Festive holiday escapes in New England

By Diane Bair and Pamela Wright

 |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENTS  DECEMBER 07, 2013

 

The Inn at Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, Vt. offers a four-night holiday package

Maybe the kids are scattered this year, and you’re not inclined to go all-out decking the halls and concocting a multi-course feast. Or maybe you’d just like to escape the bustle and the traffic and focus on the sweet pleasures of the season, without having to make all the magic happen yourself. You could stay home and watch a continuous loop of “It’s a Wonderful Life” with a giant bowl of red-and-green M&Ms, but there’s another option: a visit to one of New England’s fabulously festive country inns and hotels.

FOR GOOD LITTLE GROWN-UPS

If you’ve been really, really good this year, consider stuffing your stocking with a visit to the luxurious Inn at Round Barn Farm. Set in Waitsfield, Vt., near Sugarbush and Mad River Glen ski resorts, this 12-room inn is offering a “country Christmas package” full of all things merry and bright: four nights’ lodging, breakfast, a gingerbread-making class, a sleigh ride for two, and a $25 shopping coupon (for each guest) at participating stores in Waitsfield village. Oh, and they give you a gift. If Santa brought snow, go for a moonlight snowshoe hike. You’ll likely be so smitten with this renovated 19th-century dairy farmhouse, you’ll make a New Year’s resolution to come back. This four-night package is available until Dec.15- 26; $849 and up. 1661 East War- ren Road, Waitsfield, Vt. 802-496-2276, www.theroundbarn.com

SLEEPOVER AT SANTA’S VILLAGE

 

The Cape Codder Resort celebrates the holiday season with an Enchanted Village, illuminated with more than 100,000 lights.

As a little kid, Diane got lost in a huge department store because she stalked the store Santa as he handed out candy canes. If your kids are similarly Santa-obsessed, they’ll be thrilled with a night at the Cape Codder Resort. Come holiday time, this 257-room Hyannis resort — always big on entertainment — goes the full Santy, with an Enchanted Village illuminated by more than 100,000 lights. Santa’s Village has all the trappings, including animated reindeer, snowmen, and a lifelike St. Nick; they also host appearances by the Cape Cod Surftone carolers on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.

When the kids get revved up on candy canes and Christmas spirit, head to the indoor wave pool, where they can burn off some energy. (For frazzled parents who need a break from the action, there’s the Beach Plum Spa.) Enchanted Village overnight package offered nightly through Dec. 22; from $119 weeknights, $179 Friday and Saturday nights. 1225 Iyannough Road, Hyannis. 855-861-4370,www.capecodderresort.com

ICE AND COASTAL CHARM

 

The Samoset Resort offers plenty of reasons to visit coastal Maine for the holidays, including brunch with Santa and a skating rink.

You might not automatically consider the coast of Maine when you’re making winter travel plans, but Samoset Resort in Rockport hosts a season of merry-making that stretches into January, and culminates with Glacier, a bar made from 18,000 pounds of carved ice.

Recently named one of the Top 20 Resorts in the Northeast by Condé Nast Traveler, this 182-room hotel is all cozy coastal charm in December, when its Holiday Happenings season is in full swing. The family-friendly scene includes brunch with Santa, and the joy of spinning around an ice skating rink (weather permitting), with a bonfire and s’mores supplies at the ready. Guests can cross-country ski or snowshoe on the resort’s waterfront golf course, and warm up in heated pools and hot tubs. Skiing and tubing at Camden Snow Bowl are nearby options.

Come January (weekends of Jan. 17 and 24), the ice bar opens. Carved by the hotel’s executive chef Tim Pierce, a master ice carver, Glacier will feature elaborate sculptures and ice-cold cocktails — and plenty of faux fur throws. From $119. 220 Warrenton St., Rockport, Maine. 800-341-1650,www.samosetresort.com

CELEBRATE IN THE CITY

If you live in the suburbs, an overnight or two in Boston can feel like a vacation. The city is a wonderland of holiday happenings, such as Handel’s “Messiah,” productions of “A Christmas Carol,” Black Nativity, Holiday Pops, and a choice of “Nutcrackers.” And there are activities that cost almost nothing, but will put you in a festive mood instantly, like a walk in the Common to admire the Christmas tree and the giant menorah, and a few whirls around the Frog Pond, followed by hot cocoa and a cup of chowder. If you’ve got shopping to do, it doesn’t get any better than this, whether you’re drawn to the boutiques on Newbury Street, Beacon Hill, and the North End, or the big department stores, funky carts, or discount emporiums in the Back Bay and Downtown Crossing. It can be truly merry when the streets are full of cheery shoppers and the shops glitter with decorations.

