Arthur Frommer's Reaction to the President's Announcement Regarding the Travel Embargo Against Cuba
Posted on 12/16/2014, 7:00 PM
"Although it will make headlines, the announcement of these embargo modifications is of far less substance than meets the eye."...
Adorable Hotel Brand Kimpton Sells Out
Posted on 12/16/2014, 1:00 PM
Travel can fill you with wonder or it can break your heart. Yesterday we learned that Kimpton, one of our favorite boutique hotel brands, has sold out. It now melts into the publicly traded monster hotel company InterContinental Hotel Group, which already owns the likes of Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza. Kimpton has always been a firm favorite among Frommer's recommendations and with guests f...
Now You Can Stay the Night at Downton Abbey
Posted on 12/15/2014, 1:30 PM
A few years ago, the condition of the English mansion Highclere Castle grew so dire—after years of benign neglect from Earls who were more interested in horses or exploring—that the roof started caving in. And so, to fund its restoration, its current owners decided to open up their glorious home to weddings and filming. They only showed the film crews to the ground floor and first floor, but...
Volunteer Your Time and Get a Free Hostel Stay For Yourself and 9 Friends
Posted on 12/10/2014, 10:45 AM
Hostelling International USA announced this week that it will be doing a good deed for those who, well, do good deeds. For the months of January and February, it will be giving away free hostel stays (of up to 5 nights) to groups of 10 who do some sort of service project. Amazingly, you only have to volunteer two hours of time to get the freebie (not that we're encouraging anyone to slack off). ...
A 12-Day Tour of India, Including Airfare, For Just $1499? Yes!
Posted on 12/07/2014, 5:45 PM
The one-time China specialist China Spree changed its name last year, but not its raison d'etre. And that seems to be to put out travel deals that make even the most cynical industry watcher's jaws drop. That's what happened recently when World Spree Travel debuted its new India tour. The cost is $1499 for a 12-day guided tours with all of the following inclusions: Round-trip airfare (o...
The World's Most Obscene Hotel Wi-Fi Charge
Posted on 12/05/2014, 11:00 AM
What would you do if you signed on to the Wi-Fi in your hotel room and saw a bill for €300 (US $391) the next morning? According to the Telegraph, that's what guests of the Majestic Barriere in Cannes are being hit with. The hotel (which isn't one Frommer's recommends) used to charge €15 a day for everyone, but like so many hotels it recently switched to a tiered system in which the more g...
This Incredible Piece of Luggage Earned $1.3 Million in a Month: Want One, Too?
Posted on 12/04/2014, 9:00 PM
Check this out: A newly invented piece of luggage just collected an astounding $1.36 million in a little over a month on crowdfunding site Indiegogo—and when you hear what it can do, that number might seem a little low. Bluesmart is not the most intuitive name for cutting-edge luggage, but hold on, because it gets better. As designed by first-year MIT student Brian Chen, this carry-on lugg...
India Eases Its Visa Rules, While Russia May Be Closing Its Doors to Many Visitors
Posted on 12/01/2014, 2:15 PM
As per usual the news out of Russia is puzzling. Instead of easing restrictions on travelers and thus helping their sanction-damaged economy, the Russian government may be making the world's hardest–to–get visa even more difficult to obtain. Bloomberg News is reporting that a bill was submitted to the Russian parliament yesterday which would establish "reciprocity" with those countries who a...
Sneak Peek of the New World Trade Center's Observation Deck
Posted on 11/10/2014, 9:00 AM
The final tourist amenity at the new World Trade Center site, which some visitors still call Ground Zero, has announced what it'll offer tourists when it opens in the spring. The observation deck, called One World (which would have been a better name for the whole building, come to think of it), will be on the 100th, 101st, and 102nd floors. The main views will be on the 102nd, where floor-to...
The Airlines Made HOW Much on Fees?
Posted on 11/10/2014, 8:00 AM
Remember when the airlines put extra fees in place and told us that it was because fuel costs had spiked? Yeah, they lied. Fuel costs went back into line, but the extra fees remained. Now, the airline consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany found, the airlines are raking in cash at a record level. The airline industry will make $49.9 billion in ancillary fees this year, up 17.2% from last year w...
