And There You Have It

Cornell study finds discounting did little to offset revenue loss during economic downturn.

Can we please stop the race to the bottom now?

So one more time, repeat after me. ADR equals Profit.

And then this. Discounting Does. Not. Work.

Amen.

Hoo Boy

They're coming.

The Meet the Money conference is coming up in LA.

Who will be there?

Well, according to Jim Butler,

"We expect attendees at this year’s conference to fall into two distinct categories. There will be investors with cash who are gearing up for an active acquisition run over the next several years."

On the sell side, he expects,

"troubled hotel owners who are seeking ways to work through these unprecedented economic times"

Yep, there are plenty of those around.

And, of course, the bankers. There must be bankers.

Troubled owners and investors with cash must have some bankers on hand.

“Rounding out the group will be representatives from dozens of banks, institutional lenders and private investors who will update attendees on the availability of capital."

What could possibly go wrong?

After all, as Jim says,

"This will be a period of both tremendous opportunities and a tremendous amount of pain."

I think we all know who is going to be in which category there.

Can Arizona Inns Really Afford a Boycott?

The American Immigration Lawyers Association has cancelled their Arizona conference.

The city of San Francisco is considering a boycott that could impact all vendors the city does business with; that's a whole heap of folks.

More conference cancellations will undoubtedly follow.

Summer season is just around the corner. European travelers who land in Los Angeles typically will take a side trip to Las Vegas and/or a side trip to the Grand Canyon.

Just how many of those travelers want to risk being asked for papers? Not a fun holiday. Las Vegas here they come.

For small inns in Arizona this is a disaster in the making at a time they really don't need another hit to their bottom line.

What a mess.

Why do folks call for boycotts over issues like this? Because they work.

Arizona of all places should know that.

Another Day in Paradise

This has been the most amazing rainy season in all my years in California.

Not just that we had lots of rain. Yes, lots.

But that it keeps on going and going. Seems every time we think the rains have ended, more are on the horizon.

The good news? The flowers are so happy they could scream. The hills will stay green for at least a few more weeks.

And at least one day this week I'll have a great excuse to stay inside and catch up on paperwork.

But today? Sunshine, blue skies. No excuse in the world for not being out in it.

It's all good.

Get Outside Already

What a gorgeous day we're having here in Northern California.

I'm heading out to enjoy it.

It's the final day of my mother-in-law's visit. I was secretly hoping her flight would be delayed so we'd have her with us a few days longer but looks like she'll be going home on-time.

Meanwhile, the sun is shining, birds are singing, and I'm going outside to savor it all.

What are you doing in front of that computer?

Happy Earth Day

My Father's Garden from Mirko Faienza on Vimeo.

Enjoy your world today.

Yosemite in Spring

It's no wonder that some of Yosemite's fiercest early advocates came to call it God's Garden.



The deep glacier-formed Yosemite Valley manifests into what can only be seen as a heavenly view into nature's grand plan, from head to toe. One can't help but feel overwhelmed by the privilege.



If there's a most perfect time to witness nature's perfection at Yosemite there's no doubt that spring is it.



Warmer days invite long hikes in temperate weather.



Warmer days also mean melting snow. And waterfalls.



The 19 waterfalls at Yosemite range in height from 25 feet to the massive 2,425 foot wonder of Yosemite Falls. Each takes your breath away.

At their peak, it feels like they're all around you. They are.



It's no accident of fate that John Muir worked here for Yosemite's first innkeeper.



Today's guests find much more grand accommodations among the splendor than in John Muir's day.



Or, if they choose, they find the same simplicity that inspired the mountain men who loved Yosemite so.



Spring crowds, especially mid-week, are still comparatively small leaving plenty of quiet space to be found.



If you can, go now.



You'll be really happy that you did.

The Time to Come to California is NOW

Tule Elk enjoying a spring feast at Point Reyes


See those elk? Fabulous animals, no?

See those flowers? Those elk are not sitting in them. No they are standing up in a field so full of wildflowers that they literally cannot eat them all.

And the hills around them are carpeted in flowers just like that. It's incredible. Looks like something out of the Wizard of Oz.

Seriously get out here.

And it's not just Point Reyes that is perfect almost to the point of being psychedelic.

Take a look at this waterfall at Yosemite.



Waterfalls at Yosemite right this very minute are so frantically pouring water over the cliffs that some of them actually look more like avalanches than cascades.

More pix tomorrow.

But seriously. Get out here. Now.

California has never been more perfect. The only thing it's missing is you.

Are the Skies Over Europe Safe Enough to Fly?

We're watching the situation with the clouds of volcanic ash really closely around here.

My mother-in-law is supposed to fly home to France in just about 1 week.

Will the skies really be safe? We'll see over the next few days.

But one thing I know for sure, decisions of the European airlines notwithstanding. If my mother-in-law were scheduled to fly out tomorrow and the airlines allowed her flight to leave, we simply would not let her go. It's a no-brainer for us.

And I'm guessing many travelers (and their families) will feel the same way.

