Enjoy Hotel Accommodations To The Fullest With These Hacks

Staying at a hotel can be expensive especially for those who are traveling alone. However, it is still one of the safest options for accommodations. Make the most out of the experience with these hacks:

Image source: Pixabay.com

1. Enjoy the amenities even before check-in

Guests who will be arriving hours before their check-in time should inform the staff beforehand. In some hotels, early check-in is allowed especially during off-peak seasons. But for those who have a few hours before settling in their rooms can actually already check out the hotel's amenities. Some hotels let their guests use the gym, swimming pools, and business lounges so that they'll be able to get their work done even as they wait.

2. Know what you can borrow or take for free

While it's common knowledge that the items in the minibar are not for free, there are still hotel guests that are unfamiliar with the items that they can get for free. Aside from toiletries, guests can also ask for stationery, mugs, maps, magazines, shoe shine kits, earplugs, earphones, kiddie treats, fruits, coffee, tea, and even cookies from their friendly staff. To make them feel more at home, guests can borrow body pillows, hot towels, and even microwave ovens during their stay.

Image source: Pexels.com

3. Get insights from hotel staff

Save up on tour packages and other unnecessary expenses by asking hotel staff. As most of these people are locals, they know where the best places are. They will also be more than happy to share what they know. Aside from car services, some hotels also have bikes that their guests can rent. Hotels also give out city guides, maps and travel magazines that will help guests navigate a city better.

Making the most out of a hotel’s amenities and freebies will make a stay truly worth every penny.

John Jefferis is a celebrated veteran in the hotel management arena after being a recipient of awards such as the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year in 1990 and Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000. He is the current chairman and sole shareholder of the Palm Reed Hotel Development Company Limited and Island Resorts International Limited. Find out more about John’s career by visiting this Facebook page.

Exploring The Most Scenic Places In Bermuda

Bermuda is known for being a picture-perfect island that never fails to capture the hearts of visitors.  It is the best escape for those who want to get away from the demands of city life.  Below are some of the most scenic places in Bermuda travelers shouldn't miss out on.

St. George's

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a visit to Bermuda's former capital is a must.  The place is also home to St. Peter's Church which was built in 1612, and museums that showcase the beauty of Bermuda.  However, the most popular sights for travelers are the painted stone and masonry buildings in Water Street.  St. George's a favorite place among photographers as it has a unique and classic feel.

Image source: Tripadvisor.com

Bermuda's Crystal and Fantasy Caves

These 30 million-year-old caves surely look like a place out of a fantasy movie.  The clear-blue pools, crystallized soda straws, and chandelier-like stalactite formations are a sight to behold.  Exploring the wonders of nature underground has never been more interesting.  Be sure to take in the otherworldly scene before snapping a photograph of the place. 

Hamilton

Hamilton is the commercial hub of Bermuda.  For those who want to explore the religious, political, and business side of the island, this is the place to be.  Hamilton also has great restaurants and shopping centers that tourists will enjoy.  But what probably will be etched in their memories are the pastel-colored colonial buildings that are timeless and charming at the same time. 

Image source: Gotobermuda.com

Two days and one night in Bermuda will not be enough.  There's just so much to explore on the island. 

John Jefferis is a celebrated veteran in the hotel management arena after being a recipient of awards such as the Caribbean Hotelier of the Year in 1990 and Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000. He is the current chairman and sole shareholder of the Palm Reed Hotel Development Company Limited and Island Resorts International Limited. Find out more about John’s career by visiting this Facebook page.

Level-up your Tobago Vacation with Coco Reef Resort and Spa

Accommodation is an important part of any vacation. Mediocre lodging can ruin plans for a relaxing time out of town. On the other hand, stellar services can make a trip truly memorable. Coco Reef Resort and Spa is a place that has earned the loyalty of tourists whenever they stay in Tobago.

The award-winning resort is located a mile away from the airport, in the western town of Crown Point, close to Store Bay and Pigeon Point beaches. Despite its proximity to Tobago’s best beaches, the resort is known for its spacious and relaxing rooms, mostly with sea views. Visitors can also enjoy the well-manicured gardens, ocean view, and the refreshing sea air from the resort’s beachfront lounge.

Image source: Virginholidays.co.uk

With a gym and a spa, guests can enjoy first-class service from the resort staff. Those who are looking for activities under the sun can sign up for water sports or have a chill day hanging by the pool. The resort also has a private white sand beach best for families, especially those with little kids.

Image source: The-report.com

Tourism in Tobago is a fast-growing industry. Sites like Coco Reef that showcase the nation’s natural wonders draw in more tourists, who become frequent visitors through the years. This proves that excellent service makes people feel at home.