In the heart of all this is the Fairmont Copley Plaza, the grand dame that gets even grander for the holidays. From the lavish decor to the towering tree in the lobby, this hotel is a gilded home-away-from-home in December. The Twelve Days of Christmas package, offered Dec. 14-30, includes a holiday CD from the Boston Pops and late (4 p.m.) checkout, from $229. 138 St. James Ave., Boston. 617-267-5300, www.fairmont.com

Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com.

Travel Tech: A Holiday Gift Guide for the Family Traveler

DECEMBER 5, 2013 – 2:00 PM – 0 COMMENTS

By SASCHA ZUGER@Sascha_Zuger

Even if your holiday plans run more traditional, it’s still fun to “tech the halls” to enhance the merriment (and make life on the road easy). Here are a few new gadgets that make great gifts for traveling families.

1. Filip Watch, $199.99/$10 month, myfilip.com

If your holiday travels include busy amusement parks or chaotic holiday celebrations, you could save yourself some serious worry with the new Filip Watch for kids. This one-touch solution to separation anxiety is a wearable parent-to-child cell phone—a smart watch. If scared or unable to find you in a sea of parade-watchers, your kids can also hit a button and the watch will automatically text you their location, record ambient sound, and dial your cell. If you don’t pick up, it will go down the line calling up to five trusted contacts. This allows the child to talk to you without having to be responsible for holding onto a walkie-talkie or phone (which would have to be put aside every time they climb on a ride). You can even set up a distance perimeter and know within seconds if your toddler has wandered or mastered the hotel doorknob.

2. Liquid Image Ski and Snorkel Masks, price varies, liquidimageco.com

One if by land, the other if by sea—whether your holiday plans are tropical or quaintly alpine in nature, you can record your brood and all the sea turtles and octopi, or wicked ski bumps and big air jumps, with these Liquid Image Ski or Snorkel Masks that shoot both stills and video. Great audio and a tiny camera between the eyes directing the shot wherever you naturally look make it foolproof for the wearer. Although high-end models are available for serious divers and mountaineers to capture the family fun, impressive models in a modest price range make this a great gift for the teen shredder or first time snorkeler.

3. Kindle Fire HDX, $379.00, Amazon.com

For some serious kid-minded entertainment, the new Kindle Fire HDX will light up their faces and warm their little tech-loving hearts. Lightweight, 3x faster processing and the optional Origami Case“giftwrap” that folds into a stand (and can even be personalized with a favorite family-travel shot) makes this a wow factor gift. With the ability to download movies (plane and train wi-fi usually don’t support streaming), and a battery “book mode” for 17 hours of reading (11 otherwise)—this 0.31″ tablet makes trips with kids fly by. The Freetime control, which lets you tailor the time and which apps or mode (books or games) each child can enjoy per day, nixes any ideas about ignoring the sights for sites upon arrival.

4. Power Monkey eXtreme, $199.50, magellans.com

After packing light with little more than an adapter for a seven-hour wifi/outlet laden coach trip, only to have the outlet malfunction and an accident turn it into nine hours of… fun… I learned my lesson. The aptly-named Power Monkey eXtreme holds serious power for recharging your t(w)een’s tablet and teen’s phone (at the same time). Bonus for families hitting the great outdoors, sailing, or beach camping: the included solar panels recharge the unit—great if you’re heading somewhere off the beaten path where you don’t trust the electricity (international plugs included).

5. Travelon Waterproof Portfolio for Tablet, travelonbags.com

Sure, with the Travelon Waterproof Portfolio for Tablet, you can take your tech to the pool (it floats) and the beach without salt and sand concerns. And no worries in the humidity of the Amazon. (It’s airtight.) But a well-traveled parent knows a simple bout of turbulence can be just as deadly to a pricy tablet as an Act of God. (Why don’t all airlines have lids for their cups?) Zip your Kindle, iPad, or Nook into this puppy and let the kids go wild without fear of scratches, gummed-up screens, juicebox splashes, or drool destroying your tablet.

6. Smart PJ’s, $29.99, smartpjs.com

If your bags are already hovering at the weight limit and the kids are begging to bring their favorite bedtime storybooks, tech to the rescue. Smart PJ’s are comfy, cute dotted jammies in blue, green, or pink, with a free app that loads a different bedtime story onto your device depending on which set of dots you scan.

