Crime in Hotels

Are you concerned about becoming a victim of crime when staying at a hotel? If not, click here for an interesting article. It might change your mind.

The Cozy Suite

It may not be as fancy as first class accommodations, but Delta's new "Cozy Suite" seats promise to make economy class seating less of a hellish, crippling nightmare. The major feature of the design is a staggered layout that increases privacy while simultaneously creating a space for weary travelers to rest their heads. It also allows passengers to enjoy 31-inches of leg room (2-inches better than the competition) and the ability to recline without disturbing the person behind them.

Delta is planning on installing the Cozy Suite in its Boeing 777 and 767 economy class aircraft by 2010. Plus, the impending merger between Delta and Northwest could mean that travelers loyal to the latter company might reap the benefits of these new seats as well. Until then, you will just have to suck it up or spring for a higher class ticket.

Jatropha Plant

The jatropha plant originated in the Caribbean. It was spread as a valuable hedge plant to Africa and Asia by Portuguese traders. The jatropha plant bears separate male and female flowers which contains compounds that are very toxic. The plant is resistant to drought and pests and produces seeds containing 40% oil.

Why is this important to the travel industry? Click here for details.

Tension In the Friendly Skies

Today in USA TODAY Snapshots section, the following poll results were published from TripAdvisor.com:

Types of people adults say are the most annoying to fellow air travelers. Those who...

Let their kids run around: 59%
Thrust back their seats during meals: 46%
Insist on chatting: 45%
Smell of strong perfume/cologne: 39%
Are not prepared at security checkpoint: 37%

These results are from 1100 U.S. passengers

The 10 Most Delayed Airlines

The Department of Transportation compiles monthly statistics on which airports have the most delayed flights. However, what travelers need to realize is that flight arrival times are more important than departure times. Departure times are based on the time that the plane leaves the gate. If the plane leaves the gate on-time, but waits on the tarmac for 3 hours...it is still considered to have an on-time departure.

These stats are based on % of on-time arrivals.

1. American 58.8
2. United 59.3
3. Comair 63.4
4. JetBlue 64.9
5. American Eagle 65.7
6. Mesa 67.3
7. Continental 67.4
8. Northwest 67.6
9. ExpressJet 68.5
10. Delta 72.9

yapta.com

Most third party travel sites are the same. All claim cheap fares, cheap hotel rates, and cheap rentals. Yapta.com has those claims, however, they also claim to save you money when the fare that you purchase actually decreases after the transaction is complete. Can this be true?

Yapta.com boasts that a traveler can check to see if the ticket price you book has dropped, AND GET AN AIRLINE VOUCHER FOR THE DIFFERENCE. If this is true, its an impressive service.

Although my gut tells me there has to be a catch, I noticed this morning that Marriott has a banner ad on the site. Does this legitimize the site? Maybe. Will I book my next flight using yapta? Probably not. I like to save money just as much as the next guy, but I'm a "book it and forget about it" kind of person. After booking a vacation I'd rather spend my time searching and learning about my destination rather than potentially jumping through hoops to get a $25 voucher for my next flight.

If you've had a good experience with yapta, I'd enjoy hearing about it.

RULES OF THE ROAD

In the latest issue of National Geographic Traveler there was a list of tips one should use when driving in a foreign country. The list is below along with a comment by your humble correspondent.

• Avoid driving in places where you don't speak the language or can't understand the alphabet. I can't imagine driving in China and asking for directions to the nearest Chinese restaurant.



• Drive during the day if possible. It's difficult driving at night in an unfamiliar area in the States, let alone in a foreign country with narrow roads and live-stock roaming the streets. On a similar note...last month when traversing on the back roads of Montana around 1 A.M....I came within inches of hitting a cow. Its a good story...email me if you want to know more.



• Ask for a car with GPS navigation. Make sure your navigation device speaks American.



• Don't be an easy target. Request that stickers or other indications that your vehicle is a rental to be removed. While visiting Hawaii, a friend of mine belongings (including cash and check book) were stolen when he "secured" his items in the trunk of his rental car. The police told him that is the worst place to place items as it is easier to break into the trunk than locked doors of a vehicle.



