Hotel Secrets from the Travel Detective

March 8, 2004
Today show travel editor Greenberg (The Travel Detective) is determined to get travelers the best hotel rooms and perks for the least amount of money, whether they're staying at a Holiday Inn or a Ritz-Carlton. His advice covers everything from how to tip, snag a nice room and make friends with the concierge to ordering room service and childproofing a room. His advice is a choppy mix of the valuable (e.g., a hotel's Web site isn't always the best place to find the lowest rate), the commonsensical (e.g., beware the charges that may be incurred for merely opening a mini bar), the gutsy (e.g., ask if there's a handicapped-accessible room available when arriving at a hotel--even if you're not handicapped--since those rooms are larger), the far-fetched (e.g., if room service won't bring a specific dish, call the hotel dining room and ask them to deliver what you want via room service) and the paranoid (e.g., hotels that have in-room safes aren't trustworthy). All the same, Greenberg's chatty humor and use of detailed anecdotes will be appreciated by both jet-setters and those just beginning their travels

April 15, 2004
Travel editor of the Today show, Greenberg (The Travel Detective) shares the inside scoop on how to get the best room rates-not necessarily on the Internet-and avoid the many pitfalls of hotel lodging. He tells scary stories about hidden fees, theft, dirty rooms, and other difficulties and introduces readers to the best person to ask about hotel conditions (hint: it's not the manager). Some of the more useful chapters include "What the Housekeepers Won't Tell You," "What the Concierge Won't Tell You," and "The Truth About Stars and Diamonds." Though entertaining, "Rooms with a Past" serves no practical purpose. The last chapter covers additional resources, such as hotels for the disabled and frequent-stay programs. The level of detail will overwhelm infrequent travelers, though it might be useful for those who use hotels often; bed-and-breakfasts and motels get scant coverage. While certainly illuminating, this expos might deter people from ever setting foot in a hotel again.-George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, PA

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