A little slice of Launceston luxury

Launceston is a delightful city - the gateway to the Tamar Valley and full of historic buildings and beautiful parks. 

Settled in 1806, Launceston is one of Australia's oldest cities and was named after Launceston in Cornwall. There are many well-preserved Victorian and Georgian homes.

It retains a very English feel and moves at the pace of country town. Locals and visitors alike enjoy a mix of top-notch eateries like Stillwater, Black Cow Bistro and Novaro's as well as many charming cafes (head to the Charles Street precinct for some of the best). 

Spectacular Cataract Gorge, with its chairlift rides, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and City park with its Japanese macaque monkeys are all popular leisure destinations.

Tasmania's second-largest city, often overshadowed by Hobart, is at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk Rivers, where they join to become the Tamar River, as is arguably the city's best hotel.

I've stayed at Peppers Seaport (above) several times, most recently a couple of weeks ago, and always been impressed by its dramatic setting overlooking the water - but less so by the staff, some of whom have been a little, shall we say, sharp and distracted.

Not so on my most recent visit when the service could not have been better, even though I was mysteriously allocated a disabled person's suite, suitable for someone in a wheelchair.

No matter. The suite had spectacular marina views and was spacious and well equipped with iPod dock, satellite TV and wi-fi capability. Some guests get complimentary wi-fi. 

Just a short walk from Launceston town centre and 15 minutes drive from Launceston Airport the hotel is built in the shape of a ship on the site of an old dry dock. 

And the accommodation is very stylish. You can pick up a luxury marina view suite on internet booking sights for around $260 - which is great value - and other rooms and suites are even more affordable with city view rooms starting from around $169.

Mud Bar and Restaurant, now run by former Stillwater chef Don Cameron, is part of the same complex and the waterfront Seaport strip with its cafes and eateries (including a fish and chippery) is just a few paces away. 

The hotel gives guests a voucher for their car window to prevent parking issues and is 15 minutes' drive from both Launceston Airport and the start of the Tamar Valley Wine Route. 

Peppers Seaport Hotel, 28 Seaport Boulevard, Launceston. (03) 6345 3333. www.peppers.com.au/seaport 

So just how much should you tip?

How much is a fair tip - and who should get one? 

It is a question that confronts travellers every time they enter a new country. What are the local rules? 

Even at home in Australia you'll find differing opinions. We had a very good lunch today and ended up with a bill for $72, which I paid by debit card. I left a $10 cash tip because both the meal and service had been good and I was in a good mood.

On another day I might have left $7 - I generally tip around 10% if I've been happy with my meal, and slightly more if the staff have been outstanding. 

In the United States, of course, I would be considered stingy. With almost all servers on the minimum wage they rely on tips to survive. A minimum 15% (and often 20%) is required. Menu prices, however, are often very reasonable and servers usually very professional. 

In some countries, like Thailand, leaving small change after a meal is enough, while in others, like China, Japan and Malaysia, a tip is not required as wait staff are paid more than a living wage. 

A recent MasterCard survey of 7932 respondents aged 18-64 in 14 Asia/Pacific countries found only 4% of Japanese said they were accustomed to leaving a tip at a restaurant - they must be a popular lot in the US. South Koreans, Taiwanese and New Zealanders are also stingy tippers, reflecting the culture of their own countries. 

Thai diners came out on top - 84% said they leave a tip - while diners from India (78%) and the Philippines (73%) were well ahead of the 46% of Australians who say they regularly leave a gratuity. 

"Cultural nuances can make tipping a rule of thumb in some Asian markets, while in others it can be discouraged or even considered rude," said Georgette Tan of MasterCard. 

Wikipedia tells me "tipping is not the norm in Australia". Hmm. I know a lot of workers who would disagree. And what about this? "There is no tradition of tipping somebody who is just providing a service (e.g. a hotel porter)."  

I'd certainly be inclined to tip if someone went beyond the call of duty, maybe holding onto kids while you check in, or helping with the excess amounts of luggage many parents are forced to travel with.

And we've only covered restaurants and front-line hotel staff. What about cab drivers, porters, concierges, barbers, baristas, takeaway delivery guys, room maids and masseuses?

I just checked a US website that recommends you tip bellmen/porters $1 to $2 per bag, $5 minimum, concierges $5-$20 depending on the service, housekeepers $2 to $5 per night, valet parking dudes $5 and room service a minimum of $5. That's just added a whole heap to the cost of your hotel stay and is well worth bearing in mind when budgeting for a North American holiday.

And what to do when service is not up to scratch but a hand is still out?   

What about those con merchant porters at Denpasar Airport, or that bloke at a hotel in Perth who took one suitcase for me and seemed to expect a $10 thank you? 

My head hurts just thinking about it.    

A hotel revolution that will delight guests

Ever checked into a hotel late in the evening after a big night out and then cursed the fact you have to check-out at 10am?

