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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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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10 hottest neighborhoods in the U.S.

October 4, 2017

You didn’t know Brooklyn had hills? Check out Sunset Park. (Image: Barry Winiker/Getty)

If business keeps taking you back to the same cities, do you spend your free time there revisiting the same old haunts and/or hanging around your hotel? For a bit of urban adventure, why not check out a city’s up-and-coming hot neighborhoods that are loved by locals but still undiscovered by visitors?

Travel publisher Lonely Planet solicited input from its experts and local contributors on the subject, and it came up with a list of uber-cool neighborhoods for trend-seeking travelers. Even if you’re not a hipster, hopping an Uber to these off-the-beaten-path districts could at least make you sound kind of cool and in-the-know to your colleagues back home.

Here are its Top 10 picks, with comments from Lonely Planeteers:

Sunset Park, New York “The success of art and commerce behemoth Industry City has shone a light onto one of Brooklyn’s most exciting under-the-radar neighborhoods. Another favorite from Lonely Planet’s global neighborhood list, Sunset Park sits below Park Slope on the south and western borders of Green-Wood Cemetery, and hosts a heady mix of cultures and traditions…Set on one of the highest hills in Brooklyn, it offers spectacular views of lower Manhattan.” – Robert Balkovich

Capitol Riverfront & Yards Park, Washington DC “One of DC’s most recent reincarnations, the former Navy Yard, a commercial wharf in the 19th Century, has been completely overhauled. Formerly one of the grittier parts of the US capital, the riverfront area began to change in 2008, when it became home to Nationals Park, DC’s major league baseball stadium. These days, there are more reasons to visit here than for sport alone; the entire waterfront precinct now features an attractive boardwalk, small riverside parks and a handful of top-notch eateries.” – Kate Armstrong

Denver’s RiNo is for foodies and arts aficionados. (Image: Gabriel Rovick/Lonely Planet)

River North (RiNo), Denver “Even as the Mile High City expands, RiNo still clings to its punk-rock roots. You’ll find it in the street murals that seem to pop up overnight, in the experimental galleries that play open house on Friday nights, and in the innovative food halls and rockabilly microbrews that play host to the city’s young, bold and tattooed. [RiNo] is playing center stage for the resurgent arts and cultural scenes that have transformed D-Town into the cultural dynamo of the American West.” – Greg Benchwick

Point Loma, San Diego “Point Loma is the conservative neighbor of hippy Ocean Beach, with its sports fishing centers, yacht clubs, and naval base…[it’s] home to a mishmash of New England-style clapboard houses, tropical- themed hotels, and exquisite modern hilltop homes with panoramic views of the city and harbor below. It’s common to see members of the armed forces in uniform around the sleepy town, but foodies also gravitate to Point Loma for the outstanding seafood brought to shore daily by boats, and served in local restaurants.” – Jade Bremner

Pizza is a big draw in Seattle’s Frelard district. (Image: Geoffrey Smith)

Frelard, Seattle “A highlight from Lonely Planet’s global list, this new community has slowly taken shape in the space between two of Seattle’s most popular neighborhoods. First coined by Seattle restaurateur Ethan Stowell, owner of Frelard Pizza Company, the name Frelard reflects those of its neighbors: Fre(mont) and (Bal)lard…It’s the perfect place to refuel on a day spent exploring beyond Seattle’s main tourist sights.” – Valerie Stimac

Montavilla, Portland “On the far side of Mount Tabor Park in southeast Portland is the quietly cool Montavilla neighborhood…Its core is just a half-dozen blocks along Stark Street, lined with shops, restaurants and bars. The lynchpin of this stretch is the Academy Theater, a second-run cinema (built in 1948, restored and reopened in 2006) … Fifteen or so years ago, this neighborhood had a reputation for crime…Now there’s a busy Sunday farmers market, a handful of craft-cocktail and beer bars, cute little independent shops and a dive bar (Montavilla Station) known for its weekend blues jams.” – Becky Ohlsen

Austin’s South 1st Street is hipper than hip. (Image: Amy Balfour/lonely Planet)

South 1st Street, Austin “At first glance, South 1st Street looks like a ho-hum stretch of cottages, food trucks and weathered buildings. But don’t be fooled by the low-key façade … Chatty locals keep Bouldin Creek Café and the indie coffee shops buzzing while beloved Torchy’s Tacos serves “damn good tacos” from its very first location – a trailer – all day long… It’s an appealing mix of old and new – and a stark contrast to trendy South Congress Avenue one block east.” – Amy Balfour

Avondale, Chicago “Avondale offers no hotels or tourist sights. It’s mostly humble two-flat homes and the occasional smokestack or steeple popping up. But throughout this working-class beat on Chicago’s northwest side, groovy things are brewing…Get here soon though, because Avondale teeters on the edge. Hipster ‘hoods nibble at its borders, poised to spill over. And that may change its scruffy, artsy, lived-in magic.” – Karla Zimmerman

East Liberty & Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh “Pittsburgh won’t be the first American city to beep on your cool-o-meter, but its eastern neighborhoods might just be the sleeper hit your hipster sensibilities have been craving…the influx of moneyed millennials has willed a new food and beverage scene into existence, led by the Ace Hotel, which opened in a once-derelict YMCA in 2015 – all of which is making the Steel City’s reputation considerably less rusty.” – Brandon Presser

East Nashville, Nashville “Music City is known for its country crooners and the honky tonks on Lower Broadway, but just across the Cumberland River in East Nashville, residents march to the beat of a different drum…there are more tattoos, street murals and alternative music venues on this side of town…And if you came to Nashville for hot chicken, the East side has you covered as well, with Pepperfire, Bolton’s and the place that started it all, Prince’s.” – Evan Godt

What’s your favorite sleeper neighborhood that no one really knows about…but should?

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TWA Hotel takes shape at JFK & in Manhattan (slideshow)

September 29, 2017

Reception desk at the TWA Hotel pre-opening sales office at the World Trade Center. (Image: Emily Gilbert)

The foundations have been laid and construction is proceeding on the new TWA Hotel at New York JFK Airport, a 505-room property that incorporates the original 1962 TWA Terminal as its centerpiece.

A pair of guest room structures will soon rise on either side of the old terminal, which is being preserved and restored, and will also be linked to JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at the airport. The hotel construction and terminal restoration is a project of MCR Development.

Designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen, the terminal – also known as the TWA Flight Center — is distinguished by its sweeping curves, a striking example of the Midcentury Modern style. The TWA Hotel – the only on-site hotel at JFK – will also offer 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space, eight food and beverage outlets, and a 10,000 square foot observation deck where plane spotters can watch aircraft take off and land.

The hotel this week cut the ribbon on a pre-opening sales office on the 86^th floor of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. The office has many design elements taken from the TWA Flight Center, along with TWA memorabilia. A press release states: “With views from Manhattan to JFK Airport 12 miles to the east, the TWA lounge at 1WTC on the 86^th floor, designed by Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, is informed by key design features of Eero Saarinen’s iconic TWA Flight Center.”

Wanna see the lounge at WTC in Manhattan? While it’s not really open to the public, here’s what a spokesperson told TravelSkills: We are thrilled to welcome partners, friends, and fans of the TWA brand at the TWA lounge. We will be hosting special opportunities to visit the space so stay tuned. For now, appointments can be made by emailing 1WTC@TWAHotel.com.

The hotel already has a website at www.twahotel.com.

Here’s a look at both projects:

Carpeting inside the TWA Flight Center at JFK is still “TWA Red.” ((Image: Max Touhey)

The sweeping curves of the TWA Terminal’s exterior. (Image: Max Touhey)

The spacious interior of the TWA Flight Center. (Image: Max Touhey)

The foundation for the TWA Hotel is complete. (Image: MCR)

View of the construction zone from the JetBlue Terminal next door. (Image: Max Touhey)

Reception desk at the TWA Hotel pre-opening sales office at the World Trade Center. (Image: Emily Gilbert)

The TWA Lounge at the World Trade Center reflects the design from the TWA Flight Center. (Image: Jesse David Harris)

Vintage uniforms are on display at the TWA Lounge. (Image: Emily Gilbert)

Readers: Did you ever use the TWA Terminal at JFK? Are you glad it’s being preserved? Do you miss TWA?

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

September 6, 2017

Hong Kong Airlines, among others, adding more A350 flights across the Pacific (Photo: Airbus)

Let’s keep catching up with recent route developments with a look at what’s happening across the Pacific. Hong Kong Airlines, which plans to begin Los Angeles flights later this year, now has its eye on San Francisco and New York as well – a threat to Cathay Pacific, which said it will soon upgrade aircraft on its SFO and Newark routes; American Airlines finally nails down a launch date for its long-planned LAX-Beijing flights; Delta will bring a new plane to its Atlanta-Seoul route, and expands code-sharing to China; United drops a China route and expands capacity to New Zealand; Hainan Airlines will add a new U.S. route, and Air China sets a start for an LAX route.

Hong Kong Airlines, which is partly owned by China’s Hainan Airlines, said last month it plans to begin daily Hong Kong-Los Angeles flights in mid-December with its first new Airbus A350. And now it looks like that will just be the beginning: Hong Kong Airlines said that as it takes delivery of more new A350s – it has ordered 21 of them – the carrier plans to start flying from Hong Kong to New York and San Francisco in 2018, as well as Hong Kong-London “and other European and American destinations.” The carrier said its A350s will have 33 fully-reclining business class seats, 108 in “Economy Comfort” class, and 193 in regular economy. It didn’t provide any schedule information for next year’s new routes.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post suggested that Hong Kong Airlines’ ambitious expansion plans couldn’t come at a worse time for Hong Kong’s major carrier: “The airline’s push poses a fresh challenge to Cathay Pacific, which has already suffered huge losses in recent years, caused by competition from mainland and Middle Eastern carriers,” the newspaper said.

Cathay Pacific’s first U.S. A350s are coming to Newark and SFO this fall (Photo: Cathay Pacific)

For its part, Cathay Pacific recently announced plans to start flying its own A350s on select U.S. routes. The carrier said that effective October 29, it will replace the 777-300ER currently used on its Hong Kong-Newark route with an A350, and will also put an A350 onto one of its three daily San Francisco-Hong Kong fights on the same date. Cathay has 16 A350-900s, with six more on order. Cathay’s A350s also offer business, premium economy and regular economy seating.

Have you flown an A350 yet? I did last fall on Singapore Airlines inaugural 17-hour SFO-SIN flight. Read the Trip Report here.

After months of delays as it negotiated with China for acceptable takeoff and landing slot times, American Airlines has now settled on November 5 for the inauguration of service on its new Los Angeles-Beijing route. The carrier had to secure DOT’s approval for the late start, and had to fend off regulatory challenges from Delta, which had sought the same route. American had originally said it would use a 777-200 for the LAX-Beijing service, but Routesonline.com now reports that American will begin flying the route with a 787-8, then switch to a 787-9 on March 25 of next year.

Delta’s new international premium economy seats will debut on the A350. (Image: delta)

Delta Air Lines has started taking delivery of its own new Airbus A350s, which it previously announced will start flying October 30 between Detroit and Tokyo Narita. Now Delta says it will also deploy one of the new wide-bodies on its Atlanta-Seoul Incheon route starting March 24 of next year- but the first A350s will fly between Detroit and Tokyo starting this fall. In other transpacific news, Delta this week expanded its code-sharing arrangement with China Eastern, putting the Delta code onto the Chinese carrier’s flights from Shanghai Pudong to Chiang Mai, Ningbo and Urumqi; from Beijing to Chongqing, Haikou and Wuxi; and on its San Francisco-Qingdao-Kunming route. Delta’s code will also go onto the flights of Shanghai Airlines (a China eastern subsidiary) from Pudong to Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur and Weihai.

United has been flying from San Francisco to Hangzhou, China three times a week with a 787-9, but the carrier plans to discontinue that route on October 14, according to a notice in Routesonline.com. Elsewhere, United will make an aircraft change on its San Francisco-Auckland route, which is now seasonal, operating from October 29 through March 22. Instead of a 787-9, United will put a 777-300ER on the route, and will trim frequencies from seven a week to six through December 17, and from 10 a week to seven from December 18 to March 22.

China’s Hainan Airlines plans an October 26 start for new service between New York JFK and Chengdu, flying the route twice a week with a 787-9. And Air China, which had originally planned a mid-summer start for Los Angeles-Shenzen service, has now set December 7 as the launch date; it will fly the route three days a week with a 787-9.

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6 sexy new hotels in LA, NYC, Seattle, Honolulu, Charlotte

July 26, 2017

A room at the new Dream Hollywood. (Image: Dream Hotels)

In new hotels news, Dream Hotels comes to Hollywood; a legendary hotelier opens a new hotel in Manhattan; greater Seattle welcomes a W and another Hyatt Regency; InterContinental adds 600 rooms in Honolulu; and a small boutique gem opens in Charlotte.

Dream Hotels, which has two locations in Manhattan and one in South Beach, has cut the ribbon on a new property in Los Angeles. The 178-room Dream Hollywood is at the intersection of Cahuenga Boulevard and Selma Avenue in Hollywood. It features a big rooftop pool, a rooftop restaurant and lounge with views of the Hollywood Hills, and a 1,000-square-foot fitness center and ”wellness program” run by celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson. Other food and beverage outlets include a big Asian restaurant called Tao; Beauty & Essex, with a multi-ethnic menu; and a bar/pizzeria. For film industry moguls, the Dream Hollywood has an 1,800-square-foot Guest House suite with a private screening room. Rates start at $292.

Unusual sleeping layout at Ian Schrager’s PUBLIC Hotel in Manhattan. (Image: PUBLIC Hotel)

In New York City, boutique hotel pioneer Ian Schrager has opened a new downtown property called PUBLIC. Located on Chrystie Street, near the intersection of Houston Street and The Bowery, the hotel has 370 rooms and nightly rates that start at just $150 (if you select the prepaid, nonrefundable option). The hotel keeps its costs down with innovative tactics like eliminating the front desk – guests check in on iPads that send a bar code key to their phones. There are no bellhops and no room service, but there is a restaurant under the direction of celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. There’s also a rooftop bar with expansive city views, and a “cutting edge, progressive and avant-garde multi-media performance space.”

Don’t miss: Hilton, Marriott and IHG impose new cancellation penalties

Accommodations at the new Hyatt Regency in Renton, Washington. (IMage: Hyatt)

The Seattle metro area has two newly opened business hotels. Hyatt has cut the ribbon on its third Seattle-area Hyatt Regency, this one in Renton. It’s called the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport, a 12-story, 347-room property on the shore of that lake. Its main restaurant, Water’s Table, features “Northwest-inspired pan-Asian cuisine,” and the hotel offers a 24-hour fitness center, a Regency Club, a grab-and-go market, and 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Rates start at $225 for World of Hyatt members.

Don’t miss: Singapore Air contest winner Lacie R is on her way to Hong Kong! See pics

The new W Hotel in Bellevue, Washington. (Image: W Hotels)

Just north of Renton in Bellevue, Washington is Marriott/Starwood’s new W Bellevue, located in that city’s downtown at 10455 NE 5^th Place, 12 miles from Sea-Tac. The new W has 245 rooms, a spa, a fitness center, a business center, and a library with board games and books. Contemporary Northwest cuisine is served up in The Lakehouse restaurant, while “craft cocktails” are available in a bar with the unusual name Civility & Unrest. The W has 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The property is linked by a skybridge to sister property The Westin Bellevue, and it is half a mile from the Meydenbauer Convention Center. Rates at the W start as low as $338 for SPG members but are generally in the $400+ range.

The 44-story Holiday Inn Express in Honolulu. (Image: InterContinentsl Hotels Group)

Got some InterContinental Hotels Group Rewards Club points to burn with Hawaii on your mind? That lodging group has just cut the ribbon on the largest Holiday Inn Express in the Americas, and it’s in Honolulu. The 596-rooom, 44-story Holiday Inn Express Waikiki Hotel at 2058 Kuhio Avenue is three blocks from the eponymous beach and four blocks from Hawaii Convention Center. Amenities include an outdoor pool, sun deck with cabanas, a 24-hour fitness center, video game room, nine-hole mini-golf course, and free cooked breakfast. Rates start at $135.

Posh digs at The Ivey’s Hotel in Charlotte. (Image: The Ivey’s Hotel)

If you do a lot of business in Charlotte and you’ve had your fill of chain hotels, there’s a small new luxury boutique hotel in the city’s Uptown district, just across the street form Bank of America headquarters and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Called The Ivey’s Hotel, it has just 42 rooms. The hotel is at 127 North Tryon Street in a building that opened in the early 1900s as a department store. Guest rooms have luxury furnishings and linens, and come with free Wi-Fi, Sony 4K TVs, and Bose sound systems. No two rooms have the same design. Dining is available at 5Church Charlotte, with modern American cuisine, and cocktails flow at the wraparound bar in Sophia’s Lounge. Rates start at $197.

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Newark Airport dodges transportation bullet

July 10, 2017

New Jersey Transit trains take passengers from Newark Airport to Penn Station in Manhattan (Chris McGinnis)

One New York City publication is calling it a “summer of Hell” for train commuters as emergency track repairs get underway this week at Penn Station in Manhattan, one of the nation’s busiest rail hubs.

The repair work started this week and is due to continue until September 1, causing some major schedule disruptions, cancellations and detours for rail travelers.

But how will this affect frequent fliers? The most frequent use of Penn Station by air travelers is to take trains to and from Newark Airport – and it looks like those individuals dodged a bullet.

The vast majority of the trains used by Newark Airport travelers to and from Penn Station in Manhattan (don’t get confused – the trains also stop at Penn Station in Newark) are operated by New Jersey Transit. The trains don’t run to the airport itself, but to the Newark Airport Station, with transfers to the terminals via the AirTrain.

Train schedules for Newark Airport’s station should be unaffected. (Image: New Jersey Transit)

The Newark Airport Station is a stop on New Jersey Transit’s Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line. And the rail company said on its website that “all Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains to PSNY (Penn Station New York) will operate on regular weekday schedules with minor time changes.”

Amtrak reports that while a few northeast Corridor regional trains between Washington D.C.-New York and Philadelphia-New York will be canceled, there will be no changes to the schedules for its high-speed Acela trains in the Northeast Corridor – the trains most often used by business travelers.

Image: New Jersey Transit

Some travelers also use Long Island Rail Road commuter trains from Penn Station to travel to Jamaica Station in Queens for a transfer to the JFK Airport AirTrain, which takes travelers to the JFK terminals. There could be minor schedule changes for the LIRR, but there are so many trains running between Penn Station and Jamaica Station that any difference should be negligible.

The New York Times has published a handy guide with several links to help readers find their way around the transportation troubles resulting from the Penn Station repairs.

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Add buffer days to avoid travel burnout

June 3, 2017

Using a buffer day I took a tour of the West Point campus after a business trip to NYC- this is the main dining hall where cadets wolf down meals in 15 minutes. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

If you travel a lot, you know that the quality and the quantity of your trips can make a big difference in whether you enjoy the experience or not.

And now a new survey of road warriors confirms that too much travel can actually lead to burnout — and a desire to spend less time on the road.

A recent survey explored what it calls “traveler friction,” defined simply as “the wear and tear caused by business travel.” Friction creates heat, and heat creates burnout: The survey found that 15 percent of the 757 business travelers it polled “are nearly burned out on travel.”

Most frequent travelers can handle one or two trips per month, but more than that, especially when trips consistently cut into weekends, and you too could face business travel burn out. And who wants that?

My solution: Just add on an extra day at the beginning and/or end of your business trips or vacations.

Since it’s summertime, we’ll tackle the vacation scenario first.

On the beach in Culebra, my favorite place in Puerto Rico (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Let’s say you are taking seven days off for vacation later this summer. Should you leave on day one and return on day seven? That’s a recipe for a stressful vacation. Instead, set up “buffer days” at the beginning and end of your trip.

