Amenities
Green Amenities
Aug 21st
I joined my husband this week for a couple of days at the Seven Feathers Casino and Resort in Southern Oregon, just off of Interstate 5. He spent his days in meetings at a conference related to work while I spent mine doing a little work and a little more relaxing. We’ve driven past the place numerous times but had never stopped before (it only being about an hour from home and neither of us being avid gamblers).
Owned by the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe, it’s a very nice complex, including hundreds of guestrooms, a full-service spa, fitness center, indoor pool, several restaurants and lounges and a number of conference and meeting rooms — aside from the large casino floor. Our room was large, spic and span and nicely furnished. In addition to the king-sized bed and console topped with a large flat-screen TV, I was more than happy with a good-sized desk and — best of all — free WiFi. Whenever we travel together, Harry and I are also acutely aware of bathroom counter space, and we were pleased with a very expansive vanity in the spacious bath. And here I had my first encounter with another product meant to have a lighter, kinder impact on the environment.
The resort features Gilchrist & Soames bath products, but these were not presented in the standard little rigid plastic bottles. Instead, the BeeKind Collectioncomes in what the company refers to as paper bottles. According to the company, this translates into a 59 percent reduction in packaging material weight (less weight = lower costs and less fuel for transportation) and a 92 percent reduction in after-use waste space (landfill space) compared to those little bottles. That alone sounds good, but additionally Gilchrist & Soames is proud that its formulas are free of those polysyllabic, unpronounceable, “unnatural” components and artificial colors and dyes.
Finally, the collection is dubbed “BeeKind” for a very good reason: Proceeds of the net sales of these products go to support honey bee and sustainable pollination research at the University of California, Davis. I was pleased to see this new and environmentally sensible kind of packaging from a manufacturer of these high-quality and well-respected amenities. I’d be curious if any of our Global Travelers have seen similar product lines in their travels.
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
Midway — A Great Option
Apr 28th
Midway Airport has a great hotel setup. Within two blocks (or a quick shuttle ride) of the south end of the airport is a gated community of hotels. Included in this Hotel Center are a Courtyard by Marriott, a Marriott, a Fairfield Inn, a Hampton Inn, a Hilton Garden Inn, a Residence Inn, a Holiday Inn, a Holiday Inn Express and a Sleep Inn. There are also a handful of restaurants such as Fridays and Starbucks.
Of course, there are also several hotels outside of the hotel center. They range anywhere from half a mile to several miles away from Midway. However, with such a cluster of hotels, why would anyone venture outside this zone?
This is probably not the only “hotel center” like this in the country, but it is a great concept. The area around Midway isn’t the best. There are plenty of abandoned, run-down and shabby buildings. There has been an improvement in the area, but it is slow. For Midway to compete against O’Hare, it needed this hotel center.
The hotel center is perfect for either the business traveler or the vacationer. The hotels offer different amenities and different pricing scales. Again, they have something for everyone. However, all hotels offer secure, shared parking facilities, along with a decent amount of extras like continental breakfasts and business centers.
This is a great example of the hotels working together and with Midway for the betterment of everyone. The hotels probably got a better deal by partnering with each other for this area. Midway benefits by having quality hotels so close. Travelers certainly are better off with excellent choices within a shuttle ride.
McCormick Place and downtown Chicago are just about a 20-minute ride away (as opposed to an hour from O’Hare). Midway is an often overlooked airport. Many years ago, I wouldn’t suggest Midway, but I have to say it really is a viable option.
I grew up not too far from Midway, on the far south side of Chicago. Midway was always viewed as the cheaper, grungy alternative to O’Hare. I have seen Midway undergo many great changes. It is still size-challenged, because of the area, but it has done many things to improve the experience. The hotel center might just be the best improvement.
– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
Improved Choices for Travelers
Apr 26th
I am in China today. Actually, I am in Hong Kong, having spent Friday in Beijing (played a little golf). On Saturday, I did some touring outside of Beijing with my pal, Ernest. He can help you with any transportation or touring needs you may have while you are in Beijing. Here is his email contact: ernest_0716@hotmail.com.
I had a wonderful flight on Air China‘s first class. It is terrific to fly on the Boeing 747-400. No other plane takes off or lands as gracefully as the 747. Air China has really improved their onboard product. The first class sports a fully reclining 180-degree truly flat bed. The service was tops, and except for some deadbeat travelers (a couple who had their iPhone alarms going off; I had to call a flight attendant for assistance as the travelers never woke up) the flight was very peaceful.
I plan to review the flight for an upcoming GT Tested article.
I was recently asked about the purpose of the Global Traveler blog. I quickly responded that the purpose was to show the true face of our company, but also to be a valuable service to you. I think we must offer advice and travel tips to you, the frequent international traveler.
So, my tip today: Don’t discount the secondary and tertiary airlines. Specific airlines have dominated Asia and Europe for many years and have turned their noses down to the secondary and tertiary airlines. Air China is an excellent example.
The lines between these airlines have blurred. Perhaps this has to do with global airline alliances or maybe they have realized what consumers want. Before, when traveling, passengers may have considered one or two airlines to Asia, but now, the real choices (those offering quality product and service) have jumped to as much as six or more.
So travelers, enjoy your improved choices. I will update you on Hong Kong shortly. I am staying at the Grand Hyatt, which I feel has much to offer and the best Club Floor I have ever encountered.
– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO
Happy Jetting!
Apr 16th
On my recent trip to Miami, I had the pleasure of flying JetBlue. This was my first time on the airline; my traveling companion, however, is a JetBlue frequent flyer. For her and her family, JetBlue is always their first choice — particularly because they frequently make trips between New York and Florida.
I honestly did not realize JetBlue offered service from Newark or I might have checked them out sooner. I knew they flew from JFK as I have driven past the new terminal the airline recently opened at the airport. However, I do whatever I can to avoid JFK, instead opting for Philadelphia or Newark. JetBlue was just never on my radar. Now that I have flown them, they are definitely on my radar for the future.
Judging from my experience on JetBlue, I never would have guessed I was on a discount carrier. Unlike many of the other U.S. airlines, JetBlue still offers passengers complimentary amenities. I didn’t check a bag, but if I did, it would not have cost me a dime. With JetBlue, the first bag is free. Both my departure and return flights left on time, and boarding — from the back of the plane forward — was quick, efficient and painless.
The seats are roomy and there was plenty of overhead space for passengers. Each seat was equipped with an individual TV screen, offering a wide range of viewing options. It’s quite rare to find economy cabins equipped with individual monitors, especially on short jaunts (such as the Newark-Florida leg). Snacks are complimentary, and the airline offers a nice selection of cookies, snack mixes, chips and nuts.
Somehow JetBlue has found a way to make it all work, even in the turbulent times of late, and I was definitely impressed!
– Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive
