For many of us travelers our lives are predominantly lived in the upscale hotel segment with the likes of Marriott and Renaissance, Hilton and Doubletree, Crowne Plaza, Westin and Sheraton, Hyatts and Radissons. This is the upscale to upper-upscale segment of hotels.

JD Power’s Guest Satisfaction Survey does not differentiate between upscale and upper-upscale hotel market segment brands; a distinction made in many hotel data reports.  

JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study - Upscale Hotel Segment

JDPower.com 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Press Release

JDPower.com 2010 North America Upscale Hotel Guest Satisfaction link

Omni Hotels (Omni Select Guest) takes number #1 as the only upscale segment brand to receive the highest five circle ranking, but with only 45 locations this brand has limited geography. The Omni Hotels I have been to in San Francisco and Colorado have been high hotel quality and could fit suitably in the luxury category. Omni Select Guest ran a promotion in May 2010 giving loyalty program members a complimentary BOGO certificate for free weekend night (Loyalty traveler May 6, 2010) .

The number of properties in a hotel chain is a primary consideration when choosing a hotel loyalty program and aiming for elite status with all the additional benefits received with hotel stays like upgrades, bonus points, and welcome gifts. Omni Hotels may rank five circles in the JD Power consumer ranking, however, 45 locations may not cover your annual hotel stay needs. When you travel around you need a hotel loyalty program that earns in lots of places! 

Upscale Hotel Brands by Number of Hotels in North America  

Marriott Hotels (Marriott Rewards) = 354 Hotels in North America based on most recent 2010 Q2 financial report. Marriott Hotel locations. 

Hilton Hotels (Hilton HHonors) =  330 hotels is a rough estimate due to the difficulty of finding a simple listing of hotels as with other hotel websites. This Hilton link requires a search by each country or state. Hilton Hotel locations.

Sheraton (Starwood Preferred Guest) = 212 hotels in North America; 440 hotels worldwide. Sheraton Hotel locations.  

Embassy Suites (Hilton HHonors) has 200+ hotels, nearly all in North America. Embassy Suites hotel locations.

Doubletree (Hilton HHonors) = about 200 hotels, nearly all hotels in brand are in North America. Doubletree Hotel locations.

Crowne Plaza (IHG Priority Club) = about 200 hotels in North America. Crowne Plaza locations. 

Radisson (Carlson Goldpoints Plus) = about 170 in North America; 430 hotels globally. Radisson Hotel locations.   

Westin Hotels (Starwood Preferred Guest) = 132 hotels in North America; 200+ hotels globally. Westin Hotel locations.  

Hyatt Hotels (Hyatt Gold Passport) = about 140 hotels in North America. Hyatt locations.  

Renaissance Hotels (Marriott Rewards) = about 90 hotels in North America. Renaissance Hotel locations. 

Delta Hotels = 45 hotels in Canada. Delta Hotel locations.  

Aloft Hotels (Starwood Preferred Guest) = 40 hotels in North America and five international locations. Aloft Hotel locations.

Hotel Indigo (Priority Club) = 39 hotels North America and 9 international. Hotel Indigo locations.

Wyndham Hotels (Wyndham Rewards) = 29 hotels in North America. Wyndham Hotel locations.  

Loyalty traveler Commentary on upscale hotel brands:

Hilton HHonors members may not have much action on the luxury front with limited locations for Conrad and Waldorf-Astoria Collection hotels in North America (around 20), but HHonors members have plenty of choice with access to the most properties in the upscale segment for over 700 hotels in North America with Embassy Suites, Hilton and Doubletree.

Embassy Suites ranks as the #2 hotel brand in the upscale segment. In my opinion the allure of a guaranteed suite and free breakfast makes these hotels too family friendly for my taste. Pools are kid zones and breakfast buffet requires paying attention to the little-hand food contaminators pawing the selections. The breakfast zone at an Embassy Suites makes me feel like I am at home fending for my seafood dinner with three cats pacing around me.   

Marriott Rewards members have a good selection of upscale hotels in North America with Marriott and Renaissance brands reaching 450 hotels. 

Starwood Hotels ranks with three brands in Aloft, Westin and Sheraton with about 400 hotels in North America. 

Interesting to see the high guest satisfaction with Starwood’s Aloft. The Aloft cookie-cutter room design is great for a solo business traveler needing a place to sleep and get some work in, but the hotel is not the kind of place I would wish to spend a vacation. The design is visually appealing with vibrant colors but lacks a geographical hotel character. If you have been to one Aloft, then you have seen them all and the only guest surprise in a new location comes in the form of your room window view of Portland Airport or Denver Airport or …. 

IHG Priority Club has Hotel Indigo and Crowne Plaza with around 250 hotels which leaves a gap in the competition with Hilton, Marriott and Starwood for the upscale market segment. IHG has a particularly strong presence in the midscale (3,000+ hotels with Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express) and Luxury markets (InterContinental Hotels is largest global chain brand). I have not been to a Hotel Indigo yet. “Press Trip” is resounding in my head.

Hyatt has around 130 hotels in Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Resorts and Hyatt Vacation Clubs in North America. Hyatt Hotels ranked below the JD Power average for the upscale hotel brand segment. I can’t really rationalize this result except to say that many of the Hyatt properties are older and were designed as large conference style hotels and perhaps this is a detractor to many travelers. I generally find Hyatt to be a solid upscale brand. 

Radisson has around 170 hotels in USA and the company has embarked on a major upgrade campaign for the North America brand and image. The loyalty program keeps improving and has a good value proposition in benefits. 

Delta Hotels ranks poorly in the 2010 JD Power index in 15^th and the bottom of the ranked upscale hotel brands. Fortunately these 45 or so hotels are in Canada or unfortunately depending on which side of the border you are a frequent guest. I know nothing about this brand personally. I’ll need to do some homework on the brand and check their hotels out the next time I am in Canada. 