With this plan, you’ll only spend five days away, but they will be five high-quality days. Spend the first day of your vacation time packing, completing errands and getting your head into vacation mode. Then depart on day two. Spend five glorious days in your destination, and return home on day six. Then spend day seven as a buffer day ramping back up for work, cleaning up your email box, getting your calendar in order, and of course, unpacking and doing laundry.

When you get back to work, you’ll definitely have a nice vacation glow inside and out.

The same thing goes for business trips. When your company or client is sending you across the country or around the world on their dime, arrive a day early or stay a day late and add a day of leisure to your business trip.

For example, last winter I had to fly to New York City for a two-day meeting. Instead of flying all the way back to California right after the meeting, I decided to add on a buffer day. I chose not to fly home tired and worn out on Friday night and instead spent an extra night (Tip: Hotels are much cheaper in New York on Fridays- check on apps like HotelTonight for last minute deals, or call the hotel directly and strike a deal).

The next morning I got up, strolled over to the National Car Rental location in Manhattan and picked up a car for the day. The car was nearly brand new, and the day was brisk and bright. I took off north along the Hudson River for the two-hour ride to West Point to visit my nephew, a cadet there. He took me on a tour of the gorgeous and historic campus (pictured above), we had a burrito outside the school gates, and I was back on the road headed to Newark Airport that afternoon for my flight back to San Francisco.

What a great experience! Plus I saved my company a bundle by flying home on Saturday instead of Friday.

The area in and around Denver’s historic Union Station is the locus for a redevelopment boom downtown (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I was recently in Denver to report on new hotels there for BBC. When I was there, the city’s new rail link connecting downtown to the airport had not opened.

So I rented a car at Denver International, drove downtown and parked it while checking out the city’s latest and greatest hotels, restaurants and its newly refurbished Union Station. When my reporting was complete, I did not head home. Instead, I added on an extra day and used my rental car for a nostalgic trip up to Boulder, about 30 minutes north of the city, where I attended the University of Colorado back in the 1980s.

I had a ball cruising past my old haunts and taking a walk through the leafy campus on a fall day. I had a famous “Sinkburger” then drove back to the airport, dropped off the car and flew back to SFO with a big smile on my face.

Adding buffer days has become something of a habit for me– and I must admit it’s easier for me since I’m own my company and call the shots. No need to ask or permission from anyone. For example, I recently added on a day to a business trip to Atlanta to climb up nearby Stone Mountain—a huge slab of granite east of the city that nearly every plane landing at Hartsfield-Jackson International must circle around at least once (pictured above). Months before that, I jumped in a rental car in London, and made a fascinating and outdoorsy day trip out to Stonehenge.

What about you? How do you avoid traveler burnout? Have you made a habit of adding on buffer days to your vacations and business trips? Please leave your comments below.

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3 U.S. cities get cheap new nonstops to Rome

May 31, 2017

A Norwegian Air 787 Dreamliner parked at Oakland International Airport (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Norwegian Air today announced it will launch flights from Los Angeles, Newark and Oakland to ROME starting later this year and into 2018. This is the first time the Bay Area will see nonstops to Italy since Alitalia’s SFO-Rome service ended many years ago.

Rome-Fiumicino will be Norwegian’s seventh long-haul European destination from the U.S. following Barcelona, which will launch this June; Paris; London; and the three Scandinavian capitals of Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.

Norwegian says that one way fares from all three cities to Rome will start as low as $189-$229— but keep in mind that you will rarely find fares that low to return, and you’ll also be faced with a panoply of fees for checked bags, seat assignments, etc.

However, checking today, we found a fare for just $419.80 (including taxes) for a March 2018 round trip between Oakland and Rome. That’s a great deal that will not last.

Norwegian will fly its brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliners offering both an Economy and Premium cabin on the route. Norwegian’s premium service is a good low-cost option for business travelers– especially those from the Bay Area who’d prefer to take a nonstop flight.

Flights from Oakland International Airport to Rome will launch on February 6, 2018, with a twice weekly service. Fares from Oakland start from $229 one-way, including taxes. Premium fares from Oakland start from $719 one-way including taxes.

Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport will launch on November 9, 2017, and operate four times a week until the early February 2018 when it increases to six times per week. Economy launch fares to Rome from Newark start as low as $189 one-way, including taxes. The lowest fares in Norwegian’s Premium Cabin to Rome from Newark start at $539 one-way including taxes.

Service from Los Angeles International Airport will launch on November 11, 2017, and operate twice weekly until February, when it becomes a thrice weekly service. Fares from Los Angeles start from $229 one-way, including taxes. Premium fares from Los Angeles start from $719 one-way including taxes.

Economy class seating on Norwegian

All fares are now available for sale on Norwegian’s website. Additionally, the website’s low fare calendar displays the lowest available fares to all of Norwegian’s destinations.

Have you flown Norwegian yet? How was it? Will you consider it for your next flight to Rome?

Here’s a 360 degree YouTube video tour of Norwegian’s premium cabin:

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Airport news: JFK, LaGuardia, Atlanta, LAX, Baltimore-Washington

May 10, 2017

Redesigned check-in area coming to British Airways’ Terminal 7 at JFK. (Image: British Airways)

In U.S. airport developments, New York JFK’s British Airways terminal is getting a makeover, and some airlines change locations there; LaGuardia will move ahead with a mass transit link; Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson gets more “smart” TSA screening lanes; Los Angeles International upgrades Wi-Fi service; and Baltimore-Washington gets a new passenger lounge.

British Airways revealed plans to spend $65 million on an overhaul of its Terminal 7 at New York JFK. Due for completion late next year, the project will give the terminal a renovated, more spacious check-in area; a new check-in zone for premium passengers with a fast-track security lane; new gate seating areas with more power outlets; and the development of “an authentic New York culinary experience with local food and beverage concepts.” Lounges for business class, first class, and Gold and Silver Executive Club cardholders will get a total makeover, “with more space and restaurant-style pre-flight dining,” the airline said.

Speaking of JFK’s Terminal 7, Alaska Airlines and Virgin America revealed plans to move their JFK operations there by October, giving up their current locations in Terminals 8 and 4 respectively. Terminal 7 is home to Alaska Global Partners British Airways, Qantas and Icelandair. Alaska and Virgin together operate 14 flights a day to JFK from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Aeromexico has also moved at JFK – into Terminal 4, where it will be close to joint venture partner Delta.

Don’t miss: Alaska Airlines sweetens perk for cardholders

The new LaGuardia will replace separate terminals with a unified structure. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

A 30-minute ride between New York City’s Grand Central or Penn Station and LaGuardia Airport? That’s the goal for a new mass transit link in the works as part of that massive rebuilding of LGA that is now in progress. The New York Governor’s Office said it has just awarded a $14.6 million contract for preliminary analysis and design of the planned AirTrain, which will move people between the LGA terminals and the Willets Point stations of the Long Island Rail Road and the Number 7 subway line, where they can transfer for the trip into Midtown Manhattan.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the very first location for two of those “smart lanes” at security screening checkpoints – lanes that keep passengers moving faster by using powered conveyor belts, stations for five people to load security bins at once, automated return belts for empty bins, etc. They have since spread to several other major hub airports, and now ATL has expanded its own smart lanes as well. The airport now has 22 of the fast lanes installed, out of a total of 27 lanes at three security checkpoints in the domestic terminal. They reportedly reduce passenger waiting times by 30 percent.

Los Angeles International plans to improve Wi-Fi access for travelers in its terminals. The LA Board of Airport Commissioners has approved changes in the LAX concessions agreement with Boingo Wireless that will let users access the airport’s free Wi-Fi with a single click instead of the several clicks currently needed. Boingo also agreed to install another 12 Wi-Fi access points in the Federal Inspection Services area of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. “The new access points will help arriving international travelers move through the customs and immigration clearance process faster and more easily with the Mobile Passport app,” an airport spokesman said.

Refreshments area at the new Club BWI. (Image: Airport Lounge Development)

Airport Lounge Development, which builds pay-per-use airport passenger lounges, has just cut the ribbon on its latest effort, The Club BWI at Baltimore-Washington International. The new facility is it eleventh U.S. airport location. The 2,200 square foot BWI club is in Concourse D near Gate 10. It seats 50, and is divided into a “relaxing zone” with comfortable chairs and power outlets; a “resting zone” where travelers can “put your feet up and take a quick break;” a “productivity zone” for working; and a “replenish zone” with food and beverages. A day pass costs $40. The facility is also open to members of Priority Pass, LoungeKey and Lounge Club.

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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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Booking trips, saving money on the new Upside site

January 17, 2017

My next trip to NYC on United & stay at Best Western will help pay for my groceries next month (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Do you have the freedom to select your own travel suppliers on business trips – and are you flexible? Would you like like a $200 Amazon, Whole Foods or Home Depot gift card with your next travel booking? If so, you’re the target for for Upside, which officially rolls out this week.

Below, I put it to the test for an upcoming trip to NYC– it found a slightly better deal that I could, and offered me a $200 gift card. Not bad! We also gave Upside a whirl on an Atlanta-Los Angeles trip and it really performed. (See below) Try it to see what it can do for you.

Here’s some background: Upside was put together by a small group of former Priceline executives, including Priceline founder Jay Walker, and has been in beta since last fall. Walker told TravelSkills: “Most business travelers have a valuable, hidden asset that’s worth a small fortune on every trip they take. The asset? Flexibility. Specifically, small amounts of flexibility on the flights and hotels that a business traveler is willing to use on any given trip.” This week the company snagged a cool $50 million investment, and is now valued at about $200 million.

Here’s how it works: Instead of booking your usual first-choice airline, flight time and hotel, you let the Upside website put together an air-hotel package using suppliers that you have pre-approved. Once you decide if the alternatives work, and if the discounts and gift cards offers are enticing enough, you book the trip.

Upside says that you will typically see gift card amounts of $100 to $200, and savings of 5 to 15 percent in travel costs, and enough to make the $35 fee a wash. However, during the current launch period the $35 is waived.

The top tier of about 50 gift cards you choose from when booking with Upside- CLICK for full list

The top tier of about 50 gift cards you choose from when booking with Upside- create account to see full list

The electronic gift cards are good at 50 major stores or online retailers (such as Amazon or Whole Foods), and they will be delivered to your mobile phone shortly after you buy the trip arrangements. Upside says that those who take just five or six trips a year through Upside can easily rack up $1,000 in gift cards – or more, if they travel internationally in business class. (That will definitely help lower my Whole Foods bill!)

Users will be able to book their arrangements through the Upside app or its website; round-the-clock phone support is also available. There’s no requirement to buy the package Upside suggests, and once you do, it can be cancelled or changed quickly if circumstances warrant.

Upside says that users will earn airline frequent flyer miles for the flights it selects, but they will not earn hotel points. Important: While you will earn airline miles/segments, you will only ear elite qualifying miles/dollars when booking American or Alaska Air with Upside (for now, at least). UPDATE: Currently, Delta is not offered on Upside.

Another important point: Upside purchases code as “travel” so you’ll earn credit card bonuses, such as the 3x points you get for Chase Sapphire Reserve or Barclaycard.

So how will Upside make money? “We buy travel from suppliers at very advantageous rates– rates so low that we can pass along a substantial discount, take our cut and provide gift cards to travelers,” said a company spokesperson.

Are you willing to give it a try? That’s the question Upside is waiting for you to answer, and they are dangling a nice carrot — a gift card — in front of travelers to get them to try.

Updates: 1) The Upside app will roll out next month so for now just use the website, which works from smartphones. 2) Currently, Delta and Southwest Airlines do not work with Upside. 3) To change seat assignments, you must visit individual airline site after Upside reservation is completed.

The Test: San Francisco-New York City for two nights

United jets on the ramp at Newark Terminal C (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I tested Upside for a business trip I have to New York City in two weeks (Feb 1-3). I want to fly United to get my MileagePlus miles and premier access to economy plus seats, and I prefer to fly into Newark so I can take the train into the city and stay at a hotel near Penn Station.

On the United website, I was able to find flights departing SFO on Wednesday morning and returning Friday evening from Newark. The fare was a great deal– just $237 round trip.

For the hotel, I chose the new(ish) Best Western Premier Herald Square, where I’ve stayed many times before. Rooms are small but clean and quiet, and I love the location near the Empire State Building. Rates on BestWestern.com were equally good at about $100 per night. The total bill for two nights, including room and tax came out to $236.

So I’m looking at a total trip cost of just $473 booking on my own.

Now let’s take a look at Upside.

I was able to find the exact same United flights and Best Western hotel room. Upside’s price came in at $462.91, about the same as booking it on my own. BUT… I chose a $200 gift card from Whole Foods for booking via Upside. I’ll still earn my United Mileage Plus miles for the flight (but not PQMs). But I won’t get my Best Western Rewards points. Still, that $200 gift card makes booking this trip on Upside definitely worth it!

Another test: Atlanta to Los Angeles Feb 14-17 with a 3-night hotel stay in Hollywood.

Booking on Delta.com, we found convenient flights departing ATL in the morning, and returning from LAX in the late afternoon priced about $336 round trip. A room at the W hotel Hollywood booked on its website is $313 per night, and for three nights, to total bill including taxes is $1,120. So a total trip cost of $1,456.

Booking the same trip on Upside resulted in decent savings–plus a nice $222 gift card. However, to get the great deal, I’d have to fly on American (nonstop) and stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel instead of the W hotel for a total cost of $1,254.73- saving about $200.

Plus, I get a gift card good for $222. Done deal!

Take a spin through Upside and see what it can do for you… and report back your savings here!

Airport updates: Atlanta, JFK, Newark, Boston, Dulles, BWI

January 16, 2017

The CLEAR trusted traveler program is expanding to four more airports. (Image: CLEAR)

The CLEAR trusted traveler program is expanding to Atlanta (Image: CLEAR)

In recent airport news, Atlanta gets ready for Clear, and adds electric charging stations; Cathay Pacific relocates its operations at New York JFK; Boston Logan gets another passenger lounge; a vegetarian restaurant debuts at Newark; there’s a new place to gas up your returning rental car at Washington Dulles; and Baltimore/Washington opens a fitness center.

At Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, biometric ID firm Clear is expected to begin operations sometime in the next few weeks, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Delta, which holds an equity stake in Clear, has pledged to expand the service to more of its hub airports, and Atlanta is the biggest. The new Clear lane at ATL will be in the airport’s domestic terminal South, near the entrance to the TSA PreCheck line and close to the Delta check-in area. Clear members pay $179 a year (Delta offers discounted rates to SkyMiles members based on elite status) and can use Clear kiosks to gain expedited access to security checkpoints. Clear has not responded to our requests for more information about Clear lanes coming to LAX and JFK.

Meanwhile, ATL has also unveiled 102 new charging stations for electric vehicles. Scattered around the airport’s parking facilities, the chargers come in two versions: “Level 1 chargers are ideal for longer-term charges, while Level 2 chargers provide a full charge in less time,” the airport said. You can find a full list of charger locations here.

At New York JFK, Cathay Pacific has relocated operations from Terminal 7 to Terminal 8. The airline said the new location will mean “a more seamless travel experience” for customers making connections to or from its Oneworld partner American Airlines. Cathay noted that its first and business class passengers, as well as eligible Marco Polo Club members, will be able to take advantage of American’s premium lounges in T8, including an Admirals Club and a Flagship Lounge.

Newark’s new Thyme vegetarian restaurant in Terminal C. (Image: OTG Management)

Newark Liberty International Airport’s newest dining option is something you rarely if ever see at a major airport: a vegetarian restaurant. Called Thyme, the new facility in United’s Terminal C is overseen by chef Amanda Cohen, who operates a restaurant called Dirt Candy in New York City. Thyme offers a variety of all-vegetarian entrees, with ordering via iPad, as well as beverages that focus on fresh fruits, herbs and spices.

Airport Lounge Development has opened its second passenger lounge at Boston’s airport, The Club at Boston Logan in Terminal E. The company also operates a lounge in Terminal C at BOS. The new Terminal E lounge is open to anyone for a day pass price of $40, and at no charge to members of the Priority Pass, LoungeKey and Lounge Club programs, as well as premium passengers of participating airlines. Amenities include a bar, snacks, Wi-Fi, power plugs, TVs and various reading materials. This summer, the new Boston Logan Club is expected to add another 3,500 square feet with new restrooms, showers, seating for 67 more guests, enhanced food service, a productivity zone for business travelers and a relaxation zone with comfortable seating.

You can gas up and grab a bite at Dulles Airport’s huge new Sunoco station. (Image: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority)

Returning a rental car at Washington Dulles and you need to fill up the tank? Airport officials just cut the ribbon on a new Sunoco mega-gas station combined with a food and convenience store not far from the car rental lots. Located at 44950 Rudder Road on the way into the airport, the new facility has 28 fueling positions as well as an 8,600 square foot APlus convenience store that includes a Laredo Taco Company dining outlet and a Subway sandwich shop.

Got time for a quick workout at Baltimore/Washington International? A new ROAM Fitness facility has opened post-security in BWI’s new connector linking Concourses D and E. It has free weights, stretching areas, cardio equipment, yoga mats, a pull-up bar and other fitness amenities, including showers. Persons who aren’t carrying their own workout gear can rent it at the facility, including shoes. Admission cost $40 for a day pass, or $175 for a month.

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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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New East Coast-U.K. 737 flights for $69

December 29, 2016

A Boeing 737MAX in Norwegian livery. (Image: Boeing)

Norwegian Air, Europe’s fast-growing low-cost transatlantic airline, revealed plans to begin new service between New York State and Scotland next summer with fares as low as $69 one-way.

The Scotsman newspaper reported this week that the carrier plans to use its newly acquired Boeing 737MAX aircraft to launch super-low-cost flights linking Edinburgh with the New York area.

Norwegian will be getting six of the planes in April, and will start flying the new Edinburgh route a few months later, the newspaper said. The 737MAX is a next-generation, fuel-efficient model of the 737 that can fly longer distances than its predecessors.

Norwegian Air CEO Bjorn Kjos told the newspaper that the airline will cut costs on the new route even more by using “secondary airports” in New York for the service instead of JFK or Newark to take advantage of lower landing fees. (Although Norwegian’s base fares are very low, passengers are assessed separate fees for a wide variety of amenities and services.)

Kjos didn’t identify any airports, but The Times Herald-Record newspaper in upstate Middletown, N.Y. recently reported that Norwegian plans to start a significant amount of transatlantic service in 2017 – as many as 21 flights a week — from Stewart Airport to Scotland, Ireland, England and Norway with its new 737MAX aircraft.

Stewart Airport is in Newburgh, N.Y., a Hudson Valley town about 60 miles north of New York City. Despite the distance from the city, Stewart is controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

New York’s little Stewart Airport could get a lot busier next year. (Image: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey)

Norwegian is also said to be considering new transatlantic 737MAX routes out of Providence, R.I., or Portsmouth, N.H.

An official with New York State’s Orange County, where Stewart Airport is located, told the newspaper that discussions have started with bus lines to provide express service between the airport and New York City for Norwegian’s passengers, and that plans are under way to expand the airport’s Customs facilities. Officials suggested that a large Norwegian presence could lead U.S. carriers to operate more domestic service into the airport.

The airline already flies from New York JFK to London Gatwick with fares starting at around $150 each way, and recently announced plans to increase service next year on routes from Gatwick to New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando. The company also won U.S. approval recently for its new Irish subsidiary, which is expected to start flying to the U.S. East Coast from Cork and Shannon, Ireland in 2017.

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Routes: Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, Hainan, United, AA, Delta, Volaris

December 12, 2016

Air Canada will use regional jets like the Embraer 190 on new U.S. routes. (Image: Air Canada)

In international route news, Air Canada will add some new transborder routes next year; Virgin Atlantic will drop a key U.S.-London service; China’s Hainan Airlines applies for rights to two U.S. cities; United suspends two Europe routes this winter and one next summer; American goes all-787 on a London route; Volaris adds two U.S.-Mexico routes and Delta drops one.

