The rest of Q&A

Q – Like most of the folks on this site, we’re extremely well -traveled and we tend to stay in one of the three best hotels in every city we visit. I love the treatment we receive and the benefits we get from our agent’s consortium group. But one thing just drives me crazy  and it just happened again. We like to take an afternoon nap and we keep getting awakened by calls and knocks on the door (the last time they ignored the “Do Not Disturb Light”) by some knucklehead who wants to “check the mini-bar.” 

When I am spending over $1,000 a night for room, taxes, and incidentals, I hate being ripped off by a refrigerator stocked with overpriced stuff I would never buy on principle. My partner and I both work very long hours and we like to just relax at a really nice hotel. The last two stays, we had to argue with the front desk about the damn mini-bar charges. We never, ever use the mini-bar but we were told “the sensor said you opened the door and took something” For $1,000 + a night shouldn’t we get some privacy and trust that we are not stealing their precious little bottles of booze? 

A – Yes. And it doesn’t really surprise us that five-star hotels are treating you this way. They seem to have a blind-eye when it comes to mini-bar annoyances and we receive numerous complaints about this topic.

The first thing to do is insist that your travel agent require that the mini-bar be emptied at every hotel in the future. This will give you the use of a refrigerator which in many situations, comes in extremely handy. You are entitled to the choice: Their rip-off “we have you captive” pricing for sundries or a nice cold, clean refrigerator to keep whatever you like in your room. Savvy travelers in growing numbers are now demanding that the mini-bar be emptied before arrival. Your agent can handle this for you.

If you are ever interrupted when you have a “Do Not Disturb” sign or light on, immediately ask to speak to the manager on duty. This is a serious breach of hotel manners and etiquette and some adjustment should be made to your bill.

Finally, if the mini-bar doesn’t bother you but the expensive booze it contains does, have your profile updated to say you are recovering from alcohol-related issues and no liquor or beer can be present in your room.

Thanks very much for helping us bring this to everyone’s attention. No one should accept a stocked mini-bar unless they really want one.

Q – We have heard that the Four Seasons in central Istanbul is small and quite nice and we’re ready to book. Thought we should run this past you first. We’re from New York, fashionionable and style-minded, we like to explore the latest hotels and restaurants when we travel and we blog for friends only. A sense of authenticity is important and we always like to be centrally located. Should we pull the trigger on the Four Seasons? I will say that my incredible girlfriend is worried about bad dreams at the FS given that the rooms were once prison cells. Looooove the site! 

A – We’re wondering what you were wearing when you sent this e-mail? Trust you are color-coordinated. We are not in the Four Seasons bashing business as they are a brand that always seems to exceed expectations. For this trip, however, we’d suggest you head, instead, to the new Solo House Hotel, sitting handsomely in the Beyoglu section of the city. Instead of a “prison cell” you will be sleeping in the former American Embassy. This small masterpiece feels very much like a private club – we think you will looooooove it! By the way, you are not actually sleeping in a prison cell at the Four Seasons. They did some renovation before they opened.

Q – My work will be taking me to Germany at least six or seven times in the next year. I missed my connecting flight last time because my nothing on Expedia seems to tell you that the lines for security can be long and that even passengers in transit may have to clear security in Frankfurt or Munich. Any advice would be appreciated as I know there are many business travelers who share my concerns. I had booked a “legal” connection.

A –  This is a bit of a scam that affects thousands of travelers to Europe. When you book off a computer screen, as corporate agents and Online Travel Agencies do, as well as the airlines when you call them directly, they are looking at a computer screen that tells them what they can book for you as a “legal” connection. That means that, assuming your original flight is on time, you should, under normal conditions, be able to make your connecting flight. They want to sell you a connecting flight because you will be happy that you did not have to waste hour in an airport terminal. Many passengers demand the earliest connecting flight.

The problem is that no human is actually involved in this conversation. The headset making your booking is likely not at all well-traveled and is probably unaware of the current levels of security as German airports including  Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Munich. The current security level often requires in-transit passengers to go through additional security lines that may include passport scans.

Cruise passengers frequently miss their assigned “legal” connections because the cruise line’s air department was unaware that their guests are subject to long security lines even when they are in transit.

Here is what we advise you do:

01 – Never book an airline ticket with an online agency. Book with airline directly as you will have direct contact with them should there be a problem. Many online air tickets are non-transferable to other airlines.