Crowne Plaza, Doubletree and Sheraton take the JD Power Guest satisfaction short straws.  Granted there are some poor quality locations but that is to be expected considering the size of these three brands. Each brand has around 200 hotels in the US and together these three brands have twice the number of domestic hotels as the 15 major luxury brands discussed in the luxury segment Loyalty Traveler post. I have stayed at some very nice hotel properties with each of these hotel brands.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts ranked above the average and earned three circles  for the upscale market segment. The  consumer guest ratings are comparable to Hilton, Hotel Indigo and Hyatt.

Related Loyalty Traveler posts on JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index and hotel market segments:

Overview JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study (Aug 10)

Comments on JD Power 2010 Luxury Hotel Satisfaction Index (Aug 11)

Comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Full Service Hotel Satisfaction Index (Aug 13)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Limited Service Brands (August 15, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Economy/Budget Hotel Brand Ratings (August 16, 2010)

Comments on JD Power 2010 Extended Stay Hotel Satisfaction Index (Aug 17)

Marriott reported second quarter profits last week that beat analysts expectations. Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s CEO, stated room rates will likely rise by the end of 2010 with the resurgence in corporate bookings. Hoteliers are optimistic that the industry will avoid a double dip recession. Increased room demand from business travelers will allow higher rates going into 2011.

Luxury and upper upscale hotels are seeing the greatest improvement in rates and occupancy. Occupancy in the luxury hotel sector has increased by about 10% in the first half of 2010. Luxury hotel segment room rates from June data for the US shows a 4.7% increase in average room rates to $236.59.  Some analysts believe the luxury segment will aggressively push rates upward and the more success the luxury segment has in raising rates, the more room there is for upward pricing of upper upscale hotels ($146 in April 2010).

Recent data from STRGlobal indicates virtually all the USA room rate increases in June 2010 were in upper end hotels and New York City.

The Big Apple bargains of 2009 are dropping from the tree as New York City is once again taking a big bite out of hotel guests’ pockets. New York saw double digit increases in room rates for June 2010 compared to a year ago, the largest increases in hotel rates for the US. The average rate for all segments of hotels in New York City is $230. Other places with brighter scenes for hoteliers are Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Oahu, and Boston.

So what about the leisure traveler?

For hotel deals you might want to look to New Orleans. Room rates in New Orleans have seen the largest decrease for top US cities in the past year with average rates at $105.

Blame the oil dip stick for New Orleans woes!

The good news?

The economy segment hotels had the largest average rate decrease for June 2010 with rates down to $51.19.

Oh yeah! Back to Arne Sorenson’s financial report last week. Even though corporate and premium room rates saw double digit growth this year, there are still about 15% of Marriott rooms listed at a discount.

So the deals are out there. You might just need to search a little harder to get luxury on a budget as we go forward in this improving upper upscale and luxury hotel economy.

Sources:

Washington Post – Marriott plans higher room rates to match uptick in corporate travel (July 15, 2010)

STR – Chain scales post mostly positive June results (July 20, 2010)

Hotel World Network – Data shows clear evidence of accelerating recovery (July 15, 2010)

Hotel Interactive – Luxury Stages a Comeback (June 22, 2010)

Robert Reich – Slouching towards a double-dip or a lousy recovery at best (July 3, 2010)

I am not much of a tech person which is why I found an article from HotelWorldNetwork.com useful for explaining why hotel HDTVs usually have crappy reception. “Guests expect high definition on new TVs”

One of the frequent criticisms I have made over the past year is the lousy TV reception on the 46” HDTVs I see in so many hotel rooms. Apparently the cost to update the TV signal is much higher for a hotel than a residential unit and when a regular signal is fed to an HDTV the picture is generally worse than an older box TV. I find it absolutely annoying when I am sitting in an upper upscale hotel room and the  picture image on the huge, flatscreen HDTV is worse than my 12-year old 32” box TV at home.

I estimate about 90% of the hotels I have stayed in this past year had flat screen HDTVs, and most were 42-inch or larger. I estimate fewer than 50% had any HD channels, only about 25% had good picture quality on most of the available channels, and just a few had more than 5 channels with HD reception. Several of the hotel room TVs this past month had reception which was reminiscent of TV top antenna days from the 70s.

Apparently there is a piracy issue with having the HD box in the hotel room. And the expense for the electronics to manage a hotel HD system is an investment not readily manageable for the time being in this economic climate.

The St. Regis San Francisco has a good alternative. The DVD player connection to the large HDTV allows the guest to watch movies rather than TV channels.

Perhaps I better enroll in NetFlix for the next couple of years of hotel travel until the HDTV upgrades are commonplace.

Digital TV channel at Westin San Francisco Airport

Following up on yesterday’s Conde Nast 2009 Gold List with these lists of major hotel loyalty program properties. 

Major Hotel Loyalty Programs with Hotels on Conde Nast 2009 Gold List

2009 Conde Nast Gold List Hotels

Hotel Chain

Hilton  HHonors                           4

Hyatt Gold Passport                    13

InterContinental Priority Club      6

Marriott Rewards                       29

(Only 6 of 29 hotels are Marriott branded hotels for earning points.  Others are Partner Hotels in Ritz Carlton and Irish Castles.)

Starwood Preferred Guest          25

(St. Regis Lanesborough, London does not participate in SPG)

Happy Birthday Bob Marley

So don’t you forget no way…

Who you are, and where you stand in the struggle

-So Much Things to Say-

Bob Marley  - 

Feb 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981

 Loyalty Traveler analysis of 2008 Conde Nast Gold List

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/02/13/major-hotel-loyalty-program-brands-on-conde-nast-traveler-2008-hotel-gold-list/

(There are number of changes from 2008 to 2009.)

