There’s always something new in San Francisco. This year they’re celebrating some things that are rather old as well. I recently spent a few days in the City by the Bay checking out things both old and new. Okay, and a few things in between. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. SOME THINGS NEW HOTELS Hyatt Regency SoMa The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa, previously known as the Park Central hotel, reopened last year after a full, $70 million renovation/reimagination. We had a 23rd floor suite in cool shades of grey and black, with brown and Read more
Fairmont Hotels
So, you’re tired of airline delays? You’re in good company. WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech took to his Twitter account (@AHoensbroech) on Thursday and blasted Navigation Canada for a 2.5-hour delay on his flight to Vancouver. “Frustrating! Delayed by 2.5h on our own @WestJet flight to @yvrairport because @navcanada is understaffed,” he wrote. “We would have been perfectly on time, now many guests will miss their connections. Shows again why we need a proper shared accountability system across the entire sector!” Daily Hive quoted a Navigation Canada (NavCan) official as saying that staffing matters are just one of many issues Read more
Ladies and gentlemen, step right up to the weight scale and get ready to board your flight. It may sound, um, heavy-handed, but Air New Zealand is planning to ask passengers to weigh themselves before climbing onto the plane. Now, before you get your knickers in a knot, please understand that the airline says this is a once every five years measure that would be purely voluntary. My friends at Open Jaw Network report the weigh-ins would not be a permanent policy, and that the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority is requiring the move so it can properly determine airplane Read more
The man in charge of bringing visitors to Vancouver doesn’t seem terribly happy about the state of tourism in his city. Speaking to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade last week, Royce Chwin, the CEO of Destination Vancouver, said there is a “great dearth” of new tourism experiences and attractions in Vancouver. The Daily Hive reports that “the last major attraction that opened in Vancouver was almost exactly a decade ago in 2013, when FlyOver Canada opened within the former IMAX theatre space at Canada Place.” The website said the city also has a shortage of hotel rooms, and that Read more
Forbes Travel Guide, the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spa, today unveiled its 2023 Star Awards. The hotel ratings expanded into new destinations, including Athens, Bodrum, Capri, Copenhagen, Cusco, Cyprus, Oslo, Sicily, Stockholm and Tunis. The 65th annual list features 360 Five-Star, 585 Four-Star and 433 Recommended hotels; 79 Five-Star, 113 Four-Star and 67 Recommended restaurants; and 119 Five-Star and 195 Four-Star spas worldwide. In Canada, five stars were awarded to nine hotels: The St. Regis Toronto, The Shangri-La Toronto, The Shangri-La Vancouver, Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto, The Four Seasons Toronto, The Four Seasons Read more
