The Black Dress Traveler

Travel This & That: Hot Travel Tips & News

The world of travel moves at lightening speed - don't let the latest news pass you by! Keep reading to learn about a hip new hotel in NYC's Nolita neighborhood, a jazz festival in Mexico, a great website for female business travelers, and more!

Wouldn't you love to win a trip to New Orleans? In celebration of their 125th anniversary, the legendary Hotel Monteleone is giving away a grand prize that includes includes two round-trip tickets to New Orleans from any location in the continental United States, a two-night stay in one of their suites, a signed copy of the Hotel’s 125^th Anniversary history book, and a set of limited edition 125^th Anniversary Mignon Faget cocktail glasses.

It’s easy to enter - visit the Hotel Monteleone’s Facebook Page and click “Like” if you are not already a fan. Next, click contest on the Left sidebar. Then enter your first and last name, state and email address. That’s it. The Hotel Monteleone will randomly select a winner at the end of the contest period on November 4 and will announce the winner on November 9 through Facebook. Good luck!

No more naked feet at the airport! Could we finally be spared the frustration and humiliation of removing our shoes at the security gate? This week Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said, "we are moving towards an intelligence and risk-based approach to how we screen, I think one of the first things you will see over time is the ability to keep your shoes on. One of the last things you will [see] is the reduction or limitation on liquids." I'm happy about the shoes but if she could speed up on lifting the restrictions on lotions and potions, I'll do a cartwheel down the tarmac at JFK!

New York's Nolita Neighborhood Finally Has a Hotel! The hip Nolita (North of Little Italy) is always buzzing with tourists but has never had a great place for folks to actually stay. Finally, the wait is over - the 55 room Nolitan Hotel opened in August at the corner of Kenmare and Elizabeth Streets. Boasting a great location and luxurious amenities, each reservation is followed up on with an email asking guests to complete a personal profile. From the right pillow type, to arranging for organic groceries in your room, or even booking a bath for your dog, the Nolitan is focused on making every guest feel at home. Another great perk - the standard check-out time is 1pm, giving you more time to enjoy New York.

Have a jazzy time in Cancun! Oasis Hotels & Resorts is bringing back the Cancun International Jazz Festival - the Oasis Jazz U Festival will take place May 17-26, 2012 at the Grand Oasis Cancun - an all-inclusive entertainment resort. The all star lineup includes Dianne Reeves, Trombone Shorty, Maceo Parker, Diego "El Cigala" and many other world renowned artists.


I enjoy reading other travel websites designed by women for women, we each fill a different niche and add a unique perspective to the topic. ViaHerWorld.com  is a great resource for women business travelers. Founded in 2008 by corporate executive and frequent flyer Marie Lotode Chandra, ViaHerWorld.com offers women guidance on travel, business etiquette, safety, interviews with female executives and much more!

The New York Times Tackles Female Travel. One of the reasons I started The Black Dress Traveler is because I believe that women do experience travel differently - when I've traveled alone I've benefitted from perks but I've often had to pay special attention to safety. The NY Times article, "The Gender Gap in Travel: Myths and Revelations" is columnist Seth Kugel's response to women readers who think that many of the solo adventures he partakes in, such as dining in the homes of strangers or going alone to a nightclub, would not be wise choices for women traveling alone. What do you think?

Airport Security Gets a LIttle Freaky: TSA Unveils New Scanners At JFK Airport

We knew this day would come - the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is installing new full body scanners (officially known as Advanced Imaging Technology) at JFK and LaGuardia Airports in New York City. Yes, these high tech machines can see through your clothes and reveal your curves from the front and back to airport security personnel. Newark Airport will have a less invasive model of the machine that will only detect objects under the clothes of travelers.

The machines may make us safer but now I have to worry about sucking in my abs along with taking off my shoes, removing my laptop, and cramming all of my toiletries into that darn ZipLock bag to get through security. At this rate, soon we will all be flying in our birthday suits!

Visit  www.ny1.com for more information

Fear is an Accessory I Refuse to Wear

 I usually focus on the fun and glamorous side of travel but the US State Department's travel warning about the possibility of coordinated terrorist attacks in Europe is the angry elephant in the room that won't be ignored. Although the advisory does not specifically say that Americans should cancel their vacations, it does encourage travelers to be vigilant.

I live in New York City. I was here on 9/11 and increased vigilance has been a part of my life ever since. Immediately following the attacks I was almost paralyzed by fear and avoided riding the subway and visiting landmarks. But after a few months I realized that I was only cheating myself. Yes, I know the world has changed and as a result I am more aware of my surroundings, but I put on my little black dress and go about my day. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that I refuse to let fear kill my spirit and zest for life. I hate to think that some young girl would consider giving up her dream of visiting Paris, London, Barcelona, or even New York City, because of terrorism.

