Shane O'Flaherty, president and CEO of Forbes Travel Guide: Besides the great physical aspect of a property, a five-star hotelexperience is one you get when employee service is passionate, confident and intuitive. The employees are also very genuine in helping consumers. They make you feel at home the moment you step in, are able to anticipate the needs of each and every guest - and they do this in a seamless way, across the different departments.
This, coupled with the consistency of being able to deliver this on a daily basis, is the "wow" factor that truly differentiates a five-star hotel.
While staying in a five-star hotel isn't always cheap, there are certain factors you can take note of when you're on a budget, such as destination. In the United States, you'll find five-star properties in second-tier cities at reasonable rates. Also, during off-peak seasons, the rates differ and you are able to get better value for money.
An example would be ski resorts during the summer where they transform into hiking resorts - the rates are much cheaper but you still get an amazing experience.
My advice is to always do your research before a trip. Find out if the hotel is suitable for you, your needs and your inclinations, and what kind of offers it may have.
To me, location is key in a five-star hotel experience. Picking the right hotel to make the most out of your experiences abroad is ultimately more worthy of your money than paying less and risk ending up in an unsuitable hotel that mars your holiday.
Forbes Travel Guide Singapore was launched on Tuesday, making it the fourth country to get the guide after the United States, Canada and China.
The list of Forbes Travel Guide rated four- and three-star hotels in Singapore is available on www.forbestravelguide.com. The list of winners in Singapore will also be published in the May issue of Forbes Asia.
This is one news that I would say I'm looking forward to. I missed it back then, 2 weeks ago, so I'm posting it now. This is good. No need to do connecting flights. Never mind the longer flight - it wouldn't hurt much. And, there's no danger of getting tempted to shop while walking to your next flight. Huh!
Jetstar yesterday announced that it will fly direct to Melbourne and Auckland (photo) from Singapore, making it the first low-cost carrier to fly long haul from Changi Airport.
The cities are about seven hours and 10 hours from Singapore, respectively, but passengers on the A330-200 aircrafts have a choice of flying either Economy or StarClass - Jetstar's international business class cabin. The latter has leather seats with a seat pitch of 38 inches - the equivalent of premium economy seats in full-service airlines British Airways and ANA - and full inflight service including meals and entertainment. Economy seats, meanwhile, have a pitch of 31 inches compared to 31 to 34 inches of those in full-service airlines. Food and amenities are still pay as you go.
Flights to Melbourne will start on Dec 16. Book a flight before 3pm today to buy a one-way JetSaver Light ticket starting from $248 for travel between Jan 18 to March 23 next year. The Auckland route starts on March 17 next year. Both are subject to regulatory approval. Details at jetstar.com.
GOING on a road trip doesn't make one a celebrity, but the Singaporean winners of Tourism Western Australia's Extraordinary Taxi Ride contest, 33-year-old Ong Jing Yi and her brother Jason, 35, got a taste of stardom when a film crew followed them around during their road trip in Western Australia. They even got to meet the mayor and attend a radio interview at Geraldton town.
"No matter where we went, people waved and talked to us. I was really happy. I felt like a VIP," said Jing Yi.
In April, the siblings embarked on an all-expense paid road trip in a taxi driven by gregarious Australian taxi driver Doug Slater, a mini-celebrity himself after he was selected via a nationwide voting contest.
During the six-day tour, they visited destinations including Lancelin, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia and Shark Bay. At the end of each day, they blogged about their experiences and uploaded photos. A highlights video was also posted on the Extraordinary Taxi Ride website, www.extraordinarytaxiride.com.au, at the end of the trip. The siblings talk to Today about their experiences. Terence Lee
What were some of the most interesting places you visited?
Jing Yi: The town of Geraldton is actually the lobster capital of Western Australia. There, I got a chance to go down to the dinghy to collect lobsters.
Jason: The Pinnacles is a very special place. The vast landscape consists of piles of limestone, and over time, the wind will change the surface. A couple of years from now, it might not look the same.
