Swank Hotel Debuts at Base of Beaver Creek

Westin Riverfront brings Beaver Creek cachet down into the Eagle River Valley

Beaver Creek is an elegant, exclusive gated ski resort that was developed as an uptown place. Think expensive slopeside lodging, chic boutiques and pricey eating places. Avon, originally a lettuce farming center with a railroad depot for shipping the crop out of town, iss a downtown place. It grew a bit more organically with lower-priced lodging, service businesses and even (gasp!) a Wal-Mart.

The opening of the $500 million Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon last weekend represents the first Beaver Creek-quality resort hotel down in the valley. The lobby, restaurant, enormous 25-meter outdoor pool (bottom photo) and decks of the green-built condo-hotel are oriented directly up the Beaver Creek drainage providing guests with a perfectly framed view of the ski runs. Seen from the Westin, Beaver Creek and Avon seem a lot closer to each other than they do when riding a shuttle bus up the winding access road. Also pulling Avon into the Beaver Creek orbit is the year-old Riverfront Express gondola, which delivers skiers from the hote's doorstep to Beaver Creek's Bachelor Gulch sector in less than three minutes.

The gondola, which is free to all, is not a ski lift but public transportation both up and down from ski area to town, not just for Westin guests but also for guests of other lodging properties in Avon or day visitors parking at the free public lots along US 6. This is especially significant since the Town of Vail, just down the road, is considering raising fees in its parking structures this winter.

Back to the Westin, it is a 210-unit property featuring well appointed studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, each with kitchen. The property's facilities and amenities comprise a long, imposing list: Restaurant Avondale run by local star chef Thomas Salamunovich, Spa Anjali (Earth, Fire, Water and Air theme), wine bar, convenience store, on-site sporting goods store/rental/storage, 24-hour business center, free Internet access, recycling stations on every floor, activity concierge, ski valet, meeting facilities and, best for skiers, that gondola conveniently right outside a back door.

I spent just a comfortable night there on opening weekend. The decor is tasteful, pared down and elegant. It's got green versions of popular luxury features, including in-room Internet access, well appointed bathroom, gas fireplace, flat-screen TV, kitchen facilities (my studio had a kitchenette) and Westin's ultra comfortable Heavenly Bed.

In summer, the Westin appeals to golfers (several courses nearby), anglers (it's located right on the Eagle River), cyclists (the bike path is right there too) and, of course, skiers (the gondola makes is a ride-in, ride-out to the slopes). As long as golf weather holds, there should be some interest in the High Flying Golf Package consisting of lodging for two, two rounds of golf at Red Sky Ranch & Golf Course, two 50-minute treatments at Spa Anjali, breakfast for two, complimentary valet Parking and a "welcome amenity" on arrival starting at $224 per person per night. Considerably less expensive is the Master the Mountain Golf Getaway, accommodations, two rounds at the Eagle Ranch Golf Course, breakfast for two, valet parking and "welcome amenity" starting at $99 per person per night. Rates rise during the ski season.


The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, 126 Riverfront Lane, Avon; 866-949-1616.

Carnival Nixes 'Cougar Cruises'

"Fun  Ships" ban more meat market/meet market cruise for older women/younger men

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read about California-based Singles Travel Company's promotion of "the world's first international cougar cruise," Dec. 3-7, 2009, inviting older women and younger men to "a festive pre holiday fun weekend of dining, dancing and partying"  aboard the "Fun Ship Elation." Word on the street, or on the waters, is that the cruise was a success and that demand spiked for more such trips. ""I've had to hire two more people part-time just to pick up the phones," Singles Travel Company executive director Ann Thomas told CNN at the time. "I've never seen a response quite like this."

But Carnival Cruise Line has pulled the plug on future cougar cruises, according to a report in USA Today. The line's Jennifer De la Cruz reportedly didn't say why the line had banned them. Newsweek had called 2009  "the year of the cougar," and ABC is broadcasting "Cougar Town," whose theme is, well, older women/younger men. It seems that that's a demographic mix for a latter-day "Love Boat" that Carnival doesn't care for. But with competition strong among cruise lines, I suspect that the Singles Travel Company will have no problem finding a line to pick up where Carnival left off. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Wall Street Melt Down Hurts Airlines

Air carriers brace for downturn by (guess what?) cutting service

Viewed from a Wall Street-oriented buy/sell/hold point of view, Business Week commented that "High fuel prices are helping make airline travel a 'mid-priced luxury good' and could help the carriers by prodding them into restructuring, an industry analyst says... [Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Hunter K.] Keay said that U.S. airlines prudently responded to high fuel prices by aggressively cutting capacity, dropping marginal routes, and retiring older, fuel-guzzling planes without placing big orders for new ones. The result, he said, has been better pricing power even though traffic growth as been modest or nonexistent. And there's room for growth in ancillary revenue." Positive mid-term news for investors by 2010, assuming that the whole economy has collapsed by then and that fuel prices remain stable or drop, doesn't do a darned thing for travelers who want to visit Grandma at Thanksgiving or take a ski or sun vacation this winter.

