Accommodation and Lodging

The next time you check into a hotel, travel experts say there are lots of things – freebies, upgrades, a room far away from non-stop plonks of the ice machine – consumers are leaving to luck. You might not get anything, but as they say, the worst thing that can happen is that the clerk says no.

A simple “Hey, how’s your day?” spoken to the clerk always gets the ball rolling. After all, they are the most important person you’ll probably ever meet at the hotel.

“You’re checking into a hotel with a person most of the time. That person has good days and bad days, they can help you if they want,” suggests Gary Leff from ViewFromTheWing.

“Or stick you in an odd-shaped room without any natural light. You want to develop a rapport with the agent. Theirs is a generally-thankless job, except where tipping is involved. They deal with everyone else’s problems. Be nice.”

Know what you really want

Leff says that you shouldn’t go in with a laundry list or a “well, how about this” comeback if your request gets stymied, but rather you think about what’s important to you and stick with those requests. His list is short – five questions total. On top of the “How’s your day been going” warm-up, he likes a good thick laying on of flattery.

“‘I’ve really been looking forward to this hotel for its…’ and finish the sentence as appropriate, views of the X, great big rooms, what have you,” he says. Maybe try something like “I’ve needed this trip for a while. What kind of room do you have for me?”

In Leff’s video on how to get a room upgrade, he says to first ask what rewards points you already have might get you. “I won’t have nearly enough time to enjoy the hotel as I had hoped and wonder if you could help make it special. Would you be able to give me complimentary…” and finish the sentence, breakfast/extra toiletries/free internet, might work wonders, too.

“This hotel has such a great location and I don’t have a lot of time here, what is your one favorite place to...” and ask what you’re most interested in – eat/drink/relax/etc.

Kendyl Grender, the owner at Kendyl Travels, told ConsumerAffairs that rather than waiting to ask for a perk or an upgrade until you arrive, email the hotel in advance of making your reservation. If your request is something the hotel thinks will motivate you to reserve a room, they might just do it. “At check-in mention to the front desk that you spoke with or emailed [insert name] and wanted to ensure your amenities were added to the reservation,” she said. Printing out a copy of the email and taking it with you could confirm your request.

Maybe they’ll forego some of those 'resort fees'

It may be tacky, but with President Biden’s war on junk fees, if you ask what “fees” are included in the price upfront before you sign on the dotted line, you might find a fee that you can ask the clerk to “waive.” For example, if there’s a “spa fee” and you won’t be going anywhere near the spa or pool, ask if they’ll remove that charge.

Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video

The TVs at hotels these days are pretty much the same as the “smart” ones we have at home. If you have your own Netflix or other streaming service account, ask if they can have someone show you how to access that service and use your account to watch what you want. 

Take advantage of local knowledge. 

Payoffs don’t always have a monetary value, like free breakfast. Since hotel concierge agents have pretty much vanished, Leff thinks another value clerks have is their knowledge of what’s worth checking out such as a wonderful restaurant. “It’s like asking a cab driver for the best food, you may discover someplace new. What you want is their knowledge, so you’re asking where they would go, or where they would tell their best friend from out of town to go,” he says.

“What a great suggestion, I’m going to take you up on it. Could you give me a late check-out, in case I wind up out late because of it?” A-ha – another perk just for a little sweet talk.

Need something pressed? Shoes shined? Forgot your shaver or your charger?

Sure, there are irons and ironing boards in most hotel rooms these days, but not everyone was a natural-born ironing master. However, almost every hotel launders – and irons – things like bed linens, so if you need something ironed, just ask. You might luck out, not to mention save yourself some stress.

And if you need your shoes shined or forgot your shaving kit, toothbrush/toothpaste, or electronic device charger? Ask. Hotels keep those things in the office closet just in case.

Bikes? Board games? Yoga mats?

Ravi Parikh, founder and CEO of RoverPass told us that some hotels offer unique amenities like yoga mats, exercise equipment, board games, DVD players, or even bicycles for guest use. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

'Can I opt for a fragrance-free or specialized cleaning routine for my room?'

For those who are sensitive to certain scents or cleaning products, Parikh said that some hotels might be able to accommodate them by using fragrance-free cleaning products or a specialized cleaning routine. “This is not widely advertised, so asking might open up this option for you,” he said.

How about a free ride?

Why take an Uber or a taxi from the airport when the hotel might offer a free shuttle service to and from, Parikh asks. And it’s not just the airport either. He said many hotels located near attractions offer free rides to those places, too. 

Do you speak another language?

