Articles

Article / Passportable

World's Highest Observation Deck Opens, Shatters Height and Price Records

The world's highest observation deck has opened on the 148th floor of the 2,717-foot-tall Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai. That makes the deck 1,821 feet above street level, or a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

These Three Newly Announced High-Design, Lower-Priced Hotel Brands Are the Future of Budget Travel

Prototype room of the new Hub by Premier InnAlmost as if they knew their core product is losing appeal with a significant sector of the hotel-going public, three major…

Article / Passportable

Ellis Island's Haunting Hospital Ward Now Open

After years of begging from Americana buffs and urban explorers, the spooky and historically crucial Hospital Complex of New York harbor's Ellis Island is now open for guided…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Though Domestic Tourism Remains Placid at Home, Several Foreign Locations—Morocco, Thailand, The Philippines, Hong Kong Among Them—Are Presenting Real Problems

This past week has been a rather slow time for travel within the U.S.  We've had no really major events, no new fees and charges from greedy airlines and hotels, no…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Rooms in New York City and Los Angeles Reduced to $100 to $200! Here's How and When to Book

A well-known travel industry public relations firm has once again announced the deals in its annual Hotel Week promotion, which drums up business for its clients during low…

Article / Passportable

London Now Charges £10 to Attend New Year's

New Year's Eve on Lambeth Bridge, LondonWant to go to London to hear Big Ben bong in the new year and watch the fireworks? Pony up!Last month, London mayor Boris Johnson…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Munching Your Way Through Melbourne History: The Queen Victoria Market

Sydney, The Reef and the Rock: those are the three “constellations” that shine most brightly in Australia’s tourism firmament. But there’s a good argument to be made that…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A 5-Night Vacation Next Month for $159! Plus a Bunch of Other Cruise Deals for National Cruise Vacation Week

Coral Princess at night. Photo credit: Princess CruisesWe periodically ask our friends at AllThingsCruise.com to tell us about the best bargains in cruises at the moment.…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Marriott Urges Guests to Tip Housekeepers to Overcome the Shortfall of Inadequate Wages—Say What?

Marriott is placing pre-printed envelopes in 160,000 rooms to encourage guests to express "gratitude" to its workers in the form of cash. The initiative, called The Envelope Please,…

Article / Passportable

Eiffel Tower in Paris Unveils New Glass Floor

Paris' Eiffel Tower unveiled its new $37.5 million renovation today, which rehabilitated its somewhat ignored first level by adding shops, places to eat, and a museum that tells the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Doing the Famed Sydney Bridge Climb The Speedy Way

Some 16 years ago, a clever entrepreneur named Paul Cave came up with the idea of allowing tourists to scale the arch of Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge (largest single span steel…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The World of Travel is Erupting with Totally Unexpected Developments, Both Mechanical and Policy-Oriented

Who would have thought we would someday find robots doing the work of hotel bellmen?  Or wristwatches supplying us with travel directions?  At Starwood Hotels, a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

We're Back on the Air This Sunday, October 5, 12:05 p.m. until 2 pm.

Attention, all you radio fans!  For the past several months, our Sunday "Travel Show" has been pre-empted in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area by New York Mets…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Though It May No Longer Be the "City of the Century," As Once It Was Called, London is a Reliable, Rewarding Destination for a Vacation Trip

In the late 1900s, various travel companies ran contests to name "the city of the century"—and London always won.  Today, other capitals have acquired many of the same cultural…

Article / Passportable

How Much Does an Orlando Vacation Cost? A New Tool Does the Math

One of the most common questions for me as the author of Frommer's Orlando is, "How much does a vacation there cost?"Well, a new online tool helps you figure out how much…

Article / Passportable

Hotel Tonight is No Longer Just for Hotels Tonight

The handy and ever-growing booking app Hotel Tonight has officially made its name only somewhat true. From now on, you can book a discounted last-minute hotel room for tonight or you…

Article / Passportable

Not Using Your Vacation Costs America Dearly

Ten points for the always excellent CBS News Sunday Morning for recently airing this pithy commentary by its contributor Faith Salie.Salie calculates how much the American…

Article / Passportable

Icelandair Makes Viral Video to Remind You About Free Stopovers

Budget travelers have long known about Icelandair's competitive deals on airfare to Europe, but the general public could use the good news. If you're willing to make a pit stop in…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Frommer Authors and Frommer Broadcasting Have Received Two Coveted, First Prize, Gold Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers

You'll have to forgive us for "tooting our own horn", as that ancient  saying goes, but we wouldn't be quite human if we failed to pay notice to two remarkable awards and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Sensational Recent Drop in the Value of its Currency Makes Argentina an Especially Attractive Place for American Vacationers This Winter

I recently drew attention to the decline in value of three major currencies--the Australian and Canadian dollars and the Japanese yen--making travel to Australia,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Days 4 & 5 In The Australian Outback: Adventures in Alice Springs

(Wallabies gather in a parking lot in Alice Springs; yes, that is a baby wallaby peeking out of the pouch!)Had I visited the Northern…

Article / Passportable

Spirit Airlines Gouges for Checked Bags This December

You call this Christmas spirit, Spirit? The much-reviled airline will renew its nasty regulation this December when it charges passengers even more to check a bag—just because it's…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Two More Airlines Start Charging for the First Checked Bag: Will Free Bags Go Extinct?

Sorry, Canada. Your Westjet just decided to start charging standard passengers for the first checked bag. One would think that would give rival Air Canada in an advantageous position…

Article / Cruise

7 Rookie Mistakes First-Time Cruisers Make

If you’re new to cruising, don’t fall prey to these potential pitfalls. Here are the top nine mistakes cruise newbies make and how to avoid them for smooth sailing, from…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Day 3 In the Australian Outback: Experiencing the Traditional Aboriginal Way of Life

Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the massive (and quite beautiful) rock formations that are at the heart of the famed National Park with their names, have been sacred sites for Australia's…