when things go wrong ...

question emailed to me by Quora.com

I receive questions several times a day from Quora.com. Perhaps it's because I have answered such questions in the past, and readers have "upvoted" the answers I provided. I pass on most questions — ones for which there either is no answer or ones when a simple google search would suffice. I appreciate this opportunity, because it gives me insight into what the general public is thinking on the subject of travel.

I did answer the question quoted above. It addresses one of life's basic realities: sometimes things go wrong! Your flight is cancelled, and you're stuck somewhere thousands of miles from where you want to be. Your hotel can't find your reservation. There's a disagreement about the rate you booked. The room you get is tiny, nothing like the photo on the website. The toilet doesn't work. The bathtub is dirty. The front desk agent speaks rudely to you. And on, and on...

Things sometimes go very wrong. That's life, life happens, and nothing can prevent the occasional mishap. So the real question becomes ... when things go wrong, whom do you want on your side? If you have a grievance, to whom can you go to solve that problem. And thus my answer to Manojit Saha's question ... how can I complain? My answer...

You just did complain, and in doing so, you have illustrated the downside of using an OTA (online travel agency) to book hotels. Such companies use an automated process to process bookings and have minimal staff for customer service. 

What could you have done instead? Had you booked on the hotel’s own website, you could have phoned the hotel and spoken directly to the manager on duty to address your issue. Or you could have used a flesh-and-blood travel advisor to make the reservation in which case she or he would have been your advocate. 

You get what you pay for and, in this instance, you made the choice to use an OTA not set up for customer care.

Here's another thing about OTA's. They seldom offer the best value.

Here's a comparative analysis of two identical bookings for a Deluxe room at Le Meurice in Paris for 9JUN-12JUN.

Goibibo is advertising a total charge of 4050€ = 1350€ nightly. For this amount, you get a hotel room. Period.


If you want a much better value, book Le Meurice through a Dorchester Collection Diamond Club agency. You'll save hundreds of euros on your hotel stay...

• Guaranteed upgrade at booking from a Superior room (1200€) per night into that Deluxe Room, saving you 150€ per night
• Daily complimentary full breakfast for two.
• 100€ in bonus cash toward incidental expenses (or take it off your bill)
• Full, premium internet (not the low bandwidth you get for free)

And should anything go wrong? You won't have to contact a customer service center in India to solve your problem. I personally know the General Manager of Le Meurice, and if there is an issue, a simple phone call will get the matter investigated and a resolution made.

copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills | opens tomorrow

porte-cochère of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

A brand new hotel, opening tomorrow, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills will prove to be a very successful hotel venture. Located right next door to its sister property, the Beverly Hilton, I had a site inspection of the hotel last week. I was extremely impressed by what I saw.

The front doors lead into an impressive lobby, perhaps three stories high. Typical of Waldorf Astoria design, the lobby had a huge hanging chandelier illuminating the room. You can catch a glimpse of the art deco touches in the interior design.


Guest rooms are very large, starting at 630 square feet, and are decorated with a soft palette of light blues and creme. The bathrooms had all the features you'd expect of a new build. Of special note are the hotel's rooftop which boasts a 360º panoramic view of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. The guests-only swimming pool is located on the roof, and the bar is destined to become a very popular place for nightlife.

Virtuoso amenities are especially generous, an upgrade at booking (room to room and suite to suite), American breakfast daily either through in-room dining or in the restaurant, complimentary WiFi, guaranteed 12 noon check-in and 4 p.m. check-out, and complimentary airport transfers (one-way for rooms, round-trip for suites).

The June Opening Offer starts at $595 per night, including Virtuoso amenities.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

falling euro? time for European luxury travel!

With the Euro currently equal to $1.15, and the pound likewise devalued against the U. S. dollar,  this a great opportunity for luxury travel to Europe. The Euro has been close to $1.40 in recent months, meaning that you're getting a 17% discount on your European vacation if you travel today.

Here's how to save even more at the top luxury hotels of Europe. Our Preferred Partner hotel relationships translate into deals for you that are better than anything you're likely to find on an internet website.