Loyalty Traveler wants to hear from Priority Club Platinum elites and Ambassadors. Please share your opinion on the value of Priority Club elite membership as evidenced by hotel recognition in terms of upgrades and amenities during your stays.

I have made a general statement over the years with regards to hotel frequent guest and airline frequent flyer loyalty program elite status.

“Top level elite members are generally quite happy with value-added benefits received in recognition of loyalty.”

Elite membership in a travel loyalty program offers value-added benefits like room upgrades, free meals, gifts, complimentary Business Class/First Class flight upgrades, airport lounge access, and change fee waivers. Loads of award travel opportunities have come my way courtesy of Starwood Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Hilton Hotels, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and so many other loyalty programs even where I did not have elite status. IHG is the major hotel chain I have not frequented as an elite guest.  I have been planning 2009 to be a Priority Club Rewards / InterContinental Ambassador elite membership year.

Now, in recent weeks, I have been made more aware of Priority Club Platinum elite members claiming they are not feeling the love. A discussion on FlyerTalk, highlighted in the TalkMail email I received yesterday prompted this discussion of whether Priority Club Platinum members are getting adequate loyalty attention from member hotels.

Crowne Plaza Hotel Seattle

 “Show me the upgrade!”

Comments on Loyalty Traveler blog and FlyerTalk lately have me rethinking my analysis of Priority Club. 

I have repeatedly been reading anecdotes from Priority Club Platinum members stating the upgrades are far and few between and aside from the bonus points, there is not much recognition from hotels as a 50 night per year (or 60,000 points) elite program member.

On the other hand, Ambassador members in the InterContinental Hotels paid membership loyalty program seem to be relatively content over the years.  Link to IHG Ambassador program.

Why are these IHG hotel loyalists offering different viewpoints of the merits of loyalty? 

I have two different thoughts on the reasons for different experiences.

1.      The history of the IHG program may play a role.

2.      Hotel Market segment distribution for IHG compared to Starwood Hotels.  (I’d like to expand this to show a comparison to Hilton and Marriott, but time constraints keep me from going into a broader comparison today.)

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is a product of corporate acquisition of hotel chains through the 1990s by British brewing company Bass.  Holiday Inn was purchased in 1990, Crowne Plaza in 1994, and InterContinental in 1998.  The IHG portfolio is the merger of two upper upscale hotel brands with the midscale Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express brands–a much larger proportion of hotels and rooms within IHG.  In all fairness, there are several hundred Holiday Inn hotels which should be in the upscale or upper upscale market segment, but as a whole entity the brand is downgraded to midscale due to the numerous older, standard room hotels. 

Market segmentation is relatively standardized for hotel brand placement in the overall market based on hotel industry research reports from several different sources I have read in the past year. 

St. Regis, Waldorf-Astoria, Four Seasons, and Ritz-Carlton are examples of the luxury segment. 

Westin, Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt Regency are examples for the Upper Upscale market segment. 

Four Points by Sheraton, Hilton Garden Inn, and Courtyard by Marriott are brands in the upscale segment.

IHG Hotel Loyalty Programs

The international model of loyalty seems to be more fee-based with loyal travelers buying membership for additional privileges.  Six Continents Club formerly existed for InterContinental Hotel guests and has evolved into the current Ambassador loyalty program.  Priority Club was the existing free loyalty program for Holiday Inn and incorporated Crowne Plaza and other brands into its earning and redemption offers.  There is value in belonging to both if you are a Priority Club member planning stays with IHG brands including InterContinental Hotels. 

2009 could be a year where more effort is made to improve benefits for Platinum elites if IHG wants to be competitive with the other major programs.  The flip side of the argument is IHG may have already chosen its path with adding a benefit to the fee-based membership perks with Ambassador members now eligible to earn 20,000 Priority Club points after 15 nights in a calendar year at InterContinental Hotels. 

Number of hotels and rooms in largest IHG hotel brands

IHG has over 4,100 hotels worldwide.  (IHG Corporate investor reports available on website)

InterContinental is the top tier brand and maintains its own separate InterContinental Ambassador fee-based loyalty program in addition to offering Priority Club Rewards points for InterContinental Hotel stays to Priority Club members.

IHG in the Americas

A 2008 IHG corporate report lists the following breakdown of hotels by brand. 

54 of 157 InterContinental Hotels in Americas (18,105 rooms) = 34% of IC Hotels

180 of 331 Crowne Plaza Hotels in Americas (49,509 rooms) = 54% of Crowne Plaza Hotels

929 of 1,352 Holiday Inns in Americas (171,380 rooms) = 69% of Holiday Inn Hotels

1,684 of 1,889 Holiday Inn Express hotels in Americas (142,158) = 89% of Holiday Inn Express Hotels

Fewer than 18% of rooms in IHG hotel properties in the Americas are positioned in the upper upscale market segment within Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Hotels.  The majority of the upper-upscale hotels in IHG are located outside the USA.  Americas is defined as hotels in USA, Canada, Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America.  A significant number of the 68,000 upper-upscale rooms shown above are not located in the USA.

Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are defined by the hotel industry as midscale hotels segment. 

Upper-upscale hotels tend to be larger hotels and have a larger variety of rooms.  You can’t be upgraded, except for a better view, if there are no differences in the room types.

************

Starwood Hotels Market Segmentation

Starwood has 9 hotel brands.  Only 145 of 925 hotels are not in the upper upscale market.

St. Regis 13 hotels

Luxury Collection 59 hotels

W Hotels 25

Westin 162 hotels

Sheraton 411 hotels

Le Meridien 110 hotels

Only about 16% of Starwood Hotels are not in the upper upscale or luxury market.  Upgrades are common for SPG Platinum members.  I have had some nice upgrades to suites at certain Four Points by Sheraton hotels in places like Sydney, Australia and San Francisco Airport.  The typical hotel in the Starwood chain has a variety of room types and upgrades are common for SPG Platinum members.

87% of IHG hotels are not in the upscale market. 

Standard Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels may have very few or no differentiated rooms for complimentary upgrades to be offered to Platinum-elites.  Crowne Plaza and nicer Holiday Inns remain the only upscale brands for upgrades since InterContinental operates its own fee-based program for loyalty recognition. 

Priority Club has a generous points earning policy allowing multiple promotions and bonuses to the same hotel stay.  Free rooms are relatively easy to earn, particularly at the high-end redemptions of Crowne Plaza at 25,000 points and InterContinental Hotels at 30,000 or 40,000 points compared to the money spending required to earn high-end rewards with the other major hotel programs.

But complimentary room upgrades as a major loyalty benefit for Priority Club Platinum elites?  Well, that benefit seems to be a matter of opinion and luck.

Ambassador Benefits from Priority Club Terms

The bottom line for the hotel traveler is “How much will my room cost?”

I read a post on *Wood blog about the Mobil Five-Star Award conferred upon the St. Regis San Francisco recently.  I then noticed yesterday the lowest rates I’ve ever seen for the St. Regis San Francisco. 

St. Regis San Francisco, Metropolitan Suite

A spreadsheet I made in August 2007 for hotel rates in San Francisco allowed me to make a comparison to current hotel rates and illustrate the impact of the current economy on the high end hotel market.

San Francisco hotel rates are typically lower during holidays due to the central business district location of most major hotels.  Labor Day weekend rates in 2007 were near the low rates for the entire year from my observations of hotel rates in San Francisco.  There is a certain amount of rate fluctuation due to seasonal rate adjustments with February being near the lowest rate month for San Francisco, however, rate decreases year round are typically tempered by frequent conventions and conferences in the city.

I made a comparison of rates for same hotels for February 13-16, 2009 with the Friday-Monday Labor Day 2007 weekend. Rates for several high-end Starwood hotels were checked on August 22, 2007 for the 3-day Labor Day weekend Friday, August 31-Monday, September 3, 2007.  Several rate types were checked including group rates like AAA and senior rates, hotel special offer rates, and Starwood multi-night discount rates. 

In general, the lowest rates for the Valentine’s weekend 2009 are typically found using Starwood Hotels special rate offer for the Third Night Free on a weekend stay. 

St. Regis did not offer the 3^rd Night free rate for 2007 stay.  Rates shown for 2007 were either nonrefundable internet rates or hotel special offer rates. Rates are generally 30%+ lower in 2009.

Peculiar Starwood clause in the room description for a Fantastic Suite: “700 Square ft, Floors 23-28, unobstructed views, No Parties or Meetings Allowed!”  Rates are about 30% lower in 2009.

Palace Hotel courtyard restaurant, San Francisco

The Palace Hotel has dropped rates near to 2006 levels when the hotel was still going for as low as $99 on slow weekends.  2007 and 2008 rates hovered around $200 for the lowest category rooms.

The $159 rate for a Junior Suite is quite a discount on average rates at the Palace over past two years.  Rates are generally 30% to 50% lower in 2009.

Le Meridien room category types have changed so much in the room descriptions that I can’t easily match room descriptions now with descriptions from 2007.  

Portland’s new Starwood luxury hotel has dropped its rates 60% since opening in October 2008.

The Nines from $99 for 99 days through April 18.  Rate Code “99NINES”.

View of The Nines 8th Floor Lobby and Restaurants, Portland, OR

Times are hard for luxury hotels.  I was just reading how two luxury hotels in Dublin have shut down within two years of opening. Last October when I planned my road trip up the west coast, I stayed at The Nines, Portland, Oregon’s new downtown Starwood Luxury Collection premier hotel.  Rates were $249 minimum when I wanted a reservation.  I redeemed 1,000 Starpoints for a Starwood Preferred Guest 50% off rack rate award to bring the nightly rate down to $199.

The room was finely furnished, but this Starwood hotel was the only Starwood property this year where I had a room I would not consider to be in the top 25% for best rooms for the Nines hotel. My room was a standard size with an exterior view, however, a minuscule window in an architecturally old building with some rooms having huge window views to the center city streets of Portland. 

The Club lounge was the highlight of the hotel and a complimentary amenity for me as an SPG Platinum member.

The $249 rates disappeared in November, just a few weeks after the hotel opened and within a couple of weeks of my stay.  Now the hotel can be booked for regular internet rates as low as $159.

Even better, The Nines is running a 99-day promotion for a $99 room rate.

The bath amenities are probably a $20 value.  And if you have Platinum status for complimentary Club lounge access then you may have the additional treat of several services throughout the day, beginning with morning breakfast, mid-day snacks, early evening appetizers and complimentary alcohol, followed by dessert in the evening. 

The Nines, a Starwood luxury Collection Hotel, Portland, OR

The Nines is a luxury getaway at a bargain price with this $99 special rate.

Related links: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/11/12/the-nines-starwood-luxury-collection-portland-oregon/

Christopher Elliott wrote a recent article, The Disappearing Vacation, where he coins 2009 the year of the ‘naycation’, as in No Vacation for 2009. 

The numbers are looking bleak, particularly on the luxury front of air travel.

Premium air travel fell 11.5% worldwide in November 2008 compared to November 2007, according to a New York Times article yesterday, January 20, 2009.  The greatest decline is in long-haul travel.  Those $15,000 to $20,000 ticket prices finally seem to be an inhibitor to flying up front for the moneyed corporate masses.  (I refer to corporate masses from my experience of having traveled on dozens of premium flights and never having talked to someone seated next to me in the premium cabin who paid for their own flight.  Corporate travel or frequent flyer award travel is common.)

Trans-Pacific premium travel suffered nearly an 18% drop in November 2008.  This might be a good time to try and score a First Class award ticket on a trans-Pacific route.

Trans-Atlantic premium flight travel to Europe dropped 9% in November over the year before. 

And the airline industry forecast is for the travel market to decline further before an improvement is seen.

On the hotel front, luxury hotel travel has dropped 24% from a year ago in recent industry tracking data.

Chris Elliott commented in his ‘Disappearing Vacation’ piece “No two ways about it, staying close to home and exploring the local attractions can be dull. (Unless you live in a place where people like to vacation.)”

Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach 1-18-09

Pebble Beach, Western Edge of California, Eastern Edge of the Pacific

I do have the good fortune to live in a place where a staycation is still a great time.  When traveling and asked where I am from, I regularly describe where I live, Monterey/Pacific Grove/Pebble Beach/Carmel, collectively known as the Monterey Peninsula, as the place in California where Californians vacation.   

We spent the day basking in the sun and whale watching at Pebble Beach this past weekend.  The best whale watching from the shoreline I have seen in my life has occurred the past two weeks.  The Monterey Peninsula has had the longest winter heatwave in almost 50 years.  The temperature in Monterey has exceeded 70 degrees for the past 9 days and on Monday, January 19 the temperature peaked out at 80. The last time the Peninsula saw this kind of winter extended warm temperatures was January 1962.

Cypress Point, westernmost point of Pebble Beach, looking south to Point Sur

I rag on the exclusivity of Pebble Beach, but I have to admit the scenery is damn beautiful and the whalewatching from Cypress Point was the best location on the Peninsula I have been in the past two weeks for close views of whales from the shore. Some whales were within 1/2 mile of land. 

The $9.25 entrance fee to the 5,300 acre privately owned and gated community on the western edge of the Monterey Peninsula keeps me from visiting the area as frequently as I would like.  Bicycles may enter Pebble Beach without charge for the cycling alternative.  I need to get a bike.

Pebble Beach will have the ATT Pro-Am golf tournament in two weeks.  The hotels need the revenue.  Pebble Beach, feeling the pinch of luxury travel cuts, has shed employees, shut down restaurants on Sundays, and offered discounts on room and golf/spa packages for their three hotel properties: Pebble Beach Lodge, Spanish Bay, and Casa Palmeiro.

The Lodge at Pebble Beach, view from near 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links

Still, Pebble Beach Corporation has posted rate increases for April 2009.  An ocean view room at the Pebble Beach Lodge will increase more than 4% from $925 to $965 per night.

The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Oceanview rooms

The rooms above look over the 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links and Carmel Beach is in the distance.

Pebble Beach Golf Links, 18th green, a view from oceanview rooms at The Lodge

Is $965 for a night at a California coastal resort feasible in this economy? 

Time will tell if this luxury retreat on the Monterey Peninsula will continue to see a retreat in luxury for 2009.

Loyalty Traveler tip: The $9.25 car admission fee to Pebble Beach will be deducted from your restaurant or bar bill if you visit one of the Pebble Beach restaurants, bars, and cafes.  A bottle of Stella Artois will run $7.25 at Traps in Spanish Bay Inn and appetizers are $10-$20; Peppoli restaurant entrees are $30 to $50.  The Lodge has similar prices.

Spanish Bay Inn, bagpiper at sunset

Upscale Your European Stays with Discount Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Hotels

InterContinental Hotels Group has updated its ongoing offer for a second night free or 2-nights-for-the-Price-of-1-night  promotional offer. The reservation period is for stays between December 12, 2008 and March 31, 2009 for these discount rates.

Note: This rate needs to be searched through the InterContinental Hotels Group “2 Nights for the Price of 1” promotion page. 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/exclusive

These rates do not show up in a regular search through Priority Club or IHG hotel-branded websites.  You must search through the dedicated webpage for this offer and the rate plan should show Rate Preference “Exclusive 2 for 1”. See screenshot below.

Crowne Plaza Bridal Suite, Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dec 25-27, 2009

Amsterdam City Center Crowne Plaza hotel with a 2-for-1 nightly rate as low as 62.50€ for December 25-27, 2008.  The two night total is 131.25€ after tax, or $166.40USD.   

$83 per night for City Centre Amsterdam is back to 2002 Priceline rates for this expensive European city.

My favorite find for the IHG 2-for-1 special is the Bridal Suite at the Crowne Plaza Amsterdam over the Christmas Holidays.  That will tell her you love her.  I’m sure there are many other hidden jewels in the European IHG world awaiting the 2-for-1 traveler.

The bridal suite is available for the two night Christmas Holiday (Christmas lasts two days in Amsterdam) for 187.50€ per night.  A two night stay after tax is 393.75€ or $499.20USD. 

The bridal suite is 309.50€ per night to reserve through the regular IHG website reservations for these dates.

This deal could be one of the best $500 memories you ever bought.

London, United Kingdom

London Mayfair Holiday Inn

Fri-Sun Jan 23-25, 2009. 

2-for-1 rate for a King Executive NonSmoking Room comes out to £201.25 or $298.40USD at today’s exchange rate after tax for two nights.  This is a couple of room categories above the cheapest standard room type at a rate of under $150 per night in central London. The regular booking channels for IHG reservations show an advance purchase, nonrefundable rate for King Executive NS Room at £301.88 or $447.61USD. 

The 2-for-1 IHG rate saves $150 on this two night London hotel stay at the Holiday Inn Mayfair in an upscale room category for this hotel.

