Youth Hostels & Hotels Abroad Step Up Their Game

by Adrienne Wilson on

America is not so cutting-edge if you ask
me, but what do I know. To be quite honest the only time I’ve ever stepped into a youth hostel was abroad, yet the kind
of things mentioned in this San
Francisco Chronicle piece by Arthur Frommer don’t quite seem to happen around these parts. Or do they? Free Aveda
hair-care products and beds made of feather pillows – at a youth hostel? (Gasp!) Sure many of you may have probably
seen or even used that orange and ginger smelling Bath & Body Works shampoo/conditioner popping up in various
hotels stateside, but think about the cost of your room. I want low cost. I want to have my cake and I would
like to eat it too, if you certainly don’t mind.

Apparently Europe, Asia and Australia seem to understand
what cheap penny-pinchers want on their holidays. They understand that backpackers want royalty, no-frills chic, and
great interior design at ridiculously low cost without the bed bugs. Not to say that any of this is new news like the
article suggests it may be for many Americans, but I can’t help wondering if the concept will ever fully catch on here.
If you’re headed away to Europe, Asia or Australia to stay and play, check out some of the following sites mentioned in
the article:

HotelChatter on Keeping Valuables Safe

by Adrienne Wilson on

If too many episodes of Dateline’s bizarre hotel scandals revealed have got you buggin’ out every
time you see the maid or terrified that room service is going to swipe your swim trunks and shower shoes in broad
daylight you could be right. Chances are they won’t, but every now and again they do. Luckily some of us have been
fortunate enough to rely only on luggage locks to secure our
things while we’re away playing tourist in peace. Others, who haven’t been as blessed or the extremely paranoid may wish
to take measures further by investing in the Wireless Briefcase Monitor. HotelChatter does a fine job
breaking down how the handy protection device works in alerting you when crooked-sticky-fingered staff get tempted to
touch. 

The other suggestions mentioned are
fairly well-known like, utilizing the room safe, front desk safes and make-shift disguises (half-empty tampon boxes for
passports, etc.) are all included. However, it’s still a pretty good refresher on making sure your very basic things,
even dirty laundry stay put. Check it out before you check in.

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

by Dave Luna on

I really am tired of these stories. I suppose
there is a good reason for them. I mean, should we know that there are bedbugs galore in our hotel rooms? Not to mention
all manner of other unsavory fluids and disgusting stuff that might be lurking in your rented hotel rooms…and whiich
you would generally not be able to see unless you happen to bring a black light when you travel. Look, I do think these
stories might be of some use…but really they feed the public’s fear and they are a tawdry kind of journalism.