7. Lytro Light Field Camera, price varies, lytro.com

Getting t(w)eens enthused about a family trip might be harder to accomplish than making the “nice” list. One surefire way is to give in to their need to connect (with the rest of the online world at least) without disconnecting from your family travel experiences by letting them share their perspective while on the road. The Lytro Light Field Camera understands just how quickly your perspective might change. By recording the entire light field, rather than a static two-dimensional shot, it lets photogs create and share living pictures that can be endlessly refocused by the individual viewer after they are taken. (No more woes over Niall being in the shadows while Harry steals all the focus!) This newest mode of digital storytelling will have all their friends talking. Or at least texting

What Trends Might Disrupt ‘business As Usual’ in 2014? December, 4 2013

• Deloitte

Deloitte 2014 Travel, Hospitality and Leisure Outlook

Looking into 2014, the travel, hospitality and leisure (THL) sector outlook remains positive due to improving demand side drivers. While there is potential for renewed growth both domestically and internationally, companies should consider ways to effectively leverage the power of technology to enhance customer experience. Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman and U.S. Travel, Hospitality and Leisure leader, Deloitte LLP, shares his perspective on the THL industry and some thoughts around managing and growing amid the transformative landscape.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing your industry in the coming year?

Travel, hospitality and leisure companies — seeking growth at home and abroad — look to respond to the challenges of an increasingly multi-channel environment, where options are many and customer loyalty is at a premium. As companies grow, managing a talent pool that ensures superior customer engagement and personalized experience remains a key focus area.

• Attracting and retaining talent: Travel and tourism industry is expected to add more than 70M jobs over the next decade, with two-thirds of those jobs to be created in Asia.1 With this growing global demand and geographic expansion comes the ever-increasing demand for more talent. CEOs will likely be challenged in finding, training, developing and retaining talent. Given the sophistication of international travelers, successful hospitality employees will need to understand how to cater to customers of different cultures. Training and retention of talent will likely require a significant investment from hospitality companies, but is important to success.
• Building customer loyalty during the upturn: Hospitality companies should consider building enduring customer loyalty and delivering a differentiated brand experience during this phase of gradual economic recovery. While many companies appreciate the importance of loyalty programs, only a few have managed to derive significant returns, indicating the need to reengineer loyalty programs.
• Expanding beyond Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC): Although disposable income continues to rise in the BRIC countries, growth in these regions is sluggish.2 Hoteliers should consider focusing on under-utilized, “beyond the BRICs” markets such as Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam, as well as other high-potential countries such as Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Korea, with well developed infrastructure. Still, the BRIC countries continue to provide good growth opportunities for players within various THL sectors, especially China. For example, a number of leading restaurant brands view these markets as key to their future global growth plans.

What trends might disrupt “business as usual” in 2014?While recent health care reform and increased taxes may impact the industry’s profitability in 2014, companies need to be ready as new market opportunities across geographies arise.

• Health care reform likely to increase companies’ costs: The recent health care reform mandates employers to provide health coverage to their full-time employees who log in more than 30 hours per week. This provision comes into effect in 2014 and may lead to cost increases that travel, hospitality and leisure companies should consider in their plans.
• Increased taxes may dampen travelers’ plans: In 2013, the UK government increased the Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax to a maximum £188 per person (vs. £92 in 2012) for long-haul premium flying. Similarly, Spain introduced a nearly 19 percent average hike in airport tax. These higher taxes are expected to be passed on to customers, and could ultimately redound negatively to those U.S. airlines that serve those European markets.
• Potential market opportunities driven by new regulations: Companies should consider planning their market entry strategies as new markets open up, especially in the gaming sector. There are recent developments around legalized gambling in countries such as Japan and Vietnam; when such opportunities materialize, many companies will look to quickly develop the needed infrastructure. In addition, several Asian countries such as Taiwan, Philippines and South Korea are building casino resorts to position themselves as popular gaming destinations (similar to what Macau did in the past decade) to attract tourists.

What are some steps companies can take to foster innovation and/or growth?Digital innovations and social media play an increasingly important role as hospitality, airline, leisure and other companies look for ways to engage customers and build long-term relationships. Many companies are deploying analytics tools to gain insights about consumer preferences — and deliver a differentiated experience — which could eventually motivate customers to visit frequently, stay longer and spend more.

Sustainability continues to be a key focus area — while airlines are working toward fuel efficiency amid volatile oil prices, many restaurants are focusing on low-calorie and organic food to bolster consumer confidence and reinforce their brand image.

In addition to their core Gen X customers, companies should consider focusing on millennial customers (typically aged 18-34) as they present a significant growth potential. Millennials’ spending will likely only increase as they step into their prime earning and spending years in the next decade. A few hotels are launching new brands while others are revamping their existing facilities with the latest technology features to appeal to young, tech-savvy customers.

These innovation and growth strategies may drive THL companies to realign their legacy structures and processes to the constantly evolving marketplace.

Workers Can Expect Holiday Cheer in the Office This Year in the Form of Bonuses, Parties, and Gifts

• December, 6 2013
• Careerbuilder

Workers share the most unusual gift they received from a co-worker

Workers have reason for holiday cheer this season as employers continue to give back to their employees with holiday perks (bonuses, parties, gifts). The national survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive© from August 13 to September 6, 2013, and included a representative sample of 3,484 workers and 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.