“I noticed your menu/informational signs aren’t available in Turkish/Hindi/Other languages. Would you be interested if I help translate them in exchange for a complimentary dinner or spa tickets?”

Parikh contends that if you are fluent in a language that might be beneficial to the hotel, offering your skills in exchange for amenities can be a win-win.

“Hotels are always looking to improve their services for international guests, and having menus or informational signs in multiple languages is a plus,” he said “This type of barter is not common, but a hotel may appreciate the initiative and the help, and be willing to offer you something in return for your efforts."

How much do you think you should spend for a trip to an amusement park or water park? No, let’s rephrase that – how much would you like to spend?

As like everything else, it almost requires a family to break into Fort Knox to fund something they’d like to do or buy these days.

Forbes Advisor recently conducted an analysis of 38 popular theme parks nationwide to find the most affordable admission, lodging, food, and parking costs and said that if you can make it to Phoenix, Florida, Ohio, or Hershey Pa., of all places, you’ll save some money. But whatever you do, stay away from Southern California unless you’re prepared to pay more than $1,000.

Affordable options

Overall, Florida has two of the top five water parks, while Ohio has two of the top five theme parks.

The most affordable water park award goes to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix. The one-day admission fee is only $34.99, and the median nightly lodging fee is $255.67 for a vacation rental that can accommodate four to eight guests. 

With a one-day admission price of just $56.99 and median nightly lodging of $189.67 near the park, Hershey Park is the most affordable theme park.

Water parks tend to be more affordable than theme parks, accounting for eight of Forbes's Top 10 most affordable parks. Its analysis found that one-day admission to water parks costs an average of $54, while theme parks cost $111. 

The pricier spreads

The research makes it clear that a single day, single person visit to some of the amusement parks is darn close to a mortgage payment. From top to bottom, here are Forbes’ most expensive theme parks and what they’ll cost you.

1. Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, Calif.

Cost for a family of four: $1,135.67*

*Dining pass is not available, families will need to account for meal costs

2. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.

Cost for a family of four: $1,084.17*

*Dining pass is not available, families will need to account for meal costs

3. Disney California Adventure Park At Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.

Cost for a family of four: $1,084.17*

*Dining pass is not available, families will need to account for meal costs

4. Seaworld San Diego, San Diego, Calif. 

Cost for a family of four: $1,088.92 (includes dining pass)

5. Six Flag's Magic Mountain, Valencia, Calif.

Cost for a family of four: $973.25 (includes dining pass)

6. Dollywood's Splash Country, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Cost for a family of four: $887.93 (includes dining pass)

7. Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Cost for a family of four: $887.93 (includes dining pass)

8. Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, Calif.

Cost for a family of four: $884.59 (includes dining pass)

9. Magic Kingdom Theme Park At Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Cost for a family of four: $912.00*

*Dining pass is not available, families will need to account for meal costs

There are ways to save dough, though

If there’s a “must” at a park that your kids will throw a hissy fit if they don’t get, all’s not lost. There are some angles that parents can work to save a few bucks to make the adventure more in line with what they can actually afford.

Stay at an off-site hotel. “Although it can be tempting to stay on-site at an amusement park, most of the time a room will cost way more than it would be to stay in a nearby hotel,” suggests WanderWisdom’s Janis Masyk-Jackson.

“Not only is there the cost of the hotel, but most likely, you'll also have to pay for parking which, depending on the hotel, can be very expensive in itself. Instead, consider staying at a hotel within walking distance or one that offers a shuttle service.”

Save money on parking. ConsumersCreditUnion suggests that amusement park visitors can avoid parking fees by doing one of three things: carpooling, taking a tour bus or staying off-property and getting an Uber or Lyft ride into the park or staying at a place where they offer a shuttle service to the park.

Give your kids a budget for shopping. Kids will be kids and they’ll want the first souvenir they see, but as every parent knows, there are lots more where those came from.

“Give your kids a budget for shopping, too,” Masyk-Jackson insists. “Don't let them buy the first thing they see as most likely they will find lots of things they like throughout the day. Instead, make a note of what the items are and where they found them, then at the end of the day, let them pick what they want the most,” adding that shops outside the park often have the exact same items for half the price.

For those of us who’ve never donned a housekeeper’s uniform, we might assume that the precision and crispness of how a bed is made might be repeated at every other spot in a hotel room.

But, a new narrative by former hotel housekeeper Tara Richardson for Well + Good might have you bringing your own sanitary wipes and disinfectants the next time you head out on vacation.

