Skyscanner’s appeal on the Competition and Markets Authority’s decision to cut short an investigation of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)’ hotel pricing practices could lead to a rebalancing of the hotel-OTA relationship.
The hotel industry is closely monitoring Airbnb, and a decision by the home-swapping company to turn over anonymous user data in New York could be the first step to tripping up one of the biggest players in the "sharing economy." Airbnb yesterday reached a deal with the New York attorney general that ultimately brings more regulatory scrutiny of the company, while at the same time raises concerns about how it handles the private data of its users.
Only 33 properties made the final cut, and this morning Pilar spotlighted a few that are great for families, foodies, and beach lovers—but she also shared something special, a list of four additional hotels we love that are each less than $200 a night. Check out these bonus bargain spots, and then dive into our full 2014 Hot List.
We do a lot of lists in this magazine. Some are exhaustive, drawing on a survey of thousands of readers. Others are purely subjective. The Hot List, which covers 33 of our favorite new properties selected from a pool roughly 15 times that number, falls into the latter category and, not for nothing, is a year in the making. Though the methodology and standards are no less rigorous—as editors John Wogan and Hanya Yanagihara can attest—the criteria are often much more ephemeral.
Why stay in a humdrum hotel when you can sleep in a sewer pipe in Austria? Or a salt palace in Bolivia? Here are 15 of the world's most memorable accommodations 1. Jules' Undersea Lodge (Florida) Originally a research laboratory, this fully underwater hotel sits at the bottom of the Emerald Lagoon in Florida's Key Largo, and can only be reached by scuba diving down six meters. The lodge can accommodate two couples and has showers, a microwave and a fridge.
After years of complaining about how Airbnb doesn’t compete on a level playing field, apparently the hotel lobby in New York now wants to ensure that the peer-to-peer hospitality startup isn’t held to the same standards, especially as it relates to taxes. Airbnb has taken steps to ensure that it will be able to begin collecting hotel occupancy taxes, possibly as soon as this summer. It’s just waiting on legislators and local regulators to give it the green light to do so in markets like San Francisco and New York.
Airbnb likes to say it reminds hosts that they must check local laws and leases before agreeing to rent out apartments. But after The Chronicle reported efforts by San Francisco officials and landlords to crack down on wayward hosts, the company is trying a little harder to remind people to play by the rules. Airbnb released revised terms of service that state many cities have laws restricting short-term paying guests, while many leases and condo agreements may prohibit the practice. It also advises that paying hotel taxes - something the company has said it will do in San Francisco by summer - is coming soon. The company e-mailed users about the changes this week and said all hosts must agree to them by April 30.
Find out who's who in the hotel industry. Singapore Business Review celebrates the best young business minds in the city with this list of 40 and under hotel managers. Check out and identify who is "on the rise" in the hotel industry from backpackers to luxury five-star hotels. The list includes a young achiever in the field at the age of 27.
A fort in Rajasthan tops Lonely Planet's inaugural list of the world's most extraordinary places to stay, which also includes spherical treehouses in Vancouver Island's forest, and a cave hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey. Browse the gallery to see all 10 winners in order...
Less than nine months after opening the first hotel in Mumbai under its brand, Hong Kong luxury chain operator Shangri-La Asia handed the keys back to the owner. Now, United States-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is in talks with the same owner to take over management of the property under its St Regis brand, people familiar with the matter said, as part of a shake-out in the luxury segment of India’s ailing hotel industry.
"We have been growing at a strong pace, reaching a fleet of 330 hotels in operation and 100 under development. Regarding the financial objectives of Route 2015, to increase our operating margin (EBITDA %) by 6 to 8 percentage points by 2015, we are on track to achieve this goal. Our gross margin grew by 2.1 percentage points in 2012, and the results of 2013 are very positive with an increase in EBITDA margins close to 2.8 percentage points over the first three quarters. We have exceeded our targets for this year. The main drivers of Route 2015 are: income generation, gaining market share; development, particularly in emerging markets; cost reduction, materializing savings [which will happen to the tune of 30 to 50 million euros in savings]; and the management of our hotel portfolio, with the Asset Light development of the group [note: without owning real estate, meaning the hotel asset], where we are in line with objectives..."
With thousands of bedrooms in as many locations, it's easy to imagine that chain hotels all offer the same bland, basic experience. However a new survey by Which? reveals they may not be as homogenous as you think, with a huge difference in quality between the best and worst brands.
Not everyone wants the typical room service, continental breakfast, and double bed of a chain hotel. Whether you still harbor a childhood dream of living in a treehouse, or you love wine so much you'd give anything to sleep inside a giant empty wine barrel, there's a crazy hotel out there that fits your vacation needs. Sometimes, something whacky is called for. Here are 15 of the world's most eye- popping, weird, and wonderful hotels.
When you log on to Orbitz to find that perfect room for your next vacation, you may be thinking about the pool, or the view, or the chance to get away from it all. But the travel site you use and the hotel where you stay are thinking about something else: Who’s responsible for your taxes? Online travel providers and the hotel industry will clash next year over which side is responsible for forwarding taxes to state and local governments, setting up high-stakes battles in state capitals that are increasingly facing the question of how to tax Internet sales. In this case, the consumer’s bottom line may not change, but shifting the tax burden is a threat to travel providers still operating on narrow margins after a recession severely dented their balance sheets.
There was nothing dirty — or defamatory — about including a Tennessee hotel on an unflattering list on a travel website because it’s clear the inclusion was based on opinions, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a bid by the former owner of the Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., to reinstate a defamation lawsuit against the site TripAdvisor.
In July, Mercer published its current list of the most expensive cities in the world. Curious about the cost of living for expats, we created a collection of the priciest apartments and rentals in these cities. But what about hotels? How much will one night in the world's most expensive towns set you back?
Tired of cookie-cutter hotel rooms? Check out our list of the top 10 extreme hotels in the world. Here you'll find unique offerings across the globe, including a converted bullfighting ring in Mexico and an underwater hotel in the U.S.
The U.S. Army wants its servicemembers and their guests to be all they can be in nicer hotels on bases across the country. Today, InterContinental Hotels Group will announce plans to take over hotels on 18 military bases in the next eight years, bringing the number of properties in its IHG Army Hotels program to 76 on 39 bases. The renovated or new hotels will replace Army-run lodging that a 2003 internal study deemed in desperate need of renovation.
Banyan Tree, Bangkok | There has long been a debate about which Bangkok rooftop restaurant is the best: Sirocco, which claims to offer the highest al fresco dining experience in the world, on the 63rd floor of the Dome at lebua, or Vertigo, on the 61st floor of the Banyan Tree Bangkok. While Sirocco, which is by the river, is slightly higher, Banyan Tree is more central, at the heart of the business district, so the views are even better, taking in both river and city. Expect to be offered seared bay scallops, roasted snow fish and tenderloin Wagyu – and refreshing cocktails such as a Vertigo Sunset (Malibu, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and lime juice) at the adjoining Moon Bar.
Nigel Tisdall recently visited the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai, the world's tallest hotel, which opened last month. It is 355 metres tall and has 1,608 rooms split between two identical towers. The jagged design is inspired by the trunk of a date palm. Surprisingly perhaps, given its size, the decor within is "quiet and understated". Views, of course, are superb. Here are some other lofty places to spend the night.