Lobby Bar – July 13: Space Odysseys, Gabor Sisters Camping, and ‘I’ll Take Stolen Vehicles for $100, Alex!’

Lobby Bar – It’s the Real Thing, Maybe.

Open the pod bay doors, HAL. InterContinental is adding artificial intelligence to some rooms at its hotels in China, giving guests the ability to push the limits of what they can do in their rooms simply by speaking a command. Although unrelated to the new technology, one recent guest by the name of Dave reported on social media that the system is refusing to open the suite’s doors and let him in.

Will common sense prevail? A new Frequent Business Traveler-GlobeRunner Insights study showed that passengers care most about (gasp!) personal space when selecting an airline for their flight. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, no airline executives were available for comment when contacted by this reporter, with the majority of PR flacks responding that their executives were out trying to find new ways of measuring and defining legroom without actually making any changes in the aircraft.

Survivor redux. A new glamping retreat opened its tents to guests on New York City’s Governors Island and offers guests a unique experience because there’s one tent fewer than there are guests. At the end of the evening, the guests get together and vote on who is getting voted off the Island that evening. The unlucky guest gets a final s’more, a kayak, and a paddle, because the ferry back to Manhattan stopped running hours earlier.

The more you eat, the more you want. The maker of Cracker Jack which competes with peanuts at baseball games, finally convinced Southwest Airlines to stop serving peanuts during its flights in favor of the caramel-flavored snack. In other news, the Dallas-based airline said it has signed a long-term contract with Sailor Jack and his dog, Bingo, to promote the peanutless carrier.

Drive it like you stole it. One of the best ways to see Europe this summer is by car. We think so too and recommend travelers taking our How to Hotwire a European Sedan 101 course before flying over.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)