Want proof? Here's a sample deal at Le Meurice, my personal favorite hotel in Paris with the perfect location right in the heart of the city. I chose a 3 night stay, 25APR-28APR, to take advantage of an amazing $1007 round-trip business class airfare from EWR to London (which you would follow with a short flight onto Paris).

Guaranteed upgrade! I can get you a guaranteed upgrade into a Deluxe Room (pictured above) for 860€ per night, inclusive of free full breakfast each day for two guests (including breakfast by room service), free premium internet for unlimited devices, and a 100€ hotel credit that comes right off your final bill. With the credit, your effective rate is 827€ per night = $949, including taxes and surcharges.

What about internet rates? Expedia is currently selling the same Deluxe room for $1,069.40 per night including taxes and surcharges ... and this is room only — no breakfast, no free internet, no hotel credit.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

FS Costa Rica | last day to book 3rd night free

This has been the most popular promotion I've ever blogged about. Four Seasons Costa Rica has a fabulous 10th anniversary deal. There have been multiple requests for bookings over the past six days from my postings on Third Night Free and FlyerTalk. Great deal - every third night is free for every room and suite, and you'll get a guaranteed upgrade at time of booking if the next category is available (for room categories, but not suites).

But the promotion is running out - you have to book by January 27th (Monday) to take advantage. Here are the details:

Book by January 27, 2014
Travel dates: May 1 - September 3, 2014
Third night free for rooms and Suites
Terraza rooms upgrade into Brisa rooms.
Brisa rooms upgrade into Cielo rooms.

To make it an even sweeter deal, the Preferred Partner amenities do apply:

• Daily full American breakfast for two people per bedroom, served through in-room dining or in the hotel restaurant (including buffets)
• Spa credit of $100 once during stay
• For suite bookings, one complimentary round of golf per guest per stay (including club rentals)
• Complimentary basic internet for 2 devices in guest rooms, complimentary premium internet for 6 devices in suites

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

guaranteed upgrades at Four Seasons in Hawaii

Planning a trip to Hawaii? Four Seasons has the best collection of resorts anywhere in Hawaii. If your plans are bringing you to Maui, the Big Island, or to Lana'i, look no further than Four Seasons.

To make the best even better, Four Seasons Preferred Partner guests can get a guaranteed upgrade at a Four Seasons in Hawaii if you book by June 30th for stays August 25-December 15. But you have less than 30 hours to lock in your upgrade, as bookings under this promotion must be made by June 30. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking, and blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.

... and to sweeten the deal a bit more, you get an extra $100 towards food and beverages with a minimum 7-night stay during the same period.

Book by: June 30
Effective dates: August 25 - December 15

Please note the specific details of the offer at each Four Seasons in Hawaii:

1. Four Seasons Maui
Offer valid only on Garden and above room categories (does not apply to Mountainside)

2. Four Seasons Hualalai
The extra credit is only applicable to Poolside rooms and suites (not applicable to Golf Ocean); the upgrade is only applicable to Golf Ocean, Poolside, Partial Ocean and Ocean View categories.

3. Four Seasons Manele Bay
The extra credit does not apply to Garden Terrace rooms.

4. Four Seasons Lodge at Koele
The extra credit does not apply to Garden rooms.

The best deal, every day! Regardless of this particular promotion, all of my clients get the best luxury values in Hawaii, every day of the year, with following complimentary amenities at any Four Seasons resort in Hawaii:

• Daily full American breakfast for two people per bedroom, served through In-Room Dining or in the hotel restaurant (including buffets)
• Food and beverage credit of USD100
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in (excluding signature suites and villas)
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access for up to six devices per room

Four Seasons in Hawaii (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

is this Four Seasons Maui Beach tote in your future?

Four Seasons Maui beach tote

Four Seasons Maui provides a beach tote for guests to use during their stay. I received the bag pictured above as a gift from Four Seasons Maui but have never used it or taken it to the beach. It's a well constructed bag with zippered internal compartments (including a removable, padded internal compartment that will hold a portable computer or iPad). I want to pass it along to a client who's thinking about booking a vacation at the resort.

