IKEA hotels in Europe ... Toronto #4 in livability ... T.O. Shangri-LA opens soon

Big news days out there in the travel world, folks.

First item du jour is a note from over the pond that IKEA is building, wait for it, a chain of budget hotels. Isn't it enough they've filled the rooms of the world with Billy bookcases? (I must own four or five of the damned things, and I could probably melt down all the Allen keys I have and make a tank for the Canadian military). Isn't it enough they're developing property near the Olympic stadium in London, where they want to build houses - and no doubt fill them with IKEA furniture?

No, it's not enough. And, actually, I say good for them. For a lot of North American folks, it's expensive to get a place to stay in Europe. So the trend towards more budget-oriented motels and small hotels in Europe (similar to what we have here in terms of Comfort Inn's and such) is probably welcome.

The story I saw in the Daily Mail of London said the IKEA folks want to create "budget design" properties (isn't that an oxymoron?) with a "boutique feel" at affordable prices. They apparently aim to announce a hotel soon for Germany and are looking at perhaps 100 hotels in all on the continent. The UK, Holland and Poland were mentioned in the Daily Mail story.

They won't be called IKEA hotels though, which I don't quite understand. It's a hugely recognized brand, why not capitalize on it?

There's a big trend toward this type of thing already in Europe. Motel One has 39 hotels in Germany, the Daily Mail said, and they're looking at Edinburgh. There's also the Chic and Basic brand in Barcelona and Madrid.

Anyway, for now I see no word of any properties in Canada or the U.S. But I suspect it's only a matter of time before we can stop along I-75 in Cincinnati and rest up at a hotel filled with Vittsjo shelving units and Nordli bed frames and Micke desks. I wonder if we'll get Swedish meatballs from room service, or  lingonberries. Or those cheap hot dogs.

And will we have to assemble the beds and dressers ourselves? I can just see it - each guest is given an Allen key and some of those horrible instruction pamphlets and sent upstairs with a big box. Wouldn't that be a great way to get a discount?

MELBOURNE MOST LIVEABLE CITY ON THE PLANET

A study by The Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Melbourne as the most liveable city on the planet. Second was Vienna, Austria, followed by Vancouver. Toronto was just a smidge behind those smug westerners, finishing just off the podium in the number four spot. Calgary (HA!) was fifth.

Rounding out the top ten were Adelaide, Sydney, Helsinki, Perth Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. That makes a pretty tremendous showing for the Aussies and Canucks, doncha know.

Oh, Montreal was 16, lest I forget. But that was it for Canadian cities in the ranking, as they apparently only stuck to the big boys.

Notice, ahem, the absence of any U.S. cities from the top ten. Interesting. The top American city in the survey might be a bit of a surprise: Honolulu at #26. I actually quite like Honolulu; there's great weather and beaches but also tremendous culture and fabulous food.

Other notable U.S. cities were Washington D.c. at #34, Chicago at 36, Los Angeles at 43, San Francisco at 52 (behind LA? OMG)  and New York at 56. Jon Copestake the survey editor comments: "The tiny increment between the top ten cities shows just how tight the ranking can be. Canadian cities, like Australia, benefit from good infrastructure and low crime rates. For big US cities a high score for cultural activities can come at the expense of higher congestion and crime rates." 

Elsewhere in the world, the impact of the Arab Spring and fallout from the Eurozone crisis is still being felt. Many cities in the Middle East and North Africa have seen downward revisions to their scores thanks to civil unrest.

Every city is assigned a rating of relative comfort for over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories: stability; healthcare; culture and environment; education; and infrastructure. Each factor in a city is rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable. For qualitative indicators, a rating is awarded based on the judgment of in-house analysts and in-city contributors.

Want to know what cities to avoid? Worst on the list was Dhaka, Bangladesh. Just ahead, at 139, was Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. And in the 138th spot was Lagos, Nigeria.

SHANGRI-LA TORONTO TWO WEEKS AWAY

It's a tad confusing, but it sounds like the Shangri-La hotel in downtown Toronto will unofficially open Aug. 31. It won't be fully open by that date, as apparently the TIFF movie folks will be using it for the most part for the first couple weeks.

Still, that's the unofficial date. And it sounds like they'll be in full operation for the general public by Sept. 17.

There will be plenty of Asian touches of course. But the developer is a big music fan so I'm told there's a handcrafted Italian piano in the lobby. The piano also apparently has the words to Joni Mitchell's "Old Man" under the lid.

There will be a branch of the legendary restaurant Momofuku, but it's run separately and not really a Shangri-La property. The main restaurant for the hotel proper is called Bosk, where they will offer up everything from John Dory to New Zealand lamb (the executive chef was born in New Zealand but grew up in Japan) and other items with an Asian flavour. They say the dim sum that will be served in the lobby is to die for, and they'll have afternoon tea and a tea library with 68 varieties.

As with many projects these days, such as the Trump, it's part condo and part hotel. the lower 17 floors are for the hotel, with 202 rooms and suites at Adelaide and University. They'll have a Hammam spa with Parisian influences, plus a 20-meter pool with a chandelier over the top and an outdoor place on the fifth floor that looks up University Ave.

Service will be the key to the hotel getting the five-star rating it craves. An official told me staff under a very extensive training program and that service is based on the theme of "hospitality from the heart."