Dream Hotel Was a Nightmare for Rape Victim

NY1 is reporting that a 28-year-old female guest sleeping in her room at NYC's posh Dream Hotel woke up to a hotel employee raping her. Sources say the woman and her boyfriend had returned to the Dream Hotel after a night of drinking and had difficulties getting into their room. A hotel employee was sent to assist them and that employee now stands accused of rape. It is not yet clear if the alleged rapist reentered the room or if he remained inside after assisting the couple.

The Dream Hotel bills itself as "13 stories of surreal luxury, playful attitude, and intuitive service in the fashionable heart of Midtown Manhattan." It is also the home of the Chopra Center & Spa, an "oasis of health and healing" designed by Dr. Deepak Chopra.

As more details are revealed, it will be interesting to see if the accused rapist has a previous criminal record that was either ignored or not discovered by the Dream Hotel. 

Click here to read more details on the NY1 website.
Click here to read my article on hotel safety for women.

Sashay Through Airport Security: Five Tips for Flying with Finesse

'Tis the season for overcrowded airports and higher than normal levels of travel related stress. Airport security measures can seem awfully grinchy but there are things you can do to ease the pain. Here are five tips for sashaying through airport security.

1. The readiness is all: Don't be that annoying diva digging through a junky purse looking for your photo ID. Make sure your ID is readily accessible and valid - an expired ID card can slow you down if you get a persnickety agent. Also, even in this age of e-tickets, it is always advisable to print out your confirmation.

2. Get on the right line: Just in time for the holidays, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has established family lanes at every airport in the U.S. for travelers that need extra time, such as those traveling with small children. Do not mistakenly get in this line if you are traveling solo. Opt for the faster moving Expert or Casual traveler lane if it is available.

3. Leave the thigh high lace up boots in your bag: My least favorite part of the security process is taking off my shoes. However, you can get this indignity over with quickly by wearing shoes that slip on and off with ease. And, if you're not wearing hosiery, please make sure your tootsies look cute. Ok, a pedicure isn't a security requirement but do you really want to be known as the girl at security with the jacked up feet? Also, avoid setting off the metal detector with belt buckles and heavy jewelry.

4. Keep it Neat: Once your bag goes through the X-ray machine, the screener has a short window of time to determine if anything in your luggage looks suspicious. Try to pack things in layers so that they can be quickly identified. Innocent items, like the cords from your hair dryer and flat iron, can look ominous if they get all tangled up.

5. Smile: I've come to realize that the TSA screeners are in a no-win situation: they are dealing with people in a hurry and are required to enforce rules that don't often make sense. (Really, my lip gloss is a threat?) Although some of the screeners aren't the friendliest of folks, I still make sure to smile and say how are you.  After all travel is about connecting with people  - don't ignore the ones you meet along the way.

Visit the Transportation Security Administration website for more security tips.

MomsRising.org Posts Petition for Marriott to Stop Blaming Rape Victim

A reader of The Black Dress Traveler signed a petition at MomsRising.org in response to the news story that I posted about lawyers for the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa in Connecticut filing court papers that place the blame on the rape victim. The woman  was raped at gunpoint in front of her two young children in the hotel parking lot. You don't have to be a mom to let the Marriott know how you feel! Click here for more information and to sign the petition.

Hotel Safety for Women

Last week I checked into a small Marriott hotel on the outskirts of Boston and for the first time in my life I had to request a new room. There was nothing wrong with the suite itself but if location is everything then this room was an absolute disaster.

Located on the ground level, the room was the very last door in the hallway and right next to the exit door to the parking lot. The room's window also faced the parking lot - not only could a reckless driver crash right into my window but I could just imagine being disturbed by revving engines and glaring headlights. The bottom line is that I did not feel safe in that room. My Mom always told me to follow my intuition so I marched back to the front desk and politely yet firmly requested a new room. Five minutes later I was happily cocooned in a second floor room in the middle of the hallway.

It is easy to let your guard down in a hotel because even the no-frills and budget chains provide some degree of pampering. However, women traveling alone can be easy targets in a hotel. I checked out the Wyndham Women On Their Way website, the hotel industry's first website for women travelers, for some more tips on hotel safety for female travelers. Some of their tips include:

Added Security: A small rubber doorstop is a 'must' in your luggage when traveling. Place it under your hotel room door and it will deter the strongest of unwanted visitors.

Do not use room service breakfast door hangers - they require you to note the number of guests staying in your room. You don't want anyone to know you are alone.

Call the desk to confirm hotel employees claiming work orders for repairs in your room.

Order room service for two, take two keys upon check-in and do not allow room number to be announced.

To ward off unwanted male attention, especially in some foreign countries, single women should wear engagement or wedding rings and make hotel reservations as if married.

When away from your room, leave the radio turned on and the door hanger with the message 'Do Not Disturb'. This may discourage people from entering

Click here to view the complete list of hotel safety tips from Women On Their Way by Wyndham Worldwide.