Results tagged “Christopher Elliott” from Intelligent Travel Blog

Scott Booker is the aptly-named chief hotel expert and guest advocate for Hotels.com. I asked him about this summer's unprecedented crop of hotel bargains and how to take advantage of them in a recessionary economy, plus the outlook for new hotel fees.

Can you give me a sense of how inexpensive hotels are this summer, compared with summers past?

This is absolutely the summer of the deal, and bargain pricing is just about everywhere. For instance, we have a three-star Ramada near Universal Studios in Southern California starting at $76 that typically runs for $109. It's $50 lower than other three-stars in the area, and includes breakfast. The Walt Disney World Swan, which typically has rates in the $250 range, has rooms starting at $180. The Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio has rooms at $142 that typically go for more than $250. But it's not just about an inexpensive nightly rate, but the value travelers are getting for their money. Properties are making the trip more affordable overall with promotional offers like gift cards, dining and spa credits, and free nights with a multiple night stay -- these are quite common right now.

Where are the best deals to be found? And which destinations are still pricey?

Deals are literally everywhere -- I think it's harder to find a city that's not on sale. We're seeing amazing values in places like Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Phoenix, and San Antonio. New York has a sale now with more than 60 deals in the market. In Los Angeles, we have a brand new five-star property, Terranea Resort, at 50 percent off, with rates from $145. This is more than $300 below other five-stars in L.A. In Vegas, the Trump International Hotel has the lowest rates among the five-star set at $99 a night, plus a $50 spa credit. New York has the Park Central with rooms from $137, and the St. James at Times Square from $109.

Other than booking a hotel through your site, how do you land a deal this summer?

Even though that's the best way to find a deal, I'd recommend two additional points: Read as much as you can about the destinations you want to visit. And, look at package deals that can bring the overall cost of the vacation.

Hugh Crean is the general manager of Bing Travel, Microsoft's new travel search engine. Microsoft is trying to chip away at Google's search engine dominance, and Bing Travel is part of a multi-pronged effort that also includes shopping and health-related microsites. Crean's company, Farecast, was acquired by Microsoft last year and folded into MSN Travel. Contributing Editor Christopher Elliott asked Crean about what Bing means to travelers.

Farecast. MSN Travel. Now Bing Travel. My head is spinning! Couldn't you just leave well enough alone?

It's true that we're giving the guy who changes our name on the front door some good business this year, but we're excited that as part of the overall Bing search strategy, Bing Travel is a solution that a lot of travelers will discover and learn about in the coming weeks, months and years. Frankly, we're simplifying things. With Bing Travel, Microsoft now has a single online destination for travelers.

How is Bing Travel different from MSN Travel?

For starters, we incorporated all the great Farecast features - price predictor, hotel rate indicator, deals, planning tools, fare alerts, and more. Plus, we added the travel editorial travelers have used and read for years at MSN Travel. Beyond those core features, we have a really deep integration with Bing.com that makes Bing a great search site for travelers. Try a general Web search on Bing.com for 'flights from LAX to SFO.' Right at the top of the results you'll see our prediction on whether to buy now or wait, deals out of LAX, a link to our flexible travel tools and more.

"Open your eyes -- everything is about to change for travelers," says contributing editor Christopher Elliott. Here's how:

One of the most popular cameras on the number one photo-sharing site isn't a camera at all. It's the Apple iPhone. I mention this for two reasons. First, because a new iPhone is being released June 19. And second, because it now includes a feature that promises to change the way we travel: a video camera.

The specs are nothing to rave about -- 640 by 480 pixels, which is not exactly HD -- but the implications are far-reaching for each and every one of us. At the touch of a button, travelers can now publish an edited video to YouTube. Not coincidentally, YouTube just last week added a feature that allows you to directly share clips to Facebook, Twitter, and Google Reader.

Contributing Editor Christopher Elliott tests out the latest in travel gadgets.

A travel company that doesn't tell you to get lost when you've got a problem?

