Hotels and resorts
‘Golden Week’ bookings show Chinese travel preferences are evolving
Outbound travel from China is set to receive a much-anticipated jolt as “Golden Week” bookings show changes in where and why Chinese people are traveling. Buoyed by falling airfares, Chinese travelers are booking more overseas trips for the National Day holiday period, which extends from Oct. 1 to 7, according to Fliggy, a major travel […]
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‘Coolcations’ had another big summer. Here are the places travelers went
Extreme temperatures are driving travelers to seek cooler destinations. And there’s a term for the trend: “coolcations.” Heat waves — which are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — are affecting where people are choosing to vacation, especially during the hot summer months. “Often, when we think of vacation, […]
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These are the ’50 best hotels’ in the world for 2024
What has 101 suites and villas, views over Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river and costs from $600 per night? Capella Bangkok, 2024’s ‘best’ hotel in the world, according to ’50 Best.’ That’s the collective view of 600 anonymous global voters, comprising travel journalists, hoteliers and seasoned travel specialists, which determined the results of “The World’s 50 […]
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People like traveling, but hate planning. Hear how Booking Holdings CEO plans to change that
Most people like traveling. But far fewer enjoy booking it. A survey of more than 2,400 people who book their own travel arrangements found that 71% say the process is at least somewhat stressful for them, according to a 2024 survey by the consumer data company CivicScience. The percentage is even higher among parents of kids […]
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Passengers often ignore in-flight safety videos. But this ‘honest’ one has 8.4 million views
“Greetings from the cockpit. This is your captain speaking.” It’s a phrase frequent flyers know well. Only this isn’t a pilot. And what follows isn’t the same ol’ in-flight safety talk. Rather, it’s the opening salvo of a now viral YouTube video from travel journalist Doug Lansky, who delivers a near 7-minute “honest pre-flight […]
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Has Boeing shaken your confidence to fly? A new MIT study could restore it
Airfare, departure times, flight length — these are the usual considerations for travelers who want to book a flight. But now, more are looking at a new factor: the aircraft itself. One in five travelers said they are doing more research into the plane they may be flying on before they book, while slightly […]
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Apple and Google wallets want to help make the hotel room key card obsolete
Many hotel chains are racing to replace the plastic room key with digital options, including Apple Wallet and Google Wallet apps. Plastic hotel key cards have had a rough few years. During the pandemic, touch was taboo, so touchless trends accelerated. And cybersecurity concerns have mounted around hotel key technology. Earlier this year, researchers found a vulnerability in […]
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A tale of two travel recoveries: Japan soars, while China struggles to lure travelers back
With a plum position atop many “Best Places to Travel” lists, Japan is on track to welcome a record-breaking number of travelers in 2024. But China faces a different reality: a far slower return of international visitors. Both countries dropped Covid-related border restrictions relatively late — Japan in October 2022, and China in January 2023 […]
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Can a robot give a decent massage? We tested one at a luxury hotel in New York City
One step inside a spa’s dimly lit room, and I’m already anticipating a serene, therapeutic experience: an hour-long full-body massage that leaves me relaxed and revitalized. But a recent appointment at ila Only Spa at the luxurious Lotte New York Palace hotel didn’t resemble past spa experiences. Although a human escorted me into the room, […]
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‘The World’ is a luxury ship that travels the world full time — here’s how much an apartment on it costs
A floating apartment. A residential yacht. A holiday home that travels the globe. The World, a luxury liner, has many descriptions, but “cruise ship” is not one of them, said resident Jim Minarik. “The only thing that’s similar between the world and a cruise ship is they float on the water,” he said. “If our […]
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