The holidays are coming, and if your plans involve travel, expect to lose large chunks of your youth to the painful ritual of waiting in line. Aside from the occasional ascetic masochist, nobody digs the ol' "hurry up and wait" game. Yet, you'll be doing plenty of standing in line at airports, hotels and retail establishments. Last year, I wrote about what you can do to make this easier. Now, let's turn our attention to the queue-masters - the people and organizations responsible for creating and managing what become monstrosities from late November through the end of the year.

Below, I'll kick this off with six suggestions to airlines, airports, hotels and others in the business of making you wait in line. But, treat this as my opening offer - I'd love to get your ideas on this.

To start, here's what I suggest:

1. Ban parallel lines: think of most grocery stores. If there are five cash registers, there are five lines. A super-efficient employee can make people in one line happy while pissing off the rest. Instead, use a single line in which the person at the front goes to the next available teller/agent/representative. This approach is gaining popularity, but some places (mostly retailers) are still living in the past.

Continue reading Six ways to make waiting in line better (and shorter)

Six ways to make waiting in line better (and shorter) originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading A review of Cheapflights.com's "Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba" guide

A review of Cheapflights.com's "Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba" guide originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• I love companies that give back. Here are five travel outlets that make giving part of buying. [via Jaunted]
• Yikes! As a single female traveler, I've been wary of couchsurfing. This give me more reason to avoid couchsurfing altogether. [via True/Slant]
• I read this article on the plane recently and was really moved by what this graffiti artist is doing to share his vision of the world. [via Hemispheres]
• This is a nice, comprehensive guide to wine tasting in South America. [via BootsNAll]

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Friday 11.6.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It sounds counterintuitive, right? Normally, customers expect that extra effort, and we complain constantly that we don't get it enough. What we sometimes don't understand, though, is that the extra effort is at the root of many of the customer service problems we encounter. Going the extra mile at the wrong time can be a disaster.

I remember a case presented at a conference I attended back in 1999 (yeah, it made an impression), when I was a consultant in the hotel industry. Some customer service guru was teaching us how to better serve our clients - which was pretty important, since our clients, the hotels, were in the service business. She discussed with us a bank teller who spent extra time with a customer - going that extra mile" - even though there was a long line waiting. The guru couldn't summon enough praise for this teller. Even though everybody else was waiting, this teller put forth more than was necessary to make a customer happy.

Almost as soon as the story was over, people in different parts of the audience barked almost in unison, "What about everyone else?" The service aficionado spent several minutes ducking and dodging as a growing number of attendees hurled the lines of "I'd be pissed," "That's not good service!" and "Do you really believe that stuff?" She eventually recovered and finished her session, but the discussion at the bar that night was all about whether to please the one at the expense of the many.

Continue reading Travel professionals: stop going the extra mile

Travel professionals: stop going the extra mile originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Gorgeous Ghana

Health tourism is big business for Ghana originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Expedia drops telephone booking fees originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Skiing, like polo and yachting, is a rich man's(or woman's) sport. The equipment is expensive, and in order to participate, you need to go to a specific place. In the case of skiing, this means paying ski lift fees and traveling to a pricey ski resort. The costs can add up and make it prohibitively expensive for less affluent ski enthusiasts.

But there are some less expensive ski resorts. Ski.com has put together a list of the top ten affordable ski spots in North America.

Keystone, near Denver, makes the list because of the many extras it offers, such as night skiing included with a lift ticket on the day of arrival, plus access to nearby resorts like Vail and Breckenridge. Steamboat in Colorado is on the list thanks to affordable ski-in/ski-out lodging and convenient shuttle services. And Winter Park, also in Colorado, is praised as catering to a "moderate demographic, no luxury properties."

Whistler-Blackcomb, near Vancouver, is normally a very pricey destination. But in an attempt to lure visitors before the Olympics, it is offering some fantastic deals right now. Airfare to Vancouver can be expensive, depending on where you fly from, but you can save money by flying into Seattle and taking a train to Vancouver.

Jackson Hole (Wyoming), Banff(Alberta, Canada), and Lake Tahoe round out the western top ten with plentiful deals, discounts, and special offers that help keep prices low. On the east coast, Stowe(Vermont) and Lake Placid in New York offer excellent mid-week prices.

