Gallivanter's Guide Forum
Aug 6, 2012, 4:19 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
If you follow her on Twitter, she often asks where the readers would like her to go, which hotels she should stay in etc.
For Thailand, she stayed in the new Siam in Bangkok, and went back to Chiang Mai where she stayed in many hotels, some of which (according to Twitter) was very changed since her last stay. I appreciate updated views like that.
For Bali, I understand (again from Twitter) that she will go to some new, smaller hotels, some hotels that have been refurbished/modernised since last time, in addition to cover the top hotels where she has not been in a while. Again I think this is great.
In between these trips, I understand (Twitter again) that she will be in Amanzoe, a new hotel that I am sure that many of her readers are waiting to hear about.
For Thailand, she stayed in the new Siam in Bangkok, and went back to Chiang Mai where she stayed in many hotels, some of which (according to Twitter) was very changed since her last stay. I appreciate updated views like that.
For Bali, I understand (again from Twitter) that she will go to some new, smaller hotels, some hotels that have been refurbished/modernised since last time, in addition to cover the top hotels where she has not been in a while. Again I think this is great.
In between these trips, I understand (Twitter again) that she will be in Amanzoe, a new hotel that I am sure that many of her readers are waiting to hear about.
Aug 6, 2012, 4:24 am
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 98
Of course you are "allowed" to have your view Namaguide, I just wanted to tell that others (me) might disagree and that there is a way (for example Twitter or an email to her) to influence her choices of where to stay that I am sure she will take into consideration if she feels that several of her readers are like you.
However, I do not see how I should tell her where to go! It's a high-end traveller's travel issue. I want to read from her where I should go... clearly not the other way round! (it's just the same places all of the time...)
Aug 6, 2012, 4:43 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Now, I don't know the economics of Gallivanters Guide. That is to say, I don't know if it is run to maximise profit, or if they are happy to run it at break-even in order to fund the travelling. (Running the newsletter allows them to offset all their travel costs against tax, for a start, which is a nice benefit!) We don't know if they pay for everything themselves, or if they are comped certain accommodation.
However, all said (and I say this as a perfectly happy 10-year long subscriber), they could cover more ground, geographically. It would not be impossible to cover two locations per month, one long-haul and one in Europe, for example. In all my years of reading it, for example, Venice has never been covered, although it was on the website at one point so must have cropped up once.
There are, fundamentally, two ways of running the newsletter content:
a) visit the latest high-profile luxury hotel openings, wherever they are (which is fundamentally the current model) or
b) visit the major tourist centres of the world and report on the best hotels to be found, even if the best is not world class (eg Venice)
I would prefer a greater mix of a) and b), whereas a) currently dominates.
However, all said (and I say this as a perfectly happy 10-year long subscriber), they could cover more ground, geographically. It would not be impossible to cover two locations per month, one long-haul and one in Europe, for example. In all my years of reading it, for example, Venice has never been covered, although it was on the website at one point so must have cropped up once.
There are, fundamentally, two ways of running the newsletter content:
a) visit the latest high-profile luxury hotel openings, wherever they are (which is fundamentally the current model) or
b) visit the major tourist centres of the world and report on the best hotels to be found, even if the best is not world class (eg Venice)
I would prefer a greater mix of a) and b), whereas a) currently dominates.
Aug 6, 2012, 4:47 am
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 98
Now, I don't know the economics of Gallivanters Guide. That is to say, I don't know if it is run to maximise profit, or if they are happy to run it at break-even in order to fund the travelling. (Running the newsletter allows them to offset all their travel costs against tax, for a start, which is a nice benefit!) We don't know if they pay for everything themselves, or if they are comped certain accommodation.
However, all said (and I say this as a perfectly happy 10-year long subscriber), they could cover more ground, geographically. It would not be impossible to cover two locations per month, one long-haul and one in Europe, for example. In all my years of reading it, for example, Venice has never been covered, although it was on the website at one point so must have cropped up once.
There are, fundamentally, two ways of running the newsletter content:
a) visit the latest high-profile luxury hotel openings, wherever they are (which is fundamentally the current model) or
b) visit the major tourist centres of the world and report on the best hotels to be found, even if the best is not world class (eg Venice)
I would prefer a greater mix of a) and b), whereas a) currently dominates.
