Dresden top world city for hotels: London worst, T.O 70th ... Jaunt deal of day

Looking for a great hotel breakfast? Try Dresden, Germany. More a fan of over-priced hotels with small rooms, expensive mini-bars, long lines at check-in and line-ups for breakfast? Check out hotels in London, England.

Yet another hotel rating report has landed on my virtual desk, this one from a German company called Trivago. According to Reuters, Trivago, a "travel metasearch website," compiled hotel reviews from more than 140 accommodation booking sites and found London came last in a list of 100 cities that had at least 135 hotels and 60 reviews. It did not include TripAdvisor postings.

"Dresden came top with its hotels receiving the highest ratings and most positive reviews from guests," Reuters said.

"Users praised Dresden hotels for their value for money, whilst London hotels were criticised for their prices," said a spokeswoman for Trivago. "In particular, reviewers felt the minibars were overpriced and breakfast service was both overpriced and disappointing, whilst hotels in Dresden were praised for their delicious and well-valued breakfasts."

She said London hotels were also criticised for overcrowding at breakfast, long queues at check-in, inability to cope with large groups of people, small rooms and poor views. On the other hand, hotels in Dresden were praised for their exceptional service, efficiency, helpful staff, as well as their spacious rooms with excellent views.

Finishing just behind Dresden in the list of cities with good hotels were Hanoi, Portland (Oregon), Tokyo and then, in the fifth spot, Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The rest of the top ten featured, in order, Gdansk in Poland, Chicago, Seattle, Krakow and Budapest.

The worst ten? From 91st to 100th and dead last, were the following: Los Angeles, Kiev, Frankfurt, Panama City (Panama), Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen, Rio de Janeiro and London.

Dresden got a "reputation score" of 83.08, while London notched a mark of just 73.42.

It's a rather damning statement for western Europe, with five big name cities in the bottom 10. But fairly decent for the U.S., with three in the top 10; two in the northwest part of the country.

What about Canada, you say? Glad you asked. Montreal finished down in the 58th spot with a 78.67 reputation score. Toronto? Ai-yay-yay: a pretty poor 70th place with a reputation score of just 78.15.

Other notable cities and their placement in the top 100 include Venice (14), Las Vegas (18), Prague (24), Florence (25), New Orleans (32), Barcelona (33), Orlando (40), Madrid (52), Hong Kong (59), San Francisco (62), Dublin (65), New York (67), Sydney (69), Rome (74), Delhi (80) and Glasgow (86).

I have found London to be quite expensive and rooms are small. Rooms tend to be small in most older, urbanized areas of Europe, for sure. But I'm a tad surprised at some of the results. I've been to Hanoi but only stayed in one hotel. It was pretty nice and fairly cheap; maybe $100 for a room with a nice bath and balcony and decent breakfast very close to the city centre. But number two in the world? I don't know about that.

BETTER TEA WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS

Good story in Star Business today by reporter Vanessa Lu, talking about how British Airways worked with Twinings to develop a better-tasting tea for folks at 35,000 feet. Apparently we lose a lot of our taste buds at such high altitudes and in dry airline cabins, so they're worked out a new "formula" to give the best taste.

Personally, I think tea is highly overrated and doesn't even compare to a good cup of coffee. But, then again, I get grief from friends/family about preferring creme in my coffee versus taking it black. And I VASTLY prefer Tim Horton's drip coffee to Starbucks, although I''ll take Starbucks for a good latte.

I tried Aroma coffee bar at Yonge and Eglinton for the first time on Tuesday and had a wonderful latte. Plus the croissants smelled divine!

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a cruise package to Alaska. The deal, with Celebrity Cruise lines, is priced at $1,468, including $339 in taxes, and includes air fare.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• BONUS 1: Inside Stateroom - $50 Onboard Credit per stateroom
• BONUS 2: Oceanview Stateroom or higher - $50 Onboard Credit per stateroom PLUS one of the following for FREE:
  - Classic Beverage package for 2 per day
  - Prepaid Gratuities for two per day
  - Additional $200 Onboard Credit per stateroom
• 7-Night Alaska cruise aboard the Celebrity Century, starting from and ending in Vancouver
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Vancouver with Air Transat, and airport/port transfers
• Ports of call include: Vancouver, Inside Passage, Icy Strait, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau & Ketchikan
• Accommodations in an Inside (Category 11) or Oceanview (Category 4, 5 & 7) Stateroom
• Standard onboard dining included

Why We Love It:

• Days at port are full of adventure, days at sea full of amazing sites
• Travel to Juneau, Alaska's capital, as well as the emblematic Hubbard Glacier
• Choose from a wide variety of excursions that pander to active spirits

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following sailings: May 5, 12, 19, 26 & June 9, 2013
• Pricing (per person, based on double occupancy):
  May 5:
  Inside: $1259 + $336 tax
  Oceanview: $1659 + $336 tax
  
  May 12:
  Inside: $1149 + $329 tax
  Oceanview: $1599 + $329 tax
  
  May 19:
  Inside: $1199 + $336 tax
  Oceanview: $1799 + $336 tax
  
  May 26:
  Inside: $1129 + $339 tax
  Oceanview: $1849 + $339 tax
  
  June 9:
  Inside: $1149 + $314 tax
  Oceanview: $1749 + $314 tax
• To redeem Bonus 2 for Oceanview bookings, please enter your choice in the Request Box upon booking
• To upgrade to Balcony Stateroom or higher, and receive an additional $50 Onboard Credit, call our travel professionals at: 1-855-GO-JAUNT
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada

 

 

Lovely St. Augustine, Florida ... Jaunt.ca has a delicious, escorted tour of Italy

SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA - It's not the biggest fort you'll ever see. But if you like boat rides and wide, flowing rivers and big skies and walking on the beach, Fort Matanzas and the surrounding area is a great place to spend a couple hours.

And it's free (almost all the time, anyway).

