Tagged: restaurants

Tipping in the U.K.: A Gratuities Guide for Taxis, Hotels, and Restaurants

For North American tourists in the United Kingdom, the primary tipping danger, as in the rest of Europe, is of overdoing it. Tipping a waiter 20% on top of your restaurant bill may be…

Tipping in Germany: A Gratuities Guide for Restaurants, Hotels, and Taxis

The German word for a tip is Trinkgeld. That translates literally to “drink money,” suggesting that in Germany a gratuity is considered a little something extra rather than a…

What to Tip Waiters, Hotel Staff, and Taxi Drivers in France

The first thing you have to know about tipping in France is that customers do a lot less of it than in the United States. That’s not because Americans are more generous—it’s because…

This Summer's Stupid Food Fad Has Arrived

Following in the tradition not only of gimmicky dishes made with absurdly expensive ingredients (which is how we ended up with monstrosities like the $1,000 omelet and the $25,000…

In New York City, Rapidly Shifting Hotel Prices, Shorter Dining Hours, and More

Every year at this time, I update the book Frommer’s EasyGuide to New York City. This involves spreadsheets of pricing, hours, and more, meaning that I’m easily able to graph the…

9 Food Rules to Follow in Italy—Plus 1 to Break

Dining in Italy may seem like a casual, carefree pursuit, but in reality it’s a complex game of manners, with origins dating to at least the 16th-century publication of Giovanni Della…

A 24-Hour Food Tour of Valencia

Ancient city gates. A gorgeous cathedral. Vibrant street life. All are fundamental to Valencia’s charms. But its authentic reputation also lies in the scope and richness of its…

In China, You Can Go to a Restaurant in a Retired Boeing 737

Lily Airways, a restaurant housed inside a retired Boeing 737 in Wuhan, China (photo: leo_lijie/Instagram)We recently told you about a dinner experience in Los Angeles that…

Gargantuan Sculptures and a Restaurant in an Old Airplane: Today's Travel Briefing

Here are the latest happenings from the world's big cities, oceans, and airplanes. * HUGE NEW SCULPTURE PLANNED FOR NEW YORK CITY (Associated Press). Yesterday the plans were unveiled…

How to Get a Reservation At the Most Popular Restaurants

Everybody and their grandmother tells you that you have to dine at trendy "Restaurant X" when you go to "Destination Y" on your next vacation. But when you call for a reservation, or…

Decoding Three Common Travel Tips on Dining, Timing and Packing

When it comes to tips on how to travel better and more affordably, there are some old-chestnuts that always apply. But though they sound obvious, many actually require insider…

Brooklyn's New, Ultra-Gourmet Dining Scene: Pauline Frommer Reviews Three Hot Spots

The dish felt like a dare. “Fried pigs blood with [unpronounceable Scandinavian] berry,” the waiter said placing a small slab of wood with a fried ball in front of me. And then he…

Scrimp vs. Splurge: When Does Spending More Actually Improve a Vacation?

Several years ago, an author I’d hired to do a chapter in a guidebook returned it to me with a major tourist sight missing from the text. He explained that he’d left this particular…

The Able Traveler: Wheelchair-Accessible Ballooning and Wine Tasting in Northern California

Hot air ballooning is a very popular activity in Sonoma County; and admittedly there's no shortage of outfitters that offer scenic flights over the Northern California vineyards,…

Summer Road Trip: Tips for Driving to Canada

As we packed for a recent road trip to Vancouver, I gave my bags an extra look. Something seemed to be missing. But what? "Did you remember our passports?" my husband called out.…

Three-Night Oahu Vacation, from $465 with Air

A good chunk of North America has been covered in snow this winter, leading to daydreams about warmer weather. This week's Smart Deal comes from Pleasant Holidays (tel. 800/742-9244;…

A Three-City Ireland Vacation, from $699 With Air and Car

Ireland is a fairly temperate place, so anytime we see a package that's priced well for late fall travel, we pay attention. This week's Smart Deal comes from Sceptre Tours (tel.…

Learn Travel Writing in the Hudson River Valley

Following up on the success of the Travel Writing Workshops he has presented in Key West since 1991 and in Hudson, NY since last year, our own Bob Fisher is holding a similar seminar…

Slope Specs: Chamonix, The Monarch of French Mountain Resorts

Chamonix (tel. +33 450 53 00 24; www.chamonix.com) is far from the prettiest of European mountain towns, but in every other respect it is an unsurpassed destination for dedicated…

Lito's Tech Tip: Safety on the Steeps

So few American ski resorts offer truly steep skiing that the skills involved are anything but widespread. Here are a few tips that should help already-strong skiers adapt their…

Slope Specs: Solitude & Brighton, Big Cottonwood Canyon's Dynamite Duo

It is no secret that the 2007-08 ski season got a late start in most of the West. Until just before Thanksgiving, which of course was early on the calendar as it can possibly be,…

Rockies Report: Rock-Bottom Prices and Sky-High Thrills

U.S. Kids Free at Two Canadian Resorts Big White (www.bigwhite.com) and Silver Star (tel. 250/558-6023; www.silverstar.com) sister resorts in British Columbia are offering free…

Travel Health & Safety: Can I Drink the Water?

"Is it safe to drink the water here?" These were the first words uttered by a young American tourist appearing at my door in London when I lived there some years ago. Well-traveled…