Many of us work out on regular basis when we are at home. We attend yoga, spinning classes, zumba classes...and on and on. Those of us who travel for work often miss opportunities to take these classes while on the road. Hotels have fitness centers, but it is not the same – there are no classes, bad equipment and often, a very small, dark workout area, which makes it difficult to get a workout while on the road.The biggest drawbacks of working out while traveling are:
Tiny Fitness Centers --Virtually all hotel websites proudly list a gym as part of their amenities, but when you get to the gym, you realize that it is just one treadmill and one bike in a room the size of a closet. Because of the lack of space, light and social interaction, it’s not easy to stay motivated.
Creepy...
Photo: Bella Donna floor at the Bella Sky Hotel in Copenhagent
The subject of women only floors sparks heated conversations. Some women feel it is a form of segregation, while others believe it provides differentiated service.
I have visited a few hotels with ladies-only floor in the Middle East and Asia, and spoken to the people who created similar concepts in Europe and North America.
My observation is that ladies-only floors typically exist in very large hotels – where a designated a floor or two is reserved for female guests. These floors typically have women-only staff (from housekeeping to room service...), and strong security. For instance, many hotels have installed cameras in the hallways, and floors are only accessible through...
That's a new service offered by Four Seasons hotel where each property selects certain menu items that can be delivered to your room in 15 minutes or less.
Unfortunately you can't just pick anything on the menu, but it can be quite convenient when you are in business or in a rush to catch a flight. “It’s also ideal for those who are on the go. Ideally, every meal would be enjoyed at leisure, but at times we really just need to grab a bite quickly – and there’s no reason that it can’t be freshly-made with quality ingredients, and entirely delicious.” says Christopher Hunsberger, executive vice president, global product and innovation at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
It seems that most of the dishes offer consist...
One of the downsides for frequent business travelers — particularly women who love to have their own things around them — is the impersonal nature of a hotel room. We came up to the rescue with these seven simple tips for making a hotel room feel more like home.
Bring along family photos. A digital photo frame loaded with family pictures is a great way to do so that doesn't take up much room. You can also do that with your iPad or laptop. Unpack your suitcase. Hanging up your clothes and putting items in the drawers is a great way to feel less like you are living out of a suitcase.
Travel with your own music. While many hotels do offer music options, it is always better when you can listen to your own music. Be sure to bring your...
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You know it already, but at Via Her, when we like something, we share it with our fans.
A few weeks ago, we informed you of, Hyatt for Her, a very cool launch by the Hyatt Regency Paris-Madeleine. They now offer a hair menu for women where you can pick the shampoo and conditioner that fits your type of hair. They also offer in-room manicures and pedicures!
Originally, Hyatt offered the Express Hand Beauty and Foot Beauty services to a Via Her member, but that meant you would have to go to Paris... Since, we wanted to be a bit more democratic, Hyatt has offered to send one Via Her member a sample of all the shampoos and conditioners available on their Hair Menu! I can tell you these are very nice products – definitely not what you typically see in hotels!
So, how do you...
Here is our second posts on upgrades. Today we are listing ways you can improve your chances of being upgraded at your hotel. While an upgrade is rarely guaranteed, these few tips will certainly improve your chances of getting a nicer room!
Book Direct: While you may not have a choice in the matter if your company is booking the room for you, contacting the hotel directly may increase your chances of receiving an upgrade when you arrive. Why? Because hotels need to pay a commission to large clearinghouses like Orbitz, Expedia and Hotels.com if you use one to reserve your room. If the hotel is already receiving 100% of your room rate you’ll be considered a prime candidate for an upgrade.
Don’t be afraid to ask: Hotels are often under booked, and simply asking if...
How do you decide what hotel to say in while traveling? There are frequent fliers who live and die by how many miles they can get on a trip. They spend hours scouring the internet , looking for ways to get more miles. They do mileage runs, or check into a hotel and don’t actually spend the night. Then there are the people who aren’t worried at all about what kind of points they could accrue; they just want to stay in a nice hotel in a great location with amenities that work for them. So which is better? Certainly people may disagree with me, but I say neither. Both ways of thinking have merits, depending on the circumstance. I actually prefer local places a lot of the time, but I’ll typically stay in a chain to maximize points.
What to look for in a hotel, regardless...
I've noticed that most personal credit cards offer far better travel benefits than corporate cards do. Unfortunately, most companies require their employees to adhere to corporate travel standards, including preferred airlines, hotels, and using a corporate charge card for expenses. However, you can use your personal card freebies to make business travel easier, and still comply with your company's corporate card and travel policy.
To illustrate, lets walk through the recent improvements (and one frustrating loss) from the American Express Platinum Card. Please note that cards/benefits vary by country (this article only applies to the US card).
At The Airport: Free Lounge Access and Skip the Line at Customs and Immigration
You now have two ways to get...
Many frequent travelers consider SeatGuru an essential resource for picking seats on an airplane. We recently came across a new service called Room77, whose goal is to find the best rooms in a hotel.
As many of you know, all rooms in a given hotel are not equal – even if they are classified in the same category. Some have great views, some are smaller, and some are noisier than others. Room77 is a website that recommends the best room in a given hotel according to your own specific criteria (floor, view, distance from elevator, connecting room, etc.).
Unfortunately you can't directly book your preferred room at this time, but you can find the room you prefer, and call the hotel front desk a couple of days before your arrival and tell them about the...
Men and women rarely share toiletry products at home. So why do hotels offer only one type of shampoo, conditioner and body wash? And why are these products often times more masculine than feminine?
When traveling, I choose to pack my own preferred brands of toiletries. Because of the 3oz liquid restrictions on flights, I fill up easy to use GoToob bottles with my favorite shampoo, conditioner, and body wash (for more info see Road Warriorette’s excellent article on packing tips). I prefer this to buying a lot of “trial size” items, since many of the brands I like aren’t available in less than 3 oz sizes.
It’s the best solution I’ve found, but far from perfect. First off, filling up these bottles is a bit messy,...