About 20 minutes south of downtown St. Augustine on A1A, you'll reach the Fort via a small but pretty visitors centre that's surrounded by towering trees dripping with Spanish moss, which I was told once upon a time is a member of the pineapple family and is called Spanish moss because the elongated shape resembles the beards of Spaniards who came this way in the 16th and 17th centuries, just so you know. Anyway, you then take a small pontoon boat for a four or five-minute ride across the river to the three-story fort on Rattlesnake Island.

There are several long, sleek, black cannons pointed out towards the sea. They don't look amazingly powerful but I was told a good cannon master could hit his target 90 per cent of the time at distances up to 2 km or even a bit more.

Inside is a fireplace and an eating area and single beds that show what life was like for the six soldiers stationed here at a time, usually for 30 day periods. It looks fairly bleak and had to have been stiflingly hot in the summer.

Upstairs is a decent sized but still dark officers' quarters, and you can climb a short but steep ladder to the roof for excellent views of the river and tidal basin and out towards the Atlantic.

The parks rangers are dressed in old-time costumes with bright socks and vests and tricorn hats, and they're excellent at explaining how things worked. And super-friendly, too. The kids seemed to love it, and most of the adults.

Boats leave about every 20 minutes and the trip is free unless you go to one of the night-time cannon exhibitions, which sound pretty awesome. It's open 9 to 5:30 every day except Christmas.

Back on land, there's a one-km hiking trail that shows off the cool, forested areas of the barrier island ecosystem.

Back across the highway, you can pull into the parking lot and walk out (or drive, although why anyone would drive on a beautiful beach I can't for the life of me understand) to an immense beach that goes on forever. It's a great place to soak up the sun or contemplate nature or watch locals fish.

I also checked out the famous, black-and-white-striped St. Augustine lighthouse, which has 219 steps to the top and offers fine views of the city, the beach and the various islands and rivers and waterways that snake between the town and the ocean.

They also have a team of archaeologists who have helped dig up fascinating relics and can tell stories about the fascinating pirates, soldiers and civilians who have lived in the area since St. Augustine was established in 1565.

They're a little sensitive about that 1565 business down this way. Quite often you'll hear a local historian talk about how Jamestown in Virginia gets so much credit as an old settlement in the U.S. and how everyone talks about the Pilgrims in Plymouth Rock.

"Heck, St. Augustine was already undergoing urban renewal when the Pilgrims got to North America," locals will tell you.

It's a fair point. The settlers in Jamestown were mostly British, and Jamestown is close to Washington D.C. and the big cities on the eastern seaboard. St. Augustine is a good deal older (1565, versus 1607 for Jamestown and 1620 for the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock). But it was settled by Spaniards and Africans, who mixed with local native Americans. And it's way down in St. Augustine, about a half hour south of Jacksonville. 

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a fabulous-sounding escorted tour of Italy's top food and wine spots. Offered at $3,177, incluidng $479 in taxes, the package includes Rome and the beautiful Tuscany region.

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Extend your flights for up to 30 days at no additional cost, and return from anywhere Transat flies in Europe
• BONUS: $150 Future Travel Voucher
• 10-day/8-night Tuscany & Rome Food & Wine Tour, hosted by celebrity chef Christian Pritchard, known for his presence on the Food Network and in the online foodie community
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Rome on Air Transat
• Includes all transfers in Italy via deluxe air-conditioned motor coach, services of a professional English speaking tour guide, and all sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary
• 8 nights' accommodation in 4-Star hotels (based on double occupancy)
• Includes continental breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 3 dinners throughout the tour

• Learn the ins and outs of Italian eats with the renowned chef Christian Pritchard
• Get the best of both worlds with cooking classes, demonstrations and wine tastings
• You still have time to visit all of the wonderful landmarks that make Italy so entrancing and beautiful

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on May 24, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person, and based on double occupancy):
  
  Double: $2698
  Single: $3098
  Tax: $479
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5PM EST on January 31, 2013. After that time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

 

 

Dominican Republic visits soar/Ontarians plan to travel in 2013/Deal of the Day

I reported the other day that visits to Jamaica rose a couple percentage points last year. Nice, but not nearly as good as the Dominican Republic.

One of Canada's favourite getaway spots in the Caribbean, the D.R. saw its tourism numbers grow 6.6 per cent last year, beating forecasts for the country and the region, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia said this week.

Garcia said more than 4.6 million visitors flocked to the beaches and cities and mountains (okay, mostly the beaches) of the D.R. last year. He's hoping to reach 10 million in the next 10 years, a fairly tall order.

I haven't seen figures to verify this, but Garcia said world tourism grew about 4 per cent last year and Caribbean tourism was up 4.8 per cent. He said that 2012 marked the second straight year that the D.R. has led the Caribbean in tourism growth.

There's certainly no shortage of excellent places to stay for folks of all budget ranges. Students make a habit of spring break trips to the D.R. for excellent package deals, while adults can find solitude and fabulous golf courses and beaches in places like Punta Cana, Cap Cana and Casa de Campo, home of the famed Teeth of the Dog golf course.

ONTARIO FOLKS WILL HIT THE ROAD IN 2013

Good news for the Ontario tourism industry. A recent Thomas Cook Travel poll conducted by Decima/Harris found that 73 per cent of Ontarians plan to take a family holiday in 2013. Six out of ten Ontario folks surveyed said they'd spend less on entertainment this year (sorry, Cineplex) so they can their families on a vacation.

Just so you know, 93 per cent of Ontarians rated the safety of a destination/resort as an important factor when making their holiday plans. Seventy seven per cent rated the food selection in restaurants as an important factor in enjoying their vacation, while 67 per cent rated the size of their resort room as an important factor.

In the U.S., a USA Today/Gallup poll in late December found that nearly three quarters of Americans plan to vacation at least 100 miles from home this year, up from 60 per cent who said they did so in 2012. A whopping 94 per cent said they plan to travel within the US, mostly to a lake or a beach. About one third plan trips both within and outside the U.S., however, and 36 per cent said of those taking a vacation plan to pack a passport.

That's a fairly high number for American tourists, actually, and is perhaps encouraging for the Canadian tourism market. Asked where they'd go with their passports, about a third said Europe, with Italy and Ireland leading the pack.

