 2:26 amThis is the set of links that I used to demo Twitter by going down through this list to show why Twitter is such a valuable marketing tool. Introduction Home page Profile page Monitor Search Guy Kawasaki or Alltop Starbucks VIA introduction Search for “Prius” or “Civic” Sell Dell Outlet Kogi BBQ Support Comcast Cares Engage JetBlue Virgin America Fandango Prospect Camaro Camaro near Palo Alto Advanced searches Surfing or skateboarding (shows how to eliminate extraneous results such as “surfing the web” How I Tweet - Find Alltop MyAlltop helped me find this. -
How to Avoid Twitter Cluelessness
26 Oct 2009 | 4:24 pmOver at the American Express Open Forum blog, I explain how to not look clueless on Twitter. The first five ways are: Don’t tell other people how to tweet. Don’t tell the world that you unfollowed someone. Don’t ask people why they unfollowed you. Don’t constantly tweet mundane updates and babble. Don’t use a small picture for an avatar. To read all ten and why they impugn your intelligence, click here. -
Chris Anderson on Free
15 Oct 2009 | 5:41 amChris Anderson explained his concept of “free” at a recent Garage Technology Ventures conference. Click here to learn more about his model and to get to the link to a video of his presentation. Any company that produces digital content and goods should check it out. -
Version 3 of Alltop
21 Sep 2009 | 10:55 pmOver the weekend we upgraded Alltop to version 3. The primary functions that this version addresses are improved navigation and search. Because Alltop has grown to over 700 topics, we needed a better way for people to understand what Alltop does and to find topics that interest them. Version 1. Circa March, 2008. Version 2. Circa March, 2009. Version 3. September 2009. We also wanted to increase advertising revenue by placing an ad on our home page. :-) The “What’s Hot” section on the home page shows the websites and blogs that are most frequently added to people’s…
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NRC Handelsblad | Voorpagina
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Bayern München verliest van Bordeaux
3 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pmDe topper in de Champions League tussen AC Milan en Real Madrid eindigde in 1-1 -
Oost-Groningen kampt met krimp en tegenslag
3 Nov 2009 | 1:37 pmDe verkoop van kavels in het prestigieuze project Blauwestad is verder gestagneerd. -
Avondspits was de drukste van dit jaar
3 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pmMet 457 kilometer file was de avondspits van vandaag de drukste van dit jaar. -
Britse ex-huurling krijgt gratie in Guinee
3 Nov 2009 | 1:22 pmDe voormalige Britse huurling Simon Mann, die een gevangenisstraf van 34 jaar uitzat voor een poging tot staatsgreep in Equatoriaal Guinee, heeft gratie gekregen. -
Voormalig spion in Moskou vermoord
3 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pmDe voormalige KGB-spion Sjabtai Kalmanovitsj is vandaag in Moskou vermoord. Kalmanovitsj werd in de buurt van zijn appartement in zijn Mercedes onder vuur genomen door onbekenden in een passerende Lada.
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Guardian Travel
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The knowledge: London's cycling tribes
3 Nov 2009 | 5:08 amCycling in the capital is about much more than commuting - BMX, fixed-gear and bike-polo sub-cultures are all thriving, as Susan Greenwood discovers on a tour south of the riverSusan GreenwoodPeter Storey -
Been there photo competition
2 Nov 2009 | 2:21 amThis month's theme 'I am a travel photographer' inspired a range of creative shots -
Adventure holidays: hot tips for 2010
31 Oct 2009 | 5:07 pmWe asked the experts to reveal the trips they are most excited about – from Papua New Guinea's jungles to Greenland's ice floesAsia1. Mountain biking, Cappadocia, TurkeyIn Cappadocia, the thrill of hurtling along a trail on two wheels is amplified by its otherworldly landscape of rock pillars, known as "fairy chimneys", many reaching more than 40 metres high, as well as its cave houses and ancient Byzantine churches. There are well-marked trails, both long and short, for all skill levels.When? April to October are the best monthsBook it: Argeus Tourism & Travel (00 90 384 341 4688;… -
UK's first £1,000 train fare revealed
3 Nov 2009 | 5:29 amSurvey finds fare of £1,002 for trip from Newquay in Cornwall to the Kyle of Lochalsh in the Scottish HighlandsThe rise in the cost of train tickets has led to the first £1,000 rail fare, it was revealed today.The fare – of £1,002 – is for a turn-up-and-go, first-class return from Newquay in Cornwall to the Kyle of Lochalsh in the Scottish Highlands.Unearthed in a survey of fares by rail expert Barry Doe, the Cornwall to Scotland return trip would cover about 1,700 miles. Tickets can be bought from the CrossCountry train company.Doe's research also showed that some standard-class,… -
Europe's toughest trek
31 Oct 2009 | 5:05 pmCorsica's infamous GR20 trail takes walkers the length of the island in two weeks if they can conquer the terrain – and cope with the basic mountain hutsThere are several ways to react when a friend suggests you take on something described as "Europe's hardest long-distance trek". A straightforward refusal, for example, or a plucky pledge to give it a try once you've trained sufficiently – say, for five years. It takes a particular mix of ignorance and bravado to instead shrug a shoulder and nonchalantly ask: "How bad can it really be?"One hundred and seventy kilometres traversing…
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Marriott on the Move
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Being a Part of D.C.'s Heritage
26 Oct 2009 | 1:10 pmAs many of you know, our company started out as a small, nine-stool A&W root beer stand in Washington, D.C, more than 80 years ago. We quickly evolved into the restaurant business, opening a chain called Hot Shoppes.One of our very first Hot Shoppes was in the Columbia Heights neighborhood on 14th Street. The last Hot Shoppe closed its doors years ago, but the memory of that one on 14th Street is being commemorated . . . -
Colombia: The Newest Stamp on My Passport
23 Oct 2009 | 11:51 amFor as many years as I've been traveling, there is nothing like visiting a new country. My passport has stamps and visas for China, India, the UK, France, Spain, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates and now, Colombia since we just opened our first hotel in Bogota. I had never been to Colombia before, but the political and economic climate is much improved for travel and tourism.Our new Marriott near the Bogota airport is owned by Ricardo Poma, who runs a family business a lot like ours. They hold many . . . -
Marriott Celebrates 20 Years in Eastern Europe
20 Oct 2009 | 12:52 pmThis month we're celebrating the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Warsaw Marriott hotel in Poland. We opened the hotel back in October of 1989, about the time the Iron Curtain was beginning to fall. It was a milestone property for us because it was our 500th hotel worldwide and also the first Western-managed hotel in the city of Warsaw.Back when it opened, this hotel was . . . -
Chef Laurent Tourondel Serves Up BLT Burgers
13 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pmWe have had a lot of great meals in our test kitchen, but one of my favorites took place recently when we hosted Chef Laurent Tourondel for a BLT Burger lunch. Laurent has partnered with us on several restaurants including BLT Steak at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale and BLT Market at the Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park. He has . . . -
An Oasis for Travelers in the Dynamic City of Miami
5 Oct 2009 | 1:13 pmI'm blogging today from the Miami Airport Marriott in Miami, Florida. We built this hotel in 1972. I remember back when we opened it, Garo Yepremian was the place kicker for the Miami Dolphins. We asked him to kick a football over the ribbon to open the hotel, and it was my finger that held the ball. Good thing he was such a great kicker! I still have five fingers left on my hand.The Marriott has now been completely redone and it looks great. We have three hotels on this campus including a brand new Residence Inn and newly refurbished Courtyard. These . . .
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Opus Hotel Blog
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Online Reviews: The Bane of Hotels’ Existence or an Unprecedented Opportunity to Engage Travelers?
20 Oct 2009 | 4:46 pmA few years ago at Opus Hotel Vancouver we relocated a couple who had driven up from Washington state to celebrate the husband’s fiftieth birthday. It was a nasty thing to do, but it happens in the hotel business, more frequently than most travelers think. Like the airlines, hotels overbook when demand is high, banking [...] Related posts:The Tyranny of the Mistreated TravellerEmerging Trends in the Hotel Industry: A Lighthearted Approach -
So You Want to Work in Hotels, Part II: The Interview
14 Aug 2009 | 4:50 pmWhen I last wrote a post about how to get a job in the hotel industry, the economy was booming and hotels were so desperate for staff they were stopping just short of dragging passersby off the street and slapping uniforms on them. These days, occupancy rates have tanked, room attendants are dozing on beds [...] No related posts. -
Lifestyle Hotels: Gotta Have Soul
7 Jul 2009 | 12:00 pmNow that luxury is a bad word, hoteliers are scrambling for ways to reinvent their hotels without spending a whack of money. The quick fix? Simply delete all references to “luxury” in marketing materials and replace them with “lifestyle”. Magically, the hotel’s image transforms from visions of champagne baths and gold-plated toilet seats to a [...] Related posts:Emerging Trends in the Hotel Industry: A Lighthearted Approach -
The Day the Earth Stood Still
13 May 2009 | 4:56 amFor the residents, businesses and visitors to Yaletown who have endured construction of the Canada Line underground rapid transit station these past three years, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, it’s a speeding train—a Canada Line train. Whether it will flatten us with a railcar of problems—traffic, parking, security—or will transport [...] No related posts. -
Emerging Trends in the Hotel Industry: A Lighthearted Approach
10 Mar 2009 | 12:05 pmThe hotel industry is built on cheerfulness and spirited optimism, yet in these challenging economic times it’s getting increasingly difficult for employees to hold their smile. Amidst all the doom and gloom I thought I’d take a more lighthearted approach to identifying some of the trends emerging in the hotel industry. 1. Everything learned in revenue [...] Related posts:Home Sweet HotelLifestyle Hotels: Gotta Have Soul
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A Luxury Travel Blog
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Competition – Win a copy of the new Time Out Guide “Great Train Journeys of the World”
3 Nov 2009 | 8:25 amGreat Train Journeys of the World Win a copy of Great Train Journeys of the World. How to enter: 1. Visit The Luxury Train Club Blogspot http://luxurytrainclub.blogspot.com 2. Leave a comment on your favourite post, with a means to contact you 3. The post judged to be the most original, inventive or otherwise interesting by the judges will receive a free copy of Great Train Journeys of the World 4. Competition closes 15th December 2009 -
David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa, Zambia
1 Nov 2009 | 2:29 pmLegendary explorer, Sir David Livingstone, said “I am prepared to go anywhere, provided it be forward.” When the David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa celebrated its opening on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, it was apparent that the hotel has more in common with this famous pioneer than just its name; it has also adopted his visionary stance. With 72 river-facing rooms and 5 luxury suites, guests here are treated to views that can only be described as glorious. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the area is renowned for adventure offerings and, an abundance of birds… -
Hilton Beijing’s Food & Wine Experience
31 Oct 2009 | 10:53 pmThe Hilton Beijing’s Food & Wine Experience is back on 14th November 2009 for the 12th year, with a whole day of wine and food tasting and featuring over 100 world-famous food and wine suppliers such as Evian and Aussino World Wines. Hilton Beijing Head Sommelier Julia Zhu, together with guest speakers, will be there to share useful knowledge and helpful tips about wine appreciation with guests. And this year, for the first time, a kids activity room will be available with experienced babysitters and a range of toys, games and puzzles, allowing parents to relax and enjoy their visit. -
First-ever Asian Culinary Summit at Halekulani
26 Oct 2009 | 10:12 amHalekulani, one of the world’s finest and most acclaimed luxury resorts, and Gourmet, the magazine of good living, have gathered together leading Asian culinary masters for an unparalleled epicurean experience at this iconic Hawaiian resort. From 13th to 15th November 2009, connoisseurs from around the world are invited to join hosts Sara Moulton, Gourmet executive chef, and Vikram Garg, Halekulani executive chef, as they lead guests through a weekend of authentic tastes, intimate seminars, chef-led farm and market tours, hands-on cooking demonstrations and cocktail parties featuring… -
New website: Travel Hedonism
24 Oct 2009 | 5:57 pmA new luxury travel website has recently been launched by the passionate duo, Mr. & Mrs. Crystal, who have extensively researched the most hip, trendy and charming hotels, restaurants, bars and beach clubs in Europe. The result is a personal travel concierge service with exclusive recommendations and tips for 27 luxury destinations, which you may want to use for your next holiday. Recognising that travellers feel inundated with information, Travel Hedonism differentiates from other websites by providing a selective handful of reliable tips. In addition to easily navigating to a…
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Hot Hoteliers - Because People Connect
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Hot Hoteliers Doha – A Fresh Breeze
23 Oct 2009 | 5:17 amDoha, Qatar – October 2009: We made it! This time we crossed the 70-mark with 75 hotel professionals attending the 4th Hot Hoteliers networking event at Dunes Bar at the Grand Hyatt Doha. The Grand Hyatt team wowed everyone as they prepared several surprises. The event kicked off at the hotel’s terrace with a nice [...] -
Hot Hoteliers heats up the Palm Jumeirah on 4th October
29 Sep 2009 | 11:04 amEvent exclusive, for one night only: Appearance by internationally acclaimed author & speaker Bob Urichuck Light up Sanctuary – The Terrace with Hot Hoteliers on October 4th, from 7 – 9:30pm. The October Hot Hoteliers networking evening takes place at the hottest beach front venue in town – Sanctuary (The Terrace), at Atlantis Hotel the Palm. Hot Hoteliers [...] -
Hot Hoteliers on Ahlan Live
23 Aug 2009 | 7:58 pmSome photos from the recent Hot Hoteliers event at the Hilton Jumeirah, featured in Ahlan Magazine as well as Ahlan Live! Photo Gallery – http://www.ahlanlive.com/14227-hot-hoteliers-event -
Do you want to smile?
