Are your travel adapters and converters ready for your next vacation?
When John Gasink plugged his continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device into a power outlet at the Heidelberg Marriott Hotel, he was in for a shock. So were many of the hotel’s guests.
Now that vacation season is over, it’s time to start thinking about ways to improve your travel literacy — loosely defined as your ability to get around without looking like a clueless tourist — before your next trip.
Please welcome Carson Harris to the exclusive club of air travelers who have been downgraded. It happened to Harris on British Airways, which presented him with an involuntary flight downgrade on one segment of a roundtrip flight to Bucharest.
There’s no quick answer to the question, “How do I find the best hotel room?” That’s because no two hotel rooms are exactly alike. They defy easy SeatGuru-ization, which is to say you can’t create a reliable online directory of room sizes and amenities.
The quoted rate for an “amazing” three-bedroom condominium in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, looked too good to be true. The unit, which featured flat-screen TVs, beds with “lush, warm comforters,” a gourmet kitchen and a lanai overlooking Lake Pend Oreille, cost only $1,900 for the month.
And guess what? It was too good to be true.
If you’re a reader of my personal website, you probably already know about the full meltdown that happened after we posted a blockbuster story by Michelle Couch-Friedman about buying jewelry on a cruise. Suddenly a surge of traffic flooded the Elliott Advocacy site and within just a few minutes, our server choked up. Instead of the article, that annoyingly familiar “error establishing a database connection” message greeted you.
What happens when a cruise line forgets your amenity? That’s the question facing Carol McHale, who ordered a birthday gift for her father from MSC Cruises, who was on his first solo trip since his wife’s death.
His present got lost at sea.
Brent Bowen may be America’s leading airline critic, but he’s also a frequent air traveler, and he has a few secrets. His advice on flying better may help you have a problem-free flight.
When it comes to the best hotel review sites in the world, the real winners aren’t the usual suspects. They are “none of the above.” This may be good news for discerning travelers looking for accurate lodging advice.
Of all the hotel annoyances, the one that bothers Louise Sattler the most is the smells.
“Scents,” she says, “and smoking in hotel rooms.”
