U.S. airports are awful. Heres the problem - CNN.com

(CNN) -- Pity the poor U.S. airport; its self-esteem has taken a beating in recent months.

In February, as reported by the , Vice President Joe Biden said New York's frequently lambasted LaGuardia Airport "feels like it's in some third world country."

"Why did we lead the world economically for so long?" Biden lamented. "We had the most modern infrastructure in the world."

In March, the UK-based Skytrax consultancy released its annual list of the .

The highest ranking any U.S. airport managed to muster was No. 27, achieved by the relatively small Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Now, The Economist has joined the dogpile.

After combing through data on more than a million flights in 2013, the venerable British magazine concludes in its current issue that U.S. airports are "awful," beset by "soggy Oakley Closeouts pizza, surly security staff and endless queues."

article poses the million- (or, rather, multimillion-) dollar question: "Why are foreign airports better than America's?"

Perhaps indicative of the global traveling public's dismissal of the standards at U.S. airports, the online article doesn't bother to provide an answer.

Hope for U.S. airports? Well ... maybe

"There's no question that U.S. airports suffer from an image problem globally, and the main culprit is our nation's lack of dedicated infrastructure investment, particularly in its aviation infrastructure," Airports Council International North America President and CEO Kevin M. Burke said.

"Many of our airports are operating well beyond the capacity wholesale fake oakley for which they were originally intended several decades ago, and this is the reason why air travelers -- international and domestic -- experience crowded terminals and outdated facilities.

"The other source of harm to our global reputation has been the unacceptably long waiting times to process through customs at U.S. international airports."

Burke is optimistic about correcting the problems, pointing to a recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection announcement that it will add , many assigned to airports.

"ACI-NA has been working with Congress for additional staffing, and with international traffic on the rise, this increase could not have come at a more critical time for U.S. airports," Burke said.

Meager public funding bedevils performance, improvement

At the root of many problems experienced by travelers at U.S. airports is an atypical system of governance and finance.

Unlike many of their overseas counterparts, U.S. airports are predominantly owned and operated by city, county or state governments.

"This means that how they are funded is far more restricted than the rest of the world," Burke said. "For our large hub airports, their primary source of funding for capital improvement projects is the Passenger Facility Charge."

The charge is a nominal user fee paid by passengers upon purchase of airline tickets in the United States, "virtually all of which," according to Burke, is returned to the airport for investment in infrastructure projects.

The problem is, the fee no longer amounts to as much as it once did.

"The PFC's ceiling of $4.50 hasn't been raised since 2000, and this has meant that its purchasing power has eroded by roughly half due to inflation over the past 14 years," says Burke.

Lack of Passenger Facility Charge punch has hindered significant improvements and updates at many major U.S. airports.

Despite all this, Burke, and perhaps at least some of the millions of visitors who continue to pour into U.S. airports each year, remains bullish about the future of U.S. airports.

But can U.S. airports realistically improve vis-a-vis their international counterparts in, say, the next five to 10 years?

"Yes, but it's going to take an unwavering commitment to upgrading our infrastructure," Burke said. "It's crucial that Congress and the American public recognize that infrastructure investment in airports is reinvestment in the communities they connect to rest of the world.

"And in an increasingly global marketplace, the U.S. will require world-leading airports to stay competitive."

Or, by now, simply to catch up to a field that has already, by many Oakley Buy Online estimates, flown far ahead of them.

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North Korea – Amanpour - CNN.com Blogs

By Samuel Burke, CNN

A nuclear conflict on the Korean peninsula could make the Chernobyl nuclear accident look like a “child's fairy tale” – that was the warming that came on Monday from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After weeks of nuclear threats from North Korea, there is no evidence that North Korea is planning an imminent nuclear test.

But South Korea and the United States both say they would not be surprised if the North launched a missile later this week.

Whether that would be a hostile act or a test is anybody's guess. That’s the problem; very little is known about the new North Korean leadership and Oakley Sunglasses Australia Kim Jong Un's intentions.

Gary Samore was President Obama's top nuclear adviser up until January. He also played a key role in the gucci Clinton administration’s negotiation of an agreement to stop North Korea’s nuclear program.