Richardson says that when you consider that a housekeeper is expected to clean 15 to 20 rooms in an eight-hour shift, they’ve only got 30 minutes per room, tops. And once the bed is turned into a masterpiece, that leaves restocking the mini-bar, putting up new towels, dumping out the trash cans, refreshing the soap and shampoo supplies, vacuuming the floor, etc.

And Richardson claims that by the time the 30-minute limit dings, there are a number of things that are qualifiable “we’ll do that later” items that could send a clean freak overboard.

The five things that guests should avoid

The first item that Richardson says a germaphobe should avoid is the coffeemaker.

“Coffee makers are generally only superficially cleaned (a quick spray and wipe), as most hotels care more about appearance and speed as opposed to actual cleanliness,” Richardson said. “Coffee makers are rarely deep cleaned, meaning there are lots of bacteria and sometimes even mold growing inside because of stagnant water and improper cleaning.”

Avoiding the ice bucket might be a good move, too, because that plastic liner is nothing more than a prophylactic.

“I’ve personally seen ice buckets used as dog dishes, puke buckets, etc., and generally, the buckets are only superficially cleaned,” she said. “The water or ice is dumped, and then it’s just a quick dry with your dusting rag and maybe a spray with whatever all-purpose cleaner the hotel provides housekeeping staff with.”

And what goes hand in hand with the ice bucket? Glasses! And, those, too, made Richardson’s things-to-avoid list.

“Where I worked, drinking glasses and coffee cups were simply rinsed and wiped in the bathroom sink,” says Richardson. “We were not given dish soap nor was the glassware collected and taken to be properly washed in a dishwasher.”

Insider secrets

One insider secret that might have you bringing your own towel is that – at least in Richardson’s experience – housekeepers are often told not to replace them if they look clean so as to prevent them from getting overwashed and the laundry doesn’t get overwhelmed.

If this is concerning, Richardson suggests tracking down the housekeeper on your floor and asking for fresh towels and robes directly off of the cart because those are almost guaranteed to be clean.

While the appearance of a bed might look fresh as a daisy, Richardson warns that in most hotels, blankets and duvets/comforters are very rarely cleaned and changed out.

“Where I worked, unless there was a visible stain, blankets, duvets, and bedspreads were only taken down to laundry once a year,” Richardson said.

That once-a-year factoid spills over into cleaning “extras” like the mattress and pillow protectors, too, not to mention the mattresses getting flipped and the walls and curtains getting cleaned.

Bring your own cleaner? Really?

It may seem over the top, but Richardson suggests that if anyone is feeling her insights are a little alarming, then they should bring their own cleaning products the next time they travel.

“I always bring some disinfectant wipes with me and give anything I’ll be using in the room a quick wipe—light switches, remotes, phones, table tops, and doorknobs especially,” she says. 

During these cold, winter months, many consumers may be thinking of traveling to warmer weather and sunny beaches. But when it comes time to book that vacation, do you know the best places to stay? 

U.S. News & World Report is helping consumers narrow down their list of hotels with its ranking of the best hotels of 2023 in several categories. 

“The travel industry has evolved over the last decade, highlighting the need to support and recognize hotels that maintain excellent standards and consistently provide guests with outstanding hospitality,” said Zach Wilson, senior travel editor at U.S. News. “The 2023 Best Hotels rankings offer a list of dependable places to stay for every type of trip, from solo trips to romantic getaways to family vacations.” 

Where should consumers stay?

When it came time to narrow down the best hotels around the world, the report included data on 35,000 luxury resorts and hotels. Additionally, the biggest factors that influenced the rankings were how many stars the hotels received, the opinions of renowned travel experts, and overall customer experience based on reviews from TripAdvisor. 

In all, there were rankings for:

• Best Hotels in the USA
• Best Resorts in the USA
• Best Hotels in Canada
• Best Resorts in Canada
• Best Hotels in the Caribbean
• Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean
• Best Hotels in Mexico
• Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico
• Best Hotels in Bermuda
• Best Hotels in Europe 

So, who won out? 

In the U.S., the top five best hotels were: Acqualina Resort & Residences (Sunny Isles Beach, FL), The Canyon Suites at the Phoenician (Scottsdale, AZ), Pendry West Hollywood (Hollywood, CA), The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Kiawah Island, SC), and the Inn & Club at Harbour Town (Hilton Head, SC). 

In Europe, the top five best hotels were: the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Grand Hotel Tremezzo (Como, Italy), La Réserve Paris – Hotel and Spa (Paris, France), The Goring (London, the U.K.), and the Connaught (London, the U.K.). 