14 Aug 2009 | 3:14 amNever underestimate the power of positivity! Here’s a great video from YouTube that is bound to make your day…watch and share! -
Hot Hotelier Recipe – Seared Prawns and Chilled Soba Noodles
14 Aug 2009 | 2:52 amq: sounds good, tell me what do I need? a: ok, first you’re gonna wanna get all your ingredients and supplies together. You’ll need a skillet and a pot, tongs, a mixing bowl and a whisk. For your ingredients, you need to get coconut milk, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grape [...]
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Front Desk
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Extended Stay Stays Hot
3 Nov 2009 | 8:41 amBy most measures that matter, it seems as though extended stay is still the best segment in which to own a hotel. According to new research from The Highland Group, while the segment endured a 7.2-percent increase in supply in the third quarter, it posted a modest (1.7 percent) increase in demand, a milestone the overall hotel industry hasn’t achieved in more than a year.And while extended stay rates declined more than 11 percent in the quarter, the segment still posted stronger RevPAR results than the rest of the industry. It’s no wonder developers love the product, and that’s been… -
Two Sides To the Battle With OTAs
30 Oct 2009 | 8:02 amIt’s encouraging to see the hotel industry take the offensive in its latest battle with the online travel agencies. Special kudos to Choice Hotels President Steve Joyce, who refused to blink in face of Expedia’s extortionist demands during negotiations for a new contract to represent the brand’s properties on the OTA site. According to recent press accounts, Expedia apparently blinked and the two sides are back at the negotiation table. And, judging by comments from marketing chief Dorothy Dowling at the brand’s convention last month, Best Western isn’t willing to cave-in to… -
Last Look at the LBHDC
27 Oct 2009 | 12:58 pmIn case you missed any of the past week’s worth of stories on our Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development Conference, here’s a quick summary with links. The event was a great success and I hope if you didn’t get a chance to check it out in person, these stories will help give you an idea of what went on.The opening general session helped explain the buzz around the boutique and lifestyle segments.Keynote speaker Cheryl Rowley said the segments’ success proved good design had won.Investors said the segments are drawing interest because of their profit potential.Operators… -
Hotel Industry Loses Another Legend
8 Oct 2009 | 12:28 pmThe number of legendary entrepreneurs who built the hotel business has shrunk by one. Roy Winegardner, former Holiday Inns CEO and chairman and a master hotel developer and operator, died Sept. 30 at age 89.Winegardner was part of the Kemmons Wilson gang that launched the boom in roadside and interstate hotels in the mid-1950s. In 1957, he built his first Holiday Inn in Lexington, KY. The following year, he teamed with John Q. Hammons, another living legend, to form Winegardner & Hammons, which developed, owned and/operated more than 100 hotels in the past 50 years. Hammons later left… -
Is Hyatt’s IPO In Trouble?
29 Sep 2009 | 11:06 amIt’s been a tough month for Hyatt Hotels. Just as the Pritzker family-owned chain was prepping itself to tap into the public markets, a serious PR nightmare overwhelmed the company and its once-good name. As you all probably read, and was so eloquently summarized in PR guru Rich Robert’s online story, three Hyatts in Boston decided to replace about 100 housekeepers with cheaper employees from an outsourcing firm.That move, and subsequent crisis communications blunders, have seriously injured the company’s reputation and created a giant opening for the snakes at Unite Here to make…
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elliott.org
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Which travel company’s CEO is rated highest by its own employees? The answer is …
3 Nov 2009 | 2:37 amSouthwest Airlines, according to a new survey by Glassdoor, a company that conducts online salary surveys. -
Vail Resorts’ Katz: “If Colorado becomes Texas, we all have a lot more to think about than skiing”
3 Nov 2009 | 1:30 amRob Katz is the chief executive of Vail Resorts, which owns Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Heavenly, Keystone, and, of course, Vail. Parts of Colorado just received record amounts of early-season snow, which is all the excuse I needed to talk skiing with Katz. -
What’s new on Elliott: Can’t-miss holiday gifts, new credit card fees and Vail gets snow
2 Nov 2009 | 11:43 pmCan't-miss holiday gifts for the traveler in your life. Plus, new credit card fees, top-rated travel CEOs, and Vail welcomes the first snow of the season. -
Banks, airlines deserve no credit for card tricks
2 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amOn second thought, maybe you should leave home without it. -
So where should I buy my travel insurance?
1 Nov 2009 | 1:29 pmWhen the subject of travel insurance comes up, I’m usually quick to say: Don’t buy the first policy you’re offered. That’s because the first policy is normally a brochure your travel agent slides across the desk right after you’ve plunked down $14,000 for that dream...
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Travel Blog - Mr & Mrs Smith Boutique & Luxury Hotels
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Bathtime at the Baglioni Hotel
3 Nov 2009 | 10:19 amIt can be tough sometimes, working for boutique travel experts, whose daily tasks include jetting around the world, seeking out glamour-soaked hotels in wow-factor destinations. No really, it can. Especially when said work involves testing out our luxurious hotels’ facilities, just to check they are still as top-notch as ever - the spa for instance, and the muscle-soothing, bliss-inducing hands of its therapists. I was lucky enough to be charged with such a responsibility, one rain-lashed night in October. My mission: to visit the fabulous Baglioni Hotel, scope out the spa and succumb… -
New for November: fabulous French finds, and Firmdale do New York
2 Nov 2009 | 9:54 amThe French may be busy fermenting grapes and bringing out the Beaujolais, but while they’re up to their elbows in viticulture, we’ve brought in a harvest of our own: the cream of France’s boutique-hotel crop… Washed up on the shores of southern Brittany, we found Le Lodge Kerisper, a cosy portside cabin in the sailing centre of La Trinité-sur-Mer. Across in Normandy, we hand-picked La Petite Folie, a laid-back and luxurious guesthouse in historic Honfleur. We dropped in on Paris as we headed for the warm south, discovering La Réserve along the way – extravagantly… -
Hotel of the week: The Hazelton Hotel
30 Oct 2009 | 11:21 amThis week, we’re donning our snoods* and heading to Canada, home to mountie, moose and maple. Toronto is a shimmeringly clean city of towering high-rises, and, in winter, has that kind of fresh chilly air that makes you glad to be alive (and wearing a coat). It’s a also a great place to do your Christmas shopping, and certainly beats Oxford Street on, well, any day of the year. As for where to stay while you’re exercising your AmEx, there’s only one option (well, actually there’s two, but we’ll talk about The Drake on another Hotel of the Week). Dress… -
Listen up: TuneSmith’s musical recommendations for November
29 Oct 2009 | 6:12 amLooking for the perfect music to take on your trips? Well, there’s Mr & Mrs Smith’s new In bed with… CD , of course, but you may need some additional inspiration. Here, our very own TuneSmith, DJ Rob Wood, the brains and ears behind our albums, makes his essential monthly recommendations… ALBUM OF THE MONTH Warm Heart of Africa by The Very Best When? You want to hear what might just be the future of pop Why? This is music of truly global proportions The Very Best’s music is so international it feels like a United Nations of dance-pop. Except their schtick isn’t really… -
Where will our Australia and New Zealand guidebook take you?
26 Oct 2009 | 7:23 amOur latest glamorous guidebook Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection: Australia/New Zealand is poised to hit the shelves: and it’s our boldest expression of wanderlust yet. From the lush wet plains of Australia’s Top End, via the iconic beaches and islands of the east coast, right through to the Middle Earth peaks of New Zealand’s South Island, it signposts you to the most stylish stays in Australasia. Here we treat you to a few tempting tasters of some of the off-the-beaten-track destinations featured… Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection: Australia/New Zealand is officially out…
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Get A Room!
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Welcome to the USA
27 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am -
NTA Has Some 'Splainin' to Do
22 Oct 2009 | 8:13 pmIn an article published on the NTA website entitled "NTA Takes Message of Opening Cuba to NY Media," the National Tour Association has announced that they are promoting "the freedom to travel to Cuba."Are you kidding me? I have some questions regarding the motives here, especially at a time when so many of us in the U.S. travel and tourism industries are looking for new ways to promote inbound -
Ironing Board Abuse
17 Oct 2009 | 7:51 amEver wondered why there's an unusual dent in your hotel room ironing board, or why it doesn't necessarily open or close properly?As hotel employees, we don't always know what happens to the poor, defenseless ironing boards provided in the hotel rooms... but thanks to YouTube (and videos like this one), we're getting a pretty good idea.Please don't try this at home, or anywhere else for that -
Good News for Travel Planners
10 Oct 2009 | 12:12 pmIf you're the person who handles corporate travel for your company, from negotiating a preferred rate for your organization or issuing and reviewing RFPs, to actually making the reservations, life is getting easier for you.Some hotels are now able to provide you with a link directly to an online page where your rate is loaded, and reservations can be made instantly. No more waiting on hold for -
Orbitz is Obsessed!