“The North Koreans may very well launch another missile or conduct another missile test,” Samore told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “But I think most of their threats to take military action are probably just theatrics � designed to intimidate and frighten people.”

In other words, Samore believes the North Korean will do something, but more likely it will be some type of test. He said that has certainly been Oakley Sunglasses Wholesale Mens the pattern in the past.

Samore believes that South Korea and/or the United States have to send North Korea’s young leader a “warning message” for him to know he must not go too far, but send this message without provoking him. At the same time, Samore said the North Koreans must be careful not to alienate China, their ally, which sends essentials supplies across the border.

In the video above you can see Amanpour’s entire interview with Samore.

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Is Barcelona becoming Less of a Club - CNN.com

(CNN) -- 'More than a Club.'

That's the long-standing motto and image that Barcelona football club has wished upon the world for many years.

It is an image the club has carefully cultivated over decades, but could the deal that brought Brazilian star Neymar to the club in June 2013 result in the Spanish giants being known for more than just their football - and not in a good way?

For the mood drifting out of Camp Nou, a stadium that has long been revered as a temple of the global game, is one of disarray.

Barca, as if anyone needs reminding, is one of world football's most successful clubs on the pitch.

Over the last few years it has patented a brand of football that has swept all before it, winning admirers around the world.

Off the pitch, the club prides itself on its all-round approach to life, keen to portray its '' side and having refused sponsorship on its shirts for many years because taking money for it sullied the spirit of the game.

Perhaps more significantly, Barca has long stood as an emblem for the region of Catalonia - "a way to show what Catalonia is in the world," as Gerard Pique recently told CNN - with Barca widely portrayed as a political spearhead in the bid to fulfill the ideal of independence from Spain.

But now Barca finds itself in the dock.

Last month, a Spanish judge ordered an inquiry into the Neymar deal after a member of the fan-owned club, Jordi Cases, alleged a misappropriation of funds during the transfer.

Cases' primary complaint was that the amount paid to bring Neymar from Brazilian club Santos was more than the reported fee of 57.1 million Euros. In fact, as the club has since admitted, Barca paid 86.2 million Euros for Neymar.

One day after the judge agreed to hear the case, Barcelona President Sandro Rosell 2013 Oakley Sunglassess -- against whom the case was opened -- relinquished his prestigious position despite denying any wrongdoing.

He was swiftly replaced by Vice-President Josep Maria Bartomeu, but therein lay another problem. The new man could also become embroiled in a judicial inquiry if Cases chooses to take action against him.

"We brought the case against Rosell but when we saw the contracts, we saw that they had also been signed by Bartomeu," Felipe Izquierdo, Cases' lawyer, told CNN World Sport.

Izqueirdo says the new president's name is on all but two of the many contracts Barcelona signed to lure Neymar. He added that Vice-President Javier Faus signed the other two, meaning he too could face legal action.

Faus had also been in the spotlight for another reason. He was a rare public victim of Lionel Messi's ire when the Barca superstar took umbrage to Faus' comments in December that the club had no obligation to review the Argentine's contract (set to expire in 2018).

"Barcelona is the best club in the world and should be represented by the best board members too," the normally mild-mannered Messi exploded. "Snr Faus is someone who knows nothing about football."

Criticism of Barcelona tends to come from the direction of the Spanish capital, where great rivals Real Madrid are based, and certainly not from within - a warning that all was not well at the home of the four-time European champions.

'No Damage to Brand'

More embarrassment came a day after Rosell's resignation as new President Bartomeu which outlined that there had, indeed, been a lack of clarity over the total fee paid to bring in Neymar.

Nearly 30 million Euros was added to the original figure, including a signing fee for the player, an agreement with Brazilian club Santos concerning academy footballers and a commission to Neymar's father and agent, Neymar Senior, among other measures.

With his name on the contract, Bartomeu clearly knew the details but Barcelona say the new man will not be stepping down since he does not believe he has done anything wrong.

Faus is insistent that Barca's famous brand has not been dented by the furore.

"Not at all," he rallied in a statement to CNN.

"Barcelona is a very lively and democratic club -- owned by its fans -- this is part of the beauty of our institution Oakley Closeouts and we have to respect it. We have not noticed during these weeks any damage to our brand - to the contrary in fact."

