New credit cards coming from Marriott/Starwood

December 5, 2017

Marriott/Starwood has a new credit card lineup coming in 2018. (Image: Marriott)

As Marriott International continues its slow but steady integration of Starwood, it is planning a major revamp of its co-branded credit card lineup in 2018.

The company said it has just signed new “multi-year agreements” with JP Morgan Chase and American Express to issue new credit cards for its Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton Rewards) and Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty programs.

Currently, the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Visa cards are issued by Chase, while Starwood Preferred Guest cards are provided by American Express. But that will change next year.

“Marriott expects to introduce new, co-brand products starting in 2018 with enhanced member benefits – super-premium consumer and small business co-branded products from American Express and mass consumer and premium consumer co-branded products from JPMorgan Chase,” the company said.

Screenshot of the combined Marriott Rewards Starwood Preferred Guest program

Marriott said details of the new card products won’t be announced until next year. Until then, “both companies will retain their existing portfolio of accounts and continue to offer their current products,” the lodging giant said.

Late in 2018, the company added, it expects to deploy “a single technology platform” for its three loyalty programs. “The new technology platform will also take Marriott one step closer to the goal of having a single loyalty program for the company’s 100+ million members in the current Rewards and SPG loyalty programs,” Marriott said.

Currently, SPG members earn two Starpoints per dollar spent on their affiliated AmEx cards at hotels that belong to either SPG or Marriott Rewards. Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton Rewards members earn five program points for every dollar spent on their affiliated Chase Visa cards at properties in either loyalty program.

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Hotel ‘resort fees’ are moving into the Big Apple

December 4, 2017

Many hotels near NYC’s Times Square now tack “destination fees” onto guests’ bills. (Image: Jim Glab)

Business travelers heading to New York may no longer be immune from a daily add-on to their hotel bill that used to be limited to leisure destinations like Hawaii and Las Vegas. And hotels in other big cities might not be far behind.

At the leisure destinations, the hotels call these contentious charges ”resort fees,” supposedly covering the hotels’ costs of providing things like pool towel service, fitness center use, phone calls, daily newspaper and so on – and the fees are mandatory whether the guest actually uses any of the covered services or not.

Probably the most notorious destination for charging exorbitant hotel ”resort fees” is Las Vegas, where big hotels routinely tack more than $30 a day onto guests’ final bills. And they are not included in the quoted room price during web searches.

Now, according to a report in the U.K. newspaper The Independent, resort fees are coming to many hotels in New York City under another name – the Urban Destination Charge.

The newspaper found that a number of hotels in Manhattan – especially those in the Times Square area – have started tacking a mandatory “destination fee” or “facility fee” onto guests’ bills, with the amount ranging from $15 to $25 a day. The fees are being charged by properties belonging to major chains like Marriott/Starwood and Hilton.

A Marriott spokesperson told the newspaper the fees were imposed at some of its properties as a four-month test program, and estimated that about 40 New York hotels are now charging them.

Las Vegas hotels are notorious for the size of their resort fees. (Image: Jim Glab)

Like the resort fees, the new charges are supposedly covering hotel services like Internet, fitness rooms, newspaper and so on, whether or not the guest uses them. They may also include a one-time food and beverage credit (even though the charge is imposed for every day of the guest’s stay), or discount vouchers to use for city tours, etc.

Hotel resort fees have been drawing scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission for years, but so far the agency hasn’t done anything to rein them in except to warn hotels back in 2012 that they ought to be more transparent in disclosing such fees to customers.

In 2015, the FTC rejected a request from a consumers’ group that hotels should be required to incorporate resort fees into their regular room rates. Earlier this year, the FTC’s Bureau of Economics issued a report on hotel resort fees that concluded they can harm consumers by making their room searches and price comparisons more difficult. That report was issued in the final days of the Obama Administration during early January. With the changeover to Republican rule in Washington, it is considered unlikely that the FTC would come out with any new regulations restricting hotels’ freedom to assess resort and/or destination fees.

So don’t be surprised if more hotels in other urban centers take note of the New York experience and decide to tack on some new fees of their own.

Readers: Have you encountered any unexpected mandatory hotel fees recently? Where, how much, and what were they for?

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New hotels: Hilton, IHG in NYC, Hilton/Marriott in Dallas, Charlotte Kimpton, Las Vegas suites, Cincinnati

November 16, 2017

A room at the Crowne Plaza HY36 in Manhattan. (Image: Crowne Plaza)

In recent hotel news, InterContinental and Hilton both opened new locations in midtown Manhattan near Hudson Yards; Hilton added a new affiliated property in downtown Dallas, and Marriott opened a dual-branded hotel there; Kimpton Hotels broke into the Charlotte market; Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has added luxurious ‘villas’ as part of a $100 million renovation project; and Marriott brought its AC brand to Cincinnati.

On the west side of Midtown Manhattan, InterContinental Hotels Group has cut the ribbon on its newest Crowne Plaza property, called the Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan. It’s at 320 West 36^th Street, a few blocks from Penn Station, Hudson Yards and the Javits Center. The 251-room hotel has a restaurant called TGA (The Great American) serving American cuisine, a big fitness center, and a 24-hour business lounge. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi throughout. Rates start as low as $193 (after the holidays).

Hilton’s new Garden Inn on the west side of Midtown Manhattan. (Image: Hilton)

Just around the block at 326 West 37^th Street is the newly opened Hilton Garden Inn New York Times Square South, a 23-story, 250-room property. Free Wi-Fi is also available throughout this hotel, and amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, sundries store, room service, and a full-service restaurant called Doyler’s, serving up pub-style food and drinks for three meals a day. There’s also a media room with gaming stations and big TVs. Weeknight rates start as low as $165.

The Statler in Dallas is back as part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. (Image: Hiulton)

Back when it opened in downtown Dallas in 1956, The Statler was one of Hilton’s first big convention hotels. Now the hotel at 1914 Commerce Street has been redeveloped into a mixed-use project that includes 159 hotel rooms, 219 residences, restaurants, nightlife, specialty retail stores and an events venue. The hotel segment is still called The Statler, and now it’s a member of Hilton’s Curio Collection, which makes it part of the Honors program. The complex has five food and beverage outlets, 33,000 square feet of meeting space, a rooftop pool and lounge (opening in December), a fitness center and a bowling alley. Rates start at $264.

Miss our New Hotels post from last month? Check this out!

Public area at the new AC Hotel in Dallas. (Image: Marriott)

Not far from the Statler at 1712 Commerce Street in Dallas, the old Mercantile Commerce Building – which had been empty for a quarter-century – has been redeveloped into a dual-branded Marriott property that includes a Residence Inn and an AC Hotel. Together they have 249 rooms, along with a shared bar, fitness center and indoor pool, but separate lobbies, dining areas and business centers.

Lobby in the new Residence Inn in downtown Dallas. (Image: Marriott)

The AC Hotel Dallas Downtown features the simplicity of design and functionality that comes from its European namesake; the lobby has communal tables and plenty of power ports, while food and beverage outlets include an AC Lounge for drinks, the AC Kitchen for breakfast, and the AC Market for snacks and more. The Residence Inn Dallas Downtown offers studio and one-bedroom accommodations with full kitchens. It has a 24-hour self-service food and beverage outlet called The Market, and offers free grocery delivery and hot breakfasts. Rates begin at $195 for the AC Hotel and $184 at the Residence Inn.

Rooftop restaurant at the Kimpton Tryon Park in Charlotte. (Image: Kimpton)

InterContinental Hotel Group’s Kimpton brand has opened its first hotel in Charlotte – the Kimpton Tryon Park in the city’s Uptown district. Connected to the new 300 South Tryon office complex next door, the 217-room Kimpton has a rooftop lounge/restaurant called Merchant & Trade (featuring a retracting sunroof) and an Italian eatery named Angeline’s on the ground floor. Guests have access to a 24-hour fitness center, outdoor yoga classes and high-speed Wi-Fi. Advance purchase rates start at $194.

Marriott’s new AC Hotel in Cincinnati. (Image: Marriott)

Just across from Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark, in The Banks mixed-use development, is Marriott’s newly opened AC Hotel Cincinnati at The Banks, at 135 Joe Nuxhall Way. It has 131 European-style rooms, free Wi-Fi and a fitness center, along with three meeting rooms, an AC Kitchen for breakfast service, a bar called the AC Lounge, and a library and lounge area off the lobby. There’s also a rooftop bar/event venue called The AC Upper Deck with sweeping views of the city. Rates start at $175 for Marriott Rewards members.

A posh new villa suite at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. (Image: Caesars Palace)

In Las Vegas, the 1,181-room Palace Tower at the legendary Caesars Palace has just finished up a $100 million renovation. The centerpiece of the project was the addition of 10 new “villas” on the 29^th floor – lavish accommodations ranging in size from 2,750 to 4,085 square feet. The villas provide amenities you won’t normally find in a hotel, like giant-screen $20,000 TVs with surround sound; 24-karat gold-plated plumbing fixtures; whirlpool tubs; full pantries with appliances; hardwood floors; and curated art. Villa guests have private elevator access, butler service around the clock, and airport transfers via limousine. But the villas carry a considerable price tag (unless you’re a really high roller), with rates starting at $3,109 a night. The new villa suites have their own website at www.caesarssuites.com.

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Perfect timing for the cheapest trips

November 13, 2017

This Friday Nov 17 will be the busiest day of the Thanksgiving holiday- use good timing to find the best deals (Image of Cathay Pacific A350 at SFO, Chris McGinnis)

Want a great travel deal? Then you need to focus on your timing.

While everyone is moaning about high holiday fares, I’m going to let you in on a secret: Smack in the middle of what’s typically the most expensive time of year to travel lies the CHEAPEST time of year to travel.

How’s that? Well, let’s take a walk thru the calendar and I’ll show you when to pounce on deals—and when you should be prepared for sticker shock. It’s a bumpy ride of highs and lows, so stick with me and you’ll eventually find a perfectly timed deal that works for you.

November-December

Viking River Cruises are about 45 percent less expensive in winter months (Photo: Viking)

Travel prices are relatively cheap in the early part of November but spike around Thanksgiving. However, travel patterns have been changing lately. Traditionally, the one of the busiest days of Thanksgiving holiday is the Wednesday before. But in recent years, the FRIDAY before Thanksgiving has emerged as one of the two busiest days at most major airports. The other busiest day is of course the Sunday after.

While it’s likely too late to find many deals during Thanksgiving week, keep an eye out for some last-minute deals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday– the slowest days. You’ll also find good downtown hotel rates in many cities this week since business travelers are home- your relatives will thank you 😉

Another silver lining for bargain hunters? An early Thanksgiving (Nov 23) means that the so-called “dead weeks” will begin earlier. These typically begin during the first week of December, but this year they’ll start around Tuesday, November 28. This holds true nearly everywhere except in NYC when prices begin to soar in December due to holiday shopping frenzy that grips Manhattan- airfares rise slightly, but hotel rates, especially on weekends in December, spike. (Good luck finding anything decent for less than $500.)

This is also a great time to consider one of those super-popular European river cruises which frequently sell out months or even years in advance. For example, a November week-long sailing on the Danube in Viking River Cruises starts at $1,999 per person – which is approximately 45 percent less than a peak summer, which starts at $3,649 per person. (I’ll be sailing the Danube on Viking this December so stay tuned for a Trip Report!)

January-February:

New York’s Central Park puts on a spectacular show in the fall – but rate hotel rates don’t fall til January (Chris McGinnis)

When everyone goes home after New Years, travel demand plummets and we fall into another short period of “Dead weeks” — the slowest (and cheapest) time of year for bargain hunters.

Early January through the early March is a great time to find excellent last-minute deals. Exceptions to this would be long weekends like Martin Luther King (Jan 13-15, 2018) Valentines/Presidents Day (Feb 14-19, 2018).

If you are between jobs, retired with no kids in school and have the flexibility to travel during these weeks, you’ll see jaw dropping low prices….and also lots of good last-minute deals on sites like Hotwire.com or LastMinuteTravel.com or apps like Hotel Tonight.

New York and San Francisco hotels have become freakishly expensive this year, but you’ll find some good deals if you go during January. (See New York Hotel Week for some good ideas.) If you’ve been priced out of these cities, January would be a great time for cost-conscious business travelers to set up meeting with prospects and clients.

Winter is also a very nice time to visit California Wine Country, especially if the sun is out. And the region could definitely use your help this winter- you’ll find a broad welcome mat and cheaper hotel rates, too. See The 29 Napa for ideas. I’ll be there in March to watch the beautiful mustard bloom yellow across the valleys!

March-April

This is what springtime looked like last year near my sister-in-law’s house near Lake Tahoe (Photo: N Dean)

This is spring break and you need to be on alert for high prices and surprise crowds at airports, especially if you live in or near a college town OR if you are headed to a warm weather destination like Florida, Mexico or the Caribbean. Find out when the university nearest you has spring break (see calendar by school here) and stay home that weekend!

Late March is usually the busiest time of year for collegiate Spring break, and April is more popular with families traveling around Easter. But in 2018, Easter is early (April 1) so the last week in March will be crazy with both family and collegiate spring breakers hitting the roads and skies and bumping up airfares, hotels and rental car rates.

If you feel priced out of skiing this winter, consider taking a trip in early April (after Easter) when you’ll find cheaper fares, deals on lift tickets, and lots of end-of-season fun and festivities. (One day lift tickets at Vail this year are $164. At Squaw Valley: $158. Ouch) And if it’s like last year was in the West, you’ll find some of the best ski conditions of the year (but don’t count on it!).

April-June

There’s a silver lining to an early Easter, though, which is a much longer “shoulder season” when demand dips along with prices. Shoulder season in 2018 will run almost 10 weeks from early April until mid-June when peak summer pricing and crowds kick in. (Except of course Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28, 2018).

Shoulder season is not as cheap as the dead weeks, but it’s not anywhere near the peak of what you’ll pay during July or August. This is probably the very best time of year to travel to Europe because the weather is getting warmer and summer crowds have not arrived. This is when new low fare carriers like Norwegian and WOW Air offer super low fares which are frequent matched by the majors. Hotels are cheaper, too. And there are flowers blooming!

It’s also a very nice time to see Mexico– especially Mexico City- here’s my take on the magnificent Mexican megalopolis!

June-August

Paris is sure pretty, but very pricey during peak summer months. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The peak of the peak summer season does not start until mid-June, so you’ll find significantly lower prices in early June compared to later in the month. Prices soar after that, especially on and around July the 4^th and stay high mid August when kids go back to school. The also spike for Labor Day.

Keep in mind that late August is still technically summer so if you can time your vacation then, you’ll save a bundle. Keep an eye out for summer fare sales that roll out in the spring that offer the best deals to those willing to travel before about June 15 and after about August 15.

September-November

Fathom ship Adonia entering the harbor at Santiago de Cuba- cruise ships can still call on Cuban ports and the cheapest time to go is autumn (Photo: Fathom)

What’s best about shoulder season is that there are TWO of them! The second one starts in September and lasts all the way to Thanksgiving.

Fall is a slow (and very cheap) time for cruising because kids are back in school and people are fearful of hurricanes. But the reality is that modern cruise ships are fast enough to navigate around storms.

Leisure travelers should keep in mind that this is convention season in many major US cities, so mid-week rates at big city hotels can soar to freakish levels, and then crash on weekends when conventioneers leave town.

Last year Marriott created a helpful infographic with some great ideas for taking advantage of the off-season.

When do you find the best travel deals? Do you have the flexibility to travel during the slower shoulder season or dead weeks? Please leave your comments below.

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Travel restrictions are back for Cuba-bound Americans; 80 hotels off limits

November 8, 2017

Americans can’t stay at the the gorgeous new $500/night Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski recently opened on Havana’s Parque Central (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

It was only in last year that U.S. airlines got the right to operate scheduled flights to Cuba. But now the future of that service might be in doubt due to new travel restrictions imposed by the Trump Administration that take effect this week.

The new rules do not ban or restrict U.S. airlines or cruise lines from operating in Cuba. But they do impose strict new limits on the kind of trips Americans can take to the island – and that could dampen demand to the point where airlines reduce or eliminate flight schedules there. (Even before the new rules, some U.S. carriers had already cut back their schedules to Cuba because they had overestimated demand.)

The new regulations also bar Americans from staying at dozens of hotels or shopping in stores that the U.S. says are owned by commercial entities controlled by the Cuban military. The Dept of State amassed a list of nearly 80 hotels now off-limits to Americans, including the newest, nicest hotel in town, the gorgeous sugar-white Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski in central Havana which goes for about $500 per night. (In a country where citizens earn about $1 per day.) Instead, the Washington Post reports, “the new regulations encourage Americans to stay in rooms rented by private citizens and to eat in private restaurants that have been allowed for a number of years as part of a growing Cuban private sector.” Which means stays at private casas particulares (via Airbnb) and meals at family-run paladares are still okay. Also, none of the new Marriott/Starwood hotels appear on the banned list.

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis gets a warm welcome in Havana in 2016 in a rare window of opportunity for American travel to Cuba (Photo: TravelSkills)

The biggest impact is likely to come from the Administration’s decision to put a halt to individual “people-to-people” travel that was allowed up until this week, along with other non-academic individual trips.

Instead, Americans who want to go to Cuba will now have to travel as part of a group for a purpose approved by the Treasury Department; each group must be accompanied by someone from the tour operator or organization sponsoring the trip– similar to how the few American visited Cuba prior to Obama’s reestablishment of diplomatic relations and “don’t ask don’t tell” rules for Americans traveling there.

Even under the previous rules, individual vacation trips were not officially allowed, since a U.S. trade embargo remained in place. But U.S. travelers could self-identify their trips as falling into one of many approved categories, but enforcement was lax to non-existent. Most Americans traveled to Cuba just like they traveled to any other country in the world.

During a trip to Cuba in January, I wondered if we were there in a rare window of opportunity- CLICK PHOTO to read that post (Chris McGinnis)

Thankfully, those who already booked an upcoming flight or hotel stay in Cuba before the new rules took effect this week are exempted for the purposes of that trip. More details about the new restrictions are now on the Treasury Department website.

What’s important to know is that even after Obama normalized diplomatic relations with Cuba, the trade embargo remained in effect. Only at act of Congress can get rid of that, so don’t expect travel to Cuba to get easier any time soon.

What do you think about restrictions on American travel to Cuba? Step in the right direction or step back in time? Please leave your comments below.

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How to earn Marriott Rewards for shopping

November 1, 2017

Marriott Rewards members can now shop online at Macy’s and other retailers and earn points. (Image: Jim Glab)

With the holiday shopping season approaching, members of Marriott Rewards can now earn and spend points for purchases at a number of leading retailers.

The lodging giant’s new Marriott Rewards MORE feature is available via a downloadable app and/or a desktop extension that ties the member’s loyalty program account to online purchases at more than two dozen retail sites.

Participating retailers range from Amazon and Macy’s to Walgreens, from Apple and Best Buy to Sunglass Hut. You can see a full list of retailers here.

Members who use the new feature can earn Marriott Rewards points for each purchase at a participating retailer; the amount earned varies – e.g., four points per dollar spent at Amazon, two points per dollar at Ann Taylor. Members can also pay for their purchases entirely with program points, or with a combination of points and cash.

Paying with a Marriott card earns a point bonus. (Image: Marriott)

The first purchase for $25 or more earns the member 1,000 bonus points, and those who pay for their purchase with a Marriott Rewards card will get a 25 percent point bonus for each transaction. Starwood Preferred Guest members can link their accounts to earn Marriott Rewards points while shopping with the app or desktop extension.

Members who shop from a personal computer with the browser extension should first be logged in at more.marriottrewards.com with their member ID and password (or Ritz-Carlton Rewards ID and password). The browser extension can be used with Google Chrome, Safari and Mozilla Firefox.

For smartphones, the new app is available on Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. You can see all the details of Marriott Rewards MORE here, including an FAQ page.

(Just a word of caution: Some bugs might need to be worked out. The download page for Marriott Rewards MORE at the Apple App Store has a couple of negative reviews from early users.)

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New Hotels: Hilton LAX, Nikko SF, Mondrian NYC, Marriott Denver, Ritz Chicago, Hilton DC

October 16, 2017

Hilton’s dual-branded H Hotel/Homewood Suites near LAX. (Image: Hilton)

In hotel news, Hilton cuts the ribbon on a dual-branded project near Los Angeles International Airport; Manhattan welcomes a pair of new properties; Marriott opens a Meridien/AC Hotel combo in downtown Denver, and Hilton gains a new presence there as well; an iconic hotel in the nation’s capital joins the Hilton family; and a Chicago classic reopens.

Less than a mile from LAX at 6151 West Century Boulevard in Los Angeles is a newly-opened, dual-branded Hilton affiliate. Its two parts are the 122-unit Homewood Suites by Hilton Los Angeles International Airport, and the 168-room H Hotel Los Angeles, Curio Collection by Hilton. The double hotel offers 24-hour shuttles to the terminals and car rentals from MCar Rental. The Homewood Suites has studio and one-bedroom accommodations with full kitchens and separate living/sleeping areas. The H Hotel provides “high-end accommodations that currently do not exist at LAX,” Hilton said. Its rooms feature Nespresso machines and Google Chromecast on their TVs. Breakfast and dinner service is available to guests of both properties at Waypoint Kitchen in the H Hotel – “an American-style pub with modern California cuisine.” There’s also a coffee shop and a Subway Fresh in the lobby. Each hotel has its own fitness center, but they share a pool. The H Hotel has an open-air rooftop deck called H Overlook with views of the LAX runways, and guest-requested amenities and snacks are delivered to their rooms by a robotic butler. Rates begin at $160 for the Homewood Suites, and at $170 at the H Hotel.

All rooms in the Hotel Nikko San Francisco have been remodeled (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Did you know that the Hotel Nikko San Francisco closed down for three months for a top to bottom re-do earlier this year? It reopened this past spring and, based on our recent visit, feels like a brand new hotel. TravelSkills was there last week as the hotel celebrated its 30th anniversary in the spectacular white-marble-sheathed lobby– part of the $60 million renovation that included all public spaces and rooms (seen above.) Even if you are not staying there, it’s worth a walk through or a meal or drink next time you are in SF near Union Square. Rates start at as low as $180 per night but of course vary based on demand. Check out this video walk through.

In New York City’s NoMad neighborhood, at Park Avenue South and 30^th Street, a former 15-story office building constructed in 1915 has added five floors during its conversion into the 20-story Mondrian Park Avenue Hotel. The newly opened Mondrian has guestrooms with “plush bedding and spacious bathrooms, as well as neutral woven leather furnishings and floating desks,” the hotel said. Managed by Journal Hotels, the Mondrian has a signature restaurant called Cleo with Eastern and Southern Mediterranean-inspired cuisine; a rooftop lounge and outdoor terrace called Fifteen Stories; and an underground nightclub called Yours Truly “catering to the who’s who of New York City with a dedicated hidden entrance.” Rates start around $350.

Innovative guest accommodations at the Moxy Times Square. (Image: Marriott)

Across town at Seventh Avenue and 36^th Street, meanwhile, the 110-year-old New Mills Hotel building has been overhauled and converted into Marriott’s new Moxy Times Square. (How far does a hotel have to be from Times Square before it’s not allowed to have Times Square in its name?) It has 612 guestrooms ranging from 150 to 350 square feet, each with fast, free Wi-Fi; Bluetooth soundbars, and big HDTVs that can stream Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. The hotel has a seafood restaurant, an “egg-centric all-day breakfast spot,” a big rooftop bar/lounge that Marriott says is New York’s largest, a lobby bar, and a grab-and-go market, as well as a newsstand/convenience store called New Stand. Marriott Rewards member rates start as low as $148 (after the holidays).

Marriott’s Le Meridien/AC Hotel is close to Denver’s convention center. (Image: Marriott)

Dual-branded hotels are getting ever more popular. Besides the Hilton project at LAX mentioned above, Marriott has just opened its own double hotel in downtown Denver, a block from the Colorado Convention Center at 15^th and California. The 20-story structure includes the upscale 272-room Le Meridien Denver Downtown and the 223-room AC Hotel by Marriott Denver Downtown. Le Meridien has 12,000 square feet of meeting space, lots of original artwork, and coffee and cocktail service in the lobby. The European-inspired AC Hotel “is designed to feel like a modern ski lodge, with peaked roofs, strong lines, geometric language, and bold interior gestures,” Marriott said. Guests of the hotels can get American comfort food at Corinne, open for three meals a day; imbibe at The Lobbyist, Le Meridien’s cocktail lounge; and check out the mountains from 54thirty, Denver’s “highest open-air, seasonal rooftop bar.” Rates start at $162 at the AC Hotel and $229 at Le Meridien.

Given Marriott’s big new double-hotel presence in downtown Denver with Le Meridien and the AC Hotel, it may no longer need the 613-room Denver Marriott City Center, two blocks away at 17^th and California – and that’s good, because the owner of that hotel, Chesapeake Lodging Trust, plans to change its affiliation on December 1, when it will become the Hilton Denver City Center, according to the Denver Post.

A corner room at the Madison Hotel in Washington, (Image: Hilton)

Long a landmark in downtown Washington D.C. not far from the White House, the Madison Hotel has ended its affiliation with Loews Hotels and has been rebranded as The Madison Washington DC, a Hilton Hotel, making it part of Hilton’s Honors program. That makes it Hilton’s third major property in the nation’s capital along with the Capital Hilton and the Washington Hilton. The 356-room Madison has 27 suites, eight meeting rooms, a 24-hour business center, restaurant and bar and a fitness center. Rates start at $131.

Part of the renovated lobby at Chicago’s Ritz-Carlton. (Image: Ritz-Carlton)

After a $100 million renovation job that kept the property closed for a year and a half, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago has finally reopened. The big renovation of the property started just after it became an official member of the Ritz-Carlton group; before that, it was a Four Seasons hotel – even though it carried the Ritz-Carlton name. The work included the creation of a 15th-floor Ritz-Carlton Club lounge, an expansion of the hotel’s spa, and the addition of an Italian steakhouse restaurant. The hotel, located along North Michigan Avenue – the “Magnificent Mile” – is known for its spacious guest accommodations, which start at 300 square feet. Advance purchase rates start at $275.

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Hotel news: Ritz in Atlanta, Marriott in Chicago, Hilton in NYC + Los Angeles, Austin

September 14, 2017

A luxurious suite overlooking Phipps Plaza at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta. (Image: Ritz-Carlton)

In recent hotel news, a classic Atlanta property gets rebranded; Marriott cuts the ribbon on a big convention hotel in Chicago, and Viceroy Hotels adds a property there; a trendy independent property makes its debut in LA’s West Hollywood district; Hilton adds a major location in Manhattan, near the United Nations; and Marriott/Starwood adds a dual-branded hotel in Austin.

Atlanta’s Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, across the street from Lenox Square in Atlanta, has been a fixture of the city’s upscale Buckhead district for 30 years. It was even the brand flagship when the company had its HQ in Atlanta. But it will be rebranded within a matter of weeks. The hotel’s owner, Host Hotels & Resorts, has reached an agreement with Ritz-Carlton parent Marriott to take the property out of the Ritz-Carlton group and convert it into a property “under independent operation” called The Whitley. But it will still be part of the huge multi-brand Marriott family: The deal calls for The Whitley to be a part of Marriott/Starwood’s Luxury Collection when it changes its name December 1. Existing reservations will be honored, as will Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Marriott Rewards redemption nights, the companies said. Have you stayed at the R-C Buckhead lately? How was it?

The new Marriott Marquis near Chicago’s McCormick Place. (Image: Marriott)

The largest hotel to open in Chicago so far this year is the brand-new Marriott Marquis, located next to (and connected to) the huge McCormick Place convention center. The 1,204-room, 40-story Marriott Marquis Chicago is the city’s sixth-largest hotel; in addition to its modern glass-walled tower, the hotel also includes the historic red-brick American Book Company building next door. True to its convention-oriented location, the hotel boasts 93,000 square feet of meeting space, including a pair of 25,000-square-foot ballrooms. The hotel’s Woven & Bound Restaurant is an American brasserie open for three meals a day. Guest amenities include an M Club Lounge with workspace, snacks and drinks, open to Marriott Rewards members (or non-member guests for a fee); a 24-hour fitness center; a big grab-and-go market; business center and FedEx office; and fiber optic high-speed Internet. Rates start around $299, but can vary considerably based on the level of convention activity.

A room at The Viceroy in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. (Image: Viceroy Hotels)

Farther north, in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, Viceroy Hotel Group has opened the 180-room Viceroy Chicago, a luxury property on the site of the former Cedar Hotel. It’s at the corner of Cedar and State streets, just south of Division Street. The 18-story Viceroy has a rooftop pool and year-round rooftop lounge, and an adjacent restaurant called Somerset run by chef Lee Wolen, a James Beard Award finalist. Guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, and the hotel will offer guests weekly classes in meditation and yoga starting in October. Opening rates start at $281 for bookings made by September 30.

The outdoor pool at The Jeremy in West Hollywood. (Image: The Jeremy)

At the corner of Sunset and La Cienega boulevards in Los Angeles is The Jeremy West Hollywood, a newly opened 286-room (including 50 suites) property. Its owners say the hotel has “an iconic cool presence that cultivates the best of WeHo’s notable culture.” The hotel’s all-day Etcho Café offers up “Cali-fresh cuisine” that is locally sourced and its JOAO Bar features “elements of old Hollywood.” The Jeremy also has a pool, fitness center, and a pair of large conference rooms. Rates start at $269.

A corner room at the Millennium Hilton at UN Plaza in New York. (Image: Hilton)

Members of Hilton’s Honors program have a new lodging option in New York City. A hotel at One United Nations Plaza on the east side of Midtown Manhattan (across from the UN Headquarters) has become a member of the Hilton family. The 439-room hotel opened as a Hyatt in 1976, then became the Millennium UN Plaza after it was acquired by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels in 2000. A few years ago, it was renamed the One UN New York, and now it is under Hilton Hotels management, and has been renamed the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza. It’s the seventh Hilton Hotels property in New York. Rates start at $290.

The new Aloft/Element dual-branded hotel in Austin. (Image: Marriott/Starwood)

In downtown Austin, Texas, it’s one building but two new hotels. Marriott’s Starwood Hotels division has cut the ribbon on a dual-branded property that includes both an Aloft and an Element hotel, at Congress Avenue and Seventh Street, a few blocks south of the State Capitol. Both brands offer free Wi-Fi, and they share a 24-hour fitness center, business center, and 1,380 square feet of meeting space. The 32-story building includes a 278-room Aloft Austin Downtown along with a 144-room Element Austin Downtown. There’s also an on-site restaurant/coffeehouse/bakery called Caroline’s, and an “urban background playground” and bar called Upstairs at Caroline’s with live music. The Aloft offers high-ceilinged, loft-like accommodations with platform beds while the Element features studios and one-bedroom suites. Rates start at $349 at both hotels.

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Popular: 747 final flights + Fall hotel bonuses + New routes + New cards + Planespotting

September 10, 2017

Delta’s grand old 747 flew in to rescue Floridians from Irma’s wrath this week. Photo from Delta Museum’s 747 Experience at ATL. (Chris McGinnis)

Did you catch the hoo-hah surrounding Delta’s final domestic Boeing 747 flight earlier this week? The big jet flight originated in Honolulu, landed at Los Angeles LAX, and then flew its final commercial leg to Detroit. But as Irma strengthened in the Caribbean, and airlines took heat for price gouging and not doing enough to help travelers escape its path, Delta made a smart move– it pulled the Queen of the Skies out of her short retirement, and send it to Orlando several times over the weekend to help last minute evacuees get out of the way. Here’s our late Thursday tweet about this move, which proved to be one of our biggest tweets so far this year!

Good on @Delta! Putting the QUEEN back to work to help Floridians escape #Irma #747 MCO-DTW https://t.co/VmATtMPKhW #TravelSkills pic.twitter.com/MHuhCQwfPx
— Chris McGinnis (@cjmcginnis) September 8, 2017

Delta’s Boeing 747 is not done yet— it will continue to fly between the US and Asia until December. United’s final Boeing 747 flights will happen in October. Although neither airline has committed to a firm date, it’s expected that there will be some sort of ceremonial end for this beautiful bird. Stay tuned.

