Hotel Blogs

Booking travel online can be confusing and complicated. Darren of Travel Rants and I will be co-hosting a live blog on Thursday evening to discuss the online travel booking experience. We’d love your input, whether you are a consumer, a travel company who take bookings online or a designer of online travel booking systems.

When I booked my flight from Glasgow to Berlin on the Easyjet site, I just wanted to book a flight but I had to go down a long list of options e.g. travel insurance, speedy boarding etc.

My worst online booking experience was when I tried to book accommodation in Fuerteventura on the On the Beach site. I entered my credit card details and nothing happened, no confirmation or message saying my card details had been entered incorrectly. I entered my details again and still nothing. At this stage I began to panic slightly, thinking what if I’ve booked the accommodation twice. I phoned On the Beach and they said they couldn’t help me over the phone I’d need to wait for an reply by email. I emailed On the Beach and 24 hours later they got back to me to say that they had no record of my booking, They was no apology, no explanation or no offer to take my booking over the telephone.

From next month “flogging” or misleading commercial blogging will be outlawed by the European Union. Under the new rules companies who post glowing reviews of their own products or services or pay others to enhance their reputation. will be liable to prosection.

It’ll be interesting to see if transgressors will be tracked and prosecuted. It sounds like the EU might have to employ an army of investigators. I also wonder if prosecutions will be successful as that will hinge on whether the information posted is likely to affect the buying decision of the average customer.

For a start what is an average customer? You could even argue that recent publicity about flogging should have made the customer aware that user generated reviews are not always reliable or honest.

In some respects perhaps the new rules are a little late. I recently wrote about the declining appeal of user generated reviews due to information overload as well as mistrust of the content.

Do you think this new legislation is timely, necesary and/or enforceable? Would negative publicity about offenders be the most more effective deterrent - the modern day equivalent of a public flogging?

A great (funny) look at the roles in the hotel industry - a new video from YoungHotelier.com titled "So you want to be a hotelier?"

Oregon-based Provenance Hotels has possibly begun a trend in the U.S. Lodging Industy.  They have begun to replace the longstanding tradition of the "nightstand bibles" with a "spiritual menu".  Travelers can now order their spiritual book of choice through room service.  Menu choices include the Book of Mormon, the Quran, the King James Version of the Bible, the New American Bible,The Four Noble Truths of Buddism, the Torah, Tao Te Ching, books on Scientology and Bhagavad Gita (a sacred Hindu text). 

The Provenance Hotel recognizes the fact that they host travelers who aren't Christian and that come from different faiths. Dina Nishioka, who is the public relations director for Hotel Preston says, "Our guests come from different places and they definitely come from different cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, so we want everyone to feel welcomed and comfortable."

Brian Ruf, president of the Travel and Tourism Research Association, said that his international organization has not yet done the research to show whether or not this trend will pick up, since this concept is so "leading edge".  He has also said that he believes the switch might be slightly controversial, however guests might appreciate it.

Only time will tell if this trend catches on. 

America's Best Inn and Suites has signed its first master licensee with MIDC, Ltd of Nigeria to develop their brand in areas of Africa, the world's second largest and second most populated continent.  Areas include Abidjan, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, St. Thomas Principe, Tanzania, Togo, and Zanzibar. 

Development will begin with  a 25-room conversion situated on top of an office building, just across from a golf course in the district of Lagos.  Another project currently in the works is a re-branding of a 220-room hotel that features a 3,000 square foot conference center located near a wildlife refuge.  This project will also involve the development of a water park.

Nominations have opened for the 2008 Travvies. It’s up to you the readers of travel blogs to nominate your favourites.

There are several categories:

• Best Travel Blog
• Best Single-Author Travel Blog
• Best Group-Written Travel Blog
• Best Destination or Trip Narrative Blog
• Best Informative/Practical Travel Blog
• Best Photography on a Travel Blog
• Best Big Media Blog
• Best Podcast or Video Blog

So think back over the last year and decide which travel blogs have been the most informative, useful, interesting, inspirational and/or entertaining to you and get nominating. You can choose up to 3 blogs in each category, so if you’re a fan of multiple blogs you won’t be forced to choose between them.