Air Canada said it plans to add or expand half a dozen U.S. routes next spring, using regional jets on all of them. On May 1, the airline will begin new daily service from Toronto to San Antonio and Memphis, and its Vancouver to Phoenix service will be expanded from seasonal to year-round. On the same date, Air Canada will start seasonal Toronto-Savannah, Ga., flights for the summer, operating six times a week through October 15. On May 18, Air Canada will begin twice-daily flights between Vancouver and Denver, and on May 26 it will add daily flights between Montreal and Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Virgin Atlantic’s summer Chicago-London Heathrow flights, which last year operated from mid-May through mid-October, will not resume in 2017, according to Routesonline.com. Virgin said suspension of the Chicago flights will allow it to add a third daily Los Angeles-London flight, as previously announced.

Don’t miss! Transcon fares plunge to around $200 round trip

Hainan wants to add 787 flights from Chengdu to LAX and New York. (Photo: San Jose Airport)

What’s the big attraction of Chengdu, in central China’s Sichuan province? For one thing, it has a population exceeding 10 million. China’s Hainan Airlines has asked the U.S. Transportation Department for rights to fly to Chengdu twice a week from Los Angeles in the first quarter of 2017, and three times a week from New York in the second quarter, using 787s on both routes. It already has the approval of China’s government. Chengdu is already served by United from San Francisco, by China Eastern from LAX via Nanjing and Sichuan Airlines from LACX via Hangzhou.

United Airlines plans a temporary suspension of two routes to Germany this winter, according to Routesonline.com. United will drop its four weekly Newark-Hamburg 767 flights from January 9 through May 4, and its five weekly Houston-Munich 767 roundtrips from January 10 through April 3. And next summer, United has reportedly decided not to offer previously planned seasonal daily 757 flights between Newark and Oslo, which had been scheduled to operate from May 5 to September 5.

The main cabin on an America Airlines 787. (Image: American)

American Airlines, which currently uses 767s and 777s on its Chicago O’Hare-London Heathrow route, reportedly plans to change over to all 787-8 Dreamliners for those flights beginning March 5. The airline’s three daily ORD-LHR flights will be supplemented with a fourth daily 787 roundtrip for the summer starting April 4. AA also will replace its daily 767-300ER flight from O’Hare to Dublin with a 787-8 from July 5 through October 4.

Delta’s daily Los Angeles-Guadalajara 737-800 flight is due to be discontinued February 1. But Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris continues to expand transborder service. This month, it started daily A320 roundtrips from Monterrey to Denver, and in March it is due to launch twice-weekly service from Guadalajara to Milwaukee.

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Deal: Transcon fares plunge to near $200 roundtrip

December 12, 2016

Sunset at the Golden Gate Bridge (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

If you have cross-country flying in your future, now’s the time to book your winter flights. Today nearly all airlines are heavily discounting transcon flights between New York and California, California and Florida, California and Atlanta, Seattle and New York or Boston.

What’s nice is that these these fares apply to nearly all flights from January through March– and all major carriers are participating. And what’s unusual is the time frame of this sale– these fares are good all the way into March, which means they’ll apply during the busy and expensive Spring Break period, too.

Anytime we see fares below $300 for transcontinental flights, we know that we have a very good deal on our hands. Now’s the time to book if you have business on either of the coasts, or would like to visit Florida for some mid-winter sun!

A few examples of great deals on transcon nonstops:>

>SFO/LAX-Miami or Ft Lauderdale: $275-$295 roundtrip (all) UPDATE: $217 roundtrip on AA, UA (!)

>LAX-Atlanta: $215 roundtrip (including American)

>Seattle-Boston: $217 roundtrip (Delta)

>SFO-New York/Newark: $237 roundtrip (all)

>LAX-New York: $257 roundtrip (all)

>Seattle-New York: $267 roundtrip (Delta, JetBlue)

>San Jose-Boston $277 (JetBlue)

>SFO-Atlanta: $276 roundtrip (Delta, United)

TravelSkills researchers found all these fares on Google Flights & verified them on airline websites on Monday December 12- they are subject to change.

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Fare sale to Asia from Cathay Pacific, Singapore Air

November 16, 2016

Singapore Air and Cathay offering some great deals for travel next year (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Two big Asian airlines launched a good fare sale this week. These deals are good from several US gateways to cities all over Asia. So if you’ve been sitting on the fence about going, now would be a good time to bite.

How do we know this is a good sale? Well, any time you see transpacific fares in the $600-$700 range, you know you’ve got a good deal on your hands. We’ve seen fares as low as $500 roundtrip on other Asian carriers, but it’s rare to see them go this low on two of Asia’s premier airlines. Plus, the window for travel is very wide for this sale.

Let’s take a look at the Cathay Pacific sale first.

Sale fares are best for economy and premium economy

The Black Friday Sale runs from now through November 30th with fares running at about 30% off in economy and 35% – 40% off in business. What’s best about this sale is its breadth. It’s good from all US gateways to 55 Asian cities. And the window for travel is super long, running from December 25 through May 23, 2017, and then again from August 15 through November 26.

Economy ares from SFO and LAX are just $651. What’s remarkable here is that fares from Chicago and New York are only about $30 more, starting at $685. From Boston, the lowest sale fares are $725.

Premium economy, which is a really nice seat and exclusive section on Cathay is going for about $1300-$1400.

Business class is $4,340 from all US cities.

Details on Cathay Pacific sale here.

Next up is the Singapore Airlines sale:

Lowest economy fares start as low as $675 on Singapore.

Lowest economy fares start as low as $675 to cities throughout Asia on Singapore.

Singapore Airlines’ sale fares are slightly higher coming in starting at $675 from including Los Angeles and San Francisco and $699 from New York and Houston. Restrictions are a bit more cumbersome here, too.

Singapore’s new Premium Economy fares to Singapore are $1,325 departing San Francisco and Los Angeles, and from $1,399 from JFK for travel to Singapore and select Southeast Asian destinations.

Regrettably this sale does not include Singapore’s new nonstops between SFO and Singapore (flights SQ31 and SQ32). To get the sale fares, SFO flyers must transit Hong Kong first.

Flights must be booked between November 14-28, 2016 for travel January 10-September 30, 2017. Fares are applicable for midweek travel Sunday through Thursday, and a $100 surcharge for weekend travel (Friday/Saturday) in Economy and Premium Economy Class. Blackout period for Economy Class is June 16-July 9, 2017 with a $100 surcharge for travel from July 10, 2016-August 14, 2017.

Details on Singapore Airlines sale here

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CLEAR lanes coming to ATL, LAX, NYC

November 15, 2016

The CLEAR trusted traveler program is expanding to four more airports. (Image: CLEAR)

CLEAR, the members-only organization that lets you bypass those long security lines and go right into screening, will soon be available in four more major airports.

In an email to members, company said that it plans to open new CLEAR lanes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Los Angeles International, New York LaGuardia and New York JFK. It did not say exactly when it would appear in those airports – just that “We will be sharing launch dates in the coming weeks.” What’s also not clear (couldn’t help myself!) is whether CLEAR will only operate at Delta terminals at LAX and NYC or if it will be in multiple terminals as at SFO.

CLEAR already has airport lanes at Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston Bush Intercontinental, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and both Washington D.C. airports. You can look up exact CLEAR locations here.

CLEAR’s new logo

Earlier this year, Delta acquired an equity stake in CLEAR, and since then the company has been expected to open new facilities at the carrier’s primary airports – and the four new ones certainly fill that bill.

Standard membership in CLEAR costs $179 a year, but Delta’s involvement in the company has brought discounts for SkyMiles members based on their elite status. Membership is free for Diamond Medallions, and just $79 a year for Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallions. Non-elite SkyMiles members are eligible for a $99 CLEAR annual membership.

CLEAR gives members biometric-based IDs that let them access priority lanes for security screening. That gets them quickly into the regular screening process — or even into PreCheck for eligible flights, if they are a member of that TSA trusted traveler program. With regular PreCheck lines getting longer at some airports as TSA continues to push for greatly expanded traveler participation in that program, CLEAR might be a better way to go if it’s available at your preferred airports. (It’s definitely save me a few hundred dollars in flight change fees when I’ve been late to the airport, or been surprised by super-long lines.)

Have you used CLEAR or do you plan to now that it’s hitting critical mass in terms of key airports? Please leave your comments below.

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Delta dives into deal with Aeromexico

November 8, 2016

Aeromexico jets load up a Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport (Chris McGinnis)

Aeromexico jets load up a Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

For Delta flyers, a new deal with Aeromexico means it could get a lot easier to earn and burn SkyMiles for transborder trips- but such deals also limit competition, which could lead to higher fares.

The Transportation Department gave its tentative approval to a grant of antitrust immunity for a joint venture between Delta and Aeromexico – subject to certain conditions. Final approval of the application would mean that the two airlines can “coordinate their network planning, pricing, and sales activities, as well as enhance the alignment of their respective frequent flyer programs,” DOT said.

Delta has a similar joint venture across the Atlantic with Air France, KLM and Alitalia.

But in order for Delta and Aeromexico to win final approval, the agency said they would have to sell off enough takeoff and landing slots to accommodate 24 new daily transborder flights from Mexico City and six from New York JFK.

“The Department tentatively finds these conditions are necessary to prevent harm to consumers resulting from the carriers’ dominant positions at MEX and JFK, and the inability of new entrant carriers to access slots at the airports,” DOT said. The agency also said it wants to limit the grant of antitrust immunity to five years. DOT said it would issue a final ruling after a comment period that runs through November 30.

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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.

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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.

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Airport news: LaGuardia, Atlanta, Heathrow, Chicago Midway, Nashville

September 12, 2016

Construction of a new, grander LaGuardia Airport is causing headaches for travelers. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

In the latest airport developments, construction at LaGuardia is causing headaches for travelers; Delta consolidates its operations at London Heathrow; Atlanta’s new tunnel, Chicago Midway makes life easier for international travelers; and big upgrades are coming to Nashville.

Construction has finally started on the massive reconstruction of New York’s LaGuardia Airport – a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year effort – and The New York Times is reporting that it is not going smoothly. It said that the beginning of construction has led to massive traffic tie-ups for vehicles approaching the terminals, with travelers sometimes abandoning their rides and walking through the traffic jams to make it to the terminals. Travelers are being advised to plan on arriving at the airport at least two and a half hours before their scheduled departure time. “Such traffic debacles have become so common that seasoned fliers and travel bloggers have recommended avoiding LaGuardia altogether, perhaps for years to come,” the newspaper said.

Delta is moving all its London Heathrow departures to Terminal 3. (Image: Heathrow Airport)

Delta is making a big move at London Heathrow on September 14, consolidating all of its departures in Terminal 3. Delta flights to Boston, JFK and Seattle already fly out of T3; joining them on the 14^th will be flights to Atlanta, Philadelphia, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City, which now depart from Terminal 4. Delta said it is making the move so that its own flights and those of its joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic are all under the same roof. However, Terminal 4 remains the base of operations at Heathrow for Delta’s SkyTeam global alliance partners.

A dramatic new canopy and a new tunnel are part of Atlanta Airports $6 billion in improvements (Photo: ATL)

Atlanta airport officials have announced that a new “plane train” project will extend the airport’s underground train line west from its current endpoint under the main domestic terminal to the ground transportation/car rental train/MARTA station area. It will involve construction of a 600-foot tunnel, plus evacuation stairways and other equipment. Earlier this year, the airport announced $6 billion in upgrades over the next two decades, including eye-catching, translucent canopies outside the domestic terminal.

Citing a big increase in routes to Canada and Mexico from Midway Airport in recent years, the Chicago Department of Aviation said it has upgraded and expanded the availability of self-service Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks at the airport. Besides increasing the number of kiosks from six to 10, the devices have been enhanced with fingerprint readers, light bars and more language options. The Midway APC kiosks can be used by Canadian as well as U.S. passport holders. Midway’s Federal Inspection Service area has also added a Global Entry kiosk for members of Customs & Border Protection’s trusted traveler program.

Nashville Airport will spend $1 billion on terminal expansion and other improvements. (Image: Nashville Airport Authority)

Nashville Airport will spend $1 billion on terminal expansion and other improvements. (Image: Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority)

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has taken the wraps off a billion-dollar capital improvements program for the Tennessee airport. The project – estimated to take five to seven years to complete – includes construction of a new parking garage and an International Arrivals Building, both due for completion by 2018; expansion of the ticketing and baggage claim areas; adding more gates and passenger concessions to Concourses B and D; and building a spacious central entrance hall to be called the Grand Ole Lobby. The long-term plan also envisions the eventual construction of a 200 to 300-room hotel at the airport, and the addition of a “multi-modal connector to link BNA to a future Nashville transit system.”

Don’t miss out on these popular TravelSkills posts! Shocked passenger refuses to pay $3 for water | More Delta SkyMiles for Asian trips | Tips from a Hawaiian Vacation | JetBlue-Delta slugfest means lower fares | Test your planespotting skills! )

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Exciting new hotels: New York, Chicago, Washington, Minneapolis, Denver

September 10, 2016

A central atrium is a highlight of the new Beekman Hotel in New York City. (Image: Thompson Hotels)

Recent hotel openings in key business destinations include a pair of properties in lower Manhattan; an addition to the Kimpton family in downtown Chicago; a dual-branded Hilton in Washington D.C.; an all-suite Hilton affiliate in Minneapolis; and an independent property in Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood.

The upscale Thompson Hotels group has cut the ribbon on a new Manhattan property called The Beekman, located near the intersection of Beekman and Nassau streets in lower Manhattan, a block from City Hall Park and near the western approach to the Brooklyn Bridge. The project required a three-year overhaul and restoration of a landmark building dating back to 1883, characterized by a vast skylight-topped central atrium that has been preserved right down to its cast-iron railings. As a hotel, it has 287 guest rooms, including 45 suites – two of them with access to the rooftop. Rooms start at 285 square feet. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Fowler & Wells, is from celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, and renowned New York restaurateur Keith McNally is behind the hotel’s brasserie restaurant called Augustine. Rates start at $439.

Compact guest rooms are characteristic of the new Arlo in lower Manhattan. (Image: Arlo Hotels)

Compact guest rooms are characteristic of the new Arlo Hudson Square Hotel in lower Manhattan. (Image: Arlo Hotels)

Also new in Manhattan is the 325-room Arlo Hudson Square Hotel at 231 Hudson Street, just west of SoHo and just north of Canal Street. Arlo Hotels calls the property a four-star “micro-hotel,” which means it has guest rooms that average a mere 160 square feet, featuring “warm, high-touch materials and clever elements like fold-down desks and closets with adjustable hanging pegs,” the company said. It has a mod décor, lobby bar and restaurant, and a rooftop bar with views of the Hudson River. There’s also a public space called The Library that “evolves from a co-working space during the day into an area of fun in the evening, complete with a vast selection of vintage board games, throwback movies, and cocktail service from the Lobby Bar.” Opening rates start at $199. Another new Arlo is due to open on East 31^st Street later this fall.

The Vol. 39 lobby bar at the new Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago. (Image: Kimpton Hotels)

In downtown Chicago, InterContinental’s Kimpton Hotels unit has cut the ribbon on The Kimpton Gray Hotel, a makeover of the historic New York Life Insurance Building in the financial district at 122 West Monroe Street, built in 1894. Grand opening rates start as low as $168 on weekends. The 293-room Gray retains Art Deco details in its interior as well as its gray granite exterior, but with all the modern amenities. Kimpton’s fifth Chicago location, the Gray has a 15^th-floor rooftop bar with cocktails and small plates of South American cuisine; a lobby bar called Vol. 39; and a New American restaurant called Steadfast.

Hilton’s new dual-branded Washington D.C. hotel is near Union Station. (Image: Hilton)

Hilton has expanded its presence in Washington D.C. with the opening of a 239-room dual-branded Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites property at 501 New York Avenue NE. Called the Hampton Inn by Hilton Washington D.C. NoMa Union Station and the Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington D.C. NoMa Union Station, the hotels are near the Metro’s Red Line at NoMa-Gallaudet U Station, not far from the U.S. Capitol. The hotels have separate lobbies and check-in desks but share a fitness center and pool as well as free Wi-Fi. The extended-stay Homewood Suites offers studio and one-bedroom units with full kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas, and both offer free hot breakfasts. HHonors advance purchase rates start at $161 at the Hampton Inn and $149 at the Homewood Suites.

Downtown Minneapolis is home to a new Embassy Suites from Hilton. (Image: Hilton)

What was once the Plymouth Building, an historic Beaux Arts structure in downtown Minneapolis at 12 Sixth Street South, is now the Embassy Suites by Hilton Minneapolis Downtown. The 290-unit all-suite property is linked to the city’s Skyway system and close to the Minneapolis Convention Center. Guests get free Wi-Fi, hot breakfasts and evening reception with snacks and drinks, and two-room suites have 49-inch TVs, walk-in showers, microwaves, mini-fridges and desks with ergonomic chairs. The hotel also has 12,600 square feet of meeting space in 10 rooms; a lobby bar with morning coffee service; and Lyon’s Pub, with beer on tap and bar food, as well as a fitness center and heated indoor pool. HHonors advance purchase discount rates start at $199.

The independent Halcyon Hotel is in Denver’s Cherry Creek North district. (Image: Halcyon)

Newly opened in Denver is a 154-room independent hotel called Halcyon, located in the Cherry Creek North retail/commercial district southeast of downtown. It’s the first newly built hotel in the neighborhood in 13 years. The luxury property offers guests e-bikes and Vespas to get around the neighborhood and the city, and has a program called Gear Garage that “allows guests to dive into the destination of Denver through hands-on learning of various skills and immersive adventures on a complimentary basis.” Like so many new urban hotels, Halcyon has a rooftop bar and pool. The Halcyon has a fitness center, and it offers Asian cuisine at a restaurant called Departure; it will soon open an Italian restaurant as well. Rates begin at $299.

(We’re back from summer vacation! In case you missed our other recent round-up posts, here they are: Domestic Routes Roundup | Tips from a Hawaiian Vacation | August’s most important travel news)

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Routes: LAX-Paris for $446 + Atlanta, San Francisco, Dallas, New York

July 28, 2016

Norwegian started new 787 flights from LAX and New York to Paris. (Image: Norwegian)

In international route news, a low-cost airline launches a pair of new transatlantic routes; Delta will beef up Atlanta-London service; San Francisco attracts a Mexican airline; and Emirates and Etihad reshuffle their U.S. A380 plans.

European low-cost specialist Norwegian this week kicks off its newest transatlantic routes, beginning service to Paris Charles de Gaulle from New York and Los Angeles with two-class 787s. The carrier’s schedule calls for twice-weekly flights from LAX and four flights a week from New York JFK. When we checked Norwegian’s website, we found low-season (i.e. December) roundtrip no-frills fares as low as $446 from Los Angeles and $396 from New York. This comes on the heels of Air France warning about its concerns about France as a destination.

According to Routesonline.com, Delta will adjust its Atlanta-London schedule next spring along with partner Virgin Atlantic. Effective May 25, Delta is due to restore a third daily ATL-London departure, while Virgin will scale back from two flights a day to one. Meanwhile, Delta is also planning to end its seasonal Pittsburgh-Paris CDG service at the end of September, a month earlier than previously planned. The carrier will cut back frequencies in early September from daily departures to five a week.

Mexico’s Volaris will start San Francisco-Mexico City flights this fall. (Image: Volaris)

Mexican low-cost airline Volaris will introduce a new route linking San Francisco with Mexico City starting October 10. The carrier plans to operate four flights a week on the route, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with one-way fares starting at just $125. It’s a trip for night owls, however: The southbound flights are scheduled to arrive in Mexico City at 2:29 a.m.

A schedule update posted by Emirates for its Dallas/Ft. Worth-Dubai route says that the carrier will not put an Airbus A380 super-jumbo back onto the route September 1 as previously planned, but instead will keep operating it with a 777-300ER. Meanwhile, Etihad next spring is planning to go all-A380 on its Abu Dhabi-New York route after June 1, 2017. The carrier will use the super-jumbos on both of its daily JFK flights after that date; currently, one of the two uses a 777-300ER.