• Bring car seats for your children. Laws for car seats are different in each country. Don't assume the country you are visiting will have a car seat that fits the standards that you want for your youngster.



• If driving your own car south of the border, purchase Mexican insurance. Almost every major U.S. insurance policy specifically excludes coverage in Mexico. This should be a red flag for everyone. Traveler suggests purchasing a day-to-day policy on-line or in Mexico?? No Thank You. If I ever drive to the border. I will leave my car on the American side and either hire a driver or rent a car with rental car insurance.



• ...And my own personal suggestion when driving over-seas...Avoid "round-a-bouts". Whatever you think of American round-a-bouts...In Europe they are much worse, its like Thunderdome...there are no rules!

Travel Tip #7: Beware of "Dynamic Currency Conversion"

The next time you travel over-seas and paying with your American credit card don't be surprised if the hotel clerk, wait-staff, or car rental agent gives you a bill in U.S. dollars. This practice is known as dynamic currency conversion (DCC). So what's the big deal? One might think this is a convenient way to continue the transaction as you know exactly what you are being charged in U.S. dollars. But so fast, If you accept the pre-converted bill you will end up paying a higher exchange rate and credit card fees.

Companies that use DCC use an exchange rate that is competitive but many times is actually higher than the interbank exchange rate. Add that to the fact that in 2005 most credit cards automatically add a 1% "international service assessment" for all transactions outside the United States. and that $10 cappuccino just got a little bit more expensive.

Although it may seem unsafe to carry large sums of cash with you on a trip that you converted before you left the States...you will end up saving money in the long run. However, if you decide to use your credit card demand to have your bill in the local currency. Stores are violating their merchant agreement if they refuse to let you pay in the local currency. Also, before you leave home find out what the service fees are with your credit cards...one may be cheaper than the other.

Meet the Hotel Guest of 2020

The below article is very entertaining and serves as a future reminder that today's hotel guest is an ever changing being whose wants and needs change with the changing technology. if we don't give our hotel guests what they want and expect...they will find it somewhere else. The article was written by Jitendra Jain, who is employed with Starwood Hotels & resorts in Dubai.




It is the year 2020. The past twelve years have been a flurry of development in the areas of design, nanotechnology, robotics, medicine, the Internet, security and law. Contrary to popular opinion, the hotel industry has not been slow on the uptake. It’s been the decade of hospitality renaissance. A coming of age, an evolution of service as it should be…and a tribute to true personalization. Here’s a look at the hotel guest experience in the year 2020 and how guests have helped the industry become truly magnificent:



My stay. My choice. I can choose and book all elements of my stay before I arrive, from my king sized bed, a fabulous view of the sea, non-allergenic pillows, a romantic dinner at the hot new fusion restaurant on my 3rd night, a pampering at the spa on the 4th, a round of golf on the 5th and a super chocolate sundae, served cold upon arrival (not to forget my airport pickup and drop with a virtual interactive city tour, of course). Hotel revenue and inventory management systems have evolved to a level where every amenity and service can be chosen, packaged, sold and delivered.



Click here for the remainder of the article.

Separate but Equal

No boys allowed: Hotels seek fortune with women-only zones

As hotels get ever more desperate to invent new niches to lure customers, we've have been hearing a lot about the "girlfriend getaway," vacations women take with just their girlfriends.

I confess I don't entirely get why we need the concept. Fun things to do are universal. Often, these packages include spa treatments, free cosmos, or something like that, which strikes me as more than a little sexist -- as if it's only women who like massages, and as if Carrie and Samantha would have no interest in, say, museums.

But whatever. Here's a woman-skewed concept that seems to have a place. The Naumi, a luxury hotel in Singapore, has launched a female-only wing for women guests. The concept, secured by private key-card access, reeks of boutique styling, complete with fancy Aesop skin care products, aromatherapy frills, and an entirely female staff. Since its introduction, staff says, the rooms have been at 80% occupancy, which isn't bad for a hotel, especially one charging $420 to $600 a night.