Here's how it can belong to you. Just book a 5+ day stay at Four Seasons Maui through me by 6 p.m. PDT (9 p.m. EDT) on June 30. I will randomly select one of those bookings (using the "slips of paper in a bag" method) on the evening of June 30th. If I pick your booking out of the bag, I'll ship the bag to you free of charge by Priority Mail. If you have a U.S. address, I'll send it to your home; if you live outside the U.S., I'll ship it to you at Four Seasons Maui in time for your vacation.

What's so special about June 30? Four Seasons Maui is offering guaranteed upgrades at booking (if the next category is available at the time of booking) to all Preferred Partner bookings made by June 30 for travel from August 25 through December 15. If you stay 7+ nights during this period, you get a second $100 food and beverage credit for a total credit of $200 for your stay. If you've been thinking about a beach vacation in Maui, it's well worth your while to book your stay at FS Maui by June 30th!

Every Four Seasons Preferred Partner guest receives these exclusive amenities, available only through a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, that will easily save you $450 over a five night stay.

• Daily full American breakfast for two people per bedroom, served through In-Room Dining or in the hotel restaurant (including buffets)
• Food and beverage credit of USD100
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in (excluding signature suites and villas)
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access for up to six devices per room

Four Seasons Maui (search here on Google)

Fine print: The State of California, where I do business, has rules for the operation of contests that I want to be sure that I'm following, so here are the full disclosures: You are automatically entered when you make a 5+ night booking at FS Maui through me. There are no puzzles or games involved. No postage or handling fees will be charged - I'll ship by Priority Mail to you free of charge either to your home in the US or to your room at FS Maui. The entry period ends at 6 p.m. PDT on June 30, and the random drawing will take place that evening. Your odds of winning the bag are proportional to the total number of 5+ night bookings made at FS Maui between today and June 30. Example: if I make 4 bookings, you have a 1/4 chance of winning.

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Four Seasons New York | make your stay better

What would be better than spending a long, decadent weekend at the Four Seasons New York? One of New York's most elegant hotels, it's located just half a block from Fifth Avenue with its world-class shopping.

Here are four ways I can make your stay even better:

1. Third Night Free. You'll get one of those nights free until April 7 (valid for certain room categories - check the FS website for your desired dates).
2. Guaranteed upgrade. A Four Seasons Preferred Partner exclusive offer, my clients will receive a guaranteed one category upgrade at the time of booking for all new reservations for travel through April 7, 2013. (Maximum upgrade is into the Park View Executive Suite).
3. Free daily breakfast for two. A full American Breakfast for two can easily cost $70 + tax. My clients enjoy a complimentary breakfast for two every day of their stay.
4. $100 Spa Credit. A massage would feel really good right now, and my clients will receive a $100 credit toward any spa service. (I recommend you reserve in advance to secure your desired time).

You can only get these benefits by making your booking through a Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel consultant. There is no added cost to you, and you pay the hotel when you check-out, same as if you made the reservation yourself. Why not step up to the best and spend your New York weekend at the Four Seasons New York?

Four Seasons New York (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

guaranteed upgrade for Thanksgiving

Still thinking about Thanksgiving vacation? Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale is easy to get to, just minutes from the airport, and perched in-between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. A pedestrian bridge from the pool area leads guests over the road to the sand and surf. My clients have raved about the beauty of the hotel's accommodations as well as its service. This would be a great family getaway for Thanksgiving weekend.

To make a great holiday stay even better, Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale has just posted a guaranteed upgrade offer for Thanksgiving vacation bookings. This offer is exclusive to bookings made by a Ritz-Carlton STARS agent.

Intracoastal View King — upgrades to Partial Ocean View King
Partial Ocean View King  — upgrades to Ocean Front King
Partial Ocean View Double — upgrades to Ocean Front Double

This offer is valid for travel from November 21 through November 25, and reservations must be confirmed by September 30 at the BAR rate. When booked through a STARS and Virtuoso travel consultant, you will also receive the Virtuoso amenities:

• Daily Continental Breakfast for up to two in room guests in Via Luna 
• $100 Spa Credit, per room, once per stay (valid on spa services only, non-transferable)
• Early check-in/late check-out based on availability

Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

Thanksgiving vacation idea | RC Grand Cayman

Looking for a Thanksgiving vacation idea? I just received this promotion: get a guaranteed upgrade at time of booking at Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman for stays from November 16 - November 25, 2012. (This period spans all of Thanksgiving week and the weekends on both sides).

