Weird Places, Travel Stats and the World’s Most Haunted Destinations

Top travel news from around the web for the day.

• 5 of the World’s Most Haunted Places [Boots n All]
• Is The Chateau at Oregon Caves National Monument Haunted? [National Parks Traveler]
• Food Frenzy At Los Angeles Hotels This Month [Hotel Chatter]
• Atlas Obscura: Go to weird places [Vagablogging]
• Chicken discount smackdown: Boston Market v. KFC [Inquisitr]
• Online Travel Bookings, 2005-2013E [Business Insider]
• Snack Tricks to Treat Yourself and Kids on Halloween [CitySpur]

Phantom Hotels, Luxurious Prisons and a Palm Beach Thanksgiving

Top travel stories from across the web this week.

• Phantom Hotel Will Come To Life [Luxique]
• How the Economy Affected 16 Travellers in 2009 [TravelBlogs]
• Insider’s Guide to Montreal: 12 Ways to Do the City Right [Luxist]
• Have a Side of Palm Beach with Your Thanksgiving Turkey [HC]
• A Luxurious Prison in Boston? [TravelPost]
• India: Tips to Survive Your First Trip [BootsnAll]
• Courtyard by Marriott Rebrands Itself with Upscale Amenities [CitySpur]

Courtyard by Marriott Rebrands Itself with Upscale Amenities

The battle has just gotten tougher in the business travel industry. This week Courtyard by Marriott is officially launching their new and highly improved lobby/lounge design. I’ve always been partial to Hampton Inn’s layout and ambiance for mid-priced hotel travel, however Coutyard is upping the ante with a number of amenities usually only found in more upscale accommodations. Below is a brief summary of all the new changes that Courtyard has launched, also make sure to check out the bottom of the post and you can see an image gallery of all the new features.

The open, bright and contemporary new Courtyard hotel lobby welcomes guests with vivid contrasting colors, including blue, green, orange and red. The traditional front desk is replaced with separate welcome podiums to create more personal and private interactions when guests check in. Flexible seating options range from a communal table in the middle of the action, to more private media booths with a high-definition televisions, to a more intimate, semi-enclosed lounge area.

Courtyard Hotel GoBoard in the lobby

A signature element of the new lobby is the exclusive Courtyard GoBoard™, a 52-inch LCD touch screen packed with local information, maps, weather, and news, business and sports headlines. Guests can navigate using the touch screen to find restaurants, local attractions and directions.
Courtyard Hotel Lobby Business Center

Guests can connect to free WiFi and there are ample electrical outlets throughout the lobby to power digital devices. The enlarged business library features several complimentary computer terminals along with a free printer and separate computer stations dedicated to printing airline boarding passes and checking flight status.

Dining has been completely redesigned with casual, flexible seating; easier access to food and higher quality, healthier menu options for breakfast; and light evening fare, including snacks, wine and beer so guests can unwind. The Market™, a 24/7 shop for snacks, beverages and sundries, is always open for late-night cravings or the toothpaste you forgot to pack.

Courtyard Hotel Lounge

Guests looking to take their minds off work can grab a snack, their favorite beverage and take a seat in front of the large high-definition television located in the lounge to watch a variety of programming, including top news, business, sports and entertainment channels. The new patio and fire pit are a welcoming outdoor element integrated into the lobby design that encourages guests to grab a beverage and get a breath of fresh air at the end of the day.

Adding to the lobby ambiance, the new Courtyard soundtrack will change throughout the day from upbeat in the morning to more casual in the evening.

Courtyard Hotel Front Desk

Guests walking into the lobby will immediately notice individual welcome podiums designed to create more personal interactions between staff and guests when checking in. Courtyard staff will be able to move about to show guests the lobby features and provide assistance.

Find more photos like this on CitySpur

Discount Dining? For Savvy Diners, Anyway

With all of the TV ads for discount entrées at casual dining chains — not to mention recent media coverage of price cuts –consumers may not realize that it could be costing them more to dine out.  According to research published by Boston-based pricing consultancy, Intellaprice, how you order off the menu will play a large part in whether you actually see a savings on your meal check. Intellaprice gathers, interprets and monitors national prices for top restaurant industry players.

“We hear a lot about the deals out there because that’s what’s being advertised,” says Leslie Kerr, President of Intellaprice. “Two for $20 dinner deals and discount entrées are memorable, but the reality is there’s a whole portfolio of menu items, and restaurants are strategic about managing prices in key categories.”