It's supposed to be "gracious and unobtrusive" service with a substantial "humility" factor.

It's certainly going to be fun to see how they do, what with the TRUMP Tower just down the road, the Ritz-Carlton around the corner (the only Toronto property right now with a five-diamond rating from the Canadian Automobile Association) and the new Four Seasons Yorkville opening up in October.

Most popular hotels for cheating on your spouse; sick but interesting

I don't condone the site in any way. But I gotta admit I find it interesting to look at some reports by Huffington Post of late on what hotels are most popular with folks who use the Ashley Madison infidelity (cheat on your spouse) social media network.

The site surveyed more than 3,200 members who live or travel to Toronto and asked them to name their most popular hotels for their affairs.

"Our research reveals that while these hotels may not be where they would stay on a typical business or family trip, to fulfill on the perfect affair they tend to choose something more exotic, trendy and even romantic," said Noel Biderman, CEO of Ashley Madison (which is based in Toronto? Really?).

Biderman said hotels obviously don't market themselves for cheaters but they certainly know it's a part of their business. In fact, he estimates perhaps 10 per cent of a hotel's revenue comes from infidelity.

Anyway, on to the hotels. The survey found that the most popular spot in Toronto was the Sheraton Centre. Makes sense, really. It's large. It's right downtown on Queen across from City Hall and near the Eaton Centre and close to offices and such. Nice rooms, but not over the top. Oh, one of the bars (see photo) is called Traders. Sorry, but how perfect is that?

Second was the Fairmont Royal York. Also a nice spot; very classy and historic. Then came the Hazelton Yorkville (very impressive to the girlfriend or boyfriend), the Westin Harbour Castle and the Hilton Garden Inn Airport.

Ashley Madison did a similar report for New York and L.A. In the Big Apple, the most popular booking spots for hooking up were the W Hotel on Lexington, the Holiday Inn on 57th St. (hey big spender, what's up with that?), the Marriott Marquis (more like it), the Gansevoort in the, um, meatpacking district and the Waldorf Astoria (much more like it, folks).

In L.A. the top five were the W in Hollywood, The Beverly Wilshire, The Beverly Hills Hotel, the Comfort Inn in North Hollywood and the Holiday Inn in Santa Monica at the beach. That's not so bad but a Comfort Inn? Really? North Hollywood ain't exactly the romance capital of southern California, although it IS close to downtown with good access to both the Hollywood Freeway and the Ventura Freeway.

Very silly stuff, of course. But interesting.

TORONTO HOTEL NEWS

Couple things to mention in Hogtown today. The folks at Trump Toronto - sorry, the Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto - have announced the "highly anticipated expansion of Quartz Crystal Spa," located on the 31st and 32nd floors.

Spa patrons now have a natural salt infinity lap pool and an infinity edge whirlpool (never seen one of those) overlooking the downtown, plus a fully equipped fitness and movement studio and a sauna.

Over in Mississauga, the Towne Place Suites has been given a $17 million renovation/transformation. The hotel offers a full kitchen, free breakfast, a pool and more.

PORTER EXPANSION

Porter Airlines is adding a fourth weekday roundtrip between Sault Ste. Marie and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The new flights begin Oct. 1.

“Sault Ste. Marie is an example of a city that needed competition,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. “We’ve been able to encourage more people to fly based on offering choice, lower fares and direct access to downtown Toronto. Our new schedule matches this interest.”

Porter began serving Sault Ste. Marie in 2011, with two daily flights.

MISSY LOVES PICTOU

Nice of American swimmer Missy Franklin to call out Pictou, Nova Scotia as her favourite spot on the lord's great, green earth. Franklin, whose mother is from Halifax and dad from Ontario, has spent a lot of time in Pictou, a small town on the north shore of the province.

Franklin just loves the place and, of course, folks in Pictou are thrilled with the coverage. They're hoping to get the Olympic medallist to visit again soon but apparently the 17-year-old has to go back to high school in Colorado first.

 

 

New "travel" site matches beautiful women + rich men. NCL awesome water park

It's bad enough those good-looking types already get the free upgrades to business class. Now comes a site that holds out the promise of free travel to hot women.

The site, called misstravel.com, looks pretty much like a dating service matching women with very large breasts (judging by the photos, and, hey, it' s part of my job) and skimpy clothing choices with rich men. One of the young women listed on the site says she's a "naughty babe looking for a sugar daddie," so at least she's honest.

The headline on the site says "Who Needs Money? Beautiful People Travel for Free," and proceeds to explain how folks can sign up as "Attractive Traveler" who don't have cash but want to find a rich buddy, or as a "Generous Traveler" looking for hot folks they can travel with or, get this, donate their air miles to.

"If you are a beautiful person who wants to travel for free, just signup as an 'Attractive Traveler,'" the site says. "Attractive Travelers are adventurous and open minded people who love to travel, but lacks the budget to do so. As such, you are looking to meet Generous members who are willing to pay for you to travel, or gift you frequent flyer miles which may be redeemed for free flights on all major airlines."

Gift frequent flyer miles? You think some rich guy is just gonna give a cute girl his hard-earned miles?

Apparently the site insists it's not an escort service. I don't know. If it walks like a duck....

CRUISE LINE GOES WATER CRAZY

Pretty cool item in USA Today about how Norwegian Cruise LInes is coming out with a ship that'll have not just one or two but FIVE waterslides.

