It is somewhat common for a hotel to upgrade the host’s room. Hosts are usually assigned to the worst room category because we won’t complain about them, and our room is often complimentary due to the size of the group we’re bringing. But even though they’re booked as the worst of the worst, a lot…
This is a story from my 2013 Egypt trip. It’s one of those incredible experiences that may only happen once in a lifetime, and I love sharing it. Note: I’ve revised an earlier post on a different blog to read a bit better as a stand-alone story rather than one in a series. I have…
No matter how much planning I do or how much money I throw at a trip, there are some experiences I could never plan for or ever recreate. This story is one of those. It isn’t really relevant to my job, and I didn’t have much to do with it, but it’s a feel-good story that…
Traveling is rarely perfect. Some trips have more hiccups than others, and even the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Hopefully, if the situation allows, you’re able to work past the bad experience and find enjoyment in the remainder of your trip by letting what could be an incredible vacation become your…
I’ve always enjoyed traveling — so much that I generally didn’t care where I was going. I’d always be the first to volunteer to go anywhere, even if I was just driving across town. The destination never mattered because the journey was so important. For this reason, I have wound up traveling for some very…
This may come as a shock to my readers, but I do not speak Mandarin. One of our clients has numerous travelers from various parts of Asia, with high volumes of travelers from China. My company had helped plan a trip to Florida for a Chinese group. The group had spent several days in Cancun…
I’ve always been a big proponent of being excessively nice when I need something. People are always more likely to help someone who is being nice to them, and by letting them know how important they are to you and how much you need them, regardless of whether or not this is true, will usually…
I wanted to follow up on my recent post regarding the $20 Trick with my own list. As a travel host, my perspective comes from somewhere between the front desk staff and the guest. I’ve learned all sorts of ways to get what I need without relying on tips and bribes, and I’ve learned to focus on…
Those of us who live in the US have probably only seen one kind of toilet. It’s called the Western-style toilet, and it’s been part of our lives since early childhood. We use it daily and don’t really think much about it. When we travel, it isn’t really something we consider. Realistically, it isn’t something…
I honestly don’t know if this is true for all travel professionals, but so far, everyone I’ve worked with does it: we give nicknames. Usually, they’re given to the problem travelers or the ones who get themselves in trouble, and those always come with a good story, but others are given to the nicest and…