What a great, progressive step. Hyatt Hotels has announced that, starting February 2015, ALL guests in ALL Hyatt properties will get free Wi-Fi. In a great item posted at skift.com, writer Jason Clampet notes that “the rollout will include all hotel brands, including the select-service Hyatt Place properties and up through its premium Park Hyatt offering. Use of Wi-Fi will not be limited to members of its loyalty programs, as was previously done at some brands. Hyatt Gold Passport members will have access to premium Wi-Fi service at some properties.” “Internet connectivity is no longer an amenity. It has become Read more
A great Ontario getaway, and a smashing cruise offer. Star Travel columnist Kathryn Folliott has a couple of excellent bargains on offer in her latest Fare Deals column. One great deal she outlines is for significant savings on a cruise with Silversea ; a free suite upgrade and on-board spending credit worth up to $1,000 (U.S.) per suite. I was lucky enough to have a suite on a Silversea ship last year, cruising the Mediterranean. It was an outstanding experience, with a HUGE suite that gave us everything we needed. The bedroom was large and comfortable and the bathroom was Read more
Barbados features fantastic resorts and golf courses. But my favourite spot on the island is probably Anthony Hunte’s luscious garden in the hills. Click here for my Toronto Star story on Barbados from December, 2014.
Kauai’s Hanapepe is a quiet, wonderful town with a western flair and a laid-back, artsy atmosphere. Click here for my full story from the Toronto Star in November, 2014.
New Air Canada rouge routing provides direct, non-stop flights between Toronto and Honolulu, Hawaii’s biggest city and a surprisingly diverse destination. Honolulu’s Diamond Head has been a beacon for tourists for years. It sits at one end of famous Waikiki Beach, providing a perfect backdrop for millions of photos. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has been charming visitors to Waikiki Beach in Honolulu for more than 100 years. They recently completed a fantastic renovation. You’ll find several cool swimming pools at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which is on perhaps the best stretch of Waikiki Beach. The hotel can be booked through Read more
HONOLULU – That was fun. Air Canada rouge celebrated the return of non-stop service between Toronto and Honolulu on Wednesday with celebrations in both cities. As a winter storm started to develop near southern Ontario (damn, I hate to miss those), the crew on the first Toronto to Honolulu Air Canada rouge flight was gathering at Pearson International Airport with plastic flower leis, papier mache pineapples and other Hawaiian-inspired goodies to get ready for the 3:55 p.m. departure. They cut a ribbon to celebrate the occasion and generally fussed and fawned, catching a few folks by surprise. “We didn’t know Read more
Prices at the gas pump haven’t been so low in a long, long time. You can buy gasoline in Toronto these days for a buck a litre, which is a huge drop from a while back. Not surprising, with oil selling for about $65 a barrel. Yes, it’s a great time to buy gas. That goes for the airlines, too. But while your local Shell or Esso station has lowered prices, that’s not the case for the major airlines. Nope, they’re soaking up the sudden windfall and lining their pockets with unexpected cash. And we’re not saving anything on our Read more
