TRAVELWATCHER
Insider news & notes from your business travel authority 
OCTOBER 2015
UP IN THE AIR
Airport Lounge Notes
Some airport lounges no longer connected to airlines
Big airlines have operated their own lounge networks since American opened the first Admirals Club in 1939, but independent lounges are a relatively new development in the United States. These include American Express Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, The Club, Executive Lounges and Airspace Lounges. This expands your options for a better airport experience.

Pampering on the Go: 6 Luxurious Airport Features
As a global jetsetter you often think of airports as your second home. Gone are the days when sitting near an outlet with a Big Mac was sufficient. Travelers today have welcomed these six extravagant airport lounges into their global lives:
  • Centurion Lounge at SFO: From the moment you lay eyes on this airport oasis, you will notice the nature-inspired and contemporary design. They even host a 'green-living plant wall' that spans two levels. Perhaps the best part of the Centurion is their wine-tasting lounge which offers over 18 California wines for you to sample. You can also expect a relaxing seating area where you can finish up some work while enjoying fresh food. This lounge makes a serious case for how airports can also be luxury.
  • Oneworld Lounge at LAX:  Lounge by a communal fireplace, get to business at one of six iMac workstations or cleanse yourself in a shower suite. Oh and just in case you forgot anything; a team of Sofitel concierges are there to take care of you. The lounge accommodates over 600 seats in a spacious, open atmosphere with plenty of gourmet bites and cocktails.
  • The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at JFK: The  only airport in the country where you can get a total makeover. That's right; they have a salon equipped with professionals ready to take care of your travel hair, give you a complimentary shave or do your nails. Or you can just pay a visit to their skincare specialist ready to give you facials, massages and special spa treatments. After all that pampering you are probably going to get pretty hungry. Enter the Clubhouse brasserie; a modern café with an international menu.
  • Emirates First Class Lounge at DXB: The Emirates Lounge provides the perfect escape from the airport crowds. They focus on giving you 'me time,' and even have dedicated quiet rooms equipped with blankets and pillows. Once you arise from a much-needed nap, you might dabble in the Les Clos Wine Cellar where expert sommeliers can help you add a new bottle to your collection. You then might take your wine to the Cigar Bar where you can have a drink and relax. All of this will probably leave you a little famished, in which case you can enjoy fine dining with a selection of international eats
  • American Express + Centurion Lounge at MIA: It's no secret that Miami's airport has a bad rep. Sure sometimes it's not the most organized or glamorous, but the new American Express lounge might just change your mind. A beautiful blend of Miami's finest institutions have come together to curate the ultimate airport lounge. Think of world-class eats from Cena chef Michelle Bernstein, spa treatments from Exhale Spa, and a soundproof kids play area. The aim was to create a restaurant-quality experience with the added benefits of having a comfortable lounge and business stations. This is the newest addition to the Centurion Lounge family and is only accessible to AMEX holders.
  • Qatar Airways London Heathrow Premium Lounge at LHR: This 5-star experience includes a private members club, where Arabian water fountains, mosaics and calming spaces take you to a tranquil state before your flight. The service here is unparalleled. Whether you are after a quick bite, an upscale dining experience or a refreshing cocktail, you can have it all here. The Qatar Airways lounge also includes a business center, luxurious private showers with heated floors and incredibly comfortable couches.
AA introduces real-time online baggage tracking
American Airlines passengers can now track the real time status of their luggage via a dedicated page on the carrier's website. Travellers flying with American Airlines can now track their bags in real time via the carrier's website. The service is available for domestic flights, as well as international routes on which American is the final carrier. To make use of the tracking service, passengers must visit the Track Your Bags page on the American Airlines website, where they will be prompted to enter their surname and record locator or bag tag number. They will then be able to view the current status of their checked luggage.
HOTELNEWS
Great website: Check hotel wi-fi-speeds 
We were happy to see the ultra-chic The Mark hotel (pictured below) at the top of the list for NYC! For more hotel wi-fi performance reports, visit the site https://www.hotelwifitest.com/hotels/us/



Old TWA terminal at Kennedy Airport to become hotel
New York's JFK Airport will get its first on-site hotel when the old TWA terminal is redeveloped. A 505-room hotel is scheduled to open in 2018. The $265 million project will add two six-story hotel towers to the 53-year-old "gull-winged" building. Plans call for 40,000 square feet of meeting space, a 10,000-square-foot observation deck, restaurants and a spa. MCR Development and JetBlue Airways, which will own 95% and 5% of the hotel, respectively, will have a 75-year lease with the Port Authority, which will invest $20 million renovating the original building back to its original details. The landmark terminal was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, whose other projects included the St. Louis Gateway Arch and Dulles International Airport's main terminal. The terminal opened at what was then called Idlewild Airport in 1962, the year after Saarinen's death. 

Historic NY hotel rebranded
Lotte Hotels & Resorts has relaunched The New York Palace as Lotte New York Palace. Lotte assumed ownership of the historic property on August 28, marking the group's first hotel acquisition in North America. 
TECHNOLOGYCORNER
More of our favorite mobile travel apps 
Tipulator: Leave 10% on the table after a meal in Tokyo and your generosity will cause offence; do the same in New York and you'll be called a skinflint. Thankfully, wherever you go, there's this: a nifty tip calculator to help. Available on iPhone

WeatherPro: An intuitive app offering weather reports for well over two million geographical locations, feeding in everything from cloud formations and atmospheric pressure to wind speed and humidity. Available on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 

PackPoint Packing List Travel Companion: Need help figuring out what to pack on your trip? This app considers your length of travel, weather conditions, and activities you will be doing to help put together a customized list. Available on iPhone and Android
YOURLIFE
Love your Protravel advisor?
Refer your colleagues, friends and family--they will thank you! An ASTA study found that 92% of people who partner with a travel advisor plan to do so again and 72% of travelers who worked with an travel agent believe they make the vacation planning process easy.
THEGREATESCAPE
Belmond Miraflores Park
Belmond 
A COLLECTION OF ICONIC HOTELS, TRAINS AND RIVER
CRUISES WORLDWIDE
Protravel has a decades-long special relationship with Belmond (formerly Orient-Express), so our clients receive VIP treatment and exclusive amenities at their hotels around the world. Browse their collection and contact your Protravel agent to experience these wondrous destinations...

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