Jun 30, 2008
A skilled observer has provided me with capsule summaries of the current state of travel to Orlando, London, and San Francisco
Jason Cochran, author of countless articles and books on Orlando, London, and San Francisco, appeared on my Travel Show (www.wor710.com) this past weekend and summed up, in 90 seconds per city, the current state of travel to those popular destinations. I thought you'd like to learn his views.
To Orlando, a slump -- a big slump in tourist numbers -- is expected in September and October, immediately after Labor Day. There will be countless "deals" (best accessed on Priceline and Hotwire), especially for the economy hotels in the town of Kissimmee, that community immediately adjacent to Disney World (and sometimes closer to the theme parks than other hotel-heavy areas of Orlando). Rooms will be widely available for $35 and $40 a night at Kissimmee properties, as compared to the $100-and-up that you'd pay for even a "value" hotel on Disney's grounds.
London: Travelers concerned about the high cost of visiting London should bear in mind that most of the city's top attractions -- the National Gallery, the Tate, the British Museum, and the British Library, among others -- are now totally free of admission charges, helping to offset the high cost of London accommodations. The smart traveler will book B&B accommodations (widely available for £80 ($160) per double room) or Britain's new Travelodge (www.travelodge.com) or Premier Inn (www.premierinn.com) economy motels (about £85 per room). Even smarter travelers will seek out rooms in the homes of private families renting, generally, for £60 ($120) and £70 ($140) a night per room, or rooms for considerably less (£15 and £20, $30 and $40 per person) at the many hostels of London. One meal a day should be of inexpensive sandwiches sold at outlets all over the city, or inexpensive meals selling for £5 and £6 ($10 and $12) per person at the stalls found in the many outdoor markets of London.
San Francisco: Is about to get walloped. Despite optimistic predictions of Mayor Gavin Newsom several months ago that San Francisco would withstand an economic slowdown, numerous financial and other firms have already closed and many others are presently closing in the downtown district, and hotel rates in particular are broadly "negotiable" starting in the autumn months. In San Francisco, timing is everything: conventions sometimes fill the city and push up hotel rates, and the smart visitor should always consult the city's convention calendar (to be found at www.sfcvb.org/convention) to avoid those dates when the city is full. At all other times, they will encounter ever-lower hotel prices. In choosing your property, keep in mind that the difference between a two-star and three-star hotel is often the absence of an on-site restaurant at the former; in all other respects, the quality of rooms is usually identical, and the smart tourist will seek out the two-star hotels. In a city of so many superb restaurants, who needs a restaurant in the lobby of your hotel?
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To Orlando, a slump -- a big slump in tourist numbers -- is expected in September and October, immediately after Labor Day. There will be countless "deals" (best accessed on Priceline and Hotwire), especially for the economy hotels in the town of Kissimmee, that community immediately adjacent to Disney World (and sometimes closer to the theme parks than other hotel-heavy areas of Orlando). Rooms will be widely available for $35 and $40 a night at Kissimmee properties, as compared to the $100-and-up that you'd pay for even a "value" hotel on Disney's grounds.
London: Travelers concerned about the high cost of visiting London should bear in mind that most of the city's top attractions -- the National Gallery, the Tate, the British Museum, and the British Library, among others -- are now totally free of admission charges, helping to offset the high cost of London accommodations. The smart traveler will book B&B accommodations (widely available for £80 ($160) per double room) or Britain's new Travelodge (www.travelodge.com) or Premier Inn (www.premierinn.com) economy motels (about £85 per room). Even smarter travelers will seek out rooms in the homes of private families renting, generally, for £60 ($120) and £70 ($140) a night per room, or rooms for considerably less (£15 and £20, $30 and $40 per person) at the many hostels of London. One meal a day should be of inexpensive sandwiches sold at outlets all over the city, or inexpensive meals selling for £5 and £6 ($10 and $12) per person at the stalls found in the many outdoor markets of London.
San Francisco: Is about to get walloped. Despite optimistic predictions of Mayor Gavin Newsom several months ago that San Francisco would withstand an economic slowdown, numerous financial and other firms have already closed and many others are presently closing in the downtown district, and hotel rates in particular are broadly "negotiable" starting in the autumn months. In San Francisco, timing is everything: conventions sometimes fill the city and push up hotel rates, and the smart visitor should always consult the city's convention calendar (to be found at www.sfcvb.org/convention) to avoid those dates when the city is full. At all other times, they will encounter ever-lower hotel prices. In choosing your property, keep in mind that the difference between a two-star and three-star hotel is often the absence of an on-site restaurant at the former; in all other respects, the quality of rooms is usually identical, and the smart tourist will seek out the two-star hotels. In a city of so many superb restaurants, who needs a restaurant in the lobby of your hotel?
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: accommodations, london, orlando, san francisco
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
