F2 BEDCHECK The grandeur is in the details BY NANCY TREJOS The Hay-Adams proclaims
that it’s the place “where nothing is overlooked but the White House.” Unfortunately, my sixth-floor
room at the recently renovated hotel off Lafayette Square didn’t overlook the White House at all. The viewfrommywindowwas of an office building. And it was a great one: I could clearly see a woman shuffling around her of- fice. But how could I complain when Iwas paying a promotional rate of only $249, down fromthe usual $425 minimum, for my night in these historic digs? And nothing else seemed to be
overlooked during my stay. When the doorman spotted me lugging my bag up the driveway, he immediately rushed over to help. The front desk clerk offered me a chocolate chip cookie while he processed my credit card. My room-service breakfast came with free bottled Fiji water. And heaven forbid that I
should have to make the trek to my room alone. An employee named Sean escorted me, hung my coat in the closet and pointed outwhat I needed to knowabout the room. (I particularly appreci- ated his warning that anything I pulled out of themini-bar would immediately be charged to my room. I’ve stayed at placeswhere I had to learn that the hard way.) I would expect no less from
one ofWashington’smost sophis- ticated hotels. Among its most famous past guests: Sinclair Lewis, Amelia Earhart, Ethel Barrymore and Charles Lind- bergh. President Obama and his family stayed there before his inauguration. The Hay-Adams was built in 1928, on the site of homes owned
TRAVEL
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KLMNO WHAT’STHEDEAL?
Thisweek’s travel bargains from around the globe
HAY-ADAMS HOTEL
The lobby of the renovatedHay-Adams hotel exudes old-fashioned polish, while the rooms have a fewtouches of modernity.
DETAILS
The Hay-Adams 800 16th St.NW 202-638-6600
www.hayadams.com Rates from $425, but lower Internet promotional rates are occasionally available.
—
by John Hay, secretary of state under presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, and Henry Adams, a descendant of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Legend has it that Henry’s wife, Marian Hooper Adams, who
Editor: Joe Yonan • Deputy Editor: Zofia Smardz • Art Directors: Marty Barrick, Alla Dreyvitser • Staff Writers:
Andrea Sachs, Nancy Trejos • Editorial Assistant: Becky Krystal • Travel Advertising: Joseph E. Teipe Jr., 202-334-6250 • To respond to one of our articles: E-mail
travel@washpost.com, call 202-334-7750 or write us: Washington Post Travel section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Manuscripts: Because of the volume of mail we receive, the Travel section cannot return or acknowledge unsolicited manuscripts, article proposals or photographs.
committed suicide on the site in 1885, haunts the hallways. (If she does, Imissed her.) And what grand hallways they
are. Everything about the Hay- Adams is elegant, fromits Italian Renaissance facade to the lavish flower arrangements to the white and gold ceiling in the lobby. After its latest renovation, completed last month, the prop- erty also has new landscaping at the main entrance, new front doors, new elevator interiors (solid oak walls and marble floors) and a newconcierge desk. The rooms have been updated
as well, with features such as in-room safes large enough for laptops and high-definition tele- visions nestled in armoires. There’s now a Bose Wave music CD system with iPod capability in every room, along with a collection of CDs. (Unfortunate- ly, I didn’t feel like listening to Michael Buble orWhitney Hous- ton.) Amodernized business cen- ter and a new fitness center round out the renovations. And by January, Top of the Hay, the rooftop terrace, will reopen, but alas, only for private events. What appealed to me most
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about my room, though, was the old-fashioned decor. There was something dignified about the tan-on-cream wallpaper, the crown molding and the high ceilings. I slept deeply beneath the goose down duvet on my queen-size bed. I only wish that my room had been bigger. The bathroom was so cramped that the towel rack was stationed directly above the toilet. And in a shower that small, I didn’t un- derstand the need for two show- erheads. If you ask me, the best part of
the Hay-Adams is the basement bar, Off the Record. It’s about as old-school Washington as you can get. Don’t be surprised to spot a member of Congress sit- ting in one of the red banquettes. It’s also billed as “the perfect place to be seen and not heard,” though the diners two tables over from my friend and me seemed to be eavesdropping on our con- versation. I wasn’t so happy with their attention, but I did enjoy the attention we got from our waiter. Although the bar was packed, he made sure that our glasses remained full. At our table, nothing was overlooked.