Only available through STARS agents (a select group of agencies comprising Ritz-Carlton's top producers), you will also enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast for two (per room). By booking with a Virtuoso travel consultant, you will also receive a $100 resort credit per room per stay.

Everybody loves a beautiful view, so for the price of a resort view room, you'll enjoy the ocean vista from your Ocean Front room at Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman… but book now. This guaranteed upgrade offer is only being offered for bookings made by September 20.

Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

summer luxury travel deals

the swimming pool at Amanyara

It's summer, and luxury travel deals abound. Here are some of the best luxury travel deals that have come across my desk in the past 24 hours:

free round-trip airport transfers

Coworth Park, Ascot — complimentary airport transfers, Jul 22 - Sept 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily, 70£ food and beverage credit, and upgrade if available

The Dorchester, London — complimentary airport transfers, Aug 13 - Sept 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily, 70£ spa credit, and upgrade if available

45 Park Lane, London — complimentary airport transfers, Aug 13 - Sept 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily, 70£ food and beverage credit, and upgrade if available

guaranteed upgrades

Le Meurice, Paris — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus American breakfast for two daily and a bottle of French wine

Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus continental breakfast for two daily and $75 spa credit

Principe di Savoia, Milan — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus buffet breakfast for two daily and 85€ lunch credit

Le Richemond, Geneva — guaranteed upgrade, August 13 - September 6
plus buffet breakfast for two daily and $100 food and beverage credit

Montage Beverly Hills — Double Upgrade at booking from July 15 - July 31. 

plus continental breakfast for two daily and $100 spa credit

all inclusive bargains

Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall, Jamaica — Rates start at $449 per night including all meals and beverages for two adults and two children under 12, including all taxes, service fees, and wireless internet.

Amanyara, Turks and Caicos — Rates include breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, excluding beverages. Stay 7 pay 6 … or Stay 10 pay 8. Two free massage with a 5 night stay.



Contact your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant for more information.

luxury travel deals (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

Le Meurice | guaranteed upgrade in March

Le Meurice has the best location in Paris for the leisure traveler. As you can see in the photograph above, it is right next to the Jardins des Tuileries, the large park in the center of Paris that runs alongside the Seine between the Louvre and the Place de la Corcorde. Step outside the door of Le Meurice, and you're already in the center of Paris. You're just a short stroll across the gardens to the Musée d'Orsay, or a short walk to the east to get to the Louvre and Notre Dame.

Newly renovated in 2007, the hotel has a contemporary elegance that still feels very Parisian. With a fresh design by Philippe Starck, the guest rooms are large and comfortable, the bar has a unique ceiling, and the three-star Michelin restaurant has a traditional elegance. The best shops of Paris are just minutes away as well.

Virtuoso guests receive a confirmed upgrade at time of booking from March 9th to 31st, 2011 as well as the rest of the Virtuoso amenities: a 10% discount off the BAR, daily American breakfast for two in the restaurant or by room service, and even a complimentary airport transfer when booking a Superior Suite or above. Just make your reservation through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant.


Le Meurice (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2011 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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hotel upgrades at time of booking

When you can get a guaranteed upgrade at the time of booking, it's a great deal for you. It simply means you get more value for your money. Pay for a smaller, lead-in room and get a free upgrade into a larger room. Pay for a Garden view room and get to enjoy a room with a view of the Ocean. Or pay for a Deluxe guestroom and enjoy the spaciousness of a Suite. A guaranteed upgrade is an automatic discount over the rates that everyone else has to pay.

Listed below are Virtuoso hotels that graciously offer "upgrades at time of booking" — and offer, in addition, complimentary daily breakfasts and other valuable amenities. To get your guaranteed upgrade at any of these hotels plus free breakfasts and other perks, just make your booking through a Virtuoso travel consultant.