London The City – Crowne Plaza

Fri-Sun Jan 23, 25, 2009

2-for-1 rate for a Deluxe Room is £70.00 per night.  After tax the two night rate is £161.00 or $239USD.  A city center hotel room for almost any major city in the world at $120 per night all in is a reasonable deal.  For London – this is a great deal. 

The Deluxe room is not even the lowest category style room at The London City Crowne Plaza.  A regular search finds the lowest rate for a Standard room at £79.00 per night.  The Deluxe room available for £70.00 through the 2-for-1 promo rate is £105.00 if you search London, The City Crowne Plaza through the regular IHG website reservation links.  The 2-for-1 offer gives you a better room category – a hotel upsale – at a lower price than otherwise available for the lowest room category at the hotel. 

The 2-for-1 rate for a one bedroom suite with hotel club lounge access is £147.50 per night.  After tax, your two day room total for an upscale London suite at The City Crowne Plaza is £339.25 or $503.02.  A suite in central London with Club lounge access for $250 per night is a good deal.

London Crowne Plaza Docklands

Sun-Tue Jan 25-27, 2009

2-for-1 rate = £54.50 per night or £125.35 ($185.86USD )for a Queen Bed room.  Americans fret about the price of visiting Europe and here is a deal for urban London in an upscale Crowne Plaza for under $90USD per night during the business week.  New York City isn’t offering rates like this.

A full two room suite with balcony at the London Crowne Plaza Docklands will run a total of £297.85 ($441.63) for two nights.  A full size suite in London for under $225USD per night is a great deal for this winter travel season.

The benefit of using this deal in London is a variety of IHG hotels offer 2-for-1 rates and most of the participating hotels in London offer the deal every night of the week.  You can stay in central London at 4 different hotels over 8 nights at these bargain rates.

Geneva, Switzerland – No special rates found in my searches

Paris, France – No City Center Special Rates Found

Berlin, Germany – No City Center Special Rates Found.  Holiday Inn Express at Schonefeld Airport (Schonefeld Airport is scheduled to become Berlin’s primary airport in 2011) is only 29.50€ ($37.40USD, tax included) per night for Jan 23-25.  This is one cheap hotel room.

Munich, Germany (These are the biggest discounts on the regular rates I found in my searches)

Holiday Inn Munich, Effnerstrasse

Sun-Tue, January 25-27, 2009

47.00€/night Standard Room ($59.60 USD tax included)

Regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 86.50€ ($110USD)

Holiday Inn City Centre, Hochstrasse

Sun-Tue, January 25-27, 2009

2-for-1 rate = 67.50€/night Standard Room ($85.58 USD, tax included)

Regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 115.00€ ($146USD)

2-for-1 rate = 107.50€/night Queen Bed Junior Suite ($136.29USD, tax included)

Regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 183.00€ ($232USD)

Budapest, Hungary – InterContinental Budapest, Jan 25-27, 2009

2-for-1 rate is 54.50€ ($69.10USD) for a standard room.  The regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 82.00€ ($104USD) for a standard room. 

An upgraded room with a view of Castle Hill and the Danube is 74.50€ ($94.45) using the 2-for-1 rate.  The regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 112.00€ ($142USD) for the Danube/Castle Hill view. 

One rate qualifier for this hotel is the 2-for-1 rate costs an additional 40€ ($50.72) for a second person in the room.

IHG “2 NIGHTS FOR THE PRICE OF 1”

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

1) 2 for 1 offer is based on the Best Flex Rate and consists of two consecutive night stays for the price of one, based on two adults sharing a standard twin/double room (max.2 adults per room) at participating hotels only.

2) Stays are available over Fri, Sat and Sun nights with many hotels offering midweek availability – please check at time of booking.

3) Full payment must be made at time of booking; no cancellations or amendments permitted; no refunds given.

4) Up to 2 children under the age of 18 stay free when sharing a room with up to 2 adults, if suitable accommodation is available.

5) Single supplement will be charged at the full room per night price.

6) Offer applicable for bookings and stays made from 12th December 2008 up to 31st March 2009.

7) Limited availability may be applicable over public holidays.

All rooms are subject to availability with a limited number of rooms available at these offer rates.

9) Rates may vary by date of booking.

10) Offer not available to groups and can not be used in conjunction with any other offers or special promotions.

11) A booking made pursuant to this offer is non transferable.

12) Offer only available at participating hotels in the UK & Europe

I am on a lonely road and I am traveling,

traveling, traveling, traveling,

Looking for something, what can it be?

    All I Want –  Joni Mitchell

Mt. Shasta, California view from I-5 near Dunsmuir

I heard a blogger panelist at BlogWorld08 in Las Vegas tell bloggers never to apologize for not blogging.  I’m not apologizing – just writing.

I was on the Family and Friends plan this past week over the Thanksgiving holidays.  I have hotel reviews, stories, and photos from Las Vegas for Loyalty Traveler December blog posts.  There are still several pieces of the Vancouver, Washington, Oregon, and California trip I want to finish writing and posting to this blog. 

I drove around the western states for most of November.  It has been 12 years since I did serious road travel.  My realization this past month is writing as a road warrior is much more difficult than writing when flying the friendly skies.  Piloting and navigating a car takes a lot more physical and mental energy than being a high flyer drifting between airports penning thoughts.

Most of my November days were used seeing hotels (about 25 hotels or so), staying in hotels (11 stays), and driving between hotels (3,500 miles).  Gas dropped from $2.94 to $1.81 over a three week period of driving around California and the west.  Hotel prices also dropped by 35% in many locations from the time I started looking in mid-October/early-November to when I was booking rooms during November.  Airfares for domestic December holiday travel are some of the lowest fares I recall seeing in the past 7 years.