Bonuses: Forty-five percent of employers are planning on giving their employees holiday bonuses this year, in line with 46 percent in 2012. Forty percent plan to provide the same size or larger bonus this year.

Parties: Three in five (59 percent) employers are throwing company holiday parties for their workers in December (the same as 2012) and more than half (54 percent) expect them to be the size of last year’s party or slightly bigger. One in five workers say they plan to attend their company party this season.

Gifts: Thirty-five percent of employers plan on giving their employees holiday gifts this year, on par with last year (36 percent).

Coworker Gifts

Twenty-two percent of workers plan on exchanging gifts with co-workers this holiday season, while 21 percent are buying a gift for their boss. The majority (78 percent) of workers who plan to buy gifts for their co-workers expect to spend $25 or less on each gift, 36 percent will spend $10 or less, and 10 percent will spend $5 or less.

While most gift exchanges between co-workers contain relatively standard holiday gifts, some gifts stand out as particularly extraordinary. When asked to share the most unusual gifts received from co-workers, workers reported receiving:

1. 50 pounds of fresh Louisiana shrimp

2. A toothpaste squeezer

3. A hand-painted porcelain clown with silk clothes on it

4. A unicorn calendar

5. A painted concrete chicken

6. A plaster cast of a co-worker’s hand

7. Camouflage toilet paper

8. Homemade laundry detergent

9. Stamps

10. A talking fly swatter

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 3,484 U.S. workers and 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) between August 13 and September 6, 2013 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 3,484 and 2,099, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-1.66 and +/-2.14 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies. For full survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com.

This week’s best travel bargains

 

 

This week’s best travel bargains around the globe.

BY Washington Post

 

Land

● Book at least two nights through discoverlosangeles.com, the Web site of the L.A. Tourism & Convention Board, and receive free admission for two at more than 25 museums, plus gift shop discounts. Nearly 260 Los Angeles area hotels are participating, including the Hotel Erwin Venice Beach (mid-October rates from $232 a night, with taxes), Hotel Palomar Westwood ($298) and the Standard, Downtown LA ($266). Institutions featured in the LA Museum Season package include the Battleship Iowa ($36 value for two), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art ($30), the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live ($26) and the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens ($46, Book, stay and redeem voucher between Oct. 7 and Nov. 17.

●The Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is offering a package in honor of the 350th anniversary of the first sighting of Hilton Head, S.C. The Happy Birthday Hilton Head deal starts at $214 per person (a savings of $60), with taxes, and includes three nights in a two-bedroom resort-view villa; dolphin cruise or nature tour through Broad Creek;round of golf at one of the resort’s three championship courses; two-hour zipline tour; three-day bike rental; two-hour kayaking excursion; two hours of daily tennis court time; and gift of souvenirs, including a Hilton Head T-shirt. Stay by Dec. 31. Info: 877-567-6513,www.palmettodunes.com.

● During Hotel Week NYC, 30 hotels in Manhattan will offer reduced rates of $100, $200 or $300 per night (plus taxes) for Jan. 3-12 stays. Savings and prices vary by property. For example, the discounted rate at Affinia Manhattan in Midtown is $118 a night, including taxes, a savings of $122. No booking deadline, but sale rates are based on availability. Info: www.njfpr.com/hotel-week/hotel-week-nyc.

Sea

● For National Cruise Vacation Week, which runs Oct. 20-27, members of the Cruise Lines International Association are offering a slew of deals. For instance, book a Windstar cruise during the special week and receive two-for-one rates plus two hotel nights in Europe before or after the trip. Norwegian is offering on board credits of up to $500 per stateroom, plus an extra $100 for all Norwegian Getaway cruises. And book an Alaska or Europe cruise with Princess Cruises by Oct. 31 and receive a cabin upgrade, shore excursion spending money of up to $200, a specialty dinner and a reduced deposit of $100 per person. Info: www.cruising.org/vacation/national-cruise-vacation-week-cruise-specials. (Web site goes live Oct. 1.)

● Book one cabin on the MSC Divina at the regular rate and receive a second for half-price. The Family Plan promo applies to five Caribbean cruises departing November through February. Prices vary. For example, a six-night sailing departing Miami on Jan. 12 now starts at $549 per person double for the first cabin and $275 per person double for the second cabin. Add $87 per person in port charges. Book by Oct. 31. Info: 877-665-4655,www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/msc/family_plan.aspx.

Air

● South African Airways has sale fares from Washington Dulles to destinations throughout Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town and Dakar, Senegal. Round-trip fare to Cape Town, for example, is $1,030, including tax; fare on other airlines starts at $1,476. Book by Oct. 8; travel Oct. 20 through Dec. 9 and Jan. 11 through Feb. 28. Info: 800-722-9675, www.flysaa.com.

