Kansas.com: Travel

Hotel's settlement offer was generous

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

Q: I recently found a $28 per night rate at the Westin Imagine in Orlando. I was amazed. I booked the room, and several days later I called the hotel to ensure that it was a legitimate rate. They confirmed this, so I booked nonrefundable airfare, and have been happily anticipating my getaway weekend ever since.

That is, until this past Monday morning, when I received an e-mail from the hotel's director of revenue management saying that the rate was caused by a "keystroke error" during data entry. The actual rate was $289. The Westin offered a rate of $99 per night as an apology, but refused to honor the original rate.

I contacted Westin at the corporate level, and the hotel offered to waive its mandatory valet parking charge of $18 per night, but insisted it couldn't honor the $28 rate. Then the manager of the hotel responded, offering to throw in an extra 5,000 loyalty points.

Follow ancestors' footsteps at Statue Of Liberty, Ellis Island

ANN TATKO-PETERSON — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:00 CST

NEW YORK — Ominous gray skies greeted us as we stepped off the ferry at Liberty Island.

My husband, stepdaughter and I walked up the dock and got our first up-close glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. She towered before us, magnificent in weathered blue-green copper.

I stopped to snap my first picture.

Spend A Cozy, Homey Day In Edmonds, A Charming Ferry-Dock Town North Of Seattle

LYNN THOMPSON — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:44 CST

EDMONDS, Wash. —When I was growing up there circa 1960, Edmonds was a quintessential American small town. Within about three blocks we had a bakery, a variety store, a soda fountain, a hardware store and the Princess movie theater, where a Saturday double bill cost 10 cents. One of the great pleasures of returning as an adult is how many of the historic buildings remain and how protective residents are of its now charming and largely intact downtown.

True, the place is a little more upscale than when I was a child. The Buster Brown shoe store where we disposed of our year-old Keds and left with stiff new saddle shoes has been replaced by the decidedly chic Mu Shoe boutique on Main Street, and dozens of other specialty shops selling everything from custom-designed jewelry to cookware to books to cheese.

It's not uncommon to see groups of women out to breakfast, exchanging gift bags and catching up on the news. Or grown daughters treating their mother to lunch and then a leisurely poke through the downtown shops, most of them within a block or two of the central city fountain at Fifth Avenue and Main.

Stay The Night In Obama's Back Yard

BILL REED — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:46 CST

WASHINGTON — For 24 hours, President Obama and I were neighbors.

Not that we talked through his wrought-iron fence, as Tim Allen's character in "Home Improvement" did with his backyard buddy, Wilson.

But from the rooftop terrace of the W Washington D.C. hotel, I could practically see the president in the Rose Garden, discussing his just-announced Nobel Peace Prize. It was quite a day for all of us.

Travel Gear: Portable Boom Gets The Shot

ERIC GWINN — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:33 CST

Name: XShot 2.0 camera extender

What it is: A 9-inch rod that telescopes out to 37 inches. Attach a lightweight camera or camcorder and capture images of yourself that appear to have been shot by someone else.

How it works: Screw a pocket-size camera or camcorder (maximum weight: a little more than a pound) on to one end of the XShot, then tilt the camera to just the right angle and lock the XShot in place. Extend the XShot away from you for self- portraits that capture more background than if you were to hold the camera in your hand and aim it at yourself. This makes the XShot a must-have for camera-happy travelers.

Carmel's A Fairy Tale Village; Touring It On Foot Is Magical

ALLEN PIERLEONI — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:41 CST

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. —A stroll around this magical bayside town that gained fame in the 1920s as a bohemian art colony is a highlight of any trip to the Monterey Peninsula.

It's always intriguing to get lost among the warrens of shops and four-star bistros, mysterious alleyways, hidden courtyards and vibrant gardens, and to explore the fascinating architecture — a surprise around every corner — and understated history.

We wanted to get more up-close and personal, so we signed on with Carmel Walks for a two-hour (dog-friendly) tour.

Cruise Or All-Inclusive? Ship Might Make You Feel Fee-Sick

ARLINE AND SAM Bleecker — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:41 CST

With winter coming, an onslaught of new megavessels brimming with amenities and creative creature comforts again steams toward the Caribbean.

In fact, so spectacular are these new ships that they essentially are destinations unto themselves, boasts Andy Stuart, executive vice president of Norwegian Cruise Line.

But those big, brassy high-rise resorts at sea — many taller than the Statue of Liberty, some too fat to fit through the Panama Canal and others so long they dwarf a football stadium — come with novelties, such as a New York-styled Central Park and a Coney Island-like boardwalk, and they arrive with heftier fares.

travel Web sites

ELLEN CREAGER — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

www.groople.com

What: Booking site for group travel, small or large.

Why: Useful if you have several people taking a trip together, all needing flights, hotels, cars or sightseeing activities.

