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Alan’s View

October 2008

ASD Picks: 3 Tricks of the Trade

Value your frequent flyer miles
While there are many websites and blogs that alert readers to special deals and tricks for using frequent-flyer miles from various programs, the simple rule of thumb I use is to value each mile at 1.5 cents. Using “saver” awards, this would value a 25,000-mile domestic economy ticket at $375, a 40,000-mile business-class ticket $600, and a 60,000-mile first-class ticket $900—which makes a frequent-flyer business- or first-class ticket (if you can get one) one of the best bargains in the travel business. On the other hand, trading in your miles for goodies, usually at a rate of one cent per mile, means you give up one-third of the value of your miles. On the earn side, the 1.5-cent rule should help you evaluate offers from car-rental agencies and hotels, or to be blunt about it, don’t let 500-mile ($7.50) bonuses for staying at a hotel or renting a car influence your decision in choosing a hotel.

Insist on the best room in your category when checking in
Many years ago, Mickey Drexler, then CEO of Gap Inc., taught me this now-obvious concept: Hotel pricing structures need to be kept relatively simple, which means there can be wide variety in the quality of rooms within the same price category. Mickey’s Law says you will never get the best room in the category unless you ask for it at check-in (or you’ve taken one of our Night+Day tips and asked for a particular room in advance). Even after you’ve been shown a room, healthy skepticism might get you a better view, a more recently remodeled room, or something slightly larger. On a similar note, if you belong to a program that grants “upgrades subject to availability,” such as American Express FHR (americanexpress.com) or Starwood Preferred (starwoodpreferredguest.com), you will be amazed how often you won’t get the upgrade unless you insist there must a better room available.

Cut your fear in half
“foreign” experience, which frequently stirs concerns, if not downright fear. Much of the fear comes from headline news about crime, disease, high prices, or various inconveniences. Reports about these things are much more interesting when they are exaggerated, so naturally the news media is prone to highlight the worst, and even your friends may focus on the extremes when sharing their stories. If you buy the whole story, it may prevent you from enjoying some truly amazing experiences. Mexico City (see below) is a perfect example: Tremendous press coverage of crime in that city has scared away many visitors. Yet I, like millions of others, travel there without incident.

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On the Road: Mexico City, London

Mexico City: Mexico City has got to be the largest underrated city in the world. History, museums, hotels, restaurants, and nightlife rival the world’s greats. I loved both the boutique Condesa DF (condesadf.com) in the very trendy Condesa neighborhood, and the W Mexico City (starwoodhotels.com) in Polanco, the upscale part of town. Keep in mind that upscale is second-world upscale—not at the hotel, though, with rooms that have floor-to-ceiling glass walls, even in the bathroom. Your whole notion of Mexican food will be turned on its head when you dine at either Pujol (pujol.com.mx) or Izote—trust me, there are no chips and salsa here. On the other hand, there are plenty of places that do provide the chips, and at Los Girasoles (restaurantelosgirasoles.com) in Polanco, they’ll make the salsa just to your liking. And if you are looking for the perfect nightclub that makes 25- and 55-year-olds feel comfortable (though most of us older types left the club around 5am when the younger set was still arriving), you’ll love LOVE. I couldn’t leave Mexico City (and you shouldn’t either) without making a stop at Tenampa Plaza (salontenampa.com), the cantina in Garibaldi Square. Pace yourself with a bottle of Tequila, spend some pesos having the various mariachi bands play for you, and get in touch with pure fun.

London: Beauty, of course, if a very subjective thing, but I wonder if anyone would disagree with calling the Landau restaurant (thelandau.com) and Artesia bar at the Langham Hotel (london.langhamhotels.co.uk; the hotel itself is not yet officially opened) two of the most stunning rooms in London. The restaurant scores with beautifully presented fish dishes, while the classic bar specializes in rum drinks. If you want to help save Iceland from bankruptcy (or at least one of its natives who is now a chef in London), the trendy Texture (texture-restaurant.co.uk) provides an equally fine dining experience using primarily eco-friendly ingredients from the home country and Scandinavia. Near both is our recommended #5 Cavendish Square (no5ltd.com), a unique, well-priced hotel, which with a little work on its service (expect to carry your own bags and fend for yourself, or rather rely on Night + Day, for restaurant recommendations) and time to build its clientele, is going to be a very hot nightlife destination. Finally, if you are a theatre buff, as I am, but want something lighter than Stoppard or Shakespeare your first jet-lagged night in London, see Zorro (zorrothemusical.com), with music supplied by the Gipsy Kings. I guarantee you will be up and dancing during the finale.

Last Word: Shift Happens

I read recently that President Bush tied for the lowest approval rating of any president since surveys have been done. Tied? It makes me wonder what it would take to be the worst president ever. Fortunately for all of us, change (aka shift) is in the air. Each party claims theirs is the ticket of change. There’s SC (Small Change, or Sarah’s Change) and BC (Big Change, or Barack’s Change). Of course, the future of travel depends on having an administration that can steer us out (not wink us out) of the financial crisis we’ll be experiencing during the next few months. But whatever the outcome of the election, this will be good for travel. The excitement among Europeans that we will have a new administration is palpable—my wife’s Obama Mama pin brings smiles and high-fives from London to Cape Town. There’s even hope that the recent strength of the dollar will be maintained, restoring some balance to the cost of travel for Americans going abroad with those visiting the US.

There’s also a big shift in the who, what, and where of the urbanista experience. Neighborhoods changing is nothing new, but the pace seems to be accelerating of late. Traditionalists must be shaking their heads, but for fun-seekers, this is great news. Look at the Lower East Side in Manhattan, Clerkenwell or Fitrovia in London, or Condesa in Mexico City. This is no hype: These places are really happening.

In fact, it’s almost as though trendy is no longer trendy, because everyone is getting into the act. Grand dame hotels such as Le Meurice in Paris (meuricehotel.com) and the Langham in London (london.langhamhotels.co.uk), not to mention Ritz-Carltons (ritzcarlton.com), Mandarin Orientals (mandarinoriental.com), and Park Hyatts (park.hyatt.com) all over the place, are replacing stodgy, quiet, dare I say boring hotel venues with “trendy” or chic bars and restaurants. On a related front, The Willard Hotel (washington.intercontinental.com), yes the old Willard Hotel, has embraced a relatively new concept and is leading the industry as a green hotel. Holy shift! Green is being recognized as cool, and cool is becoming green. Who could have imagined this? Not I—and I was at the forefront years ago of the recycled-paper movement.

If the new administration in Washington demonstrates enlightened leadership, and we weather the economic storm (we must), you can expect to experience some of the most exciting urban travel ever. And we’re looking forward to being your guide.