Package

●China Spree is offering a 10-night tour of China starting at $1,599 per person double. The Middle Kingdom tour includes round-trip airfare from New York to Beijing, with return from Shanghai; two flights within China; three nights at Traders Hotel Beijing; two nights at Xian Grand Noble Hotel; one night at the Marriott Courtyard Downtown Hangzhou; one night at the Pan Pacific Suzhou; three nights at the Shanghai JC Mandarin Hotel; 24 meals; daily sightseeing with entrance fees; land transportation; tour guides; airport transfers; and taxes. Cheapest prices are available on select departures December through February. Book by Oct. 31. For the lowest price, pay in full with a check or money order at least 60 days in advance. Priced separately, airfares and lodging cost about $2,012. Info: 866-652-5656, www.chinaspree.com.

Carol Sottili, Andrea Sachs

Submit travel deals to whatsthedeal@washpost.com. Prices were verified at press time Thursday, but deals sell out and availability is not guaranteed. Some restrictions may apply.

Top ticket price for Super Bowl will increase to $2,600 in 2014

The NFL is raising the price of Super Bowl tickets to better reflect their “true value as reflected on the secondary market,” an NFL spokesman said.

By Houston MitchellSeptember 17, 2013, 1:59 p.m.

If you plan on going to the Super Bowl next year, you might want to start saving now. Or, get that second mortgage on your house. Sell a kidney on the black market. Start buying lottery tickets.

The NFL said Tuesday that the most expensive tickets for the 2014 Super Bowl, to be held Feb. 2 at  MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., will be $2,600.

That’s more than twice the $1,250 cost for similar tickets at last season’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.

“We are looking to close the gap between the face value of the ticket and its true value as reflected on the secondary market,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday. “The uniqueness of the Super Bowl in the New York/New Jersey is also driving unprecedented demand and buzz.”

About 9,000 seats will be priced at $2,600. The next tier of seats is expected to go for $1,500 compared with  $950 in New Orleans. About 40% of general admission seats will be under $1,000, McCarthy said.

The capacity of MetLife Stadium is 82,500.

But you get value for your $2,600. You will have access to an indoor restaurant.

Make sure you leave a nice tip for your waiter or waitress.

If you don’t have $2,600 to spend, the lowest-priced ticket is $500. Unfortunately, you needed to enter a lottery to buy those tickets, and the lottery is closed. Some 30,000 fans entered and 1,000 winners will be notified this fall

80 Percent of American Travelers Comfortable with Renting Someone Else’s Vacation Home on a Trip

By Hospitality Trends

September, 24 2013 – The rise of the ‘collaborative economy’ in the travel industry has greatly impacted how vacation property owners and travelers experience trips, according to the ‘2013 Vacation Collaborative Economy Report’ released from Demeure.

The rise of the “collaborative economy” in the travel industry has greatly impacted how vacation property owners and travelers experience trips, according to the “2013 Vacation Collaborative Economy Report” released from Demeure, a new multi-sided marketplace that redefines the way travelers and vacation property owners share and discover unique, authentic travel experiences. 80 percent of travelers are comfortable with the idea of renting someone else’s vacation home on a trip so long as the property meets their personal standards for a vacation stay and that someone is available to contact locally if needed. Additionally, almost one in three (31 percent) vacation property owners in the United States are eager to travel somewhere new for a change, but feel guilty not utilizing their property and losing out on money spent to maintain it. Among these owners that feel guilt, almost half (47 percent) would favor renting or sharing their vacation home in exchange for the ability to visit new places.

“Regardless of the destination, vacations should always be a time to tune out and unwind. In our fast-paced, 24/7 world, it is more important than ever to have time away from work and life responsibilities, reconnect with loved ones and recharge our batteries.” 

“One of the main concerns about owning a vacation property is the cost to maintain it year after year,” said Peter Schwartz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Demeure. “The level of responsibility placed on vacation property owners limits them from experiencing other vacations or traveling to new and exciting locations. At the same time, travelers routinely express frustration with the same travel options and dynamics, and want new and exciting travel options. The collaborative economy enables both travelers and vacation property owners to get what they want through better utilization and understanding of amazing travel resources, such as vacation properties, that are already available.”The report also found that travelers report better experiences when staying in a vacation rental home, such as:

• More than two out of three travelers (68 percent) that spent their most recent vacation in a home rental had a very good vacation experience.
• More than half of travelers that stayed in vacation home rental or cottage felt very relaxed (51 percent).
• More travelers that stayed in a vacation home rental (47 percent) felt their vacation experience was unique.

