karmatrekkerstv

An update to Brazil's Uncontacted Tribes

Back in June 2008 we brought you a story about the Brazilian government's efforts to preserve uncontacted tribes deep in the Amazon (http://karmatrekkerstv.typepad.com/weblog/2008/06/do-not-touch-th.html). Now we have an update and video. Recently the government officials charged with protecting these peoples allowed a BBC film crew to accompany them on a flyover of the tribe's lands. The video is stunning.

Great Hotels: A home while you roam

As the Karma Trekkers team travels the world they get to stay in some wonderful properties and have had some truly life changing experiences in great hotels. A brilliant property is in fact a world unto itself. So while the producers and crew have been crisscrossing the globe capturing Karma Trekkers, the team has been keeping notes on the best attributes of the hotels they call home. Here their list of the Top 5 things that EVERY great hotel needs.

But first a quick clarifiction. Producing a show like Karma Trekkers means that the team doesn't always get to stay in 5-star hotels. Many times they're in small family run guest rooms, grungy old state-owned hotels or worse. But that's a whole other post - the worst places to stay and there have been very many scary places.  This blog however, is about the nice ones. It is about ammenities not concepts, so we'll keep it light and luxurious, two words not normally associated with Karma Trekkers.

Number 1: A View
Ok it sounds obvious that a show about travel and experiences should like hotels with a view but well, they do. Being isolated in a hotel is no way to see and experience a culture, so even after a long day of trekking and meeting the locals it is still nice to retreat to a room with a view. For this, nothing beats the innovative Commune By The Great Wall in China which features a view of a private unrestored portion of the Great Wall.

Number 2: Coffee Maker
It goes without saying that if you spend your days walking and talking, exploring and filming then you’re going to need a good coffee maker. And that also means great coffee and cream in the room. Kudos here to the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok which not only has excellent in room coffee but they also offer a hot water machine and a selection of teas and noodles. This is perfect for the jet-lagged traveler.

Number 3: Pub
On the road rituals matter so the team has a tradition of having a tasty local beer at the end of a long day. It is a time of relaxation that they all look forward to. The belief is that you always meet the most interesting people in Pubs. In Cuzco, Peru they found a wonderful Irish Pub right near the hotel. Technically it wasn't part of the property but from what they say it felt more like home.

Number 4: Free Internet
The winner here for the team was a French Antartic ship called L'Boreal. While part of the usual Karma Trekkers team was shooting a documentary on climate change in Antarctica they were in constant contact with the studios via WIFI. It wasn’t fast but hey they were on a ship in the Antarctic Ocean and that’s just wonderful.

Number 5: Bathrobe
There’s an unwritten law in hotel operations that says you send the maid, bellman or maintenance man to guest rooms only when the guests are exiting showers. And for this reason alone all hotel rooms should come with large and well fitting bathrobes. Trust me the maids, bellmen and maintenance guys will appreciate it as well. The best according to the team was at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town.

Karma Trekkers' crew usually prefers small, culturally-sensitive properties with authenticity and a sense of community. But when pushed they do confess to liking a few luxuries every now and then.

So what about you? What do you think we’ve missed so far on this list of what every great hotel should have?