Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Frequently Flying - ‘I’ll function as first to leave this airplane, you’re all likely to die’

Hereas a tv ad you likely wonat see aired in the U.S. Anti-energy drink creator Zenonade from the Czech Republic launched a new advertising campaign having only a little fun with the flight attendant safety demonstration. Iall let it speak for itself: I obtained a significant chuckle from the jawhorse provided my area to the, but could the common tourist or TELEVISION watcher think itas interesting? Discuss. (Hat tip: @theflyingpinto) Connected posts: Vicious, However Hilarious, Airport Nuisance Submitted by Darren

Link: Hotel restaurants follow the example of restaurants

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Funeral Day Travel Events Bring Discounts.

Carnival Cruise Lines is providing a promotion that provides active and former military services personnel with discounts of up to $600 per stateroom and shipboard credits of up to $100 per stateroom on several three- to 12-day sailings. Sister-line Queen cruises continues their Special Military Program, giving people served up to $250 note of credit on any marining.

May is also Domestic Military Appreciation Month and additionally Florida's Fantasy of Flight museum is offering complimentary admission to all active-duty, retired and reserve members for the U. S. Armed Forces when having a full-priced paid adult, senior or child general admission throughout the month of May.

On the West Coast, California's Mammoth Mountain ski area incorporates a Memorial Day $99 arrangement to ski or ride, mountain bike and golf all in a single day. The Ski-Bike-Golf Concern allows unlimited skiing, baseball, and access to the bike park along with nine holes of golf within the resort's Sierra Star lessons.

Also in California, this West Coast Thunder Cycle Run in Riverside, the greatest single-day motorcycle event west with the Mississippi, hosts nearly 7, 000 sport bike enthusiasts. Proceeds from the ride registration and concert passes benefit the Riverside State Cemetery Support Committee plus the event also includes some Military Appreciation Fair upon Sunday, May 26.

According to Travelocity's Funeral Day booking data, domestic airfare is off 2 percent year-over-year with the average cost at $341, six dollars less than it was in 2012. That might not could be seen as much but recent yrs have all seen increases in variances airfare.

Even Amtrak is getting in the Memorial Morning spirit, saving northeast regional rail travelers 25 percent when they book simply by May 10, 2013, for Memorial Day travel.

Filed under: Business, Festivals and additionally Events, North America, United states of america, Budget Travel, Cruises

Friday, May 10, 2013

Dreamliner Flights To be Restarted by united - But Could It Be Ready?

In the event you have not seen, all 50 of these state-of-the-art jets were seated by protection specialists earlier in 2013 due to overheating issues on the aircraft's lithium-ion batteries. The grounding reach airlines hard, causing snags in planned routes and driving some airlines to rental airplanes. The St. Louis Business Journal studies Qatar Airways alone dropped $200 million in revenue because of the incident. Even though researchers have not found the cause of the problem, the Federal Aviation Administration basically authorized Boeing's recommended short-term fix for the problem late last month, placing the wheels in motion for the return of individual flights. Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways have both already resumed Boeing 787 flights, and up to now everything generally seems to have gone along without a hitch, but we're wondering if the billions of dollars that have already been committed to the planes have caused items to be pushed along a tad too quickly. United can kick off Boing 787 company in the U.S. Throughout an 11 a.m. CT starting from Houston to Chicago O'Hare. Might you book a trip knowing it is planning to be on a Dreamliner, or can you wait just a little to observe things pan out? [Photo credit: Dave Sizer / Wikimedia Commons] Filed under: Airlines, News

More Info: Setenil de las Bodegas, the people under the rock

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Deals We Like - Caution on National Airline Standing Update Promo

I placed in regards to a specific campaign where American Airline was giving select AAdvantage members theAopportunityAto update their position a week ago. There are four different promotions total and you MUST actually create the promotion. Now, last week as I stated, you'll only be upgraded IF you actually received this mail. With all American Airline offers, anyone could receive and register a confirmation page and mail. That DOESN'T mean you really qualify for the campaign. Obviously it doesnat injured to register and see if the marketing applies to you (in the event the e-mail went along to your spam file or what not). You'll know whether you were targeted centered on what your present AAdvantage status now says on line. Your standing may already be updated, when I first introduced this marketing If you tried registering a week ago. You're not authorized if your standing is NOT updated which means and therefore not entitled to the promotion. I know there is a lot of confusion around this, so I just wanted to clarify! Here are the four promotions that folks received. Government Platinum status offer: Platinum position offer: Gold position offer: Generate any position level, but no immediate push offer: *With this last promotion, youall need to call American to ensure as there is no means of showing in your account you qualify. This was a campaign where after you strike the many miles/points levels you'll not receive status straight away (just like the other ones), but will only earn it. For people who received this email, appreciate your improved status and all the best gaining the factors to continue the status for almost another 2 years!! Just donat forget to join up. Categories: American