In addition to specific insight on the role of the collaborative economy in the American travel experience, the “2013 Vacation Experience Report” also asked travelers to share their overall impressions and attitudes towards their most recent vacation. Surprisingly, almost half (47 percent) of American travelers felt stressed on their most recent vacation. More than one in every four (28 percent) travelers admitted the largest cause of stress were the lack of local knowledge, not knowing where to go, what to do and how to get there, while 80 percent did not want to return to work after their most recent vacation.

“Many Americans are unable to fully decompress and relax while on vacation,” said Peter. “Regardless of the destination, vacations should always be a time to tune out and unwind. In our fast-paced, 24/7 world, it is more important than ever to have time away from work and life responsibilities, reconnect with loved ones and recharge our batteries.”

From Demeure’s exclusive access to properties not available on other platforms, and Private Assistants and local, on-the-ground hosts that curate unique experiences for travelers, Demeure is focused on changing the way people travel. Travelers have the option of hiring a Private Assistant per trip or annually to help create a memorable trip beyond the tourist trail. Demeure’s proprietary Marketplace Management System unlocks greater value for both travelers and property owners. Travelers can plug into the marketplace to conveniently find and book deals in the company’s curated portfolio of thousands of distinctive properties without needing a membership. Trading in the marketplace empowers vacation property owners to put their unused capacity to work, trading empty nights to purchase travel elsewhere in the portfolio, or simply list for cash.

“Our customers consistently praise how Demeure goes above and beyond to provide unique, quality travel experiences with a hassle-free service network,” said Peter. “Vacation property owners have easily traded in nights for trips across the globe – something they say wouldn’t have been possible otherwise due to the cost of maintaining their current vacation property and other barriers. Just recently a property owner traded time in his vacation home to travel to three different properties in Demeure’s expansive list of curated properties, which was a much more significant value than simply trading in their property for cash. By using Demeure, customers are granted the peace of mind knowing that they can always find exactly what they are looking for and pay for this travel with unused time in their vacation property.”

About Demeure

Demeure operates a dynamic, multi-sided marketplace powered by its patent-pending Marketplace Management System (MMS) where travel consumers and suppliers to the industry book authentic travel experiences, list properties, and trade in the market. Demeure’s proprietary technology lets owners trade empty nights to purchase travel anywhere in Demeure’s curated portfolio of thousands of professionally hosted properties. This marketplace activity creates significant value for everyone by unlocking discounts of 35%-80% off. At the core of the marketplace is a platform that enables service professionals to tap into new sources of revenue. The platform is designed with the highest level of privacy to keep travelers and service providers in control of their data. Demeure was founded in 2009 in Waterloo, Canada with the aim of redefining the vacation rental, home exchange, and destination club industry.

Research methodology

Demeure commissioned YouGov Plc to poll the views of a representative sample of 1,120 U.S. adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between August 21-22, 2013. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+). The research was carried out online. For more information about the survey, visit https://static.demeure.com/2013-vacation-and-collaborative-enonomy-report.pdf.

 

 

 

 

GBTA and AirPlus International Study Identifies European Business Travellers Top Priorities

September, 24 2013 – Safety was the top concern for business travelers. Maintaining close connections with those back home and sticking to healthy diet and exercise regimes also ranked highly.

 

Safety Ranks Highly Along with Balancing Health and Diet
Green Practices Emerge as Important to Travellers
Insight Helps Travel Professionals Design Policies to Mitigate Stress and Better Support Travellers 
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) recently surveyed 675 business travellers in Europe, uncovering their top concerns and stresses when traveling. The GBTA report, 2013 European Business Traveller Well-Being Study, also explored what keeps business travellers productive in their hotel and transportation accommodations, their biggest concerns regarding security and their overall attitudes about travel.  It was sponsored by AirPlus International, a leading global provider of payment and reporting solutions for business travel.
“Understanding what factors influence a business traveller’s well-being can help corporate travel managers design travel policies that better support road warriors,” said GBTA vice president of research Joseph Bates. “Improving the traveller experience can also help alleviate stress, making trips more pleasant and productive.”
European Business Traveller Top Needs:
Safety was the top concern for business travellers. Maintaining close connections with those back home and sticking to healthy diet and exercise regimes also ranked highly.
• 76% said it is important to feel their employers took their safety and security seriously.
• 75% reported being able to stay in touch with friends and family during travel is important to them.
• 65% felt maintaining a healthy diet while on the road was a key concern.
• 46% said sticking to their exercise routines when traveling for business is a priority.
European Business Traveller Stresses:
While the majority of respondents said they enjoy business travel (85%), noting the opportunity to discover new places and cultural opportunities as some of the “best” elements, stress levels rose when:
• Dealing with air travel delays or cancellations (66%).
• Their trips are impacted by long airport layovers (49%).
• They have to take connecting flights (45%).
• Their travel times were outside of normal business hours including late at night (44%), during the weekend (42%) or early in the morning (40%).
The report also found that making environmentally conscious decisions is increasingly important among frequent travellers.
Over half of the study’s respondents said they usually try to recycle paper, plastic or glass (58%). Many also try to decrease their carbon footprint, booking hotels close to their meetings destinations so they can walk (52%) or taking public transportation when possible (45%).
“This study highlights the importance of creating a travel policy that takes into account not just the cost of travel, but travel’s impact on employees,” said Michiel Verhaagen, executive vice president sales EMEA AirPlus International. “Well-being is a very sensible subject for our industry. We have chosen this topic as we want to help both travel managers and business travelers to find the best solutions that are both cost effectiveness and ensure a traveller’s well-being. Some key findings are expected, some are quite surprising. Having done this research in 10 countries is a great experience.”

