The Roomorama Blog

At Roomorama we know what an important factor environmental sustainability plays on businesses — and individuals. Which is why we’re especially excited to announce our partnership with San Francisco Green Festival™, a joint project of Global Exchange and Green America.

Green Festival™ is the largest sustainability event in the world and continues to grow year after year. In 2009 events have already been held in Seattle, Denver and Chicago, and will continue onto Washington, D.C. and San Francisco in the fall, where Roomorama will be providing a smart alternative to hotels — as only we know how!

The aim of Green Festival™ is to find solutions to help make our lives healthier—socially, economically and environmentally. Individuals along with business and community leaders discuss critical issues with a domestic and international impact, while organizations and businesses showcase programs and products designed to help restore the planet. In San Francisco what began as a small event in 2002 had grown by last year into 3 days filled with the best in green. This November find out how Bay Area neighbors, community nonprofits and city departments are working together to make their cities healthier places to live.

Check out Roomorama’s profile on www.greenfestival.org!

Lollapalooza (noun)
1. Alternative music festival held in Grant Park, Chicago.
2. Popular term from the early 20th century meaning “remarkable or wonderful person or thing“.

As proven by our partnership with Tribeca Film Festival, Roomorama is a staunch supporter of the arts. But it’s not just movies we love, and we’re just as comfortable banging heads with the gods of rock as hanging out in the dark with movie geeks. Which is why we’re thrilled to announce Roomorama’s offical partnership with Lollapalooza, America’s favorite alternative music festival! We will provide alternative accommodation options for visitors to this year’s extravaganza of rock, to be held over the weekend of August 7-9, 2009, in Chicago’s Grant Park.

Created in 1991, Lollapalooza was originally conceived by Perry Farrell as a farewell tour for his band, Jane’s Addiction. The event quickly expanded into a touring festival which leaned heavily on the alternative rock sound popular for much of the 90s. The show toured North America annually until 1997 and for its revival in in 2003, before taking on its current format as a weekend event in 2005.

Over the years Lollapalooza has featured some of the biggest names in rock, and this year presents arguably its strongest line-up yet, featuring an exciting blend of established names and the hottest new artists. Depeche Mode (above), Kings of Leon, The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, Thievery Corporation, TV On The Radio, Beastie Boys, The Decemberists, Glasvegas, Gomez, The Raveonettes, Lou Reed, Neko Case, Santigold and Peter, Bjorn and John are just some of the acts headlining this year’s event.

So unearth that faded tour tee from the bottom of your closet (yeah it still fits) and see you in Chicago!

Roomorama is proud to announce its partnership with Tribeca Film Festival! After all, New York is a town of movie lovers, and as a company founded and based in the city this was a role we believe we were made for. The Tribeca Film Festival represents both the ingenuity and spirit of New York, and as an active supporter of the city’s arts and cultural scene, Roomorama felt especially compelled to offer visitors to this annual celebration of cinema a smart and stress-free solution to accommodation during the festival. We’ve even created a special festival listing map program, pinpointing the event’s venues and connecting visitors with the local community.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, the Tribeca Film Festival was created with the goal of revitalizing the economic and cultural landscape of post-9/11 Manhattan. Since the first festival in 2002 it has shown over 1,100 films from 80 countries, attracted more than two million attendees and generated over $530 million in economic activity for New York City. This steadfast promotion of the city as a major filmmaking center combined with a commitment to featuring works by a diverse mix of emerging and established talent makes Tribeca a true “New York” festival and a unique event on the cinema industry’s busy calendar.

Of the movies showing at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival (April 22-May 3, 2009), three are notable for their intrinsic connection to New York. Brooklyn director Spike Lee’s highly-anticipated basketball documentary Kobe Doin’ Work follows the L.A. Lakers’ star Kobe Bryant during last season’s NBA playoffs, while Mandy Stein’s Burning Down The House: The CBGB Story catalogues the rise and fall of the now defunct Bowery venue, as remembered by the musicians and fans who made New York rock. The festival opens with the world premiere of Whatever Works, starring Larry David (above) and directed by arguably the quintessential New York filmmaker, Woody Allen. See you in the back row!