USA Today recently listed its five "buzz-worthy" destinations for 2013. They were Burma (a growing tourism market puts this on many year-end/look-ahead lists), Florida (celebrating the 500th year since its discovery by Europeans), Gettysburg in Pennsylvania (150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address and the awful Gettysburg Civil War battle), Hawaii (the most popular spot mentioned by folks who took the survey, and understandably so) and Ireland (celebrating a tourism plan called The Gathering 2013).

THIS AND THAT

Fairmont has opened Fairmont The Palm on the Palm Jumeirah hotel, the tree-shaped island in Dubai that's said to be the largest man-made island in the world (see photo at right). There are 381 guest rooms and suites on the property, which looks quite lovely ... The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel welcomed WestJet's inaugural flight from Ottawa to Southwest Florida International Airport just before Christmas. The new service will oeprate once a week every Saturday until April 27, departing Ottawa at 8:45 and arriving in Florida at 12:22 p.m. ... Resorts Casino Hotel is spending $60 million on renovations and expansion in Atlantic City in the first half of 2013. In addition to a $35 million Jummy Buffett-themed Margaritaville complex, Resorts also is renovating hotel rooms and bathrooms, adding a food court and new VIP players clubs, as well as making other changes.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has the following deal available for a winter getaway to sunny Cuba. Check www.jaunt.ca for this and other deals.

Jaunt Highlights

• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 5-star Memories Azul Beach Resort, located in Cayo Santa Maria.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto ( other departures available) to Santa Clara and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in Cuba
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite Balcony, featuring 1 King or 2 3/4 beds and balcony (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• Part of Sunwing's Family Collection
• There are facilities for all ages, including special pools for children and infants, as well as a mini-club for children
• Enjoy 3 guaranteed a la carte reservations, picnic lunch, and a welcome cocktail

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: January 31 & February  01, 03, 06, 2013
  Ottawa: January 30 & February 03, 13 2013
  Montreal: February 01, 02, 08, 09, 2013
  Calgary: February 02 & 09, 2013
  Vancouver: January 31 & February 14, 21, 2013
  Winnipeg: February 01 & 15, 2013

Pricing (Rates are per person):

Toronto:
Single: $789
Double: $649
Triple: $629
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $290

Ottawa:
Single: $839
Double: $699
Triple: $679
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $285

Montreal:
Single: $1129
Double: $989
Triple: $969
Child (2-12 yrs): $679
tax included

Calgary:
Single: $1009
Double: $869
Triple: $849
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $291

Vancouver:
Single: $1019
Double: $879
Triple: $859
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $286

Winnipeg:
Single: $989
Double: $849
Triple: $829
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $286

 

 

Sliding Euro makes this a great time to see Europe ... Kudos for Toronto travel

A couple of things worth keeping an eye on if you're even THINKING about a trip to Europe.

Number one is that the Euro, used in almost all European countries (but not the UK, too bad for us) has fallen quite sharply against the dollar in the last while. It was up around $1.40 a year or two ago, and was then down around $1.35 against the Canadian buck for most of 2012.

I checked today and it's all the way down $1.29, which makes a visit all the more attractive. I also spotted an item on Travel Weekly that says tour operators have cut prices from a modest two per cent to a whopping 18 per cent for 2013.

TW said that according to a survey of members of the U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA), the top emerging destination for 2013 is Myanmar (aka Burma), "the Southeast Asian nation that is emerging from seclusion after years of military rule."

Abercrombie & Kent has seen Myanmar bookings increase more than 80% in 2012 compared with 2011, Travel Weekly said. But with few new hotels coming this year, availability is a challenge.

Other off-the-beaten-path destinations USTOA members see gaining in popularity in 2013 are Vietnam, India, Peru, Cambodia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador, the publication said.

As for Europe, I've seen hotels in Lisbon and Madrid going for crazy-good prices on hotels.com. It's easy to find a ton of three-star and four-star and even occasionally five-star hotels for $100 a night or a bit more. You can find good prices in London, too; often three or four-star places for around $150/night.

The secret is to travel in the off-season. January is a great month for Europe. Sure, it might be cold but the cafes and pubs and museums will be open and if you're not looking to get a tan on the Spanish Steps in Rome (see photo above right) does it really matter if it's 10 degrees in Italy or 20? March and even April aren't bad, either, with probably warmer weather and still reasonable prices.

KUDOS FOR TORONTO TOURISM/TRAVEL

I see that Conde Nast Traveler has named good old T.O. as one of its five "must-see" destinations for 2013.

Funny, but I made the same point in today's paper, citing Toronto's tremendous hotel growth as a factor.

CN Traveler made a similar point. Here's what they had to say about the Big Smoke: "the thrills in Toronto come from the stunning architecture, diverse array of restaurants, and energetic arts and cultural scene. The restaurant scene has really taken off in recent years, with New York's famous chef David Chang just opening a new outpost of his Momofuku empire. Plus, this city has some hot new hotels."

So there you have it. Tourism Toronto folks were understandably chuffed at the news, as the Conde Nast bit also went out on the Today Show on New Year's Day on NBC television in the U.S. (and here, of course).

The other four spots mentioned by Conde Nast? Seoul, Amsterdam, Nashville and New Orleans. I mentioned New Orleans as one of my hot spots for 2013, as well, plus Ireland, The Philippines, Florida (celebrating its first 500 years) and Spain/Portugal/Greece.

 

 

 

 

After busy morning, Toronto Pearson is "getting back to normal," officials say

If you're headed to Toronto Pearson today to send off (hope not) or welcome a loved one, it's been a rough morning. Some 100 cancelled flights were cancelled today out of 1400 scheduled.

The information board at www.torontopearson.com was showing a number of cancelled flights coming in and going out, mostly to spots in eastern Canada or in the U.S. northeast, where we got a pretty good snowfall overnight.

But Scott Armstrong at Pearson tells me things are looking brighter.