2 Oct 2009 | 10:02 pmI was scanning the web looking for inspiration, and whaddya know, I found some.Here's the release from Orbitz.com concerning recent changes they've made:Orbitz.com Delivers Customers Improved Flexibility and Value with New Change Fee and Cancellation Fee PolicyWith more and more people reserving hotel rooms online, this has to come as a welcome change! I know we're seeing an increased number of
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LA Times Travel
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Six Flags Magic Mountain to add family coaster for 2010
3 Nov 2009 | 5:26 pmSix Flags Magic Mountain will add its 17th roller coaster in 2010, bringing the Valencia amusement park into a tie for the most coasters in the world, officials said. Scheduled to open in early summer 2010, the family coaster will be located in the northwest corner of the park between the looping Déjà Vu coaster and [...] -
Oyster Hotel Reviews does L.A.: See thousands of photos and insider reports from L.A.’s best hotels
3 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pmThe still-new Oyster Hotel Reviews that launched earlier this year has opened up a new category of Los Angeles hotels on their website. It’s a feather in their cap that Oyster reviews hotels without taking comps or incentives, but it’s their bounty of gorgeous hotel photos and insider content that keeps me coming back to their [...] -
25 best travel gadgets of 2009 from Time.com
3 Nov 2009 | 9:21 amIt’s not too early to start your holiday shopping. And we don’t mean limiting that purchasing power to plane tickets. Time.com’s technology editor, Peter Ha, has listed “the best travel gadgets of 2009.” Have a look. If you are an uber-geek, you’ve probably heard of some of these tech toys before (such as the Slingbox, [...] -
Ireland: Flights, car and 6-night castle stay for $948
3 Nov 2009 | 4:57 amFor a special short getaway to Ireland this winter, recruit your favorite three friends or family members. Based on four people sharing a three-bedroom villa, a fly-stay-drive package offered by Sceptre Tours can be had for as little as $948 per person, including taxes, from Los Angeles. Your castle awaiting on the Emerald Isle is [...] -
Travel + Leisure online airport guide to restaurants, shops and bars
2 Nov 2009 | 2:18 pmIt’s a common dilemma when passing through an airport: What should I eat? Where’s the bar? Are there any good gift stores, because I forgot to get my kids/spouse/mother something on my trip. If you’re racing through the airport with 20 minutes before boarding or stuck on a layover for four hours — Travel + [...]
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Intelligent Travel: From National Geographic Traveler
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Today's Pic: Grazing in the Ganges
3 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pmNational Geographic Magazine's International Photo Contest has just ended, and there are some great submissions, like this one taken in India's Ganges River.Says photographer Jenay Martin, "The Ganges is the holiest river in India. Every morning and every evening Hindus bathe in the holy river. However, it is very polluted, and in this very location there is no living oxygen and is pure sewage. Even in the filth of Varanasi, life goes on. People still bathe, and animals still manage to find things to eat. This goat is eating a holy garland that was offered to the river during a funeral… -
Istanbul's Whirling Dervishes
3 Nov 2009 | 11:00 amManaging Editor Scott Stuckey has just returned from Turkey, and got an insiders look at Istanbul's famous Whirling Dervishes.I first heard the term "Whirling Dervishes" as a young child and, reasonably enough, surmised that they were dervishes who loved to whirl. What a dervish was, exactly, remained a mystery to me, until last Friday, when I stepped into a 500-year-old Turkish bathhouse (repurposed as the Hodjapasha Culture Center) in the Sirkeci area of old Istanbul. Here, monks of a mystical Sufi order of Muslims--known traditionally for their spirituality, self denial, and… -
Chatting with Tom Hanks
3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amLast week, National Geographic Traveler assistant editor Janelle Nanos got to chat with legendary actor and World War II enthusiast Tom Hanks, who has "perhaps done more than anyone in Hollywood today to help tell the stories of the war with the film Saving Private Ryan and HBO series Band of Brothers" and who just helped produce the interactive film Beyond All Boundaries for the World War II Museum in New Orleans. Hanks's goal of the film--which premiers on November 8--was to make an impression: to give the viewer a chance to look beyond the familiar black-and-white portrayal of WWII and see… -
Daily Radar: 11.03.09
3 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amFor the first time, tickets to the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be awarded by online lottery system. Fill out the application between November 4 at 12:01 a.m. EST and November 6 at 11:59 p.m. EST for a chance to win one of 10,000 tickets (7,000 are standing-room-only) to the annual tree lighting on December 3. [Jaunted]Ever wonder what the colors on top of the Empire State Building actually mean? Check out website WhatColorIsTheEmpireStateBuilding.com for a guide to what the colors stand for each day. Brilliant! [Gadling]Photo: BenjaminB99 via Flickr Christmas - holiday -… -
Cycling Wales
2 Nov 2009 | 11:00 amFriend of IT (and author of delightful Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey into Australia) Roff Smith is just back from biking the Welsh national cycling route, and shares with us some tips on traveling in the area. So how do you keep them down on the farm after they've seen Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch? You got me. It's not easy. Since I've returned from cycling the Lôn Las Cymru--the Welsh national cycle route--I've thought of little else but going back and doing it all again. Stretching more than 250 picturesque miles from the ancient castle…
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Living with Legends: Hotel Chelsea Blog
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Guest Comes Clean on Ghostly Sighting at Chelsea Hotel
2 Nov 2009 | 6:28 amhi, this is Matt, the guy who wrote about this experience. I'm sure that it's hard for people to imagine something like this happening, but I have no reason to fabricate a story such as this. FWIW, I've been completely... -
More Evidence of the Paranormal at the Chelsea Hotel
31 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amDuring a recent trip to the Big Apple, my friend and I decided to call the Chelsea Hotel home for 4 days. It has always been a secret fantasy of mine to stay here and my friend was just content... -
Mysterious Skeleton Haunts the Chelsea Hotel
29 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amDear Ed, My mom, sister, and I stayed at the Chelsea hotel a few weeks ago. The three of us decided to take a spur of the moment trip to New York before I had to go back to teaching... -
Woman Haunted by Mysterious Disemboddied Head In Mirror at Chelsea Hotel
28 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amHi, I am writing to share a recent experience I had at the Chelsea Hotel. I was hoping to post my story and get some feedback to see if anybody has experienced the same: ______________________________________________________________________________ My boyfriend and I decided... -
RIP Author Jim Carroll
16 Sep 2009 | 10:18 amFrom the comment section of Rolling Stone, by commentor Dennis Spencer. "In 1978 I lived at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City. One afternoon I heard a knock on my door. When I opened it there stood a tall,...
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What a Trip
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Princess Cruise to Western Caribbean - What a Trip!
29 Oct 2009 | 2:16 pmPosted by Nancy D. Brown Crown PrincessIn a week, I'm sailing to the Western Caribbean. This is my first trip to the Caribbean and my first Princess Cruise, with exotic ports of call including the Grand Cayman Island, Honduras, Cozumel, Mexico and the Bahamas. What a Trip! Along with several other tweeting travel writers, I was invited by Princess Cruises to take a hosted trip and share my experiences as part of a first-ever “Twitter Press Trip.” Check back here for some videos and posts along the way. You can follow along on… -
Best Things to See and Do in Victoria, Canada
21 Oct 2009 | 4:22 pmPost by Nancy D. Brown Beacon Hill Park, Wendi Dube photographerMy favorite tips and locations for visitors to Victoria, Canada. The first place I take a visitor from out of town is to the Inner Harbour or Dallas Road. When I crave Victorian cuisine, I turn to Red Fish Blue Fish. To escape work I go to Lower Johnson Street (LoJo) for awesome shopping, North Fort for food (Sally Bun), exercise (yoga) and more shopping or to the beach to relax. For complete quiet, I can hide away at Sooke Harbour House. To be surrounded in nature, head to Gold Stream Park or East… -
OtterBox iPhone Defender Case - Travel Gear Review
14 Oct 2009 | 9:56 pmPosted by Nancy D. Brown OtterBox iPhone Defender Case ReviewLove your iPhone but not so happy with your iPhone case? That was the situation for me until I received the OTTERBOX IPHONE 3G/3GS Defender Case and now I'm a happy camper. Active Adventure Traveler If you are an active adventure traveler or simply clumsy and prone to dropping your mobile phone, I strongly suggest that you invest $49.95 in an OtterBox iPhone Defender Case. When I purchased my iPhone 3G at the AT&T store, I also purchased a hard-shell leather case from Griffin Technology. I actually… -
Plane Quiet Noise Reduction Headphones - Travel Gear Review
7 Oct 2009 | 9:24 amPosted by Nancy D. Brown Nancy D. Brown wearing Plane Quiet HeadphonesWhat a difference a switch makes. As I sit on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from San Francisco bound for Honolulu, the plane engines drone on in the background. Visions of Kauai's Hanalei Bay and Poipu Beach drift in and out of my mind, like the gentle waves in the ocean, as I listen to native Hawaiian music with my Plane Quiet Pink Noise Canceling Headphones . The switch I'm referring to is the switch to activate the noise reduction function on the Plane Quiet Headphones. First, let me say that I appreciate that the ear… -
Best Things to See and Do in Fairbanks, Alaska
27 Sep 2009 | 3:18 pmPost by Nancy D. Brown My favorite tips and locations for visitors to Fairbanks, Alaska. Riverboat Discovery Photo by Nancy D. BrownThe first place I take a visitor from out of town depends on how much time they have. The museum is a great overview of local life. The Riverboat Discovery tour is rated the #1 boat tour in North America. It is a 3 1/2 hour cruise and they impart an incredible amount of information. (I went on this cruise as a guest of Royal Caribbean's Alaska Land Tour, and it was excellent.) The interpretive exhibit galleries at the Morris Thompson Cultural and…
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Wandalust
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Where to Ski in France
30 Oct 2009 | 6:10 pm© geoftheref The Telegraph recently published an overview of ski resorts in the French Alps.When it comes to skiing , France gets a lot of things right. More than 300 resorts, many located at high altitude, provide skiers with some 5,000 miles of pistes – a great number of which are to be found in massive, efficiently lift-connected ski areas such as Espace Killy, Les Trois Vallées, Paradiski and Portes du Soleil. For those who prefer the thrill of the off-piste, there are world-class destinations to ... -
Many Caribbean Resorts Offering Free Weddings
24 Oct 2009 | 6:47 pm© √oхέƒx™ If you're thinking of getting married in the near future and you like the Caribbean, you're in luck! Several resort chains are offering free wedding packages when you book a stay in the Caribbean in the near future. Sandals is offering a Martha Stewart-designed wedding package when you book a six night stay. Those packages are worth at least $1500, depending on the package the bride and groom pick. Both Ritz-Carlton and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts are offering wedding free packages with some stays as ... -
Diseases Travelers Should Know About
17 Oct 2009 | 9:26 am© Ryan Wick I saw a piece in Vagabondish that made me think of some of my own experiences on the road. It was a look at some of the worst travel diseases - and none of them are Swine Flu. Post author Turner Wright has a list of ten diseases you should keep in mind. Top of the list? Dysentry. And while that can kill you, the list actually goes down hill from there. He looks at malaria, typhoid, dengue fever, lyme disease, yellow fever, ... -
How Safe is Mexico?
11 Oct 2009 | 10:54 am© Jason Pratt Two different pieces surfaced last week on the safety of Mexico as a tourist destination - one in Fodor's and on at CNN. Fodor's points out that the superficial image of Mexico as littered with Swine Flu and drug violence is, well, superficial. It's not a very complete picture. Fodor's conslusion: How safe Mexico is depends on where you go and how you travel. The CNN story is focused on Mexico's Baja region - where cities like Tijuana and Las Playas Rosarito are great ... -
Win a Skiing Holiday to Banff at the Rocky Mountains!
