We all loved walking the boardwalk and even jumped on the famed Atlantic City “Push Carts” for a ride from the Tropicana to Buddakan, which is located on the pier off Caesars. We had dinner at Gallagher’s Steakhouse of the NYC Gallagher’s in the theater district and had three days of intense group meetings covering every aspect of what makes Global Traveler tick. This is the third year we met and the first we took the meeting away from World Headquarters (WHQ) in Yardley, Pa. Every department of Global Traveler presented its side of the business, and we discussed the future plans and expansion.

It was a great couple days, and I learned whoever is running the marketing and promotion of Atlantic City is doing a lousy job, as I live about an hour and 15 minutes away, and AC has NEVER been on my radar.

— Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

The post GT Annual Conference in AC appeared first on Global Traveler.

Voting for Global Traveler‘s 9th annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards ends Aug. 31. Now is the time to vote for your favorites! Visit the ballot page at http://www.globaltravelerusa.com/gt-tested-awards-ballot/.

— Carly Allen, vice president

The post 2013 GT Tested Reader Survey Awards appeared first on Global Traveler.

The shore excursion staff on the Noordam warned us to move quickly and directly to our buses and to not even make eye contact or say “No, thank you,” to the offers which would come our way. It was hard for me to overcome the instinct to even offer that polite response, but I soon learned that one couldn’t give even the slightest acknowledgment to these guys. Our tour guide would offer similar warnings, in addition to a few others when we reached the pyramids. If we wanted to ride a camel, only go with an individual our guide would approve; negotiate prices and extent of service before agreeing on a camel ride; don’t engage in conversation with anyone unless you wanted to purchase something; be on time back to the bus.

I followed these instructions, but that didn’t entirely protect me from what bordered on robbery in some cases. I stood my ground with the charming young man whose camel, Snoopy, gave me the experience of clinging to his saddle while he rose, walked a few paces and then settled back down to the sand. I knew what I should pay and stuck with it even when he wanted more — and I got my camera back without further fuss. One woman on our tour was not so fortunate. She told us how the person she dealt with would not give her camera back until she paid him 50 euros!!! (Perhaps this is why some of the buses had armed escorts in addition to their guide, and why there are armed and uniformed “tourist police” at the pyramids … though I didn’t see any of them doing much more than offering to take people’s pictures — gladly accepting payment for the courtesy, of course.)

Later, a man came up to me (as I studiously ignored him) and wanted to give me a “gift” because of my beautiful (blue) eyes, so he pushed a small metal pyramid into my hands, and followed with a second and a third, all while I was saying I didn’t want anything. I placed them on the sand at his feet. He of course pretended to be wounded and offended, but then said, “I give you a gift, now you give me something?” Here’s where I made my big mistake: I sighed in exasperation and drew my wallet out to give him a dollar or euro. He reached over with an exuberant gleam in his eye to grab my bills, whereupon I proceeded to yell right in his face “NO!” I really startled him, I think, and realized I needed to return his aggressiveness with my own. I shoved the dollar at him, gave a final glare and stomped off in the direction of my husband. I felt foolish for falling for this scheme, but I got off relatively unscathed (and did come away with three little — unwanted — pyramids as a reminder of my lesson).

Next week I’ll share some of the sights I saw and some other impressions of Egypt.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor

The post Egyptian Lesson Learned appeared first on Global Traveler.

The famed Mies van der Rohe designed the skyscraper. In celebration, the architect’s grandson will be designing the ground-level entrance space. Design elements and pieces throughout the property take into account Van der Rohe’s aesthetic.

One feature of the soon-to-open hotel certain to appeal to business travelers is club-level access to bathrooms and showers even after check-out. Need to leave the hotel by 11 a.m., but you have a full day of meetings and a late-night flight? No problem; facilities to freshen up are available.