The five best hotels in the Caribbean were: Cap Juluca (Anguilla), Jumby Bay Island (Antigua), Jade Mountain Resort (St. Lucia), Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France (France), and Tortuga Bay (Punta Cana). 

While many consumers may have vacations on the brain and are unsure about where to book their next trip, these rankings can come in handy – whether your trip is domestic, international, or somewhere in the Caribbean. 

Going somewhere? Maybe taking your first getaway since the start of the pandemic? You’ll probably be looking for a place to stay, just like I did when I set out on my COVID-19 revenge tour. As I found out, there are some new wrinkles and old wrinkles to consider when trying to decide on lodging.

Hello, goodbye

There have been considerable changes in the lodging world since the beginning of the pandemic. For one thing, the hungry traveler can bid farewell to their treasured hotel buffet. Anything that is “shared” -- utensil holders, self-serve beverage stations, etc. -- are a trouble spot waiting to happen when travelers are trying to keep socially distant and out of the coronavirus’ way. Pre-packaged muffins and granola bars are now the norm.

You can also say adios to having maid service every day unless you specifically ask for it. That’s because hotels are still trying to financially rebound from the pandemic and feel it’s a corner they can cut with a sympathetic customer. On top of that, there are fewer people to do those jobs thanks to the hospitality industry being down about 300,000 jobs from where it was in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Digital has also become the primary go-to for hotels. For example, the check-in process has become more app-based. Hilton is among the early adopters that have embraced digital touchpoints. The chain’s app allows customers to check in before they arrive, pick the room they think is right for them, and unlock their door with their phone.

Hidden fees have not gone away...

One thing that the pandemic didn’t slow down or change is the plague of pesky fees that increase the price of an overnight stay.

Two years after lawsuits were filed by state attorneys general against Marriott and Hilton, and lawmakers first grumbled about hidden fees at hotels and introduced the Hotel Advertising Transparency Act, nothing has changed. In fact, another fee-focused lawsuit was filed against MGM Resorts earlier this year.

Despite pandemic conditions, hotels are still lining their pockets with things like drip pricing and bundled fees for amenities -- like workout rooms -- even though those amenities might be unavailable to a guest because of COVID-19. In fact, misrepresentations about costs, amenities, etc. flung the Travel category into the Top 10 for the first time in the Consumer Federation of America’s recently released annual list of reports. 

When I was looking for a safe, clean, and affordable place to stay in San Francisco, I fully expected a more buttoned-up approach to cleanliness. I was also hopeful that hotels would take the same posture as airlines with change fees and ditch some of their own “resort fees.” 

I was wrong. In my searches, I saw outlandish fees like $28.95 per person to get their breakfast to-go and a self-parking fee of $51.30 per night. When I found a hotel that reasonably met my expectations, some of that hope was dashed when I was surprised with a new, pandemic-related fee when I checked in -- an extra $23/day postured as a “sanitation fee” by the hotel clerk, but one not listed by Hotels.com in its listing of this particular hotel’s fees. 

"Though hotel services and amenities were reduced during the pandemic, hotels actually have been increasing hidden fees during the pandemic,” Lauren Wolfe, Counsel for Travelers United, told ConsumerAffairs.

“Many hotels have now added a Covid fee. Even with these added fees, hotels are reducing housekeeping services and still often have many amenities closed. This shows there is no correlation between services and extra fees."

Look closely and ask questions

Before assuming that a price listed in big, bold, green letters is the final price you’ll pay, do yourself a favor and try one of these methods to confirm what you’ll be paying for a hotel stay when all is said and done.

• Call the hotel directly and ask if there are fees that you’ll be expected to pay at check-in. If there are fees for things you know you won’t be using – like the gym, pool, or Wi-Fi -- request that those fees be deducted. In some cases, a deeper look at a hotel’s listing might reveal that those fees are not mandatory and only apply if guests choose to use those services, so don’t be shy about asking. 

• Use ResortFeeChecker to find out what fees a hotel is tacking on to the price of a room.

If you still get stung by what you consider an unfair fee, there might be some relief from your state’s attorney general.

“State Attorneys General think that hotel resort fees violate state consumer protection laws. If you are charged a hotel resort fee, you can file a report with your Attorney General and they will likely work with you to make the hotel refund you,” Wolfe told ConsumerAffairs.

If worse comes to worst and you want to follow Wolfe’s advice, here’s a list of all 50 state attorneys general you can refer to.

After the District of Columbia (D.C.) sued Marriott for alleged “resort fees” earlier this month, Nebraska’s Attorney General has followed up with a similar lawsuit against Hilton.