trejosn@washpost.com
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LAND l The
St.MaartenHospitality & Trade Association has teamed up with eight hotels to offer theWinter in St. Maarten promotion. The hotels are offering discounts of 25 percent and credits of up to $100 a night for a minimum stay of four nights Dec. 15-April 14. Rates vary. For example, two adults in a garden-viewroom at the SonestaMaho Beach Resort & Casino in mid-January receive a $50-per-night credit on a four-night stay; rate starts at $1,107 for four nights, including $192 taxes, a savings of $369. Credits valid at various restaurants, spas, casinos, shops, car rentals and attractions. Book byNov. 30. Info: 800-309-2005,
www.visitstmaarten.com. l The Rosewood SanMiguel de Allende, a newresort in Mexico’s Colonial Highlands 180 miles north ofMexico City, is offering an introductory package for stays Feb. 1-April 20. The deal starts at $378 a night (with $83 taxes and service fees) and includes lodging, breakfast for two at the 1826 Restaurant and valet parking. Spa services are also discounted by 25 percent. After the promotion, the room alone will start at $448 per night. Info: 888-767-3966,
www.rosewoodsanmiguel.com.
SEA l Star Clippers has free cabin upgrades on its holiday sailings. Deal applies to the Dec. 19 Costa Rica cruise on the Star Flyer and to four Caribbean sailings aboard the Star Clipper and the Royal Clipper, departing Dec. 18 and 26. Rates vary. For example, on the Dec. 18 Royal Clipper sailing, which travels round trip from Barbados, book a category five cabin for $2,485 per person double and receive a category four cabin, which normally starts at $2,735. Port charges are $245 per person
extra. Info: 800-442-0551,
www.starclippers.com. l Blount Small Ship Adventures is offering a free pre-cruise night on four itineraries in 2011. Deal includes airport transfers to the ship, onboard lodging, dinner and breakfast. Value varies by cruise. For example, the nine-night Caribbean Spectacular:
St.Martin & Antigua itinerary, which sails round trip from
St.Maarten, starts at $3,089 per person double (plus $250 port charges). Value of free night with meals and transfer equals about $400 per couple. Cruise must be paid in full by Dec. 31. Info: 800-556-7450, www.blount
smallshipadventures.com.
AIR
l American Airlines has introductory fares on its new nonstop service fromNew York’s JFK to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Round-trip air, including taxes, is $851. Other airlines are matching the fare to Tokyo’sNarita airport but are charging from $1,291 to Haneda. Depart Jan. 20-April 21, and complete travel byMay 19. Some blackout dates apply. Cheapest fares apply to Monday-Thursday flights; three-night minimum stay and one-month maximum required. Purchase by Dec. 3 at
www.aa.com, or pay $30 more by calling 800-433-7300. l The all-business-class
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2010
airline OpenSkies has sale fares for travel through Feb. 28. Round-trip fare from Washington Dulles to Paris Orly is $1,520, including $120 taxes, a savings of $280. Book at
www.flyopenskies.com by Dec. 16, or pay $50 more by calling 866-581-3596.
PACKAGE
l China Spree is offering a six- night trip to China starting at $1,266 per person double. Package includes international flights fromWashington, flight from Beijing to Shanghai, four nights at the BeijingHuabin InternationalHotel, two nights at the Shanghai Crowne Plaza, breakfasts, hotel transfers and taxes. For cheapest price, depart in January or February, and pay by check 50 days before departure. Priced separately, flights in February cost $1,273 and hotels about $688, for a total savings of more than $350 per person. Info: 866-652-5656,
www.chinaspree.com.
—Carol Sottili
Submit travel deals to
whatsthedeal@washpost.com. Please include your phone number and e-mail address. Prices were verifiedWednesday afternoon when the Travel section went to press, but deals sell out and availability is not guaranteed. Restrictions such as blackout dates and advance purchasemay apply.
