I Love Seeing Heads of Loyalty Programs Getting Ice Thrown On Their Heads!

Jeff Zidell of Hyatt Gold Passport took the ALS #IceBucketChallenge. And since I filmed my own video at a Starwood hotel, and Randy Petersen issued his challenge to me from a Starwood property as well, I thought it appropriate to name SPG head Chris Holdren to take the challenge. He did. Good sports, all! And […]

The post I Love Seeing Heads of Loyalty Programs Getting Ice Thrown On Their Heads! appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/08/26/love-seeing-heads-loyalty-programs-getting-ice-thrown-heads/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=love-seeing-heads-loyalty-programs-getting-ice-thrown-heads

30 images of American wildlife

From Kodiak bears to tufted puffins, here are some of the North American continent’s most incredible wildlife.



from Matador NetworkMatador Network http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/30-incredible-images-american-wildlife/

Why Premier Inn and Travelodge were voted Britain’s most user-friendly hotel chain websites

Discount hotel chains Premier Inn and Travelodge have the best user experiences among British hotel websites, according to a survey of 500 ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/british-hotel-websites-premier-inn-travelodge-survey-econsultancy/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=survey-uks-best-performing-travel-sites

Year Two: Barclaycard Arrival vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

I’m not going to explain how to use both cards to get your trip to Disney for free … however, in the hustle and bustle of picking up credit card signup bonuses and regularly adjusting our credit portfolio, we tend to discount annual fees. “They’re worth it” we convince ourselves and in many cases they […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/08/nerves-restlessness-before-a-trip.html

Does she deserve a refund for this Princess cruise?

from Elliott http://elliott.org/case-dismissed-2/deserve-refund-princess-cruise/

Red Prayers

A Red Votive I think it’s interesting how Asian cultures do the sort of thing you see below and Western cultures use votives. I think it’s also interesting how both are red. It seems to be a fairly convenient way for the masses to contribute and be part of the movement. Daily Photo – Red […]



from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2014/08/26/red-prayers/

Can Hotels Read Minds?!?

Last week I wrote a post entitled "Hospitality Happens At The Margins." The post was based in part on a Bloomberg interview with a Starwood VP, who was emphasizing the importance of basically "customizing" stays, because apparently 2% of their guests generate 30% of their profits. I explained that a large portion of my perception of travel brands isn't shaped by the 90% of the time that stuff goes as planned, but rather the few times that an employee goes out of their way to make me smile.

I gave the example of the hotel I frequent more than any other -- the Grand Hyatt Tampa -- and how they surprised me last week with a welcome amenity consisting of Diet Coke with lime and nuts. I've always chosen points as the amenity at this property so certainly wasn't expecting that. Not only was it a great gesture as such, but the attention to detail is what really put a smile on my face -- the limes, the fact that it was Diet Coke rather than Diet Pepsi (which is the Hyatt brand standard), and the nuts. Those are three of my favorite things!

The post Can Hotels Read Minds?!? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/08/25/can-hotels-read-minds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-hotels-read-minds

Frugal Travel Guy Writers Take the Ice Bucket Challenge

After being nominated last Friday, Frugal Travel Guy founder Rick Ingersoll took the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS. He nominated all the Frugal Travel Guy writers to take on the challenge too: Howie, Ariana, Christine, Holly and Miguel. So far, Howie and Miguel have taken it on and we’ve got the video to prove it. […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/08/frugal-travel-guy-writers-take-the-ice-bucket-challenge.html

Does a Passenger Have a Right to Recline Their Seat in Coach?

Scott Mayerowitz reports that a United flight was diverted today when a fight broke out onboard. One passenger was using the ‘knee defender’ to stop the passenger in front from reclining their seat. The flight from Newark to Denver diverted to Chicago, where the TSA deemed it “a customer service issue.” The flight continued to […]

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from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/08/25/passenger-right-recline-seat-coach/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=passenger-right-recline-seat-coach

Off the beaten path in Peru

Slide your feet into high rubber boots to trek through the mud, explore the jungle (by flashlight at night if you’d prefer), paddle around hidden lakes, and fish for piranha.



from Matador NetworkMatador Network http://matadornetwork.com/trips/7-ways-get-beaten-path-peru/

Are you a “me first” traveler?

from Elliott http://elliott.org/elliotts-email/first-traveler/

Are You A Traveler Or A Vacationer?

Preparing for our current Asia trip got me thinking about what we were actually doing and what we wanted our goal for this trip to be. What indeed was the goal? Initially the goal for me and Sara was to take a trip together and experience some neat travel products including First Class on Lufthansa […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/08/traveling-vs-vacation.html

How Iberia Made Us Believe They Devalued — When They Simply Got More Transparent

Iberia published new, much more expensive award charts for travel on partner airlines this month. That was pretty scary, not because Iberia points were worth less (nobody cares), but because of what it could mean for British Airways points. The two programs are structured similarly. The airlines are jointly owned. And points transfer between the […]

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from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/08/25/iberia-made-us-believe-devalued/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=iberia-made-us-believe-devalued

Lake of Dreams, Burning Man

Burning Man is for people to come together and experience moments that are meant to remain in Black Rock City, forever.



from Matador NetworkMatador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/burning-man-stripped/

Do You Have to Take a Terrible Job Just Because You Went to College?

I often enjoy the Ethicist column by Chuck Klosterman. A recent column posed an interesting question: “Do I have an ethical duty to find a better job even if I’m unhappy with the work?” The letter writer explained that his or her parents had funded a college education, but it had only led to what…



from The Art of Non-Conformity http://chrisguillebeau.com/do-you-have-to-take-a-terrible-job-just-because-you-went-to-college/