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From the category archives:
Promotions
WeatherBill will pay refunds to Itravel2000 customers if it snows five inches (12.7 centimetres) or more on Jan. 1 at Calgary, Halifax, Montreal or Toronto airports.
This quote from The Star drew my attention to WheatherBill
What is WheatherBill
According to its site:
WeatherBill is the first service to provide affordable and easy-to-use weather coverage to protect revenue and control costs for the millions of businesses impacted by the weather.
WeatherBill coverage is safe and reliable. There is no unnecessary paperwork, no claims process, no proof-of-loss and no waiting for payment. WeatherBill is the only service that enables customers to customize, price and buy weather coverage online in just minutes, and pays automatically when good or bad weather occurs.
In addition to weather coverage, WeatherBill provides free services for businesses affected by the weather. Our free weather correlation tools help individual businesses understand how weather impacts their financial performance. Our research reports provide insight into the ways weather affects all industries. We believe every business should understand how the weather affects demand, yields, costs, schedules and the bottom line. WeatherBill can provide the earnings protection critical to every weather sensitive business.
In order to create an account with WeatherBill, you must meet several eligibility requirements. They are listed as follows.
- You must be acting for your own account.
- You must be based in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Norway, or The Netherlands.
- You must meet the definition of “Eligible Contract Participant”. We have made it simple for you to determine if you qualify as an ECP – when you register for an account you will be asked several questions that will determine your eligibility.
In short the requirement is assets of over US $ 5mio for pools, assets of over US 10 Mio for corporations or individuals, unless a Committee designates you as eligible.
So its not for the lesser to do of this world…..
The site gives examples of possible contracts.
WeatherBill has its own Blog
A recent Blog Entry refers to the following publication and clarifies it a bit:
Priceline.com Includes Potential Hurricane Season Destinations In New Sunshine Guaranteed Vacation Packages Promotion for Fall 2008
Get a Full Refund for Airfare, Hotel, Rental Car & More If Rain Ruins Your Vacation
NORWALK, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Travelers who missed their first chance to book a Priceline Sunshine Guaranteed vacation package now have another opportunity. Today, priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) www.priceline.com announced a new Sunshine Guaranteed promotion for late Summer/Fall 2008 that will refund customers if rain ruins their vacation.
“We were pleased by the positive customer response this summer to our Sunshine Guaranteed vacation packages, and we have decided to offer them again for late summer and fall travel,†said Tom Trotta, priceline.com’s Senior Vice President, Vacation Packages. “With schools back in session, fall can be an excellent time for a crowd-free vacation. We also recognize that rainouts may be a particular concern for some destinations during the peak hurricane season, and we have included many of these destinations in our new Sunshine Guaranteed promotion.†Priceline’s Sunshine Guaranteed promotion includes over 100 destinations in the U.S., the Caribbean, Canada and Europe. Destinations throughout Florida are included, as well as New Orleans, Hawaii, Nassau/Freeport, Costa Rica, Jamaica and San Juan.
Priceline also announced today that, so far, it has refunded nearly 200 packages for families and individuals whose rainy vacations qualified for Sunshine Guaranteed refunds. In addition to refunding 100% of the airfare, hotel and rental car, several of the payments included refunds for Disney theme park passes and other tours and attractions purchased as part of the Sunshine Guaranteed packages.
Hannah Singleton of Rockport, IN, was one of those Priceline customers who qualified for a Sunshine Guaranteed refund for her trip to Charleston, SC. “I purchased the package through Priceline because the price was fantastic and no other service was offering Sunshine Guaranteed vacations,†said Ms. Singleton. “Now, because of the refund, I can take two vacations. Thank you, Priceline.â€
It is not insurance, because insurance is against loss or damage. It is coverage of a clearly defined future uncertainty. Close to betting, but not really betting. If I translate the Dutch equivalent contract in English I would call it a chance contract.
I wonder whether the organization of the Opening Party of the 2008 Olympics took coverage…
Update August 13: The Olympics people simply used planes with lots of stuff to make the rain stay away. They simply didn’t need the coverage.
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Director of Sleep
In my prior post I asked: “What is a Director of Sleep?”
