Those tired old "Mobile Lounges" are history! (Photo: Kumokasumi/Flickr

DULLES AEROTRAIN IS OPEN. R.I.P. “MOBILE LOUNGES.” Finally, those awful, awkward “mobile lounges” that travelers to and from Washington, DC’s Dulles Airport had to endure to get to their gate…are history (for the most part)! The airport’s new underground AeroTrain system commenced service last month. Every two minutes, shiny new trains whisk passengers along a central spine connecting the main terminal with distant concourses. (Sorta similar to train systems at airports in Atlanta and Denver…) Delta and AirTran operate out of the “B” gates at Dulles. Note: For the time being, United passengers traveling to/from the airport’s “D” gates still have to board the mobile lounges. Luckily, most Atlanta-based travelers can choose Washington-Reagan-National airport when their destination is D.C. proper and only choose Dulles when fares are cheaper or when they’ve got business in northern Virginia and the surrounding region,

SKIP HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING FOR POINTS OR DOLLARS? Guests at many Westin and Sheraton hotels can opt out of daily housekeeping in exchange for a $5 credit or 500 Starpoints. That seems like a good idea to me since my room remains mostly tidy when I’m traveling on business. It also has environmental benefits since less water and chemicals are used to clean the room. The Wall Street Journal points out that an average high-end hotel saves about $22 per room if the guest opts out of housekeeping. What do you think? Would you take a hotel up on an offer like this?

SHERATON MANHATTAN NO LONGER SHERATON. You might not be able to opt out of housekeeping at the Sheraton Manhattan, though. Starwood has announced that the hotel will loose its brand affiliation this spring due to it’s deteriorating quality. However, the Sheraton New York (across the street on the EAST side of 7^th Ave) will keep its brand flag. (It always seemed a little weird to have two Sheratons so close to each other anyway…)

Updated room at the Best Western President Hotel near Times Sq- NYC

WHO KNEW IT WAS A BEST WESTERN? Check out my latest blog post on Best Western’s youmustbetrippin.com blog about the increasing number of Best Western hotels that may surprise you and make you say, “Wow! Who’da thunk THIS could be a Best Western?” I take a look at unusually cool BW hotels in San Francisco, Seoul, New York and Honolulu.

HOTEL BIZ IN BIND. Despite whispers of the return of business travelers, the hotel industry is still hurting. That’s because even as business travelers creep back, they are paying significantly lower rates. Evidence: IHG, the world’s largest hotel operator (Holiday Inn, InterConti, Crown Plaza, etc) said it’s revenue for 2009 was down 19% compared to 2008. However, the company said declines in January were less severe.

Thanks to TICKET reader JK for sharing an image of his very special new Diamond Medallion bag tags sent to him by Delta this month. (If you’ve got a better image, please send it along to us and we’ll get it posted here!)

Diamond Medallion status is Delta’s new super-elite tier. Members must earn at least 125,000 MQMs with Delta to get  one of these cards. With it comes free membership to Delta’s Sky Clubs, 125% mileage bonuses, confirmed day-of-travel upgrades, and baggage fee waivers. Apparently Delta bag handlers have been told to look for these super special Diamond tags and get them off the plane and to baggage claim first.

But for some the BEST part about having a DIAMOND medallion tag is to have it dangle from your bag in the overhead bin to the awe of other, more lowly metallic medallions. “Brag tags” is the current lingo for this phenomenon.

While JK is pleased with his new Diamond status, he says that he preferred the more discreet look of his black platinum medallion credentials from ‘08. (see below) What to you think?

P.S.: Mar 3: Delta emailed us to add: “Actually, our employees have been (and continue to be) trained to watch for bags checked with our yellow priority bag flag that is affixed to their baggage claim tag at the time of check-in. This is a SkyTeam benefit (described here) and something that we have put a renewed focus on since January 2010. It is really starting to be noticed by our most frequent travelers.”