"All our main sponsors have endorsed us and we cheap oakleys are advancing with new and exciting deals that we will announce shortly."

Yet Faus' viewpoint directly contradicts the club's own spokesperson, Toni Freixa, when he was trying to get Cases to withdraw his lawsuit against Rosell.

"(Barcelona) regrets not having the information requested (by Snr Cases) earlier, which could have avoided the damage that this affair has caused to the image of the club," read a statement by Freixa on the eve of the judge's decision to order an inquiry.

It's a sentiment with which blogger Jose Luis Perez wholeheartedly agrees.

"It is clear that this whole incident can greatly damage the image of Barcelona," Perez, who has extensively examined the transfer, told CNN.

"Based on previous public cases, I think the judge will pull on a loose thread - meaning that he has received a complaint about one misdemeanor but may end up unraveling more."

"Lots of things might come out in the coming months."

There is certainly a lot to grapple with.

Convoluted Contracts

For a start, the judge has to make sense of all the business personnel connected with Neymar.

These include Brazil's richest man, Eike Batista (whose IMX Talent group controls the player's image rights), and one of the country's most famous footballers, Ronaldo, who was on Brazil's victorious 2002 World Cup squad. Ronaldo now has a sports marketing firm, 9ine, which took control of Neymar's commercial rights in 2011 from Wagner Ribeiro, one of Neymar's two agents.

The player's other agent, his father, has set up several companies dealing with Neymar's affairs but it's the one he founded in October 2011 - N&N - that is likely to most interest the judge investigating Cases' claims.

Having signed an initial agreement with Barcelona in late 2011 over Neymar's potential transfer, N&N received a massive 40 million Euros when the deal went through last year.

The total dwarfs the 17.1m Barca paid to Santos for the transfer, so it's no surprise it's come under intense scrutiny.

And it's not just the judge poring over the details.

Neymar's former club Santos is also unhappy with the revelation and is putting a legal case together to try to obtain full details.

The Brazilian club held 55% of Neymar's economic rights but two other companies - DIS (40%) and Teisa (5%) - also believe they have missed out on the windfall.

Angered by receiving 40% of just 17.1m Euros rather than 57.1m or even 86.2m Euros, DIS is reported to be considering taking its legal action further - as it ponders a lawsuit against Barcelona, Santos, Neymar Sr and Ribeiro.

So is it any surprise, when you consider the complexity of the transfer, that FIFA is so opposed to third-party ownership - where a player is not just owned by a club, but also other parties, in a practice that has become routine in South America?

In fact, the game's governing body has the power to investigate the transfer -- with a spokesperson telling CNN this would happen if "in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the Chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decides ex officio to open investigation."

This remains a mere technical possibility but should it come to pass, such a move could cast another shadow over Barca's reputation.

'Less of a Club'?

There are other troubling issues.

When Rosell stepped down, he revealed a sinister element as he said his family had suffered threats, with media reports in Spain detailing how his home had been shot at over the Christmas holidays. No one was home at the time.

In a different move, the Barca board - once so resistant to bearing a sponsor's name on the team's jerseys - is now considering attaching a sponsor's name to the iconic Camp Nou to fund a proposed 600m Euro redevelopment of the stadium and other facilities.

"We will present a commercial name for the stadium to the Assembly. It will always just be a surname because we will not lose the name Camp Nou," Vice-President Faus earlier this month.

Barca say stadium title rights could generate 150m Euros for a club that is well over 300m Euros in debt, so one can understand the board's thinking, but it's a controversial move nonetheless.

Balancing financial gain with prized ethics can be a challenge, especially when under investigation by a Spanish judge over alleged transfer irregularities. Can it be said that Barcelona is beginning to become 'Less of a Club'?

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10 reasons travelers cant keep away from Jeju Island CNN Travel

Just off the coast of South Korea, pulls in vacationers and honeymooners by the thousands.?

April to June is prime time for school trips. "You get a lot of students on field trips from April to June," says Kim Mi-ryang, of the Korea Tourist Organization's Jeju branch.?

But there is plenty of space for all. With half a million people spread over an area that's three times as big as Seoul, there’s a lazy feel to the place.?

Even if you haven't just gotten married, a vacation here sure can feel like it.

Regular direct flights to and from international cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing and Shanghai (as well as South Korea's domestic airports) and ?also make getting here a snap.