Top Caribbean Hotelier John Jefferis is the chairman and sole shareholder of the Palm Reed Hotel Development Company Limited and the Island Resorts International Limited. He is also a multi-awarded personality in the hotel industry, receiving the prestigious recognitions Caribbean Hotelier of the Year in 1990 and Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000. For more articles on the hospitality business, visit this blog.

REPOST: Generation X spends the most per day on luxury travel

How much do you spend on your vacation? Simon Thomsen of the Sydney Morning Herald discusses how millenials spend more traveling than retired seniors.

One generation has taken a surprising lead in the luxury travel market. | Image Source: smh.com.au

Never mind the parents spending your inheritance on travel: Generation X has an even better time when it hits the road.

Virtuoso, the global luxury travel network with $US14 billion ($17.8 billion) in annual sales, has crunched its numbers, finding that while retired travelers spend more overall, Gen X goes short, sharp and flash to burn through more cash every day they're away.

Sofitel's new Sydney property will appeal to cashed up travellers visiting Australia. | Image Source: smh.com.au

Seniors spend 56 per cent more on travel annually – $US11,077 ($14,000) each – than Millennials at $US7110. Generation X's bill is $US8458 at a daily rate of $US627, which is nearly 20 per cent higher than Millennials at $US527, and the frugal seniors at $US471. Boomers seem modest by comparison, with an annual average of $US9907 per trip and $US522 per day.

Where are you going?

Seniors are away the most, at 23.5 days a year, followed by the Boomers on 19. Gen X and Millennials, who need to get back to work, have just 13.5 days.

Singapore has been named 2015's hottest tourism destination by Virtuoso. | Image Source: smh.com.au

What they do on holidays is where the differences begin to emerge with the older sector opting for a cruise – 26 per cent of Boomers, 42 per cent for Seniors – as their preferred adventure.

Millennials and Generation X-ers opt for private or escorted tour experiences (38 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively) and hotel stays over cruises (both at 15 per cent).

And while Baby Boomers are the largest segment of travelers, Virtuoso has seen a surge in Generation-X clients to overtake the Senior market (born before 1946).

US-based Virtuoso, which recently announced it would use Sydney as its regional base for its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region, books around 12 per cent of its turnover from Australia and New Zealand, has seen both countries make its seasonal top 10 list for overseas visitors, especially in Q1 2015 as northern hemisphere travellers seek to escape the cold.

Not surprisingly, the USA's nearest neighbours, Mexico and Canada, head the list, with New Zealand just pipping Australia as preferred destination.

By the booking

Here's where everyone's going this year, based on Virtuoso's forward sales to March 2015.

1. Mexico

2. Canada

3. New Zealand

4. Australia

5. Argentina

6. United Kingdom

7. Costa Rica

8. South Africa

9. Hong Kong

10. Chile

Meanwhile, the Peter Jackson Hobbit effect as no doubt helped produce a dramatic rise in interest for Aotearoa, with Virtuoso's "Hot List", measuring year-over-year growth, putting New Zealand in second place behind Singapore.

Aruba, if you're searching the map, is a tiny Dutch-controlled south Caribbean Sea island just off the coast of Venezuela.

The hot list

1. Singapore (up 155%)

2. New Zealand (up 95%)

3. Aruba (up 36%)

4. Israel (up 32%)

5. Puerto Rico (24%)

6. U.S. Virgin Islands (up 23%)

7. France (up 22%)

8. Bahamas (up 20%)

9. Chile (up 20%)

10. Spain (up 20%)

Looking for luxury

Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch says there's been a big shift to luxury accommodation as Australia developed high-end places such as Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, Tasmania's Sapphire and more recently, One & Only on Hayman Island. Internal domestic travel has upgraded to these places.

"Australian luxury product has come a long way and we're seeing an increase in short breaks – two to three days – at these places," he said.

"The core market is still for luxury expeditions and cruising."

Sales in Australia rose 15 per cent in the past year.

The drop in the Australian dollar won't have much impact on the luxury sector, but it will give visitors to Australia more money to play with when they get here.

The age of agents

His other point, as the head of a company that's overseen more than US$32 billion in travel, is that any predictions that the internet age will see the travel agent go the way of the video store and photo lab are way off the mark.

"This is a profession that's doing really well," he says, arguing that the shifts wrought by online are similar to the ones experienced by stockbrokers

"Brokers who were truly were wealth advisers made the shift and the good ones did well," he said.

"Some people think travel agents are just order takers, but in the luxury market they're a trusted, collaborative travel adviser.

"Finding someone who will listen to exactly what you want and will deliver on that promise is the very definition of luxury travel."

Find the best travel deals and the hottest destinations by following this John Jefferis Twitter account.