Related: How Emirates welcomes a new A380. Wow!

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers | First class phase out coming soon

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Surf Air: All-you-can-fly in Europe for $3,250

July 9, 2016

Although it uses Pilatus turboprops for intra-California flights, Surf Air says it will use executive jets like this one for its new European division. (Image: Surf Air)

Aviation entrepreneurs in the U.S. have been trying different models like all-you-can-fly, pay-per-seat and so on to try to bring more business travelers onto smaller business jets. And now that effort is setting its sights on Europe.

California-based Surf Air is going to see how its all-you-can-fly membership club model goes over in Europe. It plans to launch operations there in October, charging a monthly fee of 2,500 pounds (about $3,238) for unlimited executive jet flying between London’s Luton Airport and European destinations like Cannes, Geneva and Zurich, with more destinations to be added next year, including Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris and Barcelona. See its new European website here.

Surf Air said its expansion to Europe “is a sign of the success Surf Air’s disruptive travel model has brought to the industry.” The company said that in the U.S., it now claims 3,000 members and it operates up to 90 daily flights to 13 destinations in or near California.

Will there be reciprocal benefits for Surf Air members in California and Europe? Here’s what a spokesperson told TravelSkills: “Founding Members will be able to use Surf Air services in the US as part of their European subscription. US Members and guests will have the ability to purchase guest passes for £750 one-way when flying Surf Air in Europe.”

Recent: New JetSuiteX option between Bay Area and LA now flying

Bliss Jet will use 14-passenger aircraft for flights from suburban New York to London. (Image: Bliss Jet)

For the transatlantic market, a company called Bliss Jet, based in Westchester, N.Y., recently started promoting individually-ticketed private jet flights between New York and London. The flights, due to start in September, will operate between Westchester County Airport in New York and London’s Biggin Hill Airport, located in southeast London 12 miles from the heart of town.

Flights will use 14-passenger jets operating on “business week” schedule, with Sunday night departures from Westchester and Friday afternoon returns from London. The company said that to maximize passenger comfort, it will “limit seat sales well below the maximum aircraft’s capacity.” They’ll operate as public charters flown by Jet Access Aviation. And the cost? A cool $11,995 – one-way.

Hmmm. That compares to British Airways’ daily all-business-class, 32-seat A319 nonstop between New York JFK and London City airport at about $5,000 roundtrip. Which one would you take?

Have you flown private… or at least semi-private yet? Please leave your comments below!

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Airport briefs: LaGuardia, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Atlanta

June 18, 2016

LaGuardia’s new Central Terminal design. (Image: Global Gateway Alliance)

In airport news, work has finally started on the big reconstruction of New York LaGuardia; a bunch of new retail options are coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor; Customs starts testing facial recognition at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson; and Minneapolis-St. Paul launches a five-year renovation project.

That huge reconstruction of New York LaGuardia finally got started this month, so travelers should expect to see some changes and some blocked-off areas there. The initial phase involves demolishing parts of the airport’s main terminal – but the work should cover only a few gates at a time, because the facility will remain open and operating all through the $4 billion project, officials said. Passengers should start to see new gate areas in the rebuilt terminal in about two years. The overall effort includes building a new central hall for the airport, and moving the new unified terminal 200 yards closer to the Grand Central Parkway, creating more space for airfield operations.

As of this week, it’s legal to grab a ride from Uber or Lyft at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport for a ride into town. Up until now, only drop offs were allowed. Also, Phoenix City Council this week approved a raft of new retail contracts for Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor International Airport, and travelers should start to see concessions opening in the weeks and months to come. You don’t see many shoe stores at airports, but one of the new PHX concessions is a Johnson & Murphy outlet. Other new retailers include a Brooks Brothers clothing store; Fire CZ and Uno de 50 jewelry stores; an Arizona Highways gift shop; an iStore that sells headphones, tablets and other tech items from Apple, Bose and Sony; a pair of XpresSpa locations; and a store that sells locally made art items. You can see a full list of new retail outlets here.

Customs and Border Protection has started testing new facial comparison technology at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. From now through September, passengers on Delta’s daily Tokyo flight will serve as test subjects, having a digital photo taken when they show their boarding pass before boarding. It’s all part of a longer-term Homeland Security project mandated by Congress that requires the collection of biometric data to track the comings and goings of non-U.S. citizens. Data on travelers with U.S. passports will be deleted once their identity is confirmed, the newspaper said.

Don’t miss! 7 reasons to take the train instead of the plane

Rendering of the renovated baggage area at MSP’s Terminal 1. (Image: Minneapolis Airports Commission)

At 54 years of age, Minneapolis-St. Paul International’s Terminal 1 – the Lindbergh Terminal – is due for a facelift, and the city’s airport commission has signed off on a five-year renovation project that will make the terminal’s ticketing and baggage claim areas more spacious, with more natural light, and more efficient operations. Work on the $200 million rehab has just started on the north end of the terminal, where the first phase involves installing new escalators and elevators. After 18 months of work on that side of the terminal, work will shift to the south side.

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Routes: LAX, SFO, Seattle, San Diego, Boston, New York, Atlanta + more

June 16, 2016

SFO’s latest arrival from the exotic South Seas! (Photo: Peter Biaggo/SFO)

In international route news, American next week adds new transpacific flights from Los Angeles; Swiss brings its fancy new 777 to the Los Angeles-Zurich route, while Emirates doubles down on LAX service with a big sports sponsorship; San Francisco gets a new route to the South Pacific; Germany’s Condor Airlines unveils some new U.S. routes, including Seattle and San Diego; TAP Air Portugal adds two U.S. gateways with upgraded aircraft; Delta trims service to a South American city from Atlanta; and two U.S. airlines start selling tickets for scheduled service to Cuba.

American Airlines next week will kick off its newest transpacific route: On June 23 it will start flying a 787-8 Dreamliner between Los Angeles International and Auckland, New Zealand as part of its growing joint venture partnership with Qantas, ending Air New Zealand’s non-stop monopoly on that route. The aircraft’s business class offers personal suites with 77-inch lie-flat seat-beds, direct aisle access for every seat, and a walk-up bar stocked with drinks and snacks. The economy cabin offers a Main Cabin Extra seating option with five extra inches of legroom, and both cabins have Wi-Fi and AC/USB ports at every seat.

Also at Los Angeles International, Swiss has started flying the LAX-Zurich route with its new 777-300ERs, the flagships of its international long-haul fleet. The aircraft boasts redesigned and upgraded interiors with first, business and economy class. Take a look here at some photos of the plane that we ran last year when the carrier introduced them. Swiss had planned to start flying the 777-300ER to San Francisco in August, but as we reported last month, that introduction has been postponed until February 2017.

Emirates flight attendants visited Dodger Stadium to promote the airline’s expanded LAX service. (Image: Emirates)

Meanwhile, Emirates is due to lay on a second daily A380 flight starting July 1 between Los Angeles and Dubai, and it is counting on a new sponsorship deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers to draw attention to the airline in that big market. The airline even brought some of its flight attendants onto the field during a recent game at Dodger Stadium to promote the tie-in.

At San Francisco International, Fiji Airways this week kicked off seasonal service to Nadi, Fiji, using a two-class A330 for the 10-hour flight. It will operate twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, through mid-August, then will resume from mid-December through mid-January.

Germany’s Condor Airlines, a leisure-oriented carrier that belongs to the Thomas Cook Group, plans to add some U.S. routes in 2017, including the only non-stops between Seattle and Munich. That route will begin in July 2017 with twice-weekly service. Condor already flies between Seattle and Frankfurt, and recently extended that to year-round service. Also in Condor’s 2017 plans: twice-weekly seasonal flights between Frankfurt and New Orleans from May through September; three flights week starting May 1 between Frankfurt-San Diego; and twice-weekly service beginning May 2 between Munich and Las Vegas.

TAP Portugal is using upgraded A330s on new Boston and New York routes. (Image: Airbus)

TAP Portugal just started new daily service between Lisbon and Boston Logan, and will add daily Lisbon-New York JFK service July 1. Both routes are using A330s that feature TAP’s new executive class cabin with lie-flat seats. The aircraft also features a new, advanced in-flight entertainment system; and the economy cabin has two kinds of seating, offering 34-inch and 31-inch pitch. The airline already serves Newark and Miami from Lisbon.

At its Atlanta hub, Delta on August 30 will reduce service to Medellin, Colombia, cutting back from the current daily frequencies to just three a week. Delta uses a 737-700 on the route.

Following the Transportation Department’s recent award of Cuba route rights (except Havana) to U.S. carriers for regular scheduled service, some of them have started selling tickets to the island nation. American will start flying once or twice a day from Miami to Cienfuegos and Holguin on September 7; from Miami to Camaguey and Santa Clara September 9; and from Miami to Varadero September 11. Silver Airways will start service September 1 from Ft. Lauderdale to Santa Clara, followed by flights out of Ft. Lauderdale to Camaguey, Cienfuegos and Holguin in October; to Santiago and Cayo Coco in November; and to Varadero, Cayo Largo and Manzanillo in December.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s newest, longest flight + Tipping Uber drivers + Qantas 747 Trip Report + Confusion over PreCheck policies + No-fee earlier flights

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New solutions emerge for TSA airport security mess

May 13, 2016

A shortage of TSA inspectors is contributing to long lines. (Image: TSA)

The Transportation Security Administration has been warning travelers to expect extra-long lines at airport security checkpoints during the busy summer travel season. The agency has announced some steps it is taking to alleviate the problem, but other stakeholders in the industry are groping for solutions to the problem as well.

TSA got some good news this week as Congress approved the agency’s request to let it shift funds around among its accounts, freeing up $34 million that can be used to pay overtime for its airport officers, and also allowing it to hire another 768 new inspectors. It remains to be seen, though, how much this might help with the problem of long lines this summer.

One proposal that’s getting the most attention is one that’s least likely to happen. Two Democratic Senators – Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut – have asked U.S. airlines to eliminate their checked bag fees for the summer. The thinking is that if travelers can check bags for free, they won’t haul so many overstuffed carry-ons through the security checkpoints, backing up the lines. Even if that might work, there’s no reason to believe that airlines are going to give up one of their most lucrative revenue streams just because a couple of politicians asked them to.

Delta is taking a more pragmatic approach. The airline said this week it will assign some of its airport employees to take over non-security-related tasks at checkpoints to free up TSA inspectors for actual inspections. That includes things like managing lines and returning plastic bins from one side of the checkpoint to the other. The airline will also lend expertise “from industrial engineers and other areas” to make recommendations on redesigning checkpoints for a more efficient flow of travelers, the company said.

Baggage fees mean more overstuffed carry-ons and thus longer TSA lines. (Image: Jim Glab)

Speaking of checkpoint redesigns, officials at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are hoping for a May 24 debut of an overhauled south security checkpoint, which has been closed for a few weeks for reconstruction. Two new lanes there will each have five stations where five passengers can simultaneously put their belongings into plastic bins for screening. The conveyor belts are automated so passengers don’t have to linger to push their bins into the scanner. And RFID tags on each bin will allow a TSA screener to shuttle suspect bins off to a separate line where an officer can manually inspect the items in them. There’s also a lower-level conveyor belt that automatically returns plastic bins back to the other side of the inspection station so that TSA agents don’t have to haul them there manually.

Some stakeholders want to give up on TSA altogether. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey – which operates LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports — has become the largest airport authority thus far to tell TSA it is thinking of going private with its security inspections, replacing TSA staff with contractors of its own choosing. A similar idea has already been expressed by the Seattle and Atlanta airports. In a letter to TSA, the Port Authority said it can “no longer tolerate the continuing inadequacy of TSA passenger screening services.” It cited statistics showing that waiting times this spring at its airports were almost twice as long as last year.

The airline industry started a social media campaign to complain about long security lines. (Image: Airlines for America)

Meanwhile, the airline industry, as represented by its trade organization Airlines for America, has launched a social media campaign called “I Hate the Wait.” At that site, travelers who are waiting in long security lines at the airport can click on pre-set buttons to send a Tweet to TSA customer service (@AskTSA) with the tag #ihatethewait or to post a photo of their waiting line on Instagram and tag it @TSA. “Help improve efficiency by sharing your security line experience with the TSA,” A4A says – although it seems like this program is designed more to harass the agency than to bring about real efficiencies.

TSA has suggested that the best way travelers can help alleviate the long lines is by joining the PreCheck program (or Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry, which includes PreCheck privileges). It has also put part of the blame on Congress for cutting back its budget, leading to a reduction in the number of agents available for front-line inspections.

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Routes: Virgin America, JetBlue, Delta, Surf Air, Sun Country

May 6, 2016

Virgin America has started flying to Hawaii from Los Angeles. (Image: Virgin America)

In domestic route news, Virgin America kicks off a new Hawaii service, JetBlue will jump into a busy Northeast Corridor market, California’s Surf Air has a new pricing option, Delta adds a route from Washington D.C., and Sun Country Airlines comes to Denver.

Virgin America Airlines continued its expansion in the Hawaii market by launching new daily non-stops this week from Los Angeles International to Honolulu. It will add more new Hawaii service next month, with plans to start flying from LAX to Kahului Airport on Maui as of June 14. The carrier already flies from San Francisco to both destinations in Hawaii. To promote the new Los Angeles routes, Virgin has launched a Hawaiiscape sweepstakes for Elevate members, offering free flights, hotel stays and 50,000 Elevate points. Members who enter at www.MakeYourHawaiiscape.com by May 27 will get 250 Elevate points.

JetBlue is planning to start flying this fall between New York LaGuardia and Boston Logan, a market thoroughly dominated by Delta and American. The carrier set an October 31 start for the service, which will offer six flights a day on weekdays between LGA and BOS, with lighter schedules on weekends. That will give JetBlue customers the option of flying to Boston from any of New York’s three airports. JetBlue said it will also take advantage of the FAA’s decision to open up slot controls at Newark Airport by adding more frequencies this fall from Newark to Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Ft. Myers. Meanwhile, JetBlue this week added Nashville to its route map, launching two daily roundtrips from there to Boston and one to Ft. Lauderdale.

Surf Air offers private aircraft flights around California. (Image: Surf Air)

Surf Air, which promotes itself to California travelers as an “all-you-can-fly private air travel club,” is offering a new lower-priced membership option through the end of this month with no initiation fee. The new Explorer Membership is priced at $850 per month, with a minimum three-month commitment. It includes one monthly roundtrip flight to any Surf Air destination. A regular membership starts at $1,950 a month. The company operates executive private aircraft around an intrastate network that includes airports in the Bay Area, metro Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Truckee/Tahoe, Napa, Monterey, Sacramento, Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

Delta Air Lines plans an August 1 start for new Delta Connection service between Washington Reagan National and Raleigh, according to Airlineroute.net. The carrier will offer four flights a day on the route, using CRJ900s operated by GoJet Airlines.

Sun Country Airlines, a niche carrier based at Minneapolis/St. Paul International, this week kicked off new service between Denver and MSP. The carrier operates one daily roundtrip in the market, offering Denver-originating passengers eastbound connections to Boston, Washington D.C. and New York JFK.

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CLEAR expands to Delta hubs; Diamonds get it free

April 29, 2016

Alaska Airlines is working with CLEAR to replace boarding passes with biometrics. (Image: CLEAR)

Delta will provide CLEAR for free to a lucky few elites (Image: CLEAR)

Today Delta and CLEAR announced a partnership to bring the expedited security lanes to “more airports across the country.” The company’s biometric service will be offered free of charge to SkyMiles Diamond members while Delta elites will get “preferential pricing.”

Given all the grave warnings about extra long security lines at airports this summer due to TSA staffing issues, the announcement is well-timed.

The announcement also states that Delta and CLEAR plan to expand security line access points to Delta’s U.S. hub airports. While neither company is commenting on specifics today, I assume that this means that those special fast lanes will soon be in New York airports (JFK and La Guardia). This would be a coup for the company which has had difficulty achieving the critical mass of airports necessary to make the service worth its $179 annual fee.

Currently, the service is available at only 13 airports, but few Delta hubs such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Detroit or Minneapolis.

Related: CLEAR is now cardless

Airports that currently have CLEAR lanes

The AJC reports that Delta is also buying a 5% stake in the company.

“Our customers tell us their time is valuable, as is having a consistent, enjoyable airport experience with reduced hassle,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s incoming CEO. “We look forward to what this partnership will bring to our customers.”

CLEAR currently operates at San Francisco, San Jose, Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth,Houston Bush, Houston Hobby, San Antonio, Austin, Orlando, Miami, Las Vegas, Baltimore-Washington, and Westchester County Airport in New York. Additionally, its biometric service can be found at Yankee Stadium in New York, Coors Field in Denver, Marlins Park in Miami and AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Sooo whaddya think? Have you used CLEAR in the past? If Delta can get the service into its hubs, would you be willing to pay for it? Please leave your comments below.

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All Etihad, all the time, at SFO, JFK

April 26, 2016

Etihad’s shiny new B777 replaces leased Jet Airways planes this week (Photo: Peter Biaggi / SFO)

Ever since it started flying to San Francisco from its Abu Dhabi home base more than a year ago, Etihad Airways has been using a 777 leased from India’s Jet Airways on the route instead of one of its own planes.

Instead of seeing the aircraft pictured above, Etihad customers saw this when they arrived at the airport:

Etihad uses a Jet Airways 777 on its new SFO-Abu Dhabi run (Photo: Aero Icarus / Flickr)

Etihad used a Jet Airways 777 on its SFO-Abu Dhabi run for over a year (Photo: Aero Icarus / Flickr)

The move lead to snickers that the service should be called “Jetihad” instead.

But those snickers will soon turn into smiles: Effective this week, Etihad will replace the Jet Airways plane used on SFO-AUH with the real deal: Its own 777-200LR.

It has also been using a Jet Airways 777 on one of its two daily New York JFK flights (EY 101/100), but on June 1 it will replace that aircraft with its own 777-300ER. The other JFK flight will continue to use an A380 super-jumbo.

Business class on Etihad (Photo: Etihad)

The new San Francisco aircraft will be outfitted with eight first class seats, 40 in business class and 191 in economy for a total of 239 seats. Its larger 777-300ER on the New York run will have eight seats in first, 40 in business and 280 in economy for a total of 328 seats. Both planes have onboard wi-fi whereas the Jet Airways plane did not.

Over the last few months Etihad had been using its own planes periodically on the SFO and JFK runs, but now (or on June 1) it will run all Etihad metal, all the time.

Just last week, we received this comment from a TravelSkills reader who flew on the leased Jet Airways flight from SFO: “They ran out or snacks with another four hours to go and a bunch of us were irate and hungry and had to wait for the meal service an hour later. The toilets were super small. The attendants wouldn’t pay attention to the light and just ignore you. The seats were definitely way different from the flight I took from Europe last year. Disappointing.”

Link to Etihad’s business class page

Etihad has made a big splash recently among frequent flyers by rolling out a new three-room cabin onboard its A380 last December. The Residence includes a “living room,” private bathroom with shower, a bedroom with a double bed and a suited, London-trained butler. The Residence is one of many firsts Etihad has brought to the premium flying experience in recent years.

Etihad recently cut the ribbon on a new premium lounge at New York JFK — its second in the U.S. after Washington Dulles. The 7,000 square foot facility for first class and business class passengers has showers, a bar, a sitting area, and floor-to-ceiling windows. In San Francisco, Etihad passengers have access to Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific’s stellar, and recently expanded, lounge at SFO.

Etihad also operates daily flights to Chicago, Washington Dulles and Los Angeles, and three weekly flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth.

All passengers flying to the US clear customs and immigration in Abu Dhabi, which means they arrive in the US just like domestic flights. Recently, Etihad added a special first and business class lounge for passengers waiting to board after clearing customs in Abu Dhabi.

Have you or do you plan to fly Etihad one day soon? Please leave your comments below.

