Bed-and-breakfast inn is new trend in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- When somebody rings the bell at Como en Casa, a small bed-and-breakfast inn in Buenos Aires' bohemian quarter of Palermo Viejo, Mariana Alfaro never really knows what to expect.

"Some people ask me do I sell beds, others want to eat a meal," she says.

Bed-and-breakfast is a new concept for the Argentine capital, but at $42 a night for a double room with private, though separate bathrooms, Como en Casa is a cheap and cheerful alternative to the run-of-the-mill, charmless budget hotel.

Alfaro and her brother Jeronimo transformed their family's former home into an 11-room hostelry in 1998. The decor is rustic and there's a garden and rooftop patio.

It's called Como en Casa, because it's supposed to be "just like at home."

Although local tourist authorities still don't have a specific category for bed-and-breakfast -- they still call Como en Casa a youth hostel, or simply a "comercio," or small business -- the place has become a favorite for individual travelers from North America, Europe and Australia.

Its regulars are travelers who want a taste of a more homey Buenos Aires, away from the typical tourist spots on the capital's yearning-to-be-Paris boulevards.

Palermo Viejo and neighboring Palermo Hollywood are bohemian "barrios" crammed with period architecture, bistro-style restaurants, design stores, fashion studios and art galleries.

Breakfast is served at the round kitchen table.

"The idea is that people can talk, socialize," says Alfora. "It's difficult to say 'buen dia' and then not ask 'so where are you from?"'

Passengers can play game show at airport

SINGAPORE -- Instead of "this is your final boarding call," passengers at Singapore's Changi International Airport may be hearing: "Is that your final answer?"

Officials at Changi, an airport known for its luxury and efficiency, recently launched a new trivia "game show" for passengers to play while they wait for flights.

Up to 30 passengers at a time sit at electronic consoles while a host asks number-based questions such as the weight of a Boeing jet.

The players key in two numbers -- a minimum and maximum -- and win more points if they give the correct answer within the smallest range. Points are tallied at the end of a 10-question round, and the winner walks away with a shopping voucher worth over $540 to be used at airport shops, the CAAS statement said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore started the game -- called "What's Your Range?" -- on Dec. 15. "We noticed the worldwide revival of interest in game shows , the statement said.

"Who Wants to be a Millionaire" is wildly popular in Singapore.

Setting up "What's Your Range?" cost about $540,000, the CAAS said.

-- From wire reports