Travel and Vacations

Subterms

    More stories

    • 75 Shares189 Views

      in Elections

      A Travel Writer Remembers Arthur Frommer

      by

      The creator of the popular guidebook series, who recently died, not only democratized travel, but supported sustainable travel, before it got that name.In the 1980s, when I planned my first trip to Europe, I can’t remember which Frommer’s travel guidebook I brought along. It might have been “Europe on $25 a Day” or “Europe on $40 a Day.” Either way, I had Arthur Frommer by my side.I recalled this instantly when I learned that Mr. Frommer — who started his guidebook series in 1957, with the title “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” — died this week at 95.From that first European trip to many more that followed, I appreciated the series’ recommendations on where to stay — usually small pensions called out for their charm or value or both — where to find authentic food, and how to get around by train or bus. In addition to straightforward and reliable how-to advice, Mr. Frommer gave much more to his readers: He democratized travel, and not just by showing that it was financially possible to see the world within their means. By breaking down the intimidating hurdles of foreign travel — like not speaking the language or looking out of place — he emboldened legions of readers to just do it.Why? Because everyone should enjoy the thrill of discovery.Historically, leisure travel was for the rich. In Europe, what became known as early as the 17th century as the Grand Tour was considered an educational and cultural rite of passage for the aristocracy. It yielded pioneering guidebooks such as the German Baedeker series, which was first published in 1827.Tourism was still packaged as a pursuit of the wealthy when Mr. Frommer first visited Europe 72 years ago, according to an Associated Press interview in 2007. As a soldier stationed in Germany in 1953, he discovered the affordable beauty of living like a local and eschewed cocooning luxury hotels that kept you from having “a genuine experience.”He found a ready audience for his style of travel. As he told the writer Rolf Potts in 2008, Mr. Frommer sold out of the initial run of 5,000 copies of “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” on the first day of publication in 1957. The series, updated each year, sold millions of copies, until 2007. (Pauline Frommer, Mr. Frommer’s daughter, continues to publish travel guides and run the travel website frommers.com.)We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

    • 125 Shares129 Views

      in Elections

      Lie-Flat Seats and Chilled Champagne: Testing Eric Adams’s Upgrade Life

      by

      Life is grand in the Bentley Suite at the St. Regis Istanbul, with its marble floors and walk-in closet, its 24-hour butler service, and its views stretching all the way to the blue waters of the Bosporus.The Bentley suite at the St. Regis Hotel in Istanbul is named for the luxury car, and the light fixture over the bed is said to evoke the undulations of the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. The light sculpture suspended above the vast bed, where New York Mayor Eric Adams slept in 2017, is said to evoke the undulations of the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. The complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries on the coffee table are dusted with crushed pistachios and nestled on a bed of delicately crumbled cookies. The curved leather sofa has two built-in Champagne coolers that light up and open at the press of a button.The sofa in the Bentley Suite has two embedded Champagne coolers that open at the touch of a button.If you were to think about New York City (but why would you?) while reclining on your private balcony and gazing at the Gucci store across the street, you might be struck by the notion that the suite is roughly three times the size of your first apartment.The suite comes with a terrace with views over the city. We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

    • 113 Shares149 Views

      in Elections

      Cruise Lines Change Their Itineraries to Avoid Helene’s Impact

      by

      Several cruise lines operating out of Florida’s west coast and the Gulf of Mexico altered their itineraries on Wednesday to avoid Hurricane Helene’s path.Carnival Cruise Line canceled port stops at Cozumel, Mexico, for several ships. including Carnival Paradise, Valor, Breeze and Horizon. Two ships, Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise, could not return to Jacksonville and Tampa after the ports were closed on Wednesday, but the cruise line said it tentatively expected ports to reopen on Friday, depending on its post-storm assessment.“The safety of our guests and crew remains our priority, and our ships are sailing a safe distance from the storm,” Carnival said in a statement on Wednesday.Royal Caribbean has also adjusted the itineraries of seven west Caribbean sailings, including Independence of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas, which will be making port stops in Nassau, in the Bahamas, instead of Cozumel.Guests onboard MSC Cruise line’s Seashore were informed that they would not be able to return to Port Canaveral in Florida on Thursday because of high winds and would instead have a bonus day at sea. More