02 – Never simply accept a “legal connection”. Discuss it was a knowledgeable travel consultant or research it yourself. Always try to allow at least two-hours between connecting flights at major airports with in-transit security and passport lines.

03 – Think about your luggage. Yes, you will make a tight connection if you do an OJ through the airport (he’s slower now that he has to wear manacles) but your luggage won’t run as fast. Plan your connection time to ensure that your luggage wil join you on the second leg of your trip.

04 – Finally, specific to Germany, get an Easypass, which allows you to skip immigration booths at all major German airports in the future. You apply at  the office of the German Federal Police located in both the Frankfurt and Munich terminals.

Oh, one more thing: German Federal Police Officers and Army Personnel on security duty at Germany’s major airports do not generally possess a well-developed comedic style. Act seriously when interacting with them. 

Q – I am looking forward to a lengthy trip planned by our agent that will take us to Paris, Bordeaux, and Monte Carlo. I have a real problem sleeping in dry rooms and I wonder what I should expect from the top tier hotels we are using to help get some moisture in the room at night? Who should I be contacting at the hotel?

A – It is perfectly reasonable to ask a hotel to provide one or two humidifiers in your room. We do this all the time when open windows are not an option. The better hotels will have high-powered, quiet machinery specifically designed for the hotel industry. Your travel agent should make certain this information appears on your guest profile. We think that in-room humidifiers are a good idea even for those who do not feel they suffer from a lack of moisture in a room.

One way to combat dryness is to fill up the bathtub in your hotel room or cruise ship cabin in the early evening. As the water evaporates it will help to moisturize  the room and your skin.

If you are staying at any of the top-level chains such as Peninsula, Aman, Fairmont, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Aman, Miontage, Mandarin Oriental and others, your humidifier profile, once added to your profile, will always be available when you check in. If it isn’t, call the front desk or housekeeping. Sleep well and please tell Paris we love her – and always will.

Q –  We will be in Venice for three nights before taking a cruise for a week. We have only been to Europe twice, once on business but we know enough to know what we don’t like – large hotels that cater to tourist groups on the main drag, which in Venice, I imagine, means near Rialto Square. Can you suggest a boutique neighborhood hotel of high quality that offers charm and a less touristic feel?  A place with character is more important than price as we understand prices in Venice are otherworldly in high season.

A –  There are two small hotels we really like. Our first choice is Ca’ Pisani, a 29-room gem in the artsy Dorsoduro neighborhood. The little-known Palazzinag sits in a 16th century building on the Grand Hotel and only has 22 rooms. You will find “tourists” in any hotel as local residents don’t like to pay for accommodations just a pizza toss from their home.

Barcelona is a great place to visit with its great weather, architecture, parks and football team! There are also plenty of restaurants to choose from but it’s hard to know which are the best, so I’ve put together a small guide on my top paella in Barcelona.

Just like with any City, Paris isn’t booming with nightlife across the map. Where you end up partying can mean the difference between a disappointing bus ride home right after sundown, a headache and sleep debt the day after, and anything in between. Where you go depends on who you’re, with and what you plan on achieving, you can also check in http://barenights.com.au/male-strippers-melbourne-private-strip-shows-home/ or else visit MaleStrippers.com.au for more ideas.

For the most part, Paris’ best places to frequent, after the sun goes down, situate in its northern districts. No matter what you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it there. Being a large city, the northern portion of Paris is broken up into several districts, each of which tends to have its own “theme,” per say. If you are finding for Topless waiters in Melbourne then do visit us.Else you can have more fun with telefonsex mit cam.

If your idea of fun is partying all night in Toronto on Canada Day, New York on the fourth of July or any major city throughout Germany during Oktoberfest, you may want to check out Pigalle. Pigalle is filled with great bars and even greater crowds. It’s also filled with sex and those who like to party a bit more than the next guy. It may not be the place to go for a quiet date, though it may appeal to the younger crowd looking to hop from bar to bar, drinking all the while. No doubt then, that Pigalle is a cornerstone that makes Paris’ nightlife pretty charming.

THE LATEST UPDATE 2.15.16

The Zika virus is spreading rapidly across South America, the Caribbean, and portions of the southern United States. Zika is a mosquito-borne viral infection which is transmitted by the same type of mosquito linked to dengue and chikungunya.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of emergency this week and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel alert for those traveling to affected regions. The water softener market seems to be deluged right now with various products all claiming theirs is the best shower water softener on the market. How do you know which one is really the best? The answer to this question will vary from person to person. What might be best for you is going to be the total opposite of what best fits someone else’s needs. Various elements from the price of the pelican water filter to the efficiency and effectiveness of the unit all play a critical role in determining which water softener is best for you and your family.

