What’s Better Than A Hotel Room? Renting A Vintage Trailer

by Libby Zay on

Little inspires us more than the thought of a cross-country road trip, especially in one of these vintage beauties. But the problem is owning a trailer isn’t always practical, especially if you need to put a lot of elbow grease into fixing it up only to use it once or twice. Enter Goodness Travels, a small, new company that has revamped a 1960s “canned ham” trailer above, and is renting it out so travelers can fulfill their dreams of making road trips look and feel even more cool. A pair of beds inside can sleep two adults or, as the website puts it, “four very close friends” – begging the question, why hasn’t anyone thought of this sooner?

The camper, which Goodness Travels has named Honey, can be rented for $104 a night. Maybe not the best accommodation deal out there, especially when compared to Airbnb, but when you factor in the price of traveling in style and not having to worry about where to settle in for the night, it makes sense. Plus, Honey comes with a propane stove, a classic icebox and a sink, meaning guests can save on making meals inside their tiny home on wheels. Right now, the trailer can only be rented close to New Jersey, but here’s to hoping more companies around the country catch on.

Check out the cute, cozy inside of the trailer after the jump.

[via Design*Sponge]

First-Class Lounge For Pets Opens At Chicago O’Hare

by Reena Ganga on

Luxury pet hotels, pet portraiture, pet birthday parties and even pet facials – these are just some of the ways the travel industry has bent over backwards to make our furry friends feel like they’re on vacation too.

Now, our four-legged besties are getting the first-class treatment at airport lounges, thanks to the opening of a lounge designed especially for pets at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

The on-site kennel is located in United Airline’s new cargo facility and has 28 separate enclosures designed to hold different types of animals comfortably until it’s time for them to fly. The kennel is temperature-controlled, as are the purpose-built vans that shuttle the pampered pooches from the lounge to their flights come boarding time.The lounge, which opened at the end of last month, is the third such pet facility that United is operating in airports across the U.S., with similar services available at Houston and Newark airports.

United says the lounge staff is trained to provide first-class care for the animals, which includes walking, bathing and grooming them. After all, even pets like to stretch their legs, take a hot shower and freshen up their look when they’re in transit, right?

Miami Airport To Test Passenger Self-Boarding

by Libby Zay on

Miami International Airport has plans to test a self-boarding system that would cut out airline gate agents and, hopefully, make the boarding process flow better, Skift reports.

Maurice Jenkins, the airport’s director of information services and telecommunications, tells the news outlet the airport already has the equipment it needs to get the process started, and will soon roll out tests with several airlines. He also mentioned the airport is looking at testing self-service kiosks in customs, but that would be further down the pipeline.

According to the Star Tribune, at least 17 airlines across Europe and Asia already use self-boarding machines, and several U.S. carriers are testing the devices. The process is simple: an automated turnstile allows fliers to scan their own boarding passes at the gate before passing onto the plane. Although this essentially means travelers can bypass all interaction with airline employees until the point they step onto an aircraft, it doesn’t mean passengers will get to skip any form of security, so everyone who uses the system will have already passed inspection.

We all know how bad people can be at forming a line at the airport, so we’re curious to see this implemented. My only question is, who will police the size of our carry-on bags now?

Hertz Launches Dream Car Rental Service For Those Who Just Can’t Drive 55

by Kraig Becker on

Yesterday, Hertz, one of the largest rental car companies in the world, announced the launch of their new Dream Cars service in the U.S. This new offering allows customers to rent exotic sports cars and high-end luxury models that typically haven’t been available from the company in the past, granting travelers an opportunity to explore their destination in head-turning style.

Some of the vehicles that are available for rent include the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Porsche 911 and the SRT Viper, just to name a few. And for those who want to enjoy a luxury ride while still remaining eco-friendly, Hertz is even offering the Tesla Model S electric sedan.

The Dream Car service extends well beyond just renting an amazing luxury ride. Hertz will also send a representative to deliver the car to the customer and give them a one-on-one orientation of the vehicle as well. Customers can be met at their terminal in the airport or the car can be delivered to a location of their choice.Hertz says that Dream Cars will soon be available in 35 markets across the U.S., including such major cities as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Dallas and Chicago. As of this writing, the website lists only Florida locations such as Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach, however, so it may take some time for the service to spread out. It should also be noted that not all vehicles are available in each location, so if you’re considering renting your personal dream car, you may want to peruse the catalog ahead of time.

The website doesn’t list pricing for these high-end vehicles, but you can bet they’ll be well beyond what most of us can afford. Still, if you’re looking to splurge on your next vacation and you want to spend a few days driving around in a car that is above and beyond anything you’ve ever imagined, this is a service that can deliver that experience for you.

As for me, I’m already daydreaming about living out my James Bond fantasies with that Aston Martin Vantage.

Las Vegas Is Getting A Sports Stadium

by Libby Zay on

Las Vegas has long been talking about building an arena to host sporting events and big-name concerts, and now that idea seems one step closer to reality. On Tuesday, MGM Resorts International and entertainment company AEG announced the two entities will join forces to build a 20,000-set indoor venue just off the Las Vegas Strip.

The $350 million arena will be the centerpiece to a new pedestrian mall being developed on a piece of MGM-owned land between the New York-New York and Monte Carlo resorts. Ground will be broken next summer, and the arena is expected to be completed by spring 2016. Design firm Populous, the powerhouse behind London’s O2 arena and Kansas City’s Sprint Center, will draw up plans for the arena.

Although there is no sports franchise lined up for the stadium, Associated Press reports former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman had previously tried to attract a developer to build a stadium fit for a pro hockey or basketball franchise. Developers are just hoping the event capital of the world will be able to attract high-profile acts and sporting matches to fill the stadium to capacity.

[via Skift]