UNITED STATES

Canyon Ranch — Tucson, AZ

Fairmont Scottsdale — Scottsdale, AZ

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain — Paradise Valley, AZ

Capital Hotel — Little Rock, AR

Clift Hotel — San Francisco, CA

Four Seasons — San Francisco, CA

Mandarin Oriental — San Francisco, CA

Montage Resort — Laguna Beach, CA

Montage Beverly Hills — Beverly Hills, CA

Grand Del Mar — San Diego, CA

Vail Cascade Resort — Vail, CO

Four Seasons — Palm Beach, FL

Ritz-Carlton South Beach — Miami Beach, FL

Halekulani — Honolulu, HI

Mauna Lani — Big Island, HI

St. Regis Princeville — Kauai, HI

Park Hyatt — Chicago, IL

Boston Harbor Hotel — Boston, MA

Canyon Ranch — Lenox, MA

Inn and Spa at Loretto — Santa Fe, NM

Mandarin Oriental New York — New York, NY

St. Regis New York — New York, NY

Park Hyatt Washington — Washington, DC

EUROPE

The Goring — London, England

Ritz London — London, England

Grand Hotel — Eastbourne, England

Hotel Le Bristol — Paris, France

Adlon Kempinski — Berlin, Germany

Hotel Die Hirschgasse — Heidelberg, Germany

Regent Berlin — Berlin, Germany

Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome — Berlin, Germany

Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski — Munich, Germany

Hayfield Manor — Cork, Ireland

K Club — Kildare, Ireland

Hotel Brufani Palace — Perugia, Italy

Ca' Sagredo Hotel — Venice, Italy

Aquapura Douro Valley — Lamego, Portugal

Lapa Palace — Lisbon, Portugal

Reid's Palace — Funchal, Madeira

Hotel Baltschug Kempinski — Moscow, Russia

Gleneagles — Perthshire, Scotland

Barcelo La Bobadilla — Loja, Spain

Claris Hotel — Barcelona, Spain

Badrutt's Palace — St. Moritz, Switzerland

Beau-Rivage — Geneva, Switzerland

Dolder Grand — Zurich, Switzerland

Widder Hotel, Zurich, Switzerland

ASIA

Island Shangri-La — Hong Kong

Peninsula Beijing — China

Ananda in the Himalayas — Uttaranchal, India

Fullerton Hotel — Singapore

Sukhothai — Bangkok

AUSTRALIA

Lyall Hotel and Spa — Melbourne

CANADA

Fairmont Banff Springs — Banff

Fairmont Empress — Victoria

Fairmont Chateau Whistler — Whistler

CARIBBEAN

The Cove Atlantis — Nassau

The Reef Atlantis — Nassau

Half Moon — Jamaica

MEXICO

Villa Montana Hotel & Spa — Morelia

ARGENTINA

Iguazu Grand Resort — Puerto Iguazu

Park Hyatt — Mendoza

Virtuoso travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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luxury values in Florida

There's practically nowhere on earth where luxury vacationers can't get a great bargain right now. Upscale travelers can enjoy significant savings at many of the most beautiful resorts in the world. A client recently asked if I knew of any special deals in Palm Beach, South Beach, or Key West, Florida for a visit in late February. Here's what I found for him:

Four Seasons Palm Beach has a Fourth Night Free promotion, and I can get it for you with daily Continental Breakfast for two in the restaurant or via room service.

Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach has a guaranteed upgrade from Resort View to Ocean View, a $85 F&B credit per day, per room, and daily Continental Breakfast for two.

The Breakers Palm Beach (pictured above) has a $100 per room credit per room per night for Superior and Deluxe rooms and non-Signature Suites, a $200 per room per night credit to all Signature guest rooms and suites. You also get a complimentary Continental Breakfast for two daily.

Ritz-Carlton South Beach is offering a 20% discount on Club Level rooms or Suites (beginning Feb. 27) to my clients, along with complimentary daily Continental Breakfasts.

The Setai has rates starting at $650 with Virtuoso amenities until 4/15 (normally rates start at $1000) along with a daily Buffet Breakfast for two and a $100 Spa credit once during your stay.

Sunset Key Guest Cottages (off of Key West) has Virtuoso pricing discounted 5% lower than BAR with daily Full Breakfast for two and $100 F&B credit.

You cannot book these deals yourself on the internet; they are available exclusively through select luxury travel consultants. Contact me with absolutely no obligation to inquire about any of these luxury values in Florida.


luxury travel consultant (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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