Can anyone out there send us an image of a yellow priority bag flag? We’ll post it here!

Saskatoon

360 Pharr Road (Buckhead)

Atlanta, GA 30305

404-891-1911

www.saskatoonatlanta.com

I met my dinner date at the newly-opened restaurant, Saskatoon, on a week night and was pleasantly surprised as soon as I walked in the door.  The interior was warm and inviting with soothing jazz music playing in the background and several fireplaces blazing brightly. It was an excellent escape from the harsh wintry weather.  The friendly hostess seated us and we immediately started to scan the eclectic menu.  Our server soon came over and gave us all the information on the restaurant and its background.   It was then that we realized we were in for something totally different at Saskatoon. The mountain lodge-like eatery offered everything from a basic filet mignon to ostrich. We didn’t know where to start!

We both ordered a Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale ($5) and began trying to decipher what we were going to have for an appetizer.   Since we wanted to get the full Saskatoon experience, we went with the wild game sausage sampler ($10).  I also chose the BLT wedge salad ($8).  Both came out of the kitchen in a timely fashion and we dug right in.  The sampler included venison, duck and rabbit sausages served with roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, corn relish and Saskatoon’s signature barbeque sauce.  The sausage selections were very tasty and the combination of the different components worked nicely together.  The salad was simple, and served as a cool complement to the sausage sampler.

Read the rest of this entry »

CREDIT CARD ACT NOW IN EFFECT. The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act took effect on Feb 22, will force more consumer-friendly practices on card issuers. But it will also increase competition among banks for lucrative affluent customers with good credit ratings (i.e. TICKET readers!) according to an interesting article in Business Week.  Customers with credit ratings of 750+ should expect to receive more bonus rewards, solicitations and promotional offers. Speaking of affluent customers, here’s a nugget of info from the article that we did not know: “American Express dominates the market for affluent users, with individual card purchases averaging $9,342 in 2008 compared with $2,672 for Visa and $2,300 for MasterCard. Its cardholders have average credit scores of 754 compared with 722 for the rest of the industry.” (Disclosure: Travel Skills Group, the publisher of this blog, engages in occasional consulting work for American Express.)

CAR RENTAL SURPRISES CONTINUE. We keep hearing similar stories from TICKET readers about rapacious car rental rates. Here’s another…”I’m an Avis Preferred First Member.  Last night I tried to make a reservation in Boston in April (not Easter weekend).  The airlines are having a great sale ($128 RT midweek) so I decided to see about visiting kids and grandkids.  The airfare for 2 was about $320 with taxes, etc. but the car (economy) was $375!!!! Fully one third of that was taxes and garbage.  I am aware of this imbalance and realize it’s been going on for a while, but in this economy, it seems bizarre.  I realize, or at least I’ve heard, that the car companies have cut back the number of cars available in order to keep the price high. To get the best deal, I booked it at Orbitz for $100 less.  Here’s the problem or challenge: Avis won’t let me use my Avis Preferred First status with the rental. I really don’t care about the mileage but I was annoyed to think that I’ll be forced to check-in at the counter. No manner of questioning from either Orbitz or Avis produced any answer.  Customer service??  Not!  Anyway, keep up the good work!”–JL

Do you think about recycling when you toss your Coke can or newspaper into the garbage bag at the end of a flight?

Delta ranked numero uno when it comes to airline recycling efforts according to the recent “What Goes Up Must Come Down: The Sorry State Of Recycling in the Airline Industry” report by Green America Today.  (Here’s a PDF of the the full report on recycling in the aviation industry.)

Here are some highlights from the report. (Too bad the report misspelled Delta’s name. It’s Delta Air Lines, folks. Never “Delta Airlines.” C’mon!)