I probed a bit further.
Usually a Director of Sleep is someone in a Hospital, a Mental or a Geriatric Institution who has specialized in sleep deprivation.
Thanks to the Learning Journey Blog and Cater Research I now know a bit more about the Director of Sleep of Travelodge.
As first Director of Sleep at a hefty UK pnd 60,000 Travelodge appointed Wayne Munnelly in January 2006: “To ensure that guests get a good night’s sleep in the hotel group’s 25,000 UK beds.” Apparently he was succeeded by Leigh McCarron.
He does not “sit on” the Board of Travelodge and he is not “married with children”. Puns intended, because although English is not my mother tongue I doubt Travelodge is using proper English on their site.
So where other hotels only have a Pillow Menu, Travelodge has real pro and he shows it:
According to an April 7th, 2008 Press Release Research by OnePoll in March 2008 carried out among 2248 Britons showed that the top 5 artists getting Britons sound asleep are:
1. Coldplay
2. James Blunt
3. Snow Patrol
4. Take That, and
5. Norah Jones
I kind of like it. I may even continue with a separate category: “The Director of Sleep Sez”
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Lazy by Christoph Nieman for the New York Times
After reviewing my 2007 resolutions for 2008 (and not keeping many of those), I decided on only one New Year’s resolution for 2008: Press the “publish” button of this Blog more often and quicker. Well thus far I didn’t keep even that simple resolution: Hahaha there are over 50 posts in “statu nascendi” (in simple English: in “Draft” status). I didn’t even bother to give predictions for 2008.
And then, yesterday, I came across this funny story: All Nothing, All the Time from The New York Times writer Neil Genzlinger, mainly a Theater, Film and Television reviewer. He describes five places where you can excel in doing nothing:
- THE INN AT LAKE JOSEPH, 162 Saint Joseph Road, Forestburgh, N.Y.; (845) 791-9506; 15 rooms, $200 to $405.
- ECCE BED AND BREAKFAST, 19 Silverfish Road, Barryville, N.Y.; (845) 557-8562; five rooms, $150 to $285.
- RIVER RUN BED AND BREAKFAST, 882 Main Street, Fleischmanns, N.Y.; 845-254-4884; nine rooms, $89 to $169.
- GLASBERN COUNTRY INN, 2141 Pack House Road, Fogelsville, Pa.; (610) 285-4723; 35 rooms, $145 to $460.
- SWISS WOODS BED AND BREAKFAST, 500 Blantz Road, Lititz, Pa.; (800) 594-8018; seven rooms, $150 to $205.
Why did I post this?
Firstly: it is a brilliant story.
Secondly: I was inspired by a couple of my own guests, who I just said “Bye Bye ” to after having seen them spending a romantic getaway…yes you guess…doing nothing: No laptop, no mobile phones, no blackberries, no PDA’s…They took their own Ipod and loads and loads of chips, cookies, marshes, M&M’s and other chocolate bars…They loved it…and so did I seeing them enjoy themselves.
Thirdly. This was not the first time we have hotel guests doing nothing. Moreover sometimes we go away from our hotel to do nothing just to recuperate from a period of hard working. However I never realized it can be a great art and also a great marketing tool/promotion. Why not promote your place as excellent for doing nothing?
And Finally: I believe Doing Nothing could become a huge trend in 2008.
There should be those B&B’s and Inns in Europe as well. Any suggestions from my dear readers?
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If you are able to read Dutch and have no idea yet what to do today, look at the Dutch site Verras Uw Partner or the Belgian site Verwen Je Partner.
“Verrassen” is Dutch for surprising your partner. “Verwennen” is Dutch for spoiling your partner.
Surprisingly both sites started in the same period last year.
History of Valentine’s Day
From the site Valentines Day Indianserver I learned:
Lovers around the world can thank a Roman priest for our celebration of love on February 14.
During the mid 200’s Emperor Claudius II of Rome banned marriages or engagements due to the difficulty of enlisting soldiers in the military. Valentine, a Christian priest, secretly married couples despite the emperor’s decree. Eventually, Valentine was imprisoned and put to death on February 14, 270.
