Results tagged “Hotels” from Intelligent Travel Blog

For most of us, hotel stays come with check-in and check-out dates. But many lodgings claim to have guests who refuse to leave, lingering in the rooms or on the grounds long after their scheduled stay. Check in to one of these hotels if you want to spend Halloween with real ghosts. And why limit it to Halloween? Since the spirits in these establishments are not staged seasonal events, ghost hunters can spend the night with specters year-round.

Logan Inn, New Hope, Pennsylvania
This 18th century tavern-turned-inn has a reputation for hosting numerous colonial-era spirits. The restless ghost of a Revolutionary War soldier has been spotted marching around the grounds.  Guests also frequently see the specter of a little girl wandering the parking lot, but no one is sure who she is. Glowing orbs hovering in the lobby and hallways are also reported.

If you ever find yourself traveling near Ottensheim, Austria, (located in Upper Austria just seven miles from Linz on the Danube River) in need of a place to rest your head, the Das Park Hotel offers an affordable night's rest so long as you don't mind sleeping in a former sewer pipe. The hotel, which is only open from May to October, has put cement pipes to unanticipated use with each pipe featuring a made-up double bed and enough room for backpack storage, but bathrooms and restaurants are not on site (it's suggested that you use a nearby gas station should you need to go). The doors of the rooms come affixed with code locks and guests can choose how much they would like to pay for the room each night. The Das Park Hotel is located on Rodlpark, the site of the annual Ottensheim Open Air music festival each summer in June. [Via Passportchop] 

Photo: Dietmar Tollerian

With the struggling economy, hotels have been scaling back their amenities in an effort to save cash. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that large chains have been removing hand lotion, sewing kits, and other former freebies from their rooms, and limiting their hours for restaurants and bars. But some hotels are celebrating their frugality: Introducing the world's first zero-star hotels. Switzerland's Null Stern Hotel for example, occupies a 1980s nuclear fallout shelter. It's more of a hostel, really, with four double beds and six single beds arranged in two large open rooms that are adorned with antique beds and furniture. Says one of the hotel's designers, "We wanted to create a space of contrasts... Like sugar and fish. They are two things that naturally don't go together, but matched up they make people think, for good or bad. For us it's an art installation before it's a hotel--a place where people can think about their surroundings."

San Diego's Rancho Bernardo Inn--normally a swank hotel and spa--offered a similar deal last month. The "Survivor Package" ranged from $19 to $219, offering a progressively lower rate depending on which amenities you decided you could live without. Can you skip breakfast? Your rate is $199. No breakfast or A/C? That'll be $159. No breakfast, A/C, linens, lights, toiletries, or a bed? A night in an empty room will only cost $19. The promotion seemed popular (though I haven't quite figured out why), as reservations were completely sold out. But it begs the question: What are hotels willing to (not) offer to lure guests to their property?

Photo: Null Stern Hotel

In conjunction with his upcoming book, Here Is Where: In Search of America's Great Forgotten History, we're following historian and Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll as he drives, flies, walks, boats, buses, bikes, and hikes to seek out little-known historic sites in all 50 states. Bookmark all of his posts here.


While researching hotels in Denver, however, I came across the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa in a terrific hotel guide put out by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (it was also featured in National Geographic Traveler's annual Stay List in 2008). Built by Henry Brown in the last 1800s, the name jumped out at me and I immediately made a reservation.

When I began preparing for this trip more than a year ago I did extensive reading on the Underground Railroad, and while its existence is hardly unknown--I think most of us have at least a vague awareness of its significance in our nation's past--the specific stories have been mostly forgotten.

One of the most extraordinary involves a crate shipped from Richmond, Virginia, to 131 Arch Street, Philadelphia, at 4:00 am on March 29, 1849. When the wooden box arrived at 6:00 am at the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society more than a day later, members of the abolitionist Vigilance Committee were there to receive it but, knowing its supposed contents, dreaded opening it for fear of what they might find. One of the members tapped on the crate and  asked if everything was "all right within?" A muffled voice replied in the affirmative, and the members
quickly pried open the box and let an escaped slave named Henry Brown experience his first breath of freedom. Brown had survived an excruciating almost 27-hour journey, and despite bold lettering on the box directing that it be kept "This Side Up," the crate was repeatedly dropped upside down, putting almost fatal pressure on Brown's neck and head.

I had read that Brown became a successful businessman and moved to Colorado, where he opened one of the most elegant hotels in the city. After I made my reservation, I was shocked that although the hotel's own website repeatedly mentioned how historic the building was, there was no picture of Brown and no mention of his daring escape--just a brief description that he was a "Denver carpenter-turned-entrepreneur." Which is a little like referring to Beethoven as a piano tuner.

Alaska's Kachemak Bay spans over 400,000 acres of glaciers, mountains and wilderness. And tucked along its coastline is the Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge, which travel writer David Hanson recently visited.

There's that old question: If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be? I don't like that question because it makes my head spin with all the possibilities. But recently the answer came to me in the form of a 66-year-old man sitting across the table. I was at the lodge he and his wife built almost forty years ago on the rugged southern shores of Alaska's Kachemak Bay. Michael and Diane McBride moved to this chunk of fir forest, basalt cliff and rocky beach in the mid '60s when no white person lived here permanently. Michael was a bush pilot and boat captain, and they both fished commercially until deciding to build a lodge and invite people to stay.

