Club Carlson wants your input
Jan 10, 2017, 9:18 pm
#31
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: WN A-List, AS MVP, HH Gold, FPC Premier, Hyatt Diamond, CC Gold, TR Diamond
Posts: 73
If I am understanding the question correctly, I think northern Arizona's reservations such as Hopi, Navajo, Hualapai, White Mountain Apache, etc would be great for exploring for cultural experiences. The Supai tribe, in particular, live in an amazing place. My friends in Flagstaff have shared how very different each tribe can be with its own language, housing, rituals, celebrations, customs, and interface with the dominant culture. As an Anglo raised in the north, I would love to explore these cultures further with my wife. Comparing this to New Zealand's Maori culture would be a crazy great experience!
Jan 11, 2017, 4:31 am
#32
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 5
Hi CC, This is an easy one... our family wants to go to India. Mumbai for the pulse, Delhi to see "old India". Varanasi for a water and river vision like no where else. Ranthambore for the tigers, Agra of course, for the Taj and Jaipur for the "pink"!
Let me know if you can send us and I will write you the ultimate travel review! Really
Let me know if you can send us and I will write you the ultimate travel review! Really
Jan 12, 2017, 10:06 am
#33
Company Representative - Radisson Hotels & Club Carlson
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
Jan 12, 2017, 10:08 am
#34
Company Representative - Radisson Hotels & Club Carlson
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
Totally agree, Mary! I like this idea. What type of property would you want to stay in with your family in Kenya? We're thinking outside the box here with a family-style hostel rather than a traditional hotel.
Africa.
We are thinking if Kenya as it is relatively affordable for families since we are talking family groups. If you really want large and extended families, you need to plan and price this for the millionaire not the multi-millionaire. Cultural immersion is not luxury all the way, we are talking real cultural immersion staying where locals stay and going where locals go. My family has plenty of high end immersion here in the US, what they need to see is the other side of the world and do it in a structured manner.
So what we often do is an Airbnb and do our own tour, the downside is this leads to mistakes and yes, sometimes being in the rickshaw in Beijing where the guy is calling the police because I will not pay $160 US dollars for a six block ride, but it also gave us the true living experience in Beijing that staying at a top end property would not provide.
We are thinking if Kenya as it is relatively affordable for families since we are talking family groups. If you really want large and extended families, you need to plan and price this for the millionaire not the multi-millionaire. Cultural immersion is not luxury all the way, we are talking real cultural immersion staying where locals stay and going where locals go. My family has plenty of high end immersion here in the US, what they need to see is the other side of the world and do it in a structured manner.
So what we often do is an Airbnb and do our own tour, the downside is this leads to mistakes and yes, sometimes being in the rickshaw in Beijing where the guy is calling the police because I will not pay $160 US dollars for a six block ride, but it also gave us the true living experience in Beijing that staying at a top end property would not provide.
Jan 12, 2017, 10:10 am
#35
Company Representative - Radisson Hotels & Club Carlson
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
This is amazing stuff! What would you envision your accommodation to be like during this type of trip? Would your trip be a couples' experience?
If I am understanding the question correctly, I think northern Arizona's reservations such as Hopi, Navajo, Hualapai, White Mountain Apache, etc would be great for exploring for cultural experiences. The Supai tribe, in particular, live in an amazing place. My friends in Flagstaff have shared how very different each tribe can be with its own language, housing, rituals, celebrations, customs, and interface with the dominant culture. As an Anglo raised in the north, I would love to explore these cultures further with my wife. Comparing this to New Zealand's Maori culture would be a crazy great experience!
Jan 12, 2017, 10:11 am
#36
Company Representative - Radisson Hotels & Club Carlson
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
If only it were that easy! I love your spirit and ideas for India -- tell me more about the types of places you would stay? Who from your family would attend--multi-generational or simple parent/child excursion?
I love your spirit and ideas for India -- tell me more about the types of places you would stay? Who from your family would attend--multi-generational or simple parent/child excursion?Hi CC, This is an easy one... our family wants to go to India. Mumbai for the pulse, Delhi to see "old India". Varanasi for a water and river vision like no where else. Ranthambore for the tigers, Agra of course, for the Taj and Jaipur for the "pink"!
Let me know if you can send us and I will write you the ultimate travel review! Really
Let me know if you can send us and I will write you the ultimate travel review! Really
Jan 12, 2017, 9:34 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Platinum, MR Gold, Aeroplan 25K
Posts: 142
One aspect of total cultural immersion that has not been discussed much is dining. I definitely agree with "eat where the locals do", but some places are more "local" than others. For example, some distant cousins from Italy came to visit my wife's family here in Toronto. The house that they were staying at was waaaaay out in the suburbs so they had to be driven everywhere and, being teenagers, they were not always motivated to go places. The relatives they stayed with understood Italian and most of the food they were served was at least Italian themed. All well within their comfort zone.