As history unfolded and the Christian Church gained more power in Rome, the priests began to eliminate pagan festivals. Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival celebrating fertility was replaced by honoring St. Valentine’s Day.
According to Wikipedia it was a poem of Chaucer on occasion of the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia (then 13 and 14 years of age) that started the modern days attention:
For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [choose] his make [mate].
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Huis ter Duin in Noorwijk changed into a fort
Today and tomorrow 27 ministers of defense meet “informally” in Noorwijk, just a couple of miles North East from The Hague.
According to the Nato site they will
discuss the way ahead for NATO’s operations and Alliance transformation.
The ministers will discuss ways to ensure that the NATO-led operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo remain correctly configured and properly resourced.They will also consider NATO’s role in Afghanistan as part of the wider efforts of the international community to support the development of national security, governance and development in Afghanistan.
They will also address the continued transformation of NATO’s defense capabilities and how best to continue ensuring the availability of forces and capabilities for the Alliance’s operations and for the NATO Response Force.
In the informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, the 27 Ministers will address civil and military activities, as well as cooperation in Afghanistan and in the framework of NATO’s counter terrorism operation in the Mediterranean, Active Endeavor.
Photo Pim Ras
In order to make the meeting as secure as possible luxurious Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin has been fenced off from the outside world and looks like a military fort. Its premises and the complete town of Noordwijk have been declared temporary military zone. Without due form of process anybody can be searched and moved away from the area. A Dutch Marine minesweeper is anchored in front of the seashore located hotel and secures the seaside. Airplanes heading for Schiphol Amsterdam Airport have to make a detour as the area is declared a no flight zone as well and Noordwijk is just located in one of the frequently used approaches for the airport.
I am not sure the Huis ter Duin Hotelier is really very happy with this prestigious venue.
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WWW also stands for World Wide Web. Nevertheless, just for the fun of it and to confuse the search engines, I will tag this post with my WWW tag that I originally intended for items related to the Internet. The other posts filed under WWW have now the tag “Internet”. My spell checker keeps saying Internet is spelled with a capital “I”. I am not sure this is correct, but English is not my mother tongue.
First
My attention was drawn by a post of
Kitty Bean Yansea’s Blog Hotel Hotsheet that has the motto: “Check it out before you check in” and is written for USA Today.
The post is this: Hotels: What are you most thankful for? and Kitty being female, I thought it wise to incorporate her list here, be it only to keep it as a memo for myself:
- Free Wi-Fi.
- Bright bedside reading lights.
- Curved shower rods that give the illusion of more space in a standard tub or rather the walk-in, glass-door shower.
- Free wine happy hours. Not only is it delightful to come back to a complimentary cup of cheer at the end of a long day, but it’s a chance to chat with fellow guests if you care to.
- Pillow top mattresses. We’re getting so spoiled in the USA that it’s harder to stay in non-luxury hotels elsewhere, where I’ve found mattresses to be harder or saggier.
- Hotel housekeepers earning better pay. They deserve it, especially considering the extra lifting and pillow-casing they do with those heavenly new beds.
- Most of all, I’m thankful for a cheery face and a compassionate welcome when I arrive at a hotel jet-lagged, work-worn or frazzled by trying to find it. A kind and caring staff is the No. 1 hotel amenity as far as I’m concerned.
Then
My attention was drawn to
The Hotel Law Blog of Jim Butler, who is a partner of a Los Angeles law firm that “does a couple of billion dollar deals (mostly hotels cum condominiums) on an annual basis”, and who gives some interesting observations in his postWhat Woman Really Want post on his »Hotel Law Blog after reminding us that the US counts three (only three?) very influential Ladies: Condoleeza Rice, Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey, he stresses:
Women are making:
• 85% of all consumer decisions! and
• 70% of all travel decisions!
