Results tagged “Economy” from Intelligent Travel Blog

Contributing Editor Andrew Nelson is back from a long weekend along Florida's Gold Coast, where he found the economic downturn has had an impact on the high life.

More posh. Less dosh. For travelers looking for resort bargains, these are, as Natalie Merchant said, the days. No more so than the Sunshine State. Last winter tourism fell off the stove along with the stock market. "There was no season this year," complained one taxi driver heading up the Gold Coast from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. "I've never seen it like that."

The recession combined with the traditional slow season - the humid Florida summer - offers bargains for the traveler. Even Boca Raton, one of East Coast's glossier destinations, is discounted this year.

Exhibit A is the august 1047-room Boca Raton Resort and Beach Club, now part of the Waldorf-Astoria collection. The resort, which started life as the aristocratic Cloister Inn (more on that later), just dropped $110 million on rejuvenating its Beach Club, a swankienda rising like a mid-mod Phoenix from the Atlantic sands. Despite the new pool and a terrific, South Beach-style lobby that makes even the knobbiest-knee-ed schlump feel himself George Clooney, the Club and the Cloister are lopping their rates during the summer with prices starting at $99 a night. Some deals offer a third or fourth night free.

Ironically, Boca Raton has been at this rodeo before. Founded by Florida's own Great Gatsby, the Jazz Age architect and shameless self-promoter Addison Mizner (1872-1933), the town owes its very existence to real estate speculation. The roly-poly Mizner, who was often accompanied by a pet monkey on his shoulder and a gaggle of swells in tow, was a driving force behind the creation of Palm Beach in the early 1920s. Looking to replicate his success further south, he began purchasing land in Boca Raton, first building the preppie-pink Spanish Revival Cloister Inn in 1926 with the hopes of attracting Northern investors. It all worked like a charm until it didn't. Mizner sold $26 million worth of real estate in 24 weeks, but then speculation and the infamous Miami hurricane that year popped the state's property bubble. Boca was "nixed by nature" observed Addison's brother, Wilson. Mizner's Boca holdings were finally sold for $71,500. He died broke in 1933.

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.

Life's not always a beach when it comes to getting scammed. Get advice from the experts.


Though updated statistics are not yet available, state attorneys general are reporting that complaints about travel scams are up. I spoke with Marc Silver, who reported a piece on travel scams in the April issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

How do you tell the difference between a scam and a legitimate travel offer?

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Whenever there's a 60-day time lag between the receipt of your credit card number and the date of the "free" trip, be wary--you may not be able to contest the charge on your credit card if things don't work out. Also, any legitimate company won't tell you that "if you don't sign up right now, you are out of luck."

Then there are the "giveaways" that ask for a $100 down payment for taxes and fees. It may seem like a small price to pay for what's billed as a three-day, two-night cruise or vacation. But what you may find is that a lot more money will change hands. Mike Weingard of the World Travel Agency in Houston has seen cases where people do send in the $100, and then are told that to get the dates they want or the level of service they want, they'll have to send in another check, and another. And of course there's no guarantee you'll ever get the free vacation. But you aren't likely to get back those so-called deposits.

I don't know about you, but for a budget traveler like myself, one of the main perks of staying in a hotel is snagging all the free stuff--like shampoos, shower caps, and ice (hey, it's free). But with the economy going haywire, Florida Today reports, several hotels are starting to rethink the complimentary goodies:

Due to the slumping economy, some hotels are cutting back on guest amenities...Earlier this month, [two major Florida] hotels stopped stocking rooms with lotion and shower caps. They are available by request...And coffee is now offered in the lobby only in the morning and late afternoon, rather than 24 hours a day.

What do you think? Have you seen coping trends that might have an eco-friendly silver lining?

Photo: KathyJR1979 via Flickr