@hopey wrote:
How do you know if you're in a state you can audio record in?
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@JasonHunter79 wrote:
When you visited them was the political instability starting to build up?
Actually, the very first time I landed in The Maldives was the day after president Nasheed was forced to resign in a coup d'état back in 2012...so that was a little more than just starting to build up.
@MickeyB wrote:
Ahh!! The memories - For what it is worth - I second Steve's advice to take the assignment in the Maldives (there actually have been four different properties offered up as opportunities in the Maldives) if at all possible. I have either done, or been the guest of the person who was doing, each of the properties and they are all amazing. But the ones that are currently up for grabs are my two most favorite of all time (anywhere, bar none). I'm now waiting for the Seychelles...
@PasswordNotFound wrote:
I think it depends upon where you live and where you're willing to travel, Elyn. I'm guessing that if you're anywhere near Steve, you have zero chance. However, there are some shops sitting on their boards that are getting close to expiration. I would suggest finding one that is close enough to you (or cheap enough to stay under the travel reimbursement) and then applying, following it up with an email to the scheduler explaining what you just said. Good luck!
@Professional Guest wrote:
@MickeyB wrote:
Ahh!! The memories - For what it is worth - I second Steve's advice to take the assignment in the Maldives (there actually have been four different properties offered up as opportunities in the Maldives) if at all possible. I have either done, or been the guest of the person who was doing, each of the properties and they are all amazing. But the ones that are currently up for grabs are my two most favorite of all time (anywhere, bar none). I'm now waiting for the Seychelles...
Mickey, Steve - How did you handle the seaplane transfer(s)? Was that included with your accommodations? Did the client take care of it? Because at $590.00pp, it's a significant expenditure.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
In all instances for the Maldives, everything was covered from the time we reached the airport in Male. If you are doing the full hotel evaluation or the restaurants only, there is an expectation that you will write a narrative about the arrival and departure process in lieu of paying for the transfers, however. Same with the meals that aren't evaluated. They will cover them but you are expected to provide a short write-up on the service and food.
Not all hotels have that policy, but it seems to be standard in the Maldives. I negotiated for the transfers in Nevis + all of the hotels in China and the managers were okay with it at the time, but the manager in Lankgawi was a pretty hard negotiator. He ended up covering cab fare to/from the resort (Which is about $6 US each way) and let me tell you that cabs in Malaysia are not up to US standards....and they don't have Uber there.
I woud have been happy to pay the $12 on my own because the resort was awesome, though.
...and now a word of warning:
If you are looking at doing a crazy far off destination like these, make sure that the guest you bring is awesome and can help out (MickeyB is an awesome guest, BTW). The travel, cuisine and stress of the trip can often leave you incapacitated, and you will need a guest that can "pinch-hit" for you. Both Mickey and I were out of commission for at east a day under some type of gastronomic distress when we were traveling together. Luckily it was at different times. It was really comforting to know that I could tap out in the middle of a meal and she could take over the reporting when I had to run back to the hotel room and roll around in pain for a few hours. For the rest of the trip, I wasn't sure if my stomach still hurt from the food or from us laughing about it.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
I've been holding out on the Bora Bora assignment, actually. Waiting 'till I had the frequent flyer miles for 2 first-class tickets there and back. I guess that's my new pick-up line...
@sureshsurveys wrote:
Hi guys,
Has anyone noticed hotel shops posted in India by Coyle. I used to do a few of them years of ago but not any recently. Have they given up on hotel clients in India. They seem to have two portals one called the shopmetrics and the other the regular Coyle hospitality portal. My login on the once active( later) is no more in use, however I am able to log in to the shopmetric portal and most there are only restaurant shops. I am more of stay oriented person than just eating out. Anyone can out there to help ... waiting for your suggestions.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
I guess it also depends on where you are at in your relationship and in MSing experience together. The first time we checked into a high-end resort and the staff referred to my girlfriend as, "Mrs. [SteveSoCal]," she was freaked out, but then got used to it over time. She now likes the spy aspect of pretending to be something that we are not.
@Misanthrope wrote:
Right now she's content to stick to fancy dinners in New York and the occasional hotel within the city
@SteveSoCal wrote:
I guess it also depends on where you are at in your relationship and in MSing experience together. The first time we checked into a high-end resort and the staff referred to my girlfriend as, "Mrs. [SteveSoCal]," she was freaked out, but then got used to it over time. She now likes the spy aspect of pretending to be something that we are not.
@elynbeth wrote:
He doesn't care at all.
@LisaSTL wrote:
She does realize it's just pretend right?
@LisaSTL wrote:
Because women always romanticize weddings and marriage? Not all of us do you know.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
The girlfriends get caught up in hearing everyone else's stories about their weddings, and people telling us what a cute couple we are, and the room service, and the champagne, and it gets them thinking about it too much.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
"You just don't take a girl on a trip like that and not propose at the end of it!"
.
@Professional Guest wrote:
@SteveSoCal wrote:
The girlfriends get caught up in hearing everyone else's stories about their weddings, and people telling us what a cute couple we are, and the room service, and the champagne, and it gets them thinking about it too much.
Dear, God.