Introducing the official Roomorama mascot

While all talk this week has been about Bo Obama, the arrival of the Portuguese water dog at the White House has deflected attention from our own high profile addition to the Roomorama team. Intoducing Pato, Roomorama’s very own First Puppy! This adorable poodle-wheaten terrier was rescued from the kennel just days ago, and is already settling in to life at Roomorama HQ, where he will take up the important position of company mascot. This demanding role requires boundless energy, an appetite for success (and food) plus the ability to look cute at all times. By far the youngest, hungriest — not to mention cuddliest — member of the Roomorama team, little Pato has already shaken off his initial shyness and is now more than happy to take a break on the job, perhaps for an endive salad snack or a stroll around the neighborhood. Word from Washington is that Bo is now doubting if he got the best gig.

Just in case you were wondering, the name Pato was chosen by Roomorama co-founder Federico, who as an avid fan of the Milan soccer team, couldn’t resist naming the furry tyke after the rossoneri’s Brazilian forward, Alexandre Pato (above). Not wishing to send Pato (the dog) into an identity crisis at a young age, we’ll wait before revealing to him that pato means “duck” in Portuguese…

“O Pato” - Joao Gilberto and Caetano Veloso

As we all slowly crawl out of hibernation and look forward to springtime, we start thinking about turning loose travel plans into reality. Groups gather to see concerts, go to conventions, and attend festivals and sporting events, hoping to meet new people and take in the newfound good weather.

While the current economic climate has given travelers pause financially, it has definitely not dampened their desire to visit new cities and have fun. Short term accommodation renting is an ideal way for these travelers to stay in beautiful, comfortable places for reasonable prices, while also experiencing the city in a more intimate way. As a part of the Roomorama hosting community, you are well positioned to fill this demand and meet some very cool people along the way.

In the coming months, price competition from hotels will be a reality of the short term accommodation marketplace. As travelers look for ways to save money and seek hotel alternatives, the result has been and will continue to be significant hotel price reductions.  Though a hotel will never be able to offer the coziness, personality and spaciousness of an apartment or home, they can certainly compete on price.

What does that mean for you as a Roomorama host?

Price adjustments are a normal and healthy reality of any efficient marketplace. Rethinking your prices to reflect the changing short term accommodation environment will, without question, increase the likelihood of renting out your place. And I’m sure you would agree, filling vacancies is goal number one in the business of short term renting.

The graph below gives a snapshot of nightly hotel prices in the cities in which we operate, and can help guide you to a price that can maximize your rental income.

From our experience, short term rentals have typically been priced at a 20%-40% discount to hotel prices (for a place accommodating an equivalent number of guests). Of course, homes, apartments and hotels vary very widely in terms of what they can offer (amenities, neighborhood, square footage, sleeping arrangements, etc). This data is meant to only serve as a general guide.

It’s not just us that think Roomorama is the place to go for urban short-term renting: today we are cited in the The New York Times’ Great Homes & Destinations section! Susan Stellin’s article, entitled “Everybody Into The Rental Pool”, discusses the growing trend among second-home owners to rent out their vacation properties, a development no doubt brought about in part by this dour economy, but also by an increased availability of online rental options, of which Roomorama is singled out for its unique focus on the urban market. It’s incredible what a little national publicity can do — we’ve practically doubled our inventory since the article went to print!

Click here to read the article in full.

We will never leave you guys again. 

Through our start-up lives, we constantly struggle betwen doing things right and doing the right things. We had to shut down the website for a couple of weeks to re-gut the site for better performance, better security, and improved userbility. For the long term good, we had decided it was best to suffer the short term pain of an A-Z overhaul. 

But it is done, and we always look forward. Check out the new Roomorama. 

While we are fixing issues on the fly, we are very very happy with the new platform we are working off. Imagine if you could perform plastic surgery on every ugly child right after birth! No exchanges and no returns, but we will forever be working on improving our baby.  

Like the new and improved Roomorama, any child is going to thank their parents years down the road for an early intervention. We remain committed to Roomorama for the long-run and do see the business growing into into a beautiful teenager, popular in class but not bitchy, and gaining entry into Harvard, but deciding to go to a state school. Roomorama is going to be great but will sport battle scars and not forget where it came from. 