So far, the women-only zones are mostly confined to properties in Asia, Australasia and in Arab countries (such as this one in -- surprise -- Saudi Arabia), where presumably there are more women who prefer segregation for religious or privacy reasons. But the luxury execution goes way beyond simply providing a safe space. In fact, a manager at the Naumi says a big chunk of his clientele is women on shopping trips -- Singapore, a tiny city-state that is practically one big mall, is particularly attractive to the long-distance spree set. But women executives, too, not normally known for being timid, are also indulging in the new concept.As with so many truly catchy trends, this one seems to have bubbled up from the low-budget front lines. Hostelling International has segregated by gender for years, even as independently run hostels often mingle the sexes in the same dormitories. That's a big reason why HI is favored by school groups and parents sending their little ones on their first big foreign trip.

The turning point, though, came in the early '00s when stylish Base Backpackers, a super-budget hostel chain in Australia and New Zealand, created a girls-only wing for its properties. Base was savvy enough not to simply cordon off the femme zone with a fire door. It gave the area a swishy name, Sanctuary, and without charging the girls more than the boys, gave them luxury-imitating amenities like sheets with high thread counts and fat bath towels. The result? Base mushroomed from a couple properties to a dozen today.

Would women-only areas of hotels fill up in the West, where genders are more integrated? So far, the idea isn't ruling the zeitgeist. Last year, a Marriott in Grand Rapids tried it, prompting fire truck-chasing lawyer Gloria Allred to cry discrimination. Three years ago, the Grange City Hotel in London gave it a try, but today, its website makes no mention of any specialized areas for the ladies. But who knows? Maybe it will switch back after girlfriend getaways sweep the nation. I suspect that will be a mighty long wait, though.

BE HAPPY IF THE AIRLINES ONLY MISPLACE YOUR LUGGAGE

This story was written by Pablo Guzman from CBS News

HORROR: American Airlines Sued Over Missing Body
For 4 Days Miguel Olaya Was Told Everything From 'We Don't Know' To 'It's In Miami' To 'She's In Guatemala'
Lawyer: Wife's Body Badly Decayed Upon Arrival In Ecuador

It was Miguel Olaya's worst nightmare. Not only had his wife of 26 years died of cancer, but he says American Airlines lost her body when it was time to bury her in their native Ecuador.

Olaya is a proud man. But when we was asked what he told his 16-year-old daughter, Laura, about how for several days American Airlines apparently could not tell them what happened to his wife Teresa's body while they waited to bury her in Ecuador, after flying in from New York, well, he struggled to maintain his composure. He didn't want to break down in front of a camera, but clearly he was torn up inside.

He managed to get out "Que estamos sufriendo. Translation: "We are suffering."

His wife of 26 years died of cancer, and after a viewing at De Riso funeral home in Brooklyn, the funeral home arranged with American Airlines to fly the body to Ecuador.

Between April 1, when her body was supposed to arrive, and April 4, Olaya and his lawyers say American Airlines' story changed from "We don't know" to "It's in Miami" to "She's in Guatemala." Last Thursday, Olaya filed a lawsuit against American Airlines and De Riso Funeral Home, which attorneys say hired American to transport the body.

"This is an airline that has the most sophisticated luggage and baggage system in the world!" attorney Richard Villar said. "How could they not know where the body is?!"

Added attorney Christopher Robles: "It appears from what we know about the state of the body when it arrives in Ecuador, that the body was not refrigerated. It was not kept the way a body would need to be kept."

Olaya said he saw his wife's poor condition when he opened the casket. In Spanish, he said, "These people played with someone's sentiments."

And then, looking for an answer, he said: "Yo no entiendo por que." Translation: "I just don't understand why.

"Funeral director Kathleen De Riso said the shipping error was caused by someone at American who punched in the wrong airport code. She said they wrote GUA for Guatemala instead of GYE for Guayaquil.

"It was not our error," De Riso said, adding that the body was properly embalmed and "there was no decomposition." She said it was the first time in her 18 years of dealing with American that such a mistake had happened.

American spokeswoman Jennifer Pemberton said her company was researching the situation but could not comment because of the pending litigation.

Olaya's lawsuit, filed last week in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn, accuses the airline and funeral home of negligence and asks unspecified damages.

