Two chicks with major wanderlust who live to see the world: themselves, through others, or just living vicariously with the latest & greatest gadgets, travel accoutrements - from luggage to skincare
Starting June 1, The Moderne will be getting a full-fledged green makeover. Using the guidelines recommended by the Green Hotels Association, by fall 2007, the building will be made environmentally friendly with energy efficient lighting, bulk dispensers for shampoos and soaps, recycled biodegradable paper products, 100% bamboo unbleached linen, and no smoking in the entire hotel.
"Converting The Moderne into a Green, non-smoking hotel is not enough," notes Stuart Podolsky, the real estate developer behind the greening of the 34-room boutique hotel - in partnership with Jay Podolsky. "We wanted to add an additional touch to it and begin serving a 100% health conscious breakfast that will include wheat grass, fresh juices, organic and soy products, buck wheat pancakes, basically a non-fat high fiber breakfast."
If you're the adventurous sort who enjoys your travel off the beaten path, but still digs excellent accomodation, Lonely Planet's Haystack is serving up a unique 'invitation only' booking service that features only properties that have been chosen, visited, reviewed and recommended by a Lonely Planet
author.
"Whenever you go checking places out grumpy hotel owners say "Why do you guys come at such difficult times?" and that's exactly why we do it. We want to see places at their best and worst," explains one of Lonely Planet's intrepid authors. "First thing in the morning when people are checking out is always a good time to see how people handle being busy, plus there's always a helpful cleaner who might let you see a room that you might not otherwise have caught on the grand tour. The most important thing is to avoid the "official tour," where the people at the desk get the manager and you get shown how light switches work or invited for a cup of tea. Sometimes this can mean sneaking around the front desk or talking to people who are staying there or even just breaking up that tour by saying "What about these rooms?" You have to review against what you're being shown, which often means being pretty annoying to hotel staff." Adds another of their authors: "I don't really jump on beds, but I do look closely to see that the bedspreads are clean (I hate gunky-looking patterned bedspreads), suss out the bathrooms for water pressure and mould, test the windows to see if they can be opened and open wardrobes to look for wire coat hangers (yuck!). I often check minibar prices to see if they're extortionate, and I like to look at communal areas to see how guests and guests of guests are treated. I like to say hello to the people who clean the rooms to, you can tell a lot about a place by the greeting that's returned - and I think everyone in a hotel/motel or wherever should be happy to be there, even if it's for work."
In fact, many of their properties were not previously bookable online through any other service. "We are inviting our favorite properties from around the globe to join the service -- whether it's a backpackers in Sydney, an eco-resort in Yap, or a boutique hotel in Rome," says Dan Christian, Lonely Planet's Haystack Product Manager. "Haystack is a unique service in that every property listed is recommended as a great place to stay. Every property review is 100% independent and written by an experienced travel writer." Currently, Haystack boasts over 1000 properties in more than 58 countries, and more are being added all the time. "Haystack will continue to grow daily as more destinations and
properties are added to the site throughout 2007 and beyond."
With detailed information on 43 separate
neighborhoods, EscapeMaker.com has created one of the most comprehensive guides to many a New Yorker's fave nabe. "Brooklyn's renaissance started more than ten years ago, and shows no signs of slowing," says EscapeMaker.com President Caylin Sanders, "and as a Brooklyn-based business ourselves, we're thrilled to be highlighting all the incredible things to do and see here!"
EscapeMaker.com's Brooklyn profile covers a complete range of attractions, from cultural touchstones like the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, to the Coney Island boardwalk, and even where to find the best discount shopping. Special emphasis is given to the remarkable variety of good eatin' available in the borough - from high-end French bistros and Latin fusion, to the beloved Nathan's hot dog at Coney Island. Each of the neigborhoods profiled includes easy-to-follow instructions on getting there by subway or bus. "Obviously there's more to experience in Brooklyn than any one summary can do justice to, so we hope our guide will inspire people not just to visit once, but to keep coming back."
The Travel Snob, Travel Snob, Travel, Luxury Travel, Travel Ideas, Vacation Ideas, Luxury Vacations, Luxury, EscapeMaker.com, Brooklyn, New York, New York Travel, Brooklyn Travel, Brooklyn Tours, New York Walking Tours, Brooklyn Travel, Caylin Sanders
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