For the day that they spent with us, I made a point of taking them to one of our neighbourhood haunts, McSorley's. Most of my friends describe it as a kid friendly sports bar. Decent North American pub/sports bar food at a reasonable price. Lots of high chairs for the kids, tons of TVs, music or the main game on the audio, most people imbibing as the area is very walkable, etc. One highlight is the giant container of salted in the shell peanuts by the door. You scoop a bunch out to take to your table and when you are done with the shells you throw them on the floor. Definitely not in their comfort zone. The fish out of water look on their faces when they walked in was priceless. However, by the end of the meal they had learned a ton about daily life here that they wouldn't necessarily have learned otherwise.
To relate this to one of my examples, if I wanted to go to a pub/restaurant in Scotland to experience local culture, I would not choose a celebrity owned pub with a celebrity chef doing stunt cooking variations on various dishes. Just give me something local with a good authentic menu diverse enough to cater to the old and the young that I would be travelling with.
For the day that they spent with us, I made a point of taking them to one of our neighbourhood haunts, McSorley's. Most of my friends describe it as a kid friendly sports bar. Decent North American pub/sports bar food at a reasonable price. Lots of high chairs for the kids, tons of TVs, music or the main game on the audio, most people imbibing as the area is very walkable, etc. One highlight is the giant container of salted in the shell peanuts by the door. You scoop a bunch out to take to your table and when you are done with the shells you throw them on the floor. Definitely not in their comfort zone. The fish out of water look on their faces when they walked in was priceless. However, by the end of the meal they had learned a ton about daily life here that they wouldn't necessarily have learned otherwise.
To relate this to one of my examples, if I wanted to go to a pub/restaurant in Scotland to experience local culture, I would not choose a celebrity owned pub with a celebrity chef doing stunt cooking variations on various dishes. Just give me something local with a good authentic menu diverse enough to cater to the old and the young that I would be travelling with.
Jan 13, 2017, 9:50 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
My wife, who doesn't golf. With all the great golf in the area accommodations can be "average" to "mid-tier".
Jan 17, 2017, 6:40 am
#39
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Florida & Colorado
Programs: Frontier, American, United, Alaska
Posts: 18
My destination might seem mundane but I would choose Maui. My now deceased sister married a local Hawaiian way back in the sixties and for years we would treat ourselves to a week or two at Kapalua where her husband was the head groundskeeper on the Plantation course.
She passed away over a decade ago just this past year and we haven't been back since. Her husband moved to Arizona of all places! Many a day we would spend at a place we called "Airport Beach" halfway between town and Kapalua. Our drive on the Hana highway was always an experience and of course the Old Lahaina Luau was a must see every time we went. It would be great to go back and see her husband's extended Hawaiian family. It would most certainly be an emotional trip.
That's it. Sometimes the most obvious of choices is the one that brings a flood of memories to mind.
She passed away over a decade ago just this past year and we haven't been back since. Her husband moved to Arizona of all places! Many a day we would spend at a place we called "Airport Beach" halfway between town and Kapalua. Our drive on the Hana highway was always an experience and of course the Old Lahaina Luau was a must see every time we went. It would be great to go back and see her husband's extended Hawaiian family. It would most certainly be an emotional trip.
That's it. Sometimes the most obvious of choices is the one that brings a flood of memories to mind.
Jan 19, 2017, 1:11 pm
#40
Company Representative - Radisson Hotels & Club Carlson
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
Dave, who would you turn to for the local restaurant recommendation(s)?
One aspect of total cultural immersion that has not been discussed much is dining. I definitely agree with "eat where the locals do", but some places are more "local" than others. For example, some distant cousins from Italy came to visit my wife's family here in Toronto. The house that they were staying at was waaaaay out in the suburbs so they had to be driven everywhere and, being teenagers, they were not always motivated to go places. The relatives they stayed with understood Italian and most of the food they were served was at least Italian themed. All well within their comfort zone.
For the day that they spent with us, I made a point of taking them to one of our neighbourhood haunts, McSorley's. Most of my friends describe it as a kid friendly sports bar. Decent North American pub/sports bar food at a reasonable price. Lots of high chairs for the kids, tons of TVs, music or the main game on the audio, most people imbibing as the area is very walkable, etc. One highlight is the giant container of salted in the shell peanuts by the door. You scoop a bunch out to take to your table and when you are done with the shells you throw them on the floor. Definitely not in their comfort zone. The fish out of water look on their faces when they walked in was priceless. However, by the end of the meal they had learned a ton about daily life here that they wouldn't necessarily have learned otherwise.