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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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New hotels: Beverly Hills, LAX, New York, Miami, New Orleans

April 1, 2016

A guest suite at the Viceroy L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills. (Image: Viceroy Hotels)

In U.S. hotel news, a Beverly Hills classic gets a makeover and new management; Starwood adds an Aloft near LAX; a Spanish chain opens its first New York property; Hyatt is getting a new presence in Miami Beach; and Ace Hotels opens a New Orleans location.

The former L’Ermitage Beverly Hills has been renovated and rebranded as the Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills following a 10-month renovation. Viceroy also operates upscale properties in Miami, New York, San Francisco, Santa Monica and Abu Dhabi, along with some resorts. Guest accommodations at the luxury all-suite L’Ermitage start at 650 square feet. Besides redesigning the hotel’s 116 suites, Viceroy made over its meeting rooms and added a French bistro called Avec Nous. Rates in April start at $479.

Guest accommodations at the new Aloft Hotel near Los Angeles International Airport. (Image: Starwood)

Elsewhere in the Los Angeles area, Starwood Hotels has scheduled an April 12 opening date for a new Aloft hotel in El Segundo, just two miles from Los Angeles International Airport (although the website says it is taking reservations for stays starting May 1). Located at 475 North Sepulveda Boulevard, the Aloft has 246 rooms along with a pool, fitness center, and the brand’s signature W Xyz Bar and Re: fuel by Aloft market. Self-parking will be available for $14 a day. Rates start at $153.

The new RIU near Times Square adds 600 rooms to New York City's inventory. (Image: RIU Hotels)

The new RIU Plaza near Times Square adds 600 rooms to New York City’s inventory. (Image: RIU Hotels)

RIU Hotels & Resorts, a group based in Spain, is known mostly for its Caribbean resorts, but the company has started an urban hotel division, and it just opened a new property in New York City. The Hotel RIU Plaza New York Times Square is at 305 West 46^th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It has 600 rooms on 29 floors, all equipped with mini-fridge, desk, and TV with multimedia connections. The new hotel’s restaurant and bar are still awaiting city licensing approval, but the property is offering “soft opening” rates as low as $109 a night!

The Thompson Miami Beach is joining Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. (Image: Thompson Hotels)

A subsidiary of Hyatt Hotels is buying the 380-room Thompson Miami Beach Hotel. Hyatt said that when the transaction closes later this month, the property will be rebranded as The Confidante, and will become a member of Hyatt’s recently-announced Unbound Collection. As a member of that group, The Confidante “will maintain its distinct character while providing guests and owners Hyatt’s award-winning customer loyalty program, robust operational and marketing resources and trusted, quality brand,” Hyatt said. (Other members of the new Unbound group include The Driskill in Austin and Hotel du Louvre in Paris.) Rates at the Thompson currently start around $239.

The lobby bar at the new Ace Hotel in New Orleans. (Image: Ace Hotels)

Ace Hotels, which has locations in Portland, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, has opened its newest hotel in New Orleans. The 234-room Ace Hotel is at 600 Carondelet Street, in a 90-year-old repurposed art deco building; it’s part of the South Market development in the city’s Warehouse District. It has a music venue called Three Keys with events happening most nights of the week; a rooftop garden called Alto with dining, cocktails and a pool; an Italian osteria called Josephine Estelle; and a lobby bar. Rooms have free Wi-Fi. Rates start at $169.

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Routes: San Francisco, JFK, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto

March 29, 2016

United will use a 787-9 Dreamliner on its new San Francisco-Tel Aviv non-stops. (Image: United)

In international route developments, United kicks off new service from San Francisco to Israel; Qatar Airways doubles up its New York-Doha schedule; SAS and Norwegian both add new service out of Boston; Iberia comes to LAX; Chicago O’Hare gets new service to Iceland, China and Mexico; American and TAM both drop South American routes; and Air Canada revives a Salt Lake City route.

March 30 is the starting date for United’s new non-stop flights from San Francisco to Tel Aviv. United will use a 787-9 Dreamliner to fly the route three times a week, with SFO departures at 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The eastbound flight is estimated to take 14 hours and 10 minutes, with the return taking 15 hours 5 minutes. The carrier also flies to Tel Aviv from its Newark hub.

Qatar Airways, which started service earlier this month to Doha from Boston, is due to add a second daily frequency between New York JFK and Doha starting April 1. The airline will use a new Airbus A350-900-XWB for the extra flight, which departs JFK at 6 a.m. The other flight still uses a 777.

The view from my room at the Radisson Blu Royal hotel in Copenhagen (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Boston is getting new service to a pair of European destinations. March 29 is the launch date for SAS to start flying from Boston to Copenhagen every day. The Scandinavian carrier is using a non-standard aircraft on the route – a 737-700 Boeing Business Jet operated by PrivatAir, with 20 business and 66 economy seats. The other new Boston route that started this week is Norwegian’s Boston-London Gatwick service. The low-cost airline is using a 787 to fly the route four days a week. Norwegian also announced plans to start weekly service from Las Vegas to Oslo starting in November.

Iberia, a member of American’s Oneworld alliance, begins seasonal service March 30 from Los Angeles to Madrid. Using A330s and A340s, Iberia will start off with three flights a week, increasing to five a week May 17, then six a week beginning June 6 and daily frequencies from July 3 to August 28 before it starts to scale back the schedule again.

Icelandair’s stunning Hekla Aurora 757 livery (Photo: Icelandair)

At Chicago O’Hare, Icelandair has kicked off year-round service to Reykjavik, using a 767 to fly the route four days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays), with an early-morning arrival in Iceland that permits easy connections to 20 destinations in Europe. Also at O’Hare, China Eastern Airlines has launched new non-stops to Shanghai Pudong, where it offers scores of connections to other Chinese cities. China Eastern is using a 777-300ER for the daily flights. And Mexican carrier Volaris announced plans to start service from Chicago O’Hare to Monterrey, Mexico on June 17, flying the route twice a week with an A320.

South America is losing a couple of routes to the U.S. On April 4, American Airlines plans to suspend its three-month-old New York JFK-Caracas flights “until market conditions improve.” And on June 3, Brazilian carrier TAM is due to discontinue its three to four flights a week from Orlando to Brasilia.

Air Canada plans to return to Salt Lake City International on May 27, offering daily service to its Toronto hub with a 97-seat, two-class Embraer 190.

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Newest hotels: NYC, San Francisco, DFW, Houston, Scottsdale

March 16, 2016

The new Renaissance Midtown in NYC has an interactive digital guest information board. (Image: Renaissance Hotels)

U.S. hotel openings this month include a high-tech Renaissance in Manhattan, a stylish boutique property near San Francisco’s Union Square, another Hyatt at Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport, a Westin in a center for the energy industry outside of Houston, and a new Aloft in Arizona.

The newest Marriott property in the Big Apple is the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel at 218 W. 35^th Street, near Seventh Avenue. That’s a short walk from Penn Station/Madison Square Garden, Macy’s, Herald Square, Javits Center and the Garment District (now called the Fashion District). Marriott calls it New York’s first “digitally enhanced hotel,” since its public areas feature interactive digital art installations; there’s also a four-story-high digital clock on top of the building. It has an all-day casual restaurant called Rock & Reilly’s, as well as a Planet Fitness health club. Non-prepaid rates start at $309.

Lobby bar with fireplace at San Francisco’s new Hotel Zeppelin. (Image: Viceroy Hotels)

The former Prescott Hotel in San Francisco – at 545 Post Street near union Square – has reopened following a renovation as the Hotel Zeppelin, a member of Viceroy Hotels. The 196-room property’s decor now sports a psychedelic/summer-of-love vibe. There’s a lobby-level café/bar/lounge, and guests can contact the concierge at any time, from anywhere via a downloadable app or SMS text. A 1,300-square-foot game room features a basketball wall, skeeball, shuffle board, and a giant electronic Bingo board. Rates start as low as $135.

The new Hyatt Place at the southern entrance to DFW Airport. (Image: Hyatt)

Hyatt already has a Grand Hyatt and a Hyatt Regency at Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport, and now it has opened a Hyatt Place there as well. The new 137-room Hyatt Place DFW is at 2350 Global Drive, near the airport’s south entrance in the Southgate Plaza development. It has a full-service restaurant and bar, a fitness center, indoor pool, meeting rooms, 24-hour market with freshly prepared and prepackaged food, free Wi-Fi, parking, and shuttle service to the terminals. Guests are entitled to free breakfast as well. Advance purchase rates start at $180, standard rates at $199.

Rendering of the lobby area at The Westin The Woodlands. (Image: Westin Hotels)

The Woodlands, Texas – located just north of metro Houston – is a hub for some giants of the oil and gas business, including ExxonMobil, Chevron Phillips, and Anadarko Petroleum. And now it’s the site of a new Starwood property called The Westin The Woodlands. The new 302-room Westin is located on Waterway Square, close to all kinds of shopping and dining options. Amenities include a fitness facility with infinity pool and spa, a bar and a restaurant with seasonal cuisine, meeting rooms, and guest rooms equipped with the usual Westin features like the Heavenly Bed, large work desk and so on. There’s also a Westin Executive Club with free food and drinks for Club-level guests. Rates start at $274.

The new Aloft Hotel in Scottsdale has the brand’s signature W Xyz Bar and Re:Mix Lounge. (Image: Aloft Hotels)

Starwood has set a March 29 opening date for a new Aloft hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona (although the website notes that no rooms are available until April 19). The new hotel at 4415 North Civic Center Plaza is Starwood’s third Aloft in the Phoenix area (others are in Tempe and at the airport). The new Aloft is in Scottsdale’s entertainment district, close to the old town and Fashion Square Mall. It has the usual Aloft amenities and services – W Xyz Bar, Re:fuel market, 24/7 pantry and Re:Mix lounge, along with free high-speed Wi-Fi throughout. Rates start at $148.

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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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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.

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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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5 newest hotels in New York City: EVEN Hotel

January 25, 2016

Mood lighting, hardwood floors and healthy perks at the brand new EVEN hotel NYC (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Earlier this month 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, packing along my camera and notepad. 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 fourth 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 three, the 1 Hotel Central Park, The Baccarat and New York EDITION)

Here’s the fourth:

The EVEN Hotel Times Square South (The name is a stretch– it’s located at 321 West 35th St between Penn Station & Javits Center)

: Super clean rooms w mood lighting, cork floors, comfy kings (Chris McGinnis)

: Regular & standup desks, free wi-fi and fridge (Chris McGinnis)

: Stick to your routine with exercise equipment in all rooms

: Keurig coffee maker (Chris McGinnis)

: Big bright and functional bathrooms (Chris McGinnis)

: Bright walk in showers (Chris McGinnis)

: Organic aromatherapy potions and lotions (Chris McGinnis)

: Mood lighting controls (Chris McGinnis)

: Work out instruction videos on inroom TV (Chris McGinnis)

: Checking in (Chris McGinnis)

: Garden walls (Chris McGinnis)

: Floating check in desk (Chris McGinnis)

: Business center is part of dining room

: One of the best bagels I’ve have in NYC! (Chris McGinnis)

Since the EVEN Hotel was the brand-newest hotel in New York (opened Nov 2015), I decided to stay there during my four days in the big city. But that was not the only reason… there are several more factors that swayed me.

First, this 150-room, 25-story hotel is just a ten-minute walk to Javits Convention Center where I was speaking. Second, it’s a block away from Penn Station, which is where the train from Newark Airport arrives, making the airport-to-hotel portion of the trip a breeze. (See our trip report: SFO-EWR on United) Since opening, the EVEN hotel has remained in the top 10 best hotels in NYC on TripAdvisor.

Then there’s an even bigger factor: My rate at the hotel was only $115 per night! Plus, I earned IHG Rewards points for the stay. That $115 is a pretty amazing rate for a brand new, brand-name hotel in Manhattan, but I was there over a weekend during the “dead weeks” of early January, which is the slowest time of year in New York. (Currently the lowest rate at the EVEN hotel for mid-February is about $169.)

The EVEN is one of several smaller name-brand hotels that have bloomed in the Penn Station area in recent years. There’s a similar phenomenon going on in the Herald Square area where the big brands have jumped into nondescript neighborhoods near Midtown with tall, skinny hotels on small footprints. My room was on the small side, but thoughtfully appointed with super clean cork floors, big bright bathroom, a big comfy bed, free and very fast wi-fi. Downsides included a very small closet and a noisy hallway. Be sure to ask for rooms above the 20th floor to get the most natural light, views and avoid construction noise.

EVEN is IHG’s newest brand and it’s focused on health and wellness– and helping guests stick to exercise routines when they are traveling. They do this with some inventive ideas such as standup desks, yoga mats, exercise balls, rollers, resistance training straps and even mood lighting in all rooms. There are three different flavors of ice water at the front desk for arriving guests. Hotel staff wear uniforms from the outdoor store REI. The hotel general manager periodically leads an easy jog along a three-mile loop through the city’s “midtown west” neighborhood. There is fresh squeezed orange juice, smoothies and kale salad in the hotel’s limited service restaurant.

Hotel website: EVEN Hotel Times Square South, 321 West 35th St between 8th and 9th Avenue

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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Trip Report: New York-London on Concorde! (PHOTOS)

January 21, 2016

A lucky few got to fly the Concorde. I did it…twice! In 1999 and 2003.

Sting. Sydney Pollack. Sting’s wife and kids. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Randy Petersen.

That’s with whom I rode the Concorde (twice!) back in the days of commercial supersonic travel. This week British Airways is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Concorde’s first commercial flight, so I thought it was time to haul out some good stuff from the archives 🙂

My first supersonic voyage was in March 1999 when I flew on British Airways’ flight 001 from Heathrow to Kennedy (in just 3 or so hours!). I was a speaker on a media panel in Berlin and part of my compensation was transport back to the U.S. via the Concorde!

Next time was in the waning days of commercial supersonic travel. In 2003, British Airways and Air France retired their Concorde jets, and British Airways invited a handful of media to cover the final flights. I was lucky enough to be one of them and flew from New York to London (at 11 miles high!) on BA 002.

Back in those days, I was writing a column for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a precursor to the blogs I write today.

So with that said, I present to you my two Trip Reports.

The first one (with pictures) is from the 2003 flight I took with my colleague Randy Petersen, founder of FlyerTalk, InsideFlyer and a frequent flyer guru extraordinaire. On the 1999 flight, I did not bring along a camera, but wrote up a really good column about the experience. Enjoy them both!

So let’s start with the 2003 flight and my column from back then. (I’ll post my story about the 1999 flight later on.)

Here goes….

(Sept 10 2003) No, the Concorde has not stopped flying yet, as most people seem to think. Air France put its supersonic fleet to rest last spring. But British Airways is flying the needle nose until the end of October.

Entrance to the clubby Concorde Room at JFK (Chris McGinnis)

At Kennedy Airport’s terminal 7 on a bright September morning, there is some confusion about where to check in for the Concorde as a more proletarian BA 777 is also departing from the same terminal at about the same time. Eventually, I find the discreet entryway to the Concorde area and stride in confidently. What’s odd is that the Concorde shares a tiny single lane TSA screening area and adjacent gates with America West, so you have all these ultra-chic, Gucci-Pucci-Fiorucci supersonic travelers muddling through security with the masses bound for their Las Vegas gambling junkets, or desert vacations on America West.

Breakfast buffet in the BA Concorde Room in 2003 (Chris McGinnis)

Check in at the Concorde lounge is pleasant and efficient, and I’m handed my boarding card for seat 2-A (An auspicious start as it’s veddy important to be seated in the fore versus the aft cabin! Yes, there is a hierarchy, even on the Concorde.) As I stroll down the long hallway into the bright and airy lounge, I can smell the full English breakfast buffet that awaits. Once I enter, there is a dining area to the right, with white linen tablecloths and a single white rose adorning each tabletop. To the far right is the buffet, with eggs, the rubbery version of sliced pork that the English call bacon, bowls of fresh fruit and yogurt, and a big silver bowl full of ice and three bottles of champagne, although I don’t see any takers.

Dining area in the Concorde Room in 2003 (Chris McGinnis)

To the left is a lounge area with chrome and black kid leather chairs and sofas, coffee tables and a few desks. Further ahead are larger, loungier looking chairs (I’m sure they are creations of some designer whose name I should know . . .)

I was expecting a very highbrow Concorde clientele with everyone acting cool and mostly discreet. But this crowd cuts across a wider swath of the socioeconomic spectrum. There are, of course, the “regulars” who are dressed in black and are packing an air of nonchalance along with their worn briefcases or Vuitton bags. Hollywood mogul Sydney Pollack sits off by himself checking his iPaq and talking on his cell phone. He’s wearing a nice white shirt, blue jeans, black cowboyish boots and a black leather jacket, carrying a canvas bag. There are also those of the English landed gentry who look like they are off to the horse races sporting tailored clothing, ascots, ruddy complexions and age spots, and carrying funny old BOAC travel bags that they’ve had since 1965. Then there are the big time frequent flyers who are clearly on award tickets with their spouses in tow, as well as a few ma and pa types on the trip of a lifetime.

Passengers on Concorde got gifts like pens, model airplanes, keychains or cufflinks to commemorate journeys (Chris McGinnis)

Passengers on Concorde received gifts like pens, model airplanes, keychains or cufflinks to commemorate journeys (Chris McGinnis)

For the first ten minutes I’m there, everyone is sitting quietly, speaking in hushed tones and acting serious. Then one brave soul stands up and takes a picture of his wife. Then someone else offers to take a picture of the two of them together. That leads to a mad rush to the camera bags and for the rest of the time everyone is taking pictures of everything—a sort of one-last-chance-to-record-this and we-are-all-in-this together mood kicks in. (The regulars are graciously obliging the picture takers; no sneers.)

Flight 002 to London! (Chris McGinnis)

Have to duck to enter the tiny boarding door (Chris McGinnis)

I was expecting to walk from the lounge straight on to the jetway and on to the Concorde. But when the boarding call comes, we all trundle down past several America West gates to board the plane. With just 100 people, we board in no time. The seats are quite small and narrow, but comfortable once you sit down. The pitch is relatively tight—probably 35 inches, compared to the standard coach pitch of 31 or 32 inches.

Seats are made of fine leather, but pitch is nothing to right home about (Chris McGinnis)

Seat 2A on Concorde- feels like a DC-9! (Chris McGinnis)

After a quick taxi, we speed down the runway, faster, faster faster! It seems to take forever for this bird to lift off. When she does, it’s a slowwwwww climb skyward. A little spooky, but okay once we are out over the Long Island Sound. I’m seated next to Randy Petersen, the editor of InsideFlyer magazine and a longtime friend. The pilot is quite chatty and a little too loud on the PA system, and finally someone complains to a flight attendant, so he quits, just after telling us that we are flying at Mach 1, 860 mph (the speed of sound).

Speed and altitude monitors on the bulkhead (Chris McGinnis)

Then he turns on the afterburners, which gives us a barely detectable boost of power. We are soon sailing toward our cruising speed of about 1500 mph at an altitude of about 57,000 feet. (A normal jet travels at around 500 mph, at about 33,000 feet.) You can see all this information on a screen on the bulkhead wall.

A delicious meal including this chilled salmon roll to start (Chris McGinnis)

Gourmet meals eaten with plastic forks and knives due to security concerns (Chris McGinnis)

The flight attendants are serving us cheerfully from silver trays and white linen napkins. I peer over the shoulder of the man and his wife who are seated in front of us, and can see U.S. State Department letterhead. I figure out that this is the U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. and his wife. Over to the right, sitting next to Sydney Pollack is the Deputy Treasurer of a political party in the U.K. I can tell because he’s typing a speech in large typeface on his laptop, and has no idea that we can read every word! He’s also peering discreetly sideways at the docs the Ambassador is reviewing. Pollack is reading a paperback, What Just Happened, by Art Linson.