Gene Sloan writes that the NCL ship Breakaway will have a "deck-top Aqua Park" with two pools, four hot tubs and an eatery called the Breezeway Bar & Grill.

"Two of the water slides at the Aqua Park will be side by side and feature a starting area where passengers stand above a trap door that opens from underneath them, propelling them into a steep drop and loop -- a first for a cruise ship. Two more side-by-side slides plunge passengers down a multi-story spiral," he said.

"Norwegian today also will announce that the Norwegian Breakaway's top deck will feature a sprawling, three-story sports complex with the largest ropes course at sea, a nine-hole miniature golf course, basketball court and rock climbing wall. Among the elements of the multi-level ropes course: The Plank, a platform that extends eight feet over the side of the ship, challenging (harness wearing) passengers to 'walk the plank' before completing the experience."

Geez, whatever happened to daily walks along the promenade and a game of shuffleboard?

FOUR SEASONS TORONTO OPENING FOR BUSINESS

The Four Seasons has announced its taking reservations for the new Toronto/Yorkville hotel, with stays beginning Oct. 1 of this year.

A press release issued today says the hotel has been "reimagined to be bolder" and "redesigned to be more stylish and inviting."

They're suggesting the new Cafe Boulud and d bar by international chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud will be trendy (probably a good guess) and our "new favourite place to mix and mingle," which remains to be seen.

They also say they'll have Toronto's largest luxury hotel spa....

 

 

Welcome to spring in foggy Toronto - flight cancellations and delays today

I was outside last night in my backyard in shorts and a t-shirt at 7:30 p.m. When I woke up this morning, though, it was like pea soup. With so much heavy fog in southern Ontario today, it felt like a bad London movie where the bad guys emerge from the mist or something.

It's fine for most of us, but it's a real mess at the airports. Porter's website advises folks there are weather warnings for not only Toronto but also Windsor, Ottawa, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste.  Marie and even up in Thunder Bay.

I spotted at least two Porter flights from Toronto to Ottawa that were cancelled this morning, as well as three cancelled flights from Montreal to the Island Airport. And the fog down here at the foot of Yonge St. doesn't look all that much better than it did an hour ago.

"There are currently a number of cancellations and delays due to fog," Porter spokesman Brad Cicero said in an email around 9 a.m. "Passengers should monitor their flight status before arriving at the airport. The situation is evolving based on changing weather conditions. No arrivals/departures currently at Toronto City."

It appeared that a couple Air Canada flights from Pearson to Montreal were delayed today, but service appears to be pretty good considering the conditions. Then again, Pearson is pretty far from Lake Ontario.

It looked like things finally cleared up around 11 a.m., which is good. I'm sure the folks at the Island Airport were glad to get things cleared up, but no doubt it was a bit of a mess this morning.

All in all, not a great week for travel. The Air Canada pilots are back at work after a weekend where it appeared a significant number of them booked off work. That was good news Monday. But then we found out that Aveos, the company that does Air Canada's maintenance here in Canada, has issued layoff notices to its staff and it appears Air Canada is scrambling to find folks to repair their planes.

Air Canada officials on Monday afternoon insisted they had contingency plans and that all was pretty much normal. But lawyers for the company said flights could be cancelled and 3,000 passengers affected every day if Aveos doesn’t complete repairs on several planes.

Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. got creditor protection from a Quebec superior court Monday, after laying off 1,800 workers and suddenly halting operations at their three main plants in Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as other facilities, including one in Mississauga.

Three widebody planes and several narrowbody planes remain stranded in Aveos hangars across the country.

Despite the airline’s earlier claims that day-to-day operations would not be affected by the shutdown, Air Canada lawyer Louis Belanger said in court that the next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial in determining if the aircraft repairs can be completed on schedule.

So who's right? I suspect the lawyers know what they're talking about, and their comments came later in the day. But it's still obviously a situation in flux, so we should all be prepared for delays. I have a flight on Saturday morning, so we'll see how that goes.

Anyway, it's been quite the week already. I mean, pilot book-offs. Maintenance issues. Fog. All we need is a plague of locusts to descend on Air Canada's headquarters in Montreal and it'll be a perfect storm.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Here's a good deal for a weekend getaway from jaunt.ca; a night at the White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where the flowers should be out even more than here in Toronto. Here's the deal:

• One night's accommodation in a Superior Room with one king or two double beds:
  • For $219, stay Sunday-Friday nights
  • For $250, stay Saturday nights
• Wi-Fi access in-room
• One $100 resort credit to use towards any White Oaks amenities, including restaurants and spa
• A wine tasting for two at Peller Estates
• Guest membership to The Club at White Oaks
• Facility fee
• A complimentary welcome gift upon arrival

Offer Details

• Valid for travel until June 30, 2012
• Based on double occupancy (2 people per room).
• Offer is subject to hotel availability

 

 

Vancouver rocks the Trip Advisor 2012 hotel awards ... World hotel prices rising

Either nobody who uses Trip Advisor comes to Toronto, or our hotels really suck in this town.

Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration. And I know that we have some mighty fine hotels in the T-dot. But, hoo boy, does British Columbia ever take us to the woodshed on the new Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice hotel ratings for Canada. Ditto for Quebec.

