Meet Hilton's New Affordable Hotel Brand
Posted on 01/25/2016, 1:45 PM
Hilton has launched yet another hotel brand—the 12th in its current portfolio— by announcing that it intends to push this one to being its largest in terms of nationwide room count. Tru by Hilton is targeted to open hundreds of properties in the coming years, and with that trajectory will soon overtake Hilton's Hampton brand. In fact, although you haven't stayed in a single Tru yet, there are...
The True Numbers on Cruise Ship Outbreaks
Posted on 01/18/2016, 2:45 PM
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has put out some sobering new numbers on cruise ship norovirus outbreaks. It looked at all data between 2008 and 2014. And contrary to what the panic drummed up by your local news station, outbreaks are down. "During the study period, the rates of acute gastroenteritis per 100,000 travel days decreased among passengers fr...
Yosemite's Iconic Ahwahnee Hotel is Soon to Be No More—A Sad Case of Privatization Gone Haywire
Posted on 01/15/2016, 5:00 PM
Pillaged on our watch: The iconic Ahwahnee Hotel This has got to be among the more asinine results of government privatization in the travel universe. After nearly 90 years, Yosemite's iconic—and we don't use that word lightly—Ahwahnee Hotel must change its name because of a legal dispute between the government, which owns the land, and its fired concessionaire, Delaware North, which ran...
Record Low Exchange Rates Suddenly Make These Five Places Record Super-Bargains
Posted on 01/13/2016, 5:30 PM
Clifton, Cape Town, South Africa Going where the bargains are can feel a bit like surfing, metaphorically speaking. You hang out nowhere in particular for a while, keeping an eye out for ripples, and when you spot an ideal change in the swell, you ride it for as far as you can. Kowabunga: Surf's up! In the past few months, these currencies have taken a dive, so if you ever wanted to dip...
Apple Vacations Expands Westward
Posted on 01/13/2016, 11:45 AM
Apple Vacations, a giant vacation outfit beloved by deal-seekers but unknown to many, is making a big move into California by adding charter-flight vacations to three major airports in the Bay Area and Orange County: San Francisco (SFO), Mineta San José International Airport (SJC), and Orange County's John Wayne Airport (SNA). All the new gateways will sells vacations to Los Cabos, and SFO and ...
Watch: Hotel Guest Films Skin-Crawling Bedbug Infestation
Posted on 01/04/2016, 12:45 PM
Social media has clouded our heads with a lot of useless, anxiety-inducing information, but for the traveler, it has its uses. This week, a budget traveler in New York City decided to warn the world about that city's Astor on the Park hotel, taking out his mobile phone and recording what he says is a bedbug infestation. Insect infestations are not the norm in hotels, and they can happen eve...
When are the National Parks' Free Entry Days in 2016?
Posted on 01/03/2016, 7:00 PM
The United States' National Park Service peppers the calendar with days during which no entry fees are charged by the government. The NPS's grants free entrance on the following days in 2016....
Are Cruise Ships Easy Targets for Terrorists?
Posted on 12/29/2015, 11:00 AM
There's no need to be complicated about this answer. Yes. This week, Disney Cruise Line announced that it will no longer stop in Greece, Turkey, or Malta on its upcoming 12-night Mediterranean voyage of the Disney Magic. When asked why, a spokesperson told Frommer's, "We regularly review our itineraries and occasionally make the changes needed to provide the best possible experiences on ...
Are Cruise Ships Easy Targets for Terrorists?
Posted on 12/29/2015, 11:00 AM
There's no need to be complicated about this answer. Yes. This week, Disney Cruise Line announced that it will no longer stop in Greece, Turkey, or Malta on its upcoming 12-night Mediterranean voyage of the Disney Magic. When asked why, a spokesperson told Frommer's, "We regularly review our itineraries and occasionally make the changes needed to provide the best possible experiences on ...
Hilton's New Mandatory $50 Cancellation Fee
Posted on 12/28/2015, 12:45 PM
The giant Hilton hotel brand is piloting a new way to make life miserable for travelers: It has started charging $50 for cancellations, no matter when they're made. Under the new rules, once customers have made a reservation, it will cost $50 to get out of it, even if the change is requested weeks before the date. Previously, most hotels allowed cancellations up until the posted deadline ...