That actor/director Sydney Pollack over in 1D (Chris McGinnis)

Food: First come a mimosa garnished with an orange and cherry, and some nibblies: a scallop, a green ball that tastes like blue cheese and parsley or watercress. Then a nice cold salmon roll topped with caviar and crème fraiche. French white wine is served, which I hear passengers who know about such things oohing and ahhhing over. Nice crusty bread rolls are warm in the middle. The meals are served on elegant white bone china from Royal Doulton, made especially for British Airways. Funny thing, though: We must eat with plain white plastic utensils due to security mandates. Anyway, the meal is not over yet. Next are lovely nutty sea bass fillets wrapped in a thin leaf of Swiss chard. Gorgeous presentation. Finally, I chose a nice tarte tatin for desert instead of the cheese offering, plus a cuppa hot tea and a chocolate.

Windows on this bird are tiny- about the size of a passport, and hot to the touch (Chris McGinnis)

Looking out the passport-sized window, I can look down and really see the clouds whip by. On a conventional flight, clouds barely seem to move beneath you. But when you are zipping along at nearly twice the speed of sound, they aren’t in your view for long. I’m trying to see the curvature of the earth as I’ve heard you can see from 60,000 feet, but the horizon does not look that different. The window is warm, almost hot, to touch due to the friction of the wind on the outer skin of the Concorde. Engineers say the plane actually stretches a few inches in length during each flight as a result of the heat, and then shrinks back when it cools off.

Randy Petersen gets his glamor shot next to the altimeter (Chris McGinnis)

Randy Petersen gets his glamor shot next to the altimeter at Mach 2! (Chris McGinnis)

Finally, after watching a steady queue of passengers take their turns posing for pictures next to the speedometer/altimeter at the front of the cabin, I get up on my mission to photograph the bathroom of the Concorde. (The Brits don’t say “the Concorde” like we do. Much like they don’t say “the hospital” like we Yanks. It’s just “Concorde.” As in, “Are you flying Concorde today?” or, “I had to put my mother in hospital.” Gotta love those quirky Brits . . .)

Flight attendants on Concorde pour champagne from silver trays throughout the flight (Chris McGinnis)

Anyway, I steal past the curtain to a tiny galley area where the flight attendants are busy straightening up after the meal service. I ask Crispin, one of the jolliest, to pose for me with a silver tray and a bottle of champagne. I tell him about my mission to photograph the lav, and he rushes in, fluffs up the big bouquet of red roses on the corian countertop, props the door open and invites me in. Not too different from what you’d find on any other jet, except of course for the bowl of pungent red roses.

Lavatories on the Concorde nothing lavish- except for the roses! (Chris McGinnis)

As we approach London, the flight attendant instructs Randy and I to sit tight once we land. He’s arranged for a tour of the cockpit once the other passengers have debarked. Soon the pilot is backing off on the engines and we make our approach into Heathrow. It’s only 5:15 pm local time when we touch down. Our flight from New York to London took all of three hours and 15 minutes. As we taxi to the gate, the pilot comes on the PA one last time to tell us, rather emotionally, that the Concorde, or “the rocket” as pilots refer to it, is no longer wanted or needed these days, nor are those who fly it. He makes a few other desultory comments and signs off, and the entire plane erupts in applause. Bittersweet, as they say . . .

I’m 6 feet tall and my head almost touches the ceiling on the Concorde (Chris McGinnis)

When we pull up to the gate, there is a caravan of bulletproof Range Rovers and a dark green Chevy Suburban with police escort outside the window. Randy and I bet it’s the welcoming party for the Ambassador and his wife. She takes several concerned glances out the window, and Randy and I conspiratorially eye each other. Ummm-hmmmm. Sure enough, once they get off, they are taken down the stairway leading from the jetway, and are whisked away quickly, lights flashing. (No wonder . . . when I check my email later that day, I’ve received an alert from the State Department warning Americans abroad to be especially cautious in light of the impending anniversary of Sept 11, and the recent release of another Osama videotape.)

Randy Petersen posing with pilots on one of this Concorde’s final flights (Chris McGinnis)

After everyone is off the plane, Randy and I take a full tour, back through the central galley/lav area to the aft cabin. At 6 feet tall, my head nicks the ceiling. This is not a big plane; it’s about the size of a DC-9. Then we duck inside the cockpit and chat with the pilots. Having been inside the cockpit on much new aircraft, like Delta’s new B-777’s with colorful video screens and modern toggles, the rocket really shows her age in here—she’s nearly 30 years old. Round dials, metal levers and switches. But you can tell that the pilots really loved flying this bird on one of her last flights. Ever.

Concorde flights, all of which are now sold out, cease operations at the end of October, when they’ll fly to their final resting places at museums throughout Europe and the US.

***

Hope you enjoyed that walk down memory lane! Did you ever fly Concorde? Do you have any questions about my flight? Ask ’em in the comments and let’s see if I can remember back that far 🙂

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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Most popular: 747 Trip report + Travel deals + Unusual plane + Etihad + more

January 10, 2016

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis in Manhattan prepping for a speech at the New York Times Travel Show

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

1 Pretty plush! Trip Report: Korean Air 747-8 First Class

2 How to save big this year: Bargain hunters’ guide to 2016 travel deals

3 Look closely: What’s wrong with this 747?

4 Finally! Etihad upgrades aircraft on San Francisco, New York routes

5 Aha! Big airports by the numbers

6 Preparing to merge? This airline just added 42 new low-fare routes. Why?

7 New hotels: Amsterdam, Dubai, Casablanca, Taipei

8 Do you know? The big difference between direct & nonstop flights

9 Huge investments: More cash for Lyft, Silvercar leads to interesting new options

10 Etihad vs “Jetihad”

Use code “ROCKSTAR” to get in NYT Travel Show for free to hear Chris speak!

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis is speaking at the New York Times Travel Show Today (Sunday) at 2:30 pm. If you are in NYC, stop by and used code “ROCKSTAR” at registration to attend the show for free!

Here are some newsy nuggets from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Delta miffs Minnesota with a silly tweet

New York City’s Javits Center plans $1 billion expansion.

United Airlines CEO Munoz is recovering from a heart transplant.

More airlines are using bidding auctions for seat upgrades.

Delta expands food options in international Sky Clubs

Enterprise expands rental locations for high-end, exotic cars.

Delta adds a meditation app to its in-flight entertainment selections.

Marriott plans to open new AC Hotels in these 22 cities this year.

Spirit Airlines CEO is suddenly replaced by former AirTran chief.

These new “green” technologies could save airlines billions of dollars.

New study suggests these are the least safe airlines in the world.

Marriott Rewards adds a new partnership with South African Airways.

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Resolved to get your finances in order this year? Let Personal Capital, a free investment monitoring service, show you how:

Twisting seats + loyalty programs review + in-flight beers + Hertz sale + more

January 3, 2016

Here are some newsy nuggets from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Newly designed airline seat twists as you move. (Image: Factorydesign)

New design concept: An airline seatback that twists along with your body.

The New York Times reviews changes in airline, hotel loyalty programs.

Who’s got the best in-flight brews? Airline beers are rated.

Air Canada offers a World Travel Pass through January 18 only.

Portland International Airport will open a movie theater in the spring.

New York City plans to convert old public pay phones into 1G Wi-Fi stations.

Hilton’s DoubleTree brand introduces optional amenity packages.

United sees opportunity for more growth in China routes.

Odd tactics passengers have tried to get around paying a checked bag fee.

Hertz winter sale offers discounts of up to 30 percent for Gold Rewards members.

The rate of new hotel openings in the U.S. is expected to accelerate in the next two years.

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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.

Hyatt notifies customers of computer security breach.

TSA may require scans instead of pat-downs for some travelers.

United’s new ‘Big Metal Bird’ Youtube videos explain how the airline biz works.

Study says DOT’s three-hour tarmac rule led to more flight cancellations.

Fiji Airways will begin twice-weekly seasonal service to San Francisco in June.

New Malaysian domestic airline operates according to Islamic law.

The new frontier for top chefs: airport restaurants.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Delta free upgrades disappearing + Shipping vs. checking a bag +_San Francisco’s new long-haul routes + Is Newark our worst airport? + Delta, United forge new international partnerships

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Routes: AA to Sydney, Air New Zealand to Houston, Delta to South America + more

December 22, 2015

Traditional Maori dancers welcomed Air New Zealand’s first flight from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental. (Image: Houston Airports System)

In international route news, American has kicked off its new Australia service from Los Angeles; Air New Zealand has linked up with Star Alliance partner United at Houston; Delta inaugurated flights on three new Latin America routes; KLM will eliminate one U.S. gateway and add another; Kuwait Airways drops a U.S. route; and United will increase flights to Brussels.

At about the same time that Qantas started its Sydney-San Francisco 747 service this past weekend, its joint venture partner American Airlines launched its own new transpacific route to Sydney from Los Angeles International (a route also flown by Qantas, along with Melbourne-LAX). American’s daily flight uses a 310-passenger, three-class 777-300ER and departs LAX at 9:50 p.m. At the end of January, Qantas will trim its own Los Angeles-Sydney schedule from 14 flights a week to 10. It’s the first time in 23 years that American has flown to Australia.

Air New Zealand last week inaugurated its promised new service from Auckland to Houston Bush Intercontinental, where it offers connections via its Star Alliance partner United Airlines. The Kiwi carrier is using a 777-200ER with economy, Premium Economy and business class seating (with lie-flat seat-beds) for the route, which it flies five times a week. The westbound flight takes about 14-1/2 hours.

Delta added a trio of new routes to South America this past weekend. The carrier started new 767 service from Orlando to Sao Paulo, Brazil, operating four days a week (increasing to daily in March), and two routes from Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson to Colombia, both using 737s. Delta’s ATL-Medellin service operates daily, and ATL-Cartagena flies three times a week.

Instead of reviving its summer seasonal service from Amsterdam to Dallas/Ft. Worth next May, KLM reportedly plans to replace it with new Salt Lake City-Amsterdam service. The change is seen as benefiting KLM’s joint venture with Delta, which has a hub at Salt Lake City. The two carriers are reportedly looking to bolster the traffic feed to their new code-share partner Jet Airways for onward travel from AMS to India.

Facing a charge of unlawful discrimination from the U.S. Transportation Department, Kuwait Airways has discontinued the London Heathrow-New York JFK segment of its one-stop New York-Kuwait route. Last fall, DOT issued a cease-and-desist order to the airline after it learned that Kuwait Airways refused to sell a ticket to an Israeli citizen between London and New York. The airline maintained such a sale is barred by Kuwaiti law.

United Airlines said it plans to add a second daily flight next summer from its Newark hub to Brussels. The second flight will operate from May 5 through October 28; departures from May 25-September 6 will use a 214-seat 767-300, while earlier and later flights will use a 169-seat 757-200.

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Scheduled flights to Cuba + Uber at San Jose + New Year’s Eve in NYC + HHonors double points

December 20, 2015

Here are some newsy nuggets from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Scheduled airline service to Havana could start in 2016. (Image: y.becart/Flickr)

New pact means scheduled air service to Cuba likely to start in 2016.

Uber can now pick up passengers at Mineta San Jose Airport

New York City hotel rates go through the roof for New Year’s Eve.

Hilton HHonors offers double points/miles for stays from January through April.

Facebook Messenger can now be used to sign up for Uber, request rides.

New aviation agreement with Mexico will open more routes.

Design approved for reconstruction of San Diego Airport’s Terminal 1.

Flip through these photos to see how glamorous air travel was 50 years ago.

New app will create a market for passengers to swap seat assignments.

Wild bubble-top design would let passengers get a rooftop view during flights.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: New Oakland-London route + Big hotel acquisition + Uber at Las Vegas McCarran + American’s international Premium Economy service + Healthy eating for travelers

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New hotels in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, NYC

December 18, 2015

The Library in San Francisco's new Axiom Motel. (Image: Axiom Hotel)

The Library in San Francisco’s new Axiom Hotel. (Image: Axiom Hotel)

In domestic lodging developments, downtown San Francisco gets a new property; a Philadelphia classic reopens with a new identity and a new chain affiliation; Starwood opens a Westin in the heart of Dallas; there’s a new Hyatt Place in the nation’s capital; and InterContinental Hotels Group cuts the ribbon on another Holiday Inn in Manhattan.

In San Francisco, the former Powell Hotel — across from the cable car turnaround at the base of Powell Street, near the BART station– is being transformed into a new identity as the Axiom Hotel, and a representative tells TravelSkills it’s expected to open its doors to guests in mid-January. The 152-room boutique hotel — now owned by Host Hotels — will have a bar and cafe in the lobby and a Library nearby, and lots of original art work combining historical and high-tech themes. Other amenities include a business center, fitness center, and fiber-optic Wi-Fi throughout. Rooms have RFID locks, 48-inch smart TVs and refrigerators. We found rates starting as low as $199.

Relaxing library/lounge at Philadelphia’s Logan Hotel. (Image: The Logan)

Philadelphia’s Four Seasons Hotel at Logan Square, which closed in June, has gone through a multi-million dollar transformation and reopened this month as The Logan Philadelphia, a member of Hilton’s Curio Collection. (These are independent hotels that participate in Hilton’s reservations system and its HHonors loyalty program.) The hotel’s 391 rooms include 64 suites with separate living and sleeping areas. The Logan has a 24-hour fitness center and business center, a spa, and a heated indoor pool, along with 12,700 square feet of meeting space. There’s even a library with a fireplace and pool table. Rates start at $233.

A king room at the new Westin Dallas Downtown. (Image: Westin)

January 4 is the starting date for reservations at Starwood’s new Westin Dallas Downtown, a 323-room hotel built into the 33-story One Main Place tower. The 326-room Westin will occupy the top 10 floors of the building as well as public space on lower levels, and will have a separate entrance on Elm Street. The rest of the building will be office and retail space. The hotel has a WestinWORKOUT fitness studio (guests can borrow workout clothes), indoor pool, restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and high-speed Internet, as well as 31,000 square feet of meeting space. Rates start at $217.

Spacious standard king accommodations at Washington D.C.’s new Hyatt Place. (Image: Hyatt)

At 400 E Street SW in the nation’s capital, four blocks from the National Mall, is the newly opened Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall. It has 214 rooms with separate sleep and work areas, free Wi-Fi throughout, an outdoor pool, 24-hour gym, free hot breakfast, rooftop bar and 24/7 Gallery Menu & Market with freshly prepared meals and take-out items. Rates start at $169.

Guest room at the new Holiday Inn-Times Square in New York. (Image: Holiday Inns)

It’s actually a few blocks from Times Square at Eighth Avenue and 39th Street, but InterContinental Hotels Group’s newest property in Manhattan is the newly built, 35-story, 271-room Holiday Inn New York City-Times Square. It offers 24-hour business and fitness centers, a flight check-in kiosk, guest room charging stations, and a restaurant and bar (with 49 microbrews on tap!). Rates start at $118.

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Popular Yotel has big expansion plans

December 2, 2015

A premium queen “cabin” at the Yotel in New York City. (Image: Yotel)

Say what you will about the size of accommodations in a Yotel property — the London-based company’s lodging concept is certainly innovative, and brings a level of affordability to pricey markets. And one may soon be coming to an airport or city center near you.

The eight-year-old company currently has just four Yotels in operation — airport properties at London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Amsterdam Schiphol, and a city center location in Manhattan. But it has plans for a dozen more over the next couple of years, including city-center U.S. locations in San Francisco, Miami, Brooklyn and Boston, as well as airport locations at Paris CDG and Singapore Changi. More European locations are expected to be announced soon, including London and Geneva; and a 438-unit Yotel is coming to Dubai.

Guest accommodations (Yotel calls them “cabins,” not guest rooms) are significantly smaller than a normal hotel, but with plenty of quality amenities; the company likens them to first class air travel. And the price is right: We checked New York City’s Yotel (10th Ave & W 42nd St near Javits Center & Hudson Yards) and found a premium queen cabin in slow mid-January for $129 a night, for single or double occupancy.

Cabins offer luxury bedding, mood lighting, monsoon rain showers and what it calls a “techno wall” with a flat-screen TV, multiple power plugs and free Wi-Fi.

Check out this video intro to the Yotel NYC.

The San Francisco Yotel, due to debut in 2017, will offer 203 cabins in an overhaul of the old Grant Building at 1095 Market Street (at 7th St- see street view) near Twitter HQ. Besides standard cabins, it promises a new type of “loft-style” rooms and some suites. It will also offer a Club Lounge with meeting/work spaces; a ground floor restaurant; and a rooftop bar.

Also opening in 2017 is a Yotel in Boston, in an 11-story building located in the city’s so-called Innovation District near Boston Harbor. That one will have 326 cabins. And a 250-cabin Yotel is coming to downtown Miami (at 227 NE Second Street), also with a target opening date of 2017.

Readers: Have you stayed in a Yotel? How did you like it?

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: World’s largest passenger plane + Get on earlier flight without paying fee + New overseas plan from Verizon + Avoid surge pricing

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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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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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Fare war + Food + NYC access + Members only discount + Reader survey!

November 8, 2015

Check out the lei market at HNL airport- best selection! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Check out the lei stands under the parking lots at the inter-island terminal at HNL airport- best selection! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

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

1 Let’s go to the islands! Hawaii fare war erupts + Earn Virgin points at Airbnb

Our post about the fare war to Hawaii brought on by Virgin’s entry to the market ended up as our most popular post of the year. Average fares from the West Coast are now back over $500, but keep an eye out for periodic deals brought on by the new competition. Set up fare alerts on sites like Airfarewatchdog or FareCompare. Virgin’s Maui nonstops start December 2, so we’ll keep an eye our for any discounts related to that launch.

2 What they’re doing for you: United, American test consumer-friendly initiatives

3 Sip soup for good sleep! Trip Report: Singapore Airlines business class (Part 2: FOOD)

4 Only plane in US with this seat: Trip Report: Singapore Airlines’ NEW business class [PHOTOS]

5 More deals to faraway places: Routes: AA to Tokyo + WOW to west coast + Air Canada, Lufthansa, Alaska

6 Legacy lock on the Big Apple? Airlines want better access to New York

7 Readers want Denver or New Orleans: Where will Virgin America fly next?

8 New perks: Hilton, Starwood offering members-only discounts

9 You have to see this: Look out the window- There’s a man on the wing!

10 Defending your Wi-Fi: FCC strikes again over Wi-Fi blocking

(Image: WoodlyWonderWorks Flickr)

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A few newsy nuggets from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Navy missile tests over Pacific freak out residents & affect airline traffic

929 Lufthansa flights canceled due to strike

Delta considering creation of overseas subsidiary to avoid US taxes

United’s CEO says he’ll be back at work in a few months.

U.S. airlines predict busiest Thanksgiving travel period in eight years.

Earn triple (750) United miles for Choice hotel stays

Hyatt remains mum on Starwood deal

New York Hotel Week (early Jan) deals…or no deals?

Rumors swirl about upcoming American AAdvantage changes

Is inflight wi-fi just pie in the sky?

Back story on Delta’s ugly break up with trade group

CNN examines the dark side of business travel

San Diego ponders new multi-billion dollar airport

An unusual new Delta nonstop

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New York City’s rankest hotels

October 23, 2015

Publicity photo from one of New York's rankest hotels (Photo: New York Inn)

Publicity photo from one of New York’s lowest ranked hotels on TripAdvisor (Photo: New York Inn)

There plenty of hotels to choose from in New York City. But everyone is usually in search of the top ranked ones– the best ones.

But we wondered…what about the worst?

TravelSkills took to TripAdvisor to see what people had to say about some of the site’s lowest ranked hotels in New York City.

Here’s a sampling from the bottom and the top of the rankings. (See TripAdvisor’s NYC hotel page here)

New York Inn – Rank #445/469 hotels

Location on 8th Ave., west of Times Square

Average nightly rate: $149/night http://www.newyorkinn.com/

(Image from the New York Inn website)

Excerpts from a TripAdvisor comment:

“There are numerous violation notices on the front door warning the building should not be occupied.”

“Should there be a fire (which by the looks of the photos here should be sooner than later) you’ll be trapped.”

“The doors have gaps and don’t lock properly – and there are bugs, pests galore.”

“This place is what a flophouse on the Bowery would look like in 1980. If that’s your scene, this is your place. Seriously.”

To see photos of what guests experienced at New York Inn, take a look at TripAdvisor’s traveler photos here.