The 10 most-affordable ski spots in North America originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

First space hotel to open in 2012 originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I haven't been to southern California in a while, but it looks like I just got a reason to go back. A Legoland hotel is in the works at the theme park of the same name in Carlsbad, California. The city council approved the move this week. When construction is finished, a serpentine-shaped hotel will have 254 rooms, sit right next to the theme park and put Lego-loving nerds like me in the middle of an environment we've always fantasized about.

The basic rooms will have Legos printed on wallpaper and the carpets ... along with instructions on how to build different Lego creations. The top-end rooms, however, will take the fanaticism to a new level: you'll be able to live the Pirate Shores attraction in an appropriately themed room.

Unfortunately, an opening date hasn't been announced yet, so we have to wait. This may be easier for the hotel's target demographic - kids between two and 12 years old - than it will be for those of us who grew up with Legos and are eager to relive a creative part of our youths. Construction is said to be deferred until the market improves, after which it should take a year and a half to complete.

[Photo by joedecruyenaere via Flickr]

Legoland hotel planned for Carlsbad originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Hotel Jerome is offering a fantastic deal, but its for Thanksgiving weekend only. So, if you're sick of carving into the same dry turkey -- yet again -- watching the damned parade on television (or worse, in person ... trust me), book a last-minute trip to Aspen, Colorado. The Hotel Jerome's "120th Anniversary Celebration" package costs only $1,889 for two people from November 25 - 29, 2009. Why? That's when the hotel opened: 1889. It's also a savings of more than 50 percent.

The package includes four nights in a junior suite, two full-day lift tickets per person and two tickets to the hotel's 120th anniversary party (where an 1889-themed costume!). And, you'll get a full Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday night. Even though you won't have the stress of the holiday to weigh you down, each person will also receive a 50-minute massage at the Aspen Club & Spa.

Yeah, or you could stay home and watch a couple of football games ...

Hotel Jerome's awesome Thanksgiving deal originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

New family friendly blog aims to make travel much easier originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the interests of disclosure and transparency, I don't ski. I did a little bit of snowboarding 15 years ago, but it didn't amount to much. So, when I write about the ski deals that come across my desk, it's not lost on me that some people don't hit the slopes. The latest package from The Lodge at Vail, a RockResort, has something for those of us who don't stumble down the mountain. The "Spa, Savor & Snowshoe" deal is for everyone else. Guests can work up some hunger while snowshoeing, get those taxed muscles rubbed down at the spa and tie off the day with a three-course dinner at the Wildflower restaurant.

At $423 a night, the savings is around 25 percent, but you need to book a three-night stay. You'll get a $300 spa credit, half-day guided snowshoe tour and daily breakfast for two (along with the dinner at Wildflower).

It looks like you don't need to be a skier to enjoy winter in Colorado!

Alternatives to skiing: spa, anyone? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In Bermuda, Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa is offering a fourth night free if you pay for three by the end of the year. Experience some serious luxury at this AAA Four-Diamond resort, where you can wander the 30-acre peninsula on the island's west coast, soak in the sun on private beaches and get rubbed down at an award-winning European-style spa. Meals and afternoon tea are intricate affairs designed to impress, and duffers can lose themselves on the Port Royal Golf Course, a public course that's only five minutes from the resort.

To score the fourth night free, you'll need to book by the end of the year for a stay between November 1, 2009 and April 15, 2010. So, you can disappear for the coldest months of the year, or hide during that strange period in March that isn't really cold but is just incredibly raw.

But, the real draw for this deal is in December. Holiday stress can be a real nightmare. Yeah, it's only October right now, but you know what's coming. Thanksgiving will having you running a mile a minute, and that's nothing compared to the December death march. Instead of trying to extract yourself from the dizzying schedule with a short weekend away requiring little more than a drive, plan now for the break you'll so desperately need. If I were able to get out of town for a bit in December, I'd do it in a heartbeat ... and I purposefully keep my holiday commitments to a minimum.

