Orbitz Blog

Articles for October, 2008

U.S. sees another burst of new hotels

Friday, October 31st, 2008

Business_travel
By Joe Brancatelli

 With business travel dropping like a stone, you’d hate to be a hotel owner now. But what choice do you have? You have new buildings in the pipeline, so your only choice is to keep the structure closed or open as planned. For the moment, at least, hoteliers are choosing the latter. So get out your scorecard and mark down these new outposts. … W Hotels has opened a branch in Minneapolis. The 229-room property is in the iconic Foshay Tower modeled after the Washington Monument. … Embassy Suites has opened a 283-suite property in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. … Mandarin Oriental has opened a 136-room/12-suite property on Boylston Street in Boston. It’s adjacent to the Prudential Center. Opening rates are $525 a night on the Internet and more than $800 a night through other outlets. … Staybridge Suites has opened a 118-room hotel in Las Vegas. The five-story property is four blocks off The Strip. … Internationally, Radisson SAS has opened a 330-room hotel across from Terminal 1 at Zurich Airport.

THE LOUNGE LIFE

A lavish new club from Cathay Pacific: Cathay Pacific has opened a lounge in Hong Kong for its arriving first-class and elite customers. The lounge, called The Arrival, is located between Terminals 1 and 2 and features a buffet dining area, eight shower stalls, desktop computers and Wi-Fi connections. … Speaking of lounges, Priority Pass has added lounges in Amman, Jordan; Sydney; Beijing; Boston (the US Airways Club in Terminal B); and Phoenix (the US Airways club in Concourse 4B). And Diners Club, the nearly moribund charge card now owned by the Discover card, has signed up 18 lounges at 14 airports in the United Kingdom. The lounges are operated by Servisair. Diners Club cardholders get airport club access in about 30 countries.

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Joe Brancatelli is editor and publisher of JoeSentMe.com, a non-commercial Web site for business travelers. Copyright 2008 by Joe Brancatelli. Licensed by contract for Orbitz use.

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The Orlando Hard Rock Hotel’s John Lennon room

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Hard_rock_hotel
By Samantha Chapnick

For Beatles or John Lennon fans, the Orlando Hard Rock Hotel is like no other.

When our waiter overheard us talking about The Dakota and John Lennon, he casually asked if we were fans. Apparently our over-enthusiastic response must have impressed him. He mentioned there was a Lennon room in the restaurant but only devoted fans were granted access.

After dinner, Martin introduced himself as the person who’d be giving us the tour of the Lennon room. Seeing his black nail polish, dark black eyeliner, and wall of long black hair, I spuriously and erroneously assumed he’d be more excited to point out the goggles and outfit worn by Sex Pistols members or maybe even something from his generation’s equivalent of Metallica. Butdespite being the lead singer of a rock/punk band, he was a huge Beatles and Lennon fan.

After navigating the obstacle course of tables, going down some steps, through a locked door and down a hallway, we arrived at what I like to think of as The Inner Sanctum. Designed to replicate Lennon and Ono’s apartment in the Dakota, its a predominantly white room punctuated by poignant memorabilia. Here’s a little teaser of the items, for the rest you’ll have to go for yourself!

  • The white suit he wore on the cover of Abbey Road
  • The couch he used to compose songs — it was charming to see the wicker broken in places his elbows must have worn through while writing
  • A drawing of the family by John
  • One of the famous naked full frontal photos of John and Yoko
  • And my favorite piece — a menu from a now-defunct airline signed by all four Beatles. Apparently, the man sitting next to them, far before they were famous, got to chatting. When they told him they were in a band he casually said something like "Hey! Sign my menu in case you get famous one day." So many days passed before they became famous, he completely forgot he even had the menu. He stumbled upon it recently and it now resides in this room.