Six Hotel Deals for Memorial Day Week-end

Deals: you need 'em, and remarkably, everybody has 'em. Have a look at a number of the latest hotel offers going around the net today from scheduling sites, social media marketing sites, thumb sales sites and more. Don't forget to scroll right down to see the HotelChatter-approved option either. Who knows? You might just find what you are looking for. (But don't forget to tell us about your stay!) OFFERS, DEALS, DEALS* A NEW YORK: Rates in the city are, however, flying around $300 a for Memorial Day Week-end (May possibly 24-27th.) If you are planning to spend that much do not remain at a boring chain hotel. Try the Nomad Hotel at Broadway and 28th where every room has a "vintage-furniture" feel. Need further effective? Read the HotelChatter evaluation filled with images and video. Get here to book, once your mind has been made up by you. Prices begin at $295 a night. A THE HAMPTONS: Capri Southampton really has rooms open for Memorial Day Week-end but they are better snapped by you up fast. Rooms are getting for $359 an evening or a total of $1,277.58 including fees and surcharges for a Friday-Monday fling. Go here to book. A LOS ANGELES: The Sunset Tower Hotel, beloved by Jennifer Aniston and Vanity Fair, has rooms for $199 an evening over Memorial Day Weekend. These prices are good for remains from May 25-27 and will get you a superior place with a double bed. Need more sleeping space? Choose a king at $249 a night. Go here to book. A CHICAGO: We love theWit in Chicago because it has a killer beach (named ROOF) and with rates at just $165 an evening over Memorial Day Week-end (advance purchase needed), we love it much more. ROOF has additionally just unveiled a new everlasting 20' x 12' 3D installment called "theWall" that is similar to the kinds of ridiculous hot great shows found at EDMs. Need another reason to keep at theWit for Memorial Day? Lil Jon will undoubtedly be hosting the very first ROOF Sundays occasion on May 26. Go here to book your room. A D.C.: We discovered the Hotel George, a Kimpton Hotel opting for $161 an evening on TripAdvisor's new booking site, Tingo.com. If you are't acquainted with Tingo, then study our new story here. Fundamentally, this booking site will refund your money if the area price falls before your stay. And according to just a little pop-up note on the Hotel George listing, a whopping 121 times have been dropped by the price in seven days. So that your chances look great. And if the rate does not drop, at least you can make good use of Kimpton's free wine hour. A D.C.: We found the Hotel George, a Kimpton Hotel opting for $161 an evening on TripAdvisor's new booking site, Tingo.com. If you are't familiar with Tingo, then read our current history here. Generally, this scheduling site will return your money if the area rate falls before your stay. And according to a little pop-up note on the Hotel George record, a whopping 121 times have been dropped by the price in seven days. So your odds look great. And if the charge does not drop, at the very least you possibly can make good use of Kimpton's free wine hour. HOTELCHATTER PICKA SAN FRANCISCO: This deal for the Fairmont San Francisco arises from TravelZoo. Costs for Mem Wknd are $199 a night AND it offers free parking that is normally a whopping $59 a night. That is a 30 percent discount. And in the event that you join the hotel's President's Club your WiFi fees are gratis as well. Oh and don't forget the Tonga Room! Go here to book before May possibly 14. *PEOPLE: As always, read the fine print before you book. Many thumb sale websites require full payment at that time of booking and provide no discounts. Other internet sites have tight cancellation procedures. Be sure to read many of these before your credit card is handed over by you. Or we shall spank you. And perhaps not in a "hurt so good" way. [Photo: HotelChatter]