Unfortunately, while one of Jeju Island's famous attractions, the fields of rapeseed flowers, are just starting to wither (they had their peak in early to mid-April), there's still plenty to see.

With the volcanic Hallasan commanding the island from the center, a 224-kilometer semi-tropical forested national park, a wild coastline dotted with waterfalls and the longest lava tube in the world, it's no wonder that Jeju Island was voted one of the 2011?.?

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1. The highest mountain in South Korea

Be on the lookout for wild creatures.
The dormant volcano Hallasan stands 1,950 meters above sea level, but you can hike up and down in a day if you start early. Avoid the rain clouds of summer in favor of springtime azaleas, autumn colors or winter snow.

Hallasan is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve containing a crater lake, alpine plants, woodpeckers, chipmunks, butterflies and beetles. Hiking clubs regularly take to these slopes, and those of 368 parasitic volcanoes.

Hallasan National Park (Eorimok); San 200-1, Haean-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ??? ? 200-1); +82 64 713 9950;

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2. Lava tubes?

Where to go for natural air-conditioning in the summers.
Another UNESCO Geopark, the Manjang cave is more than eight kilometers long and you can walk one kilometer of its eerie passageway.

Formed by cooling lava, the cave’s dark, cold, often narrow and slippery with water, and you know there are bats up in its murky corners: not somewhere for the claustrophobic.

Manjanggul (???);?41-3 Gimnyeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ??? ??? 41-3); +82 64 783 4818?

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3. Grandfather stones

Our stone sculptures are wiser than your stone sculptures.
With just a tad of irony, Jeju boasts "three plenties" -- wind, rocks and women. The second of these is due to its formation from an outpouring of lava. Ninety percent of its surface is basalt.?

Dry-stone walls protect fields from storms. Then around 1750, to scare off invaders,?masons started carving rocks into forbidding black "grandfather stones" (dolharubang) -- massive phallic statues that might be mistaken for distant cousins of Easter Island’s moai.

Forty-five still exist -- but don’t be fooled by replicas. The stones remain a symbol of a distinct ancient culture furnished with many gods and legends.

Jeju Stone Park, San 119, Gyorae-ri, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ??? ??? ? 119); +82 64 710 7731;?

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4. Deep-diving women

The Jeju Island version of a mermaid.
In years gone by, when Jeju's men disappeared for weeks in fishing boats, someone had to stick around to haul those rocks and put dinner on the table.

As rice won't grow on this wild, windy island, women learned to dive for octopus, abalone, clams, squid and seaweed. Nowadays, the? who dive 10-20 meters without any breathing apparatus, are renowned throughout the country.

The haenyo's average age is 65, with some diving into their 80s in darned wetsuits. ?You can see them at work in various locations across the island, including Jungmun Beach, Seogwipo.

Haenyeo Museum, 3204 Hado-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ??? ??? 3204); +82 64 782 9898

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5. Superb beaches?

Korea's a peninsula; it never lacks for beaches. But most of the superb beaches seem to encircle Jeju Island.

Jungmun beach: a sweep of pale sand, blue sea, green creepers trailing over dunes. Just behind is the Lotte World mega-hotel complex’s Vegas-style pool area complete with fake cliffs, swan-shaped pedal boats and a Dutch windmill.?

The is empty outside of summer. Other top beaches for swimming and surfing are Emerald Bay, Gwakji, Hamdoek and Shinyang.

Jungmun Beach, Seogwipo, is on the south coast, about an hour from Jeju City.?

?

6. Loveland

This is the tamest sculpture of the bunch.

If any of Jeju's honeymooners need to get in the mood, this is one blatant way to go about it.?

This hilarious ?is dedicated to sex. Grotesque oversized casts of Western-looking nudes are locked in embraces or caught in the throes of ecstasy.

Started by students, it’s no place for prudery. The handle on the door to the ladies’ toilets has an extremely distinctive shape, and interactive displays include a pleasure-giving exercise bike. Souvenirs? Don't ask.

Jeju Loveland;?680-26 Yeon-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ?? 680-26); + 82 64 712 6988;

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7. Olle walking trails

Guess who?
Olle in the local dialect means a winding path to your front door, and now wind around much of the island.

