These days, almost every business has a “loyalty program” of one kind or another: the airlines, car rental firms, grocery stores . . . everyone. I don’t join most of...

After many years of traveling, it wasn’t until just a few years ago that I realized I was being too casual about hotels. Basically, I just didn’t do enough research...

Mainland friends planning Hawaii vacations frequently ask me to recommend hotels here. My first suggestion is to advise against any of the several elegant and pricey “resorts”. Their whole marketing...

Last evening, my second in Edinburgh, I attended the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. As anticipated, it was spectacular, with a cast of many hundreds and the 12th century castle as...

LONDON–This is the third time I have consulted with and relied upon Railbookers for a trip to the U.K. and Europe. The fact is, however, I think this trip would...

PARIS–My hotel here is typical of the small, Parisian hotels, of which there are many thousands, I’m sure. This one has perhaps 30 rooms on six floors; they are reached...

The Hotel Pennsylvania is directly across the street from Penn Station and I’ve stayed there several times in the past because of its location. Some of its 1700 rooms have...

I have been told on excellent authority that hotels do a little extra for guests who book direct—that is, who use the hotel’s web site to make their reservations rather...

The trend continues. By that, I mean the trend toward more and more of those maddening fees that squeeze more and more out of the unsuspecting public. This time around,...