To relate this to one of my examples, if I wanted to go to a pub/restaurant in Scotland to experience local culture, I would not choose a celebrity owned pub with a celebrity chef doing stunt cooking variations on various dishes. Just give me something local with a good authentic menu diverse enough to cater to the old and the young that I would be travelling with.
For the day that they spent with us, I made a point of taking them to one of our neighbourhood haunts, McSorley's. Most of my friends describe it as a kid friendly sports bar. Decent North American pub/sports bar food at a reasonable price. Lots of high chairs for the kids, tons of TVs, music or the main game on the audio, most people imbibing as the area is very walkable, etc. One highlight is the giant container of salted in the shell peanuts by the door. You scoop a bunch out to take to your table and when you are done with the shells you throw them on the floor. Definitely not in their comfort zone. The fish out of water look on their faces when they walked in was priceless. However, by the end of the meal they had learned a ton about daily life here that they wouldn't necessarily have learned otherwise.
To relate this to one of my examples, if I wanted to go to a pub/restaurant in Scotland to experience local culture, I would not choose a celebrity owned pub with a celebrity chef doing stunt cooking variations on various dishes. Just give me something local with a good authentic menu diverse enough to cater to the old and the young that I would be travelling with.
Jan 19, 2017, 1:22 pm
#41
Company Representative - Radisson Hotels & Club Carlson
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
Delta1949, you are a wonderful storyteller -- thank you for sharing your family memories with us! This trip seems like an excellent one to take. Who would accompany you? Would you do your historic activities or would you mix in some new ones as well?
My destination might seem mundane but I would choose Maui. My now deceased sister married a local Hawaiian way back in the sixties and for years we would treat ourselves to a week or two at Kapalua where her husband was the head groundskeeper on the Plantation course.
She passed away over a decade ago just this past year and we haven't been back since. Her husband moved to Arizona of all places! Many a day we would spend at a place we called "Airport Beach" halfway between town and Kapalua. Our drive on the Hana highway was always an experience and of course the Old Lahaina Luau was a must see every time we went. It would be great to go back and see her husband's extended Hawaiian family. It would most certainly be an emotional trip.
That's it. Sometimes the most obvious of choices is the one that brings a flood of memories to mind.
She passed away over a decade ago just this past year and we haven't been back since. Her husband moved to Arizona of all places! Many a day we would spend at a place we called "Airport Beach" halfway between town and Kapalua. Our drive on the Hana highway was always an experience and of course the Old Lahaina Luau was a must see every time we went. It would be great to go back and see her husband's extended Hawaiian family. It would most certainly be an emotional trip.
That's it. Sometimes the most obvious of choices is the one that brings a flood of memories to mind.
Jan 22, 2017, 6:40 pm
#42
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Platinum, MR Gold, Aeroplan 25K
Posts: 142
When I get into it, I review local newspapers and dining review sites online. We go to Niagara Falls a few times a year and will stop at least once at the Flying Saucer Restaurant for breakfast thanks to the Toronto Star. Totally kitschy in a kitschy tourist city, but the locals actually go there. Last year we had great ice cream at Slickers in Bloomfield on the way back from Kingston thanks to various online sites.
Other times I will ask for recommendations on discussion boards or through people that I know. Muio's was a good find in Sault Ste. Marie considering the 70 year age range that I was travelling with.
Of course, sometimes it is best to simply talk with local people you meet. In Halifax, my wife and I decided to go to a seafood place and arrived only to find out that after a change in ownership there was no seafood and it was now a pub! As we stood looking at the menu outside the door we discussed going to a guidebook recommended seafood place that was quite touristy. A band was loading their gear into the pub and one of the guys overheard our discussion. He apologized for overhearing us, but he asked if we were considering going to the touristy place. When we said we were, he said in a heartfelt manner to avoid it as the food was only of average quality and was far overpriced. He said that if we wanted to try a seafood place where people who are actually from there would go to eat we should walk a block further from the touristy area and check out the Bluenose II. We did and had a good basic seafood meal for a decent price surrounded by locals. (I do note their current website is promoting the tourist angle more).
Last edited by DavefromSt.Vital; Jan 22, 2017 at 7:25 pm
Jan 29, 2017, 3:49 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 695
2 for 1 and 4 for 2 weekend deals
Hi CC rep,
great to have you on here!
There seems to be a technical problem with the clubcarlson.com/2for1 and 4for2 deals - since earlier this week they suddenly return zero availability for all dates and hotels. Something broken?
many thanks and keep up your good work
Chris
great to have you on here!
There seems to be a technical problem with the clubcarlson.com/2for1 and 4for2 deals - since earlier this week they suddenly return zero availability for all dates and hotels. Something broken?
many thanks and keep up your good work
Chris