The newest ratings, out a couple days ago with little fanfare, show the top-rated hotel in the true north, according to Trip Advisor site users, is L'Hermitage in Vancouver (see photo below right). "Sublime," wrote a woman, Laura C., from Calgary. "Everything seems to be on a more human scale. The rooms are excellent. The service is brilliant. Nothing is rushed.”

In second spot was Auberge Le Vincent in Quebec, followed by Echo Valley Ranch and Spa in B.C. and Sonora Resort on Sonora Island in B.C., which apparently you reach by helicopter (la and dee and dah). Gotta admit I'd never heard of it, but it looks impressive on paper/web.

B.C. took the 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 spots in the top 10. Quebec had #2 and #10. Ontario? Our first mention was way down at 16, the Harbour House in Niagara-on-the-Lake (which always seems to get top ratings for some reason). Next from Ontario was Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, a deserving number 18, followed by the Cambridge Suites in Toronto in the 21st spot. It's not fancy, but the rooms are big and it's RIGHT downtown; an ideal family spot. Next was the new Ritz Carlton on Wellington, perhaps the top hotel in Toronto but not affordable for many folks, at #22.

And that was it. No Hazelton. No Thompson. Nothing else for the Big Smoked. And, surprisingly, nothing else for Niagara, at least not in the overall hotel category.

Here's the full top 25 hotel for Canada in case you want to put it on your fridge - or maybe in your birdcage: 1. L'Hermitage, Vancouver, 2. Auberge Le Vincent, Quebec, 3. Echo Valley Ranch and Spa, B.C., 4. Sonora Resort, B.C., 5. Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver, 6. Opus Vancouver, 7. Wedgewood Hotel and Spa, Vancouver, 8. Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier, North Vancouver, 9. Abigail's Hotel, Victoria, 10. Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City, 11. Hotel Le Clos St. Louis, Quebec City, 12. Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre, B.C., 13. Nita Lake Lodge, B.C., 14. Shangri-La, Vancouver, 15. Four Seasons Whistler, 16. Harbour House, Niagara-on-the-Lake, 17. Magnolia Hotel and Spa, Victoria, 18. Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, Toronto, 19. Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa, B.C., 20. Sundial Boutique Hotel, Whistler, 21. Cambridge Suites, Toronto, 22. Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, 23. Hotel Quintessence, Tremblant, Quebec, 24. Hotel Le Crystal, Montreal, 25. W Hotel, Montreal.

For those keeping score at home, that's 15 for B.C., six for Quebec and four for Ontario. Notice there's nothing for Banff or Jasper or Calgary/Edmonton and nothing for the prairies in general and nothing east of Quebec City.

I do wonder about these things. I understand the fancy spots such as the Ritz are going to suffer from a site such as Trip Advisor, which is built on mass appeal. And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's kinda refreshing that they also do budget hotels and other categories. It's just that it seems awfully skewed, in this category, to Vancouver and B.C. Great places but there's not a chance that they have 60 per cent of the top hotels in Canada. Fifty eight or fifty nine? Maybe. But not 60.

The Cairns Motel in Summerside PEI (we wrote about it in the Star last year) came in at number one for bargain hotels in Canada. But at least Ontario was number five (the High Falls Motel and Cabins in Wawa). And Ontario was tops in the relaxation and spa category, with top honours falling (deservedly) to Ste. Anne's Spa in Grafton (see photo at left).

Ontario also fared well in the B and B/Inns category, with the two through five spots all inside the province (Britaly Bed and Breakfast, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Greystone Manor, Niagara Falls, La Toscana di Carlotta Niagara-on-the-Lake and Accomodations Niagara Bed and Breakfast, Niagara Falls).

SPEAKING OF HOTELS, MAYBE YOU SHOULD BOOK NOW

An item I spotted on travelmole.com (the European/UK edition) says global hotel rates rose by an average of four per cent in 2011. Hotels.com gathered information from 142,000 properties in more than 85 countries for their study, which shows some pretty remarkable and wild swings.

Asia, which is quite affordable in most cases already, found a two per cent dip in prices. Tunisia was down nine per cent due to political problems, while rooms in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh were down a whopping 30 per cent. Amsterdam hotel rates jumped nine per cent, while rooms in Venice and Barcelona rooms went up an average of eight per cent. Prices skyrocketed by 40 per cent in Ibiza (I have no idea why), but they fell 10 per cent in Athens.

The study said US hotel rates went up by an average of three per cent  in 2011, but the rise was steeper in some American cities, with San Francisco up 14 per cent and Las Vegas rising 11 per cent. Average prices rose 13 per cent in Australia last year and there was a 12 per cent increase in New Zealand, fuelled by the Rugby World Cup.

GENE SIMMONS ROCK AND BREWS RESTAURANT - SOUNDS TRULY AWFUL

Gene Simmons of KISS fame (horrible band, I think) is partnering with some restaurant folks and a concert promoter to develop something truly horrible sounding: Rock & Brews. It's labelled as a backstage beer garden, and I haven't a clue what that means except there's talk of capturing the excitement of rock concerts, along with "The Great Wall of Rock" with posters and rock shows on flat screen TV's.

Okay, it might be halfway decent as long as they ABSOLUTELY FORBID showing anything by KISS, AC/DC or Rush.

The first one (OMG, they may have more???) will be in El Segundo, California - south of LAX. More are planned for Denver, Atlanta, Lahaina Maui (please, no), Tokyo and Los Cabos in Mexico.