"There were delays this morning with slower ground traffic due to snow clearing, but things are getting back to normal and the rest of the day looks good," he wrote to me in an email around 10:45 a.m. "Snow crews will take another 18-24 hours to clean up."

Across North America it looks like some 2000 flights have been cancelled today.

So, all in all, it could've been a lot worse. We should be used to this sort of thing by now in Toronto. And in the scheme of things, it ain't that big a deal. And the snow is a hugely welcome relief for folks in the southern Ontario's ski resort biz.

The Ski Ontario website, www.skiontario.ca, reports eight to 20 cm of fresh snow fell in traditional ski areas overnight and that conditions look great today.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a terrific deal for eight-days in Rome. For just $1,099 plus $487 in taxes (total price $1,586), you get an eight day-six night trip that includes return airfare from Toronto to Rome, airport/hotel transfers both ways PLUS six nights at the four-star hotel Nova Domus in central Rome.

The deal also includes daily buffet breakfast and a half-day city tour of Rome.

The air fare alone usually costs $1,200 or more, so it's a pretty good deal to spend another $400 or so and get six nights at a four-star hotel in one of the great cities of the world.

NEW PLAZA PREMIUM LOUNGE AT PEARSON

Plaza Premium Lounge continues to expand its network in Canada by opening its 11^th airport pay-in lounge at the International Departure Hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport

The 6,178 square feet lounge is the largest among its sister lounges in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver in Canada with a seating capacity of approximately 180 guests. Special features signature to the series of “fourth generation concept lounges”, include comfortable lounge chairs, mother-of-pearl reception counter, signature chandelier, New Zealand wool carpet and oval crystal chandelier, designed by Hong Kong designer Kinney Chan.

They offer high-speed Wi-Fi (as does Pearson as a whole), as well as computer workstations with internet and a meeting room for business sessions or private gatherings. There's also a shower room, plus an all-day continental buffet with hot dishes and a noodle bar with beef and squid meat balls with rice noodles in homemade broth. The beverage menu features hot and cold coffee and tea specialties; beer, wine, spirits.

 The new airport pay-in lounge will be opened from 5am – 11pm daily. It costs $30 plus tax for two hours and $35 plus tax for three hours.

 

 

 

 

Canada ranks 18th in world as tourism brand; USA takes home the gold medal

Earlier this year, a group called Future Brand released its annual "Country Brand Index" that rates countries according to their key attributes. They gave Canada the number two spot on the planet in terms of a tourism brand, putting behind only Switzerland.

The third, fourth and fifth spots in the Future Brand report went to Japan, Sweden and New Zealand.

It was a slight drop for Canada, as we finished tops in the Country Brand Index in 2010 and 2011.

But now there's a new report out by a compnay called Bloom Consulting, called the Country Branding Ranking. It would require a degree in something I don't understand to figure out how it's different from Future Brand's report, but one thing they say is that take a ton of factors into account and also that they're the only ones in this business (and I guess there is one) that takes tourist demand into account.

Readers of this blog will remember, perhaps, that Canada has slipped a fair bit in terms of international arrivals the last few years and is no longer in the top ten. Canada ranked seventh in international arrivals in 2007, but the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) recently stated we're now 18th.

And 18th is exactly where we stand in the world in the new Bloom Consulting report, which attempts to measure how much revenue a country could potentially add to its economy via trade and tourism.

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's the Bloom report's top 20:

1. United States 2. Spain 3. France 4. China 5. Turkey 6. Thailand 7. Germany 8. Macau 9. United Kingdom 10. Australia 11. Austria 12. Italy 13. Hong Kong 14. Malaysia 15. Netherlands 16. Mexico 17. Switzerland 18. Canada 19. Croatia 20. Russian Federation

So at least we finished ahead of Russia. Let's hope that continues at the World Junior Hockey Championships, eh?

Here are a few other notables: 21. Portugal, 233. India, 24. Greece 25. Republic of Korea 28. Japan 32. Ireland.

The bottom ten? Here ya go: 152. Tajikistan (there goes my holiday plan) 153. Swaziland 154. Federation States of Micronesia 155. Sao Tome and Principe 156. Djibouti 157. Tonga 158. Kiribati 159. Papua New Guinea 160. Burundi and, at the bottom: 161. Marshall Islands (see photo at left, which looks pretty damn good to me).

Asia had eight countries in the top 25. Japan wasn't in that group due to the residual effects of the tsunami.

I don't remember seeing this report last year, but I found a website that shows the 2011 Bloom rankings, and Canada was 23rd. So I guess we're moving in the right direction. The U.S. was first last year as well, followed by Spain, France, Germany and the UK.

Bloom on Thursday also released a U.S. state by state analysis (plus D.C., for 51 ranking spots). Tops was California, no surprise given the plethora of things to do, followed by Florida and New York. Illinois was fourth and then it went Texas, Michigan (good to see), Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Colorado.

The bottom five were: 47. Kansas 48. Vermont (a surprise to me) 49. West Virginia 50. Rhode Island and 51. Delaware. Poor Delaware. Makes me think I should do a trip there sometime and see for myself.

DO WE HATE OUR FAMILIES OR SOMETHING?

Geez. A study by Cheapflights.ca finds that more than 80 per cent of Canadians want to travel tos ee family this Christmas, but less than 30 per cent have actually made travel plans.

Given the economy that might not be surprising.

Based on answers from more than 400 Canadians, the survey also found that just over 18 per cent of us wish we could travel to ESCAPE our family, though only 3.2 per cent of us actually are doing so.

Parents and children topped the list of fave family members to see, while in-laws, shockingly, were at the bottom, with less than two per cent of folks having them on their holiday travel wish-list.

More than 12 per cent of survey respondents said they will avoid seeing their brother or sister. But, just to end this on a nice note, 23 per cent said there were NO relatives they wanted to avoid.

HOTEL OMNI MONT-ROYAL IMPROVEMENTS

The folks at the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal (in Montreal, of course) say they've undergone a "spectacular" $20 million transformation.

Officials said it involved a "complete re-design and refurbishment of its facilities, including all 200 guest rooms and suites" and a new lobby, which now features "an upscale lounge bar and restaurant."