The hotel will truly have it all, including a club-level lounge, a full-service spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, suites, a restaurant spearheaded by Chef Tim Graham and designed by David Rockwell, a ballroom, banquet and event facilities, a 67-foot swimming pool and unbelievable views of the heart of Chicago. 

I’d suggest a visit as soon as it can be arranged — I know I’m eager to return sans hard hat to experience it all!

— Kim Krol, managing editor

The post The Langham, Chicago appeared first on Global Traveler.

The hotel’s meeting space is ideal for our needs. We set up shop on the 68^th floor. The room size is great, as is the view. The Tropicana provides breakfast, lunch and snack options. I was impressed with the variety and quality of the meals. As you may know from our blogs, my colleagues and I love to eat. To take a break from productive meetings during the day, we ventured outside of the hotel for dinner. Our first night we dined at Gallagher’s (no relation to our publisher and CEO, Fran Gallagher). On our final night we chose Buddakhan. Great meals with great company! It will be nice to return to the office with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for the future. Stay tuned for the exciting new things coming from Global Traveler!

— Katie Skrzek, digital media manager

The post GT Goes to AC appeared first on Global Traveler.

This Arena Football League game was held in the BMO Harris Bank Center (formerly the Rockford MetroCentre). It opened in 1981 and was home to the AFL’s “test game” between the Chicago Politicians and Rockford Metros in 1986.

There was a palpable and contagious positive buzz around Rockford for the Rush. The arena event staff did everything possible to make the team and the fans feel at home. The game was tight in the first quarter, but the Rush controlled the rest of the game, cruising to a 67–43 win over the Utah Blaze.

In the post-game media session, Coach Bob McMillen talked about attracting new fans from Rockford and adding them to the current fan base. The Rush turned the negative scheduling conflict into a positive marketing push. 

Prior to the game, we had a delicious meal at Dos Reales. Hearty and flavorful Mexican food in a quiet, comfortable atmosphere was the perfect way to relax before the game. The super-friendly staff was a real plus. 

After the game, we met Jim Forsell, a noted Charles Dickens historian, at Old Chicago, a lively sports bar. We enjoyed their pizza and beer while watching the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Los Angeles Kings. Forsell gave us a little Rockford history while mixing in Dickens and sports trivia.

The Rush will play two more games in Rockford. We plan on making the short trip for both. We also plan on staying a few extra days to enjoy some local activities, such as Magic Waters Water Park, Nicholas Conservatory and Lockwood Park. 

What started out as two friends going to watch exciting indoor football has turned into future getaway plans. I am looking forward to going back to Rockford and to seeing the Rush continue their excellent season. As Coach McMillen said, “It is a great place for football and more.”

— John Wroblewski, online contributor

The post A Visit to Rockford appeared first on Global Traveler.

Opened in 2005, Emirates Palace is owned by the Abu Dhabi government and operated by Kempinski Hotels & Resorts. The vast palace features 302 guestrooms and 92 suites. The top floor is divided into six Rulers Suites, reserved exclusively for Emirate dignitaries and royalty. The rooms each have their own elevators, which travel (synchronized) to a lower-level meeting room, also reserved only for members of this elite group.

Once we understood the significance of this property as a landmark of luxury within the region as well its role as a highly important meeting and entertainment space for the government, we were eager to hear what Alexander had to say about how Emirates Palace maintains its status in a region always looking for the next best thing.

He shared what he saw as one of their keys to success: staffing. Emirates Palace employs 25 internal human resources professionals rather than an outside agency. Alexander himself interviews 70 people per month from around the world in order to maintain a full staff of 2,000. Each new hire follows a four-month training program before working face-to-face with guests.   

He gave three reasons for the extensiveness of their staffing efforts: First, it is the goal of Emirates Palace to bring Arabian hospitality to every guest. Whether you are a dignitary or a family that has saved for years in order to holiday in Emirates Palace, you are treated with equal service and respect. Alexander finds this is better than any marketing strategy. People who feel comfortable splurge on the luxuries the palace has to offer. People who enjoy their stay come back and tell others.