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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Las Vegas hosts more hot Halloween events

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Lasvegasstriplvcva
By E.C. Gladstone

As I suspected, despite our hard times, Las Vegas has come up with even more ways to celebrate Howl-O-Ween this year. So many, that for those of you coming in to town for this fright-filled weekend, I thought I had probably warn you: sleep now, while you can!

I mentioned the Beaux Arts Ball on Thursday 10/30 at Studio 54 already, but now can tell you that it will not only feature America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV) Super Cr3w, but also perfomers from American Superstars, Chippendales, Crazy Horse Paris, Fantasy, Folies Bergere, Jubilee, Le Reve, O, the Rio’s Show In The Sky and Zumanity. Wow! Also that night, Tryst (Wynn) will have a comic-book heroes & villains party, and Hawaiian Tropic Zone (Planet Hollywood) will be giving away a free “Booob Job” to the winner of its tricks-or-treats contest.

On Halloween (Friday 10/31), Korn’s Jonathan Davis performs at LAX (Luxor), while coincidentally, his former band mate Rob Patterson performs down the strip at ROK Vegas (New York New York), where Carmen Elektra — his fiancée — hosts. … Wilmer Valderrama (remember him from when he actually acted and didn’t just party?) hosts a Veuve Cliquot "Yelloween" At PURE (Caesars Palace)…the cast of Phantom hosts a masquerade ball at Lavo (Palazzo). …  Randy Gerber’s sexy Cherry club (Red Rock resort) hosts a Halloween Fun House with costume prizes and — more importantly — $100 bottle service (if you don’t know what a deal that is — trust me). … And if Tera Patrick isn’t your taste in adult entertainers, Jesse Jane hosts TheDirty.com‘s party at Prive (Planet Hollywood)

Also that spook-tacular evening, Criss Angel performs the official opening night of his long-awaited Cirque du Soleil show Believe, If you’re lucky enough to be among the invited, well, boo-ray for you!

Last but ab-so-lutely not least, DJ Paul Oakenfold returns to his amazing Perfecto residency at Rain (Palms resort) Saturday night 11./1. Only a few weeks in, and this multimedia, multi-performance extravaganza has established itself as the only party that matters.

Of course, check my previous blog post for many more Vegas Halloween tips. Have a frighteningly good time this weekend!

Insider tip: Also over the weekend, Amy Smart hosts a "Get Out The Vote" party Saturday and Nelly celebrates his birthday, both at the Palazzo resort’s Lavo (the club too intimate for the celebs to hide)

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E.C. Gladstone is a former editor for AOLVegas, and interviews top
Strip entertainers, restaurateurs, moguls and behind-the-scenes
players for VEGAS Magazine. Like many Las Vegans, he sleeps only when
absolutely necessary.

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Portland, Oregon, rain or shine

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Portlandoregon
By Joanna Wiebe

Because my heart belongs to a little girl in Portland, Oregond, we’re visiting the Rose City often.

Our greenest city (Popular Science, February 2008), Portland is an eclectic metropolis of about 540,000 people with a median age of 37. People walk, take public transit, ride bikes and carpool. They shop at outdoor farmers’ markets, Willamette Valley wineries and local brew pubs and microbreweries. It’s easy to visit the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, for sightseeing or sport. The weather is temperate. For these and many other reasons, Portland gets rankings on “most livable city” lists.

On a July family vacation we took a tip from an OrbitzTLC Traveler Update contributor, and snagged a seat on the left forward facing side for a good view of Mount Hood as we flew into the Portland airport (PDX). From the air, on a clear day (on average, 143 yearly days of sunshine), it’s easy to see how the Willamette River splits the city into east and west. (more…)

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It’s not too late to book Thanksgiving flights

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

When is Thanksgiving 2008?If you’re planning to fly over Thanksgiving, it’s not too late to find good Thanksgiving flight deals. But you’d better book soon.

For the best deals and fewer hassles, it’s a good idea to either avoid peak travel days or try to depart early, when flights are less likely to be delayed.

The long Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the peak travel day.

Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, so this year Thanksgiving Day falls on November 27, 2008.