Via: From Abu Dhabi airport installs 'sleep pods' for the weary fliers

Monday, May 6, 2013

ExpertFlyer Journey Item Contests On Facebook

ExpertFlyer is among my favorite vacation websites as it allows you to seek out prize availability on lots of air companies, routing options, cost data and seat availability. Additionally, it has extremely useful features like environment trip alerts that will quickly email you when airlines release award seats on flights you need, so you can book them before theyare purchased by other tourists without having to spend annoying hours searching for award place, especially on routes where accessibility is notoriously small. Enter ExpertFlyeras tournament on Facebook for all types of travel gifts. ExpertFlyer just announced that on the past Friday of each month, they will pick a arbitrary winner for a subscription to ExpertFlyer PRO, and other fun gifts that will change from month to month but that might include an Innergie portable system charger (tremendous useful!), a Wireless Traveler Worldwide SIM Card, PanAm souvenirs, Nomadic Mattas book, aHow To Visit The Entire World on $50 A Day,a and more. To sign up, head to the ExpertFlyer Travel Giveaway page and sign up, and then you can get even more entries by mentioning friends who sign up a each friend that enters along with your referral URL earns you three additional entries. The ExpertFlyer Pro annual subscription may be worth $99.99 and includes endless queries, honor and upgrade searchability, access to comprehensive seatmaps, flight availability and on-time performance metrics, the ability to set chair and flight alerts, flexible pursuit of +/- 3 times, the ability save yourself queries, a cellular edition and more. Itas the subscription that I myself use that and all the time recently helped me book flights to my friendas wedding in Austin on the fly. ExpertFlyeras Premium approach features a lot of extra functionality that help save time for honor concerns. All in all, ExpertFlyer is one of many strongest methods on the market for award people. I take advantage of everything the full time, and so will you, if this contest is won by you! But even if you donat itas something to consider, particularly if you plan a lot of prize travel or if you travel a lot and exactly like looking regular seat access so you can take your pick of flights. Therefore enter great and today luck! This material isn't provided or commissioned by the business whose products are featured on this site. Any thoughts, analyses, opinions or critiques provided listed below are those of the author's alone, and have not been evaluated, approved or otherwise supported by the Advertiser. This site could be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.

Via: RoadKill, rocks and Russian tanks: inside one of the museums most strange of the world

Friday, May 3, 2013

Destination of the Week: Warsaw

For today's Destination of the Week, TPG contributor Alex Schechter takes us to a land formerly hidden behind the Iron Curtain that has emerged in the 21st century as a gorgeous European destination well worth exploring thanks to its history, arts and architecture. We're headed to Eastern Europe to visit one of the continent's great capitals, Warsaw.

You've probably been reading a lot about Warsaw recently thanks to international commentary surrounding the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, an important Holocaust event that saw resistance fighters take their first organized stand against the Nazis, back in April. To mark the occasion, the city is unveiled its Museum of the History of Polish Jews, a $70-million multimedia museum and cultural center built on the site where the actual uprising took place. The project was first announced in the late 1990s and is expected to attract 1 million visitors annually, so it's sure to be a must-see stop on any itinerary here.

There are also plenty of other sights to see in Warsaw's sprawling capital, and spring is a fine time to ride a bike along the banks of the Vistula River, stroll through the gardens at the Wilanów Palace, or hunt for antiques in Old Town.

Unlike Krakow, which usually gets touted as Poland's hip, party town full of industrial-chic bars and trendy clothing stores, Warsaw offers a more dignified, highbrow experience—Fryderyk (also called Frederic) Chopin, one of Europe's most famous composers, grew up here, and the city was beloved by the acclaimed Jewish-American author, Isaac Bashevis Singer.

A typical Warsaw itinerary usually starts in Castle Square, which marks the beginning of Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980). But before getting lost in the narrow cobble stone streets, or ducking into a restauracja for some pierogies, take five minutes to climb the bell tower at St. Anne's Church. From here, the folks wandering around in the square below will appear as tiny dots and you'll be able to gaze across to the other side of the Vistula.

Old Town offers a hundred little shops, boutiques, cafes, and, of course, old buildings to look at. Some favorite spots included Lapidarium,  an antique shop jam-packed with old army memorabilia, clocks, books, vases, paintings, magic amulets and other odds and ends—you can find literally anything here as long as you have the patience to dig for it. Just across the street is Samy Fusy, an underground teahouse with brick vaulted ceilings and wooden tables fashioned out of tree trunks.

Finally, don't leave Old Town without a quick visit to the Royal Castle, or Zamek Królewski in Polish. Though it was utterly destroyed during WWII, the main castle was rebuilt in the 1970s, offering a decent glimpse of how the original 14th-century structure might have appeared back in its heyday. Renovation work continues on the Kubicko Arcade and the Tin-Roofed Palace, though inside the castle's ornate chambers and halls, you can browse permanent and temporary exhibitions, featuring two original Rembrandt paintings.

Of the three venues dedicated to Fryderyk Chopin, the most comprehensive is the Fryderyk Chopin Museum, housed in the former Ostrogski Palace, which contains over 5,000 objects and Chopin memorabilia, like autographed manuscripts, letters, antique pianos, and interactive audio-video features. Frequent concerts and recitals are staged year-round in the museum's concert hall.