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 U.S. routes: Southwest, United, Alaska, AA, Delta, JetBlue + more

2 New transatlantic routes: Delta, American, BA, Lufthansa, United, WOW

3 Across the Pacific: Battle for Hong Kong + Flock of new A350s + lots more route news

4 New no-fee credit cards from Delta, United

5 Catching up after time off: What happened in August

6 A new way to Australia on United

7 Airberlin keeps operating – but for how long?

8 United, Delta 747 schedule: final flights

9 Planespotting: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320 differences

10 Planespotting 101: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320

Chris holed up at the fabulous St Regis Mexico City last month- don’t forget to sign up for SPG’s fall bonus! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

It’s time to get signed up for all the new fall promotions from hotel chains— in order to take advantage of these deals to help boost fall and winter bookings, you have to register to get the special bonuses— don’t miss out on bonus points or free nights by not registering because you never know when you might end up at one of these hotel chains:

Starwood’s SPG Explore More

Marriott Megabonus

Hilton Honors

IHG Rewards

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

As Delta and Aeromexico get closer, Alaska Air gets shoved out (Image: Delta)

Alaska Airlines and Aeromexico break up

United Airlines won’t be fined for dragging Dr Dao

United and Star Alliance launch new “Connection Service” at O’Hare

Google enhances air, hotel price-searching tools

Unruly passenger ordered to pay airline $98,000

Study finds that the “Southwest Effect” on air fares still works

Will driverless cars be followed by pilotless planes?

Number of “bumped” passengers hits an all-time low

Investors seek to revive Milwaukee-based Midwest Express Airlines

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Hilton, Marriott, IHG impose restrictive new cancellation rules

July 18, 2017

New cancellation policy coming to all Hilton brands later this month (Image: Hampton Inns)

Starting July 31, you’ll have to cancel your Hilton hotel reservation a minimum of two days ahead of time or face paying full price for that first night. That’s right. All Hilton brands will soon join Marriott/Starwood in this restrictive new 48-hour cancellation policy.

The new last-minute cancellation policies are going into effect at Hilton at the end of this month.

We checked today and found the 24-hour policy still in effect at some hotels, so we assume this applies to all reservations made on July 31 and beyond. Hilton already has restrictive cancellation policies of 2-3 days in effect in high demand cities like San Francisco or New York.

A Hilton spokesperson told TravelSkills: “…we have proposed an update to our policy guidance for US and Canada hotels that will begin at the end of the month (July 31). We have proposed updating the default house cancellation policy to 48-hours (72-hours in select locations) for our managed properties and have suggested the same for franchised hotels (this decision will be made at the property level). As always, the cancellation policy associated with any reservation is made clear to our guests throughout the booking process and in the confirmation emails they receive…We regularly review guest booking and cancellation patterns across our 5,000+ properties, and have seen cancellation rates rise the last few years These insights have led to the proposed update, which will allow us to maximize the number of available rooms for guests seeking accommodation. Both guests and hotel owners will benefit from rooms that would previously have gone unused.”

Listen to Chris discuss this with KCBS anchor Rebecca Corral.

Some observers suspect that hotel chains impose these rules to prevent travelers from booking a standard rate, then canceling the reservation at the last minute and re-booking at a cheaper rate using popular new last-minute booking sites and apps.

UPDATE: July 25: InterContinental Hotels Group brands (Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, etc) imposed a 24-hour cancellation policy effective this August. (It’s only a matter of time before it moves to a 48-hour policy, we expect)

In high demand cities, Hilton already imposes a 2-3 day cancellation penalty (Image: Hilton Parc 55 San Francisco)

This sucks for business travelers because our schedules can change on a dime, and frequently do so with much less than 48 hours advance notice. Remember the good old days when you could cancel without penalty up to 6 pm on the day of arrival? In 2015, both Marriott and Hilton did away with that, upping the deadline to 24 hours- which did not sit well with TravelSkills readers at all (see post). Now this.

Now that both Marriott and Hilton are imposing the new policies, we’ll likely see the rest of the industry follow suit. Also keep in mind that several brands or individual properties have their own policies in place, so always check before you buy!

Another tip: Many hotels will work with travelers individually on these fees, so try to work it out with the hotel if you can. It can’t hurt to ask for an exception, especially if the cancellation is beyond your control, such as bad weather or flight cancellation. A polite plea might do the trick.

See New York Times story here.

How do you feel about a 48 hour cancellation policy? Please leave your comments below.

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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4 brand new hotels for San Francisco

July 12, 2017

The trendy new Proper Hotel opens in San Francisco’s Mid-Market area in August with “bunk rooms” (Image: Proper Hotels)

It sounds crazy, but very few new-from-the-ground-up hotels have opened in booming San Francisco since the InterContinental by Moscone Center opened in 2008. The city’s “newest” boutique property, the perennially pricey (and popular) Hotel Vitale is now nearly 12 years old. About the only “new” hotel that’s opened recently is the Hampton Inn on a seedy stretch of Mission Street.

That nearly decade-long drought of new hotels will end in a splash with at least four new hotels opening in the next year (and up to 12 more on the way) according to a real estate story in Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle.

The newspaper points out that none of these properties fall into the hotel behemoth category that dominated the city’s hotel scene in the 80s and 90s with the opening of giants like the 1,362 room Marriott Marquis (known locally as “the jukebox”.) Instead, these are newer, smaller more “neighborhoody” hotels built near tech hubs, and focused on the younger millennial set. Keep in mind that some of the neighborhoods where these hotels are popping up are where the city’s homeless problem has been most intractable. It remains to be seen if the new projects will change that.

Here’s what’s new:

The 159-room, new-from-the-ground-up Hotel Via opened last month across the street from AT&T Park in the South Beach/Mission Bay area of town, a few blocks southeast of the financial district and Embarcadero area. In keeping with the tech focus, guests’ mobile phones can double as room keys. Rooms have Illy coffee makers and mini-fridges and wi-fi is free. Rates start at around $300 per night.

The Park Suite, Room 1205, at San Francisco’s new Hotel Via overlooking AT&T Park (Photo: Hotel Via)

On August 14, the new San Francisco Proper will open in the gritty Mid-Market Street area, which as been enjoying a bit of a renaissance as big tech companies like Twitter, Uber, Square, Dolby and several new residential high rises have moved in. The triangular flatiron shaped hotel inhabits the shell of the old, dilapidated Renoir Hotel, and will have four restaurants and bars, including a new venue on the roof. Rates will start in the $400 per night range– but cheaper “bunk rooms” (yes, with bunk beds) will start at around $250. More about rooms here.

Later in 2017 or 2018, a new-from-the-ground-up, 196-room Virgin Hotel will open South of Market on Fourth & Folsom Streets near Moscone Center– and eventually across the street from the new Central Subway Station which opens in two years. I don’t have a good image of the building exterior yet, but below is a rendering of what the rooftop deck will look like. Currently, there is no firm opening date (only “this winter”), and there’s no hotel website. To get a good idea of the vibe of Virgin hotels where rooms are called “chambers,” check out the Virgin Chicago website.

Rendering of rooftop lounge at Virgin Hotels;’ new San Francisco property. (Image: Virgin Hotels)

Also opening later this year: the new Yotel San Francisco at Market and 7th Streets in the mid-Market area. The hotel is built in the historic Grant building, which survived the 1906 earthquake. What I have heard about the Yotel brand is that those who’ve stayed at its New York City property don’t mind the capsule-like, but cleverly designed rooms (referred to as “cabins”) since it usually offers such good rates. At the SF property, guests can check in via kiosk and rooms sport monsoon rain showers, adjustable mood lighting and copious power outlets. Plus guests will enjoy great views from, you guessed it, a rooftop lounge. Another brand new Yotel just opened in Boston’s Seaport district last month. (Rates for the SF Yotel not yet available.)

Here’s a look at a Yotel “premium queen” Cabin in its brand new Boston property- intro rates around $120 (Photo: Yotel)

UPDATED INFO: We previously wrote about a new Marriott Hotel that was reportedly opening this winter in the Mission Bay – China Beach area near AT&T Park. Upon conversing with the architectural firm involved in the project, we found that this hotel is hoping to break ground this year, but will not be open for two more years. It is expected to be a full service, four star hotel, but we still don’t know which Marriott brand flag it will fly.

This is just the beginning of the boom– the Chronicle found 12 more hotels (totaling 4,000 rooms) working their way through the city’s labyrinthine approvals process. (Including a new Waldorf-Astoria near the Transbay Center.) Most of these are slated for the once-blighted, now hot SOMA or South of Market area of the city.

Link to the SF Chronicle’s full story here.

What’s your go-to San Francisco hotel? Why? Please leave your comments and tips below!

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Trip Report: What’s a Marriott AC Hotel like?

June 19, 2017

Some but not all AC hotels are built new from the ground up, like this one in Atlanta (Chris McGinnis)

AC Hotels is one of Marriott’s newest brands. It started out in Spain in 1999, spread throughout Europe, and is now making a move on the U.S. where there are 19 hotels open.

Last week I stayed at the new AC Hotel Atlanta Buckhead, located adjacent to the city’s tony Phipps Plaza shopping center on the northern edge of Buckhead. My midweek rate was $185 per night plus tax. Parking in the underground deck was $20 per night.

Here are notes from my stay and a walk-through with Jamie Krueger, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing:

Like the rest of the hotel, the check in desk is clean, austere with a hip designer look (Chris McGinnis)

This Buckhead property opened last August. Atlanta will get two more AC Hotels this year– one downtown and another in Midtown. There are other AC hotels in Boston, Chicago, New York, Irvine, Phoenix, San Jose among other cities. (See all locations.)

Some, but not all AC Hotels are built new-from-the-ground-up like the one in Atlanta. Some are conversions from other hotels, so design and features can vary. (For example, its recently opened Atlanta downtown hotel used to be a Holiday Inn.)

The brand is aimed squarely at the millennial market and the design is super minimalist. Rooms have gray faux wood floors, white sheets, some beige wood and leather furniture. This baby-boomer would describe it as somewhat cold and austere, but I know there are travelers out there who like those clean lines and functional design.

The view from my room on the 6th floor looking south across Phipps Plaza toward the Buckhead skyline (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Rooms are clean and cool with all white bedding, wood and leather trimmed headboards and built-in benches, faux wood floors (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Bathrooms clean and functional, no tubs, but only sliding glass doors separating them from the room (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

There are 166 rooms in this six story building fronting the Phipps Plaza Parking lot. It’s located at the corner of Peachtree Road and Wieuca Road. The hotel gets 4 out of five stars based on 78 TripAdvisor reviews.

The only carpeting in the hotel is in the hallways. The lobby and rooms have faux hardwood floors. It has a gray and brown color palette throughout. Bathrooms do not have traditional doors– instead you’ll find sliding glass panels, which are not sound or light-proof, which may cause disturbance when there’s more than one guest in the room.

Cool feature: Windows are “self tinting” which means they turn bluish in direct sunlight. This helps cut the air conditioning bill and will help the hotel get its LEED certification later this year. Regrettably, none of the room windows open to the outside, which is a turn off to me.

There is a small, square indoor hotel pool, not set up for laps, and appears more like a big hot tub.

In a nod to its Spanish roots, shaved jamon Iberico served at breakfast (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

An impressive and robust selection on the breakfast buffet feels very euro (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I was very impressed with the robust selections at the breakfast bar. The sliced meat, cheese, muesli, warm quiche, loaves of bread, croissants, espresso and especially the shaved jamon Iberico made me feel like I was in Europe.

Breakfast is the only meal served at the hotel. During lunch or dinner, there’s a light-bite tapas style menu. Plus there are many restaurant options in the surrounding area and adjacent mall– and a free hotel shuttle for rides within a two-mile radius.

Hotel business center located adjacent to lobby area includes art, books and business equipment (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Marriott AC Hotels, creamer, half and half, cream

Always a good sign: When a hotel provides half and half for in-room coffee (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

AC Hotels offers its own designer soap– smells great, but it’s like trying to wash your hands with a golf ball (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Like other Marriotts, basic wifi is free. Higher speeds run $5 per day unless you are gold or platinum elite (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

This looked like one of those irritating motion-sensing thermostats that turn off in the middle of the night. However, A/C blew softly and cooly throughout the night (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Standard weekday rates run about $249 per night, and $189 on slower weekends. (But as we all know, rates can vary significantly based on demand.)

The hotel bar is the nerve center of the hotel– bartenders are (of course) mixologists and have created an unique menu of craft, signature and barrel aged cocktails to choose from. Guests can order tapas such (which are likely enough for a light meal) including bruschetta, mixed salads, nuts, olives, aioli potatoes, etc.

Read more about the AC Hotels chain here.

On summer nights, the hotel has a live DJ and when it’s not too hot, guest can sit indoors or outdoors. The bar and lobby space doubles as special events space, so you could find yourself in the middle of a party when you go down for a drink.

Overall, for a one-night stay, this was a nice, easy and efficient hotel at a decent price in an excellent location. I’d prefer a warmer ambience, but that might just be me.

Have you stayed at an AC Hotel? Would you? Please leave your comments below.

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Most popular: Marriott policy change + Domestic 747 + Cheeseburgers + American inch

June 18, 2017

Starting June 15 a new cancellation policy went into effect at all Marriott and Starwood properties like the Le Meridien in Atlanta (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Marriott/Starwood confirms restrictive new cancellation policy

2 United adds 11 new nonstops to Hawaii

3 Routes: United, Domestic Delta 747 flight, Virgin America, Southwest, Frontier

4 Alaska’s new double miles partner promotion

5 Cheeseburgers, pizza take off in economy class

A back of the bus burger on United– very good! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

6 Another Mideast carrier cuts U.S. service

7 Airport news: Denver, LAX, San Diego, Houston, Las Vegas

8 American gives back an inch

9 Delta, TSA test fingerprints as boarding passes

10 Reader Report: Final ride on a Delta 747

Watch Boeing show off its sleek and nimble new jets in this video released for this week’s Paris Air Show.

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Beware when connecting through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport! Here’s a tip from reader D.M.:

You may have addressed this earlier and I missed it but Europe travelers need to know to avoid connections at CDG at all costs. I recently went to Venice, via CDG, and even though it was through Delta (and adhered to their minimum connection times at CDG) it still took nearly two hours to connect to an Air France flight into VCE. Needless to say, we missed the original connection and had to take a later flight. Upon returning to ATL, I discussed this with three other frequent Europe travelers who confirmed that they had the same recent experiences in CDG. Part of the problem is the layout and part is the fact that, with about 200 people attempting to connect to other concourses, the French police only had two agents checking passports and documents for intra-airport passengers.

Air France’s bhub at Paris Charles de Gaulle. (Image: Parisinfo.com)

Trump’s new travel ban- on Americans

“Manspreading” banned in Spain

Take a look at Delta’s newest bird: The Airbus A350

Expansion plans Atlanta’s popular Concourse T, housing United, American & Delta gates

Oy: United flight attendants to earn $50 for hawking Chase cards on planes

United: More than 30 percent of main cabin customers are buying Basic Economy

DOT saw a spike in passenger complaints after release of United ‘dragging’ video

Southwest tests dual-door deplaning at two California airports

See a United 767 spewing fuel from a wing just before takeoff at Newark

First look: Cabin designs for El Al’s new Dreamliners

How hotels are upgrading their fitness facilities

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Marriott/Starwood confirms restrictive new cancellation policy

June 15, 2017

The Marriott Residence Inn in Portland, OR now has a 48 hour cancellation policy (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Oh, come on! You now have to cancel your hotel reservation two days ahead of time or face getting dinged for that first night? Yep. Afraid so.

Effective today (June 15, 2017), new last-minute cancellation policies are going into effect at Marriott/Starwood hotels.

In order to avoid paying for that first night (including taxes and fees), you now have to cancel a full 48 hours (or more, depending on property) in advance.

Here’s the official word from Marriott today:

Marriott International is implementing a cancellation policy at hotels in the Americas including the United States, Canada, Caribbean and Latin America, across all brands except for Design Hotels. The revised policy allows us to make rooms available to guests that would have otherwise gone unoccupied due to a last-minute cancellation.

The change: While cancellation policies vary by hotel, hotels whose policy is to allow guests to cancel their room reservations on the day before arrival without incurring a fee are faced with a significant number of unsold rooms due to last minute cancellations. Guests will now be required to cancel their room reservation by midnight 48 hours prior to arrival to avoid a fee. This will allow hotels a better chance to make the rooms available to guests seeking last minute accommodations.

The revised cancellation policy will take effect on June 15, 2017 and applies to reservations made on or after June 15, 2017.

Because cancellation policies vary by hotel and for certain events and rates, customers should always check the cancellation policy that applies at the time of booking. Cancellation information is provided to guests prior to finalizing a reservation on www.Marriott.com.

We checked today, and sure enough, there’s the two-day cancellation notice on this reservation for the Residence Inn Portland Pearl District

Now that Marriott has cornered the market with its purchase of Starwood, it can make consumer-unfriendly moves like this. Regrettably, we’ll likely see the rest of the industry follow suit– and keep in mind that several brands already have onerous cancellations policies in place, so always check before you buy! Another tip: Many hotels will work with travelers individually on these fees, so try to work it out with an agent if you can.

How do you feel about a 48 hour cancellation policy? Please leave your comments below.

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New: Hilton-Beverly Hills, Hyatt-NYC, Marriott-Phoenix, Westin-Milwaukee, Choice-Chicago

June 6, 2017

Guest rooms at the new Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills all have balconies. (Image: Waldorf Astoria Hotels)

Recent hotel openings include a Waldorf Astoria in the heart of Beverly Hills; the first Hyatt House property in New York City; a dual-branded Marriott in downtown Phoenix; Choice Hotels International’s Cambria brand in Chicago’s Loop; and a new Westin in Milwaukee.

Hilton’s luxury Waldorf Astoria brand has cut the ribbon on the newly-built, 12-story Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, located at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards, adjacent to the Beverly Hilton Hotel and within walking distance of Rodeo Drive. The property has 119 guest rooms and 51 suites, with a décor “inspired by the contemporary interpretation of Hollywood glamour and the Streamline Moderne style of the 1930s and 40s,” the company said. Each room has floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony. The hotel has a guests-only rooftop pool deck with VIP cabanas, and food/drink venues created by renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, including a rooftop restaurant, the Jean-George Beverly Hills Bar, and the signature Jean-Georges Beverly Hills restaurant. The hotel’s Rolls Royce will take guests anywhere within a two-mile radius. Honors rates start at $635.

Accommodations at the new Hyatt House in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. (Image: Hyatt)

The newest addition to Hyatt’s extended-stay Hyatt House brand is in New York City. The 150-room Hyatt House New York/Chelsea is at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 28^th Street. Accommodations are studio and one-bedroom units, ranging in size from 270 to 510 square feet; all units have a refrigerator and microwave, and half of them have full kitchenettes. They also come with floor-to-ceiling windows, large flat-panel TVs and dedicated work spaces. The 30^th floor rooftop features an open-air “recreational area” with great Manhattan views, along with a 24-hour indoor fitness center. The H Bar on the second floor serves up breakfast and evening food and cocktails, and the hotel has a 24-hour take-out market. Rates start at $329.

Marriott’s new Courtyard/Residence Inn in downtown Phoenix. (Image: Marriott)

In the heart of downtown Phoenix at 132 South Central Avenue is a newly-opened, dual-branded, 20-story Marriott property that includes a 120-room Courtyard and a 200-suite Residence Inn. The hotel has direct access to the city’s light rail network and is within walking distance of the Phoenix Convention Center. Shared facilities for the two brands include an indoor pool, a fitness center, and 5,733 square feet of meeting space. The Courtyard features a new guest-friendly room design that offers a “tech drop” ledge for charging personal devices. The multipurpose lobby provides “media pods,” free Wi-Fi and a bistro. The Residence Inn has studio suites designed for stays of five or more nights, each equipped with full kitchens. Amenities include free breakfast, grocery delivery, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour market. Rates start at $83 at the Courtyard and $129 at the Residence Inn.

Public areas at the Cambria Hotel in Chicago’s theater district. (Image: Cambria Hotels)

Choice Hotels International’s fast-growing Cambria brand has added a new property in downtown Chicago: The Cambria Chicago Loop-Theatre District. The 199-room hotel occupies the top 19 floors of the 22-story 32 West Randolph building, which went up in 1926. The lower part of the building is occupied by the historic Oriental Theater. Rooms have smart TVs, Bluetooth and free Wi-Fi, and the hotel has an American bistro restaurant called Social Circle. The hotel offers valet parking, and a game room with table games and TVs for watching sports events. Rates start at $178.

The new Westin Milwaukee has views of Lake Michigan. (Image: Westin Hotels)

Marriott’s Westin Hotels & Resorts brand has opened its first property in Wisconsin: The 220-room Westin Milwaukee. It’s located near the Lake Michigan waterfront at the end of Michigan Street, and is connected to the U.S. Bank Center. The property has nine meeting rooms totaling more than 9,000 square feet, along with a grand ballroom. The brand’s signature WestinWorkout fitness studio is there, along with suggested running routes along the lakefront as part of the RunWestin program. The hotel’s signature eatery is an Italian-American steakhouse called Stella Van Buren, and its bar has a “meticulously curated selection of bourbon” as well as an all-Wisconsin draft beer menu. SPG member prepaid rates start at $249.

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Marriott, Starwood, Ritz roll out big summer promotion

May 15, 2017

Atlanta’s Marriott Marquis Downtown recently had a big makeover. (Image: Marriott)

The Marriott lodging empire has come out with significant bonus point promotions for members of its three loyalty programs – Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest and Ritz-Carlton Rewards.

With the MegaBonus Infinite Points offer, members can earn 2,000 bonus points per stay, starting with their second stay. And they can earn another 2,000 bonus points for each additional brand they visit. There are 18 brands (!) participating in the promotion.

The Starwood Preferred Guest program’s SPG Take Three promotion will give members triple Starpoints for weekend stays (i.e., two or more nights that include a Friday or Saturday) at SPG properties, or double Starpoints for weeknight stays.

And the Summer Sojourns offer from Ritz-Carlton Rewards will let members earn double points for every two-night stay at a Ritz-Carlton.

All three offers apply for stays from May 27 through September 4, and all require participants to register online between now and August 30.

Marriott Infinite Points

SPG Take Three

Ritz-Carlton Summer Sojourns

Don’t miss out on other bonus earning opportunities for signing up with hotel program credit cards– some now offering up to 100,000 points for signing up.

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New hotels: Stunning London luxury, Hip option in LA, Design-forward in NYC + 3 more!

April 19, 2017

A studio suite at The Ned in London’s Financial District. (Image: The Ned)

In news of hotel openings, a hot new business hotel comes to London’s financial district; InterContinental Hotels Group brings an Indigo to downtown L.A.; a British boutique property debuts in midtown Manhattan; a Baltimore pier is remade into luxury lodging; Atlanta welcomes another airport hotel; and Dallas gets a dual-branded Marriott property near Love Field.

The talk of the lodging scene in London is a new hotel called The Ned, located in the heart of The City (i.e., the financial district) in the stately 1920s-era Midland Bank building. (The building was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, known as Ned to his friends. Hence the name.) The building’s original design features have been preserved, with a 252-room hotel incorporated into them. A project of renowned hoteliers Andrew Zobler and Nick Jones, The Ned is slated to open April 27. No cookie-cutter rooms here: Rooms come in 13 categories, and the property boasts seven restaurants (including a 24-hour brasserie and a Jewish deli), six meeting rooms, a spa, men’s and women’s salons, and even a barber shop. The building’s former bank vault now contains a bar, and there’s also a rooftop grill. Pre-paid, non-refundable nightly rates for a small “crash pad” room start at $320, although the hotel offers a special discount rate of $230 for persons under 30.

Lobby of the new Hotel Indigo in downtown Los Angeles. (Image: InterContinental Hotels Group)

The mixed-use Metropolis development in downtown Los Angeles includes a newly opened, 350-room Hotel Indigo from InterContinental Hotels Group. The newly built, 18-story Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown, at 899 Francisco Street, is within walking distance of the L.A. Live entertainment district, Los Angeles Convention Center and the Staples Center. It has a lobby-level restaurant/bar called Metropole; a top-floor cocktail lounge; a large outdoor pool terrace and bar on the fourth floor; 24-hour fitness facility; and 11 meeting rooms. Rates start at $263.

A terrace suite at Manhattan’s new Whitby Hotel. (Image: The Whitby)

Newly opened in Midtown Manhattan is The Whitby Hotel, an 86-room boutique property with a strong British influence from designer Kit Kemp, who created several similar properties in London along with the Crosby Street Hotel in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. The Whitby, at 18 West 56^th Street, is close to the Museum of Modern Art and a few blocks from Central Park. Guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and free Wi-Fi, and some come with private terraces. The hotel has a restaurant/bar open for three meals a day, and an adjacent orangerie with high ceilings and a skylight. The hotel serves a traditional British afternoon tea. Rates start at $695.

Room with a waterfront view at Baltimore’s new Sagamaore Pendry. (Image: Pendry Hotels)

Baltimore’s century-old Recreation Pier building along the Fell’s Point waterfront, at 1715 Thames Street, has been totally renovated into a luxury boutique hotel called the Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. Along with 128 over-water guest rooms and suites, the new Pendry has a signature restaurant called the Chop House; the Cannon Room bar; a seasonal waterfront pool with a bar and grill; 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space; a water taxi service; 24-hour fitness center; and a spa. Advance purchase rates start at $375.

Lobby at the Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel, (Image: Renaissance Hotels)

In Atlanta, an early May opening is slated for the new Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel, accessible from ATL on the airport’s free SkyTrain. Part of the Gateway project (which already has a SpringHill Suites and a Marriott) near the Georgia International Convention Center, it’s on the west side of the airport, about three miles from the existing Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel on the north side. The 204-room Renaissance Gateway has a restaurant called Hickory & Hazel Southern Table & Bar and a fitness center. Rates start at $136.

Bar the the new Aloft Hotel near Dallas Love Field. (Image: Marriott)

Just a mile from Dallas Love Field, at 2333 W. Mockingbird Lane, is a new dual-branded property from Marriott that includes a 133-room Aloft hotel and a 91-room Element property. The two share a common entry and meeting space, along with a fitness center and outdoor pool. They’re part of the new retail/residential development called West Love. The Element Dallas Love Field’s guest units come with full kitchens and spa-style bathrooms, free breakfasts, and bicycles to ride on local trails. The Aloft Dallas Love Field offers a grab-and-go food market and drinks kiosk, and the property has musical entertainment at its W XYZ Bar. Rates start at $179 at the Aloft and $164 at the Element.

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Alexa! I need more towels!

March 24, 2017

An Amazon Echo digital assistant in a hotel room. (Image: Wynn Resorts)

Have you bought an Amazon Echo voice recognition device for your home yet? If not, you’ve probably talked to Siri on your iPhone. Google is also in the game with its Google Assistant. In any case, you might be talking to one of them in your hotel room soon.

Voice recognition capability for personal devices is key to the deployment of so-called “smart home” technology that lets you control heating, lighting, appliances and other things without getting out of your recliner. And hotels want to bring that same convenience to their guests.

Some higher-end hotels have already deployed tablet computers in their rooms that let the guest control the TV, sound, lighting, temperature and other things via touch-screen icons or keyboards. And according to Bloomberg Technology, hotel rooms are the obvious next frontier for voice recognition assistants.

Bloomberg said Amazon and Apple are the primary competitors in this nascent field, and that the first installations are already happening. Most of the initial devices are Amazon Echoes, which use a digital assistant called Alexa. Hotels with Apple iPads in guest rooms may already have the digital assistant Siri in place, but they still need to be integrated with in-room systems and devices. The Siri app on guests’ iPhones might also be brought into the mix. After mastering the link with “smart” guest room functions, the technology might be extended to other hotel services like the concierge desk, restaurant reservations and so on.

Apple’s Siri app is already in place on millions of iPhones and iPads. {Image: Apple)

Hotels installing Echo in some rooms and suites include the Wynn Las Vegas, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in Texas, and the Four Seasons in Washington D.C. Marriott is understood to be evaluating a broader distribution of voice recognition technology for one of its chains later this year, Bloomberg said.

Still to be determined is exactly how far the voice recognition systems will go in meeting guests’ demands. “A key question is whether the interaction will be personalized, allowing guests familiar with the devices to log into their own accounts, or instead use a standard set of skills relevant to a hotel stay, like getting news reports, checking weather forecasts or calling for an Uber — commands more appropriate for those unfamiliar with the technology,” Bloomberg said.

Readers: Are you comfortable with voice recognition assistants? Do you have an Amazon Echo in your home, or do you often use an assistant on your phone? Please leave your answers in the comments!

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New hotels: New York, San Jose, Portland, Orange County

February 15, 2017

New York’s new 1 Hotel in Brooklyn has views of Manhattan. (Image: 1 Hotels)

Recent hotel openings include a luxury property on the Brooklyn waterfront and a DoubleTree in midtown Manhattan; new AC Hotels by Marriott in downtown San Jose and Portland; and a Homewood Suites by Hilton near Orange County’s John Wayne Airport.

Two years ago, a company called 1 Hotels opened a property in Manhattan near Central Park, and now it has cut the ribbon on its second New York hotel, the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Created by original Starwood Hotels founder Barry Sternlicht, 1 Hotels brands itself as eco-friendly in design and materials, and focusing on fresh, healthy food in its restaurants.

The 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is just south of that iconic span, along Brooklyn Bridge Park. It has 194 rooms, including 28 suites. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Manhattan, free high-speed Wi-Fi, 55-inch TVs, and digital newspapers via an in-room Nexus tablet. The hotel offers a 10^th floor hospitality lounge, a grab-and-go café, a screening room, and access to a 24-hour fitness center. This spring it will open a rooftop bar/lounge with a heated plunge pool and firepits, and next fall it will add a spa. Guests can grab free local rides in the hotel’s Tesla. There’s also 24-hour in-room dining, and shuttle service to local subway stations and to Wall Street. Advance purchase rates start at $271.

Don’t miss: TravelSkills walks thru 1 Hotel Central Park NYC

The rooftop bar at the new DoubleTree on Manhattan’s West Side. (Image: Hilton)

Hilton has cut the ribbon on the newly-built, 37-story DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New York Times Square West, at 350 W. 40^th Street — halfway between Times Square and the Javits Center. The DoubleTree has 612 rooms with décor inspired by the Theater District. There’s a rooftop lounge offering nightly music until 2 a.m.; American bistro-style dining at Magnolia Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and a 24-hour market. The hotel has 1,000 square feet of meeting space. Guests who book direct with Hilton can pick up 1,000 bonus Honors points through April 30. Honors discount rates start at $157.

A room at Marriott’s new AC Hotel in San Jose. (Image: Marriott)

Downtown San Jose has its first new lodging option in more than a dozen years with the recent opening of a new AC Hotel by Marriott. Located at 350 W. Santa Clara Street, the AC Hotel — Marriott’s European-inspired “lifestyle” brand — has 210 rooms with free Wi-Fi, large-screen TVs, USB ports, safes and mini-fridges. Breakfast, tapas-style dinner and cocktails are available in the AC Kitchen & Lounge. Advance purchase rates start at $170.

Public space at the new AC Hotel in downtown Portland. (Image: Marriott)

Another new AC Hotel by Marriott has made its debut in downtown Portland, OR at 888 SW Third Avenue, at the corner of SW Taylor Street, about a block from the Multnomah County Courthouse. It has a coffee shop, an AC Kitchen for breakfast, and an AC Lounge for cocktails and tapas-style plates. There’s also a 24-hour fitness center. Rates start at $151.

Orange County’s new Homewood Suites is close to John Wayne Airport. (Image: Hilton)

Newly opened in Orange County, California is the 161-unit Homewood Suites by Hilton Irvine John Wayne Airport, at 17370 Red Hill Avenue. It has studio, one- and two-bedroom units, all with full kitchens. Daily hot breakfast is provided, along with Wi-Fi, and an evening social hour on weeknights. The hotel has a grocery shopping service, an outdoor pool and sports court, and a game room with billiards, and it offers free shuttle rides to and from the airport. Rates start at $149.

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Room upgrades, late check-out, more via Marriott app

February 8, 2017

Marriott has an iOS version of its redesigned app. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott has released an iOS version of its redesigned app. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott Rewards members will see upgraded functions and personalized features in the hotel giant’s redesigned mobile app, available now for iOS users through the Apple App Store.

The company said the upgraded Marriott Mobile app will be ready for Android users later this year.