Read the rest of this entry »

DELTA’S NYC STRATEGY IN JEOPARDY? Delta has stated repeatedly that it’s “playing to win“  and dominate the air travel market in metro New York. A key part of that plan was a complex gate swap with US Airways at La Guardia, which would have allowed Delta to expand into the US Airways terminal there. However, that plan has recently fallen afoul of regulators. In addition, Delta has made no announcements about what it plans to do with its unpopular 60’s-era terminal at JFK. Until Delta can offer world-class (or just competitive) facilities at these airports, it’s unlikely it will be dominating NYC’s richly competitive market any time soon. Thoughts? Please leave your comments below!

2009 ON-TIME PERFORMANCE: GOOD AND BAD. Good first: Overall airline on-time performance in the U.S. improved dramatically in 2009, showing the best results since 2003, with 80 percent of flights arriving on-time. But it seems like TICKET readers might have been getting to their destinations on time, but when they turned around to come back to Atlanta, there were some problems. Now the bad news: ATL ranked 29th out of 31 major airports for on-time performance for full year 2009. That’s pretty bad. Among airlines, both Delta and AirTran ranked in the bottom half of the pack. AirTran ranked 17th of 19 carriers for the year with 76 percent of flights on time. Delta ranked 12th with an average 79 percent of flights on time. Our take: ATL is one of the few airports that has actually enjoyed a net INCREASE in the number of flights it handles recently, so congestion is still a big issue. Airports that have lost flights are enjoying congestion relief and more on-time flying.

MORE AVOD ON DELTA. Delta recently announced that it would complete the addition of audio-video on demand (AVOD) entertainment systems to each seat in coach cabins on its B747 and B767ER aircraft— which means personal start-and-stop entertainment on all wide-body aircraft between now and 2013. Also, Delta says that it will have in-flight Wi-Fi on nearly 530 aircraft by this summer.

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MORE FIRST CLASS ON DELTA REGIONALS. One of the biggest problems with the growth of regional jet usage for frequent flyers has been the inability to upgrade on the mostly all-coach “barbie jets” flown by partners such as ASA, Comair and SkyWest.  To help fix that, Delta says it will add first class seats on an additional 66 CRJ-700 regional jets over the next three years, for an eventual total of 219 CRJ’s with big seats up front.

BAGGAGE FEES RISE AGAIN. Delta and other carriers raised fees for non-Medallion travelers to $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for the second checked bag. That’s an extra $120 round trip for those who check two bags. AirTran’s fees remain at $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second (an extra $80 for two round trip).

AIRTRAN GETTING CREATIVE. As airlines search for new revenue streams anywhere they can get them, AirTran is a recent standout. We’ve written in the past about its new in-flight, seat back ads. More recently, it’s been eagerly wrapping its planes in new skins that promote its sports marketing partnerships. Now, it’s teamed up with none other than Little Debbie in a promotion. Isn’t that sweet…. visit www.littledebbie.com for promotion details.

NEW FLIGHTS AirTran has resumed flights between ATL and Gulfport/Biloxi and will add new flights between ATL and Tunica, Miss. on May 6^th. (Gamblers will be pleased to note that AirTran is offering a special fare of $49 each way if you book by Mar 31.)

SAVANNAH POST-SCRIPT: Folks in Savannah who raised their voices to the powers-that-be at Delta have finally won! In a previous post, I wrote about how Delta’s ATL-SAV advance purchase fares soared to nearly $500 after AirTran abandoned the market last year. After several public volleys in the local newspaper, Delta has instituted a new $278 round trip advance purchase fare in the market, which seems to have cooled the rhetoric.

REASON FOR MORE AIRLINE FEES? It’s TAXES, silly! One of the main reasons airlines are slapping fees on nearly everything, but generally leaving fares alone, is taxes. It seems that airline revenue from luggage fees, food sales, headsets, standby changes, mileage purchases, airport lounge passes and anything else that is not a mandatory part of the purchase is not subject to the 7.5% tax on the price of airline tickets.