When they offered to send me a review unit of the new TomTom GO 740 Live promising me just that, I had just one question -- where do I sign up? But it's true: This navigation system not only helps you find your way when all others -- even my trusty iPhone 3G -- are "off the grid" but it makes sure you don't get lost in the first place. Gotta love it.

Well, almost all of it. I tested this high-end Internet-connected direction-finder, which costs a hefty $399 (it includes three months of Internet services) and found it about as easy to use as any other nav system I've ever evaluated. The similarities end there, though. The GO 740 Live has a host of features under the hood that set it apart, including cool new routing technology that helps you chart the most efficient way based on traffic patterns and other real-time traffic information, a fuel-price locator, and an easy way to find restaurants when you're on the road. It even tells you when you'll arrive at your destination.

What hasn't changed is the primary way of interacting with the device. The user interface has supposedly been redesigned, but in many ways it handles just like the first-generation nav systems I looked at years ago. For those of us who are used to the tried-and-true, that should come as a relief. All others can try the voice-activated instructions. I haven't been able to figure those out yet, probably because with three young children in the back seat, there's never a shortage of ambient noise. If you take frequent road trips alone, you'll want to use the GO 740 Live instead of a handheld GPS system, which, if operated at 70 miles an hour is just an accident waiting to happen. If you have company, a GPS-enabled cell phone -- or an old-fashioned paper map -- might be good enough for your summer road trip.

David Holmes probably needs no introduction. But just in case you haven't heard of him, he's the 40-year-old Southwest Airlines flight attendant whose in-flight safety announcement is making the rounds on YouTube. Traveler Contributing Editor Christopher Elliott asked him how he became the rapping flight attendant.


Q: Where did you come up with the idea of rapping an in-flight safety announcement?

Holmes: I did my first rap for our flight attendant graduation class. And I quickly realized, as I began flying, how many customers tune-out when we start demonstrating that very important information. I wanted a way to keep their attention. From there, it just took off.

Whose idea was it to tape your in-flight announcement and put it online?

The one that started all of this was recorded by a customer on her cell phone. We were having a great time and, at the end of the flight, she said "I'm going to put this on YouTube."

It sounded like you had a lot of practice with that particular song. Have you delivered that safety announcement before?

It's been an evolving performance. I have several versions to mix and match through any part of the flight.

In his new memoir, "Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy," Isadore Sharp describes how he built one of the hotel industry's most successful and respected brands. But the book ends just as things start to get interesting: with a historic downturn in the lodging industry. National Geographic Traveler Contributing Editor Christopher Elliott asked Sharp to pick up where the book left off.

Q: In your book, you talk about how Four Seasons survived -- and even prospered -- during two recessions. But by most accounts they weren't as severe as the current economic downturn. How is the company holding up?

Sharp: There's no question that our industry as a whole has been affected by the current economic environment. Our approach to business at this time is the same as always -- to provide our guests with the consistency and excellence they have come to expect of Four Seasons. Providing exceptional experiences to our guests is a fundamental part of our business model and has been the foundation for our success, through good times and bad. In times of uncertainly, our guests value the reliability and care that we provide. It's a relationship of trust that is more important than ever.

In the last year, we've seen a lot of hotels reduce amenities and cut staff in order to save money. Of course, rates have also dropped pretty dramatically. Could you talk a little about what differences, if any, a customer might notice between a Four Seasons experience in 2008 versus now?

It's been reported that many hotel companies are cutting services and amenities to cope with this challenging business environment. This is something we will never do. It is the promise behind our brand name. Our focus continues to be on providing the services our guests need to be productive when they stay with us on business, and to focus on family and loved ones when on vacation. Whether it's 24-hour room service, one hour pressing, complimentary shoe shine, overnight laundry, exceptional complimentary children's programs -- all of the services we provide add up to a tremendous support system for our guests, allowing them to spend their time with us effectively. These services represent a tremendous value to our guests, especially when every travel experience matters and nothing can be left to chance.