Intellaprice’s research focuses on regularly priced items – not those subject to special promotions. The findings indicate that the overall price change vs. 2008 is -.6%. Not exactly deep discounting—and this figure varies by menu category.

Bar Beverage Prices Up Nearly 2%

Kerr notes that the continued economic downturn has impacted trends notably. “This year, food prices overall are down by .6% and bar beverage prices are up nearly 2%. That’s compared to our 2008 finding that food prices were up 2% overall and bar beverages were up 5% vs. 2007.”

Categories whose average prices actually increased included dinner entrées at 2%, side dishes at 8%, and desserts at 7%. On the flip side, 2 categories were down: appetizers decreased 2%, and add-ons – items like cheese or additional proteins (bacon for example) – are down by 4%. “If you are a meat and potatoes eater, who also likes dessert, chances are you could feel the sting,” said Kerr. “But if you stick to the promoted deals, or if you tend to make appetizers your meal, then you’re more likely to save some money.”

Kerr explained that it’s an age-old game of pricing management in hopes of driving profitability. “Restaurants feel pressure to take price increases somewhere; it seems as though they’re trying to ease sticker shock for more noticeable, popular items, and increasing prices in less noticeable places on the menu.”

2009 marks Intellaprice’s third annual analysis of pricing trends in the casual dining segment. The study covers top casual dining chains in 21 markets nationwide. Nearly 2,900 beverages and 13,000 food prices are included in the sample.

Other findings show that among chains surveyed, Atlanta boasts the most expensive dinner entrees, averaging $14.75, outpacing the New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles metro areas.

Drinks Up More Than Food

Drink prices increased more than food, which was also the case in the 2008 study. “We’ve all heard the anecdotes that bar business is impacted less in a down economy, and the findings bear this out,” Kerr said. “This year, once again, the price change in bar beverages is significantly more than that for food. The most expensive drink in the study, a top shelf margarita, was the only one whose price was unchanged. Sangria saw the highest average dollar increase, up $.28 to $6.07.”

Relative drink price trends show continuity with last year’s study. “Guests dining out in Oklahoma City may be pleased to know that market continues to serve the lowest priced drinks vs. other markets.” New York offers more highly priced drinks, with Washington DC a close second. A domestic beer costs $3.22 on average in Oklahoma City, $4.13 in Washington DC, and $4.15 in New York on average.

Average Casual Dining Prices by Beverage

• Domestic Draft Beer $3.72
• House Margarita $5.86
• Vodka/Tonic – Well $5.06

Halloween Hotels, Celeb Chefs and Romantic Airplanes

A daily roundup of the top travel and luxury news from around the web.

• The Five Best Hotels For Halloween Weekend [HC]
• Celebrity Chefs and Chocolate Afternoon Tea: Dining in Hong Kong at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel [Informed Traveler]
• Manhattan highlights – The Hotel Lucerne [Journey etc.]
• New Airplane Interior Design Allows for Romantic Dinner for Two [Gizmodo]
• IRS Cuts Luxury Homeowners A Mortgage Break [Forbes]
• Where the (Sorta) Wild Things Are: Hotels with Pets [Travel Post]
• Scream with Delight for These Halloween Recipes [CitySpur]

Scream with Delight for These Halloween Recipes

Recipe site Recipezaar.com has nearly a thousand spooky, but delicious recipes to ensure that no one in the family will say ‘boo!’ to this year’s Halloween cuisine. Check out the special section of fun Halloween sweets and treats or the more traditional recipes featuring fall favorites like pumpkin and squash.

Recipezaar.com has conveniently sorted Halloween treat recipes into five kid-friendly categories:

• Cute – These treats look as good as they taste. The family will ooh and aah over peanut butter pumpkins or Halloween spiders.
• Clever – These festive dishes look too good to eat…almost. Recipezaar has pointers for creating fun gingerbread skeletons or graveyard cakes.
• Creepy – For seasonal sweets that are both frightening and delicious, check out Recipezaar’s recipes for Dracula’s eyes and severed finger Halloween cookies.
• Ewww! – Creations such as Halloween worms and kitty litter cake are fun for kids and surprisingly tasty.
• At the Kid’s Table with Rice Krispies – The classic puffed rice cereal make some of the very best Halloween recipes such as itsy bitsty spooky spiders. Or, put a dark twist on an old favorite with Cocoa Krispies treats.

Of course, Halloween is for grown-ups, too. Recipezaar.com also has recipes for to-die-for Halloween cocktails, candy sushi and pumpkin cheese fondue.

