If you visit Portugal for the first time and land in Lisbon, the capital of the country, selecting the right hotel is the key to starting things on the right foot. Lisbon (or Lisboa, as the locals call it) is the vibrant Vibey metropolis, which borders on water and has seven large hills in the heart of motion.

While quite a few accommodation options ranges from Airbnbs to super low-cost hostels, for those who are in search of peace, selecting a hotel is a really solid alternative. Of all hotels in the city, International design hotel (IDH), 4 -star boutique property in the city with “Clean and protected“The assessment from the Portugal of the Tourist Council is a particular.

Location, location, location
Located in the heart of the historical Squarea Rossio (Alias ​​Plaza D. Pedro IV), Idh sits at the center of the motion, surrounded by stunning vintage buildings with modern stores akin to Nike, Mango and Maxmanar right on the street. Zara, a favourite of American travelers, is situated opposite the entrance from the hotel, if it’s essential run a captivating outfit for the evening in the city.

If you do not know Lisbon and get nervous about discovering, be sure – there are numerous to see just a number of steps.

The hotel is situated on the corner of the energetic cobbled streets, with one closed strip for cars and full of restaurants, souvenir shops and landmarks like Arco Da Rua August. Other districts, akin to Chiado, Bairro Alto and the famous Castle of St. George’s, are easy to succeed in (and in the case of the castle, in response to your opinion).

If you haven’t any guide or map, for those who haven’t got it – you are in the middle of all of it.

Comfort and creative design
As the name suggests, the Internacional Design Hotel provides aesthetics. The staff greets you with a sublime emerald lobby desk, with brilliant artworks.

Despite the historical external appearance, the hotel offers a modern boutique atmosphere – unlike massive hotel chains. Instead of a crowded lobby and elevators, expect one stylish elevator that comfortably matches three people.

The rooms are artistic and well equipped with a regular layout, desk, television, mini-bar and high ceilings. The bathrooms are modern, containing full showers. We stopped in a regular room, but for those who need extra space, the apartments can be found and have great grades.

Editor’s attention: Unlike most American hotels, mini-bar prices were surprisingly reasonably priced. Snacks and drinks don’t send the account.

Another profit? Large bathing towels and hand towels (as a substitute of small common washers in American hotels). If you favor a smaller fabric, ask the reception or bring your own.

Tasty brunch at the bottom
Idh functions, restaurant and bar on the first floor with a delicious breakfast spread at the start of the day. The price is an especially reasonably priced price 15 euros.

In an actual Portuguese way of baking, they shine. Expect mini -tubes, croissants, toast, rolls, cupcakes, apple danks and beloved pastel de Nata (Portuguese egg tarts). You will copy, sweet and light-it is a necessity and present wherever you go in Portugal.

The menu also includes eggs, bacon (note: more like a skinny, fried ham than American bacon), cereal flakes, milk, juices, tea and espresso.

Glass partitions provide a full view of the street while eating-ideal for individuals who follow people (and a friendly nod from other black travelers passing like us).

Modern convenience in a historic city
Do you wish a contact solution at midnight? We tried it and Uber Eats delivered it in lower than 20 minutes. This is the central IDH.

When it was time to go to the airport, Ubers and taxis were also available outside, and we arrived at the airport in Lisbon in about 20 minutes.

Wi-Fi reliably operated from the lobby, and nearby stores offered European adapters for American chargers.

Even if the city seems latest as a traveler, the hotel offers comfort, ease and sense of home.

The charm of the Old World is met with a living history
There is something transport in Square Idh. Although America may be known “Nowy Świat”, Lisbon history layers are inconceivable to disregard.

After the destructive earthquake, Tsunami and Fire hit the city in at some point in 1755, Lisbon needed to rebuild – and it did so beautifully.

The surrounding architecture is each elegant and neat, and the reminders of the colonial past of Portugal contained in statues for previous rulers and explorers invite reflection and real learning.

Because the city was built on seven hills, Lisbon is really a city stuffed with winding alleys, hand -arranged tiles and breathtaking views. This makes your stay in the Internet Design Hotel is rather more attractive since you don’t need a automotive or expensive transport to maneuver and see what the capital of Portugal has to supply.