The 2013 European Business Traveller Well-Being Study is available exclusively to GBTA members for 30 days and will be available to others for free after 30 days. The online survey was conducted between June 19 and July 5, 2013 with 675 business travelers in Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden).

 

http://www.htrends.com/trends-detail-sid-74048.html

2013 Fall Events in NJ and NY

September 20, 2013 at 4:16pm

NJ Fall Festivals

Endless Arts October

Month of October NJ PAC1 Center StreetNewark, NJ 07102(888) GO-NJPAC

gonewark.com/endlessarts

The Endless Arts name for this festival is fitting when you look at the running list of performances the NJ PAC has planned for fall. Endless October will feature the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, the largest poetry event in the United States. The four day event will include not only poetry readings from the world’s leading poets, but conversations with these talented individuals. Endless Arts will also sponsor a week long Jazz Festival as well as written narratives, portraits and 25 other artist studios featuring special performances and children’s activities. The festival has countless numbers of artistic displays in every form going on throughout the entire month of October; take a look at their website and be sure not to miss out on any of your favorites

Festival of Fine Craft

1100 Village Dr.Millville, NJ 08332856-825-6800

wheatonarts.org/

Come experience the art of crafting and creation at the Festival of Fine craft this October. Each tent features different artists, many of whom have contributed to the fall theme through works in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, wood and other mediums. Live art demonstrations are scheduled and kid centeredfamily activities such as make your own scarecrow. Don’t forget to stop by the hand-blown glass pumpkin patch where you can purchase your very own pumpkin assorted varieties.

12th Annual Oktoberfest

Veterans ParkBay Ave. & Shrewsbury Ave.Highlands, NJ 07732732-291-4713

highlandsnj.com/hbp/

The Highlands Oktoberfest keeps the feel good traditions of eating, drinking and dancing of the classic German Oktoberfest. Traditional German garb can be seen across the fair grounds and live music, dancing, authentic German food, an Oktoberfest beer garden and fireworks are just a few things to look forward during this exciting day. Visitors will also be treated to various contests, including “Best-Dressed” and “Beer Stein Holding” competitions, which are awarded with various prizes.

12th Annual Pumpkin Festival

1 Railroad PlazaRoute 10 West & Whippany RoadWhippany, NJ 07981973-887-8177 whippanyrailwaymuseum.net/

Keeping with the ever important pumpkin theme of fall, the Whippany Rail Museum sponsors the family fun-filled day during this ritual festival to commemorate seasonal passage. Local crafters and merchants will be selling fall related items, such as fresh picked apples along the museum grounds. The main event focuses on the 30 minute train ride aboard the “Pumpkinliner,” featuring an antique caboose for you and your family to relax and take in the beautiful fall foliage.

Grand Harvest Wine Festival

73 Kahdena Rd.Morristown, NJ 07960609-588-0085

http://www.newjerseywines.com/grand-harvest.html

Presented by the Garden State Wine Growers Association will hold their annual wine tasting festival at Fosterfields Historical Living Farm, a modern farm that uses the tools, and techniques of a late 19th Century farm. Tour the farm and experience the Musical Entertainment before you begin your wine sampling featuring twenty local wineries who are offering over 300 award winning NJ wines. Festival-goers will receive a complimentary wine glass and be able to peruse the local food and craft vendors

The 29th Annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival

Main Street & Route 563Chatsworth, NJ 08019 cranfest.org/Chatsworth_Cranberry_Festival/Welcome.html

This yearly event celebrates the Cranberry, a lesser known harvest product of the fall season. This festival is the 3rd largest in the U.S, so making a trip to Chatsworth is definitely a must this season. Bog tours will be offered throughout the day where you can learn about the Cranberry and the Pine Barrens. Once you’ve had your full of cranberry-flavored sweets, jellies, breads and ice cream, head on over to the diverse craft fair, where over 160 artists will be demonstrating and displaying their work. During the festival’s last day, check out the antique and classic automobile show, featuring over 100 different models