Haven't we been through all this with Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood? And don't you wonder if a place with Simmons' name on it will have tongue on the menu?

 

 

 

Costa Allegra cruise fire and Puerto Vallarta robbery should mean good deals

Minutes after I sent out a Twitter message yesterday about how a bunch of Carnival Cruise ship passengers were robbed near Puerto Vallarta the other day, I got a note from a savvy friend of mine.

"Good time to book that Puerto Vallarta trip, doncha think?"

It may sound a little cold, but he's absolutely right. The best time to book a trip often is right after an incident such as this. Call it a BNB if you like, Bad News Bargain, but that's often the way things work in life.

The papers have been rife lately with great cruise deals, seeing as so many people were scared by the deaths of passengers on the Costa ship that struck land off Italy a few weeks back. Then came word yesterday that another Costa Cruise ship, the Allegra (see photo), was adrift off the Seychelles Islands after a fire onboard knocked out power to the engines. ABC News had some fun with the issue, stating that the accident left the ship without power in the "pirate-infested" Indian Ocean.

(Costa is owned by Carnival, which means Carnival got a double hit yesterday; the Puerto Vallarta robbery and the Allegra fire. Oh, sorry, make that a triple hit. Two Carnival Corp. ships were turned away from docking in Argentina because they had stopped earlier in the Falkland Islands, still the subject of dispute between Argentina and Britain.)

So you have to think that cruises are going to remain attractive, from a price standpoint, for a little while longer. Puerto Vallarta, too, will have to work harder in the next few weeks to overcome the robbery.

Hey, you want a REALLY great deal? Maybe you can find a cruise departing from Puerto Vallarta! That's a double bad-news-bargain if I ever saw one.

Actually, just for fun, I went onto the Costa Cruise website this morning and found some pretty great-sounding deals. One cruise, called Mexican Magic, is a 10-day affair that departs Miami on March 18 and goes to Nassau, Grand Turks Bahamas, Ocho Rios in Jamaica, Cozumel in Mexico, Belize and Roatan (Honduras). The website has a starting price of $1,889 crossed out and replaced with $699 - a 63 per cent discount. It's for two people in an undoubtedly small cabin, but if you do the math you're looking at $70 a night for a room per person and all the food you can eat. An even crazier deal is the Costa Caribbean, Spain, Portugal trip that's 15 days (departing March 5, mind you) and is being discounted from $2,449 to $749. That's less than $50 per night per person, although you'd have to pay to get to Guadeloupe in the Caribbean to take advantage. The Mexican Magic deal is better, probably, as it's far cheaper to fly Toronto to Miami.

Either way, there are obviously some great deals to be had out there.

The powerless Allegra and its 1,000 passengers and crew is being towed by a French fishing vessel to the Seychelles Islands, according to wire reports. Helicopters are said to be bringing in food, satellite phones and shortwave radios. The ship isn't expected to make land until Thursday morning.

One report I saw today said the ship originally was headed to the small island of Desroches (see photo). But it was decided that wouldn't work as it's a small island and there wouldn't be any way to moor the ship or get guests onto the land in a proper fashion. Desroches is a favourite holiday island for Prince William and Kate Middleton and has one luxury resort with 48 rooms and villas, costing about $1,500 per night. As if Costa needs that kind of bill....

The ship now is headed to Mahe island in the Seychelles, according to ABC News.

A story at www.travelmarketreport.com expanded on the situation with Carnival and the problems in Mexico.

"The latest Carnival troubles came on the heels of news that 22 passengers on the Carnival Splendor were robbed during a shore excursion in Puerto Vallarta last week.

There were no injuries, but the armed assailant made off with cash, cameras, jewelry and other valuables. The specific tour was the City Tour & Tropical Jungle Escape.

All the guests returned safely to the ship and disembarked Sunday in Long Beach, Calif., following the weeklong Mexican Riviera sailing.

In the Mexico incident, Carnival issued a statement saying that "numerous authorities were notified and responded to investigate, as well as assist the affected guests. The tour in question has been suspended until further notice."

Yeah, I guess so.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Looking for a quick getaway? Check out www.jaunt.ca for a night at The Glenerin Inn in Mississauga. For $119 you get a night's accomodation for two in a traditional room, plus a "scrumptious breakfast" for two and a $40 spa credit. The deal is valid for travel until Aug. 31 but May is blacked out. It's a $302 value, so you're getting a huge savings.

Jaunt.ca also has getaway deals for Niagara Falls, Quebec, New York and more....

 

 

 

 

 

Great spots to think about for a spring holiday this year

Nice item from Christine Sarkis at SmarterTravel.com, listing places folks can go for a reasonably priced spring holiday.

Because of our winters, we Canadians tend to travel a lot in January, February and March. And a lot of families do Disney World or other trips in the summer, when the kids have more time out of school. Consequently, a lot of us tend to stay home in April and May, and that means there are some pretty good deals - and often less crowds.

April and May are awesome times to visit Europe; as the massive tourist hordes haven't yet descended. The weather is decent in places like Paris and London in spring. It can be downright glorious in southern Europe; often near 20 degrees during the day.

Here are the spots Sarkis recommends, with the odd thought of my own as I veg out on a beach on the Mayan Riviera on a short holiday...

