Tag: concierge

Travel Apps Part 2: Traversing Around Town

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Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Alas, here is part two of the travel apps series. Today, I will be sharing with you what apps I’ve used in the past to get around a certain city. Granted, most of these apps require data, so I will be sharing how to access data while traveling abroad, on another blog post. So, let’s get started!

Google Maps (requires data). I loved using this app in our recent travel to Tokyo. We commuted mostly by train and it tells you what line to get on and if there are any transfers. Most of the time, it also gives you the platform number, to help you while you are transferring between two different train lines. Another nice feature is knowing how much to pay. It tells you exactly the cost of getting to your destination.

I have CityMapper (requires data) too, which is a lot like Google Maps, but I didn’t use it as much during this past trip. But, you can definitely download and see which you like better. You might actually like both.

All Subway (no data required). This app helps you look at the Subway Route Maps in the city you are visiting. It has ALOT of cities… but I’m pretty sure not all. It has Manila, Melbourne, Milan, Miami, Copenhagen, Bangkok, etc. So, if your city is on there, it’s a good download before you leave.

Yelp (requires data). Yelp has been around for a long time in the United States, and is recently going Global. I used it a bit in Italy back in 2012, but didn’t find a lot of reviews in certain places. This year, I used it in Tokyo and found a few gems that were recommended by Yelp reviewers! I love to use Yelp to find highly recommended cafe, restaurants, and breweries. It saves me from having to go through a horrible experience!

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Please note though, that these apps are not foolproof. You still may get lost, get off a wrong stop, or have a bad experience at a restaurant. Sometimes, you just can’t help it. However, these apps may help lessen the painful ordeal of a highly stressful situation. A few other tips I can suggest, if you are staying at a hotel, gather suggestions from the front desk staff or concierge (no data required). Ask them:

  • Is this the right route to take to get from point A to point B?
  • What is a good sushi place (pasta place, cafe, etc.) nearby?
  • What are some activities to do around town?

Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions or for help. Asking for help is half the battle. 😉

Happy Travel Friends!

Making a Dinner Reservation…Overseas

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With today’s technology and sites like opentable.com, you barely ever need to speak to a human being to reserve a table for two at a nice and fancy restaurant. However, the challenge arises when you try to make a reservation for two at a small (as in 10 seater small) sushi joint in Japan and the only way to do this is to call on the 1st business day of every month to reserve for the following month (ex call on Feb 2 for reservations in March.) And may I add that this sushi joint is extremely popular that President Obama himself had to have a piece of it.

How to overcome this obstacle? You can either:

A) Have friends who speak the language and call for you. I had two friends doing this for me. One lived in Texas, the other in Tokyo. Or…

B) Use Visa Concierge. This service is free and usually comes with all major credit cards that have the Visa logo. They have agents all over the world that can make reservations for dinner, opera shows, concerts, etc.

If I can relive this experience again, I would go with option B and call Visa Concierge at least 3 months before scheduled departure. Yes, it can be beneficial to have friends that come from all walks of life and speak various languages, however, it does get old for EVERYONE to be glued to their phone, calling a restaurant, only to always get the busy signal. Not cool! Save yourself time, stress, and friends by going with Option B.