Towering 756 feet over the city is the Palace of Culture and Science, which was commissioned by Josef Stalin in the 1950s and stands out as Warsaw's most iconic building. The 30th floor observation deck is a popular tourist attraction, offering unbeatable views of the city, while downstairs, the complex houses a 2,800-seat concert hall, a museum, a basketball court (which gets converted into an ice skating rink during the winter), a university, a nightclub, and a popular multiplex cinema called Kinoteka.

Plenty of green spaces can be found throughout the city, which, allowing for decent weather, make perfect excuses to explore Warsaw's different neighborhoods on foot. In addition to two botanical gardens (Ogród Botaniczny PAN w Powsinie and Ogród Botaniczny Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego), the haunting Cmentarz Żydowski, or Jewish Cemetery, is located near the Warsaw Ghetto (just off the Dworzec Gdanki metro stop), and contains over 200,000 tombs.

Overlooking the river, the tranquil roof garden at the University of Warsaw Library is a lush, beautiful space, whose plants and flowers are divided into different sections according to color, scent and theme. Lastly, the massive Saski Gardens lead to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where you can watch the changing of the guard every hour on the hour.

Destination of the Week pieces are not meant to be comprehensive guides to destinations since we don't have the time or funds to visit all these places in person and report back to you. Nor are they endorsements of all the hotels we mention. They are simply roundups of top destinations that we have specifically pinpointed for the opportunity they present to use your miles and points to get to and stay there. As always, we welcome your comments to help enrich the content here, provide opinions and first-hand experiences of these destinations.

Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) is located 6 miles south of the city center, and last June the city introduced three direct rail links (S2, S3 and KML) connecting the airport to the city center. The train takes about 25 minutes and costs 4.40 PLN ($1.38 USD). LOT Polish Airlines, is a member of Star Alliance and has the largest presence at Warsaw.

In 2011, the airport's sole terminal (Terminal A) was expanded, and work is also continuing on "Chopin Airport City," a giant mixed-use development that will contain office buildings, restaurants, galleries and a park. Last month, the airport installed a "multimedia bench" in the departures level where travelers can listen to the music of Chopin.

On February 6, Emirates launched daily nonstop service between Dubai and Warsaw, making it the first five-star airline flying to Warsaw Chopin Airport. Back in August, Qatar announced it would be flying four times a week between Doha and Warsaw, and that has since been increased to seven flights per week. Recent new service announcements have resulted in direct flights from Warsaw to Reykjavik, Milan, and Beijing.

Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel: As its name indicates, this 311-room hotel sits smack in the center of bustling downtown Warsaw, just a few minutes from the Palace of Culture and Science (not to mention the sprawling Centrum shopping center, if that happens to be your thing). The glass-wrapped facade gives the building a modern, business-y feel, and the spacious rooms include all the usual Radisson Blu amenities: free WiFi, individual climate control, and desks with ergonomic chairs. Additionally, guests can choose from three different room "themes," including Maritime, Scandinavian and Italian. The buffet breakfasts are ample, and there is a top-notch fitness center along with a small but attractive indoor pool. Rates in May start at 200 PLN ($65 USD) or 38,000 Gold Points per night.

Hyatt Regency Warsaw: Opened in 2002, this property neighbors Warsaw's Central Business District, making it a popular choice among meetings groups (the main city center is about 15 minutes away). Inside the 246-room hotel, you'll find two restaurants: the glass-roofed Lazienski Lounge overlooking the lobby, and Ventitre, an Italian restaurant serving lunch and dinner with an adjoining outdoor patio. All rooms come with large desks, walk-in showers, marble tubs, bathrobes, and a modest white-and-caramel-accented decor, while Club rooms grant access to the Regency Club on the top floor, which offers complimentary continental breakfast, light snacks throughout the day, evening cocktails, and personal concierge service. Club Oasis features a spa, indoor pool, relaxation area, gym, aerobics studio, and saunas. Rates in May start at 270 PLN ($85 USD) per night. This is a Category 2 property and requires 8,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points for a free night redemption.

Hilton Warsaw Hotel and Convention Center: Though it's slightly removed from the city center, this 21-story tower is modern and inviting, with friendly staff to boot. The 314 rooms come with floor-to-ceiling windows, 26-inch HD TVs and marble bathrooms with heated floors (handy during those bitter Polish winters); in-room WiFi costs 19 PLN ($6 USD) per 3 hours, but all public spaces offer it for free. A well-equipped business center overlooks Grzybowska St, and there is a 21st floor Executive Lounge with private check-in, complimentary breakfast, snacks, and city views. Pistaccio Lobby Bar & Lounge is a bright, airy space, while Meza Restaurant offers international and Polish cuisine (yes, pierogies are on the menu). A fitness center, indoor pool and casino are also available. Rates in May start at 230 PLN ($75 USD) per night. This is a Category 7 property and requires 40,000 Hilton HHonors points for a free night redemption in May (30,000-60,000 seasonally).