His list goes as follows:
- Security – Women value extra measures that ensure their safety and security;
- Cleanliness – Women care more than men about cleanliness;
- Transportation – Women want complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport, and to areas other than the airport;
- Simplification – Women care more about express check-in and checkout, and are more interested than men in an interactive system through the guest room television set that provides information about local events
- Business Services – Women want the same business services that men want, but more women want service enabling them to send and receive faxes from their laptops;
- Creature facilities – Women want full-length mirrors, make up mirrors and hair dryers; they want spa services and more diversity of restaurants on the premises;
- Ambiance – Women value the ambiance of small boutique hotels, as well as distinctive hotel decor;
- Perks – Frequent guest points are more important than frequent flyer miles—women want to be rewarded for their loyalty
Jim continues with a couple of very good suggestion: Woman want to be asked what they want and they want to be listened to! Well, as Jim continues, Isn’t that what man like also?
Thirdly,
Sean Dodson writes for the Guardian. His column Best of the net: Pod Hotels demonstrates a remarkable similarity between him finding Pod- or Cube alike hotels to my own findings here on Happy Hotelier. In What is Travel Networking? his tip about the site The Thelma and Louise Club
an on line community of women worldwide which enables members to meet like-minded women, find travel companions and fulfill their aspirations. Also enjoy great holidays, day trips, articles, and our favorite products and services.
made me think: “They could give us even more insight in the subject of this post”!
But, alas this is a strictly female site. Therefor this simple but happy male would like to ask the female readers of this post to give us some input about the site and their experience.
Finally
Very recently, a Dutch Ladies Glossy by the name Libelle (a title owned by Sonoma) started a story or a B&B for a year in Barcelona by the name of Casa Libelle. They screen ladies who they send in 12 foursomes for periods of four weeks to a B&B in Barcelona. As yet it is not clear to me whether they have started the B&B just for this purpose or that they simply send their readers to an existing B&B in order to help the owners out. In any case the Dutch ladies sent to Barcelona have to report via Blogs and via videos and all is shown on Libelle’s Website which is in the air for a week or two now after experiences some difficulties. As the site is entirely in the Dutch language, a link is not necessary. For those who read Dutch the story can be found on the Dutch language sisterblog weekendhotel Mama goes Barcelona. I will keep you posted in English from time to time.
This also seams a great source for What Woman Want!
Well ladies (and gentlemen of course), what do you think?
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The Battery Park Ritz-Carlton in New York City makes a perfect pitch how to spend this year’s average Wall Street bonus.
According to BusinessWeek, the average Wall Street bonus in 2006 will be $137,580. Sure you could use the money to buy a luxury car, but how about sharing a once-in-a-lifetime evening with your closest friends and family at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park with the FRIENDS WITH MONEY package that includes the following amenities for 30 guests of your choosing:
- Overnight accommodations in The Ritz-Carlton Presidential Suite (2000 square feet) with spectacular panoramic views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty.
- 15 Executive Suites for your closest family and friends with views of the city skyline or New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty.
- Limousine round-trip transportation from home or airport for every guest.
- A 10-minute fireworks display specially designed by the famous Bay Fireworks Company. Experience the fireworks from the privacy of your Presidential Suite set to the music of your choice.
- Helicopter tours over New York City for all of your guests.
- Five-course dinner including gourmet delicacies such as foie gras, Kobe steak, lobster, and white truffle risotto. Finest wines from around the world paired with each course in the private level of the hotel’s 2 West restaurant. Plan the menu directly with the hotel’s French Master Chef.
- Dom Perignon and strawberries in every guest’s room upon arrival.
- 60-minute massage treatments for all guests.
- Each guest receives a Ritz-Carlton robe embroidered with his/her initials.
The FRIENDS WITH MONEY package is priced at $137,580 including taxes and gratuities. This price is based on 32 guests including 15 Executive Suites and The Ritz-Carlton Presidential Suite. This package is based on availability and subject to change. A 14-day non-refundable advance payment is required.
Thnks E-Hotelier.
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December 14, 2006 the »The Peninsula Hotel of Hong Kong took delivery of 14 Rolls Royces Phantom which are adjusted to their own specifications. These included an extended wheelbase, a cool box for chilled hand towels, customized tread plates and a new, larger luggage compartment. In-car entertainment is supplied via a Lexicon sound system employing 15 speakers and nine channel amplification delivering 420 watts. The exterior is finished in Brewster Green with single coach line in Honey and The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited crest is on front doors.