Our assessment?

American Airlines is in the face of the heat after a black thicker claimed that she was the only first -rate passenger that denies food.

The influencer whose account name is @johbidoo_official shared her story with Tiktok. The film showed a particularly empty table of one that normally had the first class of amenities. The clip quickly gained over 4.8 million views and caused others to discuss the racism they encountered from the airline.

“When you are the only black person in the first grade, and the food apparently ended … Well, thank you American Airlines,” she wrote in the film.

According to the creator of the content of the lifestyle, the flight attendant expressed that the plane There was no food. However, taking into consideration the price point for a first -class ticket, many found this problem unacceptable, he informed.

“First class and exhaustion should not even be in the same sentence,” said one of the users of Tiktok.

Other commentators noticed how airlines normally follow passengers to supply enough food. This insistence meant that the authenticity of the flight attendant claim is questioned, telling the problem to report the problem to the thistker.

“I work with such a service for another airline and I can guarantee that there will be food. Report it !!!” He called one other.

Other thickets have drawn detailed details about their very own experience in the first grade traveling, while black. One woman shared how she received a grimy appearance when observers believed that she was in the fallacious line.

“I flew the first class and I was the only black woman there,” explained the commentator. “They assumed that I was in the wrong line. I looked all the time. It was wild.”

American Airlines had earlier problems with racist treatment reported by passengers. The airline is currently in the face of the trial after its employees accused the black man of trading their white wife.

The airline recently resolved the case for racial discrimination in December 2024 after three black men accused their flight attendants of improper removal of them from the plane in January this 12 months. In the light of a long-lasting problem, raised since 2017, NAACP he cried American Airlines to answer ongoing allegations of racism.

In relation to this last attack of the alleged racism, American Airlines also made a public statement confirming that they contacted the thicketker about her experience.

“We want all our clients to have a positive experience while traveling with us,” said the airline. “We contacted the client to learn more about their experience.”

The thicker also confirmed that he’s in communication with the airline in this matter.

Visionary entrepreneur Johnny Mack transformed the experience of the Carnival of Trinidad through the progressive solution to at least one of the biggest tourist challenges on the island: serious accommodation shortages during the world famous festival. As the general director of Epic Carnival Experience, Mack was a pioneer of the first “All-Inclusive Hotel” in Trinidad during the famous celebration of the carnival on the island.

The concept is brilliantly easy, but revolutionary: Royal Caribbean Cruise, which flows in a 9-day journey from the neighboring Caribbean Island, after which stays assault in the port of Spain for five days during the carnival. After graduating from the second 12 months in March 2025, EPIC has They quickly change into a changing game For Trinidad Carnival Tourism.

“Trinidad has only 2,500 hotel rooms throughout the country,” explained Mack, and his eyes brighten with passion. Forty thousand to 50,000 people travel to Trinidad to the carnival, making a critical need for flexible power. I created EPIC not only to supply an increased experience, but in addition to treatment economic necessity because of insufficient accommodation. “

A carnival child with music in his soul

Born in Trinidad on Monday morning in 1980, Mack describes himself as “a real bona fide carnival child”. His heritage is reflected in the diverse cultural makeup of Trinidada-Jego Father is the Chinese-Trinidadian first generation, and his mother was born in Morocco.

Mack’s journey took him from a rugby game for the Trinidad national team at the age of only 17 to attend the UC Berkeley scholarship. At the starting of 2000, he began to supply concert events for Caribbean artists, corresponding to Sean Paul and Damian Marley in California, before he founded on the music scene in Hawaii.

“When I did my first music festival, I was 23 years old and I had 4,000 people,” says Mack with a nostalgic smile. “From there I began to develop music festivals in Hawaii and then on the west coast.” He produced a music festival with three islands with the participation of Lauryn Hill, which attracted 12,000 participants.

His fame in the industry continued to grow exponently. His events could be presented by artists corresponding to Snoop Dogg, Cardi B and Usher, attracting huge crowds exceeding 35,000 people, experiences that gave him a useful view of the creation of addictive events that he would later apply to EPIC.

