Advice to Travelers and Hoteliers from Apple Core’s Vijay Dandapani

Vijay Dandapani is President and COO of Apple Core Hotels. He has been in the hospitality business for most of his life, having graduated from the prestigious master’s program in hotel management at Cornell University. His career included four years in India managing a luxury hotel chain, as well as an association with a group that opened a California luxury resort. He is a licensed pilot, speaks fluent Italian and two Indian languages. Dandapani is a very accomplished man who offers advice to travelers and hotel managers.

   

Image Source: businessinsider.com 

His first piece of advice is that travelers should wear slip on shoes so that proceeding through security is minimally disruptive. Second, he recommends that you always bring a carry-on that contains a set of clothes, essential medicines and chargers for cell phones and tablets, all in case your luggage is delayed or lost. Finally, Vijay Dandapani says that you should stay aware of weather conditions and political issues such as strikes that could affect your travel. He also admonishes that you should not necessarily trust an airline’s communication about connecting times at airports abroad. 

 

Image Source: seattlestravels.com 

Hotel managers might follow his lead as he oversees the redesign of lobbies in three of his hotels. Vijay Dandapani is striving for providing an avant-garde feeling to these lobbies, including offering amenities that are interesting and useful. For example, his team is installing stations for mini-pads and free, 24-hour stations with cappuccino. Also, he is making sure that the lobbies contain areas for lounging and relaxation that do not infringe on guests who are checking in or out.

   

Image Source: traveldailynews.com 

Even in the branded hotels run by Apple Core, he strives to offer extra amenities. TempurPedic beds, free Wi-Fi, and free continental breakfast are some of the offerings his team provides. Dandapani knows what is important to travelers, both as one himself and as a career hospitality executive.

Making Tourism Accessible in the City that Invites Sleep, but Avoids It

In few other U.S. destinations is the tourism industry a more vital and viable commodity than the
alluring skyline and incomparable vibrancy found in New York City. According to nycgo.com,
the quintessential metropolis of the States had an estimated 52.7 million visitors (international
and domestic) in 2012. This is in comparison to 35.2 in 2001; 42.7 in 2005; 45.8 in 2009, and so
on. The numbers continually increase over time, proving that what many have called the greatest
city on Earth just might live up to the glitz and grime hype.

Image Source: nycedc.com

Now, the hype of amazing dining, theatre, museums, entertainment, shopping, and sightseeing: is
all very real – as is the expense one can expect to pay when indulging in a bona fide playground.
The cost, though, is well worth it, and hospitality entrepreneurs like Vijay Dandapani, after working in the tourism business for many years, knows how important it is to make the experience of New York City something visitors will be clamoring to get back to.

Image Source: springinny2014.wordpress.com

Vijay Dandapani has been the President and Chief Operating Officer of Apple Core Hotels since
1993. Through his extensive background in the hotel industry, and an unwavering love for giving guests the kind of New York City experience that begs for more, Mr. Dandapani has proven integral to the success of the company through sharp acquisitions, complete renovations on six locations, and the implementation of state-of-the-art computer systems. Their Midtown Manhattan presence gives tourists welcome access to the many destinations that gives New York that enamored glow: unlimited shopping, Broadway, Times Square, Grand Central, the Empire State Building, and of course, people watching that bears little competition in the nation, if not the world.

Image Source: footage.shutterstock.com

Discovering New York City and what it means to you is not that far-fetched or far of a cry. Getting there could be laborious for some, but aligning oneself with hospitality insiders like Vijay Dandapani is quite seamless. Visit the website of Mr. Dandapani and discover how excited some New Yorkers want to share their city with others. You may find yourself eager to pack up and see what everyone has been talking about. “Only in New York” is a common phrase, and maybe one day you too can say the same thing about your own experiences.

REPOST: 13 Tips for Sniffing Out the Best Deals on Hotel Rooms

Hotel room prices and deals change almost every hour, which is why it can be difficult for some to find great deals at certain periods. Check out these 13 tips from US News to help you find the best deals even in this kind of situation.  