8 Oct 2009 | 3:27 pm© bettyx1138Win a seven night skiing holiday to Banff - Lake Louise, courtesy of Canadian Affair, for two! Banff National Park, comprises of three varied ski areas known as the "Big 3" - Mount Norquay, The Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village - all within easy reach of Banff town. Frequent and free ski shuttle buses run though the resort areas taking skiers and boarders directly to the slopes. With 274 runs of different levels spread over almost 8,000 acres, this vast ski area has something for ...
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Hotel Law Blog
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Hotel Occupancy Tax Alert: online travel company suits over transient occupancy taxes raise - 5 things every hotel owner and operator needs to know
1 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pmBy Jim Butler and Jim Abrams | JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 1 November 2009 How Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and other online travel companies (OTCs) create huge headaches for owners and operators on their suits over hotel occupancy taxes. Billions of dollars of hotel rooms have been sold through the online travel companies or OTCs. Generally speaking, no transient occupancy taxes (TOT) or bed taxes, have been paid on the portion of these sales kept by the OTCs when they resell the rooms to hotel guests. The exposure on these unpaid hotel… -
Hotel Lawyer: Distressed hotel investments -- Maximizing the value for Lenders, Borrowers and Investors
1 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pmBy Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 01 October 2009 This is one of many articles on the subject of "troubled hotel loans - workouts, bankruptcies & receiverships" in the rich library at www.HotelLawBlog.com. Our national hotel practice focuses on being the legal and business advisors for lenders, borrowers and investors. With the hotel industry suffering a record-breaking collapse of revenues and no immediate relief in sight, everyone is starting to examine available options. -
ADA Hotel Lawyers: California opens door to more ADA litigation, but also offers protection to the well-informed
30 Sep 2009 | 6:00 pmBy Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 30 September 2009 Americans with Disabilities (ADA) update. Why you need to take advantage of the "Certified Access Specialists program" (CASp)! Much needed new protection for property owners against ADA litigation even as California Supreme Court decision opens door to more ADA claims ADA Lawyer update. Worried about ADA claims? If not, you should be! There is a flood of private claims driven by evangelistic "true believers" and blackmail artists. The real tsunami is still coming. The government… -
Hotel Lawyers in Phoenix: What happened at the Phoenix lodging conference? Can we find a Black Swan?
28 Sep 2009 | 11:08 pmBy Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 28 September 2009 Hotel Lawyers' insights from The Lodging Conference at the Arizona Biltmore. As our Global Hospitality Group® members compared notes from last week's Phoenix Lodging Conference, we had some observations we wanted to share. Congratulations to Morris Lasky and Harry Javer for another great event. Here is our take on what happened in Phoenix . . . -
New CMBS rule insights from Hotel Lawyer -- effective immediately. Panacea or placebo?
17 Sep 2009 | 12:10 amBy Jim Butler, Jeff Steiner and the Global Hospitality Group® Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 14 September 2009 Hotel Lawyer insights on the new CMBS rules -- implications for troubled loans today. On September 15, 2009, the United States Treasury changed the REMIC rules applicable to CMBS to give servicers greater flexibility to modify troubled commercial real estate loans. The changes are effective immediately and are implemented in final regulations under the tax code and a revenue procedure that is designed to provide guidance. In fact, the revenue procedure applies…
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My Jet Set Life
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Join Rob & Kim Live Tonight at 8pm on Ustream for the Launch of Jet Set Money!
3 Nov 2009 | 7:39 amThis is all going to happen really, really fast……. If you’re frustrated (and maybe a little pissed off) because you know that there’s a bunch of cool s***t happening around the world that you don’t have the money or time to be a part of …now is the time to step up and make it happen. Get Jet Set Money We will offer only 20 spots for discounted pricing at exactly 8PM (when they’re gone they’re gone). Here is How You Can Get One of Those 20 Spots: Go to U-stream.tv at 8PM E.S.T. search jetsetlife (as one word) and click on the live link Go to Get… -
The Jet Set Body: Part 1
7 Oct 2009 | 11:28 amIt’s seems like the whole world is always chasing 5-15 lbs. When is the last time you hear someone say, honestly, I love my current weight and how my body looks? I’m not sure I’ve ever heard someone say that! Even the sexiest bodies always want to improve something. Millions of people every day use Google to search for the secrets to obtaining the perfect body. In fact, when doing research for this blog I came across something really interesting, however not very shocking. The word “diet plan” is searched 246,000 times a month (according to Google Keyword). -
Jet Set Life Needs Your Help!
29 Sep 2009 | 1:01 pmWe’ve been getting a bunch of e-mails from people asking us when we are going to re-open our Secrets of Successful Muses Membership area to new members. The short answer is Kim and I are not exactly sure. We really could use your help! As you know the Secrets of Successful Muses course was created to answer this one single question we get asked constantly…..How can I create my own online business and be able to travel like you guys? When we first launched the course this past summer it was sold out in less than a week! The good news was that it was a WAY bigger success then we… -
Do more of the things you love & less of the things you don’t!
9 Sep 2009 | 10:51 am“What would you do each day if you had 20 million in the bank?” This question has been posed by every online business mogul and wanna-be mogul in the universe, and now me. I recently took a poll of my Facebook friends, which some of you may have been included in, asking this exact question. The typical answers were: give money to family friends, donate to charity, do charity work and open animal shelters. The animal shelter one is definitely a chick-thing because I too want to rescue every cute and fuzzy animal without a home. But the real question goes deeper than the answer you… -
My Multitask Breakdown
27 Aug 2009 | 9:53 amAre you a habitual multitasker? I’m pretty sure that on some level, we’re all guilty. The reason we multitask is to save time, right? But what about the quality of work, quality of relationship and even the quality of our life. Is the trade off of saving time worth it? I definitely qualify as a multitasker. I noticed how bad my multitasking had become when the other night, I sat down to watch one of my favorite TV shows and decided that I could work on some business at the same time on my laptop. Then I looked over at Rob and he was tapping on his iPhone, while watching the same…
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Gadling
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Gadlinks for Tuesday, 11.3.09
3 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pmHope everyone's enjoying what's on Gadling today, from stinky Asian food to A Critical Mass Halloween in San Francisco to an informative post and gorgeous photo gallery about Auckland, New Zealand. Now here's a look at what else is going on in the travel world today... This video about frequent flyer mile hoarders has been making the rounds-- it's a peek into a small subculture I knew nothing about, and still don't entirely understand. Geography of Bliss author Eric Weiner explores the backpacker ghetto of Thamel, a district of Kathmandu in Nepal. Over at Bootsnall, Eileen Smith details the… -
Get out and go: Events around the world (November 3-9)
3 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pmFiled under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Asia, Europe, North America, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, AustraliaHere's a travel factoid for the day: It was 106 years ago today that Panama proclaimed its independence from Colombia. Apparently, today in Panama, which they call "Separation Day," even the bars are closed. It's time to look at the festivals and events happening around the world, and this week has a particularly international selection of happenings. If you're close and have time, then you have no excuse to get out and go! Japan - Bunka No Hi (Culture Day) is a… -
Photo of the Day (11.3.09)
3 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pmFiled under: Photos, Asia, India, Photo of the Day "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity" - Charles MingusThere's a certain beauty in simplicity, even in regard to photography. I find this photo by lecercle to be a great example of taking simple subject matter and making it interesting and beautiful through composition & contrast. The photo was taken in Kashid, which is a beach town on the shores of the Northern region of Maharashtra, India. The ocean that the subjects are looking out over is the Arabian Sea. -
The 10 most-affordable ski spots in North America
3 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pmFiled under: Skiing, North America, Canada, United States, Hotels and Accommodations, News, Travel DealsSkiing, like polo and yachting, is a rich man's(or woman's) sport. The equipment is expensive, and in order to participate, you need to go to a specific place. In the case of skiing, this means paying ski lift fees and traveling to a pricey ski resort. The costs can add up and make it prohibitively expensive for less affluent ski enthusiasts. But there are some less expensive ski resorts. Ski.com has put together a list of the top ten affordable ski spots in North America. Keystone, near… -
Southwest apologies to deplaned mom
3 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmFiled under: North America, United States, Airlines Pamela Root, who was kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight Friday, will receive another chance to fly on the airline. She and her son were removed from a San Jose-bound plane when her two-year-old son wouldn't stop screaming "Go! Plane! Go!" and "I want Daddy!" In addition to an apology, the airline gave her a refund and a travel voucher for $300. Root had hoped to be compensated for the portable crib and diapers she said she had to buy, but alas, that wasn't in the cards. I have to admit, this seems like a tough call. While it's never easy…
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Tony Wheeler
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Malaria
30 Oct 2009 | 4:11 amOver the years I’ve travelled in many malarial regions and taken plenty of anti-malarial drugs. Touch wood I’ve never had malaria, but malaria can take a long time to present, so my travels in Africa earlier this year could still effect me. I certainly know I’ve been at risk because I’ve travelled with people who were less careful or even less lucky and came down with malaria.Our advice and suggestions for protecting yourself against malaria has evolved and developed along with changes in the dangers, the protection advice and the anti-malarial drugs available. Check… -
Mo Ibrahim
28 Oct 2009 | 3:42 amEarlier this year I was fortunate to meet a man whom I admire enormously – Mo Ibrahim. Born in Sudan he followed a BSc at the University of Alexandria in Egypt with an MSc and then a PhD in the UK and a career in mobile technology culminated with setting up his own African mobile phone network Celtel. ‘Africans can’t afford mobile phones,’ the doubters pontificated. They were wrong, Mo was right, today he’s a billionaire.In 2006 his foundation launched the Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Win a fair election, govern your country well and leave when… -
Big Wheels - London, Singapore, Melbourne
23 Oct 2009 | 7:35 amThis morning I finally got around to riding the London Eye, London’s iconic giant ferris wheel, just downriver from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. With a diameter of 135metres it’s big, but not the biggest of the world’s giant ferris wheels. The London Eye opened in 2000 and for the next six years was the world’s number one. From 1920 to 1985 that honour went to the Riesenrad, the 65metre wheel in Vienna’s Prater park. The Riesenrad dates from 1897, but there was a bigger wheel in Paris from 1900 until 1920 when it was demolished.The honour for… -
2009 - November
22 Oct 2009 | 1:42 pmWednesday 4 November –I'll be the keynote speaker at the Get Out There Tourism & Activity Travel Forum put on for adventure travel operators in Ireland by the Irish Tourist Board at the Galway Bay Hotel in Galway, Ireland. Sunday 7 November – 9 pm – it’s the Fuorirotta (‘off the beaten track’) festival in Udine, Italy. That’s a little bit north of Trieste, over towards the border with Slovenia.Friday 20 November - from 1.15 pm - Hostelling International are celebrating their 100th anniversary worldwide and their 75th in the… -
Airport Transport – London, Melbourne, New York
21 Oct 2009 | 3:36 amLondon taxis Recently I spent ‘60’ for taxis between airport and city in these three cities, US$60 in New York, A$60 (about US$55) in Melbourne and £60 (about US$97) in London. What did I get for my money?In Melbourne US$55 took me 23km from my home on the far side of the city from the airport on a fast freeway connection. The only alternative is the A$16 Skybus into the city, so between two people that would be A$32 and you could add another A$15 for another taxi to my place. Total about A$50, say US$45.click here for more London taxis Recently I spent…
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Budget Travel Tips - EuroCheapo
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Barcelona: Autumn Colors in Catalonia? Si Senor!