    • 138 Shares139 Views

      in Elections

      Tony Robbins Backs the Estate, a Chain of Luxury Wellness Resorts

      by

      The self-help guru is joining the hotel mogul Sam Nazarian to open a chain of luxury preventive-medicine resorts, aiming for a slice of the $5.6 trillion wellness industry.The life coach and self-help guru Tony Robbins is teaming up with Sam Nazarian, a hospitality veteran known for brands like the Delano and the Mondrian, on a new luxury chain of hotels and wellness centers that focus on preventive medicine, longevity and wellness.The new brand, called the Estate, aims to tap into the $5.6 trillion annual global wellness market that’s currently dominated by hospitality brands like Sha Wellness Clinics, Six Senses, the Well, Lanserhof and the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort in Miami Beach.Mr. Robbins, Mr. Nazarian and the other investors, which include the singer Marc Anthony, plan to open 15 luxury hotels and residences, along with 10 longevity centers in major markets, by 2030, according to a statement from the company. The first four hotels are scheduled to open by 2026, on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, as well as in Britain, Italy and Switzerland. The brand’s first urban longevity center plans to open its doors in Los Angeles in late 2025. Membership at the longevity centers will cost $35,000 a year, while rooms at the hotels are expected to cost around $1,000 per night.Mr. Robbins is already an investor in Fountain Life, a preventive-health and longevity company, which will provide diagnostic and therapeutic offerings for the Estate. “Tony and Sam want to take technology out of the walls of the doctor’s office and embed it into the hospitality experience,” said Dr. Bill Kapp, the founder of Fountain Life, in a phone interview.Mr. Nazarian credited Fountain Life’s technology with saving his life last year after a full-body scan detected an asymptomatic brain aneurysm, which he underwent neurosurgery to repair.Guests staying at the Estate will have access to similar Fountain Life scans and procedures as well as spa treatments by Clinique La Prairie, a Swiss health resort. “Our No. 1 goal is to make sure people don’t die of something avoidable,” said Dr. Kapp. The offerings will include full-body M.R.I.s to search for cancer, CT scans to detect plaque in coronary arteries, neurocognitive testing, epigenetic screenings and more, using generative artificial intelligence to identify patterns.Mr. Robbins, known for books like “Awaken the Giant Within” and “Money: Master the Game,” as well as for his philanthropic work, was accused of sexual misconduct by several female fans and staff members in a 2019 BuzzFeed News investigation. He has denied the accusations.Dr. Kapp said he pictured the Estate properties as the vanguard of a new movement in which wellness treatments, including preventive medicine, become a pillar of the hospitality experience. “Health is the new wealth,” he said.Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024. More

    • 113 Shares99 Views

      in Elections

      Test Yourself on the International Settings of These Novels

      by

      A strong sense of place can deeply influence a story, and in some cases, the setting can even feel like a character itself. This week’s literary geography quiz celebrates cities that are significant, whether they are the primary setting or not. Even if you aren’t familiar with the books, your knowledge of world geography and history should help you. To play, just make your selection in the multiple-choice list and the correct answer will be revealed. Links to the books will be listed at the end of the quiz if you’d like to do further reading. More

    • 125 Shares99 Views

      in Elections

      Southwest Airlines Agrees to Board Changes After Pressure From Elliott

      by

      The airline has been under pressure from the hedge fund Elliott to replace its top management and make other changes to increase its profits.Southwest Airlines on Tuesday announced an overhaul of its board of directors, including the planned departure of its executive chairman, Gary Kelly, after a meeting with a hedge fund that has called for sweeping changes at the company.The board announced the changes while expressing unanimous support for the airline’s chief executive, Bob Jordan, who with Mr. Kelly had been the target of sharp criticism from the hedge fund, Elliott Investment Management. In a statement, the airline said its board was “confident that there is no better leader” for Southwest than Mr. Jordan, who became chief executive in February 2022.“Bob has a proven track record over decades and, most importantly, he has what it takes to lead Southwest through a significant transformation and usher in a new era of profitable growth, innovation and industry leadership,” Mr. Kelly, who was chief executive before Mr. Jordan took over, said in a letter to shareholders.Southwest presented its plan to Elliott at a meeting in New York on Monday. It was not clear whether the overhaul would satisfy Elliott, which has a roughly 11 percent stake in the company. Elliott has called for both Mr. Kelly and Mr. Jordan to step down and has sought to replace most of the directors on the company’s board.Shares of Southwest were down nearly 3 percent in morning trading on Tuesday.“We are pleased that the board is beginning to recognize the degree of change that will be required at Southwest, and we hope to engage with the remaining directors to align on the further necessary changes,” Elliott said in a statement. “The need for thoughtful, deliberate change at Southwest remains urgent, and we believe the highly qualified nominees we have put forward are the right people to steady the board and chart a new course for the airline.”Mr. Kelly, who was the airline’s chief executive for nearly two decades before Mr. Jordan took over, said that he planned to retire after the airline’s annual meeting in the spring. Six other mostly longstanding board members plan to step down after a meeting in November.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

