Fun Facts and Stories

World Tipping Guide from Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

Published April 9, 2011

I have traveled the world and wish that I had read this before I left. So you just had a five-star meal in Qatar. Or went scuba diving in beautiful Bohol in the Philippines. Well, lucky you! But how do you express your appreciation for the service you received? Are you in a country where tipping is customary and required? Appreciated but not expected? Or virtually unheard-of? The truth is, tipping rules vary by country, by region, and by scenario. A modest rounding up of the check may be fine in some places and insufficient in others. A few small bills left on a night table might be gladly picked up by housecleaning staff in one hotel and scrupulously shunned elsewhere. Such uncertainties ...Continue Reading >

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Sit back and enjoy a movie at 35,000 feet

Published March 27, 2011

By Michael Ventre msnbc.com contributor High-backed comfortable chairs, surround sound, cup holders built into the armrests, extra leg room, “black box” screen aspect ratio ... these are just some of the amenities offered in the modern state-of-the-art motion picture palaces. Airlines, of course, offer none of that. In fact, as human experiences go, watching a movie on an airplane is generally considered to be as entertaining as reading the SkyMall catalog for the third time. It’s just there, like the “Occupied” signs on the lavatories and the occasional updates from the pilot over the P.A. system. But is it really that bad? Does flick-watching on a plane get a bum rap? If you’re ...Continue Reading >

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