3 Nov 2009 | 8:06 amLeaves in in Gallecs, Catalonia. Photo by Horitzons Inesperats. By Regina Winkle-Bryan in Barcelona– Fall is creeping into northeastern Spain ever so slowly. Today I even saw someone swimming in the Mediterranean, mind you, it is far too cold for that nonsense. We know the seasons are changing here in Barcelona, because all non-palm trees are beginning to shed their leaves, which is especially obvious on the tree-lined Rambla. Replacing lush leaves are the “Yam Guys.” This is not their real name, but it’s what I call them. They show up as the weather gets nippy and set up… -
France Train Tickets: How to book tickets on the SNCF website (in French!)
2 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amThe SNCF station at Charles de Gaulle airport. By Liz Webber– As Cheapos know, it’s almost always less expensive to buy train tickets directly through the website of a country’s national rail service rather than through RailEurope’s English-language site or overseas agents, especially for France’s TGV system. Fares can also be cheaper booking online than buying the tickets in person at the station. However, booking a ticket in another language can be intimidating. France’s SNCF website is fairly easy to navigate, but if your French doesn’t extend much… -
London: The 4 best weekend markets for bargain shopping (and people watching)
30 Oct 2009 | 8:32 amBuying olives at London's Borough Market. Photo by Kulbowski. By Justin Bergman in London— If it’s a weekend in London, then it’s market time, no matter what season. Londoners are undeniably proud of their markets and not just because some of them date back to medieval times. The city’s markets are hands down the best places to find bargains, whether you are looking for vintage clothes, artisanal cheeses or bouquets of lilies. They also can’t be beat for people watching, particularly Broadway Market on a Saturday (see below). So grab an eco-friendly cloth bag (nothing else will… -
Berlin: Afternoon in Friedrichshain—Berlin Wall, Cheap Eats, Soviet Stroll
29 Oct 2009 | 9:59 amWalking along the East Side Gallery. Photo by Mark Turner. By Susan Buzelli in Berlin– With only a handful of sights to its name, the edgy Berlin district of Friedrichshain, which is infamous for its anti-capitalism protests, prolific graffiti artists, and rocking music venues, isn’t a jackpot in the sight-seeing department. But thanks to its free-to-see landmarks and a bevy of inexpensive and innovative eateries, this is a great day-time destination for Cheapos desperate to give their wallets some serious R and R. Here are some great ways to spend a Cheapo-friendly afternoon in… -
“4 Cheapo Questions” for Mike Richard of Vagabondish.com
28 Oct 2009 | 7:38 amToday’s “4 Cheapo Questions…” interview features Mike Richard, founder and editor of Vagabondish.com, the “travelzine for today’s vagabond.” We’ve been big fans of Mike’s website for a long time, both for its thoughtful articles and talented writing, as well as its eye-catching photography and snazzy design. But enough about us! Read on to learn a little more about Mike and the story behind Vagabondish. 1. Can you tell us about yourself and your website, Vagabondish.com? As a web geek with a real passion for travel, I needed a way to…
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World Hum
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The Best Movies of All Time, Mapped
3 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pmSpeaking of London Underground-style maps, here’s another good one: Hollywood classics, organized by genre along colored subway lines. Genius. -
Shackleton’s Scotch: Coming to an Auction House Near You?
3 Nov 2009 | 11:43 amTwo cases of the explorer’s drink of choice have been discovered under a hut at Cape Royds, apparently left behind after a failed 1909 polar expedition. The question now, of course: What will happen to the excavated bottles? If they do go to auction, maybe the lucky buyer will want to BYOB on Shackleton’s ship-turned-restaurant. -
R.I.P. Claude Levi-Strauss
3 Nov 2009 | 10:11 amThe famed structural anthropologist has died at 100. We blogged about his 100th birthday—and some of his travel-related accomplishments—just under a year ago: Travel lit readers know him in part from his 1955 travel memoir of sorts, Tristes Tropiques, which begins with the memorable line, “I hate travelling and explorers.” More importantly, as NPR points out, Levi-Strauss “changed the world’s perception of so-called ‘primitive’ tribes in Asia, Africa and America.” -
Photo You Must See: London’s Oxford Circus From Above
3 Nov 2009 | 8:47 amREUTERS/Stefan Wermuth Double-decker buses pass through the diagonal crossing at Oxford Circus in London. The new design was inspired by Tokyo’s Shibuya crossing. -
Mapped: The U.S. Interstates, in the Style of the London Underground Map
3 Nov 2009 | 7:21 amSee it in Senex Prime’s Flickr stream. (Via Coudal)
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Get A Room!
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Welcome to the USA
27 Oct 2009 | 3:00 am -
NTA Has Some 'Splainin' to Do
22 Oct 2009 | 8:13 pmIn an article published on the NTA website entitled "NTA Takes Message of Opening Cuba to NY Media," the National Tour Association has announced that they are promoting "the freedom to travel to Cuba."Are you kidding me? I have some questions regarding the motives here, especially at a time when so many of us in the U.S. travel and tourism industries are looking for new ways to promote inbound -
Ironing Board Abuse
17 Oct 2009 | 7:51 amEver wondered why there's an unusual dent in your hotel room ironing board, or why it doesn't necessarily open or close properly?As hotel employees, we don't always know what happens to the poor, defenseless ironing boards provided in the hotel rooms... but thanks to YouTube (and videos like this one), we're getting a pretty good idea.Please don't try this at home, or anywhere else for that -
Good News for Travel Planners
10 Oct 2009 | 12:12 pmIf you're the person who handles corporate travel for your company, from negotiating a preferred rate for your organization or issuing and reviewing RFPs, to actually making the reservations, life is getting easier for you.Some hotels are now able to provide you with a link directly to an online page where your rate is loaded, and reservations can be made instantly. No more waiting on hold for -
Orbitz is Obsessed!
2 Oct 2009 | 10:02 pmI was scanning the web looking for inspiration, and whaddya know, I found some.Here's the release from Orbitz.com concerning recent changes they've made:Orbitz.com Delivers Customers Improved Flexibility and Value with New Change Fee and Cancellation Fee PolicyWith more and more people reserving hotel rooms online, this has to come as a welcome change! I know we're seeing an increased number of
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nerd's eye view
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Touring Tourists
2 Nov 2009 | 1:44 pmHere is the thing a taking a tour: You are able to see a lot of places that you might not otherwise get to — especially if you do not have a car. Here is another thing about taking a tour: You will be pelted with facts, maybe relentlessly, all of them somewhat filtered through the lens of the guide’s own interests. Some of the facts will stick to you — like the tragic idea that birds are too stupid to tell a plastic bag from a squid so they will stuff them into the bellies of their young thinking they are feeding them when really, oh, it is very sad. Other facts will slide… -
Full Moon over KoOlina
1 Nov 2009 | 6:39 amFrom the Archives Giveaway: FLiP Cam from Royal Holidays The Baker’s Apprentice Dear PR Representatives… -
Two Hawaiis
31 Oct 2009 | 11:29 pmI suppose there’s a reason I’ve not spent any time in West Oahu before. No one tells you to go there, no one says, oh, you’ve got to go check out the beaches around Nanakuli or Waianae, no one says anything, really about West Oahu to mainland visitors like me. And as the suburbs dwindle, it starts to become perfectly clear why no one has sent me this direction before. There are some industrial sites. There’s the big dump, Waimanolo Gulch, where Oahu’s garbage piles up waiting to either be packaged and sent to the mainland or processed into electricity, depending… -
Third Time’s a Charm: Hanauma Bay
31 Oct 2009 | 12:41 amOn my third visit to Oahu, I was finally able to visit Honauma Bay Nature Preserve, a beautiful cove south of Waikiki. I was thwarted on previous visits by not getting an early enough start — the popular park fills up quickly and once it’s full, that’s that, you’re not getting in. I had all the odds in my favor this morning — an early start, the low season, and a tough year for tourism.At 830, I was in the water, chasing the wild humuhumunukunukuapua’a, the best named fish on the planet, though hey, you have to give props to the… -
The Queen’s Birdcage
29 Oct 2009 | 10:49 pmThere isn’t much by way of furnishing in the Queen’s imprisonment room. There’s a little white bed, a rather ornate love seat sized sofa, and a dresser. There’s a large crazy quilt displayed under Plexiglas, it’s beautiful and sad, but not as sad as the little Chinese birdcage that stands empty on top of the dresser. Queen Liliuokalani was sentenced to hard labor for her supposed role in a rebellion she denied having any hand in planning. Her sentence was reduced to imprisonment in this corner room in ‘Iolani Palace, the very Europeanized home to King…
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Galavanting Online Women's Travel Magazine - Current Issue
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Tokyo's Tsukiji Market
1 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pmFrom scouting for the freshest ingredients to the way food is prepared and presented in both restaurants and private homes, Japanese people are serious about their fish. -
Alternate Universe: Anthony Bourdain's New Web Series - 224
26 Oct 2009 | 2:59 pmIf you’re like me and love travel, you probably also love Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain No Reservations. What’s not to love? There’s food, there’s local culture, there’s wit. So when my inbox chimed at the arrival of an email from one of the show’s publicists, the last thing I expected was to read that Bourdain got a new show. Photo courtesy of Travel Channel Have no fear, nothing is being replaced. In fact, come November 2nd, Bourdain and his team will release the first episode of a new animated web series (titled“Robo Chef”). The… -
On the road to Santiago de Compostela - 222
24 Oct 2009 | 2:11 pm -
Win a 3 night stay on Turks and Caicos - 221
8 Oct 2009 | 10:40 am -
Travel Book Review: A Journey into Michelangelo's Rome - 220
4 Oct 2009 | 6:51 am
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Nomadic Matt's Travel Site
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There is No Such Thing as “Must See”
2 Nov 2009 | 7:36 amI have a slight confession to make. I don’t like Berlin. Everyone raves about how great it is so going in I had high expectations. It was a “must see” people said. But I don’t know if it was the weather, the architecture, or the people but I didn’t see what all the fuss was about. While I had fun with people from the hostel, overall, I could do without Berlin. When most people found out about this, they were shocked. “How could I not like Berlin? It was so great.” they said. But not everyone is going to like the same place. There are many cities I… -
Announcing October’s Contest Winners
1 Nov 2009 | 6:25 amAt the beginning of October, I ran a contest giving away a free iPod touch to the affiliate that sold the most ebooks. I also gave away three free nights at a hostel for one lucky RSS subscriber. I learned a lot during this contest about running a contest. It was a good learning lesson that I will apply in the future to make the much more successful. But, without further ado, the winners are: Nora Dunn from The Professional Hobo sold the most ebooks and is the lucky winner of a brand new iTouch. I didn’t reach my goal of 400 books sold so no one won the secondary prizes. The winner of… -
The Weekly Photo: Stockholm
31 Oct 2009 | 6:55 amThe Bridge to the Modern Museum. Stockholm, Sweden ©Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. Learn to have your blog pay for your travels! Liked what you read? Use the icons below to share with others on the web: -
Munich is Better than Berlin
30 Oct 2009 | 6:57 amAfter being less than thrilled with Berlin, I had low expectations for Munich. I only knew a few things about the city: Oktoberfest is there, Hitler had his beer hall putsch there, and it has a famous (and overrated) clock. I mean everyone has heard of Munich but I really knew nothing about it. But I hadn’t been thrilled with Germany thus far and I wondered if Munich would disappoint me too. It didn’t. I loved Munich. Munich was what Berlin wasn’t- it was beautiful, had a city center, great parks, delicious food, and friendlier people. I spent four days in Munich and I can see… -
Eurail Passes: Do the Numbers Add Up?