Other amenities include an outdoor pool (for summer, naturally) and "state of the art" fitness centre. They also have added Italian marble bathrooms and 42-inch LCD flat screen TV's.

They say rooms have views of either Mont-Royal Park or the Montreal skyline.

AIR CANADA ADDS VIRTUAL HOLD

This oughta help a few folks. Air Canada sent me a note today to say that what they call "virtual hold" has now rolled out at their call centres in Canada and the U.S. and is currently offered for general reservations and web support services.

“"With this new product, customers are now given an estimated wait time and the option of a call-back rather than remaining on hold," officials said.

Here's what they said about it in an employee newsletter: "Virtual Hold certainly helps alleviate customer frustration from being on hold indefinitely.  The estimated wait time information and option to continue on hold or have a call-back is very much appreciated by our customers - especially during irregular operations. Our IT team worked tirelessly for several months upon months to overcome the multiple challenges of installing new technology on a legacy phone system. The next step is to add a service where customers can schedule a call back time. Call Centres continues to focus on reducing the amount of time customers wait with ongoing hiring and implementation of technology and process improvements."

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a two-for-one Avalon River Cruise special that's exclusive to Jaunt. It's a cruise through central Europe's capital cities on the Avalon Tranquility and it's going for $1,633 plus $133 in taxes for a total of $1,766.

Here are the highlights:

• BONUS: Two for One: for every one person (paid in full), the second traveller's cruise is FREE (reflected in the pricing)
• 12-day River Cruise and stay along the Danube River, starting in Budapest and ending in Prague
• Includes the following ports of call with daily sightseeing programs in: Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria; Krems, Austria; Melk, Austria; Grein, Austria; Passau, Germany; and Prague, Czech Republic
• Accommodations in a Deluxe Outside Stateroom, located on the Indigo Deck (Category E) featuring twin windows. Upgraded cabin categories with French Balconies available at 1.855.GO.JAUNT
• Includes all meals on the ship, complimentary sparkling wine with breakfast, soft drinks with lunch, and wine, beer, or soft drinks with dinner
• 2 nights' accommodations in Prague at the InterContinental

More details:

• For every traveller paid in full another traveller's cruise is free
• The tour employs local guides so you have the best exposure to the places visited
• The cruise visits renowned capitals and lesser known destinations

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on April 11, 2013 sailing
• Pricing (per person, based on double occupancy, plus port charges)
  
  Deluxe Outside Stateroom (Category E)
  $1632.50 per person, double occupancy
  Tax: $133
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

 

 

Air Canada Rouge is new carrier/Porter Escapes launches/New airline ad rules

 

This might be the craziest day I've ever seen for airline travel in Canada.

At 11:15 a.m., Air Canada unveiled "Rouge" as the name of their new, low-cost airline that will start flying to Europe and the Caribbean/Central America next July 1. Fares appear quite competitive and, in the case of a roundtrip to Punta Cana I checked, strikingly lower than WestJet and Transat. More on that in a minute.

Around about noon, I got a press release from Porter Airlines saying that their new package program, called Porter Escapes, is now available online at www.porterescapes.com. It will allow folks to book flights and entertainment or ski or golf packages to places like New York City, Montreal, Burlington Vermont, Myrtle Beach, Halifax, Chicago and Quebec. And Toronto, of course.

Okay. That's a busy day. But then, right at 12:44, I got a note from the federal government saying that Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced that all-inclusive airfare advertising is now mandated under amendments to the Air Transportation Regulations.
This will ensure consumers can clearly see the total price of an airline ticket, with no hidden fees, officials said.

Most airlines in Canada have been following this rule for some time, either listing prices that include the taxes and fees and surcharges or advertising both together. Still, it will force all airlines doing business here to follow suit, and that's a good thing. So kudos to the Harper government for protecting consumers.

Vanessa Lu, the Star's hard-working airline/transport reporter in the Business section, has a full report at www.thestar.com/business.

Getting back to Rouge, the Air Canada folks held a splashy announcement in a movie theatre at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto and then went outside to give away "boarding passes" with discounts from 10 to 99 per cent for the new airline.

Not everyone likes the name, of course. One reporter turned to me at the press conference and said, "It's Red. Like Air Canada is in the red."

I was thinking more like it's a rouge from Canadian football, but then I'm again I'm a former sports reporter. It looks pretty good, I think, and certainly red is the colour in the Canadian flag and is Air Canada's primary colour, so it fits.

Officials said it was tested across the country and was far and away the best name they checked out.

The destinations and prices, of course, are what we really care about. They could call it "Let's beat West Jet's ass" or name it after their chief and call it "Rovinescu Air" for all I care. I just want cheaper rates and a good airline, and that's what they're promising.

Flights will go from Toronto to Venice and Edinburgh and from Toronto and Montreal to Athens for as little as $949 round-trip, including all fees and taxes. Flights to the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana, Samana and Puerto Plata) will go from as little as $538 round-trip, while those to Costa Rica (San Jose and Liberia) will go from $778 round-trip, while flights to Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguin and Santa Clara, Cuba start at $538 round-trip.

They're only starting with four planes, which means they can't do flights every day to all destinations. Toronto to Athens will be four times a week for now, while Toronto to Punta Cana will be three times a week for now.

Ultimately Air Canada plans to hire 900 workers and will have 50 planes, both Boeing 767-300ER's and Airbus A319 aircraft.

Complimentary meals and non-alcoholic beverages will be served on flights to Europe and snacks, meals and beverages will be available at a "nominal fee" on flights to the Caribbean. Their press release also says in-flight entertainment, such as movies and TV and music, will be available for "an affordable fee," versus free on Air Canada.

I don't know what the difference is between a "nominal fee" for food and an "affordable" fee for entertainment.

Just for kicks, I went onto the Air Canada site - Rouge flights can be booked at aircanada.com and folks can collect Aeroplan points, which is an important factor for many consumers - and found a round-trip flight from Toronto to Punta Cana for July 6-13 for $502.68, which actually is LOWER than they said in their press release. A flight on the same days on WestJet was listed at westjet.com for $700.79, while Transat (www.transatholidays.com) had flights on July 7 and 14 for $991.