From a lush, ambling south coast route overlooking craggy islands, clamber down to the sea over strange rock formations and see the caves that islanders were forced to dig by Japanese occupiers to hide weapons.

The massively popular historical drama "Jewel in the Palace" was filmed here, so you can pose?as one of the stars, should you want. The route?near Oedolgae has the views made famous in "Dae Jang Geum" ("Jewel in the Palace").?

The Jeju Olle ?has maps and guides for those who are looking for something else.??

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8. Water/oxygen/massage therapy

Get scrubbed within an inch of your life at Jeju's spas.
At Hanwha Therapy Resort, let jets of water massage you from every angle. Float in the pool with the lights out and music playing, lie back in an oxygen room, get wrapped in a sheet and cocooned in hay in a crib, then wake up in a tropical rain shower.

Or try the herb sauna and outdoor spas at Jeju Waterworld.

Jeju Waterworld, Jeju World Cup Stadium, 914 Beophwan-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do (??????? ???? ??? 915?? ?????????); +82 64 739 1930;

Hanhwa Resort Jeju (????? ??), 3-16 Hoecheon-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ??? 3-16); +82 64 725 9000;?

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9. Seaweed and sea urchin soup

Delicious soup of the sea at Yeonoonae restaurant.
Beyond raw seafood, the array of local specialties includes pheasant, whole grilled mackerel in sea salt and barbecued pork from Jeju's black pigs. But if you really want to get a taste of the island?try some of the?seaweed and sea urchin soup.

The urchin averse can opt for vegetarian health food at Yeonoonae outside Halla Arboretum serving potato pancakes and a green tea and perilla-seed soup.?

Lush as the orchards look, local tangerines are shockingly expensive, even from the gruff sales people?at the roadside, but they’re better than the tangerine-flavored chocolate.

Yeonoonae (???), open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 571-2 Nohyeong-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (??????? ??? ??? 571-2); +82 64 712 5646

?

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10. Sunrise from a volcanic crater

There are sunrises. And then there are sunrises as seen from Seongsan Ilchulbong.

Go to Sunrise Peak (Seongsan Ilchulbong), the 182-meter-high?cone rising from the sea with a wide, green crater on the island's eastern edge.?

Now reached by a bridge, the approach is dominated by a shopping arcade and coach park, while a sing-song American voice pipes through loudspeakers, "Refrain from throwing garbage!" ignored by crowds jostling for scenic photo spots.

Seongsan Ilchunbong (?????); Open daily 5 a.m.-9 p.m. in winter, 4 a.m.-10 p.m. in summer, except in bad weather;?114 Seongsan-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do (??????? ???? ??? ??? 114); +82 64 783 0959?

More on CNNGo:

Originally published April 2011. Updated April 2012.

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Yemen – Amanpour - CNN.com Blogs

By Cheap oakley sunglasses womens Mick Krever, CNN

Two years ago, Oakley Sunglass Outlet Nasser al-Awlaki wrote a letter to President Obama. His request was simple: Please do not kill my son.

He never got a response. Last September, his son, Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born al Qaeda leader, was killed gucci outlet by a U.S. drone in a remote area of Northern Yemen. Two weeks later, his 16-year-old grandson, Anwar’s son, was also killed, in a separate U.S. strike hundreds of miles away.

“Anwar, it was expected, because he was … targeted,” Nasser al-Awlaki told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. “But how in the world they will go and kill Abdulrahman, a small boy, a U.S. citizen, from Denver, Colorado?”

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The hotel minibar is dying; long live the nearby convenience store - CNN.com

(CNN) -- "7-Eleven killed the minibar."

The sentiments of one hotel manager in Hong Kong could well extend to hotels around the world.

The hotel minibar, loved and cursed at by millions of desperate midnight snackers/drinkers, is on the decline.

Hilton Hong Kong installed the in 1974 by stocking liquors and fridges in each of its 840 rooms.

The move reportedly led to a and a 5% boost to the company's net income that year.

Soon, the minibar became a near-universal industry standard.

But Hilton recently started backtracking in some of its properties, removing the booze and leaving the fridges in its rooms, for guests to fill themselves.

Other hotel giants, including the Grand Hyatt, Starwood and Marriott brands, are also phasing out this once ubiquitous in-room feature from some of their properties.

