Top Stories
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TripAdvisor advises against mobile apps for its hotel customers
DigitalTripAdvisor is advising its hotel customers that they should definitely fine-tune their mobile offerings, but should probably steer clear of mobile apps. “They can be expensive to create, so only develop an app if you have enough frequent travelers who’ll use it often enough,” TripAdvisor says, referring to downloadable mobile apps, in a new TripAdvisor [...]
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Abu Dhabi airport’s cool new sleeping pods launch, with internet access built in
TransportAbu Dhabi Airports Company has launched “GoSleep” sleeping pods at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)…it is a chair that converts into a private flat bed. Ten sleeping pods have now been installed in Terminal 3 and in the Al Dhabi Lounge in Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, with a further 35 on order for [...]
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New Virgin Atlantic uniforms to be designed by punk pioneer Vivienne Westwood
TransportVirgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. has hired U.K. designer Vivienne Westwood for the first makeover of its scarlet uniforms in a decade, turning to the pioneering figure of punk fashion to spearhead a renewal of the brand. The revamp of more than 7,500 outfits for cabin crew, pilots, lounge staff and Virgin Holidays employees will seek [...]
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The posh accommodations posing as hostels throughout Europe
DestinationsWith the wine tasting in the lobby bar approaching, I rinsed the green-tea shampoo from my hair, grabbed a towel from the queen bed and settled into a Philippe Starck chair, espresso in hand. A flat-screen TV flickered in the next room of my suite, but I was more captivated by the view that lay [...]
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Morgans Hotel creative head talks luxury, branding and boutique properties
RoomsKim Walker was the sixth employee at Morgans Hotel Group. Straight out of Boston University, with a degree in finance and a minor in hotel management, she was hired nearly 22 years ago by none other than Ian Schrager. The famed American real-estate developer — credited with creating the “boutique hotel” segment and known for [...]
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Wisconsin politicians debate merits of attractive bridge design
TransportRepublican lawmakers are making a move to end a state Department of Transportation program that funnels up to $15 million a year into murals, landscaping, stamped concrete and other aesthetic features to ensure community buy-in for road and bridge projects. The GOP lawmakers are also targeting for elimination plans to install color-changing decorative lights on [...]
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Red Roof goes on a road trip to show off its new room design
RoomsWhen Red Roof Inn wanted to upgrade its rooms, the easy part was designing them: faux-wood floors; granite countertops and vessel sinks in the bathrooms; flat-screen televisions; and lots of outlets for laptops and smartphones. The hard part “was getting our guests to experience our NextGen rooms,” said Andrew Alexander, president of the Columbus-based chain [...]
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Vancouver museum exhibit explores social impact of well-designed hotels
DestinationsA hotel is more than just a place to lay your head down. If you don’t believe it, check out a fascinating new show at the Canada’s Vancouver Art Gallery convincingly argues that hotels are far more than just bricks and mortar. The gallery’s newest exhibition is Grand Hotel: Redesigning Modern Life, which is described [...]
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Hilton gives Homewood Suites property owners a cheap way to update their look
GalleryHilton’s extended-stay brand Homewood Suites wanted older brands to upgrade their facilities and feature a fresher design, but that’s a difficult desire to push when individual property owners shoulder the cost. To encourage owners to go ahead with the needed upgrades, Homewood Suites launched the Take Flight initiative. Take Flight is a package of design [...]
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Legendary Paris hotel auctions off its contents prior to major renovation
DestinationsCrillon, the 100-year-old hotel that housed General Eisenhower after the Liberation of Paris, is auctioning off almost everything, from beds and curtains to 2,000 bottles of wine and doormen’s uniforms. The dressers, Baccarat coffee cups, mini bars, room service trolleys and lights fixtures from Crillon’s halls, 147 room, 44 suites are going up for sale [...]