La Semana – Rank #446/469 hotels

Location: West 24th St near Madison Square Park

Average nightly rate: $120/night http://www.lasemanahotelnyc.com/

(Image from La Semana website)

Excerpts from TripAdvisor comment:

“The ceiling fell on our heads while we were sleeping.”

“The room smelled so much like mold that buying air freshener spray + a wall plug in did nothing.”

“The room they moved us to had no bathroom door.”

To see what guests experienced at La Semana, see TripAdvisor’s traveler photos here.

World Hotel – Rank #448/469 hotels

Location: Bowery Street near Chinatown

Average nightly rate: $121/ night http://new-world-hotel.hotelsofnewyorkcity.net/en/

(Image from New World Hotel website)

Excerpts from a TripAdvisor comment:

“Very unfriendly reception. Extreme dirty hotel. How the City of NY can tolerate and name such a house as a hotel?

“The rooms do not have windows, the very dirty bed is 5 feet long, the room about 4×5 feet, the shared bathroom was extreme dirty and moldy, it’s a fight to get a towel and once I got it I did not use it because of the big brown spots, I finally left this ugly place, was too afraid for my health.”

“It’s really not good for the tourism branch of the city….hope the authorities act”

Click here to see what TripAdvisor users experienced at the World Hotel.

These frightening finds might scare off a lot of travelers, but there are still many great hotels in New York City. TripAdvisor’s top-ranked NYC hotels have hundreds of reviews telling users why we should stay there.

Chelsea Pines Inn – Rank #1/469 hotels

Located on W 14th St in Chelsea/Meatpacking District

Average nightly rate: $302/night http://www.chelseapinesinn.com/

(Image from the Chelsea Pines Inn website)

Excerpts from a TripAdvisor comment:

“It was a sanctuary from the din of 14th street and many others in NYC! My children live in Manhattan and Brooklyn and so I am a “regular” visitor.

“A gem! The movie poster motif with rooms named for celebrities was a hoot. And our room was spacious and quiet (we were garden-side).”

We loved the chocolates at the front desk, the front desk service, especially Troy. There were other very considerate members of the staff whose names I unfortunately did not obtain.”

Click here to see traveler photos from guests at the Chelsea Pines Inn.

Casablanca Hotel – Rank #2/469 hotels

Location: W 42nd St, Times Square area

Average nightly rate: $396/night http://www.casablancahotel.com/

(Image from the Casablanca Hotel website)

Excerpts from a TripAdvisor comment:

“I spend hours researching the perfect hotel for our vacations and we have been extremely fortunate in our hotel experiences.

“The Wine and Cheese reception in the evening allows you to meet other hotel guests and exchange sightseeing and dining tips.”

“It is the perfect location as it is in the heart of the theater and restaurant district. And the subway is just around the corner. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Click here to see traveler photos from guests at the Casablanca Hotel.

The Sherry-Netherland Hotel – Rank #3/469 hotels

5th Ave, Midtown across from Central Park

Average nightly rate: $579/night http://www.sherrynetherland.com/

(Image from the The Sherry-Netherland website)

Excerpts from a TripAdvisor comment:

“I took my 9 year old for her annual birthday trip and it was magical. They acknowledged her birthday every step of the way, including cupcakes in our room and handwritten notes wishing her a great day.”

“The bed was one of the most comfortable I’ve ever slept on in a hotel. The view was spectacular. The little touches made the difference- the minibar was complimentary, the toiletries included everything you could need.”

“I will remember this trip forever. Tammy C. is a phenomenal concierge who goes above and beyond to surprise and delight the guest. We are still smiling!”

Click here to see photos of The Sherry-Netherland from Susan M. and other hotel guests.

Now that you’ve seen the best and the worst, what do you think? What’s your favorite NYC hotel? Least favorite? Please leave your comments below.

(All average nightly rates listed in this post are for November 6-9, 2015.)

–Kim Grimes

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Singapore Airlines to resume ultra-long flights

October 13, 2015

Singapore's long-range A350s will fly non-stop to Los Angeles and New York in 2018. (Image: Airbus)

Singapore’s long-range A350s will fly non-stop to SIN from Los Angeles and New York in 2018. (Image: Airbus)

Several months ago, Singapore Airlines said it was talking with Airbus about developing a variant of the manufacturer’s new widebody, the A350XWB, so that the carrier could revive non-stop service from Singapore to the U.S., which it had discontinued two years ago. And now Airbus has come through.

Airbus and Singapore announced that the manufacturer has created an ultra-long-range version of the A350-900 that is “optimized for non-stop flights to the U.S.” Singapore plans to launch non-stops to Los Angeles and New York with the plane; the Singapore-New York flight, at 8,700 nautical miles, will be the world’s longest non-stop commercial passenger route, Airbus said, with an estimated flying time of 19 hours.

Singapore already had an order with Airbus for 63 A350-900s, and now seven of those are being converted to the ultra-long-range model, the A350-900ULR. The manufacturer said it was able to manage the longer range for the plane by modifying the fuel system to increase amount of fuel it can carry, increasing the plane’s maximum takeoff weight, and making certain aerodynamic enhancements.

Airbus is scheduled to deliver the first A350-900ULR to Singapore in 2018, with the non-stop U.S. flights starting that same year. “The aircraft will be fitted with all-new cabin products which are currently under development,” Singapore said. “Non-stop flights between Singapore and additional points in the U.S. are also under consideration.”

Before it discontinued the U.S. non-stops to New York and Los Angeles in 2013, Singapore had been using all-business-class (but gas guzzling) A340-500s on the routes.

The first of Singapore’s regular A350-900s is due for delivery next year, and it said it will put the first one into commercial service between Singapore and Amsterdam.

The only airlines currently operating the A350XWB (it stands for extra-wide body) are Qatar Airways and Vietnam Airlines. Finnair just became the third carrier to take delivery of an A350, with plans to put it into regular service on November 21 between Helsinki and Shanghai.

American, Delta and United should be flying the A350 by 2017 or 2018, which could mean more ultra-long nonstops from SFO to Singapore, Bangkok, Vietnam or elsewhere.

What ultra-long route would you most like to fly?

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New hotels: Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Miami, Charleston, Pittsburgh

October 1, 2015

Aloft Hotels has new locations in Silicon Valley and lower Manhattan. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood’s Aloft brand — hotels designed with the younger generation of business travelers in mind — has just passed the 100-property mark, and two of its new hotels are in key business markets: Silicon Valley in California, and Wall Street in New York City; meanwhile, the upscale Sixty Hotels group cut the ribbon on a Miami location, Hyatt opened a pair of properties in Charleston, S.C., and InterContinental Hotels Group added a new Indigo in Pittsburgh.

The “backyard” is open to guests at Aloft’s Santa Clara hotel. (Image: Starwood)

In California, Starwood’s newest Aloft property is in Santa Clara just a few miles from Mineta San Jose Airport, off Highway 237 in the America Center corporate campus. It’s just down the street from Yahoo!’s headquarters and close to Intel’s offices. The 175-room Aloft has an outdoor pool, 24-hour gym, grab-and-go gourmet food and beverage market and signature cocktail bar. Like other Alofts, it offers keyless room entry for guests. Rates start around $265.

The new Aloft in New York’s financial district has a signature “re: mix” lounge. (Image: Starwood)

That hotel’s new sister property in New York City is the 125-room Aloft Manhattan Downtown-Financial District, the first Aloft in lower Manhattan (others are in Harlem and Brooklyn). Located on Ann Street, it’s a short walk from the New York Stock Exchange and One World Trade Center, as well as companies like American Express and Goldman Sachs. Like other Alofts, it has a 24-hour gym, W XYZ bar, re:mix lounge and grab-and-go food and beverage area. Rates range from $200-$400.

Guest accommodations at Sixty Hotels’ new Nautilus in Miami Beach. (Image: Sixty Hotels)

Sixty Hotels, an upscale lodging group with properties in Beverly Hills and New York City, has added a South Florida location called Nautilus, a SIXTY Hotel. The 250-room Miami Beach property is a remake of the old 1950s-era Nautilus Hotel at 1825 Collins Avenue, designed by Morris Lapidus and stretching from Collins Avenue to the beach. It has 250 rooms, a signature restaurant, and a spa and pool (as well as “Bolivian hammocks amongst the palm trees”). Opening rates start at $195 a night.

Two new Hyatts ae in Charleston, S.C.’s historic district. (Image: Hyatt)

Hyatt Hotels has cut the ribbon on a pair of properties in the heart of Charleston, S.C. — the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Charleston/Historic District. The Hyatt Place has 191 rooms, free Wi-Fi throughout, free hot breakfast, coffee/cocktail bar, 24/7 venue for fresh meals and a 24-hour gym. The Hyatt House offers 113 apartment-style kitchen suites, also with free Wi-Fi, a bar, a market, free hot breakfast and a common lounge for socializing. Average daily rates are $249 at the Hyatt Place, $269 at the Hyatt House.

A guest room at the new Indigo Pittsburgh East Liberty. (Image: Indigo Hotels)

The newest property in InterContinental Hotel Group’s Indigo brand is the Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh East Liberty, at 123 North Highland Avenue in a neighborhood known for a thriving cultural, shopping and historic vibe. The hotel is an “adaptive reuse and new build property comprised of four buildings representing four different eras of Pittsburgh’s history,” the company said, including the former Governor Hotel. The boutique property’s guest rooms recall “the majestic theater era,” and the hotel has a restaurant/bar called Wallace’s TapRoom. Rates start at $180.

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Delta to Paris + Lufthansa to Florida + Beijing-Newark + BA First class

September 28, 2015

Delta will add a new southeastern gateway for transatlantic service next year. (Image: Jim Glab)

In route news, Delta will begin a new non-hub route to Paris; Lufthansa starts flying to another U.S. gateway; Air China adds a U.S. destination; Norwegian will start a pair of routes to Ireland; and British Airways upgrades its San Diego route.

Delta has scheduled a May 12 start for new service linking North Carolina’s Research Triangle to Europe, with daily flights between Raleigh-Durham and Paris Charles de Gaulle. The airline will use a 164-seat 757-200ER. Meanwhile, Delta also said it will increase service effective May 26 between New York JFK and Tel Aviv, boosting frequencies from seven to 11 a week. The new flights will use a 777-200ER equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi. Delta said that Tel Aviv is its third-largest transatlantic market from New York. (American recently announced it will drop its only Tel Aviv route — from Philadelphia — in January.)

Lufthansa has started flying to its 18th U.S. destination with the inauguration of service between Tampa and Frankfurt. The airline will operate five weekly flights on the route until October 25, when it will reduce the number to four. Lufthansa is using a 298-seat A340-300 with business class, premium economy and regular economy seating. The aircraft is equipped with the carrier’s FlyNet broadband Internet service.

Although it already flies twice a day from New York JFK to Beijing, Air China will give tri-state area travelers the option of Newark departures starting October 26. The airline said it will operate the route four times a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) with a three-class 777-300ER. On September 29, Air China is due to launch new non-stops between Montreal and Beijing.

European low-cost carrier Norwegian, which recently announced plans to start service next year from Boston to Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen, plans to add another BOS route as well. In May 2016, the carrier will kick off new service between Boston and Cork, Ireland, with flights operating four or five times a week using a 737-800. The route will be operated by the company’s Irish subsidiary, Norwegian Air International. And in 2017, Norwegian intends to begin service between Cork and New York.

On March 27 of next year, British Airways will upgrade the equipment on its San Diego-London Heathrow route from a 777-200 to a 777-300. The difference? The -300 can take 24 more passengers, and it has something the -200 lacks: a first class cabin. The 777-300 will offer 14 seats in first class, 56 in business, 44 in premium economy and 183 in regular economy.

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Big inside-the-airport hotels coming soon at DEN, JFK, SFO

September 26, 2015

The new Westin at Denver International opens this fall. (Image: Westin)

If an “airport hotel” is a few miles away from the terminals, is it really an airport hotel? Maybe so, but it can’t compare with a location right on the airport grounds, especially at large airports — like the Hilton at Chicago O’Hare, or the two Hyatts at Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Not many of these have been built in recent years, but three of them are in the works at some of the nation’s busiest airports — Denver, New York JFK and San Francisco.

The first to open will be the new Westin at Denver International Airport, due to start accepting guests on November 19. If you’ve passed through the airport recently, you must have noticed the big, curvey, greenish-blue building at the south end of the main terminal. The Westin has 519 rooms including 35 suites, all thoroughly soundproofed. The same structure accommodates the airport’s new Transit Center, which will be the terminus for the light rail line that starts carrying passengers next spring. The trains will run every 15 minutes on a 35-minute ride linking the airport with Union Station in downtown Denver. The hotel has a fitness studio, indoor pool and multiple dining venues. Rates start around $229.

The classic TWA terminal at New York JFK will serve as public areas for a new hotel. (Image: DmItry Avdeev/Wikiimedia Commons)

The classic TWA terminal at New York JFK will provide the public areas for a new hotel. (Image: Dmitry Avdeev/Wikiimedia Commons)

In New York, the Port Authority and Governor Andrew Cuomo have just given approval to a lease deal on the old TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport that will permit the construction of a 505-room hotel on the site with 40,000 square feet of meeting space and at least half a dozen restaurants. It will be built by a partnership of JetBlue Airways and MCR Development, and the original Eero Saarinen-designed TWA terminal building — with sweeping curves and huge windows — will serve as the lobby. To be called the TWA Flight Center Hotel and due to open in 2018, it will be the only hotel on the grounds of JFK. It’s connected to JetBlue’s Terminal 5, and it will boast a 10,000 square foot observation deck for planespotters.

Artist't renderign of the new hotel coming to San Francisco International. (Image: San Francisco Airport)

Artist’s rendering of the new hotel coming to San Francisco International. (Image: San Francisco Airport)

Officials in San Francisco are about to close the bidding for construction of a four-star hotel on the grounds of San Francisco International that will be owned by the airport but operated by a private company yet to be selected. Also aiming at a 2018 completion date, the hotel will have 350 rooms, a restaurant, wine and sushi bar, casual cafe, rooftop cocktail lounge, health club, pool and spa. Located near the entrance to the airport, it will be linked to an AirTrain station for easy access to the terminals. The building site — at South McDonnell Road, Interstate 101 and the off-ramp from the interstate to the airport — was previously occupied by a Hilton that was demolished 20 years ago prior to construction of SFO’s new international terminal.

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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.

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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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Pope’s visit could be hell for travelers in NYC, DC, Philly

September 16, 2015

The visit of Pope Francis is expected to disrupt travel to the northeast next week. (Image: Catholic Church of England and Wales/Flickr)

If your travel schedule will take you to the northeast next week — specifically to New York, Philadelphia and/or Washington D.C. — you might want to reschedule. If you can’t, you should study the itinerary for Pope Francis’ official visit to the U.S. and try to work your schedule around his.

Why? Because millions of the faithful are going to be thronging those three cities to get a glimpse of His Holiness, and massive security precautions will be in place — and the result will be overcrowded public transportation, massive street closures, monumental traffic backups and general chaos and disruption for visitors who need to get to a meeting.

Pope Francis (Photo courtesy Bill Wilson Photos)

The specifics: Pope Francis is due to arrive in the U.S. Tuesday afternoon at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington. He’ll be in the nation’s capital on Wednesday and Thursday, September 23 and 24; on Thursday afternoon he flies into New York JFK, and he’ll remain in the city through Friday, September 25; he’ll fly out of JFK to Philadelphia Saturday morning, and he’ll be in Philadelphia Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27.

For starters, check out the official schedule for the Pope’s visit to see exactly where he will be in each city at which hours of the day.

Although Washington D.C. is no stranger to welcoming foreign dignitaries, the schedule of street closings and parking restrictions in the heart of the city is quite exhaustive for the papal visit. You can find all the details, hour by hour, at this website. In many cases, the closings will start hours before the Pope actually gets into the area.

In New York City on September 24 and 25, the traffic disruptions in midtown Manhattan will be truly epic, especially for the crosstown traffic that is usually backed up under normal circumstances. Again, the closures will begin well before the Pope arrives at specific locations. Read the details of all the street closures here.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is warning travelers to New York City to use mass transit during the papal visit. The agency is planning to lay on extra trains and buses into the city to handle the crowds, and it cautions that all the street closings “may result in traffic congestion and pedestrian diversions in various parts of the city.”

Amtrak is advising travelers that if they plan on traveling by rail to Philadelphia on September 26 or 27, they will need a reservation for all trains, noting that the Pope is expected to attract more than a million people to the City of Brotherly Love. The rail service will also be scheduling a number of extra trains to handle the crowds.

Even if you hope to do nothing more than drive through Philadelphia on a major interstate highway that weekend, you could be forced to reroute yourself. Major highway closings will include I-76, I-676 and US Route 1. Philadelphia has designated certain “traffic boxes” in Center City starting Friday evening. What does a traffic box mean? It means cars will be allowed to leave the area but not to enter it, and there will be no bus or trolley service within it. You can see all the Philadelphia details here. The city’s SEPTA regional rail and transit system will continue to operate that weekend, but trains will skip lots of stations when the Pope is in town.

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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.

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Shiny new hotels for you in NYC, Austin, St. Louis, California

August 1, 2015

Starwood is opening a new Aloft in Manhattan’s Financial District. (Image: Aloft Hotels)

In hotel news, Manhattan’s Financial District is getting a new Aloft hotel; Starwood cuts the ribbon on a Westin in downtown Austin; Marriott adds a Courtyard in St. Louis; and Hilton debuts a Garden Inn at Orange County Airport and a Doubletree in San Bernadino.

An August 20 opening is planned for a new Aloft Hotel in Manhattan’s Financial District, according to Starwood’s website. The property at 49-53 Ann Street will offer Aloft’s trademark XYZ Bar, a 24/7 pantry, and a Re-Mix bar. It also has free hotel-wide high-speed Wi-Fi. Rates start at around $350.

The Westin Austin Downtown has a rooftop pool. (Image: Westin)

The 366-room Westin Austin Downtown is now open at the corner of San Jacinto Boulevard and Fifth Street in the Texas capital. It’s the second Westin in Austin, and the action here is on the rooftop of the 19-story property, where you’ll find a pool/bar called Azul as well as a 24-hour Westin Workout fitness center. Rates begin around $233.

Lobby area at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown St. Louis. (Image: Marriott)

The former Hotel Lennox in downtown St. Louis, closed for the past four years, gets a new lease on life when it reopens September 2 as the Courtyard by Marriott St. Louis Downtown/Convention Center. The property’s 165 suites have been converted into extra-large guest rooms with wet bars, refrigerators and 55-inch smart HDTVs. The building, which dates back to the 1920s, is on the National register of Historic Places. Rates start at $149.

We LOVE new hotels at TravelSkills– check out our new hotel archive here!

Entry lounge area at Hilton’s new DoubleTree in San Bernardino. (Image: Hilton)

In southern California, what was formerly the Hotel San Bernardino, an independent property in the city of the same name, has been converted into the 251-room DoubleTree by Hilton San Bernardino following a $10 million overhaul. Work on the hotel, which is 17 miles from Ontario International Airport, included all guest rooms, all 10,000 square feet of meeting spaces, and all public areas. Rates begin at $129.

Hilton’s new Garden Inn near Orange County Airport. (Image: Hilton)

There’s also a newly opened Hilton in southern California — the Hilton Garden Inn Irvine/Orange County Airport. It’s close to the 405 Freeway, a short walk away from the Irvine Business Complex, and not far from the South Coast Plaza mall. It’s got a 24-hour business center, a fitness center, free Wi-Fi and an indoor pool. Rates start at $110.

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First look at the new $4 billion LaGuardia (photos)

July 27, 2015

The new LaGuardia will replace separate terminals with a unified structure. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Vice President Joe Biden and other officials were in New York City Monday to officially unveil plans for the complete reconstruction of the city’s cramped, aging LaGuardia Airport, with construction due to start next year.