28 Oct 2009 | 8:09 amDespite all my European travel, I’ve never really been able to say I’ve “railed” across the continent. I am usually so scattered in my plans that I take a few trains and lots of planes. I end up in Venice and decide Amsterdam is fun and then decide meeting my friends in Barcelona sounds like a great idea. My plans are never consistent enough for trains. This time around I really wanted to experience what it was like to take the trains, see the countryside, and figure out if a Eurail pass was really a cheap option. I get a lot of questions about it and, while I have some knowledge of…
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WritingTravel.com
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Wednesday Window ~ Blackberry sur La Seine, Paris
28 Oct 2009 | 9:19 pm -
Wednesday Window ~ View of Quebec City from Hotel Pur, Saint-Roch
14 Oct 2009 | 2:17 pm -
Wednesday Window ~ Pavillon d’Espace 400e, Vieux Porte de Québec
7 Oct 2009 | 6:09 pmPavillon d’Espace 400e on the waterfront in the old Port of Québec City. Currently hosting a traveling exhbition, the building will soon become le Centre de découverte de Parcs Canada, housing new permanent exhibits on immigration into Canada at Quebec via the Saint Lawrence River, along with information about the Canadian national park system. -
Wednesday Window ~ Hotel Baker 1928 stained glass peacock fanlight, St. Charles, IL
23 Sep 2009 | 6:00 pm -
For your viewing pleasure, HipCompass Escapes Fall 2009
21 Sep 2009 | 10:14 amI must repeat myself: I'm thrilled to be a contributor to HipCompass Escapes. The Fall 2009 issue, our third, is the best ever, in my opinion, thanks to the far-reaching talents of the production staff and of my fellow contributors. The far-ranging explorations included in the new issue cover every turn of the globe, from North Africa to the Straits of Taiwan, from Laos to Tahiti, from Maine to Hawaii, from Spain to Argentina to Mexico. Please take a look and enjoy the depth and breadth of the offerings.
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Suite101: Travel Articles
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2009 Ohio Renaissance Festival Near Dayton Ohio
3 Nov 2009 | 5:41 pm2009 marks the 20th anniversary for the Ohio Renaissance Festival, near Dayton, Ohio. It's a family friendly environment that brings visitors back to 16th century England -
Guide to Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, England
3 Nov 2009 | 5:06 pmBuilt on the site of a working medieval castle, Bolsover Castle was rebuilt by the Cavendish family in the 17th Century as a status symbol and pleasure palace. -
Sight-Seeing Tips on the Las Vegas Strip
3 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pmFrom walking the Las Vegas Strip to tips for parents bring young children, there are a number of things to consider to make the trip to Sin City perfect. -
NZ Travel -- Narnia Film Locations, New Zealand
3 Nov 2009 | 1:53 pmThe White Witch of Narnia has left Woodhill but there is still plenty of excitement in the dark forest. Mountain biking and tree adventures are two Woodhill activities -
A Night Out in Cape Town
3 Nov 2009 | 1:31 pmFrom chic wine bars to Cuban beats and African eclecticism, all in colonial and Victorian surroundings, Cape Town's bars have to be seen to be believed.
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My Itchy Travel Feet
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Shipping Luggage To Your Cruise Ship
3 Nov 2009 | 8:39 amAre you a baby boomer cruiser who dreads dragging luggage through the airport? Do you cross your fingers once it’s on the conveyor belt, hoping that you and your clothes will make it to the cruise ship at the same time? I cringe when I read cruise forums where baby boomer travelers report that their luggage was delayed or did not arrive at all. Why not ship your luggage, instead? When Alan and I sailed on Regent Seven Seas Mariner from Vancouver to Singapore, Tim Macht, President of The Luggage Club, offered us the opportunity to try his luggage shipping service. With 52 days of… -
Saturday’s scene: Siberian Smoke
31 Oct 2009 | 1:05 amI captured this smoking shot while exploring the Kamchatka Peninsula by Russian army truck. -
Driving New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle
29 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pmBaby boomer roadtrippers, do you like to travel around in circles? A drive on New Mexico’s “Enchanted Circle” offers scenery, activities and unique stops as it circumnavigates Wheeler Peak (13,161 feet), New Mexico’s highest point. Every circle needs a start. To begin the circuitous journey, take NM Highway 522 north from Taos for the day’s first stop, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, the second highest expansion bridge in the country. The gorge and bridge are seven miles west on NM Highway 64. Near the parking lot, visitors negotiate sidewalks to viewing platforms in the middle of the… -
Luxury Living on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner
28 Oct 2009 | 7:28 pmToday, Alan and I are on a cruise excursion in Bangkok, Thailand, part of our Vancouver to Singapore cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner. Even though we’re out exploring, you can still keep up with our baby boomer adventures. In this week’s installment of Dispatch from Donna at the Luxury Cruise Bible blog, I write about what it’s like to live on a luxury cruise ship for 52 days. Or, check out my weekly port reports including China, Japan, Siberia and Alaska. Happy reading. -
Saturday’s scene: Sunset in the Dunes
24 Oct 2009 | 1:05 amAlan captured a colorful desert sunset during our Dinner in the Desert in Namibia.
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tripwolf | blog
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Red Faced in the Emerald Isle: Getting Used to Everyday Life in Ireland
2 Nov 2009 | 11:00 amThe honeymoon days in any new place are often an exciting blur. Sometimes, that sense of wonder gets marred by the shame of making a cultural faux pas. As Vincent Vega said in “Pulp Fiction,” “It’s the little differences.” Just as with Irish-English, there are a few cultural twists here in Ireland that have embarrassed me in the company of my new peers. Fool me once, Ireland. Paper or Plastic … or Nothing? In America, supermarkets give shoppers their choice of free paper or plastic grocery bags. Irish supermarkets are a bit more eco-conscious so to… -
Travel Trends on The Brooklyn Nomad
30 Oct 2009 | 9:53 amI love to do a bi-weekly wrap-up for you of Andrew’s posts on The Brooklyn Nomad because he’s on top of interesting travel trends. Here are a few interesting posts from this week: Who visits the US the most? Find out which countries come to the US for tourism, and why tourist numbers are declining. Congrats!!! Andrew is excited to announce he’s bringing another travel lover into the world – due in April! (thelittlenomad.com?) Stephanie Yoder stepped in this week as a Guest Nomad – posting 5 cool day trips from London…Hey Steph, post ‘em on… -
tripwolf Update
29 Oct 2009 | 8:17 amtripwolf is constantly changing and improving to bring users the best travel site we can. Whether making it easier to search and find info about places, plan a trip, and even book it, here are a few new features you will definitely want to utilize: - Book Flights; Along with searching for the best hotel deals, you can now find cheap flights on tripwolf through Kayak.com. - Free SIM card; Our new partner ekit.com is offering the tripwolf community a free international SIM card to take on your travels! - Plan trips; We have improved our new trip feature even more – now you can leave… -
A Lesson in Dumplings
26 Oct 2009 | 10:02 amWho doesn’t love dumplings? They’re kind of like sex – even a bad dumpling is better than no dumpling at all. But I’m used to equating dumplings with Chinese potstickers and Japanese gyoza, or maybe Polish pierogi when I’m feeling like a non-meat filling. But it turns out things are a little more complicated than that. After a day at the NYC Dumpling Festival that featured such unlikely contenders as Indian idli and Italian gnocchi, I was left wondering: what the hell is a dumpling? Had my assumptions been mistaken this entire time? After a few Google… -
Kathputli Colony [And Other Ways to Get off Delhi’s Beaten Track]
26 Oct 2009 | 6:57 amThe entrance to Kathputli Colony, in Delhi’s West, is easy to miss. The narrow, dirt track which leads into the colony, turns off a busy road, packed with rickshaws honking noisily and speeding rickety buses. On most days, a trickle of drummers and performers in Rajasthani garb with tinsel trimmings, amble to and from the colony, directing one to the entrance. Today, an over-sized ginger-colored dog sits near the entry, barking manically and snapping at flies. A group of men with gold earrings, mullet haircuts and rough faces stand around smoking beedis, the Indian cigarette. “What do you…
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Hotel Buzz
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Rock Out with Beyonce at Esquire’s Seventh Annual “Signature Space” Cocktail Party
29 Oct 2009 | 11:25 amWe just caught wind of an exclusive party package offered at the W Times Square that will get you into one of the year’s hottest parties. Hosted by Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, The Fray, Gavin DeGraw, Chris Webber, and more, with a special performance by OneRepublic, Esquire Magazine’s Seventh Annual Space Cocktail Party in support of VH1’s Save The Music Foundation will take place in a 9,200-square-foot SoHo penthouse next Thursday, November 5. Tickets are hard to come by but the W Times Square is rolling out the red carpet for 14 lucky guests (there are only 14 event tickets available) if you… -
Opening Soon: Beijing’s Highest Hotel
23 Oct 2009 | 6:47 amShangri-La’s newest Beijing property, the China World Summit Wing, is rushing towards a December debut in the main tower of the landmark China World Trade Centre (pictured). Soaring 81 stories over the city’s bustling business district and directly opposite the (almost) equally elevated Park Hyatt Beijing (which opened a year ago this month), the tower is currently Beijing’s tallest. The Tihany-designed hotel, perched atop the loftiest floors (starting at 64), is set to offer some seriously unsurpassed views of the country’s capital city. The 80th-floor Atmosphere bar and 77th-floor… -
Splurge on Brand-New Bora Bora Villas
22 Oct 2009 | 6:26 amFew places in the world compare to Bora Bora – a quintessential tropical isle in French Polynesia showcasing white-sand beaches, flower-scented breezes, and idyllic coves. Since getting to paradise can be a lengthy affair (it’s eight hours by plane from Los Angeles to Tahiti, plus another hour to connect), why not treat yourself to an once-in-a-lifetime experience once you land? The Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa just unveiled brand-new over-the-water presidential villas that necessitate a splurge, if you’ve got the pocket change to spare. Lying on top of the turquoise clear sea,… -
The New Fort Lauderdale
16 Oct 2009 | 7:57 amFort Lauderdale is home to some of the most fabulous displays of private real-estate wealth in the country, but its reputation has been primarily defined, until recently, by tides of spring breakers – a playground for the riff raff, rather than the rich. That’s all changed over the last few years, as millions of dollars in development projects have poured in, quickly washing away the popular port city’s party past and elevating it to tony status as the Gold Coast’s newest “it” town. Luxury hotels bearing prestigious names like Ritz, Hilton, and Trump are sprouting up all over… -
iPhone: 21st Century Concierge?
9 Oct 2009 | 7:00 amGoodbye travel agents. Hello iPhone. Booking a luxury vacation has become that much easier, thanks to the new Four Seasons iPhone and iPod Touch application that let’s you book overnights at one of their many hotels worldwide with just the swipe of a finger. Find a room, peruse and book spa treatments available at your chosen property, and tour your hotel before you even arrive with the “virtual vacation” feature, which showcases the Four Season’s various properties via streaming video. Download the app for free at the iTunes App Store.