Image Source: money.usnews.com

What everyone wants to hear is that there are one or two apps or websites that will always find you the best deal on hotel rooms.

Sorry. It’s just not that easy.

What worked for last month’s business trip to Chicago may not work for this summer’s family vacation to Disney World – or even this month’s return trip to Chicago.

The reason for this lack of consistency is hotels are always in flux. The price of hotel rooms changes daily, often times hourly, based on demand. Sometimes one site has the best deal for the hotel you want, and sometimes another site does. You can often get the best rate by going old school and picking up the phone or just showing up.

"This drives techo-babble people crazy," says Tim Leffel, author of "Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune" and editor of Hotel Scoop, a lodging review website. "They think you should be able to find the best prices on the Internet, but that’s not always the case."

The Internet, however, is a good place to start. The first thing you want to research is location. If you’re visiting New York City, you probably want to stay in Manhattan. Before you can look for hotels, you need to know which neighborhoods you’re willing to consider and how you’ll get from those neighborhoods to the places you’re going to visit. After all, a lot of $30 taxi rides will quickly eat up any savings on lodging.

Start with the big names in the industry: Travelocity, Expedia or Orbitz. If you’re looking for a broader picture, Leffel likes websites that gather price quotes from a variety of search engines, such as Kayak or Trivago. From these aggregators, you’ll get a sense of hotel prices at the time you plan to travel.

Then check discount sites such as BookIt.com, Hotels.com or Booking.com, plus the named hotels at Hotwire and Priceline. If you find a hotel you like, check the hotel website before calling to see if you can find an even better deal directly from the hotel.

If you’d happily stay at any number of hotels in a specific neighborhood, consider bidding on rooms at Hotwire or Priceline. Both sites offer big discounts if you’re willing to buy a room without knowing which hotel you’ll be staying in. You can narrow your selection by neighborhood and by star rating, but sometimes the neighborhood boundary is pretty big.

Not only is there no magic website, but there’s no magic time to book to get the best price. Often, you can get the best deal at the very last minute. But this is not going to work in a popular location at a busy time. For those deals, you’ll do better booking earlier.

Here are 13 tips for getting the best deal on hotel rooms.

Call the hotel. Before you book a room, call the hotel itself (the specific location, not the chain’s 800 number) during business hours to see if the hotel will match or beat rates you’ve found online. Sometimes they’ll throw in extras such as free Wi-Fi, breakfast or late checkout. This gives you maximum flexibility because you usually don’t have to pay in advance, plus you won’t need to deal with a third party if something goes wrong or you come across a cheaper alternative.

Make sure you know the total cost. Some hotels charge a resort fee that may not be included in an online quote. Others charge for Wi-Fi, breakfast or use of the gym. In a city center, parking can cost $35 or more a day. To avoid unpleasant surprises, always ask about which fees are included and how much they'll cost you.

Consider hotels that don’t appear on major search sites. Many small hotels don’t want to pay search site commissions, and therefore they don’t participate. When you call them, you’re often talking to an owner or manager who is empowered to offer a discount. TripAdvisor is a good site to use to identify these small hotels, but you should go directly to the hotel to make reservations.

Consider something larger. If you’re traveling with a family or planning a longer stay, look into renting an apartment or house. You can find listings at HomeAway, FlipKey and VRBO, among other services. Many of these lodgings charge a cleaning fee, so keep that in mind when you’re calculating total costs. But with a kitchen you may save on food because you can cook some meals.

Utilize coupon books. On a road trip, pick up the coupon books at rest stops and convenience stores. Those coupons, offered by the owners of individual franchises, often beat the national deals advertised on the chains’ websites.

Travel without reservations. This doesn’t work for Paris at the height of the tourist season, but often times it will get you the best deal at hotels that start the day with plenty of empty rooms. If you just show up, you can also see the room before you commit. Several apps, including Hotel Tonight, cater to travelers looking for a room on the fly.

See what others are paying. Sites such as BetterBidding.com allow you to find out what other travelers have paid at HotWire and Priceline and can sometimes identify the “mystery” hotels that keep their name and location secret until you book.

