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While I’m at it … what about an article on all those apps you can buy to stream content to your hotel tv. Do this for both iOS and android. What works best.
I’m not a massive tv fan but I quite like my music while I’m doing a few things! Possibly a bit of you tube but I’ve done that all of once. Usually use it on the device.
I do NOT want to travel with any more cables than I already do! But I hate sorting through what’s a decent app and what’s not. I could possibly take the chrome cast.
Curio Sydney you can bluetooth your phone to the built in ceiling speakers which is awesome but it’s the only hotel I’ve come across with this feature. I think it’s a new build. Most other hotels aren’t or are taken over and refurbished but tech features aren’t updated.
What about a section on airports? They can be a pain in the backside to navigate and make the most of.
Maybe start with Air NZ destinations broken up into domestic and international? Or even dividing that up again into Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands, and the Americas.
You can include things like lounges eg priority pass, *A or OW under here, or even other terminal bars/restaurants to hang out if people have no lounge access.
Transport specific to the destination can come under here also. There are so many options from the airports
– Rideshare like Uber. Interestingly I think they’re sort of pulling out of SE Asia and it might be Grab that is taking over but I think Uber still have some sort of investment in Grab. So that totally changes your options dependent upon the destination. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-26/uber-cedes-southeast-asia-to-chief-rival-grab-in-latest-pullout
– Public transport eg bus, train etc
– Shuttles, transfers etc
– Rental cars – who’s onsite at the airport or offsite. Queenstown we were staying in town and I didn’t think we needed a car initially so we only rented a car on the last day or 2. The guy dropped it off at the hotel and we could arranged it for check out time so it was just seamless. Of course this wasn’t one of the major companies. +1 booked it so I don’t know who it was. It wasn’t a flash car but we didn’t need one. We dropped it off at the airport in the regular car park just like you would if you were arriving in your own car and checked in for the flight. Grabbed some ice-cream from Patagonia then headed up to the lounge. But organising the rental car like that just added to the convenience of the trip.
Also did this in Hobart. Was cheaper to Uber into the hotel, walk around from there. Then grab the car when we headed out for the rest of Tassie. Pick up was walking distance from the hotel so super easy. Saves you some $$ though for the day you don’t need it, additional parking costs normally associated with city hotels etc. There’s other things I’d rather spend that money on.
Security – is there fast track or not and how long does it take to get through? Do you even have access to it? eg LHR
AIA fast track is fairly nonexistent although getting through security is still a lot better than a number of other airports.
Duty free – there could be really awesome deals in one country but not another so people will know whether to purchase duty free at home in the city, or at the NZ departure airport, or at the arrival airport, or in the city on arrival.
– Alcohol – I read something about South America being quite good and I took a look at the airport website and it looked like the place to pick up some whisky.
– Gadgets – you guys will know more about that than I will.
– Perfumes (I scored a really good deal in Sydney at some discount chemist that was way better than AIA and saved 30AUD), or anything else you want to label this as.
Applying for tax refunds out of various countries. Pretty sure there’s an app out of BNE or you can fill out forms, or line up etc. Can be important for the bigger purchases.
Maybe even a geeky plane spotting guide for airports. Just found one for Christchurch the other day and headed out to a few spots. Some are better at different times of day due to the sun, then there’s whether the aircraft are flying in from North or South etc..
The list goes on…..
People can just add their experiences over time and eventually you’ll have a good feel for your options and what to expect if you’re venturing to a new destination. Things change over time as well. Every airport always seems to be renovating so things change. Also useful to know who has all day check-in like HKG, SIN etc
Then you could broaden it up to include some of the other airlines eg China Airlines through Taipei. There’s QR’s HIA, EK DXB, HKG etc especially those initial airports you fly into after departing NZ.
I actually often think if I’ve got a long layover there’s no way I’m hanging out in the airport – I’m gone! I guess depends on time of day and what else is available to see. But sometimes there are deals on where you can score a car for $35 and go roaming. I just put my luggage in the back if I have to pick it up (and say the check-in counter doesn’t open for ages for the next flight – good for separate tickets!), and I’m off. Maybe choose 1 or 2 things to do depending on your available time frame and then you’re off. This is often a much better way to spend time than hanging around airports. Just need to make sure you know the requirements to enter the country like visas etc. It would be kind of like a mini trip / transit report. There are certainly a tonne of different airports you could transit out of NZ but knowing the best / least stressful way of transiting can change which airline you fly or add to the quality of your transit. It’s all these in between bits that I think many people forget and they can add a huge amount of frustration to your travel. I remember having separate tickets coming off EY and onto QF so a long layover and despite flying J I still felt tired and didn’t want to go exploring but had a sizeable layover. So I opened up the hotels.com app and found a nearby cheap airport hotel for $100 which included pick up and drop off. Had an awesome rest…. just in time for my red eye – ha! Anyway I could easily have spent $100 on a car, gas, buying something to eat, or parking etc etc so I thought it was still a good deal for 7hrs. Also counted towards my free nights with hotels.com.
Anyway, just an idea!
What about a section on airports? They can be a pain in the backside to navigate and make the most of.
We have some airport info for the main NZ airports right now, and have planned to expand that to regional NZ and key international airports (just need to find some time). Under the “Travel Information” link in the header you’ll find AKL, WLG and CHC.
The pages have some of the info you have suggested, and hopefully we can expand that in future too.
What about doing a podcast or something
We’ve thought about a Podcast too – again something we’d like to do when we can find some time 🙂
What about a section on airports? They can be a pain in the backside to navigate and make the most of.We have some airport info for the main NZ airports right now, and have planned to expand that to regional NZ and key international airports (just need to find some time). Under the “Travel Information” link in the header you’ll find AKL, WLG and CHC. The pages have some of the info you have suggested, and hopefully we can expand that in future too.
I was thinking of something a bit more detailed eg Your NZ parking voucher is worth $59 as that’s the current daily valet parking price for 1 day at Auckland although the daily rates get better the longer you park meaning you actually get less value so you really are better using them for the day trips
eg
Day 1 $59
Day 2 $55 (total $114)
Day 3 $49 (total $163)
Day 4 $39 (total $202)
At Auckland international it cost $45 for ~ 36hrs valet parking which was amazing value, so I paid for it instead of using the voucher and will save the vouchers for another time.
What about doing a podcast or somethingWe’ve thought about a Podcast too – again something we’d like to do when we can find some time
Also AVSEC I would put on that list to interview. I found it weird I was asked to take my laptop out of its case in Wellington but not Christchurch or Auckland domestic. Why the discrepancy?
Would be interesting to know if they see themselves going the same way as Australia with regards to introducing international security rules for domestic flights also. Maybe the annoying things that passengers do that they wish they wouldn’t etc
Any chance of having a destination wiki or something that can be edited so as people find out about things like places to eat, accommodation etc they can add to the thread but it can be added to the wiki as you go. Would be an amazing reference.
I’m heading back to Raro and whilst I learned a few things previously there are still more things I’m picking up on in planning for the next trip but it could potentially become a bit tedious scrolling through threads to glean info. Even if you do a trip report the info can become outdated etc.
e.g. Going to try out the islander hotel lunch buffet for $15 M-F 1200-130pm.
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