BIGSTOCK See Beijing’s QingDynasty dragon wall on a six-night China tour.
Q&A Kindness is his road map On the road, Leon Logothetis
really relies on the kindness of strangers. In2006and2009, the British adventurer traveled from London to Scotland, from Paris to Moscow and from Man- hattan to Los Angeles on the mingy budget of $5 a day. For supplementary funds, he ap- proached random folks, who of- ten agreed to “pay” his way using the currency of a couch, a hot dog or a car ride. Cable channel Outside Television is airing a 13-part series docu- menting his journey,anda book covering the American leg comes out next fall. Staff writer Andrea Sachs spoke with Logo- thetis from his home base in Los Angeles, where he runs an ad- venture travel production com- pany and is saving up his fivers for a trip to Australia next year. Excerpts:
How did you come up with
the idea of crossing great dis- tances on $5 a day? I used to work in London as a
broker and wasn’t very fulfilled with life. I watched “TheMotor- cycle Diaries,” and [the movie]
shifted something inside me to travel more. I came up with the idea of traveling around the world relying on the kindness of strangers. What was your strategy for
asking for food, a ride or lodg- ing? I would be very respectful. I
was the opposite of threatening. For whatever reason, I have this knack for connecting with peo- ple. If you don’t connect with the person, they’re not going to do this for you. Did you find that people
from certain countries or re- gions were more giving than others?
Americans were far, far more
generousandkindthanEurope- ans. In the Midwest and the South, people were astonishing- ly friendly. In Galesburg, Ill., I ran into this guy who put me up for the
night.The next morning, he took me around the entire town and raised $100 for me to get to Denver on the train. I can’t accept money, that’s one of the things about this trip, but the whole town got me to Den- ver.
How did you fare in New
York? In New York, certainly in
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Times Square, it was challeng- ing. It took me maybe seven or eight hours to findmy way out. How did you eventually es-
cape? I was sitting in Times Square,
moping around, and this guy and girl came up to me and started chatting. They took me to New Jersey. It was actually funny because, after all that time of trying to find my way out, you can take a PATH train from New York to Newark, and it only costs $1.50. Any disturbing moments? One of the worst places I
stayed at was a hotel in Gallup, N.M. The hotel room cost $20,
andthis really nice guy gave it to mefor free. Iwent[to the room], and there was blood all over the door. I barricaded myself be- hind the door; people were screaming in the room next door. How did you gauge whether
a situation was safe or poten- tially dangerous? Ultimately, you gain a sixth
sense. If I didn’t feel right, I didn’t do it. For example, I was in Flagstaff, Ariz., and some guy wanted to take me out to the desert and letmestay with him. I didn’t do it. Any individuals who really
impressed you with their gen- erosity or were memorable in otherways? I met a lady in Indianapolis
who lived in Chicago. She said, “Leon, if you canmake yourway to Chicago” — mind you, I just met her, literally seconds before — “here are the keys to my house, and you can stay there for free.” So I stayed at this lady’s house. I slept on her couch. Then I left the keys in the flower pot. I nicknamed her Generous Julie. One of the funniest [expe- riences] was inMunich. I ended up staying the night with a bisexual nudist swinger. In the morning, Frank said, “Do you want to go for a picnic?” It was at a nudist colony in the center of Munich. Frank took all his clothes off, went for a swim, came out and we had a picnic. He was naked; I wasn’t. So, in the end, did humanity
disappoint or amaze you? I was in no way let down. Out
of 10 people, I’d say nine would say no. But that one person would say yes, and that connec- tion I had would make it worth- while.
For more information on Leon Logothetis and his adventures:
www.leonlogothetis.com.
*To qualify,passenger must be a PostPoints member and must book by December 31, 2010 and travel through March 31,
2011.Book your trip though
flyopenskies.com or by calling 866.581.3596.Fare does not include government taxes and fees of approx. $118 and $2.50 September 11th Security Fee. Promo code discount applies to OpenSkies’ restricted fares only and is not combinable with any other offer. If booked through the OpenSkies call center, additional $50 per person charge applies.
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