The Gnome vs the Negotiator

[news flash] The Gnome and Negotiator are going head-to-head!

I'm surprised it took this long, but on Monday of this week, Travelocity added "top secret hotels" to its suite of travel booking products in a move to directly compete with 'blind-booking' travel giants Priceline and Hotwire.

Expedia, Travelocity, Hotwire and Priceline are constantly ranked within the top 10 travel 'agency' websites and always jockeying for the top position.   With this in mind, it  makes sense that Travelocity would attempt to take market share away from two of its biggest competitors, offering a similar service.

I'm sure Travelocity plans on beefing up this service, but at present, you can only book 'top secret hotels' in 34 US cities (expanded from 18 earlier this week) and 3 Canadian cities--and this doesn't even include Vancouver, a city basking in the Olympic spotlight.

In the past I've written about how to determine what hotel you're going to get when you book with Priceline and Hotwire via BetterBidding.com**. Although I like the element of surprise, I also like the logic behind Better Bidding's ability to predict your hotel 99% of the time.  Unless Travelcity is using the same back-end as Priceline and Hotwire, because of the infancy of Travelocity's top secret hotel service, I won't be able to guesstimate what hotel I'll get with accuracy.

Moral of the story a) understand why travelocity is trying to compete with priceline and hotwire b) for now, would prefer to stick with sites who have been perfecting the blind-booking business model for 10+ years unless travelocity has significantly better savings or some other incentive to switch c) i love using betterbidding.com to figure out my hotel; can't do that with travelocity's new service because it is too young

How Travelocity's 'Top Secret Hotels' Works - search hotels rates already discounted up to 45% - choose a date and location - browse hotels that fit search criteria showing price and star-rating - book what works for you - hotel’s name and details provided after payment is given

*Traveolcity notes that their 'top secret hotels' are backed by their guarantee, which could be in the consumer's advantage in the event of a dispute.  Earlier this year, I booked an airport hotel in Milan via Hotwire.  Although the hotel was only two miles from the airport in a straight line, the roads from the hotel to the airport were convoluted, resulting in 20+ mins of travel time.  This is not acceptable for an airport hotel, and when I disputed the matter with Hotwire, they would not change my booking.

**Note that BetterBidding.com is working on demystifying results for Travelocity's Top-Secret Hotels just like it does for Hotwire and Priceline.

Virgin's Fly Girls Hit the Airwaves

Travel TV + Reality TV = CW's New Show Fly Girls

Premiering tonight on CW, a group of 5 female Virgin America Airlines flight attendants will strut their stuff on camera as they travel from coast to coast.  But the show won't just feature the girls' work lives, it will also follow their personal endeavors as well.  In true reality show form, living together in an LA 'crash' pad will undoubtedly up the show's drama content.

I think these lines from the show's promo are bound to set the tone for the entire series: "when you live your life at 500mph"..."you're only on the ground long enough to take-off tomorrow."  Although the show (or should I say 'concept') has already incurred some criticism--on the CW show forum of all places--I think it will be interesting and I look forward to watching.

Watching Fly Girls - In the USA, CW network, Wednesdays, 9/8c - In Canada, it is available on CW affiliates, 9

PS - just read an excellent New York Mag article about last night's Fly Girls episode from the perspective of a flight attendant. The comments are insightful.

PPS - After watching the first episode, I think I'm hooked.  Yes, it is drama-infused, yes it appears there will be an Omarosa-like villain, yes it dials-up the sex factor, but isn't that the recipe for reality tv?  Granted, it does have some interesting redeeming qualities like industry insight,  interesting characters and destination profiles.

Travel iPhone Apps :: World Fact Book

Don't fall into the tacky tourist category and fail to learn about your destination before traveling!  Help uphold the integrity of travel and build your knowledge by doing a little research before you set-off on your adventure.

Although the handy World Fact Book App isn't be the be-all and end-all of information--it's pretty high-level--it's an excellent starting point for learning about a country before you arrive.  And because it downloads to your iPhone/iTouch, finding country details anytime,  anywhere is simple.

World Book App Details

• free
• completely downloads to your device
• provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transport, military and transnational issues for 266 world entities
• scroll through country pictures

Other Travel iPhone Apps we've Reviewed

• AAA/CAA Savings
• Royal Caribbean
• Tourism British Columbia :: Near Me BC
• Postman Postcard
• 2010 Guide
• Nat'l Geo World Atlas
• hostelworld.com
• kayak first class
• flight control (game)

Travel and Wine Transport

I can't count the amount of times I've wanted to bring back wine from Europe, South America or the US and given up.  With a lack of wine transporting solutions at my fingertips, I wasn't about to risk wrapping a Bordeaux in my newly-purchased sweater and hoping it wouldn't get jostled and explode in my bag. No thanks.

Then I read about the eco-friendly VinniBag, and got very excited. Debuting in early March at the Travel Goods Association Show, this inflatable wine bottle protector allows you to bring home your prized bottle of wine (or balsamic, or olive oil, or an awkward travel purchase) knowing it will arrive secure and intact.

