Hotel guru Anthony Melchiorri may be best known as the sharp-tongued, no-nonsense, excuse-averse host of the hit reality program “Hotel Impossible,” but the smart-suited hotelier is actually a Queens-born family man who began his career at the iconic Plaza Hotel. Today, Melchiorri’s passion is helping struggling properties turn themselves around and this season’s “Hotel Impossible” — which debuts on the Travel Channel Monday, Jan. 27 — promises hotels from Italy to Alaska. As he gears up for his program’s fourth season, Melchiorri shares his hard-earned travel knowledge from decades on the road.
My favorite hotel in the world has to be La Residencia in Mallorca, Spain. It’s not overly pretty or ornate, but rather stunningly set in the hillside and smells like oranges from the moment you enter reception. Everything there is taken care of — the hotel just feels like you were born there.
I always travel with Tumi luggage — including my new Alpha Deluxe Wheeled Leather Brief. I am constantly jetting the world and want to look good on the road. Tumi feels like an extension of my own personal style; plus I can fill it up with 500 pounds of stuff and the zippers never break.
You’ll always find me with three things when I travel — dental floss, magnetic collar stays and this wonderful Hand Salve (right) from Burt’s Bees. I can travel from the heat of Hawaii to the Alaskan cold in one week and this lotion always keeps my hands looking and smelling great.
I use a lot of airlines, but I really like flying with Virgin America. To me, it feels like how flying used to be back in the 1940s and ’50s, when the crew made each guest feel special. The flight attendants always look you in the eye, immediately offer a drink and clearly take their jobs seriously.
People often think that Tripadvisor reviews are fake, but mostly they’re absolutely real. The reviews are like the comment cards of the 21st century — they give power back to guests and hoteliers should take them very seriously.
The one place I am still dying to visit is Japan — and I want to go by myself. To me, Japan is a culture so different than anything I know — so mysterious and sexy — that I want to experience it without anyone else’s schedule; I just want to walk the country and get lost in its complete otherness.
The best way to snag a hotel upgrade is to be nice. Make the reservation online, but then call up the front desk and kindly communicate what you might need. It also helps to arrive early, so that managers still have upgradable suites they’re willing to part with.
In most hotels, the best rooms are found in the corners — particularly in a vertical city like New York. Ultimately the best room is the one that suits you best — whether you prefer higher floors or insist on being close (or far) from the elevators.
I’m a big fan of food trucks — I think they’re a great way to get a sense of a city’s culture without having to try 27 different restaurants. I was recently in Nashville shooting a show and was amazed by the quality of dishes I was able to sample from the city’s food truck scene.
My favorite city in the world has to be Rome — it’s a city and culture based on family, conversation and food. I have family there and I am always amazed by the ways in which the locals treat guests and care for them.