Fourth night free at Cambridge Beaches, just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Travel annoyance #47: Paying for hotel Internet access has GOT to stop originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Midnight Rates for last minute guests in NYC originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Imagine passing into the new year in the newest Ritz-Carlton in the world. On December 22, 2009, the company will open a new property, Phulay Bay, in Krabi, Southern Thailand. This is the world's first Ritz-Carlton Reserve, an upscale brand targeting affluent travelers. It will consist of 54 villas and a pavilion boutique hotel.

"Ritz-Carlton Reserve will feature signature, one-of-a-kind boutique resorts positioned in unique settings, each with a distinctive personality and sense of place reflecting its history and culture," said Simon F. Cooper, president. "A refuge from the expected, Reserve is for travelers seeking to discover a singular location and peerless resort that will offer guests' exotic, hand-selected 'hideaway' destinations in a relaxed, casually elegant atmosphere. Phulay Bay in Thailand is a natural choice for the first Reserve," he continued.

The experience at Phulay Bay will be focused on personalization, with guests able to "design" their own visits. If you're looking for a meditation class with local monks, trekking by elephant or a sea plane tour of the region, the staff will put it together for you. Discretion is valued, with high aubergine walls and dense trees providing something of a barrier against the pressures of the outside world.

Tailor your stay to you at the new Phulay Bay Ritz originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Circle October 30, 2009 on your calendar. Do it twice. That's the date the Telluride Ski Resort 2009-2010 season pass sale closes - you have until Friday to lock in a savings of up to 50 percent. With plenty more people hitting the slopes this year, expect demand to be high, so you'd be out of your mind not to lock this in early.

To pick up the biggest win, buy a 4Pass, which cuts the season pass price in half at a cost of only $998 a person. And, if cash is tight, only half the amount is due up front. If you're going solo, the price of a pass drops from $1,850 to $1,198 - still a pretty steep decline.

If you plan to spend a lot of time out at Telluride this year, jump on this deal - by Friday.

Last chance for Telluride deal closing in originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The travel market may be in the tank, but things are looking good for Vail Resorts. Season passes for their slopes were up 13 percent last month. Sure, some of the deals have probably helped, but the market has definitely changed over the past year. In 2008, travelers were feeling the fresh sting of the financial crisis, and job cuts were looming. Everyone became more cautious, because they didn't know if they'd fall victim to the cruel lottery to come.

Now, it looks like the worst is behind us (though nobody can be sure), and we're all looking for a little bit of relief. For skiers, this means biting the bullet, paying what's necessary and hitting the powder. Mark Kelley, a 59-year-old skier and real estate broker from Denver put it best: "I have always gone skiing, even during difficult times." He continued, "I am more inclined to cut down on my spending on the mountain than to not go skiing at all."

Ski resorts are predicting an increase in bookings this season, thanks to eager skiers who were stuck at home in 2008. And, since flights are still fairly inexpensive, they hope to draw city-dwellers from across the country. Vail Resorts, which has five ski properties, is hoping they'll succumb to their urges.

Continue reading Skiers eager to return to Colorado slopes

Skiers eager to return to Colorado slopes originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Taos, New Mexico, is home to a large Spanish-speaking population. There are a lot of Latino people living and working in the town. So it follows that many people there have traditionally Latino names. You would think a guy from Texas (another state close to Mexico and home to many Hispanic people) would understand that. But not Larry Whitten.

When Whitten came into town to take over as the manager of a run-down hotel, he told his Latino staff that they needed to change their names to more Anglicized versions. As CBS News puts it, "No more Martin (Mahr-TEEN). It was plain old Martin. No more Marcos, now it would be Mark." Of course, the staff and many of the town's residents were not happy. Nor were they pleased when Whitten fired several Hispanic employees and forbade those remaining from speaking any language but English around him, because he feared they were talking about him in Spanish.

After referring to the locals as "mountain folk" in an interview and then being picketed by fired employees and their families, Whitten later apologized for the "misunderstanding" and said he was not against any culture.

Whitten denied that his actions were racist and said that he asked the staff to change their names for the "satisfaction" of guests who may not be familiar with Spanish names. One fired employee disagreed. "I don't have to change my name and language or heritage," he said. "I am professional the way I am."

Hotel owner makes Latino employees change their names originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Joie de Vivre deals: Mobile Mondays, Twitter Tuesdays, Facebook Fridays originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.