Overcoming industry barriers

Creating an epic carnival experience required overcoming significant obstacles, especially convincing the primary cruise line for docking in Trinidad for a very long time.

“No liner wanted to come to Trinidad and Tobago, because they were on a global list of safety hazards,” Mack revealed. “They refused to transfer a couple of night. From 2015 to simply before Covid I used to be still knocking on the door.

Perseverance paid off, but the required financial commitment was significant. “The average cruise ship will amount to at least $ 3.54 million only on charter. Besides, you have insurance, which is like $ 50,000. Then the cruise ship also wants to achieve data on revenues on board … This is another $ 1.2 million.”

As a Caribbean promoter in the industry dominated by large corporations, Mack acts with a distinct approach. “We cope with business with a rather larger number of cultural nuances and lanea. We live more in a gray zone than in black and white.

The Caribbean Entertainment Industry maintains its independence in a way through which few other sectors managed. “In the Caribbean diaspora, someone like Vybz Kartel, Beneie Man, Capleton or Buju will come to North America, and Live Nation will not be the owner of their trip. This will be someone from the diaspora with culture.”

Economic impact and cultural mission

Epic isn’t only a business undertaking – it’s an economic engine for Trinidad and a cultural exchange platform that comes straight from the heart of Mack.

“Based on the last budget, we spent about USD 500,000 on local production of Trinidad, Labor Party, Transport, Marketing – all our needs. We spent about $ 1.2 million on the purchase of tickets for Fetes, and then the average person spent about $ 1,000 on a carnival costume”, describes Epic CEO. “Let’s say that 1000 people bought carnival costumes, they immediately about $ 1 million.”

The business model solves many problems at the same time. It provides inexpensive accommodation when hotel prices rise and flights change into too expensive.

“Flights during the Carnival in Trinidad are outrageous because of high demand; they have violent prices. The flight that would be USD 300/400 USD currently costs USD 1500,” explains Mack, animated hills. “In the first year Epic we flew to Barbados, and we flew to Puerto Rico for the second year. The numbers made sense. The flight to Puerto Rico from anywhere along the east coast is like 300 USD in both directions. We save everyone at least USD 800–16 for flights.”

The carnival entrepreneur continues: “The average hotel room in the port of Spain during the carnival per night is about USD 800, which is crazy. When I valued one of the lower levels, it costs about USD 400 per night, which is theft for me when you get food, drink and events.”

Unique economic landscape of Trinidada

Unlike many of its Caribbean neighbors, Trinidad’s economy economy isn’t built on tourism – Mack explains with insight someone who really understands his homeland.

“Trinidad is not built on tourism, such as Jamaica, Barbados and these other islands. We are built on natural gas and oil and resources,” explains Mack proudly. “We have something called Lake Pitch. It’s an endless asphalt lake; we have an endless supply. So we never built infrastructure.”

This economic foundation, wealthy in resources, explains limited hotel infrastructure in the country. “It makes no sense to build a new hotel, but it was reasonable to bring a cruise ship that could come and be a real opportunity for Trinidad.”

Future growth and vision

The rapid growth of the project is visible in the early sale of tickets for the upcoming February 11-20 2026.

“At the moment, in the coming third 12 months, we sold 426 cabins, which we weren’t even in a position to run early for the second 12 months.

For Mack, this undertaking is just the starting of a bigger vision that deeply connects to its personal history. “This is just the first step. I am building an empire and a heritage in which I can export my culture and share it with the world,” he declares. “The goal of Epic is to reveal pop America, pop Europe, our culture and make them feel with us.”

His ambitions transcend personal success in creating opportunities for his community. “Growing up in the Caribbean, we did not know 401 (k) plans, life insurance or trust for children. Everything we have, we had to build. If I could help my community in my legs, I want to do it for my family and Trinidad.”

As our interview sums up, Mack’s phone calls with a transparent sound of SOCA music – a correct reminder of the rhythm that drives each a person and his mission. “Carnival is only an event for us – this is who we are. And now we have found a way to share it with the world.”