Vanessa Lu told she found flights next August from Toronto to Athens on Rouge for $949, as advertised. But she said Transat was costing out around $1,300. That's another ENORMOUS difference in Air Canada's favour, so it'll be interesting to see if Transat makes any adjustments.

Those might not be typical. But if they are, Rouge could be a VERY attractive airline for Canadians.

In addition to regular Rouge seats, Air Canada will offer a series of upgrades, including rouge Plus and Premium Rouge. Those will cost extra but rouge Plus is just $40 extra each way if you fly to the Caribbean and $90 each way to Europe. For that you get nicer seats with more pitch and reclining ability, plus other options.

Rouge flights will have Air Canada's checked and carry-on baggage allowance.

In addition, they're promising flight attendants trained for both safety and "warm, welcoming service."

It's clearly a nod at WestJet. I asked Air Canada folks if they'd give the same training for "warm, welcoming service" to their existing crew members if it works on Rouge. Naturally, they suggested Air Canada folks are just wonderful as things are and reminded me they've won the Skytrax award as best North American airline several years in a row.

True, and I think Air Canada's crew is getting better. But there's plenty of room for improvement.

I just hope they don't get carried away. Some folks like it, but I really hate it when the WestJet crew gets all silly with the jokes. I want courtesy and smiles but not David Letterman in the sky, thank you very much.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY - HIDDEN VALLEY HUNTSVILLE ONTARIO

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering the following "embrace winter" package at Hidden Valley Resort in Huntsville:

• Enjoy 1 night accommodation in a Hillside Room for two
  • For $99 stay Sunday to Thursday night
  • For $109 stay Friday or Saturday night
  • For $169 stay Monday - Friday night - includes 2 adult 6-hour flex ski lift tickets
• Continental breakfast for two
• One bottle of wine to enjoy in your room or in the dining room
• 2 for 1 table d’hote dinner
• One $20.00 Algonquin Outfitters voucher - 2 stores to redeem in Huntsville
• Late checkout at 1pm (based on availability)

Offer Details

• Valid for travel for December 18, 2012 – March 31, 2013
• Blackout dates: December 23, 2012 – January 5, 11-12, February 1-3, 8-9, 16-18, 26-28, 2013

• Purchase one dinner and receive a second dinner free (of equal or lesser value from table d'hote menu only.)

• Ski hill closed on Tuesday's & Wednesday's
• Offer based on hotel availability

• No cash back. No cash value. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions
• Taxes and gratuities not included and payable directly to hotel

For more details on all jaunt deals, visit www.jaunt.ca.

 

 

Destination Europe 2020 program aims to deliver lots more Canadians

They’re after us.

The European Union, for the first time ever, is launching a new program to lure tourists to Europe as a whole. And Canadians are a prime target.

The “Destination Europe 2020” campaign is a modest campaign as these things go, less than $2 million, but it’s interesting that European countries have banded together for an overall “Come See Europe” campaign for the first time ever.

In the past, all marketing was done by individual countries. But this is a Europe-wide program from the European Travel Commission.

The parallels are pretty strong with the U.S., which in the last year or so launched Brand USA as an overall marketing tool to lure tourists to the land of Uncle Sam.

The Europe campaign is aimed solely at four countries: Canada, the U.S., Brazil and China, and it’s mostly going to be social media and on-line.

They’re asking folks to go to visiteurope.com and build a dream vacation and then “sharing their most inspiring discoveries” with friends and family.

I got a kick out of the visit europe site this morning. I mean, where else would you find three quotes about traveling in Europe from such disparate sources as Mark Twain, Puff Daddy and travel writer extraordinaire Bill Bryson?

In addition to the website, the ETC also is planning something called “Ensemble Europe” as a big “industry workshop” in Toronto in February, 2013, according to an online summary of Destination Europe 2020. They’ll hold similar workshops in Brazil, China and in New York City and report back on those at the giant ITB travel show in Berlin in March of next year.

ETC chief Eduardo Santander, a native of Spain who has worked with Vail Resorts in Denver and Innsbruck, told me his organization actually was formed in 1948 as part of the Marshall Plan to save Europe after World War II.

“We realize the tourism sector could really push the economy,” Santander said. “Ten per cent of the European GDP is directly related to tourism, and tourism provides about 102 million jobs. That’s roughly equivalent to the population of Austria or Belgium.”

He didn’t have the list in front of him, but Santander told me eight of the world’s top ten tourist sites are in Europe. (Hmmm….The Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, The Colosseum are there I’m sure. Maybe the Berlin Wall and Notre Dame and the city of Florence as a whole? Eight seems a tad high to me but he may be right.)

Anyway, there’s no doubting Europe’s popularity with Canadians, as some 4.3 million of us made the trek in 2011.

While a lot of young travelers are heading to Asia to travel more cheaply, Santander says Europe isn’t as expensive as folks might think.

“There’s a Europe for every pocketbook,” he said. “You can spend $5,000 a night, sure, but you also can have a wonderful holiday for just a few dollars.”

I’ve seen European hotels on hotwire.com and hotels.com for incredibly low amounts; four-star properties in Madrid and Lisbon in January or March of next year for $60 or $70, and three-stars for $40 or $50.

“Skiing is a lot cheaper in Europe, too,” Santander said. “You can get ski passes for as little as 30 Euros a day. Not like in Canada.”

Europe, of course, offers a huge degree of diversity; Alpine villages, sunny coastlines, historic cities, modern art galleries, and an incredible array of cultures in a small area.

“Asia’s wonderful, but it’s not Europe,” he said with a smile.

Asked if Europe’s economic troubles have caused an issue for tourism, Santander nodded.

“I don’t think the brand has been damaged. Not yet. People still want to travel to Europe. We’re trying to bring it closer.”

