5 reasons to check out early
If you’re an experienced traveler, you know the TV show “Fawlty Towers” is based more on fact than fiction.
The 1970s sitcom, set in a small British inn that’s mismanaged by a young John Cleese, features every imaginable hotel horror: Rodents in the food, deranged guests and awful service. For anyone who’s spent some time on [...]
Sorry, wrong answer
Orbitz owes me $149
Q: Earlier this year we booked airline tickets from Des Moines, Iowa, to Orlando on Orbitz. We had to make two separate reservations because we are a family of five, and Orbitz wouldn’t let us book five tickets at a time.
The problems began when we received our travel documents approximately [...]
Turn your hotel into an office
You’ve got work to do, you’re on the road and you need to turn your hotel room into an office. Hoteliers think they’ve got you covered.
They outfit their hotel rooms with thoughtful extras such as fax machines, two-line phones, high-speed Internet connections and oversize desks, all in the hope that you’ll think of their hotel [...]
Charged twice for my tickets
Q: I hope that you can help unravel a problem regarding two tickets from Denver to West Palm Beach, Fla., which I recently purchased through Expedia for my daughter and her boyfriend.
When the two of them arrived at Denver International Airport, they were informed by the ticket agent that Expedia had not paid for [...]
Pretend you don’t see me
I’m sneaking up on my old pal, Bear. I like to surprise him then pull him off the chair and wrestle him to the floor. It’s fun. Besides, Bear doesn’t mind. We always end our battle with a big bear hug, to show there are no hard feelings.
Keys to luxury
The come-as-you-are Florida Keys are synonymous with fishing, diving and dusk-to-dawn parties. But luxury vacations? Conventional wisdom says skip this wacky island chain and try Coconut Grove or Palm Beach instead. Hold on. Although the Keys’ reputation as a place that’s a little rough around the edges is well-deserved, several new attractions have emerged that offer true extravagance – whether it’s a VIP dive trip, a white-glove fishing excursion, a sunset cruise on a luxury catamaran or a five-star lodging experience on your own private island.
Kill first class
Flying first class isn’t what it used to be, to hear travelers like Gary Arbonies talk about it. “First class is what coach class was like a decade ago,” complained the San Diego furniture consultant. It isn’t just the meager meals, which he says resemble those once served in steerage. Legroom and service have slipped, too, as the airlines’ fortunes took a nose dive.
Complaints didn’t make the cut
Most letters I receive are legitimate requests for help from travelers who have been wronged by an airline, hotel or car rental agency. But not all of them are. Here’s a selection of gripes that didn’t make the cut:
Free room for plumbing problems?
Q: I stayed at the Howard Johnson’s earlier this year on spring [...]
How to stay in a hotel for free
Next time you stay at a hotel, get “comped.”
The “comp,” which is industry jargon for getting a complimentary room for a night, is the ultimate hotel perk. A free room means you’re someone special, like a frequent guest, a high-roller or just a really, really good negotiator. And free, as I explained in an earlier [...]
Punish me, United
Q: I recently I booked a flight on United Airlines from Cedar Rapids, IA, to Amsterdam on United Airlines. Anticipating the possibility of war and other uncertainties in my schedule I asked if I could cancel or reschedule the trip if I needed to. I was told by the airline booking agent that I could [...]