London has secured more venture capital funding than any other European city since the Brexit vote. Garry Knight / FlickrSkift Take: So far it seems that London's tech scene hasn't suffered any negative impact from last June's Brexit vote. The bigger test will come when the results of the negotiations are known. Only then will entrepreneurs and investors find out where they stand.

The battle for hotel bookings between hotels and online travel agencies is as intense as it every has been. The last year has basically been a standoff. Skift Take: Expedia and Booking.com, which each doubled Marriott's TV advertising spend over the last year, are still growing like weeds despite hotels' direct-booking campaigns. That makes for a tough environment for hoteliers, although some brands will do better than others.

United Airlines has been investing in its special lobbies for its most lucrative customers. Its new one in Los Angeles, pictured above, opened in June. United AirlinesSkift Take: No, these special airline VIP lobbies are not new. But all three full-service U.S. airlines are investing in them, with each trying to one-up the other. If you're a regular coach customers, you likely don't care. But if you have access to these lobbies, you're probably pleased.

Carnival Corp. plans to increase its spending on advertising and marketing this year, including on some of its original programs. Shown here is a scene from "Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin." Carnival Corp. Skift Take: Carnival Corp. said its cruise lines have made a case for additional advertising and marketing dollars to generate more bookings — and the parent company is listening. Now we wait to find out how that money gets spent and what kind of results they will see.

Trivago has been the biggest spender by far on U.S. TV among travel booking sites over the past two weeks. Skift Take: Will TripAdvisor be able to break through as it starts its TV campaigns around the world? Trivago has a big advantage. At this juncture in its life, Trivago is focused on gaining share while profit concerns take a back seat. — Dennis SchaalFresh off returning to U.S.

A guest room at the new Pod Hotel BK in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The micro-hotel brand is expanding this year. Pod Hotels Skift Take: Boutique hotelier Richard Born is betting big on micro-hotels — and he isn't alone these days. Will most hotels going forward take the same approach? Or will hotel guests eventually tire of tiny rooms? — Deanna TingBD Hotels co-founder Richard Born is very busy these days.

Are travel managers and corporations missing out by downplaying employee feedback? Pictured is a woman at an airport. Global Business Travel AssociationSkift Take: Many travel managers do not solicit feedback from their travelers, which seems like a missed opportunity. The evidence, however, shows that reacting to traveler feedback doesn't necessarily lead to more satisfied travelers.

United is raising the prices for some award travel. Picture is a United Boeing 787-9. Ted S. Warren / Associated PressSkift Take: Starting July 1, United will begin hawking Chase-branded credit cards on board, with flight attendants earning a $50 commission for each approval. Will the flight attendants remind customers that they'll need a lot more miles for some trips starting later this year? We doubt it.

Hydra New York, which offers shower spaces for booking in unused commercial real estate, bills itself as filling the gap between the locker room and the hotel. Hydra New YorkSkift Take: A series of innovators are trying to address the moments between arrival and check-in, work and play, and other found moments. — Colin NagyStarbucks famously built its brand as being the “third place” between home and office — a space to convene, relax and enjoy the coffee and Wi-Fi.

Lift by EnCore is creating new coach seats. A lot goes into designing new seats, including crash testing. EnCoreSkift Take: Building a coach airline seat is not like creating home furniture. Building stuff for aircraft is remarkably complicated. We got an inside look recently at the production center for an aircraft seat maker. Here's some of what we learned.