Jing Yi: We even took out a Singapore flag and took a photo with it. The landscape is like the moon!
Was the taxi driver helpful?
Jing Yi: He's like a walking encyclopedia! He knows the country well, having travelled all around Western Australia for more than 20 years. He's wary of kangaroos jumping onto the road because knocking into one could destroy the car's engine. He told us to keep our eyes on the side of the road and look out for places where bushes are sparse, since kangaroos are more likely to jump out of those.
What did you learn about Australia on this trip?
Jason: We try not to drive around at night, especially in the rural areas. Many wild animals come out to roam then, so it's dangerous.
MARK D. MERUEAS, GMANews.TV 08-March-2010 07:32 PM
Since my childhood, I have learned a lot about Singapore from other people. Knowing that it was recently named the most livable country in the region, my family and I set our expectations high as we took the three-hour flight from Manila to the island-city state in late January.
As one columnist wrote in Singapores most widely circulated newspaper, Straits Times a copy of which I would later buy "rigid" is usually the most common word used to describe the country which is famous for its high-rise buildings, long stretches of paved roads, and a world-class business district.
The way Singapores roads and buildings were laid out seemed the perfect example of urban planning. With its wide and perfectly cemented roads, driving around the city would definitely be the envy of every Filipino driver.
Everything in Singapore seemed well designed from its corporate buildings to apartments and condominiums that have modern but classy architectural designs. These buildings seemed to be the preferred dwelling places of the locals. I was told typical residences, such as gated houses with a garage or a backyard and stuff, can only be found at the outskirts of the business district, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Huge double-deck buses and cars which all come with black plates, unlike our white and yellow ones, seamlessly dash through the streets. Theres none of the cranky noise emanating from engines in our beat-up jeepneys and dilapidated buses, or their toxic black smoke.
Not used to their right-hand drive vehicles, I made the mistake of trying to open the right side front door more than once, only to realize the seat already has an occupant the driver.
Its pollution-free surroundings and traffic-free roads more than make up for Singapores slightly hotter clime. I wouldnt mind turning the Philippines temperature a notch higher, if thats the only way (although we all know its not) to ease EDSAs heavy traffic, or unclog our sewerage.
----- The world-famous, water-spewing Merlion is best photographed with Singapore's skyscrapers. Mark Merueas -----
Although it was almost like a cutout of a Utopian society, at least to me, there was one big thing missing in Singapore. We were at a McDonalds chain at the Changi International Airport ordering food and, glancing at the menu behind the cashier, I was looking for that one staple meal I always enjoyed back home but could not seem to find it. Then my brother elbowed me and whispered: They do not have chicken here." McDonalds in Singapore does not have chicken?! Aside from iced tea, fried chicken is the only thing that makes fast food dining complete to me. And so, left with no choice, I settled for a burger and twister fries.
After eating, we spent the whole day going around the city until it got dark. In Singapore, the start of night time" would be between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Yes, you read it right. Go out at past 7 p.m. in Singapore and youd be surprised to see the sky still in bright daylight. This probably explains why shops and restaurants in the business district manage to stay open until the wee hours of the night.
Orchard Road, for instance, explodes in vibrancy at night. Similar to New Yorks famous Times Square, Orchard Road is the sight of towering department stores, huge glowing billboards, blaring sound systems, designer shops, party-goers and lots of shoppers. But theres a trade-off to this very late night life establishments open late the next morning.
Multi-cultural city
Singapores population is mainly composed of three races: Chinese, Indians, and Malays. When I was in college, I learned in one of my classes how these three races co-existed" something that tickled my curiosity at that time. When we went to Singapore, this co-existence unfolded right before my eyes.
On the streets, it was not uncommon to see a Malay woman jogging with a Chinese friend, or a group of Indians and Malays having coffee, or even an Indian and Chinese couple dining with their mestiza daughter.