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Orbitz Insiders’ money-saving ski vacation tips

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

ski vacations Who says ski vacations have to be super-expensive? If you’re looking to cut your ski vacation costs without sacrificing comfort, check out these money-saving tips from the Orbitz Insiders:

– Consider your lodging location. While slopeside "ski in/ski out" locations allow you to walk out your door and hop on the lift, opting for lodging a little further from the mountain can save you cash. And most ski resorts offer free shuttle services with stops throughout town, so getting to the lift is not a hassle.

– Look for alternative lodging. For families and groups, alternative lodging like vacation rentals — homes, condos, cabins — can be much less expensive than booking multiple hotel rooms. Check out vacationrentals.orbitz.com for over 30,000 properties around the world.

– Ski on off-peak dates. Busy holiday weekends, including Christmas and the MLK and Presidents Day weekends, can be more expensive and very busy. If you want to save money and avoid long lift lines, think "off peak." And consider weekday vs. weekend trips and you’ll save even more!

– Less expensive lift tickets. If you know you’ll be skiing at least a few days during your vacation, purchase lift tickets in advance on sites like Orbitz.com. And if considering lessons, remember that at many resorts, beginner lessons typically include a beginner lift ticket in the price.

Visit the Orbitz ski vacation section for updates on the latest ski season promotions and deals.

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Orbitz Insider Index: Top 10 most popular ski resorts

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Parkcityski
Lake Tahoe, Park City and several Colorado ski resorts lead Orbitz’ new list of the most popular North American ski vacation destinations.

Here’s the top 10 list, based on current bookings for the 2008/2009 ski season.

1)   Lake Tahoe
2)   Breckenridge, Colorado
3)   Park City, Utah
4)   Vail, Colorado
5)   Aspen, Colorado
6)   Keystone, Colorado
6)   Winter Park, Colorado
8)   Whistler, British Columbia
9)   Banff, Canada
10) Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

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Flying with kids during the busy holiday season

Monday, October 27th, 2008

family travel
By Jim Cohn

As my kids are still young, my tips focus on traveling with smaller ones (under age 7).

First, timing your flights. If flying for Thanksgiving, I’m a big fan of flying out Thursday morning and coming back Monday.  Aside from saving on airfare, you’ll avoid the huge holiday crowds in the airports and the long lines and your kids will be better, more cooperative travelers as a result.

Not to mention, you’ll have a better chance of avoiding flight delays on Wednesday and Sunday — two of the busiest travel days of the year. Flight delays, long lines and crowded airports spell stress for parents and meltdowns for kids -– not a good combination.

Find out what’s in the airport for kids. Spend a few minutes online checking out your home airport or one where you’re making a connection. Many have some pretty nice kids’ areas, including things like an interactive airport play area for kids at O’Hare in Chicago, which is an extension of the Children’s Museum in the city. These types of things are great –- but you have to know where they are. You can always ask someone in the airport too.

Teamwork. Holiday time is family time, but splitting up the duties with the kids while en route can make life a lot easier.  For instance, rather than hauling your kids to rental car lots, remote lots and getting on and off of shuttle buses with kids and bags, take advantage of opportunities to drop them off, pick them up, etc. Don’t take them places they don’t absolutely need to go. Or consider spending a few extra dollars to take a cab, which can drop you off right at the terminal and pick you up at bag claim rather than hassling with parking. Again, this one can be a cost issue, just something to consider.

Boarding the plane. Some people think it’s wonderful to pre-board with kids. I think it’s crazy. What, pre-board so your kids can sit there even longer? No thanks. I let my wife pre-board with the carry on bags (at least the big ones). I let the kids run around until the final boarding call, then bring them on the plane. And guess what -– they’ve had more time to run, and spend less time sitting waiting for the plane to pull away from the gate. Win/win.

