Spent 30 years working for Newsweek and Time, much of that within their international operations.I like people. and often find that the higher up rthe ladder of luxury one climbs while travelling, the less real interaction one enjoys with local people. One of the most common effects of this "sealing off" process occurs with food--or, ahem, cuisine-- in the Caribbean. ASas, more and more bad restaurants are touted because of their high prices--absolutely no assurance of good food whatsoever-- and there is less and less local food offered to hotel guests. I'm not sure if this is because hotel gm's all go to the same schools, or because, in ugly candor, many travelers like the cocoon of the familiar egg-white omlet for breakfast, and would be aghast at a breakfast roti. Even fresh fruits are becoming less bountiful in their displays on buffets.

Well, we all have our personal peeves...