The skies simply are not safe to fly while filled with ash and guess what, clouds move. Ask any meteorologist.

And really, as Europe looks to make this painful decision, that's who needs to be consulted: the meteorologists.

So sorry, it's not the airlines we should be asking at this point no matter how many test flights they may have run. They're worried about economic collapse. And with good reason. Some of them may not make it through this mess. They're understandably in a panic.

As distressing as those economic considerations may be, they represent a serious conflict of interest in the airlines pushing to reopen skies. Betting that they can fly above, beneath, or in gaps of a cloud of volcanic ash - while the volcano is still spewing ash! - is a bit too wild-wild-west even for this California gal.

Economic viability and the discomfort of stranded passengers should not be even among the most remote of considerations in whether or not the skies are safe.

For safety's sake, there's only one choice. The safe one.

Anything else is just crazy.

Ahhh, California

Here in Northern California, we're having just splendid weather all weekend.

Just the slightest breeze in the air. Blue skies and sunshine all around.

A little fog just creeping in at the coast.

I'm heading out to the beach later this afternoon, in fact, to take advantage of the afternoon fog - and the quiet beaches it promises.

Algorithms to Assess Honesty?

Yelp claims they can automatically detect fake reviews. Of course, they won't say how because, well, it's complete and utter nonsense.

What do they think they have, an automated lie detector?

Oh please.

I'm as skeptical as Arthur Frommer on this one, when he asks,

"Does anyone really believe this nonsense?"

My answer?

No.

I do believe that these folks actually do think that we are gullible enough to believe their nonsense.

But here's the thing.

We're not.

Mill Valley

It's true that Mill Valley is no longer the hippie village it was in decades past. The few remaining hippies are more inclined to drive Ferraris than VW campers.



With hidden streams, steep hillsides with never-ending views of Mt Tamalpais, and narrow roads making privacy easily attainable, it's not difficult to understand why the rich would want to live here.



Everyday life in Mill Valley is rich in and of itself. A window into nature's most intimate and dramatic connection to our own nature.



So one would have to suppose that it was inevitable that the days of the Sweetwater Cafe and great shops selling used books and second-hand records would one day surrender completely to expensive if charming boutiques. One can only hope that as Mill Valley melds its new demographic with its rich land, that it will retain its innate appreciation of its many blessings.



I'm inclined to think that it will. Ferraris and all.

Fort Ross

One of the delights of the Sonoma Coast is Fort Ross which, if there were any justice in history, would be named Fort Russe. But since it's been well-established that we Americans don't do well with languages, Fort Ross it is.



The southern most outpost of the Russian-American Company was strategically located to afford superb protection by land and sea from the Spaniards who had laid claim to the area, even if its lack of a proper port for loading and receiving supplies defied logic.



In addition to protecting the Russian interests in the fur-trade by providing food for the more northern Russian settlements, it provided a homebase for scientific discovery of the plants and animals of the New World. In fact, the first scientific records of California's cultural and natural history were gathered here and remain to this day in St Petersburg under Russian domain.



Fortunately Fort Ross itself remains largely intact and is open as a State Park with 8 buildings and acres and acres of grounds to explore.



Surrounded by the steep hills and wild coast of Sonoma County, it's easy to imagine why the last administrator who lived there with his wife, a Russian princess, and their 3 children for 5 years described those years as the best in his life.



We were fortunate to be there during the celebration of Krasnaya Gorka, or Red Hill, the traditional Russian celebration of spring and future harvests, so little imagination was needed to see the life and blessings all around this cherished place.




If you happen to come across it on one of its more quiet days, though, I don't think you'll be disappointed.



The charm of Fort Ross lies in its embrace of rustic isolation. That's a charm that Russia and California have shared for quite some time.

Thanks as always to the Fabulous Frenchie for his masterful photos.

It's Beautiful Out

Blue skies everywhere you look.

How's the weather in your world?

Happy Easter

Hope there's much rejoicing in your world.

And lots of chocolate which can be reason to rejoice all on its own.

Go Ahead and Go Outside

Go Outside from Helene Park on Vimeo.

Guests are all outside and I'm about to do the same.

Hope you're enjoying splendid weather wherever you are.

Best April Fools Pranks

I was up late working last night so saw the Google Topeka screen before the day really started. My take on it? Yawn.

But maybe that's just because it was 1am at the time.

First online prank that I saw today was the TripAdvisor email I found sitting in my inbox this morning, telling me about their new Space Travel Reviews.

I admit it. Hadn't had my first cup of coffee yet and clicked on over. Got me!

Also chuckled right away at XKCD (one of my favorite daily feeds) announcing the addition of a console:

To navigate the comics, enter "next", "prev", "first", "last", "display", or "random".

Yep, that was a gotcha moment that brought a chuckle to my morning, bright and early.

So what gotcha moments made your April Fools Day fun?

The folks at Tech Crunch have a running tally (with ratings) of the day's best online shenanigans. Check 'em out.