Tesla, Turkiye, South Beach ... and a Sports Illustrated resort?

Happy Tuesday! With Valentine’s Day behind us and President’s Day weekend ahead, we’re starting to think about spring and summer travel plans. From rental car rates to bucket-list destinations and new resorts, here’s what we’re thinking about this week:

Accelerating change 

Tesla at the rental counter? If you’re eager to try an electric vehicle (EV), get ready to find one at the rental counter. Seeing demand for EV rentals as inevitable, Avis Budget Group CEO Joe Ferraro said the company is already incorporating EVs into the fleet and working on infrastructure needed to support the newfangled vehicles. “You’ll hear more from us,” Ferraro said, declining to elaborate for competitive reasons. No doubt this will be a heavy lift for the rental car companies, just as it is for the auto industry, given the different driving experience and operational requirements.

We asked a friend in the national media who just bought a Tesla Model Y a couple of weeks ago to describe the difference. “It’s not that easy to drive them – there’s a learning curve,” he told us. “Just figuring out where the headlights are is an issue. And then there’s range anxiety, that feeling of not knowing what will happen if you’re driving to a place with few or no chargers."

U.S. car rental prices soar. The average car rental in December cost $81 a day – 76% more than before the pandemic, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing Kayak.com data. In some popular leisure markets, the average rental topped $100 a day. Don't expect a change anytime soon, if rental car companies’ earnings are any indication. Despite Omicron and reduced corporate travel, Avis Budget Group today reported best-ever fourth quarter and full-fiscal-year results – setting more records for the 75-year-old company. Sure, corporate cost controls and the adoption of DIY technology for customers helped fuel positive results, but the company reported strong metrics across the board – especially in the U.S. The company, for instance, grew its rental day count by 5% in the October-December period vs. the same timeframe in 2019, even though corporate travel was down. How? It moved its fleet to warmer climates and mountain areas "where vacations were plentiful and the Christmas holiday was surprisingly strong," Ferraro told analysts.

Travel Essential's key takeaway: Be sure to budget more for your rental car this year.

Travel returns to Super Bowl ad lineup

We’re going to be optimistic and call that a good omen for 2022. After all, what’s more inspirational than the voice of God urging us to get back out in the world to reconnect?  That’s right. Morgan Freeman, who played the role of God in the “Bruce Almighty” and “Evan Almighty” films, returned with Turkish Airlines for its Super Bowl spot. While many travel companies have continued to hold back on marketing and advertising until border rules stop changing on a dime, Turkish was one of three travel companies to buy air time during the world’s most-watched sporting event. That’s up from exactly zero last year, when many borders were closed and vaccines were just getting rolled out.

Online travel rivals Expedia and Booking.com also bought commercials for the big game. It was Expedia's first Super Bowl ad in more than a decade, and Booking.com’s first ever. Ironically, Booking’s $6 million ad came just days after the company announced yet another round of layoffs. Here’s hoping it wasn’t a Hail Mary pass.

The Turkish ad was the airlines’ sixth Super Bowl spot. It’s part of a just-launched global campaign, centered around the concept of Pangea, which millions of years ago was a single and connected supercontinent. “Travelers are increasingly hopeful and enthusiastic to safely explore new destinations or reunite with loved ones, and as a leading global airline, we hope to spark inspiration and instill confidence as we strive to reconnect the world,” Turkish Airlines board chairman Ahmet Bolat said of the campaign.

Why we’re dreaming about Turkiye … 

Besides reigniting our wanderlust, the ad reminded us that now is a great time to visit Turkiye.

With the Turkish lira down more than 40% last year against the dollar, a new international airport and the return of cruise ships to Istanbul, Koray Sahmali, chairman and managing director of the Icons & Styles luxury travel agency in Istanbul, says Americans are returning. "Turkiye has always been a destination of wonder as well as pleasure” he said.  “... I believe this year will be the comeback of Turkish tourism.”