Among the changes:

The app has offered mobile check-in/check-out and room-ready alerts for three years, but now members who check in with the app will be able to request room upgrades and find out before they arrive whether the request was approved.
Users will also be able to ask for a late check-out via the app instead of calling the front desk (late check-out is guaranteed for Marriott Rewards Gold and Platinum members).
With the improved Mobile Requests feature, users can chat directly with hotel staff before, during or after their stay for requests that need personal attention; they can also select from a drop-down menu listing the most common requests (e.g., more towels).
The app’s Mobile Key function, which lets users unlock their room from their phone, is gaining more widespread applicability, coming to another 500 hotels worldwide this year.
The app will let users peruse destination content for their upcoming trips, culled from Marriott’s digital magazine and provided by local experts.
A new user interface uses a one-button design that provides “simple thumb-tap access to everything the app has to offer,” Marriott said.

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Marriott offers two all-suite brands in San Diego’s Bayfront. (Image: Marriott)

The app’s functionality will get even more personalized later this year, Marriott said, when it rolls out a real-time messaging service called mPlaces. That will provide users with “travel and hotel information, recognition and offers at the right time and place for Marriott Rewards members throughout their stays,” the company said.

“Over time, Marriott will add more personalized and informative content based on data and driven by beacons now installed at over 500 hotels,” Marriott noted. “For example, members who typically work out while they travel would receive information about the location, hours and services of the hotel fitness facility. Other future app features will enable members to order restaurant and room service menu items delivered wherever they are, such as lounging by the pool.”

Do you use hotel apps? Which ones, and which features, work best for you? Please leave your comments below.

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Marriott innovates; Hilton adds a brand

January 25, 2017

Marriott’s innovation lab tests new lodging ideas.(Image: Marriott)

How do these new lodging concepts sound to you: a “communal room” for every four guest rooms; to-go food containers with customized contents; and a portable wine cart activated by the guest’s key card? Meanwhile, Hilton plans to add a 14^th brand.

To gather feedback on new lodging concepts, Marriott International has opened what it calls a pop-up innovation lab in downtown Los Angeles. And those are some of the ideas it is putting to the test for its fast-growing Aloft and Element brands.

The company said it will invite not only hotel professionals but also hotel guests and members of the public to check out innovations on display at the facility to gauge their reaction.

The initial round of new concepts includes a new floor layout that provides a communal room in the center of four guest rooms, “allowing travelers to share a kitchen, dining room and lounge area.” Such a design, the company said, is aimed at groups “who would like to spend time together in a more private setting.”

The company’s food and beverage team has its eye on more fresh and healthy items like spinach, quinoa and avocado. Guests would use a digital kiosk to order “customized ‘pots,’ a healthy meal in a colorful to-go container with food that reflects regional tastes,” Marriott said.

And bringing technology to beverage service, a proposed “portable wine cart” at Element properties would automatically dispense a glass of wine when activated by a room key card.

The Great Room at the M-Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center. (Image: Marriott)

After Marriott gathers sufficient feedback at the pop-up lab, the new ideas could be seen in Aloft and Element hotels as soon as fall of 2017, Marriott said. It’s the second “test lab” that Marriott has opened recently; it is also trying out new concepts in real time at at a hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

Hilton, meanwhile – perhaps feeling pressure from the massive collection of brands at the newly merged Marriott/Starwood — announced it is adding a 14th brand to its family.

Called Tapestry Collection by Hilton (www.tapestrycollection.com), the brand will be somewhat like Hilton’s Curio Collection in that it will bring more independent properties into the Hilton reservations system and HHonors loyalty program.

The company said the new Tapestry brand “is positioned in the upscale segment just below Curio,” which is going into its third year with a membership of more than 30 “upper upscale” hotels in seven countries, and 45 more in the pipeline.

Hilton said the first Tapestry member properties will be in Syracuse, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Nashville, Tenn.; Warren, N.J.; Hampton, Va.; and two in Indianapolis, Ind. It did not name the hotels. It added that it has 35 more potential Tapestry members in process, with the brand scheduled to kick off in the third quarter of this year.

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New hotels: Houston, San Diego, New York, Honolulu, New Orleans

January 14, 2017

The outdoor terrace at the new Houston Marriott Marquis.(Image: Marriott)

The outdoor terrace at the new Marriott Marquis in Houston.(Image: Marriott)

Marriott has cut the ribbon on a 1,000-room convention hotel in downtown Houston. The new Marriott Marquis Houston at 1777 Walker Street is connected by a skybridge to the city’s George R. Brown Convention Center. The big new hotel boasts 100,000 square feet of meeting space along with a multi-level sports bar called Biggio’s, a tapas-and-wine bar, a coffee shop, an American restaurant and a Mexican restaurant. There’s also a full-service spa and fitness center, rooftop infinity pool, and an outdoor terrace with cabanas, views of Discovery Green Park below and a “river” in the shape of Texas that flows around the terrace. Marriott Rewards member rates start at $293.

The Pendry San Diego is in the Gaslamp Quarter. (Image: Robert Green Co.)

Montage Hotels & Resorts has a new sister brand called Pendry Hotels, and its first property is slated to open this month in San Diego, at 550 J Street (between 5^th and 6^th) in the city’s Gaslamp Quarter. Three blocks from the city’s convention center, the new Pendry San Diego has 317 rooms (including 36 suites), a rooftop pool, 24-hour fitness center, a spa, six restaurants and bars, and 35,000 square feet of meeting space. Standard guest rooms start at 350 square feet and feature Bluetooth speakers, minibars, luxury bedding and 24-hour room service. Rates start at $360.

The new Four Points in Manhattan is near the Javits Center. (Image: Starwood)

In New York City, Starwood has set a January 25 opening date for the new Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Midtown West. Located at 10^th Avenue and West 35^th Street, the 148-room hotel is just a long block from the Javits Center, near the Hudson Yards development. The Four Points offers free high-speed Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business center, 24-hour fitness center, free Internet-based printing service in public areas, and a casual restaurant/bar called the Hudson Bar Room with American cuisine. Starwood Preferred Guest member prepaid rates start at $137.

(Speaking of New York City, here’s a reminder for readers: The iconic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue will close its doors on March 1 for a major renovation project that is expected to last two years. You might recall that the hotel was purchased by China’s giant Anbang Insurance – the same company that tried to buy Starwood – which plans to convert most of the Waldorf’s space to apartments, leaving it with just a few hundred hotel rooms.)

A guest room at the Hyatt Centric Waikiki. (Image: Hyatt)

What was once the Waikiki Trade Center in Honolulu at 2255 Kuhio Avenue has been converted into the newly opened 230-room Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach. (In fact, Waikiki Beach is a short walk away from the hotel, across Kalakaua Avenue and past the big beachfront hotels.) The new Hyatt Centric’s guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and free Wi-Fi, and the property offers a pool with private cabanas, a fitness center, business center, lobby restaurant and bar, a tapas eatery, and a Starbuck’s. Gold Passport member rates start at $225.

A queen room at the new Troubador in New Orleans. (Image: Joie de Vivre Hotels)

The boutique hotel group Joie de Vivre has opened its first property in the South – The Troubador, in New Orleans’ central business district. The 184-room hotel is a redevelopment of an office building at 1111 Gravier Street that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Food and beverage outlets include Petit Lion, a casual restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and Monkey Board, a rooftop bar that also serves “food truck” small plates. The hotel has a fitness center, free Wi-Fi, room service, and valet parking. Rates start at $139.

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Is now the time to go to Cuba?

January 12, 2017

The outlook for travel to Cuba is still complicated (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The first nonstop flight from the U.S. West Coast to Cuba took off from Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 6 last week and TravelSkills was onboard.

We were part of a delegation of about 50 business, government and civic leaders from the West Coast invited by Alaska Airlines for a two-day relationship-building and fact-finding mission to Havana.

While it was a very quick trip, I picked up tons of interesting insight and info about the current situation and outlook for American travelers in Cuba. And since I’m a newbie to regular flying on Alaska Airlines, I learned a lot about it, too.

Alaska Airlines nonstop from LAX to Havana arrives at about 5 pm- just in time for a lovely tropical sunset (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

So let’s dive in.

In this post I’ll take a look at what’s happening in Cuba— we’ll follow up with a post on flying Alaska Airlines to get there.

My primary take-away: Whether or not you’ll like Cuba now depends on the type of traveler you are. It’s a great place for the adventurous or curious traveler with an open mind, lots of patience and ability to deal with the heat, humidity and grit of a poor, developing country. Right now, it’s not a place for a traveler who expects world-class creature comforts, high quality food and drink, relaxation and leisure. Interested? Then see: How much does it cost to fly to Havana? Not much! More advice: If you can afford to hire a guide, hire one. Or go as part of a group. Cuba’s a tough place to see on your own for the first time. (The company Alaska Air engaged to guide our group was Distant Horizons.)

My $500 per night hotel room in Havana (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Politics: On our first morning in Havana, we attended a lecture by University of Havana Professor Jorge Mario Sanchez. He’s is a professor of Economics and International Relations and oversees the University’s student exchange program with Harvard University. President-elect Trump’s views on Cuba and what he may or may not do is clearly the top concern on the island these days. Why? Because the recent warming of relations between the U.S and Cuba, and the relaxation of rules for travelers are not at all permanent. The increased engagement we’ve experienced lately is the result of an executive order by President Obama, which could easily be reversed with the stroke of a pen by the incoming president.

Sanchez emphasized that with the trade embargo still in place, the U.S. and Cuba are still considered enemies under the current legal framework. The only way our relationship with Cuba can be truly normalized is to rescind trade embargo (The “Cuban Assets Control Regulations” set in 1963)– something only Congress can do. Cubans hoping for sustained change were dealt a blow recently when Trump appointed Mauricio Claver-Carone, a harsh critic of Obama’s efforts to normalize relations, and director of a pro-embargo group, to his transition team.

Could we be living in a rare window of opportunity to visit Cuba before the door is slammed shut again? Maybe! Time will tell…

Negotiate a deal with the owner of one of Cuba’s numerous classic cars for a tour or a trip across town (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Business: With Marriott, Starwood, Airbnb, Alaska Airlines and nearly every U.S. carrier already operating in Cuba, a blanket reversal is probably unlikely. But it’s still a big unknown. Also, recent changes in property ownership are spawning a new entrepreneurial class in Cuba. For example, Cubans can now own those classic cars, and run them like small businesses. You can negotiate with drivers for a ride across town or a tour (starting at about $25). Our group visited a newly privatized garage where these cars are restored and maintained. Sanchez says that privately owned restaurants are all the rage now, with over 500 new ones opening in the last year! Whatever happens with Trump, Sanchez says that Cubans will “improvise, adapt and survive”– something they’ve been doing for over 50 years.

A new Kempinski Hotel will soon open on Havana’s Parque Central (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Hotels: Alaska Air put up our group at the Iberostar Parque Central hotel. It’s considered a 5-star hotel in Cuba, but that’s by Cuban standards. Most folks in our group were shocked to learn that the daily rate at this hotel ran about $550. While the staff could not have been nicer and the facilities any cleaner, the hard product was not up to world-class, 5-star standards– beds were low and lumpy, furniture dated and nicked, wi-fi was slow and spotty, elevators overtaxed (hotel was full or Americans and Europeans). How can they get away with a rate like that? Well, it’s supply and demand. There are a LOT of people who want to travel to Cuba right now and most want the security and familiarity of a big hotel (vs an Airbnb or casa particular) for their first visit, and are willing to pay for it. When demand outstrips supply, you get inflation. Good old capitalism at work, right?

Like nearly everything else in Havana, the Capitol is undergoing extensive renovation (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Construction: As you may recall, I was on the first cruise ship allowed to sail from the US to Cuba last May. In the short period of time since then, I noticed that there is a LOT more construction and rehabilitation of Havana’s crumbling, yet still beautiful, architecture. There’s a big scaffolding on the Capitol building, which is undergoing a complete renovation by a German firm. Next door is the recently redone, now glittering and well-lit baroque National Opera. Next to that is the soon-to-be-Starwood-managed Inglaterra hotel- a grand dame in need of an update (according to guests I spoke with), but with a lively scene nightly on its roof bar. Across the street from the Iberostar, a striking, sugar-white new Kempinski Havana hotel (housed in the elegant Manzana de Gomez building) is in the final stages of a major redo, and should open this year. A brand-new-from-the-ground-up 10-story glass and steel hotel is rising across the street for the Havana’s famous water-front malecon. A new Marriott hotel will soon be built inside the gorgeous facade of a grand old building in Old Havana.

Oil and Gas: Something I did not know is that Cuba has vast and mostly unexplored oil and gas fields along its Gulf of Mexico coastline and could eventually be one of Latin America’s top exporters of fossil fuels in coming years. Havana will even host an Oil & Gas Summit next month. While that could do great things for the Cuban economy, Sanchez said that there is worry about the environmental impact of off-shore drilling not just on Cuba, but on the entire Atlantic ocean since the Gulf Stream flows through the area and into the North Atlantic. With an oil and gas executive poised to be at the helm of the U.S. State Department, who knows what could happen in U.S.-Cuba relations.

Not a boat in site along Havana’s famous malecon (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Fishing: In a seaside city like Havana, you’d expect to see a big fishing fleet and lots of seafood on the menu. You’d also expect to see a big trade in charter fishing boats for visitors. But when you peer north out at the dark blue waters off Havana’s malecon, that’s all you see… water. No boats. Why? Well, as our guide said, “We don’t have many fishermen in Cuba because they fish too far” referring to the steady stream of Cubans escaping to the U.S. by boat or raft. But now that President Obama has ended the controversial “wet foot, dry foot” policy that allows Cubans (only) arriving on U.S. shores automatic permanent residency status (versus arrest and deportation), there is less incentive for Cubans to run away. Maybe fishing could once again become a viable occupation in Cuba.

So there you have it! Next up will by my trip report on the Alaska Airlines flight between Los Angeles and Havana, including a look at the LAX gate side festivities (including Cuban pastries and strong coffee), the fiesta atmosphere onboard the plane, our reception in the business class lounge (Salon V.I.P) at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport and more!

–Chris McGinnis

Fantastic, ubiquitous street music in Havana #cuba #travel #music
A video posted by Chris McGinnis (@chrisjmcginnis) on Jan 6, 2017 at 2:07pm PST

Disclosure: Alaska Airlines covered the cost of Chris’s trip to Havana

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Marriott/Starwood’s big new bonus points promotion

December 16, 2016

The JW Marriott in Chicago’s Loop. (Image: Marriott)

Members of the Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Starwood loyalty programs can earn double points during an upcoming three-month period.

Following the recent announcement that members of Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest can link their accounts to transfer points and get elite status matches, the merged hotel giant has come out with a new double points promotion that starts next month.

(Image: American Express)

The double points offer applies for the member’s first three stays in the Starwood program and in either Marriott Rewards or Ritz-Carlton Rewards at participating hotels from January 16 through April 15 of next year. So it’s good for a maximum of six nights total across two loyalty programs.

Participants can register from now through March 15; you can find links to the bonus point registration for each of the three programs here.

Two months ago, Marriott announced a link between the co-branded credit cards of its hotel companies, with holders of Starwood Preferred Guest’s American Express cards earning two Starpoints per dollar spent at hotels in the Marriott Rewards program, and holders of the Marriott Rewards Chase and Ritz-Carlton Rewards JP Morgan credit cards earning five points per dollar spent at SPG member properties.

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Delta tweaks SkyMiles upgrade policies

December 13, 2016

Free upgrades to Delta's Comfort+ seating are now available to Starwood elites. (Image: Delta)

Free upgrades to Delta’s Comfort+ seats are now available to Starwood elites. (Image: Delta)

Delta Air Lines has updated its rules for snagging a better seat, including changes for Starwood Preferred Guest elites, passengers on international flights equipped with the airline’s new Delta Premium Select cabins, and travelers on transatlantic partner Virgin Atlantic.

Platinum Preferred members of Starwood’s loyalty program who are enrolled in Crossover Rewards for travel on Delta can now request free upgrades to both First Class and Delta Comfort+ based on their SPG tier level when they have paid tickets. The free upgrades apply for flights within the U.S. and Canada, and select Asia/Pacific and Latin America/Caribbean markets. A few months ago, shortly after the conclusion of their merger, Starwood and Marriott introduced the ability for members of both loyalty programs (and Ritz-Carlton’s) to link their accounts, and also offered them elite status match with reciprocal benefits.

Delta’s premium economy cabin will debut on its A350s in about a year. (Image: Delta)

Delta’s new ‘Premium Select’ international premium economy cabin will start to appear as the airline deploys new Airbus A350s in 2017, and the airline confirmed that SkyMiles members can use miles to upgrade to those seats after they buy a Main Cabin ticket. Diamond Medallions who select Global Upgrade certificates as a benefit can use them to upgrade to Premium Select from Main Cabin or Delta Comfort+ seats, but neither regional upgrade certificates nor complimentary upgrades can be used for Premium Select. The airline also said that Medallion members who purchase Premium Select seats will get a 50 percent Medallion Qualification Miles bonus.

And SkyMiles members can now use miles to book partner Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy cabin on flights from the U.S. to the U.K., either by phone through Delta reservations or through delta.com. Virgin’s premium economy section includes priority boarding and dedicated check-in, upgraded dining and leather seats with power ports. (See Virgin Premium economy video above or here.)

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Most popular: Trump hotel + Earlier flight fee + PreCheck slowdown + Alaska-Virgin plane + Hotel deals

November 13, 2016

Elegant living room with Pennsylvania Ave street level views at Trump International in DC (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Love it or loath it, it’s now “the president’s hotel” One night at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC

2 Smart travel skills here> How to get on an earlier flight for free

3 Routes: SFO, LAX, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Miami, Newark, JFK

4 Shorter lines? TSA PreCheck abruptly shutters expansion effort

5 My last real Virgin flight: How I bid on a transcon upgrade and won

6 Routes: Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, American, Surf Air

7 More cheap flights across the Atlantic?

8 Mixed opinions, but I like it Sneak peek at new Alaska-Virgin plane?

9 More airport preclearance stations make it easier to fly home

10 Alaska sets Premium Class launch, amends upgrade policy

Everyone’s talking about this video from a United plane where the pilot had to make a post-election announcement telling passengers to shut up and get along– or take another flight. Pretty good!

Marriott & Starwood offer Cyber Monday deals that are worth checking out post-feast!

This latest Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion offers members rates up to 25% off at more than 2,100 hotels and resorts globally. From November 25 through November 28, members can book hotel rooms starting as low as $79 per night for stays between December 9, 2016 and January 16, 2017. Must book on Marriott.com, the Marriott Mobile app and by contacting a hotel or the telephone reservation center, all using promotional code “444.”

SPG is getting a head start on Cyber Monday, launching special rates November 21 through December 4– featuring discounts of up to 30% for stay dates through September 4, 2017. Plus, SPG members get an additional 5% savings when booking directly through the Cyber Monday sale site (when it activates).

Last week when I was in DC, I was able to get in the stunning new National Museum of African American History & Culture! Quite a feat since the waiting list for tickets is now more than six months long. Stay tuned for more on my visit…

New African-American #history #museum in #washington #dc is hottest ticket in town. #soldout #travel
A photo posted by Chris McGinnis (@chrisjmcginnis) on Nov 6, 2016 at 10:40am PST

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Delta’s new record: 200 days without a mainline flight cancellation

A real (green!) snake on the plane VIDEO

U.S. airlines want Trump to privatize air traffic control, block foreign rivals

Emirates customers can now apply for Dubai visas with new mobile app

IHG’s new enhanced Wi-Fi will be in 1,500 Americas hotels by year’s end

Boeing, Airbus seek Singapore order for world’s longest plane

Google updates Gmail for iPhone users- NICE

Silver lining? Mexican peso crashing post-election, which means better deals for travelers pic.twitter.com/5iy8sXu7xj
— Chris McGinnis (@cjmcginnis) November 10, 2016

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New hotels: Minneapolis, Chicago, Silicon Valley, Nashville, Atlanta

November 1, 2016

A guest room at the Radisson Red in Minneapolis. (Image: Radisson)

Recent U.S. business hotel openings include a pair of properties in Minneapolis, and another pair in Nashville; a dual-branded hotel in Chicago; big Bay Area/Silicon Valley hotel re-flags, and a new Marriott brand in Atlanta.

In Minneapolis, Radisson has set a November 16 opening for the first U.S. location of its new Radisson Red brand. The Radisson Red Minneapolis Downtown is a new build at 609 Third Street South, part of the Minneapolis Downtown East mixed-use development; it’s linked to the Wells Fargo Office Tower and the new U.S. Bank Stadium via the city’s skyway system. The hotel has 164 rooms (Radisson Red calls them studios) with free high-speed Wi-Fi. Its OUIBar + KTCHN focuses on locally sourced cuisine and craft beverages. And it offers a fitness center plus a 1,000 square foot “Events & Games Studio” for activities that can liven up meetings. Radisson is offering triple Gold Points for stays through February. Rates start at $139.

A King room at Marriott’s new AC Hotel in Minneapolis. (Image: Marriott)

Another newly built, newly opened property in Minneapolis is Marriott’s AC Hotel, part of a fast- growing new Marriott group with a style that reflects AC’s European origins. It’s located on Hennepin Avenue at S. Fourth Street, across from the city’s main library. The property is connected to the skyway system and to the Midtown Parking Garage. Its 245 rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and smart TVs that can stream Netflix, Hulu and other services; and the hotel has several conference rooms and a fitness room. There’s no full-service restaurant; the AC Kitchen serves breakfast only, and the AC Lounge offers drinks and tapas plates in the evening. Marriott Rewards advance purchase rates start at $149.

Accommodations at Hilton’s new Hampton Inn in Chicago’s West Loop. (Image: Hilton)

In downtown Chicago, Hilton has cut the ribbon on a dual-branded hotel in the West Loop neighborhood. With a combined total of 336 rooms, the Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago Downtown West Loop and the Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown West Loop are at 116-118 N. Jefferson, between Randolph and Washington. That’s about halfway between the river and I-90, two blocks west of the Boeing headquarters. The Hampton Inn offers a daily hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour business center and a fitness center. The Homewood Suites has all-suite guest accommodations; each unit comes with a fully equipped kitchen and separate living and sleeping areas. There’s a hot breakfast buffet, evening social, free Wi-Fi and grocery shopping service. HHonors advance purchase rates start at $90 at both properties.

Lobby of the Pullman San Francisco Bay hotel (Image: Accor Hotels)

The big Sofitel located along Highway 101 and the shores on San Francisco Bay just south of the SFO near Redwood City is not new, but has a new name. It’s now the Pullman San Francisco Bay Hotel— still part of Accor, but likely a brand many Americans have not heard of. The only other Pullman hotel in the US is located in Miami. Have you stayed at a Pullman? What makes it different than a Sofitel? Its website states: “Today Pullman appeals to the new generation of professional travelers, the Pullman global nomads, and captures the significance of each moment and their pursuit of a work-life blend.” Rooms start at around $300 per night.

A room at the new Thompson Nashville. (Image: Thompson Hotels)

Thompson Hotels, known for its luxury boutique properties, has opened its newest U.S. location in Nashville. It’s at 401 11^th Avenue South, in a trendy area called The Gulch where former industrial buildings have been transformed into commercial ventures. The hotel is on the same block as a popular music venue called The Station Inn. Dining options at The Thompson Nashville include a southern/seafood restaurant called The Marsh House; a bar and small-plate venue called L.A. Jackson; and Killebrew, serving coffee, breakfast sandwiches and grab-and-go lunch fare. The 12-story, 224-room Thompson ties into the local music culture with things like a classic jukebox in the lobby and vinyl records for sale in the minibars. Introductory rates start at $247.

The Westin Nashville is in the heart of downtown. (Image: Westin)

Nashville’s other new hotel is the 27-story, 453-room Westin Nashville, at 807 Clark Place in the heart of the city, close to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman Auditorium and other attractions. The hotel has a rooftop pool and bar called L27 with daily live entertainment; a spa with nine treatment rooms; a casual lobby eatery called Decker & Dyer and a fancier venue called Oak Steakhouse Nashville. The Westin also has a dozen meeting rooms. Guests can use the WestinWorkout fitness studio or take advantage of the hotel’s suggested three- and five-mile jogging routes. Rates begin at $279.

Marriott’s new AC Hotel in Atlanta’s Buckhead district. (Image: Marriott)

In addition to its new AC Hotel in Minneapolis, Marriott has also cut the ribbon on an AC in Atlanta. The 166-room AC Hotel Atlanta Buckhead at Phipps Plaza, located at 3600 Wieuca Road Northeast, is the first new hotel in the city’s Buckhead district in eight years. Like other ACs, it lacks a full-service restaurant, but offers the AC Kitchen for breakfast and the AC lounge for drinks and evening small plate dining. Plus there is plenty to eat at the nearby Phipps Plaza or Lenox Square malls. There’s also an AC Library and a 24-hour fitness center with a heated indoor whirlpool. Marriott Rewards advance purchase rates start at $211.

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Chinese hotel investors strike again – this time at Hilton

October 27, 2016

The new Hilton Cleveland Downtown overlooks Lake Erie. (Image: Hilton)

What is the fascination that Chinese companies have with U.S. hotel companies? Early this year, China’s Anbang Insurance made a $6.5 billion deal to acquire Strategic Hotels & Resorts, then followed up with a failed attempt to take over Starwood Hotels in a see-saw $14 billion bidding battle against Marriott.

Meanwhile, a unit of the Chinese conglomerate HNA Group last spring arranged with Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies to buy that privately-held firm’s Carlson Hotels business, including several Radisson brands as well as its 51 percent stake in Europe’s Rezidor Hotels Group. The price was not disclosed.

And now HNA Group has anted up $6.5 billion for a 25 percent stake in Hilton Worldwide; the deal is expected to close early next year.

The seller of the 25 percent Hilton stake — for which HNA paid a premium of almost 15 percent over the going price for Hilton shares – was the same firm that sold Strategic Hotels to Anbang: the giant U.S. investment house Blackstone Group, which took Hilton private in 2007 and then took it public with an IPO in 2013 that raised $2.3 billion. (By the way, Anbang also acquired the legendary Waldorf Astoria in New York in 2015 for almost $2 billion.)

The new deal will give HNA two seats on Hilton’s board. Blackstone will retain a 21 percent stake in Hilton Worldwide. HNA Group owns hotels, airlines (including China’s Hainan Airlines), airports, financial services firms and real estate companies.

San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado. (Image: Jim Glab)

Meanwhile, Anbang’s purchase of Strategic Hotels hit one little snag. Strategic has just 16 hotels, but they are prime properties like the InterContinental and Fairmont in Chicago, New York’s JW Marriott Essex House, and some Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton hotels. The group also includes San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado, and Blackstone had to cut that one out of the sale after objections from a U.S. government inter-agency group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

The reason? National security concerns, because the del Coronado is right next to a giant U.S. Navy base in San Diego.

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Most popular: Airport construction + Southwest fares + Singapore’s longest flight + United devalues

October 23, 2016

The view from the United Club at ATL (Chris McGinnis)

Watch out for construction hassles at ATL, SFO and elsewhere (Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Construction zones and more: Airport news: San Francisco, Atlanta, Newark, Philadelphia

2 Is Southwest really a low fare carrier? Depends on…

3 Don’t accept the first offer! How to inspect your hotel room

4 Cool science An answer to filthy airplane drinking water?

5 Big news for Marriott Starwood credit card holders; JetBlue, too

6 Finally nonstop to Berlin Airberlin’s new SFO & LAX nonstops to Berlin

7 United devalues; Delta throws a bone, Chairman resigns

8 Deal shopping? Go where business travelers don’t

9 Routes: SFO, LAX, DFW, New Orleans, Orange County, Miami, JFK, Houston

10 Singapore Airlines opens up about newest longest nonstop

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United installed a basketball court (!) inside its massive SFO hangar to celebrate a new sponsorship (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

This week United announced a long-term sponsorship of the Bay Area’s Golden State Warriors basketball team. To celebrate, the carrier installed a temporary branded United-Warriors basketball court (complete with parquet floors and hoops) in United’s SFO Maintenance hangar where over 1,000 employees (and TravelSkills!) watched a dance team, drum corps and a handful of Warriors shoot hoops. As part of this agreement, United will soon have branding in Oakland’s Oracle Arena and, beginning in 2019, inside the new Chase Center, the team’s new arena on the San Francisco waterfront just south of downtown. MileagePlus customers will have the opportunity to use their miles for access to premium seats, suite tickets, VIP experiences and Warriors autographed items.

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Delta mulling low-frills transatlantic product

United stock surges, but it’s time for airline to deliver

Virgin America’s crazy new first class shoes

San Francisco judge says he’ll block Alaska’s takeover of Virgin America

Earn double points for Enterprise car rentals this winter (reg required)

Washington Reagan National airport to get billion dollar makeover

Airlines testing virtual reality headsets for passengers

A proposed flying taxi- let’s go! (Image: Airbus)

Check out this super cool new “flying taxi” from Airbus (I want one!)

New study sees “sluggish” growth in business travel spending

Uber, Lyft now handle more than half of all ground transportation for biz travelers

Airlines’ on-time arrival rates could drop with inclusion of regional partners

U.S. wants airlines to refund bag fees for delayed returns

Low business class fares attract mileage junkies

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Big news for big spenders as banks roll out new bonuses and perks (Image: Pixabay)

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Big news for Marriott Starwood credit card holders; JetBlue, too

October 19, 2016

London's Great Northern Hotel is now part of Starwood's Tribute Portfolio. (Image: Starwood)

Use your Marriott Rewards credit card at London’s hip Great Northern Hotel, a Starwood property (Image: Starwood)

Members of Starwood Preferred Guest, Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards and JetBlue’s TrueBlue program have new options for racking up program points through credit card usage.

Marriott and Starwood said that effective immediately, U.S. holders of the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card by American Express will earn two Starpoints for every eligible dollar they spend with the card at any hotel that’s in the Marriott Rewards program.

On the flip side, U.S. holders of the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from JPMorgan will get five points in those loyalty programs for every eligible dollar spent on the cards at hotels that participate in Starwood Preferred Guest.

It’s the latest step in ongoing efforts by Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Starwood to integrate their guest loyalty programs following the merger of Marriott and Starwood. Earlier, the companies said that loyalty members can link their accounts at members.marriott.com to achieve elite status matching and unlimited points transfers. At a meeting in New York, Marriott CEO said that members were linking accounts at a rapid clip– about 100,000 per day!

Citi cardholders can now move program points into JetBlue’s TrueBlue program.. (Image: JetBlue)

Meanwhile, banking giant Citi announced that JetBlue’s TrueBlue has become the 14^th travel loyalty program to link up with its ThankYou Rewards program.

The company said that Citi Premier and Prestige cardholders will be able to transfer ThankYou points into JetBlue program points at a rate of 1.25 to 1, and Preferred cardholders can do so at a 2-to-1 rate.

Eligible Citi cardholders can transfer points to JetBlue at www.thankyou.com/transfer or by calling 1-800-Thankyou.

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Big news for big spenders as banks roll out new bonuses and perks (Image: Pixabay)

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Marriott’s new beta-test hotel in Charlotte

October 15, 2016

The Great Room at the M-Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott’s 32-year-old Charlotte Marriott City Center in North Carolina has gone through some changes in recent months, and has now been repurposed as the lodging giant’s testing lab for new hotel concepts. It’s now called M-Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center.

All big hotel companies have venues where they try out new room designs, guest technology and so on, but they are usually not for the public until the new concepts are actually approved and deployed. At this Charlotte hotel, Marriott guests are trying out the new ideas in real time.

Throughout the hotel, guests will see “Beta Buttons” that they can punch to register their approval of a particular innovation. “Beta Button engagement, votes and feedback on hotel innovations are then aggregated and brought to life in real-time via Beta Boards, digital screens placed throughout the hotel for all to see,” Marriott said.

Marriott chief Arne Sorenson (center) was present for the opening. (Image: Marriott)

The new concepts and services will change from time to time, but here’s what the property is testing right now:

*The elimination of the front desk, replaced by personal greeters who meet arriving guests in the lobby or even at curbside.

*A selection of hundreds of on-demand workouts that guests can access on video screens in the hotel’s fitness studio or in their rooms, plus access to nearby fitness centers.

*A meeting space that includes a full kitchen, “providing an elevated food and beverage experience that can be tailored to any type of gathering, from a brainstorm to a networking event.”

*An interactive experience in the hotel’s Stoke restaurant that lets guests communicate directly with chefs by removal of the wall between the kitchen and dining area. Guests can watch and learn, make suggestions, or take cooking classes.