    • 163 Shares199 Views

      in Elections

      Hotel Workers Nationwide Go on Strike: What to Know if You’re Traveling Soon

      by

      Though hotel chains say they’ll continue to operate normally, travelers could see disruptions as employees walked off the job in cities from Boston to Honolulu. Here’s what to know.Over the busy Labor Day weekend, thousands of front-desk workers, housekeepers and other employees at more than a dozen hotels across the country walked off the job on early Sunday after failing to come to an agreement in contract negotiations.The strikes — which as of Sunday morning were called at hotels in Boston; Greenwich, Conn.; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; Seattle and in Hawaii — were scheduled to last three days, just as many travelers’ holiday weekend plans were in full swing. More hotel workers in other cities could also soon announce strikes.The strike comes as thousands of workers at Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Omni properties across the country — in about 12 cities stretching from Honolulu to Boston — have been engaged in contentious talks since at least May.The workers, members of Unite Here, which represents many segments of the hospitality industry, have been pushing for higher wages and to address pandemic-era staffing and service cuts that have left some employees feeling overwhelmed.“The hotel industry has rebounded from the pandemic, and room rates are at record highs,” Gwen Mills, Unite Here’s international president, said in a statement before the strike. “But hotel workers can’t afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to. Too many hotel workers have to work two or sometimes three jobs in order to make ends meet.”The affected hotels say they plan to stay open, perhaps with modified services, but they may not always notify travelers that a strike is happening. So inquire ahead of time, or you may be surprised to find a spirited picket line in front of your hotel when you arrive.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Elections

      Waterline Breaks Force Grand Canyon to Halt Hotel Stays on South Rim

      by

      The popular destination has put strict water restrictions into effect before one of summer’s busiest weekends.Citing recent breaks in its waterline, Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona announced Wednesday that it would temporarily halt overnight hotel stays on the South Rim of the park starting Thursday afternoon, just before the busy Labor Day weekend.The park also announced strict water restrictions on the South Rim after four recent significant breaks in the 12-and-a-half-mile-long Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies water from the canyon for use in the park.The park has been dealing with water supply problems since July 8, according to the Park Service, saying that “currently, no water is being pumped to either the South or North Rim.”It was not immediately clear how long the closure would last. Joelle Baird, the park’s spokeswoman, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.“The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight guests on the South Rim as quickly as possible,” the Parks Service said in the statement.But Xanterra, which operates hotels inside the park, said on its website that no overnight guests would be allowed to stay inside the park from Aug. 29 through Sept. 4.The closure, which comes at the height of the park’s busy summer season, affects overnight accommodations, such as hotel and camp sites inside the park. Hotels outside of the park, in the town of Tusayan, will not be affected.The closure affects the four hotels in the park that are owned by Xanterra Travel Collection: El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, and Phantom Ranch. It also affects Yavapai Lodge, a hotel about half a mile from the South Rim, and Trailer Village, an RV park.The El Tovar Hotel, on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, is one of the hotels that will be closed to overnight guests because of water restrictions in the park.George Rose/Getty ImagesThere are just over 900 lodging units on the South Rim, according to the Park Service.Visitors will be allowed only to go “dry camping,” the Park Service said, adding that there would be no spigot access at campgrounds. Faucets in bathrooms will stay in use, the Park Service said.Campfires, including warming fires and charcoal barbecues, will not be allowed.On the North Rim — the lesser visited part of the Canyon — a lodge and camp grounds will remain open. Also known as the “other side” of the Grand Canyon, the North Rim attracts about one tenth of all park visitors, according to the National Park Service. About six million people a year visit the park.It is not the first time the Transcanyon Waterline has experienced problems. The waterline, built in the 1960s, has outlived its expected life span, according to the Park Service, and requires a lot of expensive repairs. Since 2010, there have been more than 85 breaks that have disrupted water delivery to the park.The park will continue to be open during the day, and food and beverage services will be up and running. The post office will remain open during the day. More