The new Starwood Luxury Collection hotel, the Nines Portland, Oregon has dropped rates as low as $149 for Christmas week.  This is 40% less than lowest rates were 30 days ago.  Recently opened hotels like the InterContinental Monterey are currently offering abnormally low rates like $117 per night (AAA rate) for an upscale hotel in a resort destination.

I was checking Denver hotel rates for stays around Christmas week and the Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver are only $70 a night.  I am astonished and thankful.  Hyatt Gold Passport Faster Free Nights makes hotel rates this low essentially freebies.  A Hyatt Gold Passport member can stay upscale in downtown Denver at economy hotel room rates and redeem luxury hotel nights in a place like Scottsdale’s Hyatt Gainey Ranch Resort or a Park Hyatt for free during winter 2009.

I think we have about two to three weeks before the 2009 hotel promotions appear on the web to try and stimulate the hotel economy.  Hotels are mirroring the national economy in needing a jump-start to keep rooms occupied in 2009. 

Hotel industry news throughout November has repeatedly shown occupancy declines, luxury and upscale hotel market room rate cuts, and average room rate declines across the USA, although Texas hotel rates are rising at the moment. Forecasts offer an even bleaker 2009 hotel industry scenario.  Projects like the St. Regis Las Vegas and new Starwood hotels in Macau are postponed indefinitely.   

Much of the hotel industry occupancy projections in 2008 and into 2009 were based on increased international visitors to the USA.  The dollar was weak and the British pound and Euro were strong and made the USA a bargain destination.  Many international currencies have lost 20% to 30% of their value against the dollar since September and the likelihood of large increases in the numbers of international visitors to the USA has diminished.  The Mexican peso and Canadian dollar have plummeted against the US Dollar taking away the financial incentive and the financial resources for USA travel from our top two sources of international visitors. 

Time-Rich, Job Poor?  Go Travel!

Work interferes with seeing the world.  This is a great time to travel and see the world.

There are travel deals all around.  Last week, Holland America offered an inside cabin for $1,025 per person on a 16-day San Diego to Fort Lauderdale cruise via the Panama Canal.  A 16-day cruise for $2,050 all-in, including the fuel surcharges for sailing next week December 7.  $125 per day for a room, entertainment and recreational activities, and all the food you can eat is a great deal. 

Stanford University Day Tripping – So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades

Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA October 16, 2008

Rushing out of Monterey I had no idea what the temperature was in Silicon Valley, California.  The 70° Monterey air soon went to 90° on Highway 101 right where Monterey County changes to San Benito County.  Somehow the County line seems to be situated right at the point of the freeway where the Pacific Ocean air conditioning ends.

The beautiful hotel exterior of the Four Seasons caught my attention numerous times as I passed by on Highway 101 through Palo Alto. 

Four Seasons Silicon Valley, East Palo Alto, California

A room with a view of IKEA and the freeway always seemed like an odd location for a luxury hotel.  The dichotomy of social existence in California is reflected perfectly in a luxury hotel next to a freeway separating the predominantly lower socioeconomic households of East Palo Alto from the Stanford University dominated Palo Alto to the west.

Four Seasons Silicon Valley, East Palo Alto, California

I decided to check out the freeway-side hotel as I exited University Avenue in East Palo Alto on the way to Stanford University.  Ambient music played in the lobby.  The bright sun on this 90°F October day kept the west facing window seating “awash in clear sunlight by day”.  That descriptive phrase lifted from the Four Seasons website perfectly captures the light I experienced as I walked through the hotel.  Most of the people present were in the Quattro café/bar area.  http://www.fourseasons.com/siliconvalley/photo_gallery/

Four Seasons Silicon Valley lobby, East Palo Alto, California

I wasn’t dressed for public relations or The Bar.   The rooftop pool view will have to wait for another day.

Four Seasons Silicon Valley Quattro Restaurant

A quick lobby walk-through and photo snaps with a stop in the toilet comprised my visit.  Five star luxury bathrooms use hand towels, not paper towels in the public area restrooms.

Four Seasons, Silicon Valley has a $245 Bed and Breakfast rate which must make this hotel one of the lowest priced Four Seasons in the United States. 

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The train tracks separate the few blocks of upscale shops, restaurants, and bars on University Avenue east of the tracks, from the Palo Alto Sheraton and Westin and Stanford University on the west side of the tracks.  I parked in the business district and joined the multilingual crowd on the sunny sidewalks. 

Electric Car, Palo Alto, California

Several people walking in front of me all turned right into a store.  Several people walking towards me all turned left into the same store.  I glanced in as I passed by the door and saw it was an Apple computer store.  Dozens of shops on the street and it seemed just about everyone on the sidewalk had walked into the Apple store.  There must have been fifteen people go inside in a 30-second period.

I turned around and went in the Apple store.  I have never been in an Apple store before.  Long white countertops had Apple products evenly spaced for consumer-user friendliness.  One counter had about six or eight computers.  There were several rows of these counters.  Another area had i-phones, and another area i-pods.  Headphones were dangling from overhead fixtures.  Dozens of people were standing in front of computers surfing the internet.   My little city of Monterey has nothing like this. 

The Palo Alto Sheraton and Palo Alto Westin are adjacent to each other and across the street from Stanford University.  I have stayed at both of these hotels.  The Westin is elegant and has nicer rooms.  The Sheraton has the better pool and is the place to be if you want to party.  The Westin exudes professorial sophistication and the Sheraton says California sunshine and tan maintenance.  Both hotels are outrageously high on most weekdays with $200+ rates.  Over the past year the Sheraton Palo Alto drops to $99 to $119 for some weekends, while the Westin tends to bottom out in the $129-$149 range.