*A new “social hub” that lets guests mingle, try out coffee and food offerings from local small businesses, and enjoy a varied program of musical, entertainment and educational events.

“Every corner of the hotel allows for rapid prototyping, inviting guests to test and give feedback in real-time, ultimately shaping their future hotel experience,” Marriott said.

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Gorgeous new hotels: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Maui, Buffalo

October 12, 2016

The impressive lobby of the new Four Seasons New York Downtown (Image: Four Seasons)

In domestic hotel developments, Four Seasons adds a second Manhattan location; the hotel closest to Los Angeles International Airport gets a makeover and rebranding; Hilton adds a DoubleTree in South Beach; Marriott Rewards members get a new option in Maui; and Starwood opens a Westin in the heart of New York State’s second-largest city.

At TravelSkills, we love NEW hotels– don’t miss our archive of the best of this beautiful new bunch here

Four Seasons Hotels, which has had a flagship property in midtown Manhattan for many years, has now opened a downtown location in the Big Apple. Located at 27 Barclay Street, at the corner of Church Street, The Four Seasons New York Downtown is close to the new World Trade Center and a block from City Hall Park. The property has 189 rooms and suites ranging from 400 to 2,400 square feet, and is home to the first Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Manhattan, called CUT. The hotel has a spa, an indoor lap pool and a 6,000 square foot fitness center. The building housing the hotel also has 157 Four Seasons private residences from one to five bedrooms, with access to hotel facilities. Rates begin at $629.

A refurbished suite at the Hyatt Regency at LAX (Image: Hyatt)

The Concourse Hotel, a block from Los Angeles International Airport at 6225 West Century Blvd., was already a Hyatt affiliate, but now the 580-room property is getting a $75 million overhaul and has been rebranded as the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport. The work should be finished in a few months, equipping all guest rooms with the Hyatt Grand Bed, wall-mounted 55-inch TVs with HDMI streaming, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and rain shower heads in the bathrooms. The redesigned lobby will feature a pair of new eateries: Open Market, with grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, soup, noodles, pastries and Illy coffee; and an all-day dining option called Unity LA. Free shuttles for guests depart to LAX every 10 minutes. Rates start around $186 for Gold Passport members.

Hilton’s new DoubleTree in Miami’s South Beach (Image: DoubleTree)

What was once the 1954 Ankara Motel in Miami’s popular South Beach has been rebuilt and is now the newly opened Gates Hotel South Beach-A DoubleTree by Hilton. Located at 2360 Collins Avenue, the 235-room property is a walk away from Ocean Drive and the area’s dining and nightlife options. The hotel has a lobby bar that exits to an outdoor pool with solar-powered device charging stations. There’s a restaurant called The Continental; free Wi-Fi throughout the property; 24-hour business center and fitness center; guest bicycles; and free transportation to the beach. Rates start at $122.

The pool at Marriott’s new Residence Inn in Maui (Image: Marriott)

Marriott Rewards members looking to redeem points for a Hawaii vacation have a new option: the newly-built, newly-opened Residence Inn by Marriott Maui Wailea. The all-suite property has studio, one-, and two-bedroom units with fully equipped kitchens and balconies. Recreational facilities include an outdoor pool and hot tub, putting green and basketball court. Guests get free hot breakfasts, grocery delivery service, and access to a fitness center, Wi-Fi, 24-hour grab-and-go market, and a business center. The hotel is located close to a shopping center, beaches, golf courses and a tennis club. Rates begin at $269.

Buffalo’s new Westin is in the heart of downtown. (Image: Westin)

Got business in Buffalo? As part of an ongoing revival of the city’s downtown, Starwood Hotels has opened the newly-built Westin Buffalo at 250 Delaware Avenue, in the midst of the business and entertainment districts. All 116 rooms and suites have the signature Westin Heavenly Bed and Shower. The Westin offers 7,300 square feet of meeting space and a pair of dining venues: a signature restaurant called Patina 250 and the casual bistro-style Jake’s Café. Guests can take advantage of the WestinWORKOUT fitness center, and can borrow workout gear from New Balance or bicycles from the local Reddy Bikeshare program. Rates start at $166.

At TravelSkills, we love NEW hotels– don’t miss our archive of the best of this beautiful new bunch here

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Surprise winner for best value hotel program

October 8, 2016

The Wyndham Orlando Resort is part of the Wyndham Rewards program. (Image: Wyndham)

Want to get the best possible return on your hotel spending when you claim award stays in a loyalty program? According to a new study, you won’t get the best reward stay value from Hilton, InterContinental, Marriott or Starwood.

The second annual investigation from IdeaWorks Company and Switchfly found that loyalty program members get the best return from Wyndham’s Wyndham Rewards, which provided members an average reward stay return of 13.6 percent on their spending. “That’s a 143 percent higher return than the reward value provided by Starwood SPG, which was ranked last among the six hotel loyalty programs at 5.6 percent for reward payback,” the company said.

In a similar study it conducted a year ago, IdeaWorks only included Marriott, Starwood, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group. This year, it added Wyndham and Choice Hotels International.

And this year’s study was conducted in August – just before the Marriott/Starwood merger was finalized, and before Marriott announced that members of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest could link their loyalty accounts.

How did the company calculate a traveler’s award stay “return” on hotel spending? It conducted more than 1,300 reward stay requests across the six brands, recording the lowest point price for rewards and the corresponding dollar price of the room, adjusting for the different rates of point accrual in the various programs. Thus it came up with a percentage return on spending. (What this survey leaves out are the elite level perks that can greatly increase the perceived value of each program, especially in the eyes of business travelers.)

“For example, the 9% rate for Marriott Rewards represents average reward value payback of $9.00 for every $100 spent on hotel room rates,” the company said. “By comparison, IdeaWorks Company calculated that reward payback for major US airlines ranges from 3.1% to 7.9%.”

The report noted that these returns are only averages, and that the actual “payback” on award rooms can vary considerably depending on the property selected and the dates of stay, since room rates vary by demand while award prices generally remain the same. The best return the study found was a 39.1 percent rate for a December 10 stay at Wyndham’s NYC-The New Yorker hotel, where 15,000 points secured a room priced at $587 that night. The worst was a 2.0 percent return for a February 18 stay at Starwood’s Westin New York Grand Central, with 25,000 points required for a $253 room.

The company said it added Wyndham and Choice to the study this year to include brands that are heavy in “the economy end of the market,” vs. the higher-end products of Hilton, IHG, Marriott and Starwood.

“Consumers should be careful when choosing a program,” the company noted. “Choice has a very unusual and highly restrictive approach for availability and booking. General members can only book rewards 30 days in advance, or 60 days for hotels outside the US and Canada. Elite status provides a larger booking window up to 100 days in advance. And while Wyndham Grand (i.e., Wyndham’s high-end brand) was found to offer exceptional reward payback, the brand’s global footprint is limited to 30+ hotels in eight countries.”

A room at the Howard Johnson Manhattan Soho hotel in NYC (Photo: Wyndham Hotels)

Wyndham has 15 brands, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Garden Hotels, Wyndham Grand, Wingate by Wyndham, TRYP by Wyndham, Travelodge, Super 8, Ramada, Microtel, Knights Inn, Howard Johnson’s, Hawthorn Suites, Dolce, Days inn and Baymont Inn & Suites.

What do you think of Wyndham’s brands? Does it’s higher value rating make you more inclined to stay at one of them? Please leave your comments below.

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Most popular: New transcons | Crazy low fares | Dogs | United Polaris | Odd flight numbers | New SeaTac bridge

October 2, 2016

Watching the sun and the planes from a pretty perch at Delta’s exceptional Sky Club at SFO (Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 This post has gone viral: Kicking “support animals” off the plane

2 Routes: New JetBlue transcon + more Mint, Delta, OneJet, United, AA

3 A sneak peek: Deep Dive: United Polaris business class (Part 1 of 3)

4 Flight 420? Unique, unusual or eccentric flight numbers

Soon in United Polaris business class: A Bloody Mary cart on flights that depart before noon (Photo: Scott Hintz)

5 Deep Dive: United Polaris business class (Part 2 of 3) Food & beverage, lounge

6 Low demand = super low prices this fall: The season for jaw-dropping low fares

7 100,000 members link accounts every day: Marriott Starwood: Higher prices, better rewards

8 Routes: SFO, Seattle, Oakland-Rome, JFK, Boston, Montreal, Detroit

9 Nice work, DL! Inside Delta’s newest SkyClub (Slideshow)

10 Vamos! Airlines start rolling out Havana schedules, fares

Looking down on the cacophony of Times Square from the cozy, recently renovated R Lounge at the Renaissance New York Times Square hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Last week I was in NYC for the Skift Forum, which is something like TED talks, but for the travel industry. I spent two days hanging out with wunderkinds, CEOs, visionaries, and media in the spectacular Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. (More on what I learned in a future post.) Thanks to the Renaissance New York Times Square hotel (4.5 stars on TripAdvisor) for putting me up for two nights to check out its latest updates, which include a refresh of the dramatic R Lounge overlooking Times Square. Since I’m not a big fan of Times Square, I found the lounge the perfect place to quietly sit above the fracas and enjoy the colors and a cocktail. I also checked out the hotel’s newest suites on the fourth floor…all are big bright (white and canary yellow) with terraces overlooking 7th Avenue. In a quirky twist, the terraces are carpeted in astroturf and have life sized plastic sheep that appear to be grazing. Rates start at around $350 per night. — Chris

A big bright white & yellow room with terrace overlooking Times Square (Chris McGinnis)

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Economy class on Cathay Pacific’s B777 is now 9-abreast as seen here. Soon it will squeeze in one more seat. (Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

Oh no! Cathay Pacific to introduce dreaded 10-across seating on Boeing 777s

A short history of airport moving sidewalks

Gogo plans to speed up inflight wi-fi…. in 2018

Frontier and Spirit to join TSA PreCheck

Maps that show how Americans speak English differently

West Elm starts a hotel brand

Best Western launches new brand in the economy hotel segment

Check out what’s coming at Seattle-Tacoma International: A new glass enclosed pedestrian sky bridge that’s high enough for a 747 to pass underneath. Construction begins this fall and it’s expected to be operational in three years as part of the airport’s new international terminal. Full report from Glenn Farley here.

Wanna take a virtual fly through Sea-Tac Airport’s new International Arrivals Sky Bridge? Here’s your chance. #KING5News at 6:30. pic.twitter.com/6lQFrNSBUq
— Glenn Farley (@GlennFarleyK5) September 29, 2016

Frontier Airlines passengers can now use TSA PreCheck

Harvard Business Review warns biz travelers are targets of ‘spymail’ hacking on the road

World airline group finds air rage incidents are increasing

Orlando Airport’s lobby gets 1,560-foot-long hi-def video wall

Air France KLM will install Gogo satellite Wi-Fi in long-haul fleet

Uber starts selling gift cards

Lufthansa acquires the rest of Brussels Airlines

Air Berlin’s fleet shrinks in restructuring plan

Celebrity chef brings Latin cuisine to DFW Airport

Don’t miss out on these popular TravelSkills posts! Kicking support animals off planes | Shocked passenger refuses to pay $3 for water | Marriott-Starwood: Higher prices, better rewards | The 10,000 points question! | Eye-catching maps explain state of the world | Test your planespotting skills! )

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Marriott Starwood: Higher prices, better rewards

September 22, 2016

With a linked account, Marriott Rewards elite members might snag a suite upgrade at this Starwood Le Meridien hotel in Atlanta (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

At long last, the speculation and worry can be put to rest. The Marriott Starwood deal is done. 5,700 hotels and 85 million loyalty members are now all under the same umbrella.

What can we expect?

First off, I think we’ll see higher hotel prices. Think of all the big cities or suburbs where there is now a Marriott or Renaissance on one side of the street and a Westin or Sheraton on the other, both monitoring each others rates and vigorously competing on price. Without that keen competition, travelers can expect prices to rise. That’s basic economics.

Marriott has a powerful reputation as a tough negotiator. Just ask any corporate travel manager or event planner and you’ll hear that Marriott drives a hard bargain, and that Starwood is usually willing to wheel and deal. With the merger, our companies are left with one giant, hard bargainer.

So, with one less competitor in the market, expect higher rates for corporations as well as individual travelers. Of course, we still have Best Western, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG and smaller players out there who will compete on price.

But low prices only go so far– the Marriott/Starwood behemoth has another huge advantage: its combined loyalty program is going to be tough for travelers to resist. And that’s why Marriott is putting such a strong emphasis on making sure the combined program keeps business travelers happy.

And therein lies the good news for members of the Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards programs.

Yesterday, TravelSkills sat down with the heads of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest, Thom Kozik and David Flueck, to preview what this means to frequent travelers. What I picked up from that conversation is that the status quo will continue for quite some time: The combined company will continue to operate 30 separate brands and two loyalty programs.

The biggest change is that these programs are now linked and offer reciprocal benefits to members. That’s hugely powerful.

Screenshot of the new combined Marriott Rewards Starwood Preferred Guest program

Here are the details:

LINK UP: Starting now, Marriott, Starwood and Ritz-Carlton members can link their accounts at members.marriott.com to enjoy the benefits, recognition and experiences the three programs offer.

STATUS MATCH: Elite status will be matched immediately across all three programs, and members will get reciprocal benefits.

REDEEM: Once your’ve linked your accounts, you can transfer and redeem points across all three programs.

RATIO: You can transfer points at a 3:1 ratio– three Marriott Rewards points = one SPG Starpoint for award stays or for experiences on the Marriott Rewards Experiences or SPG’s Moments platforms.

Screenshot from the Marriott Rewards site

BRANDS: Currently there are no concrete plans to combine or eliminate any of the combined giant’s 30 brands. Regarding merging of the two loyalty programs, Marriott says, “Your Marriott Rewards points will live in your Rewards account and your Starpoints live in your SPG account. The programs will continue to operate as separate entities for some time. In fact, we don’t expect the programs to merge until 2018.”

PROGRAM SEPARATION: Don’t go flashing your SPG elite credentials at a Marriott counter. Despite all the noise about a merger, the programs and hotels will operate as separate entities for a while. That means you’ll continue to receive SPG benefits at hotels participating in the SPG program and Rewards benefits at hotels participating in the Rewards program. But you can’t earn or use benefits across programs — SPG hotels will not offer Rewards benefits, and Rewards hotels will not offer SPG benefits. You’ll only get your points and benefits at a hotel if you’re enrolled in the program in which that hotel participates, so it’s a good idea to sign up for both SPG and Rewards if you haven’t already.

PARTNERSHIPS: With reciprocity, members of Marriott Rewards will enjoy the benefits of Starwood’s Crossover Rewards partnership with Delta. Similarly, SPG members get partnership perks with the United-Marriott RewardsPlus partnership.

CREDIT CARDS: “Both of our credit card partnerships will continue to run as is for the foreseeable future,” said Kozik.

Pool with a view at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which conveniently links lobbies with the Starwood W hotel next door (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

NEW PLACES: Marriott and Ritz-Carlton members can now use points in new destinations such as the Maldives, Santorini and Bora Bora. SPG members can now use their points for stays in Aruba, Tuscany and Kruger National Park in South Africa. Marriott coverage is generally a lot stronger in the Caribbean than Starwood. And on the other hand, Starwood’s properties in Asia generally outshine Marriotts.

RATES: Members-only rates will also apply across all brands– but as usual, you’ll have to book directly on Marriott.com or SPG.com or their associated apps to get the discounts.

APPS: For the time being, you’ll still use your Marriott app for stays at Marriott brands and the SPG app when staying at Starwood brands.

Marriott has put together a very helpful FAQ here. Be sure to check the FAQ out before you ask questions in the comments! There’s a LOT to digest here and we’ll be following it for you! For now, go link your accounts at members.marriott.com.

Soooo, what do you think? Please let us know in the comments.

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It’s go time for huge Marriott-Starwood merger

September 20, 2016

The new Westin at Denver’s airport is a short walk from the terminal. (Image: Jim Glab)

By the end of this week, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts should be a single company – the world’s largest lodging group – after the Chinese Government gave regulatory approval to the merger of the two hotel giants.

China’s OK was the last hurdle that the merger had faced; Marriott and Starwood said in a joint announcement that they now expect the merger to be finalized before the market opens on Friday (September 23).

Of course, the legal closing of the merger is only the beginning of a long and complicated path toward combining the operations of the two companies. For customers, the two biggest questions will be: 1) How will the merger affect the branding of the groups’ hotels; and 2) How will their respective loyalty programs be combined, and when?

Marriott International currently includes 4,500 properties in 88 countries, while Starwood’s roster lists 1,300 locations in 100 nations. Membership in their guest loyalty programs – Marriott Rewards (and the affiliated Ritz-Carlton Rewards) and Starwood Preferred Guest – numbers in the scores of millions.

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Quirky perks like new terrace suites (with grass and sheep) at Marriott’s Renaissance New York Times Square hotel- a sign of Starwood’s influence? (Photo: Marriott)

In a TV interview last spring, Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson suggested that integrating the two companies’ brands could take a long time.

“We’ve got separate owners of each of these hotels. And our contracts are long term…We don’t tend to have the right if you’re a hotel owner to say we’ve just decided to change the brand name on your hotel to something else…I think instead we’ll try and do what we can to drive distinctions between the brands,” Sorenson said.

As for the loyalty programs “I think we can make sure the benefits stay the same if not get better, but offer them (i.e. members) a broader selection,” he said, although he did not estimate how long it might take to combine the programs. Since then, Marriott Rewards has tinkered with its Rewards program, adding some Starwood-esque bells and whistles such as guaranteed late check out and a concierge service. But there have been few big moves indicating a coming merger of the programs, and we could easily end up seeing two separate programs (with reciprocal benefits) in existence for quite some time. In the meantime, SPG elite members will remain fearful of losing their cherished benefits.

Marriott’s 19 brands include Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari, EDITION, JW Marriott, Autograph Collection Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Delta Hotels and Resorts, Marriott Executive Apartments, Marriott Vacation Club, Gaylord Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, TownePlace Suites, Protea Hotels by Marriott and Moxy Hotels.

Starwood has 10 brands — St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Tribute Portfolio, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element, plus a partnership with Design Hotels.

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The secret reason for new hotel loyalty discounts

July 8, 2016

View from the street near The Best Western Herald Square in NYC where Rewards members get 10% off (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Earlier this year, we saw a trend among the biggest hotel chains – including Hilton, Marriott, InterContinental and Best Western, among others – offering exclusive discounts to members of their loyalty programs.

Was this just the hotel companies’ latest attempt to sweeten program membership for their loyalists by adding another perk? While customers certainly benefit from getting a price break, the companies had another motive, according to the Wall Street Journal (paywall).

The exclusive discounts for frequent stay program members came with a restriction: To get them, customers have to book directly with the hotel company through its website or app. Reservations placed through third parties didn’t qualify.

The Journal says that the real reason for the hotel giants offering those discounts was to fight back against online travel agencies and booking services that were handling an increasingly large portion of hotel bookings – and collecting a substantial commission for each one.

The hotel companies used to collect more revenue from direct bookings than they did from reservations made through online travel agencies, the Journal noted. That changed in 2015, when the amount of bookings that came in through sites like Expedia and Priceline surpassed that of the chains’ own sites, having an adverse impact on their bottom lines.

Renovated guest room at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco. (Image: Hilton)

The article noted that some online booking services are starting to fight back with tactics like giving lower priority in search results to hotels of the chains that are promoting loyalty discounts on direct bookings. Still, you have to consider your own bottom line: If you are not already a member of all major hotel frequent stay programs, you should at least sign up for basic membership if it means a discount.

Readers: Has the offer of exclusive loyalty program discounts enticed you to start booking hotel rooms directly with your preferred supplier? Do you ever book through third-party online services? Leave comments below.

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Hotels: Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Washington, Miami, New Orleans

May 16, 2016

The Clement Palo Alto brings a new level of luxury to Silicon Valley. (Image: The Clement)

In hotel news, there’s a new luxury property in Silicon Valley; San Francisco’s largest hotel gets a makeover; Kimpton adds a location in the nation’s capital; one of East Asia’s leading hotel companies is making its U.S. debut in Miami; and Marriott opens a Moxy in New Orleans.

How can a city of 66,000 support a hotel with room rates starting at $700 a night? It helps when that city is in the heart of Silicon Valley’s tech giants and venture capital companies. Thus Palo Alto, California is the home of a new hotel called The Clement Palo Alto, which describes itself as “one of the most innovative, personalized and unique luxury hotels in the country.” It has 23 luxury one-bedroom suites, each 650 square feet, and its rates are seriously all-inclusive: They include three meals a day plus snacks; alcoholic beverages; in-room dining; valet service; Internet; gratuities; a personal concierge; a 24-hour guest pantry, and more. (Sounds like staying at the Clement is sorta like working for a unicorn!) The Clement is close to Stanford University and downtown Palo Alto.

The new lobby bar at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. (Image: Hilton)

Visitors to the Hilton San Francisco Union Square – the largest hotel in the Bay Area – will see some changes this spring. The property just finished a $25 million renovation that upgraded guest accommodations and meeting rooms, provided an overhaul of its huge lobby area including a new lobby bar, and gave it a new grab-and-go food area called Herb N’ Kitchen with a variety of fresh edibles and set meals as well as a full-service coffee bar. Rates start around $230 a night. Plus, all rooms can now be opened with guest mobile phones utilizing the Hilton Honors app.

A guest room at the Kimpton Mason & Rook in Washington D.C. (Image: Kimpton)

Kimpton Hotels has opened a new property in Washington D.C. The 178-room (including 18 suites) Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel is at 1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW near the city’s trendy 14^th Street Corridor. The hotel features what it calls “a culinary-focused cocktail bar” (actually a bar/restaurant) called Radiator (because the area used to have a lot of auto repair shops), and it offers a raft of Kimpton-style guest services like free morning coffee, a nightly wine hour, yoga mats and bicycles. Rates start at $159.

A corner room with a view at Swire’s new EAST, Miami. (Image: Swire Properties)

Swire Properties, which operates renowned hotels in Asia including The Upper House in Hong Kong and The Opposite House in Beijing, has set a May 31 opening for its first U.S. hotel, called EAST, Miami. The 352-room property will serve as the anchor hotel for Swire’s $1 billion mixed-use development in the city’s Brickell district. Rooms and suites range from 300 to 1,800 square feet, offering floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline or bay views and free Wi-Fi. It has two signature restaurants including the Quinto La Huella, with Latin American cuisine; and a rooftop (40^th floor) space called Sugar, serving tapas and cocktails. There’s also a lobby café and bar, a poolside bar, and 20,000 square feet of meeting space. Rates start at $195.

The lobby area at Marriott’s new Moxy in New Orleans. (Image: Marriott)

The new Marriott brand called Moxy – aimed at “today’s next-generation traveler” – has opened a location in New Orleans, on O’Keefe Avenue near the French Quarter. The 108-room Moxy New Orleans provides mobile check-in and –out, keyless room entry, motion sensor lighting, in-room Internet TVs with Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and Pandora; fast free Wi-Fi, and lots of power and USB plugs. There’s a 24/7 self-serve food and beverage outlet as well as communal areas with work and game spaces. Rates start at $124. More Moxys are coming to New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Nashville.

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Hotels: New York, San Diego, Denver, Orange County, Washington D.C.

April 23, 2016

Lobby of InterContinental’s reopened Barclay in New York. (Image: InterContinental)

In U.S. hotel developments, Manhattan reclaims a classic midtown property and gains a new Design Hotels property in its Soho district; Marriott cuts the ribbon on a dual-branded location in San Diego; a big Hyatt Regency with lots of conference facilities makes its debut just outside of Denver; Starwood adds a new affiliate in Orange County, California; and Rosewood Hotels gains a foothold in the nation’s capital.

Remember the Barclay InterContinental? It was a mainstay of Manhattan’s Midtown lodging scene for decades, but it’s been closed for the past year and a half. Now, the Barclay’s reopening is set for April 29 following what it calls “the most ambitious restoration in its history.” The 700-room hotel at 111 East 48^th Street, originally built by the Vanderbilt family and dating back to 1926, got a $180 million overhaul that gave it renovated guest accommodations, suites, and meeting rooms; a new Club Lounge; new restaurant and bar; and a slightly revised name – it’s now called the InterContinental New York Barclay. Rates start at $366.

Guest room at the new 11 Howard in Manhattan’s SoHo district. (Image: 11 Howard)

Also newly opened in New York is 11 Howard, a 221-room luxury boutique property in Soho at the corner of Howard and Lafayette streets, just above Canal Street. A member of the trendy Design Hotels group, 11 Howard occupies a former Post Office building and boasts Scandinavian design from its interiors to its furniture, along with innovative art (a Calder mobile suspended from the ceiling, an exterior wall covered with a mural, etc.) and a French restaurant called Le CouCou from chef Daniel Rose. Rates range from $289 to $442.

Marriott offers two all-suite brands in San Diego’s Bayfront. (Image: Marriott)

The newest accommodations in downtown San Diego are in a dual-branded Marriott property that includes two all-suite brands — SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn — in the city’s Bayfront district. Specifically, they’re at Broadway and Pacific Highway, a short walk from the USS Midway museum. The SpringHill Suites side has 253 units while the Residence Inn has 147. Guests are entitled to free breakfasts, and the properties share a fifth-floor outdoor pool and a fitness center. Rates start around $150 at both properties.

The new Hyatt Regency in Aurora, CO targets medical meetings. (Image: Hyatt)

On the east side of Denver in suburban Aurora is the newly opened Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center, a 249-room property (including 49 suites) that will serve the big University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus next door with its 36,000 square feet of conference space in 15 meeting rooms. All accommodations offer Wi-Fi and 55-inch TVs. The hotel’s signature restaurant is called Borealis, with an eclectic mix of cuisines, and there’s a big fitness center, a hot tub, and an outdoor pool and deck. Rates start at $180 for Gold Passport members.

Silver Trumpet bar at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has added a key southern California location to its Tribute Portfolio, a collection of independent properties that participate in Starwood’s reservations system and its Preferred Guest loyalty program. It’s the 238-room Avenue of the Arts Hotel Costa Mesa in Orange County, with a lakeside location in the city’s corporate center next to the South Coast Plaza mall. The hotel recently finished a significant renovation. Rates start at $199.

Cozy lobby fireplace at Rosewood’s new Washington D.C., location. (Image: Rosewood)

In Washington D.C., the upscale Georgetown hotel that was formerly known as the Capella Washington has brought in new management by Rosewood Hotels, which has rebranded the property as the Rosewood Washington D.C. Located along the C&O Canal, the hotel is small – just 49 rooms and suites – and located in one of the capital’s most prestigious neighborhoods. It offers dining in the Grill Room restaurant, a selection of rare rye whiskeys in the Rye Bar, and a rooftop lounge and pool. Rates start at $545.

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Interview: 5 things Marriott CEO said about Starwood deal

April 1, 2016

Marriott CEO talks Starwood on CNBC today (Image: CNBC)

Now that China’s Anbang Insurance and its co-investors have withdrawn from the bidding war to buy Starwood Hotels and Marriott International’s acquisition of the company can move ahead, Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson went on CNBC to talk about it. See the 4-minute interview below.

Here are five points he made:

Sorenson said the “most important thing” for Marriott to get right in merging with Starwood is the integration of their loyalty programs. “I think we can make sure the benefits stay the same if not get better, but offer them (i.e. members) a broader selection,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure [members] are enthusiastic about it.”

The Marriott CEO did not estimate how long it might take to combine loyalty programs; he only remarked “I hope we can do some things very, very quickly.”

One big thing to be worked out in the merger is settling on a credit card vendor for the combined loyalty programs. Marriott Rewards uses a Chase Visa card, while Starwood Preferred Guest has an American Express card.

Regarding integration of the combined company’s 30 brands, it sounds like that’s going to take a while. According to the CNBC transcript of the interview, Sorenson says: “We’ve got separate owners of each of these hotels. And our contracts are long term…We don’t tend to have the right if you’re a hotel owner to say we’ve just decided to change the brand name on your hotel to something else. And so that would be something that really you had to work through with a collection of owners. I think instead we’ll try and do what we can to drive distinctions between the brands.”

He said Marriott will “involve our customers” in some merger-related decisions. “These loyal customers are the primary reason for doing this deal so we want to make sure they feel good about it.”

Also interesting on CNBC today: Sorenson’s remarks about North Carolina’s anti-LGTB bill and it’s “not terribly bright” politicians. Video

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Finally: Battle for Starwood Hotels may be over

March 31, 2016

The battle between Marriott and China’s Anbang Insurance for Starwood Hotels may be over. (Image: Marriott)

According to news reports Thursday, there’s been another big twist in the see-saw bidding battle between Marriott International and a group led by China’s Anbang Insurance to see who will acquire Starwood Hotels – and this may be the final chapter.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday afternoon that the Anbang-led group has withdrawn its latest bid for Starwood, which was valued at $14 billion, or $82.75 a share. That clears the way for Starwood to move ahead with a shareholder vote on Marriott’s most recent offer, which valued Starwood at $79.53 a share.

News reports said Anbang didn’t give Starwood a reason why it was backing away from its last offer. There had been speculation in Chinese media earlier this week that Anbang could have run into trouble with China’s insurance regulators for seeking to invest more of its assets in foreign companies than is permitted by Chinese law.

The proposed Marriott-Starwood merger has already passed antitrust scrutiny by the U.S. and Canadian governments.

If it is finally accomplished, Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood would create the world’s largest hotel company. An Anbang acquisition of Starwood, if it happened, might have also created problems for business travelers working for the U.S. government or its contractors who wanted to stay at Starwood properties. After Anbang bought the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City in 2014, the State Department moved members of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations out of that hotel, allegedly due to concerns about Chinese electronic espionage at the hotel.

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Munich Airport: Big new terminal, new US route, new hotel

March 30, 2016

Lufthansa will be able to expand its Munich hub with the opening of the Terminal 2 Satellite. (Image: Lufthansa)

There’s a lot going on at Munich Airport these days. Later this month, officials will cut the ribbon on a big new terminal as Lufthansa expands its second hub. Not long after the opening, the airline plans to add a new U.S. route from Munich. Meanwhile, Marriott has cut the ribbon on a new hotel at MUC, and a European carrier is adding a base of operations there.

April 26 is the scheduled opening date for Munich Airport’s new Terminal 2 Satellite, a standalone facility that will give Lufthansa another 52 gates. Fifty meters wide and longer than three football fields, the T2 Satellite provide travelers with 20 more security checkpoints and 42 new passport stations. Other features of the big new facility include a 7,000 square meter central marketplace, two bars with great views of the airfield, and five new lounges.

Munich’s new T2 Satellite’s marketplace includes a vegetable stand. (Image: Koch + Partner Architects)

Lufthansa started building up a hub at Munich after its original Terminal 2 opened there in 2003, but that facility was designed to handle up to 25 million passengers a year – a limit that the airline said has been exceeded over the past few years. The new satellite will expand Lufthansa’s capacity at Munich by another 11 million annual passengers. It will be linked to Terminal 2 by an automated underground people-mover system that can handle up to 9,000 passengers an hour in each direction. “In order to comply with EU security regulations, the passenger transportation system is conceived so that three different passenger groups can be transported separately according to the country of origin of their flight,” Lufthansa said.

As part of its ongoing expansion at Munich, Lufthansa plans to add a new U.S. route. On May 11, the airline will begin operating five flights a week to Denver International, an airport that it already serves from its Frankfurt hub. Airport officials at DEN said the new Lufthansa service will increase capacity from Denver to Europe by 20 percent.

Marriott's new MOxy Hotel at the airport has bold colors and designs. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott’s new Moxy Hotel at the airport has bold colors and innovative designs. (Image: Marriott)

Meanwhile, Marriott has cut the ribbon on a new hotel at Munich Airport – a 252-room property that belongs to the lodging giant’s new Moxy brand. What does the Moxy brand represent? According to Marriott’s brand-speak, the Moxy brand “boldly reinvents the select-service hotel paradigm offering a spirited experience– to fully embrace today’s Next Generation traveler and to show the world what ‘moxie’ really means – fun, spirited and stylish.” Its “bold design and affordable style” include a “living room” that’s a guest hub, with fast free Wi-Fi and lots of USB and power ports. There’s also a library, a fitness center, 24/7 self-service food and beverage. It’s five minutes by shuttle bus from the terminals.

Finally, the European carrier Transavia – a low-cost subsidiary of Air France-KLM – this spring is developing a new base of operations at Munich, putting four 737s there. Transavia’s only existing route from Munich is to Paris Orly, but it plans to add MUC service to 16 more destinations in Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Portugal, Spain and Morocco.