However, all said (and I say this as a perfectly happy 10-year long subscriber), they could cover more ground, geographically. It would not be impossible to cover two locations per month, one long-haul and one in Europe, for example. In all my years of reading it, for example, Venice has never been covered, although it was on the website at one point so must have cropped up once.
There are, fundamentally, two ways of running the newsletter content:
a) visit the latest high-profile luxury hotel openings, wherever they are (which is fundamentally the current model) or
b) visit the major tourist centres of the world and report on the best hotels to be found, even if the best is not world class (eg Venice)
I would prefer a greater mix of a) and b), whereas a) currently dominates.
Aug 6, 2012, 4:48 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 98
Spot on - Raffles thank you. I would prefer a greater mix of (a) and (b) too. And no more George V for at least another 5 years. We all love it and we go there but getting sick about reading about it all the time. It was mentioned at least baby 3-4 times that past 12 months or so..
Aug 6, 2012, 5:07 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,439
Now, I don't know the economics of Gallivanters Guide. That is to say, I don't know if it is run to maximise profit, or if they are happy to run it at break-even in order to fund the travelling. (Running the newsletter allows them to offset all their travel costs against tax, for a start, which is a nice benefit!) We don't know if they pay for everything themselves, or if they are comped certain accommodation.
. As they don't travel incognito and are well known I'm sure by all the high end hotels you can be sure that they get at least the best accommodation everywhere and the best service possible.As someone who has never stayed at an Aman but has stayed at many other top end hotels and who doesn't go to a destination just to experience a certain hotel but goes there to experience that destination I would certainly be interested in b).
Aug 6, 2012, 7:02 am
#37
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Clearly, she is a well seasoned traveler, but I don’t see how one can actually trust her judgment on service – not because that judgment itself is suspect, but just because most properties would be on their ‘best behavior’ around her.
Aug 6, 2012, 8:44 am
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
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Aug 6, 2012, 8:51 am
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 98
Can we see/hear something new please!
Aug 6, 2012, 9:42 am
#41
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
And therein lies my biggest issue with this publication: there is no anonymity. Lyn communicates where and when she is going ahead of time and it would not be difficult for any decent GM to figure this out and make sure that she gets the best service possible. Heck, I often see tweets from representatives of properties that she is going to review saying something like “we can’t wait to have you visit”.
Clearly, she is a well seasoned traveler, but I don’t see how one can actually trust her judgment on service – not because that judgment itself is suspect, but just because most properties would be on their ‘best behavior’ around her.
Clearly, she is a well seasoned traveler, but I don’t see how one can actually trust her judgment on service – not because that judgment itself is suspect, but just because most properties would be on their ‘best behavior’ around her.
Aug 6, 2012, 4:20 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Dublin,Ireland
Posts: 1,294
Aug 6, 2012, 5:31 pm
#43
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,123
Lyn and Dave DO NOT travel incognito. This seriously affects the treatment that they get and frankly, skews their opinions in unpredictable ways. City bumpkins such as I don't get the same treatment. I'm only a 2-year member and I'm just beginning to understand their likes and dislikes. More than once, I have found myself screaming at the text in disagreement. April'12 made me scream.
To be honest, I find Harper to be more accurate and insightful. I just find the reviews to be horribly outdated.
To be honest, I find Harper to be more accurate and insightful. I just find the reviews to be horribly outdated.
Aug 6, 2012, 5:56 pm
#44
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Dublin,Ireland
Posts: 1,294
Lyn and Dave DO NOT travel incognito. This seriously affects the treatment that they get and frankly, skews their opinions in unpredictable ways. City bumpkins such as I don't get the same treatment. I'm only a 2-year member and I'm just beginning to understand their likes and dislikes. More than once, I have found myself screaming at the text in disagreement. April'12 made me scream.
To be honest, I find Harper to be more accurate and insightful. I just find the reviews to be horribly outdated.
To be honest, I find Harper to be more accurate and insightful. I just find the reviews to be horribly outdated.
Aug 6, 2012, 6:27 pm
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...l#post18278085
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Aug 6, 2012 at 6:35 pm