The Sheraton concierge kindly provided me with a map of Stanford University and even a 10% discount card for dinner at Gordon Biersch Brewery near where I had parked my car. 

Palm Avenue, Stanford University

Along Palm Avenue, across the street from the Sheraton Hotel, it is a 15 to 20 minute walk to the University buildings.  In the hot sun, my ears burning, the distance to the Rodin Sculpture Garden was a bit farther than I had remembered and I wished I had brought a bottle of water from my car.  The temperature controlled environment of the museum was a respite from the early fall heat of California.

Cantor Center for the Visual Arts, Stanford university, Palo Alto, California

My Rodin knowledge is primarily from the 1989 Isabelle Adjani and Gerard Depardieu movie, “Camille Claudel”.   

The Thinker, Rodin sculpture, Cantor Museum, Stanford University

A museum that permits photography is a pleasant surprise.

I love this painting of Napoleon. 

 Napoleon (1798), Artist: Andrea Appiani (1754-1817)

I was disappointed to take two fuzzy photographs of a painting by William Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905).  I purchased a print of Bouguereau’s “The Young Seamstress” in Ireland back in 1997 and it hangs in our bedroom.

There was a party scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 with a free band and $5 microbrew beers and wines ($8) in the Rodin Sculpture Garden.  I wandered on to look for food.

“Social Butterfly” 1990, Roger Brown, 1941-1997

·          

Naomi Klein (right) and Terry Karl, Stanford University, 10-16-08

Naomi Klein, author of “No Logo” and “The Shock Doctrine”, speaking at Stanford University was the purpose of this trip. 

What does a liberal journalist have to do with hotel travel? 

Well, the main thesis of Naomi Klein’s latest book, “The Shock Doctrine“ is the pattern of corporatism winning out over public good through privatization and appropriation of resources, money, and law in a catalytic way of change after a major disaster.  Her thesis is supported by four main examples: Chile and the corporate overthrow of democratic socialism in the 70s, Bush’s war privatization in Iraq, hotel development on appropriated beaches after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and school privatization in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Naomi Klein spoke primarily about the current economic crisis and expressed her activism in urging everyone to hound their legislators for securing a better bailout economic package to the one Hank Paulson negotiated with the banks.

Her main social point was to stay on your legislators to enable Barack Obama to address a grassroots call for change and generate reforms for infrastructure and social policy development in a climate that is unfortunately ripe for a continuation of disaster capitalism a la Bush Administration through corporate bailouts rather than changes more directly related to the working people of the USA.

·          

W Hotel Silicon Valley, Newark, California

The W Hotel Silicon Valley is an easy 20 minute drive from Palo Alto.  Crossing the Dumbarton Bridge over southern San Francisco Bay reminded me of the leftover fresh crab I cracked and ate for lunch before leaving my home in Monterey.  The scent from the sea at low tide pervaded my car.

W Silicon Valley is located near the East Bay shoreline in the estuary of Newark, California.   Estuaries are a great place for bird watching.  The darkness at 10pm kept my eyes from seeing the mudflats my nose detected.

The Check-in receptionist told me I was being given an upgrade.  The room was on the 4^th floor facing east.  The preferred view in this hotel is the west facing room or pool rooms.  I have stayed here probably a dozen or more times in the past six years and I have only had an interior facing room once and I couldn’t see the pool from that room, just the roof of the café area. The room looked like every room I’ve had at this hotel.  One time, years ago, I actually did receive a corner room upgrade. 

Room 410, W Hotel Silicon Valley, Newark, CA

At $89 on a Starpicks rate for a Thursday night I am not complaining.  This hotel is normally twice the price on Thursdays.

Lobby was dead at 10:00pm.  One man working on a computer at a café table.

Only one bar of soap in the bathroom.  That was inconvenient to have to move the soap from the sink to the bath and back to the sink.  Ecologically, I can’t bear the thought of throwing away bars of soap after one day so one bar is a “green” move.  Personally,  I always take the soap home with me and my home supply is a little low lately.   

Room 410, W Silicon Valley bathroom

Friday morning working on my computer and  I realize there is no coffee maker in the room.  I had to put on my glasses to read the W Hotel card on the sink counter.

“WHO DO YOU HAVE TO KNOW TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE AROUND HERE?”

The sentence on the card was written in all caps like that.  The card then said “Join us for coffee or tea, at the W Café in the Living Room this morning. Along with coffee or tea, you will find fresh-baked pastries and other tempting treats to whet your appetite.”

The card does not say if coffee is complimentary.

I had to place the card under the lamp to decipher the line at the bottom of the card, set in a smaller size font: “Can’t live without your fix?  Call Whatever/Whenever to have a coffee maker delivered to your room.”

This is a change for the W Silicon Valley.  There was always a coffee maker in the room for my hotel stays over the past six years.

I tossed on some gym shorts and headed to the lobby for coffee.  Felt a little underdressed in the elevator with a perfumed, business attire woman.  Then again, I looked like I might be headed to the workout room or perhaps I was on my way to “Wet” (the W synonym for swimming pool).

Coffee fixed I proceeded to work on my computer.

W Hotels have interesting accessories for your stay.  On the desk was a silver tube sitting in a tray labeled “WISH” and the tube was in fact a kaleidoscope.  The hotel has complimentary DVD movies for check-out and a DVD player beneath the TV.  The room has a sink, microwave, and refrigerator and two sets of plates and utensils.  Magazines are everywhere from the selection of three in the room to three more titles in the elevator vestibule.  I grabbed a copy of “Wired” to take home.

The café was busy in the morning.  I have never seen it so crowded in my previous stays as I am usually here on a Saturday or Sunday morning.  They appeared to be business guests who probably have meetings in one of the tech buildings in the business park surrounding the W Hotel.  After all, it is called Silicon Valley for a reason.