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Star(wood) Wars, Part IV: Anbang strikes back

March 28, 2016

Will Anbang Insurance thwart Marriott's latest bid to buy Starwood? (Image: Marriott)

Will Anbang Insurance thwart Marriott’s latest bid to buy Starwood? Will China’s government block Anbang? Stay tuned. (Image: Marriott)

Just when it looked like Marriott International had once again secured a deal to acquire Starwood Hotels & Resorts by sweetening Its original offer, a revised proposal has been submitted by Marriott’s counter-bidding nemesis, China’s Anbang Insurance and its co-investors.

Feeling a bit weary of all the back-and-forth? We are! Anyway, here’s the latest….

Starwood’s board said today that the latest offer from Anbang & company – an all-cash bid of $82.75 per share for all Starwood stock, and the fourth bid to be made in this see-saw battle – is “reasonably likely” to be superior to Marriott’s latest bid, which was estimated to be worth $79.53 per share. That last Marriott bid included $21 per share in cash and the rest on Marriott stock. (Starwood said Anbang’s newest bid, made on March 26, was $81 per share, but in discussions over the past two days, the bidders raised their price to $82.75.)

Once again, Starwood’s board said it would closely examine and discuss the new Anbang bid, and would continue to discuss “non-price terms related to the (Anbang) consortium’s revised proposal.” The board added: “there can be no assurance that discussions will result in a binding proposal from the consortium,” or that it will result in an agreement to sell Starwood to Anbang and friends.

Breakfast overlooking Hanalei Bay at Starwood’s St Regis Princeville (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The Starwood board also reaffirmed that it “has not changed its recommendation in support of Starwood’s merger with Marriott.”

Meanwhile, there were reports that China’s government might also toss a monkey wrench into Anbang’s overseas buying spree. Caixin Online, a Chinese business news website, reported that the government’s China Insurance Regulatory Commission could be on the verge of blocking Anbang’s bid for Starwood and a separate Anbang offer for Strategic Hotels – a U.S.-based group that own several high-end hotels and resorts.

The problem, Caixin Online said, is that Chinese regulations bar the nation’s insurance companies from investing more than 15 percent of their assets abroad, a limit that would apparently be exceeded by either of the two proposed acquisitions.

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Marriott gets Starwood back…for now

March 21, 2016

Marriott’s popular Residence Inn Downtown Seaport in Boston (Chris McGinnis)

The acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts by Marriott International appears to be back on again, after Marriott sweetened its bid to beat an unsolicited offer that had come from a consortium led by China’s Anbang Insurance.

Last week, Starwood had decided the all-cash bid from the Anbang-led group was superior to Marriott’s initial offer, so it canceled its merger agreement with Marriott. But today (Monday), Starwood said Marriott has come up with a new bid of cash and stock that would ultimately give Starwood shareholders about $1.50 per share more than the Anbang group’s offer.

As a result, Starwood said it has now signed an amended merger agreement with Marriott, and its board has unanimously voted to recommend approval of the Marriott deal to shareholders, who are expected to vote within a couple of weeks. Marriott’s new bid puts a value of $13.6 billion on Starwood, and would give Starwood shareholders a 34 percent stake in the combined company.

The revised agreement puts the much discussed Starwood-Marriott merger back on track to close by the middle of this year, the companies said. The deal has already passed antitrust muster with the governments of both the U.S. and Canada.

Starwood’s newish (and very popular) Aloft brand- at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

According to a TravelSkills poll, Marriott has its work cut out when it comes creating a combined company palatable to frequent travelers. In the poll, nearly half currently feel negatively about the proposed combo. Most Marriott Rewards members see the merger as an opportunity to earn more points and to have more options for redemptions. Most SPG members, especially those with elite status, fear losing key benefits such as upgrades, in a Marriott managed program.

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson said that once the merger is finalized, “We expect to accelerate the growth of Starwood’s brands, leveraging Marriott’s worldwide hotel development organization and owner and franchisee relationships…The company will have a broader global footprint and the most powerful frequent traveler programs in the industry.” Marriott said it expects that synergies from the merger will lead to cost savings of $250 million annually within two years after closing.

This drama is still not final, so stay tuned as we monitor developments. Marriott and Starwood boards initially were to vote on the merger on March 28– those meetings are now on for April 8.

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Developing: Starwood + Marriott on the rocks?

March 18, 2016

Marriott's acquisition of Starwood is suddenly far from a done deal. Sheraton Chicago (Photo: Sheraton)

Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood is suddenly far from a done deal. Pictured: Sheraton Chicago (Photo: Sheraton)

Unless Marriott International can come up with a much better offer, its deal to acquire and merge with Starwood Hotels & Resorts is off.

Earlier this week, just as the Marriott-Starwood deal was sailing toward completion, an uninvited consortium of bidders led by Chinese insurance giant Anbang stepped in with a new offer for Starwood. At the time, both Starwood and Marriott expressed confidence that their merger would likely go through as planned. But now Starwood has changed its mind.

Starwood said its board of directors, after closely examining the offer from Anbang and its co-bidders – an offer which has been increased rom $76 to $78 in cash per share – has decided that the Anbang consortium’s offer is “superior,” so it “intends to terminate the Marriott merger agreement” and enter into one with the Anbang group. The board found that Marriott’s offer, which is mostly in the form of Marriott stock, is only worth $71 a share.

Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood is suddenly far from a done deal. (Image: American Express)

Marriott’s only hope of salvaging the merger is to come up with an offer better than the Anbang group’s bid by midnight March 28.

“Starwood will negotiate in good faith with Marriott during this period, and the Starwood board will consider in good faith any changes to the Marriott agreement that Marriott may propose during this period,” Starwood said.

In view of these new developments, Starwood has canceled a special stockholders’ meeting which had been scheduled for March 28 to vote on the Marriott bid. And here’s one odd note in Starwood’s announcement: It said that in spite of the superior offer from Anbang and company, “Starwood’s Board has not changed its recommendation in support of Starwood’s merger with Marriott.”

After Starwood’s announcement, Marriott said it “continues to believe that a combination of Marriott and Starwood is the best course for both companies and offers the best value to Starwood shareholders.” Marriott added that it is “in the process of reviewing the Anbang consortium’s proposal and is carefully considering its alternatives.”

Stay tuned. How do YOU think this will play out? Do you care? Please leave your comments below.

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Surprise: New bid for Starwood emerges

March 14, 2016

Starwood’s brand new Westin at Denver’s airport is a short walk from the terminal. (Image: Jim Glab)

Just when it looked like Marriott International’s planned acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts was sailing along toward completion – with board votes at both companies just weeks away and a recent green light from U.S. antitrust regulators – a new Starwood suitor has suddenly emerged with a higher bid.

The unsolicited bid for Starwood comes from an investor group led by Anbang Insurance Group, a Chinese company that made headlines last year when it bought the Waldorf-Astoria in New York for almost $2 billion. The Beijing-based company has also reportedly made a deal to buy Strategic Hotels & Resorts from the Blackstone Group for $6.5 billion. Strategic owns 16 U.S. luxury properties, including some Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton resorts as well as the JW Marriott Essex House in New York and the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego.

Other investors participating in the Anbang-led bid include a private equity firm called J.C. Flowers & Co. and a Chinese investment company called Primavera Capital Group, according to Bloomberg News. The news comes as more Chinese investors are are dumping investments in the Chinese economy and moving money to safer markets like the U.S.

A Chinese firm that bought the Waldorf-Astoria is leading a new bid to acquire Starwood. (Image: Waldorf-Astoria)

The Chinese firm that bought the Waldorf-Astoria is leading a new bid to acquire Starwood. (Image: Waldorf-Astoria)

The new bidders are offering $76 per share in cash for all Starwood stock, according to Starwood. Bloomberg said that puts a $12.9 billion value on the bid; Starwood estimated the current value of Marriott’s bid at $63.74 a share, based on Starwood’s recent stock price. The Marriott bid includes $2 a share in cash and the rest in Marriott stock. Another factor that Starwood’s board will have to weigh is that its agreement with Marriott provides for Starwood to pay Marriott a $400 million termination fee if the deal falls through.

Starwood said its board of directors will consider the new offer from the Anbang-led group in order to “determine the course of action that is in the best interest of Starwood and its stockholders.” The Starwood board also said that at this point, it “has not changed its recommendation in support of Starwood’s merger with Marriott.” Starwood and Marriott have entered into a definitive merger agreement, but Marriott has given Starwood a waiver effective through March 17 to look into the Anbang-led bid. Both Marriott and Starwood stockholders are expected to vote on the merger proposal on March 28.

Marriott said on Monday it is “confident that the previously announced merger agreement is the best course for both companies.”

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Most popular: Longest lines + More seats + Marriott discount + China + Hotel thermostats

March 13, 2016

View from the QANTAS jaw-dropping first class lounge in Sydney. Wow! Stay tuned for a trip report! (Chris McGinnis)

View from the jaw-dropping QANTAS first class lounge in Sydney. Wow! Stay tuned for a trip report. (Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Frustrating… 10 largest airports with longest U.S. Customs wait times

2 Ugh Delta putting more seats in some regional jets

3 Aww come on! United packs ’em in: 10 abreast on 777s; more 737s

4 Still curious What did Marriott say about the Starwood merger?

5 It’s getting easier: Flying to the tech center of the universe

6 It’s still hot 3 new China routes from United, American, China Eastern

7 Overwhelming results Airline seats & fees: time for federal regulations? (POLL)

8 See the future! Fly through Atlanta’s dramatic new airport canopy (VIDEO)

9 Astronomical! Airline alters flight for better solar eclipse views

10 Save $$, book direct: New discount for Marriott Rewards members

Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia: Chris’s most popular Instagram from last week. CLICK on pic to see all photos & follow

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

How to override 3 types of hotel thermostats

Superbowl a boon for SFO airport

What the Erin Andrews verdict means for hotel guests

Marriott’s European footprint to double in size

Norwegian Air’s new rewards program offers perks for just 6 flights

Qatar Airways annouces 14 new destinations- does not include SFO

Marriott towels now Made in USA

Atlanta Airport’s $4 billion, 8-year renovation could cause headaches

United seeks to form a joint venture partnership with Air New Zealand.

New app lets you know what you’re flying over.

Did you ever wonder why a jet’s wings are angled backward? This explains it.

U.S. airlines achieve a 14.6 percent profit margin in 2015, up from 6 percent in 2014.

These are the top U.S. hotels for meetings and conferences in 2016.

Starwood offers discounts on suites booked from March 15 to 22.

Want to see what a solar eclipse looks like from a 737? It’s pretty cool! See video (But, OMG, you may want to mute the irritating voice over in this one. OMG!)

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New discount for Marriott Rewards members

March 12, 2016

The Marriott Marquis (aka The Jukebox) in downtown San Francisco (Photo: Marriott)

Following a similar move last month by Hilton HHonors, Marriott has come out with news of an exclusive discount program for members of its Marriott Rewards loyalty program.

The company said it will introduce the new Marriott Rewards Member Rates on April 11, providing “an exclusive preferred rate” to program members (also including Ritz-Carlton Rewards members) who book their rooms directly with Marriott through its website, its mobile app, its call centers, or “select corporate travel professionals.” The Hilton HHonors discounts also require direct bookings.

Marriott said the rate will offer discounts of at least two percent for weekday bookings and as much as five percent on weekends. The discounts will apply to the hotel’s “lowest applicable available public rates for non-premium rooms,” Marriott noted. They will be in place across all Marriott brands worldwide except Bulgari Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

The Marriott Rewards preferred rates are one more piece in an effort to steer customers away from booking through third-party websites and online travel agencies. Marriott already has a Best Rate Guarantee in place, which promises guests who book direct that if they can find a lower rate for the same hotel, dates and room type through another channel within 24 hours of booking, Marriott will not only match that price but reduce it by 25 percent.

Do typically book your hotel stays directly with the supplier, or do you use a third party site? Please leave your comments below.

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Most popular: Marriott/Starwood + AAdvantage deadline + 2 big routes + NASA supersonic plans

March 6, 2016

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis flew down to Sydney this week on a QANTAS 747-400. How’d he get this photo of the dramatic approach to SYD? Stay tuned for his Trip Report!

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Still wondering: What Marriott said about the Starwood merger

2 Tick-tock: Decision time approaching for AAdvantage award travel

3 Catch up on all this now: Hotel news: New Hyatt brand, Marriott merger, Hilton cancellations, Vegas fees

4 Bay Area loads up Routes: Bay Area to China, Fiji + Delta code-shares + JetBlue to Africa, South America

5 Get on it! One easy, last chance to ride a United 747?

6 Airports: LAX connector, SFO dining, ATL flap, CPR at ORD, DFW app,

7 Spend much time in LA? Read this: New Metro line to serve LA’s “Silicon Beach”

8 How’d that happen? Another airline declares bankruptcy

9 Death spiral? Will more small cities lose regional airline service?

10 It’s getting even easier: Uber’s new automated business expense reporting

Remember last year when we wrote about Verizon’s new TravelPass? $10 per day flat fee for data and voice. I signed up immediately and I really like how it removes a lot of the uncertainty about using my smartphone overseas– worked like a dream in Australia. Are there any other Verizon-using globetrotters feel similarly? Or not? I know a lot of readers think T-Mobile’s international plan is better, but the reality for me is that T-Mobile does not work in my house, or in many parts of San Francisco. Please leave comments below.

NASA’s new SST design could fly over land without creating a sonic boom that disturbs the people below. (Image: NASA)

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

NASA designs a greener, quieter supersonic passenger plane

U.S. airlines are piling on in fight for new route rights to Cuba

Southwest selects a new in-flight coffee

Starwood’s AmEx card offers 35,000 bonus points for March sign-ups

Luggage manufacturer Tumi is being acquired by Samsonite

Here’s a new roundup of the world’s 25 longest non-stop airline routes

Boeing develops an aircraft bathroom that disinfects itself

Starwood Preferred Guest members can redeem points for Major League Baseball tickets

Guess what’s now a collector’s item? Airline barf bags

My most popular Instagram photo this week: One of Sydney’s many rock pools for protected swimming. CLICK to follow me! (Chris McGinnis)

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Should I tip my Uber driver? + Boeing 747 nearing its end? + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 + World’s best airline lounge? + Fares to Europe tumble

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Hotel news: New Hyatt brand, Marriott merger, Hilton cancellations, Vegas fees

March 2, 2016

The Driskill in Austin is a member of Hyatt's new Unbound Collection. (Image: Hyatt/Driskill)

The historic Driskill Hotel in Austin is a member of Hyatt’s new Unbound Collection. (Image: Hyatt/Driskill)

In hotel news this week, Hyatt creates a new brand for independent hotels; Marriott clears a hurdle in its planned merger with Starwood; what Hilton learned from its $50 cancellation fee experiment; and several Las Vegas properties boost their “resort fees.”

Marriott has its Autograph Collection, Hilton has its Curio Collection, Starwood has its Tribute Portfolio, and now Hyatt has created its own similar brand of affiliated but independent hotels that will participate in the Hyatt reservations system and loyalty program. It’s called The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. The company said the new group will feature “upper-upscale and luxury properties,” both existing and new, and will include “historic urban gems, contemporary trend-setters, boutique hotels, resorts, and more.” The first properties to join The Unbound Collection are The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Hotel du Louvre in Paris, the Carmelo Resort in Carmelo, Uruguay; and the Coco Palms Resort in Kauai.

The planned acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts by Marriott International got a boost this week when the deal’s antitrust waiting period expired with no action from the federal government. “The expiration of the waiting period means the parties have cleared the premerger antitrust review in the United States, satisfying one of the closing conditions of the pending combination transactions,” Marriott said in a statement. The company noted that the waiting period in Canada also passed without any action from that government, but it noted that it is still working with competition authorities in other countries to secure their approvals. Marriott and Starwood stockholders are expected to vote on the merger March 28.

Last fall, Hilton Hotels started a test at 20 hotels, charging customers $50 if they canceled their reservation at any time after making it, unless it was within 24 hours of arrival, in which case a one night’s room charge applied (HHonors members were exempt from the fee test). That test is over, and Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta said in a call with analysts that guests who had to pay the fee “hated it.” But he said that was just the first step in Hilton’s ongoing plans to move ahead with new pricing or fee models in which customers will incur an added cost if they want the flexibility to cancel at any time – just as airline customers pay more for a fully refundable ticket. Part of the reason hotel operators want to tighten up cancellation policies is the growth of websites that allow customers to search for better prices than the one booked, then cancel and rebook at the lower rate.

Guest fees are rising at Caesars Palace and some other Las Vegas hotels. (Image: Jim Glab)

Las Vegas, one of the nation’s top convention venues and the home of the largest and most widespread mandatory “resort fees” in the hotel business, is taking things up a notch. According to the Los Angeles Times, five big Caesars Entertainment hotels on the Strip are raising their resort fees by 10 percent, from $29 to $32 a day. They are Caesars Palace, Nobu, the Cromwell, Paris, and Planet Hollywood. Although the fees are separate from room rates, guests must pay them even if they don’t use the services they are intended to cover, like Wi-Fi, local phone calls and use of the fitness center. The newspaper noted that the higher resort fees come just a few weeks after MGM Resorts in Las Vegas said it plans to start charging guests a fee for parking, whether they self-park or use valets.

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New hotels: Minneapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle

March 1, 2016

A standard king guest room at the new Hyatt Regency near Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. (Image: Hyatt)

The latest U.S. hotel openings include a Hyatt Regency near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, a New York City debut for a leading European chain, an all-suite property in downtown Pittsburgh, a Marriott affiliate in the heart of San Diego, and a Starwood location at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

A few months ago, we reported on the opening of a new JW Marriott Hotel in Bloomington, Minn., near Mall of America and Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. And now there’s a new Hyatt there as well. The Hyatt Regency Bloomington-Minneapolis is in the Bloomington Central Station mixed-use development just east of the mega-mall and just south of the airport. It’s along the Blue Line light rail, two stops from MSP. It has 289 guest rooms and 14 suites, all equipped with Hyatt Grand Beds, 55-inch HDTVs with plug-and-play capabilities for personal devices, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel offers a Regency Club Lounge with free breakfast; an indoor pool; and a fitness center. The restaurant has locally-sourced ingredients, and there’s also a market with grab-and-go food items. Rates start at $239.

Melia International’s INNSIDE New York NoMad on West 27th Street. (Image: Melia)

European hotel giant Melia International is slated to cut the ribbon on its first New York City property in March – the 313-room INNSIDE New York NoMad, at 132 W, 27^th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenue. Rooms come with floor-to-ceiling windows and are equipped with Nespresso machines, 42-inch TVs with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and complimentary minibars. Its Impero Caffe restaurant will serve bistro-style Italian cuisine both inside and on an outdoor garden terrace. Conference rooms can handle meetings of up to 95 persons. Rates start at $249.

The Embassy Suites in downtown Pittsburgh has plenty of living space. (Image: Embassy Suites)

Pittsburgh’s 106-year-old Henry W. Oliver Building, in the heart of downtown at 535 Smithfield Street, now has a new Embassy Suites by Hilton occupying its top 11 floors. Claiming to be the only full-service all-suite hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Pittsburgh Downtown has 225 two-room units equipped with a wet bar, microwave, mini-fridge and two TVs. The hotel offers free made-to-order breakfast and a free two-hour evening reception with drinks and snacks, as well as a 24/7 fitness facility and indoor pool. Check-in is in the hotel’s 25^th-floor Sky Lobby, and the property has a full-service restaurant called Elevation with American comfort food. Rates start at $169.

Marriott’s new Residence Inn in downtown San Diego’s Bayfront district. (Image: Marriott)

Another new all-suite property – this one in San Diego – is Marriott’s Residence Inn San Diego Downtown/Bayfront, at 900 Bayfront Court. It’s close to the water just west of the city’s famous Gaslamp District, around the corner from both the Amtrak station and the Coronado Ferry, and just minutes from the airport. The hotel has 147 studio, one-, and two-bedroom suites, all equipped with spacious work areas, free high-speed Wi-Fi and full kitchens, and guests can get free hot breakfasts. Rates start at $249.

This new Four Points by Sheraton is five miles south of Sea-Tac. (Image: Starwood)

Just off Interstate 5 five miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in suburban Des Moines, Wash., is the newly opened Four Points by Sheraton Seattle Airport South; it’s also convenient to Boeing’s Renton plant, Amazon’s HQ, and the Link light rail station into downtown Seattle. Its 225 rooms include some two-story loft suites with views of Puget Sound. Northwestern cuisine is served up at the hotel’s Olympus Grille, and the lounge offers local beers and BBQ-style appetizers. There’s an outdoor pool, 24/7 fitness center, business center, and free Wi-Fi throughout. Rates start at $131.

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What did Marriott say about the Starwood merger?

February 29, 2016

The view from my room at the JW Marriott LA Live, Los Angeles (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

As you may recall from the recent TravelSkills post/poll about the pending Marriott-Starwood merger, we attended a meeting in Los Angeles with Marriott’s top loyalty executives last week.

We were hoping to get an earful of what members of the Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards programs have in store this year. But we learned from the outset that execs are legally bound from talking specifics with us (or each other) until shareholders at both Marriott and Starwood vote on the merger in late March.

But I did my best to read the tea leaves and make some guesses about what’s coming.

First off, the title of this meeting was “The Future Of Loyalty Forum” and there were about 15 travel writers/bloggers/influencers attending along with 5-6 Marriott executives, most notably Thom Kozik, Marriott’s new VP, Loyalty. There was no one from Starwood in attendance.

Thom Kozik, Marriott’s new VP, Loyalty

The meeting was held at the JW Marriott at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. Upon arrival, the group attended a nice networking dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s glitzy WP24 restaurant on the top floor of the neighboring Ritz-Carlton. The following morning, the forum ran for about 3-4 hours and included lunch on the hotel’s pool deck, in unusual 85-degree winter heat. Then we all went home.

The most important thing I picked up at this meeting was that Marriott is making an effort to listen. They know that they have a beast on their hands when it comes to marrying the two popular loyalty programs. They know that SPG members are anxious (and angry) about any messing around with their cherished program. Given the heated political environment, I could not help but think that Marriott was taking a page from the Hillary Clinton campaign, and embarking on a “listening tour.” First step: listen to what influencers in the business travel and loyalty space have to say. Then, I imagine, there will be well-orchestrated efforts to listen to what program members have to say– in similar meetings, or in a wave of surveys.

Another point I picked up is that Marriott is not going to try and ram its program down the throats of SPG members. Based on the tenor of the meeting, I think Marriott plans to re-engineer its Rewards program as it absorbs Starwood, and is open to new ideas, whether they be from Starwood or elsewhere.

Kozik, who has only been on the job for just over a year, clearly knows he has a big task ahead. He was quick to point out to the group that he’s an outsider– he has had a multidimensional career in promoting internet and gaming brands including Microsoft and Yahoo. He’s not ever worked in the hotel, or even the loyalty business, which should make him even more open to new ideas.

Thom Kozik, VP Loyalty, speaking at Marriott’s Future of Loyalty Forum at LA Live (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

He used the following experience to illustrate his openness to change– and the possibility of Marriott expanding the reach of its loyalty program beyond the focus on registered guests: In his previous jobs, Kozik said he patronized the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey all the time– it was where he frequently had his morning coffee, and almost always entertained clients. Staff there knew him by name, took good care of him when he arrived, and over the course of a year or two he estimated that he spent over $10,000. But since he lived nearby and was not a guest at the hotel, his loyalty was never recognized. Bingo! So that’s one change we might see in a new Marriott Rewards program: The opportunity to earn loyalty points whenever we interact with a Marriott brand, and not just when we’re registered guests.

He spoke about the tests Marriott recently carried out by installing “beacons” at various places hotels to beam messages to members’ mobile phones. For example, a beacon at the hotel bar could alert you to a happy hour special when you walk by. It could let you know that there’s availability at the spa. But Kozik said that based on feedback from its trials, the most highly rated feature of the beacon experiment was that guests received a greeting from the hotel each time they entered the front door. It was the recognition more than anything else that guests liked. Bingo again: you can expect more use of technology as a means to recognize you as a member of the new loyalty program.

Kozik has also been looking at how members interact with its brands on the Marriott Rewards Insiders site, an online forum where members can learn about new promotions and exchange information– and earn points for it. He said that about 70 percent of posts on the site were about “exploits” or ways in which members maximize the value of their points. But he said that the remaining 30 percent are related to members asking other members for local area information– you know, posts like “Hey I’m staying at the JW Marriott at LA Live next week. What’s the best place to get real Mexican food nearby?” Kozik liked that– So I bet we’ll see more focus ways to exchange local information (and maybe get rewarded for it) in a future program.

Marriott Rewards Insiders landing page

Another thing Kozik thinks hotels could do better: Asking for flight information during the hotel reservation process. He noted that car rental companies always ask for flight arrival info, but most hotels do not. He thought this would be a good way to impress guests, and prevent hotels from giving away rooms of guests experiencing flight delays.

Forum organizers also set up an interactive session where bloggers and other experts could brainstorm ways in which hotels could better reward their best guests. One of the ideas from our group that Marriott seemed to like was a program to recognize families at home when members are gone for extended periods of time. They also liked the idea of inviting members who frequent specific cities to test and evaluate new Marriott brands– for example, someone who stays several nights a year a the Marriott Marquis in New York might be asked to stay over in a brand new Marriott hotel elsewhere in the city and provide feedback before it opens to the general public.

At the close of the meeting, organizers promised more forums like this one, and of course we were all most interested in the one that will occur after the merger closes and we can get down to brass tacks to find out what the new megabrand has in store for members. Kozik told me, “Maybe at the next meeting I’ll be standing here with Chris Holdren [Starwood’s head of the SPG program].

But until then, it’s good to know that Marriott is listening. Stay tuned…

Here’s a look at the poll results from last week’s post:

Overall, how do you feel about the Marriott/Starwood merger? Is it a good thing or not? Let’s ask a basic question:

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Most popular: Last chance 747 + Bankrupt airline + Europe on sale + United Global Services

February 28, 2016

A United 747-400 enroute to Osaka (Photo: InSapphoWeTrust / Flickr)

How to jump on a big 747 like this for a domestic trip (Photo: InSapphoWeTrust / Flickr)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Get on it while you can! One easy, last chance to ride a United 747

2 How’d that happen? Another airline declares bankruptcy

3 Screamin’ deals: Fares to Europe tumble

4 Routes: Southwest, Delta, American, United

5 Up or down? It depends: Airfares all over the map

6 Gimme a break! Airlines face new scrutiny over surcharges

7 Big job ahead for Marriott How would YOU merge Starwood & Marriott? [Poll]

8 More, better food on Delta, United & American

9 Great comments! Excuse me, do you speak English?

10 Bay Area to London for $299 + United non-stops to Singapore? + New Paris route + more

Chris McGinnis on CNN at SFO

Off to Australia! Hey folks! I’m off to Sydney, Australia for four days this week to give QANTAS a try and write up a Trip Report. Plus I’ll be checking out Sydney’s 5 newest business class hotels. And I’ll dip into the city’s famous Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday. Have you been to Australia lately? What should I see, where should I eat? Please leave your comments below or email me.

Are you elated or worried about the impending merger of Marriott and Starwood? How would you suggest the two hotel giants merge their many brands? Stay tuned to TravelSkills for a post about our meeting last week with Marriott’s top loyalty brass! And be sure to offer your two cents because Marriott is listening!

The view from my room at the JW Marriott LA Live, Los Angeles where I stayed for Marriott’s “Future of Loyalty” forum (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

What’s it like to be Global Services on United?

Delta’s newest, edgiest Donald-Sutherland-voiced commercial

Global corruption index

Earn 10,ooo IHG Rewards points for stays in NYC, DC

Why did American threaten to dump Gogo?

Take a look at plans for world’s largest airport in Istanbul

Dubai International gets new billion dollar terminal

Starbucks loyalty program follows airlines “spend more get more” mantra

A first class “bunk bed” proposed

Chris’s “Caged Bird” on Instagram. CLICK on the pic to follow him!

Free inflight wi-fi on QANTAS

Experts question security of in-flight Wi-Fi.

Crackdown of Uber. Lyft at Newark Airport may be back on.

Southwest flyers can use Pay With Amazon to access in-flight Wi-Fi.

Virgin America’s Elevate program hits 4 million members.

Australia gives final OK to Qantas-American transpacific partnership.

Climate change could make flights longer, more turbulent.

Choice Hotels loyalty program adds vacation rental option.

Norwegian passenger poll shows data on in-flight Wi-Fi usage.

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How would YOU merge Starwood & Marriott? [Poll]

February 22, 2016

What in the world is Marriott going to do with W Hotels? (Photo W Singapore by Chris McGinnis)

Late last year Marriott surprised nearly everyone when it announced that it would acquire Starwood to become the world’s largest hotel chain. It’s not a “done deal” yet, but seems to be moving in that direction. (NOTE: Be sure to take our one-question poll below!)

Since the announcement, there has been a lot of teeth-gnashing and hand-wringing over what this will mean for members of both chains popular frequent stay programs. Marriott Rewards members generally seem okay with it, but loyal Starwood Preferred Guest members (especially elite members) are worried about erosion of the benefits they’ve come to love.

Marriott has been pretty mum on the subject, but this week its CEO Arne Sorenson told CNBC, “We’ve heard from SPG members loud and clear when they say ‘tell me I’ll be okay.” He continued: “You’ll be okay. I want to make sure we continue to earn that loyalty.” Regarding their respective loyalty programs, Sorensen told Forbes, “They are both extraordinarily powerful programs, and we will make them more powerful and relevant,” but offered few other specifics.

But…Marriott invited TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis to a forum this week in LA to discuss what all this will mean for frequent travelers, so stay tuned for our report on that!

Anyway, the merger announcement has also prompted a lot a speculation about what Marriott is going to do with all those famous brands that Starwood has hatched over the years. Will they be absorbed by Marriott brands, or will Marriott allow them to maintain their identities as part of the Marriott family? If so, which brands survive, and which ones die? Would it make sense to combine two or three brands into one?

Overall, how do you feel about the Marriott/Starwood merger? Is it a good thing or not? Let’s ask a basic question:

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To get a conversation started, here are some ideas we’ve tossed around recently among friends and and TravelSkills readers– do you agree or disagree?

Starwood's new St. Regis Dubai is modeled after the New York St. Regis. (Image: Starwood)

Could this St Regis in Dubai become a Ritz-Carlton? (Image: Starwood)

Westin and Sheraton could easily become standard Marriott properties. While it might seem crazy to dump those two famous brand names, it’s difficult to see how they’d survive in the Marriott family. Could a few become JW Marriotts?

Contemporary W Hotels, on the other hand, might survive the merger, and perhaps bring in the upscale Renaissance or Le Meridien brands which have struggled to capture the hearts and minds frequent travelers.

When combining on the upper end, which brand should survive: Ritz-Carlton or St Regis? Both names are iconic, but the hotels and service are not really that much different. Would it be better to have one or two brands at the top?

Are you signed up for the TravelSkills.com blog? Why not? Do it right now and don’t miss out.

And what about all those “limited service brands” that will collide in the merger, such as Courtyard, Aloft, Residence Inn and Four Points? One Starwood survivor could be Aloft, which proved almost immediately popular and could absorb and modernize other similar Marriott brands.

And what about the handful of new brands that most travelers don’t really know yet, such as Marriott’s Moxy or AC Hotels… or Starwood’s Element or Tribute brands?

And then there’s the hotly contested question of how to combine Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest? Assuming Marriott Rewards is the surviving entity, what features of the popular SPG program should be preserved? And what about the future of the super-popular American Express/SPG credit card? Hmmm. Lot’s to think about…

How would you rearrange or recombine this “Brady Bunch” of brands? Please leave your comments below!

To help get this conversation started, here’s a list of Marriott and Starwood brands for your reference.

Marriott brands (19):

AC Hotels
Autograph Collection
Bulgari
Courtyard
Delta
EDITION
Fairfield Inn & Suites
Gaylord Hotels
JW Marriott
Marriott
Marriott Executive Apartments
Marriott Vacation Club
Moxy
Protea Hotels
Renaissance
Residence Inn
Ritz-Carlton
Towneplace Suites
Springhill Suites

Starwood Brands (11):

Aloft
Design Hotels
Element
Four Points
Le Meridien
Sheraton
St Regis
The Luxury Collection
Tribute Portfolio
W Hotels
Westin

How would you rearrange or recombine this “Brady Bunch” of brands? Please leave your suggestions & comments below! We’ll share them with Marriott execs later this week.