The problem with the "dinner with anyone in the world" question is that it leaves the parameters up to you, and that is limiting. Never would I have put together a person like Michael: bush pilot, sea captain, master hunting guide, fisherman, yoga instructor, carpenter, lodge owner, environmental warrior (his efforts defeated two resource extraction initiatives), father, grandfather, musician, and member of Explorer's Club, Royal Geographic Society, Smithsonian Board, and Nature Conservancy. Tonight, over dessert, he played an accordion he picked up in Austria decades ago.

If you like this bargain with a cause, the package, offered through Sept. 7, comes with a few rules: the reservations cannot be refunded or canceled, and must be made 72 hours before you check in. It also requires a minimum stay of two nights.

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.

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.

When Teri Weefur learned that she would be returning to her native Liberia (after leaving in 1990 when war broke out), she jumped at the opportunity to blog about the country for IT. Here, she shares some of her favorite experiences from her time in Monrovia.

About Liberia

As a Digital Media employee at National Geographic, I have always been somewhat disappointed in the coverage of Liberia as a travel destination, and understandably so: the 14-year civil war ended in 2003, and Liberians only just elected Africa's first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in 2006. Today, Liberia is on the road to recovery, and the people of Liberia are determined to restore her to a nation thriving with export, agriculture, commerce, and tourism. Rich in natural resources like iron ore, rubber, timber, diamonds and gold, coffee and cocoa, Liberia teems with more than 2,000 species of flora and fauna, including the pygmy hippo, unique to Liberia, and boasts numerous waterways and beautiful rain forest vistas. One of West Africa's most pristine rain forests is the Sapo National Park, a natural wonder for ecotourists.  

I'd been hearing stories about Liberia's big comeback, and now I would be seeing firsthand the redevelopment of a country marred by death and destruction for so many years. Armed with my brand new Fuji Film s8100fd camera, and the directives of friends and family to "take lots of pictures!" I was prepared for my monumental return home.

Crunched for time, as my obligation was volunteering with the first conference in Liberia since 1979, the International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security, I gave up trying to find a way out of the city to see the most amazing parts of Liberia. Some of the country's most beautiful sites, like Cape Mount, Blue Lake, Buchanan, and Cape Palmas, where the tented beach resort Nana's Lodge is located, were out of my reach on this trip. But what I can provide is an introduction to the country, if nothing more than to encourage you to explore for yourself.

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.

Ah Dubai, it seems every time we hear news about the fine city, it's always some over-the-top project that aims to surpass some other over-the-top project announced last month. So I was glad to hear news that the latest idea to surface is a sustainable tourism initiative - the industry is taking steps to protect their environment, reduce CO2 emissions, and lower utility costs. Travel Mole reports:

A detailed roadmap, with clear phases, timelines, target dates, and benchmarks aimed at progressing the initiative for sustainable tourism, will be communicated to all of Dubai's hotels and hotel-apartments shortly.

Some of the hotels which have signed-up so far include, Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah, Movenpick Hotel and The One & Only Royal Mirage.

Dubai hotels generally still lag behind their counterparts in Europe, where the average hotel produces 3,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. In Dubai that figure is 6,500 tonnes and the size of the carbon footprint produced by all hotels in Dubai, is well over 500 million kilos a year.

It's an important step, and we're excited to see them adopting smart principles.

Photo: The "fronds" of the $14-billion Palm Jumeirah in Dubai by Alexander Heilner via National Geographic Magazine's Visions of Earth

The question isn't whether or not to travel in this economy, it's how to travel smart and get the most value out of your trip. Hotel Central editor Susan O'Keefe begins a series of posts that will feature affordable lodgings that don't break the bank, but are also worthwhile for their location, amenities, and unique character--real gems you should know about. Along with great hotels, she'll share strategies, deals, and insider tips on the destinations. And we encourage you to share your own lodging finds and recommendations for things to do in the city featured. 

Your mind went there. Don't deny it. What I'm talking about though is a deal from Omni Hotels. Beginning Valentine's Day weekend and continuing through the end of 2009, the hotel chain is offering its "French Kiss" package from $139 per night.

The package includes: Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne upon arrival, deluxe accommodations for two, and a French toast breakfast in bed. Upon reserving accommodations, guests will also receive a call from the hotel's "romance director" (really, the concierge, but wouldn't you milk a title like that if you had one?) to coordinate romantic activities during your stay. Omni Hotels has many locations throughout the U.S., meaning you don't have to travel far for a luxe romantic getaway.

For more information about the French Kiss deal, click here.

Photo: Omni Hotels

Last month Ernst & Young released a report highlighting some promising news within the hospitality industry. They note that while a focus on sustainability has been adopted by governments, non-governmental orgs, consumers and businesses around the world, within the hotel industry, it's "finally" begun to gain momentum. According to their findings, "the 'greening' of the industry is a trend that is here to stay."

Over the last decade, the movement towards ecologically sound tourism has swept across the globe; and the practices being implemented are as diverse as the different geographies," the report said. "Hotel companies are being prompted by rising energy costs, government pressure, consumer expectations and the competitive landscape to increasingly make sustainability a top priority."

Their findings, which looked into practices in Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East, Oceania and the U.S. during 2008, noted some best practices taking place around the globe. You can find the list after the jump.

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