NYC Fall Festivals 

Brooklyn Pour New York Craft Beer Festival 2013

1 Hanson Place

Brooklyn, NY

microapp.villagevoice.com/brooklyn-pour/2013/

Featuring over 100 craft brews from New York and beyond, The Village Voice will host the third annual curated Brooklyn Pour craft beer tasting event on October 12. Foodies who appreciate good craft beers can sample the best seasonal, micro and reserve brews from breweries around the country with a focus on the Tri-State area. Enjoy demonstrations, meet and greets, beer talks and a food court for select choice eats to enjoy along with the unlimited pours. $80 VIP Tickets and $50 General Admission are now on sale.

Madison Square Eats

Worth Square

Fifth Avenue and 24th St

New York, NY

urbanspacenyc.com/mad-sq-eats/

The market brings together New York City’s most popular restaurants and well-respected chefs, who relish the opportunity to cook outdoors and prepare dishes that showcase the area’s local produce and ingredients. Now in its 5th year, Mad. Sq. Eats has become one of the city’s most beloved dining destinations and uses of public space.

The fall installment of the market will be open daily from 11am-9pm , September 27th through October 25th.

The Food Film Festival

Various locations

New York, NY

thefoodfilmfestival.com/

Movie buffs can taste what they see on screen at this year’s The Food Film Festival, October 23-27. Presented in association with the James Beard Foundation, the Festival is a “cinematic scratch n’ sniff,” where guests taste the food they see on film. This competitive film festival presents awards for Best Feature, Best Short, Best Super-Short, Best Food Porn, Best Film Made Locally, Food Filmmaker of the Year and the Audience Choice Award.

New York Wine & Food Festival

Meatpacking District Various Locations

New York, NY

New York City Wine and Food Festival thrown by The Food Network will be back this October for four days of delicious events. Your favorite television foodie personalities will be celebrated around the Meatpacking District from October 17-20, hosting demos and events to sold-out crowds. While tickets aren’t cheap, there are a range of price points available for events focusing on specific culinary preparations and cuisines to satisfy exactly what you’re craving

The best business hotels around the world

Conde Nast Travele

 

 

Now more than ever, business travelers have to justify every penny spent, and so it has become especially important to know which hotels can give maximum value per travel dollar. These business-friendly properties—in the biggest business centers of the world—will keep you, and your bosses, happy.

 

Four Seasons Seattle
“One of my favorite hotels,” says a reader from North Vancouver, praising the staff for going “out of their way to help, including find scores of a game they don’t show in the hotel.” Another reader calls this “one of the best hotels in Seattle” because of its central location, one block from Pike Place Market, and its “amazing bay views” and “impeccable” service. “The outdoor pool and whirlpool are a nice distraction,” adds another reader from Pennsylvania, “and watching the sun set from the infinity pool was a memory I won’t soon forget.”

Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows
This “iconic grande dame” on Sunset Boulevard celebrates its centennial in 2012 and still “feels more like a home than a hotel.” The mission-revival property has a pink stucco facade, terra-cotta-colored roof tiles, Art Deco common areas and brightly colored rooms, while staff “give a whole new meaning to the words warm and gracious.” Two 5,000-square-foot Presidential Bungalows opened in 2011 among the banana and palm trees and manicured gardens, and each comes with a full kitchen, three bedrooms, steam showers and a private pool. The Polo Lounge attracts Hollywood executives; Bar Nineteen12, with views of the hotel’s 12 landscaped acres from its terrace, supplies martini Popsicles, sorbets and shots.

St. Regis, San Francisco
A “delicious urban oasis” awaits guests at this 40-story building with hotel rooms and private residences near the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Union Square. “The best use of space I’ve ever seen in a hotel room” is achieved through a recessed closet system concealing shelving, drawers, a minibar and a CD/DVD player; rooms also feature Bella Crema marble, leather walls and Mozambique wood doors. The lobby has a 16-foot open fireplace, Zebrano wood and Italian travertine flooring. Breakfast at Vitrine uses seasonal, local ingredients to create items like German caramelized peach pancakes; at lunch, order an organic beef burger. “They know how to treat their guests.”

The Curtis, Denver
Our readers like this pop-culture-themed hotel for its “various themed floors” and “fun, friendly atmosphere” that “brings back childhood memories.” Business meeting rooms are named after childhood games like Duck Duck Goose, and team-building activities include sessions of Guitar Hero.

Fairmont Dallas
Our readers appreciate the “outstanding facilities” here and employees who “do the little little things that make your stay special.” And though several readers agree that the “rooms need updating,” they appreciate the convenient location “right in the middle of the city.”