Lori Rackl
chicagotribune.com
Chicago, IL, United States
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Past articles by Lori:
Demand for RVs grows as coronavirus crisis changes the way we travel. ‘I can see so many people doing it this summer.’
The travel industry has taken it on the chin during the coronavirus crisis, but the RV market is showing signs of resiliency. As a hunkered down populace starts to venture out again, RVs could be all the more appealing in the new normal. → Read More
‘I was almost in tears.’ White Pines Resort guests mourn the closure of their beloved northwest Illinois retreat, a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic
The news came like a gut punch to White Pines’ loyal guests: The resort’s longtime owner said she's closing down for good because of the pandemic. → Read More
‘It was set to be a record year’: Great Lakes cruise operators buckle up for a rough season in wake of the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on Great Lakes cruises, a burgeoning segment of the market that was shaping up to have a banner year in 2020. → Read More
Hyatt to cut 350 workers in Chicago as part of wider layoffs prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Hyatt Hotels Corp. is laying off about 1,300 of its corporate employees around the world, including roughly 350 people at Hyatt’s Chicago headquarters. → Read More
Curbside sushi and daily dance breaks: How one hotel is surviving the coronavirus crisis
Deer Path Inn hasn’t had an overnight guest since March, but it's staying busy by ramping up its carry-out business — and social media posts. → Read More
Pritzker’s plan to reopen Illinois leaves convention industry in limbo. ‘We’re in no man’s land right now.’
Under J.B. Pritzker's new five-phase plan to reopen Illinois, the convention center industry will be among the last allowed to reopen. But it's unclear when that will be, and the uncertainty has left many industry operators in limbo. → Read More
Goodbye breakfast buffets and notepads, hello germ-zapping robots. How hotels are doubling down on hygiene — and what that means for your next stay.
COVID-19 is forcing hotels to ramp up their cleaning protocols and hygiene. Here's what to expect during your stay. → Read More
Pay now, stay later: Hotels hit hard by coronavirus pandemic selling ‘bonds’ for future travel
Amid COVID-19, hotels are finding ways to put cash in their pockets now for services provided later, spawning some enticing deals for consumers. → Read More
How to get a refund for coronavirus-canceled travel, from hotline help to ‘the nuclear option’
Here are some tips and advice on how to get your money back for travel derailed by the coronavirus. Spoiler alert: It's not always easy. → Read More
‘Airlines are playing games with consumers.' Coronavirus pandemic is making it tougher for passengers to get refunds.
Ticket refunds — or a lack thereof — have become a major sore spot for both sides of the passenger-airline equation. → Read More
Airbnb customers vent about ‘confusing’ refund policy for travel during coronavirus: ‘It’s been a total hassle’
When it comes to getting money back under Airbnb’s updated COVID-19 policy, plenty of guests have had no problem. Others say they’ve had plenty of problems. → Read More
‘Our vacation was stolen’: VRBO guests fume over refunds on trips dashed by coronavirus
As Airbnb expands its refund offer for stays affected by COVID-19, some VRBO customers are fighting bitter battles to get their money back. → Read More
Airbnb extends guests’ refund window, helps cover hosts’ cancellation costs due to the coronavirus
Airbnb is pushing back the window for guests to get a full cash refund on reservations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic through the end of May. → Read More
Airbnb rallies hosts to provide free housing for coronavirus responders
The hospitality company Airbnb rolled out a program Thursday to help house those on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic. → Read More
With occupancy rates below 10%, more Chicago hotels close while others join city program to stem coronavirus spread
The new coronavirus continues to cripple the hotel industry and spark massive job losses and cutbacks spanning the workforce spectrum. → Read More
Chicago plans to rent thousands of hotel rooms for coronavirus isolation in move to preserve space in hospitals
The city of Chicago plans to rent thousands of hotel rooms to be used for people diagnosed with the new coronavirus or those who believe they’ve been exposed, in an effort to stop the spread of the illness and relieve the burden on hospitals. → Read More
‘We haven’t seen anything like this’: Coronavirus makes closures, staff cuts and empty rooms the new reality for Chicago hotels
An already dire situation is set to get even worse as the coronavirus puts the brakes on travel and sends the lodging industry into a tailspin. → Read More
Ordered to stay home to halt COVID-19′s spread, Chicagoans already were preparing to hunker down
By the time Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Illinoisans would soon be ordered to "stay at home” in an attempt to contain the new coronavirus pandemic, the news didn't come as a shock to shoppers making final stock-up trips Friday afternoon. → Read More
Netflix has a new series on self-made millionaire Madam C.J. Walker, whose memory lives on in Indianapolis
Walker, the focus of a new Netflix series, amassed wealth and influence in Indianapolis — a city that’s keeping her memory alive in ways big and small. → Read More
‘Fall is the new summer’: How coronavirus is changing the way we travel — and when
In the age of the coronavirus, leisure travel might be delayed until fall, and people will probably be choosing more outdoors vacations. → Read More