“For years, Hilton has misled consumers in Nebraska regarding the true cost of certain Hilton hotel rooms,” said Attorney General Doug Peterson. “They failed to heed warnings from the Federal Trade Commission and the mounting complaints from their own customers.”

The fees that D.C. and Nebraska are trying to do away with are typically referred to as “resort fees,” but -- depending on the situation -- they might also be called destination fees, amenity fees, urban fees, drip fees, and facility fees. They all do the same thing, however: charge the guest a separate, mandatory fee on top of the base room rate.

Sneaky? Very.

Resort fees are illegal in many countries -- Australia and most European countries, for example. But in the United States, there is no specific legislation that either allows or outlaws resort fees, although the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) does what it can, as Peterson said, to "warn" the consumer about the issue.

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Jay Sorensen, President of IdeaWorksCompany, a firm that tracks ancillary airline fares, and asked why airlines have been pushed to be transparent about “extra” fares while hotels have not.

“Booking through an online travel agent seems to invite this abuse. This practice has always perplexed me because it's so inherently dishonest,” Sorensen told ConsumerAffairs.

“While airlines face regulatory scrutiny from the DOT (Department of Transportation), no similar body exists for hotel brands. It's because the revenue is so attractive, that's why the practice continues to persist. It's almost as if they are desperately trying to recover the big fees they pay to OTAs (online travel agencies such as Expedia).”

A cash cow

Unregulated, resort fees are a goldmine for hoteliers. In the D.C. lawsuit against Marriott, the size of that goldmine was exposed -- and it’s gargantuan, to say the least.

“Marriott owns, manages or franchises at least 189 properties worldwide that charge consumers resort fees ranging from $9 to as much as $95 per day,” cited the complaint. “By charging consumers resort fees in addition to the daily amounts consumers must pay for their rooms, Marriott makes hundreds of millions of additional dollars in revenue without appearing to increase the price for which it initially offers its rooms.”

Is there anything consumers can do? 

Until government regulation is established, consumers are left with four choices when it comes to U.S. resort fees: 

1. Do due diligence 

2. Take action

3. Use rewards points, or 

4. Accept the fees and move on

Due diligence

With its proverbial hand tied behind its back, the Federal Trade Commission can do little more than alert the consumer to the issue and suggest digging deeper and making their online price searches more thorough.

“Forcing consumers to click through additional webpages to see a hotel’s resort fee increases the cost of learning the hotel’s price,” the FTC wrote in an economic analysis of hotel resort fees.  

“Separating the room rate from the resort fee increases the cognitive costs of remembering the hotel’s price. When it becomes more costly to search and evaluate an additional hotel, a consumer’s choice is either to incur higher total search and cognitive costs or to make an incomplete, less informed decision that may result in a more costly room, or both.”

Digging deeper can also include making a call to the hotel and asking if a resort fee will be charged.

ConsumerAffairs found that the FTC is spot-on about having to dig to get to the bottom of an advertised price. We did have some luck using a search query like “Fee-free hotels San Francisco” which led us to ResortFeeChecker, an online tool where travelers can look up resort fees at 2,000 hotels worldwide. 

For Las Vegas travelers, we also found LasVegasJaunt, a site which details every fee a Vegas hotel charges and the amenities the fee covers. 

Take action

Fighting for what a consumer feels is right and fair is never any fun, but done tactfully, taking action can have a positive payoff.

KillResortFees, an anti-resort fee site created by travel-loving attorney Lauren Wolfe, lays out a variety of ways -- from disputing the charge with the credit card company to complaining to a state’s attorney general.

“This is America. If you want to haggle, take your grandma to a garage sale. In the land of the free, we pay the sticker price (+ tax). That is the law according to consumer protection laws that already exist in every single state,” Wolfe says. “So if you pay upfront a hotel's published rate and the taxes, you have paid. Refuse to pay anything else.” 

After a close brush with Hurricane Irma, Miami Beach hotels have rolled out the welcome mat with a number of October enticements. If you were planning to wait until next year to make a visit, it might pay to move up your arrival.

Florida has some great beaches, but Miami Beach may be the most well-known. It sits astride natural and man-made barrier islands with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Biscayne Bay, (separating the beach from the City of Miami) to the west.

In addition to its white sandy beaches, Miami Beach is also known for its famous hotels that have drawn visitors from all walks of life for decades.

The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority says, with the passage of the hurricane, the city is back in action.

"We are so thankful that Miami Beach weathered the storm well," said Peggy Benua, Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

Benua is also general manager of Dream South Beach, a famous Miami Beach hotel. Dream South Beach currently provides incentives for booking directly on its website, including a discount of up to 30 percent.