The Destination Europe 2020 budget isn’t much, but it’s at least a move in the right direction and is a strong contrast to the huge cuts that have been made to Canada’s tourism marketing. The Harper government has made serious cuts to Parks Canada budgets and the money flowing to the Canadian Tourism Commission also has been curtailed.

Those cuts are coming despite the fact that Canada has slipped – badly – in terms of international tourism. The travel industry association of Canada says Canada was seventh in the world in international arrivals in 2006 but is now down to 20th.

 

 

Air Canada push into Asia...Venice under water...WestJet self-serve bag tags

It's being called Air Canada's biggest international expansion ever.

The airline today announced a huge push into Asia, which has been on just about everybody's radar the last couple years. Air Canada said it's launching a new, non-stop route between Toronto and the booming Korean city of Seoul (see photo below right), beginning service to Istanbul, Turkey, subject to government approval, adding seven weekly departures to Beijing from Toronto and Vancouver and upgrading its Calgary-Tokyo Narita route to provide daily service (up from five a week in summer).

"Air Canada is seizing the opportunities of the Pacific Century with the most far-reaching international expansion of its schedule in its 75-year history," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "Our new routes embrace the world from Istanbul to Seoul and deepen our already extensive Asian service. With our Asia expansion alone, we will be flying 11 daily departures or more than 43,000 seats a week across the Pacific Ocean this summer - a commitment of up to 14 widebody aircraft valued in excess of $2 billion. Our service to Istanbul, the bridge between Europe and Asia, adds an exciting destination to the Air Canada network with easy connections throughout Turkey and points in Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa with our Star Alliance partner Turkish Airlines."

Highlights of Air Canada's 2013 summer schedule include:

• Non-stop service to Istanbul beginning June 4. Subject to government approval, Air Canada will begin flying three-times weekly, year-round to the historic city which also serves as a gateway to other destinations in Turkey, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Flights will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. It will be the only early evening departure from Toronto to Istanbul.
  
  
• The launch on June 2 of a new Toronto-Seoul service operating three times a week, creating a fifth Asian destination from Air Canada's Toronto hub. The year-round service, operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, will complement existing Vancouver to Seoul service by providing daily departures from Canada to Seoul.
  
  
• An addition of three more weekly departures between Toronto and Beijing starting June 1, bringing the total number of departures from Toronto to Beijing to ten a week. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft
  
  
• Four additional departures each week between Vancouver and Beijing starting June 1, for a total of 11 weekly departures, including a new late night flight timed to be convenient for business travellers. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.
  
  
• The upgrading of our Calgary-Tokyo Narita service starting May 1 to offer daily departures, up from five a week last summer. The flights are operated with a Boeing 767-300ER.

Seoul is particularly hot right now given the Gangnam Style song performed by Korean singer Psy. It's a huge internet sensation, which you must know unless you're living in a cave in Macedonia. In which case you probably wouldn't be reading this...

Very solid stuff, indeed for Air Canada. And don't forget Air Canada next year is supposed to start up its new, discount carrier with expanded options for the Caribbean and other popular spots. WestJet also will be starting up its new, regional carrier, called Encore, sometime around June of 2013.

In a related note, I read a Bloomberg report the other day that said Philippine billionaire Andrew Tan plans to spend $1.5 billion to triple his Alliance Global Group Inc's hotel rooms and become the nation's largest hotel owner; part of the Philippines' attempt to lure more tourists.

Philippine Air Lines is launching new service between Manila and Toronto as part of that push...

VENICE SUBMERGED?

Around 70 per cent of central Venice is underwater with heavy rain and winds resulting in the sixth highest tide levels since 1872, according to Travelmole.com.

Italian news reports said north and central Italy was also affected with some 200 people evacuated from
their homes in Tuscany. Tourists in Venice were resorting to waterproof "Wellie" boots and swimwear while most tourist hotspots were deserted.

The water levels rose to critical levels at the weekend with reports that 70% of central Venice was under water as the high tide mark reached more than 150cm, reports the Daily Mail.

Although flooding is common at this time of year, this is the sixth-highest since records began being kept 150 years ago. Some holidaymakers were seen wading through nearly waist-high waters carrying suitcases on their shoulders.

WEST JET SELF-SERVE BAG TAGS

 

They're selling this as an improvement? WestJet this week introduced self-serve bag tagging for guests flying to the U.S. from Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal; making it the first Canadian airline to introduce self-serve baggage tagging on non-stop, transborder flights.

"Self-serve baggage tagging allows WestJet guests to use mobile, web or kiosk check-in to check in for their flight and print their own baggage tags when they arrive at the airport. Guests checking in via kiosk may print their boarding passes and baggage tags at the same time. Once the tags have been attached, guests drop baggage off at the appropriate location."

A WestJet press release called the move "yet another milestone in our efforts to offer our guests additional self-serve options." A senior manager was quoted as saying guests are comfortable with self-serve options "and continue to encourage us to develop new tools to allow them more control over thier travel experience."

MORE CONTROL of our travel experience??? I want control of my in-flight entertainment. I want control of where I go. I don't want control over printing my baggage tags. Who wants that? Did people really write in and say, "Boy, I'd fly more often if I could just avoid having to have that person behind the counter print my bag tags for me."

I don't think so. Should I get ready to start hauling my bags to the plane or maybe help stack them inside the cargo hold, too? Do I have to help refuel the plane when we stop in Miami?

People don't want LESS service. They want MORE service.

MIAMI ART SHOW

A Martin Kreloff retrospective is being held at the JW Marriott Hotel Miami to usher in Miami's Art Basel week. The exhibition runs Dec. 3-9 and features portraits and a multimedia documents with photos and video.

The exhibition features portraits and photographs of the original "Miami Says ART" show in 1976, including such folks as Alex Katz and Gloria Vanderbilt.