A big shout out to our customers and hosts, who have been so patient while we furiously worked away on version 2.0. Thank you guys. And we hope you continue to visit us for easy and convenient ways to find affordable housing in every major city.

Reported: Obese have right to 2 airline seats

The high court declined to hear an appeal by Canadian airlines of a decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency that people who are “functionally disabled by obesity” deserve to have two seats for one fare.

Other considered blog headlines.

• Is being fat the new gay? 
• Do obese people also have a right to 2 in-flight meals?
• Should obesity treshold be measured by BMI or absolute size?
• Slowly, the world adjusts to bigger people. The gym is not the solution. 

[Photo: Daily Intel]

I know my news, damn it. Secretary of State, “team of rivals”, capable diplomat, transition team, blah blah blah. Can we stop and think for a moment?! LOOK AT THAT PHOTO! UNTAG IMMEDIATELY! 

Bam the Man looks like he could appear in a face anatomy class — “Look students, the face folds longitudinally. ” Or as a visual aid for an Asian mum’s advice to her daughter — “No smile so big. Make face wrinkle. No husband want.”

Hilary? V for Vendetta mask with double chin add-on. The face can fold laterally too.

Note: This was a post OFFERING her services. Full post: 

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FAIL! 15 years, typed a lot. Never proofread. “Not my job”, Linda says.

So many things have happened since we last spoke — Obama has been elected president, and some other stuff that I’m sure is important.

When I first saw the photo of Bam the Man (pronounced “Baam” the “Maan”, rhymes with the “baack” in Arnold’s “I’ll be back”, sounds more reggae than “Alabama”) striding out of the waters, I hope gawker would jump on it and make its “Obama: the James Bond of our generation?” kind of meaningless but attention grabbing headlines. Oh my apologies, I love Gawker — their headlines are great! 

That photo is HOT. I felt a tingle: it started from my big toe, rose up the insides of my thigh, curiously skipped around my groin region, travelling instead up my left buttock cheek, recentering on my spine, shot straight up my bad posture, formed a little eddy on my jugular vein, and finally inched up, circled my left ear, making concentric circles inward, and finally nestling into my inner ear. It sounded like heaven.

Frizzy hair? Check. Over-proportioned nose? Check. Incredibly full eye-brows? Check. Incredible sense of style? Check. 

See, no one needs to use the equine reference for things to click.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s sisters in Paris! Found by the ever sharp Sartorialist

Windows Vista Business is charging a premium for the option to use its older counterpart?

By releasing a sub-par, annoyingly difficult to use, and fat program that is the Vista, Microsoft may have just come up with the most counter-intuitive genius strategic business choice ever. They basically charge a premium for the XP now by introducing a “computer virus” to our computers - the Vista. Now they can charge the price of the Vista PLUS $99 to use the XP as we knew it.

Nestled in the east village, at the corner of 13th St and Avenue B, lies our favorite cafe. As anyone who lives in a big city knows, there are just too many cafes to choose from, and adopting one as “home”, to announce to your friends as your favorite, is a complex task requiring checklists, multiple visits, many deep breaths, and a library of books to test at each cozy corner in the cafe. Some cafes are great for the NYTimes Sunday section (large tables), some for textbooks and note-taking (bright and with square-end tables), and others for regular “cozy-ing up with a good book and a cup of coffee” (soft, warm lighting and tables made of weathered wood).

You get all of that at B-Cup because they have segmented areas for each of your moods. We also like the zany painting on the glass. We like the cozy areas, free Wifi, killer pastries, and amazing coffee. But you can find all of that at many places. What really did it for us were the barristers:

Ohad on the left looks like ____ (for reader to free associate; provide creative interpretation of his look in comments), and Omer on the right looks like a really good boy. And this is important because we feel very safe in their cafe. Seriously, do down to B-cup and order something from these dudes: They are friendly, warm, and helpful (we always ask to refill our water bottles).

Jane of SeaOfShoes showed us her vintage necklace from Tulsa. Yeah, nice. But I am not looking at the necklace.