Ever arrived at your hotel hot and sweaty only to be told you cannot check-in and enjoy a refreshing shower until 3pm? 

Well, one Malaysian hotel is addressing those issues with the Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur announcing its newest innovation: The Majestic 24, which means you pay for 24 hours of hotel room and actually get to use it for 24 hours. 

The new scheme, initially to operate until the end of September, casts aside the traditional hotel practice of a standard check-in and check-out time. Now guests enjoy a full 24-hour stay at no extra cost.

The Majestic 24 plans means guests will now be in control to determine their own check-in and check-out time without worrying about old-fashioned deadlines. It's perfect for anyone wanting to catch a few hours of sleep before catching a plane at an ungodly hour. 

"“As our hotel receives guests from all over the world, we feel that this will allow our guests some flexibility, particularly weary business travellers who may only stay for one or two nights," said Majestic general manager Jeffrey Mong. "This should ease them of the worry of having to check-out at a specific time or pay an additional charge for a late check-out." 

Guests booking a room through the website (www.majestickl.com), email (tmklresv@ytlhotels.com.my) or over the phone can now state their preferred check-in time and can choose to check-out at the same time on the day of their departure.

The Majestic 24 is open to all guests and is applicable for stays on any day of the week and to all room packages, including the business stopover package that includes breakfast, complimentary wi-fi, laundry and a two-way transfer to Kuala Lumpur International Airport via the KLIA Express Train.

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur opened its doors in December 2012 and includes a restored iconic building that was constructed in 1932 and was once the grand Hotel Majestic, a KL legend. 

The new hotel has 300 rooms and suites and is the only Kuala Lumpur’ member of The Leading Hotels of The World group. It owned and managed by YTL Hotels. 

# Please note I have not stayed at the Majestic Hotel and am not recommending it. I simply applaud its initiative.  

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 5 Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. +603 2785 8000. www.majestickl.com

# Since posting this I have been advised that the Hotel U in Chiang Mai and the Novotel at Bangkok Airport also have similar, if less publicised, policies. Let's hope it is a trend. 

Glitzy and glamorous: Perth's place to see and be seen

You can tell a lot about a hotel from its front-line staff. If the guys who greet you at the front door are smiling and efficient; your baggage gets stored and taken to your room with minimal fuss and check-in is quick and painless then the hotel probably has its priorities right. 

And so it proved with a recent one-night stay at the flashy Crown Metropol; part of Perth's casino complex at Burswood. 

The Crown Metropol is clearly a hotel for those who like a good time. Perth is a party town and the Crown complex is at its epicentre. 

There are a lot of people visiting the Metropol who are beautifully groomed but have spent too much time in the tanning salon - and maybe a little too much money at their tattooist, but what the heck, they are having fun. The vibe is a little like the Gold Coast on steroids - after a visit to the cosmetic surgeon.

Here, on the banks of the Swan River, Crown completed an eight-year $750 million redevelopment of a tired site two years ago with two international hotels, Crown Metropol and Crown Promenade, alongside a 24-hour casino, a 20,000-seat indoor stadium, and spa and fitness facilities. 

The restaurants are world-class, with Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar and Grill, another Nobu outpost and Bistro Guillaume among the higher-end choices.

The 11-storey Crown Metropol comprises 395 guest rooms and two VIP "mansions" - to which I was not invited. 

The lobby is alive with drinkers, gamblers and party goers and rooms are surprisingly reasonable, starting at under $300 a night. 

The rooms are well equipped with 24-hour room service, wi-fi access, iPod docking stations and the latest in-room movies and cable television channels. 

There are all the usual accoutrements; pools and business centres, but forget the flashy lobby and attention-grabbing lifts: it was the staff that make the Metropol stand out from the crowd - and made it so much better than the very disappointing (and more expensive) Pan Pacific downtown. 

Crown Metropol Perth, Great Eastern Highway, Perth, 6100. (08) 9362 8888. www.crownmetropolperth.com.au 

How hotels manage to infuriate their guests

Just the other day I drove up to a hotel in Perth in my rental car. It was early evening and I was only staying briefly: I had a dawn flight to catch the next day.

The first thing that struck me was that the hotel did not have any parking. But the guy at the front door assured me he would valet park the car for $40 a day, but with an additional $30 charge should I actually want access to it. Or there was a car park down the hill that would charge $30 overnight. 

I opted to put a couple of dollars into a parking meter down the street and to walk around 40 metres - saving of $68 on the hotel's first option and of $28 on the second option. 

Now call me old fashioned, but I recall when hotels used to be in the hospitality industry. They wanted to cosset their guests and make sure they were looked after. 

Now many hotels are looking to gouge their guests as often as possible - and often at a ridiculous nickel and dime level. 