Don’t overschedule. As parents, we all know that an over-tired kid can be a nightmare. They all need downtime. Make sure on travel days there’s some R and R built in somewhere. If we’re driving, I’ll gladly go 10 minutes out of my way to hit a park where the kids can run. And while my wife and I aren’t fans of McDonald’s, we’ll even bite the bullet and go to one if it has a play area.

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When Jim Cohn is not running drills with his wife and kids, he can be found at Wrigley Field watching his beloved Cubbies, coaching t-ball or chasing his other passion, a little white ball on the golf course.

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Family travel: A little holiday spirit always helps

Monday, October 27th, 2008

Thanksgiving_dinner
By Allan Burstyn

There may never be a time when it is easy to travel with your family, but traveling during the holiday season can be particularly challenging. But what if, instead of treating the holiday travel process as something that simply must be endured, we could make it part of the overall holiday experience?

When our family has traveled around a holiday, we try to imbue the travel experience with some of the spirit of the holiday. Besides getting the kids excited about the holiday and keeping them occupied during the trip, it’s also a chance to teach them something.

Dressing your children in holiday clothes is an easy way to provide a cue to them that the trip you are about take is part of the holiday experience. While older kids might resist, younger children will be excited to wearing something special.

Holiday-themed toys, books and videos are perfect for those occasional holiday-time delays. Grandparents and others will be impressed by your well-read youngsters.

Singing holiday songs on the way to the airport is a great way of getting everyone excited about the trip ahead. While no one wants to hear a 4-year-old sing at the top of his or her lungs in a crowded terminal, breaking into song when your family has some privacy — although potentially corny — can also be fun.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, holiday travel can also be an opportunity to act in the holiday spirit. When traveling during the holidays there are many opportunities for your family to help one another and others, whether that means carrying luggage for bigger kid or picking up things that people accidentally dropped for smaller ones. By doing good deeds during your holiday travel experience you will help others feel the holiday spirit as well. We were once put on a bus after a snowstorm shut down our connecting airport. We and our 2-year-old were cranky after a long day of travel, and if it weren’t for the kindness of some of our fellow passengers who helped keep our child occupied, that bus trip might have turned into a disaster.

While these suggestions may seem like small measures, given how stressful and exasperating holiday travel can be even seemingly small things can go a long way toward making the difficult moments easier to handle.

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With three boys under five years of age. when he’s not at Orbitz
Allan can be found changing diapers or breaking up fights. Allan
divides his vacation time between local road trips, scuba diving and
skiing.

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Daylight saving time ends on November 2

Monday, October 27th, 2008

daylight savings time
By Joe Brancatelli

Daylight saving time in the United States ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 2. Be ready to adjust your watches, clocks and flight times accordingly. If you’re having trouble keeping up with the time where you travel — the return to standard time isn’t all that standard anymore — try the deceptively simple, but absolutely irreplaceable, time grid at TimeandDate.com. Meanwhile, a reminder: Most of the world’s airlines began their "winter" schedules over the weekend of October 25-26. There were many more changes than usual this year, especially schedule reductions on trans-Atlantic flights to and from the United States. It might be wise to double-check your itinerary if you’re sitting on an airline ticket you booked earlier this year.

AIRPORT REPORT

Here come two more of those new airport terminals: After a three-week delay, JetBlue Airways has opened its new terminal at New York/Kennedy Airport. The big news: Computer terminals at the gate that allow you to order food for delivery. Meanwhile, in Raleigh-Durham, Terminal 2 has opened, too. The first tenants: American Airlines, which once operated a hub at RDU; United Airlines; and Air Canada. Delta Air Lines is due to move into Terminal 2 on November 9. The good news? Both terminals opened relatively smoothly and without incident. And don’t forget that you can get real-time information about airport developments at that invaluable resource, the OrbitzTLC Traveler Update.

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Joe Brancatelli is editor and publisher of JoeSentMe.com, a non-commercial Web site for business travelers. Copyright 2008 by Joe Brancatelli. Licensed by contract for Orbitz use

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