WIN TWO FREE ROUND TRIP BUSINESS CLASS TICKET FROM AIRTRAN! Details in a post below or right here! Get social and win a free trip! Here’s how to do it.

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WARNING: PAY SKYMILES CREDIT CARD BILL ON TIME. Or lose your miles. Starting this month, Delta/Amex/SkyMiles credit card holders who pay their bills late will forfeit miles earned during the pay period. To reinstate those miles, you’ll have to pay a $29 fee. (This policy has long been in effect on standard American Express cards, but it’s now imposed on co-branded cards, too.)

NEW SKYMILES CREDENTIALS AND MILEAGE ROLLOVER COMING. If you recently qualified for Medallion status for 2010, your shiny new credentials should be in your mailbox soon. Also, if you qualified for Medallion last year, but continued to earn MQM miles, those extra miles should have “rolled-over” into your account this month, giving you a nice head start of getting Medallion again next year. Other changes that come as part of the 2010 Medallion program go into effect on March 1.

SKYMILES MARKETPLACE. Tired of trying to unload miles for flights? Delta would like you to try to unload miles for other things, like hotel and car rental bookings, electronics, clothing and luggage at its new SkyMiles Marketplace. As usual with these merchandise-for-miles schemes, the prices seem very high compared to street prices, or when compared to the enormous value of a free round trip. For example, a Flip MinoHD Video camera is featured on the opening page of the marketplace for 38,200 miles. A frequent flyer mile is generally thought to be worth about 1.5 cents, so you’d be paying the equivalent of $573 for a camera that costs about $200 at Best Buy. A first class round trip award to Hawaii starts at 37,500 miles, and this $200 camera is going for MORE than that? I dunno…I think I’d stick with redeeming miles for award flights. It’s a value that can’t be beat (at least when you can find the award seats you want…) What do you think? Is the Marketplace worth it for you?? Leave your comments below.

BEST WESTERN MATCHING ELITE STATUS. Everyone knows about how airlines will match elite level status to poach frequent travelers from competitors. Now hotels are getting into the act as well. Just this week, Best Western announced that it would give elite status in the Best Western Rewards program to anyone who sends them their elite level credentials from another chain. Elite membership in the BW program offers members room upgrades, early/late check in/out, and earning bonuses. Details here: www.bestwesternstatusmatch.com (Disclosure: I write a blog for Best Western’s youmustbetrippin.com site.)

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SkyTeam Premium Check in Area, London Heathrow, Term 4. Photo: SkyTeam Alliance

DELTA DIGS AT LONDON HEATHROW. Delta and its SkyTeam partners have completed their move into the recently renovated Terminal 4 at London Heathrow. I was there late last summer during construction, which was a mess, but this Flickr photostream from SkyTeam shows a really nice, fresh new look to the place…Especially the SkyTeam lounge. (BA used to house most of its operations here, but has moved over to its spiffy, spectacular new digs at Terminal 5.) In a related note, Delta says that ALL its flights to/from London Heathrow now have lie-flat business elite seats.

WORTH REPEATING: SINGAPORE-DELTA NO MORE. We mentioned this in a previous post, but it bears repeating: Delta and Singapore Air will dissolve their frequent flyer partnership on May 15. After that program members will not be able to earn or redeem miles in each other’s programs. However, if you BOOK your trip by May 15, you can still travel on Singapore Air using your Delta miles through May 15, 2011.

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LESS BIZ CLASS INTRA-EUROPE. Have you ever flown short-haul business class in Europe? Most of the time, business class simply means you get to sit in a 3-abreast coach seat near the front of the plane with the middle seat empty and get better food. Seemed like a high price to pay for a minimal service differential. Well, it seems the recession is taking care of that. Recently, British Airways said that the market for short haul business class in Europe has declined precipitously as companies cut back on premium class travel. The carrier is looking at cutting out the service altogether at all airports except Heathrow, according to the Times of London.