Chocolate Drizzled Caramel Apples [Photo by rachel is coconut&lime/Flickr]

Moose Hotels, Giant Snakes and Twitter Wine

Weekly roundup of the top travel news from around the web.

• MainStay Suites Finds Fan Among Moose Population [TravelPost]
• Hotel of the week: Life Gallery, Athens [Mr & Mrs Smith]
• New USGS Study Says We Have Good Reason to Worry About Giant Snakes Loose in America [NPT]
• In Shift From ’08, Holiday Airfare Is Soaring Daily [NYT]
• Twitter Gets Into The Wine Business [Business Insider]
• Hyatt Regency Mission Bay is Throwing Kids a Poolside Halloween Party [HC]
• Wente Vineyards Launches Family-Style Dining Experience [CitySpur]

Canada – Jasper National Park, Moose [Photo by vtveen/Flickr]

Wente Vineyards Launches Family-Style Dining Experience

On Thursday, October 22, The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards will launch Thursday Nights at the Table. Inspired by the Wente family’s own large gatherings of friends and family, the Thursday Night communal table, in The Restaurant’s wine cellar, will seat eighteen guests, with the meal beginning promptly at 7pm. The three course menu will change weekly with fresh ingredients from the Wente gardens and favorite local food purveyors, all served family-style on platters. The meal is just $29 per person (plus tax and gratuity) or $39 per person including a selection of Wente Family Estates wines paired to the menu. Reservations are highly recommended, as the menu does not extend past the seating capacity of the table, and can be made by calling (925) 456-2450.

“Every decision we make at The Restaurant reflects our own preferences in dining, and we are frequently here ourselves,” said Christine Wente, Senior Vice President of Hospitality. “Like everyone else, right now we are seeking a real sense of value when we dine out. We look forward to bringing our guests together at the table for dinner in a convivial atmosphere,” she said.

“Sharing the vineyard table,” the title of Carolyn Wente’s first cookbook authored with then Restaurant chef Kimball Jones, has been an underlying theme since The Restaurant opened more than 20 years ago. Now it has inspired a new series of Thursday dinners that characterize the Wente family’s enduring pleasure in sharing great wine and food with family and friends.

Every Thursday at 7pm, beginning October 22^nd
$29 per person, plus tax and gratuity
$39 per person including wines paired to each menu
The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards
5050 Arroyo Road
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 456-2450

Deadly Spots for Restaurants, Winter Resorts and 31 Places to Go for Halloween

sunrise off the bow [Photo by joiseyshowaa/Flickr]

A daily roundup of the top travel news from across the web.

• Where is The Cleanest Hotel in The World? [HC]
• Try These 10 Family-Friendly Winter Resorts [Travel Post]
• 31 Places to Go for Halloween [BootsnAll]
• See every beach in the world – in one day! [BootsnAll]
• 5 Deadly Spots for Restaurants [CNN]
• The New Dream House [Venture Beat]
• Time to Make Apple Pies [CitySpur]

Consumers Buy Nearly 600 Million Pounds of Candy during Halloween

U.S. consumers say boo to store brand or private label candy for Halloween, filling trick-or-treaters’ bags with branded candy. According to an analysis by The Nielsen Company:

• Consumers buy less store brand or private label candy for Halloween, with store brand candy losing share during the Halloween season. Store brand candy holds a larger share on an annual basis (8.1 percent) than it does in the weeks leading up to and including Halloween (5.6 percent). The trend is the same for both chocolate and non-chocolate candy segments.
• Approximately $1.9 billion or 598 million pounds of candy is sold during the Halloween season.
• Halloween is the biggest season for chocolate candy, with nearly 90 million pounds of chocolate candy sold during Halloween week. By comparison, nearly 65 million pounds of chocolate candy is sold during the week leading up to Easter and only 48 million pounds of chocolate candy is sold during Valentine’s week.
• Consumers tend to wait until the last minute to purchase Halloween candy, either procrastinating or hoping for a better deal. The biggest candy buying days of the Halloween season are the Sunday before the holiday and on Halloween day.

“Without a doubt, consumers continue to turn to store brands in a down economy,” said Todd Hale, senior vice president, Consumer & Shopper Insights, The Nielsen Company. “What we see with Halloween candy sales, however, is a sign that consumers may be ‘splurging’ with brand name products for the holiday or simply taking advantage of brand name promotions and price reductions. Candy manufacturers invest a great deal of marketing dollars to build brand equity in candy and private label candy has not been able to overcome that investment and grab significant share.”

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