 

More great wine tasting spots: B.C., Australia, Hawaii and, of course, France

Yesterday I mentioned a whack of my favourite wine tasting places. Today I'm adding five more, with some random thoughts at the bottom just because it's a Wednesday and we need to celebrate the week is almost half-over. (Speaking of which, I saw an outstanding cartoon in the paper on Tuesday that showed a management type talking with a camel wearing a suit inthe camel's office. There was a calendar on the wall that said "Tuesday, Sept. 25" and the management guy had this great look on his face with a caption above that said something like "If you wish me 'Happy Hump Day' again tomorrow you're fired." Absolutely hilarious, if completely off topic. Because we were talking about wine. I don't know any good wine jokes, but I do remember a great episode of the Tonight Show once where Johnny Carson was talking about a wine and cheese event in Ohio somewhere in the 1970's where they had trays of Velveeta and glasses of wine, thoughtfully with bowls of sugar alongside in case folks found the wines too dry. Also hilarious.

So, anyhoo, with those side issues out of the way, here's my Wednesday look at some of my favourite wine-tasting-sipping-slurping-guzzling spots around the globe.

1. Australia. The Barossa Valley near Adelaide is Australia’s best-known area for high quality wines but you also can try the Yarra Valley near Melbourne for a great variety, including fine sparkling wines at the lovely Domaine Chandon (see photo). Heading further afield? Check out the increasingly high-profile Margaret River region in Western Australia for great Cabs and Shiraz. Only headed to Sydney?  The Hunter Valley is close by and they make very good reds and whites. They also do fun events such as “Jazz in the Vines” and “Opera in the Vineyards.”

2. British Columbia. The Okanagan Valley has great food and fabulous, award-winning wines. In the
south section around dry (think tumbleweeds and cactus) Osoyoos, they make excellent Syrah blends that are big and round, with a bit of California meets France halfway feel. Angels Gate and other wineries further north, near Kelowna, make fabulous Pinot Gris. Not washy, tasteless Pinot Grigio but fine, balanced Pinot Gris that’s excellent with food. An outdoor seat at the restaurant at Mission Hill is about as spectacular as you can get, with rows of vineyards sweeping down to the lake and dusty mountains off in the background. I've yet to find a winery in California with a view as nice as those in the hills above Okanagan Lake.

3. South Africa. I’m not a huge fan of the leathery reds they make (barnyard notes might be more accurate) but perhaps that’s because I grew up drinking fruity, new world wines. I’ve quite
enjoyed the whites I’ve had from SA, however, and they make a great range of Sauvignon Blancs and crisp Chardonnays. Sitting on a patio overlooking the harbour in Cape Town and gazing up at Table Mountain looks to be about as romantic a wine experience as you could have. 

4. Hawaii. Want something truly exotic? Tedeschi Winery on Maui makes surprisingly decent white and red wines, as well as pineapple wine that’s best left to give to Uncle Fred for his 80^th birthday celebration. The quaint and pretty winery/tasting room  is located high up the slopes of Mt. Haleakala in lovely countryside (see photo at right), with rolling hills, cattle, eucalyptus trees and stunning views out over the island of Maui.

5. France. Of course. But you already knew that. Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are legendary. Ditto for the Loire, with great, crisp whites. Increasingly good products from Languedoc, and always consistent rose’ from Provence. Oh, don’t forget the versatile Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc and Riesling
from up near the German border. Bordeaux is the king internationally, so much so that China is now the largest importer of Bordeaux wines in the world. The city of Bordeaux doesn't get a lot of exposure but it's got lovely, old buildings and stately squares and a terribly fun old quarter with cafes that spill out into tiny, pedestrian-only lanes. Awesome food and, of course, good wine lists. The area around St. Emilion is a personal fave. It's a beautiful town (see photo below left) filled with gorgeous, creamy buildings and built on top of enormous caves. There's an historic, underground church and plenty of tasting rooms and lovely, small hotels. Good macaroons, too, if you have a sweet tooth. I haven't been to Burgundy in years but I love small towns like Vezelay and Avalon. There's even a Montreal if you want to have fun with some photos. I haven't spent much time in the Loire but I love a good, crisp Sancerre white - a favourite if I remember correctly of former Star reporter Ernest Hemingway. The wines of Provence aren't as notable, but there are fabulous wines and great tasting opportunities down around the lovely town of Aix-en-Provence, which is only a short drive from the Cote d'Azur. In Aix itself, be sure to tour the former home of Cezanne, who did much of his painting in the home and in the area. It's quite a beautiful spot and there are tons of great cafes and terrific shopping opportunities in the old streets of town.

FURTHER THOUGHTS:

I've never been to South America but Chilean wines are exceptional. A few of the Cabernet Sauvignons at the low end have too much of a green pepper taste for my liking, but most of it is excellent and well-priced. Argentina does wonders with Malbec, also grown in the Cahors region of France, and a good Malbec goes great with a steak. They make some pretty good stuff in Uruguay and even parts of Brazil ... Further north you can get some tasty fruit from Mexico, mostly Baja California ... Back on the continent, Germany and Switzerland make very good whites and even some reasonably hefty reds . The vineyards along the Rhine and Mosel rivers are stunningly beautiful, as are the ones that cascade down the steep hills on the north side of Lake Geneva (or Lac Leman if you choose) in Switzerland… Looking for something different that’s great with food? Try a Gruner Veltliner white from Austria … Spain makes fab reds and terrific white wines. Rioja is king but you also can find good value from the Penedes and excellent sparkling wines for a quarter the price of French champagne … Israel makes some excellent red wine, as does Lebanon … Italy’s a no-brainer. My personal fave for value is Nero d’Avola, with full body that’s more to my North American taste than most Italian wines … Greece makes some lovely, crisp whites that are perfect for a seaside patio … Folks tell me Chinese wines are improving but the stuff I tried when I was last there wasn’t so great … Headed to the States? New York has great wineries in the Finger Lakes. More surprising is the quality of wine in Virginia and even Texas. Oregon and Washington you might know about, with similar grapes to B.C., but also in the up-and-coming market are places like Arizona, North Carolina and Colorado ... I've had some decent whites made on the Ile d'Orleans outside Quebec City, too ... Okay, it's not wine but Japan has won dozens of awards for its Scotch whisky. Something about the water, I guess, and the typical Japanese attention to detail. It's quite tasty.