Saturday, March 24, 2007

Allergy-Free Rooms


Electron photograph of rotavirus particles
courtesy of Centers for Disease Control & Prevention


Also in today's NY Times Travel section, an article about hypoallergenic rooms.

In a dual-purposed bid to help allergy-sufferers and stand out from the crowd, many hotels are now offering hypoallergenic rooms. (We've stayed in and noted many hotels that are offering special scents in the lobbies and rooms, and it had occurred to us that there might be some people for whom that must be awful.) Brands like Hilton, Wyndham and Millennium are rolling out hypoallergenic rooms in different locations across the country, sometimes devoting several floors to the allergy-suffering traveler.

While the trend may claim to help those who can't tolerate the plush down pillows that beckon most travelers to their beds, this movement is also, in part, an attempt to rise above the flatscreen TVs and WiFi access that are now considered de rigueur by savvy travelers. And with a recent Conde Nast Traveler article noting that even 5-star hotels had rooms awash in germs, it might not be only the chronic allergy sufferer looking for a cleaner room.

There are currently no standards in the industry for creating a hypoallergenic room, and some of the methods hotels are using seem more designed for marketing purposes than actual allergy treatment or germ removal. Still, some travelers have noted a difference in the air quality of their rooms, and say they are willing to pay the premium that hypoallergenic rooms often command in order to have a sneeze-free stay. For those that don't need to go to such lengths but would still like to fight the germs and nasty habits of those-who-came-before, check out the end of Conde Nast Traveler's article, which has several helpful suggestions on how to make your hotel room less of a health hazard.

TabletKids

Today's NY Times Travel Section notes that TabletHotels, a favorite booking site of ours that give travelers a choice of luxury accommodations around the world, is coming out with TabletKids, for families who want to travel in style.

This is good news; apparently we're not the only people obsessed with keeping a certain level of style and luxury in our family travels. According to Laurent Vernhes, TabletHotel's chief executive, roughly a third of their bookings come from families and the demand for cool and sophisticated options for family travelers has increased. Add our voice to that demand, Mr. Vernhes - this is all we live for.

What is great about this subsection of TabletHotels is that you will be able to search for specific amenities such as connecting rooms, cribs or room service for children. (Remember, many posh spots, particularly the smaller boutique properties, may not offer some or all of these, so it will be good to see those that do upfront.) We've checked out the website and what we love is that in addition to noting all the usual special features that make each hotel posh and fabulous, TabletKids adds all the child-specific information: how many children are accommodated per type of room, when children are considered adults for booking purposes, even what type of room you'll need to book based on the size and sleeping options needed by your family.

Kudos to TabletHotels. We can't be more thrilled.


A suite at Amankila in Indonesia, a TabletKids hotel


A bath at Amankila