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New hotels: Boston, New York, West Palm Beach, Cleveland, Montreal

February 10, 2016

Starwood’s new Aloft is across from Boston’s convention center. (Image: Aloft Hotels)

New hotel openings in North America include a pair of Starwood brands at Boston’s convention center; a Four Points by Sheraton in New York’s financial district; a Hilton convention hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida; the conversion of an historic Cleveland building into a Kimpton; and a new Renaissance from Marriott in downtown Montreal.

The living area in a unit at Boston’s new Element Hotel. (Image: Element Hotels)

Starwood has cut the ribbon on a pair of new hotels in Boston’s Seaport District, on D Street just across from the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. The dual-branded project includes the 330-room Aloft Boston Seaport and the 180-room Element Boston Seaport. In addition to 10,000 square feet of meeting space and free Wi-Fi hotel-wide, the Aloft offers the usual features of that brand, like a Re:fuel grab-and-go market, a 24-hour fitness center, the signature W XYZ Bar and a swimming pool. The new Element has studio-style guest accommodations with full kitchens, 1,000 square feet of meeting space, an indoor salt-water pool and a fitness center. The two hotels, less than three miles from the airport, are separated by a new driveway off D Street that provides access to the front entrances of both properties. Rates start at $235 at the Aloft and $313 at the Element.

5 new business class hotels in Boston

A guest room in the new Four Points by Sheraton in lower Manhattan. (Image: Four Points by Sheraton)

The newest hotel in New York City’s Financial District is Starwood’s Four Points by Sheraton New York Downtown, located at 6 Platt Street – a short walk from the New York Stock Exchange. The 261-room Four Points offers free Wi-Fi, 2,000 square feet of meeting space, a 24-hour fitness center, a business center, a full-service restaurant called the Ketch Brewhouse, and a rooftop lounge serving up local beers and barbecue. Nightly Rates start at $260.

The new Hilton at the convention center in West Palm Beach. (Image: Hilton)

Florida’s Palm Beach County Convention Center has a newly opened hotel connected to it by an enclosed walkway: The Hilton West Palm Beach. It’s a 400-room (and 43 suites), 12-story convention hotel at 600 Okeechobee Boulevard with more than 24,000 square feet of function space, including a 5,800 square foot ballroom. Rates start at $199. The new Hilton has “an in-house panel of experts” who put together team-building exercises and games for corporate groups. Its restaurant, called Manor, serves up farm-to-table American cuisine under Matthew Byrne, owner of the Palm Beach restaurant called Kitchen and former chef for Tiger Woods. It also has a lobby bar and a marketplace with locally sourced food and gifts.

Cleveland’s historic Schofield Building is now a Kimpton hotel. (Image: Kimpton)

The historic Schofield Building in downtown Cleveland at 2000 East Ninth Street will get a new life next month when Kimpton Hotels opens it as The Schofield Hotel. Kimpton kept the building’s original terra cotta façade, but spent $50 million converting the inside into 122 hotel rooms and 52 apartments. The rooms are decorated with reminders of Cleveland’s industrial history, and Karma Rewards members get free Wi-Fi. In April, the hotel will open a 120-seat restaurant and bar called Parker’s Downtown. Kimpton’s Schofield Hotel will offer guests free use of bicycles and yoga mats as well as a nightly wine hour, occasional craft beer nights and “a loaner guitar program.” Rates start at $150 (although when we checked the availability calendar, there wasn’t any until May).

The lobby of the Renaissance Montreal has an urban contemporary theme. (Image: Marriott)

In the heart of downtown Montreal, at the corner of Robert-Bourassa Boulevard and Cathcart Street, Marriott has cut the ribbon on the new Renaissance Montreal. The 142-room Renaissance has a Pan-Asian restaurant called East, as well as a 12^th-floor rooftop terrace (covered and heated) with a bar, a bistro kitchen, and a plunge pool. The lobby is decorated y a local street artist, and serves up live DJ music and cocktails. The new Renaissance has a business center, a fitness center, high-speed Wi-Fi and a Nespresso machine in every room. Introductory rates start at $199 (Canadian) through April 23.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Boeing 747 nearing its end? + “Targeted” for an upgrade? + 5 newest biz class hotels in New York + TSA PreCheck is exploding + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016

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New hotels: Phoenix, Austin, Boston, New York, Atlanta

January 28, 2016

Part of the lobby area at The Ca,by, formerly the Phoenix Ritz-Carlton. (Image: The Camby)

Part of the lobby area at The Camby, formerly the Phoenix Ritz-Carlton. (Image: The Camby)

In U.S. hotel developments, a Phoenix classic is reborn with a new identity (but still with a Marriott affiliation); Kimpton Hotels brings its signature style to Austin; downtown Boston get s a new boutique property; and InterContinental makes a debut in the Twin Cities.

The hotel that used to be the Ritz-Carlton in Phoenix has gone through a five-month renovation and restyling, and has been reborn as The Camby Hotel. It’s at 2401 East Camelback Road (at N. 24th Street), across the road from the Biltmore Fashion Park mall. The hotel’s former Bistro 24 restaurant is now called Artizen, with locally sourced ingredients for its American cuisine. There’s a rooftop bar called Revery, with a pool and sun deck, outdoor games, and a video projection wall. Rooms have all been redecorated to appeal to a trendier crowd, although the hotel’s main market will still be business and meeting travelers. Although it’s no longer a Ritz-Carlton, The Camby retains a Marriott affiliation through membership in the group’s Autograph Collection. Rates start around $330 in winter, or half that in summer.

Front desk at the new Van Zandt Hotel in Austin. (Image: Kimpton Hotels)

Front desk at the new Hotel Van Zandt in Austin. (Image: Kimpton Hotels)

Kimpton Hotels — now a subsidiary of InterContinental Hotels Group — has cut the ribbon on its first property in Austin. Called the Hotel Van Zandt, the 319-room, 41-suite hotel is at 605 Davis Street in the city’s Rainey Street Historic District. The newly built hotel’s Geraldine’s restaurant features local Austin specialties and offers live entertainment. Rooms offer free high-speed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speakers along with yoga mats. Guests are invited to free beer and margaritas at the lobby social hour form 5 to 6 p.m., and Cafe 605 off the lobby has items like brisket and egg tacos as well as specialty coffees. Rates range from $210 to $399, but the hotel is offering 25-30 percent “Sneak Peek” introductory discounts through February, subject to availability.

Guest room at Boston’s newest hotel, The Godfrey. (Image: The Godfrey)

February 3 is the scheduled opening date for downtown Boston’s newest upscale lodging option, the 242-room Godfrey Hotel Boston. Located at 505 Washington Street in the district known as Downtown Crossing, a short walk from Boston Common, it’s a makeover of the old Amory and Blake buildings. It has a restaurant/bar, fitness center, free Wi-Fi, and valet parking, and will open a George Howell Coffee outlet this spring. Guest rooms have 55-inch TVs, mobile keyless entry, Bluetooth audio system, and desks with USB ports. Introductory rates start at $199.

St. Paul’s former Crowne Plaza is now an InterContinental. (Image: InterContinental Hotels)

The former Crowne Plaza St. Paul-Riverfront at 11 East Kellogg Blvd. in Minnesota’s capital city has received a multi-million dollar upgrade and reopened as the InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront. Overlooking the Mississippi River, the 410-room hotel has 43,000 square feet of meeting space, including a grand ballroom that accommodates up to 500. The new restaurant is called the Citizen Supper Club, with a varied cuisine; the hotel also has a coffee shop, fitness room and business center, and room options include a private-access Executive Floor. Rates start at $171.

Choice Hotels’ new Cambria in midtown Manhattan. (Image: Choice Hotels International)

Choice Hotels International’s newest property in New York City is the 196-room Cambria Hotel & Suites NY-Times Square at 30 West 46th Street (actually closer to Fifth Avenue than Times Square). It boasts large rooms with big bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, a lobby bar, a fitness center, and a bistro-style restaurant/bar called Social Circle. Rates start at $119.

In other news, Atlanta is due to get a new luxury airport property next year, when the Solis Hotel, operated by Capella Hotel Group, is due to open near the Porsche Experience Driving Center in Haperville, Ga., just east of Hartsfield-Jackson. It will be the first new hotel on the east side of the airport since the International Terminal opened. The 214-room Solis will have a rooftop lounge with views of the Porsche driving course, and guests can arrange to pick up newly purchased Porsches there as well.

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Don’t miss these 4 key hotel bonuses

January 20, 2016

JW Marriott & Ritz-Carlton tower over the LA Live complex in downtown Los Angeles (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Hotel programs like Marriott Rewards rolling out new winter promos (Photo of LA Live, where Marriott has 4 big hotels by Chris McGinnis)

The dip in travel demand for the winter season compounded by jitters in the stock market means more lucrative winter promotions from hotel chains. So be sure to take advantage of the following:

This week Marriott kicked off its popular mega-bonus program which individually tailors your winter bonus based on your Marriott Rewards activity. First off, you have to register for the program, and stay at participating properties between Feb 1 and May 15. You’ll get one free night after two stays at hotel categories 1-5. Then you get to “unlock your new bonus points offer” which will be emailed to you. DETAILS.

Starwood got an early start by kicking off its SPG Take Two promo back in December. But I guess it did not stir up enough interest because it recently sweetened the pot of this promotion. Those who register earn double Starpoints on stays of two or more nights at any of its 1,200+ properties worldwide– good for stays January 11 through April 30. Plus, there’s an opportunity to get 250 more points in certain “popular destinations.” This week Starwood added a bigger bonus geared toward heavy users: Earn an additional 2,500 points for 15-24 nights, or a tidy 7,500 for 25 nights or more by April 30. DETAILS

The InterContinental Hotel Group IHG Rewards Club bonus is called Accelerate 2016 and it’s for stays between January 1 and April 30. Like Marriott, this promo is targeted and your bonus is based on your IHG activity. The program is tiered- for example, stay just once during January and you’ll earn 5,000 points. Stay again after January and some will get a 1,000 point bump…and some who stay five times, will get another 5,000 points. There the potential to earn as many as 40,000-60,000 extra points- depending on your IHG activity. DETAILS

Hilton HHonors Double Your Points promo is more basic: It is offering double program points or airline miles (60 airlines) for stays between January 1 and April 30. When registering, you are required to choose either double points or double miles for the duration of the promotion. DETAILS.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United packages Economy Plus with amenities + Ride-sharing firm goes out of business + Bucket list for air travelers + Useless travel gadgets + ‘Uber of the Skies’ dies

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5 newest hotels in New York City: EDITION

January 18, 2016

This hotel is located in an iconic clocktower building on Madison Square Park (Photo: Marriott)

Last week I was in New York City to speak at the New York Times Travel Show. I extended my stay to spend a full day checking out five of the newest business class hotels in town. It was an exhausting day, but I loved every minute of it 🙂

There are many more than five new hotels in this burgeoning market, so I chose only among those that opened in 2015… and those that I thought would appeal most to TravelSkills readers.

Here’s a look at the third of the big five…I’ll post all of these in a series over the next few days. Enjoy!

(In case you missed it, here’s a look at the first two, the 1 Hotel Central Park and The Baccarat.)

Here’s the third:

New York EDITION (On Madison Ave & East 25th St at Madison Square Park)

: A new hotel in this landmark clocktower building in NYC (Chris McGinnis)

: A lively lobby bar- perfect for meeting colleagues after work (Chris McGinnis)

: Minimalist rooms softened with fur throws (Chris McGinnis)

: Stark, clean lines in bathrooms a hallmark of Ian Schrager (Chris McGinnis)

: The fun Gold Bar – wait for your table to the popular Clocktower Restaurant here (Chris McGinnis)

: This hotel knows how to do minibar right (Chris McGinnis)

: Gorgeous architectural detail in the lobby

: Be sure to book a room that overlooks Madison Square Park

: Instead of desks, each room at the EDITION has tables instead- I like! (Chris McGinnis)

What I like best about the New York EDITION (opened May 2015) is its location south of Midtown on Madison Square Park in the Flatiron district. It is not only a pretty part of town, but it really feels like New York, and not the processed touristy feel you get in Midtown or Times Square. Plus, it is located at a subway crossroads, so it’s really easy to get around town.

Marriott teamed up with Ian Schrager to create the EDITION brand, and his warm-yet-minimalist touch is evident throughout this 273-room, 52-story tower. The iconic clocktower building overlooking Madison Park was once the headquarters for MetLife, with the original CEO’s office now part of the super-popular Clocktower restaurant on the second floor (highly rated by Zagat). The EDITION’s hip lobby bar attracts a fun crowd of guests and locals after work– there’s a DJ on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. And the popular Italian food emporium Eataly is just across the park.

There are 10 room types in this hotel, but the best in the house are those that overlook the park (see view in slideshow). The hotel kept the unusual scalloped ceilings from the office building– they are in 60% of the rooms. The room feature I liked best was the large floating oak table in each room, which serves as a desk as well as an area to eat or drink or work without staring at a wall or a mirror– more hotels should adopt this. In-room wi-fi is free. Like nearly every one of the new hotels in New York, the EDITION sports hardwood floors.

In February, the lowest midweek rates hover around $400 per night– or 40,000 to 50,000 Marriott Rewards points.

Website: New York EDITION hotel, 5 Madison Avenue at 23rd Street

In case you missed our previous posts in this series, here’s a look at all of them:

1 Hotel Central Park (Midtown)

The Baccarat (Midtown)

New York EDITION (Flatiron/Madison Sq Park)

The EVEN Hotel (Near Penn Station/Garment district)

The Knickerbocker (Times Square)

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New hotels: Amsterdam, Dubai, Casablanca, Taipei

January 5, 2016

The new Hilton at Schiphol is in the heart of Amsterdam’s airport. (Image: Hilton)

In overseas hotel developments, there’s a new Hilton in the middle of Amsterdam’s airport; Four Seasons breaks into the Morocco market; Starwood cuts the ribbon on a new luxury property in Dubai; and Taipei adds a pair of new hotels.

The old Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which opened in 1972 right in the middle of the airport property, has closed down and been replaced by a brand new property right next door. The new one is also called the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. It has 433 rooms including 12 suites; 96 of them are Executive rooms, with access to an Executive Lounge. And it has 23 meeting rooms, with a ballroom that accommodates up to 640 persons. There’s also a lobby bar, a restaurant called The Bowery, a 24-hour fitness facility, and a spa. Rates start at $235.

Sumptuous guest accommodations at the Four Seasons Casablanca. (Image: Four Seasons)

Four Seasons Hotels recently cut the ribbon on a new property in Casablanca, Morocco. The Four Seasons Casablanca’s oceanside location in the upscale Anfa neighborhood is 10 minutes from the city center and its financial district. The hotel has 186 rooms, 12,400 square feet of flexible meeting space, a French brasserie restaurant called Bleu, a spa and a 1,600 square foot pool. Rates start at $319.

Starwood’s new St. Regis Dubai is modeled after the New York St. Regis. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood’s newest property in the Middle East is The St. Regis Dubai, in the “urban resort” development called Al Habtoor City on Sheikh Zayed Road. The St. Regis will eventually be joined by a W and a Westin in the same location. The architecture and interiors of the 234-room (with 54 suites, including the two-story, thee-bedroom Royal Suite) St. Regis are a tribute to the St. Regis in New York. Dining options include a steakhouse, a brasserie and a cafe. The hotel also has two bars, a spa, 24-houir fitness facility and a pair of rooftop pools. Nightly rates begin at $416.

The lobby of the new Courtyard by Marriott in Taipei. (Image: Marriott)

There’s a new Courtyard by Marriott in Taipei, Taiwan: The 465-room property occupies the seventh through 30th floors of a skyscraper above the CityLink Shopping Mall, the Nangang metro station and Taiwan High-Speed Rail station. Rooms start at 36 square meters, and the hotel offers an all-day dining restaurant with international cuisine, a Cantonese restaurant, a tea/cocktail lounge and a fitness center. Rates start at $140.

The distinctive profile of Starwood’s new Aloft in Taipei. (Image; Starwood)

Another newly opened hotel in Taipei is Starwood’s Aloft Taipei Zhongshan, the first Aloft in Taiwan. Ten minutes from Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA), it’s in the city’s northeast downtown area, close to the Zhongshan Elementary School metro station. The new 88-room Aloft offers SPG Keyless room entry, and rooms come with free Wi-Fi and 42-inch LCD TVs with plug and play connectivity. The Aloft also offers its signature WXYZ bar, and Re:Fuel grab-and-go market. Introductory rates start at $163 including breakfast.

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Atlanta’s passenger record + fixing Uber surge pricing + NYC Marriotts on sale + more

December 27, 2015

Here are some newsy nuggets from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Atlanta airport's Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal (Image: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport)

Atlanta airport’s Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal (Image: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport)

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson will break a huge passenger record today.

Harvard Business Review suggests ways to fix Uber’s surge pricing model.

This week only: Book Marriott’s NYC hotels for up to 20 percent off.

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Hotel consolidation takes another big step forward

December 10, 2015

London’s prestigious Savoy Hotel will become part of AccorHotels. (Image: The Savoy)

Less than a month after Marriott said it will buy Starwood Hotels for $12.2 billion, another big transaction has been announced that will shrink the number of major players in the global lodging industry even more.

This time, the buyer is the French lodging giant AccorHotels, and the target is a trio of luxury hotel brands: Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel. The sellers include the Qatar Investment Authority, Kingdom Holding Company of Saudi Arabia, and Oxford Properties, an Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System company.

The acquisition is nowhere near the size of Marriott’s Starwood purchase — the three brands include just 155 hotels and resorts, 40 of them still under development, with a total of 56,000 rooms. But the individual properties include some of the world’s most prestigious luxury hotels, like The Plaza in New York, The Savoy in London, Le Royal Moncaeu-Raffles Paris, the Fairmont in San Francisco, Swissotel-The Stamford in Singapore and many more. The 155 hotels are spread across 34 countries, mostly in North America and Europe.

AccorHotels said it will pay $840 million in cash, and will issue 46.7 million new Accor shares, with the Qatar Investment Authority getting a 10.5 percent stake in Accor and the Saudi company picking up 5.8 percent.

One jilted suitor in the Marriott deal was InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which was widely rumored earlier this year to be moving in on an acquisition of Starwood. And the same thing happened in this transaction: Just three months ago, financial media reported that IHG was on the verge of snapping up Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel for $2.9 billion. But the owners apparently preferred Acccor’s offer.

Accor said the acquisition will bolster its own operations thanks to the integration of a customer base that includes 3 million loyalty members, three-fourths of them North Americans. It said the deal will give it a total of 500 luxury and upscale locations worldwide, making it “one of the key global players in this segment.”

Accor has some 3,800 properties worldwide, with a number of brands covering all major market segments, including Sofitel, Pullman MGallery, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, and Ibis. It just passed the 500,000-room mark with the opening of a pair of new properties at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport — a Pullman and an Ibis Styles hotel.

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Brand new hotels: NYC, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis & more

November 25, 2015

InterContinental's new EVEN hotel in New York has mood lighting in guest rooms. (Image: InterContiental Hotels Group)

InterContinental’s new EVEN hotel in New York has mood lighting in guest rooms. (Image: IHG)

In U.S. hotel news, InterContinental Hotels Group has cut the ribbon on a pair of new hotels from its newest brands in Manhattan; Hyatt opens a dual-branded hotel in the heart of Denver as well as new properties in New Orleans and near Miami’s airport; Marriott adds a big extended-stay option in Chicago’s Loop along with an upscale JW property in the Twin Cities; and Four Seasons has started taking reservations for a renovated Hawaii resort.

InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) new EVEN Hotels brand — designed to appeal to “wellness-minded travelers” — has opened its third U.S. property, this one in the middle of Manhattan. The new EVEN Hotel New York-Times Square South is at 321 W. 35th Street. It offers healthy eating options in its Cork & Kale Market; sleep aids like mood lighting in guest rooms; a fitness center plus in-room workout items; and ergonomic work spaces (you can even get a stand-up desk in your room). A rate search finds rooms in mid-January for as little as $151.

The bar in New York's new Indigo hHotel has sweeping city views. (Image: InterContinental Hotels Group)

The bar in New York’s new Indigo Hotel has sweeping city views. (Image: InterContinental Hotels Group)

In lower Manhattan, meanwhile, IHG has also cut the ribbon on a new hotel in its Indigo brand. The 293-room Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York is at 171 Ludlow Street, with a design that preserves elements of that historic neighborhood. The lobby, with floor-to-ceiling city views, is on the 14th floor; an outdoor terrace, pool, bar and restaurant are on the 15th floor. The hotel also has a fitness center and four suites, including a duplex penthouse loft on the 25th-26th floors. Rates start at $225.

Downtown Denver’s new dual-branded Hyatt Place/House is near the convention center. (Image: Hyatt)

The Hyatt Regency Denver in the heart of that city has been joined by a new Hyatt property — the dual-branded, 361-room Hyatt Place/Hyatt House Denver Downtown. It’s located at 440 14th Street, a block and a half east of the city’s convention center. Hyatt Place is the company’s brand for “tech-savvy travelers,” with free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food options, while Hyatt House is its extended-stay product with apartment-style, kitchen-equipped accommodations. Rates begin around $192 at the Hyatt House, $184 at Hyatt Place.

A unit with kitchen in New Orleans’ new Hyatt House. (Image: Hyatt)

There’s also a new Hyatt House in New Orleans, at 1250 Poydras Street, in the city’s downtown BioDistrict. The Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown has 114 studio and one-bedroom accommodations, all with kitchens, and 80 “Den” guestrooms without kitchens. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, a bar, workout room, and 24-hour market. Rates start at $243.

The coffee-to-cocktails lounge at the new Hyatt Place Miami Airport East. (Image: Hyatt)

And there’s a new Hyatt Place in Miami at 3549 LeJeune Road, just south of the Airport Expressway and just east of Miami International. The 135-room Hyatt Place Miami Airport-East has free Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, a “coffee to cocktails” bar, and 24-hour meal service and market. Rates start at $234.

Chicago’s newest Residence Inn occupies an historic building in the financial district. (Image: Marriott)

The largest property in Marriott’s Residence Inn brand has opened in downtown Chicago. The 380-unit Residence Inn Chicago Downtown/Loop is inside a 100-year-old landmark structure, the Roanoke Building, at Madison and LaSalle Street in the city’s financial district. The property’s accommodations offer 10-foot ceilings, 55-inch TVs, free Wi-Fi, kitchen, and ergonomic work spaces, and free breakfast is included. Rate start at $169.

A King Suite at the Mall of America’s new JW Marriott. (Image: Marriott)

The newest upscale JW Marriott hotel from Marriott is at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., just south of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and 11 miles from downtown Minneapolis. With 342 rooms and a soaring three-story-high lobby area, the hotel has a signature restaurant called Cedar+Stone, Urban Table where all the ingredients are locally sourced, i.e., from no more than 200 miles away. The lobby bar also carries a big selection of local craft beers. The JW has an indoor pool, fitness center, Executive Lounge and meeting rooms Rates start at $289.

An outdoor terrace at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai. (Image: Four Seasons)

Four Seasons Hotels has started accepting reservations for stays March 1 or later at its Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Hawaii. The property has undergone a multi-million dollar, floor-to-ceiling overhaul that includes all 217 guest rooms and suites. Accommodations now offer 75-inch LED TVs, wearable key wristbands, BluRay players, in-room iPad Airs, and a new mobile app linked to hotel services. The resort also got new restaurants (including a Nobu), a renovated spa, and an updated pro shop at its signature golf course. Rates start at a cool $960 a night.

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Another week, another new hotel fee

November 24, 2015

The Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre Hotel. (Image: Hilton)

Hilton is testing a new, tougher cancellation fee. (Image: Hilton)

Major players in the hotel industry have been following the lead of the airlines in creating new kinds of fees that their customers must pay, above and beyond the nightly room rate. And now Hilton is experimenting with a significant expansion of its existing cancellation fee policy.

It used to be that hotel guests with changing travel plans could cancel their hotel reservation almost up until the time of arrival with no penalty. Earlier this year, Hilton and Marriott created a stir when they started to impose a new fee equal to the cost of one night’s stay if a cancellation was made less than 24 hours before arrival.

And now Hilton has started to market-test a new $50 fee for those who cancel at any time after they make a reservation (unless they wait until less than 24 hours before arrival — then the existing one night’s room rate fee still applies).

Members of Hilton’s HHonors program are exempt from the new test fees. (For now at least.)

Hilton officials told Skift.com that the test is being conducted only at 20 U.S. properties in the Hilton, DoubleTree and Embassy Suites brands. The properties were not identified.

The Hilton officials said that in spite of the one-night fee imposed earlier this year, they are still seeing what they consider to be unacceptable levels of cancellations during a period of record hotel occupancy levels. The test will help them determine if a tougher penalty will make a significant dent in those cancellation numbers.

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Marriott, Starwood will merge

November 16, 2015

One of Marriott's newest, largest hotels is on sale today only! Marriott Marquis Washington DC

One of Marriott’s newest, largest hotels: The Marriott Marquis Washington DC (Image: Marriott)

We’ve seen plenty of rumor and speculation in recent months about what would happen to Starwood Hotels & Resorts since its board of directors decided to look for ways to maximize shareholder value. First there was talk of a merger with InterContinental Hotels Group. Then just last month, Hyatt was said to have its eye on the company.

But now there’s a new suitor, and this time it’s no rumor: Marriott International announced it will pay $12.2 billion — most of it in Marriott stock — to buy Starwood.

The combined entity will be the world’s largest lodging group, with 1.1 million rooms in 5,500 properties worldwide — not to mention the world’s largest hotel loyalty program; Marriott Rewards currently has 54 million members, while Starwood Preferred Guest claims 21 million.

San Francisco’s famous Palace hotel to become a Marriott (Image: Starwood)

The deal is subject to approval by shareholders at both companies as well as regulatory approvals. And that raises a question: If the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division has been getting a little tougher on airline mergers — e.g., it wouldn’t approve the American-US Airways deal until the airlines agreed to give up gates and slots at key airports — will it do the same with huge hotel mergers where the combined companies would control a substantial share of rooms in specific markets?

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson told the Wall Street Journal that Marriott controls about 10 percent of U.S. hotel rooms and Starwood has 3 to 4 percent, and said that in general, the U.S. hotel industry is “highly competitive and dispersed.”

If all the necessary approvals are forthcoming, the companies said they expect to close the transaction in the middle of next year.

“The transaction combines Starwood’s leading lifestyle brands and international footprint with Marriott’s strong presence in the luxury and select-service tiers, as well as the convention and resort segment, creating a more comprehensive portfolio,” the companies said in a statement.

Marriott said it expects to “accelerate the growth of Starwood’s brands” after the transaction goes through, giving the combined company “a broader global footprint.”

Speaking of brands, it remains to be seen what will happen on that score, since the two companies currently have about 30 brands — nice for segmenting your market, but it might be daunting for customers to remember what each brand represents. Could a consolidation of brands be in the works if the merger goes through?

At first glance, we could see W Hotels becoming Renaissance hotels. St Regis and Luxury Collection would become Ritz-Carlton or maybe Bulgari. Most Sheratons or Westins or Le Meridiens could be Marriotts or maybe JW Marriotts. Most Four Points hotels could be Marriott Fairfield Inns. Aloft hotels…hmm maybe Courtyards?

For reference: All Marriott brands | All Starwood brands

Stay tuned!

What’s your first reaction to this blockbuster news? Please leave your comments below.

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New hotels: Starwood in Vegas, SF + Hyatt in Houston + NYC, Austin, more

November 10, 2015

The huge SLS Las Vegas is joining Starwood’s Preferred Guest program. (Image: Starwood)

In U.S. hotel developments, Hyatt has a new location in Houston; one of San Francisco’s top properties finished a major renovation; Manhattan gets a new independent hotel; Starwood adds a big Las Vegas affiliate and opens a pair of new Alofts; and Marriott expands its Autograph Collection.

Starwood Preferred Guest members headed to Las Vegas will soon have plenty of rooms to choose from. The lodging giant said that the 1,600-room SLS Las Vegas on the Strip at Sahara Boulevard will become a part of its Tribute Portfolio by the end of this year. That means the property will participate in Starwood’s reservations system and its loyalty program. And the company said that one of the three towers at SLS Las Vegas — the 289-room LUX Tower — will be converted into a W Hotel in 2016 after a renovation. Nightly rates at the SLS start at $49 (hey–it’s Las Vegas), plus a $29 resort fee.

The new Hyatt Regency at Houston’s Galleria. (Image: Hyatt)

Hyatt has cut the ribbon on a 14-story, 325-room Hyatt Regency next to Houston’s Galleria, the largest shopping center in Texas. Guest rooms feature 55-inch TVs with plug-and-play options for personal electronic devices, and free high-speed Internet. The hotel has a heated outdoor pool and adjacent fitness room as well as 11,000 square feet of meeting space. Rates start at $229. And Hyatt says a new Hyatt Place hotel will open next door in early 2016.

The new State Suite at The Palace, Starwood’s San Francisco Luxury Collection hotel. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood said that its Luxury Collection member in San Francisco, the 556-room, 55-suite Palace Hotel, has finished a $40 million overhaul. Redesigned guest rooms include some spectacular new suites, like the corner State Suite and the 1,000-square-foot Royal Suite. The skylit Garden Court was divided into the GC Lounge and the 120-seat Garden Court restaurant, and the fitness center was expanded to 3,000 square feet with new equipment, spa showers and more. Rates start around $295.

A guest room at The Renwick in midtown Manhattan. (Image: The Renwick)

Hotels just keep opening in Manhattan, and the newest is an independent luxury property called The Renwick, at 118 E. 40th Street, a short walk from Grand Central Station. Its 173 “loft-style” rooms and suites feature design elements inspired by an artist’s studio. The new hotel offers free high-speed (200 Mb/s) Wi-Fi, a business center, fitness center, and a signature restaurant called Bedford & Co. from chef John DeLucie. Rates being at $459.

Austin's new Granduca Hotel has overtones of an Italian villa. (Image: The Granduca)

Austin’s new Hotel Granduca has overtones of an Italian villa. (Image: Hotel Granduca)

Tuscan villas served as the inspiration for the new Italian-themed Hotel Granduca Austin, on a 38-acre site at 320 S. Capital of Texas Highway. It has 194 rooms ranging from 480 to 1,350 square feet, featuring full-sized baths with walk-in showers, kitchenettes and huge closets. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, the Granduca has a fitness center, sauna/massage rooms, a pool and a billiards room as well as a restaurant featuring northern Italian cuisine. Rates begin at $299.

The new Aloft Louisville Downtown. (Image: Aloft)

Starwood also has opened a pair of new Aloft hotels in Raleigh, N.C, and Louisville, Ky. The Raleigh hotel is at 2100 Hillsborough Street across the street from the North Campus of North Carolina State University. Rates start at $170. The new Aloft Louisville Downtown is set along Whiskey Row a short distance from the Kentucky International Convention Center. The Louisville hotel’s bar takes on a local flair by offering more than 60 kinds of bourbon. Rates begin at $174.

Marriott’s Autograph Collection is the equivalent of Starwood’s Tribute Portfolio — an affiliated collection of independent properties that take part in Marriott Rewards and the Marriott reservations network. Marriott has just added three more hotels to that group, including The Envoy, a newly built, 136-room hotel in Boston’s so-called Innovation District; the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook in the Birmingham, Alabama suburb of Mountain Brook; and The Citizen, a Sacramento, California hotel that occupies the 90-year-old California Life Insurance Building downtown.

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2 new Ritz-Carlton hotels + New W in Amsterdam + Another Marriott for Osaka

November 3, 2015

The Nile Ritz-Carlton in Cairo. (Image; Ritz-Carlton)

After a six-year renovation and improvement project, the Cairo hotel that used to be the Nile Hilton has reopened as The Nile Ritz-Carlton. The five-star, 331-room Ritz-Carlton, located downtown between the river and Tahrir Square, has four restaurants, three bars, a round-the-clock fitness center, Olympic-sized outdoor pool, a spa and salon. Guest rooms offer high-speed Internet, 47-inch TV, minibar, tea/coffee machine, and 24-hour room service is available. Standard rates start at $320.