Check with local tourist offices. In Europe particularly, tourist offices offer room-finding services for same-day rooms. Even in the United States, some cities, such as Newport, R.I., get a list every morning from local hotels of rooms they want to sell for that night. "Think of this as an old-fashion version of Expedia.com, only a real-life person finds the accommodations that is right for you … at the right price," says Andrea McHugh, marketing and communications manager of Discover Newport.

Be careful with advanced payments. If you book with a service that requires payment in advance, read all the fine print. And make sure you know how much it will cost if you have to cancel.

Check daily deal sites. Groupon, LivingSocial and other deal-of-the-day services offer travel deals, but most of the time you must act quickly to snag one.

Go with a package. If you’re traveling to just one destination, look for a deal that includes hotel, airfare and car rental, which may be cheaper than buying these components individually.

Use travel rewards points. Many credit cards offer points equivalent to several nights’ hotel stays just for signing up, plus you can earn points when you use your new credit cards. "Last fall I went on a two-week vacation to Europe where my girlfriend and I visited Paris, Belgium and Amsterdam. One hundred percent of our hotel stays were covered by hotel points, and we stayed at very nice locations, such as the InterContinental Avenue Marceau, Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan and DoubleTree Suites Amsterdam," says Kevin Barry, who publishes the website Frugal Mouse, about traveling to Disney parks. "Using hotel points for free stays is the best deal in the travel industry, one that many people don't know about or take advantage of."

Visit at less popular times. That means fall in Florida and summer in the Caribbean, winter in Europe, weekends near convention areas and weekdays in resort areas.

Vijay Dandapani is the president and chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels, which owns and manages five hotels in midtown Manhattan. A hotel industry veteran, Mr. Dandapani is also a member of the board of directors at New York City’s Hotel Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Association. For more information, visit this website.

Vijay Dandapani on New York Hospitality

Image source: urbansplatter.com

VijayDandapani has years of experience in the hospitality industry, and his expertise has earned him many accolades.  In 1998 he was named one of the top 100 minority business leaders in New York City by Crain’s New York Business.  In 2002 he was chosen as one of 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business by the Asian American Business Development Center.  He has also been a guest speaker on hospitality issues for many organizations, such as Arthur Anderson, University of California at Los Angeles, Columbia University, New York University, and the National Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives.  And, he is on the board of directors at the Hotel Association of New York City, NYC & Company, and NYSHTA (New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association).  He is also a contributor to the International Hotel Motel & Restaurant Show at Javits.

Mr. Dandapani has been an important part of numerous successful hotels both in the United States and abroad.  Since 1993, Mr. Dandapani has put his experience to use as the president and chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels.  The company has five hotels, all of them in the middle of Manhattan. 

Image source: iesabroad.org

The hotels are not only famous for their prime locations that are within walking distance to the most popular New York City attractions, they are also known for their affordability.  Apple Core Hotels runs a La Quinta and a Ramada in the heart of Manhattan, but they also run three independent boutique hotels.  All of the Apple Core Hotels have many amenities to please travelers, whether they are in the city for business or pleasure.  The hotels offer free WiFi Internet access, complimentary continental breakfast, in-room coffee makers and coffee, fitness centers, free calls nationwide, laundry and valet services, a phone with private mailbox, and cable TV with movies on demand.

Image source: wikimedia.org

Hospitality Hero

As president of Apple Core Hotels, Vijay Dandapani understands the importance of hospitality and marketing.  Most of his writings and contributions are related to the hospitality industry as well as uncovering effective marketing techniques that are designed to acknowledge and appreciate the value and importance of each prospective customer.

Image source: ecenglish.com

 

Whether he is investigating buyer behavioral tendencies or is discovering new methods for delivering elite services to his guests, Vijay Dandapani will never stop thinking, learning and growing.  Despite earning kudos from his peers and the hotel industry, he prefers not to rest on his laurels but instead intends to continue improving services and business prospects for his high end hotel chain in midtown Manhattan.

