December 2008 Archives

Jane loves New York. But for the longest time, Jane couldn't afford to go to New York, thanks to the city's lack of affordable, mid-priced properties and its sky high hotel rates. During the city's halcyon days, the combination of international travelers cashing in on a weak dollar and business travelers experiencing the high life caused hotels to sell out at $400, $600, $800 a night--no questions asked. When Jane tried to book one of the few decent economy hotels in the city last May, she found rooms going for more than $350 a night.

Business travelers in Britain go batty over buffling. What's buffling, you ask? Well, it's most certainly not what bison do during mating season. No, dear reader, the term refers to business phrases that sound good, but are actually meaningless or useless. According to a YouGov survey commissioned by business traveler-friendly Ramada Encore hotels, the most hated buffling phrase in the United Kingdom is thinking outside of the box. Touch base is number two and at the end of the day comes in third. Among the other dreaded phrases are many Britishisms unknown in the American vernacular. There's blue sky thinking and thought shower and flag it up. Jane can guess what the first two mean, but has no idea what flag it up conveys. The survey also revealed that nearly half of working Britons (49 per cent) think buffling is on the rise in the workplace primarily because employees want to impress their bosses.

Last week, Jane reported on how many midscale and economy hotels offer a wider selection of free amenities than standard business-class hotels or resorts. She thought it odd--that hotels with room rates under $100 could actually offer more freebies than their upscale counterparts charging upwards to $200 or $300 a night. But during the past week, dear reader, Jane has discovered a way to get the best of both worlds--a stay at a fancy hotel plus the freebies. And now, she will share the wealth.

It's been a tough year for business travelers, what with rising airfares, fees, fees, fees and fuel prices that reached upwards of $4.00 a gallon. And then, just as gas prices were coming down, the stock market tanked. But the business traveler does have a few things for which she can be thankful. So, as we enter the holiday season, let's count our travel blessings.

Last week, Jane ranted about all of those new airline fees. What Jane finds so interesting is that as airlines are continually adding fees for everything from food to fuel, many hotels are dropping fees for all sorts of amenities and are actually giving things away for free. You'll find this phenomenon particularly entrenched in the economy and midscale sectors of the hotel industry, where things like free local telephone calls, free copies of USA Today, and free breakfasts are becoming the norm.