TICKET READER TRIP REPORT: DELTA JFK-LHR-ATL. In the past two weeks I flew Delta from JFK to Heathrow, and then back from LHR to ATL, both of the flights in economy. Going over was mostly sleep, so it didn’t make much of an impact on me. But coming back I have to say that it was the best international flight I’ve ever experienced. It started out as usual at boarding, walking through the new lie flat seats, jealous that I didn’t get an upgrade. But it turned out there were only about 50 of us in economy, meaning I got my own three seats in the middle section, so I was able to spread everything out. Then came meal service (it was fine), and the announcement that all beer and wine was free throughout the flight. We were fed snacks three more times, and drinks throughout. I had a 120-volt electrical outlet at my seat, and an on-demand TV with about 40 first-run movies to choose from. I worked, watched three movies, slept a little, but never found myself saying, “Oh man, three more hours!” Instead, I was almost sorry when we were about to land. I’m sorry there weren’t more people on the flight (obviously a negative for Delta), but I have to commend them for making international travel more than just a bearable experience. Other than a larger TV and a lie-flat seat, I’m not sure what could have improved things “up front”. Thanks Delta–don’t backtrack! –G.M., Atlanta

Even though the hotel biz is having a tough time, new properties are still opening, so here are four hip brand-spenkin’ new hostelries that TICKET readers should know about:

NEW YORK: I had an outstanding stay earlier this winter at the brand new Hotel Indigo on W. 28^th St near the Fashion Institute of Technology. The hotel is located in Chelsea on a block full of commercial florists which makes for a beautiful walk to or from the hotel. While the hotel is out of the bustle of midtown, there’s a subway stop a block from the hotel on 7^th Ave where trains can get you up or downtown in a flash. What do I really like about this hotel? It’s brand new from the ground up—something you don’t see a lot of in NYC.  There’s free wi-fi. Only downside: Rooms on lower floors have poor views. Lowest rates in late March range from $175 to $200.

CHICAGO: We’ve not actually visited the brand new, ultra-glam Elysian hotel, but we’ve been hearing about it from TICKET readers and colleagues at Leading Hotels of the World. It’s all-new from the ground up which is nice in a town with a lot of old hotel stock.  While it’s new and has all the latest techie bells and whistles (flat screen TVs, free wi-fi, built in stereo speakers) it’s got old world touches like a cobblestone driveway, marble bathrooms, fireplaces, outdoor terraces and windows that open. In late March, rooms range from $300 to $600, putting it in competition with the likes of the Peninsula and Four Seasons. If nothing else, you must see it’s gorgeous  website. (PS: When in Chicago last week, my frequent-traveling mother Julia checked out the Elysian and gives it a big thumbs up.)

photo: Erik Oginski

LOS ANGELES PT 1: The brand new glitzy and glamorous W Hollywood Hotel opened last month in a new mixed use development in the heart of Tinseltown at the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Guests are given star-studded treatment in true Hollywood fashion as they walk the plush “red carpet” to check in. As usual at any W Hotel, there’ll be a party in the lobby— here’s what an opening press release says: “Guests, residents and LA insiders can sip and socialize on the adjoining outdoor terrace and ground-floor lounge, featuring black tufted leather sofas, lounge chairs and a decadent backlit lobby bar crafted of glowing Onice Fantastico onyx.” Rates in late March start at about $220.

LOS ANGELES PT 2: The JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE officially opened Feb 17.  The long-awaited hotel is a cornerstone of the $2.5 billion L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district, located in downtown Los Angeles, across the street from the LA Convention Center and Staples Center. (Photo below) The 878-room property, which plans to be LEED-certified, shares space with the much smaller 123-room Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles (with a 4000 sq foot spa) in a unique 54-story tower. This is one of several new developments in the once-blighted downtown area that should help it shed some of its grittiness. Rates in late March at the J.W. start at $229. At the Ritz (opening next month), lowest rates are closer to $350.

photo: Marriott International

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photo: Churl/Flickr Creative Commons

Please Talk Up The TICKET!