PORTUGAL The average hotel for spring is said to be about $100 in this country, and that's remarkable. Heck a chain hotel in Belleville is likely to cost you that much. And when you wake up and stumble outside you're in Belleville and not at a small cafe in Lisbon. The city of Guimaraes is the European Capital of Culture for 2012, meaning plenty of exhibits and concerts and such. Great golf and lovely beaches and superb wine in this affordable European haven, as well.

ORLANDO Okay, not quite as exotic. But with Disney, Legoland and the Harry Potter park at Universal, there's tons to do. Also, the food and drinks scene is surprisingly sophisticated, and the shopping is excellent. The beach isn't far away, either. Sarkis wrote that Disney Resorts has a 30 per cent off deal for April 13 to June 4 if booked by Feb. 28. I haven't had time to check it out but it would be worth noodling about on the Internet for shoulder-season deals in Orlando. Oh, don't forget the great golf at a time when Ontario golf is still something of a dicey affair from a weather standpoint.

SEATTLE A bit far away for us, but if you're visiting Vancouver it's a great side trip. Lovely food and a great waterfront for moseying about. Not to mention fine wines grown in state and great brewpubs, and, of course, Pike's Market. There are a couple major shows for culture lovers, too; a Gauguin exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum through April 29 and a Tutankhamun exhibit at the Pacific Science Center starting May 24.

HAWAII A personal fave for four decades, it's a great spot in the spring as crowds have thinned considerably. You can almost always find a clean, decent room in a hotel near Waikiki Beach in Honolulu for $100, and often for $80 or less. Food and wine can be expensive at trendy waterfront spots but if you eat a little further inland you can eat well for very little money in a city that's a real melting pot of Asian cultures. Terrific Chinese, Japanese and Thai places, plus touches of Portugal and, of course, American cuisine. Sarkis says Pleasant Holidays is offering 3-night packages from San Diego or San Francisco for $555, and that's a great deal. You could fly to San Diego or San Francisco for a few days, then soak up the sun in Hawaii before returning home to Canada. Check WestJet or Air Canada vacations for other deals, or the other Canadian tour companies.

PUERTO RICO Not a lot of Canadians head here, but I'm told that's changing a little. San Juan has beautiful, historic streets with colourful buildings and a gorgeous waterfront fort. The beaches are lovely and you also can find stunning rainforests and, if you wish, casinos.

A few other ideas worth thinking about include the Florida Panhandle, which warms up nicely by April. Ditto for Myrtle Beach, which is easy to reach via Porter Airlines. Washington D.C. or New York are great for culture. And the weather is usually terrific in southern California by the time the calendar hits April.

The Greek islands can be terrific in May. Ditto for South America, where it'll be fall.

Want to venture a little further? It'll be fall in New Zealand and Australia and a lot of tourists have gone home to the U.S., Canada or Europe, so it's a good time to check out either country at more affordable prices than their summer (our winter).

And don't forget Canada. The weather starts warming up nicely out west in April, so it's a great time for Vancouver or Victoria. Ditto for Montreal or Quebec City, especially as we get closer to May. Or just settle in for a great weekend in Niagara-on-the-Lake or a spa weekend or one-night stay at someplace romantic, such as Ste. Anne's Spa in Grafton, Ontario; very close to the GTA and a real sanctuary.

Enjoy! I'll be back with my nose to the old blog grindstone on Monday....

 

 

 

 

Great Places in Canada: vote now ... Caribou antler snow goggles for Will & Kate

There's only a month to go in the "Great Places in Canada" contest, and communities across the land are vying for attention.

Among the categories up for grabs are favourite street, favourite neighbourhood and top public space. And there's competition from all over Canada.

Folks down in Niagara-on-the-Lake, usually a tad reserved you know, are pushing for Queen Street to be named Canada's top street. I think it's ridiculous to suggest a highway should be known as a great street, but Alberta folks are suggesting Icefields Parkway should get some votes. Come on guys. Even in Alberta you understand what an urban street is, right?

Other streets making a mark in the voting, I'm told, are High Street in Grand Falls-Windsor Newfoundland, Yonge St. here in Toronto (too easy), Main Street in Summerland, B.C. and the Niagara River Parkway, which falls under the same, if less spectactular, category as the Icefields Parkway in that it's not really an urban street.

I'm surprised not to see Main Street Vancouver or Fourth Ave. in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver in the running. But perhaps folks out there are too busy weeding their tulip patches, or gunning to stop the Kitimat pipeline, which sounds increasingly like a worthy environmental cause the more I read about it.

Toronto's Parkdale is currently in first place for top neighbourhood.

"Parkdale is the dynamic and inclusive community I am proud to represent," said city councillor Gord Perks, who's a very earnest and decent chap as I recall from my days at City Hall. "The secret is out ... it's one of the best places in Canada."

Victoria Park in Kitchener currently is one of the top ranked nominations for Canada's Great Neighbourhood, as is Plateau Mont-Royal in Montreal; a very worthy nominee. Roncesvalles Village is getting some votes, too, which makes sense. I just spotted a story in the paper this morning on The Ace bar on Roncesvalles, and it looks like a spot worth trying.

Mayor Gregor Robertson of Vancouver is pushing the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese garden as the top public space. Also gunning for that honour is Botanical Beach in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park near Renfrew, B.C. Oooh - a B.C. bun fight!!