The Peninsula Suite costs about US 40,000,- for a single night.
The Peninsula has, with a short brake, operated a fleet of Royces since 1970.
Over the years, The Peninsula has set new records with each successive order for Rolls-Royces: in 1976 when it purchased eight Silver Shadows; in 1980 with an order for nine Silver Shadow IIs; in 1987 when it took delivery of eight Silver Spirits; 1994 when the hotel welcomed nine Silver Spur IIIs and one vintage 1934 Phantom II; in 1995 with another nine Silver Spurs; another four in 1998, and yet another one in 2004.
The grandest member of the fleet is a magnificent and immaculately restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. The Phantom II is just six years younger than the hotel itself, having made its debut on the stand of Messrs Barker & Co (Coach builders by Appointment to HM The King and HRH The Prince of Wales) at the London Motor Show in October 1934.
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I am not sure whether now 60 years young New Yorker Ian Schrager is into yachts and yachting, but I do know for sure that Philippe Starck is (as is the other famous hotel creator Anouska Hempel, or Lady Weinberg). Ian has created a couple of hotels together with Philippe Starck. Hence the title.
In any case Schrager is a man of theater and renewing concepts and slogans.
In the seventies and eighties he creates renowned nightclubs, studio 54 and Palladium, where the rich and famous repose themselves. There the DJ phenomenon is born.
Then he changes tack and starts in hotels:
In 1984:
- He opens Morgans in New York city, “Home away from Home”,
- He sets up the Ian Schrager Hotel Group, now known as the Morgans Hotel Group.
I think Morgans was the first “Boutique” hotel.
Then, together with Philippe Starck,:
- Royalton, NYC, “Hotel as Theater” that at the same time put Philippe Starck on the map as a hotel designer,
- Hudson, NYC, “Hotel as Lifestyle”,
- Sanderson, London, “Lavish Urban Spa”,
- Sint Martenslane, London, “Urban Resort Reinvented”,
- Mondrian, West Hollywood (LA), “Sophisticated modern Urban Resort” and
- Delano South Beach, Miami, “Casual Chic Urban Resort”
In the middle of 2005 Schrager resigns a as CEO of Morgans Hotel Group, but remains tied with is as a consultant with a lucrative consulting contract (use of a luxurious private jet, a luxurious car, a luxurious secretary and free stays at the (then) 9 hotels of the group) and as a shareholder(?). The group comes in a financial dip due to 9/11 and the fact that mega hotel consortia start fighting themselves into the market for the hip and famous guests. Up to and including 2005 Morgans Hotel Group reports heavy loses. The first six-month period of 2006 after a financial reorganization with an IPO the results improve. The involvement of Schrager after the financial reorganization is not entirely clear.
However, recently, through his new Ian Schrager Company, and again on a new tack, Ian Schrager avails of one of the newest design hotels which recently was opened in New York city: Gramercy Park Hotel.
Now not the tight chic and sometimes contrary of Philippe Starck, but the “Anti Cool”, “Bohemian Eclectic” of Julian Schnabel, painter, sculptor, film director and musician. According to Schrager it became time for something else then the many times copied and now obsolete “Boutique Hotel”, “home Away From home”, “hip” etc.. Well, if you look well to the copper nails of the chair he is seated on, the style has something of Garcia’s Costes, L’Hotel and LeMeridien Des Indes….the style en vogue between roughly 1850 and 1890….a style which, here in the Netherlands, we simply call “Eclectic”…..
Moreover he now is heavily involved in developing very luxuriously apartments. One project is being developped next to the Gramercy park hotel. The owners of the very luxurious and expensive apartments can, if they want, use the hotel facilities. A phenomenon that we see also at other larger hotels.
Look here at 50 Granmercy Park North for a video interview with him concerning those luxurious condos.
If I listen to the his voice, I inadvertently have to think of The Godfather…
Funny to see Ian undergo the reverse development, from nightclub owner to hotelier to property tycoon, when it is usually the other way around: a property tycoon getting involved in the hotel business.
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