How would you like a free round trip BUSINESS CLASS ticket anywhere AirTran Airways flies? (Cancun? San Francisco? Denver? San Juan? LA?)

Would you like it even more if a friend or colleague won one, too? (Depending on destination, a business class ticket could be worth well over $1000!)

Here’s what we’ve got going on:

AirTran has generously donated FOUR roundtrip business class tickets to The TICKET for our new subscriber campaign. (see AirTran route map here)

We are going to give these tickets away to four lucky TICKET readers in a contest using word-of-mouth and social media to help increase the number of TICKET readers.

Here’s all you need to do to be entered into the contest:

Via email:

>Between now and March 30, send an email to a list of at least FIVE of your friends or colleagues and encourage them to sign up for The TICKET.

>When they sign up for THE TICKET, there will be a field on the sign-up page asking for the name or e-mail of the person who referred them. They MUST enter your name or email in this field for you to be entered to win. (See below for a suggested e-mail you can use to cut and paste into your email.)

this is a sample view of the sign up page for The TICKET. Please see box in upper right margin to sign up!

Via Social Media:

>Using Twitter or Facebook, suggest The TICKET via a tweet or a wall posting. Again, the new subscriber MUST enter your name or email address in the “Who referred you” field for you to be entered to win.   (See below for suggested tweet)

The more of your friends that sign up, the more likely you are to win.

At the end of March, The TICKET will hold a drawing. TWO current subscribers will win a free round trip business class ticket on AirTran as will TWO of their friends or colleagues who signed up. (Note: free tickets do NOT have to be used together. Winners will be contacted via the email provided on sign up page. Winners will be announced on the blog. )

Suggested email:

Dear ____________:

Have you ever heard about The TICKET? It’s a free online travel blog that I subscribe to. It’s full of helpful news and advice for frequent travelers that I read every month. I think it’s definitely something you could use, and get this: If I can convince you to sign up, we’ll both be eligible to win a free round trip business class ticket ANYWHERE AirTran flies. (see AirTran route map here)

So please check out The TICKET at the URL below by MARCH 30.  If you like it, SIGN UP (See “Subscribe” in the upper right margin of the blog) and BE SURE to include my name or email address as the person who referred you.

IMPORTANT: On the sign up page, please be sure to enter my email address where it asks: “Name or Email of who REFERRED you.” That’s the only way we can both win the tickets.

Here’s where to go: http://www.theticket-atlanta.com

Suggested Twitter Tweet or Facebook Wall posting:

Subscribe to The Ticket travel blog, use my name/email as reference, and we could both win free biz class tix http://bit.ly/8FO9vE

Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft

1745 Peachtree Rd

Atlanta, GA 30309

(678) 539-6181

www.tuktukatl.com

As you enter Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft you are greeted by an authentic tuk tuk, a type of pedi-cab found all over the main cities in Thailand. This jewel of a neighborhood restaurant is in the former Taurus space, meaning it’s awkwardly located on the 2^nd floor of a building in the Brookwood Square shopping center. It’s worth finding.

Tuk Tuk opened quietly in December. They have yet to do any marketing so the large space is usually pretty empty. The owner is the daughter of well-known Atlanta Thai restaurateurs Charlie and Nan who own Tamarind and Nan. It’s not a copycat. Tuk Tuk is more street food focused. The largest part of the menu is the small plates which are meant for sharing. Also offered are Thai salads, Bangkok street noodles, big plates, sides and dessert. The room is beautiful and will be even prettier when they get some artwork and more people in the chairs. Read the rest of this entry »

Delta announced this week that it will spend $1 billion over the next three years to improve the experience for premium class flyers. First on the agenda: get more lie-flat business class seats on international flights.