The Frugal Traveler: Family-Friendly Detours Avoid Stress And Tantrums

Sharon Harvey Rosenberg and Myscha Theriault — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:41 CST

Major conflict developed at the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. just before noon when a family of five navigated through spy gear exhibits and tales of international intrigue. Under the cover of family fun, a pre-teen meltdown occurred when vacation fatigue and hungry stomachs sabotaged an otherwise engaging museum tour. A lunch break solved the problem.

From toddlers to teens, meltdowns are often a package deal during family vacations. Lengthy car trips, airport delays or over-stimulation can make any parent reach for the antacid. Set up your next family excursion with this four-step plan:

Functional gear: Dress your 'tweens, teens and younger children in cargo pants, waist packs and fishing vests, which provide hands-free storage of items they might need throughout the day, including lip balm or a deck of cards. Use seat organizers to keep DVD players and miscellaneous art supplies within easy reach and your family automobile clutter-free during trips. For airplane trips, pack a small carryon or backpack filled with snacks and toys for younger children.

Ask Airfare Watchdog: Airfare From Cruise Lines

GEORGE HOBICA — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:34 CST

Q: Is there any reason why I should buy airfare from my cruise line rather than through Expedia or whatever? It seems that the cruise lines' fares are higher.

A: One reason is that if you buy the airfare along with your cruise, the cruise company might make more effort to accommodate you should your incoming flight be late or canceled, or if the schedule is changed. (By the way, it's always a good idea to arrive the day before your cruise leaves, rather than on the day, in case there's a flight problem. Otherwise, you might miss the ship.) Also, cruise line fares might have more flexibility than the lower fares you're finding on Expedia, etc. But maybe you don't need to buy airfare at all, depending on the cruise line you choose. Carnival Cruise Lines now fields cruises, some year round, from 20 home ports, which are within a five hour drive of 50 percent of the U.S. population, including New Orleans, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New York. If you haven't cruise on Carnival lately, or thought it was down market, you might be in for a surprise. The food is among the best in the cruise industry, surprising considering how cheap Carnival's fares can be.

Nearly Sensible Dining , The Viennese Way

ALAN BEHR — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:41 CST

VIENNA — A visit to Vienna I made some years ago turned into a three-day sugar high as I went, like a bee from flower to flower, from one great cafe to another, eating almost nothing but classic Viennese pastries.

Older and wiser, this time I would do it differently: I would prove to myself and to my gentle and patient cardiologist, Dr. No Fun, that I could visit Vienna and keep to my low-fat, low-calorie. Although I was staying at the Hotel Sacher, which offers perhaps Europe's best sparkling-wine buffet breakfast, on my first morning, I ordered an egg-white omelet, made myself a plate of fresh fruit salad and poured a glass of perfectly fresh orange juice. I then checked into the hotel's recently added spa, for healthy rotation through the sauna and steam room, followed by herbal tea and dried fruit.

In travel, all prudence can and should be balanced with some indulgence, so for lunch, I had a classic Wiener Schnitzel at Griensteidl, one of the great cafe restaurants of the city. Just to make sure I didn't fall off the bandwagon, I surgically sliced away about half of the fried bread-crumb envelope that makes an expertly prepared Wiener Schnitzel, which is what Griensteidl serves, the surprisingly sophisticated medley of flavors that it is.

Carefully Parse Those Free Ticket, Mile Offers

TOM PARSONS — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:31 CST

British Airways is tempting travelers with a couple of bonus offers aimed at getting you flying. One deal is better than the other, especially for leisure travelers.

If you buy a ticket to Europe for travel now through Jan. 29, you'll earn a free companion ticket to be used between Jan. 11 and Dec. 15, 2010. This deal looks good, but check the fare classes you have to fly in. The cheapest classes are excluded.

When we checked rates for January travel, the cheapest fare for round-trip travel from Dallas to London was $827 in coach, but the cheapest qualifying fare was $1,205. The deal makes more sense for those traveling for business, since someone else will pay for the qualifying ticket.

Foreign Correspondence: Walking Tours In Florence Feature History, Artisans

JOHN BORDSEN — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:41 CST

What's it like to live in a far-off place most of us see only on a vacation? Foreign Correspondence is an interview with someone who lives in a spot you may want to visit.

Paul Bennett, 39, is co-founder of Context Travel (www.contexttravel.com), which organizes and leads educational walking tours/seminars in various cities around the world. Bennett is based in Philadelphia, Paris and Rome. He has been spending every other week lately in Florence, Italy, where his company is starting an artisan walking tour this month.

Q. How do your tours work, and what is an artisan tour?

Travel QA: NYC Has Plenty Of Tours For Everyone

ANN TATKO-PETERSON — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:34 CST

Q: My family wants to take a tour in New York City. Our teenage girls want something TV-related. My husband and I want the more traditional landmarks. Any suggestions for keeping everyone happy?