Olaya's wife died of pelvic cancer at age 57 on March 28.

Trend to Eliminate Telephone Books from Hotel Rooms Growing

Next time you're staying in a hotel in a strange city and need to consult the yellow pages, you might be out of luck.


Some hotel chains have started saying goodbye to phone books.
Their position: Guests no longer let their fingers do the walking through the yellow pages, because they have the Internet at their fingertips.


Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and Hyatt Place hotels are among those with phone-book-free rooms, company spokeswoman Amy Patti said. Hyatt Place has hotels in Raleigh and near Raleigh-Durham International Airport.


The chain has dumped in-room phone books "primarily due to the convenience the Internet provides," Patti said. "A phone book can be provided at the guest's request," or guests can get assistance from the hotel staff.


Other hotel chains tossing phone books include Omni Hotels, Kimpton Hotels and some chains operated by Starwood Hotels -- such as Westin, Sheraton and Aloft.


The trend is one more bit of bad news for Cary-based R.H. Donnelley, which publishes directories in 28 states.


Like other traditional media, yellow pages publishers have seen advertising revenue decline because of the struggling economy and companies shifting their advertising to the Internet. As a result, Donnelley has been cutting jobs, and its stock has dropped 98 percent in the past year.
Donnelley spokesman Peter Larmey notes that the company has exclusive deals to be the sole provider of print directories to hotels in many of its markets.


Many hotels still keep phone books in their rooms -- often alongside the Bible.
Louise Garrell, general manager of the Ramada Inn on Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, said making yellow pages available reduces demands on hotel employees' time. "We have them in the rooms so people don't have to ask us," she said.


Yellow Pages Association spokeswoman Stephanie Hobbs contends that the hotels that have chosen to eliminate phone books are relying on false assumptions. "The current wisdom is that everybody is wired 24/7," she said. "Would that were true, but it's not."


Still, the association plans to provide hotel chains with consumer usage data in hopes of reversing the trend. The association estimates, based on 9,008 telephone interviews, that last year, Americans turned to the printed yellow pages 13.4 billion times -- about the same as in 2006.

Carlson Worldwide Property & Room Inventory

Carlson recently opened its 450th Country Inn & Suite property. Below is a list of how many hotels and rooms the Carlson company represents in the lodging industry.

WORLDWIDE PROPERTY & ROOM INVENTORY
As of: June 1, 2008
County Inns & Suites By Carlson
Properties: 448
Rooms: 35,855
Carlson Hotels Worldwide
Properties: 986
Rooms: 148,733# of Countries: 72

'A-Room-Atherapy'

Travelodge UK Infusing Scents in Bedsheets to Help Guests Nod Off; Aromas Include "Freshly Cut Grass" and "Home-baked Apple Pie" .



June 2008 - In a UK first, budget hotel chain Travelodge is trialling 'a-room-atherapy at a selection of its hotels - with the launch of a unique series of 'ReminiScents'. The specially scented sheets have been designed to evoke happy and comforting memories for guests, in a bid to help them nod off.


The 'ReminiScents' have been developed around the top five scents Brits would like to be surrounded by, as they drop off to sleep, The fragrances were identified following the feedback from a national 'Senses Census' of over 5,000 Britons.
Guests at selected Travelodge hotels will be able to choose from the following exclusive ReminiScents free of charge:


- The Sea - to evoke memories of holidays. The sea is the number one scent that Brits would like to be surrounded by as they drop off to sleep, comforting 45% by bringing back memories of happy holidays. Also ideal for those who are used to living by the coast.
- Freshly Cut Grass - to evoke the scents of summer. Almost a quarter (21%) wanted to nod off to the smell of freshly cut grass, reminding them of long, happy summer days. Also ideal for those who are used to living in the country.
- Baby powder to remind guests of their children. The ideal comforter for doting parents, with one in five (18%) choosing to be surrounded by the smell of their baby when away from home to lull them into slumber
- Home-baked Apple Pie - to create a home-from-home experience for guests. Baking and cooking aromas are the most comforting scents for almost over one in ten (12%) Britons
- Chocolate the ideal pick me up for women. The scent of chocolate and sugary sweets is the most comforting smell for 9% of UK women




click here for the remainder of the article.