There are 33 nominations so far, and they've collectively received some 3,400 votes. Nominations can be made until Jan. 31, and voting takes place until Feb. 29. Judges will decide on semi-finalists in early April and announce the winners in late April of this year. People's Choice awards also will be made in each of the three categories.

Go to www.greatplacesincanada.com to make a nomination or vote, or simply to follow along.

WEIRD GIFTS FOR ROYAL COUPLE

I love these stories about strange gifts that people give to visitors. None are better than what Will and Kate got when they made their trips to Canada, Australia and New Zealand after their marriage in 2011.

Someone in Australia (I presume with a sense of humour) gave Prince William a jar of vegemite, and how awesome is that? In Canada, the prince and the Duchess of Cambridge were given a pair of "caribou antler snow goggles," surely perfect for a night on the town in London. Someone gave Kate a tartan fascinator, which I think Don Cherry might want to wear some night on Coach's Corner. The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also gave Kate three pairs of shoes, although I can't imagine why. The governor-general gave her a quilt, which seems a little more practical.

In a touching note, folks in Christchurch gave Prince William some rubble from the Christchurch earthquake, as he visited following the earthquake last February.

Prince Charles went to Portugal last year and got a bottle of port (I'm sure he used it quickly), and four bottles of olive oil. The Spanish government gave him a cured ham, which he undoubtedly had trouble getting past British Customs owing to the UK Ham Protection Act, which designates that "only hams made in Berkshire by Englishmen of certain heritage who swear the European Union is the sworn enemy of mankind may be allowed to be consumed within the borders of glorious Britain. Said Englishmen also must agree that it's remarkably improper for the Americans to have let Meryl Streep make a movie in which she dares to play the role of the Most Dearly Beloved Margaret Thatcher, and by the way any self-respecting Brit could tell the accent's dead wrong."

PORTER GOES TO WASHINGTON

Good for Porter Airlines for announcing a sixth U.S. destination on Wednesday. The aggressive, Toronto-based airline says it will begin flying from Toronto's Billy Bishop Island airport to Washington Dulles International on April 16.

"Greater Washington is a region that our passengers have told us is their number one priority for new Porter service," Porter president and CEO Robert Deluce said in a press release. "We expect great interest for both business and leisure trips and look forward to bringing competition to the route."

Amen to that.

JAUNT.CA DEAL

Jaunt.ca is offering a great deal for an overnight getaway to the lovely Fairmont Chateau Montebello in Quebec. For $119 you get a night's stay, plus a $25 spa credit.For $238 enjoy two nights, a $25 spa credit, a $25 Food and beverage credit and a $25 activities credit (good for snowmobile, ATV (All-terrain vehicle) and curling).

The deal is valid Jan. 15 to April 30 but some blackout dates apply. See www.jaunt.ca for details on this and other getaways, including downtown Toronto and Niagara, where you can go check out what the fuss is all about with Queen Street.

 

 

 

 

Good news for airlines ... Trump T.O. opens soon, so where's the Donald?

Good news reported this week for Canadian airlines as the recovery (for now) continues. Porter Airlines said it flew a record 2.1 million folks last year, up from 1.56 million in 2010. They also reported a December load factor of 63.9 per cent, up 1.5 percentage points from December, 2010.

The overall numbers are quite good and the load factor increase is nice, but Porter still doesn't have anywhere near the load factors of the big boys. WestJet announced it flew a record 1.4 million passengers in December and had a load factor of 80.9 per cent; its second highest figure ever for December. Just to keep some perspective, WestJet in December flew almost as many "guests" as Porter did in all of 2010.

Air Canada? They reported a load factor of 81 per cent in December, up just a bit from the 80.8 figure of December, 2010. Analysts expect the airlines to do relatively well in 2012 unless fuel costs spiral again or the European economic crisis suddenly worsens, which it showed signs of doing on Thursday.

DONALD, WHERE ARE YOU?

Geez, shouldn't we be seeing giant billboards of The Donald in downtown T.O. by now? Or an appearance on Much Music or something?

Last I heard, the Trump Toronto condo/hotel tower was to open here in the Big Smoke on Jan. 31. That's only three weeks from now, less or more, but there's been precious little publicity about the hotel, which will have 261 rooms, a huge spa on the 31st floor, 24-hour concierge service, a highly anticipated restaurant called STOCK, and lots more.

It's at Bay and Adelaide and, with 65 floors, will be Canada's tallest residential building.

Certainly there appears to be some serious anticipation of the hotel's opening. Forbes.Com this week published a list of the "Ten Most Anticipated Hotel Openings of 2012," and Trump Toronto was #2, right behind the soon-to-open St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort outside Miami. The St. Regis is a beachfront property with a Jean-Georges Vongerichten-created restaurant and a Remede Spa, as well as private oceanfront cabanas.

Also on the "anticipation" list:

- The Conrad in New York  (another new property in bustling lower Manhattan, this time near Battery Park - wonder if it'll give the Ritz-Carlton a run for its money).

- The (renovated) Park Hyatt Sydney, with new furnishing and lighting and a new spa. I stayed there a year and-a-half ago and loved it; especially the views of the Opera House.

- The W Hotel Paris Opera - The W brand's debut in France comes on, wait for it, Valentine's Day!

