Marriott CFO warns of “tough 2009″
Hotel operator Marriott International Inc (MAR.N) expects “to have to navigate through a tough 2009,” the company’s chief financial officer said on Tuesday. Arne Sorenson said in a blog posting on the company’s website that Marriott’s debt levels and timeshare investment spending were expected to decline next year, The company said in October that it expected revenue per... [Read more]
Are hotel price matches a bad idea?
Many hotels and online travel agencies offer price match guarantees. Find a lower rate for your room via another online source within a certain period of time (such as 24 hours), and you’ll be either refunded or credited the difference. Hotels.com has the most expansive price match. After you book through it, if you find the same type of room at the same hotel on the same date at any point up... [Read more]
Britain’s cruise ship QE2 arrives to Dubai
Britain’s most famous luxury cruise ship, the Queen Elizabeth 2, arrived to Dubai on Wednesday to begin a new life as a floating hotel moored off an artificial island. More than 60 naval vessels and private boats, led by a mega-yacht owned by Dubai’s ruler, met the 70,000 ton ship in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday. In the city’s Rashid port, the legendary cruise ship was greeted by... [Read more]
Wanted: Safe US city with 20,000 hotel rooms
Are you a U.S. city or resort with 20,000 hotel rooms, an international airport and a full complement of riot police? Looking to raise your profile? Willing to pay for the privilege? If so, and especially if you have ties to Asia, Uncle Sam wants you. The State Department is seeking a venue for a massive, nine-day conference of Pacific Rim leaders, dignitaries and business executives to be held in... [Read more]
Crisis in paradise: Meltdown leaves ghost resorts
The ocean glows a milky turquoise. Tiny waves lap at the powder-beige sand, in no rush to reach the line of postcard-perfect palm trees. Hundreds of luxury villas are positioned to take in the view, but there are no guests. There are no roofs either; neatly tied bundles of red tiles are stacked outside. The wind slams doors and rustles the yellowed newspaper taped to the windows. The paralyzed work... [Read more]
Strategies for booking hotels on a budget
When the economy was booming, many hotel companies began building new properties. Some of those are opening now, resulting in a 2.5 percent increase in hotel room supply this year, just as demand is dropping by around 1 percent or more, according to Jan Freitag of Smith Travel Research. “We’re going to see a substantial decline in occupancy this year,” agreed Bjorn Hanson, an associate... [Read more]
Bringing sexy back, with $1B: Miami hotel reborn
It takes a lot to impress here, a place where magazine models shop and $100,000 cars creep by without a batted eye. But there are exceptions, and in the 1950s and 60s the only one that mattered was the Fontainebleau hotel. Blending five-star luxury with chic, progressive style, it was where Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack stayed and played, where James Bond beat Goldfinger in a game of... [Read more]
Real Montana: Big Sky or Big Mountain?
There are two big destination ski resorts in Montana. Big Sky, near Bozeman, is expensive and polished. Big Mountain, near Whitefish, is not. You can go as big as you want in Big Sky Country. But which is the real Montana? I grew up there and can tell you with authority, they both are. Here are some observations from recent visits to both resorts: BIG MOUNTAIN: They just renamed this “Whitefish... [Read more]
Travel tips for the inauguration
Here is some advice if you are hoping to go to the inauguration: HOTELS: Most downtown hotels are already filled, but there are still some rooms available in outlying areas of the city and the suburbs. Many hotels are requiring three- and four-night minimums. Travelers can check Web sites such as Expedia and Orbitz for deals as well as http://www.washington.org. “You really want to get at it... [Read more]
Hotel rooms vanishing quickly for Inauguration
Heading to the capital city to be part of history on Jan. 20? Good luck finding a room. You might be able to ante up $40,000 for a four-night stay at a fancy hotel, or you can crash on someone’s couch or floor. Anything in between is just about gone for Barack Obama’s Inauguration. With hotels nearly booked up, lots of out-of-towners are suddenly deciding it’s time to pay a visit... [Read more]