Travel

HELSINKI, Finland — During my life, I've had mad love affairs with cities — London, Paris, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Hong Kong. The symptoms are the usual ones associated with a romance — palpitations at the thought of seeing it again, perfect bliss in its company and pangs of sorrow at having to leave it.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.— My ritual was the same every morning during my visit. Cup of coffee in hand, I would ease back into the rocking chair on the front porch of At Cumberland Falls Bed and Breakfast, breathe in the aroma of the linden tree that shaded the front yard, listen to the tinkling of the pineapple fountain, and watch dawn break over the Blue Ridge Mountains and this charming town nestled in the midst of them.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Greenbrier resort's new owner has contracted with Mobil Travel Guide's consulting division to help the luxury hotel figure out how to restore its coveted five-star rating.

MINNEAPOLIS — As if charging $15 to check a bag weren't enough, two airlines are asking for $5 more beginning this summer if you pay at the check-in counter — a fee on top of a fee.

The Lexington Downtown Hotel and Conference Center announced the start on Thursday of renovation on its 367 guest rooms as a component of its $13 million revamping project that began in March.