That’s a noble goal, but unfortunately the international business class product is not going to be consistent across the fleet. Right now there are FOUR different types of business elite seats on Delta’s international fleet. When the overhaul is completed (Delta says 2013), it will still have three different types of lie-flat seats, and possibly four.

Here’s a rundown:

First are the old school “cradle” style recliners that have been around for the last decade and are being phased out (but beware, there are still a lot of them out there). Our take: Please get rid of them, and fast! (By 2013, the cradles should only be on Delta’s transcons between New York and California.)

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Second, are the “angled” lie-flat seats on the 747’s and A330’s that Delta inherited from Northwest. Our take: Due to slippage, the angled lie-flat seat is not as comfortable as the truly lie-flat seat found on competitors or Delta’s 767’s and 777’s. Delta’s not saying what type of lie-flat seat it will install on it’s 747’s—so there could be a new seat in the mix by 2013.

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Third are the squarish lie-flat seats that Delta has begun installing on its fleet of 767’s. Currently, all flights into and out of London Heathrow sport these seats. On the 767, the new seats are 4 across, with one along each window side, and two in the middle, so everyone gets an aisle seat. Our take: While these seats are a distinct improvement over the old cradles, several readers have complained that they are narrow, confining and uncomfortable.

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Fourth are the lie-flat seats arranged in a “herringbone” pattern on Delta’s 777-LR’s. Our take: This is one of the best lie-flat seats in the sky. TICKET readers have sent us positive reviews and we really liked what we saw at the National Business Travel Association meeting last summer. Currently, if you are flying from Atlanta, you’ll only find these seats on flights to Dubai, Johannesburg, and Sydney (via LAX). Our hope is that Delta goes with this type of seat for it’s 16 747’s, but for now Delta’s mum on that subject.

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Seems that the hotel industry is FINALLY hearing what business travelers have been screaming about for the last, oh, five years or so. They are getting around to making free Wi-Fi standard, instead of a pricey add-on, even at full-service brands that seem to be hold outs.

You’ll still get it free and easy at moderate brands like Best Western, Marriott Courtyard, Hampton or Holiday Inn. Mod new brands like Hyatt’s Andaz, InterConti’s Indigo and Starwood’s Aloft or Element offer it free.

But to get it from the posher players, there are hoops: for example, at Fairmont, Omni or Kimpton, you must first sign up for their (free) loyalty programs. Also, some larger companies with buying clout and good travel managers get free Wi-Fi as part of a negotiated rate with the hotel.

WARNING: This seems to be an almost exclusively American phenomenon as hotels, especially in big European capitals, continue their rapacious ways—charging $20-$40 per day for Wi-Fi.

What’s the most you’ve ever paid for Wi-Fi? Where did you pay it? Leave your comments below.

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In an interesting move, Marriott has installed hi-def, hi-priced Cisco Telepresence Suites at two hotels in Bethesda, MD and New York City. (Your TICKET editor conducted an interview with a Cisco exec via Telepresence last year, and I must admit, it really did feel like we were in the same room—except for the eye contact, which was a little off-kilter. But still…)

Marriott is not stopping with two hotels. You’ll soon find Telepresence at Grosvenor House (London), a JW Marriott Hotel; JW Marriott Hong Kong; Renaissance Sao Paulo; JW Marriott San Francisco, JW Marriott Marquis Miami; Renaissance Washington, DC; Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway; and Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott with more to follow.

It’s ironic that a big travel industry player would jump on the virtual meetings bandwagon, but Marriott sees this as a new revenue stream, and we think they are on to something.

It sorta works like this: A small group of U.S. based businesspeople would travel to say, New York, and have a meeting via Telepresence with a group of colleagues in say, Hong Kong. The business people on both ends would save money, time and jetlag by not having to fly overseas. Marriott would still make money by housing execs traveling into New York and Hong Kong in addition to its percentage of the fees charged for usage of the suite. Everybody wins.

More info here.

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