Take wi-fi charges. Wi-fi access is offered free by hotels in many parts of the world as a service to guests. Just about any guesthouse or cafe in Asia offers it as a matter of course. 

Yet this same Perth hotel wanted $25 a day for wi-fi  - and the Sydney hotel I was in the next night wanted $24.95. It is gouging on an extraordinary scale. 

The owner of a hotel in Launceston tells me that high-speed ADSL2 costs him $500 a month for the hotel - just $17 day over his entire property. 

Just work out the profits being made by hotels charging $25 or more a day when they could avoid all the irritation by simply building in an extra 50c charge on each room night.

Then there is the turndown service and evening room check (changing used towels etc). That used to be pretty standard in all luxury hotels. Now you need to ring down before 6pm and request a turndown service. 

The same with the "clean, green" scam, where unless you put your used towels in a specific spot each day or they will be recycled for use the next day. Hotels says they are helping the environment. They are also offering a lesser service and saving themselves heaps of money in washing costs. 

Other hotel tricks that grate: 

# Having $200 taken from a credit card as a "guarantee" - and then being told on checkout it will be refunded "within seven working days". 

# Charging for a daily newspaper (something that used to be a gesture of goodwill). 

# Bottles of room-temperature water in rooms for which the hotel wants you to pay $8.50 or more. 

And don't even get me started on mini bar charges ($7 for a small packet of crisps was the most recent outrage).

And sometimes I wonder if the people who design hotel rooms have ever had to stay in one. 

There are the power sockets that are impossible to find, or so close to the ground that most plugs will not fit. 

There are bedside lights that require you to get out of bed to turn them on and off. 

There are bedside alarm clocks that are fitted to shine a light directly into your face as you attempt to get to sleep (and then emit a shrill tone and wake you at 5am because the last occupant of the room had an early flight to catch). My tip: Use your iPhone as an alarm and pull these things out at the socket.

Then there are the luxury hotels that use the cheapest possible toilet paper, or save costs by offering small, cheap bath towels. Or dirty cheap shower curtains that cling to your body.

Then, of course, there are the ludicrous check-in and check-out queues at even the best hotels; staff in serving roles (hello Sydney hotel) without even basic language skills and hotels that want to charge for use of their business centre simply to print out your boarding pass. 

Throw in hard pillows, air-conditioning remote controls that demand a degree in aeronautical engineering, windows that will not open to let in fresh air and ridiculously complex showers in which you risk scalding yourself while setting the temperature.

And rooms that are not ready by the 2pm check-in time; when the same hotel wants you out by 10am.

Oh, and curtains/blinds that do not shut properly, elevators that are too small and too slow and plastic coded room keys that fail, necessitating a walk back to reception and another wait for that slow lift and for the receptionist to finish their private conversation.

It's a good job I love travelling so much!  
  

Star chefs named for Savour Tasmania in May

Will Meyrick, whose Sarong restaurant on Bali was recently named No.1 in Indonesia and among the top 50 in Asia, heads the guest list for the 2014 edition of leading Australian food and wine festival Savour Tasmania.

Meyrick (above), a Briton who spent time cooking in Sydney, is known for his innovative takes on traditional Asian street food. He also runs Mama San in Bali, where I dined late last year, and the E & O in Jakarta. 

Now in its sixth year, Savour Tasmania combines premium local produce with global culinary expertise to raise the national and international profile of the Tasmanian food and beverage industry.

Other star chefs involved include Sydney wild child Daniel Hong (below right) of Sydney’s Mr Wong, Ms G's and El Loco, Christopher Shane Chan Yai Ching of Nobu Melbourne, and Daniel Wilson of Huxtable in Melbourne.

The celebrations kick off on Wednesday, May 21, with a pork-themed event hosted by Wilson and matched with beverages from the Coal River Valley in the recently refurbished Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery’s Watergate Courtyard.

On Thursday, May 22, Meyrick will pair with Andre Kropp, executive chef of the Henry Jones Art Hotel, for a five-course Asian dinner with matched wines.

Other standout events include the Savour Long Table Dinner on the Hobart waterfront on Saturday, May 24. The event will be Asian-styled and will include dishes from guest chefs Meyrick, Hong and Chan Yai Ching.

The celebrations also include the Red Wine Weekend, on May 24-25 at which vignerons and winemakers from Tasmania will showcase their best wines and masterclasses will be hosted by the likes of Nick Stock, Roger McShane and Sue Dyson, Gerald Ellis, Tim Goddard, Curly Haslam-Coates and yours truly. Tickets are $25 at the door or are available for $21.50 online at 
www.eventfinder.com.au/2014/tasmanian-red-wine-weekend/hobart

Savour Tasmania was launched by Premier Will Hodgman at lunchtime on April 3. Tickets went on sale on April 4. For the full program and prices visit www.savourtasmania.com.au or phone 1300 795 257.