Airlines -- especially international carriers (including US carriers that also fly overseas) -- have long cozied up to their "best" customers, with front-cabin comfort, service and amenities. Now, reports Brett Snyder on BNET, a business site, these carriers are "already seeing premium cabin weakness internationally as the economy softens, and now the financial crisis is only going to make things worse. All those rich bankers in New York spend a lot of money sitting up front . . . or should I say 'spent.' (Can you say New York - London?) And as we all know, premium cabins count for most of the profit in the international world. This could get ugly very quickly, especially for airlines that rely primarily on their international premium cabins to generate their profit. Airlines like British Airways with their large transatlantic presence can’t be happy right now, but while US airlines get a smaller share of their business from that type of passenger, they’re still going to be hit hard."

Among the short-term news -- some good, some less so -- affecting air travelers:

• Passengers traveling on premium tickets (i.e., business and first class), which ere on a positive growth curve for the first half of 2008, fell by 1 percent in July. That may be just one percentage point, but it hit airlines hard at a time when jet fuel cost way more than it did in 2007.
• Trying to drum up immediate transatlantic business, American Airlines is offering a free companion ticket the 2008 flyers for a 2009 US-UK flight. The deal is: book and fly roundtrip before Deccember 31, 2008, and earn a free companion ticket for future travel to the United Kingdom or to the Caribbean between January 15 and December 15, 2009. The offer is valid for First Class, Business Class or on "select" Economy seats. And of course, there's fine print.
• Alaska Airlines, which earlier reduced its schedule by about 6 percent. announced that it will cut its winter flying capacity by 8 percent systemwide, and even more on routes to Mexico and Canada.
• United Airlines, which was unprepared for the initial run-up in fuel costs, has taken a second financial hit that could total $500 million quarter. United embarked on some ill-timed fuel hedges it adopted as protect from sharp price increases that didn't materialize. In fact, price dropped. Perhaps feeling a weakness in the "best customer" segment, United has finally loosened requirements for customers to upgrade to Economy Plus. Many of these extra-legroom seats had been filled by elite-level business travelers. Now, with that segment weakening, United is democratizing this service -- not that most leisure travelers, already slammed with baggage check fees, will cough up the extra bucks these days.
• Virgin America’s Main Cabin Select, which offers "first class amenities" to passengers paying extra for "premium coach seats (i.e., bulkhead and exit row), has been delayed. Originally set to launch on September 15, it now won't be bookable until October 6. Reservations system "technical difficulties" are cited as the cause of the delay.
• British Airways, while not immediately paring transatlantic service, is suspending some flights to eastern Europe beginning October 26, backpedaling on new routes originally due to start that same day to Spain and Portugal won't take off after all, and a new route to Hyderabad, India, will be delayed until December 6. "Other changes in capacity come from reduced frequency on multi-frequency routes and have limited impact on our network," said BA.

Sherman's Pick for 10 Best Ski Resorts for Nonskiers

With only four in the U.S., mixed-interest groups better get passports ready if following Sherman

 ShermansTravel selected "Top 10 Ski Resorts for Nonskiers."  The magazine's selection -- or perhaps the selection of Becca Bergman whose byline appears after each writeup -- is heavily canted toward resorts in other countries. This is not surprising in the sense that Alpine resorts have long considered themselves winter destinations, rather than ski destinations. The list include links to "smart splurge" and "great value" accommodations but not the main resort websites. I've added those for your convenience.