A: I hope you're planning to spend more than a day in the Big Apple. New York City offers hundreds of tours. Here is a small sample:

• Best bet: Everyone wins with the combo NBC Studio Tour and Rockefeller Center Tour. The girls get to see the studios where programs such as "The Today Show" and "Saturday Night Live" are taped, while you and the husband get a behind-the-scenes look at Rockefeller Center. The combo tour costs $24.95. Details: 212-664-3700.

Not as quiet, please

cyndee fontana — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:37 CST

More and more, university libraries are ditching their quiet-please personas to embrace the art of noise. It's not a complete transformation — libraries still stake out quiet study areas — but a clear nod to a generation that loves caffeine, cell phones, laptops and Facebook.

Today, libraries have invited in cafes, installed comfy chairs and sofas, relaxed the ban on food and chatter and even hung flat-screen video monitors. Competition from more-casual bookstores has driven some moves.

Experts say physical and atmospheric changes dovetail with social trends and technological advances. For example, some libraries have moved little-used book collections to devote more prime real estate for purposes such as computer workstations and collaborative study areas.

Oasis of the Seas an escape from reality

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

You have only to read the actual schedules of the new, 220,000-ton, 6,000-passenger Oasis of the Seas to understand the revolutionary nature of the changes it will bring about. I invite you to scan such cruise Web sites as VacationsToGo.com (www.vacationstogo.com) to learn how little contact the giant vessel will have with ports of either the Caribbean or Mexico. That site and others like it actually list the stops that it will make — or not make.

On weekly, seven-night sailings, the mammoth ship leaves each Saturday afternoon from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and heads south on its first night, then sails for six more days and nights. Every week, on all itineraries, it spends three of those six days simply at sea, stopping nowhere. And then, on an itinerary it follows every other week starting in May, it devotes the fourth of those six days to a stop at the "private island" (actually a "private beach") of Labadee on the coast of Haiti.

Labadee, as you may have experienced on one of your own cruises, is a totally isolated stretch of sand fenced in by barbed wire and guards to keep out Haitians.

FBI had watched Ft. Hood suspect

Josh Meyer and Greg Miller — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:18 CST

WASHINGTON — The FBI and the Army last year investigated contacts between a Yemen-based militant Islamist prayer leader and the Army psychiatrist accused of last week's deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, but dropped the case after concluding that he didn't pose a terrorist threat, a senior federal law enforcement official said Monday.

The disclosure that Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan communicated with an imam who had ties to Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers raised the question of whether U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies had information that, if properly shared and investigated, might have helped to prevent the attack.

Even before that disclosure, lawmakers were calling for inquiries into whether the Army, the FBI and the U.S. intelligence community missed warning signs about Hasan's increasing radicalization in the months before Thursday's killing spree that killed 13 people and injured 29.

Joshua Tree National Park Is An Often-Overlooked Treasure

TOM UHLENBROCK — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:40 CST

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. —Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon get the publicity, and the visitors. But there are plenty of lesser-known national parks that offer gorgeous vistas and pristine back country, far from the maddening crowds.

Joshua Tree, Big Bend, Capitol Reef, Isle Royale, Kenai Fjords and Theodore Roosevelt are national parks that may never be the stars of a Ken Burns documentary. But each offers its own charm, and you won't find a traffic jam at any of them. In fact, Kenai Fjords in Alaska and Isle Royale in Lake Superior have no traffic at all; you explore them by boat or by sea plane.

When I visited Theodore Roosevelt in remote western North Dakota and asked the ranger whether he was busy with visitors that day, he replied, "You're No. 2."

Warm To New Zealand's Charming Rotorua Region

MARK MELNICOE — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:41 CST

ROTORUA, New Zealand — Nothing is unassuming about this scenic playground of New Zealand's North Island.

The first thing you notice about Rotorua is the smell. Oh, that smell.

Many liken it to rotten eggs. It's literally the Earth letting out gas — hydrogen sulfide. It permeates the small city and surrounding geothermal areas.

A Visit To Hobbiton? So Precious It'll Make You Feel 3 Feet Tall

MARK MELNICOE — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:39 CST

From the world of hot springs and Maori culture, it's only a short side trip to the land of hobbits.

Drive about an hour northwest from Rotorua to the small town of Matamata and catch a tour of an actual outdoor set from the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, shot in New Zealand by director Peter Jackson.

You will be taken in a van to a 1,200-acre sheep ranch a few miles out of town, and there you will see Hobbiton, the 10-acre shire where Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and all the other hobbits lived. The shire has been returned mostly to its natural condition, but 17 hobbit houses remain from the original 37, including Bag End — Bilbo's house —the only one you can go inside.