Although multi-cultural, it helped a lot that most locals know how to speak English which means no need for translators or over-the-top hand gestures when speaking with a native.
Before leaving Singapore, we made our final stop at the Marina Bay home of the famous Merlion Statue. The Merlion Statue is to Singapore what the Eiffel Tower is to France, or the Taj Mahal is to India. You just cant fly out of Singapore without having your picture taken in front of what I think is its single, most definitive symbol.
Standing at 8.6 meters, the part-lion, part-fish statue one of only five of its kind in Singapore sits on the edge of the bay with jets of water gushing out of its mouth. On the adjacent viewing deck, tourists can pose for a shot with the merlion and - with the proper angling of the camera the skyscrapers behind as their backdrop.
Before heading to the airport, we dropped by Little India, a small district which is the Singaporean Indians answer to Chinatown. Basically, its the perfect place to buy affordable souvenir items and so, souvenir shopping we did.
Whats the ban?
Just when I thought I was going to leave Singapore without blunders in conversing with the locals, I got a taste of how their unique Chinese accent can leave me as the famous Hollywood film depicts lost in translation.
We were about to board the plane at the (I should say, overwhelming and state-of-the-art) Changi Airport to our next destination when I noticed that my camera was missing. Half the fun of going to a foreign land is returning with pictures to share to your relatives back home, and so I told myself I was not leaving Singapore without my camera. I rushed back to the inspection area, thinking I must have left it there during inspection, and asked one of the airport security personnel.
Oh, this one?" the man replied, producing my camera from one of their lockers. Can you tell me what ban?"
Im sorry. I didnt get that?" I replied.
Can you tell me what baaan?" he said, stressing the last word.
Resigned to the fact that I cannot connect the word ban" with a digital camera, I said: Im sorry, sir. I really dont understand. What do you mean ban?"
As though talking to a toddler who had just learned to speak, the security personnel repeated the word slowly and enunciated every syllable: Bbb-rr-aann-dd."
Oh, brand!" I exclaimed. It turned out he just wanted to know if I was the real owner of the camera.
And so when we reached Malaysia, I had learned my lesson well: Enjoy the scenery, but dont talk much. Instead of asking around, I would read signboards which, when in Malaysia, would turn out really fun.
WHILE many can probably easily name male authors who write travel literature - anyone from Michael Palin to Nicholas Sparks - few can name as many female writers who do the same thing.
One possible reason is the common - and often erroneous - perception is that men who strap on back packs and travel the world are bound on a journey of enrichment and discovery, whereas women who do the same thing are bound for trouble.
However, two female authors are hoping that perception will change with the publication of their debut travel tomes. Today took time out to chat with Adeline Loh and Janet Hsieh.
BUSH BABY: ADELINE LOH
Malaysian writer Adeline Loh ditched her career in magazine publishing a couple of years ago to take a trip to Zambia. Her first tome, Peeing In The Bush, is a recollection of highlights of the journey, which turned out to be a journey of self-discovery. "I seriously never imagined that I would ever write a book because I possess a very short attention span," she told Today.
"I have trouble finishing books as it is let alone write one! But I was just so truly inspired by what I had seen and experienced that I just had to let it out one way or another."
According to Adeline, the book took "forever" to complete because she "transformed into this anal perfectionist".
"I needed every single page to be immensely readable, funny and engaging, so I would continually try to come up with new ideas and entertaining ways to relay information. I did not know when to stop," she said.
Two-and-a-half years later, she finally stopped writing and sent the manuscript to the publishers, although she kept wanting to work on it right up to the last minute. "It's like getting ready for a big date, you know? Every touch-up counts!"
You don't hear much about female travel writers. Do you wish there were more?
Actually, there are quite a number of female travelogue writers - they're just not as famous as the men. That's a low-down dirty shame because I think us females are much more funny, clever, wicked and adept at toilet humour than men!
What I wish is not for more female travelogue writers, but for more recognition for the existing ones. I don't think I'm setting the trend here; it's already begun.