The Motel 6 is freshening up their interior diggs and have opted for a more contemporary look to appeal to their guests.  The rooms feature flat-screen TVs, granite bathroom countertops as well as retro furniture. It is likely that this trend will soon follow with other budget chain hotels.  The Red Roof Inn and Super 8 chains are already planning upgrades. Despite the new interior upgrades, which are expected to occur this summer, Motel 6 will maintain their economic price strategy.  They are hoping this new look will improve their occupancy rates and boost revenues.

The Motel 6 is freshening up their interior diggs and have opted for a more contemporary look to appeal to their guests.  The rooms feature flat-screen TVs, granite bathroom countertops as well as retro furniture. It is likely that this trend will soon follow with other budget chain hotels.  The Red Roof Inn and Super 8 chains are already planning upgrades.  Despite the new interior upgrades, which are expected to occur this summer, Motel 6 will maintain their economic price strategy.  They are hoping this new look will improve their occupancy rates and boost revenues.

We had lunch at the Ship Inn in Eyemouth, in the Scottish Borders today.  The Ship Inn is on the waterfront at Eyemouth harbour, tel 01890 750224.  The restaurant area of the bar is pleasantly decorated and there were vases of fresh flowers on the window sills.  There are plain pine tables and harbour views from some tables.  It’s a relaxed atmosphere with a good mix of customers. families, couples and groups of friends.  Most of the main courses cost £7 - £8.

Eyemouth Harbour, Scottish Borders

It’s the second time that we’ve eaten there. We originally order steak pie as that’s what I had on my last visit and it was really good.   The steak was tender with tasty gravy flavoured with Belhaven beer.  However today they’d run out of steak pie, so I plumped for chicken breast goujons.  The tender home prepared chicken strips were served with crispy chips, a mixed green salad, coleslaw and a tomato dip.  It was a good sized plateful.

I’d recommend the Ship Inn as for a meal if you’re in the Eyemouth area.  You can combine it with a walk on the coastal path for some great view over towards Coldingham and St Abbs.

Coldingham Sands 

Afternoon tea consisting of jam sandwiches, teacakes, chocolate wafers, scones, pancakes and Irn Bru trifle. I’m surprised that deep fried Mars Bars are not on the menu.

Scone by mararie

The Glasgow Grosvenor Hotel has enraged advocates of healthy eating and attempts to change the high calore and fat content of the Scottish diet with the introduction of the £8.95 “Glasgow Afternoon tea” which contains masses of fat and sugar. Is this really the typical Scottish diet or just a light hearted occasional treat?

Will you be making a beeline for the Grosvenor for afternoon tea?

The waves at Spittal beach, Berwick upon Tweed in the north east of England looked more like Atlantic breakers this afternoon.  I’ve never seen such big waves in the 2 years I’ve lived in Berwick. I was expecting to see surfers there.

Breakers at Spittal beach, Berwick upon Tweed 

It was amazing to watch the foam cascading down the steps which lead down to the beach from the promenade.

Foamy steps leading from Spittal prom to the beach 

I was back on home territory in the Scotland in the Borders area this morning, braving the elements, with a walk along the River Tweed from Union Bridge and around the woodland walk at Paxton House.

View of Union Bridge from riverside walk

There was a period of steady hailstones leading to an accumulation of around one inch. It made the walk really pretty and we didn’t even get wet as the hailstones just bounced off our jackets.

View from Paxton House woodland walk

Yesterday I visited The Hirsel Country Park in Coldstream in the Scottish Borders. The park is part of a country estate owned by the Home family since 1611.  There are various walk around the park, including around the lake.  I really enjoyed watching the Highland cattle and their calves.  Unfortunately the calves were too far away to get a good photo.  Most Highland cattle I’ve seen have been a reddy brown colour but there were a couple of cream coloured beasts.

Cream Highland cow at The Hirsel, Coldstream 

There’s also a Craft Centre, tearoom, museum and gallery in the park.  There’s a £2.50 charge for the car park beside the tearoom but it’s possible to park free of charge in Coldstream and walk into the park.

As you enter the park there’s a statue of Alec Douglas Home the 13th Earl of Home, who was British Prime Minister from 1963 - 1964.

Statue of Alec Douglas Home at the Hirsel, Coldstream 

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