It also welcomes guests who arrive after 3:00 pm with a complimentary drink and free room upgrade, if available. Guests may also check out as late as 2:00 pm.

In the Art Deco District

Dream South Beach is located in the middle of the city's famous Art Deco District, occupying the shells of two iconic hotels from a bygone era -- the Tudor Hotel and Palmer House.

Five blocks away is Delano South Beach, offering its own enticement to travelers. A three-night stay Sunday through Thursday can get you up to 25% off on a luxury suite and a complimentary breakfast for two.

Book your suite online through the hotel's website and you can get a $50 food and beverage credit.

Other hotels along the city's famous oceanfront include the Fountainebleau, completely restored to reflect its rich history; Loews Miami Beach, a South Beach icon which just underwent a $50 million renovation; and the Redbury South Beach, a boutique hotel featuring 69 rooms and suites.

Many of Miami Beach's famous hotels are located on Collins Avenue amid restored art deco buildings that earned the district a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the buildings that make up the Art Deco District were built as Miami Beach became a tourist Mecca between 1923 and 1943.

The South Beach club scene

The ocean may be Miami Beach's main attraction, but there are plenty of other things to see and do, including South Beach's thriving night life. According to the Greater Miami Visitors and Convention Bureau, LIV, located in the Fountainebleau, is the place to see and be seen against the backdrop of the music of world-renowned DJs.

South Beach night life doesn't have to end with the sunrise. At Mango’s Tropical Café, you can start with breakfast, party through lunch, take a quick break for dinner, and stay all night enjoying the tropical and Reggae beat.

Getting there

Miami Beach is served by Miami International Airport. In addition to serving just about every domestic airline, Miami International is a gateway from the Southern Hemisphere.

The airport, a major American Airlines hub, took a hit during Hurricane Irma but is back at full capacity. The airport is about a 30 minute drive from Miami Beach.

North Carolina's Outer Banks are a favorite beach destination for consumers in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

Made up of some 125 miles of barrier island beaches jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, the Outer Banks have long been a favorite of vacationing families, since most of the accommodations consist of houses that can be rented by the week.

At the peak of vacation season in late July, workmen accidentally severed the main power line serving Hatteras Island, one of the southern-most islands in the chain. It required the evacuation of vacationers from that island until power was restored late last week.

"We got the wind kicked out of us," said Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Executive Director Lee Nettles.

It was made worse, Nettles said, by what he termed "sensationalized or ill-framed reports" by the media that suggested the whole Outer Banks was experiencing a total blackout. In fact, the northern beaches, including six towns from Duck to Nags Head, and the Roanoke Island town of Manteo, still had the lights on.

Back to normal

By last weekend, everything was back to normal as Dennis Fisher of Philadelphia, along with his extended family, headed for their reserved beach house on Hatteras Island. They had nervously awaited word on whether they could check in as scheduled.

"Our arrival on Sunday was unimpeded by traffic," Fisher told ConsumerAffairs. "We saw where the electric company installed more poles, but we really could not tell where the underground cables had been severed."

Fisher and his family report everything on the island seems to be back to normal. He said they had to reset all of the clocks once they arrived at their beach house and reprogram the TV, but that was the only sign that there had been a power outage. He also says the crowds appear to be back, which will be music to Nettles' ears.

The Visitor's Bureau has posted an accommodations guide, with a list of hotels on the Outer Banks and whether or not they have vacancies, for use by consumers making last minute vacation plans. Meanwhile, the region's attractions, are as crowded as you would expect in August.

Attractions

Famous as the launching pad for the Wright Brothers' first airplane, the Outer Banks have long been associated with flight, aided by a stiff and steady ocean breeze. Jockeys Ridge State Park features a towering sand dune, a favorite venue for hang gliding and kite flying.

Roanoke Island, located in the bay on the western side of the islands, has a place in history as well. It was the site of the first English military outpost on American soil, established in 1585. Today, the settlement is referred to as "the lost colony," because the colonists disappeared three years after their last shipload of supplies arrived from England. Though there are many theories about what happened, no one really knows for sure.

Visitors to Roanoke Island can go aboard the Elizabeth II, a replica of a ship from the era. Costumed sailors interact with visitors as they set sails, swab decks, and perform other nautical chores.

The island also has a settlement site, complete with costumed interpreters, an American Indian town, and a museum.

Just about every kind of fishing

Anglers are also drawn to the Outer Banks, especially in the fall. Fishermen can choose from surf and pier fishing, freshwater, fly and sound fishing, and inshore and offshore charter fishing.