Hotel de la Paix in Geneva is becoming a Ritz-Carlton. (Image: Ritz-Carlton)

Marriott’s Ritz-Carlton brand is adding another new affiliate: Effective December 16, the prestigious Hotel de la Paix in Geneva, Switzerland will become a Ritz-Carlton partner hotel — i.e., it will become a part of the Ritz-Carlton group, but will retain its existing identity. But after the property undergoes an “extensive renovation” in 2016, reducing the number of guest accommodations to 75 suites, it will be rebranded as The Ritz-Carlton, Hotel de la Paix Geneva. The hotel, which dates back to 1865, has played host to royalty and celebrities for most of its history.

A lavish Extreme WOE suite at the new W Amsterdam. (Image: Starwood)

A lavish Extreme WOW suite at the new W Amsterdam. (Image: Starwood)

The newest of Starwood’s trendy W Hotels to open its doors is the W Amsterdam, located downtown close to Dam Square and the Royal Palace. The W Amsterdam currently numbers 172 rooms in the city’s old Telephone Exchange building, and will add 66 more rooms early next year in the former KAS Bank building. The W Amsterdam has 21 suites, including three over-the-top WOW suites and two even grander Extreme Wow suites. On top of the Exchange building is the W Lounge, with outdoor terraces, a rooftop pool (the first in the city, and heated in winter) and a rooftop bar and restaurant. Rates start around $400.

The new Courtyard by Marriott in Osaka. (Image: Marriott)

In Japan, Marriott has cut the ribbon on a new Courtyard by Marriott in Osaka. It’s located next to the Shin Osaka Bullet Train Station, where guests can ride the rails in just 30 minutes to Kyoto or Kobe. The hotel has 332 rooms ranging from 30 to 90 square meters; an all-day restaurant with international cuisine and a Japanese Teppanyaki-style restaurant. It also has a 24-hour fitness center and three meeting rooms. Rates start at $174.

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Best/worst hotel programs for rewards

October 22, 2015

This Chicago hotel offers the worst rate of return for reward redemptions (Photo: Sheraton)

Not all frequent guest programs are equal when it comes to rates of return for reward points, according to a new analysis.

The new Switchfly Hotel Reward Payback Survey from IdeaWorksCompany is based on more than 1,400 queries for reward stays from the four major loyalty programs — Starwood Preferred Guest, IHG Rewards, Hilton HHonors and Marriott Rewards. The company looked at the lowest available price in reward points and the corresponding dollar cost for the room, and adjusted the point value “to consider the different rates of point accrual for the programs.”

The result was a set of percentages that represented the average “payback” level for the four programs — i.e., a rate of 8.0 percent would mean the member was getting back $8 in value for every $100 spent on room rates.

The study found that Marriott Rewards topped the list with an average payback rate of 9.4 percent, followed by Hilton HHonors at 8.9 percent and IHG Rewards at 8.6 percent; Starwood’s SPG was the laggard with a 6.1 percent payback rate.

The report noted that while average payback rates are one thing, individual reward requests are another. The best value for program points comes when room rates available on a specific date are high and the point price is low. For individual reward requests, IdeaWorksCompany found that the payback rate ranged from a whopping 24 percent to a measly 2.5 percent.

The 24 percent rate was in Hilton HHonors, for a $479 room at the Hilton Beijing Chaoyang that cost 30,000 Honors points. The 2.5 percent return was for booking a Starwood Preferred Guest reward stay at the Chicago Sheraton & Towers at a point cost of 12,000 for a $150 room.

The company predicts that hotel giants will eventually make reward pricing for individual rooms more closely linked to rates, as some airlines like Southwest have started to do with award travel and air fares.

Which hotel program are you most involved with? Do you think you get good value when it comes to redemptions? Please leave your comments below.

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Marriott enhances popular Rewards program

October 10, 2015

Marriott is adding new benefits to its loyalty program. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott Rewards is planning to make a big announcement on Monday about new benefits and options for members — but today it offered a “sneak peek” at the news, which it is calling the Fab Four.

So here are the four parts of the plan:

1 Members can book a reward stay at Marriott and Ritz-Carlton properties even before they have accumulated sufficient points to cover the cost.

2 Starting October 12, both Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton rewards members will be allowed to transfer up to 50,000 points per year from their account to the accounts of family members or friends.

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4 Starting early next year, the program will implement a cash-plus-points option that will let members use a combination of both to cover the cost of redemption stays.

4 And get this one: Effective November 1, Marriott or Ritz-Carlton Rewards members who pay for reward stays with points will earn elite night credits for those stays.

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Shiny new hotels in: London, Munich, Taipei, India +

October 9, 2015

The Distillery Bar at Hilton’s new London Bankside hotel. (Image: Hilton)

In overseas hotel news, Hilton adds another property in London; Starwood debuts a pair of Alofts in Germany; there’s a new Marriott in Taipei; Marriott and Shangri-La have openings in India; China gets a new Marriott; and Bogota adds a new property from Four Seasons.

The new Hilton Bankside in London. (Image: Hilton)

The newest Hilton property in London is the 292-room Hilton London Bankside, in the Bankside district near the Tate Modern gallery. it offers executive-level rooms with access to an Executive Lounge; a restaurant called OXBO Bankside, and a bar called The Distillery, as well as a pool and fitness center. Rates range from $228 to $527.

The new Aloft in Munich has a new sister property in Stuttgart. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood’s fast-growing Aloft brand, aimed at younger, tech-savvy business travelers, has added a pair of locations in Germany. The new 184-room Aloft Munich is across the street from the city’s central train station, not far from the Pinakothek Museum and the Oktoberfest grounds. In Stuttgart, the new 165-room Aloft is located in the Milaneo mixed-use project, within walking distance of the main train station and the Schlossgarten park. Both properties offer SPG Keyless mobile room access, free Wi-Fi and the usual Aloft signature features, like a WXYZ Bar, Re:fuel grab-and-go market, and a 24-hour fitness center. Rates at both hotels start around $180 a night.

A guest room at the Taipei Marriott. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott International has cut the ribbon on the 320-room Taipei Marriott in Taiwan, in the city’s new Dazhi commercial area. It’s about 10 minutes from Songshan Airport and five minutes by car from the Neihu Technology Park. Guestroom sizes start at a generous 430 square feet, and function rooms include the largest ballroom in Taipei. The hotel has five restaurants and a lobby lounge with free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness center, and a spa. Rates start at $213.

A panorama-view room at the Shangri-La in Bengaluru. (Image: Shangri-La)

The newest hotel in India’s tech mecca of Bengaluru (Bangalore) is the 397-room Shangri-La. The 19-story property is located in between the business center and the city’s upscale suburbs, with views of Bangalore Palace. The Shangri-La offers six food and beverage outlets, along with a lobby lounge, an outdoor pool, a health club and spa facilities, and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 900 persons. Introductory rates start at $150.

Lobby lounge at the new Renaissance in Lucknow, India. (Image: Marriott)

In the northern Indian city of Lucknow, Marriott has opened a new Renaissance hotel — only the second Renaissance in India. Located in the city center, the 112-room Renaissance has 26,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a rooftop infinity pool with poolside bar, a fitness center, Jacuzzi, and even a yoga studio, as well as two restaurants and a pastry shop. Rates begin at $131.

Executive lounge at the Chongqing Marriott. (Image: Marriott)

In the heart of Chongqing, China — near the Nanping business district — is the newly opened Chongqing Marriott, occupying the 30th to the 48th floors of the city’s landmark Guorui Centre. The 341-room Marriott offers three restaurants, considerable meeting and ballroom space, a heated indoor pool and 24-hour gym, and guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views, as well as a 47th-floor Executive Lounge with concierge services. Rates start around $110.

A suite at Four Seasons’ new hotel in Bogota. (Image: Four Seasons)

In Colombia, an October 15 opening is set for the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota. It’s a restoration of a 1940s-era building with modern technology installed throughout its 62 rooms and suites. The hotel has a Spanish-cuisine restaurant, a 24-hour fitness area and a full-service spa, along with meeting space for up to 200 persons. Rates begin at $399.

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Shiny new hotels for you: Chicago, NYC, Dallas, Houston…

September 22, 2015

Outdoor Terrace at Starwood Luxury Collection’s The Gwen in Chicago. (Image: Starwood)

In hotel news, leading properties in Chicago and Manhattan change their identities; mid-priced hotels open in the heart of Dallas and Houston; and more independents join up as affiliates of national chains.

Starwood Hotels’ Luxury Collection has added its first property in Chicago. The company has finished the previously announced conversion of the former Conrad Hotel (part of the Hilton family) into a Starwood property called The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel. It’s at 521 North Rush Street in the River North/Magnificent Mile area, directly linked to The Shops at North Bridge. It’s in the old McGraw-Hill Building, an art deco structure, and it’s named after Gwen Lux, a sculptor from the 1920s whose work influenced the design of the period. The Gwen has 300 rooms, three restaurants, and terraces overlooking the Chicago skyline. Rates start at around $360.

Another leading hotel in Manhattan has been acquired by an Asian company and changed its identity. This time it’s the New York Palace Hotel at 50th Street and Madison Avenue, right behind St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The elegant hotel which underwent a $140 million overhaul two years ago, has been acquired by South Korea’s Lotte Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of the Lotte Group, one of Korea’s biggest conglomerates. The hotel is now called the Lotte New York Palace. Earlier, the Waldorf Astoria was purchased by a Chinese company.

The new Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Dallas. (Image: Hilton)

Hilton Worldwide has cut the ribbon on the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Dallas at 1600 Pacific Avenue, next to Thanksgiving Square and the Thanksgiving Tower. It’s part of a mixed-use project in the city’s LTV building, not far from Dealey Plaza and the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The 171-room Garden Inn has free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, a 24-hour business center, outdoor pool, fitness center, restaurant with Southern cuisine, and a 24-hour Pavilion Pantry. Rates start at $135.

Marriott’s new SpringHill Suites in downtown Houston. (Image: Marriott)

The newest lodging option in downtown Houston is Marriott’s 167-suite SpringHill Suites Houston Downtown/Convention Center, located at 914 Dallas Street, between Main and Travis streets, three blocks from The Shops at Houston mall. The building, a former apartment complex, was originally the Humble Oil Building, dating to 1921. Guests get a free hot breakfast every day, and guest accommodations provide separate living, working and sleeping spaces. There’s an outdoor pool, a fitness center and a 24-hour market. Rates start at $229.

Meanwhile, leading hotel companies continue to expand their roster of independent affiliate properties, which participate in their reservations systems and their loyalty programs. In the latest developments, Marriott has added the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Charleston, S.C., to its Autograph Collection; and Hilton’s Curio Collection has taken on The Admiral Hotel in Mobile, Ala. and The Partridge Inn Augusta in downtown Augusta, Ga.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: TSA PreCheck: No more free rides + Photos: New United first class seat + Save money on calls from other countries + 6 secrets for snagging low fares

100,000

BEST for Big Sign-up Bonus. British Airways Visa Signature® Card 0ffers a nice 50,000 Avios sign up bonus after you spend $2,000 in the first three months. But get this: You’ll earn an additional 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend $10,000 on purchases for a total of 75,000 bonus Avios. Even better: You earn another 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend a total of $20,000 on purchases within your first year for a total of 100,000 bonus Avios. In addition to the sign up bonus, you earn three Avios for every dollar spent on BA, and a free companion ticket (any class) when you spend at least $30,000 in a year. Plus there are no foreign transaction fees, and the card has a chip making it easier to use in Europe and beyond. Annual fee is $95. More.

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Now THAT is in-room entertainment

September 10, 2015

Marriott guests can ask for virtual reality sets to be delivered to their rooms. (Image: Marriott)

Virtual reality (VR) technology, still in its infancy, is slowly creeping into the travel industry. In the latest development, Marriott said it will make VR equipment and content available in guestrooms of two properties as a market test.

The participating hotels are the New York Marriott Marquis and the London Marriott Park Lane.

Guests who want to try out VR will be able to ask for a Samsung Gear headset and headphones to be delivered to their rooms, along with instructions. They can use the equipment for up to 24 hours to sample new exclusive content developed for the program called VR Postcards.

The first three content offerings are travel experiences, which users will be able to see in 360-degree 3D as they listen to a traveler’s narration. They include a visit to the Andes Mountains in Chile, an ice cream shop in Rwanda and a walk through the streets of Beijing.

It’s the second venture into VR for Marriott, which last fall conducted a multi-city tour of VR Teleporters — phone-booth-like units that individuals could step inside. There, they were fitted out with an Oculus Rift VR headset and wireless headphones. The programming included not only 360-degree 3D video, but also realistic computer-generated imagery, and the booth added “4-D” elements to the experience, like heat, mist and wind.

Flying in virtual reality on Qantas. (Image: Qantas)

Earlier this year, Qantas conducted a three-month trial offering Samsung VR headsets to first class passengers on its A380 flights between Los Angeles and Australia, and in its first class lounges at Sydney and Melbourne.

And Emirates last fall used VR to show off its A380 aircraft at a trade show. Visitors put on Oculus Rift headsets and used Google Street View technology to go on virtual tours of the aircraft’s interior.

The big question for travel companies: If customers can use virtual reality to immerse themselves in a 3-D, sound-enhanced travel experience, where’s the incentive for them to actually travel?

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Delta’s new Sky Club at San Francisco International + LAX will allow Uber, Lyft pick-ups + British Airways coming to San Jose + Airbnb draws corporate customers

Hotels: New Hampton Inn SF, 2 more for Manhattan, plus Boston, LA

August 25, 2015

Hilton’s new Hampton Inn in downtown San Francisco. (Image: Hampton Inns)

The latest U.S. hotel openings include a moderately-priced (by local standards, anyway) property in the heart of San Francisco; a pair of new hotels in midtown Manhattan; an airport location in Boston; and a Marriott affiliate in Burbank.

In San Francisco, Hilton has cut the ribbon on the 174-room Hampton Inn by Hilton San Francisco Downtown/Convention Center. The newly-built property is at 942 Mission Street in the South of Market area, near the Westfield Mall and the Moscone Convention Center. Hilton’s first Hampton Inn in downtown San Francisco has free Wi-Fi, a pool/fitness center, 24-hour business center and a 24-hour food and beverage shop. Rates start at around $269.

Guest accommodations at the new 1 Hotel Central Park in New York. (Image: 1 Hotels)

In New York City, renowned hotelier Barry Sternlicht (he founded Starwood Hotels) has opened the first member of his new chain, called 1 Hotels. His new 1 Hotel Central Park sounds like it might be at 1 Central Park South, but it’s not; it’s at 1414 Avenue of the Americas, about a block from the park. The 229-room hotel is about as “green” as a building can be in Manhattan, with lots of wood and plants in the decor, and it meets LEED standards. Guests can ride Teslas within a 15-block radius, and rooms are equipped with tablets loaded with newspapers and magazines (to save trees from going to the paper mill). Rates begin around $350.

An outdoor terrace at the new TRYP by Wyndham Times Square. (Image: Wyndham)

Also in Manhattan, the former Best Western Plus President Hotel on West 48th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue has had a multi-million dollar overhaul and been reborn as the 336-room TRYP by Wyndham New York Times Square (not to be confused with the TRYP by Wyndham Times Square South on West 35th Street). All rooms have free high-speed Wi-Fi, and penthouse suites have balconies overlooking the midtown skyline. Rates start around $269.

The new Hilton Garden Inn at Boston’s Logan Airport. (Image: Hilton)

The newest lodging near Boston Logan Airport is a Hilton Garden Inn that just opened about a mile from the terminals. The 178-room hotel provides free Wi-Fi throughout, a 24-hour business center with remote printing capability, room service, breakfast/dinner restaurant and free on-site parking. Rates begin about $254.

Marriott’s new SpringHill Suites in Burbank. (Image: Marriott)

In the greater Los Angeles area, Marriott has added the new SpringHill Suites Los Angeles Burbank/Downtown, at 549 South San Fernando Blvd., about seven blocks from the Burbank Town Center and close to the Interstate 5 Freeway. It has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, free Wi-Fi and free breakfast and a full-service bar. Rates start at about $169.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Upgraded Hilton HHonors app + New perks for Starwood/AmEx cardholders + Alaska/AA airport lounge benefits + New international routes

How to avoid worn out hotel rooms

July 28, 2015

Last time I arrived at the Marriott Anaheim, the lobby looked like this (Chris McGinnis)

Dear Chris:

Is it just me or are Marriotts getting really old and worn out? I’ve stayed in three in the last five weeks and they were very dated and worn out. Carpet threadbare…tiny bathrooms. Old furniture. Musty smelling.

Marriott used to be a good mid range value but frankly they are reminding me of old Holiday Inns.

Do other people feel this way? Is Marriott planning on any refreshment of these old places?

B.N.
Tampa, FL

Hey B.N…. It’s not just you! And not just Marriott.

When we are at the top of an economic cycle as we are now, hotels are full and owners are not willing to close rooms for refurbishment if they can get top dollar by renting them.

When the cycle declines you’ll see hotels start to spend on upgrades.

Along the same lines, I bet we’ll see airlines add back some of the bennies recently stripped away from frequent flyer programs when the economy cycles down again, as it always does…

One way to avoid the thread bare rooms is to remember that hotels typically remodel floor by floor, so always remember to ask for a recently refurbished or new room when you check in.

Here are 6 more smart questions to ask at hotel check in. And here’s an archive of new hotels we’ve covered lately on TravelSkills!

–Chris McGinnis

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Avoiding long customs & immigration lines + Fingerprint as boarding pass? + Hotel rate shocker + More!

Surprising findings in your expense reports (Infographic)

July 16, 2015

Business travelers spent more on Uber and AirBnB in San Francisco than in any other city. (Image: Jim Glab)

Spending in the so-called “sharing economy” is showing big gains among business travelers, who are increasingly turning to ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft as well as the accommodations-sharing service AirBnB.

That’s according to the latest analysis of business traveler expense reports compiled by the travel and expense management company Certify, covering the second quarter of 2015.

Among its key findings: Business travelers are now spending more on Uber rides than on traditional taxicabs; and spending on accommodations booked through AirBnB, while still relatively small compared to traditional hotels, posted a growth rate of 143 percent just from the first quarter to the second quarter. Uber now accounts for 55 percent of ground transportation spending compared with 43 percent for taxis, the report said, noting that the market share of both taxis and rental cars have declined as ride-sharing services grow.

In sorting data by destination, Certify determined that sharing services are most popular among business travelers to the epicenter of the sharing economy, San Francisco, where Uber accounted for 79 percent of spending on local rides, and spending on AirBnB was highest in the country at an average of $558 per stay. (Story continues below graphic.)

“It’s clear that the sharing economy is here to stay for business people,” said Certify CEO Robert Neveu. “We believe this market shift is based on both convenience and price, since these newer services are typically more cost-effective compared with traditional vendors. Established travel providers will need to adapt quickly or face further market share erosion to the sharing economy.”

Although Uber dominates in ground transportation, the report noted that competitor Lyft is actually cheaper, with an average expensed cost of $22.51 per ride vs. $30.03 for Uber and $34.48 for taxis. Just over a year ago, Uber claimed just 22% of local ground transport– now it’s vaulted to 55%.

Meanwhile, business travelers continue to favor Starbucks and fast food over other types of food and beverage outlets when they’re on the road. Below are some statistics from the Q2 Certify spending report.

Most-Expensed Restaurants: Caffeine, burgers and doughnuts are our fuel, right?
Starbucks: 4.67% of expenses, averaging $10.77 per receipt
McDonald’s: 2.73%, averaging $7.75
Subway: 1.65%, averaging $16.69
Panera Bread: 1.62%, averaging $37.9
Dunkin’ Donuts: 1.32%, averaging $11.57

Most Expensed Airlines: Delta is killing it with business travelers
Delta: 20.07%, averaging $410.64
United: 13.46%, averaging $413.19
American: 11.7%, averaging $364.14
Southwest: 11.15%, averaging $304.84
US Airways: 07.58%, averaging $302.46

Most-Expensed Hotels: Marriott & Hilton brands rule
Marriott: 8.76% of expenses, averaging $243.07
Hampton Inn: 8.15%, averaging $228.52
Courtyard by Marriott: 6.52%, averaging $173.48
Hilton Garden Inn: 4.10%, averaging $190.13
Holiday Inn Express: 4.04%, averaging $239.08

Most Expensed Car-Rental Services: We are loving our Emerald Aisle, right?
National: 23.82%, averaging $180.52
Enterprise: 16.27%, averaging $181.78
Hertz: 14.49%, averaging $215.85
Avis: 13.79%, averaging $179.85
Budget: 03.96%, averaging $196.16

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: This guy got 1 million United miles + More changes to Delta SkyMiles+Airline fees: No end in sight + ATMs are out + More!

Brand new hotels in San Francisco, San Jose, New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Raleigh

July 16, 2015

Marriott’s new Courtyard in downtown San Francisco. (Image: Marriott)

In the next wave of new business hotels, San Francisco is getting a new mid-priced property downtown; Westin adds a new San Jose location; there’s a new boutique hotel in Manhattan and a new Hampton Inn in downtown Chicago; Red Lion debuts its upscale RL brand in Baltimore; and Marriott adds a dual-branded hotel in Raleigh.

An August opening is expected for the Marriott’s new Courtyard San Francisco Union Square, at 761 Post Street, near Leavenworth Street (a mildly sketchy neighborhood near the city’s Tenderloin district west of Union Square). It has free Wi-Fi, a restaurant called The Bistro, and Marriott’s new lobby with working and socializing spaces. Rates begin around $329.

Guest room at the new Westin San Jose, formerly the Sainte Claire. (Image: Westin)

What was formerly the Sainte Claire Hotel in downtown San Jose — a 171-room property on the National register of Historic Places — is now Starwood’s Westin San Jose. Original touches have been preserved in the 90-year-old building, and guest rooms offer all the standard Westin amenities, including free high-speed Internet. It’s close to the McEnery Convention Center. Rates start around $269.

Accommodations at NYC’s The Gregory, near Herald Square. (Image: The Gregory)

In New York City, the newest boutique hotel to open its doors is The Gregory, at 42 West 35th Street near Herald Square. It originally opened in 1903 as The Gregorian; after a $10 million rehab it’s been modernized and refitted, but with some original touches preserved. Rates start at $379.

Historic entrance to Hilton;s newest Hampton Inn in downtown Chicago. (Image: Hampton Inns)

The old Chicago Motor Club Building (1928) a block south of the Chicago River at 68 E. Wacker Place has been reborn as the 143-room Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown/Michigan Avenue. Designers preserved the old Art Deco lobby, where a 1928 Ford Model A is now on display. It’s one of the few Hampton Inns that has a lobby bar. Rooms have free Wi-Fi, 42-inch HDTVs and more. Rates begin around $239.

A room at the new RL Baltimore Inner Harbor. (Image: Red Lion)

Red Lion Hotels are known mostly for their affordability, but the company is launching a somewhat more upscale brand called RL Hotels, and the first one is due to open August 1 in Baltimore. The RL Baltimore Inner Harbor at 207 E. Redwood Street is a remake of the historic Keyser Building in the heart of downtown, close to the waterfront and Camden Yards. Introductory rates start at $111.

Marriott’s new Courtyard/Residence Inn in Raleigh. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott has cut the ribbon on a dual-branded Courtyard and Residence Inn in Raleigh, N.C. Each of the two has 128 rooms, at 10600 Little Brier Creek Lane; that’s five miles from the airport, close to Research Triangle Park and in between NC State and Duke universities. They share an indoor pool, fitness center and other amenities. Rates start at $135.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: This guy got 1 million United miles + More changes to Delta SkyMiles+Airline fees: No end in sight + ATMs are out + More!

Top 15 travel brands ranked

July 10, 2015

American outranked its U.S. competitors in a study of company branding. (Image: American)

American outranked its U.S. competitors in a recent study of company branding. (Image: American)

Shakespeare asked, “What’s in a name?” But in today’s corporate world, the question is “What’s in a brand?” Companies are obsessed with the ephemeral concept of “brand,” which refers to the public’s general awareness and approval of them, and a new study from Tenet Partners rates travel, transportation and entertainment companies on that basis.

Of the 15 firms covered in the study — which involved a survey of 10,000 “influential people” (i.e., “opinion elites and business decision makers”) — Walt Disney ranked first, followed by Hilton, Marriott and the Trump Organization.

Airlines ranked in the middle of the pack, with American finishing fifth — above United, Delta and Southwest, in that order; US Airways was farther down in 14th place. (Most interesting to us: That beleaguered United ranked higher than Delta and Southwest in this study.)

The study assigned a “power score” based on respondents’ familiarity with the companies, and the “favorability” score they assigned them.

Although Hilton and Marriott scored well, their favorability scores had declined, Tenet said: “While consumers’ are becoming more aware of these companies, their confidence regarding their overall growth, leadership, and ability to secure future earnings is waning.”

The study praised United, Delta and US Airways for showing upward movement in their brand scores. “Not only have these three brands grown their overall awareness and improved upon their corporate reputation year-over-year, but have done so consistently since 2010. Southwest, consistently rated as one of the top airlines in customer service, has shown an increase in year-over-year favorability,” Tenet said.

Of the two rental car brands on the list of 15 companies, Avis walloped its main competitor, with a BrandPower score of 40.4, 11 points higher than Hertz. “Across the board, Avis Budget Group improved year-over-year on Familiarity and across the three dimensions of Favorability: Overall Reputation, Perception of Management, and Investment Potential,” Tenet said.

Do you agree with these findings? Why or why not. Please leave your comments below.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Upgrades on United + TripAdvsior punked + Hotel resort fees okayed + 80,000 Marriott points + More!

Can you still trust hotel review sites?

June 24, 2015

Seen this yet? Trip Report: The SWISS “Roche Coach” to Zurich

JW Marriott in Chicago. (Image: Marriott)

TripAdvisor, the huge consumer review site for travelers, has cut a new deal with lodging giant Marriott that provides instant links to Marriott’s booking system from the TripAdvisor site. That’s not unusual in the world of online travel, but it has some observers wondering whether TripAdvisor is putting profits ahead of the reliability of its reviews.

Of course, the veracity of “consumer” reviews on many websites has long been questioned, especially those that require no verification of the poster’s identity or experience. Employees of a particular hotel may have gone online to praise it, and competitors may post harshly negative comments.

Still, TripAdvisor has a generally good reputation and a large following. How will the Marriott affiliation affect that? Ed over at the Pizza in Motion blog noted that a routine hotel search on TripAdvisor turned up a results map with an ad for Marriott properties.

An analysis by the Huffington Post suggests that the affiliation could skew the placement of Marriott’s properties in search results, and is likely to lead to a greater number of positive Marriott reviews on TripAdvisor, according to an academic study.

In its announcement, Marriott says that the TripAdvisor deal will be “mutually beneficial to both partners from a strategic and economic standpoint,” (i.e., TripAdvisor will be paid for bookings it generates, although Marriott doesn’t say how much), and also that it “maintains our ability to control where the rates and inventory for Marriott’s hotels are displayed.”

Expedia's verified reviews are posted on the hotel booking page

Expedia’s verified reviews are posted on each hotel’s booking page

Our advice for folks flummoxed by TripAdvisor reviews is to use Expedia’s reviews instead— there are fewer, which makes parsing easier, and all reviewers are verified as guests… so you can’t fake a review. In fact, Marriott even has its own inventory of verified reviews on its website; comment cards that are filled out by guests are posted word for word, the company says.

How much do you rely on online reviews when choosing a hotel? Which ones do you find the most reliable? What’s your impression of TripAdvisor?

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Free airport parking? + San Francisco mistakes + CLEAR goes cardless + Cool gasoline price heat map + More!

Brand new hotels in Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle

June 11, 2015

The new Hyatt Centric South Beach in Florida. (Image: Hyatt)

In news of new business class hotels, two new brands debut in Miami; a luxury Philadelphia property will become affiliated with Hilton; Hilton grows its Curio Collection and overhauls its San Francisco Union Square property; and Seattle adds a pair of new hotels.

Recent openings in Miami include Hyatt’s recently-launched Hyatt Centric brand and a new AC Hotel from Marriott. The Hyatt Centric South Beach, a 105-room “lifestyle hotel,” occupies a 10-story glass tower at 1600 Collins Avenue. it has a library, an open-air deck and pool, a Spanish-Mediterranean restaurant and a fitness center.

Marriott’s new AC Hotel Miami Beach, at 2912 Collins Avenue, “is designed for those creative, well-traveled, entrepreneurial spirits who are constantly on the go and who appreciate the oasis of a well-designed hotel,” the company said. The seven-story, 150-room AC Hotel has a library, a rooftop pool and bar, fitness center, and “communal spaces that offer state-of-the-art technology and complimentary Wi-Fi.”

Rates start at around $200 at both Miami Beach hotels.

The big hotel news in Philadelphia is that the Logan Square Four Seasons has shut down, and when it reopens it won’t be a Four Seasons any more. After renovation work this summer, it will reopen in the fall as The Logan, a member of Curio-A Collection by Hilton. That’s the new Hilton-affiliated group of independent properties that take part in the Hilton reservations network and the HHonors program.

Hilton also announced the signing of several other properties to join its Curio group, including the Sam Houston in Houston; The Juniper Hotel in Cupertino, Calif.; The Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Mich.; The Hoodoo Moab in Moab, Utah; The Partridge Inn Augusta in Augusta, Ga.; and the historic Redmont Hotel in Birmingham, Ala.

Renovated guest room at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco. (Image: Hilton)

In San Francisco, the landmark Hilton San Francisco Union Square just wrapped up a multi-million dollar renovation of 575 guest rooms in Tower 1, and added 11 new rooms, giving the hotel a total of 1,919 and helping it retain its title as the city’s largest hotel. The rooms got new doors, soundproofing, digital thermostats that show local weather, and Internet service that offers “the most bandwidth and fastest connectivity in the city,” among other improvements, Hilton said.

In Seattle, Hyatt has cut the ribbon on the Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown, located next to Seattle Center (home of the iconic Space Needle), offering 172 residential-style accommodations. And InterContinental Hotels Group has opened the Staybridge Suites-Seattle-Fremont, at 3926 Aurora Ave. North. in a neighborhood close to the University of Washington, new Facebook offices, and tech firms like Adobe and Google.

The new Hyatt House in Seattle sits in the shadow of the Sapce Needle. (Image: Hyatt)

The new Hyatt House in Seattle sits in the shadow of the Space Needle. (Image: Hyatt)]

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Big red tail back at SFO + Bumped out of first class by air marshall? + Newest Centurion Lounge + My favorite travel pants

How to watch your Netflix on Marriott TVs

June 10, 2015

Netflix exclusive programming is coming to guest room TVs at Marriott Hotels. (Image: Netflix)

Business travelers who subscribe to Netflix will soon be able to use the streaming entertainment service through the Internet-connected TVs in guest rooms at Marriott Hotels.

By using the Netflix app on the TV screen, guests can access their own Netflix accounts or subscribe to the service, the hotel company said in an announcement this week.

The new Netflix offering is currently available at the New York Marriott East Side, San Jose Marriott, Princeton Marriott, Newport (R.I.) Marriott, Dallas/Ft. Worth Marriott Solana and the Bethesda (Md.) Marriott Suites.

It will soon be available at the Marriott Marquis Washington D.C., San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Dayton Marriott, San Juan Marriott Resort and the Anaheim Marriott, the company said.

Netflix should be available at 100 Marriott Hotels by the end of this year, and at all of its 300 U.S. properties by the end of 2016.

“While the introduction of Netflix is currently focused on the Marriott Hotels brand, the service is also available in over two dozen U.S. hotels representing other Marriott International brands. The company will expand Netflix to its other brands in the future,” a spokesman said.

New hotels: Mumbai, Moscow and more

June 6, 2015

Lobby of the new JW Marriott in Mumbai. (Image: Marriott)

The latest overseas openings of business hotels include a JW Marriott in Mumbai and luxury properties from Starwood in Moscow, Milan and Kyoto, among others.

Marriott’s second hotel in Mumbai is the newly opened JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, on a 15-acre site just half a mile from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The 585-room property has four dining venues, lots of meeting space, and a Spa by JW. Elsewhere in India, Hyatt has cut the ribbon on the Hyatt Regency Ahmedabad, the group’s first hotel in the state of Gujarat. It has 210 rooms and suites, Chinese and Italian restaurants, and views of the Sabarmati River.