It's because we just don't seem to enjoy them as much as we once did.

TripAdvisor recently released a survey that found the among all hotel amenities -- just 21% of respondents found the room fridge an important feature compared with 89% that wanted a free wireless connection.

PKF Hospitality Research found that in the United States, revenue from minibars, which represents just 1% of total hotel revenue, fell 28% from 2007 to 2012.

Robert Mandelbaum, the firm's director of research information services, says properties in the United States have adapted their food and beverage offerings, installing food outlets that resemble "grab and go" mini-markets.

The trend for "convenience eating" is also contributing to a decline in the traditional hotel restaurant that serves three meals a day, he says.

They're being replaced with casual food outlets offering items such as pre-packaged salads.

It's all part of what Mandelbaum calls the "Starbucks phenomenon," a property design and management philosophy that enables and encourages interaction between strangers.

Combine this with the emergence of sociable "millennials" who prefer to mingle in the hotel lobby than order room service, and you have an industry and consumer move away from imbibing in the room.

Is this such a bad thing?

For those who think inflated prices on items like tiny bags of macadamia nuts and mediocre chocolate bars are offensive, especially when nearby convenience stores offer the same stuff for a fraction of the price, the stocked in-room bar has always been an irritant.

Simon Dell, vice president of operations of Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group, agrees.

"We don't want to sell mini-macadamia nuts for $8.50. It's not what people want," he says.

What's more, by eliminating minibars from rooms, hotels can actually save costs, says Dell.

"When (we) remove any content from the minibar it takes a considerable number of tasks out of every (housekeeper's) day, so there's time saved, headcount saved, therefore money saved, which is reflected in the overall price (of rooms)," he says.

Better for a property to focus on amenities guests prioritize, such as Internet access.

"Connectivity is as ubiquitous as the telephone 20 years ago, when it had to be in the room, or like your own shower or bathroom has to be in the room."

$10 Coke 'not right'

Others think the minibar simply needs to evolve to changing needs of guests.

"We can't just give hot and cold running water," says Dean Winter, area director of operations of Hong Kong Hotels & China Projects at Swire Hotels.

Take the example of Swire's Hong Kong property, Upper House -- each room features a complimentary selection (beer, soda, healthy juices, coconut water and snacks) and a separate, chargeable wine fridge.

"We wanted to differentiate ourselves to appeal to discerning business and leisure travelers without following the traditional routes of five-star hospitality," explains Winter.

He thinks "charging $5-10 for Coke is not the right thing to do," as people remain price conscious.

"People appreciate a complimentary minibar or Wi-Fi or movies, and paying a rate and not all these add-ons," he says.

Less hard booze

Today there's far less Clear Oakley Sunglasses hard liquor, complimentary or not.

Ten years ago, JW Marriott yanked the petite bottles of liquor out of its chargeable minibars in its Hong Kong hotel, citing low consumption.

At The Mira Hong Kong, miniature spirits were phased out in 2011.

According to the property, "the hard liquor was removed as we prefer to tempt our guests with drinks and entertainment at our open air lounge bar Vibes, and cocktail bar Room One with a live band."

Only corporate or high-paying guests get the fully complimentary minibar.

Cheap trumps convenient

The minibar is also increasingly part of an all-inclusive package.

At Hong Kong's Ovolo Hotel, the complimentary scheme is extensive: guests get a free minibar, breakfasts, plus two-hours free booze daily at its O Oakley Buy Lounge, including all spirits and wine.

Removing the prices has also helped remove the headache of arguing with guests over what exactly they did or did not consume, says the hotel manager in Ovolo's Aberdeen branch, Chum Roa.

"It was a source of many disputes in hotels," he says. "If the customer persists they had nothing, Cheap oakley sunglasses womens often hotels absorb the cost to not ruin guest relations over minibar items."

Now, he doesn't have to deal with that.

Roa imagines a future in which the traditional minibar is extinct.

"The competitor of the minibar isn't nearby hotels but the 24-hour stores where one can get everything you need a few blocks away," he says.

The convenience of having a cold drink in your room isn't quite enough if you have to pay three times as much for it, it seems.

Will you miss minibars in hotel rooms or say good riddance to shockingly priced beer and M&M's? Leave a comment.