Offshore anglers only have to venture 12 to 15 miles out to sea in order to reach the Gulf Stream, providing a diverse assortment of fish.

Since 2007, North Carolina has offered a Coastal Recreational Fishing License. It can be purchased on a 10-day, annual, or lifetime basis.

Getting there

The closest major airport to the Outer Banks is Norfolk International. It's served by Delta, United, American, Southwest, and Allegiant Air.

From Norfolk, the northern Outer Banks are reached by taking highway 168, then 158 and crossing Albemarle Sound at Kitty Hawk. The southern islands are reachable by taking highway 17 to highway 64.

Sometimes travel isn't to a single destination. Increasingly, travelers are hitting the road to explore America and are taking their accommodations with them.

Recreational vehicles (RV), an industry that took a severe hit when gasoline prices skyrocketed a dozen years ago, has come roaring back. Sales have surged, prompting business network CNBC to declare that the "RV space is on fire!"

It reports two of the major companies that make and sell RVs, Winnebago Industries and Thor Industries, both reported a huge leap in sales in their most recent earnings periods. Winnebago sales were up 75% to $476.4 million.

The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) reports shipments will hit 472,200 units this year, with nearly 121,000 RVs shipping in the first quarter alone.

Unprecedented growth

“Our industry is in an era of unprecedented growth,” said association president Frank Hugelmeyer. “We are poised to record an eighth consecutive year of shipment gains, mainly due to product innovations that appeal to retiring Baby Boomers as well as younger buyers. The recession is in the rearview mirror. This is a new era for the RV industry.”

Boomers and Millennials just happen to be the nation's two largest demographic groups, and both have gone all-in for RVs. But not just any RVs.

CNBC notes that tow-behind trailers are outselling traditional RVs nearly four to one. The trailers are smaller, more compact, extremely well-designed, and give travelers added flexibility, since they can be unhitched at a campground, allowing the travelers to explore the area in an easier-to-maneuver SUV or truck, used for towing.

Neighbors in their early 70s recently invited me to tour their new Airstream trailer that features plush, leather sofas, climate control, an enclosed bedroom, and fairly roomy shower. They've sold their home and plan to travel the country for a couple of years.

They'll have plenty of company on the road. RVIA doesn't expect RV sales to peak until sometime next year.

Millennials embracing the RV life

Age-wise, Ambreen and Nader Brown are at the other end of the demographic spectrum from my neighbors. They're Millennials who purchased an Airstream and set out to explore America, starting off in the Pacific Northwest.

Writing on the Airstream Blog, they say they had no experience pulling a trailer until they arrived at the Airstream dealership near Seattle, where they got a crash course in trailering. They say backing the trailer into a camp spot was their biggest challenge.

According to CostHelper.com, the cost of a towable RV can range from $8,000 to $65,000, but the average price is $15,000 to $30,000. The traditional motor home is quite a bit more expensive, usually over $100,000.

RV rentals

But if you think a motor home journey might only be a one-time thing, you can rent your traveling home. Towable trailers go for as little as $50 to $75 a day, but may have no smoking or no pet policies, so you have to read the fine print. Besides the cost of the trailer, you have to pay a campground to let you park.

According to RVAdventuring.com, RV parks and resorts charge the most, but also provide the most in the way of services and amenities. It might be as little as $20 a day in the middle of nowhere and around $75 close to urban areas and popular attractions. They may provide things like cable TV, WiFi, laundry facilities, and restrooms with showers.

Finding your next campground while underway is not difficult. There are a number of smartphone apps, like this one, that can help you plan ahead.

Every once in a while nature puts on a free show and the world goes nuts for it.

Yet another will come up August 21 when the moon will pass between the sun and the earth, presenting a total solar eclipse, visible this time in the United States.

But not all of the U.S. Only an approximately 70 mile-wide area, stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, will get the full effects, with broad daylight turning to evening twilight in a matter of minutes.

People who don't happen to live inside this narrow band can still experience the eclipse if they can get there, and Hotels.com reports lodging establishments located inside the eclipse path are booking reservations at a record rate.

According to a report by the booking site, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Idaho and Kentucky -- all of which lie in the eclipse zone -- have seen the biggest increase in hotel searches when compared year over year.

Nebraska may be a prime spot

Nebraska has actually seen the largest increase; searches are up 325%. Kansas is next at over 200%, followed by Missouri at nearly 160%, Idaho at 135%, and Kentucky with a 130% increase.