ShermansTravel's Choices

• Bad Gastein, Austria
• Megève, France
• Mont Tremblant, Quebec
• Park City, Utah
• Sierra Nevada, Spain
• Stowe, Vermont
• Sun Valley, Idaho
• Taos, New Mexico
• Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia
• Zermatt, Switzerland

Claire's List

I'm not taking issue with the selections above as much as feeling there are some better choices. I would just like to have seen more domestic destinations that are more convenient and affordable these days for US skiers -- and those criteria don't even take into account the additional hassles of overseas air travel in effect for the foreseeable future. Here are six (three in the US) that I think would have been worthy for ShermansTravel's list:

• Aspen, Colorado - Enchanting old mining town with a deserved reputation for high prices but a lot of surprisingly affordable, often free, non-ski options. These include free bus area transportation, free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails and tours, free art museum, three ice skating rinks, excellent intown spa, winter flying fishing on the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers and much more.
•  Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta - Located in Banff National Park, town of Banff offers terrific shopping, museums and galleries. Heart-of-the-park cross-country skiing and snowshoeing adventures, including at nearby Lake Louise, which is jaw-droppingly beautiful.
•  Jackson Hole, Wyoming - The ski area is known for steep-and-deep skiing and riding, but the picturesque Town of Jackson offers fantastic shopping and gallery hopping. There's an Olympic-size skating rink at Snow King Resort. Visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art and then take an unforgettable sleighride through the National Elk Refuge, just north of town, or take a snowmobile trip at Togwotee Pass to the south. Plus snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in Grand Teton National Park, which actually borders the downhill ski area, and a day trip to magnificent Yellowstone National Park beyond.
•  Innsbruck, Austria - Two-time Olympic host in the heart of the Tyrolean Alps offers urban culture and urban pleasures. Twenty museums, from archeology to the most modern art. 14th International Fair for Contemporary Art INNSBRUCK (February 19-22) is major.Splendid shopping, window and otherwise, in the historic Old City. Vibrant nightlife.
• St. Moritz, Switzerland - Glamorous resort in Rhaetian Alps. No better place for window shopping, skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, winter walking, sledding, horsedrawn carriage rides and spectating at top-level sports competitions, including polo on the frozen lake.
•  Vail, Colorado - Fabulous shops in charming pedestrian village, fine spas, scenic gondola rides (free after 1:00 p.m.) and free valley-wide bus transportation. Cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing and nearby snowmobiling. Excellent dining. 

Galveston's Tourist Zone Devastation Revealed

Hurricane Ike's legacy is a swath of devastation; popular Strand severely damaged

Even as hurricane evacuees were allowed back to hurricane-battered Galveston, TX, to survey the destruction, the Convention & Visitors Bureau website continues to chirp:

"Galveston offers 32 miles of relaxing beaches, superb restaurants, top
resort hotels, marvelous downtown shopping, numerous antique stores,
incredible art galleries, fabulous entertainment and one of the largest
and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the
country.

"Galveston is a small romantic island tucked deep within the heart of
south Texas possessing all the charm of a small southern town and just 40
minutes south of the fourth largest city in the United States. At 32 miles long
and two and a half miles wide, most residents can't remember the last time they
visited the mainland and, if circumstances permitted, they would never
leave.

"The Island has seen its share of calamities, yet the worst natural
disaster in U.S. history could not erase the tranquility of a Galveston
sunset.

"From soft sandy beaches to famous 19th century architecture, the island
is surrounded with incredible history and unique beauty."

Sure, there's a donation solicitation from the Greater Houston Community Foundation on the site to "Help Bring the Island Back. Donate to the Hurricane Ike Relief Fund." But that doesn't begin to describe the devastation they found following the cataclysmic 12-foot storm surge and 110-mile winds that made landfall earlier this month. CNN cameras showed closed, flooded stores on The Strand, Galveston's popular 26-block tourist zone, once home to some 100 shops and restaurants. There is limited water (none of it drinkable), and residents and business owners are permitted in only to assess the damages and to undertake very preliminary clean-up but are required to leave the island again by 6:00 p.m.

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and officials from the Port of Galveston and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston met with an ad hoc Senate committee who said that the city is seeking $2.3 billion in emergency government assistance -- $1.2 billion for the city; $600 million for the hospital and $500 million for the port.

Ironically, it is US Senator Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat who chairs the ad hoc Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Disaster Recovery Subcommittee, which held the hearing to examine the federal government's response to back-to-back Hurricanes Ike and Gustav -- ironic because the government was painfully slow to help New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina three years ago. And that was before the government was steaming full speed ahead to bailing out failed banks and insurance companies to the tune of $700 million.

Bottom line for travelers: don't plan to visit Galveston Island any time soon, unless you're planning to volunteer for some kind of rebuilding crew.