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Amenity Watch
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Gettin’ Ink Done on a California Vacation
3 Nov 2009 | 8:13 amGetting something permanently drawn onto your body should not be a decision made quickly. So maybe a long weekend getaway with friends isn’t the best time to sit down under the needle. That giant sun wrapped in barbwire to commemorate your trip to Florida might not seem so awesome once back home in Wisconsin. Then again, vacations are known to motivate, and friends can be pretty convincing. And what more inspirational setting then ink-clad, super-hip Venice Beach, California? And what better excuse then a hotel offering a “Ink and Stay” hotel package? Hotel Erwin, the… -
Guests Cozy Up With Loaner Kindles
26 Oct 2009 | 8:23 amKnown as the Algonquin Round Table, some of the most influential literary minds of our time met at the Algonquin Hotel to share stories, opinions and meals, thus shaping the American literary landscape. Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley and Robert E Sherwood were among the regulars (and founders) of the group that called this chic hotel home. Ideally located in midtown Manhattan, steps from Times Square, theaters, and shopping, the Algonquin Hotel continues to be a classic choice when staying in the city. And now, if you left your favorite book at home or (even worse) on the plane, they have… -
Beehives Take Over D.C. Hotel Rooftop
20 Oct 2009 | 7:23 amWith honeybees rapidly disappearing in the U.S. over the last couple years, one hotel is stepping in to save black and yellow buzzers and the sweet golden nectar they provide. The Fairmont Washington D.C. recently let 105,000 honeybees check in to three new hives on the hotel’s roof. The 300 pounds of honey that the bees are expected to yield within the first year will be used in soups, salad dressings, pastries, ice cream and other delectable creations in the hotel’s Juniper restaurant. Of course, this begs the question: Will guests want to stay in a hotel that is also home to over… -
Free Pot Brownies at Hard Rock San Diego
21 Jul 2009 | 12:34 pmYes, you read it right: To commemorate Woodstock’s 40th anniversary, San Diego’s Hard Rock Hotel is giving away free pot brownies to all guests checking in from August 14-16. The brownies, served à la mode, will come straight from the hotel’s cafe, Maryjane’s. So…wait, what? Okay, so the brownies aren’t exactly the ones that you’re thinking of. The warm, gooey treats are named for the little ceramic pots in which they are baked-to-order—as opposed to any secret ingredients. Normally we don’t like being duped by press releases, but this one was actually quite… -
Guests Bike for Free at Canada’s Fairmont Hotels
2 Jul 2009 | 12:52 pmVisiting and getting around a new city is never easy–but biking is fun, great exercise, and offers fantastic views of any new place. We’ve previously covered the trend of hotels offering loaner bikes for guests, and it looks like the amenity is continuing to spread like wildfire. As of this spring, Fairmont Hotels across Canada have introduced state-of-the-art BMW Cruise Bikes as the newest benefit for guests. At the Fairmont Château Whistler, guests can explore mountainside bike paths, while guests at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth can expore the avenues of Montreal before…
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RickSeaney.com
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Holiday Flights. Time to Shop, Time to Buy. Get Moving Now.
3 Nov 2009 | 2:46 pmIf you’re planning to travel during the holidays - for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, etc. - the time has come. Finish up that airfare shopping and start booking! Here’s a good rule of thumb for Thanksgiving travel: from now on, every day you wait to buy that “turkey day” airfare adds another $5 to your trip, at least until mid-November - when prices really soar into the stratosphere. Let me get you started in 3 easy steps: Keep reading - and we’ll help you get the cheapest holiday flights available… 1.) Book the “best days to fly”:… -
Job Seekers - Have You Considered Air Traffic Control Work?
3 Nov 2009 | 11:22 amSaw an interesting article that says the job of Air Traffic Controller is the “top paying job in America that require[s] the minimum education”. Note: this hardly means “no education” and the FAA’s website spells out the requirements for you. Trust me, this is not an easy job - and not for everyone: the FAA says recruits should be “motivated, decisive, committed and self-confident”. The article claims the median salary for controllers runs from $86,860 to $142,210, but you will work for your money, and work hard. And yes, there are vacancies, from… -
It’s Election Day: Vote for Top Airline Fees You’d Like to See
3 Nov 2009 | 9:42 amOkay, this is completely unscientific. It’s also a lot of fun - for me. Hope you enjoy it, too. Which among the following is your favorite fee - one the airlines should adopt, without delay? It’s the kind of thing we’d see in a place I’ll call “Perfect World”. Let me know what you think in the comments section. Annoying Pet Fee: $10 one-way fee for any animal that makes noise (and double the fee if the noise prompts its owner to take the creature out of the carrier). Filled-Bin Fee: $15 fee paid by the person who puts too much stuff in the overhead bin… -
Letterman’s Top Ten on Those Northwest Laptopping Pilots
3 Nov 2009 | 6:40 amLast week, I gave you Leno’s take on those errant Northwest pilots, so it’s only fair to give you David Letterman’s perspective - equal time and all that. Anyway, these gems had me laughing — they’re from one of the comic’s classic lists. This one is called: “Top Ten Northwest Pilot Excuses” 9. We get paid by the hour 8. MapQuest always takes you the long way, am I right, people? 7. Tired of that show-off Sullenberger getting all the attention 4. Activating autopilot and making occasional P.A. announcements is exhausting 2. For a change, decided… -
End Ugly Behavior: No Eye Gouging on Field or Jerks on Planes
2 Nov 2009 | 11:15 amAllow me to pontificate for just a minute. Saw some ugly video of Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes as he allegedly tried to gouge out the eye (eyes?) of a Georgia running back over the weekend. Mr. Spikes’ coach decried this behavior; and promptly suspended the young man for…half a game. Hmm. What’s worse, I think, is that examples of this sort of incivility can be seen all over these days - and our airlines are not immune. Too often we’ve heard about drunk (and sober) passengers who make life miserable for the rest of us (like the woman whose antics included drinking…
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Hotel News
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Marriott Plans to Add 26 New Hotels in India
3 Nov 2009 | 5:29 pmNov. 3, 2009--MUMBAI -- Leading US-based hospitality chain Marriott International is aggressively expanding its footprint in India and plans to add 26 new hotels in its portfolio across the country, senior company executives said. -
Starwood Hotels Sell Off Bliss Spas
3 Nov 2009 | 1:25 pmNov 3rd 2009 at 3:01AM W Hotels and Bliss Spas have been an unshakable combination for Starwood Hotels . -
Groupe Aeroplan buys U.S.-based loyalty marketer Carlson Marketing for $188M
3 Nov 2009 | 9:17 amGroupe Aeroplan Inc. is expanding its business into the United States with the purchase of U.S.-based loyalty marketing services provider Carlson Marketing for $188 million. -
Candlewood Suites coming to Minot
3 Nov 2009 | 4:02 amThe lodging crunch visitors to Minot have experienced in recent years will be eased somewhat early next summer with the opening of a new 83-room Candlewood Suites near Minot's Wal-Mart Supercenter. -
Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Announces 'Stay Two Save 20%' Promotion
2 Nov 2009 | 7:48 pmCountry Inns & Suites By Carlson today announced a special 20 percent discount off a standard room rate offer when guests book a stay for two or more consecutive nights Sunday through Thursday night.
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YoungHotelier.com
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Exceeding Expectations – Every day, Every time – by Fritz Gubler
27 Oct 2009 | 5:09 amWe kick off a new series of articles (an e-column!) by veteran hotelier and educator Fritz Gubler. Here is the first installment of the series, called “Exceeding Expectations – Every stay, Every day”. Hope you enjoy it – we look forward to your comments and feedback! Exceeding Expectations: Every Stay, Every Day As a long-time hospitality professional, [...] -
Hotel Public Relations – Five Tips to get more visibility for your hotel
20 Oct 2009 | 12:01 amWe welcome our new columnist, Jennifer Rodrigues, who will be telling us all about Hotel Public Relations and sharing her insights, tips and experiences on YoungHotelier.com! By Jennifer Rodrigues, TravelInk’d For many hotels — too many in my opinion — public relations gets relegated to the backburner or is treated as an afterthought. Hotels have a sales [...] -
Winners of the Young Hotelier Summer Competition
2 Aug 2009 | 1:25 pmThe YoungHotelier.com Summer Competition Winners! A big thank you to everyone who sent in their emails, comments and entries for the Great, Grand and Famous competition with YoungHotelier.com! We’ve chosen the following 3 entries to receive a copy of Fritz Gubler’s wonderful hospitality book: Winner: “Hotel openings are like planting a seed and watching it grow” by Darren [...] -
Hotel openings are like planting a seed and watching it grow
2 Aug 2009 | 12:55 pmThis story begins when I moved to Melbourne to work for the Radisson Flagstaff Gardens Hotel, a four and half star Hotel locate adjacent to the Queen Victoria Markets. I was working for a General Manager I had worked for previously in Adelaide. Not long into the contract the GM told me of an opportunity [...] -
Magic Pots – Creating Happy Moments for Guests
2 Aug 2009 | 12:25 pmM A G I C P O T S Experienced by: Rona Lyn M. Tupaz I’m working as a waitress in Views Restaurant of F/B Department of Le Meridien Ala Aqah Beach Resort –Fujairah. The story goes like this, as a waitress there are certain responsibilities that are allocated to us everyday, one of that is [...]
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USATODAY.com Travel (Hotels) - Top Stories
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Winter vacation homes: Tips for renters and owners
2 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pmWinter is a traditionally slow season for vacation home rentals. But if you're a would-be renter, you can score terrific bargains. -
Caribbean resorts toss in a bouquet of wedding freebies
27 Oct 2009 | 11:59 amCouples who book a high-level room at Sandals and Beaches get a complimentary wedding designed by Martha Stewart. -
Priceline launches iPhone app for hotel bidding
27 Oct 2009 | 11:48 amBargain hunting iPhone owners can add a new weapon to their growing arsenal of travel applications: Priceline.com's just-released ... -
Art makes Louisville's 21c Museum Hotel tops with travelers
26 Oct 2009 | 2:18 pmThe 90-room boutique hotel won the honor of top U.S. hotel in Conde Nast Traveler magazine's 2009 Readers' Choice Awards. -
Hotel owner tells Hispanic workers to change names
26 Oct 2009 | 9:12 amLarry Whitten marched into this northern New Mexico town in late July on a mission: resurrect a failing hotel.
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HOTELS Magazine - News
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F&B Trends, BuzzowrdsFor 2010
3 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pmJoseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co., creators of high-profile restaurants around the world, offer 12 food and beverage trends and the buzzwords for 2010. -
Carlson Frees Resources For Expansion
3 Nov 2009 | 7:16 amCarlson Companies has agreed to sell Carlson Marketing, a loyalty marketing services provider, for US$175.3 million to Aeroplan Inc., Montreal. -
Hotel Construction Decline To Continue Into 2010
30 Oct 2009 | 11:06 amHotel construction starts in September tumbled more than 75% below the average month during the hotel building boom that extended from fall 2005 to summer 2008, and the value of hotel construction starts declined 57% for the year through September, compared to the same period last year. -
Choice, Expedia Return To Negotiating Table
29 Oct 2009 | 10:09 amChoice Hotels International has resumed negotiations with Expedia Inc. in an attempt to end a messy public feud and get Choice properties back on Expedia's online distribution channels. -
Amex: China To Lead Business Travel Recovery
28 Oct 2009 | 9:21 amInvestment by global companies and local companies in China should increase over the next 12 months.