The multibillion-dollar project will involve the gradual demolition of the existing separate terminals and gate areas, and their replacement with a single modernistic structure. The new terminal will be linked to new gate areas by passenger bridges, and it will be 600 feet closer to the Grand Central Parkway than the existing Central Terminal, allowing more room for aircraft operations.

The governor’s office released several artists’ renderings of what the new LaGuardia will look like (see below).

Plans also call for the development of an AirTrain system to link the airport to Manhattan; a ferry terminal so passengers can travel to and from the city by boat; new terminal roadways; and a hotel/conference center. Security checkpoint areas will be three times their current size, and food and beverage concessions will be expanded.

Although the finished product will be on the same site as the existing LaGuardia, it will essentially be an entirely new airport, officials said — the first one to be built in the U.S. since 9/11.

Officials have said previously that the airport will remain open and operating during the construction, although it is likely to cause some inconveniences for travelers as it progresses. Officials hope to break ground on the project next year, and it could take 2-3 years to complete.

Taxpayers and the private sector are expected to split the cost of the $4 billion reconstruction. Cuomo said that Biden — who last year called LaGuardia a “third world” facility — has been instrumental in speeding up regulatory approvals for the new LaGuardia project. Here’s a link to a video of Cuomo’s remarks.

LaGuardia’s new terminal will be much closer to the Grand Central Parkway. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

Soaring glass ceiling will link portions of the terminal and a new hotel. (Image: New York Governor's Office)

Soaring glass ceilings will link portions of the terminal and a new hotel. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

A LaGuardia ferry terminal will permit quick boat rides for passengers into the city. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

Bridges linking the terminal to gate areas will allow more room for aircraft movements on the tarmac. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

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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.

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Affordable, new city center hotels: NYC, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta

July 13, 2015

Residential-style accommodations at the new Hyatt House Atlanta/Downtown. (Image: Hyatt)

For travelers whose budgets don’t allow for five-star luxury, major hotel brands have recently opened some more reasonably priced lodging options in the hearts of major business destinations, including Atlanta, New York, Chicago and Seattle.

Hyatt has cut the ribbon on the Hyatt House Atlanta/Downtown, located at 431 Marietta Street NW, close to the Georgia World Congress Center and the Georgia Dome. The hotel has 150 residential-style guestrooms, studios and one-bedroom units, free daily hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, and other amenities. Rates start at around $159.

Hilton;s new Hampton Inn Manhattan/Times Square Central. (Image: Hilton)

In New York City, Hilton has cut the ribbon on the 300-room Hampton Inn by Hilton Manhattan/Times Square Central. It’s on West 41st Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, close to the Theater District and the Garment District. It offers free hot breakfasts, free Wi-Fi, a fitness center and 24-hour business center. Rates start at $228.

Hyatt Place Chicago/Downtown-The Loop. (Image: Hyatt)

The new Hyatt Place Chicago/Downtown-The Loop is at 28 N. Franklin Street, a block east of Wacker Drive between Washington and Madison streets. The hotel’s 206 rooms offer 42-inch HDTVs, sectional sofas, free Wi-Fi, and some have floor to ceiling windows. Guests get free breakfasts and access to an 1,800-square-foot fitness center. Rates begin around $189.

Hilton Garden Inn Seattle Downtown. (Image: Hilton)

Hilton has opened a new mid-priced property in central Seattle, the 222-room Hilton Garden Inn Seattle Downtown. It’s at 1821 Boren Avenue on the southern tip of Lake Union, within walking distance of the convention center and close to the offices of businesses like Amazon and Google. It offers a 24-hour fitness center, free Wi-Fi, a saltwater pool, restaurant, bar, and 24-hour pantry. Rates begin around $211.

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A new twist on Uber, Lyft

June 11, 2015

Ride-sharing app Opoli is now serving San Diego -- including airport pick-ups. (Image: Jim Glab)

Ride-sharing app Opoli is now serving San Diego — including airport pick-ups. Uber is not. (Image: Jim Glab)

Now that Uber and Lyft have proven the demand for ride-sharing apps, a couple of other firms are trying to pry their way into the market with some new twists on the service.

Opoli (www.opoli.com), which started up in the greater Los Angeles area last year, has now expanded into San Diego — including pickups at San Diego Airport, where it is the only ride-sharing app to win official approval so far.

Opoli’s twist is that it promises “surge-free” pricing — as opposed to Uber, where prices rise as demand increases in a given area. Instead, “Opoli allows users to name their price for a desired fare, at which point nearby drivers can either accept the fare or offer a counter bid. The final price is agreed upon before pickup, with no increase in prices for peak hours or holidays, with 100 percent of the fare going to the driver,” a spokesperson said. Besides individual rides, The firm also offers eight-passenger vans.

Meanwhile, a new ride-sharing app service from South Korea is setting its sights on the New York City market.

The KakaoTaxi app has been a big hit in Seoul during its short lifetime –a market where Uber had to suspend service over security concerns.

New features from KakaoTaxi include a real-time traffic monitor so the app can predict how long it will take a driver to reach the customer’s location. And customers can send real-time location data to family or friends through the app. In Korea, KakaoTaxi drivers are required to hold the same licenses as taxi drivers.

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Hottest new hotels in New York, Dallas, Chicago

May 16, 2015

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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.

Secret stash of “unpublished” discount hotel rates

May 1, 2015

Save $85 per night on a room at the quaint Martha Washington hotel in Manhattan (Chelsea Hotels)

Last month we wrote about the brand new GoSeek.com website that finds super-low “unpublished” hotel rates and posts them online.

That was one of the most popular posts on TravelSkills.com this spring, so we took another peek at GoSeek.com mid-week rates at business class hotels for the upcoming peak summer season in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles– and found some real gems with savings ranging from 20% to 55% off.

We used July 14-16 to sample

Some examples for midweek rates in New York? (We used July 14-16 to sample) How about the 4-star Martha Washington hotel (in NoMad on E 29th St) for just $161 compared to $247 on the hotel’s website (a 35% savings). GoSeek has rates at the posh 5-star Surrey hotel on the upper east side for $347- that’s 25% less than what you’ll find on the hotel site. You’ll save 34% when booking the Wyndham New Yorker (near Penn Station) for just $176 compared to $267 on the hotel site. Check GoSeek.com to see the low rate at Andaz Wall Street!

We used July 14-16 to sample

GoSeek’s July midweek rates in Chicago include Hilton Doubletree (Magnificent Mile) for just $149 per night while the hotel website has it for $319– that’s a 53% savings! Get in the popular Trump for just $284 instead of $356 on the hotel site. The mod Hotel Lincoln on the park north of downtown is going for $161 on GoSeek, while it’s $249 on the hotel website. The Holiday Inn downtown on GoSeek is $139 while on the hotel site, it’s $281– a savings of 51%. Check for yourself!

The famously chic rooftop pool at the Four Seasons Bev Hills (Four Seasons)

How about LA? GoSeek can get you in the Four Seasons Beverly Hills for $448 per night, while the going rate on the hotel website is $605– that’s 26% off. How about the Hilton Doubletree downtown? GoSeek has it for $133 while it’s $269 on the hotel site. We also found the Westin Bonaventure for $319 per night vs $419 on the hotel’s site. Check for yourself!

How does GoSeek.com work? Here’s what we said in our original post:

Frequent travelers know that nearly every hotel chain now guarantees that you’ll find the lowest “published” rate on their own branded websites.

The “best rate guarantees” usually offer to pay the difference (and toss in some other bennies) if you find a lower rate elsewhere.

But the operative word in those guarantees is “published.”

These days, there are all kinds of hidden or unpublished rates available, but who has time to poke around looking for these? Not me!

GoSeek.com is a month-old website that sniffs out and aggregates these bargains and posts them online.

These unpublished discounts rates are coupons, mobile rates, AAA rates, senior rates, rates that you’d normally only find at paid membership clubs. Some of the rates are “subscriber rates” which require a free login to view, and are technically not published or publicly available.

GoSeek says that it offers lower rates on more than half the hotels you’d find on a typical metasearch site– with a savings of 20% or more.

So based on this quick look, GoSeek.com does seem to be able to find lower rates.

But what about getting those cherished loyalty points? We asked GoSeek and here’s what they had to say about that:

This is a complicated answer, and amounts to “sometimes”. You get hotel loyalty points when booking AAA and Senior rates. You get OTA loyalty points (e.g., Expedia or Orbitz) when booking a mobile rate. You get OTA loyalty points sometimes when booking a rate with a coupon. Two examples: On Cheaptickets you do. On Hotels.com you don’t. And you shouldn’t be getting hotel loyalty points for OTA bookings with coupons, ever. And you never get points – OTA or Hotel loyalty program – when booking a subscriber rate.

Check GoSeek.com for yourself!

Disclosure: Thank you for reading TravelSkills! We will periodically send out messages like this one from commercial partners about topics relevant to frequent travel. Our sponsors’ support, and yours, help us keep TravelSkills a free publication.

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5 key findings from Consumer Report on frequent flyer programs

April 30, 2015

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Consumer Reports found Southwest had the greatest availability of seats for award travel. (Image: Jim Glab)

Which airline frequent flyer programs are the most (and least) generous with reward seats for their members?

Consumer Reports magazine conducted a detailed analysis of free seat availability on the five largest airlines (Delta, American, United, Southwest and JetBlue) over the past two years.

Briefly: Southwest is the most generous with awards, JetBlue the least. New York is the most popular destination for award trips. All airlines except United increased award seat availability last year. JetBlue awards are the most valuable. Don’t rely on what you see online– call an agent to check award availability. And buying miles is always a bad idea.

Mores details among the findings:

Southwest Airlines made 11.5 percent of its seats — a total of 11.9 million — available for award travel on hundreds of routes. That’s the highest among the five airlines. Among the 25 most popular reward routes, Southwest had the highest percentage of award seat availability on 72 percent of them. By contrast, JetBlue ranked last of the five with only 4.5 percent of its seats, or 892,000, available for reward trips. Delta set aside 5.6 million U.S. award seats, followed by United with 5 million and American with 3.5 million.

The top five domestic award travel destinations, and the airline with the highest percentage of available seats, were New York City (Southwest at 12.8 percent), Los Angeles (Delta at 11.7 percent), Las Vegas (Southwest at 10 percent), Miami (Southwest at 13.7 percent) and Orlando (Southwest at 9.3 percent).

New: United’s sweet 50,000-mile bonus is back

Although everyone talks about award seats being harder than ever to find, Consumer Reports determined that the number of one-way award trips flown by the five airlines in fiscal 2014 was 26.9 million, an increase of almost 3 million from the previous year. All the airlines increased award travel last year except United, which cut it from 10.2 percent to 9.8 percent of all tickets.

In assessing whether or not award seats represented a good value compared with the lowest fares available in a given market, the report found that JetBlue awards represented good value on all its routes, but it only serves 10 of the top 25; Southwest had good award seat value on 88 percent of its routes vs. 60 percent for United, 38 percent on Delta and 36 percent on American.

The magazine suggested that frequent flyer members should not buy extra miles to top off their accounts when that option is available. “They cost about 3 cents per mile, clearly a losing proposition. Instead, use the miles you do have to buy a one-way ticket covering half of your round trip, which all big five airlines now allow.”

The full report is a whopper– check it out here.

How do your own experiences in finding award seats compare with the Consumer Reports findings? Post comments below.

Brand new luxury hotel brand: Now in NYC & SF

April 16, 2015

Like NEW hotels in New York? Then check into a room like this at the recently revamped Loew Regency New York (Photo: Loews)

Like NEW hotels in New York? Then check into a room like this at the recently revamped Loews Regency New York (Photo: Loews)

In a blockbuster move earlier this year, Loews Hotels & Resorts acquired San Francisco’s poshest hotel perch, the Mandarin Oriental.

This week, Loews announced the San Francisco property as well as its slick new (ish) hotel at 61st & Park in New York City would be the first two “Loews Regency” hotels, a new brand for the company. The hotels will be named Loews Regency San Francisco and Loews Regency New York. (I bet the shiny new Loews Chicago will likely fall into this camp in short order…)

The new Loews Regency San Francisco looks like a tuning fork in the skyline (Image: Loews)

The 379-room Loews Regency New York recently underwent a lengthy $100 million renovation and re-opened late last year, so although it’s not “new from the ground up” it will certainly feel that way. The 155-room Loews Regency San Francisco will likely feel just as new since it underwent a major revamp that was unveiled three years ago. Loews plans to make updates to the lobby and other public areas, but rooms will remain the same.

Loews is a relatively small chain– only 23 properties, but it has one attribute most luxury hotels lack: Free high-speed in-room wi-fi for one and all! No strings. Nice!

I took a spin through the recently renovated Loews Boston hotel last year and was very impressed. It also recently opened a new-from-the-ground Loews Atlanta hotel in the city’s bustling midtown district. A gorgeous, brand spanking new new Loews just opened in Chicago.

Loews hotel locations

Have you stayed at a Loews hotel lately? What did you think? Leave your comments below!

–Chris McGinnis

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.

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Trip Report: JetBlue Mint class [photos]

February 10, 2015

A delightful fresh fruit salad with ice cream for dessert. Scroll down for more foodie photos! (Chris McGinnis)

Late last year, JetBlue invited me to try out its new Mint business class on a roundtrip between San Francisco and New York.

I jumped at the chance because TravelSkills readers have been pinging me with lots of question about it. Why? Most say it’s because they are getting fed up with the recent shenanigans by legacy carriers and that they are considering shifting allegiance, or at least exploring other options.

As a matter of fact, I received another one of these emails this today from TravelSkills reader L.H.: “Delta had been putting Platinum and Diamonds on the upgrade list six hours prior to flight for JFK-LAX/SFO. Today I was told only that only Diamonds get on the list. Now there’s no chance for a Platinum to upgrade either by list or certificate… This is just another reason to not fly Delta on this market. And it seems punitive. [Delta] just pushed my business to Virgin or JetBlue…”

So would this high-flying Delta elite member really be willing to give up all those SkyMiles to give JetBlue a whirl? I doubt it. I’ve watched Delta’s frequent flyer program tick off travelers for the last 20 years, but they nearly always go back.

But have we finally reached a turning point? What JetBlue has put on offer between New York and California with its new Mint class is pretty tempting.

And it’s not too expensive, either– at times, fares are as low as $599 each each way. The only way to upgrade into Mint class is to pay the fare difference- a spokesman told TravelSkills that it does not offer last minute incentives at the gate for folks hoping for an empty seat.

Here’s what’s on offer for next week and next month on one of JetBlue five daily flights.

JetBlue one way fares for a SFO JFK flight next week

JetBlue one way fares for SFO JFK flights next month

Now let’s jump on board for a look and a bite!

JetBlue’s new satellite-based inflight wi-fi product is considered one of the fastest in the sky. When it worked, I would agree with that. But there were several spots along the way, especially when flying over the northern plains and Rocky Mountains where the connection went away completely for long periods of time. Not a huge issue since I’m a fan of ANY plane equipped with wi-fi, but more evidence to me that there’s not a completely reliable and speedy service in the sky…yet.

There are 16 Mint class seats on each of JetBlue’s new Airbus A321s. Seats are staggered, so you can sit alone like this guy and feel like Captain Kirk 🙂 . In this seat, there’s even a sliding door to separate you from the commotion in the aisle. Contrary to what a lot of readers think (or have heard), this is not a “private suite” with a door that closes.

While everyone probably wants to sit in the Captain Kirk seat, there is plenty of room to spread out in the seats that are two abreast. But insiders tell me that the Kirk seats always sell out first. There is plenty of in-seat storage space and well thought out nooks like the pouch for smart phones you see in the lower right of the photo above.

When fully extended, that seat is as flat as Kansas. On my flights in both directions, less than half of passengers went fully flat. That’s likely because there was too much going on… and too much to eat and watch on the seatback entertainment systems. (Keep scrolling!) One important note about seatback movies– I was surprised to see that they are not “on demand” which means you cannot start and stop them along the way. They are on a set schedule, which makes watching them during mealtime or between bouts of work a hassle.

Some interesting options here on the seat controller… the discreet floor light, the massage function, and the ability to adjust the firmness of your seat cushion– just like a Sleepnumber mattress. Pretty cool!

In-flight amenity kits for men– thoughtful, entertaining and quirky, but not sure if I would use any of this stuff. Would you?

Birchbox amenity kit for women.

My seatmate, who seemed to be more of a wine connoisseur than I, was very impressed with this selection of wines. Any oenophiles out there want to chime in on this list?

JetBlue wi-fi is sorta like hotel wi-fi– you get a basic connection for free (for now), but have to pay for a high speed connection– and it’s not cheap. If you are like me and spend five hours online between SFO and JFK, you could end up with a $45 wi-fi bill. To be honest, I tested both and found little difference between the free and paid versions, and since the product is still in beta, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all pans out.

Economy class on JetBlue’s A321 is comfortable, clean and modern- but starting this year, it plans on pushing seats closer together, so enjoy the extra space while you can!

A very nice touch for economy class passengers is this snack bar located at the front of the cabin. Includes a wide selection of soft drinks, water and snacks including JetBlues signature blue potato chips.

A hearty breakfast on my SFO-JFK morning flight included several options. I was unable to eat all of it… rare to get so much food! All of it delicious. Might be some of the best food I’ve ever had on a plane. And I’ve had a lot!

Mint passengers choose three of five entrees on dinnertime flights.

I chose the terrine, lentil salad and pot roast. All of it was delicious. Very very impressive. Be sure to see the nice fresh dessert at the top of this post– a fresh fruit salad and mint (natch) ice cream.

Have you flown JetBlue in Mint class yet? What did you think? Would you be willing to dump your allegiance to a legacy carrier to fly in a cabin like this? Please leave your comments below.

–Chris McGinnis

Disclosure: JetBlue covered the cost of airfare on this trip between San Francisco and New York.

Have you been following our super popular Planespotting 101 series? Check out our first two installments here:

Planespotting 101: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320

Planespotting 101: MD-80/90 & Boeing 717

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New York City is too crowded!

February 5, 2015

Nearly 500,000 people pass through Times Square every day (Photo: Neo_II / Flickr)

Crowding in New York City is reaching epidemic proportions. Especially in Midtown and particularly in Times Square.

In the rare case you haven’t been to Manhattan lately, you should know that the number of tourists visiting New York City hit an historic high last year. This week the NYC Mayor’s office proudly proclaimed that a whopping 56.4 million showed up to take in its sights and sounds.

That’s over 20 million more visitors than 14 years ago, in 2000, when 36.2 million showed up.

If you have been to New York recently and dared to venture into the Times Square area, you know that it feels like all 56 million showed up on the day you got there, right? Roughly 480,000 pedestrians pass through Times Square every day. Before 2009, that number was 350,000.

Sometimes you have to fight just to get in or out of your hotel room door. Finding a cab or open seat at a restaurant is nearly impossible. Bumping into first timers looking up and pointing from sidewalks, hawkers or people dressed up as costumed characters is a regular occurrence.

It’s become so crazy that I now take the advice of aggravated locals and just avoid Midtown and Times Square completely. (The New York Times opined about the problem last month)

The problem for me, and I’m sure for many TravelSkills readers is that business meetings frequently take place in Midtown. So if you want to stay close to your meeting, you are kinda stuck.

Our recommendations for the two best all around credit cards offering 40K bonus miles are ….

(Image: InterContinental Hotels)

I used to think I was being smart by staying at the InterContinental or Westin Times Square, both located on what used to the be the quiet western edge of all the action. But with the resurgence of Hells Kitchen and Clinton neighborhoods along 8th and 9th Avenues, it’s packed over there, too.

I’ve found some respite in the limited service hotel village that has spring up between Herald Square and the Empire State Building, but even that’s becoming overcrowded and frequently sold out.

So I’m looking for some advice here. What are the best (or your favorite) hotels on the fringes of Midtown, away from the madding crowds, that are close enough to walk to Midtown, but far enough away that I don’t feel like I’m part of the circus?

Please share any tips or advice in the comments below!

–Chris McGinnis

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The Test: San Francisco-New York City for two nights

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