Are you worried the public won't get it?
I know that the cool people I was writing for will get my book and those who have trees up their behinds may pooh-pooh it.
What's the biggest lesson you've gained from this experience?
I learnt to be appreciative of everything I have. Simple things - like food, money and shelter.
I hardly complain anymore and have become extremely easy to please. I also realised that the quest for materialism makes people miserable. The people in Africa had only the bare basics and they were contented, so why aren't we?
However, I also discovered burnout. I'm happy I did everything I did. Because I sure as hell ain't going to do it again!
What? No more books?
If I do write another book, I would want it to be 10 times better than Peeing In The Bush. And frankly speaking, that book is pretty hard to beat!
BITTEN BY THE TRAVEL BUG: JANET HSIEH
Better known as the vivacious host of Discovery Travel & Living's Fun Taiwan, Janet Hsieh has been to more countries than the entire Plus team put together.
Born and raised in Texas, the Taiwanese lass has visited over 30 countries, including Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, France, Palau, India, Singapore and, of course, Taiwan. She says she was bitten by the travel bug as a girl, and she's about to reveal all in her first travel tome to be published later this year.
It's not just a travelogue, she said. "It's like a biography told in a series of travel stories ... Whenever I go anywhere, I write in my journal. Of course, now I have my blog. I've always liked sharing stuff," Hsieh said. "Even the simplest things like the first time I used a squatting toilet, I didn't know which way to face. So it kind of made sense that I would put it in a book."
But first, she needs a title. "We do have a couple of ideas," she said. "One of them is Janet Revealed. But we're debating about what kind of cover to use."
Said cover ideas included one of her wearing nothing but a map, and a more familiar one of her carrying a back pack. (Personally, I'd go for the one with the map.) "We'll see how it goes," she said.
What was the most challenging about writing this book?
I've been writing it for a long time - two years -but sporadically, because I'd be busy filming for six months at a stretch sometimes. That was challenging. I didn't use a ghostwriter because I wanted it to be me. Everything down to the photos and themes and the style. The book is chronological, but location-based, and about what happens to me there ... But if you're looking for factual information like when to go, how to get there - then my book is not the book to buy!
Are you worried about the reception to your book?
I am a little worried because this is like my baby and I'm almost afraid to release it - what if people don't like it?
Any plans for another one?
We're already working on the second one, which is about my last four years on Fun Taiwan. It's based on the people we have interviewed on the show and not just the Taiwanese.
You don't hear much about women travel writers. Do you wish there were more?
Well, Beyonce had an all-woman band (at F1 Rocks). That is so cool! When you think "hard rocker", you automatically think "male". But it doesn't have to be that way. There are a lot of talented women out there, and I think Beyonce brought that point across.
I was reading an article which said that the people who are going to bring the world out of the recession aren't the Indians or Chinese - it's women. So why not? There should be more female travel writers!
The new season of Fun Taiwan with Janet Hsieh (left) begins Nov 27, 8pm on Discovery Travel & Living (StarHub Channel 16).
See, hear, smell and tastePhilippines without stepping out of Singapore. Journey instead to Plaza Singapura, where the Philippine Country Fair will be held from tomorrow until Sunday.
Organised to celebrate the Philippines’ National Day on Friday, the event will showcase the country’s culture, arts and attractions.
Visitors can watch the weaving and painting of Filipino textiles and handicrafts and listen to Filipino singers. But what is a country festival without a buffet of its food? Local Filipino restaurant 7,107 Flavours will whip up a menu to feature the Philippines’ regional dishes.
Go on Saturday to see the beauty and beast of the Philippines unleashed, as that’s when the grand finale of beauty pageant “Mutya ng Pilipinas” and demonstrations of Filipino martial arts will be held.
What’s more, lucky draws will be conducted throughout the festival, with prizes being airfares to Manila and the plum win, an all-inclusive tour package to the city. Kaylene Hong
Image by Kaushal Karkhanis via Flickr
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