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HowToMakeMyBlog.com
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6 ways to create link magnets with every blog post
3 Nov 2009 | 4:02 pmThere is nothing easier than having a blog these days. Everyone and their dog is blogging. But that doesn’t mean that every blog is worth reading. As a matter of fact, most blogs suck and they suck for a reason. Most blogs are “me too!” blogs. By reading this blog you already proved that you don’t belong to the “me too!” crowd. Creating link-worthy blog content Creating link-worthy content should be your main concern because everything else will follow. Referring traffic, traffic from organic search and, in the end, direct traffic directly depend on how… -
My review of WordPress 2 iPhone App for mobile blogging
29 Oct 2009 | 5:02 pmWordPress 2 iPhone app has just been released. I had a quick look and I like it. It is a perfect iPhone application for mobile blogging. It is very simple to log in to your WordPress blogs (both .com and .org). Blog URL, username and password are all the things you need. WordPress iPhone app now features a very easy to use navigation on the bottom of the screen with “Comments”, “Posts” and “Pages” . This navigation allows you to easily switch between these areas. WordPress 2 iPhone comments area Comments area lets you review comments, approve, unapprove,… -
Link internally to increase blog page views, improve usability and Google rankings
25 Oct 2009 | 4:02 pmLinking to your internal blog posts is one of the most important aspects of building a successful blog. TechThinker commented on my blog traffic post: I love the way you interlink all your blog posts. Your posts always remind me of the importance of doing Internal links. Why are blog internal links important? First of all it is a great service for your readers to introduce them to an article that has more detailed information about a topic you mention. It increases your page views, improves the user-experience of your visitors and introduces them to some of your older blog posts. Blog… -
Blog traffic – From 0 to 200.000 visitors, 8 blogging lessons learned
18 Oct 2009 | 4:02 pmI started my how to make a blog on October 25th so this week my blog turns one year. As I have recently achieved the 200,000 visitors landmark, I thought this was a good time to put down some of the things I have learned from the first year that I would recommend bloggers to think of when launching a new project and building blog traffic. Commenting on bigger blogs can bring you initial traffic My first visitor other than myself was someone clicking over from a comment I had left at ProBlogger. In those first days all my visitors came from comments I left on ShoeMoney, DailyBlogtips,… -
FOWA Gary Vaynerchuk And Facebook Developer Garage Interviews
11 Oct 2009 | 4:02 pmContinuing from the offline blogging events blog post, I have gone to several more events in recent weeks. I am lucky to live in London, as many web 2.0 related events take place here regularly. Future Of Web Apps (FOWA) took place earlier this month and Filip Matous, a great video editor I met on one of the blogging events, was kind enough to put together some video interviews and let me publish them here. Facebook and FOWA video interviews First video is from the FOWA edition of the Facebook Developers Garage. The video features interviews with David Nattriss of http://natts.com and Joshua…
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Shoemoney - Skills To Pay The Bills
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SEOBOOK Interview
3 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amCheck out the lengthy interview I did with Aaron Wall here This Post Is From ShoeMoney’s Internet Marketing Blog SEOBOOK Interview -
Last day for ShoeMoneyX Signups!
3 Nov 2009 | 3:29 amAfter today the shoemoneyx.com program will be shutdown forever. But no worries we are working on something new that will be out first quarter of next year that is much more hands on and indepth. (notice the early bird signup on right hand side of the blog). So enroll in the free 12 week internet marketing training course today! This Post Is From ShoeMoney’s Internet Marketing Blog Last day for ShoeMoneyX Signups! -
Before You Pay For That Webmasterworld Pubcon Pass….
2 Nov 2009 | 11:18 amBefore you buy a pass to Pubcon to hear the same old company pitches you have already heard a million times from the same speakers check out DK’s line up of events (AKA 2nd annual Pubcon hijack). These events is actually where all of the “experts” will be at. AND in these settings you can actually “talk” to them instead of listening to their company stump pitch. Just check out all the people on DK’s attendees page and you tell me who are you trying to network with? Who are you trying to learn from? These mini events are the key. The events range from MMA… -
Your Virus May Spread But Does It Kill?
2 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amI was watching this show the other night on National Geographic about the h1n1 pandemic. The interesting thing is that the h1n1 virus, while it spreads super awesome does not kill very many people. Actually it kills less then .01 percent of the people who get it infected by it. Compare that to the 2003 SARS epidemic that infected 8,098 people and killed 774 world wide. Giving it a 9.6% chance of killing. Much more effective then h1n1. One of the things the show also talked about is how many people don’t know that a virus goal actually NOT to kill people. Its goal is to reproduce and… -
Happy Halloween!
31 Oct 2009 | 10:13 amFor Halloween this year I went as Shrek, My wife – Fiona, my daughter juliet – Tinkerbell and my daughter Joslyn – A chicken. Have a safe and happy Halloween!!!! This Post Is From ShoeMoney’s Internet Marketing Blog Happy Halloween!
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ProBlogger Blog Tips
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Why Stories are an Effective Communication Tool for Your Blog
3 Nov 2009 | 6:18 amAs I write this it is the first Tuesday morning of a new month and I’m sitting in a local coffee shop going through my ‘start of the month routine‘. It involves a large lattè (everything else hinges on this) and some delving into my blogs metrics to see how they’ve been performing. While I do keep track of the traffic stats of my blogs each day I like to set aside an hour or two at the start of each month to go a little deeper and do some more analysis of trends on my blogs – I find that when I do this I notice things that I can build on to continue momentum on… -
Thesis Theme for WordPress Upgrades to Version 1.6
2 Nov 2009 | 6:16 amOne of my favorite WordPress themes – Thesis – has in the last week released an update with some pretty cool features. My strategy with blog design is like this. I generally aim towards a completely customized blog design that will give my blog a distinct look and brand – but before I work towards that I almost always start with a more affordable option because I like to test to see whether the blog is going to work or not. As a result I’ve always been on the look out for great themes and when Chris Pearson and Brian Clark started DIYthemes and released the Thesis… -
PR People Getting Pushier with Bloggers Since the Recession
1 Nov 2009 | 5:48 amA guest post by Krizia from Eat Smart Age Smart I’ve been blogging since June 2007 when I launched my beauty site . In April 2009, I launched a healthy eating site with the encouragement of my Internet coach Yaro Starak and in the last few months I’ve noticed a shift in the way I deal with publicists. When I first started blogging, I actually went out and bought beauty products to review them on the site. During a conference, an exhibitor told me that in my position (promoting skincare and make-up brands on the Internet at no cost to the manufacturer), I should never have to pay for… -
How to Write a Blog Post That’s Stickier than Velcro
31 Oct 2009 | 7:01 amA Guest Post by Marelisa Fábrega. Image by drmama. Do you have a really good idea which you want to go viral? Is there a behavior you’re trying to modify in your blog readers, such as encouraging them to save, eat healthy, or start an exercise program? Are you looking for ways to persuade readers to purchase an affiliate product you’re promoting? If your answer is “yes” to any of these, then you need to make your writing stickier. In this post I’m going to share with you six principles which you can begin to apply right away to make your articles as sticky as urban myths, Aesop’s… -
How I Use Email Newsletters to Drive Traffic and Make Money
30 Oct 2009 | 7:09 amYesterday I shared 6 reasons that I find email newsletters to be a more effective way of driving traffic to and making money from blogs than RSS. Today I want to show you exactly how I do it. Firstly a word about technology – I use Aweber to deliver my emails (I talk about why here). However you can use pretty much any email newsletter service for the process I outline below as long as it allows you to set up an auto-responder or sequence of emails. I should also say that the process I’m about to share has evolved over time. It started out very very simple and has slowly developed…
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Copyblogger
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The Quentin Tarantino Guide to Creating Killer Content
3 Nov 2009 | 5:58 amIn a recent Copyblogger post discussing how the king of content is being slowly usurped by the Crown Prince of Context, author Larry Brooks referenced the remarkable opening scene of Quentin Tarantino’s new movie Inglourious Basterds. There are few writers like Tarantino, and though his verbal carpet bombs and kinetic escalation of violence aren’t for everyone, there is no doubt that the dude follows his muse. Those who love him will eagerly wait in lines wrapped around the block to show their support. In short, Tarantino sells it every time. And by it, I mean an ironclad belief in… -
How to Get Lucky With Content Marketing
2 Nov 2009 | 7:36 amDo you feel like you’re fighting for every page view your blog receives? Do you wonder why you’re struggling to find readers when other bloggers seem to just hit “publish” and the world comes running? It may be tempting to throw up your hands and say, “those other guys have all the luck,” but it won’t get you anywhere. The truth is, those “lucky” people are doing something you’re not doing. (Or they’re doing what you are doing, but better.) If you want to get lucky, you’re going to have to give up the “poor… -
What’s Your Blog Going to Be for Halloween?
30 Oct 2009 | 5:56 amIt’s that time of year again . . . time to get your trick-or-treating gear ready. Trust me, this year you’re too old to troll the neighborhood begging for miniature Twix bars. Your neighbors are wise to you and your “Eminem costume.” Instead, how about putting a little thought into what your blog will be this Halloween? Sure, you can go the cheap and easy way and get a Perez Hilton mask, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, look through this collection of spooky archetypes and see if you can spot your blog on the list. The devil Instead of a pitchfork, the devil blog sports a… -
The 3 Fatal Diseases that Kill Good Blogs
29 Oct 2009 | 7:28 amPicture this. You’re in a fancy night club, one of the best in Vegas. You’re drinking free beer and watching 50 or 100 people party to heavy beats and exotic dance tunes. You should be enjoying the mood . . . maybe even letting a dance sneak out every now and then. But instead, you’re off in the corner talking business. Not just any business either. You’re talking about the business of blogging. I know . . . pretty lame right? But hold that thought, because although on the surface it seems like you’re missing the point of the “nightclub experience,” the… -
The Thesis Theme for WordPress Gets Even Better
29 Oct 2009 | 6:38 amThere’s a new version of Thesis out that has our customers excited, thanks to some really cool new features. And it occurred to me that there are a lot of new Copyblogger subscribers who might use WordPress, and yet not really “get” what this Thesis thing is all about. So in this post I’ll tell you what’s brand new in Thesis 1.6, and also bring everyone up to speed on why Thesis makes WordPress way better. What is the Thesis Theme for WordPress? Thesis is the flagship product of DIY Themes, a partnership between Chris Pearson and me. It’s the theme framework that powers…
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Blog Directory, Blogs on Blogged
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Director Tapped For 'The Orphanage' Remake
Screen Rant It’s being reported that a director has been found for New Line’s English-language remake of The Orphanage, in the form of Larry Fessenden. Guillermo del Toro (who produced the original Spanish version) is producing and has co-written the... -
Too Old to Have a Baby?
Burning The Scale Advances in science have made it much easier to get pregnant now in your 50s, and in some cases, 60s. The case of Maria del Carmen Bousada of Spain, who had twin boys at age 66 and then died... -
myFICO 25% Off Coupon
My Money Blog Here’s a newly released coupon for 25% off real FICO scores at myFico.com. Use the promotional code FICOHELP25 to get 25% off, the best discount currently available: You enter the promo code... -
Oldest Living Man in Montana
A Dozen Steps Walter Breuning is being touted as the new “oldest living man” at age 112. He lives in a nursing home in Montana and says he’s grateful for his good health. The previous man to hold the title,... -
'Banned' Sprite ad unleashes a load of buzz
Adfreak It’s a fact of the advertising industry that roughly 99% of those “banned†ads you see on the Web were never banned at all — or even intended to be aired. It seems that has to be the case...