VinniBag - $24.95 - reusable travel bag - inflatable air chambers that protect and insulate wine bottles, other liquids, and fragile items - designed to provide superior protection against impact and leakage - stores flat, rolled or folded when not in use

Other Options - three-bottle italian leather tote ($99.95) - styrofoam wine containers ($4.20 - min qty 5) - some people--even wine writers--swear by putting wine in a sock, wrapping in a used t-shirt, putting in the laundry bag provided by the hotel and placing in a secure place in their suitcase - go old-school and bring bubble-wrap and tape with you (and still wrap in a bag for good measure) - use the cardboard box provided by the wine shop or winery and pack it in a secure place in your suitcase

Carry-on liquid restrictions and checked-bag weight restrictions do not make wine transport easy, but we soldier on because savoring that hard-to-come-by Pinot once you're home makes transporting it all worth while.

The Wild Web of Hotel Affiliations

Ok, so I realize the below post is a little long and information-heavy, but it's also easily scan-able.

knowledge is power.  What I mean by this is the more you know about hotels and their affiliations, the more... a) strategy you can use to accumulate points with one provider b) save with benefits like free stays, room upgrades, restaurant/spa vouchers c) you'll get recognized and taken care of as a loyal customer.

Similar to accumulating points with airline alliances like Star Alliance or One World, when choosing a preferred hotel group to cozy-up to, consider: a) size - the bigger the group, the more hotel types and destinations offered b) lux level - do you prefer only 4 + 5 star properties, or do you like a mix c) where you travel - some hotel groups favor different continents than others

Marriott Marriott International is a lodging company with more than 3,000 properties in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Their brands include: [Marriott's loyalty program: Marriott Rewards] - Marriott Hotels & Resorts - JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts - Renaissance Hotels & Resorts - EDITION Hotels - Autograph Collection - Courtyard by Marriott - Residence Inn by Marriott - Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott - Marriott Conference Centers - TownePlace Suites by Marriott - SpringHill Suites by Marriott - Marriott Vacation Club - The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. - The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club - Marriott ExecuStay - Marriott Executive Apartments

Starwood One of the world's largest hotel and leisure companies, Starwood's hotel portfolio includes approximately 942 hotels with 285,000 rooms in 100 countries.  Their brands include: [Starwood's loyalty program: Starwood Preferred Guest] - Le Meridien - The Luxury Collection - Westin - W - Sheraton - St. Regis - Element - Four Points - ALoft

Hilton In 1919 Conrad Hilton purchased his first hotel in Cisco, Texas. Since then, Hilton has grown to over 514 properties in cities all over the world. Yes, Paris Hilton is part of 'the' Hiltons. Their brands include: [Hilton's loyalty program: HHonors] - Waldorf Astoria Collection (see full list below) - Conrad Hotels and Resorts - Hilton - DoubleTree - Embassy Suites - Hilton Garden Inn - Hampton - Homewood Suites - Home2

Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation is a global hospitality company with over 424 properties in 45 countries worldwide. [Hyatt's loyalty program: Hyatt Gold Passport] - Hyatt Regency - Park Hyatt - Hyatt Place - Hyatt Summerfield Suites

InterContinental The world's first international hotel brand with a portfolio of  over 150 hotels in 65 countries. [Intercontinental's loyalty program: Intercontinental Ambassador] - InterContinental - Crown Plaza Hotels and Resorts - Hotel Indigo - Holiday Inn - Holiday Inn Express - Staybridge Suites - Candlewood Suites

Fairmont Raffles Hotels International With the opening of the Fairmont San Francisco in 1907, this luxury global hotel company was born and continues to grow with a strong presence in Canada, the US and 50+ other destinations worldwide. [Fairmont's loyalty program: Fairmont President's Club] - Fairmont - Raffles - Swissotel

Four Seasons Synonymous with luxury (and frequent US Weekly celebrity sightings), Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has over 83 properties in 35 countries. [Four Seasons's loyalty program: unpublished and by invitation only] - Four Seasons

Waldorf Astoria (owned by Hilton) - ARIZONA BILTMORE - THE BENTLEY HOTEL - BOCA BEACH CLUB - BOCA RATON RESORT - THE BOULDERS RESORT - CASA MARINA RESORT - DAKOTA MOUNTAIN LODGE & GOLDEN DOOR SPA - EDGEWATER BEACH HOTEL - EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT - EL SAN JUAN HOTEL & CASINO - GRAND WAILEA - LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB - LAS CASITAS RESORT - THE BEACH HOUSE MALDIVES - NAPLES GRANDE BEACH RESORT - QASR AL SHARQ - THE REACH RESORT - ROME CAVALIERI - THE ROOSEVELT NEW ORLEANS - TRIANON PALACE VERSAILLES - WALDORF=ASTORIA