Warsaw Marriott Hotel: The attractive white-and-burgundy lobby at this centrally located hotel spans three floors, featuring marble columns, plenty of lounge areas and meeting space, and a lobby bar flooded with natural light during the day. Dining options include Vienna Cafe, Lilla Weneda, Champions Sports Bar (equipped with 37 TVs), Champions Restaurant, Parmizziano's Restaurant, and the stylish Panorama Bar & Lounge—the latter is particularly impressive as it's situated on the 40th floor and affords some of the best hotel views in Warsaw. The hotel's 518 rooms (including 95 suites) are basic but spacious, offering king-size beds with pillow-top mattresses and desks with ergonomic chairs; internet costs 30 PLN ($9.50 USD) per day. The property features a spa, fitness center and indoor pool. Rates in May begin at 270 PLN ($85 USD) or 20,000 Marriott Rewards points per night since this is a Category 4 property.

Marriott's other Warsaw properties include a Courtyard by Marriott Warsaw Airport, which was recently named the best airport hotel in Europe.

InterContinental Warsaw: One of Warsaw's most impressive skyscrapers (and Poland's tallest hotel), this 326-room, 45-floor hotel is located in the center of the city, with an unusual architectural feature that makes the top half of the building appear cantilevered over the bottom half. The lobby contains E. Wedel Cafe, a charming hideout with maroon walls, crystal chandeliers, handmade pralines, and arguably the city's best hot chocolate; other restaurants in the hotel include +1 Bar, Platter, and Downtown Restaurant. Rooms feature wooden furniture, ambient lighting, separate bathtubs and walk-in showers, and complimentary coffee and tea making equipment. The Riverview Wellness Center, located on the 43rd and 44th floors, is the hotel's most impressive amenity, offering an indoor pool, jacuzzi, gym, sauna, steam room, and spa, all with panoramic views of the city. Rates in May begin at 860 PLN ($270 USD) or 35,000 Priority Club points per night (Category 6).

Sheraton Warsaw: This six-story hotel is centrally located on Three Crosses Square, within walking distance of the acclaimed Chopin Museum, the National Museum of Art, and historic Old Town. All 350 rooms are clean and modern-feeling, with large bathrooms, individual climate control, and tea and coffee making equipment. Larger Club Rooms have access to the sixth floor Club Lounge, which offers private check-in, concierge service, complimentary breakfast, complimentary WiFi, and evening cocktails. The hotel's four restaurants include InAzia, The Olive, SomePlace Else (which serves, oddly, Tex-Mex), and a lobby bar. Rates in May begin at 465 PLN ($150 USD) or 7,000 Starpoints per night since this is Category 3 property.

Westin Warsaw: Opened in 2003, this 20-story hotel is just a few steps from Warsaw's Centralna train station, and its modern design features a vertical glass elevator tower and a glass spiral staircase. The hotel's 361 rooms and suites offer the standard Westin Heavenly bed, bathrobes, individual climate control, and interactive LCD TVs; meanwhile, Westin Executive Club rooms are slightly larger, with free WiFi, lounge access and private check-in. The property features two restaurants, Fusion and JP's Cafe & Bar, along with the Westin WORKOUT gym, Heavenly Massage Room, sauna, and a Kids Club. Rates in May begin at 190 PLN ($60 USD) or 7,000 Starpoints per night since this is a Category 3 property.

Starwood's third property in Warsaw is the Hotel Bristol which is a Category 4 property requiring 10,000 points per night.

Fine Hotels & Resorts is a program exclusively for American Express Platinum Card cardholders, who are eligible for extra benefits such as room upgrades, free continental breakfast, early check-in and late check-out, dining and spa credits and more.

Hotel Bristol: This 112-year-old landmark property sits right in the center of downtown Warsaw, and recently underwent a top-to-bottom renovation of all 206 guest rooms, public spaces, gym and swimming pool—even the antique brass elevators (which zip up and down the hotel like they were built yesterday) were restored. In addition to the acclaimed Marconi Restaurant, Column Bar, and Cafe Bristol, the hotel also added a new wine bar, Advinture, adjacent to the lobby. The revamped rooms and suites are elegant, with ivory wallpaper, bevel edged crystal mirrors, polished nickel bedside lamps, and marble bathrooms—well-known London designer Anita Rosato oversaw the redesign. Rates in May begin at 660 PLN ($210 USD) or 10,000 Starpoints per night.

This content is not provided or commissioned by the company whose products are featured on this site. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or evaluations provided here are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the Advertiser. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.