Turkiye is certainly affordable right now. A check of hotel rates in Istanbul, which ties with Cape Town on our list of favorite cities, found a number of four-star hotels in the $100-a-night range. The Hyatt Regency Istanbul Atakoy on the Bosphorus was running as low at $124 a night, while rooms could be had at the Four Seasons Istanbul Hotel at the Bosphorus and the historic Ciraghan Palace Kempinski in the $300 and $400 range.

Must-see new hotel: While we love Istanbul and its cosmopolitan yet historic and magical vibe, one new Turkish hotel on our bucket list is The Museum Hotel in Antakya, which is designed around – and is actually built to float above – ancient ruins spanning 13 civilizations and 2,300 years of history. Among the on-site treasures, the world’s largest mosaic. The 9,000-square-foot work was discovered during construction, and can now be viewed through a glass floor.

Hotel Check-In: What’s catching our attention this week

Sports Illustrated resorts? Well, that’s the plan. The first one is slated for the Dominican Republic, known for its pristine white sand beaches and myriad all-inclusive resorts. The Sports Illustrated resort’s supposed to open in Cap Cana, with access to sports fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and other activities that you would expect from a sports-themed brand. … We’re couching this with a “might” because the press release doesn’t list details, like a location. Having covered dozens of speculative new brands over the last 20 years, we can tell you that anything can happen with these sorts of announcements. New brands can rise and fade quickly, never get off the ground at all or (like Richard Branson’s concept, Virgin Hotels) grow slowly. Creating a new brand now during the pandemic, when demand can wither with an outbreak or supply chain delays can blow up construction schedules, is even more tricky.

So, how did a magazine title cross paths with hospitality? In its heyday, Sports Illustrated was known for its incredible profiles of sports figures, and, of course, the iconic annual swimsuit edition that sparked many a supermodel’s career. Over time, the magazine succumbed to the miseries of the media industry; in 2019 Sports Illustrated was acquired by a lifestyle brand holding company that’s now trying to revive it in a new way. Hat tip to HOTELS magazine for flagging the plan.

Just in time for the Olympics: NYC gets rooftop curling through March 27. When we think about rooftop hotel experiences in Manhattan, we think about bars, restaurants, clubs and – in the summertime – definitely dramatic rooftop pools. Last summer, we checked into the recently renovated Gansevoort Meatpacking specifically for its amazing rooftop pool with terrific views. So, we couldn’t help but smile when we saw that a Times Square-area hotel, the contemporary M Social Hotel Times Square New York at 52nd Street, this month unveiled an outdoor curling rink for guests and visitors at its expansive rooftop bar and lounge, Beast & Butterflies. A 45-minute curling session runs $30 a person, and includes a Bacardi-spiked warm apple cider cocktail.

Frank Caiafa, author of the award-winning Waldorf Astoria Bar Book, curated Beast & Butterflies’ libations menu. The bar, which opened last summer, encompasses a 7,500-square-foot, wrap-around terrace with unobstructed views of Manhattan. The curling activity is available every day from 12 noon to 10 p.m. inside a heated, weatherized tent. “We know how much of a draw the sport of curling is so we can’t wait to be the only hotel in which guests can showcase their skills in the city. This will further introduce New Yorkers and visitors to the beautiful Beast & Butterflies space and highlight the stunning views we have to offer,” the hotel’s manager, William van Wassenhove, said in a statement.

A reimagined South Beach hotel joins Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The independent hotel brand Preferred added a new member property in hopping Miami, the Esmé Miami Beach. The Spanish-Mediterranean-influenced oasis offers outdoor dining and swimming, room service and a charming location. Reimagined as the Esmé last November, the 145-room property was once a colony for artists and outcasts, and even a hideaway for Al Capone. Expect a laid-back vibe and artfully decorated rooms with Italian linens. … The location is a 20-minute walk away from rollerblading at the beach and brunch spots like the News Cafe on Ocean Drive.  But we like staying on the pedestrian-only stretch of Española Way, especially at night when the palm-tree-lined street is aglow with twinkling lights and alive with outdoor dining.

Feel free to email us with tips, ideas or suggestions. To support Travel Essential, please invite your friends and family to subscribe and follow us on Twitter.