- The St. Regis Mauritius Resort - the first St. Regis property in Africa will be on the lovely island of Mauritius

- Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg- a little Canadian content here, as the Four Seasons opens its first hotel in Russia. It's supposed to open in May with a grand staircase, two signature restaurants and a glass-topped spa with Russian-style saunas.

- Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou - This southern Chinese city is going gangbusters in terms of tourism and hotels.

- The ME London - From the Spanish company Melia, it's one of several new spots opening in time for the London Olympics, which begin July 27. The ME is being built in the Aldwych area of town.

- The James Royal Palm - Another new/old property (see photo), this one in Miami. Steps from the beach and from Ocean Drive.

 

Maldives denies its spas are brothels/UK flight delays today/Jaunt.ca deal of day

We all know about sex tourism in some parts of the world. Sad to say, it's been happening for decades if not centuries.

People talk about Bangkok as if it's some sort of Sin City. And I guess it can be if you go to certain areas. But I was there last year and didn't see a sign of anything funny, at least not in the neighbourhoods I visited.

On the other hand, it seemed Vietnam was overrun with massage parlours that offered a lot more; with frequent cries of "Hey, you want boom boom?" every time I walked past a massage place that looked innocent enough on the outside.

Now, the folks in the Maldives - those famous, low-lying, exotic islands off the south coast of India - are having problems. Last week, the tourism ministry instructed resort hotels across the nation's coral islands to close all spas and health centres offering beauty treatments and massages, according to the AFP news agency. Officials believe some or many of the centres are actually fronts for prostitution.

Now, it could very well be that this is true. Although I'd have to say it's not terribly economic. The Maldives are hard to get to and resorts tend to be pretty expensive, especially compared to Vietnam or Thailand.

Anyway, tourism officials are up in arms over the closing order issued by the government.

"Sex tourism definitely does not happen in the resorts," said Sim Ibrahim, head of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry. Ibrahim said the spas are critical to the resorts, which, in turn, are hugely important to the local economy.

UK WEATHER TURNS UGLY

It's not just Toronto that's suddenly in the middle of some weather issues. Over in the UK, they're having all sorts of problems today with Old Man Winter.

Many UK airports are facing major cancellations and delays today, including London Heathrow and London's Gatwick airport, as well as Glasgow. All incoming flights were cancelled into Edinburgh at one point Tuesday morning, with limited departures.

It's bad for folks heading to the UK, of course. But also bad for anyone using Heathrow or Gatwick for a connection.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Feel like you need a rest from Christmas and New Year's? Jaunt.Ca (www.jaunt.ca) is offering a "Learn, Cook, Wine and Dine" package in lovely Prince Edward County, just a few minutes east of Toronto. It's a real hotbed for wine and top-notch cuisine these days. The deal is for $349 for one night or $449 for two nights and includes accommodation for two in a Premium Lodge Room or Suite at the Waring House Restaurant, Inn, Cookery School and Spa in Picton; offering luxurious surroundings and featuring geo-thermal heating, solar power and other eco-friendly features and a "one-of-a-kind cooking school and dining experience" for Jaunt subscribers with Cookery School Director Chef Jordon McGinnis where students will learn to prepare a 4-course meal and how to correctly pair food and wine, and then get to eat their meal complete with wine. There's also a full, hot hot breakfast for two (Sunday morning breakfast will be upgraded to a full Sunday buffet breakfast) and a $25 dining voucher valid at Amelia's Garden Restaurant on site (only valid for 2-night stay option).

COME FOR THE LOUSY WEATHER - TRUTH IN ADVERTISING OUT WEST

Here's a nice bout of honesty. Folks in Oregon know they get terrible storms in the winter. There are great golf courses on the Oregon coast, including Bandon Dunes and others, and there are wonderful beaches. But it tends to rain a lot in winter, with big, rolling waves and heavy rains off the Pacific.

Rather than fight it, Oregon resorts are now encouraging people to come for the rotten weather.

It makes sense. It's also something they've doing for years up in Tofino, where the renowned Wickaninnish Inn has great rooms overlooking a wild beach, plus a dining room with huge panes of glass right near the water. It's a great place to sit by the fire and watch the action, or, for braver souls, donning a rain slicker or three and some big old boots and going for a stroll on the sand.

I don't know about Oregon, but the Wickaninnish has a hugely impressive clothes and boot drying system so you can be sure you're not stepping into soggy footwear or slipping into a clammy coat.

It's not for me, but rooms are a lot cheaper in winter than in the lovely, long days of summer....

GRENADA SAFE FOR TOURISTS?

It always happens after a high-profile crime; the quick proclamation that all is well and for people to, as the man says in the Wizard of Oz, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

Such is the case in Grenada. In case you missed it, a Canadian resident who was born in Grenada went for a visit last week and got involved in an altercation with police and later died. Two police officers have been charged in the death of Oscar Bartholomew.

Grenada tourism types have been quick to try to quash any concerns from tourists, who play a huge role in the island economy.

"From the perspective of visitor safety, and in comparison to other tourist-dependent nations of the world, Grenada still is - and will continue to be - an extremely safe destination for travelers from around the world," said Tourism Minister Peter David.

Likely it's probably even safer today than it was a week ago given the adverse publicity. But I'm sure the incident has had an effect on people making plans for winter travel.