The second reason is empowerment. With 850,000 square meters of floor space to maintain, the Emirates team needs to be able to make decisions independently. And finally, the third reason: Alexander said he reads hotel magazines and keeps up with the latest and greatest in hotel design and technology; however, he said “no gadget can make up for even the smallest lapse in service.” 

I came out of our conversation feeling inspired by the vision and consistency of this property. As many companies are turning to technology and automation, it is refreshing to hear of an organization investing in people in order to maintain its lead. 

— Danielle Hudena, executive vice president

The post Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi appeared first on Global Traveler.

The “wow” in luxury is now coming from none other than JetBlue Airways! After years and years of economy class only, the stylish airline is adding business class, with four “suites” in 2014. This is earth-shattering news and very welcome, I might add. COO Robin Hayes (formerly of British Airways) wants to “wow” customers with both the product and its corresponding price point. I think he has our attention!

— Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

The post JetBlue Airways Business Class appeared first on Global Traveler.

I stayed on the 36th floor in one of the club suites, which gave me more space than I knew what to do with. The rooms boasted a small living area, 6-person dining table, an adequate desk, a guest bathroom and an enormous master bathroom. The bathrooms finally received regular plugs (six months ago, the plug was only for a shaver). The marbled counter is the width of the bathroom, giving you space to spread out your own amenities if you’re not taking advantage of their Bulgari products. The king-sized bed was comfortable; and next to the lone bed stand there was a sophisticated control panel to control the lights and temperature, and it even showed weather temps. The entire suite looked out over the busy streets of Seoul, which I enjoyed waking up to with a cup of coffee.

Lotte Hotel won Global Traveler‘s GT Tested Award “Best Hotel in Korea” in 2012. With the great service, location and excellence, you can see why GT readers voted it best.

— Carly Allen, vice president

The post Lotte Hotel Seoul appeared first on Global Traveler.

We were given a handout which provided some basic numbers and a general description of each area we walked through. (Oh, and they were kind enough to serve us a few treats along the way: a little lox, a little caviar . . . you know, the kind of thing you throw together when friends drop by unexpectedly.) The main Dining Room and specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill, alone require 173 service personal (table stewards, wine stewards, runners and managers), while the galley, under the executive chef, boasts a staff of 134, including butchers, bakers and numerous chefs and cooks. Apart from them, 28 crew each work 10-hour shifts washing (on just one of three levels) 3,000 dinner plates; 7,000 dessert plates; 2,000 side plates and 5,000 glasses (plus all the silverware and serving pieces).

Everything in the gleaming, stainless steel spaces was spotless, and we passed from the Garde Manger — the Cold Kitchen — to the Hot Kitchen, where each of eight service counters is staffed by a chef de partie who is responsible for specific hot dishes, prepared in small batches to preserve the perfect taste, temperature and texture of the servings. Beyond that area we passed two large elevators which connect the galley to lower decks on which storerooms, the butcher shop (11,830 pounds of meat products consumed in a week), vegetable (137,500 pounds consumed in a week) and fish prep areas, and the bakery are located. (Over 20 different kinds of bread are baked daily, including 4,000 dinner rolls; 800 croissants; 120 loaves of bread and 100 loaves of French bread.)

After passing a crew member creating an ice sculpture, we moved on to the pastry shop, where all of the cakes, cookies, pies and special desserts are created. We watched as a pastry chef worked with fondant to create a display for the upcoming Dessert Extravangza, held one evening during every cruise. We also passed a display of the delightful fruit and vegetable “sculptures” which adorn many of the buffet tables in the Lido restaurant (why couldn’t I do that at home?), and drooled over the platter of prime meat cuts set out to remind us of the fantastic offerings available from the Pinnacle Grill’s 1,600-degree grill.

It was an enlightening and entertaining peek behind the curtain at the wizardry which is performed daily for our dining pleasure on the ship, and it made me even more appreciative of the great food we enjoyed there.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor

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