Travel Agencies

In 2007, American Express disclosed its global corporate travel sales. It reported $20.5 billion in global corporate travel sales, an 11 percent increase over $18.5 billion in 2006. Unfortunately, Amex declined to authorize how many transactions that dollar figure represents. The Business Travel News estimates the dollar figure represents 15.3 million transactions. Amex is the only major travel company that did not disclose transaction numbers. Below are the top ten travel companies according to the number of transactions processed. Although not included, it is assumed Amex would be at the top of the list.

1. Carlson Wagonlit Travel 11,001,156
2. Omega Travel 962,553
3. Travel and Transport 738,854
4. Tzell Travel Group 648,940
5. World Travel 564,768
6. Ovation Travel Group 397,212
7. Adelman Travel Group 361,496
8. The Travel Authority 351,534
9. Garber/FCm Travel 329,446
10. Directravel 325,435

Wyndham Acquiring Microtel, Hawthorn

Wyndham Worldwide expects by the end of July to close the acquisition of U.S. Franchise Systems' 292 economy Microtel Inns & Suites properties and 91 extended stay Hawthorn Suites properties-Wyndham's first entry in that tier-from Global Hyatt Corp. Financial terms were not disclosed.

As Corporate Director of Sales of a hotel management company that owns a Microtel Inn & Suites, I'm looking forward to this acquisition by Wyndham. Besides Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Wyndham owns Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Wingate, Baymont, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, Knights Inn, and Amerihost brands.

Microtel has suffered from name recognition since its conception. Being part of the Wyndham family of hotels will make the Microtel brand more visible to the loyal guests of the brands above. Wyndham also has one of the best loyalty programs in the hospitality industry. Wyndham REWARDS, formally triprewards, has over 6000 hotels/resorts worldwide. When was the last time you traveled to a city that did not have one of the hotel brands above? With the addition of Microtel and Hawthorn, Wyndham REWARDS has become a better loyalty program that it was before.

Hidden Hotel Charges

Click here for an interesting article by Andrea Bennett titled How to Avoid Hidden Hotel Charges.


In reality, its impossible not to pay for hidden fees at hotels. Many travelers feel that these "hidden" or "extra" fees can only be found at higher price hotel and spas. However, think about the last time you stayed at a moderate priced hotel such as a Holiday Inn Express. If the room charge was $100 plus tax...are you paying for amenities that you did not use? Did you use the pool? Did you use the exercise room? Did you take advantage for the airport shuttle? Did you have your fill of the complementary breakfast? All of these items are included in your rate regardless if you take advantage of them or not.


The more amenities a hotel has, the more expensive the hotel will be. The best way to save money on hotel stays is to define what amenities are important for that particular hotel stay and choose a hotel that best fits those requirements.

Survey Results #4: Pillows

When traveling, do you bring your own pillow with you? 64 persons responded

always/most of the time 10
never 29
sometimes/once in awhile 19
seldom, but I always ask the host/desk for extra pillow(s) 6

Travel Tip #6: Hotels.com

By now, must of travelers have experienced a canceled flight or a late connection which translates into not getting to your final destination until the day after your expected arrival time. With factors such as weather, mechanical failures, and union trouble...if you've never experienced a flight delay you are on a very short list.

When this happens don't be one of the slugs waiting in line at the hotel phone boards. Be proactive and have hotels.com 800 phone number into your cell phone (800.246.8357). With over 70,000 participating hotels, chances are good that they will have a participating hotel in the city you are stranded in. The hotel may not have a pool, but it beats sleeping in an airport.

The number can also be used if stranded somewhere when having vehicle trouble.

They're Coming to America

Top countries whose residents visited the United States in 2007, with number of visitors in parentheses.

1. Canada (17,735,000)
2. Mexico (15,089,000)
3. United Kingdom (4,497,858)
4. Japan (3,531,489)
5. Germany (1,524,151)
6. France (997,506)
7. South Korea (806,175)
8. Australia (669,536)
9. Brazil (639,431)
10. Italy (634,152)

Total Arrivals: 56,716,277