A former count's palace is now a St. Regis hotel in Miscow. (Image: Starwood)

A former count’s palace is now a St. Regis hotel in Moscow. (Image: Starwood)

In Russia, Starwood has opened the St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya, a 210-room property that was originally built in the 1870s as the residence of a nobleman. It’s on Nikolskaya Street close to Red Square, the Duma (parliament) and the Kremlin.

Elsewhere in Europe, Starwood has opened the new incarnation of the landmark Palace Gallia Hotel in Milan; it’s now the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel. The original building was recently restored and added a contemporary wing; the hotel’s 253 rooms include 53 suites. And in Germany, the former Wyndham Grand Berlin Potsdamer Platz in the nation’s capital city has been converted to the Crowne Plaza Berlin and become a member of the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Feature: We love new hotels! Why? See this

The historic Palace Gallia Hotel in Milan is now part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection. (Image: Starwood)

InterContinental Hotels Group also has a new property in the Middle East: The InterContinental Dubai Marina has 132 rooms and 196 serviced residential suites, along with a number of food and beverage outlets. Starwood also has a new entry in Dubai, the newly opened Sheraton Grand Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road near the Dubai Metro station. The 54-story, 416-room Sheraton is part of a three-tower mixed-use development.

Traditional styling in restaurant at Suiran in Kyoto. (Image: Starwood)

And in Japan, Starwood has a new Luxury Collection property in Kyoto: Suiran, in the Arashiyama district in the western part of the city. With just 39 rooms offering traditional Japanese design, it is on the grounds of a temple in the midst of a world heritage site.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Bumped out of first class by air marshall? + Newest Centurion Lounge + My favorite travel pants

More power in your pocket at Marriott

May 18, 2015

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Delta’s first class fare sale + Aircraft size and flight delays + First class summer fare sales+ Chris’s summer travel outlook + United’s plans for LAX overhaul + Hertz’s fleet renewal

San Francisco Marriott at Union Square. (Image: Marriott)

Members of Marriott Rewards will be able to request special services and amenities at 500 Marriott hotels worldwide before, during or after their stays thanks to a new feature added to the company’s mobile app.

The “Mobile Request” feature allows Rewards members with an upcoming reservation to initiate a two-way chat in real time with Marriott staffers to make their request; or they can use a drop-down menu that lists frequently requested amenities like extra towels and pillows.

It’s available for 46 hotels now and will be launched globally this summer for all of the Marriott Hotels brand, the company said.

“In testing, Mobile Request proved beneficial for guests in transit who needed to request services and amenities before their hotel arrival, such as having a car service meet them at the airport,” Marriott said. “Guests on the road can simply tap once on the Marriott Mobile app icon and be instantly connected to their hotel, rather than having to find the hotel’s phone number and punch in ten or more digits.”

The free Marriott app is available from Apple’s iTunes Store, Google Play, or at www.marriott.com/marriott/mobile-apps.mi.

The new Marriott app feature is similar to another app called MobileSuites that we reported on earlier this year. MobileSuites allows users to request services and amenities at more than 1,200 hotels of various companies including Marriott, Starwood, Hyatt and Hilton.

Hottest new hotels in New York, Dallas, Chicago

May 16, 2015

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Delta’s future + Aircraft size and flight delays + First class summer fare sales+ Chris’s summer travel outlook + United’s plans for LAX overhaul + Hertz’s fleet renewal

Guest room at Marriott’s New York EDITION. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott opens its new EDITION hotel in New York City this month, the old Statler Hilton in downtown Dallas is getting a new life, and a leading Chicago property will change brands.

In New York, one of Manhattan’s older landmark buildings — the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, also known as the Clocktower — is becoming Marriott’s New York EDITION this month. Located on Madison Avenue near E. 23rd Street, the easily recognizable building dates back to 1909. As part of the EDITION brand — created by Marriott with hotel guru Ian Schrager — the hotel will have 273 rooms, a restaurant from celebrity chef Jason Atherton, and a design inspired by “turn of the 20^th century private clubs, Fifth Avenue’s Gilded Age Mansions and Stanford White’s architectural masterpieces,” Marriott said. Rates start at $675.

The former Dallas Statler Hilton. (Image: Hilton)

The old Dallas Statler Hilton at 1914 Commerce Street downtown opened in the 1950s and has been sitting idle for a decade, but it is getting new life. A developer plans to renovate the historic building with 161 hotel rooms on the lower floors and 219 apartments on the upper levels, with work starting this month. It will also get meeting rooms, office space and four restaurants. And when it’s finished in about a year and a half, it will be called the Statler Hotel and Residences, and will be a member of Hilton’s Curio Collection.

Entrance to the Conrad Chicago. (Image: Conrad Hotels)

The Conrad Chicago at 521 North Rush Street, just off Michigan Avenue, is a part of the Hilton family of brands, but it will change its name and affiliation this coming fall. The hotel’s new name hasn’t been picked yet, but it will become a part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection following a renovation project, Starwood announced.

5 shiny new hotels in Washington, DC

May 4, 2015

The new Capella Washington DC in Georgetown faces the C&O canal and towpath (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Only a handful of big new hotels have opened in Washington in recent years and the most outstanding of the bunch is the ultra-luxe ~~Capella Washington DC.~~ UPDATE: THIS IS NOW THE ROSEWOOD WASHINGTON DC. The hotel’s unique five-story, red brick building, which once housed the American Bar Association, is sandwiched a few blocks between Georgetown’s two other pleasure palaces, the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown and the Four Seasons Washington. One of the hotel’s key attributes is its location– within walking distance of many of the city’s most popular restaurants and shops.

Staying over at the Capella sort of feels like you are staying at a very classy friend’s gorgeous home– for example, there are only 49 rooms and suites in the hotel, and you check in at the hotel’s posh “living room.” The “best” rooms in the house are the 900 square foot, two-room, corner executive suites on each floor.

Corner suites at the Capella are the best rooms in the house (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

There are no concierges like you’d expect to find at a luxury hotel– instead, each guest’s needs are attended to by “personal assistants” that are on duty 24 hours a day. The hotel’s popular Rye Bar is cozy and friendly– knowledgeable bartenders cheerfully serve solo guests popping in for a cocktail (I enjoyed a perfect barrel-aged manhattan.) During warmer months, a tranquil rooftop bar overlooking the neighborhood and the Potomac River attracts a tony after-work crowd of hotel guests and colleagues, only.

At TravelSkills, we love new hotels. They smell better, work better, feel better, and are usually bigger, brighter and hipper than others. But new can also have its downside: Construction noise, service issues, and/or locations in sketchy or “upcoming” neighborhoods. Some are so new that TripAdvisor reviews are scant compared to more established hotels. In an ongoing feature, TravelSkills reports on the newest hotels in the world’s most important cities. When we say “newest” we have certain criteria around that: The hotels have to be brand new or deeply renovated within the last few years, 3+ stars and appropriate venues for business travel.

Who stays at the Capella’s 5 hotels? Big shots. Here’s what the hotel website says about its guests: “Our customer no longer has a psychological need to associate with aspirational brands that helped define their earlier economic lifestyle ascendancy. When traveling for business, they have few budgetary restrictions to follow since they are usually the ultimate decision-makers within their organization or are traveling using their own discretionary income.”

Midweek rates at the Capella start at around $600 per night. Those corner executive suites start at about $1200 per night. Details

The shiny new Hyatt Place is a standout in DC’s transitional NOMA neighbhorhood (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

At the other end of the spectrum (and of the city) lies the brand new 200-room Hyatt Place Washington DC, located on the district’s eastern side in the up-and-coming NoMa neighborhood. (NoMa is short for “north of Massachusetts Ave)

This new live-work-play area (north of Union Station) centers around the new NoMa/Gallaudet U Metro stop, and is home to many of DC’s startups, new media companies, plus (of course) government– the ATF, GSA and DOJ all have big offices in the vicinity. The Metro station is an easy two block walk from the hotel.

Rooms are big, bright and modern– ask for one on an upper floor for expansive views across town to the capitol and above all the nearby construction and road noise. The 14-story hotel stands along a somewhat gritty strip of New York Avenue and if you don’t feel like venturing out, there’s plenty to do inside the hotel– a big bright lobby attracts a busy, buzzy crowd of guests.

A big hearty and free breakfast served each morning in the Hyatt Place lobby.

There’s a hot complimentary breakfast served each morning, plus the hotel’s Gallery Kitchen serves up full meals which you can eat in the lobby or bring up to your room. Wi-fi is super fast and free, plus there’s an outdoor pool and gym if you don’t feel like jogging in the neighborhood.

Rates at this Hyatt Place start in the $200-$300 range this summer. Details

NOTE: Since my visit to the Hyatt Place in NoMa, a brand new Hyatt Place has opened on K Street near the White House. Details.

A room at the new AC Hotel Washington DC at National Harbor (Image: Marriott)

Last May, The 1,175-room Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, finally opened and is now the largest hotel in town. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue, on the northern edge of the city core, adjacent to the huge Washington Convention Center. Here are 5 cool things you should know about this hotel. Rates range from $250 to $350 per night in May and June.

Also brand new: Marriott’s trendy new AC Hotel Washington DC at National Harbor about 20 minutes south of downtown in National Harbor, Maryland. I’ve not visited this hotel, but here’s a link.

–Chris McGinnis

Disclosure: I was a guest at the Capella for one night and received a 50% media rate discount at the Hyatt Place

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Secret stash of hidden hotel deals + The most outrageous luxury suites in the sky + Roomier widebodies on domestic flights!

Ritz-Carlton Chicago becomes a … Ritz-Carlton

April 28, 2015

The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago has a spectacular lobby

The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (a Four Seasons hotel) has a spectacular lobby

If you ever looked closely at the formal name of The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, located on the top floors of Michigan Avenue’s Water Tower Place, you would have noticed it was “The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel).”

Confusing, right? Especially since the Four Seasons Chicago is right up the street.

But the confusion will end in August, when The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago drops its Four Seasons affiliation and becomes a full member of Ritz-Carlton, which is a subsidiary of Marriott. After the change is made in August, guests will be able to book the hotel through the Ritz-Carlton website, and will be able to earn points in the Ritz-Carlton Rewards program.

Although Ritz-Carlton has its own loyalty plan, it is partnered with Marriott Rewards, so that guests can earn and redeem points in either program.

The hotel will also get an “extensive renovation” over the next two years, Marriott said. Rates at the hotel start around $500.

How did the confusing affiliation start? According to Wikipedia, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago licensed the Ritz name when it opened in 1975, but there was no Ritz-Carlton chain at the time, so it joined the Four Seasons group — which started in the early 1960s — where it remains today.

Have you ever stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago? What did you think?

Take a look at what you may have missed on TravelSkills this week! Here’s the full rundown of posts

Chicago’s glut of hot new hotels

April 26, 2015

Lobby at the new Hyatt Centric Chicago Loop (Photo: Hyatt)

Chicago openings: Hyatt, Marriott. The new Hyatt brand that was announced a few months ago — Hyatt Centric — has opened its first property in the heart of Chicago.

The Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago occupies a former office building at 100 W. Monroe St. and offers a “minimalist decor” in its 257 guest rooms. Another Centric is due to debut in Miami next month.

Elsewhere in the Windy City, Marriott’s Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel at 1 West Wacker Drive has finished a massive $27 million renovation of its lobby area and all its guestrooms with “Chicago-centric design elements” …

The former Rush and Four Points hotel is now a shiny new AC Hotel by Marriott (Image: Marriott)

Another new brand aimed at the Millennial market — Marriott’s AC Hotels — is due to cut the ribbon on a Chicago property next month: The former Hotel Rush (and Four Points) at 630 N. Rush St. will be reborn as the 226-room AC Hotel Chicago.

Meanwhile, the new Virgin Hotel in Chicago, which started taking guests a couple of months ago, just celebrated its grand opening, and TravelSkills was there with a full report!

Need more brand new Chicago hotels? We’ve got a newsy post for you here about the new: Hotel Chicago, Hyatt Regency, Langham, a big renovation completed at the W Lakeshore, plus the new Thompson hotel. Check it out here!

New hotels are always exciting, but unfortunately all this new supply has not dampened rates in the Windy City– a decent hotel is still quite expensive, especially when there’s a big convention in town.

What’s your favorite hotel in Chicago? Why?

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Get your Netflix on hotel TV

April 26, 2015

(Image: Brian Cantoni / Flickr)

Netflix in your hotel room? Since the streaming entertainment service Netflix has grown so fast and attracted so many subscribers, wouldn’t it be nice if you could access it while you’re away on business?

Marriott thinks so, and the hotel giant is currently testing the availability of Netflix and other streaming services like Pandora and Hulu in guest rooms at eight of its properties.

Still unknown: Whether Netflix access would come with a fee attached, and if so, how much.

TechCrunch opined, “The hospitality company says that it’s part of an effort to renew the idea of in-room entertainment, and if offering Netflix means we don’t have to sift through the glitchy, slow world of LodgeNet, it’s a win-win for the consumer.”

I think I’d rather just cuddle up on the hotel bed with my iPad to watch Netflix or other streaming services– but of course that is dependent on the mostly undependable wi-fi connection at most hotels.

Would you use Netflix or other streaming services in your hotel/ If so, how much would you pay for it?

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NYC airport squeeze + Uber taking over + New Turkish livery + Top hotel programs + New Marriott in Venice

April 12, 2015

Summer storms could trip up travelers at JFK (Photo: Caren Mack Photography)

Squeeze on NYC airspace? Runway repair work at New York JFK starting this spring and lasting through summer could mean flight delays not just at JFK but at all of the region’s airports, since their airspaces tend to overlap. The Associated Press reports that JFK will shut down its main arrivals runway at the end of April for almost five months for resurfacing and repairs, making it longer and wider and giving it a new lighting system. The availability of three remaining runways at JFK should preclude any flight operations problems during good weather, AP said, “but during inclement weather, the loss of that runway could cause a ripple effect of delays at all three of the major airports in the crowded skies above New York.” TIP: At JFK and other airports, try to fly as early in the day as possible during summer to avoid the season’s airport-snarling afternoon thunderstorms.

Uber overtaking taxis for biz travel. Certify, a major provider of business travel expense reporting software, said its analysis of first quarter spending data shows that Uber is quickly making massive inroads into ground transportation. In this year’s first quarter, the firm said, Uber transactions by business travelers accounted for 46 percent of all paid car rides, up from 15 percent a year ago, while the proportion of taxi/limo/shuttle rides dropped from 85 percent to 53 percent. The average Uber ride cost $31.24, vs. a typical taxi fare of $35.40, Certify said. In San Francisco and Dallas, Uber rides now dominate over traditional taxi service for business travelers. If you haven’t joined the crowd and tried Uber yet, do so from this link and you’ll get $20 off your first Uber ride!

Turkish Airlines getting a special San Francisco-themed livery (Photo: Turkish Airlines)

A Turkish Airlines B777 getting a special San Francisco-themed livery (Photo: Turkish Airlines)

Turkish Airlines arrives. On Monday, Turkish Airlines inaugural Istanbul-San Francisco flight arrives painted in a specially themed livery. Turkish provided a sneak peak of the 777 getting all dolled up for the flight. We’ll have full coverage of the arrival here on TravelSkills and on our social media channels.

Loose change adds up for TSA. You know how you throw all your metal stuff into a bin when you go through the TSA security checkpoint, and if you’re in a big hurry to make your flight you might accidentally leave a few coins behind? Ever wonder what happens to that change? It goes into the TSA’s financial coffers and helps fund its operations. And just how much are we talking about? In 2014, travelers left behind pocket change totaling $674, 841. That’s a $37,000 increase from the previous year. New York JFK had the biggest spare change bonanza for TSA, at $42,550, followed by Los Angeles International at $41,506.

Recent: 6 tricky tipping dilemmas that trip up travelers

HOTELS

Best Western Rewards points can be redeemed at 4,000 hotels worldwide, like this one near the Opera in Paris. (Chris McGinnis)

Hotel Loyalty satisfaction poll. The newly released 2015 Hotel Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report from J.D. Power and Associates ranks Hilton’s HHonors in the number one spot, tied with the Delta Privilege program at Canada’s Delta Hotels, a chain that was recently purchased by Marriott. Roaring into third place is Best Western’s Rewards program which has emerged as one of the powerhouses among hotel loyalty programs in recent years. In fourth place is the IHG Rewards Club at and in fifth, Marriott Rewards. The poll found that program members who can earn points for making product or service purchases at hotels showed much higher satisfaction scores than those who can’t; ditto for earning points at restaurants. The survey questioned 2,900 loyalty program members. What’s your favorite hotel program? Why?

Los Angeles restaurant recos: TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis just took a four-day business trip to Los Angeles and highly recommends two restaurants: One is perfect for a power lunch. The other is the newest hottest place to see and be seen. Check it our on our Facebook page, and be sure to LIKE it!

Have you checked out Personal Capital yet? A powerful new tool from the former CEO of PayPay and Intuit (Quicken) to help busy people manage finances– some say it’s a better tool for wealth management than Mint.com. If you, like many business travelers, have a tough time keeping up with your investments, you should check it out today and help support TravelSkills!

Chic new JW Marriott Venice (Marriott)

Openings: Istanbul, Rio, Venice. In New York City, the former Mondrian Soho hotel on Crosby Street in Manhattan has been sold to new owners who have rebranded it as the NOMO SOHO (NOstalgic + MOdern) and brought it into the Preferred Hotels collection …Starwood Hotels has cut the ribbon on its first St. Regis property in Turkey. Located in an upscale shopping area in the city’s Nisantasi neighborhood, the new 118-room St. Regis Istanbul has floor-to-ceiling views of the Bosporus and a Spago restaurant from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck … With the Summer Olympics coming to Rio de Janeiro next year, Hilton Worldwide has opened the 298-room Hilton Barra Hotel in the Brazilian city’s Barra da Tijuca neighborhood, five minutes from the Olympic Park … Forty acres of gardens and landscaping surround the newly opened JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Venice, Italy, located on a private island; most of the 191 rooms have glass walls and private balconies … The new 391-room Sortis Hotel, Spa & Casino in Panama City, Panama, has become a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection.

Did you miss yesterday’s issue of our Weekend Edition? No worries! Here ya go:

Delta hub in China? + Lufthansa lie-flat + AA points promo + Delta mileage sale + SAS new biz class

In Case You Missed It…

Plan ahead to avoid troubles with tipping on your trips

Heading to Europe? Here’s how the strong dollar is cutting trip costs

Some European carriers are rolling out summer sales on business class.

Virgin America will soon start flying to Hawaii from San Francisco.

>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<

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New Marriott/Hilton cancellation policy irks (Reader Report)

March 31, 2015

José Carlos Cortizo Pérez / Flickr

Effective January 1 this year, new last-minute cancellation policies went into effect at Marriott and Hilton.

This means that the relatively standard practice of allowing cancellations up to 5 or 6 pm on the day of arrival is no longer in effect.

In order to avoid paying for that first night, you now have to cancel a full 24 hours (or more, depending on property) in advance.

Some observers suspect that hotel chains imposed new rules to prevent travelers from booking a standard rate, then canceling the reservation at the last minute and re-booking at a cheaper rate using popular new last-minute booking sites and apps.

This new policy recently tripped up TravelSkills reader L.H. who was hit with a pesky fee and sent us the following correspondence with Marriott. (We have added bolding to highlight important parts)

Would you like to submit a Reader Report to TravelSkills? Here are our guidelines.

Dear Marriott: Has your cancellation policy changed? I thought standard policy was until 5:00 PM day of arrival at location/property reserved. If my plans change, say, on a Thursday morning not requiring me to stay overnight that night will I still be charged for that night?

Regards,

L.H.

Dear Mr H: Thank you for contacting Marriott. We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with information.

Each individual property has the authority to decide their own cancellation policy. This will vary with each and every location. The new common standard will be one day prior to arrival to avoid any penalty charges. Some hotels will require more notice. Some locations will have these policies that can vary by season. If we can be of further assistance, we invite you to reply to this email. Thank you for choosing Marriott.

Regards,

C.C.

Marriott Customer Care

Related post: How to find “hidden” hotel discounts

Hi C, Thanks for your prompt reply, although I find your answer somewhat evasive.

You seem to be trying to present a scenario where the “individual property” has the authority yet the “new common standard” is one day prior.

Sounds like an answer form a politician trying to please both sides. The individual property can claim it is Marriott policy and Marriott can claim each individual property has the authority.

Actually, your answer simply raises other questions.

Is there going to be full disclosure (prior to booking a reservation) as to whose policy or which policy is the rule?

What was the reason for changing this policy?

As a long time Marriott customer (Life Time Platinum) I find it odd that Marriott now decides to penalize its loyal customer base with such a change.

If I am traveling and for example, I wake up on a Wednesday and check e-mail to find that my business meeting for early afternoon has been cancelled. That meeting was to extend to the next day, which is also cancelled.

I am staying at a Marriott property and instead of checking out and being able to cancel that night’s stay as I have done in the past, I will now check out, but have to pay that night’s stay and the property will most likely sell that room thus resulting in a double sale for Marriott for that night on that room.

Often when traveling, I think I will end up in one city and turns out I need to bypass that city to go ahead to the next. Or, in a large metropolitan area, due to whatever reason, it is advantageous to move to a different property on the other side of town.

Business travel is very often subject to change for a myriad of reasons.

It seems counterintuitive for a company in business to accommodate business travelers with such a change that is quite unaccommodating to business travelers.

In the past, Marriott certainly seemed to be marketing its properties as business traveler friendly and flexible.

The simple answer, my opinion of course, is that Marriott as a company has decided to seek additional revenue gain through a cute maneuver via a “policy change” to pad its coffers.

I invite you to share my e-mail with Marriott management. I am theorizing there are many other loyal (former?) Marriott customers shaking their heads over this one.

Regards,

L.H.

Marietta, GA

What do you think about these new cancellation policies? Is it fair for travelers? What about hotels losing money on no-shows? Please leave your comments below!

–Chris McGinnis

Would you like to submit a Reader Report to TravelSkills? Here are our guidelines.

In Case You Missed It…

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+++

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1,000 Marriott points + AA/US combine + Most hated fees + Delta-Virgin expands + Daylight saving + new routes

March 29, 2015

A brand new Marriott Courtyard in Salisbury, NC (Marriott)

Get 1,000 Marriott Rewards Points. Courtyard by Marriott hits its 1,000 hotel milestone on Tuesday (March 31) and is offering 1,000 Rewards points to all members checking into any Courtyard hotel worldwide on that day. The company says that it will give away over 50 million points as part of the promotion. The festivities will be centered around the brand new Courtyard in Walla Walla, Washington, designated as the 1,000th hotel. The very first Marriott Courtyard opened in Atlanta in 1983 near Northside Hospital (since razed) according to Mark Woodworth of PKF Consulting. The Courtyard brand celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2013 and is Marriott’s second largest revenue generator.

Get 50,000 more Rewards points with the Marriott Rewards Premier Card

Daylight Saving Time Reminder. Most of Europe switched over to Daylight Saving Time last night following the move made in the US three weeks ago. Did you know that Daylight Saving Time is primarily observed in the US and Europe only (See blue above)? The rest of the world remains on standard time. (Orange and red denote countries that have either stopped observing Daylight Saving Time or have never observed it.)

British Airways A380 arriving San Francisco. British Airways brings its big Airbus A380 to San Francisco today. The big new bird will fly SFO-London Heathrow five days a week complemented by a 747 on the remaining days. BA will also keep its second daily 747 on the route. Stay tuned for more details in a future post.

AA starts merging loyalty accounts. March 28 is the day American Airlines begins merging US Airways Dividend Miles accounts into American’s AAdvantage program, a process that will take “several days,” the company said on its website. Dividend Miles members will be notified by email when the procedure is complete; once it is, they can book award travel through aa.com, but until then they can’t book free trips. Also, “Elite upgrades will vary by airline until we combine reservation systems later this year,” AA said. “To make sure you’re eligible for elite upgrades, you should book flights that are marketed and operated by the same airline – either US Airways or American. If you’re booked on a codeshare flight, you’ll only be eligible to upgrade when you check in, and as always, upgrades are based on availability.”

Readers all hot and bothered by this TravelSkills Reader Report: Shakedown in Mexico

Survey determines most hated fees. Even though major airlines have been trumpeting the amounts they’re spending on passenger enhancements these days, most air travelers — 62 percent — remain “frustrated” by the air travel experience, and would pay more to see improvements, according to a new consumer survey by the U.S. Travel Association. Three out of five said they would pay up to $4 more per ticket in user fees for larger, more efficient U.S. airports. Respondents cited airlines’ $200 change/cancellation fees as the most reviled, followed by $50 seat assignment charges, $25 checked bag fees and $50 priority boarding fees. On another issue, seven out of 10 respondent said that instead of trying to block access by foreign carriers, U.S. airlines should improve their own quality of service to be more competitive.

Tokyo’s Haneda Airport is much more convenient than distant Narita.

DOT lets Delta keep Tokyo route. The Transportation Department tentatively ruled on Friday that Delta can keep its existing Seattle-Tokyo Haneda route, but only if it maintains year-round daily service. Delta had sharply reduced its Seattle-Tokyo schedule during the winter, prompting competitors to ask the government to give them the Haneda rights. American wanted to fly Los Angeles-Haneda and Hawaiian Airlines had filed for Honolulu-Haneda rights.

Delta, Virgin expand partnership. Delta and joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic announced an expansion of their joint venture schedules across the Atlantic this year. Upcoming new routes include a daily Philadelphia-London Heathrow flight starting April 26 and a daily New York JFK-Manchester flight beginning May 21, both operated by Delta; and a daily Detroit-LHR roundtrip starting June 1, operated by Virgin Atlantic. Next month, Virgin is set to add a second daily Los Angeles-LHR flight (in addition to Delta’s once-daily service, for a total of three a day) and to open a new Virgin Clubhouse at LAX. This weekend, Virgin lays on a second daily Atlanta-LHR flight and a second San Francisco-LHR service five times a week. Overall, the partnership’s schedule calls for 39 daily transatlantic flights this summer.

Shoulder Surfing. Have you ever been the victim of “shoulder surfing” when you just know that the person next to you on the plane is watching everything you do on your laptop. This hilarious video records what happens when someone fights back by turning on his laptop’s camera. How do you handle nosy neighbors on planes?

United delays extra SFO-China flight. United Airlines has pushed back its plan to add a second daily San Francisco-Shanghai Pudong flight, citing slot issues. Instead of starting in early May, the extra flight won’t begin until July 2. United will use a 787-9 for the new service.

New routes: Emirates, Austrian, Philippine. Fast-growing Emirates will add another U.S. gateway on September 1, when it begins daily Orlando-Dubai non-stops, using a three-class 777-200LR … Lufthansa affiliate Austrian Airlines, a Star Alliance member, will start flying a 777 from Miami to Vienna five times a week on October 16 … Philippine Airlines has revived New York JFK-Manila flights four times a week, operating via a stop in Vancouver.

Did you miss yesterday’s Weekend Edition? No probs! Here’s the link:

Most expensive city + Airport phoning + 25 million more PreCheckers + Cameras in rental cars + 2-4-1 deal in LA

In Case You Missed It…

Should airlines use robots to disinfect their aircraft?

Trip report: Chris samples Aer Lingus’ new business class.

New website finds hotels’ unpublished discount rates

Should flight attendants wake up sleeping passengers?

+++

>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<

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38 new Marriotts + Double SkyMiles + Wi-fi block spank + New Hyatt brand + Virgin in Nashville

February 1, 2015

Marriott just added 120 new hotels in Canada

Marriott just added 38 new Delta hotels in Canada, like this one in Toronto

More opportunities to earn Marriott Rewards. Marriott International will greatly increase its presence in Canada with the planned acquisition of that country’s Delta Hotels brand for $135 million. Delta has 38 hotels with 10,000 rooms in 30 Canadian cities; after the deal is complete, that will boost Marriott’s total presence in Canada to more than 120 hotels and 27,000 rooms. Marriott said that will make it “the largest full-service hotel company in Canada.” Meanwhile, Marriott also announced plans to bring its new Moxy brand from Europe to the U.S., with three new Moxy properties in New York City and others in San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans and Chicago. The first Moxy opened in Milan last fall and others are coming in Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin Copenhagen and London. The Moxy brand will be modern and high-tech, with “highly social” lobbies, “free and furiously fast Wi-Fi” and such.

InterContinental offers double Delta miles. Members of InterContinental Hotels Group’s IHG Rewards Club who select Delta SkyMiles as their earning option can get double bonus miles for every qualifying stay at an IHG property from now through April 30. The offer requires online registration.

Blizzard warning in Chicago and heavy snow to snarl air travel Monday and Tuesday (Image: NWS)

Storm update: Airlines have started to cancel flights and issue waivers of change penalties for Monday/Tuesday flights across a wide swath of the northern US. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Chicago. Stay warm and remember: If your flight is canceled and you decide to bag your trip completely, the airline owes you a full refund.

FCC gets tough on Wi-Fi blockage. The Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau issued a stern warning last week that it won’t tolerate hotels or other commercial establishments blocking customers’ personal Wi-Fi hotspots. Last year, the enforcement agency fined Marriott $600,000 after one of its affiliated properties was caught doing just that in conference rooms; it said last week it is seeing a “disturbing trend” of similar activity and is currently investigating several complaints. “No hotel…may intentionally block or disrupt personal Wi-Fi hot spots on such premises, including as part of an effort to force consumers to purchase access to the property owner’s Wi-Fi network,” the FCC said. Think this has happened to you? Go to www.fcc.gov/complaints or call 888-CALL-FCC with details. Do you prefer your own hotspot to the hotel’s Wi-Fi? Under what circumstances?

Full capitulation by Marriott. At first, it Marriott put up a fight over the heated hotspot issue, but quietly issued this “we thought we were doing the right thing” statement Saturday morning: Bethesda, Md., January 30, 2015 – Marriott International has decided to withdraw as a party to the petition seeking direction from the FCC on legal Wi-Fi security measures. Our intent was to protect personal data in Wi-Fi hotspots for large conferences. We thought we were doing the right thing asking the FCC to provide guidance, but the FCC has indicated its opposition. As we have said, we will not block Wi-Fi signals at any hotel we manage for any reason. And, as of January 15, we provide free Wi-Fi to all members of our Marriott Rewards program who book directly with us. We’re doing everything we can to promote our customers’ connectivity using mobile and other devices, and we’re working with the industry to find security solutions that do not involve blocking our guests’ use of their Wi-Fi devices.

SpringHill Suites Security. Have you seen how SpringHill Suites is putting a wrap (and some cushy couches) on airport security? See this

Disappearing soon? (Photo: Consumerist Dot Com / Flickr)

Demise of the hotel room phone upon us? We’ll have a TravelSkills post this week about a new app that could spell the end to the room phone.

Hyatt’s new brand. Is there no end to new brands in the hotel industry as major companies try to capture the growing market of Millennial business travelers? Hyatt has introduced five brands since 2006, and here comes a sixth: Some 15 Hyatt properties in key business destinations (like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami and Paris) will take on a new identity this summer as the company launches the Hyatt Centric brand. Hyatt says it will be “a full-service lifestyle brand” for travelers who want “a cosmopolitan vibe in the center of the action” (hence the name Centric). Like so many new brands, Centric will offer a public area where guests can work and socialize, along with a “knock ‘n’ drop” room service (i.e., no “formal delivery”). For more, go to www.hyattcentric.com. Which new hotel brands have you tried? What’s your favorite?

Related: Our take on Starwood’s Aloft brand – SLIDESHOW

A brand new Virgin hotel planned for hot-n-happnin-now Nashville (Rendering: Virgin Hotels)

Virgin’s Nashville plans. Virgin Hotels just opened its first property — in Chicago — but already has released plans for its second, which will open in Nashville in fall of 2016. Appropriate to its address at One Music Row, the 240-room hotel will include one non-standard facility: A recording studio. Also on tap are a live entertainment venue, Virgin’s trademark Commons Club bar/restaurant/hangout space, a gym, wellness center and rooftop pool.

Did you miss the Saturday issue of our WEEKEND EDITION? Here ’tis!

New jets SFO-LAX + Europe summer deals + United move at ATL + Delta wi-fi progress + Cathay biz class sale

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Big storm + Unusual 747 + NYC Helicopters, rail link + Marriott Megabonus + Choose car from plane

January 25, 2015

Rendering of the modified 747 that will buzz Burning Man this August (Courtesy Lance Powell)

Rendering of the repurposed 747 that will buzz Burning Man this August (Courtes

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Related: Our take on Starwood’s Aloft brand – SLIDESHOW

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