His entire life has been focused in hotels and hospitality services.  With an international reputation, Vijay Dandapani finds himself invited to speak at many conventions and symposiums on the latest and most relevant trends in the world of guest accommodations.  

Image source:  liveskyline.com

A large part of the continuing success and influence of Vijay Dandapani stems from an eagerness to embrace and utilize the latest technologies available.  One of his hallmark achievements was to incorporate the latest and most advanced computer systems in each of his hotel renovations.  He also keeps his finger on the pulse of all forms of marketing, from traditional and established practices to the cutting edges and unexplored frontiers of social media and web sites.

However, probably the most significant contribution to his success was his ability to keep his focus on his guests and learning how to stay current and relevant to the needs of his clientele.  Most of his musing seems to center around the changing perceptions and wants of consumers and how to best recognize their evolving needs and desires in order to continue offering the best service possible.

Image source:  internmatch.com

For anyone in the field of hospitality, there is much to be learned by following and listening to the advice of Vijay Dandapani.

Vijay Dandapani of Apple Core Hotels

Apple Core Hotels aren't just your average hotel – they offer a comfortable place to stay, right in the middle of Manhattan, with rates for every budget, whether you are traveling to New York City for business or pleasure. 

Image Source: www.travelwithval.com

There are five hotels to choose from – one is La Quinta and the other is a Ramada.  The other three are boutique hotels: Broadway @ Times Square, The Hotel @ Times Square, and nyma, the new york manhattan hotel.  All hotels offer affordability and a long list of free amenities, such as fitness centers, in-room coffee makers and coffee, free WiFi Internet access, 24-hour business centers, nationwide calling, and continental breakfast.  The hotels also offer cable TV with movies on demand, laundry and valet services, free daily newspapers, and a phone with a private mailbox. 

 

Image Source: www.laquintajacksonvilletx.com

The hotels are located in places that make it easy to enjoy Manhattan.  They are close to Broadway, the Empire State Building, and Times Square.  It is also easy to get to and from airports and bus and rail stations from the hotels. 

Image Source: www.thepinnaclelist.com

Vijay Dandapani has been president and chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels since August 1993.  Mr. Dandapani has worked in the hotel industry for years, and has contributed greatly to the company's development.  He has helped the company to grow by implementing both hotel renovations and acquisitions.

Mr. Dandapani has been a part of many successful hotels and has held many key operational positions in the industry.  He is also on the board of directors for many hotel, tourism, and hospitality organizations, such as NYC & Company, the Hotel Association of New York City, and NYSHTA (New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association), and he is involved in the International Hotel Motel & Restaurant Show at Javits.  He is often invited to be a guest speaker for hospitality groups.

New York City on a budget

It is understandable that many people think New York City is a pricey destination, and there is truth to that. After all, the metropolis is home to some of the world’s fanciest hotels, restaurants, and shopping districts.

Image Source: travelsworlds.com

But it is also true that travelers can enjoy the Big Apple even on a tight budget. New York Magazine in fact did a budget itinerary for those who would still like to experience the city in all its splendor sans the sky-high cost.

Image Source: nymag.com

A strategy is what frugal traveler Seth Kugel recommends when touring the city on wallet-friendly terms. And he dispensed perhaps the best advice for any NYC visitor or traveler for that matter: “Pay top dollar for what you’re dying to do, look for bargains elsewhere, and don’t do anything you could do anywhere else in the world, especially in your hometown.”

So it is okay to grab lunch from one of the food trucks in the city and enjoy the meal in Central Park, ditch the cab and just take the subway, or go window shopping while taking in the city’s sights as well. Kudos to those who are able to explore NYC without spending any cent at all.

Image Source: meanredproductions.com

What makes New York City such a great place to visit is that people will never run out of places to explore and things to do that don’t necessarily come with a hefty price tag. Traveling, after all, is an adventure, and doing so on a budget is exactly that.  

Vijay Dandapani, president and chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels, believes that travelers can still get their ultimate NYC experience even on a budget. This is exactly what the five boutique hotels he oversees offer to guests. Learn more about these economy hotels with outstanding value here.