When it comes to water softener for the whole house, the most popular choice is the Whole House Salt-Free Water Softener from nuvoH2O. A model like this unit softens water at its point of entry, which means water is softened before it makes its way into your home system. This is an effective model for two reasons: it makes sure all the water that comes out of all your home’s water lines and faucets are softened, and it also makes sure all your pipes are completely protected from the effects of hard water. If you have a bigger home, however, such as one with up to three bathrooms that supply water to the household, you can’t just use any water softener. You have to choose one that can meet the demands of three bathrooms. One such option is the Pelican NaturSoft Salt Free Water Softener for 1-3 bathrooms, although this comes with a price.

However, please be sure to advise your clients of the following facts, to help them make their travel decisions:

• Symptoms can include mild fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle or joint pain and general feeling of illness that begins 2-7 days after infection.
• Four out of five people who are infected have no symptoms at all.
• Recent studies show there is a correlation between the disease and increased number of cases of  microcephaly (reduced brain size) in unborn babies.
• If you are not a woman of childbearing age who is pregnant or trying to get pregnant, the Zika virus is unlikely to cause you any serious trouble.
• Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not affect a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood.
• Zika cannot be transmitted through the air, food or water.
• There have been no deaths so far attributed to the Zika virus.

Infected persons are advised to  drink water and rest. Hospitalization as a result of Zika is extremely uncommon. In Brazil the current spread of Zika virus is mostly concentrated in the Northeastern states, especially Pernambuco state.

Areas to the south such as Rio and Sao Paulo are currently much less affected. Very few cases have been reported in the Amazon and Foz do Iguaçu.

Nevertheless the precautions for travelling to a region with mosquitoes are important:

• Use plenty of mosquito repellant.
• Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net.

As of February 10, 2016 – this is the best summary we’ve found of information travelers need to know: (Source: Edward Hospital, Naperville, Illinois)

UPDATE: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has advised that, while the primary mode of transmission for Zika virus is from the bite of an infected mosquito, there are at least three cases of possible sexual transmission of Zika virus.

According to the CDC:

• Sexual transmission of Zika virus from infected women to sex partners has not been reported.
• We do not know how long Zika virus remains in semen.
• Men who live in, or have traveled to, an area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing and who have a pregnant partner should not participate in sexual activity or should consistently and correctly use condoms during sex throughout the pregnancy.
• At this time, the CDC does not recommend testing men to determine the risk of sexual transmission of Zika virus.
• The IDPH recommends doctors offer to test pregnant women who are not showing any symptoms of Zika virus infection within 2-12 weeks after they have returned from travel to affected countries.

When a virus with the potential to cause serious complications starts to spread, especially one that’s not familiar, it can be unnerving.

Zika virus is one of those. Most of the time, people contract the virus through mosquito bites. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). People with this illness are not usually very sick, and symptoms disappear after several days to a week.

Q – Love the site but really wish you would include more unbiased recommendations for restaurants. I am not sure that some of the “critics” are willing to pay for fine dining on vacation.

We will be in Venice in July. We’re working with a fine agent but she does not seem to have any interest in recommending an excellent restaurant in the city. Can you point us in the right direction for a non-tourist restaurant that might result in a truly memorable meal? Also wondering best way to book it. Do we just go online?

A –  Venice is a tough food city because it is so easy for the owners/chefs to simply cater to tourists and fill their seats each night. But there are several excellent restaurants, some of them new, that cater to locals as well as the sizeable number of Italians from “the provinces.”

The current best restaurant in Venice is Osteria Alle Testiere on Calle Del Mondo Novo.  There are only nice tables and two seatings each night. Chef Bruno Gavagnin’s fresh local fare has impressed food critics worldwide – at least those that can score a table.

The best way to get a reservation at a top-level restaurant is to have your agent use her On-Site Italy office, the same ones doing your trip operations, to secure the reservation. Local offices in Italy that work with the major consortiums have local contacts that can get you otherwise impossible reservations. Do note that, as a rule, most gourmet restaurants in Europe have little interest in increasing their number of American diners.