"Total solar eclipses are special events in the Universe," said Thomas Hettinger, Ph.D. and a member of the Hotels.com team. "In addition to requiring a moon at just the right distance with just the right size, a planet must also have a star at just the right distance with just the right size."

Because these events are rare and because they are best seen in a limited area, regions not known as tourist destinations tend to be crowded with tourists, at least for one day.

Early reservations advised

The experts at Hotels.com advise making reservations as soon as possible, especially since there are still some deals available.

In Nebraska, Omaha's Magnolia Hotel earns 4.3 out of 5.0 stars on Hotels.com and rooms start at $169 a night. In Manhattan, Kan., the Anderson Bed & Breakfast is $141 a night with 4.9 out of 5.0 stars.

In Meridian, Idaho, the My Place Hotel's rate is $198 and has a 4.6 star rating.

Those who have seen a total eclipse call it a spectacular experience, but health officials caution that no one should look directly at the sun during an eclipse without special precautions.

The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses.” The American Astronomical Society cautions that ordinary sunglasses or homemade filters aren't safe.

Hotels and commercial transportation companies are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and have to make accommodation for consumers with physical limitations.

But Rutgers University researchers say it isn't clear whether that law covers sharing economy businesses like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb. Because of that, they report people with disabilities may find themselves increasingly excluded.

To investigate, the research team made nearly 4,000 Airbnb lodging requests between June and November 2016. For a portion of the requests, they created profiles for potential lodgers who had four types of disabilities -- blindness, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, and spinal cord injury.

Compared to travelers with no disabilities, the study showed hosts were less likely to pre-approve, and more likely to reject, requests from the disabled travelers.

The pre-approval rate was 75% for travelers without disabilities, compared to 61% for travelers with dwarfism, 50% for travelers with blindness, 43% for travelers with cerebral palsy, and 25% for travelers with spinal cord injury.

Policy change

While the study was being conducted, Airbnb instituted a new policy, requiring all hosts to agree to a new non-discrimination policy. The researchers said they perceived no difference in how hosts responded to their lodging requests before or after the policy change.

The researchers also say their findings raise questions about the reach of ADA. The law applies to commercial establishments like hotels, and to some Airbnb listings. However, the law does not apply to owner-occupied dwellings with fewer than six units for rent.

The researchers say many individuals are benefiting from the disruptive nature of the internet, allowing them to leverage private assets to produce income.

Unintentional discrimination

"This more decentralized model of mediated exchange has potential benefits for participants, but it may also create opportunities for both intentional and unintentional discrimination," the authors write. "Although the organizations operating the peer-to-peer platforms through which exchanges take place may not be engaging in discrimination, the participants may be doing so, thereby undermining anti-discrimination laws and the principle of equal access to goods and services."

The researchers said they do not think the discrimination they perceive is based on personal prejudice. Rather, their study found that many of the Airbnb units were simply not very accessible to people with physical limitations.

Savvy travelers know they can save money by booking air travel at just the right time. Ticket prices fluctuate significantly between the time the flight is posted and when it takes off.

The editors at TripAdvisor say the same is true when it comes to booking a hotel room for summer vacation travel, and the timing may be different from other seasonal travel periods.

Their research shows the best times to book will depend on the region or city where you are going during the usually busy the summer vacation season. The price changes may not be as dramatic as for airfare, but there are savings to be had.

Here's an example: the least expensive time to book a hotel room in the U.S. is within three months of a summer trip. If you time it right, you can pocket up to 9% in savings.

Big savings in Paris

Traveling to Europe? Book your Paris hotel room two months in advance and you might save 23% off peak summer rates.

"Bargain hunters know that timing is crucial when it comes to booking the lowest hotel prices," said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor. "TripAdvisor data shows that travelers can often find the best prices on summer hotels months in advance, with a booking sweet spot typically within three months of their trip.”

But if you are traveling to Africa, TripAdvisor recommends booking four months out to save the most. Three months in advance is ideal for Asia and Central America, while four months is recommended for the Caribbean. For the South Pacific, you can wait until two months before check-in.

Coordinating airfare

It's a little different for airfare, which might make travel planning tricky. Last year Cheapair reported the best time book a flight to Central and South America is 70 days from departure. It's about the same if you're flying to Canada or Mexico.

You need to give yourself a lot more time when traveling to Europe or Asia. The best fares to European destinations are available about 120 days in advance. Booking flights to Asia requires even more advance time – 160 days.

As for booking a hotel room in specific U.S. cities, the TripAdvisor editors suggest two months for both New York and Chicago, but give yourself six months when booking in Orlando.