P.S. On September 29, Boulder blogger Alyce Barry put a post on her with links to additional photos of Galveston and conjecture about the future of the island.

Travel Gear: The Best and Worst of the Year

Travel writers' evaluations of 2009's winners and losers

Practical Travel Gear published a short list of the best and worst travel items for 2009. There were, of course, good suggestions for tote bags, clothing and miscellaneous accessories, and some on the "worst" list that made me laugh out loud. Contributor John Gordon wrote, "Some things I just don’t understand, like Planesheets for covering airline seats. Besides the dubious claims of cleanliness, I’d just feel a little weird being the only passenger on the plane sitting in a zebra-stripe seat." I've got to agree on that one, though in this age of swine-flu fear, I suppose there are travelers who feel more protected by temporarily slip-covering their airplane seat in washable or disposable covers -- butt-ugly as some of them are.

No one asked me, but I'd include among the best those TSA-approved luggage locks. They're not new, but neither is Ex-Officio travelwear that the site praised. I've always wondered about unlocked bags both as invitations to pilferage and as ways that someone behind the scenes at an airport can make anb innocent traveler an unwitting mule for smuggling contraband. I'd include noise-canceling headphones, not new either but invaluable on a small, noisy airplane or a long flight on any plane at all. And finally, I'd include those not-new-either inflatable neck pillows, which are great now that airlines have become chintzy with little pillows. I like to sleep on planes and appreciate the comfort.

Great Snow Conditions Launch 2010

Happy New Year -- and happy powder season across the snowbelt.

My friend Maja has been in St. Moritz, Switzerland, over the holidays. On Wednesday she wrote, "winter wonderland! ..snowing snowing snowing...." On Thursday she wrote, "December 31st, St. Moritz..and it's snowing like crazy! I wish all my friends a great New Years Eve bash!!!!!! To a fab 2010!" And yesterday, on New Year's Day, she wrote, "Happy New Year!!!!!! What a spectacular start! Love 1.1.2010! Fab Skiing! tons of powder, blue skies, GREAT fireworks ... evening another snow storm.... true winter wonderland.....I am feeling like a winter princess..... a great 2010 has begun! Happy New Year, cheers cheers cheers!" Thanks, Maja. I just wish St. Moritz had a current snow conditions picture on its website or that the site had a more straightforward to obtain to copy here and share with everyone.

My pal Nancy wrote from Maine, "Gotta Love This Snowstorm! It's great for the ski industry!" Hey Nancy, it's great for all of us who like to slide on snow. The photo at the right was taken at Sugarloaf, Maine, a happy fresh-snow scene repeated across New England. Vermont ski areas reported 3 to 9 inches of new snow, which in the Northeast is a major dump. Most Vermont areas were in the 2- to 5-inch category, but Mount Snow, in the southern part of the state reported 9 inches! If true, Mount Snow must had its own micro-weather system, because New Hampshire ski areas also welcomed 3 to 5 inches of new snow, and Jiminy Peak in northwestern Massachusetts reported just 1 inch.

But what of the Rockies? I went to Snowmass between Christmas and New Year, skiing on beautifully groomed snow on three cold, clear, wind-free days. It started snowing on the evening after day three, just as I was leaving. My son, Andrew, teaches skiing at Purgatory near Durango in southwestern Colorado. He tole me that they got about a foot in the days leading up to New Year, that conditions have been great there too, and that he, his ski school colleagues and their clients are eagerly awaiting their next powder day.

The biggest snows (and the best January deal) might just be at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The resort clocked in 19 inches of snow since Wednesday morning and is expecting  huge storm that is forecast to hit the Tetons over the weekend, bringing another one to two feet of new snow. And the resort has an amazing January deal. The ‘Buy 2 Get 2’ airline offer from any departure city in the country, amounts to half-price fares on any airline for a group or family or four or more. Book before January 15 and travel by January 31. Combine that with lift/lodging packages starting at $81 per person, per night, and it's hardly worth staying home.

On the other side of the soaring Tetons from Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee has snared three feet of snow in the last three days. Th images are awesome, but I'm not skilled enough to download one and post it, so click here and be dazzled.

And if you don't ski, snowboard, cross-country ski, skate-ski (a dynamite exercise) or snowshoe, January is the time to do it. Learn a Snowsport Month features dynamite deals that generally include very affordable instruction, equipment and lift tickets or trail passes. Each participating ski resort or cross-country center sets its own program.