Tag: hotels in san diego

How Qatar and Morocco paid for EU chiefs’ hotels – POLITICO

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It was all within the rules.

That’s the universal response of the clutch of European commissioners who have accepted free hotel accommodation from non-EU governments, including Qatar, Morocco, Israel and Jordan.

A POLITICO investigation analyzed expense disclosures from EU commissioners over the past three years and found that seven leading figures in Brussels accepted free lodging from foreign governments.

At a time when the European institutions are already facing intense scrutiny over foreign influence following the Qatargate corruption scandal, the disclosures will raise new questions about ethics in the highest echelons of the EU.

The individuals who took up the free hotel accommodation on work trips included top EU diplomat Josep Borrell, Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans.

In statements explaining their actions, the commissioners’ offices all said they’d taken up the

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8 Barbie pink hotels for living out your dollhouse fantasy

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You’ve heard of Barbie’s DreamHouse, but what about Barbie’s dream hotel?

The highly anticipated, widely marketed, extremely pink “Barbie” movie is sparking a wave of interest in all things rose-colored. Accommodations are no exception.

“There is a desire to go to pink hotels,” said Ron Sandel, general manager of last-minute booking app HotelTonight.

And they’re not just found in an iconic doll’s fantasy land. Pink hotels are generally located in tropical areas; the color was popular in the 1920s and in mid-century design, said Dak Kopec, an architectural psychologist and professor of design at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Kopec said he wouldn’t be surprised to see travelers looking out for pink hotels as Barbie is getting her big moment in the sun.

“There’s so much seriousness and so much frustration in our current society that I think people are looking for these types of escapes,” he said.

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Hotel Workers in Los Angeles Walk Out in Strike Action

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Woman Straightening Pillow

Woman Straightening Pillow

Thousands of hotel workers in Los Angeles and Orange County have initiated a strike. The strike comes after failed contract negotiation attempts with hotel owners.

Supported by an overwhelming 96 percent of union members, the strike aims to address various demands including higher wages, improved pensions, and healthcare benefits. Workers also seek the hiring of additional staff to reduce excessive workloads, as hotels, despite receiving billions in federal aid during the pandemic, continue to expect more from their employees.

Wages Are Too Low

So far, 21 hotels are feeling the impact of the strike, with an additional 12 joining this week. The central demand made by workers is a $5 per hour wage increase in 2023, on top of a starting wage of $20 to $25 per hour. While this may seem substantial, in a city like Los Angeles where the average monthly rent surpasses $2,700, a

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Federal judge appoints expert to oversee Oregon agency that has been housing foster kids in hotels

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Hotels occupied by resettled Afghans being cleared for small boat arrivals | Immigration and asylum

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Hotel rooms occupied by Afghan interpreters and soldiers who served with the British army are being cleared to house people who came across the Channel in small boats, the Guardian has learned.

Suella Braverman, the home secretary, has sent letters threatening to remove Afghans from hotels across the UK next month. But the Guardian has been told that many of those rooms will still be paid for by the UK taxpayer and are part of a 5,000-bed “buffer” for any surge in the number of people arriving by small boats this summer and autumn.

Ministers are preparing for a rise in the number of people crossing the Channel after about 13,000 people, most of whom are expected to successfully apply for asylum, entered the UK earlier this year. Senior Home Office officials told MPs last week the department was paying for thousands of empty hotel beds reserved for people seeking

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Miami-Dade finalizes one new airport hotel project, decides not to pursue another

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Miami International Airport will have a new airport hotel soon. But following a contentious vote in Miami-Dade County Commission Tuesday, it may not have a second new one anytime soon.

The County Commission voted to award a contract to build a new airport hotel connected to Terminal D to FDR Miami Hotel LLC, the firm that scored highest during the competitive selection process. Commissioners voted unanimously to award FDR the contract.

FDR’s proposal is projected to bring the county around $240 million in revenue over the course of the 50-year lease. FDR is a joint venture of Miami-based Fontainebleau Development LLC led by Jeffrey Soffer and The Related Companies, which is chaired by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and headquartered in New York.

“Miami’s world-class airport deserves a world-class hotel,” a statement from FDR said after the vote. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the county and airport officials

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Most Unusual Hotel Room Service Requests

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Melted ice cream. Diet water. Cockle popcorn.

Apparently, these are all things that people have tried to order from hotel room service.

Hotels.com’s inaugural “Room Service Report” reveals some of the most unusual requests from guests, as shared by hotel staff members. The booking platform conducted a survey among 473 hotels in 10 countries in April to assess the state of in-room dining these days.

The list of the top 10 oddest requests also includes boiled bottled water and a fish that a guest caught and wanted cooked to order. Here’s the survey’s complete list:

  1. Diet water.
  2. Melted ice cream.
  3. blowfish.
  4. Boiled bottled water.
  5. A cooked fish that the guest brought with them.
  6. Cockle popcorn.
  7. No-egg-white omelette.
  8. Rice bowl for a dog.
  9. Bison.
  10. Eggless eggs in hell (shakshuka).

Looking beyond strange requests, the report finds that burgers are the most popular room service order, both in the United States and

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Thousands of hotel workers in Southern California are on strike, demanding better pay and benefits

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands of hotel workers in Southern California walked off the job on Sunday, demanding higher pay and better benefits in what the union is calling the largest strike in its history.

Cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents at hotels were picking outside major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties just as the summer tourist was leaning up.

Last month, members of Unite Here Local voted 11 96% in favor of authorizing the strike. The union is seeking better wages, improved healthcare benefits, higher pension contributions and less strenuous workloads.

In addition, the union wants to create a “hospitality workforce housing fund” to help workers deal with the soaring costs of living in greater Los Angeles. Many employees report commuting hours to work because they can’t afford to live near their jobs.

“Our members were devastated first by the pandemic, and now

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A luxury project in Oman, which includes a Trump hotel and golf course, is being built by migrants earning as little as $340 a month

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screenshot of Trump website showing hotel on cliff in Muscat, Oman with words

The Trump Organization will manage a luxury hotel and golf course backed by the governments of Oman and Saudi Arabia.Screenshots/Trump Organisation

  • Migrant workers in Oman are constructing a new luxury “city” that includes a Trump-branded hotel.

  • They are laboring in extreme heat for as little as $340 a month, The New York Times reported.

  • Trump’s ties to the project, backed by a Saudi real estate company, have been criticized by watchdogs.

Guests at this new cliffside hotel in the gulf state of Oman will enjoy infinity pools, fine dining, and a stunning 360-degree view of the water below as the heart of what the Trump Organization describes as a “new affluent community” that will include high-end retail, a gated promenade, and an 18,000-square foot golf course designed and managed by former president Donald Trump’s company.

But while guests at this Trump-managed property may enjoy top-tier relaxation, those building the

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‘[We] can’t wait for what’s next’

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The team at LNG Energy wants hotel guests around the country to have a full charge in the morning — and in this case, that means a lot more than getting a good night’s sleep.

The company, which specializes in electric vehicle (EV) charging tech, is working to put charge stations at more than 13,000 hotels around the country in the next half-decade, according to Electrek.

It’s part of the Boston-based company’s plan to offer EV power-up options for up to 15% of the US hospitality market. The project starts with Marriott and Hilton hotels in Ohio, Florida, and Illinois, Electrek reports.

The company boasts a fairly quick charge time. On its website, the JuicePump charging station is said to provide an 80% charge in less than 20 minutes.

The JuicePump is designed for car dealerships that need to charge EVs quickly. The charger is part of a family of

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