Nan-Hie in is a freelance writer based in Hong Kong covering current affairs to lifestyle and entertainment.

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Is Paris still cool Hell yeah! (But not for the reasons you think) - CNN.com

Editor's note: takes you behind the scenes of the Paris catwalks and beyond, exploring the French capital's most stylish hidden corners. The show airs Monday 24 to Friday 28 February on CNN International, with daily reports in at 1300 GMT and at 2000 GMT.

(CNN) -- So New York thinks it's the most stylish city on the planet?

Sure, the Big Apple was named top dog in the pushing Paris into second place, and London into third.

But can you party in an abandoned Rothschild mansion in New York? Can you watch indie films in an antique Japanese pagoda? Can you chillax on the beach in the heart of the city? Nope? Well, mes amis, you can in Paris.

Whatever the world's fashion dignitaries might say, the City of Light is much more than stripy t-shirts and the Eiffel Tower.

In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a single Parisian jostling with the tourists atop that particular feat of architecture, says culture blogger

"Paris doesn't have to be the crowded tourist city everybody thinks of," said the 29-year-old editor of , a website delving into the city's hidden artisan gems.

"The great thing about Paris is you can walk around quiet, very traditional neighborhoods that are like movie sets, and find these Discounted Oakley Sunglasses For Men secret little pockets -- like a

And when the sun goes down, you can continue exploring the city's sumptuous club scene -- if you know where to look.

"People who complain about Paris nightlife are people who don't get out much," said 28-year-old Arthur Mestrot who, along with 26-year-old Ruben Nataf, founded online city guide

"I feel as though there's a Oakley Goggle Sunglasses real link between night clubs and art, the buildings are some of the most beautiful in the world. We have a much different clubbing culture than other European cities like London and Berlin -- it's smaller, more intimate."

Grall's top tip for discovering some of these tourist-free treasures? "Rent an old 1960s scooter, you don't need a license, and it's the best way to take the side streets and get lost."

And when you've worked out how to find your way back again, here are a few more reasons why Paris is cooler -- if not always more fashionable -- than you think:

You can party in an abandoned Rothschild mansion

Or a World War Two bunker. Or a closed inner-city railway. In fact, if it's grand, vintage, and out-of-bounds, then event organizers will probably be holding an extravagant soir��e somewhere inside.

Expect "Eyes Wide Shut" style secrecy, decadent dining, and thumping tunes -- all inside the city's most magnificent derelict buildings.

Thousands of baguette-toting, beret-wearing cyclists take over

As any hipster will tell you, retro is cool. Bikes are also cool. Artisan deli goods are definitely up there.

So the cycle ride through the city, involving 1,000 people dressed in 1930s costumes, and culminating in a picnic in the park, ticks all the right boxes.

Watch indie films in an antique Japanese pagoda

People who don't know, watch films in multiplex cinemas. People who do, watch them in a lavish 118-year-old Japanese pagoda.

The extravagant was built as a present from Le Bon March�� department store owner Monsieur Morin as a gift to his wife. Today, movie-goers can sip tea in the surrounding bamboo gardens before marveling at the elegant theater adorned with golden murals and chandeliers.

French Riviera? Paris brings the beach to you

Let's be realistic, not everyone has pockets deep enough for a vacation in the south of France. Never fear, , bringing 5,000 tons of sand and nearly 100 palm trees to the banks of the Seine Cheap Fake Oakley Sunglasses Outlet each summer.

Ok, so it's not quite the Mediterranean. But there's still volleyball, giant sprinklers, and live jazz -- and all within the heart of one of Europe's biggest cities.

Go hunting for a secret underground river

But the Seine isn't Paris' only river. There's another secret stream flowing deep under the streets -- if you know where to look.

Centuries ago the Bi��vre river wound its way through the city, becoming a polluted dumping ground for businesses, eventually sealed-up in 1912. Today, follow plaques marking the hidden river route.

You don't need to go to the Louvre to see amazing art

You could to get into the world's most visited museum. Or you could wander the city at leisure, taking in some of the most skilful street art in Europe.

If you want to see more than just the usual Banksys or pixelated mosaic then there are plenty of to give you an in-depth tour of Paris' more obscure murals.

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