Let us recommended several other top tables in Venice. We swear by each of these:

La Zucca

Da Ivo

Da Fiore

All Arco

Q –  We’re planning a getaway to India and want to stay for a few days in the area of the Golden Triangle so we can take day trips to both Agra and Jaipur. From there, we really want to do one, or possibly two, of the best luxury trains within the country. Can you please recommend a hotel for us in the Triangle and one or two of your personal favorite train experiences in-country?  Thank you in advance. This is rapidly becoming our favorite travel site and so nice that we are not bombarded with phony deals and come-ons.

A – Have your agent book you into the ITC Grand Bharat, a 100-room masterpiece located in Gurgaon, just between both Agra and Jaipur. THis is an elegant resort with fine services and our general philosophy when it comes to India hotels is “always book the most expensive property.” The rates are high only when they can be justified and demand is great. Don’t do four-star in India. Given all that, you can still book a room here for under $400 per night.

In terms of trains, there are several excellent options. Make certain that your consultants works with one of the two or three top Indian train specialists on earth, hopefully someone based in London or India.

The Palace on Wheels has 14 salons named after the provinces of Rajasthan and is considered one of the world’s top five luxury trains. It features two restaurants, a spa,internet, live music, and good security. It travels cross-country so you may not find matching dates and a trip length and suits your needs. It also travel in a metro cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik for which best sites can guide for best tour or hotel selection.

The Maharajas Express is the most expensive, most costly, and, some would say, the most luxurious of India’s top trains. It offers several itineraries including a hugely popular trip between Delhi and Mumbai. Think direct dial TV, all things wi-fi, individual temperature controls that actually work, and in-suite bathrooms.

You might also consider the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels a luxury train that visits important destinations in Rajasthan and Agra.

These luxury trains offer one week programs to India’s southern provinces round-trip out of Bangalore. We do want to caution you about trying to do this kind of trip without having a travel advocate to coordinate.

Q – We are committed to taking our two boys, ages 11 and 13, on a family tour that will take us from Mexico City to the Mexican Riviera with a fair amount of time in central Mexico. We certainly would not drive and we would want to be in the hands of the best drivers and guides. We’re looking for something private – not interested in group tours at all. I’ve been all over the internet and ended up more confused than enlightened. How do we go about getting this done so it is an incredible experience. Could you help us?

 

A – We can – but so can any of the better professional travel consultants located in your area. There is a great deal in Mexico that appeals to high-end families who have the good sense to bring their kids to the country. Think about the kids swimming in cenotes, or natural wells staying in some mexico villa rentals, or the family doing a private boat ride through the Celestun Biosphere Reserve. In Mexico city, kids love to be taken to one or two of the better churros shops.

Work through your travel consultant. They may have a relationship with Journey Mexico or Artisans of Leisure. These excellent companies specialize in working with your consultant to create truly customized vacation programs in different cities as Phoenix, since there are great places to rent for this, using pheonix vacation rental management company that manage all this properties. Our feeling is that these are the only two options you should consider – they are that good. We might also suggest that you re-think including the Mexican Riviera. The boys can always go to a resort on another trip – seek out the hidden Mexico and you may well have your expectations exceeded. Interview your consultant before committing to work with them to make certain they are aware of one or both of these Mexico specialists.

Q –   This Zika thing is scary, especially since we’re scheduled to spend the week  at the Four Seasons Nevis, one of our favorite resorts, a place we’ve enjoyed a half dozen times in the past. My wife and I are in our fifties and forties (you can guess which is which) and, unless I am totally clueless, I don’t think my wife wants to go beyond our current three children. If she is pregnant, our marriage is in trouble.  Given all of that should we still give pause? Any updates since your initial entry on this subject? 

A –  The update would be that while the disease is approaching epidemic proportions, the risk factors are clearly limited to pregnant women and those who intend to become pregnant. The vast majority of travelers who are bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus will feel a bit off but will recover quickly. They will then be immune from catching the virus again. Given your profile, we certainly think you should do this vacation. The Four Seasons Nevis is a perfect spot for gofers, tennis players, and lovers. Nevis, as you know, is accessible by boat from St. Kitts and the small island is home to some lovely people and small hotels that were once main houses on the former sugar plantations. This is the island where Lady Di went to hide out when things with Charles were not going well.

As a “regular” you must be familiar with Sunshine’s Shack, on the beach just off resort property. The spiny lobster and grilled shrimp served by Mr. Sunshine, and the infectious reggae music make this a favorite hang-out for those wishing to break away from the 4S poshness in favor of something authentically Caribbean.